Jeremy Clarkson's Car of The Year

csv8 · 24-01-2009, 12:41 PM

Feel free to read that headline as many times as necessary, but yes, it's true: Clarkson-san wrote "Out of nowhere, my car of the year," the Corvette ZR1. The man who pooped on the spearhead of electric cars has given an American high horsepower pushrod V8 the gold and glory. And this is after comparing the ZR1's predecessors to Big Macs: "Cheap, plastic and at the right time, and in the right place, sort of just what you want."

Not only that, but to put the ZR1 on its pedestal, Clarkson went so far as to remove the Caterham 500 he had previously placed there. On the show, he said that the Caterham was the best of the year, but in his article writes, "However, if you broaden the search engine and look simply for the best car of the year, the Caterham isn't in with a shout because it's ugly and geeky and I wouldn't have one even if the option was the loss of my right testicle."

And so the ZR1 reigns, even though "it's not built very well." In Clarkson's words, it is "both docile and extraordinarily savage," looks good, goes fast in a straight line and around corners, "most of the time bumbles about like a forgetful uncle," and costs "lots for a Corvette" but is a bargain for the performance. His only lament about the car was this: "unless the healthcare and pensions company that makes it can be turned around, it will be the last of the breed." The ZR1 - winning hearts and minds...

UNR8D · 24-01-2009, 03:11 PM

and i agree with him, im not a corvette fan but that is just one AURSOME car, aside from a 440K GT2 porsche GT2 nothing else comes close to it for go to whoah.... I really really want to have a steer of one, ive driven a Z06 while it was 'different' it wasnt a good different aparantly the Z01 is just sublime.

Wretched · 24-01-2009, 04:27 PM

nice choice, it would be between the ZR1 and the GT2.

anyone upset the FG didn't get a mention? :P

bangm001 · 24-01-2009, 05:18 PM

Iv always been a viper fan (and a mopar guy), but the ZR1 is pretty nice, i would buy one if I already had 2 vipers ;-) Then S/charge them to drill the 'Vette! LOL!
Nah its a very nice car, and I agree with him in that modern performance cars of today have too many interfering electronics. The first thing I would do everytime i started my own BMW M5 or similar, would be to turn every interfering electronic element on it to off.. So I would be paying all that money for gismo's and R&D I would never use. Just my 2c!

ehast13 · 25-01-2009, 10:57 AM

The bfIII wagon should have won. with e-gas option.

FPV8U · 25-01-2009, 12:33 PM

ZR1 is nice, brutal power and torque yet so simple.. Big V8 + S/C = Smiles

Personally i'd be more interisted in a AMG Mercedes or even a Audi..

Rev28K · 25-01-2009, 01:35 PM

Like the ZR1 it has faults (like the seats) but seems bloody good value for what it is and is trying to be.

And as for a Caterham I'd have an R500 (sequential auto with cage and without windscreen) any day of the week. Threatened with the loss of a testical or not.

**TUF_302** · 25-01-2009, 07:40 PM

Good choice, Vette's are one of my fav american muscle cars!

Ives · 25-01-2009, 08:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FPV8U

Personally i'd be more interisted in a AMG Mercedes or even a Audi..

It'd be interesting to see Clarkson choosing between the CLK63 AMG Black Edition and the Corvette ZR-1... cos Jeremy really liked the CLK63 AMG, I think I read it somewhere that he ended up buying one.

gcg2503 · 25-01-2009, 08:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ives

It'd be interesting to see Clarkson choosing between the CLK63 AMG Black Edition and the Corvette ZR-1... cos Jeremy really liked the CLK63 AMG, I think I read it somewhere that he ended up buying one.

i thought he had the SLK55 AMG and the Gallardo

Either way the Vette was very impressive.

Not a fan at all of the Caterhams. A colleague at work has one and they are definitely fast, but I could never see myself lusting after one.

mcnews · 26-01-2009, 06:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FPV8U

ZR1 is nice, brutal power and torque yet so simple.. Big V8 + S/C = Smiles

.

I would prefer it with the previous engine though, the 7 litre job rather than the blown 6.2

itchy brother · 26-01-2009, 08:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wretched

nice choice, it would be between the ZR1 and the GT2.

anyone upset the FG didn't get a mention? :P

Bent8 · 26-01-2009, 01:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gcg2503

i thought he had the SLK55 AMG and the Gallardo

Either way the Vette was very impressive.

Not a fan at all of the Caterhams. A colleague at work has one and they are definitely fast, but I could never see myself lusting after one.

First he had an F355, sold it to get the AMG Merc, then he sold that to get a Ford GT, had problems with it so he sold that and finally got a Gallardo!

He sure does love his cars.

Apparently, Clarkson's Missus drives a Caterham on the weekends...