In their defence, the UK Top Gear was pretty furry in its early days too.
If this lasts a couple of years and they refine the personnel it could turn out ok.

Somehow I would have preferred something much more original though.

 

I've tried to watch a couple of episodes, but it was lacking on so many levels. It was just a car show, where the original series is entertainment.

 

well the aussie version of top gear is pretty lame at this stage ... but i'm prepared to give it time.

however, that time is rapdily running out ... especially if they continue to replicate the UK's stunts. i mean - what's the point? we've seen the floating car thing, the chopper versus the car ...

having said that, i don't really understand the animosity toward sbs.

people on this forum keep saying they are the politically correct tv channel that shows only indigenous and foreign shows.

i really question if the people saying this have ever watched SBS.

i mean sbs shows:

1. top gear (UK) - did any other free-to-air network want to air this?
2. south park - can you imagine this uncensored on 7, 9 or 10?
3. newstopia - well maybe ABC may put up with this - but the others?
4. pizza - again ... can you imagine this uncensored on 7, 9 or 10?
5. swift and shift couriers - yet again ... can you imagine this uncensored on 7, 9 or 10? ... if you haven't seen it - monday nights on sbs - great show!
6. almost any late night movie - i think even i'd be embarassed to borrow half of these at my local blockbuster ... if they even have these types of movies
7. brotown
8. bogan pride

there are only 2 shows shown on free to air that i can think of that are even slightly un-pc ("double the fist" and "myles barlow reviews" - both on abc2)

anything on 7, 9 or 10 is just bog-standard tv crap.

are people really saying that sbs is the channel for politically correct tv? (the channel that gives us top gear, south park, brotown, pizza, swift and shift, bogan pride, regular nudity in late night movies, etc. ...)

i really don't undertsand what people are saying about sbs.

they are the channel that gives us top gear (UK) - all the other channels passed on it because it was too risky (advertisers, pedestrian council, anti-speeding groups ... you name it)

sbs was the only free to air channel with the guts to show top gear and yet people think that sbs is too pc???

i just think we should thank sbs for "investing" in top gear. im sure that the commercial channels will try to cash in on it soon.

 

Ahh, the perfect antidote for Top Gear Australia - another UK series!

Thank you SBS - I'll never say a bad word about hairy legged indigenous lesbians again...

 

Charlie *** is leaving..

http://www.news.com.au/entertainment...-10388,00.html

 

Excellent!!! Just need the other two clowns to see the light....or the show just to get axed!

 

Great James Morrison, Australia can really relate to him...not...he may like cars and has reasonable knowledge, BUT, when I see him I will always think of Jazz and BIG CHEEKS!

Seriously, as someone said why not pick a guy like Mark Skaife, perfect, would bring some cred to the show.

Who runs SBS, the taxpayers?..I thought, but James Morrison!

 

it's an interesting choice but I think it might work. James is a car enthusiast and had a bit of racing experience in the Australian rally championship and possibly road rallies.

I want them to get away from the donuts circle work, ford/holdens. I hated ***'s ford/holden speeches they were sickening. I would question using any V8 touring car personality because of the ford/holden association.

 

Agreed. Skaife, etc would be a snorefest.

Really, it's not aobut cred. They just need someone who can speak, with an interesting informed opinion about the subject and the ability to deliver the odd witticism without sounding too laboured. Don't care what their past runs on the board are....

 

I disagree,

I don't think Skaife would be bias towards any brand...after all he is a prossesional...like the 'silent' STIG.

MS would add a lot of Cred to the show and actually communicate the features of a car rather than just Zero to 60 or lap times, his opinion would be far more interesting from a technical and ownership point of view.
I think he calls a spade a spade.

Rather than just the opinionated drivel and smoking tyres...BORING!

You would then have one guy with cred and facts, the other with humor and the other with?? ummmmm, maybe you could leave him out, or just be a co pilot!

 

Topgear uk rarely mentions any technical content. it's 99% opinion and smoking tyres. it's about relating to the masses not car geeks.

 

Most of the track test drive vids I have seen talk about HP, 0-60, comparing old models to new...engine sizes, brakes, transmission.

Clarkson's review on the RX-8 gives out numbers, Ferrari, Porsche, Bugatti Veyron (BTW have you seen James Mays 407KMH run at the VW test track on Y-Tube with the Veyron, technical content aplenty...great Vid.

I don't see anything wrong with more content slipped in..

 

Gee, Top Gear UK was good tonight...

Nissan GTR Test with no technical content at all, except, Suspension, Brakes, Yaw sensors, Alloy rim locks, sat nav info, gearbox, etc....

 

just because he mentions a flappy-paddle gearbox doesn't make it technical in my book.

he said it had a 3.6L v6 twin turbo, then gave you the technical Cherri on the cake that it was hand made! his felt like it had 1000hp. yeah right: a slight exaggeration from the 520hp or so it actual has.

then the bit about the bodywork and the aerodynamics; yeah it's what they did but no technical facts about it's drag coefficient, kg's of down force it produces etc just the crap you read in the brochure no technical facts about why it made it fast.

how technical he was with the launch control: flappy paddle in manual mode, button up button, down race button, foot down away we go. but the sat nav knows it's position on earth! WOW!

It's entertaining I just have a different idea of technical. telling me it has a 3.6L motor is normal car talk. technical description is details, compression ratio, valves, turbo configuration etc.

james veron test did have some good content but it's not the norm from my perspective. Maybe it's just that the technical stuff is in layman's terms and over powered by Jeremy's comments like comparing the 430 scuderia to gods wild sex antics and spinning out in a cloud of smoke.

 

Really, the delivery of facts and figures about cars is best done via the written word/number. You want technical stuff, buy a car mag or hit the web.

TG is about entertainment for me, pure and simple. I don't want some boring dry treatise delivered by an ex-race car driver who's not exactly known for his sparkling personality. I want a laugh, a few stunts and to perve on some great cars being driven hard. You can't argue with a winning formula...or duplicate it apparently...

 

Pure entertainment (non PC!) with fanstastic photography. Indulge!