[12x07] December 14th, 2008

[ahpadt]

- Touring cars was okey. It's purpose was just as a filler though, since they filmed it 1 year ago or something.
- News was funny but didn't have any actual news in it, so why call it "The News"?
- Tesla review probably was JC's best this series. Seems like Jeremy reads our forums or smth (talking about 'the internet')
- The way they "take" celebs from Jonathan Ross I don't really like. To me, when they get guests on TG they should talk about cars, not mindlessly plug some shitty new album or movie.
- TG Awards was rubbish shit.
- FCX Clarity review had the usual James quality. Really great bonus that he visited Jay Leno!

[Randonimity]

My first time reviewing a TG on here...

It was a fairly good effort, but certainly not the strongest of the season.

The BTCC segment was a pretty exciting history lesson and it's sad to see how far it's fallen in the past few years. Some fairly cringeworthy/exciting crashes though.

The news...I don't believe I've laughed that hard in a long time. I kinda saw that piano coming long before it struck, but seeing a rather dreary car getting crushed by half a ton of old ebony and ivories brought a smile to my face. And I may actually tune into the One Show more often just to see if the TG boys decide to 'hijack' them again. The Christmas presents naturally were as hilariously useless as they have been in previous years, and the new branded products, uh...exhibited by the boys were phallitas-fantastic. Though I do want a t-shirt that reads 'Richard Hammond Fell On My Christmas Tree'.

The Tesla is a genuinely interesting electric car if not for the fact my old iPod runs longer than it.

SIARPC... come back Ross, all is forgiven.

I'll admit, the child in me does like seeing a Jag towing a car flying through the air, but I'll agree that TG doesn't need a stuntman.

The rocking chair bit was a giggle but felt a little unnecessary, and as for the TG Awards...I do wish they'd do some more 'proper' awards.

The Honda Clarity was also interesting, and seeing Leno's garage full of awesome was nice. The point made as to the Hydrogen car saving petrol cars is compelling and it'll be interesting to see what happens in the next few years with newer eco-cars.

Overall an 'interesting' show but I can't wait for the Vietnam Special.

[otispunkmeyer]

omg the wizards sleeve bit had me in stitches for ages

[evans]

Decent episode. Not much petrolhead-stuff in it, but watching the guys cock about this time it felt like there actually was some meaning to it - and it was pretty good fun too! Now I'll get slain for that first comment because the episode featured the Tesla, the FCX Clarity and the BTCC tribute, but out of all the features in this show I'd reckon only 50% had some actual petrolhead value.

The FCX Clarity bit was by far the most interesting, and seeing May being allowed to be intellectual for once was good. Somehow I think Top Gear always manages to really get attention when they use piano-pieces in the background.

[klankymen]

!!!! The Piano!!!!

EDIT:
OK, a few more thoughts. BTCC was boring, SIARPC was boring, thus only 7/10.

Having gotten that out of the way, I loved the car reviews, news was hillarious, awards were funny as well! ("Hello.")

Really enjoyed seeing Jay Leno, nice to get some Americans in Top Gear.

Oh, about the water vapour causing greenhouse effect... if one thinks about all the potential energy trapped in water vapour (just think of a steam engine, or a tea kettle), shouldn't it be possible for the car to use up that energy as well, before releasing the water as a simple trickle of liquid water?

[Ziggy Shadow-Dust]

- I knew it! I knew it! I knew they were gonna show Gabrielle Tarquini's Alfa crash. That was class. Really, really loved the touring car segment. Brought a nostalgic tear to my eye.

- The news was hilarious.

- The electric sports car was well done too.

- I was surprised that Top Gear Stuntman returned for the first time since [11x02]. I thought this was a hopeless attempt to pee on Fifth Gear's fire.

- SIARPC, boring once again. Not a Tom Jones fan, although I thought Jeremy spent lots more time talking than Tom.

- Awards. Unexciting. Not impressed with the choice of Best Noise winner.

- Rocking chair. Where did that come from?! Mind you I laughed when I first saw it. I don't think its funny now.

- Clarity test. First class. James did a great job. I want one of those Clarities.

Overall 7/10 which is a shame because it looked so promising at the start of the episode.

[teeb]

Gets a 10 from me.

I'm not sure why - it's not the best episode ever and some bits were a bit dull - but the whole thing just felt, well, like a lot of thought had been put into it.

And I can forgive the ropey SIARPC when I really enjoy the rest of the episode.

The Touring Cars section was great, the Tesla and the Clarity really interesting (I'd love to have either of them, assuming I could afford it / the infrastructure existed here), and the in-studio sections hilarious.

[Tombha]

loved the marina bit.. cant wait to see what they have to respond.. loved the guy who was gonna write them a email and not even care if they read it!

[iam-nobody]

If Honda ever make the car for real they should use James line in the ad.
The reason its the car of the future, is because its just like the car of today

[halsteadk]

Not one of the best - still a 9/10 compared with pretty much everything else on the box, but on the TG scale I reckon only 7 (which is what I scored it). The touring car film was good, the news was very funny, the electric car was an eye-opener but as they proved rather irrelevant, and the Honda may become one of those "where were you when you first saw..." moments - but we won't know for, I guess, 10 years or so! Leno's garage looked like it would probably be worth a longer visit in a future episode. Couldn't help wondering if the caravan stunt was actually filmed for the last season but wasn't shown until now, when the stuntman didn't, erm... take off, so to speak.

Badly let down by the SIARPC - the only point of this slot for me is if they're going to talk cars, not come on with the "reason to be here" to plug their latest CD/book/film. The interview was unsalvageable for me when they started showing the clip of him singing, even though they did eventually talk cars. Don't see why TG needs this slot to be honest when it's like this - surely people don't watch it just for this, Jeremy no longer needs to remind the Beeb he can do a talk show, and anyone who watched the show only for Tom Jones isn't likely to tune in again are they? I suspect that if this slot had started off like this in 2002 it would have been dropped rapidly, but as the show is now so popular it can be forgiven. Just felt like I'd been dropped into an irrelevant chat show this week to be honest.

Looking forward to the Vietnam trip in 2 weeks, should be a great finale for this year. Hoping the next series will be in HD!

[GraemeH]

Those American BTCC cars looked so badass. Tom Jones didn't seem like he cared about being there unfortunately. The awards were longer in previous years, which I prefered, it seemed like there were very few this time - maybe just due to time constraints rather than deliberate. It was nice seeing Leno on the show and - dammit I miss Los Angeles.

The Tesla review felt like the Caparo - ambitious but rubbish (the car itself, not the show). It's the kind of thing that in 10-20 years time they'll be able to make a genuinely competitive one of, but for now it's a niche.

Couldn't agree more on hydrogen being the way forwards - 89% of all atoms in the universe - what that means is that any problem with the technology, no matter how big it seems, is purely an engineering problem that will be overcome. They said the price of hydrogen was the same as petrol but didn't mention that when it's in as widespread use as petrol it'll be a fraction of the cost.

[NHeer-Design]

Great episode! I love the random-ness that is the last episode of the series (while not truly the last, there probably won't be any studio stuff on the 28th).

[PettR]

Loved the episode! Laughed hard at some points

Did anyone notice that Richard said ''again'' at the same time Jeremy said it in the sentence ''cause then it would be a land rover, again''? That was a bit odd
And, Jeremy said: ''in the meantime though, we hope you have a very happy jul.''
Did he say ''jul''? Because that means christmas in norwegian

[the Interceptor]

Liked the episode, a solid TG performance.

But more importantly, the FCX Clarity review brought up a question in me. The current petrol-burning car is slashed because it emits co2, which is a greenhouse gas and, according to Wikipedia, responsible for 9-26% of the worlds greenhouse effect. 36-70% of the greenhouse effect however is caused by water vapor. So if we swap the petrol car for the hydrogen fuel cell car which emits water vapor, wouldn't that be much worse for the climate?

The only question that remains is how much water vapour the FCX emits.

[Holiace]

I just wanted to say that this episode was really good. One of the best ones this season, top 3.

The FCX Clarity is awesome. But it costs a Bugatti Veyron

[MadMax61]

not even a ZR-1 nomination?

[Wyvern]

Originally Posted by PettR

And, Jeremy said: ''in the meantime though, we hope you have a very happy jul.''
Did he say ''jul''? Because that means christmas in norwegian

Yes, I noticed Jeremy wished the viewers 'a very happy Yule'

I'm not sure of the precise origin, but in English, Yule is the old name for the midwinter festivities that became Christmas, and you still hear it used as such very rarely (mostly in Christmas carols and on cards these days). Yule in the non-Christian sense is celebrated on the mid-winter solstice around 20th/21st/22nd December. Comes from the same root as the Norwegian word

[alihaig]

Originally Posted by the Interceptor

Liked the episode, a solid TG performance.

But more importantly, the FCX Clarity review brought up a question in me. The current petrol-burning car is slashed because it emits co2, which is a greenhouse gas and, according to Wikipedia, responsible for 9-26% of the worlds greenhouse effect. 36-70% of the greenhouse effect however is caused by water vapor. So if we swap the petrol car for the hydrogen fuel cell car which emits water vapor, wouldn't that be much worse for the climate?

The only question that remains is how much water vapour the FCX emits.

The climate change debate has never really been about facts or science, just an irrational hatred of wealth, success and big business that is nicely summed up by the oil industry and associated things like airlines and cars.

[MacGuffin]

Originally Posted by GraemeH

Couldn't agree more on hydrogen being the way forwards - 89% of all atoms in the universe - what that means is that any problem with the technology, no matter how big it seems, is purely an engineering problem that will be overcome. They said the price of hydrogen was the same as petrol but didn't mention that when it's in as widespread use as petrol it'll be a fraction of the cost.

I also think it's the future. Almost all big car manufacturers have a fuel cell car in the pipeline. As soon as the supply problem has been solved, they will release them.

[cookiebun]

Pretty enjoyable ep. Loved the Touring Car film. The news was madness. Tom Jones segment was disappointing. Tesla review was good. James' Clarity review seemed more like a bit from one his own programs rather than Top Gear.
Clarkson sounds awful. He needs to get some rest and shake that virus.