Though even some Top Gear fans would rather get car buying advice from a box of cereal, I have to agree with this choice: Richard Hammond’s car of the year is the BMW 1-series M coupe. Jeremy Clarkson described the car as “BMW at its absolute best.” Others have described the car as close as one can get to the original E30 M3.

In his review, Hammond characterized the car as “a small car, but that’s not the full story. A Labrador puppy and a fully grown duck are both small and roughly the same size as each other, but only one of them will hump your leg, eat your trainers and chew your finger when you try to pet it…And it’s not the duck.”

Check out more news on the BMW 1-Series M Coupe.

To this E30 owner, BMW has produced a car that shows everything that is wrong with BMW and the current lot of european sports sedans on the market today. The 1-series M captures why I like cars in the first place, my E30 does this as well and it isn’t a limited edition car. Why doesn’t BMW make more cars like the 1-series M?

All Photos Copyright © Omar Rana – egmCarTech.

- By: Sawyer Sutton

Source: BMWBlog

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

While the Fisker Karma won Top Gear Magazine’s Luxury Car of the Year award and James May’s Car of the Year Award – the new Range Rover Evoque was named by the editors of the magazine as their 2011 Car of the Year. The new Evoque came top in the SUV category of the awards and was also chosen by Jeremy Clarkson as his favorite new car of 2011.

Check out our Top 10 things you need to know about the Range Rover Evoque.

“The Evoque beat stiff competition from the BMW 1 Series M, Mclaren MP4 12c, Ferrari FF, VW Up! and Kia Picanto to scoop the coveted Car of the Year title,” Top Gear said in a statement. “The awards are officially announced in the December issue of BBC TopGear Magazine, which is on sale in the UK now. With 29 international editions, BBC TopGear is read by an estimated 12 million people worldwide.”

Click here for more news on the Range Rover Evoque.

“Judging the Top Gear Magazine cars of the year takes a lot of time, coffee and shouting,” said Editor-in-Chief, Charlie Turner. “But, strangely, when it came to the choosing the overall winner, the yelling softened to agreement. Universal approval from the most opinionated minds in the industry is almost unheard of. Which gives you some idea of just how good the Range Rover Evoque, TopGear’s 2011 Car of the Year, really is.”

The Range Rover Evoque has also won Motor Trend’s 2012 SUV of the Year award.

Refresher: The 2012 Range Rover Evoque is powered by a 2.0L Si4 turbo (aka 2.0L 4-cylinder turbocharged Ford EcoBoost) making 240-hp. Mated to a 6-speed automatic, the 2012 Range Rover Evoque 5-doord goes from 0-60 mph in the 7 second range. Prices for the 2012 Range Rover Evoque 5-door start at $43,995 and $44,995 for the Range Rover Evoque coupe.

- 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

The Australian version Top Gear Magazine knows the perfect combination to generate some buzz in this day and age. Mix a little YouTube, with Kenny from the Block, The Stig being his non-emotional self and burnouts in a 335-hp Ford Falcon FPV Boss.

The video you’re about to watch is for the cover shoot for the November 2011 issue of Top Gear Magazine Australia.

Check it out after the jump.

- 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

Remember the debacle between BBC’s Top Gear and Tesla Motors? No? Well, check out these articles to update yourself:

• Tesla Motors sues Top Gear over staged Roadster review
• Top Gear’s Executive Producer Andy Wilman speaks on Tesla Roadster case
• Elon Musk: Top Gear’s Tesla Roadster review was ‘completely phony’ and f*cked up

A new report states that Tesla Motors has lost a major part of its high court libel claim against Top Gear, but is still suing the show for “malicious falsehood” over the episode that showed Jeremy Clarkson driving the Roadster.

At a high court ruling in London today, Mr Justice Tugendhat said that no viewer of the show would have compared the Roadster’s performance on the show’s track to its real-life performance on a public road.

Check out the episode after the jump.

Tugendhat said:“In my judgment, the words complained of are wholly incapable of conveying any meaning at all to the effect that the claimant [Tesla] misled anyone. This is because there is a contrast between the style of driving and the nature of the track as compared with the conditions on a public road […] are so great that no reasonable person could understand that the performance on the [Top Gear] track is capable of a direct comparison with a public road.”

Tesla argues that it has seen a ‘continuing impact’ from the episode on its reputation. Tugendhat reserved Tesla’s malicious falsehood claim. A verdict is expected within weeks.

- By: Omar Rana

Source: Guardian

While the Top Gear crew is currently in India filming their upcoming Christmas special, Jeremy Clarkson is teasing something else that you might want to throw in a Christmas stocking of an auto enthusiasts.

Clarkson has just released a trailer of his new DVD special called ‘Powered Up,’ which will be available to buy on Nov. 7.

In the meantime, Clarkson has released a bunch of out-take videos and a trailer at TopGear.com. The publication will be putting up one every Monday for the next four weeks to keep you excited.

The first features the super-lightweight, 519-hp/ton British single-seater, the BAC Mono.

Hit the jump for the trailer and the first out-take video.

- By: Omar Rana

TomTom just released a new satnav model, debuting the GO LIVE Top Gear edition.

The special edition provides directions via Jerry Clarkson, a Stig mode that shuts sound off, and it highlights special points of interest like race tracks. Other features in the visually enhanced version include HD Traffic technology, unique Top Gear icons, a Speed Camera alert service, voice command, and weather service.

Managing Director at TomTom, Corinne Vigruex comments on the edition: “For Top Gear fans, this limited edition satnav is the ultimate driving companion. Featuring The Stig, Clarkson, and TomTom HD Traffic, the Go LIVE Top Gear edition is perfect for drivers who love the open road.”

At €199 ($266.92), the TomTom GO LIVE Top Gear edition includes one year of TomTom’s LIVE Services for free.

- By: Alexandra Koken

Well, thanks God for virtual reality. Forza Motorsport 4 is on the way and the developers of the game believe that it can “provide a safe haven for car lovers and adrenaline seekers to challenge modern conventions and keep the fire of our car culture burning.”

Forza Motorsport 4 teamed up with Jeremy Clarkson for a new short film titled ‘Endangered Species’ a story about the world of enthusiasts slowly coming to an end.

Hit the jump for the video.

Forza invites you to download the Xbox Live demo – Xbox LIVE Gold members can download the Forza Motorsport 4 demo right now while all other Xbox LIVE members will be able to download it starting on Oct. 7.

The Xbox LIVE demo includes:

2010 Ferrari 458 Italia
2012 BMW M5
2011 Subaru Impreza WRX STI
1970 Mercury Cougar Eliminator
2009 Pagani Zonda Cinque

- By: Omar Rana

The new Top Gear magazine is out and this month, The Stig meets the new 2012 BMW M5.

Click here for more news on the BMW M5.

“But forced induction remains a theme; every car on the cover sports a turbo. Including – whisper it – the new BMW M5. It may have incensed the purists, but is it still a legend? We hand the keys to James, and then Ollie Marriage referees the title bout: new BMW M5 vs Mercedes E63 AMG. Stigness ensues.”

Refresher: The 2012 BMW M5  is powered by a 4.4L V8 engine with M TwinPower Turbo (consisting of Twin Scroll Twin Turbo Technology) making 560-hp between 6,000 and 7,000 rpm with a maximum torque of 502 lb-ft from 1,500 rpm. Mated to a 7-speed M Double Clutch Transmission Drivelogic (with steering wheel mounted paddle shifters), the 2012 BMW M5 goes from 0 to 62 mph in 4.4 seconds, 0 to 124 mph in 13 seconds with a top speed of 155 mph or 190 mph with M Driver’s Package.

- By: Omar Rana

Source: Top Gear

Thanks to its high ratings and great popularity, Top Gear, has been signed on for additional programing by The History Channel.

While the show may not have done well initially, the network still decided to give it another try and ended up with a season average of 1.9 million viewers, which is an increase of 24% over Season 1. Also, the show is attracting an unusually young demographic with 1.1 million of the shows viewers in Adults 18-49 and 25-54 brackets.

Eight new episodes will be airing for season 2, which are scheduled to air in the beginning of next year, as production has aleady begun for them. Featured in the episodes is Adam Ferrara, the comedian host, Tanner Foust, a rally and drift racing champion, and Rutledge Wood, a racing analyst.

- By: Alexandra Koken

TomTom, in a joint venture with BBC Worldwide is releasing a new device with the option of hearing Jeremy Clarkson’s voice instead of the normal neutral tones on navigation systems.

Clarkson’s voice option adds quite a bit of character to the driving instructions, as he comments “There’s a tone of voice I use when ordering people to do things, so ‘I said left, left, I said left’, you know, that kind of thing. It’s not a gentle sat nav. voice, put it like that.”

A Stig mode, for Top Gear’s millions of fans, is also available, as part of the numerous guest appearances from musicians and actors prior to this edition.

- By: Alexandra Koken

Source: Telegraph

Remember the Top Gear segment from last season where the Clarkson, Hamster and Captain Slow attempted to make their own trains out of cars? Well, if you haven’t you can view the segment after the jump.

For those of you who do know what I’m talking about, the one of the two concoctions from the “ambitious but rubbish” crew, the XJS “Sports Train,” will be put on display at the World of Top Gear Exhibition at Beaulieu in Hampshire, England.

The World of Top Gear Exhibition has a large collection of the creations made from the TV show’s hosts’ oddly projects. So if you’re ever in the area and a fan of the show, be sure to check it out!

- By: Chris Chin

Top Gear is one of the most influential names in the automobile industry, more specifically the journalism side. And that can be hugely exhibited with Nissan’s latest bit of news.

Those who have watched the latest season up to date may remember when Jeremy Clarkson and James May set out to test the Nissan LEAF and the Peugeot iOn. During their road test, they ran into a little bump in the road, one that truly exemplifies the current problem with EVs.

While driving through the neighborhood of Lincoln in Lincolnshire, UK, both Clarkson and May began running out of power in their battery packs and couldn’t find any proper means to recharge.

Click here for more news on the Nissan LEAF.

Nissan quickly responded as they’ve just announced that they’ll be installing a charging point in Lincoln, dedicated to the two hosts. The charging point will have two charging ports so that Jeremy Clarkson and James May can recharge at the same time should they reattempt the journey in the future.

“The Top Gear program highlighted the fact that Lincoln does not currently provide for electric cars and we’re really pleased that Nissan is now funding a charging point.,” said Councilor Fay Smith of the City of Lincoln Council. “We’re committed to reducing the city’s carbon footprint, but know that we can’t do it alone, so it’s great that private businesses like Nissan are getting behind this and putting in the infrastructure.”

The charging point is planned to be erected sometime before the end of August and will be the first plug-in station for the city. Charging will be free of charge to any electric car owners.

Click here for our review on the Nissan Leaf.

Refresher: Power for the 2012 Nissan LEAF comes from a 107-hp electric-motor that runs on power supplied by lithium-ion cells. On a full-charge, the Nissan LEAF allows for a driving range of 100 miles with a top speed of 90 mph. A full charge takes up to 8 hours on a standard 200V outlet. Buyers can opt for the DC 50kW quick-charger, which recharges the battery up to 80 percent in under 30 minutes. Prices for the 2012 Nissan LEAF will start at $35,200.

Review: 2011 Nissan LEAF:

All Photos Copyright © 2011 Omar Rana, Nikolina Kostrevski - egmCarTech.

- By: Chris Chin