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Report: Is BTCC driver Gordon Shedden the Stig?

Filed under: Motorsports, Celebrities, TV/Movies

Would BBC’s Top Gear enjoy the same worldwide popularity and near-universal adoration without the silent mystery of its apex-hunting white knight, The Stig? Hard to say in earnest, but we’d like to believe the answer is “no.” After all, the Clarkson blarney can get irritating after prolonged exposure, but solving the riddle of the current Stig is always fascinating.

All of which is why our ears perked right up when we heard that the latest man behind the white helmet may have been revealed as Scottish racing driver Gordon Shedden. Shedden might not be a household name here in the US, but British racing fans will undoubtedly recognize the Scot as the reigning British Touring Car champion and pilot of the Honda Yuasa Racing Team. The 34-year-old driver, nicknamed The Flash, was first called into question as The Stig when it became known that he was the pilot of the 130-mile-per hour Honda racing lawnmower (in this video) that was subsequently featured on Top Gear.

British newspaper The Daily Record out and out asked Shedden if he was the current Stig, to which the driver told the paper, “I don’t think anyone can say that. At the end of the day, it is just a person in a white suit. It’s more about the myth about Stig than who it is.” A practiced non-answer, non-denial if we’ve ever heard one.

Is BTCC driver Gordon Shedden the Stig? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 22 Jul 2013 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ben “The Stig” Collins names the five worst cars he’s ever driven

Filed under: Etc.

Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione

The five worst cars Ben Collins has ever driven – Click above for high-res image gallery

Over the course of his years donning the white suit and helmet for Top Gear, pro driver Ben Collins has had the chance to drive an enviably wide array of cars. Their track times all went up on the power lap board, but there are better ways of evaluating how a car handles under pressure – like asking the guy who drove them. That’s what Australian car site Drive did, and got the former Stig to jot down some notes. They weren’t in Morse Code, but while his list of the worst five cars he’d ever driven includes some obvious choices, a couple may surprise.

First up on Ben’s hit list: the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione. When we drove it, we found its dynamics were lightyears behind its looks, and His (deposed) Stiginess apparently agrees. At the end of Collins’ list is another supercar – the TVR Sagaris – which he feels was horribly emblematic of the company that produced it, while pointing to the fact that Jeremy Clarkson loved it as evidence enough of its dubious distinction.

In between these two European supercars on Collins’ list comes the Fiat Multipla, whose horrid styling was surpassed only by its dismal performance, and the Cadillac Escalade, which the Englishman found to be all show and no go – particularly off road. Finally, the previous-generation Dodge Charger drew the Stig’s ire for its gross weight and lamentable slushbox. If for America’s sake alone, we can only hope that, heavier still though it is, Collins might take a crack at the new model.

Gallery: Ben Collin’s Five Worst Cars

Fiat Multipla Cadillac Escalade Dodge Charger TVR Sagaris

Ben “The Stig” Collins names the five worst cars he’s ever driven originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 02 May 2011 14:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Stig does donuts in Mitsubishi Evo-based London taxi

Filed under: Etc., Videos, Mitsubishi

stig driving london taxi

Stig goes round and round in a London Taxi – Click above to watch video after the jump

Top Gear Live is the traveling version of the world’s greatest show about cars. Part of that extravaganza includes The Stig, and he likes to showcase his driving talents to the crowd. One thing that doesn’t require much skill, however, is a burnout. Supply Stiggy with a proper car, let him loose, and the result will be ruined tires, smoke and many cheering fans. Is it that easy if the car being used is a London Taxi?

It is when beneath the glossy black people-mover body sits a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution. The result is far better than the Cash Cab, and we think the Stig agrees. Click past the jump to watch two clips of the Evo taxi in action. Thanks to all for the tips.

[Source: YouTube via CarScoop]

Continue reading Video: Stig does donuts in Mitsubishi Evo-based London taxi

Video: Stig does donuts in Mitsubishi Evo-based London taxi originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 04 Apr 2011 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Speed Read: The Man in the White Suit by Ben Collins (The Stig)

Filed under: Celebrities

The Man in the White Suit by Ben Collins

It’s been over four months since racer Ben Collins officially outed himself as the skill behind The Stig’s otherworldly driving talent. And, despite the bellyaching of fans and critics all around the globe, both Top Gear and life itself have continued to trundle on as if nothing ever happened. Sure, Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May have been forced to visit a Stig farm to find a new tame racing driver, and yes, they’ve even taken to gunning down cardboard cutouts of their former compatriot, but by and large, Top Gear itself is no worse off for no longer having the white suit on board.

Readers are given the best explanation as to why Collins turned his back on Top Gear.

Despite controlling our news cycle for what felt like seven eternities, Collins has rather quietly picked up a gig with rival UK car show Fifth Gear, leaving plenty of us to wonder what could possibly cause someone to give up a life of driving the world’s quickest cars in some of the most amazing scenery our planet has to offer. Fortunately, the former Stig worked up The Man in the White Suit ($26.95 on Amazon)- a quick memoir that includes everything from his stint as an army reservist to his trials on the world’s various race circuits. There’s even a good bit on the man’s time on Top Gear as the silent wheelman we all know and love.

Now that the dust has settled around the whole Stiggate fiasco, we settled in to give The Man in the White Suit a full read. Tucked between stories of training Tom Cruise to beat the life out of a reasonably priced car and vaporizing a Koenigsegg while attempting to put the supercar around Dunsfold in the quickest time possible, readers are given the best explanation as to why Collins turned his back on Top Gear for good.

Continue reading Speed Read: The Man in the White Suit by Ben Collins (The Stig)

Speed Read: The Man in the White Suit by Ben Collins (The Stig) originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 28 Jan 2011 14:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Proof positive of Tiff Needell standing in for The Stig on Top Gear

Tiff Needell in Top Gear out-takes – Click above to watch the video after the jump

What a good sport, that Tiff Needell. The affable Brit was once a Top Gear co-host, but these days he’s headlining rival program Fifth Gear. But when his old friends Clarkson and company needed a replacement to fill in for The Stig, Needell heeded the call.

We reported on Tiff’s temp placement last month, and now we have video proof courtesy of the BBC. Needell came back to Top Gear to coach the program’s latest guest star – Slumdog Millionaire and Trainspotting director Danny Boyle – how to coax the most out of the program’s reasonably-priced Kia Cee’d. Follow the jump to see Boyle behind the wheel, and Needell’s reactions from the sidelines.

[Source: Transmission]

Continue reading Video: Proof positive of Tiff Needell standing in for The Stig on Top Gear

Video: Proof positive of Tiff Needell standing in for The Stig on Top Gear originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 13 Jan 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Top Gear UK opens new season with drive-by Stig shooting session

Filed under: Celebrities

Stig

If we didn’t know any better, we’d think there was still some bad blood between Ben Collins and the hosts of Top Gear. Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond all took a few pot shots at cardboard cutouts of the Stig during this week’s episode while trying their respective hands at the art of drive-by shooting. According to The First Post, Captain Slow was the initial one to bust a few caps with a handgun from the passenger side of a Ferrari, followed by Hammond gunning from a Porsche. Not to be outdone, Clarkson took on his target with an automatic rifle from the window of a Mercedes-Benz.

Collins infamously riled both the producers and the hosts of Top Gear by publishing a memoir of his time as the Stig called The Man in the White Suit. With the mystery of the Stig’s identity dissipated, Collins was canned from the show. He quickly found work with the rival gang over at Fifth Gear, but Top Gear has yet to replace its tame racing driver. Still, there is some word that the show has found a new driver and its only a matter of time before he shows his ~~face~~ helmet. Thanks for the tip, Gooner!

[Source: The First Post]

Top Gear UK opens new season with drive-by Stig shooting session originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 22 Dec 2010 18:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: 60 Minutes interviewing the Stig on Sunday

Filed under: Classics, Videos

The Stig on 60 Minutes

The Stig on 60 Minutes – Click above to watch video after the jump

Good news if you haven’t had your fill of Stigate just yet: the world’s ex-famous tame racing driver will show up on this week’s 60 Minutes. According to CBS, host Steve Croft spent some time across the pond in an attempt to get a little closer to both the man in white and Top Gear. Croft even strapped into a Chevrolet Camaro SS for a little one-on-one time with the Stig himself. Unfortunately, The Stig didn’t turn out to be the quote machine the CBS producers had hoped.

Judging by the short trailer for the piece, it looks like Croft also spent some time with a few of the more talkative people involved in putting the show together, including Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond and executive producer Andy Wilman. The show airs this Sunday, October 24 at 7 p.m. EST. Hit the jump for a look at the teaser.

[Source: CBS]

Continue reading Video: 60 Minutes interviewing the Stig on Sunday

Video: 60 Minutes interviewing the Stig on Sunday originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 21 Oct 2010 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Top Gear cheats on GT5, teams with Forza on Stig’s Garage collection

Filed under: Etc., Technology, Videos, Toys/Games

Forza Motorsport 3 Ultimate Collection - Stig's Garage

Top Gear defects to Forza Motorsport – Click above for video after the jump

It seems everyone is losing their patience waiting for Gran Turismo 5 to arrive in November. Apparently, that includes Top Gear, which is now lending its name to special features in the upcoming Forza Motorsports 3 Ultimate Collection edition that’s due in stores this month.

The new content includes the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, Koenigsegg CCX and Lexus LF-A, which make up a pack called Stig’s Garage. (What, no Toyota Aygo?) There’s also a free 90-minute video compilation produced exclusively for Forza and an Xbox LIVE premium dashboard theme. The makers of Forza Motorsport also say that future collaborations with Top Gear are also planned.

In addition to the Top Gear content, the Ultimate Collection includes every previously released Forza 3 add-on pack, plus seven new cars:

Lancia 037 Stradale
Jaguar D-Type
Plymouth Cuda
Audi R8 5.2 FSI Quattro
Audi TT RS Coupe
Audi R15 TDI
Porsche 550A Spyder

It’s almost enough to make a guy want to ditch his PS3. Hurry, Gran Turismo…

Want to see how the two games stack up? Take a look after the jump for videos of each.

Gallery: Gran Turismo 5

Gallery: Forza Motorsport 3

[Source: Forza Motorsport, YouTube]

Continue reading Top Gear cheats on GT5, teams with Forza on Stig’s Garage collection

Top Gear cheats on GT5, teams with Forza on Stig’s Garage collection originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 02 Oct 2010 15:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ben “The Stig” Collins planning Top Gear rival?

Remember when any hint of the identity of the vaunted Stig was news? Even after Ben Collins outed himself as the mysterious super driver it took a few days before we truly believed that the biggest secret in British television had been spoiled. Judging by recent comments made by Jeremy Clarkson, we’re starting to think there’s little chance we’ll ever see the Stig again on Top Gear, but that doesn’t mean Collins is out of television for good.

The UK’s Telegraph reports that the former driver-in-white is fielding several offers to host his own show in the near future. Of course, Collins isn’t quite ready to spill details about his future plans, but he reportedly did mention that he wants to have a show with riskier stunts than what we’re used to seeing on Top Gear. In fact, Collins even managed to take a completely unveiled shot at Jezza by saying that the main man at TG “doesn’t have that kind of respect for people behind the scenes.

Until a show officially materializes, Collins plans to cash in on his book about the show, followed perhaps by a bit of fiction writing. Meanwhile, Top Gear will likely be hard at work finding the next Stig, though we’re guessing the show’s producers won’t bite on Collins’ idea to do a “Who wants to be The Stig” reality show, if only because the former Stig thought of it.

[Source: Telegraph]

Ben “The Stig” Collins planning Top Gear rival? originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 25 Sep 2010 12:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Stig’s favorite car is… the Toyota Aygo? [w/video]

Filed under: Europe, Celebrities

Toyota Aygo

Click above to view the videos after the jump

Just when you thought there wasn’t any more news to be drained from Stig-gate, Ben Collins has come out and announced his favorite car from his time beneath the white helmet. Surprisingly enough, it’s not some high-dollar sports machine. Instead, Collins says that the most fun he ever had behind the wheel while employed with the BBC was in a Toyota Aygo. He and a gaggle of other race drivers spent an afternoon playing car soccer with the Aygo, and after a full day of abuse, the little Toyota just kept on chugging along.

But if Collins is choosing a piece of high-end metal to adore, the guy said that the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport helped form some of his best memories of Top Gear. Yeah, we can see that one.

The former tame racing driver’s least favorite car? Well, that’s a surprise, too. That honor goes to a Koenigsegg. Collins infamously binned one of the ultra-rare machines during shooting – the only car to suffer damage while in his care. Videos of both segments are available after the jump.

Publisher HarperCollins plans on releasing Collins’ autobiography, The Man in the White Suit: The Stig, Le Mans, The Fast Lane and Me soon. Thanks for the tip, Kris!

[Source: The Daily Telegraph]

Continue reading The Stig’s favorite car is… the Toyota Aygo? [w/video]

The Stig’s favorite car is… the Toyota Aygo? [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 24 Sep 2010 13:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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