Even 40 years after it hit theaters, “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” is still relevant. People of a certain age can quote lines from the movie, and car fans remember the tragedy of the Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder (replica) being launched from a garage into the woods below. The film made such an impact on Ferrari collector David Lee when he was a teenager that he bought one, which he shows to Jay Leno in the video below.

Who can blame him? What teenage kid wouldn’t want to skip school with his or her significant other and best friend, and drive around a big city in a gorgeous Italian convertible? As an adult, it’s easy to see the California’s appeal. As a short-wheelbase (SWB) model, Lee’s car has tidy dimensions that still allow the Pininfarina lines to fully flow. The slim bumpers, subtle hood scoop, and bright heat extractor vents on the front fenders add just the right amount of flash. And let’s not forget the wire wheels with knock-off caps.

The cabin is simple yet attractive: two low-back bucket seats, a wood wheel, full gauges, and a four-speed manual shifter. Even the choice of what to do with the soft top is straightforward: down, of course (Principal Rooney retired a long time ago).

Then there’s the 3.0-liter V-12 under the hood. Sure, 280 horsepower is nothing these days but, in a car the size of the California, it feels like a lot more.

The California can do more than cruise, though. Lee praises it for how nimble it is. Leno is impressed by the power. But this raises a question: What would Abe Froman, “The Sausage King of Chicago,” think of it?