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Archive for category Top Gear

Bye-Bye To The Stig

Aug 30

Posted by Insider in Top Gear

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Or, at least, Ben Collins, because we have a feeling the Stig will be back to haunt Google Streetview…

According to reports which surfaced on The Daily Mirror, BBC became fed up with all the huss and fuss around Collins’ persona and decided to let him go. And, apparently, his shoes have already been filled by a new guy.

The proof the British source has for these claims? A set of photos which, placed one next to the other, show that Ben Collins has no way of being the Stig. One of the photos show the Stig while on location with a BBC team at the Nurburgring while another shows Ben Collins while enjoying a quality family time some 1,100 miles away (1,770 km).

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Ben Collins The Stig

Aug 23

Posted by Insider in Top Gear

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One of the world’s best kept secrets (an exaggeration, we know) has been unmasked this weekend, after the financial details of a company called Collins Autosport somehow got into the hands of the British media.

According to the statements, the name of the Stig is Ben Collins, a 35-year-old soap box derby champion from Bristol. The name is not such a big surprise, given the fact that Collins is the most associated person with the mysterious test driver in a white suit (with rumors as old as two years saying he is The Stig).

According to The Sunday Times, the financial statements of Collins Autosport, the company which was set up by Collins, show that a contract was signed in 2003 to provide “driving services for the BBC, mainly in the Top Gear program.” The contract offered “good long-term prospects and continuing income.”

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Again.. Who’s The Real Stig’s Identity?

Jul 22

Posted by Insider in Top Gear

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The automotive world has always had its fair share of mysteries ever since the first car started rolling. Over the last seven years, one of this mysteries has been the identity of the Stig, the Top Gear racing driver.

Here’s how Jeremy Clarkson describes IT: “”We don’t know its name, we really don’t know its name, nobody knows its name, and we don’t wanna know, ’cause it’s a racing driver”

Actually the first Stig (the Black one) had a relatively short life, as he was killed on 26 October 2003 (he debuted on 20 October 2002), as his identity (Perry McCarthy) was revealed. Of course, the BBC never admitted this. The White Stig was introduced subsequently, with his identity remaining secret.

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BMW 760Li “The Choice”[VIDEO Inside]

Feb 16

Posted by Insider in BMW, Top Gear, Video

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Freshly starched shirt collars and cuffs reflect in the taught lines of BMW’s 7 series flagship sedan. As if not luxurious and exclusive enough, the Individual series takes your driving experience to a whole new level. Yes, cuff links are required. And yes, James, your days as a chauffeur are numbered.

Among the enhancements the Individual series has to offer are additional color selections, infinite color selections, actually, as well as choice of materials. Leather and trim is hand picked and matched by your eyes, and no one else’s.

Would you like bright pink seatbelts? It can be done. What about the texture of this leather or the luster of that trim? That can be taken care of too. One of our greatest luxuries is choice, and choices are endless within the scope of BMW’s Individual series.

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Top Gear Vietnam Special Bikes

Feb 8

Posted by Insider in Top Gear

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The National Motor Museum recently purchased two motorcycles featured in the 2008 Top Gear Vietnam Special, when Clarkson, May and Hammond were challenged to travel the entire length of the country in just eight days. The two machines, a 1967 Piaggio Vespa 150cc VBC Super and a 1973 Honda 50cc Chaly, are currently displayed in the museum’s World of Top Gear exhibition.

The three presenters started their adventures in Saigon and they were each given 15 million Vietnamese dong to buy vehicles. Equalling to only £600, the money were not enough to purchase a car. The Top Gear team therefore decided to buy motorcycles: May a 50cc Honda Club, Hammond a Russian-built 125cc Minsk and Clarkson a Piaggio Vespa.

The Honda Chaly is painted in the distinctive Stars ‘n Stripes livery of the ‘Captain America’ Harley-Davidson chopper, ridden by Peter Fonda in the iconic 1969 movie, Easy Rider. The bike had also been fitted with an iPod audio system continuously playing Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Born in the USA’.

So far, the Vespa and the Honda Chaley have been on display at the Saigon Scooter Centre in ‘as last used’ unrestored condition. They now form part if the line-up of Top Gear vehicles currently showcased at the National Motor Museum.

Visitors to the exhibition can also experience the Top Gear ‘Enormodrome’ which aims to recreate the feel of the Top Gear studio. They can also watch an exclusive video presentation from behind-the-scenes at the Top Gear HQ with Jeremy, Richard and James, as well as the Cool Wall and Celebrity ‘Lap Time’ boards.

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Button Lost to Hamilton in Top Gear Test

Dec 23

Posted by Insider in Mclaren, Top Gear

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Jenson Button has lost his first head-to-head confrontation with his new teammate and future rival Lewis Hamilton since he joined McLaren Mercedes team. Although the two were not put one alongside another on a track to compete for 1st place, they were given the chance to lap for the fastest time (in different days) during the famous BBC show Top Gear.

While Hamilton’s test happened a couple of years ago - during his very first season in Formula One and before he became world champion for the Woking based team - Jenson Button’s rolled off earlier this month.

However, the reigning world champion failed to top Ham’s time around the Top Gear-selected track, as he eventually crossed the finish line some two-tenths of a second slower than his new teammate (who stopped the clock at 1:44.9). The results didn’t seem to bump Button too much, as he admitted he is still eager to challenge Ham for the upper hand at McLaren.

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Two Top Gear Awards For Skoda

Dec 11

Posted by Insider in Awards, Top Gear

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Skoda seems to be moving up in the world - from the image standpoint - as two of its models were awarded by Top Gear, one of the most important auto publications in the world. The Skoda Superb managed to get the “Luxury Car of the Year” award, while Yeti was named “Family Car of the Year.”

While the Czechs were probably out celebrating their success, Conor McNicholas, the magazine’s editor explained why the Yeti has won: “The Yeti has been an instant hit with the Top Gear magazine office,” he said.

“We love the styling, the handling, the quality, the space, the clever touches and yes, the name. If you’re looking for a family car it should be top of your list to check out, simple as that. The Yeti feels like part of the Top Gear family.“

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Ferrari 458 Italia, Top Gear’s Car of the Year Award

Dec 6

Posted by Insider in Awards, Ferrari, Top Gear

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After announcing the Lotus Evora is Top Gear’s Sports Car of the Year 2009, everyone got interested in finding out the winners of the rest of the categories. It seems that this year, the most important award, Top Gear’s Car of the Year 2009 was handed out to Ferrari’s new model, the 458 Italia.

In electing the Ferrari 458 Italia as their “Supercar of the Year”, BBC Top Gear Magazine said that this car has established “the new benchmark in getting from A to B as rapidly as possible.” They also described the 570-hp V8-engined berlinetta as “a game-changing car.”  Read the rest of this entry »

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Lotus Evora Gets Top Gear Sports Car of the Year

Dec 4

Posted by Insider in Awards, Lotus, Top Gear

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As most car fanatics know, Top Gear is one of the most important television series and magazines about cars. The men behind this show have achieved incredible success, as it is believed that it has more than 350 million viewers worldwide and a lot of readers of the magazine.

Just like most auto franchises, Top Gear has an annually award ceremony dedicated to cars. Having this much viewers, you can understand that the Top Gear awards are about as important as Christmas. Automakers want to get some attention and this year Lotus got a lot, as the Evora model won Top Gear’s Sports Car of the Year Award.

“It’s pretty, quintessentially British, fast and handles like a dream. Evora takes Lotus to a new place in terms of quality but more importantly delivers a sports car rush that puts other marques to shame,” said Conor McNicholas, Editor of BBC Top Gear magazine.

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Again, Stig arrested in both Dublin and Mojave Desert

Oct 25

Posted by Insider in Top Gear

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Some say he has a problem with authority. Others say he’s actually capable of being in two places at the same time, and getting arrested in both. All we know is that Top Gear is making less sense with every passing day.

One of the BBC car show’s myriad blogs reports that the enigmatic test driver known to all as The Stig was “sensationally” arrested by police in Dublin for some unknown incident, possibly involving assault on a “hairy biker” or a swan. Not much else was said, other than that the arresting Garda officer was friendly and that the program’s live action show is set to visit the Irish city in December.

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