Jay Leno drives a 1971 Alfa Romeo Montreal.

What defines a supercar? Does a car have to have a certain look to be called a "supercar" or is it a matter of performance? Or is it both? Jay Leno believes that the 1971 Alfa Romeo Montreal meets the definition of a supercar.

Although the car had neither a mid-engine layout nor scissor doors, the Montreal was quite exotic for its time. It was designed by Marcello Gandini, who had also worked on the Lamborghini Miura and Countach. The 2.6-liter V8 with a double overhead camshaft developed 220 hp. Power was sent to the rear wheels through a five-speed manual transmission with dog-leg shift. Top speed was 136 mph. This was an amazing figure for the time.

Rarity is an important part of the supercar mystique, and the Montreal has it: only 3,925 were built between 1970 and 1977. As new, the car was never officially sold in the U.S., but it can now be imported under the 25-year rule.

Why was the Italian car named after a Canadian city, since it began as a concept car introduced at the 1967 International World's Fair in Montreal? The public outcry was so great that Alfa decided to produce the Montreal.

According to Leno, the Montreal has stereotypical Italian shortcomings: the Spica's four cams and mechanical fuel injection make it difficult to maintain, and, according to Leno, the car must warm up before it can be driven. The driver's seat also resembles a bus, which Leno believes is at least suitable for leaning on the hands-free steering when parallel parking.

Alfa does not have a Montreal-like flagship coupe in its current lineup. Alfa had previously considered plans for a coupe reviving the classic GTV name and a higher-end model reviving the 8C name. However, both models were canceled.