Top Gear (2014 TV series)

Top Gear
Presented byCheng Lei
Richie Jen
Tian Liang
Ma Dong
Ou Han-sheng
"The Stig"
Country of originChina
Original languageMandarin
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes20 (list of episodes)
Original release
NetworkShanghai Dragon TV
ReleaseNovember 12, 2014 (2014-11-12) –
December 21, 2015 (2015-12-21)

Top Gear is a Chinese television series about motor vehicles, primarily on cars, and is an adaptation of the British television series Top Gear.[1] The show premiered on 13 November 2014 on the network Shanghai Dragon TV. Series 1 was hosted by Cheng Lei, Richie Jen, and Tian Liang, Series 2 by Cheng Lei, Ma Dong, and Ou Han-sheng. The show also features a segment similar to Star in a Reasonably Priced Car (Ford Focus in Series 1 and Volkswagen Lamando in Series 2) and a Chinese Stig, whose identity is currently unknown.

Episodes

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Total Episode Reviews Features Guests Air Date
Series 1
1 1 Porsche 918 Spyder • Drive 310 kilometers from Zhangye to Jiayu Pass with a battery/fuel range of exactly 310 km left (Tesla Model SFord Mondeo) Qiao ZhenyuMichelle YeTiger HuMa TianyuAlan KoCica ZhouJiang Wu 12 November 2014
2 2 Ferrari F12berlinetta • Drive from Dali to Geladan (Jaguar XFDS 6WRPolaris RZR) to watch the night sky Chopstick Brothers 19 November 2014
3 3 Jaguar F-Type R • Climb to Bilutu Peak in the Badain Jaran Desert (Toyota Tundra • Arctic Cat Wildcat) Zheng KaiGülnezer Bextiyar 26 November 2014
4 4 McLaren 650S • Race near West Lake (Volkswagen Golf • bicycle • public transit)

• Parkour vs. BMX vs. Chevrolet Cruze

Zhang Liang 3 December 2014
5 5 Bentley Continental GT V8 S Gary Chaw 10 December 2014
6 6 Aston Martin Vanquish Volante 17 December 2014
7 7 KTM X-Bow GT 24 December 2014
8 8 Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale Kevin Cheng 7 January 2015
9 9 BMW M235iMercedes-Benz CLA 45 AMGMINI Paceman JCW • "Triathlon" in a zoo with Land Rover Discovery Wu Chun 14 January 2015
10 10 Ford Mustang 21 January 2015
Series 2
11 1 N/A • Race across Shanghai during morning rush hour (public transit • bicycle • boat • Toyota Reiz)

• Wingsuit flying vs. drifting (Subaru BRZ) in Tianmen Mountain

Aarif Rahman 19 October 2015[2]
12 2 N/A • Drive ¥300,000 (about $45,000) sports cars (Porsche 996 Carrera 4 • Mercedes-Benz SL500Ferrari 360) across desert Wong Cho-lam 26 October 2015[3]
13 3 BMW i8 • Farewells to a to-be-decommissioned 14-year-old Volkswagen Polo Ming Dao 2 November 2015[4]
14 4 Caterham Seven • Package delivery challenge (Arctic Cat utility task vehicle • Feng Xian (奉贤) bus) Christy Chung 9 November 2015[5]
15 5 N/A • London tour (Jaguar E-Type Roadster • Peel P50Abbot self-propelled gun)

• Travel to the Top Gear test track and Waddesdon Manor in vehicles with Chinese connection (Benelli electric bicycle • TX4Chang'an Eado)

• Race to Goodison Park in British lightweight sports cars (Morgan 3-Wheeler • Caterham Seven • Radical SR3 SL)

Pan Xiaoting • Jeffrey Kung 16 November 2015[6]
16 6 N/A Uber driver challenge in ¥400,000 (about $60,000) cars (Audi A6Chevrolet CamaroFord Taurus (Chinese version)

• hot hatch face-off (Volkswagen Golf RRenault Mégane RS)

Kelly LinHo-Pin Tung 23 November 2015[7]
17 7 N/A • Race across Chongqing (Volkswagen Lamando • NIU eScooter • public transit) Part 1 Jimmy Lin 30 November 2015[8]
18 8 Porsche 911 GT3 • Race across Chongqing Part 2

• Off-road SUV challenge (Toyota Land Cruiser PradoFord EverestJeep Wrangler Unlimited Sahara) on the Hulunbuir Prairie

Stephen Fung 7 December 2015[9]
19 9 Lamborghini HuracánVolkswagen Golf GTI • Train for the CTCC Lynn Hung 14 December 2015[10]
20 10 McLaren 625C • Race to Mount Putuo (Peugeot 308Roewe E50Maserati Quattroporte GTS) with ¥500 (about $75) for gas and tolls Chang Chen 21 December 2015[11]

History

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The first attempt at a Chinese Top Gear was in 2011.[12]

In May 2014, BBC announced that it has signed a deal with Honyee Media to produce a local version of Top Gear in China.[13] On 13 November 2014, the first series of the Top Gear China premiered on Shanghai Dragon Television, presented by Cheng Lei, a veteran Chinese TV presenter, Richie Jen, a Taiwanese singer and actor, and Tian Liang, a former Olympic gold-medalist in diving.

Production started in July 2014.[13] Filming took place in various locations, such as: Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang, Chongqing, Guizhou, Shanghai, Beijing, and Wuxi.[13]

Reception

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Season 2 has had a total audience of 217 million with 5 episodes.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b Alex Ritman (November 20, 2015). "Chinese 'Top Gear' Episode Draws Season-High Audience of 11 Million". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved November 29, 2015.
  2. ^ "《巅峰拍挡第二季》20151019 欧弟闯生死99道弯送豆腐 李治廷早年飙车出车祸 - 搜狐视频". 搜狐视频. Retrieved 2016-07-13.
  3. ^ "《巅峰拍挡第二季》20151026 欧弟沙漠遭险崩溃欲弃车 王祖蓝曝喜欢萌系车 - 搜狐视频". 搜狐视频. Retrieved 2016-07-13.
  4. ^ "《巅峰拍挡第二季》20151102 明道受挫欲做修车工 钟丽缇感动母女情辛酸落泪 - 搜狐视频". 搜狐视频. Retrieved 2016-07-13.
  5. ^ "《巅峰拍挡第二季》20151109 钟丽缇赛车漂移遇险遭强吻 欧弟送狗遭主人怒批 - 搜狐视频". 搜狐视频. Retrieved 2016-07-13.
  6. ^ "《巅峰拍挡第二季》20151116 程雷驾坦克横扫伦敦街头 潘晓婷孔令奇惊曝绯闻 - 搜狐视频". 搜狐视频. Retrieved 2016-07-13.
  7. ^ "《巅峰拍挡第二季》20151123 F1赛车手惜败李治廷 林熙蕾性感狂飙不刹车 - 搜狐视频". 搜狐视频. Retrieved 2016-07-13.
  8. ^ "《巅峰拍挡第二季》20151130 欧弟骑电动车自信狂飙 林志颖曾因赛车事故断腿 - 搜狐视频". 搜狐视频. Retrieved 2016-07-13.
  9. ^ "《巅峰拍挡第二季》20151207 马东曝听郭德纲想吐 冯德伦揭吴彦祖车库秘密 - 搜狐视频". 搜狐视频. Retrieved 2016-07-13.
  10. ^ "《巅峰拍挡第二季》20151214 程雷飙车遇险遭狠批 熊黛林赛车速度过慢被警告 - 搜狐视频". 搜狐视频. Retrieved 2016-07-13.
  11. ^ "《巅峰拍挡第二季》20151221 张震综艺首秀大展车神魅力 经费不足逼疯欧弟 - 搜狐视频". 搜狐视频. Retrieved 2016-07-13.
  12. ^ Adam Sherwin (11 April 2011). "Toned down Top Gear for China". Motoring. IOL.
  13. ^ a b c Worldwide, BBC (26 May 2014). "BBC Worldwide Launches Top Gear in China". BBC. Retrieved 13 November 2014.
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