Top Gear is a BAFTA, multi-NTA and International Emmy Award-winning BBC television series about motor vehicles, mainly cars. It began in 1977 as a conventional motoring magazine show. Over time, and especially since a relaunch in 2002, it has developed a quirky, humorous style. The show is presented by Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, James May and The Stig, an anonymous test driver. The programme is estimated to have 385 million viewers worldwide.

Fifth Gear (formerly 5th Gear) is a motoring magazine show on British television channel Five. The programme is due to start its fourteenth series in August 2008. Fifth Gear has also aired on the SPEED Channel in the USA for a short period in 2006 to early 2007. Repeats of Fifth Gear also started airing on UKTV channel, Dave in April 2008. Fifth Gear first aired in 2002 as a replacement to the original incarnation of the BBC show Top Gear (as opposed to the current format), which was cancelled in 2001 due to low ratings. Five originally wanted to carry on using the Top Gear name, but the BBC refused. Several of Top Gear’s ex-presenters, including Quentin Willson, Tiff Needell and Vicki Butler-Henderson were hired by Five to present Fifth Gear. After the completion of Fifth Gear’s first series, the BBC relaunched Top Gear in a new hour-long format presented by Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and Jason Dawe (replaced after the first season by current presenter James May).

Australia’s own version of Top Gear hosted by Warren Brown, Steve Pizzati, and James Morrison.