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Captain Slow puts Rallycross on the map!

Captain Slow puts Rallycross on the map!

By on 10/03/2015 in Rallycross

The high-octane thrills and spills of rallycross wowed more than five million television viewers tuning into Sunday’s Top Gear. What’s more, the sport received a massive thumbs up with presenters Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond endorsing it as ‘brilliant’ and ‘fabulous’ respectively.

Although both Clarkson and Hammond were present for the filming at Lydden Hill, it was fellow presenter James May who was thrown in at the deep end. It was a fantastic curtain-raiser for the World RX of Great Britain taking place at the famous venue in Kent over the 2014 Spring Bank Holiday. May competed against a host of top stars from the FIA World and MSA British Rallycross Championships in a special behind-closed-doors contest filmed at Lydden just before Christmas.

FIA World Rallycross Championship

After receiving some tuition from Tanner Foust – a regular front-runner in the newly-formed FIA World Rallycross Championship powered by Monster Energy as well as a charismatic host on the USA television version of Top Gear – the cameras followed May as he got to grips with racing a state-of-the-art World RX Supercar. Although his white-and-blue Marklund Motorsport prepared VW Polo resembled a showroom hatchback, propelled by a mighty 600bhp engine plus four-wheel-drive the two-litre turbocharged tornado was in fact capable of accelerating to 60mph in less than two seconds – that’s faster than even an F1 car.

After the brief lesson from Foust, the 52-year-old TV personality lined up racing against a star-studded field that included all the pace-setters from the FIA World Championship topped by Petter Solberg, the Norwegian ace who captured the inaugural World RX title in 2014

James_May at Lydden Hil with World Rallycross drivers

James_May at Lydden Hil with World Rallycross drivers

May’s stated objectives were to ‘stay out of danger’ and not suffer the humiliation of being lapped by any of the professionals. It was a feat he just accomplished in both of his four-lap heats despite some predictably unhelpful support from Messrs. Clarkson and Hammond. However, in the longer six-lap semi-final that followed, much to his chagrin – and the amusement of his two fellow presenters – May finished a distant last and was lapped by Foust.

Captain Slow

Although May’s ignominious elimination concluded the feature aired on Top Gear, as in a real World RX meeting the top three from each of the semi-finals proceeded into a grand final, which Solberg won after a terrific tussle with Foust.

“I didn’t see much of James on the track, but you have to give him credit for coming and having a go,” remarked the victorious Solberg. “I have to be honest, it’s not easy to get into one of these 600bhp World RX Supercars. Tanner was my main competitor and we had a big battle during the final. I gained a lot of great experiences from the race to bring with me into the upcoming season and especially round four when we return to Lydden in May.”

Solberg, Foust and all the other big guns from the FIA World Championship will be back at Lydden Hill for the FIA World RX of Great Britain over the Spring Bank Holiday Weekend (24-25 May).

James May at Lydden Hill with 600hp VW Polo Rallycross car

James May at Lydden Hill with 600hp VW Polo Rallycross car

Last year’s inaugural World RX of Great Britain proved to be phenomenally popular with a record attendance pouring through the gates at Lydden. Now, boosted by the huge success of the 2014 event plus such positive coverage on Top Gear, another bumper crowd is expected in May.

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TopGear awards for Fisker Karmer and Range Rover Evoque

TopGear awards for Fisker Karmer and Range Rover Evoque

By on 01/12/2011 in News

BBC TopGear Magazine have named the new Range Rover Evoque as their 2011 Car of the Year and the Fisker Karma has been crowned ‘Luxury Car of the Year’.

The Evoque came top in the SUV category of the annual awards and was also picked by TopGear TV presenter Jeremy Clarkson as his favourite new car this year.

The Evoque beat stiff competition from the BMW 1 Series M, Mclaren MP4 12c, Ferrari FF, VW Up! and Kia Picanto to scoop the coveted Car of the Year title. The awards are officially announced in the December issue of BBC TopGear Magazine, which is on sale in the UK now. With 29 international editions, BBC TopGear is read by an estimated 12 million people worldwide.

New Range Rover Evoque

To celebrate the award, TopGear took a Range Rover Evoque on an African adventure through the souks, deserts and mountain passes of Morocco to fully experience the superb all-round capability and outstanding performance offered by this year’s winning car. The full story is featured alongside the Car of the Year Awards in all 29 international editions of the magazine.

Range Rover Evoque

 

 

The judging panel, headed up by BBC TopGear Magazine Editor-in-Chief, Charlie Turner, comprised members of the magazine’s editorial and road testing team, together with the three TopGear TV presenters, Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond.

New Range Rover Evoque TopGear SUV of the Year

Commenting on the awards, Turner said: “Judging the TopGear Magazine cars of the year takes a lot of time, coffee and shouting. But, strangely, when it came to the choosing the overall winner, the yelling softened to agreement. Universal approval from the most opinionated minds in the industry is almost unheard of. Which gives you some idea of just how good the Range Rover Evoque, TopGear’s 2011 Car of the Year, really is.”

As well as triumphing in the SUV and overall Car of the Year categories, the Evoque was also chosen by presenter Jeremy Clarkson as his personal choice for Car of the Year.

Summing up his decision, he says:”There have been many great cars launched over the last 12 months….But these are just one-trick ponies. The Evoque is more than that. Its a pony that is also a racehorse, a shire horse, a dray horse, a show jumper and an easy rosette-winner in the dressage competition. Its brilliant. And its the Top Gear Car of the Year.”

Range Rover Evoque TopGear Car of the Year

The Top Gear Award represents the 34th international award for the Range Rover Evoque since its launch earlier this year. Land Rover Global Brand Director, John Edwards, welcomed the news saying:

“The Range Rover Evoque has generated an unprecedented response in all of our global markets and has been particularly successful in attracting new customers to the Land Rover brand. The TopGear Car of the Year award is further recognition that the Evoque offers a unique combination of distinctive premium design and outstanding performance underpinned by Land Rover’s legendary all terrain capability.  The car’s success is testament to the skill and commitment of the design and engineering teams in delivering a vehicle that meets the original product vision.”

The Range Rover Evoque has been on sale in the UK since September and is available in two body styles (five door or coupé), with a number of engine and transmission combinations. The Evoque also offers the opportunity for a high level of personalisation with three distinct design themes and a wide range of options, accessories and colour choice.

The Evoque has this month also been recognised by a number of external industry bodies in the UK including Euro NCAP, who awarded a 5* safety rating and Glass’s and CAP Monitor who have predicted outstanding residual values. The Vehicle Certification Agency has also awarded the Evoque LCA certification for the comprehensive lifecycle analysis study carried out by Land Rover’s environment and sustainability team.

The Fisker Karma has been crowned ‘Luxury Car of the Year’ by BBC Top Gear magazine and ‘Car of the Year’ by Top Gear TV presenter, James May.

The Karma – Fisker’s first production car – is a 403 hp luxury sedan and the world’s first true electric vehicle with extended range (EVer™).  Despite its size, performance and visual appeal, the Karma is one of the most efficient, low-emission vehicles available today.  It combines the zero-emissions and efficiency of electric drive with the range and freedom of petrol-powered cars, due to its cutting-edge EVer™ powertrain technology.

Fisker Karma has been crowned ‘Luxury Car of the Year’ by BBC Top Gear magazine

Top Gear is one of the biggest circulation automotive and men’s lifestyle magazines in the world.  Now in their 12th year, the Top Gear awards results are published across 26 international editions and set out to recognize the most exciting and innovative cars launched in the preceding year.

Charlie Turner, BBC Top Gear magazine editor, explained why the Karma was a worthy winner: “Cleverness abounds in the Fisker and adds to the air of intelligent luxury.  It works well, it looks good and it must be a genuinely exciting thing to own.”

“It’s the top-of-the-line spec that features no leather, just textiles and reclaimed wood.  And it’s more convincing than it sounds, managing to look, feel and smell premium without any cow peel in it at all,” Turner concluded.

Henrik Fisker, co-founder, CEO and executive design director of Fisker Automotive, commented: “It is fantastic news that the Karma has won two awards from Top Gear.  We realize that we are at the beginning of our journey and awards like this remind us we are on the right road – building enticing green cars that people actually want to own.  It’s particularly pleasing that this award recognizes the Karma’s luxuriousness.”

“We’re big fans of both the Top Gear show and magazine – it’s great to see motoring entertainment consumed by millions.  The fact that Fisker cars appeal to the Top Gear audience inspires us to continue producing cutting-edge luxury vehicles with extended range, including our new mid-sized sedan that will be built in Delaware, USA.”

It’s the latest in a run of high-profile awards for the Karma that Fisker Automotive has been very proud to win, including Automobile’s Design of the Year and a Global Green Design Award.  In winning the ‘Luxury Car of the Year’ award, the Karma joins an exclusive group of prestigious previous winners, such as the Mercedes-Benz CLS Coupe, Jaguar XJ and Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupe.

In recent independent testing conducted by the Technischer Üeberwachungs Verein (TÜV), the Karma achieved 135 mpg combined fuel economy, CO2 emissions of just 51 g/km and an all-electric range of 51.6 miles.

 

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Breakfast show team get Top Gear Live Supercar commute experience

Breakfast show team get Top Gear Live Supercar commute experience

By on 23/11/2011 in News

The Absolute Radio Christian O’Connell Breakfast show team experienced the commute of a lifetime this morning as Top Gear Live provided the presenters with a fleet of Supercar taxis to ferry them to work.

The all-action car show, which will be at London ExCel this week (24 – 27th November), gave the team a taste of the some of the most prestigious vehicles in the world, which will be in attendance at the motoring extravaganza.

DJ Christian O’Connell arrived ahead of schedule in his £350,000 Lamborghini Murcielago, while co-host  Richie Firth enjoyed the luxury of Audi’s £111,995 R8 V8 Coupe.

On arriving at the studio O’Connell commented, “Well that certainly was a commute that I won’t be forgetting in a hurry, it was a fantastic experience and to think that the car is only one of five in the world, it amazes me they are even allowed out on the road!”

Travel presenter, Maggie Doyle, had the most exhilarating journey, as she experienced the raw nature of the open-topped, 520bhp-per-tonne Caterham Superlight R500, one of the few cars to beat the Bugatti Veyron around the Top Gear track and one of the high-performance cars that will be piloted by The Stig around the purpose-built indoor racetrack that makes its debut at Top Gear Live this year.

Meanwhile, newsreader Andrew Bailey was transported in style by the super-sleek, gull-winged Mercedes SLS AMG Roadster.

All of the cars will be at this year’s Top Gear Live show at ExCel, where Clarkson, Hammond and May will once again be recreating their unique approach to car appreciation and will be delighting the crowds with their madcap games and ideas.

Top Gear Live opens at ExCel this Thursday 27th for four days.

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