Funnyman and car collector Jay Leno has more cars at any one time than most families will go through in 50 years. His collection includes some of the oldest, rarest, and most valuable cars in existence, and numbers around 190 vehicles. In addition to his own collection, Leno regularly hosts rare exotics, concepts, and customs from all over the world for his video series, Jay Leno’s Garage.

But it isn’t just the rare or exotic that get a place in Leno’s garage. The Tonight Show host recently brought the Ford Focus ST on for some air time and seat time, giving the old man a taste of what kids are driving these days.

See, Leno doesn’t just love old or expensive cars; he’s into the high-tech stuff too, and the Focus ST is cutting-edge in a lot of ways. The 252 horsepower 2.0 liter EcoBoost engine cranks out 270 ft-lbs of torque, delivering an exhilarating driving experience, and Leno is particularly happy with the six-speed manual transmission, noting that many exotics no longer offer the option.

Leno talks shop with Ford’s performance chief engineer, Jamal Hameedi, explaining how the torque-vectoring system eliminates torque-steering in the turbocharged front-driver. But the real fun comes when Leno hops behind the wheel, and he keeps going back to the joy of driving a manual transmission, though he seems less thrilled with the power-electric assist. Leno also remarks how the Focus ST looks a lot like an Aston Martin, and how he’d upgrade the exhaust for a throatier growl.

Looks like Leno may have caught a touch of the hot hatch fever.