When Jeremy Clarkson speaks up about a vehicle, the collective automotive world listens. The man has been doing it for some 31 years, so his words do have merit.
Unfortunately, the 2016 Vauxhall Astra SRi has come into his crosshairs in his latest list of “Terrible 10” vehicles for The Sunday Times. On the Astra, Clarkson writes:
It was red and turbocharged and it would be fine for anyone who needed four wheels and a place to sit down when moving about. And now I’m out of space, which is probably a good thing, because I have nothing else to say about it.
Not a particularly sour review, but it’s certainly not a pleasant one. The naming follows a surprise for Vauxhall, though. Previously, Clarkson named the Vauxhall Zafira Tourer to his top 10 list of vehicles for 2016.
Comments
The problem with Jeremy is he only likes high end cars. He hates anything American or American related. I think he is entertaining but he is totally unrealistic when it comes to cars for the average person.
And another thing … JC’s test of the new Astra was comprised solely of looking at the vehicle. He dis not physically drive it, let alone climb into it! For the testing week in question, he had a choice of two vehicles – Astra 1.6CDTi SRi or Aston Martin DB11. No surprises, he chose the latter. Even as the Griffin’s biggest fan, I sense I would have done exactly the same!
That said, Jezza recently came up trumps for the Opel/Vauxhall Zafira Tourer … listing it as one of his Top-ten drives of the year.
He has a love-hate relationship with GME … remember the Vectra air-valve dust-cap remover disaster, but equally, the simultaneous ‘Omega – most comfortable car to be in the back of’ endorsement.
Love the guy, love the cars … he’s there to entertain and don’t get hung-up about it!
What some of you miss is Jazzer is much more a entertainer than true auto reporter.
Yes he does review cars and claims to be an automotive enthusiast but he is as much or more an entertainer and that is why Top Gear used to work and now is a dismal failure.
Lets face it the Vauxhall is a car much like any other econo based car nothing exciting. it is not a bad car but that is about all you can say. He reports and entertains enthusiast and it is that.
The truth is He does like some American cars. But to be fair he has mocked just about any and every car on the road and about every country including England.
I would recommend reading the book about Top Gear that was released last year and it brings out the formula and some of Jeremy’s it history. It lifts the veil on just what is going on and why.
Jeremy is the Howard Stern of auto reporting. I would not take this too much to heart and just laugh with it.
I would follow the link to the story as it is a hilarious read.
As with Top Gear with the boys as well as their new show don’t take it too seriously as they don’t take themselves too serious.
Rocketman it is good to see you get it!!
A lot of people at Opel / Vauxhall worked their arses off for many years to bring the brands back from near death. The new Astra wins well-deserved accolades.
Mr. Entertainer (barely) shows up, takes a passing glance at the 2016 European Car of the Year, and inexplicably earns a living by shooting his uniformed mouth off, probably basing his opinion on something he heard about an Astra in 1993. Too lazy to take a real look or write a real review, yet he does some real damage.
It’s hard to build good things. What’s he ever done?