i tried so very hard to like the Car Show, but couldn't. the bits and the cast are just too pointless. WTF is John Salley doing there? he doesn't seem to know the first thing about cars! and Adam Carolla only seems to be there because he is sarcastic and not afraid to be blunt/controversial, so it seems like they are casting him to be the American Jeremy Clarkson. the other two, well, at least they have some experience with automotive journalism but it's not enough. and there's no chemistry.

and the features they have are rarely informative or entertaining. so what would be the reason for watching them, exactly? except for that bit where they were trying to teach hotties in revealing clothing how to drive a stick shift Viper

 

I think they've done a decent job with The Car Show. They mix it up and give the show some originality. Adam Carolla seems to be a bit infatuated with himself though.

Watching the U.S. Top Gear is about as enjoyable as a dental procedure. They try to emulate the U.K. show, and it just doesn't work for me. It's like drinking cheap decaf coffee.

 

i like the car show too. there is enough room for improvement but so far so good.

 

American Top Gear is just pathetic when compared to the original... They do not do any proper car reviews or comparos. In fact, I have no idea what the show is about when they are driving or crashing crap cars or have a chopper chase a Viper. If they would have completely stole the original format and stuck with it I may have been content, but their Amercian makeover of the show is just sad and reflects poorly on American driving community interests. IMHO

 

After all the good things I said about it...They go and can John Salley and cut it in half by making it a 30 minute show. Tonight's episode teetered on being unwatchable. They've now become American Top Gear. They had a good format though similar to TG, definitely had a different flavor. Ugh, I'm disgusted with the new format. Before, me and 2 of my other friends would often get together and watch it all together. Now, no chance, I bet the show gets canceled in the next few runs if they stick with the new format.

 

Yeah, right out the gates it was easy to see something had been massively cut. The common enthusiast and tall guy (Salley) gone. And with the shorter time span, the STILL spent a huge chunk of the show on a pointless exercise: tatoos in back seat of a Maybach v whatever it was. Really?

Tivo->Season Passes->Delete.

 

Not to mention that the BBC Top Gear already did a similar bit.

 

We need a video magazine that puts together the 'for sale' attitude of Motorweek, the caliber of cars on Battle of the Supercars (another joke of a show), and the journalism/banter/chemistry of Top Gear.

Fifth gear works well, but lacks a little presence.

I think the best thing that solidified Top Gear was their own test track, with a somewhat constant driver/condition, etc... It gave the show credibility. The drag races, the straight line top speed, etc...

None of these other shows do this. I think if Motorweek did all of the testing and car acquisitions (and their use of Roebling Road), combined it with The Car Show for all of the other weird things that don't involve MSRP, performance, square footage, or MPG's, we'd have a winner.

 

The Car Show will be better when Carolla is gone. Too much frat boy humor for me.

 

The problem with that is he is the main driving force of the show. He is the reason the show exists at all.

But I agree with your assessment. On the opposite end of the spectrum, though, I do not want Dennis Miller to explain an Audi R8V10 to me either.

 

the car show>usa top gear

my seats work fine.

 

I must say that I really enjoy The Car Show. It the only redeeming US car show of its type IMHO. I think the US Top Gear is an absolute joke, but I LOVE the UK version.

 

This must be why there are two options - I would go the other way - Top Gear first then Car Show
However, Top Gear UK then Fifth Gear then the US shows would be the overall ranking