Former President Joe Biden showed up at Fort Adams State Park in Newport on Sunday for the closing day of Audrain Motor Week, bringing along the car he's owned since 1967: a Goodwood Green Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray convertible. He wasn't alone, either — Jay Leno appeared alongside him at the Audrain Auto Museum's Concours d'Elegance, the marquee event capping off the four-day gathering of rare and historic automobiles.
Biden attended the Concours d'Elegance at Fort Adams State Park, as did Leno, according to WJAR. The station reported that Audrain Motor Week is an event where rare classic and historic cars are judged and awards are handed out, and that Sunday marked its final day. Cars on display at the show spanned decades of auto history, giving visitors a sweeping look at the evolution of the automobile alongside Biden's own piece of that story.
A Wedding Gift With Nearly Six Decades of History
Biden is the original and sole owner of the Corvette, a 1967 Sting Ray convertible equipped with a 327-cubic-inch small-block V8 factory-rated at 300 horsepower and paired with a factory four-speed manual transmission, according to NDTV. The car carries a $5,700 sticker price and was a wedding gift from Biden's father, a Delaware Chevrolet dealership manager who financed it through monthly installments, per CorvetteBlogger. Biden reportedly still keeps the original purchase sticker in his records.
The V8 engine itself has its own family story. It was overhauled as a Christmas gift by Biden's late son Beau and his son Hunter, who preserved the car's authenticity using original period-correct components, NDTV reports. The 5.4-liter engine remains configured close to its original 1967 dealership condition, a detail that underscores just how carefully the car has been kept intact across generations of the Biden family.
A Continuing Partnership With Jay Leno
Biden and Leno's history with the Corvette goes back further than Newport. In June 2026, Biden reunited with Leno on an episode of Jay Leno's Garage featuring the car, during which Leno drove it around Southern California accompanied by a security convoy, according to autoevolution. That appearance echoed an earlier one from 2016, when Biden showed off the same Corvette to Leno while serving as Vice President.
Leno's connection to the Newport event runs deeper than a guest cameo. He serves as the official Chairman of the Audrain Newport Concours & Motor Week, working alongside museum co-founder Nicholas Schorsch and consulting director Donald Osborne, per a PR Newswire release.
Driving Limits Shape Rare Public Outings
Biden has noted that Secret Service agents often ride shotgun during his rare driving outings, and low-key showcases like Newport's Concours offer a chance to see his Corvette out in the open.
A Growing Newport Tradition at a Historic Fort
This year's Audrain Newport Concours & Motor Week ran from October 1 through October 4, bringing together more than 180 classic and historic automobiles judged across 25 competition classes at Fort Adams, according to event organizers. The lineup included a “Thirty Under 30” category aimed at young collectors, part of the event's push to broaden its audience beyond longtime enthusiasts.
The 2026 edition also expanded its program with the inaugural Audrain Supercar & Hypercar Concours d'Elegance, held at Fort Adams on Saturday, one day ahead of the classic Concours d'Elegance. The new category focuses on modern ultra-high-performance vehicles shown alongside the vintage classics that have long defined the gathering.
The Audrain Automobile Museum is associated with the Concours d'Elegance, the marquee event of Motor Week. Fort Adams State Park itself, where the Concours is staged, provided a backdrop for Biden's Corvette's latest public outing.
