Top Gear Series 14 Episode 3

Third episode into the series and Top Gear’s simply warming up. Not too much action in this one though as the show offers just a portion on ambitious but rubbish and then settles down to become a sort-of “proper” motoring program. In this show – James Wears a stripey jumper. Richard drives a stripey Lamborghini. And they name the greatest car maker in the world.

First up, is the comeback of the old Top Gear nemesis – the caravan. The boys simply just loath the caravan and it traffic-jam inducing abilities. They take a proactive measure this time, instead of smashing them up, James intends to solve the whole caravan thing by taking to the air. Remember that old news bit about James crashing into some trees in an airship, well this episode is it.

James takes a caravan and turns it into an airship. The solution’s supposedly simple. One friend drives a car to the caravan grounds another to drive a car. So while James negotiates the airways, Richard takes to the roads in a caravaner’s car – the Lamborghini Gallardo Valentino Balboni.

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Toyota to Fix Accelerator Pedals

After numerous accidents and a previously-announced recall, Toyota has now announced a more definitive solution to the accelerator pedal that gets stuck causing sudden and unintended acceleration in about 4 million of its vehicles.

Previously, Toyota only intended to fix the floor mats that supposedly cause the problem. Toyota’s plan will now involve reconfiguring the accelerator pedal, and in some cases re-shape the floor surface under it. Several other models will also get a brake override system as added measure.

Toyota will be issuing a rolling recall to deal with the issue. The problem affects several Toyota and Lexus vehicle including the 2007-’10 Lexus ES 350, 2007-’10 Camry, 2005-’10 Avalon, 2004-’09 Prius, 2005-’10 Tacoma, 2007-’10 Tundra, 2006-’10 Lexus IS 250 and 2006-’10 Lexus IS 350.

For a temporary fix, owners are encouraged to remove the driver-side floor mats while awaiting notification from Toyota regarding the recall.

Saab Get Prospective Buyers

Two, in fact.

Saab is in real danger of being shut down after the talks between General Motors and Koenigsegg fell suqare on its ass last week.

Now, Beijing Automotive (BAIC) and Merbanco (a Wyoming-based bank) have expressed interest in acquiring the Swedish automaker currently-owned by GM.

The two companies have been part of the top bidder just before GM and Koenigsegg started more definitive talks. BAIC is actually a minority partner in the Koenigsegg deal.

GM has been unloading its brands after its declared bankruptcy earlier this year due to the recession.

French Parents Want Renault Zoe Name Changed

French parents aren’t too happy with Renault with the company’s decision to name their new supermini “Zoe.”

Zoe is the 17th most popular name for newly born girls in France today and parents don’t want to have their kids growing up with a car as a namesake. Concerned parents have been sending Renault letter expressing their concern.

“Our daughters have a beautiful first name that must not be associated with a car, so let us unite to bring pressure on a multinational which s going to destroy this pretty name for a children,” says a petition launched by concerned parents.

The Zoe made its debut in n the last Frankfurt motor show. The electric car is powered bya 94 bhp electric motor that dishes out 166 lb-ft of torque with a range of 100 miles in a single charge. And it’s no slouch either, with a 0-62 mph time in just 6.7 seconds.

Source: Autocar

Toyota MR2 to Be Revived as Hybrid?

There’s no doubt about it, Honda and Toyota will be slugging it out for the next few years. Honda trimmed the fat off its activities to focus on being the world’s greenest automaker but the Prius-maker is intent on seeing and raising Honda.

Honda first tried taking on the Prius with its own hybrid – the Insight. Too bad for Honda, the Insight didn’t really took off. However, their hybrid-only CR-Z sports coupe is likely to be a competitor in the hybrid market.

Toyota, will have a counterpunch to that, though as plans of reviving the MR2 sports coupe as a hybrid. The MR2 made its name by being an affordable mid-engine RWD sports coupe with the performance to boot.

Japan’s Best Car magazine has released an article together with an artist’s impression of what the new MR2 could look like. Nothing definite yet. With the FT-86 out, what’s stopping Toyota from using the platform for a hybrid, right?

Source: Best Car via Car Scoop

Top Gear Pisses Off Romania

Romania is pissed off with Jezza’s comments about gypsies and communism. Top Gear visited Romania for their Series 14 opener where they set out to find the Transfagarasan road (which they eventually labeled as the best driving road in the world).

In the episode, Jezza and the boys continuously referred to the more rural areas of Romania as “Borat country.” Jezza also had a short comment on gypsy violence. Romanian ambassador to the UK, Dr Ion Jinag, was “surprised and disappointed” by those references.

Quite frankly, this whole political correctness thing is getting tiresome. If you can’t take Clarkson’s comments then don’t watch it. Ever heard of blue humor?

Being un-PC has been one of the main appeals of Jeremy Clarkson as a TV presenter. Might as well take him off the air if you’d force him to be politically correct. No petrol/gearhead would want that. Top Gear has got to be the best television show ever.

Source: Telegraph