top gear bbc 1986
The BBC car lovers tv series began in 1977 as a somewhat conventional and short 30 minute motoring magazine program that evolved over time to incorporate it’s present funny and off beat longer format. Being a big fan I was happy to find this mid 80s Top Gear video online. Although there’s no Stig and it is sadly lacking in high speed drifting and rare supercars there are some cool parts and it gives a taste of the European 1980s automotive scene. Check out their high tech computer graphic titles!

In this first episode of 1986 presenter Chris Goffey cruises in to the mid 80s with style in a sweet BMW 7-series while Sue Baker takes an exciting look at the second-hand tire market. William Woollard gives a cold war examination of cheap but cute Eastern-European Cars: the Skoda 105 S, the FSO 1500, the Yugo 45A and the Lada Riva 1300SL and sees if you could do better buying a second-hand West-European car. The Best part is when Chris Goffey asks the popular 80s reggae band UB40 why they sponsor rally-driver James Prochowski and interviews the driver.