Top Gear 8pm

I did but had the common sense to set the Sky+ box up this week. Phew.

I actually cried with laughter when they were trying to get out of the carpark.

Ditto. And to make it even better they were pssing off a load of Frenchies :)

I'm liking the ST too

On tape as we went to the pub quiz to win more beer for Xmas. Now have 16 pints in reserve, and haven't bought a sunday night pint for

You're worried about an Alfa breaking, but you're buying an E36?

Jesus, you have so much to learn.

It's an ST, not an RS; The modern day equivalent of an XR.

Bad vamp, naughty Vamp. Please remember that they are s**te.

No they're not. You just don't like them :-)

Local polar ford dealer has new Focus ST demo car in. Nice Mango orange with Orange and black Recaros. I'm tempted to ask for a test drive. Should be a problem if I turn up in the Saab.

It's a car that I agree with Clarkson about. The Focus is already much less of a nonsense than the Astra and the handling of the Focus is IMO way better. So you start with a better base car. Rear view on the Focus is also much improved over the Astra, which has a view through the rear window that's as bad as that from the Lotus Europa - letterbox.

Focus has the Ovlov 5 cylinder motor which is decent to start with and it has as much oommph as anyone would want in a front wheel drive car.

Me too, at this rate I may move over to a Ford again for my next car :)

The only bit I don't like is the alloys, the look too much like TSW Venoms for my liking, although they are more subtle on the ST.

Even the Orange colour looks nice, I would have liked to see more of the car though, it seems Top Gear have forgotten about reviewing a car by showing nice shots of the inside/engine/wheels etc, and now just rag the shit out of it, too see how quick they can stove it, or blow it up.

Its more entertaining this way :-) I liked it when Hammond nearly chucked the Zonda, "Its supposed to have traction control!"

On the few bits I saw it seems to have standard Focus interior. Not that the Focus interior is that bad to start with. I've had a few on hire and prefer it to the interiors of the current Golf.

Interestingly I note the Telegraph stated that the Mondeo ST is the "the best sports saloon of it's size" and they were comparing it with Beemers in that statement. However they went on to say that blue badge snobbery will ensure that depreciation stays high and numbers sold relatively small. They predicted much the same for the Focus ST but I get a feeling they could well be wrong.

...which I did. Anyone know where it can be downloaded from? Mininova doesn't appear to have it yet :(

It's repeated tomorrow night

MOTORING: Top Gear

Channel: BBC 2 North 02

Date: Tuesday 29th November 2005

Time: 19:00 to 20:00 (starting in 1 day)

Duration: 1 hour.

VideoPlus: 9504

Motoring magazine presented by Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May. The chaps take their favourite supercars on a continental road trip - the Ford GT, Ferrari F430 and Pagani Zonda. Car cultures clash when the Austin Healey Sprite takes on a Peugeot 306, and the Focus ST takes to the track.

(Repeat, Widescreen, Shown Sunday, Subtitles)

Excerpt taken from DigiGuide - the world's best TV guide available from

Arent engine bays all plastic covers these days anyway? Although notice how they give shots of the big spangly engines - like the GT with is supercharger spinning away!

Eh? Did I nod off at some point?

Yea i was just trying to recall that?

They seem to have missed out the Sprite versus 306...