Look, here is a simple fact: 5th Gear and Top Gear are TV shows. Sure, I recognize the benefits in having presenters with street cred, as in BTCC wins and such, but if they arnt entertaining then none of that actually matters.............
To succeed they need to be, preferably, both experienced and entertaining. But If I have to choose between the two I will take entertaining every time.
You want proff do you!!? Fine, download Jasons "road trip" review of the latest BMW 3 series (I think its avaialble at racing flix if not in JW) and you will see just how truly horrendous one of his reviews can be. Compare, if you wish, with any one of Jeremy's epic road trips and the difference becomes even sharper.
As much as he annoys me, JC of Top Gear is probably one of the best presenters ever on a car show. His road trips in cars like the Merc SLR, DB9, and even the ugly as sin 612 have all been epic and highly entertaining.
Jasons review, on the other hand, remains to my mind the perfect example of how to kill and otherwise decent car with a boring as all hell review. Like I said, BMW should have paid them to bin that one.................
Tiff can drive but the guy has little entertainment value. Honestly, 5th Gears most entertaining and interesting presenter is Hariy Tom, but he cant drive hehe. So to fix the problem I propose that Hairy Tom does the review and Tiff becomes a sort of 5th Gear Stigg..........and Vicki and Jason can remain employed by cleaning the wheels inbetween cuts
Actually, now that Im on the topic, Top Gear could use some changes too. I think the casting is just perfect. Those three dimwits play off eachother perfectly. Its entertaining. However, its boring as all hell to watch them drive around the same converted airfield with the same Stigg over and over for meaningless low speed lap times.
What the freakin people at Top Gear need to do is switch it up. Take lap times at different track to add variety. Oh and go the the Ring more often The episode where JC tried to lap that pice of crap Jaguar around the Ring was great!!
If Best Motoring and Top Gear were dogs I would mate them. The product, assuming it came out as a perfect balance between the two, would be my ultimate motering show. Best Motoring I like for its more technical reviews, its multiple car racing tests, its more in depth testing in general, etc. Top Gear I like for its high production values, its highyl entertaining presenters, its obviously veryu creative staff, etc......... The single best features of Top Gear have been thier epic car VS. whatever shootouts and thier comedic stunts such as buying porsches for 3 grand or whatever...........
Combine that aspect of Top Gear with some serious racing done by profesional drivers on a variety of circuits and you have......THE BEST CAR SHOW EVER MADE.