zzdcar
Home
/
Reviews
/
Culture
/
Pimp My Ride Is Coming Back... Sort of
Pimp My Ride Is Coming Back... Sort of-August 2024
2024-02-19 EST 22:12:04

The year was 2005, Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith was the biggest movie in theaters and Mariah Carey topped the Billboard year-end charts with “We Belong Together”. It was a simpler time.

And while all that was going on, MTV decided that what the world really needed was a British version of . Yes, really.

Like the American original, Pimp my Ride UK took in knackered old cars from viewers and packed them full of superficial upgrades like body kits, paint schemes, bougie interiors and more TV screens than you’ll find in your local Best Buy.

But, the UK’s incarnation of the show featured aging European cars like a 1987 Fiat Panda, a 1991 Volkswagen Polo and even a 1959 Ford Anglia. All are cars you’re unlikely to run into at your nearest parking lot here in the U.S.

Like everyone back in the noughties, I obviously watched , and its British counterpart. Switching between the two was a bit like taking a sip from a crisp Brooklyn Lager and then downing a pint of Carling. They’re both lagers, they both use pretty much the same constituent components, but one is a little more polished and won’t leave you feeling sick.

A photo of Tim Westwood at the MOBO Awards.

(In case you’re wondering, Pimp my Ride UK is the pint of Carling that leaves a sour taste in your mouth.)

Where America had rapper, actor and presenter Xzibit as its host, MTV hired Tim Westwood as the UK host, that peaked in the early ‘90s.

While he strutted about the set, convinced he was some god-like grime star, Westwood gave off serious vibes. He would refer to his “boy” a lot, with regards to whatever mechanic was diligently working away attempting to polish up a turd.

To make his hiring for the show even worse, by several women as part of an investigation by the BBC and The Guardian.

Now, as if British car fans haven’t been through enough, the show is coming back… sort of.

MTV UK has decided that now is the time to revive Pimp my Ride UK in partnership with eBay Motors, . The new incarnation of the series will air exclusively on YouTube, while still following a similar format to the original.

Thankfully, the host will not be some old white guy. Instead, MTV UK has brought in to front the show.

From a workshop in Surrey, in the south of England, Lady Leshurr will lead a team of mechanics, designers and engineers from Wrench Studios as they try to breathe new life into aging cars.

According to Top Gear, the first episode of the series will focus on a “be a Fast and Furious-inspired Mitsubishi GTO.”

If all that sounds like a good way to kill a few hours, then the series is set to air on on August 19. I just hope it’s not as embarrassing as the original.

Comments
Welcome to zzdcar comments! Please keep conversations courteous and on-topic. To fosterproductive and respectful conversations, you may see comments from our Community Managers.
Sign up to post
Sort by
Show More Comments
Culture
Subaru Had It Right All Along
Subaru Had It Right All Along
When first came to the United States, it sold small funky cars that were decidedly un-American. As the company grew its own identity and became more established in the U.S., it became the first automaker to offer an all-wheel-drive passenger car in 1975. Subaru was also an early-adopter of...
Aug 17, 2025
I Entered My Lifted Miata In A Real Off-Road Race, Here's What Happened
I Entered My Lifted Miata In A Real Off-Road Race, Here's What Happened
I have two automotive loves: The first is the Miata, the second is off-road racing. For a while I raced air-cooled Volkswagens in the deserts of California and Nevada and I was lucky enough to co-drive in a class 11 stock bug in the Baja 1000 a few years...
Aug 17, 2025
Watch ABS Fail When MotorWeek Tests A 1997 Chevy S-10
Watch ABS Fail When MotorWeek Tests A 1997 Chevy S-10
MotorWeek’s is some of the on the internet. The long-running automotive news magazine has a treasure trove of tests after being on the air for over 40 years. Where else can you find detailed instrumented testing of long-forgotten cars like the or a ? MotorWeek’s recent Retro Review upload is...
Aug 17, 2025
Toyota Is Moving A Prewar 700-Ton Press Machine Halfway Around The World
Toyota Is Moving A Prewar 700-Ton Press Machine Halfway Around The World
closed its São Bernardo Plant in November 2023, marking the end of its first overseas production facility. The closure caps off a period of continuous car production in São Paolo, , lasting over 60 years. The plant was home to a Komatsu 700-ton press that predates itself. And now...
Aug 17, 2025
2024 Kia EV9: What Do You Want To Know?
2024 Kia EV9: What Do You Want To Know?
At long last, we are about to get behind the wheel of for the first time. Sure, , and sure, , and sure , but hey — what can you do? Anyway, before we get behind the wheel of this three-row electric beast, we want to know what you...
Aug 17, 2025
I Can't Get Enough Of This YouTuber Who Builds Tiny, Fully Functional Scale-Model Cars
I Can't Get Enough Of This YouTuber Who Builds Tiny, Fully Functional Scale-Model Cars
I love tiny, of . I have a that is roughly half the size of a normal cat, and she’s perfect. I own a 2013 , which is like the miniature version of a normal-sized vehicle (at least here in Texas) — but beyond that, I also own a Hot...
Aug 17, 2025
Copyright 2023-2025 - www.zzdcar.com All Rights Reserved