April9
The U.K.’s BBC is considering producing a version of its popular “Top Gear” program for the United States, according to the Sun newspaper. The show will star the same cast as the British version — Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May.
The report was not clear as to whether some of the same segments would be used in both editions of the show, but the U.S. version is expected to have an increased focus on American vehicles.
“BBC Worldwide has had exploratory conversations with the US networks to bring a local version of Top Gear to the US, but there is not yet a deal on the table,” a BBC spokeswoman said.
U.S. stars will reportedly race against The Stig on Top Gear’s track, the newspaper added.
somehow i doubt they would use the same cast.
^um…they did it before, so they can do it again!
amazinng show real tv finally. THE STIGG!
if the don’t use the same cas–er, “presenters” then the show will be complete “rubbish.”
why focus it on ones Nations cars?? REAL enthusiasts don’t care were the car is from.
I bet the US show will be really toned down compared to the UK show. Part of what makes Top Gear so great is the provocative commentary/discussions, but the US censors/general population probably wouldn’t like that so much. I don’t think the formula for Top Gear should be changed at all for the US. Why not just air the UK Top Gear here in the US (aside from the aforementioned provocative nature)? It’d save some money in production, I’m sure, and you could still make more money off of ads and whatnot.
I just wish BBC America would run the original versions of Top Gear. There are a lot of good cars around the world that they test that we don’t get here in the states that I would love to learn a bit about.
We need to realize that there are different ideas out there. What made this country great was the incorporation of cultures and ideas from all over the world. Unfortunately, we have now homogonized everything and won’t look at differing viewpoints anymore.
I now step down off my soapbox, and simply say, I want Clarkson in his raw form. Don’t try to tone him down for an American audience. He may say some outrageous things, but he also knows how to state his feelings about cars that is entertaining AND informative.
Would pretty much suck if most of the cars on there would be Domestic. Don’t have nothing against them, but only domestic cars I like are the C6 Z06 and Viper. Give or take a few more. Just have all different types of cars from countries like Italy, Germany, Japan, and USA etc. etc. Just vary it though. Shouldn’t be a Nascar type of thing IMO.
The UK is far more politically correct than the US. Clarkson &Co wouldn’t endure 1/5th of the Environmental and Safety crap that they have in the UK. That being said Clarkson is no actor; he would not be able to hide his deep hatred for the US and our automobiles. We’re not the worlds most humble and self defacing nation so I doubt he would say what he truly feels (which is bull**** BTW) but that would ruin the atmosphere of the show. Get American hosts, to test American cars in an American context at a real racetrack, Laguna Seca comes to mind.
In Canada we get the full british top gear on BBC Canada, the show is absolutely great. I don’t see why you would need an american specific top gear, as it would most likely be toned down which would take out most of the great parts of the show. the presenters would also have to do a lot of flying back and forth if they were to film in the U.S. but the article stated that the stig would still test drive on their test track so if that was true and they did film in america you would need the same vehicle in two different places almost on the other side of the world from each other.
The focus would be on U.S. cars but they would DEFINETLY test others, if only because we’re probably the biggest car market.
I hope they wouldn’t tone Clarkson down too much either…but I don’t think they will. Remember, they’ve tried a toned down version before. Plus, they’re starting to learn that controversy sells (or gets views in this case). Simon Cowell, and Kanye West come to mind…
Top Gear are known for hating all american cars. So this should be interesting. An hour of bashing cars non stop.
They should keep the cast but add a well educated American to give his view…
They wouldn’t have to film the show in the US, they could just fly the cars over to the UK, the show’s budget is huge anyway.
Roadmaster, political correctness and health and safety are two very different things.
If you want to compare health and safety, you won’t find warnings on coffee cups in the UK to tell you that coffee is hot, nor are our car interiors plastered with warning stickers for any part which moves. Its not our laws which have required car windscreens to be made more upright so that an idiot who chooses not to wear his seatbelt will not be injured in a crash, and its not our law which has put an end to coupes with gently sloping noses so that unobservant pedestrians don’t get too badly hurt when they wander into traffic.
Nice idea CAPTAIN, but where would they find one of those?
Brilliant! … And don’t change the format of the show. That’s what makes it special.
I think they should criticise the US cars. just as they would if they appeared on the UK program. Also they should praise them when due, but me thinks they are in for a disappointment when they truly realise the lack of decent stuff here compared to the UK.
It would be great if it could change some mindsets about the low expectations of the American car consumer.
this is like Pimp my Ride
and
Pimp my Ride UK
but in reverse
They could team the boys up with John Davis from Motorweek.. imagine the lively banter
Clarkson: ” This thing is rubbish! Lousy chassis, poor quality and it beeps at you in a most annoying way…!”
Davis: (spoken in best John Davis accent) “Well, Jeremy, though the wheels fell off, and one of our staffers was killed when the brakes failed, we still think it’s a fine ride”
It the EU that banned drooping noses for pedestrian safety. No one on the good side of the Atlantic walks so pedestrian safety is not a main concern here. Also doesn’t the UK have red health warning stickers on cheese?
Please, anything to get Top Gear over here. We have no automotive show close to it over here.
Just what we need……more opinionated assholes on TV as if the evening news isn’t enough. No thanks, I dont want another fart can/boom box wannabee car show screwing up the few minutes of automotive programming that IS worth a crap.
They already do a sh*tty hybrid show high up on the cable dial…one of those 1400 Discovery channels…where they mouth to an Amurican audience but show old clips from the BBC version.
That said…what from the BBC EVER made it as an Amurican TeeVee show? “The Office” is the latest example of the Yanks screwing up a fine show.
Ever notice that the “British” car (although all are owned by ‘furrinners’) always looses the comparo in an American rag and a Big Three car always is flagged on in the UK press? 230 years of steeping anger??
Uh…”loses”
Also, I agree that MotorWeek is probably the worst car show ever. Not a Pat Fat Ass Goss Garage segment fan
I guess you guys never caught Top Gear’s brief run on Discovery Channel? It was a “US version” where they pieced segments together, mainly cutting out stuff that we wouldn’t get, (like the guest appearances and the rambling between the hosts), and only using some of the road tests and crazy stuff they do (like the race against the bobsled). It was also “filmed” just for the US because there were a few brief clips where the presenters were obviously addressing the US audience. Also, if you noticed in one of the past UK episodes from a year or so ago when they did this, they said something about filming for the US version of the show.
Basically, I don’t see how this is news as they’ve done it before and it probably failed, seeing as how the US version hasn’t been on for at least a year now and it was completely boring compared to the original.
I like Top Gear. Not a big fan of Clarkson and his anit-american bigotry/bias, though he is entertaining enough for what the show is, which is not a great car show. Nonetheless I have every episode.
I am also a big fan of MotorWeek. John Davis is very professional, and is the polar opposite of Clarkson.
One of the reasons I like Top Gear is that they have cars that we don’t see here. That’s most of the appeal for me. Not much else. And there are TONS of brit-only inside jokes/humor that is lost on us (people that watch it that I know) here.
But, I would welcome both the UK and US versions. Just point me to a torrent.
As an American I don’t want an –Americanized– version of Top Gear. I want the –real– version. The –same– version they get in the UK.
I don’t care if I won’t get every reference. Actually I DO care. Maybe I’ll actually learn something which seems to be what American tv doesn’t want us to do.
American car shows are horrible, boring, unimaginative pieces of rubbish. So is American car racing that goes around an oval. BORING!
Give me things like the Dakar any day. Or Jeremy Clarkson in a car racing against Richard Hammond and James in anything. THAT is what I call racing.
Give us the REAL Top Gear. Not some Americanized piece of rubbish.
By “REAL Top Gear” I mean no cuts, no edits. I want the full version. Even getting the UK ads would be nice too instead of the monotonous American TV ads.
There is no way Top Gear can air in America in it’s original form or style. The Big Three would be screaming about how their cars get trashed in reviews - and demand whatever network was showing it to drop it or loose ad dollars. I think thats why we only get the “and this car drove ’round the pylons at 68.5 mph….” here. Boring, predictable and friendly ads for cars as opposed to reviews.
This would be the best thing to happen to the US since its independence. And homeboy234, the only reason I think it can work is because I highly doubt someone as influential and stubborn as Clarkson would allow his show that he is on to be changed in anyway from how he runs it now. If it’s not Clarkson (and the rest!), I don’t want it.
Well, the speed channel could use more shows in its lineup.
sure will be awkward with clarkson bashing all the US cars and all.
What? You mean the speed channel would have to lose some of the 1,700,000,000,000,000,000,000 Nascar races they show 24 hours a day, every day?
I’d be more excited over UK re-runs, but I’ll take Top Gear in any form I can get it : )
Clarkson…Influential & Stubborn???????…try Opinionated & Asshole. There, thats more like it.
YAYYYYYYYYYYYYY FINALLY
I hope they do, god I hope they do.
Focus on cars that are SOLD IN AMERICA, not just american cars. Also known as don’t go nuts on TVR’s and FQ400 evo’s, we don’t have those here.
sounds ****
Well, if there is an American version of Top Gear… I’d hope that the powers-that-be would not rein in Clarkson or the rest.
The non-stop bashing of American cars is based on their utter inability to compete in terms of handling, performance, power, interior design/quality, and fuel efficiency.
Perhaps with an widely distributed and watched auto show pointing out Detroit’s faults… they might actually start to fix them.
‘Cause as it stands now, Detroit could give a flying rat’s @ss about any of it. They’ll ‘guilt’ you into buying American.
Heaven forbid they actually MAKE something to be proud of.
“Top Gear are known for hating all american cars. So this should be interesting. An hour of bashing cars non stop.
Comment by Adrio, posted on April10 at 1:01 am”
Well Americans should love it then.