[09x04] February 18th, 2007

[JoeBlo1]

Top Gear Shuttle is the wackiest stunt they've ever pulled. I can't imagine how incredibly complex and expensive that segment was for the BBC, and to build it in a few days! How can they possibly top that?

I've always wanted for TG to start reviewing tuner cars so now I've gotten my wish.

[Henk]

Originally Posted by Peter3hg

If a couple of men can build something that launches that well then I'm sure we could create a proper space ship with a bit of government funding.

Well I am a 2nd year aerospace engineering student so although I couldn't quite design a shuttle or anything I can assure you it is a lot harder to actually launch something properly into orbit.

[Onden]

I was floored when the Robin rocket actually lifted. I was sure it was scripted to just spectacularly explode on the launch pad. Never in a million years did I think they'd actually build something that could lift off.

I do think the crash was scripted though. There's no way that Robin was going to fly, it had to plow into the ground one way or another. The question is whether they intended it to go into the ground with or without the "fuel tank" attached.

PS Anyone else disappointed that they didn't take the 911 Turbo round the track? I really wanted to see how it would compare to the 430/Gallardo.

[xj220]

I don't know, to go through all that work and have it crash like that? As an engineer who has designed stuff and put a lot of time into projects, you'd have to pay me a lot to do something like that only to have it crash. That was a very intensive project, I'm curious how much it cost to do? Absolutely amazing though. This episode is great, it has car reviews with the standard Clarkson flair and another segment for comedic value. Great job.

[xvf22]

Originally Posted by Jezzabelle

Well said that man!
I HATE all the plugging which is going on. It has turned into 'Star Here to Plug a New Project Shamelessly in a Reasonably priced Car'.
With the immense popularity of Top Gear here in the UK, I know that there are plenty of 'stars' who would love a chance to go around the track in the Lacette. There is NO NEED to have people on just for their own commercial gain. It's not nice & ruins the fun of the section.
Kristen Scott Thomas (sorry, that would be my jealousy exploding all over the screen) is to be on next week, and Billie Piper sometime soon. I bet Billie will be promoting...

I fully agree, it went on painfully long as well. It's a horrible new direction.

[NAIDANAC A]

Wow...seriously amasing (CANT SPELL) I do not care about the plug the movie looks good and the show is so funny and great it doesnt matter.

[zaybxcwd12]

Great episode, good balance between mucking about and car reviews, cool wall, news and even the SiaRPC was good which is different in itself. Loved this episode.

"biggest non-commercial rocket launch in Europe became Top Gear’s biggest ever explosion."

Not sure about this, might be nit picking but was it larger than a V-2?

[IceBone]

was it bigger than a bread box?

[narin]

loved the episode, absolutely brilliant... the chainsaw stunt was the funniest part... Jeremy wasn't wearing n e goggles, his comment on koreans lol i wonder how many complaints they're gonna get

[Chambers]

Originally Posted by xvf22

I fully agree, it went on painfully long as well. It's a horrible new direction.

I don't mind much. Makes me want to watch Hot Fuzz now. haha

thinkin this is the best show so far. Pretty surprising that they like EVO concept too.

[TopGearWannabe]

Well I'm not too bothered with the plugging, since that is ussually the only way I found out what the heck that "star" is doing in his life. I don't know most of those British stars.

[narin]

Originally Posted by TopGearWannabe

Well I'm not too bothered with the plugging, since that is ussually the only way I found out what the heck that "star" is doing in his life. I don't know most of those British stars.

agreed... i don't mind the plugs, kinda tells me more bout the guest... but dammit the segment's soo flippin long!!!! the last one took 8 minutes

[rice h8r]

Hello teh OT!!! I'm still alive and kickin!

Originally Posted by Lurker

The Brabus is base on the SL600 not SL65.

alright, but this point was that Top Gear had a SL65 in the studio and JC refers to it as the SL65, but he states all the facts of the SL600....
I hate it when these magazine or TV presenters make mistakes, they're not as smart/well informed as some of us, we need to take over!!! edit: I meant people like us should have their jobs...
I've also noticed that on TG they always called the blow off valve(BOV)/Bypass valve(BPV) the wastegate. The wastegate is the thing on the turbo that controls the boost, not the thing that makes the sounds you refer to you idiots!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Manic Moran]

That launch was aesthetic beauty.

Originally Posted by Onden

I do think the crash was scripted though. There's no way that Robin was going to fly, it had to plow into the ground one way or another.

I strongly doubt it. Given all the effort those rocketeers and whoever put into the thing, I'm sure they wanted to give it every chance (however small) of actually pulling it off. Can you imagine the 'cool' factor, if the Reliant actually did a three-point landing?

NTM

[baseballz71]

At 20:48 the rocket guy, who makes the shirt he is wearing? Can't seem to figure it out. Or where I could get some of the same style?

[RichW]

Best episode of this season. (so far) Without a doubt.

911
Well shot. Nice to see it on real roads/situations. Dont really care about the lap time. They can junk maybe 80% of the time board. Just leave the fastest 5, the fastest saloon, fastest coupe, fastest convertible etc

Robin.
Oh I so wanted that to separate. And James and Richard were clearly loving it so much. The banter was just right between them. Loved the little RC Robin, looked awesome being towed around the sky

Brabus
Faster than a MB SLR and half the price. Is JC turning old, the "egg CCX" is one of those mental more power than ability cars and he loved that. Looked menacing on the black wheels. Again very well shot.

Cool Wall.
Not sure about that. As ever its getting a bit full, so stripping away no current cars could help. Im sure I feel like our American friends with regards to the bashing JC does. Hes actually been interviewed in a UK bike mag in the last 3 months. And everyone in the bike world knows he had a ride on a really fast one that scared him and thats why he hates them.

SIARPC
The reviews for the film are poor generally. And Im worried that TG is becoming a show to plug a product on rather than talk about cars. What car DOES Simon Pegg own?

[Ephexis]

Didn't like the plugging, it's alright if they drop a hint or joke about it while the star is there, but having trailers and making it like they are purely on there to plug something is not good. I know many stars have been on there purely to plug things in the past, but it at least wasn't as blatant and more enjoyable to watch.

Rest of the show was good, nice to see some review type segments and the cool wall again.

The rocket robin looked great going up, just like a dramatic space shuttle launch.

[Thanatos]

its been probably posted but hell ill write it again: ive checked the reliant crash frame by frame and at the moment of the explosion the camera is changed. well the massive explosion is quite possible but still it casts a shadow of a doubt. also where the heck is the 911 Turbo power lap?

[Gonoc]

For all those frame by frame DCIs, you dont think that Top Gear Productions had like a million billion cameraes covering everything form every possible angle?

Oh and why are people unable to just enjoy the show and thus feel the need to pick it apart under the microscope?

[watisdis]

Originally Posted by Jezzabelle

Kristen Scott Thomas (sorry, that would be my jealousy exploding all over the screen) is to be on next week, and Billie Piper sometime soon. I bet Billie will be promoting...

What's wrong or why are you jealous of KST?
Yeah I din't like Grant's plug but Peggs was funny but still could have done with out it. About the shuttle launching, someone metioned that it would be illegal in the U.S.

According to WIKI:

In December of 2005, the U.S. Government released a set of proposed rules for space tourism.Under current US law, any company proposing to launch paying passengers from American soil on a suborbital rocket must receive a license from the Federal Aviation Administration's Office of Commercial Space Transportation (FAA/AST). The licensing process focuses on public safety and safety of property, and the details can be found in the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 14, Chapter III.[12]. This is in accordance with the Commerical Space Launch Amendments Act passed by congress in 2004.

I guess the tremendous cost, time/resource consumption, and knowledge base make it naturally inhibiting.