James May's Cars of the People

2014
James May's Cars of the People

Seasons & Episodes

  • 2
  • 1

EP1 Episode 1 Jan 24, 2016

James reveals the cars that turned post-war Germany and Japan into motoring powerhouses at the expense of Britain and the US. On his travels he encounters classic E-Types, Mustangs and the German and Japanese upstarts that were to conquer the world. He also has an unfortunate encounter with an Austin Allegro - the car that helped destroy the British car industry.

EP2 Episode 2 Jan 31, 2016

James May goes off-road to tell the story of how the 4x4 conquered the world. From the wartime jeep to the global struggle between Land Rover and Land Cruiser, the white-knuckle world of rallying and boy racers, plus James conquers Mount Fuji and races through the sun-scorched Mojave Desert to decide which is the ultimate people's 4x4.

EP3 Episode 3 Feb 07, 2016

James explores the wilder shores of motoring to discover what happened to the cars of the future that we were promised. From improbable steam cars and ludicrous jet turbines, he reveals how the petrol engine and the power it gave us came to dominate the 20th century. He takes to the waves in an amphibious car, risks his life at the wheel of a notorious electric scooter and takes a hair-raising trip in the fastest driver-less car on earth.
8.4| 0h30m| en| More Info
Released: 10 August 2014 Ended
Producted By: BBC
Country: United Kingdom
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
Official Website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0467lbh
Synopsis

James May takes a look at the 'peoples car'. Covering every form of cars for the masses - from the Beetle to the Kei Car, May looks at the many forms of people's car, their origins and their effect on history. Each episode covers a particular theme; these being cars from dictatorships, microcars and the dream cars we aspire to.

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Cast

James May

Director

Producted By

BBC

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Reviews

williewhyte What were they thinking about when they destroyed 2 classic cars with firearms ? A citreon 2cv and a Renault 4. A pointless exercise just to prove both were useless for military use. We should be saving our classics. James May, you are a numpty......
Prismark10 This series is in effect a spin off from Top Gear where James May looks at the concept of the 'peoples car' that is cars that the were made for the masses and popularised motoring.In the first series May travels the world from Germany, Italy, France, Japan, USA and the UK. The first episode looks at how dictatorships used policy to get motoring to the masses with Hitler's influence with the Beetle, the East Germans and the Trabant and Russia with the Fiat based Lada car.The second episode focused on the micro car concept something that was popular in Britain for a brief period in the late 1950s and early 1960s but very popular in Japan.The third episode looked into prestige cars, company cars and the concept that car badges could be used to display social status. Although I am not sure a Rolls Royce can really be classed as a 'People's Car.'Each episode usually contains several of the trademarked Top Gear style daft challenges such as micro cars racing to deliver noodles to a Honda executive, two sales reps racing popular company cars while shaving and using a trouser press. It is fun but does not add much to the programme and frankly looked like padding.James May who avoids the prattishness and faux controversy of Clarkson does come across as knowledgeable, amiable and enthusiastic in what was an enjoyable documentary series.