On Monday, the former BBC presenter tweeted a picture of three cars — a Mercedes-AMG GT S, Ferrari LaFerrari, and Ferrari 488 GTB — one of which would be his chariot for his final jaunt around the iconic circuit.
“Right. About to do my last ever lap of the Top Gear test track,” he said. “What car should I use?”
As of this writing, Clarkson hasn’t disclosed which vehicle he took (he might be saving it for a future reveal), but we’d bet on the 950-horsepower LaFerrari. The most powerful member of the original hypercar trio, it only makes sense for Clarkson’s tire-shredding swan song to be done in one of the most rousing, intense, and prestigious vehicles ever.
The 55-year old Brit has always had a soft spot for Mercedes-AMG vehicles, though, as they mirror the presenter’s passion for design, sharp intellect, punchy soundtrack, and of course, thirst for power. But hey, with 661 turbocharged ponies and carbon ceramic brakes, the 488 GTB ain’t a bad choice either. Clarkson reportedly auctioned off a spot in the passenger seat for charity, raising some $150,000 for an undisclosed foundation.
“My last ever lap of the Top Gear track is done,” he somberly wrote after. “Bit sad leaving the place for the final time.”
“Two good things about the last lap,” he continued. “It raised a load of cash for a good cause. And I did the motherf***** of all tail slides through Chicago.” Poetic as always.
Designed by Lotus, the 1.75-mile course features notable segments like the aforementioned Chicago, a long right-handed turn around a tire wall that leads to the main runway. The fastest qualifying vehicle to lap the track is the Pagani Huayra, a 720-hp mid-engined Italian that recorded a time of 1:13.8 in 2013.
What’s your favorite Top Gear memory? Let us know in the comments.
