Ferrari F50 v cattlegrid & 100mph backwards: our most memorable mishaps | Episode 42
About this episode
A lively chat unfolds as John, Dickie, and James share their most memorable automotive mishaps, from high-speed spins and unexpected off-road detours to last-minute test car swaps and close calls on challenging tracks like Cadwell Park and Milbrook. They recount tales involving iconic cars like the Ferrari F50, Enzo, and Lamborghini, revealing the behind-the-scenes chaos and luck that often accompany car testing. The hosts also reflect on the challenges of planning shoots before mobile phones and sat-navs, highlighting how spontaneity sometimes leads to the best stories and photos.
The creation of an evo magazine feature involves a number of moving parts, and while they all come together for most, there have been occasions over the last 27 years where things haven't gone quite to plan. Stuart Gallagher, Richard Meaden, John Barker and James Taylor recount the most memorable mishaps.
swapped ends
"Turned into the apron and the car swapped ends. So now I'm going backwards at 100 miles an hour."
Swapped ends means the back of the car slid out and the car turned around, sometimes going backwards.
"Swapped ends" is a driving term meaning the rear of the car lost traction and swung around, causing the car to spin or go backwards.
100 miles an hour
"So now I'm going backwards at 100 miles an hour. And the brakes didn't seem to be working."
100 miles an hour means the car was going very fast, like on a highway, which can be risky if the road is slippery.
100 miles an hour refers to the speed at which the car was traveling, indicating a very high velocity that can be dangerous, especially in wet conditions.
brakes
"And the brakes didn't seem to be working. I thought this could bend very badly because I knew there was a huge grass bank just looming behind."
Brakes help you stop the car. If they don't work well, it can be hard to slow down or stop safely.
Brakes are the vehicle components used to slow down or stop the car. In this context, the brakes not working properly contributed to the loss of control.
Cadwell Park
"Our Evo Carruthier 2010 at Cadwell Park. Yikes, that was a big one. Well, nearly a big one."
Cadwell Park is a race track in England where people drive race cars. It has lots of hills and turns that make it fun and tricky to drive.
Cadwell Park is a motor racing circuit in Lincolnshire, England, known for its challenging layout including steep hills and tight corners. It is popular for club racing and track days.
carbon diffuser
"...And I think some little bits of the carbon diffuser disappeared as well. But yeah, that carried on good the rest of the test..."
A carbon diffuser is a special part under the back of a car that helps the air flow better, making the car stick to the road more. It's made from a light but strong material called carbon fiber.
A carbon diffuser is an aerodynamic part usually located at the rear underside of a car, designed to improve airflow and increase downforce. Made from carbon fiber, it is lightweight and strong, often found on performance and race cars.
all-wheel drive test
"...If you think back to performance car days, we were doing a all wheel drive test. So that was R33 Skyline, wasn't it?..."
An all-wheel drive test checks how well a car that sends power to all four wheels drives and handles. It helps see if the car can grip the road and stay steady.
An all-wheel drive test evaluates the performance and handling of vehicles equipped with power delivered to all four wheels. This is important for assessing traction, stability, and driving dynamics, especially in performance and rally cars.
sat-nav
"that day. So yeah, that's all. Yeah, because before sat-nav as well. So quite often you wouldn't know where on earth you were."
Sat-nav is a device or app that tells you where to go when you're driving by using satellites. It helps you find your way without needing a paper map.
Sat-nav, short for satellite navigation, is a GPS-based system that provides real-time directions and location tracking to drivers. It has largely replaced traditional map reading and helps drivers navigate unfamiliar areas.
Autobahn
"...We went to do the 200 mile an hour on the Autobahn. Yeah, wasn't as much fun as it read..."
The Autobahn is a special highway in Germany where cars can drive very fast because some parts have no speed limits.
The Autobahn is Germany's federal controlled-access highway system, famous for sections without speed limits, allowing very high-speed driving.
Pagani Zonda
"That was the fastest car there. Left the Zonda for dead. It's had 600 and something horsepower to do it."
The Pagani Zonda is a very fast and special car from Italy that can go really fast because it has a strong engine.
The Pagani Zonda is a high-performance Italian supercar known for its powerful engine and distinctive design. It produces over 600 horsepower and is renowned for its speed and exclusivity.
horsepower
"Yeah, it was mad. No, it was 700. Really? Yeah, 700 horsepower. And then the last car we did was the TVR Tuscan..."
Horsepower tells you how strong a car's engine is and how fast it can go.
Horsepower is a unit of measurement for engine power, indicating how much work an engine can perform. Higher horsepower generally means a car can accelerate faster and reach higher top speeds.
TVR Tuscan
"And then the last car we did was the TVR Tuscan, which they claimed would do 200 miles an hour. I think David Viv had been out to try and do it earlier and the splitter, the front splitter had fallen off."
The TVR Tuscan is a fast and light sports car from Britain that can go very fast but needs careful driving.
The TVR Tuscan is a British sports car known for its lightweight design and powerful engine. It is capable of high speeds but can be challenging to handle at the limit.
front splitter
"David Viv had been out to try and do it earlier and the splitter, the front splitter had fallen off. Yeah. And that's his arrow."
A front splitter is a piece on the front of a car that helps it stick to the road better when going fast.
A front splitter is an aerodynamic component attached to the lower front of a car that helps increase downforce and improve stability at high speeds.
gearing
"So this thing got to about, on the gearing, it got to, I think it was 180 miles an hour. And it clearly was geared for that."
Gearing is how the car changes engine power to make the wheels turn faster or slower, which affects how fast the car can go.
Gearing refers to the ratio of the transmission and differential that determines how engine power is translated into wheel speed. It affects the car's acceleration and top speed.
aerodynamicist
"Well, Andy, I think Andy's partner at the time was working as an aerodynamicist at one of the Formula One teams. So he must have rung her up, Nasta, for a bit of advice, because they trimmed the rear spoiler to see if that made any difference, and it didn't, so... Folding the mirrors in."
An aerodynamicist is someone who helps make cars go faster and handle better by shaping them so air flows smoothly around them.
An aerodynamicist is a specialist who studies and applies the principles of aerodynamics to improve vehicle performance, especially at high speeds, by reducing drag and increasing stability.
rear spoiler
"So he must have rung her up, Nasta, for a bit of advice, because they trimmed the rear spoiler to see if that made any difference, and it didn't, so... Folding the mirrors in."
A rear spoiler is a part on the back of a car that helps keep it steady when going fast by pushing it down onto the road.
A rear spoiler is a component on the back of a car designed to disrupt airflow and reduce lift, improving stability and grip at high speeds.
Millbrook
"So TVO had this big gathering of media at Millbrook, because they'd been these sort of on and off media wars with Peter Wheeler, so they decided to do a big sort of proper thing, get everyone there. Everyone could have a go at figuring the car on the mile straight,"
Millbrook is a special place where car makers test how fast and well their cars can drive safely.
Millbrook is a well-known automotive proving ground in the UK used for vehicle testing, including high-speed runs and handling assessments.
Mercedes-Benz 420 SEAC
"My friend had it in a 420 SEAC going to the Monk. It roared off without us."
The 420 SEAC is a special version of a Mercedes car that is faster and sportier than usual. It has a strong engine and is quite rare, making it special among Mercedes cars.
The Mercedes-Benz 420 SEAC is a rare high-performance variant of the W126 S-Class, featuring a 4.2-liter V8 engine with enhanced power and sportier features. It was produced in limited numbers during the late 1980s and is known for combining luxury with performance.
Superchips
"which it wasn't turbo, it was super chips. And it was the guy's wife's car, the owner of super chips."
Superchips is a company that changes the car's computer settings to make it run better and sometimes faster.
Superchips is a company that provides engine tuning solutions, often through reprogramming the car's ECU to improve power, torque, and efficiency without physical modifications.
RaceLogic
"We came up in the podcast with Julian from RaceLogic. So this, I'm going around the bowl,"
RaceLogic makes special tools that help test how fast and well cars perform.
RaceLogic is a company known for developing advanced automotive testing and data logging equipment, including GPS-based performance measurement tools used by manufacturers and motorsport teams.
manual gearbox
"Yes. Yeah, particularly there back in the day, there's all manual gearboxes. Yeah, everything was more fragile then as well."
A manual gearbox is when the driver changes the car's gears by hand using pedals and a stick, instead of the car doing it automatically.
A manual gearbox is a transmission system where the driver manually shifts gears using a clutch pedal and gear stick, offering more driver control but requiring skill compared to automatic transmissions.
Ferrari Enzo
"So it was Enzo, that was 50, F40 and 28. So the Enzo, at the time, we had a good, good kind of relationship with a guy called Sam Lee,"
The Ferrari Enzo is a very fast and special car made by Ferrari. It uses technology from race cars and is very rare.
The Ferrari Enzo is a mid-2000s supercar named after the company's founder, Enzo Ferrari. It features advanced technology from Formula 1 and is highly regarded for its performance and exclusivity.
Maranello concessionaires
"And he sponsored a GT team, Ferrari GT team, they sort of revived the Maranello concessionaires colours, and it was called Velox Motor."
Maranello Concessionaires is a special Ferrari dealer in the UK that sells and takes care of Ferrari cars and helps with racing teams.
Maranello Concessionaires is a well-known Ferrari dealership and service center in the UK, often involved in supporting Ferrari racing teams and enthusiasts.
cattle grid
"And even then I clouted the front on a cattle grid. I took a small chunk out of that I was like heartbroken."
A cattle grid is a metal grate on the road that stops animals from walking across but lets cars drive over it. It can hurt cars that are very low to the ground.
A cattle grid is a metal grid installed on roads to prevent livestock from crossing while allowing vehicles to pass. It can be a hazard for low-clearance cars due to the risk of damage.
opposite lock
"had taken the car out and had done the same thing, but hadn't been going quite as quickly or got the opposite lock on quite as quick."
Opposite lock means turning the steering wheel the other way when the back of the car slides out, to keep control and stop spinning.
Opposite lock is a steering technique used to control oversteer by turning the steering wheel in the opposite direction of the skid. It helps to stabilize the car during a slide.
tire barrier
"And the tire marks went straight into the tire barrier."
A tire barrier is a wall made of tires at race tracks that helps protect cars and drivers if they crash by softening the hit.
A tire barrier is a safety feature at race tracks made of stacked tires designed to absorb impact energy and reduce damage during crashes.
gravel trap
"and they've taken that gravel trap out in its time like now."
A gravel trap is an area filled with small stones next to a racetrack that helps slow down cars if they go off the road, keeping drivers safer.
A gravel trap is a safety feature on racetracks consisting of a bed of gravel designed to slow down and stop cars that run off the track, reducing the risk of crashes.
Radical championship
"I did a year in a radical championship in 2016 and it was the test day before the race itself."
The Radical championship is a car racing competition where drivers race special lightweight and fast cars called Radicals on race tracks.
The Radical championship is a racing series featuring Radical sports cars, which are lightweight, high-performance track-focused vehicles.
chicane
"there's this really fast sort of right left chicane just afterwards, forgotten the name of it."
A chicane is a part of a race track where the road quickly turns left then right (or right then left) to make cars slow down.
A chicane is a tight sequence of corners in alternating directions on a racetrack designed to slow down cars.
rear wing
"...the car kind of slewed round at the back and the rear wing touched the barrier. And the team said..."
The rear wing is a big fin on the back of a car that pushes it down onto the road when you drive fast. This helps the car stick to the road better and not slide around.
A rear wing is an aerodynamic component mounted at the back of a car designed to generate downforce, improving traction and stability at high speeds. It helps keep the rear tires planted on the road or track, especially during cornering.
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