Top Gear Australia in trouble for damaging cars
Australia gave us the word "hoon," and the Aussie version of Top Gear apparently features three of them in presenters Charlie Cox, Warren Brown, and Steve Pizzati. The trio's habit of hooning for local audiences has seen them rack up a repair bill close to $AUS 200,000 for the cars they've damaged during taping – a bill to be paid by the automakers, thank you very much, for a show that is not yet racking up the ratings. Carmakers, not surprisingly, aren't thrilled about it, with one one likening the show to an automotive version of Jackass. TG Australia is coming around again for a second season, which might be difficult if carmakers end up gathering behind one manufacturer's rather blunt declaration: "They will encounter a lot of shut doors." Thanks for the tip, Richard!
[Source: Sun Herald]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Chris Riccio 1:37PM (12/08/2008)
Not unexpected, although It would be interesting to see TGUK's repair bill statistics is comparison.
FWIW, I stopped watching this show mid series. Not worth my bandwidth.
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Joe 1:48PM (12/08/2008)
Kudos to you, I could only give it one episode.
noodlz 1:37PM (12/08/2008)
Funny you brought this up...they did about $200k in damage to my sense of humor as well.
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416Hammy 3:14PM (12/08/2008)
I'm r-e-a-l-l-y trying to like this TG knock-off... but it's hard with these hosts and the mediocre script-writing.
416Hammy 3:25PM (12/08/2008)
I'm r-e-a-l-l-y trying to like this TG knock-off... but it's hard with these lack-luster hosts and the mediocre script-writing.
HoratioBoratio 1:31AM (12/14/2008)
Yeah, the humor doesn't work. The ideas, at least of the first two episodes, sucked. The presenters are mediocre at best, lacking in charisma. Two episodes of fast forwarding, seeking good stuff, was enough for me. As for the old TG episodes, they weren't nearly as bad, basically because Clarkson has a personality.
Fifth Gear is much better in comparison, and they're not even close to Top Gear. Tiff and that other make race driver have some personality and skills. They provide the fun and joy of driving. The gal is hilarious and, honestly, I could watch her read a book. She also communicates what a car is like, quite well. Best of all, the two comic relief guys do some funny bits, especially the skinny one. Their crash tests are also interesting, if not as entertaining as launching a car shuttle.
JDMlover 1:42PM (12/08/2008)
These type of shows handle some EXPENSIVE cars...i would be scared to even drive those type of cars hard...
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Bixmen 2:10PM (12/08/2008)
I dont mind the show, charlie and the other guy on the end seem like decent gear heads. the middle guy is just annoying and talentless.
If they are up in arms about 200k, how is the american and commercially sponsored version going to fare?
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Aki 1:49PM (12/08/2008)
Yeah, I'm curious as to the repair bill for Top Gear UK. I mean they're going all out with the best of the exotics, which has to incur some wear--even if you're not crashing.
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Seminole 1:59PM (12/08/2008)
Don't forget the also track Ford Fiestas and Corvettes through shopping malls and use Fiestas to launch an amphibious assault!
Mobius_1 2:40PM (12/08/2008)
But TGUK actually have really high ratings (and that's not including all those torrents).
TG Oz is, in a word, fail.
Tommy 1:56PM (12/08/2008)
The problem with TG-Australia is that these three are really trying to replicate the great three from the UK and that will just not work. It's so weird how they have an equivalent of Hammond, May and Clarkson. There's just no originality in TG-Aus
By the way, I remember when they did the SUV desert testing, one of them simply went nuts and damaged the car's front-end for no reason. Stupid show.....TG-UK rules! (I have a last night's show waiting for me at my PC tonight! Can't wait!)
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ambientFLIER 9:54PM (12/08/2008)
That wasn't really "for no reason". That was actually funny.
Stumpy 1:55PM (12/08/2008)
I was only able to watch the first two episodes, after that, I just gave up on the show. Did it ever get any good?
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Smegley 2:05PM (12/08/2008)
Top Gear sucks anyway. Hope the franchise tanks.
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Eric Liberatore 2:19PM (12/08/2008)
Troll much?
why not the LS2LS7? 2:07PM (12/08/2008)
Are you kidding me? About US $130K? That's peanuts for publicity.
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Jeff R 2:53PM (12/08/2008)
exactly, kind of confusing post in general...
James 3:04PM (12/08/2008)
Yeh. Peanuts. Just a shame they didn't tell Holden about the $130,000 repair bill until they returned the vehicles.
Richard 2:46PM (12/08/2008)
Poor TG. They expanded as the world was contracting. Bad for TG. Bad for Jezza and the boys. Hope that the UK show survives the dilution/ contraction roller coaster.
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