Russ Swift
Encyclopedia
Paul Russell "Russ" Swift (born 24 March 1951) is a British
driver who is known for performing stunt
s and for precision driving.
, Russ Swift has built his career on a sturdy motorsport foundation. After being asked to demonstrate his driving skills locally, Russ realised there could be a demand for precision driving skills to be displayed nationwide.
Swift's driving skills were memorably put to the test in 1987, when he performed stunts in a crowded parking lot
in an Austin Montego
for a television advertisement. The close-ups were done by an actor, but Swift (uncredited) was responsible for the driving. It was during the filming of the advertisement that Russ came up with the Parallel Park manœuvre, which has remained his "trademark" to this day. Russ previously held the world record for this manœuvre, parking in a space just 33 cm longer than the car. He has since been beaten by Peter Bell, who did it in a space 27 cm longer than the car. The Montego "Car Park" commercial was featured at the Cannes Film Festival
and in an American review it was deemed the world's most imaginative car commercial.
Swift is the leader of the Russ Swift Mini
Display Team, who perform driving displays for motor shows, commercials, vehicle launches, and other events. Typically they use a completely standard Mini Cooper S
and/or a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution
, though Russ has performed in countless other vehicles, including Peugeot
s, Vauxhall
s, Nissans, MGs, Land Rover
s, Black Cab
s, Subaru
s, and 13-tonne lorries
.
Swift's career has also seen the use of the classic Mini
s, which he used to capture four British Autotest Championships and a rally win in Sweden in the early 1980s.
Swift has collaborated for TV commercials with Opel
, Fiat
, Standard Bank
, MG, Mini. He has cooperated with the TV shows Top Gear
, 5th Gear
, Guinness World Records, GMTV, Learner Drivers (title sequence), and others, and as an advisor to many police, military, royal and diplomatic drivers. Swift has held three Guinness World Records
and has done more than 8,000 stunt shows in 50 countries.
Russ has collaborated in Jeremy Clarkson's videos and on two episodes of Top Gear
, in which he proved that elderly people needn't be slow and poor drivers, by teaching grannies to do donuts
and handbrake parking
.
Auto Trader
s editors have speculated that Swift is the likeliest known identity of The Stig
, due to Swift's proximity to the Top Gear franchise, obscurity relative to high-profile drivers, and his skills with cars.
, North Yorkshire
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
driver who is known for performing stunt
Stunt
A stunt is an unusual and difficult physical feat, or any act requiring a special skill, performed for artistic purposes in TV, theatre, or cinema...
s and for precision driving.
Career
Starting out as a rally co-driver, and later moving into the sport of AutotestingAutotesting
Autotesting involves a series of tests, generally around traffic cones, to measure precision driving skill. The tests often include stopping with the front and rear wheels straddling a line, and always end stopping in a garage . Sections of each test are usually completed in reverse...
, Russ Swift has built his career on a sturdy motorsport foundation. After being asked to demonstrate his driving skills locally, Russ realised there could be a demand for precision driving skills to be displayed nationwide.
Swift's driving skills were memorably put to the test in 1987, when he performed stunts in a crowded parking lot
Parking lot
A parking lot , also known as car lot, is a cleared area that is intended for parking vehicles. Usually, the term refers to a dedicated area that has been provided with a durable or semi-durable surface....
in an Austin Montego
Austin Montego
The Austin Montego is a British mid-size saloon car that was produced by the Austin Rover subsidiary of British Leyland , and its successors, from 1984 until 1994. The Montego was the replacement for the Morris Ital, to give British Leyland a modern competitor for the Ford Sierra and Vauxhall...
for a television advertisement. The close-ups were done by an actor, but Swift (uncredited) was responsible for the driving. It was during the filming of the advertisement that Russ came up with the Parallel Park manœuvre, which has remained his "trademark" to this day. Russ previously held the world record for this manœuvre, parking in a space just 33 cm longer than the car. He has since been beaten by Peter Bell, who did it in a space 27 cm longer than the car. The Montego "Car Park" commercial was featured at the Cannes Film Festival
Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes International Film Festival , is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres including documentaries from around the world. Founded in 1946, it is among the world's most prestigious and publicized film festivals...
and in an American review it was deemed the world's most imaginative car commercial.
Swift is the leader of the Russ Swift Mini
MINI (BMW)
Mini is a British automotive marque owned by BMW which specialises in small cars.Mini originated as a specific vehicle, a small car originally known as the Morris Mini-Minor and the Austin Seven, launched by the British Motor Corporation in 1959, and developed into a brand encompassing a range of...
Display Team, who perform driving displays for motor shows, commercials, vehicle launches, and other events. Typically they use a completely standard Mini Cooper S
MINI (BMW)
Mini is a British automotive marque owned by BMW which specialises in small cars.Mini originated as a specific vehicle, a small car originally known as the Morris Mini-Minor and the Austin Seven, launched by the British Motor Corporation in 1959, and developed into a brand encompassing a range of...
and/or a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution
Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution
The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, colloquially known as the Lancer Evo or Evo, is a high-performance sedan manufactured by Mitsubishi Motors. There have been ten official versions to date, and the designation of each model is most commonly a roman numeral...
, though Russ has performed in countless other vehicles, including Peugeot
Peugeot
Peugeot is a major French car brand, part of PSA Peugeot Citroën, the second largest carmaker based in Europe.The family business that precedes the current Peugeot company was founded in 1810, and manufactured coffee mills and bicycles. On 20 November 1858, Emile Peugeot applied for the lion...
s, Vauxhall
Vauxhall Motors
Vauxhall Motors is a British automotive company owned by General Motors and headquartered in Luton. It was founded in 1857 as a pump and marine engine manufacturer, began manufacturing cars in 1903 and was acquired by GM in 1925. It has been the second-largest selling car brand in the UK for...
s, Nissans, MGs, Land Rover
Land Rover
Land Rover is a British car manufacturer with its headquarters in Gaydon, Warwickshire, United Kingdom which specialises in four-wheel-drive vehicles. It is owned by the Indian company Tata Motors, forming part of their Jaguar Land Rover group...
s, Black Cab
Hackney carriage
A hackney or hackney carriage is a carriage or automobile for hire...
s, Subaru
Subaru
; is the automobile manufacturing division of Japanese transportation conglomerate Fuji Heavy Industries .Subaru is internationally known for their use of the boxer engine layout popularized in cars by the Volkswagen Beetle and Porsche 911, in most of their vehicles above 1500 cc as well as...
s, and 13-tonne lorries
Lorry
-Transport:* Lorry or truck, a large motor vehicle* Lorry, or a Mine car in USA: an open gondola with a tipping trough* Lorry , a horse-drawn low-loading trolley-In fiction:...
.
Swift's career has also seen the use of the classic Mini
Mini
The Mini is a small car that was made by the British Motor Corporation and its successors from 1959 until 2000. The original is considered a British icon of the 1960s, and its space-saving front-wheel-drive layout influenced a generation of car-makers...
s, which he used to capture four British Autotest Championships and a rally win in Sweden in the early 1980s.
Swift has collaborated for TV commercials with Opel
Opel
Adam Opel AG, generally shortened to Opel, is a German automobile company founded by Adam Opel in 1862. Opel has been building automobiles since 1899, and became an Aktiengesellschaft in 1929...
, Fiat
Fiat
FIAT, an acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino , is an Italian automobile manufacturer, engine manufacturer, financial, and industrial group based in Turin in the Italian region of Piedmont. Fiat was founded in 1899 by a group of investors including Giovanni Agnelli...
, Standard Bank
Standard Bank
The Standard Bank of South Africa Limited is one of South Africa's largest financial services groups. It operates in 30 countries around the world, including 17 in Africa.-History:...
, MG, Mini. He has cooperated with the TV shows Top Gear
Top Gear (current format)
Top Gear is a British television series about motor vehicles, primarily cars. It began in 1977 as a conventional motoring magazine show. Over time, and especially since a relaunch in 2002, it has developed a quirky, humorous style...
, 5th Gear
Fifth Gear
Fifth Gear is a motoring television magazine show from the United Kingdom. Originally shown on Channel 5, the show is currently presented by Tiff Needell, Vicki Butler-Henderson, Jason Plato, Jonny Smith and Ben Collins...
, Guinness World Records, GMTV, Learner Drivers (title sequence), and others, and as an advisor to many police, military, royal and diplomatic drivers. Swift has held three Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records , is a reference book published annually, containing a collection of world records, both human achievements and the extremes of the natural world...
and has done more than 8,000 stunt shows in 50 countries.
Russ has collaborated in Jeremy Clarkson's videos and on two episodes of Top Gear
Top Gear (current format)
Top Gear is a British television series about motor vehicles, primarily cars. It began in 1977 as a conventional motoring magazine show. Over time, and especially since a relaunch in 2002, it has developed a quirky, humorous style...
, in which he proved that elderly people needn't be slow and poor drivers, by teaching grannies to do donuts
Doughnut (driving)
A doughnut or donut is a maneuver performed while driving a vehicle. Performing this maneuver entails rotating the rear or front of the vehicle around the opposite set of wheels in a continuous motion, creating a circular skid-mark pattern of rubber on a roadway and possibly even cause the tires...
and handbrake parking
Handbrake turn
The handbrake turn is a driving technique used to deliberately slide a car sideways, either for the purpose of negotiating a very tight bend quickly, or for turning around well within the vehicle's own turning circle....
.
Guinness World Records
- Parallel parkingParallel parkingthumb|250px|right|Parallel-parked cars in [[Washington, D.C.]]thumb|250px|right|A motorist gets assistance parallel-parkingParallel parking is a method of parking a vehicle in line with other parked cars. Cars parked in parallel are in one line, parallel to the curb, with the front bumper of each...
in tightest space - J-turnJ-turnA J-turn is a driving maneuver used to reverse a backwards-traveling vehicle so as to continue driving in the same direction, but with the vehicle pointed forward. The J-turn is also called "moonshiner's turn", based on the evasive driving tactics used by bootleggers. A J-turn differs from a...
in tightest space - Fastest time doing 10 do-nuts. (Driving)
Appearances
- Top Gear series 1, episodes 3, 6
- Clarkson: No Limits (2002)
- Clarkson: Heaven and Hell (2005)
- Swiftly Does It (2005) (Duke VideoDuke VideoDuke Video is a video and DVD publisher specialising in motorsports.Duke Video was founded in the Isle of Man in 1981 by Peter Duke, son of six-time motorcycle World Champion Geoff Duke...
) A documentary following the unique career of the world's No.1 display driver, Russ Swift.
Auto Trader
Auto Trader
Auto Trader is an automotive sales website and classified magazine located in the United Kingdom, owned by Trader Media Group, itself a joint venture between Guardian Media Group and Apax Partners...
s editors have speculated that Swift is the likeliest known identity of The Stig
The Stig
The Stig is a character in the British motoring television show Top Gear. The character plays on the anonymity of racing drivers' full-face helmets, with the running joke that nobody knows who, or indeed what, is inside the character's racing suit. The character was the creation of presenter Jeremy...
, due to Swift's proximity to the Top Gear franchise, obscurity relative to high-profile drivers, and his skills with cars.
Personal life
Swift currently resides in the village of FinghallFinghall
Finghall is a village and civil parish in the Richmondshire district of North Yorkshire, England, with a population of 126. It is located about 4 miles east of Leyburn. The local church is dedicated to St. Andrew.The village pub is the Queens Head....
, North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county primarily in that region but partly in North East England. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 it covers an area of , making it the largest...
.