[quote]'Top Gear' is in hot water again, with the headline-grabbing show now being sued by supercar company Tesla for defamation.
Back in 2008 'Top Gear' broadcast a race between the petrol-powered Lotus Elise S and the electric Tesla Roadster. During the test Jeremy Clarkson said the Tesla ran out of power after 55 miles, compared to the 211 miles claimed by the manufacturer.
The episode featured footage of the Roadster having to be pushed back into the garage, with Clarkson telling viewers: "It's just a shame that in the real world it doesn't seem to work."
Tesla complained about the show at the time, with the BBC admitting some of the footage was shot to show what could happen.
Tesla was placated… until this week. The Californian company said that they had to act, as the episode is still being repeated, available on DVD and streaming on Netflix in the US.
They said: "[The show] intentionally and/or recklessly, grossly misled potential purchasers of the Roadsters… Its reputation has been severely damaged."
A Tesla spokesman told the Daily Mail: "The BBC's conduct has given us no choice but to sue them and clear up their lies."
Tesla Motors Inc issued a writ at the High Court claiming defamation and malicious falsehood. They said the Roadster had been certified under a European Union regulation for measuring electric vehicle range at 211 miles.
'Top Gear’s allegations that the brakes had also broken were false, they claimed.
A BBC spokesman said: "We can confirm that we have received notification that Tesla has issued proceedings against the BBC."
It’s not the first time 'Top Gear' has faced condemnation. In January the Mexican ambassador Eduardo Medina-Mora Icaza complained after Richard Hammond described Mexicans “lazy, feckless, flatulent [and] overweight”.[/quote]
[url]http://uk.tv.yahoo.com/news-extra/article/135376/top-gear-sued-over-rigged-test.html[/url]
What is the point of suing? Two Teslas broke down during that test... what did they want them to do, persuade people to buy them? It's a friggin' car review show you wassack. :colbert:
boo hoo they got a bad review.
Also being that the test was broadcast first 3 years ago... it is a bit late. Maybe sending a newer model for them to review would be the wise thing to do.
[QUOTE=Barnhouse;28893718]boo hoo they got a bad review.[/QUOTE]
Did you know that impacts sales if it's rigged ?
[QUOTE=Barnhouse;28893718]boo hoo they got a bad review.[/QUOTE]
Molotov them.
does top gear rig it's tests :ohdear:
i never watch the show much so
[QUOTE=Wii60;28893766]does top gear rig it's tests :ohdear:
i never watch the show much so[/QUOTE]
They do rig races I think. But car tests.... I think not. :frog:
[QUOTE=AK'z;28893739]Also being that the test was broadcast first 3 years ago... it is a bit late. Maybe sending a newer model for them to review would be the wise thing to do.[/QUOTE]
The point is that the episode is being released again.
[QUOTE=SSBMX;28893777]The point is that the episode is being released again.[/QUOTE]
No, the original unit failed. Thus what makes it illegal for that episode to be shown again?
Legit review, they won't win jackshit.
Top Gear rig everything. And I still don't give a shit. I love it.
[QUOTE=AK'z;28893796]No, the original unit failed. Thus what makes it illegal for that episode to be shown again?
Legit review, they won't win jackshit.[/QUOTE]
I am not taking a side, I am just saying that is why Telsa is bitching.
Taken from a show that barley reviews cars and just does thee things for shits and giggles, wow.
What a [i]shocking[/i] turn of events..
[QUOTE=Netsc;28894051]What a [i]shocking[/i] turn of events..[/QUOTE]
But Tesla didn't [I]set off many sparks[/I] to begin with... they used laptop batteries.
[QUOTE=AK'z;28894077]But Tesla didn't [I]set off many sparks[/I] to begin with... they used laptop batteries.[/QUOTE]
Rather [I]flat[/I] of them.
[QUOTE=MachiniOs;28894105]Rather [I]flat[/I] of them.[/QUOTE]
They ran down on [I]power[/I] what did you expect?
regardless, all electric cars should get better publicity
[QUOTE=Nightsure;28893932]Taken from a show that barley reviews cars and just does thee things for shits and giggles, wow.[/QUOTE]
some people take things that aren't supposed to be taken seriously, seriously. Just like people think Zero punctuations reviews seriously, and not from a comedic standpoint. Same thing applies too top gear here.
They admitted that running out of power was faked, and I tend to side with tesla that the brakes didn't fail seeing as that is extremely rare for any car, much less an expensive one such as the roadster.
They have been hurt financially with false information. This is a valid case.
[QUOTE=GunFox;28894391]that is extremely rare for any car[/QUOTE]
Fair enough. I struggle to see how they'll manage to win though.
Even if they win the case it wont dent Top Gear due to it being BBC's most popular show because they've sold it to loads of countries.
[quote]with the BBC admitting [b]some of the footage was shot to show what could happen[/b][/quote]
Since it was presented as what [i]did happen[/i], I think Tesla Motors has a perfectly legitimate case here. Top Gear may be a comedy show first and foremost but they can't spread falsehoods and expect to get away with it.
Top Gear should make another review of Tesla Roadster and cut the old ep from DVD.
We get extra ep, Tesla get free advertising, Top Gear crew gets money for another ep, BBC already rakes in cash so they don't care.
All happy? :allears:
tesla are going bust
so they need the money
[QUOTE=Zeke129;28894530]Since it was presented as what [i]did happen[/i], I think Tesla Motors has a perfectly legitimate case here. Top Gear may be a comedy show first and foremost but they can't spread falsehoods and expect to get away with it.[/QUOTE]
Yeah, they should've made it look like it could happen but at the end just tell the audience it was joke and they didn't really ran out of power.
Don't know why they did what they did.
[QUOTE=DrBreen;28894166]regardless, all electric cars should get better publicity[/QUOTE]
not until they're good
A defamation case has ground if the attacks are false. If they did fake the miles and brakes Telsa does have a case. But it will mostly likely just reach a settlement.
I love Top Gear. It's just that they're a bunch of pricks and they deserve everything coming to them.
[QUOTE=Mr. Scorpio;28895111]I love Top Gear. It's just that they're a bunch of pricks and they deserve everything coming to them.[/QUOTE]
Their agenda when it comes to electric cars is pretty well known, I'm not surprised they'd lie about one.
[QUOTE=Zeke129;28895310]Their agenda when it comes to electric cars is pretty well known, I'm not surprised they'd lie about one.[/QUOTE]
yeah so
the kkk's agenda against black people is well known, doesn't mean we let it slide when they burn crosses on people's lawns
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