The better quality you are seeing is the PAL resolution, compared to our crappy NTSC resolution. Compare the two on this chart. Its kind of like HRHD

The awesome music is because the BBC has rights to use just about whatever they want. Unfortunately, I don't think the American version will get to have that freedom.
Trivia: What episode did they ironically borrow the rights for this song?

 

I watched episode 2 of Top Gear Australia last night. Unfortunately I had to fast forward parts of it because it was so annoying.

Whats with that goofy Chevrolet El Camino imitator, the Ford Falcon Ute? I've never seen that before, and why is it not available in America? Although I think it is horrible.
And where in the crap is our turbo Ford? Not that the TG Australia presenters told us about the car in the episode, besides "Lets drive like hooligans" and "I prefer the grunt of a V8, though you beat me with your turbo".

 

[QUOTE=AaronCompNetSys,Oct 9 2008, 03:49 PM] Top Gear isn't filmed in High Definition, so you must have been stoned so you saw the extra pixels!
Although the rumor is that the next season will be filmed in HD!

 

I've watched Fifth Gear alongside Top Gear for many years now. From what you said about the presenters, you only started it watching it recently (maybe a season or two back).

When Fifth Gear first started, I got the impression that they weren't trying to compete too much with Top Gear. Their show was always much more conservative and informative and took reviews in a much more serious note than Top Gear, which always leaned heavily on the entertainment side, especially the past few seasons.

However, Fifth Gear started to change in the later seasons in what I can only assume to be due to the fact that their viewership sucked and was declining compared to Top Gear's. You can tell that they're trying to go more into the entertainment side, a la Top Gear, while maintaining a bit of their traditional and informative roots.

All in all, this ends up making it a weird mashup that doesn't really flow too well and isn't nearly as captivating as Top Gear. And the fact that they keep changing hosts around to get a more Top Gear or hip feel doesn't help, either.

 

I can tell you both of those answers. Its a Kia Rio and the star was David Hasselholf (probably didn't spell that right)

I'm just hoping that the american version isn't blighted by sponsors of the show that won't let the presenters say anything bad about their cars I'm also interested in their version of The Stig

 

Thanks for the info! GIMME THAT QSXGA!!

Also do you know WHY BBC can take pretty much any song?? (ive heard everything from star wars to Beethoven..)

 

I always assumed it's because they have lots and lots of $$$. I mean, all the stuff they regularly destroy on the show in addition to all the rules they're probably breaking (and acquiring the permission to do so) and the insane cinematographic aerial shots they take has to cost a lot of money. The BBC is a huge conglomerate.

 

It probably has more to do with BBC being a monopoly over such a large amount of programing (and budget). They can get their way with about anything, and once a small part of BBC does get licenses with a particular music company, all the other channels/departments benefit.

Or maybe any song on the Queen's iPod is allowed

 

I have always wondered how they got the "contract" to do the road paving episode that they did awhile back You gotta have a little bit of clout for that I would guess.

 

Hmm... Tony Steward? Or if we're lucky, we'll get a REAL driver (one who isn't from the US)... like... Dario Franchitti