The Grand Tour

[varg]

The laps were done differently though - Chris Harris did running laps while GT did standing laps (at least that's what it looked like). Since the P1 seemed the hardest to launch, but also had the highest trap speeds, the results actually seem pretty consistent (and also make Chris Harris' times not nearly as impressive).

Yeah a lot of benchracers are completely ignoring the hot laps vs standing start aspect of this.

[mrsleeve]

Not going to happen. First off, I find Clarkson to be offensive physically and mentally. He's a classically insecure "Do you know who I am?!!" type. He's the Roger Ailes of automotive journalism. Or in another way, he's the Sarah Jessica Parker of men's television. Other guys think he's great, and there's no reasoning with it. Just like women with SJP. Horsey face and all.

Apart from him, what about the episode? That big 3+ million dollar intro that was so hyped, for what? Three custom Mustangs driving to a Burning Man ripoff? Several overdone and unfunny skits, and an unlikable caricature of a mean-spirited American redneck to do the benchmark driving? Communist this and that? That hasn't been a decent insult since the '80's. The joke should have referred to foreign car technology as "terrorist," not "communist." There, see how easy it is?

Now that I'm thinking about how to improve the show, they should have spent a good chunk of the episode cutting in to showing all the other cool cars that showed up to the desert scene, with interviews of the owners who were fans enough to suffer in the desert. Mix it in between segments of the hypercar shootout. Leave it it at that. Introduce the track and (hopefully different) pro driver in the next episode. The episode got it wrong in being more about the grand entrance, fanfare, and sentimentalism for the trio, rather than any kind of thanks for the loyal fans that made it all possible. I imagine that's Clarkson's own arrogance at play (again).

Look, this is just my opinion in a public forum regarding a public topic. I'm not telling the rest of you that you're wrong for enjoying the show. If my opinion upsets anyone, there's no need to attack me personally for it, saying I don't get it, etc etc like Mr. Sleeve did. That was pretty small.

I'm going to stop now, before more fans take this all personally and start threatening me.

and yours is stupid but your welcome to it

[Jb325is]

Yeah a lot of benchracers are completely ignoring the hot laps vs standing start aspect of this.

So you are telling me the times for the other cars are that similar under those circumstances?

If anything, I would think Grand Tour showed a standing start for entertainment value, but the times were done with flying laps. Chris Harris currently runs Blancpain Endurance series in a Bentley, and is usually within a second of the Pro drivers, I seriously doubt that the driver the Grand Tour used was any faster.

[Das Delfin]

Just saw the episode. I'm sure nader will agree with me when I say their section involving e30's was an accurate representation of the finer points of our cars. It certainly illustrated why a true car enthusiast would want to buy one. Now on to my next mod.. dual bumper delete!

[ThatOneEuroE30]

I like how they had May go to the south africa spinners nonsense. To this day i dont understand the point of it

[varg]

That was pretty good. The classic Clarkson "review" of a very cool car was a thanksgiving treat.

[2mAn]

Overall impression after two episodes is slightly above "meh" but I will wait and see what the 3rd episode brings in. Even having the E30s spinning in this episode was just ok

[Nader393]

I'm really trying to give the show a chance, but I'm having a hard time even finishing the second episode. The military training nonsense is where I stopped. Do you have to be drunk to watch this stuff? So there are e30s at the end of the episode? Sigh.

I think I just hate television programming in general.

[Klug]

I just wish they would chime in with some automotive specs- during the e30 scene, they didn't even mention "BMW" "RDW" "3-Series" "God's Chariot" "Trina" ;D

[Das Delfin]

I just wish they would chime in with some automotive specs- during the e30 scene, they didn't even mention "BMW" "RDW" "3-Series" "God's Chariot" "Trina" ;D

they referred to our cars as "elderly"

[Kershaw]

I'll keep watching it, but they have to stop beating the jokes into the damn pavement. 1 time? Funny. 2 times. 2x as funny. 3 times? Haha! 4 times.. hmm. 5 times? uh.. 6 times? really? 7 times? I hope the next bit is funny. 8 times? ffs...

[Mahalaleel]

I was really looking forward to the e30 bit... Turned out as a missed opportunity but we're probably the only twelve people who care. So far... It's OK. Not as good as the Bolivia special. I was hoping every episode would be like that.

[N2MYE30]

Ive fallen asleep on both...seriously. Maybe I ate too much this round. Ill catch up shortly.

[Jb325is]

I always fall asleep during Top Gear/Grand Tour episodes

[Aleman]

Remind me never to buy an E30 from S.Africa