[08x06] July 16th, 2006

[zaybxcwd12]

Originally Posted by speedmeist3r

I loved the part where Richard kept on yelling "Back! Back! BACK! BACK!". And James just kept on backing up.

Jag being owned by Ford makes it as American as Lotus is Malaysian.

Jaguar is now American ok I am going to buy into this.

Why does Ford no do the right thing then and close the production facitlity in the part of the 3rd world they call Coventry and move the whole factory lock, stock and barrel to.......well not Detroit because it is a little run down atm as Jag has a air of opulence say take it to downtown Hicksville, Louisinana. We need a new forman Billy Bob Gobbleburger is out of work he will do. Ford you will find him at Hillbillly Rd, Trailer Park #6, 3rd Trailer on the right.

Now we are smoking. Billy is a sophisticated kind of guy he is in love with Lucy Jean his faithful 12 gauge they are planning a shotgun wedding after all, and he is faithful that is when he is not having intermate relations with blood relatives or his farmyard poulty. He decides to revamp Jag so he calls the next model after his long departed mother it is now called the XL type. Needs a BIG American V8 cos he will need to have to haul his Cleatus Clampet GLS Supreme wide berth (thats his trailer).. In his wisdom he decides to cut the boot (trunk) out and make it into a flatbed now we have Jaguar XL type SVT lightening, boy we onto a winner here.

This is going to kill Jaguars new found reputation of course and kill sales both in Europe and America so take the Jag badges off now and replace with Henrys signature.

Second thought no we will just leave Jaguar as is, parented by Americans but the still has British roots and a British auto.

In the words of budwieser we do the beer, you do the football.

[LoneWolf]

Originally Posted by Plissken

But no, its always some sodding Yank who takes it personally. If it offends you so much, then why not do something typically American to get back him. I dunno... sue him or something.

Or better still, just stop watching the show.

[SL65]

I was really let down by this episode. Why don't they test some cool new cars?

[Peter3hg]

Probably nothing new and exciting for them to test.

[ishigakisensei]

For a long time, Clarkson got complaints of not testing real world cars choosing instead to focus on super cars. Well, here is an episode dedicated to the common man (family sedans and campers) and people bitch about it.

[speedmeist3r]

I guess we all had our hopes pinned up high from the 5 week hiatus everyone calls the World Cup.

[0me]

Another champ episode from those Top Gear folk! Loved the news bit with James, he's good with one liners.

Regarding the anti-american stuff...I say we need more...that'll bring the morons out of the woodwork to entertain us (rest of the worlders).

[Steve Levin]

Even as a 300 SRT8 owner, still, you have to realize the JC is ornery just to be ornery. He's what we in the states call a "shock jock" -- he just says things to be totally outrageous. Being consistent isn't a requirement.

And you know that if Hammond's going to fawn over it (like the Challenger) JC's going to rag on whatever it is -- it just makes a good show.

As far as the fire, I don't know if it was staged or not. Old US caravans (those built a few years ago) would have easily burned that quickly. I've seen it happen. These days, there's a bit more of a requirement for fire-retardant everything, so I'm not as sure about how they would burn.

But when I was a kid I saw a caravan burn down about that fast -- fully engulfed in just a few minutes -- so it's certainly possible.

Steve

[zaybxcwd12]

0me you calling me a moron????

Compliments will get you nowhere.

Oh come on getting upset because you belong to a group who has been insulted on a TV is just plain stupid, and thw best way to combat stupidity is with even greater stupidity.

[Jon]

I wanna be a bus driver

[No Boss]

Originally Posted by peter3hg2

Probably nothing new and exciting for them to test.

I was thinking the same thing.

[maximus]

Good ep. That Vectra was shocking! Far too much power. I thought Jeremy was exaggerating at first then I saw The Stigs lap, horrific! The St220 IMO had the perfect amount of power for a FWD car, maybe not as fast on the straights but far better in the corners.

The caravan segment was hilarious, I loved it when they all got in it and it tipped up because they forgot to put the legs down! I agree that the fire was set up, wouldn't the gas bottles have blown up?

That Kia was pathetic! Didn't car and caravan magazine realise that a good towcar should have TORQUE! I mean, a 1.5 diesel! The small 1.6 diesel vans I've driven at work can be a bit lacking, so that must have been pathetic! Why didn't they go for something like the Focus? I've driven one we have at work (1.8 or 2.0l I think it may have been, not sure) and it had bags of torque.

[acascianelli]

Its funny how different American vs English camping is. That camp ground looked more like a trailer park.

[Steve Levin]

Originally Posted by maximus

The caravan segment was hilarious, I loved it when they all got in it and it tipped up because they forgot to put the legs down! I agree that the fire was set up, wouldn't the gas bottles have blown up?

I think they had just one gas bottle, and it's valve was open; what happens usually is that the hose leading to the regulator melts away and then the bottle (which is expelling gas under pressure) becomes a giant blowtorch for 15-20 seconds at most before it empties.

Explosions are caused by giant spikes in pressure when there's no way to release that pressure. In this case you wouldn't have that.

Steve

[FrozenStar]

Originally Posted by acascianelli

Its funny how different American vs English camping is. That camp ground looked more like a trailer park.

Just out of interest, what is an American camp site like?

I just had a quick check on http://www.koakampgrounds.com and I can't tell the difference between your camp sites and ours.

By the way, it's not that I am disagreeing, I am simply intrigued.

[zaybxcwd12]

Originally Posted by Plissken

They couldn't sell that car. Half of their customers would end up dead.

Then again, the customers for that car would be the kind of "Go get 'em", sales reps that would over load it with samples and then understeer into the nearest hedge. So not a loss to the world, then.

Got to say that they haven't changed the shape of the Mondeo much since it was launched in the early 90s (?) and it still looks pretty good in ST220 form.

??? I have had an original 1993 mondeo and presently have the current model sorry but there is a hell of a difference.






I do know about what you are saying about the Focus though, I have a diesel and the touque it delivers for a four cylander 2.0 unit is astonising

[Hugh Peters]

Originally Posted by 2Billion

I don't think the fire was set up, seemed to be more like the carwash fire, a happy accident.

Haha! you having a laugh!? TG is completely scripted. Not much happens without them knowing it is going to. Obvious.

[Hack3R]

IMHO this was one of the most boring episodes, except for the camping thing, which isn't 100% car-related I think..

Let's hope for better later on

[maximus]

So how else do you tow a caravan if it isn't car related?

[geoff_a_pult]

Originally Posted by FrozenStar

Just out of interest, what is an American camp site like?

I just had a quick check on http://www.koakampgrounds.com and I can't tell the difference between your camp sites and ours.

By the way, it's not that I am disagreeing, I am simply intrigued.

We have plenty of sites like the one shown in the episode, where people tow out their little motor home trailers and sit in a nicely trimmed fields, but, at least in my area of California, that isn't considered camping. Camping is when you take a tent and a little butane stove (if that), and go stay in the woods or on an island or lake for a few days, away from technology. Go hiking. Go fishing. That kind of stuff.

I really doubt that Jeremy or Richard would like our type of camping any more, but James May might think it "charming and quaint" or something.