1 00:00:11,480 --> 00:00:13,480 Tonight, I play tennis. 2 00:00:14,800 --> 00:00:17,800 Richard points at a minibus. 3 00:00:17,800 --> 00:00:22,000 And James shakes hands with two men. 4 00:00:22,000 --> 00:00:25,080 APPLAUSE AND CHEERING 5 00:00:27,520 --> 00:00:32,000 Thank you so much. Hello! Hello, everybody, and welcome. 6 00:00:32,000 --> 00:00:35,800 Thank you very much. Thank you. Now... 7 00:00:37,160 --> 00:00:38,800 Now, a few years ago, 8 00:00:38,800 --> 00:00:43,600 bosses at a Cheshire-based engineering company called BAC 9 00:00:43,600 --> 00:00:46,320 decided they'd like to make a car. 10 00:00:46,320 --> 00:00:50,120 Now, because they're from Cheshire, I assumed it would be made 11 00:00:50,120 --> 00:00:52,960 from onyx and have bull's-eye glass in the windows 12 00:00:52,960 --> 00:00:57,800 and then door mirrors made out of Wayne Rooney's ears. But no. 13 00:00:57,800 --> 00:00:59,440 They decided it should have 14 00:00:59,440 --> 00:01:02,440 the four-cylinder engine from a Ford people van, 15 00:01:02,440 --> 00:01:05,480 the gearbox from a Formula 3 racing car 16 00:01:05,480 --> 00:01:07,960 and that it should be upholstered 17 00:01:07,960 --> 00:01:11,840 in the same stain-resistant and waterproof material 18 00:01:11,840 --> 00:01:16,680 that they use to line furniture in old people's homes. 19 00:01:16,680 --> 00:01:20,240 And then they turned their attention to how it should look. 20 00:01:20,240 --> 00:01:23,000 Most car designers, for their inspiration, 21 00:01:23,000 --> 00:01:25,480 go to big cats and bats and jet fighters. 22 00:01:25,480 --> 00:01:30,320 But the men from Cheshire decided they didn't want any of that. 23 00:01:30,320 --> 00:01:34,760 They decided to take their inspiration from this. 24 00:01:34,760 --> 00:01:36,960 MUSIC: "All Is Full Of Love" by Bjork 25 00:01:44,920 --> 00:01:49,680 So, the styling of an Icelandic robot from a Bjork pop video, 26 00:01:49,680 --> 00:01:54,280 the gearbox from a racing car and the engine from a van. 27 00:01:54,280 --> 00:01:59,160 Bring them all together, and this is the result. 28 00:02:10,600 --> 00:02:14,040 It's called the Mono, and it's amazing. 29 00:02:15,520 --> 00:02:18,160 The engine may be from a Ford people carrier, 30 00:02:18,160 --> 00:02:24,040 but it's been fettled by Cosworth, so now it produces 280 horsepower. 31 00:02:26,560 --> 00:02:29,000 And fitting a 280 horsepower heart 32 00:02:29,000 --> 00:02:32,080 in a car which weighs just half a tonne is... 33 00:02:32,080 --> 00:02:36,240 Well, the effects are going to be profound. 34 00:02:44,160 --> 00:02:46,360 I can see why they lined it 35 00:02:46,360 --> 00:02:51,280 with material designed to resist trouser accidents, 36 00:02:51,280 --> 00:02:54,480 because my bladder's gone! 37 00:02:54,480 --> 00:02:59,120 It's completely gone! I've wet myself. 38 00:03:08,360 --> 00:03:12,400 0 to 60 takes just 2.8 seconds. 39 00:03:12,400 --> 00:03:17,080 And in theory, the top speed is 170. 40 00:03:17,080 --> 00:03:18,480 But in reality, it isn't, 41 00:03:18,480 --> 00:03:21,840 because the Mono has the same problem as the Ariel Atom. 42 00:03:21,840 --> 00:03:23,720 No windscreen. 43 00:03:26,280 --> 00:03:30,440 At 70 miles an hour, your face starts to move about. 44 00:03:32,800 --> 00:03:36,880 And then when you get to 80, it starts to come off. 45 00:03:41,160 --> 00:03:46,120 'At 90, you're forced to accept that really, you need a helmet. 46 00:03:55,680 --> 00:03:58,880 'With a lid on, you can start to appreciate 47 00:03:58,880 --> 00:04:00,840 'just how clever this car is.' 48 00:04:02,560 --> 00:04:06,840 First of all, I fit. I mean, only just, but I do actually fit. 49 00:04:08,680 --> 00:04:09,720 And even though it has 50 00:04:09,720 --> 00:04:11,720 Formula One-style pushrod suspension, 51 00:04:11,720 --> 00:04:15,080 the ride is sublime. You could almost call it comfortable. 52 00:04:16,160 --> 00:04:19,320 Although, that said, at high revs, 53 00:04:19,320 --> 00:04:22,560 everything starts to tingle and vibrate. 54 00:04:23,920 --> 00:04:27,840 I don't want to go into too many details, but let me put it this way. 55 00:04:27,840 --> 00:04:30,160 If I were a girl, I'd like it very much. 56 00:04:33,520 --> 00:04:36,080 Strangely, even cross-eyed women 57 00:04:36,080 --> 00:04:39,120 can drive this car legally on the road. 58 00:04:39,120 --> 00:04:42,440 But realistically, it's built for the track. 59 00:04:42,440 --> 00:04:44,000 So, let's see what's what. 60 00:04:52,400 --> 00:04:55,280 It's not really about straight-line speed. 61 00:04:56,200 --> 00:04:59,600 It doesn't actually feel that fast. 62 00:05:02,040 --> 00:05:06,840 And when you get used to it, it's not that scary, either. 63 00:05:06,840 --> 00:05:10,720 If I'm honest, it's not really like driving, this. 64 00:05:10,720 --> 00:05:13,320 It's like conducting an orchestra 65 00:05:13,320 --> 00:05:16,840 of parts that know exactly what they're doing. 66 00:05:16,840 --> 00:05:19,120 They're very well rehearsed. 67 00:05:21,640 --> 00:05:24,720 There goes the French horns, and here are the violins. 68 00:05:25,680 --> 00:05:28,880 VIOLIN MUSIC PLAYS 69 00:05:30,200 --> 00:05:33,640 The brakes, they're good. Gearbox is fantastic. 70 00:05:33,640 --> 00:05:39,640 It really is an absolutely instant change. Bang, bang, bang, ready. 71 00:05:39,640 --> 00:05:42,360 'And there's more.' 72 00:05:47,760 --> 00:05:49,880 Because all the heavy stuff, the engine, 73 00:05:49,880 --> 00:05:52,480 the gearbox and the driver, is all in a line, 74 00:05:52,480 --> 00:05:54,440 low down in the middle of the car, 75 00:05:54,440 --> 00:05:58,000 it has the same centre of gravity as a worm. 76 00:06:01,000 --> 00:06:05,000 Couple that to the F1 suspension and the specially-made tyres, 77 00:06:05,000 --> 00:06:08,640 and the cornering speeds are simply immense. 78 00:06:12,880 --> 00:06:14,480 To demonstrate how immense, 79 00:06:14,480 --> 00:06:16,880 we've set up a radar trap on the follow-through, 80 00:06:16,880 --> 00:06:21,640 and coming through it now, as fast as possible, is a Peugeot 208. 81 00:06:28,440 --> 00:06:32,760 83.5 miles an hour. 82 00:06:32,760 --> 00:06:35,800 'Then it was the turn of a BMW M3.' 83 00:06:39,560 --> 00:06:43,600 Ooh, now, look at that. 90.25 miles an hour. 84 00:06:43,600 --> 00:06:49,400 'After a Nissan GT-R had a go, we unleashed the Mono.' 85 00:06:53,280 --> 00:06:55,480 See my point? 86 00:06:55,480 --> 00:06:59,480 It is very fast, then, and it's fun. 87 00:06:59,480 --> 00:07:01,040 But what about reliability, 88 00:07:01,040 --> 00:07:03,160 traditionally not a strong point 89 00:07:03,160 --> 00:07:05,640 for small-volume British sports cars? 90 00:07:06,920 --> 00:07:09,920 The first time I drove a Mono, it set fire to itself. 91 00:07:09,920 --> 00:07:11,840 The second time, the engine went wonky, 92 00:07:11,840 --> 00:07:15,920 and the third time, it broke down before it had even left the factory. 93 00:07:15,920 --> 00:07:19,360 So I thought of it, really, as another typically British, 94 00:07:19,360 --> 00:07:22,840 badly-executed good idea. 95 00:07:22,840 --> 00:07:25,640 But since all those calamities, 96 00:07:25,640 --> 00:07:29,720 they've had 12 months to work on the design and the detailing, 97 00:07:29,720 --> 00:07:35,240 and I have to say, it looks not just very well thought out, 98 00:07:35,240 --> 00:07:39,040 but absolutely beautifully made. 99 00:07:41,240 --> 00:07:44,680 And it's not just the detailing that's beautiful, either. 100 00:07:44,680 --> 00:07:46,520 When you stand back, 101 00:07:46,520 --> 00:07:51,360 that's one of the most exciting shapes I've ever seen. 102 00:07:53,920 --> 00:07:58,920 The Mono is the nicest thing to come out of Cheshire since the cheese. 103 00:08:00,360 --> 00:08:03,920 But it does cost £102,000, and that, 104 00:08:03,920 --> 00:08:07,200 for a twice-a-year toy, is a lot. 105 00:08:13,240 --> 00:08:16,360 In many ways, then, this is a bit like an iPad, 106 00:08:16,360 --> 00:08:20,200 because that's not cheap either, and you certainly don't need one. 107 00:08:20,200 --> 00:08:21,640 But you want one, 108 00:08:21,640 --> 00:08:25,280 because it's such a lovely...thing. 109 00:08:47,400 --> 00:08:49,120 - It is. - It's gorgeous. - I know. 110 00:08:49,120 --> 00:08:52,080 And beautifully made. It's a piece of jewellery. 111 00:08:52,080 --> 00:08:53,600 But... 112 00:08:53,600 --> 00:08:57,120 - What? - £102,000? 113 00:08:57,120 --> 00:08:58,720 I know, it is expensive, 114 00:08:58,720 --> 00:09:00,520 especially when you bear in mind 115 00:09:00,520 --> 00:09:04,080 all the other brilliant track-day cars you can buy for a lot less, 116 00:09:04,080 --> 00:09:05,800 the KTM, Radical, Ariel Atom. 117 00:09:05,800 --> 00:09:08,840 - Morgan 3 Wheeler. - No, I said brilliant. 118 00:09:08,840 --> 00:09:10,360 All right, the Caterham R500. 119 00:09:10,360 --> 00:09:13,560 That's a brilliant track-day car, and that's half the price of this. 120 00:09:13,560 --> 00:09:17,560 Yes, and that is enormously fast. But will this be faster? 121 00:09:17,560 --> 00:09:21,720 To find out, we shall hand it over to our tame racing driver. 122 00:09:21,720 --> 00:09:25,080 Some say that he breaks into people's houses at night 123 00:09:25,080 --> 00:09:29,080 and leaves two mysterious extra keys in a kitchen drawer... 124 00:09:30,800 --> 00:09:33,960 And that as a result of buying Pirelli condoms this week, 125 00:09:33,960 --> 00:09:35,640 he now has 17 children. 126 00:09:37,280 --> 00:09:39,400 All we know is, he's called The Stig! 127 00:09:40,560 --> 00:09:42,560 Stig snaps to attention, and he's off, 128 00:09:42,560 --> 00:09:44,320 flicking off the line like a flea, 129 00:09:44,320 --> 00:09:46,600 even though the start-finish line was damp. 130 00:09:46,600 --> 00:09:49,560 Hopefully, the rest of the track's dry. 131 00:09:49,560 --> 00:09:52,240 Flying into the first corner, he came in very hot there, 132 00:09:52,240 --> 00:09:55,200 but sorted it out. No problem at all. 133 00:09:57,200 --> 00:09:58,760 No stereo, of course, 134 00:09:58,760 --> 00:10:02,080 just the sound of that Cosworth-tuned engine 135 00:10:02,080 --> 00:10:05,760 as he zips round Chicago absolutely rock-solid. 136 00:10:05,760 --> 00:10:06,840 Now, Hammerhead. 137 00:10:06,840 --> 00:10:10,920 What will this reveal about the mid-engine balance? 138 00:10:10,920 --> 00:10:14,000 No drama. That is properly nailed down. 139 00:10:14,000 --> 00:10:19,240 But look, a well-orchestrated drift on the way out! 140 00:10:19,240 --> 00:10:24,520 High revs now. The vibrations will be stimulating his lady parts. 141 00:10:24,520 --> 00:10:28,720 Follow-through and yes, he actually changed up through there. 142 00:10:28,720 --> 00:10:31,920 Stig is brave, even on the brink of a crisis. 143 00:10:31,920 --> 00:10:36,520 Controlling it beautifully into the second-to-last corner. 144 00:10:36,520 --> 00:10:39,160 Screams up to Gambon, racing gearbox whining. 145 00:10:39,160 --> 00:10:42,200 Slides it through, and across the line. 146 00:10:47,200 --> 00:10:50,560 Now...here we have the Caterham R500, 147 00:10:50,560 --> 00:10:54,160 which did it in 1.17.9, yeah? 148 00:10:54,160 --> 00:10:56,080 BAC Mono... 149 00:11:01,040 --> 00:11:02,640 1.14.3. 150 00:11:02,640 --> 00:11:04,640 No way! 151 00:11:04,640 --> 00:11:07,440 - Wow! - The second-fastest car we've ever had! 152 00:11:07,440 --> 00:11:10,160 That is something else. 153 00:11:10,160 --> 00:11:13,040 Tremendous. Excellent. 154 00:11:13,040 --> 00:11:16,960 And now, now it is time for the news, 155 00:11:16,960 --> 00:11:19,160 and it's good news, 156 00:11:19,160 --> 00:11:22,120 because the Dacia Duster has been named 157 00:11:22,120 --> 00:11:26,320 budget 4x4 tow car of the year. 158 00:11:26,320 --> 00:11:31,160 - Great. Now, I've bought a bicycle. - I thought you were looking a bit trim. 159 00:11:31,160 --> 00:11:34,200 Well, do you know, it's not really the weight that I've lost, 160 00:11:34,200 --> 00:11:36,520 - but my core, what's it called? - Core strength. 161 00:11:36,520 --> 00:11:39,280 Are we on Loose Women or something? 162 00:11:39,280 --> 00:11:40,840 No, James, as you well know, 163 00:11:40,840 --> 00:11:44,480 we have for many years been on Last Of The Summer Gear. 164 00:11:44,480 --> 00:11:46,520 Since I bought my bicycle, what's driving me mad 165 00:11:46,520 --> 00:11:49,680 is the amount of people who come and say "You need to get lycra shorts now". 166 00:11:49,680 --> 00:11:53,440 Well, you do, because it's more comfortable and it stops chafing. 167 00:11:53,440 --> 00:11:55,040 No, Hammond, you don't. 168 00:11:55,040 --> 00:11:56,920 People who wear lycra shorts go, 169 00:11:56,920 --> 00:12:00,640 "Look, it's difficult and dangerous, and I need special..." You don't. 170 00:12:00,640 --> 00:12:04,160 In fact, the only thing I do wear as a concession that I make 171 00:12:04,160 --> 00:12:05,840 is this T-shirt, OK? This is 172 00:12:05,840 --> 00:12:07,920 the back of it as I'm riding along. 173 00:12:07,920 --> 00:12:11,640 "Motorists, thank you for letting me use your roads." 174 00:12:11,640 --> 00:12:12,720 LAUGHTER 175 00:12:12,720 --> 00:12:14,320 Because I think that's polite. 176 00:12:14,320 --> 00:12:17,520 I don't believe you have a bicycle. What kind of bicycle is it? 177 00:12:17,520 --> 00:12:19,360 I don't know, they're all the same. 178 00:12:19,360 --> 00:12:21,640 Is it a mountain bike, is it a racer? 179 00:12:21,640 --> 00:12:23,800 When you went to the shop, you walked through 180 00:12:23,800 --> 00:12:27,480 the door of a bicycle shop and the man went, "Oh, my God". 181 00:12:27,480 --> 00:12:30,160 And you went "I'd like..."? 182 00:12:30,160 --> 00:12:32,400 I just said, "Can I have the one nearest to the door?" 183 00:12:32,400 --> 00:12:35,320 He was trying to say, "You can have this one for £10,000..." 184 00:12:35,320 --> 00:12:38,800 I said "No, I just want a bicycle." 500 quid. 185 00:12:38,800 --> 00:12:40,080 This bicycle he sold you, 186 00:12:40,080 --> 00:12:43,160 - is the front wheel a lot bigger than the back wheel? - No. 187 00:12:43,160 --> 00:12:45,720 It's just a bike. They're all the same. 188 00:12:45,720 --> 00:12:48,400 Has it got two little ones at the back? 189 00:12:48,400 --> 00:12:50,680 No, it hasn't got stabilisers. 190 00:12:50,680 --> 00:12:55,600 I don't believe you, and I think this has become a new mystery. 191 00:12:55,600 --> 00:12:56,840 It's like a yeti. 192 00:12:56,840 --> 00:12:59,240 So if maybe somebody's seen him, 193 00:12:59,240 --> 00:13:02,240 if you have seen Jeremy on his bicycle, write to us, please, 194 00:13:02,240 --> 00:13:06,520 at "Help, I've Burst From Laughing", Top Gear, Wood Lane, wherever. 195 00:13:06,520 --> 00:13:08,080 I don't believe you. 196 00:13:08,080 --> 00:13:11,600 I'm going to ride... No, I'm not going to ride down here next week. 197 00:13:11,600 --> 00:13:13,840 That's idiotic. I barely ride to the paper shop. 198 00:13:13,840 --> 00:13:16,280 Now, who saw the British Grand Prix last weekend? 199 00:13:16,280 --> 00:13:17,400 AUDIENCE: Yes! 200 00:13:17,400 --> 00:13:19,680 You may have noticed there were a lot of blowouts, OK, 201 00:13:19,680 --> 00:13:23,040 and I must say, I feel rather sorry for Pirelli. 202 00:13:23,040 --> 00:13:24,160 For the last few years, 203 00:13:24,160 --> 00:13:27,120 their tyres have been really good and grippy and lasted too long, 204 00:13:27,120 --> 00:13:28,760 so the organisers said to Pirelli, 205 00:13:28,760 --> 00:13:30,960 "Can you design a tyre that's a bit rubbish?" 206 00:13:30,960 --> 00:13:32,920 So they did, and now everyone's saying, 207 00:13:32,920 --> 00:13:34,360 "Your tyres are a bit rubbish". 208 00:13:34,360 --> 00:13:35,680 So how rubbish is too rubbish? 209 00:13:35,680 --> 00:13:38,320 How much do you think Pirelli spent developing those tyres? 210 00:13:38,320 --> 00:13:39,960 It's got to be...100 quid? 211 00:13:41,320 --> 00:13:42,840 It's going to be millions. 212 00:13:42,840 --> 00:13:45,640 Yeah, millions of pounds developing a tyre, 213 00:13:45,640 --> 00:13:48,480 and all they get in response is people going into tyre warehouses 214 00:13:48,480 --> 00:13:51,480 and saying "I need four new tyres for my car, just not Pirellis". 215 00:13:51,480 --> 00:13:54,840 - Right. - And then I make silly jokes when introducing the Stig about it. 216 00:13:54,840 --> 00:13:56,840 It's gone wrong! It backfired. 217 00:13:56,840 --> 00:13:59,120 This is exactly why I don't get Formula One, 218 00:13:59,120 --> 00:14:02,760 because surely it should be the pinnacle of automotive technology. 219 00:14:02,760 --> 00:14:04,120 Pirelli should make a tyre 220 00:14:04,120 --> 00:14:06,080 as good as it is possible to make a tyre. 221 00:14:06,080 --> 00:14:08,040 They should have active aerodynamics, 222 00:14:08,040 --> 00:14:11,520 they should have traction control, the most sophisticated in the world, 223 00:14:11,520 --> 00:14:13,320 ABS, invisibility cloaks, all that. 224 00:14:13,320 --> 00:14:15,760 They should be allowed to have anything they want. 225 00:14:15,760 --> 00:14:18,440 The problem is, the organisers are trying to make Formula One 226 00:14:18,440 --> 00:14:21,560 a level playing field to make it a drivers' championship. And it isn't. 227 00:14:21,560 --> 00:14:23,520 You could put Sebastian Vettel in a Marussia 228 00:14:23,520 --> 00:14:25,320 - and he's going to come last. - Exactly. 229 00:14:25,320 --> 00:14:28,360 Let's just make it a championship for car-makers, 230 00:14:28,360 --> 00:14:31,520 and then let the designers have completely free rein. 231 00:14:31,520 --> 00:14:32,720 You know what I'd do? 232 00:14:32,720 --> 00:14:35,960 I'd make a car that was the exact width of the track. 233 00:14:35,960 --> 00:14:38,440 LAUGHTER 234 00:14:38,440 --> 00:14:41,200 - How clever's that? - That's interesting. 235 00:14:41,200 --> 00:14:44,360 That would only work if you qualified at the front. 236 00:14:44,360 --> 00:14:45,560 No, you wouldn't have to, 237 00:14:45,560 --> 00:14:47,800 because it would be a Top Fuel-type dragster, OK? 238 00:14:47,800 --> 00:14:49,600 So it'd be very poor around the corners 239 00:14:49,600 --> 00:14:50,880 and I'd qualify last, 240 00:14:50,880 --> 00:14:53,920 but I would accelerate really quickly past them all 241 00:14:53,920 --> 00:14:56,920 before the first corner, and then it would expand. 242 00:14:56,920 --> 00:15:01,200 - Oh, it grows. - I've just won the championship. 243 00:15:01,200 --> 00:15:04,000 Jeremy, what you're proposing is Wacky Races. 244 00:15:04,000 --> 00:15:06,360 I know! Just think, you could have, like, 245 00:15:06,360 --> 00:15:10,560 - a dog as your co-driver that goes... - IMITATES MUTTLEY LAUGH 246 00:15:10,560 --> 00:15:14,680 I want a giant circular saw on the front of my car. 247 00:15:14,680 --> 00:15:18,280 But here's the clever thing. I can only use it once a lap. 248 00:15:18,280 --> 00:15:23,480 So you've got DRS zone, then the saw zone. It's a good idea. 249 00:15:23,480 --> 00:15:29,160 I'd fit my Formula One car with time travel. Think about it. 250 00:15:29,160 --> 00:15:32,400 The commentator would go "And they're off! And James had won." 251 00:15:35,400 --> 00:15:38,520 - That's clever. - We've solved Formula One. 252 00:15:39,600 --> 00:15:44,120 - Again, the world just doesn't work without us in it. - No. 253 00:15:44,120 --> 00:15:49,320 - Volvo News! - Hooray. - They have launched a car which parks itself. 254 00:15:49,320 --> 00:15:50,560 And I don't mean you sit in it. 255 00:15:50,560 --> 00:15:53,240 The idea is, you pull up outside your office, get out, 256 00:15:53,240 --> 00:15:54,560 go into your office. 257 00:15:54,560 --> 00:16:01,040 It goes off, finds a space, I'm not making this up, and parks in it. 258 00:16:01,040 --> 00:16:04,200 The only problem is, when you come out of your office, 259 00:16:04,200 --> 00:16:06,080 how do you know where it's parked? 260 00:16:07,920 --> 00:16:10,640 But what if it had to park three streets away? 261 00:16:10,640 --> 00:16:12,920 Or what if it's just given up and gone home? 262 00:16:14,280 --> 00:16:16,240 Hang on, how does it know what the rules are? 263 00:16:16,240 --> 00:16:18,680 You know those signs that go with single yellow lines 264 00:16:18,680 --> 00:16:21,000 and those ones where there are two lines on the kerb? 265 00:16:21,000 --> 00:16:24,040 They're complicated. And it's Swedish anyway, so it can't read it. 266 00:16:24,040 --> 00:16:26,560 What worries me about this is, 267 00:16:26,560 --> 00:16:30,160 the roads will be full of driverless, slightly panicky Volvos 268 00:16:30,160 --> 00:16:31,400 scurrying about going, 269 00:16:31,400 --> 00:16:33,960 "Can I park here? Can I park there? Where can I go?" 270 00:16:33,960 --> 00:16:36,560 - It's going to be terrifying. - It's the lampposts. - What? 271 00:16:36,560 --> 00:16:39,920 - All the lampposts will have missing Volvo pictures on. - Aww. 272 00:16:40,920 --> 00:16:43,320 "He's only a year old and he's called Tiddles 273 00:16:43,320 --> 00:16:47,080 "and he went off to find a parking space and I haven't seen him since!" 274 00:16:48,800 --> 00:16:50,480 Anyway, let's move on. 275 00:16:50,480 --> 00:16:53,680 There has been a whole rash of new supercars launched recently. 276 00:16:53,680 --> 00:16:57,480 - This is the one I'm interested in, this Ferrari. - Ooh. 277 00:16:57,480 --> 00:17:00,560 Indeed, ooh. It has an 800 horsepower V12. 278 00:17:00,560 --> 00:17:03,320 It has a KERS system like a Formula One car. 279 00:17:03,320 --> 00:17:05,560 It's going to cost around a million quid, 280 00:17:05,560 --> 00:17:08,160 but I think they've got a bit of a problem with the name, 281 00:17:08,160 --> 00:17:10,800 because they've called it LaFerrari. 282 00:17:10,800 --> 00:17:14,000 Sorry, what's wrong with that? I mean, it is. 283 00:17:14,000 --> 00:17:15,640 No, but that's the model name. 284 00:17:15,640 --> 00:17:19,320 LaFerrari means "the Ferrari", so that's the Ferrari the Ferrari. 285 00:17:19,320 --> 00:17:23,240 Oh, yeah. The supercar I really want is by Pagani. 286 00:17:23,240 --> 00:17:26,080 They've got a new car out, except they sort of haven't, 287 00:17:26,080 --> 00:17:27,680 because it's yet another version 288 00:17:27,680 --> 00:17:29,640 of the Zonda, their old car. There it is. 289 00:17:29,640 --> 00:17:33,720 - And what's new about that? - Not a lot, really, apart from the price. 290 00:17:33,720 --> 00:17:39,840 - It's now £2.3 million. - What? - Yeah. - For a second-hand car? 291 00:17:39,840 --> 00:17:41,520 Yeah. 292 00:17:41,520 --> 00:17:43,760 You know, the one I'm most interested in, 293 00:17:43,760 --> 00:17:48,040 this is the McLaren P1, because this is just shy of a million quid, 294 00:17:48,040 --> 00:17:52,600 so it's almost a bargain. And it's got a 903 horsepower engine. 903. 295 00:17:52,600 --> 00:17:54,200 What fascinates me is, 296 00:17:54,200 --> 00:17:57,280 there's a wing that comes out of the back of it 297 00:17:57,280 --> 00:17:59,080 which has got DRS on it. 298 00:17:59,080 --> 00:18:02,840 You know what DRS is, with the... In Formula One, it opens. 299 00:18:02,840 --> 00:18:06,160 If you've got 903 horsepower, when would you ever think, 300 00:18:06,160 --> 00:18:08,600 "Right, I need more straight-line speed. 301 00:18:08,600 --> 00:18:10,400 "I'll deploy the DRS wing"? 302 00:18:10,400 --> 00:18:11,600 Well, it could happen. 303 00:18:11,600 --> 00:18:14,720 "That post office van is getting a shift on. I'll deploy DRS." 304 00:18:14,720 --> 00:18:18,560 No, you will need that, your DRS, 305 00:18:18,560 --> 00:18:21,040 when you come across me in the Ferrari the Ferrari, 306 00:18:21,040 --> 00:18:23,120 because, I hadn't read this properly, 307 00:18:23,120 --> 00:18:26,080 it has got 800 horsepower in the engine, but of course, 308 00:18:26,080 --> 00:18:27,360 it's got a KERS system. 309 00:18:27,360 --> 00:18:30,080 When you deploy it and use the electric bit as well, 310 00:18:30,080 --> 00:18:33,880 ahem, 963 horsepower. 311 00:18:33,880 --> 00:18:37,480 - And is that all going through the rear wheels? - Yes, it is. 312 00:18:37,480 --> 00:18:39,760 Hang on, that's broadly the same amount of power 313 00:18:39,760 --> 00:18:40,880 you get from a Bugatti, 314 00:18:40,880 --> 00:18:43,280 which is almost exactly twice as heavy 315 00:18:43,280 --> 00:18:47,800 as the Ferrari the Ferrari, and it has four-wheel-drive. 316 00:18:47,800 --> 00:18:51,840 - That's going to be "an handful". - Yes. 317 00:18:51,840 --> 00:18:57,680 - Exciting, though. I want a go in it. - I really want to go in the McLaren. 318 00:18:57,680 --> 00:18:58,880 That would be an epic test. 319 00:18:58,880 --> 00:19:01,320 You in that Ferrari, you in the McLaren, me in that Zonda. 320 00:19:01,320 --> 00:19:02,440 Anybody want to see that? 321 00:19:02,440 --> 00:19:04,080 AUDIENCE: Yeah! 322 00:19:04,080 --> 00:19:07,360 - So do I. - Let's see if we can put that together. 323 00:19:07,360 --> 00:19:10,960 But you know how people often come up to us and say, 324 00:19:10,960 --> 00:19:12,720 "When will Top Gear end?" 325 00:19:12,720 --> 00:19:15,680 About three minutes after us three have set off. 326 00:19:15,680 --> 00:19:17,200 Yeah, in a big fireball. 327 00:19:17,200 --> 00:19:19,080 Does anybody want to see THAT? 328 00:19:19,080 --> 00:19:20,360 AUDIENCE: Yes! 329 00:19:20,360 --> 00:19:24,080 Right, let's move on, because it is now 11 years we've been on air, 330 00:19:24,080 --> 00:19:25,360 and in all that time, 331 00:19:25,360 --> 00:19:29,680 there is one vehicle that we have never reviewed, which is a surprise, 332 00:19:29,680 --> 00:19:31,640 because it's the most popular, 333 00:19:31,640 --> 00:19:34,360 important and used vehicle in the world. 334 00:19:37,160 --> 00:19:39,960 I'm talking, of course, about the taxi, 335 00:19:39,960 --> 00:19:44,000 the lifeblood of people movement wherever you go in the world. 336 00:19:47,840 --> 00:19:52,200 And Britain's contribution to this effort needs no introduction. 337 00:19:52,200 --> 00:19:54,920 It's a staple of any London street scene. 338 00:19:56,880 --> 00:20:00,920 There are currently around 19,000 black cabs 339 00:20:00,920 --> 00:20:04,000 moving people across the capital, 340 00:20:04,000 --> 00:20:09,440 and this vast fleet covers almost half a billion miles a year. 341 00:20:09,440 --> 00:20:12,680 There's another. They are literally everywhere. 342 00:20:12,680 --> 00:20:15,600 London life has caused the black cab 343 00:20:15,600 --> 00:20:19,560 to evolve into an amazingly efficient vehicle. 344 00:20:19,560 --> 00:20:22,600 Its famous tiny turning circle, for example, 345 00:20:22,600 --> 00:20:26,520 is the result of the need to tackle the roundabout outside the Savoy. 346 00:20:29,720 --> 00:20:31,720 Then there's the black cab driver. 347 00:20:33,080 --> 00:20:34,800 No cabbie in the world has to go through 348 00:20:34,800 --> 00:20:37,760 an ordeal as fearsome as The Knowledge, 349 00:20:37,760 --> 00:20:44,400 which requires that all London taxi drivers memorise 25,000 streets. 350 00:20:44,400 --> 00:20:45,880 The test is so tough, in fact, 351 00:20:45,880 --> 00:20:49,160 that cabbies develop an extra large hippocampus, 352 00:20:49,160 --> 00:20:53,440 which is the area of the brain associated with memory, navigation 353 00:20:53,440 --> 00:20:55,200 and views on immigration. 354 00:20:56,200 --> 00:20:59,160 Put this combination of man and machine together, 355 00:20:59,160 --> 00:21:02,560 and what you have is indisputable. 356 00:21:02,560 --> 00:21:08,240 What you have is, without doubt, obviously, unquestionably, 357 00:21:08,240 --> 00:21:11,200 no arguments, the best taxi in the world. 358 00:21:13,840 --> 00:21:14,880 Or is it? 359 00:21:16,600 --> 00:21:19,000 The thing is, a New York taxi driver 360 00:21:19,000 --> 00:21:22,280 would probably disagree with that statement. 361 00:21:22,280 --> 00:21:26,480 He'd say "Yeah, you may have more space in the back, 362 00:21:26,480 --> 00:21:31,160 "but your London taxi is slow and the ride is terrible, 363 00:21:31,160 --> 00:21:35,240 "whereas my yellow taxi has a big V8 and proper suspension." 364 00:21:35,240 --> 00:21:37,360 But then a cabbie in Delhi would say, 365 00:21:37,360 --> 00:21:39,800 "My Indian taxi is built to last longer". 366 00:21:39,800 --> 00:21:43,000 Basically, every cabbie everywhere in the world 367 00:21:43,000 --> 00:21:47,240 could argue for one reason or another that their taxi is the best. 368 00:21:47,240 --> 00:21:49,800 Which means, if we really want to find out 369 00:21:49,800 --> 00:21:52,280 which is the greatest taxi in the world, 370 00:21:52,280 --> 00:21:54,200 there is only one way to do it, 371 00:21:54,200 --> 00:21:57,480 and that is, as ever, in the prism of the furnace 372 00:21:57,480 --> 00:22:02,280 through the looking glass of the crucible of motorsport. 373 00:22:02,280 --> 00:22:07,360 That means a race, and the venue for our global showdown 374 00:22:07,360 --> 00:22:09,680 will be Lydden Hill in Kent, 375 00:22:09,680 --> 00:22:13,080 famous throughout the motorsport world 376 00:22:13,080 --> 00:22:17,480 for being the only race track with its own cab office. 377 00:22:22,640 --> 00:22:26,880 That plywood cab office looks perilously close to the track. 378 00:22:26,880 --> 00:22:29,720 I sincerely hope no harm befalls it. 379 00:22:29,720 --> 00:22:33,080 Anyway, let's now meet our grid of taxis from around the world. 380 00:22:34,200 --> 00:22:39,120 Representing Great Britain, we have a 1997 Fairway driver which, 381 00:22:39,120 --> 00:22:43,720 with a mere 320,000 miles on the clock, is barely run in. 382 00:22:48,440 --> 00:22:52,280 From Mexico, a 1970 Volkswagen Beetle. 383 00:22:52,280 --> 00:22:57,120 50,000 of these things ply their trade in Mexico City alone. 384 00:22:58,480 --> 00:23:02,280 From America, one of the titans of the taxi world, 385 00:23:02,280 --> 00:23:03,800 a New York yellow cab. 386 00:23:05,200 --> 00:23:08,880 This particular one is a Ford Crown Victoria, rear-wheel drive, 387 00:23:08,880 --> 00:23:12,440 4.6 litre V8 and in its day, good for 130. 388 00:23:12,440 --> 00:23:15,120 That's one to worry about. 389 00:23:16,480 --> 00:23:21,840 From India, the Hindustan Ambassador, very much the old-timer here. 390 00:23:21,840 --> 00:23:25,320 The Ambassador has been India's favourite taxi 391 00:23:25,320 --> 00:23:27,360 for an incredible 55 years. 392 00:23:28,640 --> 00:23:34,040 Next, from South Africa, we have this. A Toyota HiAce. 393 00:23:34,040 --> 00:23:35,720 Whereas in most countries, 394 00:23:35,720 --> 00:23:38,280 they will be rooting for their local taxi, 395 00:23:38,280 --> 00:23:41,240 you can expect the South Africans to be booing, 396 00:23:41,240 --> 00:23:46,040 because these things are hated and feared for their wild aggression. 397 00:23:47,400 --> 00:23:52,560 Moving on to this, from Germany. It's the Mercedes E-Class. 398 00:23:52,560 --> 00:23:56,200 Neat, smart and fastidiously maintained. 399 00:23:58,080 --> 00:24:01,760 And finally, from Russia, a Stretched Lincoln Town Car. 400 00:24:03,720 --> 00:24:06,280 Now, that might not look like a cab, but it is. 401 00:24:07,560 --> 00:24:11,640 In Russia, rich oligarchs hail limos just like this to get around. 402 00:24:13,400 --> 00:24:17,360 So if you think we've included a powerful rear-wheel drive 403 00:24:17,360 --> 00:24:20,040 30-foot long car just in the hope that it will cause chaos, 404 00:24:20,040 --> 00:24:21,760 get that thought out of your head. 405 00:24:21,760 --> 00:24:26,320 So there we are, then - the world's most iconic taxis, 406 00:24:26,320 --> 00:24:30,200 each poised and ready to defend the honour of its country. 407 00:24:31,440 --> 00:24:33,640 Now, the cab drivers. 408 00:24:33,640 --> 00:24:37,360 And naturally, because of the magnitude of what's at stake here, 409 00:24:37,360 --> 00:24:39,840 each country has sent its very best. 410 00:24:39,840 --> 00:24:43,040 But they all must have got lost or something, so instead, 411 00:24:43,040 --> 00:24:46,360 we have the usual ragtag bunch of racing drivers. 412 00:24:47,680 --> 00:24:50,760 For Russia, touring car legend Anthony Reid. 413 00:24:52,920 --> 00:24:56,680 For South Africa, touring car legend Matt Jackson. 414 00:24:58,680 --> 00:25:01,880 For Germany, touring car legend Matt Neal. 415 00:25:04,040 --> 00:25:06,920 For India, touring car legend Gordon Shedden. 416 00:25:09,040 --> 00:25:12,600 For Mexico, touring car legend Paul O'Neill. 417 00:25:14,160 --> 00:25:20,200 For America, touring car legend Tom Chilton. 418 00:25:20,200 --> 00:25:22,040 And in the black cab, me. 419 00:25:22,040 --> 00:25:26,240 So here we are, ready to plunge once more into the abyss 420 00:25:26,240 --> 00:25:29,600 of motorsport-based scientific research. 421 00:25:36,320 --> 00:25:40,000 I should point out that it's the custom for Indian taxi drivers 422 00:25:40,000 --> 00:25:44,400 to carry a figurine of their chosen God on the dashboard of their car. 423 00:25:44,400 --> 00:25:47,560 I think our guy may have overdone it a bit. 424 00:25:50,040 --> 00:25:52,440 ENGINES REV, HORNS BEEP 425 00:25:54,360 --> 00:25:57,880 The guys are getting impatient. That's good. Five-second board. 426 00:26:05,680 --> 00:26:06,880 Yeah! 427 00:26:08,960 --> 00:26:10,440 The South African is through. 428 00:26:11,680 --> 00:26:16,040 New York taxi alongside, German...everybody is through. 429 00:26:16,040 --> 00:26:18,760 Absolutely everybody has passed me. 430 00:26:20,720 --> 00:26:22,800 But this is a marathon, not a sprint. 431 00:26:24,760 --> 00:26:27,720 'As ever, I'd issued strict instructions 432 00:26:27,720 --> 00:26:30,440 'for the drivers to avoid body contact. 433 00:26:30,440 --> 00:26:33,200 'Clearly, the South African hadn't got the memo.' 434 00:26:37,200 --> 00:26:40,920 The South African is completely insane, largely out of control. 435 00:26:48,360 --> 00:26:51,480 Huge slide from the limo! That's incredible. 436 00:26:52,920 --> 00:26:56,920 'But while the Russian limo may have been struggling in the corners, 437 00:26:56,920 --> 00:26:58,400 'I had issues everywhere.' 438 00:27:03,480 --> 00:27:07,320 Yeah. I'm quite badly outpaced on the hill, 439 00:27:07,320 --> 00:27:10,320 on the straights and in the turns. 440 00:27:11,600 --> 00:27:13,600 This is all I've got. 441 00:27:13,600 --> 00:27:15,040 'However, I had a plan.' 442 00:27:16,640 --> 00:27:21,320 When it comes to cunning, remember, black cab drivers do The Knowledge. 443 00:27:21,320 --> 00:27:26,680 I know where all the shortcuts are. I'll nip down here, love. 444 00:27:26,680 --> 00:27:29,760 Thanks to my super tight turning circle, I can make this. 445 00:27:29,760 --> 00:27:31,480 That's me back in the race. 446 00:27:31,480 --> 00:27:34,040 I'd say more than back in, I am leading it. 447 00:27:35,200 --> 00:27:39,080 'Sadly, my fellow cabbies weren't impressed by this tactic 448 00:27:39,080 --> 00:27:41,160 'and when they caught up with me, 449 00:27:41,160 --> 00:27:43,960 'they were quick to show their displeasure.' 450 00:27:43,960 --> 00:27:48,640 He's just ramming me! That is just...oh, you're joking. 451 00:27:54,480 --> 00:27:58,880 Yeah. Some good-natured jostling from the other nations. 452 00:28:06,360 --> 00:28:10,480 'With the race now at the halfway point, no clear leader was emerging, 453 00:28:10,480 --> 00:28:14,560 'which meant inevitably that the drivers began to turn up the heat.' 454 00:28:23,320 --> 00:28:25,400 There's been a crash, but we're OK. 455 00:28:28,520 --> 00:28:30,960 'Fed up of the South African's hooliganism, 456 00:28:30,960 --> 00:28:33,760 'the limo gave him a taste of his own medicine.' 457 00:28:41,960 --> 00:28:45,000 Oh! Whoa! Getting a push now. 458 00:28:45,000 --> 00:28:48,960 This is by far the fastest I have been. 459 00:28:50,040 --> 00:28:55,400 Oh, Jesus. Sorry about that. Oh, God, it's the Mexican, isn't it? 460 00:28:55,400 --> 00:28:57,760 It's going to be bad. 461 00:28:59,840 --> 00:29:04,400 'With just two laps to go, everybody was still running. But then...' 462 00:29:09,920 --> 00:29:15,040 Oh, the limo takes himself off entirely. 463 00:29:15,040 --> 00:29:19,680 Oh, my word! That is Russia taken out. 464 00:29:21,240 --> 00:29:23,960 In fact, America has taken itself out as well. 465 00:29:27,280 --> 00:29:30,680 Right, still in play, we have the Beetle... 466 00:29:32,760 --> 00:29:34,640 The Mercedes is holding up well. 467 00:29:34,640 --> 00:29:37,200 It's really sustained very little damage. 468 00:29:37,200 --> 00:29:40,120 'But the marauding South African had other ideas.' 469 00:29:44,560 --> 00:29:47,280 Oh! Bad luck. 470 00:29:48,680 --> 00:29:50,120 'Now into the final lap, 471 00:29:50,120 --> 00:29:55,000 'and desperate to beat the remaining runners, I took another sneaky turn.' 472 00:29:57,240 --> 00:29:58,640 Ha-ha! 473 00:30:03,080 --> 00:30:04,520 There is the finish line. 474 00:30:07,960 --> 00:30:09,960 I think I can win this. 475 00:30:13,400 --> 00:30:16,280 I think I can win... Oh, no, no! 476 00:30:20,480 --> 00:30:22,960 It's entirely possible that I am a bit last. 477 00:30:25,600 --> 00:30:29,160 'Nevertheless, the crucible of motorsport 478 00:30:29,160 --> 00:30:31,920 'had once more given us the answer. 479 00:30:31,920 --> 00:30:35,560 'As it turns out, the greatest taxi in the world... 480 00:30:36,800 --> 00:30:39,200 'is the Hindustan Ambassador'. 481 00:30:44,440 --> 00:30:47,840 Well done, mate. Excellent. 482 00:30:47,840 --> 00:30:51,280 Excellent. Good science. 483 00:30:52,640 --> 00:30:55,600 But may I ask, Hammond, an important question? 484 00:30:55,600 --> 00:30:59,840 How many people were killed in the making of that film? 485 00:30:59,840 --> 00:31:04,720 - Actually, only three. - Three. See, that's more than I was hoping for. 486 00:31:04,720 --> 00:31:07,480 But with science, there often has to be sacrifice. 487 00:31:07,480 --> 00:31:10,880 But you've decided, have you not, after subjecting those cars 488 00:31:10,880 --> 00:31:13,440 to the white heat of the crucible of motorsport, 489 00:31:13,440 --> 00:31:15,640 that the best taxi in the world 490 00:31:15,640 --> 00:31:19,400 - started out in life as a Morris Oxford. - Yeah, and there it is. 491 00:31:19,400 --> 00:31:22,480 That would explain why the company that makes the London black cab 492 00:31:22,480 --> 00:31:25,240 - has gone bust. - You say that, but they're back. 493 00:31:25,240 --> 00:31:28,840 They've been rescued. They're going to start production again very soon. 494 00:31:28,840 --> 00:31:30,320 Pointlessly, as it turns out. 495 00:31:30,320 --> 00:31:31,680 Yes, absolutely. 496 00:31:31,680 --> 00:31:35,520 So, let's put a star in our brand-new reasonably-priced car. 497 00:31:35,520 --> 00:31:38,480 Now, you may be aware that later on this year, 498 00:31:38,480 --> 00:31:40,520 we're going to be treated to a film called Rush. 499 00:31:40,520 --> 00:31:42,640 It's about the epic battle in 1976 500 00:31:42,640 --> 00:31:45,120 for the Formula One world championship 501 00:31:45,120 --> 00:31:47,480 between James Hunt and Niki Lauda, 502 00:31:47,480 --> 00:31:50,360 and my guest tonight is the man who directed it. 503 00:31:50,360 --> 00:31:52,840 Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Ron Howard! 504 00:31:52,840 --> 00:31:55,360 CHEERING 505 00:31:55,360 --> 00:31:58,120 Ron Howard is here. 506 00:31:58,120 --> 00:32:01,400 How are you? He's here! 507 00:32:05,360 --> 00:32:07,320 The man who made Rush. Have a seat. 508 00:32:08,480 --> 00:32:10,880 Now, Ron, over the years, 509 00:32:10,880 --> 00:32:15,120 your films have been nominated for 29 Oscars 510 00:32:15,120 --> 00:32:18,600 and I think you've won two yourself. 511 00:32:18,600 --> 00:32:20,920 And now you've made a historical film 512 00:32:20,920 --> 00:32:24,560 about a sport that most of the world doesn't really watch. 513 00:32:24,560 --> 00:32:28,320 So why did you think, "Yeah, Hunt and Lauda"? 514 00:32:28,320 --> 00:32:31,280 Great story. Great human interest story, 515 00:32:31,280 --> 00:32:35,640 and I knew just enough about Formula One to just know how cool it was. 516 00:32:35,640 --> 00:32:38,240 And I felt like the combination of those characters, 517 00:32:38,240 --> 00:32:40,120 the kind of human drama, 518 00:32:40,120 --> 00:32:44,200 the world of Formula One, particularly in the '70s, 519 00:32:44,200 --> 00:32:46,720 was a chance to offer something fresh to audiences. 520 00:32:46,720 --> 00:32:48,160 It was a movie I wanted to see. 521 00:32:48,160 --> 00:32:50,320 I was nervous about it because I thought 522 00:32:50,320 --> 00:32:52,240 oh, no, they'll make it too nerdy 523 00:32:52,240 --> 00:32:54,960 and everyone will say Formula One's boring, 524 00:32:54,960 --> 00:32:57,760 or they'll do a Hollywood number of "I love speed!" 525 00:32:57,760 --> 00:32:59,480 and it will all be set in NASCAR 526 00:32:59,480 --> 00:33:02,240 to make it easy for the Americans to understand. 527 00:33:02,240 --> 00:33:06,400 And yet, it's neither of those things. 528 00:33:06,400 --> 00:33:09,440 It is genuinely a film that takes you back to the '70s, 529 00:33:09,440 --> 00:33:11,800 when motor racing was bloody dangerous. 530 00:33:11,800 --> 00:33:14,160 You weren't the only one who was nervous. 531 00:33:14,160 --> 00:33:17,200 You certainly want the fans to feel the sport's respected, 532 00:33:17,200 --> 00:33:20,880 but you also need to make a movie that works on a lot of levels 533 00:33:20,880 --> 00:33:22,120 for a lot of people. 534 00:33:22,120 --> 00:33:25,320 I had that opportunity with Apollo 13, 535 00:33:25,320 --> 00:33:27,640 and it's one of the films I enjoyed making most. 536 00:33:27,640 --> 00:33:30,400 And I've got to tell you, Rush was right up there. 537 00:33:30,400 --> 00:33:31,480 I had a blast. 538 00:33:31,480 --> 00:33:34,800 We've got a clip for those of you who want to see what it looks like. 539 00:33:34,800 --> 00:33:38,080 We'll show it for you now, because it is quite something. 540 00:33:39,840 --> 00:33:42,720 There's a lie that all drivers tell themselves. 541 00:33:42,720 --> 00:33:46,080 "Death is something that happens to other people." 542 00:33:46,080 --> 00:33:50,160 What kind of person does a job like this? Each year, two of us die. 543 00:33:51,600 --> 00:33:53,760 I accept every time I get in my car 544 00:33:53,760 --> 00:33:56,200 that there's a 20% chance I could die. 545 00:33:56,200 --> 00:33:59,520 Being driven round at 170 mph? This thing's a bomb on wheels. 546 00:33:59,520 --> 00:34:01,920 - I'm quicker than all of you. - Then let's race. 547 00:34:12,560 --> 00:34:16,720 I'm a world champion on the verge to become world champion again. 548 00:34:16,720 --> 00:34:18,600 I could beat this guy. Trust me. 549 00:34:23,680 --> 00:34:26,640 The closer you are to death, the more alive you feel. 550 00:34:33,480 --> 00:34:35,720 This lot are going to wet themselves. 551 00:34:35,720 --> 00:34:41,040 In the film, you show Niki Lauda, warts and all. 552 00:34:41,040 --> 00:34:45,120 I had no idea he was like that, this OCD, very straight guy. 553 00:34:45,120 --> 00:34:48,040 How did he react when he saw the finished product? 554 00:34:48,040 --> 00:34:50,880 When he saw it, he was moved by it, 555 00:34:50,880 --> 00:34:55,320 and I think it was because he never really had a perspective 556 00:34:55,320 --> 00:34:57,440 on that period around the accident. 557 00:34:57,440 --> 00:35:00,440 First of all, he couldn't remember much of it. 558 00:35:00,440 --> 00:35:04,240 Secondly, what he does remember was all about the anger that people were 559 00:35:04,240 --> 00:35:06,240 writing him off, thought he had died. 560 00:35:06,240 --> 00:35:10,720 He could hear that. And also the myopic drive to get back in the car. 561 00:35:10,720 --> 00:35:14,280 He was so single-minded that he blanked everything else out 562 00:35:14,280 --> 00:35:17,400 and when he saw this he began to realise what other 563 00:35:17,400 --> 00:35:21,520 people around him, Marlene, his wife then, in particular, 564 00:35:21,520 --> 00:35:24,160 what they were going through, and a more human side of it. 565 00:35:24,160 --> 00:35:26,520 and I think it was emotional for him to deal with. 566 00:35:26,520 --> 00:35:28,080 Then of course you've got James Hunt 567 00:35:28,080 --> 00:35:29,880 as the complete counterbalance to that. 568 00:35:29,880 --> 00:35:34,040 We've got a picture of James Hunt which we keep on our office wall. 569 00:35:34,040 --> 00:35:36,480 This just sums him up. His pop-riveted car. 570 00:35:36,480 --> 00:35:38,680 He's thinking, "When I've finished this cigarette 571 00:35:38,680 --> 00:35:41,360 "and this can of beer, you, my dear, are next." 572 00:35:43,400 --> 00:35:45,840 You just don't see this today. It is one of the tragedies. 573 00:35:45,840 --> 00:35:47,400 You can't see Nico Rosberg posing. 574 00:35:47,400 --> 00:35:49,800 "I would like to thank my watch manufacturer 575 00:35:49,800 --> 00:35:52,480 "and my hat manufacturer and the people who made my oil." 576 00:35:52,480 --> 00:35:54,000 That's what I really like about it. 577 00:35:54,000 --> 00:35:56,600 There are two guys, who bowed to no-one. 578 00:35:56,600 --> 00:36:01,200 There was no Yoda guiding them to their higher purpose. 579 00:36:01,200 --> 00:36:04,520 These were guys who defined themselves on their own terms, 580 00:36:04,520 --> 00:36:10,480 very different terms, and they would bear the scars 581 00:36:10,480 --> 00:36:14,080 of those decisions, but they also could certainly claim the triumphs. 582 00:36:14,080 --> 00:36:17,080 I'm sure everybody in the room here... We move off Rush. 583 00:36:17,080 --> 00:36:20,800 I'm sure everybody in the room here is looking at you thinking, 584 00:36:20,800 --> 00:36:24,200 everyone over 40 that is, thinking that is a familiar face, 585 00:36:24,200 --> 00:36:28,080 because a lot of people don't realise that you were in Happy Days. 586 00:36:28,080 --> 00:36:30,400 You are Richie Cunningham. 587 00:36:30,400 --> 00:36:31,880 I was him. 588 00:36:31,880 --> 00:36:34,360 CHEERING AND APPLAUSE 589 00:36:37,800 --> 00:36:40,560 It's one of those things I think people find hard to equate. 590 00:36:40,560 --> 00:36:43,720 Here's this amazing film director, but you were, 591 00:36:43,720 --> 00:36:46,640 so you really did obviously switch into directing and I was just 592 00:36:46,640 --> 00:36:49,600 making a list of the better-known ones that you've directed and... 593 00:36:49,600 --> 00:36:50,840 This is extraordinary. 594 00:36:50,840 --> 00:36:53,640 It's Splash, Cocoon, Apollo 13, Da Vinci Code, Beautiful Mind, 595 00:36:53,640 --> 00:36:55,400 Frost/Nixon, Angels & Demons, 596 00:36:55,400 --> 00:36:59,480 Backdraft, Parenthood - that's very funny - Ransom. 597 00:36:59,480 --> 00:37:02,800 I'm just thinking, "Hang on a minute, he did Happy Days and all 598 00:37:02,800 --> 00:37:07,920 "that. I do a car show and I'm flat-out." How do you find the time? 599 00:37:07,920 --> 00:37:12,080 The simple answer is I enjoy what I'm doing, so I don't need a hobby. 600 00:37:12,080 --> 00:37:13,280 I love this. 601 00:37:13,280 --> 00:37:15,800 Having been on a show like Happy Days, you sort of are doing 602 00:37:15,800 --> 00:37:17,360 the same character over and over 603 00:37:17,360 --> 00:37:21,160 and when I realised I had a chance to be a director I thought, 604 00:37:21,160 --> 00:37:24,360 "I want to do as many diverse things as I possibly can." 605 00:37:24,360 --> 00:37:26,280 So I was renting 16mm cameras, 606 00:37:26,280 --> 00:37:28,880 making my own little independent movies. 607 00:37:28,880 --> 00:37:31,560 Eventually doing my first movie, which was a car movie, 608 00:37:31,560 --> 00:37:34,040 - Grand Theft Auto. - Of course. - Car crash comedy. 609 00:37:34,040 --> 00:37:37,880 I did that during one of the hiatuses from Happy Days. 610 00:37:37,880 --> 00:37:41,920 - Moving onto personal life if I may, four children? - Yes. 611 00:37:41,920 --> 00:37:46,360 - Their middle names interest me. - Oh, yeah, I guess they might. 612 00:37:46,360 --> 00:37:49,120 - You've got one called, middle name of Dallas. - Yes. 613 00:37:49,120 --> 00:37:51,840 - Which I believe was named... - After the city. - Where...? 614 00:37:51,840 --> 00:37:54,200 She was conceived. Yes. 615 00:37:54,200 --> 00:37:58,040 Then you've got twins, both of whom have the middle name Carlyle. 616 00:37:58,040 --> 00:38:03,120 Yes. In New York there is a lovely hotel called The Carlyle... 617 00:38:03,120 --> 00:38:04,560 - OK. - And... 618 00:38:04,560 --> 00:38:06,120 LAUGHTER 619 00:38:06,120 --> 00:38:11,200 And we sorted that one out, kind of backtracked, and thought, 620 00:38:11,200 --> 00:38:15,360 - "That's a very beautiful middle name, let's keep the tradition." - OK. 621 00:38:15,360 --> 00:38:19,160 - The youngest son is called Cross. - Cross. Reed Cross Howard. 622 00:38:19,160 --> 00:38:23,040 We sort of found out we were pregnant again. Great. 623 00:38:23,040 --> 00:38:25,240 "All right, well let's sort through it. 624 00:38:25,240 --> 00:38:27,600 "I wonder if we can figure it out. 625 00:38:29,400 --> 00:38:31,240 "Volvo is not much of a middle name." 626 00:38:31,240 --> 00:38:32,680 LAUGHTER 627 00:38:34,440 --> 00:38:38,800 - And... - Yeah, Volvo doesn't work. 628 00:38:38,800 --> 00:38:41,760 But there is a road near us called Lower Cross Road. 629 00:38:41,760 --> 00:38:43,800 Which is where the Volvo was. 630 00:38:43,800 --> 00:38:46,040 LAUGHTER 631 00:38:46,040 --> 00:38:49,920 - We have a good marriage. - Evidently. - Richard Hammond does the same. 632 00:38:49,920 --> 00:38:52,000 I was talking to his kids the other day. 633 00:38:52,000 --> 00:38:54,720 They're called Bus Stop and By The Bins. 634 00:38:54,720 --> 00:38:57,000 LAUGHTER 635 00:38:58,680 --> 00:39:01,720 Now, you are the first person to properly drive our brand-new 636 00:39:01,720 --> 00:39:03,080 reasonably-priced car. 637 00:39:03,080 --> 00:39:04,960 - Yes. - What did you think of it? 638 00:39:04,960 --> 00:39:07,120 First of all I will say the right-hand drive 639 00:39:07,120 --> 00:39:10,720 and the gearshift on the left was a concern to me. 640 00:39:10,720 --> 00:39:12,040 The correct way round. 641 00:39:14,400 --> 00:39:16,720 It was... It definitely threw me. 642 00:39:16,720 --> 00:39:21,440 And I also implore, before you get into all this, I implore anyone who 643 00:39:21,440 --> 00:39:26,320 has any interest in seeing my movie Rush, I didn't drive in the movie. 644 00:39:28,120 --> 00:39:29,960 Real drivers drove in the movie. 645 00:39:29,960 --> 00:39:32,560 Right, there's your excuses out of the way. 646 00:39:32,560 --> 00:39:34,800 Now who'd like to see Ron's lap? 647 00:39:34,800 --> 00:39:36,600 AUDIENCE: Yes. 648 00:39:36,600 --> 00:39:38,520 - Let's have a look. - Oh, Lord. 649 00:39:38,520 --> 00:39:40,840 Let's have a look. 650 00:39:40,840 --> 00:39:45,160 Look at that mighty machine leaping off the line. 651 00:39:45,160 --> 00:39:47,280 AFFECTED ACCENT: You've got to stick it, Ron. 652 00:39:47,280 --> 00:39:48,600 You've got to really stick it. 653 00:39:48,600 --> 00:39:51,200 Niki was giving me a little coaching the other day. 654 00:39:51,200 --> 00:39:52,960 That's Niki Lauda's explanation. 655 00:39:52,960 --> 00:39:55,520 "You've got to stick it. You've got to really stick it." 656 00:39:55,520 --> 00:39:58,840 - Holy smokes. - Is that sticking it? 657 00:39:58,840 --> 00:40:02,080 - I don't know! - Not using all the track. 658 00:40:02,080 --> 00:40:03,480 Smooth. 659 00:40:05,480 --> 00:40:06,920 - Right. - I don't know. 660 00:40:06,920 --> 00:40:09,160 That car is gripping quite well there. 661 00:40:11,760 --> 00:40:14,320 This is the one that always destroys me. 662 00:40:14,320 --> 00:40:15,880 The fearsome Hammerhead. 663 00:40:15,880 --> 00:40:18,160 I look like I'm being destroyed, don't I? 664 00:40:18,160 --> 00:40:22,360 This is looking good. That's very good. Very tidy. 665 00:40:22,360 --> 00:40:23,960 Listen to that engine(!) 666 00:40:26,040 --> 00:40:30,840 - Wow, what a machine this is(!) - Concentrate here a little bit. 667 00:40:30,840 --> 00:40:32,280 See, I'm taking it seriously. 668 00:40:32,280 --> 00:40:35,440 You were. That is a man who is concentrating. 669 00:40:35,440 --> 00:40:40,760 Tyres tortured as he goes through the follow-through. Nicely done. 670 00:40:40,760 --> 00:40:43,400 Nicely cut. Let's have a look at the second-to-last corner. 671 00:40:43,400 --> 00:40:47,880 This is the bit normally catch... Oh! Bang on. 672 00:40:47,880 --> 00:40:54,280 And then on into Gambon and look at that grip. That's bloody good. 673 00:40:54,280 --> 00:40:56,000 There we are across the line. 674 00:40:56,000 --> 00:40:58,200 Wow. 675 00:41:03,640 --> 00:41:09,920 - Thank you. - So, Ron, not many times on the board. 676 00:41:09,920 --> 00:41:12,960 - Where do you think you've come? - Lord. 677 00:41:12,960 --> 00:41:15,120 It wasn't quite as ugly as I imagined it would be. 678 00:41:15,120 --> 00:41:18,480 My director's eye on the outside had it looking pretty bad. 679 00:41:18,480 --> 00:41:21,840 It looked smooth. Not sure about fast, but it looked smooth. 680 00:41:21,840 --> 00:41:24,280 Where do we think? 681 00:41:24,280 --> 00:41:27,840 I'd like to think I'm not flat on the bottom. 682 00:41:27,840 --> 00:41:30,200 That would be Mike Rutherford out of Genesis. 683 00:41:30,200 --> 00:41:32,960 I suspect I'm right down there. 684 00:41:32,960 --> 00:41:36,680 - That's where I think. - Ron Howard, you did it in 1... 685 00:41:36,680 --> 00:41:39,400 - Right. - So that's good. - OK. 686 00:41:39,400 --> 00:41:44,920 - ..40. - Oh, OK, not the very bottom. - So that's good. - OK. 687 00:41:46,320 --> 00:41:48,200 The next bit's not so good. 688 00:41:48,200 --> 00:41:52,880 ..9.9. 689 00:41:54,400 --> 00:41:58,400 - OK. - You're not the bottom. 690 00:42:01,440 --> 00:42:07,960 So what this means is we've finally found something 691 00:42:07,960 --> 00:42:10,120 you can't do. 692 00:42:10,120 --> 00:42:14,760 Good at directing, brilliant in Happy Days, 693 00:42:14,760 --> 00:42:18,320 a charming human being, but utterly crap at driving. 694 00:42:18,320 --> 00:42:21,680 - Fair enough. - Ladies and gentlemen, Ron Howard. - Thank you. 695 00:42:21,680 --> 00:42:24,200 CHEERING AND APPLAUSE 696 00:42:32,800 --> 00:42:37,080 Now you may have seen that a few months ago 697 00:42:37,080 --> 00:42:41,000 the famous BBC TV Centre closed down. 698 00:42:41,000 --> 00:42:43,720 When it did, the airwaves were swamped with emotional 699 00:42:43,720 --> 00:42:46,000 tributes from the giants of television. 700 00:42:46,000 --> 00:42:49,560 Ronnie Corbett, David Attenborough, Michael Parkinson. 701 00:42:49,560 --> 00:42:53,400 But nothing from Top Gear. Until now. 702 00:42:54,840 --> 00:42:56,840 This is the building in question. 703 00:43:01,400 --> 00:43:05,640 For 53 years, it was the engine room for some of the most iconic 704 00:43:05,640 --> 00:43:07,240 television in the world. 705 00:43:09,120 --> 00:43:12,360 But now, today, this is all that's left. 706 00:43:16,680 --> 00:43:19,400 And that is great news 707 00:43:19,400 --> 00:43:22,040 because what we've realised is that once you take away all 708 00:43:22,040 --> 00:43:25,520 the people and the tea trolley and you've locked all the doors 709 00:43:25,520 --> 00:43:30,720 this abandoned building makes an excellent venue for a race. 710 00:43:30,720 --> 00:43:34,280 You have these curving corridors that could be long, fast 711 00:43:34,280 --> 00:43:36,240 sweepers on a top F1 track. 712 00:43:37,560 --> 00:43:40,440 You have these beautiful offices full of interesting obstacles 713 00:43:40,440 --> 00:43:42,480 and technical turns. 714 00:43:44,400 --> 00:43:47,400 And you have all this outdoor area where you can literally 715 00:43:47,400 --> 00:43:49,480 get some air. 716 00:43:51,280 --> 00:43:55,360 All in all, a unique and exciting racing circuit I think you'll agree. 717 00:43:55,360 --> 00:43:57,640 And so to the racers. 718 00:43:57,640 --> 00:44:01,400 Now, unfortunately this building isn't very suitable for cars, 719 00:44:01,400 --> 00:44:04,960 as indeed Jeremy proved a while back with the Peel P50. 720 00:44:04,960 --> 00:44:11,160 So today we'll be racing these two. Of which there are three. 721 00:44:11,160 --> 00:44:14,560 We have Dougie Lampkin MBE, 722 00:44:14,560 --> 00:44:18,240 a trials rider with 16 World Titles to his name. 723 00:44:20,240 --> 00:44:24,120 And he's up against Tim Shieff and Paul Joseph, 724 00:44:24,120 --> 00:44:26,960 two of the finest Free Runners on the planet. 725 00:44:26,960 --> 00:44:30,360 They may not have an engine between them 726 00:44:30,360 --> 00:44:33,440 but apparently they can run along corridors and scamper over 727 00:44:33,440 --> 00:44:38,040 balconies and fire escapes like a couple of randy squirrels. 728 00:44:38,040 --> 00:44:41,320 So with the introductions over, let's look at the route 729 00:44:41,320 --> 00:44:42,520 of the race itself. 730 00:44:43,560 --> 00:44:46,400 Here we have a birds' eye view of Television Centre. 731 00:44:46,400 --> 00:44:48,200 It's actually only a model. 732 00:44:48,200 --> 00:44:51,440 And you will see it's shaped a little bit like a question mark. 733 00:44:51,440 --> 00:44:53,920 So what I'm proposing is we start here, which is 734 00:44:53,920 --> 00:44:55,720 roughly where we're standing now, 735 00:44:55,720 --> 00:44:58,280 enter the building at the base of the question mark 736 00:44:58,280 --> 00:45:01,000 and then race all the way through it to finish here 737 00:45:01,000 --> 00:45:04,640 which is up there. 738 00:45:07,360 --> 00:45:09,840 'As an excited crowd gathered, I positioned 739 00:45:09,840 --> 00:45:11,400 'myself on the finish line.' 740 00:45:13,280 --> 00:45:19,600 Are you ready? In three, two, one. 741 00:45:19,600 --> 00:45:21,000 HORN 742 00:45:33,960 --> 00:45:38,200 This is interesting. Dougie Lampkin has chosen to go through the door. 743 00:45:38,200 --> 00:45:42,160 'But the youths are making their way up the outside of the building 744 00:45:42,160 --> 00:45:43,840 'which actually isn't such a bad idea' 745 00:45:43,840 --> 00:45:47,640 because once you're inside here, you will be completely baffled. 746 00:45:47,640 --> 00:45:49,840 'If they stay on the outside they will have some idea 747 00:45:49,840 --> 00:45:51,000 'of where they're going.' 748 00:45:51,000 --> 00:45:52,560 Good thinking. 749 00:45:58,440 --> 00:46:02,240 Right, this should allow me to get a direct feed 750 00:46:02,240 --> 00:46:06,200 from any of the CCTV cameras around the building. 751 00:46:06,200 --> 00:46:07,840 And there are the jumpy boys. 752 00:46:09,320 --> 00:46:12,000 They are literally breaking news. 753 00:46:23,160 --> 00:46:25,640 'As the youths made their way through the newsroom, 754 00:46:25,640 --> 00:46:28,080 'Dougie was looking for a way upstairs.' 755 00:46:31,680 --> 00:46:33,200 There is Dougie Lampkin. 756 00:46:35,440 --> 00:46:38,920 'In the Newsnight office, the youths had found their path blocked 757 00:46:38,920 --> 00:46:41,240 'and were having to make their way down again.' 758 00:47:03,680 --> 00:47:07,480 'Having found himself literally in a lock-in in the BBC bar 759 00:47:07,480 --> 00:47:10,800 'Dougie too needed to find a way back down.' 760 00:47:19,360 --> 00:47:23,240 So he is, God knows, somewhere over in the main 761 00:47:23,240 --> 00:47:26,440 leg of the question mark just approaching the curvy bit. 762 00:47:28,920 --> 00:47:31,960 I've no idea who's in the lead, but it's very exciting. 763 00:47:35,880 --> 00:47:37,680 'That, chaps, is a locked door.' 764 00:47:42,160 --> 00:47:44,480 The Health and Safety department will have something to 765 00:47:44,480 --> 00:47:45,840 say about that. 766 00:47:52,800 --> 00:47:56,320 Into the studio and the Daleks still waiting 767 00:47:56,320 --> 00:47:58,120 at the bottom of the stairs there. 768 00:48:02,480 --> 00:48:05,520 'Amazingly even though the youths were now at the management 769 00:48:05,520 --> 00:48:07,280 'offices on the sixth floor 770 00:48:07,280 --> 00:48:10,080 'they were having no trouble making decisions.' 771 00:48:19,840 --> 00:48:23,280 'Meanwhile Dougie, now completely frustrated by the maze 772 00:48:23,280 --> 00:48:27,520 'of BBC corridors, had decided on a more direct approach.' 773 00:48:29,680 --> 00:48:31,360 Oh. 774 00:48:39,880 --> 00:48:42,840 And Dougie Lampkin is going onto the roof I believe. 775 00:49:21,440 --> 00:49:23,080 I can hear a bike. 776 00:49:37,960 --> 00:49:41,000 It's Dougie Lampkin, ladies and gentlemen! 777 00:49:41,000 --> 00:49:43,760 What a fantastic two-wheeled tribute 778 00:49:43,760 --> 00:49:46,240 to BBC Television Centre W12 8QT. 779 00:49:46,240 --> 00:49:47,840 Congratulations, sir. 780 00:49:47,840 --> 00:49:49,960 Where are the Free Runners? 781 00:49:49,960 --> 00:49:51,880 And here they come. 782 00:49:51,880 --> 00:49:54,840 Tim Shieff, Paul Joseph, close, 783 00:49:54,840 --> 00:49:57,080 not quite close enough, 784 00:49:57,080 --> 00:49:58,720 but well done anyway. 785 00:49:58,720 --> 00:50:02,240 - Well done, great race. - Your victor, Dougie Lampkin. How was it? 786 00:50:02,240 --> 00:50:05,160 I'm knackered. That thing's a labyrinth. 787 00:50:05,160 --> 00:50:08,120 You know there's a lift? In that tall bit there. 788 00:50:08,120 --> 00:50:10,040 You just go straight up to the top. 789 00:50:14,880 --> 00:50:19,680 That was incredible. I couldn't do a single thing that those guys did. 790 00:50:19,680 --> 00:50:22,560 I was going to do the bike. I couldn't put the helmet on. 791 00:50:22,560 --> 00:50:24,280 The jumps were amazing. 792 00:50:24,280 --> 00:50:28,400 I just want to say that when I made that film 793 00:50:28,400 --> 00:50:33,080 Television Centre had closed, but since then, owing to the unique way 794 00:50:33,080 --> 00:50:36,640 the BBC is run, they've decided to open it again. 795 00:50:36,640 --> 00:50:37,960 LAUGHTER 796 00:50:37,960 --> 00:50:42,360 - Right, so you've made a tribute film to a building that isn't shut? - Yes. 797 00:50:43,960 --> 00:50:47,680 - Isn't that like making an obituary for Holly Willoughby? - Yes. 798 00:50:47,680 --> 00:50:49,480 But imagine how pleased you'd be 799 00:50:49,480 --> 00:50:51,240 when you found out she was still alive. 800 00:50:51,240 --> 00:50:54,520 - That's a point. - Chaps, may I interrupt? 801 00:50:54,520 --> 00:50:57,440 Because I much enjoyed your smashing-up-the-taxi film 802 00:50:57,440 --> 00:50:59,560 and your race between the motorcyclist 803 00:50:59,560 --> 00:51:03,000 and the two pedestrians, but I'm afraid we have to get serious now. 804 00:51:03,000 --> 00:51:07,040 - Because we've had a letter. - Oh, no(!) - It's from... 805 00:51:07,040 --> 00:51:09,720 Well, it's from a mealy-mouthed, small-minded idiot. 806 00:51:11,080 --> 00:51:14,960 And it says, "Dear Jeremy Clarkson, because Britain is so crowded 807 00:51:14,960 --> 00:51:18,560 "and there's so much traffic, there's no point owning a Ferrari 808 00:51:18,560 --> 00:51:21,960 "and therefore no point road testing them on your programme." 809 00:51:24,040 --> 00:51:26,880 Well, now I disagree, Mr Small-minded Idiot. 810 00:51:26,880 --> 00:51:29,960 Because there are plenty of places in Britain 811 00:51:29,960 --> 00:51:31,440 that aren't crowded at all. 812 00:51:40,640 --> 00:51:42,760 This is Hertfordshire. 813 00:51:42,760 --> 00:51:47,040 It's just 40 miles from London and it's motoring nirvana. 814 00:51:51,720 --> 00:51:53,880 Mmm! We have everything we need. 815 00:51:53,880 --> 00:51:58,000 Huge scenery, swooping road, no traffic. 816 00:51:58,000 --> 00:52:01,840 The Holy Trinity for anyone whose communion wine comes with 817 00:52:01,840 --> 00:52:03,680 an octane rating. 818 00:52:04,680 --> 00:52:08,640 Can't enjoy a Ferrari in Britain? Oh, yes, you can. 819 00:52:10,080 --> 00:52:12,880 But can you enjoy THIS one? 820 00:52:18,960 --> 00:52:21,280 It's called the F12. 821 00:52:21,280 --> 00:52:26,960 It costs £240,000 and thanks to a 730 horsepower V12 it's 822 00:52:26,960 --> 00:52:31,320 the most powerful road-going Ferrari ever made. 823 00:52:33,000 --> 00:52:37,800 It's almost as powerful, in fact, as Fernando Alonso's Formula 1 racer. 824 00:52:45,920 --> 00:52:49,800 Of course, at this point, people with mouths of meal would say, 825 00:52:49,800 --> 00:52:53,640 "What's the point of all that when we've got speed limits?" 826 00:52:55,200 --> 00:52:58,360 You don't have to use all of it all the time. 827 00:52:58,360 --> 00:53:02,000 In a town, you can sit back, turn on the radio, 828 00:53:02,000 --> 00:53:06,400 put the suspension in bumpy road mode to make everything nice 829 00:53:06,400 --> 00:53:08,520 and comfy, set the gearbox in automatic, 830 00:53:08,520 --> 00:53:10,160 the air conditioning just so, 831 00:53:10,160 --> 00:53:13,720 and then you can drive along quite happily at 20 miles an hour. 832 00:53:15,160 --> 00:53:18,760 Easy. 'It's not even especially big.' 833 00:53:20,680 --> 00:53:23,120 I'm not saying this is tiny, 834 00:53:23,120 --> 00:53:26,480 but it's not preposterous. You don't go through every gap like that. 835 00:53:28,600 --> 00:53:32,600 So this car works in Letchworth just like any other car. 836 00:53:32,600 --> 00:53:39,080 But when the built-up area ends, it's not like any other car at all. 837 00:53:47,440 --> 00:53:49,280 Wow. Wow, this is fast. 838 00:54:02,080 --> 00:54:07,640 Ferrari say it will go from 0 to 60 in 3.1 seconds. 839 00:54:07,640 --> 00:54:11,440 And that flat-out, it will be doing 211 miles an hour. 840 00:54:12,760 --> 00:54:17,400 And it's not just the massive engine which makes it all so savage. 841 00:54:19,560 --> 00:54:23,760 Unlike the old 599, this has a double clutch gearbox, 842 00:54:23,760 --> 00:54:26,360 so gear changes are immediate. 843 00:54:26,360 --> 00:54:29,400 You build up the speed until the noise gets too much 844 00:54:29,400 --> 00:54:31,800 and your ears are bleeding and then you change up 845 00:54:31,800 --> 00:54:35,880 and there's no gap. How do you do that? 846 00:54:39,560 --> 00:54:42,840 They've also fitted a more sophisticated traction 847 00:54:42,840 --> 00:54:47,800 control system which lets you have fun without allowing you to crash. 848 00:54:53,440 --> 00:54:58,240 But the most impressive thing is how this car manages the air. 849 00:55:01,840 --> 00:55:05,760 These flaps down here, when the brakes are hot, they open, 850 00:55:05,760 --> 00:55:09,400 to allow cooling air to pass on to the discs. 851 00:55:09,400 --> 00:55:13,280 But the rest of the time, they're shut for better aerodynamics. 852 00:55:13,280 --> 00:55:16,560 And then you have these channels on either side of the bonnet. 853 00:55:16,560 --> 00:55:18,520 The air is funnelled along them 854 00:55:18,520 --> 00:55:21,920 into here and out of here so it provides a boundary 855 00:55:21,920 --> 00:55:25,640 layer of smooth air passing down the flanks of the car 856 00:55:25,640 --> 00:55:27,440 making it more slippery. 857 00:55:27,440 --> 00:55:29,400 There's real downforce as well. 858 00:55:29,400 --> 00:55:32,680 At 125 miles an hour, the weight of the air 859 00:55:32,680 --> 00:55:36,400 pressing down on the car is 19 stone. 860 00:55:36,400 --> 00:55:40,320 That's like having half of John Prescott on the roof forcing 861 00:55:40,320 --> 00:55:43,280 the tyres into the Tarmac, giving better grip. 862 00:55:45,840 --> 00:55:49,640 They have done everything in the book to exploit 863 00:55:49,640 --> 00:55:52,200 the colossal firepower. 864 00:55:52,200 --> 00:55:55,280 And the results are mesmerising. 865 00:55:59,840 --> 00:56:04,120 In the past, big Ferraris felt big. 866 00:56:04,120 --> 00:56:09,880 The Testarossa, the 612, they were immense. They were fat-boy cars. 867 00:56:10,960 --> 00:56:14,520 This isn't. This is light and nimble and sharp. 868 00:56:14,520 --> 00:56:17,920 It's... It is spectacular. 869 00:56:25,920 --> 00:56:29,240 I must confess though that while the car is fine, 870 00:56:29,240 --> 00:56:34,720 I am struggling, because it is a bit frantic in here. 871 00:56:38,880 --> 00:56:40,840 I just went airborne then. 872 00:56:45,920 --> 00:56:49,600 You read about those early test pilots in Mach Two 873 00:56:49,600 --> 00:56:54,560 jet fighters going to the very limits of what was possible. 874 00:56:54,560 --> 00:56:58,360 That's what it feels like in this - like you're sort of out of control. 875 00:57:05,520 --> 00:57:09,800 And it has incredibly fast steering, so the slightest movement 876 00:57:09,800 --> 00:57:13,120 of the wheel causes an immediate dart one way or the other. 877 00:57:15,520 --> 00:57:16,920 And then there's the throttle. 878 00:57:16,920 --> 00:57:19,200 You put your foot down and you think, "Whoa, yes," 879 00:57:19,200 --> 00:57:23,200 and then immediately you think, "No, actually. Too scary." 880 00:57:29,960 --> 00:57:33,400 And when life is as hectic as this, what you really 881 00:57:33,400 --> 00:57:37,360 want are for all the controls to be conventional. 882 00:57:37,360 --> 00:57:38,760 And they're not. 883 00:57:38,760 --> 00:57:41,360 All the knobs and buttons for the lights and the wipers 884 00:57:41,360 --> 00:57:43,800 and the indicators are all on the steering wheel 885 00:57:43,800 --> 00:57:47,280 which moves about, so they're never where you left them. 886 00:57:48,520 --> 00:57:51,360 You can't even sneeze when you're driving this car 887 00:57:51,360 --> 00:57:54,640 because if you did... Well, they'd have to hose you off the road. 888 00:57:58,280 --> 00:58:00,280 To try and explain what I'm on about, 889 00:58:00,280 --> 00:58:02,400 I've come to this tennis court. 890 00:58:08,680 --> 00:58:14,160 This is what it's like to drive an ordinary car 891 00:58:14,160 --> 00:58:16,680 on the roads of Hertfordshire. 892 00:58:18,360 --> 00:58:20,480 There you go, Golf GTI... 893 00:58:22,040 --> 00:58:26,520 BMW M3, Ferrari 458. This is easy 894 00:58:26,520 --> 00:58:29,520 and manageable 895 00:58:29,520 --> 00:58:32,120 and I could do it all day. 896 00:58:32,120 --> 00:58:38,960 Now let me show you what it's like to drive 897 00:58:38,960 --> 00:58:41,240 a Ferrari F12. 898 00:58:44,120 --> 00:58:51,320 Ugh! Ugh! Oh, in the face! 899 00:59:09,600 --> 00:59:13,680 The Stig says, this is the only car in the world that can hold 900 00:59:13,680 --> 00:59:16,440 a candle to the Lexus LFA. 901 00:59:16,440 --> 00:59:19,760 He also says it's the first Ferrari he's ever driven that he 902 00:59:19,760 --> 00:59:21,480 would actually buy - 903 00:59:21,480 --> 00:59:24,760 if he had any concept of money, which of course he doesn't. 904 00:59:26,840 --> 00:59:30,600 Me, though... It is brilliant, 905 00:59:30,600 --> 00:59:34,800 but I think it would be better still if it had slower steering... 906 00:59:34,800 --> 00:59:39,720 and it's hard for me to say this, but a bit less power. 907 00:59:42,320 --> 00:59:45,840 Yes, you can really enjoy it in Britain, 908 00:59:45,840 --> 00:59:49,680 but you can't really enjoy all of it. 909 01:00:06,040 --> 01:00:08,200 CHEERING AND APPLAUSE 910 01:00:08,200 --> 01:00:10,120 It is frantic. I'd still have an LFA. 911 01:00:10,120 --> 01:00:12,280 The LFA is 100 grand more 912 01:00:12,280 --> 01:00:15,200 although the options on this, 913 01:00:15,200 --> 01:00:16,840 they do take it up to 350 as well. 914 01:00:16,840 --> 01:00:19,800 - Hang on, hang on, hang on. - What? 915 01:00:19,800 --> 01:00:22,720 Did I just hear you, Jeremy Clarkson, 916 01:00:22,720 --> 01:00:26,560 - say that you'd like "a bit less power"? - Yes, you did. 917 01:00:26,560 --> 01:00:29,440 Isn't that a bit like Gordon Ramsay saying, "Yes, I like this dish, 918 01:00:29,440 --> 01:00:32,160 "but I wish it had a bit less flavour." 919 01:00:32,160 --> 01:00:35,440 Or James May saying, "Yes, I like this, but can it be 920 01:00:35,440 --> 01:00:36,680 "a bit less brown?" 921 01:00:36,680 --> 01:00:42,400 No, it is like that, but it is a bombshell, which means we can end. 922 01:00:42,400 --> 01:00:45,480 Thank you very much for watching. See you all next week. Take care. 923 01:00:45,480 --> 01:00:46,760 Good night. 924 01:01:02,720 --> 01:01:05,760 Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd