The Classic Car Show presenters Quentin Willson and Jodie Kidd talk classic cars
After a hugely successful first episode, with peak viewing figures of 800,000, The Classic Car Show will return to screens at 7pm for episode 2 tonight.
Here’s an interview with lead presenters Quentin Willson and Jodie Kidd to whet your appetite. Let us know what you think of the show in the comments below.
Quentin Willson, presenter and executive producer
What was the idea behind The Classic Car Show?
Just over a year ago, we had this vision of how we would film a series that finally celebrated classic cars like no other – and the result is something that’s fun for the whole family, beautifully shot and informative. It’s the result of everyone who works on the show being a car enthusiast – the whole process has been wonderfully creative. Of course, Jodie and I get to do the dream drives in the high-end classics, heading out to glamorous locations like Los Angeles and Monaco, but we also celebrate affordable classics too. We cover it all – and treat the cars with the passion and respect that they deserve.
Tell us about some of the cars that appear in the series.
Our first job was to pick them – no easy task! We came up with an enormous list, put all the makes and models onto a huge white board and then whittled them down. It was a long process and something of a battle but great fun to do! We knew we had to have the icons - the Jaguar E-type, Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder, the Ford Mustang, the Mini - but we also wanted to celebrate lesser known classics such as the Rolls-Royce Corniche, Jensen Interceptor and Triumph TR7. We’ve done 13 x one-hour programmes but we’ve barely even scratched the surface. Our list of cars just gets longer and longer.
Tell us about some of the dream drives.
There were so many highlights, it’s difficult to pick one. But cruising down Sunset Boulevard in LA in a 1955 Ford Thunderbird was a dream, as was heading up into the Hollywood hills in a Ferrari Testarossa – and of course chauffeuring Jodie around Monaco in a Citroen DS Décapotable.
What’s it like to work with Jodie?
We’ve known each other for a long time, but this is the first time we’ve worked together. And we really hit it off. She loves old cars and she’s a great driver – seriously great. She’s just so confident and balletic at the wheel.
How did your love of cars begin?
I knew very early on I loved cars. I started buying cars for my family. I got my Dad out of a Cortina and into a Jaguar – got my mother into a series of unsuitable sports cars. And that’s kind of how it started. I dealt in cars while at university – while all the other blokes were driving Escorts, I was in Jensen Interceptors and Maserati Ghiblis! And I’d make profit on them.
What was your first car?
My first car was an old Mini that I bought for £50 and did up. Through some trading, I bought a Daimler SP250 Dart when I was 18. And I still have it.
What’s in your garage?
Three Daimler Darts, a Ford Mustang Convertible and a Rolls-Royce Corniche.
My every day car is a Range Rover, which is a fantastic car – it’s safe, versatile and, of course, British. It has all the room we need for the kids and dogs. I also have a Citroen C-Zero electric car. The total silence and the tiny running costs are just sensational.
Why do you love classic cars so much?
You stand out - and because people think you’re slightly nuts to drive one, they wave and let you out of junctions. It’s fantastic. I love the way they link you to the past too. Whether you get into Keith Richards’ Ferrari 246 Dino or an old Cortina, there’s that smell, the way that all the controls come together, the way they define an era, but in completely different ways. It’s fascinating.
What’s your dream car?
A 1964 AC Cobra. Or a Ferrari Superfast. Or a Bentley Continental Flying Spur…the list goes on and on. And changes every day.
What would be your pick for a future classic?
There are many. The Ferrari 456 is undoubtedly undervalued – while at the other end of the market, so are Alfasuds, MGB GTs, early Impreza Turbos. That’s the great thing about classic car buying. You don’t have to be a millionaire – with a little bit of know-how you can spot the car that will be worth a lot more in years to come. But more importantly, you can enjoy it now.
Jodie Kidd – presenter
So, you’ve enjoyed making the Classic Car Show, Jodie?
It has just been the most incredible summer: all the cars we’ve driven; all the places we’ve been; all the people we’ve met. We drive cars that are 70 years old and more, and they are still as exhilarating today. All the cars we feature have character and soul in spades - and there aren’t many modern cars you can say all that about. It’s a very entertaining show, and informative too. We bring glamour to the genre, not just with the boys - David Gandy, Tinie Tempah - but us girls get a good look in as well, with Britt Eckland, Jennifer Saunders and others contributing to the show.
What’s it like to work with Quentin Willson?
Watch the show and you will find out! There’s plenty of banter between us. He can’t drive by the way; ask him about double declutching! He just wafts around the place in whatever he’s driving. I like to put the cars through their paces, really drive them. They are designed to be driven, even if they are twice my age (like Quentin!). Seriously though, his knowledge of the cars and the classic car market is endless, it has been my dream job.
What were the highlights of making the show for you?
The Bond Special, which features in episode 10, was really quite special. I love the Lotus Esprit. Driving a Bugatti Type 35C on the steeply banked Montlhéry circuit in France was both scary and seriously exhilarating - I honestly thought I was going to die. Driving in the U.S was great fun too - Quentin and I spent a lot of time in a car together looking at Camaros and Mustangs, comparing their histories, and I was lucky enough to drive across a dry lake bed in the Camaro at full throttle - the ultimate iconic American muscle car experience!
And if you had to choose one?
The highlight has to be the Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder. It is the car that got me in to cars, some 15 years ago when I saw one at a friend’s house being restored. I remember seeing it and gasping “What is that?”. I’ve never forgotten that car, and have been lusting to get behind the wheel ever since. So of course, when I got involved with The Classic Car Show, one of my first questions was "Can we get a Ferrari 250 California?” And we did, and my dreams came true.
Did driving such valuable cars make you nervous?
Not really, because once you’re inside the car - and I’m talking specifically about the Ferrari here - you feel the sumptuousness and timeless style of the interior, the smell, the sound and rumble when you start the engine, more gas, a little choke, it is an incredible machine and it comes to life - it is so characterful. Every thing and every thought just goes away. It is just you and the car, getting to know one another, it’s a special relationship, and it’s glorious.
What cars do you have at home?
I have a Jaguar F-TYPE, a VW Touareg, and an old Land Rover Defender.
What was your first car?
Rover sponsored London Fashion Week in the 1990s, and they gave me a Rover 75. That was my first car. And would be my ordinary classic car of choice today!
Are you going to buy a classic car?
Quentin has made it his mission to find me the perfect classic, and has been putting cars my way since last summer. I think I have come full circle now though and am on the look-out for a Mercedes SL Pagoda - which is what I fell for right at the beginning of filming the show - it’s the car I drive in the credits for the show.
What would be your top tip for a good classic buy today?
Check out the BMW 850i – that nose! – it’s a great-looking car. And a very good buy right now.