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And they have no real enthusiasm for the cars they are driving.
Must be a parallel stub version of TG, ‘cos when they like a car, they say so, and if they’re disappointed, they say so.
Yes, another good one. Very few people need a luxury barge with the capabilities of that Range Rover, but bloody hell it was impressive.
Interesting to see all the problems with the F1 road car as well.
Couldn’t agree more. The Merc was extraordinary, but honestly a bit embarrassing to watch. All the issues seemed to be with electronics and control systems, which also show up on their road cars - being bricked in park mode after a flat battery, requiring the car to be literally dragged onto a low-loader, or all the whizzy flat-screen displays going black while the car’s actually being driven? Not a good look.
The RR, however, had me going “what, they’re never going to take it down… **** me they are!”
At least they put serious off-road rubber on it; plenty of times in the past where they’ve been chucking some honking great SUV across muddy fields or whatever, it’s been wearing fat low-profile road tyres, which is just daft.
I’d definitely NOT want a light coloured interior, though. I have, in the past, driven a top-end RR Sport, and I have to admit, it showed a possible lifestyle to which I could get very much accustomed to!
I’d definitely NOT want a light coloured interior, though. I have, in the past, driven a top-end RR Sport, and I have to admit, it showed a possible lifestyle to which I could get very much accustomed to!
I have to admit, as much as I* hate cars in general, Range Rovers are just very nice places to be. Although if I had £100k+ to spend on getting around surely you would have to be driving one hell of a lot to run up that sort of money on taxis and 1st class trains.
*Hypocritically owning an old MG
Tried watching again this weekend. Can’t remember much, my mind wondered off, apart from the AMG struggling. Formula one cars and road cars shouldn’t be mashed together…? Who’d have thunk it.
Great episode. RR always get the luxury and proper off road spot on.
I really enjoyed the episode but I don't agree with any of the previous posts about the capabilities of the Range Rover - they have been able to do that (and plenty more besides) for years and years, just like Toyota Land Cruisers, Lada Rivas, Suzuki Jimnys, Subaru Foresters or any other half-decent off-roader. And it is a terrible shame that 99.9% of the cars built will never be required to be put into descent, rock crawl or wading mode – all that money and it seems like a pointless gimmick. But I would love to have a drive in one though.
enjoyed it ! Wonder how much the bill was to put the RR back to selling condition - between the front bumper damage and no doubt some dings underneath etc I imagine it would be a fair amount !
^^^ I assume it is one they use for press (ie, a quick tidy up of any damage, give it a valet and it's good to go for the next testers).
At least they put serious off-road rubber on it; plenty of times in the past where they’ve been chucking some honking great SUV across muddy fields or whatever, it’s been wearing fat low-profile road tyres, which is just daft.
I've been fortunate enough to go to Land Rover Experience a quite few times and the vehicles they use there for the off-road driving experience always have standard roads tyres, the same as those on the vehicles when they come out of the factory. They explained that they want customers to know what their own, standard build vehicles are capable of.
All of their new vehicles are remarkable off road, the technology and capability is truly fantastic. I always feel quite sad though knowing that all of the that engineering will be wasted on 99% of sold vehicles.
Loving TG, Sunday night trash TV. It is just fun, 3 blokes having a laugh razzing cars around. The RR test was just brilliant, like others here I'm sat there thinking "No Way is that going across that".
Thought the water crossing might have fried some electrics in the RR tho.
From a less shouty era, just heard one of the original presenters, Sue Baker, has died.
Thought the water crossing might have fried some electrics in the RR tho.
I assume critical electrics are sited higher up in the bay with waterproofing (or even inside the car) as will the air filter be – and the water wasn't that deep really, barely past wheel height (it was just the big splash entrance that made it look deeper than it really was). Taken properly, with a controlled bow-wave, and it would have looked pretty unspectacular though 😂
The electrics in a Land Rover product don't need to go into water to go wrong...
LOL very true
Capable of getting you up Everest but foiled by the harsh conditions of school-run Chippenham...
Agree with everyone that it was another good one. Odd to see Harris not appear to be let fully off the leash with the AMG, especially on a track. Always enjoy anything with Freddie getting to be competitive, may have zoned out for the RR but thats ok too
That Merc was a bit bonkers. £750k for an engine rebuild every 30,000 miles. I liked the idea but I’m not sure that it is an F1 engine. I thought they needed pre warming before they would start and a team of engineers to make it start. Hardly compatible with a turn the key and go. Amazing that they bothered to build it and Im sure they will sell them all
After reading the updates on here, I thought I was use catch up to view Sunday's one. I thought it was dull - the Mercedes bit was okay - but the stock car racing went on for ever, and Paddy is just one very annoying individual.
Harry's garage knocks spots off TG. Yes I know they are different animals but I do listen to Radio 3.
I liked the idea but I’m not sure that it is an F1 engine.
It is very closely related/derived from. Of course it is not just a case of taking engine from F1 car and putting in road car. It wouldn't work that well and it would certainly not last 30,000 miles before major work required.
Shaping up to be a great episode - take 4 "ordinary" low level racers/mechanics and give them 8 weeks to get up to speed in a McLaren GT car
I've watched this mindless crap since James May was introduced as the new guy, and it's never been the same since that trio left IMO, but that episode knocked it out the park. Great stuff 🙂
Fabulous episode. Good luck to those young guys.
Wonderful.
Great episode, like the Eddie Kidd tribute they can do something different other than dicking about. Paddy gets a lot of stick on this thread and he can be a bit overly ladish but I think this episode and the Eddie Kidd episode prove he's alright really, I think 🤔
That was great. Paddy was much less annoying. I enjoyed the hot hatch piece. But, the main part, giving those young guys a chance at high level racing/spannering, was ace.
Not sure why it was Paddy though, the only one without racing experience of the 3 and the one who can’t drive a car. Just seamed very odd
Good to see a slight change in direction for the programme
Really really enjoyed that. They could of done that as a longer 3 or 4 part stand alone show or a weekly segment to see how they progress over a season or something. As I said, brilliant, and I have not said that about TG for a long time.
That was a fantastic episode. Great for them to show what is possible when money doesn't tilt the scales.
Awesome to see that most of them have got a foot in the door now
That was superb TV. Well done to the 4 kids. Great to see that it hasn't ended there for them too.
Has Chris Harris eaten an Oompa Loompa?
He's twice the size he was the last time I watched this.
If you heard one of the TG presenter was injured in a crash while filming but didn't know which one, who do you automatically first think of?
Hope Freddie's OK: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-63966337
I automatically assumed it was Hammond!
Tom Coyne.
Being a bit vague, other than saying it was low speed.
Eldest is back from uni so has been catching up on this latest series - really has been a step up
Being a bit vague, other than saying it was low speed.
Free advertising for the series re-start this weekend?
Free advertising for the series re-start this weekend?
Does it?! The last one only finished a couple of months ago.
edit - ah, hang on. This is the last one of the current series after a break for the football. So not a couple of months ago.
Low speed. . . I’m actually a little disappointed in him
Free advertising for the series re-start this weekend?
“Hey! Freddie. We need some advertising can you crash the car and be airlifted to hospital with an overnight stay.”
Free advertising for the series re-start this weekend?
“Hey! Freddie. We need some advertising can you crash the car and be airlifted to hospital with an overnight stay.”
I'm not saying that it was planned, just that they are taking advantage of it.
How? It’s a news report that’s it.
Well that doesn't sound good:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-65056723
Sounds like FF may be off.
Maybe they'll restrict who drives?
The Beeb's reporting on the advisement always seems remarkably tight lipped on what happened. Suffice to say, driving cars at the specs they do, even on a closed circuit, represents an enormous risk.
<span style="font-size: 0.8rem;">Shame though, because the current line up where quite watchable.</span>
Without any knowledge of the accident or injuries sustained, isn't this the result of having celebs rather than car nuts doing the presenting? If Chris Harris had the off I am sure he would rationalise it as "occupational hazard" and get back in a car (I accept he has an economic incentive because it is his occupation), but Freddie is more likely to be thinking there are other things he can be paid to do which doesn't involve a visit to hospital.
I think the other issue is FF is a bit of a nutcase, he takes far more risks than a professional driver would. It's entertaining but probably isn't something that will be allowed going forward
Must have been severe as the accident happened in December - does anyone know what happened ?
Have their insurers finally had enough? I don't see how the format can continue without non-expert presenters and celebs at the wheel.
Ah, apparently crashed a three wheeled Morgan Super 3 - facial injuries and broken ribs
The wording is interesting. The BBC have apologised to Freddie, suggesting they are at fault not him.
Must have been severe as the accident happened in December – does anyone know what happened ?
I sort of do - it was via a friend of a friend, so I don't know 100% of the details.
Suffice to say the man doesn't fit in a Morgan and he won't be winning any beauty contests when he eventually recovers.
I can't help but think its run its course anyhow.
YouTube now gives you everything you could want car wise from proper reviews to messing around in vehicles. Any new car that comes out now about 10 YouTube vids are released the same day. By the time TG did that new Aston Martin, it had already been on YouTube a few months, even with Chris Harris.
The only thing YouTube doesnt do is the epic journeys across continents, but to be fair they have all been pretty much done too.
I watched a Chris Harris vid on YT recently and he looked like he had put a load of weight on, and dishevelled. Paddy Mc is just highly annoying and cant drive.
I think the format is a little tired and they do take too many risks in the name of entertainment. It's unfortunate that FF has been injured but who on earth thought it would be a good idea to stick him in a 3 wheeler in the first place? I know he has a bit of a rep as the crash test dummy but that was just reckless.
I think that YT has proven there's a market for a serious entusiast car show on tv and whilst this has become the TG format there's probably a good argument for changing things.
The wording is interesting. The BBC have apologised to Freddie, suggesting they are at fault not him.
Yeah the wording is a bit weird – I wonder if the directors 'encouraged' a funny tip-the-car-over type of crash (like the one with the Reliant Robin back in Clarkson days).
Although it is nowhere near as easy to tip a 3 wheeled car over when the 2 wheels are at the front...
It's one thing doing that in a battered old Reliant, another deliberately doing it in a lovely old Morgan.
My guess is that they failed to carry out a proper assessment on the safe limits of the car plus a big lad and Freddie, knowing no better, and with no grown up holding him back, pushed it way too hard.
Did HSE get involved?
Think it said on breakfast news that no further action is being taken.
It’s one thing doing that in a battered old Reliant, another deliberately doing it in a lovely old Morgan.
It was a Morgan Super 3 (the brand new one that is presumably somewhat safer to crash in that a 70 year old one)
Harry's garage is good if you want epic road trips and grown up car reviews
A few days ago I saw a Top Gear clip called "Speed Week 22 on Three Wheels" where Stig had the Super 3 on two wheels while cornering. This video has now been deleted but I suspect Freddie was trying to replicate the Stig but without his skills.
The top gear thread on piston heads is interesting. There’s claims of fractured jaws, terminated contracts and Fred sueing the bbc. Rumoured £15m!
As above fractured jaw and then some.
Without any knowledge of the accident or injuries sustained, isn’t this the result of having celebs rather than car nuts doing the presenting?
I seem to be in a minority thinking this but I quite liked it when it started up again with Chris Harris and Rory Reid. Even what's his face from Friends at least had an interest. There was a glimmer of an actual car show. Then they pivoted and ran in the complete opposite direction, with some attempt at comedy and zero substance.
Whether it contributed to his accident or not I don't know, but Flintoff always seemed intent on outdoing everybody else to stroke his own massive ego. He was always a liability.
Doubt there are many people at the BBC standing up for keeping a car show hosted by three native white men running really.
but Flintoff always seemed intent on outdoing everybody else to stroke his own massive ego.
world class sportsman in competitive nature shocker
Doubt there are many people at the BBC standing up for keeping a car show hosted by three native white men running really.
The accounting dept probably are! It's a big earner...
Doubt it'll have been a 'gag' gone wrong, just FF getting abit too sendy as usual. Tiff Needell nearly tipped one on 5th gear years ago too.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/66755339
Flintoff looks battered several months on
He looks better than I thought he would tbh. Pleased he's out and about.
Just seen it on the news - looks like the poor guy has had a lot of reconstruction done.
Glad he's up and about though.
Given that is how he is looking now after all that time, I hate to think what he actually suffered. Definitely nasty...but glad to see he is now out and about.
Chris Harris was on Joe Rogan this week and talks quite openly about the demise of Top Gear and Flintoff's accident. He's scathing of the BBC, claiming he repeatedly warned them there would be a serious accident.
After he flipped that hearse they should have had a massive change in their H&S processes and culture.
Slight segue but Chris Harris on Joe Rogan's podcast the other day was quite entertaining.
Rory also saying he warned the bbc.
Paddy and Chris are back with a new series called Road Tripping on the beeb.