Top Gear USA -- The latest revision.

[Kompresshun]

So far I like the show, but Ferrerra annoys the heck out of me. If they would replace him with somebody more useful then I would be happy with the show personally. I've never watched the other version though so it's totally new to me, I love the challenges though. It could be better but hopefully it will improve with time.

I was annoyed with Ferrerra insulting the SLS this week, I know you can't love every car, but I would've been pissed if I were the one that loaned Top Gear the car and then let a prick like him drive it. You're reviewing a supercar you moron, not a Chevy Aveo but obviously you wouldn't know the difference

[tigersharkdude]

watched all of week 1
about 15 minutes of week 2
DID NOT watch week 3 (from the looks, this will be for the rest of the season as well)

[bigbadberry3]

I would of enjoyed seeing the SLS blowing its doors off and hitting Foust in the process.

[bigbadberry3]

Any guesses on the Stig yet? I'm going with Danica Patrick

[tigersharkdude]

Stig=Foust

[orangeNblue]

Stig=Foust

lol well he is the only one on the show that can drive a car. I have tried giving the show a chance and it does have good moments, but overall it still blows. I wouldn't watch a football game for one or two good plays and then feel satisfied that I didn't waste my time and it's the same here. I can't even watch the parts where Ferrerra and Wood pretend to know a thing about cars. And I do realize that any group of hosts need time to come together, but Capt Flannel and the unfunny comedian are downright awful. Wood tried to be funny at the end of the Raptor piece, which was actually decent, and failed miserably seeming mostly just creepy. In all honesty though, and in his defense, I think he may actually be retarded.

[Razi]

At least we have something to look forward to from the real TopGear
http://jalopnik.com/5641454/catch-top-g ... in-a-prize
http://jalopnik.com/5709279/top-gear-ki ... -christmas

[Mr1der]

eh..I wouldn't be surpsrised if the Stig is Randy Pobst...he hot shoes fairly often for several magazines.

this week was better.

I was glad to see that Ferrara didn't gush over the SLS though, especially with all the Benz commercials.

[BusyBadger]

Any guesses on the Stig yet? I'm going with Danica Patrick

It needs to be Rubens Barrichello.

[Bubba1]

I was glad to see that Ferrara didn't gush over the SLS though, especially with all the Benz commercials.

Really?, I was kinda annoyed at Ferrara for being clueless about the SLS.

After watching the UK version's Bolivian episode, which was awesome, the US show is a pathetic copy lacking wit and chemistry.

[Red coupe]

I was glad to see that Ferrara didn't gush over the SLS though, especially with all the Benz commercials.

Really?, I was kinda annoyed at Ferrara for being clueless about the SLS.

After watching the UK version's Bolivian episode, which was awesome, the US show is a pathetic copy lacking wit and chemistry.

I think they did a big disservice to the show by calling it top gear.
It really forces it to compare to the original when there is really know way it is going to.

Top Gear easily the greatest car show on TV.
Top Gear US is at least semi-entertaining and with out a doubt worth watching for free on history channels website when ever you have a spare 40 minutes or so.

I would prefer to have both to having just one.

[Mr1der]

agreed.

I need to watch Top Gear Australia to see how it is...

but to make direct comparisons isn't fair but it's gonna happen.

they need to get Nascar drivers in the big star small car thing

[alms24sebring]

Sorry for skipping through all of this but I just watched the episode with the Raptor F150 last night. I gatta say I like the British version of Top Gear waaayyy better. Its way more classy and much more knowledge and love for cars is released, especially from Jeremy. It kinda sucked really, a bunch of rednecks that seem to have little actual knowledge of the history behind a make or model. The only good part was about how close the skydiver was from the Raptor at the finish line.

-1 for me

[Chaotic_Warlord]

So this weeks episode wasn't all that bad... but then it wasn't all that good either. Better than the rest of the episodes, but still tons of room for improvement. I really do wish they would start introducing the Stig properly, but I guess Foust lacks the ingenuity to come up with some witty intros. I don't understand why all the hate for Ferrara, if they would let him actually be funny he could bring a lot of entertainment value to the show. Yeah he could stand to know more about the cars, but so could Wood.

Oh and how about Kid Rock crushing the Hobbit's time in the wet. I was impressed with the time the Raptor set on the track, not bad for a truck built to perform off road and not on a track.

[PEZi]

imo...
Wood, Foust, Comrie-Picard

ACP is the missing captian slow...
only thing is.. its top gear usa... and hes from canada.

oh gawd.... ACP really is captain slow too....

[MinisterofDOOM]

The show is terrible. They compare LAMBORGHINIS, between which the significant variation is DRIVETRAIN format, by doing a straight-line top speed contest?! They go on and on about the differences in behavior between the AWD Bulls and the Balboni, and then they completely ignore it on the actual road? To Hell with that garbage.

[Chaotic_Warlord]

The show is terrible. They compare LAMBORGHINIS, between which the significant variation is DRIVETRAIN format, by doing a straight-line top speed contest?! They go on and on about the differences in behavior between the AWD Bulls and the Balboni, and then they completely ignore it on the actual road? To Hell with that garbage.

They did it like that because of all the legal issues here in the States. The History Channels and the producers of the show don't want a lawsuit, which is what would happen if they drove those cars on the road, because if one came back with even a minor scratch the dealership that loaned them the cars would have sued them for the damages. The UK guys get away with murder because the show is a hit pretty much worldwide, and really what company wouldn't want to have them flog the hell out of their cars, it's publicity and boosts sales. Not to mention the laws there are different, so don't expect TG:US to be driving any high dollar cars across the country.

[MinisterofDOOM]

The show is terrible. They compare LAMBORGHINIS, between which the significant variation is DRIVETRAIN format, by doing a straight-line top speed contest?! They go on and on about the differences in behavior between the AWD Bulls and the Balboni, and then they completely ignore it on the actual road? To Hell with that garbage.

They did it like that because of all the legal issues here in the States. The History Channels and the producers of the show don't want a lawsuit, which is what would happen if they drove those cars on the road, because if one came back with even a minor scratch the dealership that loaned them the cars would have sued them for the damages. The UK guys get away with murder because the show is a hit pretty much worldwide, and really what company wouldn't want to have them flog the hell out of their cars, it's publicity and boosts sales. Not to mention the laws there are different, so don't expect TG:US to be driving any high dollar cars across the country.

I guess they probably shouldn't be shooting a CAR show, then, if they're too scared to actually drive any CARS.

Worst excuse ever. That's like having your endodontist tell you he doesn't dare actually perform a root canal because he might screw up and get sued. That's sort of WHAT HE DOES. Excuses for halfassery don't stop it being halfassery.

My point stands: the show is terrible.

[Red coupe]

Anyone still watching?

"America's toughest truck" was pretty good, though they really should have used something other then a Hilux. I could just see Jermey driving his American truck off a cliff to make to get behind the wheel of the toyota.

Otherwise entertaining. I was laughing pretty damn hard at the last run in Tanners truck watching it buck like crazy on utterly destroyed shocks.

I actually got the feeling that they were all a bit surprised when he drove out at the end too.

Tanner is really not that bad. He is getting better personality wise, and he more then makes up for it with how much fun it is to watch him behind the wheel.

[Ozzie]

Seeing as this got bumped, imma throw in my 2c....

Why isn't someone as awsome as Jay Leno on the US version?
He's funny, he loves cars, and you could devote a segment to "Jay's car of the week" on each show, where he brings in one of his cars... talks about it, then gets the stig to run a lap in it. (then put it on the fast lap board)

I'd watch that.

(Hire me as an exec director..... I'll make this ish happen!)

[Bubba1]

Seeing as this got bumped, imma throw in my 2c....

Why isn't someone as awsome as Jay Leno on the US version?
He's funny, he loves cars, and you could devote a segment to "Jay's car of the week" on each show, where he brings in one of his cars... talks about it, then gets the stig to run a lap in it. (then put it on the fast lap board)

I'd watch that.

(Hire me as an exec director..... I'll make this ish happen!)

That's a great idea, but I suspect the history channel doesn't pay enough for the program to afford Leno or good writers

the last US show was their best episode to date IMHO (american pickup challenge) but that's not saying much. It was an obvious clone of the build a camper (caravan) and Bolivia expedition UK episodes. And that Hilux backup vehicle of shame was exact same thing as the Beetle chasing the UK crew across Africa. The show needs writers badly.

[audtatious]

It's starting to come together. While I realized the pickup challenge show was the same as some of the others it was still quite entertaining.

[the converted]

Lenno was offered a spot when they were doing the casting the first time through. He politely declined saying something to the effect that he didn't think that the new version wouldn't be able to do the original justice. I guess he was right. It is getting better, and they are starting to build some chemistry. I still think that our measuring stick is skewed because of the original.

I am kinda pissed that I didn't know that they were doing the CR-Z segment in SF, as you can literally see my apartment in one of the shots!

[Chaotic_Warlord]

The truck challenge was pretty cool, but I was really surprised that Wood didn't get that same year Dodge Ram with the 5.9l Cummins. The look on Tanner's face when he opened his hood and saw a SBC where a 6.5L diesel was supposed to be priceless...

[Bubba1]

The truck challenge was pretty cool, but I was really surprised that Wood didn't get that same year Dodge Ram with the 5.9l Cummins. The look on Tanner's face when he opened his hood and saw a SBC where a 6.5L diesel was supposed to be priceless...

I thouht it interesting that the ol' school SBC was the only one to survive. Same motor as what I have in my truck.

[LocAL_anarchy]

Hopefully they end the season on another good episode. If so, the ratings should look promising. And then they may loosen up next season's production budget, and get more creative. They played it safe and rehashed the UK show. Ok, cool. Now let's see what you can do second season. If they don't take some risks, the show won't last at all.

[sbird1]

I don't think the finale is going to be very good. From the previews and things, it seems like the finale is going to be like a summary of the season, a recap. I don't think there is going to be a whole lot of "new" material. We'll see. The last truck episode was awesome. I hope they get a second season. I enjoyed the first.

[AZ89two4Tsx]

Anyone still watching?

"America's toughest truck" was pretty good, though they really should have used something other then a Hilux. I could just see Jermey driving his American truck off a cliff to make to get behind the wheel of the toyota.

Otherwise entertaining. I was laughing pretty damn hard at the last run in Tanners truck watching it buck like crazy on utterly destroyed shocks.

I actually got the feeling that they were all a bit surprised when he drove out at the end too.

Tanner is really not that bad. He is getting better personality wise, and he more then makes up for it with how much fun it is to watch him behind the wheel.

I agree.

[orangeNblue]

I think I could honestly watch the show if they got rid of the fat retarded guy with glasses and taught Adam how to drive. Having Leno on there would be awesome, maybe he could retire from late night again...but on a serious note, he does know a lot about cars and driving and it'd be nice to have someone that's actually funny on the show

[Dattebayo]

I think I could honestly watch the show if they got rid of the fat retarded guy with glasses