former Top Gear/Grand Tour producer Andy Wilman has lost his driver's license (for the next 6 months).... 4 speeding tickets in 3 years due to speed cameras, and it's an automatic license suspension.

Wilman had already had three previous speeding offenses on his record in the past three years, having received three points on his license each for infractions on January 5, 2022, September 5, 2023 and September 29, 2024.

The three points from Wilman's 2022 violation were just two weeks away from being removed from his record when he was caught speeding this last time around. He was that close to avoiding a license suspension. 

The way the UK driver's licensing system works is that if you accumulate 12 points within a three-year period, you lose your license for six months. 

https://www.roadandtrack.com/news/a64947074/top-gear-grand-tour-producer-andy-wilman-speeding/

The Smallest Cog will go on holding Coffee at the Cog car meets monthly, and there are only 55 available spots for guests

https://www.herefordtimes.com/news/25162950.richard-hammonds-update-coffee-cog-car-meets/
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100071814077061

Hammond is opening up the site of his Hereford workshop for petrolheads to discuss all things car, over a cup of coffee. "Coffee at the Cog" on Saturday, May 10.

"We want to see whatever weird and wonderful machines you’ve got stored away," they said on The Smallest Cog Instagram page,. 

 The post said spaces are limited, so keen attendees will need to submit details of their car using a link on their Instagram page.

 The chosen 55 cars will then be announced on Saturday, May 3 .

In January, the presenter hosted an array of unique Land Rovers and motoring enthusiasts at its first "Coffee at the Cog" event.

Crowds gathered outside the workshop for the event, which saw over 25 Land Rovers of all shapes and sizes attend.

It proved to be a popular day, with the car park on the Rotherwas industrial estate completely full

https://www.herefordtimes.com/news/25122992.meet-top-gears-richard-hammond-coffee-smallest-cog/

Smallest Cog, Hammonds workshop for restoring cars, is growing, and will now hire 3 more employees.

Issuing a call for new staff, Hammond said the team needs a mechanic, a panel beater, and a painter. 

the job description:  

hopefuls need to be "absolutely at the top of your game", able to live within commuting distance of the workshop in Rotherwas, Hereford and, "above all, just brilliant".

https://www.smallestcog.com/

https://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news/25117479.richard-hammonds-smallest-cog-workshop-jobs-offer/

an example of why it's enjoyable to watch the old Top Gear episodes

 

Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May will appear on tv once again, despite announcing the end last year... but it's sounding like a "best of series"

The Not Very Grand Tour is set to be released next month (18 April 2025), according to an announcement by Prime Video.

Described as “a motoring comedy documentary series”, one episode titled “The Glory and The Power” is listed on the site. “In this episode, the team celebrate the combustion engine, with a look back at footage from past adventures and test drives,” reads a description.

The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) goes even further, suggesting this will be a series with multiple episodes. 

In other words, it sounds like Amazon is preparing a series of greatest-hits-style clip shows. 

https://www.motor1.com/news/753799/the-not-very-grand-tour-amazon/

https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/jeremy-clarkson-grand-tour-richard-hammond-james-may-b2716938.html

https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/entertainment/the-not-very-grant-tour-release-date-confirmed-newsupdate/

Jeremy Clarkson talking about the Ford GT about 20 years ago

It's all American according to Ford, but

the wheels are German

 brakes are Italian

gearbox is British

Steering by Aston Martin Vanquish

Chassis set up by some guys from Lotus

I am chuckling at this while watching "The Jeremy Clarkson Collection Season 1" on Freevee via Amazon

He also was talking about some aftermarket company upgrading the suspension, and making the springs 35 % stiffer, and with a grin, stop gaid, "made me 35% stiffer too!" lol.... that's funny! 

Richard Hammonds, and his daughter, hit the track to see who was faster.... old age, or young reflexes?

https://www.hotcars.com/hanmond-and-his-daughter-go-head-to-head-on-the-track/

a helmet signed by Top Gear staff, Clarkson and May, as well as The Stig - were auctioned 3 days ago, it was left behind after the shut down of the original Top Gear show. It sold for £3,800

The helmet was left in the Top Gear offices when the studio was abandoned once the show was axed, according to the auctioneers.

https://www.sussexexpress.co.uk/news/people/bbc-top-gear-helmet-signed-by-jeremy-clarkson-up-for-auction-in-eastbourne-4818919

https://www.eastbourneauction.com/catalogue/lot/56e2add9142b9040c4d9780c7e47ca59/dd35fcc31bea70cc0f55263601434562/october-live-online-auction-to-include-antiques-collec-lot-2387/

Triumph Stag Searches Up 793 Percent After Grand Tour Finale

 Curiously absent from Auto Trader's data is Clarkson's Lancia Montecarlo. Built primarily through the late 1970s, its sleek mid-engine shape incorporated a modest twin-cam four-cylinder making 120 horsepower. It's not a sought-after classic these days, and apparently, Clarkson driving one across Zimbabwe hasn't changed that.

https://www.motor1.com/news/734307/triumph-stag-searches-up-after-grand-tour-finale/

Newsflash... Amazon is airing the last episode of the Grand Tour a day early. It's 630 pm California time, and I'm enjoying the last episode without waiting until the official promo time

https://www.theautopian.com/the-last-ever-episode-of-the-grand-tour-drops-sept-13/

Clarkson hung a tractor from the ceiling of his pub! I love it!

https://www.facebook.com/halfpennygreenwineestate

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1101370928664369&set=pcb.1101370978664364

they just released the preview for the last episode of the Grand Tour

 

Clarkson, Hammond and May’s 2006 local radio takeover was only ever a short segment on Top Gear, but an absolute hero has uploaded the full three-hour show to YouTube

it's been 22 years of Clarkson, Hammond, and May... but they are all moving onto other things, so this is the farewell episode coming next month, for the Grand Tour/Top Gear originals

Finally, good news! Jeremy Clarkson might be buying a pub!

Jeremy Clarkson is clearly passionate about championing British farming and one way to do that is to ensure a local pub serves locally produced food and drinks in a family atmosphere with affordable pricing.

Hawkstone Brewery, which leases the pub, said Clarkson, wants to use the venue to support the local farming community and would respect neighbors' wishes to keep the noise down. The reputation of the brewery has been very positive with local people welcoming a convivial outdoor space to enjoy the locally produced cider and beers with a selection of street food offerings.

Hawkstone is the brainchild of Jeremy Clarkson and Rick & Emma from the Cotswold Brew Co. Having put blood, sweat and tears into cultivating his malting barley, Jeremy was determined that it be put to good use, so resolved to supply it directly to a local brewery to turn into lager.

The Coach & Horses Inn, an 18th century pub, is just across the road from Hawkstone Brewery and earlier this year it had its new premises license approved by Cotswold District Council, it was granted a license to sell alcohol from 11am to 11pm seven days a week.

It will be let to a tenant at some point in the future and is being marketed on Stonegate Group's website. According to locals the venue was last used as a pub and curry house.

https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1899011/jeremy-clarkson-new-cotswolds-pub

I just learned that there is another Top Gear / Grand Tour episode on Amazon coming on Feb 16th, called "Sand Job" and filmed in Mauritania and one more to come in 2025

they went to the Sahara... they brought snowmobiles. 

Status of the car enthusiast world... ? Not so good, iconic magazine Hot Rod, and tv show Top Gear are over as we knew them

Top Gear just announced they are done. No plan to continue. https://www.thedrive.com/news/top-gear-is-officially-off-air-for-the-foreseeable-future

Hot Rod just announced no more monthly issues. Now, it, and Motor Trend, will be quarterly, and cost more for subscriptions, which I doubt, anyone is excited to pay, when obviously the future of Hot Rod Magazine is not long in the print version. https://help.motortrendondemand.com/hc/en-us/articles/21232231896461-MotorTrend-and-HOT-ROD-Magazine-Quarterly-Issues-Price-Increase-and-Customer-Offer

if you look at one of the recent issues of Hot Rod, it's half the size an issue was in 2010, and is full of ads, not of features on hot rods. 

Clarkson dropped off beer at Alpine's F1 team headquarters after saying he’d buy them all a pint if they got on the podium in Monaco.

Some said he wouldn’t deliver on his Tweet to buy 1,000 beers. And that he wouldn’t turn up on his tractor. All we know is, he’s called Jeremy Clarkson!

https://twitter.com/AlpineF1Team/status/1668294849584398343

https://twitter.com/AlpineF1Team/status/1668300922634608640/photo/1

https://www.outkick.com/jeremy-clarkson-buys-1000-beers-for-alpine-f1-team-after-monaco-podium/#:~:text=British%20TV%20Presenter%20Jeremy%20Clarkson,on%20the%20podium%20in%20Monaco.

https://www.ladbible.com/entertainment/jeremy-clarkson-alpine-formula-1-beer-bet-415940-20230613

Reminder, The Grand Tour, EuroCrash is getting released tomorrow