Thứ Tư, 4 tháng 1, 2017

Model S on Top Gear? part 2

  • Feb 18, 2015
    gpetti
    Wow! He really doesn't like Top Gear :) I almost felt bad for the hamster (he's not a real hamster). Almost.
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  • Feb 18, 2015
    gpetti
    Clarkson does mock Porsche (Hitler mobile if I'm not mistaken) but of course Hammond more than makes up for it. In any case, I wasn't referring to the opinions expressed (though clearly these could be damaging for a small company) I was referring to their test drives where they do what appears to be a serious review. If they showed a Porsche apparently mechanically failing and implied that it was defective - but then the car company found out that it was scripted and they had faked the problem, I'm thinking that most companies might have pause to kick back at TG. There is a line here between the complete pantomime that they do for some things and the quasi serious reviews they do where one could reasonably assume that whether they refer to under steer, braking, acceleration or whatever, they are not making it up. I guess the argument that Top Gear could make for the roadster situation (and possibly did make) is that running out of juice is a real possibility - even if it didn't actually happen to them. Presumably if they wanted to, they could have "Brodered" it if they wanted to but saved themselves the time required to do enough donuts. Either way it was never going to come out as a complete triumph. The law suit may have served to make Tesla look humorless but it also may have helped to raise publicity around the actual range of the cars and to allow Tesla to address some of the errors in the TG piece. Of course any JC sycophants would never be swayed anyway.
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  • Feb 18, 2015
    Grendal
    I would imagine that if Top Gear tested a Model S P85D that they would run it around the track a few times and then do their official race when the cars systems have been slowed down. The guys would make fun of the car because it is protecting the batteries and point out how you don't have to protect a gas engine. They don't like electrics in comparison to their precious rumbling ICE's. They are biased against hybrids and electrics and that is not going to change even with an incredible car like the Model S.

    I'm with other posters and believe it is all for the best that Top Gear never do a review of any Tesla again.

    And I like the show and watch it regularly....
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  • Feb 18, 2015
    pete8314
    Say what you will about Top Gear, but it's the BBC's most successful export, and (I think) the most watched 'factual program' in the world (yes, I see the irony in that). So although Tesla is demand-constrained, the actual brand awareness still seems to be low (there's still not a week that goes by when I don't have the 'What car is that/It's a Tesla Model S/Who makes it?/Tesla {confused look ensues]). I think it's a shame that TG seems to be actively ignoring Tesla, part of me has some faith that both sides (Tesla and TG) are big enough to move on from the Roadster piece, but maybe not.
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  • Feb 18, 2015
    Grendal
    I think the best we will get is the very positive review of the car by Top Gear USA.
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  • Mar 10, 2015
    gg_got_a_tesla
  • Mar 10, 2015
    pete8314
    And more: Top Gear series postponed and future hangs in the balance after Jeremy Clarkson "punches producer�


    Rest of the series has been pulled. Typically when it comes to a star vs. the BBC, the star loses....Clarkson has had a few lucky escapes (he doesn't bother/offend me, but the BBC has to go to great pains to be impartial and acting in the public/licence payer's best interest). The BBC now owns the rights to TG having purchased the controlling stake from JC, and the brand is larger than Clarkson, so this could well be the final nail in the coffin for him. It's a shame in some ways, but the program will live on.
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  • Mar 10, 2015
    Gizmotoy
    A big part of what I liked about TG was Clarkson's oafish antics. I frequently disagreed with him, but I find it pretty unlikely the show will be better without him. The failure of TG in pretty much every other market it's been attempted is proof that the primary ingredient was the chemistry between the hosts, which is sure to be lost when searching for a replacement. I know there's still a lot of raw feelings here over the Roadster fiasco, but I know I'll miss the show.
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  • Mar 10, 2015
    smac
    Yep it's a real shame, have to say I was disappointed to hear the news.

    We of course have no idea exactly what he's done now, but it must be pretty serious for the BBC to have deemed it necessary to cut the schedule mid season (apparently the studio bit normally gets filmed on the Wednesday before the show goes to air) so it's very last minute.

    Personally TG has inspired me to do some pretty crazy things with cars: I've driven a Hummer up a glacier, bought �500 cars with my friends play bumper cars then do 000 mile road trips (car engineering is pretty impressive!), blast through the alpine tunnels just to lap the Monaco GP circuit then drive home, rent a Holden stuff it full of camping gear to go hiking in Oz, and this year's planned trip is to drive from the UK up to the Arctic circle raceway).

    Really for me the car part was secondary, it was the mix of adventure and fun the trio obviously had on these challenges that I will miss the most.

    I really don't care how fast a P85D might do their track!

    And on that bombshell... :D
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  • Mar 10, 2015
    pete8314
    Agreed. This all (allegedly) went down last week, so I guess tensions are still running high and the 'producer' reported him. The BBC, being what it is, has no option but to take it seriously. The show will survive, with or without him, but it'll be different for sure. There's no shortage of middle-aged loutish presenters though, so you never know, the replacement might work out better! Personally I'd be sadder if Hammond left, but even he seems to be spreading his bets with a bunch of other shows, including his best impression of Attenborough (slow, meaningful talking) on the recent nature show (I forget the name).
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  • Mar 10, 2015
    romp
    As much as I like the show and each presenter (I think TG is one of very few reasons remaining to own a TV), I think there's future for the show ONLY if the new presenter will try to find his/her own voice. I think that failures of all TG spin-offs can be directly attributed to hosts trying to live up to the level of JC, Hammond and Dr.Slow.

    I think this is a great opportunity for the show to make a significant and lasting change. I think if they need to replace JC, they need to make as big of a change as they can, so nobody would want to compare the new host with the old one. For example: JC isn't really a driver -- find a racecar driver. JC likes POWERRRRRRR and muscle cars -- find someone who prefers best-handling cars. JC is extrovert -- find a introvert with self-deprecating humor. JC is a guy -- find a girl. Etc. etc.

    I nominate Sabine Schmitz as a replacement for JC.
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  • Mar 10, 2015
    fluxemag
    Top Gear without Clarkson will be like Two and a Half Men without Charlie Sheen. Nobody watches the show for Hamster or May. Being such a huge machine that it is, they'll try to replace him and keep it going. I suppose if Top Gear USA can stay on the air, anything is possible. Fifth Gear is a decent show if you like more seriousness and better drivers.
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  • Mar 10, 2015
    gg_got_a_tesla
    I'd like the replacement to be a young woman as well with Hammond and May now the veterans. It'd be a great new dynamic.
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  • Mar 10, 2015
    bollar
    Like Leilani M�nter? That would fix the Tesla review problem. :)
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  • Mar 10, 2015
    William13
    Leilani Munter!
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  • Mar 11, 2015
    skilly
    JC would love to have a Porsche break down on his watch - he'd use up the entire show making fun of that moment....pretty unlikely and the public wouldn't find it plausible so it wouldn't 'entertain' . Like I have said earlier, to me (and many others) its a mixture of knowledge and entertainment; heavy on the entertainment. And, if people are considering a 100K purchase for an auto, at best it *might* serve as a source. I cant help but restate that its identical to looking at John Stewarts "The Daily Show" - same mixture of knowledge and entertainment and if that was where one gathered their news exclusively to form opinions, they wouldn't be accurate. Moreover, they look to this show to laugh while their getting informed - yet a further parallel to TG because both are shows for Entertainment.

    TM was correct in setting the record straight; however, seeing some of the seething comments on this thread about the show being some sort of spawn of satan shows me that the perspective is off a little on the shows offering.
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  • Mar 11, 2015
    Gizmotoy
    And to be clear, May, Hammond, and Clarkson all publicly agreed that if any one of them is fired or quits, they're all leaving the show. They may or may not follow through, but they've all confirmed the agreement. The timing here is interesting, because all three of their contracts are up at the end of this month. Sky has been conspiring to steal all three of them for some sort of new motoring show for some time now, so it'll be interesting to see how this plays out.
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  • Mar 11, 2015
    gpetti
    Was just having a discussion about this with my son and we were talking about examples of the type of character that might work. One that I came up with was Chris Evans (Ginger Guy) who is a car enthusiast and almost as abrasive as JC when he wants to be. Not sure how many North Americans know who he is but he's been on Top Gear a few times.
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  • Mar 11, 2015
    skilly
    http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/jeremy-clarkson-suspended-chris-evans-says-he-would-never-replace-top-gear-presenter-10100763.html
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  • Mar 11, 2015
    1208
    We need someone pro electric cars to take his place.
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  • Mar 11, 2015
    pete8314
    Besides, Chris (former BBC Radio 1 "bad boy", and also fired by the BBC) has mellowed way down now and is back on BBC Radio 2. I love how some of the bookies are touting Chris Moyles as a replacement, basically because he's a bit large and kind of mouthy; give the BBC some credit, they're smarter than to just try and replace like for like, they have a legacy of sucessfully rebooting major brands (and cokcing some up, but still...)

    - - - Updated - - -

    They also have an agreement that if one of them dies while filming, then the show will go on, confirmed in the first show on the new season that followed Hammond's very-near-death experience in the rocket car (and also confirmed in his book). They all have their own gig's now, so certainly don't need TG, but I agree with others that changing up the main presenter but keeping May and Hammond could make for a really interesting dynamic.
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  • Mar 11, 2015
    Gizmotoy
    So is the implication that the BBC should have Clarkson killed so they can continue the show with a new host? ;-)
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  • Mar 11, 2015
    In2oil
    I would like to add my two cents,

    i think jc should be replaced by no other that Steve sutcliffe for autocar.uk. Great presenter, excellent driver and most importantly did a great review of the tesla model s in 2013.

    steve sutcliffe is the man. Google his review of the tesla model s from autocar.

    btw, my car is in transit from the factory. My guesstimate is about two week... At my door.

    - - - Updated - - -


    I say say it again. Steve sutcliffe from autocar uk. Loves electric cars! Out with clarkson... In with sutcliffe.
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  • Mar 11, 2015
    YoungStranger
    Top Gear is dead. The last episode was the weakest I have seen. And I think they know it. Clarkson even reviewed a car he had reviewed before. They have run out of ideas. But the real thing that has killed it is the P85d. Every week they purposefully ignore it, they slip further into irrelevance. When they review the I8 or when they send an unaffordable HyperCar around the track, or do a drag race, and they don't mention Tesla they weaken themselves whereas I am (and you are) thinking that a P85d can do that better. I want to see the Stig take the p85d around the track!
    Sure, Clarkson has got the BBC over a barrel, and it's probably a scam so he can defect to Murdochs channels, but that won't save what was once a great format from obsolescence
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  • Mar 11, 2015
    Stoneymonster
    Wow.
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  • Mar 11, 2015
    MartinAustin
    Pretty good! Gets my +1. :)

    And the thing is, driving a car around a track isn't as important as it used to be, since cars like the Model S run out of (the proverbial, not literal) steam before the end of the track, I think, but it's still being heralded as an amazing car without any decent track performance. Better leave that for racing cars, and just let road cars try to be awesome road cars.
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  • Mar 11, 2015
    alexeiw123
    I'll second that 'wow' above, because you are bang on correct.

    How about Susie Wolff or Katherine Legge for a host. Female car enthusiasts, british, better drivers than maybe even the stig. You'd just have to work the show around their real careers...
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  • Mar 11, 2015
    tonybelding
    This. The track is useful for testing, but one shouldn't put too much emphasis on tracking a road car.

    JC notably liked the Miata. Did he ever go off-roading with one, or try to tow a boat with it? Well, no. That's not what it's made for.

    The Roadster. . . A lot of people had trouble figuring out what it was made for. It's enough like an Elise, which is a fantastic track car, that you can sort of understand some people trying to evaluate it in those terms. IMHO, The Roadster is a fantastic expressway road warrior. This guy got it: Road Test: 2011 Tesla Roadster 2.5 Sport [Review] - YouTube

    And that brings up a larger problem for Top Gear. We have the internet now. We have YouTube. They don't have a monopoly on this schtick anymore.
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  • Mar 11, 2015
    bxr140
    Lol.
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  • Mar 11, 2015
    Stoneymonster
    This thread is full of posts taking Top Gear wayyyy too seriously.
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  • Mar 11, 2015
    Subhuman
    I agree. It is an entertainment show not a true car review show. I want to see a P85D on there as much as the next guy but since they can't make fun of it without worrying about getting sued it will never happen. I understand why Tesla was sensitive about the roadster debacle at the time being a new upstart pushing the car envelope but at the end of the day people watch top gear to see the hosts make fun of themselves, each other and especially the cars. No one asigns consumer report car review credibility to a top gear car review. The best segments of the show are when they buy a cheap car and go on somekind of massive journey and at the end of the trip nothing is holding the car together but duct tape and some string.
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  • Mar 12, 2015
    gpetti
  • Mar 12, 2015
    smac
    James May has an i3 ;)
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  • Mar 12, 2015
    Brightonuk
    Love Top Gear no other show has shown a Koenigsegg on a track or a Bentley doing rally cross and a host of exotics just being taken to the limit.

    As for ever having the D or any Tesla on the show.... I sincerely hope it never happens because guaranteed it wont make it round the track (especially if the Stig is behind the wheel) before limp mode kicks in and then JC (if he's back) will have a field day slagging it off.
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  • Mar 13, 2015
    smac
    Even if it did make it round on full power (it should be ale to for a couple of laps) I suspect the time would be mediocre in comparison to cars with similar straight line performance, it is after all a big comfortable car, suited for the road. (Being slightly controversial, I suspect it would be pipped by a Panamera Turbo S, given the Tesla's weight disadvantage.)

    If I put my "what angle would TG use to feature the car" head on, it would be Elon's own claims about the performance vs the McLaren F1...

    ...JC would poke lots of fun with the resultant lap times ;)
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  • Mar 25, 2015
    Gerasimental
    Sooo, with Clarkson facing the sack, might this make a Model S appearance on Top Gear possible again?

    But then, would an appearance on top gear even mean anything anymore without JC?
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  • Mar 25, 2015
    darthy001
    At least personally I would stop watching the show as soon as JC is gone. Hopefully the two others would join him and make a new show on another channel. Then I'd clearly watch that.
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  • Mar 25, 2015
    Dennis87
    Agree :)
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  • Mar 25, 2015
    Gizmotoy
    With the BBC supposedly intending to carry on Top Gear no matter what happens (according to the Independent report), you have to feel bad for whoever takes over the show. If you're not instantly successful at it, everyone will think you ruined the show and never tune back in. They'll almost have to go with a no-name cast. I would be terribly surprised if any of the already-successful people being talked about for the roles would get anywhere near that show and risk becoming "the person who ruined Top Gear."
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  • Mar 25, 2015
    ItsNotAboutTheMoney
    I'm sure that their salary would help them get over it.
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  • Mar 25, 2015
    Gizmotoy
    As I was typing that I was picturing the size of the money truck they'd have to roll up to someone's house to counteract all the negativity they're going to get. It was a big one. :biggrin:
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  • Mar 25, 2015
    Jaff
    Dunno...maybe the BBC will change the mandate of the show and force them to perform actual, honest car reviews...

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  • Mar 25, 2015
    Gizmotoy
    Seems unlikely, but maybe. Besides firing the current presenters, that's the best way I can think of to ruin Top Gear. They'd lose the majority of their audience, as most have little interest in a car review show (see Fifth Gear).
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  • Mar 25, 2015
    Jaff
    Meh...maybe millions watch TG, but many, many millions more don't...

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  • Mar 25, 2015
    Trnsl8r
    Charlie Sheen took over after Michael J. Fox on Spin City. Series ended shortly after.
    New main characters that I don't remember took over in Scrubs. Series ended shortly after.
    Ashton Kutcher took over after Charlie Sheen in Two and Half Men. Was it two more seasons? I can't recall...

    Anyway, there's a trend there.
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  • Mar 25, 2015
    gpetti
    Yeah, definitely a poisoned chalice though I think the BBC is taking most of the blame for "ruining Top Gear". Either way, there will be a vocal contingent of fans who attack anyone who dares to step into Jeremy's shoes. I for one think the backlash to this is outrageous. I have enjoyed Top Gear and I enjoy the dynamic that Jeremy Clarkson brings - including much of the irreverence. That being said, NOBODY no matter how famous or talented should be allowed to bully or abuse other people in the workplace. The fact that the BBC is willing to stand up for this principle even though they will almost certainly lose money is something they should be praised for. Unfortunately, this may be less about principles than it is about trying to lose the taint of other personalities who have committed much worse abuses that were allowed to operate without sanction - not mentioning any names. Whatever the motivation, this is the right thing to do. For most of us mere mortals, punching a co-worker could and probably would lead to assault charges let alone dismissal. I suppose they could have mandated anger management or some kind of remedial program but I think given the history and Jeremy's persona, a clean break here is the best for all parties. If BBC want to continue Top Gear, there will be an outcry from Jeremy's disciples and ultimately the chemistry will probably never be quite the same; however, the other ingredients will still have some appeal and there are many very talented people that could step in and provide great entertainment if they are allowed (and willing).
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  • Mar 25, 2015
    Gizmotoy
    I mean, that's obviously true, but they're clearly not interested in watching car review shows, either. Top Gear had a viewership of about 350 million per week. There are car review shows, and they don't pull even a tiny fraction of that audience. Fifth Gear got cancelled for poor ratings (142k/episode when on Discovery). MotorWeek is a car review show on PBS so it has unbiased reviews, but how many people tune in to watch? Top Gear was successful because it was not a car review show, and trying to turn it into one will unquestionably kill it.

    I think a lot of the support to this point was that we still didn't know what happened. There were rumors of it being physical, but other sources said it was a verbal attack. Neither is particularly appealing, but while you might be able to write off an infantile verbal tirade, certainly punching a producer in the face is a line you can't cross. Confirmation that it was the latter hadn't happened officially until today. You'd have to be a pretty blind supporter to think the BBC was unjustified in taking this action.
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  • Mar 25, 2015
    MartinAustin
    At least personally I would restart watching the show as soon as JC is gone. Hopefully the two others would stick around, they're not too bad, but they were pulled down into the mud by Clarkson.

    I grew up in the UK and watched Top Gear decades ago when William Woolard was the anchor... it was a worthwhile show. Now it's just a series of shallow joke sketches... "Fifth Gear" is something you go to for actual tests.

    I think James & Richard should anchor the show and have a third presenter that changes out each season to keep things fresh. Each guest presenter could bring an individual flavour to the show.

    This way, they could use people like Roan Atkinson, as his schedule wouldn't be owned by Top Gear forever; then Mike Brewer, then Chris Harris and so on.
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  • Mar 25, 2015
    Jaff
    I just read an article about Clarkson getting sacked... BBC decides not to renew s contract - Yahoo Celebrity CA

    Looks like the judge erred in his decision in the matter Tesla Motors vs. Top Gear...I found this Guinness reference much more amusing than anything TG ever did...

    "The Guinness Book of World Records has described "Top Gear" as the world's most widely watched factual program. It broadcasts to 214 territories worldwide and has an estimated global audience of 350 million."
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  • Mar 25, 2015
    Gizmotoy
    Fifth Gear actually was the show you remember. Top Gear got cancelled in 2001 for poor ratings and nearly all the staff and some of the hosts started on Fifth Gear on Channel 5 as a spiritual successor in 2002. Fifth Gear stopped filming back in 2013, though. It almost even kept the Top Gear name during the move, but the BBC was publishing a successful magazine at the time and didn't want to give it up. When Top Gear relaunched it had a different format than the original, moving away from focusing on car reviews.

    James and Richard are sticking with Jeremy. Both have already stated officially that they're done with Top Gear and will let their contracts expire this month. When the show continues in 2016 it will have a new batch of presenters (or a single presenter, I suppose).
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  • Mar 25, 2015
    AnxietyRanger
    Clarkson may be obnoxious and perhaps, if reports are to be trusted, really stepped over a line this time - but there also has been plenty of UK politics behind the issue(s). Clarkson has made enemies and I don't think all of them, nor all the criticism he has gathered over the years, is warranted.

    I'm certainly not interested in a Top Gear without the trio. But I would be interested in a new show featuring the three.

    That said, if Clarkson really punched someone, that should be dealt with according to law of course.
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  • Mar 25, 2015
    Dutchie
    Exactly, totally agree
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  • Mar 25, 2015
    AnxietyRanger
    I think it is important to understand that, while this affects its commercial arm most, BBC overall is a government organization and it is basically run by past and present politicians. There certainly are politics behind how certain Clarkson topics have been exaggerated. When politics and business meet, it isn't always pretty.

    Now, that doesn't excuse punching anyone if he did so (in fact I think that would be better for the law, not a corporate enquiry), but I think this background is important to note when considering some of the past. Clarkson has many enemies on political fronts and also some politicians are looking for extra points for any public backlash against him...
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  • Mar 25, 2015
    1208
    Sky have been trying to get the trio on there channels for years. So Clarkson will probably carryon topgear under a different name on their channel.

    On the BBC they should get Edd and Mike from Wheeler Dealers and Robert LLewelyn from fully charged and scrapheap challenge.

    Topgear wont be as popular being a car show but it wont be so anti-ev. Well as long as they drop the Shell sponsorship.:rolleyes:
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  • Mar 25, 2015
    AnxietyRanger
    I think some Sky exec recently said they wouldn't touch Clarkson due to the N word debacle - where Clarkson cited the original version of the nursery rhyme and mumbled the N word part, apparently not too well for the liking of some... politically charged people. Now it lives on and other politically correct people with "diversity targets" stay away.

    Hey, charge man for beating someone if that's what happened. I would have sympathized had the Sky executive said that violence would be reason to steer clear (assuming it turns out that's what happened). But an old nursery rhyme mumbled wrong in a piece that didn't even broadcast when it was noted one might be able to make out the word in the rhyme even though he mubled it...

    Some of the stuff surrounding Clarkson is pure politics and/or political correctness and unfortunately that may spill over to other commercial players as well, who don't want the controversy that follows.
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  • Mar 25, 2015
    smac
    If BBC does continue with TG I just hope Guy Martin gets the job. Matter of fact, dry sense of humour, won't pander to convention, but much less likely to go into quite the levels of anti-PC taboos that got Clarkson in trouble.

    I really think a lot of the JC fans (and I don't actually think people are fans of JC himself, rather the forthright views he brings), would be placated, at least in the UK market.

    I suspect his accent might be a slight issue internationally.

    Plus he's not very good with names (here is talking through his lap of Isle of Man TT)
    GUY MARTIN TT Isle of Man Lap on-board Honda 1000 - 1 of 2 - YouTube
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  • Mar 25, 2015
    NigelM
    For our American friends: the BBC is a state broadcaster where the Trustees are appointed by the Queen (although the Government makes recommendations). It would not be correct to say it's run by past and present politicians....

    P.S. Neither is the Director-General a present or past politician. Out of the additional 12 members of the Executive Management board, only 1 was previously in politics.
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  • Mar 25, 2015
    Lerxt
    It would be wrong for the BBC to do anything other than what they have done. As funny as Clarkson was, he now just looks like a bitter, grumpy old man and is behaving in a way that is inappropriate. The BBC have much more than commercial interests to consider.
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  • Mar 25, 2015
    doctorwho
    Clarkson on his own will be as successful as giving Moe his own comedy show without Larry or Curly.
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  • Mar 25, 2015
    In2oil
    I would love to see Steve sutcliffe from autocar uk, Outstanding driver ..
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  • Mar 25, 2015
    NOLA_Mike
    I think they should just let The Stig host the show. Not a word for the entire hour... :)
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  • Mar 25, 2015
    bluenation
    here's the tl;dr version:

    TG is a entertainment show vaguely related to motor vehicles of various types. It is not where you go to get wiser about cars.

    TG fans are legion, and worldwide. And their bitter outrage and tears are hilarious.

    And so is the outrage from the anti-TG club.

    Btw, this isnt the last time we see JC, oh no.

    Basicaly, just another day.
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  • Mar 25, 2015
    pete8314
    With all the issues the BBC has had over the past few years, mainly operation Yewtree, they had no choice to not renew Clarkson. Every now and then the corporation allows it's stars to become bigger than itself (see Chris Evans (version 1, not the current version), Jonathan Ross, many 70s and early 80s presenters since disgraced etc etc). Clarkson was smart to sell the rest of his stake in TG to the BBC a couple of years ago, so this was only a matter of time, maybe he had no intention of renewing his contract anyway. May and Hammond both have plenty of other gigs going on, I don't think the three of then would go running to Sky, or Five, or whoever else would have them. The BBC can sometimes do a really good job of re-inventing a format (e.g. Doctor Who), and can screw it up, but this isn't akin to Charlie Sheen leaving 2 and a Half Men.

    Regardless of the presenters, and the scripted 'races', where everyone miraculously manages to finish within seconds of each other, the cinematography is top notch; TG has won awards for it, and is generally admired for being one of the best shows from a visual perspective. Done right, the BBC could re-invent the format taking the best bits, but moving on from the laddish 90's feel the show had has been overdue. It's a poisoned challis for whoever takes it on, but there's some really good options out there.
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  • Mar 26, 2015
    AnxietyRanger
    Obviously not all politicians or politically affiliated people hold or held elected office. I would say your message on the matter is as much an over-simplication than mine was (which, granted, it was), just on the other end of that spectrum. :)

    BBC has plenty of appointments made on political grounds, plus due to it's state-held nature a lot of the discussion (and thus pressure) on BBC is made for political reasons. British politics affects the BBC a lot, including and beyond the top twelve - and thus Clarkson's position hinged on politics a lot more than it would have, say, were this a CNN show. (Now, political correctness, CNN of course is not free from.)

    In any case, not to belabour that point, I think the above-mentioned CNN had a fair & balanced - like a commercial entity only can ;) - summary of the controversies surrounding Clarkson overall:

    Jeremy Clarkson: Hated by liberals, loved by elite - CNN.com
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  • Mar 26, 2015
    NigelM
    Thanks for labeling my analysis of the entire Trustee Board and complete Executive Management as "over-simplification". Complete nonsense but not worth dragging this discussion any further off topic. :)
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  • Mar 26, 2015
    AnxietyRanger
    That was not my intent, though.

    What I would call an over-simplification were two things:

    AnxietyRanger:

    "BBC overall is a government organization and it is basically run by past and present politicians"

    NigelM:

    "only 1 was previously in politics"

    I still think both are, although on opposing ends of a spectrum. Do you disagree?

    Your technical description of how BBC is directed was fine, of course.
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  • Mar 26, 2015
    bonnie
    Read what you wrote. Please. You said it was run by past and present politicians. Nigel pointed out that wasn't true. And you dismiss his response as 'over simplification' and rationalize that not all politicians hold office.

    C'mon.
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  • May 11, 2015
    Lex
    Model S P85D finally reviewed on Top Gear UK... well, their website:
    First drive: Tesla Model S P85D - BBC Top Gear

    I'm a bit miffed by some of it, eg:
    Ya, let's pretend it's not over 90 percent efficient.

    But, great to see them finally embrace a Tesla :cool:
    �
  • May 11, 2015
    Blu Zap
    As much as I liked Clarkson as an entertainer, he was not a motor vehicle analyst. Hence the bad blood with Tesla. Based on this latest review of the P85D, I think they are beginning to come around in appreciating Tesla Model S. Not there, since the program plays to gear heads (like me before I got my MS)
    �
  • May 12, 2015
    grahamsimmonds
    Clarkson was a very experienced motoring journalist before he went into the buffoon act for Top Gear. Top Gear the magazine has little to do with the programme and has featured Tesla many times in the past.
    �
  • May 12, 2015
    Blu Zap
    @graham
    You're right. It is important to differentiate Clarkson's opinions from the real Top Gear journalism. Interesting to see how this plays out.
    �
  • May 12, 2015
    AustinPowers
    It is also important to differentiate Clarkson's real-life opinions from what he says/said on Top Gear the show. Because his personal opinions not always match what he uttered on the show (where quite a bit of the content was scripted).

    Plus, as others have pointed out, Top Gear the magazine has little to do with Top Gear the show.

    I am not sure how TG could go on successfully, but the notion that someone mentioned of hiring Edd and Mike from Wheeler Dealers (plus a seasonal guest presenter like Rowan Atkinson, Robert Llewellyn etc.) sounds like a promising idea to me.
    �
  • May 12, 2015
    Gizmotoy
    As we're aware, essentially the entirety of each show is scripted, which is what led to the Tesla dust-up previously. Even with his buffoonery act, Clarkson doesn't give the impression he dislikes EVs implicitly. He liked the Mercedes SLS AMG Electric Drive and BMW's (admittedly hybrid) i8. And it's pretty easy to forget the Roadster episode was way back in 2008. A lot has changed since then, particularly around charging infrastructure.

    Maybe we'll find out what he thinks one day.
    �
  • Jun 17, 2015
    gpetti
    Called it.
    (along with 100s of others. )
    So much for "never" replacing Clarkson. Guess the money must be right.
    �
  • Jun 17, 2015
    PV4EV
    Its rumoured that his existing BBC contract fee has been increased by around $1.6m a year for 3 yrs.

    Evans loves Tesla's which is a good thing, whereas JC hated anything without a V8 and was well known for ensuring any EV got a bad rap .. especially the Roadster some yrs ago now.

    Oddly enough the TG track lap times still include a Roadster lap time at 1m27.2 (in the wet) which is the same as a 911 GT3 in the wet !!


    Evans even gave a P85+ a glowing review in Jan 2014 :-

    Chris Evans reviews Tesla Model S P85 | Daily Mail Online
    �
  • Jun 17, 2015
    skilly
    replacing him is the easy part. Filling his shoes and maintaining the audience is quite another....and really, they arent just replacing Clarkson. They are replacing all three...I think this is like a snowball taking a well intended trip through hell.
    �
  • Jun 17, 2015
    JER
    http://metro.co.uk/2015/06/17/top-gear-chris-evans-replacing-clarkson-its-going-to-be-a-car-crash-5249799/

    The "Last of The Summer Wine" comparison nails it. Take the Clarkson & company chemistry away and it's just another me too show. Chris Evans could also be a polarising choice; yes, he's very slick in front of a camera, but some people hate his guts precisely because of that.

    I don't envy anyone who dares to enter the new line-up. They're going to be under heavy fire from literally millions of critics.
    �
  • Jun 22, 2015
    JER
  • Jun 22, 2015
    grahamsimmonds
    Rumour has it that Clarkson, Hammond and May are working with Netflix. Shrewd move if it happens.
    �
  • Jun 24, 2015
    gpetti
    Maybe. I guess time will tell. I personally think Chris Evans has a lot in common with Jeremy Clarkson. I don't really mean that as a compliment as they share some of the same characteristics that would ordinarily make them unlikeable and annoying but which in this particular case seems to be just the formula required. Even the characteristic of being polarising is common to both. I remember hearing Chris Evans on Virgin radio and often wanting to change stations to get away from his show but sometimes being unable to change due to the "traffic accident effect" where you can't really look away. Chris Evans seemed comfortable being surrounded by fawning sycophants who might tease him gently but who would ultimately bow to his every opinion, no matter how ill informed or narrow minded. This isn't exactly the Clarkson, May, Hammond dynamic but it isn't far off and ultimately this will be scripted anyway. The gimmicky, crazy stunt side of TG fits right into Evans' wheel house too. Ginger bloke can be funny but in a similarly abrasive way to the Clarkson humor. Bottom line is that I think this is a situation that could actually work; however, the blind loyalty Clarkson has developed, seemingly regardless of anything he does, might effectively doom any attempt to continue, regardless of who is involved.
    �
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