Autoblog

Jeremy Clarkson has been a staunch critic against, well, almost everything. His weekly editorials at the Times (occasionally peppered with a car review) have given Jezza a mouthpiece to rant and rave against everything from environmental degradation to speed cameras, and he's secured an ardent fan-base while doing so. Some people even take him seriously, which has spawned a page at the Government's Petition website where close to 15,000 people have pledged that Clarkson should take the helm by becoming the Prime Minister.

We're a bit unsure as to how such a petition would influence the election of the next PM, but another petition has already been formed to battle the idea – it's only been signed by three people so far.

[Source: Visordown]

The BBC was reportedly evaluating producing an American version of its hit show Top Gear with the existing British cast. The show's star lead host Jeremy Clarkson, however, apparently having seen enough of the U.S. after filming the show's road trip through the South, has nixed the idea.

The proposal would have involved Clarkson, together with his co-stars Richard Hammond, James May and The Stig, flying stateside for four months to embark upon a hectic filming schedule, a prospect which didn't tantalize Clarkson, to say the least. On top of other concerns, Jezza reportedly wouldn't want to leave his family behind for such a long period of time.

For their part, the BBC hasn't given up, and will undoubtedly look at other possibilities, with or without Clarkson. Stay tuned.

Thanks for the tip, Derek!

[Source: The Sun via PistonHeads]

The blokes at Top Gear are in the process of planning their summer return, and last week viewers abroad got a rare glimpse into how the sausage is made.

You might recall Clarkson, Hammond and May taking on the challenge of creating their own aquatic vehicles a few seasons back (if not, the video is posted after the jump), and the results were somewhat predictable, with Clarkson capsizing, Hamster taking on more water than the laws of physics would allow, and Captain Slow rolling into the docks triumphant in his Triumph Herald.

Well, the three motoring presenters decided to pull their aqua-whips out of retirement to cross the English Channel, and again, two of the three vehicles met their demise at the bottom of the sea. According to various reports, May's Herald and Hammond's VW van went under within the first few minutes, while Jezza was able to stay afloat long enough to stroke his ever-expanding ego.

The Daily Mail article has several photos of the event, and a few choice quotes from understandably peeved Coast Guard officers.

On a related side note, Hammond reportedly ditched his 911 Carrera in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire at 3 AM yesterday, after he was stuck in traffic caused by a flood for 12 hours. Our man wasn't going to miss his daughter's birthday party, so he decided to run the 16 miles back to his home, equipped with a waterproof jacket, some running shoes and an iPod. "There was no way I was going to miss it – I'm away from home enough as it is," said Hammond, after recounting his two-and-a-half hour-long jog. Kudos to Hamster for knowing what really matters.

[Sources: Autotrader.co.uk, Daily Mail]

Clarkson's at it again, casting shadows of doubt on the future of Top Gear. The celebrity automotive journalist (perhaps the most well-known, period) claims that while the BBC program ranks among the most watched television shows on the air, and that its audience continues to climb "like an F-15 on combat power," Top Gear is facing serious problems which could jeopardize its future.

The first, according to Jezza, is that following Richard Hammond's miraculous recovery and return to the show, the production schedule got horribly delayed. Clarkson figures that it takes about half a year to produce a season, which puts them severely behind schedule for the next series. Even if the show were to return in October, which he figures is the earliest a new series could air, Clarkson cites disgruntled fans who lamented the lack of content in the hastily-produced and recently-concluded 9th season.

"The series that's just finished was full of us three cocking about, and almost completely devoid of anything you might fairly call a 'road test,'" surmised Clarkson in his recent column. "This has gone down very badly with the people in internet land." (Hey, is he talking about us?)

Clarkson fears that most television viewers don't want to see him and the gang driving Ferraris and Lamborghinis, but just want to be entertained, and that if and when the show does return for a tenth season, it stands the danger of being watered-down. But it's the extraordinary track tests and tire-munching road trips that made the show as popular as it is. Top Gear, it seems, needs to be rescued from its own success.

Cheerio for the tip, Kim.

[Source: Top Gear]

Our new friend from Down Under, KP, dropped us a link to a post in the online edition of Wheels magazine, which asserts that Clarkson may not return to Top Gear for the next season. The report stems from an article in The Times, where Jezza hinted to his departure from the show by saying that, "After last week's Top Gear, the continuity announcer said the show would be back in the summer. Can I just say, here and now, it won't be."

Whether or not this was an overture to Clarkson's imminent departure or possibly his contention that the show's production schedule wouldn't allow a summer return is open to debate. Regardless, a BBC spokesman said that a "summer special" is set to be released and that Top Gear will make a comeback sometime in the fall.

On an aside: if you had the chance to watch the last episode of Top Gear, with its highly controversial dyno test of the GT500 and the practically self parodying limo skit, it's apparent that the show has made a sharp departure from its original purpose. While some maintain that this has added to the shows popularity, others have expressed their displeasure, saying that the only great automotive show has fallen dangerously off course.

Your thoughts, as always, are welcomed in comments.

[Sources: Wheelsmag.com.au, TimesOnline.co.uk]