Top Gear stars' cars
04 September 2007 The Top Gear star once described the Essex rocket as ‘one of my all time favourite cars’. But what other cars do the presenters of TV’s biggest motoring show drive? Vijay Pattni rounds up the best of the rest. Jeremy Clarkson Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder The ‘entry-level’ supercar sits beneath its big brother, the Murcielago, but there is nothing ‘entry-level’ about its performance. Sporting a 5.0-litre V10 engine producing 520bhp, the baby Lambo dashes to 60 in a fraction under four seconds. Clarkson famously got rid of his troublesome Ford GT to make way for the Gallardo. Mercedes SLK55 AMG Powered by a colossal 5.4-litre V8, the SLK55 AMG produces 360bhp, and dashes to 60 in just 4.9 seconds. Clarkson has come under fire on the show for owning the small sportscar, normally more associated with the fairer sex. Ford Focus Mingling amongst his more exotic machinery is Jezza’s Ford Focus. The Focus was launched to critical praise when, in 1998, it trumped rivals such as the Vauxhall Astra and Mk 4 Volkswagen Golf as a more involving drive.
Despite constant jibes from co-star Clarkson, the diminutive star of Top Gear is an avid Porsche fan. And his 997 Carrera S ticks all the Porsche boxes – flat six 3.6-litre boxer engine with 355bhp, 0-60 in 4.6 seconds and a top speed of 186mph. 1972 Triumph Spitfire Hammond’s passion for classic cars extends to a 1972 Mk 4 Spitfire. The quintessentially British drop top has a 1.3-litre 4 cylinder engine and retailed at £735 in 1970. 1965 Ford Mustang In the first two years of production, Ford pumped out 1.5 million Mustangs – a precursor to its enduring popularity and association with nostalgic Americana, most notably with Steve McQueen’s high speed chase in 1968’s Bullitt.
Introduced in 1970, the ‘classic’ Range Rover came complete with a 3.5-litre aluminium Rover V8 engine, aluminium body panels and permanent four-wheel drive. Bentley T2 May famously rented a garage miles from his house to store his beloved Bentley T2. With a 6.7-litre V8 perched inside a mammoth body, the big Bentley came with self-levelling suspension and all round disc brakes. Fiat Panda While May’s obsession with prestige brands leaves him in constant companionship with fuel pumps, he also loves simple cars. And none could be simpler than the humble Panda, winner of the European Car of the Year award in 2004.
Auto Trader links: Clarkson versus the world Lotus Exige used in Top Gear for sale |
Porsche 997 Carrera S
Range Rover (Series 1)Page 1
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