History snags Britain's car-fan show 'Top Gear'

THE SHOW "Top Gear"

WHEN | WHERE Sunday at 10 p.m. on History

REASON TO WATCH Lots of horsepower . . . questionable decision-making.

WHAT IT'S ABOUT This car-enthusiast series has been a longtime hit in the U.K., and after thwarted stops and starts here (Discovery, NBC) it has finally arrived on this side of the lake. The U.S. format is roughly the same - wisecracking hosts who luxuriate over steel, pistons and power with unbridled passion bordering on lunacy. There's a studio audience who laugh at the jokes, and marvel at a mysterious pro circuit driver, known only as the Stig, who handles many of the test-track maneuvers. Stig stands above the audience immobile, imposing, and sheathed in a steel-gray jump suit, and huge helmet, looking very much like Gort, the robot in the 1951 classic, "The Day the Earth Stood Still."

On Sunday, the hosts - Huntington-born comedian/actor Adam Ferrara, stunt driver Tanner Foust and Speed Channel personality Rutledge Wood - throw to some pretaped pieces, including a race of sorts between a Dodge Cobra (or was it a Viper?) and an Air Force Bell Viper attack helicopter. Or was it a Bell SuperCobra?

MY SAY "Top Gear" is a show for people - OK, guys - who know and care deeply about the differences between a Lamborghini Murcielago, a Ferrari 612 Scaglietti, and a 2010 Lamborghini Gallardo. And . . . oh, what the heck, the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano, too. Mostly these guys love to fantasize what it must feel like to have the skin of their face pulled back nearly to the lobe of their ears as that 6.2-liter, 4-cam V-12 wrecking ball of a monster engine roars from 0 to 60 in (like) 1.2 seconds.

These fantasies are aided and abetted with remarkable skill by three hosts who have a stand-up mentality welded to an evident base of knowledge. They really do care about the Murcielago.

SEE PHOTOSTV shows that made an impact

Best of all, they have chemistry, and host chemistry on auto shows is about as rare as a 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spyder (sticker price: $10.9 million).

BOTTOM LINE Who knew beautiful, obscenely expensive cars could be so much fun? These three guys do, and they effortlessly convey their knowledge and nutty passion.

GRADE A