The "Top Gear", Season 24/25/26 thread

Soldato
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This series has been awful, Chris Harris is having to carry the other two and it shows.

It's had its ups and downs along the way but I reckon this series might kill Top Gear entirely, I can't see it having any appeal internationally.
 
Man of Honour
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Yeah - I have absolutely no enthusiasm for watching the next episode and haven't even fully watched the last two. They need to get rid of one or other of the new presenters quick or it will kill the show.
 
Soldato
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Lotus piece was canny,

New Supra is a strange one they have left fake vents all over that can be removed for cooling and made it easy to tune on purpose. They also make over the official BHP (actually faster than the Z4)

So in the correct hands they will likely become weapons, and I think Toyota are banking on it, artificially going after the tuning group and hoping some monsters are built to push the product.

You can't tell me they didn't have the funds to go it alone and bring us something real special like Nissan did with the GTR, guess there was just no apitite for the risk involved.
 
Soldato
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Lotus piece was canny,

New Supra is a strange one they have left fake vents all over that can be removed for cooling and made it easy to tune on purpose. They also make over the official BHP (actually faster than the Z4)

So in the correct hands they will likely become weapons, and I think Toyota are banking on it, artificially going after the tuning group and hoping some monsters are built to push the product.

You can't tell me they didn't have the funds to go it alone and bring us something real special like Nissan did with the GTR, guess there was just no apitite for the risk involved.

I've spoken with someone who's rather well informed in these matters (works for Toyota and that's as much as I'll say). Toyota used the GT86 as a test bed to see what the aftermarket would be like - they've been monitoring social media amongst other avenues to see what people have done with the car. With that in mind for the Supra, there's talk of Toyota sanctioned and approved remaps being offered by dealerships to go along side the other more obvious areas which have been left for the aftermarket. So more power without losing your 5 year warranty.

Getting back to Top Gear, I think that was a great episode. Really enjoyed the Lotus piece.
 
Man of Honour
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I've spoken with someone who's rather well informed in these matters (works for Toyota and that's as much as I'll say). Toyota used the GT86 as a test bed to see what the aftermarket would be like - they've been monitoring social media amongst other avenues to see what people have done with the car. With that in mind for the Supra, there's talk of Toyota sanctioned and approved remaps being offered by dealerships to go along side the other more obvious areas which have been left for the aftermarket. So more power without losing your 5 year warranty.

Getting back to Top Gear, I think that was a great episode. Really enjoyed the Lotus piece.
Still waiting to see if Toyota have done anything different on the High pressure fuel system side of things.

N55 fuel system is done by around 420hp, B58 fuel system should be good for around 6% more fuel flow looking at the details
 
Man of Honour
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The B58 is hell of an engine with a large tuning potential (although not as much as the closed deck 2JZ), so it'll be interesting to see what the tuners do with it as I'd imagine there'll be more appetite to tune them compared to tuning BMW's.
 
Soldato
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Toyota are a lot more lenient when it comes to modifying and warranty. They already sell aftermarket parts for the GT86 themselves (TRD).
 
Soldato
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:confused:
I'm not sure I've I've missed what you're getting at here...you're aware Subaru is a Japanese company too, right? If so, why would it come as a surprise that a Japanese car with a Japanese engine...feels Japanese?

I think he means that at least with the gt86, the engine is still Japanese, so the gt86 still feels Japanese at least, whereas the Supra feels German so feels odd.
 
Soldato
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I doubt as many would have cared if the interior was at least full Toyota, it's crazy that the interior is full on bmw.

The exterior is clearly designed by toyota but then they just gave up on the interior and slapped all the bmw stuff in? What the hell?

If all the bmw stuff was hidden underneath and just worked then I feel it would have been more forgiven. It's the first thing all the press mention when they climb in and they seem to find it jarring.
 
Soldato
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I agree..why buy the supra when you can get the z4?

I would any day of the year, much more "me" car and I have no issues with BMW bits in it.

BMW make decent interiors, great i6 engines etc so why the heck wouldn't toyota want to partnership with them? without them putting their toys in the same pram neither car would've been a thing with proper engines.

we're not in the 90s when pushing big power i6s in mass produced cars without 6 digit RRP's is possible.

I think the new supra is spot on and I can't wait to see them on the street and see what aftermarket guys do with them.

on the other hand the new z4 doesn't excite me at all.
 
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Man of Honour
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I would any day of the year, much more "me" car and I have no issues with BMW bits in it.

BMW make decent interiors, great i6 engines etc so why the heck wouldn't toyota want to partnership with them? without them putting their toys in the same pram neither car would've been a thing with proper engines.

we're not in the 90s when pushing big power i6s in mass produced cars without 0 digit RRP's is possible.

I think the new supra is spot on and I can't wait to see them on the street and see what aftermarket guys do with them.

on the other hand the new z4 doesn't excite me at all.

Nail on the head. Without the BMW partnership the Supra would have never happened.

Toyota simply don't have a platform or a power train package to build it on.

Yea, it might not be a "proper" Supra. A co-developed, German Supra is better than no Supra
 
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