Meet the Jerrari, a cross between a Ferrari and a Jeep Wagoneer

Back in the 1980s, American tycoon and car aficionado William Harrah decided he needed an off-roader to rival supercars. The market offered nothing of the kind, so he took a regular 1977 Jeep Wagoneer and had it converted into a 12-cylinder monster SUV.

Thus was the Jerrari born, a Ferrari-engined off-roader sending around 324 PS (320 hp / 238 kW) to the wheels by means of a five-speed manual gearbox. It was four-wheel-drive by design but could uncouple its rear axle when not needed – a design solution that may seem common today, but that was novel in the early eighties. Harrah was reportedly very happy with the build, often using it to haul people from one town to the next one in rainy weather.

What’s also interesting, this isn’t even the first car of its kind. Initially, the businessman came to Ferrari Enzo to ask him personally for a car like this. Enzo declined, and Harrah built a Jerrari Mk1 with a Ferrari front end. That one hadn’t lived long, though, while the Mk2 seen here has survived to our days.

Watch the full 26-minute-long video for a detailed overview of this truly unique project by Jay Leno’s Garage.