1 00:00:21,560 --> 00:00:23,760 CHEERING AND APPLAUSE 2 00:00:32,760 --> 00:00:35,240 Hello and welcome to Top Gear. 3 00:00:35,240 --> 00:00:38,000 Tonight, a very exciting show for me, 4 00:00:38,000 --> 00:00:42,440 because I get to fulfil a proper bucket-list ambition of mine. 5 00:00:42,440 --> 00:00:44,520 You finally got your Greggs gold card. 6 00:00:44,520 --> 00:00:46,120 No, not that. No? 7 00:00:46,120 --> 00:00:49,280 Did you read a book? Don't go mad! Don't go mad. 8 00:00:49,280 --> 00:00:52,600 Tonight's the night I become a proper trucker. 9 00:00:52,600 --> 00:00:56,480 Yes, we're kicking off by talking about HGVs. 10 00:00:56,480 --> 00:00:58,600 PADDY HONKS 11 00:00:58,600 --> 00:01:01,080 That's...me impression of an HGV. 12 00:01:01,080 --> 00:01:02,640 Yes, we are, Pad. Thank you. 13 00:01:02,640 --> 00:01:04,200 Because, as you may have heard, 14 00:01:04,200 --> 00:01:06,800 Britain is in the grip of an HGV crisis. 15 00:01:06,800 --> 00:01:09,000 There's not enough drivers to get the stuff we need 16 00:01:09,000 --> 00:01:11,160 to the places it needs to go. 17 00:01:11,160 --> 00:01:13,920 But what does it take to be an HGV driver? 18 00:01:13,920 --> 00:01:17,560 We decided to do some trucking research and find out. 19 00:01:22,480 --> 00:01:26,720 PADDY: Because there's no better way to learn than "in at the deep end" 20 00:01:26,720 --> 00:01:30,960 our mission to become fully fledged HGV drivers 21 00:01:30,960 --> 00:01:35,080 would start in the sensibly wide-open space... 22 00:01:35,080 --> 00:01:37,600 ..of Leeds East Airfield, 23 00:01:37,600 --> 00:01:42,840 where the producers had blagged a couple of colourful examples 24 00:01:42,840 --> 00:01:46,040 to see what we'd make of 'em. 25 00:01:46,040 --> 00:01:48,280 Hey, the big leagues. 26 00:01:49,440 --> 00:01:51,720 Look at these. The big leagues. 27 00:01:51,720 --> 00:01:53,360 Have you driven one of these before? 28 00:01:53,360 --> 00:01:56,400 Never dri... I've driven a 22-tonne dump truck. Right. 29 00:01:56,400 --> 00:01:58,640 But I've never been behind the wheel of an HGV. 30 00:01:58,640 --> 00:02:00,840 And me dad was an HGV driver. Was he? 31 00:02:00,840 --> 00:02:03,720 Oh yeah. The romance of it. Did he let you pull the...? 32 00:02:03,720 --> 00:02:05,160 HE HONKS 33 00:02:05,160 --> 00:02:08,800 Oh, all that. I'm all over it. So... I cannot... 34 00:02:08,800 --> 00:02:12,000 I think everyone growing up wants to drive a lorry. 35 00:02:12,000 --> 00:02:15,280 I'm nervous about it. You're nervous? Yeah. 36 00:02:15,280 --> 00:02:17,320 This is the ideal vehicle for you. 37 00:02:17,320 --> 00:02:19,360 Your trouble is you've been getting into little sports cars 38 00:02:19,360 --> 00:02:22,000 and everything, you've not... This is you now. 39 00:02:22,000 --> 00:02:25,640 This is you. And as well, might I add, I've spotted mine. 40 00:02:25,640 --> 00:02:26,880 "McGuinness." 41 00:02:26,880 --> 00:02:29,360 Do you know what? I can't even argue, can I? 42 00:02:29,360 --> 00:02:31,560 That's got you on. 43 00:02:31,560 --> 00:02:33,960 Mine's called Lynda! 44 00:02:33,960 --> 00:02:36,800 Hey, do you know what...what's missing here? What? 45 00:02:37,840 --> 00:02:39,040 The little fella. Yeah. 46 00:02:39,040 --> 00:02:40,680 But... How's he gonna get in? 47 00:02:40,680 --> 00:02:42,520 Exactly! How's he gonna get in? Exactly! 48 00:02:43,640 --> 00:02:45,760 Oh, here we go. 49 00:02:45,760 --> 00:02:47,400 Oh-ho-ho-ho! Come on, get in. 50 00:02:51,680 --> 00:02:53,800 Oh, there's a bed and everything! 51 00:02:59,160 --> 00:03:02,200 Oh, look at... What the hell's this? 52 00:03:02,200 --> 00:03:03,920 This can't be right, this. 53 00:03:05,520 --> 00:03:07,720 Oh! This is good. 54 00:03:07,720 --> 00:03:10,040 Oh, seat belt. What's going on? Come on. 55 00:03:10,040 --> 00:03:11,880 Why's that not coming down now? 56 00:03:13,360 --> 00:03:16,160 Oh, there we go. That's better. 57 00:03:16,160 --> 00:03:17,800 Ooh, ooh. Look! 58 00:03:19,040 --> 00:03:20,680 Come on. Don't do this to me. 59 00:03:22,520 --> 00:03:24,960 This seat belt's... Me seat belt's stuck. 60 00:03:29,040 --> 00:03:30,880 ON RADIO: Ah, good buddy, ten-four. 61 00:03:30,880 --> 00:03:33,560 I'm having a bit of trouble with me seat belt. 62 00:03:33,560 --> 00:03:36,960 Has yours locked up as well? I can't get mine out. 63 00:03:36,960 --> 00:03:40,200 I didn't see Kris Kristofferson having this problem in Convoy. 64 00:03:41,720 --> 00:03:46,280 I'm wondering if you've gotta turn the engine on, Fred, first. 65 00:03:46,280 --> 00:03:48,120 ENGINE STARTS 66 00:03:49,560 --> 00:03:51,560 Hey! 67 00:03:51,560 --> 00:03:52,920 Oh! 68 00:03:54,280 --> 00:03:56,600 ON SPEAKER: We've done it! We've cracked it! 69 00:03:56,600 --> 00:03:59,200 Right, come on. Handbrake's off. 70 00:04:01,720 --> 00:04:03,560 Is that off? 71 00:04:03,560 --> 00:04:04,760 Oh! 72 00:04:06,200 --> 00:04:07,760 I'm moving, Pad. 73 00:04:11,560 --> 00:04:13,200 Oh, hang on. 74 00:04:13,200 --> 00:04:14,960 We're trucking, young buddy! 75 00:04:19,120 --> 00:04:21,560 If me dad could see me now. Go on! 76 00:04:24,320 --> 00:04:26,520 It's so long at the back. I keep looking. 77 00:04:26,520 --> 00:04:28,160 I don't know where the back is. 78 00:04:29,760 --> 00:04:32,760 I've driven everything on Top Gear, 79 00:04:32,760 --> 00:04:37,680 from £1,000 bangers to £4 million supercars, 80 00:04:37,680 --> 00:04:40,520 and this tops the lot. 81 00:04:42,160 --> 00:04:45,320 I've gotta say, Fred, I've got the biggest grin on my face. 82 00:04:45,320 --> 00:04:46,840 This is fantastic. 83 00:04:48,680 --> 00:04:51,080 What gear are you in? 84 00:04:51,080 --> 00:04:54,320 I "think" third. 85 00:04:54,320 --> 00:04:58,360 Well, if the early signs were anything to go by... 86 00:04:58,360 --> 00:05:00,120 What gear's that? 87 00:05:00,120 --> 00:05:03,280 ..we were natural-born truckers. 88 00:05:03,280 --> 00:05:05,160 GEAR CRUNCHES 89 00:05:05,160 --> 00:05:08,400 which was just as well, because it turned out someone else 90 00:05:08,400 --> 00:05:11,800 had been busy sneaking in his own early practice. 91 00:05:14,680 --> 00:05:17,280 'Ey up - I can spy another rig. 92 00:05:22,240 --> 00:05:24,000 Not that it mattered. 93 00:05:24,000 --> 00:05:25,840 BLEEP! Where's the brake pedal? Sh... 94 00:05:27,840 --> 00:05:29,800 Bit sharp on the brake, but... 95 00:05:34,160 --> 00:05:38,000 What did matter, now we were all together, 96 00:05:38,000 --> 00:05:42,280 were a couple of crucial bits of trucking business. 97 00:05:42,280 --> 00:05:45,880 Right, now, before we go, I've got a little app on me phone 98 00:05:45,880 --> 00:05:49,800 for your official CB call name, your trucker name. 99 00:05:51,000 --> 00:05:52,840 OK, Chris, we'll start with you. 100 00:05:52,840 --> 00:05:55,680 So it's your initials, CH, so C... 101 00:05:57,560 --> 00:06:00,160 ..Chopper! 102 00:06:00,160 --> 00:06:02,840 H... Hog. 103 00:06:02,840 --> 00:06:06,920 Chopper Hog. That's you. 104 00:06:06,920 --> 00:06:09,840 Right, here's mine. P... 105 00:06:09,840 --> 00:06:11,120 ..Professor. 106 00:06:13,480 --> 00:06:16,400 Moose. Professor Moose. 107 00:06:16,400 --> 00:06:18,640 Right, Fred, now I'm gonna give you the option here. 108 00:06:18,640 --> 00:06:20,880 Do you wanna start with F or A? 109 00:06:20,880 --> 00:06:24,320 Let's try A first. I'll go for me Sunday name, Andrew. 110 00:06:24,320 --> 00:06:26,280 Admiral. 111 00:06:26,280 --> 00:06:27,920 I chose well. 112 00:06:29,600 --> 00:06:31,040 F... 113 00:06:33,640 --> 00:06:35,800 So you are Admiral Fiddler. 114 00:06:37,720 --> 00:06:41,800 I am not having that. I am not having that! 115 00:06:41,800 --> 00:06:46,040 You've just made my entire year, McGuinness. 116 00:06:46,040 --> 00:06:48,320 Admiral Fiddler! 117 00:06:48,320 --> 00:06:49,600 No! 118 00:06:52,160 --> 00:06:56,840 Official naming ceremony done with, next on the trucking to-do list 119 00:06:56,840 --> 00:06:59,840 was the obligatory drag race. 120 00:07:01,680 --> 00:07:05,760 And since Sean Taylor also seemed to be a racing enthusiast, 121 00:07:05,760 --> 00:07:08,640 Harris had to perform. 122 00:07:08,640 --> 00:07:11,200 Now, my brief experience of this vehicle, 123 00:07:11,200 --> 00:07:12,880 I was told not to hurry the gearbox. 124 00:07:12,880 --> 00:07:16,320 I'm gonna be slow gear shifts, and use the torque. 125 00:07:16,320 --> 00:07:18,120 STARTER: Standing by. 126 00:07:20,200 --> 00:07:25,440 In three, two, one... 127 00:07:25,440 --> 00:07:28,600 I've stalled it. I've stalled it. 128 00:07:28,600 --> 00:07:30,120 Oh-ho! 129 00:07:32,520 --> 00:07:38,800 STARTER: Standing by to go in three, two, one. 130 00:07:40,720 --> 00:07:41,880 Go! 131 00:07:45,160 --> 00:07:48,600 Yeah! Here we go. 132 00:07:48,600 --> 00:07:50,280 Oh! We've done 'em! 133 00:07:51,480 --> 00:07:53,120 Oh, Paddy's off. 134 00:07:53,120 --> 00:07:55,120 Breaker one-nine. Breaker one-nine. 135 00:07:55,120 --> 00:07:56,960 We've got a big rubber duck. 136 00:07:58,520 --> 00:07:59,800 FREDDIE'S ENGINE SPLUTTERS 137 00:07:59,800 --> 00:08:02,360 Ooh, that's not right. 138 00:08:02,360 --> 00:08:03,880 Oh! 139 00:08:03,880 --> 00:08:06,920 He's got... McGuinness has got a much bigger engine than me. 140 00:08:08,720 --> 00:08:10,960 What is going on here? 141 00:08:10,960 --> 00:08:13,560 I'm coming up on Paddy now. 142 00:08:13,560 --> 00:08:15,680 Oh! Yeah, we're going, we're going, we're going! 143 00:08:15,680 --> 00:08:19,080 A bit too soon, Fred. Watch me go, boys! Look at this! 144 00:08:20,320 --> 00:08:22,760 Oh, God, no! He's back on me! 145 00:08:22,760 --> 00:08:24,160 Damn you, Harris! 146 00:08:25,200 --> 00:08:27,800 Oh-ho-ho! Ho-ho-ho-ho! 147 00:08:29,440 --> 00:08:31,600 Oh, I was in the wrong gear! 148 00:08:33,240 --> 00:08:36,120 We're flying, me and the Scania. 149 00:08:36,120 --> 00:08:38,320 Come on! Come on! 150 00:08:38,320 --> 00:08:41,840 Not a chance, Fiddler. Not a chance. 151 00:08:41,840 --> 00:08:43,920 Admiral, it is. Admiral! 152 00:08:45,640 --> 00:08:48,960 Look at that! It's a massive victory! 153 00:08:52,520 --> 00:08:57,120 Well, lads, I don't know what to say. That was an annihilation. 154 00:08:57,120 --> 00:08:59,320 Did you stall on the line, Paddy? I can't remember. 155 00:08:59,320 --> 00:09:01,160 Did you? Was it you or was it Chris? 156 00:09:01,160 --> 00:09:03,440 Yeah, I don't think I stalled. Did you stall, Fred? 157 00:09:03,440 --> 00:09:05,600 No, I didn't. I just got in it and did it! 158 00:09:09,160 --> 00:09:12,640 Now, if you're thinking that, in the world of HGVs, 159 00:09:12,640 --> 00:09:16,000 a drag race is about as irrelevant as it gets, 160 00:09:16,000 --> 00:09:21,200 then it's just as well this next bit was much more important. 161 00:09:21,200 --> 00:09:22,640 Horn. 162 00:09:22,640 --> 00:09:26,720 I wanna hear your horns. Let's go, lads. Fred horn first. 163 00:09:26,720 --> 00:09:28,960 DEEP BLAST 164 00:09:28,960 --> 00:09:29,960 It's like the QE2. 165 00:09:29,960 --> 00:09:32,600 HORN CONTINUES 166 00:09:32,600 --> 00:09:33,920 McGuinness, let's hear yours. 167 00:09:35,280 --> 00:09:36,880 DAINTY TOOT 168 00:09:36,880 --> 00:09:39,360 What's that?! What's that? "Meep!" 169 00:09:39,360 --> 00:09:40,760 PADDY TOOTS 170 00:09:40,760 --> 00:09:43,000 Gotta be honest, that's ruined the day for me. 171 00:09:43,000 --> 00:09:45,200 Right, lads, here we go. 172 00:09:45,200 --> 00:09:47,040 LOUD, MELODIC BLARE 173 00:09:47,040 --> 00:09:48,400 Oh! 174 00:09:48,400 --> 00:09:50,560 HORN CONTINUES 175 00:09:52,720 --> 00:09:54,720 That's proper! 176 00:09:54,720 --> 00:09:57,200 FREDDIE GROANS 177 00:09:57,200 --> 00:10:00,040 And to make sure we'd turned over every page 178 00:10:00,040 --> 00:10:04,800 of the HGV driver's playbook, we still needed to test precision. 179 00:10:05,560 --> 00:10:08,480 So, in the time it took to lay out a few cones, 180 00:10:08,480 --> 00:10:11,480 we had ourselves a reversing race. 181 00:10:13,320 --> 00:10:17,080 First to back up into their bay is king of the big rigs. 182 00:10:17,080 --> 00:10:18,720 STARTER: Three, two... Come on. 183 00:10:18,720 --> 00:10:20,960 ...one, go. 184 00:10:27,040 --> 00:10:28,480 Oh, oh, oh. 185 00:10:31,520 --> 00:10:32,960 Right, we've got this. 186 00:10:35,000 --> 00:10:36,080 Here we go. 187 00:10:37,440 --> 00:10:38,880 Straight back. 188 00:10:38,880 --> 00:10:40,600 I can't really see down the side of it. 189 00:10:40,600 --> 00:10:41,920 I'm making the turn. 190 00:10:45,320 --> 00:10:47,960 Left hand down. Left hand down. 191 00:10:47,960 --> 00:10:50,560 Ho-ho-ho. This is tricky! 192 00:10:50,560 --> 00:10:52,120 Oh, God. I'm all over the place. 193 00:10:52,120 --> 00:10:54,080 I'm gonna go forwards again. 194 00:10:55,120 --> 00:10:57,120 Whoa! 195 00:10:57,120 --> 00:10:58,760 You've cut me off, Fred. 196 00:10:58,760 --> 00:11:00,120 I can promise you 197 00:11:00,120 --> 00:11:02,600 it's not intentional. 198 00:11:02,600 --> 00:11:06,000 I'll straighten it out. This is awful! 199 00:11:06,000 --> 00:11:09,520 Come on. Come on, Harris. 200 00:11:09,520 --> 00:11:11,160 PADDY: You're in my bay, you clown. 201 00:11:12,160 --> 00:11:13,480 CHRIS LAUGHS 202 00:11:14,680 --> 00:11:16,600 Come on. Come on. 203 00:11:16,600 --> 00:11:18,720 Get out of me bay! 204 00:11:18,720 --> 00:11:20,400 I'm in, I'm in. 205 00:11:20,400 --> 00:11:21,760 I'm in. 206 00:11:21,760 --> 00:11:24,160 I'm in. I'm in. I'm in, boys! 207 00:11:24,160 --> 00:11:26,800 How am I supposed to get in? 208 00:11:26,800 --> 00:11:28,600 It doesn't matter cos I've already won. 209 00:11:28,600 --> 00:11:32,160 You've won because I've had to wait cos that... 210 00:11:32,160 --> 00:11:36,120 ...gormless get cut me off and then went in my bay! 211 00:11:36,120 --> 00:11:37,960 DEEP HORN BLAST 212 00:11:42,720 --> 00:11:44,040 I'm blocking him in. 213 00:11:44,040 --> 00:11:46,200 LOUD, COMMANDING HORN 214 00:11:48,120 --> 00:11:51,360 I tell you, you'd be causing murder at Moto services, 215 00:11:51,360 --> 00:11:52,760 you here, Paddy. 216 00:11:52,760 --> 00:11:55,320 You OK, Patrick? 217 00:11:55,320 --> 00:11:57,280 That'll teach you for taking my bay! 218 00:11:57,280 --> 00:11:58,680 What's happened? 219 00:11:58,680 --> 00:12:01,120 You literally cut me off and parked in me bay! 220 00:12:01,120 --> 00:12:02,840 This ain't... Nobody said... 221 00:12:02,840 --> 00:12:04,960 That's yours, that's his, that's mine! 222 00:12:04,960 --> 00:12:06,600 Nobody said, "That's my bay." 223 00:12:06,600 --> 00:12:07,800 They did... 224 00:12:07,800 --> 00:12:10,480 Now, at this point, it was suggested to us that, 225 00:12:10,480 --> 00:12:13,520 if we were ever to become real-life HGV drivers, 226 00:12:13,520 --> 00:12:17,120 we should probably get a few lessons, 227 00:12:17,120 --> 00:12:21,600 so we all booked in on an intensive training course, 228 00:12:21,600 --> 00:12:26,160 and set out to get our licences as soon as possible. 229 00:12:48,000 --> 00:12:49,680 Oh, yes! 230 00:12:49,680 --> 00:12:53,680 One qualified truck driver at your service. 231 00:12:57,600 --> 00:13:01,040 You are now looking at a graduate from 232 00:13:01,040 --> 00:13:05,160 the HGV University. Ho-ho! Nothing can stop me now. 233 00:13:07,520 --> 00:13:11,680 And as the newest member of the HGV Club, 234 00:13:11,680 --> 00:13:13,000 I was ready to take my place 235 00:13:13,000 --> 00:13:17,200 alongside the great hauliers of Britain. 236 00:13:19,520 --> 00:13:21,560 Look, look, there's one there. Look at that. 237 00:13:21,560 --> 00:13:23,080 I can drive that! 238 00:13:23,080 --> 00:13:25,360 I am driving that. I'm driving this. 239 00:13:25,360 --> 00:13:27,640 It's just bonkers! 240 00:13:30,880 --> 00:13:32,520 HORN HONKS 241 00:13:32,520 --> 00:13:36,040 Ah-ha-ha! Who's this I spy? 242 00:13:36,040 --> 00:13:38,000 Here we go, Mr McGuinness. 243 00:13:38,000 --> 00:13:42,240 Fully certified and ready to truck. 244 00:13:42,240 --> 00:13:43,960 This feels very grown-up indeed. 245 00:13:43,960 --> 00:13:46,760 I tell you what, little Chopper, 246 00:13:46,760 --> 00:13:48,160 get yourself up in front, son. 247 00:13:48,160 --> 00:13:49,520 Go on, tuck in there. 248 00:13:51,840 --> 00:13:56,680 Just one more for a full house. 249 00:13:56,680 --> 00:13:59,320 The Admiral reporting for duty, sir. 250 00:13:59,320 --> 00:14:00,800 Hello, the Admiral! 251 00:14:00,800 --> 00:14:03,960 Go on, lead us out, son. 252 00:14:03,960 --> 00:14:05,560 PADDY CHUCKLES 253 00:14:07,680 --> 00:14:12,120 Oh, yes, we had ourselves a convoy. 254 00:14:14,960 --> 00:14:17,360 Come on, then, lads, time to own up. 255 00:14:17,360 --> 00:14:19,360 On your HGV test, 256 00:14:19,360 --> 00:14:21,680 how many minor faults? 257 00:14:21,680 --> 00:14:23,080 Just one for me. 258 00:14:23,080 --> 00:14:25,760 Two for the Professor. Three. 259 00:14:25,760 --> 00:14:28,600 What were yours for, Chris? Not reaching the pedals? 260 00:14:31,000 --> 00:14:32,640 What about the theory? First time? 261 00:14:32,640 --> 00:14:34,960 A first-time pass for the Professor, 262 00:14:34,960 --> 00:14:36,280 but that was just a given. 263 00:14:36,280 --> 00:14:39,040 Well played, Pad. I must admit, second time for me. 264 00:14:40,160 --> 00:14:41,800 What about the Chopper? 265 00:14:41,800 --> 00:14:43,240 I technically passed 266 00:14:43,240 --> 00:14:46,640 the first time that I took the examination. 267 00:14:46,640 --> 00:14:48,560 Explain, Christopher. 268 00:14:48,560 --> 00:14:50,560 The first time, I didn't have my licence with me 269 00:14:50,560 --> 00:14:52,160 and they sent me home. 270 00:14:52,160 --> 00:14:54,600 I drove four hours to London and they sent me home. 271 00:14:54,600 --> 00:14:55,600 CHUCKLES 272 00:14:56,640 --> 00:14:58,040 It's a cursory lesson 273 00:14:58,040 --> 00:14:59,960 to everyone out there - follow the rules. 274 00:14:59,960 --> 00:15:02,520 And as I'm realising with the whole world of trucking, 275 00:15:02,520 --> 00:15:05,320 it's a more grown-up world than driving a car, isn't it? 276 00:15:06,360 --> 00:15:07,800 Oh, yes, it is, 277 00:15:07,800 --> 00:15:11,240 especially when you're driving 278 00:15:11,240 --> 00:15:14,280 the world's most powerful truck. 279 00:15:16,360 --> 00:15:20,560 Welcome to the Scania 770S, 280 00:15:20,560 --> 00:15:22,840 the big dog of the trucking world. 281 00:15:22,840 --> 00:15:29,320 770 horsepower and a turbo-charged 16-litre V8. 282 00:15:29,320 --> 00:15:30,720 What I'm driving here 283 00:15:30,720 --> 00:15:33,360 is the Bugatti Chiron of the trucking world. 284 00:15:33,360 --> 00:15:36,120 Ohhh... 285 00:15:36,120 --> 00:15:38,680 The envious looks I get off the other truckers! 286 00:15:38,680 --> 00:15:42,040 They all want to be behind the wheel of the big ol' Scania. 287 00:15:43,640 --> 00:15:45,360 Do they, though? 288 00:15:45,360 --> 00:15:47,800 Because when you're hauling serious miles, 289 00:15:47,800 --> 00:15:52,080 real truckers know that comfort is king. 290 00:15:54,520 --> 00:15:58,120 You're a trucker, you're in this for hours and hours every day. 291 00:15:58,120 --> 00:15:59,960 You don't need 700 horsepower, 292 00:15:59,960 --> 00:16:02,440 what you need is space, 293 00:16:02,440 --> 00:16:03,880 somewhere to stretch out. 294 00:16:03,880 --> 00:16:07,440 This is the biggest, most spacious, 295 00:16:07,440 --> 00:16:10,720 most comfortable cab money can buy. 296 00:16:11,800 --> 00:16:15,640 This is the DAF XG+, 297 00:16:15,640 --> 00:16:18,920 the Rolls-Royce Phantom of the trucking world. 298 00:16:20,760 --> 00:16:23,160 I've gone tech. 299 00:16:25,400 --> 00:16:29,040 This is the new Mercedes-Benz Actros, 300 00:16:29,040 --> 00:16:32,080 and it really is the Tomorrow's World of HGVs. 301 00:16:34,880 --> 00:16:37,920 All the tech you see here, the camera mirrors, 302 00:16:37,920 --> 00:16:39,000 all the screens, 303 00:16:39,000 --> 00:16:41,760 all the self-driving help for the HGV driver, 304 00:16:41,760 --> 00:16:43,640 it's going to percolate down 305 00:16:43,640 --> 00:16:47,120 into HGVs over the next five years. 306 00:16:47,120 --> 00:16:50,160 I am driving, quite literally, the future. 307 00:16:51,640 --> 00:16:53,560 In fact, forget Actros, 308 00:16:53,560 --> 00:16:57,040 this is the Mercedes S-Class of the trucking world. 309 00:16:58,000 --> 00:16:59,760 And I tell you what, 310 00:16:59,760 --> 00:17:02,640 it's naffing comfortable and very, very quiet. 311 00:17:08,040 --> 00:17:12,600 So, three proper truckers in three proper trucks. 312 00:17:14,120 --> 00:17:16,360 It was just as well that we'd been given 313 00:17:16,360 --> 00:17:18,000 our first trucking mission. 314 00:17:19,440 --> 00:17:21,640 Each of our trailers had been loaded 315 00:17:21,640 --> 00:17:24,640 with a mystery cargo that we'd have to deliver 316 00:17:24,640 --> 00:17:28,160 to the south coast of Wales by early the next morning. 317 00:17:31,440 --> 00:17:33,920 And that meant we had plenty of time 318 00:17:33,920 --> 00:17:38,080 to squeeze in that new trucker's rite of passage, 319 00:17:38,080 --> 00:17:42,560 taking a break at a good old-fashioned truck stop. 320 00:17:42,560 --> 00:17:43,800 I tell you what, they look well, 321 00:17:43,800 --> 00:17:45,240 the three of them together, don't they? 322 00:17:45,240 --> 00:17:46,520 They do. 323 00:17:46,520 --> 00:17:48,040 I can't believe you boys haven't embraced 324 00:17:48,040 --> 00:17:49,520 the trucking attire. 325 00:17:49,520 --> 00:17:51,120 That's not trucking attire! 326 00:17:51,120 --> 00:17:52,320 It is! 327 00:17:52,320 --> 00:17:53,960 Can we walk in a bit behind him? 328 00:17:53,960 --> 00:17:58,240 The thing is, though, truck stops these days... 329 00:17:58,240 --> 00:17:59,680 This is way too nice! 330 00:17:59,680 --> 00:18:03,400 ...aren't quite as old-fashioned as you'd think. 331 00:18:03,400 --> 00:18:04,600 Oh... 332 00:18:06,960 --> 00:18:08,160 Oh, very nice. 333 00:18:09,560 --> 00:18:11,000 Chris? Yes? 334 00:18:11,000 --> 00:18:12,640 I don't want to stereotype truckers, 335 00:18:12,640 --> 00:18:14,600 but I didn't realise they wore cufflinks. 336 00:18:14,600 --> 00:18:16,280 I know. This is... 337 00:18:16,280 --> 00:18:18,120 This is... This is next-gen. 338 00:18:18,120 --> 00:18:20,760 Hello, I'm sorry to ask, but do you do 339 00:18:20,760 --> 00:18:22,120 an oat-milk latte? I do. 340 00:18:22,120 --> 00:18:24,640 MILK FROTHING 341 00:18:24,640 --> 00:18:26,280 Hey! 342 00:18:26,280 --> 00:18:28,280 They only do the oat-milk lattes! 343 00:18:28,280 --> 00:18:29,680 Do they? I can't believe it! 344 00:18:31,120 --> 00:18:32,480 I've got to say... 345 00:18:33,880 --> 00:18:35,360 ...this isn't what I expected. 346 00:18:35,360 --> 00:18:37,440 I thought it was going to be a greasy-spoon job. 347 00:18:37,440 --> 00:18:39,240 No, this is... This is proper. 348 00:18:42,200 --> 00:18:44,120 I tell you, I'm spoilt for choice. 349 00:18:44,120 --> 00:18:45,760 Buy a TV! 350 00:18:45,760 --> 00:18:47,560 Look at this, here! Pillows! 351 00:18:49,520 --> 00:18:51,640 What tractors do you drive, anyhow? 352 00:18:51,640 --> 00:18:54,680 I've got the Scania. The Scania R450. 353 00:18:54,680 --> 00:18:56,760 Ooh. I'm a 770S man. 354 00:18:56,760 --> 00:18:58,960 Ooh, Scania's quick. It is quick. 355 00:18:58,960 --> 00:19:01,360 They've got some really nice ratchet straps here. 356 00:19:01,360 --> 00:19:02,880 I'm thinking of doing a big shop. 357 00:19:02,880 --> 00:19:05,440 Very civilised. This is lovely. 358 00:19:07,480 --> 00:19:09,920 Lads, if this is trucking, I'm in. 359 00:19:09,920 --> 00:19:12,400 This is a nice coffee. If this is trucking, I'm in! 360 00:19:12,400 --> 00:19:13,800 That's a lovely coffee. 361 00:19:13,800 --> 00:19:16,400 I can't understand why there's a shortage in the industry. 362 00:19:16,400 --> 00:19:18,680 What a way to live! Best job ever. 363 00:19:18,680 --> 00:19:21,600 And, once we'd fully brimmed 364 00:19:21,600 --> 00:19:24,360 on foamy milk and freshly baked goods... 365 00:19:27,320 --> 00:19:28,400 ...back on the road, 366 00:19:28,400 --> 00:19:32,760 we were soon discovering that real-world trucking comes 367 00:19:32,760 --> 00:19:34,720 with even more unexpected perks. 368 00:19:34,720 --> 00:19:37,080 I tell you one thing all car drivers 369 00:19:37,080 --> 00:19:39,360 would appreciate about trucks - 370 00:19:39,360 --> 00:19:41,560 the windscreen wipers are fantastic. 371 00:19:43,960 --> 00:19:47,440 They just give you the cleanest, crispest wipe - 372 00:19:47,440 --> 00:19:49,200 for want of a better phrase. 373 00:19:49,200 --> 00:19:50,320 And the washers. 374 00:19:50,320 --> 00:19:51,760 Watch this. 375 00:19:51,760 --> 00:19:53,480 Look at that! 376 00:19:53,480 --> 00:19:56,440 Just...perfect sweeping! 377 00:19:57,640 --> 00:20:00,040 Joyous! I love a good wiper. 378 00:20:07,600 --> 00:20:10,040 Do you know what else is lovely about driving these trucks? 379 00:20:10,040 --> 00:20:11,680 When you're driving past cars, 380 00:20:11,680 --> 00:20:14,520 you can have a good nosey down at inside the cab. 381 00:20:14,520 --> 00:20:16,680 You get a glimpse into someone's life, don't you, 382 00:20:16,680 --> 00:20:18,560 when you look into the car from this angle? 383 00:20:18,560 --> 00:20:20,200 Each to their own. 384 00:20:20,200 --> 00:20:21,720 I'm easily pleased. 385 00:20:21,720 --> 00:20:23,280 CHUCKLES 386 00:20:24,640 --> 00:20:27,120 And it turns out so are the producers... 387 00:20:28,200 --> 00:20:32,360 ...because since we were making such effortless progress, 388 00:20:32,360 --> 00:20:35,840 they'd decided it was time to see who had really come out 389 00:20:35,840 --> 00:20:38,480 top of the trucking class. 390 00:20:39,600 --> 00:20:42,960 And that meant making a stop at an RAF base. 391 00:20:45,160 --> 00:20:48,240 Lads, that looks like two helicopters. 392 00:20:48,240 --> 00:20:51,560 That's a wide load, that is! 393 00:20:52,760 --> 00:20:53,800 Yes, it was. 394 00:20:57,040 --> 00:21:00,400 To test our precision truck-driving skills, 395 00:21:00,400 --> 00:21:01,920 we'd now take turns towing 396 00:21:01,920 --> 00:21:05,000 an inconveniently arranged pair of helicopters 397 00:21:05,000 --> 00:21:07,320 through a twisty slalom course. 398 00:21:09,600 --> 00:21:12,200 With a time penalty for any gates clipped, 399 00:21:12,200 --> 00:21:15,320 the cleanest, fastest run would win, 400 00:21:15,320 --> 00:21:19,320 which meant I'd need to summon all 625 horsepower 401 00:21:19,320 --> 00:21:22,960 from the mighty Mercedes 15.6-litre straight six. 402 00:21:26,040 --> 00:21:29,680 Yeah, before I set off, and in advance of you doing it, 403 00:21:29,680 --> 00:21:30,920 I can tell you 404 00:21:30,920 --> 00:21:34,320 that the old camera mirrors weren't designed for this! 405 00:21:34,320 --> 00:21:36,360 BOTH LAUGH 406 00:21:36,360 --> 00:21:38,040 Well, good luck. 407 00:21:38,040 --> 00:21:41,680 Three, two, one, go! 408 00:21:43,080 --> 00:21:44,920 Hoh! Ho-hooo! 409 00:21:44,920 --> 00:21:46,520 That's a slow start. 410 00:21:46,520 --> 00:21:48,240 Wowsers! 411 00:21:48,240 --> 00:21:50,480 Why's he going so slow? I don't know. 412 00:21:50,480 --> 00:21:54,120 Towing two helicopters. I'm not aware of the weight. 413 00:21:54,120 --> 00:21:56,280 I've got over 2,000 foot-pound of torque. 414 00:21:56,280 --> 00:21:58,720 That's a penalty. The state of it! 415 00:21:58,720 --> 00:21:59,920 Is that about the middle? 416 00:21:59,920 --> 00:22:01,320 Oh, he's panicking. Oh, here we go. 417 00:22:01,320 --> 00:22:02,600 This is him now. Oh, he's at an angle. 418 00:22:02,600 --> 00:22:04,400 Oh, it's at an angle, that, as well. Look at it! 419 00:22:06,120 --> 00:22:07,440 CLANG! 420 00:22:07,440 --> 00:22:08,920 CHEERING 421 00:22:08,920 --> 00:22:10,080 There we go. That's one over. 422 00:22:10,080 --> 00:22:13,120 First one, bosh! Knocked it over. 423 00:22:13,120 --> 00:22:14,360 I'm going to give it beans. 424 00:22:14,360 --> 00:22:16,600 We're going to save some time. I'm giving it beans. 425 00:22:16,600 --> 00:22:18,640 Go on, hit it, hit it, hit it, hit it, hit it, hit it! 426 00:22:18,640 --> 00:22:20,440 He's got to get through this one. 427 00:22:20,440 --> 00:22:22,200 Wah-ho! 428 00:22:22,200 --> 00:22:23,480 Straight through at speed! 429 00:22:23,480 --> 00:22:24,880 THEY GROAN That's disappointing. 430 00:22:26,320 --> 00:22:28,160 I've got to say, 431 00:22:28,160 --> 00:22:30,800 this place, like a penthouse. 432 00:22:30,800 --> 00:22:32,280 It's lovely, innit? I tell you what, 433 00:22:32,280 --> 00:22:34,560 you've not seen any of it. Absolutely fantastic! 434 00:22:36,440 --> 00:22:38,520 Right, again, I'm going flat-out. 435 00:22:40,160 --> 00:22:42,160 CLANG! Oh, hit that one. 436 00:22:43,600 --> 00:22:45,440 Ohhh! 437 00:22:45,440 --> 00:22:47,240 BOTH LAUGHING 438 00:22:48,400 --> 00:22:50,120 Oh! I tell ya. Look at it all. 439 00:22:50,120 --> 00:22:52,000 You've got everything... I could get into it. 440 00:22:52,000 --> 00:22:54,360 Everything's digital. ...on screens. Apple CarPlay. 441 00:22:55,960 --> 00:22:58,040 Have a try at the driving seat. How comfy? 442 00:22:59,880 --> 00:23:00,880 CLANG! 443 00:23:00,880 --> 00:23:02,480 Ohhhh! Oh, he's here! 444 00:23:02,480 --> 00:23:04,320 He's back! We forgot about him! 445 00:23:05,400 --> 00:23:07,960 Over the line! For glory! 446 00:23:07,960 --> 00:23:09,400 That... Ohh! EXHALES 447 00:23:09,400 --> 00:23:11,240 I tell you what, we loved that. 448 00:23:11,240 --> 00:23:13,880 That bit you did down there and round the back? 449 00:23:13,880 --> 00:23:15,480 Oh, fantastic. 450 00:23:18,320 --> 00:23:21,000 Next, time to see what Flintoff could do 451 00:23:21,000 --> 00:23:23,840 with 100 less horsepower in his DAF. 452 00:23:24,840 --> 00:23:27,480 I've got to be honest, Fred, being back 453 00:23:27,480 --> 00:23:30,040 in the old Scania, I'm a bit envious of yours. 454 00:23:30,040 --> 00:23:32,360 I tell you what, the DAF is lovely, isn't it? 455 00:23:32,360 --> 00:23:33,560 And what's that? 456 00:23:33,560 --> 00:23:34,720 I can stand up. 457 00:23:34,720 --> 00:23:36,440 I can stand up with my arms up. 458 00:23:36,440 --> 00:23:37,640 This is my tummy out. 459 00:23:39,320 --> 00:23:40,680 Here we go! 460 00:23:40,680 --> 00:23:43,240 Three, two, one... 461 00:23:43,240 --> 00:23:45,800 Go! Whoa... 462 00:23:45,800 --> 00:23:48,200 Oh, I expected more off the line. 463 00:23:48,200 --> 00:23:49,640 Foot's on the floor. 464 00:23:49,640 --> 00:23:52,080 Now, let's watch him on the first bend, as per. 465 00:23:52,080 --> 00:23:54,760 Now, this is where you caught one, Christopher. 466 00:23:54,760 --> 00:23:55,960 I caught one on the right. 467 00:23:55,960 --> 00:23:58,360 I'm just guessing. Just guessing. 468 00:23:58,360 --> 00:23:59,480 CLANG! 469 00:23:59,480 --> 00:24:01,240 Oh, same one! 470 00:24:01,240 --> 00:24:03,640 He's knocked it over. Same one. So, there you go. 471 00:24:03,640 --> 00:24:04,720 Oh, I tell you what, 472 00:24:04,720 --> 00:24:06,960 it's a different beast with a bit of weight. 473 00:24:06,960 --> 00:24:10,040 I've got to say, being in that DAF, 474 00:24:10,040 --> 00:24:13,200 there's loads of room, all the tech on it. 475 00:24:13,200 --> 00:24:14,480 The bed, it was electric... 476 00:24:14,480 --> 00:24:16,240 Although I have got a fridge, here. 477 00:24:16,240 --> 00:24:17,640 Can I show you me fridge? 478 00:24:21,200 --> 00:24:22,920 Why have you got almond milk? 479 00:24:24,200 --> 00:24:26,520 Oh, oh, oh, not too fast! 480 00:24:26,520 --> 00:24:28,000 Oh, it's cutting in on me. 481 00:24:28,000 --> 00:24:29,800 That wasn't me, that. It was braking for me. 482 00:24:29,800 --> 00:24:32,280 Oh, he's winged that through, hasn't he? 483 00:24:33,280 --> 00:24:36,320 Come on. Straight, straight, straight! 484 00:24:36,320 --> 00:24:38,960 CLANG! Oh, no! 485 00:24:38,960 --> 00:24:41,840 Knocked the last one. Ohhhh! 486 00:24:41,840 --> 00:24:43,040 On the left, there! 487 00:24:43,040 --> 00:24:45,600 HORN HONKS Ho-hooo! 488 00:24:45,600 --> 00:24:46,640 Two down. 489 00:24:46,640 --> 00:24:48,160 Well done, the Fiddler. 490 00:24:48,160 --> 00:24:49,960 BOTH LAUGH 491 00:24:49,960 --> 00:24:52,200 I am not the Fiddler. I'm the Admiral. 492 00:24:52,200 --> 00:24:53,920 And I don't want a roof neither. 493 00:24:53,920 --> 00:24:55,320 LAUGHTER 494 00:24:57,280 --> 00:25:00,320 Finally, the Professor 495 00:25:00,320 --> 00:25:04,560 in the world's most powerful truck. 496 00:25:04,560 --> 00:25:06,320 You're under a bit of pressure here, Paddy, 497 00:25:06,320 --> 00:25:07,400 with your 700 horsepower. 498 00:25:07,400 --> 00:25:08,880 Watch the power. 499 00:25:08,880 --> 00:25:10,200 OK, here we go! 500 00:25:10,200 --> 00:25:13,520 Three, two, one, go! 501 00:25:14,720 --> 00:25:16,560 Phwoar! Come on! 502 00:25:18,400 --> 00:25:20,760 Whoa. Ooh. 503 00:25:20,760 --> 00:25:22,080 Here we go. 504 00:25:23,600 --> 00:25:24,680 CLANG! 505 00:25:24,680 --> 00:25:25,720 He's clattered it. 506 00:25:25,720 --> 00:25:27,520 I don't even know if I took one out or not. 507 00:25:27,520 --> 00:25:32,240 I literally cannot see the end of these propellers. 508 00:25:33,600 --> 00:25:35,040 Oh, he's through. He's through. 509 00:25:35,040 --> 00:25:36,680 He's not getting through this one. 510 00:25:36,680 --> 00:25:39,520 He's going to panic. Oh! Jesus, where am I? 511 00:25:41,440 --> 00:25:43,160 Ho-ho! 512 00:25:43,160 --> 00:25:47,240 The Scania might not be as luxurious inside, 513 00:25:47,240 --> 00:25:49,240 but, by God, she can go. 514 00:25:50,880 --> 00:25:52,320 Bosh! 515 00:25:52,320 --> 00:25:54,120 Got to have made that through. He's through there! 516 00:25:54,120 --> 00:25:55,560 He's through there. Ooh, he's through! 517 00:25:55,560 --> 00:25:57,600 Whoa...! 518 00:25:57,600 --> 00:25:59,000 Whoa! 519 00:25:59,000 --> 00:26:00,240 We don't need this. 520 00:26:00,240 --> 00:26:02,680 OK. It's always a better day when he doesn't win. 521 00:26:02,680 --> 00:26:04,240 Go! Go! Go! 522 00:26:04,240 --> 00:26:06,200 Oh, I took that quick. 523 00:26:06,200 --> 00:26:08,080 CLANG! Ho-ho-ho! Hey-hey! 524 00:26:08,080 --> 00:26:09,560 Oh, he's smashed that! 525 00:26:09,560 --> 00:26:12,000 Yea-ah. Yeah! 526 00:26:12,000 --> 00:26:13,640 Come on, the Scania! 527 00:26:13,640 --> 00:26:15,240 Go on, son! 528 00:26:15,240 --> 00:26:16,600 HORN HONKS 529 00:26:17,720 --> 00:26:20,040 We're over. 530 00:26:21,840 --> 00:26:24,480 I went for speed over precision. 531 00:26:24,480 --> 00:26:26,640 It's an odd look seeing a man 532 00:26:26,640 --> 00:26:28,040 wearing a cheap cowboy hat, 533 00:26:28,040 --> 00:26:29,440 towing two helicopters 534 00:26:29,440 --> 00:26:32,320 in the world's most powerful truck. 535 00:26:32,320 --> 00:26:34,560 Welcome to the BBC! 536 00:26:36,760 --> 00:26:38,800 Where the results were in. 537 00:26:38,800 --> 00:26:40,040 Ah! 538 00:26:41,080 --> 00:26:42,280 Thank you, sir. 539 00:26:42,280 --> 00:26:43,920 Thank you. 540 00:26:43,920 --> 00:26:45,760 Christopher Harris. 541 00:26:45,760 --> 00:26:48,720 Ooh! Two minutes, 15 seconds, 542 00:26:48,720 --> 00:26:50,400 and that's including 543 00:26:50,400 --> 00:26:54,280 a 15-second penalty for three hits. Shoddy. 544 00:26:54,280 --> 00:26:56,240 Freddie Flintoff... 545 00:26:56,240 --> 00:26:57,920 ...two minutes, 546 00:26:57,920 --> 00:27:03,160 plus a ten-second penalty for two hits in the DAF. 547 00:27:03,160 --> 00:27:04,440 But... 548 00:27:04,440 --> 00:27:06,760 Oh, no... ...in first place, boys, 549 00:27:06,760 --> 00:27:08,920 was there ever any doubt, 550 00:27:08,920 --> 00:27:12,880 with the 770 horsepower of the Scania? 551 00:27:12,880 --> 00:27:16,760 One minute, 47 seconds. 552 00:27:16,760 --> 00:27:19,040 LOUD, COMMANDING HORN Plus a ten-second penalty 553 00:27:19,040 --> 00:27:20,120 for the two hits. 554 00:27:20,120 --> 00:27:22,920 Thank you, boys, giving me the big... I love that. 555 00:27:22,920 --> 00:27:25,040 That's the truckers' salute. 556 00:27:25,040 --> 00:27:26,600 They recognise... 557 00:27:26,600 --> 00:27:28,200 They recognise a winner. 558 00:27:28,200 --> 00:27:32,160 I've got to say, he might have been the slowest, 559 00:27:32,160 --> 00:27:34,480 but Chris Harris wins for that horn. 560 00:27:34,480 --> 00:27:36,440 Let's hear yours, Pad. 561 00:27:36,440 --> 00:27:37,640 HIGH-PITCHED TOOT 562 00:27:37,640 --> 00:27:39,080 Ohhhh! No! 563 00:27:39,080 --> 00:27:40,720 LAUGHTER 564 00:27:40,720 --> 00:27:43,000 700 horsepower and a little squeak! 565 00:27:43,000 --> 00:27:45,240 No! No! 566 00:27:45,240 --> 00:27:48,120 LOUD, COMMANDING HORN 567 00:27:50,320 --> 00:27:52,680 CHEERING AND APPLAUSE 568 00:27:54,720 --> 00:27:57,440 You're thinking what? World Championship! 569 00:27:57,440 --> 00:27:58,640 THEY LAUGH 570 00:27:58,640 --> 00:27:59,880 Hey! 571 00:27:59,880 --> 00:28:02,920 Trucking's in the blood, lads. 572 00:28:02,920 --> 00:28:04,320 I was born to do it. 573 00:28:04,320 --> 00:28:06,480 That Scania V8, what a machine! 574 00:28:06,480 --> 00:28:09,080 Everywhere I went in that thing, 575 00:28:09,080 --> 00:28:11,640 truckers would come over to me like, "Respect." 576 00:28:11,640 --> 00:28:14,080 Respect. It was a beast of a thing, that, a beast. 577 00:28:14,080 --> 00:28:16,080 I must say, I did like the comfort of the DAF. 578 00:28:16,080 --> 00:28:19,600 That was some truck. And we found your motorsport, Pad. 579 00:28:19,600 --> 00:28:22,240 Helicopter transportation. 580 00:28:22,240 --> 00:28:23,840 I've found a niche, Fred. 581 00:28:23,840 --> 00:28:25,360 And I'm going to fill it. 582 00:28:25,360 --> 00:28:27,600 Can I say that on the telly? I think you just did. 583 00:28:27,600 --> 00:28:28,800 I did, yeah! 584 00:28:28,800 --> 00:28:31,000 Anyway, we'll get back to that film later in the show, 585 00:28:31,000 --> 00:28:33,840 when things get a whole lot stormier. 586 00:28:33,840 --> 00:28:35,200 But now, we must move on 587 00:28:35,200 --> 00:28:37,440 to big Chrissie Harris and a very small car. 588 00:28:38,680 --> 00:28:41,160 Yes, this is the Lotus Elise, 589 00:28:41,160 --> 00:28:45,160 the back-to-basics British sports car that arrived in 1996 590 00:28:45,160 --> 00:28:47,160 and has been on sale ever since. 591 00:28:47,160 --> 00:28:48,960 Until now, 592 00:28:48,960 --> 00:28:51,160 because Lotus has finally killed off the Elise 593 00:28:51,160 --> 00:28:55,360 and, in its place, given us something completely new. 594 00:29:00,760 --> 00:29:04,280 Straight out of Norfolk comes... 595 00:29:04,280 --> 00:29:05,480 ...the Emira. 596 00:29:05,480 --> 00:29:08,680 And first impressions are, 597 00:29:08,680 --> 00:29:11,160 it's not what you'd call ugly. 598 00:29:13,200 --> 00:29:17,360 In fact, this two-seat, mid-engine sports car 599 00:29:17,360 --> 00:29:20,520 looks a million dollars. 600 00:29:24,360 --> 00:29:28,840 But thankfully, this Lotus doesn't cost $1 million, 601 00:29:28,840 --> 00:29:31,200 or anything close. 602 00:29:37,520 --> 00:29:41,040 The car I'm driving right now - 75 grand. 603 00:29:41,040 --> 00:29:43,120 I know that's not chicken feed, 604 00:29:43,120 --> 00:29:45,720 but you tell me anything near the same price 605 00:29:45,720 --> 00:29:47,720 that is anything near as good. 606 00:29:47,720 --> 00:29:49,360 There isn't one! 607 00:29:49,360 --> 00:29:53,640 This is supercar looks for half the supercar price. 608 00:29:55,120 --> 00:29:57,720 And it's from Norfolk. 609 00:29:57,720 --> 00:29:59,360 I love it. 610 00:30:01,760 --> 00:30:04,800 And the good news doesn't end there. 611 00:30:06,400 --> 00:30:08,120 I hate the word, but look at it - 612 00:30:08,120 --> 00:30:10,080 it's nice in here. It's pleasant. 613 00:30:10,080 --> 00:30:13,560 I've got modern screens, I've got padding on the seats. 614 00:30:13,560 --> 00:30:15,360 There's no water coming through the roof. 615 00:30:15,360 --> 00:30:17,600 I'm not whacking my elbow against bits of metal. 616 00:30:17,600 --> 00:30:21,080 This is bold new territory for Lotus. 617 00:30:22,280 --> 00:30:24,920 Yes, on the road it's bigger than an Elise, 618 00:30:24,920 --> 00:30:27,360 but, frankly, there are pencil cases 619 00:30:27,360 --> 00:30:29,200 that are bigger than an Elise. 620 00:30:29,200 --> 00:30:32,240 But I'm on a damp Welsh road, 621 00:30:32,240 --> 00:30:34,080 and this is Lotus territory. 622 00:30:34,080 --> 00:30:37,200 This car is sublime in these conditions. 623 00:30:37,200 --> 00:30:39,720 It just glides over the surface. 624 00:30:39,720 --> 00:30:41,320 It breathes with the road. 625 00:30:42,440 --> 00:30:44,840 Lotus is better at making cars 626 00:30:44,840 --> 00:30:47,840 for bumpy British roads than any other sports car company. 627 00:30:52,320 --> 00:30:55,760 But it's not enough for this new Emira 628 00:30:55,760 --> 00:30:58,880 just to do the business on the road. Lotus's history, 629 00:30:58,880 --> 00:31:01,240 its very DNA, 630 00:31:01,240 --> 00:31:02,720 is racing. 631 00:31:02,720 --> 00:31:04,120 And that means 632 00:31:04,120 --> 00:31:07,520 the Emira really has to do the business on the track... 633 00:31:11,040 --> 00:31:13,640 ...where at first glance you'd be forgiven 634 00:31:13,640 --> 00:31:16,320 for thinking they've missed a trick. 635 00:31:16,320 --> 00:31:18,520 The engine is a supercharged V6 636 00:31:18,520 --> 00:31:20,160 with about 400 horsepower. 637 00:31:21,920 --> 00:31:24,600 ENGINE ROARS 638 00:31:27,320 --> 00:31:29,680 0-60 - four and a half seconds, 639 00:31:29,680 --> 00:31:31,080 and over 180mph. 640 00:31:33,120 --> 00:31:36,280 I know. Hardly tear-your-face-off quick 641 00:31:36,280 --> 00:31:37,520 in this day and age. 642 00:31:37,520 --> 00:31:41,680 The truth is, though, Lotus has never really been too obsessed 643 00:31:41,680 --> 00:31:44,160 with those big numbers. Lotus's obsession 644 00:31:44,160 --> 00:31:46,960 has always been what makes the difference 645 00:31:46,960 --> 00:31:49,880 between a car that's good to drive 646 00:31:49,880 --> 00:31:51,840 and a car that's great to drive. 647 00:31:57,520 --> 00:31:59,960 The steering is just razor-sharp. 648 00:31:59,960 --> 00:32:01,400 The front of the car follows the direction 649 00:32:01,400 --> 00:32:03,840 exactly you want it to do. 650 00:32:05,280 --> 00:32:08,120 Every other sports car maker now electric. 651 00:32:08,120 --> 00:32:11,960 But Lotus has a hydraulic power steering rack purely for feel. 652 00:32:13,200 --> 00:32:15,160 Boy, does it make a difference! 653 00:32:15,160 --> 00:32:17,920 The steering on this car is sublime. 654 00:32:19,480 --> 00:32:21,440 Especially as it's been paired with, 655 00:32:21,440 --> 00:32:24,960 yes, that manual gearbox. 656 00:32:24,960 --> 00:32:27,400 Lotus's founder, Colin Chapman, 657 00:32:27,400 --> 00:32:30,440 always insisted that the gear lever be no more 658 00:32:30,440 --> 00:32:32,880 than a hand's width away from the steering wheel. 659 00:32:32,880 --> 00:32:36,000 And, look, in the Emira - perfection! 660 00:32:36,000 --> 00:32:37,960 Perfection. 661 00:32:41,920 --> 00:32:45,000 TYRES SCREECH 662 00:32:45,000 --> 00:32:48,120 HE LAUGHS 663 00:33:00,120 --> 00:33:01,720 For price and power, 664 00:33:01,720 --> 00:33:03,840 this thing is bang on a Porsche Cayman rival. 665 00:33:03,840 --> 00:33:06,360 And that is some stiff competition. 666 00:33:09,640 --> 00:33:12,280 Would I really choose one of these over the Porsche? 667 00:33:12,280 --> 00:33:14,920 Well, I think, as a road car, 668 00:33:14,920 --> 00:33:16,600 the chassis is more comfortable in this. 669 00:33:16,600 --> 00:33:18,800 It's probably got it licked. 670 00:33:18,800 --> 00:33:20,440 And it looks better to my eyes as well. 671 00:33:20,440 --> 00:33:23,880 I can make a very good argument for having one of these. 672 00:33:27,520 --> 00:33:29,760 TYRES SCREECH 673 00:33:33,400 --> 00:33:36,240 The Emira, then, looks great, it goes great, 674 00:33:36,240 --> 00:33:40,160 it costs a not insane amount of money. 675 00:33:40,160 --> 00:33:41,840 So what's the catch? 676 00:33:43,160 --> 00:33:45,760 The catch is... this all-new Lotus 677 00:33:45,760 --> 00:33:48,800 isn't quite so all new as Lotus would have you believe. 678 00:33:48,800 --> 00:33:50,880 The engine, borrowed from Toyota - 679 00:33:50,880 --> 00:33:53,920 basically the same as the one from the old Evora. 680 00:33:53,920 --> 00:33:55,400 Same with the gearbox. 681 00:33:55,400 --> 00:33:56,560 Under the skin, 682 00:33:56,560 --> 00:33:58,600 this is the same old Lotus formula 683 00:33:58,600 --> 00:34:01,640 wearing designer sunglasses and a fancy new scarf. 684 00:34:03,480 --> 00:34:08,080 But you know what - that doesn't matter one bit. 685 00:34:10,800 --> 00:34:12,400 The old Lotus formula was great. 686 00:34:14,240 --> 00:34:17,240 You don't want your local chippy pivoting towards 687 00:34:17,240 --> 00:34:19,320 Mongolian fusion cuisine, do you? 688 00:34:19,320 --> 00:34:22,200 You want an honest lump of battered cod. 689 00:34:23,600 --> 00:34:26,240 It might be an old recipe, 690 00:34:26,240 --> 00:34:29,800 but it is still a classic. 691 00:34:29,800 --> 00:34:31,640 I don't need more than 400 horsepower. 692 00:34:31,640 --> 00:34:34,160 How fast can you actually go on the road? 693 00:34:35,360 --> 00:34:37,400 You can enjoy more of a car like this... 694 00:34:37,400 --> 00:34:39,760 ...in more places, more often. 695 00:34:40,720 --> 00:34:43,160 It's fit for Britain. 696 00:34:45,240 --> 00:34:47,760 And we need to enjoy it while we can, 697 00:34:47,760 --> 00:34:51,040 because the Emira might just be... 698 00:34:51,040 --> 00:34:53,440 ...the end of an era. 699 00:34:53,440 --> 00:34:56,320 They say this is the last petrol-powered Lotus. 700 00:34:56,320 --> 00:34:58,560 From here on in, it's electric. 701 00:34:58,560 --> 00:35:01,240 I'm OK with that. Times change. 702 00:35:01,240 --> 00:35:03,200 But when it is all electric, let's not forget 703 00:35:03,200 --> 00:35:05,640 how good this car was. 704 00:35:07,480 --> 00:35:09,040 I said last year 705 00:35:09,040 --> 00:35:10,720 that this was one of the cars 706 00:35:10,720 --> 00:35:13,360 I was most looking forward to driving in 2022. 707 00:35:14,640 --> 00:35:17,200 So, does it live up to expectations? 708 00:35:18,240 --> 00:35:19,720 Absolutely! 709 00:35:25,960 --> 00:35:28,160 Absolutely! 710 00:35:29,800 --> 00:35:31,000 HE LAUGHS 711 00:35:36,480 --> 00:35:38,720 CHEERING AND APPLAUSE 712 00:35:40,800 --> 00:35:43,400 Do you know, I've got to say, 713 00:35:43,400 --> 00:35:46,800 for the money, that is a beautiful car. 714 00:35:46,800 --> 00:35:48,760 And it gets even better. This one that I drove - 715 00:35:48,760 --> 00:35:50,360 75 grand. 716 00:35:50,360 --> 00:35:52,760 Next year, there's going to be a cheaper one, 717 00:35:52,760 --> 00:35:54,160 under 60 grand, 718 00:35:54,160 --> 00:35:55,800 with a turbo-charged four-cylinder engine 719 00:35:55,800 --> 00:35:57,840 from the Mercedes A 45 hot hatch. 720 00:35:57,840 --> 00:36:00,080 I cannot wait to drive that one! 721 00:36:00,080 --> 00:36:01,480 My problem with Lotuses... 722 00:36:01,480 --> 00:36:03,720 I can never get in 'em. I'm too big. 723 00:36:03,720 --> 00:36:05,320 You struggled with the HGV! 724 00:36:05,320 --> 00:36:07,400 LAUGHTER 725 00:36:07,400 --> 00:36:08,480 And I'm looking at this 726 00:36:08,480 --> 00:36:10,080 thinking there might be a chance. 727 00:36:10,080 --> 00:36:12,040 Do you mind if I...? Slip on in, Fred. 728 00:36:12,040 --> 00:36:15,360 New idea for a show here, Pad. Can Fred Fit In It? 729 00:36:15,360 --> 00:36:16,960 LAUGHTER 730 00:36:16,960 --> 00:36:20,080 Ooh! No problem. I cannot believe it. 731 00:36:20,080 --> 00:36:21,720 I thought we were gonna have to put lard 732 00:36:21,720 --> 00:36:23,440 round the doorframes or summat like that. 733 00:36:23,440 --> 00:36:24,840 It's like a TARDIS. It is. 734 00:36:24,840 --> 00:36:27,080 I tell you what this is. I want one. 735 00:36:27,080 --> 00:36:29,080 Are you enjoying it? Genuinely, I want one. 736 00:36:29,080 --> 00:36:31,560 OK. All right. Well, while Fred makes himself comfy, 737 00:36:31,560 --> 00:36:33,600 it's time to batten down the hatches 738 00:36:33,600 --> 00:36:36,640 and get back to our big HGV adventure. 739 00:36:38,640 --> 00:36:41,560 NEWS THEME MUSIC 740 00:36:41,560 --> 00:36:44,000 NEWSREADER: BBC News at ten o'clock. This is Nick Quraishi. 741 00:36:44,000 --> 00:36:47,200 The Met Office has issued a rare red weather warning 742 00:36:47,200 --> 00:36:49,280 for parts of South West England and South Wales 743 00:36:49,280 --> 00:36:50,640 tomorrow morning, 744 00:36:50,640 --> 00:36:53,920 as Storm Eunice moves in from the Atlantic. 745 00:36:55,320 --> 00:36:58,560 Our mighty convoy was closing in on Wales. 746 00:37:00,000 --> 00:37:01,400 Look at this, boys! 747 00:37:02,640 --> 00:37:05,080 But with our destination on the south coast 748 00:37:05,080 --> 00:37:06,680 now within easy reach, 749 00:37:06,680 --> 00:37:08,360 approaching the Severn 750 00:37:08,360 --> 00:37:10,240 we were bracing ourselves 751 00:37:10,240 --> 00:37:14,400 for another of trucking's rites of passage. 752 00:37:14,400 --> 00:37:15,840 Feel it now, Chris. We're coming onto it. 753 00:37:15,840 --> 00:37:18,080 I can feel the wind. 754 00:37:18,080 --> 00:37:19,240 WIND GUSTS 755 00:37:19,240 --> 00:37:20,520 HE CHUCKLES 756 00:37:20,520 --> 00:37:21,960 HE LAUGHS 757 00:37:36,640 --> 00:37:38,160 The back of your trailer's 758 00:37:38,160 --> 00:37:40,960 having a little sway there, Chris. 759 00:37:40,960 --> 00:37:43,320 Even though I'm getting blown around a bit, 760 00:37:43,320 --> 00:37:45,120 the whole thing does feel very stable, though. 761 00:37:45,120 --> 00:37:46,920 I don't feel I'm having to steer into it much. 762 00:37:46,920 --> 00:37:48,560 What about you? 763 00:37:48,560 --> 00:37:50,560 Not even deviated off the straight, this thing. 764 00:37:54,400 --> 00:37:55,640 Truth be told, 765 00:37:55,640 --> 00:37:58,280 our modern HGV masterpieces 766 00:37:58,280 --> 00:38:01,280 weren't in the least bit bothered about the breeze. 767 00:38:01,280 --> 00:38:02,360 Tell you what, though, 768 00:38:02,360 --> 00:38:05,360 being this high up, the views are amazing. 769 00:38:07,080 --> 00:38:08,920 But if you're starting to think 770 00:38:08,920 --> 00:38:10,800 this trucking game might be for you, 771 00:38:10,800 --> 00:38:15,560 it's worth mentioning that life isn't just about mega-machinery 772 00:38:15,560 --> 00:38:17,080 and comfy cabs. 773 00:38:19,200 --> 00:38:21,120 When you're a trucker, 774 00:38:21,120 --> 00:38:24,080 your life is ruled by the tacho. 775 00:38:24,080 --> 00:38:26,520 And I'm not on about the tasty Mexican snack either. 776 00:38:26,520 --> 00:38:28,440 I'm on about this bit of kit up here. 777 00:38:28,440 --> 00:38:29,880 That's a tachograph. 778 00:38:29,880 --> 00:38:33,640 And a tachograph logs all your hours behind the wheel 779 00:38:33,640 --> 00:38:36,040 to make sure you stick within the rules. 780 00:38:38,280 --> 00:38:42,160 Rules like you've got nine hours of driving every day, 781 00:38:42,160 --> 00:38:45,320 apart from twice a week, where you've got ten hours. 782 00:38:46,640 --> 00:38:49,680 Then you've got 11 hours of consecutive rest, 783 00:38:49,680 --> 00:38:51,680 apart from three times a week, 784 00:38:51,680 --> 00:38:53,320 where it can be nine hours. 785 00:38:53,320 --> 00:38:56,160 Then you've got 56 driving hours a week, 786 00:38:56,160 --> 00:38:59,280 or no more than 90 hours every two weeks. 787 00:38:59,280 --> 00:39:02,120 Oh, and every four and a half hours, 788 00:39:02,120 --> 00:39:04,160 you've got to take a 45-minute break. 789 00:39:05,120 --> 00:39:07,880 And trust me, if you don't know those rules, 790 00:39:07,880 --> 00:39:11,200 they'll come down on you like a ton of Yorkies. 791 00:39:14,280 --> 00:39:16,480 Of course, you do soon become familiar 792 00:39:16,480 --> 00:39:18,600 with all the rules and regs. 793 00:39:20,360 --> 00:39:23,840 You might even start to have a bit of fun. 794 00:39:25,440 --> 00:39:29,520 OK, I'm coming past, Frederick. I'm coming past. 795 00:39:29,520 --> 00:39:31,320 Oh, he's making a move. Go on, Chris, 796 00:39:31,320 --> 00:39:32,800 I'll flash you in, Chris. 797 00:39:32,800 --> 00:39:35,600 Not yet, not yet. Double flash, please. 798 00:39:36,640 --> 00:39:38,640 In you come. In you come. 799 00:39:40,640 --> 00:39:44,480 Tell you what, boys, we are making such good time, 800 00:39:44,480 --> 00:39:46,360 I think we might need to head off 801 00:39:46,360 --> 00:39:49,000 and find some proper, open trucking roads. 802 00:39:49,000 --> 00:39:50,240 What do you reckon? 803 00:39:50,240 --> 00:39:51,440 Well up for that. 804 00:39:55,920 --> 00:39:59,360 But in the world of trucking, 805 00:39:59,360 --> 00:40:02,400 it turns out nothing is straightforward... 806 00:40:04,240 --> 00:40:07,680 ...least of all when you leave the motorway behind. 807 00:40:11,040 --> 00:40:12,160 Remember I told you 808 00:40:12,160 --> 00:40:14,680 we were gonna find some nice open roads? 809 00:40:14,680 --> 00:40:16,200 I'm not sure this is 810 00:40:16,200 --> 00:40:18,880 what I had in mind, Chris, to be honest. 811 00:40:18,880 --> 00:40:20,360 This is tight! 812 00:40:20,360 --> 00:40:22,920 This is where I really admire seasoned truckers. 813 00:40:22,920 --> 00:40:26,160 The way they navigate these small towns is very impressive. 814 00:40:26,160 --> 00:40:29,840 You're testing our skills here, Christopher. 815 00:40:29,840 --> 00:40:32,880 I feel like I'm on a constant hazard perception test. 816 00:40:42,200 --> 00:40:45,280 That right-hander is hideous. Be careful. 817 00:40:45,280 --> 00:40:48,520 Nice and wide, Paddy, lad. Nice and wide. 818 00:40:54,200 --> 00:40:55,400 BYSTANDER: Go on, Paddy! 819 00:40:59,880 --> 00:41:02,440 Driving through Abergavenny there, 820 00:41:02,440 --> 00:41:05,200 if I'd have done that in a car, I'd have swore blind 821 00:41:05,200 --> 00:41:08,160 you'd have never have got an HGV through there. 822 00:41:08,160 --> 00:41:11,600 I mean, it is a bit tight, don't get me wrong, 823 00:41:11,600 --> 00:41:15,800 but it's amazing the roads you can get along and through - 824 00:41:15,800 --> 00:41:18,160 providing everyone moves out of the way. 825 00:41:18,160 --> 00:41:22,440 Which, of course, you soon find they often don't. 826 00:41:23,640 --> 00:41:25,680 Bit of a div parked his Kia right here 827 00:41:25,680 --> 00:41:26,880 on a double yellow. 828 00:41:28,000 --> 00:41:29,120 Where? 829 00:41:31,360 --> 00:41:33,240 Bloomin' heck, it's tight round here. 830 00:41:41,960 --> 00:41:44,400 Watch this little white car coming towards you an' all. 831 00:41:44,400 --> 00:41:46,400 This is actually one of the advantages 832 00:41:46,400 --> 00:41:47,640 of being at the back. 833 00:41:47,640 --> 00:41:50,760 Jeez, that was tight. That wasn't fun there. 834 00:41:50,760 --> 00:41:52,800 That was tense. 835 00:41:56,000 --> 00:41:59,800 But stick with the trucking game long enough, 836 00:41:59,800 --> 00:42:04,760 and every now and again you'll discover a little bit of magic. 837 00:42:08,520 --> 00:42:10,360 Wales is beautiful. Look at those hills. 838 00:42:15,840 --> 00:42:19,240 I've got to say, this is proper. 839 00:42:24,800 --> 00:42:27,040 Welsh hills, sunshine's out, 840 00:42:27,040 --> 00:42:30,080 and I've got over 600 horsepower. 841 00:42:30,080 --> 00:42:31,600 What a recipe! 842 00:42:35,960 --> 00:42:38,240 Genuinely strange, coming on all the roads that I've used 843 00:42:38,240 --> 00:42:41,520 for 20 years to test supercars...in a truck. 844 00:42:41,520 --> 00:42:42,680 It's really quite pleasant. 845 00:42:43,880 --> 00:42:46,520 What a machine this is! 846 00:42:46,520 --> 00:42:49,360 The DAF is loving it. Absolutely loving it. 847 00:42:49,360 --> 00:42:51,000 Just skipping up the hills. 848 00:42:52,640 --> 00:42:53,800 Tell you what, boys, 849 00:42:53,800 --> 00:42:55,240 when we did the time trial before, 850 00:42:55,240 --> 00:42:57,280 with the old helicopters on the back, 851 00:42:57,280 --> 00:42:59,240 and you started having a go at me about me horn, 852 00:42:59,240 --> 00:43:00,800 well, I've found a little button 853 00:43:00,800 --> 00:43:06,040 in the Scania cab which turns the average horn 854 00:43:06,040 --> 00:43:08,480 into a super-horn. Do you want to have a little listen? 855 00:43:08,480 --> 00:43:09,760 Fire away. 856 00:43:09,760 --> 00:43:14,160 HORN BLARES 857 00:43:16,200 --> 00:43:17,800 Lovely stuff. 858 00:43:23,280 --> 00:43:25,520 It is stunning, though. What a day to see it. 859 00:43:25,520 --> 00:43:27,240 I know there's a bit of wind knocking about 860 00:43:27,240 --> 00:43:29,200 but the sun's out. Beautiful. 861 00:43:30,400 --> 00:43:31,960 It really was. 862 00:43:33,440 --> 00:43:35,880 But as we climbed higher into the Brecon Beacons, 863 00:43:35,880 --> 00:43:39,400 that "bit of wind knocking about" 864 00:43:39,400 --> 00:43:41,840 was definitely getting stronger. 865 00:43:43,320 --> 00:43:44,520 WIND GUSTS 866 00:43:44,520 --> 00:43:46,840 Oh, it's blowing now! 867 00:43:48,080 --> 00:43:50,800 Ho-ho, dear me! 868 00:43:50,800 --> 00:43:53,360 Having to concentrate a bit harder now, aren't we? 869 00:43:54,360 --> 00:43:56,600 They are amazing bits of engineering. 870 00:43:57,920 --> 00:43:59,440 I know we're saying it's tough, 871 00:43:59,440 --> 00:44:02,320 but just twirling a wheel, foot on the brake, 872 00:44:02,320 --> 00:44:03,720 the vehicle does the rest. 873 00:44:03,720 --> 00:44:06,280 Just incredible bits of engineering. 874 00:44:06,280 --> 00:44:09,200 Although on a narrow, winding road, 875 00:44:09,200 --> 00:44:12,560 in increasingly blustery conditions, 876 00:44:12,560 --> 00:44:15,920 things soon become less incredible when one of those 877 00:44:15,920 --> 00:44:20,920 "bits of engineering" comes the other way. 878 00:44:20,920 --> 00:44:21,880 BLEEP! 879 00:44:23,400 --> 00:44:24,520 Whoa! 880 00:44:27,280 --> 00:44:28,880 That was horrible. Did you see that? 881 00:44:28,880 --> 00:44:31,200 Literally that come from nowhere. 882 00:44:31,200 --> 00:44:32,760 That was a close one, that. 883 00:44:34,400 --> 00:44:37,040 And it was just another timely reminder 884 00:44:37,040 --> 00:44:41,920 of what truck driving is really all about. 885 00:44:44,760 --> 00:44:47,120 So much responsibility in driving one of these. 886 00:44:48,280 --> 00:44:51,240 You've got to be on it all the time. 887 00:44:51,240 --> 00:44:52,560 And you think about that 888 00:44:52,560 --> 00:44:54,720 day after day after day after day. 889 00:44:57,360 --> 00:44:58,760 This is hard graft. 890 00:45:00,120 --> 00:45:03,040 Truckers watching this, they'll know what I'm on about. 891 00:45:03,040 --> 00:45:05,240 I'm not sure I've got it in me, to be honest. 892 00:45:08,120 --> 00:45:12,760 With the day drawing in and the weather deteriorating, 893 00:45:12,760 --> 00:45:14,000 it was time to leave 894 00:45:14,000 --> 00:45:15,440 the scenic detour behind. 895 00:45:16,880 --> 00:45:19,280 The priority now was to get as close 896 00:45:19,280 --> 00:45:21,720 to our final destination as we could... 897 00:45:23,320 --> 00:45:24,760 ..before this. 898 00:45:26,680 --> 00:45:28,440 NEWSREADER: Storm Eunice hits the UK, 899 00:45:28,440 --> 00:45:31,280 with powerful winds causing injury, damage and destruction. 900 00:45:31,280 --> 00:45:33,240 Oh, my God! 901 00:45:33,240 --> 00:45:36,240 For what's thought to be the first time ever, 902 00:45:36,240 --> 00:45:38,560 both bridges here across the Severn Estuary have closed 903 00:45:38,560 --> 00:45:40,040 because of the high winds. 904 00:45:42,240 --> 00:45:46,720 Storm Eunice had been giving Britain a bashing. 905 00:45:48,520 --> 00:45:51,800 And once the worst had passed, 906 00:45:51,800 --> 00:45:55,840 how grateful we were to reach the end of the road. 907 00:45:57,880 --> 00:46:04,640 Oh, there she is. Pembrey Circuit. We made it, boys. 908 00:46:04,640 --> 00:46:07,200 I've had easier drives than that in me life. 909 00:46:09,840 --> 00:46:14,240 A lot of sympathy for HGV drivers in these conditions. It's horrible. 910 00:46:17,000 --> 00:46:19,200 But we weren't done yet, 911 00:46:19,200 --> 00:46:21,640 because we had finally pulled up 912 00:46:21,640 --> 00:46:24,280 at the home of Welsh motorsport, 913 00:46:24,280 --> 00:46:28,200 where it turned out, all this time, 914 00:46:28,200 --> 00:46:31,960 we'd been hauling everything we needed to go... 915 00:46:31,960 --> 00:46:33,640 ...truck racing. 916 00:46:35,160 --> 00:46:37,680 With over 1,000 horsepower, 917 00:46:37,680 --> 00:46:41,360 ten times the torque of your average supercar, 918 00:46:41,360 --> 00:46:42,560 all reined in by enormous, 919 00:46:42,560 --> 00:46:45,000 steam-billowing, water-cooled brakes, 920 00:46:45,000 --> 00:46:47,240 these five-tonne, 921 00:46:47,240 --> 00:46:50,680 rear-wheel-drive, custom-built monsters 922 00:46:50,680 --> 00:46:53,320 are not for the faint of heart. 923 00:46:55,360 --> 00:46:59,640 A typical race sees grids of up to 20 trucks 924 00:46:59,640 --> 00:47:02,320 doing battle at speeds of 100mph. 925 00:47:04,720 --> 00:47:06,480 And because on an unfamiliar track during 926 00:47:06,480 --> 00:47:08,360 an extreme weather event, 927 00:47:08,360 --> 00:47:10,600 diving straight into this kind of action 928 00:47:10,600 --> 00:47:13,040 would be just plain stupid... 929 00:47:13,040 --> 00:47:15,680 What a lovely day for a truck race! 930 00:47:17,560 --> 00:47:19,400 ...before giving it a go ourselves, 931 00:47:19,400 --> 00:47:21,600 we'd generously been given a couple of laps 932 00:47:21,600 --> 00:47:23,800 to get to grips... 933 00:47:23,800 --> 00:47:26,320 ...with our new rigs. 934 00:47:26,320 --> 00:47:27,720 These things are huge. 935 00:47:27,720 --> 00:47:29,720 Tell you what, though, it's exciting. 936 00:47:31,440 --> 00:47:32,960 Here we go. 937 00:47:38,720 --> 00:47:41,240 Pad, Pad, Pad, no, Pad! 938 00:47:43,400 --> 00:47:44,480 CRASH! 939 00:47:44,480 --> 00:47:45,560 Ohhh! 940 00:47:45,560 --> 00:47:46,960 BLEEP! 941 00:47:48,800 --> 00:47:52,520 These racing trucks are tough old birds. 942 00:47:52,520 --> 00:47:54,280 And with no harm done... 943 00:47:54,280 --> 00:47:56,040 ...apart from that bit, 944 00:47:56,040 --> 00:47:59,280 back at the pits, it was just a case of waiting 945 00:47:59,280 --> 00:48:03,520 for Eunice to pepper the track with a hailstorm, 946 00:48:03,520 --> 00:48:06,720 and then, apparently, it was time to go racing. 947 00:48:09,920 --> 00:48:12,720 Here we go, little bit of damp on the road. 948 00:48:13,960 --> 00:48:16,040 Practise, don't you, in the dry, 949 00:48:16,040 --> 00:48:18,880 then it's hailstones and we're in the damp. 950 00:48:18,880 --> 00:48:21,160 Oh, and just for good measure, 951 00:48:21,160 --> 00:48:24,720 we'd be starting from the front of the grid. 952 00:48:24,720 --> 00:48:25,760 Got to be honest, I... 953 00:48:25,760 --> 00:48:28,000 ...I'd have sooner have been at the back of the grid. 954 00:48:28,000 --> 00:48:31,800 Now I've got the cast of Convoy hurtling past me. 955 00:48:33,360 --> 00:48:36,840 Yes, truck racing traditionally plays out 956 00:48:36,840 --> 00:48:38,480 in 15-minute bouts, 957 00:48:38,480 --> 00:48:41,840 often using a reverse grid system. 958 00:48:43,360 --> 00:48:45,480 Putting the slowest drivers at the front 959 00:48:45,480 --> 00:48:46,880 is a good way to ensure 960 00:48:46,880 --> 00:48:50,440 lots of high-octane action. 961 00:48:50,440 --> 00:48:52,320 Never thought I'd do a formation lap behind 962 00:48:52,320 --> 00:48:54,400 Flintoff and McGuinness. 963 00:48:54,400 --> 00:48:57,040 Putting us lot at the front, 964 00:48:57,040 --> 00:48:59,440 on the other hand, is madness. 965 00:48:59,440 --> 00:49:02,120 Paddy, what you doing? 966 00:49:02,120 --> 00:49:03,720 Formation, Pad. 967 00:49:03,720 --> 00:49:05,560 Fred needs to get by the side of him. 968 00:49:05,560 --> 00:49:07,760 What is Paddy doing? 969 00:49:07,760 --> 00:49:10,120 This is the only time I'll be at the front. 970 00:49:10,120 --> 00:49:11,800 So, I'm just enjoying it! 971 00:49:13,880 --> 00:49:16,120 Here we go, lead car's pulling out. 972 00:49:17,360 --> 00:49:18,360 Let's go. 973 00:49:20,200 --> 00:49:21,440 Come on! 974 00:49:27,360 --> 00:49:29,840 Ohhh, I'm all over the bloody shop. 975 00:49:33,200 --> 00:49:36,240 Blooming heck, he's muscled me out already, Pad. 976 00:49:37,880 --> 00:49:39,960 Let's try and get away from him. 977 00:49:43,360 --> 00:49:45,360 This is sketchy. 978 00:49:46,760 --> 00:49:48,000 I'll tell you what, 979 00:49:48,000 --> 00:49:49,880 it's completely different in the wet. 980 00:49:49,880 --> 00:49:51,800 Slow down. 981 00:49:51,800 --> 00:49:53,920 Into the hairpin. 982 00:49:57,560 --> 00:49:59,520 Whoooo-ho-ho! 983 00:50:01,200 --> 00:50:02,520 Lost it. 984 00:50:05,280 --> 00:50:07,880 Oh, Paddy's off again. 985 00:50:07,880 --> 00:50:08,960 Can I get back out? 986 00:50:08,960 --> 00:50:11,160 Oh, no! 987 00:50:11,160 --> 00:50:13,960 No. Come on! 988 00:50:13,960 --> 00:50:16,720 Paddy McGuinness is off. 989 00:50:16,720 --> 00:50:20,880 Oh, absolutely devastated! 990 00:50:22,360 --> 00:50:25,280 Just one minute into our 15-minute race... 991 00:50:25,280 --> 00:50:26,920 It's a red flag. 992 00:50:26,920 --> 00:50:29,000 It's a red flag! 993 00:50:29,000 --> 00:50:31,280 ...we'd all been told 994 00:50:31,280 --> 00:50:32,720 to stop. 995 00:50:33,800 --> 00:50:36,280 And while McGuinness's truck was recovered to safety, 996 00:50:36,280 --> 00:50:38,200 we headed back to the grid, 997 00:50:38,200 --> 00:50:39,640 ready to restart 998 00:50:39,640 --> 00:50:44,280 from where we were sitting when the race was red-flagged. 999 00:50:44,280 --> 00:50:47,960 That meant Harris was up front, I was in fourth, 1000 00:50:47,960 --> 00:50:51,560 and McGuinness would be at the back. 1001 00:50:51,560 --> 00:50:52,840 And I've got to be honest, 1002 00:50:52,840 --> 00:50:57,080 it feels nicer here. It feels a lot nicer. 1003 00:51:04,160 --> 00:51:07,640 Here we go. And we're away again. 1004 00:51:09,920 --> 00:51:11,920 So we now appear to be in P-1, 1005 00:51:11,920 --> 00:51:13,280 which in my experience 1006 00:51:13,280 --> 00:51:15,160 is exactly where you don't want to be for 1007 00:51:15,160 --> 00:51:18,240 a restart, cos you've just got a massive target on your back. 1008 00:51:19,440 --> 00:51:22,280 With 14 minutes left to survive... 1009 00:51:22,280 --> 00:51:23,280 Get your wipers on, 1010 00:51:23,280 --> 00:51:24,640 it's starting to rain. 1011 00:51:24,640 --> 00:51:29,400 ...it was time to go racing again. 1012 00:51:32,640 --> 00:51:35,360 Bloody hell. I say it's better at the back, 1013 00:51:35,360 --> 00:51:37,240 but it actually feels worse. 1014 00:51:37,240 --> 00:51:38,760 Cor blimey, 1015 00:51:38,760 --> 00:51:40,400 look at the congestion here. 1016 00:51:40,400 --> 00:51:42,200 Go, go, go, go, go. 1017 00:51:45,240 --> 00:51:46,840 Dear me. 1018 00:51:46,840 --> 00:51:49,040 I've got someone right up my chuff now. 1019 00:51:51,440 --> 00:51:53,360 Oh, I went wide. 1020 00:51:53,360 --> 00:51:56,960 Oh, there's one coming up the inside there, he's got me. 1021 00:51:59,040 --> 00:52:01,240 Get the windscreens on, get the windscreens on. 1022 00:52:01,240 --> 00:52:03,720 I can barely see. 1023 00:52:05,680 --> 00:52:07,800 Ohh, got it back. 1024 00:52:07,800 --> 00:52:09,600 My word. 1025 00:52:11,440 --> 00:52:14,280 He's coming for me, he's coming for me. 1026 00:52:16,480 --> 00:52:18,320 I've got to cover that inside line. 1027 00:52:19,960 --> 00:52:22,200 This is tricky. 1028 00:52:23,640 --> 00:52:26,080 Jeez, come on, keep going. 1029 00:52:26,080 --> 00:52:29,120 Yes, Fred, that's better. 1030 00:52:29,120 --> 00:52:31,160 Not too fast round here. No, no, stay on. 1031 00:52:34,840 --> 00:52:37,040 As the minutes ticked away, 1032 00:52:37,040 --> 00:52:40,080 the midfield were gradually picking me off. 1033 00:52:40,080 --> 00:52:42,520 Going up me inside. 1034 00:52:42,520 --> 00:52:43,920 Keep going, Fred. 1035 00:52:43,920 --> 00:52:47,360 And it's safe to say me and McGuinness were really 1036 00:52:47,360 --> 00:52:50,640 just trying to bring our 150-grand racing rigs 1037 00:52:50,640 --> 00:52:52,600 back in one piece. 1038 00:52:53,680 --> 00:52:57,520 The windscreen wipers have gone. I can't see. 1039 00:52:59,160 --> 00:53:00,800 My word! 1040 00:53:00,800 --> 00:53:03,640 But up at the front, 1041 00:53:03,640 --> 00:53:07,840 Harris had spent most of his first-ever truck race 1042 00:53:07,840 --> 00:53:08,920 in the lead. 1043 00:53:08,920 --> 00:53:10,400 Come on! 1044 00:53:11,760 --> 00:53:14,040 And now, with just a few minutes left 1045 00:53:14,040 --> 00:53:15,840 to the chequered flag, 1046 00:53:15,840 --> 00:53:19,760 the fight for the podium was on. 1047 00:53:23,000 --> 00:53:25,200 Sliding everywhere now. 1048 00:53:25,200 --> 00:53:28,680 They've got a surprising amount of grip, 1049 00:53:28,680 --> 00:53:29,960 but if ever the grip goes away, 1050 00:53:29,960 --> 00:53:31,800 it's catastrophic. 1051 00:53:34,080 --> 00:53:35,720 No, no, no, no, no, 1052 00:53:35,720 --> 00:53:38,040 not this time. No, no, no, come on. 1053 00:53:38,040 --> 00:53:40,600 Get it back, get it back, get it back. 1054 00:53:40,600 --> 00:53:42,840 Get it back. Yes, yes, 1055 00:53:42,840 --> 00:53:46,040 yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. 1056 00:53:46,040 --> 00:53:48,120 Ohhh. Got it back. 1057 00:53:50,560 --> 00:53:52,600 Come on, old girl. 1058 00:53:54,200 --> 00:53:56,560 This big fella's coming through. 1059 00:53:56,560 --> 00:53:58,720 Come on! 1060 00:54:05,760 --> 00:54:07,560 Oh, a bit of a lock-up. 1061 00:54:07,560 --> 00:54:10,040 BLEEP! I let him through. 1062 00:54:16,360 --> 00:54:17,560 Whoa. 1063 00:54:17,560 --> 00:54:20,360 Didn't really think that was gonna happen. 1064 00:54:20,360 --> 00:54:21,720 Got thumped out the way. 1065 00:54:23,960 --> 00:54:26,120 Come on, keep going, keep working. 1066 00:54:27,880 --> 00:54:29,720 I can stay with them, but I can't catch them. 1067 00:54:35,040 --> 00:54:36,480 Bit of oversteer there. 1068 00:54:42,560 --> 00:54:45,400 P-3. I'll take that. 1069 00:54:46,400 --> 00:54:47,920 I'll take that. 1070 00:54:47,920 --> 00:54:51,200 Wow. Wonder where the others are. 1071 00:54:53,840 --> 00:54:55,360 There we go. 1072 00:54:57,120 --> 00:54:59,280 Tell you what, 1073 00:54:59,280 --> 00:55:01,480 concentrated so hard, jeez! 1074 00:55:06,040 --> 00:55:09,040 Woooo! 1075 00:55:09,040 --> 00:55:10,200 Wow, that was sketchy. 1076 00:55:10,200 --> 00:55:11,800 That... 1077 00:55:15,880 --> 00:55:18,320 ...was trucking. 1078 00:55:19,520 --> 00:55:21,560 CHEERING 1079 00:55:25,160 --> 00:55:26,320 That was intense. 1080 00:55:26,320 --> 00:55:27,560 That was intense. It was, it was. 1081 00:55:27,560 --> 00:55:29,880 But, congratulations, Chris Harris, 1082 00:55:29,880 --> 00:55:32,960 a podium on your very first outing! 1083 00:55:32,960 --> 00:55:34,360 Go on, Chrissie! 1084 00:55:34,360 --> 00:55:35,640 CHEERING 1085 00:55:38,160 --> 00:55:39,640 They were not messing about. 1086 00:55:39,640 --> 00:55:41,680 I had many more love taps than I expected. 1087 00:55:41,680 --> 00:55:43,720 They were, they were aggressive. They really were. 1088 00:55:43,720 --> 00:55:45,720 So we set out to learn more about the trucking life. 1089 00:55:45,720 --> 00:55:48,800 We certainly did that. We got the full experience, 1090 00:55:48,800 --> 00:55:50,880 all the highs and all the lows. 1091 00:55:50,880 --> 00:55:52,840 We did indeed, and when everything's going well, 1092 00:55:52,840 --> 00:55:54,600 trucking's great. You're king of the road. 1093 00:55:54,600 --> 00:55:57,600 But as soon as the weather turns, it's a different story. 1094 00:55:57,600 --> 00:55:58,720 Oh, the wind. 1095 00:55:58,720 --> 00:56:00,400 Yeah, the wind, yeah. 1096 00:56:00,400 --> 00:56:02,360 Jeez. And it has changed how I see trucks on the road. 1097 00:56:02,360 --> 00:56:05,640 Now, every time I see one, I think, "Big respect." 1098 00:56:05,640 --> 00:56:06,960 Absolutely. 1099 00:56:06,960 --> 00:56:08,800 Yeah, hats off to the truckers, that is a tough job. 1100 00:56:08,800 --> 00:56:10,600 It is indeed, and if anyone wants 1101 00:56:10,600 --> 00:56:13,400 a couple of disused military helicopters shifting, 1102 00:56:13,400 --> 00:56:15,440 give us a call! That's it for tonight. 1103 00:56:15,440 --> 00:56:17,640 We'll be back next week, when Chris drives 1104 00:56:17,640 --> 00:56:18,720 a very fast Maserati, 1105 00:56:18,720 --> 00:56:21,360 Fred drives a very futuristic pick-up truck, 1106 00:56:21,360 --> 00:56:24,520 and I drive a cheap old Honda Civic. 1107 00:56:24,520 --> 00:56:25,960 Living the dream. 1108 00:56:25,960 --> 00:56:28,200 Thanks so much for watching. See you, then, goodnight. 1109 00:56:28,200 --> 00:56:31,080 CHEERING