Since its revamp in 2002, Top Gear (UK) has developed a number of notable features and regular segments throughout the show's run. The show has roughly stuck to its original magazine format; it often consists of at least two or three "films", one of which will usually be a car that is reviewed in a semi-serious fashion and then put around the track by the Stig. Also seen in most regular episodes are a news segment and the Star In A Reasonably-Priced Car interview. The show will occasionally break format and feature one long film, always revolving around a big trip overseas.
Below are the bits that are the most frequently seen, along with examples of how far the show will go to prove how ambitious (but rubbish) they can be.
The following are typical segments featured on Top Gear:
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Races
Not just simple car vs. car races, but such unlikely contests as :
- Car (Bugatti Veyron) vs. fighter jet (RAF Eurofighter Typhoon). Hammond drove the Veyron in this challenge, making him the last of the three to try it and the only one to lose his challenge. The car did one mile, there and back, horizontally. The plane did its mile vertically. (Series 10, Episode 3)
- Car (Ferrari 612 Scaglietti) vs. commercial airliner/public transport from Dunsfold Aerodrome to Verbier, Switzerland. In one of the most ludicrously unlikely (and hysterical) moments of the series, May and Hammond arrived in Verbier and were yards from the finish when Clarkson drove past them on the town's high street. May and Hammond would probably have won handily if the destination hadn't been about the only ski resort in Switzerland without a rail service... (Series 5, Episode 8)
- Car (Bugatti Veyron) driven by Clarkson vs. private plane (Cessna 182) flown by May, with Hammond riding shotgun. The objective was to deliver a truffle from Alba, Italy, to a restaurant in Tower 42 in London. The car won, possibly because May did not have his instrument rating and therefore could not fly after dark. Additionally, Hammond and May had a late start due to May's pre-flight checks, and a whole lot of problems with their airways clearances resulted in them taking the long way around the Alps. It was a very close result nonetheless. (Series 7, Episode 5)
- Car (Aston Martin DB9) vs. passenger train (Eurostar and TGV). Clarkson is in the car, while Hammond & May are in the train. The route took both parties from the Top Gear studios in Dunsfold to Monte Carlo. Clarkson won by a few minutes. (Series 4, Episode 1)
- Car (Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren) vs. Cruise Ferry. Clarkson (in the car) would race Hammond and May (who primarily used a cruise ferry) from London to Oslo. Clarkson wins the race in an odd twist of fate. The powerboat Hammond and May used to get from Kristiansand to Oslo broke down in the rough sea, so Hammond and May had to switch to the camera crew's boat. Then, after pushing the boat in the final stretch of the race, the boat's rib cracked, forcing them to disembark. Problems with the language barrier, not knowing the exchange rate, and finding a bus to Oslo meant that Clarkson not only won, but flew back to England, went home, and was in the middle of supper before Hammond and May even arrived at the finish line. (Series 6, Episode 6)
- Car (Ford SportKa driven by May) vs. racing pigeons. The fastest pigeon arrives 55 minutes before James arrived (May lost 25 minutes trying to figure out the Ford's sat-nav), with 13 other pigeons arriving in between. (Series 4, Episode 4)
- Car (Mazda MX5) vs. racing greyhound. Despite Hammond's insistence that he was using the ancient Japanese art of Beatidogu, the greyhound won. (Series 7, Episode 6)
- Car vs. traceurs. Captain Slow was soundly defeated — by the time he arrived, the freerunners had managed to climb almost to the top of the building. (Series 8, Episode 7)
- Car vs. rock climbers. On the way up, the climbers beat Clarkson by a couple of minutes. On the way down...the climbers used a parachute.
- Car (Fiat Nuova Panda) vs. marathon runner (A.C. Muir): Clarkson raced the marathon runner across London during rush hour...and lost. (Series 6, Episode 7)
- Car (Hammond) vs. speed boat (May). Richard thought he had won until James put down the newspaper that was covering his face. (Series 12, Episode 5)
- Car vs. bike vs. boat vs. public transportation: May (car), Hammond (bike), Clarkson (boat), and The Stig (public transportation) see who can cross London the fastest during morning rush hour. Hammond arrived first, then Clarkson, then the Stig. Of course, that means the car came last, prompting Clarkson to tell May that he ruined Top Gear. (Series 10, Episode 5)
- Car (Nissan GT-R driven by Clarkson) vs. Japanese bullet train (ridden by Hammond and May) Clarkson initially held the lead until he accidentally turned his satnav off while he was in Tokyo, costing him 45 minutes trying to turn it back on as the satnav system only spoke in Japanese. As a result of the satnav gaffe, May and Hammond now had the advantage until they got separated due to Hammond missing a train, while Clarkson managed to close to gap significantly after he successfully avoided the heavy traffic in Tokyo. They were neck-and-neck until the final stretch, which was essentially a footrace from different sides of an island to a statue at the top. Clarkson won by a few minutes. (Series 11, Episode 4)
- Economy Run to Blackpool (Jaguar XJ Diesel vs. Volkswagen Polo BlueMotion vs. Subaru Legacy Diesel). The presenters are instructed to drive 750 miles from Basel, Switzerland, to Blackpool, England on a single tank of fuel; the winner would have the honor of switching on the Blackpool Illuminations. Hammond (in the Polo) arrives first, with Clarkson (in the Jaguar) following less than a minute later despite trying to waste fuel and lose the race. Clarkson and Richard argue over who should switch on the lights, and in a fit of frustration, The Stig does it for them. May arrived 40 minutes after the event ended. (Series 12, Episode 4)
- 1949-era "Race to the North" (Jaguar XK120 vs. Vincent Black Shadow motorbike vs. 60163 Tornado steam train). The car won, with May driving; the train (with Clarkson) was a close second. The bike stopped after a fuel tank error and wasn't able to finish in time. The race was hard on two of the presenters, with Hammond winding up cramped and uncomfortable and Clarkson (who had been shoveling coal for the train) collapsing to the floor upon arriving and remaining there until May revived him with beer. (Series 13, Episode 1)
- Car vs. Parachutist: Hammond, driving a 4 X 4 Porsche Turbo, raced a Red Devil Parachutist using a "flying suit" to glide his descent at well over a hundred MPH. The Red Devil has to pop a regular chute at the end, obviously. Hammond lost, but it was an amazingly close race.
- Car (Porsche Panamera) vs. the postal service: Hammond and May (driving in shifts) tried to see if they could beat a letter posted in the Scilly Isles to its destination address in the Orkneys. They lost. (Series 13, Episode 4)
- Car (Clarkson in a V8 MK IV Jaguar XJ) vs. God: Clarkson left England's most westerly point, Land's End at sunset, with the aim of reaching England's most easterly point, the town of Lowestoft, before sunrise. During the Summer Solstice. Clarkson won. (Series 16, Episode 6)
- People carrier races (Renault Espace vs. Toyota Space Cruiser, vs. Renault Espace, vs Mitsubishi Space Wagon, vs. Toyota Previa, vs. Nissan Serena). This race featured 5 BTCC drivers, along with Hammond (in the silver Espace). The red Espace wins, and Hammond places second in the silver Espace. (Series 5, Episode 5)
- Motorhome races (Ford Midas vs. Mitsubishi L300, vs. Toyota LiteAce, vs. Chevrolet motorhome, vs. Fiat Ducato MV70 Globetrotter, vs. Ford Transit). Much like the people carrier race, this race features 4 BTCC drivers along with Hammond (in the Midas) and May (in the Transit). The day before the race, the drivers were given the choice of either stripping out the car's furnishings and having a bad night's sleep, or having a good night's sleep but leaving the extra weight in the car. Only May took the latter choice, and he unsurprisingly lost by miles. The Toyota won, with Hammond's Midas literally disintegrating and the Fiat rolling over while finishing. (Series 10, Episode 6)
- Bus races (double decker vs. single decker, vs. a shuttle bus, vs. two "bendy buses''); all in the name of finding the best bus for London city streets. Like the motorhome and people carrier race, it featured several BTCC drivers; although this time only Hammond took part in the race, driving one of the bendy buses. Of course a huge part of the fun was wondering when the driver of the double decker was going to roll his bus over. The single-decker won. (Series 12, Episode 5)
- Airport vehicle races (airport fire truck vs. a catering truck, vs. the mobile stairs, vs. a "bendy" shuttle bus, vs. a baggage train, vs. an aircraft tug). Like the people carrier, bus, and motorhome race, it featured BTCC drivers. Hammond was driving the fire truck. The fire truck wins after the catering truck rolls over after the driver forgot to lower the storage box back to its position in an attempt to reduce weight. (Series 14, Episode 4)
- Taxi races, featuring vehicles from around the world, including the classic London Black Cab (England), the Crown Victoria (USA), the Volkswagen Beetle (Mexico), the Mercedez-Benz E-class (Germany), the Hindustan Ambassador (India), the Toyota Hiace (South Africa), and a stretch limo (Russia). India wins, followed by Mexico and South Africa. (Series 20, Episode 2)
- Car vs. dog sled: for the Polar Special, Clarkson and May in a highly modified indestructible Toyota Hilux vs. Hammond in a dog sled accompanied by driver Matty McNair in a race to the magnetic north pole. Clarkson and May win and become first people ever to drive to the magnetic north pole in a car.
- Car vs. Olympian: James May riding shotgun in a Mitsubishi Evolution rally car against Richard Hammond as one member of a four-man bobsleigh team. Hammond and the bobsleigh team won by just under two seconds. (Originally shown on Series 5, Episode 8 but shown again on the Winter Olympics Special)
- Car vs. Olympian 2: The new Mini rally car model (driven by Kris Meeke, a professional rally driver) vs. Amy Williams, gold-medalist in the skeleton sleigh. Williams and the Mini both began at the top of a 2km sleigh run, with Williams taking the track and the Mini heading an equal distance down a nearby road. At night. With slush and snow. And May riding co-pilot. In the end, the Mini won by less than two seconds. (Series 17, Episode 1)
- Car (Skoda Fabia Super 2000) vs. "Jetpack Man": The Skoda rally car (driven by professional rally driver Toni Gardemeister and with Hammond as co-driver) vs. "Jetpack Man", Yves Rossy from Switzerland. The car would (naturally) go around the course, while Rossy would have a helicopter bring him up to 8000 feet before he follows the course from above (at a constant 120mph). But he then has to parachute himself to land on the finish line/point. And the race ends with a win for Jetpack Man, although the car was not that far behind. (Series 18, Episode 5)
- Car (Shelby Mustang GT500, driven by Jeremy) vs. Pan-European rail network (ridden by Hammond and May): A redo of the public transport vs. car races, which hasn't been done since the Japanese train race in series 11. The first presenter to reach a bar in Milan would be given a ticket to a football match (a Champions League match) being played that evening. For the first time ever, Jeremy loses, coming in last by minutes. As there was only one ticket for the match, the final race came down between Richard (on foot) and James (on a folding bicycle) following their departure from the last Metro station. Richard wins. (Series 19, Episode 3)
- Racing Catamaran (manned by Americas Cup winners and James May) vs. the "Fastest Car In The World" (a rented Toyota Auris, driven by Jeremy): A race to the second-most northerly point in New Zealand. James May sailed over 200 miles up the eastern coast while Jeremy was forced to travel around the Firth of Thames before driving north, giving him an over-400 mile journey. Despite having to leap from the boat and swim to shore, James still managed to beat Jeremy to the finish line, though he was utterly exhausted by the trip. (Series 20, Episode 1)
- Rally car racing down a hillside against an offroad skateboard. Significant in that the rally car driver was Ben Collins, before it was known that he was the White Stig.
- Car (Alfa Romeo 4C, driven by Hammond) vs. an amphibious quad bike (driven by Jeremy): The two race from the north end of Lake Como in Italy to the south end. Hammond travels by road, while Clarkson uses his convertible vehicle to go directly across the lake. Clarkson technically wins, but since he really wants the Alfa to be victorious, thinking it an amazing car, he hides when he gets to the finish line and lets Hammond think he's won. (Series 21, Episode 2)
- Car vs. bike vs. hovercraft vs. public transportation: May (car), Hammond (bike), Clarkson (hovercraft), and The Stig (public transportation) A redo of their race using varying modes of transport to cross a big city, this time St. Petersburg. Clarkson and Hammond were neck and neck to the finish point, only to round the corner and find May standing there. The car was at last redeemed. The Stig never finished, having gotten slightly distracted... (Series 22, Episode 1)
- Cars vs. the Orient Express: Eddie Jordan rides the famous train from London to Venice, against Matt LeBlanc (on a motorcycle), Sabine Schmitz (in an Audi) and Chris Evans (in a Jaguar), with their respective rides all purchased for less than the cost of the train ticket. Ultimately, Jordan wins, barely, as Schmitz successfully gets to Venice with time to beat the train, but runs out of cash to fuel her vehicle and has to get to the finish line on foot. (Series 23, Episode 4)
Road Trips
The presenters embark on a two-to-three-day drive to some significant destination in new cars they have chosen for themselves, in order to give a thorough evaluation of the power, speed, handling, quality, and ride comfort. On some occasions, they have also used these cars to go looking for the best driving roads in the world.
There does not appear to be a budget, but the cars must fit into a general genre (e.g. lightened supercars, American muscle cars), subject to the willingness of the manufacturer to lend a car for the presenter to test. On two occasions, Clarkson (Ford GT) and Hammond (Dodge Challenger) have undertaken the trip in cars they personally own. Hammond ended up buying the Challenger when Dodge wouldn't lend him one for the trip, stating that Top Gear tended to treat their cars as rubbish. On a more recent occasion (during their "Best luxury car for an Albanian mafia road trip"), Clarkson stated that because Bentley abruptly changed their mind in supplying one of the cars (a Bentley Mulsanne), he had to find a "local" Bentley to drive. And it is a Bentley only in name.note
Examples of road trips undertaken include:
There does not appear to be a budget, but the cars must fit into a general genre (e.g. lightened supercars, American muscle cars), subject to the willingness of the manufacturer to lend a car for the presenter to test. On two occasions, Clarkson (Ford GT) and Hammond (Dodge Challenger) have undertaken the trip in cars they personally own. Hammond ended up buying the Challenger when Dodge wouldn't lend him one for the trip, stating that Top Gear tended to treat their cars as rubbish. On a more recent occasion (during their "Best luxury car for an Albanian mafia road trip"), Clarkson stated that because Bentley abruptly changed their mind in supplying one of the cars (a Bentley Mulsanne), he had to find a "local" Bentley to drive. And it is a Bentley only in name.note
Examples of road trips undertaken include:
- Testing supercars on the way to the Millau Viaduct
in France. Jeremy brought his own personal Ford GT along on this trip. (Series 7, Episode 3) - Going on a caravan holiday to see if they would enjoy it. They didn't. (Series 8, Episode 6)
- Finding the greatest driving road in the world. The best was found to be the Stelvio Pass. At least until Series 14... (Series 10, Episode 1)
- Driving American muscle cars through the west, starting in San Francisco and ending at the Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah, to participate in the speed testing there. Richard had to purchase the Challenger he tested for this trip. (Series 12, Episode 2)
- A trip to Romania to find the legendary Transfagarasan Highway. Also, James finally gets to drive the legendary Dacia Sandero. (Series 14, Episode 1)
- Investigating automotive points-of-interest on the east coast of the U.S. from North Carolina to New York. And with a brief stop in Intercourse, Pennsylvania. (Series 15, Episode 7)
- A trip to Albania to find the best luxury car for members of the Albanian Mafia. The final test is a Bank Robbery and race back to the ferry to Corfu; Clarkson and Hammond successfully escape. May, saddled with the "Bentley", doesn't. (Series 16, Episode 3)Clarkson: See you, James.Hammond: It probably didn't hurt much.
- A test of high-performance hatchbacks in Italy, ending with a run at the Monaco Grand Prix track. (Series 17, Episode 2)
- Another trip through Italy, this time of mid-engine supercars. The test ended with a run at the Imola Grand Prix track to try and beat the Italian Stig's time. (Series 18, Episode 1)
- A fourth U.S. trip testing supercars from Las Vegas to Palm Springs. The final race has the three of them dashing for the Mexican border. The loser has to go into Mexico, and review the Mexican supercar (the Mastretta MXT) they made fun of a couple of seasons before. Hammond loses. (Series 19, Episode 2)
- A trip through Spain with "budget" supercars. Prominent through the journey was showing the damage done to the Spanish economy, revealed through barren motorways, dead-end roads, and empty towns. The guys take advantage, racing their cars down the runway of an abandoned airport and making a circuit course through an abandoned town. (Series 20, Episode 3)
- A Cross country drive across Ukraine to showcase the guys' love of small cars, from the Crimea (Sevastopol) in the South to Chernobyl in the north. Then a trip through said Chernobyl. The idea was to run out of fuel before you got there (Hammond succeeded), or have to drive through it. Clarkson ran out of fuel in the middle of town. (Series 21, Episode 3)
- Testing complicated GT cars to see if they would survive in the dusty, desolate Australian outback. The ultimate goal: to herd 4,000 cows into a corral somewhere on a 3.2 million acre ranch. (Series 22, Episode 2)
- Chris Evans and Matt LeBlanc go to Blackpool for a second time for the series, this time driving custom-painted Reliant Rialtos with UK and US flag-style paint jobs on them, with the tops removed to make them open-air convertibles. LeBlanc's breaks down 2/3rds into the journey, and he and his Robin arrives to the Blackpool city limits on a flatbed. However, he manages to get into town on its own power. (Series 23, Episode 1)
- LeBlanc, Evans, and Eddie Jordan drive through South Africa (each paired with a celebrity musician) in a set of SUVs and go through a series of challenges, with the winner emceeing a musical performance of their passenger at a pub in Lesotho, with the losers having to clean and tend the bar. (Series 23, Episode 2)
- LeBlanc, driving a 2016 Rolls-Royce Dawn, and Evans, driving a 1976 Rolls-Royce Corniche, drive through Dingle, in the province of Kerry, West Ireland, asking the townspeople and crashing various events (including a football match in nearby Gallarus) which one is better. Then, a town-wide poll is conducted, with votes cast at one of the town's pubs, overseen by local football referee Richie Williams. (Series 23, Episode 5)
Cheap-Car Challenges
Top Gear "cheap-car challenges" are designed to test the presenters' ability to select a decent car, by requiring each one to purchase a specific type of used car on a tight budget and then complete several tasks assigned by the producers. These generally involve a timed lap, a brake test, a ride-quality test, a build-quality test, and a maintenance test (by allowing each presenter to use whatever money he has left to fix or improve his car). Occasionally, the tests will overlap with other races, such as the Classic Car Rally from Series 13. On a few occasions, the presenters present a united front to use the challenges to settle disputes with the producers of the superiority of certain car types, which makes them not "presenter vs. presenter" but "presenter vs. producers." Examples include:
- Buy a car for £100. Clarkson wins, having saved his Volvo from a trip to the scrapyard by buying it from a friend for "ONE POUND!!" (Series 4, Episode 3)
- How much Porsche can you get for £1500? Even though he was far behind, Clarkson sold his car for parts and turned the rest into a table and chair set, making more money than May or Hammond and winning the challenge. (Series 5, Episode 6)
- Two-door coupé that isn't a Porsche for less than £1500 May won on points, but conceded the title to Clarkson in exchange for the latter admitting "I'm a clot and I ruined my car" (which was true). (Series 6, Episode 2)
- Italian mid-engine supercars for less than £10,000 None of the presenters were able to reach the Slough branch of Spearmint Rhino, leading Clarkson to conclude that, "yes, you can buy an Italian supercar for less than £10,000 but, for the love of God, DON'T!" (Series 7, Episode 4)
- £1000 White Van Man Challenge Hammond wins, even though he actually rolled his van in the last track challenge. (Series 8, Episode 8)
- £1200 British Leyland Challenge May wins, by making back the money he spent on buying the Austin Princess, plus another £20. (Series 10, Episode 7)
- Alfa Romeos for £1000 Breaking a three-year slump, Clarkson finally wins again, beating May by two points... to get a grand total of -127.5 (Series 11, Episode 3)
- How much lorry do you get for £5000? Despite getting "a gear lever in his bottom" and ploughing through a brick wall, Clarkson didn't manage to get as many points as May, who ended up winning.(Series 12, Episode 1)
- Car for a 17 year-old for £2500 Clarkson barely wins over May, as May failed to get any points from the teen girls for his handbrake turn.(Series 13, Episode 2)
- Rear-wheel drive coupés for £1500 May wins and redeems the reputation of the Morris Marina. At least until the inevitable happens. (Series 13, Episode 5)
- Pre-1982 classic rally cars for £3000 May wins after Clarkson gets carried away racing another car during the final stage of the rally. (Series 13, Episode 6)
- Second-hand saloon for regular & track days for £5000 May is completely out...until he reveals his car was the cheapest. A hilarious Victory Dance ensues.(Series 15, Episode 2)
- Classic British roadsters for £5000 They were all the best. Take that, producers! (Series 15, Episode 6)
- Second-hand convertibles which turned out to be all BMW 325is by complete coincidence. May wins, but his car still has someone else's snot in it. (Series 16, Episode 4)
- Buy and modify a car for motor racing for the same price it takes to play golf Everyone wins, because no one has to play golf. Also, Hammond totally bumped Clarkson in the last race.(Series 18, Episode 7)
- 1980's hot hatchbacks 1980's hatchbacks were totally better than modern ones.note So there, insolent teen producers! (Series 21, Episode 1)
- Traditional classic cars Hammond wins the challenge and gets to ride in an air show.note (Series 22, Episode 8)
- Lifestyle leisure vehicles (SUV's) for £250 Hammond loses the final race and has to perform a very awkward after dinner speech for an environmental committee. (Series 22, Episode 8)
Creations
The three are presented with a special kind of car to create or modify. Among others, they've tried to make:
- A convertible minivan. After a speed/roof stability test at the Millbrook proving ground and a further test at a safari park, the trio put the car through a car wash... and end up setting the thing on fire. (Series 8, Episode 1)
- Conversion of motor vehicles into amphibious vehicles: On two separate occasions, Clarkson, Hammond, and May were challenged to buy used vehicles, convert them to be amphibious, and then drive them across a body of water (a freshwater lake in the first episode; the English Channel from Dover to Calais in the second). And on both occasions, Hammond's conversion sank. However, in the latter challenge, the whole trio hitch a ride on Clarkson's vehicle and make it to the French coast. (Series 8, Episode 3 and Series 10, Episode 2)
- Converting a Reliant Robin three-wheel car into a space shuttle (with the help of a team of Rocket Engineers, of course). The challenge was, that if they got it high enough and could then land it (via remote control), the European Union would grant them funds to build a full sized one to go to space. It got to the required height but couldn't release itself from the main fuel tank, and crashed down in a ball of fire. (Series 9, Episode 4)
- Custom stretch limos. Their creations included Clarkson's Giant Panda 2-door limo, May's "Salfa Romeaab" double-fronted creation, and Hammond's open-topped sports limo. (Series 9, Episode 6)
- Police cars on a £1000 budget. In addition to the budget, each car had to be fitted with a special device for helping to stop crims. All three of them fail. Hammond's Suzuki Vitara was too slow and his front-mounted spike strip wasn't long enough. May's paint spray was easily countered by the Stig's windscreen wipers, while Clarkson's Fiat ended up losing a wheel after his attempt to stop the Stig's car with his "Boadicea-style" wheel spikes. (Series 11, Episode 1)
- Improve a Renault Aventime to have the same running time as a Mitsubishi Evo X. (Series 12, Episode 3)
- Build their own electric car that would be better than the existing G-Wiz. Enter Geoff...er, the Hammerhead Eagle i-Thrust. While the diesel-powered generator almost "killed" the Stig, the i-Thrust, despite its poor review in Autocar magazine, still scored higher than the G-Wiz. But only just. (Series 14, Episode 2)
- Turn a caravan into an airship to ease congestion on the roads. (Series 14, Episode 3)
- Make motorhomes out of ordinary cars. Both Hammond's cumbersome Range Rover "expanding" caravan and May's Lotus "roof-box" approach were less than feasible, but nothing tops the sheer terror factor of Clarkson's three-story Citroen. (Series 15, Episode 4)
- Converting a combine harvester into a snowplow, which was tested in (and destroyed part of) Norway. (Series 16, Episode 5)
- Make cheap trains, using cars as the locomotive and caravans as the train cars. Clarkson ended up splitting off from Hammond and May after they disagreed with him over the train's "locomotive", resulting in Clarkson creating the world's first ever sports train. (Series 17, Episode 4)
- Build affordable mobility scooters, capable of going off-road. After testing them in town, the boys went up against a group of wounded soldiers in an off-road race to a nearby summit. Hammond was the only one to make it to the top, where the soldiers were waiting for him. (Series 18, Episode 4)
- The P45, Clarkson's attempt to make a car smaller than the Peel P50. He attempts to prove its usefulness and flexibility by getting out of it as little as possible. This includes driving it around inside a shopping mall, watching a show from it in a West End theater, and using it to browse in the British Library. It's also very slow and every time you go over a bump, you bash your face on the windscreen. An attempt to get Dragons' Den to buy into it fails miserably and hilariously. (Series 19, Episode 1)
- A car for the elderly, the "James" note , which was made to provide ease-of-use for pensioners unfamiliar with modern high-tech gadgets and maximum safety for both the driver and the people around him. Other than a few minor issues, it's considered a success by Hammond and Clarkson. Alas, it's rendered unusable by Clarkson's final safety feature, which pretty much makes it explode. (Series 19, Episode 5)
- The Hovervan, a van/hovercraft hybrid designed to be used in heavily flooded areas. The first version is too underpowered and simply sinks as soon as it goes near water. The second version works surprisingly well in that it at least floats. As for performance, it's not bad... apart from the lack of steering, huge range of spray, ponderously slow speed, tiny fuel tank... (Series 20, Episode 4)
- Ambulances, complete with a method for offloading the patient and getting them into the hospital safely. Hammond went sensible and used a van, May went morbid and used an old hearse, and Clarkson went insane and used a Porsche 944 to make a "sports ambulance." Thanks to the final point tally, Hammond wins...in spite of the fact he never safely delivered a living patient. (Series 22, Episode 3)
Stunts
The Top Gear crew have been very creative in finding other entertaining things to do with (and to) cars:
- Drive 'til you get bored: to test the comfort and enjoyability of the Jaguar XJ, Clarkson devised a test to see how far he could drive it before he got bored with it (he ran out of country). (Series 2, Episode 4)
- 24 hours in a small car: Hammond and May spent a day in a Smart Forfour to evaluate the company's claim that the car's interior was as comfortable as a lounge. (Series 5, Episode 4)
- Helicopter gunship and tank evasion: Clarkson drove a Lotus Exige in an evasion pattern trying to prevent a WAH-64D Apache attack helicopter from getting a missile lock on the car. A couple seasons later, he performed the same stunt, substituting a Challenger 2 tank and its gun for the helicopter, and a Range Rover Sport for the Exige. (Series 4, Episode 1 and Series 6, Episode 1)
In another variant on this stunt, Clarkson compared the Mercedes SLK55 AMG to the Porsche Boxster S by driving both cars through a British Army urban combat training facility while attempting to evade expert snipers from the Irish Guards, firing at him using special laser targeting systems designed for combat simulations. (Series 6, Episode 5) - Clarkson also set out to discover if a mid range Ford Fiesta could be used by the Royal Marines in an amphibious assault. The result: amazingly, yes. The smoke grenades even fit perfectly in the cup holders.
Just before that he drove the same Fiesta through a shopping mall while being "chased" by a Corvette. While reviewing various aspects of the car. "I just broke the speed limit...indoors!" This set of tests were after someone wrote in complaining that they didn't do the good old fashioned standard tests like they used to in the old format days. Apparently the old standard road tests include things like marine assaults and car chases. This is why reading 'The World According to Clarkson' is a surreal experience. (Series 12, Episode 6)
And when the same viewer (allegedly) complained about that review, Clarkson did a "serious" review of the Renault Twingo... which ended in doing a barrel roll in a Belfast sewer (successfully) and a Ramp Jump onto a departing ferry (unsuccessfully). After the segment, Hammond asked Clarkson (who'd been sick while filming the segment) how much Night Nurse Clarkson had consumed. Clarkson admitted that he had no idea. (Series 14, Episode 4) - Escaping a submerged vehicle: With several trained divers as backup, Hammond was dropped into a deep pool in a car to see if it really is impossible to open the doors and windows while said car is sinking. This was left in the world's least nerve-wracking cliffhanger. Hammond: "And we'll find out later if I die."
When the segment resumed, Hammond was eventually able to open the door and swim out. However, it took so long for the pressure to equalize that he ran out of air and had to get oxygen from a diver with him in the car. When they dropped the car into the pool a second time, he opened the door as soon as the car hit the water and escaped unaided. - "Extreme" test driving: Six foot, five inch tall Jeremy Clarkson once test drove a 1961 Peel P50 — a tiny, one person car — by driving it ''into'' and around the BBC television studios, including into an ersatz "Top Gear production meeting." If you were watching BBC News 24 when Clarkson's test drive was being filmed, you might have seen something go across in the background... (Series 10, Episode 3)
- Car football (soccer): Using a giant inflatable ball, two teams of professional drivers (captained by Hammond and May) played a football match using Toyota Aygos. Several seasons later, the winning team of Aygos defended their title against a team composed of Volkswagen Foxes. The VW Foxes won, not least because it was the same team of Aygos and most of them were damaged. (Series 6, Episode 1)
And in a variation on that theme, one of the events in the Top Gear Winter Olympics special was a game of car ice hockey, between two teams of Suzuki Swifts. As before, one team was captained by James May, the other by Richard Hammond, and the match was "refereed" by Jeremy Clarkson.
Clarkson and May, for the early-2013 series, play a game of rugby at London's Twickenham Stadium. using two teams of five Kia C'ee'ds◊, with the Stig refereeing in Vauxhall. In a tightly-fought match, Clarkson wins. The pitch, after the match, needed a little work◊. (Series 19, Episode 4) - Destruct testing a Toyota Hilux pickup by, in order, driving it down stone steps, scraping it along walls, driving it into a tree, tying it to a jetty and leaving it to be submerged by the rising tide (the tide actually broke it loose, it drifted away from the jetty and got flooded with silt and sand), dropping it from a crane, driving it through a shed, dropping a caravan on it, repeatedly hitting it with a wrecking ball typically used to fell skyscrapers, setting it on fire, and finally placing it on top of a 240 foot block of flats and demolishing the flats. No mechanical spare parts (they had to replace the windscreen for safety reasons) and no tools other than what would be in a normal car toolkit were used. (Series 3, Episodes 5 & 6)
It still started. It was 13 years old with 195,000 miles on it and cost them 1000 pounds to buy. It now occupies a place of honour in the main studio — to get it there, they drove it into the studio. Shortly after the show aired, Toyota released a new version of the Hilux called the 'Invincible', and Clarkson had one modified by Arctic Trucks for the Polar Special. Two. One for them, and one for the camera crew. In series 15, James took a modified Hilux (specifically, the one used by the camera crew in the Arctic special) to the top of Eyjafjallajökull, which is an active volcano. That erupted a few months before the episode aired. - Playing "car conkers" using two cars (or caravans) held aloft by electromagnetic cranes. This is sometimes the fate of a car that the presenters really don't like, as was the case in the episode where Clarkson tries driving an early-model FSO Polonez. (Series 5, Episode 4)
- Playing 'car darts' using old cars, an air cannon and a large dartboard painted on the floor of a quarry. Extra points were awarded to the person who also destroyed the caravan conveniently placed on the bulls-eye. (Series 4, Episode 4)
- Customizing a Soviet-built Lada into a sports sedan. Granted, this required enlisting a team of technicians from Group Lotus, a fortnight, and about £100,000. (Series 1, Episode 8)
- Torching a Nissan Sunny (and, naturally, a caravan) with the exhaust off a dragster. Done in an episode with a theme of cheap thrills:
- Hammond: Now, it took about a hundred quid of fuel doing that; and I think that's about the best hundred pounds you could possibly spend.
The Power Lap
Most weeks one of the presenters (usually Clarkson or Hammond) does a more-or-less conventional track test and review of the week's featured car. After that review, he turns the car over to the show's "tame racing driver", The Stig, for a Power Lap. The Stig takes the car as fast as he can around the Top Gear test track, and at the end of the segment the presenter reveals The Stig's lap time and posts it on a board.
A standard feature of the Power Lap is the introduction of The Stig, which (starting with Series 6) follows a specific pattern. The presenter starts by saying that it's time to turn the featured car over to the show's tame racing driver, and then adds a humorous description of The Stig (sample; the description changes every week): "Some say that he thought Star Wars was a documentary, and that he recently pulled out of I'm A Celebrity because he is frightened of trees... and Australia... and Koo Stark... and Ant... and Dec. All we know is, he's called the Stig." These are frequently Ripped from the Headlines, and the most popular are scathing attacks on minor celebrities of the week ("And, long before anyone else, he realised Jade Goody was a racist pig-faced waste of blood and organs").
In more recent episodes they've played a bit with the formula. Perhaps one of the best was Hammond's flub: "Some say that one of his legs gets longer when he sees a pretty lady, and that I haven't done one of these for some time and I've forgot to make up a second thing."
The fastest ever Power Lap was done by a BAE Sea Harrier, in 31.2 seconds. It went a bit wide on some of the corners, but the pilot claimed that he could have kept it in bounds, and still set the lap record. The fastest Power Lap by an automobile was 58.2 seconds, by the 2004 Renault Formula 1 car. Given that the best of the world's supercars manage in the 1:18 range, that's stinking fast.
However, neither of those times was recorded on the official Top Gear lap board, because to qualify for the board the car must be street legal — able to go over a speed bump and using road-legal tires during the lap. The 1:10 time set by the Ferrari FXX driven by Michael Schumacher in Season 13 was removed from the board on the next episode because the car was using racing slicks. The current fastest lap is the Pagani Huayra, with a time of 1:13.8 (which is more than a second faster than second place, the Ariel Atom 500 V8, at 1:15.1).
A standard feature of the Power Lap is the introduction of The Stig, which (starting with Series 6) follows a specific pattern. The presenter starts by saying that it's time to turn the featured car over to the show's tame racing driver, and then adds a humorous description of The Stig (sample; the description changes every week): "Some say that he thought Star Wars was a documentary, and that he recently pulled out of I'm A Celebrity because he is frightened of trees... and Australia... and Koo Stark... and Ant... and Dec. All we know is, he's called the Stig." These are frequently Ripped from the Headlines, and the most popular are scathing attacks on minor celebrities of the week ("And, long before anyone else, he realised Jade Goody was a racist pig-faced waste of blood and organs").
In more recent episodes they've played a bit with the formula. Perhaps one of the best was Hammond's flub: "Some say that one of his legs gets longer when he sees a pretty lady, and that I haven't done one of these for some time and I've forgot to make up a second thing."
The fastest ever Power Lap was done by a BAE Sea Harrier, in 31.2 seconds. It went a bit wide on some of the corners, but the pilot claimed that he could have kept it in bounds, and still set the lap record. The fastest Power Lap by an automobile was 58.2 seconds, by the 2004 Renault Formula 1 car. Given that the best of the world's supercars manage in the 1:18 range, that's stinking fast.
However, neither of those times was recorded on the official Top Gear lap board, because to qualify for the board the car must be street legal — able to go over a speed bump and using road-legal tires during the lap. The 1:10 time set by the Ferrari FXX driven by Michael Schumacher in Season 13 was removed from the board on the next episode because the car was using racing slicks. The current fastest lap is the Pagani Huayra, with a time of 1:13.8 (which is more than a second faster than second place, the Ariel Atom 500 V8, at 1:15.1).
Star In A Reasonably Priced Car
Most weeks the show features a (usually British) celebrity guest, typically there to promote an upcoming movie, although their automotive history is discussed. Prior to filming the show, the guest receives some coaching from The Stig, and then takes the reasonably priced car out for a fast lap around the Top Gear Test Track, which is taped. During the show itself, Jeremy Clarkson interviews the guest, and at the end of the interview the taped lap is shown in the studio (and onscreen for the viewer). At the end of the taped lap, Clarkson announces the star's lap time, and posts it on a leaderboard. For series 1-7, it was a Suzuki Liana before it was replaced in series 8 by a Chevrolet Lacetti, which in turn was succeeded in series 15 by a Kia Cee'd. The latest series - series 20 - began with retiring the Kia Cee'd for a Vauxhall Astra Techline. Despite inviting multiple guests for the Vauxhall's inaugural run around the track (including renowned "Prince of Darkness" and car destroyer Jimmy Carr), the current fastest time across any leaderboard (as of the first episode of Series 20) is still the 1:42.1 set by Friends star Matt LeBlanc in the Kia Cee'd.
When it comes to the lap time, two things will invariably happen: the star will lean forward (even Tom Cruise), and Clarkson will drag announcing the time as long as he can. Any time better than one-fifty is to be proud of (due mostly to 1:50 being the time Jeremy himself achieved in the Liana, back when the segment was first introduced), and anything that threatens to break the current record will elicit gasps from the audience.
When the Star in a Reasonably Priced Car is a Formula 1 driver, the old Liana is brought out of retirement for the segment. F1 drivers' times are listed on a separate leaderboard, because of their exceptional driving skills compared to the garden-variety celebrities who are usually featured in this segment. The F1 leaderboard is currently headed by Daniel Ricciardo at 1:42.2, beating the previous record of 1:42.9 held by Lewis Hamilton.
Christopher Eccleston, Billie Piper, David Tennant, and Matt Smith have all taken part in this. Tennant complained, jokingly, that Piper was spared a time penalty for cutting a corner because she'd worn a see-through top to the show recording. Clarkson did not dispute this (Piper had cut a couple of corners, but the time stands because they generally feel it actually worsened her lap time).
In five of the six episodes of Series 11 (June/July, 2009) they invited two guests per show, 'to get some rivalry going'. With the sixth episode of Series 11 they went back to one guest (Jay Kay, who successfully toppled Simon "Codpiece" Cowell from the top spot on the SiaRPC Lacetti Leaderboard), and have kept that format ever since, with occasional exceptions when two guests are promoting the same project.
When the star of the week is American, those who aren't used to Driving Stick usually will be by the time of the taped and timed lap. Many Yanks (aside from Matt Le Blanc, obviously) who already know how to drive stick still have trouble though, as they try to work through trying to shift gears with their left hand. However, one American guest, the 'singer' wil.i.am, didn't even bother to try, and so he drove an automatic car in Series 18 (2012).
The Cool Wall
From time to time, Clarkson and Hammond rate the coolness of various cars by placing photographs of them on a large board labelled (in decreasing degree of coolness) "Sub Zero", "Cool", "Uncool", "Seriously Uncool". The decision had nothing to do with the quality of the car. The first criteria of how cool a car is was how much the presenters believed that actress Kristin Scott Thomas would be impressed by that car. Interestingly enough, when Kristin Scott Thomas actually appeared on the show, it turned out that she liked the cars Clarkson and Hammond had called "Uncool", and was less than thrilled with the ones they had decided were "Cool". Since then, Clarkson and Hammond have substituted their appraisal of the reaction of BBC news anchor Fiona Bruce for Scott Thomas's as their decision rule.
The second steadfast Cool Wall rule is any car that a Top Gear presenter owns automatically goes in the Seriously Uncool section. The Ford GT jumped up and down the board for a couple of series as Clarkson bought one, sold it, repurchased it, and sold it again. One occasion saw Clarkson put the Fiat Panda (owned by May) off of the Cool Wall onto the back wall of the studio past Seriously Uncool. Another recent one in Series 16 saw the card with the Porsche 911 Carrera given to an audience member to put on his garden gate in Ireland because Hammond and May both own one.
An additional, selectively-applied rule is how much of a cock you'll look while driving it. This is occasionally adapted as how many celebrity (especially footballers/soccer players) cocks drive the car. The more, the worse.
Another important rule in the Cool Wall is the Wall is only for cars. Motorcycles (or any other type of transportation in particular) are NOT allowed to be in the Wall under any circumstances. This rule was shown in season 9 when Hammond placed a picture of a Ducati 1098 superbike in the "Cool" section. Jeremy's response was to remove it and the wall around it with a chainsaw.
A final, rarely used section, the DB9 Fridge (complete with dry-ice smoke) was created when the Aston Martin DB9 was deemed too cool for the "Sub Zero" rating. Exactly why a fridge is considered sub-Sub Zero has never been addressed — at the very least, it should be a DB9 Freezer.
Clarkson loves to tamper with Hammond's Cool Wall decisions. Once Hammond was so adamant on a decision of his that Clarkson had to place it high up where Hammond couldn't reach. When Clarkson slipped two discs in his back, Hammond got revenge by placing his choices very low, where Clarkson couldn't reach. Hammond also used a scissor-lift to place a card a long way out of reach during a dispute. Clarkson responded by hitting the Emergency Stop switch, preventing him from getting down again. Hammond was stuck up there for the rest of the episode. At one time, while Clarkson was on the waiting list to purchase a Ford GT, he moved all Fords on the Cool Wall to the top of the "super cool" section. Hammond quickly moved them back where they belonged. And then there was Hammond keeping something off the wall by eating the photograph.
The second steadfast Cool Wall rule is any car that a Top Gear presenter owns automatically goes in the Seriously Uncool section. The Ford GT jumped up and down the board for a couple of series as Clarkson bought one, sold it, repurchased it, and sold it again. One occasion saw Clarkson put the Fiat Panda (owned by May) off of the Cool Wall onto the back wall of the studio past Seriously Uncool. Another recent one in Series 16 saw the card with the Porsche 911 Carrera given to an audience member to put on his garden gate in Ireland because Hammond and May both own one.
An additional, selectively-applied rule is how much of a cock you'll look while driving it. This is occasionally adapted as how many celebrity (especially footballers/soccer players) cocks drive the car. The more, the worse.
Another important rule in the Cool Wall is the Wall is only for cars. Motorcycles (or any other type of transportation in particular) are NOT allowed to be in the Wall under any circumstances. This rule was shown in season 9 when Hammond placed a picture of a Ducati 1098 superbike in the "Cool" section. Jeremy's response was to remove it and the wall around it with a chainsaw.
A final, rarely used section, the DB9 Fridge (complete with dry-ice smoke) was created when the Aston Martin DB9 was deemed too cool for the "Sub Zero" rating. Exactly why a fridge is considered sub-Sub Zero has never been addressed — at the very least, it should be a DB9 Freezer.
Clarkson loves to tamper with Hammond's Cool Wall decisions. Once Hammond was so adamant on a decision of his that Clarkson had to place it high up where Hammond couldn't reach. When Clarkson slipped two discs in his back, Hammond got revenge by placing his choices very low, where Clarkson couldn't reach. Hammond also used a scissor-lift to place a card a long way out of reach during a dispute. Clarkson responded by hitting the Emergency Stop switch, preventing him from getting down again. Hammond was stuck up there for the rest of the episode. At one time, while Clarkson was on the waiting list to purchase a Ford GT, he moved all Fords on the Cool Wall to the top of the "super cool" section. Hammond quickly moved them back where they belonged. And then there was Hammond keeping something off the wall by eating the photograph.
Overseas Specials
A combination of Road Trip and Cheap Car Challenge. Traditionally appearing once a year (usually as a Christmas Special), these are entire episodes dedicated to the trio making their way across a country in cheap cars they bought there, while performing challenges. They often have an ostensible purpose (e.g. the Botswana special was intended to demonstrate that two-wheel-drive cars are good enough for most terrain) but their main charm is the scenery, the humor of the challenges, and the chemistry of 'three mates mooching along.' Unlike the road trips, the presenters usually have to rough it, camping out overnight and having limited access to the amenities of civilization. These specials tend to be rich with Continuity Nods and Running Gags, and often include an encounter with the Stig's local cousin.
- US Special (Southern United States - aired February 2007): The first overseas special, originally conceived as a much shorter, one-time film. The presenters bought used cars for US$1000 in Miami, Florida and then drove to New Orleans, Louisiana to see whether it is more economical to buy a car for the use of two weeks than to rent one. The Stig for this episode was Big Stig - a man dressed in the same fashion as the normal Stig, but he was a bit, er, rounder.Originated the tradition of painting slogans on each other's cars. (As in going through Alabama with slogans like 'I'm Bi' or 'Country and Western Sucks'). Infamously, the aforementioned slogans resulted in the trio and their crew being attacked by an angry mob in a gas station, and some of the footage either lacked audio or video or was filmed on a cell phone as they hurriedly washed off the slogans on the side of the road. (Series 9, Episode 3)
They have since embarked on several further road trips to America, though these aired as part of regular episodes. See the Road Trips folder for more details. - The Polar Special (Arctic Circle - aired July 2007): Clarkson and May used specially built Toyota Hilux Invincibles to travel from Resolute, Canada to the magnetic North Pole, racing against Hammond on a dog sled. Unlike other specials, there was no mention of the Stig, and very few truly humorous moments, at least compared to the other specials. Instead, it was more about the difficulties (and very real dangers) of the journey, including incredibly low temperatures, treacherous ice, dangerous polar bears, and the increasing loss of sanity caused by all of the above, along with the constant summer sunlight. Clarkson and May set at least one record during the trip, becoming the first people to reach the magnetic North Pole by wheeled motor vehicle. May was also the first person to reach the North Pole who didn't want to be there.
- Botswana Special (aired November 2007): The presenters bought cars locally for less than £1500 and attempted to cross "the spine of Africa", including the Makgadikgadi Pan (the world's largest salt flats) and the Okavango Delta. The presenters' successful crossing made them the first to cross the Makgadikgadi by car. Originated the tradition of an odious emergency backup vehicle as a penalty if the presenters' own cars broke down. This is the special in which Richard Hammond "met" Oliver, his beloved 1963 Opel Kadett (which he still owns). The Stig for this episode was African Stig - a black man wearing a loincloth with the Stig's usual helmet. (Series 10, Episode 4)
- Vietnam Special (aired December 2008): The presenters purchased used motorbikes for 15 million dong (ca. £600 or US$1000) and attempted to travel the length of Vietnam. Along the way, they amused themselves by buying each other odd, bulky presents and watching the others struggle to carry these items on their bikes. The backup car for this special was a bike painted in the colors of the US flag, blaring "Born in the USA" on speakers (replaced with "Star Spangled Banner" in syndication due to licensing issue). There was footage shot of Communist Stig, who wore the usual Stig outfit but in red, but this was not used in the show.
Clarkson claimed to have never before driven any type of two-wheeled motor vehicle before this special.note (Series 12, Episode 8) - South America Special (Bolivia and Chile - aired December 2009): The presenters bought off-road vehicles for less than £3,500 over the Internet and attempted to drive from the center of the Bolivian rainforest to the Pacific coast in Chile. On the way, they had to build a temporary bridge over a ditch, ford a river, negotiate the terrifying Yungas Road in Bolivia, and cross the Andes mountains. The special put all three presenters through the wringer, as their worst fears (heights, insects, and manual labor) were present in abundance, making this their most harrowing episode since the Polar Special.
They also almost died while trying to cross a volcanic pass. The air was so thin that their cars almost couldn't run (the fuel-air mixture was way off and couldn't actually combust), and they were suffering from acute oxygen deprivation.note (Series 14, Episode 6) - Middle East Special (Iraq, Turkey, Syria, Jordan, Israel - aired December 2010): The presenters bought two-seater convertibles for less than £3,500 (except James, who bought a slightly more expensive type), and attempted to reproduce the journey of the Three Wise Men, traveling from Arbil, Iraq to Bethlehem. Among many other issues, including the usual vehicle breakdowns, they had to deal with avoiding the fighting going on in Iraq and Turkey, the politics of border crossings in several countries, and a difficult drive through the empty deserts of Syria to avoid their trip being found out by Israeli officials. The episode was aired just after Ben Collins "came out" as the Stig, and had therefore been sacked from the show, but when the Three Wise Blokes reached Bethlehem and entered the stable with their gifts, they discovered a baby in a racing helmet. (Series 16, Episode 0)
- India Special (aired December 2011): As Britain has had little successful trade with India in recent years, the presenters decide to embark on a goodwill mission there to promote British products, despite explicitly being told by Prime Minister David Cameron to not do that at the beginning of the episodenote . With their £7000 classic British cars, they travel from Bombay to the northern border in the Himalayas, promoting Britain along the way. They attempt to deliver local lunches faster than a train, reunite the Top Gear Band and have a garden party to showcase British products, and hold a rally to get a fix on what kind of cars are currently popular in India. Along the way they make their way along the lethal highways, prank each other constantly, and deal with a slightly out-of-control lawnmower.
- Africa Special (Uganda, Rwanda, and Tanzania - aired March 2013)note : The first ever two-part special. The presenters travel to Uganda in an attempt to find the true source of the Nile using £1500 estate cars. After a quick stop at Lake Victoria, which they are told isn't the true source of the Nile, they head down to Lake Edward on Jeremy's suggestion. Along the way, they deal with the nightmarish traffic in Uganda's capital, Kampala, as well as giant speed bumps, muddy roads, and terrible hotels. They also convert their cars to mobile campers and find a town apparently named after Jeremy. This is coupled with the usual pranks and taunting, all before they figure out their original idea is a miserable failure, and they need to travel the other way.
In the second half, they alter course and go through Rwanda to Tanzania, and ferry to the other side of Lake Victoria. While tracing another river through the Serengeti Plains, they find a road that is a literal car killer and causes serious damage to all three vehicles. The final stretch comes down to a race between the three presenters and their battered cars to see who can identify the source of the Nile on a secluded Serengeti hill first. May won, despite having his Volvo's rear suspension demolished from a bump. (Series 19, Episode 6 and 7) - Burma Special (Myanmar to Thailand - aired March 2014): Another two-part special, like the Africa Special the year before. Using old lorries they've bought over the internet and starting in Yangon, the presenters are tasked with making their way across Burma and into Thailand to the River Kwai, where they must build a bridge strong enough to drive said lorries across. The drive includes some breathtaking scenery and difficult mountain driving, and includes an excursion into the secluded Shan state of Burma, where few foreigners have been allowed to venture. (Series 21, Episodes 6 and 7).
- Patagonia Special (Chile and Argentina - aired 27 & 28 December 2014): This two-parter saw the team celebrating 60 years of the small-block V8 engine by taking three cars powered by said engine type from Bariloche, Argentina down and across the Andes to Ushuaia, Argentina, the southernmost city on Earth, aiming to build bridges in the city from where the General Belgrano sailed note by playing car football with some of the locals. On the way, Clarkson gets to make a number of references to one of his favorite films, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Along the way, the team verifies that they should not be anywhere near horses, and everyone has a jolly good time at their own lake bed race track until they realize they forgot which direction the road was. And as they get closer to Ushuaia, what could possibly go wrong?... (Series 22, Episode 0)
- Or that's what they intended to do at the end: As they traveled through Argentina, claims that Jeremy Clarkson's Porsche had a number plate (H982 FKL) that was a deliberate reference to the Falklands War began to circulate via Twitter. The BBC, from the Director of Television on down, insisted it was a very unfortunate coincidence (the vehicle had that number plate since its manufacture in 1991, and the DVLA site confirmed this), but they agreed to change the plate for the game.
- Unfortunately, they didn't get a chance to play: by the time the presenters & crew reached Ushuaia, there was a mob present and the presenters had to hide up together in a crewmember's hotel room. Eventually, after talks between the show's producers and the protesters (many former veterans of the Falklands war) broke down, the police asked the BBC to leave Tierra del Fuego, and effectively the country, within a few hours.
- The film crew (sans the presenters, and the female members of the crew, who had already left stealthily via helicopter) and their convoy ultimately had to make a Run for the Border and came under attack from a mob pelting them with eggs, stones, and chunks of pavement. The three 'star cars' driven during the special had to be abandoned and the crew had to divert their route (which was leading into a confrontation with an even bigger mob) and sneak across the Rio Grande River to get back into Chile. It was fortunate that only two of them received minor injuries - the damage to the convoy, along with footage of the protesters that they themselves posted to YouTube - comprised the final act of the special.
