I’ve got an announcement to make: I’m making my own version of Top Gear, which will be licensed to MBC & sponsored by… Orange!
The host will be ME, accompanied by Mr. Captain Slow & our tame racing driver, The Stig’s Mauritian cousin… Our first episode will be aired at the end of year & here are the episode details:
- Old car challenge (Morris Minor)
- Mauritius Supercar Showdown - Ferrari F430 v/s Nissan GT-R R35 at Plaisance “racetrack”
- Epic race – Boat vs Car vs Public Transportation

Some say that he’s a 17th century Dutch experiment gone wrong… and that his favourite meal is the KFD (Kentucky Fried Dodo). All we know is… he’s not The Stig, but The Stig’s Mauritian cousin!

Лучшие снасти Россия

That stands for Top Gear Russia. Yeah, since Top Gear have allowed a Russian spin-off to be broadcasted, why not Top Gear Mauritius?

Top Gear USA was ok, Top Gear Australia was laughable… but Top Gear Russia!?!?! This is getting ridiculous!!! How many more Top Gear franchises are we going to have? What’s next? TG India? TG China? :(

Here’s the original post on TopGear.com:

Top Gear goes Russia

By the end of the year there will be a Clarksonov, Hammondchenko and Mayovski roaming the frozen steppes of Russia. Probably in Ladas.

Yes, there’s going to be a Top Gear Russia. Made in Russia for the Russians. A bit like the Aussie TG, but with more back-to-front letters and fewer boomerangs.

Everything’s a bit hush-hush at the moment, but we know that it’s going to run for 15 episodes initially, around the end of this year. The Russian Top Gear magazine has been doing well over there since its launch in 2004, so hopefully the locals will be familiar with TG’s ‘ambitious but rubbish’ philosophy.

First up, though, we’ve got to find the local presenters. Rumours that Clarkson, May and Hammond will be making a guest appearance clad in bearskin hats remain unconfirmed.

We can’t imagine there’ll be any shortage of candidates for the arduous job of thrashing supercars around the beautiful Russian outback. Or whatever the Russians call the outback.

There’s no word on what studio or test track they’ll be using yet, but we have glorious visions of a giant Russian Clarkson firing up a Murcielago in a decommissioned nuclear silo, surrounded by hoards of TG faithful wrapped up in layers of wintery clothes.

And bearskin hats. It’s all about the bearskin hats.

So what do we really know about the show? (Details leaked by a Russian insider on FinalGear forums)
- Track filming of russian version of Top Gear has begun in Moscow.
- 15 episodes – to be broadcasted on REN TV at the end of the year.

- Hosts - Nikolai Fomenko (actor, tv-host, motoracer and petrolhead) & Mikhail Petrovsky (auto-journalist and chief-editor of drive.ru) + 3rd unknown.
- The track is built on a place where a former trade fair used to be.
- A red sports LADA Kalinas is used as the SIARPC.
- Stars that appeared in track-runs are Yuri Grymov (films director), Masha Tsigal (fashion designer), Carina Cox ("Tutsi" music group), Demchenko (Olympic skeleton champion), Aleksey Mitrofanov (politician).
More info on: mytopgear.ru

Of course, the show will be in Russian… which is the perfect reason for not watching (subs will be available though). No offence meant to Russians, but I don’t think I’ll be able to stand it.

Btw all those Top Gear franchises are all doing the same mistake by copying TG UK - no one can replace the original presenters!!! :D