Sabine Schmitz, Chris Harris may join Chris Evans on new Top Gear

By Stephen Edelstein Published December 23, 2015

A new version of Top Gear is set to launch in May with radio personality Chris Evans at the helm, but so far there’s been little news about who will host the show with him. It’s been presumed that the new Top Gear will have three hosts just like the old show, and a new report brings up some interesting possibilities.

Evans will be joined by Sabine Schmitz and Chris Harris, says The Telegraph. While they’re not exactly household names, the pair are very familiar to car fans. Automotive journalist Harris is primarily known for his YouTube videos, while Schmitz has a reputation as the queen of the Nürburgring, and previously appeared on Top Gear. She coached former host Jeremy Clarkson around the ‘Ring in a diesel Jaguar S-Type, then tried to beat him in a Ford Transit van, and appeared in a Top Gear vs. The Germans special.

Recommended Videos

Schmitz and Harris will also reportedly be joined by former Formula One driver David Coulthard. While all three definitely have the requisite car knowledge and driving skills, The Telegraph claims the producers are uneasy. Schmitz and Harris aren’t well known by the wider public, and some involved with the show reportedly believe Coulthard lacks on-screen charisma.

The new show’s executive producer, Linda Clark, also recently left after just five months on the job. She had replaced Andy Wilman, who left with Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May in the mass exodus last year. Clarkson was fired after he punched a producer, and the other hosts left along with him. The BBC quickly worked to relaunch Top Gear with Evans, a certified car fanatic in his own right.

The ousted Top Gear hosts will make a rival car show for Amazon Prime. Amazon reportedly paid around $250 million for 36 episodes over three years, outbidding Netflix and Apple for the trio. Rumors that the show will be called “Gear Knobs” remain unconfirmed. It’s expected to premier sometime next year.

Stephen Edelstein

Contributing Editor

Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…

Topics

Cars

This week in EV tech: Audi exemplifies auto industry’s EV holding pattern

Close-up of 2025 Audi SQ5 grille, headlight, and badge.

The road to the future runs through the present, and it’s not a straight line. This week, we’re focusing on how Audi is negotiating the twists and turns on the way to an electrified future. EVs are here to stay at Audi, but a gasoline crossover SUV is still the automaker’s bestselling model, and it’s not ready to risk those sales just yet. That’s why the 2025 Audi Q5 received a top-to-bottom overhaul for this model year, bringing its tech features and styling up to date without altering the what has proven to be a very popular package. By maintaining parallel lineups of electric and internal-combustion cars, Audi hopes to give customers more choices. But that doesn’t completely level the playing field. The new Q5 may have yesterday’s powertrain, but Audi isn’t holding back on tech. It features the same electrical architecture, operating system, and three-screen dashboard display as the latest Audi EVs, like the Q6 e-tron. So aside from a little engine noise, there’s little difference in what you can see and interact with from the driver’s seat. It’s not just the infotainment systems. The Q5 and Q6 e-tron are close in size, with similar space for passengers across their two rows of seats. The Q6 e-tron has a bit more cargo space, but not as much as you’d think given the lack of a bulky engine, transmission, and driveshafts. The two SUVs also have similar styling but, having now driven both, we can say that the Q5 is the more pleasant of the two.

More than a difference of powertrain tech

Cars

Take a peek inside the factory making tomorrow’s ride

A Zoox robotaxi.

Amazon-owned Zoox has opened its first facility producing fully autonomous robotaxis.

A video (above) released by the California-based company offers a peek inside the factory, which, when it reaches full capacity, could roll out as many as 10,000 autonomous vehicles per year.

Cars

The week in EV tech: 900 miles, 12 minutes—EV charging just hit warp speed

byd 900 miles 12 minutes seal

Welcome to Digital Trends’ weekly recap of the revolutionary technology powering, connecting, and now driving next-gen electric vehicles.
If you’re hesitant about electric vehicles (EV), it’s likely that your top concerns include how far you can drive in a single charge, how long it takes to charge the battery, and how much this advanced tech will cost you. And you're not alone.
According to Deloitte’s 2025 Global Automotive Consumer Study, nearly half of U.S. consumers (49%) still say that available battery driving range is their biggest worry about EVs. That’s followed closely by the time required to charge (46%) and the lingering cost premium (44%) associated with battery electric vehicles.
But that narrative may finally be flipping. Just this past week, two developments showcase how much EV technology has evolved over the past decade: China’s BYD is breaking new grounds on just how far you can drive an EV on a single 12-minute charge. Meanwhile, the Nissan Leaf, seen as the first mass-market EV in 2010, is getting an impressive upgrade even as it remains one of the most affordable options on the market.

BYD’s bold battery bet
Chinese auto giant BYD, already the world’s top-selling EV manufacturer, may have just redrawn the limits of battery performance. According to Chinese media, and other reports, the company is testing a new solid-state battery that can add 900 miles of range in just 12 minutes of charging.
Let that sink in. That’s nearly four times the range of many current EVs—enough to drive from New York to Chicago —and charging that’s as fast as a coffee stop.