Quentin Wilson RIP

[Noel Tidybeard]

On 08/11/2025 at 20:59, sierraman said:

I thought he was older than 68 to be honest. 

well he had been known for clocking things! 🤣

[sierraman]

7 hours ago, Noel Tidybeard said:

well he had been known for clocking things! 🤣

I see what you did there… 😂

[comfortablynumb]

We met him at the classic car show at crystal palace, years ago, my boys were 8 and 5.

He took an amazing amount of time to chat to them, they'd both seen him.on TV, and he discussed the programmes with them very comfortably.

What really impressed me was when some other media types saw him and tried to interrupt with shouts of "Quentin, Quentin!!"  He calmly turned round and firmly said " IN A MINUTE, I'm talking to these lads at the moment!"

Stuck with me ever since 

RIP Quentin, it's a shame that many so called celebrities don't have that sort of consideration for their fans.

They've both still got autographed programmes from him.

[warren t claim]

Well, he convinced me as you all know.

[Burnside]

Sad to hear about Quentin passing. Like many here, old Top Gear was a big part of my TV viewing as a Kid. Always enjoyed his segment on 2nd hand cars & classics. 

I know of two people who have met him over the years. ( One at a BCA auction where he brought a 80's Merc SL and the other on Britain's Worst Driver) They only had good things to say, unlike the people who met Clarkson. 

[warren t claim]

 

[Pieman]

I posted this as a tribute in the Deadpool thread but it seems right to repost it here too - the closing credits music to "old" Top Gear from when I first watched it.  Hands up if like me you didn't know who this was by until recently!
 

Might go and rewatch Britain's Worst Driver again as well, both series are on YT (as is Canada's Worst Driver which Quentin sold the format to and it became one of Canada's most watched TV shows).

[warren t claim]

 

[comfortablynumb]

I do remember seeing him, clarkson and Tiff Needell at the motor show several years ago. Tiff and Jeremy had decided on the Saturday night that having a skinful was a great idea, whereas Quentin had apparently got an early night.

Watching the three of them on stage live, with two massive hangovers and Quentin gleefully relishing the control over them was one of the funniest things I've seen.

Wonder if anyone recorded it? It was long before the mobile phone era😁

[warren t claim]

 

[Lord Sterling]

Sad to hear of Quentin's passing.

Like many on here, he was part of my exposure to cars on TV. 68, especially in this day and age, is no age to be passing away.

I remember when he presented a show on the effects of drink and driving tired. He was one who went without sleep and ended up slightly cranky when trying to present. It was an interesting show.

[vtec-e]

4 hours ago, comfortablynumb said:

I do remember seeing him, clarkson and Tiff Needell at the motor show several years ago. Tiff and Jeremy had decided on the Saturday night that having a skinful was a great idea, whereas Quentin had apparently got an early night.

Watching the three of them on stage live, with two massive hangovers and Quentin gleefully relishing the control over them was one of the funniest things I've seen.

Wonder if anyone recorded it? It was long before the mobile phone era😁

I dont know if it was the same occasion, no doubt they often did the live show with hangovers, but it sounds like one time we saw the three of them. I also remember Clarkson uttering some words about Schumacher's driving skills after his coming together with Damon Hill....

It was sad to hear the news about Quentin whilst driving home from the Wyedean Rally.

[MantaGTE85]

"The Automatic Metro has got all the performance, and agility, of the Albert Memorial." 

[sheffcortinacentre]

Had a hilarious conversation with him re metros. Rip.

[1duck]

11 hours ago, comfortablynumb said:

I do remember seeing him, clarkson and Tiff Needell at the motor show several years ago. Tiff and Jeremy had decided on the Saturday night that having a skinful was a great idea, whereas Quentin had apparently got an early night.

 

😁

Tiff was the best of the three tbh, I thought Quentin had buggered off long before Tiff arrived shows how bad my memory is! I always used to think that the stig was just Tiff moonlighting tbh, as he was a proper race car driver so I could fully believe it.

[andrew e]

[lesapandre]

Easy now to forget how fresh Quentin's ascerbic approach to car reporting was when it first appeared. A new more critical type of auto-TV journalism - bit of a template for a lot of what has followed.

Here he is off to Europe looking a car pricing differences.

Wonder if there is significant price difference these days?  Quentin would probably know how to 'bag a bargain'  - if we could ask him. RIP

[Aitchbee]

On 08/11/2025 at 21:54, Mr Livered said:

A car enthusiast through and through, his children are called Mercedes, Max and Mini.

It's very much true, I believe. Here he is with little Mini at Gaydon a while back. 

Should have got him a T-shirt saying 'My name is Quentin... yes reallly!!!'