Date: Sun, 30 Jan 2000 20:37:28 +0000
From: "Giles" <cnocbui@xxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [OM] OT RR car + Merlin
Giles wrote:
>> Perhaps this car is the basis for a tale I always took for an urban
>> legend.
>>
>> A gentleman was cruising on the continent at high speed in his
>> Mercedes and noticed in his rear view mirror a speck getting rapidly
>> larger. Just before it went past at an obscene speed he caught a glimpse
>> of a distinctive RR grill in front of a very long bonet. He pulled over
>> at the next phone box and had a very frustrating time trying to order
one.
This car - known as The Beast - did (and still does) exist, and was featured
on the UK motoring programme "Top Gear" in the last year or so. The story
above was also mentioned, along with the fact that RR took the builder/owner
of the Beast to court to stop him using the Silver Shadow (I think) grille
and the Rolls-Royce insignia.
The police testimony when they did him for speeding has also passed into
motoring legend, of the form:
"You Honour, I observed the said vehicle speeding northwards along the M1
and gave chase. The said vehicle then proceeded to vanish into the
distance."
Contrary to myth, however, the Beast's Merlin engine didn't come from
a Spitfire. I'm not sure what the donor aircraft was, though, the programme
didn't say.
-Brian
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