Perhaps indicating how risky the stunt was (or perhaps to build hype around it), a special buggy was built with a reinforced roll cage and hand controls, for more precise application of throttle. Miss the entry speed by just two mph, we were told, and the buggy would fall out of the loop. Enter too fast, and the driver risked blacking out.
Enter the first loop just right and carry enough speed into the second, and the stunt would come off without a hitch. That’s what actually happened when Top Gear Live attempted it in Durban, South Africa. If anything, the driver made it look a bit too easy.
Perhaps that’s what the Top Gear producers thought, too, since they decided to replicate the stunt using two wheels instead of four. With no roll cage and harness to protect rider Gary Hoptrough in the event of a miscalculation, it was even more critical to get it right the first time.
The video above shows the results and includes brief commentary by Ken Block and Jeremy Clarkson. In keeping with the stunt’s evolution, we can’t help but wonder if a powered unicycle will feature in the next “Deadly 720” attempt.