http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/19/uk-top-...d-zr-1-in-reno/

I'm disappointed that Captain Slow ended up in the CTS-V. Actually, this is all ass-backward. Hammond should have ended up in the Vette, Clarkson in the CTS-V, and Captain Slow in the Challenger. Just my two cents.

Either way, I can't wait to see this.

I think they chose cars consistent with past tendencies. Clarkson will always have the fastest car, Hammond has professed his love for the old and the new challenger when the design was released, and Captain Slow will always get the Cadillac or sedan no matter how hard edged. But it does sound cool.

I agree with this.
I can't wait for the new season to start. It will be great to see some good audio/video of these things.

Im going to make a prediction here.
Clarkson will like the vette just that little bit more than the Z06 but will still compare it to the 599.
Hammond will say the challenger is a fantastic homage to the original and may well end up saying he will end up buying one.
May will not really comment on the performance of the CTS-V, but will say that it has ample performance when it's needed.

And that's what kills me. This car is faster than an M5. It's insane. It shouldn't be evaluated by someone who simply will determine whether it's pleasant and has good ride quality.

Real pumped for Top Gear to start up. That being said all the previous comments seem to be dead accurate. I might add one thing, all these speculations are based on one photoshoot. I would not all be surprised if they swapped cars to see which on is the best like they did when they went to Spain at the Stigs vacation track...

I'd bet that they will swap cars, but they always "take ownership" of their car.

They don't do that with American cars - that would require they each defend the strong suits of their cars; not going to happen.

They did it with the Florida to New Orleans episode. Clarkson has spoken extremely favorably of the Ford GT and Dodge Viper. Hammond has praised the CTS and the Corvette. They give more flak to american cars than they deserve, but they're not 100% against them all the time.

I have no idea what Clarkson's going to say about the ZR1, but May will love the CTS-V, then banter on about how it's too gaudy looking, and styled to American tastes. Hammond's just going to tell everyone that their money is better spent on a classic Charger.

I think they will continue with their US car hating. If they admit that America actually made a good car the brains of idiots who take his word as the gospel will asplode.

I think they will hate on the Corvette (for its interior, despite its amazing speed) and the Challenger (for being a lardass with a crap interior). I have not read a single negative review of the second-gen CTS-V, though, and I'm betting they'll admit it's brilliant.

I'm sure the Clarkson will make a comment on the lines of "A car that goes this fast should have a 3x nicer interior." or "I idn't know they made [insert run of the mill european car] go 200 mph." Also from what I gather the ZR-1 is more of a daily driver type supercar than the typical on edge Ferrari that Clarkson is used to, which will likely get some flak. It will be interesting what he thinks of the suspension also..

Agreed, i'm interested in what he'll say comparative to the other 630+hp cars he's used to driving, because based on what i've read the ZR1 is ironically "less" on edge than the Z06 just based on the philosophy of the car and the different MagneRide suspension. So i'm not so sure it's a "driver's" car that you steer with your right foot - which is why I think Clarkson's opinion would be interesting.

Article about the difference:
http://windingroad.nextautos.com/windingro...00810/?folio=94

That sounds bloody fantastic. I think you guys are taking his "I think they'll say this" thing a little too far. TopGear will always be biased toward European cars, especially British ones, for obvious reasons. They do however give credit to cars (even American ones) when it is due. They will of course run it down in some way or another, but that's just what TopGear does. How many cars have you seen them test on the show and say flat out, no ifs or buts "It's Brilliant". Not very many. That's just what TopGear does, thery will take a car and say"This is shit, that is shit, this feels like its made from perspex and bubblegum, this is so cheap.....blah blah. Then they'll hammer it around a track/beach/Isle of Man, etc. and eventually end up saying, "...But my god is it fantastic to drive, and its bloody jolly good fun....etc."
TopGear can't be compared to programs like 5th Gear, that will actually take a car and test it on its merits. TG doesn't do that, they don't want to let the public know wether or not it's a good buy (they do occasionally), but they want to show the public how much fun one can possibly have in any given motorcar, and I think that that's exactly what this test is going to be like, especially if they're taking them to the salt flats.
It will be a bloody good show, we all know that, I think we must just accept they're opinions as being biased (especially Clarkson), and take them with a pinch of salt.

I agree with ^ guy. The whole point of top gear is not an actual review of the cars, so much as a entertaining show based on cars. Ive long since stopped watching shows like Motor Trend or Automobile mag, because they are "rubbish" as Clarkson would put it. They are exactly the same every week, just with different cars.

Top Gear is different because they arent afraid to shit in a manufacturers hat (for the most part). Also they will describe things to an extreme just to make a point or be give us a good laugh.

That being said, I think both May and Clarkson will be tapping on anything in the interior they car reach, and be making comments like "listen to that exhaust, it says look at me im a big ugly american car aarrrraggghhh.h.." Hammond will love any of the cars he drives because hes the only one who looks at some of these cars with a positive light, unless its just plain junk, or he wants Clarkson to be wrong.