Top Gear is BACK! Season 11

[atlantian]

First part of episode 1 of season 11
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tl3jL...eature=related

[atlantian]

The 11th series of Top Gear returned on June 22, 2008 at the show's usual time slot of 8pm on Sunday. Six episodes are confirmed to be shown.

Series 11 includes a revised title sequence, using the same visual style as with the sequence used for Series 8 through 10, but incorporating footage from the two prior series.

Previews

Segments known to be included within the series are "The Cheap Alfa-Romeos Challenge", "Top Gear versus the Germans", a birthday tribute to touring cars, and a piece by Jeremy on the Mercedes-Benz CLK63 AMG Black Series.

In May 2008, after series producer Andy Wilman held a brainstorming session with the presenters and other production staff, various facts about the upcoming series were released. Wilman confirmed that series 11 would see the presenters, Clarkson, Hammond and May, gain more control over the flow of the show's popular news segment, the introduction of a Stig-like character and another "big race", which will feature the Nissan GT-R versus a bullet train across Japan.

The latest article on the Top Gear website has also revealed that Richard Hammond will be racing a couple of French skiers in an Audi RS6. After being absent from the the previous series because it got burnt down, photos from the production of the episode in the studio from the main website, have revealed that the Cool Wall will make its return.

Challenge: Fuel Economy Part 1: The Top Gear team are advised that they must discuss fuel economy, so they decide to find the most economical supercar. The Ferrari 599, Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren, Lamborghini Murciélago LP640, Aston Martin DBS, and Audi R8 were taken around the track at maximum speed, each given one gallon of fuel, to see how far they could travel. The first loser coughed up a mere 1.7 miles, and the winner only managed 5 miles.

Challenge: Fuel Economy Part 2: In ten laps at maximum speed, a Toyota Prius is shown to manage 17.2 mpg. A BMW M3 follows directly behind it at the same speed for the entire time, unfussed and never coming close to the redline, and is able to acheive 19.4 mpg with its 4.0 L V8 engine. Clarkson declares that it doesn't matter what you drive, but how you drive it.

News: Clarkson and May discuss the Hyundai Genesis Coupe, while Hammond is unable to decipher their references to prog rock before his time. They discuss the Tata Nano and Toyota Urban Cruiser. Clarkson shows something on the internet that is censored from the television broadcast.

Main Review: Clarkson reviews the Ferrari 430 Scuderia. After seemingly damning the car's electronic interferences, he praised it as the finest Ferrari in years. The Stig then drove it round the track in 1:19.7, making it 0.7 seconds slower than the Ferrari Enzo, despite the fact that Ferrari claimed it went faster than the Enzo round their test track.

Challenge: May introduces a new Top Gear member, the Top Gear Stuntman (credited as Jim Dowdall, though not named in-programme and described in typical style as having a somewhat lesser career than the reality). May has the stuntman try to break a non-existent record of most cars jumped over by a vehicle moving backwards. They choose an Austin Allegro, claiming that the aerodynamics are better going backwards than normally.

Star in a Reasonably-Priced Car: Justin Lee Collins drives recklessly and sets a time of 1:51.8, which Alan Carr beats with a slow but very tidy lap of 1:51.2.

Challenge- Make a Better Police Car:: The Top Gear team seek to prove that cheap used cars would make better police cruisers than the Vauxhall Astra diesel that British police use. They also contend that flamboyant driving would be more effective in stopping criminals, as well as providing less embarrassing footage on police chase videos. They must purchase their own vehicles for £1000 or less and modify them for £500 or less. Points were awarded for money saved on the initial purchase only.

Clarkson bought a £900 turbocharged 20V Fiat Coupé onto which he fitted scythed wheel covers (as on a scythed chariot) and marked it as an Italian Polizia di Stato cruiser. May bought an old Lexus LS400 for £900, onto which he fitted a rear-mounted paint gun system, a "siren" taken from an ice cream van, and marked in a classic "jam sandwich" livery. Hammond bought a £750 Suzuki Vitara which he covered in lightbars, and onto which he mounted an ambitious self-deploying spike strip. They were challenged to set lap times against The Stig in his Astra diesel, clear a road of mangled cars and bloody mannequin bodies, and then combine forces to try and stop the Stig as he drives around the track in a BMW 7 Series. Hammond declared victory, and ate the paper containing the evidence when a disbelieving Clarkson disputed the result.

[atlantian]

I love the police car challenge, I want to see more sports car being converted into police interceptors.

[ReDc0aT]

i've seen a few of this coming season when i was in england over christmas time. its nuts.