Correct:
Black number plates with white or silver characters are permitted on vehicles registered before 1 January 1973.

His Corniche was T-reg, which is 1978-79.

Yeh which they both said was '76. Oh well

Too many car reviews for my liking. The old Top Gear ended up with one or occasionally two reviews per episode, tonight we had four.

Perhaps they're trying to get back to what Top Gear used to do - consumer journalism about cars? People are slagging off the films etc, maybe they're trying to get back to basics?

I like the film visuals but it was all a bit...boring - not helped by shoving in the looooooooong zelebrity bit in the middle!

Matt Le Blanc's laid back, deadpan delivery is very funny. The cricket fart gag in the Rolls made me laugh.

That needs to go. Only thing is there wouldn't be any point to the studio bits at all so they would have to think of something else

Probably the worst episode so far, just a bit bland.

Generally I haven't minded this series, it's had some good moments. But the problem is all too obvious - Chris Evans. If it came down to LeBlanc or Evans I know who I'd choose without even thinking about it. Really think the beeb have a dilemma here. They've invested a lot in Evans, he's not just a presenter is he, they've given him the keys to the show so how would they get rid of him? But if they want the reboot to last, they kinda have to. Not usually one to believe tabloid headlines, but can't shake the feeling LeBlanc and Evans don't really get on. And this format NEEDS its presenters to get on well, because it thrives off the dynamic between them.

Tonight was boring. Matt LeBlanc the only decent presenter. All the others have no personality.

Bullseye. The old TG *was* 'the dynamic between them' - everything else was incidental (albeit very good - cinematography and all). I remember seeing a BBC executive once saying 'People think Top Gear is a programme about cars. It's not. It's a programme about three middle-aged mates having a lot of fun arsing around like schoolboys."

That 'dynamic' is what made the show such a massive hit all around the world, with people of all ages and cultures - because real, honest to god friendship, with a GSOH, is such a rare and enjoyable thing to see on television - and that, I fear, is why the new version will find it almost impossible to escape a steady, inexorable decline. It's not bad, but it's not what it was - and it never will be, Chris Evans or no.

I know naff all about cars, can't drive and I was entertained throughout so on that basis alone they've done a good job if they can reach people like me.

...

I'm baffled why people are still watching this expecting it to morph into a version of CHM and then criticising it for being something it can never be, because they're GONE. Point your browsers to Amazon and wait patiently until they put their show up.

Why do people (especially here) say that as if it's some Eureka moment nobody has ever realised before? We're all aware that the old show was three tits, titting about in cars. That show is now on Amazon.

The material was there to make one of the best episodes ever if they had majored on the historic endurance guy and had Sabine (or maybe get Mark Webber in) drive the route in a period Jag along with Rory in the modern one.

The show needs to find it's feet in a second series. They can look back on what works and what doesn't. Then build the new version of the show. To me, I'm not liking Matt Le Blanc, I find him wooden and bland. He comes across as an auto cue reading robot.
It also sounds like there is some processing on Chris Evans voice, which makes it sound like there is a reverb in the room. The other presenters don't sound like that.
I actually liked Chris's report on the super light weight car last night, but the best films are done by Rory. He comes across really well.
The guy doing the BMW/Audi film just pulled faces at the camera in an effort to come across as a bit funny.
They tried two guests on Star in a reasonably priced car before. It only lasted a few weeks as it didn't work. So why bring it back? The interviews are too formulaic.
I know a lot of people don't want Chris Evans on the show, but he is a tried and tested TV presenter and producer. Give him the reins to make his version of the show. Get rid of the big presenter line up and give him the chance to make a good show.

In terms of this series, it's a good way to build up their new leaderboard quickly - remember when CHM got a new reasonably-priced car, they used to have some kind of track event with many celebs turning up to give them a start on a new leaderboard.

For me, Chris Evans has been far from the biggest problem with the series. I didn't find his personality too obtrusive last night, and in his solo piece I thought he was quite relaxed and was clearly trying to be himself rather than Clarkson.

The question is whether Chris has burned his bridges with the general public too much in the past to ever be accepted as a main host.

Ratings for last night up by 400k on last week.

That's good - however if England win tonight, they may as well postpone next week's episode, or bring it forward to 7pm if they don't want to register the worst ratings ever.

I felt that RR bit with the Jaguar was a bit on the cringeworthy side.

Trying to make out how dramatic it was if he didn't get there on time as if Jaguar wouldn't have had some sort of contingency in place for such an important event.

The car clearly got there with more than enough time, even looked like it been valeted for the showroom but they edited it for dramatic effect to look like it just arrived in the nick of time.

SIRPC really does need to be edited, it's far too long and not all that interesting.

Couldn't disagree more thought it was better than a fair few of the last TG series and the extra show was good too.

The Daily Mail probably won't mention this.

I'm just guessing.

A mixed bag (just watched it) - MLB again the best thing about it, and Rory looks like the best for doing the films - Chris Harris has been okay upto today, but far too much OTT face pulling in the M2 film, just calm it down and he's okay too.

SIARCC is still dragging the show down - it is effectively now the equivalent of an advert break, to either fast forward or go do something better while it's on.

Much better with no Eddie this week - and it is still better when Evans is not on.

If they want to improve for a second series, it may help to remove Evans, and bring Rory into the studio alongside MLB (and possibly Harris).

It's a shame CHM weren't still around for Top Gear - it would've been interesting to see Rory and Chris contributing films to their version of the show, I think they would've fitted in well with that.

I was a little surprised though in the F Type review, where Rory was implying he was almost falling asleep, yet apparently drove throughout the night - even the old team would stop overnight and rest as needed - just seemed a bit jarring.

I’d echo some of the comments on here – maybe last night’s episode is the format they should now model the programme. A more ‘review based’ car programme that isn’t too serious, dropping the more silly challenges that Clarkson, Hammond and May used to do. Don’t get me wrong, I loved those challenges, but it’s time for the programme to move on and accept that it can’t be the same programme as it used to be (or should that be accept that viewers will never consider it to be the programme it used to be).
And if you’re a fan of the challenges that Clarkson, Hammond and May used to do – you know where you’ll soon be able to find them again.

Coincidently, the studio (tent?!) bits for the first episode of The Grand Tour are being filmed on Sunday 17th July in Johannesburg, so I suspect it won’t be too long until we have a launch date – maybe September?

In regards to the rumours that Matt LeBlanc won’t do another series with Chris Evens, if true, that’s a difficult decision for the BBC. I have to admit, although I don’t think Matt LeBlanc is very good in the studio his bits outside the studio (which are less scripted) are very good.
Will the BBC have the guts to axe Chris in favour of Matt?
If they choose Matt and his new CBS sitcom is a success (which judging from the pilot I’d say is unlikely, but you never know) he’ll have very limited availability for Top Gear. And would they be risking their wider relationship with Chris, possibly losing the host of Europe’s most listened to radio breakfast show...

Also, Evans is (effectively, but not allowed to be named as such) Executive Producer of Top Gear. Le Blanc is just a presenter. If they get rid of Evans there's a lot more behind-the-scenes implications.

You seemed to have forgotten the challenges where Jeremy drove for 11 hours or more before eventually snoozing in the car for a bit, always thought it was dodgy, happened at least twice as far as I recall.

It just surprised me a little, with them seemingly on eggshells a little after the various Clarkson issues in recent years, and the drama around the Cenotaph donutting earlier this year. I would've thought they'd have filmed that bit, then swapped in someone else to drive it for a while offscreen, before subbing Rory back in the next day - if it really was the only one of those cars, I doubt Jaguar would've been too pleased seeing that part of it!