A biweekly roundup of automotive news, good, bad and just plain weird:
Is this the end for Top Gear?
Whether or not you're a fan of the BBC's Top Gear, it's certainly the best-known automotive show . . . in the world. However, a recent kerfuffle might just spell the end for the show — a somewhat ignominious end. A statement issued by the BBC this week indicated that lead presenter Jeremy Clarkson has been suspended indefinitely, and that the balance of the show's season is in jeopardy. The statement references a "fracas" that allegedly occurred between Clarkson and one of the producers on the show. Jeremy Clarkson is no stranger to controversy — rather the opposite. In fact, you might say that Clarkson and controversy are old friends and that the outspoken commentator has built his career on always appearing to stick his foot in his mouth.
Here though, he appears to have (allegedly) skipped the usual and instead stuck his fist in someone's face. That's not gone well.
At time of writing, rumours were further emerging that Clarkson would possibly not return to the programme even if the suspension was lifted. The situation has dismayed current Top Gear fans, and delighted Clarkson's critics.
The fact of the matter is, Top Gear long ago lost the rapscallious charm it once had, and has now become a hugely profitable juggernaut. Even if its time on the air is now at an end, we'll always have the old episodes.
Fiat version of MX-5 to be called 124 Spyder
Mazda's rather proud of their MX-5 roadster. "Look at us!" they say, "More than 25 years of motoring joy." Well that's all well and good, but other manufacturers have a far longer legacy of fun-to-drive little open-air cars. Granted, there was more than a little pain (read as: unreliability) mixed in with the pleasure, but judging by the success of Fifty Shades of Grey, the buying public seems to be into that sort of thing.
The new Mazda MX-5 (still called the Miata by many folks, including me) is flat-out excellent. Apart from the electric steering, which is something nobody seems to have figured out yet, it's both an improvement on the original and hasn't lost any of the magic. It's a lovely little car, just as it always has been. However, Fiat has a deal with Mazda around the MX-5's platform, and it's pretty interesting stuff. Building on that lightweight Mazda chassis, Fiat just announced that their version would be called the 124 Spyder, hearkening back to a gorgeous little Italian two-seater from the 1960s.
Perhaps Fiat's version of the Miata will get the turbocharged power so many have been aching for. An Abarth version is surely not out of the question. Whatever the case, this fusion of Italian style and Japanese reliability can't be anything but good news.
Honda CR-Z could go turbocharged
Excited about the new Acura NSX? I know I am, new Ford GT notwithstanding. I figure it'll retain some of that daily driveability of the original, and still provide thrills — an everyday answer to the million-dollar Ferrari LaFerrari (and with a less silly name, to boot). However, the twin-turbocharged mid-engined Acura is still going to be really expensive by the standards of most people. With Honda returning to Formula One racing and expanding their IndyCar efforts, what about ordinary fans of the brand?
This might do it: based on a chopped-down version of the next-generation Civic, a higher-performance version of the CR-Z is set to ditch its complicated hybrid powertrain in favour of some form of the 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine found in the currently Euro-only Civic Type-R. Ooh yes please — but it doesn't need to have the same 280 horsepower punch. A lightweight little 200 h.p. coupe that's a flyweight front-drive match for cars like the Juke Nismo RS and the Scion FR-S would be very interesting indeed, and just the comeback kid that Honda needs to stir up excitement in the youth market.
Meet the Congo's robot traffic lights Remember Robocop? Well apparently he got busted down to traffic detail, in the best traditions of all 1980s cop shows. Actually, these three new traffic circle robots are solar-powered, automated versions of the police officers who direct traffic in Kinshaa, capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Each has a green light mounted on each hand, and a red light on its chest — they swivel in place and let the cross-traffic flow.
They also appear to be wearing sunglasses, so perhaps the idea is that some sort of Terminator-like effect will take place and more people will obey the robots than a standard traffic light. Truth be told, we could probably use a few robo-lights around here. "Running a yellow? Hasta la vista, baby."
Watch this space for all the best and worst of automotive news, or submit your own auto oddities to [email protected] Follow Brendan on Twitter at @brendan_mcaleer.
