BRIDPORT'S Top Gear has a new man behind the wheel - former BBC Top Gear ‘The Stig’ Perry McCarthy.

The successful company run by Steve Kilcoyne thought the former Formula 1 racing driver would be a coup to recruit and tracked him down on LinkedIn last year.

Mr Kilcoyne said: "We have been trading with the name Top Gear since 1984 when we first opened "We've been to the Top Gear shows by invitation a couple of times and met Jeremy Clarkson and the team a few times and hinted we would like their help but their agents indicated there would be a conflict of interests."

But after finding Mr McCarthy the pair started chatting.

They met in London and bonded over drinks and dinner in a posh restaurant in Mayfair.

Mr Kilcoyne added: "To my surprise he did seem interested and came to visit me in Bridport."

And the idea was born - although Top Gear (Bridport) remains unchanged a new company with Mr McCarthy a 50 per cent stakeholder has been born - Topgear Tuning.

Steve said he thinks the partnership will work very well.

He said: "It could be amazing I think. He rubs shoulders with the Formula 1 circles and is friends with a dragon from Dragon's Den.

"He is going to open doors that I probably couldn't or might not even know are there."

"His book is one of top 20 motor racing books ever sold.

"We'll try and double the size of the company which will be good for Bridport because we already employ about 35 people."

Bridport and Lyme Regis News:

BONDING: Steve Kilcoyne and Perry McCarthy in west Dorset

Mr McCarthy said: "I was invited by the owner of Topgear Tuning, Steve Kilcoyne, to visit their head office. Steve thought I may be interested in the process of ECU remapping and his team’s approach to it, mainly because he knew my life as a racing driver and as ‘The Stig’ has revolved around speed, technology, teamwork, vehicle performance and attention to detail.

"I agreed but after arriving, what was scheduled as a one hour meeting turned in to five hours.

"My initial curiosity quickly changed to recognising a great business opportunity within my home ground of the automotive industry.

"When it comes to cars, engines and performance, racing drivers are notoriously difficult to please. Well, I am certainly pleased. I am genuinely excited by it.”

Topgear Tuning Limited adjusts software within a vehicle’s ‘brain’ via a process known as ECU remapping, to optimise an engine’s power by up to 30 per cent and economy by up to 15 per cent.

Mr McCarthy said: “Not only does it provide immediate improvement in the power and torque of your car, but it greatly enhances its performance and throttle response. If only some of those reasonably priced cars that we raced around the Top Gear track had been remapped, I’m sure the leader board would’ve looked very different."