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Ferrari News Top Gear

Chris Evans to get richer at Goodwood Revival

Ferrari 275 GTS Spyder

The new host of Top Gear, Chris Evans, will reach new heights of knobbery after he auctions off a lazy 13 cars from his very impressive collection at the Goodwood Revival. Six Ferraris headline the list, joined by a trio of Jags, a Mercedes, a Fiat, a Daimler and a Chitty Chitty Bang Bang replica.

Included in the list is this gorgeous Ferrari 275 GTS Spyder (pictured). We’d quite like it, but despite our ongoing efforts to win OzLotto we don’t have the required £1.6 million to secure the deal.

The full list of Evans’ inventory is listed below, including the predicted sale prices:

  • Ferrari 275 GTS Spyder – £1.3–1.6 million
  • Ferrari 250 GT Lusso Berlinetta – £1.4–1.8 million
  • Ferrari 365GT S/4 ‘Daytona’ Spyder – £2.3–2.6 million
  • Ferrari 275GTB/6C ‘Alloy’ Berlinetta – £2.6–2.9 million
  • Ferrari 250GT SWB Berlinetta recreation – £500,000–600,000
  • Ferrari 328 GTS – £100,000–130,000
  • Jaguar XK150 FHC – £55,000–65,000
  • Jaguar XK120 ‘Alloy’ Roadster – £325,000–375,000
  • Jaguar XKSS Recreation – £325,000–375,000
  • Mercedes-Benz 280SL ‘Pagoda’ Convertible – £100,000–130,000
  • Fiat 126 Abarth Replica – £10,000–15,000
  • Daimler Dart SP250 Police Car – £50,000–60,000
  • Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Replica – £250,000–350,000

Bonhams will be handling the auction duties and you can see the full catalogue HERE.

[Source: Goodwood]

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News Top Gear

Former Top Gear hosts transform to Amazon Prime

Clarkson, Hammond and May sign with Amazon Prime

Former Top Gear hosts Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May have signed an exclusive deal with Amazon’s online streaming service.

Long-time executive producer Andy Wilman’s services have also been secured for the show which will premiere in 2016.

So much for that Netflix rumour.

Currently an annual subscription to Amazon Prime costs £79 in the UK and $99 in the United States. In the absence of a presence in the Australian market Amazon Prime could choose to license the program to another broadcaster.

Speaking to the Radio Times Andy Wilman explained the decision to sign with Amazon: “They’ll give us the freedom to make the programs we want—and you know how we love that freedom—there’s a budget to produce programs of the quality we want and this is the future. So it’s exhilarating to be part of that future.”

Wilman expanded further, giving an early glimpse of what to expect from the new show: “It’s a motoring show and there will be themes people will be familiar with.

“But I can’t tell you how good it feels to get the chance to produce something from scratch. We’re all really excited. No one telling us what we can and can’t do, just us hopefully producing great programmes. It feels really liberating.”

Clarkson, Hammond and May on their new show

Clarkson: “I feel like I’ve climbed out of a bi-plane and into a spaceship.”

Hammond: “Amazon? Oh yes. I have already been there. I got bitten by a bullet ant.”

May: “We have become part of the new age of smart TV. Ironic, isn’t it?”

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News Top Gear

Clarkson, Hammond and May to Netflix?

Clarkson, Hammond and May to Netflix

The rumours have been around for a while, but it now appears certain former Top Gear presenters Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May will front a new motoring program on the online streaming network Netflix.

According to reports the hosts have had a number of possible options to consider, including UK broadcasters ITV. With a deal now “very close” to being agreed with Netflix it seems we can expect an official announcement soon.

Word also suggests the on-air trio will be joined by former Top Gear exexcutive producer Andy Wilman.

Meanwhile the final episode of Top Gear featuring the regular trio will go to air in the UK on Sunday. It’s expected the final episode will break all viewing records for the BBC. A short trailer can be seen below.

[Source: Business Insider Australia | Thanks to Wes for the tip]

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Top Gear

Chris Evans to head new Top Gear line up

Hi, my name's Chris and I am a fuckwit!

Chris Evans is a knob. And he’s also going to be the new host of Top Gear.

Speaking about his new role the UK radio and television presenter said: “I promise I will do everything I possibly can to respect what has gone on before and take the show forward.”

Evans is a well known petrol head and has one of the world’s most enviable classic Ferrari collections. He’s also a massive knob.

Showing a sign of intent for the future of Top Gear the BBC has signed Evans on a three-year deal. And they’re pretty happy about it too.

“I’m so delighted that Chris will be presenting the next series of Top Gear,” enthused Kim Shillinglaw, Controller of BBC Two and BBC Four. “His knowledge of and passion for cars is well-known, and combined with his sheer inventiveness and cheeky unpredictability he is the perfect choice to take our much-loved show into the future.

“Chris is a huge fan of Top Gear and has great respect for the craft and work ethic of one of the best production teams in the world. He knows the phenomenal attention to detail it takes to make a single sequence of Top Gear, let alone a whole series. He is already full of brilliant ideas and I can’t wait for him to get started.

“He’s also a total knob-end.”

Okay, maybe Shillinglaw didn’t make that last comment.

Evans has made contact with the show’s three former hosts and says he has the blessing of Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond. As for James May, Evans had this to say: “James called me back straight away. We had a chat, we are going to meet up today or tomorrow to talk about things. Who knows what might happen there?”

While Evans’ co-hosts are yet to be named, the BBC has confirmed production for the next series of Top Gear will start in the next few weeks.

The last episode to feature Clarkson, Hammond and May will go to air in the UK on 28 June and will follow on Australian screens shortly after.

[Source: Top Gear | Pic: twitter]

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Top Gear

Jeremy Clarkson makes a silly face

Jeremy Clarkson

A somewhat contrite Jeremy Clarkson has spoken to Chris Evans on BBC radio about life after Top Gear and admits his sacking has “left a big hole”.

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News Top Gear

BBC sacks Jeremy Clarkson

Jeremy Clarkson to be sacked by BBC

According to media reports the BBC is ready to sack leading Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson. Two weeks after Clarkson was suspended and subject to an internal investigation the BBC has been able to confirm claims the outgoing host did assault a colleague.

It is believed the BBC investigation found that Clarkson verbally abused long-term Top Gear producer Oisin Tymon for 20 minutes before the “fracas” ended with a short 30 second physical assault from Clarkson.

The dispute reportedly began after a day of filming in North Yorkshire when Clarkson was unable to be given the hot meal he wanted—steak and chips—because the hotel they were staying in had stopped cooking for the night.

Around 12 months ago Clarkson was issued a “final warning” by the BBC after he was found to have used the racially offensive term “nigger” on camera. The footage was never broadcast by the BBC, but was discovered and published by British newspaper The Mirror.

Clarkson’s departure won’t officially mean the end for Top Gear with the BBC set to search for a replacement to join Richard Hammond and James May. Assuming, of course, Hammond and May choose to remain with the program.

Please god, don’t let it be British radio icon Chris Evans. He’s a bigger dickhead than Clarkson could ever be!

Lord Hall, Director General of the BBC, is expected to make an official announcement on Clarkson’s future later today.

There’s interesting times ahead for Top Gear and its fans. We’ll be watching the ongoing developments with keen interest.

[Source: The Telegraph]

UPDATE: It’s official, the BBC has sacked Jeremy Clarkson [read more].

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Top Gear

Clarkson suspended, Top Gear temporarily off the air

Jeremy Clarkson

Jeremy Clarkson has been suspended by the BBC “following a fracas with a BBC producer” the media giant said in a short statement. The period of his suspension is unclear and the 54-year-old’s future may rest on the result of an internal investigation.

This weekend’s episode of Top Gear will not be broadcast and the Radio Times has declared the remaining three episodes of Series 22 will not go to air.

The Guardian reports, “the incident involved Clarkson throwing a punch at a male producer while filming in Surrey last week.”

Clarkson and controversy have been unhappy bedfellows throughout his career and it’s just under a year ago that he was given a final warning by the BBC after it was alleged he used the term “nigger” off air.

More after the break.

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Top Gear

Top Gear Series 22 starts on 25 January

Top Gear, Series 22 preview web special

Series 22 of Top Gear will premiere on BBC2 at 8pm on 25 January (UK time). There will be 10 episodes in all.

Australian readers with Foxtel can see Series 22 on BBC Knowledge from 26 January.

The three presenters have just finished a live web special where they talked through what to expect in the upcoming episodes (replay available below; starts after 6:40). BBC Knowledge gives the new series the following description:

The trio attempt to reinvent the ambulance, investigate the strange world of classic car ownership, take part in a nail-biting race across St Petersburg and set off on an epic road trip through the wilds of Australia.

[Source: BBC]

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News Top Gear

Top Gear captured filming in Australia

Top Gear spotted filming in Australia

Finally, Top Gear has come to Australia to film a segment. At least that’s the conclusion to draw after Jeremy, James and Richard were spotted in the Northern Territory town of Katherine last week.

Presumably in the top end to take advantage of reintroduced and extended desrestricted roads, Clarkson was at the wheen of a BMW M6 Grand Coupe, Hammond had a Bentley Continental GT and May had to make do with a troublesome Nissan GT-R.

There’s also been sightings of a drag race at an airstrip in Batchelor, south of Darwin, and it’s understood the cast and crew are heading to Perth. A Darwin–Perth race perhaps?

Presumably the segment being filmed will feature in the upcoming Series 22 and if you’d like to see what else you can expect when the new series airs in early 2015 just take a peak after the jump.

[Pic: Emily Worrall | Thanks to Tiaan for the tip]

Categories
Fifth Gear News Top Gear Top Gear Australia

Final word for FinalGear?

FinalGear.com take-down notice

FinalGear.com is the go to place on the internet for news on motoring shows Top Gear and Fifth Gear. That also means it has been a reliable source of information for viewers outside of the UK who want to watch new episodes as soon as possible after going to air. That information, of course, relates to illegal downloads.

FinalGear states that it “does not host any torrents or copyright infringing material” but it does provide links relating to such activities. Today, the website was issued a take-down notice from the UK’s Director Of Intelligence & Investigations Federation Against Copyright Theft which states in part:

BBC Worldwide Consumer Products, Soda Pictures has received information that the domain listed above, which appears to be on servers under your control, is offering unlicensed copies of, or is engaged in other unauthorized activities relating to copyrighted works owned by BBC Worldwide Consumer Products.

Further, the notice demands that any relevant links be removed:

We hereby give notice of these activities to you and request that you take expeditious action to remove or disable access to the material described above, and thereby prevent the unauthorized distribution of the work(s) via your companys network.

We expect the website, in particular its forums, will remain active. It’s just that people wanting to get their hands on the latest episodes of Top Gear might have to look elsewhere. Although, perhaps sufficient action is also being taken against whoever does host episodes for download in future that only officially sourced content may be available. If it’s actually possible to achieve such an aim.

[Source: FinalGear]

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Top Gear

Jeremy Clarkson given final warning by BBC

Jeremy Clarkson

Jeremy Clarkson has revealed he is on his last chance with BBC management and will be sacked if he makes another faux pas. The news comes after a story published by The Mirror which claims Clarkson used the offensive term “nigger”.

The online version of the article included footage from two years ago, which didn’t go to air. Clarkson responded via twitter saying: “I did not use the n word. Never use it. The Mirror has gone way too far this time.”

In his most recent piece for The Sun, Clarkson wrote: “I’ve been told by the BBC that if I make one more offensive remark, anywhere, at any time, I will be sacked.

“And even the angel Gabriel would struggle to survive with that hanging over his head.

“It’s funny.

“I’ve always thought I’d be sacked for something I said.

“Not for something that actually, I didn’t say.”

Clarkson, no stranger to plunging himself into controversy, has also released a public explanation and apology in video.
Categories
Top Gear

Top Gear Season 21 returns on 2 February

Top Gear, Season 21

Season 21 of Top Gear returns to BBC2 on Sunday 2 February

It should be no surprise that Jeremy didn’t really know the exact date of Top Gear’s return to UK TV screens, but now we know it’ll be back in juts under two weeks.

To preview the next exciting series of Top Gear the BBC has released three new previews to its YouTube channel. There’s one clip each for Jeremy, James and Richard and we can see we’ll be learning a lot about trucks, servicing and lollies. What joy!

[Source: Final Gear]