We Spent a Week With Quentin Wilson – Our Untold Stories and Memories... | BCG Podcast w/ Imthishan
Brown Car Guy
We Spent a Week With Quentin Wilson – Our Untold Stories and Memories... | BCG Podcast w/ Imthishan
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Concept
Mille Miglia
The Mille Miglia is a famous car race that used to happen in Italy. It's known for featuring classic cars and is a big deal among car enthusiasts.
Brand
Lexus
Lexus is a brand that makes luxury cars, similar to how Toyota makes regular cars. They focus on comfort and high-end features.
Term
flipping cars
Flipping cars means buying a car, fixing it up, and then selling it for more money. People do this to make a profit from the sale.
Car
Mercedes-Benz 450 SL 6.9
The Mercedes-Benz 450 SL 6.9 is a classic luxury sports car that combines style and performance. It's known for its smooth ride and powerful engine.
Car
Mercedes-Benz SL
The SL is a fancy sports car that looks great and drives fast. The 450 SL is an older version that many people admire for its classic style and fun driving experience.
Car
Defender
The Land Rover Defender is a tough and reliable vehicle designed for off-road adventures. Its unique shape and strong build make it popular for outdoor activities.
Term
blocky design
Blocky design means a car has a square or rectangular shape with sharp edges. This style is often used for vehicles that need to be strong and practical, like off-road cars.
Car
Land Range Rovers
The Range Rover is a fancy SUV that can drive on rough roads and still feel comfortable inside. It's popular because it combines luxury with the ability to go off the beaten path.
Car
Land Defenders
The Defender is a tough car designed for driving on rough trails and in tough weather. It's loved by people who enjoy outdoor adventures and need a reliable vehicle for those trips.
Term
motorist
A motorist is someone who drives a car. It's a term used to talk about people who use cars for transportation.
Term
mobility
Mobility means how easily people can move around, especially in cities. It includes all kinds of transportation, not just cars, like buses and trains.
Car
Ford Mustang
The Ford Mustang is a famous car that many people recognize. The 1965 version is known for its stylish look and powerful engine, making it a popular choice among car enthusiasts.
Car
Jaguar Etype
The Jaguar E-Type is a classic sports car from the 1960s known for its elegant design and speed. Many car lovers admire it for its beauty and performance.
Term
classic car
A classic car is an older vehicle that many people find special or valuable. These cars are usually at least 20 years old and can be fun to collect or restore.
Car
Jaguar XJC
The Jaguar XJC is a stylish two-door car made by Jaguar in the late 1970s. It's known for being luxurious and sporty, making it a desirable classic car today.
Car
Mclaren F1S
The McLaren F1 is a famous sports car from the 1990s. It's known for being very fast and has a unique design where the driver sits in the middle of the car.
LIVE
Well, I'm here with my good friend Shazad Sheikh for another episode of brown car guys therapy
That's what we're just going to call it and I think today we have we need we need the therapy
This is therapy actually we do need it
We do need it because we've just lost one of our own the legendary motoring journalist Quentin Wilson
formerly of Top Gear the cars the star and so many things and I think
It's a bit weird isn't it Shazad the two brown guys who are
Essentially, you know, you're British, but I'm not why are we morning Quentin Wilson possibly the whitest
Motoring journalist around
Very posh very upper-class not like us at all. No
You know you say that right, but it's quite I didn't know this until I saw some of the obituaries and stuff
But he's he was the son of Professor Bernard Wilson who was one of the code breakers at Bletchley Park
So that's you don't get more British than that, you know
So yeah, so when this story broke I was literally this was on Saturday
Late afternoon and I was literally at that point leaving, you know, the UK's biggest classic car show
Which is the NEC classic in Birmingham and and this came up a message came up a friend of mine
Donnie sent me a message and I thought this must be one of those hoax things
You know, this must be like because every now and then you hear about this and and and then I saw I quickly did a Google
and I was like, oh my god, this is real Quentin Wilson has died and
This one I got to be honest like celebrities come celebrities go
It's sad to say and at this point in your life
There's rather a lot of celebrities that probably heroes not so much maybe for you
You're a bit younger than me, but certainly many of my heroes are now disappearing and dying and being cancelled and whatnot
But but this one kind of hit different and it hit very different and I message you straight away
And I knew that you that you would find this as as significant as I did
But it hit different because it's a weird thing
It's it's not that I mean, I can't say that he was a friend or anything like that
But it's it when when I thought back it's November in 2025 in December 2024 you and I
Spent the best part of a week with him
Yeah, we were very lucky
We got to hang out with Quentin because I brought him to Dubai as part of the milimilia the biggest classic car event in the UAE and
Possibly this entire region and he was there as a guest
He was incredibly witty charming a eloquent
Locatious as you'd expect him to be but he was also incredibly humble and down to earth
I've dealt with a lot of celebrities over the years in the mille without naming names some have been better than others
Some of them have been really quite
Challenging some of them have been quite wild and those are the ones you want to tell the stories about later
But Quentin was just a perfect gentleman if anything he was better than his image on top care would suggest
You know, no, I mean and I and it didn't surprise me because we and you and I had spoken before he came out there
And I'm very fortunate. I mean I first interacted with him
I didn't actually meet him, but I first interacted him probably it was the early
2000s maybe 2003 2000 something like that and I was working on used carbure and
The editor and the publishers completely revamped the magazine
I was deputy editor on it and we decided to get some big-name people involved
So we had people like my bro and what have you on there?
but we also had Quentin Wilson and Quentin Wilson was very often a cover star on the magazine and
He used to write a column for us. He's probably one of our most expensive writers to be fair, but he was good
He was very good
And I don't think I ever got to meet him because the editor sort of kept that to himself
But I did interact with him via email because I would have to chase the copy in etc, etc
And you'd always have the case where I'd be sitting there waiting for the copy because the deadline was there and production was waiting
And I thought copies got to come in and I've got check it. I've got edit it got subject or make sure it's good
and and then why I used no need to worry because
They'd used to come in a bit late just past the deadline, but when it arrived
It was perfect. It was like drop it in send it off. It's good to go. No issues whatsoever
so that's kind of first when I interacted with him and then about
Five years ago or something like that. I met him at the EV show
I was hosting the conferences there and I hosted him at the time
for a day at the EV show and I did an interview with him and
And the amazing thing is I started and I wasn't wearing my hat because I was working for the guys at the London EV show
But when I told him who I was he kind of grinning he said he said yeah, I've seen your stuff and
That alone to me was like, oh my god Quinton Wilson has seen my content
And you know and I got him to do an interview with him and chat to him and over the years
I met him quite a few times and every time, you know, he was he was he was so generous, you know
In his time and his patience
It's a sort of guy sometimes, you know, you'd like to say to meet celebrities
You don't know whether they want to be interviewed whether they don't you have to ask them
But you know, you could stick a camera in Quinton space and he'd be good value straight away
And we happy to do it every single time but he was
Even when he was on the milieu with us, he did say I remember he said I'm here guys use me
Yeah, he was just one of those people that
Once he said yes to something he committed fully. There was no backtracking. There's no being precious. There's no let's not do this
Or let me check with my manager or my publicity person and to be fair
I should also point out and thank publicly the person who brought him to us
Who was Jodi kid who of course presented with him on the cars the star which at the time
I thought was a very odd couple pairing because she was this tall statuesque model, right?
And he was this very dry witty
Hardcore car person and they were talking about classic cars and the genius or maybe the one
the natural
I'm honest amazing personality of Quinton is that he advocated her for her to be on the cars the star
She put up a lovely social post
When he died saying basically he believed in me when everybody else said I couldn't do it
And I think that's the side of him that we didn't see on top gear because the person we saw on top gear was very different
I would say very intelligent
Very dry
Very cutting, you know, he didn't pull any punches people think Clarkson
Invented a lot of those witty pity things, but actually it was Quinton
Do you not think
Oh, yeah, I mean this is a thing
Slapping elastic nico elastic at 200 yards Quentin wrote that for Clarkson
No, I mean he was the thing back in the day
He was Mr. U's car guy, you know, because you he knew everything you remember when not like Mike Brewer
Not like Mike Brewer like he had the knowledge. He had the patcher, you know, I said to you the other day
I think his character was sort of a combination between
A very intelligent so fiercely intelligent professor and he used car salesman, you know, that's basically the combination of that
So he had all the fierce intellect of that with the smooth pattern of that, you know
And you could sell you anything and you used to do these
Episodes on cars. I remember I just saw something came up in my feed the other day
And it made me laugh because there's a sort of thing that you and I would have done back in the day
I don't know if you remember this but they once did an intro to a used car set to it wasn't a used car
It was a cheapest new car in britain section and they started the whole thing by doing a blues brother
Tribute so they literally like he picks up Clarkson from the prison and they drive off with a ladder and he goes
What's this then, you know, so literally they did the whole thing and it was very dry
It was very funny and it was just absolutely on point. But I think the thing about him is that
Why why go back to your earlier question as to why
Why is this one different?
You know, why is it a because we spend a lot of time with him but b because he was that personality
He was actually quite giving he wasn't these celebrities like we had him with us
I had him on these conferences, but he was always there
He wasn't he wasn't it wasn't like I want to be in the green room
Don't want don't want to be disturbed until it's might not he wasn't he was like, you know
I'll go and talk to people he would you know when he when he did when he did his piece
He hung around for the rest of the day because he wanted to go around all the stands and talk to people
And understand what was going on in the market and then when he was on the event with us
He was the same. He was always chatting with people at dinner, you know as a celebrity
He always went, okay, does he need anything? Do we need to look after him?
Should we go check on him? But every time he went he was there holding court. He was happy
You know, he didn't seem to need anything, you know, he was very very low maintenance if you like
But one of the things that stand out for me and this is one of the first things
I think I said to you after we were discussing it online
Upon hearing of these tragic inside passing too early. I'd say too early
was that
On the last day of this event you kindly asked me to host the the awards for the for the melee and
So I stood on stage and I did this and the last guest was him as a chief guest as well
And next morning we were due to take him back to from this was an Abu Dhabi
We were taken back to Dubai and so we met him early in the morning in the hotel lobby
And the first thing he came up to me and he said and he was just so generous and so kind
In complimenting me in terms of the the hosting that I'd done the night before for the awards ceremony
And which I said to him I said, you know coming from you that that means a lot and he was like
I wouldn't say if I didn't mean it, you know, but you know and and that and you know if nothing else
That's one thing that I'm now going to carry to my own grave as a memory of
Quentin Wilson and the inspiration that he was for me
But he was an inspiration to all of us who was in the motoring trade which contrary to our
Footprint on youtube is actually quite a small group of people globally like real journalists influences. There are a lot
There are a lot of jms and there are a lot of seen through glasses
And they're all doing good work and they have audiences much bigger than us
But real journalists people started writing or presenting for television
not many
Because it was quite a difficult job to get right to pass through that gauntlet is
proverbial camel through the eye of a needle because
Certainly the two of us couldn't get on the bbc
certainly with no chance
Um, there's just and even to write which is the thing I wanted to do. It's very difficult as you know when we find
You hired me all those years ago
But turns out quentin was very much in favor of pushing people like jody and bringing new voices onto top gear
Um, he didn't always agree with all of them steve berry or somebody he didn't particularly like let's be honest
But I think steve berry had a bit of a challenging time for top gear
At the best of times because he decided he wanted to take it over and it was very clear
That quentin tiff and jeremy. No, let's not forget
Were the original top gear trio and they did this by having very bifurcated
Very distinct personalities
Which were not crucially manufactured
No, no, this is absolutely the case. I mean the top gear that people now remember
And they remember obviously for clarkson hamlin and may but it wasn't clarkson hamlin and may that instigated this new version
Of top gear. It was actually like you say, uh quentin wilson
tiff nadell and jeremy clarkson and all three of these had actually joined the original format
So in the days of christ scotty and william willard and
Yeah, which was just like a magazine of typical small bbc
in a magazine program sort of thing
And they immediately set about even back then they set about reinventing it and changing it and stuff like that
And and giving it the personality that it later took on and it later sort of reformed around those three to be honest
It was those three originally. It was clarkson wilson and nadell
And and it kind of formed around them
And of course then they went away and then clarkson came back and then and then you had the second generation if you'd like
I think i read something online on piston heads
Thought that since the top gear had three errors
The ripper and you know, william willard era incredibly dull
You had the clarkson moment to be honest. Hang on. Let me finish. Let me finish just just to interject
There was nothing else for car people on tv. So it's like, you know, yeah
Well, let me finish. Let me finish. You had the clarkson nadell wilson era, which was informative
Right, and then you had the clarkson heaven mammon mayor, which is daft
Basically just madness and I think all of them had all those errors had something to recommend them
I actually liked the willard rip on
Chris goffy era because it was very serious
It was very advocating and quentin brought some of that energy clarkson brought that mad
Pickpockish energy and he changed the show just by being there and saying let's not be so stale
The irony being that even though he thought it was cool. It comes across as very cheesy
All the leather jackets and the blue jeans that stuff comes across as very dated and
I mean quentin tried to do that. He could see his wardrobe changing by the end of the decade and he'd have
He'd have some shirts. He wouldn't have a suit and tie. He had a tie way into the mid 90s, right?
And that was very early top gear. He just never wanted to take off the tie
He always had a shirt even on the millie
But then when we get to the clarkson heaven mayor
It becomes something else it becomes
very
Phony and very american and very look that's the one that everybody knows
But I think people the joy of this last week in the pain
Is that people are rediscovering
The joys of quentin wilson and tiffany dale and clarkson. Oh, they were talking about stuff
But they were actually also funny and they weren't just making shit up
No, this was the thing because that actually if you think about it was the perfect transition between that first phase of top gear
Which like you say was a bit dry was a bit new z was a bit very bbc
So tomorrow's world sort of thing. It's worthy, but it's hard to watch
It's hard to watch, you know
But and then and then you get the the the clarkson heaven mayor which literally is just boys being daft
Like you say just boys being silly in cars, you know, but that middle period was that transition where they carried that
Informative aspect of the original phase one of top gear
But then combined it with fun and entertainment and trying to make it
You know make it not so dry and and I think that you know
And to be honest that credit does have to go in large part to clarkson because I think clarkson realized as I did a long time ago
That you know cars are not that serious
You know we all got into cars because cars are fun
And then all these journalists get into it and they all get very very serious and po faced and very up themselves
And and the thing is look guys, it's just cars. You know, it's not it's not life and death unless you
I wouldn't say quentin saw it that way because quentin was doing some serious work. He worked to reduce
Yeah, I make cars more affordable. He worked
You know, he worked on the campaign
He was always on our side. He worked on he worked on fair fuel. He campaigned for the the consumer
He saved you know, lots of money in terms of you know fuel costs and fuel taxes
And then of course then he moved over to evs and I think a lot of people kind of you know
Sort of went against him when he did that when he did made that kind of transition
He's always been an advocate
He's always been an advocate, but you gotta remember that he did that transition didn't mean that he'd abandoned
Classic and traditional internal combustion engine cars that just meant that he was doing
The correct thing is a journalist in that he was looking at the future and trying to see where it was going and where what we should
Be doing and what we should be buying what we should be thinking about he owns seven evs himself
Over the years. So he was like, let me try the technology myself and then and then that's the rest of it is his judgment
His opinion his findings. He started to become an advocate for evs, but as I can testify to
When I was with him at the milly last year
We were standing on top of jable jace
And and I've got this on record actually we were looking around at all this incredible incredible
Unbelievable mouth watering lineup of amazing classic and vintage cars that were there with us
And he looked around and he said this is life changing
And I said life changing he goes. Yeah, this is life changing
You know and he started to rattle off the names of all the different cars
And at that point you saw that, you know, he hasn't he didn't he never left that behind
You know, he never left that passion or that interest or that enthusiasm behind
He was just somebody with one foot in the past but definitely one foot in the future as well
I think he showed us that you have to have many shades to your character and to be a really good presenter
And I think this is why
Influences struggle you can't be all things to all people you have to keep trying different things
But crucially you have to have an inner character. So for example, if james may was suddenly, you know
Trying to be tom cruise hanging out of planes and stuff. It would ring false because you know, that's not him
You know, that's not him
And quentin's inherent nature was I want to try luxury buses
I want to drive to dance big saloons and tell you about jags and lexuses and he was a big advocate of lexus
Way back in the day right from the start
but
He would also drive an occasional sports car or whatever and do stuff
But he was very clearly out of his wheelhouse
But the point was the show had breadth and depth you could mix and match these characters
An influencer now has to be equally excited about a classic car about an ev a supercar a hypercar
And you have to bring that same energy
Is not possible
To pretend to be all those characters
But it's not just the energy
With people like quentin wilson. It was a sheer credibility
You know, I mean you you trusted everything he said you trusted that he was the man with the knowledge
And I gotta say that as an editor that received his copy, you know
And I don't know if he had a sub editor or somebody helping and whatever it's possible
I don't know because the copy was perfect
But ultimately you knew when you read it you knew those were his words because you know the way he spoke
You know the vocabulary that he used so you knew those were his words
And you read through it and you thought this is gold. This is gold. And this is around the time
Incredibly clear voice. I have to say though you could read his copy
And it is very funny cocked view of looking at the world
He'd look and stop and say
And he would raise that eyebrow that famous eyebrow and give a quizzical look to us
But you'd know you'd hear his voice while reading it
You could you could and the thing was and there's a funny thing because around the time we were doing that
And around the time I was getting his column was around the time that phase three of top gear had just started
And if you remember
May wasn't on it
There was this other guy whose name I can't remember now, but there was jason doors. So here was the used car guy
You know
That was on the show
And of course I was working at used car buyer magazine and I just come off parkers guys, which was also a used car
Consumer guide
So we knew used cars and we knew the market and every monday would come in after top gear had been out on on a sunday or whatever
And we just make fun of of this guy doors because we're like he doesn't know what he's talking about
I'm sorry, but everything he said we would come in and we would just take it apart because they're like no
He was wrong about that. He's not right about that. That's not the right car. That's not the right price
We would just rip him to shreds
And the thing is you could do that with the doors. You could never do that with a quintin wilson
Anything that he said you'd be like airtight. Yeah
Airtight and that's what you don't get now
That's what you what we're missing now is that depth of knowledge and credibility
Combined with the authenticity and the ability to communicate, which is what he had
But I keep coming back to that point though that he also didn't like stuff
He would call cars dogs or call them so pretty like, you know, kathryn denerved in
dipped in chocolate stuff like that
He had these variances and tone
Which were really important if you're going to be a presenter
And especially if you're going to be a good writer because people come for different kinds of tone
And I think all the people who followed him because let's be honest, uh, mike bruer followed him
This all these guys followed him
They love everything and I love mike up interviewed him a few times now. He's great
Oh, mike is brilliant
Mike is brilliant
And honestly like I hear a lot of crap because there's oh, there's a lot of haters and I hear a lot of crap
And one thing I can say about mike bruer having done I think two or three motor shows with him
Was that the energy that guy
I'm just working man in automotive is my unbelievable
But he does lean the needle towards
Used car salesman more than quentin did because quentin would stop and say let's be honest guys. This isn't very good
Right
Mike does his thing in a very different way. He's trying to get cars back on the road
So it's a very different mission right his whole thing is fixing cars and now flipping cars
But quentin was about got you a deal that you're going to have to work for it
But come with me on this journey over the next seven minute segment and I think you can do it
It all just seemed so effortless
If you worked with quentin, you'd get a better deal on your car. You wouldn't pay us insurance
Very rarely was he a shit stirrer in the way clarkson was but when he did you stood up and paid paid attention to it
I think that's
Also remember that we got to spend time with him
So aside from the personality that everybody in ourselves saw on the screen
You know, we got to spend a bit of time with him. We got we got to spend a car ride
From abu dhabi to lucky. We got to show for quentin wilson back to dubai
And he told us everything about every dimension what car?
It was the 450 sl 6.9
On 40 year old tires, which we didn't know about at the time
Um, what a great what a great trip and he told us about everything
I think you missed this because you didn't
Pick him up from the airport
Because I picked him up from the airport. Yeah, and he was telling me was it about the new defender
The you might have missed this actually the new defender and jerry mcgovern
Professor may jerry mcgovern who designs the defender
Um, and I asked him like because if you're talking about the jag, etc
Why does it look like that? Why does the jag look like this blocky car?
Why does the defender look like this and he's like
Because jerry likes it that way
And I asked how do you know that quentin? He said because he was my neighbor
And he's just like this and then he personally told a director which I possibly cannot repeat on air
But he did he says jerry is like that
And it's not about anything else. You tell you everything in the world
But jerry is like that and is that good for jag probably not but jerry doesn't care
And it's exactly what you wanted you wanted a journalist to tell you really like it is
In a way that kind of confirmed your biases
But also you open the door a little bit
Because everybody has been talking a lot of stuff
I'm gonna say crap, but I'll just say crap about jag you are and why they're doing this and why they have to do it
No, it's because jerry macabre likes it like that and he's been proven right
This defender was a colossal success. His range rovers are colossal success
Are they range rovers and defenders? No
Does jerry care? No
And this is the thing is the sort the level of insight and you know when you have somebody like that they have
the connection the
The the direct line to the industry's top people and stuff like that
And then the level of insight that somebody like that can give you is incredible
You know, like I said that time we spent with him
We've learned so much just over that time, but even here, you know, we're in the industry, you know, we are in the industry
Yeah, yeah, and then still we learn because of course he's more way way better connected than either of us
But even here like, you know, when I'd see him at the eb show and stuff and just
Even when I wasn't interviewing him, but I just meet him and I just stop for a five minute chat with him or whatever
And suddenly like he'd open your mind to stuff and you go, okay. Yeah. Yeah, that's an oh, I didn't know about that
That's interesting, you know
And even in the UAE he was looking around. He had lots of time
I introduced him to selman who as we know is one of the earliest proponents of electric cars in the UAE
And I thought, you know, I'll introduce them and then see what happens
And I walked away in about I think about coming back from something else 20 minutes later
They were still deep in conversation and it's incredible and this is, you know, this is quentin wilson
Standing at a golf club in the heat in the UAE
Well, I think I think if I can
Go back to our conversations many of which were privately in confidence
But I will say that quentin was frustrated with the direction of the uk and the government as many people are
Because he didn't see it as being helpful to the motorist a phrase which is kind of forgotten in the uk now because it's not about motorists
It's about mobility but people are still in bloody cars
They need to drive cars places not driving buses and trains. They're driving cars
And he fought for the motorist's right to do what they wished but in a way that was still environmentally aware and feasible and so on
And it was just a challenging place. I think he saw the middle east in the UAE in particular
As a place where you could start afresh
And you could erect policy at a very nascent stage that would be helpful to the motorist and be make cars better
He wanted to see people driving cars. I think a lot of people in the uk
Don't want to see people driving cars. They want cars to go away and all of us to be just
Shuttled around in blobs
But quentin wasn't like that. I mean the last car that he owned to my knowledge was a 65 mustang
Yeah, no, he's still everything else. Yeah, because he sold everything because he told us didn't he sold everything else
He sold his e-type and stuff
But because the picture because even the promo picture that he sent was him leaning against his Mustang
So that was the car that he still had I think he still had a mini did he still have a mini did he mentioned
I think he said he sold everything except for the mustang and that fits in with my theory
Mr. Shazad Sheikh that the last car you and me ever own will be a mustang and probably a classic mustang
The last the right about car
Yeah, exactly in the uk you might not be able to fuel it, but it's you less compliant if nothing else
Well, this is the thing we get a good one in over 40 years old. So it will be you less compliant. Yeah
Well, you could always
But that's a different problem. Yeah, no, that's that's not happening right now
No, but I think you know again talking of personalities and talking to celebrities again
honestly like
This happened this news broke and I shared it with you and then honestly I needed a day
I needed like a day just to process this and I don't know what it was
But and I and I called I think I called you up the next day or a couple of days later
I called you up and I said look I'm I don't know why I'm struggling with this one because this
You know, this is not normally because celebrities go and you go no, he's gone. No, well that's sad, you know
But this one was like, oh my god
This is wow and it felt like
That we were just with him and I think that was the real problem that I had in my head in my head
I was like, but we were just with him
I was thinking because I could WhatsApp Quentin
And I just realized oh you could do that any time, but you can't do that any time
We just I spoke to him. I think in May or April last I spoke to him. He was very complimentary
He I think he spoke he reached out to me on LinkedIn and said keep in touch
What am I going to keep in touch with Quentin about I keep saying this like I just like
What would I tell you about Quentin what I ate for breakfast?
But he was genuinely want to know it's the shock, right?
It's the shock of losing somebody that
We had a personal connection to whether we knew him well or not is a different story
But I think we got a good sense of his character because we saw him behind the scenes in front of people and there was very little difference if any
But also and I'm not a particularly spiritual person as you would know
I think he was a big deal and the universe kind of reconciles and recognizes that
I'll give you an example that's completely unrelated, but you still feel felt it
David Bowie
I'm not a big David Bowie fan. I knew I know nothing about Bowie's albums from the 70s
But the moment he went I was like
Oh, I felt it. I was like, that's a big one. Yeah
I'm the same way as Quentin was a big one for us humble motoring journalists because
He was one of us and I think he was a little bit
He was a little too accessible if I can give some criticism to the great Quentin Wilson at the end
I think people thought they could talk to him and a lot of journalists now have this very affected air
I won't name names because I don't need more problems
But I think a lot of journalists are like, oh, I'm too big a deal and I'm too unreasonable
I'm a celebrity now. You know, maybe I can turn a car sideways or I'm on all these youtube videos
But Quentin would talk to people a lot of people were like
Oh, Quentin, I can see him anytime. You know, he's at everything
But he was a big deal. He was a genuine big deal
Just to add to that, I would say that actually it's not so much the celebrities
Maybe some of them like I've seen like, you know, some of the top name ones
Maybe you don't want to approach but by and large a lot of these guys
You know, like I've met Steve Barry, I met Mike Brewer, I met Quentin Wilson
And they were all actually quite approachable. It's actually it's actually some of the other ones the newer ones
That are really like, you know, oh, you don't want to you know what I mean?
The influences and some of the more recent ones
Mike Brewer, nicest man in the world
Honestly, nicest man in the world so generous with his time
Clarkson has time. I think Clarkson always titled himself as a celebrity because you came from the Coco 80s
But all of the big presenters, I've heard nothing but nice things about Tiffany Dell, Vicki Butler-Henderson
Yeah, Tiffany Dell I've interviewed as well. He was great. Yeah
All of these people, John Bentley is a guy I'd loved. He's the guy who discovered Clarkson
Apparently very nice
So so so so John Bentley
Harry Metcalfe is actually really nice
Harry Metcalfe, I met once or twice. John Bentley, I meet often and he he I gave him a copy of the ULS files
And and then and then he caught me at the this a couple of years ago
He caught me at the NEC show just to tell me how much he'd enjoyed it and he'd left a review as well
So it was it was really sweet. It was really. I mean, that's amazing to get somebody like that
Just like Quentin
John is such a legend
There's a Harry Metcalfe video because he recently sold his Jaguar XJC for 140,000 pounds. Well done. Well sold Harry
He made some money, but not as much as you think because
Was that the gold one?
But that was the green one. That was the green one iconic
Oh, okay. It was yes. So maybe it was this weekend. I think I might have seen it. Yeah, because there was one there
So basically he sold the car and at the end he did the wrap up. You know, I've done very well
You know very self-effacing as always with Harry Metcalfe
And lo and behold who walks past him behind camera
Clutching a guide was John Bentley and after youtube comments like that's John Bentley
And he's just like he's going somewhere. I'm like, hang on Harry. That's John Bentley
You know, and I'm like, I would have stopped everything. I'm like John get in here
You know, that's the way we were died like John. You can't just be ignored and I really feel like
These guys are getting a bit lost like Quentin
I'm so happy that people remember and loved him and adored him because
He was very much appreciated by the industry. No question
but
Like these guys can't be forgotten just because they don't do youtube videos where they point at things and go
My jack broke down or I bought a Range Rover for X. How much?
So do you think we're coming to the end of an era? Do you think that this is the last of their kind?
There's a few hanging on but that's it
It's the end of that era of really informative consumer
BBC and let's be honest if I don't want to make it too dark
I think the BBC is under threat as of the filming of this video. Oh, it is. Oh, it is definitely
with recent events
Director general has resigned
Uh, everybody wants to see the BBC take the BBC is under fire but from everybody
Everybody wants the big the big discussion right now
Just to just to confirm that the big discussion right now is about the license fee, you know
Because we all have to pay a license fee, you know
Whether we want to watch the BBC or not just to have a tv
We have to pay a license fee which goes towards the BBC and people like that model is old
It's old and it's broken and it doesn't make any sense
Especially when you look at the younger generation
They're not even watching terrestrial television anymore, but they all have tvs. So it's it's ridiculous
So yeah, when that that funding is going to be pulled from them very very soon and when that happens
I don't know how they're going to survive because they don't have a business model like other channels do
Well, they make a lot of stuff in revenue
They make a lot of revenue from merchandise like top gear was so important for them not just for the show
Not just for advertising
But because they sold so much top gear merchandise pillows, you know toy cars mugs. They made a fortune off that stuff
but
The BBC is under threat and it is the most trusted brand in journalism
It really is globally it is the most trusted brand and I think what the likes of your Nigel Farage is in the like want
Is to pick that brand and pair it into another fox news another gb news
another
God knows what lowest common denominator marketing led business driven
He said that they should have a business when running the BBC. Absolutely not. Absolutely not
And by the way, Quentin also had his problems with the BBC because he did say they're very politically correct
But you had to learn to work around it, you know, Jeremy obviously couldn't obviously
For his own reasons and I think he'd outgrown the BBC by the time he left anyway, but they wound a lot of pressure
But I mean that crash was inevitable that crash between Jeremy Clarkson the BBC
I mean was inevitable because they you know, they were on different tangents
You know and every time you watch top gear like how can you get away with this because this is the BBC
So you knew that at some point, you know that that would happen
Well, you didn't know what the resurrection would happen
It's incredible like you get some of these people that just bounced back and that resurrection with the grand tour was extraordinary
But but but that just didn't just naturally has run out of steam really
And I think there was an Andy Willman because he's doing some interviews recently, isn't he because he's got a new book out
And I think he overworked and they were pretty much all burnt out by the time that happened
Yeah, and he's and he's also said that he don't he doesn't think that
The top gear will come back the BBC the BBC has no desire to bring top gear back
Well, whatever they do, they'll be compared to it. They won't be compared to the Clarkson Quentin Tiff trio
They are now entertainment program, but
I would like to see that program come back the problem because there needs to be somebody
Telling us whether cars are good or bad whether you're paying the right price for a car
Don't you don't you think that people are you that's what that's what the internet is for
You know, I don't think people but I don't think it's doing it because there is a whole bunch of people who are simply doing
entertainment stuff
there are people
They're all
Balkanized they all broken into little bitty pieces of chocolate that we're all trying to find to find the content
Which tells you how to shop for a car you have to search for it
But the genius of top gear is that it will push it to you
You'd watch top gear and you'd see the new review of the McLaren f1s t you know tiff going
Or in that sheet for tiff made the McLaren look too simple to drive and actually it's anything but right
He's his first review of that was legendary. It was played on a loop at the park avenue showroom for years. It was incredible
But then you'd watch top gear and whether you liked it or not
You'd see a segment from quentin on are you being ripped off
By motoring manufacturers and then you'd see steve berry riding a motorcycle. I don't care about motorcycles
I never have I never will but I'd watch the whole show
And they also wouldn't put in the same order so sometimes quentin with the beginnings of them in the end
So you'd have to watch the three very stuff to get to quentin
So they made you watch it was like feeding your vegetables
And now what this is the problem. I'm just on this is why I don't think
This is why I don't think it'll work anymore because I don't think that the current audiences have that
The the the audiences we have now are on demand audiences. They want everything on demand
They're not prepared to wait for next week's edition of top gear and then to sit through
30 45 minutes of it to get to the segment. They want they're not they want it clipped out and on tiktok
You know by tomorrow. That's what they want and that's why I don't I I don't think that a tv a traditional terrestrial television program
You know a magazine style program about cars. I think I think it's done. I don't think it can be done anymore
And I also think that a lot of the things about top gear
The grand tour kind of right into the ground. Let's be honest all the excitement and adventure of travel
Um, the boys were very tired by the end of it. They looked tired. They were tired
But all the good ideas had been done. It felt like everything had been broken smashed burnt
And now people like whistling diesel were doing that
But there's nobody doing what quentin was doing which was advocating for the motorist
Trying to make our cars cheaper
safer and more accessible
And that and that's a really good point actually because with all the current type of content that you get largely
Influenced and late if you to be to be fair
They're all about you know, check this out check me out check the car out
But none of them about check you out, you know, which is what proper consumer journalism is actually about
It's like well, what is your concerns? What are you worried about?
What is the future of you and your car and your motoring and your driving license and your taxes?
You know, that's the problem and we don't have that now
And I don't think we're going to have that now and I think the likes of people like quentin milson
Were one of the last people that were still doing that and it's it's kind of hard to see where that's all going to go
honestly
You know, a lot of people would ask a simple question the most basic question in motoring, which is what should I buy?
And quentin's entire career as a as a journalist in the writing sphere was telling people what to buy
And he didn't he was not particularly picky. It'll be a lexus sort of box
So he tell you this is worth it. This is not worth it. Get into it get out of it, etc. And I his his
repetitive column was it's always a great time to buy where the market's going up or the market's going down
It's always a good time to buy
Because you can still enjoy a car. You can't enjoy a painting. You can't ride, you know, a two million dollar banana stuck to a wall
But you can drive a car
always and
By the end of the day, we're missing people like that and I agree with you
If I'm being the depressing thought is I don't think we're going to see anybody like quentin anymore
No, no, I think that we have seen the last of that kind sadly
But well, there you go. I think
I don't I don't know what else to say honestly. Um
It's it's sad sad times
sad times and
I think we reflect that at least, you know
What two people against the two totally different backgrounds and right now two different sides of the world
are talking about quentin and I think that is a
tribute to how much impact he had on people around the world
I mean the thing that sort of you know, uh, the common thread between us and other people like us that are talking about him
Is that we're all car guys and I think that that's where it is
I think that you know, he's he was one of the heroes, you know, he was one of our heroes
That's that's the trouble and and and we haven't got many of them and and we've lost one. So that's
That's where it really is quite sad. I think we're passionate about cars
We're not passionate about entertaining people or jumping in front of the camera or doing silly stuff, you know
Or breaking or smashing we're passionate about cars because we all want to own them, you know
Yeah
Well on that word, let's leave it there
Let's hear from everybody in the comments their own memories and feelings and thoughts about losing somebody like quentin wilson and
So I don't know if this has been therapeutic for you, but hopefully it's therapeutic for for some of the listeners and the watchers
Um, hopefully we won't have to do another one like this for a while
But we're back to we'll resume normal service soon with our podcast and we'll catch you soon on the next episode
Thanks so much him to Sean for joining me today
Thanks for being here
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About this episode
Reflecting on the legacy of the late motoring journalist Quentin Wilson, this episode delves into personal anecdotes and memories shared by hosts Shazad Sheikh and Imthishan. They discuss Wilson's impact on the automotive journalism landscape, his approachable nature, and the authenticity he brought to his work. The conversation highlights their experiences with him during the Mille Miglia event in Dubai, showcasing his charm and knowledge. The hosts also ponder the future of automotive journalism and the loss of genuine voices like Wilson's in an increasingly entertainment-driven industry.
Original notes
We share untold stories and personal memories of Quentin Wilson from the final week we spent with him in 2024.This episode of the BCG Therapy Podcast is a heartfelt tribute to Quentin Wilson – motoring journalist, TV presenter, consumer champion and one of the most influential voices in British car culture. His passing shocked the entire automotive world, and for me and Imthishan it hit especially hard. We spent a week with him in December 2024, travelling, talking cars, sharing stories, and seeing the real man behind the Top Gear legend.In this conversation, we reflect on Quentin’s legacy, his role in shaping Top Gear’s golden era, his impact on car journalism, his fearless campaigning for motorists, and the depth of knowledge and charm that made him one of the last true greats. He wasn’t just a presenter – he was a walking encyclopedia of the car world, a fierce consumer advocate, a gifted writer, and a generous human being.We share behind-the-scenes memories, unseen stories, and insights into his time at the London EV Show, at the Mille Miglia UAE, and during our drives through Dubai and Abu Dhabi. We talk about his love for classic cars, his passion for EVs, his respect across the industry, and the huge gap his loss leaves in the motoring landscape.Whether you remember him from Top Gear, The Car’s the Star, his columns, or his campaigning work, this episode is for everyone who grew up watching him, learned from him, or simply admired his unmatched voice in car culture.💬 Share your own memories of Quentin Wilson in the comments – let’s give him the tribute he deserves.Visit and subscribe: https://BrownCarGuy.com for more motoring stories, videos and updates!SUBSCRIBE for more motoring news, car reviews and insights!YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/browncarguy?sub_confirmation=1You Shorts now here https://www.youtube.com/@BrownCarGuyShortsAnd follow all my channels https://linktr.ee/browncarguy🔥 MY BOOKS ON AMAZON! 🔥https://browncarguy.com/2025/05/12/browncarguy-books/📖 Want to become an automotive journalist, content creator, or car influencer? Check out my book: How to be an Automotive Content Creator👉🏽 https://amzn.eu/d/7VTs0ii📖 Quantum Races – A collection of my best automotive sci-fi short stories!👉🏽 https://amzn.eu/d/0Y93s9g📖 The ULEZ Files – My all-action thriller set in a dystopian ULEZ future! 👉🏽 https://amzn.eu/d/jhADkOt📌 SUPPORT INDEPENDENT AUTOMOTIVE JOURNALISM Enjoy my content? Support the channel using the links below! Every little helps.👉🏽 Channel membership: https://www.youtube.com/browncarguy/join👉🏽 Buy me a Coffee! https://ko-fi.com/browncarguy 👉🏽 Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/BrownCarGuy🙏🏽☺️🚗 Want to work with me? Sponsorships, reviews, collabs – DM me!Big Thanks to Design5IT www.Design5IT.co.ukTom Conway-Gordon ( https://www.instagram.com/tconwaygordon/ )Please subscribe to my channel for more videos like this - and make sure you hit the bell icon to switch on notifications. 📲 Follow @BrownCarGuy everywhere!📧 Contact me for collaborations, freelance work, or press/media enquiries.#QuentinWilson #TopGear #BCGTherapyPodcast #BrownCarGuy #MotoringJournalism #CarCulture #ClassicCars #AutomotiveLegends #UKMotoring #CarHistory #MotoringTribute
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