Top Gear (series 22)

Promotional Poster
Country of origin	United Kingdom
No. of episodes	10
Release
Original network	BBC Two
Original release	27 December 2014 (2014-12-27) – 28 June 2015 (2015-06-28)

The twenty-second series of British motoring programme Top Gear, which aired on BBC Two and BBC Two HD from 27 December 2014, was the last series to feature the regular presenting team of Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, James May; it was also Andy Wilman's last series as the show's executive producer. Filming of the series was hinted by Clarkson in a tweet made on 29 April 2014, before he later stated on 7 July that year, that he was going to Morroco to start filming for the show, with a media outlet in Australia revealing that the trio were filming in the country's Northern Territory in October. A two-part Christmas special to preclude the series, titled the "Patagonia Special", was announced on the 25 November 2014, with the first part airing on 27 December, and the second part a day later on the 28 December.

The series is notable for controversies that arose, following two major incidents that occurred during filming. The first surrounded an attack on the trio and their film crew by Argentinian veterans of the Falklands War, while they were filming the Patagonia special, who accused the trio of driving a car with licence plates that deliberately referenced the war; the incident was shown as part of the second part of the special. The second incident concerned an assault on a producer by Clarkson, which led to his suspension from the show and the subsequent non-renewal of his contract by the BBC, on 10 March 2015. While Wilman had stated in the January 2015 issue of Top Gear Magazine (issue 265) that Series 22 would contain 10 episodes, only 7 episodes were aired; the final three were withdrawn in the wake of Clarkson's suspension. Although the Director General stated that "the BBC would look into how they can put out the remaining episodes in the current series", the official Top Gear website announced on 8 June 2015 that the segments that had been filmed for the final three episodes, would be shown later in the year. An official announcement by the BBC on 15 June, confirmed that the filmed segments had be allocated to a 75-minute special that was under production. This special was shown on 28 June that year, and was hosted by Hammond and May.

In November 2015, the BBC announced a Top Gear Christmas special would be shown, called Top Gear A-Z, and would consist of clips from the last 22 series to mark the end of an era for the presenting trio. The special was narrated by comedian John Bishop.

Episodes

Total	No.	Title	Review	Features/challenges	Guest	Original air date	UK viewers (million)
167	0-1	"Patagonia Special, Part 1"	None	Drive from Bariloche to Ushuaia: (Porsche 928 GT • Lotus Esprit V8 • Ford Mustang Mach 1)	None	27 December 2014 (2014-12-27)	7.21
As a tribute to the 60th anniversary of the small-block V8 engine, the trio decide to buy V8-powered cars and take them to South America. Jeremy Clarkson chooses a Porsche 928 GT, which Richard Hammond and James May mock for being boring, but Clarkson supports his choice by noting that another 928 allowed him to see his ill father before he died. Hammond chooses a 1971 Ford Mustang Mach 1, which is berated for having a number of features that were for style only, though Hammond defends it as being from the last year of the "great American V8". May chooses a Lotus Esprit V8, which is constantly belittled for its notorious history of unreliability, and May himself even admits it is "a risk". Initially, they are told that they have to travel 130 miles to Butch Cassidy's final resting place; the apparent ease of the challenge shocks and delights the presenters, especially Clarkson, who holds Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid to be his favourite movie of all time. On the way, after driving through Bariloche (a place Hammond describes as "a haven for Nazi war criminals"), Hammond's car experiences problems due to unreliable power steering and high fuel consumption (later discovered to be due to fuel leaking from the filler upon hard acceleration). The Mustang then breaks down a mile and a half from the destination, much to Clarkson's annoyance. Being unable to fix it, Hammond is forced to push it the rest of the way. After spending the night in the Butch Cassidy house, the trio are given a new challenge by the producers – to drive to Ushuaia in Tierra del Fuego, the southernmost city in the world (1600 miles away from their present location), to engage the locals in "car football" (first seen in Series 6, Episode 1). In a moment of foreshadowing, Clarkson notes that the ARA General Belgrano sailed from Ushuaia to take part in the Falklands War, and was ultimately the first Argentine ship the British forces sunk. The trio begin by finding a road to take them from Argentina into Chile, where Hammond blames Clarkson's choice of road for his car's breakdowns. Irritated at the Mustang's lack of reliability, Clarkson and May stick Peugeot stickers and badges on it to "try and make it more reliable." The trio also encounter a few problems including an unstable bridge that leads to a dead-end, a swamp where Clarkson and Hammond get stuck and must be rescued (unbelievably, by May's Esprit), and an incomplete bridge between their road and the Road To The South. At this point, Clarkson realises that the Lotus is surprisingly doing the best of the three cars. At a rest stop, all three learn that their back-up car for the trip is a Citroën 2CV, which had followed them since Bariloche. Clarkson admits to having a particular dislike of the 2CV, noting that he ranted about it for 20 minutes when doing a screentest for the original show. Hammond meanwhile, fed up with the route they have taken and the damage done to his car, takes over, but his route (to take them back to Argentina) proves even worse. All three vehicles suffer problems – May's car gets bogged down in mud, Hammond's loses another two gears, and Clarkson's Porsche develops numerous electrical issues after a broken shock absorber punctures the car's wiring harness. Hammond and May continue on while Clarkson attempts to mend the Porsche. Their eventual reunion is marred by Hammond revealing they will be camping for the night. May and Hammond further irritate Clarkson by adding garish visuals to his Porsche and rewiring the third brake light to the center of his dashboard during the night, so he can "monitor his own braking" and make his car "less boring". The next day, angered, Clarkson revokes Hammond's leadership role and takes it upon himself, much to May's approval.
168	0-2	"Patagonia Special, Part 2"	None	Drive from Bariloche to Ushuaia: (Porsche 928 GT • Lotus Esprit V8 • Ford Mustang Mach 1)	None	28 December 2014 (2014-12-28)	7.38
While driving southwards, Clarkson becomes bored, and decides to create a track on a dry lake bed to practice cornering. Clarkson creates a (poor) facsimile of the racetrack at Imola, and the three race around it until Hammond's windscreen is smashed by debris; Hammond also finds gravel in his carburettor from the track. After repairs are made, the trio realise that they do not remember where the road was located. When they locate the road again, a locked gate bars their way. Rather than batter the gate down with their cars, May suggests that they walk to a town 12 km (7.5 mi) away to collect boltcutters, but Clarkson immediately opposes this, and suggests riding horses instead. Unfortunately, May – duplicating Hammond's problems in Burma – falls off of his horse and cracks three ribs. This causes him to become fiercely crochety, as well as immensely slow getting in and out of his car. Despite the worsening condition of the Porsche, Clarkson decides they should now focus on the football game and obtain supplies with which to build a football stadium. Clarkson and Hammond convert their cars into pickup trucks, while May, still in pain, builds a trailer to hitch onto the back of his Lotus. They fill their vehicles with supplies, including a "trophy" based on a chandelier. As a joke gift, Clarkson and Hammond buy May a toy horse, which May names "Brokeback". After travelling further south to the next town, all three board a ferry to Ushuaia. Due to territorial disputes between Argentina and Chile, they are dropped on a beach a mile away from the road to the city. The intervening beach is a maze of boulders, and is constrained by the rising tide; most of their supplies are wasted getting across the beach, while the Lotus is trapped by the rising tide, forcing the trio to camp under the night sky (which they rather enjoy, bar having to eat beaver for dinner). The next day, on a high mountain pass, the Mustang crashes into a wall of ice and shears a track rod. While Hammond repairs it, the others reach a river where an enormous lorry provides them with a ferry service. May is forced to leave behind his trailer (and the few remaining supplies it contains) as it will not fit on the lorry, though he brings the toy horse with him. Hammond soon reunites with them, although he is forced to have his Mustang dragged through the river by a bulldozer (as Clarkson and May fail to inform him about the lorry). Just before their arrival to Ushuaia, they are informed that, despite the car football stadium being built and rival cars provided, a protest has begun ahead of them, which forces the group to stop at a hotel. Discussions between the producers and representatives of the protesters fail to ease the tension, as the protesters are convinced that Clarkson's registration plate (H982 FKL) is a deliberate reference to the 1982 Falklands War. The protesters give the film crew and the presenters just three hours to completely pack their kit and get out of Argentina. Despite complying (the presenters departure was not revealed), the crew were attacked in their cars near Tolhuin by an organised mob, who slowed their convoy with a commandeered truck and then hurled eggs, rocks and pick-axe handles at the crew's vehicles, injuring two crew members. To speed their exit, the presenters' cars were abandoned, due to them attracting too much attention. After being advised that an even bigger mob awaited their convoy at the next major city (Rio Grande), the crew left the road to cross the river back to Chile. The morning light revealed the damage their vehicles suffered, with many having their windows and door mirrors broken. The crew, however, made it back across the river, and into the safety of Chile. In the ending scene, Clarkson, Hammond, and May discuss what to do in a cabin, before jumping out in a "Butch Cassidy-style" ending sequence. During the end credits, each member of the cast and crew's first name was credited as "Robert Leroy", in homage to Robert Leroy Parker, famously known as Butch Cassidy.
169	1	"Series 22, Episode 1"	Lamborghini Huracán • Renault Twizy	Race across the urban landscape of St Petersburg	Ed Sheeran	25 January 2015 (2015-01-25)	6.41
Review: Hammond reviews the new Lamborghini Huracán. While he is impressed with the car's acceleration, top speed, its gearbox, and its handling – all of which are improved from the Gallardo and from older Lamborghinis – Hammond feels that, to have fun with the Huracán, you need your own test track. While he believes that the Huracán is a beautiful car, he also believes that it does not have the presence that a Lamborghini should have, believing its makers had decided to play it "safe". To prove his point, Hammond plays a montage of all the previous Lamborghinis he has reviewed, all of which he enjoyed immensely. Hammond concludes that, although the Huracán is a better car than any of them, the previous cars are better Lamborghinis due to them both looking and feeling more special. Clarkson agrees with a sentiment, saying that Lamborghini should not be making cars just to please their accountants. The Stig posts a lap time of 1.15.8, making the Huracán faster than the McLaren MP4-12C and faster than its big brother the Aventador. It also makes it the fastest Lamborghini to have lapped the Top Gear Test Track. News: The trio initially realize that none of them are in the news area, so they show a clip of a squirrel to hide their sneaking over to the news area. They then discuss the following: a new type of speed camera coming to Britain's motorways; Boris Johnson's plans to create a low-emission zone in London; the Ariel Nomad, which Hammond desires greatly; the new hybrid Honda NSX; and the new Ford GT, which Clarkson does not want to buy due to his problems with his first-generation Ford GT. Clarkson admits to making a mistake in the Patagonia Special...revealing he had claimed the Condor was the largest bird, when it is actually the Wandering Albatross. "City-Cross" race: The presenters decide to redo the race they did in London between all of them, this time travelling across St. Petersburg. Clarkson selects a hovercraft, Hammond chooses a £9,000 bicycle, May picks a Renault Twizy, and the Stig again relies on public transport. From the start, neither Hammond or Clarkson have it easy with their choice of transport. Clarkson found driving his hovercraft – which he called a Russian design of the presenters' Hovervan – to be quite difficult; along with his instruments and controls being in Russian, he could not keep the craft pointing forward or in a straight line. Meanwhile, Hammond, while managing to overtake and then be overtaken by May, ran afoul of the city's tramlines. Hammond caught a wheel in one of the rails and fell, shearing off the bicycle's derailleur and rendering it useless. The others continued racing and Hammond soon re-entered the race on a second bike, which was borrowed from a passer-by (who was given a lift to his work as compensation). May, meanwhile, suffered no issues whatsoever, and so was able to enjoy the car he was driving. He remarked how he liked the fact that it was designed for European cities, having two seats in tandem, an electric engine, and scissor doors. However, as he reached the city-centre, he discovered that the city's streets and roads were much wider than he expected them to be. Clarkson, who managed to gain the lead despite the handling issues, soon hit the city-centre, where he attempted to use narrow, peaceful canals to avoid the heavy river traffic he encountered. Unfortunately for him, this led him towards low bridges instead, which required him to deflate the hovercraft's skirts repeatedly to squeeze under the bridges. Although his new bicycle was slower and less comfortable than his first mount, Hammond began to catch up to May and Clarkson. Clarkson and Hammond soon reached the finish line, with Hammond coming in just moments after Clarkson, only to find that both had been beaten by May, who was waiting in hiding for them. While they commented that the car had redeemed itself in the race, they realised that one of them was missing. The Stig, who had suffered no major issues when using public transport, failed to finish in the end: he had spotted a Porsche 911 and was banging his helmet against the fence that protected it. Star in a Reasonably Priced Car: Ed Sheeran sets a lap time of 1.54.3 on a wet track, becoming the second slowest star to drive around the track in the Vauxhall Astra Tech Line.
170	2	"Series 22, Episode 2"	None	Australian Northern Territory road trip in GT cars: (BMW M6 Gran Coupe • Nissan GT-R • Bentley Continental GT V8S)	Kiefer Sutherland	1 February 2015 (2015-02-01)	6.56
Road trip: The trio travel through the Northern Territory, Australia, on a four day road trip from Darwin to a 3.2 million acre (13,000 km2) cattle station to herd cattle with three modern Grand-Tourer cars. Clarkson chose the BMW M6 Gran Coupe, Hammond went for the Bentley Continental GT V8S, and May took the Nissan GT-R. Prior to their departure, Clarkson bemoans the fact that the letters on May's number plate could be a monarchical reference and therefore potentially offensive to Australian republicans (a joke picked up and carried by the others in reference to their troubles in Patagonia where locals believed that Clarkson's licence plate had a secondary meaning). During their first day, Clarkson and May debated whose car was the fastest, and performed a drag race on an abandoned WWII airfield to find out. Hammond also took part despite fears that his Bentley had less power and would lose badly due to it not having launch control like the other two. May stopped shortly after the start, pointing out that Clarkson had challenged him on being fastest "off the line" and that he had clearly beaten him "off the line". Clarkson disputed May's claim, but video revealed that the Nissan was indeed first to set off using launch control (by 16 m (52 ft)), followed by the Bentley, with the M6 starting last as it struggled for traction. A second full-on race was agreed upon, without launch control and to the finish. The M6 won this race, followed by the Bentley, with the GT-R coming in last. After the race, the trio drove to their "motel" and "fish restaurant" set up by the producers – a campsite next to a swamp, where they would camp and catch their supper from crocodile-infested waters. On the second day, concerned about animals jumping out into the road, the trio set about testing their brakes. Using an empty stretch of straight road, each presenter had to accelerate to 60 mph (97 km/h), and then brake when they reached a checkered flag marker. The Highway Code claims that braking distance at this speed will be 240 ft (73 m). The three men quickly make a mockery of this distance with the 2.5 long tons (2.5 t) Bentley stopping in less than half the distance. The M6 managed an even shorter distance than the Bentley, despite having steel, not ceramic brakes. The GT-R braked faster than the Bentley, but was not as quick as the BMW. Despite the BMW's win, Clarkson says the test was not about the win, but about disproving the Highway Code. The next test of their cars was at the Frances Creek open pit iron mine. Here, they would each take their cars up the service road that ran along the walls of the mine. A benchmark time of 1:17.8 was set by the Stig's Australian cousin in a HSV Maloo GTS ute. Clarkson went first, and set a time of 1:31.6 in his M6 after turning his traction control off, whilst Hammond went second and managed a much faster time of 1:18.6 in his Bentley. May – who was confident of his car, but not his own skills – pulled the British Stig out of the boot of his GT-R. Driving well past the finish line, ostensibly to turn around, May switched places with the Stig and passed off a time of 1:13.3 as his own, leaving Clarkson suspicious of how May had managed to achieve that result. After a second night of camping, the trio had to drive through the heat on the third day to reach their destination, overtaking three road trains with relative ease. Reaching the entry to the cattle station just as night had fallen, they eventually reached the homestead. With no spare beds, they were forced to camp for a third night. In the morning, the three were sent out on their main challenge – to find and herd 4,000 cattle into a large pen using their cars. The trio were staggered by the fact that the station was the same size as the southeast of England. Having difficulty finding the cattle they were to herd, they became excited upon discovering four and began herding them. This effort proved fruitless and Hammond bogged the Bentley as the terrain became sandy. The four cattle ran off into the bush, making any further effort toward a roundup impossible. However, when the trio at last discovered the herd, the sheer volume of cattle overwhelmed them. They were then forced to bring in back-up – a duo of Robinson R22 helicopters, whose skilled pilots work the dangerous job of rounding up cattle. With the cars assisting the helicopters, they managed to herd the cattle into the pen, declaring their efforts "ambitious, but not rubbish". Back in the studio, the presenters remarked with amazement that all three cars had travelled to the cattle station and done the final challenge without breaking down. However, when trying to choose the best car out of the three, both Hammond and May claimed theirs was the best, which soon led them to arguing about the flaws of each other's car (and Clarkson's as well). Clarkson, after he stopped them arguing, pointed out his BMW was the best, but stated he would not buy one, owing to the depreciation on the M6. However, when faced with choosing one of the other two cars, Clarkson revealed he'd rather ignore his car's flaws and still go for it. Star in a Reasonably Priced Car: Kiefer Sutherland talked about his role as Jack Bauer in 24, then he posted a time of 1:49.2 on a wet track.
171	3	"Series 22, Episode 3"	None	Homemade ambulance challenge: (Porsche 944 Turbo • Ford Scorpio Cardinal • Chevy G20 V8 Van)	Daniel Ricciardo	8 February 2015 (2015-02-08)	6.14
News: Clarkson answers complaints about an exploded cow on the Road Trip in the previous episode, followed by the trio giving driving tips for new immigrants. In discussing government-mandated stopping distances, Clarkson reveals that a modern car can stop from 112 mph in the space the government believes a car needs to stop from 70 mph. May reveals a new Ferrari, the 488 GTB, that will replace the 458 (as Clarkson and Hammond mock May's now-"worthless" 458 Italia, mirroring how Clarkson said when reviewing the 458 that it would obsolete the F430, mocking how May also owned an F430 at the time); McLaren reveal a photo of an "unfinished" new car (which was a picture of just the car's monocoque); Land Rover reveal a new version of their Range Rover Evoque range, called the NW8. Cheap car challenge: 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. For their first challenge – a drag race – each vehicle would be driven against each other and a standard NHS ambulance. The race was won by Clarkson, with May coming in second, and Hammond in last, while all three beat the ambulance. After this race, each was told to take their choice away, modify them, and then report back to the Test Track with their creation. May redesigned his hearse for comfort, with a plush interior, an agonizingly slow motorised bay door, and a loud-speaker system for a siren. Clarkson redesigned his Porsche with a split-tailgate rear door, a hydraulic handbrake, a siren which played The Bee Gees' "Stayin' Alive", and a special ram that could be raised and lowered, leading him to nicknaming his creation as the "Rambulance". Hammond redesigned his van as an ersatz "Nuclear Disposal" vehicle that spewed green smoke to terrify other motorists into giving it the right-of-way; he also added a nitrous oxide injection system for the engine. Their next challenge was a timed lap around the Test Track – the Stig would drive each presenter around the course (modified with speed humps) under a benchmark time of 3:00, while they tended to a patient in the rear and completed three medical procedures with them. Hammond managed a time of 2:17 and completed all the procedures, although his brakes faded badly and made a mess on himself while doing the procedures. May achieved a time of 12:28 – owing to his slow bay door (which broke), as well as the vehicle having difficulty clearing the speed humps, requiring the Stig to slow down significantly for them – but he did manage to complete two procedures. Clarkson achieved a time of 2:24, but failed to perform any procedures, owing to the cramped space in the back of his car and his transfixion with the mannequin's penis. After this challenge, the trio were tasked with getting a patient from their ambulance into a hospital as quickly as possible. All three failed this test. Clarkson tried to use a sling-shot "centrifugal force" manoeuvre with his ambulance, which flung his gurney into the ambulance bay doorframe. The patient almost enters, though Hammond and May point out that the patient itself is not in the hospital, only part of the stretcher. Hammond used an air cannon, which fired his gurney through the closed rear door of his ambulance and into the side of another ambulance. May used a SatNav-equipped robotic gurney, which entered the hospital – and then exited the ambulance bay, driving away from the hospital entirely. For their final challenge, the trio, who set up an "International Rescue" styled base, were told to go to Theale to deal with a "meteor strike". Driving there, they found their sirens did not work to move people out of the way. After becoming lost finding the accident scene, each arrived forty minutes later, with the brakes on Hammond's van on fire at the time of arrival. Once there, the trio are informed that they would be racing each other to a hospital on the other side of the town, each ambulance carrying a computerised "patient" that will deduct ten seconds from its "life clock" for every jolt it receives. May initially drove carefully, but – after a long delay caused by an incompetent driver in a Peugeot 406 – drove with reckless abandon. Hammond and Clarkson, meanwhile, drove recklessly from the off; Hammond even tried his nitrous oxide system, which caused him to lose control of his ambulance and crash through a wooden fence. May reached the hospital first, but the rear compartment was empty, as his hurrying had caused his patient to be ejected through the damaged rear door of his ambulance. Clarkson came in second, and managed to not only get his patient to the hospital with an unexpired "life clock", but also to deliver his patient through the A+E door. Hammond came in last, and, along with setting his brakes on fire again, managed to use his air cannon to fire his "patient" through the Reception window of the hospital. Back in the studio, May lost badly, after being penalised heavily for a couple of failures. It was argued, however, that though May had lost badly, the actual design of the ambulance was good – it was ruined by May. Clarkson was narrowly beaten by Hammond, who despite winning, was criticised for creating a slow, expensive, fire-prone ambulance that would potentially ruin the NHS. F1 Driver in a Reasonably Priced Car: Daniel Ricciardo set a time of 1:42.2, in the Suzuki Liana, beating Lewis Hamilton's time.
172	4	"Series 22, Episode 4"	BMW M3 • BMW i8 • Mercedes-AMG GT S	Hammond pays homage to the Land Rover Defender	Margot Robbie • Will Smith	15 February 2015 (2015-02-15)	6.24
Review: May reviews the Mercedes-AMG GT S at the track. Despite his initial criticism, he finds his mind on AMGs being changed by it. He is impressed by the speed, noting that it uses less fuel and goes just as fast as the old SLS AMG. He finds the design to be quite good, both interior and exterior. He enjoys the handling, which he claims gives him "the Fizz", and the noises it generates. May claims it to be an AMG designed for a "grown up," and to be much better than previous AMGs. However, back in the studio, he claimed to Clarkson that he'd still have a Nissan GT-R, which he describes as the finest car in the world. Before the Stig drove the AMG GT around the track, he punched a cut-out of Daniel Ricciardo for his time the previous week. He then posted a lap time of 1.17.5, making it faster than the GT-R and faster than the old SLS AMG Black. It also makes it the fastest Mercedes to have lapped the Top Gear Test Track. Review: Clarkson introduces the new BMW M3. He claims that, despite having a smaller engine, its turbocharger gives it more horsepower and more torques than the previous M3, making it four seconds faster around the Top Gear Test Track. He then heads to the track and tests how it drives. He initially describes how it is hard to hold a drift in the car due to the power steering being electric rather than hydraulic. However, after this small criticism, he puts the steering in Comfort mode and finds it much nicer to drift. Clarkson concludes his review claiming that the new M3 is almost the perfect car, as it is not only fast and nice to drive, but is also well-made, seats four, comfortable, quiet, has a decent-sized boot, and has lots of standard equipment. Clarkson claims that it is the best modern BMW to buy. However, he then reports that – due to modern environmental times – there is another new BMW, the radical new i8. He claims that it does 155mph and 134mpg. Clarkson sets the sat-nav for Whitby, due to the fact that it has the best Fish and Chips. He also states that there is an M3 at Whitby, and he must decide which of the two new BMW's he will use for the drive home. Clarkson selects Comfort mode for the first half of the journey, due to him being on the A1. He then notes that, in Comfort mode, the batteries are not being charged and eventually they will run flat. He then pulls into a service station where he plans to charge the car up through the mains. This does not work fast enough to be useful, however. He suggests two solutions: either to drive without the batteries, or to put the car in Sport mode, whereby the batteries are being charged up as he drives along. Clarkson notes that, in Sport mode, the i8 is as fast as a Porsche 911 or a Chevrolet Corvette Stingray – so fast that he soon arrives in the north of England. He agrees that the i8 had impressed him so far with its technology. However, to see if it is a true petrol-head's car, he turns off the A1 and plunges into the North York Moors. While driving in the Moors, he is thoroughly impressed by the i8's handling. He attributes this to its lightness and its low centre of gravity, thanks to the battery pack being placed low in the middle of the car. He then points out that the faster he goes, the more electricity is created for the electric motors. He then claims that hybrids are not the future due to them having two motors, but states that the benefits of owning an i8 are immense. He drives into Whitby in Electric mode, using the electricity he gained on the Moors, claiming that "if you want to save the planet, drive fast!" Upon arriving in Whitby Harbour – and after deciding to have cod instead of haddock – he has to choose which one of the two new BMWs he would use for the drive home. Clarkson initially describes it as the hardest thing ever, due the M3 being the best at where we have come from, and the i8 being where we are going. He then makes up his mind and – upon walking towards the M3 – he instead gets into the i8 and drives that back to London. Back in the studio however, Clarkson reveals that after rethinking, he prefers the M3, because the i8 has some niggles such as poor rear visibility, microscopic boot, tiny fuel tank, a window that does not go all the way down, and that Wayne Rooney has just bought one. He also only recorded 31 mpg, despite BMW's claim that it does 135mpg. Both May and Clarkson agree that hybrids "are on the right road, but they are not there just yet," just like the early laptops. Feature: Hammond pays tribute to the Land Rover Defender, a vehicle that was designed by a war veteran, and which has an extensive history as an rugged off-road car. Hammond starts off explaining that several of mankind's great inventions started out as drawings in the sand on a beach, such as the Rolls-Royce Merlin engine, Norman Woodland's barcode, and Maurice Wilks' 1947 design for the Land Rover. Hammond points out that there was an issue with the prototype: the steering wheel was located in the centre, which would make hand signals a problem. The first Land Rover was 'born' just ten months after the prototype, which came in Spitfire green due to it being the only colour paint that they could lay their hands on. Hammond goes on to explain that the British military bought thousands of the vehicles, and they were used by everyone from the Medical Corps to the SAS. Civilian versions included a Land Rover tank, train, conveyor belt, snowplough, fire engine, and hovervan. It was the first production vehicle to travel the 18,000 miles from England to Singapore, the first vehicle to cross the Bering Strait, and the vehicle Ranulph Fiennes chose for his trans-global expedition. To celebrate its long life, as its production comes to an end, Hammond took a 64-year-old Land Rover Defender to the Claerwen dam in Wales to replicate a car stunt used for an advert. He made certain the Defender could climb up the steep face of the dam using a strong winch powered by a secondary engine placed on a tilted hinge (as the steep incline would cause the primary engine to starve for petrol). Despite enduring a terrifying time, Hammond could not climb over onto the flat dam top due to where the winch cable was attached, which resulted in him having to be winched back down to the bottom. Back in the studio, Clarkson and May commented on Hammond's failure to get to the top of dam, and May informs him that Land Rover are working on a new Defender. Stars in a Reasonably Priced Car: Margot Robbie & Will Smith talked about their role in the upcoming Focus. Both set laps, Margot achieved a lap time of 1.47.1, while Smith sets a time of 1.47.2.
173	5	"Series 22, Episode 5"	Porsche Cayman GTS • Chevrolet Corvette Stingray • LaFerrari	May and Clarkson look at the weird and wonderful history of Peugeot	Olly Murs	22 February 2015 (2015-02-22)	6.04
Review: Hammond reviews the new Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, terming it the best looking Corvette for years. He is impressed by the speed and noise, claiming it would give May "the Fizz." He describes how, at a cost of only £65,000, it is cheaper than all of its rivals from Europe. He then moves onto the Porsche Cayman GTS, which costs about the same but loses a drag race to the Corvette due to it having less horsepower and less torque. He then describes how the Porsche handles precisely and nimbly, claiming this is why Europe has been "the king of sports cars". Hammond then turns back to the Corvette, describing how it has carbon-fibre suspension, proper seats, different driving modes for road and track, and full testing at the Nurburgring (unlike previous Corvettes). He then states that the handling is pitch perfect and as precise as the Porsche, but that the Corvette had not lost its "redneck charm". He claims the new Corvette to be a proper rival for the Europeans, as well as the best sports car ever to come out of America. Back in the studio, both Hammond and Clarkson agree that the Corvette is the better car, despite Clarkson claiming that there would be some problems if you were seen in one. The Stig set laps in both cars: the Porsche achieved a lap time of 1:21.6, and the Corvette sets a time of 1:19.8, making it faster than the old Corvette ZR1. It also makes it the fastest Corvette ever to lap the Top Gear Test Track. Review: May reviews the Ferrari LaFerrari. He first says it is much better looking than its main rivals, the McLaren P1 and the Porsche 918, and makes a much better noise. May then reveals the LaFerrari is built from four different types of carbon fibre, so it is lighter than the P1 and 918 and has a lower centre of gravity. Like the P1 and 918, the LaFerrari is a hybrid with an electric motor connected to its V12, but unlike them, it cannot be driven on electric power alone. Instead, the battery and motor combination works like the Kinetic Energy Recovery (KERS) System in Formula 1. May then says that, with all its luxuries and ride, it is actually quite civilised. He then heads to Fiorano Circuit. The LaFerrari has a 0–60 time of 2.9 seconds and a top speed of 218mph making it faster than both the P1 and 918. May claims that even the most timid can unleash all the power, and the KERS System gives it an extra boost. He then describes the traction control and active aerodynamics (using 21 computers), which according to Ferrari means that people can take Fiorano's Turn 7 flat out. May does this successfully. He then states that, like the P1, the LaFerrari is rear wheel drive, but is not as scary, meaning that it is remarkably easy to handle and corners beautifully. May concludes by saying that the reason Hammond thinks the Porsche is best is because it takes the concept of the hybrid-supercar the furthest, Clarkson thinks the McLaren is best because it takes hybrid systems and uses it to make supercars more exciting, and May thinks the Ferrari is the best because it uses the same principle as the McLaren but it looks better and in his mind *is* better. Back in the studio, when the presenters ask the audience if they wish to see the three rivals on the test track, Clarkson reveals that while Porsche accepted the challenge, McLaren refuse to do the test on their track due to the Hammerhead favouring the Porsche, and Ferrari claimed they "were not interested in speed." McLaren then say that all three cars must be owned by customers so they are road-legal, whereas Ferrari want them all to be factory fresh. As none want to compromise, May points out that he knows someone with a LaFerrari, but Clarkson says that if a LaFerrari owner lent them their car, Ferrari would prevent them from ever buying a limited edition car again. Clarkson then reveals that there is a man in the Middle East who owns all three cars and may be willing to offer, but as he is a cousin of Osama bin Laden, they are wary of asking. All three agree to hope for a call from Ferrari and McLaren to accept the challenge. Feature: Clarkson and May pay homage to one of the most innovative and brilliant car makers, Peugeot. Clarkson starts by describing how the camel used to be only way of travel around deserts of North Africa until 1968. He reveals that, despite what people believe about the Land Rover and the Jeep being the first cars that took people into the back waters, it was actually the Peugeot 504. He described that due to its cheap parts, good ground clearance, and rugged dependability, it was known as the "King of Africa". He then reveals that some 504's have been to places no Land Rover could reach, concluding that 40 years ago Peugeot was the byword for rugged dependability. But then, in 1983, Peugeot decided not to make rugged and dependable cars any more, but to make sport cars instead. May then points out that the best example of this was the 205 GTI, being one of the best hot hatches of the 1980s, and he was surprised that this was made by the same people who did the 504. Clarkson reveals that, before making cars, Peugeot started out by making very strong steel in 1810. Then, in 1840, it started making pepper grinders, which many described as the best in the world, and then, in 1852, it started making corsets. Then, in 1882, May reveals that Peugeot started making bicycles, and finally, it started making ammunition until 1943, when Peugeot decided that they did not want to make ammunition any more and instead destroyed their entire factory. This suggested a reason for the massive transition from tough cars to sporty cars. He then reveals that the 205 T16 was so successful and reliable that it won 16 rally championships, beating Ford, Audi and Lancia. However, in 2000, the company made a transition from sporty cars to terrible cars with shocking adverts. The transition was acted out by Clarkson and May using a Peugeot 307 CC and a Peugeot 407. They drove them like modern Peugeot drivers: over-revving the engines in low gears, listening to BBC Radio 2, making unnecessarily wide turns, and calling other drivers "maniacs". This leads to constant crashes at corners, double mini roundabouts, car parks, and fields. Their cars also catch fire and fall apart. May and Clarkson conclude that Peugeot deliberately made terrible cars for such a long time and decide that when the company changes its mind again, it will start making cows. Back in the studio, Hammond questions their theory, but they point out that Peugeot keeps selling their bad cars (which are made as cheaply as possible) on purpose, because the high number of Peugeot owners won't even notice the faults, and due to the fact that they are not interested in Top Gear. Star in a Reasonably Priced Car: Olly Murs set a time of 1:44.6, beating Aaron Paul's time.
174	6	"Series 22, Episode 6"	Lexus RCF • Lexus LFA	Hammond is dropped into British Columbia, Canada to test a watch with a built-in emergency beacon: (Chevrolet Silverado • Ford F-150 Hennessey VelociRaptor)	Gillian Anderson	1 March 2015 (2015-03-01)	6.15
Review: Clarkson reviews the new Lexus RC F. Assuming that it would be another high-quality Lexus product, he was dismayed by the car's characteristics. In a drag race against the BMW M4 Coupé, despite the RC F having the advantage in horsepower, the lighter BMW thoroughly beats its competitor. He mocked the perplexing driving modes in the RC F and the poor handling characteristics, but mostly he was annoyed due to him knowing that Lexus could do a lot better. He introduces the Lexus LFA, which despite many flaws such as a poor seatbelt, no cupholder, and a small fuel tank, he describes it as an brilliant car due to its noise, speed and handling. He criticises Lexus, claiming that they could have captured the essence of the LFA and put it in the RC F. He then claims that maybe they couldn't, due to the LFA being so good, "not even the people who make it know how to make it again". The RC F is not taken around the track because Clarkson felt that it would be a complete waste of time. News: Clarkson announces a series of upcoming cars from Audi, Vauxhall, and Skoda, claiming that they are effectively Volkswagens underneath the exterior. Hammond announces a four-wheeled version of the Mercedes Benz G63 AMG 6x6, as well as production of the Group GT3-based Bentley Continental GT3-R and the Aston Martin Vantage GT3R. The presenters then debate about when driverless cars will have to make moral decisions, joking that they should learn to "kill cyclists". Feature: In order to test the effectiveness of a Breitling Emergency watch, Hammond is dumped on Wolf Mountain in British Columbia, Canada. Given few supplies, he uses the emergency beacon, which is transmitted to Clarkson and May, who are still in England. The signal, however, only transmits for twenty four hours. While deciding over dessert, Clarkson suggests that they use a pick-up truck to rescue their colleague, but May points out that most are two-seaters. In Canada, Hammond fails to build a fire and is forced to eat cold beans and drink nearly frozen water. Clarkson and May eventually get a flight, though they take a long time debating which airline to take. On the mountain, Hammond's signal runs out of time during his second day. Clarkson and May are delayed at Vancouver International Airport, where they were greeted by Top Gear fans and proceeded to take selfies with them. Clarkson's truck is the Hennessey VelociRaptor, a tuned version of the Ford F-150 SVT Raptor, while May selected the Chevrolet Silverado Z71. These are the first and second best-selling vehicles, respectively, in the USA. Clarkson suggests they sleep in Vancouver and set off after Hammond in the morning. The following morning, Clarkson and May set off on the 400 mile journey to Hammond's location. The presenters are staggered by the fast rate that their trucks sell in North America. Meanwhile, Hammond manages to make a rabbit trap using urine; the trap fails. A impatient Hammond also fails to make makeshift snowshoes. On the road, Clarkson and May stop at a lodge 10 miles from Hammond's location to avoid driving in the snow. The following morning, Clarkson suggests having a race up the mountain, with the winner not having to rescue Hammond; May agrees. After both trucks are briefly stuck in snow banks (with Clarkson's VelociRaptor damaging a wheel). Eventually, Clarkson reaches Hammond first. In studio, it is revealed that Hammond actually needed to be rescued professionally, as May's Silverado broke a driveshaft. Back in the studio Clarkson and May reveal that both fell in love with their pick-ups to a rather annoyed Hammond. Star in a Reasonably Priced Car: Gillian Anderson drove on a mildly moist track, and set a time of 1:48.5.
175	7	"Series 22, Episode 7"	Jaguar F-Type R • Eagle Low Drag GT • Mazda MX-5 ND	May competes in a world rallycross race alongside Tanner Foust (Top Gear USA host).	Nicholas Hoult • Tanner Foust	8 March 2015 (2015-03-08)	5.84
Review: Clarkson reviews the new Jaguar F-Type R. He praises the beauty of the F-Type Coupe, while also mentioning that it is more practical than the convertible as well as the fact that, due to Jaguar's fiddling with the supercharged V8, it produces 542 bhp, making it much faster than the convertible and due to the strong roof it handles better than the convertible and describes that no car drifts better than it. Despite all the praise, he criticises the lack of rear visibility, the uncomfortable ride, and the "squeaky" seats. He then moved on to the Eagle Low Drag GT, which is a recreation of a one-off E Type racing prototype. He is impressed by the speed of the Low Drag GT, after he races against with a modern sports car, the Toyota GT86, and the Eagle wins easily. He also praises the handling, although he does point out that the F Type would run rings around it. He concludes by saying of the two Jags, he would rather have the Low Drag GT, despite it being slower, more expensive, and less nimble. In the studio Clarkson reveals to Hammond that the F Type R costs £85,000, whereas the Low Drag GT costs £850,000. The Stig then posts a lap time in the F Type R of 1:21.6, making it faster than the old Jaguar XKR-S. It also makes it the fastest Jaguar to lap the Top Gear test track. News: The trio previews Infiniti Q60, Nissan Sway, Audi Prologue, Bentley EXP 10 Speed 6, Suzuki Celerio and Aston Martin Vulcan. Also, the trio talks about the new version of Fiat 500. Review: Hammond reviews the Mazda MX-5 ND, and its differences from the previous generation. He heads to Humberside to talk about the new MX-5. Feature: May heads to Lydden Hill Race Circuit to participate in the FIA World Rallycross Championship. He learns about Rallycross from Tanner Foust. Foust teaches May about the knockout phase in Rallycross, and the rules of the sport. The next morning, May prepares to race in his Polo RX car, while Clarkson and Hammond arrive and announce that they are May's lookouts. Clarkson and Hammond then distracted May through his headset as he raced against other RX drivers including Petter Solberg and Timmy Hansen. In the first heat, Solberg took first place with a best lap of 47.582 seconds, while May took fourth place with a best lap of 55.210 seconds (but without being lapped). In the next heat, May managed to finish another 4 laps, no thanks to Clarkson and Hammond, who were talking about off-topic subjects through the headset. In the final lap, Foust did manage to lap May. In the final results, Foust was first, while May was in third. Back in the studio, Clarkson and Hammond tried to prove again why Rallycross is better than other sports including Formula 1. Star in a Reasonably Priced Car: Nicholas Hoult talked about his role as Nux in the upcoming Mad Max: Fury Road, then he completed a lap time of 1:44.7, making him the second fastest around the track – along with Aaron Paul – after Olly Murs.
176	8	"Series 22, Episode 8"	None	Find a cheap car that still lives up to the title of classic: (Fiat 124 Spider • Peugeot 304 S Cabriolet • MGB GT) • Living the sports utility vehicle lifestyle for less than £250: (Vauxhall Frontera Sport RS • Mitsubishi Shogun Pinin • Jeep Cherokee)	None	28 June 2015 (2015-06-28)	6.92
A special 75-minute episode featuring the last recorded segments from Series 22, featuring the last ever appearances of Clarkson, Hammond and May in Top Gear. Intro: This is only the second time in Top Gear history that Jeremy Clarkson does not voice the intro, the first being Series 12, episode 6, when Clarkson lost his voice because of a throat infection. Cheap Car Challenge 1: 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, even though Jeremy was previously quoted as saying, "The best thing about the 80s is that we waved goodbye to the MGB". 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 a 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. The trio then arrive at a garage and tinker with their cars for six months. Hammond fits his MG with a checkerboard roof, stainless steel exhaust, racing harnesses, bucket seats, and driving lamps. Clarkson improves his Fiat by lowering the car, removing the bumpers, fitting period-correct alloy wheels, adding a matte black bonnet, and fitting a brace of Cibié driving lamps. May mends his Peugeot's engine and tints his headlights yellow. With improved weather, even Clarkson enjoys his car. The trio are told by the producers that they must go to a village and find a Classic Car event. However, when trying to find one in Wiltshire, they actually arrive at Japfest, a show for modified Japanese sports cars. After a spot of drifting they are told to set laps around the Castle Combe Circuit, with the fastest lap winning the challenge. However, all their cars are overtaken by the competition and all three eventually suffer mechanical problems. May's Peugeot laps in 2' 17.19", Clarkson's Fiat laps in 1' 52.17", and Hammond's MG laps in 1' 51.65". Afterwards, their cars are put on a rolling road to reveal how much horsepower they have. May's Peugeot has only 50.2 bhp, Hammond's MG actually has 58.2 bhp, and Clarkson's Fiat wins with 68.6 bhp. After failing to locate a pub all three could agree on, they return to the hotel, where the producers reveal that due to all of May's breakdowns, his lap time, and his meagre horsepower, he is considered last. Clarkson and Hammond have the same amount of points, so the car that suffers the least amount of breakdowns will win a special prize. The next morning, both the MG and the Fiat refuse to start but eventually splutter into life. On the journey to an actual Classic Car event, both Clarkson and Hammond admit that their cars are unhealthy due to the fact that, unlike May, they did not repair their engines. Before they arrive at the Classic Car event, they pull over at the town of Stow-on-the-Wold, where Clarkson buys Hammond a hat stand and May a vintage clock. One mile from the airfield, Clarkson's Fiat finally breaks down, giving Hammond the overall victory. Hammond and May arrive at the Classic Car event, where Hammond's prize is revealed to be a flight in the concurrent air show. Clarkson and May observe the other cars on display, which include high-end classics like a Ferrari Daytona Competizione, an AC Ace, a Frazer Nash and a Ferrari 250 GTO. In the meantime, Hammond's aircraft is revealed to be an old bi-plane with a seat affixed on the upper wing for him to ride; Hammond spends his flight screaming and complaining. Cheap Car Challenge 2: Experts predict that over half of all vehicles sold will be SUVs. This is due to the fact that manufacturers are selling them not as cars, but as a 'leisurely lifestyle.' However, even the cheapest and smallest SUVs start at £25,000. The trio are each given £250 and told to buy three very high mileage, sporty 4x4 SUVs and report with them to the Rutland Activity Centre. May arrives first in a Mitsubishi Shogun Pinin, which was built by Pininfarina, styled by Mitsubishi, and only cost him £150. Hammond arrives in a Jeep Cherokee which has a 4-litre straight six, a monocoque chassis, and cost him £250. Clarkson arrives in Vauxhall Frontera Sport RS, which only cost £140. They then hit the road. On the way Clarkson notes that, despite the low cost, his Vauxhall has air conditioning, electric windows, air bags, electric door mirrors and two sunshine roofs. Plus, the scrap value of a Frontera is £200, meaning that if Clarkson were to scrap his car, he would make £60 profit. Despite Hammond's Jeep not having headrests and a rear view mirror, the Cherokee does have air conditioning, a six CD multi-changer, a stereo, and a cassette player. May describes that when he first tested his Pinin, he was very impressed at how good it was off road due to its low range gearbox and two differential locks. However, when May brakes, the entire vehicle rattles due to warped brake discs. The three arrive at Top Gear's secret lifestyle test track, where they find at the winter testing centre that none of their SUVs are any good in the snow "inclines" (a term Clarkson deliberately chose despite signage referring to it as a "slope"). Clarkson's Vauxhall and May's Mitsubishi fail to climb the incline and Hammond's Jeep refuses to select 4x4 mode. They are then told to report to the oval test track where their cars are attached to caravans (to act as 'ballast'). The vehicles are placed at quarter-turns around the track, and the challenge is to avoid being overtaken. They will also race against the Stig's 'Leisure Activity Cousin', who is in a Kia Sportage with a caravan. Due to Leisure Stig's slow driving style, May becomes impatient and rams into the back of him several times. After several laps, Clarkson overtakes Hammond, which puts him out and causes Hammond's caravan to topple over. When Clarkson tries to overtake Leisure Stig, he crashes into Hammond's caravan, damaging his Vauxhall. After 20 laps, Leisure Stig gives up, leading to a final duel between Clarkson and May. May eventually overtakes Clarkson and badly damages the Frontera with the Pinin's caravan, giving May the overall victory. They are then told to report to the drag strip, where they will find out which car is the fastest in a 0-60-0 challenge. The consequence of failing to stop in time would be to plunge into a trench full of muddy water. Leisure Stig manages to stop several feet from the water. Hammond's Cherokee stops less than two feet from the water. Clarkson's Frontera stops only 1 centimeter from the water. May's Pinin doesn't reach 60mph in time, and he drives into the trench. This gives Hammond the overall victory. The trio are then told to modify their SUVs to make them more reflective of an active lifestyle. Hammond paints his Jeep in a camouflage style, and then fits it with a roof tent, winch, dingy, a front guard, a windsurfer, and a rear-mounted barbecue. Clarkson converts his Vauxhall into a "Pershing Sports Fishing" vehicle by painting it white, converting it into a pick-up truck, fitting comedy wheels, adding fishing rods, mounting an office chair, and towing a sail boat. May paints half his Mitsubishi pink and fits it with a canoe, bicycle, and a makeshift shower. They arrive at a British pond for some boating, which they find stressful due to the facts that May can't control his canoe, Clarkson finds his double sail boat scary, and Hammond can't actually find a breeze with his windsurfer. They are then told to report to a cliff where they must determine which car is safest by rolling them down the hill. Whichever car rolls down the furthest is judged the least safe. Hammonds's Cherokee goes first and only rolls down 1/4 of the cliff. May's Pinin only rolls down 1/7 of the cliff. Clarkson's Frontera rolls all the way to the bottom of the cliff, giving May another victory. For the final challenge, the trio turn up in the Yorkshire Moors in dinner jackets and are told that they must test their cars' off road durability by driving from the Moors to Broughton Hall, which is 5 miles away, without using any roads. The loser will have to give an after-dinner speech for the North Yorkshire Carbon Management and Sustainability Trust. As all three dread after-dinner speaking, they all head away in a rush. Hammond finds himself at an advantage, as he feels at home in the countryside, whereas May does not. This leads to May's Mitsubishi getting stuck in a sheep pen, whereas Clarkson's Vauxhall gets stuck in a mud field. With May still lost in the pen, Clarkson gets stuck in a tree and Hammond crashes through a fence. After finding a promising track, Clarkson's windscreen gets too muddy, so he removes it. May remains lost in the pen and Hammond mistakes the wrong building to be Broughton Hall. Meanwhile, Clarkson finds Broughton Hall across a small river, but the only bridge across is locked. He crosses the river in his Vauxhall, but fails to climb the embankment. May becomes stuck when trying to escape the sheep pen and gets covered in mud, while Hammond finds a promising-looking track. As the guests start to arrive, Clarkson is still stuck on the embankment while May finally escapes the sheep pen. Hammond manages to ford the river successfully, but gets stuck in the mud beyond the embankment. May finally finds a farm track that leads to the Hall directly. May's Mitsubishi successfully manages to cross the river, and Clarkson cuts his Vauxhall in half in order to escape the embankment. With Hammond and May closing in, Clarkson's Vauxhall finally makes it to Broughton Hall first. In the end, Hammond is shown stepping up to give his speech, much to his and the audiences' displeasure. Back in the studio, Hammond and May agree that it was his most successful after-dinner speech, and say goodbye for the last time. This episode is the last to feature presenters Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May. The show was hosted by Hammond and May, with an elephant model called Jeremy in the background, to symbolise Clarkson. The end credits were not accompanied by the theme tune, nor any other form of music.