The Stig is one of the best ideas in competition because no one can accuse the test resultsof being bias. For example if everyone knew Colin McRae (may he rest in peace) was Top Gear’s test driver, then people could assume that he drove the Subarus better than the Mitsubishis because he was loyal to his former team. The Stig levels the field. Everyone has a hard time disputing the driver’s results because no one knows who he is.
The only downside is that we are constantly wondering who is behind the mask. We have speculated a few different times about the identity of Top Gear’s Stig, but now it there is some pretty damming evidence published by a reputable newspaper. We won’t spoil it for everyone here, but hit the jump if you want to possibly meet Top Gear TV’s fourth member.
It seems Top Gear the magazine and Top Gear the TV show have split their Car of the Year decisions. The magazine chose the the Dodge Challenger as its COTY (CORRECTION:Muscle Car of the Year), while the Clarkson, Hammond and May are sticking by the Caterham Superlight R500. The two cars are alike in that they are both retro fun, but accomplish it in two very different ways.
The Challenger is brute fun (you’ll see in our upcoming review.) Shortcomings that arise from a muscle car built on a full-size car chassis are made up for with a huge engine and badass personality.
The Caterham is the never-say-die spirit of the Lotus 7. Where the Challenger uses a big Hemi V8 to get its speed, the Superlight R500 stays true to its name and uses its svelte 1100 lbs weight (500kg) to give it speed. It also helps that its 2.0-liter Ford-sourced engine is rated at 263 hp. 0 to 60 times are in the sub-three second range.
For all those who feared a Top Gear on NBC would be kinda stale (myself included), there’s some good news… NBC and the BBC have decided to go their separate ways. According to Jalopnik, the failure of Knight Rider turbo-boosted TG USA into the crapper.
But is no U.S. based Top Gear better than a lame Top Gear?
We may not have to answer that question because Top Gear’s own website is claiming that they are in negotiations with cable outlets for the show. According to the site, “BBC has decided to take the show to cable, where presenters’ funny mouths, from which often s----foul words, will be more at home.”
But that still doesn’t solve all the problems. Cable shows have smaller budgets than network shows, which could possibly reduce some of the fun.
Plus the problem with advertisers still remains. As we’re now seeing with the Top Gear Australia crew, not all the car companies want to play nice. Not only could problems arise from damage bills, but also from opinions given on cars. The original (British) Top Gear is somewhat immune to this because it is supported by TV license fees, but even it still has problems. In the latest series they actually had to buy a Dodge Charger from a dealership to do a test in the U.S. because Top Gear had been critical of Chrysler products in the past (usually car companies are happy to loan tester cars.)
So we could wind up with an under-funded and tongue-tied version of a great British show. As for the presenters, the BBC can likely still retain the line up of Adam Corolla, Eric Stromer and Tanner Foust from the pilot, but that could easily change too.
No matter what, as true car fans, we must have we must have faith in the franchise of our favorite show. Hopefully cable may be a good option for Top Gear, as long as it’s not Lifetime.
The TopGear Australia boys got in a little trouble for the damage they caused in the first series. One of the stand out examples was $30,000 AUD (less than $20,000 U.S.) of dings to some Holden Astras, so we couldn’t resist showing the offending video. Enjoy.
The boys over at TopGear Australia seem to be in some hot water over their damage for this season: $200,000 AUD (about $132,000 U.S. dollars). I was prepared to let this go, but the story seems to be picking up steam. So instead I’m weighing in with my opinion.
Some manufactures are upset that the cars were returned in less than pristine condition. This includes having to respray luxury cars after chips from stones (something that is routinely done for pre-owned luxury cars), and one stunt where $30,000 AUD worth of damage was done to two Holden Astras during a game of “lawn bowls” (it was cool to watch).
"We have no appetite for automotive Jackass," the spokesman for one of the damaged brands said.
"When they revisit series two, they will encounter a lot of shut doors," said another.
The TG Australia boys should respond by using a classic British saying: “Shut it!”
Did the manufactures not see Toyota Aygo/Volkswagen Fox Soccer on original TopGear? Or the lesser-known time when they decided to crash test on a Renault Megane without telling Renault they would total the borrowed car? Of course there is going to be destruction, THIS IS TOP GEAR NOT THE KNITTING HOUR!
Cars get dinged up all the time on TopGear. Manufactures are supposed to be fine with it because every feature is a ten minute commercial for their product that people are actually willing to watch. Over the eight episode run, the damage amounts to about $16,500 in U.S. dollars per episode. Car companies spend more than that to advertise on a program, so manufacturers shouldn’t be upset or withhold cars because they have to expense that out for their test fleet.
The TG Aussie boys had tough shoes to fill. They were cast not as their own men, but as the personalities of original hosts with new accents. TopGear Australia didn’t have a spectacular first season, but some of it was good fun and they are finding their own voices. Even the first series of this incarnation of original (British) Top Gear had some real kinks to work out. In fact, the British second series dropped Jason Dawe for James May.
The Aussie boys absolutely deserve their second series. I only say shame on them for not causing more damage.
There’s a new series of Top Gear going on now. We in the States don’t know much about what’s going on (we’re too proud to download it off the web, right?) We’ve already seen the TG team finally get their hands on the Bugatti Veyron and let it go around the test track. Now from some more perspective, see what it can do when pared directly against the ulta-quick Pagani Zonda F.
Top Gear is back on TV for series (not season, bloody yanks) 12. It will start in the U.K. on November 2nd. Watch as it looks like the gents are taking their hijinks to the lorry (18-wheeler) crowd, the high seas and even back to the U.S.
As for the U.S., BBC America still has not shown series 11, and we know you haven’t been getting it for any illegal sources (wink, wink).
Jeremy Clarkson is out to prove he’s indestructible. He’s recently survived a head-on collision with only minor injuries, and even before that, he was risking his life with gunplay, rocketplay and wordplay for a new DVD.
Watch a preview for "Thriller", which may be more enjoyable than Michael Jackson’s version. For you lucky Brits, the DVD will be out November 3rd.
It has been confirmed that Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson has been involved in a head-on collision during the taping of the BBC show. He suffered minor injuries to his legs, hand and back. Clarkson, 48, said, "My right index finger looked like a burst sausage, my left shin was fatter than my thigh and my back felt like someone had driven over it with a pile-driver."
Although head-on collisions are always serious, it is good news that this seems Clarkson escaped major injury. Although all details of the crash are not yet available, it will be inevitable that there will be some news sources that may compare this to the much worse accident over two years ago that almost claimed the life of Richard Hammond. We can only hope that these incidents do not give opponents to the show the power to dilute a truly unique piece of TV.
Thank you Top Gear gents for being daring enough to bring us great television.
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