New York, NY – HISTORY® continues its phenomenal ratings success as the network finished season 2 of TOP GEAR, produced by BBC Worldwide Productions, with an overall season average of 1.9 million viewers, and 1.1 million in both the Adults 18-49 and 25-54 demos.  TOP GEAR season 2 saw an increase vs. Season 1 of 24% in the A18-49 demo, and continues to draw HISTORY’s youngest audience ever.

As a result of the success, the network plans to extend the season with eight new episodes and is already in production, set to premiere in early 2012.

The U.S. version of TOP GEAR showcases an offbeat celebration of automobiles and driving, and is hosted by comedian and car buff Adam Ferrara, champion rally and drift racer Tanner Foust and racing analyst Rutledge Wood.

New episodes feature even more exciting challenges, crazy antics and legendary vehicles. Highlights include the hosts attempting to chauffer celebrities to the 2011 Emmy® Awards in homemade stretch limousines welded out of bizarre vehicles; Adam and Rutledge finding a novel, if dangerous way to recharge electric vehicles while driving; Tanner becoming test driver as he travels to England to find out just how fast the fastest boutique car on the market – the half-million dollar Noble M600 – actually goes; the trio taking on America’s most dangerous cars; and more of the viewers’ favorite journeys through America’s landscape.

TOP GEAR is a produced by BBC Worldwide Productions and is a co-production between HISTORY and BBC Worldwide. John Hesling is Executive Producer. Executive producer for HISTORY is Russ McCarroll.