One for the Road – Our Salute to the final chapter of The Grand Tour

For many of us, the petrol began to course through our veins from an early age. Whether it was a family influence, afternoons in the garage with your old man helping to get those little jobs done that you were told only your hands could do, or an external influence – the revered and legendary tones of people like Murray Walker dancing across the living room as you tuned into the coverage of Formula 1. Later, a car show on the BBC would change the automotive world and thus began a beautiful 2 and 4 wheeled journey for so many of us.

Within that octane fueled world, 22 years ago, a trio of presenters made up of an automotive journalist, a qualified musician and an art school graduate began their journey on our screens. Capturing so many moments behind the wheel of cars many of us could only dream of, and heading to far flung places that had you scrabbling in the loft for an atlas. It is of course, the Three Amigos – Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond.

This unlikely group of friends would travel the world, sabotage each other and find themselves in some of the most truly unique and beautiful places imaginable – driving lorries in Burma, building a car and driving it across Mongolia, Racing against trains, planes and James May, it all unfolded on your television screens. This Friday, the 13th of September, it will all be coming to an end as we know it.

This Friday is the release of the final outing of that rag-tag team, with One for the Road. These 3 pals have helped to shape not only modern automotive media, but the larger automotive world with their catch phrases become part of the vernacular – for example, if we use the word ‘Jag’ as an example. Chances are that a fair few of you have expanded that middle vowel in your best ‘Clarkson’ voice…

Or ‘POWWWWWEEERRRRRRRRRRRRR!’ instead of just saying ‘accelerate’ when your hanging out with your other horsepower obsessed friends. Either way, the three of them managed to capture, stimulate and inspire entire generations of would-be hero drivers with their on-screen antics.

To pay tribute to this milestone in automotive media, we decided to get a couple of our team together and ask them one very simple question – What is their ‘One for the Road‘?

Anything with an internal combustion engine, any where in the world – but it’s the last time you ever get to do it – Inspired by the 2 decades of adventures ‘our’ 3 amigos have undertaken.

Jon:

Jon, one of our amazing technicians, is through and through a Ford man – legend says that when he cuts his thumb open its actually in the shape of the blue oval. Not only that, he is also a massive rally fan – especially of the late 1980’s Group B era he remembers so vividly as a young man, and an important time in his automotive life.

Car: Ford RS200

Location: Stelvio Pass, Italy

Reason: Regarded as one of the worlds most formidable and legendary driving roads with a series of sweeping and breathtaking switch back hairpins – the perfect place for his last drive.

Craig:

Craig, our managing director, began his petrol fueled journey on two wheels with his motocross bikes in the family paddock at a young age before the world opened up behind the wheel of his beloved Citroen Saxo. Accomplished on both 2 and 4 wheels, Craig’s choice comes truly from the heart and behind the wheel of his favourite car.

Car: 2010 Land Rover Defender

Location: Scotland, UK

Reason: Using his favourite car to take his family up to Scotland is a heartfelt move. Craig, who is an amazing dad to his son Loick, would take a trip up to Scotland to show the family where his family originally come from as a last octane fueled blast.

Steve:

Steve, another one of our amazing technicians, is also a man of many talents. A true petrol head at heart, he grew up building quick Mk2 Escorts with his friends while also being an accomplished motorcycle rider – having owned dozens of motorcycles, but his choice is closer to his heart. For his ‘One for the Road’ he’s decided to go back to something he’s done several times and in his mind, it doesn’t get much better.

Bike: 2003 Honda Fireblade

Location: Roads surrounding Lyn Celyn in Wales

Reason: In Steve’s mind, the roads which snake around the picturesque lake nestled in the naked, open landscape of this area of wales don’t get any better. Towards the top of the lake, is a hairpin. A long, flowing switch back which if you ever get a chance to ask Steve about, there is a light in his eye as he describes it which you just simply can’t put into words.

Nick:

Nick, which is me – so if you don’t mind I’m going to swap to 1st person for this one… I’ve been a petrolhead since I can remember. I don’t come from an automotive family really – I only found out about their 4-wheeled interests later in life once I had gone down my own automotive path. I’ve owned several air cooled cars over the years and I grew up in the Middle East, that is where my heart will forever be – lost in the sand some say…

Car: 1974 Porsche 911 Carrera 3.0 RSR

Location: Dubai, UAE to Salalah, Oman.

Reason: Having grown up in the Middle East from a very early age, the road that leads up the coast of the Gulf holds so many memories of family road trips in my mum’s Series 1 Discovery V8 to visit friends in Muscat. As you leave behind the skyscrapers, the lights and in someways the 21st century, the world becomes a much simpler place and just follow the coast and the breeze that rolls off the gulf. As you reach the peninsula, you simply just keep heading for the coast towards Salalah, which my father has described as the closest point to paradise on earth. That, is why for the final time, I’d go there.

Rob:

Rob is another one of our technicians, who is probably the worlds foremost authority on Triumph TR6 fuel pumps, but away from that was a very accomplished grass track racer back in the day while also lending his talents to stock cars/banger racing and anything which you drive off road and always with a bit of angle on near a wall – he also has an encyclopedic knowledge of vintage rallying. Formerly, Rob was one of the team at Classic Team Lotus helping to preserve and promote the fabulous collection of vintage race cars which have come out of Hethel. But, his choice goes back in time to what began that journey for him…

Car: MG Metro 6R4

Location: Brands Hatch, UK

Reason: Much like our technician Jon, Group B rallying was a pivotal era in the progression a young Rob would take with his tool box. He has a memory of being a young man and going to Brands Hatch to watch the Rallycross Grand Prix in, or around, 1988. Because of this, it has to be a 6R4 around the track for his last time out with the smell of fuel in his nostrils and nostalgia beating with full force in his heart.

Gordon:

Gordon, is Craig’s dad and a massive part of the company. His knowledge and experience is unparalleled. There probably isn’t a car in the last 40 years that he hasn’t either driven or at some point owned. With such a wealth of experience to draw from, and a completely open idea put to him his choice comes once again totally from the heart. Gordon would end his driving career, where it all began…

Car: Ford Anglia 105E

Location: Glemsford to Long Melford, Suffolk

Reason: This is the exact route the Gordon began his driving life with. He bought an Anglia 105E the night he passed his test, and drove it along that very route back home to Long Melford, from that fateful evening we all pretty much find ourselves today – what a way to finish…