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Ben Collins

The Man in the White Suit: The Stig, Le Mans, the Fast Lane and Me Hardcover – October 26, 2010

by Ben Collins (Author)

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Top Gear's iconic driver, the Stig, is finally revealed!

Ben Collins divulges how he came to be Top Gear's iconic driver, as well as what it's like to thrash an Aston Martin DBS, train for the Army, face the terror of Jeremy Clarkson's underwear, and much more. When the Black Stig disappeared off the end of an aircraft carrier in 2003, audiences were introduced to the White Stig—faster, stranger, and harder to keep clean. Ever since, millions have wondered—who is the man in the white suit? They're about to find out. Ben Collins caught the car the bug young, kicking his dad's boss in the balls for not giving him a company Jag, and this was the attitude that eventually led him to spend seven years sharing a cabin with Jeremy Clarkson's underwear, James May's PhD thesis, and Richard Hammond's hairspray. Now he tells all about life inside the iconic white helmet: what it's like to guide a blind ex-RAF officer around the Top Gear track, pit a drug dealer's Mitsubishi Evo against a Trojan tank, set a Vauxhall Monaro against Chloe the dancing Ninja, and race double-decker Routemasters against bendy buses—not to mention all the inside stuff on how the show's amazing driving sequences are made. He also reveals how he got to be there—setting a Dunsfold lap time faster than Michael Schumacher's. It's an awesome story, told by an amazing man.

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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Ben Collins won races in every category from Formula Three to Le Mans Sportscars and GT, and captured the European NASCAR title. He also worked as a Hollywood stuntman. In 2003 he became the anonymous fourth presenter, known as the Stig, of Top Gear, coaching celebrities, organizing car chases, and testing hundreds of priceless cars. Eight years later, his alter ego is recognized by millions around the world.

Hardcover: 352 pages
Publisher: HarperCollins UK (October 26, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 000732796X
ISBN-13: 978-0007327966
Product Dimensions: 6 x 1.2 x 9 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
Customer Reviews: 215 customer reviews
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,441,716 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #4013 in Television Performer Biographies
- #5573 in Television (Books)
- #1296 in Motor Sports (Books)

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5 star		63%
4 star		21%
3 star		12%
2 star		2%
1 star		2%

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E. White

Great Autobiography

Reviewed in the United States on January 6, 2016

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

This is a good book if you're a Top Gear fan or a fan of racing memoirs. Collins' writes with a nice humor and his life is interesting enough to merit a book. The only issue I have is that every other chapter skipped back and forth between his time as The Stig with Top Gear and his more normal life of his childhood, being in the army, his family, and his racing and stunt driving career. This isn't enough to dislike the book, in my opinion. I have two degrees in English and I thought it was better written than a lot of other things I've read recently, but perhaps I'm biased based on how much I love Top Gear. Like I said, I enjoyed the humor of his stories and his writing "voice." I read where some people thought his voice was a bit egotistical or cocky... he's a racing driver, and from what I've seen of racing drivers, he's on the humble side, so this aspect did not bother me. If you like Top Gear, you'll probably like this book as well. It gives an interesting insight and even if you're not a fan of Collins, it's fun to play Devil's Advocate either way!

6 people found this helpful

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R Tyson

Ok read if purchased at used book store price.

Reviewed in the United States on November 24, 2017

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

Ok, Ben Collins was the second Stig. The title comes from that. A reasonable person would take from that that the book was a look at collins time as the stig with a little bit of information about himself. That person would be correct and wrong. The book is about collins, only about fifty percent has to do with his time as the stig. Most of the book deals with collins' child hood, military training, stunts for movies, and racing. Some of which is interesting. The worst part about this book is that in time and subject it is nonlinear. The book literally jumps around in time and place more than Doctor Who.

One person found this helpful

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Delbert Skykes

A must-read for Top Gear zealots

Reviewed in the United States on February 22, 2018

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

I admit it... I’m a rabid fan of the “old” Top Gear, and I watch the old episodes on Prime. I live vicariously through Jezza, Captain Slowly and Hamster.

Ben, as the Stig, was uniquely placed inside the show, and shares his back-stage accounts of some of my favorite moments. He also led an interesting life away from Dunsfold, and I enjoyed learning about racing at the highest levels.

The chronology takes a bit of getting used to, as the early chapters bounce between his experiences in the Army, racing and being the one some say knows only two facts about ducks (both of them wrong). I felt his editor should have had more faith in the reader’s willingness to take the journey Ben laid out, and artificially stuck some TG/Stig stories up front as bait. But the book soon evened out, then ended too soon.

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timeout

The making of the Stig

Reviewed in the United States on October 8, 2015

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

The Collins book is surprisingly entertaining, as it details not only the role of the Stig, but the life of a man who came late to racing and struggled to make a career of it in a field that does not always reward the gifted, which he truly is. Collins appraises himself honestly and we learn that his television work, movie stunts, military service etc. are all pursued in aid of supporting himself while waiting for his next opportunity to race. The Top Gear sequences are very entertaining and, sometimes, laugh-out-loud funny. He goes to great lengths to credit the creativity of the staff, camera men and presenters, who did so much to create this phenomenal series. HIs struggles to achieve a place in the elite military unit he has chosen are truly epic and described in gritty detail, but again, with no self-pity. The man's relationship with his father is another welcome human touch, which will have many nodding their heads in recognition of the complexities of the dealings of men in families. I enjoyed this book and recommend it.

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John Palmer

The Inside Story

Reviewed in the United States on January 29, 2020

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

My family and I have enjoyed Top Gear for many years. Light hearted entertainment that was over the top but factual in all the right places. And one of those right places was The Stig. Thank you Ben Collins for being the Stig, You were the fourth Beatle (I'm sure everyone says that.) I was pleased to read about the behind the scenes story of what it was like making the show, and I was also pleased to read about your success away from the show. Thanks for being there and sharing it with us.

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Murph

A Great insight into the Stig and how he got there

Reviewed in the United States on January 4, 2013

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

In continuing my journey into types of books I haven’t read I decided to continue with the non-fiction. I was watching Top Gear and they mentioned Stiggy’s new book and how it got him fired and in trouble with Top Gear so I decided I had to read it. Being a car fan and a Top Gear fan why wouldn’t you? Well I am extremely happy with this choice and highly recommend this book. It talks about Ben Collins life and how he grew up wanting to be a race car driver. After a few false starts he makes some key appearances on some race teams but always runs into an issue. Then one day he is called to an interview on a airplane runway to drive a car around for a few laps and ends up taking what everyone who knows cars would think to be the dream job. It also talks about Ben going through the Army in his free time off the set and having to keep the secret of who he was on the show. It talks about specific episodes (all of which I have seen a few 100 times) so that was fun hearing how they really went down. It was interesting to hear how the piece together footage for the show which makes sense but I never really thought about how they did it.

My only complaint was that the book seems to jump around a little bit and is a little hard to follow, but that might have been me just being slightly distracted when I read it or something. After reading this I want to read a lot more non-fiction stories in this area and there are a ton. Actually each one of the TG guy’s has their own book or 3 so that might be making the short list on things to read next!

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Chris Brooke

Better than expected - ran out of steam

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 4, 2011

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

I wasn't sure whether this would be another boring 'expose' of the lives of more famous folk (in this case the Top Gear team), but I was pleasantly surprised. Ben has maintained a refreshing integrity about his former colleagues, and has written about the things he knows most about - his interesting life, motivations, and driving. These proved much more rewarding than 'kiss and tell' type encounters that many people deliver. Of course there are lots of anecdotes about the life and experiences of the Stig, and about some of the people he met, but it never stoops to the tabloid level. Some of the descriptions of his driving exploits were pretty exciting, although many of the technicalities of driving at this level were lost on me. Sadly, his writing inexperience eventually showed through, and the book seemed to tail off in the last couple of chapters - it seemed to run out of steam and lose its structure. Nevertheless, a pleasant surprise, worth a read, and a pat on the back for maintaining the integrity of the Stig and Top Gear (it makes their negative inferences about his leaving seem very hollow and unnecessary).

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Fascinating life

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 18, 2015

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

What a fascinating life! I bought the book as a Top Gear fan after watching the Stig for years on TV and all the fuss when he finally removed his helmet.
I expected the usual racer/TV star autobiography but without giving any spoilers away, thanks to the amazing life he has led it's so much more than that.
On the downside, the writing is a bit on the dry side. Tolkien he isn't but thanks to the life he's led he doesn't need to be.
All in all an engrosing read.

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BenGI1

Worth a read

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 21, 2013

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

A pretty entertaining book with lots of behind the scenes perspective to the action we see on the TV. Like a lot of reviews I read I felt the army stuff dragged on a bit but at the end of the day it was very important to Ben Collins so it was always going to be in there. Rated 4 stars because of the lengthy army stuff being a bit boring and the writing isn't "great" but then he's a racing driver and not a author by trade.

I would recommend this book to anyone interested in racing top gear or the stig and urge them to bear with it through the army bits

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Jade

Really enjoyed reading this for the most part

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 4, 2015

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

Really enjoyed reading this for the most part. At times it can get a little to descriptive of exactly how he took corner after corner but it's a great insight into Ben's life before, during and after the Stig as well as the world of motor sports.

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Linda

Is this the Stig??

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 22, 2015

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

An enjoyable read. It is difficult to tell if this really is the real Stig. However, is still an easy, enjoyable read. I would have liked it to be a little more depth in it,

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Chris F Green

repetitive ego trip

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 24, 2018

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

not much content, would suit followers of The Stig and petrol heads

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Syhub

Through the helmet

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 22, 2015

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

Really interesting take on the life of the Stig and the man in the costume. Not usually a fan of autobiographies but this one is done with humility and great anecdotes around the challenges to be famous yet at the same time being just the guy next door on a daily basis. Highly recommend

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Pop

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 13, 2017

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

excellent

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peter gallagher

it is autobiography

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 10, 2018

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

It is a autobiography

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Chris In Bolton

Behind the scenes at Top Gear

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 1, 2014

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

Really well written and fascinating (if you like cars) stories of THE STIG's life in the army and Formula One before joining the Top Gear team to drive every type of high performance car, as well as stunts for TV and film.

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Baggers

insightful read

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 24, 2013

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

Very good book that goes into great detail about Bens life, not just as the stig. Some say being the stig is the best job in the world ... this books tells a story there's more to life than being the stig

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Linda

Good book

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 4, 2014

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

Bought this as a present, so didn't read it myself. However my brother reports it to be a good book which he really enjoyed.

One person found this helpful

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Veecee

Unmissable

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 9, 2019

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

I couldn’t put this book down, it’s non stop action and more exciting because it’s a true account of Bens life.

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David Jelfs

The Man in the White Suit: The Stig, Le Mans, The Fast Lane and Me

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 4, 2014

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

I've read and re read this book as it is a fascinating insight to the Stig and inside information about Top Gear. Better than I had expected an excellent read.

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Technolover

man in the suit that is white

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 22, 2013

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

lovely read have read it twice so far and found it brilliant each time. he has an interesting way of saying things that keep you gripped. came very quickly

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