‘Top Gear USA’: Adam Corolla and pilot studio audience spill the beans

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Worst-kept secret No. 749. Although not yet formally announced, NBC reportedly is creating an American version of the BBC’s popular ‘Top Gear’ automotive TV show. Last week, a pilot was shot in front of a studio audience and many audience members, who each signed nondisclosure statements, along with the host, comedian Adam Corolla, are spilling the beans on the cast and format all over the auto blogosphere.

They’ve just unplugged the last light and thrown the remaining paper coffee cups into the trash after filming ‘Top Gear USA: The Pilot.’ The presenting team are Carolla (providing the jokes), racing driver Tanner Foust and ‘TV construction guru’ Eric Stromer, who should raise a female pulse or two.

Following the format from the successful BBC series, NBC’s version even has the ‘Star in a Reasonably Priced Car’ segment. Every week, a different celebrity will drive the same vehicle (in this case, a Kia Rio) on the same test track and have their times posted on a board. For the pilot episode, the star was none other than David Hasselhoff. By all accounts, he delivered a great interview and his name will be at the top of the leader board for at least one week.

So, who would you like to see driving the reasonably priced car in an attempt to wrest the Hoff from his top spot? I think Frankie Muniz from ‘Malcolm in the Middle’ should be a contender, because he’s already competed in the Pro-Celebrity Race at the Long Beach Grand Prix. So has ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ star Patrick Dempsey. I’m sure you could come up with some others.

-- Colin Ryan