Series 20 is here. It seems like just yesterday when Season 4 was blazing new paths with it's 100# challenge.

Anyways, I know we haven't done TG series threads in the past, but whatever. Last season was great, since it seemed like they went back to their old selves and just having a good time, plus I was quite (and still am) excited about the toyota gt86

For those who haven't seen a single episode, or aren't interested in a 'car show' - Just watch the damn thing. I didn't care one lick about cars when I first started watching, but it easily became my favorite show, ahead of firefly and the first 6 seasons of scrubs. It's the group dynamic of Clarkson, Hammond, and May that make the show really shine, not the cars presented, butthe challenges they do are awesome. Driving a Toyota to the North Pole has to be one of my favorite TG moments ever, and it has nothing to do with the truck (though it's sweet).

Anyways, what to expect in the upcoming season (starting this sunday!):
- Supercar roadtrip through spain with McLaren 12C Spider, Audi R8 V10 Spyder, and Ferrari 458 Spider. Car companies have to stop calling convertables 'Spider'
-Taxi durability test
-Turning a Ford Transit into a hovercraft
-Race between a race yacht and a Toyota Auris
-Giant display of cars in London (was all over the news as well). 200m # worth
-New reasonably priced car!
-few other things like another triple hatchback comparison, tests of various new sports cars like the sweet jag f-type, and testing SUVs by towing the bane of all drivers - caravans
-guests including Warwick Davis - obligatory tie in to Harry Potter (he's Filius Flitwick and Griphook... I wonder how he drove the car?), Joss Stone, Charles Dance, Rachel Riley

 

In the trailer they have what looks like the electric SLS. Hope they do it justice, as it's a beast and might be the first electric car they don't shit all over.

Also they had the AC72 catamaran in there. Wonder what they will use that for.

 

James May once described the show as "three fellows cocking about, making each other miserable, and occasionally talking about cars," or something like that. Funniest, funnest show on TV.

 

I just finished watching the first episode. One thing of note, is that Clarkson is starting to look old, and James May is old and is completely grey.

Spoiler

The episode was the toyota corola hatchback (rental car) versus the boat, which isn't a yacht but a sailing race boat. Quite a good race for some of the things Clarkson does. The new car is a Vauxhal Astra, though it doesn't fall under the same reasonable price threshold that they used previously. It turns out Tywin Lannister (charles dance) is taller than clarkson. And Warwick Davis did surprisingly well using a pringles can to reach the peddles. Clarksons final remark after the race was surprisingly hillarious

 

Quite cool to see Top Gear in New Zealand I have to say.

It's the first time I've seen Clarkson smash up a car so badly in a race as well.

 

Loved the unveiling of the new reasonably priced car and the party for it despite Jimmy Carr's chuckle.

Charles Dance, hot damn. Nearly died when Warwick's time was revealed and Hammond stammering over Joss was great, however fake it may have been. Strong return for Top Gear.

 

Ah, another season down. I don't think there was a single segment that I disliked. The Lamborghini Sesto Elemento is epic, though I have been eyeing that Jaguar F-type for a few months now, so sexy. It's a shame that I would have to trade in my 944 and probably 10 other 944s to be able to afford it.

And the end, I will admit, that the last scene in the last episode actually brought a tear to my eye, it was such a beautiful sight. It's only a shame that the season was 6 episodes.

 

The ending of the season was all kinds of UKIP. Also surprisingly short. For the amount of effort that must have required I was expecting them to milk the Mall scene a lot more.

My favorite car of the series has to be the SLS. Always loved the styling, but before the black edition it was style over substance. Now it just might be one of the best cars around.