David Mayer wrote:
> I find Top Gear to more enjoyable because it DOESN'T focus on the
> technical details.
Well David, to be honest, from what I've seen of Top Gear down the years (I
live in the UK) the vast majority of cars they've had are (a) outside my
price range anyway, (b) don't really appeal and (c) seem to be treated in a
totally hostile way. I'm not asking for technical details, what the
manufacturers want the viewer to know or whatever. I just want 'in your
face' accurate TV journalism - and Clarkson doesn't provide it - for me, at
least.
> So many magazines these days get cash from certain manufacturers to make
> their car look better than it really is.
Wouldn't know about that, so can't comment. My days in BL's Corporate
Affairs were long ago and we didn't ever pay out money for a good press
review - especially for monstrosities like the Austin Allegro. That said, we
did pay out millions (via dealers) for appalling workmanship on warranty
claims :)
> How much more accurate and real can you get than putting the car out on
> the track to see how it handles and how it does against the competition?
Well, anyone can do wheelies and burn rubber with lots of smoke when they're
not paying for replacement tyres, and possibly damaged transmissions - but I
fail to see what that sort of action proves to anyone. There again, while
the car under review may well do 180mph top speed and corner at 179mph with
no tail drift, can you do that legally on a public highway in the UK at
which market the programme is principally aimed? No, thank God - you can't.
We've enough prats in Peugeot 106's and Ford Fiestas doing that sort of
thing in supermarket car parks and on the road at far slower speeds.
Jon "disgruntled and cantankerous old fart" Mac
PS Even Top Gear's road test of an injection TR6 was boring. Just a whole
lot of pictures of a car being driven at slow speeds in the wet. James
Wotsisname who was doing the drive didn't seem to come over too strongly in
enthusing why a 'younger forty-something' would want to own one. All rather
sad.
Rant off - I'm going back to my cigar, a nice glass of French brandy and the
Gastronomic Food and Wine channel.
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