1994 Top Gear British Motorshow Episode

overtly Constabulary see themselves as movie stars with our onboard cameras and their videos a simple thought is no longer good enough that's where this comes in the Lotus Esprit police car but don't worry it's only a concept and it's here at the Motor Show just like us [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] welcome to the Motor Show this year's annual automotive orgy over 700,000 pairs of feet will through this hall 150 million pounds has been spent Jeremy what are you doing as a monster we're monsters this is the NEC not lochness spiky teeth come on show me [Music] now no that is a monster ah yes I'd rather see what you mean and never mind it wouldn't bite right bunny time it may look like something out of Jurassic Park but this in fact is the new Ford Scorpio Ford's not very convincing answer to the new voxel Omega there are going to be some bravery Awards handed out on this one now I mean someone somewhere walked into a ford board meeting and said this is it this is what we've come up with and one of those directors turn right back round again and said well done Stevie well done ray that's exactly it that is what the people want it's been unusual I think will take some getting used to shape on the front end I've heard the old shape I think I suppose it's a shape that will grow on you it's right up to the minute and shares real class it's one of those cars where rather do it you don't the changes on the insider rather more successful there's the same amount of spaces before which is particularly good news for those in the back but the dash is radically different and pretty good prices aren't bad either sixteen thousand pounds for the entry-level 2-liter saloon rising to twenty-seven thousand pounds for the top-of-the-range estate there's no hatchback anymore but then there isn't much street cred either well Ford's designers may have committed a styling sin but their rival General Motors have come up with a little honey pretty 1.40 bruh comes onto the market at just under 11 thousand pounds and with a hot-hatch market being ravaged by high insurance premiums locks all been quite bold and producing it it's a very curvaceous car and like most models does have a best side catching the light and it's a system the Tigre is ideal for those monsters who are looking for a bit of style and grown at the sight of yet another euro hatchback [Music] inside well it's not as stylish as the outside but it's pretty functional and the seats are quite comfortable although there's not an awful lot of room for people of Jeremy s proportions and the back seats can really only be meant for the vertically challenged or children the innovative rear wraparound Sun dim window is not just tinted it will stop your passengers roosting in hot weather this 1.4 is likely to be Insurance Group eight and has a 1.6 which falls into group 12 but you don't get an offered up more few money I'd stick with a 1.4 and invest in a smart pair of wheels and a passenger airbag as with the calibra Vauxhall the firm Ford knapping the Tigres competitors in this small coupe a market managed to sell about 4,000 between them raxil aims to gobble all that up the cars on sale on November the 18th and we think it's going to take the market by storm it was only last year that the Tigre was a concept car others might take a little longer to hit the streets especially the wackier ones which all seem to be sprint and here is citrons family car of the future no plans to put it into production at the moment but its role limiting suspension will be appearing on their news and here active settings partners at Peugeot have come up with this beyond it's their idea for the town car for the next century it's powered by batteries it has a range of 93 miles it could well with the next 106 which would be a shame Renault have come up with a whole fleet of concept civic shuttles powered by liquid petroleum gas this is the Ludo right cheeky and meaty it's firmly and with no central pillar there'll be no problems accommodating those debogorski's mountain bike windsurfer and it'll do 92 miles an hour so what are we looking at here people your glimpse into the future the xr3i of the 21st century now you won't be seeing these French fancies for a wee while yet but the Germans on the other hand might reveal theirs sooner than you think this is the Mercedes vision a concept car destined for either electrical or conventional power plants that's been touring the world's motor shows for the past year while the company's market researchers keep an eagle eye on people's reactions to it why well because unlike many other concept cars we see at the shows this one goes into production in two and a half years time to become a Mercedes for the masses and that poses some big questions both for Mercedes and the rest of the motor industry up to now Mercedes have been known as manufacturers of heavy beautifully engineered and expensive cars but recession has showed the company that the roads survival is not paved with big thirsty cars they plan to build 200,000 of these a year when they go into production so if they build a baby hatchback like this to the same quality as their traditional big cars will people buy it so far the answer from the market researchers seems to be an emphatic yes and that's bad news for other small car manufacturers [Music] the production version won't be quite the same as this concept car it'll be slightly longer and smoother about 3.6 meters overall they think and the aluminium body of the prototype will be switched to steel but the design principles will remain the same and some of those are very clever indeed now the first thing to say this is a double-decker car the engine transmission suspension fuel tank and exhaust are entirely self-contained under the first deck and above them is a second floor strengthened for side impact and it's on that floor that the occupants sit now that means you sit pretty high off the floor but it also means the maximum possible space is available for for Mercedes sized passengers and their luggage and it's going to be very safe in a crash as well the engine and transmission will slide under this floor rather than into the passenger compartment this is an electric version of the car being developed for the Californian market where the legislators are demanding zero emission vehicles by the year 2003 it's powered by a 54 brake horsepower motor and a high temperature sodium nickel battery pack mercedes claimed a range of 95 miles for it now I have to confess I'm a bit of a sceptic about electric cars the much-heralded revolution in battery design simply hasn't arrived nevertheless you can't fail to be impressed by the eerie way this thing just glides away I'm sure we're gonna have a major problem with hitting pedestrians who can't hear it coming though production a cars will have proper engines so we'll have to wait for them to make any meaningful comments on performance ride and handling but already there's little doubt then the Sade's have an impressive supermini contender on their hands and here's another small German car with a difference BMWs new 3-series compact now at just 13,000 350 that's 90 quid less than a Volkswagen GTI this one's going to sell like the elixir of youth available as a 1.6 and 1.8 I have to ask what would it do for BMWs highly polished image just think of all those suburban mummies doing the private school run will the kudos of the blue propeller survive the friction of popular taste there are those that say that because it's cheap it wouldn't be a proper BMW but from where I'm sitting it looks and feels every inch the part plus you get standard abs and driver's airbag and don't forget those all-important second-hand values are thoroughly sensible little car of course there's Quentin's idea of a sensible car and there's my idea of a sensible car and this to me is perfectly sensible the Dodge Viper now has air conditioning for those hot summer days and a hardtop cold winter image what he bought this car is about as sensible as a horde of Mongol stormtroopers on a three-day park you have no soul this is the perfect family runaround you ensure the prefer an MPV that injure all when it arrived at the start of the 80s the Renault Espace see more like a work of art than a way of getting to Sainsbury's with a nose like an intercity one two five huge square windows a lofty driving position and trendy swiveling seats it revolutionized car travel as we knew it and the one box shape wasn't just a gimmick how else could you carry four adults in total comfort all three children and enough clobber for a summer holiday ten years and two faceless down the road in the Espace still accounts for nearly half of all the people carriers sold now that may not sound impressive but in car terms well it's as close as you get to monopoly but not for long there's a new kid on the block and it's after blood run owes blood now this almost bland looking vampire goes by the name of the Citroen evasion in France although we still don't know what it's going to be call good arrives here but with different lights it'll be sold as the Persia 806 the launched rosetta and the feared lunacy confused don't be to save a bit of money on development the French and the Italians have clubbed together to design the definitive Espace pasta all except the launcher will be in right hand drive for next year so she'll Rene be quaking in its corporate boots well from the driver's seat the answer has to be yes because the makers desperately want to court car drivers they've made it as user-friendly as a metro and as much fun to hell around as a GTI steering is sharp and well pretty sporty there's no lurching around corners either no mean feat for a car that can take up to eight people the pedals are better positioned than in the Espace and a gear levers on the dashboard rather non the floor which is a lot more convenient I still prefer an automatic but that's to come much later pressing on the eval Co is fairly nippy although the standard 2-liter engine is far less desirable than the turbo version we're testing either way cruising isn't particularly economical but it's very comfortable it's so relaxing that I can imagine dozing off on a hot day with the heat streaming through the windows luckily air conditioning is standard on those modelsim sandwiches you stay fresh inside it's good news to add lots of nice little touches like for example the gliding ashtray cover nifty and a little pocket to put your sunglasses in and the remote control switches for the radio on the steering wheel there of course this fasts have those first the oddly placed handbrake does take a bit of getting used to but overall when it's a big improvement on the Espace although the party starts back there well it's slightly more room than in the Espace and the seats are larger and more comfy and either a bit stronger than me well you can put them in all sorts of different combinations but even if you don't have seven little darlings don't worry apparently only a small percentage of MPV drivers ever take more than two passengers but people carrying isn't a cheap hobby prices start at seventeen thousand rising to twenty-six thousand for the deluxe version with goodies like electric seats we don't know the UK specs yet but it looks like airbags twin Sun rose and extra seats will cost more so has the old favorite the Espace being outclassed well yes it has but if you must have her new people carry before next year well it still does a top-class job or you could wait till 96 when the all newest pass comes out but by then the W Honda Ford and Mercedes would all have launched their MPD's - so there's no escape the men in white coats reckon the MPV with the shape of the 21st century and you me and everyone else will be driving one unless that is the Koreans have their way they arrived in Britain in 1983 and unburdened by any import restrictions they've been getting bigger and bigger and bigger and now they're gonna get bigger still because there's a new Korean car company Daioh with two models to tempt us with first of all be s bro which is basically an old cavalier with a body that's been styled in Italy and then there's the next year which is basically an old Astra with a body that looks like an old Astra both these cars give credence to the argument that Korean cars generally speaking have somewhat cheaper and rather better equipped than their European and Japanese competitors but that in terms of refinement there are a few years behind that image is something high-end eyes hoping to change but its new seven and a half thousand pound accent it was designed in career it's built in career it uses entirely Korean components funny isn't it's how they're building their car industry up while we're winding ours down which is one of the reasons we'll be going over to Korea later in the series to see what's what right enough of all this glitz and glamor let's get down to earth a bit last week on top gear we launched our second car customer satisfaction survey we asked you what you think play cards were they reliable how did you get out with the dealers were you disappointed at all and what was the warrant alike we asked you to phone us and the response has been awesome but there are still some gaps an important part of the survey is to get a good cross-section of models not just the popular ones so if you drive any of the following on a ke plate ring us on a 800 double for Double seven-seven four and sit back scan the list and we'll take you on the show [Music] two new cars with Porsche who have been shifting yet more of their racetrack technology onto the road Michael Schumacher working furiously at the wheel and his brain working furiously inside that helmet what Michael Schumacher does most Sunday afternoon you can now do along the high street any time you like not win a Grand Prix but change gear with your fingertips Porsche has applied the latest race-inspired technology to its 30-year old 911 the result is Tiptronic s the automatic transmission that lets your fingers do the walking tips on against three ways of changing gear with the conventional automatic shift pattern and with this separate gait where you push the lever forward to change up pull it back to change down the up and down functions are also duplicated on these steering wheel buttons useful for those people who come over all fingers and thumbs at the thought of driving a 911 Carrera with terrific power and wonderful poise the 1995 model unlike its predecessors doesn't fling you backwards through the hedge at every other corner Tiptronic s is also cleverer than the average xr2 driver it won't let you change down a couple of gears when traveling at warp speed purists will tell you that a 911 shouldn't have an automatic transmission but a 911 should be about driving as a hands-on experience purists are of course sad boring people all that's wrong with Tiptronic s is that it's got four speeds the manual car has got six gears to play with so you can play fewer tunes in the Tiptronic s 911 which is a shame Porsche also claims that Tiptronic s is a valuable safety feature as you can keep your hands on the wheel at all the times perhaps the truth is that even when you're pulling down to the shops Tiptronic s makes you feel just like Michael Schumacher and that's very cool indeed I'll tell you something about the real Michael Schumacher he's tiny and he's German which means he's got quite a lot in common with a new Volkswagen Polo now this is going to compete in the most ferocious part of the market it needs good looks and it's got him in many ways it's not dissimilar to the C R to be fair they have the same floor pens too some of the engines are the same the dash is the same the switchgear is the same but of course this isn't surprising because Volkswagen owns see it what is surprising is that they're priced about the same it rather looks then like Volkswagen is competing with itself but never mind all that what about the car itself well if you're coming to it from an old Polo it's pretty good it's smaller on the outside but there's more head an elbow room on the inside you pay about seven thousand pounds for a one liter rising to twelve thousand pounds for a 1.6 there's even going to be a diesel right now there's a five-door Volkswagen then has thought of everything except this year to be that how would you like to see the motor show in real style stay in a five-star hotel the chauffeur driven in a Jaguar XJR and meet us on family day Sunday October the 30th this year the mini is celebrating its 35th birthday so we want you to tell us how much the Morris mini cost when it was launched in 1959 get it right and you could be our lucky winner as a clue the average weekly wage was thirteen thousand forty nine in pinks B across six bones the plaintiff had an Aston Martin db4 was a trifling four grand so how much did the mini cost was it a four hundred and ninety six pounds be five hundred seventy eight or C six hundred and ninety five pounds call us on 18 one double three double nine double six and we'll be showing you that number again later on paulus you'd expect me to say the Aston Martin db7 is the best car the show but I don't know because I haven't driven it yet I do know this though it will have to be going some to be better than the car tip has been driving Ferrari is a name that conjures up dreams in everyone's mind to me they're bright red Grand Prix cars winning World Championships to Jeremy they're seductive beauties to catch the eye of the opposite sex but for the very fortunate few their cars to be owned cars to be driven now although you're not going to believe it I have never driven a road-going Ferrari before but today that's going to change meet the new three five five my Ferrari for the day before you even get into the three five five you fall in love with its clean uncluttered lines on the inside there's Ferraris prancing horse logo on the steering wheel and this tactile chrome gear knob but in the back was an engine just waiting to go [Music] first impressions behind the wheel confirm the racing heritage of Ferrari the beauty of the stark simplicity of the instrument layout that's enhanced by this two-tone interior the power assisted brakes and steering are very light this is not a supercar that needs super muscles the driving position is traditionally Italian if you've got long arms and short legs you'll be fine and you haven't you just have to grin and bear it slotting through the six-speed gearbox is a real delight and the engine makes a wonderful sound effect glorious especially at the eight and a half thousand rpm Rev limits the sad thing is that you can only reach it in first gear because in second you'd be doing an illegal 80 miles an hour into town for a quick road test of well the image time for a coffee Italian of course and time to admire the scenery while the scenery admires the Ferrari Clarkson does have a point anyway there's enough room in the front for an overnight bag and a little light shopping while in the back the Ferrari engineers proved that beauty isn't just skin deep five vowels per cylinder plus a myriad of other developments including lightweight pistons and titanium con rods that have pushed the power output up to 380 horsepower enough of this posing let's go and use some of that [Music] none of the river winding through these country lanes you can constantly marvel at the poise and balance of the three five five even at these moderate speeds the Ferrari is a real driver's car providing all that feedback and satisfaction that you wish for it's fitted with electronically controlled dampers that constantly vary their stiffness as the attitude of the car is monitored and was comfort and sport modes but that's not the only help the handlings had Ferrari have added a bit of Grom Prix style ground effect the underneath of the car has been covered with this smooth flat bottom which feeds the air to the rear where it's divided into these two channels now these accelerate the airflow out of the back of the car which creates a negative air pressure that sucks the car into the ground all this wonderful state-of-the-art technology is what's impressed me most about my first day in a Ferrari it's a mechanical masterpiece Leonardo da Vinci on wheels [Music] [Applause] you didn't think I wasn't going to did you Murari for the day and it just got to go on the track down here that you can really appreciate all the benefits of that wonderful Italian artistry only now can I use eight and a half thousand revs in all the gears keeping those 40 valves harmony now I could push the car to its limit seek out any nasty vices and my captured driver unawares but certainly so far the 355 doesn't seem to have any and just have no straight you were up to me 130 miles an hour and fit breaking over this undulating section tricky for the car to keep its boys turning very die after my days expensive search there's no doubt in my mind that the 3 5 5 is going to become one of the classic Ferraris and at just 83 thousand pounds it's a snit but for our own standards before we go let me introduce you to the top gear stand it's here that you'll find it only Ferrari at the show it's here also people find Quentin to myself one more thing though one day I'm definitely going to own one of those Ferrari 355 s there is a four in your argument Jasmine makes several flaws in my argument you work for the BBC yep I mean printed would you just sew those numbers again for our K reg car survey call Oh 800 double for double 774 and for our Motor Show competition it's Oh 8 9 1 double 3 double 9 double six [Music] if you want more Motor Show we'll be back on Sunday with a 50 minute special if you want more cars the Citroen DS is the star of this Sunday's the cars the star and if that still isn't enough this perpetual motion on the Ford Transit tomorrow [Music]

Channel: gud6y

Views: 159,458

Keywords: top gear, motorshow, jeremy clarkson, quentin willson, tiff needell, michelle newman, russell bulgin, chris goffey

Id: P-K9TDFApbA

Length: 29min 0sec (1740 seconds)

Published: Wed Apr 29 2020