Staffordshire duo in Top Gear-style old car Alps challenge
"I've been using a lot of air fresheners," he said."My wife calls it a hearse. It was pretty ropey, I'll be honest with you, but I think that's the beauty of the challenge."
'Stunning scenery'
The adventure begins in Annecy, France on Wednesday, with Mr Brough and Mr Murcott driving under the team name "Les Knobbies".As part of preparations, the vehicle has been checked over by local dealership Angus MacKinnon and Mr Brough said that while he was a "little bit worried", he was confident he would not have a brake or tyre failure."It's going to be bittersweet, because in one half of my mind I'm going to be worried to death that were going to be breaking down," he said."On the other hand, it's going to be the most stunning scenery that I'll be taking in."
Mr Brough, who chairs The Community Foundation for Staffordshire and Shropshire, has already raised more than £10,000 for The Outward Bound Trust so far, with the event as a whole aiming to raise £100,000.The charity runs outdoor adventures and courses for young people with the aim of encouraging them to get out of their comfort zone.
Follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
6 hours ago
- BBC News
Man on tractor coastal tour raises funds for five charities
A man calling himself the Road Rage Cowboy has reached Cornwall as part of his travels around the coast of Britain to raise money for charity Marius Anderson, from Keith in Scotland, worked with his friend Martin Gill to renovate a red Massey Ferguson 35x tractor to raise the charitable said he always thought about going around the coast on a motorcycle and "maybe raise some money", but, "it would've not really had much kudos by comparison with something a wee bit madder".The journey began on 22 July at Highland Tractors on the Black Isle and, on Tuesday, Mr Anderson and the tractor reached Land's End. 'Pretty little town' Mr Anderson said the Devon and Cornwall Coast was "certainly beautiful, very busy but what I didn't really take into account was the steepness of your hills"."That wasn't really expected but the tractor has coped fine with them."He added he particularly enjoyed visiting Mevagissey. "I managed to get into there and got down into the harbour without anyone chasing me for parking in the harbour. I just love it. Pretty little town." He also visited some second cousins in Cornwall and said "that will be a revisit again if I come back". The charities Mr Anderson has chosen to raise money for are close to his heart. He explained the number one charity was Cancer Research as he had lost his "very best friend" to pancreatic cancer. "There was always some seed planted in my a head a little bit about maybe giving something back," he also chose to raise money for Sane, a mental health charity, as a family member had taken their own life."It was a real shock to the family," he said My Name'5 Doddie Foundation, which supports those with Motor Neurone Disease, was chosen because Mr Gill's wife had a relative "that she watched slowly passing with motor neurone, and that was very keen to her heart to have that one on the back of the box and support it."The Royal Scottish Agricultural Benevolent Institution and Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution were chosen to support the farming community. He said they had not put a figure on how much they wanted to raise. "Whatever is raised is raised at the end of the day, no matter how much or how little, it all helps."
Auto Blog
18 hours ago
- Auto Blog
Porsche Launches Sweet 2025 Panamera Lease Deal For August
The electric crossover segment is home to some of the industry's top rivalries, including that of the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Ford Mustang Mach-E. 2025 Porsche Panamera sticks to the script The 2025 Porsche Panamera might come with a sedan bodystyle and front engine, but it still carries the performance and driving dynamics the German brand is known for. Designed to provide an engaging driving experience similar to that of the Porsche 911 sports car, the Panamera (and its price tag) aren't for the faint of heart. Porsche is kicking off August with a sweet lease deal on a new Panamera, with monthly payments as low as $1,549 over a 39-month term. 2025 Porsche Panamera — Source: Porsche 2025 Porsche Panamera lease offer for August The 2025 Porsche Panamera comes with blazing performance and a price tag to match. For the month of August, the German manufacturer is offering a single nationwide lease offer on new Panamera models. Based on an MSRP of $115,745, you could get into a Panamera for as little as $1,549.25 per month, with a hefty $12,109 due at signing. That down payment includes the first month's payment, $1,095 acquisition fee, and $9,465 capitalized cost reduction. 2025 Porsche Panamera — Source: Porsche This Porsche Panamera lease deal is valid through September 2nd and spans a 39-month term, with a 32,500-mile allowance over the course of the contract. If you prefer to keep your upfront costs to a minimum, or you're short on liquid assets, you could inquire about a zero down payment plan. Spreading the $12,109.25 down payment over 39 payments would increase your monthly costs to an estimated $1,859.74 ($12,109.25/39 + $1,549.25). Qualified lessees must be approved through Porsche Financial Services. 2025 Porsche Panamera — Source: Porsche 2025 Porsche Panamera highlights The Porsche Panamera gets a few major changes for the 2025 model year, with two PHEVs and a range-topping GTS joining the lineup. Regardless of powertrain, all Panamera models share the same styling and chassis components. Hybrid models get an exclusive option, an active suspension system with hydraulic pumps that stabilize the Panamera over bumps and through corners. 2025 Porsche Panamera — Source: Porsche The base Panamera rocks out with a 348-horsepower turbocharged V6 engine mated to an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. While the base model sticks with RWD, stepping up to the Panamera 4 gets you standard AWD. Regardless of drivetrain, the 2025 Porsche Panamera is rated for an EPA-estimated 21 mpg in combined city/highway driving. The range-topping nonhybrid Porsche Panamera GTS rolls out with a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 engine that produces 493 horsepower and 486 lb-ft of torque. That kind of power pushes the Panamera GTS to 60 mph in just 3.6 seconds. The Panamera GTS is rated for 18 mpg in combined city/highway driving. Hybrid Porsche Panamera models come with the same 2.9-liter V6 engine that powers the base model, along with electric motors and a 21.8 kWh battery. Thanks to the electric motors, performance gets boosted to 463 and 536 horsepower in the Panamera 4 E-Hybrid and 4S E-Hybrid, respectively. The hybrid models have yet to be rated by the EPA. 2025 Porsche Panamera — Source: Porsche The Porsche Panamera is a true sedan in form and function, with seating for up to five passengers. Alternatively, you can swap out the rear bench for bucket seats, reducing seating to four. The model's price tag gives way to an interior with premium materials and plenty of tech. A 12.6-inch curved digital gauge cluster sits behind the steering wheel, while a 10.9-inch infotainment touchscreen rests nicely in the center dashboard. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come standard, as does wireless smartphone charging. Final thoughts Porsche's four-door sports car fits the brand's portfolio perfectly, with plenty of performance under the hood and engaging driving dynamics to boot. Equipped with seating for up to five passengers, the Panamera's form follows function. Stop at your local Porsche dealership before September 2nd if you're interested in seeing what the German marque's sport sedan can do! 2025 Porsche Panamera — Source: Porsche Lease offers can vary by location and vehicle configuration. Advertised monthly payments don't necessarily include taxes, title, registration, or other fees. To learn more about this 2025 Porsche Panamera lease deal, head over to the official Porsche website. *Disclaimer: This article is provided for informational purposes only. The information presented herein is based on manufacturer-provided lease offer information, which is subject to frequent change and may vary based on location, creditworthiness, and other factors. We are not a party to any lease agreements and assume no liability for the terms, conditions, availability, or accuracy of any lease offers mentioned. All terms, including but not limited to pricing, mileage allowances, and residual values, require direct verification with an authorized local OEM dealership. This article does not constitute financial advice or an endorsement of any particular lease or vehicle. About the Author Joseph Pudlewski View Profile
Top Gear
a day ago
- Top Gear
Gordon Murray's new Le Mans GTR is a love letter to longtails
First Look First model from GM Special Vehicles is a T.50/T.50S-based homage to iconic longtail racers from the past Skip 8 photos in the image carousel and continue reading What if Gordon Murray took his incredible T.50 and T.50S platform as a starting point and then built his ultimate (road-legal) homage to longtail racecars around it? Well wonder no more, because the new GMSV Le Mans GTR has been revealed… and we're suddenly a little short of breath. It's the first of two, simultaneously-revealed, projects from the newly formed Gordon Murray Special Vehicles – the other being the S1 LM you can read about here. But this is the first under the 'SV Design' pillar, which focuses on ultra-low volume runs based on GMA production cars. There will only be 24 of these built, one for every hour of some race in France, and they're all sold out. Sorry about that. Advertisement - Page continues below The fundamentals are a blend of T.50 and T.50S, so it's a three-seater, six-speed manual and the engine is the T.50's 654bhp, 4.0-litre, 12,100rpm V12, which let's face it, is a handy place to begin. Beyond that it's all new. The bodywork is inspired not just by Gordon's own F1 GTR longtail racecar – built for the 1997 season when it won its class but came second overall at Le Mans – but longtail legends like the Porsche 917 and Alfa Tipo 33/3. 'Longtail racing cars perfectly combine aerodynamic benefit and aesthetic balance, I've always loved their mix of considered engineering and flowing design,' said Gordon, and who are we to argue. You might like The exterior lines have an organic flow to them, much like T.50 and T.33, but are sharpened up with more obvious aero appendages. If we had to position this in terms of road vs track focus, it sits somewhere between T.50 and T.50S. The vertical stacked lights give mild McLaren Senna vibes, the roof scoop is present and correct and the deep, full-width carbon rear wing is a thing of beauty. You'll note there's no fan at the rear – not needed here apparently as the elongated tail allows the top surface to taper down toward the rising underside, which offers all the aero efficiency and stability required. The model we saw was without an interior, but renderings show the target is a more minimalist and focused feel than T.50… if that's possible, with all-new dials and switchgear. Price? Not disclosed, but many millions, as is the norm now for these low-volume unicorns. Those lucky 24 owners can pick a spec to match their favourite longtail racer, or simply go wild with colour and trim. We'll take ours in any colour we can get it. Advertisement - Page continues below Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Look out for your regular round-up of news, reviews and offers in your inbox. Get all the latest news, reviews and exclusives, direct to your inbox.
