Meet the blokes hosting Top Gear in the U.S.
We reported on a press release issued a while back that offered up some details about a forthcoming U.S. version of Top Gear. We learned that along with dropping the laid back and loitering look of the British version’s venue, the U.S. version will get new hosts, as well.
Thanks to Autoblog reader Berto, who noticed some new pics on Top Gear’s website, we can now introduce you to Top Gear America’s team of hosts. The Stig, however, has been imported in order to do the wheel work on the show.
We wish we could give you comprehensive bios on each new host, but all we got are some vagaries about each lug from Top Gear that goes something like this: “Bruno, a professional drag racer with casual tales of crashing at 230mph; John, the super keen jock, blessed with quaint 'sir and m'am' good manners that only Americans can do; and Johnny, a former reality show winner with a nice line in weird humour.”
Perhaps I’m behind on my consumption of reality TV, but which one’s Johnny and what show was he on?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
APK 1:47PM (1/19/2006)
Simple words for this one:
No Clarkson, No Top Gear...
May turn out to be a decent car show but it won't be Top Gear..
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Ed 1:49PM (1/19/2006)
Well, I'll watch it, but they sure do have some mighty large shoes to fill... Somehow I don't think these hosts will be able to get away with a lot of the things that British Top Gear do... And correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't Clarkson an auto journalist to begin with, giving him instant credibility? Who are these guys on US top gear?
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Dan 1:50PM (1/19/2006)
Bruno, John and Johnny? Give me a break!
The pic of the stereotypical "garage/men's den" set screams "average joe". What idiot is putting this together? The same fools doing "Pinks" on Speed?
Top Gear + Hollywood + Discovery = Joel Schumacher's Batman & Robin.
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el-indiano 1:52PM (1/19/2006)
great...all i want is to watch the original top gear in the states and they come up with this crap.
im sure we are going to get track times for all the cheap, american, german want-to-be sedans and hertz rental cars...if thats what you like, then watch motortrend.
whats up with these drivers? one is a reality tv celeb? what does he know about cars.
im sure they are all going to sit around fight about how good their hemi is and how fast there mustang can go in a straight line.
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egs 1:54PM (1/19/2006)
another show ruined by some marketing think tank that spent a month of salaries to give us what they think we want.
all the hit shows have been hits because they were unexpected. who knew Orange county choppers was gonna be a hit? not me, not my mom who watches it more than i do now.
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Travis 1:56PM (1/19/2006)
but we liked the british version, even my gf liked it. *sigh* yet another attempt by an american company to change something to what they think we want...
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Kurt B 1:57PM (1/19/2006)
Sounds.....like.....crap
//Huge Clarkson fan
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Za 2:02PM (1/19/2006)
I refuse! The only American take on a British show that was better than the original was "The Office". However, Ricky Gervais produces the American version as well so the humor is still there; it's just delivered in a more fast paced manner.
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min 2:09PM (1/19/2006)
Part of what makes the BBC version of Top Gear so entertaining is that it's just that, entertainment. It relies hugely on the personalities of the hosts and the frankly "epic" presentation of the cars themselves. If the Discovery version manages the same, it could be fun to watch in it's own right...
I'll watch it too, griping and hating until it wins me over... which it won't. grah!
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Dave 2:10PM (1/19/2006)
Ugh... that doesn't sound promising... I hope they don't blow this one.
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JayP 2:11PM (1/19/2006)
The Stig on a real, dry track = !
Johnny 'Reality Show' = ?
I'll watch, but I'll find the real show. God bless the internet.
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me 2:14PM (1/19/2006)
I don't think the American version will do all the cool things that the british version does, e.g. attempt to destroy a toyota pickup. At least it should be better than motortrend. Also Clarkson is the one of the main reasons that Top Gear is so great in my opinion.
I hope that Discovery will still show the British version. If not there is always the internet.
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Tim UF 2:15PM (1/19/2006)
yeah, in shows like this one its NOT THE CONCEPT THAT MAKES THE SHOW. its the HOSTS and their INTERACTIONS. what makes top gear so enjoyable is the the way the three UK hosts feed off of each other, and being a "yank", i didnt care that they called us fat, or stupid... because, well, we are. go to any major research university, the kids in the labs burning midnight oil, yeah, its all non-americans (a lot of chinese, at UF at least)... where are the american students? out drinking beer(getting fat and stupid).
anyway, the hosts made top gear what it is... if discovery really wants to get some good footage going, hire Tiff and some of his friends... (tiff for those of you that dont know him, is a brit who while test driving a audi rs6 got it to do a full 360 while at speed on a runway, and i think is a retired F1 driver, and got a bentley conti gt airborn! when he wasnt even sposed to be performance testing it).
anyway, since the office UK is better than the office USA; trigger happy UK, better than trigger happy USA; im guessing top gear uk will still be on long after topgear usa. thanks for trying, and dont screw it up
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Christian J 2:17PM (1/19/2006)
These guys look like a bunch of doooshes. Where does the funding for the show come from? If its not funded publically, expect a round of Honda and GM marketing BS from these punks. Just watch. What makes Top Gear so good (other than Clarkson) is that its publically funded. Those guys can say what the heck they like, and not lose AD revenue. This show is almost guaranteed to suck.
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Adam 2:18PM (1/19/2006)
"Instead of filling the studio with 200 grunting Subaru drivers, they did without an audience."
And I imagine they will do without an audience until the series is cancelled! What does this show have that the BBC Top Gear has? Nothing! Thank God for BitTorrent!
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Edsel 2:21PM (1/19/2006)
I haven't watched TV for entertainment in years. Hell, even news programs are called "Shows" now, so I don't hold out much hope for an Americanized Top Gear.
Remember; TV shows are the cement that holds together advertising.
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mpeng 2:41PM (1/19/2006)
I guess everyone here is noting the potential suckage with the new hosts. Clarkson is pretty much the show...
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Eric L. 2:44PM (1/19/2006)
I have no idea how the American version of Top Gear could possibly better than the British version. There isn't a single US media personality who is as rude and funny as Jeremy Clarkson. Like the top post says, No Clarkson, its not Top Gear.
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ger3sf 2:45PM (1/19/2006)
What's so great about Top Gear (UK) are the memorable segments:
1. trying to kill an old Toyota PU (drowning it, dropping it, etc)
2. races between an exotic car and airplane/train.
3. driving an Audi A8 diesel between London and Edinburgh (?) and back on one tank
4. driving an S-type diesel on the 'Ring
What sets TG (UK) apart from the rest of US-based car shows are the cheekiness, humor and clever writing of the show. Plus, they don't pander to the mfrs or offer softball criticism. I don't think the US version would be as creative or interesting.
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Kurt B 2:45PM (1/19/2006)
Tim UF
Tiff has his own show..it's called Fifth Gear.
A dry track and roads for the segements sounds good. No Clarkson sounds bad. Hopefully the multimedia work will be somewhere near as good.
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