Top Gear UK has been on hiatus since August of 2011 and they recently broke that downtime with a special episode, where the three middle-aged men ventured into India to try and save Britain’s economy. But now, a new trailer is out for an all-new season.

To keep the hype up, the BBC2 was sure to not expose too much with the program’s upcoming season. But from what we can tell, season 18 of Top Gear looks to be as jam-packed with automotive goodness as it usually is. We see some AMG Black Benzes roasting some rubber, Richard Hammond attempts to become a NASCAR driver, Jeremy assaults a holiday camping spot with a Jaguar and much more.

Check out the trailer after the jump. And of course, we sure as hell can’t wait.

- By: Chris Chin

Source: Top Gear Transmission

On the December 28, Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May will embark on a trade mission to India for this year’s Christmas special.

Here is a trailer for the special-edition Top Gear episode (make the jump).

- By: Omar Rana

The financial crisis with the world economy is indubitably being felt by nearly everyone, specifically in Great Britain where BBC Top Gear’s producer Andy Wilman has provided a little sneak preview for a new special that will air in December. According to Wilman’s words on the new episode, Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond will be taking up their biggest challenge yet: sorting out the battered British economy and balancing the country’s balance of-trade deficit.

Top Gear has been on hiatus since their last season aired in July, yet they’ve been hard at work recording Season 18, which is set to air in January of 2012 after the special.

So you may be wondering, what could three middle-aged petrolheads do to sort out Britain’s economy? Wilman said the idea is to take up UK Prime Minister David Cameron’s word that the UK must become a favored trading partner of India.

As a result, Clarkson, Hamster and Captain Slow will all be travelling to India with a budget of seven grand to buy a car and embark on a trading mission while representing the flag for the UKPLC.

“Our plan was to drive across India, drumming up interest in British goods, advertising the peerless standards of British skills, British nous, British Britishness,” said Wilman in his editorial. “We would make the Indians think: ‘No, we shall not buy mayonnaise from Belgium, but Angel Delight and Kendal Mint Cake from the British.’”

The episode is expected to air on December 28th on BBC2 and BBC HD in the UK. And after nearly a six month hiatus, we can’t wait to see the Top Gear three back in action.

- By: Chris Chin

Source: Top Gear

When Top Gear talks cars, almost all of the automotive world listens – well, listen to this. The Top Gear Magazine has crowned the Fisker Karma as the ‘Luxury Car of the Year’ as well as ‘Car of the Year’ by Top Gear host, James May.

Check out the full Fisker Karma gallery on our Facebook Page.

“Cleverness abounds in the Fisker and adds to the air of intelligent luxury. It works well, it looks good and it must be a genuinely exciting thing to own,” said Charlie Turner, BBC Top Gear magazine editor. “It’s the top-of-the-line spec that features no leather, just textiles and reclaimed wood. And it’s more convincing than it sounds, managing to look, feel and smell premium without any cow peel in it at all”

Previous winners of the award (and cars that the Fisker Karma beat out this time around) include Mercedes-Benz CLS, Jaguar XJ and Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupe.

“It is fantastic news that the Karma has won two awards from Top Gear, said CEO and co-founder Henrik Fisker. “We realize that we are at the beginning of our journey and awards like this remind us we are on the right road – building enticing green cars that people actually want to own. It’s particularly pleasing that this award recognizes the Karma as the world’s first luxury hybrid electric car.”

Click here for more news on the Fisker Karma.

Refresher: Power comes from Fisker’s Q-DRIVE system, which is made up of two 201-hp electric-motors that are powered by a lithium-ion battery pack. That allows the 2010 Karma to travel up to 50 miles without the use of any gasoline. A generator attached to a 260-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter Ecotec direct injection gasoline engine by General Motors provides an extended range of up to 300 miles. 0 to 60 mph comes in 5.8 seconds with a top speed of 125 mph.

- By: Omar Rana

Seventeen seasons deep, Top Gear is returning for number eighteen in January. The show’s stars, Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond, were seen filming on the day of the announcement for the upcoming season.

The filiming was taking place at the Piazza Venezia in Rome, and later in Lecce, close to the Nardo high speed ring. Another trio accompanied the three that go by the familliar names of Noble M600, Lamborghini Aventador, and McLaren MP4-12C. Although its going to be a few months before the action hits TV screens, you can check out this teaser in the meantime.

- By: Alexandra Koken

Source: CarBuzz

Through the years, Top Gear UK American fans have been deprived of the best automotive show in the world. Our prayers have now been answered, well… sort of. BBC America is now looking to show us the best of the best of Top Gear UK following a voting session on BBCAmerica.com

“You’ve narrowed it down to the most ambitious, most ridiculous auto stunts the Top Gear guys have been able to pull off… or at least made a valiant effort to do so,” BBC said in a statement. “Amphibious cars? The race across London? The best driving road? The results are in. Now, the man behind the world’s biggest car show, Top Gear executive producer Andy Wilman, will lead the reveal, counting down what the fans have chosen as their…Top Gear Top 40.”

Top Gear Top 40 premieres Monday, November 28, with back-to-back premiere episodes at 8:00pm & 9:00pm ET/PT each week.

- By: Omar Rana

Don’t you wish you had a huge budget and a production unit to recreate some of the most amazing moments in cinema history? Well you probably don’t and while that may be a bit depressing our favorite TV Show Top Gear definitely does.

Richard Hammond and James May have teamed up to bring you a bunch of thrilling races, stunts and awesome feats of cars on the big screen through a blend of action, amazing driving and exotic metal.

The DVD will be available to order on Nov. 14.

Check out the trailer after the jump.

- By: Omar Rana

Pretty much any car enthusiast has Top Gear listed as one of their favorite TV shows because quite simply, what’s cooler than just fooling around with a bunch of fast and expensive cars, or asked to do the impossible with old jalopies and getting paid and famous while doing it?

That’s why MyVoucherCodes.co.uk’s latest poll should be no surprise. About 1,356 men in the UK were asked what their dream job was to get a better idea of what the UK population’s male career preferences are. And the results are no surprise. A Top Gear presenter rings in at first in a list of the top ten dream jobs wanted by males in the UK.

“It’s quite interesting to see that Top Gear presenter has beaten professional sportsman to take first place for men’s dream job,” said the company’s chairman Mark Pearson. “However, when you think about the injuries and amount of training that goes into being a professional sportsman, compared with a life of driving and testing cars, it doesn’t seem all that surprising!”

To see the full list, check it out after the jump.

1. Top Gear presenter (29%)
2. Video games tester (25%)
3. Professional sportsman (24%)
4. Actor (21%)
5. Formula 1 driver (19%)
6. Fireman (17%)
7. Stockbroker (16%)
8. Pilot (14%)
9. Spy (12%)
10. Inventor (11%)

- By: Chris Chin

Source: Metro

BBC has just released two addition trailers for Top Gear Season 17, which will hit your television set on June 26.

The first trailer shows James May driving the Aston Martin Virage along with the Mini Cooper Countryman JCW off-roader. The second shows us how bored The Stig has been since season 16 ended.

Hit the jump for the two trailers.

Check out the first trailer here.

Top Gear Season 17 – Trailer No. 1:

Top Gear Season 17 – Trailer No. 2:

- By: Omar Rana

BBC has released the trailer for Top Gear Season 17, which will air on June 26. What can we expect?

According to Top Gear Blog: “Well, there’s some affordable performance cars, some electric cars, some actual racing, some proper demolition, some silly cars, and Top Gear’s attempt to improve public transport, which I think is going to be absolutely brilliant. Did you see some of the clips on the Formula One last Sunday of us in the hot hatches going round the Monaco Grand Prix Circuit? That’s part of the new series, and that was great, very intimidating.”

Hit the jump for the trailer.

- By: Roman Bronfenbrener

Source: Final Gear

It’s been too long since the last season of Top Gear. With plans of coming back in June, one would think that its cutting it close when the other Three Stooges were spotted in Tuscany, Italy just recently.

They were filming a scene for the new season and were next to three really hot hatches: the 208hp Citroen DS3 Racing, the 160-hp Fiat 500C Abarth Essesse, and the 200-hp Renault Clio RS.

By the looks of the pictures, it could be just another day in the neighborhood with the three mucking about and chewing each other out while they compare three cars. Whatever it was they were filming, we can be sure that the segment will be epic. Top Gear is said to return sometime in mid- to late June. I’m getting antsy…

Top Gear in Italy with three hot hatchbacks:

- By: Chris Chin

Source: AutoJunk (via CarScoop)

Missing Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May? Well, you’ll have to wait just a little less than a month (June 12 to be exact) to see the trio back on BBC when they launch the 17th season of our favorite TV show – Top Gear.

Clarkson and May were recently caught test-driving a Nissan LEAF before they ran out of charge near Lincolnshire during a cross county trip in the LEAF and Peugeot iOn electric-cars.

We’re looking forward to the season with much anticipation.

- By: Roman Bronfenbrener

Source: Final Gear

While BBC’s Top Gear and Tesla Motors are still working out the kinks of Tesla’s lawsuit against Top Gear (which alleged that Top Gear’s review of Tesla’s electric Roadster sports car was staged), the crew was caught in Lincolnshire with the Nissan LEAF and Peugeot iOn electric-cars.

Click here for more news on the Nissan LEAF.

Apparently, Jeremy Clarkson and James May were filming a segment for the new series consisting of the Nissan LEAF and the Peugeot iOn and happened to run out of battery near Lincolnshire during the test. The two first went to Lincolnshire County Council offices to enquire about the closest electric car recharge point, which they learned the town had none of. In an attempt to continue their journey, the two Top Gear hosts had to push the LEAF all the way to the Brayford campus of the University of Lincoln where they were able to get some juice.

In the episode, the May and Clarkson try to cross the county in the new Nissan LEAF and Peugeot iOn – should be an interesting one.

Hit the jump for the video.

- By: Omar Rana

Source : Lincolnite

James May in a Bugatti Veyron Super Sport

Top Gear is a show about power. But host James May, aka Captain Slow, has an interesting, and somewhat surprising view of the meaningless power statistics with which we have become so obsessed.

May lends reference to the airbag, and cupholder wars of the past, which bring us to the power quandry he has made. How much is too much? How much actually corrupts performance?

He draws comparison to masterful music. Chopin’s finest sonata played on the same piano as Chopin but by an amateur pianist, will not carry the same performance as the same piece played on a bottom-of-the-barrel instrument by another master of music. It is not about the absolutes of performance, explains May, but the nature of its delivery. To drive his point home, he mentions the Mazda MX-5 as a high-performance car despite the fact that it i snot exceptionally fast, but because it ‘heightens the sensations relayed during driving.’

DISCUSSION POINT: Is there really a point where too much power can actually inhibit ‘performance’?

- By: Stephen Calogera

Source: Telegraph

Top Gear's James May reviews the Ariel Atom V8

While it may not be a practical vehicle, the Ariel Atom V8 is (should be) every car enthusiast’s dream come true. Weighing in at only 1,200 pounds, the Ariel Atom is powered by a 3.0L supercharged V8 engine making 500-hp – in layman’s terms… it is blistering fast and can possibly kick an supercars… well, you know.

Top Gear‘s Captain Slow, aka James May, recently took out the Ariel Atom V8 for a test-drive and put it up against the new Lexus LFA from Japan, the Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera. He also ended up having a one-on-one battle with the BMW S1000 RR.

Check out the awesome video after the jump.

- By: Omar Rana

Top Gear USA Hosts (from L to R): Adam Ferrara, Rutledge Wood and Tanner Foust

We’ve been waiting eagerly for some feedback from Top Gear UK hosts on the American version of Top Gear and its hosts. First out of the gate with his judgement is James May, aka Captain Slow.

“The trio of presenters lined up for the American version of Top Gear have a head start on me, Jeremy and Richard, simply due to their fantastic names,” May wrote in an article on The Telegraph. “I don’t envy the three blokes who have this job, because they are required to adopt a format that is already, for some strange reason, watched all over the world in its original guise.

Here is May’s take on each of the Top Gear USA’s hosts:

On Tanner Foust: “We begin with professional racing driver Tanner Foust. Not only has he apparently emerged from the pages of Goethe, he actually sounds like he’s giving the car a thrashing. I can just see myself, hampered with the name James May, trying to charm someone at a ball-aching media function when this snake-hipped b—–d shimmies up and says: “Hi, Tanner Foust, racing driver.”

On Adam Ferrara: “Next up we find actor Adam Ferrara. He’s virtually named after a car, for Pete’s sake. Even if I’d achieved this distinction I’d be called something like Mr MG Magnette.”

On Rutledge Wood: “Finally, we have Rutledge Wood, who is some sort of automotive analyst. He has a beard, he’s been seen in lumberjack shirts, he has nerdy specs, he’s from Alabama and he might even be a bit chubby. I’ve read him described as ‘bookish’. And well he might be. In Britain, Rutledge Wood is probably a place where you should be careful not to step on any spent condoms, but over there he sounds more like the author of the Great American Novel, soon to be serialised in the mornings on Radio 4.”

- By: Omar Rana

Source: Telegraph

Image from Top Gear Series 16

Tired of Top Gear USA? Well, luckily for you the British Top Gear is making its series 16 premiere on January 23 at the usual time of 8pm on BBC2. Of course, it won’t be available to us stateside folks (at least not legally).

The team at Top Gear UK has just released a trailer featuring “Ferrari F40, Jeremy in a Zonda R, a Rolls-Royce Ghost, a flying Beetle, upside-down Australians, Richard demolishing buildings willy-nilly, and James wearing a stocking on his head.”

Hit the jump to see the trailer.

- By: Omar Rana

Source: TopGear

Jeremy Clarkon's Mazda MX-5

After the recent epic Three-Wisemen reenactment by Top Gear UK, fans can now view the vehicles used in the episode at the National Motor Museum in Beaulieu, England.

To those who have yet to see the episode, the three middle-aged men were sent to follow the path of the three wise men. Their journey started in Iraq and ended 1,200 miles away in Bethlehem.

In the usual Top Gear, ambitious-but-rubbish theme, the three were given a set of challenges over the course of the trip and were forced to use cars that were completely not up to the task of tackling the war-scarred cities and deathly deserts in the Middle East: a Mazda MX5, piloted by Jeremy Clarkson; a BMW Z3, driven by James May; and lastly, a Fiat Barchetta, as Richard Hammond’s choice. Their goal was to get to Bethlehem while also acquiring gold, frankincense, and myrrh – whatever that is.

Upon completion of their journey, the three roadsters were put on display in addition to the Cool Wall, the celebrity lap time board, and many other Top Gear creations made in their famous challenges.

“We like to keep the exhibition as up to date as we possibly can and what could be better than for fans to see the show on TV and then the cars just a few days later,” said Stephen Munn, Commercial Director at the National Motor Museum.

- By: Chris Chin

Source: Telegraph