Papa and Nicole Papa and Nicole "Papa" and "Nicole" were fictional characters created to advertise the Renault Clio in the United Kingdom between 1991 and 1998. The "Papa!" "Nicole" and "Nicole!" "Papa" verbal exchanges between Nicole and her father during the advertisements were adapted from an exchange between Nicole Bonnet (played by Audrey Hepburn) and her father (played by Hugh Griffith) in the film "How to Steal a Million" from 1966. Surveys by Channel 4 and ITV revealed the series as the most popular car advertisements ever aired in Britain. In 1996, one survey found that Nicole was recognised by more Britons than
Associated Electrics "bomb" was actually driven by IFMAR world-champion race driver Jay Halsey. The car was in fact an electric; the sounds of a nitro-powered engine were added in post-production. In 2000, Gene Husting took the decision to retire and sold his share to Roger Curtis. In 2005, Curtis took semi-retirement and sold Associated Electrics to Thunder Tiger, a Taiwanese RC model manufacturer. Thunder Tiger expressed hope that the buyout of Associated would make it the fourth largest RC model merchant in the world, following the three leaders at that time (in order) Tamiya, Kyosho, and Futaba/O.S. Engines. Team Associated cars have