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  • 3 months ago
The team attempt to prove that cars can be considered modern art by creating motoring-themed exhibits for a Middlesbrough gallery. Jeremy tests the Vauxhall Insignia VXR on the track, and the Star in a Reasonably Priced Car is rock musician Brian Johnson from AC/DC.

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Motor
Transcript
00:00:00Tonight, I get scared half to death on our track.
00:00:15We host our own art exhibition,
00:00:18and the world champion is in our reasonably priced car.
00:00:27Thank you, everybody.
00:00:30Thank you. Hello.
00:00:32Hello and welcome.
00:00:34Welcome, everybody.
00:00:35Now, a few years ago, we got very excited by this,
00:00:40the Noble M400.
00:00:43But then the man behind the company that made it up sticks and left.
00:00:48And then they stopped making it,
00:00:50and then the whole operation just disappeared from the radar.
00:00:54Now, though, it's back.
00:00:57This is what it's come up with.
00:01:04Designed and built by some blokes I've never heard of on an industrial estate in Leicester,
00:01:09it's called the M600.
00:01:16Underneath the rather featureless body,
00:01:19the chassis is made not from carbon fibre, but stainless steel.
00:01:22And the V8 that powers it is lifted from this.
00:01:31Yep, it uses the same engine,
00:01:34albeit with a couple of turbochargers,
00:01:36that Volvo use in the XC90.
00:01:39So, built in Leicestershire from bits of the industrial revolution,
00:01:46and powered by the engine from a Volvo school bus.
00:01:49And the cost?
00:01:53200,000 pounds.
00:01:58And that does seem like a lot for a car that has no satellite navigation,
00:02:03no climate control,
00:02:05no airbag.
00:02:06It doesn't even have anti-lock brakes.
00:02:08Now, the men from Leicestershire say ABS is just another example of the Nanny States
00:02:15sticking its nose in,
00:02:16and that's very admirable.
00:02:18But you can't help suspecting the real reason it doesn't have ABS
00:02:22is because when you're operating out of an industrial unit in Leicestershire,
00:02:26you can't really afford them.
00:02:28There's another problem as well.
00:02:33What kind of person looks at the established range of supercars and thinks,
00:02:39I don't like any of them?
00:02:44However, it turns out that there is a reason why you might choose a Noble
00:02:48rather than a Porsche,
00:02:51or a Ferrari,
00:02:53or a Lamborghini,
00:02:56or an Aston Martin.
00:02:58or a McLaren Mercedes.
00:03:01You see, in terms of sheer speed,
00:03:05the Noble can blow all of that lot
00:03:07into the middle of last week.
00:03:20Let me show you what I'm on about here.
00:03:23I'm currently doing 40 miles an hour in second gear.
00:03:26Ready? Foot down.
00:03:28And there's 60.
00:03:3140 to 60 in one second.
00:03:34Whoa!
00:03:37On a fourth gear,
00:03:38100 to 120 in two seconds.
00:03:42100 to 130
00:03:44150 in three seconds.
00:03:46It does 150 to 170 so quickly,
00:03:50your eyeballs bounce off the back of your skull.
00:03:54Ice squash balls!
00:04:00Break it, break it.
00:04:01Oh, my God.
00:04:02Oh, my God.
00:04:02You have to push.
00:04:03There's very little servo assistance there.
00:04:05Oh, have you pushed too hard?
00:04:08You lock them up because there's no ABS.
00:04:11You got it, quick.
00:04:17That's mind-blowingly fast.
00:04:20That is properly, head-alteringly quick.
00:04:23Flat out, it'll do 225 miles an hour.
00:04:34Mainly because the engine, despite the Volvo connection,
00:04:38develops 650 horsepower.
00:04:41And the whole car only weighs 1,250 kilograms.
00:04:46And the news keeps on getting better.
00:04:51This, down here, is exactly the same switch
00:04:55that a pilot uses in a tornado fighter bomber
00:04:58to fire the missiles.
00:04:59It was specifically designed
00:05:02so it couldn't be used by accident.
00:05:04And that is a good thing.
00:05:05Because in here, what it does
00:05:07is turn the traction control off.
00:05:16Ah!
00:05:17I wish I'd catch it on!
00:05:20Oh, I really wish I'd catch it on!
00:05:23Ah!
00:05:28The margin for error
00:05:29in most supercars
00:05:31is actually quite wide,
00:05:33but in this, it really isn't.
00:05:36Car stops!
00:05:39It's a constant knife bench.
00:05:421% too much speed going into a corner,
00:05:45you get understeered.
00:05:46Like that.
00:05:471% too much throttle to correct it,
00:05:49you've got oversteered.
00:05:511% wrong with the steering,
00:05:53you're going to spin.
00:05:55Remember, there are no electronic driver aids
00:05:58to help you out.
00:05:59There's no medivac shopper.
00:06:02You get it wrong,
00:06:03you're on your own.
00:06:18There is a fantastic sweet spot in this thing,
00:06:21but even when you find it,
00:06:23you're often too terrified
00:06:25to enjoy the moment.
00:06:28To really enjoy it
00:06:30and to find it regularly,
00:06:32you have to be a much better driver than I am.
00:06:36I'm not really doing this justice.
00:06:43Driving it fast, though,
00:06:44you need to be good.
00:06:45But, weirdly,
00:06:47to drive it at all,
00:06:49you don't.
00:06:51Happily,
00:06:52if you wind the engine down to
00:06:53550 horsepower,
00:06:55or 450,
00:06:57which you can do
00:06:57using this switch here,
00:07:00it becomes a different animal.
00:07:01It becomes completely docile.
00:07:04Car.
00:07:04No harder to drive
00:07:06than
00:07:06a Nissan Micra.
00:07:08And like the old noble,
00:07:14it's quiet
00:07:14and extremely comfortable.
00:07:16It really does ride beautifully.
00:07:20Summing this car up then
00:07:21is hard,
00:07:22because, let's be honest,
00:07:24there are several very good reasons
00:07:26why you shouldn't buy one.
00:07:35But there is one very good reason
00:07:38why you should.
00:07:44Users!
00:07:45So it's that far.
00:07:57It's that edgy.
00:07:59It's that edgy.
00:07:59It is.
00:08:00Honestly,
00:08:00it's the nearest I've ever come
00:08:02to collecting a camera car
00:08:03on a shoot.
00:08:04I think,
00:08:04I think that was the first time
00:08:06I've ever seen you
00:08:06properly scared
00:08:07on our track.
00:08:08Oh, it was.
00:08:09No, I really was.
00:08:10It's not so bad
00:08:11when it's dry,
00:08:12but when it's wet,
00:08:13you have to have
00:08:14the reactions
00:08:15of a housefly.
00:08:16So not a fat,
00:08:17balding,
00:08:18middle-aged man.
00:08:19No, exactly not that,
00:08:21which is why
00:08:22we are now going to
00:08:23hand it over
00:08:23to our tame racing driver.
00:08:26Some say
00:08:27that you shouldn't
00:08:28go round to his house
00:08:29for your Christmas lunch
00:08:30unless you enjoy
00:08:31the great taste
00:08:32of seagull.
00:08:35And that the reason
00:08:36he always wears a helmet
00:08:37is because a man
00:08:38once smashed him
00:08:40in the face
00:08:40with a model
00:08:41of Salisbury Cathedral.
00:08:44All we know
00:08:45is he's called
00:08:46the Stig.
00:08:47And he's off.
00:08:49We've had rain
00:08:49for the past few weeks
00:08:50now.
00:08:51We've got a dusting
00:08:51of snow.
00:08:53Still hoping for good
00:08:54things since Stig
00:08:54is one of the few things
00:08:55that can really get
00:08:56to the bottom
00:08:57of a noble.
00:08:58He loves them.
00:08:59That is nice
00:09:01through there.
00:09:03Beautiful
00:09:03on the way out.
00:09:04Appropriate music
00:09:10for this weather
00:09:11performed in the style
00:09:12of a Cray Brothers
00:09:13funeral there.
00:09:15Bit of twitchiness
00:09:15on the way in
00:09:16but tasty on the way
00:09:17out of Chicago.
00:09:18Now Hammerhead
00:09:19he came in very fast
00:09:20understeering
00:09:21as I discovered earlier
00:09:22but Stiggy knows
00:09:23how to drive through
00:09:24and find that sweet spot.
00:09:26Right, time now
00:09:33to unleash
00:09:34the twin turbo
00:09:35kicking the kidneys.
00:09:37He does seem
00:09:37to be sawing
00:09:38at the wheel
00:09:38a lot in there.
00:09:39It is a brute
00:09:39this car
00:09:40but the Stig
00:09:40isn't phased.
00:09:41That would be
00:09:42literally impossible.
00:09:43Two corners left.
00:09:45He's still working hard
00:09:46but the car itself
00:09:47looks weirdly composed.
00:09:49Coming up to Gambon.
00:09:51Slices through there
00:09:52and across the line.
00:09:53You can really do that
00:09:55better than you can start.
00:09:55It is good.
00:09:56It is bad.
00:09:59Okay.
00:10:00Here it is.
00:10:00Here it is.
00:10:02And it goes.
00:10:05Mmm.
00:10:06Hang on.
00:10:06You've just gone
00:10:06above a 599.
00:10:07Yeah.
00:10:08And above a scooter.
00:10:09That's that fast Lambo.
00:10:10Yeah.
00:10:10And above the Enzo.
00:10:11That's an Enzo up there.
00:10:12What?
00:10:13And the Sonder F.
00:10:15Pass the Sonder Convertible.
00:10:16Whoa.
00:10:17To there.
00:10:19So it's expensive
00:10:20but it works.
00:10:22I mean that is.
00:10:22I knew it would be great.
00:10:25Excellent.
00:10:27Right.
00:10:28Now we will do the news
00:10:30and we begin with this.
00:10:31It's a new Aston Martin.
00:10:33It's called the Rapide.
00:10:35You can think of it
00:10:36as a DB9
00:10:37with two extra doors
00:10:38and that means
00:10:40there is room back here
00:10:41for two extra
00:10:43fully grown adults
00:10:45to enjoy the
00:10:45470 horsepower
00:10:47V12 motoring experience
00:10:49and they can enjoy
00:10:50exquisite details
00:10:51such as these
00:10:52magnetically located
00:10:54grab handles
00:10:55look
00:10:55won't flap around
00:10:57when you're driving along.
00:10:58All this is yours
00:10:59for 140,000 pounds.
00:11:02Now
00:11:03that is
00:11:04quite a bit more expensive
00:11:06than Porsche's
00:11:074-door
00:11:07the Panamera
00:11:08but there are two
00:11:10very good reasons
00:11:11why you should choose
00:11:12the Aston Martin.
00:11:13Firstly
00:11:13and unlike the Porsche
00:11:15it does look
00:11:16rather magnificent
00:11:17and secondly
00:11:18most importantly
00:11:20this is
00:11:20quintessentially
00:11:22British
00:11:23despite the fact
00:11:24that it's made
00:11:25in Austria
00:11:26which I think
00:11:29is in Germany.
00:11:29okay now
00:11:32as you can see
00:11:33we are surrounded
00:11:34here by
00:11:35a mountain
00:11:36of motoring
00:11:37related Christmas
00:11:38present ideas
00:11:38well I say present ideas
00:11:39actually it's landfill
00:11:40oh yeah
00:11:41so anyway
00:11:43we haven't got time
00:11:43to get through all of it
00:11:44but I want to start
00:11:45with this
00:11:45right now
00:11:46perfume as we know
00:11:47is a very popular
00:11:48Christmas gift
00:11:49big names
00:11:50Givenchy
00:11:51Chanel
00:11:51now look
00:11:52the RAC
00:11:53has launched this
00:11:58they're calling it
00:11:59Eau de voiture
00:12:00oh sounds proper
00:12:01what you do
00:12:02is you spray it
00:12:03into your car
00:12:04and as you
00:12:04it makes it smell
00:12:06like a minicab
00:12:07it's quite strong
00:12:08have some of that
00:12:10but it is like a minicab
00:12:12because it smells
00:12:13oh
00:12:13my eyes
00:12:16you credit
00:12:19blinds
00:12:21the thing is
00:12:24it's
00:12:24what it does
00:12:25and I've really got
00:12:26a lot of it now
00:12:27is it's one of those
00:12:28smells that makes you
00:12:29think it's covering up
00:12:30other smells
00:12:31like Femme Fresh
00:12:32yeah
00:12:33because it's
00:12:35it's a very strong
00:12:37smell in its own right
00:12:38but it suggests
00:12:38that there are other
00:12:39things
00:12:39because you actually
00:12:40you get notes
00:12:41don't you
00:12:42you get notes
00:12:42undercurrents
00:12:43suggestions
00:12:44I can smell all the
00:12:45fruity stuff
00:12:45but also
00:12:46a bit of stale weed
00:12:47sick
00:12:49I can get a really
00:12:50really beery burp
00:12:52yes yes
00:12:52all the other things
00:12:53you expect in a minicab
00:12:54definitely
00:12:55I have another gift
00:12:56suggestion here
00:12:57for Christmas
00:12:57are you fed up
00:12:58with people
00:12:59bumping into you
00:13:00in a crowd situation
00:13:01yes I am
00:13:02oh yeah
00:13:02yeah well I have
00:13:03the solution here
00:13:04with these
00:13:04small ear-mounted
00:13:07human indicators
00:13:08I kid you not
00:13:09this is
00:13:10what happens is
00:13:11I'm walking along
00:13:12say in a shopping centre
00:13:13here I am
00:13:14in a shopping centre
00:13:15situation
00:13:15oh you'll be the crowd
00:13:16okay
00:13:16now there's a danger
00:13:17of jostling happening here
00:13:18because I'm going to go
00:13:18in that shop on my right
00:13:19yeah well
00:13:20jeez you can indicate
00:13:22so now you know
00:13:23and you can take evasive action
00:13:24and you can go left
00:13:25yeah if I'm going
00:13:25I might actually
00:13:26I fancy the record shop
00:13:27over there
00:13:28and everybody knows
00:13:31what's happening
00:13:32it's a very good gift
00:13:33human indicators
00:13:34so how much are they
00:13:35do we know
00:13:35oh I don't know
00:13:37some money
00:13:37some money
00:13:38Land Rover are taking
00:13:40a very pragmatic
00:13:41approach to the
00:13:42Christmas gift idea
00:13:43and they have produced
00:13:43this
00:13:44it's the Land Rover
00:13:45distress whistle
00:13:46and it will cost you
00:13:47£1.50
00:13:49now I just want to
00:13:50paint the scene for you
00:13:51you're in the wilderness
00:13:52in your Land Rover
00:13:53and you drive
00:13:54into an impulsible gully
00:13:56you become stuck
00:13:57it starts to fill up
00:13:59with water
00:13:59you're out of food
00:14:01you're almost out of fuel
00:14:02you cannot get a signal
00:14:03on your mobile phone
00:14:04and you're bleeding heavily
00:14:05from a severe abdominal wound
00:14:07but it's okay
00:14:08shh
00:14:09if I was there with you
00:14:12in that situation
00:14:13and you produce that whistle
00:14:14I would beat you to death
00:14:15before you
00:14:16well yes
00:14:18look at this
00:14:19superb shirt
00:14:20it's got
00:14:22everything you need
00:14:24really
00:14:24it has
00:14:25a web address
00:14:26here
00:14:27stitched into the collar
00:14:28and then on the back
00:14:30look at that
00:14:31Mercedes Benz
00:14:32that's classic
00:14:33oh yeah
00:14:34really honestly
00:14:35it's hard to think
00:14:36of any way
00:14:36that this could be improved
00:14:38that says
00:14:38I have a washing machine
00:14:40and everything else I own
00:14:41is already in it
00:14:42well Jesus
00:14:42you like
00:14:43you like a flowery shirt
00:14:45so why wouldn't you like that
00:14:46well
00:14:46why do you want
00:14:47why would you want
00:14:48I think I've found a way
00:14:49I'm improving it
00:14:50okay this is a bad thing
00:14:53that's a bad thing
00:14:54that's
00:14:55it's gone out of hand
00:14:57it's alright
00:14:58no it's gone out
00:14:58relax
00:14:59that's actually quite
00:15:02what I'm just
00:15:03I have actually set fire
00:15:06to the Land Rover teddy bear
00:15:08you know the smoking rules
00:15:14in Britain
00:15:14sorry about that
00:15:21anyway look
00:15:23I think
00:15:24it's still on fire
00:15:25it's not
00:15:26it's like smouldering
00:15:27that's all
00:15:28look at this
00:15:30it's a fork on one end
00:15:33and a 10mm ring spanner
00:15:35on the other
00:15:36and the best thing is
00:15:37there's another spanner
00:15:38in the middle
00:15:39look
00:15:39no but this means
00:15:41you can go seamlessly
00:15:42from mending your motorcycle
00:15:44to eating a pie
00:15:45without even pausing
00:15:46look at this
00:15:47wow
00:15:48yeah
00:15:49wow no
00:15:49you say wow
00:15:51okay
00:15:51this is some packaging
00:15:53you know the sort of packaging
00:15:54you're going to sever your fingers
00:15:56getting in there
00:15:56okay
00:15:57but it's worth it
00:15:58because when you get in there
00:15:59you've got this metal thing
00:15:59then you get underneath your car
00:16:01use what fingers you have left
00:16:03from opening the packaging
00:16:05to attach it to your exhaust pipe
00:16:07and then it makes a noise
00:16:09which fools other road users
00:16:11into thinking that your car
00:16:13is turbocharged
00:16:14is it like that wastegate noise
00:16:18when you lift off
00:16:18so it goes
00:16:19brrrr
00:16:19do it again
00:16:20brrrr
00:16:20it does that
00:16:21well you could attach you
00:16:22it would be easier
00:16:23it's not really going to fool anybody
00:16:25bolted onto my panda
00:16:26is it
00:16:27whatever sort of noise
00:16:27you make
00:16:28chaps
00:16:29you know how difficult it is
00:16:30to choose the right calendar
00:16:32because obviously you choose it now
00:16:34and you've got to live with it
00:16:35it's a big commitment
00:16:36it is
00:16:3712 months
00:16:38you have to live with it
00:16:38so I'm a bit stumped
00:16:40on what I'm going to use next year
00:16:41because there's this one
00:16:42okay
00:16:43this is Her Majesty's Prisons
00:16:45of England
00:16:47different picture
00:16:48okay
00:16:49every uh
00:16:50every month
00:16:51but then I found
00:16:52this one
00:16:53but I mean
00:16:54those outer circle
00:16:55municipal bus routes
00:16:57ooh nice
00:16:57but then
00:16:58I found
00:16:59I think
00:17:00the solution
00:17:00to my calendar problems
00:17:02the unofficial
00:17:04oh yes
00:17:05who did that
00:17:08look at it
00:17:09it's awful
00:17:10unofficial
00:17:12yeah you can have it James
00:17:14you can have that
00:17:14I've got loads
00:17:15why are you drunk
00:17:18in all the pictures
00:17:19well I don't know
00:17:21it looks like
00:17:22all the pictures
00:17:22were taken
00:17:22coming out of
00:17:23awards ceremonies
00:17:24so yes
00:17:24I probably was drunk
00:17:25do you know
00:17:26what I really love
00:17:27about that calendar
00:17:28most of all
00:17:28because it's unofficial
00:17:29you all go and buy one
00:17:30he receives
00:17:31not one single penny
00:17:33I know I know
00:17:33thank you for publicising it
00:17:35that is very kind of
00:17:36just make sure
00:17:37they've all got it
00:17:38there we go
00:17:38we'd like to recommend
00:17:39this calendar
00:17:40everybody go and buy it
00:17:41get rid of them
00:17:42get rid of them
00:17:42let's do the rest of the show
00:17:45like that
00:17:45how does everything get broken
00:17:47in our Christmas thing
00:17:48now moving on
00:17:50as we know
00:17:51the lottery fund
00:17:52has spent millions of pounds
00:17:54turning old warehouses
00:17:55in places like Liverpool
00:17:56and the West Midlands
00:17:57into art galleries
00:17:59and we also know
00:18:00that they have all been
00:18:01an unmitigated failure
00:18:03yeah now
00:18:03we think the reason for this
00:18:05is because
00:18:05they haven't got any cars in them
00:18:07yeah
00:18:08art experts will tell you
00:18:09that cars aren't art
00:18:11but we think
00:18:12they can be
00:18:13because back in the 1970s
00:18:15BMW started making things like this
00:18:18over here
00:18:18it's a 3 litre CSL
00:18:20but the bodywork
00:18:21has been painted by
00:18:22American artist
00:18:23Alexander Calder
00:18:24then in the 90s
00:18:25there was this
00:18:25it's a 3 series race car
00:18:27but the body's been painted
00:18:28by artist Sandro Cheer
00:18:29and then over here
00:18:30an 850 CSI
00:18:31that's been painted
00:18:32by British artist
00:18:33David Hockney
00:18:34provincial galleries
00:18:35would never accept
00:18:36this sort of thing
00:18:37these days
00:18:38and that
00:18:38we reckon
00:18:39is exactly why
00:18:40they're failing
00:18:41so we decided
00:18:42to take over
00:18:43the Mima gallery
00:18:43in Middlesbrough
00:18:44and using nothing
00:18:46but motoring based art
00:18:47we would attempt
00:18:48to get 30,000 visitors
00:18:50through the door
00:18:51up north
00:18:52in a single week
00:18:53and that's as many
00:18:55as Tate Britain gets
00:18:56in a week
00:18:56in London
00:18:57this is the north
00:19:01which is where
00:19:02northerners live
00:19:03and this is the art gallery
00:19:10we've taken over
00:19:11we'd simply
00:19:12clear out the paintings
00:19:14northern people
00:19:15plainly don't want to see
00:19:16and fill it with
00:19:17motoring exhibits
00:19:18that hopefully
00:19:19they do
00:19:20to decide
00:19:23what these exhibits
00:19:24would be
00:19:25we went to our
00:19:26secret motoring
00:19:27art base
00:19:28in Surrey
00:19:28what on earth
00:19:31is that
00:19:32well it's a car
00:19:33the artist claims
00:19:34that he makes these
00:19:35by painting them
00:19:36and then driving
00:19:36a remote control
00:19:37over them
00:19:38I mean I like it
00:19:39I quite like it
00:19:40it's got a
00:19:41joie de vivre to it
00:19:42and put it in
00:19:43oh
00:19:44it's Damon Hill
00:19:45in the wet
00:19:47superb
00:19:47oh that goes in
00:19:49this is heralds
00:19:49do you know what I think
00:19:50what he should have done
00:19:52is just given us that bed
00:19:53that would now look like
00:19:54one of Monet's visions
00:19:55of his lily pond
00:19:56but it would be about
00:19:58formula one
00:19:58it does have a Monet
00:19:59quality to it
00:20:00there's no question
00:20:00I'm sorry gentlemen
00:20:02this is the worst painting
00:20:04I've ever seen
00:20:04in my entire life
00:20:05and it's not coming
00:20:06or is it
00:20:07really
00:20:08maybe this is
00:20:09a commentary on
00:20:10the superhuman
00:20:12almost alien nature
00:20:13of a formula one driver
00:20:15at this level
00:20:16because clearly
00:20:16this isn't human
00:20:18that much is
00:20:20immediately apparent
00:20:21and what it's done
00:20:22is suck the life
00:20:23out of this corpse
00:20:24in the overalls here
00:20:25that's leaning forwards
00:20:25all of that's gone
00:20:27drained out
00:20:28by this creature
00:20:29you're right
00:20:30this is coming with us
00:20:31this is properly
00:20:32amazing stuff
00:20:33and so's that
00:20:34yes
00:20:34I think in Middlesbrough
00:20:36this will go well
00:20:36why I a tab
00:20:38yes
00:20:39because what they're doing
00:20:40is refueling his car
00:20:41and he's having a tab
00:20:42that is without doubt
00:20:45the centrepiece
00:20:46of our exhibition
00:20:47it's an exquisite work
00:20:48that is not going in
00:20:50Hammond
00:20:50it cannot go in
00:20:52we went round the room
00:20:54ticking the yeses
00:20:55I like that
00:20:56look at the way
00:20:57they've captured
00:20:58his moustache
00:20:59so beautifully here
00:21:00in fact not just
00:21:01that moustache
00:21:02but the other two
00:21:02moustaches as well
00:21:03so this is a collage
00:21:04out of press comments
00:21:07about
00:21:08ah
00:21:08I see
00:21:09excellent
00:21:10yes
00:21:11definitely going in
00:21:12oh gentlemen
00:21:14gentlemen
00:21:15I bet you any money
00:21:17that in the north
00:21:18people will be stunned
00:21:20by this
00:21:20it's a V8 shark
00:21:22if it provokes a response
00:21:24it will provoke a response
00:21:25in addition to the pre-prepared art
00:21:29we'd be making some ourselves
00:21:31James for example
00:21:33was keen
00:21:34to make a sculpture
00:21:35I've decided what I should do
00:21:37is deconstruct the car
00:21:38literally
00:21:39as you can see
00:21:40and artistically
00:21:41and then rather than
00:21:42try and rebuild it
00:21:43as a sculpture
00:21:43that speaks about the car
00:21:44I'm going to do it
00:21:46as a sculpture
00:21:46that speaks about
00:21:47my emotions
00:21:48my feelings
00:21:50when I drive a car
00:21:51inspired to some extent
00:21:52by Picasso
00:21:53I think all you need
00:21:55to bear in mind
00:21:56is that if you can get
00:21:57an artist
00:21:58somebody with frizzy hair
00:21:59and sticky out teeth
00:22:00to say it's art
00:22:02then it's art
00:22:02while James set to work
00:22:05on his big metal face
00:22:07Richard went off
00:22:10to create a modern day
00:22:11interpretation
00:22:12of Constable's Haywain
00:22:13right
00:22:16unlike Richard
00:22:24I'm not very good at drawing
00:22:26because I didn't go to art school
00:22:27so my painting
00:22:29will be done by this
00:22:30the 2005
00:22:35Red Bull F1 car
00:22:37yep
00:22:39it's 3 litre V10
00:22:42will be my brush
00:22:43all we need now
00:22:47is a tame racing driver
00:22:48some say
00:22:49he has a massive chin
00:22:51and that's true
00:22:52he does
00:22:53because he's David Coulthard
00:22:54so
00:22:55are you ready for this
00:22:56I think so
00:22:57yeah
00:22:57I'm still trying to get my head
00:22:58around the
00:22:58concept
00:22:59the idea
00:23:00okay
00:23:00well the idea
00:23:01is very simple
00:23:01we are going to put
00:23:02paint balls
00:23:03into the air box
00:23:04they will then shoot
00:23:05out of the exhaust
00:23:06okay
00:23:07and into the canvas
00:23:08that I'll be holding
00:23:09behind the car
00:23:10so we'll sort of
00:23:10splatter the canvas
00:23:11using this car
00:23:12as our brush
00:23:13sounds beautiful
00:23:14apparently it's triggered
00:23:15to start firing them
00:23:16at 5000 RPM
00:23:17so you need to go to 5000
00:23:19could you do that
00:23:20I think I could probably
00:23:21manage that
00:23:21so if you want to hop in
00:23:22mate
00:23:23I'll go and stand
00:23:24behind the vehicle
00:23:25actually I might just
00:23:27I might just put some
00:23:28protection on my head
00:23:29I've done some weird
00:23:31things in my life
00:23:32but this is up there
00:23:33all right then David
00:23:34ready
00:23:35things were going badly
00:23:54for me but they were worse
00:23:56for Sir Henry May
00:23:57every day
00:24:10over 10,000 people
00:24:12go to the National Gallery
00:24:13to see the haywain
00:24:14but more will come
00:24:15and see this
00:24:16because it's got more
00:24:17of a social statement
00:24:19about it
00:24:20also because I'd
00:24:22substituted the haywain
00:24:23for a zonder
00:24:24it's poetry
00:24:26in pain
00:24:27plums now protected
00:24:31and using a stronger
00:24:32aluminium canvas
00:24:34Cawthard and I
00:24:35were in business
00:24:36plane of light
00:24:47just
00:24:48bouncing off here
00:24:49and then work it in
00:24:51work it in
00:24:52with the paintball
00:24:56painting finished
00:24:57I was now busy
00:24:58on another creation
00:24:59what I'm doing
00:25:01is spraying the car
00:25:03with a special paint
00:25:04that shows up best
00:25:07in ultraviolet light
00:25:08sorry
00:25:09sorry
00:25:09so when I've finished
00:25:12Mr Cawthard
00:25:13is going to take it
00:25:14for a spin
00:25:14round the track
00:25:15it will streak
00:25:16showing me where
00:25:18the air flow
00:25:18has gone
00:25:19sorry
00:25:20sorry again
00:25:21sorry mate
00:25:22with the car dripping
00:25:25wet
00:25:25David set off
00:25:26but unfortunately
00:25:31some of the paint
00:25:32had gone on his
00:25:33visor
00:25:34oh dear
00:25:37after wiping his helmet
00:25:43he's set off again
00:25:44to create some
00:25:45200 mile an hour art
00:25:47you sprayed my helmet
00:25:56you shot one of my testicles
00:25:58oh I see that helmet
00:25:59that was
00:26:00I admit a mistake
00:26:01but you should see
00:26:02what has been achieved here
00:26:03because when we put this
00:26:05under ultraviolet light
00:26:06can we edit the spin out
00:26:08yes we can edit that up
00:26:10you promise
00:26:10projects completed
00:26:13we reconvened
00:26:14at the secret base
00:26:15where our exhibits
00:26:17were to be assessed
00:26:18by Rupert Mass
00:26:19an art dealer
00:26:20from the antiques roadshow
00:26:21it was a lot better than this
00:26:24I have to be honest
00:26:25the problem was
00:26:25it didn't dry
00:26:27it's sort of still happening
00:26:28isn't it
00:26:28yes
00:26:28it's actually
00:26:29it's performance art
00:26:30because it has streaked
00:26:32in a living way
00:26:34years
00:26:36it fell off the easel
00:26:39I mean it really is
00:26:40nature
00:26:41and the automotive world
00:26:43absolutely crashing together
00:26:45it's very good
00:26:45when will nature finish
00:26:46quite
00:26:47I have to say
00:26:48I think it's probably
00:26:49more compost than art
00:26:50but thank you
00:26:51annoyingly
00:26:54Rupert seemed to be
00:26:55quite interested
00:26:56in James May's
00:26:57big face
00:26:58yes it's called
00:26:59acceleration face
00:27:01number one
00:27:02I mean I was inspired
00:27:03to some extent
00:27:04by de Blair writer
00:27:05and some of the works
00:27:07of that era
00:27:07African masks
00:27:08exactly
00:27:09the African mask
00:27:11has had an influence
00:27:12on it
00:27:12it's very angular
00:27:13it's quite simplistic
00:27:14it's quite primitive
00:27:15has it been on fire
00:27:16no
00:27:17your opinion sir
00:27:19what does the expert think
00:27:20well let's have a look
00:27:21at it in the round
00:27:22you know
00:27:22quite like the welding
00:27:23the welding's kind of
00:27:24we can repair this James
00:27:31that's better
00:27:33wow
00:27:34do you see
00:27:36the Mona Lisa
00:27:38of the scrap heap
00:27:39the rest of the visit
00:27:42wasn't any better
00:27:44there's anything here
00:27:45that catches your eye
00:27:46no
00:27:47does that one work
00:27:48no
00:27:49is this no good
00:27:50no
00:27:51does it work on
00:27:52any level for you
00:27:53no
00:27:53does it have
00:27:54artistic merit
00:27:55no
00:27:56so all of this
00:27:57is terrible
00:27:58well frankly
00:28:00yes
00:28:00well thank you very much
00:28:01for coming along
00:28:02thank you
00:28:02I value your opinion
00:28:03I won't necessarily
00:28:05pay any attention to it
00:28:07good
00:28:07but none of us will
00:28:08but thank you very much
00:28:09for coming Rupert
00:28:09pleasure
00:28:10feeling a bit disheartened
00:28:13we decided to try
00:28:14and create our own
00:28:15BMW art car
00:28:17we need to agree
00:28:19on a light source
00:28:19and a viewpoint
00:28:20our genius plan
00:28:23was to paint
00:28:23the inside of the car
00:28:24on the outside
00:28:26with James taking
00:28:27the bonnet
00:28:27me the side
00:28:29and Jeremy
00:28:30the boot
00:28:30can you tell
00:28:32what it is yet
00:28:32Jeremy though
00:28:34didn't quite get
00:28:35the idea
00:28:36right red
00:28:37for the blood
00:28:38er
00:28:39mate
00:28:40what
00:28:42but it's supposed
00:28:45to be what's
00:28:45inside the car
00:28:46how do you know
00:28:47there isn't
00:28:48a horse's head
00:28:48in the boot
00:28:49for our final creation
00:28:52we had to cut
00:28:54a car in half
00:28:55which meant
00:28:55using a dangerous
00:28:56plasma cutter
00:28:57that meant
00:28:58we had to take
00:28:59precautions
00:29:00I could help
00:29:03you can't do this
00:29:04with a hammer
00:29:04that's exactly
00:29:05why you take
00:29:05to a chair
00:29:06this is like
00:29:07a scene
00:29:08out of reservoir
00:29:08dogs
00:29:09don't give us
00:29:10ideas
00:29:10guys
00:29:13what
00:29:14where did you
00:29:15find that car
00:29:16well it was just
00:29:17outside with all
00:29:17the rest of them
00:29:18for this
00:29:18because it says
00:29:20here
00:29:20RJ04RWZ
00:29:22it's a rental car
00:29:24thank you very much
00:29:30now
00:29:30we'll see how that
00:29:32pans out later on
00:29:34but now it's time
00:29:35to put a star
00:29:36in our reasonably
00:29:37priced car
00:29:38now my guest
00:29:40tonight
00:29:40won the 2009
00:29:42Formula One
00:29:43World Drivers
00:29:44Championship
00:29:45he won the 2009
00:29:47World Constructors
00:29:49Championship
00:29:49for Braun
00:29:50and when he was
00:29:52pipped to the BBC's
00:29:54Sports Personality of the Year
00:29:55award last weekend
00:29:56by Ryan Giggs
00:29:58he won the 2009
00:29:59trophy for the best
00:30:01forced smile
00:30:02let's see if he's still
00:30:05gritting his teeth
00:30:06ladies and gentlemen
00:30:07Jenson Button
00:30:08thank you
00:30:12thank you
00:30:15thank you
00:30:17well done
00:30:18thank you
00:30:18Jenson Button
00:30:19Formula One World Champion
00:30:21have a seat
00:30:26have a seat
00:30:28okay that's the
00:30:32that's the
00:30:33congratulations
00:30:34over now
00:30:34the commiserations
00:30:35because of course
00:30:36this time last week
00:30:38did you see
00:30:39anyone see
00:30:40Sports Personality of the Year
00:30:41yes
00:30:42yes
00:30:43I mean
00:30:45let's be honest
00:30:46Ryan Giggs
00:30:47he's 73
00:30:48and he can still
00:30:50kick a football
00:30:51I think you do
00:30:52need an award
00:30:53for this actually
00:30:53we have actually
00:30:54got a clip
00:30:54of the moment
00:30:55you want to look
00:30:56away
00:30:57everyone else
00:30:57can see this
00:30:58here we go
00:30:59this is the moment
00:31:00well that is a shock
00:31:02that is a big shock
00:31:03yeah
00:31:07that is
00:31:08that is a great
00:31:10that's a rictus grin
00:31:12that is
00:31:12I could be an actor
00:31:14with that
00:31:15no
00:31:15no
00:31:16you couldn't
00:31:17you really couldn't
00:31:18because what I loved
00:31:19was when he said
00:31:20I haven't got a speech
00:31:20ready
00:31:21I thought no
00:31:21but the man behind
00:31:22you has
00:31:22so anyway
00:31:24I just want to know
00:31:25because I'm sure
00:31:25loads of people
00:31:26would be interested
00:31:27it was actually
00:31:27this time last year
00:31:28there you were
00:31:29gearing up
00:31:29for a new season
00:31:30you'd got Ross Brawn
00:31:32on board
00:31:32who's obviously
00:31:33a genius designer
00:31:34and then the call
00:31:35comes through
00:31:36from Honda
00:31:36that they're pulling
00:31:37out the sport
00:31:38how did that feel
00:31:39I mean
00:31:39it was
00:31:40it was difficult
00:31:41and I just got back
00:31:42from I was in
00:31:43Lanzarote doing
00:31:44some fitness training
00:31:44and so I was all
00:31:45ready for the new season
00:31:47I arrived at Gatwick
00:31:48and I got a message
00:31:49from my manager
00:31:49saying
00:31:50it's over
00:31:52Honda are pulling
00:31:53out of the sport
00:31:54and that was a really
00:31:55difficult thing
00:31:56to take in
00:31:57because you know
00:31:58it was a
00:31:58we were going to be
00:32:00racing in 2009
00:32:01we were going to have
00:32:01a competitive car
00:32:02possibility of winning
00:32:03races
00:32:03there was a lot of work
00:32:04that went into that car
00:32:05and it would have been
00:32:07an absolute tragedy
00:32:08if it wasn't on the grid
00:32:09so all I could do
00:32:11was stay focused
00:32:12and try and help
00:32:13the team as much
00:32:14as I could
00:32:14and that's what we did
00:32:15we got through
00:32:16the difficult winter
00:32:17and we produced
00:32:18and this is when Ross
00:32:19was able to buy
00:32:19what was remained
00:32:20of the Honda T
00:32:21yes
00:32:22you came here last time
00:32:24having not won
00:32:25a race in Formula 1
00:32:26and you'd done about
00:32:26140 11
00:32:28and you said
00:32:29that you would
00:32:30cheerfully give up
00:32:31the Jets
00:32:32the Lifestyle
00:32:33the Monte Carlo
00:32:34for that first win
00:32:36but the thing is
00:32:37is that you damn
00:32:38nearly did give up
00:32:39all that lifestyle
00:32:40to go to Braun
00:32:41didn't you
00:32:41I mean how big
00:32:43a sort of cut
00:32:44was it in terms
00:32:45of everything
00:32:46you know
00:32:48there were 700 odd
00:32:48people working
00:32:49at the factory
00:32:49and they had to
00:32:51scale down the team
00:32:52so obviously
00:32:52there were some
00:32:53redundancies
00:32:54which was
00:32:55which was tough
00:32:55even for the people
00:32:56that stayed
00:32:57but we all
00:32:59we all gave as much
00:33:00as we could
00:33:00and we all
00:33:01tried to help
00:33:01as much as we can
00:33:02I suppose it would
00:33:03be impossible to say
00:33:04no I want
00:33:04a million dollars a year
00:33:05when people are
00:33:06being made redundant
00:33:07because you did
00:33:07you went to 20%
00:33:08of your salary
00:33:09or something
00:33:09was that
00:33:10can't remember
00:33:10the figure
00:33:11at the moment
00:33:12but you know
00:33:13don't feel sorry
00:33:14for me
00:33:15I know
00:33:15but that first test
00:33:18that you did
00:33:19in what would
00:33:20become the Braun car
00:33:21were you surprised
00:33:23how fast it was
00:33:25I knew that we were
00:33:28we had built a good car
00:33:29because all the numbers
00:33:30said so in the wind tunnel
00:33:31but until you actually
00:33:31drive it
00:33:32yeah you don't know
00:33:33100%
00:33:33but we bolted in
00:33:35the Mercedes Benz
00:33:36engine in the back
00:33:36because obviously
00:33:37it wasn't made
00:33:38for that engine
00:33:38so we had to
00:33:39sort of trim
00:33:40the chassis down
00:33:41and make sure
00:33:42the gearbox fitted
00:33:43just about fitted
00:33:45with some spaces
00:33:46and what have you
00:33:47went out
00:33:48and tested it
00:33:49at Barcelona
00:33:50and after five laps
00:33:51I really felt
00:33:51comfortable in the car
00:33:52and I came in
00:33:53and said guys
00:33:53you know
00:33:53this is alright
00:33:55this is a good baseline
00:33:56even though it was
00:33:57a last minute box job
00:33:58to get the Mercedes engine
00:33:59yeah this feels
00:34:00pretty nice
00:34:00and my engineer
00:34:01came up to me
00:34:01and said
00:34:01Jensen
00:34:02you are 7 tenths
00:34:03quicker than anyone
00:34:04and they've been
00:34:04testing for three months
00:34:067 tenths
00:34:077 tenths
00:34:08which is a lot of time
00:34:09that's three years
00:34:10it's massive
00:34:11oh yeah
00:34:11and then every race
00:34:13people were putting
00:34:14on big packages
00:34:15and for us to try
00:34:16and keep the advantage
00:34:18was impossible
00:34:18so yeah
00:34:19it's been a very tricky season
00:34:21leading the championship
00:34:21from start to finish
00:34:22sounds easy
00:34:23but it's not
00:34:25it's really really hard
00:34:26and then
00:34:27because I have to say
00:34:28I mean Brazil
00:34:29I don't know if anybody
00:34:30was watching in Brazil
00:34:31which was the penultimate race
00:34:33you had to come fourth
00:34:34and then you were
00:34:35definitely world champion
00:34:36irrespective of
00:34:36whatever else did
00:34:38let's just have a look
00:34:39at these clips
00:34:40of you in that race
00:34:42needing to come fourth
00:34:43so that's big John
00:34:46isn't it
00:34:46Grosjean
00:34:47Grosjean
00:34:48can he do it
00:34:49another stunning piece
00:34:51of driving
00:34:52under pressure
00:34:53from Buckton
00:34:53thank you Martin
00:34:54thank you Martin
00:34:55and look at that again
00:34:56that's round the outside
00:34:57wonderful move by Buckton
00:34:59he squeezed him there
00:35:00we were almost doing
00:35:00200 miles an hour
00:35:01you can't really see it
00:35:02from the camera
00:35:02but um
00:35:03Jesus that's so close
00:35:06he's got the place
00:35:06Jensen Button through
00:35:08I have to say
00:35:09it's been impressive
00:35:10so this is now
00:35:11Bwemi
00:35:12or whatever his name is
00:35:13isn't he
00:35:13in the Red Bull
00:35:14and that was
00:35:14last of the late breakers
00:35:16wasn't it
00:35:16take that
00:35:18and with those
00:35:19great drive
00:35:23I mean that was
00:35:23the drive of a champion
00:35:24that was
00:35:25when it kicks out
00:35:27when I'm driving a car
00:35:30and it kicks out like that
00:35:31I poo myself
00:35:32this might sound really silly
00:35:36and think I'm a bit of a nodal
00:35:37but I did actually do that
00:35:39on purpose a little bit
00:35:40because
00:35:41what kicked the tail out
00:35:42because I had to make sure
00:35:43that I could get to turn two first
00:35:45and one of the only ways
00:35:46of doing it
00:35:47is a little bit of oversteer
00:35:48makes the guy a little bit nervous
00:35:49that you're getting close
00:35:50um
00:35:51and that is what happened
00:35:52and the great thing is
00:35:53he backed out of it
00:35:54so
00:35:54sorry I just need to get
00:35:56this is
00:35:56this is very peculiar
00:35:58so you have the world championship
00:36:00riding on your not
00:36:02you having to finish the race
00:36:03obviously to get the world championship
00:36:04and you kick the arse of the car out
00:36:07on purpose
00:36:08to unnerve
00:36:10whoever he is
00:36:11well it's giving him less room
00:36:12he's got no room to
00:36:13to get down to turn two on the inside
00:36:15so
00:36:15yes but what if you'd
00:36:16cocked it up
00:36:18you know for me
00:36:20to win the world championship
00:36:21before the last race
00:36:23was a must
00:36:24oh yeah
00:36:24you know I really wanted to get it done before
00:36:26so I had to take the risks
00:36:27um
00:36:28now obviously
00:36:29I mean we are obviously looking forward
00:36:30to you versus Lewis
00:36:31are you going to be able to beat him
00:36:33that's the aim
00:36:34I wouldn't be doing it if not
00:36:35that's going to be
00:36:36I think it's going to be a fascinating battle
00:36:37you know this is a massive buzz for me
00:36:39this is so exciting
00:36:40and I've been
00:36:41I've been in F1 for 10 years
00:36:42and having the chance to race
00:36:44um
00:36:45alongside Lewis at McLaren
00:36:47it's something I'm really excited about
00:36:49um
00:36:50can you just talk about your road cars
00:36:51yes
00:36:52have you not got a Veyron
00:36:53uh
00:36:55yes
00:36:55I have
00:36:56can I just ask
00:36:57what's the fastest
00:36:58what's the fastest you've driven it
00:36:59um
00:37:0070 times
00:37:01it's 10%
00:37:0277
00:37:03it's actually been here
00:37:12do you believe him
00:37:12has it
00:37:13I sneaked in one day
00:37:14and I unlocked the uh
00:37:15the bars
00:37:15and drove around your circuit
00:37:16and I had a bit of a practice
00:37:18was it any good here
00:37:19it was alright
00:37:21except for
00:37:21you had um
00:37:22no I can't actually say what I was going to say
00:37:24because I want to sell it
00:37:25so anyway obviously you came here into Aliana
00:37:32I tell you what
00:37:33I had to change my driving style here
00:37:36really
00:37:37um
00:37:37I think it was the snow
00:37:39possibly
00:37:40you say that
00:37:41you are such a fusspot
00:37:43no no seriously
00:37:44listen
00:37:44no you can't
00:37:45no you've got to listen to me
00:37:46I'm a guest
00:37:47go on because it'll just be a racing driver expense
00:37:52no no this is an excuse
00:37:53but I jumped in
00:37:53and I sat there revving the engine
00:37:55with a heater on
00:37:56thinking
00:37:57I'm so nervous
00:37:58you know
00:37:59this thing
00:37:59you know
00:38:00is is is an amazing bit of care
00:38:02I've learnt so much coming here
00:38:03I'm really going to take it into the 2010 season
00:38:06amazing
00:38:07who would like to see
00:38:10Jensen's lap
00:38:11there you go
00:38:13it's obviously
00:38:14the old Liana
00:38:15and there it is
00:38:17I haven't seen that for ages
00:38:18how wet it is
00:38:19it's damp
00:38:20think like this is for the world championship
00:38:23come on JP
00:38:24it's more important than the formula one world championship
00:38:26look it is
00:38:27it's greasy
00:38:28in it
00:38:29in F1
00:38:30if it's wet
00:38:30the tyres work
00:38:32if it's greasy
00:38:32you just slide
00:38:33it's superb
00:38:34you're holding on nicely through there
00:38:36a little bit slippery out here
00:38:38which is interesting
00:38:40that first turn
00:38:40yes
00:38:41first
00:38:41yes
00:38:42I'm impressed
00:38:42no power understeer
00:38:44first turn you took the wide line in
00:38:46a little bit wild JB
00:38:47come on
00:38:49at least I'm not singing
00:38:50you're not singing
00:38:51and Lewis has a different line in that first corner
00:38:53and he's adamant about it
00:38:55there you go
00:38:56you see
00:38:57now
00:38:57that's tidy
00:38:59I tell you what
00:39:01I'm more scared driving this than I have a Formula One car
00:39:04yeah I was
00:39:05this bit here is scary
00:39:07yeah it is
00:39:07well if you go on the red lights
00:39:08that's quite slippery
00:39:09I think they should put this on the F1 calendar
00:39:11it's a place for rocks
00:39:13oh that was nice and close to the tyres
00:39:17made them move
00:39:17second to last corner here
00:39:19let's have a look
00:39:19yes
00:39:20that's got the back out of it
00:39:22yeah it's fun eh
00:39:23beauty
00:39:24come on
00:39:26Ace Gambon
00:39:26got the back out again
00:39:27and there we are
00:39:28across the line
00:39:29I've got that look
00:39:30a bit of gender
00:39:31so
00:39:32aha
00:39:34so here we go
00:39:40Jensen
00:39:40button
00:39:42hmm
00:39:44see that I didn't even lead forward
00:39:47you will
00:39:48so no really
00:39:51where do you run
00:39:52it felt good
00:39:53very very slippery
00:39:55but I could slide the car through the corners
00:39:56it was
00:39:57it was
00:39:57it was fun
00:39:58I don't think I'm quicker than I was before
00:40:00because it was dry
00:40:01how would I be
00:40:02well
00:40:03Lewis was here
00:40:04in exactly the same car
00:40:05in exactly the same conditions
00:40:07they really were exactly the same
00:40:08I'm a better driver than I was then
00:40:09you did it
00:40:12these are 1.44.7
00:40:14you did it
00:40:15in
00:40:151
00:40:1640
00:40:184
00:40:209
00:40:23oh
00:40:24you did it
00:40:25you just missed out on him
00:40:27but give him a huge one
00:40:28oh wait a minute
00:40:30I'll give you the wet
00:40:31look at that
00:40:34point 2
00:40:36do you know what it was
00:40:38honestly it was that showboating
00:40:39in the last two corners
00:40:40yeah
00:40:41I'll tell you it was fun though
00:40:41that little thing is so fun
00:40:43it is
00:40:43yeah
00:40:44you should try the more powerful
00:40:45Chevrolet La Settey
00:40:47well they wouldn't let me ever go in that one
00:40:48no because that's the Formula 1 car
00:40:50anyway
00:40:51ladies and gentlemen
00:40:52I give you
00:40:54our world champion
00:40:55Jensen Button
00:40:56and actually
00:41:00your face
00:41:03will be back in a minute
00:41:05because what we're going to do now
00:41:06is pick up
00:41:07our art gallery film
00:41:08James and I arrived by aeroplane
00:41:14fresh from the south
00:41:15where do Geordies actually come from
00:41:18Geordies are from
00:41:19well the northeast
00:41:21maybe they're all Geordies
00:41:22but then there's
00:41:22are the Foggies over
00:41:23there's the Foggies and the Muggies
00:41:25and the Monkey Hangers
00:41:26I don't know where they are
00:41:26but they're all types of Geordie
00:41:28well I think so
00:41:29or are they
00:41:30maybe they're different
00:41:31they all say YI
00:41:32so they must all be Geordies
00:41:33as our BMW art car was so valuable
00:41:38I decided to drive it to the exhibition myself
00:41:41what I have here is a 3.5 litre straight six painting
00:41:48it is art that moves you
00:41:51quite literally
00:41:52moves you
00:41:54at the Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art
00:42:00Captain's sense of direction
00:42:02had decided to make an audio guide
00:42:04that would steer visitors around the exhibits
00:42:07if you turn through almost 180 degrees to your left
00:42:11or even to your right in fact
00:42:13because it of course makes no difference whatsoever
00:42:15and walk straight ahead towards the wall
00:42:17and rotating to your right
00:42:19not quite through 180 degrees
00:42:21but probably about 155
00:42:23I meanwhile was on the road
00:42:27touring the local radio stations
00:42:29in a bid to drum up some support for our show
00:42:31oh this is fantastic
00:42:33I've got a van
00:42:35I've got a list of phone numbers
00:42:37and I've got a mission
00:42:38I'm a PR agent
00:42:39and then walking through the white door
00:42:45we arrive at the upstairs gallery
00:42:48actually that's not quite right
00:42:50you need to come out and turn left
00:42:52or turn right if you haven't actually gone through the white door
00:42:55through the glass door
00:42:56which you push
00:42:56which you are then in the upstairs gallery
00:42:59the first stop on my publicity tour was Radio Tees
00:43:04who cares about the weather because it's the weekend
00:43:07who cares when Top Gear is in town
00:43:10and Richard Flippin' Hammond is with us
00:43:13here comes the publicity
00:43:16welcome to Teeside
00:43:19you of course used to work here and everything like that many many years ago
00:43:24why are you here?
00:43:25it's great to be here
00:43:27I did used to work here apparently
00:43:29I worked in a lot of radio stations for not very long
00:43:32what are you doing?
00:43:33it's not always the best of reasons
00:43:34so yes I worked here
00:43:36talk about the exhibition
00:43:37and I have fond memories of working here
00:43:40nobody's interested in your bloody memories
00:43:43because I started in Radio York in 1989
00:43:48oh for crying out loud
00:43:51for the rest of the interview
00:43:53Hammond brilliantly publicised himself
00:43:56I've just tried and started something called Blastab
00:43:58a kid science show
00:43:59oh for god's sake this is ridiculous
00:44:02to make matters worse in the gallery
00:44:06May was busy ignoring our instructions
00:44:08to make the audio guide interesting
00:44:1010 as it was codenamed during development
00:44:12rejecting the complicated hydrogas suspension of its forebear
00:44:16the Allegro
00:44:17in favour of a straightforward steel sprung chassis
00:44:20with a torsion beam rear axle
00:44:21unashamedly derived from a design already used to great effect
00:44:25hello
00:44:27yeah I'm doing it
00:44:31I've just
00:44:33yes I know it's got to be done by half three
00:44:35but I can't do it because people keep ringing me up
00:44:37and asking me if I've done it yet
00:44:38as I bore down on Middlesbrough
00:44:43Hammond's publicity tour was going from bad to worse
00:44:46yes I did
00:44:48I started in 1989 at Radio York
00:44:51yeah absolutely
00:44:53I think Total Wiper has been a tremendous success
00:44:57I'm going to have a heart attack
00:44:59there's a moment when people have to climb a platform
00:45:01and in front of them are four massive red inflatable balls
00:45:04and they have to check
00:45:04Total Wiper is just idiots flying over
00:45:07good people of Hartlepool
00:45:20Hammond is in town with his PR machine
00:45:25at Mima the other idiot
00:45:28was in the gallery of motor racing
00:45:30a subject about which he knows nothing
00:45:33some pictures of racing cars going around corners
00:45:36hopefully these cardboard boxes won't be here
00:45:38by the time you arrive
00:45:39there's a man on fire
00:45:41there's a car going along
00:45:44and then I had a problem
00:45:47I was coming around the corner
00:45:50doing about 27 miles an hour
00:45:52and a cow was there
00:45:54and I just had nowhere to go
00:45:56because of this
00:45:56I tell you there was a school bus
00:45:58well it was a bus full of children
00:45:59handicapped children
00:46:01and I saw some ginger ones on it
00:46:03so I just
00:46:04I thought well I'll have to miss that
00:46:06so I'll put it in the ditch rather than into the children
00:46:09that story didn't wash
00:46:12take a deep breath sir
00:46:14sit around the tube
00:46:15cancel stream of breath
00:46:16keep going
00:46:17keep going
00:46:17the good news was I scored zero
00:46:20the bad news came when the car was towed out of the ditch
00:46:24that's not too
00:46:26it is quite bad
00:46:27oh god
00:46:28and my attempts to mask the damage with teacut
00:46:31just made everything worse
00:46:33this was an important exhibit for us this car
00:46:44I'm casting around in my head for someone to blame
00:46:48and it's just me keeps coming back at me
00:46:51so when we met up
00:46:53I decided to do the honourable thing
00:46:55and go on the attack
00:46:57did you hear what he did on the laugh
00:46:59yes I did hear what you did on the radio
00:47:01I've been working my back
00:47:02you have done one interview
00:47:04and you talked about blast lab
00:47:05he didn't ask the right questions
00:47:07I told you
00:47:08I know more about PR than you
00:47:10I was on top of it
00:47:11none of this detracts from the fact
00:47:13and I can read it in your face
00:47:15that you've been an idiot
00:47:16and you have ruined the whole event
00:47:19by the way
00:47:19thanks for asking
00:47:21I'm fine
00:47:22we don't care
00:47:23evidently
00:47:24no it's not bad
00:47:25as the exhibition was due to open
00:47:27in the following morning
00:47:28we agreed to stop bickering
00:47:29and get to work
00:47:30what is interesting
00:47:31James went off to rouse the troops
00:47:33and Richard relaunched his PR campaign
00:47:37my work is complete
00:47:40one mobile billboard
00:47:41but better still
00:47:42just don't really give the message
00:47:44what I've done
00:47:45is actually put one of the exhibits
00:47:47from the gallery
00:47:47on the move
00:47:48lit
00:47:49and everything
00:47:49so people can see it
00:47:50I'll leave the door open
00:47:51as I'm driving around
00:47:52that
00:47:54is PR
00:47:55meanwhile I was with Stephen Wiltshire
00:47:58the artist famous for creating
00:48:00incredibly detailed drawings
00:48:02from memory
00:48:03so which bit of New York
00:48:05do you think you're going to put
00:48:06behind the car
00:48:07I'm going to put
00:48:08from
00:48:10I'm going to put
00:48:11the Brooklyn Bridge
00:48:12Brooklyn Bridge
00:48:14okay
00:48:14out on the streets
00:48:17the PR machine
00:48:18had adopted a more
00:48:19personal approach
00:48:20people of Middlesbrough
00:48:24tomorrow morning
00:48:25is your opportunity
00:48:26to soak up some art
00:48:27madam
00:48:28in the black tracksuit
00:48:29sir
00:48:30in the white tracksuit top
00:48:31you could visit
00:48:32Mima
00:48:32you young man
00:48:33in the grey tracksuit trousers
00:48:34you sir
00:48:35in the blue tracksuit top
00:48:36tomorrow morning
00:48:379 o'clock
00:48:38at Mima
00:48:39art is for the masses
00:48:40art is for you sir
00:48:42in black tracksuit trousers
00:48:44and you young man
00:48:45in the blue tracksuit trousers
00:48:46there is a festival of art
00:48:48available for you
00:48:49back at the gallery
00:48:53it was all go
00:48:54each of us had chosen
00:48:56what he thought
00:48:57was the best looking car
00:48:58of all time
00:48:59and Jeremy and I
00:49:00were busy installing them
00:49:01Richard had gone
00:49:03for his own
00:49:04series one Land Rover
00:49:05Jeremy for a Ferrari
00:49:07275 GTS
00:49:09no it is absolutely
00:49:10terrific
00:49:11I bet if you turn the radio on
00:49:12it'll just be
00:49:13the beginning of the
00:49:13Italian job
00:49:14that music
00:49:15and I'd gone for a
00:49:16Lamborghini Countach
00:49:18how long have you talked
00:49:19about the Lamborghini Countach
00:49:20for on the audio tape
00:49:21please tell me
00:49:22it's no more than
00:49:22two seconds
00:49:23a few minutes
00:49:25it's a very important car
00:49:28so this idea
00:49:29that these
00:49:30seriously James
00:49:31yes but you're only
00:49:32thinking in terms of
00:49:32numbers of people
00:49:33coming through
00:49:33yes that's the goal
00:49:35yes but they have to
00:49:36come to a gallery
00:49:37and experience some art
00:49:38okay what's this James
00:49:39this is how I want
00:49:41to see the people
00:49:41of Middlesbrough
00:49:42okay
00:49:43on your left
00:49:47there's a Lamborghini
00:49:48Countach
00:49:48that's a Ferrari
00:49:49275 GTS
00:49:50and there's a Land Rover
00:49:51in here
00:49:52we've actually got
00:49:53our hot car
00:49:54that's the speed
00:49:55I want them
00:49:56to be doing
00:49:57if they saunter
00:49:58they're standing there
00:50:00to look at the wire
00:50:01wheels
00:50:01look at the seat
00:50:02the log jam
00:50:04there was however
00:50:06a more immediate problem
00:50:07oh hang on a minute
00:50:09hang on
00:50:10is it too wide
00:50:13well yeah
00:50:14can't it just be there
00:50:16well not really
00:50:17eventually the Countach
00:50:19was brought in
00:50:20on a special giant thing
00:50:22and with that done
00:50:23we went to check
00:50:24on Stephen
00:50:25so that's four hours
00:50:28and it's gone
00:50:29from a blank piece
00:50:30of paper to that
00:50:31James
00:50:31in four hours
00:50:32that's extremely good
00:50:33how many times
00:50:34have you been
00:50:35to this place
00:50:35twice in Brooklyn Heights
00:50:38so you remember
00:50:39the detail
00:50:40on this bridge
00:50:41just from standing here
00:50:42two times
00:50:43yeah
00:50:44that car is astonishing
00:50:46I think I was
00:50:46I know
00:50:48you're pedantic
00:50:49on these things
00:50:50it really occurs
00:50:52spot on
00:50:53darkness fell
00:50:58but still
00:50:59Hammond's PR onslaught
00:51:01rumbled on
00:51:02the Mima gallery
00:51:03full of things
00:51:04that people want
00:51:04to go and see
00:51:05so obviously
00:51:05if it's automotive themed
00:51:07and long into the night
00:51:08James and I
00:51:09were arguing
00:51:09about where
00:51:10the art car
00:51:11should go
00:51:12so what
00:51:12you want to position it
00:51:13to draw people's attention
00:51:15to the bit you crashed
00:51:16well
00:51:16yes
00:51:18no
00:51:19disagree
00:51:19okay
00:51:20it needs to be
00:51:21leave it like that
00:51:22please go
00:51:23and get on with
00:51:23your next job
00:51:24I'm very happy
00:51:25leave it there
00:51:26show day
00:51:39and amazingly
00:51:40our exhibition
00:51:41was looking
00:51:42rather good
00:51:42we had installed
00:51:45many thought-provoking pieces
00:51:47including
00:51:48Stigworld
00:51:49a video installation
00:51:51where visitors
00:51:52could get a glimpse
00:51:53of what goes on
00:51:54inside his helmet
00:51:56we also had our
00:51:58ground-breaking masterpiece
00:51:59called
00:52:00what's Europe car
00:52:01going to say
00:52:01about this
00:52:02and obviously
00:52:03our BMW art car
00:52:05we knew
00:52:07that all this
00:52:08would bring in
00:52:09the multitudes
00:52:09and prove
00:52:10that motoring
00:52:11is the way forward
00:52:12for the nation's art galleries
00:52:14so we went onto the roof
00:52:15for our first glimpse
00:52:16of the queues
00:52:17look at the crowd
00:52:18from over here
00:52:19are you ready
00:52:19steady
00:52:20it was a disaster
00:52:30and the news
00:52:32from the outlying car parks
00:52:33was even worse
00:52:34it was like a scene
00:52:36from the Omega Man
00:52:37it's now 10 to 10
00:52:41as you can see
00:52:42we've been open
00:52:4250 minutes
00:52:43there's just
00:52:45no officially now
00:52:56the people looking
00:52:58after the exhibits
00:52:59outnumbering
00:53:00the number of people
00:53:00looking at it
00:53:01I carefully prepared
00:53:03personal lectures
00:53:04were a complete
00:53:05waste of time
00:53:06the artist has managed
00:53:07to avoid
00:53:08any kind of
00:53:09branding
00:53:10it's
00:53:11it's just
00:53:12simply pure
00:53:12to hit our targets
00:53:18we needed
00:53:18800 visitors an hour
00:53:20but it just
00:53:20wasn't happening
00:53:21just doing a rough
00:53:23head count here
00:53:24about
00:53:24that's a
00:53:26it's not a lot
00:53:2775 people
00:53:29by midday
00:53:32the numbers
00:53:32had picked up
00:53:33a bit
00:53:33but instead of
00:53:34following a
00:53:35prescribed route
00:53:36through the gallery
00:53:36everyone was all
00:53:37over the place
00:53:38thanks to James's
00:53:39useless audio guide
00:53:41and then walking
00:53:41through the white door
00:53:42before we arrive
00:53:43at the upstairs
00:53:44gallery
00:53:45actually that's
00:53:47not quite right
00:53:47into the next room
00:53:49the door of which
00:53:50should be open
00:53:51bloody Nora
00:53:53but I can't do it
00:53:57because people keep
00:53:58ringing me up
00:53:58and asking me
00:53:59if I've done it yet
00:54:00worse still
00:54:09Hammond had forgotten
00:54:10to do his homework
00:54:11on the exhibits
00:54:12that's a Ferrari
00:54:14275 GTS
00:54:15as you can see
00:54:16the lines
00:54:17it's
00:54:18it's lovely
00:54:19yeah
00:54:20nice and full look
00:54:24yes it's a lovely colour
00:54:26yes it is
00:54:26yes
00:54:27we called an emergency
00:54:28meeting
00:54:29okay
00:54:30right
00:54:31what are we doing
00:54:31what are we doing
00:54:32we're not very good at this
00:54:33can I just put it in
00:54:34it's going to work
00:54:35don't just relax
00:54:36what's going to work about it
00:54:37this is a catastrophe
00:54:38Jones
00:54:39it's not a catastrophe
00:54:40it's a catastrophe
00:54:41plainly Hammond's PR
00:54:44had been rubbish
00:54:45so to bring in the crowds
00:54:47we needed to find one
00:54:49and we did
00:54:50at half time
00:54:57we would make a hearts and minds appeal
00:54:59for the Middlesbrough fans
00:55:00to come to our show
00:55:01after the match
00:55:02sadly though
00:55:04we put Captain Geordie
00:55:05in charge of our outfits
00:55:07give us a minute
00:55:37people in the North East
00:55:41we apologise for that terrible mistake
00:55:45we are here to ask
00:55:47please
00:55:49we have light exhibition
00:55:52at the Mima Gallery
00:55:53and we need your support
00:55:55we have Ferraris
00:55:56Lamborghinis
00:55:57we have Richard Hammonds
00:56:00name over
00:56:00anything else no
00:56:04there's one thing
00:56:05you can't come
00:56:07the away fans
00:56:09responded with good grace
00:56:11you flat bastard
00:56:17amazingly though
00:56:23our plan worked
00:56:25in you come
00:56:26if you start
00:56:29shuffling through that way
00:56:30soon the place was packed
00:56:33which meant I could
00:56:34finally unveil
00:56:35our centrepiece
00:56:36without a doubt
00:56:37the highlight
00:56:38the highlight
00:56:39of the show so far
00:56:41how much do you have
00:56:45to hate somebody
00:56:46to sit down
00:56:48with a piece of cloth
00:56:49and then do that to him
00:56:50among the crowd
00:56:54was a learned art scholar
00:56:56who could see
00:56:56James' sculpture
00:56:57for what it was
00:56:58are you saying
00:56:59it's a bit crap
00:57:00yeah
00:57:00nothing to see
00:57:01nothing to see
00:57:02the crowds though
00:57:03meant we had a new problem
00:57:04with James' audio guide
00:57:06not only was it still
00:57:08getting everybody lost
00:57:09but as I'd feared
00:57:10it was also extremely
00:57:12long winded
00:57:13and latterly to 5.2 litres
00:57:15an expansion that was
00:57:16accompanied by the
00:57:17fitment of a new
00:57:18cylinder head
00:57:19hello
00:57:20this meant the visitors
00:57:22weren't moving through
00:57:23the gallery fast enough
00:57:24have you been listening
00:57:25to the audio guide
00:57:26how is it
00:57:28pretty boring
00:57:29with bottlenecks
00:57:31springing up everywhere
00:57:32there was no way
00:57:33we'd get the numbers
00:57:34through
00:57:35so I was forced
00:57:36to shorten
00:57:36my personal lectures
00:57:38a bit
00:57:39right everybody
00:57:40there's only one
00:57:41interesting thing
00:57:42in here
00:57:42and it's that
00:57:43painting there
00:57:44of the Bentley
00:57:44good you've seen it
00:57:45off we go
00:57:45there we are
00:57:47that's a BMW
00:57:47we've done it
00:57:48in here is a Formula 1 car
00:57:49with some paint on it
00:57:50lovely
00:57:50right out
00:57:52out
00:57:52to
00:57:53down
00:57:54off you go
00:57:54James however
00:57:56simply didn't get
00:57:57the idea of this
00:57:58at all
00:57:59does a cat
00:58:00know it's a cat
00:58:01does a dog
00:58:02know when it's old
00:58:03what does he
00:58:04actually know
00:58:05what are you doing
00:58:07with him up there
00:58:08well
00:58:09I'll tell you
00:58:10exactly what's
00:58:10happening
00:58:10everybody's getting
00:58:12into a room
00:58:12where James May
00:58:13is talking
00:58:14and they're stuck
00:58:15this called
00:58:17for drastic measures
00:58:18he's a stink
00:58:20so in machine terms
00:58:21he's extremely bright
00:58:22but he's inanimate
00:58:23does he have
00:58:24any feelings
00:58:25can we transfer
00:58:26our own feelings
00:58:27onto the crash
00:58:28test dummy
00:58:28sorry
00:58:30relevant
00:58:31Rodan's thinker
00:58:34is sort of naked
00:58:35oh
00:58:37the point of art
00:58:38is you have to
00:58:39interact with it
00:58:40you don't just
00:58:40look at it
00:58:40it's not
00:58:41sorry about that
00:58:48it's unfortunate
00:58:49but
00:58:50okay if you'd like
00:58:51to move to the
00:58:52exits now
00:58:53you don't have to
00:58:54look at it
00:58:54you don't have to
00:58:55you don't have to
00:58:55look at it
00:58:56you don't have to
00:58:56look at it
00:58:57you don't have to
00:58:58look at it
00:58:58you don't have to
00:58:58look at it
00:58:59soon the crowds
00:59:00were moving along
00:59:01at a fair old pace
00:59:02which meant there
00:59:03wasn't much more
00:59:04we could do
00:59:05we've got the best
00:59:07we've done the best
00:59:11PR that we can do
00:59:12oh yeah
00:59:12it's now time for us
00:59:15to bail out
00:59:16and let the numbers
00:59:18roll in
00:59:18and with that
00:59:20back to the studio
00:59:22I finally got to say
00:59:24that
00:59:24okay
00:59:30I have the figures
00:59:32here remember
00:59:32remember we had to
00:59:35beat 30,000
00:59:36yes
00:59:36and what we
00:59:37actually managed
00:59:38was
00:59:3915,000
00:59:41yes
00:59:41yes
00:59:42I don't know
00:59:4315
00:59:4415,000
00:59:47so
00:59:48half what we needed
00:59:50yeah we were
00:59:50halfway there
00:59:51but
00:59:52this is still
00:59:54an all-time record
00:59:57for the Meme
00:59:57gallery
00:59:58yeah
00:59:59it's so
01:00:00it's brilliant
01:00:00it's brilliant
01:00:01it's awesome
01:00:02it's awesome
01:00:02it's awesome
01:00:03yeah
01:00:04cars are the future
01:00:05of ours
01:00:05they are
01:00:06and that is a bombshell
01:00:07that is a bombshell
01:00:08and that means
01:00:09we can end
01:00:09now we're back
01:00:11on December the 27th
01:00:13with an elongated special
01:00:14in which we drive
01:00:16across South America
01:00:17that is quite something
01:00:19but until then
01:00:20have a very
01:00:21very happy Christmas
01:00:22take care
01:00:23goodnight
01:00:24and Top Gear continues
01:00:29next Sunday
01:00:30here on BBC HD
01:00:31now Oz and Hugh
01:00:33are drinking to Christmas
01:00:34over on BBC 2 now
01:00:36and here on BBC HD
01:00:37it's Christmas in Cranford
01:00:39next
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