Well, at least it might make the airwaves. They tested the Z/28 Camaro and it didn't make the cut. They did trash it pretty good on the website as being undriveable on the street and shod with race slicks.

GM loans out the cars to get advertising. It blows when Top Gear backstabs them, yet they still lend them another.

I doubt Clarkson writes all his lines, or most of them. If you think HE's anti-American, he's got some editors that would lock him in the Tower for treason against the Crown if he wasn't famous.

 

My thoughts exactly.
Love the show.

 

All the auto manufacturers loan out their cars for testing/reviews to all the auto mags, TV shows, etc.

You can't mean that you think it's the obligation of all these reviewers to only give glowing reviews (NOT stab them in the back) to the cars that are loaned?

Don't we want honest reviews? Of course everyone brings bias, and some biases have become famous. Clarkson likes to trash American cars for his British audience and has a soft spot for British cars even as he often mocks them as well (don't we do exactly the opposite here?). If we're being honest with ourselves, we'd admit Clarkson is often right in his criticisms. He's the Simon Cowell of auto TV. Consumer Reports is also famously biased against American cars. Something like 50% of their rankings are based upon their reader surveys which notoriously trash American badged cars while simultaneously praising the identical car from the identical factory with a Japanese badge (Toyota Matrix/Pontiac Vibe and Dodge Colt / Mitsubishi Galant, etc. were made by same people in same factories on same lines and guess which ones were higher rated?). This has embarrassed CR, but they still get the free use of cars to review.

If the quid pro quo for the loaner was a glowing review there would be no reason to read the mags or watch the shows. We could just watch the manufacturers TV commercials because they're free and the shows and mags would just be long form ads.

 

His purpose is to entertain and does a great job. I doubt he really dislikes Americans, he is being funny. Audtin Powers mocked many British sterotypes, such as the teeth, but it is all in good fun.

 

No, you are missing the point. They had the car shipped to England, did the full test, but did not put the test on the air.

It doesn't matter what the review SAID, it matters they did not air it.

Why sent a car across the pond and not get it on the show?

And no, Dodge and some other brands refuse to lend Top Gear cars.

 

It's going to be on the upcoming season.

 

No, he doesn't like SOME Americans. Most Europeans don't like SOME Americans, just like Some Americans don't like Europeans.

I thought he made it pretty clear in the article which Americans he doesn't like.

 

Hell, I'm an American that doesn't like SOME Americans! You have to admit, there are some who are not very likeble.

 

I think he's right on about the Vette. GM has built the ultimate (so far) Corvette! It's a great car, so somehow our government will find a way to mess it up in the future, but let's enjoy while we still can. His views on America in general; however, kinda suck, right or wrong.

 

I see you're very literal. My point is that these TV shows and magazines are not buying the cars they review.

Every car that every magazine or TV show features/reviews is a loaner from the manufacturer. That you might find a exception to this, doesn't make my point invalid. Consumer Reports might actually buy the cars they review.

Top Gear has had more than one manufacturer refuse them a car, and not just American makers. Bentley a couple years ago refused them a car so they reviewed a Hugo in it's spot repeatedly referring to it has the Bentley. I'd bet you a case of beer Bentley regretted their decision.

Dodge actually refused them a car on an American episode shot in the Western U.S. Clarkson was driving a brand new ZR1 in that episode on loan from GM. He praised the ZR1 several times in that episode. Dodge refused to provide them a Challenger so they did in that instance actually buy one for the shoot. So there is your exception. Hammond drove the Challenger and I seem to recall liked it.

 

Stereotypes exist for a reason, as evidenced by Jeremy Clarkson's teeth,

 

A Brit talking down about American sports car when the British have made the most unreliable POS sports car's for the last 90 years. WGAF if Clarkson like's it or not?

[Clarkson]I'm important[/Clarkson]

 

Jeremy always went out of his way to find negative things about American cars. Even with the Viper, they shot an odd angle to make the fit of the spoiler to look worse than it really was (if at all). Yet he ignores ill fitting trim and floppy steering columns on European cars all the time. Funny he should have asked himself why so many people wanted to photograph the GT500 he drove through Europe. America makes many class competitive cars today, and some class leading ones as well. I'm glad he enjoyed the Stingray; I sure enjoy mine!

 

You guys need to lighten up and take Top Gear for what it is, an entertainment show. I think it's a great show, it's funny, entertaining, and it has cool cars. Who cares what one person thinks about a certain car.

 

Well, that's the great part about America, we can all have an opinion. I personally cannot stand the show, and think it's one of the worst on TV. Hence I don't watch it.

Could careless what they say about the C7, pro or con.

 

I love the Top Gear show but....any Brit who criticizes any car from another country makes me think of England's modern automotive conundrum. Britain once had one of the most dominant auto industries in the world in the fifties. This is the country which once produced Jaguar XKEs, Rolls Royce Phantoms, and some of the worlds greatest motorcycles...only to lose it all as other nations took the lead in producing successful cars and trucks. England fiddled while all else burned. Some blamed government twittering over socialist programs while ignoring the need to compete globally. England's auto industry today is only a shadow of what it once was. That's why I take british criticism of cars from around the world as entertainment....not enlightenment.

 

I love the show. I do have to say their drive through Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana had me in stitches! If you had people throwing rocks at you - you might hate us too! Just saying.

The C7 is a great car - he saw it for what it was. The true question - what will The Stig do with it?

BTW - I named one of my Mini's Hammond. (For you gear heads you'll get it.)

 

The cars reviewed in Consumer Reports are not press vehicles. Consumers' Union buys them from dealers, to prevent getting specially prepared cars. The cars are re-sold after testing.

They gave the C7 a very good review, and liked the C6 too, IIRC.