Rowan Atkinson is apparently lucky to be alive after he smashed up his McLaren F1 .
He crashed the £650,000 car, which is capable of 230 mph top speed, when he lost control, spun it several times and smashed into a tree and then a lamppost.
The car then burst into flames.
Mr Atkinson got himself out of the car and was looked after by another motorist. Firefighters put out the blaze and “Blackadder” was taken to hospital with a shoulder injury... and a nightmare insurance problem.
He is a car fanatic and owns a collection of vintage cars. He is also a speed fan, and won a “Top Gear” competition to be the fastest “celebrity” in a programme which was being rescreened at about the time of the accident. He bought this car to celebrate the success (ie vast income) of his Mr Bean film. But maybe the power of the car is too much for even his driving abilities. In 1999 he wrecked the front of it by driving it into the back of a Rover Metro!
People in show business always have difficulty getting car insurance. For some reason they are considered high risks. I’d imagine Mr Atkinson’s insurance premium is going to be sky high after this.
I wonder if that means a new series of Blackadder is on the cards?
So he wrecked the front of the Rover Metro by running into the back of it did he? He he!
ReplyDeleteBilly
Ach Billy, where would I be without my trusty proof reader?
ReplyDeleteThanks. It makes a bit more sense now, I hope.
:¬)
Rowan should stick to minis then as he seems to struggle to keep these bigger more powerful cars on the road.
ReplyDeleteI prefer the original classic mini anyway. Would like another one especially a Cooper with leather and wood interior but back problems means I could not drive one now anyway.
Billy
I think it's rather extravagant to have a £650,000 car, and he's only a little fella. A mini would suit him.
ReplyDeleteAh a mini pre BMW. Didn't they make all sorts?
Morris Mini, Baby Austin, Riley Elf and Wolseley Hornet...
Minor man me. Mr bean as chancellor lets have an e petition.
ReplyDeleteHow many names to have it discussed in their parliament?
ReplyDeleteMinors are cool, specially the ones with wood...shooting breaks I think they were called.
I drove one; they were a bit hard to keep steady on the road, although in fairness, it was rather old.
Didn't they used to use them for the post office?
Or should that be shooting brakes?
ReplyDeleteThey used the Minor vans and also the Mini vans in the Post Office and all the other utility companies plus loads of other private companies. The Minors with wood were called Countryman the same as the Mini estates with wood.
ReplyDeleteBilly
Thanks, Billy...
ReplyDeleteOOps got it wrong Tris - The Morris versions of the mini were Travellers the same as the Minor. It was the Austins that were Countryman.
ReplyDeleteBilly
Did Riley and Wolesley not to "countryman" version, Billy?
ReplyDeleteThere was a Riley Elf and Wolseley Hornet. All just badge engineering of course with the Austins built at the old Austin works at Longbridge now the Chinese MG works and LDV vans whilst the Morris versions were built at the old Morris works at Cowley now the BMW MINI works. I presume the Riley and Wolseley versions were made at one of these works as they were fewer of these made.
ReplyDeleteBilly
Tris....What's a "Minor"? What's a "shooting brake"? I don't understand this at all. Of course I don't actually speak "English." Although I do know that brakes occasionally break.
ReplyDeleteAre there really cars that cost almost a million dollars?
Morris Minor Owners Club
ReplyDeleteBought my first one for £45.
British Woodies aka shooting brake.
ReplyDeleteThanks CH. The Minor looks like a nice sensible car. In the US, we have the "station wagon" with provision for cargo aft of the front seat and a folding rear gate. And I recall hearing that they used to have bodies made largely of wood.....and are called "woodies." I'd never heard of the term "shooting brake" though. Munguin's Republic is very educational.
ReplyDeleteBilly/CH/Danny
ReplyDeleteI found this page on Wiki.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mini
Danny, when you guys were going around in massive cars like the Plymouth where you could have a dinner party on the hood (on bonnet as we call it ...interestingly both names of head wear for humans), your poor cousins across the pond were driving around in these minis.
I guess the exorbitant price of petrol or gas in Scotland as compared to America might be the reason... and the fact that our little roads are narrow compared to the massive ones you guys have.
I suppose the advantage of them was that they were cheap to buy (CH bought one for £45), cheap to run (good mpg) and easy to park. The Germans had Volkswagens (people's cars) and the French predictably had the 2 CV. (The French build the ugliest cars in the world...sometimes with a certain cuteness built in.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEBNVF9ls9w
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volkswagen
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2CV
Of course you don't speak English, Danny. Neither do we Scots, although because we hear it every day on the BBC, we do pick up a reasonable level of competence in it after a few years!
I think a shooting brake was something the rich used when they went out killing animals for fun. The loaded the results of their day's "sport" into the back through doors that opened, rather than a boot (trunk) lid.
I hope that we've answered all you questions Danny. After all, as you say MR is very educational. It's in the way to being a second Wikipedia.
;¬)
PS. I dunno if Mr Bean or Blackadder made it into the States, Danny. Rowan Atkinson is creator and actor of both characters
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr_Bean
(interestingly Mr Bean has a Mini.)
You would love Blackadder. It is a mickey take of various periods in history through they eyes of this Blackadder character.
Over 4 series set respectively in 1485, the 1560s, regency England, and 1919 they take a pop at the Middle Ages, the Elizabethan Court, the Prince Regent's court and the First World War, to hilarious effect.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackadder
Try this one and see if you can get it in the USA.
Anyway, both these programmes were very well received in the UK and made Atkinson a lot of money...hence the million dollar car... which of course is now in the garage awaiting repairs, rendering it a lot less useful than my much more modest vehicle! Which just goes to show...
Tris....I have the automobile nomenclature sorted out now. Thanks. I always check out MunRep before I go to Wiki. ;-) I think that Blackadder made it to our Public Television (where quality BBC programming goes to die here in the states...LOL). I usually watch such things, but managed to miss Blackadder I guess. I know the DVDs of the series are sold here, and maybe it's still running on cable TV. I'll have to take a look.
ReplyDeleteI always watched the reruns of "Are You Being Served." My kinda television. ;-)
All these old comedy shows from the BBC are pretty good. They turn up here too, from time to time, on various channels.
ReplyDeleteI guess so many of them are just exaggerations of situations witnessed by the writers in their youth.
Dad's Army and Hi de hi, It Ain't Half Hot, Are You Being Served? all seem to have that air of fantasy cobbled onto a base of reality. Just the way things are/were in England.
I'm not a tv fan myself, but with a few exceptions, I only ever seem to watch these old shows.
I've got every copy of Miniworld magazine from the last 15 or so years and Mini magazine from the last 10 years or so until last August 2010 that I am going to sell because I couldn't drive a Mini now anyway.
ReplyDeleteThe original Classic Mini is one of the biggest cult cars all over the world now - these magazines are sold all over the world as well and the new MINI is just selling off of the history of the original one. The new one is just another modern supermini hatchback with Peugeot engines.
There is nothing to beat a Classic Mini for FUN driving. They are even putting the likes of Honda 2.0 ltr Type R engines in them now for even more fun.
Billy
Wow, you should make something on ebay with these.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to drive one with a Honda 2ltre engine...must be awesome fast.
What a car he had? But obviously he can another with no doubt and sweat.
ReplyDelete