Motorhomes join World of Top Gear line-up
Fans of Top Gear can now see three new cars from the presenters’ latest challenge, in the World of Top Gear exhibition at Beaulieu.
The Motorhome Challenge required Jeremy, Richard and James to make a motorhome that was both compact and cool. All it had to have was somewhere to sleep, somewhere to cook, and somewhere to go to the loo. Of course, the way each of them tackled this challenge was very different.
Jeremy’s Grand Design was a three storey minimalist construction with clean white lines perched atop a Citroen CX. Unfortunately Richard and James’s attempt to push Jeremy’s motorhome to the edge of the cliff (so Jeremy could see it from the Pub) didn’t go to plan, resulting in it rolling it off a cliff. Which is why what you now see is just the crushed remains of Jeremy’s motorhome.
Richard’s offering is a converted Land Rover 110 motorhome. A stone effect finish conceals a ‘flat pack’ interior of aluminium and acrylic sheeting which can expand out to a 12 room ‘mansion’, requiring mere hours and the loss of several knuckles to achieve.
The infinitely less complicated Lotus which James converted into a lightweight motorhome was inspired by the work of the pioneer aviators. This simple pod, constructed from aero grade aluminium and canvas, preserved the performance, handling and vague infidelities of the original car with only one major design flaw – he’d built over the petrol cap.
Also joining the line up of Top Gear cars in the exhibition is the actual ‘gondola’ used by James May for his caravan airship. The idea was that it would blend seamlessly into any camp site and get there without clogging up the roads. In reality, it drifted off course and then crashed through a bush!
“We like to keep the exhibition as fresh and contemporary as we possibly can and what could be better than for fans to see the show and then the cars just a few days later,” said Stephen Munn, Commercial Director at the National Motor Museum.
World of Top Gear features a collection of cars created by the presenters for some of their most ambitious challenges on the TV show over the years. Exhibition highlights include the Top Gear ‘Enormodrome’ which aims to recreate the feel of the Top Gear studio, where the TV show is filmed in front of a live audience.
Regular features from the programme including the Cool Wall and the Celebrity ‘Lap Times’ boards are kept up to date in line with the show. Visitors can also watch an exclusive video presentation from behind the scenes at t he TG HQ with Jeremy, Richard and James together with clips from the show featuring the cars on display.
