The British version of the mega-successful Top Gear is known for its elaborate stunts and incredibly high production values. While spin-offs such as Top Gear USA and Top Gear Korea don’t have quite the bankroll that the original does, they still do what they can to up the thrill quotient with (occasionally risky) driving challenges.
A recent episode of Top Gear Korea had host Kim Jin Pyo racing an AH1 Cobra gunship in a Corvette ZR1. We’ve seen this kind of stunt countless times on Top Gear, and it generally ends with the car losing to the military helicopter / tank / drone / jet fighter. This time, however, it appeared that Pyo crossed the finish line before the helicopter. While our Korean language skills are a bit lacking, that certainly sounds like a celebratory cheer from the Top Gear host.
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And then, suddenly, things go very, very wrong. As the pilot of the AH1 Cobra executes a turn, his aircraft suddenly loses altitude and impacts the ground at a high rate of speed, disturbingly close to a camera car. If there’s good news, it’s this: no one, including the pilot, was seriously injured in the crash.
Sure, Top Gear in all of its forms is scripted, with the outcome of most stunts and segments pre-ordained. The really dangerous driving is left to experts, since hosts like Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May are too indispensable to the series. As this video shows, however, reducing the risks associated with filming isn’t the same thing as eliminating them.
Kurt Ernst has been passionate about automobiles and driving nearly his entire life. His early years were shaped working in the family service station, though his real passion was auto racing. After graduating from the University of Colorado, Kurt spent a year club racing with the Sports Car Club of America, before focusing on a business career in marketing and project management. Later, his passion for writing and the automotive hobby found him freelancing for a variety of automotive news sites, including Automotive Addicts and Motor Authority, where his work was syndicated and appeared in several national publications. Recognized as an expert in the automotive field, Kurt joined Hemmings Motor News as an Associate Editor in 2013, and in the years since has progressed to Editor, Hemmings Daily; Managing Editor for Hemmings Motor News, Hemmings Classic Car, Hemmings Muscle Machines, and the Hemmings Daily; and now, Managing Editor, Hemmings Auctions. Kurt was instrumental in organizing the Hemmings Motor News Concours d’Elegance from 2013-2019, and has served as a judge at this event and The Vintage Racing Stable Concours d’Elegance. A Skip Barber Racing School graduate and prolific writer, Ernst is also skilled in copyediting, project management, brand development, and public relations.
