CheltGirl

Ah, brilliant! Thank you for posting the screenshot I had a lovely message from the producer last night to thank me again - it's nice to be appreciated!

We managed to buy a copy from our local newsagent this afternoon.

We are all hoping that raising the profile of the CS will work wonders for the value at long last!

Thanks Stewpot! You should have started that first paragraph with " It's me!!!! " I know you sent me some of the great shots last summer, but I will leave it to you to post some of them tomorrow. If it hadn't worked out with them getting down to Nicky's business when they did - they would have had more time to include more footage of your car. I think that everyone should realise that to do these shows is very time intensive, with lots of problems along the way. It really does come up to the wire before the final reveal. I have just asked the Director about a couple of points. They also tend to be shooting two episodes with two different cars at the same time. The Director needed a good example of an old Wolsley Hornet 1934 era - and I had a good contact for that which came up trumps, apparently!!

Just to clarify - the producers always take on a worthy cause, as mentioned by Sherv. They already had the car and deserving owner, but when they started to look into it all - realised that there weren't many Carlos Sainz cars out there and that so many parts are no longer made! That is why they went to Toyota GB and then to me as a CS owner in Management within CCUK. Several parts for a CS are not the same as a standard Gen 5 GT4. Plus they didn't know where to find a decent road-going Carlos Sainz to show as the car to aim for, and take their initial drive in. Plus our member also got to drive his own car for them to film. As you would expect, not all the footage could be used at the end of the day, for which they were very apologetic. Some of it they will be using in various advertising shorts.

It's frustrating isn't it!!

Well, the heavily guarded secret is out now! This has been one of the most exciting secrets I have had to keep for months . I first had a phone call from Toyota GB Press officer (David whom a number of us know ) last July 2024 while I was on holiday. He knew I had a Gen 5 CS and asked if I could help source another suitable one to feature on a TV programme. Then the Producer got into contact and was very excited himself, as they had been scratching their heads in bemusement I think! I spent several months giving them photos and details of various club members' and other contacts' cars. It was a work in progress and the goal posts changed several times. At first they thought a white car, then maybe a teal. They had hoped to show a Gen 6 rally car too, as they wanted to talk about the whole rallying heritage. Apologies if you are reading this and it didn't work out with your particular car. I will jump to the really great piece of news - the team were thrilled with one particular members' car, and it didn't take much arm twisting from me to get him to say yes . I realise that not everyone would want their car featured for everyone to see, but this car is one that those of us who do the twice yearly N Wales Gen 5 Rally Drive know well. All I will say at this point is that it is red..... I will let the member take up the story and add to all of this. The renovation car is Teal (not turquoise as some people call it!). I had been invited to the filming, but was gutted when unable to go because of other commitments. The filming dates and places also changed, so it became a little complicated. I gave them Nicky Grist as a brilliant person to film with his rally car, but the dates didn't work out for Nicky either. So I did suggest that they came to the Bont Rally some of us Gen 5 CS owners were doing with Nicky at his invitation (see the topic in meetings). I had hoped they could film Nicky's car in action, plus the club member's car - but they didn't have a film crew available for that date. They did, however, go to Nicky's workshop later to film an interview with him to add to the programme. As thermoacc has indicated in Gen 5 forum, the finished programme airs for the first time tonight!! It will be on National Geographic, Season 13, Episode 2 Thurs 20th March 8pm Then on Friday 21st March at 5pm Read the credits - I asked for Celica Club UK to be credited I believe you can watch National Geographic through Sky and Virgin. The same programme will go out on Channel 4 later in the year, then on Disney Plus - I don't have the dates for this yet. Sadly, I cannot get National Geographic!!! The producer has given me a Facebook advert link to share too https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1HRKZFyT8F/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Well done Nicola. You will get lots of footfall going past you on that stand. Last November at the Classic Show in NEC, I found the beautiful Jaguar that my father owned in the 1970s I It was a surreal moment for both myself and the current owner, who bought it from my father. Lots of tears all round - I loved that' Inspector Morse' type of Jag. So, you never know which previous owners might pop up unexpectedly!!

I am sorry to hear that you feel you need to sell it. I know you had been looking forward to getting this car sorted and on the road.

Oh dear

Well done Nocola!

This is one of my favourite photos - a rainbow in the drizzle on Llanberris Pass, N Wales a few years ago.

Not quite - but we live in hope!!

Well done Nicola - great news! I'm glad you decided to keep the car!

I have been promising myself a complete respray on mine - maybe this is the year