James May drives a 'ridiculously' American Ford in California and reveals his verdict
Published on Aug 16, 2025 at 2:15 PM (UTC+4)
by Alessandro Renesis
Last updated on Aug 16, 2025 at 2:15 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Emma Matthews
Ex-Top Gear and ex-Grand Tour star James May drove a ‘ridiculously American’ Ford Torino Convertible in California, and he had something to say about it.
You know you’re off to a good start when somebody calls something ‘ridiculously American’.
But James May used this expression for a very specific reason.
And his final verdict was interesting.
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What James May really thinks about this big Ford
In theory, James May launched his new YouTube channel to promote his own gin brand, but, in practice, his YouTube looks halfway between a car channel and a vlog.
Among other things, the ex-Top Gear presenter has used his channel to talk about his experience with the Cybertruck and also with Waymo.
For his latest video, James May ‘reviewed’ a 1969 Ford Torino Convertible, which is a massive cabriolet with red paintwork and an incredibly large, yet underpowered V8.
After renting the car on Turo in California, May took it for a spin and explained why this car is so ‘American’.
For starters, despite being over five meters (200+ inches) long, this was considered a ‘mid-size’ car when it came out.
Secondly, it is powered by a 5.8-liter V8, which is large by European standards but was actually the second-smallest V8 option for the Torino.
But, as May said in the video, none of that matters, because this car is great, precisely because it’s flawed.
“It’s like a piece of very old furniture. It’s wobbly, the steering is vague, but it’s pleasant. And it has the classic American V8 rumble, which is one of the sounds that made America,” he said in the video.
Is the V8 making a comeback?
Good old V8s are making a bit of a comeback, largely due to popular demand.
AMG, for example, is bringing back a V8 option for some of its cars because the four-cylinder engine they replaced it with wasn’t exactly a best seller.
Ram did something similar for the 1500 truck, and for the same reason.
Ferrari is on the same page.
Alessandro is an automotive journalist with 10 years of experience covering supercars, automotive history, emerging vehicle technology, and luxury transportation. He wrote the first article published on SupercarBlondie.com when the website launched in 2022 and has since built a reputation for insightful reporting across the automotive and transportation industries. His expertise is grounded in hands-on experience. Alessandro has driven every Tesla model ever produced, from the original Roadster to the Cybertruck, and regularly covers the latest developments in electric vehicles and automotive innovation. His passion for transportation extends beyond cars, he has even flown a Boeing 787 Dreamliner simulator in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. His reporting spans everything from classic American muscle cars and rare automotive discoveries to luxury yachts, private aircraft, high-end watches, and cutting-edge vehicle technology. Known for his deep knowledge of automotive history and ability to uncover the stories behind iconic vehicles, Alessandro brings readers a blend of historical context, technical expertise, and first-hand experience.
