As this recent article shows the manufacturers think hard about whether to let TG loose on their prize babies.... (****** to save having to spoiler the extract)
...However, the episode was enough to have the MD of ****** worried too. In a blog on the manufacturer's website for dealers, *********.co.uk, boss Paul Willcox explained it was always a tough decision for manufacturers whether to lend cars to Top Gear.
"Some of you may be wondering why we let Top Gear borrow a **** at all, especially after what happened with Tesla on a previous episode," he wrote.
"Well, dealing with Top Gear can be a bit of a double-edged sword. If you lend the show a car you're at the mercy of the script writers and the presenters as to how it will be represented.
"Then, on the other hand, if you refuse to give them a car you could end up like our friends at Bentley did ? being represented by a battered old Yugo.
"And, with that last scenario, there's an even bigger problem ? the show, and its millions of viewers across the world, could end up believing you don't have enough faith in your ground-breaking car to let the world's favourite motoring show get behind the wheel."
However, Willcox was confident the ****'s "cabinet full of trophies" shows they have good reason to be confident it'll be liked by Clarkson and Co and added that he'll be reserving judgment until after the Top Gear episode has been aired.
The whole debacle does just go to show how powerful Top Gear has become, though ? now manufacturers have to issue statements before the show has even been aired!