Vauxhall Motors is taking bids on the Vauxhall Astra used in Top Gear as their ‘Reasonably Priced Car’. Its celebrity drivers include big-name singers and comedians, and it’s even fitted with some accessories not normally found in a family hatchback.
But, there is just one hitch. The lucky winner of the online auction probably won’t be able to drive the car on the road, as it has had its airbags disabled.
Yes, because the track-prepped Astra is fitted with Corbeau Sprint racing bucket seats, five-point safety harnesses and a roll cage to protect its star-studded driver in the event of a major trip off the track and into the weeds, Vauxhall states that these would have to be removed and putting the vehicle back on the road “would incur significant cost”.
While that may rule out some potential owners, we have a feeling there will still be lots of interested parties. After all, how many people can say their Astra has been driven by Brian Johnson, Joss Stone, Olly Murs, Ron Howard, Margot Robbie, Jimmy Carr and Warwick Davis, or been viewed by an estimated audience of 350 million Top Gear fans?
Not only that, but all money raised is going to the charity BEN, which supports those in the automotive industry in times of difficulty, with information, advice and support services.
The ‘Power Red’ five-door Astra is a 1.6-litre petrol with 115bhp in the Tech Line trim level, with 17-inch alloy wheels. It comes with a seven-inch sat-nav screen – surely in case you get lost amongst the cones at Dunsfold’s Top Gear test track – an all-important leather sports steering wheel, trip computer, USB connection and iPod control for the Stig’s favourite tunes and six speakers to blast them out of.
With just 2,908 miles on the clock, the Astra is pretty much a new car. We say ‘pretty much’ because, of course, all of those were at the hands of some quite ham-fisted celebrities driving as if their house was on fire.
