What exotic driving locations should Top Gear film at?

cvector said:
or Melbourne to Adelaide to Darwin maybe. have to make it a bit of a trip. :)
Click to expand...

That would be epic. Either that, or they could attempt an East-West crossing across the centre of Australia, starting in Rockhampton and ending in Carnarvon, via the Gunbarrel Highway. In old Australian cars - I'm thinking along the lines of NA Fairlane vs VN Commodore vs TR Magna. Get a special guest appearance by the Bush Mechanics in there somewhere and you'd end up with something with some great scenery and an opportunity to put themselves at some risk, ala Bolivia. ;)

Although, with anything involving Adelaide, James could always cock about in the Barossa Valley. Maybe a cameo appearance by Oz Clarke could be in order?
 
Last edited:
It's not what you'd call exotic, but I kind of like the idea of taking the exotic location thing and turning it on its head a bit.

They're always talking about how American cars don't make sense on our roads, but they've never really demonstrated why this is. They could see whether the theory really holds up by doing, say, Lands End to John O' Groats in iconic American cars. I can see a big drawback in that this might seem - at least on paper - a bit like the second American challenge, but then again, they've done group tests of European supercars on more than one occasion.

Personally, I'd love to see them trying to get through rural Cornwall and Devon in things like the current Mustang (and not just because my parents live down there and I'd quite like one when I have my mid-life crisis - which is scheduled for 2013). Let's see if the theory holds up when they're used for a properly long trip here in the UK.

And actually, as some of the shorter films have demonstrated, they don't need to go abroad to find some absolutely breathtaking scenery, and further north we've also got some roads that are quite perilous if not treated with respect. I just think it would be great to see the home turf given the same treatment that the amazing places abroad have been given and it might even inspire people here to appreciate what we've got a bit more. It will probably rain, but it rained a lot in Vietnam, so it's not really a problem :lol:
 
abczyx said:
I don't think Australia would be a particularly interesting place for a special. The scenery isn't really vaired enough and most of the roads would be pretty boring.

China would be interesting, if only for the choice of vehicle. And if they could ever do North Korea (which I know they can't), that would be fascinating.
Click to expand...

You have obviously never been to Australia or have just seen a Nicole Kidman movie.

The boring part of Australia is Sydney and the metropolitan area. When you get away from that it is EPIC. I think it could be an 'Ashes' special with Clarkson, May and Hammond vs. Pizatti, Brown and Morrison. Just remember Melbourne is the official Sporting capital of the world.

Spirit of Tasmania, The Ghan, The Overland would make it interesting.

Nullabor plain, Eucla, Barossa Valley, Cameron's Corner, Eyre Peninsula, Cataract Gorge, Organ Pipes National Park, The Dandenongs, Brisbane Ranges (Victoria), The Blue Mountains, Great Ocean Road, Apollo Bay, The 12 Apostles (8.5 actually), Thursday Island, Tiwi Islands, Cooktown QLD, Port Douglas, Cairns, Innisfail, Townsville, Rockhampton, Mt Isa, Longreach, Cloncurry (53.8 degrees hot), Yepoon, Bundaberg, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Toowoomba, Broken Hill, Tweed Heads, Byron Bay, Lismore, Griffith, Wagga Wagga, Whole of VICTORIA, The Murray Riverlands, Ceduna, Streaky Bay, Kakadu National Park, Coober Pedy, Oodnadatta, (Alice Springs, Uluru, Tennant Creek, Arnhem Land, Groote Eylandt), Darwin and The Northern Territory, Derby, Broome, The Kimberley's, Port Headland, The Pilbara, Marble Bar, Exmouth, Monkey Mia, Geraldton, Joondalup, Mandurah, Fremantle, Bunbury, Dowerin, Kalgoorlie and them some.

You could do a whole series in Australia, there is enough excitement here, especially in the summer. One episode for each state and territory.

Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania, Northern Territory and Queensland.
 
MamesJay said:
I know, you want your Aussie trip.
Click to expand...

hardly just me. i would be interested in places they havent gone before as well. since they have done America twice already i dont see any appeal in that except for Americans. :)

Where ever the special starts, the destination had to be Sydney.
They can't finish it in the middle of nowhere, looking at sand. :lol:
Click to expand...

no to Sydney. Darwin is not exactly in the middle of nowhere looking at sand. though they could always end with going from Darwin to the Gold Coast and look at the sand(the beaches that is).

Once again, Top Gear is not a travel show.
Click to expand...

the trip i mentioned would not be a travel guide anymore than past episodes. ye they would see some great sites and be lulled by the Great Ocean Road but once they headed in to the heart of Aus its a whole different thing.

Richmondgal said:
I'm suprised no one has suggested that they go to Tasmania. It has great scenery and great roads.
Click to expand...

and if they did it while Targa was on do a few stages of that. now that would be a laugh.
 
Last edited:
I want them to go to the Northeast USA as well.

I think they'll like it--perhaps the Catskills, where all those kosher resorts are (or, well, used to be...)

Other suggestions:

Mexico
Baja
North Carolina (some good roads there, I think)
 
Richmondgal said:
I'm suprised no one has suggested that they go to Tasmania. It has great scenery and great roads.
Click to expand...

True, but it looks a little too similar to parts of the UK in some ways.

Having said that, the contrast between the stunning beauty of the Gordon-Franklin World Heritage Area and the ecological disaster area that is Queenstown would provide TG's production team some fun scenery to play with.
 
I'm quite surprised that no-one has suggested New Zealand. Today I found a piece of road about 80km long that is more fun than the stelvio (yes i've driven it).

NZ has some of the best and quietest roads in the world, maybe a Targa NZ Top Gear Special could be in order.
 
I agree with wannabe kiwi. Where in NZ is that road you are talking about?
 
TopGearNorthAmerica said:
Taconic Parkway (New York) -- Chevy Camaro vs. Ford Mustang vs. Hyundai Genesis
Click to expand...

Speaking of that, there are some nice twisty mountain roads just outside of West Point, NY (where the Army academy is).
 
NZstig said:
I agree with wannabe kiwi. Where in NZ is that road you are talking about?
Click to expand...

Theres a fair few awesome roads but this was State Highway 73 (Christchurch to West Coast) but the section from Springfield to Arthurs Pass. Stunning Scenery, fast flowing up and down hill corners, some tight and technical bits....

Was awesome.
 
Alberto said:
where all those kosher resorts are (or, well, used to be...)
Click to expand...

Or they could go to Israel, where they still are. There are some really great roads in Israel, from the hairpin-filled Galilee B-roads to the Negev desert straights. I'd love to see an Israel challenge, where they have to buy cars for ?10000.

Also, a Boston-Montreal challenge in terrible weather.
 
Well, I see many great suggestions...I would like to see a Noble, a Calloway, and a Koenigsegg race from San Diego, CA, USA to Vancouver, BC on NO MOTORWAYS, but ONLY surface streets...
 
The Fishman said:
You have obviously never been to Australia or have just seen a Nicole Kidman movie.

The boring part of Australia is Sydney and the metropolitan area. When you get away from that it is EPIC. I think it could be an 'Ashes' special with Clarkson, May and Hammond vs. Pizatti, Brown and Morrison. Just remember Melbourne is the official Sporting capital of the world.

Spirit of Tasmania, The Ghan, The Overland would make it interesting.

Nullabor plain, Eucla, Barossa Valley, Cameron's Corner, Eyre Peninsula, Cataract Gorge, Organ Pipes National Park, The Dandenongs, Brisbane Ranges (Victoria), The Blue Mountains, Great Ocean Road, Apollo Bay, The 12 Apostles (8.5 actually), Thursday Island, Tiwi Islands, Cooktown QLD, Port Douglas, Cairns, Innisfail, Townsville, Rockhampton, Mt Isa, Longreach, Cloncurry (53.8 degrees hot), Yepoon, Bundaberg, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Toowoomba, Broken Hill, Tweed Heads, Byron Bay, Lismore, Griffith, Wagga Wagga, Whole of VICTORIA, The Murray Riverlands, Ceduna, Streaky Bay, Kakadu National Park, Coober Pedy, Oodnadatta, (Alice Springs, Uluru, Tennant Creek, Arnhem Land, Groote Eylandt), Darwin and The Northern Territory, Derby, Broome, The Kimberley's, Port Headland, The Pilbara, Marble Bar, Exmouth, Monkey Mia, Geraldton, Joondalup, Mandurah, Fremantle, Bunbury, Dowerin, Kalgoorlie and them some.

You could do a whole series in Australia, there is enough excitement here, especially in the summer. One episode for each state and territory.

Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania, Northern Territory and Queensland.
Click to expand...

I've actually been to most of the places that you mentioned.

Ok, I didn't mean that there was no interesting scenery in Australia: The Murray River region is quite nice and the Blue Mountains are pretty impressive. But these regions are way too far apart to make a road trip work (that could be made into an episode, I mean). I mean look at Bolivia/Chile: they started in the middle of the rainforest and ended up by the coast via a desert and a volcano, now that's diversity.

And just me personally, but I don't see the appeal of places like Innisfail or Cloncurry (which as a keen Geographer I am obliged to point out that the temperature was likely somwhat below 53.1 C, since it was recorded with the scientifically-accurate device that is a beer crate).

Australia might be a good place for a road trip, in fact I know a lot of people who have travelled there extensively. But I don't think it's the best place for a TG special.
 
abczyx said:
I mean look at Bolivia/Chile: they started in the middle of the rainforest and ended up by the coast via a desert and a volcano, now that's diversity.
Click to expand...

and you think there is no diversity going from Melbourne to Adelaide(Great Ocean Road) and then to Darwin(via Coober Pedy and Alice Spring etc) ? do you know the conditions of each of those steps and the differences between Melbourne and Darwin etc? diversity isnt a problem with that route at all.
 
cvector said:
and you think there is no diversity going from Melbourne to Adelaide(Great Ocean Road) and then to Darwin(via Coober Pedy and Alice Spring etc) ? do you know the conditions of each of those steps and the differences between Melbourne and Darwin etc? diversity isnt a problem with that route at all.
Click to expand...

abczyx said:
But these regions are way too far apart to make a road trip work (that could be made into an episode, I mean).
Click to expand...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top