--- title: "Travel Back in Time With This ‘90s Top Gear CD-ROM" date: "2022-05-22" modified: "2022-05-22" authors: - name: "Nico DeMattia" job_title: "Contributing Writer" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/nico-demattia" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/travel-back-in-time-with-this-90s-top-gear-cd-rom" categories: - "News" --- # Travel Back in Time With This ‘90s Top Gear CD-ROM ![]() I'm just old enough to remember interactive CD-ROMs from the early days of the internet. Back in the '90s, countless brands and publications offered CDs you'd put in your computer and they'd have little games, information about whatever product they came with, and links to their websites which, at the time, felt incredibly high-tech. A YouTube channel dedicated to old Top Gear content recently posted this video, showing off an Interactive CD-ROM from Top Gear magazine, from the late '90s and I can't help but smile watching it. For anyone old enough to remember these sorts of CD-ROMs, this video is a very welcome shot of nostalgia. For a younger generation, who doesn't know what the hell a CD-ROM is, this will serve as a little blast into an unfamiliar past. The video actually shows off three bits of '90s Top Gear media, two of which being interactive CD-ROMs, while the other is a cassette tape which was outdated even then. Of the two CD-ROMs, one is a bit more interesting because it features a surprisingly comprehensive buyer's guide for every new car on the market from 1993-1996. Not only does it list every car on sale in the UK during those years, it also gives you just about every piece of information you could ever want about them. Everything from their specs to their original insurance and warranty costs are listed in this one CD-ROM. ![]() One of the CD-ROM's more entertaining features is the Top Gear screensaver, from back when quirky screensavers were novel. It essentially just has random cars driving back and forth across the screen, one of which being [Jeremy Clarkson]() on motorcycle, and if the cars hit randomized hedgehogs crossing the road, there's a little blood splatter and a fart noise. It's about as delightfully immature as you imagine a screensaver from Jeremy Clarkson would be. The cassette tape is just 20 minutes of Jeremy Clarkson talking about cars and car culture, which is always entertaining, even if his '90s references and metaphors are a[ bit cringe-worthy ]()nowadays. As someone who grew up with these sorts of CD-ROMs, this video was a welcome splash of nostalgia on a warm Sunday afternoon. There's very little from the '90s I'd like to have back, especially not my terrible bowl-cut and denim shorts, but remembering what cars were like back in my younger days does make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjlxTgbRhUw *Got a tip or question for the author? Contact them directly: nico.demattia@thedrive.com* ## Author Nico is a writer and reviewer from New Jersey who probably thinks he’s a lot funnier than he actually is. His love of cars began when he was just a kid playing Gran Turismo 3, grinding out enough race wins with a Mazda Miata to save up for an in-game RUF 911. That passion for small, lightweight sports cars drove his desire to learn more about the industry, get his hands on as many cars as he could, and bring those experiences to life on the page. He cut his teeth writing about BMWs, Volkswagens, and Audis, mostly, and has owned far too many of each. He’s on his fourth 3 Series sedan, but all of his old, cheap German cars have forced him to learn more about car maintenance than his mechanical capability can handle. Too many late nights have been spent scrambling to get a car running by morning so he could get to work. For some reason, he never seems to learn that old Bimmers probably aren’t the best daily drivers. But he loves more than just old German cars. He’ll gladly drive and discuss anything with four (or even three) wheels. Cars aren’t his only passions, though. Nico is also a big nerd and loves movies, video games, comic books, and cares far too much about the New York Giants. So don’t be surprised if you see football references or dumb, obscure movie quotes in any of his car reviews. ### Author social links [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()