The 1980's isn't a favourite decade for me (or the UK for that matter), but this TV series was a break from the norm which was endless brain dead soap opera's.
Okay the premise of a bored house wife spending thousands to get her battered but loved Mini converted into a racing car with winning potential is just a bit unlikely. Especially when it means she sells virtually all the families possessions and runs the risk of getting into terrible debt.
Then there's the set backs like the fact the Mini gets stolen and damaged, so much of the work and expense was for nothing. But against all the odds she's still intent on living her dream and doesn't give up.
Driving Ambition was spread over 8 episodes and originally shown between 3/3/84 - 21/4/84. But it did get repeated at least once around 1992 on the Sky Satellite channel 'UKGold'.
It's still an enjoyable series, even if Nicky Henson looks horrendous as the token Mr Big of the racing world. Which is something he fails to pull off and he just looks like an appalling yuppie with no dress sense at all instead (to think he's ashamed of himself in the 1972 classic British 'B' movie 'Pychomania'. God knows what he'd think of himself if he ever gets to see this series again).
Anyway apart from the 1980's naffness (which isn't seen too much on screen), this was probably one of the best TV series of the 1980's and on the whole the actors did a fine job. Especially Gavin Richards who played the ex-racing driver and racing car builder 'Ken Lark', who after a brief successful racing career of his own had turned cynical and quite unpleasant to the outside world. But he came good in the end and helped the housewife live her dream.
The only major gripe I have (if you can call it that) is the fact that for the last episode they gave the whole show away by giving it the title "A Class Of Their Own".
So if you like watching a bit of motor racing, someone battling against the odds or are just a Mini enthusiast, then this series will certainly appeal to you.
The cast list on this website isn't very accurate (to say the least), so check this title out on the BFI (British Film Industry) site which is far more accurate and provides greater cast detail.
Okay the premise of a bored house wife spending thousands to get her battered but loved Mini converted into a racing car with winning potential is just a bit unlikely. Especially when it means she sells virtually all the families possessions and runs the risk of getting into terrible debt.
Then there's the set backs like the fact the Mini gets stolen and damaged, so much of the work and expense was for nothing. But against all the odds she's still intent on living her dream and doesn't give up.
Driving Ambition was spread over 8 episodes and originally shown between 3/3/84 - 21/4/84. But it did get repeated at least once around 1992 on the Sky Satellite channel 'UKGold'.
It's still an enjoyable series, even if Nicky Henson looks horrendous as the token Mr Big of the racing world. Which is something he fails to pull off and he just looks like an appalling yuppie with no dress sense at all instead (to think he's ashamed of himself in the 1972 classic British 'B' movie 'Pychomania'. God knows what he'd think of himself if he ever gets to see this series again).
Anyway apart from the 1980's naffness (which isn't seen too much on screen), this was probably one of the best TV series of the 1980's and on the whole the actors did a fine job. Especially Gavin Richards who played the ex-racing driver and racing car builder 'Ken Lark', who after a brief successful racing career of his own had turned cynical and quite unpleasant to the outside world. But he came good in the end and helped the housewife live her dream.
The only major gripe I have (if you can call it that) is the fact that for the last episode they gave the whole show away by giving it the title "A Class Of Their Own".
So if you like watching a bit of motor racing, someone battling against the odds or are just a Mini enthusiast, then this series will certainly appeal to you.
The cast list on this website isn't very accurate (to say the least), so check this title out on the BFI (British Film Industry) site which is far more accurate and provides greater cast detail.