Australian version of Top Gear

I really have to say, from the first moment I read that the aussie version is going ahead, I have been absolutely dreading it. I have no doubt it will be awful, with the presenters all having to hold back their more scathing comments for fear of litigation from the manufacturers.
Plus thanks to the ridiculous luxury car tax here, good high-end cars are about as common as antarctic polar bears. So it will just be stupid Falcoons and Commonwhores week-after-week. With the occasional Korean budget junkbox thrown in to appease the small-car market. Somehow I suspect we won't see much of the small European cars at all. Which will be a tremendous shame, as done right, it could move people away from the junk they tend to buy here.
One can only hope that after the first episode airs here, Top Gear UK shows a clip and ridicules it ferociously. :p
 
As a Top Gear fan i really do hope the aussie version does it justice.
However as others have expressed, the history of australian motoring shows gives me cause for concern.

I feel that with the right people as hosts, and production crew it is possible to do it well. But it would need to be 100% independent of the current australian motoring industry and pretty much all comercialism for that matter. What they need to do is try and source their cars privately instead of approaching the manufacturer for a loaner and accepting all the limitations that come with it. Being able to give honest although admittedly sometimes biased opinions is one of TG's fortes.

The one thing that gives me hope is that it will be on SBS.
 
I have a bad feeling about the Australian version of Top gear. Knowing most of the TV presenters around here, they'll be banging on about hybrids and biofuels instead of supercars and funny stunts (which is what Top Gear is famous for).

Oh, and every show will either be a Holden or Ford commercial.
 
Topgear Australia is a bad idea.

its like when a brilliant movie is made, with great actors, then a sequal is made with no name actors and its a shit movie, it ruins everything.

and it would suck ass to see constant Commordores and falcons on the show, i see hundreds on the road everyday as it is!
 
Topgear Australia is a bad idea.

its like when a brilliant movie is made, with great actors, then a sequal is made with no name actors and its a shit movie, it ruins everything.

and it would suck ass to see constant Commordores and falcons on the show, i see hundreds on the road everyday as it is!

As I posted elsewhere-

I'm quite obsessed with TopGear and have given the SBS version a lot of thought.

Series one is only 8 episodes long.

If TopGear Australia reviews Holden and Ford's nearly identical sedans, then compares their almost identical utes, then examines the indistinguishable HSV and FPV sedans, followed by an in-depth road-test of the FPV Maloo and the HSV Typhoon before filling out the series by racing Lancers and Imprezas against each other, the show will not survive. That just isn't TopGear.

If I were designing series one, I would try to follow these guidelines-
  • Each episode should include two car reviews, the news, a star in a reasonably priced car and a challenge.
  • One car review would be a performance car (given to the Stig for a hot lap afterwards), the other an interesting passenger car.
  • The challenges would be a mix of cheap-car, how-hard-can-it-be and inner-city car vs public transport tests. There would be one epic supercar race per series. A fun three-way comparison test or two (like those at Pendine Sands) with all the hosts could double for challenges.
  • Australian Fords and Holdens should not feature more than three times during the series. One HSV vs FPV comparison, one Falcon Orion test (if its out when the show is made), and one Holden Statesman, Caprice or Ute review. The VE Commodore and Falcon Orion shouldn't feature in the same series, it would be overkill. None of the Holden or Ford segments should be in the first episode.
  • A fourth Aussie Holden or Ford segment could be included if it is about a concept car or a look at historic cars (eg. muscle-cars of the 70's).
  • Non-Australian Holdens and Fords would feature no more than twice a season and preferably in comparison tests with other cars (eg. Focus, Astra and Golf).
  • The Lancer vs Impreza debate should be dealt with in one episode with a joint EvoX/WRX STi review after which the Stig does laps in both. This should be in the second half of the series.
  • Important new cars becoming available in Australia would take precedance and could require the bending of the other guidelines above.

The first episode should include a gorgeous car in stunningly beautifull surrounds (such as the Alfa in the Dandenongs), a good hatch that most people don't think of when they are in the market (Punto, Megane, C3, etc) and a fun cheap car challenge. This would be a good introduction to TopGear and would not let any desperation to seem different from the UK version overpower the show. Aussie V8s can wait a few weeks.
 
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I just read on the TV Week that apparently a Gold Logie winner has put in a application for a hosting position on the Australian version of Top Gear. Assuming that they are male and was won within the past 10 years that would mean that either Rove McManus of John Wood have applied to be a host.
 
Hi ykickamoocow,

Did TV Week say where they got their info?

What is it isn't a man?

Lisa McCune or Georgie Parker on TopGear?!?:|

No they didnt say where they got the information from and im just hoping that its a man as i really dont like the sound of Kate Ritchie, Lisa McCune or Georgie Parker hosting top gear. Though going through the mens list it isnt looking good

2006 - John Wood
2005, 2004, 2003 - Rove McManus
1996, 1995, 1994, 1993, 1987 - Ray Martin
1991 - Steve Vizard
1990 - Craig McLachlan
1989, 1986, 1983 - Daryl Somers
1984, 1982, 1981, 1979 - Bert Newton

Those are all the men who have won Gold Logies since 1979 and if Daryl Somers or Bert Newton becomes a Top Gear presenter i will not even try to watch the show.
 
rove mcmanus would be a bad idea, it would look like an attempt to be the Aus version of Richard hammond!


as mentioned by stiggie:

-Australian Fords and Holdens should not feature more than three times during the series.

That would be a great rule!

If this aus version is to survive, it should start out like Topgear did with small cars like the smart car, etc. if they go head first with the big and best cars it will be a complete failure
 
Why should there be 3 hosts?? Why not two, let it build, introduce the third later, maybe. Let the audience slowly get used to the personalities. One person couldnt do it, but three might be too much for now and too 'copied'. Let the two build a reputation and maybe next season bring in a third, this way the public would be use to the first two, and the third can build on their own reputation rather than compete for the viewing.
 
I think the closest guy to get the job in that list of award winners is Vizard. But he also has some controversy around him. Did anyone on this board actually make a video, and do any past journalistic work to meet the criteria to send in an application??
 
so who here has applied for the job??

/puts hand up

I'm just rendering the first draft of my audition piece now. I'm reasonably happy with it, but I'll spend the next week or so cleaning it up, possibly refilming stuff that gets bad reviews, that kind of thing. I did the written portion weeks ago, with plenty of supporting evidence (e.g. car reviews I've written for web sites, letters I've had published in car mags etc).

Not holding my breath, but I figure that by putting in a submission, my chances of hosting TG Australia will go up from 0.000000% to 0.000001%. I like those odds. :D
 
No they didnt say where they got the information from and im just hoping that its a man as i really dont like the sound of Kate Ritchie, Lisa McCune or Georgie Parker hosting top gear. Though going through the mens list it isnt looking good

2006 - John Wood
2005, 2004, 2003 - Rove McManus
1996, 1995, 1994, 1993, 1987 - Ray Martin
1991 - Steve Vizard
1990 - Craig McLachlan
1989, 1986, 1983 - Daryl Somers
1984, 1982, 1981, 1979 - Bert Newton

Those are all the men who have won Gold Logies since 1979 and if Daryl Somers or Bert Newton becomes a Top Gear presenter i will not even try to watch the show.

Dear God, no, I don't even was to envisage Top Gear with Daryl Somers or Bert Newton... :? Dear God, no! Rove would be a good host but he doesn't know anything about cars, so he's out of the question...

I personally want three fresh new people, with unique opinions and tastes to host the show. People with a large knowledge of all cars, not just Australian. Thank God it's SBS that's producing this adaptation, I still have hope that they'll be sensible enough to pick suitable hosts.

Damn right!

So, you, me and..

...me. 8)

/puts hand up

I'm just rendering the first draft of my audition piece now. I'm reasonably happy with it, but I'll spend the next week or so cleaning it up, possibly refilming stuff that gets bad reviews, that kind of thing. I did the written portion weeks ago, with plenty of supporting evidence (e.g. car reviews I've written for web sites, letters I've had published in car mags etc).

Not holding my breath, but I figure that by putting in a submission, my chances of hosting TG Australia will go up from 0.000000% to 0.000001%. I like those odds. :D

Excellent. If per chance you get the job, I dibs a free ticket from you mate. :mrgreen:
I'm sure if you get the job you can get a few tickets to us FinalGear friends.





So where is the studio going to be? :| In Melbourne I presume, and they'll shoot through-out Australia - on location. If it's in Melbourne, I'll definitely go and represent FinalGear! :thumbsup:
 
They may be doing the unpredictable with this show instead of going with the 'regular' TV people. Ten years ago they did Top Gear with an unknown called clarkson, although he was 'known' in the car circles. May and Hampster werent added till later, Tiff use to be on Top Gear and went to Fifth Gear. so expect some of the same moving about. I think 3 hosts might be too many at first. Too much for the head to get around. But expect a chick to be in with a chance. Of course, we should expect the unexpected.
 
This show will probably be more palatable than the proposed American version simply because of the humor invovled, I'm not too sure about their independance or the automotive pool there although we'll see a lot of Australian manufactured cars and quite certainly a greater deal of Japanese and South Asian imports than we ever get on Top Gear which seems to be [James May] GEEEEEEERRRRRman [/James May] all the time.
 
/puts hand up

I'm just rendering the first draft of my audition piece now. I'm reasonably happy with it, but I'll spend the next week or so cleaning it up, possibly refilming stuff that gets bad reviews, that kind of thing. I did the written portion weeks ago, with plenty of supporting evidence (e.g. car reviews I've written for web sites, letters I've had published in car mags etc).

Not holding my breath, but I figure that by putting in a submission, my chances of hosting TG Australia will go up from 0.000000% to 0.000001%. I like those odds. :D

Good luck mate!

You surely can't be any worse than Rove McManus. Act like an idiot and your chances will probably go from 0.000001% to 0.000005%.
 
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