The series of strong contests is in the 27th season, with Freddy Flintoff, Chris Harris and Paddy McQueenis entering a new struggle by offering a private electric car. Now, each faces the challenge of building a battery-powered sports car and competition will probably be strong. On the other hand, Chris is tasked with introducing the Tesla 3 model to turn the test on to a serious challenge.
Flintoff and McGuinness are by no means Formula One-grade banterers - but they're revving up nicely. And Top Gear may not be for the scrap heap just yet.
It was better than expected because you could believe this trio were real mates, even though you knew it was a TV Tinder date. Thus far I rather "likey", but since I am definitely not the traditional, hardcore audience, that might not bode well.
This format died when Chris Evans took over. Now it's zombified. Surely the BBC execs hurling money at it, with the trio enjoying a lengthy junket to Ethiopia, must see that this is undead TV.
It shouldn't work. But amazingly... it does. Chris Harris (the only full-on car expert), Freddie Flintoff and Paddy McGuinness gel as a trio in a way that might just restore the sense of lads-tooling-about that made the series a hit to begin with.
Based on this first episode though, the BBC programme looks to be back on track with a winning formula, combining the bits viewers love with some genuine charm.
Top Gear's great success lay in its appeal to viewers who didn't care about cars. It was crowdpleasing fare; it went nowhere, fast. On this showing, it's not going anywhere soon.
Top Gear felt freewheeling and unpredictable again. I found a grin spreading across my face and even laughed aloud. Flintoff and McGuinness promise to make this floundering franchise the best it's been since the Clarkson era.
