Jeremy Clarkson has repurchased his Ford GT | FerrariChat

Jeremy Clarkson has repurchased his Ford GT

Discussion in 'American Muscle' started by GT Fan, Nov 16, 2005.

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  1. GT Fan

    GT Fan Formula Junior

    Jun 25, 2005
    312
    #1 GT Fan, Nov 16, 2005
    There was a lot of bad PR for the Ford GT when Top Gear's host returned his Ford GT due to a faulty alarm system, but in fact he bought the car back:

    http://driving.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,12529-1805419,00.html

    Driving
    The Sunday Times, October 02, 2005
    By Jeremy Clarkson

    The first three weeks of Ford GT ownership were not happy. Its alarm went off constantly, the anti-theft tracker cried wolf every five minutes and the satellite navigation system caused the engine to think it might be a dishwasher of some kind. So I sent it away and demanded my money back.
    This didn’t go down well with the readership of The Sunday Times. Every day my in-box was choked with more and more missives from angry people saying I’d been too rash, that I’d waited 40 years for this car and shouldn’t have given up because of some small electronic glitches.

    You were right, of course, so I’m delighted to say that it’s back, sitting in my drive looking all blue and huge.

    They’ve fixed the alarm by winding down the sensitivity of the sensors. Now you could host a showjumping competition in there and the siren would remain mute. They’ve fixed the tracker by turning it off. And I don’t know how they fixed the sat nav, but whatever they did it only lasted a mile before the engine warning light came on again.

    Who cares? This sort of thing is bound to happen on a car that’s right out there at the technical limits of what’s possible. The mistake I made before is thinking the big Ford could be an everyday car, and it can’t. It’s for when the sun is shining and the roads are quiet. It’s a car for high days and holy days.
     
  2. shakazulu12

    shakazulu12 Formula Junior

    Feb 3, 2004
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    #2 shakazulu12, Nov 16, 2005
    Wow, as if the things they adjusted were really that difficult to have solved in the first place? Seriously, to return a fabulous car over a mis-installed alarm, thats not even a ford item was pretty ridiculous. I still wonder if there was another reason for it, it simply didn't add up to me.
     
  3. Ferrari330P4

    Ferrari330P4 Formula Junior

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    #3 Ferrari330P4, Nov 16, 2005
    should of got and F430/10
     
  4. bostonmini

    bostonmini Formula 3

    Nov 8, 2003
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    #4 bostonmini, Nov 16, 2005
    an alarm is the technical limits of whats possible:)?
     
  5. mattymouse33

    mattymouse33 F1 Rookie

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    #5 mattymouse33, Nov 17, 2005
    Nah a Murcie roadster
     
  6. bottomline

    bottomline Formula 3

    Mar 10, 2004
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    #6 bottomline, Nov 17, 2005
    OR whatever makes him happy.

    This car has just as much prestige as an F430 or what have you.

    Still pretty surprised they couldn't take care of the problems.
     
  7. amenasce

    amenasce Three Time F1 World Champ
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    #7 amenasce, Nov 17, 2005
    Im surprised he didnt get a F430 while being GT less since he LOVED it so much ?
     
  8. ScarletPimpernel

    ScarletPimpernel Karting

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    #8 ScarletPimpernel, Nov 17, 2005
    What's the betting he has it converted to the open top version that has been announced. You need the coupe first to get a conversion. That makes it 'easier' to park which will stop one of his gripes.

    SP
     
  9. Ershank

    Ershank Formula Junior

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    #9 Ershank, Nov 17, 2005
    Im betting Ford practically gave the car back to him so they didn't recieve such bad PR.
     
  10. fanatic1

    fanatic1 Guest

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    #10 fanatic1, Nov 17, 2005
    If I read it correctly, sounds like he's kind of being sarcastic........"fixed the nav sys by turning it off"..........sounds like they gave him the car back, but he's still kind of making fun of it.
     
  11. B R

    B R F1 Rookie

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    #11 B R, Nov 17, 2005
    Hey, it's a Furd, what was he expecting? Ha, JK, if someone were to give me one of these cars, I'd gladly take it!
     
  12. doubledeuce

    doubledeuce Rookie

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    #12 doubledeuce, Nov 17, 2005
    Personally, I won't buy a car that I couldn't even get out of when I'm in a parking lot. What a joke.
     
  13. fpb

    fpb Karting

    Dec 18, 2003
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    #13 fpb, Nov 17, 2005
    Are you agoraphobic? Handicapped? What are you talking about? If your comment is in reference to the shape of the door then you have never actually been in the GT.
     
  14. Gary(SF)

    Gary(SF) F1 Rookie

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    #14 Gary(SF), Nov 17, 2005
    Tell us more. Most magazines have commented you have to be careful when parking or you will not be able to get out of the car.

    gary
     
  15. Koby

    Koby Formula 3

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    #15 Koby, Nov 17, 2005
    What a fool. I like generally the guy, but this whole saga has been ridiculous.
     
  16. GT Fan

    GT Fan Formula Junior

    Jun 25, 2005
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    #16 GT Fan, Nov 17, 2005
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    The Ford GT doors are totally stupid. There was a reason for them on the 60's racer (it had high, wide sills to step over, and was designed for parking only on the grid at Le Mans), but on the new car they are for style only.

    I hated them when I saw them, I still hated them after driving a GT 700 miles, and..... I still ordered a GT, just like Clarkson.

    Look at this screen grab from a low-res copy of the Top Gear review. If this was a normal car with the door open this wide, you could easily get in, without being a gymnast or referring to the Kama Sutra.
    Image Unavailable, Please Login
     
  17. Willis360

    Willis360 F1 Rookie

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    #17 Willis360, Nov 17, 2005
    Does the GT have a remote for the locks and window? If it does, you could lower the windows and enter that way in a tight parking spot.
     
  18. b-mak

    b-mak F1 Veteran

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    #18 b-mak, Nov 17, 2005
    You wankers, if you have to go to Wal Mart, take the damn Town & Country.

    Who the fock cares whether you can open the doors in a conventional parking lot...
     
  19. ScarletPimpernel

    ScarletPimpernel Karting

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    #19 ScarletPimpernel, Nov 18, 2005
    I'd hazard a guess that you have never parked a 'normal car' in a British parking lot from your comment. The GT is wider than the standard space set out for parking.

    SP
     
  20. GT Fan

    GT Fan Formula Junior

    Jun 25, 2005
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    #20 GT Fan, Nov 18, 2005
    Ooh, that one hurts. He called us wankers!

    Mommie!
     
  21. njn63

    njn63 Rookie

    Nov 17, 2005
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    #21 njn63, Nov 18, 2005
    i personally love the GT doors just because it's part of the heritage. If you want a car that is just a badge and nothing to do with the original, go buy a Dodge Charger. I always thought that was the coolest part of the original GT-40 and was glad to see they didn't get rid of it on the GT.

    Then again, i've never gotten the opportunity to drive one so i can't give a opinion of how annoying they are. I do however like the styling.
     
  22. GT Fan

    GT Fan Formula Junior

    Jun 25, 2005
    312
    #22 GT Fan, Nov 18, 2005
    The heritage is that the original GT40 was all about function.

    Except for the doors, the new GT is a modern interpretation of that heritage (although obviously adapted for street use).

    The doors on the old car were real. The doors on the new car are fake.
     
  23. yoda

    yoda F1 Rookie

    Sep 27, 2004
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    #23 yoda, Nov 18, 2005
    not to be a hijacker but when will the discovery channel start airing Top Gear again? I noticed it hasn't been on for a month or so...
     
  24. 1SICKLEX

    1SICKLEX Karting
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    #24 1SICKLEX, Nov 20, 2005
    I just read Clarskson's editorial in Top Gear where he said America hasn't built a sporting car since the 1960s........

    I like him, but he's a bit off the rocker sometimes.
     

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