Top Gear challenges

Top Gear challenges are a segment of the Top Gear television programme where the presenters are tasked by the producers, or each other, to prove or do various things related to vehicles.

Novelty/stunt challenges

Novelty challenges and short stunt films are typically based on absurd premises, such as jumping a bus over motorcycles (instead of the more typical scenario of a motorcycle jumping over buses), or a nun driving a monster truck. These features have become much less prominent over the life of the programme (they were much more regular during the first four series); they have been superseded in later series by the "How hard can it be?" and Cheap car challenges, which are much larger in scope.

• How fast do you have to drive to be undetected by a speed camera? Series One, Episode One
• How many motorcycles can a double-decker bus jump over? Series One, Episode Two
• Can Grannies do donuts? Series One, Episode Three
• Can you make an 'average' car into a 007/Bond car, for less than £300? Series One, Episode Five
• Can Grannies do handbrake turns? Series One, Episode Six
• What is Britain's fastest faith? Series One, Episode Seven & Ten
• Who is Britain's fastest white van man? Series One, Episode Eight
• Lotus give a Lada Riva a £100,000 makeover Series One, Episode Eight
• How much faster will a car go if you strip it to save weight? Series One, Episode Nine
• What to do with the worst car of all time, the 1985 Nissan Sunny? Series Two, Episode One
• What is Britain's fastest political party? Series Two, Episode Two
• What country makes the fastest supercar? Series Two, Episode Three
• Can Ford's World Rally Championship pit team dismantle and rebuild a rally car faster than four women can get ready for a night out? Series Two, Episode Five
• May oversees an attempt at the land-speed record for a caravan Series Two, Episode Six
• A "race for the universe": Sci-Fi characters race around the Top Gear track Series Two, Episode Eight
• Can The Stig achieve 100 mph on the 200m runway of HMS Invincible? Series Three, Episode One
• How many caravans can a 1987 Volvo 240 jump over? Series Three, Episode Two
• What is the best wig for driving fast in an open top convertible? Series Three, Episode Five
• Which professor can do the best burn-out? Series Three, Episode Seven
• Can a nun drive a monster truck? Series Four, Episode Two
• Hammond and May play darts using real cars Series Four, Episode Four
• Hammond makes fun of motorists that block yellow boxes Series Four, Episode Eight
• Is the jet from a 747 enough to blow a car over? Series Four, Episode Eight
• Can you parachute into a moving car? Series Four, Episode Nine
• Olympic Games for cars: Long Jump Series Four, Episode Ten
• How many bouncy castles can an ice cream van jump? Series Five, Episode One
• Hammond and May play conkers with caravans Series Five, Episode Four
• Historic People Carrier Racing Championship Series Five, Episode Five
• Can a stretch limo jump over a wedding party? Series Six, Episode Four
• Hammond oversees an attempt at the world record for the number of complete sideways rolls in a car Series Six, Episode Nine
• Hammond and May play with life-size radio control cars made from real cars Series Seven, Episode Two
• The Team try to get a 1986 Mini to beat a skier down a ski slope at Lillehammer Winter Olympic Special
• Hammond oversees an attempt by the Stig at the nonexistent indoor world speed record Series Eight, Episode Six
• Motorhome Racing Series Ten, Episode Six
• Hammond converts a G-Wiz into a full-sized remote-controlled car Series Ten, Episode Ten
• May oversees an attempt by Top Gear Stuntman at the nonexistent world record for car jumping in reverse Series Eleven, Episode One
• May oversees an attempt by Top Gear Stuntman to replicate a corkscrew car jump, as featured in The Man with the Golden Gun Series Eleven, Episode Two
• The Top Gear team (Britain) take on the hosts of D MOTOR (Germany) in a series of car challenges to decide the best motoring country Series Eleven, Episode Six
• Bus Racing Series Twelve, Episode Five
• Hammond oversees an attempt by Top Gear Stuntman to beat rival show Fifth Gear's distance record for jumping a car while towing a caravan Series Twelve, Episode Seven
• Clarkson plays British Bulldogs with the British Army Series Thirteen, Episode Four
• Airport vehicle racing Series Fourteen, Episode Four
• Clarkson drives a 1994 Reliant Robin from Sheffield to Rotherham (constantly flipping over) Series Fifteen, Episode One
• Top Gear UK vs Top Gear Australia Series Sixteen, Episode Two
• World Taxi Racing Championship Series Twenty, Episode Two

Challenge reviews

A common theme on Top Gear is an approach to reviewing cars that combines standard road tests and opinions with an extremely unusual circumstance, or with a challenge to demonstrate a notable characteristic of the vehicle.

• Drive until you get bored / Test: enjoyable travel. Clarkson claimed that Jaguars "ease the burden of travel" and devised a test for the Jaguar XJ to see how far he could drive one before he got bored. He ran out of country before he got bored. Series Two, Episode Four

• Lap of the M25 / Test: fuel economy. Clarkson drove a lap of the M25 in a diesel Volkswagen Lupo, while another driver used the petrol version to see which would achieve greater fuel efficiency. Clarkson was allowed to spend any money he saved over the petrol version on a gift at South Mimms services. He chose a small gold model of a cockerel, which made a reappearance in later series as "The Golden Cock"—the award given to the presenter who'd made the most embarrassing mistake of the year. Series Three, Episode One

• Toyota Hilux destruction / Test: toughness. Clarkson and May used various methods in an attempt to destroy a 1988 Toyota Hilux, which included driving it into a tree which belonged to Churchill Parish, Somerset. The villagers presumed that the damage had been accidental or vandalism had occurred until the Top Gear episode was broadcast. After the BBC was contacted, the director of Top Gear admitted guilt and the broadcaster paid compensation. Other tests on the Hilux included leaving it out in the ocean, slamming it with a wrecking ball, setting the cabin on fire and finally having it hoisted to the roof of a tower-block that was subsequently blown up. The heavily damaged (but still driveable) Hilux now stands on a plinth in the Top Gear studio. Series Three, Episodes Five & Six

• Helicopter gunship evasion / Test: handling. Clarkson tried to avoid being caught in missile lock from an WAH-64D Apache attack helicopter while driving a Lotus Exige. Series Four, Episode One

• London to Edinburgh and back again on a single tank of fuel / Test: fuel economy. Clarkson attempted to drive a 4.0 V8 diesel Audi A8 800 miles (1,300 km) on a single tank of fuel. Series Four, Episode Four

• Minicab road testing / Test: toughness and practicality. Hammond and May worked as minicab drivers in order to subject a Renault Scenic and Ford C-MAX to a year's worth of hard abuse in one evening. Series Four, Episode Seven

• Off-road up a mountain / Test: off-road ability. Clarkson tried to drive a Land Rover Discovery from the beach to the top of Cnoc an Fhreiceadain in Scotland, completely off-road. It was heavily criticised by environmentalists for the damage done by the vehicle's tyres. This stunt was memorable in that Clarkson left the mountain by helicopter with the Discovery's keys in his pocket, so delaying its removal from the hill. Series Five, Episode Three

• 24 hours in a car / Test: comfort. Hammond and May spent 24 hours in a Smart Forfour to assess the marketing claim that the car is "designed like a lounge." Series Five, Episode Four

• Tank evasion / Test: off-road ability. Clarkson discovered whether a Challenger 2 tank could lock its main cannon on to a Range Rover Sport. Series Six, Episode One

• Car Football / Test: toughness and handling. Hammond and May, along with a selection of professional drivers, played a football match using Toyota Aygos. Series Six, Episode One

• Sniper evasion / Test: handling. Clarkson drove around a deserted village (British Army training facility Copehill Down) in a Mercedes-Benz SLK55 AMG and a 2005 Porsche Boxster S, trying to evade snipers of the Irish Guards. Series Six, Episode Five

• Road Test Russian Roulette / Test: random road testing. Hammond and May worked as ScooterMen in order to road-test as many randomly selected cars as possible—the catches being that they wouldn't know what they'd be road-testing, and that they had to do it in the presence of the cars' owners. Series Six, Episode Nine

• Supercars / Superbridge / Test: illustrate the point of supercars. The trio took three supercars (a Ford GT, a Ferrari F430 Spider and a Pagani Zonda S) on a road trip to the recently opened Millau Viaduct via Paris. Series Seven, Episode Three

• Car Ice Hockey / Test: toughness and handling. Hammond and May, along with a selection of professional drivers, played an ice hockey match using Suzuki Swifts, while Clarkson acted as referee. Winter Olympics Special

• Horse racing camera platform / Test: smooth ride. Clarkson reviewed the Citroën C6 and put it to work as a mobile camera platform covering a horse race. Series Eight, Episode Five

• Car Football 2 / Test: toughness and handling. Hammond and May, along with a selection of professional drivers, staged another football match using Toyota Aygos against a new contender, the Volkswagen Fox. Series Eight, Episode Five

• VIP chauffeur / Test: luxury. In Japan, May conducted road tests of the Mitsuoka Orochi and Galue, and used the Galue to chauffeur a Sumo wrestler and his manager to a tournament as a way to test if the car is "Japan's Rolls-Royce." Series Eleven, Episode Six

• GT car on a WRC stage / Test: 4WD system. May takes a Bentley Continental GT to a Welsh stage of the World Rally Championship, and acts as Kris Meeke's co-driver. Series Nineteen, Episode One

• Car and tablecloth / Test: Speed. The Stig tries to use a Nissan GT-R to pull a tablecloth off a table without smashing any of the ornaments and cutlery. Series Twenty-One, Episode Four

How hard can it be?

A recurring feature on Top Gear involves the hosts undertaking a number of bizarre challenges involving cars. The segments involving the challenges are usually preceded by Jeremy Clarkson, though sometimes Richard or James, asking the audience and viewers: "How hard can it be?"

Lap the Nürburgring in less than 10 minutes... in a diesel

Series Five, Episode Five

Clarkson took a diesel Jaguar S-Type to the Nürburgring with the aim of completing a lap in less than 10 minutes. Clarkson was being coached by Sabine Schmitz, a noted German racer. After consecutive unsuccessful tries, Clarkson managed to lap the Nürburgring in 9 minutes and 59 seconds, with Clarkson celebrating enthusiastically and showing the results proudly to his coach. Schmitz was still unimpressed, proclaiming that she could do that time in a van, and then lapped the Jaguar 47 seconds faster than Clarkson's time.

Lap the Nürburgring in less than 9 minutes and 59 seconds... in a van

Series Six, Episode Seven

To celebrate the Ford Transit's 40th birthday, Hammond went to the Nürburgring to see if Clarkson's mentor from the previous Nürburgring challenge, Sabine Schmitz, could live up to her claim and do a lap in a diesel 2005 Ford Transit van in less than 9 minutes and 59 seconds. Despite all the modifications made to the van (removal of the passenger seat, spare tyre, tools, windscreen wipers, Hammond, etc.), Schmitz was not able to do a lap time of less than 10 minutes, achieving a lap time of 10 minutes and 8 seconds.

Convertible people carrier

Series Eight, Episode One

The presenters were set the task of building a convertible people carrier. They succeeded in removing the roof from a 1996 Renault Espace and replaced it with a canvas fold-down top. The resulting vehicle was able to travel at 100 mph without losing its roof, and was driven through an animal park without any incident. However, a trip through a car wash resulted in the brand-new million-pound wash facility catching fire.

This was the 100th episode but no-one in the crew realized this at the time and was only pointed out later by fans of the show.

Present a drive time radio show

Series Eight, Episode Two

The presenters tried to host a drive time radio show on BBC Southern Counties Radio in Brighton, but ended up with many complaints from the listeners. This was mainly because Clarkson's travel bulletins focused on hounding motorists he could see dawdling on CCTV, rather than issuing the more normal information on the location of problem areas caused by such people and how to avoid them.

Amphibious vehicles

Series Eight, Episode Three

Jeremy Clarkson's amphibious Toybota pickup.

The presenters were set the challenge of building amphibious cars, and using them to get to—and across—a two-mile-wide reservoir. Hammond transformed a 1983 Volkswagen camper van into a narrowboat-style "damper van;" Clarkson attached an outboard motor to a modified 1989 Toyota Hilux pick-up truck, which he dubbed the "Toybota". May fitted a 1962 Triumph Herald with a mast and sails. This caused clearance problems on the road and he had to take an alternative route when on land due to a "low bridge." Hammond's dampervan was very heavy and slow on the road, and quickly sank after entering the water. Both the Herald and Hilux performed well in the water. May was voted the winner by the studio audience. Winner: May

Car interior design

Series Eight, Episode Four

Clarkson bought a 1996 Mercedes-Benz S280 and designed his perfect interior based upon his house. The car, dubbed "Anne Hathaway's Cottage", featured a wood-burning stove, kitchen chairs, a flagstone floor, and wood with a cement base (weighing approximately two tons), even plastering the door trim. James May and Richard Hammond then tested the car. A lack of seat belts and unsecured seats meant they tumbled around inside the car. Eventually, with May holding Hammond's seat, a 0–60 time of 35.4 seconds was established.

Improve your lap time by 20 seconds

Series Eight, Episode Five

Sir Jackie Stewart claimed that he could cut down any of the presenters' driving time around a race circuit by 20 seconds, so James took him up on the offer and they used a TVR Tuscan at Oulton Park.

Caravan holiday

Series Eight, Episode Six

Clarkson, May and Hammond went on a caravan holiday in Dorset to try and find out more about caravanning. The trio unsuccessfully tried to have fun and caused numerous traffic jams. May crashed the caravan into a bollard. Hammond and the show's pet labradoodle, Top Gear dog were "kidnapped" by an elderly female fan. Clarkson "accidentally" set the caravan and its neighbour on fire while trying to cook chips.

Kit car race

Series Eight, Episode Seven

The presenters, based at Knockhill Racing Circuit in Fife, were set the task of building a Caterham Seven Kit car from scratch and drive past the starting line, faster than the time it would take The Stig to reach the track from the Caterham showroom in Caterham using a pre-built Caterham Seven Kit car. The presenters won the challenge because The Stig was stopped by the traffic police just 3 miles from the finish.

Roadies van challenge

Series Eight, Episode Eight

The team decided to test some vans by being roadies for The Who. May picked a 2005 Renault Master, Hammond chose a 2006 Ford Transit, and Clarkson selected a 2006 Volkswagen T30 TDI 174 Sportline. After The Who's concert at Hyde Park, Clarkson, Hammond and May took some of their equipment 90 miles to the site of their next show. They concluded that the cheapest van for the task at hand should always be used. Subsequently, Clarkson admitted that the feature was not the greatest of ideas. After this challenge the presenters were then set the challenge of buying a van for £1000, the ensuence of which proved far more entertaining.

Road works in 24 hours

Series Nine, Episode One

The presenters decided to speed up the road works on the B5481 near Bidford in Warwickshire. According to the County Council, it would take an entire week, but the Top Gear team achieved it in just one day (although they did have 32 men working with them). According to the film, Clarkson prevented them from having proper lunch breaks and instead fed them on the berries growing on the bushes by the side of the road. However, for tea, Hammond fetched fish and chips for all the workmen. The team worked through the entire day and night to get the job done. Jeremy decided to motivate the men by putting on Maggie Thatcher's speeches on a loudspeaker and saying "The sooner you're done, the sooner I'll turn her off"

Reliant Robin Space Shuttle

Series Nine, Episode Four

Hammond and May tried to convert a 1992 Reliant Robin into a space shuttle. They were given 12 days to build it and help from the United Kingdom Rocketry Association. Eight tons of thrust was required to launch the Robin—the largest non-commercial rocket launch undertaken in Europe. The Reliant Robin took off; everything seemed to be working until a release bolt attaching the Robin to the fuel tank failed to detach. The combined result spiraled out of control and crashed on a nearby hillside.

Growing petrol using tractors

Series Nine, Episode Five

The presenters decided to grow their own environmentally friendly petrol by planting rapeseed in a field. For this challenge, each presenter needed to research and acquire a tractor. Each presenter then took part in a series of challenges at the airfield, including a "drag race," in which they raced each other while dragging something found around the airfield. In the end, it was discovered May had ordered the wrong type of seed, so they ended up with 500 gallons of Biodiesel which was later used for the Britcar 24-hour endurance race.

Stretch limos

Series Nine, Episode Six

The presenters were sent out to buy normal cars that are available in Britain, then turn them into stretch limousines. Once the presenters had built their limos, they had to chauffeur three celebrities across London to the Brit Awards. Hammond chauffeured Jamelia in a 1996 MG F "Sports Limo," arriving with a stuck throttle and having to assist her exit with a pool ladder. Clarkson chauffeured Chris Moyles using a greatly lengthened, dual rear axle 1993 Fiat Panda, which as originally engineered had not been road legal, and arriving with only half a car after it split in two before reaching its destination. James May attempted to chauffeur Lemar in the "Salfa Romeaab" (a cross between the front ends of an 1996 Alfa Romeo 164 and a 1996 Saab 9000); Lemar ultimately got frustrated and got out of the car after May repeatedly got lost. Clarkson claimed victory as he got one photograph of his celebrity published in a newspaper. However, as his co-presenters pointed out, the image appeared in Clarkson's own newspaper column in The Sun (to which he responded that they both also have newspaper columns that they could have used).

Polar race special

Polar Challenge Special

Main article: Top Gear: Polar Special

In April–May 2007, Clarkson and May teamed up to race Hammond from Resolute, Nunavut to the North Magnetic Pole, taking the route set out in the Polar Challenge. The terrain in between is some of the toughest in the world—a mix of mountainous land masses and jagged sea ice where temperatures can drop to -65 degrees Celsius (-85 degrees Fahrenheit). Jeremy and James used a specially adapted Toyota Hilux pick-up truck, while Richard used a sled pulled by a team of ten Canadian Inuit dogs, driven by American explorer Matty McNair. In the end the truck won, although the sled overtook them at one point while they were crossing the first of two fields of ice boulders.

The Hilux used by the camera crew would later appear in Season fifteen, Episode One, modified to be able to drive near Eyjafjallajökull volcano in Iceland to obtain a lava rock.

Amphibious cars: redux

Series Ten, Episode Two

File:Top gear amphibious may 3.jpg

James May's amphibious Triumph Herald.

The presenters made a second attempt to use amphibious cars—this time to cross the English Channel. All three presenters modified their original designs: Clarkson created an amphibious 1996 Nissan pickup truck; Hammond used a new 1981 Volkswagen Transporter; May upgraded and used the same 1962 Triumph Herald he had used in the original challenge. May was unable to sail the Herald out of the harbour, sinking twice and damaging the vehicle beyond repair. Hammond's Transporter worked well initially, but the engine was damaged in rough seas, necessitating the use of an outboard engine. It eventually flooded and sank. Clarkson won, while carrying his co-presenters, in his "Nissank" on the trip. The presenters had aimed for Calais, but missed, finishing in Sangatte. They also attempted (and failed) to break the record set by Richard Branson for the fastest crossing of the Channel in an amphibious vehicle. Winner: Clarkson

Driving a Formula 1 car

Series Ten, Episode Eight

Hammond sets out to complete two laps around Stowe Circuit at Silverstone driving the Renault R25 Formula One car, which took both the driver's (with Fernando Alonso) and constructor's championship titles in the 2005 Formula One season.

Britcar 24-hour endurance race

Series Ten, Episode Nine

Richard Hammond driving Top Gear's diesel BMW 330d in the Britcar 24 Hours.

In the previous series, the presenters planted their own biofuel crop, which was rapeseed. However, due to an ordering blunder made by James May they accidentally made 500 gallons worth of biodiesel. In order to dispose of it, they took part in the Britcar 24-hour endurance race at Silverstone Circuit using a modified 2003 BMW 330d. Arriving at the event, the team discovered that it was not an event for novices, as they had expected, but it was a fully professional endurance race and the team would be competing alongside actual 200 mph supercars. However, with help from The Stig, they eventually finished third in class and 39th overall, despite a fuel pump failure, only just making the start, several fuel leaks, going off the track many times, and Hammond crashing into a Mosler.

Renault Avantime tuning challenge

Series Twelve, Episode Three

The presenters were challenged to make an ordinary car lap the track as fast as a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X, which has a time of 1 minute 28 seconds, using only the price difference from that ordinary car to a used Lancer Evo. They did not know what car they would have to work with. Despite May's prediction of a Hyundai Accent 3-cylinder diesel, the car was revealed to be a 2002 Renault Avantime. Notwithstanding various modifications—including wheels, tyres, brakes, the exhaust of an unknown TVR, the rear wing from an F1 car (which was later taken off), a wooden front splitter (which caught fire)—the presenters were unable to beat the Evo's time. They did improve on the original time by 7.1 seconds, but this was achieved mostly through a combination of swapping out the heavy, electrically heated seats that came with the Avantime for much lighter carbon fibre racing seats, and May retuning the engine to get it nearer its rated power. The presenters noted that the other modifications generally didn't help, and some even made the car slower. The only modifications that did work properly cost little beyond the time, effort and relatively simple equipment used.

From Basel to Blackpool on a single tank of fuel

Series Twelve, Episode Four

See also: Fuel Economy Race - Car vs. Car vs. Car

The presenters were challenged to drive from Basel, Switzerland to Blackpool, England, on a single tank of fuel, in order to switch on the Blackpool Illuminations. Although each presenter chose a different route, Clarkson estimated the distance as approximately 750 miles. Each presenter chose diesel vehicles: Jeremy used a 2007 Jaguar XJ6 Diesel, and in spite of using every feature in the car, and driving uneconomically, completed the journey. He was beaten by Richard Hammond, driving a 2008 Volkswagen Polo BlueMotion. James May, driving a 2008 Subaru Legacy, arrived 40 minutes after Clarkson.

Make a car advertisement

Series Thirteen, Episode Seven

James and Jeremy were given the challenge to create a simple, but effective, TV advertisement for the new Volkswagen Scirocco TDi. Several entries were made, including one stating while the Scirocco wasn't fast it was economical, a rehash of a previous Golf ad, and one detailing a funeral (slightly spoiled by Clarkson). All were rejected, leading Clarkson and May to create separate ads. Clarkson won with references to World War II.

Build an electric car

Series Fourteen, Episode Two

The presenters were challenged to create their own electric car that would rival the G-Wiz. The first car, nicknamed "Geoff", was put through its paces in the city of Oxford, before being re-built as the Hammerhead-i Eagle Thrust. The Hammerhead underwent a number of safety tests at the Motor Industry Research Association, with the Top Gear trio attempting to fool the examiners by using simple camera trickery. It was then reviewed by Autocar magazine, with the team disappointed by the review, while making a reference to OFCOM, the telecommunications regulator.

Build a snowplough

Series Sixteen, Episode Five

Due to the problems Britain suffered during the previous winter with snow, and local authorities not having the money to spend on road clearing equipment, the presenters came up with the idea of the Snowbine Harvester to save money, working on the theory combine harvesters were sitting idle during winter months so were readily available with a cheap conversion kit. The team fitted a snowplough to the front of a used Claas Dominator. It was also converted to a gritter using the grain chute, capable of blasting grit through the windows of nearby cars. A flamethrower was fitted at the rear, operated by Jeremy, and a Bovril boiler in the cab for James to counter the lack of heating. During testing in Norway, the team blasted grit through a house window, set fire to a man and ran into a car hidden by snow. They then successfully ploughed a road that had not previously been ploughed that winter.

Build a train

Series Seventeen, Episode Four

The presenters believed that train travel in the UK is too expensive, and the main reason is that trains are expensive to build. They first of all converted a 1990 4.0 Jaguar XJS to work on the railway, before building carriages from old caravans for the varying classes of passenger (first, second, "scum") and a Buffet car using wheels from Permanent Way trollies. The Jaguar was unable to pull the four "carriages" due to their weight, and the Jaguar's rear-wheel-drive. The presenters split into two teams, with Clarkson taking the Jaguar and promising to build a "Train GTI", and Hammond and May converting a four-wheel-drive 2001 Audi S8 to pull the existing carriages.

The presenters (with their respective creations) then raced from "near Leicester" (Leicester North) to "near Loughborough" (Loughborough Central) on the Great Central Railway with a number of railway experts as passengers. Clarkson won the race despite having been caught behind Hammond and May at times and almost colliding with a Class 08 shunting locomotive, with the Buffet car on Hammond's and May's train catching fire, and then "scum class" being hit (and destroyed) by passing diesel locomotive D123 Leicestershire and Derbyshire Yeomanry.

Off-road mobility scooters

Series Eighteen, Episode Four

The presenters are tasked with creating their own off-road mobility scooters for rambling in the Welsh countryside. Clarkson builds an eight-wheeler with two engines from two electric scooters, with lawnmower wheels. May makes an electric wheelchair and Hammond creates his machine from a mobility trike and a petrol powered builders' wheelbarrow, with a single wheel at the front and crawler tracks at the back The task ends with a race in the countryside against three wounded soldiers. Only Hammond manages to finish the race, with Clarkson's scooter falling down a hill into a set of trees, and May aborting the mission and getting stuck outside a pub near Crickhowell.

Cheap cars

The presenters are given a budget to buy a used car conforming to certain criteria. The budget is typically around £1,500, but it has ranged between £100 and £10,000 depending on the type of car. Once purchased, the presenters compete against each other in a series of tests to establish who has bought the best car.

The presenters have no prior knowledge of what the tests will be, although they generally involve:

• A long journey used to determine reliability and fuel economy
• A lap round a race track, usually by the Stig, to determine performance. In some cases the Stig sets a time in a similar car and the presenters have to beat it.
• An inspection to discover what is and isn't working or how much of the car is original
• Spending any leftover change from the initial budget on repairing and/or modifying the cars
• Selling the cars at the end of the challenge.

All three presenters are highly competitive; vandalism and sabotage are commonplace, and any presenter whose car breaks down during a challenge will typically be abandoned to make their own way to the designated destination. Certain challenges since the African Cheap Car Road Trip have had a back-up car made available for any presenter whose car breaks down and cannot be repaired. The back-up vehicle is generally a model that is loathed by all three presenters, or in some other way antagonistic to the current challenge.

Due to the controversial nature of some challenges, it is difficult to gauge who has been the most successful so far, but as a rough guide: May and Clarkson have won the most cheap car challenges with seven victories and Hammond has won three. Some challenges remain unclear, however, such as the £10,000 mid-engined Italian supercar challenge, where no presenter actually made it to their destination (although May came the closest). The winner of the £1000 police car challenge remains unclear as a result of Hammond eating the final results of Clarkson's Fiat, and declaring himself the winner. The presenter who unofficially won the most amount of challenges was Clarkson, with 10. May won 8 challenges, and Hammond won 6.

£100 Car challenge

Series Four, Episode Three

The presenters were given £100 to buy a car that was road legal (had current tax and an MOT certificate). This was to prove that a car could be purchased and driven from London to Manchester and back again for less than it would cost to take the train (around £180), including the price of the fuel. Clarkson bought a 1988 Volvo 760 GLE, Hammond bought a 1991 Rover 416GTi, and May bought a 1989 Audi 80 1.8E. The challenge included reliability, fuel economy, stopping time, safety, price, and lap-time testing. Clarkson won the challenge given that he bought the Volvo for £1. Winner: Clarkson

Cheap Porsche challenge

Series Five, Episode Six

The presenters were given £1,500 to buy a Porsche. Clarkson bought a 1983 928, Hammond bought a 1980 924, and May bought a 1984 944. The challenge included driving from London to Brighton, fuel economy, using the car in a lonely-hearts column, lap time, selling the car, and using the change from the £1,500 modifying the cars for judging by the Porsche Owners' Club. Clarkson won the challenge (despite bringing the most unreliable of the three cars) when he earned more by breaking down his car and selling it for parts. Winner: Clarkson

Cheap coupés that aren't Porsches challenge

Series Six, Episode Two

Following the previous challenge the presenters were sent to buy coupes that weren't Porsches for £1,500 and report to Millbrook Proving Ground. Clarkson bought a 1991 Mitsubishi Starion, Hammond purchased a 1983 BMW 635 CSi, and May bought a 1982 Jaguar XJS, which was leaking oil as soon as it arrived.

The first challenge was to see if they could exceed 140 mph. May won by reaching 140, though the Jaguar broke down and had to have its oil and water replaced. The Starion, thanks to a modified turbocharger and some accidental weight shedding, achieved 119 mph, beating the BMW's 115 mph. A test of ride comfort was then carried out; each presenter drove their car at 30 mph over a cobbled road with a bowl of water in their lap, losing points for every ounce spilt. The Jaguar won again, and while Hammond's sporty BMW did poorly, Clarkson fared even worse; the Starion's manual gearbox was of almost no consequence. The Stig then set a lap time for each car on the Alpine testing track, where the Starion narrowly beat the BMW. The Jaguar came last and lost its engine oil again. The three presenters were next asked to drive from Millbrook to the QI club in Oxford; points were awarded for the order of arrival, deducted for breakdowns, and fuel economy was measured. May's Jaguar broke down so many times that he eventually gave up the challenge, managing just 8 miles per gallon. Clarkson beat Hammond to the club, albeit with poorer fuel consumption.

The final challenge was an endurance race - each presenter was allowed to modify their car with the money left over from the original purchase. Hammond fitted a poorly constructed bodykit to the BMW. May tried to paint the Jaguar in British racing green (only to run out of paint) and spent the rest fixing the engine. Clarkson had a more professional paint job, and installed an even more powerful turbo. The outcome was unexpected - while Clarkson's new turbo made the Mitsubishi the fastest car in the entire race, the engine repeatedly overheated and broke down after almost every lap, before one last blow up put him out for good. Hammond's transmission failed in the final stages of the race, but still beat May by two laps (although the Jaguar suffered wear during the race, it only broke down once when the brake fluid overheated). Winner: May (Clarkson, by concession)

Italian mid-engined supercars for less than a second-hand Mondeo challenge

Series Seven, Episode Four

The presenters were given £10,000 to buy a 1970s supercar, which had to be mid-engined and Italian, and told to report to Bristol. Clarkson bought a 1974 Maserati Merak, (he was told it was an SS model, only to discover during the challenges that it only had a £38 SS badge). Hammond a 1979-built (1983 late-reg) Ferrari 308 GT4, and May found a 1974 Lamborghini Urraco. Various challenges included a lap of the Castle Combe Circuit, changing the oil and sparkplugs of their cars and driving from Chippenham to Slough on a set amount of fuel. Hammond won most of the challenges, and May's Urraco was a constant source of problems due to its poor electrics - it arrived in Bristol on the back of a tow truck, and broke down on almost every leg of the trip. The Merak began to deteriorate at Castle Combe, where it was revealed to have terrible brakes, and the engine began making worrying noises alongside very poor performance. Clarkson initially blamed the tappets, but as the day progressed, May declared that the engine was disintegrating. In the end, none of the cars survived the final journey. First, the Merak's engine exploded, showering the Urraco in pieces of the wreckage and forcing Clarkson to crash into a hedge. The 308 appeared to run out of fuel 10 miles from Slough, although Hammond later explained that the entire electrical system had failed suddenly. Finally, the Urraco ran out of petrol on the outskirts of Slough, causing a major traffic jam. The presenters therefore unanimously declared that the scores were useless, and Clarkson summarised with "yes, you can buy a mid-engined Italian supercar for less than £10,000, but for the love of God, don't!" No winner officially. Hammond on points

The GT4 used in this challenge was later bought and being repaired by Hammond, only to be damaged again when he was in the Petrolheads, where he was tricked and rammed during a challenge.

White van man challenge

Series Eight, Episode Eight

As a followup from a previous challenge, and as punishment for the useless reviews of the vans tested, the presenters were given £1,000 to buy a van and face a series of challenges. Clarkson, following Hammond's original strategy of buying a simple van, bought a 1992 Ford Transit, while May chose a 1999 LDV Convoy box van for its considerable storage. Hammond arrived last with a 1994 Suzuki Super Carry, as it was very fast for a van.

The tests began with a drag race; Hammond won easily, Clarkson came second, and May last. They then performed a race to see how long it took to load and unload various items (each presenter was given an illegal immigrant). May had little trouble loading his van, but had an uncooperative immigrant. Clarkson, who continually moaned about his aversion to manual labour, simply threw most of his items into the Transit carelessly. He then wrongfooted May by parking just behind the LDV to stop it unloading. Clarkson consequently won, while Hammond, who had fallen far behind due to the comparatively small storage space of the Suzuki, lost badly.

The third challenge was tailgating a passenger car as closely as possible. Thanks to the Suzuki's flat front, Hammond came close to a centimeter. Clarkson crashed the Transit into the back of the car, and May's LDV was completely outpaced. Next the presenters were told to replace their driver's side doors. Hammond and May were able to remove their doors easily, while Clarkson simply rammed his off with the LDV. He then used tape to fix a new door on, while Hammond successfully fitted his with bolts; May eventually ran out of time. The fifth challenge tested how long a burglar took to break into the rear door of each van; the burglar failed to open Hammond's, smashed open May's in half a minute, but took only 10 seconds to break into the Transit. Finally the presenters were tasked with outrunning a police patrol car driven by the Stig on their test track. Clarkson won the event, which also featured a spectacular roll-over by Hammond trying to achieve the Scandinavian flick while going round the first corner. Hammond, however, still won the overall challenge. Winner: Hammond.

US Special - Used American car for $1000 challenge

Series Nine, Episode Three

See also: Top Gear: US Special

The presenters wanted to find out if it was easier to buy a car for a holiday rather than rent one, so each of them was given a budget of US$1000 to purchase a car, which they would take on a road trip across four US states, from Miami, Florida to New Orleans, Louisiana. Clarkson bought a 1989 Chevrolet Camaro, May got a 1989 Cadillac Brougham Sedan, while Hammond bought a Dodge Ram pick-up truck.

During their journey they were given a series of challenges, which included the cars being driven around a track by The Stig's overweight "American cousin," doing 0 to 50 to 0 without over-running the track and thereby crashing into a river full of alligators, and camping a night in a field eating only roadkill. They also had to paint slogans on each other's car in order to get them shot at or arrested as they drove across Alabama. When the three pulled into a gas station to refuel, the station's owner called a gang and attacked them and their film crew with stones and chased them out of town.

Upon arrival at New Orleans, the three presenters found the city was taking a long time to recover from Hurricane Katrina and thus could not bring themselves to ask for money for their cars. They instead gave them away to people who needed them. In the episode's credits, the presenters were credited as "Cletus Clarkson", "Earl Hammond JR", "Ellie May May" and "Roscoe P. Stig". All of the other credited crew had their first names changed to "Billy Bob". Winner: Clarkson Clarkson declared himself the winner and May as the loser (as he could not even give his car away).

£1,500 two-wheel drive African cross-country car challenge

Series Ten, Episode Four

See also: Top Gear: Botswana Special

The presenters were sent to Botswana to buy a car that was not an off-road vehicle and had only two-wheel drive, which they would drive across the country, from the eastern border of Zimbabwe to the western border of Namibia (approximately 1,000 miles). The challenge included a drive over the Makgadikgadi Pan, which left Clarkson and May's cars filled with dust after they had been stripped of excess weight as to try to prevent their cars sinking through the thin surface, and over the Okavango Delta. This was to prove "to the people of Surrey that they don't need 4×4s in case there are leaves on the road." This challenge introduced a new rule that stipulated if any of the presenters' cars were to break down beyond repair, they would have to complete the journey in a substitute vehicle - for this challenge, a Volkswagen Beetle (the Beetle being the presenters' unanimous choice as their least favourite car). Clarkson bought a 1981 Lancia Beta Coupé, which was the most unreliable car of the lot. Hammond bought a 1963 Opel Kadett, which he named Oliver (consequently becoming the butt of jokes of the other presenters), while May bought a 1985 Mercedes-Benz 230E. Hammond felt such affection for his car that he subsequently had it shipped to the UK (which resulted in Clarkson and May making fun of him), and it now has the occasional cameo on Richard Hammond's Blast Lab. Oliver was Hammond's "prized possession" in the Top Gear 'Lorryist' challenge. All three made it to the Namibian border. Clarkson declared the Beetle as the winner, since it had no documented mishaps during the trip, much to the shock of Hammond, with which May answered "[he]'s right!". Volkswagen Beetle (back up car)

British Leyland did make some good cars after all challenge

Series Ten, Episode Seven

In an argument with the producers of Top Gear, the presenters claimed British Leyland did produce some good cars after all. So, they were given a budget of £1,500(of their own money) to buy a British Leyland car in which they would face a series of challenges, for which, instead of points, they would earn money back. Clarkson got a 1981 Rover SD1, Hammond bought a 1972 Dolomite Sprint, whereas May acquired a 1978 Princess. Challenges included a variety of tests at the MIRA proving ground, and seeing how far the cars could be driven while full of water. The boys also reproduced the intro of Money from the various squeaks and clunks their cars made. After all the challenges, Clarkson summed up the money and declared May the winner of the challenge, as not only did he get back all that he had paid, he made a £20 profit. Winner: May

Make a police car for a lot less money than the real police spend on their cars challenge

Series Eleven, Episode One

The presenters were all given £1,000 to buy a car and turn them into police cars able to surpass the Police's standard-issue Vauxhall Astra Diesels. Clarkson bought a 1998 Fiat Coupé 20V Turbo for £900, painted it in Italian Polizia di Stato livery (although the colour was wrong), and fitted it with "Boudicea" wheel covers. May bought a 1994 Lexus LS400 for £900 as well, which he painted in a traditional 'jam sandwich' livery, fitted with an air siren from an ice cream van, and armed with paint sprayers at the back. Hammond bought a 1994 Suzuki Vitara for £750, and equipped it with light bars and a self-deploying stinger on the front (actually several doormats stitched together with nails poking through). The presenters' cars were then put to test around the Top Gear track, which included beating the Stig's lap in the Vauxhall Astra diesel (coupled with extra points for flamboyance), clearing a crash site in less than two minutes, and then stopping the Stig in a police chase (the latter driving a BMW 7-Series) "Without using £125,000 worth of Volvo, the RAF, and 16 health and safety forms." The real police first demonstrated how to stop the stolen car using four Volvo V70 estates, boxing in the car to the side of the road, following the fulfillment of "13 separate health and safety criteria." All three cars were subsequently displayed at the British Motor Show 2008. Winner: Hammond

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Jeremy Clarkson's Fiat Coupé.

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James May's Lexus LS400.

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Richard Hammond's Suzuki Escudo.

Can you buy an Alfa Romeo for £1000 or less without it completely ruining your life all the time? challenge

Series Eleven, Episode Three

File:Top Gear Alfas 1.jpg

The presenters' Alfas when the challenge ended. From left to right, Hammond's Spider, Clarkson's 75 and May's GTV.

The presenters were challenged with proving to the show's producers that in order to be a true "petrol head", you need to have owned an Alfa Romeo. So, they were each given £1,000 to buy their own Alfa Romeo. Clarkson bought a 1989 Alfa Romeo 75 3.0 V6 (for £450), Hammond bought a 1984 Alfa Romeo Spider 2.0 (for £1,000), and May bought a 1996 Alfa Romeo GTV 2.0 TwinSpark (for £995). The cars were put to a series of tests, which included participating in a track day on the Rockingham Motor Speedway road course, featuring their cars on a calendar which they must sell at a newsstand, and then lastly entering an Alfa Romeo exclusive Concours d'Elegance event, traveling as far as 80 miles to get to the event area.

At the race circuit, the presenters were to gain a point for every car they overtook and lose a point each time they were overtaken. As the field consisted predominately of high-end sports and supercars, none of the presenters managed to overtake any competitors. Clarkson rolled his car attempting to overtake a Ford Focus.

In a side challenge, each presenters had to create a calendar featuring their cars which was to be sold at a newsstand. None of the presenters' calendars managed to sell even a single copy.

After the track day, the presenters then had to prep their cars for a Concours d'Elegance competition. Clarkson decided to respray his car in Skoda Green, a colour he used on his Fiat Coupe in the Police Car Challenge. May meticulously cleaned his car, being careful to remove all the dust from the interior and bodywork, and Hammond re-upholstered his seats using Clarkson's leather jacket.

During the journey to the Concours, Hammond had to manually send coolant into his engine using a hand cranked pump (due to a broken water pump during the track day challenge). This eventually broke, and his engine seized, forcing May to tow him. After crashing into May a few times, May got fed up and abandoned him. Clarkson helped to tow Hammond despite his gearbox nearing the end of its life, and the two sabotaged May's engine bay with cheese. After the judges finished, James was awarded 74 out of a possible 150 points while Jeremy and Richard were given 23.5 and 9 respectively - the lowest scores in Concours history.

Clarkson was declared the overall victor (largely due to the car's low price), which pleased him greatly as it was his first victory in three years for a cheap car challenge. Winner: Clarkson

Mercedes-Benz 600 vs Rolls-Royce Corniche Coupé challenge

Series Eleven, Episode Five

Clarkson and May attempted to find out which of their classic luxury limousines—Clarkson's 1969-built (1973 late-reg) Mercedes-Benz 600 "Grosser" or May's 1972 Rolls-Royce Corniche—was better. So they brought their cars to the Top Gear Test Track for a series of challenges. This was not a real "Cheap Car Challenge," as Hammond did not participate, the presenters owned the cars prior to the challenge, and neither of the cars involved were particularly cheap. They summarised the choice as "between 'Camp' and 'Camp Commandant' " based on the previous owners of the vehicles they were using in the challenge. Winner: Clarkson

How much lorry do you get for £5000 challenge

Series Twelve, Episode One

Unable to understand how truck-driving can be so hard, the presenters each bought a second-hand lorry for under £5,000. May bought a Scania P94D, Clarkson bought a Renault Magnum and Hammond bought an ERF EC11. Clarkson painted his truck black, resulting in multiple visibility problems. Hammond tried to Americanize his truck by attaching a dog kennel to the front of his truck. May attached many flowers and decorations to make it look like an Indian truck. After decorating their lorries, they were sent to Millbrook Proving Ground, where the first challenge was to successfully powerslide their trucks on a skid pan (as demonstrated by "The Stig's Lorry-driving Cousin"). None of them managed, but May and his truck came out unscathed. Clarkson got " his gear shifter stuck up his arse." And Hammond's dog kennel fell off.

After several attempts at attaching trailers, the second challenge involved driving round the Alpine handling course with their trailers loaded with various awkward loads (Hammond an unsecured Nissan Micra, May a wedding cake, and Clarkson hay bales and an electric fire) All three failed to get their cargo round the track, with Hammond's car breaking through the rear doors and falling off, and May's cake falling over. Clarkson's load unsurprisingly set fire to the trailer.

The next challenge featured the trucks, speed limiters removed, in a race around the two-mile bowl of Millbrook to see which was fastest; Hammond won with his lightweight ERF hitting 90 miles an hour. The fourth test had each presenter attempting to perform a hill start with their vehicles, and to encourage them, prized possessions were placed behind each of their lorries. Jeremy, with his drum kit placed behind his lorry, was successful as his vehicle had a crawler gear, although May and Hammond promptly ran over and trashed the drum kit. Oliver, Hammond's restored Opel Kadett from the Botswana adventure, was placed behind his lorry and he eventually forfeited rather than risk crushing it. May's grand piano was smashed when he failed to prevent his lorry from rolling backwards, although the production crew had already damaged it while positioning it.

The final challenge, for speed, braking, and toughness had each presenter driving their vehicles through an obstacle at 56 miles an hour, and the winner going the shortest distance after hitting it. Hammond managed to stop his lorry in a shorter distance after driving through a mobile home than May did after driving through a structure built out of six hundred water coolers. Clarkson traveled the shortest distance, but was injured after driving his lorry through a brick wall. At the end, the "hopelessly complicated" scores were tallied, and May was declared the winner. Winner: May

Vietnam Special

Series Twelve, Episode Eight

See also: Top Gear: Vietnam Special

The three presenters went on a trip to Vietnam where they were each given 15 million Vietnamese đồng to buy a "set of wheels" able to drive 1,000 miles from Ho Chi Minh City in the south to Halong Bay in the north. However, due to the car prices and the money they were given, the task was completed using cheap motorbikes. The goal was essentially to do in eight days what the Americans failed to do in the ten years of the Vietnam War.

As in previous challenges, the producers provided a replacement vehicle to any presenter whose vehicle broke down, in this challenge a Honda minibike decorated in a stars and Stripes livery with Born in the USA by Bruce Springsteen playing on an iPod (redubbed with The Star-Spangled Banner in some versions), causing much distress to the presenters due to the Vietnam War with America.

Clarkson emerged victorious by reaching the bar first. Winner: Clarkson

Finding the perfect car for 17-year-olds

Series Thirteen, Episode Two

With a budget of £2,500 each including insurance, the three bought cars that were "ideal" for 17-year-olds. Clarkson, Hammond and May bought a 1995 Volvo 940 estate, 1993 Hyundai Scoupe and 1994 Volkswagen Golf Mk III respectively. They were then given a series of challenges. Some of these challenges included driving across a field and an obstacle course, in which each presenter had to drive round the course and hit as many of the obstacles as they could. Winner: Clarkson

Seeking petrolhead heaven in three £1500 rear-wheel drive coupes

Series Thirteen, Episode Five

With a budget of £1,500, Clarkson, May and Hammond had to buy a rear wheel drive car. Clarkson bought a 1991 Porsche 944, May bought a 1983 Ford Capri (but switched to the 1977 Morris Marina backup car after the Ford broke down) and Hammond bought a 1991 Nissan 300ZX. They faced numerous challenges including trying to beat a 1-minute, 32.31 second lap time set by a Renault Twingo, and accelerating to 60 mph and then braking to 0 mph within 200 meters or risk destroying something belonging to them. May ended up destroying another one of his pianos. As a finale, they participated in an Andros Trophy ice race (which included F1 driver Olivier Panis) against heavily modified hatchbacks, ultimately being lapped several times (on one occasion, Panis referred to the Marina as "a shitbox"). May emerged victorious in the Morris Marina, which had a piano dropped on it in the end. Winner: May

Buying a pre-1982 car for less than £3,000

Series Thirteen, Episode Six

Clarkson, May and Hammond were told to go to a car auction and buy any car for less than £3,000 that was built before 1982. Jeremy was poised to purchase a Ford Cortina, but he wanted a convertible and bought a 1969 Austin-Healey Sprite, although he accidentally used some of his money to buy it, as he bought it for £3,600. Richard "went ugly early" and bought the first lot, a 1953 £1000 Lanchester LJ 200. James May was set to buy a Bristol, which went over his budget in bidding, and because there was only one car after the Bristol he was forced to buy the last car of the auction—a £1500 1977 blue Citroën Ami Estate. They were then told to go to Mallorca for a rally, with two challenges spread over two days. They were also given their co-drivers by the producers. Jeremy was given the head of Balaeric Rallying Club, who spoke no English. Richard was assigned to Brian Wheeler, a sarcastic dwarf mechanic. James was given glamour model and Page 3 girl Madison Welch.

Upon arriving in Mallorca, the presenters were horrified to find out that they were almost two days late for the rally, which was actually a five-day event, and thus had no chance of winning. They chose to bet £25 on whichever one of them had the best score at the end of the rally. Clarkson's malfunctioning gauges made calculating his speed difficult, James had to cope with Madison's severe lack of interest and navigating experience, and Richard's Lanchester proved incredibly unreliable, breaking down several times per stage and overheating constantly. While Clarkson was in the lead heading into the final day, May posted the most consistent lap times at the regularity track day and inched out Clarkson in the final challenge. After the challenge it was revealed that all three presenters liked their chosen cars so much they had bought them from the BBC. Winner: May

Bolivia Special

Series Fourteen, Episode Six

See also: Top Gear: Bolivia Special

The three presenters traveled 1,000 miles through the rainforests of Bolivia to the Pacific coast of Chile. They used pre-owned off-road vehicles, bought locally in Bolivia for less than £3,500 each. Hammond bought a tan Toyota Land Cruiser, which had been converted into a soft top convertible by a previous owner. Despite the car's reputation for durability, it turned out to be the most unreliable car, suffering multiple drivetrain and suspension breakdowns right from the start. It was damaged beyond repair on the sand-dune descent. Hammond nicknamed his Land Cruiser "Donkey." Clarkson bought a red Range Rover, which he believed had a 3.9-litre fuel-injected engine. However, when he showed his co-presenters under the bonnet, May noted it had carburettors, making it the 3.5-litre model. Overall Clarkson's Range Rover turned out to be the most reliable, despite the car's reputation otherwise. May bought a red (although "..in the advert it was blue...") Suzuki Samurai with a 1.3-litre engine, which was the smallest of the three vehicles. Despite this, May made no modifications, and it had the least breakdowns. One disadvantage of the Suzuki was its open differentials, which made it "3-wheel drive" Winner: Clarkson

A track day car which is as good in the real world

Series Fifteen, Episode Two

The three were given a budget of £5,000 to buy a 4-door saloon that would be as good in the real world as it would be on a track day. The challenge was carried out in Germany. May bought a 1985 Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3-16v Cosworth, Hammond a 1996 E36 BMW M3, and Clarkson a 1989 Ford Sierra Sapphire RS Cosworth. Challenges included determining their cars' top speed on an unregulated autobahn, interior space (by carrying a German Oompah band), and an ADAC evaluation of the cars. The BMW initially performed well until it came last in the evaluation test, revealing badly repaired accident damage. Finally, the presenters went to a circuit, where the cars were lapped by the Stig's German cousin. In the studio there were the results of two more unbroadcast challenges: points for each viewing of a track day video uploaded to YouTube, and an economy run. The last test was based on price - each pound under the budget received one point - meaning that the £4,999 Sierra and the £3,990 M3 lost to the £2,990 190E. Winner: May

Campervan challenge

Series Fifteen, Episode Four

Bemoaning the fact that campervans are either the huge American style motor homes unsuitable for European roads or the tiny and cramped European models, the presenters were challenged to construct inexpensive campervans that would be comfortable to sleep in yet manageable on narrow twisting European roads. They had to have a sleeping area, a toilet and a cooking area. Clarkson constructed a three story Bauhaus inspired campervan on a 1988 Citroën CX chassis. May attached a roofbox with a sleeping bag on top of a 1987 Lotus Excel and Hammond constructed a collapsible cottage on the back of a 1984 Land Rover 110. Clarkson found his Citroën difficult to drive and nearly toppled over several times. May’s Lotus was cramped and Hammond’s design was cumbersome and impractical. Challenges included driving to a camp ground in Polzeath, Cornwall, changing into a wet suit inside the campervan, sleeping, "going to the bog" in their campervans, and cooking a meal. During the meal challenge, Richard set fire to his cottage. Later, the three took a trip to a beauty spot in Hartland in North Devon where Hammond and May "accidentally" rolled Jeremy’s Citroën over a cliff. Back in the studio, Clarkson protested but all three presenters reluctantly came to the conclusion that although James had the least amount of problems with his campervan (the only one being space), all of their designs were rubbish. No winner

British Sports Car challenge

Series Fifteen, Episode Six

The boys attempt to prove that old British sports cars never deserved to be killed off by the hot hatch. Jeremy buys a 1974 Jensen-Healey, James buys a 1989 TVR S2 and Richard buys a 1994 Lotus M100 Elan. The trip involved going to the places where all their cars were "born", beginning at the Lotus factory in Norfolk, then onto the Jensen factory in West Bromwich, before finishing at the TVR factory in Blackpool. There was no winner, as the team said that all of their cars were the best. All winners

Middle East Special

Series Sixteen, Episode Zero-Two

See also: Top Gear: Middle East Special

The three were given £3,500 to buy a 2-door convertible sports car, find their way to the birthplace of Jesus, and provide Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh as per the Three Wise Men. Hammond bought a 2000 Fiat Barchetta, Clarkson bought a 2000 Mazda MX5 and James cheated and bought a 1998 BMW Z3 over budget for £3,966. The starting point was Iraq - which the three were unaware of until they landed. They were given flak jackets and helmets to get to their location. There was also at least one armed guard travelling with the group.

As has happened on previous challenges, a spare car was provided by the producers should any of the cars critically break down. In this case it was an Opel Astra 1.6 convertible - a car loathed by all three presenters.

During the challenge, May had a concussion in the middle of the desert, resulting in a trip to hospital. He was discharged later in the episode and continued the journey.

Upon reaching their final hotel, the three set out to buy gifts: Hammond bought a gold necklace of Jesus's face, May bought a bottle of Frankincense — in fact, a bottle of hotel shampoo — and Clarkson was unable to find any Myrrh, so bought a Nintendo DS. After following a star they were led to a stable containing shepherds (who apparently arrived on quad bikes,) Mary & Joseph (although not identified as such,) and a manger. They presented their gifts, and asked to see the child, which was revealed to be a baby Stig.

Hammond's Fiat was voted the best by both Clarkson and May, to Hammond's obvious surprise. Winner: Hammond

Four seater convertibles for less than £2000 (that all turned out to be BMW 325i's) challenge

Series Sixteen, Episode Four

The three were given £2,000 to buy a four-seater convertible car. However, they all buy the same car: a BMW 325i. Hammond bought a 1987 model for £1,600 which had done 94,318 miles according to the odometer, and had aftermarket wheels, aftermarket alarm, a lower suspension and extra locks fitted. Clarkson bought a 1988 model for £1,950 which had done 137,488 miles and had a paving slab in the boot (to improve handling) and May a 1989 model for £1,900 with no modifications. Clarkson decided to turn the challenge into a test to see how different the three supposedly identical cars had become over time, so the trio ignored the producers' challenges and devised their own.

First there was a drag race which Hammond was unable to take part in as his car broke down due to the alarm (for which he was deducted 1,000 points): accelerate to 100 mph then stop again. May won comfortably as his car proved to be in better mechanical condition than Clarkson's. This led to Clarkson claiming that speed is not everything and May disagreeing, in stark contrast to their usual opinions. Next the cars were examined by a forensics team to test the condition of their interior. Clarkson's car contained crisps, leaves, and his own dried skin, which he claimed was not disgusting at all and lost no points. May's car was in worse condition with nasal mucus, scabs and saliva costing him 30 points. Hammond again fared the worst with saliva, blood and pubic hairs, losing 30 points and, worst of all, feces losing another 1,000 points. Next, thieves attempted to steal all three cars: Clarkson and May's cars were still there after 20 minutes, but Hammond's was stolen almost immediately losing him yet another 1,000 points.

The trio were then required to lap the Top Gear Test Track in their cars, trying to match the Stig's time done in a modern BMW 325i. Clarkson recorded the fastest time despite blowing his engine, followed by Hammond with May slowest. After that, the three cars were filled with helium and the presenters were required to sit in them to test for leaks. Clarkson and May's voices went high and squeaky due to the gas, but Hammond's did not as it had leaked out, once again leading to a 1,000 point deduction. The cars were then inspected to determine how much money was needed to restore them to showroom condition. May's required £5,500, Hammond's £7,500 and Clarkson's £11,000. Finally the presenters decided to form a stunt driving team in front of a live audience at the Essex County Fair (this did not count towards the points challenge), they all collided almost immediately.

When the points were tallied up, May won easily due to his car being in the best condition so having the lowest restoration cost. Clarkson narrowly beat Hammond to second place as his far higher restoration cost was marginally outweighed by Hammond's numerous thousand-point deductions. This led Clarkson to conclude two things: "all identical cars aren't necessarily identical" and "Richard Hammond, who buys more used cars than any man alive, is useless at buying used cars." Winner: May

Best Hot Hatchback for doing various things in

Series Seventeen, Episode Two

In order to determine which hot hatchback was the best, the trio were told to bring one to the Italian city of Lucca. Clarkson brought a Citroën DS3 Racing, May a 2010 Renaultsport Clio Cup and Hammond a 2011 Fiat 500 Abarth, which the other two claimed was neither hot nor a hatchback. The first challenge was simply to drive out of Lucca, which proved extremely difficult due to the narrow maze of one-way streets with no signposts. Clarkson got out first, followed by Hammond (who had abandoned his car to find the way out on foot), while May ended up stuck on top of the city wall.

Next, they had to drive to Canelli picking up seven items on the way: a branch of a cedar tree, ice cubes, a photo of as many people as possible getting into their car, a CD from a service station (without leaving their car), a bicycle, a vine and a dog. Hammond completed the scavenger hunt first, but with a toy dog instead of a real one, the branch of a larch instead of a cedar, and no CD. Clarkson was next, with all the items correct. May was last again and his ice cubes had melted. May got 12 people in his photo, Clarkson 13 and Hammond got 14 by opening the sunroof and having them stand up with their heads sticking out.

Finally, the presenters had to drive a lap of the Circuit de Monaco during the Monaco Grand Prix weekend in their hot hatchbacks. Clarkson posted the fastest time, followed by Hammond with May slowest. When the points were totalled up, Clarkson was the clear winner, followed by May, while Hammond had all his points taken away for abandoning his car in Lucca, failing to get three of the items properly, taking his photo with the people not fully inside the car and turning up with a car which wasn't a hatchback. Winner: Clarkson

India Special

Series Seventeen, Episode Seven

The three were given £7,000 to buy a reliable British classic car and use them on the streets of India. Jeremy bought a 1995 Jaguar XJS 4.0 Celebration Edition, James bought a 1976 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow and Hammond bought a 2000 Mini 1.3L. As in previous challenges, a backup car was also present, a 1979 Austin Allegro. Challenges included bringing Western-themed goods with their cars and building a stall to promote them, A mountain rally and modifying their cars to be better able to tackle the dangerous mountain roads. No declared winner

Rallycross with less investment than golfing

Series Eighteen, Episode Seven

The three criticise the sheer amount of money people have to spend just to play golf, and they claimed that you can invest less money in car racing, or in this case, rallycross. To prove this, each of the presenters must find a cheap, race-worthy car and modify it so it can be race-ready. Clarkson bought a BMW 328i, Hammond bought a Citroen Saxo 1.6 VTS, and May bought a Toyota MR2. Hammond was the most successful of the three, finishing third in two heats and coming second in the final, ahead of Clarkson. Meanwhile, May was the least successful, finishing last in two heats and third in the "loser's final". The trio then conclude that you can go motor racing with less investment than golfing (all the cars, including race modifications, costs less than £2000, whereas golf costs more than that). Winner: Hammond

Finding the source of the river Nile

Series Nineteen, Episode Six and Seven

The three were given a budget of £1,500 to buy a second hand estate car in Britain which they would then be using to find the source of the River Nile in Africa. Jeremy bought a 1999 BMW 528i, James a 1996 Volvo 850 R and Hammond a 2002 Subaru Impreza WRX. The Backup car was a 1998 Ford Scorpio,a car loathed by the three of them. The starting point was a small town in Uganda. After traveling to Lake Victoria, which many people think is the source of the River Nile, the boys noticed, that Lake Victoria is fed by several rivers that come from different locations. After a look on the map, the three found some other lakes further south which could be the source of the Nile. So they started their long drive south. After sleeping in a really poor hotel the boys decided to convert their cars into "mobile homes". Hammond installed a little kitchen, Jeremy a cooling box full of beer, and a toilet on the outside of his car, and James a little garage complete with tools. All of them also installed some sort of bed. After a long drive through Africa, which showed that Hammond made a clever choice with his all wheel drive Subaru in view of all those dirt tracks, and several "modifications" (the guys were stealing bits from each other's cars to modify their own car) the boys were getting closer. Whilst driving over some rough dirt tracks the cars suffered a lot. There were several punctures and Hammond broke his wishbone on the passengers side. During the night, he was able to fix it so they could finish their journey together. But the Producers then told them, that only one could find the "Source of the river Nile" and so only one could find his name in the history books. This meant a final race between the three. Even though Hammond was making the best progress on the rough roads and dirt tracks thanks to his AWD Subaru, May was the first to find the true source of the river Nile which made him the winner. Winner: May and two other blokes

Proving that hot hatchbacks from their youth are better than their modern equivalents

Season Twenty-One, Episode One

They were sent out to buy any hot hatchback from their youth - specifically the 1980s. Clarkson bought a Volkswagen Golf GTi, May bought a Ford XR2i and Hammond bought a Vauxhall Nova SRi. Challenges faced included a hill climb (during the return trip, Hammond crashed his Nova, setting up a running joke throughout the challenge,) a "supermarket sweep" gymkhana event through a closed supermarket, (with Hammond again finishing on his side), and a drag race, in which Hammond critically damaged his car's engine after accidentally changing from second gear into first instead of third. The last challenge involved the cars being chased by the "TGPD" (Top Gear Police Department) to see how long they could evade pursuit. Hammond was caught instantly due to his damaged engine, while both Clarkson and May had their cars destroyed after long drawn out pursuits. In the end the presenters decided that as all their cars had won an individual event, all three were the winners. All winners

Homemade ambulance challenge

Season Twenty-Two, Episode Three

The men decide to improve ambulances. Initially, they modify a P45 (Series 19, Episode 1) with a flashing beacon and a gurney which attaches to a rear-mounted hitch, but this fails when the gurney jackknifes and ejects the patient. The producers then instruct the presenters to "do it properly", and each buy an alternative to the standard ambulance used by the NHS (a Mercedes Sprinter), with their choices being tested in a series of challenges. For £5000, Hammond bought a customised Chevy G20 V8 Van, which he lauded for its 5.7 litre V8 engine and its bargain price (compared to the £150,000 cost of a standard NHS ambulance). Clarkson bought a Porsche 944 Turbo, with the idea that the patient could be stowed under the all-glass hatchback; Hammond points out that the patient would bake in the tight, glass-enclosed space. May bought a hearse – a Ford Scorpio Cardinal – which was roundly mocked by the others, despite May pointing out the potent Cosworth-designed V6 engine and traction control. Winner: Hammond

Find a cheap car that still lives up to the title of classic

Season Twenty-Two, Episode Eight

Due to rocketing classic car prices, a Jaguar E-Type is worth £200,000, whereas a Ferrari Daytona is worth £700,000, and an Aston Martin DB5 is worth £1,000,000. The trio are told to buy affordable classics and report with them to an old railway station in Buckinghamshire. There, they are told they must live like classic car enthusiasts. Hammond arrives first in an MGB GT, a car that he believes is the most iconic British sports car. Clarkson arrives next in a Fiat 124 Spider which he admits is incredibly pretty but describes that it will go wrong all the time like all classic cars. Finally, May arrives in a Peugeot 304 S Cabriolet which arrives broken down. After starting May's car, the trio set off on classic car drive in rainy weather. Although Hammond's MG suffers no problems, Clarkson hates his Fiat due to it having American specifications (such as 5-mph bumpers, raised ride height, and oversized aftermarket wheels), which makes it difficult to drive. Although May is positive about his Peugeot, he continues to suffer more breakdowns. While Hammond is initially positive, he and Clarkson eventually get fed up with May's continuous breakdowns and leave him behind. Season Twenty Two, Episode Eight is unusual in that it had two cheap-car challenges, "Find a cheap car that still lives up to the title of classic" and "Cheap SUV challenge".

Cheap SUV challenge

Season Twenty-Two, Episode Eight

In response to the growing numbers of lifestyle SUVs, they were asked to buy a lifestyle SUV with a maximum budget of £250. May was the first to arrive in a little Mitsubishi Shogun Pinin which he bought for just £150, followed by Hammond in a Jeep Cherokee which he bought for £250, and then Clarkson in a Vauxhall Frontera Sport RS which he bought for just £140. Challenges include a snow slope climbing test (where Hammond failed to engage his 4WD), a game of tag with caravans hitched to their cars and featuring "Leisure Stig" in a Kia Sportage, a 0-60 acceleration and braking test at a muddy test area with "Leisure Stig" setting the benchmark in a Kia Sportage (where James made his way to a muddy pond at the end of the track), modifying their own cars to suit the lifestyle theme better and doing some "leisure activity" at a nearby pond, rolling their cars down a steep cliff to test the car's robustness and safety, and to wrap it up, a five-mile-long off-road race from a Yorkshire grouse moor to a conference and dinner held at Yorkshire's Broughton Hall, where the last to arrive had to do an after-dinner speech. During the race, James was initially left far behind, but caught up later due to him managed to found a farm track that enabled him to overtake Clarkson and Hammond, who were bogged down. Hammond eventually freed himself from the mud, and Clarkson, upset for not being able to climb a small crest after fording a small river, had to cut the Frontera in half. Eventually, Hammond had to deliver the after dinner speech, which didn't please the crowds, marking their final appearance. Season Twenty Two, Episode Eight is unusual in that it had two cheap-car challenges, "Find a cheap car that still lives up to the title of classic" and "Cheap SUV challenge".