Gaucho Productions

I graduated from Oxford University in 1998 to begin a career in journalism. My career started as a roadtester at Autocar magazine, moving to What Car? as Deputy Road Test Editor a year later.

At the end of 2000 I left to go freelance and have since written for some of the world’s top publications including Sunday Times, Daily Express, Top Gear, Autocar, Motor Trend, Motorsport, FHM and Zoo. Today, I’m the editor of Sky Motoring and the European Editor of Edmunds’ Inside Line. I’ve also worked on a number of commercial projects, producing books, websites and corporate films.

In recent years, I’ve combined my scribbings with a career as a presenter. I made my debut on Pulling Power (ITV1) in 2006 and went on to present Honda Racing TV (Formula One’s first online TV channel). In recent times, I’ve worked extensively for Sky (UK) and Edmunds’ Inside Line (US). My production company, Gaucho Productions, has also been responsible for producing many of these shows.

In 2007 I also published my first book, A Drive on the Wild Side. This is a compendium of adventure drives from across the world. I’ve always had a taste for the extreme adventure and have even held three Guinness World Records, including one for driving blindfold at 150mph.

Click here to download the latest Flash player if you wish to view the Flash version of the website.

About

My story

I graduated from Oxford University in 1998 to begin a career in journalism. My professional life started with a job as a roadtester for Autocar magazine, then I moved to What Car? as Deputy Road Test Editor a year later.

At the end of 2000 I left to go freelance and have since written for some of the world’s top publications including Sunday Times, Daily Express, Top Gear, Autocar, Motor Trend, Motorsport, FHM and Zoo. Today, I’m the editor of Sky Motoring and the European Editor of Edmunds’ Inside Line. I’ve also worked on a number of commercial projects, producing books, websites and corporate films.

In recent years, I’ve combined my scribbings with a career as a presenter. I made my debut on Pulling Power (ITV1) in 2006 and went on to present Honda Racing TV (Formula One’s first online TV channel). In recent times, I’ve worked extensively for Sky (UK) and Edmunds’ Inside Line (US). My production company, Gaucho Productions, has been responsible for producing many of these shows.

In 2007 I published my first book, A Drive on the Wild Side. This is a compendium of adventure drives from across the world. I’ve always had a taste for the extreme adventure and have even held three Guinness World Records, including one for driving blindfold at 150mph.

 

 

Awards

2009

2007

2003

2002

1997

 

 

 

 

Editorial Portfolio

Sunday Times

For the Sunday Times, I’ve written about everything from electric Mitsubishis to disability chariots controlled by sucking a straw. Probably my favourite story, though, was a trek across China in a Ferrari 612. Starting in Kashi near the border with Kazakhstan, we travelled East along the route of the famous Silk Road. Traversing the Taklimakan Desert at 100mph in Ferrari’s finest was unforgettable.

 

 

Top Gear

As a contributing editor to Top Gear, I’ve taken on Formula One drivers, chased Sir Stirling Moss across Italy and followed gun-toting poachers up Mount Kenya. I’ve included three stories here: taking to the Arctic in a Smart; competing in a $177 Lincoln Town Car in a challenge from New York to New Orleans; and visiting Sao Paulo, ten years after the death of Ayrton Senna.

The latter remains the story of which I’m most proud. Senna was as close as I ever got to a boyhood hero and photographer Anton and I spent three days meeting some of the most significant people in his life. Truly extraordinary.

 

 

Sky Motoring

I was approached in Spring 2007 to set-up and then edit a new motoring site for Sky. I’ve been involved ever since, leading the team and helping the site grow is into a significant player in the car world. Sky Motoring has also become an important part of the Sky online portfolio, with our content also featuring on Sky.com, Sky News and Sky Sports. In 2009, our hardwork was rewarded when we were named Sky Team of the Year.

A particular highlight has been the videos, which I also produce. The Sky Motoring Weekly show is now viewed by up to 60,000 people each week and our video roadtest of the Ford Focus RS received over 200,000 viewers. Sky Motoring was put forward for a BAFTA in 2009 and this short film was our entry, revealing the breadth of the filmic content.

 

 

European Car

I was the European Editor of the US magazine European Car for several years. As a columnist, I was a key voice of the mag and also contributed many of the more eclectic features. This example recalls driving a Brabus EV12 at over 200mph on a German autobahn in the early hours of a weekday morning. The real hero in this story was not the car or the driver but photographer Tom Salt, who sat in the back and witnessed the whole thing through his viewfinder.

 

 

Edmunds' Inside Line

I’ve been the European Editor of LA-based Edmunds' Inside Line for several years, during which time it’s grown into arguably the world’s most influential automotive website. I was originally employed writing reviews and features but as the site’s filmic output increased, I’ve also found employment as a presenter.

Inside Line’s auto show coverage has become hugely popular, not just on the site but also through free-to-air channels such as YouTube and Hulu. Some features now achieve several hundred thousand viewers. This example features the highlights of the 2009 Geneva Auto Show.

 

 

Daily/Sunday Express

The Daily Express retains a circulation in excess of 700k everyday. Its motoring section is general interest and appeals to readers who are either looking for a new car or have a passing interest. I’ve been writing regular reviews for both the Daily and Sunday Express for the past decade. This is my take on the Citroen C3 Picasso.

 

 

Motor Trend

Motor Trend is probably the most respected automotive title in the US and with a monthly circulation of 1.1M, it makes British titles look miniscule. Highlights for me have included driving a Bentley in the Arctic with former World Rally Champion Juha Kankunen and a trip to the Mille Miglia. Exactly fifty years after Sir Stirling Moss had won the Mille in an original SLR I found myself chasing the modern event in the new SLR McLaren supercar. My impromptu police escort through the centre of Modena at 60mph was a surreal and unforgettable experience.

 

 

Drive on the Wild Side

"You should really turn all those drive stories into a book," said a colleague one day over a glass of plonk. Over the past few years, I’d amassed two-dozen different drive stories from around the world in cars that ranged from the exotic to the bizarre. I approached a publisher – Veloce – who agreed to republish twenty of them in a hardback, coffee table book. A year later, A Drive on the Wild Side was born. The book was extensively reviewed and excerpts were published in the New York Times.

 

 

Lambo Faroes

Coming soon

 

 

Laos to Bangkok

Coming soon

 

 

Commercial Portfolio

Aston Martin Book

In 2004, I was asked to edit a book on behalf of Aston Martin. This lavish, ‘coffee table’ tome would capture a snapshot of the company after a rapid period of change. Beautiful, bespoke photography was combined with simple, elegant design to create a feeling of luxurious modernity. The book, printed in limited numbers, was given to VIPs, regular customers and every member of the Aston Martin workforce.

 

 

Honda Racing TV

I’d been producing written features for the Honda Formula One team for a while when I was asked to present a series of online videos revealing the story ‘behind closed doors’. This idea quickly morphed into Honda Racing TV, F1’s first on-line tv station. For two years (until Honda withdrew from the sport) I presented and produced HRTV.

The concept was a big success. At the end of 2007 the site received the prestigious APA (Association Publishing Agencies) Award for “Online Publishing Solution of the Year” with a judge recommending, ‘some of the best online TV clips I’ve ever seen’. Shot to broadcast quality, the footage was used across the world and in many different platforms, including ITV1 (UK Interactive) and Fuji TV (Japan).

This example is from the 2008 Goodwood Festival of Speed, where I presented alongside ITV F1’s Louise Goodman.

 

 

Mitsubishi i

Innovative and charming, the i had achieved cult status in Japan when Mitsubishi UK decided to import it. The unique character of the car required a very different approach to Mitsubishi’s traditional advertising. My team developed a bold concept that combined Japanese-style illustration depicting traditional British scenes with studio photographs of a real car. This emphasised the car’s cute personality, while underlining its real-world appeal.

This concept was employed in a brochure, a microsite, an advertorial and in an on-line advertising campaign. It was a big success. The initial order of 350 cars was sold out within 10 days and the widespread media exposure helped to elevate the Mitsubishi brand.

View the website

 

 

Contact

Contact Us

t: +44 (0) 7768 830443
e: alistair@alistairweaver.com
a: 107 Gaskarth Road, London SW12 9NP