Top Gear Honour

[mcgc0]

Following a call I received from the BBC and the Top Gear researcher there, my humble C4 was loaned and will be appearing in one of their new car features that Richard Hammond was doing (so I'm told). It's being used in an ensemble of key models through Porsche's history as an intro to a new convertible test-driven in South Africa apparently.

Filmed in the Excel Centre in London Docklands couple of weeks ago, I was the last pick-up on the F1 truck-stylie transporter and treated to a lovely selection of 911's picked up earlier including a '73 RS (plated '73 RS'), and the first l/h drive 930 turbo..

Gutted also, as when removing a door number decal beforehand I took two patches of paint with it!! []. The BBC guy was good about it and said not to worry as the post-editing would not show this. Still gutted as I went through shock, anger then depression all in the space of about 1.3 seconds []

Apparently it should be aired around the end of Jan in the new series. Interestingly, when checking the Certificate of Authenticity with a closer look it stated that this was the Porsche Cars GB official press car! With that kind of provenance I'm now not so sure I should be thrashing it around so much..

Marcus

 

[colin129]

Make sure you have written into your contract that Clarkson isn't allowed to slag it off...[]

 

[C2dweller]

I don't need an extra excuse to watch TG, but I'll certainly look forward to that episode.

Shame you couldn't accompany the car - I bet it would have been an interesting day.

 

[Steve Brookes]

Look forward to seeing it.....and keep up the thrashing! []

 

[da_gleadless]

Amazing... I cant wait to see that episode!

On a similar media note, I bought this magazine to accompany me on a train journey and thought the 964 was unjustly treated...

http://www.octane.magazine.co.uk/pdf_supplement.php?s_id=5&ss_id=5&jlnk=lsl0540


A good Porsche History read, but a bit of a harsh 964 review methinks!

I'll post to anyone who wishes to read...

 

[vitesse]

Marcus,
I hope it goes round corners for them-mind you ,you have put on new tyres since Curburough-what a name dropper you have become (or will become)[]

 

[Sean_Jaymo]

Will be good to see the 964 C4 recognised good or bad! Preferably good tho

 

[mcgc0]

Thanks Guys - appreciated.

Funnily enough the first thing I mentioned was they could borrow the car so long as JC or The Stig do not come within 10 yards of the car! When returning the car the guy said the camera crew though that of all the 911's there mine sounded the best [] along with a new 997 GT2 they had.. did me proud that G pipe and de-cat.. I'm awaiting guest tickets for the show late Jan.. Sorry all taken!

Oh, and yes, new Conti's on the rear were had after Curburough! Although a day at Silverstone 3 weeks later at around 3pm it occurred to me to check the rears - well flippin scrubbed now - lesson learnt.

Agree, the 964 deserves it's place as one of the better 911's. When they first came out it did take me a while to think it looked ok (when compared to the traditional 911 font-ends we were all so used to for decades). Now when thinking of all that came after.. no comparison - 964 with proper 911 looks, air-cooled and no valves in the exhaust to make it sound sportier (au naturel monsieur).. I'm a Manufacturing Engineer by birth and while in Brum and thinking back about all the production line planning I was involved in for Peugeot, Rover and Jag and the operational costs we'd slash or trim, I've no doubt with the 996 as the first fully automated shared-platform plant at Porsche, the same decisions were made and the results of those starting to show..

 

[polar964]

ORIGINAL: C2dweller

I don't need an extra excuse to watch TG, but I'll certainly look forward to that episode.

Shame you couldn't accompany the car - I bet it would have been an interesting day.

+1

 

[gregmarshall]

Don't forget that one of the TopGear guest list places is mine Marcus or you'll never see the grandchildren again

I'll interview you for the Porsche Post if you like

 

[gregmarshall]

Excellent news! Just gotta get the day off work next Wednesday and we're off to Top Gear - you up for driving down in the porkers?

 

[da_gleadless]

ORIGINAL: gregmarshall

Excellent news! Just gotta get the day off work next Wednesday and we're off to Top Gear - you up for driving down in the porkers?

Infinitely jealous!

have a great day guys!!!

 

[mcgc0]

Thanks DA..

Supposed to be a sunny day today too! A 6-hour recording edited down to the 1 hour show this Sunday. The Porsche piece, after a shuffle in scheduling, is supposed to be then too instead of the end of Jan/start Feb as I was originally told. Look out for us - hoping to wear my T shirt with the classic tacho image or the other one - "auftragsnummer 964"

Marcus

 

[bobster]

Good luck Marcus. Hope Clarkson does it justice.

I'm another one in the infinitely jealous club!

Looking forward to the show.

Bob.

 

[vitesse]

Do we also look out for a woolly hat?
Still jealous though.[:-]

 

[gregmarshall]

Awesome day yesterday Marcus - nice one. Did cost me £110 in petrol to drive from Nottingham to Dunsfold and back but who cares! Managed to get back in good time as M1 was empty - hope the old bill didn't spot me

PLUS- it's this Sunday's episode including Hammond's piece on the 911 turbo vs Beetle featuring your 964 - Hope we see it better second time round as it looked on screen for about 0.0001 seconds

Look out for us at the end of the show stood next to the white 911 on bricks!

 

[macandsue]

Unless we are very much mistaken, wasn't it the Club's Display Register which made the initial contact with you Marcus?
After all that is how it works. The BBC would not have known you had a 964 any other way, now would it?

Like yourself we were offered tickets to the filming, as a thankyou for our input to the show. We sourced many of the cars, including the '73 RS. We declined the tickets in favour of other Club members, so hopefully someone out there enjoyed the studio experience on our behalf.

Thanks for posting your enjoyment of the event......it may even encourage other members of PCGB to join the Display Register. Your 964 is now a star of Top Gear because of it !!

 

[mcgc0]

Indeed, you are correct - and thank you very much for that! My first initial contact (if I recall correctly) was from RPM Tecnik who work on the motor from time to time. Did you get in contact with them too re other 911's that resulted in as pass-on contact of myself?

At least at home I can freeze frame and gesticulate and screen-point to anyone who'll listen in the living room. A good day out.

Any other promos I can help with Mac/Sue just let me know - glad to help.

Marcus

 

[macandsue]

The sourcing of cars for Top Gear took over our lives for about two weeks. We spent hours e-mailing people and 'phoning all over. Searching for the 964 was unbelievably difficult as we only have a few on the Register (why?), and most owners lived nowhere near the filming area.
By a very roundabout route we ended up with your contact details and the rest as they say is history.

 

[Steve Brookes]

Mac and Sue, if you post requests on this board for 964 owners to get involved with display register events I'm sure you will get a number of takers. []

Can you give us a bit of insight into what the display register is about? I had a quick look at your board but didn't see anything that summarizes the activities.