Ford Transits - Top Gear 1997 Jeremy Clarkson

Ford Transits - Top Gear 1997 Jeremy Clarkson
The Ford Transit is a family of light commercial vehicles manufactured by the Ford Motor Company since 1965, primarily as a cargo van, but also available in other configurations including a large passenger van (marketed as the Ford Tourneo in some markets since 1995), cutaway van chassis, and a pickup truck.
The vehicle is also known as the Ford T-Series, a nomenclature shared with Ford's other light commercial vehicles, the Ford F-Series trucks, and the Ford E-Series chassis.
As of 2015, 8 million Transit vans have been sold, making it the third best-selling van of all time and has been produced across four basic platform generations (debuting in 1965, 1986, 2000, and 2013 respectively), with various "facelift" versions of each.
0:00 Intro bit to the Ford Transits
0:27 Jeremy Clarkson talking about Ford Transits & Reviewing them
4:20 The Fastest Ford Transit
All rights go to Top Gear & BBC

[@dietznutz1]

Wow. A MK1 transit and a MK3 Jeremy Clarkson

[@jonathanlth868]

Lol

[@Spheredalai]

HAHA

[@isaacsrandomvideos667]

What a musical joke

[@kalebmaxwell5725]

What’s a Mk.1 Jezza?

[@dietznutz1]

@@kalebmaxwell5725 when he first started motoring journalism and hadn't yet evolved the Clarkson persona we love today

[@MrManBuzz]

Man, I miss that kind of advertising. Showing the transit drifting and being sent flat out on a rallycross stage? That's how to advertise a van 😂

[@chtholly8084]

I like how at this point, 'old videos of Jeremy Clarkson' is a genre of videos in and of itself.

[@TiptronicSS]

I remember those old vans roaming around the streets in the 90's. I loved seeing them as a kid. I would love seeing them again.

[@falsedragon33]

Me too! They would give us candy to get in, and take us to a place by the railroad. We would play monster rain, and tickle each other. I remember his van always smells like perm.

[@simonfranc9422]

Jeremy Clarkson was born as a middle aged man

[@pacificostudios]

It's fascinating to learn that British and North American drivers went for the "custom van" at the same time. I remember when every street had at least one van customized for camping.

[@sutherlandA1]

And in Australia too, ours were car based panel vans. Google Holden sandman, ford falcon sundowner and Chrysler valiant drifter

[@bghoody5665]

Yeah, not sure what Clarkson has against a camper-van. They were pretty much the SUVs of their day - a big, luxury ride that could carry a lot of people.

[@ThomasFarquhar2]

One day in the 1970s the entire world, in unison went "CUSTOMISED VAN FOR CAMPING"

[@cavalierliberty6838]

@@bghoody5665 because who wants to carry people around?

[@jasnterry1313]

@@bghoody5665 it's not the van he hates, it's the the van's driver

[@willcope4542]

Amazing how influential these Clarkson/Wilman segments from original Top Gear have been to motoring and entertainment television.

[@VorsprungDurchNik]

Even as a young(ish) man Clarkson was an old man...

[@niteblaster1]

Like James may😂

[@dougwebb704]

Funny I was thinking he looks like he's aged 50 years since 1997.

[@majorpaine211]

Vantastic. That's the word for today. I have driven Vans my whole life. I'm a GMC Savana extended 1 ton 410 horsepower tuned cargo van myself. But right now I'd settle 18 mpg transit.

[@syxepop]

For those of you in "the other side of the Atlantic" new USDM Transit vans (same as in Europe, except for engines and interiors) have petrol 3.5L V6 engines (NA at 280hp and 2T at 360hp). Used to have the TD-3.2L I5 as well until like '20. That doesn't count the new eTransit BEV's now / soon available on both sides....

[@Cookie-Dough-Dynamo]

How can you not smile just looking at Jeremy?

[@waynehankinson8210]

Clarkson’s look would fit in for 1967 but this was filmed in 1997.

[@yaxxbarl]

Example of Clarksonian Methodology from about 3:40 onwards...

[@Bob-ts2tu]

my dad had a 6 wheeler for his work in the late 60's/early 70's & i can remember many times us kids and grandparents would all pile in the back and he'd drive us to the coast for the day. no seatbelts, no windows, all sat on boxes and toolchests, great times.

[@martiniv8924]

Forgot he still had the Clarkson buster beer belly in 97’ 😁

[@Themaxleydog]

In 1997 that van was only 32 years old which means today it would be the same as jeremy clarkson talking about a 1990 transit van with the same nostalgia

[@akf2000]

I got married in 97. I could swear humanity was more advanced than this hahahah

[@stephenphillip5656]

I'm just wondering what sort of Nurburgring lap time the late, *great* Sabine Schmitz would've posted in the Transit F1....!

[@squeaksvids5886]

She’d break the lap record! RIP Sabine.

[@an2thea514]

She could have gotten that sub 10

[@OddGamerCA]

“80% of bank jobs featured a Ford Transit as a getaway vehicle.” -Jeremy Clarkson 2008

[@gavinmellon9313]

The red Transit driven by Clarkson lasted 11 years. Last on the road 4th October 2008.

[@markdullaghan847]

Probably rusted away like the rest of them

[@lucasbarton1773]

@@markdullaghan847 there is still a fair few about considering their age.

[@nevillebloodybartos]

Not bad for a transit 🤣

[@GenZbaby2000]

Best van ever made. My favourite has to be the Mk5 and I still see a few still going today.

[@lostonexxx]

I had a minibus mk5, bloody loved it :P

[@adeh503]

The Toyota hiace is the best van ever made

[@niteblaster1]

I've got 1996 mk5 Luton😀

[@niteblaster1]

@@adeh503 Not many about compared to transit though

[@karlkalina3022]

Personally my favorite is the pre-facelift MK6. It took the great styling of the MK5 and refined it to the point where it still looks good on the road today.

[@chrisclarke7828]

Terrific, l had a new twin wheel in '67 and a new Luton in '74, never had a problem. Had 6 new Sprinter's and 4 Iveco's and nothing but problems.

[@niteblaster1]

I've had mk5 Luton since 2009 Fitted new lift pump and that's all lol

[@OddGamerCA]

This is why Jeremy used a Ford Transit in the man with a van challenge

[@jamesmorris3123]

Back in 1966 I went in the 1st Transit van, it was a Radio, TV rental company that delivered rented TV's. No I wasn't the driver, a Saturday boy and got paid £1.

[@dplouro]

The Transit was the most brilliant vehicle mankind ever made. Not just in Britain. Took over Europe like a storm.

[@TheNapalmFTW]

It's finally taking over the US too. Finally lol

[@BeautifulNorfolk]

How on earth did Clarkson get all that hair into his helmet?!

[@bunnybismuth]

It's bigger on the inside

[@corvetcoyote443]

That retro, custom conversion van with velour interior is classic awesome 👍😎!

[@phaandorpertwee6981]

Amazing, I just realised THIS very moment that Doug de Muro copies the body language of the young Jeremy Clarkson. How come, I never noticed before?

[@jamesstuart3346]

Jeremy has more quirks and features

[@hatednyc]

This looks like it’s from 1986 not 1997

[@stephenm3470]

So many fond memories watching young Clarkson with my dad.

[@kevinbartram5302]

If that is what emergency plumbers drive and can hit 130, How come he can't get to you until a week next Tuesday?

[@AtheistOrphan]

It’s like if ‘your call IS important to us’ then why don’t bloody companies answer it then?

[@nico101gaming]

@@AtheistOrphan because if you had your boiler serviced annually like you’re supposed to it wouldn’t be an emergency to get to you. The people that complain are the ones that call you when it’s an emergency and then don’t give you any work for another 2/3 years. Most Tradesman Will look after their regular customers than those that only get them on a 3 yearly basis

[@AtheistOrphan]

@@nico101gaming - I DO have my boiler serviced annually thank you. I was merely generalising.

[@ThillerKillerX]

@@nico101gaming doesn't make up for new services. If I'm dropping $4000 you better answer your phone and show tf up when you say

[@Sam_Green____4114]

l had a 1999 MK5 "Smiley" Banana Engine Campervan Transit until about 4 weeks ago!! (Someone took it away to use as a Chicken Shed for 20 quid !!) Best transit ever !! Extremely reliable - easy to work on !!

[@kellygable1668]

oh man , seen this guy driveing some weird 3 wheeled brit car and he rolled it 3 times . he could not get out so passing pedestrians would push it back upright and off he would go for another block or so .. it would come skidding around a corner on it's side or roof ,but no one was supprised they would just push it over onto it's wheels . ah brits , gotta luv em .

[@SubTroppo]

3 wheels? Not a Morgan but a Reliant something: kzbin.info/www/bejne/boiafqWqbL2fa5Y

[@MARRANCA2]

My work truck is a Transit 150 that is like driving the Space Shuttle, compared to the E150 or the Savanah 2500 I used to use. Keep her in 4th, turn off traction control, and even with 2 ladders, it's fast as hell. If Stuart, Alan, and Phil had a Transit in Hangover 3, the bad guys would never have caught them.

[@Tomek1985]

I disagree. E-series and Chevy Express are 100% robust and reliable. Driving comfort is way better than transshit.

[@MARRANCA2]

Yawn

[@cvcoco]

Which was better, cheaper to repair and reliable, 2500 or E150? Or are they 50/50?

[@kenbrown2808]

@@cvcoco well, I drove a GMC 3500 with 300,000 miles on the clock for a few years. had to replace the water pump, aircon compressor, and the HEI ignition module during that time.

[@dplouro]

Wow, someone really saw Hangover 3

[@Tiswhattitis]

Did Clarkson really make a hair joke??🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@IrishWannabe]

Transits are by far the best vans ever made. We had 2 MK3 Transits and one MK5 Transit, currently we own a MK7, i love ford transits ❤❤❤❤

[@rabbitskinner]

No way , hiace was far more reliable

[@15-Peter-20]

No you don't

[@captain_context9991]

Its AMAZING that 1997 was practically the stone ages.

[@liamb8644]

No.

[@emma12345678961]

1997 was a disaster! 😀😀😀

[@Zero_Ninety]

it really wasn't. I'd take 1997 over 2022 any day.

[@forresg500]

I was 21 then Where have the years gone!!

[@ThillerKillerX]

@@Zero_Ninety I'd take 1939 over 2022

[@mb-3faze]

He hasn't changed much over the years - still a brilliant presenter.

[@doncarlodivargas5497]

He didn't attack other people because of a sandwich in that time?

[@mb-3faze]

@@doncarlodivargas5497 A man with many flaws. I hold him directly responsible for the delay in the mass adoption of EVs in the UK. Since he left top gear, EV adoption has improved - a bit. The latest presenters still like to be negative about electric cars but their narrative is not nearly as bad - but neither is it as entertaining.

[@doncarlodivargas5497]

@@mb-3faze - he is a brilliant presenter, and have tons of charm, but not so good at digging up Litium for the batteries

[@mb-3faze]

@@TommyCullen-VacuumConnisour a very clarksonesk comment, given that the year is about 10 hours old🙂

[@oddities-whatnot]

I had a Transit in 1988 cos it was cheaper to insure than a car at the time. I couldn't afford a Range Rover and wanted a big vehicle to sit high up. Loved that van. Happy memories of getting up to all sorts of nonsense in it.

[@markwoodger2]

Does everyone watch old Clarkson videos, then search the registration plates to see if they still exist?

[@volvodude101]

you can do that in England?

[@markwoodger2]

@@volvodude101 yes but it won't let you know where the registered vehicle is located.

[@thetruthk5138]

Seek help ;-) to much time on your hands !!!

[@cambs0181]

He enjoyed POWER, even back then.

[@waynehankinson8210]

That F1 Transit van was awesome, I would drive something like that here in Florida but only in the dark so no one could see me.

[@mrheineken88]

This van is part the reason my group beat the schoolrecord for getting back after the dropping. As a kid i could tell you if it was a Ford Transit coming of something like a merc from the second you could hear them. I used this to our advantage. We could walk close to the road(witch we found thanks to an autistic classmate with mad mapskills) the teachers drove up and down to drop more groups. The road was kind of busy, but i could tell if what was coming was a Transit or something else, so we didn't had to dive in to the ditch every 30 seconds. I still like (and remember) that sound. Sadly they are almost completely disappeared

[@Lewis_Treff97]

There's still a smiley faced transit ice cream van that sometimes comes through our street. Don't see many of those anymore but can always tell what it is from the engine noise

[@lucasbarton1773]

We have a Mr Wippy ice cream van and it’s a smiley faced transits, they seem to like them and the old Mercedes too. Love how they still use them!

[@Lewis_Treff97]

@@lucasbarton1773 we more commonly have an old Bedford HA ice cream van that's been doing the rounds here for years

[@lucasbarton1773]

@@Lewis_Treff97 woah really! I did not think any of them still worked as ice cream vans anymore! I did see one being used as a van for a plumber earlier this year, looked incredible!

[@Lewis_Treff97]

@@lucasbarton1773 my next door neighbour had a plumber or decorator round and he was driving a tatty corsa b combo van

[@lucasbarton1773]

@@Lewis_Treff97 they are very scarce nowadays, most of them have rusted away! Not as rare as the Corsa B van though.

[@jeromethemechanic6871]

That hair!!!

[@DangermuffinVideos]

10/10

[@13strange67]

He even had a beer belly in those days

[@harrybriscoe7948]

62 in the USA here. I had the Matchbox one in my collction

[@HookLineAndSinner]

Today's transit rock.

[@dgoggin2k10]

"That's for me to know and for you to find out" Alright Jimmy Savile

[@EtonieE25]

Clarksons hair 😆😆😆😆

[@malaisemusclecar1163]

They did this again in “new” Top Gear...you know the good Top Gear.

[@svy99n]

Early 1980's production Racing ! 250 yam and a mattress in the back off to Oliver's Mount ....... Happy Days 😊

[@bs7157]

i used to work for G.E.C years ago. i remember them vans,

[@bacchusinstituteofscience8650]

Clarkson is 37 in this clip, let this sink in

[@chilli-soup]

The worst thing about being 50 is being 50. The best thing is the 70s, 80d n 90s which makes up for it.

[@standbanger2]

The custom transit is still around it was last on the road in 2017!

[@adeh503]

Every transit van should come with a free mig welder as standard

[@niteblaster1]

Rust proof it then it don't rust, My 1996 has no rust and never been welded 😀

[@seamusoflatcap]

They already come with a copy of the Sun and a McDonald's wrapper, don't they?

[@garethjudd5840]

The Transits engines today blow up because of failing wet cam belts and water pumps catching fire 🔥😂

[@leopold7562]

I’ve driven a fair few vans in my 50 years on this planet. The Transit has always been the nicest to drive, as it’s like a massive car. Everything else was a big, rattly, noisy tin box with no power, awful handling and very uncomfortable. It’s really not hard to see why the Tranny is so popular.

[@jasonwindebank5455]

Me too i am on my fifth transit and drove them for over 20 years never bought anything else

[@TheKonstantinius]

What about MB Sprinter?

[@justbreakingballs]

Vivaro was more car like

[@Rapscallion2009]

I've not driven one in a while, but this was always true when I drove vans a lot. The Transit was always the nicest. The MB sprinter (and it's various rebadges) all felt far more van-like and less nice to drive than the Transit. The transit was comfortable, handled nicely and felt van-like enough to be a van but car-like enough to be a car - hard to define, but Ford just got this one *right*.

[@rayoliveira3325]

Muito bom. Parabéns pelo vídeo eram um bom tempo. Os carros eram feitos para durar série ouro

[@K-Effect]

4:07 The brush/cattle guard looks good on that van

[@And-ur6ol]

Ahh yes, a Vintage Clarkson from Clarkson Island, with a bit too much hair

[@TheDAT9]

Ah, memories, tearing down the A1 with my foot on the boards.

[@pcas96]

A shock what's become of Jez omg the beef and red wine has taken its toll but still my favourite van.

[@lucylocket4740]

Is anyone not going to comment on his hair in this video, my god, he looks like the guitarist from Right Said Fred here! 😂🤣

[@finnharp]

Jezza = Man of style!

[@buxvan]

I've got a mk2 tranny van and I love it.

[@milfordcivic6755]

The front end of the 1st gen always looked like the Chevrolet Vega and a USA Econoline 150 had a child.

[@TheWacoKid1963]

Shame they are now built on the cheap in Turkey :(

[@hrod9393]

Why does it look like it was filmed/broadcast in 69s/70s???

[@darrenangel461]

I saw that very black yellow gec transit at the 1996 motor show.

[@MrMaster2262]

90% of Burglaries were committed using the Mk1 Transit while the other 10% was on foot

[@niteblaster1]

Bank robberies

[@HM2SGT]

Thought I heard Hammond a few times there…?

[@mtdteedee2856]

Amazing van

[@regularcitizenofffarquhar4698]

Roy Wood on Top Gear, my life is complete

[@jasonwindebank5455]

I had a smiley face transit on on a 95 plate great van

[@matthewcummings9024]

Owned a Mk5 "smiley" transit with the "banana" engine when I was a courier. Many happy memories in that thing. "Annie the Tranny" I called her! 😆

[@twozup1098]

That bronze custom van has been SORN’d and no MoT since 2017. Hope it’s still alive

[@carmanbazza]

My Transit was a petrol pinto engine, back in 1990.. was nice

[@davidbull7210]

Ah the Ford transit, vehicle of choice for bald Sun-reading gammon steaks.

[@DaRealBruner]

Here's a controversial statement. The older Ford Transit looks like a bigger, four wheeled Reliant Supervan.

[@AnthonyThomas_Ant]

Clarkson ‘97 commenting on unusual haircuts. 🤔

[@Ifitallfails]

Lol I drove a late model one a few years ago for a hvac company.... it was a bit small tbh and im 6feet. But its cool to see the history on these.

[@hepburn118]

Mean while in Australia people are using actual Ford engine transplants to piss all over 650hp. 1000hp+ Barra engines (4.0L 6 cylinder turbo engines from the Australian Falcon) are being shoe horned into Bedfords and transits and killing the 1/4 mile. Have a look at the skid factory to see a transplant into a bedford.

[@dcarbs2979]

Maybe fit better gaskets?

[@niteblaster1]

Pointless thing to do though

[@hepburn118]

@@niteblaster1 Apparently only to people who lack imagination and the capacity to enjoy a project like the one I wrote about, which seems to describe you appropriately. Bugatti didn't think 1000hp was pointless so why is a few blokes wanting to do it to a van for fun? Yes, I am conflating the two. They are both amazing achievments in their own right.

[@639704234200009]

In the late 60s throughout the 70s up to 1979 British Pakistani Folk used to drive them all the way to various parts of Pakistan, pay huge custom at the pakistan side of the border at Torkham, the last border town before crossing into PK. They used to sell them getting the money back for the custom, the price of the van and any costs to travel there and still make a profit. They still run them over there but brakes, engine and gearbox either gets regular overhauls or changed over to Toyota parts. In the UK every Asian shopkeeper in the 70s and 80s had the mark 1 and 2 mostly diesel noise with twin axles. You would see them all at 5 am in the morning at Spitalfields market in East London. They were the good ol' days of the mark 1 and 2 transits. The first ever that came out had V4 petrol engines, they were the ones that used to outrun the police in bank jobs. The first diesel engines were Perkins then later in the 70s the York came out. Great wagons. And yet GPO used to run yellow Commer vans lool

[@alanjm1234]

Ford Australia used to fit the 4 litre inline six from the Falcon into the Transit.

[@TheMelbournecrew]

Was Jeremy in Flock of Seagulls?

[@DoubleOSeven007]

Who is this man with a mullet in 1997?

[@loganmosher5935]

Jeremy Clarkson

[@hjalfi]

I rented a long wheelbase Transit once to move house, and when I put my foot down with nothing in the back I suddenly understood why White Van Men get that reputation for driving. It didn't half shift.

[@westerlywind1035]

It's sad they stopped making these in the UK, they must provide about 10% of the UK GDP in the trade businesses over the country

[@sandozdelysid]

I could have a better life if this was on american tv

[@win95beta5]

lovely transits

[@normg2242]

I used to drive the late sixties model, it was awful. You had to lift your feet off the floor to get at the pedals and you had to lean forward to reach the floor-mounted shift stick. It was the perfect opposite of an ergonomic layout...

[@paulfletcher3998]

Last thing we want to know is if that dude got his leg over in the back of that Transit.

[@richardhammer187]

Or ever TBH

[@raycroal]

yup the most cringy 70's sounding thing i ever heard, no we don't care what you and saville were up to

[@nkt1]

@@raycroal Hardly fair to lump Roy Wood in with Saville.

[@squiggymcsquig6170]

Newer ones suck. Got in my '16, put it in drive, and the entire shifter assembly came off in my hand.

[@triple6758]

Clarksooon!!

[@infinityplus1489]

Having grown up in the Middle seat of a MK5 transit, its all I know

[@farishanafiah8461]

Anyone know the song from 4:23? I Shazam'ed it multiple times, but getting no result at all.

[@stephenmoutafis5587]

Hello John got a new transit

[@wakeawaken430]

I didn't know that the guitarist of queen made auto show

[@pepitogrillo4255]

Ahora , entiendo de dónde sacó alguno la lista de las furgonetas más fiables