Jump to content

NEW New new new New top gear ON HOLD, RIP?


HMC

Recommended Posts

It was the best episode yet mainly due to the subject matter. But it could have been so much better. That auction was mental. I wanted a proper look around the yard. At one point there was a Renault 4 behind them and they didn't bat an eyelid. But then I guess it's not Autoshite TV is it?

 

I'd like to have seen more of the Toyota Crown Taxi too. And maybe it's just me but I find the kei cars interesting too because we don't get most of them here. It's a completely different world.

 

Rory's bit was good though. Makes the average UK cruise look tame and if you're going to have a supercar a genuine Le Mans Porsche 962 is about as super as it gets, at least to people of my age. That is such a beautiful car especially in the Rothmans livery. Shame he blew it up. That must have been expensive!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It was the best episode yet mainly due to the subject matter. But it could have been so much better. That auction was mental. I wanted a proper look around the yard. At one point there was a Renault 4 behind them and they didn't bat an eyelid. But then I guess it's not Autoshite TV is it?

 

I'd like to have seen more of the Toyota Crown Taxi too. And maybe it's just me but I find the kei cars interesting too because we don't get most of them here. It's a completely different world.

 

Rory's bit was good though. Makes the average UK cruise look tame and if you're going to have a supercar a genuine Le Mans Porsche 962 is about as super as it gets, at least to people of my age. That is such a beautiful car especially in the Rothmans livery. Shame he blew it up. That must have been expensive!

There was a lot more humour to be mined. Those tiny-pickups looked fun why didnt they race them themselves or make some. And what happened to the Porsche that could have been funnier. I'd like to have seen more Japanese- maybe they could have met their car show equivalents for a drive off or not? And what about wrestling a sumo for the keys to the Mazda? 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

 

I'd like to have seen more of the Toyota Crown Taxi too.

They're ace. They ride like an ocean liner and the rear passenger door is operated by the driver using a lever up front (all the drivers go bananas if you try to open/close that door yourself) The massive hinge means guaranteed bruised ankles if you sit in that seat.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Aha, so it probably wasn't a Renault 4, I thought that was a strange thing to find at a Japanese auction.

 

It was probably a Suzuki Lapin (Rabbit)

post-20743-0-97064200-1520880583_thumb.jpg

With a Renault 4 bodykit. Because why wouldn't you? Just spent an enjoyable half hour googling kei cars. So there's a size restriction and engines are limited to 660cc and 63hp and yet they seem to manage to have more variety than the entire European car market.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Last night had the first bit of Clarkson style "did he really say that" humour I have heard on the show for several years. As they enter a restaurant in Japan, Matt says "Do you like Wanko Soba", Harris replies "I usually have a few beers first!" This sort of silliness is what appeals to me, rather than10 minutes of drifting.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I finally got to watch NNNN Top Gear in Japan (innit), and I didn't mind it, despite some top class mitherposting on here.

 

Ebisu Circuit actually appeared twice; the LC500 / Civic race was on Higashi (East) course and the slightly cringeworthy R34/FD drift sequence was on Minami, the one with the infamous jump that made a mega star out of Daigo Saito.

 

GunSai also appeared but we only saw the pit and a tiny bit of the track. I'm glad they paid Best Motoring/Hot Version some dues, too.

 

Also, that '962' looked more like a Dauer in race livery rather than a bona-fide Porsche, but I could be wrong.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have not watched a single episode of new new Top Gear, and I don't intend on doing so.

 

Being where you are, do you follow the Top Gear Australia series?  We cannot get, though I have watched a few that have been ripped and uploaded.  Not many though.

 

The noisiest, youthful and manic one has to be Top Gear Korea.  It's refreshingly* sexist and puerile in places.  Like the good old days*

Link to comment
Share on other sites

...the rear passenger door is operated by the driver using a lever up front (all the drivers go bananas if you try to open/close that door yourself) 

 

I have done just that - I think it thumped him in the side, as he flinched forward.  The other gaijin in the car with me gave me a ticking off.  Bl00dy tourist.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I thought it was but then started doubting myself when I found this Lapin thing. In that case he's definitely looking the wrong way.

 

I wonder if it's RHD. Did Renault sell them over there? If not it could be an ex UK car.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

They sold them RHD in the UK as well as Japan as well as all other RHD markets.

They built them (among many other places) in Heidelberg, Australia as well as Naas and Wexford, Ireland.

RHD versions were definitely also made in France.

 

Going by the headlights and side repeaters, it's a Japanese market model.

 

Complete* list of 'trelle production locations:

 

Algiers, Algeria (CARAL)
Billancourt, France
Casablanca, Morocco
Ciudad Sahagún, Mexico
Envigado, Colombia
Guarda, Portugal
Heidelberg, Australia
Ljubljana/Novo Mesto, SFR Yugoslavia (today Slovenia)
Los Andes, Chile
Milan, Italy (Alfa Romeo)
Montevideo, Uruguay (Renault Mini 4 - local version)
Naas, Ireland
Santa Isabel, Argentina (IKA)
Valladolid, Spain
Vilvoorde, Belgium
Wexford, Ireland

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
  • 6 months later...

I encountered the Top Gear Tracktor earlier this summer. 

 

It's basically a Chevy blazer or some similar yank pickup with big wheels on the back, the roll cage to make the tractor shape, and some really rather toss wiring. 

 

A few people had tried to get it to go to no avail, so I gave it a tow half a mile or so to it's transport back to Beaulieu. 

 

post-3736-0-03579200-1538859557_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

8pm tonight- line up mcguinness, flintoff and Harris.

Will there be seeds of banter and personal chemistry that characterised the original relaunch; and perhaps more importantly do you think you will like them as a group?

 

Im hoping for a few old banger road trips- tonight’s episode at least in part is from Ethiopia- sounds promising?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...