Writing in Her majesty's Daily Telegraph, Gill Hornby (who she?-ed) says the end is in sight for top gear as we speed ever faster towards the end of oil, polar bear murder, fun, white goods and the world as we know it.
She says that in the hair shirted late noughties glorifying and laughing at speed and conspicuous carbon consumption is about as relevant as the 70s 'comedy' Love Thy Neighbour, famously recalled by Bill Bryson as 'My Neighbour is a Darkie' and now so racially abhorrent it is impossible to even contemplate a re-run. Thank the stars for that.
So, Ms Hornblower, do we return to the days of Top Gear with exciting ex-Spitfire pilot Raymond Baxter and the equally stimulating William Woolard?
Back then it was all boot load levels and SU carbs. A warming so up of functionality in a range of lovely colours including brown. Who in their right mind would drive a brown car? Winnie the Pooh?
The whole point of the show, for which I hold no brief although Hammond was a decent enough chap when working for the Renault press office, is that it entertains.
That's why there are differing styles of motoring writer. Some can do sums but are about as entertaining as matins with the heating off. Others come at it without a calculator or torque converter in sight. Whatever one of those is.
Stat questioning if it is right to find cars and driving entertaining and before you know it the thought police will have won the day at the BBC and motoring programmes will be about sustainable diversity and cars powered by folk music.
Ms Hornby says that with the rising price of oil and the world coming apart around our ears, we are gong to have men our ways and temper opinions.
No we are not, anymore than people stopped going out at nights during the blitz.
The end of the world is not nigh. Not even the beginning of the end.
- Post to:
del.icio.us
Digg
Newsvine
Nowpublic
Reddit
« Previous | Home | Next »