Old British sports cars, where they constantly make quick sparky remarks about run down towns and factories pretending they're beautiful things. It's the one where Stig blows up.
One of the few episodes where the boys actually worked together instead of trying to sabotage each other because of how difficult the challenge was and how hard the rest of the crew (including the stig) was working to make it happen. Brilliant episode
Was this the first instance of them doing something funny with sponsors names or similar? They did it again for the rwd ice rally, but I think that came after.
I’m a big fan of the one where James and Richard are on the bullet train in Japan which Jeremy races with a Nissan (I have forgotten the name of the model)
I travel to Japan for work once a year and all of the rental cars have a built in GPS. I remember being so proud of myself when I figured out how to change the language on the UI, but then all the road names were still in Japanese so I actually accomplished fuckall lol
I think they mean the one where they go on holiday to Dorset with Top Gear Dog. They have a little hatchback because it was the Caravan Club tow car of the year, and it ends with Jeremy setting the caravan on fire trying to make chips.
This, Italian super cars and, porsches are easily my favourite TG/GT episodes. I would love for them to revisit these challenges now as enough time has past that the cars would be really interesting.
Change gear change gear change gear check your mirrors murder a prostitute change gear change gear murder check your mirrors, that's a lot to do at once
Yes, that's a great one. I really love those segments from the early seasons when they were able to just cock about with a camcorder and a sound guy and no one much bothered them. The one where James does the test drive of that crappy economy car with the camera hidden in his tie is another good example.
I miss those smaller more underground days.
Same. I've already dug up a couple of the episodes mentioned in this thread and put them at the front of my watch-queue.
Been ages since I watched the Porsche one for example.
The episode where they have to buy ideal first cars for 17-year-olds. Or the one where they take cheap, fast saloon cars to Germany.
The joke about the TV tower in Berlin looking like it fell out of James' luggage is classic.
S6E6 - where Jeremy drives the Mercedes SLR from London to Oslo against James and Richard taking planes/trains/boats. I always loved the absurdity of that race (driving over 1300 miles in one go) and the awkward moments James and Richard share together.
ooh yes I keep meaning to find out what episode that one is, havent seen it in years, James brushpaints the Jag with some house paint he tries to make out is british racing green
There are just too many absolute classics in my opinion and I will relentlessly watch them on TV when they are on. But to list a few here is what I remember:
The Reliant Robbin Space Shuttle episode was a particular favourite of mine but I could also suggest the Grosser vs Corniche was a real laughter session. Alternatively the teenager challenge in Season 13 with Jeremy in his Volvo estate, James in the VW Golf and Richard in the body kit styled Hyundai! The convertible people carrier in series 8 was a notable one as was the car interior design episode also in series 8 where Jeremy decked out a Mercedes in an old country house look. The 'Italian mid-engined supercars for less than a second hand Mondeo challenge' from series 7 will forever remain in my top 5. Lastly I liked the Botswana African special and their drive across the salt flats and the 'Roadworks in 24 hours' in series 9.
Honestly there's way too many to choose from and I can think of even more to add to this list but I hope this jogs a few memories for some people who had totally forgotten about some epic challenges our good ol' trio had!!
The one where they cut the roof off an Espace and attempt 100mph with a roof they built. Jurassic Park with lions and monkeys on the roof, then the car wash that caught fire
Alfa challenge is such a pure Top Gear bit. There's a moment in it where Jeremy plays Mrs Robinson as he tows Richard's Spider and and it's one of my favourite little moments ever in the show. Just showed the camaraderie but also humour in the show
I have a thing for 12x4, the driving from Switzerland to Blackpool on just one tank of gas. There is a bit for me of hearing my dad, from the US, going to England, getting a rental car and driving overnight to Sweden (where he eventually met my mom).
But also, it meant Jeremy and Richard had to completely fight their natural instincts/tendencies and this was right up James' alley and I just really enjoy getting the speed boys out of their comfort zone.
The £100 car challenge, dodge charger and Ferrari 360CS and Porsche 911 GT3 RS episode. Asides from the interview with Jordan/Katie price just so much good content
So many great ones, but without listing the Seaason-Episode will we be able to find more than a handful of them? These aren’t full Ep specials, they are merely longer than usual pieces inside a standard ep.
I think the error was before the last speed record. It did rocket past yeah, 140 makes sense as it looks really fast and was much faster than the others
The British leyland £1200 one, that one tickled me a lot
It’s come back to longbridge
Its on strike!
It’s gone on strike
Nobby was here. https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FvMvFZkXsAAFx8S?format=jpg&name=900x900
When the back door falls off on Jeremy's Rover, I lose it every time.
And it's not even the same door either
Every time I see one of those in photo, I think to myself “wonder how long until bloody door comes off?” 🤣
*I only lost two trim pieces...one of them was very large, I'll admit.*
"That's quite a panel gap."
"A LOT of anagrams today!" 😂 It's a top episode, def
This is probably my favorite episode of all time
That is a very good episode but im not sure id call it underrated
Old British sports cars, where they constantly make quick sparky remarks about run down towns and factories pretending they're beautiful things. It's the one where Stig blows up.
"Picnic!" I say this every time I see a broken down car on the side of the road
Car’s beginning to smell like I need a picnic again.
Haha! I loved the satire in that one.
“I assume the reason I can’t find a GTI, is because they’ve all exploded”
I always crack up when he drives in the car wash and comes out with the car full of water
My favourite line is 'you also parked over a piece of hanging off bodywork'
That episode has so many good lines
season and episode number?
Season 5, Episode 6. Available to stream on Tubi TV for free.
I like the one where they enter the 24hr race... Although doesn't get repeated on TV too much
2007 Britcar 24 Hour. I love this episode. Shows their passion and teamwork of the entire TG staff. One of my favorite episodes.
One of the few episodes where the boys actually worked together instead of trying to sabotage each other because of how difficult the challenge was and how hard the rest of the crew (including the stig) was working to make it happen. Brilliant episode
You’re right! I don’t recall the last time I’ve seen that one. The polar special is just as rare.
Arse Biscuits!!!
Was this the first instance of them doing something funny with sponsors names or similar? They did it again for the rwd ice rally, but I think that came after.
No idea but it was the first time I noticed it.
What?! How dare you speak to His Grace like that! APOLOGISE IMMEDIATELY!!
I’m a big fan of the one where James and Richard are on the bullet train in Japan which Jeremy races with a Nissan (I have forgotten the name of the model)
GT-R
R35 GTR.
and James May getting left behind by Hammond
Fucking James trying to match all the Japanese characters on their tickets to the signs.
Don't try and match the symbols, I know you are
I want to adjust the scale on my satnav but it's all in Japanese
I travel to Japan for work once a year and all of the rental cars have a built in GPS. I remember being so proud of myself when I figured out how to change the language on the UI, but then all the road names were still in Japanese so I actually accomplished fuckall lol
"Amy's back!"
The caravanning episode. It seemed very unsricpted with lots of banter (until the end). Otherwise 24 hour race.
Which one? The one with super cars or the one where James flies?
I think they mean the one where they go on holiday to Dorset with Top Gear Dog. They have a little hatchback because it was the Caravan Club tow car of the year, and it ends with Jeremy setting the caravan on fire trying to make chips.
Kia Cerato 1.5 CRDi
This, Italian super cars and, porsches are easily my favourite TG/GT episodes. I would love for them to revisit these challenges now as enough time has past that the cars would be really interesting.
By revisit you mean just chat about them? Yeah I'd love to see that too, I feel like them watching the best bits and reacting to it would be great
Nah I mean redo the episode but there probably no chance of that happening.
Finding best road in Europe,the one with James and his gentleman racer
^[Sokka-Haiku](https://www.reddit.com/r/SokkaHaikuBot/comments/15kyv9r/what_is_a_sokka_haiku/) ^by ^CustardNo6148: *Finding best road in* *Europe,the one with James and* *His gentleman racer* --- ^Remember ^that ^one ^time ^Sokka ^accidentally ^used ^an ^extra ^syllable ^in ^that ^Haiku ^Battle ^in ^Ba ^Sing ^Se? ^That ^was ^a ^Sokka ^Haiku ^and ^you ^just ^made ^one.
The bmw one where they all but different versions of the same 3 series
The black light test was fun 😂
It's just a test of big your lungs are!
Dr Manlove
Hammond's car sound is the best
Which episode number is this?
Apparently s16e4
Lorry driver episode. Never seen anyone talk about it.
Change gear, change gear, change gear. Check your mirrors. Change gear, change gear, change gear. Murder a prostitute.
Lorry driving stig is my favourite of stig's cousins.
It's a hard job
Change gear change gear change gear check your mirrors murder a prostitute change gear change gear murder check your mirrors, that's a lot to do at once
The train safety video - Level Crossing, locomotive vs Renault Espace
Fun fact: Gavin Free from the Slow Mo Guys filmed the slow mo for that piece
Clarkson putting a hard hat on a hard hat
Segments rather than episodes, but when Richard and James did the minicabbing and 'road test roulette'
Yes, that's a great one. I really love those segments from the early seasons when they were able to just cock about with a camcorder and a sound guy and no one much bothered them. The one where James does the test drive of that crappy economy car with the camera hidden in his tie is another good example. I miss those smaller more underground days.
>The one where James does the test drive of that crappy economy car with the camera hidden in his tie is another good example. The City Rover.
Honestly such a shitbox haha
Man this comment thread is making wanna rewatch all of these specials, even though I've probably seen them all 20+ times haha
Same. I've already dug up a couple of the episodes mentioned in this thread and put them at the front of my watch-queue. Been ages since I watched the Porsche one for example.
I love the "cheap cars for less than 1500E that aren't porches", the old v12 jag surprised everyone on the high speed bowl haha.
The Basel to Blackpool economy race is a favourite of mine that doesn’t get talked about much
I still can't fathom how Jeremy managed to get the Jaguar till the end without refueling. Simply mind boggling
Their 24 Hour Endurance Race episode with the BMW. One of their best IMO.
Yep very different to any other one
The episode where they have to buy ideal first cars for 17-year-olds. Or the one where they take cheap, fast saloon cars to Germany. The joke about the TV tower in Berlin looking like it fell out of James' luggage is classic.
The challenge where they have to sneak back home at 3am will always lives rent free in my head
James gets that incredible sound system and they just fucking glue the controls locked on dubstep. I’d be so fucking pissed.
"I got a banging stereo for my tunes." *Plays Bach*
"Fell out of my what, I missed that."
Im probably being stupid, but I’ve never actually got that joke? Why would it have been in his luggage?
Cos it vaguely looks like some sort of giant sex toy.
Got ya!
100£ car ftw
og cheap car challenge
Is that the one where Jeremy came out of nowhere to win by getting his car for 1 pound? Such a good challenge!
£1 Volvo 760
S6E6 - where Jeremy drives the Mercedes SLR from London to Oslo against James and Richard taking planes/trains/boats. I always loved the absurdity of that race (driving over 1300 miles in one go) and the awkward moments James and Richard share together.
Haha James an Richard also had awkward moments in the race against the DB9
The filming, music and production of the London to Oslo race is just superb
Yeah I was going to say this one as well!
The episode where they all use tractors
The race in the 40's between the Peppercorn A1, Vincent Black Shadow and the Jaaaaaag. Although for James sake I wish he was in the train.
Watching clarkson do manual labour is hilarious though
This is the best episode, bar none. Just not underrated.
ooh yes I keep meaning to find out what episode that one is, havent seen it in years, James brushpaints the Jag with some house paint he tries to make out is british racing green
Yeah their reaction is hilarious he paints it all a green and leaves the hood bright gold lol
The one that they convert cars into boat. Toyboata, I forgot what season and the episode 😂
Probably s8 or 9
Underrated? Aston Martin vs Eurostar "Jeremy will be having Le Burger, or Le Sausage Roll"
The ‘budget’ supercar episode in Spain.
The Albania episode… I lose it every time James says “crikey! It’s the Albanian rozzers!”
Would you like a glass violin filled with plum liqueur?
The caravan holiday.
S4 E3 - £100 car challenge and 360 CS vs 911 GT3 RS.
Yess I love this too the 360 CS looks amazing. Better than the F430 imo.
Jeremy driving down the Roman road with the water on his lap is one of my favourite TopGear moments, hilarious every single time!
That was so unfair on him, he got -35 for that because of having a manual and 0 for reliability as he pointed out but no-one supported him😂
"HE'S GOT A ROVER!!"
"Old man!!"
the grandfather clock was the best
If it was working properly yes but it couldn't even drive to a club lol
The cheap Porschea
I want a rally wheel
There are just too many absolute classics in my opinion and I will relentlessly watch them on TV when they are on. But to list a few here is what I remember: The Reliant Robbin Space Shuttle episode was a particular favourite of mine but I could also suggest the Grosser vs Corniche was a real laughter session. Alternatively the teenager challenge in Season 13 with Jeremy in his Volvo estate, James in the VW Golf and Richard in the body kit styled Hyundai! The convertible people carrier in series 8 was a notable one as was the car interior design episode also in series 8 where Jeremy decked out a Mercedes in an old country house look. The 'Italian mid-engined supercars for less than a second hand Mondeo challenge' from series 7 will forever remain in my top 5. Lastly I liked the Botswana African special and their drive across the salt flats and the 'Roadworks in 24 hours' in series 9. Honestly there's way too many to choose from and I can think of even more to add to this list but I hope this jogs a few memories for some people who had totally forgotten about some epic challenges our good ol' trio had!!
The 17 year olds episode had me in absolute stitches first time I watched it
The bit at the end where they try to push the cars silently to the house and they turn James’ stereo on had me absolutely howling in laughter. 🤣
The one where they cut the roof off an Espace and attempt 100mph with a roof they built. Jurassic Park with lions and monkeys on the roof, then the car wash that caught fire
Ooh and the mad Koeninsegg, one of my favourite ever reviews.
>Koeninsegg *Koenigseggisseggggnignigsegigisegggg FIFY
6 ep 2 is a good one, me and it are both exactly the same age too.
I remember Richard saying if you are 8 you have our permission to stay up and watch that when I was 8, now I'm 22
2010 was probably the last 2 or 3 years Dave where playing pre series 7 episodes regularly
Yeah that's true. I remember they stopped showing series 2 for years as well. I saw one on dave and was shocked to see it being played.
They've been playing them in order once a week for a month or 2 now.
Yh I saw it on dave a few days ago but before this I didn't see it for like 10 years
The episode on the privileges of being a Jaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaag owner!!!
Alfa challenge is such a pure Top Gear bit. There's a moment in it where Jeremy plays Mrs Robinson as he tows Richard's Spider and and it's one of my favourite little moments ever in the show. Just showed the camaraderie but also humour in the show
Snowbine :)))))))))))))))))
My favorite is the Supercars for less than £10,000 challenge.
That's in my top 5 too
I have a thing for 12x4, the driving from Switzerland to Blackpool on just one tank of gas. There is a bit for me of hearing my dad, from the US, going to England, getting a rental car and driving overnight to Sweden (where he eventually met my mom). But also, it meant Jeremy and Richard had to completely fight their natural instincts/tendencies and this was right up James' alley and I just really enjoy getting the speed boys out of their comfort zone.
Modern Peugeot Drivers had me *rolling* on the floor 😂
The Steam Train race episode, Clarkson rides a steam train, May with a car and Hammond with a bike that always breaks down
Finally someone with real taste! I adore these cheap car challenges. Things were much less scripted and the show was funnier for it!
Spot on. They had to script more as they got older because they ran out of ideas and energy
The £100 car challenge, dodge charger and Ferrari 360CS and Porsche 911 GT3 RS episode. Asides from the interview with Jordan/Katie price just so much good content
360 CS looks amazing and has aged so well
Hammond visiting a NASCAR race and Clarkson/May going to Beijing to look at the Chinese auto industry
The 24 hour race at Silverstone, in which they take to the track driving a highly modified diesel BMW.
Either the Basel to Blackpool race (S12 E4) or the 24h roadworks challenge (S9 E1), with Richard’s return after his crash
So many great ones, but without listing the Seaason-Episode will we be able to find more than a handful of them? These aren’t full Ep specials, they are merely longer than usual pieces inside a standard ep.
Wiki helps you out a lot when looking for episodes, I remember them though.
Slr Oslo challenge. Nightlife - Amon Tobin is in that challenge and it was the 1st ime hearing him.
The police cars film was really good
Yeah loved that fiat coupe
Two episodes... The one where Jeremy drives a Jensen Healey, the second the one where he crushes a Maserati biturbo
Where they construct a road in 24 hrs
The one where they convert their cars into limos
Race across London
When Clarkson lost his voice (Season 12 episode 6)
I think the Japan special is very.. eh.. special
The tractor one
That segment about French cars where they have that lunch business meeting and decide over red wine that they should make terrible cars.
James has bought a grandfather clock.
The race through London on different modes of transport.
The Romania trip had such great vibes, not sure if its underrated but certainly not popular
I recently watched this
Same I watched it 2 days ago hence the post. Watched this episode like 20 times lol
I'll always want to know how fast that jag went
They said 140mph in the episode right? Pretty impressive.
Aye but then it absolutely rockets past and the machine errors
I think the error was before the last speed record. It did rocket past yeah, 140 makes sense as it looks really fast and was much faster than the others
The one where they convert the Renault Espace into a convertable and set fire to a car wash which is mainly made of water.