
Originally Posted by
DavidR
It seems that some of us are struggling to understand the definition of cool... That May is individual, eccentric, independant and does not follow the trends set out by society engenders him with an air of coolness that the majority of trend following lemmings fail to come close to. His frank indifference to the mockery he faces from Clarkson (who is as far removed from cool as I think it is possible to be) confirms his position on the cool wall. His lack of apparent concern witnessed on the wine adventure as he drank his way around France in a leaky old XJS V12 upsetting locals and critics alike is exactly the kind of off camber, irreverent humour that brightens everyone's day...
And since when is being middle class a crime? Surely the demise of the working class and its consequent striving for middle class values lands everybody in the same position? Not really a discriminating feature anymore!
Returning to an automotive theme, take the Land Rover Defender. By any definition a cool car, but in equal measure a dire exercise in mechanical execution... Leaky, noisy, unreliable, indifferent off road, tired and dated... But arguably the one car that can be driven anywhere, to any event, to any hotel, to any party without fear of people thinking that the owner is trying too hard (or perhaps more importantly not trying hard enough). Elegant, efficient coolness that is also classless.
Let's not forget that just because a car is desirable, fast, competent and beautiful it's not always cool. An EVO may be cool with the pimply youfs at the B&Q car park meet - but then Chavs are not exactly a reliable barometer of cool... There are too many people voting "cool" on these polls... Where's your individualism? Where's your sense of style? Why is everyone so uncool?...
So, May... Timeless, classless, elegant and refreshingly indifferent. Someone proud to be different, but unflustered by the criticism it attracts. A gent... but without the pomp and ceremony... A Bently driving beer drinker with perhaps the worst taste in jerseys and shirts I have ever seen..
Hell, I'm changing my vote from cool to sub zerooo...