Peking To Paris is a documentary series which attempts to recreate the route taken 100 years ago in 1907 by intrepid automobile enthusiasts, using vintage cars.
The series premieres in South Africa on DStv's Travel Channel on Sunday 27 January 2008, at 22h00. There are 10 half-hour episodes in the series.
Synopsis
The series follows video-diarists in five antique cars as they race against 130 others for more than 7,000 miles from China to France. Presenter-director Jack Pizzey goes with them and pulls their stories together in a vivid mix of travel, adventure, wit and grit.
In 2007, one hundred and thirty three vintage cars raced 16,000 kilometres from Peking to Paris.
The race was gruelling, often involving driving large distances without proper roads and the cars and competitors were pushed to the limits of their ability.
The fact that this race was a re-enactment of one that took place exactly 100 years before is even more astonishing.
Peking to Paris focuses on five competitors trying to keep body and bumpers together across deepest Mongolia in a re-run of the famous 1907 race.
Marvel as cotton-count sheet obsessive Michele from Manhattan flashes past in her 1930 Chevrolet Coupe. Wonder as Geordies Bob and Joe make friends and influence people with their unintelligible English in their 1934 Lagonda. Gasp as Jonathan and Adam bicker and fight their way along in an original 1907 Itala 40.
This is an unmissable, crazy, modern-day adventure.