Categories
Top Gear

Top Gear – Season 15 preview

Top Gear - 15x01

As most of you will know, the wraps are about to come off a new season of Top Gear (and a new Reasonably Priced Car). The first episode goes to air on UK screens in a few hours and over at the offical site Andy Wilman, Executive Producer, gives us a preview what to expect.

Wilman also holds high hopes for Series 15, “We’ve shot some really good stuff for this run. Those of you who read these blogs regularly know I’m the first to ’fess up if we’ve done a stinker, and that I love a nice dose of pessimism – and you know I thought the last series was up and down. But I’m looking at the contents on my little wall chart thing now, and there’s some quality work here.

“And if you like your TopGear served up with a dash more petrolheadery, then just wait for the Senna tribute we’ve shot, where we’ve got an exclusive with Lewis Hamilton driving Senna’s 1988 F1 car. We all love Lewis for the way he wears his heart on his sleeve when he races, and it’s the same when he shows his emotions for his hero.”

The Senna piece sounds like it has the makings to be an all time classic Top Gear segment. Let’s hope Lewis doesn’t stuff it.

[Source: TopGear | Pic: TopGear]

UPDATE: Speculation via the Car Lounge at VWvortex.com suggests the new Reasonably Priced Car is the Kia Cee’d.

UPDATE 28 June: An informative video, of sorts, featuring Jeremy Clarkson has been posted to the TopGear website. You can see the clip below in which Jeremy confirms the Cee-apostrphe-d’s new status as the Reasonably Priced Car.

Categories
Top Gear

Top Gear – Season 15 trailer

Top Gear - Series 15 preview

Great news for Oscar’s mum and dad; they’ve been featured in a new preview for Series 15 of Top Gear. The new season kicks off this weekend and you can see the latest BBC2 promo right here on AUSmotive. There it is, just after the jump.

If you’d rather not listen to a couple of screaming loons, then take a peak at the Top Gear blog where you can discover the Chevrolet Lacetti has been axed and that the crew had a big meeting and decided to try a bit harder this time around.

Categories
News Top Gear

Gran Turismo 5 launch date – 2 November 2010

GT5 - 2 November 2010

The makers of GT5 have finally announced a release date for their new gaming epic. North American buyers can get their hands on GT5 from 2 November 2010. Dates for other markets are yet to be announced.

It’s been almost six years since the release of GT4 so the new version is not only eagerly awaited, but well overdue. The Gran Turismo name fell from the top of most people’s must-have games list a long time ago. Will GT5 restore the title’s credibility?

After the break is a two minute teaser – featuring The Stig on the Top Gear test track – that gives us an idea of what to expect.

Categories
Hyundai Top Gear

Hyundai releases Top Gear spoof

Hyundai Top Deer spoof

Hyundai recently launched a couple of new TVCs that rip off Top Gear. Disturbingly called “Top Deer” the ads centre around the show’s familiar air hangar set and, of course, Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May.

The ads have been very well executed, there’s no denying that. But is the actual premise of the ads just a wee bit twee? Similarly, are the Top Gear presenters now so well stereotyped that a deer, a hamster and a tortoise are all that’s needed to fulfill their roles?

There’s two ads ready for view after the break. Have a look and see what you think. Remember, season 15 of Top Gear starts in the UK on 27 June.

[via TopGear.com]

Categories
News Top Gear

Top Gear, Season 15 – UK premiere on 27 June

Top Gear S15 back 27 June 2010

The guesswork is over and it now appears Season 15 of Top Gear will return to UK screens on Sunday 27 June. At least, that’s the tip given in the latest UK version of Top Gear magazine. Should be a pretty reliable source, then. A bit interesting the boys will be back while the World Cup is still underway, but who are we to complain.

There will be just six episodes in this series, with the final episode scheduled for broadcast in the UK on 1 August.

[via finalgear.com]

Categories
Top Gear

“Oscar, we think we’re about to pass Top Gear!”

Top Gear spied during motorhome challenge

If AUSmotive’s calculations are correct there’s around 56 days until Series 15 of Top Gear goes to air. So what’s in the pipeline for the next season? Well, a couple of weeks ago a YouTube clip surfaced featuring the lunatic parents of Oscar and, as it happens, Jermey, Richard and James. Some say Oscar is as real as The Stig and Nürburgring shaped nipples. All we know is Oscar’s mum and dad eat lunacy for breakfast. We also know there will be a motorhome challenge in the upcoming series.

If you’re game, check out the video after the break.

[Source: Top Gear]

Categories
Top Gear Top Gear Australia

Top Gear, Season 15 – due to start in July

Top Gear cast

A number of sources are currently suggesting Series 15 will premiere on UK screens in July. BBC’s scheduling of Top Gear during Germany 2006 shows it is unlikely they will air Top Gear while the World Cup is underway. The final of South Africa 2010 is on Sunday 11 July. This all points to a possible return for Top Gear on Sunday 18 July.

Meanwhile, speculation is building that Channel Nine plans to revive Top Gear Australia with a six episode series to air during 2010. There’s nothing official just yet, so watch this space.

UPDATE 7 June: The boys will be back on UK screens from 27 June.

Categories
Top Gear

Easy riders

Top Gear - Vietnam Scooters

Two of the scooters used in the Top Gear Vietnam Special have recently been purchased by the UK’s National Motor Museum. The 1967 Piaggio Vespa 150cc VBC Super used by Jeremy Clarkson and the rather inappropriately decorated c.1973 Honda 50cc Chaly will be added to the museum’s permanent World of Top Gear exhibition.

Prior to being sold at auction by Bonhams the scooters were on display at the Saigon Scooter Centre. Now, the two-wheeled exhibits will join the many four-wheeled icons from Top Gear at the Beaulieu attraction.

For more check out www.beaulieu.co.uk.

Categories
Top Gear

Google blurred The Stig

The Stig at Loch Ness

Earlier this week we brought you the news that The Stig had been spotted alongside Loch Ness in Scotland. Now, for some inexplicable reasonthe chums at Google Street View have decided to blur little Stiggy’s image. As you can see above they’ve not done a terribly convincing job, either. From other angles, though, and further distances the blur effect is much greater.

If anyone has any theories as to why this would have been done, please post them all in the comments section.

Categories
Top Gear

Some say his best friend is “Nessie”…

The Stig at Loch Ness

Another random Google Street View sighting of The Stig. Last year he was spotted at an office block in Hammersmith. Now, he has been spotted on the shores of Loch Ness in Scotland. While that first spotting might have had some legitimacy, given the office block is supposedly the Top Gear offices, I dare say his latest messing with “Nessie” is a well executed prank.

Playing around with the Google Street View sighting you can see it looks like The Stig made his own way there, either by Honda Civic Type R or a Vauxhall Astra. Let’s hope it was the Civic, hey. Whoever is responsible, fair play, it’s a great gag.

[Source: Final Gear]

Categories
News Top Gear Toyota

DIY Top Gear Polar Special

Toyota HilUx - Arctic Trucks Experience

It’s now approaching three years since the Top Gear Polar Special first went to air and the company behind the cars from the episode are giving you the opportunity to fill Jeremy Clarkson’s shoes. Reykjavik-based Arctic Trucks Experience are now offering a variety of self-drive tours around Iceland. You can choose from daily trips, 2-5 day tours and longer tailored expeditions, all experience the amazing terrain and scenery that Iceland has to offer.

If you reckon the GFC is a minor inconvenience then you really should go to Iceland and do one of these tours. The poor buggers there got absolutely smashed by the financial doom and they need all the help they can get! Check out arctictrucks-experience.com for more.

Categories
Top Gear Top Gear Australia

Across the line

Top Gear 04x10

The tenure of SBS TV as the home of Top Gear in Australia will cross the line on Monday evening. The final episode via SBS will air at 7:30pm and is one from the vault—the final episode of Season 4—which originally aired in August 2004.

It’s a great snapshot showing how far the show has come. Even with four seasons behind it history has shown the Top Gear journey has been taken to a whole new level, with even higher production values and an ever increasing ambition apparent in following years.

However, this ending doesn’t mean the end of Top Gear on Australian screens. You will probably remember Channel Nine have come in and thrown their weight around to secure the rights from SBS.