Top Gear - Car Of The Year 1998
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- Опубліковано 15 жов 2024
- In this segment of Top Gear, the Top Gear team review the best cars they drove in 1998. We see them review each car, before they decide on a winner.
Soundtrack includes: Elvis Costello - Pump It Up - 0:00. The Tamperer Feat. Maya - Feel It - 8:43.
'Failed racing driver Tiff Needell.' Get's me every time Clarkson says it
Not seen this clip before, and they all have great chemistry between them, its a good team, lots of humour. This is great. The new Top Gear needs the same kind of chemistry between the presenters, in a way that it comes across as natural, not scripted.
Tiff, Clarkson, Quentin, and Vicki were a fantastic group of TG presenters. I would honestly say not that far off the 2002-15 trio.
😂😂😂😂
Tiff can really, *REALLY* drive.
No he talks about how he can drive, he’s a driving failure
@@autoroom21 Tiff won 3rd overall at Le Mans in a Porsche 962 and was talented enough to break into Formula 1. Guy's a legend.
@@autoroom21 say what
Bring back Tiff, Clarkson, Vicky, Hammond, and May.
Tiff and I think Vicki are now on Fifth Gear.
No one ever says Quentin lol
ToyCorp Uk Ebay WorldWide shipping available. Quentin’s my favourite 😆
That VHS noise...
Ik tell me about it! It’s nostalgic and brings me back to my childhood in a heartbeat and I love it all Asf!❤️
Got to say I’m no ford fan, but the mk1 focus is a cracking car that is incredibly reliable , mk1s in good condition still look smart
I wasn't a fan of the styling when they first came out but maybe that was something to do with the gaudy colours that they also had because i now own a 2004 Mk1 Ford Focus in a very non-gaudy dark grey colour. I don't usually like grey cars (I had a Mk3 Astra in Mistral Grey and didn't like the colour) but dark grey suits the Mk1 Focus in my opinion. It handles brilliantly and the build quality is better than most comparable cars of the time.
I actually really like Tiff. While I can't imagine upsetting the (now gone) Clarkson Hammond and May chemistry, I think he would've been great in the updated format TG. I would actually have rather liked to see an episode with the three of them as well as Tiff.
Tiff was always a meat and potatoes guy when it came to cars. The show was trending towards automotive junk food when he left.
Back when Clarkson was the "sensible" one
yes he was,
Back when it was a car show as opposed to light entertainment.
@@retepyam5858 Fifth gear and Top gear were great
Fifth Gear is still the old spirit of the Old Top gear, while Clarkson, Hammond and may went over the top and became what people loves it.
then BBC destroyed both because "redacted" hates both for being too old brittish
He was not the sensible one. He was the only one who was not a complete and utter tosser!
@@Bitterman5868 Clarkson punched a producer? They kept him on after a series of controversies and drew the like when he punched someone, I think that’s probably quite lenient
Am I nerdy for loving Old Top Gear? I guess that's why James May is my favorite host in the new show. Fifth Gear is good too in my opinion.
Dariy Novik nope. petrolheads like the old stuff, the new stuff and the in between stuff too. cars.... cars and other things you put petrol into. nothing nerdy about that..... honest (i hope they believe me).
3:37 It may look "too much like the old one" but the styling on the 3-series aged extremely well. Doesn't look out of place in 2020.
You can say that with most of these cars. Conservative styling.
The combo of Clarkson, Hammond and May just works.. But its quite interesting to see this lot together, pre Fifth Gear.. Wonder why they split... Well, i think we know why but hmm.
My dad bought that generation of S Class new. Awesome car, reliable, comfortable, and fast. Unfortunately at 160k miles it got hit by a semi truck.
At which point it kept its occupants safe and sound I trust?
Was the semi-truck driver okay?
Old top gear ftw
Vicki was hot back then too !
+Bilal Ahmed she will always be bangable
Bilal Ahmed she’s still hot !
She was 26 at the time of the video. Now in 2020 is 48 and still looks good.
Quentin is the best when it comes analyzing the cars and the other host on this show, anyone who says he a bore is dreaming
the mx 5 design has aged well
And it is the best car of the group, mechanically-speaking. Their engines and transmissions are bulletproof and they take much longer to rust vs their European counterparts.
The only downside is their second and third owners have done stupid mods on them that ruin what made the cars so good in the first place.
The Focus has a bit the same problem as the Golf: eye turner when new, but only after a couple of years there were some many on the road that nobody would notice you when you turned up in that car.
The alfa, as unreliable and actually quite poor finished as it is, simply is the car to become a classic one. ;)
+FrightfulAccountant If your purchase decision is based on "uniqueness" alone, you're doing it wrong :)
Not on uniqueness alone, but I do rather dislike driving a car everybody else drives...
+FrightfulAccountant Same here, actually.
Unfortunately that does mean I'll have to get something that's a bit overpriced, a bit impractical and a bit inferior compared to the "mainstream" cars. A Ford Fiesta ST might do just fine...
I would like to have an Alfa, but they are expensive o run in every single aspect...
I went for a G8 Honda Civic 'spaceship'. Has very extravagansic looks, without braking my back.
A Focus S I may buy one day in the future, when hey are getting rare and very special ;)
Latest Focus RS realy is a beauty! But expensive as well unfortunatly. Still if you have a lot to spend, it's one of those great sporty but practical cars to buy!
4:47 I've been looking at buying one of these (in fact that very model, the S430) and I know that air suspension is incredibly wallowy but it makes no difference. Because the S-Class wasn't designed to go around corners like a race car, it was designed to scream down highways in comfort.
Ford Focus from 1998 to about 2004 rotten in 90% cases on the rear arches and read doors :D
My dad had an Alfa Romeo 156 2.5 V6 veloce Spec. It had so much character, Busso V6. Just enough power for a FF drive line. Out of all his cars that's my 2nd favourite. His GT4 being top. Bluebird zx turbo being a close 3rd.
Henderson was right about the mx-5. I love that nimble little beaut, especially the new Miata.
The BBR turbo versions are fantastic! The chassis, engine and brakes can handle the extra power and they are huge fun. The original 1.6 engine was derived from a turbocharged rally car engine I believe.
First time I've ever seen Clarkson in the back of a car, even in the passenger's seat.
“More than a house” 60K now could probably rent you a flat in London for three seconds.
My mom had a Focus (2001) for almost a decade and I have to say that in terms of handling - that car was better than my wife's new bmw. It was a great little car.
+Burger Van Dreamz My 207 GTi would pee on it
All inside work, it has pipercross induction, front mounted intercooler, downpipe back only, now for the stage 2 remap. I don't know if it actually would stock either but it's turbo'd, but I still love it anyway- removed all the GTi badging so it just looks like a regular old shit 207, at least to the ricers...
yo bub i got 106 gti, 708 cams, 4-2-1 manifold etc, proxes, slaps most things. can guarantee my 106 is better than your focus also i think they are tanks compared
coco mgee nice one, sounds like it's had quite a bit of real non-rice work. yeah it would stomp on it, the 106 is a very light little car, you're lucky to own one.
cheers, yeah i havnt riced it out however it was ricers that got me into em weirdly enough haha, just times changed by time iv got one(well iv had 3 106s 2 saxos, 1.1 106 2 1.4 saxo and quiksilver, a saxo vtr and a proper gti :P im a french car whore lol. ps i love the sound of your 207 im loving those
i think james mays personality its absolutely brilliant. ive seen him in his show "man lab" and hes just great, wouldnt like to se anyone else in his spot on top gear now.
I miss the old top gear format!
Jeremy Clarkson, Tiff Needell and Quentin wilson were great!
It's good to have a serious program with a bit of comedy/sense of humour thrown in...but now it's all gone too sarcastic!
Thanks for the memories!
Shortly after this was filmed, Jeremy had them all killed and ate their roasted flesh in a sandwich.
The MK4 Golf still looks great today, like it's been out for only a few years. The Focus definitely looks like it's from 1998.
Um... Just the opposite. Golf looked old-fashioned at the stage of developing. But first Focus looks brilliant even today !
lol in the end i thought the cars suspension was gonna break . Tiff is crazy!
They really were a good bunch together. A lot of character between them, different to current Top Gear with May and Hammond, but still brilliant.
I have an Alfa 156 2.0TS from 2000. They are not that unreliable as you think, but for sure not the most reliable either.
They chose right though, the Focus is an awesome car.
Some of the best TG banter I've heard. Much better than the canned exchanges of recent years.
what? if tiff was 47 years old back then....does that mean he is 63 today???
kraenk12
66 now mate..😂
68 now😂
@@Supercarcompilers 69 now
@@lavanderlavandin9017 nice
73 now 😮
Yeah, I actually prefer this line up to the current Top Gear. You say different, but really it has been the same all these years. There was Willson, who is very similar to May in the sense he is very grown-up and like a gentleman. Butler-Henderson was like a sex symbol, to which Hammond is very like too. Clarkson has always been himself and has his point first. Lastly Needell has always been the teams test driver, giving driver involvement and phenomenal car control, as like The Stig.
How is he getting that s430 to slide like it’s some sort off Silvia?! He’s damn good!
When it was new, the suspension on the W220 was very good, the pnumatic airmatic had sway bars, the ABC dealt with all that hydraulically.
That's when it was new...
20 years later, replacing parts is a nightmare on the wallet..
The Honda Accord is probably the only one on the road today.
i would've chosen the e46 bmws 3er. it looks ageless and beautiful, even today when it's 18 years old.
Or the mx5, both have held up very well.
Travis Smith yes i love the mx-5
It could pass off as a 5 year old car! It's such a great design, I really like this generation of BMWs
So Tiff is 64 today!!!!!!!
9:04 The Tamperer Feat. Maya - Feel It.
With those presenters probably best motoring show ever made
This was what top gear should have stayed as....real car show on real everyday cars with a few odd supercars here and there....messed with the formula gave JC a big head and bang that's it......All over...
It still exists. It's called 5th Gear, which you'll find is still running on Channel 5.
GetOverHere83 I know. ..but it's still not the same. Need actual reviews of the cars...not how fast it goes around a track or how sideways you can make if go.
Your so right it's pathetic now,cringe worthy
dogsitter68 I do like 5th gears reviews much better...and better drivers...more skillfully.
For those who want to know the music playing near the end its Feel it by The Tamperer ft Maya
W220 was a 2000 model year car?!? Wasn't the 1998 S-Class the W140 at the time?
+Chthonian121 The W220 started production in August 1998
Tiff is good value! Excellent racing driver and his opinions on cars very respectable.
I don't know if you will agree, but the 1998 Astra still looks modern when I see it on the streets of England in 2011. It may be dull, but the design lasts somehow, and unlike the A class from '98 the Astra still fits in as a modern looking car.
You're right!
Now when I see these cars on the road and remember the cars back in '98, I can safely say that one of the most reliable, safe, and fun car to drive in that time was the Honda Civic. When it's un-riced, it has no major maintenance issues. It's also very cheap on gas and maintenance. The Si and Type R variants remain a favorite in the world of tuner cars because they are fun to drive and they deliver power when properly tuned. Some of my friends owned one and not one of them thought it was a P.O.S. unless they riced it.
Old, jauger, for, sale
My mates is still running without any problems and he bought it in 2000.
Rick schiffer However the Civic was changed in 1995/96 and again in 2001, this was for new cars released in 1998
Had a focus Mark 1, 1.6 flight. Best handling front drive car I've driven. Replaced with Mark 2 which felt like a barge in comparison. Achiles heel though of focus was refinement. The road noise on poor surfaces made long journeys tiresome. Engine wasn't that great either. Bit harsh. Still looks good. Mark 2 was arguably worse. Blander. More solid but lost the magic.
5:21 i shouted NO!! in the middle of my screen.
Yes, your right. The current Top Gear is like a Sitcom.
We've had a 1st gen focus. It's a timeless smooth design on the outside but inside, it's a bit blend. It's also prone towards engine failure at around 80k miles and the engine is a bit loud inside the cabin. I've always liked the tail light placement on the hatchback version and was sad to see it changed on later generations.
So glad they Gave the award to the FOCUS!!
i so wanted that alfa to win. probably because i own one but still that engine and the handling is just amazing.
Old top gear became 5th gear? Didn't know that.
how in hell does the e46 look too much like the e36?
Yeah
I liked the A Class of that era
I love the Jaguar XKR I wish they would bring it back.
Hate to say it but Top Gear got a lot better when Tiff and Vicki left. I like the new format so much better, not as dreary or boring.
it's not better because they left. the new format kept evolving and it had its ups and downs.
Tim? You again? You're as dumb and ignorant as 12yo CoD players commenting under army/weapon videos.
This has its charm
wouldn't be surprised if that s class suddnely burst it's air suspension. tiff was nailing it!!
The Music at 9:15.... is that the original on what the Futurama Theme is based on? Sounds familiar....
Not to mention "Racing driver, of very little brain."
Tiff Needell is the finest Top Gear presenter to date. Most talented driver on TV!
Ahh, when 240p was just a twinkling in our analogue VHS's wildest dreams.
@dimiterdakov I get what you mean. The Police force still use this current shape of the Astra, but I don't find the car attractive at all. The Focus on the other hand is still a good looking car, even after 13 years.
The first time I watched TG back in the day I thought "Tiffany Dell" was going to be one of the lady presenters...
oh, well.
It may have of been ahead of its time, but its way behind now. Even though the Bmw 3 is 'pricey', it is the best, and still is a benchmark of luxury/driving dynamics and practicality. if anything, it shoulda been the S class, thing is still more luxurious and high tech than 80% of the cars today.
mk4 gti is soooooo much better than the focus in every way.
especially the vr6
Ehhhh, I can't say I agree. I own a 2003 GLI 24v, and I love it, but it was still about $10k more than a base Focus at the time, so it's hard to make a comparison. Plus the mk4 suspension setup was awful until they updated it in 2005 for the mk4.5, while the Focus handled well from launch. The build quality is actually better on the Focus too surprisingly, I've had so many electrical problems with my car...
kolby4078 there is no vr6 gti. that an r32. and they are both rubbish. the gti is soooo slow.
MrBusunglueck There was in the U.S., Mk3 and Mk4. Slow compared to what.
the_niceking
there was a vr5 in the mk4 and a vr6 in the mk3. they were called that tough and not gti. but technically they had gti suspension and stuff. and mk4 golfs apart from the 2,8 and 3,2 litre took over 8 secs to 60... thats slow.
MrBusunglueck
As I said, in America, the mk4 GTI came with the BDF 24v VR6, and was swapped to the 1.8T for the mk4.5, we never got a VR5 model in the states, and thank goodness. The 24v we got here made 200bhp and 200 ft-lb, and was just a little bit slower than the BMW 330i of the time.
It's not fast by modern standards, but these cars are over 10 years old now, and weren't soooo slow at the time.
Oooh I would so love somewhere to practice my driving and do stunts like Tiff. I would need a LOT of practice though! 😅
Fast forward to 2020 and there are more Mk4 Golfs still running around than Mk1 Focus.
From a 2019 perspective, there is no doubt that Golf 4 is the best !
As the owner of a 260k mile W220 S500, I have to agree with Quinton. The W220 is an incredible machine, there is no reason a 2 ton car should handle so nimbly. With all this mileage it still doesnt burn oil or give any indication that its exhausted in any way.
Look at the absolute joy/fear in Vicky's eyes and how much fun Tiff is having throwing the car around. Until you drive one, I dont think it's possible to understand. Its a massive car but it feels so much lighter and responsive than my '76 MGB.
Mercedes Benz laid out the blueprint for the pinnacle of large yet responsive sedans when they built the W220. The W140 has the best reputation but it's a barge, the W220 proved that even a tanker ship can maneuver like a jetski with the right amount of engineering.
I found it weird how clarkson wasn't driving at the end
Driving the Mazda MX-5 where it was meant to be driven: in English fog/drizzle
LOL the uploader's name is hilarious!
"He's not the stig,he's the Stig's superhero's cousin!" or "He's not the stig,but he's the stig's UA-cam cousin!"
Great video, but why discount so many cars simply because they don't look as good as the previous model..?
so ye. all of these vehicles look good, maybe because I was a 12 year old kid than and they war my glory-days for car passion. Not that its much weaker now, but when you grow-up you just take this from a another perspective. I remember that my father owned a Volvo 760 GLE Turbodiesel from 1994-1999 and i was dream of an S80...
podobała mi sie nawrotka na końcu :-)
šta priča ovaj
We did have it. It was badged here as the mercury cougar
>Peugeot 206
>Looks fantastic
Pick one.
@beloslav, What, you think that the Focus shouldn't have been voted as the TG Car Of The Year?
How could I do these turns with the focus? Drive the same one
Looks like the episode was recorded in the (British) summer.
WTF... tiff and vicky are at 5th. gear right.... what happend for them to leave?
I only know TG as it is now, weird.
Still the best looking Focus
Song at 9:05 please? Those bells really take me back!
No your wrong. Yes Tiff and Vicki are in Fifth Gear, but they were also former Top Gear presenters.
9:14 what's the song
How can a 2009 song be in a 1998 video? Song which you may be referring to is Can You Feel it by The Jackson 5... the song at the end is however Jessica by The Allman Brothers Band
best line has to be .... volvo s80 ...has a number of commendable features, however Quentin couldn't find any of them when he tested it earlier in the year. This proves my theory that EVERY buyer of a new Volvo buys it for what it says in the brochure... go on, test drive one.... I dare you.
Thank god they changed the format, too many presenters and too mainstream.
To be honest, your right. I saw a W Reg not so long a go and it looked awful. I mean it was quite rusty and didn't make a great noise. It's a shame.
best looking focus
God, the only thing this video did was make me lust after the elusive Jaguar XK8/XKR even more. Mother took me to a Jag dealership when it came out in NZ back in '97, I was just 6 years old. They were absolutely stunning back then and look even better now, just so understated and svelte, no wonder they based the Aston Martin DB7 off them, floorpan, styling cues and all. They had depreciated to $18-30,000 NZD by 2005, and have stayed there ever since. Bloody good resale value considering how cheap Mercedes SL's and BMW coupes from the mid 1990s are. Man, somewhere within the monotony of savings, life priorities and other such things.... I'll need to figure out a means to fulfill that boyhood dream some day.
well... they could have chosen worse... the golf...
Apparently in 1998 spinning out in a car meant it had good handling haha
That s class 97, 98 where a class apart. An awesome machine.
What car is the is the ford in the beginning?
Ford Puma
Wow didn't remember Vicki ever did TG. Jeremy referring to Tim as failed racing driver. 🤣🤣
Dagenham dustbin car of the year brown envelope from Ford by any chance!?
I seriously used to wonder if Tiff used to be the Stig
Vicki was on the old Top Gear.....nice...
I can't hear what he says did he call tiff a failed racing driver
You can still buy a S-class from that year today and it will be superior to 90% of the cars on the road.
Exept the air ride