Top Gear USA on NBC official! Eric Stromer is third host

[PaSSoA]

An article I found introducing the new hosts. It says that the executive producers are those of Monster Garage and Apprentice, and JC won't be involved in this version, hope it turns out well though.

Source

'Top Gear' Buckles Up Host Trio
Adam Carolla leads on-air team for NBC pilot

June 16, 2008
Adam Carolla
NBC has put a trio of hosts behind the wheel of its adaptation of the BBC hit "Top Gear."

Comedian/car collector Adam Carolla, rally driver and stunt performer Tanner Foust and HGTV host Eric Stromer will try to fill the shoes of U.K. hosts Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May. The American version will shoot a pilot this week.

"This franchise is a proven winner worldwide and the hosting team of Adam, Tanner and Eric that we have brought together for the U.S. version offers a perfect match of humor, insider know-how and priceless track experience," says Craig Plestis, head of alternative programming at NBC. "We are going to create a high-powered show that, like the original, will keep viewers in every demographic clutching the edge of their seats."

Clarkson, who's an executive producer of the BBC show (but won't be involved in the NBC show), also gives an endorsement of the trio. "This is fantastic news -- but how on earth you lot are going to do it on the wrong side of the road, I've no idea."

Carolla, whose involvement was announced earlier this year, is a self-professed gearhead who counts classic Lamborghinis and two Ferraris among his car collection. The recent "Dancing with the Stars" contestant hosts a syndicated radio show from L.A.

Stromer hosts the HGTV show "Over Your Head" and has appeared on TLC's "Clean Sweep" and NBC's "Three Wishes." He's also a frequent guest on Carolla's radio show.

Foust is the 2007 Formula Drift Pro Drift champion and has worked on a stunt driver on several films, including "The Bourne Ultimatum" and "The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift." He's also hosted the Speed Channel's "Redline TV."

Tod Mesirow ("Monster Garage") and Kevin Harris ("The Apprentice") are executive producing for NBC.

[MattD1zzl3]

I think by "not involved" they mean "will not appear on camera".

If he's the executive producer you can damn sure count on that he will be involved, you know who holds that title on TGUK? Andy Wilman.

He might just call car manufacturers and arrange tests for the US boys, or phone in with his ideas for it. And i'd be SHOCKED if there wasnt cameos between the shows, or a TG vs Dmotor-style faceoff.

[ricochet]

Was out shooting an R8 yesterday, come back to find this. My head just officially exploded. Doing lunch with Bob Lutz today, wonder what his thoughts are on this.

Stromer is "officially" cast as the James May character I just spoke to my BBC contact about it as it was a role I was in consideration for.

Even if I didn't get the gig to be on the show I had hoped that I would at least been able to say "well, that person is an excellent choice, much better than me." But a Camry Hybrid?! No other car quite says "I don't have any opinion about cars but am really worried about what others think of me" than the Camry Hybrid. Hell, even if he owned and loved a Jetta TDI I'd shake his hand.

[MattD1zzl3]

I like my fully-gasoline-powered Camry, and i have driven a Prius and actually quite liked it. (like you all, i was ready to hate it, but it turned out to be a nice little economybox with a cool dashboard, if overpriced.)

Maybe the combination of the two isnt such a bad thing, if you dont care for performance cars. Live and let live.

[ricochet]

if you dont care for performance cars.

Hello.. It's Top Gear, not Top Green Team Pandering Squad Gear. And yes, I've driven all the cars you've mentioned. I'm happy you like your Camry, but I stand by my opinion. The standard Camry is just a non-pandering version of a car for people that don't care about what they drive or have no choice in the matter.

[Vector]

Hello.. It's Top Gear, not Top Green Team Pandering Squad Gear. And yes, I've driven all the cars you've mentioned. I'm happy you like your Camry, but I stand by my opinion. The standard Camry is just a non-pandering version of a car for people that don't care about what they drive or have no choice in the matter.

Thank you.

[MattD1zzl3]

Get back to me when you own a Z/28. All the fun of incredible speed, with alfa-romeo build quality and reliability.

When you've praised your car one second, loved it like a family member every time you turn the key, every time you snatch third and the back end is still jumping around behind you, than cursed it when it shoots out its driveshaft at 80MPH and you spend six hours in an oily parking lot installing a new one at 4 in the morning: you will have permission to get back to me about the finer points of car passion.

When you've grown up, you learn to appreciate an affordable, comfortable car that you can trust. I love my toyota.

[JCE]

Get back to me when you own a Z/28. All the fun of incredible speed, with alfa-romeo build quality and reliability.

*points to the mileage from his Camaro*


Ahem? Those are original miles sir.

[Yaarg]

Stromer could provide some sweet builds in this series. The world's first automobile with a back porch and lovely planter boxes.

[rbennick43]

Get back to me when you own a Z/28. All the fun of incredible speed, with alfa-romeo build quality and reliability.

When you've praised your car one second, loved it like a family member every time you turn the key, every time you snatch third and the back end is still jumping around behind you, than cursed it when it shoots out its driveshaft at 80MPH and you spend six hours in an oily parking lot installing a new one at 4 in the morning: you will have permission to get back to me about the finer points of car passion.

When you've grown up, you learn to appreciate an affordable, comfortable car that you can trust. I love my toyota.
__________________

As for the new cast of Top Gear, GOOOOO TOP GEAR. Even with the Hybrid driving wife-baiter on board, it must better than the eight season of that other British Import, "American Idol" (yech!)

I gotta defend the Z-28. I have fond memories of beating the snot out of a 1988 IROC Z-28 in the mountains above Denver. No matter what I did to that car, or how bad the surface I ran it on, that car always, always came back for more. It never broke!!!

Fast forward to 2002 when I purchased a new Camry LE with the 6-cylinder motor. Flogging that bloated econo box resulted in a brake pedal that wound up dead on the floorboards. It stopped much more efficently when I simply opened the door and drug my left foot on the ground!

That box of Japanese Poo never ran right and I returned it under the lemon law. Yes, like an idiot I got another Camry. It did run well, got decent gas milage, and I could take my granny to lunch in it. But frankly I find morning farts in the toilet more exciting than driving a Camry.

My Toyota's are long gone and have been replaced by two cars that at least can co round a corner without keeling over into the dirt.

[SwissCheeseMan]

After hearing Adam describe some of the people he was interviewing for his show, it seems oddly surprising he would decide on a carpenter who drives around a Toyota hybrid.

With Adam driving European, and a couple Japanese cars (he has a Datsun 510 which I strongly envy), and publicly expressing his dislike of American cars/bikes, including the Corvette, Stormer Driving a Japanese economy car, and Tanner driving around a European sports coupe, I don't expect American top gear to be supportive of domestic automakers in the way Top gear UK is. That's something I'd like to see. Not that I think we produce very many good cars here in America, but I'd like to see the few we have done right to get their proper credit.

[jayhawk]

Was out shooting an R8 yesterday, come back to find this. My head just officially exploded. Doing lunch with Bob Lutz today, wonder what his thoughts are on this.

Holy name dropping....

Oh, and thanks for bringing out the Camaro squad, aka MattD1zzle, JCE and probably, Soxpuppet.

[Cranker]

You know it was marketing and corrola not wanting to get upstaged.

They got a guys guy via adam.

They got the teen-20 somthings with tanner

Now they got the ........tree hugging, the earth is burning global warming, Al gore naked poster hanging, hybrid owner. AKA Doofus with slowmer.

[dMa]

those are the 3 uggliest people on America

[ricochet]

Holy name dropping....
Oh, and thanks for bringing out the Camaro squad, aka MattD1zzle, JCE and probably, Soxpuppet.

Just another day in my awesome life.

Of course, tpiwwop...

[JCE]

Oh, and thanks for bringing out the Camaro squad, aka MattD1zzle, JCE and probably, Soxpuppet.

What the fuck is that supposed to mean? My post was more tonque-in-cheek than anything.

[jayhawk]

What the fuck is that supposed to mean?

http://forums.finalgear.com/post-you...project-25119/

You tell me.

[JCE]

http://forums.finalgear.com/post-you...project-25119/

You tell me.

No, you tell me? Is that an insult or what? I'm honestly asking a legitimate question.

[toyota]

we know for sure eric will win every 'build a car' challenge.


but still, I don't think he's into cars and therefore not fit? maybe they'll boot him after the end of the first series, a la jason dawe hahah I know jezza and richard and james weren't into cars either but tgusa has to continue the pedigree

[Vector]

Holy name dropping....

Oh, and thanks for bringing out the Camaro squad, aka MattD1zzle, JCE and probably, Soxpuppet.