WTF is the Deal with Clarkson

bellegt06 · Nov 23, 2006

I have been watching the videos on the front page and first he pits a Mustang vs. the new SC'd Exige a $65,000 car. Then he races a mustang against a mustang (horse that is) and claims the car has a 300hp 4.6 liter when he is clearly driving a V6?

'06 stang · Nov 23, 2006

Is he that car 'expert' from Europe? If so best I can tell from other posts on here he is bascially an ass. Maybe a highly cultured and educated ass but an ass nonetheless. If it's not a gawdy 50k+ AWD from across the pond it's not worthy of being bought in his opinion . His car segments are a possible cure for various sleep disorders so watch with caution and have a pillow handy.

bellegt06 · Nov 23, 2006

Lol. I know he is biased, especially against US cars, but you would think he would atleast set up realistic test to prove is points. I mean does anyone really think a Mustang GT can match the performance of 65k Exige. Why not pit the Exige against a Roush stage 3. Then the price differnce would only have been about 10k, but I guess the results might have been closer than he wanted.

Also not even knowing the difference between a V6 and a V8, I mean WTF is he a car guy or not?

The Fang · Nov 23, 2006

oopps guess I was watching the wrong video. Ahh yes an idiot for sure and needs a new watch. driving a 6 and thinks its a 8.

'06 stang · Nov 23, 2006

Maybe his Dad owns the company that produces the car segments and this is the only way he could get little Clarkie a paying job? Now if pops could get him to retake that basic math class that he really really really needs and get him out of the basement of the family home.......and maybe laid by a flesh and blood woman and not a rubber one.........are there such things as a personality transplant...........

kooldawg6 · Nov 23, 2006

Clarkson sure does eat his words(and nearly sounds like he wets his pants in the cockpit)on how European cars are superior to US cars when he drove the '07 Z06!!!!!
Given the huge power/weight ratio and suspension disadvantage of the GT to the Exige, I thought it was rather close race. I agree that a "tuner" Stang would have been a much better test. Better yet...an '03 Cobra vs. the Exige. I believe the Exige would have been snake bitten. However it gives us some real world idea on what are car can do...before we mod them...hehehe.

LuS1fer · Nov 24, 2006

[QUOTE='06 stang]Maybe his Dad owns the company that produces the car segments and this is the only way he could get little Clarkie a paying job? Now if pops could get him to retake that basic math class that he really really really needs and get him out of the basement of the family home.......and maybe laid by a flesh and blood woman and not a rubber one.........are there such things as a personality transplant...........[/QUOTE]

Actually his Mum made her money making the Paddington Bear toys. Since Clarkson is, I believe, currently the only (pound) millionaire car journalist in the UK, being provocative obviously works for him.

He has long been biased against American cars even thouygh he loves the original Mustang and the GT40. Indeed, he was one of the few who got a UK registered Ford GT. Sadly, the practicality of LHD and the daft doors have led him to sell it back to Ford and he's buying a Lamborghini Gallardo Spider although I believe he's also got a Volvo XC90 for his wife and kids.

Sadly, he tends to do it for effect. He mauls the Corvette C6 but admits it's in his Top 12 cars he'd buy with his own money. On Top Gear, they actually featured and Exige S being driven by him being chased by The Stig in a Mustang GT. The point was to show that the Exige could be driven faster by a dimwit like Clarkson than the Mustang could by a professional racing driver although Clarkson is no amateur driver. But so what? Even in the Uk, the Exige is £40k while you can get a new Mustang GT imported for £23k.

mattkimsey · Nov 24, 2006

He does it to get a reaction. If he was like every other boring car show, would people all over the internet be talking about the show? If you don't take it too serious it's a fun show.

bellegt06 · Nov 24, 2006

mattkimsey said:
He does it to get a reaction. If he was like every other boring car show, would people all over the internet be talking about the show? If you don't take it too serious it's a fun show.

I understand, he could rip on american cars without misrepresentation and create controversy. I mean to run a V6 and claim it has a 4.6 and 300 ponies is unscrupulous to say the least.

'06 stang · Nov 24, 2006

All kidding aside he does it strictly for the ratings. Being anti-American on everything is the only way the "Elite-Extreme Liberal" Americans and Europeans of the world can get media attention nowadays even if he means it or not. They are few but loud. If it makes him money good for him. NOT ALL Europeans feel that way but the pro-US people never get heard by the media. I am not anti-anybody but its easier for most to be "anti" someone else that "pro" yourself if that makes sense. Well the extremest terrorist ball-suckers can all die a horrible death and I wouldn't mind but they are not into cars and have nothing to do with foreign car shows. Us Yankee bloaks and our Yankee lifestyle and excesses in everything material is useless and appauling to most of the Extreme Left thinking types in Europe until a major war starts over there and then our materials and soldiers matter. Not in everyones eyes but most. I guess if we lived with 40% unemployment, nonexistant medical care, crappy weather year 'round, ruling politicians and media types with extreme liberal mindset and limited freedom we would hate us too. Wait a minute.......sounds like the USA is starting to go down that road too....us and them might have common ground in a few years....except the weather is still pretty good here. Kinda sad but thats the way it is for now. What the hell is a Exige anway?? Anyone have a pic?

celticstanger · Nov 24, 2006

Clarkson knows his stuff, but this faux pas is hilarious! I wouldn't be surprised if there was a clip somewhere of him eating crow, after that blunder. Most of his scathing comments on US cars are, unfortunately, fairly accurate. Driving a V6 and complaining that his V8 doesn't have any oomph off the line, though, does somewhat kick the soapbox out from under him.

BTW - as far as wars across the Atlantic are concerned, aren't the current 2 US-led, with the US begging for Euro aid? See how very easy it can be for people to obnoxious a55e5?

ShowYa06 · Nov 24, 2006

Get a life, outside the US

mattkimsey · Nov 24, 2006

bellegt06 said:
I understand, he could rip on american cars without misrepresentation and create controversy. I mean to run a V6 and claim it has a 4.6 and 300 ponies is unscrupulous to say the least.

Yeah, I agree with that.

celticstanger · Nov 24, 2006

ShowYa06 said:
Get a life, outside the US

Oh, did I hurt your feewings?

bellegt06 · Nov 25, 2006

celticstanger said:
Clarkson knows his stuff, but this faux pas is hilarious! I wouldn't be surprised if there was a clip somewhere of him eating crow, after that blunder. Most of his scathing comments on US cars are, unfortunately, fairly accurate. Driving a V6 and complaining that his V8 doesn't have any oomph off the line, though, does somewhat kick the soapbox out from under him.
I agree with you, but if you are going to make outragous comparison, ridiculous comments, etc....you better have your sh.it straight which he clearly doesn't.

On that point, there are many Euro/Asian cars that out perform and are more reliable than US, but tell me one that comes close the the Mustang for the money. They only one i can think of is the 350z. It has better handling, but slower and is a two seater with no trunk. If you want you legitimate criticism taken seriously then don't make absurd ones as well.

celticstanger said:
BTW - as far as wars across the Atlantic are concerned, aren't the current 2 US-led, with the US begging for Euro aid? See how very easy it can be for people to obnoxious a55e5?

While I may or may not agree with this statement WTF does it have to do with this thread??

celticstanger · Nov 25, 2006

bellegt06 said:
While I may or may not agree with this statement WTF does it have to do with this thread??

That was my gentle rebuttal of this unwarranted (and hugely inaccurate/uneducated) attack on a continent, because one journalist has an uncanny ability to wind people up.

Us Yankee bloaks and our Yankee lifestyle and excesses in everything material is useless and appauling to most of the Extreme Left thinking types in Europe until a major war starts over there and then our materials and soldiers matter. Not in everyones eyes but most. I guess if we lived with 40% unemployment, nonexistant medical care, crappy weather year 'round, ruling politicians and media types with extreme liberal mindset and limited freedom we would hate us too...

Seems like my 2-line response set off some flares, whilst the original attack snuck nicely under everyones radar?

Back on topic - the "test" (flawed though it was, through the idiotic use of the wrong car!), is typical of some of the things the Brit auto journo's get up to - it's more than a little tongue-in-cheek. I can't find the clip, but there's a "test" they did on two Euro econo-boxes - they set up two goals, got a giant soccer ball and played something like 6v6 soccer in the cars. In the absence of a US car to rib, they proceeded to tear into one of the shows drivers, about how this was the first time he'd ever played any kind of field-sport.

I think Clarkson originally ticks everyone off, when they first watch him, but, even in the US, he's earned a level of respect, even if it is sometimes grudgingly.

'06 stang · Nov 25, 2006

I get it now.....he uses a "Borat" kind of approach to get his audience in a tizzy and he primarily uses American cars as fodder. Thats cool I guess since I assume most enthusiast outside the EU probably doesn't take him seriously anyway. I would rather watch John Clease or the late Graham Chapman. They could bash US cars all day and do it with a style that Clarkson could only dream of having and I would still have to laugh at it and tune in.

fox1x · Nov 25, 2006

I get it now.....he uses a "Borat" kind of approach to get his audience in a tizzy and he primarily uses American cars as fodder. Thats cool I guess since I assume most enthusiast outside the EU probably doesn't take him seriously anyway. I would rather watch John Clease or the late Graham Chapman. They could bash US cars all day and do it with a style that Clarkson could only dream of having and I would still have to laugh at it and tune in.

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celticstanger · Nov 26, 2006

"As good as anything I've ever driven..."

Clarkson's driven every exotic there is, so this high praise indeed -

http://www.planetblueoval.com/ford/jeremy_clarkson_001008.asp

ps, for everyone who thinks he just slates US cars, for years Clarkson slaughtered pretty much anything Ferrari did.

Mr_Q · Nov 26, 2006

People need to understand Top Gear and even 5th Gear are more about entertainment and not unbiased cold hard factoid reporting.

If you want that watch Motorweek...if you can stay awake during an ep.

Top Gear is one of the best cars shows I've ever seen and one of my favorite TV shows. 5th Gear is okay, the old format was better. And I don't know what happened to Tiff. He hardly ever reviews cars anymore.

Both are edited very well and invoke emotion, good and bad.

With American TV ripping off so many UK shows, why can't they get this one right! :\

I'd love to see a "Top Gear: USA" show where they get some over some-bearing a$$ to slam UKs cars lack of grunt and power. Ranting about big American V8s and torque. I really think it would be awesome.

WTF is the Deal with Clarkson

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