We’ve had unconfirmed rumors of a Russian version of Top Gear on our forums for about a month now, but none of us were quite sure what to make of them. Well things have become even more confusing after this article was posted to a Russian F1 news site. Here’s the Google translation:

TV REN TV and BBC Worldwide Television officially reported the signing of an agreement on the manufacture and launch local version of Russia legendary TV show «TOP GEAR»!

Russia became the third after the United States and Australia, a country which has won the right to produce a successful TV show!

Create a Russian version of «TOP GEAR» will be the «Real World Production», with which TV channel REN TV is working on other successful projects essential – cooking academy «Dinners», etc. The agreement is the largest of the previously signed with BBC Worldwide TV channel REN TV and the first between BBC Worldwide and «Real World Production».

At the moment undergoing major casting lead. However, it is safe to say that regardless of personalities, REN TV television viewers have already heard this fall bold views on the latest cars, enjoy the fantastic tryukami performed by the best test of peace and appreciate the comic scenes in the performance of leading.

Since the original episodes «TOP GEAR» were shown in more than a hundred countries, including Australia, USA and France. Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May became world-renowned Television.

Adam Veddell, managing director of «TOP GEAR» (BBC Worldwide): «TOP GEAR some time already went on Russian television, a Russian version of the magazine became a success immediately after its launch in 2004. So it is logical that the Russian audience sees REN TV broadcasts in the Russian version of the TV show. The trio of leading Russian and unique scenery enable us to assert that Russian television viewers will watch it with the same enthusiasm with which the watch TOP GEAR worldwide! »

Before the premiere is quite a bit! «TOP GEAR» starts on REN TV 15 November, 2008!

I’m personally still very highly skeptical as we haven’t heard anything about this from official sources, but your thoughts are welcome in our Top Gear Russia thread on our forums.