Top Gear: Australian Version

[Webbie75]

G'Day Guys

I was listening to SEN last night and they mentioned that the producer of TOP GEAR is looking for 2 people to host the Australian Version.

Now i was tired as I get up at 2 in the morning and was pretty sure I wasn't dreaming.

Has anyone heard anything about this, I reckon it would be an awesome job.

[whitlam]

I found this the other day, I'm thinking of applying for The Stig ;)

http://www21.sbs.com.au/topgear/

[monarocveightz]

I found this the other day, I'm thinking of applying for The Stig ;)

http://www21.sbs.com.au/topgear/


Why not?:D

You could be the Stigs "Australian cousin"

Also, why are SBS putting another re-run of Top Gear on, hurry up and put series 9 on, not 8

[beast]

I think i might apply for that. It seems right up my alley.

[minh427]

Um what supercars do we have over here? doubt many will be on the powerlap board.

[lionking]

Um what supercars do we have over here? doubt many will be on the powerlap board.

JOSS.. what ever happened to him.. ??

[Leigh]

SBS released a press release about this months ago...they openly stated that they would not try to replicate the British Top Gear, but would make it uniquely Australian...

Australia reportedly has the most different marques for sale of any country in the world, so just thrashing all of them is a challenge in itself...

[lionking]

JOSS.. what ever happened to him.. ??

Heres a pic from the Motor Show a few years ago... :2thumbsup:

http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z257/iluvnorks/ 100_0146.jpg

[Leigh]

In terms of Australian Sportscars, we have Joss, Skelta, Elfin, Bufori (I know, made in Malaysia now), De Veaux (sp?) not to mention the kit car makers of Purvis Eureka, G-force etc

[minh427]

If only the HRT 427 was still around.

[lionking]

In terms of Australian Sportscars, we have Joss, Skelta, Elfin, Bufori (I know, made in Malaysia now), De Veaux (sp?) not to mention the kit car makers of Purvis Eureka, G-force etc

Is JOSS still around.. Havent heard from them in a while.. I know he was finding it hard to get some $$$ backing.. That car in my previous post was IIRC for sale.. ??

[Leigh]

No idea, but I'm sure they could get a working model to give a work-over to:)

[lionking]

Can only hope.. In regards to being For Sale, i think i read about it in Unique Cars maybe year ago or so..

[Dez]

Top Gear on SBS is new series in January.. just saw an ad for it. Not sure the humour would be very good on an australian version of top gear though.

[Nick Short]

I'm a bit worried they'll be doing their market research by scanning copies of Wheels and Motor......."This week we drive the WRX against the Falcon and a new Commdore. Next week we thrash the new Mitsu Evo against the WRX. Later in the series we drive a WRX and the latest Commodore. And in the big series finale we do a group test of the WRX, Evo, Commodore and Falcon".

[minh427]

Just hope that it won't turn out like The Car Show.

[toad]

I'm a bit worried they'll be doing their market research by scanning copies of Wheels and Motor......."This week we drive the WRX against the Falcon and a new Commdore. Next week we thrash the new Mitsu Evo against the WRX. Later in the series we drive a WRX and the latest Commodore. And in the big series finale we do a group test of the WRX, Evo, Commodore and Falcon".

You have summed up the last 3 years of Motor brilliantly. I would only add that once every 3 months they test a new version of the Gallardo and claim it the best performance car in the world.

[Nick Short]

I'd forgotten the Gallardo, on its own or just as often pitched against whatever 911 Porsche has just released. And next month.....

Top Gear did a good job of trashing the UK car industry (when there was one), telling it like it was, but I wonder whether an Aussie version will be quite so brutal. Will we see road test assessments of home-grown products about as incisive as a Michael Parkinson interview? Perhaps their own Car of the Year awards?

[minh427]

Just hope it wont be like

This week- Holden Commodore Omega vs Ford Falcon XT

Next week- Holden Commodore Berlina vs Ford Falcon Futura

Week after- Holden Calais vs Ford Fairmont

etc

[Andrew]

Anything but endless Ford versus Holden comparos. These manufacturers constitute our premier national touring car series as well as the bulk of our glossy motoring magazine articles.

I'd hope that an Aussie version of Top Gear would avoid that sort of parochialism and be adventurous. Perhaps an 'Ashes' series of sportscars between the UK and Australia (manufacturers like Elfin would be great against boutique UK manufacturers like Morgan) as well as drivers from both nationalities, or trying to find the best sportscar for all Australian conditions by driving on the most challenging roads in Victoria, Tasmania, NSW, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia and the Northern Territory to crown the best 'all-rounder'.

This is probably a bit ambitious but if SBS don't want a simple facsimile copy of the hugely successful UK Top Gear they've got to look at some completely different concepts that will still make good television viewing.

[Leigh]

Top Gear did a good job of trashing the UK car industry (when there was one), telling it like it was, but I wonder whether an Aussie version will be quite so brutal. Will we see road test assessments of home-grown products about as incisive as a Michael Parkinson interview? Perhaps their own Car of the Year awards?

They can do that if they like...after all, the Holden (badged as a Chevrolet) has won 4 awards in the Middle East over the last couple of years...against most of Europes best!

[Leigh]

Top Gear did a good job of trashing the UK car industry (when there was one), telling it like it was, but I wonder whether an Aussie version will be quite so brutal. Will we see road test assessments of home-grown products about as incisive as a Michael Parkinson interview? Perhaps their own Car of the Year awards?

They can do that if they like...after all, the Holden (badged as a Chevrolet) has won 4 awards in the Middle East over the last couple of years...against most of Europes best!

I find it amazing that people think it would be a Holden v Ford show...tyhe UK variant definately isn't just UK brands!

[Andrew]

I find it amazing that people think it would be a Holden v Ford show...tyhe UK variant definately isn't just UK brands!

Probably because no-one is really sure what form this Aussie Top Gear will take. If the lead is taken from the two major Australian motoring magazines as well as keeping the V8 Supercar fan base in as a prospective audience, the traditional Ford/Holden rivalry is the first obvious thing we suppose will feature in the Aussie iteration. Plus, we don't have the access just across the Channel to some of the world's most desirable cars in LHD like the UK Top Gear guys do - being so far from the other major car manufacturing countries can be problematic at times. Unless New Zealand do a supercar I haven't heard of?

Apart from that, I wonder whether 'challenges' will be part of the Australian version? Will there be a 'star in a reasonably priced car'? I'd love to see a series of tests between the V8 Supercar, open-wheeler and rally guys in each others' machinery. That sort of thing if done well is always good to see/read about. A tie-up between Jeremy, James and Richard and the local guys/gals would have to be on the cards at some stage in the Aussie series. Speaking of which, it would be great to have a woman on the show as a presenter. Leanne Tander perhaps?

[whitlam]

Looks like they have announced the presenters for the Aussie version of Top Gear

http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/story/0,26278 ,23773782-10229,00.html

[lukey73]

Looks like a good mix of people.

Be interesting to see how they go and how long the show lasts, the biggest limiting factor is going to be the availability of new product to drive.

[Nick Short]

I like Andrew's idea of a (talented driver) woman at least peripherally involved, but maybe it's not to be. As for Holden v Ford, I hope it won't be like that, but the relative lack of exotics here might force the show to be a televisual version of Wheels magazine. The UK Top Gear manages to feature lots of non-UK cars, largely because there are a lot of manufacturers right on the doorstep in Europe, and test cars are much easier to get hold of. Apart from willing owners of exotics (and how many of them are there? Plus how many actually have brand new models and not just some old Lambo?) how many supercar manufacturers are likely to supply cars to be tested locally? I'd be surprised if the show doesn't buy in footage from elsewhere if it is to avoid lots of Skyline v Commodore v Falcon tests.

Despite my foreboding, I'll definitely give it a go, but if they start doling out their own awards to local cars in apparent defiance of logic (Best Car from a Country Beginning with A; Fattest Envelope Under the Counter; Most Ambitious Marketing Pitch) then I'll start watching something else....

[Holdennumber1]

I don't think they even needed to make an Australian Top Gear. The UK version is a real interesting and funny show and an Aussie one won't be as good. I also think it will be hard to get hold of a lot of cars as mentioned above such as supercars like Zondas, ferrari's and Lamborghini's that there are so little numbers of in Australia. I hope it is as good as the UK veresion though, and I will be tuning in for the first episode.

[btjia]

Anyone know where there going to film Top Gear Australia?

[carnut01]

Anyone know where there going to film Top Gear Australia?
no idea - i don't think they have said yet, but being SBS, they would prob stay in Melbourne:confused:


i guess it would make it easier with a few tracks to choose from as well

[minh427]

http://video.sbs.com.au/player/news/index.php?mmid =11228&chid=12&tabid=17

[brchi17]

some interesting viewing there, thanks for posting the link. But I still like the original a hell of a lot more...:)

[Mux]

Holdennumber1 and Nick, you say there arent many exotic cars in Australia, you'd actually be really suprised just how many there are, in Perth alone.

Just off the top of my head, Perth has three Lamborghini LP640s, handful of Gallardos, a couple of diablos, a superleggera, 20 or more XK Jaguars, probably 8 or more DB9s, three Vanquishs one being a Vanquish S, countless Maseratis, heaps of F430s, 3 or four 599s, we had a f430 challenge which is now in Queensland, i've lost count of v8 vantages, three N400s.

I think i've made my point, so there are plenty of awesome cars that could potentially be tested, i think the only problem would be that Topgear UK tests these cars long before we see them, and we would have probably seen them tested already by clarkson and the boys.

[Nick Short]

That's what I meant by some guy with an old Lambo - there are quite a few exotics but nothing we haven't seen before, so it would be a case of same old same old. UNLESS the presenters turned the cars into boats....no, it's been done. How about driving the Vantage against.....no, it's been done. Racing the F430 against....no.

[Leigh]

I agree Nick, we are never going to match the motherland for anything...period!

[Holdennumber1]

Mux. Another thing with the exotics is getting their owners to lend them to top gear. There may be a lot of cars in Perth but how many owners would let people drive them at high speeds. Going by the Clipsal 500, I wouldn't be jumping at the chance to lend someone my Million dollar supercar.

[rex555]

I agree Nick, we are never going to match the motherland for anything...period!

Can't match them for rain ATM thats for sure or 'English sunshine' as I like to call it. ;)

[Kashmir]

I agree Nick, we are never going to match the motherland for anything...period!

Yeah but we are better in cricket though:D

[Patterson]

and aussie rules :D

[SWRT]

How much did 'Warren' spend to hire out Eastern Creek for his video?