Coming up on The Top Ten Auto Show, Dave Lee Travis goes through the countdown of the top ten performance cars 2001 as voted by the panel of experts from the top auto magazines in the UK.
Who will claim that number one spot?
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Who will claim that number one spot?
Don't forget to subscribe to our channel and hit the notification bell so you never miss a video!
------------------
Enjoyed this video? Don't forget to LIKE and SHARE the video and get involved with our community by leaving a COMMENT below the video!
Check out what else our channel has to offer and don't forget to SUBSCRIBE to Men & Motors for more classic car and motorbike content! Why not? It is free after all!
Our website: http://menandmotors.com/
---- Social Media ----
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/menandmotors/
Instagram: @menandmotorstv
Twitter: @menandmotorstv
If you have any questions, e-mail us at talk@menandmotors.com
© Men and Motors - One Media iP 2023
Category
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MotorTranscript
00:00 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:03,
00:31 Hello, this is DLT once again, and welcome to another Motoring
00:34 Top 10.
00:35 This week, we're looking at the fun side of driving,
00:38 where money is no object and excitement is everything.
00:42 In our Top 10, you'll find the old favorites
00:44 and some unexpected entrants.
00:45 So let's have a look at our Top 10 Performance Cars of 2001.
00:55 In at number 10, the big brute from the US of A,
00:58 the Chevrolet Camaro.
00:59 The Chevrolet Camaro is seen by some as a poor man's Corvette,
01:03 others as a means of getting an astonishing muscle car
01:05 on your drive for affordable cash.
01:08 After all, here is a stylish looking coupe.
01:11 It has a 5.7 liter V8 engine delivering 285 brake horsepower,
01:16 and it's yours for the price of an average large family saloon.
01:19 There are plenty of things to moan about the closer you get to it.
01:24 This isn't actually a car at all.
01:26 It's a boat, a really big American boat.
01:31 Well, on the plus side, it is very, very big and really quite cheap.
01:35 And you do get a 5.7 liter V8, which means it'll
01:39 scamper from 0 to 60 in 5.3 seconds.
01:42 Only thing is, God knows what direction you'll
01:45 be pointing it after 5.3 seconds.
01:48 Now, there's absolutely no point in my romping out
01:51 to the hills and country lanes in this thing, because I'll crash.
01:55 So I'm going to cruise around town, which is the only place it's safe.
01:59 And even then, the interior appears to be crafted out of, well,
02:04 old egg boxes, I think.
02:05 It's dreadful.
02:07 This might be acceptable in the States.
02:09 It is not over here.
02:11 The Chevrolet Camaro is available in this country in left hand drive
02:15 and gives you a real affordable taste of American pie.
02:19 [MUSIC PLAYING]
02:22 At number nine, have I seen this before?
02:33 The Toyota MR2.
02:35 Any performance car needs to look the part.
02:38 But while the MR2 is striking, it's not original.
02:41 The wheel arches are reminiscent of the Audi TT.
02:44 And the back end has Porsche Boxster written all over it.
02:47 But it's once you get inside that you realize Toyota's designers have
02:50 completely lost the plot.
02:52 They couldn't decide what look they were going for,
02:54 so they chucked the lot in.
02:55 You've got deep dials like you'll find in the 156.
02:58 There's an influence from the Audi TT and certainly from Toyota's Celica.
03:03 And just look, the dashboard has developed lovely dimples
03:06 and cellulite.
03:07 And as for these nice plastic grab handles, well, I'm sorry,
03:10 but they're straight out of a disabled toilet.
03:13 The whole feeling is dull, and there's far too much black.
03:17 But I can forgive all of this if the car is as much fun to drive
03:21 as they promise it's going to be.
03:22 Well, Ginny, I can tell you it is.
03:25 The Toyota MR2 is a superb handling mid-engine two-seater.
03:29 It's lightweight, and the engine, which it shares with the Celica,
03:32 gives it eager performance, which, when combined
03:35 with the sharp steering and excellent grip, gives a good drive.
03:38 The one thing that really lets it down is the appalling lack
03:41 of any luggage space.
03:43 Now, of course, it's mid-engine, so there's no boot.
03:45 There is space at the front, but that's made absolutely tiny
03:48 by the fact that the space saver just about fills it up.
03:51 So that really leaves you with two cubby holes behind the seats.
03:55 And they're so small that you'd struggle to fit a bag of shopping
03:58 in, let alone an overnight bag.
04:00 It makes the MR2 a very impractical car to buy,
04:03 and future owners will have to think really carefully about it
04:06 before they decide to buy one.
04:08 But is the MR2 enough of a driver's car
04:11 to make up for the fact that it really is so impractical?
04:14 I'm afraid the answer is no.
04:16 It's a great, fun car to drive, but it
04:18 doesn't have the raw appeal or the skilled handling
04:21 of something like the Elise.
04:23 And while it is, without doubt, a better drive than either the MX-5
04:26 or the MGF, it doesn't offer the all-round practicality
04:29 that both of those two can.
04:32 So about 19,000 pounds, this car gives reasonable performance
04:37 for the money.
04:38 But if this is your only car, the practicality
04:40 lets it down badly.
04:42 You could always fit a trailer to it,
04:43 but that would be just daft.
04:44 In at number eight is the first surprise of our top 10,
05:00 a Honda in the form of NSX.
05:03 Shelling out about 75,000 pounds for only a Honda
05:07 seems rather extravagant.
05:09 But when that Honda is a magnificent NSX,
05:11 the investment seems fairly attractive.
05:14 From launch, Honda promised a supercar
05:17 which drove as easy as a Civic, and they
05:19 stuck to their promise.
05:20 However, the kind of power that the VTEC 3.2 V6 engine
05:24 delivers needs rather more driving training
05:27 than just a basic license.
05:29 Now, originally, this car had a 3-liter V6 engine,
05:32 which generated 270 brake horsepower.
05:34 But in 1997, it was slightly revised
05:37 to give it 3.2 liters and an extra 20 brake horsepower,
05:40 which even with my maths, gives you 290,
05:43 enough to propel this far eastern missile from 0 to 60
05:46 in about five seconds.
05:47 And if you've got the balls, on up to a top whack
05:50 of 175 miles per hour.
05:54 There is a choice between an open-top car
05:55 and a hard-top coupe.
05:57 Unless you intend to pose in the south of France all year,
06:00 the coupe is the more sensible choice,
06:02 especially since you need the extra rigidity to truly enjoy
06:05 the fantastic handling.
06:07 And at the showroom, we'd say ignore the automatic option
06:10 as well.
06:11 This is a driver's car.
06:12 And a driver's car has a manual box.
06:15 Now, another innovation first for the NSX
06:18 was the first use of a production aluminum chassis.
06:21 Now, other manufacturers might have since
06:23 caught on to the benefits.
06:24 But in 1990, Honda led the way.
06:27 And as a result, the weight of the NSX
06:29 was well down on that of its rivals.
06:32 The NSX is maybe getting on a bit in years.
06:34 But it delivers everything it promises--
06:36 an impressive aluminum sleek supercar,
06:39 which knocks you out every time you get behind the wheel.
06:41 [MUSIC PLAYING]
06:45 At number seven, all good things come in small packages,
06:57 including the Lotus Elise.
07:00 We've all heard the phrase, less is more.
07:02 In Lotus's case, this really is true.
07:05 The appeal of the Lotus Elise is in its starker simplicity
07:08 and style.
07:09 An aluminum chassis and glass fiber body
07:11 combined to achieve weight of about half
07:14 of that of the average family car.
07:16 This means that the Lotus doesn't need a huge lump
07:18 of metal at the front.
07:19 Lotus endured a pretty turbulent time in the '90s,
07:22 passed like the parcel at a kiddies party
07:24 from General Motors ownership to the failed Bugatti outfit
07:28 and onto Proton.
07:29 When the original Elise was launched four years ago,
07:32 the company's future depended upon it
07:33 being a great car, which fortunately, it was and still
07:37 is in the 21st century, when Lotus is thriving.
07:41 The Lotus Elise uses a 1.8 liter Rover engine.
07:45 And 118 brake horsepower is enough to propel the car up
07:48 to 60 in just over six seconds.
07:51 We're not talking smooth power here, unfortunately.
07:54 The engine is exposed and rather gruff.
07:56 But it all adds to the sporty experience.
07:59 And the noise in your ears will soon
08:00 become like a musical operetta, as the power plant
08:03 uses its magic to propel you around the bends with aplomb.
08:06 Some things, thankfully, haven't changed.
08:11 And amongst them is the seat-to-the-pants feel
08:13 of the Elise.
08:14 Because it's so light, there's no need
08:15 for things like power steering to get
08:17 in the way between the communication between you
08:19 and the tarmac.
08:20 Everything is transferred straight through
08:22 to your fingers and literally to the seat of your pants.
08:24 You can feel what's going on in every corner of the car, which
08:27 is all part of the fun of driving.
08:29 Whilst the old model had a reputation for superb handling,
08:32 deservedly so, it could get a little bit skittery,
08:34 particularly if you were backing off
08:36 the throttle into a tight bend.
08:37 They reckon to have remedied that with improvements
08:39 to the handling of the new car.
08:41 And it is still superb.
08:43 In the practicality stakes, the Lotus trails behind.
08:47 But assuming you're buying this car for the fun and games
08:49 on open roads and not for doing your weekly shop
08:52 at the supermarket, the Elise delivers.
08:55 [MUSIC PLAYING]
08:58 At number six, shaken not stirred,
09:09 it's the Aston Martin DB7.
09:12 Now pay attention.
09:14 Your Aston Martin DB7, it doesn't
09:16 come with Stinger missiles behind the headlights,
09:19 neither will it have an injector seat,
09:21 but you can still pretend to be James Bond
09:23 when you're driving one, which is probably
09:26 one of the biggest selling points of any Aston Martin.
09:29 But the 007 connection aside, what does the DB7
09:33 have going for it?
09:34 Let's ask Hammond, Richard Hammond.
09:37 The sound of that V12 is very nice indeed.
09:41 And it does romp along, Mary.
09:42 There's a huge surge of mid-range,
09:44 as you would expect there to be.
09:45 It's just a long way from being pin sharp and responsive.
09:50 The whole package sums up tradition.
09:52 Hand-built craftsmanship and British engineering.
09:55 Yes, we know that Aston Martin is now owned by Ford,
09:58 but at the heart of this car is the classically British
10:01 Grand Tourer with stunning looks and head-turning styling.
10:03 Soft top.
10:07 It's not proper, not proper at all.
10:09 Frankly, it's for girls.
10:12 I mean, the playing fields of Eton
10:14 didn't make us fightfully brave just
10:16 so we can mince around in a giant hairdresser's charity,
10:19 did they?
10:20 Some cars, really vulgar cars, suit having the top chopped.
10:24 And then others, well, you might as well,
10:26 because they're never going to be monsters to drive anyway.
10:29 But an Aston Martin, well, it just
10:31 doesn't seem right somehow.
10:32 So enough of this wanton decadence,
10:34 enough of this, frankly, continental display.
10:37 I'm going to be sensible, like you should.
10:40 And anyway, it looks like rain.
10:43 The posh V12 Vantage version has proved so popular,
10:46 even when 8,000 pounds more than the mere six cylinder,
10:50 that the base model has actually been discontinued.
10:53 Doesn't this show how money isn't a factor here?
10:56 If the head were ruling the heart,
10:58 this wouldn't be a sensible buy at all.
11:00 After all, the cabin has no room.
11:02 The pedals are weirdly offset.
11:04 And there are annoying little parts
11:06 which look as if they're from a Ford or Mazda.
11:08 But the heart wins.
11:09 And this Aston Martin will definitely
11:11 leave you shaken, not stirred.
11:14 [MUSIC PLAYING]
11:18 At number five is the second Honda in our top 10, the S2000.
11:31 The S2000 is seen as the main competitor to the Porsche
11:34 Boxster.
11:35 And the fact that the Boxster isn't even in our top 10
11:38 demonstrates the potential behind the Honda's
11:40 underplayed style.
11:42 The first thing you notice about the interior
11:45 is this Formula One style instrument panel
11:47 that goes up to 9,000 revs.
11:49 Apart from that, it's really a very spartan affair in here.
11:52 That's OK, because it means nothing
11:54 gets in the way of the driving, which
11:56 is what this car is all about.
11:58 These snazzy red seats hold you in nice and tight.
12:01 And there's a good deep seating position
12:02 that makes you feel as if you're in a cockpit.
12:05 That's enhanced by the high sides
12:06 to the doors, the steering wheel,
12:08 and this lovely little button that helps you start the engine.
12:11 The hood is triggered by the flick of a button.
12:13 And six seconds is all it takes to raise or drop,
12:16 perfect for our British summertime.
12:19 The main problem in owning any sports car
12:22 is where to take it to fully appreciate its performance.
12:25 And this is especially true with Honda's S2000,
12:27 with the world's most powerful non-turbo under the bonnet.
12:31 There aren't too many roads in our country
12:33 that lets you fully appreciate the wonderful six-speed
12:36 gearbox or really get the most out
12:38 of the naturally aspirated engine that
12:40 pumps out 237 brake horsepower and can hit 60
12:44 in just under six seconds.
12:47 And that's such a shame.
12:49 The thing about a great sports car
12:50 is that it should turn you on the minute you climb aboard
12:53 and get better from that point on, whatever
12:56 speed you might be doing.
12:58 And the problem with the S2000 is
13:00 that you have to thrash it well beyond the speed limit
13:02 to truly appreciate what it's capable of.
13:05 And at 28 and 1/2 thousand pounds,
13:07 it seems like an awful lot of money just to lose your license.
13:10 [ENGINE STARTS]
13:14 [MUSIC PLAYING]
13:17 Hello, this is DLT once again.
13:29 Let's have a look at our top 10 performance cars of 2001.
13:32 [MUSIC PLAYING]
13:37 At number four-- and no, it's not the boy band from Carlisle.
13:41 It's the 911 from Porsche.
13:43 I'm sure it's no accident that Porsche named this car the 911.
13:47 It is, of course, America's emergency number.
13:49 I'm sure police around the world would love to have a Porsche
13:52 911 as a cop car.
13:53 I know many, many people, however, who are glad they
13:56 don't.
13:57 [MUSIC PLAYING]
14:00 The Porsche 911, considering its rear engine,
14:05 is superbly balanced.
14:06 They compensate the rear axle weight
14:08 by putting a lot of the cooling systems, et cetera,
14:11 in the front, just behind the dashboard.
14:13 And it means that cornering is absolutely sensational.
14:16 It's the most precise supercar and easy to drive as well.
14:21 The Porsche 911, after 30 years of development,
14:23 is still an extremely sought after vehicle
14:26 and is seen by many people as the ultimate performance car.
14:29 [MUSIC PLAYING]
14:33 The 911 is and always has been a triumph
14:36 of engineering over design.
14:37 They obviously started with the shell and said, right,
14:40 put an engine in there now.
14:41 They went, are you crazy?
14:42 But somehow, they managed to do it.
14:44 And it's incredible.
14:45 What makes it so different is Porsche's insistence
14:48 on keeping the original rear engine concept.
14:51 For the latest version of the 911,
14:53 styling has been revamped, which helps to tell the world you've
14:56 got the latest version, but also enough
14:58 to keep the pure Porsche feel.
15:00 The shape is definitely Porsche.
15:03 Now, we know you'll get your neighbors gawping,
15:05 but will you impress your girlfriend
15:06 in the passenger seat?
15:08 In a word, fantastically.
15:10 The first thing you'll notice when getting inside
15:12 is the plentiful use, let's say, of leather and alcantara,
15:17 which is on the ceiling for some reason.
15:18 If you find yourself looking at that,
15:20 you've done something seriously wrong.
15:21 Leather is everywhere.
15:22 And it is finished beautifully, hand-stitched all the way
15:25 around.
15:27 Obviously, we've got a lot of leather on the inside.
15:29 Obviously, with a luxurious car like this,
15:32 you get a multi-play CD player, satellite navigation system,
15:34 cruise control, air conditioning.
15:36 You name it, we've got it.
15:37 There's even a cigarette lighter, shouldn't you smoke.
15:40 Of course, it's all there, and it
15:41 should be for a car costing 8,000 to 6,000 pounds.
15:43 But on a car like this, it's all about how it drives.
15:48 The latest version gives you a more sophisticated package
15:51 with a better driving position and more refinement
15:54 without losing one part of the driving experience,
15:57 a true living legend that you really can drive.
15:59 At number three is the Vauxhall.
16:15 What Vauxhall?
16:17 Yes, the Vauxhall VX220.
16:20 The Vauxhall VX220.
16:22 Just saying the word Vauxhall and seeing
16:24 the stunning image on your screen seems a little wrong.
16:27 But Vauxhall did make the world's first ever sports
16:30 car back in the 1900s.
16:31 And of course, they did get some help building this one.
16:34 If you're at all familiar with the VX220,
16:36 you'll know that it's built by Lotus at their Norwich factory
16:39 and that it's based on a prototype Elise chassis.
16:42 But if you think it's just an Elise rebadged as a Vauxhall,
16:45 well, you'd be wrong.
16:46 I've actually driven both cars, and I can tell you
16:48 that the VX220 is completely different.
16:50 [ENGINE REVVING]
16:54 The other riding ethos of the VX220
16:57 is to maximise performance at the expense of luxuries.
17:00 Now, because this car's built with weight saving in mind,
17:03 don't expect too many whistles and bells in the cabin.
17:06 PTS, but electric windows and air conditioning, no.
17:09 But who needs air con when you've got the whole world out
17:11 there?
17:12 Vauxhall were determined to make an exclusive car that
17:15 really would turn heads.
17:17 And they've succeeded incredibly.
17:19 And with only 1,000 on sale each year in the UK,
17:22 the VX220 has become very exclusive.
17:25 And it exudes desirability.
17:28 Now, the biggest difference the VX220's got over the Elise
17:30 is with the engine.
17:31 There's no 1.8 K-Series up front.
17:33 Instead, we've got a 2.2 litre aluminium unit producing
17:37 145 brake horsepower.
17:39 Now, that doesn't sound a lot by today's standards.
17:42 But this is where the weight factor comes in.
17:44 Because when you stick 145 brake into a car that only weighs
17:47 875 kilograms, the performance is fantastic.
17:51 0 to 60 takes under six seconds.
17:54 And it'll take you on to a top speed of 137 miles an hour.
17:58 [MUSIC PLAYING]
18:18 Remember, this is a more powerful car
18:20 than the Lotus Elise.
18:21 So find an empty road, slam down your foot,
18:24 and enjoy the true driver's experience of a Vauxhall.
18:27 Now, we never thought we'd be saying that some years ago.
18:30 [MUSIC PLAYING]
18:46 At number two, it looks classic British,
18:49 but it's actually German.
18:50 It's the BMW Z8.
18:52 [MUSIC PLAYING]
18:56 This is the BMW Z8, the fabulous flagship of the BMW
18:59 range, which has styling cues from the classic 1950s
19:03 British sports cars.
19:04 [MUSIC PLAYING]
19:11 There aren't many of these beauties around.
19:13 BMW only allowed 60 into the UK in 2001.
19:17 [MUSIC PLAYING]
19:22 The car is built on an aluminium alloy space frame,
19:25 so lightweight and giving unbelievable performance.
19:28 [MUSIC PLAYING]
19:36 Inside the Z8, the retro theme continues
19:38 with a huge chrome and leather steering wheel
19:40 and beautiful seating.
19:42 [MUSIC PLAYING]
19:47 If you aren't lucky enough to own one,
19:48 then keep your eyes open to at least have
19:50 the opportunity to see one.
19:52 But be quick, because it will.
19:54 [MUSIC PLAYING]
20:02 Now, before we see what car is taking up
20:04 the top spot of number one performance car of 2001,
20:08 let's run down the top 10 so far from 10 to 2.
20:11 [MUSIC PLAYING]
20:15 At number 10, the all-American left-hand drive Chevrolet
20:19 Camaro.
20:20 In at number nine, what do you get
20:21 if you cross a TT with a Boxster?
20:24 The Toyota MR2.
20:26 At number eight, 75 grand for a Honda?
20:29 Well, this one's worth it, the Honda NSX.
20:32 And at number seven, less is more with the Lotus Elise.
20:36 At number six, you'll be shaken, not stirred.
20:38 It's the Aston Martin DB7.
20:41 At number five, put your foot down,
20:43 but don't get caught, the Honda S2000.
20:46 In at number four, there's not a boy band in sight,
20:49 only the 911 from Porsche.
20:52 At number three, from the makers of the original sports car
20:55 with help from Lotus, the Vauxhall VX220.
20:58 Close, but no cigar.
21:00 Number two, the classic British car from Germany, the BMW Z8.
21:05 And so, on to the number one performance car of 2001,
21:09 as voted by the editors of the UK's top auto magazines.
21:12 [MUSIC PLAYING]
21:18 A round of applause, please, for the Ferrari 360.
21:22 The legendary Ferrari 355 has been replaced by this.
21:25 But where's the front grill gone?
21:27 Ferrari purists may gasp in horror,
21:30 but this is a Ferrari for the 21st century.
21:33 This is a mid-engine, 180 mile per hour rocket chip, which
21:36 is a triumph of packaging design.
21:39 From the outside, it looks Ferrari sleek.
21:41 But actually, inside, there's reasonable space for two.
21:44 The aluminum V8 engine gives much more power
21:46 than the outgoing F355, giving you a mind-boggling 400 brake
21:51 horsepower.
21:52 This car looks like a racetrack machine.
21:54 And just to give it that extra Grand Prix feeling,
21:57 a Formula One paddle-operated transmission is available.
22:00 So if you have a spare 100,000 pounds to spend,
22:04 we can think of no better purchase.
22:05 [MUSIC PLAYING]
22:13 This has been Dave Lee Travis.
22:14 Thanks for watching.
22:15 Join me next week for the top 10 convertibles.
22:18 [MUSIC PLAYING]
22:21 [MUSIC PLAYING]
22:25 [MUSIC PLAYING]
22:28 [MUSIC PLAYING]
22:32 [MUSIC PLAYING]
22:35 [MUSIC PLAYING]
22:39 [MUSIC PLAYING]
22:43 [MUSIC PLAYING]
22:46 (upbeat music)
22:48 [BLANK_AUDIO]