Top Gear, Series 21....

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Just a heads up about the new series which starts tonight at 8pm on BBC 2 (and I assume one of the BBC HD channels too)

Pinched from the BBC website....

"Series 21, Episode 1 of 7

Duration: 1 hour


The motoring magazine returns. Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May attempt to prove that the hot hatchbacks of their youth were better than their modern equivalents by buying a 'classic' example of the breed each and then undertaking a series of challenges.

After tackling a tricky hillclimb course and an unusual visit to the supermarket, the three arrive at an old army training ground in Wales where their ageing cars must evade the heavily armed and heavily moustachioed Top Gear Police Department.

Plus, Downton Abbey's Hugh Bonneville is the star in the Reasonably Priced Car."
 
I know I read TP for a reason, thanks for the heads up.
 
Bit s*** so far
 
The section with the top gear police dept. was a long drawn out affair and to be honest rubbish :grumpy:
 
It's totally scripted and highly predictable. But if you accept it as just that then there is still the odd laugh to be had.
It ceased to be an innovative car show years ago, I suspect they're only in it for the money now.
 
Here's a top tip

Whenever there's a new series starting just find the last thread and bump it

Saves reading all the same replies

I won't be watching/hate clarkson/ bit boring/same format etc etc

It is what it is and a lot of people like it

If you don't like it don't watch it or open threads with top gear in the title

Simple
 
Interview with Andy Wilman, aka Mr VBH....on Friday onR2, show is mostly out-takes....I enjoy it...
 
Here's a top tip

Whenever there's a new series starting just find the last thread and bump it

Saves reading all the same replies

I won't be watching/hate clarkson/ bit boring/same format etc etc

It is what it is and a lot of people like it

If you don't like it don't watch it or open threads with top gear in the title

Simple
sense of humor fail ;)
 
I'm looking forward to the McLaren P1 segment in next weeks show.

Agree that certain aspects could do with forgetting or toning down a bit, but it saved me from watching Call the Midwife with Mrs.C.
 
Loved it. And I don't understand people's problem with the show either.
 
There was the chance with the hot hatches to do something really good and interesting, but no cue the same old Hammond, May, Clarkson drivel lets buy old cars and wreck them - Yawn it wasn.t funny just pathetic ! I like Top Gear but boy are they running out of ideas!
 
There was the chance with the hot hatches to do something really good and interesting, but no cue the same old Hammond, May, Clarkson drivel lets buy old cars and wreck them - Yawn it wasn.t funny just pathetic ! I like Top Gear but boy are they running out of ideas!
Indeed the hot hatch segment could have been fantastic, but no, so predictable.
I do like it though.
 
Distinctly underwhelmed by last nights effort, the three guys are looking very old and tired and so is the program.
 
There was the chance with the hot hatches to do something really good and interesting, but no cue the same old Hammond, May, Clarkson drivel lets buy old cars and wreck them - Yawn it wasn.t funny just pathetic ! I like Top Gear but boy are they running out of ideas!
:agree:


They have done some great stuff in the past.. the Tornado steam train vs the Jag and motorbike stand in my memory. Really missed a chance with the classic hot hatches to do something interesting and amusing instead of the pointless lets trash a few more cars format.. I'll still watch the next episode or two but the format's becoming too predictable and infantile for my liking

Simon
 
Im not a petrol head by any stretch, but I usually watch the show. Found this one as amusing as most of the others. Hugh 'nice lipstick' Bonneville section a bit boring but apart from that, better than 90% of any other shows on the box at present.
 
Only problem i had was the segmant on 80s hot hatches and they were all 90s cars.
 
Well, Clarkson's was a G-reg Golf, which would be 89/90. The XR2 was a 16v which was introduced in 1992, but the rest of the car was pretty much the same bar a few cosmetics as the late 1980's 8v and the Nova was also a K, but also mechanically similar to the late 1980's version.
 
I'm looking forward to the McLaren P1 segment in next weeks show.

There is a short video on the Top gear website of Andy Wilman - the shows producer - saying that in all the years he's known Clarkson he's never yet seen him unable to articulate his feelings about driving a car - until he drove the P1.

Might have to stop watching after that as I agree that the childish "lets crash our cars into each other a bit" has all got a bit too boring for me.

Wilman says there is a corker of a "Christmas special" coming, filmed in Burma or Thailand.

David
 
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Only problem i had was the segmant on 80s hot hatches and they were all 90s cars.


Exactly, I was hoping to see the original Golf, plus maybe a Peugeot 205 GTi and possibly an XR3i. How difficult would it have been?
 
RS Turbo would have been better.
 
Depends on the format. This format was buy a car for as little as possible (£700-£800), bodge it up, destroy it. All the earlier versions are now going up in price fairly quickly now and getting something within the budget would be harder.

There is scope for a truly memorable hot-hatch segment, but this wasn't the time. Top Gear at its best is brilliant.
 
Exactly, I was hoping to see the original Golf, plus maybe a Peugeot 205 GTi and possibly an XR3i. How difficult would it have been?

Can't remember the last time I saw any of the above other than at a "classic" car show.

As Andrew said above, Top Gear at its best WAS brilliant, unfortunately, it's now well past its prime. Hasn't been informative for years but is still vaguely entertaining on occasion.
 
Yes, the BBC get a lot of income from the sales of Top Gear to overseas markets, and the sale of general tat to the public.

However, if they bought good cars and wrecked them they would get a huge backlash from motoring enthusiasts up and down the country.

I've supplied cars to Top Gear several times over the year, but some of the more recent requests have been turned down due to the potential damage the cars may receive, once we have been told what the plan was.
 
Not a good series opener for me.......boring for the most part and the other bits were just Meh
 
Much better episode tonight, I enjoyed it a lot more than last week.

I don't think I disliked anything at all tonight.
 
Really enjoyed the engineering background to the mclaren, what a machine........looks amazing too.
 
Given the wetness of the track over the winter and the effect that would have on the McLaren's time, not to mention the possibility of putting it up against its only current competitor in a straight head-to-head, I reckon the delayed track run is a good idea. Have to say I rather liked the idea of one of those quad boats - more than the Alfa if I'm honest. May's piece on the military vehicles was interesting too. A definite improvement on the first one this series.
 
I remember the time when TG used to be an informative show for the average motorist. Now it just seems a way to wreck cars and caravans and I really can't see the sense in it anymore. All these cars they buy to trash, all the trips abroad to see how fast they can go in some sports car or other is being funded from the BBC licence payers and IMHO the show should of been canned a few years ago.
 
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