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The lads of Top Gear

Hello again. I haven’t written in a while, but now I’m back! (Mild, condescending applause). I’ll get back to Arrested Development movie news soon, but today, we’re talking about cars. And television. 

I know you’ve heard me say this before, but one of the best television shows in the world is the BBC’s amusing car show Top Gear. One of the most popular shows in the world, Top Gear brings you three very different English blokes talking about cars, testing new models, and participating in various car-related challenges. 

Now, being from the land of well-refined car snobbery, the English have managed to get the world excited about cars, especially European  cars. The series has spawned versions in other countries like Australia, as well as the occasional copycat. Wikipedia tells me (and they would never lie) that about 350 million people watch Top Gear all over the world.

Now, let’s move on to NBC. The Peacock is struggling a bit at the moment. Despite having one of the funniest sitcoms on the air in Tina Fey’s 30 Rock, NBC suffered a blow from lowered Super Bowl ratings and has fallen into fourth place in ratings among the four majors. So it would seem that NBC would want to take a different approach, and approach that might, you know, produce programming that others might want to watch.

Adam Carolla

So last year, NBC ordered a pilot of an American version of Top Gear. At the helm would be Adam Carolla of The Man Show and Loveline fame, but also the very funny host of The Adam Carolla Radio  Show, a syndicated radio show out of Los Angeles. He also recently released a very funny and touching movie called The Hammer. Sitting alongside Adam would be Eric Stromer, star of Over Your Head on HGTV, and Tanner Foust, a stunt car driver. 

I’m sad to report that, despite sagging ratings (because everybody wants to watch more Howie Do It, obviously) and a built-in fan base, NBC has officially passed on an American version of Top Gear. So instead of funny car stunts and hot lap times in fast cars, NBC continues to do more of the same. Perhaps a cable network might pick up Top Gear but, in the meantime, fast car voyeurs in this country have to be satisfied with shows that just aren’t that entertaining.

I know American car companies are struggling, but perhaps there’s a good reason: today’s kids just aren’t excited about cars because there’s nothing to be excited about. Sure, it’s nice to foam at the mouth at the sight of an Astin Martin DB9, but how many eight year olds are excited about, say, a Cadillac or Pontiac? Wouldn’t it be nice to try and cultivate some fans for your product with, say, an entertaining TV show? I’m just saying…

Blame it on Top Gear.

For those that don’t know, one of the funniest, coolest, and entertaining shows on television worldwide is a show out of the UK called Top Gear. Top Gear invovles three presenters, all former car journalists, talking cars. They perform crazy stunts, test hot cars, and have an in-house racing driver only known as The Stig. While this might not seem like the formula for great television, the formula is rife with laughs and chemistry. Yanks, of course, don’t know this show very well, but an American version of the show is coming, starring the very-funny Adam Carolla. The British version, however, has changed my life.

The lads of Top Gear

At one point, I could care less about cars. Today, I love talking and reading car news. My head whips around every time I see a beautiful, exotic car passing by. And, naturally, I’ve begun to love European cars all the more. As you can probably imagine, the middle-aged blokes on Top Gear don’t care much for American cars or, in the case of Jeremy Clarkson (the one in the brown jacket), Americans. A car, what was once just a tool, is now a passion. I need, NEED a sweet ride, and the Mini seems to fit the bill.

Unfortunately for us, my husband and I made a recent trip to a Mini dealership here in St. Louis. My husband is a large man. We figured that our love for the British racing car with character, the Mini Cooper or the turbo-charged Cooper S would be asuaged once we found that my husband couldn’t fit in one. Nope. He fit just fine with room to spare.

These cars may be boxy, but they are delight on the inside. The interior has quite a bit of space for a car that small. The racing pedigree gives a nice flavor to the interior, and the racing-inspired seats and dials make you feel like it’s the sixties and you’re racing around a twisty track, even if you’re taking the kids to school. Even the seemingly-annoying options are charming. Imagine if every Saturn came with the option of an American Flag roof. Minis, however, have the option of an American flag, the Union Jack, or a checkered pattern on your roof and rearview mirrors.

Unfortunately, all this soul does come at a bit of a price. Now a Mini isn’t terribly expensive compared to, say, a Bimmer. However to Cooper base model starts at around $19,000 while a Cooper S starts around $22,000, not including all the fun options. Compared to other compacts, thought, it’s a bit of a stretch. Plus, what fun is a racing car without all the options?

So, my friends, I’m back on my blog with this note: I’ve got a fancy new job in an office, and I vow to brown bag it until the day I can buy the perfect Mini for me. I accept contributions to my cause.

You can build your own Mini here.