Top Gear Special: Aston Martin (Newport Pagnell factory with Jeremy Clarkson, 1997)

[@StarHorseLover200]

This was the golden age of Top Gear. Proper research, genius musical background, humour. Just perfect. And Victor Gauntlett's accent is absolutely priceless.

[@richardclarke376]

indeed, what a class act

[@df2365]

Jeremy's intro is pure Alan Partridge; the bizarre analogies, the shell suit top with hands in pockets and "Cue the Elgar and bring on the Aston Martin Vantage!!"

[@adamhelenjoeharry]

I think this is exactly who Steve Coogan based Alan Partridge on LOL!

[@assininecomment1630]

I wonder how long it took for Clarkson to twig to Coogan's character inspiration...? 😏 Or, did _someone else_ have to finally wake him up to the fact. 😄

[@michaelhurley457]

I'm a Newport Pagnell lad. I've always had an affinity with the Aston Martin and worked on the demolition of the old lagonda factory. A few years later helped on the revamp of the outside of the existing side. It was always a dream to drive one which i eventually did drive the DB9 about 5 years ago and it didn't disappoint.

[@kristianspencer1978]

The v550 /v600 vantage is the finest Aston Martin ever made, beautiful car.💙

[@RoverWaters]

true

[@The-Sea-Dragon-1977]

Thanks for uploading. Proper cars and a nostalgic romp through 90's telly!

[@harrykelly4651]

Prince Andrew knew he needed a getaway car from a young age

[@louieb.1564]

you mean FOR a young age

[@huzcer]

He never got away from wanting to play doctors and nurses. His ideal car was the pedo express.

[@cmbaileytstc]

Spicy! 🌶 😅 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@louieb.1564]

@La Verdad HAHAH

[@robertbanger495]

Brilliant 🤪😆😆

[@pauliewalnuts240]

He was a bow legged, curly haired, bad dressing part time presenter when the db7 came out. By the time the db9 came out, he was a bow legged, curly haired, bad dressing absolute legend.

[@JackKing12.]

Love the good old Top Gear...

[@steviesindahouse4903]

P.S. So nice to meet some of the people behind the scenes. One of the drivers who won in the DBR1 at Le Mans in 1959 was Carroll Shelby; I think you could safely say that Carroll’s success with Aston helped him with his own ventures including the Cobras, Shelby Mustangs, and the GT40 programme (interesting then that Ford were later to buy Aston and arguably join the long list of saviours; the world would be a poorer place without Aston; a huge heart felt thanks to every one of them; and what a wonderful legacy; every Aston you have the good fortune to see!) 😊

[@michaelmeliambro5117]

Carroll Shelby wouldn't be caught DEAD at the wheel of an Aston.

[@wretchedrider2157]

Good Lord.... The 90s British nostalgia strikes DEEP with this one. Thank you for the upload!

[@gc7820]

The smokescreen for Randy Andy to cover his escape from Pizza Express

[@jameshenderson1498]

Prince Andrew and Ryan Giggs’ cameo’s didn’t age too well 😂

[@sporkfindus4777]

This is the Jeremy Clarkson that I like: informative, factual, passionate about the topic and engaging with the people he interviews.

[@JohnMorley-yi8jt]

One of us yes ❤

[@farishanafiah8461]

That's why I love watching Old Top Gear a lot more than CHM Top Gear/The Grand Tour. I don't want to see mocked hatred.

[@michaelmeliambro5117]

@@farishanafiah8461 XD Mocked hatred is all TG is!!!!!

[@assininecomment1630]

Oh dear. 🤦‍♂️ 🤭

[@wallyr.7854]

This was a true gem of a video, thank you so much for posting this. The Aston Martin DB4 will always be one of the most beautiful cars ever built 😍

[@michaelmeliambro5117]

Chevrolet Corvette C2 Sting Ray begs to differ on that statement.

[@wallyr.7854]

@@michaelmeliambro5117 If you’re referring to the 63 splitty, then I totally agree 👍🏻

[@XJag9684]

E-type entering the ring swinging for the title. I'd say the '59 Ferrari 250 swb IMO.

[@bicyclist2]

I'm a big fan of Aston Martin and Jeremy Clarkson. Sadly we never got this program in the US. Thank you.

[@michaelmeliambro5117]

And why should you, as a Yankee, be remotely interested in a company that turns out less cars than the whole of Detroit can????

[@thomasfroschke369]

@@michaelmeliambro5117 size is not everything

[@michaelmeliambro5117]

@@thomasfroschke369 But sales DO matter, and Aston has hardly anything they can brag about in that department.

[@jacobl6714]

@@michaelmeliambro5117 wtf? because, and I say this as a "yankee", an aston db4 zagato is more beautiful, more soulful, sounds better, and will hold its value better than any camaro, mustang, challenger or even shelby or tucker. What a ridiculous thing to say. Aston Martin is the most desirable car manufacturer on the planet and have been for some time. Can't say that about mercury lmao And doesn't matter where someone is from, they can appreciate anything, the principals and ideals that make humans value a piece of art like a painting or car or tv show are universal. And sales are the absolute last thing that matters in regards to what people like, or the mark of whether or not something matters, or is good

[@RazgulTheKind]

@@jacobl6714 Gotta love gatekeepers huh, as if the piece of land you were born should dictate what you can and can't appreciate.

[@farishanafiah8461]

Finally, I've been looking for this episode. The original one has been taken down, so it feels great to see it again.

[@sjr999r]

Been looking for THIS for years on KZbin…now finally. Fantastic 🤘🏼😎

[@MeTube3]

Happy memories seeing Tickford Street, Aston Martin open day was always fun in a Newport Pagnell.

[@russcattell955i]

I was on a VW course at MK in the 80's. I had to stop over at Tickford St, to see the hallowed sheds.

[@mykehyslop198]

As an Aston owner,I appreciate the history of the company.

[@nickrussell5119]

I did security there back in the 90s, saw some amazing car's.

[@jdffee5076]

mondeo

[@a-hit8454]

Thank you soooo much for uploading this video. I've been looking for this video since 2012 when i first watched it on Daily motion.

[@stuartliddle7228]

Am 50 now, I loved working with the old school as a young 'un. Proper quality.

[@Fuuntag]

3:18 guess OG Top Gear is in the Red Letter Media cinematic universe?

[@mattharcla]

Used to lust after Volante Vantage, 1986. Eventually found one parked, top down, outside a bungalow in W Hollywood in 2009. And it was just an old thing left too long in the sun. Then I saw an XK E in a show room, and true love blossomed. But still, just an old lump of metal with dodgy seats. To really become timeless, they need to be loved, maintained, lived with, and above all, driven like hell hounds.

[@michaelmeliambro5117]

LOL And yet you were suckered into buying that lump of metal, nonetheless.

[@mattharcla]

@@michaelmeliambro5117 No.

[@michaelmeliambro5117]

@@mattharcla Then why did you go searching for one???

[@mattharcla]

@@michaelmeliambro5117 I didn't. The show room was on my route to the shops.

[@pgr3290]

The V8 Vantage is such a good looking machine. The later series as shown here 17:47 is a dream classic for me. The convertibles look amazing as well. Volante X pack in either Balmoral Green or Chichester Blue. 6.3 litre V8, quad carb, 432 horsepower, bulging bonnet, flared arches, muscular sill extensions. Ok they are $500k these days. Oh well.

[@dancarter482]

The only real non American muscle car.

[@robertburke6174]

I recall the Top Gear episode where Jeremy drag raced it against the also new Lamborghini Diablo. They were neck and neck up to about 150mph when the Diablo’s smaller frontal area came into effect.

[@dancarter482]

@@robertburke6174 Gonna have to dig that up. Pity the Diablo was SO damned UGLY!

[@admotorvideos2984]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/faPPoX6cnqxnbqM :)

[@robertburke6174]

@@admotorvideos2984 ah fantastic! I have not seen that since it aired, a time when I was an expat Aussie at Middlesex Uni and had only recently met my future English wife. What a saunter down memory lane. Funny too how memories work as in my mind they actually raced to 150mph when I ‘saw’ the Lambo pull ahead 🤭😅

[@Markknightexeter]

I watched this about the age of 10 with my Mum haha, nostalgia!

[@Jameswoodgo]

My home town and even though I have lived in the paradise that is Australia for over 30 year I still miss Newport

[@michaelmeliambro5117]

LOL You won't anymore after you get through with this.

[@Jameswoodgo]

@@michaelmeliambro5117 what do you mean

[@alolanstarboy]

I’m kind of surprised Carroll Shelby’s name was not uttered even once when talking about the Aston Martin win in 1959 lol. Though, I guess this was 90s Britain and more people revered Moss than had even heard of Shelby

[@jacktattis]

Shelby was a good driver back then but Astons were swamped with Brit drivers then Collins Hawthorne Moss and others

[@michaelmeliambro5117]

Bcuz it's a LIE. Carroll Shelby wouldn't know what an Aston Martin is, and he'd be off better for it!!!

[@kennethdrewary1094]

Piece of trivia, the DB5 from Goldfinger also appeared in an episode of The Saint, in a different colour.

[@madcommodore]

My favourit Aston is the one Timothy Dalton drove in The Living Daylights.

[@stratpluslover8391]

It's my favourite aston martin too its just a car you need in your life the lines are like a ford mustang its just a beautiful looking car

[@michaelmeliambro5117]

@@stratpluslover8391 Comparing an Aston to a Mustang is just an insult to Mustangs.

[@jermaineonealnumber7]

Nobody says "cue the Elgar" in association with Astons quite like Jeremy, I love it when he does that.

[@ronniewilson6597]

This is how Top Gear should be.

[@MrAndemob]

Ah, "Mr Hairstyle" and Aston in the 1990's - I read his (re)view on the (Virage/V8 Vantage) in 'Performance Car' in 1993 or 1994 - quite a piece 😊

[@BackSeatHump]

Don't know really but the 1980s Vantage for me is the most beautiful car.

[@puggzymalone5824]

Can someone please let Richard hammond know that Clarkson is wearing cowboy boots in this film!!! Clarkson always takes the piss out of Hammond for wearing them!

[@jonnyd6809]

This needs to be seen by more car lovers.

[@henrikcarlsen1881]

Good one. If anyone liked the undelaying music it was made by Garbage (Supervixen) - I hope that wasn't a pun to the quality of the cars.

[@raycroal]

tune

[@metube9541]

When Top Gear was about cars and not a narcissistic light entertainment show.

[@farishanafiah8461]

Fifth Gear reminds me of this era of Old Top Gear.

[@antiochiaadtaurum3786]

back when top gear was a proper automotive show

[@richardsheil5289]

Hadn't realised Gauntlett was such a caricature.

[@williamwilliam5066]

Such an interesting man. Imagine what a pig's ear a working class caricature would have made of it!

[@Petrospect]

Reminds me of Hilary Bray or...Hilly from On Her Majesty's Secret Service almost to a t lol

[@MeTube3]

Victor Guantlett used to fly a Mk1 Spitfire over the Newport Pagnell factory for a laugh.

[@tonydoherty2190]

Only one problem with that episode they didn't show the best aston martin the living daylights one

[@3wheeling28]

16:30 - V8Vantage

[@steviesindahouse4903]

Wonderful! Just curious; the audio drops out for a little while during the DB5 segment; I assume due to a music copyright claim; is the full version available anywhere? Thanks so much for uploading. 👌 .. 😊

[@ayepmashuri2094]

4:13 jeremy’s yorkshire accent there

[@anthonyleighton4754]

Aye the lad must have must have reset posh for Donnie,.... Doncaster

[@olewurtz7625]

The comment about Aston Martin being more interested in making cars than money, is certainly no longer the case 😳

[@michaelmeliambro5117]

XD Weren't they ALWAYS about making money!!!

[@jacobl6714]

Ohhh boy I would do simply unspeakable things without a moment's hesitation for a db4 zagato. Most beautiful car ever made far as I can tell E>

[@michaelmeliambro5117]

Does that include murder, I presume??? Also, the most beautiful car ever made???? The 1963 Split Window Corvette Stingray would like a word with you on that.

[@punishedgondola1814]

2:50 that's right Jay

[@e3dave744]

How cool looking is the Jag C type 😘

[@pat8593]

thought id seen them all. good video.

[@giuliopedrali4794]

In my opinion Aston Martin V8 and Aston Martin Lagonda are the best expensive cars in the history.

[@timorgano]

I remember this episode. It was great. Shame someone had to dub out the copyrighted music. There was some stuff said over the top we've also lost

[@garypoulton7311]

Always dreamed of having one, I now have two, bought my first one 22 years ago, for about what a windscreen cists today, only cars I have ever made money on, but as they are still mine, I have not made a penny, but used a lot of money on them

[@issawatson4374]

intro is trippy af

[@gasfeefees6647]

Man.. the 90s. What a decade.

[@jensgronning4436]

It’s amazing how incompetent British car manufacturers are at the business side of making automobiles.

[@charliewenthe4411]

Don't forget reliability too

[@kevinwilliams1421]

But the beauty of the machines

[@lookoutforchris]

@@kevinwilliams1421 it’s like the Greeks. When their art and philosophy were at peak their government and society were a mess. When they got their business in order their creative and intellectual efforts were at an ebb.

[@jacktattis]

Yes too many amateurs involved look at David Brown using his tractor business to prop up Aston.

[@michaelmeliambro5117]

Seems their incompetent at performance, too!!!!

[@markchip1]

That '80s Zagato sounded like absolute perfection!! Oh, if only...!! Guess I'll have make do with a DB9 or a Rapide!!

[@_Ben4810]

Colin Chapman gave Aston Martin a lookover during the mid 70's, thinking it might be a good addition to within Group Lotus....But he was so appalled at what he saw at Newport Pagnell & how relatively backwards they were in their production processes, he decided against any possible purchase of the business....!

[@jeffreyrwilliams9345]

what would the Dragons say? lookin at you Peter, Debra, Duncan....

[@nickdanger3802]

Clarkson in cowboy boots then slagging Hammond for being an American because he liked NASCAR.

[@alexkeeling685]

It's a lovely film. A real gem actually. Hindsight now shows us what a disaster the period of Ford ownership was for the brand. Ford parts in an AM?...I don't think so. Ford's PAG made identical errors with Jaguar. Moving on from the DB7 was essential as it was never really more than a XK8 - or as JC put it - a Jag in drag. The later AM models were/are sublime. Thanks for posting.

[@liverpoolscottish6430]

What nonsense. First of all, without Ford, Aston would almost certainly have gone bust. Or did you not hear what Victor Gaunlet said? No Ford, No DB7- or any of the other Aston's which followed. Ford parts in Astons? Hilarious! Whilst the Ford sourced switch gear has been durable and lasted in DB7's, the Aston components HAVE NOT! DB7 interiors literally fall apart, trim falls off, head linings sag, the veneer on the walnut fades, peels or goes milky. You think the DB7 was never more than than a XK8 do you? That's genuinely amusing too. Motoring journalists back in the 90's reached a consensus that the XK8 was a better car than the DB7. The Jag interior was far superior than that of the DB7, and build quality was better. The 3.2 engine was inferior to the Jag V8. Both DB7 and XK8 used the underpinnings of the XJ-S, only Jag did a much better job with their XK8 than Aston did with the DB7. The i6 is rather slow, and the V12 is too fast for the soft, wallowing chassis- neither is a great drive, whilst the XK8 is.

[@alexkeeling685]

@@liverpoolscottish6430 I think you might be missing the point. Any relationship with Ford's PAG - an entity described as a terrible strategic error by Ford by a number of informed industry commentators - and through that to Jaguar was way off the AM brand values. The DB7 was a low point for the Company and this is reflected in the prices DB7s achieve. All of your comments re the DB7 build quality are valid. Whether the XK8 was better or worse is a moot point. Ford mishandled all of the PAG brands including Jaguar and not just AM. AM is still here because the brand is so strong and is recognised by Global Superbrands as the world's most iconic brand.

[@jacktattis]

@@alexkeeling685 well said Nothing associated with Ford lasts .

[@Tracertme]

This car DB7 definitely saved Aston Martin on this occasion , I wonder if the DBX can do the same this time.

[@michaelmeliambro5117]

Hopefully not, bcuz one century of Aston Martin is more than I can stomach.

[@Tracertme]

@@michaelmeliambro5117 why’s that..

[@michaelmeliambro5117]

@@Tracertme J.C. himself explained how Aston was ALWAYS struggling to keep itself afloat for one thing, from David Brown selling out to being taken over by Ford, all bcuz they couldn't produce enough to keep up with their apparent "demand." With that kind of record, I'm honestly surprised Ford didn't just buy them out and scrap the Aston brand entirely.

[@filipeferreirac]

​@@Tracertme Ignore him--he's just a troll. And yes, the DBX could well turn out to be as important to AM as the Cayenne was to Porsche. It's likely the reason why all the exotic car manufacturers like Lamborghini, Ferrari and Maseratti are all making SUVs now.

[@michaelmeliambro5117]

@@filipeferreirac Bcuz without SUV's, god knows they'd have nothing substantial.

[@damianleon9837]

Thank you to Lawrence Stroll for his recent acquisition of Aston Martin and getting it back into F1

[@TJTruth]

how many cool British cars have failed due to strikes? I fell in love with British cars an the history, an it seems a lot have the same story. Manufacture will make a car that everyone is excited about get a ton of pre orders..... and no one wants to work! We have our problems with the hive minded here in the states as well.

[@trwsandford]

Do we get sound back at some point?

[@MoultrieGeek]

At 11:08. Probably had to cut the audio because of copyright claims against the background music.

[@admotorvideos2984]

Yep, copyright claim meant the audio was cut. I'm currently looking to fix this, but swapping out audio and maintaining commentary is harder that I thought. Bear with me :)

[@MoultrieGeek]

@@admotorvideos2984 Good luck, depending on the audio source it can be difficult to impossible to do without serious audio kit.

[@mykehyslop198]

The Aston in Goldfinger wasn't a DB5.It was a modified DB4.

[@BoskiM]

How do you know?

[@Sum_Ting_Wong]

Do you have any videos from 1996? Looking for the episode with the Nissan Skyline GTR V-Spec.....

[@admotorvideos2984]

Possibly, I wish I'd been a bit more detailed in my labelling back in the day. If I come across it I'll be sure to upload :)

[@Sum_Ting_Wong]

@@admotorvideos2984 thank you so much! I used to have it on VHS but my player messed up and the tape got ruined in 1999. Since then I've been looking for, literally, years! There's also another segment from that episode where Andy Wilman drives a road legal F3 car in Japan! 😊😊😊

[@DarkLinkAD]

Check the internet archives or the WayBack Machine.

[@giuliopedrali4794]

At the time, Aston Martins was unique (the DB7 so so) , today are luxury cars.

[@MavAuto-Pete]

Thank you for uploading ☺ What happened to the sound in the middle

[@admotorvideos2984]

Had to be removed for copyright reasons. Currently trying an alternative edit (or section of) to address this :)

[@assininecomment1630]

So.... _no audio_ from this point - 10:10 Was there a licensing issue? Some sort of copyright infringement? Clarkson's commentary was muted due to saying something bigoted about women, poor people, etc?

[@JoshuaGalka]

Love it!

[@timokuusela5794]

Aaandd, they forgot "The Persuaders" Aston, series with the best title music ever.

[@jameslatimer1432]

This was Clarkson at his best what happened in later years god knows!

[@jacobl6714]

I dunno, I still value the man. I see him as rather a treasure in this modern age of political correctness, horrible horrible electric mobility vehicles ruining absolutely everything I love about cars, and woke diversity-hiring box-checking logic-ignoring BS, Clarkson is one of the few ports in the storm so to speak lol

[@Pablo-sr2zx]

It's what you would call the BBC

[@jacobl6714]

@@Pablo-sr2zx ahh the Big Brother Conglomerate, right you are sir lol

[@moaningpheromones]

the biggest car show on earth happened. very popular. he irritated boring holier than thou idiots - his greatest strength.

[@ipanzerschrecku4732]

His big hair, Columbia jacket and cowboy boot period.

[@Dustinielson]

I like how poonce andrew's mini Aston had all the James Bond effects - like a smoke screen, to ward off rumours of podophylla.

[@kasperkjrsgaard1447]

But no AC as he never sweats - I’ve heard

[@jacktattis]

My Doctor has two Astons DB 9s I think and races one.

[@michaelmeliambro5117]

Did your mother ever tell you never to lie to others???

[@jacktattis]

​@@michaelmeliambro5117 aND WHAT ARE THE lIES YOU FOOL

[@ahmedeox]

There's a rumour that Prince Andrew still uses that car to pick up his girlfriends

[@kevinwilliams1421]

He uses a ice cream van now

[@frankengels7843]

So, why is the audio missing when we get to the DB5 ???

[@farishanafiah8461]

Avoiding copyright violations.

[@udeychowdhury2529]

Victor Gauntlet!!!!

[@udeychowdhury2529]

...quite well in the oil business

[@doctorpatient519]

9APR22: loss of audio from 10:09 to 11:08! anyone else?

[@byronmills5952]

Monty Norman's James bond theme. Muted for copyright.

[@doctorpatient519]

@@byronmills5952 aha! thnx for the clarification

[@poorfordtransitowner1627]

Im guessing the no sound was bond music

[@oneandonlyjaybee]

It's so weird. This era Clarkson was so definitely Clarkson. But yet 2020's Clarkson is also definitely Jeremy Clarkson but they are so different

[@lookoutforchris]

I miss the Afro.

[@Abrora77]

, Aston is the best!!!!! Always!!!

[@oler777]

23:06 who are any of these people?

[@thedetailingdoctor5746]

Funny thing is he did put the DB7 on a track against a 575m a few years later on top gear 😆

[@farishanafiah8461]

That's the Vanquish.

[@pripph1355]

The James Bond-scenes were cut out.Typical!

[@kelvinh8327]

Pity about the lack of sound when be gets on to the DB-5

[@admotorvideos2984]

Attempting to fix this (copyright problem due to James Bond music)

[@michaelmeliambro5117]

Actually, it's the OPPOSITE of a "pity," bcuz no one should be subjected to hear the abominable drone of its I6.

[@rrshowtime3900]

A MARTIN is a BIRD look at the WINGS on the LOGO.

[@ciarand2823]

so the employees on the verge of strike action on the assembly lines were paying more tax than sir David Brown, and when it looked like the company might actually make a few quid they altered prices to benefit the wealthy customers rather than the chancellor of the exchequer. some good old British values there for sure.

[@koolracerguy]

My favorite Aston would be the Vanquish Johnny English drove

[@farishanafiah8461]

I don't think there's a Vanquish in JE. I do remember the DB7 V12 Vantage from the first one and the classic Vantage in Reborn.

[@nonamen4104]

13:42 Lemmy's voice

[@bluh654]

song at 24:35 ?

[@JoeWilson175]

Supervixen by Garbage

[@paulrandomview]

Why drive lovely cars like a boy racer in an Astra GTi? My DB7 just used to like cruising on the M3 at 110 mph. It refused to go any slower, as felt like it would stall. The rozzers advised me to sell it, so I did.

[@markmullen8536]

If I won the UK Lottery I would buy an Aston Martin Vantage no probs

[@michaelmeliambro5117]

LOL Except you're not in the UK, are you???

[@nicholassheffo5723]

He forgot to note that the 10970s Lagonda saved the company.

[@richardrichard5409]

Is this a comment from the future.

[@nicholassheffo5723]

@@richardrichard5409 Ha ha. Sorry for the typo. 1970s and it saved the company, despite being late and having issues. Too bad they did not make the Bulldog. Thanks!

[@hectorae86]

In all honesty, the db7 didn't age well. It just looks dull

[@TheBadBunny87]

Disagree the V12 vantage looks gorgeous and the first edition straight 6 with the dinner plate wheels looks elegant. The interior though, is neither here nor there. Lol

[@farishanafiah8461]

16:54 Lawrence Stroll enters the chat.

[@fillman86]

can you at least put in subtitles for the silent part please?

[@Joe-sn6ir]

what happened to the audio???? annoying

[@admotorvideos2984]

Muted due to copyright issues. Currently trying to edit and upload the section with just the commentary. Unfortunately not as straightforward as had hoped.

[@peterbradshaw8018]

The marketing was poor Hans Wilsdorf could teach them a thing or two.

[@johnwh1039]

Kind of uncomfortable watching a video with Prince Andrew in. Its a bit like watching a TOTP with Savile

[@deanrussell2224]

Can’t have programs like this anymore - broccoli waving and EV loving lgbtqvyps snowflakes would spontaneously combust !!!! Miss the 90’s more every day !!!