Fifth Gear

[zagatoes30]

The carparazzi feature was a bit naff. It must have been a very slow day if he only spotted £2m worth of cars. Like TG, some of it's ok but the rest is pretty forgettable.

I reckon when I am in the London office I could walk out of the door and see £2m of cars before I had got to Oxford St - all of 300 yards.

One of the joys of working for Selfridges

 

[zagatoes30]

I quite like 5th gear more car focussed than TG is but they still like to be hooligans every now and again.

 

[CatmanV2]

I think it's rubbish. I mean in what way is VBH being 'taught' to drive APC's and anti-ambush techniques more of a car show than TG?

C

 

[Contigo]

The best feature on fifth gear is the group test which goes a pretty decent summary of most new cars and then the alternative budget cars where they take 3 equivalent older packages and put them through a mini buying guide.

I watched WD last night and my god has it reached an all time low! What they did to that RX7 was sacrilege!

 

[Parisien]

Its a poor mans TG...5th gear, ok, their car reviews are more fulsome, but when they try to make it interesting or more witty......its like going for afternoon tea at your grand aunts.....cringeworthy at times


P

 

[Contigo]

I don't watch it for laughs maybe you do Frank

I watch it to see cars and some decent reviews. At least they actually test cars and don't just lark about like a bunch over overgrown dicks!

 

[Parisien]

Oh...I like their cars pieces too..........TGs that is

More to do with how you feel in a car, driving it....rather than outright performance and size of boot.

5th Gear don't have to act like overgrown/underwhelming dicks....because it comes naturally to them......


P

 

[hodroyd]

What we all want is a good car review program that actually does what it says and tests cars, the other stuff can go on to the kids channels for me..!!

 

[BJL]

I must admit to being at a loss to understand the Tiff bashing just because he said it as he saw it.
He is a talented driver with many wins to his credit and good company to boot. Knowing him from our dinner evenings at The Hurlingham I can confirm he is not the to55er some of you are making him out to be.

 

[BennyD]

I think I started the grief but it wasn't aimed at him personally as I am sure he's a decent guy. I was just disappointed by his road test because, IMO, he usually does a good review. It wasn't because he gave it a hard time, that's just his opinion but, IMO, he was marking it down because it didn't produce the power like a petrol V8 and diesels just don't do that. He also compared the diesel Ghibli (single turbo) to a 535D (twin turbo) and the engine characteristics are really quite different. The Ghibli is more akin to a 530D (single turbo) and I got the feeling he was doing what he could to give the Ghibli a hard time because it didn't float his boat.

 

[BJL]

There was an element of that I have to admit. I was a little surprised by his conclusions given he is retained by Maserati for promo work.
Maybe like me he was exercising his frustration at being disappointed by Maseratis first effort.

 

[Parisien]

Am not keen on him as a presenter......not what he said about the Ghibli....it won't go down to well with Maserati that he dissed their latest pride and joy


P

 

[BennyD]

That's the frustrating part, having driven a 335D, a 330D and now the Ghibli, I feel the Ghibli is a very creditable first attempt and didn't warrant the bashing it got. Sure, the Skyhook ride might be a bit suspect but the non-Skyhook version was perfectly acceptable for an everyday commuter. It might not be as competent at full chat around the 'Ring but you don't go there every day and if you did, you shouldn't be going in a diesel Ghibli.

 

[bigbob]

I thought that most of the road tests were on non-skyhook cars?

 

[sjc]

I must admit to being at a loss to understand the Tiff bashing just because he said it as he saw it.
He is a talented driver with many wins to his credit and good company to boot. Knowing him from our dinner evenings at The Hurlingham I can confirm he is not the to55er some of you are making him out to be.

This 100%

 

[Contigo]

He bashed it becaus it didn't live up to his expectation it would seem and you can't really knock that. He knows a lot more about cars handling, chassis, steering feel and just about every other aspect of driving than us so I do value his opinion.

 

[sjc]

The best feature on fifth gear is the group test which goes a pretty decent summary of most new cars and then the alternative budget cars where they take 3 equivalent older packages and put them through a mini buying guide.

Tiff drove my Rover 75 for that feature last year (cheapskate alternative to the new Bentley no less!)
and I can confirm he's a really nice fair bloke, I'd happily have a beer with him.

 

[c4sman]

Tiff drove my Rover 75 for that feature last year (cheapskate alternative to the new Bentley no less!)
and I can confirm he's a really nice fair bloke, I'd happily have a beer with him.

Agreed, I don't get to compare all of the cars that he gets to steer and trust his balanced view. That's not to say the maser is not a good car, but chances are the competition right now is stronger. That's ignoring the badge and image factor which may swing potential buyers back to the maser providing it is not a lemon, which is not what he said. If you want an unfair car review, look at clarksons review of the GT 4.2.....

 

[BennyD]

He bashed it becaus it didn't live up to his expectation it would seem and you can't really knock that. He knows a lot more about cars handling, chassis, steering feel and just about every other aspect of driving than us so I do value his opinion.

I did too, but the comment 'it sounds like a V8, I wish it would go like one' makes me think otherwise.

 

[BJL]

Turning this around slightly maybe he was very much looking forward to driving the Ghibli knowing how genuinely fond he is of Maserati and became frustrated at its lack of class leading performance and handling. Like me he may have been over egging his disappointment.