The Top Gear MEGATHREAD!!!!

[Knox]

I don't really know if it is the same show, but I was watching "Top Gear" on the Discovery channel and it was hosted by a couple of British dudes, so I figured it was the same one. Anyhoo, the show was pretty cool, good enough for a return viewing. With that said, did any other Americans, or just those that get Discovery see this?

I'm blind, completely missed this post. There has been some discussion on a Top Gear related site about the American version. The shows on Discovery are very heavily edited versions of the UK Top Gear, picking individual items from different programs, even from different series, and using specially recorded studio links to tie them together. The consensus seems to be that it's OK, but doesn't work as well as the originals.

 

[ham_man]

I don't think the current format of Top Gear is not intended to be an informational show really, which is why they don't have many tests of 'normal' cars. It's entertainment, showing cars which the vast majority of people couldn't possibly afford, but ones that they are still interested in.

I like it precisely because there's no content in it

On the one show I watch, the hoster drove the 'cheapest' car in Britain. Was like 7K poounds. He said it was the closes car to the original Mini, which I thought was pretty interesting...

Was it on Discovery?

If I had to guess, it was...

 

[emw]

Was it on Discovery?

Yes it was - does that make a difference?

 

[RedTomato]

Bumped into Jeremy Clarkson and the Stig, and the other bloke presenter last Monday.

I was at BBC White City to be filmed in a discussion about terrorism for BBC SeeHear, which is a magazine programe for Deaf people.

(it's entirely in British Sign Language, with voiceover/subtitles, goes out on BBC 2 every Saturday, usually at 12 midday give or take 15 mins either side)

We went outside for a fag break, and there was the the three of them, sitting in the BBC garden, having a natter as well.

They were very interested in us, as we were chatting away in BSL; they couldn't take their eyes off watching us signing to each other.

We played it cool, didn't say anything to them.

I vaguely remembered some media story about Jeremy Clarkson making some sort of anti-disabled joke, so I thought about going over and having a go at him, especially as he was staring at us.

But I was pretty tired, and anyway I knew he'd probably just make a joke about it on Top Gear the next week, something like

"Hey some Deaf nutter came up to me the other day and waved his arms at me, semaphore haha, why not get a job on an aircraft carrier hyuk hyuk"

Anyways if you wanna see me looking a plonker on TV, tune in to SeeHear on Saturday 23rd, BBC 2.

xoxo Tomato

 

[HydroMan]

Hey RedTomato watch out about how you say things on this MB-

"We went outside for a fag break, and there was the the three of them, sitting in the BBC garden, having a natter as well."

Ha Ha when I was working in Jacksonville FL. with a bunch of other Brits ( who had never even met an American before ) said things like- "I'm going outside to roll a fag" "Fancy a fag now" and "let's smoke a fag" they surely got some bad looks and were totally misunderstood until I explained what "fag" meant to the Brits (my Uncle is an American so I know better)
Hope this isn't deemed as being off topic, as for SeeHear what part of the programme is it, how will I know I've watched you perform/debate.

As for TopGear I love this show, the mix of presenters is perfect and they seem to have a real rapport with each other and they truly seem to enjoy each others company (at least for the show) and it's the only male orientated show on the box (as far as I can tell) and ticks all my boxes for unnecessary anything, like racing against trains, planes( including the good old Harrier Jumpjet ) automobiles, boats, tanks, snipers and humans, totally pointless but gratifying just the same, I am a man after all, I even feel a little guilty after spending an hour watching a programme and the only thing I've learnt is that the British Army will be able to blow numerous holes in you no matter how fast your car is ( a no brainer really ) and still be satisfied with the outcome (bang boom brrruuupp yeah!)

 

[XIII]

Hmm.....

But did everyone see the runner's PowerBook?!?!

YES!

 

[mfacey]

Bumped into Jeremy Clarkson and the Stig, and the other bloke presenter last Monday.

So does the stig wear his helmet when he smokes? If not, can you tell us who he really is?

 

[sprstu]

Because I steal from the internet, I too have been blessed with Top Gear. I have not seen to many new shows, but some of my favs from the past include: the M3 SCL that they ran out in the Isle of Man, when they duked out the EVo 9 and the 05 STI (calling them the subaru "did you just spill my pint!" and the EVo "you, me, outside, now!") ummm when they took the new SVT out to whales and made fun of welsh "english" and the animals around the countryside, when they debuted the new R32 golf and ran it against all the other "hot hatches"... Man, there are so many good shows from them, I just wish i had the ability to watch them all the time. Anyway, cheers.

 

[mfacey]

For all of you who can't receive BBC there's a forum out there with all of the episodes of the last 2 seasons (i think) and loads and loads of videos of tests from older shows.
http://www.wrxfanatics.com/index.php?showtopic=19611&st=165

You have to sign up to download (its some kind of security measure), but you won't regret it!

 

[iGav]

Anyone watch Top Gear last night? they actually had some cars on it... yes, yes, yes... I know this goes against the current Clarkson/Parkinson'esque format for this show... but they actually showed some cars may'zin

The Ferrari F430 piece confirms exactly what I was thinking... the F430 looks far cooler in Spider form... it lacks the heavy 3/4 styling of the coupe. You'd have to be a total muppet to choose a DB9 convertible over one though.

And was it just me, or did The Stig f**k that start up big time??? that's what Launch Control is there for fella!!

 

[mpw]

Anyone watch Top Gear last night? they actually had some cars on it... yes, yes, yes... I know this goes against the current Clarkson/Parkinson'esque format for this show... but they actually showed some cars may'zin

The Ferrari F430 piece confirms exactly what I was thinking... the F430 looks far cooler in Spider form... it lacks the heavy 3/4 styling of the coupe. You'd have to be a total muppet to choose a DB9 convertible over one though.

And was it just me, or did The Stig f**k that start up big time??? that's what Launch Control is there for fella!!

I missed the begining so only cars I saw was the 'test' of the Audi/Nissan/Chrysler. Of course it wasn't much of a test drag racing on sand when only one car's got 4WD.

And what with marking the Nissan down because of the colour? Reminds me of my mum looking for a new car, I'd decided she should by a Clio so showed her a picture of a red one in a magazine, she didn't like the car at all so I got another magazine and showed her a 'different' car which she very much liked. She bought the blue Clio.

I loved the insight of the verdict though. If you're in the market for a small convertible buy one that started life a convertible not a coupe with the roof missing, gee what would we do without expert advice.

Reminds me of a time when I was briefly working for a BMW dealer and we were sitting having lunch by the window when across the road this guy comes out of his office with an angle grinder and makes his car a convertible before driving it home. Everyone had a right old laugh, including me, of course I sat quietly as the guy across the road was my cousin.

 

[iGav]

Iwhen across the road this guy comes out of his office with an angle grinder and makes his car a convertible before driving it home.

hahahahaha although just out of interest... what did he do with the remains of the roof?

 

[mpw]

hahahahaha although just out of interest... what did he do with the remains of the roof?

Handy skip. I'm trying to remember what kind of car it was, all I can remember was it was a 70's american sedan de-badged and painted a very classy matt black

 

[mfacey]

Anyone watch Top Gear last night? they actually had some cars on it... yes, yes, yes... I know this goes against the current Clarkson/Parkinson'esque format for this show... but they actually showed some cars may'zin

The Ferrari F430 piece confirms exactly what I was thinking... the F430 looks far cooler in Spider form... it lacks the heavy 3/4 styling of the coupe. You'd have to be a total muppet to choose a DB9 convertible over one though.

And was it just me, or did The Stig f**k that start up big time??? that's what Launch Control is there for fella!!

I'm sorry, but as far as looks go, the DB9 convertible is in a different league than that Ferarri. No modern ferrari even comes close to looking that good. I agree the coupe is better looking. but not by much!

 

[iGav]

the DB9 convertible is in a different league than that Ferarri. No modern ferrari even comes close to looking that good.

I disagree... (but good design is after all subjective) but that's because I'm of the opinion that Aston design has become staid, banal and far too familiar after a decade of knocking out the same form and aesthetic.

but as far as looks go

Which is the only time one can utter Aston Martin in the same breath as Ferrari...

 

[mpw]

I'm sorry, but as far as looks go, the DB9 convertible is in a different league than that Ferarri. No modern ferrari even comes close to looking that good. I agree the coupe is better looking. but not by much!

Have you seen a 612 Scagletti in the flesh, moving on the road? It's 100% better than you think it'll be from the pictures you've seen in magazines or even TV.

PS: I can't find it right now but I'm sure I've posted a story in these forums about a guy I knew who wrote-off his dad's Ferrari and his dad just laughed it off. Anyway the guy who crashed is the guy who took the new Bentley saloon to 208mph in this weeks Autocar Magazine.

 

[iGav]

Anyway the guy who crashed is the guy who took the new Bentley saloon to 208mph in this weeks Autocar Magazine.

There's a vid of that on the Autocar site amazing motor.

Speaking of vids... how about a lap with Sabine in a Ring Taxi

 

[mfacey]

Have you seen a 612 Scagletti in the flesh, moving on the road? It's 100% better than you think it'll be from the pictures you've seen in magazines or even TV.

PS: I can't find it right now but I'm sure I've posted a story in these forums about a guy I knew who wrote-off his dad's Ferrari and his dad just laughed it off. Anyway the guy who crashed is the guy who took the new Bentley saloon to 208mph in this weeks Autocar Magazine.

I'm not impressed by the scagletti, the 456 was a far more beautiful car. I've seen both in the flesh.
Fact of the matter is that, like clarkson, I'm bored with Ferrari. They're becoming too "common". Sort of like the Porsche 911. This is especially true for the lower end models like the 355 and 360.
If i was in the market for a car like this I'd be looking at lamborghini, just because it's not a ferrari. Nothing beats the brutality of a Diablo!

 

[mpw]

I'm not impressed by the scagletti, the 456 was a far more beautiful car. I've seen both in the flesh.
Fact of the matter is that, like clarkson, I'm bored with Ferrari. They're becoming too "common". Sort of like the Porsche 911. This is especially true for the lower end models like the 355 and 360.
If i was in the market for a car like this I'd be looking at lamborghini, just because it's not a ferrari. Nothing beats the brutality of a Diablo!

The Diablo isn't made any more and when it was wasn't a competitor to 911/355 but to the 959/512. The current competitor from Lamborghini for the 360 is the Gallardo, one of which I see most days and the finish just doesn't compare to the 360.

 

[mpw]

There's a vid of that on the Autocar site amazing motor.

Speaking of vids... how about a lap with Sabine in a Ring Taxi

Pretty impressive

 

[RedTomato]

Mfacey said:

>>Originally Posted by RedTomato
>>Bumped into Jeremy Clarkson and the Stig, and the >>other bloke presenter last Monday.

>So does the stig wear his helmet when he smokes? If not, can you tell us who he really is?

My mistake - I don't regularly watch Top Gear. I thought the short bloke who presents with Jeremy was called the Stig.

It was him (short guy) wot I saw in the garden.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hydroman said:

>Hope this isn't deemed as being off topic, as for SeeHear what part of the >programme is it, how will I know I've watched you perform/debate.

Big hint: they'll probably introduce me as Tomato (yes it's me real name

It's a debate about the validity of protest and violence on protests marches. (cos of the recent london bombs)

there's 3 of us - a big bloke, and an older bloke, and me who is neither big nor old (tho I'm getting there! - 30 this September!)

xoxo Tomato

 

[iGav]

one of which I see most days and the finish just doesn't compare to the 360.

especially the interior... whilst it's fine in an A4... in a Lamborghini however

Pretty impressive

Only 'pretty' impressive...

 

[edesignuk]

The segment that they *just* aired (where they went out on little bikes to drive pissed people home) was the best thing I've seen on Top Gear in ages, kudos to whoever it was in the Top Gear office that thought that one up, BRILLIANT!

edit: omg, M5

 

[mfacey]

No one can now claim that Top Gear is no good. That was a truly awesome show. I think I'll go watch it again now

 

[russed]

i love top gear. best show on tv by a long way, today wasnt the best episode this series (the woman in the transit and the race to norway were brilliant).

i think the star in a crap car is getting old now and is turning into advertising for the "stars" involved but everthing else is brilliant.

im not sure about hte m5, its fast but... it looks horrible and the idrive system is a dog.

who would use that scooter thing. yeh not just get a taxi!

and out of the golf, astra and megane - it would still have to be the golf every time.