Top Gear Attempting First Public 720 Degree Loop in a Car

Top Gear is attempting the the world's first successful double loop-the-loop in a car during its Top Gear Live event in Durban, South Africa, on June 16-17. It is calling the event the Deadly 720 because the car will do a 720° degree rotation. 

The Top Gear Live Stunt Team already the first to do a single loop-the-loop in an in-door arena, but this will be the first time that a double loop-the-loop will be done in public. 

“We’ve designed some pretty outlandish car stunts over the past four years from car bungees in Moscow’s Red Square to jet propelled pushbikes, but this double loop the loop has the greatest chance of going wrong. We’ve completed a single loop the loop as the climax to the previous Carmageddon Tour more than 80 times. Adding the second loop, though, multiplies the danger by more than two and creates the very real possibility of the buggy falling out from the top of the second loop. There are absolutely no margins for error,” said Top Gear Live Creative Director, Rowland French. 

The vehicle used will be a specially designed buggy with hand controls to prevent the driver from slamming his foot on the throttle from the G-forces. The dashboard has large green and red lights that illuminate to tell the driver if he is going fast enough or not. 

Top Gear will do four shows over the weekend in South Africa in front of 15,000 people at each show. Top Gear Live has been staged in front of 1.2 million people in 17 cities. Jeremy Clarkson, James May, Richard Hammond and The Stig will all be at the show.