Top Gear Australia’s Warren Brown Defends The Show Against Complaints Made By Angry Car Companies

After the nation learned yesterday that certain car companies were less than thrilled with the way the lads at Top Gear Australia had treated their vehicles ($200,000 worth of damage, anyone?), one of the show’s hosts has defended the program in the Daily Telegraph.

Let’s give Warren Brown a moment, shall we?

Newspaper reports have this week suggested that Top Gear Australia has racked up a significant figure in car repair bills as a result of “eager driving” and “wild and silly stunts”.

Anyone who knows anything about either the UK or Australian versions of Top Gear knows the basic premise of these programs is pretty much about “eager driving and wild and silly stunts”.

Rightio, so the cars were begging for it. I can understand that. Do go on.

Then again, anyone who knows anything about Top Gear will recognise that this is actually a program about a passion for motoring – and not about a suggested disregard, disrespect nor wilful destruction of motor vehicles.

So although the stunts were admittedly wild and silly, they were also respectful. Respectfully wild and silly resulting in unintentional but eager destruction of motor vehicles. Okay, I’m following. Tell me more!

But let’s get this straight. I’m a host on Top Gear Australia and can tell you that like its UK sibling, it is not the kind of cardigan-wearing motoring program that will simply embrace a car and go on to say what a lovely radio it has and what scrumptious colours it comes in and how it will reduce whatever hole in the ozone layer that happens to hover above it.

If Top Gear Australia loves a car, then the presenters will say so. But if they don’t – well that’s how it goes.

What Warren really wanted to say was “But if they don’t… THEY GONNA FUCK SHIT UP!”

And, one of the reasons the UK version has climbed toward the 500 million (yes, half a billion viewer mark) is because they pull no punches. The same for Top Gear Australia.

Perhaps when it comes to the pulling of punches, sir, the same can be said of Top Gear Australia. If only the lack of punch-pulling could result in similarly brilliant ratings Down Under!

Certainly, car manufacturers and dealers in Australia might not have seen their products displayed on local television in such a manner before – like the example of using six Holden Astras in a lawn bowls segment.

Watching the stunt on video screens during a studio filming, an astonished audience of 800 cheered the Astras, which meandered their way to an inflatable jack, ultimately receiving damage to their chin-spoilers, but accruing far less damage as compared to the UK version’s soccer challenge where two teams of cars belted a gigantic soccer ball around a paddock.

Oh. So our lawn bowls stunt was just a weaker version of something the UK had already done?

The Astras came out as terrific little cars, as Youtube favourites and as a great story for Top Gear fans. What more could a manufacturer want as an advertisement?

INDEED! I am totally convinced that Top Gear Australia rules, and car manufacturers are giant sooks. Also: that lawn bowls shit was a favourite on YouTube? How did I miss it? I feel dirty and ashamed.

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Silly stunts on Top Gear? What next?
Top Gear Australia Angers Car Companies