Top Gear Series 1 Episode 1

Top Gear is my favorite show. It combines people doing the most outrageous things with cars, while talking about cars, with great humor. Top Gear goes back to 1977, where it was a motor magazine show, similar to Motorweek. It lasted until 2002, with 45 seasons and 515 episodes. In 2002, Top gear had an overhaul, with a new format this is still used today, featuring three presenters and a tamed racing driver. The first series of Top Gear featured Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and Jason Dawe.

On Series 1, Episode 1, Jeremy reviews the Citroen Berlingo,, Richard talks about a prototype Ford supercar, Jeremy reviews two Italian supercars, Jeremy demonstrates using vegetable oil for fuel, Jason Dawe gives some money saving tips, Richard Hammond tries to beat a speed camera, Richard reviews the Mazda 6, and Harry Enfield is a star in a reasonably priced car.


Segment 1: Citroen Berlingo

Citroen Berlingo

Jeremy starts by showing a Ford Focus and a Volkswagen Golf, two family hatchbacks that cost 12,000 pounds. He says that he has found a family hatchback for under 9,000 pounds. It is the Citroen Berlingo, a van converted into a hatchback by adding rear windows, sliding rear doors, and a 1.6L diesel engine. To find out if the Berlingo is any good, he takes the hatchback to a booze warehouse. His first impression is that he is driving a van. He says it is very loud and not refined. Jeremy also says the car can come with a 1.6L petrol engine that produces the same horsepower as a Mark I Golf and it feels like a car. Jeremy comments on the green dashboard and the green dials. The Berlingo also has five glass panels in the roof. Jeremy says the Berlingo is turning out to be a great car for its price. Jeremy is driving in France and does not find much wrong with it. It is comfortable, but not sporty. Jeremy likes the Berlingo. Jeremy tests the storage capacity of the Berlingo by loading it with booze. Jeremy has to be careful. If customs believes the booze is not for personal consumption, they will confiscate all the booze and the car. Jeremy is back at the studio talking about the Fiat Doblo, a cheaper car but it is the slowest accelerating car in Great Britain. He also talks about the Ford Tourneo Connect, a 10,000 pound car and no one should think about that car. The Renault Kangoo is not as good as the Berlingo. He has Jason come over and Jeremy asks him if people should by the petrol or diesel version of the Berlingo. Jason says petrol. Jeremy says all but one member of the Top Gear crew likes the Berlingo.


Segment 2: GT40

Ford GT40 Prototype

Richard Hammond says that if someone does a list of the greatest race cars, it would have to include the Ford GT40. Then a montage of the production and success of the GT40 is shown. Richard says Ford struggled to find a successor to the GT40, until it came out with the Ford GT40. It is 4 inches taller and 18 inches wider than the original GT40. It is loaded with technology. The fuel door and engine door open with a remote. The engine is a supercharged 5.4L V8 that produces 500 bhp. He shows the sporty interior of the car. At the time of the episode originally aired, Ford announced that it will be producing this car. Richard says the car will be on sale in America for $150,000. The car will also be very exclusive and you will have to know someone at Ford to get one of these cars.


Segment 3: the News

Fiat Stilo Estate

Nissan Micra

Bently Continental GT

Jeremy announced that the British government will be 145 million pounds over the next 5 years on the road network. Fiat is in deep trouble, currently losing 2 million pounds a day. To save itself Fiat is coming out with an estate version of the Stilo. If Fiat fails, Fiat will take Ferrari, Lancia, Maserati, and Alfa Romeo with them. If Fiat fails, General Motors would buy Fiat. Ferrari would be owned by General Motors. Richard announces that Nissan will be making a new version of the Micra. Smart will be coming out with two versions, a coupe and a cabriolet version of the Smart Car. Jeremy says that the problem with F1 is that Ferrari has completely dominating F1. Jeremy also says the F1 cars are loaded with technology. Pit crews could tune the car from a computer. Richard then goes on to talk about the Bentley Continental GT. Powering this car is a W12 engine. The engine produces so much torque that the amount torque generated cannot be determined.


Segment 4: Italian Supercars

Pagani Zonda

Lamborghini Murcielago

Jeremy starts the segment of by talking about the newest supercar company from Italy, Pagani, and showing off the Pagani Zonda, saying the car is exquisite. The Zonda engine is a Mercedes-Benz-AMG 7.3L V12 engine. Jeremy then shows a video review of the Zonda. He compares the Zonda to an F15 fighter plane. The noise from the Zonda is astonishing. The Zonda's body is made of carbon fiber and the engine produces 550 bhp. The car can reach 200 mph in fifth gear. At top gear, the Zonda can hit 220 mph. Jeremy is having difficulties steering the Zonda and spins out. The Zonda is well made, and Jeremy cannot believe that Pagani came out of nowhere to make the Zonda. The only problem with the Zonda is its competition, the Lamborghini Murcielago. The Murcielago is the ultimate automotive pinup according to Jeremy. Jeremy was worried that since Audi bought Lamborghini, the Germans would try to bring order to the Italian chaos that is Lamborghini. Jeremy says that he could change gears with one finger. The steering does not feel like it is set in concrete. The clutch is like stepping on a marshmallow. The Murcielago still has the scissor doors. When the engine gets hot, side air intakes come out of the rear. The engine is a 6.2L V12 that produces 571 bhp. Time for a drag race. The Zonda and Lambo face off and the Zonda destroyed the Lambo. Jeremy says Audi has changed the Lambo from a supercar into a small, nimble, razor-sharp sports car. Jeremy says the old Lambo Diablo is like a chess of drawers with a jet engine. The new Lambo feels like you are an organic part of a machine. Jeremy says the Murcielago is by far the best Lamborghini ever made. It is better than any current Ferrari. The Zonda is better than the Murcielago though. The Lambo cost around 160,000 pounds and the Zonda costs 310,000 pounds. The final test for both cars is a lap around the Top Gear test track. Richard explains the track. Both cars will be driven by the Stig, a professional race car driver. The Lambo did the lap in 1:29.0. The Zonda went around the track in 1:23.8, despite the Stig having trouble handling the car.

The Original Stig

Segment 5: Try to Beat a Speed Camera

Honda Civic Type R

Richard Hammond does an experiment to see if a car can beat a speed camera. Richard wanted to know what is the minimum speed a car must go to not have its picture taken a second time by speed camera. Driving the car will be the Stig. The first attempt is done in a Honda Civic Type-R three-door hatchback. The Civic went 129 mph and got caught by the camera. Other attempts will be shown later on in the episode.


Segment 6: Harry Enfield in a Suzuki

Harry Enfield

Suzuki Liana

The Star in a Reasonably Price Car segment is Jeremy interviewing one or two celebrities and then the celebrity will drive around the test track in a Suzuki Liana. The first guest is Harry Enfield, an English actor and comedian. When Harry made it big, he bought himself a Vauxhall Cavalier Convertible. Harry's next car was a Rover 200. He then swapped the Rover for a Metro. Jeremy says he went around the track in 1:50.0 with passengers in the car. Harry's lap was shown later on in the episode.


Segment 7: More Attempts to beat a speed camera

Mecedes Benz CL55 AMG

The next car was a Mercedes-Benz CL 55 AMG. The Stig was off and reached a speed of 148 mph, but it still got caught by the speed camera. Another attempt will be shown later on in the show.


Segment 8: Running a car on Vegetable Oil

Jeremy talks about how a supermarket is rationalizing fuel. Jeremy says that it is almost brilliant to run a car on vegetable oil, except it ruins the engine. He has a guy come on the show to demonstrate how adding an additive to the vegetable oil. The additive is a white spirit. He says to put 3 ml of additive for every 97 ml of vegetable oil. Let it stand for a week. The vegetable oil plus additive can work in any diesel engine. The engine does not need to be modified to work. The performance is the same, maybe even better than using diesel engine. He tries vegetable oil with the additive on a Volvo 760 diesel and it works. After the segment, Harry's lap was shown  and he went around the track in 2:01.0.


Segment 9: Insider Dealing

Jason Dawe shows how much a Mini One goes for a year after it is sold. The Impreza made in 2002 and cost 18,995 pounds. Jason says wait because the Impreza will drop in prize. The reason is that Subaru is coming out with a new version of the Impreza. Jason also says that there will only be 3000 Volvo XC90s coming to Britain for 2002, and there are 220 Volvo dealerships in Great Britain. Each dealership will get one XC90 each month.


Segment 10: Mazda 6

Mazda 6

Richard does a review of the Mazda 6. People buy Mazdas to suit their needs. People can drive Mazda 6 and would not be seen. The interior is a Japanese design, not a Japanese design copying a German interior. It is not a quick car, 0-60 mph in 9 seconds. Power comes on during the middle rpm range. The car corners very well. The Mazda 6 is very noisy. Jeremy says he has driven the car and says it is brilliant.


Segment 11: Final Attempt at Beating a Speed Camera

TVR Tuscan

The Stig is driving a TVR Tuscan S in a final attempt to beat a speed camera. The Stig got the TVR to speeds over 170 mph and no flash was present. The TVR went so fast that the camera could not take a picture. The TVR beat a speed camera. The show ends with Jeremy giving a preview of Series 1, Episode 2.


Overall, this was a good pilot episode. It was entertaining, but the hosts were not taking shots at one another. The humor that Top Gear is now known for had not been developed yet. Jason Dawe talked about saving money. Jason was not funny and had a limited role in the show before being replaced by James May for Series 2. Jeremy and Richard have a few witty jokes. This episode created the formula that Top Gear and its localized spin-offs would use. Some of the cars featured were not brought to America. Citroen has not been sold in America since 1974. There are no Pagani dealerships in America. Recently, Fiat returned to America with the Fiat 500. The Nissan Mirca is not sold in America. The most interesting part of this episode was trying to beat a speed camera, which was done at 170 mph in a TVR Tuscan S.


Final Verdict: 63 Stigs out of 100. This is the Top Gear that is watched worldwide, not Top Gear US. So scores will be out of 100 Stigs, not 10 Stigs. Top Gear US episodes cannot match the quality of Top Gear episodes.

CarJunkie

Top Gear Series 1 Episode 2

On this episode, Jeremy drives a Ford Focus RS in Wales, Jeremy drives a plastic British supercar, Jason gives some money-saving tips, Jay Kay rocks Top Gear, Top Gear features some RS Fords, and the guys find out how many bikes a bus can jump over.


Segment 1: Ford Focus RS and its Competition

Ford Focus RS

The segment starts with Jeremy talking about the Ford Escort Cosworth. He says that Ford had an idea to put a big engine in an Escort, and created the boy racer. He then walks over to a Ford Focus RS and says that Ford promised a Focus with 300 bhp and all-wheel drive. Instead the Focus RS has 212 bhp and front-wheel drive. He then walks over to a Subaru Impreza and then the Stig drives the Subaru around the test track in 1:39.0. During the test lap, Jeremy says the Impreza is a tuned-down rally car is not particularly good looking. The Stig then drives the Honda Civic Type R around the test track in 1:38.06. Jeremy says that his mother has a Civic. All but one Civic is a motherly car. The Civic Type R is a mother of a car. The Stig drives the Focus RS around the track in 1:33.8. Then the show cuts to Wales, where Jeremy is driving the Focus RS. Jeremy picked Wales because there is so much empty road. The Focus RS has sporty seats, a start button, a hideous steering wheel. Other than those items, Jeremy says the Focus RS feels like a normal three-door Focus. There is no cup holder. The Focus has 2.0L turbocharged engine and is fast. It does not feel like it has the oomph that the Impreza has. The Focus had a faster lap time than the Impreza because the Focus handles very well. The Focus can go fast around corners. The Focus RS cost under 20,000 pounds. It brings power to the people. The Focus has some issues. It is not a very firm ride, does not pick up Radio 2, and it has problems going uphill on curvy roads. To end the review, Jeremy says the camera crew and drive the Focus back to the studio as Jeremy gets into the Subaru. Jeremy says the problem with the differential is that when the Focus accelerates, it goes in the direction the differential is pointing in. The driver has no control of the car. The car has horrendous torque steer. Jason then says that no dealership has a Focus RS. The customer who wants to buy one cannot take a test drive in one. Jason then explains how a someone can use an ad that says he/she is selling a Focus RS for 12,000 pounds and suckers a customer into giving him/her the customer's credit car information. The customer waits for months and then is forced into buying the car at list price, instead of the discount price.


Segment 2: The News

Vauxhall Meriva

Mazda RX-8

Volkswagen Tuareg

MG XPower SV

The firts item is that LAPD is surprised that the number of car chases and car thefts have gone up since police car chases started airing on television. Jeremy says that there is a beeper that notifies people when a police chase is occurring. The second item is Vauxhall coming out with the Meriva. It is a smaller version of the Zafira. The Meriva is a five-seater with a removable rear middle seat and the seats in the back completely fold down. Jeremy says Vauxhall is bad at making cars, but great at making seats. Richard then brings up the Mazda RX-8, which will be powered by a rotary engine. As a safety measure, the rear doors on the RX-8 can only be opened when the front doors are open. Richard says that is not a safety measure, it is a major design flaw. Richard then brings up the Volkswagen Tuareg. Jeremy says it is a Porsche Cayenne with the word "Porsche" crossed out and with "Volkswagen" written in crayon. It has a V10 diesel engine. Jeremy says to stop everything because he saw a bus on the M4 bus lane. The last item is MG's new car. Jeremy says he likes the car and Richard says the car is ugly. Jason says it has too many grills. Jeremy says it is a fantastic looking car. The audience is split 50/50 over the MG. The MG has a Mustang V8. You can get a standard tuned engine with 410 bhp and power can increase to 965 bhp. Jeremy says there is no way that MG could have developed this car since it has only been two years between the time when BMW sold MG and the time when this episode was taped.


Segment 3: How Many Bikes can a Bus Jump Over

The segment starts with a video of a daredevil jump over buses in a bike. Top Gear wanted to know if a Bus could jump over 14 bikes. The bus being used is a double decker bus. Richard does not know what will happen. The bus is on the ramp and the video stops just as the front wheels are off the ramp. The video will continue later on the show. Jeremy thinks the bus will jump 5 bikes.


Segment 4: Noble M12 GTO

Noble M12 GTO

The segment starts with Jeremy explaining the origin of the Noble M12 GTO and how it has a plastic body with a Ford Mondeo engine. Jeremy says it is not a bad car. The car is very comfortable and is a lovely ride. The engine sounds like Darth Vader is in the rear. The car has two turbochargers that take a few seconds to power up and 0-60 mph takes 4.4 seconds and it reaches a top speed of 165 mph. It is a quick car. It is also good looking. The car handles corners quite well. The car will not understeer. It has quite a lot of grip. Jeremy says the Noble is his favorite car he has ever driven. The car is a bargain at 40,000 pounds. There are a few problems with the cars. The break lights kept flicking on and off, signaling left-foot breaking, something that Jeremy does not know how to do. You would need a screwdriver to open the front or the back. The windows are hand-cranked. The windows do not go all the way down. The turning radius is quite large in the Noble. Jeremy is then licking the wing of the Noble. The audience like the car. The Stig then takes the Noble around a wet test track in 1:32.9.


Segment 5: Jay Kay Rocks the Suzuki

Jay Kay

Jay Kay of Jamiroquai is the Star in the Reasonably Priced Car. This guy is quite a car fan. Jay Kay has a Mercedes-Benz Pullman, a Ferrari 550, a Lamborghini Muira SV, a Ferrari 360 Spyder, an Aston Martin DB5, and a BMW 2002 Turbo, just to name a few. His first car was a BMW 1602. He also had an original Batmobile. Jay Kay explains his love for cars. Jeremy and Jay Kay play a game to recognize cars. The first image is shown and Jay Kay correctly guess that it is part of a Ferrari Enzo. The next image appears and again, Jay Kay is correct that the image is part of the new Mini. The third image is shown. It is a door handle. Neither Jeremy nor Jay Kay could guess that it was part of a Vauxhall Vectra, a car despised by Jeremy. Before the fourth and final image is shown, Jay Kay confesses that he has driven his Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon into his own moat. The fourth image is shown as a yellow item with a vent in it. Neither guy could guess it. Someone in the audience guessed Lamborghini. The image is revealed to be the front bumper of a Lamborghini Murcielago, a car that Jay Kay has not driven. Jay Kay's lap will be shown later on. Jay Kay says he has driven a Focus RS and says he did not quite like it.


Segment 6: Different Ford RS Around the Track

Ford RS200

Jeremy shows a clip of an RS Ford from The Professional. Then two RS Fords are driving around the track. Jeremy tells a guy that there is a phone call for him and the Jeremy drives off in his Ford Capri. Then another video is shown. Jeremy is driving a Ford RS200. Jeremy cannot handle the power and spins off the track and into grass. He did that in the first corner of the track.


Segment 7: Audition tape.

Jeremy says he was humiliated by the RS200 footage and by Jay Kay. He then says it is time to humiliate another person. He says that there were several applicants who wanted to be a presenter on Top Gear. He shows an audition tape for a guy called Gazz. Jeremy says that guy was very dull.


Segment 8: Inside Deal with Jason Dawe

Jason Dawe

It is time for Jason's segment. He talks about a Citroen C5 Estate. Jason says it is not that bad of a car. The base model is not selling and is being offered for 10,000 pounds. A Rover 75 with a 2.0L V6 are being sold at bargain prices at local dealerships. The price was not specified. Jason then brings up superminis, such as the Citroen Saxo. There are going at very low prices because dealerships are swapping out their loaner cars. The time this episode was filmed, new models are being put on dealership lots. People could get a year old car for 4,000 pounds. The last bargain is the old BMW 7-Series model. The 2002 7-Series are bombing and are being sold at low prices. Someone who has a 2001 7-Series for nearly 46,000 pounds is selling it for 24,000 pounds. The guys do not feel sorry for that guy. Jason gives a tip for people who drive low mileage cars. He tells them not to be afraid of high mileage cars. Jason gave tips that could save people about 25,000 pounds. Jeremy ends the segment by showing Jay Kay's lap. Jay Kay went around the track in 1:48.1. Jay Kay had a faster time than Jeremy. As payback, Jeremy shows Jay Kay spinning out during a practice lap.


Segment 9: Ford Escort RS1800

Ford Escort RS1800

Richard gets booed for saying he does not like all RS. Richard talks about the Ford Escort RS 1800. It was made for 2 years. Richard says that when he was little, he really needed the car. It is Ford's most successful rally car. Richard finally gets to drive one. It was an advanced car for 1977. 109 Escorts were made into RS1800. Richard says the car is an "antique." Richard was not going very fast because he was intimidated by the car's owner.


Segment 10: Bus Jump Continue

The bus jump is finally shown and the bus cleared three bikes and destroyed the other 11 bikes. One audience member predicted three bikes cleared. That ends the show.


Overall, this was an okay episode, subpar for Top Gear standards. There was very little humor. The ending was great though. Seeing a bus trying to jump over bikes was very entertaining. I knew the bus wasn't going to clear all the bikes. The destruction caused by the bus was great. The Jay Kay segment was entertaining as well. The RS segments were okay, but they were not funny. Jason Dawe segments have become outdated. He does nothing else but give inside deals. He does not take part in the actual reviews of the cars. The chemistry has yet to be fully developed between Jeremy and Richard. This episode was less than stellar. It is one of the worst episodes in Top Gear history.


Final Verdict: 44 Stigs out of 100. This is bad by Top Gear Standards. The Jay Kay and bus jump saved this episode from getting even less Stigs.

CarJunkie

Top Gear Series 1 Episode 3

On this episode, does sex sell cars, does styling sell cars, are all old people horrible drivers, is there a car that can go around the track faster than the Pagani Zonda, and Ross Kemp takes his turn in the Suzuki.

Segment 1: News

The show starts of with the guys sitting on stage talking about how they separated the audience into two groups. The people behind the stage are the good lookers. Those off camera are not. The guys complement a girl and a guy who are standing behind them. They bash a guy for his hair. Then they see guys who look like an Oases tribute band. Jeremy then shows an ad for the Motorshow, which has an attractive girl on the ad. Jeremy also brings up a woman who complained about using sex to sell stuff. She is the new ministry labor of something, according to Jeremy. Jeremy says that using sex to sell cars is very last week and is uncool. Richard brings up a group who is suing the government for painting speed cameras florescent colors. The group wants the speed cameras to be grey and hidden to catch more speeders. Jeremy describes Transport 2000, a group who is against cars.

Segment 2: The New Mini

Mini One

Toyota Yaris Verso

The segment starts with Jeremy telling that every time he goes to a petrol station, somebody asks him if he has driven the new Mini. Jeremy then walks over to the Mini in the studio and there is a girl in a bikini on the hood of the Mini. Jeremy then says people ask him what is the new Mini like to drive. Jeremy then asks what is an aquadrome. To kill two birds with one stone, he drive the new Mini by the Billing Aquadrome. He says there are three types of Mini: the supercharged Cooper S, the normal Cooper, and the bottom of the range Mini One, which Jeremy is driving. Jeremy finds out that the Billing Aquadrome is a caravan campsite. Jeremy says he was a huge fan of the old Mini and says BMW did a good job with the new Mini. Jeremy says people would love the Mini and they would love the Mini even after it was time to sell it. Jeremy gives a tip, saying that if you are going to buy a Mini, buy the cheapest model. He says that all Minis have the same 1.6L engine and the difference between the Mini One and the Mini Cooper is a chip. The Mini is 1,300 pounds cheaper than the Mini Cooper. Jeremy says to buy the Mini One, then switch out the chip. Switching out the chip cost 385 pounds. Jeremy says the wheelbase of the Mini is the same as the wheelbase of a Range Rover Discovery. There is a ton of room in the front, but no legroom in the back of the Mini. The new Mini also has a small boot. Jeremy says the Mini is hopeless when it comes to space. He then shows a Toyota Yaris Verso, which costs just as much as a Mini One. There is a lot of space in the Yaris. There are three seats in the back, which can fold into the floor. Jeremy struggles to get the seats into the floor. He tries the seats behind the passenger, and failed. He tries to get the seat behind the driver, and succeeds. This show is taped in the UK, so the driver and passenger seats are switch since the British drive on the left hand side of the road. Jeremy says the Yaris is a very practical car, once you have read the instruction manual. Air conditioner is standard in the Yaris, which is optional on the Mini. The Yaris also has a 3D digital dash. The Yaris crushes the Mini like a beetle, according to Jeremy. Jeremy has a problem with the name. He says it could be a fullback for Arsenal. Jeremy also does not like the styling of the Yaris. He says it looks like an ugly snake that has swallowed a wardrobe. Back to the studio. Jeremy has the Mini and Yaris next to each other. He says the Yaris is a better functional car than the Mini. Yet Madonna and several other celebrities have Minis. Jeremy says that styling sells. 

Segment 3: Car Designs

Porsche 928

He then says the true heroes are the automotive designers. He has Peter Horbury, a car designer who turned Volvos from ugly into stylish functional cars. Peter says it was his job to make a Volvo with a the front end of a sports car and the rear of a Ford Transit. Peter says it is important to a car national characteristics. According to Peter, the Swedish are a simple, practical people, so he made a simple, practical estate. He also says that the Japanese are concerned with details, so the Japanese cars have a lot of detail built into them. The designer says his favorite car is the Porsche 928, a German grand tourer. Peter says the 928 is very rounded and has aircraft-like design qualities. The 928 is the first car to have integrated bumpers. There is no blemishes of the 928. Jeremy says that Peter took qualities of the 928 and try to put them into a Ford Sierra XR4. Peter says that the windows of the Sierra are similar to the windows of the 928. Richard says the 928 is not the best looking car ever. He says that distinction goes to the Citroen DS.

Segment 4: Citroen DS

Citroen DS

Richard says the Citroen DS is genius. Richard says that for many people, including himself, the DS is one of the most beautiful cars ever made. It is so petite around the tail. It is slightly angular in the rear and the widens going from the rear to the nose of the car. The styling looks feline. People liked the car so much that 12,000 Citroen DSes were sold on the first day. The original design of the Citroen DS lasted for 20 years. In the 1970s, the DS became too clever for its own good. It had swiveling headlights. The DS had futuristic design and technology. It had great aerodynamics, disc brakes, a hydraulic system that controlled suspension, steering, and brakes, a semi-automatic transmission. This was unheard of in 1955. Richard says the DS is not an easy car to drive. Once you get the hang of the driving system, the DS is great. Richard and Jeremy argue whether or not the DS is the best looking car. Richard brings up the fact that Jeremy is a multiple time winner of Britains Worst Dress Person Award.

Segment 5: Grannies Doing Donuts

Honda S2000

Richard wants to know if there are old people that could still drive. To find out, he has five grannies compete in the Granny Donut Challenge. The grannies will be driving a rear-wheel drive Honda S2000. Russ Swift, a stunt driver, will teach the grannies how to do donuts. The actual competition will be shown later on in the show.

Segment 6: Ross Kemp

Ross Kemp

Ross Kemp, of EastEnders fame, is this week's Star in a Reasonably Price Car. Ross Kemp does his own stunt driving and drives a Porsche 996 Turbo. Jeremy say that he hates the 911 for having engines in the back of the car, but he says he like the 996 edition of the Porsche 911. Jeremy and Ross play Name that Car, the first image stumps both guys. A person in the audience correctly guessed Audi TT. The second image is a car with the door hinge on the outside. Jeremy correctly guesses Land Rover Defender. The third image is the headlamps of a car. A guy in the audience correctly guesses Fiat Punto. The fourth image is the rear air intake of a car. The picture pans out and it is Ross's Porsche 996 Turbo. Ross took a road trip through Europe in his Porsche. His trip was six days. Ross went 200 mph during the trip. Ross's lap was being edited during the interview and will be shown later on in the episode.

Segment 7: Inside Trading

The first item is Alfa Romeos. Jason says that Alfa Romeos have depreciation problems. Jason says you can get a new Alfa Romeo 156 straight from Alfa Romeo for 349 pounds a month. You can deposit 1000-1100 pounds and then pay 350 pounds a month for 35 months. You can drive it for 3 years, have all servicing paid, then give the car back to Alfa Romeo. Jason says that also 350 pounds a month, you can drive a Vauxhall Vectra Diesel. You can also get a fully-loaded Skoda Octavia for 350 pounds a month. A BMW 322 will cost an extra 100 pounds a month. A Mercedes-Benz E-Class costs 452 pounds a month. Daewoo went out of business and has to get rid of all of its cars. 700 used Daewoos are going to auction. People can get Daewoos, which are cheap cars, at even cheaper prices. People can get 18 month old Daewoos for just over 4000 pounds. The last item is the Ford Mondeo. People can get a 3 year old Mondeo for 4500 pounds. The most you would lose is a 1000 pounds a year in depreciation.

Segment 8: Aston Martin DB7

Aston Martin DB7 Vantage

Jeremy starts the segment off by talking about the Lamborghini Miura, the first ever mid-engine car. He says that some people consider the Miura the best looking car of all time. Jeremy says that it isn't. Jeremy says the Aston Martin DB7 Vantage is the best looking car of all time. Jeremy says that the early DB7 had several problem. Jeremy also says that the DB7 has less technology in it than in a Jaguar. He also says the 6.0L V12 is lacking in power. The DB7 has the computer under the driver seat, so headroom is small. The only good thing about this car is that you can ask yourself, "Shall we take the Aston?" You can drive by fancy stores in the car and not feel ashamed. Jeremy says that the DB7 Vantage is the best looking thing every created by man. Jeremy has Ian Cullen, the designer of the DB7, on the show. Jeremy says that he will never see cars quite as beautiful as the Aston Martin DB7 because of legislation. Ian explains how legislation is changing the design of the car. Jeremy then has Ian Cullen and and Peter Horbury each design a car on an easel. Jeremy has each designer draw a Jaguar E-Type. Jeremy says he wants to take a shot at designing a car. The guys are drawing an E-Type the way they want to design the car and not have to confined to legislative restrictions. Peter and Ian design the exact same car. To end the segment, Jeremy shows Ross's lap. He went around a wet track on a rainy day in 1:540.0 Jeremy said the Stig also went around the track with the same track conditions and did a 1:50.0 lap.

Segment 9: Grannies Doing Donuts continued

The first granny gets into the car does several donuts. The second granny went, does several donuts, and ends up in the grass. The third granny went and drove in wide circles, instead of tight donuts. The fourth granny went and did several tight donuts. This segment proved that old people can drive. The fifth granny and did several tight donuts. The fifth granny did the best donuts.

Segment 10: Westfield XTR

Westfield XTR

Richard says that several people sent in cars that they believe could go around the track faster than the Pagani Zonda. Richard says that he had to ignore most of the submissions. He says that a small company Westfield has a car that it believes can beat the Zonda. Richard shows the car and Jeremy immediately questions its styling. He also does not believe that the XTR is road-legal, which Richard shows a video of the XTR on the road. The XTR has a 1.6L engine that produces 170 bhp and the XTR is very light. Richard says he has driven the car and shows the video. Richard says you can build an XTR for under 20,000 pounds and weighs 410 kg. The car has a power/weight ratio of 460 bhp/ton. This car uses a bike engine and a bike transmission. Richard then shows the lap of the XTR. Jeremy does not believe the XTR will be faster around the track than the Zonda. The XTR went around the track in 1:22.6. To end the show, the guys show Jeremy's drawing of a Jaguar E-Type and it looks like a little child drew that.

Overall, this was an above average show. The best joke was that it is uncool to use sex to sell cars. There were two girls in bikinis showing off cars. The first girl in a bikini was sitting on the hood of the Mini. The second girl in a bikini was showing the details of the Lamborghini Miura. Subtle, but funny. Grannies doing donuts was a nice segment. I still find Jason and his inside dealing to be dull. This segment becomes irrelevant a few months after the show is taped. The chemistry between Richard and Jeremy has improved since the first and second episode and their back and forth segments are improving. Still it is an above average episode.

Final Verdict, 65 Stigs out of 100. It is just slightly better than the pilot episode.

CarJunkie

Top Gear Series 1 Episode 4

On this episode, Jeremy tries out the Aston Martin Vanquish and Ferrari 575M Maranello, Richard Burns becomes a rally spectator, Jason gives advice on buying a second hand Skyline, Jeremy and Richard talk Bond cars, Steve Coogan goes around in a Suzuki,

Segment 1: Aston Martin Vanquish vs. Ferrari 575M Maranello

Aston Martin Vanquish

Ferrari 575M Maranello

Jeremy starts the show by saying that he wants to start the show about talking about a British film about a British hero who is driving a British Car that is launching later in the month this episode originally aired. The film Jeremy is talking about is none other than Harry Potter. Since he could not get the car from Harry Potter, he then introduces a very British car, the Aston Martin Vanquish, which he takes to the Isle of White. Jeremy says the Vanquish has a carbon-fiber body and a lightweight chassis. Yet it weighs more than the DB7, which is made up of angle grinders and church pubes. The Vanquish costs 158,000 pounds, yet everyone loves it. Jeremy then asks a bystander if she would rather have the Vanquish or a house that costs about the same. She picked the Aston. Under the hood of the Vanquish is 6.0L V12 engine that produces 460 hp. It goes from 0 to 60 mph in 5.0 seconds. Jeremy is driving on the road and says the Vanquish is a proper fast car that makes a beautiful sound. Jeremy likes the interior, the badge, and the fact that James Bond drives a Vanquish. He likes its Britishness. The Vanquish is missing a gear lever. Instead he has paddle shifters to change gears, which means he has to keep both hands on the wheel. To demonstrate the paddle shifting gearbox, he tries to do a three point turn. Jeremy struggles, but does the three point turn. He then screams "What was the matter with a manual? Why do we have to have this?" The Vanquish judders while in towns, and the clutch gives up completely while doing a full-boar standing start. Then Jeremy says that the Vanquish has a rival, the Ferrari 575M Maranello, which costs about the same as the Aston. Both cars are front engine, two seater, rear drive GT cars that a can reach nearly 200 mph. Both do 0-60 mph in under 5 seconds. Jeremy and Damon Hill try to find out which car is better. Damon says that the Ferrari is beautiful. It is a lovely machine and everything you expect from a Ferrari. It is scary, but you have to pay it some respect since it is a prancing horse. You don't feel completely comfortable in the car. You will enjoy driving it, but you are wary of losing concentration. Jeremy now drives the Ferrari as Damon drives the Aston. Jeremy says that the Ferrari does come with the stupid paddle shifting gearbox as an 8,000 pound option. Damon Hill says the Aston is a very, very impressive beast. Jeremy says that you can go very slowly in a Ferrari, minding your own business, then drop a gear and suddenly you are in Schumacher mode. Damon is impressed with the sound from the Aston.  The guys meet up and decide which is better. Damon picks the Ferrari. Jeremy says the Ferrari is more complete. Damon says the Ferrari gives you a shot of adrenaline. Jeremy is also impressed with the Ferrari's power. Damon says he does not remember the last time a road car threw his head has been thrown back. Jeremy says there are certain aspects of the Aston that he would like to be implemented into the Ferrari. Jeremy says he loves the way the Ferrari looks and the way the Aston sounds. Jeremy says there is something about driving the Aston that makes people like you more. Returning to the studio, Jeremy says he was in Heaven that day. Jeremy says the gearbox ruins the Aston. Jason says you would struggle to get a second-hand Ferrari. He also says he can get you a second-hand Vanquish by next week. Jeremy says the Ferrari is a better investment. The Stig takes both the Aston and Ferrari around a wet track while listening to "More Than a Feeling" by Boston. The time for the Aston is 1:36.0. The time for the Ferrari is 1:35.0. A clip is shown of the Stig spinning out in the Aston.


Segment 2: Formula One vs. Rally Cars

Richard Burns

Jeremy starts by stating that Formula One drivers claim the technology from Formula One cars eventually trickle down to everyday road cars. Jeremy says the only technology that Formula One has given us is those stupid paddle shifting gearboxes. Jeremy walks over to a Peugeot rally car and says that rallying has given us more technology: turbocharging, four-wheel drive. Jeremy says that if you walk into a BMW showroom and ask for a Formula One car, they would tell you "No!" You can, however, buy a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VII or a Subaru Impreza or an Audi Quattro or a Escort Cosworth or a Delta Integrale. Jeremy then introduces a world rally champion, Richard Burns. Jeremy asks him what to do about Formula One. Burns replies, "Try to make it as interesting rallying." Burns used to drive with one hand since rally cars have power steering, but paddle shifters force him to drive with both hands. Burns talks about crashing during rally races. After talking about Burns' book, Jeremy decide to give him a flavor of what rally spectators go through. Jeremy has Burns wait outside.


Segment 3: Second-Hand Nissan Skyline GT-R

Nissan Skyline GT-R

Jason starts by saying there is a car that does not have anything to do with Formula One or Rally Cars, the Nissan Skyline GT-R. He gives hints about buying a Skyling GT-R second hand. The Skyline was so dominating at racing, the Australian Touring Car Series changed the rule to ban Skylines. The Skyling is powered by a 275 hp twin-turbo V6 and has an incredible computer-controlled chassis. The car can be two-wheel drive when you want it and four-wheel drive when you need it. At the time this episode aired, Nissan ceased production of the Skyline and it is only available second hand. There are three models to choose from, the R32, R33, and R34. The R34 went from 0 to 60 mph in 5.2 seconds with a top speed of 155 mph. The computerized chassis makes the Skyline idiot-proof, turning boring into Michael Schumacher. The car comes with a touch screen that tells the driver how the car is performing. Jason says it is a car for the Playstation generation. Returning to the studio, Jason say there are a few things to worry about with the Skyline. Skylines are track day cars that have very low mileage but have had three or four different owners who drive it around for one track day then sell it. The Skyline is also a grey import and service history could be missing from the cars. Also the odometer might be inaccurate. There are few other things to worry about. The R32 disc brakes can sometimes explode and are expensive to replace. There are synchro problems on R33 gearboxes are cost 1000 pounds to fix. The R34 is bulletproof, but it is expensive to buy. R34s go for 40,000 pounds second hand. People have swapped the chips in the cars to provide more horsepower while shortening the life of the turbochargers. Jason recommends buying a Skyline that has been unmodified. Tires for the Skyline go for 250 pounds a piece. A set costs 1000 pounds. The tires wear out on the inside. The R32 can be bought for 10,000 to 12,000 pounds. The R33 goes for 20,000 pounds. According to Jason, the best value is the R33.


Segment 4: James Bond Cars

James Bond Aston Martin Vanquish

James Bond Jaguar XKR

Richard is explaining the Aston Martin Vanquish that is being used for James Bond: Die Another Day. The baddie is using a Jaguar XKR and Jeremy shows the weapons and gadgets in the Jag. Richard explains the the weapons on the Aston took up so much space in the front, the James Bond Vanquish engine is a V8 from a Ford Mustang. There was not enough space for the V12 engine normally found in a Vanquish. Since the Vanquish engine is gone, the paddle shifting gearbox is gone as well and Bond gets a proper automatic gearbox, and that makes Jeremy happy. The Jag also has the Mustang V8. Since both cars will be driven on ice, they have been converted to four-wheel drive. Jeremy says the marriage between James Bond and Aston Martin is not quite as good as the marriage between a Rover Vitesse and tonights Star in a Reasonably Priced Car.


Segment 5: Steve Coogan

Steve Coogan

Steve Coogan informs the audience that his character Alan Partridge will no longer be driving a Rover. He would be driving a Lexus instead. A clip is shown of making fun of the plural pronunciation of Lexus, "Lexii." The clip takes place in a petrol station since Coogan worked in an old-fashion petrol station. Jeremy says his favorite man-machine pairing is Gareth Cheeseman and a Ford Probe. This pairing killed the Ford Probe. Coogan is a fan of Volvo since his dad had always driven Volvos. Jeremy has a pile of Volvo parts and Coogan has to guess which Volvo the parts are from. Jeremy hands Coogan a hubcap that Coogan originally guessed it came from a Volvo 122, and Jeremy says it is from a later model. Then Coogan correctly guesses Volvo 144. Coogan is given an interior armrest, which initially guessed was from a 240 series. He then guessed 145 and Jeremy told him it was from a Volvo 144. Jeremy then shows Coogan a door, which he correctly guessed was from a 144/145. Then Coogan's wet lap is shown. He went around the track in 1:53.0. Then they show Richard Burns standing outside the hanger when a car passes by and splashes water on him. Now Burns know how it feels to be a Rally spectator.


Segment 6: Formula One Family Car

Honda Accord

BMW 318i

Ford Mondeo

Jaguar X-Type

Renault Laguna

Mercedes-Benz C 200

Toyota Avensis

Richard explains that all Formula One car makers, with the exception of Ferrari, make a 2.0L mid-size family car. The show goes to the track where Richard Hammond has gathered all the mid-size family saloons made by Formula One car makers. Later on in the show, the Stig will drive each one around the track to find out which car is the fastest. The grid order is determined by several factors. The Renault Laguna imay have poor build quality, but it is loaded with technology. The Ford Mondeo is a great all-around car, but it is still a Mondeo. The Toyota Avensis is the oldest car featured. The Jaguar X-Type has one of the most powerful engines among the featured cars. The 20,000 pound Jag is lacking in options. It is enough Jag, and that is the problem with the car. The Mercedes-Benz C 200 comes with a supercharger. It is a heavy car though. The BMW 318i is lacking in power but handles quite well. It is also heavy. In pole position is the Honda Accord. It is one of the more powerful of the featured cars. The order from back to front is the Toyota Avensis, Mercedes-Benz C 200, Renault Laguna, Jaguar X-Type, Ford Mondeo, BMW 318i, and the Honda Accord is in the pole position. The seven cars will be driven by the Stig. The Stig starts with the X-Type, which was the slowest. The order is Ford Mondeo at 1:41, Mercedez-Benz C 200 and BMW 318i at 1:43, Honda Accord at 1:44, Renault Laguna and Toyota Avensis were both at 1:45, and the Jaguar X-Type at 1:46.


Overall, this was an average show. The funniest part was making a World Rally Champion experience what it felt like to be Rally spectator. Steve Coogan showed that he was a Volvo nerd. Jason did not have the most boring segment this week. It went to Richard and the Formula One family saloon segment. Jason was actually not boring when he explained the second hand market for the Skyline GT-R. The Bond cars were cool. The comparison between the Aston Martin Vanquish and Ferrari 575M Maranello was above average.


Final Score: 50 Stigs out of 100. It was an average show by Top Gear standards. The ending segment was boring.

CarJunkie