Did Top Gear/Grand Tour Inspire a Generation of Overlanders?

[Mr_Mnml_Engnr]

I just watched the final grand tour special, where James May, Jeremy, Clarkson, and Richard Hammond embark on a gorgeous trek through Zimbabwe. And it occurs to me, that for me at least, these specials they’ve done across the globe…taking unlikely cars on adventures, modifying them for the task, enduring hardships and challenges in good company…it’s what has drawn me to the idea of overlanding! More than the regular episodes with games and celebrities, the SPECIALS have always been my favorite part of their programming, and now having grown up to go on my own adventures, it compels me to ask….how many of you did Jeremy, James, and Richard inspire? How many of you do what you do here because you wanted to be like them when you grew up?

Thanks for enduring my ramblings…

 

[MidOH]

I know a clique that crashes into eachother, every camp stop.

So..........yeah.

 

[ThundahBeagle]

Havent seen the final episodes yet but the dune buggy trip through Namibia...the Columbia drive with James May in the Fiat Panda...the episode of Top Gear where Richard gets "rescued" from Lone Wolf Mountain...they were fun. Showed where the vehicles you expect to see on expeditions can fail and how good a little beater can be.

 

[Ragman]

For me (being an older type) it was The Turtle Expedition in FourWheeler magazine that did it for me, followed by Overland Journal decades later.

 

[Mr_Mnml_Engnr]

For me (being an older type) it was The Turtle Expedition in FourWheeler magazine that did it for me, followed by Overland Journal decades later.

I’ve been enjoying Overland Journal immensely! If it’s not gifted a sub this Christmas I intend to get one for myself

 

[Dave in AZ]

Never watched Top Gear. Maybe saw a few minutes of it once, looked like a bunch of old guys chasing after midlife crisis red sports cars. Zero interest. Didn't look at all like a camping, outdoor, overlanding show, from what I saw any time I happened across ot while browsing...

 

[Mr_Mnml_Engnr]

Never watched Top Gear. Maybe saw a few minutes of it once, looked like a bunch of old guys chasing after midlife crisis red sports cars. Zero interest. Didn't look at all like a camping, outdoor, overlanding show, from what I saw any time I happened across ot while browsing...

Every season they’d do a “special” that involved essentially an overland trip involving a challenge, with vehicles that were ill prepared for the voyage. Chaos and comedy typically ensued, but they’d form a respect or even love for their vehicles when getting to the end of the trip because of the experience they’d had with them.

 

[Sparksalot]

Never watched Top Gear. Maybe saw a few minutes of it once, looked like a bunch of old guys chasing after midlife crisis red sports cars. Zero interest. Didn't look at all like a camping, outdoor, overlanding show, from what I saw any time I happened across ot while browsing...

The show started more than 20 years ago. They weren’t old then.