Top 5 cars from British TV shows
Sometimes the star of a TV series isn’t the actor, but what they drive, and sometimes the car becomes more famous than the human co-stars.
Here are the five star cars picked by toptenz.net but in no particular order … because how can you choose!
Volvo P1800 The Saint
What is more dashing, Roger or the Volvo? It’s a tie. Photos: Supplied
Roger Moore’s embodiment of the suave Samaritan Simon Templar meant that nothing less than an ultra-cool car would suffice. Initially a Jaguar was sought, but the company turned down The Saint’s producers fearing that the programme would be unsuccessful. Whoops. For the next seven years Moore drove instead a Volvo P1800: a stylish 2-litre sports car that symbolised Templar’s virtuous, good-looking, sophisticated yet adventurous nature. Moore was so impressed by the Volvo P1800 that he bought one for himself.
1978 Mark III Ford Capri The Professionals
Meet the fourth member of the Britain's CI5 team, the Capri.
Tough, reliable, responsive, fast and able to cope in a sticky situation. Are we talking about the car or Bodie and Doyle [Liz Dobson: ‘swoon’], mercenary crime-fighters a.k.a. ‘The Professionals’? With its menacing throaty growl, the souped-up 3 litre Mark III Capri stood out in a series that featured many other cars that are considered classics today. With demanding car chases a staple of this action-packed show, the Mark III Capri was a natural choice, not only for its speed but for its (then) sleek lines and agile handling. A special mention goes to Doyle’s Ford Escort RS2000 Mk2.
Mark IV British Leyland Mini 1000 Mr Bean
There is no better a pair of comedians than Mr Bean and his Mini.
Is the original British Mini, a car design classic, an intrinsically funny car? Compact, reliable, economical and practical – certainly. But funny? Place it in the hands of Rowan Atkinson’s hapless and mute comic creation Mr Bean and suddenly a humble citron Mini 1000 becomes not only funny, but also iconic and even desirable. Okay, so Mr Bean’s Mini has doors that bolt on the outside and a removable steering wheel for security, but these modifications don’t detract from the fact that the Mark IV British Leyland Mini 1000 is a worthy co-star.
1947 Triumph Roadster 1800 Bergerac
Not the ideal car for the narrow roads of Jersey, and the actor wasn’t keen on it either.
What’s the deal with solo British TV detectives and classic cars? Jim Bergerac’s choice for driving around Jersey and solving improbable crimes was a gleaming burgundy Triumph Roadster. With a 1.8-litre engine and a maximum speed of 120km/h sticking to Jersey’s blanket 65km/h speed limit wouldn’t have been a problem, but the size of this undeniably beautiful car (it’s 1651mm wide) makes it a somewhat impractical choice for navigating narrow island roads. Once again though, the car became strongly associated with the star, even though in reality John Nettles, who played Bergerac, was said to hate it.
Reliant Regal Supervan Only Fools and Horses
Who can forget the three-wheeler star of the British comedy series.
The ultimate in iconic British TV vehicles, Derek Trotter’s beloved yellow Reliant Regal Supervan is the summation of all that ‘Del Boy’ is about. For a market trader with delusions of grandeur it’s a practical vehicle for shifting hooky gear from A to B. As a company vehicle it proudly bears the name ‘Trotters Independent Trading Co.’ Only someone as blinded by optimism as Del could fail to notice that his company’s initials spell ‘TIT’ and that his beloved van is on its last legs as it backfires and rattles its way on another misguided adventure. Cushty!