Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Jeremy Clarkson gets his own song]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/04/01/jeremy-clarkson-gets-his-own-song/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/04/01/jeremy-clarkson-gets-his-own-song/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/04/01/jeremy-clarkson-gets-his-own-song/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Jeremy Clarkson Song

We've seen all manner of Top Gear tributes, but this is something of a different caliber altogether. British comedy duo Hawkeye and Windy have worked up a musical homage to the ever-contrarian Jeremy Clarkson with a tune that mocks the TV personality's critics. Clarkson has a long and documented history of agitating just about every group of people on the planet with his off-color comments. The song in the video after the jump pokes fun at everyone who's taken offense with some clever lyrics and one suitably creepy Clarkson mask.

We can't say we'll be watching this one more than once, but it's worth giving it a click through. Take a look for yourself below.

Continue reading Jeremy Clarkson gets his own song

Jeremy Clarkson gets his own song originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 01 Apr 2013 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bbcclarksonhawkeye and windyhumorjeremy clarksontop gearvideoMon, 01 Apr 2013 12:45:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20524689/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/04/01/jeremy-clarkson-gets-his-own-song/20524689/article-detail.xml 20524689 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/04/clarkson-song-628_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/04/clarkson-song-628.jpg <![CDATA[<em>Top Gear</em> season premier will air on BBC America days after UK debut]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/28/top-gear-season-premier-will-air-on-bbc-america-days-af/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/28/top-gear-season-premier-will-air-on-bbc-america-days-af/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/28/top-gear-season-premier-will-air-on-bbc-america-days-af/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



If you're hungry for the new season of Top Gear and happen to find yourself living in the US, we have good news for you. The BBC has announced season 19 will debut on BBC America one week after it airs in the UK. That's a welcome change from the lengthy wait we're accustomed to on this side of the Atlantic, and will likely be enough to keep most fans from turning to their favorite torrents for their dose of Jeremy Clarkson, James May, Richard Hammond and The Stig. The first episode is set to air on February 4 at 9:00 pm EST.

The episode follows Clarkson as he attempts to build the world's smallest car and operate the machine on the streets of London. May, meanwhile, takes the time to run a Bentley Continental GT Speed down a rally stage, and Hammond hops behind the wheel of the mighty Pagani Huayra for a few laps at the show's test track. You can check out the full press release below for more information. You can also check out the teaser video for the new season here.

Continue reading Top Gear season premier will air on BBC America days after UK debut

Top Gear season premier will air on BBC America days after UK debut originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 28 Jan 2013 08:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bbcbbc americajames mayjeremy clarksonrichard hammondtop geartop gear season 19Mon, 28 Jan 2013 08:43:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20439957/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/01/28/top-gear-season-premier-will-air-on-bbc-america-days-af/20439957/article-detail.xml 20439957 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/01/top-gear-photo_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/01/top-gear-photo.jpg <![CDATA[<em>Top Gear</em> releases first teaser for new season]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/18/top-gear-releases-first-teaser-for-new-season/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/18/top-gear-releases-first-teaser-for-new-season/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/18/top-gear-releases-first-teaser-for-new-season/#commentsFiled under: , ,

New Top Gear Season teaser video screencap - Subaru and Volvo in the jungle getting muddy

The new season of Top Gear is set to launch at the end of this month, and the BBC has dropped a quick teaser to get everyone excited. The spot takes a look at the show from the wardrobe department's point of view, and gives us a few glimpses of what Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond have been up to since we last saw them. From squaring off in a Lexus LFA against a fighter plane and playing rugby with cheap cars to bashing through the jungle in the bug-eyed Subaru WRX shown above, the crew has been plenty busy.

Sure, the clips show a few recycled ideas, but these guys have been at it for a spell now... some repetition is allowed. Look for the new season to launch on January 27. After a full year without the show on our screens, we're more than ready to see the new season. You can check out the first teaser below for yourself.

Continue reading Top Gear releases first teaser for new season

Top Gear releases first teaser for new season originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 18 Jan 2013 15:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bbcjames mayjeremy clarksonrichard hammondtop gearvideoFri, 18 Jan 2013 15:43:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20431641/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/01/18/top-gear-releases-first-teaser-for-new-season/20431641/article-detail.xml 20431641 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/01/new-top-gear-season-628_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/01/new-top-gear-season-628.jpg <![CDATA[BBC.com launches new, NY-based autos site]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/10/bbc-com-launches-new-ny-based-autos-site/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/10/bbc-com-launches-new-ny-based-autos-site/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/10/bbc-com-launches-new-ny-based-autos-site/#commentsFiled under:

BBC Autos

BBC.com has launched a new, New York-based automotive site. The new effort from the UK publishing giant is designed to be "an entertaining, insightful daily read." Content will focus on design, technology, community and culture while drawing inspiration from the broadcasting company's already successful automotive efforts. Those include Top Gear as well as BBC News and BBC Sport. Much of the site's content seems to have been lifted from those sources, though original pieces will be part of the recipe moving forward.

Here in the states, the sites launch has been supported by Cadillac, and BBC says fans will be able to interact with the site through a variety of social media channels. You can check out the brief press release below for more information, or head over to the new BBC Autos for a closer look.

Continue reading BBC.com launches new, NY-based autos site

BBC.com launches new, NY-based autos site originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 10 Jan 2013 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bbcbbc autosbbc.comtop gearThu, 10 Jan 2013 16:01:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20425209/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/01/10/bbc-com-launches-new-ny-based-autos-site/20425209/article-detail.xml 20425209 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/01/bbc-autos-628_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/01/bbc-autos-628.jpg <![CDATA[<i>Top Gear</i> back on air January 27]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/02/top-gear-back-on-air-january-27/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/02/top-gear-back-on-air-january-27/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/02/top-gear-back-on-air-january-27/#commentsFiled under: ,

Richard Hammond, Jeremy Clarkson and James May, hosts of Top Gear UK

While reporting about Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May hasn't seemed to quit over the last 12 months, the fact that the Top Gear trio were not together and filming episodes of the world's most popular automotive television show made 2012 a dull year for fans. The good news now is that, as promised, the gang is back together for 2013 and box-fresh episodes of the BBC series are coming soon. Very soon.

According to ApplauseStore.com, the website that Top Gear uses to sell tickets to the live filmings of the show, the next new episode is set to be shot on January 23. Typically Top Gear has been filmed live one week before the air date, meaning the next new episode should probably hit the airwaves on January 27.

We can't say exactly which cars or what sort of hair-brained hilarity will crop up in the newest episodes. It does seem like Jezza, The Hampster and Captain Slow will be doing a feature about driving supercars in the USA at some point this season - but we can say that we'll be planted in front of the flat-screen, tuned in and ready for the fun to begin anew.

Top Gear back on air January 27 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 02 Jan 2013 16:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bbcjames mayjeremy clarksonrichard hammondtop geartop gear 2013top gear ukWed, 02 Jan 2013 16:20:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20415202/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/01/02/top-gear-back-on-air-january-27/20415202/article-detail.xml 20415202 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/01/top-gear-photo2_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/01/top-gear-photo2.jpg <![CDATA[<i>Top Gear</i> blokes starting supercar road trip across USA]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/11/13/top-gear-blokes-starting-supercar-road-trip-across-usa/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/11/13/top-gear-blokes-starting-supercar-road-trip-across-usa/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/11/13/top-gear-blokes-starting-supercar-road-trip-across-usa/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Top Gear UK crew prepares for supercar road trip across US

According to the Twitter musings of one Jeremy Clarkson, the Top Gear UK crew is back in the States for another harebrained adventure, this time in a trio of comely supercars. Judging by some grainy Twitter pics, Clarkson is in Las Vegas with Richard Hammond and James May, set to drive cross-country in a Lexus LFA, SRT Viper and Aston Martin Vanquish.

The ever-wry Clarkson appears to have just landed, having announced on Twitter less than 24 hours ago: "People of America. We have passed muster at your idiotic border controls, and we are here, ready to play."

In fact, the Top Gear action this time 'round might not be limited solely to the US - on November 7, Clarkson tweeted, "We will be in Mexico next week." Earlier missives suggest a sizable journey - some 3,000 miles. We're guessing the trip will work out to be the longest journey by a media member in the new SRT, and not by a little bit. Who knows, that may even hold true for the Lexus and Aston Martin. Viva Lost Wages, boys.

Details about TG's journey or when the story will air on the BBC are otherwise slim... anyone else have information on where they're headed? Let us know in Comments.

Top Gear blokes starting supercar road trip across USA originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 13 Nov 2012 10:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2013 aston martin vanquish2013 lexus lfa2013 srt viperaston martinbbcjames mayjeremy clarksonlexuslfarichard hammondsrttop gearvanquishviperTue, 13 Nov 2012 10:45:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20378530/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/11/13/top-gear-blokes-starting-supercar-road-trip-across-usa/20378530/article-detail.xml 20378530 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/11/top-gear-usa-supercar-trip_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/11/top-gear-usa-supercar-trip.jpg <![CDATA[Clarkson, Hammond and May sign new 3-year BBC deal to host Top Gear]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/01/clarkson-hammond-and-may-sign-new-3-year-bbc-deal-to-host-top-g/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/01/clarkson-hammond-and-may-sign-new-3-year-bbc-deal-to-host-top-g/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/01/clarkson-hammond-and-may-sign-new-3-year-bbc-deal-to-host-top-g/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Top Gear BBC's Richard Hammond, Jeremy Clarkson and James May standing in road

And now...the news! Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond, a.k.a. the Top Gear blokes, have signed a new three-year deal to continue hosting the globally popular BBC2 program. The new deal specifies that Hammond and May will receive a share of Top Gear commercial revenue in exchange for promoting the show internationally.

According to the Guardian, the significance of this deal stems from the fact that while The Hamster and Captain Slow previously only received pay for their involvement in the hit show, Clarkson and his mate Andy Wilman were profiting greatly from the international marketing of the show. That's because Bedder 6, a joint venture set up five years ago between Clarkson, Wilman and the BBC owns the show's hugely lucrative commercial rights. The outfit derives its earnings from live Top Gear shows, DVD sales and worldwide marketing of the brand. Clarkson owns 30 percent of Bedder 6 while the BBC owns 50 percent and Wilman owns the remaining 20 percent.

In July, it was revealed that Clarkson's income jumped £900,000 (about $1.45M USD) following word that dividends from Bedder 6 increased from £6 million ($9.7M) last year to £9 million ($14.5M) this year. This, combined with his salary and his £350,000 ($566k) Bedder 6 fee, makes Clarkson the highest paid BBS personality, earning more than £3 million ($4.85M).

It should be noted that this news comes as many other BBC talent have received reduced pay amidst public scrutiny of the government-owned television operator. The BBC is quick to point out that the deal with the Top Gear hosts and Wilman was penned "without using a penny of license fee money." This new deal allows for Hammond and May to have a piece of the pie, without dipping into the BBC's budget. Even so, there has been some debate among British critics whether television personalities are worth these sorts of seven-figure deals - this, despite such salaries being commonplace in Hollywood.

Clarkson, Hammond and May sign new 3-year BBC deal to host Top Gear originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 01 Oct 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>andy wilmanbbcbbc2bedder 6james mayjeremy clarksonrichard hammondsalarytop gearMon, 01 Oct 2012 10:00:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20337380/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/10/01/clarkson-hammond-and-may-sign-new-3-year-bbc-deal-to-host-top-g/20337380/article-detail.xml 20337380 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/08/top-gear-photo2_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/08/top-gear-photo2.jpg <![CDATA[Ford celebrates 50 years of Cortina with BBC]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/09/25/ford-celebrates-50-years-of-cortina-with-bbc/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/09/25/ford-celebrates-50-years-of-cortina-with-bbc/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/09/25/ford-celebrates-50-years-of-cortina-with-bbc/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



It isn't odd to celebrate the birthday of a long-dead celebrity, so perhaps we shouldn't be surprised at the huge to-do being made over the 50th anniversary of the Ford Cortina - a car that went out of production 30 years ago. Its celebrity status comes from the fact that it lived fast and died old, in car years: over the course of two decades, it racked up four generations and 4.3 million sales around the world. Half of those sales were in the UK, putting the Cortina atop the year's best-seller list for ten of its 20 years, in second place for another eight and in third place the last two. That isn't surprising when it's discovered that the MkIV Cortina alone came in more than 32 different versions and was a fleet mainstay.

Befitting a star, the Cortina has been in movies like Get Carter and The Spy Who Loved Me, on television in The Benny Hill Show, it created a trend called The Cortina Class, it has been celebrated at the Goodwood Revival, been a bank robbery getaway car and its 1982 goodbye was marked by an hour-long documentary called The Private Life of the Ford Cortina. No mere creampuff, the Lotus-tuned version of the Cortina won rallies, saloon car championships and endurance races piloted by some of the world's best drivers.

To celebrate what was, Auto Express commissioned Ford designer Paul Wraith to design a Cortina for 2012, the BBC hosted another show on the car's action-packed run and the MkII Cortina driver's club is driving from the Dagenham, England plant where the car was built to Italy, which sounds like one of the best ways to celebrate anything. The press release below can tell you more about the Cortina's greatest hits.

Continue reading Ford celebrates 50 years of Cortina with BBC

Ford celebrates 50 years of Cortina with BBC originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 25 Sep 2012 07:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alexei saylebbccortinafordford cortinaTue, 25 Sep 2012 07:58:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20331878/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/09/25/ford-celebrates-50-years-of-cortina-with-bbc/20331878/article-detail.xml 20331878 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/09/fordcortina50th_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/09/fordcortina50th.jpg <![CDATA[BBC facing penalties for hosting <i>Top Gear</i> videos on YouTube]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/08/22/bbc-facing-penalties-for-hosting-top-gear-videos-on-youtu/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/08/22/bbc-facing-penalties-for-hosting-top-gear-videos-on-youtu/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/08/22/bbc-facing-penalties-for-hosting-top-gear-videos-on-youtu/#commentsFiled under: ,

Top Gear UK - YouTube page

If a corporate content provider in the U.S. wants to upload videos to YouTube, all it essentially needs to do is find someone who knows how to upload videos to YouTube. Then: profit! In the UK, it's done differently - so much so that it sounds like everyone is confused. A regulatory body called The Authority for Television on Demand (ATVOD) oversees on-demand services, including content posted online on branded aggregator sites like Virgin Media as well as open sites like YouTube. Content providers like the BBC, Nickelodeon and MTV that show on-demand content that is "television like," that are editorially responsible for the content, and that make it available to the public need to pay a yearly fee to ATVOD.

Here's where things get sticky: The BBC posted clips of its Top Gear and BBC Food programs on its YouTube channel, each clip less than ten minutes. According to The Telegraph, it didn't check with ATVOD about as to its obligations. The ATVOD checked out the clips and said 'these are television-like, so you owe us £2,900 for each channel (that's about $4,600 USD).' The BBC said that clips of less than ten minutes - a fraction of the length of the program on television - are short-form content being watched by people on the move, and thus not television-like.

The ATVOD responded to this by basically saying "bollocks." Since the BBC content in question satisfies the ATVOD's entire checklist for matters it regulates, the clips in question are "television-like" enough to justify the fee. The BBC joins a long line of media outlets including newspapers and magazines questioning ATVOD decisions, such as rulings that a company that makes a show is responsible for the editorial content of an on-demand show and needs to pay ATVOD as opposed to the broadcaster of the show paying ATVOD. It isn't just big guns that ATVOD goes after, either, its call for licensing fees having shut down more than one independent site offering content like amateur short films. The BBC is appealing, and it looks like clarification will have to come from the UK courts.

BBC facing penalties for hosting Top Gear videos on YouTube originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 22 Aug 2012 18:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>atvodauthority for television on demandbbcbbc foodjames mayjeremy clarksonnigella lawsonon demandrichard hammondtop geartop gear ukukWed, 22 Aug 2012 18:32:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20306366/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/08/22/bbc-facing-penalties-for-hosting-top-gear-videos-on-youtu/20306366/article-detail.xml 20306366 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/08/bbc-top-gear-uk-youtube-page_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/08/bbc-top-gear-uk-youtube-page.jpg <![CDATA[Jeremy Clarkson officially BBC's highest-paid star]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/07/18/jeremy-clarkson-officially-bbcs-highest-paid-star/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/07/18/jeremy-clarkson-officially-bbcs-highest-paid-star/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/07/18/jeremy-clarkson-officially-bbcs-highest-paid-star/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Jeremy Clarkson in funny glassesThe Telegraph reports Jeremy Clarkson is now officially the BBC's highest-paid talent. Last year, the Top Gear presenter brought home around $5.5 million at current conversion rates, besting Graham Norton and Gary Lineker at around $3.1 million each. While critics may cry foul at Clarkson's escalated earnings, the broadcaster says much of that cash spawns from the success of the Top Gear brand. Clarkson works to sell the show around the globe with re-runs, spin-offs like our own Top Gear spinoff in the U.S. and live shows, not to mention a merchandizing empire that includes more than 150 licensed products. The Telegraph reports over four million Top Gear DVDs have been sold worldwide.

Technically, Clarkson is only paid around $782,000 to host the show, a figure that puts him behind other big names in the broadcaster's stable. While the BBC won't say exactly how many of its employees earn between $1.5 million and $7.8 million per year, The Telegraph deduces there are likely between three and six on-air stars pulling down that kind of cash.

And while Clarkson's $5.5M take-home is a boatload of cash, the UK government-owned BBC offers salaries that are well below what many celebrities earn in the U.S. television industry. For example, TV Guide points out that former CBS Evening News anchor Katie Couric knocked down a $15M dollar payday, and so did Regis Philbin for his role on Live! with Regis and Kelly, although the latter two shot more episodes than Top Gear. The hit NBC sitcom Friends is also understood to have paid its stars $1M per episode in its final season - and that was back in 2002.

Jeremy Clarkson officially BBC's highest-paid star originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 18 Jul 2012 10:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bbcjeremy clarksonjeremy clarkson paysalariesthe bbctop geartv show salariesWed, 18 Jul 2012 10:05:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20279645/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/07/18/jeremy-clarkson-officially-bbcs-highest-paid-star/20279645/article-detail.xml 20279645 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/07/jeremy-clarkson-in-funny-glasses_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/07/jeremy-clarkson-in-funny-glasses.jpg <![CDATA[BBC shows the grand life of an F1 driver from birth to Monaco]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/07/04/bbc-shows-the-grand-life-of-an-f1-driver-from-birth-to-monaco/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/07/04/bbc-shows-the-grand-life-of-an-f1-driver-from-birth-to-monaco/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/07/04/bbc-shows-the-grand-life-of-an-f1-driver-from-birth-to-monaco/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

BBC

To hype the Formula 1 Grand Prix of Monaco the BBC put together a flyover - or would that be drive-through? - video of an F1 driver's life from birth to The Principality, from the driver's point of view. In just 1:56, it's clear that an F1 driver's life is so much tougher than you could magine.

We've been watching the pinnacle of motorsport for 18 years and this is the most entertaining F1 promo we've ever seen. Scroll down to watch.

Continue reading BBC shows the grand life of an F1 driver from birth to Monaco

BBC shows the grand life of an F1 driver from birth to Monaco originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 04 Jul 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bbcf1f1 lifeformula 1formula onemonacomonaco gpvideoWed, 04 Jul 2012 20:00:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20270838/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/07/04/bbc-shows-the-grand-life-of-an-f1-driver-from-birth-to-monaco/20270838/article-detail.xml 20270838 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/07/f1driverpromobbc_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/07/f1driverpromobbc.jpg <![CDATA[Top Gear Live to attempt Deadly 720 double loop]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/06/11/top-gear-live-to-attempt-deadly-720-double-loop/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/06/11/top-gear-live-to-attempt-deadly-720-double-loop/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/06/11/top-gear-live-to-attempt-deadly-720-double-loop/#commentsFiled under: ,

Top Gear Live Deadly 720

Successfully piloting an automobile around a giant loop is no easy task, but it's just not spectacular enough for the crew of Top Gear Live. Billing it as a world-first event, the live show's stunt drivers will attempt to spin their way through a giant loop twice in succession during the Top Gear Festival in Durban, South Africa on June 16 and 17.

Dubbed the Deadly 720, the loops themselves stands 26 feet tall and weigh eight tons. A custom-made buggy featuring an accelerator lock that allows the driver to put all his concentration on navigation will enter the loop between 24 and 26 miles per hour. Any deviation from that predetermined speed will result in a failure by the event's calculations.

"There are absolutely no margins for error, which is probably why no one has ever been mad enough to try it before," says Top Gear Live Creative Director Rowland French. Read all about the planned stunt by scrolling down below.

Continue reading Top Gear Live to attempt Deadly 720 double loop

Top Gear Live to attempt Deadly 720 double loop originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 11 Jun 2012 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bbcdeadly 720double looplooploop de looploop the looploop-the-loopstunt driverstunt drivingtop geartop gear liveMon, 11 Jun 2012 16:01:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20255973/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/06/11/top-gear-live-to-attempt-deadly-720-double-loop/20255973/article-detail.xml 20255973 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/06/tgl-deadly-720_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/06/tgl-deadly-720.jpg <![CDATA[UK man erects Jeremy Clarkson scarecrow to slow traffic]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/28/uk-man-erects-jeremy-clarkson-scarecrow-to-slow-traffic/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/28/uk-man-erects-jeremy-clarkson-scarecrow-to-slow-traffic/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/28/uk-man-erects-jeremy-clarkson-scarecrow-to-slow-traffic/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Jeremy Clarkson

One creative family in the UK has found a new way to curb speeding. Shelia Hodgkinson and her son, Christopher, put up a scarecrow dressed as a police officer. The dummy wears a high-visibility vest, toy officer hat and wields a hair dryer for a radar gun. Amusingly, it also sports a printout of Jeremy Clarkson's face for a head.

The ruse has been surprisingly effective at slowing drivers as they pass through the village of West Mickley. Neighbors say the scarecrow looks realistic enough, and so do some drivers, who admit it resulted in them cooling their jets as they pass through the village, which has a 30 mph speed limit. (Some also slow down just to gawk at the creation.)

You can check out the Clarkson scarecrow for yourselves over at BBC News.

UK man erects Jeremy Clarkson scarecrow to slow traffic originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 28 May 2012 14:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bbcjeremy clarksonpolicescarecrowukMon, 28 May 2012 14:02:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20245866/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/05/28/uk-man-erects-jeremy-clarkson-scarecrow-to-slow-traffic/20245866/article-detail.xml 20245866 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/05/jeremy-clarkson-opt_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/05/jeremy-clarkson-opt.jpg <![CDATA[<i>Sun</i> retrains staff over Jeremy Clarkson suicide jabs]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/20/sun-retrains-staff-over-jeremy-clarkson-suicide-jabs/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/20/sun-retrains-staff-over-jeremy-clarkson-suicide-jabs/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/20/sun-retrains-staff-over-jeremy-clarkson-suicide-jabs/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Jeremy Clarkson

Of course you all know who that man in the picture is, don't you? He's Jeremy Clarkson, one of the stars of Top Gear, the BBC's hilarious automotive variety show. Its 18th series just premiered on BBC America this past Monday, with more new episodes airing Mondays at 8:30 p.m. EDT/PDT.

We include this preamble because the powers that be at the BBC have kindly suggested that if we want to use this photo of their Mr. Clarkson, we do so "for show promotion only."

Now that we've taken care of that, we'll get on with the news, which of course, pertains to the aforementioned celebrity rankling yet another group in Britain. This time it's a result of Clarkson's commentary in The Sun newspaper, calling people who commit suicide by jumping under trains "selfish," suggesting that trains should be put back on schedule after these incidents as soon as possible. According to a report by Press Gazette, five groups who assist suicide victims and their families have complained to the Press Complaints Commission, stating their belief that Clarkson and his newspaper employer violated a clause pertaining to "intrusion into grief."

The Sun apologized, according to the report, removed Clarkson's column from its website and agreeing to train its staff in reporting suicide sensitively, among other concessions.

Given Clarkson's long history of seemingly attempting to offend everyone in Britain, from its clergy to public sector unions, if not the world (particularly Indians), we wonder if he'll actually be forced to complete the training. And if he does, we can only imagine what an amazing BBC special that might make.

Sun retrains staff over Jeremy Clarkson suicide jabs originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 20 Apr 2012 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bbcclarksonclarkson commentsjeremy clarksonsuicidethe suntop gearFri, 20 Apr 2012 18:01:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20220708/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/04/20/sun-retrains-staff-over-jeremy-clarkson-suicide-jabs/20220708/article-detail.xml 20220708 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/04/jeremy-clarkson-opt_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/04/jeremy-clarkson-opt.jpg <![CDATA[BBC tells complaining vicar Jeremy Clarkson's blasphemy is "everyday language"]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/03/19/bbc-tells-complaining-vicar-jeremy-clarksons-blasphemy-is-ever/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/03/19/bbc-tells-complaining-vicar-jeremy-clarksons-blasphemy-is-ever/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/03/19/bbc-tells-complaining-vicar-jeremy-clarksons-blasphemy-is-ever/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Jeremy Clarkson

The BBC has come out in defense of Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson after the Reverend Graeme Anderson, vicar of St. Mary's Church in Radcliffe-on-Trent, complained that the entertainer "trivialized, belittled and cheapened" Jesus Christ. Clarkson has a long history of rousing the ire of different groups, and Anderson specifically took issue with a segment in which Clarkson took the wheel of the KTM X-Bow. After hearing Clarkson's exclamations of "God almighty" and "Jesus wept," Anderson says he was both surprised and upset. The vicar has since vowed to never watch Top Gear again.

After petitioning both Clarkson and the BBC for an apology, the network responded by saying the speech is part of everyday language, and that while its program strives to portray society as it really is, it respects the "fundamental human right to exercise freedom of thought, conscience and religion."

Clarkson has remained uncharacteristically mute on the dustup.

BBC tells complaining vicar Jeremy Clarkson's blasphemy is "everyday language" originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 19 Mar 2012 08:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bbcblasphemyclarksonclarkson blasphemy commentsclarkson commentsjeremy clarksonktm x-bowthe bbctop gearMon, 19 Mar 2012 08:29:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20195465/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/03/19/bbc-tells-complaining-vicar-jeremy-clarksons-blasphemy-is-ever/20195465/article-detail.xml 20195465 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/03/clarkson-630_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/03/clarkson-630.jpg <![CDATA[BBC America reveals first trailer for <i>Richard Hammond's Crash Course</i>]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/03/16/bbc-america-reveals-first-trailer-for-richard-hammonds-crash/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/03/16/bbc-america-reveals-first-trailer-for-richard-hammonds-crash/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/03/16/bbc-america-reveals-first-trailer-for-richard-hammonds-crash/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Richard Hammond's Crash Course trailer screencap

When it was made public last summer that Richard Hammond was unhappy with his lot in life on Britain's Top Gear, insiders said he would "get the bigger, more defined role that he deserves." We don't know yet what's in store for him during Series 18 of TG, but it appears he definitely has a bigger role in his new BBC America series, Richard Hammond's Crash Course.

The show puts Hammond in all manner of big vehicles with the apparent intention of running over all manner of little vehicles. It premieres on April 16 right after the season premiere of Top Gear, and there's a much more exciting explanation of it in the official BBC trailer after the jump.

Continue reading BBC America reveals first trailer for Richard Hammond's Crash Course

BBC America reveals first trailer for Richard Hammond's Crash Course originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 16 Mar 2012 19:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bbcbbc americahammondrichard hammondrichard hammonds crash coursetop gearvideoFri, 16 Mar 2012 19:57:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20195321/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/03/16/bbc-america-reveals-first-trailer-for-richard-hammonds-crash/20195321/article-detail.xml 20195321 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/03/hammondcrashcourse_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/03/hammondcrashcourse.jpg <![CDATA[Tesla libel suit against <i>Top Gear</i> fails again]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/02/24/tesla-libel-suit-against-top-gear-fails-again/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/02/24/tesla-libel-suit-against-top-gear-fails-again/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/02/24/tesla-libel-suit-against-top-gear-fails-again/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Tesla vs Top Gear graphic

Tesla and the company's lawyers are nothing if not determined. After a judge smacked down the electric vehicle manufacturer's libel suit against the BBC and Top Gear for comments made about the range of the Tesla Roadster, the automaker rallied with a second, amended lawsuit. It didn't take long for the the same judge to nix the new case, too, saying the amendment was "not capable of being defamatory at all, or, if it is, it is not capable of being a sufficiently serious defamatory meaning to constitute a real and substantial tort."

That sound? It's the smack of the judicial backhand.

The judge went on to say drivers know a manufacturer's claim about range is dependent on driving conditions and habits.

The dustup, as you may recall, began when Top Gear put the Tesla Roadster through its paces on the show's test track. While Jeremy Clarkson lauded the car's acceleration, the segment claimed the vehicle ran out of juice after just 55 miles of abuse. That figure is far south of the 200 mile range Tesla claims for the vehicle. CEO Elon Musk called the show "completely phony" not long after the segment aired and brought out the legal guns. The rest, as they say, is history.

Tesla libel suit against Top Gear fails again originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 24 Feb 2012 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bbcelon muskjeremy clarksonlawsuitroadsterteslatesla lawsuittesla roadstertesla top gear lawsuittesla vs top geartop geartop gear lawsuitFri, 24 Feb 2012 14:30:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20178900/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/02/24/tesla-libel-suit-against-top-gear-fails-again/20178900/article-detail.xml 20178900 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/02/tesla-vs-top-gear-628_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/02/tesla-vs-top-gear-628.jpg <![CDATA[UK TV authority lets Jeremy Clarkson off hook for "should be shot" comment]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/02/22/uk-tv-authority-lets-jeremy-clarkson-off-hook-for-should-be-sho/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/02/22/uk-tv-authority-lets-jeremy-clarkson-off-hook-for-should-be-sho/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/02/22/uk-tv-authority-lets-jeremy-clarkson-off-hook-for-should-be-sho/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Jeremy Clarkson

British television watchdog Ofcom has ruled Jeremy Clarkson didn't violate any broadcasting rules when the Top Gear presenter suggested he would deal with striking public workers by taking the time to "execute them in front of their families." While Clarkson later went on to apologize for the remarks after labor unions began making noise about potential legal action, Ofcom said that the comments were meant as satire in their context. BBC has notoriously strict impartiality laws. The report went on to say that given Clarkson's history of controversial comments, viewers are aware of his likelihood to offend.

Ofcom also said the presenter's comments weren't a reflection of his actual beliefs. Clarkson has seemingly made a second career out of garnering the ire of various groups. The equal-opportunity offender has managed to rile Indians, Mexicans, women, Christians, the Welsh, cancer survivors and most of the Arab world at one time or another. That's quite the run.

UK TV authority lets Jeremy Clarkson off hook for "should be shot" comment originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 22 Feb 2012 18:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bbcclarksonclarkson commentsjeremy clarksonofcomtop gearWed, 22 Feb 2012 18:29:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20177105/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/02/22/uk-tv-authority-lets-jeremy-clarkson-off-hook-for-should-be-sho/20177105/article-detail.xml 20177105 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/11/clarkson-630_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/11/clarkson-630.jpg <![CDATA[Sky Sports gears up for F1 with dedicated channel]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/18/sky-sports-gears-up-for-f1-with-dedicated-channel/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/18/sky-sports-gears-up-for-f1-with-dedicated-channel/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/18/sky-sports-gears-up-for-f1-with-dedicated-channel/#commentsFiled under: ,

Sebastian Vettel on camera

There aren't a lot of television stations in the world dedicated entirely to cars. On this side of the Atlantic, we have Speed and Discovery's new Velocity channel, and the latter isn't even all cars all the time. But now, the UK is getting its own dedicated Formula One network.

Resulting from the BBC's forfeiture of part of its F1 contract to Rupert Murdoch's Sky network, Sky Sports F1 is launching this year in high definition. The channel will carry the grands prix themselves throughout the entire season, without commercials, as well as all the practice and qualifying sessions. In between race weekends, the channel will show interviews, magazine programs and re-runs of races.

Sky Sports F1 will be provided to existing Sky subscribers as part of their bundle, but it will also be available through other providers like Virgin Media, which has just signed on to the deal as well. Sky has also been lining up a roster of talent to cover the races and provide the commentary, including former F1 drivers Martin Brundle, Anthony Davidson and Damon Hill, the 1996 World Champion who most recently signed on.

As for race fans here in the colonies, we'll soldier on with Speed's coverage (with occasional races broadcast on Fox) and TSN in Canada.

Sky Sports gears up for F1 with dedicated channel originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 18 Jan 2012 18:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anthony davidsonbbcdamon hillf1formula 1formula onemartin brundlerupert murdochskysky networksky sportssky sports f1sky sports f1 hdWed, 18 Jan 2012 18:20:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20150837/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/01/18/sky-sports-gears-up-for-f1-with-dedicated-channel/20150837/article-detail.xml 20150837 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/01/vettel-on-camera_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/01/vettel-on-camera.jpg <![CDATA[Latest group that Jeremy Clarkson has offended? Indians]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/12/30/latest-group-that-jeremy-clarkson-has-offended-indians/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/12/30/latest-group-that-jeremy-clarkson-has-offended-indians/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/12/30/latest-group-that-jeremy-clarkson-has-offended-indians/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Jeremy Clarkson

Pretty much every time Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson opens his mouth these days, someone takes offense, which does make it hard to tell whether Clarkson is actually offensive.

The latest complaints have come after the Top Gear Christmas special, in which Clarkson and his posse go to India on a "trade mission." According to The Telegraph, the BBC has received 23 complaints about the show, in which Clarkson is charged with making insensitive remarks about Indian clothing, trains, food and history.

Clarkson's "funny" bits on the show included dropping his pants in front of Indian dignitaries and outfitting a Jaguar XJS with a toilet seat and then driving around Indian slums, according to the report. Clarkson reportedly described the Jag as "perfect for India because everyone who comes here gets the trots."

While we haven't seen the episode, we do know that the XJS has a reputation for crapping out with some frequency. Before you fire up the torrents, check out the episode trailer after the jump.

Continue reading Latest group that Jeremy Clarkson has offended? Indians

Latest group that Jeremy Clarkson has offended? Indians originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 30 Dec 2011 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bbcindiajaguarjaguar xjsjeremy clarksontop geartop gear christmas specialxjsFri, 30 Dec 2011 16:01:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20137873/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2011/12/30/latest-group-that-jeremy-clarkson-has-offended-indians/20137873/article-detail.xml 20137873 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/12/clarkson-opt_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/12/clarkson-opt.jpg -1 2