It´s amusing to note that when Mythbusters tackled this they went to the trouble of making the "ground" car radio-controlled & using a second "chase" heli to drive the rc car while the Brits just stuck Richard behind the wheel...
@oshsimp It can only reach a maximum speed of 125MPH. The porche could travel a long the ground faster than it could fall. But this race all came down to acceleration, which due to a gritty surface the beetle won. It seems like it was falling forever because we seem to have an assumption that things fall at the speed of light lol.
What's the hatred towards to Beetle? they were the most mass produced car ever, numbering millions, sold worldwide, they're instantly recognised the world over, they're cherished & loved and have huge following & they were very common & affordable; and they're also iconic and have charm & character. That's saying something. What has that 911 got? well, apart from its 100k price tag & a speed you'll never achieve legally, (& who's got 100k?) that's about it. Modern Porsche's all look the same.
They're not that rare. There's about 5 for sale around here at the moment. All for ridiculous prices, because they had to be restored, but they're here.
Both companies were made by Ferdinand Porsche. Porsche was founded in 1931 while VW was founded in 1937. With shares and stuff though VW does own Porsche as of July 2012. That wasn't the case 7 months ago though when I posted that comment.
Wasnt really fair on the Porsche having to cope with the frictional force of the surface of the path while the air resistance for the beetle was obviously a lot lower in comparison to the friction
I havn't seen anything so graphic since Herbie was dumped off a cruise ship. It is a shame that they have such hatred for a car that was very much a part of Porsche's own beginnings.
If i had the choise beings stuck out there between the beetle and the porsche ... id take the beetle. No doubt about it! Its a pre-porsche after all and reliable like ... whell ... like a volkswagen ...
Ok, so what a car company should do, is drop a vw beetle from 1 mile in the air, take the shape of the body, give it a new engine and some new wheels and boom! Instant super car
Why are everyone here making the loss a late version Beetle seem like a terrible tragedy? Just wanted to remind you that there was made 21.5 million examples of it, and there are a lot worse things that could happen in the world. (I usually don't like when an old car is destroyed, but is it really nessecary to wish death upon the Top Gear team because of this?)
I have a feeling the VW Beetle Owners Club won't be pleased after this Beetle's toast, but I have a feeling they're a little bit pleased after beating a Porsche...
1:26 Is that the Song used in the Lamborghini Aventador Trailer??Cause if it is...before the race began i was thinking why didn't TopGear just raced the beetle with the Aventador...wierd...
Let's see. The beetle accelerates at 1G until it reaches it's terminal velocity which might be something like 250mph and then continues at 250mph until it reaches it's end. The result was inevitable. Sometimes I get sad when I watch the needless destruction of things. Especially things that are becoming more rare as time progresses.
From Quora..
"What are some good examples of situations where smart people should play dumb?" Niklas Goeke's answer.. worth it.
Ashish hah, from the same place my man.
Ashish same same 😂😂😂
me too
lol first quora reference on TH-cam
Qasim Ahmed haha me too 😂😂
It´s amusing to note that when Mythbusters tackled this they went to the trouble of making the "ground" car radio-controlled & using a second "chase" heli to drive the rc car while the Brits just stuck Richard behind the wheel...
Del350K4 😂😂😂😂
I'm mostly amazed at how the beetle landed right side up. Impressive...
my beetles always land right side up!
Should be able to drive it away then... (!)
Yes. Looks surprisingly intact from such a fall.
That was a good bug yall destroyed smh Its the year 2019 and Those classic pieces are extremely hard to come by these days.
i like the millipeed camera angle
when the beetle hits the ground it turns into a porche
What a waist of a perfectly good beetle.:'(
Yeah, it's so wide. She must work out a lot with a waist like that.
+NightBot Ban your not funny, it was a waste.
Jacob Kellyson Tell me I'm funny please. I have low self-esteem.
I feel no pain at the loss of another one of Hitler's creations.
I know....:((
that tortured sound in the background when the easel falls over
The beetle is the porches' ancestor and deserves some respect.
YES! this was spectacular! I think the photography in the Top Gear episode is one of the best on TV. The HD slow-mo scenes are incredible!
this is how real men do this experiment. unlike mythbusters who had to use five bazillion robots and cameras and math stuff
do this again whit a veyron in a 2 mile race
Easy win for the Veyron
@@dielegende9141 he means drop the veyron
@txa1562 although yes, Porsche was founded first, the first car to bear the name Porsche was made in 1939,
a whole year after the beetle.
beetle vs beetle, nice
The bug had an awesome body outline afterward. A car should be created now, inspired by that. XD
WOW! the beetle after the drop looks like the 911, so that`s how they styled it...
4:07 Letting go of the wheel at 140, that's gotta be the bravest hamster....in the wuuuurld
"Not the beetle" lol
@oshsimp It can only reach a maximum speed of 125MPH. The porche could travel a long the ground faster than it could fall. But this race all came down to acceleration, which due to a gritty surface the beetle won. It seems like it was falling forever because we seem to have an assumption that things fall at the speed of light lol.
Lol I just saw it a minute ago on TV... And I rofl'd when I saw the Beetle getting a lift by a chopper! :D
what a lovely slow-motion camera. . .
I love it when people up-vote spoilers
He was driving at 145mph on that surface with one hand on the wheel?
Poor Beetle. They could've given it to me instead.
Stig was driving the Beetle, thus the victory.
What's the hatred towards to Beetle? they were the most mass produced car ever, numbering millions, sold worldwide, they're instantly recognised the world over, they're cherished & loved and have huge following & they were very common & affordable; and they're also iconic and have charm & character. That's saying something. What has that 911 got? well, apart from its 100k price tag & a speed you'll never achieve legally, (& who's got 100k?) that's about it. Modern Porsche's all look the same.
You should have dropped the porsche!
Danjovic yup!
Lmao you crazy
Y a Beetle?
A Prius or a Lada next time!
R.I.P Beetle(((
They're not that rare. There's about 5 for sale around here at the moment. All for ridiculous prices, because they had to be restored, but they're here.
beetle vs beetle
the beetle is basically a former 911, both are rear engine rear wheel drive and both have boxers and many other similarities.
I like the millipede at 3:52 :D
Both companies were made by Ferdinand Porsche. Porsche was founded in 1931 while VW was founded in 1937. With shares and stuff though VW does own Porsche as of July 2012. That wasn't the case 7 months ago though when I posted that comment.
Now we need a race between the VW Beatle dropped from a helicopter and the Ford F150 dropped from an airplane.
Top Gear, you're done. Disrespectful not only to a beetle but many more.
Thumbs up if you noticed Richard saying "HELLO" on the radio.
Wasnt really fair on the Porsche having to cope with the frictional force of the surface of the path while the air resistance for the beetle was obviously a lot lower in comparison to the friction
2:30 Best moment
4:00 best part in this video ;)
I havn't seen anything so graphic since Herbie was dumped off a cruise ship. It is a shame that they have such hatred for a car that was very much a part of Porsche's own beginnings.
If you had watched Mythbusters, you would have known!
hahaha, thats the fastest a stock beetle has ever gone
beetles allways land on their weels XD
@fsch91 acceleration is greater but, as he said, its top speed is round 125 mph because of wind resistance
What is it that Top Gear have against the Beetle? I know which car I'd rather see dropped from a helicopter.
...I saw that episode on TV today. Had it only been smth. else than a bug! Still Top Gear is the best!
Cue "Lost but Won" soundtrack from Rush
Can you imagine if the could start it up and just drive the VW away? :) What a sales pitch!
poor little beetle, it did nothing to hurt you...
This video was such a joke i didn't know if i needed to laugh or stay serious.
ONE WORD: FUN!
That was a long 37 seconds!
Christopher Nolan would never
If you limited a Bugatti to 125mph would it win cause it is 4WD I think I probably beat the gravity to 125mph im not sure ;P
I want to take up this challenge using my Ducati 1198s but I want a nice surface. I reckon I'd win this race quite easily.
You mean VW owns Porsche. As of July 2012, Volkswagen AG took 100% control of Porsche, becoming its parent company at the beginning of August...
Poor VW Beetle...
I think I know where you think I think I know this is going LOL
The Beetle had a South African number plate
If i had the choise beings stuck out there between the beetle and the porsche ... id take the beetle. No doubt about it! Its a pre-porsche after all and reliable like ... whell ... like a volkswagen ...
actually they became like brothership company.... :P
Ok, so what a car company should do, is drop a vw beetle from 1 mile in the air, take the shape of the body, give it a new engine and some new wheels and boom! Instant super car
If they had tested this in the same condition's as the commercial this is based off of, they would have had different results.
Beetle didn't hit the target, doesn't count LOL
this one's awesome!
Actually no. The ones around here have had everything restored, so they cost upwards of 15 grand.
i was so waiting for the stig to climb out of the beatle..
A Beetle beaten by an older Beetle.
Ironic.
Put a hennessey venom gt there. It will reach much faster than the beetle. 270.40 mph. My god
Not on this surface. And the Venom is a piece of crap.
I mourn the Bettle, but, knowing beetles, it probably still drives
quite good quality for 480p...
the porsche might have a chance if the race is done on road instead of gravels
Poor bug..... I love Top Gear they are the best, but also I love the bug, why they have to destroy a humble bug......
Why are everyone here making the loss a late version Beetle seem like a terrible tragedy? Just wanted to remind you that there was made 21.5 million examples of it, and there are a lot worse things that could happen in the world.
(I usually don't like when an old car is destroyed, but is it really nessecary to wish death upon the Top Gear team because of this?)
I know you posted this 10 year ago, but for us beetle fans, this is still tragic even if there were so many made. It's simply because we love the car
3:50 ... brilliant.
I have a feeling the VW Beetle Owners Club won't be pleased after this Beetle's toast, but I have a feeling they're a little bit pleased after beating a Porsche...
Not sure if you can read but both comments were made 8 months ago...
Porsche was founded in 1931 while VW was founded in 1937. They were founded by the same guy but guess which was first? And they own eachother 50/50.
poor poor beetle :(
aww, the beetle didnt drop on the 911! i wanted it to
u droped beetle from the moon?:D
Actually this isn't a VW beetle it's VW Beatle : )
This si the only race where Beetle can win 911 :)
the beetle now looks like a porsche !!
@003Rifal most likely yes
1:26 Is that the Song used in the Lamborghini Aventador Trailer??Cause if it is...before the race began i was thinking why didn't TopGear just raced the beetle with the Aventador...wierd...
No. I live in Sweden.
Why did they have to kill poor little Herbie?!? :'(
The Bug gave its life to have its final win. :(
wie is nederlands en heeft dit gisteren gezien en wou het nog een keer zien :P ?
that bug is immaculate, what a waste.
Actually, D'Ieteren owns both VW and Porsche.
bit off ducktape and the bug drives again :D
How can they be such bastards?? They hardly show the smashed Beetle!! I wanna see it in detail!!!
R.I.P beetle
Great vid. What a waste of a Beetle though.
could have driven with the top up? Thats much sand/dirt getting into the car.
Let's see. The beetle accelerates at 1G until it reaches it's terminal velocity which might be something like 250mph and then continues at 250mph until it reaches it's end. The result was inevitable. Sometimes I get sad when I watch the needless destruction of things. Especially things that are becoming more rare as time progresses.
+Jason Doege And now I watch. 125mph? Really? Must be because the density is low.
Jason Doege the beetle isn’t that rare tbh
Haha the sign blew over!!
Vw ftw!
SADNESS!!! NEVER AGAIN DO THIS TO A BEETLE T_T
how they can pass this programme on bbc 2 ?