A tipster sent us this leaked video of what's purportedly the first 15-minute summary of Top Gear's new China version. The changes for a Chinese audience? Donkey vs. Cadillac in a grindstone-off, for starters.
The clip — if it's real — shows Top Gear China hewing closely to the traditional global template: three male hosts in varying degrees of coolness, a fast car review — namely a BMW M3 Tiger Edition — and a star in an affordable car segment, with Hong Kong stuntman Bruce Law chirping the tires of a not-ugly First Auto Works' Besturn sedan.
But the main attraction appears to be showing whether a Cadillac SLS sedan can match a two-donkey team in corn milling. While that joke might need some translation back to English, it's somewhat heartwarming that for all the cultural divides this show has to jump, there is no need to translate "Stig."
It appears to us like, yes, this is absolutely the first clip of Top Gear China — noteworthy not only then for being the first look at the new show, but also, for being leaked. Thanks to everyone who sent us this!