Cheese is a generic term for a diverse group of milk-based food products. Cheese is produced throughout the world in wide-ranging flavour's, textures, and forms. Rubbish is a generic term for the way women drive. This film illustrates my point.
I bought a Mk3 Cavalier 1.6 L in 1990 and that would do 110mph all day and return 50 mpg just pottering around town! 8 year anti perforation warranty on the body, and the only thing that went wrong was the gearbox after 3 years. this was one of the best cars I ever owned. You used to see thousands of them every day, but the scrappage scheme seems to have finished them off...such a shame.
Not a bad review, perhaps a little "BBC spoken" but its good she tops it out at 110 mph. I ve driven the later 130 bhp SRi and that went well but i was not so keen on the steering. Good to see these old videos.
I really enjoyed this, and not from a nostalgia viewpoint (I'm also from the U.S). I dislike both US and UK Top Gears currently because it's all shock value. Our Chevy Cavaliers gave the Escort (nearly identical vehicles on both sides of the pond) a run for its money. I see far more 1st Gen Cavaliers than Escorts on the road today; virtually few Escorts were able to mechanically make it to 100k miles.
I've watched this a few times. Thanks for the upload Andy ;-)
I love MK2 Cavs, been in the owners club for years and drive an 86 GLSi Saloon on a daily basis. I used to work in the car trade and I've driven literally thousands of modern, and boring euro-boxes over the years. My old Cav brings a smile to my face everytime I drive her...........all old cars have more charater than the modern stuff!
Everything here is better than 'Top Gear', the music, opening scenes, the quality of the presenters, it's about cars! Not how many bison fit on a Pontiac , tests to see if a Toyota can be placed on top of a tower block? Crap suitable for Bang Goes The Theory. I love this clip, a proper road test. Have BBC the forgotten that they are providing a service? There's no programme about cars! Just 3 overpayed, showy presenters, with too many seedy smutty public schoolboy jokes.
everyone is saying they dont do sensible tests nowadays but i think knowing that a ford fiesta can outrun a corvette in a shopping mall is very useful consumer information.all this stuff you can find out on your own
i have one,2 litter engine single point fuel injection,here in brazil we call it as monza and in 1991 we made a "facelift" and it's production was stoped in 1996 here it's sell more then the vectra A
This is from when the BBC made programs for intelligent people and not sensationalist proltastic crap! I liked the film, Cavalier is a good looking car, liked the bit where Sue Barker was rocking on at 115 in the cavvy on the autobahn, brilliant!
Hi yes the viewing figures are high because the show appeals to women who want to gorp at Hammond, with his mop of a hair he looks twice his actual age, and to have a laugh watchign people @rse around. Top Gear has evolved from a consumer show which reviewed cars, the BBC no longer have a car show, it's gone. When BBC2 had Top Gear it was a proper car show. Even the others Channel 5 etc are using the same stupid format, bafooning around in the name of viewer numbers.
@BenReillyUK Maybe not so fuckable now. After all, humans are ephemeral creatures, and 1981 was 29-years ago. Beware the weeping angels! They've stolen the Tardis! Don't blink...Blink and you're dead.
I had a lovely 1987 "E" reg Mk2 4 Door SRi130, completely standard, went like a rocket and was the best FWD chassis I have ever driven, only my 1997 SR24 Mondeo has had anywhere near the same ability on the limit to truly steer from the rear and put that smile on my face :)
Great car, and great economy from mine all things considered.
I can see why the old show gave way to the current Top Gear. Factual, yes, but remarkably boring. She keeps banging on about the handling, but there is no footage of her actually testing that statement. She likes the "logical" arrangement of the dash. She strikes me as either getting bored of it very quickly, or as not a true "petrolhead".
it will give the cortina a run for its money!! come on man. its reliable,fast,very efficiant,stays dry inside,its everything a cortina is not,you have got to admire fords ability to win peoples hearts over 80s and 90s fords were terrible but...people forgave them!
Crash protection weighs a lot, and you would be amazed at how much things like Airconditioning, and even electric windows, weigh. The heavier the car is, the more inertia it has, the most power it takes to get it going. But also to stop and turn it, and that means larger tyres - which further hit the fuel consumption.
@VieVentar I know, it's just amazing how heavy cars have gotten over the years, there is hope though as strong and light materials like carbon fiber (fibre to you) come down in price, cars should lose a lot of weight
VW's Auto 2000 concept. Front end looks very much like the nose VW put on the Passat in 1988. Though IMHO the car as a whole looks like the automobile version of Pink Floyd's inflatable pig.
Well there was something to be said about Top Gear back then - it was much more informative than the TG of today. Its all about the entertainment value today and they rarely test common cars at all. In fact, give Clarkson a brand-new mid-range Vauxhall today to review and he is likely to take it to the scrappers, all in the name of ratings...
The rejuvenated Top Gear is an entertainment programme but what's wrong with that? i don't drive but still love it, if you want something sensible and worthy watch Fifth Gear. TG appeals because of the fact you don't have to be a technical spod to enjoy the prgramme
The early version was like a televised version of What Car magazine with none of the humour and personality of the Clarkson era show, which of course has eight times as many viewers. However, this was the more serious era of BBC 2.
Clarkson just talks a load of rubbish these days, gone are the days when the BBC made factual and sensible motoring programmes which informed the average motorist.
@Paintheshed Well the BBC are reacting on what the majority of people want, and they would rather have something that gets lots of viewing figures, as that is clearley what people want to watch.
@Paintheshed BBC 2 still has Top Gear, and the BBC decided to turn it into a more of an entertainment show in 2001 because they lost a large ammount of viewing figures and went down to something like 0.8 million. And as soon as they changed the format the figures went up like a shot to bout 4 million and is still rising to about 12 million now. Consumer car programmes just dont work in the modern entertinment industry.
@llpalm08 Yes I know what you are saying but the BBC is there to serve the license payer, to inform them and keep them up to date with things. Top Gear as it is noday is not a consumer show. If 800,000 people who are paying the licence fee, the BBC should provide a consumer show, or repeat old programmes, the shows from early 80s & 90s are very watchable and would gain audiences.
Similar things have happened to Eastenders, all shows have turned into shock & awe audience grabbers.
@Paintheshed Ah yea, i forgott about the BBC's remit. I think they are basicly trying to get over that through the Top Gear mag. I now think that they should do something on BBC 4 like old top gear because thats where most of the stuff like that is now. Everytime the BBC try to re do a consumer car show they end up putting it on BBC 2 and expect it to pull in the viewers, BBC 4 is the best place for this sort of show.
@Paintheshed I think the problem is there wouldn't be enough viewers nowadays for this kind of show. And the other thing is that is if they did this much analysis for buying advice the show would be about endless because of the lots and lots of versions of the cars nowadays. I think they do a really great car show by today's standards and otherwise if someone is looking forward to buy a new or used car, he or she wouldn't start researches with a TV show.
@hunocsi you are right I mean now people use the internet as their source of information and Top Gear Magazine is as sensible a resource for car buying info as ever
The Cav in the review lasted until 1993 it seems: The vehicle details for WPP 947X are: Date of Liability 13 02 1993 Date of First Registration 18 08 1981 Year of Manufacture 1981 Cylinder Capacity (cc) 1598CC CO2 Emissions Not Available Fuel Type Petrol Export Marker Not Applicable Vehicle Status Unlicensed Vehicle Colour SILVER Vehicle Type Approval null
These were streets ahead of the competition in '81, it caught ford with their trousers down. pokey, economical, good handling, what more would you want?
It was GM's first world car - it's actually around 20 different cars from around the world - with what GM are best at - a bit badge engineering. Your half right tho, early (81-83) models have the servo on the LHD side of the car. Seeing as they sold around a million "mk2 Cavalier" I think that is enough to call it a Vauxhall. I have a 1982 Opel Ascona SRe over here, and typically the Opel's are slightly lower specification to their UK counterparts.
There was even a model sold by Cadillac called the Cimarron in North America. The Chevy Cav was a cheap, humble and loyal workhorse but as a Cadillac it was way out of its depth.
@kernals12 I never said it was the Chevrolet cavalier - GM's badge engineering worldwide has seen it called a great many things; It was the original Jbody,and gave birth to all the other jbody cars.
@jtypecav I know you mean Vauxhall Cavalier, I'm saying we never saw a version of this car in North America, and I was clarifying that the Chevrolet Cavalier which we did get here is not related to that Vauhall
I agree with Aiden completely. It is as fake as an A4 sized Monalisa, and non factual. Unless of course you like Aston Martins road tested every week that is.
Absolutely. Take for example, the Bugatti Veyron/Italy-London race. in the bit where Jeremy is on the phone trying to see how much it would cost to insure that car, the "25 mins later" caption was placed in thge corner of the video to suggest that it happened. Now, with any other "_____ later", it fades to a separate caption and then fades up to exactly the same shot that was there just before e.g. like in the convertible people carrier challenge.
I remember reading of a fleet buyer who had provided Cortinas for his company for years - took one look at a Sierra back in '82 and got straight on the phone to Vauxhall. The Mk2 was solid, better engines (arguably) than the Sierra and a tad more comfy too. Just a pity it was so brick like in design. The later 1.8 was brilliant.
That Cav has long since kicked the bucket... The vehicle details for WPP 947X are: Date of Liability 13 02 1993 Date of First Registration 18 08 1981 Year of Manufacture 1981 Cylinder Capacity (cc) 1598CC CO2 Emissions Not Available Fuel Type Petrol Export Marker Not Applicable Vehicle Status Unlicensed Vehicle Colour SILVER Vehicle Type Approval null
She does however wear a very fetching sports jacket!!!Oh they dont make em like that anymore!!!Hang on, isnt television supposed to involve some form of entertainment...no lets just have some facts, and more facts, followed by more facts!!!!
what the hell made you think that television is supposed to involve some form of entertainment? Top Gear is supposed to be a *documentary* (not entertainment) about cars, not three massive egos arsing around like 8 year old boys.
I suppose you think that the news shouldn't be broadcast on TV as its not entertainment?
I am more interested in cars than three childish men
This clip shows how far motoring programmes have come. It's awful. I want to be entertained beacuse I am paying for it through my licence fee. Frankly, your posts on this page are far more childish!
can hardly be childish when a child wouldn't remember the original Top Gear!
and you're the one being childish because you aren't taking into account the BBC are supposed to make programmes of ALL tastes. Programmes that appeal to EVERYONE.
That is just my point. I want a proper motoring programme, not the childish and pathetic entertainment of three grown up men who, to a media student, are obviously faking everything they do, or the yawnsome waffle offered by Fifth Gear.
If I want to be entertained, I watch a programme that is supposed to be entertainment. Top Gear is supposed to be educational . . .
Why are the BBC like the commercial companies - i.e. obsessed with ratings (unlike low-rating shows on the commercial channels, they would still have the same level of income per year, so it shouldn't matter to them).
Man, why don't people just leave Top Gear alone? It's immense popularity shows that people love it and I'm one of them. With all the suffocating seriousness surrounding me I love watching a program that combines cars with childish fun and comedy. It's brilliant.
I agree with you on the educational front. But rather than change Top Gear it would be better if they fielded another more serious motoring program. Then everyone's happy :)
well here's my solution. The original TG was in a 30-minute format and the new one is in a 60-minute format . . .simple, Make the show 90 minutes, so it's combining both the old and the new.
The reason why fifth gear is so crap is its trying to copy the new Top Gear - and failing miserably. Instead of trying to make a mix of the two, separate a 90-minute TG into two segments, old format and new format.
It's a respectable idea but I still believe it would be better to have another show, 60 minutes as well if the public feels it should be as long, and at an equally convenient time slot as Top Gear. You're right, the BBC should make programs for all tastes.
I wouldn't watch it to be honest with you, I like this Top Gear all too much :) But people who would more like to be seriously informed should have a program as well.
I think they should create a new show called 'Top Gear 2' that would broadcast between the Top Gear series. It would be cheap to make and would satisfy the million or so true fans of Top Gear (I've been watching since I was five or six - '91/'92). Better than another show about people doing up/buying/selling their homes...
The original format is a much more utilitarian look at cars. In that sense it was very boring compared to the new run, which was more about what kind of joy or emotion cars can illicit from you, rather than what their on-paper statistics would lead you to believe they offer. I just made no sense.
Yeah but almost all tv was like that back then.. If they had not made that show, Clarkson would never have had a job.. In shows from back then he can be seen wearing a pink and white shellsuit at one point - so the presenters have come on a bit too!
This Cav was great to drive but rusted like there was no tomorow and now there are only about 5,000 left out of 800,000+ (it was made from 1981 to 1988)
The Cav only lasted 12 years... The vehicle details for WPP 947X are: Date of Liability 13 02 1993 Date of First Registration 18 08 1981 Year of Manufacture 1981 Cylinder Capacity (cc) 1598CC CO2 Emissions Not Available Fuel Type Petrol Export Marker Not Applicable Vehicle Status Unlicensed Vehicle Colour SILVER Vehicle Type Approval null
Personally, to celebrate, for the 2007 series, I'd have each of the episodes introduced by the different title sequences, in order. I would also have repeated the very first episode!!!
I wish I had bought a mark 2 Cavalier instead of the mark 3 Escort I eventually bought 11 years ago. Saw a terra cotta coloured Cavalier last week, just like the one my old tutor used to drive. They certainly seem to stand the test of time. Shame Vauxhall became very boring from the mid 1990s.
Lol, with that opening title it looks as though Top Gear were into destruction testing years before Clarkson and co arrived! Interesting that its the same tune playing for the theme!
I recall Volkswagen did have a rare 3-door version of the 1981 release Passat, that looked like a Scirocco and an Alfasud Sprint pumped up on steroids!
Oh man, and its the GLS too. I had the GLS 5 door. In Gold. She was a pretty thing. Well for a month anyway until some git on the wrong side of the road hit me head on.
I knew Sue would moan about the high boot sill. It was ridiculous.
thanks for uploading this i love to see the older cars biggest thing i remember about the 84 1.6 saloon i had back in the early 90s were the temperamental electrics which i think was a common fault with the mk2
thanks for this upload, I enjoyed a lot, my father had one of these and my brother own one now, his is from 1990... (the last year of this model here in brazil, in 1991 it was modified a lot), 2 door sedan... a very good car for a 1980's car...
Cheese is a generic term for a diverse group of milk-based food products. Cheese is produced throughout the world in wide-ranging flavour's, textures, and forms. Rubbish is a generic term for the way women drive. This film illustrates my point.
By the way. I am not mental
wiffybiffy 1 month ago
I bought a Mk3 Cavalier 1.6 L in 1990 and that would do 110mph all day and return 50 mpg just pottering around town! 8 year anti perforation warranty on the body, and the only thing that went wrong was the gearbox after 3 years. this was one of the best cars I ever owned. You used to see thousands of them every day, but the scrappage scheme seems to have finished them off...such a shame.
larjanus 1 month ago
Three people didn't think this car had an extremely logical layout of intruments.
Lilbizkit 2 months ago 4
Not a bad review, perhaps a little "BBC spoken" but its good she tops it out at 110 mph. I ve driven the later 130 bhp SRi and that went well but i was not so keen on the steering. Good to see these old videos.
fredintheshed1 3 months ago
2:40 typical womens driving
richandiben 3 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
My first car was a 1983 1.6 Cav GL saloon in lime green with lovely velour interior.
She was lovely :-)
richandiben 3 months ago
Comment removed
richandiben 3 months ago
TTTMFT hit mehz up if u wanna game love yall Dont forget thumbs ups :D
AJkelekboi 4 months ago
I really enjoyed this, and not from a nostalgia viewpoint (I'm also from the U.S). I dislike both US and UK Top Gears currently because it's all shock value. Our Chevy Cavaliers gave the Escort (nearly identical vehicles on both sides of the pond) a run for its money. I see far more 1st Gen Cavaliers than Escorts on the road today; virtually few Escorts were able to mechanically make it to 100k miles.
TurboVW2004 4 months ago
I've watched this a few times. Thanks for the upload Andy ;-)
I love MK2 Cavs, been in the owners club for years and drive an 86 GLSi Saloon on a daily basis. I used to work in the car trade and I've driven literally thousands of modern, and boring euro-boxes over the years. My old Cav brings a smile to my face everytime I drive her...........all old cars have more charater than the modern stuff!
R1CH130 5 months ago
Looks like a holden commodore
KhmerKhat 5 months ago
Such a soothing, relaxing voice, I can watch this all day lol
Paintheshed 6 months ago
Everything here is better than 'Top Gear', the music, opening scenes, the quality of the presenters, it's about cars! Not how many bison fit on a Pontiac , tests to see if a Toyota can be placed on top of a tower block? Crap suitable for Bang Goes The Theory. I love this clip, a proper road test. Have BBC the forgotten that they are providing a service? There's no programme about cars! Just 3 overpayed, showy presenters, with too many seedy smutty public schoolboy jokes.
Paintheshed 6 months ago
you sure this ain't the 1880's ?????
oneindapink 7 months ago
She's quite a good driver...
doraemon8061 8 months ago
had loadas cavs best was a sri 130 and a gsi red top 16v rapid in its day
skunkhead2006 9 months ago
everyone is saying they dont do sensible tests nowadays but i think knowing that a ford fiesta can outrun a corvette in a shopping mall is very useful consumer information.all this stuff you can find out on your own
Soapert 10 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
The Cav in the review lasted until 1993 it seems: The vehicle details for WPP 947X are:
Date of Liability 13 02 1993
Date of First Registration 18 08 1981
Year of Manufacture 1981
Cylinder Capacity (cc) 1598CC
CO2 Emissions Not Available
Fuel Type Petrol Export Marker Not Applicable Vehicle Status Unlicensed
Vehicle Colour SILVER
Vehicle Type Approval null
kazimann 11 months ago
Top Gear is crap, smashing up classic stupid, should Smash up Jap built cars instead
Maltray 11 months ago 2
To be honest, i only watch the new top gear if its a challenge, if its not a challenge its not worth watching
matthewwood2010 1 year ago
Factual car reviews are available via 5th gear. Top Gear is the world's best comedy show for gear heads.
onthumb 1 year ago
New top gear is obviously better hence all the awards. They had 2 change this because no1 was watching this. I like the old 1 aswell tho
jamestomany84 1 year ago
I like this top gear better than the new one..
matthewwood2010 1 year ago
Amazing to see the original title sequence!
Stitch216 1 year ago
i have one,2 litter engine single point fuel injection,here in brazil we call it as monza and in 1991 we made a "facelift" and it's production was stoped in 1996 here it's sell more then the vectra A
mesaquebrada 1 year ago
Comment removed
mesaquebrada 1 year ago
This is from when the BBC made programs for intelligent people and not sensationalist proltastic crap! I liked the film, Cavalier is a good looking car, liked the bit where Sue Barker was rocking on at 115 in the cavvy on the autobahn, brilliant!
themanmaschine 1 year ago
Better to watch a TV channel about cars, such as Renault TV
Paintheshed 1 year ago
Comment removed
Paintheshed 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
Hi yes the viewing figures are high because the show appeals to women who want to gorp at Hammond, with his mop of a hair he looks twice his actual age, and to have a laugh watchign people @rse around. Top Gear has evolved from a consumer show which reviewed cars, the BBC no longer have a car show, it's gone. When BBC2 had Top Gear it was a proper car show. Even the others Channel 5 etc are using the same stupid format, bafooning around in the name of viewer numbers.
Paintheshed 1 year ago
top gear had it easy them days ,haha
irishdeano1 1 year ago
She is fuckable.
BenReillyUK 1 year ago
@BenReillyUK Maybe not so fuckable now. After all, humans are ephemeral creatures, and 1981 was 29-years ago. Beware the weeping angels! They've stolen the Tardis! Don't blink...Blink and you're dead.
clemstevenson 1 year ago 2
I had a lovely 1987 "E" reg Mk2 4 Door SRi130, completely standard, went like a rocket and was the best FWD chassis I have ever driven, only my 1997 SR24 Mondeo has had anywhere near the same ability on the limit to truly steer from the rear and put that smile on my face :)
Great car, and great economy from mine all things considered.
PhantomMark 1 year ago
My dad had one! After my first car , I wanted an AE 86 , a guy tried to sell me his SRI 130 in this, It was quick at the time ,
simba282 1 year ago
clarkson looks different some how????
cooperbep3 1 year ago
My uncle had the estate version - brilliant car - and then replaced it with the 5dr hatch. Still a brilliant design.
fiddleydiddley 1 year ago
my how things have changed.
racedemon89 1 year ago
1981 must have been GREAT. I missed it :(
Doomsday2060 1 year ago
@Doomsday2060
Dont worry i kind of missed it as well lol
robuk1981 1 year ago
Comment removed
MackMacStudios 1 year ago
I can see why the old show gave way to the current Top Gear. Factual, yes, but remarkably boring. She keeps banging on about the handling, but there is no footage of her actually testing that statement. She likes the "logical" arrangement of the dash. She strikes me as either getting bored of it very quickly, or as not a true "petrolhead".
ThePatUltra 1 year ago
looks like a opel monza A2 sedan
doriftomasta 1 year ago
can anyone find out if this car is still on the road
bmwfan4lyfe 2 years ago
Alas, 'tis no more.
Date of Liability 01 02 1993
Date of First Registration 18 08 1981
Year of Manufacture 1981
Cylinder Capacity (cc) 1598CC
CO2 Emissions Not Available
Fuel Type Petrol
Export Marker Not Applicable
Vehicle Status Unlicensed
Vehicle Colour SILVER
BiloLCFC 2 years ago
yessss....it is still on the road....there is plenty of them here in my country...more than new opels...loool....i used to have one...it was GREAT :D
2741718 1 year ago
@bmwfan4lyfe yes it is my mum owns one
kieranwebb98 1 year ago
I had this as a 2.0 litre cdi i wrote it off in 2003. Shame as you don't see them now.
Terminator860 2 years ago
it will give the cortina a run for its money!! come on man. its reliable,fast,very efficiant,stays dry inside,its everything a cortina is not,you have got to admire fords ability to win peoples hearts over 80s and 90s fords were terrible but...people forgave them!
somote68 2 years ago
£4100 in 1981 !
Bluenile38 2 years ago
Comment removed
Paintheshed 2 years ago
37 mpg in 1981? What the heck happened? 32 is considered green these days... ?????
macsm 2 years ago 3
@macsm Safety equipment and Luxuries.
Crash protection weighs a lot, and you would be amazed at how much things like Airconditioning, and even electric windows, weigh. The heavier the car is, the more inertia it has, the most power it takes to get it going. But also to stop and turn it, and that means larger tyres - which further hit the fuel consumption.
VieVentar 3 months ago
@VieVentar I know, it's just amazing how heavy cars have gotten over the years, there is hope though as strong and light materials like carbon fiber (fibre to you) come down in price, cars should lose a lot of weight
kernals12 1 month ago
Im off to the showroom now!
AaronTrigg 2 years ago
Do you have an episode on BMW e30? like the 325is model?
cjdontthink2 2 years ago
if you want facts watch fifth gear even though it is absolute crap new top ger allows non car m
fanatics enjoy the programme you have to like cars to watch fifth gear and even then its dreary and boring
godzillaisnuclea123 2 years ago
I had 2 of these, a 1.6GL,and an SRi 130,now that was a car :)
craig50 2 years ago
nice post,thank you
blade0954 2 years ago
What was that car at the end?
LEESVIDEOMOVIE 2 years ago
@LEESVIDEOMOVIE
VW's Auto 2000 concept. Front end looks very much like the nose VW put on the Passat in 1988. Though IMHO the car as a whole looks like the automobile version of Pink Floyd's inflatable pig.
cxamies 5 months ago
@cxamies Cool, thanks for the info! I was surprised when the credits came up, I wondered myself what it was!
You're quite right, the front end does indeed resemble the '88 Passat. The back end looks crazy, very Scirocco.
All in all, it's a funny looking car as you say. It must have looked like a spaceship to people back in 1981!
Jarren202 5 months ago
Well there was something to be said about Top Gear back then - it was much more informative than the TG of today. Its all about the entertainment value today and they rarely test common cars at all. In fact, give Clarkson a brand-new mid-range Vauxhall today to review and he is likely to take it to the scrappers, all in the name of ratings...
RoadCone411 2 years ago 16
@RoadCone411 Actually he would happily test it, he likes all vauxhalls now.
llpalm08 1 year ago
whats the song on the end credits?
xendraven 2 years ago
Comment removed
stedale 2 years ago
Elton John - Out Of The Blue, which I only just found out myself!
stedale 2 years ago
The rejuvenated Top Gear is an entertainment programme but what's wrong with that? i don't drive but still love it, if you want something sensible and worthy watch Fifth Gear. TG appeals because of the fact you don't have to be a technical spod to enjoy the prgramme
draven26 2 years ago
The early version was like a televised version of What Car magazine with none of the humour and personality of the Clarkson era show, which of course has eight times as many viewers. However, this was the more serious era of BBC 2.
Glenn1967ful 2 years ago
Clarkson just talks a load of rubbish these days, gone are the days when the BBC made factual and sensible motoring programmes which informed the average motorist.
Paintheshed 2 years ago 25
This has been flagged as spam show
I agree. Clarkson is a loud mouthed twat.
kazimann 2 years ago
@Paintheshed Well the BBC are reacting on what the majority of people want, and they would rather have something that gets lots of viewing figures, as that is clearley what people want to watch.
llpalm08 1 year ago
Comment removed
Paintheshed 1 year ago
@Paintheshed BBC 2 still has Top Gear, and the BBC decided to turn it into a more of an entertainment show in 2001 because they lost a large ammount of viewing figures and went down to something like 0.8 million. And as soon as they changed the format the figures went up like a shot to bout 4 million and is still rising to about 12 million now. Consumer car programmes just dont work in the modern entertinment industry.
llpalm08 1 year ago
@llpalm08 Yes I know what you are saying but the BBC is there to serve the license payer, to inform them and keep them up to date with things. Top Gear as it is noday is not a consumer show. If 800,000 people who are paying the licence fee, the BBC should provide a consumer show, or repeat old programmes, the shows from early 80s & 90s are very watchable and would gain audiences.
Similar things have happened to Eastenders, all shows have turned into shock & awe audience grabbers.
Paintheshed 1 year ago
@Paintheshed Ah yea, i forgott about the BBC's remit. I think they are basicly trying to get over that through the Top Gear mag. I now think that they should do something on BBC 4 like old top gear because thats where most of the stuff like that is now. Everytime the BBC try to re do a consumer car show they end up putting it on BBC 2 and expect it to pull in the viewers, BBC 4 is the best place for this sort of show.
llpalm08 1 year ago
@Paintheshed I know, It would be cool if top gear was more like this now a days, I only watch fifth gear now a days because its more hmm practical
Yazoku 1 year ago
@Paintheshed its a shame its more entertaining however isn't it, which face it, is what people want, if you want facts watch the discovery channel.
Nick4Gaming 1 year ago
@Paintheshed I think the problem is there wouldn't be enough viewers nowadays for this kind of show. And the other thing is that is if they did this much analysis for buying advice the show would be about endless because of the lots and lots of versions of the cars nowadays. I think they do a really great car show by today's standards and otherwise if someone is looking forward to buy a new or used car, he or she wouldn't start researches with a TV show.
hunocsi 6 months ago 2
@hunocsi you are right I mean now people use the internet as their source of information and Top Gear Magazine is as sensible a resource for car buying info as ever
kernals12 5 months ago
@Paintheshed Oh comon wouldnt you rathar watch a motorhome being blownup or amorris marina having a piano being dropped on it
TheFear37 5 months ago
kazimann 2 years ago 2
These were streets ahead of the competition in '81, it caught ford with their trousers down. pokey, economical, good handling, what more would you want?
mrspivvy 2 years ago 2
Ah, but the Cortina and Sierra are RWD, which has become popular these days with racers.
kazimann 2 years ago
this is why i dont watch fifth gear.
women dont give any proper reviews of cars
"oh thats hot..."
"suitcases in a nice big boot"
BEE AEECH PEE
BREAK HORSE POWER
she obvious is reading it right off...
AceRew 2 years ago
well Opel is rubbish in each it's generation.
ask Clarkson.
polyth3n3 2 years ago
What the cock is Sue Baker wearing? Chris Goffey put one on its roof...
daveyboyross 2 years ago 2
GM certainly had a winner in the UK then..
The Sierra was a year away and still running on Cortina mechanics,and BL had yet to offer the Meastro even before the Montego
ianmax69 2 years ago
Top gear rules! But the cars were ugly back then! Now the design of the cars are a lot nicer :)
astrastyle 2 years ago
Most family cars were boring.
The Ford Capri has always been a good-looker though and puts to shame a lot of sports cars today :)
AidanLunn 2 years ago
Thats true mate ;)
The Ford Capri is a true legend :)
astrastyle 2 years ago
It was GM's first world car - it's actually around 20 different cars from around the world - with what GM are best at - a bit badge engineering. Your half right tho, early (81-83) models have the servo on the LHD side of the car. Seeing as they sold around a million "mk2 Cavalier" I think that is enough to call it a Vauxhall. I have a 1982 Opel Ascona SRe over here, and typically the Opel's are slightly lower specification to their UK counterparts.
jtypecav 2 years ago
There was even a model sold by Cadillac called the Cimarron in North America. The Chevy Cav was a cheap, humble and loyal workhorse but as a Cadillac it was way out of its depth.
vpole 2 years ago
@jtypecav that's not true, we never saw that car in North America and the Chevrolet Cavalier is a totally different car
kernals12 5 months ago
@kernals12 I never said it was the Chevrolet cavalier - GM's badge engineering worldwide has seen it called a great many things; It was the original Jbody,and gave birth to all the other jbody cars.
jtypecav 5 months ago
@jtypecav I know you mean Vauxhall Cavalier, I'm saying we never saw a version of this car in North America, and I was clarifying that the Chevrolet Cavalier which we did get here is not related to that Vauhall
kernals12 5 months ago
Thats an OPEL ASCONA, the drivers seat should be on the left, and I hate it, when someone starts counting things in cubic-feets and mph-s...
Sry.. I just simply hate everything today... :S OPEL POWAAA!!
Sanyey 2 years ago
I agree completely!! OPEL is THE brand
astrastyle 2 years ago
Man look how empty the main roads are
robuk1981 2 years ago 2
Of course it feels like a 2L. I had the previous type but with the 2L engine and it was the same BHP as this later 1.6!
hostroute 3 years ago
thanks for sharing this!
are any of the early programmes circa 1977 available?
dnalor1975 3 years ago
Unlikely, as video recorders didn't become popular till the 80s and the first series doesn't exist at all in the BBC archives.
AidanLunn 3 years ago
I liked top gear back then..........the Cavalier was light years better than the Cortina and the Sierra that replaced it!
radioianj 3 years ago
Haha she had that thing at 115Mph!
jedw 3 years ago
I agree with Aiden completely. It is as fake as an A4 sized Monalisa, and non factual. Unless of course you like Aston Martins road tested every week that is.
Paintheshed 3 years ago
Absolutely. Take for example, the Bugatti Veyron/Italy-London race. in the bit where Jeremy is on the phone trying to see how much it would cost to insure that car, the "25 mins later" caption was placed in thge corner of the video to suggest that it happened. Now, with any other "_____ later", it fades to a separate caption and then fades up to exactly the same shot that was there just before e.g. like in the convertible people carrier challenge.
AidanLunn 3 years ago
phwoaar nice skirt
coope046a 3 years ago
Clarkson and co. could learn a lot from this dull woman.The programmes supposed to be about the cars not the presenters.
firenza74 3 years ago
I remember reading of a fleet buyer who had provided Cortinas for his company for years - took one look at a Sierra back in '82 and got straight on the phone to Vauxhall. The Mk2 was solid, better engines (arguably) than the Sierra and a tad more comfy too. Just a pity it was so brick like in design. The later 1.8 was brilliant.
AustinSomerset 3 years ago
Well if you don't like Top Gear, don't watch it then - watch something else! Easy!
rosbif76 3 years ago
I only lasted 83 seconds before I nodded off. Did anyone catch whether the dipstick is easily accesible?
meoldchina69 3 years ago 2
My god how much more "Thatchers Upper Class" can you get?!!!
thank god we dont make dross like this anymore.
CrackPedlar 3 years ago
Jeeze she is as dull as dish water!
ajbouton85 3 years ago
cavalier yo!
haha even gets horned.
jesushasaplace4me 3 years ago
kazimann 3 years ago
Very informative Mrs Baker, but your as dull as dish water!!!!Thank god they changed the format as it was fcuked!!!!Great nostalgic clip though!!!!
odsall 3 years ago
I would actually prefer Top Gear as this rather than three massive arseholes turning it into an entertainment programme!
AidanLunn 3 years ago
She does however wear a very fetching sports jacket!!!Oh they dont make em like that anymore!!!Hang on, isnt television supposed to involve some form of entertainment...no lets just have some facts, and more facts, followed by more facts!!!!
odsall 3 years ago
what the hell made you think that television is supposed to involve some form of entertainment? Top Gear is supposed to be a *documentary* (not entertainment) about cars, not three massive egos arsing around like 8 year old boys.
I suppose you think that the news shouldn't be broadcast on TV as its not entertainment?
I am more interested in cars than three childish men
AidanLunn 3 years ago
This clip shows how far motoring programmes have come. It's awful. I want to be entertained beacuse I am paying for it through my licence fee. Frankly, your posts on this page are far more childish!
bent8rover 3 years ago
can hardly be childish when a child wouldn't remember the original Top Gear!
and you're the one being childish because you aren't taking into account the BBC are supposed to make programmes of ALL tastes. Programmes that appeal to EVERYONE.
That is just my point. I want a proper motoring programme, not the childish and pathetic entertainment of three grown up men who, to a media student, are obviously faking everything they do, or the yawnsome waffle offered by Fifth Gear.
AidanLunn 3 years ago
continued from my previous comment . . .
If I want to be entertained, I watch a programme that is supposed to be entertainment. Top Gear is supposed to be educational . . .
Why are the BBC like the commercial companies - i.e. obsessed with ratings (unlike low-rating shows on the commercial channels, they would still have the same level of income per year, so it shouldn't matter to them).
AidanLunn 3 years ago
Man, why don't people just leave Top Gear alone? It's immense popularity shows that people love it and I'm one of them. With all the suffocating seriousness surrounding me I love watching a program that combines cars with childish fun and comedy. It's brilliant.
I agree with you on the educational front. But rather than change Top Gear it would be better if they fielded another more serious motoring program. Then everyone's happy :)
Homejengeneering 3 years ago
well here's my solution. The original TG was in a 30-minute format and the new one is in a 60-minute format . . .simple, Make the show 90 minutes, so it's combining both the old and the new.
The reason why fifth gear is so crap is its trying to copy the new Top Gear - and failing miserably. Instead of trying to make a mix of the two, separate a 90-minute TG into two segments, old format and new format.
AidanLunn 3 years ago
It's a respectable idea but I still believe it would be better to have another show, 60 minutes as well if the public feels it should be as long, and at an equally convenient time slot as Top Gear. You're right, the BBC should make programs for all tastes.
I wouldn't watch it to be honest with you, I like this Top Gear all too much :) But people who would more like to be seriously informed should have a program as well.
Homejengeneering 3 years ago
I think they should create a new show called 'Top Gear 2' that would broadcast between the Top Gear series. It would be cheap to make and would satisfy the million or so true fans of Top Gear (I've been watching since I was five or six - '91/'92). Better than another show about people doing up/buying/selling their homes...
morgman43 3 years ago
Fantastic :)
shepshepherd 3 years ago
i loved watching this! thanks
bcm409 3 years ago
one of the bast cars that britian has made
5853moore 3 years ago
brilliant absolutly bloody brilliant
alxlaw 3 years ago 2
Top Gear used to be about cars in those days. Not 3 egos driving exotica round an airfield.
SimonDolan 3 years ago 5
The original format is a much more utilitarian look at cars. In that sense it was very boring compared to the new run, which was more about what kind of joy or emotion cars can illicit from you, rather than what their on-paper statistics would lead you to believe they offer. I just made no sense.
moosmann12020 3 years ago
These were the fastest things in their class. I had a 1.8 SRi which would make a mate's E30 320i BMW look stupid.
Looks shit now though, particularly inside.
postie2003 3 years ago
Bring back William Wooly-head!
meoldchina69 3 years ago
Yeah but almost all tv was like that back then.. If they had not made that show, Clarkson would never have had a job.. In shows from back then he can be seen wearing a pink and white shellsuit at one point - so the presenters have come on a bit too!
hugenjikko 3 years ago
im glad top gear isnt like this spuff any more
modernaman 3 years ago
my auntie just got rid of her mk3 cav, l reg,had about 140,000 on the clock, it was a great car, never broke down, sad to see it go really.
jakeyboy69 3 years ago
summ thing wrong wid you luv,,brakes are mint
leeford2 3 years ago
them old mk2 cavs drove mint
leeford2 3 years ago
This Cav was great to drive but rusted like there was no tomorow and now there are only about 5,000 left out of 800,000+ (it was made from 1981 to 1988)
MidlandNinja 3 years ago
My dad had the SRI version in 1995
boovy32 3 years ago
so not a mk2 then..?
andyjee86 3 years ago
Yes hatchback version just like that one
boovy32 3 years ago
oh right, i thought mk3s took over from 1994.
andyjee86 3 years ago
Yes they did but my dad still had a mk2 in 1995
boovy32 3 years ago
lol
mjenabi2 3 years ago
You can see why Top Gear these days pulls in a much bigger audience. God this is boring!
GRAHAMAUS 3 years ago
looks essentially like an Opel Commodore (Holden Variety 'VC')
Jerram89 3 years ago
It looks like Commodore, but its actually the Brit J-car equivalent of the Holden Camira...
joh2 3 years ago
kazimann 3 years ago
Woah, that's pretty good for a press car.. normally they get cubed these days after the journos have had their way with them... =)
jtypecav 3 years ago
Love this bit of nostalgia.
daft bitch was on the wrong side of the road though! lol
katanyaruddick 3 years ago 2
i had one of these! a realy nice 2.0L polar white A rege!
KeyToTime 3 years ago
i dont think she knows what shes talkin about with the umm and err
cooolcars 3 years ago 2
It was approaching 30 years ago - broadcasting wasn't quite the slick production it is today hehe.
jtypecav 3 years ago
lol fogot about that
cooolcars 3 years ago
love this clip thanks for uploading
dacomi008 3 years ago
hahaha Top Gear has not changed one bit!
bh00014 3 years ago 3
should have gone to spec savers mate.....
joking
vectorm1299 3 years ago 2
funny clip,car reminds me of being a child & didn't know top gear was so old either!!!
themeena1981 3 years ago 2
Top Gear started all the way back in 1977!!!
Personally, to celebrate, for the 2007 series, I'd have each of the episodes introduced by the different title sequences, in order. I would also have repeated the very first episode!!!
AidanLunn 3 years ago
I wish I had bought a mark 2 Cavalier instead of the mark 3 Escort I eventually bought 11 years ago. Saw a terra cotta coloured Cavalier last week, just like the one my old tutor used to drive. They certainly seem to stand the test of time. Shame Vauxhall became very boring from the mid 1990s.
Woolymatt 3 years ago
Lol, with that opening title it looks as though Top Gear were into destruction testing years before Clarkson and co arrived! Interesting that its the same tune playing for the theme!
joh2 3 years ago
I had the same 90bhp 1.6 engine in my old mk1 Astra - man that car would fly :D
Nice clip - what top gear was like 20 years ago TBH I think i prefer it now!
BobM925 3 years ago 2
What is that Volkswagen prototype rotating at 360 degrees during the closing credits? Tt looks to be a cross between a mk2 Scirocco and a mk3 Passat.
JJMCB22 3 years ago 2
I recall Volkswagen did have a rare 3-door version of the 1981 release Passat, that looked like a Scirocco and an Alfasud Sprint pumped up on steroids!
joh2 3 years ago
Oh man, and its the GLS too. I had the GLS 5 door. In Gold. She was a pretty thing. Well for a month anyway until some git on the wrong side of the road hit me head on.
I knew Sue would moan about the high boot sill. It was ridiculous.
hawkeye448 3 years ago
thanks for uploading this i love to see the older cars biggest thing i remember about the 84 1.6 saloon i had back in the early 90s were the temperamental electrics which i think was a common fault with the mk2
jcb180 3 years ago
Get a USB / or other capture card, plug the phono jack from that into the scart out on the back of your video using an adaptor, et. voila!
jtypecav 3 years ago
WOW, TopGear was a massivly different program back then.
I have some old Top Gear's from around 1991-1999 on tape which i would like to stick on Youtube.
But how do i go about getting footage from a VHS tape onto youtube, without just sticking a camera infront of the T.V?
DeanoTheLegend87 4 years ago
The port of Dover and not am immigrant in sight !!
MikeJF355 4 years ago 2
Ha ha there all in the back of Eddie Stobarts.
AVRILSBEAN 3 years ago 3
thanks for this upload, I enjoyed a lot, my father had one of these and my brother own one now, his is from 1990... (the last year of this model here in brazil, in 1991 it was modified a lot), 2 door sedan... a very good car for a 1980's car...
keep uploading old top gear content!
hmbrz 4 years ago 3
Wouldn't get 110mph+ out of a 2.0 Cortina don't know about a 1.6!
MidlandNinja 4 years ago
Thx jtypecav!
Always fun to see old cars :P
TGseason10 4 years ago 5