This wouldn't be happening unless the BBC is giving us something that is lacking from domestic productions.

Same argument for anime. With few exceptions domestic animation lacks the depth to be entertaining, to get the good stuff we have to look to Japan.

I checked out a few Top Gear episodes on YouTube and on BBC America. Awesome show, and I'm not even a "car guy"! My fave is the one where they tried to kill an 80's-era Toyota truck, including letting it get washed out to sea at high tide and putting it on top of a tall building, which they then blew up. They did all that and more... and failed They were able to drive it away from every stunt with only minor repairs that were performed at the site (i.e., nothing that required a trip to the repair shop).