[08x03] May 21th, 2006

[BerserkerCatSplat]

I could think of more relevant examples. Like put the Exige up against an M6. Or a TVR Sagaris. Or better yet, combine the road tests and throw the Exige up against the new Z4M.

With the Mustang... you might as well put the Exige up against the Range Rover Sport.

Well, if they'd put it against the Sagaris, the Exige would have probably lost - check out the power lap board.

Yes, the Mustang-Lotus bit was a bit wierd. Was anyone honestly expecting the Mustang to win? I'm damn suprised the race was as close as it was.

But, as most people have said, the amphi-vehicle bit was possibly the single funniest thing I have seen on television, ever. I had tears streaming down my face as the Hilux rolled over. Fantastic episode!

 

[TC]

the mustang vs exige race was NOT to bash american cars.. it was just to show how good the exige is on at track .. that a more powerfull car with a mutch better driver can get beaten by a poor driver in the exige..
nothing more...
so dont get all crazy..

I'm not getting crazy, I just don't think the average Exige buyer would care that their car beat a stock Mustang GT, that's all. I understand why TG did it. But if I was in the market for an Exige, I would have liked to see the Exige beat something with more of a reputation. Like a 911 Carrera S or a Cayman S.

 

[gloomy_DAY]

Was a great episode.

Loved seeing the Lotus taking Ford to school...god I hate ford :lol:

Boating segment was gold, poor Hammond and his sinking camper van. But seeing Clarkson's boat keel over right at the docks was the best!

Taking the Ford to school in a completely unfair race. Completely different cars with completely different missions and pricetags. A weird comparison.

Another excuse for them to say that American cars are crap, and another excuse for no0bs to rush this forum screaming the same thing.

See post above me.

The Mustang is a terrible car. If you carbon-date it, it dates back to the time of Christ. I mean if you're going to keep the fundamental bits about a car then make it the light weight and nimble aspects. All the Mustang has managed to do is get refurbished and get fatter!

I'd take the Exige-S over a Mustang GT. They're priced similarly in the UK and in America when fully loaded.

 

[80ssportlover]

I could think of more relevant examples. Like put the Exige up against an M6. Or a TVR Sagaris. Or better yet, combine the road tests and throw the Exige up against the new Z4M.

With the Mustang... you might as well put the Exige up against the Range Rover Sport.

Well, if they'd put it against the Sagaris, the Exige would have probably lost - check out the power lap board.

Yes, the Mustang-Lotus bit was a bit wierd. Was anyone honestly expecting the Mustang to win? I'm damn suprised the race was as close as it was.

But, as most people have said, the amphi-vehicle bit was possibly the single funniest thing I have seen on television, ever. I had tears streaming down my face as the Hilux rolled over. Fantastic episode!

It was probably that close because the Exige was being driven by a Fat Bloke

 

[osabros]

Was a great episode.

Loved seeing the Lotus taking Ford to school...god I hate ford :lol:

Boating segment was gold, poor Hammond and his sinking camper van. But seeing Clarkson's boat keel over right at the docks was the best!

Taking the Ford to school in a completely unfair race. Completely different cars with completely different missions and pricetags. A weird comparison.

Another excuse for them to say that American cars are crap, and another excuse for no0bs to rush this forum screaming the same thing.

See post above me.

The Mustang is a terrible car. If you carbon-date it, it dates back to the time of Christ. I mean if you're going to keep the fundamental bits about a car then make it the light weight and nimble aspects. All the Mustang has managed to do is get refurbished and get fatter!

I'd take the Exige-S over a Mustang GT. They're priced similarly in the UK and in America when fully loaded .

a fully loaded exige?? is there such a thing?? i never knew lotus had carpets as an option...

besides this was a great episode, the exige review wasn't good at all, but the amphibious car segmant more than made up for it.

 

[gloomy_DAY]

Was a great episode.

Loved seeing the Lotus taking Ford to school...god I hate ford :lol:

Boating segment was gold, poor Hammond and his sinking camper van. But seeing Clarkson's boat keel over right at the docks was the best!

Taking the Ford to school in a completely unfair race. Completely different cars with completely different missions and pricetags. A weird comparison.

Another excuse for them to say that American cars are crap, and another excuse for no0bs to rush this forum screaming the same thing.

See post above me.

The Mustang is a terrible car. If you carbon-date it, it dates back to the time of Christ. I mean if you're going to keep the fundamental bits about a car then make it the light weight and nimble aspects. All the Mustang has managed to do is get refurbished and get fatter!

I'd take the Exige-S over a Mustang GT. They're priced similarly in the UK and in America when fully loaded .

a fully loaded exige?? is there such a thing?? i never knew lotus had carpets as an option...

besides this was a great episode, the exige review wasn't good at all, but the amphibious car segmant more than made up for it.

I was talking about the Mustang GT.
Exige-S>Mustang GT

 

[zenkidori]

The amphibicar segment was freaking awesome! The rest was kinda, meh. Cool Lotus, but I've seen turbocharged ones and all that, so it wasn't that new, and the race was a serious disappointment after what they did with the last one.

I loved how JC and Hamster were trying to get thier picture taken by a speed camera! :lol:

 

[eurotrash]

Was a great episode.

Loved seeing the Lotus taking Ford to school...god I hate ford :lol:

Boating segment was gold, poor Hammond and his sinking camper van. But seeing Clarkson's boat keel over right at the docks was the best!

Taking the Ford to school in a completely unfair race. Completely different cars with completely different missions and pricetags. A weird comparison.

Another excuse for them to say that American cars are crap, and another excuse for no0bs to rush this forum screaming the same thing.

See post above me.

The Mustang is a terrible car. If you carbon-date it, it dates back to the time of Christ. I mean if you're going to keep the fundamental bits about a car then make it the light weight and nimble aspects. All the Mustang has managed to do is get refurbished and get fatter!

I'd take the Exige-S over a Mustang GT. They're priced similarly in the UK and in America when fully loaded.

Just to clarify (not to be pedantic), the two cars are nowhere near in price. If you want a Lotus Exige S in the states it'll cost you about $76,500 USD and if you want the premium package Ford Mustang GT it'll set you back about $27,500 USD. Even a bare bones Elise Starts at around $43,000 USD some fifteen thousand dollars more than a loaded Mustang GT.

 

[TC]

I wonder if TopGear will get to test the new $40k 500hp Shelby GT500...

 

[Svets]

Very enjoyable instalment, especially liked the amphibious car project segment, hilarious. Entertaining how Jeremy goes for the power, Richard going for size and appearance but ends up ultimately failing then James with the low tech but tried method.

James drying his pants in his friends microwave put together with his OCD about cleanliness with the paintbrush and lining up his air vents was disturbing yet thoroughly amusing.

I also think there might have been a slight jab at the people that are of the opinion that Top Gear is going too far down the entertainment path with the banter between James and Jeremy about the Honda Civic. Jeremy mentions that his mother didn't like the gearbox because she felt as if she was going through the windscreen when you change gear and James replies that that's a bit consumer oriented.

Already keen for the next instalment now.

 

[80ssportlover]

Was a great episode.

Loved seeing the Lotus taking Ford to school...god I hate ford :lol:

Boating segment was gold, poor Hammond and his sinking camper van. But seeing Clarkson's boat keel over right at the docks was the best!

Taking the Ford to school in a completely unfair race. Completely different cars with completely different missions and pricetags. A weird comparison.

Another excuse for them to say that American cars are crap, and another excuse for no0bs to rush this forum screaming the same thing.

See post above me.

The Mustang is a terrible car. If you carbon-date it, it dates back to the time of Christ. I mean if you're going to keep the fundamental bits about a car then make it the light weight and nimble aspects. All the Mustang has managed to do is get refurbished and get fatter!

I'd take the Exige-S over a Mustang GT. They're priced similarly in the UK and in America when fully loaded.

Just to clarify (not to be pedantic), the two cars are nowhere near in price. If you want a Lotus Exige S in the states it'll cost you about $76,500 USD and if you want the premium package Ford Mustang GT it'll set you back about $27,500 USD. Even a bare bones Elise Starts at around $43,000 USD some fifteen thousand dollars more than a loaded Mustang GT.

My boss' 2006 California Concepts Mustang was marked at $42,000. FOR A V6! WTF?

 

[triumph]

For me the short gap between the lotus and the mustang is due to the drivers . In the mustang you've got the stig whereas in the lotus just an old fat man :lol:

 

[eurotrash]

Was a great episode.

Loved seeing the Lotus taking Ford to school...god I hate ford :lol:

Boating segment was gold, poor Hammond and his sinking camper van. But seeing Clarkson's boat keel over right at the docks was the best!

Taking the Ford to school in a completely unfair race. Completely different cars with completely different missions and pricetags. A weird comparison.

Another excuse for them to say that American cars are crap, and another excuse for no0bs to rush this forum screaming the same thing.

See post above me.

The Mustang is a terrible car. If you carbon-date it, it dates back to the time of Christ. I mean if you're going to keep the fundamental bits about a car then make it the light weight and nimble aspects. All the Mustang has managed to do is get refurbished and get fatter!

I'd take the Exige-S over a Mustang GT. They're priced similarly in the UK and in America when fully loaded.

Just to clarify (not to be pedantic), the two cars are nowhere near in price. If you want a Lotus Exige S in the states it'll cost you about $76,500 USD and if you want the premium package Ford Mustang GT it'll set you back about $27,500 USD. Even a bare bones Elise Starts at around $43,000 USD some fifteen thousand dollars more than a loaded Mustang GT.

My boss' 2006 California Concepts Mustang was marked at $42,000. FOR A V6! WTF?

Not sure which model the California Concepts is (not a mustang man myself) but I reckon it's the one you've pictured in your signature. All I can say is that my sources for the Mustang's pricing information are from the US Ford website and reflect MSRP. If your boss paid $42,000 USD for a V6 Mustang from the factory, he must be slightly derranged.

 

[flyingfridge]

so, was I the only person to notice this on the swoop up to the cool wall?

http://img19.imageshack.**/img19/5418/snapshot200605231930034ig.jpg

where's the bbc guy, and what does he know about this?!!

 

[MixtriX]

lol, James was great in this episode. so many funny lines. even just humming the theme to popeye had me in stiches :lol:

 

[mgkdk]

^^ Someone went to the filming and posted that in the Pre Ep discussion too

 

[flyingfridge]

yeah i know, but it even showed up in the show.... What happened to it?!!

 

[mgkdk]

Maybe they just got it and wanted to give it a fair chance by waiting untill the track wasn't wet

 

[flyingfridge]

hope so...

 

[teeb]

When the Hamster started sinking I was lying on the floor, gasping for air. As far as I'm conderned, this was the funniest bit of Top Gear _ever_

When that was happening I was only worried about the camera on the boat and his mic. Them things ain't cheap.

At the risk of sounding stupid...I think the producers had them waterproofed, because it was fairly obvious at least one would sink. Whether waterproof means wrapping them in a transparent plastic bag, or whatever...I don't know.

And according to "American Car Imports" [the first site I found for getting Mustangs in the UK...they have a Ford GT in stock *drool*], a Mustang GT V8 is a couple quid under ?30,000 here, whilst the Exige S is ?33,995 according to evo magazine.

And if you're able to spend 30 grand on something a bit special, I doubt 4 grand here or there makes that much difference, so it's a reasonable comparison for roughly the same amount of money.