Top Gear America

Top Gear America is a motoring television series for BBC America hosted by William Fichtner, Tom Ford and Antron Brown. Based on the original UK version, the new program was announced in April 2017. The eight-episode first season premiered on July 30, 2017.[1]

Top Gear America
Genre	Motoring
Based on	Top Gear by Jeremy Clarkson Andy Wilman
Presented by	William Fichtner Tom Ford Antron Brown The Stig
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
No. of seasons	1
No. of episodes	8
Production
Executive producer	Sarah Barnett
Running time	60 minutes
Production company	BBC Worldwide
Release
Original network	BBC America
Original release	July 30, 2017 – present
Chronology
Related shows	Top Gear worldwide

On April 10, 2019, it was announced that a reboot of the series was in the works.[2] On December 3, 2019, it was revealed that Dax Shepard, Rob Corddry, and Jethro Bovingdon will be the hosts of the revival, which will debut on Motor Trend in 2021.[3] However, due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, production was delayed and production finally wrapped in Fall 2020.[4]

Format

The format and segments of the show follows the original UK version: studio segments, car reviews, celebrity guests, challenges, power laps and races.[5] However, following the broadcast of the first episode, the show was criticised for its similarity to the UK version.[5]

Development

A previous American version of Top Gear was broadcast on History from November 2010 until June 2016.[6] Following a second revamp of the UK version in 2017, BBC America announced that Top Gear would return to the United States in late 2017 as a new show, now titled Top Gear America, to be hosted by actor William Fichtner.[7] Later that month, it was confirmed that British journalist and television host Tom Ford and American drag racer Antron Brown would be Fichtner's co-hosts.[8]

Network president, Sarah Barnett, commented, "We are big fans of the mix of cars, credibility and charisma that adds up to the winning formula for Top Gear, and couldn't be happier that BBCA is now the home for the franchise in the United States, with Top Gear America joining the original show on our network, Bill, Antron and Wookie are serious gear heads who never take themselves too seriously. It will be quite the trip."[9]

Episodes of Top Gear America were broadcast on Sunday in the same time slot as the British version.[10] Following a series of teaser trailers featuring The Stig being shipped to and exploring the United States.,[11] the first trailer for the show was released by BBC America on June 29, 2017.[10] That same day, the logo for the first season was unveiled, which features the three hosts and the Stig.[12]

Studio and timed celebrity track segments were filmed on location in Las Vegas at Speedvegas.[13][14]

Episodes

Season		Episodes		Originally aired
				First aired	Last aired	Network
	1	8		July 30, 2017	September 17, 2017	BBC America
	2	TBA		January 29, 2021	TBA	MotorTrend

Season 1 (2017)

No. overall	No. in series	Title	Original air date	Viewers (millions)
1	1	"Made in America"	July 30, 2017	N/A
2	2	"Movie Magic"	August 6, 2017	N/A
3	3	"Life on the Go"	August 13, 2017	N/A
4	4	"Drive Your Life"	August 20, 2017	N/A
5	5	"Humble Beginnings"	August 27, 2017	N/A
6	6	"Outside the Box"	September 3, 2017	N/A
7	7	"The Best"	September 10, 2017	N/A
8	8	"Time Capsule"	September 17, 2017	N/A

Season 2

No. overall	No. in season	Title [15]	Original air date [15]	U.S. viewers (millions)
9	1	"Supercars"	January 29, 2021	TBD
10	2	"Overlanding For 5K"	January 29, 2021	TBD
11	3	"Future Classics"	February 5, 2021	TBD
12	4	"Luxury SUVs"	February 19, 2021	TBD
13	5	"Hot Rods"	February 26, 2021	TBD
14	6	"Save Rally Racing"	March 5, 2021	TBD

References

1. "Top Gear BBC America". Facebook.
2. "MotorTrend and BBC Studios Announce the Coproduction of a Brand-New U.S. Format of "Top Gear America" (wt) Series, and MotorTrend Will Be Streaming "Top Gear UK" in the U.S. and Canada!". The Futon Critic. April 10, 2019.
3. "REVEALED! Meet the Hosts of Top Gear America". Motor Trend. December 3, 2019.
4. White, Peter (September 8, 2020). "'Top Gear America' Wraps Production Ahead Of MotorTrend Launch". Deadline. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
5. Justin T. Westbrook (August 2, 2017). "How Did You Feel About The First Episode Of The Rebooted Top Gear America?". Gizmodo Australia. Retrieved August 2, 2017.
6. "Top Gear USA canceled 'for the immediate future'". The Verge. Vox Media. Retrieved July 22, 2017.
7. O'Connell, Michael (March 20, 2017). "BBC America Doubles Up on 'Top Gear' with New U.S. Version (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Billboard-Hollywood Reporter Media Group. Retrieved April 13, 2017.
8. Schwindt, Oriana (March 20, 2017). "'Top Gear America' Ordered By BBC America". Variety. Retrieved April 13, 2017.
9. "Top Gear USA cancelled, BBC confirms". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved April 13, 2017.
10. Szymkowski, Sean (June 29, 2017). "First official trailer for "Top Gear America" underwhelms". Motor Authority. Retrieved July 1, 2017.
11. "#TopGearAmerica is Coming Summer 2017 - BBC America". BBC America.
12. Traugott, Jay (June 29, 2017). "The First Trailer For Top Gear America Is Here". Car Buzz. Retrieved July 1, 2017.
13. "SPEEDVEGAS in Las Vegas to Debut as Home Track for New Series, "Top Gear America," on BBC America". www.vegasnews.com. Retrieved August 4, 2017.
14. https://speedvegas.com/en/
15. "Top Gear America – Listings". The Futon Critic. Retrieved January 24, 2020.

External links

• Top Gear America on BBC America