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Top Gear’s Renault Espace Challenge

August 22, 2014 By Nadeem Muaddi 6 Comments

Auto Upholstery News - The Hog Ring - Top Gear Renault Espace Convertible

We’ve seen some terrible DIY convertible tops, but the folks over at Top Gear win first prize for the worst of all time.

Back in 2009, they chopped the top off a Renault Espace minivan to create their own retractable soft top. The result was comical (to says the least), but the real fun didn’t start until they were challenged to put it through its paces.

Watch as they drive their custom flop-top Espace convertible over 100 mph, through a wild safari and even a high-power carwash…

Needless to say, Top Gear did NOT pick up that convertible top from Electron Top or Kee Auto Top, and it definitely wasn’t made using Haartz fabric.

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Filed Under: Archive, Funny Upholstery Repairs, Ugly Upholstery Tagged With: Auto Trim, Auto Upholstery, Car Interior, Convertible Top, Groupe Renault, Renault Espace, Top Gear

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. frozen-stitches says

    August 22, 2014 at 9:07 pm

    Looks like a boat Bimini top that was retrofitted. Top gear and pimp my rides have the best comical mods done to cars.

    Reply
  2. Geoff says

    August 22, 2014 at 9:10 pm

    The back almost looks like it came off a Tracker.

    Reply
  3. Gjudd says

    August 22, 2014 at 9:32 pm

    Thay have a great fun them boys! I managed to get tickets to watch them do a show in the studio which is in a hanger at RAF dunsfold in surrey, the test track is on the air field out the front.

    Great fun it was like being in a bar just having a laugh then they edit it into the show

    Reply
  4. Gjudd says

    August 22, 2014 at 9:39 pm

    In the episode you can see them make it which I guess is on you tube

    Reply
  5. Lairds Customs says

    August 23, 2014 at 3:16 pm

    Top gear on BBC is one of the best shows ever!!
    Those guys are awesome. They come up with some crazy stuff. NOT to be confused with top gear America, (they just rip off everything that the real show does)

    Reply
  6. Ed Wolford says

    January 4, 2015 at 2:27 pm

    That really shows What a person with Three years experience can do and they claim they are upholsterers
    Set up shop and start cutting prices

    Reply

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