Top Gear Likes the Volt!?!

[SolarExec]

Wow, Jeremy Clarkson and the Top Gear crew are notorious haters of anything both automotive and green, I fully expected a scathing review. Not so. This was posted on the Top Gear web site.

http://www.topgear.com/uk/car-news/c...ear-2011-10-18

"In short, the Volt is a very pleasant surprise, proving that loving EVs doesn't mean you have to be a slave to them. At the very least, cars should offer a sense of unbounded possibility, which, thanks to pitiful range and little resources to sustain them, most EVs don't. This does."

"The world doesn't tumble out of the rear window when you prod the accelerator - 0-31mph takes 3.1 seconds - but it's endearingly pokey. That's 0.7 seconds slower to 50 km/h than the new Audi TT, and in complete silence."

[Brittt1]

Wow, Jeremy Clarkson and the Top Gear crew are notorious haters of anything both automotive and green, I fully expected a scathing review. Not so. This was posted on the Top Gear web site.

http://www.topgear.com/uk/car-news/c...ear-2011-10-18

"In short, the Volt is a very pleasant surprise, proving that loving EVs doesn't mean you have to be a slave to them. At the very least, cars should offer a sense of unbounded possibility, which, thanks to pitiful range and little resources to sustain them, most EVs don't. This does."

"The world doesn't tumble out of the rear window when you prod the accelerator - 0-31mph takes 3.1 seconds - but it's endearingly pokey. That's 0.7 seconds slower to 50 km/h than the new Audi TT, and in complete silence."

Wow, but it wasn't written or reviewed by Jeremy I wonder if he rode in it? but i'll take it, I was literally expecting a terrible review when they got their paws on one.

[wainair]

Say what you will about Top Gear but those guys are real car guys, and the Volt is a real car guys car. They've always given Eco cars a hard time because up to now they mostly have been horrible cars to drive in comparison to what you could get in a non-Eco car. Having just come from a long string of Eco cars I can tell you the Volt is pure luxury and driving pleasure! I haven't enjoyed a car as much since my 89 Supra Turbo! GM has really made a top rate car and even my favorite over opinionated boob of a car reviewer, Jeremy Clarkson, has to realize that too.

[larry4pyro]

I too was expecting the usual illogical I hate American I hate anything green review. Do you think there really might be something to the Volt???

[wadevolt]

Wow, Jeremy Clarkson and the Top Gear crew are notorious haters of anything both automotive and green, I fully expected a scathing review. Not so. This was posted on the Top Gear web site.

http://www.topgear.com/uk/car-news/c...ear-2011-10-18

"In short, the Volt is a very pleasant surprise, proving that loving EVs doesn't mean you have to be a slave to them. At the very least, cars should offer a sense of unbounded possibility, which, thanks to pitiful range and little resources to sustain them, most EVs don't. This does."

"The world doesn't tumble out of the rear window when you prod the accelerator - 0-31mph takes 3.1 seconds - but it's endearingly pokey. That's 0.7 seconds slower to 50 km/h than the new Audi TT, and in complete silence."

At the end of your message, you mentioned that you have Volts 1680 and 1704. I have Volt #1606, and I have been trying to figure out when it was built and delivered to the dealership in NC. I was not involved in that process because it was ordered by another person who decided not to buy it when it arrived. Do you know when your two Volts were built and delivered? If so, can you share that information with me?

[mflstc]

Say what you will about Top Gear but those guys are real car guys, and the Volt is a real car guys car. They've always given Eco cars a hard time because up to now they mostly have been horrible cars to drive in comparison to what you could get in a non-Eco car. Having just come from a long string of Eco cars I can tell you the Volt is pure luxury and driving pleasure! I haven't enjoyed a car as much since my 89 Supra Turbo! GM has really made a top rate car and even my favorite over opinionated boob of a car reviewer, Jeremy Clarkson, has to realize that too.

Amen to all that. I feel I am a car guy! I have been a motorhead many years and have all kinds of fast cars and muscle cars & luxury cars (2008 CTS) I feel the Volt is fun and just has it all!

[Matt979]

It was nice that they talk about the 0-30 Mph speed. The volt is so really fun to drive in 0-50 mph. You get great acceleration and its so silent in EV mode.

[beechnut]

Wow! I didn't expect that either. Did someone slip a Porsche or Ferrari badge on it without telling him?

[dsinned]

At the end of your message, you mentioned that you have Volts 1680 and 1704. I have Volt #1606, and I have been trying to figure out when it was built and delivered to the dealership in NC. I was not involved in that process because it was ordered by another person who decided not to buy it when it arrived. Do you know when your two Volts were built and delivered? If so, can you share that information with me?

On the frame around the Driver side door, there is a GM label that has each VOLT's Date of Manufacture, Month and Year. You can estimate that your car was delivered to your dealer within a month of the label's date.

[montgom626]

Say what you will about Top Gear but those guys are real car guys, and the Volt is a real car guys car. They've always given Eco cars a hard time because up to now they mostly have been horrible cars to drive in comparison to what you could get in a non-Eco car. Having just come from a long string of Eco cars I can tell you the Volt is pure luxury and driving pleasure! I haven't enjoyed a car as much since my 89 Supra Turbo! GM has really made a top rate car and even my favorite over opinionated boob of a car reviewer, Jeremy Clarkson, has to realize that too.

I agree, the Top Gear guys have hated the EVs they have tested for some good reasons. Folks dislike their honesty, but the pitiful sales of EVs have supported their views that many EVs are not ready for prime time. The Volt is in a group of one that is ready for prime time.