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82-575: The Top Gear test track located at Dunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey , United Kingdom was used by the BBC automotive television programme Top Gear . The track was designed by Lotus Cars as a testing facility, with many of its Formula One cars tested there. It was used to test both cars and drivers seen on the programme, mainly in Power Laps and Star in a ... Car . For the 23rd series of Top Gear

164-490: A road hump , or undulation , and speed ramp ) is a rounded traffic calming device used to reduce vehicle speed and thus sound volume on residential streets. Humps are placed across the road to slow traffic and are often installed in a series of several humps to prevent cars from speeding before and after the hump. Common speed hump shapes are parabolic , circular, and sinusoidal . In Norway , speed humps are often placed at pedestrian crossings. Generally, speed humps have

246-616: A sleeping policeman in British English , Maltese English and Caribbean English , a judder bar in New Zealand English , and a lying-down policeman in Colombia , Dominican Republic , Hungary , Croatia , Serbia , Estonia , Lithuania , Slovenia , Bulgaria and Russia . A speed bump is a bump in a roadway with heights typically ranging between 8 and 10 centimetres (3 and 4 in). The traverse distance of

328-580: A comprehensive report in 1973 examining vehicle behavior for a large variety of different bump geometries. At the time speed humps were not permitted on public roads but had been installed on private roads. According to a publication by the Institute of Transportation Engineers , the first speed bump in Europe was built in 1970 in the city of Delft in the Netherlands . A speed bump is also known as

410-455: A delay than humps and are typically preferred by fire departments over speed humps. In the UK, vertical deflection in highways for the purpose of traffic calming typically takes one of the following forms: The Department for Transport defines the regulations for the design and use of road humps. Speed bumps in some areas have been removed after protests by local residents. Such protests cite

492-480: A dislike of Cowell (he claimed earlier in the episode that Cowell had been at the top of the leaderboard for too long). Had this not happened, Cowell would have been knocked off the top by Grand Designs host Kevin McCloud . Clarkson has referred to the part of the board with times of 1:51 and over as the ' Thespian Zone' due to the propensity for classically trained actors to post slow times. Series 11 featured

574-407: A fast lap time with the use of a Mini Rallycross Car. This segment was used only in this series, as following Chris Evans' resignation, it was scrapped due to negative feedback. Starting from the twenty-fourth series, the basic format of "Star in a Reasonably Priced Car" was revived following the axing of the rally-cross format, though the name was changed to "Star in a Reasonably Fast Car" due to

656-546: A level road. The system measures the speed of an oncoming vehicle by using radar. In another design, a rubber housing is fitted with a pressure relief valve that determines the speed of a vehicle. If the vehicle is traveling below the set speed, the valve opens allowing the bump to deflate as the vehicle drives over it, but it remains closed if the vehicle is traveling too fast. The valve can also be set to allow heavy vehicles, such as fire trucks , ambulances , and buses to cross at higher speeds. A speed hump (also called

738-500: A long speed hump with a flat section in the middle. Speed tables are generally long enough for the entire wheelbase of a passenger car to rest on top. The long, flat design allows cars to pass without slowing as significantly as with speed humps or cushions. Because they slow cars less than similar devices, speed tables are often used on roads with typical residential speed limits. Speed tables can also be signed as pedestrian crossings , namely zebra crossings . A raised zebra crossing

820-527: A new Reasonably Priced Car for the next series. On 27 June, during the first episode of the fifteenth series , it was revealed to be the Kia Cee'd and, as with the Chevrolet Lacetti, another open day was held to welcome the new car. Nick Robinson, Peter Jones, Al Murray, Bill Bailey, Peta Todd, Louie Spence, Johnny Vaughan and Amy Williams were among the initial drivers. Clarkson commonly refers to

902-469: A private automobile, the increase in fuel consumption due a pass over a speed bump is responsible for fuel waste of 10ml. This multiplied with the number of vehicles going over a particular speed bump every day suggests significant annual fuel wastage for a single speed bump. Dynamic speed bumps differ from conventional speed bumps in that they only activate if a vehicle is traveling above a certain speed. Vehicles traveling below this speed will not experience

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984-405: A slight change to the format, with two 'Stars' per episode instead of the previous one (although there had been a couple of editions in previous series' with more than one guest). Each of the pair are professionally associated with their fellow guest, usually both either act in or present the same TV show. Unlike previous episodes where two stars have appeared, the stars drove individual laps without

1066-417: A small cut across the bump allows those vehicles to traverse without impediment. Each of these devices can be made from a variety of materials, including asphalt , concrete , recycled plastic , metal , or vulcanized rubber . Several trade-offs must be made when selecting the material for a new speed cushion. Traditionally most vertical deflection devices have been constructed of asphalt or concrete. Due to

1148-543: A speed bump is typically less than or near to 0.3 m (1 ft); contrasting with the wider speed humps, which typically have a traverse distance of 3.0 to 4.3 m (10 to 14 ft). Speed bumps are used in parking lots and on small-neighborhood roads where space and cost are limited. They are being replaced by Speed Humps (discussed in this Misplaced Pages section) in higher-traffic areas where speed bumps would be ineffective because bumps are mere blips to law-breaking speeders, while law-abiding drivers must slow to far below

1230-416: A speed limit of 20 miles per hour (32 km/h; 8.9 m/s) and fitted with road humps, a petrol driven car produced 64 per cent more nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ) than in a similar 20 miles per hour (32 km/h; 8.9 m/s) street fitted with road cushions. It also produced 47 per cent more particulate matter (PM) and nearly 60 per cent more carbon monoxide (CO) emissions. Another study estimated that, for

1312-506: A surprise to the audience and the viewing public, and when Nigel Mansell came on the show, it was covered up in magazines and on the internet by saying that the Star in a Reasonably Priced Car would be Alan Titchmarsh . Since Mansell's appearance the Liana has remained in use as a vehicle reserved for Formula 1 drivers. For some of the laps more than one person has been present in the car. This

1394-459: A taper edge near the curb to allow a gap for drainage. Speed humps are used in locations where low speeds are desired and suitable for the surrounding traffic environment. Speed humps are typically placed on residential roads and are not used on major roads, bus routes, or primary emergency response routes. Placement is generally mid-block between intersections. Speed humps typically limit vehicle speeds to about 25–30 km/h (15–20 mph) at

1476-451: A three-second time penalty, but after Clarkson consulted the audience, it was decided to let the time stand, which her Doctor Who co-star, David Tennant , tried to overturn on 23 December 2007 show, at the end of the following series. Clarkson remarked that if Tennant had worn a see through top (like Piper for her interview), he "would have been faster than Simon Cowell". In the 11 November 2007 episode, Simon Cowell retook his status as

1558-472: A time of 1:47.70 in melted snow and standing water. Given the rivalry Oliver felt towards fellow celebrity chef, and the lapboard leader, Gordon Ramsay , Oliver asked that the 4-second allowance normally granted for wet laps be used to put him at the top of the leaderboard "just for a day". Actress Billie Piper posted a time of 1:48.3 but was deemed by The Stig to have failed to complete a lap properly, as she failed to negotiate some corners. The Stig suggested

1640-563: A time, Clarkson noted that the Liana would be pulled out for use by Formula 1 drivers in the future. The original 'black' Stig and the first 'white' Stig have done laps around the track in the Suzuki Liana. Both had their times removed from the leaderboard upon their departure. The first Stig was Perry McCarthy , who once test drove for the Williams F1 team, and drove for the ill-fated Andrea Moda Formula One team. The second Stig

1722-410: A track width of 1,300–1,500 millimetres (50–59 in). Many emergency vehicles are also equipped with dual tires on their rear axles. The additional tires limit track width to as narrow as 1,200 millimetres (48 in), meaning speed cushions may not be suitable for their intended use. A speed table (also called a bus-friendly hump , flat top hump , or raised pedestrian crossing ) is designed as

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1804-644: A traverse distance of about 3.7 to 4.3 m (12 to 14 ft) and span the width of the road. The height of each hump ranges from 8 to 10 cm (3 to 4 in). The traverse distance and height of each hump determines the speed at which traffic will travel over the devices. Shorter traverse lengths and greater heights slow cars most drastically. When placed in a series 110–170 m (350–550 ft) apart, humps will reduce 85th percentile speeds by 13–16 km/h (8–10 mph). Warning signs should be used to notify approaching motorists of upcoming humps. Humps generally have pavement markings to enhance visibility and

1886-403: Is approximately 1.75 miles (2.82 km) long. It was considered to be an equaliser for cars since, according to Richard Hammond , both 0–60 miles per hour (0–96.6 km/h) times and top speed are totally meaningless. The track also incorporated a drag strip ; although this was not used for timed segments, it did feature in some challenges and other features on the show. The course started on

1968-532: Is commonly known for his work on the Compton Effect with X-rays . He also invented what he called "traffic control bumps", the basic design for the speed hump, in 1953. Compton began designs on the speed bump after noticing the speed at which motorists passed Brookings Hall at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri , where he was chancellor . The British Transport and Road Research Laboratory published

2050-653: Is known that in the actual game there are options to race on the full track, race both of the rings in separate races and race on Top Gear ' s drag race mile. There is also an achievement for completing a lap of the Top Gear Test Track in the Kia Cee'd fittingly named "Star in a reasonably priced car". Forza Motorsport 4 's sequel, Forza Motorsport 5 , also features the Top Gear test track. The track layouts from Forza Motorsport 4 return, with

2132-524: Is referred to as a wombat crossing in Australia. Other road features may be included, such as junctions , or even mini-roundabouts . Speed tables are used with zebra crossings repeatedly in Leighton Buzzard . Typical speeds resulting from 7-metre (22 ft) speed tables are 32–48 kilometres per hour (20–30 mph). One sample of 8 sites found a 45% decrease in accidents per year with

2214-575: Is sometimes controversial—as they can increase traffic noise, may damage vehicles if traversed at too great a speed (despite that being the point), and slow emergency vehicles. Poorly-designed speed bumps that stand too tall or with too-sharp an angle can be disruptive for drivers, and may be difficult to navigate for vehicles with low ground clearance , even at very low speeds. Many sports cars have this problem with such speed bumps. Speed bumps can also pose serious hazards to motorcyclists and bicyclists if they are not clearly visible, though in some cases

2296-662: Is their effect on emergency vehicles . Response time is slowed by 3–5 seconds per hump for fire trucks and fire engines and up to 10 seconds for ambulances with patients on board. Speed humps are thus usually not placed on primary response routes. Speed cushions may be placed on these routes instead. Occasionally, there is an increase in traffic noise from braking and acceleration of vehicles on streets with speed humps, particularly from buses and trucks. Other effects include increased fuel consumption and emissions as well as increased wear and tear on brakes, engine and suspension components. Damage caused by snow plows during

2378-411: Is typical to leave space between the bump and either edge of an enclosed road (i.e. with curbs and gutters) to allow for drainage. Spaces on either side may also allow more expedient passage for emergency vehicles, though effectiveness will depend on the type of vehicle and specific road design. Local authorities have cited disadvantages to speed bumps: Other sources argue that speed bumps: In 2003,

2460-512: The Top Gear television programme. Ultima say that their motive for running a non-televised lap was that they felt that the GTR was being specifically ignored by the producers of Top Gear . "Star in a Reasonably Priced Car" was a recurring segment on Top Gear . During most programmes, a celebrity (usually, but not exclusively of British fame) is interviewed by Jeremy Clarkson. Discussion is normally amusing, and focuses on car-related matters, such as

2542-735: The centre line during an emergency. Speed cushions have several distinct advantages over similar traffic calming devices. Many municipalities are challenged by opposition to speed humps and speed tables since they slow down emergency vehicles and buses. Speed cushions address this problem by allowing larger vehicles to straddle the cushion without slowing down. This is also an advantage for buses , as lower floor vehicles can sometimes ground out on traditional humps. Speed cushions are often less costly than speed humps or tables, and most cities report them to be just as effective. In some jurisdictions, narrower speed cushions are placed at more frequent intervals to allow ambulances to pass while driving over

Top Gear test track - Misplaced Pages Continue

2624-532: The 'Well Spoken Man' after failing to recognise him), comedians Alan Davies and Jimmy Carr , rock stars Rick Wakeman and Justin Hawkins , footballer Les Ferdinand , and actor Trevor Eve who topped the time at 1 minute 47.0 seconds. Jimmy Carr , who held second place in the Liana behind Ellen MacArthur , spun off while doing his timed lap and got the second slowest time ever around the track at 2 minutes, 8.91 seconds. On 28 January 2007, Jamie Oliver posted

2706-504: The Kia phonetically as the "Cee-apostrophe-d". Sophie Raworth , Bill Turnbull and Fiona Bruce all did the Star in a Reasonably Priced Car for Children in Need 2012 . In the first episode of series 20, Clarkson, Hammond and May revealed their new Reasonably Priced Car: a Vauxhall Astra 1.6 Tech Line. In similar fashion to earlier "new starts", an open day was held for multiple stars to drive

2788-409: The Liana is Daniel Ricciardo with 1:42.2. The Liana endured considerable abuse from the stars while undertaking their laps. In one incident, actor Michael Gambon clipped the final corner, taking the car onto two wheels. It was done in such a spectacular fashion that the corner was named "Gambon Corner". When Lionel Richie drove the Liana, one of the front wheels fell off, invoking Clarkson to coin

2870-551: The Top Gear race track in the Suzuki Liana. Starting with the eighth series the Liana was replaced by a Chevrolet Lacetti and a new blank scoreboard. The format was changed so that each star would have five practice laps, and then a final timed lap, with no allowance being given for mishaps. As a starter for the new car and format, an open day was held for any celebrity who wanted to take part. Seven stars recorded times that day: James Hewitt (who Jeremy and Richard referred to as

2952-592: The Wikimedia System Administrators, please include the details below. Request from 172.68.168.226 via cp1108 cp1108, Varnish XID 214976618 Upstream caches: cp1108 int Error: 429, Too Many Requests at Thu, 28 Nov 2024 07:50:54 GMT Speed bump The use of vertical deflection devices is widespread around the world, and they are most commonly used to enforce a speed limit under 40 km/h (25 mph). Although speed bumps are effective in keeping vehicle speeds down, their use

3034-404: The back, a homage to Indian drivers. In its service, the Liana covered 1,600 laps of the circuit; went through 400 tyres; its brakes were changed 100 times; and it required six new clutches, two new hubs, driveshafts, wishbones, struts and gear linkages and a replacement wing mirror. In July 2005, Formula One driver Damon Hill appeared on the show for the first time as the star. This was kept

3116-455: The board with a lap time of 1:42.2. Ricciardo took the tighter line through the first corner, claiming that it covered less distance. For series 23, "Star in a Reasonably Priced Car" was renamed as "Star in a Rally-Cross Car" segment, with the track expanded to include a " Rallycross " route, featuring the addition of a jump and a water splash obstacle, but retaining the use of some of the corners. Two celebrities were invited to partake in setting

3198-643: The car driven by Top Gear was a prototype that did not feature the adjustable ride height found on the production model. Because The Stig set his time in the non-adjustable prototype and the production version has not been driven around the track, the Caparo's time remains ineligible for the Power Lap board. Occasionally attempts at the Power Lap record are made without the support of the BBC. The following laps of Dunsfold were recorded, filmed and promoted independently of

3280-461: The car. Following the abrupt end of Series 22 as a result of Clarkson's dismissal from the show, the Astra was returned to Vauxhall before being auctioned off for charity on 27 December 2015 for £17,800. All Formula One drivers were put into their own list with regard to lap times because of their exceptional skill level. When the Liana was pulled out from retirement to allow Jenson Button to make

3362-405: The cars, mainly because wet or otherwise poor weather conditions (see time deductions below) can negatively affect lap times. Due to the size of the list, only the top 20 are shown. See List of Top Gear test track Power Lap Times for the full list. The second most powerful production car ever featured on Top Gear , the 1001 PS (987 bhp; 736 kW) Bugatti Veyron , was taken around

Top Gear test track - Misplaced Pages Continue

3444-488: The celebrity's car history. Then Clarkson and the studio audience watch the guest's fastest lap on the Top Gear test track, after which Clarkson puts the celebrity's time on the time board. For the first seven series the car driven for lap times was a Suzuki Liana . When first introduced, the car was worth £9995. The car used is stock except for a roll cage and racing seats added as safety measures. Each guest practises with The Stig before making several attempts to complete

3526-503: The centre line. Large trucks are also not slowed down. Development of speed cushions has focused primarily on the European context. European vehicles typically have a narrower track width than American vehicles, meaning their left and right wheels are closer together. Emergency vehicles still feature a wide track width, and the difference between them makes speed cushions more applicable. In North America, however, consumer vehicles have

3608-511: The chairman of the London Ambulance Service, Sigurd Reinton claimed that delays caused by speed bumps were responsible for up to 500 avoidable deaths from cardiac arrest each year. He later denied the statement. In Sweden, an evaluation of spinal stress in bus drivers against ISO 2631-5 required on health grounds that: Speed bumps can also have adverse environmental impact. A study found that in one north London street with

3690-561: The chassis. Next was "Hammerhead", a left-then-right corner, which again highlighted understeer and oversteer. The track came to a right-hand curve, then the course turned right through the flat-out section called the "Follow Through" (it resembles turns 11 and 12 of the Albert Park Circuit ). After the left hand "Bentley Bend" named after the person who first "discovered" Jeremy Clarkson and former Top Gear presenter, Jon Bentley , but commonly referred to simply as "the tyres",

3772-437: The course came to " Bacharach Bend", which, after the first series, was referred to as the "Penultimate Corner" or the "Second-to-last Corner" and is often regarded as one of the most challenging on the course. The final turn before the finish line was "Gambon" in honour of Sir Michael Gambon , who completed the turn on two wheels in episode 8 of Series 1 . Prior to this, the corner was known as " Carpenters Corner". The track

3854-460: The discomfort of a conventional speed bump. Dynamic speed bumps may allow the passage of emergency vehicles at higher speeds. The Actibump system, successfully used in Sweden, is based on powered equipment integrated into the road surface, which operates a platform that is lowered a few centimeters when a speeding vehicle approaches. Any vehicle approaching at or under the speed limit will pass on

3936-658: The exception of the drag race mile, which has been removed. Subsequent games in the series, Forza Motorsport 6 and Forza Motorsport 7 , also feature the Top Gear Test Track, with the full track and both separated rings. In these versions, the rings are able to be raced in reverse layout as well, and in both dry and wet conditions. The track also appears in the mobile game Top Gear – Extreme Parking , and in Automation – The Car Company Tycoon Game as "Airport Track" for players to test their cars on. Dunsfold Aerodrome Too Many Requests If you report this error to

4018-457: The grass. Christopher Eccleston was the only celebrity to use a Liana with an automatic transmission, because a hesitant Eccleston admitted he was "only qualified to drive an automatic." To accommodate his needs, Top Gear succeeded in borrowing an automatic Liana, of which only 40 existed in the UK. As a reference to his role in Doctor Who , the automatic Liana was shown materialising onto

4100-519: The holder of the fastest lap with a time of 1:45.90. According to Clarkson, the cameramen said they had never seen such consistency in the practice laps. However, Cowell was knocked off the top spot in Series 11 by Jay Kay , who now holds the fastest time in the Lacetti, although Clarkson selected the fastest of Jay Kay's times rather than the last run, which was slower than Cowell's time, seemingly due to

4182-621: The hump and 40–50 km/h (25–30 mph) at the midpoint between humps, depending on spacing. Studies show an average 18% reduction in traffic volume and an average 13% reduction in collisions. While similar to speed bumps, humps are less aggressive than speed bumps at low speeds. Humps are often used on streets, while bumps are used more in parking lots. While speed bumps generally slow cars to 10–15 km/h (5–10 mph), humps slow cars to 25–30 km/h (15–20 mph). The narrow traverse distance of speed bumps often allows vehicles to pass over them at high speed with only mild disturbance to

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4264-583: The humps. Meanwhile, they allow fire engines (and other large vehicles) with wider axles to straddle the cushions without slowing down. Wider, American-style ambulances might also be able to straddle speed cushions. However, in Europe and Australia, where vehicles like the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter are used most frequently as ambulances, there is no advantage. In these jurisdictions, narrower speed cushions are sometimes placed between lanes to allow ambulances to pass unobstructed while driving over

4346-718: The list are still timed. Whenever a non-qualifying vehicle was raced, the time was compared to the official Power Laps but then removed from the board, for example—the Ferrari FXX owned by Michael Schumacher (1:10.7) was taken off the board after because it both failed to meet road legal standards and used slick tyres . All laps were timed with the car's manufacturer-provided adjustable settings configured for maximum performance—all adjustable suspensions being set at their most efficient, all gear shift maps at their most aggressive, and driving aids such as traction control deactivated. Lap times did not offer complete comparisons between

4428-422: The other present in the car. On 28 March 2010, Richard Hammond attended the demolition of the two 550 ft chimneys at Lafarge Cement's Northfleet Works. On the first episode of Series 15, it was shown that the Lacetti was partially crushed by placing it in the path of one of the falling chimneys. In the last episode of the fourteenth series of the show, Clarkson revealed that they were thinking about getting

4510-433: The other traffic on the road at the time. Speed cushions are a type of speed hump installation designed to alleviate the negative impacts that vertical deflections have on emergency vehicle response times. Speed cushions installations are typically made up of several small speed humps installed across the width of the road with spaces between them. They force normal cars to slow down as they ride with one or both wheels over

4592-407: The passenger seat in a time of 2 minutes 2 seconds, which was 1.4 seconds quicker than Terry Wogan, and 4 seconds faster than Richard Whiteley. The fastest non-professional driver was Ellen MacArthur . Unlike most contenders she made no comments to the camera during her lap. She completed the lap in 1 minute 46.7 seconds, beating Jimmy Carr by 0.2 seconds. The current fastest professional driver in

4674-414: The perimeter road outside the Top Gear studio. The first bend was a fast right-left kink named " Crooner Curves." " Willson Bend" was the first proper turn on the track and the first corner usually seen when The Stig is lapping a car. " Chicago ", a long right-hand around a tyre wall onto the main runway, was designed by Lotus as a steady state corner , designed to highlight understeer or oversteer of

4756-493: The racing track, with a TARDIS materialisation sound effect played over it. The Liana has also been modified on several occasions. David Soul's Liana featured a red police light and a white stripe in reference to his Starsky and Hutch role. Johnny Vegas was provided with L-plates as he had not passed his driving test at the time. When Justin Hawkins came on the show, the Liana he drove had flame decals pasted on it. Actor Sanjeev Bhaskar had an ornate tissue box placed in

4838-455: The rigidity and durability of these materials, they have more permanence and are more effective at slowing traffic. However, they can be difficult to shape and form into consistent forms and precise dimensions. Rubber products are pre-shaped to standard sizes to meet industry standards. Preformed rubber products are typically bolted down, making them easier to install or remove. Temporary bolt-down installations can be ideal for planners in testing

4920-525: The road level: "This scheme of stopping automobile speeding has been discussed by different municipalities, but Chatham is the first place to put it in practice". The average automobile's top speed at the time was around 50 km/h (30 mph), but braking was poor by modern standards. Arthur Holly Compton was a physicist and winner of the Nobel Prize in physics in 1927 for his discoveries resulting in major changes in electromagnetic theory . He

5002-409: The runway. Cars acquired during challenges often posted lap times (driven by either one of the presenters or The Stig) around the track against either a target time or a time set by The Stig in another vehicle. During many challenges, the track was used in more unorthodox fashions — for instance, serving as a makeshift motorway lane during a challenge testing tailgating prowess with vans. Power Laps

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5084-419: The speed limit to avoid large vehicle accelerations and displacements. These are the counter-productive results produced by unavoidable dynamic vehicle response. (See https://lindberglce.com/tech/Worst_Roads.PDF ). Because of these counter-productive responses, speed bumps traversals of at least 2 m (about 5 ft.) with smooth approach and exit should be used wherever possible. Speed bumps vary in length, but it

5166-438: The term "pulling a Lionel". Trevor Eve also lost a wheel. The former British transport minister Stephen Ladyman added further injury to the Liana by denting the boot when he lost control during practice and slid backwards into a tyre wall. David Soul destroyed the gearbox of two Lianas during his time on the show due to his rough driving style. Patrick Kielty broke the Liana's front suspension during series 4 when he drove on

5248-444: The test track for the realistic PC racing simulation rFactor , produced with permission from Dunsfold park. The track has also been produced as an add-on for World Racing 2 . and the realistic racing simulator Assetto Corsa . Top Gear have also added a basic version of the test track on the games section of their own website, with the title of "Be a star in our reasonably priced car". A Top Gear mobile phone game also features

5330-433: The test track in the fastest time. The guest does not learn their time until the interview. Practice laps, crashes and the drivers' facial expressions are also shown during the segment. The two slowest laps on the Liana celebrity list are held by Terry Wogan and Richard Whiteley , both of whom were beaten by Billy Baxter , a blind Bosnian war veteran. He guided the Liana through the track under direction from Clarkson in

5412-532: The tighter line. Clarkson also mentioned on this episode that the current Stig has yet to do a lap of the track in the Liana, therefore there is currently no time on the board for the Stig. On 17 February 2013, Lewis Hamilton returned to do a dry lap and lowered the F1 Drivers record by 1.1s to 1:42.9. This was in the wake of his move to Mercedes AMG for the 2013 season. On 8 February 2015, Daniel Ricciardo topped

5494-471: The track by The Stig in Series 12, Episode 4, after 3 years of waiting. However, it disappointed the team by only managing fifth place on the Power Board (currently 26th), an unexpectedly low position ultimately attributed to the car's kerb weight of 1,888 kg (4,162 lb), more than any of the four faster cars. In Series 15 Episode 5 however, the Stig took the 1,200 PS Super Sport version around

5576-517: The track in 1:16.8, thus setting a new lap record. For the 1:17.6 lap, the Koenigsegg CCX was fitted with an optional rear spoiler to provide downforce after The Stig spun the unmodified version off the track. The Stig allegedly recommended this modification, correctly predicting that the car would then be the fastest ever round the track, although Koenigsegg stated that the improvement was due to other adjustments. A "non-qualifying" vehicle

5658-424: The track was expanded with a rallycross section for the "Star in a Rallycross Car" segment, but it was abandoned at the end of series 23. In December 2016 planning permission was granted for 1,800 homes to be built on the current site of the aerodrome. As part of the redevelopment, it was proposed that the track (and associated aerodrome infrastructure such as the runway drag strip) was to be demolished. The track

5740-523: The track. The game Gran Turismo 5 , developed by Polyphony Digital features a fully rendered version of the Top Gear track. Players have the ability to drive and race on the track. The track also appeared in Forza Motorsport 4 ; the Top Gear logo appeared in a trailer for the game on the Top Gear website. Cars were shown racing in the follow-through section during the E3 2011 trailer. It

5822-502: The use and positioning of speed bumps before implementing them in a larger project. Bolt-down products can also be removed or relocated during winter snow periods—where speed bumps are easily concealed and may be damaged by snowplows. On June 7, 1906, The New York Times reported on an early implementation of what might be considered speed bumps in Chatham, New Jersey , which planned to raise its crosswalks five inches (13 cm) above

5904-504: The use of a more powerful Toyota GT86 . Both The Stig and Chris Harris instruct the celebrities on driving the car around the track. Footage of several celebrities who drove the car before the first episode of the twenty-fourth series, was aired on spin-off programme Extra Gear . The segment was dropped in Series 29 to maintain social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic , and did not return in later series. On 24 October 2007, it

5986-407: The use of speed tables. Wombat crossings may reduce casualties by 63%. Speed tables are effective in calming traffic on streets where the speed limit needs to be maintained rather than slowing cars more significantly. Traffic speed, volumes, and accidents have been shown to decrease with the use of tables. Although not as responsive to emergency vehicles as speed cushions, speed tables cause less of

6068-416: The wheels and suspension, and hardly affecting the vehicle cab and its occupants. The relatively long slopes of speed humps are less disruptive at low–moderate speeds, but they create a greater, more sustained vertical deflection; at higher speeds, a more sustained deflection is less-absorbed by vehicle suspensions and has a greater effect on the vehicle as a whole. One problematic aspect of speed humps

6150-406: The winter months is an additional concern. Heavy sedans , trucks , and SUVs are less affected by speed humps, and may not have to slow down as dramatically. Thin cuts are sometimes placed in the middle of a hump in order to allow bicycle traffic to pass through. However, forcing cyclists to take a particular line on the road compromises their ability to position themselves safely according to

6232-430: Was Ben Collins ; in the first episode of Series 13 the Stig was "revealed" to be Michael Schumacher, although this was a joke in the vein of the rest of his appearance on the show. On 6 July 2011, Sebastian Vettel managed to top the board with a time of 1:44.0. Vettel's lap was the first time someone taking a 'Formula One drivers' line through the first corner was able to top The Stig's time, as Rubens Barrichello took

6314-465: Was a segment of the programme in which The Stig completed a lap around the track in a reviewed car to compare its performance to previous contenders. To be eligible to appear on the Power Lap Times board, a vehicle must have been a road-legal production car and must have had sufficient ride height to clear a standard speed bump , although occasionally vehicles that do not appear to qualify for

6396-509: Was announced that players of the PlayStation 3 game, Gran Turismo 5 Prologue , would be able to download episodes of Top Gear within the game, and that the test track would be one of the included circuits in the full game ( Gran Turismo 5 ). A very basic yet driveable version of the track appeared around 2003 for the PC racing simulation Grand Prix Legends . There is also a version of

6478-559: Was on a former Royal Canadian Air Force airbase constructed during the Second World War and later used by British Aerospace (and its predecessors) as a manufacturing and test facility. The track's main route, marked by painted lines and simple structures such as stacks of tyres, was designed by test drivers from Lotus . The layout of the track was designed to put the car through various conditions, ranging from provoking understeer to testing brake balance and tyres. The track

6560-421: Was one that did not meet the requirements to remain on the board; that is, one that was not a "road car", which according to Top Gear meant being: available to buy, fully road-legal (lights, indicators, registration, profile tyres, etc.), and street-worthy (i.e. able to negotiate a speed bump ). The Caparo, Radical, and Westfield are road-legal in the UK but are unable to clear a speed bump. According to Caparo,

6642-423: Was the case for Clarkson's run when he had both Hammond and Jason Dawe in the car. Trinny and Susannah were both in the car for each other's runs. Denise Van Outen was in the car when Johnny Vaughan did his lap; Van Outen never did a lap driving the car. Clarkson was also present as a navigator for Billy Baxter's laps. From 2024, Ex-Stig Ben Collins started taking out various automotive YouTubers to race on

6724-479: Was used routinely for the Star in a Reasonably Priced Car and Power Laps segments on Top Gear . It also served myriad roles in other portions of the programme, especially in testing cars and in challenges. When testing cars, they were often driven around the airfield by the presenters. Afterwards, they were taken around the test track by The Stig to set a lap time. Occasionally, drag races and speed tests were held on

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