Top Gear Australia

Infobox Television
show_name=Top Gear Australia


caption=
genre=Motoring
creator=
developer=
presenter=Warren Brown
Charlie Cox
Steve Pizzati
theme_music_composer=
opentheme="Jessica"
endtheme=
composer=
country=flagicon|UK UK
flagicon|Australia Australia
language=English
num_seasons=1
num_episodes=2
list_episodes=
executive_producer=
producer=BBC Worldwide
Freehand Productions
location=Bankstown Airport, Bankstown, NSW (Studio)
Camden Airport, Camden, New South Wales (Test Track).
cinematography=
runtime=60 minutes (including commercials)
network=SBS TV
picture_format=
audio_format=
first_run=
first_aired=29 September 2008
last_aired=present
preceded_by=
followed_by=
related="Top Gear (current format)"
"Top Gear US"
website=http://www.sbs.com.au/topgearaustralia/
prod_website=
imdb_id=
tv_com_id = 75776

"Top Gear Australia" is a motoring television series on SBS TV based on the BBC series. It premiered on 29 September 2008 at 7:30pm AEST [cite web | url=http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2008/08/airdate-top-gear-australia.html | title=Airdate: Top Gear Australia | date=2008-09-29 | first=David | last=Knox | publisher=TV Tonight | accessdate=2008-09-30] and the first series will run for 8 episodes.cite web | url=http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2008/09/colosimo-first-guest-on-top-gear-australia.html | title=Colosimo first guest on Top Gear Australia | date=2008-09-19 | first=David | last=Knox | publisher=TV Tonight | accessdate=2008-09-30] A second series was announced following the release of ratings figures for the premiere and favourable comments from advertising buyers.

"Top Gear Australia" is also the name of a licensed version of the British "Top Gear" magazine.

Presenters

SBS made an open casting call for presenters, resulting in over 4000 applications. [cite web | title=SBS wheels out its Top Gear team | publisher=The Australian | date=2008-05-29 | url=http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23775464-7582,00.html | accessdate=2008-08-24] The hosts chosen for "Top Gear Australia" are:
* Warren Brown, cartoonist and motoring columnist for "The Daily Telegraph"
* Charlie Cox, MotoGP commentator for the BBC, and a former radio presenter and ex-racing driver
* Steve Pizzati, advanced driving instructor, race driver and freelance motoring journalist

Marketing prior to the first episode stated that the presenters would joined by The Stig's "Australian cousin" [cite web | url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/bbcworldwide/worldwidestories/pressreleases/2008/05_may/top_gear_australia.shtml | title=Australian Top Gear presenters revealed | publisher=BBC Worldwide Press Releases | date=2008-05-28 | accessdate=2008-09-01] but in the first episode was introduced as just The Stig. Steve Pizatti suggested that The Stig have an "Australian" name, such as "Stiggo", but the other presenters refused. Unlike the UK series, he was not credited as a presenter.

Production

Mirroring the UK series, the studio segments were recorded at Bankstown Airport in Sydney. An exact copy of the UK studio at Dunsfold Park was constructed in a hangar. The power laps and "Star in a Bog Standard Car" were recorded at Camden Airport with parts of the runways and taxiways used as a test track.

"Top Gear Australia" uses the same theme music as the UK series, a version of the The Allman Brothers Band's "Jessica".

egments

"Top Gear Australia" will feature segments that mirror those seen on the BBC series, including build challenges and test drives. A significant difference is that speeds and power are quoted in metric units and prices are quoted in Australian dollars.

Power Lap

A test track around Camden Airport is used for power laps. The track includes nine corners, one of which was named Clarkson Corner in the first episode.

Lap times

# 1:08.80 - Ford GT RHD
# 1:09.46 - Nissan GT-R (180 km/h speed limited)
# 1:11.69 - Porsche 911 Carerra S PDK
# 1:12.28 - Lotus Elise
# 1:13.40 - BMW M3
# 1:13.72 - Mercedes-Benz CLK 63 AMG
# 1:44.66 - Hummer Stretch

What Were They Thinking?

The presenters discuss "stupid" ideas in motoring history and put pictures of them on a board.

Featured cars

# Maybach 57S
# Mitsubishi Legnum
# Lightburn Zeta
# Leyland Force 7
# Rinspeed sQuba
# Valiant Charger E38

tar In A Bog Standard Car

The Star in a Reasonably-Priced Car segment is mirrored with the name "Star in a Car". It is identical in execution. The car used is a Proton Satria.

Lap Times

# 1:26.07 - Steve Bisley
# 1:34.19 - Vince Colosimo

tunts

Aping its BBC counterpart, the show is set to include features where the hosts undertake various stunts some of which may antagonise members of the public. In October 2008 it was reported that Pizzati and Brown caused a traffic jam in Toorak, Victoria when they drove a tractor through the town — a reference to the colloquial expression "Toorak Tractor", a pejorative label in Australia for luxury SUVs. [ [http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,24433262-5006022,00.html Top Gear Australia causes traffic jam on Toorak Road] Herald Sun, 2 October 2008]

Reception

Michael Idato of the Sydney Morning Herald described the first episode as "unsteady on some of the corners" and "a little too tricked up for its own good", noting "a distinct lack of detail, presumably to position the show away from car geeks". [cite news | title=No mess, but an unsteady first lap | url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/entertainment/tv--radio/no-mess-but-an-unsteady-first-lap/2008/09/29/1222650986432.html | last=Idato | first=Michael | publisher=Sydney Morning Herald | date=2008-09-30 | accessdate=2008-09-30]

Stuart Martin, motoring writer for the Adelaide "Advertiser" said a franchise was "always going to have a tough job living up to the UK original" but noted that Top Gear was not an overnight success and urged viewers to "give the locals a chance to find their niche". [cite news|url=http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,24426074-5006343,00.html|title=Top Gear Down Under has a way to go|last=Martin|first=Stuart|publisher=The Advertiser|date=2008-09-30|accessdate=2008-10-01]

The first episode debuted with an audience of 933,000 viewers [cite news | title=TEN’s tears for Idol | url=http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2008/09/tens-tears-for-idol.html | last=Knox| first=David| publisher=TV Tonight | date=2008-09-30 | accessdate=2008-09-30] , SBS's highest ever ratings for a locally produced television program, coming third in its time slot and beating "Australian Idol".cite news|title=Idol left in Top Gear's dust|url=http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24425336-12377,00.html|last=Field|first=Katherine|publisher=The Australian|date=2008-09-30|accessdate=2008-09-30] The figure was slightly higher than any season premiere of the BBC version aired on SBS.

The second episode, being broadcast on a public holiday in three states, did not fair as well only pulling in an estimated 674,000 viewers. [cite news | url=http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24459514-26103,00.html | title=Aussie Top Gear ratings slump|last=Field|first=Katherine|publisher=The Australian|date=2008-10-07|accessdate=2008-10-08]

List of Top Gear Australia episodes

Magazine

An Australian version of "Top Gear" magazine titled "Top Gear Australia" (published by Park Publishing, a partnership between ACP Magazines and the BBC) [cite web | url=http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/story/0,26278,23367077-10388,00.html | title=ACP teams up with BBC for Top Gear magazine | publisher=news.com.au | date=2008-03-13 | accessdate=2008-09-30] was launched in June 2008 and features an amalgam of original Australian articles together with licensed content from the British and other international versions of the magazine.

References

External links

* [http://www.sbs.com.au/topgearaustralia/ Official site]
*