Tim Shaw

Presenter

Although Tim is best known as a radio presenter on Virgin and Kerrang, his real passion is cars. He studied Automotive Transport Design at Coventry University, and he joins the Fifth Gear team as the official “people’s champion”, tackling all the issues that wind petrol heads RIGHT up. At the age of 12 Tim’s grandparents gave him his first car – a Morris 1100. Within 2 months, a car that only needed a new steering rack and front sub frame was in the scrap yard. Two years later he completed his first engine rebuild of a VW Beetle.

Next he bought a Type 3 Razored-Edge Karmann Ghia from some local travellers for £500. It took him 3 years to rebuild and was completed 3 months after he passed his driving test, in the days when classic car insurance was £200 fully comprehensive for a 17 year old!

Since then it has been a story of mostly Saab Turbos, BMWs, VWs and 5 pot Audis. However along the way there has been the odd brain malfunction with the purchase of Nova SRs, Rover 600 Turbos, Volvos, Range Rovers and Minis.

Tim’s greatest feat was totally rebuilding a written-off Lotus Esprit Turbo, managing to extract over 400bhp from the 2.2 litre engine. This car hit the headlines when his wife Hayley sold it on Ebay for 50p after a “lover’s tiff”...