Category: Top Gear Australia

Steve Pizzati confirmed via his twitter feed this morning that Top Gear Australia has been shelved. “It’s true – as of next week, TGA will be on at the special time of not at all,” he quipped.

“Sorry to the open-minded people that gave it a go AND enjoyed!”

A total of six episodes were commissioned for Series 4, of which three have now aired. It’s uncertain if the remaining eps will ever see the light of day.

Pizzati doesn’t hold out much hope, “We’re told the last three episodes will make an appearance in the summer. Or try Blockbuster Video in the BetaMax section.”

Many predicted the show would likely fail back in 2008 when word first emerged that SBS would produce a locally made series. Hindsight now offers the proof.

Ironically, Top Gear Australia probably peaked in terms of quality when it was on SBS. After Channel Nine splashed their cash the local version never really looked like matching the success of the original British cast.

[Pic: shanejacobson.com.au]

Word has come through that Top Gear Australia, Series 4, is due to air on Channel 9 from Tuesday next week.

It’s been almost 12 months since we saw the TGA lads in action. Perhaps it has taken that long for Ewen and Shane to patch up their differences, as one reader suggested last November?

We’ll have to wait until 8:30pm on 30 August to find out. Andy Lee will be the Star in a Reasonably Priced Car.

[Source: TV Tonight | Pic: shanejacobson.com.au | Thanks to Stu for the tip]

Top Gear Australia host Steve Pizzati—the Australian Hamster—got himself into a spot of bother last weekend when he tried barrel rolling his car during Aussie Racing Car event. Needless to say the ordeal ended in tears, or more accurately, a “humdinger of a headache and a sore neck”.

The crash happened at Sydney’s Eastern Creek where Pizzati was racing as a guest in a support category for the Australian Superbike Series.

Fortunately he sustained no major injuries.

Not to be outdone, the original Hamster and Top Gear UK presenter, Richard Hammond, had another bingle on the weekend too. Hammond was uninjured, but his horrible Morgan AeroMax didn’t fare quite so well.

[Source: Daily Telegraph | Thanks to Tiaan for the tip]

Tonight saw the conclusion of the second series of Top Gear Australia and if I reflect back to my notes from the same point at Series 1 I have to conclude that forward steps have been taken by the crew at SBS.

The cinematography and post production has taken big steps forward, certainly, although there is still some work remaining to ensure the results reach a consistently high level.

James Morrison, used more sparingly than I expected, has been a solid replacement for Charlie Cox. He can, however, come across a little too smooth. Also, to make the inevitable Top Gear UK comparison, you never get the feeling that he is prepared to lay it on the line and say what he really thinks about a car.

Steve’s enthusiasm can be OTT, but, equally, that is his most enduring feature. He needs to find a balance, and fast! Warren, for me, is still the show’s best performer. That either tells you a fair bit about the show, or you’ll think I have no idea. Or perhaps a bit of both.

Tonight’s episode was a solid 7 out of ten, much like the series overall. Steve’s GTHO piece was good, but lacked punch. James and Warren’s luxo-saloon segment had quite a few holes in its review of the technology on offer, inasmuch as a lot of the technology in the Lexus 600 is also available on the Mercedes-Benz S Class. Not to mention on “lesser” cars such as the Volkswagen Golf. Yet, this didn’t rate a mention in the review. Odd. So too the reason for putting a BMW X6 twin turbo V8 around the test track. Where was the context? Well done to Gyton Grantley, though, for setting a new benchmark time for the celeb segment. It would be nice if the cross promotion for SBS took a more of a backward seat when selecting guests, however.

The ingredients for Top Gear Australia are there, but the viewer is left with a feeling that the show could be better. Perhaps one needs to evaluate the show differently now, but the fact it is a Top Gear franchise makes it hard to do. The consistently excellent UK series ensures the bar remains high. No word yet on the production of Series 3 for the local lads. If it happens, let’s hope further improvements are made. Or, maybe, as hard as it is to do, comparisons to the UK show need to stop.