The Hoff on American Top Gear!

I have to admit I was skeptical they could pull it off, but after attending the taping of the Top Gear pilot I have to say I'm a believer. First, the set was perfect, walking into the Top Gear hanger created a wave of familiarity, but most importantly was the welcome atmosphere from the producers and talent. Andy Williams gave a great plug to the "Final Gear Mafia" and Adam Corolla commented "Now I'm sure you all can't wait to get home and talk about how terrible the show is, but we've locked the door and barricaded you in, so too bad!" All good joking aside, the crew made it clear they understand how important British Top Gear is and how big the task they have ahead of them.

To kick things off, taping started with "a celebrity in a reasonably priced car", and no less than David Hasselhoff was the first to take the Kia Rio around the new Top Gear track. Adam didn't cut The Hoff much slack, and the segment was pretty funny. The rest of the show followed the traditional Top Gear formula, from a cheap car contest to an exotic car test. Is this forumla good enough to get the series picked up? I think so, it's time to ditch "Dancing with a CSI Idol" and start making some great TV, and Top Gear is the perfect thing to break the broadcast malaise we have today.

Congrats to the American Top Gear crew, and congrats to the Final Gear community for keeping them honest. If the producers continue to respect and listen to the feedback of your forum, I know this show will see nothing but success.

Top Gear Magazine shoot with NEW Challenger SRT8

The new Dodge Challenger has taken the car show circuit by storm lately but what is it like on the road? Our friend Andrew Yeadon from CarPix invited the StreetFire video crew along for an exclusive shoot with Mopar's new muscle. This particular shoot was very special as it was the first time the new Hemi-powered Dodge was photographed and videotaped outside of Chrysler's own marketing. What's even cooler is that this particular shoot was for the famous Top Gear Magazine. Look for it at newsstands in the very near future. This is actually the second time Andrew has been assisted by StreetFire.

Check out the February 2008 issue of Top Gear Magazine for our last collaboration. On page 111 there is spread on the Callaway C16 Speedster.

This video has a little of everything in it. Watch as the Challenger cruises down the old El Toro airstrip in Southern California alongside its 1970 counterpart and learn some tricks of photographing automobiles from our friend Andrew Yeadon.

Also, make sure you check out CarPixArchive for some of the most amazing automobile photography you will ever see! Andrew has been kind enough to offer ALL STREETFIRE members a 30% discount on any purchases. Get your favorite ride on everything from posters to coffee mugs. Make sure you use the special code "StreetFire1X" (case-sensitive) to get the discount.

View the Challenger Photo Archive.

View the Top Gear Magazine Challenger video.


See All of Andrew Yeadon's photos.

NEWS: Top Gear is Coming to the States!

By ksingh

Well here's the news we've been waiting for since well, the first time we ever watched the hit BBC show Top Gear. The show is scheduled to be remade for the US audience by the people who are giving Knight Rider a rebirth, NBC. I was excited when I saw this but now am a little weary since the witty and comical eremy Clarkson, James May, and Richard Hammond will not be hosting.

Leave your thoughts in the Discussion.

Top Crashes of 2007

As 2007 slowly winds down, we get all those sappy VH1 specials about what made 2007 so great. For us it was the great videos, and we all know the most popular category is our "Boom!" Category with all the crash footage. In our ongoing evil plot to steal market share for TV, we decided to do our own awards pick for the year. So here are our choices for the Top Crashes of 2007.

#5.) Porsche GT3 wrecks while running from the cops

Porsche GT3 crash. Dutch police chase.

Props because of the obvious expense of the car combined with bowling ball sack it takes to continuing to run when your GT3 is throwing the hood over the windscreen.

#4.) TV reporter catches it on video!

Two cars collide right behind a TV reporter as he talks about the dangerous intersection. Not a very good place to stand.

This one gets good 30 seconds in when some local residents decide to demonstrate for the camera.


#3.) Saudi style Drifting gone wrong

some accidents while drifting in Saudi ;(

The Saudi's take drifting to an extreme form, but by raising the stakes they get some pretty spectacular crashes. This compilation dropped my jaw, doesn't get crazier than this.

#2.) Clint Bowyer upside down and on fire finishing 18th

Daytona 500 NASCAR race and Top Gear bagging on Americans,... why do they hate us so much? Because Jeremy Clarkson is too proud to admit how cool this is. Only in an America are race cars finishing upside down and on Fire ;-)

Best crashes of 2007 wouldn't be complete without one NASCAR crash, I mean seriously, thats why we all watch, right? This one takes honors as being especially cool, because Clint Bowyer finished the Daytona 500 upside down and on fire. The only way he could have been more manly is if his car was sponsored by Jack Daniels...wait a sec, it was.

#1.)WRC Rally Crash

Rally Accident - Underwater

This one is terrifying. I don't know if it's the rush of water flowing in, or the panic breathing from the driver, but you simply cannot watch this video without getting a cold chill down your spine.

Crashes are fun to watch when no one gets hurt, but that's not always the case. Please drive safe and keep the accidents online and off the streets in 2008!

Discuss our 2007 Picks here, and let us know what your favorites are as well!

Upside down and on fire, NASCAR shows Top Gear how it's done

Top Gear had a pretty lame episode last week. Normally their cross country challenges are very funny with brilliant comments, funny satire and good nature jabs. Last week's TG episode was just one long America-bashing joke, no cool cars, no tests, no exotics, just one long tired southern joke. I mean seriously guys, we give you such great material and all you can come back with is fat Stig and we're going to get murdered?

I can only think this dearth of good content was due to Richard's tragic wreck that nearly took his life and the pressures that placed on the shooting schedule. The Episode would have felt lest scripted and smarter had it been cut down to 20 minutes.

At any rate, at one point they sort of bag on NASCAR, which is fine were it not for last night's spectacular finish of the Daytona 500. Even the TG team has got to admit that finishing 18th in a race upside down and on fire is the height of cool. I can think of no better Jack Daniels ad myself than just showing this car sliding across the finish line on it's hood......on fire.... Anyhow....

Spoiler Warning shows the finish of last night's race
[Click to Watch Video]
[Discuss]

F1 Testing in Valencia

I took my normal mid week trip across the pond to TopGear.com today (got to get my mid week fix prior to weekend video release ya know)....and I saw story about the F1 testing in Spain that made me proud, my boy Alonso is cleaning it up in his new McLaren Seat! I was a bit worried about him leaving Renault...and more importantly Falvio Briatore's side...but in the first test of the 2007 F1 Kit, Alonso paced Valencia a full second faster than the rest of the field.

Anyhow, jump over to TopGear.com for the full story.

[TopGear]
[Discuss]

Last Chance: Richard Hammond "Get Well" Thread

Last Chance to get your well wishes in! Junk is sending out our "Get Well Soon" email to Richard Hammond at the BBC tomorrow, so if you want your name included, please post now. This is your last chance.

...In case you've been living under a rock for the past week. Richard Hammond, our much loved co-presenter of Top Gear, the best TV-Show ever, had a near death accident last week while trying to set the British Land Speed Record. He crashed his rocket powered Car at nearly 300mph, and has spent the past week recovering from critical to now stable condition. Today he was air lifted to a hospital a little closer to his wife and daughters. We're all praying for a full recovery over here, and if you want to add your voice to ours, then please add your name to the thread.

[Post: Add your Well Wishes to Richard Hammond]
[Edit: Email is sent please contact Richard via the Top Gear WebSite]

Your Well wishes for Top Gear's Richard Hammond

Forum moderator JunkTheMagicDragon has started a thread wishing Richard Hammond a swift recovery after his near death crash yesterday while attempting a British Land Speed Record. If you would like your name added to the list, then please respond to the following thread with your name (or user name) and any messages you would like to convey. We will then send the email to the BBC along with your well wishes.

[Post your well wishes to Richard Hammond]

Update: Good news Richard is doing better today but is still not out of the woods yet.

We're all here wishing you the best Richard, get well soon!

Jeremy Clarkson: "GET OFF MY LAWN! you damn kids"

Looks like Jalopnik has found a very much alive Clarkson who managed to survive the vicious horses of Portugal. But in looking up our hero, I found an interesting story in the UK Something or other about a Sinister group called "PROWL" That is apparently rather torqued off that Jeremy Clarkson has erected a fence across his property blocking a local footpath around his Lighthouse home (See Diagram Above). Jeremy's Fence has even apparently upset the last wishes of a dying man to have his ashes scattered at that point. (on the basic of aesthetics of course).

"... My Dad died in January and had requested that we scatter him at Langness and put a bench there for him. Under the present circumstances, we don't want to do this as Langness looks more like Stalig 19 with all the barbed wire and such. ..."

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