JAMES MAY’S 10 COOLEST CARS

Known for Top Gear and The Grand Tour, it comes as no surprise that James May, also known as Captain Slow, owns a nice range of cars himself. For two decades, he has tested and reviewed numerous cars for both programs and had an obvious preference for luxury cars, next to Richard Hammond and Jeremy Clarkson. He doesn't speak much about his cars, so it took some proper research but without further ado; here are the ten most spectacular cars that James owns.

May’s garage is anything but boring; from luxury sedans to Italian racing cars, he has stocked up on some interesting cars.

Known for Top Gear and The Grand Tour, it comes as no surprise that James May, also known as Captain Slow, owns a nice range of cars himself. For two decades, he has tested and reviewed numerous cars for both programs and had an obvious preference for luxury cars, next to Richard Hammond and Jeremy Clarkson. He doesn't speak much about his cars, so it took some proper research but without further ado; here are the ten most spectacular cars that James owns.

Vauxhall Cavalier Mk1
Let’s start off this list with May’s very first car: a 1978 Vauxhall Cavalier Mk1. The Vauxhall was a modest beginning of his motoring adventure, years before he owned a Ferrari. According to his own description, the car had stolen wheel covers and a rear door of another colour, making this car a truly unique one.

Alfa Romeo 164
Back in the day, when May was working a ‘normal’ office job, he had his loyal Alfa Romeo 164 to commute back and forth daily. The classic, a luxurious saloon, was produced by Biscione from 1987 to 1997. He loved it so much, that on an episode of Top Gear, he bought an Alfa Romeo with the 3.0-litre V6 for a mere £1,000.

Mini 1275 GT
Rumour has it, James May bought a Mini whilst being drunk. Decorated with a chequered roof and mounted headlights on the front bumper, the 1275 GT Special looked even more like a toy rather than a real car.

Ferrari F430
In the first few years of Top Gear, May used to mention his dream of owning a Ferrari every now and then on the show, and so he was very happy to get his hands on a brand new F430. It was named ‘Magic’ because of its speed combined with great power and driving comfort. Later he got another Ferrari; the 458 Speciale.

Ferrari 458 Speciale
James May suits his nickname ‘Captain Slow’ because of many reasons, one of which being his indecisiveness. When the Ferrari 458 Speciale came out, he waited and thought about it for so long, that when he finally decided he wanted one, the availability ended. Fortunately, the dealership still had one for him to buy.

Fiat Panda
This might be the best car on the list, as the Fiat Panda is a precious car for May. Apparently he loves a Fiat Panda as much, if not more, than the Ferraris or Porsches in his garage. He drove it religiously for many years, but in 2014 the little Fiat let out his last breath.

BMW i3
The task of replacing his beloved Fiat Panda wasn’t easy, but May eventually settled for a BMW i3. He was the electric cars ambassador amongst the trio at Top Gear, and he kept true to his word when he purchased the electric BMW i3 to be his new everyday car.

Porsche 911 (1984)
There is only one car that beats the Fiat Panda, and that is a Porsche 911 from 1984. May has owned several Porsches, but the classic air-cooled 911 Carrera from 1984 is by far his favourite. He has repeatedly stated that the Porsche was “the best car I’ve ever bought”.

Rolls Royce Phantom
As one of the most luxurious cars ever made, the Rolls Royce Phantom was high up on James May’s bucket list. Apparently May likes to take this smooth luxury Rolls Royce with twin-turbo V12 with 563 bhp out of his garage to pick friends up from the airport.

Saab 9-5 Aero
The Saab 9-5 Aero has been a rival to German luxury saloons like the Mercedes E-Class, BMW 5 Series and the Audi A6. With a turbocharged 260-bhp engine, the Aero was the most powerful version, yet it was quite practical too.

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