Aaaand we’re back, thanks to a new hard drive. We’re still trying to assess the data loss but it’s likely everything since the last backup was destroyed, based on the drive’s horrible scratching noise, which sounded like a school of piranhas chewing on a blackboard. Anyway, onto more nostalgic car news.
In his most recent column for The Telegraph in response to the 100 Ugliest Cars, Top Gear host James May reveals that he has just purchased a Datsun 120Y. You may know it as the B210 or Sunny, but we just call it brilliant! Here’s a guy that is among the most famous petrolheads in the world, a presenter on the number one car show in the world, and a bloke that can clearly afford any car in the world – as evidenced by the Rolls Royces and Bentleys in his stable – and he buys an old Datsun. We wonder if it’s that gorgeous black-on-lime green specimen that was on set in the GT-R episode and on track as it schooled Britain’s finest at the hands of the Stig.
When you think about it though, May is probably the only Top Gear man who would buy a Datsun. Who else would fit the bill, Lambo-owning power-sliding Clarkson? Porsche-loving metrosexual Hammond? Not bloody likely. On the other hand, May’s nickname is Captain Slow, so maybe this isn’t an entirely good thing for our cause. Regardless, May is our new favorite Top Gear presenter. Clarkson can go suck on a Peel P50.
Hey now, The Peel P50 is a sweet microcar in it’s own right.
I love Top Gear! Too bad there’s going to be a US version and we’re going to ruin it… (sigh) The best thing about Top Gear is they DON’T rely on advertising, so they can slag the cars that need to be slagged.
I think the US hosts are Tanner Faust and Adam Corola. We’ll see how it turns out.
I wasn’t dissing the Peel, honest! Clarkson hates any type of small/hybrid/electric/fuel efficient car and the P50 was one of the more memorable ones from the show. Sorry Jeremy, May is our new favorite. I’m sure you’ll be heartbroken.
I’m looking forward to May having a showdown with Hammond’s Opel Kadett!
Andy, I’d heard those names but apparently THE host will be Jay Leno; basically it’s his reward for retiring from “The Tonight Show” when he said he would.
Well, he did drive it through the office. That was pretty damn funny. If Jay Leno is on the show I’ll watch it. His car collection is nuts! Plus, all the folks I’ve talked to that have met him cruising around (he stopped in and chatted with some classic Mini folks a while back) said he’s just what he seems like – a real car guy with a ton of cash.
The Opel Kadett – we named our Italian Greyhound “Oliver” in honor of the Hamster’s yellow Kadett. 🙂 “OLIVERRRRRRR!!!!!!!!”
Oh – regarding backups and whatnot – I work at Costco and saw in our little magazine that we’re now selling a 2TB network storage drive (NAS) – I think it’s the “one book” or “one world’ or something like that. Didn’t catch it entirely, but hey – something like that would be great for backing up photos ‘n magazine stuff.
Hmmm, i was under the impression that Jay didn’t want to be associated with a potentially bomb of a show.
Could be- I had heard that a while ago, maybe he backed out due to public reaction?
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/driving/features/article3638037.ece
Leno won’t be doing it because he knows it will be ruined by sponsors.
I love my Datsun B210!
I heard that one of Jay’s favorite cars was a 65′ Honda S 600 convertible. I was never a big fan of his humor, but it’s certain that he loves cars. There is no way that Top Gear U.S.A. could ever be as good as the original, even if you took the BBC show just as it is, hosts and all, and put a big american flag over it. The average TV viewing public might suddenly understand the humor, but the car-nuts will dismiss it out of hand, no matter how good it is.
There was actually a recent episode of Top Gear in which Clarkson was wearing a shirt with 240z’s spread all over it, so I think he may be a classic Zed fan, at least.
Leno’s Honda:
http://japanesenostalgiccar.com/blog/2008/01/15/wont-you-adopt-a-honda-too/
which should look familiar 🙂
http://japanesenostalgiccar.com/article.cgi?section=profiles&article=hondaSM600
Clarkson’s shirt:
http://japanesenostalgiccar.com/blog/2007/12/24/jeremy-clarkson-decapitates-mr-k/