Top Gear America is back and going to be living exclusively on the Motor Trend App. The three hosts picked to guide Top Gear in the United States are Dax Shepard, Rob Corddry, and Jethro Bovingdon. All three are known to be car enthusiasts

Jethro Bovingdon

Jethro is the most obvious from his time at Motor Trend. He is a cohost of Head 2 Head with Johnny Lieberman. Jethro has also driven in the Nurburgring 24 hours three times. He has class victories in each race. He has a fantastic understanding of car culture and the current state of what enthusiasts are seeking. Jethro is a perfect pick.

Dax Shepard

Dax has written and directed two movies that feature automotive: Hit & Run and CHIPS. The first movie, Hit & Run, was recently added back onto Netflix. It is a movie written to let Dax play with cars. I can respect that. Dax has a Buick Roadmaster with a supercharged LS swap, a suicide-doored Conti, and an LS-powered sand rail that can routinely be heard blasting Michael Jackson hits. Also, he has an E63 wagon. Dax likes gons. He is one of us, and he knows how to write comedy. There’s a scene in CHIPS that caused me to stop breathing for an entire minute due to laughter. I thought I was dying. 

Rob Corddry

Rob Corddry, actor, writer, & producer, is not best known for crashing an 80s Trans-Am into his garage, closing the door, playing “air piano & drums” to Home Sweet Home, and then passing out as he idles himself unconscious in Hot Tube Time Machine, but it did happen. The press release says that Rob has a 911 S (unknown model year) and a Datsun 280Z. Therefore he can’t be all bad, and he’s known to be an accomplished improviser. Maybe this show won’t feel like three presenters reading the show to us.

What matters here is if the producers of the show will let these three cultivate the chemistry that the audience demands — the chemistry matters. Adam, Tanner & Rut had started to perfect their chemistry. Just in time for the network to canceled Top Gear USA for the final time after season 6. Therefore I hope that the powers-that-be at MT/Discovery will give Dax, Rob, & Jethro the time they will need to become one. 

There is a void for a proper motoring show with the Grand Tour’s new format this year. I hope that this time, Top Gear America has gotten it right.

The new show will debut in spring 2020.