Chim on New Top Gear

[phazed]

Is there a reason that Chris Harris stays with the other two apart from money?

[Squirrelofwoe]

pb450 said:

TwinKam said:

My worry is that they will play to the trope... abuse the poor thing until it collapses in a pile of steam and bent wishbones, turn to camera and say, "Told you they were unreliable".
Hope I'm wrong.

^^^ This!

I'm sure I remember Chris Harris being quite complementary about the Chimaera somewhere (I can't remember where now though), so in theory that should be 2 out of the 3 'on-side' with it! I'm sure the typical TVR stereotypes will still get mentioned though- for entertainment purposes obviously. Saying that, my own ownership experience has pretty much nailed the TVR stereotype so I'm not in a position to argue if they do

[Classic Chim]

^^^^^
Mines reliable. Been apart so many times it must be by now surely

[LucyP]

Squirrelofwoe said:

I'm sure I remember Chris Harris being quite complementary about the Chimaera somewhere (I can't remember where now though), so in theory that should be 2 out of the 3 'on-side' with it! I'm sure the typical TVR stereotypes will still get mentioned though- for entertainment purposes obviously. Saying that, my own ownership experience has pretty much nailed the TVR stereotype so I'm not in a position to argue if they do

It's a scripted show. It always was. Richard Porter (of Evo/SniffPetrol etc. fame) was the script editor, for instance. Harris will say whatever the scriptwriter wants, to fit in with whatever the theme is.

[Squirrelofwoe]

Classic Chim said:

^^^^^
Mines reliable. Been apart so many times it must be by now surely

To be fair mine is now! It's just the 4 years and £9k or so it's taken to get here.

And now we also have a Tuscan I don't get to use the Chim so much so it's probably going to go up for sale this summer. At least I have boxes full of all the bad bits that came off the car to show any potential purchasers 'what they could've won'!

[neal1980]

The fact they were referencing midlife crisis etc I got a feeling this ain't going to end well

[Tyre Tread]

Well at least they didn't rubbish it as was expected.

[Classic Chim]

I thought it was pretty good.
The Chim looked and went the part and would have beat the Saxo’s with a lighter driver
Freddie was smitten by it I reckon.
So far ahead they made him spin and run but still he won

[TVR Beaver]

Got let off the hook there I thinks.. mind you, he could not keep it in a straight line to save his life, but once he got that pendulum of a boot going, it had him backwards in no time

was cc was it??

[Classic Chim]

4.0 I thought he drove ok considering the wet.
Yes a broken chain might be a bit suspect but it’s still the best mid life crisis car by far

[pincher]

pincher said:

Classic Chim said:

Who’s car was it I wonder and what engine size. I hope it’s a fast one and not some old nag.
It will need to be a bit nippy and on some decent tyres against those two cars.
I hope it’s Freddy driving it though.
I don’t watch it but he was a truly great sportsman.

Hasn’t he said previously that he really wanted one when he was younger?

I knew he had

[Classic Chim]

pincher said:

I knew he had

Yes I seem to remember the Tvr tale of Freddie visiting the factory and wanting one.
He couldn’t get insured. At that age they saved the nation and probably English cricket and the ashes as he would have hurt himself

[TV8]

Just watched and really miss my Chim.

The Chimaera, is a fantastic looking car!

[sixor8]

I can't be the only one who checked out the registration? No data so it's been likely removed. There was a quick flash of the odometer showing 103k miles but I'd be surprised if a facelift Chimaera that was road legal only cost £8k!

The Monaro Harris fibbed about. Only the VXR version has that much power that he quoted (380 bhp), and without the rear spoiler and different front, that one was the 'cooking' 5.7. Still 328 bhp but man, they're heavy.

[Lincsls1]

sixor8 said:

The Monaro Harris fibbed about. Only the VXR version has that much power that he quoted (380 bhp), and without the rear spoiler and different front, that one was the 'cooking' 5.7. Still 328 bhp but man, they're heavy.

Absolutely correct, and that wasn't a cherished one. Terrible MOT history, worn this, knackered that.
Probably had ste tyres, different brand on each corner and the cooking models tiny brakes. All that considered, it put on a good show.
Both the TVR and Monaro sounded fantastic when revving out.

[Classic Chim]

The Chim cost more than 8k according to Facebook.
I think they added the roll hoop too.

It doesn’t make a lot of sense to buy the lower end vehicles and what was an MR2 doing in it.
I think Chris would have help off the kids in the Chim, it clearly had legs on the straights.

Overall a great result for our old cars. I think the public agreed and evidently the Chimaera is the ultimate mid life crisis motor
I might find me earrings
If I no longer owned one I’d be gutted after that. Freddie loved that thing, should have been a 500 though

[popegregory]

Where’s that road he was driving it along?

[blaze_away]

.....that drivers side headlight damage, what's the chances the car will be an insurance write off now and end up in the north east

[Classic Chim]

Someone mentioned they go to the TopGear scrap pile.
At 8k it’s worth someone contacting them and taking it off their hands for 4 now it’s knackered.

[miniman]

popegregory said:

Where’s that road he was driving it along?

The roads in the first few minutes are from Acton Turville up to Tormarton, and back from the Cross Hands on the A46 to Acton Turville.