Su’s Favourite TV Car Shows

Truly interesting auto shows are few, and Automologist Su lists down the ones that are (or were) worth your time.

PIMP MY RIDE

Produced by MTV and presented by rapper Xzibit, with some help from Tim Westwood, Fat Joe and Lil Jon, Pimp My Ride went on air back in 2004, and is about a creative team of experts who takes car customisation to a whole new level. Some of the saddest vehicles on the road are made into unrecognisable swanky rides.

TOP GEAR

Out with the Old...

...in with the New.

This stunt-filled, often humourous motor show tests all sorts of cars, from the ordinary to the extraordinary, to see if they live up to their manufacturers’ claims. The very first episode aired on BBC channel on 20 October 2002. The long-running show travels to worldwide locations, and the featured cars are made to perform extreme stunts and challenges to test their full capacities. Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May hosted the show for more than a decade before the new crew - which includes actor Matt LeBlanc and Formula One veteran Eddie Jordan, led by TV personality Chris Evans – took over just recently in a reboot of the series.

MONSTER GARAGE

This show was produced for the Discovery Channel. Its first episode aired on 23 June 2002 and ended with its finale on 12 June 2006. Hosted by Jesse James, the game show features a group of people who have a passion for building, modifying or fabricating cars; they get the chance to create a “transformer” vehicle that can be turned into a completely different machine. If the design is successful, the crew gets a tool chest with US$3,400 worth of Mac tools. 

 

INSIDE WEST COAST CUSTOMS

Inside West Coast Customs was made famous by MTV’s Pimp My Ride. The car remodelling reality TV series first aired on 20 February 2011 and ended on 21 December 2014. It revolves around the famed car customiser, and CEO Ryan Friedlinghaus and his crew pushing the limits of custom car builds, oftentimes doing work for celebrity clients like Mark Wahlberg and Justin Bieber, to name just two. Each client gets something unique to match their personality, lifestyle or brand, which differentiates every episode.

AMERICAN CHOPPER 

American Chopper first aired on 31 March 2003 on the Discovery Channel. Paul Teutul and son Paul Jr. create some of the world’s most original custom motorcycles. Paul Sr. runs Orange County Choppers and Junior oversees his staff at Paul Jr. Designs. The shops are located in Orange County, New York, a stone’s throw away from each other, but sometimes it seems as if father and son are from different worlds. The cameras follow the hot-headed Teutuls as they struggle to remain on speaking terms while their shops rival in the designing and building of some of the most amazing custom bikes you’ll ever see.