[09x01] April 10th, 2006

[NecroJoe]

Sorry, I am using numbers from here in the states, which may cause some confusion when comparing models and what they say on the show.

These are the numbers I came up with: (from Yahoo! Autos and Edmunds.com, in American Dollars)

V8V:$110,000
F430:$168,005-$227,000
DB9:$164,500 - $172,350
Gall:$175,000-$193,370
Murch:$288,000 - $319,100

So, I was right on the numbers having to do with the fact that the DB9 costs a lot more than the V8V, but I didn't bother to consider to compare it to the F430. which COULD cost the same, but once you spec it out fully, the Ferrari leaps ahead by $45,000 again. (most of that probably having to due with things like carbon-ceramic brakes )

And really, that $100,000 figure was just pulled out of his ass. He really had no frame of reference for picking that number over any other. It would be like someone asking me to guess how many angels can dance on the head of a pin. Sorry, anything I say is just a random shot in the dark. So, it's not that big of a deal to go up 20% to a car he really really liked. I mean, if you go out for a meal, you tip give of take 20%, anyways.

I could see, though, not going up 30-50% or even higher for some of the other cars. It's like, when you go to McDonalds and they ask you if you want fries with your order. Sure. Why not. But, they never ask you if you'd like 2 drinks and two fries with your burger.

Sorry if I'm not making much sense...I just got back from work and am worn out and tired as hell.

~nj?

 

[NecroJoe]

As for the Jag/Taurus thing...all you have to do is swap badges, and you've got a new Thunderbird, then start a Jag from scratch.

http://img135.imageshack.**/img135/5809/xkthunde0it.jpg

~nj?[/img]

 

[Shawn]

It's someone you don't like... refer here.

nice avatar Sony - who is that?

 

[empowah]

Overall it was a good start... I look forward to the M3 v. RS4, Q7 police chase, and Z06 review. The supposedly Chinese "industrial espionage lady" was Korean.

 

[80ssportlover]

nice avatar Sony - who is that?

Looks like Adriana Lima to me

I liked this episode just about as much as all the others since they finally went to the much needed hour long format. I admit for the first time i didnt skip through Bently's segment, maybe because ive been so deprived of content since the last episode of Top Gear.

It bothers me sometimes that 5th Gear and Top Gear sort of ignore the rest of the world. Vicky said the MX-5 has no competition? Ummmmm it does...maybe not in the UK, but not for long with the arrival of the Opel GT right?

I agree with all of you who hate when they ask which show is better. It really is childish and unprofessional and to be quite honest.....who are they fooling? Im sure the people they interview turn the corner and say psssshhhh....Top Gear is way better.

I caught a climpse of the new Z06 at the beggining of the show. That im looking forward to. I hope they have a peice on it on the next series of Top Gear.

 

[Sony]

It's someone you don't like... refer here.

nice avatar Sony - who is that?

busted :lol:

 

[Overheat]

totally - lol

she looks so good in that avatar yet so bad in that photo shoot - ah well. Will you guys stop messing with my mind!

 

[trionic]

"but not for long with the arrival of the Opel GT right?"

Opel GT is not coming this year yet if I remember right.

 

[NecroJoe]

The Opel GT is europe's version of the Saturn Sky, but will Europe get a version of the Pontiac Solstice sooner since the Solstice has been available here in the U.S. for a couple months?

~nj?

 

[tloekke]

^I guess if we had Pontiac dealers here we would, but I pretty sure we don't have any in Norway. But you can go to any GM dealer and have them import one, like you would have a Honda dealer import an Element.

 

[NecroJoe]

Well, the Vauxhall (sp?) Monaro is the Pontiac GTO here in the states...i guess then, does Vauxhall have a version of the Solstice? I know nothing about it, but would the VXR220 be competition for any of these cars?

~nj?

 

[Militant-Grunt]

As for the Jag/Taurus thing...all you have to do is swap badges, and you've got a new Thunderbird, then start a Jag from scratch.

http://img135.imageshack.**/img135/5809/xkthunde0it.jpg

~nj?[/img]

bahahhaha, that is hilarious. I hate when they do the top gear or fifth gear bullshit, we all know top gear is the superior show.

 

[fbc]

bahahhaha, that is hilarious. I hate when they do the top gear or fifth gear bullshit, we all know top gear is the superior show.

That, and it's just totally pointless - no-one will say 'Top Gear', and even if they did they wouldn't air it.

 

[Marc]

That F430 engine is like sound of music to me.

 

[ycchan]

When Tiff was driving in South Africa, there was a quick shot of a Toyota Pickup truck full of people, that was kinda freaky.. :shock:

Btw, that woman at the Geneva Motor show looks more Japanese to me imo. Tom calling the Chinese "rotters"

 

[fbc]

Btw, that woman at the Geneva Motor show looks more Japanese to me imo. Tom calling the Chinese "rotters"

Yes, but he wasn't calling them rotters because he thought they were Chinese, he called them rotters because of what they were doing, so nothing racist in it at all.

 

[teeb]

There was only one thing that bothered me about the Lotto Car Shopping segment. He never actually buys a car. They say he's going to try and find a brand new F430 in grey without paying a premium. So really, he's still looking... and for all we know, he got tired of looking and bought a Astra VXR instead.

He's rich and doesn't have to work for the rest of his life.

He also just went to the effort of writing to 5th gear, and appearing on tv, just to choose a supercar.

I reckon he will get an F430. Reasonable enough to want one today, after just driving one, as opposed to a 2 yaer wait.


I really enjoyed the episode, I'm not sure whether to shed a tear or celebrate over the lack of studio bits. My least favourite bit was the snippet of Corvette - I knew it'd set the Merkins on the forum off; and be talking about nothing else for weeks

Geneva was interesting...and as for the supercar picking...! I think that I had a dream like that once. And for those moaning about how he bought a mini...A mini's ?10k. He won at least a million. Relatively speaking, that's pittance to him now [well, he could buy 100 of them and still have change for a chippy on the way home].

 

[Kebab gud]

Well, the Vauxhall (sp?) Monaro is the Pontiac GTO here in the states...i guess then, does Vauxhall have a version of the Solstice? I know nothing about it, but would the VXR220 be competition for any of these cars?

~nj?

the Vauxhall Monaro is a rebadge Holden Monaro (also rebadge as the Pontiac GTO)
The solstice is never going to come to europe.. but the Opel GT will be sold as a Vauxhall (probebly as a VX )
the Solstice/Sky/GT is after all originaly a Vauxhall Consept from 2003
Vauxhall VX Lightning

the VX220/Speedster is allready dead
the GT/VX(?) is its replacement

 

[TC]

There was only one thing that bothered me about the Lotto Car Shopping segment. He never actually buys a car. They say he's going to try and find a brand new F430 in grey without paying a premium. So really, he's still looking... and for all we know, he got tired of looking and bought a Astra VXR instead.

He's rich and doesn't have to work for the rest of his life.

He also just went to the effort of writing to 5th gear, and appearing on tv, just to choose a supercar.

I reckon he will get an F430. Reasonable enough to want one today, after just driving one, as opposed to a 2 yaer wait.

Yeah, I know. But it still would have been nice to see him buy a car. The whole segment was just a couple test drives. And he didn't sound like someone who was obsessed with cars. I mean, he bought a couple Smarts, a Rav4, and a Mini. I wonder how motivated he would be to buy a F430 after the novelty wears off and he's being forced to jump through hoops just to get one. Who knows? Like I said, it would have been nice to see him buy a car.

 

[teeb]

There was only one thing that bothered me about the Lotto Car Shopping segment. He never actually buys a car. They say he's going to try and find a brand new F430 in grey without paying a premium. So really, he's still looking... and for all we know, he got tired of looking and bought a Astra VXR instead.

He's rich and doesn't have to work for the rest of his life.

He also just went to the effort of writing to 5th gear, and appearing on tv, just to choose a supercar.

I reckon he will get an F430. Reasonable enough to want one today, after just driving one, as opposed to a 2 yaer wait.

Yeah, I know. But it still would have been nice to see him buy a car. The whole segment was just a couple test drives. And he didn't sound like someone who was obsessed with cars. I mean, he bought a couple Smarts, a Rav4, and a Mini. I wonder how motivated he would be to buy a F430 after the novelty wears off and he's being forced to jump through hoops just to get one. Who knows? Like I said, it would have been nice to see him buy a car.

True...for all we know the segment was only filmed last week though, which might not have left time.

And it was nice to see someone's thoughts on a supercar who isn't either a motoring journalist or a racing driver; a normal John Smith, as it were.

Doesn't stop me wishing I won the lottery...