Due to editorial rules, a Top Gear-branded GPS using Jeremy Clarkson’s voice will be withdrawn:
The BBC’s commercial arm, BBC Worldwide, will now will now donate all proceeds from the sales to Children In Need to bypass rules that prevent the show’s presenters endorsing motoring products.
The Top Gear satnav features Clarkson giving instructions in typically sardonic style — amusing for Top Gear fans, no doubt, but it may begin to grate on the 100th journey.
“Keep left — if you’re not sure which side left is you really shouldn’t be on the road,” he tells drivers.
“After 700 yards, assuming this car can make it that far, you have reached your destination, with the aid of 32 satellites and me — well done.”
The corporation’s commercial arm, BBC Worldwide, said no more of the Top Gear satnavs, made by TomTom, would be produced.
A plan to allow existing TomTom owners to download Clarkson’s voice to update their models has now been dropped.
Given how many people have complained about the default voices provided with their GPS units, I can see why adding Jeremy Clarkson’s dulcet tones to the mix could hardly have made the situation any worse.
They were going to use Hammond’s voice, but for some odd reason, all of the cars with test units crashed, caught fire, and exploded.
They gave up on the James May voice pretty early, since they couldn’t get the cars out of the parking lot.
Comment by cirby — October 13, 2011 @ 11:28
Ouch. Got up on the snarky side of the bed today, did we?
I figured the Clarkson-voiced GPS units were assumed to be a short-cycle item: about the seventh time he insulted you for failing to follow his directions correctly, the GPS would have been hurled out the window into traffic, requiring a new unit to be purchased. Built-in profit margin.
Comment by Nicholas — October 13, 2011 @ 11:33
Even better:
http://www.collectedcurios.com/sequentialart.php?s=532
Comment by cirby — October 13, 2011 @ 20:46
I’d use it.
But I mostly use GPS on long drives, for a prod when I’m coming up on interchanges, and to get me through places like Kansas City and D.C.. GPS can tell me the turns, I can concentrate on avoiding the maniacs in the other cars.
Comment by Brian Dunbar — October 14, 2011 @ 14:00