NEW U.S. PREMIERE SEASON OF BBC AMERICA'S TOP GEAR

-Top Gear races across Japan, climbs the French Alps and fires a Mini Cooper off a ski jump in a Winter Olympics Special-

TopGear.com announced today, BBC AMERICA's International Emmy-winning car show, Top Gear, returns for a new U.S. premiere season and a Top Gear Winter Olympics Special. Hosts Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May bring their inimitable style, wit and enthusiasm to a new line up of cars and challenges. The new season features Richard racing an Audi against extreme skiers in the French Alps, a fox hunt Top Gear style and a race across Japan with Jeremy driving a Nissan GT-R versus Richard and James using Japanese public transportation, including the 200 mph Shinkansen bullet train.

Top Gear Winter Olympics Special premieres Monday, December 8, 8:00 p.m. ET/PT followed by the new season premiere Monday, December 15, 8:00 p.m. ET/PT.

The part factual, part entertainment hit series is full of extreme stunts, challenges and features taking extraordinary and ordinary cars to the limit and beyond. The Top Gear Winter Olympics Special sends the team to Norway where they attempt Olympic events - in cars. A rocket-powered Mini is fired off a ski jump, Jeremy and James tackle the biathlon with 4x4s, Richard stages a game of car ice hockey and the Jaguar XK races a speed skater.

In the season premiere, Jeremy, Richard and James look at fuel economy. First they find out how far five supercars can go on one gallon of gas. Then Jeremy compares the Toyota Prius with the BMW M3, to show that driving style can make a big impact on how much fuel is used. The hosts also make their own police cars from old clunkers and put them to the test in a police chase situation.

Rounding out the team is the silent and mysterious racing driver The Stig, who pushes cars and celebrities to their limits in �Star in the Reasonably Priced Car' challenge on the Top Gear test track.

The biggest and most popular car entertainment show in the world, BBC Worldwide recently launched TopGear.com for U.S. and Canadian fans. The site features classic video clips, a Top Gear America blog, community and contributions from hosts Jeremy, Richard, James and executive producer Andy Wilman.

American fans can now purchase and download Top Gear Season 10, available on the iTunes Store at a discounted price of $14.99 for the entire season.

BBC AMERICA brings audiences a new generation of award-winning television featuring news with a uniquely global perspective, provocative dramas, razor-sharp comedies and life-changing makeovers. BBC AMERICA pushes the boundaries to deliver high quality, highly addictive and eminently watchable programming to viewers who demand more. BBC AMERICA is distributed by Discovery Networks. It is available on digital cable and satellite TV in more than 62 million homes.

EPISODE SYNOPSES

Top Gear Winter Olympics Special

The team travel to Norway where they attempt Olympic events - in cars. A rocket-powered mini is fired off a ski jump, Jeremy and James tackle the biathlon with 4x4s, Richard stages a game of car ice hockey and the Jaguar XK races a speed skater.

Premieres Monday, December 8, 8:00 p.m. ET/PT

Episode one

Jeremy, Richard and James look at fuel economy. They find out how far five supercars can go on one gallon of petrol, the answer is not very, and Jeremy compares the Toyota Prius with the BMW M3 to show that driving style can make a big impact on how much fuel you use. The hosts are challenged to make their own police cars from old clunkers and put them to the test in a chase situation. Jeremy reviews the awesome lightweight Ferrari Scuderia. Comedians Alan Carr and Justin Lee Collins are the �Stars in a Reasonably Priced Car.'

Premieres Monday, December 15, 8:00 p.m. ET/PT

Episode two

Jeremy tests the new Mitsubishi Evo X against the new Subaru Impreza WRX STi on the Top Gear track. Richard races the new Audi estate against two skiers in the Alps and Jeremy road-tests the new Mercedes CLK Black. Actors Peter Firth and Rupert Penry-Jones (famous for playing spies in BBC's MI-5) are the �Stars in a Reasonably Priced Car'.

Premieres Monday, December 22, 8:00 p.m. ET/PT

Episode three

Jeremy tests the new Brooklands Bentley Super Coup� on the Top Gear test track. The producers set the hosts a challenge - each is to buy an old Alpha Romeo for �1000 or less and put them through a series of feared Top Gear tests - including a track day, featuring them in calendars and showing them at a concourse day where the motto is �a passion for perfection'. Actor-comedians Rob Brydon and James Corden (BBC's multi-award-winning Gavin & Stacey) are the �Stars in a Reasonably Priced Car'.

Premieres Monday, December 29, 8:00 p.m. ET/PT

Episode four

In a race across Japan, Jeremy Clarkson tries to prove that the technical tour de force that is the Nissan GT-R is faster than Richard Hammond and James May travelling on the ultra-efficient Japanese public transport, including the 200 mph Shinkansen Bullet Train. Jeremy also tests the beautiful new Alpha Romeo 8C on the Top Gear track.

Premieres Monday, January 5, 8:00 p.m. ET/PT

Episode five

Jeremy and Richard discover a new rural pursuit, fox-hunting Top Gear style. Jeremy and James show off and compare their Rolls Royce Corniche and the dictator-chic Mercedes �Grosser', both aging but massive luxury limos they bought for the price of a new Ford Mondeo. The Nissan GT-R wondercar gives Jeremy a thorough working over around Japan's legendary Fuji circuit, and entrepreneurs Peter Jones and Theo Paphitis venture out from the Dragons' Den to become the �Stars in a Reasonably Priced Car'.

Premieres Monday, January 12, 8:00 p.m. ET/PT

Episode six

Jeremy, Richard and James take on three German motoring rivals, including Nurburgring driving legend Sabine Schmidt, and face their toughest challenge yet. James chauffeurs some exceedingly large sumo wrestlers in some exceeding strange Japanese cars, and Richard attacks the test track in Mazda's remarkable Furai concept car.

Premieres Monday, January 19, 8:00 p.m. ET/PT