By now, you’ve probably seen your share of walk-around videos featuring beautiful concepts, insane exotics, and timeless classics. The set-up typically involves a lot of narration, some funky background music, and plenty of glam shots of the car from every conceivable angle. It’s a tried-and-tested method that has given birth to some pretty awesome videos, but ever the contrarian, The Grand Tour’s James May has provided us with a different sort of walk-around video from what we’re used to. Instead of infusing the video with pageantry, he simply walks around the car. Who knew!

The video in question is posted on Drivetribe’s Facebook page and it features May and a Ferrari 308 GTB that he reportedly bought earlier this year. There’s only one camera involved in the video and absolutely no background music to spice it up. What we do see is May leisurely walking around his new Ferrari acquisition, stopping a few times to look closer at certain sections of the car, before completing his literal walk-around. Then he looks at the camera, flashes that unmistakable James May face of approval, and walks off. No commentary. No music (apart from the intro and conclusion). No nothing. It’s definitely a different approach from what we’re used to, but May somehow makes it look authentic and meaningful at the same time. Who knew that Captain Slow could say a thousand words without having to open his mouth.

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Makes you wonder how May would do hosting a show that involves him literally just walking around stuff

James May is awesome. He doesn’t mince words, but he still exudes a level of refinement that his co-host Jeremy Clarkson lacks. In some ways, he makes for a perfect TV host. His commentary is (often) astute. He has a dry sense of humor that viewers love. And he’s shown himself to be more interesting than how Clarkson and Richard Hammond paint him out to be.

This literal walk-around video of the Ferrari 308 GTB is the perfect example of actions speaking louder than words, and nobody is better at that than May. The fact that he’s joined in the “episode” by a 308 GTB adds to the intrigue and hilarity of the whole concept of silently glaring at the car. For those who aren’t familiar with the 308 GTB, it’s considered by many to be one of the last examples of a Ferrari that was sexy and awe-inspiring without trying to be those things.

It didn’t have any fancy aero attached to it, nor did it scream for power - it featured a 252-horsepower V-8 engine - like so many of today’s Ferraris do. It does have a legacy of being the model that served as the inspiration behind the 288 GTO, which in turn helped Ferrari create the F40, considered as Maranello’s first modern supercar. These two iconic Ferraris trace their lineage to the 308 GTB. That’s esteemed company May somehow paid proper homage to the car without having to say anything at all.

Some cars elicit that kind of reaction, and the Ferrari 308 GTB is one of those cars. Seems fitting then that if there was a car that May could simply just walk around, it’d be the 308 GTB.

Read our full review on the Ferrari 308 GTB here.