Top Gear US Season 2 Episode 2 "First Cars"

On this episode, the guys look back at their first cars, Adam and Tanner drive two modern supercars, and Pawn Stars ride the Suzuki.

Segment 1: First Cars

Honda CRX

Dodge Aries K

Volkswagen Rabbit Pickup

The guys meet up outside a high school in Los Angeles, bring with them their first cars when they were teenagers. Tanner arrives first with a 1985 Honda CRX. Adam arrives next with a 1987 Dodge Aries K. Rutledge arrives last in a 1981 Volkswagen Rabbit Pickup Diesel. The guys would put their first cars up against each other in a series of challenges to see who had the best first car. The guys would have to drive 60 miles to get to their next destination. Tanner did a reverse donut in the CRX. Rutledge did donuts in his Rabbit while tray-sliding. Adam wanted to get in on the fun and tray-slid with his Aries and crashed into a tree. Minimal damage was done to the Aries. The guys discuss why their cars were the perfect first car for a teenager. The guys talked about their lives as teenagers and how they got their cars. The guys arrived at their first challenge. Adam and Tanner parked their cars so Rutledge could not get out of his Rabbit. Rutledge escapes through the window and dents Adam's hood.

Segment 2: Alley of Junk

The first challenge is for each guy to get his car up to 30 mph and let go of the steering wheel. The cars would then have to drive straight through the Alley of Junk. This test how straight the cars could drive without using the steering wheel. The car that hits the least amount of junk wins. Tanner went first and he knows that his car pulls to the left. The CRX went 30 feet before veering into the Alley of Junk.  The CRX lost part of the passenger panel right above the front right tire. Rutledge went next and drove with his knees. He cheated and went straight through the Alley of Junk without hitting anything. Adam went last and Tanner says that the Aries veered to the right. The Aries veered to the right and hit a bunch of junk. Adam hit more junk than Tanner and lost. Returning to outside the Top Gear US Hanger and Tanner says that Rutledge cheated. Rutledge says he was merely protecting his Rabbit. Adam tells Rutledge, "You disgust me!" Adam says he could not look at Rutledge and would rather look at a Chevrolet Corvette ZR1. He says this car is the ultimate dream first car. Tanner says that the ultimate dream first car is a Ferrari, and he is standing next to a Ferrari 458 Italia.

Segment 3: Ultimate Dream First Car

Chevrolet Corvette ZR1

Ferrari 458 Italia

Adam says the Corvette ZR1 is the ultimate dream first car while Tanner says the Ferrari 458 Italia is the ultimate dream first car. The episode is outside a diner in the desert. Both guys arrive and Tanner tells Adam that he has brought a dull spoon to a gun fight. Adam says the Ferrari is a night at the opera while the Corvette is a bar fight. The Ferrari goes up to 202 mph and the Corvette goes up to 205 mph. The Corvette has chrome wheels, which Adam says is a little Jersey Shore-ish. They are Snooki wheels. Tanner says that the Ferrari has more technology in one wheel than the Corvette has. Adam proposes a drag race, which Tanner says he is not going to do a drag race in a Ferrari. Tanner says the Corvette as 100 more hp than the Ferrari. Adam says to repeat that statement, then Tanner agrees to have a drag race. Adam talks about the 60 year history of the Corvette. The Corvette has a supercharged 6.2L V8 pumping out 638 hp. It can go from 0 to 60 mph faster than a Lamborghini Gallardo and it is American made. Adam says that it is a supercar on paper, but he would not have one for everyday driving. Adam says you can't see the edges of the car. You have to go at an angle to get over speed bumps and the interior is subpar. Tanner is driving a 458 indoors and says it might possibly be the best supercar ever built. Tanner says that Ferrari put together the technology from 31 F1 titles into one positively flawless package. Tanner says the twin-clutch system on the Ferrari is very good. The 458 costs $250,000. It goes from 0 to 60 mph in 3.4 seconds. Tanner says that he cannot get enough of the 458 as it revs up to 9,000 rpm. The shifting is fast and smooth. After driving on a curvy road and insulting each others car, it was time for a drag race. First one to reach a sign wins. Adam has wheel spin of the line and it costs him. The Ferrari wins the drag race. Commercial Break. The show returns to the hanger as Adam admits that it was his fault, and not the Corvette's fault, that he lost to Tanner and the Ferrari. It is time for each car to do a lap with the Stig. The Stig makes a sky diving entrance, which is a cool way to get to the track. He gets in the Corvette first and goes around the track. The Stig also did a lap in the Ferrari, which was not shown, in 1:23.3. Tanner reveals the time for Corvette, which is 1:22.4, 0.4 seconds slower than the Viper ACR.


Segment 4: Easy Drive Challenge

The show returns to the first car challenge. The guys receive their next challenge. To prove which car is the easiest to drive, each host would have to teach a young teenage boy without a drivers license how to drive their cars. The teenagers look just like the host would look like if they were in high school. The teenagers would have to navigate through a course. First guy to finish wins. The hosts break the ice by talking about girls. Two of the cars are manual, and the teenagers have never driven a manual. The Aries has the advantage for being an automatic. The CRX and Aries have no problems of the starting line. The Rabbit stalls of the line.  The CRX parks in the box. Mini Tanner slams the brakes as Tanner's head hits the windshield. The Aries is the first to finish the course, followed by the CRX. Mini Rutledge has problems with Rabbit and Rutledge has him run over cones.


Segment 5: Pawn Stars in a Little Car

Rick Harrison

Austin "Chumlee" Russell

The episode return to the test track as Rutledge is introducing the Big Star Little Car segment of the show. Rick and Chumlee from Pawn Stars are this week's guests. Both guys say they are the better driver. Rick goes first in the Suzuki. Rick is trash talking. Chumlee went next and struggles with his lap. He is swearing as he messes up. The guys walk up to the stage and are interviewed by Rutledge. Rutledge asks if any weird cars have been brought in to the pawn shop. Rick says that someone has brought in a 1931 Lincoln LeBaron. Rutledge is not familiar with the car. Rick kept a 1940s coupe that someone brought to the shop. Rick says he bought the car for $4,000 and spent $100,000 fixing it up. Chumlee says he kept a Buick Regal that someone brought to the shop. Chumlee confesses that he put hydraulics on the Regal. Rick's first car is a 1973 Volkswagen Thing. Chumlee's first car was a 1993 Geo Metro. He left it on the side of the road three months later. Chumlee now drives a Maserati Gran Turismo and a Range Rover. Rick now drives a Porsche Panamera S. The lap times were revealed. Rick went around the track in 1:48.1 and Chumlee went around the track in 1:51.5.

Segment 6: Safety Test

The final challenge is to see how safe the cars are. The cars are strapped to a cord and are pulled towards each other at 25 mph for a combined crash speed of 50 mph. The winner will be the one that drives away. The guys are talking trash. The show goes to commercial as the cars are pulled in. The CRX took the most damage, with three wheels on the ground. The fourth wheel is on its side. Tanner says that if the CRX is that safe, he would not want his kid to drive it. The Aries and Rabbit took minimal damage. The rear window of the Rabbit was destroyed though. The Aries suffered the least amount of damage. Tanner was somehow able to drive away in the CRX, but he says he is going to leave his car at the track. The Aries and Rabbit could run and circled around the CRX. Tanner was left at the track with his destroyed CRX and Adam and Rutledge drove off. Back at the hanger, Tanner says the only the CRX lost was because it was too fast. Adam and Rutledge argue about who won.


Overall, This was a good episode by Top Gear US standards. The result of the drag race was not what I expected. I expected the Corvette to win the drag race and the Ferrari to have the faster lap time. On Top Gear UK, the Ferrari 458 Italia was over a second faster around the track than the Corvette. On Top Gear US, the Corvette was almost a second faster around the track than the 458. The jokes were ok, but not funny. The funniest bit was the Big Star Little Car segment. Chumlee and Rick were very funny, but Rutledge seemed like he was just reading of the card. Compared to the previous episode, the interaction among the hosts as not that strong. The coolest part was the Stig's entrance. I don't remember UK Stig ever jumped out of a plane. I know that the UK Stig has been transported on a trolley, a box, and has gone through baggage claim. And we get to learn a little bit about the hosts by their first cars. Rutledge is a good old Southern boy. Tanner is a boy racer. Adam likes cars driven by old people.


Final Verdict: 7 Stigs out of 10. The Stig's entrance was awesome. The drag race was interesting. The Pawn Stars guys were entertaining. The challenge was decent. Rutledge is a cheater. Adam cannot do drag races. The interaction among the hosts is what prevented this episode from becoming a great episodes.

CarJunkie

Top Gear Series 1 Episode 3

On this episode, does sex sell cars, does styling sell cars, are all old people horrible drivers, is there a car that can go around the track faster than the Pagani Zonda, and Ross Kemp takes his turn in the Suzuki.

Segment 1: News

The show starts of with the guys sitting on stage talking about how they separated the audience into two groups. The people behind the stage are the good lookers. Those off camera are not. The guys complement a girl and a guy who are standing behind them. They bash a guy for his hair. Then they see guys who look like an Oases tribute band. Jeremy then shows an ad for the Motorshow, which has an attractive girl on the ad. Jeremy also brings up a woman who complained about using sex to sell stuff. She is the new ministry labor of something, according to Jeremy. Jeremy says that using sex to sell cars is very last week and is uncool. Richard brings up a group who is suing the government for painting speed cameras florescent colors. The group wants the speed cameras to be grey and hidden to catch more speeders. Jeremy describes Transport 2000, a group who is against cars.

Segment 2: The New Mini

Mini One

Toyota Yaris Verso

The segment starts with Jeremy telling that every time he goes to a petrol station, somebody asks him if he has driven the new Mini. Jeremy then walks over to the Mini in the studio and there is a girl in a bikini on the hood of the Mini. Jeremy then says people ask him what is the new Mini like to drive. Jeremy then asks what is an aquadrome. To kill two birds with one stone, he drive the new Mini by the Billing Aquadrome. He says there are three types of Mini: the supercharged Cooper S, the normal Cooper, and the bottom of the range Mini One, which Jeremy is driving. Jeremy finds out that the Billing Aquadrome is a caravan campsite. Jeremy says he was a huge fan of the old Mini and says BMW did a good job with the new Mini. Jeremy says people would love the Mini and they would love the Mini even after it was time to sell it. Jeremy gives a tip, saying that if you are going to buy a Mini, buy the cheapest model. He says that all Minis have the same 1.6L engine and the difference between the Mini One and the Mini Cooper is a chip. The Mini is 1,300 pounds cheaper than the Mini Cooper. Jeremy says to buy the Mini One, then switch out the chip. Switching out the chip cost 385 pounds. Jeremy says the wheelbase of the Mini is the same as the wheelbase of a Range Rover Discovery. There is a ton of room in the front, but no legroom in the back of the Mini. The new Mini also has a small boot. Jeremy says the Mini is hopeless when it comes to space. He then shows a Toyota Yaris Verso, which costs just as much as a Mini One. There is a lot of space in the Yaris. There are three seats in the back, which can fold into the floor. Jeremy struggles to get the seats into the floor. He tries the seats behind the passenger, and failed. He tries to get the seat behind the driver, and succeeds. This show is taped in the UK, so the driver and passenger seats are switch since the British drive on the left hand side of the road. Jeremy says the Yaris is a very practical car, once you have read the instruction manual. Air conditioner is standard in the Yaris, which is optional on the Mini. The Yaris also has a 3D digital dash. The Yaris crushes the Mini like a beetle, according to Jeremy. Jeremy has a problem with the name. He says it could be a fullback for Arsenal. Jeremy also does not like the styling of the Yaris. He says it looks like an ugly snake that has swallowed a wardrobe. Back to the studio. Jeremy has the Mini and Yaris next to each other. He says the Yaris is a better functional car than the Mini. Yet Madonna and several other celebrities have Minis. Jeremy says that styling sells. 

Segment 3: Car Designs

Porsche 928

He then says the true heroes are the automotive designers. He has Peter Horbury, a car designer who turned Volvos from ugly into stylish functional cars. Peter says it was his job to make a Volvo with a the front end of a sports car and the rear of a Ford Transit. Peter says it is important to a car national characteristics. According to Peter, the Swedish are a simple, practical people, so he made a simple, practical estate. He also says that the Japanese are concerned with details, so the Japanese cars have a lot of detail built into them. The designer says his favorite car is the Porsche 928, a German grand tourer. Peter says the 928 is very rounded and has aircraft-like design qualities. The 928 is the first car to have integrated bumpers. There is no blemishes of the 928. Jeremy says that Peter took qualities of the 928 and try to put them into a Ford Sierra XR4. Peter says that the windows of the Sierra are similar to the windows of the 928. Richard says the 928 is not the best looking car ever. He says that distinction goes to the Citroen DS.

Segment 4: Citroen DS

Citroen DS

Richard says the Citroen DS is genius. Richard says that for many people, including himself, the DS is one of the most beautiful cars ever made. It is so petite around the tail. It is slightly angular in the rear and the widens going from the rear to the nose of the car. The styling looks feline. People liked the car so much that 12,000 Citroen DSes were sold on the first day. The original design of the Citroen DS lasted for 20 years. In the 1970s, the DS became too clever for its own good. It had swiveling headlights. The DS had futuristic design and technology. It had great aerodynamics, disc brakes, a hydraulic system that controlled suspension, steering, and brakes, a semi-automatic transmission. This was unheard of in 1955. Richard says the DS is not an easy car to drive. Once you get the hang of the driving system, the DS is great. Richard and Jeremy argue whether or not the DS is the best looking car. Richard brings up the fact that Jeremy is a multiple time winner of Britains Worst Dress Person Award.

Segment 5: Grannies Doing Donuts

Honda S2000

Richard wants to know if there are old people that could still drive. To find out, he has five grannies compete in the Granny Donut Challenge. The grannies will be driving a rear-wheel drive Honda S2000. Russ Swift, a stunt driver, will teach the grannies how to do donuts. The actual competition will be shown later on in the show.

Segment 6: Ross Kemp

Ross Kemp

Ross Kemp, of EastEnders fame, is this week's Star in a Reasonably Price Car. Ross Kemp does his own stunt driving and drives a Porsche 996 Turbo. Jeremy say that he hates the 911 for having engines in the back of the car, but he says he like the 996 edition of the Porsche 911. Jeremy and Ross play Name that Car, the first image stumps both guys. A person in the audience correctly guessed Audi TT. The second image is a car with the door hinge on the outside. Jeremy correctly guesses Land Rover Defender. The third image is the headlamps of a car. A guy in the audience correctly guesses Fiat Punto. The fourth image is the rear air intake of a car. The picture pans out and it is Ross's Porsche 996 Turbo. Ross took a road trip through Europe in his Porsche. His trip was six days. Ross went 200 mph during the trip. Ross's lap was being edited during the interview and will be shown later on in the episode.

Segment 7: Inside Trading

The first item is Alfa Romeos. Jason says that Alfa Romeos have depreciation problems. Jason says you can get a new Alfa Romeo 156 straight from Alfa Romeo for 349 pounds a month. You can deposit 1000-1100 pounds and then pay 350 pounds a month for 35 months. You can drive it for 3 years, have all servicing paid, then give the car back to Alfa Romeo. Jason says that also 350 pounds a month, you can drive a Vauxhall Vectra Diesel. You can also get a fully-loaded Skoda Octavia for 350 pounds a month. A BMW 322 will cost an extra 100 pounds a month. A Mercedes-Benz E-Class costs 452 pounds a month. Daewoo went out of business and has to get rid of all of its cars. 700 used Daewoos are going to auction. People can get Daewoos, which are cheap cars, at even cheaper prices. People can get 18 month old Daewoos for just over 4000 pounds. The last item is the Ford Mondeo. People can get a 3 year old Mondeo for 4500 pounds. The most you would lose is a 1000 pounds a year in depreciation.

Segment 8: Aston Martin DB7

Aston Martin DB7 Vantage

Jeremy starts the segment off by talking about the Lamborghini Miura, the first ever mid-engine car. He says that some people consider the Miura the best looking car of all time. Jeremy says that it isn't. Jeremy says the Aston Martin DB7 Vantage is the best looking car of all time. Jeremy says that the early DB7 had several problem. Jeremy also says that the DB7 has less technology in it than in a Jaguar. He also says the 6.0L V12 is lacking in power. The DB7 has the computer under the driver seat, so headroom is small. The only good thing about this car is that you can ask yourself, "Shall we take the Aston?" You can drive by fancy stores in the car and not feel ashamed. Jeremy says that the DB7 Vantage is the best looking thing every created by man. Jeremy has Ian Cullen, the designer of the DB7, on the show. Jeremy says that he will never see cars quite as beautiful as the Aston Martin DB7 because of legislation. Ian explains how legislation is changing the design of the car. Jeremy then has Ian Cullen and and Peter Horbury each design a car on an easel. Jeremy has each designer draw a Jaguar E-Type. Jeremy says he wants to take a shot at designing a car. The guys are drawing an E-Type the way they want to design the car and not have to confined to legislative restrictions. Peter and Ian design the exact same car. To end the segment, Jeremy shows Ross's lap. He went around a wet track on a rainy day in 1:540.0 Jeremy said the Stig also went around the track with the same track conditions and did a 1:50.0 lap.

Segment 9: Grannies Doing Donuts continued

The first granny gets into the car does several donuts. The second granny went, does several donuts, and ends up in the grass. The third granny went and drove in wide circles, instead of tight donuts. The fourth granny went and did several tight donuts. This segment proved that old people can drive. The fifth granny and did several tight donuts. The fifth granny did the best donuts.

Segment 10: Westfield XTR

Westfield XTR

Richard says that several people sent in cars that they believe could go around the track faster than the Pagani Zonda. Richard says that he had to ignore most of the submissions. He says that a small company Westfield has a car that it believes can beat the Zonda. Richard shows the car and Jeremy immediately questions its styling. He also does not believe that the XTR is road-legal, which Richard shows a video of the XTR on the road. The XTR has a 1.6L engine that produces 170 bhp and the XTR is very light. Richard says he has driven the car and shows the video. Richard says you can build an XTR for under 20,000 pounds and weighs 410 kg. The car has a power/weight ratio of 460 bhp/ton. This car uses a bike engine and a bike transmission. Richard then shows the lap of the XTR. Jeremy does not believe the XTR will be faster around the track than the Zonda. The XTR went around the track in 1:22.6. To end the show, the guys show Jeremy's drawing of a Jaguar E-Type and it looks like a little child drew that.

Overall, this was an above average show. The best joke was that it is uncool to use sex to sell cars. There were two girls in bikinis showing off cars. The first girl in a bikini was sitting on the hood of the Mini. The second girl in a bikini was showing the details of the Lamborghini Miura. Subtle, but funny. Grannies doing donuts was a nice segment. I still find Jason and his inside dealing to be dull. This segment becomes irrelevant a few months after the show is taped. The chemistry between Richard and Jeremy has improved since the first and second episode and their back and forth segments are improving. Still it is an above average episode.

Final Verdict, 65 Stigs out of 100. It is just slightly better than the pilot episode.

CarJunkie

Top Gear US Season 2 Episode 1 "Texas"

Update: I know there was a 10th episode of Top Gear US Season 1, but it is a recap of the first season. I do not plan on reviewing any clip show.

For Season 2 of Top Gear US, there is a new opening theme and intro. For Top Gear Season 1 and Top Gear UK, the opening theme is a remix version "Jessica" by the Allman Brothers Band. For Season 2 of Top Gear US, Jessica has been taken out. Instead of giving a preview of the show during the intro song, it is the opening credits. I would like Top Gear US to use "Jessica" and use the Top Gear UK style for the intro. I am just nitpicking because I really enjoy Top Gear UK.

On this episode, the boys are in Texas to find an alternative to the pickup truck.


Segment 1: Guys arrive in Texas with their cars.

Ford Maverick

BMW 325e

Mazda Miata

The Show immediately goes to Texas. The show does not start from the Top Gear US studio. The show starts with "Tush" by ZZ Top, a rock band from Houston, Tx. Adam is doing narration, explaining how Texans buy so many trucks and with high gas prices, it has become more expensive to own trucks. Top Gear guys had $2000 to find a replacement for a truck. Adam arrives first with a 1975 Ford Maverick. Adam goes on to explain why he picked the Maverick. He says the platform used for the Maverick was also used for the Ford Ranchero, a half car/half truck. Tanner arrives next in a BMW 325e. Tanner comments how Adam keeps going with American cars from the 1970's in the cheap car challenges. Adam's rebuttal is that Tanner's BMW is very effeminate. Rutledge arrives in a 1991 Mazda Miata with a the rear window missing. Rutledge explains why the Miata is similar to a truck. The guys are given their first task. They must travel 250 mile starting in Lubbock to get their first place. Tanner throws a cow pattie through the open hole of the Miata. They guys then head off. On the trip, the guys encounter cattle. Rutledge has screws falling off and says it is snug and very bumpy in the Miata. Tanner is enjoying his BMW. He is drifting and kicking up dirt that damages Adam's windshield. Rutledge went with the Miata because it gets good gas mileage, it is peppy, and it can haul a lot of stuff. He sees the hole as a loading point. Rutledge says his car has a girly reputation, but the girl car is the BMW. Tanner says the BMW is overengineered. It can take a beating. Adam says the Maverick is comfortable, rear-wheel drive, good ground clearance, and has a V8 under the hood. Adam has to pull over because his car is missing a belt to drive the water pump. Rutledge says the cars are good labels for the hosts. The Maverick is old and out-of-style like Adam. The BMW is pretentious and not that fast like Tanner. The Miata is sporty and affordable like Rutledge. The guys make it to Running-R Ranch.


Segment 2: Cattle Drive in Coupes

The guys must herd 100 cattle 20 miles in their cars. The guys had to keep the cattle in the pack and could not scare the cattle. Each cow and bull cost $500-$600, and need to be fat. The guys need to walk the cow, not run them. The cattle hate cars. The guys get advice from experts, who recommend using a V formation. The guys try to to reason with the cattle, but it went to deaf ears. The cattle follow the Maverick. Tanner got bored and turned herding into a race. Tanner drifts the BMW to get the cows moving. The cattle swarm past the Miata, scaring Rutledge. Rutledge tries to chase Tanner, but gets stuck in the mud. Commercial break. The show returns as the guys are outside the hanger where the Top Gear US studio is. Adam says he is enjoying Texas and says he knew they would see some cool things. Adam says the coolest thing he saw was a giant man stuck in a hole driving a tiny Miata. Rutledge says it was not his fault because he was chasing Tanner to stop Tanner from creating a stampede. Tanner says that the cattle were jogging and Rutledge did not have to follow him. Returning to Texas, Tanner and Adam try to flip Rutledge over. Tanner rips the back of the convertible top off the Miata. Eventually Tanner pulls Rutledge out of the mud. It was getting late, and the cattle escaped to the trees. The guys wrangle up the cattle. Tanner runs over rocks and cuts a gas line. Tanner mends the fuel line with tape. The guys traveled 10 miles before setting up camp. Adam tries to weasel his way out off the sleeping outside. The guys needed to stay with the cattle. The guys had whiskey and dip. I am surprised that Rutledge could not handle chewing tobacco, since he is from the South. Rutledge throws up from the tobacco. The guys eventually get the cattle into the pin. The guys think they got all the cattle in the pin, but one of the experts says he does not see 100 cattle. The guys drive off before the expert could count all the cattle. The guys then drive to a location 50 miles east of San Antonio.


Segment 3: Crop Food Challenge

The guys have to carry as much crop food as they can in their cars. The crop food is manure. Hot, steamy manure. The guys then have to drive 10 miles to a depot. The guys modify their cars. Tanner puts buckets on the outside of his car to carry the manure. Adam cut out the back of his Maverick for more storage space. Rutledge cuts out the convertible top. He put cardboard as an attempt to keep manure off him. To test the payload capacity of the cars, each car would be filled with 2000 pounds of manure. Adam was first. Adam gets two wheel loader scoops of manure. Since there is nothing separating Adam from the manure, he gets some manure on him. Tanner was next. He was putting on chapstick while the buckets were being loaded with manure. A couple of the buckets failed to hold any manure and were dangling off the car. Rutledge came up with a sign system. Thumbs up was good. X was bad. The show goes to commercial while the Miata was being loaded with manure. The show returns to outside the hanger. Rutledge says he did not care for the manure challenge. Rutledge says fun is not throwing up. Back to Texas. Rutledge's Miata is being filled with manure, and some gets on Rutledge. He puts up the X sign to signal stop, but the manure just kept coming. Rutledge tells the manure dumper to load it up again. Half of Rutledge's windshield is covered with manure. He runs into Adam, who then kicks manure off Rutledge's windshield. The guys hit the road with manure. On the highway, Tanner swerves to get more manure on Rutledge. The guys make girl jokes at Tanner because he has no manure inside his car. The guys take a shortcut through downtown San Antonio. Adam breaks down in front of the Alamo. His Maverick overheated again. The breakdown halted traffic. Adam throws manure at Rutledge and the guys were off. Tanner backs into Rutledge. Tanner's driving style was making it miserable for everyone else. Karma caught up to Tanner as he lost a bucket full of manure. Commercial break. The show returns to the hanger. Tanner does a recap. They lost cattle, slept with scorpions, and had to haul around crap. Tanner says it was one of the toughest challenges yet. Rutledge says Tanner was driving in an air conditioned car, putting on makeup. Tanner says he was putting on chapstick. Back to Texas. The guys are getting one of Tanner's buckets out from under the Miata. The guys get the bucket loose. There is still manure in it until Adam pours the rest out of the bucket. Tanner tries to get as much of the manure back as he can. The guys make it to the weigh station. Adam went first and had 1,420 lbs of manure in his Maverick. Tanner went next and had 270 lbs of manure in his buckets. Adams says that the manure weighed less than Rutledge. Rutledge went last and had 570 lbs of manure. Adam won this challenge.


Segment 4: Monster Truck Race

The guys had 12 hours to prepare their cars for monster truck racing. The last car standing wins. Tanner says the winner gets double points. Tanner backs into the Miata before driving off. Rutledge is seen shoveling manure out of his car. The next day, the guys reveal their modifications to their cars. The guys would race 6 laps around the track. Adam took an early lead. He led the first two laps until the Maverick overheated and the engine caught fire. Commercial Break. The show returns to Texas. Adam says his car was the best until it caught fire during the monster truck race. As a consequence for breaking down, the Maverick was added to the track. Rutledge and Tanner restart the race. The race was back and forth until Rutledge loses a wheel. Tanner wins the wheel. He did not crush the Maverick. The show cuts to the hanger, where Tanner has his BMW with him. Adam says that Tanner did not win because Adam says he won the hauling competition and claims victory over the cattle drive. Tanner says that Maverick caught fire and could not have won. Rutledge goes through Adam's history. Adam's Maverick caught fire. Adam bent his Cadillac in half, in which Adam defended himself saying he drove it like a man. Adam broke the driveshaft on his Ford F-250, which Adam blames gravity for that. Tanner says Rutledge drove on three wheels, which Rutledge says was pretty awesome. Tanner says his car was the only one still running so he claims victory. The other two protest. The show ends.


Overall, this was an entertaining season premiere. The pilot episode was boring. The guys were in my home state of Texas. They drove through my college town carrying crap. The chemistry has vastly improved since season 1. I have issues with Rutledge. His laugh is annoying and he complains too much. The jokes were good and the timing of the jokes was spot on.


Final Verdict: 8 Stigs out of 10. Too much complaining from Rutledge. It would have been nice to see a fastest lap challenge for the cars in which the Stig would drive each car around a track carrying 500 lbs of some item. Still, it was an entertaining episode.

CarJunkie

Top Gear Series 1 Episode 2

On this episode, Jeremy drives a Ford Focus RS in Wales, Jeremy drives a plastic British supercar, Jason gives some money-saving tips, Jay Kay rocks Top Gear, Top Gear features some RS Fords, and the guys find out how many bikes a bus can jump over.


Segment 1: Ford Focus RS and its Competition

Ford Focus RS

The segment starts with Jeremy talking about the Ford Escort Cosworth. He says that Ford had an idea to put a big engine in an Escort, and created the boy racer. He then walks over to a Ford Focus RS and says that Ford promised a Focus with 300 bhp and all-wheel drive. Instead the Focus RS has 212 bhp and front-wheel drive. He then walks over to a Subaru Impreza and then the Stig drives the Subaru around the test track in 1:39.0. During the test lap, Jeremy says the Impreza is a tuned-down rally car is not particularly good looking. The Stig then drives the Honda Civic Type R around the test track in 1:38.06. Jeremy says that his mother has a Civic. All but one Civic is a motherly car. The Civic Type R is a mother of a car. The Stig drives the Focus RS around the track in 1:33.8. Then the show cuts to Wales, where Jeremy is driving the Focus RS. Jeremy picked Wales because there is so much empty road. The Focus RS has sporty seats, a start button, a hideous steering wheel. Other than those items, Jeremy says the Focus RS feels like a normal three-door Focus. There is no cup holder. The Focus has 2.0L turbocharged engine and is fast. It does not feel like it has the oomph that the Impreza has. The Focus had a faster lap time than the Impreza because the Focus handles very well. The Focus can go fast around corners. The Focus RS cost under 20,000 pounds. It brings power to the people. The Focus has some issues. It is not a very firm ride, does not pick up Radio 2, and it has problems going uphill on curvy roads. To end the review, Jeremy says the camera crew and drive the Focus back to the studio as Jeremy gets into the Subaru. Jeremy says the problem with the differential is that when the Focus accelerates, it goes in the direction the differential is pointing in. The driver has no control of the car. The car has horrendous torque steer. Jason then says that no dealership has a Focus RS. The customer who wants to buy one cannot take a test drive in one. Jason then explains how a someone can use an ad that says he/she is selling a Focus RS for 12,000 pounds and suckers a customer into giving him/her the customer's credit car information. The customer waits for months and then is forced into buying the car at list price, instead of the discount price.


Segment 2: The News

Vauxhall Meriva

Mazda RX-8

Volkswagen Tuareg

MG XPower SV

The firts item is that LAPD is surprised that the number of car chases and car thefts have gone up since police car chases started airing on television. Jeremy says that there is a beeper that notifies people when a police chase is occurring. The second item is Vauxhall coming out with the Meriva. It is a smaller version of the Zafira. The Meriva is a five-seater with a removable rear middle seat and the seats in the back completely fold down. Jeremy says Vauxhall is bad at making cars, but great at making seats. Richard then brings up the Mazda RX-8, which will be powered by a rotary engine. As a safety measure, the rear doors on the RX-8 can only be opened when the front doors are open. Richard says that is not a safety measure, it is a major design flaw. Richard then brings up the Volkswagen Tuareg. Jeremy says it is a Porsche Cayenne with the word "Porsche" crossed out and with "Volkswagen" written in crayon. It has a V10 diesel engine. Jeremy says to stop everything because he saw a bus on the M4 bus lane. The last item is MG's new car. Jeremy says he likes the car and Richard says the car is ugly. Jason says it has too many grills. Jeremy says it is a fantastic looking car. The audience is split 50/50 over the MG. The MG has a Mustang V8. You can get a standard tuned engine with 410 bhp and power can increase to 965 bhp. Jeremy says there is no way that MG could have developed this car since it has only been two years between the time when BMW sold MG and the time when this episode was taped.


Segment 3: How Many Bikes can a Bus Jump Over

The segment starts with a video of a daredevil jump over buses in a bike. Top Gear wanted to know if a Bus could jump over 14 bikes. The bus being used is a double decker bus. Richard does not know what will happen. The bus is on the ramp and the video stops just as the front wheels are off the ramp. The video will continue later on the show. Jeremy thinks the bus will jump 5 bikes.


Segment 4: Noble M12 GTO

Noble M12 GTO

The segment starts with Jeremy explaining the origin of the Noble M12 GTO and how it has a plastic body with a Ford Mondeo engine. Jeremy says it is not a bad car. The car is very comfortable and is a lovely ride. The engine sounds like Darth Vader is in the rear. The car has two turbochargers that take a few seconds to power up and 0-60 mph takes 4.4 seconds and it reaches a top speed of 165 mph. It is a quick car. It is also good looking. The car handles corners quite well. The car will not understeer. It has quite a lot of grip. Jeremy says the Noble is his favorite car he has ever driven. The car is a bargain at 40,000 pounds. There are a few problems with the cars. The break lights kept flicking on and off, signaling left-foot breaking, something that Jeremy does not know how to do. You would need a screwdriver to open the front or the back. The windows are hand-cranked. The windows do not go all the way down. The turning radius is quite large in the Noble. Jeremy is then licking the wing of the Noble. The audience like the car. The Stig then takes the Noble around a wet test track in 1:32.9.


Segment 5: Jay Kay Rocks the Suzuki

Jay Kay

Jay Kay of Jamiroquai is the Star in the Reasonably Priced Car. This guy is quite a car fan. Jay Kay has a Mercedes-Benz Pullman, a Ferrari 550, a Lamborghini Muira SV, a Ferrari 360 Spyder, an Aston Martin DB5, and a BMW 2002 Turbo, just to name a few. His first car was a BMW 1602. He also had an original Batmobile. Jay Kay explains his love for cars. Jeremy and Jay Kay play a game to recognize cars. The first image is shown and Jay Kay correctly guess that it is part of a Ferrari Enzo. The next image appears and again, Jay Kay is correct that the image is part of the new Mini. The third image is shown. It is a door handle. Neither Jeremy nor Jay Kay could guess that it was part of a Vauxhall Vectra, a car despised by Jeremy. Before the fourth and final image is shown, Jay Kay confesses that he has driven his Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon into his own moat. The fourth image is shown as a yellow item with a vent in it. Neither guy could guess it. Someone in the audience guessed Lamborghini. The image is revealed to be the front bumper of a Lamborghini Murcielago, a car that Jay Kay has not driven. Jay Kay's lap will be shown later on. Jay Kay says he has driven a Focus RS and says he did not quite like it.


Segment 6: Different Ford RS Around the Track

Ford RS200

Jeremy shows a clip of an RS Ford from The Professional. Then two RS Fords are driving around the track. Jeremy tells a guy that there is a phone call for him and the Jeremy drives off in his Ford Capri. Then another video is shown. Jeremy is driving a Ford RS200. Jeremy cannot handle the power and spins off the track and into grass. He did that in the first corner of the track.


Segment 7: Audition tape.

Jeremy says he was humiliated by the RS200 footage and by Jay Kay. He then says it is time to humiliate another person. He says that there were several applicants who wanted to be a presenter on Top Gear. He shows an audition tape for a guy called Gazz. Jeremy says that guy was very dull.


Segment 8: Inside Deal with Jason Dawe

Jason Dawe

It is time for Jason's segment. He talks about a Citroen C5 Estate. Jason says it is not that bad of a car. The base model is not selling and is being offered for 10,000 pounds. A Rover 75 with a 2.0L V6 are being sold at bargain prices at local dealerships. The price was not specified. Jason then brings up superminis, such as the Citroen Saxo. There are going at very low prices because dealerships are swapping out their loaner cars. The time this episode was filmed, new models are being put on dealership lots. People could get a year old car for 4,000 pounds. The last bargain is the old BMW 7-Series model. The 2002 7-Series are bombing and are being sold at low prices. Someone who has a 2001 7-Series for nearly 46,000 pounds is selling it for 24,000 pounds. The guys do not feel sorry for that guy. Jason gives a tip for people who drive low mileage cars. He tells them not to be afraid of high mileage cars. Jason gave tips that could save people about 25,000 pounds. Jeremy ends the segment by showing Jay Kay's lap. Jay Kay went around the track in 1:48.1. Jay Kay had a faster time than Jeremy. As payback, Jeremy shows Jay Kay spinning out during a practice lap.


Segment 9: Ford Escort RS1800

Ford Escort RS1800

Richard gets booed for saying he does not like all RS. Richard talks about the Ford Escort RS 1800. It was made for 2 years. Richard says that when he was little, he really needed the car. It is Ford's most successful rally car. Richard finally gets to drive one. It was an advanced car for 1977. 109 Escorts were made into RS1800. Richard says the car is an "antique." Richard was not going very fast because he was intimidated by the car's owner.


Segment 10: Bus Jump Continue

The bus jump is finally shown and the bus cleared three bikes and destroyed the other 11 bikes. One audience member predicted three bikes cleared. That ends the show.


Overall, this was an okay episode, subpar for Top Gear standards. There was very little humor. The ending was great though. Seeing a bus trying to jump over bikes was very entertaining. I knew the bus wasn't going to clear all the bikes. The destruction caused by the bus was great. The Jay Kay segment was entertaining as well. The RS segments were okay, but they were not funny. Jason Dawe segments have become outdated. He does nothing else but give inside deals. He does not take part in the actual reviews of the cars. The chemistry has yet to be fully developed between Jeremy and Richard. This episode was less than stellar. It is one of the worst episodes in Top Gear history.


Final Verdict: 44 Stigs out of 100. This is bad by Top Gear Standards. The Jay Kay and bus jump saved this episode from getting even less Stigs.

CarJunkie

Top Gear Series 1 Episode 1

Top Gear is my favorite show. It combines people doing the most outrageous things with cars, while talking about cars, with great humor. Top Gear goes back to 1977, where it was a motor magazine show, similar to Motorweek. It lasted until 2002, with 45 seasons and 515 episodes. In 2002, Top gear had an overhaul, with a new format this is still used today, featuring three presenters and a tamed racing driver. The first series of Top Gear featured Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and Jason Dawe.

On Series 1, Episode 1, Jeremy reviews the Citroen Berlingo,, Richard talks about a prototype Ford supercar, Jeremy reviews two Italian supercars, Jeremy demonstrates using vegetable oil for fuel, Jason Dawe gives some money saving tips, Richard Hammond tries to beat a speed camera, Richard reviews the Mazda 6, and Harry Enfield is a star in a reasonably priced car.


Segment 1: Citroen Berlingo

Citroen Berlingo

Jeremy starts by showing a Ford Focus and a Volkswagen Golf, two family hatchbacks that cost 12,000 pounds. He says that he has found a family hatchback for under 9,000 pounds. It is the Citroen Berlingo, a van converted into a hatchback by adding rear windows, sliding rear doors, and a 1.6L diesel engine. To find out if the Berlingo is any good, he takes the hatchback to a booze warehouse. His first impression is that he is driving a van. He says it is very loud and not refined. Jeremy also says the car can come with a 1.6L petrol engine that produces the same horsepower as a Mark I Golf and it feels like a car. Jeremy comments on the green dashboard and the green dials. The Berlingo also has five glass panels in the roof. Jeremy says the Berlingo is turning out to be a great car for its price. Jeremy is driving in France and does not find much wrong with it. It is comfortable, but not sporty. Jeremy likes the Berlingo. Jeremy tests the storage capacity of the Berlingo by loading it with booze. Jeremy has to be careful. If customs believes the booze is not for personal consumption, they will confiscate all the booze and the car. Jeremy is back at the studio talking about the Fiat Doblo, a cheaper car but it is the slowest accelerating car in Great Britain. He also talks about the Ford Tourneo Connect, a 10,000 pound car and no one should think about that car. The Renault Kangoo is not as good as the Berlingo. He has Jason come over and Jeremy asks him if people should by the petrol or diesel version of the Berlingo. Jason says petrol. Jeremy says all but one member of the Top Gear crew likes the Berlingo.


Segment 2: GT40

Ford GT40 Prototype

Richard Hammond says that if someone does a list of the greatest race cars, it would have to include the Ford GT40. Then a montage of the production and success of the GT40 is shown. Richard says Ford struggled to find a successor to the GT40, until it came out with the Ford GT40. It is 4 inches taller and 18 inches wider than the original GT40. It is loaded with technology. The fuel door and engine door open with a remote. The engine is a supercharged 5.4L V8 that produces 500 bhp. He shows the sporty interior of the car. At the time of the episode originally aired, Ford announced that it will be producing this car. Richard says the car will be on sale in America for $150,000. The car will also be very exclusive and you will have to know someone at Ford to get one of these cars.


Segment 3: the News

Fiat Stilo Estate

Nissan Micra

Bently Continental GT

Jeremy announced that the British government will be 145 million pounds over the next 5 years on the road network. Fiat is in deep trouble, currently losing 2 million pounds a day. To save itself Fiat is coming out with an estate version of the Stilo. If Fiat fails, Fiat will take Ferrari, Lancia, Maserati, and Alfa Romeo with them. If Fiat fails, General Motors would buy Fiat. Ferrari would be owned by General Motors. Richard announces that Nissan will be making a new version of the Micra. Smart will be coming out with two versions, a coupe and a cabriolet version of the Smart Car. Jeremy says that the problem with F1 is that Ferrari has completely dominating F1. Jeremy also says the F1 cars are loaded with technology. Pit crews could tune the car from a computer. Richard then goes on to talk about the Bentley Continental GT. Powering this car is a W12 engine. The engine produces so much torque that the amount torque generated cannot be determined.


Segment 4: Italian Supercars

Pagani Zonda

Lamborghini Murcielago

Jeremy starts the segment of by talking about the newest supercar company from Italy, Pagani, and showing off the Pagani Zonda, saying the car is exquisite. The Zonda engine is a Mercedes-Benz-AMG 7.3L V12 engine. Jeremy then shows a video review of the Zonda. He compares the Zonda to an F15 fighter plane. The noise from the Zonda is astonishing. The Zonda's body is made of carbon fiber and the engine produces 550 bhp. The car can reach 200 mph in fifth gear. At top gear, the Zonda can hit 220 mph. Jeremy is having difficulties steering the Zonda and spins out. The Zonda is well made, and Jeremy cannot believe that Pagani came out of nowhere to make the Zonda. The only problem with the Zonda is its competition, the Lamborghini Murcielago. The Murcielago is the ultimate automotive pinup according to Jeremy. Jeremy was worried that since Audi bought Lamborghini, the Germans would try to bring order to the Italian chaos that is Lamborghini. Jeremy says that he could change gears with one finger. The steering does not feel like it is set in concrete. The clutch is like stepping on a marshmallow. The Murcielago still has the scissor doors. When the engine gets hot, side air intakes come out of the rear. The engine is a 6.2L V12 that produces 571 bhp. Time for a drag race. The Zonda and Lambo face off and the Zonda destroyed the Lambo. Jeremy says Audi has changed the Lambo from a supercar into a small, nimble, razor-sharp sports car. Jeremy says the old Lambo Diablo is like a chess of drawers with a jet engine. The new Lambo feels like you are an organic part of a machine. Jeremy says the Murcielago is by far the best Lamborghini ever made. It is better than any current Ferrari. The Zonda is better than the Murcielago though. The Lambo cost around 160,000 pounds and the Zonda costs 310,000 pounds. The final test for both cars is a lap around the Top Gear test track. Richard explains the track. Both cars will be driven by the Stig, a professional race car driver. The Lambo did the lap in 1:29.0. The Zonda went around the track in 1:23.8, despite the Stig having trouble handling the car.

The Original Stig

Segment 5: Try to Beat a Speed Camera

Honda Civic Type R

Richard Hammond does an experiment to see if a car can beat a speed camera. Richard wanted to know what is the minimum speed a car must go to not have its picture taken a second time by speed camera. Driving the car will be the Stig. The first attempt is done in a Honda Civic Type-R three-door hatchback. The Civic went 129 mph and got caught by the camera. Other attempts will be shown later on in the episode.


Segment 6: Harry Enfield in a Suzuki

Harry Enfield

Suzuki Liana

The Star in a Reasonably Price Car segment is Jeremy interviewing one or two celebrities and then the celebrity will drive around the test track in a Suzuki Liana. The first guest is Harry Enfield, an English actor and comedian. When Harry made it big, he bought himself a Vauxhall Cavalier Convertible. Harry's next car was a Rover 200. He then swapped the Rover for a Metro. Jeremy says he went around the track in 1:50.0 with passengers in the car. Harry's lap was shown later on in the episode.


Segment 7: More Attempts to beat a speed camera

Mecedes Benz CL55 AMG

The next car was a Mercedes-Benz CL 55 AMG. The Stig was off and reached a speed of 148 mph, but it still got caught by the speed camera. Another attempt will be shown later on in the show.


Segment 8: Running a car on Vegetable Oil

Jeremy talks about how a supermarket is rationalizing fuel. Jeremy says that it is almost brilliant to run a car on vegetable oil, except it ruins the engine. He has a guy come on the show to demonstrate how adding an additive to the vegetable oil. The additive is a white spirit. He says to put 3 ml of additive for every 97 ml of vegetable oil. Let it stand for a week. The vegetable oil plus additive can work in any diesel engine. The engine does not need to be modified to work. The performance is the same, maybe even better than using diesel engine. He tries vegetable oil with the additive on a Volvo 760 diesel and it works. After the segment, Harry's lap was shown  and he went around the track in 2:01.0.


Segment 9: Insider Dealing

Jason Dawe shows how much a Mini One goes for a year after it is sold. The Impreza made in 2002 and cost 18,995 pounds. Jason says wait because the Impreza will drop in prize. The reason is that Subaru is coming out with a new version of the Impreza. Jason also says that there will only be 3000 Volvo XC90s coming to Britain for 2002, and there are 220 Volvo dealerships in Great Britain. Each dealership will get one XC90 each month.


Segment 10: Mazda 6

Mazda 6

Richard does a review of the Mazda 6. People buy Mazdas to suit their needs. People can drive Mazda 6 and would not be seen. The interior is a Japanese design, not a Japanese design copying a German interior. It is not a quick car, 0-60 mph in 9 seconds. Power comes on during the middle rpm range. The car corners very well. The Mazda 6 is very noisy. Jeremy says he has driven the car and says it is brilliant.


Segment 11: Final Attempt at Beating a Speed Camera

TVR Tuscan

The Stig is driving a TVR Tuscan S in a final attempt to beat a speed camera. The Stig got the TVR to speeds over 170 mph and no flash was present. The TVR went so fast that the camera could not take a picture. The TVR beat a speed camera. The show ends with Jeremy giving a preview of Series 1, Episode 2.


Overall, this was a good pilot episode. It was entertaining, but the hosts were not taking shots at one another. The humor that Top Gear is now known for had not been developed yet. Jason Dawe talked about saving money. Jason was not funny and had a limited role in the show before being replaced by James May for Series 2. Jeremy and Richard have a few witty jokes. This episode created the formula that Top Gear and its localized spin-offs would use. Some of the cars featured were not brought to America. Citroen has not been sold in America since 1974. There are no Pagani dealerships in America. Recently, Fiat returned to America with the Fiat 500. The Nissan Mirca is not sold in America. The most interesting part of this episode was trying to beat a speed camera, which was done at 170 mph in a TVR Tuscan S.


Final Verdict: 63 Stigs out of 100. This is the Top Gear that is watched worldwide, not Top Gear US. So scores will be out of 100 Stigs, not 10 Stigs. Top Gear US episodes cannot match the quality of Top Gear episodes.

CarJunkie

Top Gear US Season 1 Episode 9 "Alaska Special-America's Toughest Truck"

On Episode 9, the guys travel through Alaska to find America's toughest truck.

Warning: Spoilers are in the review


Segment 1: The guys pick their trucks

1997 Dodge Ram

Chevrolet C/K 10 Stepside

Ford F-250

Toyota Hilux

The guys had to blindly buy a truck that had over 150,000 miles and cost $3000. The guys meet up in a forest just north of Anchorage, Alaska. Adam is a can of bear mace and several bear bells. I think someone is afraid of bears. The guys then see their trucks for the first time. Rutledge bought a 1997 Dodge Ram 1500 for $3000. Rutledge could fit his head between the top of the tire and the bottom of the fender. The guys joke that Rutledge's head is a unit of measurement. Tanner's truck is revealed as a 1983 Chevrolet C/K 10 Stepside. Tanner thought he had a diesel engine, but he opened the hood only to see a small block Chevy 350 cubic inch engine. Adam bought a 1976 Ford F-250. Adam's truck was in the worst shape. The guys were told that if their trucks broke down, they would be riding in a 1993 Toyota Hilux.


Segment 2: Breaking Test Challenge and Fairbank

 The first challenge is a breaking test. Each host would get his truck up to 30 mph and slam on the breaks when the truck reached a marker that was 30 feet from the lake. The goal was not to get the truck into the lake. Adam stopped 5 feet from the lake. Tanner stopped 2 feet from the water. It was Rutledge's turn. Adam and Tanner moved the marker closer to the lake. Rutledge ended up in the lake. The guys were given an envelope and were told to drive 100 miles to Fairbank while driving the toughest terrain in America. The guys talk about their trucks while driving to Fairbank. The guys get to a truck stop and Tanner comments that Rutledge's truck was too new. Tanner and Adam ram into Rutledge. The guys were told that they would be spending their last night in a hotel near Fairbank. The guys would have to spend the rest of the episode in the wilderness. So, they went to a workshop and modified their trucks into bush-ready campers in one night.


Segment 3: Wilderness Truck Modification

Bear Proof Ford F-250

Dodge Ram with Cottage

Chevrolet C/K 10 with Spoiler Camper

Tanner was the first to reveal his modification. He built his camper in the shape of a spoiler. Tanner had a bed, coffee, and few other things in his spoiler camper. Rutledge reveals his camper. He added a log cabin on the truck bed with a slot that opens for his feet when he is asleep. It also had a porch ,a welcome mat and a stoll for someone to sit on the porch. Rutledge has a minibar, a stove, a Daniel Boone hat, and a few other items. Rutledge's cabin is not secure to the truck and it is not rigid. Adam revealed his truck camper. He went with a no-bear theme. His camper is a cage welded to the back of his truck. Adam got a picture of a lion to scare off bears. He even has a speaker that makes lion noises. He even has an escape hatch. Adam and Rutledge did not prepare for rain. The guys are driving and realize their modifications have affected the aerodynamics of their trucks.


Segment 4: Fish Creek

The guys arrive at Fish Creek, a 20 mile proving ground created by nature. The must cross water to get there. Adam got stuck in the water, and the Hilux reared its head. Rutledge crosses the water. Rutledge pulls Adam out of the water. Adam gets his truck running again. The guys must climb up a mountain. The guys reach an Alaskan skid pad. The skid pad was mud and water. Rutledge got stuck in the mud. Tanner tried to get around Rutledge and got stuck. Adam got Rutledge out of trouble. Rutledge tried to talk Adam out of helping Tanner. Adam gets Tanner out of the mud. The guys make it to the top of Fish Creek. The guys set up camp and talk trucks. The all go to bed.


Segment 5: Trek to a Glacier

The guys would have to travel from Fish Creek through a river valley and reach a glacier. Whoever got to the glacier first while his truck was still running won and his truck would be named America's toughest truck. While Rutledge is using the toilet, Adam and Tanner make animal noises through the walkie talkie. Tanner and Adam drive by while Rutledge is still using the toilet. The guys hit up a steep vertical climb. Adam snapped his driveshaft on the rocky terrain. His Ford had died and he was forced to drive the Toyota. The Dodge and Chevy still remained. While driving uphill, Rutledge's cabin fell off the truck bed and Tanner ran over it. The guys set up camp and use the wood from Rutledge's cabin as firewood for the campfire. The guys leave camp and continued their trek to the glacier. The guys did not have a trail to follow and had to create their own path. The guys drive through muddy water. Rutledge's driver window did not roll up all the way and he got muddy water on him. Tanner's hood would not stay down. The guys were speeding towards the glacier. The speed caused Rutledge's battery to become loose and the Dodge stalled. Rutledge fixed the problem and got the Dodge to start again. The guys has to cross a river, and the Dodge stalled in the water a few times. Rutledge got it to run until it finally died. Tanner was the only one who had a working American truck. Rutledge said his final words to his truck, which he named Chuck Norris. Since Rutledge's Dodge died, he had to join Adam in the Toyota. Since Rutledge just lost his truck, he was the one to drive the Toyota. Tanner had to touch the glacier with his truck. He realized he was not just representing Chevy, but he was representing every truck that came out of America. If Tanner failed, the Toyota would be crowned America's toughest truck. Tanner made it to the glacier area, but he still needed to touch the glacier with his Chevy. Tanner backed his truck into an iceberg from the glacier, claiming victory. The guys proved that Chevrolet made America's toughest truck.


Overall, this was an above average special. The jokes were either hit or miss. The challenge was tough and I was surprised that any of the trucks made it to the glacier. But the Top Gear UK road trips were funnier, and the British hosts have better chemistry than the American hosts. Top moments are Tanner reaching the glacier and Tanner running over Rutledge's cabin. The chemistry between Adam, Tanner, and Rutledge improved over the season. On Top Gear UK, only once did a host have his car die during a road trip. In Alaska, two trucks died on the trip.


Final Verdict: 6 Stigs out of 10. This Episode is available at www.history.com

CarJunkie