Top Gear in 2005

Top Gear Magazine in 2005

Clarkson in 2005: "All new drivers should have a big crash as soon as possible after passing their test. The aftershock of such an event will act as a giant psychological traction control system until full maturity is reached. In men, this is around 45 years later.''

TopGear Car of The Year: Bugatti Veyron

"There'll never be another one like this. Like there will never be another Concorde. The Veyron and the plane stick two fingers up to physics and economics and ecology. We had to mark it this year, because we will never get the chance again." PH

Three cars from 2005

Range Rover Sport

"On-road, it is awesome. Off-road, it's a Land Rover. On all surfaces, it's a Range Rover. That's got to be pretty compelling, hasn't it? Unless you want an SUV purely for the pose, the Range Rover Sport is the one to go for. It's the same old argument; it can do 90 per cent of what the opposition can do, but the opposition can only do half of what the Land Rover can. Against the X5 and Cayenne, it's the best looking, the best off-road, the best equipped, the most luxurious to be in and it's the one with the wow factor. And it's a Range Rover, a marker of a particularly compelling brand of luxury." May 2005

Pagani Zonda F

"Let's think about this logically. One quietly-spoken Argentinean has set up shop in Modena and, with approximately 30 local artisans, built a car to challenge and in some ways beat a Porsche Carrera GT? Well yes, actually. But whatever you do, don't go calling the Zonda F a ‘racer for the road', because though its abilities are that good, its manners are a league-and-a-half better. It's absolutely on your side. The price, obviously, is somewhat preposterous, but be in no doubt that the lucky buyers of the Zonda F get what they pay for. This is a hurricane of a car, but we mortals can control it." October 2005

Aston Martin V8 Vantage

"If there was no such thing as badges, if all cars came from the same company with the same pedigree and the same history, would I buy a Vantage or a 911? You might not like the answer to that one. I know I don't. But happily, cars do have badges and the companies behind those badges do have pedigrees and history. Here, then, is my conclusion. In a Porsche 911 you're going to have a very good time actually driving the thing, but everyone is going to hate you. In the Vantage, everyone's going to want your babies." October 2005

The best-selling car of 2005: Ford Focus

The best-selling song of 2005: (Is This The way To) Amarillo - Tony Christie

And elsewhere in the world in 2005: Pope John Paul II dies - four million people flock to the Vatican to mourn; the International Olymic Committee awards the 2012 games to London; and YouTube is launched by three former PayPal employees.