JC in Topgear magazine

[srebbe64]

I don't know if this has been posted, but my kid's Topgear magazine arrived yesterday (June 05). Clarkson has written an article in it about TVR - very amusing. Basically, he makes the point that TVR says "up yours" to the litigious, UK nanny state. One of his kids had a small accident at a karting place and he was called to see if he wanted to make a claim of some sort and he said "it was just an accident, that's life" (or words to that effect). The point he was making is that TVR have given the finger to the nanny state by building cars without safety and driver aids on the basis that the real responsibility lies with the driver.

On the negative side, the Tuscan 2 he was given for the week had a number of faults and he was less than impressed with the build quality.

Anyway, it's worth a read.

[Mrs_T]

Never underestimate the inginuity of an idiot (not aimed at anyone in particular!)
Karen

[srebbe64]

los angeles said:

Hi Srebbe. It's all very well for JC to bang on about driver responsibility, but we were all taught it is the other driver who is the idiot, and kamikazi pedestrians Nature's way of testing our skills. When motoring expect the unexpected - but don't expect to avoid it.

Hi LA. I guess, however another point of view might be that the owner must take full responsibility for the choice of car that they have elected to purchase, in the full knowledge that there are bad drivers out there.

[targarama]

Clarkson does slag TVR off a bit for still being down on finish quality. He says they should focus on getting electric/trim bits right instead of changing model every 5 minutes.

I agree.

[brentstevens]

Agree with both the last 2 postings.
I went from a Porsche with all the latest safety gizmos/numerous air bags etc etc to a Chimaera and lately to a Tuscan.
This was done in the full knowledge that TVRs do not have all the safety bells and whistles.
I am an adult (albeit old and grey) and fully responsible for my own decisions/actions. I wanted a raw powerful sports car to drive - maybe this was a kick against the nanny state in which we find ourselves today.
If I wanted to be wrapped in cotton wool, I would have stayed with Porsche or bought a Merc or BMW. It is my decision and I am eternally grateful to be able to have the option to buy a car such as a Tuscan.

[tvrolet]

los angeles said:

Hi Karen! Those adverse conditions demand cars are fitted with active safety devices as well as passive ones.

Duh? I managed to drive a Cerb as a daily driver in Scotland for 3 1/2 years without mishap, and encountered my fair share of rain/sleet/ice/snow etc., even used it to drive up to Glenshee/Cairngorm/Nevis Range in the snow to go skiing. Before that a 3.2 Carrera of a vintage sans ABS, power steering, traction. airbag etc....managed 120,000 miles in that without mishap in all weathers. In fact the reason I moved to TVR from a 911 was the newer cars (C2/C4 at that time) all came with ABS and the whole driving experience was too sanitised.

Hmm, got me thinking though, maybe I should build-in some traction control into the Tuscan, and ABS? On the other hand - my choice - I don't think I'll bother as I just don't want them. Hell mine isn't even going to have power steering or servo brakes

From countless previous posts you make it clear you have a pechant for active and passive safety devices, and that's just fine by me. There are plenty cars out there for you to buy that have them fitted by the shedload. More airbags than you can shake a stick at. TVRs don't, and for that I'm glad I have the choice.

And if your dream of sanitised TVRs comes to fruition, what manufacturer next? Caterham - hey their nasty dangerous cars don't even have side doors! Noble? No airbags or ABS in there IIRC. And motorcycles - dangerous or what? No ABS (apart from some BMs), no traction control, no roll-over protection, no airbags. Folks would have to be mad to choose to ride something so unsafe....yet folks do. Folks CHOOSE to.

WB

[leadfootlydon]

brentstevens said:

Agree with both the last 2 postings. I went from a Porsche with all the latest safety gizmos/numerous air bags etc etc to a Chimaera and lately to a Tuscan. This was done in the full knowledge that TVRs do not have all the safety bells and whistles.

Same with me. I sold the BMW because there was no way to turn off the ABS and it was forever kicking in *just* before it should have. Worse than that, it had some kind of 'panic sensor' and would decide, on its own, to suddenly apply more braking than I actually wanted. Sports car? Pah!

[UncleDave]

"We all die eventually, the only thing that will make it better is by having more fun until then."-UncleDave, 5th May 2005



It worth the risk for a Tiv anyday, plus fancy crappy safety equipment means extra kgs and extra £££

Can people sue car companies if cars don't have necessary equipment there?

Dave.

[Mrs_T]

Hi Los Angeles!,
Hope all is well State side.

JC still seems to have a soft spot for Tiv's given that I spoke to him a while back on the set of Hot Metal/Top Gear (Opps! just dropped a name on the floor!). I personally couldn't imagine not having a Tiv now and hope to continue to enjoy it for many years to come. The prospect of driving the new cerb is a bit daunting but you only live once . I just needa bit of help restraining the worst passenger in the world (Steve_T). This isn't news to him, he freely admits it.

My moto is "Never have a battle of wits with an unarmed man".
Karen

[snorky]

- sorry just envisioned Steve's mug as you floor it in second....
mine always was..."The gap between theory and practice is not as wide in theory as it is in practice"

>> Edited by snorky on Thursday 5th May 22:38

[Mrs_T]

" sorry just envisioned Steve's mug as you floor it in second....". A mixture of terror and helplessness, all at the same time!. But seriously, I'll be happy if I don't stall it pulling away .
Karen

[d_drinks]

srebbe64 said:

The point he was making is that TVR have given the finger to the nanny state by building cars without safety and driver aids on the basis that the real responsibility lies with the driver. On the negative side, the Tuscan 2 he was given for the week had a number of faults and he was less than impressed with the build quality. Anyway, it's worth a read.

The fact that TVR's don't come with an array of acroymns to keep the driver out of the hedges doesn't mean that they don't have safety aids. The roll cage fitted to the Cerbera, Sagaris, T350 C/T means that in the crash tests the cars are subject to they passed by a huge degree,with something like only 10% of the passenger cell intrusion allowed for the car to pass the test. The Tuscan S in a 0-100-0 test in auto car had the best braking time of ANY car there inc. the ABS enabled porkers etc. (though please don't start another ABS good or bad thread!!) so the brakes are good.

Working for a race team that has seen one of their Tuscan's impact the wall at Donnington at 92MPH and seen the driver walk away. I'd be more than happy to trade that sort of safety for ABS, PSC, ASC, DVD or anyother electronic system.

Still good to hear JC had a relaistic view on things, though a shame about the QA issues

[parrot of doom]

These are passive safety devices, which don't intefere with one's enjoyment of the car.

[d_drinks]

parrot of doom said:

These are passive safety devices, which don't intefere with one's enjoyment of the car.

My very point dear parrot. They have safety aids to protect those in the car but they are passive and do not interfere with enjoying the car.