Ever wonder who is the mythical creature known as the Stig?
Sunday marked the Season Opener for Top Gear Season 13. Aside from the usual shenanigans, the crew of Top Gear decided to throw viewers a curveball: the “revealing” of the Stig’s identity. However, what many do not realize, is that their unveiling was a hoax. Luckily, the folks at KarFarm caught on to it immediately and have the inside scoop on exactly what the prank entailed.
See that beautiful black beast they had in the studio? Well, that was the Ferrari FXX, also known as the super-Enzo. This car, based on the already monstrous Ferrari Enzo, is a special-edition, non-street-legal race version of the car. Owners (approximately 30) of the FXX must fulfill a number of stipulations to be eligible to own the car. The lucky few who have the privilege to own the FXX don’t really own it at all. Because the FXX is essentially a platform for technology tests, owners are only allowed to drive it on a Ferrari-approved racetrack, and the car is kept in a Ferrari-owned private garage.
Also, 29 of the 30 cars come only in one color combination, red with white stripe and chrome exhaust tips.
The Top Gear hoax is a play both on the color combination and the ownership rules of the car. First of all, that black FXX at the Top Gear studio is the only one made in a color other than red with white. This example, belongs in fact to Michael Schumacher. Since no-one is allowed to drive the FXX other than the paying (or in Schumacher’s case, entitled) owner, there is theoretically no possible way to get not only a custom FXX into the studio, but also for a stranger to drive it. Thus, in order for the car to be at the studio, the car’s owner has to be the one driving it.
Known as one of the world’s most insane drivers around, the Stig would be a logical choice. However, nobody outside the production team actually knows the Stig’s identity. Well, the Stig is seen driving the black FXX around the Top Gear test track. The folks at the show decided to trick viewers into believing Schumacher was the permanent Stig, while in reality they simply needed him there to actually have the car on the show. Since only the owner can drive the car, the clever ploy got the car to the Top Gear track, and stirred up commotion for the show’s future. The dramatic de-helmetting and comedic interview led viewers to believe that the show would never be the same now that the Stig’s secret was unveiled.
However, Top Gear fans rest assured; come next episode the white-helmetted man of mystery will be back to his secretove, anonymous self. Making the hoax even less believable, after comparing past episodes with this one, we saw that the real Stig and Michael Schumacher had very different body structures and mannerisms. Most notably, Schumacher was much taller and thicker, with a much more relaxed posture. Finally, paying close attention to the ending credits, Schumacher’s name appears as a “special guest appearance”.
As far as the show is concerned it is highly unlikely that the Stig will ever truly be revealed, so for those of you who enjoy a game of Top Gear Stig Scavenger Hunt, the game is not over.
-KF
