Not sure the profits really matter, as we've seen Multi Nationals have a habit of finding "loop holes" to avoid paying too much tax. But all those employed in this country pay their tax etc, so it's good for the economy.
Me too - I hope they don't have to leave it off til March this time round. What do you think they could do? Go trekking up a certain mountain in 4x4's maybe?
I kept waiting for the good bit of TG to start - for me, after they've done the obligatory test of some dayglo supercar - and it never did. The bus bit wasn't funny, and clearly was just a plug for the new London bus design. The RangeRover piece bored me. Filling the Mall with 'British' vehicles and playing lots of patriotic music was like watching a worthy but rather dull royal event, and heaven knows there have been enough of those in recent months.
Mine too. I've also wanted my car to have a snorkel, ever since I saw one in that volcano film.
In the Queen with Helen Mirren, there is a scene where her Majesty drives her Defender through a river and tears off the prop shaft on an underwater rock. That is why it has sonar, not to detect Russian subs but underwater obstacles. Its a pretty logical thing to have on a 4x4 actually.
No matter how mediocre Top Gear may seem, it is better than 99% of the rubbish passing itself off as telly.
I kept waiting for the good bit of TG to start - for me, after they've done the obligatory test of some dayglo supercar - and it never did. The bus bit wasn't funny, and clearly was just a plug for the new London bus design. The RangeRover piece bored me. Filling the Mall with 'British' vehicles and playing lots of patriotic music was like watching a worthy but rather dull royal event, and heaven knows there have been enough of those in recent months.
I feel short-changed.
Blimey! You didn't get any change did you? At least I very rarely find their complete shows rubbish - usually about 50% of the hour is about usual, though and that is why I watch tthe show recorded as indeed I do for most TV nowaday.
My tolerance for has got so much shorter these days, with advancement of my years on this planet.
I kept waiting for the good bit of TG to start - for me, after they've done the obligatory test of some dayglo supercar - and it never did. The bus bit wasn't funny, and clearly was just a plug for the new London bus design. The RangeRover piece bored me. Filling the Mall with 'British' vehicles and playing lots of patriotic music was like watching a worthy but rather dull royal event, and heaven knows there have been enough of those in recent months.
I feel short-changed.
BIB - I felt the same. It was a very interesting feature and I really applaud what they did, but for several of the featured vehicles, the patriotism was a bit overdone. It was too serious for the feature to have been TIC, but at times too tenuous with its 'British is best' message for me to take it seriously.
In the Queen with Helen Mirren, there is a scene where her Majesty drives her Defender through a river and tears off the prop shaft on an underwater rock. That is why it has sonar, not to detect Russian subs but underwater obstacles. Its a pretty logical thing to have on a 4x4 actually.
No matter how mediocre Top Gear may seem, it is better than 99% of the rubbish passing itself off as telly.
Though he did say that the SONAR was on the wind mirrors so not likely to see a rock underneath. Just a way of detecting the level of the water surface so be able to calculate the depth as it knows the height of the wing mirror.
I kept waiting for the good bit of TG to start - for me, after they've done the obligatory test of some dayglo supercar - and it never did. The bus bit wasn't funny, and clearly was just a plug for the new London bus design. The RangeRover piece bored me. Filling the Mall with 'British' vehicles and playing lots of patriotic music was like watching a worthy but rather dull royal event, and heaven knows there have been enough of those in recent months.
I feel short-changed.
I much preferred the items last night to the usual 'dayglo supercar' having its tyres destroyed by Clarkson. The bus item was fun, reminded of the old travel programme on Radio 4 years ago (Going Places?) that used to test drive a very wide range of vehicles.
Plus in the opening segment they were going on about Germans having an eye for beauty in cars. I'm sorry? Hands up who had a car styled by a German on their wall as a kid, as oppose to an Italian? I honestly couldn't name a German car I would consider 'beautiful'. Well made, certainly. Reliable, definitely. Overpriced, probably, but 'beautiful'? Even the best looking German cars could be described as 'functionally pleasing' at best.
Though he did say that the SONAR was on the wind mirrors so not likely to see a rock underneath. Just a way of detecting the level of the water surface so be able to calculate the depth as it knows the height of the wing mirror.
Proper off-roaders will tell you that you must walk a watercourse first, to determine any underwater obstacles or drop-offs, prior to driving through.
That's certainly very sensible, but I don't think anyone spends over £50K on a Rangey to then get out and wade chest deep through muddy water. Bring on the sonar.
I noticed at the end that hardly any mention of the bus industry was mentioned. A large majority of service buses in use today are made in Britain.
Alexander Dennis, Plaxton, Optare and Wrightbus all manufacture buses and coaches made in the United Kingdom, the latter supplies the New Bus for London as featured in the programme.
That Range Rover Sport, was fabulous, and certainly if I had the cash for a "one car to do everything needed" it would be up in at the top........
Does anyone know the name of the bendy gorge that J May was driving the bus through? and the picturesque village he had to reverse park in?
And that Jaguar sounded fabulous, and looks cracking, but could anyone envisage that ride all day in normal traffic, as well as not being able to fit an weekend luggage set in the boot for 2 people?
I vaguely remember seeing the McLaren P1 leave the factory, but it didnt show it clearly on the Mall, nor did it show a 12C or Spyder
in all, a good episode, but not the best in the series
Plus in the opening segment they were going on about Germans having an eye for beauty in cars. I'm sorry? Hands up who had a car styled by a German on their wall as a kid, as oppose to an Italian? I honestly couldn't name a German car I would consider 'beautiful'. Well made, certainly. Reliable, definitely. Overpriced, probably, but 'beautiful'? Even the best looking German cars could be described as 'functionally pleasing' at best.
Me,
I had posters/pictures of a Porsche 959 on my wall as a kid..........alongside the Countach, and the Testarossa
(bear in mind the 959 was the fastest supercar of the time, and looked amazing in 1986........and had racing and rally pedigree......)
As for "beautiful" German cars........I do agree they seem to be more towards being stylish, with some panache and flair, engineered, but the big 3(4) Porsche, Merc, BMW Audi/VW seem to make near carbon coipes of each other, with really only Porsche and BMW getting the handling right,
Even now Audi can't work out how to make a care feel anything but a little cold, perhaps souless (with a tiny minority of exceptions) compared to Italians, British, (even some of the American muscle cars/sedans have character)
But no one can argue that they aren't brilliantly engineered and built, and have their place....... and are very much like their German countryfolk
And they have built some on pure aesthetic terms, some beautiful cars, through history and and lately......
I've enjoyed the last two episodes of the series the most. I just think the flow of the show was better than some of the earlier episodes.
There were a few points. It was an over patriotic rant at the end but I wouldn't expect less from Clarkson.
Not sure of the F-Type being the best looking car in the world - or that he has ever seen. He tends to say that about a car each series.
I have a pic of a jag from the car show back in the 90s (TG or Clarkson were there) and I think it's better looking than the new F-Type. All those types of jags look the same nowadays.
Proper off-roaders will tell you that you must walk a watercourse first, to determine any underwater obstacles or drop-offs, prior to driving through.
That's certainly very sensible, but I don't think anyone spends over £50K on a Rangey to then get out and wade chest deep through muddy water. Bring on the sonar.
Isn't that what the chauffeur is for?
But that is the difference between Top Gear and the real world. The places they test the Range Rover have been driven many times and there will be a recovery vehicle on call if they get into trouble. I lost the clutch on Freelander (fairly new but they all used to fail in the first year), we were up a track off the public road. It was a warranty repair but Land Rover Recovery would not recover off the public road though fortunately the breakdown driver was happy to come part way and we got another 4x4 to tow us down to the him.
The R8 is.. OK I suppose. The Porsche looks like what it is, which is a 1950's design with a bodykit added.
But the TT? Really? It's an upturned jellymold with a spoiler glued onto it.
Do any of those cars compare to even the ugliest current Ferrari or Aston? Do any of them have the outright mad theatre of a Lambo or a Pagani? No. They fulfil every cliche' of German design. Efficient. Reliable. Dull.
I repeat : Hardly anybody had a poster of a German car on their wall as a child. There's a good reason for that.
As a petrol head I care where the car is designed and built. I really couldn't give a damn where the money ends up.
Yes but you were talking about Das Auto ("that show" in your post), which came after Top Gear, and commenting on the "cobblers" it was saying about German ownership. That show wasn't a petrolheads show and so the wider economic value is valid, not "cobblers" at all. However, as a car fan myself I can't say it worries me where a car is designed and built. If it's a good car I won't like it more just because it's made in Britain.
Ownership of companies is really a lot more than just where the paperwork is filed.
Comments
Me too - I hope they don't have to leave it off til March this time round. What do you think they could do? Go trekking up a certain mountain in 4x4's maybe?
I feel short-changed.
In the Queen with Helen Mirren, there is a scene where her Majesty drives her Defender through a river and tears off the prop shaft on an underwater rock. That is why it has sonar, not to detect Russian subs but underwater obstacles. Its a pretty logical thing to have on a 4x4 actually.
No matter how mediocre Top Gear may seem, it is better than 99% of the rubbish passing itself off as telly.
Blimey! You didn't get any change did you? At least I very rarely find their complete shows rubbish - usually about 50% of the hour is about usual, though and that is why I watch tthe show recorded as indeed I do for most TV nowaday.
My tolerance for has got so much shorter these days, with advancement of my years on this planet.
Though he did say that the SONAR was on the wind mirrors so not likely to see a rock underneath. Just a way of detecting the level of the water surface so be able to calculate the depth as it knows the height of the wing mirror.
I much preferred the items last night to the usual 'dayglo supercar' having its tyres destroyed by Clarkson. The bus item was fun, reminded of the old travel programme on Radio 4 years ago (Going Places?) that used to test drive a very wide range of vehicles.
Audi R8
Audi TTS Quattro
Porsche - Take your pick
Do I need to go on??
I think in order to freshen up the show, they could introduce some new studio segments- maybe something that gets the audience involved.
Proper off-roaders will tell you that you must walk a watercourse first, to determine any underwater obstacles or drop-offs, prior to driving through.
That's certainly very sensible, but I don't think anyone spends over £50K on a Rangey to then get out and wade chest deep through muddy water. Bring on the sonar.
Leaving EU?
Alexander Dennis, Plaxton, Optare and Wrightbus all manufacture buses and coaches made in the United Kingdom, the latter supplies the New Bus for London as featured in the programme.
Does anyone know the name of the bendy gorge that J May was driving the bus through? and the picturesque village he had to reverse park in?
And that Jaguar sounded fabulous, and looks cracking, but could anyone envisage that ride all day in normal traffic, as well as not being able to fit an weekend luggage set in the boot for 2 people?
I vaguely remember seeing the McLaren P1 leave the factory, but it didnt show it clearly on the Mall, nor did it show a 12C or Spyder
in all, a good episode, but not the best in the series
Me,
I had posters/pictures of a Porsche 959 on my wall as a kid..........alongside the Countach, and the Testarossa
(bear in mind the 959 was the fastest supercar of the time, and looked amazing in 1986........and had racing and rally pedigree......)
As for "beautiful" German cars........I do agree they seem to be more towards being stylish, with some panache and flair, engineered, but the big 3(4) Porsche, Merc, BMW Audi/VW seem to make near carbon coipes of each other, with really only Porsche and BMW getting the handling right,
Even now Audi can't work out how to make a care feel anything but a little cold, perhaps souless (with a tiny minority of exceptions) compared to Italians, British, (even some of the American muscle cars/sedans have character)
But no one can argue that they aren't brilliantly engineered and built, and have their place....... and are very much like their German countryfolk
And they have built some on pure aesthetic terms, some beautiful cars, through history and and lately......
not many though that make you go wow!
Can't argue with the looks of these imho
Like these
Merc 300SL Gullwing
http://www.designsojourn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/mercedes_300_sl_gullwing.jpg
BMW Z8
http://dailyinspires.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/bmw-z8-car-Wallpaper.jpg
Opel Aero GT
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3006/2994703400_9a21489d15.jpg
BMW 507
http://www.e90post.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=194733&stc=1&d=1224042272
Bitter CD (1973 and easily stands up to the Ferrari's and Lamborghinis of the time)
http://data.motor-talk.de/data/galleries/0/73/1160/21297633/bitter-cd-3459740918416906280.jpg
There were a few points. It was an over patriotic rant at the end but I wouldn't expect less from Clarkson.
Not sure of the F-Type being the best looking car in the world - or that he has ever seen. He tends to say that about a car each series.
I have a pic of a jag from the car show back in the 90s (TG or Clarkson were there) and I think it's better looking than the new F-Type. All those types of jags look the same nowadays.
Edit: Looked it up and it was the concept XK180. I have the postcard.
http://www.jag-lovers.org/brochures/xk180/xk180_pcard_l.jpg
Isn't that what the chauffeur is for?
But that is the difference between Top Gear and the real world. The places they test the Range Rover have been driven many times and there will be a recovery vehicle on call if they get into trouble. I lost the clutch on Freelander (fairly new but they all used to fail in the first year), we were up a track off the public road. It was a warranty repair but Land Rover Recovery would not recover off the public road though fortunately the breakdown driver was happy to come part way and we got another 4x4 to tow us down to the him.
Just a pity that, like many other makes, the Land Rover series have been getting progressively uglier over the years.
As a petrol head I care where the car is designed and built. I really couldn't give a damn where the money ends up.
But the TT? Really? It's an upturned jellymold with a spoiler glued onto it.
Do any of those cars compare to even the ugliest current Ferrari or Aston? Do any of them have the outright mad theatre of a Lambo or a Pagani? No. They fulfil every cliche' of German design. Efficient. Reliable. Dull.
I repeat : Hardly anybody had a poster of a German car on their wall as a child. There's a good reason for that.
Ownership of companies is really a lot more than just where the paperwork is filed.
really...u find that funny?