Fifth Gear—yes, that’s still going—has come up with a 21st century Prost v Senna battle by getting Nico Prost and Bruno Senna to race each other in a hot hatch track test. It’s son of Alain in the Renault Megane RS275 Trophy R and nephew of Ayrton in the Audi S3. The track is Snetteron and this is what happens…
[Thanks to Tim for the tip]
FinalGear.com is the go to place on the internet for news on motoring shows Top Gear and Fifth Gear. That also means it has been a reliable source of information for viewers outside of the UK who want to watch new episodes as soon as possible after going to air. That information, of course, relates to illegal downloads.
FinalGear states that it “does not host any torrents or copyright infringing material” but it does provide links relating to such activities. Today, the website was issued a take-down notice from the UK’s Director Of Intelligence & Investigations Federation Against Copyright Theft which states in part:
BBC Worldwide Consumer Products, Soda Pictures has received information that the domain listed above, which appears to be on servers under your control, is offering unlicensed copies of, or is engaged in other unauthorized activities relating to copyrighted works owned by BBC Worldwide Consumer Products.
Further, the notice demands that any relevant links be removed:
We hereby give notice of these activities to you and request that you take expeditious action to remove or disable access to the material described above, and thereby prevent the unauthorized distribution of the work(s) via your companys network.
We expect the website, in particular its forums, will remain active. It’s just that people wanting to get their hands on the latest episodes of Top Gear might have to look elsewhere. Although, perhaps sufficient action is also being taken against whoever does host episodes for download in future that only officially sourced content may be available. If it’s actually possible to achieve such an aim.
[Source: FinalGear]
Vicki Butler-Henderson from Fifth Gear has just filed a review on the new BMW F10 M5. She gives it a qualified thumbs up. Check out the clip after the break to see what she likes and what she misses from the old car.
We love the Porsche 911 GT3 RS 4.0 and we love it when there’s a video review to watch. We also love it if that review is filed by someone as capable as Tiff Needell from UK motoring program Fifth Gear. He might be a bit OTT at times, but the bloke can drive. So, off to a wet and slippery Cadwell Park he goes. Enjoy!
Jeremy Clarkson once said, “It’s not the speed that kills you, it’s the sudden stop.” Rival television program Fifth Gear has provided us with a violent example of that saying. From the first episode of Season 20, currently airing in the UK now, they crashed a first generation Ford Focus into a concrete wall at 120mph (193km/h).
Bloody hell! That ought to make you think.
[Thanks to John for the tip]
Fifth Gear has put the 250kW/400Nm Audi RS3 and 250kW/400Nm BMW 1M on a racetrack and endeavoured to find out which is best. At the wheel are Isle of Man hero Mark Higgins (Audi) and regular presenter Tiff Needell (BMW).
It’s a match made in heaven, even if Audi Australia have ensured it’s one we won’t see down under. So, cast your pre-ordained judgements, then watch the clip after the break to see how your script pans out.
Let us know if your expectations were confirmed.
Time for a look at an old rally legend now, with the Audi Quatrro. It’s a car we’ve featured in our Past Master series and we’re always keen to see new material. This review from the Fifth Gear web team gives a reasonable insight into the car’s history and modern day context. Shame about the smoke from test car!
You can see the review in full after the break.
Jason Plato, reigning BTCC champ, Fifth Gear luminary and known for his willing opinions on the internet, has taken aim at Jeremy Clarkson after the latter reviewed the McLaren MP4-12C on Top Gear last weekend.
In fact, after watching Clarkson compare the MP4-12C to the Ferrari 458 Italia, Plato felt compelled to tweet the following to his 22,000+ followers: “Tonight’s top gear, prove that JC may be a great wordsmith, however he wouldn’t know a great handling car if it hit him in the face, journos!”
Them there are fighting words, and if you can be arsed you can follow some of the dialogue fired Plato’s way.
Here at AUSmotive, though, we’re not too fussed with the nail files at dusk. We just like the opportunity of seeing two great cars being thrashed around a track. Twice. Which you can do too by watching the Fifth Gear review above and the Top Gear review below.
Let us know which you think is best—McLaren or Ferrari, Fifth Gear or Top Gear—in the comments section after the break.
In case you missed it, British car show Fifth Gear is a couple of episodes into its latest series. In the latest ep Vicki Butler-Henderson indulged in a bit of ultra-violence with BMW’s cooking M3 GTS. It costs twice as much as a regular M3 and is powered by a 4.4 litre V8 and good for 444bhp. So, is it any good? When she drove the M3 GTS Vicki got a wee bit excited and, well, let’s just say she loves the car.
Check out the action after the break.
The Porsche 911 GT2 RS is the most powerful road car the team from Stuttgart has ever made. Its 620bhp sent Chris Harris into overdrive and all 500 examples have already been sold. With all the hype Fifth Gear’s Jason Plato thought it would be nice to celebrate his BTCC success by thrashing the newest “widow maker” around Silverstone.
Plato currently rates the Ferrari 458 Italia as the best new supercar money can buy. Is the GT2 RS about to knock the Fezza off its perch?
Ben Collins has joined former Top Gear presenters Vicki-Butler Henderson and Tiff Needell at rival television program Fifth Gear.
Collins has been at a bit of a loose end since he outed himself and his Stig gig went belly up. He is now welcoming a new chance to perform “Stig-like” duties saying, “I’m delighted to be joining the Fifth Gear team.”
“I am looking forward to a new set of exciting challenges, apparently with and without the helmet,” he continued.
Series 18 of Fifth Gear will go to air later this year (later this week if twitter is to be believed) and The Artist Formerly Known As The Stig is expected to feature in at least five episodes.
Channel 5 exec, Steve Gowans, is excited too, “We’re delighted to have the Ben on board – it will be fascinating to see how he does in a head-to-head with Tiff and Jason [Plato] – the best drivers on TV.”
[Source: The Guardian | Pic: Tim Ireland/PA | Thanks to Richard for the tip]
It’s been almost six months since the Saab 9-5 began production under its new owners Spyker. The car is now on sale and reviewers are stating to file their reports. Can the new 9-5 usher in a new era of stability for Saab? Can the 9-5 shed its humble GM origins? More importantly, and more simply, is the new 9-5 any good?
Take the jump and see what VBH from Fifth Gear has to say.