quote:

Originally posted by 2000Z-71:
I'm just wondering what other racing history stories they could cover.

Steve McQueen, James Garner and other celebrities racing in the Baja 1000.

As much as the guys (Clarkson in particular) like to indulge in rally-racing, they've not to my knowledge dived into off-road racing. The Baja 1000 is one of the world's most storied race's with enough stories and characters to fill several episodes however they've never featured it. I don't think they've ever gotten into the Euro-based: Paris-Dakar, Northern Forrest or, Breslau Rallye.

I imagine you could easily work an episode around one of the super enduro off road races & include a challenge where they actually compete in an amateur class.

They did the 24hr race on TG:UK in the self-grown diesel powered BMW.

I have come to the conclusion...



... Clarkson, Hammond, and May are...



... Americans in disguise...



... because their car humor is 119,832.43 cubic inches of AMERICAN!!!



But what bloody madman keeps putting Richard Hammond into £1,000,000+ automobiles????

Another great episode with the Aston and the Jag.

I've never seen Clarkson look more fearful than driving that banked track in Spain.

quote:

Originally posted by corsair:
I've never seen Clarkson look more fearful than driving that banked track in Spain.

Quitting after the practice lap showed that Hammond has learned something from all his crashes.

quote:

Originally posted by jsbcody:

quote:

Originally posted by corsair:
I've never seen Clarkson look more fearful than driving that banked track in Spain.

Quitting after the practice lap showed that Hammond has learned something from all his crashes.

I think it was more him knowing the limitations of his equipment for something like that.

And anyway, yes, that was another fantastic episode.

Thoroughly enjoyable.
They are now at cruising altitude.

I've never really been a car guy and never watched Top Gear, but last summer my midlife crisis period hit and after having driven mostly full size pickups for, well, ever, I bought a new Challenger. So back in October or so, a friend of mine pointed me at Grand Tour, specifically the season one episode that had Hammond driving a Challenger Hellcat and annoying the crap out of Clarkson and May with it. I loved that episode but couldn't get into any of the rest of season one, but after seeing the reviews here I started watching season 2. Clarkson is an annoying, arrogant, pompous ass, but the other two guys continually zinging him keeps me watching. Skiing with cars, Jaguars no less - who'd a thunk it?

quote:

Originally posted by Expert308:I bought a new Challenger.

Excellent

quote:

Clarkson is an annoying, arrogant, pompous ass

You know that's the act right..they each play a role. Captain Slow is the pedantic one, Hamster being the aspirational American..


If you're enjoying GT, then you should dive into some of the past Top Gear seasons, particularly the Specials. I'd recommend, the Bolivia Special and Botswana Special as the boys are in top form; the first one drive across Alabama is a hoot for a different reason.

Then the real meat is the various show challenges..Robin Reliant Space Shuttle, Caravan, Limousine, Polar, here's a list..
The 100 Best Top Gear Episodes Ever

quote:

Clarkson is an annoying, arrogant, pompous ass,

But he is that way with everyone, especially the Brits.....he tore into Piers Morgan a few years ago in an epic fight between them. Hammond is really an American who lives in England, Clarkson is a closet American (he actually loves trucks, the new Corvette, and guns), and James May is the historian on almost everything. I loved watching May's different shows, one he flew in a U2 spy plane and the other was a drinking show (traveled to different countries to try wine, beer and whiskey):

And Clarkson now holds a new British speed record, on water.

I enjoyed that episode. The celebrity face off with Penn and Teller and Dynamo (?) was pretty entertaining.

That was quite a statistic about 85% of those attempting a speed record on water die. Yikes

quote:

Originally posted by 2000Z-71:
And Clarkson now holds a new British speed record, on water.

SLIGHT SPOILER AHEAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



I laughed so hard at the exchange between the three of them at the end..... May:"We made a deathtrap and failed"....Clarkson: "now we are trying to kill each other."

quote:

That was quite a statistic about 85% of those attempting a speed record on water die. Yikes

I think the equivalent would be trying to do a road speed record on a cobblestone track. Water conditions have to be perfect, any type of chop and/or wind would be dangerous. Just imagine the science of trying to get the perfect exact down force to keep a boat on the water surface; too much down force-boat's nose will porpoise into water, flipping it and wiping out. Too little down force boat will lift off, catch air and go airborne, wiping out. No thanks, I will keep my racing on the road.

Well that was good for laughs. I liked the airplanes blowing about...the magic tricks...the Jag in the snow...basically all of it.

The celebrity track was an absolute mess this last episode. It looked fun as hell too!

just finished episode 4, starting episode 5

the aerial tanker putting out May's car was pretty funny

ep.9 was a classic TG-type episode. Ridiculous idea, argue and banter, execute..multiple times. Reminds me of the caravan episodes, high speed train, ambulance, first amphibious car challenge...

An unholy mix of sweat and feces.

I thought last week's episode ending was funny, I laughed for five minutes straight on the ending of the latest episode: SUVs in Canada.