£1000 Alfa challenge on Top Gear

[Sir Lancelot]

Anyone manage to get their hands on last Sundays Top Gear Episode? Season 11, ep 3 they have their famous £1000 challange - this time to buy themselves an Alfa. Basically Jeremy, James, and Richard believe you cannot be a true petrolhead without owning one, and the Top Gear producers believe you have to be "galactically stupid to buy one". Challenge set. I think you can predict which car each presenter buys, but there are no spoilers on this thread yet! If you need a reason to cringe, look this up. I went for the torrent option as I just couldn't wait to see this one.

[Davidm1600]

I watched this on youtube today at lunch time.  It is typical Topgear in asmuch as you know they will basically attempt to destroy the cars in meeting the various challenges.  Which they mostly do.  Only James May's 2006 GTV comes off fairly well.  Both the 75 and '80s 105 spider are basically trashed.

But they rave on how great it is to own and drive an Alfa, which we all know about !!   You also get to see some nice cars at the Alfa concourse.   

Dave

[Scott Farquharson]

Could someone post a link..

[Mat Francis]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1lNUqzcdrY

the rest is pretty easy to find from there. as you said dave, they don't exactly respect the cars. i will admit though, that whilst i was cringing, i could also see the funny side to it. i suppose the majority of the population have no appreciation for the cars though, and i'm sure they would of found it hilarious. 

[Stuart Thomson]

I found the whole episode on my hard drive last night, don't know how that happened 

I'm cutting the Alfa bits out for a DVD showing at the meeting tomorrow night.

Yet another reason to come to the Alfa club meeting...

[alfagtv58]

Just finished watching it....bloody great. Loved it!!

[Pete Y]

I watched this on youtube today at lunch time.  It is typical Topgear in asmuch as you know they will basically attempt to destroy the cars in meeting the various challenges.  Which they mostly do.  Only James May's 2006 GTV comes off fairly well.  Both the 75 and '80s 105 spider are basically trashed.

But they rave on how great it is to own and drive an Alfa, which we all know about !!   You also get to see some nice cars at the Alfa concourse.   

Dave

It's a 1996 GTV. What a bargain at 1000 pounds ($2200)!!

True about spotting at the concours - I saw a very nice white GTC and an SZ and a few other lovelies.

[Davidm1600]

Pete you are correct.  A problem between my fingers and brain not connecting.   Definitely a '96 GTV and a real bargain, it looked like a nice car.  Mind you so were the other cars also good value until mangled by Clarkson and the Hampster. 

Have to agree with both Mat and Phil's comments re falling between cringing and enjoying it at the same time.  But then I love Topgear, and even the missus gets a laugh out of it. 

Really enjoyed James May review of the 159 on Monday night, especially the Italian swear box.  Good stuff. 

[alfagtv58]

You would have to admit, this is the quintessential Alfa owing experience.  Maybe it was all crammed into a couple of days and spread over three cars, but it is all relatable in a broad sense.....things fall off, things sometimes don't work and then inexplicably do again, you can get joy out of cleaning the car before heading out to a 'concourse' regardless of the reality and actual condition of the car, you get frustrated when Stuttgarts finest blows by you along any straightaway, parts can be hard to find........yet you can do it all with a grin from ear to ear.  Because every time you hit a corner or listen to an Alfa engine at high rpm (be it 4 or 6 cyl) you remember why you love the 'experience' that is owning an Alfa.

[Davidm1600]

I reckon that must be at least $7 in to the Italian swear box, given Captain Slow's criteria !!!   

Too right it is why we enjoy owning, fixing and driving something with characte,, passion and a sense of history.  Oh bugger that is at least $6 for me.

[alfa 156 TI]

Really enjoyed James May review of the 159 on Monday night, especially the Italian swear box.  Good stuff.

What a great review, racing against a guy traversing the mud flats and river to see who will be first to the other side. Made me want to buy the 159. Who is this German he was talking about who is running Alfa Romeo production at the momment?

Brad

[pep105]

I will be watching this episode at work tomorrow lunch time, its what we do every Friday in our department at Toyota, one of our engineers downloads the latest episodes on Monday so we can watch Friday, Im a bit worried that after watching this challenge ill go and buy another Alfa 75 !!!!!! Tomorrow nite on the way home from work !!!!

[spieret]

  Oh God i couldn't stop laughing. How many times did they hit Capn slow in the ass, i lost count.

[Sir Lancelot]

This week it's the 8C Competizione!

[Fast Eddie]

been removed from youtube.

nudge, nudge, Stuart