Top Gear (series 8)
Encyclopedia
The eighth series of Top Gear
began on May 7th and concluded on July 30th, 2006. The series featured eight episodes. Over 150 complaints were received regarding actions carried out in the sixth episode, ultimately resulting in a caravan
being burnt to the ground. Clarkson later proclaimed that it was not an 'accident' as first implied, but was in fact a publicity stunt to show everyone how much Top Gear actually hate caravans.
newspaper, claimed the episode's action had been staged and that Dorset
emergency services had been paid around £1,000 by the BBC for a six-man fire crew to participate in the mock fire. A BBC spokeswoman confirmed that the fire had been planned for safety reasons and that any reasonable viewer would not have been misled due to the stunt's slapstick
nature.
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...
began on May 7th and concluded on July 30th, 2006. The series featured eight episodes. Over 150 complaints were received regarding actions carried out in the sixth episode, ultimately resulting in a caravan
Travel trailer
A travel trailer or caravan is towed behind a road vehicle to provide a place to sleep which is more comfortable and protected than a tent . It provides the means for people to have their own home on a journey or a vacation, without relying on a motel or hotel, and enables them to stay in places...
being burnt to the ground. Clarkson later proclaimed that it was not an 'accident' as first implied, but was in fact a publicity stunt to show everyone how much Top Gear actually hate caravans.
Episodes
| # | Episode | Airdate | Guests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 66 | Series 8 Episode 1 | 2006 May 7 | Various (see below) |
A new opening title sequence was introduced and the program was now presented from a new and much bigger studio, as the production had outgrown the old one. The new studio is at Dunsfold Park Aerodrome, which is still the same location as the old smaller studio. This episode also saw "Top Gear dog" introduced, a labradoodle Labradoodle A Labradoodle is a crossbred dog created by crossing the Labrador Retriever and the Standard or Miniature Poodle.-History:The first known use of the term "Labradoodle" was by Sir Donald Campbell to describe his Labrador/Poodle cross dog in his 1955 book, "Into the Water Barrier"... . As with past the past few series, a montage of highlights from upcoming episodes was shown at the top of the show. Review: Hammond drives a hot pink Pink Pink is a mixture of red and white. Commonly used for Valentine's Day and Easter, pink is sometimes referred to as "the color of love." The use of the word for the color known today as pink was first recorded in the late 17th century.... Nissan Micra C+C around Ledbury Ledbury Ledbury is a town in Herefordshire, England, lying east of Hereford, and south of the Malvern Hills.Today, Ledbury is a thriving market town in rural England. The town has a large number of timber framed buildings, in particular along Church Lane and High Street. One of Ledbury's most outstanding... , Herefordshire Herefordshire Herefordshire is a historic and ceremonial county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire" NUTS 2 region. It also forms a unitary district known as the... , with a brown paper bag over his head. However, due to the car being "the most embarrassing in human history," he abandons it mid-review, stating "It's not as if anyone's going to steal it, are they?" In the news segment of Series 1 Episode 1, Hammond had described the car as a "rather gorgeous looking little thing" - although this referred to the old model, which was not in pink. Unimpressed, Clarkson remarks, “It just looks like a scrotum.” Challenge: The team were challenged to fit a working home-made convertible roof to a Renault Espace Renault Espace The Renault Espace is a large MPV from French car-maker Renault. Generations 1-3 were sold under the Renault brand but manufactured by Matra. The current fourth generation model, which seats seven passengers, is an all-Renault product; the Renault Grand Espace is a long-wheelbase version with... people carrier Minivan Minivan is a type of van designed for personal use. Minivans are typically either two-box or one box designs for maximum interior volume – and are taller than a sedan, hatchback, or a station wagon.... . During the conversion of Espace, several unpleasant things happened. First, Clarkson and Hammond broke several side windows, which should not be broken. Second, Clarkson sewed his jacket to the machine and he eventually made the frame wrong. Challenges included driving at 100 mph (161 km/h) (result: the roof blew off), taking it to the monkey enclosure at a safari park (result: the roof almost broke when a monkey sat on it), and finally taking it through a brand new car wash. The people carrier was quickly abandoned as the rollers collapsed the roof, showering the trio in water. The tattered & torn roof was then subsequently snagged on the car-wash mechanism and jammed the machinery, causing a fire. Whilst this was happening, the group was seen running away, soaking wet. The News: Rising petrol prices prompt a politically-incorrect rant from Clarkson. The new Volkswagen Eos may be the first decent looking four-seater cabriolet. Clarkson declares his Ford GT Ford GT The Ford GT is a mid-engine two-seater sports car. Ford Motor Company produced the Ford GT for the 2005 to 2006 model years. The designers drew inspiration from Ford's GT40 race cars of the 1960s.- Development :... ”the most unreliable car ever.” He said that ”all the stuff that was put on in England went wrong" and he suffered major problems with the trickle chargers Battery charger A battery charger is a device used to put energy into a secondary cell or rechargeable battery by forcing an electric current through it.The charge current depends upon the technology and capacity of the battery being charged... . During the break between series, another TV program borrowed the Top Gear test track and shot footage of “green” cars going round it. Jeremy shows a brief montage of highlights and supplies his own mocking commentary for the studio audience. The Saab Aero-X concept car impresses the hosts with its looks, but has “the canopy of jet fighter” and they aren’t sure why. James is annoyed by concept cars that promise wild design, but inevitably get watered down before they are mass-produced. He names the Honda Civic as a prime example, which leads directly into the following review. Review: May praises the newly restyled Honda Civic Honda Civic The Honda Civic is a line of subcompact and subsequently compact cars made and manufactured by Honda. The Civic, along with the Accord and Prelude, comprised Honda's vehicles sold in North America until the 1990s, when the model lineup was expanded... , which he finds to be amazingly attractive for a mass-market car. Details like the triangular exhaust pipes, the rocket-inspired door handles, and the glowing blue rev counter spark his imagination. Even the hazard light button is “translucent and looks like a boiled sweet!” On the weaker end of the scale, he finds the ride a bit choppy at higher speeds and the interior noise a little too loud. However, he says those are minor complaints considering how great the car looks. Star In A Reasonably Priced Car: The new series saw the Suzuki Liana replaced as the “reasonably priced car” by the Chevrolet Lacetti Daewoo Lacetti The Daewoo Lacetti is a compact car made by the South Korean automaker GM Daewoo since 2002. The first-generation Lacetti was available as a four-door sedan, a five-door hatchback or a five-door station wagon. The sedan and wagon were designed by Pininfarina, and the hatchback by Giorgetto Giugiaro... . In order to get some times on the separate board for the new car, several celebrities were invited to set times in this episode. In order of arrival:
Diesel News: James May introduces the JCB Dieselmax, with which JCB will attempt to break the diesel land speed record. Review: Clarkson reviews the new £415,000 Koenigsegg CCX Koenigsegg CCX The Koenigsegg CCX is a mid-engined roadster from Swedish car manufacturer Koenigsegg. The CCX has been engineered to comply with the U.S. regulation and market demands and is a newer design that replaced the Koenigsegg CCR.... and claims it is his new way of giving up smoking. The old Koenigsegg CC8S, which he reviewed in Season 2, Episode 7, was a raw, unruly beast that he found exceptionally fast, but very difficult to drive. The new car is even more so. Power lap: 1:20.4. The Stig lost control of the car upon a second attempt to break the posted time and hit a tire wall. He suggested that with the addition of a rear wing Wing (automotive) (for the panels around the wheels of a car see Fender (vehicle)A wing in this context is an aerodynamic device intended to generate downforce on an automobile. The first production car to feature a rear wing was the 1969 mercury cyclone spoiler, soon followed by the drastically larger Superbird and... (later dubbed 'Top Gear wing') to provide downforce Downforce Downforce is a downwards thrust created by the aerodynamic characteristics of a car. The purpose of downforce is to allow a car to travel faster through a corner by increasing the vertical force on the tires, thus creating more grip.... , the CCX would be 4 seconds faster. This episode’s Stig intro (by Clarkson): “Some say that his ears aren’t exactly where you’d expect them to be and that once, preposterously, he had an affair with John Prescott. All we know is, he’s called The Stig!”’’ |
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| 67 | Series 8 Episode 2 | 2006 May 14 | Gordon Ramsay Gordon Ramsay Gordon James Ramsay, OBE is a Scottish chef, television personality and restaurateur. He has been awarded 13 Michelin stars.... |
Review: Clarkson reviews the Chevrolet Corvette Z06, and finds it astonishing as a track car, comparing it to a 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... . However he notes, among other things, that the car is too harsh for road usage, claiming he would rather have Bird Flu than drive it every day. The Stig takes it to a 1:22.4, making it somewhat slower than the more expensive Ford GT Ford GT The Ford GT is a mid-engine two-seater sports car. Ford Motor Company produced the Ford GT for the 2005 to 2006 model years. The designers drew inspiration from Ford's GT40 race cars of the 1960s.- Development :... that was GM General Motors General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010... 's primary competition, but putting it in the realm of Italian and German supercars. This episode’s Stig intro (by Clarkson): “Some say he has a digital face and that if he felt like it, he could fire Alan Sugar. All we know is, he’s called The Stig!”’’ The News: The Ferrari 575 has been discontinued and will be replaced by the 599 GTB Fiorano. A new limo has been created from a tank. A new gadget called The Quick Start is designed to alert you to drive on the correct side of the road in France. The group figures out how the police Police The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force... can identify drivers under the influence of illegal drugs. They then devised a series of questions in relation to specific drugs. The Dodge Caliber Dodge Caliber The Dodge Caliber was a compact car produced by the Dodge division of Chrysler. It replaced the Neon, and it went on sale in the spring of 2006 as a 2007 model year vehicle... is designed to look like an imposing SUV, but is the size of a Volkswagon Golf. A car thief stole a Mercedes McLaren SLR in Germany and was apprehended a mere twelve miles away. Challenge: Hammond races a man in a canoe with an engine in Iceland. Hammond used a specially prepped offroad 4x4 called a Tomcat, with the chassis of a Range Rover Range Rover The Range Rover is a large luxury four-wheel drive sport utility vehicle produced by British car maker Land Rover. The model, launched in 1970, is now in its third generation... and a TVR TVR thumb|right|240px|TVR No.2, the oldest surviving TVR, located at [[Lakeland Motor Museum, Newby Bridge, Cumbria]]TVR was an independent British manufacturer of sports cars. Until 2006 it was based in the English seaside town of Blackpool, Lancashire, but has since split up into several smaller... V8 engine. The canoeist wins. Star In A Reasonably Priced Car: Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay Gordon Ramsay Gordon James Ramsay, OBE is a Scottish chef, television personality and restaurateur. He has been awarded 13 Michelin stars.... sets a new lap record of 1.46.3. Review: Clarkson tests the new Jaguar XK Jaguar XK The Jaguar XK series is a series of grand tourer cars produced by British car maker Jaguar since 1996. The series was introduced at the Geneva Motor Show on 5 March 1996. The first generation of the series, the XK8, replaced the XJS, and was available as a coupé and convertible... in Yorkshire. He is torn: the BMW 6-Series and Porsche 997 are quicker while an Aston Martin is better looking and more prestigious. In the end, he still prefers an Aston to an XK, but acknowledges that the Jag will be more reliable and concludes that, "It's good enough to make you think." Challenge: The group tried to see how hard it would be to host a Drive Time Radio Show. BBC Southern Counties Radio BBC Southern Counties Radio BBC Southern Counties Radio was the BBC Local Radio service for the English counties of Surrey and Sussex. The station also covered a large part of North-East Hampshire. It was the first BBC Local Radio station to introduce a controversial all-speech format... in Brighton allowed the group to take over a 3 hour block, which went downhill fast. Clarkson decided to use the traffic flow cameras to name and shame a number of motorists, who he considered to be causing the hold ups by their bad driving. The station received a number of complaints about the lack of actual traffic information being given out. Hammond drove them to the studio in a Cadillac BLS Cadillac BLS The Cadillac BLS is a compact executive car marketed in Europe by Cadillac, a division of General Motors. Based on GM's Epsilon architecture, the BLS is a heavily restyled version of the Saab 9-3. The development was done by Saab and cost more than one billion kronor to design... , which the other two presenters panned as a cramped rebadged Saab Saab Automobile Saab Automobile AB, better known as Saab , is a Swedish car manufacturer owned by Dutch automobile manufacturer Swedish Automobile NV, formerly Spyker Cars NV. It is the exclusive automobile Royal Warrant holder as appointed by the King of Sweden... with a bad clock. Star In A Reasonably Priced Car: 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... faced the challenge of going around the track in the old Suzuki Liana and he managed to get the fastest time of 1:44.4, beating Ellen MacArthur Ellen MacArthur Dame Ellen Patricia MacArthur, DBE is an English sailor, up until 2009, from Whatstandwell near Matlock in Derbyshire, now based in West Cowes, on the Isle of Wight. She is best known as a solo long-distance yachtswoman. On 7 February 2005 she broke the world record for the fastest solo... (fastest celebrity) and narrowly beating Nigel Mansell Nigel Mansell Nigel Ernest James Mansell OBE is a British racing driver who won both the Formula One World Championship and the CART Indy Car World Series... (fastest Formula One Formula One Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which... driver). This was in response to a letter complaining that The Stig had not been given the chance to set a time in the Liana. This actually wasn’t the case as The Stig set two times in Season 1, albeit off camera. The first came in the debut episode during Clarkson’s interview with Harry Enfield. After showing Harry’s lap, Jeremy pointed to the board which contained two times: Clarkson’s time of 1:50 and The Stig’s time of 1:46. The second instance came in the third episode of Season 1, during Clarkson’s interview with Ross Kemp. Once again, Clarkson pointed out The Stig’s dry time of 1:46 and then revealed that after Kemp did his lap in wet conditions, they sent The Stig out to set a “wet” lap time for comparison – which he did in a time of 1:50. |
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| 68 | Series 8 Episode 3 | 2006 May 21 | Philip Glenister Philip Glenister Philip Haywood Glenister is an English actor, known for his role as DCI Gene Hunt in British television series Life On Mars and its sequel Ashes To Ashes.-Television and films:... |
Challenge: The team were tasked with creating amphibious vehicles from an ordinary car, driving them the 20 miles between Keele services on the M6 motorway M6 motorway The M6 motorway runs from junction 19 of the M1 at the Catthorpe Interchange, near Rugby via Birmingham then heads north, passing Stoke-on-Trent, Manchester, Preston, Carlisle and terminating at the Gretna junction . Here, just short of the Scottish border it becomes the A74 which continues to... and Rudyard Lake Rudyard Lake Rudyard Lake is a reservoir in Rudyard, Staffordshire constructed by the engineer John Rennie, for the Trent and Mersey Canal company in 1797/98 to feed the Caldon Canal.... near Leek, Staffordshire Leek, Staffordshire Leek is a market town in the county of Staffordshire, England, on the River Churnet. It is an ancient borough and was granted its royal charter in 1214.It is the administrative centre for the Staffordshire Moorlands District Council... , then traveling 2 miles along the length of the lake. Hammond's Volkswagen Vanagon Volkswagen Type 2 (T3) The Volkswagen Type 2 was the third generation of the Volkswagen Transporter and was marketed under various nameplates worldwide – including as the Transporter or Caravelle in Europe, Microbus in South Africa and as the Vanagon in North and South America.Larger and heavier than its... "Dampervan" sank early on and Clarkson's Toyota Hilux Toyota Hilux The Toyota Hilux is a series of compact pickup trucks produced and marketed by the Toyota Motor Corporation. Most countries used the Hilux name for the entire life of the series but in North America, the Hilux name was retired in 1976 in favor of Truck, Pickup Truck, or Compact Truck... "Toybota" capsized near the finish line. The winner was May, who sailed at extremely low speed in his Triumph Herald Triumph Herald The Triumph Herald was a small two-door car introduced in 1959 by the Standard-Triumph Company of Coventry. Body design was by the Italian stylist Michelotti and the car was offered in saloon, convertible, coupé, van, and estate models.... sailboat to the finish (despite the clutch failing on the ramp out of the water). However on land, Hammond's van struggled with hills and May's car (with its sailing mast) struggled with low objects, such as bridges and trees. Both Hammond's and May's cars suffered from overheating as their hull for the water blocked the engine ventilation. May summed up his experience thusly: “Sailing is really boring!” An embarrassing thing to note: in the studio at the end of the show, Clarkson fails to start his Toybota Hilux, thereby ruining the Hilux's reputation of being 'indestructible' Top Gear (series 3) The third series of Top Gear began on October 26, 2003, and concluded on December 28, 2003. The series featured 9 episodes. The series was subsequently followed by one "Best Of Top Gear" special, charting the best moments from the series. The series was the first series of Top Gear to get more than... - to the amusement of May and Hammond. The News: Someone sends a pair of Doggles Doggles Doggles are a commercial brand of sunglasses for dogs in the form of tinted goggles designed to fit the shape of a dog's head.While marketed as a fashion item, several practical and medical uses have been reported, and prescription lenses for dogs with restricted eyesight are available.-Invention... for Top Gear Dog to use. A letter from a viewer upset with the lack of coverage of affordable cars prompts Clarkson to show a picture of the new Vauxhall Corsair and then promptly move on to the next story. There is also a debate about the condition of the presenter's cars with Clarkson ribbing of Hammond for washing his car with his family and both he and Hammond mocking May keeping a paintbrush in his car to clean the switches on the dashboard. The conversation then swings to the dot-matrix displays on the British motorways, ending with May being ridiculed when he comments about drying his pants in his friend's microwave (which has a dot-matrix display that reads "Enjoy your meal"). The comment that sparked this was that the highway displays had no sense of reality. Clarkson’s mom has driven the new Honda Civic and doesn’t like it. In response, Hammond suggests the new Noble M15. New cars from Lotus include a replacement for the Esprit, a collaboration with Volkswagon on a "tricycle thing," a seven seat crossover vehicle, the Europa, as well as new models of the Elise and the Exige S. Review: Clarkson reviews a Lotus Exige Lotus Exige The Lotus Exige is a two-door, two-seat sports car made by Lotus Cars. It is essentially a coupé version of the Lotus Elise, a mid-engined roadster in production since 1996.... S on the Top Gear test track. The impressive handling from its predecessor has been retained, but a supercharger has been added to the Toyota engine that will propel the Exige to 148 mph with a 0-60 time of 4 seconds. This makes the Exige S the fastest accelerating car Lotus has ever made. To illustrate this speed, Clarkson pits the Exige against a Ford Mustang driven by the Stig around the Top Gear Test Track short circuit. The Exige wins. Drawbacks include the price (£33,000), the road noise, and the awkwardness of getting in/out of the thing. The Stig turns in a Power Lap time of 1:25.1 (just ahead of the Lamborghini Gallardo). This episode’s Stig intro (by Clarkson): "Some say that his genitals are on upside down and that if he could be bothered, he could crack The Da Vinci Code in 43 seconds. All we know is, he’s called The Stig!" The Cool Wall: The Lotus Exige S is declared "Uncool" because of a man in shorts liking it. The Proton Savvy is deemed "Uncool" because of its name. The pink Nissan Micra C+C is deemed almost too uncool for the wall (it is hanging off the edge of the "Seriously Uncool" section). The Jaguar XK is also deemed "Uncool" because of the game of golf, which influences the car's performance (in Clarkson's view). Clarkson afterwards said: "It's also pissing off our director, who's just bought one!" The Koenigsegg CCX is the first supercar to be deemed "Cool," because of its scariness and danger factor. Star In A Reasonably Priced Car: Actor Philip Glenister Philip Glenister Philip Haywood Glenister is an English actor, known for his role as DCI Gene Hunt in British television series Life On Mars and its sequel Ashes To Ashes.-Television and films:... went around the track in 1.54.35, the Lacetti's first wet lap. |
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| 69 | Series 8 Episode 4 | 2006 May 28 | Ewan McGregor Ewan McGregor Ewan Gordon McGregor is a Scottish actor. He has had success in mainstream, indie, and art house films. McGregor is perhaps best known for his roles as heroin addict Mark Renton in the drama Trainspotting , young Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Star Wars prequel trilogy , and poet Christian in the... |
Review: Richard drives the BMW Z4 M and finds it faster and better looking than its closest rival, the Porshe Boxster. However, he finds the Boxster much more refined through corners. It was praised by Hammond for thrilling in the most primeval way. Clarkson continues to bash the Z4, and calls the coupe version "incredibly ugly." The Stig does a Power Lap of 1:26 flat – faster than the Porsche Cayman, the Ferrari 575, and the Aston Martin Vanquish. This episode’s Stig intro (by Hammond): "Some say that his ears have a paisley lining and he’s been banned from the Chelsea Flower Show. All we know is, he’s called The Stig!" The News: The BMW Z4 coupe is £17,000 less than the soft top version. Lexus have launched a new hybrid. Jeremy is left behind by his wife at a party. The presenters talk about banned license plates which include AA55 HOL Asshole The word asshole, a variant of arsehole, which is still prevalent in British and Australian English, is a term used pejoratively to describe the anus.-History:... ," "MI BUM Buttocks The buttocks are two rounded portions of the anatomy, located on the posterior of the pelvic region of apes and humans, and many other bipeds or quadrupeds, and comprise a layer of fat superimposed on the gluteus maximus and gluteus medius muscles. Physiologically, the buttocks enable weight to... ," and "HA06 MAS Hamas Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades... ." They also talk about eBay item 4639771121 and a wristband that prevents you from falling asleep. Review: Clarkson tests the new Mercedes-Benz S-Class Mercedes-Benz S-Class The Mercedes-Benz S-Class is a series of luxury sedans produced by Mercedes-Benz, a division of Daimler AG. The classification was officially introduced in 1972 with the W116 S-Class, which succeeded previous Mercedes-Benz models dating to the mid-1950s... both as a review and to show what features most new cars will have in ten years (as has historically happened). In this case, it means radar-guided cruise control, infrared night vision, and digital TV. Clarkson praises the ease of use of the car and its features. Star In A Reasonably Priced Car: Ewan McGregor Ewan McGregor Ewan Gordon McGregor is a Scottish actor. He has had success in mainstream, indie, and art house films. McGregor is perhaps best known for his roles as heroin addict Mark Renton in the drama Trainspotting , young Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Star Wars prequel trilogy , and poet Christian in the... discusses his manhood, filming the Star Wars prequels, his love of motorcycles, and his car history. Lap time of 1:48:00. Challenge: Hammond races a British army parachuter Red Devils (Parachute Regiment) The Red Devils are the Parachute Regiment's parachute display team. The team wears the distinctive maroon beret. The Red Devils are regular serving paratroopers from the three battalions of the Parachute Regiment who have volunteered to serve on the display team.The team was formed on 1 January... in Cyprus Cyprus Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the... with a Porsche Cayenne Turbo S. The parachuter won. After the race, Hammond crashes the Cayenne into the film crew's car. Preview: Responding to another viewer complaint that Top Gear doesn’t feature enough reasonably priced cars, Richard and James present the Caparo T1 in the studio. It does 33 mpg, has a 2.4 supercharged V8 that generates 480bhp and can propel the car to 200mph. Priced at £190,000 it is a bargain when compared to something like the Pagani Zonda. Challenge: Clarkson designed his own interior of a car. He bought an old Mercedes-Benz S-Class Mercedes-Benz W140 The Mercedes-Benz W140 was a series of flagship vehicles manufactured by the German automotive company Mercedes-Benz. The car premiered at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1991, with the first examples rolling off the production line on August 6, 1991. Short and long wheelbase sedans were offered... and designed his perfect interior based upon his house. The car, dubbed "Anne Hathaway's Cottage Anne Hathaway's Cottage Anne Hathaway's Cottage is the former childhood home of Anne Hathaway, the wife of William Shakespeare. The house is situated in village of Shottery, Warwickshire, England, and about west of Stratford-upon-Avon.... ," featured a wood-burning stove, kitchen chairs, a flagstone floor over a concrete base, and plastered insides of the doors. James May and Richard Hammond then tested the car. No seatbelts and unsecured seats meant they went flying at first, however eventually, with May holding Hammond's seat, a 0-60 time of 35.4 seconds was established. Power Lap (take two): The Koenigsegg CCX Koenigsegg CCX The Koenigsegg CCX is a mid-engined roadster from Swedish car manufacturer Koenigsegg. The CCX has been engineered to comply with the U.S. regulation and market demands and is a newer design that replaced the Koenigsegg CCR.... is back from Sweden (now equipped with a rear spoiler) and is taken around the track by The Stig, who sets a new lap time of 1:17.6; overthrowing the Zonda F as the fastest car to date. The presenters were so proud, they stated that not only do they present the show, but they are also designing the cars (due to the addition of the Koenigsegg’s spoiler). In reality, Koenigsegg claims that the spoiler was useless for the slow speeds on the Top Gear test track and that the improved time was due to a more sorted suspension. |
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| 70 | Series 8 Episode 5 | 2006 June 4 | Sir 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... |
Review: The Prodrive P2 Prodrive P2 The Prodrive P2 is a prototype two-seater sports car designed, engineered and built by Prodrive at its Banbury and Warwick sites. The car is based on the platform of the Subaru R1 kei car and has a modified Subaru Impreza WRX STi engine along with many Prodrive systems originally designed for their... concept car is put through its paces on the track. Jeremy finds it quick, good-looking, and at a projected price of £40,000, a good value too. Clarkson attempts to explain what active-diff and anti-lag is. A practical demonstration of the former makes Clarkson carsick, having to stop while going round a circle at 60 mph. The Stig achieves a lap in the P2 in 1:24.3 seconds. Prior to that he did a lap with the active-diff turned off and did a much slower time of just over 1:29. This episode’s Stig intro (by Clarkson): "Some say that the outline of his left nipple is exactly the same shape as the Nürburgring and that if you give him a really important job to do, he’ll skive off and play croquet. All we know is, he’s called The Stig!" The News: Jeremy Clarkson launches the 2006 Top Gear motor survey while casually panning between cameras as is the trend among news programs. Suburu is arranging track days at the Prodrive test track. New from Germany is the Audi RS4 Audi RS4 The Audi RS4 quattro is the top tier and highest performing version of some specific generations of the Audi A4 range of automobiles. It is a sports-focused compact executive car , produced by Audi's high-performance private subsidiary quattro GmbH, in limited numbers, for German car manufacturer... cabriolet. Clarkson claims that points should be awarded to unsporting/aggressive F1 drivers. Ford has made a cool new people carrier. James has signed up to present a program called When Sharks Attack and Jeremy has a picture of James in a wet suit. He also has a picture of Hammond riding a pony. Challenge: A "Scottish lady" (as Hammond refers to him) called Jackie Stewart Jackie Stewart Sir John Young Stewart, OBE , better known as Jackie Stewart, and nicknamed The Flying Scotsman, is a Scottish former racing driver and team owner. He competed in Formula One between 1965 and 1973, winning three World Drivers' Championships. He also competed in Can-Am... claims that he can cut down anyone's driving time around a circuit (Oulton Park) by 20 seconds. But the Top Gear presenters don't believe him. So, to prove him wrong, James May James May James Daniel May is an English television presenter, journalist and writer. He is best known for his role as co-presenter of the award-winning motoring programme Top Gear alongside Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond.... (a.k.a. Captain Slow) is sent to take up the challenge. Using a TVR Tuscan convertible, Sir Jackie manages to get May to cut down his original laptime by 20 seconds. Star In A Reasonably Priced Car: Sir 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... returns to discuss his first appearance, his role as Dumbledore in the Harry Potter films, the possibility that he could have been James Bond, and his propensity for lying during interviews. Lap time of 1:50.3. Review: Afterwards Jeremy Clarkson reviews the new Citroën C6 Citroën C6 The Citroën C6 is an executive car produced by the French luxury marque Citroën since 2005.-Overview:Inspired by the C6 Lignage prototype which was first shown at the Geneva Motor Show in the spring of 1999, but differs from the concept car's styling in minor details... , the heir to a long line of big, innovative French cars, and is disappointed that the car doesn't seem to be mad enough to be a worthy successor to the Citroën CX Citroën CX The Citroën CX is an automobile produced by the French automaker Citroën from 1974 to 1991. Citroën sold nearly 1.2 million CXs during its 16 years of production. The CX was voted European Car of the Year in 1975.... . However, the car redeems itself as a mobile camera platform for covering horse races. The Cool Wall: The Citroën C6 Citroën C6 The Citroën C6 is an executive car produced by the French luxury marque Citroën since 2005.-Overview:Inspired by the C6 Lignage prototype which was first shown at the Geneva Motor Show in the spring of 1999, but differs from the concept car's styling in minor details... is “Super Cool” because Jean Reno would have one. The Peugeot 207 is “Uncool” unless Kristin Scott Thomas texts Clarkson to tell him otherwise. The Skoda Fabia VRS is “Uncool,” because all Skodas are deeply “Uncool.” The Saab 95 is “Uncool” due to its Dame Edna-style headlights. Challenge: The Toyota Aygo Toyota Aygo The Toyota Aygo is a city car sold by Toyota in Europe since 2005. All Aygos are built at the new factory of the Toyota Peugeot Citroën Automobile Czech joint venture in Kolin, Czech Republic. The Aygo was first displayed at the 2005 Salon de l'Automobile de Genève... is challenged by the Volkswagen Fox Volkswagen Fox The Volkswagen CrossFox is a mini SUV version which sets it apart from the standard Fox. As is the case for other similar models, it is available only with front-wheel drive.... in a game of football. Using national football stereotypes, Hammond points out that the Fox is actually made in Brazil Brazil Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people... and May contends that the Aygo is actually made in the Czech Republic Czech Republic The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest.... . In the end, Hammond's durable Foxes beat the old champion Aygos. |
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| 71 | Series 8 Episode 6 | 2006 July 16 | Brian Cox |
There was a month-long break in the series due to 2006 FIFA World Cup 2006 FIFA World Cup The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six... coverage. Review: Clarkson tests three hot saloons with a “rubbish badges”: the Ford Mondeo Ford Mondeo The Mondeo was launched on 8 January 1993, and sales began on 22 March 1993. Available as a four-door saloon, a five-door hatchback, and a five-door estate, all models for the European market were produced at Ford's plant in the Belgian city of Genk... ST220, the Mazda 6 MPS and the Vauxhall Vectra Opel Vectra The Opel Vectra is a large family car that was engineered and produced by Opel. In the United Kingdom, the car was sold under the Vauxhall marque as the Vauxhall Cavalier and later as the Vauxhall Vectra, from 1995 onwards... VXR. Clarkson calls the Mondeo “one of Britain’s most underrated cars.” Throughout his review, he lavishes compliments upon it, deciding that it’s only weakness is that it seems “common.” However, he points out that the BMW 3 series outsold it last year. Additionaly, via a chart, he shows that in the previous year 1,050 Aston Martin DB9’s were sold in Britain while only 903 Mondeos left dealerships – proving his point that the Mondeo is the more exclusive car. Also somewhat exclusive is the Mazda 6 MPS. He finds that while it is not as practical or pretty as the Ford, it is even better and more fun to drive. Again using a chart, he compares the Mazda to a similarly priced BMW 318i M Sport and finds that the Mazda is better in every way. Finally, he drives the Vauxhall Vectra or as he puts it “one of my least favorite cars in the world!” With another chart, he illustrates his contempt for the car. However, the VXR is more stylish than Vectras of old and it is fast too. Pitted against the other two in a drag race on the Top Gear track it handily wins. In the hands of The Stig, the poised and delicate Mondeo achieves a laptime of 1:34.4, while the energetic and powerful Mazda 6 an even better 1:32.2. Despite being the fastest car with a 161 mph top speed, the Vectra can only manage a time of 1:35.5 due to “catastrophic understeer.” This episode’s Stig intro (by Clarkson): “Now, some say he invented Branston Pickle and that if you insult his mother he will head-butt you in the chest. All we know is, he’s called The Stig!”’’ The News: Clarkson and Hammond bicker about muscle car Muscle car Muscle car is a term used to refer to a variety of high-performance automobiles. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines muscle cars as "any of a group of American-made 2-door sports coupes with powerful engines designed for high-performance driving." Usually, a large V8 engine is fitted in a... s. Hammond gushes about the new 2008 Dodge Challenger, while Clarkson complains about his recent trip to the United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... to drive a Chrysler 300 and calls both a BMW M6 BMW M6 The BMW M6, also known as the BMW M635CSi, is a high-performance version of the 6-Series automobile, designed by the motorsport division of BMW... and a Jaguar XKR muscle cars. May finally shuts them up by announcing Daihatsu is going to make a new Copen Daihatsu Copen The Daihatsu Copen is a 2-door roadster with an aluminium retractable hardtop built by the Japanese car company Daihatsu. It first debuted at the 1999 Tokyo Motor Show, as the Daihatsu Copen concept... . Clarkson spots a celebrity among the audience members (“Jesus is here!”). They ridicule a study that claims people with speed cameras are less likely to get speeding tickets. Bus drivers are furious with Clarkson for negative comments he made about them. Challenge: Clarkson, May and Hammond go on a caravan Travel trailer A travel trailer or caravan is towed behind a road vehicle to provide a place to sleep which is more comfortable and protected than a tent . It provides the means for people to have their own home on a journey or a vacation, without relying on a motel or hotel, and enables them to stay in places... holiday in Dorset Dorset Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974... to try and find out more about caravaning. The trio unsuccessfully try to have fun, cause numerous traffic jams, Top Gear Dog becomes ill, May crashes the caravan into a bollard, and then blocks the road (eventually attracting police attention) when trying to correct a wrong turn. On site, May crashes the caravan into a neighboring site, partially collapsing the neighbor's gazebo (which will later be destroyed), Hammond and Top Gear Dog are "kidnapped" by an elderly female fan, and Clarkson accidentally destroys the caravan and its neighbour whilst trying to cook chips. Star In A Reasonably Priced Car: Brian Cox talks with Jeremy about his roles as villains (principally Hannibal Lector), life in America, and his Toyota Prius’s. Despite posting a slow time of 2:01, he says that he enjoyed the track experience tremendously. Challenge: The Stig has a go at the nonexistent indoor world speed record in one of the ExCeL Exhibition Centre ExCeL Exhibition Centre ExCeL London is an exhibitions and conference centre in the London Borough of Newham, England. It is located on a site on the northern quay of the Royal Victoria Dock in London Docklands, between Canary Wharf and London City Airport.- History :The centre was built by Sir Robert McAlpine, opened... 's halls with a Toyota Toyota F1 Panasonic Toyota Racing was a Formula One team owned by Japanese car manufacturer Toyota and based in Cologne, Germany. Toyota announced their plans to participate in F1 in 1999, and after extensive testing with their initial car, dubbed the TF101, the team made their debut in 2002... TF105 Toyota TF105 The Toyota TF105/105B was a Formula One car for the 2005 Formula One season. It was designed by Mike Gascoyne. The year was statistically the team's most successful, with 88 points, five podium positions and a fastest lap... F1 car. He sets a world record of 81 mph (130 km/h), although because of the lack of grip afforded by the hall's polished floor, this was only slightly faster than the 70 mph (112 km/h) he recorded with the Chevrolet Lacetti. |
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| 72 | Series 8 Episode 7 | 2006 July 23 | 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: Hammond and May test three people carriers: the Ford S-MAX Ford S-MAX The Ford S-Max is an MPV/saloon produced by the Ford Motor Company for the European market and by Chang'an Ford Automobile Co., Ltd for the Chinese market. Introduced at the 2006 Geneva Motor Show, the S-Max went on sale alongside the new generation Galaxy in June 2006. It is intended to be... , the Mercedes-Benz B-Class Mercedes-Benz B-Class The Mercedes-Benz B-Class is a small family car introduced by German automaker Mercedes-Benz in March 2005. It is essentially an enlarged A-Class keeping the same engine and suspension system... , and the Vauxhall Zafira VXR. The Mercedes-Benz is the quickest on a track, but it is hopelessly expensive and too small. The Vauxhall is large enough and well-priced, but it is hard to use. Though underwhelmed by its performance on the track, the Top Gear team all agree that the Ford is the best buy, with the most practicality, the best styling, and the most drivability. The News: MG MG (car) The MG Car Company is a former British sports car manufacturer founded in the 1920s by Cecil Kimber. Best known for its two-seat open sports cars, MG also produced saloons and coupés.... is back, sort of. Richard reveals he has bought a Land Rover Defender and has had a misadventure with the container of touch-up paint that was included in the deal. Jeremy reveals that he went to an air show in Gloucestershire in his Ford GT and had to leave it there due to engine problems. New cars include the Honda Civic Type-R (which they are excited about), the Land Rover Freelander (which they are also excited about), and Chrysler Sebring (of which they are certain it will be rubbish). Hammond reminds viewers to participate in the Top Gear Motoring Survey. Clarkson refuses to apologise to caravan owners after Top Gear received 2 complaints regarding comments about Muslims, 3 complaints about taking a man who looks like Jesus out of the audience, and 150 complaints following the previous week's caravan abuse. Review: Clarkson reviews the Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder Lamborghini Gallardo The Lamborghini Gallardo is a sports car built by Lamborghini. The Gallardo is Lamborghini's most-produced model to date, with over 10,000 built in its first seven years of production... . He spends the bulk of the review expressing his unbridled enthusiasm for the car. Having bought one himself, he comments that it is not the best driver's car in the world, but it is something that could be used every day. He sums up his review by stating, “It has the most important characteristic that I look for in a car – it’s a laugh! … I think it’s absolutely tremendous!” The Stig set a lap time of 1:25.7. This episode’s Stig intro (by Clarkson): “Some say that on really warm days he sheds his skin like a snake and that for some reason he’s allergic to the Dutch. All we know is, he’s called The Stig!”’’ 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... talks about being in a hot tub between Jackie Chan Jackie Chan Jackie Chan, SBS, MBE is a Hong Kong actor, action choreographer, comedian, director, producer, martial artist, screenwriter, entrepreneur, singer and stunt performer. In his movies, he is known for his acrobatic fighting style, comic timing, use of improvised weapons, and innovative stunts... and Arnold Schwarzenegger Arnold Schwarzenegger Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger is an Austrian-American former professional bodybuilder, actor, businessman, investor, and politician. Schwarzenegger served as the 38th Governor of California from 2003 until 2011.... . He also mentions a Saxondale Saxondale Saxondale is a British television situation comedy programme, starring Steve Coogan and co-written by Steve Coogan and Neil Maclennan. The series is directed by Matt Lipsey and produced by Ted Dowd. Coogan and Henry Normal served as executive producers... episode involving a Clarkson-like character. He sets a time of 1:50.9 in the Lacetti and becomes the first person to drive under the condition of 'Hot' as 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... said that the heat had done something either to Coogan himself or the car or the Track. Coogan was visibly disappointed when he learned that Rob Brydon Rob Brydon Rob Brydon is a BAFTA-nominated Welsh actor, comedian, radio and television presenter, singer and impressionist... (a comedy partner of his) did it faster in the less powerful Suzuki Liana. Challenge: James May races two traceurs Parkour Parkour is a method of movement focused on moving around obstacles with speed and efficiency. Originally developed in France, the main purpose of the discipline is to teach participants how to move through their environment by vaulting, rolling, running, climbing and jumping... (masters of Parkour which involves running and leaping across/off buildings) across Liverpool in a Peugeot 207 1.6L Diesel Peugeot 207 The Peugeot 207 is a small family car produced by the French automaker Peugeot and unveiled in January 2006.-Launch:The 207 was launched in France, Spain and Italy during April 2006 and later on in other European, Israeli and Arabic markets.... , from the edge of the city to the Liver Building. He, naturally, gets lost and loses. As for the car, he started off by praising it, but soon discovered that it was too big, too heavy, too underpowered, and too expensive for what you get. Or, as James puts it, ”It’s rubbish!” Challenge: Clarkson, Hammond, and May team up to race against The Stig. The trio must build a Caterham Seven Caterham Seven The Caterham Seven is a super-lightweight sports car produced by Caterham Cars in the United Kingdom. It is based on the Lotus Seven, a lightweight sports car sold in kit and factory-built form by Lotus Cars, from the late 1950s to the early 1970s... kit car Kit car A kit car, also known as a "component car", is an automobile that is available as a set of parts that a manufacturer sells and the buyer then either assembles into a car themselves, or retains a third party to do part or all of the work on their behalf... from scratch in a pit garage at the Knockhill Racing Circuit Knockhill Racing Circuit Knockhill Racing Circuit in Fife is Scotland's national Motorsport centre. The circuit is located in the Fife countryside about north of Dunfermline. The track, initially opened in 1974, is long and 10 metres wide and was created by joining service roads to a nearby disused mineral railway,... in Scotland, while The Stig drives the same model up from Caterham's base in Caterham Caterham Caterham is a town in the Tandridge District of Surrey, England. The town is geographically divided into two sections: Caterham on the Hill and Caterham Valley - the main town centre. The town lies close to the A22, a few miles south of Croydon, in a valley cut into the dip slope of the North Downs... , Surrey. After a lot of tension while building the car between Clarkson and May and a series of mishaps, the team looks to be losing, but they win when The Stig is stopped for speeding. After the challenge, Clarkson later said that "I would rather staple my ears to a horse than ever do that again, especially with James May.” |
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| 73 | Series 8 Episode 8 | 2006 July 30 | Jenson Button Jenson Button Jenson Alexander Lyons Button MBE is a British Formula One driver currently signed to McLaren. He was the 2009 World Drivers' Champion.Button began karting at the age of eight and achieved early success, before progressing to car racing in the British Formula Ford Championship and the British... & Ray Winstone Ray Winstone Raymond Andrew "Ray" Winstone is an English film and television actor. He is mostly known for his "tough guy" roles, beginning with that of Carlin in the 1979 film Scum and as Will Scarlet in the cult television adventure series Robin of Sherwood. He has also become well known as a voice over... |
Review: The show’s producers direct the presenters to test some vans by being roadies for The Who The Who The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction... . May picks a cavernous Renault Master Renault Master Renault Master is the name used by French vehicle manufacturer Renault for its upper-medium size van — similar in size to the largest models of the more common Ford Transit.... , Hammond chooses a well-priced Ford Transit Ford Transit The Ford Transit is a range of panel vans, minibuses, and pickup trucks, produced by the Ford Motor Company in Europe.The Transit has been the best-selling light commercial vehicle in Europe for 40 years, and in some countries the term "Transit" has passed into common usage as a generic term... , and Clarkson gets a performance-oriented Volkswagen T30 TDI 174 Sportline Volkswagen Transporter (T5) The Volkswagen Transporter T5 range is the fifth generation of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles medium-sized light commercial vehicle and people mover Caravelle/Multivan range... . After The Who's concert at Hyde Park Hyde Park, London Hyde Park is one of the largest parks in central London, United Kingdom, and one of the Royal Parks of London, famous for its Speakers' Corner.The park is divided in two by the Serpentine... , Clarkson, Hammond, and May transport some of their equipment 90 miles to the site of their next show. They cannot agree that any of the features of their vans (speed, economy, security, size) is more important than any of the others and they acknowledge that any of the three companies can make you a van in any way you like it. Indecisively, the team comes to the conclusion that you should find the cheapest van of the sort that you need. Subsequently, Clarkson admitted that the feature was not the greatest of ideas (or execution). F1 Star In A Reasonably Priced Car: 2009 F1 Formula One Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which... World Champion Jenson Button Jenson Button Jenson Alexander Lyons Button MBE is a British Formula One driver currently signed to McLaren. He was the 2009 World Drivers' Champion.Button began karting at the age of eight and achieved early success, before progressing to car racing in the British Formula Ford Championship and the British... talks about his facial hair, getting women, and why he hadn't yet won a race (ironically he did so in Hungary 2006 Hungarian Grand Prix The 2006 Hungarian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on August 6, 2006 at the Hungaroring, Budapest. It was the 13th race of the 2006 Formula One season... only a week later). He sets a time of 1:44.7 in the Liana and loses a £20 bet with Clarkson as he could not go faster than 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... (who did it in 1:44.4) as he said he could. The News: Since it is the middle of summer and everyone is on holiday, there is no news. Preview: Richard and James present the new Rolls Royce 101EX in the studio. It has the same engine as the Phantom, but the body is made of carbon fiber and aluminum. It is shorter and lower than the Phantom. It also only has two doors and an interior ceiling with pin light stars. At about this point, Jeremy interrupts to declare the car an insult to the Rolls Royce name. He states that if it goes into production, it will have to be called the "Rolls Royce Vulgarsonic." Review: Hammond takes the Noble M15 Noble M15 The Noble M15 is a sports car designed and developed by Noble Automotive, a high-performance sports car manufacturer based in Leicestershire, England.... , the most powerful Noble yet, for a drive. He says that it is a civilized and comfortable sportscar fit to be driven daily, yet is still fun. The Stig takes it around the track in 1:22.5 – faster than the Ferrari 430, the Lamborghini Murcielago, and the standard Pagani Zonda. This episode’s Stig intro (by Hammond): “Some say that his first name really is ‘The’ and that if he went on Celebrity Love Island they’d all be pregnant including the camera men. All we know is, he’s called The Stig!”’’ Star In A Reasonably Priced Car: British actor Ray Winstone Ray Winstone Raymond Andrew "Ray" Winstone is an English film and television actor. He is mostly known for his "tough guy" roles, beginning with that of Carlin in the 1979 film Scum and as Will Scarlet in the cult television adventure series Robin of Sherwood. He has also become well known as a voice over... discusses how got into drama and his affinity for Jaguars. Out on the track, he sets a time of 1:51.4. Challenge: As punishment from the earlier van review, each presenter has to buy a van for £1000. Clarkson buys a Ford Transit Ford Transit The Ford Transit is a range of panel vans, minibuses, and pickup trucks, produced by the Ford Motor Company in Europe.The Transit has been the best-selling light commercial vehicle in Europe for 40 years, and in some countries the term "Transit" has passed into common usage as a generic term... , May gets an LDV Convoy LDV Convoy The LDV Convoy is a panel van that was manufactured by LDV Limited between 1997 and 2006.The Convoy was a development of the Leyland DAF 400 Series, which in turn was based on the Freight Rover 300 Series... , and Hammond buys a Suzuki Supercarry Bedford Rascal The Bedford Rascal , also built as the Suzuki Supercarry is a microvan that was developed as a joint venture between General Motors and Suzuki. It was sold under GM's British-based Bedford marque as well as in Suzuki form... . They hold a variety of challenges related to what a White Van Man White van man "White van man" is a term popularised in the United Kingdom by the journalist Jonathan Leake, then transport editor at The Sunday Times, to describe drivers of light commercial vehicles such as the Ford Transit.... might encounter. They have a drag race, a loading/unloading test (each presenter being assisted by an "illegal immigrant"), a trial to see how closely they could tailgate, a challenge to change a door on their van as fast as possible, a thief resistance test, seeing how long they can stay in front of the Stig in a police car, and seeing how many replies they get to a man with a van ad. Hammond ends up soundly winning overall, despite crashing his van in a rollover Rollover A rollover is a type of vehicle accident in which a vehicle tips over onto its side or roof. The most common cause of a rollover is traveling too fast while turning.- Dynamics :Vehicles can roll over in several ways... during the police pursuit challenge. In the closing credits, the presenters are listed as “Lee Clarkson,” “Wayne Hammond,” and “Terry May.” |
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Series 8, Episode 6
Top Gear received 150 complaints after the episode was televised. James Tapper, writing in the British Mail on SundayDaily Mail
The Daily Mail is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. First published in 1896 by Lord Northcliffe, it is the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun. Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982...
newspaper, claimed the episode's action had been staged and that Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
emergency services had been paid around £1,000 by the BBC for a six-man fire crew to participate in the mock fire. A BBC spokeswoman confirmed that the fire had been planned for safety reasons and that any reasonable viewer would not have been misled due to the stunt's slapstick
Slapstick
Slapstick is a type of comedy involving exaggerated violence and activities which may exceed the boundaries of common sense.- Origins :The phrase comes from the batacchio or bataccio — called the 'slap stick' in English — a club-like object composed of two wooden slats used in Commedia dell'arte...
nature.