Top Gear may be known for its celebration of the supercar, but bosses have said it must change to reflect the concerns of its recession-hit audience.
Executive producer Andy Wilman said Top Gear could not ignore BBC budget cuts that were mooted at the end of 2008.
At the time, main presenter Jeremy Clarkson vowed to keep on with the show's staple high-octane stunts - such as playing conkers with caravans - until the money ran out.
But according to Wilman - who with Clarkson brought the show back to TV screens in 2002 - mega-expensive supercars will be traded in for more reviews of city cars like the new Toyota IQ, in a move to reflect changing tastes among car buyers.
And the producer - who was recently unmasked as a sensible Honda Jazz driver - even revealed he was keen on doing a 'Boring Top Gear', with practical advice rather than pyrotechnic tomfoolery.
"This series we were going to do a really big road trip film with a Lambo and a Porsche," he told The Independent.
"Now it will be cars like the Toyota IQ because they're smart and clever and you can sense that mood."
