Throughout his decades as an automotive journalist, Jeremy Clarkson has been known for his often controversial takes on cars. Well, he’s got another one: modern cars are “all shit now.” Clarkson said this during a watch party for the final episode of “The Grand Tour” where he took questions from the audience.
Along with saying they’re “shit,” the former “Top Gear” host said he couldn’t identify 80 or 90 percent of the cars that are on sale today. I’m not sure how truthful that really is. The man has been known for hyperbole and exaggeration for the better part of four decades at this point.
“I don’t know what they are. I don’t care. ‘We got a new hybrid drive system,’” Clarkson said to the crowd. “I couldn’t give a shit.”
Clarkson then pointed to the Lancia Montecarlo – his car during the final “Grand Tour” episode – as an example of how great cars once were. He spoke about a road he took (that just happens to be what Harry Metcalf uses to test cars) with his Montecarlo to the event space where he was speaking.
“It’s amazing when you drive an old car like that – how much better they are than modern cars because they’re light,” Clarkson told the crowd. “It’s a really really epic thing to drive.”
He then made a clumsy analogy to it being like driving a ballet dancer, whatever that means.
Clarkson isn’t alone in this opinion. A quick look at the Jalopnik comments section will make you think everyone hates modern cars because they’re too big, have too much technology and are too heavy. I mean, like these people, Clarkson is wrong. Modern cars are, for the most part, fantastic. Plus, you don’t have to worry about dying if you get into a minor car accident, and they’re – for the most part – better for the environment.
Later in the Q&A, posted on YouTube, Clarkson said he hopes Amazon replaces him, James May and Richard Hammond with fresher faces – and not famous people (as “Top Gear” attempted to do after their time at the BBC show ended.)
“They got to find young kids who really know their cars and then get them to host a show, and I’m hoping Amazon will. Just find some people who know their cars,” he said.
Listen, I love Jalopnik, but Amazon, I’m available for very large sums of money.
