The Stig, Chris Evans and a 400bhp cab

Get a pen out, fetch some paper then write down this cab's registration number. Now make a solemn promise to yourself that you'll NEVER get in it. Honestly. Don't. You'll mess yourself.

There are two reasons why. Firstly, it's not a black cab. Underneath the skin there's a very very fast Mitsubishi Evo MR. Secondly, a Stig's postured behind the wheel. The former makes 400bhp. The latter makes you have an unpleasant accident. We've got the underpants to prove it. So has Chris Evans.

Allow us to explain...

The Stig and his Very Stupid Taxi have been practicing hoonery at London's ExCel centre in preparation for Top Gear Live 2011, which opens its doors in November. And giving passenger rides.

His rehearsal route involves taking said cab, launching off service ramps, drifting through big concrete pillars in ExCel's underground car park and generally making his rearward passengers feel a bit uncomfortable.

One of which was Chris Evans, who erroneously braved Stig's mentalry to announce his appearance at this year's event - watch his lap here.

After Chris' hands stopped shaking and the cab's tyres cooled down, we had a poke around Stig's latest steed. It is, quite literally, a black taxi shell plonked on top of a Mitsubishi Evo 8 MR.

And because of it's an MR, it goes from 0-60mph in 3.8 seconds and has a funky selectable centre differential, which means you can do very fast four-wheel-drift donuts - an experience we predict Chris is replaying over and over while quietly weeping in the corner of a dark room.

Outside, the only suggestion of its potential's a pair of bonnet pins (they hold the lightweight front end on), some Mitsubishi steel wheels (cabs usually have hubcaps) and a bloody great big exhaust, which is tucked under the bumper.

Want to see more of it? You best get yourself tickets to November's event. The all-new live show format has an indoor track where you'll see much supercar hoonage, stars being shoved into reasonably priced cars, Jeremy, James and Richard blowing things up and, of course, more Stigcab idiocy. Probably best to take spare pants.

And we'll have more Top Gear Live later in the week: James and Jeremy have made a little video for you all. So until then, a quick reminder of the dates:

11-13 November 2011, Birmingham NEC