Top Gear: GT-R vs. Bullet train
Top Gear has turned its stellar production values loose on the GT-R. In the interest of compelling television, it's not just a review. In pursuit of hilariousness, May and Hamster set off on a bullet train to see if they can beat Clarkson to the final destination. It takes about the duration of the ride for Clarkson to figure out what half the buttons in the GT-R do, and May and Hammond don't have it any easier trying to communicate in Japanese to do simple things like figure out the train system and buy tickets. Hilarity follows, with part 1&2 after the jump.
[Source: GTR Blog]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
Tony 12:35PM (7/14/2008)
Fantastic episode, best of season 11 so far.
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meshies 2:06PM (7/14/2008)
I agree. T'was hilarious.
Allan 2:50PM (7/14/2008)
Was definitely funny watching them get around Japan... but no real thoughts on the car? No Stig flogging it around? I was kind of let down by that. They got to the end of the race and the show just kind of ended. I was like... WTH?!
homunculus 5:13PM (7/14/2008)
a. Top Gear's cinematography was fantastic in this episode. Or maybe you can't do much with the Isle of Man.
b. Don't smoke kids or you'll end up like these three geezers.
Eric Smith 10:19PM (7/14/2008)
@Allan:
They do say at the end of the episode that it'll be back for a full proper review and lap time later in the series.
SimbaDogg 12:42AM (7/15/2008)
pretty good episode indeed...
but i must say i've been starting to feel less favorable of TG. Every episode i have to be reminded about how ethno and eurocentric they can be. its very sad
info 12:41PM (7/14/2008)
Why did they go to Japan? Both the ICE in Germany and the TGV in France are faster than the bullet trains in Japan.
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Zane 12:51PM (7/14/2008)
But it wouldn't have been as funny. Besides, in the words of Jezza, France is a country of cheese eating surrender monkeys. What better place to film this race than the birth land of the GT-R?
Eric Bandholz 12:51PM (7/14/2008)
Because the car is from Nissan - a Japanese company.
Liquidretro.net 12:53PM (7/14/2008)
They went to Japan because that is where the car came out first at. The car wont come to the UK till next year. They had to do it this way for production reasons. Plus it added a level of fun to the episode with the language barrier and all.
info 12:58PM (7/14/2008)
>>>Cheese eating surrender monkeys""
Don't forget that without them the 4th of July might be just another day on your calendar.
Takeo 3:07PM (7/14/2008)
Yes info, the French Navy did save the Continental Army at the battle of Saratoga, but we've since repaid the debt.... twice.
Takeo 3:09PM (7/14/2008)
Ugh I gaffed, I meant the battle of Yorktown. That's what I get for trying to remember Revolutionary War history while reading a battle of the US Pacific Campaign.
Za 4:47PM (7/14/2008)
Oh dear. The Nissan GT-R is a Japanese car. As a result, what the hell sense would it make to race a German train? Furthermore, no, the ICE is not necessarily faster than the Shinkansen, nor is it nearly as punctual.
izzy 12:42PM (7/14/2008)
Classic Top Gear episode. I love it when Jezza shares what he discovered on the internet. I honestly thought he was going to have a heart attack at the end. I'm actually looking forward to the US version.
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Zane 12:42PM (7/14/2008)
TG back at its best! The Alfa review was stunning, especially with the subtle B&W intro. The weekly signposts thing is becoming a great center piece of the news segment. The race was (obviously!) epic while Kate and Fiona in SIARPC were pretty comical too.
I'd give this one a 9.5/10.
Clarkson's comments were bang on as well:
He can spot your beaver from a mile away.
Tuned exhausts are as fake as a hooker's smile.
Buying the 8C for its dynamic abilities is like buying a porn film for its plot.
Sarah Jessica Parker's face looks like a boiled horse.
God, I love TOP GEAR!
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Irresistible Force 12:49PM (7/14/2008)
Personally, i thought this was the weakest of the 5 'epic' races so far, and i LOVE the GT-R and Japan.
To me, they spent too much time playing up the 'humour' of the language differences (don't try to tell me for a second that both groups didn't have at least one fluent translator with them) and not enough time focusing on each part of the race itself.
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Zane 12:59PM (7/14/2008)
5? I thought this was the sixth.
Veyron vs plane: Italy to London
612 Scag vs train: Studios to Verbier
SLR vs ship/powerboat: Studios to Oslo
Sled vs Pickup truck: Race to the north pole
Bike vs Boat vs Car vs Public transport: London
GT-R vs Shinkansen: Hakui to Nokogiri Yama Mt.
Zane 1:00PM (7/14/2008)
Ahh, I forgot the DB9 vs train race to Monaco. That makes it 7.
Omer 1:04PM (7/14/2008)
you also forgot the race across london. bike vs merc g-class suv vs boat vs train (Stig)