Tag: Jeremy Clarkson

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Porsche

Jeremy Clarkson on the 911 GT3

Porsche 911 GT3

For every Chris Harris there is a Jeremy Clarkson. That is, for every person who will always find something positive to say about a Porsche 911, there is always someone to find the negative.

Clarkson is well known for his dislike of all things 911, too. This following comment is a perfect example of that, “I don’t remember what sort of 911 I drove first, but I’d heard so many horror stories about the wayward handling that I didn’t dare go more than 4 mph. Which meant I had more time to examine the ridiculously basic dashboard, and the heater controls which appeared to be connected to nothing at all.”

However, has Jeremy seen the light? Maybe be has, “But then along came the new GT3 and I won’t dwell on the whys and the wherefores, but I loved it. Not liked it. Loved it.

“Despite the aesthetic shortfalls, and the fact it’s a 911, this is a great car. It goes round roundabouts like nothing I’ve ever driven. In a test of pure handling and grip, it would be a match for anything. And it only costs £86,000. That’s just shy of half what you’d pay for a Ferrari 458. Half.”

Was the 911 GT3 really able to turn Clarkson’s opinion around 180 degrees? Follow the link below to find out.

[Source: TopGear.com]

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.

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Reviews Top Gear Top Gear Australia

Top Gear LIVE – A review

Top Gear LIVE - Sydney

Top Gear LIVE has now left Australian shores. Like many of the cars on show it was a whirlwind affair filled with action. That is a given, but was it actually any good? It was entertaining. Certainly. But I’m not so sure it was everything it could be.

The “show” kicked off with a series of live ads. Some were okay, some were woeful. In fact, the best ad of the night was the one celebrating the 25th anniversary of Virgin Atlantic which was playing on a video loop before the show began.

The show itself was hosted by Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and, from Top Gear Australia, Steve Pizzati. Jeremy and Richard entered the arena in a Lamborghini Gallardo and an Audi R8. A pretty impressive showing, and at some speed, given the indoor arena. Steve Pizzati followed suit shortly after, predictably, in a Holden ute. Surprisingly, the banter between the three worked quite well. Or at least, better than I expected. I was at the 5pm Saturday session, so the guys had a few shows behind them by this point.

We were told James May couldn’t make it because he got stuck at Oxford Street. An edited photo showing him at the Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras was put up on the big screen. That would have been okay if the gay jokes stopped there. But they didn’t. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy a cheap joke like anyone else, but they went overboard on the homo jokes. Way overboard.

The first segment was a stunt driving team powered by Alfa Romeo 147s. There were four cars in total and the stunts performed in such a tight space were extraordinary. A great opening to the show, it must be said.

Like the TV show, there was a challenge for the presenters to take. Who could win a race in the smallest car they could build. Steve had a suitcase that folded out into a car. Hammond had a tricycle driven by power tools and Jeremy got around in a jet powered version of himself. You’ll never guess who won. Of course, it was Clarkson. The predictable humiliation for the losers followed. This included Steve Pizzati being asked to have a motorbike bounce on his arse. In terms of comedy value, it was one step away from Fatty Vautin in drag.

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Top Gear

On that bombshell

Top Gear LIVE in Sydney 5-8 February

A quick reminder that Top Gear LIVE makes it Australian premiere this Thursday. Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond will be headlining the show. Its a bit of a shame that James May can’t make it, though.

The Australian season runs from 5-8 February, with all shows taking place at Sydney’s Acer Arena. Also, another reminder that the news conference with Jeremy and Richard discussing their world tour, posted back in November is still online, click here if you’d like to watch it.

There’s a bit of banter about the show on TopGear.com as well.

I’ll be there (thanks Mum), maybe I’ll see you there too.

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Carmageddon News Top Gear

Top Gear – Series 13 (now with budget cuts)

Top Gear - Series 13

Internet speculation suggests the next series of Top Gear will return in March June 2009. What is not speculative, though, is news that Series 13 will be produced for less coin due to BBC budget cuts.

Speaking on his blog, Executive Producer Andy Wilman said, “next year we’re getting a budget cut. No point in moaning about that—all shows are suffering and nobody’s got a pot to piss in anymore anyway, so no reason why we shouldn’t suffer as well.”

“Our problem though is that there is no fat to trim off the show, in that we waste almost nothing behind the scenes and the old cliché of every penny goes on screen is actually true.

“So in 2009 the budget cut has to affect what you watch,” explains Wilman.

The cuts are estimated to be around thirty per cent, which would bring the costs down to around £140,000 per episode, based on current estimates. Perhaps they could start with trimming some fat off Jeremy Clarkson’s salary, believed to be in excess of £4M per year.

[Source: TopGear.com, Telegraph.co.uk and CarAdvice]

UPDATE 17 April: Top Gear, Series 13, will return on 21 June. [Source: finalgear.com]

Categories
Top Gear

Top Gear tea break – The worst car in the world!

Jeremy Clarkson - The worst car in the world

It’s now only a few days until the Top Gear Vietnam special. But, this is not Jeremy Clarkson’s first visit to the country. On a previous visit—when he had more, curlier hair—he found, the worst car in the world!

(The Top Gear YouTube channel rather unsportingly doesn’t allow embedding, so click on the picture above to watch Jeremy’s clip in full.)

Categories
Top Gear

Top Gear – Series 12, Episode 6

Top Gear - Series 12, Episode 6

It is often said many car fans live their dreams through the exploits of the Top Gear crew. Well, maybe it’s not said that often. Nevertheless, it is true. I think. Aside from that, Jeremy Clarkson lived one of my dreams in the most recent episode of Top Gear. Driving through a shopping mall. Ever since seeing the Blues Brothers this has been a dream of mine. It would just be so much fun. And I do concur with Jeremy, a new Ford Fiesta would be a much better car for the task than a big oafy Corvette.

Elsewhere in the show Hammond drove a Caterham R500 Superlight and a Veritas RS III around the Top Gear test track. In doing so, he proved that some things are best kept simple. Even though the Veritas isn’t exactly an over complicated beast, it’s no Caterham. The light weight British meccano set with gilt-edged pedigree may not look so great, but it is devastatingly effective around a track.

Jeremy and James tried to find a good communist car. They thought they found one in the Lada Niva, but sanity prevailed.

Speaking of which, I wonder if it will prevail with Boris Johnson? The Mayor of London was the guest and he proved that a political satirist can actually make it into office. I’ve no idea about his politics, or his effectiveness, but he’s mad as a cut snake and, clearly, doesn’t take himself too seriously. I like that.

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News Top Gear

Top Gear UK does 60 Minutes down under

Last weekend’s 60 Minutes program on Channel 9 included a segment with the Top Gear UK lads. They discuss the television show, the stage show and some of the more infamous incidents—including Richard’s crash and the American episode. Here it is for your enjoyment.

Those who remember the Gin and Tonic furore can see the offending footage in this clip at around 6:23.

(Thanks to Tim for the link.)

Categories
Top Gear

Top Gear – Series 12, Episode 3

Top Gear - Series 12, Episode 3

A bit of a meat and veg episode of Top Gear this week. Not particularly outstanding, but thoroughly enjoyable all the same. The James May/Mika Hakkinen segment was the highlight for me. Getting an insight into Finnish driving culture was quite interesting—some tips for Australian authorities there, no doubt. Top Gear is often described as a dream job and James May has now had personal tuition from Sir Jackie Stewart and Mika Hakkinen. Nice work, if you can get it.

Richard introduced us to Toyota’s i-REAL. A funky wheelchair-like contraption. Not sure if it will take over the world like Toyota reckon, but we’ll see.

The news segments in Series 12 have really picked up and, even if scripted more than it may look, they are running along very smoothly with great interaction and humour between the cast. Mark Wahlberg was the guest, a bit cheeky, and very aggressive on the track.

Then, the challenge, a homemade Evo. The guys had to take an unknown donor car and try to make it as quick as an Evo X around the test track (1:28.2). The car? A Renault Avantime. A curious thing. Odd, it has to be said, but with a 3.0 V6 maybe it had the legs?

Categories
Top Gear

Top Gear – Series 12 returns 2 November

TopGear logoA short and quick post to let you all know Top Gear UK will return to Britain’s screens in just a few weeks, with Series 12 starting on 2 November. I have an inkling their recent Vietnam expedition may end up as a stand alone episode, but we shall see.

Source: TopGear.com

Categories
Top Gear

Exclusive: Top Gear enlists for Tour of Duty

Top Gear in Vietnam

*updated—15 December* Confirmed by Jeremy Clarkson at the end of Episode 7 last Sunday, the Vietnam Special will go to air in the UK on Sunday 28 December.

*updated—12 October* Pics of the Top Gear team filming in Vietnam have now surfaced on Facebook. There’s a few more included below, or follow the link from Gaz in the comments section for more [Edit: The Facebook album is no longer accessible]… Extra pics have been removed at the request of the original photographer. For all the latest on this episode, keep an eye on the FinalGear forums.

Series 12 of Top Gear (UK) is expected air on UK screens in November, so it was with great anticipation I heard some interesting news about what to expect in the new series. As this article is being written the Top Gear crew are in Vietnam preparing to film their next in-country challenge. Firm details are sketchy, but it is expected that Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May will be using motorbikes, instead of cars, taking a route from Ho Chi Minh City in the south before finishing up in Hanoi in north, with a visit to the World Heritage site of Halong Bay along the way.

Top Gear is developing quite a body of work for its in-country challenges, with the United States, Botswana and Japan just some of the locations the lads have tackled. No doubt this Vietnam Special, with the potential of seeing the three hosts riding motorbikes, will provide great entertainment. I understand there’s a very interesting powered watercraft waiting for the guys, which is bound to see one of them taking a swan dive.

Continue reading “Exclusive: Top Gear enlists for Tour of Duty”
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Random wallpapers Top Gear Volkswagen

Top Gear tea break – MkV Golf GTI redux

With all the talk of the new MkVI Golf GTI, I thought it might be time to remind Volkswagen what the new model has to live up. With thanks, of course, to Jeremy Clarkson and Top Gear (Series 5, Episode 6).

See below for a Random wallpaper surprise.

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