20 years of Jeremy Clarkson: Homepage

Since 1993 readers of The Sunday Times have been entertained by Jeremy Clarkson’s obscure car knowledge, outrageous views and extraordinary similes. To mark 20 years of columns on Clarkson’s clock, Driving has rooted through the archives to find the very best of Britain’s very best motoring journalist.

What cars does Clarkson actually drive?

If you want to know what cars a motoring writer really rates, look in their garage. Here are the cars Jeremy has owned since he started writing for The Sunday Times in 1993.

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Clarkson’s rear-view mirror

'The 1993 model was a terrible thing. And that’s just my hair.’ A lot has happened in the last twenty years, but for Clarkson it has been the blink of an eye.

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Jezza gets a job

In 1993 Jeremy Clarkson wasn’t so much the world’s biggest motoring journalist as the world’s biggest hairstyle. Fresh-faced and in trademark jeans, Clarkson set out on his first Sunday Times assignment — behind the wheel of an Aston Martin.

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His first, our favourite

To mark this milestone, Clarkson has chosen a review from each of his 20 years with Driving. First, here's his inaugural car review for Driving as well as our favourite, a dispatch from the far side of 200mph that’s as fresh as the day it was written in 2005

Reviews and columns - the early days

Clarkson’s favourite articles from his early days at the paper. Read his report from the first Goodwood Festival of Speed and wonder how he avoids sniggering at the name of the Ford Probe

Winning Formula
Clarkson at the first ever Goodwood Festival of Speed
July 27, 1993

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A trick of memory
Ford Probe review
February 6, 1994

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Best car in the world (at this moment in time)
Jaguar XJR review
February 19, 1995

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Motorway ballet - but never on a Sunday
Clarkson on the danger lurking in the outside lane
April 21, 1996

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Herr Fishtrousers builds a better Rover
Land Rover Freelander review
November 2, 1997

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Wow, this has to be one fantastic bus
Clarkson examines John Prescott's fantastical dream for Britain
July 26, 1998

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Gruesome revenge of the beast
Toyota Land Cruiser Amazon review
July 11, 1999

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Slow down, boys, and drive women wild
Clarkson reckons driving too fast is a massive turn off
July 23, 2000

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Look out bunnies, this one's got you in its sights
Renaultsport Clio V6 review
March 18, 2001

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The Reed Warbler - more interesting than a Vectra
Vauxhall Vectra review
February 24, 2002

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It’s big, thirsty, slow and American - but love is strange
Hummer H2 review
January 12, 2003

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Her name is Rio and she... well, you really don’t want to know
Kia Rio LX review
February 15, 2004

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Sorry, Ford, I have to ask for my money back
Ford GT review
July 3, 2005

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For once, I’d recommend the slower version
Audi TT V6 quattro review
November 26, 2006

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The top and bottom five cars

The highs and the lows of 20 years of reviews. Here are the cars that Clarkson didn’t want to give back, and those that he wanted to drive straight to the crusher.

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Get your L-plates on

We sent Clarkson to take the new, harder driving test in 1999. Surely a breeze for him — even behind the wheel of his Ferrari 355?

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Reviews and columns - recently rated

The best of Clarkson from 2007 to 2010, including the day that Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz visited Top Gear. Plus the Lamborghini Murcielago.

Trying sooo hard not to be a hatchback
Nissan Qashqai
April 29, 2007

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Lather up all you sponge lovers
Renault Laguna Sport Tourer
March 16, 2008

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It's like riding a volcano - please don't change it
Lamborghini Murciélago
July 5, 2009

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Hey, good-looking, you make my tummy go funny
Saab 9-5 Aero
July 25, 2010

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Botox and a bikini wax and I'm ready to roll
Jensen Interceptor S
April 17, 2011

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The nip and tuck doesn't fool anyone, Grandma
Jaguar XKR-S
August 12, 2012

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The Clarkson effect

He’s been blamed for the collapse of the British car industry and a surge in speeding drivers. How much influence does Jeremy really have?

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The wit and wisdom of Jeremy Clarkson

A selection of the best collated quotes from the famously outspoken Clarkson.

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The best Clarkson letters

Whatever Clarkson writes, it attracts sackloads of letters. Many readers love him. Others vow to kill him. Here's a selection of the best correspondence we've received.

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The Clarkson factfile

Born
April 11, 1960, Doncaster.

Educated
Repton School, where he met Andy Wilman, Top Gear’s producer, before being expelled. At Repton new boys were known as Stig.

Honorary degrees
2003 Doctor of Brunel University after backing Isambard Kingdom Brunel in the BBC Great Britons competition.
2005 Doctor of engineering, Oxford Brookes University.

Lives
Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire, with his wife, Francie, and three children.

Drives
Range Rover, preferably.

Early career
1978 Joined the Rotherham Advertiser as a junior reporter but left after becoming fed up with reporting on pony club meetings. Moved to London and worked as a salesman for the Paddington Bear toys made by his parents’ company.

Journalism
1983 Set up the Motoring Press Agency with fellow journalist Jonathan Gill, selling test drives and features to local papers.
1985-93 Columnist for Performance Car magazine.
1993 to now Columnist for The Sunday Times.
1996 to now Columnist for The Sun.

Television
1988-99 Chosen as a new presenter of BBC Top Gear after a casting session, Clarkson rapidly became the star of the show but left after 11 years.
1995-2004 Presented BBC documentaries including Extreme Machines and Speed.
1998-2000 The star of his own chat show, Clarkson.
2002 to now Returned to Top Gear as the lead presenter in its new format.

Career high
Bringing Top Gear back from the dead in 2002, developing it into a show that is watched by 350m people in 170 countries.

Career low
Road-testing the Toyota Corolla.