Thursday 3 March 2011

Top Gear astore

Presenter Books, Top Gear DVDs, Car Accessories, Top Gear Meerchandise, Mans Tools . . .and more!
Presenter Books, Top Gear DVDs, Car Accessories, Top Gear Meerchandise, Mans Tools . . .and more!
Driven to DistractionMotorworldAnd Another Thing: The World According to Clarkson (v. 2)
Driven to Distraction
by Jeremy Clarkson
Motorworld
by Jeremy Clarkson
$11.60
And Another Thing: The World According to C...
by Jeremy Clarkson
$9.45
Clarkson on CarsThe World According to ClarksonTop Gear Top Drives: Road Trips of a Lifetime in the World's Most Dramatic Locations
Clarkson on Cars
by Jeremy Clarkson
$11.87
The World According to Clarkson
by Jeremy Clarkson
$11.20
Top Gear Top Drives: Road Trips of a Lifeti...
by Michael Harvey
$14.74
Car FeverNotes from the Hard ShoulderCar Fever: Dispatches from Behind the Wheel
Car Fever
by James May
$10.43
Notes from the Hard Shoulder
by James May
Car Fever: Dispatches from Behind the Wheel
by James May
1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   ...  Next > >

Jeremy Clarkson, James May, Richard Hamond.



Jeremy Charles Robert Clarkson ( born April 11, 1960 ) is an English broadcaster and writer who specialises in motoring.

He writes weekly columns for The Sunday Times and The Sun, but is better known for his role on the BBC TV show Top Gear.

"Not a man given to considered opinion," according to the BBC, Clarkson is known to be opinionated and forthright in his views. The Economist, on the subject of road pricing in UK, has described him as a "skillful propagandist for the motoring lobby".

Born in Doncaster, Clarkson was educated at Repton School, although he claims to have been expelled. His first job was as a travelling salesman for his parents' business selling Paddington Bear toys, after which he trained as a journalist with the Rotherham Advertiser.

In 2004 during an episode of the BBC's Who Do You Think You Are?, Clarkson was invited to investigate his family history; including the story of his great-great-great grandfather John Kilner (1792-1857), who invented the Kilner jar; a receptacle for preserved fruit.

In spite of his penchant for fast driving and high performance cars, Clarkson has been reported as having a clean licence. Nonetheless, he is not reluctant to discuss driving fast: In a November 2005 article in The Sunday Times, Clarkson wrote, while discussing the Bugatti Veyron, "On a recent drive across Europe I desperately wanted to reach the top speed but I ran out of road when the needle hit 240mph", and later, in the same article,"From the wheel of a Veyron, France is the size of a small coconut. I cannot tell you how fast I crossed it the other day. Because you simply wouldn't believe me"

If you are interested in taking a Supercar for a spin offer a range of Driving Experiences in vehicles such as Ferrari Lamborghini, Aston Martin and many more. If you want to take your own Car for a drive on any of the UK’s racing circuits or airfields join UKtrackdays.co.uk and receive email updates of all the up and coming track days.
If you own or are looking to buy classic cars a useful site is classiccars.co.uk. However if you are looking to hire a car in the UK or abroad then get Cheap Car Hire at Cheap.co.uk - have your own say about this story on the forum



James Daniel May (born 16 January 1963)[2] is an English television presenter, journalist and writer.
May is best known as co-presenter of the motoring programme Top Gear alongside Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond, and has presented a variety of other television documentaries and entertainment programmes around themes including science and technology, childhood toys, cars, food and drink, and the plight of manliness in modern times. In 2009 he presented a two-part documentary programme marking the 40th anniversary of the moon landings, culminating in him taking a flight to the edge of space aboard a U2 spy plane.[3] In addition he has released a variety of DVDs and books with similar themes, and writes a weekly column for The Daily Telegraph's motoring section.
On Top Gear, his nickname is "Captain Slow", because of his careful driving style, love of small, underpowered cars and his habit of getting lost and distracted whilst driving. In a February 2007 episode of Top Gear[4] he carried out a successful top speed test drive of a Bugatti Veyron at the Ehra-Lessien Volkswagen test track, reaching 407 kilometres per hour (253 mph). In July 2010 he repeated the attempt in the updated Bugatti Veyron Super Sport, reaching the vehicle's top speed of 417.6 kilometres per hour (259.5 mph),[5] confirming that it had retaken the title as the fastest road car in production.




Hammond was born in Solihull (then Warwickshire, now West Midlands) and is the grandson of workers in the Birmingham automobile industry.[3][4] In the mid-1980s Hammond moved with his family (mother Eileen, father Alan, and younger brothers Andrew and Nicholas) to the North Yorkshire cathedral city of Ripon where his father ran a probate business in the market square. Originally a pupil of Solihull School, a fee-paying boys' independent school, he moved to Ripon Grammar School, and from 1987 to 1989 attended Harrogate College of Art and Technology. After his graduation he worked for several radio stations, including Radio Cleveland, Radio York, Radio Cumbria, Radio Leeds, Radio Newcastle and Radio Lancashire, before auditioning for Top Gear.[5]

Celebrity Lap Times

CelebrityTime (mins)
Jay Kay1.45.8
Brian Johnson1.45.9
Kevin McCloud1.45.9
Simon Cowell1.45.9
Jennifer Saunders1.46.1
Michael Sheen1.46.3
Gordon Ramsay1.46.38
Usain Bolt1.46.5
Peter Jones1.46.9
Trevor Eve1.47.09
Peter Firth1.47.1
Lawrence Dellaglio1.47.4
Les Ferdinand1.47.41
Eric Bana1.47.5
Jamie Oliver1.47.68 (wet)
Hugh Grant1.47.7
Well spoken man (James Hewitt)1.47.69
Ewan McGregor1.48.0
Rupert Penry-Jones1.48.1
Chris Evans1.48.1
Billie Piper1.48.3
James Blunt1.48.4 (wet)
Justin Hawkins1.48.44
Simon Pegg1.48.5
Theo Paphitis1.48.5
Mark Wahlberg1.48.7
Michael McIntyre1.48.7
David Tennant1.48.8
Jay Leno1.48.8
Will Young1.48.9
Sir Michael Parkinson1.49.4
Ronnie Wood1.49.5
Harry Enfield1.49.7
Sienna Miller1.49.8
Jools Holland1.49.9
Sir Michael Gambon1.50.3
Alan Davies1.50.3
Steve Coogan1.50.9 (hot)
Stephen Fry1.51.0
Alan Carr1.51.2
Ray Winstone1.51.4 (hot)
Keith Allen1.51.7 (wet)
Rob Brydon1.51.7 (wet)
Justin Lee Collins1.51.8
Seasick Steve1.51.8 (wet)
Tom Jones1.52.2
Guy Ritchie1.52.5 (wet)
Dame Helen Mirren1.52.8
James Corden1.53.4 (wet)
Kristin Scott Thomas1.54.0
Philip Glenister1.54.3 (wet)
Kate Silverton1.54.7 (wet)
Rick Wakeman1.55.26
Boris Johnson1.57.4
Fiona Bruce1.57.4 (wet)
Brian Cox2.01.0
Jimmy Carr2.08.91

The Cool Wall - Jeremy Clarkson

 

Clarkson on: the Cool Wall

The easiest way to make a fortune is to pick a small rural market town with lots of outlying villages and start a taxi firm.
I live in the perfect place - Chipping Norton - and, let me tell you, it is nearly impossible to move around out here. Obviously, I wouldn't dream of using a bus even if there was one, and even if it was going in my direction. But there isn't, so that's that.
Christmas has been interesting. We get invited to lots of dull parties and the only way to get through them is to get drunk. That's fine, but how can we then get home again?
There's only one taxi and it's booked up now until November. What's more, because he has a monopoly he can charge £100 to go five miles. What are you going to do? Pay or walk?
You would imagine that the taxi driver in question has a Maybach, with a new Rolls-Royce on order. But, no. He has a Citroen C5 and he was interested in what I thought of it. "Well, it's rubbish," I said.
But of course, it isn't. It's a large, five-seat diesel which does 2,000 miles to the gallon and only costs £10,000 to buy new. It may be rubbish to you and I - soulless, ugly and uninspiring to drive - but it is a good cab.
"I'm thinking of changing it for a Skoda Superb," he added. "What do you think?"
Well I suppose if I were in Kingham St Michael at 3.00am and I was drunk, the back of a Superb would live up to its name. Certainly, there's plenty of room to be sick back there. But in the morning, I'd be sober and it would still be a Skoda.
He didn't get it. So far as he's concerned, £15,000 for an elongated VW Passat is great value. Plus you get VW build quality, VW engines and, apparently, good service from the dealer. Great, but where's the coolness, man?
This is why I came up with the Top Gear Cool Wall. It started out as a bit of fun, a device to explain why the Chrysler PT Cruiser and VW Beetle are ‘so last week' but it seemed to strike a chord. Seven days after it was shown for the first time on television, we'd had 20,000 e-mails about it. (To put that in perspective, all the gardening programmes put together only get 800 e-mails a week.)
I'm sorry to say I have not had chance to read all the messages - in the time it took to read one, 40 more arrived - but one thing was clear. One man's cool car is another man's hot potato. No-one agrees on anything.
So let me explain the rules. A car can be cool even if it is horrid to drive and wilfully ugly to behold. The Audi A2 is a classic case in point. This is a dreadful car in every way, but there's something about it which marks the driver out as being a little bit separate, a little bit stylish.
Similarly, a car that's wonderful to drive and built with Japanese precision can be hopelessly uncool. The Nissan Skyline GTR stands out here. Why? Well that's where my Kristen Scott Thomas litmus test comes in. She's possibly the coolest actress around. British-born, public-school educated, she lives in a Paris and has a French attitude to nudity.
"One man's cool car is another man's hot potato. No-one agrees on anything"
Now I don't know, but I'd imagine she isn't terribly interested in cars and as a result, she'd find the Skyline daft. No, really. What would you say if she asked why it had a meter to show how much ‘g' you were generating in the bends. Answer that and try to sound cool. See? It can't be done.
Which brings me on to the Ferrari 360. It's uncool. Why? Well, think about it. Have you ever seen one being driven by someone you'd have round for dinner? In London, they all look like Albanian mafia and up north they look like they own carpet shops in Dewsbury.
But at the other end of the Fiat spectrum, the Punto is super cool. Icy cool. And it's the same with all small European hatchbacks. The Peugeot 206, the Golf, the Clio, the C3 and the Ibiza; they're all freezing. And yet the Fiesta and the Corsa are not. The Europeans are like the coffee you get at Caffè Nero. The Ford and Vauxhall are like the coffee you get at Starbucks. And there's a big, big difference. Then there's the new Nissan Micra. Oh, dear.
Moving up a notch, all mid-range four-door saloons are uncool. A Vectra or a BMW 5-Series, a Mondeo or an Audi A4, all medium-sized saloon cars, with the possible exception of the Saab 9-3, suggest you're more interested in practicality than style. End of story.
Coupes? Everyone's saying the Nissan 350Z is hot and they're absolutely right, it is. Boiling. All Japanese coupes are uncool. In fact, there are only two cool coupes that spring to mind: the Peugeot 406 and the Alfa GTV. The TT was cool for 10 minutes but now they are far too common and as a result, it's gone.
Other cars we need to dismiss at this point include all MPVs, all BMWs (except the new Z4), all Mercs (including the SL55), all diesels and all TVRs. Funnily enough, the Porsche 911 is cool. It wasn't in the Eighties when it was all stripy shirts and braces. But now the image is repaired and it's almost up there with the Aston Martin Vanquish, which could give a man frost bite at 400 paces.
It, along with the Land Rover Defender, the new Mini and the Renault Avantime are, in fact, the only cars that sit in my ‘sub-zero' section on the Cool Wall.
There is another car that could get into this section - providing it's driven by the right sort of person. The Mitsubishi Evo VII. What do you need to make this cool? Simple. Breasts.
Sit down, Subaru Impreza fans. Sorry. You could have tits like Zeppelins and it's still not coming in. It's a great car, the Impreza, but it's not cool.
At the top of the tree, it's almost impossible to be cool. As well as all BMWs and the Ferrari 360, the Lamborghini Murciélago is also down there with the Beetle. And if you turned up at Kristin's house with a Zonda, she'd hide in the wardrobe. You're much better off using a Volvo V70 estate, mainly because that's what she actually uses herself.
Jaguars have an air of coolness about them. Not the X- or S-Types, obviously, but the XJ has a certain something and so does the XK. But for super coolness at the top of the tree, you're hard pressed to beat the Range Rover, which has performed a 911-style turnaround.
Skoda, on the other hand, has not. Those of us who read car magazines know how it's come on in leaps and bounds. But let's be honest, shall we? Those of us who read car mags are the least cool people in the world.
Perhaps the only way to be more uncool is to start up a taxi firm in a rural market town. 

Top Gear Live



ABOUT TOP GEAR LIVE

Top Gear Live is a live arena show of the award winning TV program Top Gear.   Featuring breath-taking stunts, amazing special effects and blockbusting driving sequences the show packs more pyro, more noise, more spectacle and way more misbehavior than anything you’ve ever seen before.
Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May* host proceedings with their irreverent approach to motoring and humour whilst some of the world’s best precision drivers perform awe-inspiring stunts LIVE in the arena.


Since it made its LIVE debut on the World Stage in 2008 Top Gear Live has been seen by over 1,000,000 fans and is continuing to push the boundaries of car theatre!

Top Gear Magazine

Top Gear

Do you love fast cars and motoring? Top Gear Magazine is the magazine for car and motoring enthusiasts.

Britain's top-selling car magazine, is packed with reviews of what's new from hot hatches to people carriers, the fastest super cars from around the world, motor sport, road tests and essential price guides. The unique blend of information and the cheeky wit of Richard Hammond, James May and Jeremy Clarkson make Top Gear the must-have magazine for all your motoring needs. Get it delivered direct to your door BEFORE it hits the shops by purchasing a subscription today!
  • Frequency Monthly

Series Guide

Series 1 2002

  • Series 1 Episode 1

    The one with Stig cheating a speed camera


    New TG kicks off by dodging a speed camera, racing a Lambo and a Zonda around our new track and putting Harry Enfield in a ‘reasonably priced car'. All that, plus a little Citroen.

    4 Video Clips
  • Series 1 Episode 2

    The one with A bus jumping some motorbikes


    Our first big stunt – we attempt to clear a line of motorbikes with a double-decker. Clarkson drives a Noble, Richard gets gooey over a MkII Escort and Jay Kay visits us for the first time...


    2 Video Clips
  • Series 1 Episode 3

    The one with Grannies doing donuts



    Can you teach your Nan to make proper donuts? We find out – and start our campaign to find the best looking car. Ross Kemp is our star and Richard races a Zonda in a kit car…

    4 Video Clips
  • Series 1 Episode 4

    The one with Damon Hill and the Aston



    Top Gear’s long relationship with the Isle of Man begins as JC and Damon Hill test Aston against Ferrari. Steve Coogan laps our track while a Mondeo takes on the Germans...



    2 Video Clips
  • Series 1 Episode 5

    The one with The budget Bond car



    We build a Bond car for £500, Jonathan Ross stars in our reasonably priced Liana and Richard laps up some Maybach luxury. Jeremy, meanwhile, smokes a set of tyres on a Bentley Arnage…



    4 Video Clips
  • Series 1 Episode 6

    The one with The grannies again



    Donuts mastered, the grannies return to have a go at handbrake parking. Richard tests the BMW Z4, Jeremy moans about the hard ride in a Renault Vel Satis and Tara PT drives our Suzuki…



    4 Video Clips
  • Series 1 Episode 7

    The one with The fastest faith



    Men of cloth take to our track in a battle to end all religious conflict – which faith is fastest? Jeremy rags a Lotus Elise around our track and Richard commutes in a Saab 9-3…

    3 Video Clips
  • Series 1 Episode 8

    The one with Gambon corner



    Michael Gambon nearly rolls our reasonably priced car and renames a corner on the TG track as a result. Lotus builds a Lada, Richard drives some hottish minis and a Maserati gets Stigged…


    2 Video Clips
  • Series 1 Episode 9

    The one with The stripped-out Jaguar XJS



    The boys find out how much faster a Jag is after a diet, while Gordon Ramsay melts our bleep machine after tasting food we cooked on a Subaru. We also race a car against a plane…


    3 Video Clips
  • Candidates for the fastest faith

    The one with The fastest faith. Again



    More divine intervention on our track, plus our first telly awards and some pheasant shooting in a Range Rover. We also celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Lotus Esprit... 

Series 2 2003

  • Series 2 Episode 1

    The one with The ‘Driving God’


    Richard overshadows James May’s first appearance by claiming God-like driving ability – and sets himself up for years of ridicule. Vinnie Jones is our star and Jeremy launches the Love/Hate wall…


    3 Video Clips
  • Series 2 Episode 2

    The one with The fastest politicians



    We find Britain’s fastest political party, Jeremy rants about the ‘German’ Rolls and Richard drives the Queen’s Rover. Oh, and Jamie Oliver preps a salad while Stig’s at the wheel of his camper…


    1 Video Clip
  • Series 2 Episode 3

    The one with The supercar world cup



    The boys set up a drag race to find which country makes the fastest supercar and David Soul struggles with our ‘stick shift’ Liana on the track. Jeremy, meanwhile, eats some money...



    3 Video Clips
  • Series 2 Episode 4

    The one with Jeremy’s big stress test


    Jeremy drives the length of the UK to see whether stress or boredom gets him first. Boris Johnson is our celeb and Stig laps the track in an Aston DB7 and Jaguar XKR-R...

    2 Video Clips
  • Series 2 Episode 5

    The one with The car in a kitchen



    Extraordinary nerd builds a car in his kitchen and has to knock down a wall to get it out. Jeremy drives a Clio V6 and a WRC team races some girls getting ready to go out...


    4 Video Clips
  • Series 2 Episode 6

    The one with The caravan speed record



    Yep, we try to tow a caravan faster than anyone else. Also, Richard does a track day, Stig grapples with some lightweight specials and Jeremy pits an Evo against an Impreza...



    3 Video Clips
  • Series 2 Episode 7

    The one with The squashed Portakabin


    I predict a riot-control vehicle… and a Portakabin. Richard comes over all destructive while Jeremy tries to squeeze a Hummer through the English countryside. Neil Morrisey is our star…


    3 Video Clips
  • Series 2 Episode 8

    The one with The camping in cabrios


    James and Richard go sleep under canvas in five cabrios, Jeremy slags off a Nissan, Jodie Kidd is in our reasonably priced car and Darth Vader goes for total domination on our track...


    3 Video Clips
  • Series 2 Episode 9

    The one with The back seat driver


    Jezza scoffs at the idea of a chauffeured Vauxhall and tries to drive it from the back seat, while Richard ‘rides’ a tilting car/bike thing. Patrick Stewart goes for warp speed on the track...


    3 Video Clips
  • Series 2 Episode 10

    The one with The Harrier Jump Jet



    Richard chases a jump jet with a TVR, Jeremy steams up the windows on a VW Phaeton and James finds a 1,000bhp Caddy. Rumours that we shot a dog in this episode are false...



    2 Video Clips

Series 3 2003

  • Series 3 Episode 1

    The one with The dead Stig



    Jeremy’s love affair with the Ford GT begins (if only he knew how it’d end). James hits the new BMW 5-Series with the ugly stick and Richard drives the Porsche 911 GT3.


    4 Video Clips
  • Series 3 Episode 2

    The one with The new Stig



    The Stig is dead, long live the Stig. Our man in black becomes a man in white, Stephen Fry hits our track and Richard sees how many caravans we can jump in an old Volvo 240…


    3 Video Clips
  • Series 3 Episode 3

    The one with The drowned Hamster



    Richard does the decent thing and drives a Vauxhall Belmont into a river, Jeremy tests Saabs aircraft connections and James heads for the countryside in a Subaru Outback. Rob Brydon also stars.



    3 Video Clips
  • Series 3 Episode 4

    The one with All the Lambos



    Lamborghinis. Lots of Lamborghinis. Jeremy tests the Gallardo and then joins James to reminisce about what made the bull the icon it is. Richard drives the Mini Cooper S Works…


    2 Video Clips
  • Series 3 Episode 5

    The one with The unbreakable Hilux



    Fire, water and dropped caravans all fail to stop our indestructible Toyota Hilux. Also features a public information film about the dangers of driving open-topped cars with wigs...



    3 Video Clips
  • Series 3 Episode 6

    The one with The still-alive Hilux



    Our indestructible Toyota survives being a building demolition, James drives a ’70s Aston, Jeremy goes on a cruise and Richard gets stuck with a couple of dreary French convertibles



    4 Video Clips
  • Series 3 Episode 7

    The one with The Big Boffin Burn-Out


    The world’s cleverest men do battle on our track, Jeremy bangs his head on an MG and Rory Bremner admits a love for Alfas. Richard, meanwhile, is lost in South Africa with a McMerc.
  • Series 3 Episode 8

    The one with The Top Gear Generation Game


    What’s best, old or new? Clarkson and Hammond slug that out while James gets all square about the Aston Lagonda. Richard also compares a Nissan Micra to an hour’s private jet hire
  • Series 3 Episode 9

    The one with No money left


    With the series budget blown on the last eight episodes, the boys drive a few cars and invite Carol Vorderman to help with the numbers. Plus, the Chrysler Crossfire gets a good kicking.


    2 Video Clips
  • Series 3 2003

    • Series 3 Episode 1

      The one with The dead Stig



      Jeremy’s love affair with the Ford GT begins (if only he knew how it’d end). James hits the new BMW 5-Series with the ugly stick and Richard drives the Porsche 911 GT3.


      4 Video Clips
    • Series 3 Episode 2

      The one with The new Stig



      The Stig is dead, long live the Stig. Our man in black becomes a man in white, Stephen Fry hits our track and Richard sees how many caravans we can jump in an old Volvo 240…


      3 Video Clips
    • Series 3 Episode 3

      The one with The drowned Hamster



      Richard does the decent thing and drives a Vauxhall Belmont into a river, Jeremy tests Saabs aircraft connections and James heads for the countryside in a Subaru Outback. Rob Brydon also stars.



      3 Video Clips
    • Series 3 Episode 4

      The one with All the Lambos



      Lamborghinis. Lots of Lamborghinis. Jeremy tests the Gallardo and then joins James to reminisce about what made the bull the icon it is. Richard drives the Mini Cooper S Works…


      2 Video Clips
    • Series 3 Episode 5

      The one with The unbreakable Hilux



      Fire, water and dropped caravans all fail to stop our indestructible Toyota Hilux. Also features a public information film about the dangers of driving open-topped cars with wigs...



      3 Video Clips
    • Series 3 Episode 6

      The one with The still-alive Hilux



      Our indestructible Toyota survives being a building demolition, James drives a ’70s Aston, Jeremy goes on a cruise and Richard gets stuck with a couple of dreary French convertibles



      4 Video Clips
    • Series 3 Episode 7

      The one with The Big Boffin Burn-Out


      The world’s cleverest men do battle on our track, Jeremy bangs his head on an MG and Rory Bremner admits a love for Alfas. Richard, meanwhile, is lost in South Africa with a McMerc.
    • Series 3 Episode 8

      The one with The Top Gear Generation Game


      What’s best, old or new? Clarkson and Hammond slug that out while James gets all square about the Aston Lagonda. Richard also compares a Nissan Micra to an hour’s private jet hire
    • Series 3 Episode 9

      The one with No money left


      With the series budget blown on the last eight episodes, the boys drive a few cars and invite Carol Vorderman to help with the numbers. Plus, the Chrysler Crossfire gets a good kicking.


      2 Video ClipsSeries 4 2004
      • Series 4 Episode 1

        The one with The race to Monte Carlo



        This was the episode with the first of our big races – Jeremy in a DB9 against Richard and James on public transport. Jezza also taunts an Apache helicopter in a Lotus Exige.


        3 Video Clips
      • Series 4 Episode 2

        The one with The nun in a monster truck


        Ever wondered what would happen if you put a nun in a big truck? We did. Also, James gets nostalgic over Thunderbirds’ FAB 1 and Paul McKenna proves it’s mind over matter on our track


        4 Video Clips
      • Series 4 Episode 3

        The one with The hundred-quid cars



        Another first for series four: the cheap car challenge that started them all. The boys each buy a car for £100 and drive to Manchester. To keep the balance, there’s a bunch of supercars too.



        2 Video Clips
      • Series 4 Episode 4

        The one with Car darts


        Richard and James play darts with real cars in a real quarry; the Impreza takes on an Evo (again) and we race a satnav-equipped Ford Ka against a pigeon. Ronnie O’Sullivan is the guest.


        3 Video Clips
      • Series 4 Episode 5

        The one with Hammond’s lightning strike


        Our first attempt to main Richard Hammond involved a Volkswagen Golf and 600,000 volts. This episode also features that amazing beach film with the 911, Jaguar XKR and BMW 645i.


        2 Video Clips
      • Series 4 Episode 6

        The one with All the poo


        Richard finds out whether you can run a car on human excrement, James drives a modernised Jaguar XJS and Jeremy confuses the good folk of Tunbridge Wells with an imported Nissan.
      • Series 4 Episode 7

        The one with Lionel Richie’s near-death experience



        Infamous episode where we nearly kill Lionel Richie. While he’s out snapping wheels off our Suzuki, Richard and James go minicabbing and Jeremy drag races a Mercedes CL65 AMG.



        4 Video Clips
      • Series 4 Episode 8

        The one with Diesel actually wins


        Richard destroys some cars with the help of a Boeing 747’s jet engines and Martin Clunes behaves badly in our reasonably priced car. James relaxes in a Maserati in Sicily.


        4 Video Clips
      • Series 4 Episode 9

        The one with The parachute



        Jeremy goes skiing in a Jaguar X-Type, Richard tests some slightly girlie roadsters and James finds out whether you can aparachute into a moving car. With help, of course.



        3 Video Clips
      • Series 4 Episode 10

        The one with The Olympic Long Jump Challenge


        We build a big ramp and test cars from various nations to see who can jump the furthest. Richard uses a dull Peugeot as a pace car and James buys a sofa. Partick Kielty is our guest

3 Video Clips
  • Series 5 2004


    • Series 5 Episode 1

      The one with The ice cream van and the bouncy castles



      Series 5 kicks off with Jeremy not hating a Porsche 911, eating his own hair and getting in a muscle car shoot out down at the beach with Richard and James…



      2 Video Clips
    • Series 5 Episode 2

      The one with The skateboarder


      It’s Ferrari Enzo versus Pagani Zonda versus Porsche Carrera… and a man on a skateboard versus a Mitsubishi Evo. And Richard and a Ford Focus… versus boredom.


      1 Video Clip
    • Series 5 Episode 3

      The one with The hydrofoil car



      Jeremy attempts to drive a Land Rover Discovery up a Scottish mountain, while Richard floats away on Rinspeed’s hydrofoil car and the new Viper scares the bejesus out of everyone.



      2 Video Clips
    • Series 5 Episode 4

      The one with Caravan conkers



      Richard and James spend 24 hours in a Smart, Clarkson races Steve Coogan in a Ferrari 575, and we discover whether caravans are any good for playing conkers. Clue: they aren’t.



      4 Video Clips
    • Series 5 Episode 5

      The one with The People Carrier Race Series



      JC tries to get round the Nurburgring in 10 minutes in a Jag diesel, Richard tries out the Le Mans-inspired Morgan and we take a bunch of people carriers to the track.


      2 Video Clips
    • Series 5 Episode 6

      The one with The £1,500 Porsches


      We discover whether you can get a decent Porsche for £1500, whether a blind man is faster than Richard Whiteley and whether the new Golf GTI is any good.


      2 Video Clips
    • Series 5 Episode 7

      The one with Clarkson finally drives the Prius



      Can the Mitsubishi Evo beat the Lamborghini Murcielago? Is the Boxster better than the SLK? Is the Mustang any good? Will JC hate the Prius more than anything else in the free world?



      1 Video Clip
    • Series 5 Episode 8

      The one with The race to Verbier


      We try out classic racers against their modern road equivalents, race an Evo against the Norwegian bobsleigh team and put Stig on our track… in an F1 car.


      2 Video Clips
    • Series 5 Episode 9

      The one with The Atom



      James tests the very expensive BMW 1-Series, Richard tests the very powerful Mercedes G55 AMG and Jeremy tests out the very fast and very face-breaking Ariel Atom.



      2 Video Clips
    • Series 6 2005

      • Series 6 Episode 1

        The one with Clarkson takes on a Challenger tank


        JC tries out outwit a battle tank, Richard and James invent the now-famous game of Car Football and we find out whether Eastbourne Bowls Club likes funky Hondas.


        2 Video Clips
      • Series 6 Episode 2

        The one with The sub-£1,500 not-Porsches


        The boys find out if you can get a good coupe for not-very-much money. And how far they’ll get before breaking horribly. JC drives the Maserati MC12 to cheer himself up.


        2 Video Clips
      • Series 6 Episode 3

        The one with The Rolls-Royce in the pool


        Jeremy recreates Keith Moon’s finest hour, James drives the Maserati Bora, Richard takes a golden retriever to Wales, and the really weird Weismann MF3 takes on the TVR Tuscan.


        2 Video Clips
      • Series 6 Episode 4

        The one with All the mums


        Hamster tries to jump a wedding party in a limo, Jezza takes on the Stig in a big Caddy, while all the mums turn up to try out three lovely little city cars.


        2 Video Clips
      • Series 6 Episode 5

        The one with Clarkson and the snipers


        JC challenges the Irish Guards to shoot him, James gets confused by the strange Nissan Murano, and Damon Hill takes a lap of our test track. Turns out he’s not too shabby…


        2 Video Clips
      • Series 6 Episode 6

        The one with The race to Oslo


        JC in a McMerc SLR, James and Richard on a plane, boat and bus… and a 1,320-mile race to Scandinavia. That’ll be one of TG’s big awesome races, then…


        1 Video Clip
      • Series 6 Episode 7

        The one with Sabine does the Nurburgring in a van


         Sabine Schmitt tries to beat Jezza’s Jaguar Nurburgring lap time in a Transit van, James takes on a marathon runner in a Fiat Panda, and we discover a TVR that won’t try to kill you.


        3 Video Clips
      • Series 6 Episode 8

        The one with The trip to Iceland


        The boys take a big trip to geyser country with three roadsters – the Audi TT, Nissan 350Z and the Chrysler Crossfire. And Jeremy falls in love with the Ferrari F430.


        2 Video Clips
      • Series 6 Episode 9

        The one with The barrel-rolling Ford Sierra


        James and Richard play road-test Russian Roulette, Jeremy kicks off a big hot hatch group test, and we try to get into the Guiness Book of Records with a battered old Sierra.


        2 Video Clips
      • Series 6 Episode 10

        The one with The first-ever diesel track test


        Jeremy tries out the BMW 535d, James tests the Bentley Flying Spur, Hammond races a snowmobile and everyone gets very muddy trying some outdoor toys.




        3 Video Clips
      • Series 6 Episode 11

        The one with Hammond does the Pamplona Bull Run


        Richard learns to drift in the Vauxhall Monaro, Jeremy tests the Ford F-Series in the UK, James announces the greatest driving song ever and Hammond nearly dies in Spain.


        2 Video Clips

    Series 7 2005/6

    • Series 7 Episode 1

      The one with The Isle of Man race


      An Aston DB9, Porsche 911 Carrera S, a BMW M6 and no speed limits - that's why we put up with the Isle of Man drizzle. Trevor Eve is our star and Richard power tests the Ascari KZ1.

      3 Video Clips
    • Series 7 Episode 2

      The one with The RS4 against a climber


      Jeremy bets two climbers he can cover 60 miles before they climb 1200 feet, while Richard and James build full-size radio control cars and race them against a 13-year old girl.


      3 Video Clips
    • Series 7 Episode 3

      The one with The supercar road trip


      What’s the point of a supercar? The boys find out by driving a Zonda, Ford GT and Ferrari F430 to the Milau bridge in France.  Plus, Clarkson drives a Focus ST and Richard eats a BMW M6.


      2 Video Clips
    • Series 7 Episode 4

      The one with The old Italian supercars



      Another budget car challenge – this time with old Italian exotica. Plus, Richard drive a faster Pagani, James races a bicycle with a Renault Clio and Ellen MacArthur tops our lap board.



      2 Video Clips
    • Series 7 Episode 5

      The one with The Bugatti and the plane



      Unforgettable episode where JC races back from Italy in a Veyron – against James  and Richard flying themselves in a little plane. Back in the studio, Nigel Mansell rocks up for a lap.



      3 Video Clips
    • Series 7 Episode 6

      The one with The NSX on the Playstation


      Is Jeremy faster driving in real life or on a computer game? We find out. Plus, Richard races the new Mazda MX-5 against a greyhound, and we reveal the winners and losers in our Car of the Year Awards.


      2 Video Clips
    • Series 7 Episode 7

      The one with The Winter Olympics




      The Top Gear team hit Norway for a Winter Olympics special, where they attempt various Olympic events, but with cars. That means Jeremy and James tackling the biathlon in Audi Q7 and Volvo XC90 SUVs, plus a shed load of mad stunts, using everything from a rocket-powered Mini to a snowmobile.
    • Series 8 2006

      • Series 8 Episode 1

        The one with The convertible people carrier


        The boys chop the roof off a people carrier to make a convertible, Richard drives an embarrassing Micra and James marvels at the new Honda Civic. We also wave goodbye to our Suzuki Liana.

        3 Video Clips
      • Series 8 Episode 2

        The one with The drive time radio show


        Jeremy drives a 'Vette, Richard races a jet-powered canoe and all three of them host a drive time radio show. Gordon Ramsay pops back for a lap in our new reasonably priced car

        4 Video Clips
      • Series 8 Episode 3

        The one with The amphibious cars


        The legendary first attempt at a channel crossing in our home-built boat cars, plus Jeremy's race in a Lotus against Stig in a Mustang and Life on Mars star Philip Glenister in our car.


        2 Video Clips
      • Series 8 Episode 4

        The one with The Red Devils


        Can Hammond cover a few miles in a Porsche Cayenne before a crack parachutist can drop 10,000 feet? We find out. Plus, Clarkson designs a car interior using wing-backed chairs and bookcase.

        4 Video Clips
      • Series 8 Episode 5

        The one with The car football


        Richard’s VW Foxes take on James’ Toyota Aygos in our own little version of the FA Cup. Kind of, anyway. Jeremy is nearly sick in a Prodrive Subaru and we use a Citroen as a camera car at the races.


        4 Video Clips
      • Series 8 Episode 6

        The one with The caravan holiday



        It all ends in flames and tears as the boys go caravanning together. Stig, meanwhile, attempts a world record for driving indoors in a Toyota F1 car and Jeremy drives a Vauxhall.



        3 Video Clips
      • The Stig

        The one with Stig getting arrested




        The boys try to build a Caterhan faster than Stig can drive one from Surrey to Scotland – and Stig gets arrested. Steve Coogan returns to our track and Clarkson buys a Lambo Gallardo.



        3 Video Clips
      • White van

        The one with All the vans



        JC and the boys each buy white vans to complete various challenges in, while Ray Winstone and Jenson Button both turn up for a lap of our track. We also hae a go at being roadies for The Who.



        1 Video Clip
  • Series 9 2007


    • Series 9 Episode 1

      The one with Us repairing Britain’s roads


      Richard relives his crash, Jamie Oliver returns for a second pop and the boys all have a go at doing some roadworks. Can they resurface a street in just 24 hours?
    • Series 9 Episode 2

      The one with Captain Slow driving fast


      Captain Slow goes flat out in a Veyron, Hugh Grant does a few posh and quintessentially English laps of our track and there's a big coupe shootout north of the border.


      3 Video Clips
    • Series 9 Episode 3

      The one with The trip to America


      The one that ended up with gunfire in deepest Alabama. The boys each buy a car for $1,000 and head south to New Orleans. Any lessons learned about not upsetting the locals? No.
    • Series 9 Episode 4

      The one with The Reliant Robin space shuttle


      Surely you know this one - Richard and James try to launch a Reliant Robin into orbit. And fail. Probably the most infamous film we ever produced. Simon Pegg is our star this week.


      3 Video Clips
    • Series 9 Episode 5

      The one with All the tractors


      Jeremy produces a safety film on railway crossings, drives a Lamborghini Murcielago and meets Kristen Scott Thomas. All three also grow some biofuel with some big tractors


      3 Video Clips
    • Series 9 Episode 6

      The one with The stretch limos


      The boys build stretch limos to chauffeur some stars to the Brit awards. As usual, it doesn't go well. Billy Piper is in our reasonably priced car and Richard Hammond drives Mustangs.


      2 Video Clips
    • Series 10 2007

      • Series 10 Episode 1

        The one with The best road in the world



        Most of this one is given up to a directionless search for Europe’s greatest driving road – good job the boys have a Lambo, an Aston and a Gallardo then. Helen Mirren also stars...




        3 Video Clips
      • Series 10 Episode 2

        The one with The second Channel crossing attempt


        The boys have a second crack at crossing the channel in their amphibious cars, Jools Holland settles into a different kind of rhythm on our track and Jeremy drives Audi's everyday supercar...

        3 Video Clips
      • Series 10 Episode 3

        The one with The world’s smallest car


        Jeremy hops in the smallest car ever and drives to the office. Literally. We also watch a Lexus crash itself, James tests a Rolls and Richard races a Eurofighter. Best episode ever? Possibly...

        1 Video Clip
      • Series 10 Episode 4

        The one with The big trip to Africa


        Richard meets Oliver - his beloved Opel that followed him all the way back from Africa. And got restored. The other cars the boys chose for this epic Botswana challenge were less lucky...

        1 Video Clip
      • Series 10 Episode 5

        The one with The race across London


        The boys find the fastest way across town - and it's worth a look just to see Stig gets on the tube. Jeremy also power tests the firey Caparo and Simon Cowell is again our celeb...


        3 Video Clips
      • Series 10 Episode 6

        The one with The motorhome racing


        Famous for Richard's mentalist motorhome racing, but this episode also had James racing a very tall bloke, JC closing a massive airport to go sideways and Lawrence Dallaglio...

        1 Video Clip
      • Series 10 Episode 7

        The one with The crap British Leyland cars


        Remember the one where Richard nearly ran himself over with that old Triumph? And the boys filling those rusty old snotboxes with water? Aston DBS and Jennifer Saunders also star...


        3 Video Clips
      • Series 10 Episode 8

        The one with Lewis Hamilton


        Richard tries a Formula One car and Lewis Hamilton has a go on our track. One does very well, the other doesn't. Plus, Jeremy is chauffeured by robot and James Blunt is in the studio...


        1 Video Clip
      • Series 10 Episode 9

        The one with The 24 hour race


        Jeremy and the boys decide they need to burn the biofuel the grew last series, so enter a 24hr race. Fortunately, Stig is around to help. James also races a Fiat 500 against some BMXs...


        1 Video Clip
      • Series 10 Episode 10

        The one with The supersaloon shootout


        A car we haven't even featured wins our coveted award and David Tennant Doctors our reasonably priced car. Well, ruins the gearbox at least. The boys also test supersaloons in Spain...


        1 Video Clip
      • Series 12 2008

        • Series 12, episode 1

          The one with The lorry driving adventure


          The boys decide to be truck drivers and buy three cheap lorries; Jeremy starts another fight with Richard about the Porsche 911 and Michael Parkinson has a go on our track.


          3 Video Clips
        • Series 12, episode 2

          The one with The second big US trip


          The bulk of this one is given up to an epic road trip from San Francisco to Utah, with Richard, Jeremy and James testing some proper American muscle. Will Young is our celeb.


          3 Video Clips
        • Series 12, episode 3

          The one with The homemade Evo


          The team try to deliver Evo-matching performance by modifying the least sporty car ever made. Oh, was there something about a Hollywood star in our reasonably priced car?


          5 Video Clips
        • Series 12, episode 4

          The one with The race to Blackpool


          The boys take part in a big race from Switzerland to Blackpool on a single tank of fuel, James power-tests the insane Zonda F Roadster, and professional funny-type person Harry Enfield takes a spin in our Reasonably Priced Car.


          4 Video Clips
        • Series 12, episode 5

          The one with The Ferrari vs powerboat race


          The BMW M3 takes on the Lexus IS-F, a bunch of buses take to the track to discover the best sort of public transport, while Richard and the Ferrari Daytona take on James and a powerboat around the French Riviera...

          4 Video Clips
        • Series 12, episode 6

          The one with The ‘sensible’ Fiesta test


          Some say one of the best episodes ever – Jeremy does a ‘sensible’ road test of the new Fiesta (including a chase through a shopping centre and a beach landing), while Richard tests a lightweight German on the track. Also features Communist cars and Boris Johnson.

          4 Video Clips
        • Series 12, episode 7

          The one with The electric cars


          A green theme to this one – Jeremy tests the electric Tesla, James drives Honda’s hydrogen-powered Clarity and Richard, er, celebrates the 50th birthday of Touring Cars. Tom Jones also stars...


          5 Video Clips
        • Series 12, episode 8

          The one with The trip to Vietnam


          Top Gear ends series 12 in epic style as the boys try to travel the entire length of Vietnam in just eight days, thereby achieving what the American military failed to do in 10 years.

          2 Video Clips

    Series 13 2009

    • Series 13, episode 1

      The one with Stig removing his helmet


      Our tame racing driver finally reveals himself after a lap in the Ferrari FXX, Clarkson takes the all-new Lotus Evora for a spin around our track, and the boys race a 1950s train against a classic Jag and motorbike.

      3 Video Clips
    • Series 13, episode 2

      The one with Richard in the Lambo SV


      Richard goes to Abu Dhabi to test the new Lambo Murcielago LP640-4 SV, stages a race between a Bugatti Veyron and McLaren F1, then teams up with Jeremy and James to find the perfect car for 17-year-olds.


      4 Video Clips
    • Series 13, episode 3

      The one with James and Ken Block


      James meets American stunt driving legend Ken Block, the boys tackle the recession head on as they try to find three sensibly priced small cars that won't make you miserable, and Jeremy thrashes the mental Mercedes SL Black.

      4 Video Clips
    • Series 13, episode 4

      The one with The race against a letter


      Richard and James race the new Porsche Panamera against a first-class letter, Jeremy is on the run from the British Army, and the latest hot hatches from Ford and Renault go head-to-head.

      4 Video Clips
    • Series 13, episode 5

      The one with The ice racing


      The boys buy three £1,500 rear-drive sports cars and somehow find themselves entered in a terrifying French ice race, Jeremy drives the new 500bhp Jaguar XFR, and actress Sienna Miller is the Star in a Reasonably Priced Car.

      4 Video Clips
    • Series 13, episode 6

      The one with The classic car rally


      The boys buy a pre-1982 car at auction and are sent off to Majorca to take part in classic rally, Jeremy drives with dinosaurs in the new BMW Z4 and Nissan 370Z, and rock god Brian Johnson is the Star in a Reasonably Priced Car.
    • Series 13, episode 7

      The one with Us remaking the VW ads


      Jeremy and James have a go at making a VW advert, the Cool Wall returns, Jay Leno stars in our reasonably priced car and JC finishes the series with that deeply moving Aston V12 film marking the death of the supercar. Yes, the supercar. Not.

    Series 14 2009

    • Series 14, episode 1

      The one with The Romanian roadtrip


      The boys each grab their favourite grand tourer and head to Romania in search of the world's best driving roads. Plus, James power tests the BMW 7-Series and Mercedes S63 AMG (from the back seat) and Hollywood actor Eric Bana takes to the track in our Reasonably Priced Car.

      2 Video Clips
    • Series 14, episode 2

      The one with Homemade electric cars


      The boys try to save the planet by building their own electric car, Jeremy pits the Corvette ZR1 against Audi's R8 V10, and the Star in a Reasonably Priced Car is Frost/Nixon and Damned United star Michael Sheen.

      2 Video Clips
    • Series 14, episode 3

      The one with Caravan airship


      The boys settle the thorny issue of which company has made the greatest number of truly brilliant cars. James gets caravans to campsites without clogging up the roads, and Jezza hits the track in a replica of a legendary rally car. Plus Chris Evans is the Star in a Reasonably Priced Car.

      3 Video Clips
    • Series 14, episode 4

      The one with ‘Sensible’ Twingo test


      Jeremy conducts a thorough road test of the Renaultsport Twingo 133, Richard looks at the brand new sport of airport vehicle racing, and JC again is on and off the track in the BMW X5M, Audi Q7 V12 and the latest version of the supercharged Range Rover.



      2 Video Clips
    • Series 14, episode 5

      The one with Art show


      The boys attempt to prove that cars can be art by taking over an entire modern art gallery in Middlesbrough and filling it with motoring-related works. Plus Jeremy thrashes a new British supercar.



      2 Video Clips
    • Series 14, episode 6

      The one with Bolivia special


      Jeremy, Richard and James are dropped deep in the Bolivian rainforest armed only with three shabby 4x4s which they bought from the local small ads for a maximum of 3,500 pounds each. What follows is their most extraordinary journey to date...
    • Series 14, episode 7

      The one with £340,000 Lexus supercar


      Jeremy conducts one of the most expensive road tests in Top Gear history, James drives the new Insignia VXR, and Richard thrashes the 340,000 pound Lexus supercar. The Star in a Reasonably Priced Car is blues musician Seasick Steve.

      3 Video Clips

    Series 15 2010

    • Series 15, episode 1

      The one with Icelandic volcano


      Jeremy tips over a Reliant Robin in deepest Yorkshire, James drives TG's volcano-proof car up that volcano in Iceland, and Richard says goodbye to our old Reasonably Priced Car in style. Plus, there's an all-star celebrity barbecue.

      7 Video Clips
    • Series 15, episode 2

      The one with Cheap sports saloons


      The boys put some budget sports saloons put through their paces in Europe's home of speed, James thrashes the Porsche 911 Sport Classic and Boxster Spyder, and Alastair Campbell goes for a spin in our all-new reasonably priced car.

      3 Video Clips
    • Series 15, episode 3

      The one with Four-door supercars


      The boys attempt to find the world's greatest four-seat supercar, Richard drives the Chevy Camaro and Mercedes E63 AMG, and Harry Potter star Rupert Grint and F1 ace Rubens Barrichello hit the track.

      2 Video Clips
    • Series 15, episode 4

      The one with Motorhomes


      The boys build motorhomes for a camping holiday in Cornwall, Jeremy thrashes the Audi R8 V10 Spyder and Porsche 911 Turbo cabrio, and Hollywood star Andy Garcia drives our Reasonably Priced Car.

      5 Video Clips
    • Series 15, episode 5

      The one with Tom and Cameron


      Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz in a cheap Korean hatchback! Plus, Jeremy on Ayrton Senna, James in the fastest car the world has ever seen and snowy speed-based Swedish fun with Richard.

      1 Video Clip
    • Series 15, episode 6

      The one with British sports cars


      The boys attempt to prove that old British sports cars never deserved to be killed off by the hot hatch, JC track-tests the new Ferrari 458 Italia, and Jurassic Park legend Jeff Goldblum is our star in a Reasonably Priced Car.


    • The one with... the big US road trip

      The one with Big US road trip


      The boys' monster three-part US road trip starts with America's greatest driving road and ends with a race through New York, taking in a track day, a NASCAR history lesson, and a small selection of handguns along the way.

    Series 16

    • The one with... the Middle East Road Trip

      The one with Middle East Road Trip


      Richard and James will be attempting their toughest task yet: passing themselves off as ‘three wise men' while recreating that famous journey following a star to Bethlehem.
    • The one with... the new Stig

      The one with Yeti road test


      Two lap records were smashed by the Atom V8 and a Liverpudlian comedian, and the rapid pace of a Stig's evolution was laid bare to the outside world for the first time. We're also fairly certain nobody has ever landed a helicopter on a Skoda on primetime television.
    • The one with... the Motoring Ashes

      The one with Motoring Ashes


      The boys go head-to-head against their opposite numbers from Australian Top Gear in a car-based version of The Ashes, JC tests the new Ferrari 599 GTO and Britain's favourite German Boris Becker hits the TG track.
    • The one with... the big Albanian test

      The one with Big Albanian road trip


      The boys hit Albania in the Rolls-Royce Ghost, Mercedes S65 AMG and a rather unusual Bentley Mulsanne, Jeremy tests three very hot hatchbacks on our track and Jonathan Ross takes the little Kia for a spin.
    • The one with... cheap second-hand convertibles

      The one with Cheap second-hand convertibles


      The boys examine the many pitfalls when buying a cheap second-hand convertible, Jeremy thrashes the lunatic Pagani Zonda R, and Simon Pegg and Nick Frost drive our little Kia.