Which Gear?

flappist · 13-03-2010, 07:14 PM

In the last few months since Channel 7 launched its secondary service I have been watching Fifth Gear.
I had heard of it before on various threads concerning torrents but had taken little notice but after watching several episodes and then watching that latest Top Gear now broadcast on "The Ministry of Truth" I find that it seems to be actually a much better program with regard to actual Motor Vehicle reviews with winners and losers.

The hosts are not journalists they are professional drivers and the show is mostly cars and a small amount of silly things as opposed to Top Gear which is now just a series of comedy sketches with an automobile(ish) theme.

Top Gear Australia is a copy of TG, like So you think you can dance or Whatever Idol so it is limited in its format and even though it has featured Australian cars in every test, like TG, no one actually wins so they don't offend part of their audience.

As motor vehicles enthusiasts would you like to see an Australian "Fifth Gear" where for example, GT vs F6, vs Clubsport vs GTS on a real drag strip, real circuit and real motokhana track.

What do you think?

Boosh Brus · 13-03-2010, 07:22 PM

Is Fifth Gear on Channel 7?
Great if it is not that I own a TV or intend to get one but I much preferred it then Top Gear. All of the hosts are great drivers.

Would I be interested in a Aus Fifth Gear? Probably not. It would be nice to see some reviews on the Aussie cars but I think they would run out of material quick.

gocruzin · 13-03-2010, 07:23 PM

Im all for it as long as it's entertaining telly, which TG Aust is not,
They must find the funny.

vztrt · 13-03-2010, 07:32 PM

Thought fifth gear was cancelled in the UK?

vztrt · 26-03-2010, 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vztrt

Thought fifth gear was cancelled in the UK?

Apparently not.

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/03/25/f...turn-in-april/

Quote:

Five Alive! Fifth Gear reportedly set to return in April... with some changes

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) on Mar 25th 2010 at 5:32PM

Fans of British car shows take heart. Nope, we're not talking about Top Gear, but it's cross-town rival Fifth Gear. The Channel 5 car show that picked up after the original Top Gear was canceled was itself the victim of cutbacks recently. In the face of reduced viewership (compared to the five million who watch Top Gear regularly) and reduced ad revenue from belt-tightening automakers, network executives canceled the show back in October. By December, however, sources indicated that there was still a heartbeat and a glimmer of hope.

Now reports suggest that, following an outpouring of support, the network has agreed to keep Fifth Gear alive, albeit with some changes. The new Fifth Gear will apparently leave the studio permanently to focus directly on the test drives in a bid to lure hard-core enthusiasts disgruntled with Top Gear's decided emphasis on shenanigans. Two of the six presenters – Tom Ford and Tim Shaw – have also been dropped, leaving Vicki Butler-Henderson, Jonny Smith, Tiff Needell and Jason Plato to present the show.

With the revised format, Fifth Gear has reportedly been approved for two more seasons, with the first starting only a month away in late April, beating Top Gear's late-summer return to the punch. Apparently the Discovery network has been contracted to broadcast the show in other European markets outside the UK, so here's hoping we'll get the shows Stateside as well.

[Source: The Times of London via rpmgo.com]

CRU571XR8 · 26-03-2010, 09:58 PM

Top Gear is the winner for me also there is a show on fox fuel TV called the Muscle Car Shop on sundays at 5 commentry is a bit average but the cars they build are awsome alot of FORD stuff (eg xy & xw gt's )and they also play with that other brand.
Cheers Crusty

VioletGT · 13-03-2010, 07:35 PM

I want to see more motorbike shows... New bike reviews and so on.

burnz · 13-03-2010, 07:48 PM

fifth gear; no BS just to the point, oz version.

rancidpunx · 13-03-2010, 08:12 PM

Tiff used to be a presenter on old TG in the UK, before Clarkson started to loose his hair.
TG is awesome although the last 2 series have become a little over the top. Fifth gear is Ok and watchable but does not provide me with the same entertaining value.

**Dave R** · 13-03-2010, 09:05 PM

I only prefer TG for its entertainment value. Fifth Gear does better reviews but at times it's just boring and other times it seems like they are trying to emulate Top Gear with often failed humour. But out of all the presenters on both shows, Tiff gets the nod from me.

Franco Cozzo · 13-03-2010, 09:26 PM

I like Fifth Gear, the reviews seem to be fairly serious but I don't like the old guy, he sounds like he really forces out words when he talks but thats all I have against the show, other than that, I quite like it.

Top Gear AUS is alright, they just need to stop sitting on the fence.

Mongoose · 13-03-2010, 09:49 PM

Honestly dont mind when they test cars, they seem to do a decent job, but when they try to be funny or do silly challenges like top gear, they fail terribly. tom ford and that young guy with the trimmed beard are the worst offenders here.

last fairlane · 13-03-2010, 10:04 PM

I think top gear has lost its way they used to do proper comparisons now its just trying to be funny
and whats with this word JC uses "TORX" or is it TORQUES" as in this motor has over 100 torx and goes from nought to sixty in 10 seconds
either way its not a word you would use to describe the power of a car
what happened to foot pounds of torque or nowadays Newton metres they are both measurements of torque
I dont think they are motoring enthusiests just TV journalists
Tiff is easy to watch and he give you a proper comentary while the other team at TG are just trying to be entertainers and doing silly stunts
thanks John

**Dave R** · 14-03-2010, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by last fairlane

I think top gear has lost its way they used to do proper comparisons now its just trying to be funny
and whats with this word JC uses "TORX" or is it TORQUES" as in this motor has over 100 torx and goes from nought to sixty in 10 seconds
either way its not a word you would use to describe the power of a car
what happened to foot pounds of torque or nowadays Newton metres they are both measurements of torque
I dont think they are motoring enthusiests just TV journalists
Tiff is easy to watch and he give you a proper comentary while the other team at TG are just trying to be entertainers and doing silly stunts
thanks John

The "torques" thing annoys me a bit - I've actually had people I know ask me how many torques my car has. I'd tell them that it's not "torques" it's "newtown metres of torque" and the response I get is that I'm wrong, Jeremy Clarkson says it so it must be correct.

XW 393 · 15-03-2010, 11:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adrenaline

it's "newtown metres of torque"

Are they just a bit different to Camperdown metres of torque ?? hehe

Could be Newton Metres.

jaydee · 13-03-2010, 10:07 PM

I love the chick on 5th Gear, especailly when she squeals like a little girl and she can drive a car.
Sometimes the seat belt cuts in tightly too if you know what I mean.

GTP534 · 13-03-2010, 10:15 PM

Personally, I prefer Fifth Gear. Caught onto this show while I was in Brunei. Tiff has a bit of an ego but he sure can drive and some of the "races" with Jason Plato had fantastic power slides. Not such a fan of Top Gear as sometimes I find the stories/stunts a bit stupid; maybe that's as much a sign of me getting older as anything else! But, Fifth Gear for me.

burnz · 14-03-2010, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaydee

I love the chick on 5th Gear, especailly when she squeals like a little girl and she can drive a car.
Sometimes the seat belt cuts in tightly too if you know what I mean.

that would be vicki buttler

TP351 · 15-03-2010, 01:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaydee

I love the chick on 5th Gear, especailly when she squeals like a little girl and she can drive a car.
Sometimes the seat belt cuts in tightly too if you know what I mean.

X 2

She is really growing on me...............

TG kills 5th Gear on entertainment value.
Tiff is annoying and some of their tests/comparisons are ****y (not unlike TG Aus......)

snappy · 13-03-2010, 10:10 PM

The more car shows the better .

XW 393 · 13-03-2010, 10:10 PM

5th gear are trying to be more like Top Gear these days and it ruins them, stick to your own format.
The shows are hardly worth comparing against each other IMO.
Chalk and Cheese.

BHDOGS · 14-03-2010, 12:26 AM

fifth gears as boring as watching paint dry and the womens an ugly cow nuff said

Rodp · 14-03-2010, 07:18 AM

I watched Fifth Gear only because it was a car show but there were times I had to force myself to watch all of it.

Not sure what series they're showing on 7. But near the end, it was reaching unbearable limits.

The two pillocks that hosted, awful.

The guy with the cheap alternative 'mo-ars' who was losing his hair so fast, it was noticeable between episodes.

Tiff, whenever there were women around turned into the guy in the overcoat with a bag of boiled lollies.

The woman driver who's mouth moved in such mysterious ways that I never heard a word she said because her mouth was so mesmerising.

Jason Plato, awesome.

4.0i_SiX · 14-03-2010, 10:28 AM

Cant stand the squinty eyed old fella from Fifth gear. Pompass ********** IMO

Edit: Tiff Needell

I prefer Top gear as even the girlfriend will watch it. I also like the fact they arent afraid to bag out a car

Zed7fiddy · 14-03-2010, 10:33 AM

I love TG UK due to the comedic factor and the frank reporting from JC Hammond and May, I Love the Aus TG for the Local Content and 5th Gear for their different style of doing things and for the fact that Vicki can handle a car and they feature bikes as well.

So i select "all"

Bushbasher · 14-03-2010, 11:34 AM

Speaking of presenters, and this is slightly off topic but I had a thought about TG Australia. I went to TG live last month and they had Greg Murphy as the third man which made me wonder if he might be one of the new presenters when 9's version of TGA comes back.

Bushbasher

mik · 14-03-2010, 01:44 PM

at times some of these car shows are good entertainment, at other times they are the biggest load of crap, and their conclusions are the most biased flawed logic ever seen imo , maybe i`m getting bs intolerant in my old age, i much prefer fact to entertainment with car stuff.

ltd · 15-03-2010, 09:52 AM

Top gear trounces Fifth Gear.
Top Gear was little more than a motoring show when it began, and built cult status the world over with its newer format. It's politically incorrect, it's irreverant, it's hilarious and there doesn't seem to be a dull moment.

Fifth gear on the other hand is boring even though it is informative. What other car show was informative and boring? Something starring Glenn Ridge I believe. Therefore we can surmise that Fifth gear is a pommy version of Glenn Ridge.

Seriously though, what would you guys prefer to do? Test drive a lambo or go to a track day with your mates in some old alfas?
Take a F430 around a track or try to cross the English channel in home-made amphibious cars?
Drive an escort really fast around a track or have a race between your mates using a plane and a Bugatti?

This is not to say ban fifth gear, merely pointing out why one is better than the other.

JamesR · 15-03-2010, 10:29 AM

i'm probably never going to buy a Ferrari/Maserati/Porsche/BMW/Merc/Lambo/ etc etc so i couldn't care less about the reviews. i just want some entertainment.
this is where Fifth Gear bores me. i just like TG for the funnies.

aussie muscle · 15-03-2010, 10:50 AM

i only watched the first "aus top gear", and that was enough. too painful. gimme the better UK version.

edit: fwiw, 5th is on Discovery Turbo Max daily, so i've seen most of it. i agree with most of the above that it's borderline boring.

View Poll Results: Which Gear?
Top Gear, I like the comedy	91	53.85%
Top Gear Australia, like the poms only better	2	1.18%
Fifth Gear, A car show about cars tested by drivers	8	4.73%
Fifth Gear OZ, a new show that is fair dinkum and does not care about upsetting zealots	4	2.37%
The pommy ones, Australian shows suck.	18	10.65%
The Aussie ones, who cares about things that are not available here	0	0%
They are all good, the more the better	44	26.04%
Meh, it is all "so you think you can drive" meets "thank God you are here"	2	1.18%
Voters: 169. You may not vote on this poll