It was good news for Clarkson fans last week when it was revealed that the original Top Gear line-up were to reunite for a brand new car show. But hold your horses, the catch is you will have to subscribe to Amazon Prime in order to watch it. Former Top Gear producer Andy Wilman will join Clarkson, Hammond and May in a deal with a reported £160 million budget – we can’t wait to see how that gets spent! That is, if we pay out a £79 yearly fee and actually join Amazon Prime.
The Boys Are Back In Town
Top Gear fans seem to be divided into two camps: those who will join and pay, and those who want to see what the BBC actually do with the original Top Gear. Details about the new show are still sketchy at the moment. We know that car-mad Chris Evans is to front the show, a woman will join him, and that the “Star in a Reasonably Priced Car” will remain. But that’s about it.
Is It Even A Car Show Any More?
What it seems to boil down to is whether you’re after a genuinely good car show, or you’re a Clarkson et al fan. Top Gear has long been less of an automotive magazine show and more of a vanity project. Those who tune in are there to see three grown men muck around and play pranks on each other, not to learn about the latest car news. And it works, it’s entertaining and has a broad appeal beyond car nuts. And I think people are going to be signing up to Amazon Prime in their droves.
Free from the reigns of the BBC, who knows what high jinks they will get up to? And that huge budget is sure to spent in interesting ways. I think the curiosity of how Jeremy Clarkson will entertain us unbound by the Beeb’s restrictions will get the better of most of us.
What Else Can Prime Offer?
Of course joining Amazon Prime has more benefits than just getting to see Top Gear 2. There’s access to tons of other exclusive shows, free one day delivery on millions of items and Prime Music, an ad-free music streaming service. It’s a genuinely good product in itself, and might just sway the fence-sitter.
What do you think? Will you be shelling out to see what Clarkson does next? Let us know in the comments.
