Long forgotten British TV motoring shows

[Bebee]

I always liked the tune when this started up.

Top Marques

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BkcJ-FSMeQ

[williamp]

a one-off from the early 90s: Rowan Atkinson "the driven man". Not great quality, but check out the sierra taxi driver and the only known footage of a 90s lancia saloon (!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RT71iETt9Zw&li...

and of course, from 1997 (damn near 20 years old!!!)

Driving school
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UediCv6Fe8

[Kitchski]

Anyone remember 'Driving Force' (I think)? Think they had a load of TV stars (not 'celebs' back in those days).

I seem to remember Murray Walker was presenting, along with that dude from 90's TV who died recently. They had the singer from Level 42, Jonathan Palmer, Barry McGuigan and a few others all doing different car-type trials. It was filmed on Jersey, used to love watching it when I was a little kid.

[Norfolkandchance]

Kitchski said:

Anyone remember 'Driving Force' (I think)? Think they had a load of TV stars (not 'celebs' back in those days).

I seem to remember Murray Walker was presenting, along with that dude from 90's TV who died recently. They had the singer from Level 42, Jonathan Palmer, Barry McGuigan and a few others all doing different car-type trials. It was filmed on Jersey, used to love watching it when I was a little kid.

Yes - Its already been discussed and branded as "cool" by an 8 year old me.

[Kitchski]

Norfolkandchance said:

Yes - Its already been discussed and branded as "cool" by an 8 year old me.

Ahh, well I came to the right thread then!

[Jimmy Recard]

lowdrag said:

"The car's the star" I remember only too well. Arrive at shoot at 2pm, arrive home at 6am and the car is shown for about 3 minutes!

Great pictures though!

E-Types are hard to flatter in pictures, I always think. Something gets lost. Those pictures capture it very well

[4rephill]

When I was a kid, an annual "Must watch" programme for Myself and My Dad was the Top Gear RAC Rally Report - Complete with the inspired choice for the theme tune: "Duel" by Propaganda: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvzbdjLg_fA

For fans of the early days of group B rallying and "proper" rally cars, and the theme tune, here are some more happy memories: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufmmr4_IYtI

[Simes205]

4rephill said:

When I was a kid, an annual "Must watch" programme for Myself and My Dad was the Top Gear RAC Rally Report - Complete with the inspired choice for the theme tune: "Duel" by Propaganda: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvzbdjLg_fA

For fans of the early days of group B rallying and "proper" rally cars, and the theme tune, here are some more happy memories: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufmmr4_IYtI

I used to come home from school and watch that.

[swisstoni]

Johnspex said:

Does anyone remember the driving competition between the army and the London car/driving club? It was on Grandstand once a year. It was all off-road and against the clock. It must have been early sixties.

I do! As a small boy I thought Christmas has come early when I saw military offroaders like the 6WD amphibious Stalwarts rally crossing with Palfingers trucks and all sorts on the Grandstand I think it was.
Naturally it was sparsely interspersed with about 8 hours of horse racing.

[swisstoni]

Coming more up to date, there was a fairly dull car show that had one riveting segment, probably called Cat and Mouse.
A Jag of some sort with cat's ears and whiskers chased a minor celeb in a small car done up to look like a mouse around a small enclosure with obstacles.
The object of the game was for the celeb to last as long as possible before being rammed!

[snapper seven]

Jukebag said:

The Citroen DS episode of The Car's the Star was a good one too. I'm currently going through some 180 plus tapes trying to find the episode on the Lotus 7. So far I have:
Fiat 500
Citroen DS
Citroen 2CV
VW Golf gti (why I have that one on tape I don't know, certainly not a classic in my eyes and should never be)
Ford Capri (another overrated "classic")
E-Type Jag
Austin Healey
MGB
Ford Mustang
Austin Mini
Triumph Herald
MK 2 Jag

I also came across a series aired in the early 90s on Channel 4 titled "Classic Cars", which centeted around the early 90s classic car boom.

I have the Lotus Seven one burned to disc so can help you out if you don't have it.

Cheers
SS

[P5BNij]

Most of them are still on youtube, I watched the one on the Jensen Interceptor the other day.

Anyone remember another series from around the same time called 'On Careful Owner'..? The Gordon Keeble and Rover P5B Coupe episodes are also on youtube.

[TR4man]

P5BNij said:

Most of them are still on youtube, I watched the one on the Jensen Interceptor the other day.

Anyone remember another series from around the same time called 'On Careful Owner'..? The Gordon Keeble and Rover P5B Coupe episodes are also on youtube.

Yes, remember them well. Narrated by a Geordie lass.

If you go onto YouTube, search out TR4man's channel (now that's a coincidence, isn't it? )

[wildcat45]

Simes205 said:

Are 'Kick start' and 'junior kick start' allowed on this list?

With Peter Purvis.

Hands up who would then go out on their Ralegh Grifter with their mates and play Kick Start?

[thegreenhell]

LotusOmega375D said:

More entertainment that factual but what about The Winning Streak from 1985 with that Metro 6R4 prototype?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDOJUYlaYz0

OK so it was poo, but so are most other old TV car shows.

The full series is now available to watch on youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBVvuxUipo4

[Ardennes92]

LotusOmega375D said:

More entertainment that factual but what about The Winning Streak from 1985 with that Metro 6R4 prototype?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDOJUYlaYz0

OK so it was poo, but so are most other old TV car shows.

Remember seeing a 6R4 prototype during the filming of the BBC rallysprint program at Donnington park in the early 80's, where they pit rally and F1 drivers against each other using a stage through the wood at the bottom of the circuit, an auto test and a race around the circuit. Think maybe Tony Pond was demonstrating it in plain white, think they used TR7's or Rover vittesse for the competition; metro appeared the following year in computer vision colours. Martyn

[the pips]

I've been trying to recall a British kids TV programme from the early sixties. It's sort of on theme as there was a motorsport element. Basically they recreated grand prixs on a scalextrix track! Any one else remember it or the shows name?

[23]

Drive-in....Thames TV

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HvuT9OmJ_HI

This clip of the DTV team was filmed at what was then MVEE Chertsey.

23

[23]

4rephill said:

When I was a kid, an annual "Must watch" programme for Myself and My Dad was the Top Gear RAC Rally Report - Complete with the inspired choice for the theme tune: "Duel" by Propaganda: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvzbdjLg_fA

For fans of the early days of group B rallying and "proper" rally cars, and the theme tune, here are some more happy memories: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufmmr4_IYtI

Heard it on R2 whilst at work this week. 'Top Gear Rally Report!!!' I said. Not a flicker, wasted my breath. Thanks for the clip, great memories of following the RAC ...

[lotus72]

I've just come across this; http://www.racrallydvd.com/
There's a little clip you can watch.