Top Gear thread

[SVT666]

Mario is too bulky.  Michael too arrogant.  Marco would fit, but since I see him too often at home I doubt it.

If it is anyone famous, its graham rahal who has an established record doing work with auto rags

What about Steve Millen?

[r0tor]

I would like to sub tommy kendal in for one of the two goof troop...

[Mustangfan2003]

I would like to sub tommy kendal in for one of the two goof troop...

good choice. 

[SVT666]

Why does everyone want to load the cast up with professional race car drivers.  It kind of makes the Stig obsolete doesn't it?  The TGUK only has the Stig as far as race car drivers go.  I thought one of the charms of TGUK is that they are just regular guys who get to drive kickass cars and be stupid.

[The Pirate]

I would like to sub tommy kendal in for one of the two goof troop...

I'd like to see Tim Allen in there too.

[the Teuton]

Why does everyone want to load the cast up with professional race car drivers.  It kind of makes the Stig obsolete doesn't it?  The TGUK only has the Stig as far as race car drivers go.  I thought one of the charms of TGUK is that they are just regular guys who get to drive kickass cars and be stupid.

Exactly.

[r0tor]

I'd like to see Tim Allen in there too.

I like!

[r0tor]

Why does everyone want to load the cast up with professional race car drivers.  It kind of makes the Stig obsolete doesn't it?  The TGUK only has the Stig as far as race car drivers go.  I thought one of the charms of TGUK is that they are just regular guys who get to drive kickass cars and be stupid.

The UK guys are actually talented drivers though... neither of the goof troop could drift around a cone once for crying out loud

[Morris Minor]

[Morris pet peeve]
Watching a show & being unable to hear the engine note of some fabulous car because of post production addition of really bad stock music soundtrack.
[/Morris pet peeve]

I watched an episode of Chasing Classic Cars the other day. Wanna actually hear the early-60s Merc SL or the 1930s straight-eight Auburn? Nope.

[Byteme]

The Stig is either Mario or Michael Andretti.  That's my guess.

There's a ton of very good drivers out there who are not big names in the top tier series like F1, Indycar, Nascar, etc.  it could be any one of them.  It could even be one of the instructors from a school like Skip Barber for that matter.   just my opinion.

[Vinsanity]

The UK guys are actually talented drivers though... neither of the goof troop could drift around a cone once for crying out loud

seriously, that was really dumb. That segment should've been titled "Driving with n00bs", but at least the blind guy saved it by pulling off that e-brake parallel parking move.

[Byteme]

That segment should've been titled "Driving with n00bs", but at least the blind guy saved it by pulling off that e-brake parallel parking move.

I think that was the point.  To show that what Tanner can do isn't all that easy, and also to show that he so good at it that he can teach a sightless person how to do it better than his sighted co-hosts. 

What we don't see in the finished product is how many takes (or chances if you like) each guy had to "get it right".

[Mustangfan2003]

You notice when the Stig drives he isn't listening to anything?  WTF?

[Vinsanity]

What we don't see in the finished product is how many takes (or chances if you like) each guy had to "get it right".

yeah, if I had to take a guess, what they showed in the donut competition was everyone's first tries. They probably did several takes on the e-brake parking, though, I'm sure.

[Madman]

I don't think Foust is the Stig. He looks skinnier.

I'm not so sure about that.  Besides, if Foust was also the Stig, it would make for one less person on the payroll and eliminate the chance of US Stig pulling a Ben Collins and exposing his identity.  Just my theory, anyway.

[Mustangfan2003]

Ok I can't hold it in much longer, I'm the Stig. 

[Madman]

Ok I can't hold it in much longer, I'm the Stig. 

When is your book coming out?

[The Pirate]

I'm not so sure about that.  Besides, if Foust was also the Stig, it would make for one less person on the payroll and eliminate the chance of US Stig pulling a Ben Collins and exposing his identity.  Just my theory, anyway.

I'm thinking this is plausible.

[Mustangfan2003]

When is your book coming out?

Should be out this Summer and I'll get to host carspin tv. 

[BimmerM3]

There's a ton of very good drivers out there who are not big names in the top tier series like F1, Indycar, Nascar, etc.  it could be any one of them.  It could even be one of the instructors from a school like Skip Barber for that matter.   just my opinion.

Skip Barber instructors are guys who weren't good enough at racing to make a career doing it. Trust me, my uncle is a racing instructor/semi-professional racer who quit working at a Skip Barber school partially because he thought the other instructors just weren't all that good (although it was mostly because he didn't like the management).

My uncle:
http://www.porschedriving.com/Instructor-Details.aspx?id=110

And the "instructors" that work at club events (BMW club, Porsche club, etc.) and even sometimes at real driving schools are usually no more than amateur weekend racers with a real, full-time job during the week. Don't get me wrong, they're still very good drivers, would run circles around most of us, and have a lot of racing knowledge to share with untrained drivers, but it's like comparing a walk-on college football player to Matt Ryan.

[BimmerM3]

Why does everyone want to load the cast up with professional race car drivers.  It kind of makes the Stig obsolete doesn't it?  The TGUK only has the Stig as far as race car drivers go.  I thought one of the charms of TGUK is that they are just regular guys who get to drive kickass cars and be stupid.

While I understand your point and I wouldn't want more than one professional driver, I do enjoy being able to hear feedback from a professional driver since the Stig doesn't voice his opinion too much.

[The Pirate]

Only 15 minutes into epsiode 3, but it's kicking ass so far!

[the Teuton]

Anyone catch Tanner Foust laying the smack down on Travis Pastrana in gymkhana this past weekend? 'Tis not cool to lose at your own invitational.

[Vinsanity]

tonight's episode was exactly what TGUS should be: the humorous concept of the original (i.e. cheap car challenges) with an American flair (homage to moonshining and foundation of NASCAR). kinda disappointed that Rutledge destroyed his car trying the neutral drop launch, but watching him run with those moonshine bottles was kinda funny. the camping part was pretty cool too when they were spitting moonshine at the campfire; that'll probably turn out to be my favorite camping activity

looking forward to the army-car challenge next week!

[Mustangfan2003]

The one liners during the news was pretty lame. 

[SVT666]

While I understand your point and I wouldn't want more than one professional driver, I do enjoy being able to hear feedback from a professional driver since the Stig doesn't voice his opinion too much.

Then why do you like TGUK so much?  The ONLY pro driver they have is the Stig...and he doesn't talk.

[hotrodalex]

So is the 3rd episode not up on History Channel's website yet? I could only find last week's. I try to watch it on there so that they have more viewers.

[Colonel Cadillac]

I really liked the cheap cars segments. And yes to whoever already said it, but darnit Rutledge for braking your car doing a neutral drop! It can't handle that! I definitely thought the T-Bird was the best choice of them all and while I would have gone for the V8, I'm glad we got some insight into the turbo-4.


"If you need a cigarette, I've got several thousand butts in here."

[MX793]

The show is improving very rapidly.  The third episode was pretty good.  A few awkward line deliveries, but all in all the hosts seem like they're meshing more.

[giant_mtb]

"You know the Stig isn't a real cop, right?"
"He's not????"



But yes, very good episode!  I especially enjoyed the camping portion.  Chemistry is gaining, though I suspect they filmed that episode quite some time ago...?  Wasn't the off-road portion in one of the previews from months ago?