Top Gear Xmas Special 2014 (Esprit in Patagonia)

[Simon350S]

I was looking at the photo with the smashed up Esprit Owen. The Porsche in front of it is sporting different plates. Why would they have taken another uk registered Porsche out there?

Either that or they had the plates switched to try and keep the commotion down a bit but didn't work...?

[Jacques]

That could be an idea. But maybe it did not Work as all the noise alreadu had started, and it takes a bigger noise or a decoy to calm Down?

 

Kind regards,

jacques

[hedgerley]

OMG, I had a really good look at that at Murray. It was immaculate. In fact there was a guy there thinking if buying it and I made the pitch as he didn't know much about Esprits. Brandon will be mortified.

[ramjet]

And would anyone have made the link if the media hadn't and publicised it?

 

I swear that if you play the section from 4:32 to 5:57 backwards at half speed, it tells you to eat bananas with the skin left on.

[The Pits]

You have to wonder if it has all been a very effective publicity stunt.

 

However, if it is a genuine debacle then perhaps Clarkson might be in trouble as he was on his last warning at the BBC. Maybe Chris Harris and his fans will get their dream come true after all....

 

Bit of a weird dream to have if you ask me but to each their own.

 

It will be painful to watch an Esprit being butchered though. I might hide behind the sofa for that episode.

 

I stuggle to understand the venom towards Clarkson though. He irritates my Dad because, well, most things do, like daft James Bond gadgets and far-fetched plot lines. Don't people get that Clarkson's trying to be an offensive idiot? He's just acting out a role for TV. Do the same people hate Rowan Atkinson because Mr Bean was an idiot and Peter Sellers because of Clusoe? Isn't it really the same thing? I suppose some feel offended because Top Gear does a good job of making idiots out of all of us who are into cars.

 

But Chris Harris on Top Gear? They may as well give William Woollard the call. Do people really want to go back to a dry, humourless stat-based car show? Isn't there enough of that on youtube? Did anyone see Drive's shameless and painful Top Gear rip off? That made me realise how talented the Top Gear presenters are.

 

Top Gear's only on a few times a year and they have produced consistently high quality and innovative new ways of filming cars. I'm talking about the way the cars are shot, not what the presenters say. I really don't get why it sticks in people's noses so badly. It's not like anyone's being forced to watch it, genuine anger seems to be an inappropriate reaction to a car show, however daft. Of course there have been some truly dire episodes and the emphasis has swung too far towards a comedy show, but I'll watch the new series in the hope that it's an improvement over the last one.

 

The car has been public enemy number one for some years now. I think Top Gear has done more than any other show to defend our right to, and explain the joy of, personal transport. This will probably enrage the haters further but I think TG has in its own way helped keep the Ministry of Transport on its toes. Ridiculing the DoT over the M4 bus lane for example was great.

[dave excell]

The only sad thing about this incident is the loss of one of the few V8 Esprit produced and the loss of a classic 928.

Clarkson is always controversial in what he does, and I am sure its meant to be. If the programme gets shown then it may be entertaining. However I cant help agreeing that some of the TG programmes are for me a total waste.

[mat grant]

Jonny - that's a good assessment of top gear.... it's a comedy/entertainment, it's not a consumer programme like it was 20 odd years ago. Being obnoxious is Clarksons forte. He's made a career out of it. I don't want to hear sensible reviews of medium sized hatchbacks. Middle aged guys arsing around in supercars and being funny is a lot more entertaining, my 8 year old loves it as well. If I ever have to buy a medium sized hatchback and I end up buying the wrong one I'll just have to live with it.

[The Pits]

You said it better though and much more succinctly!

[Advantage]

Clarkson's Twitter comments (Due to the nature of Twitter, read from the bottom upwards)

 

 

 

[Simon350S]

Bonkers.... Thuggery for no good reason.

Glad he's confident the show will go ahead anyway, will make for a Spectacular ending.

Shame the wrecked a set of futuras, shame they wrecked some nice cars, and they got left behind.

But it should make for a cracking show!

Hope they make it at least 3 hours long!

[johnpwalsh]

I agree with JC, the original story copied from BBC stated that the purchase of the cars had nothing to do with the 3 stooges, the cars were bought by the production team, they were given a budget and told to go get three cars, and it was a member of the production team who went and bought them.

Unless of course anutie beeb has been cunning and wanted more controversy for JC and co.

[Guest Mutley00]

I dunno I think he does it on purpose to get people talking about his new show. Hes such a twat. Bring on Chris Evans sooner rather than later.

 

Buddsy

 

Please no Budsy. Mr ('I've always wanted this Lotus and that Lotus') only to sell them weeks later Evans.

 

Brian Johnson would get my vote. I can feel another thread coming on..........

[Loose Cannon]

Whatever the truth in the rest of the story the cars were always going to be trashed

[Advantage]

I'm always puzzled by that thought process. The Marina and A610 enthusiasts were up in arms about the destruction of examples of their favourite car too, but if they were so concerned about these cars falling into the "wrong hands", why didn't they buy them when they were advertised on the open market?

[s4simon]

Sounds to me like there's a rather large bunch of sore losers still out there.

Oh, and don' t mention the war.

[Jacques]

Hmm... I think there is a difference between buying thing Things and smashing Things. For example, just because one can buy Things, does not promote them to be smashed or thrashed, just because it's possible.

If I were for example selling my Esprit, I would like to know a bit about the buyer, so I could have a slight chance of knowing if he or she would go cut it up, thrash it and smash it.

Naturally I cannot know that, but if I was informed that the car I was selling, would be used as a "throw it over the rock"-kind of thing, I would not sell it.

I think it is kind of counterproductive, or just plain silly to do so - to destroy what have used so many ressources and man-hours to become a perfected rare sportscar, just to go destroy it.

Of course, things are not permanent, and in a movie, a car or many cars may be destroyed, some more openly than others. The Esprit(s) used in james Bond movies were not presented only to be smashed or blown up. And the difference here is, that they were still in production, when the mov(i)es were made.

Sorry, I just cannot buy up all great cars that should or should not be preserved. Don't have the funds or time for that.

Still, I think it's silly just to go smash a nice rare car.

 

While there is no direct comparison,. imagine what it would Echo if someone bought a famous beautiful painting and then set fire to it in public.

 

But each to his own of course. It's a free will and World.

 

Kind regards,

jacques

[Chillidoggy]

Top Gear is my wife's favourite TV programme. She's not remotely bothered that it's non-PC, in fact she positively loves the fact.

Sad to see those cars trashed, though.

[Elaine]

The Esprit had had loads of prep work done to it as well (hence, the different wheels, ride height, etc). My hubby was talking to the man who carried out the work at a party last night.

 

 

 

Thankfully, we haven't watched Top Gear for years... We no longer own a tele (life really is too short), and it doesn't sound like we're missing much!

E.

[Advantage]

I haven't seen any reports of any "smashing" being done by anyone other than rowdy locals. At the moment, all Top Gear seem to have done is put a set of different wheels on the car (like many TLF members), altered the suspension (like many TLF members), rigged up a crude towbar (which has happened to a yellow S1 in the past) and driven it until it got dirty - something I've done to an Esprit.

 

Had the locals not given the team so many difficulties I expect all three cars would have been repatriated back to the UK and joined the other ex-feature cars on display.

[Bibs]

And the roll cage and some more. I am privy to the car's prep and plans but have been asked to keep quite naturally.

[Elaine]

Quite a bit more. To be honest, I'm surprised it all hasn't gone public yet. Lots of people are in the know...

[Advantage]

But that's just prep and not the wanton destruction about which some seem to be upset. Preparation to a car which no one wanted and is about to undertake an arduous journey. Seems reasonable. 

[Andy Esprit SE]

The sun says 205mph top speed!! Fifth Gear trying reach 200 have nothing on top gear obviously.

Hopefully the prep work involved removing the futuras and they will be up for sale soon.

[Guest Mutley00]

And the roll cage and some more. I am privy to the car's prep and plans but have been asked to keep quite naturally.

 

How do you 'keep quite naturally' Bibs?  Loads of beer, full English breakfasts and fish & chips?

[Jacques]

Ooohhhh, 205Mph? I gotta give, that is some serious perp job I surrender to Advantage and others viewpoint. 205 Mpg is mighty fine in an Esprit with a towhook Never mind if it get stonechips, get's smashed by weird locals etc. ha ha. I rest my case

 

Kind regards,

Jacques