An American version of TopGear: it’s official!

Yes, it’s true. The History channel and BBC Worldwide announced today that work has begun on an American version of TopGear, with US presenters fronting the new show.

The first series of ten episodes will air on History next fall (an American-only season not dissimilar to ‘autumn’, we believe), though exact dates are yet to be finalised. It will be hosted by Tanner Foust, Adam Ferrara and Rutledge Wood.

Tanner Foust’s name should be familiar to TopGear faithful. He’s a renowned stunt driver (The Bourne Ultimatum, no less) and X-Games rally gold medallist who’s also done the business at Pikes Peak and in international ice racing championships. Not only that, he beat Jenson Button around Wembley Stadium during 2008’s Race of Champions. Rumours he learned everything he knows from Captain Slow remain unconfirmed.

Adam Ferrara (very difficult not to type ‘Ferrari’ there, force of habit) is a renowned petrolhead who ranks the Pagani Zonda F Roadster as his top car. Only, we may assume, because the Hyundai i10 1.2 hasn’t made it to US shores yet. He’s also a stand-up comedian and stars in firefighting drama series Rescue Me.

Rutledge Wood is a race analyst best known for reporting on NASCAR. Think Martin Brundle with a beard, but with no need for the words ‘right turn’ in his lexicon. We’re impressed that he owns a 1953 Plymouth Suburban, and even more impressed that it was given to him by The King himself, Richard Petty. That’s a good friend to have.

It hasn’t been decided yet if the show will air in the UK, but we’ll keep bringing you the details as soon as we can. Watch this space.

What do you think?

I’m a Yank.

Top Gear BBC is my fav car show.

Top Gear USA is the most insufferable car show ever to be pick up and broadcast. Tanner Foust is barely acceptable and the other two put together appear to have the intellectual capacity of a Buick Roadmaster. “Huhhuhhh. This carr is faaast. A V12 that can peel out in the dirt? No waaaay! And it has got buttons that I can push.”

I’m embarrassed that my country produces such filth (but not surprised).

Carry on Top Gear BBC.

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Bloody terrible………..

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Look, what the heck were you thinking!! I was so excited to see an american version of top gear! I gotta say the personality choices where a HUGE disappointment! What, Jay Leno wasn’t available?!?! These guys are NOT known (except Tanner) as car guys or car critics or tv personalities or anything else!! Great idea… poorly executed. They are flat, mono toned announcers, and SERIOUSLY NOT FUNNY!! They are trying, unsuccessfully, to mimic UK adventures and trials but they SUCK!! Very disappointed in BBC/History Channel.

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you don’t realize how bad the US version is until you watch any episode of the UK T.G.

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As a fan of the BBC Top Gear I was excited to find an American version being presented. That is till I watched it. The chemistry sucked. Did the American guys get to spend any time together before they went to filming? ATG doesn’t have to be just like the British version but the fact is we watch the British version for certain aspects of the show. The humor is one of those aspects. There has been some improvement but not enough to keep my interest. Rutledge may have the auto experience but not the TV personality. After discussing it with a few people, we have decided an eccentric with some auto knowledge would be great in his place.
Come up with original challenges. Not redo the ones done already. America has loads of roadway and interesting places to do challenges.
And whats with the dull Stig introductions. Its like its painful to introduce this person.

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I’m an American viewer who has seen every episode of the current format of Top Gear UK, and I have to say that series one of Top Gear US has been better than series one of the UK original. All those TG-UK fans seem to forget how awkward series 1 was (no James May, no epic races, no cheap car challenges) with the trio of Clarkson, Hammond, and Jason Dawe. Even series 2 was awkward with James May reporting on car deals. It really wasn’t until series 4 that the show hit its stride (epic race between an Aston and trains to Monte Carlo, the 100 pound cheap car challenge). I think the biggest problem isn’t the lack of ideas (the moonshiner challenge was a good one, who in Britain would have thought of that?), its just that the hosts haven’t jelled yet. As has been mentioned, the camaraderie of the UK hosts is what really makes the show work, but you didn’t see that until the end of series 3; its been on so long that fans have become forgetful apparently.

I suggest no more host changes (unless they want me to host!), just let these guys work together for a while and hit their stride. They should do okay. So what if they lack experience? Richard Hammond had only done radio work before Top Gear, James May had only done brief work on original format Top Gear and auto magazines, and Clarkson of course had his long stint on original format TG and some automotive press work. Essentially, Top Gear made these guys, not the other way around!

I think everybody needs to calm down and stop bitching. The show IS better than first series Top Gear UK, I don’t see how anyone can disagree with that. Give it another series and I think it will surprise you.

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i love top gear

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Utter Rubbish! These guy’s just simply don’t work together. Rutledge is a complete joke. A show like Top Gear requires host that fall into the category of “Men”, and “Petrol Head”. Not “Boy”, and “Knob Head”.

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Awesome show
Love it
TOP Gear America
Although wish it was on something other than History Channel

I totally disagree with the comments, maybe its because I’m actually an American watching the american version of top gear. I love the show and its hosts. Its very nice to see an American version of a great show. in my opinion its one of the funniest shows on TV.
KEEEP up the great work!!!

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Yo soy mexicana y que lastima que personas que tienen un espacio en la tv lo utilizen para burlarse de gente de otro pais, en mexico existe un dicho que dice: “cuando veas las barbas de tu vecino cortar pon las tuyas a remojar”…
creo que su pais tiene mucho mas defectos que el nuestro, pero en fin dicen por aca los mexicanos “hacerle caso a unos pendejos es engrandecerlos”, ojala que sigan teniendo exito ya que pronto se acabara!!!, pasen un excelente día IGNORANTES.

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This US TopGear version is so lame!!!

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PLEASE MAKE IT STOP!!! I’m an American and LOVE the BBC vers. I’d try to pull for a U.S. vers if it wasn’t such a BBC rip off and didn’t suck so bad. No one consults this series for research value, only entertainment. Cut these guys free and let them do something without the duplicity of a winner when the History channel running this reveals it has no clue.

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oh my days how i hate top gear use, they should be shot!

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OMG, do you see whats occurring in Syria? In spite of a brutal government crackdown, the demonstrations continue

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I think that in UK version there are better analised new cars but I love the chalanges in USA verision more, I think that they (USA version) has the best hosts like Tanner Foust, Adam Ferrara and Rutledge Wood. I have seen all the episodes and I think they are really good. Hope to see more

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Worst rip off of a show, Why the BBC ever thought this would work in the US. The Hosts are bad, they are doing stuff already done on TG UK, needs to be taken off the air. So bad it makes TG UK even better.

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i Am disgusted with what i have watched i have watched the USA version of top gear for the first time and apon this veiwing i witnessed the Aston Matrin show, I am shocked with such seires because it had one presentor calling the UK LIERS! now i have family in the US and feel the USA is a great country but for such a country to formally slander my own country and officially call us all LIARS is disgusting in my manner. I WOULD LIKE AN OFFICIAL APOLOGY TO THE UNITED KINGDON AND ITS RESIDANDTS AS WE ARE NOT LIARS. Colin Baxter

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