This sharp, tight and highly entertaining BBC television show has been on the air for more than thirteen years, now.

The show has rocketed all types of supercars, unique cars and every-day cars right by its viewers on a regular basis.

The show is not "techy" at all (surprising, because the show's three hosts are all obviously automobile-brilliant), the information given in easily accessible yet deep enough to wet your appetite and leave you waiting to see the cars in action just to find out if they actually will perform like it has been said they would.

Perform, these cars do.
Each drive, test, trial, lap is as fun and intriguing as the next.
The show is all about the cars, and very cool cars - late model, contemporary or prototype, indeed.

The hosts are as integral a part of the show as any host of set of hosts is on any show on television.
The three accomplish a remarkable feat each and every episode: they accentuate and promote the great cars around them, and are so good at what they do and so enjoyable watch as they trade barbs with one another, pick at or praise each other's comments, you are drawn into just how much fun the three of them are having being around these wonderful and fantastic cars.

Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May make the show what it is.
This would not be Top Gear without them.
These three gentlemen would not be the same without these tremendous cars.
Without these cars, their passion would have no place to focus itself while on set, in the outback or on the tarmac of an aircraft carrier.

This is not a car review show where the autos roll around a soft oval comparing performance and specs to last year's model and similar cars of make and class.
This is about the cars.
And driving them.
And driving them anywhere and everywhere.
Switzerland, the African desert, an RAF airfield, nighttime London and across the English channel.

Top Gear is also home to its own test track.
This track is used to gather raw performance data when the cars are driven by Top Gear's unidentified/mythical pilot, "The Stig".
This shadowy driver is most certainly worth his driving weight in white.

The test track is also party to the weekly celebrity drive as the show's guest-of-the-week is allowed a time trial lap in an ordinary domestic model, strapped securely in, helmeted for safety and all. This is a rousing good time. Any one could take the wheel and has, from Ron Wood to Dame Helen Mirren.

Top Gear's production value is just that, top gear.
The show is an hour long and is such a competent, tight package visibly, audibly and with it's pacing it makes you wonder why all television shows can't do it like this - or just why Top Gear can pull off this excellence week in and week out.

In the end, Top Gear is about one thing:

The cars.

The studio audience knows that.
The hosts know that.
And they work to make sure that at the final turn, we will love these cars as much as they do.


Top Gear homepage.

Veyron versus McLaren F1 video from the show.