Walter Rohl (430 Scud) vs Jeremy Clarkson (599 GTO)

Actually the old version of Top Gear which goes back to the seventies was still amongst the highest rated shows on BBC2 when it was shown. The show was a factual show and very much UK based with limited appeal in overseas markets.

You would be right to say that Wilman and Clarkson created Top Gear as a worldwide brand though.

 

Tiff Needle would mop the floor with all of them. Amazing on camera and behind the wheel.

 

Rally drivers are, in my opinion, the greatest drivers in the world. Rohl would be faster even in the california

 

Clarkson was on Old Top Gear from 1988 to 2000.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lXI_IDBXfg[/ame]






New TopGear came around the same time as everyone around the world started switching from dialup to ADSL/Cable/faster internets. The Internet(lol piracy) played a bigger part to their success than the actual show. Go re-watch the 1st season of Current Top Gear, it's rubbish compared to later seasons.

 

Hmmm, not so sure about that. Tiff also wastes a lot of time powersliding for the camera ... and I'm pretty sure Walter has more trophies .

Pete

 

it wouldn't be. I agree.

Well it would be close

clarkson is brilliant in the show IMHO. Wouldn't watch without his quirk.


My question would be, can Walter step into Top Gear and do Clarksons job well?

 

something tells me you've no idea who Walter Rohrl is.

 

I get the feeling that it isn't in him, but I'd love to see Rohrl put out either a series of instructional videos or a DVD with of him driving some of his favorite cars on his favorite roads.

 

The re-brand in the early 2000s was certainly something that Jeremy had a lot of input to. He's always been a genuinely funny writer and his background is entirely in car journalism, same with James May.
Hammond is a local radio DJ made good.
Its all about the chemistry between the 3 and , although its losing some momentum, its been a phenomenon because its funny.

Clarkson cant drive worth a damn, other car journos used to have a very sniffy opinion of his "skills" though he's got better. Rohrl is an all time great driver. Not exactly a fair comparison.
The Scuderia is not that much slower than a GTO in anyones hands. Though Clarkson would have a chance in a tricked up 750hp Nissan GTR with all that tech helping.

 

No vids for me. I just want to ride with him.

His speed can't be taught. The last 10-15% of a cars actual ability is man's ability to set aside all rational thought and trust something that feels as though it's about to dissappear from underneath you. It's IMHO the "my nutsack is bigger than your nutsack factor". Two steps beyond pucker factor.

I tried for years to find that last 10% racing gt3cups. That last 1-2 seconds at road Atlanta, Laguna, Sebring, Road America, Miller, Infinion just can't be taught.


I totally agree he's not the TV guy. He's a driver a damn good.

 

In any new Porsche, Walter Roehrl ist still faster around the Ring
than any of today`s Porsche test drivers...that says something !

(btw he is turning 65 in march

 

Excellent "correction" -- thanks!

 

Firstly, Walter Rohrl would win easily and Clarkson would not come close. Even Clarkson himself would admit that much.

However, from interviews I've read about Clarkson's real driving ability (not just the Top Gear power sliding. burning rubber stuff that we all see on TV), he is actually not as useless as some on here seem to be suggesting and does actually know a fair bit about car control.

As for the 911 clip, plenty of professional racing drivers have made similar errors in 911's, especially on tracks that they do not know (as was the case for Clarkson on this track. He got caught out pushing too hard, too soon and the track bit back!).



The original Top Gear program started out as a consumer information programme to let everyday people know in detail about everyday cars.

The problem was, it became as dreary as someone reading out your shopping list every week.
The entertainment level was pretty much zero, the presenters had very little personality and people became disinterested in hearing about how much legroom was in the back of the latest 1.8 litre Morris Marina or hearing that the latest MK4 cortina had the gear lever mounted in a very useful position for changing gears. "Let's have a look at the engine" - opens bonnet (hood) - "and there it is!" (it really was that entertaining!).


As has already been said, Clarkson helped re-invent the program by making it entertaining.
Rather than show you everyday cars every week, it gave the average person a look at cars that they most likely would never be able to afford, such as Ferrari's, Lamborghini's, Maserati's etc.
He gave the show a personality with it's three main characters, the anonymous racing driver to test cars, the silly, car based challenges, the Star in the reasonably priced car, and now it is watched by over 100 different countries worldwide. It's a job that the vast majority of men would love to do. Clarkson, Hammond and May all describe it as three grown men, acting like little boys, dicking around with cars!

Another thing when it comes to Clarkson is how much the manufacturers fear him. They know that if he say's a car is crap, they're going to suffer with lower car sales. If he say's a car is great, the sales go up.
Tesla to this day are still saying that their poor reputation for reliability is down to Clarkson and his Top Gear review!
For years Toyota would not let him test drive any of their cars because he described the Corrolla as being dull and dreadful.

Nissan got a bad review for one of their cars that Clarkson test drove and people queried why they let him test it in the first place.
Their answer? - because it was better to let him review the car and criticize it than refusing to let him have the car at all. Why? - they said it was because if you refuse to let him test the car then you must have something to hide so letting him test it was the better of the two evils.



Could Walter Rohrl do Clarkson's job?, driving wise - easily, presenting wise - he wouldn't stand a chance!

Now, Walter Rohrl Vs Sabine Schmitz in the same car, around the Nürburgring, that would be interesting!

 

The first of the new series of TG which has just finished a few mins ago (UK) was a total feast. Best episode for a very long time! Aventador vs Mclaren vs Noble vs 458

 

Very well put!