Top Gear finally gets its comeuppance

[Neil]

Certainly seems Clarkson has a bent he plays up to.

Which for a while was reasonably funny. (edit: meant to say, which one were you referring to? ;-))

I don't think all the criticism of him / TG is all middle-aged, fear-anything-loud, why-can't-we-all-just-drive-Honda-Jazzes mentality. I personally used to enjoy TG, I just think it's gone too far in it's need to shock, be-all-right-on-brother and anti-pc, and become so caricature - like Clarkson's on-screen persona (and to a lesser, not-as-well-paid-degree his "help").

Unfortunately, there seems a never-ending supply of people that buy into it, so much so it influences their opinion, as opposed to merely entertains it's designed demographs.

I'm not looking at the original, although informative, probably somewhat dull for most, as how it should be - there was a time when it was fun, had daft stuff, showed a passion for cars, without being overly polemic, contrived, or downright misleading.

Nowadays, though, I can't watch if for long, before JC's overplayed on-screen persona, and the help, feverishly attempt to out-do themselves, starts to irritate and remind me that, but in name and to decreasing difference in subject matter, could just as easily be a WWE wrestling show.

 

[gump]

Some nice UK cars being put together too...

http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/31/delt ... ucky-huma/

Still early in development, but even when its power limited, it gives a massive grin Constant torque delivery feels so different to an ICE

 

[highlandsflyer]

I take it you have never driven a large displacement V8?

 

[gump]

I take it you have never driven a large displacement V8?

Nope, you are right sadly. A quick google on the BMW V8 and Rover V8 seems they are pretty flat across a wide rev range. Now just imagine that without gears

 

[mikee]

i think telly would be a worse (if thats possible ) place without top gear
i find it entertaining and of the 2 hours of tv i watch a week its prolly the best bit
is it scripted to annoy /shock etc ,dunno i just find it entertaining ,a bit better if there was some motorbikes on it tho

top gear finally gets its comupance , do you not like it then?

 

[tintin40]

But only if it is rigged.

I suspect that they will be aquitted, they said that Tesla claimed a 220 mile range, but on their track it only managed 55 miles. This will be shown to be in line with the effect of "track driving" on other cars' fuel economy (and hence range). Remember they got 4mph out of a Mitsubishi Evo IX. So, they reported nothing but verifiable facts.

Agree.
Tesla is rubbish.

 

[highlandsflyer]

Nope, you are right sadly. A quick google on the BMW V8 and Rover V8 seems they are pretty flat across a wide rev range. Now just imagine that without gears

Second question, have you driven a modern high end automatic?

I know what you are saying about electric vehicles, powerful and simple.

However, there is so much to do to make them truly practical for certain applications.

Great as commuting vehicles, in predictable scenarios.

Even then, how about when there is an accident and you have a two hour delay?

I like electric, big time, but not for the environmental reason, it is purely the simplicity.

I do feel we will see lots more other tech that is more practical before electric reaches its zenith.

It seems intuitive to generate power at the place of need where that place is variable.

That is where the future lies for personal transport.

 

[MikeD]

Even then, how about when there is an accident and you have a two hour delay?

Delayed = not moving, hence not using much charge

 

[highlandsflyer]

Even then, how about when there is an accident and you have a two hour delay?

Delayed = not moving, hence not using much charge

Now imagine that you are stuck in that 2 hour jam in an ambient temperature of -2.

Not an absurd position!

 

[JohnH]

top gear finally gets its comupance , do you not like it then?

Once upon a time Mikee, the people of this country were doers. The British scientific and industrial revolution invented the modern world that we now take for granted. My heroes are people like Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, Isambard Kingdom Brunel, James Watt, James Clerk Maxwell, Michael Faraday. These guys devoted their whole lives to improving the world that others lived in -- and they came from the UK.

Today, we turn on our TV to see who the most influential people are in this country. And it's people like Jeremy Clarkson; a half-witted gobshite who says anything he wants and doesn't give a damn about the consequences.

I remember him mercilessly ridiculing the sporty version of the Rover 75, after which he half-heartedly implored the (then) MD of Rover, John Towers, to tell the world whether Rover was in good shape or not. Did JC honestly think that his viewing audience of millions would be encouraged to order Rover cars when he said that the 75 should be fitted with "a wood burning stove and a thatched roof"? Where was the genuine concern for the shape that Rover was in when the cheap gags were being written?

Anyway, within months Rover closed and 6,500 brummies lost their jobs. We've gone from a country whose best-known people build industries to a country whose best-known people make cheap jokes as our industries die.

So yeah, I hope that Top Gear gets burned for this. I hope that the people who are trying to innovate, build brave new engineering projects and employ a workforce are victorious, while the sneerers and shit-stirrers get a good kicking.