Top Gear (series 1)
Encyclopedia
The first series of the television series current format of Top Gear
Top Gear (current format)
Top Gear is a British television series about motor vehicles, primarily cars. It began in 1977 as a conventional motoring magazine show. Over time, and especially since a relaunch in 2002, it has developed a quirky, humorous style...

was broadcast in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 starting on October 20, 2002, and concluding on December 29, 2002, and contained 10 episodes. The series included presenters Jeremy Clarkson
Jeremy Clarkson
Jeremy Charles Robert Clarkson is an English broadcaster, journalist and writer who specialises in motoring. He is best known for his role on the BBC TV show Top Gear along with co-presenters Richard Hammond and James May...

, Richard Hammond
Richard Hammond
Richard Mark Hammond is an English broadcaster, writer, and journalist most noted for co-hosting car programme Top Gear with Jeremy Clarkson and James May, as well as presenting Brainiac: Science Abuse on Sky 1.-Early life:...

 and Jason Dawe
Jason Dawe (television)
-Biography:Born and raised in Cornwall, England, Dawe worked at auto dealerships and as a motoring industry trainer. Dawe became a presenter on the Top Gear television show on its first series after it was relaunched in 2002...

. This was Dawe's only series as a presenter on Top Gear.

# Episode Airdate Guest
1 Series 1 Episode 1 2002 October 20 Harry Enfield
Harry Enfield
Henry Richard "Harry" Enfield is a BAFTA-winning English comedian, actor, writer and director.-Early life:...


Review: Clarkson
Jeremy Clarkson
Jeremy Charles Robert Clarkson is an English broadcaster, journalist and writer who specialises in motoring. He is best known for his role on the BBC TV show Top Gear along with co-presenters Richard Hammond and James May...

 reviewed the Citroën Berlingo Multispace in Callais, France and Newcastle, England. He likes that it is an affordable small car with character & great storage space and it rides like a Jaguar.

Preview: Hammond presents a short retrospective on the Ford GT40 followed by a walkthrough of a prototype Ford GT – which has just been announced. The new model is slightly larger, a few inches taller, and is expected to sell in limited numbers for around $150,000.

The News: The UK government has announced £145 million on road upgrades over the next five years. New cars include the Fiat Stylo, the Nissan Micra, and the Smart Roadster. The state of Formula 1 racing is discussed, with Clarkson lamenting the overuse of technology. The Bentley Continental GT is also discussed.

Review: Clarkson drove the Pagani Zonda C12 S 7.3. Powered by a 12 cylinder, 555 bhp engine built for Pagani by Mercedes-Benz, the car can achieve a top speed of 220 mph. He loves the noise, the styling and calls it a proper supercar. It’s only problem is that it must be compared to the Lamborghini Murciélago. Which he does. He is pleased that new owner Audi has made the Murciélago easier to drive than all previous Lamborghinis. Head to head in a drag race against the Zonda, the higher powered Lamborghini is beaten by the lighter weight Zonda. Despite this, Clarkson is thrilled by the responsiveness of the Murciélago and anoints it the best Lamborghini ever made. However, as great as it is, he likes the Zonda more and calls it the king of supercars. Back in the studio, Hammond presents the Top Gear test track. Designed by Lotus test drivers, the course is just over 2 miles in length with specially-designed corners: Chicago, Hammerhead, Follow-through, Baccarach Bend, and lastly, Carpenter’s Corner (renamed Gambon in Episode 8). Clarkson then introduces The Stig
The Stig
The Stig is a character in the British motoring television show Top Gear. The character plays on the anonymity of racing drivers' full-face helmets, with the running joke that nobody knows who, or indeed what, is inside the character's racing suit. The character was the creation of presenter Jeremy...

, an anonymous (“tame”) racing driver whose sole purpose is to post lap times. The Zonda achieved a 1:23.8 around the track while the Murciélago had a 1:29.0 on a circuit which was damp in places.

Challenge: Presented by Hammond, the challenge attempts to prove the claim that if you drive fast enough, you can beat a speed camera. The Stig had to drive fast enough to be undetected by a speed camera. After attempts in a Honda Civic Type R  (129 mph) and a Mercedes-Benz CL55 AMG (148 mph), he finally did it at 170 mph (270 km/h) in a TVR Tuscan S.

Challenge: Clarkson looks into biodiesel
Biodiesel
Biodiesel refers to a vegetable oil- or animal fat-based diesel fuel consisting of long-chain alkyl esters. Biodiesel is typically made by chemically reacting lipids with an alcohol....

, and tests the usage of biodiesel with a Volvo 740.

Star In A Reasonably Priced Car: Harry Enfield
Harry Enfield
Henry Richard "Harry" Enfield is a BAFTA-winning English comedian, actor, writer and director.-Early life:...

 sits down with Jeremy to share his history with cars. Jeremy then introduces the concept behind “Star In A Reasonably Priced Car” as well as the car itself: a Suzuki Liana
Suzuki Aerio
The Suzuki Aerio is a compact car that was built by Suzuki Motor Corporation. It was introduced in 2001 as a replacement for the Suzuki Esteem/Baleno, with a tall 5-door SX model hatchback and a 4-door sedan body...

 (obtained from the manufacturer after Top Gear was turned down by Hyndai, Nissan, and Dao). Jeremy set the very first lap time of 1:50 with both Richard Hammond and Jason Dawe in the back seat. It’s later revealed that the Stig turned in a time of 1:46. Conversely, Harry Enfield sets a very slow lap time of 2:01.

Challenge: Jeremy investigates the validity of running a diesel engine on vegetable oil. Using a Volvo 740 he is astonished to find that the claim works and costs around £1.50/gallon.

Insider Dealing: Jason has found that the current Mini Cooper has actually appreciated in value. The Suburu Impreza Turbo is now £3,000 off the list price due to poor sales and a new model forthcoming. The Volvo XC90 is slated to be produced in very low numbers for the U.K., which both Jason and Jeremy find astonishing considering how good the car is.

Review: Hammond
Richard Hammond
Richard Mark Hammond is an English broadcaster, writer, and journalist most noted for co-hosting car programme Top Gear with Jeremy Clarkson and James May, as well as presenting Brainiac: Science Abuse on Sky 1.-Early life:...

 reviewed a Mazda6, Mazda
Mazda
is a Japanese automotive manufacturer based in Fuchū, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan.In 2007, Mazda produced almost 1.3 million vehicles for global sales...

's attempt at a sports saloon. Hammond and Clarkson agreed the handling was fantastic for a Mazda, but a lack of power and prestige makes it meat for posh German executive cars.
2 Series 1 Episode 2 2002 October 27 Jay Kay

Review: The Stig
The Stig
The Stig is a character in the British motoring television show Top Gear. The character plays on the anonymity of racing drivers' full-face helmets, with the running joke that nobody knows who, or indeed what, is inside the character's racing suit. The character was the creation of presenter Jeremy...

 tests the Ford Focus RS on the track against its main competition, the Subaru Impreza WRX and the Honda Civic Type R. The Impreza completes a lap of the Top Gear test track
Top Gear Test Track
The Top Gear test track is used by the BBC automotive television programme Top Gear. It is located at Dunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey, United Kingdom. The track was designed by Lotus Cars...

 in 1:39 and the Civic finishes in 1:38.06. Surprisingly, the Focus RS beats the competition soundly with a time of 1:33.8. Jeremy Clarkson
Jeremy Clarkson
Jeremy Charles Robert Clarkson is an English broadcaster, journalist and writer who specialises in motoring. He is best known for his role on the BBC TV show Top Gear along with co-presenters Richard Hammond and James May...

 was initially stunned, because the straight-line speed of the Focus RS is poor compared to the Impreza's. He then drives the Focus RS on the empty roads of Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...

 and says that it "handles like it's in a cartoon". Aside from a highly positive review, calling it a "budget supercar," Clarkson claims that the differential and torque steering
Torque steering
Torque steering is the influence of engine torque on the steering for some front-wheel drive vehicles. For example, during heavy acceleration the steering may pull to one side, which may be disturbing to the driver. The effect is manifested either as a tugging sensation in the steering wheel, or a...

 make the car uncontrollable on bumpy B-roads.

The News: The popularity of live car chase footage in America (specifically Los Angeles) has given rise to the number of people intentionally trying to outrun the police. Vauxhall has a new family car with seats that cleverly fold away into the floor. Mazda has a new car the RX-8. The Volkswagen Tuareg is a cheaper version of the Porsche Cayenne. Clarkson reports that he has finally seen a bus in a London bus lane. MG has a new supercar that can be bought with options that will take it to 965 bhp.

Challenge: Hammond wanted to see how many motorcycles a double-decker bus
Double-decker bus
A double-decker bus is a bus that has two storeys or 'decks'. Global usage of this type of bus is more common in outer touring than in its intra-urban transportion role. Double-decker buses are also commonly found in certain parts of Europe, Asia, and former British colonies and protectorates...

 can jump over. The bus managed to clear three bikes and crash into the remaining eleven.

Review: The Noble M12
Noble M12
The NobleM12 is a two-door, two-seater sports car manufactured by Noble Automotive.- Description :Like the Noble M10, the Noble M12 is a two-door, two-seater model, originally planned both as a coupe and as a convertible. All M12s have been powered by modified bi-turbocharged Ford Duratec V6...

 GTO was also tested. Despite the car's wide turning radius, loose brake lights, and windows that cannot be lowered completely, Clarkson loves the car for its amazing handling, great power and, most notably, its complete lack of understeer. The Stig puts the M12 around a very wet Top Gear track in 1:32.9.

Star In A Reasonably Priced Car: Jay Kay of Jamiroquai
Jamiroquai
Jamiroquai is a British jazz funk and acid jazz band formed in 1992. Jamiroquai were initially the most prominent component in the early-1990s London-based acid jazz movement, alongside groups such as Incognito, the James Taylor Quartet, and the Brand New Heavies. Other Acid Jazz artists such as...

. During the interview, he admits to being a passionate petrolhead, and proves talented at identifying cars when only small snippets are shown. He proceeds to complete his lap around the track in 1:48.1, a record which stands for many episodes.

Review: Jeremy states his belief that all good RS Fords bring "power to the people". Highlights are shown of the hosts & crew getting shots RS owners driving their cars around the Top Gear track. Hammond points out that when Jeremy drove an RS200 over the summer for his No Limits video, he too, became something of a mad man.

Insider Dealing: Jason has found deals on the Citroën C5, the Rover 75, used super-minis (like small Fiats & Citroëns), and used BMW 7 series.

Review: Richard Hammond
Richard Hammond
Richard Mark Hammond is an English broadcaster, writer, and journalist most noted for co-hosting car programme Top Gear with Jeremy Clarkson and James May, as well as presenting Brainiac: Science Abuse on Sky 1.-Early life:...

 admits that he doesn't like all RS models. He then takes a look back on his childhood dream car, the 1977 Ford Escort RS1800.
3 Series 1 Episode 3 2002 November 3 Ross Kemp
Ross Kemp
Ross James Kemp is a BAFTA award-winning British actor, author and journalist, who rose to prominence in the role of Grant Mitchell in the BBC soap opera, EastEnders...


The News: Using sex to sell cars. Transport 2000 (a lobbying group) is suing the government. They want the government to stop painting speed cameras yellow and paint them a less noticeable color so that they catch more speeders.

Review: Jeremy looks at the new Mini and admits it handles well and is styled nicely. However, it is very big compared to the old one, and uses its space inefficiently. He then looks at the funky Toyota Yaris Verso
Toyota Yaris Verso
The Toyota Yaris Verso is a mini MPV produced by Toyota Motor Corporation. In Japan it was called the Fun Cargo. It was replaced in 2004 by the Ractis...

, a much more practical car which he prefers. The major downfall of the Yaris is it’s styling – or lack thereof.

Interview: Jeremy talks to influential designer Peter Horbury
Peter Horbury
Peter D. Horbury is a British car designer who is currently Vice President, Design of Volvo. He is probably best known for his design work for Volvo, but has worked in a variety of roles in the automotive industry, including as Executive Design Director, Americas for Ford between 2004 and 2009...

 about automotive design, national characteristics, and form language. Peter’s pick for "Best Looking Car of all Time" the Porsche 928
Porsche 928
The Porsche 928 was a sports-GT car sold by Porsche AG of Germany from 1978 to 1995. Originally intended to replace the company's iconic 911, the 928 attempted to combine the power, poise, and handling of a sports car with the refinement, comfort, and equipment of a luxury sedan to create what some...

.

Review: Hammond disagrees with Peter’s pick and instead makes his case for the Citroën DS
Citroën DS
The Citroën DS is an executive car produced by the French manufacturer Citroën between 1955 and 1975. Styled by Italian sculptor and industrial designer Flaminio Bertoni and the French aeronautical engineer André Lefèbvre, the DS was known for its aerodynamic futuristic body design and innovative...

.

Challenge: Richard presents five grannies attempting to do donuts in a Honda S2000. Rally car driver and stuntman Russ Swift
Russ Swift
Paul Russell "Russ" Swift is a British driver who is known for performing stunts and for precision driving.-Career:Starting out as a rally co-driver, and later moving into the sport of Autotesting, Russ Swift has built his career on a sturdy motorsport foundation...

 was on hand to teach the grannies how to perform the donut.

Star In A Reasonably Priced Car: Ross Kemp
Ross Kemp
Ross James Kemp is a BAFTA award-winning British actor, author and journalist, who rose to prominence in the role of Grant Mitchell in the BBC soap opera, EastEnders...

, who sets a time of 1:54 on a wet track. Because of this, they send The Stig out to set a wet lap time, which he does in 1:50. Jeremy thus deduces that the difference between a wet lap and a dry lap is roughly 4 seconds.

Insider Dealing: Jason has found an appealing lease option for an Alfa Romeo 166. He also has found that used Ford Mondeo

Review: As a further counterpoint to Richard and Peter’s picks for the "Best Looking Car of all Time,” Jeremy presents the Lamborghini Miura SV in the studio. He greatly admires the car’s styling, but ultimately choses the Aston Martin DB7 (specifically the Vantage), which he reviews via a short film.

Interview: Back in the studio, Jeremy talks with the DB7’s designer, Ian Callum
Ian Callum
Ian Callum is a British car designer who currently serves as Design Director for Jaguar and is older brother to fellow car designer Moray Callum. He is married, has two sons and currently resides in Oxfordshire, England.-Early years:...

. As a wrap-up to the interview, Jeremy invites Peter Horbury back for a sketch-off. Both designers draw their interpretations of a modern Jaguar E-type and the results are strikingly similar.

Review: Richard drives the £20,000 Westfield XTR2
Westfield XTR2
The Westfield XTR2 is an ultralightweight, two-seater sports car manufactured by Westfield Sportscars Limited, of West Midlands, UK. It features a lightweight steel tubular spaceframe chassis, and the , 1299 cc Suzuki Hayabusa 4 cylinder engine, mated to a 6-speed sequential gearbox. Performance...

. Despite having only a 1.3 liter engine which produces a mere 170 bhp, the Westfield weighs just 410 kilograms. This makes for an extremely potent power to weight ratio. The Stig takes it around the track in 1:22.6 (which Richard rounds up to 1:23). Rounded or not, it beats the Zonda’s time from the first episode and tops the Power Lap board (though eventually it was removed from the board entirely).

This is the first episode to end with Clarkson declaring “And on that bombshell…”, though the it would not become a regular catchphrase until later series.
4 Series 1 Episode 4 2002 November 10 Steve Coogan
Steve Coogan
Stephen John "Steve" Coogan is a British comedian, actor, writer and producer. Born in Manchester, he began his career as a standup comedian and impressionist, working as a voice artist throughout the 1980s on satirical puppet show Spitting Image. In the early nineties, Coogan began creating...


Review: To celebrate the release of Die Another Day
Die Another Day
Die Another Day is the 20th spy film in the James Bond series, and the fourth and last film to star Pierce Brosnan as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond; it is also the last Bond film of the original timeline with the series being rebooted with Casino Royale...

, a race between two classic Bond cars, Aston Martin Vanquish vs. Ferrari 575M Maranello
Ferrari 575M Maranello
The Ferrari 575M Maranello is a two-seat, two-door, grand tourer built by Ferrari. Launched in 2002, it is essentially an updated 550 Maranello featuring minor styling changes from Pininfarina...

 (featuring Damon Hill
Damon Hill
Damon Graham Devereux Hill OBE is a retired British racing driver. In 1996 Hill won the Formula One World Championship. As the son of the late Graham Hill, he is the only son of a world champion to win the title...

 in the 575M). While the Aston makes the better noise and is more comfortable, the Ferrari is faster, lighter, more fun to drive, will hold its value better, and has a much better gearbox. Despite this, both Clarkson and Hill prefer the Aston. The Stig takes the Aston Martin Vanquish around the track in 1.36.2 and the Ferrari 575M in 1.35.2; set on very wet track. In fact, at about 140 mph the Stig spun the Aston right off the track.

Interview: Jeremy interviews rally champion Richard Burns. Clarkson demonstrates to him what rallying is really like. He makes him stand outside in the cold waiting for the cars to come past and when a car did come past it sprayed grit in his face.

Review: Dawe reviewed the Nissan Skyline GT-R
Nissan Skyline GT-R
The Nissan Skyline GT-R is a Japanese sports car based on the Nissan Skyline range.The first GT-Rs were produced from 1969–1973. After a 16 year hiatus since the KPGC110 in 1972, the GT-R name was revived in 1989 with the Skyline R32. This car was nicknamed "Godzilla" by the Australian motoring...

, showing stock footage of racing-modified Skylines. Dawe calls the car a PlayStation
PlayStation
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...

 on wheels, noting the extensive electronic monitoring and feedback systems that are displayed on a computer screen inside the car. According to Dawe, the Skylines were so dominant in racing circuits that the rules were eventually changed in order to outlaw the car. He presents the R32, R33, and R34 models for comparison, underlining the fact that Skyline production has ended and that the only source for them now is the secondary market. He concludes that the R34 is the best of the breed but recommends the R33 as the best overall value.

Preview: The Vanquish and Jaguar XKR convertible from Die Another Day
Die Another Day
Die Another Day is the 20th spy film in the James Bond series, and the fourth and last film to star Pierce Brosnan as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond; it is also the last Bond film of the original timeline with the series being rebooted with Casino Royale...

were featured in the studio. In order to make room for under-bonnet gadgets, the original engines were removed and replaced with Mustang V8s
Ford Modular engine
The Ford Modular engine is Ford Motor Company's overhead camshaft V8 and V10 engine family, which has been produced in 4.6L, 5.0L , 5.4L, and 6.8L variations. Contrary to popular belief, the Modular engine did not get its name from its design or sharing of certain parts among the engine family...

.

The News: How to make Formula 1 more interesting, a teenaged delinquent wins the lottery, Clergy who want to drive for Top Gear.

Insider Dealing: End of the year deals are inevitable as dealerships lower prices to make their sales targets. Current bargains include the Ford Focus for £9,995 and free insurance from Renault.

Preview: Further celebrating the release of Die Another Day
Die Another Day
Die Another Day is the 20th spy film in the James Bond series, and the fourth and last film to star Pierce Brosnan as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond; it is also the last Bond film of the original timeline with the series being rebooted with Casino Royale...

, Richard and Jeremy show off the actual cars from the film in the studio: Bond’s Aston Martin Vanquish (complete with machine guns, missiles, & an ejector seat) and the villain’s Jaguar XKR (with even more machine guns & missiles). Both cars have inspired a future “Build A Bond Car” challenge – which will feature in the next episode of Top Gear.

Star In A Reasonably Priced Car: Steve Coogan
Steve Coogan
Stephen John "Steve" Coogan is a British comedian, actor, writer and producer. Born in Manchester, he began his career as a standup comedian and impressionist, working as a voice artist throughout the 1980s on satirical puppet show Spitting Image. In the early nineties, Coogan began creating...

. Clarkson lauds his ability to place characters in appropriate cars, and Coogan exhibits encyclopedic knowledge of Volvo
Volvo
AB Volvo is a Swedish builder of commercial vehicles, including trucks, buses and construction equipment. Volvo also supplies marine and industrial drive systems, aerospace components and financial services...

 parts and can tell between Porsche 911
Porsche 911
The Porsche 911 is a luxury 2-door sports coupe made by Porsche AG of Stuttgart, Germany. It has a distinctive design, rear-engined and with independent rear suspension, an evolution of the swing axle on the Porsche 356. The engine was also air-cooled until the introduction of the Type 996 in 1998...

 models based on door-slamming sounds. Coogan sets a time of 1:53.0 in the pouring rain, which is then used as a benchmark wet time for the Liana's lifetime.

Challenge: Hammond judged mid-range 2.0-litre four-door family saloons. After he decided that the Honda Accord was the best compromise, The Stig then took them round the track in the "Mid Range Olympics." On a dry track for all of them, the Jaguar X-Type
Jaguar X-Type
The X-Type is a compact executive car manufactured and marketed for model years 2001-2009 by Jaguar Cars. The smallest of the Jaguar model range, the X-type was marketed in saloon and wagon variants and was the only estate ever manufactured in series production by the company...

 came in last at 1:46 due to a poor traction control system, narrowly beaten by the Toyota Avensis and the Renault Laguna at 1:45. The Honda Accord came in the middle at 1:44, which was in turn beaten by the BMW 3 Series and the Mercedes-Benz C-Class at 1:43. The Ford Mondeo, despite being front-wheel drive and down on power compared to the Germans, came quickest at 1:41 due to its chassis.
5 Series 1 Episode 5 2002 November 17 Jonathan Ross
Jonathan Ross
Jonathan Ross may refer to:* Jonathan Ross , English television and radio personality* Jonathan Ross , United States Senator, Justice of the Vermont Supreme Court* Jonathon Ross , former Australian rules footballer...


Review: Jeremy reviews the Mercedes-Benz S-Class. After a short history lesson and noting "firsts" that now appear on many family and economical cars (like Anti-lock brakes and airbags), Clarkson fails to test drive the car after it refuses to correctly accept the telephone numbers Clarkson suggested. The S-Class test is a classic example of the new, less conventional style Top Gear has adopted. Jeremy said in his introduction 'this car has a very economical, twin-turbo, 6.0 litre... I don't mean economical, do I? I mean massive V12.” Eventually, he does get it on the road where he demonstrates the radar-guided cruise control. He ultimately deems it a fabulous car.

Review: Immediately following the S-class review, Jeremy then goes for a test drive in its rival, the Audi A8. He notes that the Audi is more of a sports car than a luxury car. He further says that is not better than the Mercedes, not even slightly. He says the Audi is better to drive, but the Mercedes is more refined and more comfortable.

Preview: Hammond & Clarkson preview a pre-production model of the Jaguar XJ in the studio.

The News: The Nissan Almera gets a facelift and a name change. Another new Nissan is the 350Z - which won’t be coming to the UK as all models produced for the year will be going to the US. Wiltshire County Council are removing the white lines from the roads in order to create a feeling of uncertainty among drivers, thereby making them drive more cautiously. Studies show that MPG estimates are not accurate.

Review: Jason Dawe looks at used Peugeot 206
Peugeot 206
The Peugeot 206 is a supermini car, manufactured by the French automaker Peugeot from 1998 to 2010.Even though the 206 has finished production in most markets as of 2010, in Europe since 2009, it is available the 206+, with a back and especially a front design that resembles the Peugeot 207.-The...

s. He lauds the car for having character and classlessness, and though he acknowledges that the prices are inflated by too much demand, he still recommends buying them because they will hold this value until again up for sale. Clarkson and Dawe agree that it's the best used car buy of the time.

Star In A Reasonably Priced Car: Jonathan Ross
Jonathan Ross
Jonathan Ross may refer to:* Jonathan Ross , English television and radio personality* Jonathan Ross , United States Senator, Justice of the Vermont Supreme Court* Jonathon Ross , former Australian rules footballer...

, while driving an extremely wet track, he is penalized two seconds for cutting over the Hammerhead corner and receives a time of 1:57. This failure to take the hammerhead corner has been related to in later star in a reasonably priced car segments, where Clarkson tells guests that “Jonathan Ross, who got lost...”

Review: Hammond goes to Germany to "test drive" a Maybach 62 and gushes over the numerous features of the car. He says that it is better than a Rolls-Royce
Rolls-Royce (car)
This a list of Rolls-Royce motor cars and includes vehicles produced by:*Rolls-Royce Limited *Rolls-Royce Motors , which was owned by Vickers between 1980 and 1998, and after that by Volkswagen...

, but it is the sort of thing that can only be appreciated by those who can afford it. The S-class costs £87,000 while the Maybach 62 lists for £281,380.

Insider Dealing: The Rover 45 can be had for as little as £9,903 (down from £11.650). MG is knocking 15% off some of its models. BMW dealerships are fitting tires for less than franchise houses such as Quick Fit. The deal of the week is Vauxhall 2.2 CDX lists for £22,500 – but Dawe has found one for £16,000.

Review: Clarkson then test drives a Bentley Arnage and thrashes the car on the Top Gear track. The Stig takes the luxury car to a time of 1:40.8 on a wet track.

Challenge: Make an 'average' car into a 007/Bond car
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...

, for less than £300. The result, a Rover 800 incorporating a paintball
Paintball
Paintball is a sport in which players compete, in teams or individually, to eliminate opponents by tagging them with capsules containing water soluble dye and gelatin shell outside propelled from a device called a paintball marker . Paintballs have a non-toxic, biodegradable, water soluble...

 gun, a bullet-proof tea tray, a passenger ejector seat, and rocket tubes, makes a parody of many of the associated modifications that grace many James Bond cars. It was built and introduced by Edd China
Edd China
Edd China is a motor specialist who has been featured in British TV shows including Wheeler Dealers and Auto Trader, both alongside television presenter Mike Brewer. China has also appeared on various radio shows. He was educated at King Edward's School, Witley, and holds a degree in Engineering...

.
6 Series 1 Episode 6 2002 November 24 Tara Palmer-Tomkinson
Tara Palmer-Tomkinson
Tara Palmer-Tomkinson also known as T P-T, is an English socialite, "it girl", television presenter, columnist and model...


Preview: Opening the show, Hammond & Clarkson preview the Honda NSX Type-R in the studio. Honda are trying to decide whether or not to sell the NSX in Britain. The Stig posts a time of 1:33.7 on a very wet track – faster than both the Ferrari 575 and the Noble featured in previous episodes. If you take the 4-second wet lap deduction, the NSX places neck in neck with the Lamborghini Murciélago. As with the Aston Martin featured in episode 4 of the series, the Stig also spun the Honda during one of his attempts at posting a time.

Review: Clarkson drives the Renault Vel Satis
Renault Vel Satis
The Renault Vel Satis was an executive car produced by the French manufacturer Renault, launched at the 2001 Geneva Motorshow to replace the already-discontinued Safrane...

 through Swindon
Swindon
Swindon is a large town within the borough of Swindon and ceremonial county of Wiltshire, in South West England. It is midway between Bristol, west and Reading, east. London is east...

. He finds the ride to be too pillowy to cope with bad roads and its looks to be too wacky for its target audience of executive car buyers. However, like the Renault Avantime
Renault Avantime
The Renault Avantime is a grand-touring coupé combining features of a 2+2 coupé and an MPV — marketed by the French manufacturer Renault, designed and manufactured by Matra, between 2001 and 2003...

, Clarkson loves the bold design.

Preview: Back in the studio, Richard and Dave showcase the new versions of the Renault Mégane and the Renault Aventine. As with the Vel Satis, Clarkson thinks they are fantastic to look at. Hammond and Dawe are not convinced.

Challenge: Following up from the successful Granny donut challenge from episode 2, Dawe meets up with the grannys as Rally car driver and stuntman Russ Swift
Russ Swift
Paul Russell "Russ" Swift is a British driver who is known for performing stunts and for precision driving.-Career:Starting out as a rally co-driver, and later moving into the sport of Autotesting, Russ Swift has built his career on a sturdy motorsport foundation...

 teaches them how to handbrake park in a Mini.

The News: Nissan are coming back to motorports – specifically the Dakar Ralley. Mazda is coming out with a limited edition MX5. A sequel is in the works to the Fast And The Furious. Richard and Jeremy are amused by the Hyundai that is slated to appear in the film.

Review: Hammond drives the BMW Z4 in Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...

. He admits to not liking the wet BMW Z3, but finds the Z4 to be excellent. Clarkson disagrees, but allows it to be put onto the Cool Wall as a cool car. The Renault Vel Satis has been voted “tow car of the year.”

The Cool Wall: Jeremy debuts The Cool Wall – a board dived into four sections (seriously uncool, uncool, cool, and sub-zero) onto which images of cars are posted. As Jeremy explains, where the cars fall depends not on how they look or drive, but solely on how cool they are. The BMW Z3 is uncool. However the Z4 is cool. The Fiat Multiplier is cool. The Lexus IS200 was cool, but since Alan Patridge has got one it is now uncool. The Audi TT stared in Sub-zero, but is now uncool. Finally, Jeremy thinks the Renault Aventine is “the coolest car money can buy” and he places it as far into the sub-zero category as he can.

Star In A Reasonably Priced Car: Tara Palmer-Tomkinson
Tara Palmer-Tomkinson
Tara Palmer-Tomkinson also known as T P-T, is an English socialite, "it girl", television presenter, columnist and model...

 is reminded of her previous appearance on “old” Top Gear and is grilled on her driving habits. She also reveals that she thinks that bumpers on cars are there so that they can be used as parking aids. She posts a time of 1:54 on the very wet track.

Insider Dealing: Dave has found the Suzuki Liana for as low as £7,995 - £2,000 less that what Top Gear paid for theirs. It’s the time of year that the bigger automotive dealers need to get rid of their used cars. They might not be advertised, but they will definitely be dealing. Dawe also has some tips about settling the financing on trade-ins.

Review: Continuing the theme of “cool cars,” Dawe looks at used car that has never gone out of fashion: the Volkswagen Golf. He laments briefly at the poor performance of petrol Golfs in the past two generations, and recommends the torque of the diesel versions to those who want performance. Dawe then looks at a metallic pea-green Golf with a beige interior and black dashboard, remarking that a poor choice of colour and trim can make a secondhand Golf worth £500 less than if it was in a proper colour scheme.

Review: Clarkson revisits the cool wall and places various models of the Mercedes-Benz SL in nearly every category. He then previews the latest model, the SL55, in the studio and postulates that it too, may be “uncool.” However it has a big brother. With that, he drives his personal Mercedes-Benz SL55 AMG around the track very carefully extolling its virtues, before giving in and opening the taps (as he puts it) just a little bit. Back in the studio with Hammond, he explains that ultimately the car is a bit “northern” and he confesses that, as being from the north himself, that is probably why he likes it so much. He makes an attempt at what will become his signature send-off (“And on that bombshell, we have to end…”), but Hammond cuts him off. Hammond notes to Clarkson that, according to a UK gay-oriented website, the SL55 AMG is considered to be the fourth-gayest car. The car is then stolen by Hammond and given to the Stig for a lap. The Stig posts a time of 1:33.2 (Very Wet Track). Like the NSX at the top of the show, a quick time.
7 Series 1 Episode 7 2002 December 1 Rick Parfitt
Rick Parfitt
Richard John Parfitt, OBE is best known for being a singer and the rhythm guitarist in the English rock band Status Quo.-Career:...


Review: Hammond drives a Saab 9-3, following the government guidelines for "commuting in an eco-friendly manner". He finds it to be well-equipped and a bit of a bargain compared to German orthodoxy, but not as wacky and interesting as old Saabs.

The News: The Daihatsu Copin looks like it might compete with Smart Roadster, but it appears it may be too expensive. Tuning house Braebus has one-upped Jeremy’s Mercedes AMG from the previous episode with their own model. The Mercedes E-class, Renault Vel Satis, Renaut Méganen, and Saab 93 are the latest cars to receive a 5-star crash test rating from Euro Encap. Further, the Suburu Outback was singled out as the safest car for children (in the back seat). Transportation secretary Alistar Darling wants a “hole czar” to take on all of the holes in the roads. They close out the news complaining about buses.

Challenge: The Fastest Faith (part 1): A search for the "fastest faith" starts, with the contestants being a Catholic Priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...

, a Rabbi
Rabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...

, a Buddhism
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...

 Lama
Lama
Lama is a title for a Tibetan teacher of the Dharma. The name is similar to the Sanskrit term guru .Historically, the term was used for venerated spiritual masters or heads of monasteries...

, an Anglican
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...

 Priest, a Bishop also from the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...

, and a follower of the Hare Krishna
International Society for Krishna Consciousness
The International Society for Krishna Consciousness , known colloquially as the Hare Krishna movement, is a Gaudiya Vaishnava religious organization. It was founded in 1966 in New York City by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada...

. Each driver drove a highly tuned Subaru Impreza WRX STI. The car was spun by the rabbi and the Hare Krishna, giving them 5th and 6th place respectively. Fourth place went to the Lama, third to the bishop. The Catholic priest was beaten by the Anglican priest for the best time. This challenge is continued in episode 10 of the series.

Preview: Hammond showcases three cars with diesel engines in the studio: a Ford Focus, BWM 5-series, and a Citroën C8 people carrier. Out on the track, the Peugeot RC (a diesel-powered sports car) does a wet, untimed lap.

The Cool Wall: The VW Golf is cool. The diesel version is uncool. The Saab 93 is cool. The diesel version is, predictably, uncool.

Preview: Hammond showcases the Ford Think – an electric prototype. The Stig takes it around the track in a race against Jason Dawe – who is on foot. Jason wins because the Think runs out of battery power. Following this (and Jeremy’s vocal complaints), Hammond follows this with a look at the Toyota Prius. Jeremy places it well off the “seriously uncool” end of The Cool Wall into a place he terms “deep, dark recesses of Hell.”

Challenge: Jason Dawe takes a number of cars to a primary school to get the kids' verdict on coolness. Among them were the Ferrari 360 Modena, the Pagani Zonda, the Nissan Skyline GT-R R34, and the TVR Tuscan. Their favourite was the Ferrari 360 Modena, the Pagani Zonda, the Nissan Skyline GT-R R34, the TVR Tuscan S. Their favourite was the Lamborghini Countach, the oldest, dirtiest, least comfortable, and least safe of the cars.

Preview: Back in the studio, Hammond & Dawe showcases a Bristol that has been converted to run on LPG. Dawe remarks that you will recoup the cost of the conversion after around 20,000 miles.

Review: Clarkson drives a Lotus Elise 111S badly and then gets a lesson from a Lotus test driver on how to drive it properly. The Stig takes it around the track in a time of 1.35.6 (wet track).

Preview: Clarkson reveals the Peugeot 607 to be the greenest car in the world – because it’s so awful you wouldn’t want to drive it.

Star In A Reasonably Priced Car: Rick Parfitt
Rick Parfitt
Richard John Parfitt, OBE is best known for being a singer and the rhythm guitarist in the English rock band Status Quo.-Career:...

 of Status Quo, sets a time of 1:52.

Insider Dealing: The Fiat Stillo, normally £11,700 is now £7,995. The Ford Ka is a mere £4,995. But the best deal of the week goes to the Izuzu Trooper. The previous year’s model originally listed for ¢27,000. Now it can be had (still brand new on the dealers’ lots) for £18,995
8 Series 1 Episode 8 2002 December 8 Michael Gambon
Michael Gambon
Sir Michael John Gambon, CBE is an Irish actor who has worked in theatre, television and film. A highly respected theatre actor, Gambon is recognised for his roles as Philip Marlowe in the BBC television serial The Singing Detective, as Jules Maigret in the 1990s ITV serial Maigret, and as...


Jeremy opens the show with an apology for stating he was going to kick a barn owl for fun in the previous episode. He says that while they made the effort to go “green” in episode 7, they mucked it up and won’t bother again.

Preview: Jeremy briefly shows the BWM M5 and the Jaguar S Type-R in the studio. Both have 400 bhp. They also both have new competition in the form of the Audi RS6.

Review: Jeremy road tests the 450bhp Audi RS6. He liked the power and the speed, but found the ride a bit stiff. Despite this he deemed the Audi “one of the best made cars on the road today” … “easily better than the BWM M5 and the Jaguar S Type-R.” Clarkson then drives the 500bhp Mercedes-Benz E55 AMG. While he is not a fan of the E-series styling or of Mercedes service and customer care, he does like the power, speed, and sound that comes from the 5.5L supercharged V8 engine. He says that the Audi and the Mercedes are equals in just about every way, but that he ultimately prefers the Audi. The track times were: The Audi RS6 did 1.33.0 and the Mercedes-Benz E55 completed the track in 1:35:5 (both wet tracks, though considerably wetter for the Mercedes). Nick Mason
Nick Mason
Nicholas Berkeley "Nick" Mason is an English drummer and songwriter, best known for his work with Pink Floyd. He was the only constant member of the band since its formation in 1965...

 of Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...

 makes a brief cameo during Clarkson’s review.

Challenge: A Lada Riva
Lada Riva
The VAZ-2105, VAZ-2104 and VAZ-2107 are a series of medium-sized family cars built by Russian car manufacturer AvtoVAZ, introduced in 1980 in the Soviet Union, and progressively in other European markets through the early 1980s and sold in both saloon and estate versions...

 1.5E Catalyst is modified by Lotus. After driving it on the track, the Lotus test driver calls it "easily the worst car I've ever driven." They take out the shoddy Russian 35 bhp (26 kW) engine and replace it with an identical type and size of engine, but tuned to deliver 180 bhp (130 kW). The gearbox, suspension, and bodywork are replaced or substantially tuned. With a modified exterior (debadged
Debadging
Debadging refers to the process of removing the manufacturer's badges from a vehicle. This can be done to complement the smoothed out bodywork of a modified car, or to disguise a lower specification model. Conversely, sleepers may be debadged to disguise any subtle evidence of high-performance...

 of any Lada markings), a refreshingly updated interior, and a much-improved suspension, Lotus spent a total of 1000 hours and £100,000 to deliver a Lada that is actually good to drive and be seen in.

The News: Ridiculous parking tickets. The latest Citroën Berlingo is prettier, but still odd-looking and still inexpensive. The new Vauxhall Astra has 200bhp for £16,000. The Audi TT has a bigger engine and a press release full of techno-speak regarding the gearbox.

Challenge: White-Van Men raced a Ford World Rally Transit van around the Top Gear track. They all had similar times but one: Clarkson's preferred man (a fellow Steely Dan fan) got lost and turned up two minutes behind the others.

Review: Hammond looks at superminis, choosing the midrange 1.4 litre of each type. He finds the Ford Fiesta to be rather good to drive and quite practical, but extremely boring both inside and out. The Citroën C3 is interesting, but slow and forgettable to drive. The Honda Jazz is easily the most practical and spacious, quite like a mini MPV, as well as intelligently proportioned inside. But the Jazz has all the downsides of an MPV, such as noise reverberation and poor drive feel. The Nissan Micra is less practical, but offers a huge amount of technology and options for its price. Hammond is finally satisfied by the MG ZR
MG ZR
The MG ZR is a high-performance MG-branded "hot hatch" version of the Rover 25 supermini-class car, produced by MG Rover at their Longbridge plant in Birmingham from 2001 to 2005...

, which feels special to drive even in the midrange non-hot version.

Star In A Reasonably Priced Car: Michael Gambon
Michael Gambon
Sir Michael John Gambon, CBE is an Irish actor who has worked in theatre, television and film. A highly respected theatre actor, Gambon is recognised for his roles as Philip Marlowe in the BBC television serial The Singing Detective, as Jules Maigret in the 1990s ITV serial Maigret, and as...

 tells the story of when he faked a heart-attack whilst flying a friend over London. On his way to a time of 1:55 on wet tarmac, his driving style causes him to break off the car's right wing mirror, as well as nearly rolling the car while cutting the last corner of the test track (“Carpenter’s Corner”). As a result, Clarkson re-names the corner "Gambon Corner," a name the track corner has kept to this day.

Insider Dealing: Dawe has found another new Suzuki Liana – this time for £7,495. Deals can be had on re-registered cars. That is cars registered by the dealer (a trick to meet sales quotas) and then sold later at a discount (because they are technically “used”). Deals include the Renault Scenic £9,000 (down from £12,500), a Ford Focus 1.4CL 7,995 (normally £10,500), and a Fiat Punto £4,995.

Review: Jeremy tests the Maserati Coupé
Maserati Coupe
The Maserati Coupé and Spyder are grand tourers produced by Italian automaker Maserati from 2001 to 2007. They have now been replaced by the GranTurismo. The two nameplates refer to the four-seater coupé and two-seater roadster versions, respectively. Both models were based on the 3200 GT, ...

 on the track. He finds it to be a confused and unsatisfying alternative, somewhere between the performance of a Ferrari and the comfort of a Jaguar. The Stig achieves an underwhelming time of 1.38.0 on a very wet track.
9 Series 1 Episode 9 2002 December 22 Gordon Ramsay
Gordon Ramsay
Gordon James Ramsay, OBE is a Scottish chef, television personality and restaurateur. He has been awarded 13 Michelin stars....


Review: Jeremy opens the show with a brief review of the Renault Espace. He finds it to be a bit pricey, but the perfect family car. Immediately following his review, Jeremy places the Espace into the uncool section of the cool wall. He also places people carriers from Citroën, Chrysler, Kia, and Toyota in “uncool.” As he puts it, “All people carriers are uncool.” Hammond recommends SUV’s (like a Range Rover) as a “cool” alternative.

Review: Jeremy prefers the Toyota Landcruiser as the “cool” alternative. He likes the legendary Toyota reliability, eight seats, “and enough boot space for a cameraman.” He finds the latest model to be better looking, better equipped, and better riding than previous models. However, he also says that as a family car, you end up paying for things you’ll never need or use, such as a low-range gear box, adjustable ride height, and locking differential. As an alternative, Hammond offers up “grass & gravel” 4x4’s in the form of the BMW X5 and the Audi Allroad – which retain the cool looks, but dispense with the offroad extras. However, they only have five seats.

Review: Jeremy drives the Volvo XC90 Estate and finds it doesn’t work off-road, it’s big, thirsty, and not very nice to drive. However, he likes the safety features, amenities, the price, and the fact that it was clearly designed for families.

Challenge: Can a heavy car be made faster by simply making it lighter? Hammond and Dawe start with a used 1985 Jaguar XJS V12. The Stig sets a 0-60mph time of 8.6 seconds. Hammond and Dawe then turned it over to a crew from Cornwall. They pull off speakers, bumpers, seats, etc. for a total reduction of 223 kilograms. The Stig then sets a new 0-60mph time of 7.4 seconds. The 0-100mph savings turned out to be 5 seconds.

The News: Morgan “The Morgan Club” to help finance their racing team. Clarkson has found a better investment: a house in the south of France with a “full on racetrack” on the grounds. A motorcyclist files a lawsuit against the DVLA demanding to settle case with a fight to the death.

Preview: Jeremy presents the MG SV – a V8 muscle car pricest around £60,000.

Review: Hammond reviews the Subaru Forester 2.0 XT and finds it to be fantastic off-road and on. On the downside, he finds it to be a bit thirsty and the interior to be somewhat dull.

The Cool Wall: Returning to the board, Hammond & Clarkson place the Forrester in the “cool” section. Other cars include TVR (uncool), the VW Polo (cool). Hammond thinks the BMW M3 is cool and wants to move it up from “uncool.” Clarkson disagrees, but when his back is turned, Hammond sneaks it over into “cool.” Clarkson is aghast to find that someone has put the Porsche Boxster into the “subzero” section. The culprit turns out to be the cameraman (who owns one). Clarkson drops it down to “uncool.” Clarkson then notices the M3 in the cool section, pulls it off, and prepares to demote it yet again. Hammond intervenes and convinces Clarkson to put it to a studio audience vote – which he does. Not liking the results, he declares “this isn’t a democracy” and places the car back into “uncool.”

Star In A Reasonably Priced Car: Gordon Ramsay
Gordon Ramsay
Gordon James Ramsay, OBE is a Scottish chef, television personality and restaurateur. He has been awarded 13 Michelin stars....

 stops by to talk school runs and service stations. Jeremy also reveals a challenge he filmed earlier involving cooking food on the engine while you drive. Three separate entrés were placed under the hood/bonnet of three different cars and sent around the Top Gear track for two hours. The Stig, making his first appearance in the studio, presented the results to Ramsay, who found them terrible. Ramsay sets a time of 1:50 – matching Jeremy’s time.

Insider Dealing: The deal of the week is a new Nissan Torano for £15,500 (a £4,500 savings). Jason says that in the next few months, there will be deals on the Toyota Avencis as a new model is coming out which will force dealers to drop the price on the old one. Dawe also predicts the hot cars for next year will be the BMW Z4, VW Beetle Cabriolet, and the Nissan 350Z. He says that the demand for those three will outweigh the supply and anyone lucky enough to buy one will likely be able to get their money back (and even make a small profit) if they sell it 6-12 months down the line.

Review: Jeremy reviews the VW Golf R32. He finds the Golf to be a lot more car than its predecessor, but lacking in the original’s spirit as well. Comparing it to its immediate competition (Ford Focus RS, Honda Civic Type R, and SEAT León Cupra R), Clarkson finds the Golf to be showing its age. The Stig drives the Focus RS to a lap time of 1:32.2. He then takes the R32 to a time of 1:33.3. As shown in Episode 2, the Ford is again quickest on the track, but Clarkson prefers the Golf because it is easier to control.

Challenge: The Stig raced a Radical SR3 around the track against an aerobatic plane. The plane wins the race, but the Radical tops the Power Lap board with a time of 1:19.8, beating the Westfield XTR2
Westfield XTR2
The Westfield XTR2 is an ultralightweight, two-seater sports car manufactured by Westfield Sportscars Limited, of West Midlands, UK. It features a lightweight steel tubular spaceframe chassis, and the , 1299 cc Suzuki Hayabusa 4 cylinder engine, mated to a 6-speed sequential gearbox. Performance...

’s time of 1:22.6 (from episode 3).
10 Series 1 Episode 10 2002 December 29 Jay Kay

Review: Jeremy reviews off-roaders: Toyota Land Cruiser Amazon, BMW X5, Jeep Grand Cherokee, and Range Rover. Clarkson ridicules the poor usability of the BMW X5 as an off-road vehicle. He cites the Jeep, Land Cruiser, and Range Rover as more or less equally good off-road, but overwhelmingly prefers the pricey Range Rover because of its excellent interior, indestructibility, and "sheer Range-Roveriness." There is the question of Range Rover’s less than stellar reputation as far as reliability goes. To this end, Clarkson has convinced Rover to loan him one for six months to see if anything will go wrong.

2002 Top Gear Awards:
  • Car Of The Year - Car of the Year - Range Rover
  • Most Pointless Car - Ford Fusion
  • Weirdest Renault
    Renault
    Renault S.A. is a French automaker producing cars, vans, and in the past, autorail vehicles, trucks, tractors, vans and also buses/coaches. Its alliance with Nissan makes it the world's third largest automaker...

     - Nissan Micra
  • Surely you don't need the money! Award - Eddie Irvine
    Eddie Irvine
    Edmund "Eddie" Irvine, Jr. is a former racing driver from Northern Ireland. He grew up in Conlig, County Down, and was influenced by his parents, who were also involved in motor racing...

     for promoting a power washer
  • Fastest Car - Fastest Car - Radical SR3


Review: Clarkson also reviews two cars touted as challengers to the Radical SR3: the AS One and the Audi TT MTM Bimoto. The Audi MTM Bimoto set a time of 1:28:6, whereas the As One posted a 1:29:4 on the track. In other words, nowhere close to the Radical.

Challenge: The Fastest Faith (part 2): The search for the "fastest faith" continues from episode 7 with a Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...

 Imam
Imam
An imam is an Islamic leadership position, often the worship leader of a mosque and the Muslim community. Similar to spiritual leaders, the imam is the one who leads Islamic worship services. More often, the community turns to the mosque imam if they have a religious question...

, a Rastafarian, a Seventh-day Adventist
Seventh-day Adventist Church
The Seventh-day Adventist Church is a Protestant Christian denomination distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the original seventh day of the Judeo-Christian week, as the Sabbath, and by its emphasis on the imminent second coming of Jesus Christ...

, and the Druid
Neo-Druidism
Neo-Druidism or Neo-Druidry, commonly referred to as Druidism or Druidry by its adherents, is a form of modern spirituality or religion that generally promotes harmony and worship of nature, and respect for all beings, including the environment...

 Arthur Uther Pendragon
Arthur Uther Pendragon
Arthur Uther Pendragon is an English eco-campaigner, neo-druid leader, media personality, and self-declared reincarnation of King Arthur, a name by which he is also known.-Early years:...

. The Adventist pastor was unable to fit in the car, giving him fourth place. The Rastafarian, who was jokingly warned to "keep off the grass," turned in the top time, beating the druid and the imam, who got 3rd and 2nd respectively. The Rastafarian also beat the Anglican priest from the earlier challenge, earning the title of "fastest faith" decisively.

Insider Dealing: Dawe looks at a number of used car bargains, including a Citroën AX
Citroën AX
The Citroën AX is a supermini built by the French manufacturer Citroën from 1986 to 1998. The AX was launched at the 1986 Paris Motor Show to replace the Citroën Visa and Citroën LNA.-Overview:...

, a Nissan Primera, and a £100 Nissan 300C
Nissan 300C
The Nissan 300C was the name applied to the export version of the Nissan Cedric Y30 series, a luxury car made by the Japanese manufacturer Nissan...

. Dawe recommends to be brave and go for old, essentially disposable cars with potential reliability issues to save money.

Review: Clarkson looks back at the Lotus Esprit fondly, after almost a quarter-century of production. Clarkson's only gripe is the awkward gearbox, which is sourced originally from the Renault 25
Renault 25
The Renault 25 is an executive car produced by the French automaker Renault from 1983 to 1992. During its time, the 25 was Renault's flagship, the most expensive, prestigious, and largest vehicle in the company's line-up. It placed second in the 1985 European Car of the Year contest...

 - the limited quantities of which will eventually kill the Esprit off. Clarkson tested the Esprit V8, which posted a time of 1:32:5, rather disappointing given the Esprit's perception as one of the greatest sports cars ever.

The News: New supercars for 2003 include the Porsche Carrera GT, the Dodge Viper, the 1000bhp Bugatti Veyron, the McClaren Mercedes SLR, the Koenigsegg CC8S, as well as a car from new company Ascari (which they have in the studio). New sportscars include the Chrysler Crossfire and the Mazda RX8. Other new cars of note include the Porsche Cayenne, the Volkswagon Phaeton, and the Vauxhall Signum

Review: Hammond also reviews a TVR 350C
TVR T350
The TVR T350 is a sports car manufactured by TVR from 2002 to 2006. It is based on the TVR Tamora, and is powered by TVR's Speed Six engine in 3.6 litre form, producing . The T350 was available in coupe and targa versions, the coupe version being known as the T350C, and the targa version the T350T...

, which even The Stig finds a handful - spinning out on a practice lap before setting a Power Lap time of 1:28.

Star In A Reasonably Priced Car: Jay Kay appears to accept an award for being the fastest guest of the series.
The Best Of Top Gear Season 1 Harry Enfield
Harry Enfield
Henry Richard "Harry" Enfield is a BAFTA-winning English comedian, actor, writer and director.-Early life:...

 & Jonathan Ross
Jonathan Ross
Jonathan Ross may refer to:* Jonathan Ross , English television and radio personality* Jonathan Ross , United States Senator, Justice of the Vermont Supreme Court* Jonathon Ross , former Australian rules footballer...



Review: The The Noble M12
Noble M12
The NobleM12 is a two-door, two-seater sports car manufactured by Noble Automotive.- Description :Like the Noble M10, the Noble M12 is a two-door, two-seater model, originally planned both as a coupe and as a convertible. All M12s have been powered by modified bi-turbocharged Ford Duratec V6...

 GTO (from Series 1, Episode 2)

The News: Ridiculous parking tickets (from Series 1, Episode 8). MG has a new supercar that can be bought with options that will take it to 965 bhp (from Series 1, Episode 2).

Review: Hammond reviews the BMW Z4 (from Season 1, Episode 6).

The Stig Highlight Reel

Star In A Reasonably Priced Car: Harry Enfield
Harry Enfield
Henry Richard "Harry" Enfield is a BAFTA-winning English comedian, actor, writer and director.-Early life:...

 (from Season 1, Episode 1)

Star In A Reasonably Priced Car: Jonathan Ross
Jonathan Ross (television presenter)
Jonathan Stephen Ross, OBE is an English television and radio presenter, best known for presenting the BBC One chat show Friday Night with Jonathan Ross from 2001 until he left the BBC in 2010. Ross began hosting a new chat show on ITV1 starting 3 September 2011...

 (from Season 1, Episode 5)

Challenge: The speed camera challenge (from Season 1, Episode 1)

Review: Jeremy Clarkson
Jeremy Clarkson
Jeremy Charles Robert Clarkson is an English broadcaster, journalist and writer who specialises in motoring. He is best known for his role on the BBC TV show Top Gear along with co-presenters Richard Hammond and James May...

 reviews the Citroën Berlingo Multispace (from Season 1, Episode 1)

Challenge: The double-decker bus jump (from Season 1, Episode 2)

The Cool Wall: Jeremy debuts The Cool Wall (from Season 1, Episode 6)

Review: Jeremy Clarkson
Jeremy Clarkson
Jeremy Charles Robert Clarkson is an English broadcaster, journalist and writer who specialises in motoring. He is best known for his role on the BBC TV show Top Gear along with co-presenters Richard Hammond and James May...

 reviews the Aston Martin DB7 (from Season 1, Episode 3)

Challenge: The vegetable oil in a diesel engine challenge (from Season 1, Episode 1)

Review: Hammond looks at superminis: the Ford Fiesta, the Citroën C3, the Honda Jazz, and the Nissan Micra (from Season 1, Episode 8)

’’’Review: Jeremy Clarkson
Jeremy Clarkson
Jeremy Charles Robert Clarkson is an English broadcaster, journalist and writer who specialises in motoring. He is best known for his role on the BBC TV show Top Gear along with co-presenters Richard Hammond and James May...

 reviews the Mercedes-Benz SL55 AMG (from Season 1, Episode 6)
The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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