The BBC is about to expand on the mystery surrounding Top Gear’s ‘The Stig’ by asking not only who he is, but also where.

Now while 40 year old men who play with cars can wonder who the Stig really is, their children can hunt for the silent hot-shoe in a new series of books the BBC is launching based on the popular Where’s Waldo? series.

Called Where’s Stig? the books will be illustrated by Rod Hunt and feature ‘The Stig’ carefully hidden amongst throngs of shoppers at the mall or folks at the zoo. And who knows, maybe some of the pages will feature other Top Gear characters, although searching for an abnormally tall Jeremy Clarkson with his curly mop of hair might not prove so challenging.

BBC Books will officially launch the Where’s Stig? book on September 17th.

[Source: Design You Trust]

Jay Leno has confirmed that he will make an appearance on the most famous (and infamous) car show in the world, Top Gear. Leno has been traveling through the U.K. all week, including introducing the world to the new Jaguar XJ yesterday.

Leno will appear in “The Star in the Reasonably Priced Car” segment, where the legendary comedian will get to try his skills around a race track in an econo-box. Leno was even coached by The Stig.

The spot is scheduled to run in a few weeks and will also include an interview with Leno by Jeremy Clarkson.

[Source: JayLenosGarage]

Top Gear kicked off a new season in the U.K. with two big stunts. For starters, it revealed that The Stig is none other than Michael Schumacher.

More amazingly, however, the seven-time Formula 1 World Champion piloted his very own black Ferrari FXX  around the Top Gear test track completely obliterating the previous record held by the Gumpert Apollo. The Gumpert’s best lap was an incredible 1:17, while the 800hp 6.3-liter V12 FXX crossed the line in just 1:10. As it’s not street-legal, however, we wouldn’t exactly call this matchup a fair fight.

According to a report in the UK’s Telegraph newspaper, Top Gear’s “The Stig” is none other than Ben Collins.

Who?… you say.

Ben Collins.

Still not ringing a bell.. well, here’s a little profile on the man who, as Jeremy Clarkson would say, likes listening to Marvin Gay while driving a Pagani Zonda.

Collins has raced successfully in Formula 3, the FIA GT Series, Indy Lights and even at Le Mans. He began his career in the Formula Vauxhall series in the U.K in the ’90s. After a stint there he moved on to Formula 3 where he landed 5 straight wins in the British National Championship. In 1999 Collins began racing in the USA in the Indy Lights Championship scoring several podiums before returning to England. His oval track experience gave him a huge advantage when in 2003 he dominated the competition in the European NASCAR-style ASCAR Championship where secured the championship while setting new series records for points, pole positions and overall wins.

During this time Collins also raced at Le Mans and in 2005 joined the FIA GT3 European Championship where he races today in one of three Ascari KZ1R Supercars.

According to the Telegraph article, Bristol art gallery owner Simon Whitehead was the first to know for certain that Collins was The Stig when the legend himself said so. Apparently Collins told Whitehead while at the gallery to see about a limited edition Stig print.

Sadly this could mean the end of the road for Collins as The White Stig. The Black Stig, aka Perry McCarthy, was canned from the Top Gear show after outing himself in his book Flat Out, Flat Broke.

[Source: The Telegraph]