NBC to make US version of Top Gear called "Gear"

[overengineered]

When did being patriotic for America become so taboo that anybody who does so is automatically a fucking redneck, but patriotism for England and France and Italy and any other country in the world means you're classy and sophisticated?

I really do disagree with you. Patriotism isn't something "classy and sophisitcated". For example Clarkson - he isn't really serious with his "die-hard-patriotism": Everytime he rants about another country or praises the glory of Britain he does it with a smile. But patriotism leads almost everytime to ignorance - both things where the average american is quite good at. So please quit the "we are the best, whatever" and join our circle of friends (don't take this too serious, please...)

What i wanted to say, any idea where it will be filmed? They mentioned a racetrack near Los Angeles. Never been there, nothing found on the web except the "California Speedway":

And it even has teh CORNERS!!!!1
Well, or maybe they take one of the airports (Los Angeles seems to have "a couple") or maybe something outside the city? The Track where they done the good/bad/ugly DVD wasn't anywhere near LA, right?

 

[Raji]

whoa, 14 [EDIT: 15!!!!] pages already??? Well, better late than never.

?It all comes down to subject matter ? it?s a cool show about cars,?

No.

It's not.

It's a show about a few entertainers with a politically incorrect stance on everything, a complete disregard for safety, film-like adventures in far-away lands with creative challenges and provocative egos the size of continents who HAPPEN to drive cars around a track and don't really bother to review them in the traditional sense.

That's the Top Gear show that I know and love. It's an entertainment show that happens to have cars in it.

If NBC can't figure that out, they're screwed already.

 

[TrooP]

As many ppl in this thread have already said...

Here?s to hoping they will make it great!!!
If it?s anywhere near Top Gear at all im sure as hell going to watch it... and so what if the US networks are a bunch of greedy pigs with the brains of a parrot... They know how to make money.. and to do that they have to make a good show! Im actaully hoping they WONT just make a copy of TG... they need to make it there own show... otherwise everyone *u guys* will just sit and compare them all day long... IMHO i dont think it will be any good... but i truly hope im wrong... as someone said before... ITS ANOTHER SHOW TO WATCH!!!!! stop bitching... if it sucks then dont watch it!

 

[Raji]

As many ppl in this thread have already said...

Here?s to hoping they will make it great!!!
If it?s anywhere near Top Gear at all im sure as hell going to watch it... and so what if the US networks are a bunch of greedy pigs with the brains of a parrot... They know how to make money.. and to do that they have to make a good show! Im actaully hoping they WONT just make a copy of TG... they need to make it there own show... otherwise everyone *u guys* will just sit and compare them all day long... IMHO i dont think it will be any good... but i truly hope im wrong... as someone said before... ITS ANOTHER SHOW TO WATCH!!!!! stop bitching... if it sucks then dont watch it!

i agree on everything. I sure as hell am gonna watch it! I wonder what cars they'll start things off with.

 

[TopGearNorthAmerica]

whoa, 14 [EDIT: 15!!!!] pages already??? Well, better late than never.
No.

It's not.

It's a show about a few entertainers with a politically incorrect stance on everything, a complete disregard for safety, film-like adventures in far-away lands with creative challenges and provocative egos the size of continents who HAPPEN to drive cars around a track and don't really bother to review them in the traditional sense.

That's the Top Gear show that I know and love. It's an entertainment show that happens to have cars in it.

If NBC can't figure that out, they're screwed already.

Sorry, but you're wrong.

The only times TG has gone wrong was when it stopped focusing on the cars and started focusing on the presenters.

Take season 9's farming episode, for example. It was interesting in the first half -- seeing what the vehicles could do. The second half -- watching them screw up ploughing a field -- got tedious when they started discussing ploughman's lunch and driving into town to block up traffic, etc. Road repair? A snooze. Drive-time radio? Schnorrrrrrrr.

The cars -- the vehicles -- are *always* the stars of TG, in any incarnation.

Take the Veyron vs. plane race. Would it still be interesting had JC been driving, say, a Jaguar S-Type? Of course not. Would it still be interesting had it been Rowan Atkinson behind the wheel? Yes it would, because he's still driving the fastest production car in the world. Which is the point of that piece.

So long as NBC remembers that it's the car that's the star, they should be all right.

 

[cory8926]

I really do disagree with you. Patriotism isn't something "classy and sophisitcated". For example Clarkson - he isn't really serious with his "die-hard-patriotism": Everytime he rants about another country or praises the glory of Britain he does it with a smile. But patriotism leads almost everytime to ignorance - both things where the average american is quite good at. So please quit the "we are the best, whatever" and join our circle of friends (don't take this too serious, please...)

What i wanted to say, any idea where it will be filmed? They mentioned a racetrack near Los Angeles. Never been there, nothing found on the web except the "California Speedway":

And it even has teh CORNERS!!!!1
Well, or maybe they take one of the airports (Los Angeles seems to have "a couple") or maybe something outside the city? The Track where they done the good/bad/ugly DVD wasn't anywhere near LA, right?

Willow Springs is where he filmed his DVD. Turn 8 takes me a few laps to grow some to go full speed. Many, many car review, car commercials etc... are at this track. It's about an hour to an hour and a half n-ne of LA. It's a legit track... very very fast high speed corners. Very fun. I was really impressed with the driving that Jeremy was doing there in his video. Not the fastest way around but the fact that he would power slide in some of the area's that he did takes big ones.

California speedway has a great road course set up that uses a couple of the high speed nascar corners, that would be interesting.

 

[MattD1zzl3]

But patriotism leads almost everytime to ignorance - both things where the average american is quite good at.

Thats it, i'm sick of this "average american" bullshit. Its just the blanket term for "i'm going to make real decisions based on false stereotypes".

 

[cory8926]

Sorry, but you're wrong.

The only times TG has gone wrong was when it stopped focusing on the cars and started focusing on the presenters.

Take season 9's farming episode, for example. It was interesting in the first half -- seeing what the vehicles could do. The second half -- watching them screw up ploughing a field -- got tedious when they started discussing ploughman's lunch and driving into town to block up traffic, etc. Road repair? A snooze. Drive-time radio? Schnorrrrrrrr.

The cars -- the vehicles -- are *always* the stars of TG, in any incarnation.

Take the Veyron vs. plane race. Would it still be interesting had JC been driving, say, a Jaguar S-Type? Of course not. Would it still be interesting had it been Rowan Atkinson behind the wheel? Yes it would, because he's still driving the fastest production car in the world. Which is the point of that piece.

So long as NBC remembers that it's the car that's the star, they should be all right.

Nope... you're just wrong.

The three of them "cocking about" is hilarious, hell the only reason my wife will ever sit down and watch it is when they are "on an adventure" amphibious, to america, aftrica etc... And in all those they had shit cars. So it's not just about the cars, at all. I'd say 25% cars... seriously. The radio one, great, hilarious. The farming one... highly entertaining... because they are entertaining. The show would not be popular to the extent that it is without the hosts. Like I said even when they drive crap cars the show is great.

 

[MattD1zzl3]

I agree, i watch top gear for the presenters, not the cars.

 

[wlmmn]

whoa, 14 [EDIT: 15!!!!] pages already??? Well, better late than never.



No.

It's not.

It's a show about a few entertainers with a politically incorrect stance on everything, a complete disregard for safety, film-like adventures in far-away lands with creative challenges and provocative egos the size of continents who HAPPEN to drive cars around a track and don't really bother to review them in the traditional sense.

That's the Top Gear show that I know and love. It's an entertainment show that happens to have cars in it.

If NBC can't figure that out, they're screwed already.

100% agreed. Good producers who know what they're doing have the acute sense like you to know exactly what makes a show entertaining, regardless of what the subject matter is.

Oh, whoops. We both have under 100 posts, that means our points aren't valid, I forgot.

 

[devil500]

Just make it legit please...Don't just review crap give us cars that are interesting and just don't take $$$ from car companies and make it a non biased show.

No dumb blonds, and make it factual and funny.

 

[Raji]

Sorry, but you're wrong.

The only times TG has gone wrong was when it stopped focusing on the cars and started focusing on the presenters.

While I agree that not all of their miscellaneous adventures match my personal tastes or yours, I have no doubt that they're just as entertaining, if not more in many cases, than the road tests of any car. They're taking chances with wacky, oftentimes ridiculous ideas, sometimes it's a hit, sometimes it's not. [EDIT: Case in point: Car Football!! that was awesome!!]

The cars -- the vehicles -- are *always* the stars of TG, in any incarnation.

Absolutely disagree. If that were the case, why isn't Fifth Gear as monumentally popular or successful as Top Gear? I think it has to do with 2 things. 1) Filmmaking quality and 2) The presenters not being as entertaining.

Take the Veyron vs. plane race. Would it still be interesting had JC been driving, say, a Jaguar S-Type? Of course not. Would it still be interesting had it been Rowan Atkinson behind the wheel? Yes it would, because he's still driving the fastest production car in the world. Which is the point of that piece.

Really? What value did you get out of a Veyron racing a fighter jet in terms of the Veyron's actual performance? You know what I got out of it?

"It's really really fast. Like really fast.

No. Dude, you're not listening. Dude.

REALLY fast!". :lol:

It's a much more entertaining and visceral response than "hmmm 2.6 seconds to 60mph, tire diameters, price after taxes, bla bla bla".

 

[justinb]

What about Laguna Seca? Thunderhill?

 

[cory8926]

What about Laguna Seca? Thunderhill?

Because they are no where near LA

See the West Coast goes like this

San Diego... OC... LA.... nothing... nothing... nothing... San Fran... nothing nothing nothing (so much nothing here it's unbelievable, nothing nothing nothing Seattle... nothing.... nothing... nothing Alaska! See how I did that? Completely skipped Canada


No offence to anyone who lives in nothing.

 

[ricochet]

What about Laguna Seca? Thunderhill?

Both those tracks are way too far north to be considered practical for filming "near LA." My guess would be one of the many configurations of Willow Springs or Buttonwillow.

 

[thedguy]

Sorry, but you're wrong.

The only times TG has gone wrong was when it stopped focusing on the cars and started focusing on the presenters.

Take season 9's farming episode, for example. It was interesting in the first half -- seeing what the vehicles could do. The second half -- watching them screw up ploughing a field -- got tedious when they started discussing ploughman's lunch and driving into town to block up traffic, etc. Road repair? A snooze. Drive-time radio? Schnorrrrrrrr.

The cars -- the vehicles -- are *always* the stars of TG, in any incarnation.

Take the Veyron vs. plane race. Would it still be interesting had JC been driving, say, a Jaguar S-Type? Of course not. Would it still be interesting had it been Rowan Atkinson behind the wheel? Yes it would, because he's still driving the fastest production car in the world. Which is the point of that piece.

So long as NBC remembers that it's the car that's the star, they should be all right.

This is exactly why ratings have only gone up since they've been more of a show involving cars, rather than about them?

With the show focusing less on having to be into cars to enjoy it, it's made the show open to a wider audience.

Oh and the episode where they grew planted the seeds for their bio-fuel... it just plain sucked. The Veyron v. plane race would have been arguably better if it featured JC or Rowan Atkinson (he's funny) driving a 1500 pound banger across Europe.

edit: And it is really about the cars, then why isn't Fifth Gear more popular? What about the shows in American like "autoweek" or "motorweek" or "car and driver tv" etc... where it's purely about the cars?

 

[Chupacabras]

The show would not be popular to the extent that it is without the hosts. Like I said even when they drive crap cars the show is great.

Indeed - lots of the same cars are reviewed on 5th gear, and I can't bear to watch it. The variable being the hosts, which leads me to believe that the hosts are crucial...

 

[thedguy]

Like I said even when they drive crap cars the show is great.

Those are usually by far the best IMO, as it's got all their attitude and "cocking about" along with all the fun that can be had with a car that you don't care if it lives or dies.

 

[Chupacabras]

Because they are no where near LA

See the West Coast goes like this

San Diego... OC... LA.... nothing... nothing... nothing... San Fran... nothing nothing nothing Portland nothing nothing nothing Seattle... nothing.... nothing... nothing Alaska! See how I did that? Completely skipped Canada


No offence to anyone who lives in nothing.

How is Portland more than Vancouver :?

 

[cory8926]

How is Portland more than Vancouver :?

You're right... I almost didn't include portland...

I should take it off...
edit: I will take it off... last time I was there, too many hippies, and the Portland news paper had on the front page a story about how elementary school students were learning to help save the planet by planting little flowers at the school.

More to the point I was taking a cheap shot at Canada.