I don't think this has been posted before; I apologize if it has:

Jay Leno's '05 Mustang review from the Times UK

It's a good review, not all gushing with praise, but fair and balanced.
I like how he actually understands that American cars are built for American driving, unlike a certain big buffoon.

Come to think of it, it would be cool if Jay Leno had an automotive show; heck he could just have a show where he talks about the cars in his collection....

 

What I love, is when he reviews the DB9 he says this: "And boy oh boy is it fast. The figures say it will go from 0 to 60 in 4.9sec." But says the Stangs engine output is equal to an ''average juicer." Of course its all in fun, and thats part of Clarkson's appeal, but sometimes you wish he could tone it down--if just a bit.

 

Its a pretty on the spot review. I have always respected Jay's knowledge of cars, its funny how the first thing on his request list is GREEN!

What drives me nuts though is that he is the epitome of being in the right place at the right time. How he's ended up being where he is now is still mind boggling. I always look at him and think if this guy had missed that ONE phone call he would forever be the 'nice guy' at the hardware store. Shows you what a good agent can do.

 

Whats the other idiot talking about the 'average' european??? the average european drives a crappy small tin car as thier only car, or a Vespa scooter. BMW charges $50,000 to crack the 300hp mark, the 3 series has 215 and for $4000 you get to 225 The BMW 500hp engine he mentions can not be had for UNDER $80,000. Wow, thats impressive BMW-anyone can build an $80,000+ car. Not to mention MB's are mostly diesel or four bangers there. And as for his beloved Astin Martin, Jaguar, and Land Rover, well Ford's still trying to get them out of the gutter, with Ford engines no less. And where are all the 'dual stage turbos' anyway? The Lotus's Toyota Celica engine surely doesn't have it The article is one of the most inaccurate ones Ive ever read. And a refference to the DEW98 platform as fact tops the list. Um, uneducated bum the S type uses the LINCOLN platform. What a moron. 20 bucks says he the unfortunate owner of a Golf with the 1.8T, one of the most unreliable vehicle powertrains in the past 30 years. His 'ideal' sports car is now FWD? Make up your mind you dolt.

And the Mustang was too much for him to handle, maybe he should stick to a "european' sports car in that price range, like an Opel Astra Every car he mentioned is either over $200K, from a company out of buiness, from a company OWNED and rescued by Ford, or from one that does not make its own engines. This guy knows nothing about cars. I would venture that he could not drive the car very fast around the track, if he really even did at all(which I strongly doubt), I think he made that part up. There are exactly ZERO european sports cars under $45,000. You would think being such an automobile 'expert' he would of watched a little Grand Am Cup last year

I think I am going to start sending my resume to car rags and websites, there aren't any auto writers any more that know anything about cars.

 

I'd read it. I enjoyed what you wrote so far.

 

"For instance the Dodge Challenger loses five hubcaps during a chase. It only had four wheels! The Mustang was absolutely right for the movie."

Uhh, Dodge Challenger?

 

Yeah, c'mon, Jay - for a car nut you sure don't know your movies. And while we're on this subject, the chase scene in Bullitt was great but the one in "The Seven-Ups" with Roy Scheider was the best.

 

One more perspective. Before Ford bought Land Rover, it was the number one lemon law return vehicle in the US. And what about Jaguar's pre-Ford?

A-hmmm! Someone has been snorting too much Grey Poupon.

 

I saw a show of Leno(while at circuit city) buying an old Dusenberg from some ladys garage in Cal. anybody know if thats a regular cable show and if so, what channel? Thanks

 

Being a big Top Gear fan, I really enjoy Clarkson's writing. And while I drive a 2005 Mustang GT and love it, I can't argue with a thing he said about the car. Its not built for a road course, it is underpowered for the size of the engine, and yes a solid rear axle belongs in the 60s. But I think everyone on this board probally came to the same conclusion he did, it does everything well enough for the money! Which is where Clarkson and Leno's articles come together. The 2005 Mustang has everything that made the original so great, and is able to bring it home at the right price to boot. Its a great car for the money!

 

I've been to Europe and driven the "average European's" car. The "average European" would think they died and went to Heaven if they could buy a car like the Mustang for the same price as thier mid range cars. And that would cost them in the 30-35,000 range.

 

I use to live out in London and let me tell you my friends who still live there are drooling over this car...including one who owns an 04 M3. This car is still underestimated...makes it more fun at the stoplights though

 

I must be in Heaven, then!

I'm also a big TopGear fan, but I do admit Clarkson is seriously prejudiced when it comes to non-British cars. The only other ones he likes are anyway in the $100,000+ range.
I'm curious if this will lead to a change in the way TopGear is perceived in the US:

American version of TopGear on Discovery

 

Well, that "guy who knows nothing about cars" is only the most popular star of the most watched automotive television series in the world, with upwards of 350,000,000 viewers.

It's called Top Gear; you might want to look into it. Fact is, Jeremy Clarkson has probably forgotten more about cars than anyone on this board ever knew to begin with.
Let's face it: the Mustang GT's live axle is not up to Laguna Seca so it was an unfair test to begin with. As for the rest of it, Clarkson likes to bash a lot of American stuff. It's his M.O. and he does it because readers find it funny...whether it's necessarily accurate or not (very often it's not).

But he does begrudgingly admit he liked the Stang, as you can see below in bold:

 

I love this quote from Leno: "In fact the new 2005 Mustang is a bit like staying married to the same woman and her having a boob job, a tummy tuck and liposuction. The original is still there, only the parts are better."

Eeeeeeooooooowwww...

 

It's high praise indeed when Leno praises the '05 Mustang like he did. After all, this is a guy who has so many cars that he has a staff of 3 full-time guys to take care of them. He's got an Olds Toronado that he stuck a 1,000 hp engine in, only to find it was too powerful, so he lowered the hp down to 700 so it would be driveable!

Safe to say he knows cars, and has personally driven pretty much every car you can imagine, and then some.

 

That show is called Rides and it's on the Learning Channel. Great show.

http://tlc.discovery.com/fansites/rides/rides.html

 

So, you really have NO IDEA what you're talking about, right?

 

Clarkson may talk a lot about car but then again he spouts off about a lot of things he doesn't know jack about (like America and Americans in general). He's like the Rush Limbaugh of the automotive world.

Jay Leno probably knows more about cars and has a much more eclectic taste for cars than Clarkson. Leno has American cars, European cars, steamers, pretty much as long as a car is unique or cool, Leno has one in his huge collection. Clarkson is the epitome of the automotive Eurosnob; the only cars Clarkson likes are European and expensive.

Leno isn't afraid to get his hands dirty working on cars, Clarkson just spews dirt out of his mouth about cars. Heck, when the aftermarket alarm on Clarkson's Ford GT malfunctioned, he returned it to Ford. Of course it gave him the opportunity to spew some crap about Ford in his column. If Leno was in the same situation he probably would have fixed it himself or had his garage staff fix it.

Quote:

Originally posted by BC_Shelby+January 26, 2006, 7:29 AM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(BC_Shelby @ January 26, 2006, 7:29 AM)</div><div class='quotemain'>Let's face it: the Mustang GT's live axle is not up to Laguna Seca so it was an unfair test to begin with. [/b]

The live axle isn't up to Laguna Seca huh? I guess those Mustangs that placed 1st, 3rd, & 4th at the Grand Am Cup Race last year at Laguna Seca didn't know that, seeing as they were beating BMWs and Porsches.
Mustangs finish 1st 3rd & 4th at Laguna Seca

<!--QuoteBegin-BC_Shelby@January 26, 2006, 7:29 AM
As for the rest of it, Clarkson likes to bash a lot of American stuff. It's his M.O. and he does it because readers find it funny...whether it's necessarily accurate or not (very often it's not).
[/quote]
He just doesn't like America or Americans,or American cars. He doesn't understand how America can dare to be different than Europe, so he trashes us. Leno understands that American car traits are different but doesn't judge:
<!--QuoteBegin-Leno
This is the American idea of a sports car. It tracks well and it does what Americans consider the way to go round a corner: in slow, and power out. The whole experience is fantastic. It rumbles with the right note, it pulls strongly, and it rides with enough firmness to make you feel you are not on standard American suspension.[/quote]

 

Too funny. Many English are like a lot of Americans - they think their country is the hub of the World ("World Champion White Sox"??? - don't remember how they did against the team from Botswana!). Makes you sick, eh?