Some Say:
He drinks a lot of petrol.
He was born in space.
He never blinks.
He roams around the woods at night foraging for wolves.
He sleeps upside down like a bat.
His sweat can be used to clean precious metals.
His skin has the texture of dolphins.
If you tune your radio to 88.4 FM you can actually hear his thoughts.
He does not see like humans do, instead he sees numbers in green scrolling down. (A reference to The Matrix)
He could annihilate the Daleks, Dr Who and the Cyberman, if he could be bothered.
He is scared of bells.
He once punched a horse to the ground.
His politics are terrifying.
He lives in a tree.
He likes DragonBoarder.
He was raised by wolves.
He appears on high-value stamps in Sweden.
His favourite philosopher is Immanuel Kant.
His earwax tastes like Turkish Delight.
He is confused by stairs.
He naturally faces magnetic north.
He is illegal in 17 U.S. states.
His heart ticks like a watch.
All his legs are hydraulic.
His brain is a Satellite navigation system.
He can "accumbularate".
He appears on Japanese banknotes.
There's an airport in Russia named after him.
He is wanted by the CIA.
His breath smells of magnesium.
He can catch fish with his tongue.
His tears are adhesive.
If set alight, he'd burn for a thousand days.
After eating printing ink, he obtains the ability to fly.
He is terrified of ducks.
His voice can only be heard by cats.
He has two sets of knees.
He can swim seven lengths underwater.
He has webbed buttocks.
He can melt concrete on contact.
He is more machine than man. (A reference to Darth Vader)
His heart is in upside down.
His teeth glow in the dark.
His favourite food is raw meat.
He has no age.
He urinates 98 RON petrol. (On The Top Gear Website Profiles)
He can smell corners. (On The Top Gear Website Profiles)
He likes his eggs sunny side up. (Top Gear Website Profiles)
He blinks this way. (Clarkson closing his thumb and forefinger on both held-up hands - a reference to Men in Black)
He has acid for blood. (A reference to the Alien).
Jimmy Carter wants him dead.
He has a bionic arm.
He has a tattoo of Buzz Aldrin on his thigh.
He is stumped by clouds.
He has no fear.
His ears aren't exactly where you would expect them to be.
He once, "preposterously", had an affair with John Prescott. (Referring to Prescott's recent admission that he had had an affair with one of his secretaries)
He has a digital face.
If he felt like it, he could fire Alan Sugar. (A reference to the UK version of The Apprentice, featuring the aforementioned head honcho of Amstrad in the Donald Trump role)
He has named every single blade of grass surrounding the Top Gear test track.
His genitals are on upside down.
If he could be bothered, he could crack the Da Vinci code in 43 seconds.
(During Clarkson's 'The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly') If he left Britain, his ears would explode. However, they're wrong - because he's here.
His ears have a paisley lining.
He is banned from the Chelsea Flower Show.
The outline of his left nipple is exactly the same shape as the Nürburgring.
If given an important job to do, he'll skive off and play croquet. (Reference to John Prescott May 2006)
He invented Branston Pickle.
If you insult his mother, he will head butt you in the chest. (A reference to Zinedine Zidane being sent off in the finals of the 2006 FIFA World Cup)
On really warm days, he sheds his skin like a snake.
For some reason, he's allergic to the Dutch.
His fingernails have 330bhp.
His tongue can strip the paint off a Porsche in 30 seconds.
His first name really is "The".
If he went on Celebrity Love Island, they'd all be pregnant, including the cameramen.
1 Comment

A drift car is RWD!

You can ass-drag a FWD car and you can power understeer a 4WD car, but it's not true drifting.

Here are some examples and details on some of the most popular choices of drift car. Although there are many other suitable cars for drifting, these seem to be the most suitable in terms of value for money, standard equipment and availability of tuning parts, and spares.

Make/ Model: Nissan 200sx S13 (180sx in Japan)
Engine: CA18DET 1.8litre Turbocharged 180bhp
Standard Differential: Open diff or Viscous LSD depending on age and model.

Good:
Cheap to buy.
A very predictable car to learn in.
Loads of drift specific parts available off the shelf.
Bad:
Getting old now with even the newest examples being well over the 10 year mark.
CA18DET engine is prone to big end problems in later life, especially if over-revved.
Standard suspension is very soft.
The Viscous LSD is not great, and higher mileage units can become tired and behave like an open diff.

Make/ Model:Nissan 200sx S14 - model shown is the facelifted S14a (Kouki in Japan, the earlier S14 is Zenki) called 240SX in the USA although the US model has a 2.4L normally aspirated truck engine
Engine: SR20DET 2litre Turbocharged 200bhp
Standard Differential: Viscous LSD on all models.

Good:
Easily tuneable to 270bhp with simple breathing mods.
Engine is very b when serviced well, it is capable of 400bhp with just bolt on mods and good mapping.
A very predictable car to learn in.
Loads of drift specific parts available off the shelf.
Bad:
Standard suspension is very soft.
The Viscous LSD is not great, and higher mileage units can become tired and behave like an open diff.
Standard seats are unsupportive and leather is slidey.

Make/ Model: Nissan Skyline R32 GTS-t
Engine: Various, but RB20DET 2litre 6cylinder Turbocharged 200bhp is the one to go for
Standard Differential: Viscous LSD

Good:
Plenty of tuning potential with uprated suspension, LSD and power mods fairly readily available
6 Cylinder engine is powerful, smooth and sounds awesome
Plenty of power across the range and good handling make this a very predictable car to learn in.
Bad:
As with the S13, these are getting old now and some have been abused.
Standard suspension is very soft.
The Viscous LSD is not great, and higher mileage units can become tired and behave like an open diff.
Available as import only so insurance premiums can be really pricy.
Engine problems can prove expensive.

Make/ Model: Toyota AE86 Corolla GT Coupe (UK-Fixed Lights), Sprinter Trueno (Japanese-Pop-up Lights), Corolla Levin (Japanese-Fixed Lights).
Engine: All AE86's came with the 4AGEU 1.6 litre Twin Cam 16v Engine. It used the 4AC 8v 3 Rib Block mated to the 16v Head. The AE92 used a 7 Rib Block and is a popular swap.
Standard Differential: 1.5 Way Clutch Type LSD

The Japanese versions came in GT, GTV and GT-Apex trim levels. All have pros and cons for drifting but all are suitable. GT has lowest spec but rear drum brakes which makes the handbrake more effective. GTV is the more base/performance oriented model with Manual Steering (3.5 Turns Lock-to-lock) and manual windows and GT-Apex is the highest spec with power steering (3 Turns Lock-to-lock), electric windows and air-con as standard. They came in 2 and 3 door versions of both models. The UK GT Coupe was 3 Door only, and is basically a "GTV" in terms of trim and spec (Manual steering etc). Classic drift car as featured in Initial-D.

Good:
Good to learn the basics in.
Good to work on, easy on tires and very solid and reliable.
The stock LSD (when working) is very good.
Huge aftermarket support available in Japan.
Awesome to drive and a serious amount of fun due to the light wieght and revvy engine.
Very addictive and intoxicating to own!
Bad:
Hard to get good in.
Very low power levels.
Many other cars flatter the driver

New Top on BBC2 January 28

Magazine out today with full details and exclusive interviews and pics