Coming up on Sunday's show, excerpted from the official TG website:
The Three Coupe Challenge
Want a coupe for around £25,000? You're spoilt for choice, with the brand-new Audi TT, Alfa Romeo's gorgeous Brera and the manic-revving Mazda RX-8 all vying for your pocket money. After a heady row, the boys couldn't find a clear winner, so they decided to settle the debate in that time-honoured fashion: a good old game of golf.

Should be good

Dam, that means I'll have to miss the SuperBowl...


NOT :D:

aww man that sux i dont think i can watch it :(
what channel is it on btw?

aww man that sux i dont think i can watch it :(
what channel is it on btw?
BBC2 lol

You can get episodes online at www.finalgear.com. The BBC also releases them to the net once in a while on their website.

Or, if you're lucky enough, they'll show it on Discovery Channel. It's Turbo Thursday, and yeah. I caught it one time, that's about it. Other than, I go to YouTube.

-Cody

The Discovery shows are edited to remove anything they don't want americans to see, which is pretty much everything, and they add commercials. The pure brit version is way better- you get to see them rip on American cars and people and the french and pretty much everybody uninterrupted. The Star in a Reasonably Priced car segment is great even if it is somebody I've never heard of. Its basically them sticking a driver with ordinary skills in a Suzuki and having them rip around a few laps with the stig giving them pointers, then their time gets recorded. Then Jeremy interviews them and rips on their driving That bit hardly ever makes it to the US tv version.

Just download a bit torrent of the episode on Monday - that's what I always do.

Discovery and their affiliates are no longer airing the show.

Most episodes are getting pulled from YouTube as well.
BBC sending cease-and-desist warnings.

I need BBC

torrents ftw

I prefer YouTube.

Granted the quality isn't as good, but streaming is just so much quicker.

Coming up on Sunday's show, excerpted from the official TG website:
The Three Coupe Challenge
Want a coupe for around £25,000? You're spoilt for choice, with the brand-new Audi TT, Alfa Romeo's gorgeous Brera and the manic-revving Mazda RX-8 all vying for your pocket money. After a heady row, the boys couldn't find a clear winner, so they decided to settle the debate in that time-honoured fashion: a good old game of golf.

Should be good

I'm guessing Jeremy=rx8, Hamster=Audi, and James May=Alfa

wonder what happened to the 350Z .....

The Brera is stunning (the best looking car in the world for the money IMO) but they'll probably be testing the FWD 2.2 in order to keep the price in line.

Looking fwd to it. haven't seen any RX-8 comparisons in years, and seeing how it compares to the New TT will be worth seeing.

it'll get crapped on in the straight, prolly win in the twisties, and get smashed and made fun of for the odd styling of it

it'll get crapped on in the straight, prolly win in the twisties, and get smashed and made fun of for the odd styling of it


That's about it, but I'm not so sure about the straights depending on what engines the ither cars are tested with. They'll also take a pot shot at the mileage and say Wankel while giggling. They'll also go on and on about how beautiful the Brera is.

Most episodes are getting pulled from YouTube as well.
BBC sending cease-and-desist warnings.


boo!

top gear vids here:

http://www.car2max.com/topgear.html#t

If you join the forum at the top, the site posts all episodes.

The first show of season 9 just got posted in the forum...

Clarkson loves cars like the S2000 and the RX-8. He likes cars that give plenty of feedback to the driver, I think the RX-8 will look good on the show!

Just download a bit torrent of the episode on Monday - that's what I always do.


can you give me a link to the torrent?

the M3 was just to easy a prey for the rx8, so they'll keep throwing opponents at it ;)

lookin forward to snatchin this up on the net sometime soon thereafter. If anyone gets a link, feel free to post it. Kinda curious! :)

great, another topgear that noobs will be linking for years to come....

everytime someone posts "well the rx8 tied the M3 on the top gear track" i punch myself in the face in anger.

everytime someone posts "well the rx8 tied the M3 on the top gear track" i punch myself in the face in anger.


exactly!

the m3 is faster on a track no questions asked.....the top gear thing was a fluke.

so u trying to say the dude cant handle M3 or something?

Well Im pretty sure he is a better driver than MOST people on earth. so hmm and I think it has to do with the Track, if the *track* has TONS of straights. You know who will win.

I hate BMWs so M3 is a no no for me.

No, I think it has to do with the track conditions, not the track.

Hmm if its track condition then it has something to do with the Tyres then ?

I think Stock M3 tyres are WAY better than stupid RE040 ..... good god I never had them :)

This show is 99% entertainment, 1% truth. I love it, but if I ever cite a piece of advice from a tv show as my main reason for buying, thinking, or doing anything I will shoot myself in the face.

I will be astonished if Clarkson ever says anything nice about anything with the moniker "Audi TT". Best quote from the original review was "Hello, I'm Jeremy. I drive an Auto TT -- but you already knew that." Haha, maybe you had to see it. Good stuff.

*subs so i know when the episode gets posted*

They picked some decent cars to compare it to. I give value to the 8. Once you add more power and a few options, those cars start getting up there in price.

everytime someone posts "well the rx8 tied the M3 on the top gear track" i punch myself in the face in anger.
but did get the same time so clearly the cars are the same. say said so!! :cwm27:

but did get the same time so clearly the cars are the same. say said so!! :cwm27:That test was completed a while ago. If I remember correctly, the test on the M3 was done on a wet track. With the RX8, the track was dry.

That test was completed a while ago. If I remember correctly, the test on the M3 was done on a wet track. With the RX8, the track was dry.

Both dry.

so then they are the same

Coming up on Sunday's show, excerpted from the official TG website:
the manic-revving Mazda RX-8

Manic-revving ? The only sound you hear is the belt on the generator! What are these guys doing to it, just sitting around doing red lines while they are parked? :lol2:

It should show on this search as 9-2 or S09E02 (second chapter 9 season) on sunday night (GMT) or monday evening:

http://www.mininova.org/search/?search=top+gear+9

great, another topgear that noobs will be linking for years to come....

speaking of digging up past episodes....we've already filled a page with an infamous sick-cycle carousel of the m3 ordeal.

looks like your just in luck...you don't even need to wait for the new episode to pose a new argument...

...of an old subject

:dunno:

Here's some bedside reading to wet the appetite for the test....aka why the 8 will do pretty well compared to at least the....

"So it’s safe to say that neither [I4 or V6 version] car will recapture *** sporting glory: one is too slow in a straight line, the other too compromised on corners. "

http://driving.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,12929-1857816,00.html

This show is 99% entertainment, 1% truth. I love it, but if I ever cite a piece of advice from a tv show as my main reason for buying, thinking, or doing anything I will shoot myself in the face.

I will be astonished if Clarkson ever says anything nice about anything with the moniker "Audi TT". Best quote from the original review was "Hello, I'm Jeremy. I drive an Auto TT -- but you already knew that." Haha, maybe you had to see it. Good stuff.

How dare you to foul mouth my religion! Everything Jeremy says is truth! XD

Yes, Jeremy and his crew will be comparing 3 coupes:

The new Audi TT
The new Alfa Brera

and of course... our beloved RX8 :ylsuper:

Check this site out for details http://www.topgear.com/content/tgonbbc2/

The Three Coupe Challenge
Want a coupe for around £25,000? You're spoilt for choice, with the brand-new Audi TT, Alfa Romeo's gorgeous Brera and the manic-revving Mazda RX-8 all vying for your pocket money. After a heady row, the boys couldn't find a clear winner, so they decided to settle the debate in that time-honoured fashion: a good old game of golf.

Let us see how well compares our car against those new babies in the program... :rock:

Will the episode become the next RX8 classic video?

mmm

Cheers

jird20

P.S.: Thanks juanjux for the info on www.club-rx8.com

someone make sure to upload this video for those of us who don't get it.

The Brera is stunning (the best looking car in the world for the money IMO) .....

That's impossible, or I'm looking at the wrong photos.

That's impossible, or I'm looking at the wrong photos.

I agree, it sort of looks like a graft of a x-fire :Freak_ani backend onto a 924 frontend, then updated and smoothed over, at least from the side.

Actually if you look up the UK Times online, you can find articles written by JC. If you like Brit humour it's a bloody good read. He calls the TT - titties. But he does like the new mkII version now.
5th Gear's Tiff Needel also reviewed the rx8 once and enjoyed it. I think it's save to say that gearheads who are into car control and driver feedback do like the rx-8. In Europe where there aren't a whole lotta straight aways but lots of twisties, the 8 is a well received car although the gas mileage is prolly a downer.

www.car2max.com will probably have it :)

The 8 should do OK since the price of the Audi an AR will keep them to the lower models. So propbably FWD 200hp TT and FWD Brera. Perhaps the new 07 Z isn't there because it's a 2 seater and these fit four. Well maybe not the TT unless they are small kids. Technically the 8 is not a coupe either so who know what criteria they used.

Love the show, one of my favorite ones is the Evo 8 and STI comparison.

What channel does it come on? Does it show in the US?

jird20, repeated thread, I read it here first, then posted it on club-rx8.com :-P

http://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?threadid=108654

That's impossible, or I'm looking at the wrong photos.

Nah, you just have no taste :hahano:

The 8 should do OK since the price of the Audi an AR will keep them to the lower models. So propbably FWD 200hp TT and FWD Brera. Perhaps the new 07 Z isn't there because it's a 2 seater and these fit four. Well maybe not the TT unless they are small kids. Technically the 8 is not a coupe either so who know what criteria they used.

Love the show, one of my favorite ones is the Evo 8 and STI comparison.

Which one? I think there are 5 of them... But yeah, that's always a really good show when they have the STI and Evo going at it.

I have a beef with Stig's lap times... Namely, a couple of the heavier Audi and VW cars post slightly faster times, but we know that they fall off after the front tires heat up. Namely the R32 is particularly bad. Some of the Alfas aren't so great with this either.

thanks for the heads up .. now i have no excuse not to watch it .. in fact im gonna get this weeks episode now

Unless you have some new cable channels I don't know about, you won't be watching it - BBC2 is UK only.

You may see it in a year or two.

...or not.

S

(does anyone have access to BBC2?
or have a friend in Blighty who could make us a video file?
I asked (politely :rolleyes: ) on the UK owners forum, but they have been, so far, spectacularly unhelpful. I don't expect any help from there....)

Unless you have some new cable channels I don't know about, you won't be watching it - BBC2 is UK only.

You may see it in a year or two.

...or not.

S

(does anyone have access to BBC2?
or have a friend in Blighty who could make us a video file?
I asked (politely :rolleyes: ) on the UK owners forum, but they have been, so far, spectacularly unhelpful. I don't expect any help from there....)

I and many other will be watching Sun. night or Mon. morning, the internet is a beautiful thing...

Yeah...Alfa's are great lookers..pitty about their reliability/build/resale.

The UK only RX-8PZ (by Pro-Drive) could be the model used in this 3 some test :)

Could be the RX-8PZ by Pro-Drive on test......

We get the international (shortened) version of Top Gear here from BBC...still seeing 2005/6.

Can't wait for this episode. I love the Rx-8 and want the Brera to be my next car.

(does anyone have access to BBC2?
or have a friend in Blighty who could make us a video file?
I asked (politely :rolleyes: ) on the UK owners forum, but they have been, so far, spectacularly unhelpful. I don't expect any help from there....)

Drop me a pm with how to go about it and I'm your man! :)

My internet 'mAdD skILLz' are at the dry-cleaners, I have no idea about the actual "how" of recording it, and I'm too shy to ask Ike how he watches. It aint easy being old & stoopid.....

S

Can't wait for this episode. I love the Rx-8 and want the Brera to be my next car.

I thought the US did not have any new Alfa Romeo franchises yet?

I'll have links posted up when the torrent comes out, here: http://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?t=108432

Drop me a pm with how to go about it and I'm your man! :)

Somebody drop this Scottish dude a pm!!!

Cheers m8, I'm from Manchester and am stationed out in the Far East - Top Gear is one of the few things that I do miss ;)

Can't wait for this episode. I love the Rx-8 and want the Brera to be my next car.

Every time I look at the Brera I think Crossfire meets Tiburon.

Meets crossover SUV.

Hello guys!
The last episode of Top Gear is already online for download!
For those registered to www.racing-underground.com here is the link!
http://www.racing-underground.com/?cls=5&id=1429&view=1

Thanks again, Dr.Guy - You've made a poor colonial's weekend!

S

You've made a poor colonian weekend!

Is it good or bad...?
:Freak_ani

No, it's OK, nothing to do with actual colons!

S

I asked because at first i thought it maybe should be out of the rules to post a link to another site...

Links like that, useful to the membership, and non-profit, are very welcome.

Thanks again.

S

just downloaded and watched.... and the new show tonight has to be one of the worst TGs I've seen, excepting the great Bugatti Veyron run they started off with.

The rest was truly pathetic (and a waste of time) watching dumass English blokes in paisley and plaid NOT do anything interesting for way too long on a show supposedly about cars.

Not to mention the 3 car ah hem "review" was a yawn and stupidly done to boot. :icon_bs:

Did I say I didn't really like this show much? :rolleyes:

grrr you have to have an account.

I thought the US did not have any new Alfa Romeo franchises yet?


Not yet, they should start selling Alfa Romeo's again in Maserati dealerships in 2008 or 2009

No real problem opening an account, just fill in some vague details - they don't even e-mail verify!

S

just downloaded and watched.... and the new show tonight has to be one of the worst TGs I've seen, excepting the great Bugatti Veyron run they started off with.

The rest was truly pathetic (and a waste of time) watching dumass English blokes in paisley and plaid NOT do anything interesting for way too long on a show supposedly about cars.

Not to mention the 3 car ah hem "review" was a yawn and stupidly done to boot. :icon_bs:

Did I say I didn't really like this show much? :rolleyes:


Which car do you like then? MotorTrend TV?

no need to download somebody put it on youtube


Part 2 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27fGvhyM5Ak)
Part 1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5FKhURNoIA)

ty, sir.

I came to one conclusion after watching this clip......Pure Rubbish......

same here i use to own a tt and that thing sucked i think stig was driving a bit hard there was no need for the car to slide so much and his take off was horrible.

just downloaded and watched.... and the new show tonight has to be one of the worst TGs I've seen, excepting the great Bugatti Veyron run they started off with.

The rest was truly pathetic (and a waste of time) watching dumass English blokes in paisley and plaid NOT do anything interesting for way too long on a show supposedly about cars.

Not to mention the 3 car ah hem "review" was a yawn and stupidly done to boot. :icon_bs:

Did I say I didn't really like this show much? :rolleyes:

Brit humour is an aquired taste mate ;)

that was pure garbage,, the only thing they really did was take it around the track.. other then that they didnt do a hole lot, the rx8 wa still pretty consistent.. he ran a 1.32 and the last he ran a 1.31.8 other then that.. i like the show.. i find it quite funny.. but that was garbage

It's not a car program, if you try to see it as such it normal than you find it garbage. It's a show about cars, which is a little different.

See I dont really care what anyone else says or think about my 8.

"Its too boy racer."

"Its too under powered."

"Its FC sucks balls."

So what? I love my 8 no matter what - else I would not have spent my hard earned cash on it.

And thats the simple truth.

But yeah TG has always been a lil tongue in cheek and tho the 8 did not win? I wont be selling it anytime soon for a Brera or a TT ;)

P.S: The launch in the stig was awful to say the least and would easily have made up the time diff imo!

Can't pull it up here at work. Was it the 250hp TT or the 200? It's a much lighter car now, so the 200hp TT may give the 8 a run. Lap times? Did the Breva beat 1.32? Isn't it a FWD? Are both the TT and the Breva much more expensive in England?

I bet the 8 will suffer from "known car" syndrome. All reviews will be half assed on the 8 from now on 'cause it's been around since '03...forever in car terms. It's even worse in the bike world, where a bike can be the second coming one year and a POS the very next year. Gotta see beyond the new model hype whenever you can.

HAHAHAHAHAHA that was brilliant! Holy crap can those guys ever not golf!

The 8 should have won the track test but The Stig was overdriving it (ya think?)

Gotta love that British irreverance...

That's impossible, or I'm looking at the wrong photos.

I think you're looking at the wrong photos. If not, I'm curious to know what car designs you like with the exception of exotics.

Lap times? Did the Breva beat 1.32? Isn't it a FWD? Are both the TT and the Breva much more expensive in England?

TT - 1.31.6/8 (cant remeber if it was .6 or .8)
rx8 - 1.32.0
breva - 1.36

I like this episode! To be honest I dont really care about which car they pick to be the best, its a show with cars as stated above! Loved the part with hugh grant as guest!
________
Laguna Heights Condos Wong Amat (http://pattayaluxurycondos.com)

TT - 1.31.6/8 (cant remeber if it was .6 or .8)
rx8 - 1.32.0
breva - 1.36

Thanks Skip. 1.32 still a decent time. It appears the TT is no longer the bloated Golf it always was.

When the M3 tied the Rx-8 is was running in a wet track condition. So the rx-8 and 350Z are as fast on THEIR track as an M3 in the wet.

the TT was the 2.0 L .
Really enjoyed the show -you guys that thought it was crap just don't get what this show is about .

I do feel the 8 was a little over driven. But as earlier mentioned it did still run a 1.32.0 where as it ran 1.31.8 , which is still close. I dont want to come up with excuses for the fact that it lost but the TT had 8000 quid of options including that suspension option. However, I find it interesting that they didnt get a TT with quattro tho.

lol those art guys had no taste that alfa was fugly i dont think anyone would take that over the 8

lol those art guys had no taste that alfa was fugly i dont think anyone would take that over the 8

I love the front end but the back isn't my favorite.

Nice episode but I have to aggree about the 8 driving. Then again a real test would have done a few laps and averaged but TG is all in good fun. The price difference is considerable also when the audi's options are taken into consideration.

Was a decent episode, not one of their best. After watching it I knew I'd come to this thread and hear some people calling foul. To clarify, the M3 was not in the wet, it was a different driver in different conditions though. What it comes down to is it probably wasn't a particularly good lap for the M3 and maybe even the 350Z, more times than not they're going to be quicker around a track than the RX-8. What did surprise me though is the time the 2.0T Audi turned in, it was over a second faster than the older V6 Quattro. Anyone who has ever owned or known someone that owned an Alfa can understand the outcome. "The best car is the worst car". They're very visceral cars, even if most aren't particularly fast.

lol those art guys had no taste that alfa was fugly i dont think anyone would take that over the 8

Based on looks alone I'd take the Brera in a heartbeat, and there are many people that would agree with me.

just watched it on youtube. I didn't realize how small Hamster was- his shoulders are level with the roof of the 8! I think my belly button is roof-level!

lol those art guys had no taste that alfa was fugly i dont think anyone would take that over the 8

I have this feeling that Alfa's may not do well again stateside. It seems many people here do not understand the Alfa.

If folks here do not understand the styling and the emotional impact, and just compares numbers, Alfa has nothing going for it here, except among enthusiasts.

I for one, can forgive its performance shortcomings and drivetrain layout, simply because it looks fantastic. I'd never buy one though. I personally yet cannot trust Italian mass manufacturing quality control.

I have this feeling that Alfa's may not do well again stateside. It seems many people here do not understand the Alfa.

If folks here do not understand the styling and the emotional impact, and just compares numbers, Alfa has nothing going for it here, except among enthusiasts.

I for one, can forgive its performance shortcomings and drivetrain layout, simply because it looks fantastic. I'd never buy one though. I personally yet cannot trust Italian mass manufacturing quality control.I have to agree. I had a Fiat 124 Sport Coupe. It was an absolute delight to drive and I loved the car. But I sure got to know the shop mechanics well. And that was before the floorboards rusted out prematurely.

Just watched the episode and I have to say this.. I WENT to art school, and someone needs to ask those guys if they would allow 3 art professors to pick their women.

..because they wouldn't. Art professors will never pick the best looking ANYTHING. Art these days is about being original and strange, not about looking good.


The way I see it, a sexy car is like a sexy woman. All the right curves in all the right places beats a fat ass and ugly face any day. ;)

Though I have to say Hammond + The 8 (and in VR, my color rrrawr) = damn sexy. That is all. ;D

All the right curves in all the right places beats a fat ass and ugly face any day. ;)

Though I have to say Hammond = damn sexy. ;D

I'm confused about your orientation. Ah.. never mind.

Audi was quattro

I for one, can forgive its performance shortcomings and drivetrain layout, simply because it looks fantastic. I'd never buy one though. I personally yet cannot trust Italian mass manufacturing quality control.

Wow... Don't know how you did it, but you managed to squeeze 26 separate oxymorons in that 5-word phrase. :cwm27:

Based on looks alone I'd take the Brera in a heartbeat, and there are many people that would agree with me.
On looks alone I would take the Brera as well. Interior and exterior. The TT exterior is horrendous to me.

On looks alone I would take the Brera as well. Interior and exterior. The TT exterior is horrendous to me.

All a matter of taste, the Brera might be the nicest looking hatch out there, but it's still a hatch. Not an appealing design to me, and I'm pretty "euro" but a good looking hatch is like a good looking station wagon...

Every car is a hatch there and they certainly prefer them, so I'm not surprised they are so taken by a nice looking one for a change.

Just saw the test. Certainly funny. Wonder if in those conditions the FWD TT would be faster than the AWD. But the optional active suspension looked spot on, likely the reason for the amazing time.

Still take the 8 over the FWD's...but no surprise there.

c'mon...how can you enter the 8 into a beauty contest without the aero package and in red (in my opinion its worst color)?

anybody have a link to the Video?

NVM - found it...

Part 1:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5FKhURNoIA

Part 2:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27fGvhyM5Ak

-hS

Hmm, the burn out at the beginning of the time trial for the RX8 is normal for a good drag launch. Read the sticky in the competition section.

If anything I laughed at the fact that it was said if you want power go for the RX8.

I'm tired of their shenanigans. Road and Track use to have a pretty good show, not sure if it's still on but I use to enjoy the more scientific approach.

Give the stig another run in the 8 and I gurantee it would be quicker. He ran a 1:31.8 in teh first review and that was bit ugly as well.

How about three passes in each car and interview the stig to get his opinion rather than going to art galleries and golf courses. They spent more more time scripting the funnies than actually evaluating the cars.

How about three passes in each car and interview the stig to get his opinion rather than going to art galleries and golf courses. They spent more more time scripting the funnies than actually evaluating the cars.
How about everyone realize that Top Gear is an television show. As such it is more about entertainment than making sure you feel well informed by one of their episodes.

fantasctic as always .. and for all you with small d|@Ks who are so insecure about your 8s that you have to criticise their style and judgements just think that in us money you still paid about half of the TT price for lets just say close-to-same performance

half .. just think about .. i dont care if i spend twice as much for gas .. but you save 20-25k right off the top

hammond looks a little healthier in this one too .. in last weeks episode he looked to me like he just came out of chemo .. im glad the trio is back in business

I thought it was a pretty good episode...worth the while :)

I don't see anything wrong with this episode. They just stated the obvious issues with 8: poor MPG and low resale value. They chose Alfa simply for the look and the name, not to mention these two are just personal prefrences.

I just watched it and thought it was pretty decent. Not a serious thing but entertaining I guess. I liked the part on the Bugatti best.

I'm tired of their shenanigans. Road and Track use to have a pretty good show, not sure if it's still on but I use to enjoy the more scientific approach.

Yeah, but virtually nobody waits for, looks for, a Road and Track TV show, or even care to see if it's still airing. Might as well go to the website and look up the info. There's no personality, showmanship, and entertainment. It's as dry as that professor in Ferris Bueller (the Clear Eyes guy).

Bueller.......Bueller.........Bueller.......

lol, you know he really did have his own show on TV. Win Ben Stein's Money. I think Jimmy Kimmel was his co-host.

How do you download it? When I press download my limewire opens and then nothing happens after that.

How do you download it? When I press download my limewire opens and then nothing happens after that.
If you're talking about the torrent, you can use uTorrent to download it.

What a funny show, and quite entertaining, but not really informative. I think they made the RX-8 lose by overdriving it in every corner. The cornering was not precise, did not hit apex points several times while oversteering the car, and everyone knows that sliding the car around, while fun, is not fast. My money says that, properly driven on TG's course, the RX-8 would be a 1:30 car, not 1:32.

That was the worst episode of Top Gear ever. Seriously.

And I like the show.

In the past season there were much worse episodes, like the one were they make boats of old cars and others...

Bueller.......Bueller.........Bueller.......

lol, you know he really did have his own show on TV. Win Ben Stein's Money. I think Jimmy Kimmel was his co-host.

Hehe. I actually like Ben Stein's character because there's showmanship in his dryness. Ferris Bueller's Day Off wouldn't be the same without him.

I thought the comparison was entertaining. I've always hated the TT and this one is no exception. It's plain and simple, ugly. The tradition lives on. It was ever so slightly faster than the RX-8 around the track. I could come up with excuses for this but then again that can go both ways. On their track, they are probably fairly close to each other with a god driver. The TT with it's front wheel drive should be a less balanced and harder car to get to go fast around a track for the average person though.

I agree that the RX-8 isn't what I would call a piece of art in the looks department. I would say that the engine is an artform though in it's simplicity and smoothness.

The Brera has far more to look at than the RX-8 or the TT. That doesn't mean I like it though. It's slow. Damn slow but that's not the only thing you judge a car by so that I may actually let slide. Keep in mind that the new Jetta diesel that will be here next year will match it in a drag race and even my stock Civic could give it a run for it's money. It's looks are good from some views but terrible from others. The front end looks like someone combined a new Camaro with a Subaru and then tried to refine it. Like the Subaru front styling, it's terrible looking in the center. The lights and outer edges look nice though. The rear end looks a little funny to me as well. I think it would look better if it weren't a hatchback but rather had a trunk back there to complete the car. Much of the car's lines are nice though.

I don't buy into the hype about the Brera personally. It's a bit odd looking in places and by no means an artform. It's a cute little car but for the money, it's not much of a value. The TT, well... I just don't like it. It's ugly. I like Audi when it comes to their R10 LeMans car but the TT is terrible. The RX-8 is just a good overall car. It may not be the best looking thing out there. It may not be the fastest thing out there and for some it may not be the most practical car out there. It's definitely not the most fuel efficient but it trades this off for other things. As far as this comparison was concerned I think it is the most practical of the group and being rear wheel drive probably the most fun to drive. It's not a perfect car but then again what is? They picked the Brera overall for reasons other than their comparison results so it's really hard to tell what truly is a better car. At least we agree that the TT is not the car to have! It really depends on what you want out of a car though.

Not a bad review and as always fun to watch.

As usual I thought that the show was very funny. They all agreed that they liked the Alfa the most but would not recommend it to anyone. They also all agreed that the Alfa was the worst car of the bunch. With a conclusion like that I don't see how anyone could be upset. Hugh Grant was funny and overall I was entertained for the duration of the episode. I wish I could watch it on TV and not have to download the episodes but we live in a far from perfect world. Oh well.

P.S. The TT was front drive with the 2.0 liter engine.

Also, the TT had the optional (and very cool) 2000$+ magnetic suspension. I think that with a Mazdaspeed suspension setup the RX-8 could have done a better time than the TT.

yeah i agree for that extra money you spend on the other cars you could tune an 8 nicely and i'm not sure why people talk about the resale value of the 8 i personally knew what i was getting into when i got mine and im happy with it 100% and wont sell it.

I want them to test the V6 version....

But then they will be over the price of the 8

Nice to see the "Wanker" engine as Hamster suggested - listen to the intro carefully. :lol:

The TT 3.2 is 49.000€ here (63.000$).

The TT 3.2 is 49.000€ here (63.000$).
So basically I could buy a corvette and smoke the shit out of the TT???? LOL

Yes, except the Corvette is 60.000€ here.

I guess the TT will be cheaper there to match the market prices.

that veyron was amazing....made me forget about the art school nonsense

kinda funny when the guys says "if you want power heres the rx-8" ..


lafffffff haha

"alum-in-i-um" when hes talking bout the audi how its made of two diff materials.. ahhaa.. i dont like that guy. at all.

That is how most of the world pronounces it. As usual, America had to be different and pronounced is "A-lu-mi-num".

American : a·lu·mi·num

English : al·u·min·i·um
Danish: aluminium; aluminiums-
Dutch: aluminium
Estonian: alumiinium
Finnish: alumiini
French: aluminium
German: das Aluminium; Aluminium-…
Indonesian: aluminium
Italian: alluminio
Norwegian: aluminium
Polish: aluminium, aluminiowy
Portuguese (Brazil): alumínio
Portuguese (Portugal): alumínio
Swedish: aluminium
Turkish: aliminyum

oh my god....dbb

that is funny.

How have you been old fellow. :D:

What a funny show, and quite entertaining, but not really informative. I think they made the RX-8 lose by overdriving it in every corner. The cornering was not precise, did not hit apex points several times while oversteering the car, and everyone knows that sliding the car around, while fun, is not fast. My money says that, properly driven on TG's course, the RX-8 would be a 1:30 car, not 1:32.
There's absolutely no way you can know that by watching 10 seconds of a lap run on tv. It's very possible that they are oversteering those corners to keep the revs up to help out with the relatively long straightaways. My guess is that after dozens and dozens of runs they've figured that's the fastest way around that particular track with that particular car.

Quoting track times is stupider than quoting 0-60 times. Every single track is different and can only give you a very basic idea of what a car will do. I would much rather trust the qualitative analysis of a car than the quantitative numbers obtained by some dude on some track on some day. Clarkson saying that the RX-8 is one of the easiest cars to drive fast he's ever driven is much more profound than some .8434564565354 difference in lap times.

So....are you getting one saturn? Or are you still a rotary-less n00b?

That is how most of the world pronounces it. As usual, America had to be different and pronounced is "A-lu-mi-num".

American : a·lu·mi·num

English : al·u·min·i·um
Danish: aluminium; aluminiums-
Dutch: aluminium
Estonian: alumiinium
Finnish: alumiini
French: aluminium
German: das Aluminium; Aluminium-…
Indonesian: aluminium
Italian: alluminio
Norwegian: aluminium
Polish: aluminium, aluminiowy
Portuguese (Brazil): alumínio
Portuguese (Portugal): alumínio
Swedish: aluminium
Turkish: aliminyum
People in different countries speaking different languages say words differently? I absolutely refuse to believe it.

Oh I forgot to mention, USA! USA!

It is not the best laps on Sunday but the car has been on the TG track before and got 1.31.8. Does anyone here doubt how the Stig drives! as if you can drive the car under 1:32 photomunkey... lol.

I have to say the magnetic suspension prob helped the TT getting a 1 31.4.

So....are you getting one saturn? Or are you still a rotary-less n00b?
Still n00b-ish. Commuting to a small town with lots of traffic during the day and riding around flat, straight Delaware at night isn't exactly a perfect fit for a rotary. Plus I need to be saving up for a house. For now I'll just watch the original Top Gear review of the 8 like the rest of the wannabe's and think what might have been.

oh my god....dbb

that is funny.

How have you been old fellow. :D:

Still drinking my dark ale. Developed a fetish for Herradura Anejo tequila to go with my Islay single-malt fetish, traded the red rx8 on a stormy blue one, working for my Californian overlord-masters instead of their Australian deputies, flying off to Limerick in a couple of weeks, currently eating some roasted cashews and browsing the Interweb instead of being productive , thinking about going to a pub, listening to some Martin Solveig on iTunes, and generally taking it easy. You know, the usual stuff. :ylsuper:

/* end serious thread deviation */

ok i have to take my prev comments back (under dupa12345) - that the show was great .. it was but when i watched it the first time i completely skipped over the interview with hugh grant

holly muther of god .. was he re-gay-tarded .. he killed the show .. now i know what you guys are talkink about .. top gear never ever have him on .. what a pathetic drag

From video, it is interesting how much the Brera reminds me of Mazda's Mazda3 hatchback. One of these, plus a Mazda3 hatchback, plus a Mini Cooper would happily live together in the same garage. Two reasons the hosts gave for Brera being visually appealing are: headlights and doorhandles. They have picked out minor detailing over the big overall picture which is the shape of the vehicle and what that communicates about itself. These same people consider the Exige ugly. They have an odd sense about style.

Youtube links have been pulled. :(