Latest news with #Dunsfold
Top Gear
a day ago
- Automotive
- Top Gear
Here's the Lego Technic Aston Martin Valkyrie, yours for £54.99
Functioning gullwing doors? Check. Moving pistons? Check. Pit lane beneath the coffee table? We're working on it… Turn on Javascript to see all the available pictures. The Aston Martin Valkyrie is one of the fastest cars around the Top Gear track. Thanks to Lego, you can now have yer own scaled-down Dunsfold hero in Technic form. You'll get 707 pieces (a subtle reference to the DBX707?) to assemble, with the finished product featuring an identical 'Podium Green' livery to the real thing, plus functioning gullwing doors, moving pistons and a working differential.
Forbes
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Forbes
Ex-Stig Ben Collins Returns To Top Gear Track In 700HP Praga Bohema Supercar
Ben Collins is more than familiar with the old Top Gear test track at Dunsfold The former Top Gear Stig, Ben Collins, has set the fastest production pure combustion road car lap at the Dunsfold Test Track in the Praga Bohema supercar. Collins set a remarkable time of 1:09:84, narrowly missing the Aston Martin Valkyrie's time of 1:09.70. With a dry curb weight of just 2,300 lbs (1,000kg) paired with a 3.8-liter V6 twin-turbo engine producing 700 bhp and 725Nm of torque, the Bohema is an impressive feat of engineering. In July, Collins will be involved in the handover for three customer cars at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Ben Collins, ex-Stig and Praga test driver said: 'Setting such a fast time at Dunsfold on regular road tyres was such a thrill. I knew the Bohema would be fast, but Dunsfold's tight turns and short straights are not ideal for a car that lives and breathes downforce. It shows how potent the mix of lightweight engineering, great aerodynamics, and pure combustion can be – even up against hybrid hypercars from established brands with more than 1,000 bhp. The owners taking delivery of their Bohema at Goodwood are in for the time of their lives as their new cars take to the Hill!' From all angles the Bohema is an incredible piece of art Praga is a Czech manufacturer that has been building vehicles for nearly 120 years. The world of supercars is a new area for the business but the Bohema's performance speaks for itself. Collins' lap time was completed on a set of road tires and he even drove to the circuit in the Bohema ahead of the track session. Collins said: 'We probably only did half a dozen hot laps in the time available, but with VBox timing I could see my purple sectors were looking good – if I had put together the perfect lap, we would have been at the top of the list. But, the fastest ever pure-petrol road car at the first attempt is a pretty good result too. I look forward to showing the crowds at Goodwood just what the car is capable of.' The fastest lap time at Dunsfold is held by a Renault R24 at 0:59:00 While the Bohema is road legal, it's designed to excel on the track with its racing-focused suspension and carbon ceramic brakes. The supercar can achieve 62mph from a standstill in under three seconds and produces 1,984lbs (900kg) of downforce at 155mph. Although it doesn't achieve the fastest top speed for a car of this class, the Bohema will still take your breath away when it tops out at 197mph. Tomas Kasparek, Praga Cars Owner said: 'I was delighted to see the time Bohema achieved at Dunsfold. It confirms the top level of performance capabilities of the car and it underlines its potential. More than the impressive number on the stopwatch, this highlights the incredible effort made by the whole team – and, of course, Ben's super driving skills. I'm extremely proud.' Ben Collins getting ready to take on Dunsfold Following the delivery of the first production model to a customer in the Netherlands in December, Praga will take three customer cars to the Goodwood Festival of Speed this summer. The handovers will see the first US owner take delivery of their new car and include an opportunity for the three new recipients to ride up the iconic Goodwood hill climb. Kasparek added: 'The Goodwood Festival of Speed is the best place in the world to hand over our Bohema supercars to our new clients. We've enjoyed working with our customers this spring, especially Herman van der Pavert, the owner of the first Bohema production car. As a new brand in the supercar market, every one of our customers is hugely important to us so, as we share the journey with them, we seek out ways to demonstrate our appreciation. I hope they enjoy going up the hill with Ben and that all the fans enjoy the spectacle with us.'
Motor 1
18-05-2025
- Automotive
- Motor 1
Watch Hammond and May Lap The Top Gear Test Track One Last Time
The test track at Dunsfold's Aerodrome in the United Kingdom was the defining location of Top Gear . While much of the presenting took place in a studio, a large chunk of the testing, lapping, and tomfoolery we remember most happened at the fabled airstrip-turned-road course. Used from 2002 as a primary filming location for the show, the Aerodrome faces an uncertain future. In 2018, rumors circulated that the track would be demolished to make room for a new residential housing project. And while development has begun at the opposite end of the airfield, the 1.9-mile track should remain operational at least through 2026, according to . In the wake of that uncertainty, former Top Gear hosts James May and Richard Hammond thought it a good time to revisit the legendary location and reminisce on their experiences. While the Aerodrome is best-known for the Stig's timed "Power Laps," the show also used Dunsfold for a variety of reviews, features, and comparisons. Production of Top Gear was put on hold in 2023 "for the foreseeable future" after host Freddie Flintoff rolled a Morgan 3-Wheeler at Dunsfold while filming, resulting in serious injury. The BBC later reached a settlement with Flintoff reportedly worth $11.3 million at the time. "We know resting the show will be disappointing news for fans, but it is the right thing to do," the BBC said in its 2023 statement. "All other Top Gear activity remains unaffected by this hiatus, including international formats, digital, magazines, and licensing." In fact, Top Gear Magazine in the UK still uses the Aerodrome for timed laps with the Stig , the publication's masked racing driver. As of this writing, the record is held by the McMurtry Spéirling fan car, with a time of 55.9 seconds —making it quicker than even an F1 car. We Miss Top Gear James May and Richard Hammond Are Just Doing Top Gear Stuff Now Top Gear Is Attempting to Set an Off-Road World Record Get the best news, reviews, columns, and more delivered straight to your inbox, daily. back Sign up For more information, read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use . Share this Story Facebook X LinkedIn Flipboard Reddit WhatsApp E-Mail Got a tip for us? Email: tips@ Join the conversation ( )
Motor 1
11-05-2025
- Automotive
- Motor 1
James May and Richard Hammond Are Just Doing Top Gear Stuff Now
Humans are creatures of habit, and change is hard, so we shouldn't be surprised to see James May and Richard Hammond doing what they do best—stupid stuff with cars. In a new DriveTribe YouTube video, the pair recreate and relive their glory days of Top Gear with a classically ridiculous race between a car and a plane. The two are racing from Henstridge Airfield to the old Top Gear test track at the Dunsfold Aerodrome—a short jaunt that should take both hosts about two hours to complete. Hammond is behind the wheel of a Porsche Taycan Turbo GT , while May rides shotgun in a Pipistrel electric airplane. The Taycan can make up to 1,092 horsepower for two seconds with launch control. Normally, it makes 777 hp and 988 pound-feet of torque. It can also hit a maximum speed of 190 miles per hour with the Weissach package. But Hammond never got close to reaching that on this adventure, thanks to busy UK B-roads. A plane should be faster than a car, but the Pipistrel had a limited range that required May to land and charge the battery, which was enough of a delay to allow Hammond to win in the Porsche . May might have also gotten a bit too cocky during lunch, but the result is an entertaining reminder that when these two get together, we'll happily watch and enjoy the antics like we always have. The Top Gear Test Track Is Still Hot: Aston Martin Valkyrie Breaks Top Gear Track Record for Road Cars Ariel Atom 4R Laps the Top Gear Test Track Quicker Than the Old V-8 Get the best news, reviews, columns, and more delivered straight to your inbox, daily. back Sign up For more information, read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use . Source: DriveTribe / YouTube Share this Story Facebook X LinkedIn Flipboard Reddit WhatsApp E-Mail Got a tip for us? Email: tips@ Join the conversation ( )
