Top Gear Australia

[scblack]

The friggen idiots put the Porsche up on the board as 911 PDK, when he said about 9 times it was the manual.
You must have been watching a different show to the rest of us.......The steering wheel paddles kind of gave it away that it is NOT a manual. On the hot lap the Stig did use the floor shifter, but it was not a manual. NO ONE mentioned it was a manual........

They needed more cameras, I couldn't get a sense of the where the tracks/challenges went.
Agreed.

Oh, the Porsche road test was a joke. It looked like he was doing 60km/h the whole time, and he didn't even mention how it drove, just about how enviro friendly it is.

People, People, it is just the first show, give it a chance.

But it was too much just a direct copy of what the UK show is and says, and trying to make the same jokes. Came across as completely unnatural, and slapstick and silly really. A bit too try-hard, without doing anything of their own. Stop trying to force out the humour, they are OK presenters, but do their own thing, don't copy the jokes the UK guys do.

I'll watch it again but see how it pans out.

 

[scblack]

they arent. One is a forced induction inline 6 and the other is a N/A V8. The 8 will have the upper hand thru the first 3000rpm then the turbo will take the lead when it hits on boost. They havent even got a fair mechanical comparison, so it will probably come down to something asinine like price, amount of leather and who has the better integrated GPS system.

Episode 10, season 10 of TGUK was a good example of how to match cars, MB C63, BMW M3 and Audio RS4. all the same engine (for the most part) and very similar drive trains and levels of comfort.

It needs to be the GTS vs the GT-P to be fairly matched.

W2ttsy

It is a perfect match, one is a Commodore, the other is a Falcon. Exactly the same market segment, price is similar, they are each a performance version of a taxi.

Each is the best performance version they offer. It is a comparison of the cars as a package, not just the V8 engines they have available. Just because the Falcon has a turbo and not a Canadian made V8 does not make it a different car.

 

[...jim]

It was a bit dissapointing to see a cookie cutter copy of the UK version - but then again, that's what works so well - so there's your starting point. Hopefully the au show will grow in it's own direction (if it's given room to breathe).

Some of the immitation needs work - the style of the camera and editing is close, but not as elegent as the UK version - and yeah, it seemed pretty tightly scripted - or at least the trio have yet to gel on camera enough to step away from the formula.

On the Lambo/Maybach front - ya gotta remember how many of those there are in Australia. In the UK, they could likely whistle one up from the European factory in a day or two - and would likely sell a buttload off the back of a decent showing. Here, thery're no more than a novelty. Given they clearly weren't allowed to drive either - they gave them about what they deserved. Would it be good to see more? Sure - but the industry is going to have to come to that party before that happens.

The best bit was when Warren Brown started drawing shark cartoons. Gasp. New. Different. Simple.

 

[do-a-flip]

People, People, it is just the first show, give it a chance.

But it was too much just a direct copy of what the UK show is and says, and trying to make the same jokes. Came across as completely unnatural, and slapstick and silly really. A bit too try-hard, without doing anything of their own. Stop trying to force out the humour, they are OK presenters, but do their own thing, don't copy the jokes the UK guys do.

I'll watch it again but see how it pans out.

yer definately agreed. the presenters are alright but it was trying to hard to be a complete copy of the UK version. i would have loved it if they had put some complete aussie bogans on who could just yap about how big their engine is, but i doubt all the car enthusiests out there would like that idea i would have just like australia to put their own twists in it..

 

[kurto]

i only just realised that the Clarkeson clone also had a bitch about the paddle shift ala Clarkeson
yep too cookie cutter is a good analogy
mosy of us will never drive these cars so i dont get the point of bagging it the same way he does

and was the test track at Camden airport ???

 

[DARTY18]

Wasnt too bad for a first run,
better than any other aussie shows on in that time slot

I reckon swap the short annoying 50 cent guy with grant denyer, he has way better jokes

 

[team get sum yer goose]

THE FIRST EPISODE WAS DISGRACEFUL! they have tried to copy the UK series way too much, all the angles used when the stig was driving the cares were MUCH too close you couldnt get a feel of the track. plus that mini moke they destroyed are bcoming a rare car these days. and they killed it!

but i do have to say that enev the UK series is stooping, they just do ridiculous stuff the whole time these days, they dont do enough car journalism.


all in all, aussie Top Gear... i hate you.

 

[lockieoc]

It brings shame to the name top gear. Personally i thought it was a poorly scripter cheesy piece of crap just trying to recreate the original characters and doing a terrible job of it. We loved Top Gear UK because of the hosts (Clarkson, May and Hammond) and the fact they try to rip them off really pisses me off i think they should try and follow there own paths and try putting down the script for just two seconds. i will watch the next episode hoping they will redeem themselves but i doubt it. i gave it 3.5 out of 10.

 

[top_dog]

My bad scblack, I thought he was saying he was using the manual.

 

[sockman]

Yes, they are perfectly matched. They're the fastest car that each manufacturer/specialist onseller make? I don't see your point?

I would agree with you if it was a walkinshaw r8 (475 KW from memory, blown V8) VS the F6.... The Walky would smash it in a heart beat, but at least it would be a Commonwhore VS a Falcon...

Jason Bargwanna is the Stig.

Who's this bloke?

they arent. One is a forced induction inline 6 and the other is a N/A V8. The 8 will have the upper hand thru the first 3000rpm then the turbo will take the lead when it hits on boost. They havent even got a fair mechanical comparison, so it will probably come down to something asinine like price, amount of leather and who has the better integrated GPS system.

Episode 10, season 10 of TGUK was a good example of how to match cars, MB C63, BMW M3 and Audio RS4. all the same engine (for the most part) and very similar drive trains and levels of comfort.

It needs to be the GTS vs the GT-P to be fairly matched.

W2ttsy

Win...

It is a perfect match, one is a Commodore, the other is a Falcon. Exactly the same market segment, price is similar, they are each a performance version of a taxi.

Each is the best performance version they offer. It is a comparison of the cars as a package, not just the V8 engines they have available. Just because the Falcon has a turbo and not a Canadian made V8 does not make it a different car.

While you have a valid point here, I think you missed the point of a ford holden shoot out... The cars need to be on par PERFORMANCE wise... no one watches these shows to find out who has a better GPS or the most comfortable leather. People want to see speed and smoke.

Wasnt too bad for a first run,
better than any other aussie shows on in that time slot

I reckon swap the short annoying 50 cent guy with grant denyer, he has way better jokes

Didn't Grant Denyer break his back or something? Think I saw something on one of those current affair type shows mentioning his struggle to walk again...

I'm not giving up yet... better to wait a few weeks for them to smooth out all the kinks.

 

[Knopey]

Yep Denyer fractured a disc landing a Monster Truck practice jump. It wasn't even a crash, just a harsh landing - he stopped, opened the door and sort of flopped himself out onto the ground... No mention of nerve damage though from what I've heard?

He would have been a prime candidate as a presenter, although Channel 7 probably pay him way more than SBS could. I don't see anything wrong with having "no-names" presenting though... just get a bit more personality, blokes! Of your own!

 

[Steve-0]

hahahah everyone in here is saying exactly the same thing. Anyway it'll get better, and because its sbs they wont axe it after 2 shows so hopefully it gets better by then.

Ford vs Holden? Its HSV's best car vs FPV's best car isnt it? walkinshaw isnt HSV its a 3rd party tuning company yes? i dont care either way, they'll rip a few brunouts and that'll keep me happy. Hopefully they dont do what most shows do and flog Ford vs Holden everywhere then not tell us whats better....also +1 for getting grant denyer in, hes a perfect candidate for the show.

 

[Nick53]

Top Gear Australia = Epic Fail

The jokes were lame and set up, the sand dune thing was alright apart from the lame joke when the guy didnt stop at the top. The jump was cool. In every race they have against themselves there's one presenter who is a way better driver than the other so you know who is going to win. Snow bit was shit. There test track looks garbage, basically from what I saw it has one chicane (sp?). The bit how the guy went in the $1m SLK was gay. They basically showed that you can use a phone on it...wtf.

Hopefully they either step up or get the original back on.

ATM there trying to copy TopGear UK.

Here's a wacky example...say TG UK is a downhill bike, TG Aus at the moment is like they have a XC bike and are putting downhill parts on it. It's just lacking in the main area's TopGear UK was great in (thats suppose to be the frame).


If that didnt make any sense...sorry

 

[sawtell]

Here's a wacky example...say TG UK is a downhill bike, TG Aus at the moment is like they have a XC bike and are putting downhill parts on it. It's just lacking in the main area's TopGear UK was great in (thats suppose to be the frame).

id almost sig that.!!

 

[stoff]

Who's this bloke?

A V8 supercar driver with a bit of extra padding on him, just like the Stig seemed to have last night.

 

[kyleman]

CRAP i missed it
is it available on podcast or anything like that?

 

[Simmo.]

CRAP i missed it
is it available on podcast or anything like that?

Here you go. Quick search on youtube found this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkdWXL1ekwc - Ep 1. Part 1/6

I suggest going to the actual youtube site, and follow the links in the 'more info' box for the next parts.

 

[Simmo.]

For the first part, it's outta sync in those youtube videos, but I'm pretty sure the rest are good.

By the way, they've got a preview up for next week's episode.
http://www.sbs.com.au/topgearaustralia/episodes

 

[WolfCreekPsycho]

Can someone tell me what happened after they poured the blood into the water during the Shark choke on moke ? didnt set the recorder long enough : (

(and no youtube access)

 

[FR Drew]

They shook the camera around a la A Current Affair or Today Tonight "doorstep ambush footage" and showed shots of the sharks attacking bits of meat on hooks with no Moke in sight.

Had to rate as one of the biggest wanks of the entire episode.