Flashback Friday: Fifth Gear Launches an E34 Towing a Caravan

By Adam Pockross - May 20, 2016

530 caravan bmw jump

As a man with a very empty trophy case, I guess I just don’t understand putting oneself in extreme danger in pursuit of besting the competition. But that doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy the heck out of other people trying.

Fortunately Fifth Gear‘s stunt driver Derek Lea didn’t get speared by a tow bar while trying to break the record for “jumping a car while towing a caravan,” cause that really allows me to enjoy the Flashback Friday video below (though technically they call it a Throwback Thursday video).

To attempt such a foolish besting of the admittedly limited caravan-launching competition, the Fifth Gear team fits up an E34 BMW 530 with “some serious safety modifications,” including a proper roll cage, a sturdy windscreen, a “stunt-prepared petrol tank,” and a thick plate to stop the aforementioned tow bar. They leave the 1979 Thomson Glen caravan mostly stock, other than some new tires and a stabilizer bar.

Then they do a whole lot of math trying to figure out how to break the world record of 157 feet and 6 inches — none of which adds up in Lea’s favor. But that doesn’t stop the blokes from building up a giant ramp and setting out a bunch of scrapped cars to jump over. And they’re go for launch.

I may have spoiled the fact that Lea lives. But I won’t spill the beans as to whether Lea breaks the record. You’ll just have to check out the lunacy below to find out!