I haven't noticed this series being much different. The show keeps going from strength to strength imho.
Top Gear New Series
- Thread starter Bob The Skutter
- Start date
I'm just watching last night's, and it seems as good as ever. But some sections the last few weeks seemed like they weren't as much fun, but I can't put my finger on why.
IMO, the first few episodes felt VERY scripted and not spontaneous, unlike most of Top Gear. Yes, I know it's ALL scripted, but the trio manage to make it feel spontaneous, like they really are just three guys cocking about.
The police car challenge, in particular, felt more like the Top Gear Ground Force special (which I loathed) than a true Top Gear challenge. Not entirely sure what happened there, but they seem to have gotten back on track in the three most recent episodes.
The police car challenge, in particular, felt more like the Top Gear Ground Force special (which I loathed) than a true Top Gear challenge. Not entirely sure what happened there, but they seem to have gotten back on track in the three most recent episodes.
You sound like you watch it for the larking about, which is why I like it. (I've no interest at all in the cars themselves.)
I think that would be the same for at least half of us here... probably half the audience.
Well, I'm not.^I suspect that most of the audience is, at least, able to drive one.
I'm not even allowed to play racing video games anymore.
So there's at least 2 of us. Although I do have a couple of racing games... Mostly Burnout.I struggle to contend with why anyone would by a car with a manual gearbox when surely an automatic is easier.
Sure an automatic is easier, but you have more control and options when you use a manual gearbox. You can shift into a lower gear to get more power/acceleration. In an automatic you have to stomp on the gas to get it to shift into a lower gear and then hope it doesn't shift right back when you take your foot off the floor.
Plus drive a manual is more fun and possible more fuel effiecent.
For me, I learned to drive in a manual, and that's what I'm used to. Driving an automatic just feels slightly odd. Every time I've driven one, I keep wanting to press the clutch in and reach for the gearstick. One of my mates on the other hand (after driving a manual for 17 years) has gone to automatic and prefers it.
I struggle to contend with why anyone would by a car with a manual gearbox when surely an automatic is easier.
You'll find that pretty much the only people who bang the drum for automatics (in the UK) are:
a) Idiots who can't drive properly
b) The disabled
c) Americans
Now there's a good reason for (c), and I don't mean it in an insulting way. They tend to have better weather and straighter, flatter roads. They generally don't need the level of control that a manual gives you.
But over here in blighty, where we have things like roundabouts, fucking steep hills, windy narrow roads and a 99% percent chance of torrential rain every 5 minutes, manual transmission comes into its own. Sometimes you want to keep it in a lower gear in the above situations. In fact, quite often.
There are advantages to both, but frankly automatics are a waste of time in the UK. They're expensive to buy and repair, they're generally more expensive to run and if you don't have the mental capacity to operate two pedals at once then you really shouldn't be on the road in the first place (not that it fucking stops some bastards).
Considering the people most likely to harp on about autos vs. manuals drive rather...how shall we say...enthusiastically, the fuel savings of 1-2 mpg gets wiped out a good chunk of the time.
I caught some of Sunday's show on catch up TV, the expensive car challenge wasn't bad, but felt a bit lacking. Most of the challanges have felt a bit scripted and less like you're watching some guys arsing about. Japan made up for a lot of that, but the new series is lacking somewhat compared to the last few.
I'd agree with that... the level of scripting has become too obvious now, and it's starting to be at the cost of the show's quality.
I still prefer this format of the show to how it used to be, but at least review a couple of cars, eh? I might even learn something!
Just to fan the flames of manual vs automatic - manual is way more fun, there's nothing like leaving your car in gear when you park up, forgetting about it, stalling, and throwing everyone against the windscreen.
You've got to admire our love of the complicated - we drive on the other side of the road to most countries, we sell petrol in litres and work out efficiency in miles per gallon, we have bridge clearances in feet and inches, then hit you in the face with metric when you get to a car park barrier, and to get to the barrier, you have to scream up the bloody steep hills/ramps MisterGaribaldi mentioned in first gear... you know, I wouldn't change it for the world
Ah, but look at the Nissan GTR, the ultimate car in the world and it's built by people who drive on the same side of the road as we do
As I said, the comment about automatics vs manuals was a self-deprecating comment to illustrate my complete lack of knowledge about cars. It wasn't supposed to start a religious war.
But but but I WANT a religious war with automatards. Your innocuous comment serves perfectly as the catalyst
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