Top Gear Returns To US Screens: Worth A Watch Or Waste Of Time?

Joining Chris Harris to host Top Gear series 27 will be comedian Paddy McGuinness and former cricketer Freddie Flintoff. Neither McGuinness or Flintoff are well known outside of the UK, which could limit the show's international appeal. Despite this, the new series will still be shown in the USA. In the UK, Top Gear series 27 starts on June 16, but American viewers will have to wait a little longer as it won't premiere on BBC America until a month later on July 14th.

Following the recent teaser trailer, the Top Gear website has provided an extensive preview of series 27. As always, we can expect the usual mix of exotic cars, crazy challenges, and presenter banter. Episode one will feature a unique cheap car challenge tasking each presenter with buying a used example of their first car to then take on a grueling trip across Ethiopia.

Another challenge will feature an old hearse being converted into the ultimate family car (we already know how that ends) and an ultra-rare Matra Bagheera sports car enduring some brutal punishment in the Borneo rainforest. Flintoff will be competing in Iceland's extreme Formula Off Road, a form of motorsport in which thousand-horsepower trucks race to the top of vertical cliffs, and all three presenters build their own budget electric sports cars.

As for new car reviews, McGuinness will be testing the new Toyota Supra in a film culminating in a convoy of many modified old Supras, and Harris will also find out of the Tesla Model 3 lives up to its claim as the fastest car in its class. We're also looking forward to seeing Harris put the Ferrari 488 Pista and McLaren 600LT head to head. He'll also be taking the Dallara Stradale and the legendary Lotus 79 F1 car for a spin around the Top Gear test track.