agree with most negative points already posted ...my gf, who is not a car person, but loves Top Gear (UK), said "this is boring"

 

Again not sure why this thread needs to be UK Top gear vs New US based version.... not why I started the thread. As far as US car review automotive TV this is the best we got going hands down... and for episode one believe the series shows some real promise! Time will tell....

(Yup Leno, Tanner and maybe either Carolla/Sienfeld would have been the dream team.... )

 

To those who don’t understand…

There is WAY more to Top Gear UK than the cars. And although some people on here really do ONLY care about the cars the vast (and I mean VAST) majority of people need more than a TV show about a car expo every week to bother tuning in.
This means that there needs to be more content. They got it partially right with the Viper segment. The idea was there, the content was a bit lacking. I am sure in time their car only segments will get better ala the UK version.

Their version of “Star in a reasonably prices car” was AWFUL. They had nothing to talk to Buzz about. Although we all know who he is there is little interesting information about him, oh yea he was on the Moon…now what do we talk about since that has been covered 1 million times. I hope they get better and get some real guests on their. A lot of times the UK version has people I know. I rarely forward thru it unless I think the old fart isn’t worth finding out who he is. You find out some cool personal info and what type of cars they are into, something I am sure could be interesting with celebrities/athletes/whatever I’m famous people from the US. And since they followed the rest of the show so closely to the UK version why not just call in the same? Did it really need to be “Big start little car” or whatever they called it?

Their track looked ok at best. As I recall the track for the UK version was setup by Lotus. It is used as a proving ground by many auto makes as it is small enough to run over and over again but large enough to get up to some wicked speeds. The US track seemed to be setup very odd, and that one turn that forces them to slow way down to like 20 mph is stupid. I am all for deviating speeds on a track but who needs to have a sharp hairpin turn to a straight away…
Onto the cast. Foust is the ONLY person worth watching. At least he can talk while driving. The NASCAR guy might be decent but who knows he didn’t talk much. The other guy (Adam Ferrara) is not worth it at all, he brought nothing to the show. Wasn’t funny and kinda acted like a pansy. Oh and the big question, who is the actual lead? It appears to be Foust but then why did Rutledge Wood host the Star segment?

The Lambo bit was decent at least. The intro with the bull fighter and the SV was well thought out, very UK version-esque. I even liked the standing mile portion but the setup for the mile wasn’t well marked out and kinda made me wish I knew where the start and stop lines where. Again Tanner was the only one worth watching. You could have put anyone in the other two cars and they would have done just as well.
The STIG. Again they use the same name as the UK. I am ok with that as long as they have actually cast someone as good as the STIG at driving. I could care less who he is, just want to know that he can drive the cars sox off.

A quote from WIKI “Producers of the History Channel version have noted a greater interest in car customization by American car enthusiasts than in Britain, an element that will be incorporated into the new show.” Please DO NOT DO THIS. There is no point in showing how crazy you can get with a Supra. Although the young crowd might like it, there is really no substance and nothing worthwhile to compare the cars to since they are all jacked up anyways.

Long and short I feel as though they tried really hard to be the same as the UK version yet changed such odd things and didn’t change others. The show clearly has potential with some better hosts (Tanner can stay) and some better thought out dialogue between them. Maybe that is just going to require the three people to somewhat know each other so the friendship is already there. And what about the cars in the future. Will we ever see many of the cars that the UK version has since they don’t export to the US? Who knows but only time will tell.

I am a huge fan of the UK show. If you don’t like that one because of all the extra segments that make it into a real show, you will like most, but not all, of the US version

 

It is impossible to not compare the two versions. We have choices - and the US version is a carbon copy of the Brit format..

I had higher hopes for the premier. 100% awful might have been a tad harsh...l'll dial it down to 90%. At least, it supposedly gets better at the 3rd episode (acording to a Jalopnik review), so I'll stick it out until...

Okay, I'm done venting. I was really, really looking forward to the series.

 

Does anyone else get the feeling that mickfluff is being paid to promote this show?

 

Rod first please change your avatar, hard to focus and reply clearly....

Hoping maybe they see this thread and fly me in for a test shoot.... Not sure the current hosts would be so thrilled about my suggestions on swapping out 2 of the three if them though.

Just been in pain over the years with terrible auto/TV and this to me so far looks like it has legs..... I have a near 1K cable channels + SPEED network etc... and the shows like "Living the Low Life" and Nascar reviews and more auctions I am just over... This to me is a ray of hope!!!!

We will see.....

 

Agree with mickfluff. As with any creative endeavor, TGUSA will take time to develop. I, for one, appreciate that someone is attempting to deliver content for our admittedly niche interest.

Remember when Conan stepped into the Late Night slot back in the early 1990's? He was nervous & awkward, but with clear potential. Somehow NBC (in a rare moment if foresight) gave him a chance and he's developed into the best late-night guy on air IMHO.

 

top gear w/o Jezzer, hamster and Capt slow is not Top Gear!

 

I see your point. We could use another entertaining car show.

I am spoiled by the UK version, though. It's such a great show that I have a hard time not comparing the two. In fact, I find myself comparing non-automobile related shows to TOP GEAR UK. If the UK version was not accessible and I was still watching motortrend reviews on PBS, I would be elated.

 

The photography has always been one of my favorites aspects of the show and the American version did a nice job. Other than that, somewhat of a disappointment, although I can now watch in HD as my cable company does not offer BBC in HD.

 

Is Tanner Foust the best we can do, his claim to fame is drifting for christ sake!

 

I also was not enamoured by Foust. So he's drifting around in a Lambo. What makes Clarkson so fun is that he is talking all the time and having a BLAST! And talking while he is drifting. He can drift around a track as well as Foust, but doesn't make a career out of it.

Anyone see the "Supercars" show with Foust and Tracy? Now THAT show SUCKED. I'm really hopeful they pull something off here, but this was a weak start. Unfortunately, I don't get BBC America on cable, so I can't watch Top Gear UK. Watching it on YouTube doesn't compare.

I'm just praying for survival. Actually, has anyone gone to Jay Leno's Garage? Frankly his segments on cars are MUCH better than that whole TopGear US program. Leno should have it syndicated. He produces segments just for the hell of it. I'd love to have money like that. He talks a little about the history, the performance, the construction, and tries to convey the visceral feel of the car. Watch his show on the Viper and compare it to TopGear. I think you'll find the difference laughable. All you get on TopGear is watching a drifter doing what you know you'll never be able to do.

 

The show didn't accomplish what it should have in order for me to continue watching: It didn't tell me anything substantial or informative about the cars, and it didn't make me giggle. (TopGearUK is usually able to do a little of both for me. ) I'll stick with the original BBC version for now

 

I dont think anybody could ever beat Clarkson & Co...maybe only Tiff & Co come remotely close...

I will wait to see how this show evolves...maybe it will get better, but I will still watch every week...

 

I agree with you on that one...