Product Details

• Directors: Brian Klein, Phil Churchward, James Bryce
• Format: AC-3, Box set, Color, Dolby, Full Screen, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 5.1)
• Subtitles: English
• Subtitles for the Hearing Impaired: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
• Number of discs: 3
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: BBC Home Entertainment
• DVD Release Date: June 12, 2012
• Run Time: 406 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (32 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B007Q0JHYC
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,805 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

What makes Top Gear such fantastically entertaining television is that it is only in the loosest sense a show about cars. In truth, it's a forum for three delightful Brits to bicker, snipe, and compete with each other as they drive cars hither and yon. Jeremy Clarkson (tall, hefty, urbane, and witheringly witty), James May (understated and sturdy, referred to as "Eeyore" by the others at one point), and Richard Hammond (short and wiry, packed with irrepressible energy) are just about the perfect guys to hang out with--they combine enthusiasm for cars with a gleeful desire to poke fun at each other using dry but infectious humor. Each episode follows a regular pattern: a test drive of a snazzy new vehicle (a Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale, a Vauxhall Corsa VXR Nurburgring, a Fisker Karma, a KTM X-Bow, and many more), a spot of car news (which is really just an excuse for them to toss out competing hyperbole), and having a celebrity drive a reasonably priced car (including will.i.am, Michael Fassbender, Dr. Who's Matt Smith, Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash, Ryan Reynolds, and Matt LeBlanc, who proves himself a pretty good driver). Then the rest of each show is filled out with a bit of variety, which could be launching a car with an air cannon, racing wheelchairs, exploring the obsessiveness of Saab engineers, critiquing the Chinese car industry, and having AC/DC's lead singer Brian Johnson drive an electric car. But perhaps the most enjoyable episode is the special in which they take three British-made cars--a Jaguar, a Rolls-Royce, and a Mini Cooper--to India to improve Anglo-Indian relations… and generally demonstrate that, while they know everything about cars, they know almost nothing about anything else. Top Gear combines the glossy cinematography and razzle-dazzle editing of a car commercial with the rapid-fire dialogue of clever Brits… and really, what more can you want? This is entertainment in its purest form. Sheer delight. --Bret Fetzer

Product Description

In season 18 of the world's most extreme car show, Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May visit India as they attempt to promote British trade armed only with three old cars, a badly behaved lawnmower and a trouser press. They also drive supercars across Italy, make a movie car chase, re-invent the mobility scooter, get soaking wet in track day cars, go motor racing for less than the cost of playing golf, investigate the Chinese car industry, immerse themselves in the world of NASCAR, and drive a brand new Ferrari through a snow field. Plus, The Stig hits the test track in the Mercedes SLS Roadster, BMW M5, Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale, and an insane pre-war Bentley powered by a 27-litre Spitfire engine, and the Reasonably Priced Car feels the raw driving power of stars including will.i.am, Ryan Reynolds, Slash, Matt LeBlanc, Michael Fassbender and Matt Smith.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Top Gear Season EVER - But why NO BLU RAY?? June 5, 2012

By Deborah K. Polk

Format:DVD

After suffering a less than glowing reception for their India Special Top Gear came back guns blazing! It was a solid season about cars - and just enough of the fluff that we love to make it entertaining - but not TOO sweet! My problem is - after being an avid TG head for several years now and making the sizeable investment into their Blu Ray offerings - BBC has decided NOT to release this season in BR. I'm disappointed - and by the chatter on the net - I'm not the only one. TG is visually a treat for the eyes - it's truly beautiful to behold. And the quality of the BR picture only showcased the talents of the hosts and the incredible production team. I will wait to purchase in the hopes that the BBC comes to their senses and releases this season - along with those to come - in the high quality BR format.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Season June 9, 2012

By Kris128183

Format:DVD

Season 18 of Top Gear begins with the India Special as the trio travel across India to promote the U.K. As always, almost everything that could possibly go wrong does go wrong. But in a comical way in Top Gear tradition. Then series continues with 7 more episodes that include: filming a car chase for a movie, a look at China's car industry, a Supercar trip to Italy, a test of Track cars, a look at Chris Evan's collection of Ferraris, Richard's foray into NASCAR and much more. The celebrity interviews in this season include Matt LeBlanc, Will.i.am, Ryan Reynolds, Slash and Formula One driver Kimi Raikkonen. With 7 episodes plus a special this was the most action packed season of Top Gear in about 3-4 years. In the bonus features there's an episode of the American Top Gear. The first episode from season 2 in which the guys find cheap alternatives for pickup trucks in Texas. It's nice that this episode was included because season 2 of the US Top Gear is still not on DVD for some reason. Great DVD for fans of the show and it will provide hours of laughs and entertainment.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great DVD! November 30, 2012

By Matthew Windham Hillis

Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase

Top Gear Season 18 is fantastic, as usual, but the only complaint I have about these US DVD's is that they change the original music seen on the UK version. That's not a huge deal but it's always disappointing to miss "The A-Team" soundtrack when they're modifying the cars, etc. Overall if you like Top Gear, fast cars, or British humor, you can't go wrong!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars ONE OF THE BEST October 21, 2012

By mandy

Format:DVD

Although, difficult to choose, I believe Top Gear Season 18 is quite possibly my most favourite season so far (Seasons 11, 12 the one in Vietnam and 13, the one with the Aston Martin Vantage - amazing, are all very highly recommended). This season has everything in it, certainly one to buy. I didn't like Season 16, I thought there were too many stupid challenges (including someone being tatooed in a car going cross-country).

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars How Hard Can It Be? September 3, 2012

By R. Morgan

Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase

Nearly all episodes of this season are hilarious, definitely worth owning. I saw the episodes on BBC America TV prior to purchasing but seeing them again without the dreaded, numerous commercials was a treat -- almost as if seeing them for the first time. The India visit was LOL and the Italian challenges were informative as well as amusing. I only wish that, after going all the way to China, that this segment would have been longer.
This season definitely ranks in the top 5 of all seasons.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Show But the BBC Scewd up the overall package Again! September 28, 2012

By Elite Guard 01

Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase

Top Gear UK is the best show on TV hands down. Season 18 delivers everything you could ever want from a TV show about cars. They give honest, and colorfully worded car reviews on almost all the latest sports cars, and occasionally normal cars too. They compare the various cars by seeing which can go round their track fastest in the hands of their tamed racing driver the Stig. The cheep car challenges they do are always fun and often outrageously funny. The cinematography is in a class of its own! The camera men really know how to shoot beautiful, artistic pictures, make the cars and what ever else they aim their cameras at look simply stunning, and will often leave you in aw even if you don't like cars. Add that on top of grade A comedy from the Hosts Clarkson, Hammond, and May and you have a show like nothing else on TV. However in order to enjoy it in its fullest potential you have to watch it when it airs in the UK, because if you wait till the BBC puts it out on DVD, you will miss stuff that was actually aired.

In my experience If there is one consistency with BBC DVDs of Top Gear its that they always change the music to just about everything they don't care to buy licensing for. They have done this on every Top Gear season DVD by changing the music in each episode from what was actually aired on television. In some seasons they even cut out scenes, usually the news segments in earlier seasons and various bits of their specials.

In this season (18) in particular the worst and most obvious offense to this is when the Top Gear boys decided to play the Beatles "Hey Jude" in the India special. First they completely removed a scene where they were singing "Hey Jude" on the train(rather poorly) and got everyone else on the train to sing along with them.... Then later during their garden party the trio of hosts singing of "Hey Jude" was replaced by a completely unreal sounding sound track of "Sewing the seeds of love" which I distinctly remember was not originally aired. Not only that but you could totally tell that it wasn't the Top Gear boys singing nor that it was the song they were singing and I'm pretty sure that instruments that they weren't using were also being played in this sound track. And then of corse they changed the credits tune from the actual Beatles "Hey Jude" to "Sewing the Seeds of Love" by someone I have never heard of. There are numerous other examples of this "music replacement" through out Season 18 and other seasons as well during car reviews, challenges and other specials (Vietnam being another good example) or when ever you hear music playing 70% of the time it isn't what was originally aired.

I am really getting sick of the BBC cutting corners with the music in the Top Gear series! Why the rich and powerful BBC cannot afford to let three people sing such a popular and commonly known song as "Hey Jude" more than once on TV is beyond my understanding! I would think that If they could air it that way they could keep it that way on the DVD!

Also to add Insult to injury they added another episode of Top Gear U.S.A. to the bonus features disc in attempt to promote the worst show the History Channel has ever aired!! If I had wanted to watch some urban hillbillies mimic, disgrace and generally crap all over the Top Gear name I would've bought the first season of Top Gear U.S.A. which ignores many Top Gear traditions! Its like the BBC is spitting on its paying customers and overall audience!

The DVD case lay out requires you to take out multiple disks to get the bonus disk out so points off for that. Also this product is not in HD so those who have thrown out your good old tube TVs and got a new digital flat TV are going to get a lot pixilation and blurry image resolution. Top Gear UK is the best, but once again the BBC cut corners as usual and as a result delivered an imperfect product that could have easily been perfect! Read more ›

5.0 out of 5 stars Gear head June 5, 2013

By Big love

Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase

Fast cars, junk cars, road trips and challenges all so funny and sometimes gives me a side ache.. Keep it up

5.0 out of 5 stars Great show May 26, 2013

By brianna bartness

Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase

I ordered this season for my fiancé for his birthday as he is a Top Gear fanatic and it arrived quickly and in new condition. He is very happy to be an owner of this show.