Top Gear/Season 8 Episode 5

Season 8 Episode 5
Season 8, Episode 5
Airdate	June 4, 2006
Written by
Directed by	Brian Klein
← 8x04 Season 8 Episode 4	8x06 → Season 8 Episode 6
Top Gear — Season Eight

Episode Five of the eighth season of Top Gear, and is episode seventy-one overall.

Guest Stars: Jackie Stewart, Michael Gambon

Information

Prodrive P2

Jeremy Clarkson takes a look at the Prodrive P2. Prodrive is responsible for running Subaru's rally campaigns in the World Rally Championship, designed and run the Aston Martin DBR9, and managed the BAR Formula 1 team from 2001 to 2004. Utilizing their skills in motor racing, they developed a road car they call the P2. The body is styled by the same man who did the McLaren F1 supercar. The engine is taken from a Subaru Impreza, but coupled with a larger turbocharger boosting the horsepower to 345 bhp, with a 0-60 time of 3.8 seconds and a top speed of 174 mph. The P2 has anti-lag, a feature of the engine management system used on WRC rally cars to completely eliminated turbo lag. Jeremy thinks it's an amazing car, but unfortunately Prodrive isn't going to put it into production.

The Stig takes the Prodrive P2 around the test track in 1.29.0 with the active differential turned off. With the active differential turned on, the Stig takes the Prodrive P2 around in 1.24.3.

Jackie Stewart vs. James May

Jackie Stewart, a 67-year-old Scottish three-time Formula 1 racing champion, contacted Top Gear and told the presenters that he could help any one of them shave 20 seconds off their best lap time on any track. So they accepted his challenge and sent him the most difficult pupil of them all — James May. The challenge took place at Oulton Park Circuit in Little Budowrth, Cheshire, and they used the new TVR Tuscan 2 Convertible. Jackie Stewart took the Tuscan 2 around the circuit first in 1.58.9. James May's best time was 2.26.45. With Jackie Stewart's help, James was able to cut his time down to 2.06.74. James May and Jackie Stewart both thought the TVR Tuscan 2 Convertible handled very well.

Star in a Reasonably Priced Car

This week's Star in a Reasonably Priced Car is Michael Gambon, an Irish-British actor. He discusses his work in the Harry Potter movies and other works, and the corner of the Top Gear test track that is named after him. Michael Gambon races the Chevrolet Lacetti around the test track in 1.50.3.

Citroën C6

Jeremy Clarkson takes a look at the Citroën C6. He thinks it's too conventional compared to the Citroën CX. Clarkson mounts a camera to the C6' roof to cover a horse race and see how the C6' suspension performs on rough terrain. It performs very well.

Cool Wall

Citroën C6 comes up first. Richard Hammond likes it for it's exclusivity, and Clarkson likes it as everyone will think an assassin is driving it.

Peugeot 207. Richard thinks the Peugeot 207 is uncool, but Jeremy thinks it's cool.

Škoda Fabia vRS. Jeremy goes into the audience to field their opinions on the car — all negative. It's put into the seriously uncool section of the wall.

Saab 9-5. Clarkson and Hammond agree that it's an uncool car.

Car Football: Toyota Aygo vs. Volkswagen Fox

Richard Hammond takes a look at the VW Fox, the smallest car you can buy from Volkswagen. It takes over from the VW Lupo, but is bigger than the Lupo and the basic model costs less at 6,600 GBP (about 12,360 USD). But the dashboard is plastic and boring. The 1.2 model takes 17 seconds to get from 0-60, but it has a lot of grip and rides comfortably.

Hammond takes a group of VW Foxes against James May and his team of Toyota Aygos. The VW Foxes come out on top 3 to 2.

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