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Post by lindenchase on May 27, 2011 9:12:23 GMT
Quote from today's Independent. * James May, least famous but best liked member of the Top Gear trio, may give his colleagues a shock with his letter to this month's edition of Prospect. "Most drivers are not really interested in cars," he claims. "They see them as a convenient solution to a need." Do I hear the slap of Clarkson's toast hitting the floor? * Alas, the online edition of Prospect is behind a pay wall, so no chance of a sneak peak at what he has actually written.  www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/2011/05/dannatt-afghanistan-euro-redwood-may-top-gear-peak-car/ |
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Post by crumbs on May 27, 2011 10:14:44 GMT
I think James is right. If we look at the style of cars on the market today it's all about practicality, comfort, extras etc and not about the essence of what makes a car beautiful: although we may differ on what make a car 'beautiful'! For me it's the Jaguar XK140 (wibble) - the XK150 too. For MOH it's the E type. We Crumbs's like Jaaaags!
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Post by amie8 on May 28, 2011 22:19:25 GMT
Quote from today's Independent. * James May, least famous but best liked member of the Top Gear trio, may give his colleagues a shock with his letter to this month's edition of Prospect. "Most drivers are not really interested in cars," he claims. "They see them as a convenient solution to a need." Do I hear the slap of Clarkson's toast hitting the floor? * Alas, the online edition of Prospect is behind a pay wall, so no chance of a sneak peak at what he has actually written. www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/2011/05/dannatt-afghanistan-euro-redwood-may-top-gear-peak-car/Had a sneaky peak at this in WH Smiths today and you're not missing much. His letter is in reply to an article in the previous month's magazine and it's just a reworking of his oft-repeated theory that, in the future, there will be alternative forms of mass transportation, so driving will become a hobby for enthusiasts only. I'm impressed that he reads "Prospect" magazine though. It's the sort of thing you'd read on a plane, but only in business class. |
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Post by lindenchase on May 29, 2011 7:39:01 GMT
Thanks Amie! I'll see if I can a sneaky peak myself in my local Waterstones. I have to admit I had never even heard of the magazine before, even though I used to work for an equivalent magazine in the Netherlands.
Likely James read it while flying Business/First class indeed. ;D
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Post by lindenchase on Jun 10, 2011 11:36:08 GMT
The letter james wrote is online now. :-) www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/2011/05/dannatt-afghanistan-euro-redwood-may-top-gear-peak-car/James Crabtree (May) asks if we have reached “peak car.” In a sense, I hope so. Most drivers are not really interested in cars; they see them as a convenient solution to a need. As other solutions appear, driving will become more of a hobby. Take motorcycles: ownership has declined dramatically, but the owners are a fraternity of motorcycle lovers riding over-specified machinery as a form of escapism. I’ve owned a motorcycle for 10 years which has covered only 4,000 miles. I’ve always used it in accordance with a maxim bequeathed to me by the late LJK Setright: “never ride your motorcycle because you have to, only ever ride it because you want to.” That, I believe, is the future of driving. We will do less of it, but we will enjoy it a lot more. James May Presenter of BBC’s Top Gear |
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