BBC TV Top Gear programme on Lancia!

[lee69]

Looks like they broke the real Stratos as well as the Hawk: http://www.topgear.com/uk/videos/tg-series-14-lancia?VideoBrowserMode=categories&VideoCategory=OutTakes

[DavidLaver]

Sara chuckled that I was one of the nine.  She always knew it was something of a specialist interest...  It will have got Google humming this morning as people try to pick apart the facts from the gags.

I think Hawk got great PR - everyone knows its an exact replica, the price, choice of engines, and that the Alfa V6 isn't seen as "second best" even to a Dino.  Anyone sitting in one and thinking "these peddles are a bit odd" and "shame they couldn't arrange the dash properly" will understand that that's how the originals were.  They got a lot of air time, and it was memorable.  Stigs lap wasn't so different to some rally DVDs I've got...

Of course I'd have put an Aurelia in the show - but when they filmed here (our house doubled for the mother-in-laws in the spoof VW add they did last season) it was all too apparent that, for all the success and budget, even for a long "high production values" insert like that, the show is rather thrown togeather at the last moment.  Even my five year old called the researchers "boys" and they found us as a location the day before the shoot which was the day before the edit and voice over.  You'd expect them to give themselves a bit more time on research but its simply not a "hi-brow" sort of show with that sort of researcher.  On balance I'd rather the quantity of shows than only make half as many but slightly better.

As for the gags they're going to irritate the grumpy old men but they have the kids in stitches and make it watchable for mum - and without it having "something for everyone" the TV would be on another channel.

I thought it was a good episode.  Last week in Romania they seemed bored.  This week we got genuine enthusiasm and joy at the way the cars looked, sounded, and drove - some genuine fear in the Hawk - and Stig gave us a show and a half, not seen him like that since the Caterham.

For me it was a lot better than feared - for all "of course" we all could have done better.

David

[Dilambdaman]

Well, the proof of the pudding is in the eating!

8am this morning and my Thema is booked in for an MOT. Been using the same testing station for many years and always without fail get a bashing for being a Lancia fan. BUT! not this morning! Just grudging acceptance that perhaps I wasn't such a twit after all and actually knew something they had, in their extensive experience, failed to realise. The guy doing the test actualy whispered to me that he had always like the Thema. Drove home with a pass certificate and an ear to ear grin. 

Good post David, just the right balance.

Robin.
P.S. Shame that only 9 of us voted.

[sparehead3]

I did vote but got rejected - perhaps they set anything with "Lancia" in the text to bounce back

As always David, that is a great post. Very well balanced.

I've got favourable comments too. Joe Public seemed to have enjoyed it.

[fay66]

It was about what I expected.  Its an entertainment show, not a serious car show.  Hawk aren't happy apparently.  And I imagine that Stuart is wondering why he bothered...  But at least there was mention of the technical firsts, the motorsport history, and some decent stuff about the Fulvia and Integrale.  But there was so much more they could have done if they hadn't been arsing around racing the HPE against the Marina and making crap jokes about rust.

Doesn't sound like the shows changed much since the last time then, can't be bothered to watch and boost Clarkson's ego.
What was anyone expecting from Him anyway??? I certainly wouldn't have put my pride and joy his way.

Brian
8227

[fensaddler]

It's cartoon television, almost a parody of itself - for me it really disappeared into its own orifice about three series back and lost me then.  It does seem like a series that is probably due a refresh - its got a bit stale, repetitive and wrapped up in its own little world.  There's a place for it, or something like it, since it allows a car programme to sit in a peak time entertainment slot.  You don't watch it to find out much about the cars, beyond the most superficial of details (they actually did quite well last night in shoehorning in some facts).  What we don't get, at least apart from on the cable channels, is anything that takes a less lowbrow approach to cars, the industry etc, as you'd find in one of the motoring weeklies or monthlies.  That's a shame, since I retain at least a little bit of the Reithian expectation from the BBC - to inform and educate (which seems to be OK to do for natural history or history, for example, even in prime time) as well as entertain.  Not either/or, but both.

[Warby]

I echo all the mixed emotions expressed here but on the whole see the positives that can be drawn from it and just incase i ever forget them im sure i can watch it over and over for eternity on DAVE!

[DavidLaver]

Got feedback this morning from an Alfa fan - we got a much better deal than they did and better again than Maserati. 

He also said last night had a very "old school Top Gear" flavour - there were bits such as the drive in the Integrale that could have been straight from a William Wollard Top Gear - likewise the shots of the Aprilia cutting to the 70s rally footage then to the cars they were going to drive.  They put some real effort into explaining what made them special, while with the Alfas it was just "we love them for reasons the producers will never understand".  The rally footage was great to have in there.   He felt they conveyed a real passion for cars in general, and that any Lancia will trigger that passion in ways that the mass market sludge never will.

Their stunts also need to be respected.  Its so rare to get a live action "1970s Bond movie" stunt even in a block buster feature film.  Just the Beta's bonnet set loose over the roof was a properly dangerous stunt, let alone the airship landing on its side.  My mum's paper (Eastern Daily Press) reported a crash into some houses, maybe near the airport when doing that "clearly a setup" sequence.  They take proper risks for our entertainment.

The Top Gear audiance at large are now going to be asking "what makes a Gamma a great car" and "how come a Fulvia cost more than an E-Type" and pondering "there must be something very special in there to win all those rally championship".  That's all to the good.

My Alfa friend was remembering the first time (knee high) he saw a Monte parked up in London and remembering the particular dark blue of a Beta Coupe he used to walk the long way round to see on his way home from school.

He thought the kit car was fab - the point was that they're fine if James May builds it from box fresh parts, not so good if Jezza does it from scrap with a hammer.  He also remembered the Caterham lap as the last time Stig had been so "on it" and how a car like that (real or replica) is more like a speedway bike where an expert can get four times the pace from it than the man in the street who's more than likely going to injure themselves just look at it.

...of course they should have had a Lambda on the show, and for me the Aurelia Mille Miglia story can't be retold too often...

There's a buzz from it - and general comments that it was one of the good episodes.

David

[ncundy]

Chap at work who is into cars wanted to know more about Gammas this morning. Quite a few people talking about the lap and another knowledgeable chap enquiring if he spied a Fulvia Zagato in there somewhere.

Pretty good overall I thought. It'll be along time before we get exposure of that magnitude again - lets capitalise on it.

Bit rough on you tho' Stew, just towing the lazy "it's not an Integrale" type opinon peddled by some.

[Dilambdaman]

I can understand the dismissive attitude of some but honestly, when did Lancia get anything like this amount of coverage in any sort of programme. It was never in the time allowed going to tick all the boxes for us but was way better than nothing. Like it or not, (and I'm no fan of the programme or it's presenters) TG generates a big audience (a lot of my non-motoring interested friends watch it purely for entertainment) and the evidence on the street this morning is that interest in and appreciation for Lancia has had a boost. Oh, and it cost the club nothing!

I doubt any serious petrol heads watch it in the hope of gaining any truly un-biased opinion or useful information. However, fact is, that the programme will have whetted a lot of people's interest and that can only be to the good.

I for one, would like to thank very much those who were prepared to subject themselves and their pride an joy to a situation that could have had a far worse outcome. Hats off to you all.

Let's enjoy our '15 minutes' of glory! 

Robin.

[DavidLaver]

I want to swap "mega poster" to be "one of the nine"   

David

[Mike8v]

Like most of you have siad it was good to see Lancia's name back on the TV, Obviously some of the comments were a little (Like a slap in the face) but overall it has given us some decent coverage, Especilaly when they pointed out that Ford and Subaru had only won the rally chapionship 3 times Where as ( sitting with a smug look on my face  ) Lancia have done it ten times, which will deffinatly make people think a bit more now about rallying.

Id imagine that the Internet will be buzzing with people looking up lancia info or checking out the fleabay to see whats available.
One of the forums I use  Retro Rides Has already shown a lot of interest for us.

Oh and Does anyone know where the test on the Integrale was done because Im almost positive that it was done up on the black mountians which is just up the road from me    Good road that one.

Mike

[sparehead3]

Hi Mike , yes it was in the Black Mountains. It appeared on the Volvo forum some time ago (look for volvo, lancia, top gear and I'm sure you'll find the pictures of the cars on the trailers).

If you could send us the location of the road it may be worth a trip at some point (as I'm just on the other side of the old severn bridge)

Steve

[Mike8v]

In order to get to it you have to drive rite past my house and theres no way Id let you go up there without me  

Basically its 25-30 mins from juction 45 on the m4  easy to get to.  One of the best drives Iv had was over the mountians and up towards lampeter

Go on google maps  Type in      Gwaun Cae Gurwen      or simple copy and past  follow the yellow road ( oh yellow brick road ) north through Brynamman and there you go
As u probably figured this is where I live ^^^^

Would be cool to organise a day out but ONLY if its DRY

Mike

[Paul Greenway]

I thought the TG programme was a positive for Lancia & the Club. Recognised by JC & Co as the greatest marque of all time is a great coop and can only raise our profile. Of course the dreaded R word was mentioned, did anyone really think it would go away?
However it is nothing that has not been said before or will be said again. All I know is that I got no grief from my mates/collegues, only recognition that I maybe not as daft as they thought and perhaps what I have been telling them for the last 22 years might just more than hold an element of truth.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but I don't think Stuart will be too disappointed on TG's view of the new Deltas appearance, he knows the positve response he received at the NEC and the fact he could have sold his car 10 times over.