Anyone watch Top Gear on BBC-America?

[Kayvan]

I'm sorta getting sick of Speeds Pinks, Unique Wihps nonsense.

So I checked out Top Gear on BBC-America from 8-10pm on Mondays EST na

Now I swore off this Clarkson dude after his GT thrashing....

Yet, I got to hand it to his Top Gear show. Its nothing like any US car show.

-His test drives are sorta a cross between a high tech music video and a Hollywood trailer....

-He also beats the crap out of these cars; I mean he shows no mercy. He routinely stomps the pedal and bascially smokes the rubber down to steel belts. He usually has a interior/exterior camera showing the car going from 0-120-180+ mph...and lurching, shuddering or zooming. Few car shows really do this.

-He is also funny as hell....in a very dry, witty but cutting way. He derides the Jags XK-R interior panels as a bunch of alunimum foil..... He only gives credit where its truly due....chassis, brakes, engine, acceleration...and he will slam any nonsense.


The rest of the show is sorta campy...like a Merv Griffin couch chat session with Blokes or Lads in background guffawing at sometimes hammy humor that is untintelligible. Then he'll do some road trip or volunteer to drive an RV or lay asphalt.

Speed needs a hard-core big budget road testing show; the shop cam, bling fest, local racing, celeb-ride coverage, is getting old. HGTV, Discovery, ESPN2, Spike, Fine Living, TLC, DIY all have niche shows that Speed should be doing.


http://www.bbcamerica.com/content/266/index.jsp

 

[Neilda]

It's a big show here in the UK 6 - 8m audience (which for us is quite big).

By chance I spent the day with Clarkson last weekend, I've met him before and he is a very charming and funny guy, hugely likeable in fact. We were at an event and there were 9 of us together for the day - including, by coincidence, another GT owner! So we specifically asked him to lighten up on the Ford GT and told him about our hugely reliable cars. Hopefully, he'll not make any more negative comments!

 

[cudacharlie]

I don't care if Jeremy bashed the GT (and he actually defends it repeatedly on the show, he only griped about the aftermarket immobiliser on one episode IIRC), Top Gear is the BEST car show I've seen yet.

To be fair, American TV does produce some "fine automotive journalism", like MotorTrend TV (minivan reviews), Detroit Autoline (zzzz), Car Crazy (yes, Barry McGuire IS insane), My Classic Car (Dennis Gage's moustache IS insane!), or NOPI TunerVision (bikini contests with cars in the background).

Chop, Cut, Rebuild is tolerable, as is Steve Magnante's DIY show, but where else but on Top Gear will you see subcompacts launched out of a catapault and shot with surface-to-air missiles?

An episode I saw recently had Jeremy re-doing the interior of a big Mercedes to look like Ann Hathaway's cottage, complete with functional fireplace, wing chairs, parquet floors, and a straight-backed wooden chair instead of a driver's seat.

Needless to say, the road test of said "vehicle" was a classic. As was the trip with the three of them pulling a caravan (camper trailer, to us yanks), which came home as a burned out shell.

I subscribe to the print magazine as well. Fantastic stuff. Check out this section of their website, called "Carbage", where they trash on pep-boys-pimped rides...

Here's the headline from that page:

"You know what they say - one man's meat is another man's floppy fibreglass spoiler. But thankfully Top Gear is here to ridicule the clueless by bringing you the best chavved-up motors and tasteless tat. Welcome, then, to Carbage. "

http://www.topgear.com/content/timetoburn/sections/carbage/pages/0532/

 

[Empty Pockets]

So we specifically asked him to lighten up on the Ford GT and told him about our hugely reliable cars. Hopefully, he'll not make any more negative comments!

Was the other GT owner of whom you speak an Italian man by the name of Guedo, by chance? :biggrin

 

[B O N Y]

"You know what they say - one man's meat is another man's floppy fibreglass spoiler. But thankfully Top Gear is here to ridicule the clueless by bringing you the best chavved-up motors and tasteless tat. Welcome, then, to Carbage. "

http://www.topgear.com/content/timetoburn/sections/carbage/pages/0532/

Personally, I find it :bs:bs:bs to make fun of other folks rides.
Some people are doing the best they can. Others are so insecure with themselves that they enjoy making sport of something different.

I have heard some interesting negative remarks about the rich fat white guys that own FGT's which is also:bs:bs:bs:bs

 

[Kayvan]

I have heard some interesting negative remarks about the rich fat white guys that own FGT's which is also:bs:bs:bs:bs

Well plenty of comments about those seats not accomodating the hind quarters or leaving vent marks....

 

[Kingman]

Barry McQuire/Car Crazy is a GT owner. He has a Black w/Silver stripe ride! He had it in his booth/display at SEMA last year. He also shows up at Cars & Coffee with her too! :thumbsup

I don't care if Jeremy bashed the GT (and he actually defends it repeatedly on the show, he only griped about the aftermarket immobiliser on one episode IIRC), Top Gear is the BEST car show I've seen yet.

To be fair, American TV does produce some "fine automotive journalism", like MotorTrend TV (minivan reviews), Detroit Autoline (zzzz), Car Crazy (yes, Barry McGuire IS insane), My Classic Car (Dennis Gage's moustache IS insane!), or NOPI TunerVision (bikini contests with cars in the background).

Chop, Cut, Rebuild is tolerable, as is Steve Magnante's DIY show, but where else but on Top Gear will you see subcompacts launched out of a catapault and shot with surface-to-air missiles?

An episode I saw recently had Jeremy re-doing the interior of a big Mercedes to look like Ann Hathaway's cottage, complete with functional fireplace, wing chairs, parquet floors, and a straight-backed wooden chair instead of a driver's seat.

Needless to say, the road test of said "vehicle" was a classic. As was the trip with the three of them pulling a caravan (camper trailer, to us yanks), which came home as a burned out shell.

I subscribe to the print magazine as well. Fantastic stuff. Check out this section of their website, called "Carbage", where they trash on pep-boys-pimped rides...

Here's the headline from that page:

"You know what they say - one man's meat is another man's floppy fibreglass spoiler. But thankfully Top Gear is here to ridicule the clueless by bringing you the best chavved-up motors and tasteless tat. Welcome, then, to Carbage. "

http://www.topgear.com/content/timetoburn/sections/carbage/pages/0532/

 

[427GT]

Top Gear is my favorite show on TV. It's hard to make reviews of Honda Civics, and Corollas interesting, but they do it.

I do love how he bashes EVERY American car, but praised the GT to no end. Since I'm not an owner yet how is the gas mileage on a GT when your driving aggressively? Compared to say a F430? I saw one episode where they made a huge point of having to fill the GT up every few miles and I doubt the F430 gets much better mileage then the GT.

 

[fordcapri]

My kids and I thoroughly enjoy watching Top Gear, we always have a laugh at it. It manages to include a bit of whit and humour in to the programme and I don't think you have to be a car enthusiastic to enjoy it. Clarkson is prepared to give his honest opinion on what he thinks of cars, even though the Manufacturers might not be too happy with it. As for his Ford GT, he obviously thought it was a great car because he would not have bought one otherwise. I am afraid it was just the after market immobiliser that did him in.

 

[cudacharlie]

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE Barry McGuire's wholesome folksy attitude, charity work, AND his products (I'm a McGuire's guy, not a Mothers guy!), and when I say Barry is insane, I mean he's obviously a Car Crazy nutjob! Look at the grin on his face when he interviews lowriders, ricers, or trifive owners! I actually sent in a "Car Crazy Confession", but it hasn't made it on air.... Stilll, the juvenile delinquent in me always gets a kick out of Jeremy and the irreverent English wit in general. Big Monty Python fan here....

Besides, the anonymous heroes of the Carbage section deserve to have their sins put on the internet. It's not like someone snuck in their house and took pics of them in their undies.... these are the vehicles the owners customized and put out on the street SPECIFICALLY for the purpose of expressing whatever they are expressing, which Carbage is ridiculing, and rightly so in many cases... did you see the black SUV with the Phantom grill? Sure he's free to mod his car any way he wants, but I want to see pics, darn it!

Car Crazy, for sure!

One episode had Hamster driving the Zonda, and Jeremy (in the GT) said something like, "Driving that thing, you look like a twelve-year-old on a cheap carnival ride", and Hamster said something like, "I know. And I don't care. And that's the thing about a supercar. It's supposed to be bonkers. And driving it, you don't care if people are merely pointing, or pointing and laughing. You just don't care!"

 

[Empty Pockets]

The only gripe I had with Clarkson (RE: the GT & the immobilizer) was that he didn't ever clearly SAY it was the AFTERMARKET, government mandated, NON FORD immoblizer that was screwing everything up (as I recall)...'that the GT wasn't the pblm. In my view, he SHOULD have made it a point to make that perfectly clear.

 

[S592R]

Top Gear is a hoot to watch. Kind of reminds me of my beer drinking buddies of years gone by ... the three of us off on adventures around the way. Often doing something just slightly less than terminally stupid. The episode where they burned out the "caravan" was absolutely riotous!!!

Regarding the Clarkson/GT debate. I agree with pockets ... he should have done a qualifier ... but then again.... its TV.

Honestly on the Carbage part .... we are all a bit of a cliche' anyway. Just learn to laugh at yourself then it really does not matter what someone else is saying. A life filled with laughter and love is a much more joyous adventure than one filled with worry about what someone thinks about your car. Just my humble opinion.

On that front I just bought a 124 fiat spyder project car ... read that as 500.00 italian rust bucket... and just had a ball driving it home with no passenger floorboard and three tires that did not match. oh did I also say that not a single quarter panel has matching paint! Another automotive adventure ahead...... :lol so yes the neighbors are a talking and I am giggling. simple joys and simple pleasures. I think I will take a pic and send it to Top Gear for "carbage" or the "un-cool" list. :thumbsup

 

[427Aggie]

THe torrent network is your friend...if you haven't seen the full 1 hour run with the star in a reasonably priced car you are missing ALOT of the show. Lets just say I watch the same episode on the same night as Nelda

Matt

 

[FordGTGuy]

Top Gear is a great show but sometimes the American car bashing gets out of hand. For instance the Shelby GT-500 episode(which was good up until this point) where after test driving it he(not jeremy) put the car on a dyno and complained how it didn't make the factory hp stats. As we all know not only will an American car not do this but neither will a European or Asian seeing as factory specs are usually from engine dynos.

Also the Ford GT gets horrible mpg argument they kept coming up with on the show. During the Pagani/F430/Ford GT test drive(which is a very good episode) they kept saying how the Ford GT ate through gas like it was nothing while in truth the Ford GT gets a better mpg then both the Pagani and the F430.

Pagani Zonda 5 12/18 mpg
Ferrari F430 13/17 mpg
Ford GT 13/21 mpg

To add onto that discussion in the second episode with the Ford GT after Jeremy ran out of gas on the Top Gear track they made fun of the Ford GT for getting 4 mpg at full throttle. They forgot to mention the Ferrari Enzo gets 1 mpg and the Carrera GT 2-3(?) mpg.

Other then that I love the show.

 

[Kingman]

CudaDude...I surely wasn't making any statement other than Barry has one too and thought you might be interested. Actually I agree entirely with your opinion on the shows.

...and I'm a big Monty Python fan as well (when I was a freshman in college, my dormmates and I would stay up all night listening to 33 1/3 LP's of Python schtick. We were then required to repeat same episode to one another if we crossed paths on campus)

"that's the type of pig ignorance I have come to expect from some sniveling rot such as yourself"...the Dynsdale Brothers

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE Barry McGuire's wholesome folksy attitude, charity work, AND his products (I'm a McGuire's guy, not a Mothers guy!), and when I say Barry is insane, I mean he's obviously a Car Crazy nutjob! Look at the grin on his face when he interviews lowriders, ricers, or trifive owners! I actually sent in a "Car Crazy Confession", but it hasn't made it on air.... Stilll, the juvenile delinquent in me always gets a kick out of Jeremy and the irreverent English wit in general. Big Monty Python fan here....

Besides, the anonymous heroes of the Carbage section deserve to have their sins put on the internet. It's not like someone snuck in their house and took pics of them in their undies.... these are the vehicles the owners customized and put out on the street SPECIFICALLY for the purpose of expressing whatever they are expressing, which Carbage is ridiculing, and rightly so in many cases... did you see the black SUV with the Phantom grill? Sure he's free to mod his car any way he wants, but I want to see pics, darn it!

Car Crazy, for sure!

One episode had Hamster driving the Zonda, and Jeremy (in the GT) said something like, "Driving that thing, you look like a twelve-year-old on a cheap carnival ride", and Hamster said something like, "I know. And I don't care. And that's the thing about a supercar. It's supposed to be bonkers. And driving it, you don't care if people are merely pointing, or pointing and laughing. You just don't care!"

 

[tpraceman]

I agree PINKS SUCKS.

After all the years of drag racing they sit in fron of a perfectly good Christmas tree and opt to use a hand and arms waving.

Heck 30 years ago street racing at least used a flash light.

Then guys yelling about how many car lengths when today ,001 is the diff betwenn loosing and winnig.

And Whips A serious joke IMHO which runs how after show......how many times can someone install a radio & big wheels and call it unique

 

[cudacharlie]

Unique Whips is a bit like watching a train wreck, isn't it? I wish they would show how much they are billing the clients for those amp racks with the bubble tubes...

I don't mind Pinks All Out though... Rich is a good MC, he keeps the energy level up, and the participants all seem to be having a blast, that's for sure...

One classic quote from a guy who just lost a round on All-Out was, "That's the most fun I've ever had losing a race!" The original formula Pinks seems to have devolved into Kentucky race shops making beater Foxbody 'stangs with big motors that they don't mind losing or blowing up.

 

[S592R]

Saw this on you tube ... Top gear interview with one of my favorite celebs. :wink :ack

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzHure-YBmA

enjoy.

 

[tpraceman]

Saw this on you tube ... Top gear interview with one of my favorite celebs. :wink :ack

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzHure-YBmA

enjoy.

I laughed for the first time in a long time.

Thank you

 

[Empty Pockets]

Saw this on you tube ... Top gear interview with one of my favorite celebs. :wink :ack

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzHure-YBmA

enjoy.

"Enjoy"? Puleeeeeeeze...