IMHO, of course!

Anyone on this side of the pond checking this show out? It runs on Discovery Channel, and it is hands down, the best car show I have ever seen. No boring instrumented tests and sedate drives in the country.

The best way I can describe it is if, at age 15, someone gave me access to the worlds great cars, and a test track to have ny way with them.

Every car gets a proper flog at the hands of the hosts, and their designated driver "The Stick". The production values are top notch...very cinematic.

The last couple episodes that I have seen involved a Carrera GT being abused by the host, with in-car, running commentary the whole time (imagine offering useful comments while engaged in a full opposite lock power slide!), followed be an episode where they arranged a race from their base in England to a ski resort in Switzerland; one lad going by car in a Ferrari GT, the others by public transport...which ended in a highly unlikely tie.

Then there has been a continuing thread where they are trying kill a Toyota Pick-up, culminating with its placement on the roof of an apartment building that was being destroyed with explosives. Amazingly, it lives!

Is these fellows do not have the best job on the planet for a car guy, then no one does! Seems like 1/2 the shows I have seen so far has had some Porsche content as well.

Brian

 

The 'Stick!'

It's 'Stig', Brian. I don't know why I find the thought of him being called The Stick, so funny, but I just wet myself. Thanks for cheering me up!

And you're right.

 

Doesn't have the same ring if you say "give it some stig" though does it.........

 

I've seen clips of this show on the net, and more recently whole shows on Discovery Channel. One clip someone posted the link to had a road test of the then new 911 turbo- there is one scene where several 911 turbos are lined up- one from each generation (1970's, 964 turbo, 993 turbo, etc.), and the host comes blasting by then proceeds to drive a ring/drift around the older parked turbos! Great stuff! Another link someone posted had him testing the new V-10 M5....the car seems to be in a constant state of drift around the race track, and you hear the motor thrashing away at or near red line the whole time! Good stuff!

 

Never heard of the show but I'll have to look for it!

Marc

 

This show is fantastic! I stumbled upon on it by accident and have been hooked very since. It has the feel of the print version of Car and Driver Irreverant, obviously male dominated, with stunning video, and I love the lap time reports with the "Stig". Clarkson doesn't hold any punches in his reviews.

In one episode, the 3 hosts of the show each bought a used Porsche with a $3000 budget and went through a series of events to see who got the best deal.

All the best,
Ricardo
964 dreamer
'97 Audi A4 1.8t Quattro
'99 Audi A6 Avant Quattro

 

"The Stig"?

Well, I'll be dipped. Guess its my American ears having problems when it hear's "proper" English!

I also found this accidently. My Tivo is set to autorecord anything with the word "Porsche" in the title or description.

BTW, what is the origin of the name "The Stig"? Might just as well learn what it means if I'm running around misquoting it!

Brian

 

I'm not sure what "The Stig" really means. I do remember that many years ago there was a TV show here called "Stig of the dump" I think. I don't actually remember very much about it - but I think it was a kids program about a kid that lived on a dump.

Intellectual stuff.

 

Deja vu - Stig of the Dump was over on the O/T forum quite recently.

 

Heres a link to the top gear website-and a video of a Gt3RS vs the ferrari 360cs.



http://www.topgear.com/content/timet...ctions/videos/

 

Stig of the Dump was a kids' book by (I think) Clive King. One of those books that junior schools made you read - good stuff if I remember.

Dunno if that's what The Stig is named after.

 

Should also point out the Mr Clarkson dislikes 911's so much he winched one up to 100 foot on a crane and dumped it nose first to the tarmac.

Its not a bad show but when they waste money like that, Porsche or not, it makes me think they got it to easy.

 

Hey Andrew, think that may have been '5th Gear' - another UK based show, which although has its moments, not quite up to Top Gear standards

The only plus with '5th Gear' is seeing co-presenter Tiff Needell thrashing test cars around a track (whose name escape me at the moment)

Cheers

Shirish

 

I think that "moniker" should go to David Soul. Who manged to wreck the gearboxes of two cars in less than two laps of the circuit !!!

It's a very good program, with a very large UK following. It also shows the crap way the UK motorist is treated/ ripped off by the government pandering to vociferous minorities. How would our US cousins react to paying $7 a gallon for gas?!

 

Bruntingthorpe ?

When it comes to driving sideways on tv - Tiff is the best i remember him drifting round the old turbo's in the new 996. Amazing stuff.

I find Clarkson a bit too arogant, Top Gear is a great show, but segments like 'the cool wall' coming from a man who dresses like him ? its a bit much really. And i think he sometimes pans cars unfairly - that whole thing with the M5 SatNav recently - just turn it off you pillock. It did make me laugh that his Ford GT got sent back, after saying how marvellous it was all series.