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.

The third episode of Top Gear Australia is now available for download.

EDIT: I just noticed that BiA opted for a 550MB rip. This is more in line with the bitrate of 350MB/42min rips of standard TV shows since Top Gear Australia has commercials. However I may release PiX’s “internal” 700MB release (which just came out moments ago) later this week if I can get my hands on it and if there’s any demand. We’ll see, but for now the 550MB rip will work just fine.

Here’s episode 3. Episodes one and two are also available.

And as usual, no rip of Top Gear Australia quite yet, so please be patient.

EDIT: This was the final episode of the three-part series.

Jeremy’s new DVD, Thriller, goes on sale on November 3rd.

Here’s a short trailer for it:

Jeremy was in a head-on collision according to The Mirror:

He suffered minor injuries to his legs, hand and back in the head-on collision during filming for the BBC show.

Clarkson, 48, said: “My right index finger looked like a burst sausage, my left shin was fatter than my thigh and my back felt like someone had driven over it with a pile-driver.”

The Mirror also has a quote though from Jeremy’s wife: “My husband is fine”. Whew.

Thanks to diti for the tip.

TopGear.com has officially confirmed that the next season of Top Gear will start on November 2nd, as we earlier deduced. A little under 23 days to go!

Anyway, the upshot is that Top Gear was going to be back on 26 October but then there turned out to be some sport on or something and as a result the new series will now start on Sunday 2 November.

Motor Trend has an interview with the American Top Gear host Eric Stromer. If you’re having doubts about him, it probably won’t address all of them but it does give you some insight into the guy and is worth a read.

Thanks to topgearfan1 for the tip.

The new TopGear.com has finally launched. It features nearly 300 videos (which I’ll be setting up links to shortly so you can just stream the segments you want), new blogs, a ton of car reviews, and so much more. It also seems they want to steal users back from us (oh no!) as they’ve added guides for each episode describing what was in each episode.

But seriously, it’s a great site and worth a visit if you’re bored at work (or even if you’re not) and wanting to watch some Top Gear.

Apparently this second episode was better than the first.

Since last week’s episode was so good I thought I’d continue torrenting the show for you all.

Top Gear Australia isn’t out yet, but we’ll have a torrent for you when it is.