- 2 days ago
The trio celebrates the end of the Kia Cee’d era as the Reasonably Priced Car. They also tackle a city taxi challenge, testing practicality, toughness, and style. Clarkson drives the Jaguar F-Type for one last thrill.
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Follow our channel for more car crazed mayhem. Alot more episodes to come that you don't want to miss. Like our videos and share with other car lovers!!
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MotorTranscript
00:00:00Tonight, I point at some fields, Richard minces round a corner, and James describes his ideal night in.
00:00:20Vomit and sputum and other bodily secretions.
00:00:30Thank you so much. Thank you, thank you. Thank you. Now, we begin with the Range Rover Sport. After eight years, it's gone out of production. They're not going to make any more.
00:00:45And this is a good thing, because there's always been one major problem with it. As Richard Hammond shall now explain.
00:00:54Here we are, then, the soon-to-be-deceased Range Rover Sport.
00:01:04There are many things you might object to about this car.
00:01:09But the biggest problem has always been very simple.
00:01:13It's the badge, Range Rover Sport.
00:01:16First of all, underneath this is the chassis off a Land Rover Discovery, so it's not a Range Rover.
00:01:25And because it's the chassis off a Land Rover Discovery, it weighs nearly three tonnes.
00:01:31So it's not sporty, either.
00:01:34Its success hinged on appealing to people who didn't know that, or indeed anything.
00:01:40Basically, this car was only bought by two types of people, footballers and people who were married to footballers.
00:01:52And the sports stamping ground is this place.
00:01:57The Premier League ghetto of Wilmsland in Cheshire.
00:02:01Genuine Georgian electric gates, right there, and there, and there.
00:02:23Georgian security cameras.
00:02:25Manicured lawns, very popular for spit-roast barbecues.
00:02:33Apparently, they drink more champagne per head here than in any other county.
00:02:40Class.
00:02:46The people of Wilmslow are going to miss this car.
00:02:50But before they start weeping onto their marble breakfast bars, I have some good news.
00:02:57Because now, there is a new one.
00:03:05With prices starting at £50,000, it's cheaper than a proper Range Rover.
00:03:11And because it's available with seven seats, it's more practical as well.
00:03:17But like I said at the beginning, the old Range Rover sport was a bit of a fraud.
00:03:22The question must be, is this one really a Range Rover?
00:03:26And is it a sport?
00:03:28Let's start with that first bit.
00:03:33No matter how much wood and leather it's fitted with,
00:03:36the mark of a real Range Rover is being able to tackle this sort of stuff.
00:03:47Important work being done, coming through.
00:03:52Well, the first thing you need to know is that this is not a discovery in a Range Rover frock.
00:03:58It has the proper Range Rover's chassis and the same terrain response system as well.
00:04:04This analyses the ground you're driving over and automatically adjusts the suspension,
00:04:10gearbox, brakes and engine output to suit.
00:04:12Big, big, big, almost vertical hill now.
00:04:24Very steam, very steam, very muddy.
00:04:32That is, that is a climb.
00:04:35Well done, yeah.
00:04:36Besides the terrain response, there's also a computer that disconnects the anti-roll bars
00:04:46to increase wheel articulation.
00:04:52We're over.
00:04:53I mean, that was, that was a big old cross-axling hump to go.
00:04:58You didn't even notice.
00:04:59And there's more.
00:05:04Yeah.
00:05:05Water.
00:05:06Good.
00:05:07Gives me a chance to play with something else I have on board.
00:05:09And that is...
00:05:10Sonar.
00:05:13Kid you not.
00:05:21Sonar, transmitters and receivers in the door mirrors,
00:05:23measure the depth of the water.
00:05:25It'll make a big noise if it's getting too deep.
00:05:29Not worried, not worried.
00:05:36I feel like I'm driving a luxury hotel room through a swamp.
00:05:42Oh.
00:05:45Oh, that's steam.
00:05:47Just pretty much like it never.
00:05:58Yeah, I think I've repaired that, more or less.
00:06:01That's how it was.
00:06:03Good.
00:06:04So there we are.
00:06:07This car, in the right hands, is very good off-road.
00:06:12And now, we must move on to this bit of the badge.
00:06:19Welcome to Donington Park Racetrack.
00:06:22And if the sport is as sporty as Land Rover claims,
00:06:26it should put on a good show here.
00:06:29Now, you can get these with a V6 or a V8 diesel.
00:06:42The one I'm in is the supercharged petrol V8 with 503 brake horsepower.
00:06:47So, that is the power taken care of.
00:06:51And because it's built on the brand new all-aluminium chassis of the proper Range Rover,
00:06:56it's getting on for half a ton lighter than the old sport.
00:07:00That turn, lift, and then it comes around, and then, bang!
00:07:06503 brake to all four wheels, and off you go.
00:07:14And as well as the weight loss, the computer-controlled suspension fights body roll.
00:07:20And there's an active rear diff, like you get on a BMW M5.
00:07:24It also has something called torque vectoring,
00:07:29which dictates how much power is sent to each of the wheels and when.
00:07:33I mean, that is supercar stuff.
00:07:36That's what you get on the McLaren 12C road car.
00:07:40What's staggering me right now is that hurling this car around this racetrack,
00:07:45it doesn't feel like I'm asking it to do anything it doesn't want to do.
00:07:48It feels at home.
00:07:50All in all, on a track, it's good.
00:07:56But how good?
00:07:59Well, to find out, we must, as ever,
00:08:01call on the help of the world's chattyest racing driver.
00:08:04Today, the Stig is in a mini John Cooper Works GP,
00:08:08one of the most hardcore hot hatches you can buy.
00:08:13And now, he's going to use it to set a lap time.
00:08:16When you're ready, go!
00:08:20Now, let's find out if that can be beaten by the big, bulky 4x4.
00:08:38And to oversee proceedings, I shall ride shotgun.
00:08:42The beauty of this is, he's no idea what that last car was called.
00:08:50No idea what he's in now.
00:08:53Doesn't care.
00:08:54No bias, you see.
00:08:55All he can do is try and go as fast as he can.
00:08:57All right, we are off.
00:09:05Head towards the first corner.
00:09:07Not braking at all for the first corner.
00:09:09Oh, that's very, very quick down there.
00:09:13Ha!
00:09:13Some wee might have come out of there.
00:09:16Ooh!
00:09:17Brakes work.
00:09:18That's good.
00:09:18I'm not worried about putting him off, because this is just like a quacking noise for him.
00:09:24It's irrelevant.
00:09:27It's worth remembering about now that this is still a very big, heavy car.
00:09:34It weighs more than the heaviest Mercedes S-Class.
00:09:37But even at Stigsby, the sport seemed to have everything in order.
00:09:42We should be the leading tower of Range Rover Sport right now, but somehow we're not.
00:09:47It's fantastic.
00:09:52We've just crossed over a minute.
00:09:55That's the longest protracted tyre squeal in the history of tyres and squealing.
00:10:01Oh, that is.
00:10:03My, that was flying.
00:10:05Oh, chicane.
00:10:07That is fast.
00:10:12And on to the final straight.
00:10:15129.8 to be.
00:10:21129.5.
00:10:24There it is.
00:10:28So, after years of writing cheques it can't cash,
00:10:33this car has finally earned the right to be called the Range Rover Sport.
00:10:46Massively better than the old one.
00:10:48Massively better.
00:10:50And definitely worthy now of the Range Rover Sport badge.
00:10:54But I'd still prefer to have the big, proper Range Rover.
00:10:58Well, no, because if you buy the big one, you'll spend half your time wishing you'd save 20 grand and bought the Sport.
00:11:04No, because you see, the thing is, the proper Range Rover has a split tailgate, which all Range Rovers should have.
00:11:10Look, that one doesn't have this.
00:11:12No, but the Range Rover Sport is better looking.
00:11:15It's better to drive and you can get it with seven seats.
00:11:18Yes, but when I take my dogs for a walk, okay, they leap out and I look at that and think, yes, you know what?
00:11:24I'll have a nice sit down.
00:11:26So, your walks are spent sitting down?
00:11:29Yeah, I like sitting down.
00:11:30What, so you'd spend £20,000 basically on a bench.
00:11:33Why wouldn't you buy the Sport and one of those folding chairs from a petrol station for a quid?
00:11:39But it isn't just the bench.
00:11:41This is bigger.
00:11:43And bigger, as we know, is always better than smaller.
00:11:46Well, no, not always.
00:11:47Not in...
00:11:47Not in bruises, it's not.
00:11:51Well, not bruises, no.
00:11:53Premium Bond wins.
00:11:54Heart attacks.
00:11:57Fireworks.
00:11:59Unexpected bills.
00:12:01Ladies, can you think of anything which is better when it's bigger than smaller?
00:12:07Now, the news.
00:12:09And a couple of weeks ago, on the way back from the show, going along the A3,
00:12:13I was held up for an hour and a half by an accident.
00:12:16When I eventually got to the front of the queue, expecting a scene of devastation,
00:12:19I found a Fiat 500 with the bumper hanging off at one end,
00:12:24two of the three lanes closed,
00:12:26and then just a load of people in uniform sort of milling about.
00:12:29These people in uniform, James, let me guess,
00:12:31were they by any chance highway agency traffic enforcement officers?
00:12:36Ah, yes.
00:12:37I knew they would be.
00:12:38Now, we've spoken about these people before,
00:12:40and I think we should speak about them again,
00:12:41because they were employed by the highways agency to keep the roads open.
00:12:45And all they ever do is shut them.
00:12:48Yeah.
00:12:49As soon as they get their first job, right, let's close the road.
00:12:52Dislodge door mirror, close the road.
00:12:54Child a bit carsick, close the road.
00:12:56Someone says they've got whiplash, close the road.
00:12:58It's a serious injury.
00:12:59Whiplash, by the way, is not a serious injury.
00:13:01It's insurance fraud.
00:13:04And that's all they do, and they've got to be stopped.
00:13:06I think they should only be allowed to close the road
00:13:09if certain words are being used to describe the incident.
00:13:13Inferno.
00:13:15Crater.
00:13:17Apocalyptic.
00:13:18Felt in Japan.
00:13:19Yes.
00:13:20Can't find the head.
00:13:21Yes.
00:13:22Yes.
00:13:24If Sally Traffic says that on the traffic report,
00:13:27can't find the head,
00:13:28then you can think about closing the road.
00:13:29But even so, you still have to ring somebody for permission,
00:13:32and I'm afraid that somebody has to be me.
00:13:34Does it?
00:13:35No, I'd basically never give them permission,
00:13:37and I would remind them that their job is to clear up litter.
00:13:40Yes.
00:13:40They are, as you once described, they're basically Wombles.
00:13:43Yes.
00:13:44It's a lovely job, and they should appreciate what they've got.
00:13:47It's fun.
00:13:47They can work underground or overground.
00:13:50Yeah?
00:13:51Well, yeah, I mean, they could make good use of the things that they find.
00:13:54Yes, they could.
00:13:55I mean, things that everyday folk just leave behind.
00:13:57What an opportunity.
00:13:59I think we should dress them up like actual Wombles.
00:14:03Oh, come on.
00:14:03No, no, who wouldn't want to see a Wombles?
00:14:05A Wombles by the side of the road.
00:14:06I wouldn't mind being stopped by a Wombles,
00:14:09and it would be good for your own safety,
00:14:10because nobody would want to run over a Wombles, would they?
00:14:13You'd be careful.
00:14:14You'd be heartbroken.
00:14:15They wouldn't need Hyvis.
00:14:16Now, the Royal Mail, as we know, often issues commemorative stamps.
00:14:20You know, they pick on a subject like woodpeckers or hats or diseases.
00:14:24Diseases?
00:14:25Anyway, they've decided to do a range of stamps based on classic British motoring cars.
00:14:30Now, I've got some of the ones they've done for you here.
00:14:32There's the Lotus Esprit.
00:14:34This isn't the actual size of the stamp, by the way.
00:14:36Oh, I did wonder.
00:14:37This is a mock-up.
00:14:38I see.
00:14:39But anyway, they've got the Lotus Esprit,
00:14:41and they've got the Aston Martin DB5,
00:14:44and if you don't want your letter to get there, the MG.
00:14:49Oh, God, look at that gizmo little...
00:14:51Oh.
00:14:53A Ford Anglia police car.
00:14:54Now, that, yeah, that is a Ford Anglia.
00:14:56That is the scariest thing I've ever done in however many years I've been testing cars.
00:15:0025 years?
00:15:0080.
00:15:01Yeah, 80 years.
00:15:0380 years was doing an emergency stop once in one of those.
00:15:05Just put...
00:15:06My dad lost his kneecaps in one of those.
00:15:08I don't mean lost them like, oh, where are they?
00:15:09They're under the seat.
00:15:10I was going to say, they'll be under the seat.
00:15:11No, no, he crashed it,
00:15:12and then they had to take his kneecaps out after crashing in Ford Anglia,
00:15:15and now they put it on a stamp.
00:15:16Yeah, and that is just...
00:15:18That's more dreadful Heritage Britain nonsense, isn't it?
00:15:21Oh, God, no, it gets worse.
00:15:23Look at that one.
00:15:24That is the Archers as a postage stamp.
00:15:27Why don't they put something modern on it?
00:15:28You could put the McLaren on it.
00:15:29You could put the Bentley Mulsanne on it.
00:15:31That would be fantastic on a stamp.
00:15:33I mean, the French wouldn't do a stamp that had an old bloke on a bicycle
00:15:36and a stripy t-shirt with some onions for some of them.
00:15:39No, that's not what that is.
00:15:40The Germans wouldn't do a stamp with a half-track just outside Warsaw.
00:15:44No, exactly.
00:15:45No, they really wouldn't.
00:15:46No, Jody, they'd definitely...
00:15:47No, they wouldn't do that.
00:15:49No, they wouldn't, would they?
00:15:50No, anyway, so we must move on.
00:15:52Now, Mazda and Alfa Romeo have announced they're going to do a joint project
00:15:56to make a small sports car.
00:15:57Mazda will call theirs the MX-5.
00:16:00Alfa will call theirs the Spider.
00:16:04Makes sense.
00:16:04Trouble is, Alfa Romeo once did this in the past.
00:16:07They teamed up with Nissan.
00:16:08You remember this?
00:16:08Yes.
00:16:09They teamed up with Nissan.
00:16:10And we thought, what a great plan.
00:16:12Alfa does the styling and the engine,
00:16:14and then Nissan builds it.
00:16:16But they did it the other way around.
00:16:20Yeah, they did.
00:16:20This was the stupidest decision in history.
00:16:23Yeah.
00:16:24This is what we got, ladies and gentlemen.
00:16:25The Arna.
00:16:27Oh, dear.
00:16:29Styled by Nissan, built by Alfa Romeo.
00:16:32And what...
00:16:32What about that?
00:16:33It's like going to Peter Crouch and Abi Clancy and saying,
00:16:36right, Abi, you take the penalty,
00:16:37and then, Peter, you model the bikini.
00:16:40It's that idiotic.
00:16:42It couldn't be more wrong.
00:16:43So, for this MX-5-stroke Spider,
00:16:46job one, make sure Mazda build it.
00:16:50That's essential.
00:16:51Mazda do the build.
00:16:52Alfa do the styling.
00:16:53Yes.
00:16:54Engine.
00:16:54Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:16:55Yeah, Alfa do the engine and the styling,
00:16:56but welding, soldering, doing up the bolts.
00:17:00Yes.
00:17:01That's Mazda's job.
00:17:02Yes.
00:17:03I really do want to see this Alfa and Mazda.
00:17:04That's something they should be working on.
00:17:06I think an MX-5 Spider joint venture,
00:17:07that could be brilliant.
00:17:08Now, I want to move it on to something really important, okay?
00:17:11A few months ago,
00:17:13there was a bit of a brouhaha
00:17:14about town centres in Britain dying,
00:17:17you know, all the shops closing down.
00:17:19And we suggested on this show,
00:17:21this is because you aren't really allowed
00:17:22to park anywhere in a town centre,
00:17:24so people go to out-of-town shopping centres
00:17:26where you can park.
00:17:28And we said they needed to relax
00:17:29the parking arrangements, okay?
00:17:32Well, we have a powerful ally.
00:17:33Do we?
00:17:34Is it Barack Obama?
00:17:36No, not Barack Obama.
00:17:37Darth Vader.
00:17:38I know.
00:17:40Eric Pickles.
00:17:41Oh, brilliant.
00:17:43Who's Eric Pickles?
00:17:44I've no idea.
00:17:44Eric Pickles.
00:17:45Does it not know who he is?
00:17:46Well, it's not Darth Vader, is it?
00:17:47Eric Pickles.
00:17:48I can actually draw him.
00:17:49What?
00:17:50Because he's got an incredibly small face, okay?
00:17:53Right?
00:17:54So he's got a small face,
00:17:55and he's got really quite a big head.
00:17:58So, he actually looks like that.
00:18:03Doesn't look like that.
00:18:05He does.
00:18:05Put a proper picture of him on the screen.
00:18:07Oh, God.
00:18:08He does look like that.
00:18:11It's amazing.
00:18:13What a fabulous arrangement.
00:18:15Look at that.
00:18:16You can draw him.
00:18:17He's really quite good.
00:18:18You can have your own personal Eric Pickles on your thumb.
00:18:20Oh, look at that, it's amazing.
00:18:23Wow.
00:18:24He's very beautiful.
00:18:27That's brilliant.
00:18:30I like his face.
00:18:31That is a good face.
00:18:33Excellent face work.
00:18:34Anyway, Eric has said, okay, and he is a government minister,
00:18:38he's said that you should be allowed to stop on a single yellow or a double yellow line
00:18:42just for a few minutes while you pop into a shop to get a pint of milk.
00:18:46Well, that sounds like perfectly good common sense.
00:18:48Yes?
00:18:48I'm just popping into the shop out in a minute.
00:18:50Yeah.
00:18:51Well, hang on, though.
00:18:51This is the BBC, let's not forget.
00:18:53So, in the interests of balance and impartiality,
00:18:55I will think of why that isn't a good idea.
00:18:59It's a great idea.
00:19:00It's a good idea.
00:19:02So, there we are.
00:19:03We've addressed all the problems,
00:19:04and we can say, Mr. Pickles, implement it straight away,
00:19:07or we shall park on your substantial face.
00:19:09Well, to be fair,
00:19:11you can get about ten cars on there.
00:19:13If you look, he's got a mini roundabout on his chin.
00:19:14Look at that.
00:19:16I like the sound of Eric Pickles.
00:19:18He sounds brilliant.
00:19:19He talks good sense,
00:19:20and he's called Eric Pickles.
00:19:21I think we should have him on the show
00:19:23in the reasonably priced car.
00:19:25But here's the spin, right?
00:19:26Here's the trick.
00:19:27We tell him the reasonably priced car
00:19:29is actually an Ariel Atom,
00:19:30because I've got a wobbly face.
00:19:32It goes about like that.
00:19:33Imagine what his face would be like.
00:19:37It could go inside out entirely.
00:19:40Amazing.
00:19:41Who here thinks you should get Eric Pickles on the show?
00:19:43Wait.
00:19:43Come on, Eric.
00:19:46Come on, Top Gear.
00:19:47We want you.
00:19:48Now, moving on.
00:19:48A lot of car makers have got it into their heads
00:19:51that anyone who spends £300,000 plus on a car
00:19:54will want only two seats
00:19:56and an absolutely enormous top speed.
00:19:59The Lamborghini Aventador, for example.
00:20:02And that's great.
00:20:03But what if you're not really interested in speed
00:20:06and you want more than two seats?
00:20:09Well, how about this?
00:20:12It is the long-awaited replacement for the Routemaster.
00:20:16It costs £330,000,
00:20:19and it's known, rather unimaginatively,
00:20:21as the NBFL,
00:20:23the new bus for London.
00:20:26But could it be used as a private car, I wonder?
00:20:32Could this, in fact, be the NCFS,
00:20:36the new car for Somerset?
00:20:42So, here we are.
00:20:44And the first problem you notice with the new London bus
00:20:47is that it's a bit complicated,
00:20:50so you can't just get in it and go.
00:20:52FIRE SYSTEM PRESSURE OK.
00:21:00Please.
00:21:02Ignition system.
00:21:04Right.
00:21:05Here we go.
00:21:08Cork.
00:21:16FIRE SYSTEM PRESSURE OK.
00:21:19Hang on.
00:21:22FIRE SYSTEM PRESSURE OK.
00:21:26Oh, bollocks.
00:21:30Eventually, though, if you press absolutely everything,
00:21:33it will actually start and set off.
00:21:38Look at me.
00:21:40Look at my big steering wheel.
00:21:44Sorry.
00:21:45But how does it get on as a car?
00:21:48Well, if I'm honest, it is quite wide.
00:21:52Uh-huh.
00:21:54And, yeah, all right, very occasionally the height is an issue.
00:22:01Tocking Nora.
00:22:02But even though it's 35 feet long, it's not hard to drive at all.
00:22:09The steering is light and quite direct.
00:22:13It lacks the crispness that you find in, say, the Ferrari 458.
00:22:17But it's not bad.
00:22:19What's more, unlike most cars in a similar price bracket, it's extremely homegrown.
00:22:27It's not something that's just been badged up over here.
00:22:30It's all made in Britain.
00:22:31The chassis, the bodywork, the glass.
00:22:34It keeps British people employed.
00:22:36It promotes British skill.
00:22:38It advertises workmanship.
00:22:40This is a dead-end cock.
00:22:43How did I do...
00:22:43It didn't say dead-end at the beginning of the road.
00:22:47This, then, would be a good place to test manoeuvrability.
00:22:51Right, you can go right up to that, because I'm right at the front of the bus.
00:22:55This did attract a crowd.
00:22:58But if you try doing a three-point turn in a Lamborghini,
00:23:01you get a crowd as well.
00:23:03Fire system pressure OK.
00:23:07Oh, God.
00:23:09Can you look at the back for me?
00:23:11Can you just check I don't knock a building over for me?
00:23:14It's like Victorian Britain.
00:23:15I've employed some children to do something useful.
00:23:18The only difference is that people do tend to mistake this for a bus.
00:23:22Mind the dog.
00:23:25And get on it.
00:23:29Oi!
00:23:32God, a bus.
00:23:33Get off, you pesky meddling kid.
00:23:35Off! Off!
00:23:37Off!
00:23:37Off!
00:23:38No mobile phones.
00:23:39No pressing the button.
00:23:40Off!
00:23:41Off!
00:23:42Off!
00:23:42Off!
00:23:43Stay off the bus.
00:23:49I've locked myself out.
00:23:50I've locked myself out of the bus.
00:23:53Having sorted out the problem with pliers, I immediately crashed into a Volkswagen Beetle.
00:24:02Yay, yay, yay, yay, yay!
00:24:04And then I nearly hit a bridge.
00:24:064.4.
00:24:07We're at 4.42.
00:24:09We're at 4.42.
00:24:09God, this is exhausting.
00:24:17But with the road ahead mercifully free of traffic, there was time to talk about some of the bus's high-tech features.
00:24:25It's a hybrid bus, this.
00:24:27It has a diesel engine and it has an electric motor.
00:24:30The electric motor always drives the wheels.
00:24:33The diesel engine generates electricity for the batteries.
00:24:36So it is actually like a Fisker calmer.
00:24:40The 0 to 60 time is not quoted, primarily because it won't do 60.
00:24:45But it will accelerate at 1 meter per second.
00:24:48And that's good.
00:24:50That means people standing up won't fall over.
00:24:55So, what about the styling?
00:24:58Well, it was created by the same people who did the amazing Olympic cauldron.
00:25:03And they've done another great job on this.
00:25:09From the back, it looks like Phil Oakey's haircut out of the Human League.
00:25:14All right, it is quite boxy.
00:25:17But that's because it's a bus.
00:25:20A point that becomes obvious when you step inside.
00:25:23Over its lifetime, it's reckoned that about 4 million people will get on and off it.
00:25:28So it is a bit of a collection point for vomit and sputum and other bodily secretions.
00:25:33So, this floor, rubberised cork for grip with drainage channels so that the blood runs out.
00:25:40There are three doorways and two staircases so that desperate teenagers can get upstairs as quickly as possible.
00:25:48There are 16 CCTV security cameras on board.
00:25:52And this upholstery, which is inspired by that used on the original Routemaster so that we find it comforting and familiar.
00:25:59And then there's this, which I particularly like.
00:26:02This screen tells you when you get on the bus, whether or not the top deck is full.
00:26:06So you don't waste your life going up and down the stairs.
00:26:10Now, handling.
00:26:12On a road like this, in a supercar, you'd be clammy-handed and frightened.
00:26:17But in my bus, I was very relaxed.
00:26:23And this got me thinking.
00:26:25How would the bus cope with a track day?
00:26:28Now, you might think we're just being deliberately silly in a top-gear sort of way.
00:26:41But are we?
00:26:42Because the MBFL has a lot of features that you'd want in a track day car.
00:26:47It's rear-engined, like a Porsche 911.
00:26:50It's rear-wheel drive.
00:26:51It has massive tyres.
00:26:54And then, if we move down to the front...
00:26:57We find excellent all-round visibility,
00:27:04a lofty, commanding driving position that will give me a good view of all the bends.
00:27:08Unfortunately, while that sounded good in the paddock, there were some issues.
00:27:19Bandit's on the sixth.
00:27:25Yobbo!
00:27:28On the straights, for instance, it was woefully slow.
00:27:32More speed!
00:27:34But in the corners, you could at least behave like a bus driver.
00:27:44I've shut the door on the Porsche.
00:27:48Your Oyster card is about to expire.
00:27:58And across the line.
00:28:04I have never enjoyed my time on a racetrack as much as that.
00:28:13In fact, I enjoyed my whole day with the bus.
00:28:16There are a few drawbacks.
00:28:18Parking, fuel consumption, reversing.
00:28:21But all that is true of the Bugatti Veyron as well.
00:28:25On the plus side, it's roomy, it's distinctive,
00:28:28and it's extremely nice to drive.
00:28:30All in all, I think it would make a super car.
00:28:37Oh, hang on.
00:28:46Hang on a minute.
00:28:48Have you completely taken leave of your senses?
00:28:53Are you seriously proposing this as an alternative to this?
00:28:58No, look, Hammond, let me explain.
00:29:00Lord Sir Sugar.
00:29:01He is a wealthy man, but he's not interested in doing nought to 60 in two seconds, is he?
00:29:07If he had one of these, he could take all his mates, Murphy's got me, and have a lovely behave.
00:29:12It's hardly practical, is it?
00:29:14No, Hammond, I think he's onto something.
00:29:16Oh, for God's sake.
00:29:17No, no, because if you wanted a Lexus LFA, but he had had a papal attitude to birth control,
00:29:23a lot of children, this is ideal.
00:29:27No, exactly right.
00:29:27And you don't have to drive his, you can get somebody to drive it for you.
00:29:30You could call him the, I don't know, the bus driver.
00:29:32Oh, for crying out loud.
00:29:34No, hang on, how's this for an idea?
00:29:36You get the local authority to buy the bus,
00:29:38and then you can just use it now and then in return for a small fee.
00:29:42No, James, that would be communism.
00:29:45Anyway, it's time now to put a star in our reasonably priced car.
00:29:49Now, my guest tonight is an Australian who lives in Britain,
00:29:51but unusually, he doesn't work in a pub.
00:29:56Instead, he works in the marketing department of a large energy drinks company,
00:30:01and he's just handed his notice in.
00:30:03Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Mark Webber!
00:30:10Mark Webber!
00:30:12How are you?
00:30:16Have a seat.
00:30:18Have a seat.
00:30:21One of the most popular figures, I say, in Formula One.
00:30:25Now, we have so much in common.
00:30:27We have the same body fat index, I know that.
00:30:31Why are you laughing?
00:30:33Exactly the same.
00:30:35But the main thing we have in common,
00:30:36apart from the same body fat index,
00:30:39is cycling.
00:30:43I'm now a cyclist.
00:30:45I hear.
00:30:46I hear, mate.
00:30:46It's a new passion for you.
00:30:48And you, of course, are well-known as a cyclist.
00:30:51You do a lot of competing.
00:30:51I've done a little bit of cycling over the years, yeah.
00:30:53Somebody say you are the fittest of all the drivers.
00:30:55Oh, I'm in reasonable shape.
00:30:56I think all the guys are fit now, but, uh...
00:30:59I mean, if you're the fittest Formula One driver,
00:31:01you've got to be one of the fittest athletes.
00:31:02Oh, yeah, I'd like to do...
00:31:03I mean, if we did lots and lots of different challenges,
00:31:05I'd think, yeah...
00:31:06That would be quite good.
00:31:06I'd like to get you all playing all the different sports.
00:31:08Play football?
00:31:09Be good.
00:31:09Yeah.
00:31:10Oh, football or your silly football.
00:31:11No, we don't get onto the Lions and Australia
00:31:13about the Wallabies.
00:31:13We'll leave that Wallabies.
00:31:15Somebody's here.
00:31:16Somebody understands what you're on about.
00:31:18No, Lions and Wallabies was just...
00:31:19We really enjoyed that.
00:31:21And, um...
00:31:22And the Ashes.
00:31:26You must have really enjoyed living here
00:31:28these last few years with all...
00:31:29No, but I thought the previous Ashes
00:31:30was quite a good series.
00:31:31I mean, all you...
00:31:32All the South Africans played well for you guys.
00:31:33I thought...
00:31:34So how much mileage have you done on the bike?
00:31:38On the bike?
00:31:39Yeah.
00:31:39I do...
00:31:40I've done, um...
00:31:41Three.
00:31:42Three miles.
00:31:44One thing I will say about cycling is
00:31:46it is...
00:31:47Well, it's pretty dangerous.
00:31:49Because over the years
00:31:50you've had a number of car accidents,
00:31:51let's be honest.
00:31:52If you're going to race cars, mate,
00:31:53you're going to crash cars.
00:31:54Now, we've got a photograph here
00:31:55of a crash.
00:31:56I believe it was at Le Mans.
00:31:57A still photo...
00:31:58Yeah, this is you in a Mercedes.
00:32:00Yep.
00:32:00I say car crash.
00:32:01That is a plane crash.
00:32:02Yeah.
00:32:03How did that happen?
00:32:06Actually, in that era,
00:32:07in the late 90s,
00:32:08the cars were super unsafe.
00:32:09So a lot of cars were flying,
00:32:10just the regulations.
00:32:11So you're sitting in there thinking...
00:32:14I'm thinking, um...
00:32:15Obviously, I'm now out of control.
00:32:17Believe it or not,
00:32:18I'm now out of control.
00:32:20So, uh, even though
00:32:21as arrogant as us boys are,
00:32:23I have now lost control of that car.
00:32:24That's gone.
00:32:26But, um...
00:32:26Do you find yourself
00:32:27in a situation like that braking?
00:32:28The brake lights are still
00:32:30be on, probably, yeah.
00:32:31What's your...
00:32:32Why isn't it slowing down?
00:32:35And then, of course,
00:32:36there was the big Formula One
00:32:38airborne one,
00:32:39which was...
00:32:39Was that Valencia?
00:32:40It was quite a big crash.
00:32:41We've actually got the footage
00:32:43here, actually,
00:32:43just to remind everybody
00:32:44of Mark's.
00:32:45One of your finest hours, really.
00:32:47Again, I find myself...
00:32:59What does go through your mind,
00:33:01apart from,
00:33:01well, it's like a fairground ride.
00:33:04You've just got to stay away
00:33:04from lotuses, mate.
00:33:05That's the longest.
00:33:07No, I mean,
00:33:08but the thing about
00:33:08both those accidents
00:33:09is that, I think,
00:33:11the first one,
00:33:11you suffered a little bit of...
00:33:13Yeah, I had some...
00:33:14Bruising.
00:33:15Concussion, neck problems, but...
00:33:16That one, though,
00:33:17the one in the Formula One car...
00:33:18I was lucky there, mate, yeah,
00:33:19but I snapped the brake pedal, actually,
00:33:21so that was about it,
00:33:22so which is unusual
00:33:23to do from that side,
00:33:24so a lot of power required,
00:33:25adrenaline, and, yeah, so...
00:33:27You actually broke it
00:33:27with your own...
00:33:28Snapped it, yeah.
00:33:29What, just with the force
00:33:30of your own foot?
00:33:30Yeah, exactly, yeah.
00:33:31So it's probably good for...
00:33:32Now, the thing is,
00:33:33you walk away
00:33:33from both of those accidents,
00:33:34which, of course,
00:33:35is remarkable,
00:33:36and yet,
00:33:36you go cycling in,
00:33:37when was it, 2008?
00:33:39Yeah.
00:33:39Bump into a Nissan Toronto,
00:33:41I believe was the vehicle.
00:33:42Yeah, it won, mate, it won.
00:33:44It won, it won.
00:33:45And you...
00:33:46Broke your leg?
00:33:47Yeah, shoulder.
00:33:48Because this is what I think
00:33:49we need to impress
00:33:50upon children watching,
00:33:52is that don't get a bicycle,
00:33:54because they're dangerous.
00:33:57Now, obviously,
00:33:59you've, just as we said
00:34:02in the introduction,
00:34:03how did you notice it?
00:34:04Hmm.
00:34:04Why?
00:34:05Where are you going?
00:34:06What are you going to do?
00:34:08Timing's right for me, mate.
00:34:09Bit of a break
00:34:10from what I've been doing
00:34:11for the last 14 years,
00:34:13so, uh...
00:34:14I'm going to race
00:34:15with Porsche, actually.
00:34:16Yeah.
00:34:16So, I know you love Porsches,
00:34:17don't you, mate?
00:34:18Oh, the 911
00:34:19is such an interesting career.
00:34:22So, no,
00:34:23because what worries...
00:34:24Do you think you're getting
00:34:24out of the right time,
00:34:26Formula One,
00:34:26now that we've got
00:34:27the tyres going off
00:34:28like they do,
00:34:28and so on,
00:34:29is that just getting
00:34:29a bit wearisome?
00:34:30You're in the car,
00:34:31the car's going well,
00:34:32you know the track,
00:34:33you're in the groove,
00:34:34and you know
00:34:34that if you push hard,
00:34:36your tyres
00:34:37will simply wear out
00:34:38and you can't win?
00:34:38It is very different,
00:34:40mate,
00:34:40from how it used to be,
00:34:42in terms of,
00:34:42like you say,
00:34:43but that's the way it is,
00:34:43we've got to learn
00:34:44and get on with it,
00:34:45and we're supposed
00:34:45to be at the top
00:34:45of our game,
00:34:46but you've got to be
00:34:47able to push.
00:34:47In Formula One,
00:34:48it's about us boys
00:34:48absolutely on the limits
00:34:50all the time,
00:34:51and...
00:34:51Oh, should be, yeah.
00:34:52Should be, yeah.
00:34:53There's a big regulation
00:34:54change next year,
00:34:54we're going to have
00:34:55to save fuel.
00:34:57We're 1.6-litre engines.
00:34:59I mean,
00:35:00my Ford Cortina
00:35:01had a 1.6-litre engine.
00:35:03So,
00:35:04are you going to miss
00:35:04your team, mate?
00:35:05What did I miss, Sid?
00:35:15Ah,
00:35:16probably not
00:35:18a huge amount.
00:35:20No.
00:35:21I think in a competitive
00:35:22environment,
00:35:22obviously,
00:35:23there's always going
00:35:23to be a bit of needle.
00:35:24There's a lot of history
00:35:25between us two,
00:35:25obviously,
00:35:26that's gone before,
00:35:26so...
00:35:27Hmm.
00:35:28And...
00:35:29Did it start in Malaysia
00:35:30when he suddenly
00:35:31lost the ability
00:35:32to hear?
00:35:32It was basically
00:35:35don't overtake Mark.
00:35:37Yeah.
00:35:38And then he heard,
00:35:39well, he heard
00:35:40everything apart
00:35:40from the don't.
00:35:41Hmm.
00:35:42I mean,
00:35:42you're an Aussie,
00:35:43have you never felt
00:35:43tempted to...
00:35:45This is for Gallipoli.
00:35:48Blam!
00:35:49A lot of people
00:35:49are saying yes,
00:35:50I'm a bit concerned,
00:35:51but I think,
00:35:52oh, my dad always
00:35:53says you shouldn't
00:35:54hit boys, mate,
00:35:54so...
00:35:55Good one.
00:36:00Now,
00:36:03you're here
00:36:03for the second time,
00:36:05in fact.
00:36:06Different studios,
00:36:07everything's a bit
00:36:07different,
00:36:08so I was a bit
00:36:08nervous today.
00:36:08Good,
00:36:09were you in the
00:36:09old studio?
00:36:10Yeah,
00:36:10you actually
00:36:11looked half-decent
00:36:12back then.
00:36:15I've got grey too,
00:36:20mate,
00:36:21you've got grey.
00:36:22Richard Hammond
00:36:22hasn't gone grey,
00:36:23it's really weird.
00:36:24That's incredible.
00:36:25I don't know how
00:36:26he's keeping it to the bay.
00:36:27Anyway,
00:36:29let's find out
00:36:29how you got on your
00:36:30laps.
00:36:31So,
00:36:31as we say,
00:36:31you came here
00:36:32once before,
00:36:33and let's be honest...
00:36:35It was chucking it
00:36:36down,
00:36:36and I was nowhere.
00:36:37Yeah,
00:36:38you were 147,
00:36:38but it was the
00:36:39wettest day in human
00:36:40history.
00:36:41Well,
00:36:41today was...
00:36:41One oz.
00:36:42Not regular.
00:36:42Very good.
00:36:43Very good conditions,
00:36:44I'd say.
00:36:44Good conditions,
00:36:45the right temperature
00:36:46for a Suzuki Liana.
00:36:48Who'd like to have
00:36:49a look at this lap?
00:36:52Let's have a look,
00:36:52come on,
00:36:53Mark,
00:36:53let's have a look
00:36:53at the lap.
00:36:54Righto.
00:36:57Here we go.
00:37:00Coming to get you.
00:37:02Lewis and Sebastian.
00:37:04Right,
00:37:05those are the two
00:37:05targets,
00:37:06and the first corner,
00:37:08nice and wide
00:37:09on the way,
00:37:09and it is interesting
00:37:10how you lot
00:37:11all do that.
00:37:13Look at the Liana,
00:37:14what a machine,
00:37:15you all drive there.
00:37:21Listen to how
00:37:21Formula 1 drivers Kimmy did,
00:37:22but Kimmy was looking
00:37:23at the helicopters
00:37:24of the planes
00:37:25and now you're
00:37:25adjusting your clothing.
00:37:27Where are you going?
00:37:30Pay attention.
00:37:30You're in very
00:37:31responsive.
00:37:33That'll help
00:37:34with your time.
00:37:35Right,
00:37:35Hammerhead.
00:37:36Keep it tight,
00:37:37keep it in the lights.
00:37:38Oh,
00:37:38it's horrible,
00:37:39the Hammerhead,
00:37:39isn't it?
00:37:40What was that?
00:37:41You pick the grip up,
00:37:42there's new Asheville there,
00:37:43it's good grip on that,
00:37:44really good grip.
00:37:48Don't scrub any speed
00:37:50through these fast ones.
00:37:52Turn in lightly,
00:37:53here we go.
00:37:59Here we go,
00:38:00all you gentlemen,
00:38:01whoa,
00:38:01that's cutting it nicely.
00:38:05How do you carry,
00:38:05how much speed
00:38:06have you got going
00:38:07into that?
00:38:08That's impressive,
00:38:09money are bound
00:38:10to be really.
00:38:11And here,
00:38:12oh no,
00:38:13I wouldn't have
00:38:13changed down there,
00:38:14but there we are
00:38:15across the line.
00:38:18I just said
00:38:20I wouldn't have
00:38:20changed down there
00:38:21to you.
00:38:23That's second gear
00:38:24last corner.
00:38:26Second.
00:38:28I use third
00:38:29in Gambon.
00:38:30Do you?
00:38:30Well on the basis
00:38:31that it's the end
00:38:32so it doesn't really matter,
00:38:33it doesn't matter
00:38:33if you roll it
00:38:34or burst.
00:38:35Weight transfer in third.
00:38:37I want to get the weight
00:38:38on the front.
00:38:38You only want to get
00:38:39the weight on the front.
00:38:39Well you see,
00:38:40I trail break.
00:38:42Trail break anyway.
00:38:43But it's still not
00:38:44enough inertia.
00:38:45Well it just gets
00:38:45the weight over the nose.
00:38:47I'll give you
00:38:47some lessons after.
00:38:50Least I can do.
00:38:51Anyway,
00:38:52where do you think,
00:38:53obviously you said
00:38:54you were going for
00:38:54Sebastian and Lewis
00:38:55who are right up
00:38:56at the top.
00:38:57That was the goal,
00:38:57mate.
00:38:58That was the goal.
00:38:59Well I've got the time
00:39:00here,
00:39:00I shall have a look.
00:39:01Hang on a minute.
00:39:01I love the way
00:39:04that Formula One
00:39:04drivers actually
00:39:05really care about it.
00:39:10Because it is quite funny,
00:39:11I mean Rubens
00:39:12was really dead chuffed
00:39:13when he was fastest.
00:39:14He was absolutely,
00:39:15he was running around
00:39:15handing out
00:39:16I am the beat,
00:39:17the stink team.
00:39:17He gave me one.
00:39:20Anyway,
00:39:20Mark Webber,
00:39:22you did it.
00:39:24Well I've got,
00:39:25I'm going to start
00:39:25with the bad news.
00:39:28Really?
00:39:29Yeah.
00:39:30You're not the fastest.
00:39:31So really,
00:39:34once we've got that one
00:39:35out of the way,
00:39:36the big question is,
00:39:38Sir German.
00:39:45Did you beat Sir German
00:39:47who did a 144 dead?
00:39:49It's quite tight
00:39:49between those three,
00:39:50isn't it?
00:39:51It is very tight
00:39:51in the 144s,
00:39:52it's all very tight.
00:39:54So, Mark Webber,
00:39:54you did a 140.
00:40:00The next number's
00:40:00important.
00:40:06Three.
00:40:07Oh,
00:40:070.1.
00:40:09You beat Sir.
00:40:140.2 off Lewis.
00:40:16Right.
00:40:22That.
00:40:25I reckon that did it.
00:40:26I reckon if you'd have
00:40:30just taken my advice
00:40:31about failing
00:40:32in the final corner,
00:40:33the thing is,
00:40:34you're not faster
00:40:35than Lewis,
00:40:35but you don't have
00:40:36an earring.
00:40:37Okay.
00:40:38That's worth three tenths,
00:40:39isn't it?
00:40:39It's got to be three tenths
00:40:40here with his earring,
00:40:41but you have beaten
00:40:43Sebastian Vettel
00:40:44in the same cup.
00:40:46Ladies and gentlemen,
00:40:49Bob Webber!
00:40:56Now,
00:40:57for years,
00:40:58we've known that Jaguar
00:40:59was working on a new
00:41:00small sports car.
00:41:02We've known that it's
00:41:03going to be called
00:41:03the F-Type,
00:41:04and we had a pretty good
00:41:05idea of what it would
00:41:06be like.
00:41:07Yeah,
00:41:08we knew that it would
00:41:09be quiet and comfortable
00:41:10and restrained,
00:41:11and that the interior
00:41:12would be full of
00:41:13traditional leather
00:41:14and wood and moss.
00:41:16So were we right?
00:41:18No.
00:41:36In short,
00:41:44no.
00:41:45We were not right.
00:41:55It's an X-rated,
00:41:57hardcore monster
00:41:59for the terminally unhinged.
00:42:06It's got such a wide range
00:42:10of intoxicating noises.
00:42:12When you change up,
00:42:14it snorts like a hippo.
00:42:17And then,
00:42:18when you put your foot
00:42:18down,
00:42:19it bellows.
00:42:21And then,
00:42:22when you take it off again.
00:42:25Honestly,
00:42:26have you ever heard
00:42:26a soundtrack like that?
00:42:30That is the sound
00:42:31of the 60s,
00:42:32right there.
00:42:36And if you push
00:42:39this little button here,
00:42:41you engage the
00:42:41sports exhaust system,
00:42:44which makes it
00:42:45even louder.
00:42:51It's not all bark
00:42:53and no bite either.
00:42:55The 3.0-litre V6
00:42:57engine is supercharged
00:42:58and delivers
00:42:59375 fire-spitting
00:43:02horsepowers.
00:43:04That's 0-60
00:43:06in 4.8 seconds.
00:43:09Top speed,
00:43:10171.
00:43:19And this
00:43:20isn't even
00:43:21the fast version.
00:43:23If you want,
00:43:25Jag will sell you
00:43:26a 488-horsepower V8.
00:43:30I wouldn't bother,
00:43:30though,
00:43:31because at no point
00:43:32while I've been driving this,
00:43:33I thought,
00:43:34yeah,
00:43:34but I wish
00:43:35it was a bit
00:43:36more exciting.
00:43:42Now,
00:43:42you would imagine
00:43:43that a car
00:43:44this loud
00:43:44and this brutal
00:43:45would be
00:43:46as luxurious
00:43:47as a Methodist's
00:43:48coal house.
00:43:50But no.
00:43:51the roof
00:44:02can be raised
00:44:02or lowered
00:44:03even when you're
00:44:04going 30 miles
00:44:05an hour.
00:44:07The switches
00:44:08are bronzed.
00:44:11The seats
00:44:12are electric.
00:44:12And you can choose
00:44:20what shade
00:44:20of mood lighting
00:44:21you'd like.
00:44:26The interior,
00:44:27then,
00:44:28is nicely thought out,
00:44:29but it is nothing
00:44:31compared to the exterior.
00:44:33I think this is
00:44:37one of the best-looking
00:44:39cars ever made.
00:44:44So,
00:44:45it's beautiful
00:44:45and mad
00:44:46and thrilling
00:44:47and loud.
00:44:49And there's more.
00:44:52A lot of cars
00:44:53these days
00:44:53feel like laptops,
00:44:55but this doesn't.
00:44:56Yes,
00:44:57you can go into
00:44:57the computer
00:44:58and alter
00:44:58the characteristics
00:44:59of the gearbox
00:45:00and the engine
00:45:01and the steering
00:45:02and the suspension.
00:45:03But that said,
00:45:04there's no double-clutch
00:45:06gearbox.
00:45:06It's just a smooth
00:45:07eight-speed auto.
00:45:09There's no six-way
00:45:10traction control.
00:45:11There's no complicated
00:45:12folding metal roof.
00:45:14It's much simpler
00:45:15than that.
00:45:18Engine at the front,
00:45:19drive to the rear
00:45:20and a big,
00:45:21smiling piece
00:45:22of meat
00:45:23in the middle.
00:45:28The chassis
00:45:29is epic
00:45:30and so are the brakes
00:45:31and so's the steering.
00:45:33And you've got tons
00:45:34of locks,
00:45:34so if you do get it
00:45:35out of shape,
00:45:36it's easy to get it
00:45:37back again.
00:45:40In many ways,
00:45:41it puts me in mind
00:45:42of a BMW M3
00:45:43and that is,
00:45:45that is high praise.
00:45:50Except it's not a BMW.
00:45:53It's a Jag.
00:45:53And I wish I could end
00:45:59it there,
00:45:59but unfortunately,
00:46:01there are one or two
00:46:02issues that need
00:46:03mentioning.
00:46:13Just done my weekly shop.
00:46:15I bought
00:46:16some jam,
00:46:19some milk,
00:46:22some sugar,
00:46:25and some butter.
00:46:28Sadly,
00:46:29I wasn't able to buy
00:46:30any more than that
00:46:31because if you buy
00:46:32your Jag with
00:46:33a spare wheel,
00:46:35this is what
00:46:37the boot looks like.
00:46:37how could they have
00:46:40a meeting
00:46:41and decide
00:46:42that that
00:46:42was acceptable?
00:46:45It's just madness.
00:46:47And there's
00:46:48another problem.
00:46:49The price.
00:46:51I was expecting
00:46:53the V6 version
00:46:54to cost around
00:46:55£50,000,
00:46:56but actually,
00:46:58it's almost
00:46:59£68,000
00:47:00and the V8
00:47:02is an eye-watering
00:47:04£80,000.
00:47:07But the biggest problem
00:47:08by a country mile
00:47:10is the ride.
00:47:12This road
00:47:13appears to be
00:47:14completely smooth,
00:47:15but it feels
00:47:17like I'm driving,
00:47:17no, not driving,
00:47:18it feels like
00:47:19I'm roller skating
00:47:20over a piece
00:47:21of corrugated iron.
00:47:22It's just...
00:47:23And it's even worse
00:47:25when you're going
00:47:25slowly in a town.
00:47:27That's just
00:47:28unbearably harsh.
00:47:30And there's
00:47:30no need for it.
00:47:32When you've got
00:47:33a chassis this good,
00:47:34you don't need
00:47:35hard suspension.
00:47:37What were they
00:47:38thinking of?
00:47:46Happily, however,
00:47:48the ride does
00:47:49get better
00:47:50the faster you go,
00:47:52which means
00:47:53there is a way
00:47:54round the problem.
00:47:57Don't drive slowly.
00:48:00drive fast.
00:48:06Let's be honest.
00:48:08In a car
00:48:09that looks this good
00:48:10and sounds
00:48:11this fantastic
00:48:12and goes this well,
00:48:16that's no hardship.
00:48:17That's no hardship.
00:48:18That is no hardship at all.
00:48:25Another amazing road
00:48:35in Hertfordshire.
00:48:37Still no more often.
00:48:39Anyway,
00:48:41Jaguar,
00:48:42as I'm sure you know,
00:48:43is now an Indian company,
00:48:45but the cars
00:48:46are still made in Britain.
00:48:48And so are the Range Rovers
00:48:50that we were talking
00:48:51about earlier
00:48:51and so is the bus
00:48:52that James thinks
00:48:54is a car.
00:48:55And that got us thinking.
00:48:57We're always been told
00:48:58that Britain's manufacturing
00:49:00industry is dead,
00:49:01that we don't make stuff
00:49:02anymore
00:49:02and we certainly
00:49:03don't make vehicles.
00:49:05But do we?
00:49:06Well,
00:49:08we do.
00:49:09Obviously,
00:49:09we made this
00:49:10pioneering hybrid
00:49:11electric car
00:49:12using technology
00:49:13that is now
00:49:14copied globally.
00:49:16And we made
00:49:17the magnificent
00:49:18hover van,
00:49:20a machine
00:49:20of unparalleled
00:49:21capabilities,
00:49:22many of which
00:49:23were not faked
00:49:24in any way at all.
00:49:26And then
00:49:27there was
00:49:27the superb
00:49:28P-45.
00:49:30Which was terrible.
00:49:31Well,
00:49:31I had one or two issues.
00:49:33Yeah,
00:49:33it was lethal.
00:49:34Yeah,
00:49:35being lethal
00:49:35was one of the issues,
00:49:36but it was
00:49:37British built.
00:49:39And we were wondering
00:49:40what else is.
00:49:41And so,
00:49:42for the finale
00:49:43of the last
00:49:44programme of the series,
00:49:46we thought
00:49:46we should find out.
00:49:52This is most people's
00:49:54idea of a British
00:49:55car factory.
00:49:56A ruin
00:49:58that closed down
00:49:59after some
00:50:00long-forgotten
00:50:01strike
00:50:01in the 1970s.
00:50:05But it turns out
00:50:06that actually
00:50:07there's rather
00:50:07more going on
00:50:08than you might think.
00:50:15Today,
00:50:15a new car
00:50:16rolls off
00:50:17a production line
00:50:18somewhere in Britain
00:50:19every 20 seconds.
00:50:22Honda has
00:50:23a factory
00:50:24in Swindon
00:50:24where
00:50:252,700
00:50:26people
00:50:27are employed
00:50:28to make
00:50:28the Civic,
00:50:29the Jazz
00:50:29and the CRV.
00:50:33Toyota makes
00:50:34cars in Derbyshire,
00:50:35cars which are
00:50:36then exported
00:50:37to Japan.
00:50:39And then
00:50:40there's the Nissan
00:50:41plant in the
00:50:42North East.
00:50:43Last year,
00:50:43this one factory
00:50:45made more cars
00:50:46than the whole
00:50:47of the Italian
00:50:47motor industry
00:50:48put together.
00:50:49and it's not
00:50:55just whole cars
00:50:56we make either.
00:50:57Last year,
00:50:58one in three
00:50:59Ford's
00:51:00sold globally
00:51:01had an engine
00:51:02made either in
00:51:03Wales
00:51:03or here
00:51:04in Essex.
00:51:11And there's more.
00:51:12and then we
00:51:26arrive at the
00:51:27Rolls-Royce plant
00:51:28in Sussex
00:51:29where, yes,
00:51:31many of the
00:51:31components
00:51:32are shipped
00:51:33over from
00:51:34Germany.
00:51:34But the job
00:51:36of putting
00:51:36them all
00:51:37together
00:51:37is done
00:51:38here.
00:51:42Because
00:51:43Britain is
00:51:44the only
00:51:44country that
00:51:45appreciates
00:51:46it's better
00:51:46to trim
00:51:47the seats
00:51:47with hide
00:51:48from bulls
00:51:49because cows
00:51:50get stretch marks
00:51:51when they're
00:51:51pregnant.
00:51:54Then you
00:51:55have the people
00:51:56doing the
00:51:57wood,
00:51:58grandmasters
00:51:59they're called,
00:52:00and the
00:52:01paint shop
00:52:01where 45
00:52:03kilos of
00:52:04paint is
00:52:04applied
00:52:05to each
00:52:06car.
00:52:09And then
00:52:10there's this
00:52:11chap.
00:52:12It's his
00:52:12job to
00:52:13apply the
00:52:13coach lines
00:52:14and embellishments
00:52:15to the
00:52:15finished product
00:52:16by hand.
00:52:21You won't
00:52:22find his
00:52:23equivalent
00:52:23in a
00:52:24Hyundai factory.
00:52:26He learned
00:52:27his trade
00:52:27as a pub
00:52:28sign writer.
00:52:31It's said
00:52:31he has
00:52:32the steadiest
00:52:33hand
00:52:34in the
00:52:34world.
00:52:39Then there's
00:52:40motor racing.
00:52:42In the
00:52:42whole world
00:52:43there are
00:52:4411
00:52:44Formula One
00:52:45teams.
00:52:46Eight
00:52:47are based
00:52:47in Britain
00:52:48and seven
00:52:49can be seen
00:52:50from the top
00:52:50of this one
00:52:51hill
00:52:52in Oxfordshire.
00:52:54Over there
00:52:55you have
00:52:55Williams.
00:52:56Up there
00:52:57in the
00:52:57Cotswolds
00:52:57there's
00:52:58Lotus
00:52:58and Caterham.
00:53:00Then moving
00:53:00further along
00:53:01we have
00:53:02Force India,
00:53:03Marusha,
00:53:04Red Bull
00:53:04and Mercedes.
00:53:08Britain's
00:53:09contribution to
00:53:10motorsport
00:53:10is extraordinary.
00:53:12all IndyCar
00:53:16races.
00:53:18Every
00:53:18Dakar winner
00:53:19since 2009.
00:53:2135 of the
00:53:2256 starters
00:53:23at this year's
00:53:24Le Mans
00:53:24including the
00:53:26car that won
00:53:26it.
00:53:27The Marusha
00:53:28Formula One
00:53:29car and the
00:53:29Pagani Huayra.
00:53:31All of them
00:53:33have gearboxes
00:53:35made in that
00:53:35factory on
00:53:37this little
00:53:37industrial estate
00:53:38in Berkshire.
00:53:41A whopping
00:53:4275% of all
00:53:44research and
00:53:44development done
00:53:45in global
00:53:46motorsport
00:53:46is British.
00:53:52British
00:53:53Clutch
00:53:54British
00:53:56Hybrid
00:53:57System
00:53:57British
00:53:59ECUs
00:54:00and it's
00:54:05not just
00:54:05us saying
00:54:06oh look
00:54:07aren't we
00:54:07clever.
00:54:08The rest of
00:54:08the world
00:54:09likes what
00:54:09we're doing
00:54:10these days.
00:54:11For five
00:54:12out of the
00:54:12last seven
00:54:13years
00:54:13Aston Martin
00:54:14has been
00:54:15voted
00:54:15coolest brand
00:54:16in the world
00:54:17and then
00:54:18there's the
00:54:18list of
00:54:19global
00:54:19celebrities
00:54:20who drive
00:54:21a Range
00:54:21Rover.
00:54:30time now
00:54:31to move
00:54:31away from
00:54:32the cars
00:54:32and into
00:54:33the heavy
00:54:34engineering.
00:54:37On this
00:54:38map of the
00:54:39world
00:54:39all the
00:54:39countries
00:54:40shaded in
00:54:40red
00:54:41use military
00:54:42vehicles
00:54:42made in
00:54:43Britain.
00:54:44All the
00:54:45countries
00:54:46shaded green
00:54:46use British
00:54:47made lorries
00:54:48to move
00:54:49stuff around.
00:54:49In all the
00:54:51countries shaded
00:54:52yellow there's
00:54:53at least one
00:54:54JCB helping
00:54:55to build
00:54:56something.
00:54:58And while it's
00:54:59not exactly
00:55:00heavy engineering
00:55:01all the
00:55:01countries shaded
00:55:02brown watch
00:55:03British made
00:55:04motoring shows.
00:55:05having established
00:55:10we do make
00:55:11quite a lot
00:55:11of stuff in
00:55:12Britain we
00:55:12decided to
00:55:13find out
00:55:14just how
00:55:15much.
00:55:16So we
00:55:16hatched an
00:55:17ambitious
00:55:17plan.
00:55:19We called
00:55:19all the
00:55:20companies that
00:55:20make motorised
00:55:21vehicles and
00:55:22said to them
00:55:22could you
00:55:23bring whatever
00:55:23it is you
00:55:24make to a
00:55:25gathering in
00:55:26London.
00:55:27Little bit of
00:55:28a problem with
00:55:28Morgan who
00:55:29didn't know
00:55:29what London
00:55:30was but
00:55:30eventually
00:55:31everybody
00:55:32responded
00:55:33magnificently.
00:55:35the
00:55:36other
00:55:37people
00:55:38have
00:55:39been
00:55:40to
00:55:41see you
00:55:42.
00:55:43The
00:55:45people
00:55:46have
00:55:47been
00:55:48to
00:55:49see you
00:55:50and
00:55:51see you
00:55:52in the
00:55:53next
00:55:54next
00:55:55time.
00:55:56Bye.
00:55:57Bye.
00:55:58Bye.
00:55:59Bye.
00:56:00Bye.
00:56:01Bye.
00:56:02Bye.
00:56:03Bye.
00:56:04Bye.
00:56:05Jeremy Ritton and I are taking three different versions of the new F-Type to London.
00:56:11I, for example, have the V-SYN.
00:56:14Whoa, that's the Triumph Bites.
00:56:18Tremendous.
00:56:19Meanwhile, deep in the countryside.
00:56:40Oh, look at that.
00:56:43And now look at what's coming.
00:56:45It's the Morgans.
00:56:46Carry on, chaps.
00:56:49Oh, look at that.
00:57:02Much later than everyone else, the Formula One cars began to leave for London.
00:57:14Which, in Milton Keynes, was quite a sight.
00:57:17And quite a sound.
00:57:23Oh, look at that.
00:57:24Oh, look at that.
00:57:25Oh, look at that.
00:57:26Oh, look at that.
00:57:27Oh, look at that.
00:57:28Oh, look at that.
00:57:29Oh, look at that.
00:57:30Oh, look at that.
00:57:31Oh, look at that.
00:57:32Oh, look at that.
00:57:33Oh, look at that.
00:57:34Oh, look at that.
00:57:35Oh, look at that.
00:57:36Oh, look at that.
00:57:37Oh, look at that.
00:57:38Oh, look at that.
00:57:39Oh, look at that.
00:57:40Oh, look at that.
00:57:41Oh, look at that.
00:57:42Oh, look at that.
00:57:43Oh, look at that.
00:57:44Oh, look at that.
00:57:45Oh, look at that.
00:57:46Oh, look at that.
00:57:47Oh, look at that.
00:57:48Oh, look at that.
00:57:49Eventually, the fleet of vehicles that had been made in Britain
00:57:59began to arrive on the streets of the capital.
00:58:10And after the slowest had turned up,
00:58:14we climbed into our jags and headed for the meeting point.
00:58:19To see how much stuff was there.
00:58:24This feels a bit special. This does.
00:58:29And it became even more special as we swung past Buckingham Palace
00:58:34and onto the Mall.
00:58:40There's more than I thought.
00:58:49The Mall has hosted many uplifting scenes over the years.
00:59:02But it has never hosted anything quite like this before.
00:59:06It wasn't just the sheer volume that took our breath away.
00:59:11It was the diversity, the breadth.
00:59:17Cars, lorries, diggers, racers, ice cream vans, hearses.
00:59:23It was magnificent.
00:59:25It was huge.
00:59:33I didn't know we made those massive tipper trucks.
00:59:36Look at that thing.
00:59:38Tractor.
00:59:40Didn't think of that.
00:59:44Land speed record cars.
00:59:46There's my bus.
00:59:50Right, mate.
00:59:57Ooh, the eagle.
00:59:59A lot of people say that today Britain is nothing more than a bank or a boutique or a busted flush.
01:00:22But looking at that staggering collection back there, I'm not sure they're right.
01:00:31Good night.
01:00:32Good night.
01:00:32Good night.
01:00:52Good night.
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