Jalopnik: Top Gear Russia

In Soviet Russia, Top Gear Drives You

The Auto Insider — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 09:30:00 EDT

The Top Gear Russia is now upon us, with the third episode airing this week. Want to know whether the reasonably priced car will be a Soviet T-90 tank? Click through to find out.

We've no idea how long YouTube will keep these up, so get your full-on Russian fix while you can because Top Gear Russia could quite be the best Top Gear in the whuurld. (Hat Tip To Schm!) [via YouTube]

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Would Top Gear Netherlands Be A Bridge Too Far?

Matt Hardigree — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 11:30:00 EDT

With word today that the ever-expanding Top Gear family is once again reaching beyond the UK shores for Top Gear Russia it may be time to to decide if we actually want and/or need more Top Gear franchises. How many Top Gears is too many Top Gears? What country should be next? Top Gear: The Netherlands? Viva Top Gear Mexico? At what point, if ever, does Top Gear jump the shark?

With Top Gear Australia in a bit of a ratings slump we must question whether the original works because of the three-hot format or the chemistry between the three hosts. While the formula could work anywhere, including here, we don't think that's a guarantee. The original didn't become wildly popular until the the fearsome threesome of May, Hammond and Clarkson hit their stride. The American version of the office doesn't work because it's a good story or a good style (look at Coupling, Teachers or Kath & Kim), it works because of Steve Carrell, Rainn Wilson and the supporting staff. Can magic strike again with other hosts? Sure. But the original is still working and each new show is merely a roll of the dice to see if they can duplicate the same success and, even if it does, we'll still just be illegally downloading the UK version with the rest of the world.

Top Gear Russia Officially Confirmed!

Matt Hardigree — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 09:33:54 EDT

Apparently Top Gear's aggressive television expansion is now no longer limited to people who speak some form of English. The world's greatest, and now most franchised, automotive TV show in the world has just confirmed they'll be expanding to Russia. Yes, folks, that's right, a Top Gear made for Russians, by Russians will air 15 episodes starting around the end of this year. Sorry, but we're so excited we're even too stunned to make a "In Soviet Russia, something-something-something you!" joke. So take your bearskin caps and the rest of the report after the jump, you Capitalist pigs!

By the end of the year there will be a Clarksonov, Hammondchenko and Mayovski roaming the frozen steppes of Russia. Probably in Ladas.

Yes, there’s going to be a Top Gear Russia. Made in Russia for the Russians. A bit like the Aussie TG, but with more back-to-front letters and fewer boomerangs.

Everything’s a bit hush-hush at the moment, but we know that it’s going to run for 15 episodes initially, around the end of this year. The Russian Top Gear magazine has been doing well over there since its launch in 2004, so hopefully the locals will be familiar with TG’s ‘ambitious but rubbish’ philosophy.

First up, though, we’ve got to find the local presenters. Rumours that Clarkson, May and Hammond will be making a guest appearance clad in bearskin hats remain unconfirmed.

We can’t imagine there’ll be any shortage of candidates for the arduous job of thrashing supercars around the beautiful Russian outback. Or whatever the Russians call the outback.

There’s no word on what studio or test track they’ll be using yet, but we have glorious visions of a giant Russian Clarkson firing up a Murcielago in a decommissioned nuclear silo, surrounded by hoards of TG faithful wrapped up in layers of wintery clothes.

And bearskin hats. It’s all about the bearskin hats.

(Hat tip to Andreja!) [via Top Gear]