Simple it doesn't involve Clarkson

I find it a shame that they just use the test track for testing the cars... Who cares, if I am going to buy a car, I want to know how it handles on real roads, with real ruts, potholes and tramlines...

The Tesla was a case in point. Yes, driven flat-out on a test track by an idiot, it breaks easily. What a surprise! But how does it perform in real-world conditions? Enthusiastic driving on B-Roads is a lot different to trying to drift it around a race track for hours on end...

Okay, I can't afford a Tesla, but it would have been interesting to see how the concept actually works!

Thing is though, would you buy a car based on what someone else says? If Clarkson had said my car was a load of rubbish I'd ignore him - what I think of it is more important than anything anyone else says or any review in a magazine (the fact that he likes it just makes it better!).

At the end of the day TG isn't meant to provide "useful" information. Like JC said, it's about three blokes cocking about in cars.

I love Clarkson, especially his column in the Sun.

Only thing I read whenever I find a copy of the Sun (not that I buy it, but still).

And it's a great show. Not exactly informative, but the filming quality / production is top notch.

Well, here in the UK, everyone drives a 4x4. The roads are so poor it feels like you're off-roading.

Perhaps it's a TG Effect, but I'd expect any modern car these days to go, stop and handle as well as I need to drive my way around the country.
They've had decades to perfect a car that's nippy enough up to 70mph, potters around at 30mph, and doesn't fall over when I go round a bend.
A road test between a BMW 3 series, a Mondeo and a similar Merc and Jag are going to be pretty similar surely?
Yes, it can cruise at 70mph. Yes, it'll potter about at 30. Yes, it can go round corners, and yes, it can sit in traffic crawling at 15mph (for those viewers inside the M25).

I could do with less scripting, but other than that the show is still one of the best things on TV - esp. for blokes

The point is, the Tesla is the first electric car with viable range and performance, so why didn't they make use of it, instead of seeing how quickly they could break it on a race track?

To be honest, Robert Llewelyn's Car Pool with the Tesla was a lot more informative and that was just driving around London chatting with a celeb!

Good point. I guess if you don't like JC, there isn't much point in watching Top Gear.

well that was one of the best episodes in a very long time. A totally mad challenge, several ludicrously expensive cars going very quickly indeed and possible The Greatest Living Englishman in the reasonably priced car.

Jon

Yeah i actually laughed out loud a few times, when Clarkson kept turning on May's stereo.

Did you see the Stig photo-copying his head (with crash helmet on!) in the back ground of the office when insurance phone calls were being made? made me laugh

Missed that.

There was a bit of background to watch for in the office scenes like Pearl Drops Whitening on Hammonds desk, etc.

BBC iPlayer anyone? It makes the unmissable unmissable, don'cha know?

And the picture of Will Young on Clarkson's desk