Yes, it’s true. The History channel and BBC Worldwide announced today that work has begun on an American version of TopGear, with US presenters fronting the new show.
The first series of ten episodes will air on History next fall (an American-only season not dissimilar to ‘autumn’, we believe), though exact dates are yet to be finalised. It will be hosted by Tanner Foust, Adam Ferrara and Rutledge Wood.
Tanner Foust’s name should be familiar to TopGear faithful. He’s a renowned stunt driver (The Bourne Ultimatum, no less) and X-Games rally gold medallist who’s also done the business at Pikes Peak and in international ice racing championships. Not only that, he beat Jenson Button around Wembley Stadium during 2008’s Race of Champions. Rumours he learned everything he knows from Captain Slow remain unconfirmed.
Adam Ferrara (very difficult not to type ‘Ferrari’ there, force of habit) is a renowned petrolhead who ranks the Pagani Zonda F Roadster as his top car. Only, we may assume, because the Hyundai i10 1.2 hasn’t made it to US shores yet. He’s also a stand-up comedian and stars in firefighting drama series Rescue Me.
Rutledge Wood is a race analyst best known for reporting on NASCAR. Think Martin Brundle with a beard, but with no need for the words ‘right turn’ in his lexicon. We’re impressed that he owns a 1953 Plymouth Suburban, and even more impressed that it was given to him by The King himself, Richard Petty. That’s a good friend to have.
It hasn’t been decided yet if the show will air in the UK, but we’ll keep bringing you the details as soon as we can. Watch this space.
I don’t want an American version, and I’m American!
Leave a good thing alone.
I just wish we could get TG episodes aired in the US on the same schedule they are in the UK.
Is the US version going to be available to watch in England????
No. I am not watching this… at all. I’m an American and I’m boycotting it. Has anyone ever noticed that whenever a show has been americanized it sucks but then we also don’t get the British one anymore? NO! If that happens I will have to give up on my Top Gear love I suppose…
In America, we have to have commercial sponsors so they can’t say mean things about the cars on the show and therefore they can’t be honest or as entertaining as the BBC show. That’s a big reason why Jay Leno won’t do the American version and he’s a big fan of Top Gear. I want to like the American Top Gear but I just don’t know. I don’t like Nascar but I like F1. They are a different crowd entirely.
I am not sure of the viewability for those of us who are not fans of Nascar…I am sure it will appeal to the rest of the audience if that’s part of the focus. I am also worried about the ability for the hosts to be completely honest about their opinions when it comes to cars. One of the best features of the UK version is that they are completely honest about the crappy cars vs. the ones that are worth every penny. If it doesn’t work, I guess the ratings will lead to the show’s success or demise.
Consistent with the long history of poorly conceived UK-to-US-television-serie s-conversions, this is not going to work. At all. Not even a little bit.
Let’s just give it a chance. No it wont be the classic TG were all use too but it could be good adam is a fantastic actor and tanner is one hell of a driver and I think going in to this they know the odds are against them, which should make things intresting as to how over the top its gonna be,
plus there going to be on the history channel which unlike the bbc has and hugh budget. And its a cable channel which means less restriction as they would have on a network like nbc?
And the up side for us americans is the review of cars good, bad or other they will be cars we can buy here in the states and not cars some of use have never heard of or seen.
And maybe finally the us car makers will get the idea that we as americans want
Quality cars, and stop force feeding use the crap they have been for decades.
And the challenges should be epic with the quantity of crap old american cars at there disposal from what iv seen of the preview floating around the net it looks pretty good so lets just hope for the best but expect the worse.
how this stupid is this
I am the Stig’s Fat American Cousin. Where are the keys?
i like the idea of not having to wait to watch it on demand b/c i have bbcod and not bbcam on my cable plan…but im not sure it will be as good as the original..even when i first started watching it and could hardly make out what the guys were saying with their hillbilly accents..i loved every bit of it!
Hmmm…Will I give the American version a fair chance? Yes-and the preview does pique my interest. That said however, I have some reservations about it. Its double-tough to match the original Top Gear; and a Top Gear without Jeremy Clarkson is like…wow, its such a foreign concept that I can’t dream up an appropriate analogy! And what about the Stig?! THE STIG?!
Adam Carolla…… WTH are they doing changing the cast up. This top gear is going to blow unless they Get the Ace-Man or get some seriously dry humored people.
YOU CAN NOT CREATE SOMETHING NEW FROM SOMETHING OLD. THE OLDER THING WILL ALWAYS BE BETTER NO MATTER HOW HARD YOU TRY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!
It’s not going to be Top Gear. Why not give it some other name? That way it can be a Top Gear-like motoring show, but it’s for Americans (pretty cool if you ask me). As opposed to being a knock-off of an already brilliant show.
THERE IS ONLY ONE REAL TOP GEAR – BBC TOP GEAR!!! STOP THE AMERICAN’S TOP GEAR! AND THERE IS ONLY ONE STIG ON THE PLANET!
There are already some pretty good car shows here in the U.S., but nothing close to BBC Top Gear. British humor is brilliant ! Let the History Channel broadcast BBC Top Gear.
that guy on the right looks gay
who do they think they are making top gear in us