They definitely inspired multiple generations. I knew their time was coming to an end when we only got 1-2 specials a year from them. Their legacy will live on for a long time.
There are far too many great moments from their years on air together. I feel like they nailed almost every episode. I enjoyed their narration and story telling more than anything. Their banter was always comedic too.
I'll have to say the Reliant Robin episode had me laughing pretty hard the first time I watched it.
I also loved when Forza had the Top Gear Test track in it so you could be your own STIG.
I'd say that Top Gear was a big driver for where I am today–and I'm certain it inspired many of the other automotive media outlets you see today.
Although I hesitate to call myself an "automotive journalist," it's pretty rad that I live in a world where I get paid to do what I do–which is mostly yap on the internet about cars I think are cool.
I always enjoyed them the most when they were trying to get some sad, tired cars to accomplish a fairly insignificant task. The budget supercar episode is an excellent one, as were a number of their cheap car challenges. The boys seemed to genuinely enjoy the challenge and the banter was just so much fun. They love language, they love cars and they were clever.
My all time favorite is the Indestructible Hilux.
Anytime they rolled out the a-team theme I knew I was going to see some weird, amazing E36 M3.
j_tso
Dork
9/17/24 2:05 p.m.
I like their roadtrips. The supercar roadtrip (Ford GT, F430, Zonda) is one of my favorites, the focus was how unpractical yet magical they are.
2005-2008 was peak TG for me.
Tom1200
PowerDork
9/17/24 2:20 p.m.
There are so many things that made us laugh..........it's hard to pick one.
I particularly liked when they "blew up" James May with a tank.
The alfa challenge episode, when jeremy breaks down the girls are there and james just shows up and says "hello" and it immediately cuts. I absolutely died laughing/
Rodan
UberDork
9/17/24 2:42 p.m.
My wife and I have long been fans of the original series. Over the summer, though we've seen them all before, we went back and watched Top Gear from the beginning (at least all that we could find streaming), and then transitioned to Grand Tour. We're not quite through S3 of Grand Tour at this point, but watched the finale on Friday. It was a very fitting farewell to a format that has provided so much entertainment over the past couple of decades.
Though the schtick could get a little strained at times, you could always count on fun cars, beautiful scenery and cinematography, and some great laughs. My favorite episodes were mostly those with tribute films where they showed us beautiful examples of a marque's most iconic cars, but Sabine Schmitz driving the Transit Van on the Nurburgring was a definite standout.
FWIW, you can still drive both the original Top Gear track and the Eboladrome in Assetto Corsa...
FWIW2, all three of the Presenters have unrelated ongoing efforts that are absolutely worth watching.
In reply to Rodan :
I have not watched any of Hammonds new content but I am a big fan of Clarkson's Farm and the James May Our Man In series.
