Autoblog

Former Stig signs on as Bond stunt driver

Zach Bowman — Thu, 10 May 2012 08:58:00 EST

Ben Collins is staying busy. The former Stig has once again returned to stunt driving, this time for the upcoming James Bond film Skyfall. According to The Mirror, Collins has been spotted filming in Istanbul, where he took the wheel to ram a Land Rover into an Audi during a crash scene.

The stunt vehicle used a special cage on the roof, where the stunt driver can manipulate the SUV with the actors inside. Collins has a long history of working with the Bond franchise. The TV personality turned stuntman worked on both "Quantum of Solace" and "Casino Royale," though he's also worked on other films as well.

In Collins' memoir, "The Man in the White Suit," the driver turned author describes how he juggled his time in the Army, on Top Gear, as a race driver and a stunt driver at the same time. As you may recall, the BBC attempted to prevent the memoir from being published at all, but lost the lawsuit in which it alleged revealing the Stig's identity would breach Collins' contract.

Former Stig signs on as Bond stunt driver originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 10 May 2012 08:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

EV Cup calendar brings electric racing, former Stig to California [w/video]

Domenick Yoney — Tue, 03 May 2011 07:59:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Performance, Electric

Former Stig Ben Collins in EV Cup 2011 Westfield iRacer - Click above for high-res image gallery

It's said that racing improves the breed, and if ever there was a breed of vehicles that needs improving, it's electric ones. The EV Cup is a racing series designed to encourage this very thing, and the announcement of its official 2011 inaugural calendar reveals dates at Laguna Seca in November and California Speedway in December. The seven-event season starts off with four races in the UK and one in Belgium.

It appears the concept has been fully embraced by former Stig Ben Collins, and he is expected to grip the wheel in at least one of three classes - a City EV class featuring race-prepared Think Citys, Sports EV with Westfield iRacers and a Prototype EV class. Another notable participant is Drayson Racing, who, despite some success last year in ALMS, has decided to place the entirety of its efforts into electric competition.

Hit the jump for the official calender and press release as well as video featuring organizer Sylvain Filippi discussing the series earlier this year.

Continue reading EV Cup calendar brings electric racing, former Stig to California [w/video]

EV Cup calendar brings electric racing, former Stig to California [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 03 May 2011 07:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Ben "The Stig" Collins names the five worst cars he's ever driven

Noah Joseph — Mon, 02 May 2011 14:31:00 EST

Filed under: Etc.

The five worst cars Ben Collins has ever driven - Click above for high-res image gallery

Over the course of his years donning the white suit and helmet for Top Gear, pro driver Ben Collins has had the chance to drive an enviably wide array of cars. Their track times all went up on the power lap board, but there are better ways of evaluating how a car handles under pressure - like asking the guy who drove them. That's what Australian car site Drive did, and got the former Stig to jot down some notes. They weren't in Morse Code, but while his list of the worst five cars he'd ever driven includes some obvious choices, a couple may surprise.

First up on Ben's hit list: the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione. When we drove it, we found its dynamics were lightyears behind its looks, and His (deposed) Stiginess apparently agrees. At the end of Collins' list is another supercar - the TVR Sagaris - which he feels was horribly emblematic of the company that produced it, while pointing to the fact that Jeremy Clarkson loved it as evidence enough of its dubious distinction.

In between these two European supercars on Collins' list comes the Fiat Multipla, whose horrid styling was surpassed only by its dismal performance, and the Cadillac Escalade, which the Englishman found to be all show and no go - particularly off road. Finally, the previous-generation Dodge Charger drew the Stig's ire for its gross weight and lamentable slushbox. If for America's sake alone, we can only hope that, heavier still though it is, Collins might take a crack at the new model.

Gallery: Ben Collin's Five Worst Cars

Ben "The Stig" Collins names the five worst cars he's ever driven originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 02 May 2011 14:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Speed Read: The Man in the White Suit by Ben Collins (The Stig)

Zach Bowman — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 14:59:00 EST

Filed under: Celebrities

It's been over four months since racer Ben Collins officially outed himself as the skill behind The Stig's otherworldly driving talent. And, despite the bellyaching of fans and critics all around the globe, both Top Gear and life itself have continued to trundle on as if nothing ever happened. Sure, Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May have been forced to visit a Stig farm to find a new tame racing driver, and yes, they've even taken to gunning down cardboard cutouts of their former compatriot, but by and large, Top Gear itself is no worse off for no longer having the white suit on board.

Readers are given the best explanation as to why Collins turned his back on Top Gear.

Despite controlling our news cycle for what felt like seven eternities, Collins has rather quietly picked up a gig with rival UK car show Fifth Gear, leaving plenty of us to wonder what could possibly cause someone to give up a life of driving the world's quickest cars in some of the most amazing scenery our planet has to offer. Fortunately, the former Stig worked up The Man in the White Suit ($26.95 on Amazon)- a quick memoir that includes everything from his stint as an army reservist to his trials on the world's various race circuits. There's even a good bit on the man's time on Top Gear as the silent wheelman we all know and love.

Now that the dust has settled around the whole Stiggate fiasco, we settled in to give The Man in the White Suit a full read. Tucked between stories of training Tom Cruise to beat the life out of a reasonably priced car and vaporizing a Koenigsegg while attempting to put the supercar around Dunsfold in the quickest time possible, readers are given the best explanation as to why Collins turned his back on Top Gear for good.

Continue reading...

Continue reading Speed Read: The Man in the White Suit by Ben Collins (The Stig)

Speed Read: The Man in the White Suit by Ben Collins (The Stig) originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 28 Jan 2011 14:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Top Gear UK opens new season with drive-by Stig shooting session

Zach Bowman — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 18:29:00 EST

Filed under: Celebrities

If we didn't know any better, we'd think there was still some bad blood between Ben Collins and the hosts of Top Gear. Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond all took a few pot shots at cardboard cutouts of the Stig during this week's episode while trying their respective hands at the art of drive-by shooting. According to The First Post, Captain Slow was the initial one to bust a few caps with a handgun from the passenger side of a Ferrari, followed by Hammond gunning from a Porsche. Not to be outdone, Clarkson took on his target with an automatic rifle from the window of a Mercedes-Benz.

Collins infamously riled both the producers and the hosts of Top Gear by publishing a memoir of his time as the Stig called The Man in the White Suit. With the mystery of the Stig's identity dissipated, Collins was canned from the show. He quickly found work with the rival gang over at Fifth Gear, but Top Gear has yet to replace its tame racing driver. Still, there is some word that the show has found a new driver and its only a matter of time before he shows his ~~face~~ helmet. Thanks for the tip, Gooner!

[Source: The First Post]

Top Gear UK opens new season with drive-by Stig shooting session originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 22 Dec 2010 18:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Top Gear visits the farm for next Stig

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 18:30:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Celebrities, Humor

A Stig who's identity isn't a secret? Why, that just won't do, will it? As you might expect, then, Top Gear presenters Clarkson, Hammond and May are hot on the trail of a replacement Stig, and they've apparently found just the place: a farm. And not just any farm... a farm where Stigs are cultivated, no less.

Clarkson has reportedly found a perfect candidate who will be unveiled at the Top Gear Live event at Earl's Court in London next week. It's not known whether this new Stiggy will be the final model used for the next series of episodes, leaving only one real question left that still needs answering: What color will the next Stig be?

We vote pink. Sabine, anyone?

[Source: The Sun via Jalopnik]

Top Gear visits the farm for next Stig originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 29 Oct 2010 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Ex-Stig Ben Collins hired by Fifth Gear

Frank Filipponio — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 13:40:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Celebrities

Former Top Gear Stig, Ben Collins, will be joining the cast of rival program Fifth Gear

With all of the Paris Motor Show coverage this week, we haven't had a Stig update in, like, five days. The last we heard about Ben Collins, he was suggesting a "Who Wants to be The Stig" TV show, or saying that he might enter the British Touring Car Championship. Today we are hearing that, like another BTCC superstar, Jason Plato, Collins will be joining the ranks of Fifth Gear presenters.

Collins was recently fired as the Stig when he outed himself in his autobiography. The book had been held up by a court case brought by the BBC on behalf of Top Gear. Fifth Gear is the more car-focused and generally less over-the-top Top Gear rival that airs on Channel 5.

The former Stig will reportedly make his debut on Fifth Gear when the new season starts next Friday and appear in five episodes total. Collins will be at least the third former Top Gear cast member to make the switchover, joining fellow ex-TG stars Tiff Needell and Vicki Butler-Henderson over at Fifth Gear. Collins will not don the famous white racing suit on Fifth Gear, but he will reportedly appear in a "colorful racing suit" as well as present on the show in street clothes while not wearing a helmet.

In all fairness, Top Gear has also snatched talent from the Fifth Gear pool as well, with renowned wookie, Tom Ford, recently joining the ranks of Top Gear Magazine staffers. Hat tip to Kris!

[Source: The Guardian | Photograph: AP Photo/ PA]

Ex-Stig Ben Collins hired by Fifth Gear originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 01 Oct 2010 13:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Stig's favorite car is... the Toyota Aygo? [w/video]

Zach Bowman — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 13:41:00 EST

Filed under: Europe, Celebrities

Click above to view the videos after the jump

Just when you thought there wasn't any more news to be drained from Stig-gate, Ben Collins has come out and announced his favorite car from his time beneath the white helmet. Surprisingly enough, it's not some high-dollar sports machine. Instead, Collins says that the most fun he ever had behind the wheel while employed with the BBC was in a Toyota Aygo. He and a gaggle of other race drivers spent an afternoon playing car soccer with the Aygo, and after a full day of abuse, the little Toyota just kept on chugging along.

But if Collins is choosing a piece of high-end metal to adore, the guy said that the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport helped form some of his best memories of Top Gear. Yeah, we can see that one.

The former tame racing driver's least favorite car? Well, that's a surprise, too. That honor goes to a Koenigsegg. Collins infamously binned one of the ultra-rare machines during shooting - the only car to suffer damage while in his care. Videos of both segments are available after the jump.

Publisher HarperCollins plans on releasing Collins' autobiography, The Man in the White Suit: The Stig, Le Mans, The Fast Lane and Me soon. Thanks for the tip, Kris!

[Source: The Daily Telegraph]

Continue reading The Stig's favorite car is... the Toyota Aygo? [w/video]

The Stig's favorite car is... the Toyota Aygo? [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 24 Sep 2010 13:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Ben Collins suggests 'Who Wants to Be the Stig?' reality tv show

Jeff Glucker — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 15:31:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., UK, Celebrities

Another day, another Stig story. But this one's a bit different. The now ex-white-suited BBC driver Ben Collins has suggested that Top Gear run an X-Factor style contest to find the next Stig. From his interview with the Telegraph:

"If I were working on the show I'd suggest they do a shoot out - a sort of Who Wants to Be the Stig? X Factor. People could turn up in balaclavas and they could all have a go."

Collins goes on to say that the producers would be acting "childish" if they choose to go forward without a new faceless driver, which we couldn't agree with more. But...

While Collins' idea could certainly make for entertaining telly, two issues come to mind: 1) People go on reality shows to become known, with the hopes gaining fame and fortune. Yet Collins resigned from his spot exactly because he hadn't received what he felt was his fair share. That's not likely to change with the next Stig. And 2) The reason the idea of the Stig is so successful is exactly because we don't know who he is. The masked man's skills have never been called into question because he is the ultimate impartial and unbiased driver. If we know his (or her) identity, his resume and what backhanded schemes he pulled off to land the top spot in a reality show, are we going to trust him? Probably not.

[Source: Telegraph]

Ben Collins suggests 'Who Wants to Be the Stig?' reality tv show originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 22 Sep 2010 15:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Ben "The Stig" Collins accuses BBC of bullying

Jonathon Ramsey — Sat, 11 Sep 2010 09:33:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., UK, Celebrities

Ben Collins, the ~~artist~~ driver formerly known as The Stig, is making sure he keeps everyone tabbed on his side of the story. Most recently, he has accused the BBC of bullying him when he informed them that he was writing a book about his years of anonymous lap times. Furthermore, he alleges that it was the BBC that actually gave away his identity in a piece for one of its own magazines, the Radio Times. After that, Collins says, he felt that his time in the white suit was tenuous and that he should "either jump or be pushed."

Collins' assertions appear a little shaky. The BBC article he highlights as "outing" him was a piece that took names from UK betting outlet William Hill to wonder about The Stig's identity. At the top was Damon Hill, next was Ben Collins and at the bottom was A Giant Wasp, so Collins as a potential Stig was already a matter of speculation -- at least with the bookmakers. As for the bullying claims, the BBC refutes the accusations. Collins says he was "hoping for the backing of his BBC bosses," but is anyone really surprised that the BBC wanted to keep a secret... secret?

[Source: Telegraph]

Ben "The Stig" Collins accuses BBC of bullying originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 11 Sep 2010 09:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Ex-Top Gear employee cashing in on Stig-gate, selling autographed helmet

Jeff Glucker — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 19:30:00 EST

Filed under: Auctions, Etc., UK, Celebrities

The Stig drama continues from the land of Top Gear. Former employee Sophia Vaizey was a production coordinator on the popular television show for 18 months. When she left, she was presented with a helmet worn by the Stig from 2002 to 2005, signed by Richard Hammond, members of the production crew and The Stig, himself.

Now that the frenzy surrounding Top Gear's former wheelman has reached a fever pitch, Mrs. Vaizey is looking to cash in on her parting gift. Her family points out to her, perhaps quite wisely, that the helmet will likely be worth far less in 10 years than it is right now. Thus, she is bringing the iconic white brain bucket to market - Stig's helmet is heading to Gorringes Auctioneers on October 20th.

We wouldn't be surprised if Jeremy Clarkson had some choice words for Sophia Vaizey. He recently laid into the Stig for following the money and Mrs. Vaizey appears to be going the same route. The helmet may have been a gift, but it's her gift and she has every right to make some money off of it. However, if that helmet were placed on our shelf, it would stay there...

...Unless the offer was really high.

[Source: Telegraph.co.uk]

Ex-Top Gear employee cashing in on Stig-gate, selling autographed helmet originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 10 Sep 2010 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Jeremy Clarkson calls The Stig a 'Greedy Tw*t' [w/poll]

Zach Bowman — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 19:26:00 EST

Filed under: Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, UK, Celebrities

It would seem that the vitriol between the trio of presenters on Top Gear and Ben Collins, the man behind the Stig's helmet, isn't just for show. During a recent charity event, Jeremy Clarkson, arguably the leader of the TG three amigos, made it clear just how he feels about Collins' unmasking of himself by calling the former tame racing driver "The Greedy Tw*t." That's certainly one way to put it.

Rumors began dusting up over whether or not Ben Collins was the racer in white after it was widely publicized that Collins was seeking to publish a book on his life as the White Stig. The BBC attempted to file an injunction stopping the publisher from moving forward, but a judge found that there was no reason to stop Collins from moving forward.

The BBC reacted to Collins' actions by putting the driver out of a job. Or at least out of a job in show business. Overall, fans have been less than thrilled with the debacle, with most saying that the driver has gone a long way toward ruining a good thing for everyone.

Even so, we're guessing the Collins memoir will have no problem finding a global audience. After all's said and done, will you read it?

[Source: The Herald Sun | Image: Ferdaus Shamim/WireImage.com]

View Poll

Jeremy Clarkson calls The Stig a 'Greedy Tw*t' [w/poll] originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 07 Sep 2010 19:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Why the Stig outed himself

Jeff Glucker — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 19:46:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, UK, Celebrities, Rumormill

The Stig, as we're all now aware, is portrayed by talented wheelman Ben Collins. Stiggie, like the three Top Gear presenters, is beloved by fans around the globe. It's hard to attend a motorsports event without someone claiming to be a fat relative of the white-suited power lap maestro. What would persuade Mr. Collins to give up his clandestine position behind the visor? According to The Daily Mail, it all comes down to money.

Ben Collins' company, Collins AutoSport, has reportedly racked up over $1.5 million dollars in losses over the last five years. He has a wife, three young kids and three other business ventures to support. The other members of Top Gear command handsome sums (rightfully so) and perhaps Collins felt he deserved a larger slice of the BBC cash cake. Removing the helmet allows him to cash in on what's sure to be a substantial number of opportunities. He recently received an advance of close to $400,000 to begin work on his autobiography and there's already talk of a Ben Collins TV Show.

Is breaking the trust of his Top Gear brethren worth the potential financial windfall? In the eyes of many fans, it might not be, yet we imagine Collins' autobiography will be a page-turner. To Collins and his family, however, this bold move might be the fast lap to fiscal freedom. Thanks for the tip, stecki!

[Source: The Daily Mail]

Why the Stig outed himself originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 04 Sep 2010 19:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

BBC loses court battle to block the Stig book

Zach Bowman — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 14:57:00 EST

Filed under: UK, Celebrities

The Stig has taken another step toward shrugging off the shackles of the BBC. As you may recall, Top Gear's tame racing driver recently locked horns with the Beeb after he made it clear he wanted to publish his memoirs. The show's producers found issue with text, saying that revealing his identity would not only be a disservice to the fans of the show, but that it would also violate the terms of his contract. Thing is, a judge has struck down the BBC's injunction to keep The Stig from publishing his book. That means publisher HarperCollins can move forward on bringing the book to life without fear of any further legal action from the BBC.

Interestingly enough, Ben Collins, the man who has long-been rumored to be the Stig, was spotted leaving the courthouse shortly after the ruling was issued. Collins was evasive when asked by reporters if he was the man in white, though we have a hard time thinking of any other reason why he would be at the hearing.

[Source: The Guardian]

BBC loses court battle to block the Stig book originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 14:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Some say he's Ben sacked! BBC reportedly fires The Stig

Frank Filipponio — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 09:25:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Etc., Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Celebrities, Rumormill

We saw this one coming; the BBC has apparently sacked The Stig. Britain's Daily Mirror tabloid reports that the Stig, a.k.a. Ben Collins, has been let go and that a new Stig has already replaced him on Top Gear. In fact, the Mirror says it already have pics of the new Stig at a Nürburgring track event, wearing the signature white coveralls and smoked visor helmet. How does the paper know it's not Collins in the photos? Simple: it had another photographer at Ben's house - 1,100 miles away - watching Collins play with his children at the same time.

The firing of the Stig comes a week after a battle erupted over Collins' autobiography, slated for release in September. Details about the Stig's true identity have been trickling out for some time, including the recent discovery that Collins Auto-Sport, a company owned and operated by Ben Collins, claimed income from "driving services for the BBC, mainly in the Top Gear programme."

Of course, this could still just be speculation, and TG may have hired another driver just for that one track event. If Collins has indeed been canned and the show follows form, a segment will be filmed showing the demise of the white Stig and the appearance of his replacement. At least that's what they did when the original black-clad Stig, Perry McCarthy, left the show. Wonder what colors the new Stig will fly...

[Source: The Daily Mirror]

Some say he's Ben sacked! BBC reportedly fires The Stig originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 29 Aug 2010 09:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Identity of the Stig revealed... again [spoiler alert, maybe]

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 13:28:00 EST

Filed under: UK, Celebrities

Is everything made by Aston Martin better than everything made by Ferrari? Is the Porsche 911 really nothing more than a glorified Volkswagen? Is a three-wheeled Reliant Robin the best possible choice as a replacement for the out-of-service space shuttle? And, finally, Who is the Stig?

These are the ongoing questions asked time and time again by fans of the hit British motoring show Top Gear. And, in the case of the Stig, that topic is also one of Google's most often searched queries. Interestingly enough, those in the know claim they've had the answer for quite some time.

If you don't want the elaborate ruse to be spoiled, stop reading now. Still with us? Okay, good. It's Ben Collins. Allegedly. In this particular case, though, the evidence seems almost indisputable since it comes from financial information obtained from Collins Autosport, Ben Collins' own company.

According to the paperwork, the former Formula Three racing driver had a big increase in pay in 2003, which just so happens to be the first year in which the White Stig took over for the recently deceased Black Stig. That income was reportedly from "driving services provided for the BBC, mainly in the Top Gear programme." So there you go. Mystery solved?

P.S. - Can we get that autobiography already, then?

[Source: Telegraph]

Identity of the Stig revealed... again [spoiler alert, maybe] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 23 Aug 2010 13:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Top Gear's Stig Revealed!

Dan Roth — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 09:27:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, UK, Celebrities

Fans of Top Gear might want to prepare themselves for another Stig death soon. When "Black Stig" Perry McCarthy revealed himself, Clarkson, Hammond and May offed him. Now, according to the UK's Telegraph, the "White Stig" has apparently ended the mystery, revealing himself as 33 year-old Ben Collins. Collins has raced professionally in everything from NASCAR to LeMans, and most recently served as Agent 007's double for sequences of Quantum of Solace that required fancy wheel work. It's been such a secret for so long, how did the veil of silence come to be broken? Collins himself apparently revealed his day job to the owner of an art gallery in Bristol, England when asking for help producing a limited-edition print of The Stig plying his trade.

A builder had also come across the famed white suit and gloves on display in a cabinet while doing work at Collins' home, and there has been conjecture in the past that Collins is The Stig. Now that the cat is out of the bag, we wonder if there's much wailing and gnashing of teeth in the halls of Top Gear's offices. Secret identity or no, Collins has proven himself as a fantastic driver as The Stig, and with this latest revelation, he potentially faces "The Sack" as they say in Merry Old.

No confirmation yet from Clarkson, Hammond or May on this revelation, and the only word out of Top Gear is that they "...never comment on speculation as to who or what The Stig is." Hmm. In any case, we are left to wonder... what color will a new Stig be? Red? Gold? Blue? Thanks for the tip, Richard!

[Source: Telegraph.co.uk]

Top Gear's Stig Revealed! originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 19 Jan 2009 09:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments