Top Gear AMERICA

[toma_alimosh]

hey, if these are re-runs or something, I'll re-cap them for high quality purposes for sure, just waiting to hear about them coming on the tv ... if they're gonna share with the colonists up north.

[Wainy]

Originally Posted by Fractal

Maybe they re-filmed the studio portions of the show to tailor it to us "Americans". I remember all the bashing for the american cars.. What's with Clarkston and the big black "Drug Dealer" SUV's?

Yeah, they reshot the studio parts of the show for american version earlier in the year. So all referrences to petrol change to gas, £ to $ etc etc. If you go back in the thread abit there's a few posts made by people who attended the shoots for the american version. It was still in the same studio with a UK audiance though.

[Yayox]

do they finally air it?

[Viggen]

Official air date:

June 29 @ 10:00 PM
June 30 @ 1:00 AM (repeat)

It's basically a rehash of segments from last season (Exige vs. Apache helicopter, XK8/911 C2/6-Series comparo)

Well, at least it is finally on American TV.

http://dsc.discovery.com/schedule/se...=0&channel=DSC

[Mischief007]

Still it is a fucking dissappointment. I've seen that show already.

[VWKafer]

Finally, we get Top gear, I hope it becomes a mainstay of Discovery channel airtime, ya know like American Chopper. I would much rather watch Jeremy and James beat up the Hampster than watch the Teutuls bitch each other out. Im excited!

[hokiethang]

Originally Posted by Mischief007

Still it is a fucking dissappointment. I've seen that show already.

Hopefully its a sampler to see if american audiences will bite. If we do, they may pick up the release schedule and ship them across the atlantic quicker (like may - august) releases show during sept - nov. Granted they will be edited because discovery is going to need commercial breaks and those of us in the US might not know who half of the stars in a reasonably priced car are.

[Mischief007]

True I see your point but how long will that take to implement??? Maybe by this fall I'll be in Britain anyways. I just hate that they are not doing anything properly. Like a proper car show. Maybe if someone here on this content did something like Top Gear but americanized with the persmission of the BBC of course.

Keep the stars in fast cars but with american celebrities, the interesting tid bits on life and cars. That would probably be the better way to start it off. That is why every series has a pilot episode. To test the grounds.

[VWKafer]

Originally Posted by Mischief007

Keep the stars in fast cars but with american celebrities

You're not serious, are you, Stars in fast cars with american celebrities, that would be a joke, but all the more funny to watch, I guess!

[Mischief007]

I'm looking at it the positive way. They loose control of the car and crash into the wall, thereby killing the moronic celebrities on this continent .

[VWKafer]

No harm, no fowl! Edit: oops, foul

[F12Bwth]

I think you could get some REALLY good Rivalries going.. like is Tom Hanks gets beaten by Pauly Shore... thats a bad example but id hope for something sinister. and for the car they drive... use a fast unsturdy scary car... Im not sure what would really quallify for it but I might suggest the new Pontiac GTO or to you European types.. a Holden Manaro.. that aught to get good times and cause tons of spins (YES the manaro is a good handling car, its just a suggestion)

[qube]

You wouldn't get a US celeb into a GTO they're all used to driving Prius's!

[qube]

[quote="justin syder"]

Originally Posted by bran

It's quite pathetic really. A corvette is a good car, but a 911 is worth the extra $10-15k.

If you're reviewing a sports car then performance for money must come into it and in all their tests the Corvette came out pretty well so it makes sense that given their points system for reviewing cars it would be the one they recommend.

But all reviews are ultimately bollocks as it's just someone's opinion and not based on fact.

Personally I think the only thing that lets the Vette down is the cheap interior but Porsche aren't exactly nice either and you wouldn't spend $15K extra just to get a nice dash, as long as it doesn't rattle and you can see what the car is doing and reach your stereo and cup holders then it's doing its' job.

The fastest car I've ever been in was a 911 Turbo with 4WD; silly fast and insanely sharp but it was so sterile it was boring and uninvolving I felt so detatched from the experience I might as well have been playing the Xbox!

All IMO of course.

Matthew

[zfzfrost]

I wonder if they will start calling sedan's sedans instead of saloons

[Skett]

ah, the problem with this comment though, is that they are actually called saloons. Much like coupé NOT coupe

[janstett]

Originally Posted by F12Bwth

We here in America have no reason to corner... I shit you not... the sharpest turn you have to make round the NYC area is the U-Turn to avoid traffic.. and since the speed limits are low (55mph is slow) and enforced so stringently (over 30 MPH above limit is auto-Suspension of your licence for a YEAR!!) the only thing we can do for fun is drive our big comfy sofa's in a strait line for bout 1\4 mile and see whos faster...

B.S. You just gotta know where the fun backroads are, and for god's sake participate in motorsports, start autocrossing. Come across route 3 to Giants Stadium where NASA, Porsche Club, and M-Club race all the time. There's also the BMW club which runs at Patriot stadium in Somerville, and the SCCA at Englishtown. I also believe there are several clubs on the NY side.

Pocono and Lime Rock are both around 2 hours drive for you, make a trip for a driver's ed day. Watkins Glenn is a couple more hours, and Mid Ohio and VIR are within driving distance. Check out M-Club, PDA, EMRA, and the SCCA for more info on track days.

I can think of half a dozen turns I enjoy attacking on my commute to Princeton every day, two of them very extreme 90 degree turns that will put you in a ditch if you don't know what you're doing.

The speed limit on most interstates is 65 mph, not 55. And some go up to 75.

I hate the perception that we don't have turns in America and that no American cars can handle. I disprove it every day.

And FWIW, I was very excited to visit Hannover, Germany last December on business. I was even dangled the prospect of driving my boss' friend's modified M3 on the Autobahn. Unfortunately, most of the 'bahn has speed limits especially around the urban areas and it was no different from driving on route 80 or the turnpike except all the taxis were Mercedes E class.

As to the speed limits here in the US, I agree (and feel a higher limit lane should be allowed for better drivers). But if all you want is high speed in a straight line, well, ironically you're playing into the stereotypes others pin to Americans. You can find plenty of thrills at lower speeds in the curves, that's the whole point of autocrossing.

Driving in NYC, well, I never take either sports car in, it's always the Jeep -- I don't mind scratching it and the damned potholes, man, it's worse than offroading. NYC isn't made for driving except to show off your G-class or H2 on 5th Ave. You think it's any fun driving in Tokyo, nobody takes a car into that city.

[janstett]

Originally Posted by leif

he dosent hate american cars...he is just not afraid to call them shit when they are shit...because he isnt a biased american in fear of loosing his job if he dosent praise every piece of crap to come out of detroit.

Look, American companies make some crappy cars but there's plenty of good to be had. They complain about EVERY American car, before they even take the keys they are convinced it's a gas-guzzling poor handling cheap POS. They shredded the Crossfire when it's based on the old SLK; they complained about the Corvette's vietnamese suspension (despite the results on the track and the fact that the TRANSVERSE leaf springs are light and work just fine), they complaned about the 300C, they complained about the Mustang, they complained about the CTS-V, they complain about EVERYTHING and have a hard time giving any American product any kudos. Meanwhile, they have the damned Aston-Martin on every 3rd episode, and fawn over crappy little French econoboxes all day long. When a Jaguar or an Aston gets 15 mpg, it's fine, but when the gas guzzling Corvette gets 28 mpg they don't mention it. It's clear there is a bias. But it's good to see some crack in the armor (like the CTS-V staying ahead of the Stig-piloted Audi Quattro V8 ).

Oooh, look, I press on the bumper of the Corvette and the plastic dents in with my finger. If I did that on a British car (if they still made any), the bumper would fall off. Ow, the suspension is too stiff and my limp wrist can't work the railroad-switch shifter, how will I salute the queen now? Ow, my feeble leg can't work the clutch, I'm going to have to limp to the Crumpet shop.

And FWIW I hate Nascrap. I hate it. I don't see the point of running around an oval for three hours. But I've started to enjoy SCCA Trans Am racing and LeMans style GT racing very much.

[edweiser63]

Originally Posted by janstett

B.S. You just gotta know where the fun backroads are, and for god's sake participate in motorsports, start autocrossing. Come across route 3 to Giants Stadium where NASA, Porsche Club, and M-Club race all the time.

Pocono and Lime Rock are both around 2 hours drive for you, make a trip for a driver's ed day.

I can think of half a dozen turns I enjoy attacking on my commute to Princeton every day, two of them very extreme 90 degree turns that will put you in a ditch if you don't know what you're doing.

I hate the perception that we don't have turns in America and that no American cars can handle. I disprove it every day.

And FWIW, I was very excited to visit Hannover, Germany last December on business. I was even dangled the prospect of driving my boss' friend's modified M3 on the Autobahn. Unfortunately, most of the 'bahn has speed limits especially around the urban areas and it was no different from driving on route 80 or the turnpike except all the taxis were Mercedes E class.

As to the speed limits here in the US, I agree (and feel a higher limit lane should be allowed for better drivers). But if all you want is high speed in a straight line, well, ironically you're playing into the stereotypes others pin to Americans. You can find plenty of thrills at lower speeds in the curves, that's the whole point of autocrossing.

Driving in NYC, well, I never take either sports car in, it's always the Jeep -- I don't mind scratching it and the damned potholes, man, it's worse than offroading. NYC isn't made for driving except to show off your G-class or H2 on 5th Ave. You think it's any fun driving in Tokyo, nobody takes a car into that city.

exactly, he should come down to Southern California. We have tons of canyon roads that are an absolute dream to drive on. We also have Willow Springs and many other race tracks that allow for open driver days.

As far as the speed limit goes...I agree with you. If I ever become a high ranking politician then I'd implement my "very German" idea of driving. Getting a license today is a joke, hell you don't even need to speak ENGLISH or be LEGAL in this country...just your 20 bucks and pass a test made for retards. Now these clowns glog up our freeways, how do we fix the problem? Create special lanes (similar to toll roads) that have unrestricted speed in certain areas (sorry but going 200mph in Urban areas like downtown LA would be pretty stupd) and in order to drive these lanes you need a special license. The cost would be about 1-2 grand, you need special training (high performance driving school of some type) and a car that can meet the criteria. You're vehicle must be fully checked EVERY year for things like breaks, tires etc. Lane discapline is a must and any violations on these roads means STEEP fines (based on wealth) and a license suspension. Also your registration goes up 40%.