| This event took place Thursday 8th March 2001 |
 |
 |
Top Gear
Tiff Needell, Top Gear presenter, joined us for a supersonic motoring livechat.
|
|
|
Question from Dylan: Which car do you personally drive ? and if money were no object?
Tiff Needell: At the moment I've got a BMW 535 Sport which I'm testing at the moment.
Normally I drive whatever car I'm testing. The family car is a Mercedes M Class for the school run, to put all the kids in! As a family man, the BMW M5 is the car for me, with a Ferrari 360 for the weekend!
Question from Sarah: Do your friends tease you about working on Top Gear ? It does
have a very macho, laddish reputation.
Tiff Needell: I don't think Vicki would be too pleased to hear you say that! To be honest, our fans seem to be both sexes, and anything from six to sixty.
Question from Sandra: What's the most memorable moment of you career?
Tiff Needell: Sitting on the grid for a Grand Prix - that was a fantastic moment! But finishing on the podium at Le Mans was probably my greatest achievement.
Question from Andrew: What's your greatest fear? Have you had any terrifying moments
when you've been driving?
Tiff Needell: The only time I was fearful was when I was in a dragster - a 3,500 horsepower dragster! I didn't feel I had much control which way it was going... With a steering wheel and four wheels, I'm usually pretty happy!
Question from Jonathan Bolton: What would win in a race around Silverstone, and Subaru WRX or an Evo 6?
Tiff Needell: It would be very close between those two. I wouldn't like to predict. The Evo 6 is easier to handle on the limit, but that doesn't always mean it would be quickest. I'd go for a dead heat on that question!
Question from Daniel: I am 16 years old and have £500 to buy a car, any suggestions?
Tiff Needell: Do an awful lot of searching before you spend your money. And get an insurance quote. The big thing about buying is not to go for the first one you like. Shop around!
Question from Miranda: How do you cope with the pressure of Le Mans?
Tiff Needell: Different drivers approach it in different ways. I tend to stay awake for virtually the whole 24 hours - with plenty of coffee when I'm not driving! But the big teams use sports therapists and all the mod cons.
Question from XL R8: I just love the way you threw jag around on the show, Have you
had any special training or have you learned car control purely from experience?
Tiff Needell: I learnt that with my mum's Morris 1000 on wet roundabouts at ten miles an hour! But thirty years of racing and plenty of Top Gear filming helped me hone my skills!
Question from Vincent Barnes: I have just taken delivery of a new 530i. My passengers are complaining of car sickness. Any suggestions?
Tiff Needell: Car sickness is a funny thing that seems to happen for no real reason. Try driving a bit slower!!!
Question from Sue: Jeremy Clarkson : roguish lad or misunderstood, sensitive wallflower?
Tiff Needell: Definitely a roguish lad! You get what you see, but I love him!
Question from Stuart: Was the budget a good one for drivers ? why are we charged so
much for cars in this country?
Tiff Needell: The whole car debate is still going on. They are coming down in this
country, and to be honest, some of the overseas deals aren't as good as they look on paper, I don't think. But it's something we're keeping our eye on.
Question from Jamie Robinson: How do you become a fast Hillclimb driver?
Tiff Needell: Hillclimbing is a great low-cost motor sport, but you get little time to learn the track, so experience counts for a lot!
Question from Jason Thomas: Why did you give up on Formula One?
Tiff Needell: Sadly it gave up on me! I only got in when replacing an injured driver, and sadly, there are never enough spare seats for all the young talent coming up the ranks.
Question from Bidry Birdy: Have you heard of the new KOENIGSEGG, and are you going to
feature it on Top Gear?
Tiff Needell: I have now. We'll start some research tomorrow!
|
|
Suggest a Star or Expert to answer your questions