Top Gear/Season 8 Episode 6

Season 8 Episode 6
Season 8, Episode 6
Airdate	July 16, 2006
Written by
Directed by	Brian Klein
← 8x05 Season 8 Episode 5	8x07 → Season 8 Episode 7
Top Gear — Season Eight

Episode Six of the eighth season of Top Gear, and is episode seventy-two overall.

Guest Stars: Brian Cox

Information

Ford Mondeo ST220, Mazda6 MPS, Vauxhall Vectra VXR

Jeremy Clarkson reviews the 3.0 L V6 version of the Ford Mondeo — the Ford Mondeo ST220. It can do 151 mph, the steering is brilliant, it rides well, it's practical, it's well-equipped, and it only costs 24,000 GBP (about 43,800 USD). Clarkson notes that the public may think the Mondeo is a common vehicle, but last year the BMW 3 Series out-sold the Ford Mondeo. In addition, Aston Martin sold 1,050 DB9's in Great Britain whereas only 903 Ford Mondeo ST220's were sold.

But if exclusivity is what you want, then Clarkson explains you also have to consider the Mazda6 MPS (known as the Mazdaspeed6 in the United States). It has a 2.3 L turbocharged engine that develops 256 bhp, propelling it from 0-60 in only 6.5 seconds. Clarkson remarks that the Mazda6 MPS isn't as practical as the Ford Mondeo ST220, nor does he like the radiator grill on the Mazda. However, the Mazda6 MPS is better to drive than the Ford Mondeo ST220. The Mazda6 MPS has four-wheel drive allowing you to put all that power down easily without much worry. Clarkson goes on to compare the Mazda6 MPS to a BMW 318i M Sport. They're both four-door cars, about the same size, and both cost about 23,000 GBP (about 42,000 USD). However, the BMW only has 129 bhp while the Mazda has 256 bhp, the BMW's top speed is 140 mph whereas the Mazda can do 150 mph, the BMW has 148 ft-lb of torque while the Mazda has 280 ft-lb, and the BMW goes from 0-60 in 10 seconds while the Mazda only takes 6.5 seconds.

The third car entering the fray is the Vauxhall Vectra VXR. The Vectra is one of Clarkson's least favorite cars in the world, but the Vectra VXR has huge exhausts, massive wheels, and outrageous bucket seats, so maybe it's different? Clarkson notes that it doesn't feel particularly exciting to drive, but it's phenomenally fast — flat-out it's faster than an AMG Mercedes-Benz or a BMW M5. It's a 161 mph Vectra and it only costs 21,000 GBP (about 38,300 USD). But there is a price to pay for all that speed — catastrophic understeer. Clarkson exclaims that the Vectra chassis is one of the worst chassis' he's ever come across. He's even tempted to call the Vauxhall Vectra VXR "dangerous."

The Stig takes the Vauxhall Vectra VXR around the test track in 1.35.3. The Stig takes the Ford Mondeo ST220 around the test track in 1.34.5. The Stig takes the Mazda6 MPS around the test track in 1.32.2.

Top Gear Caravan Holiday

Since it's the summer, all the roads are clogged up by caravaners as there are over 850,000 caravaners in Great Britain. So the boys decided to go on a caravan holiday to find out why caravaning is so appealing to all those caravaners. The caravan they purchased for 3,000 GBP (about 5,500 USD) is an Elddis Shamal XL with fitted shag pile carpet, woodette kitchen, sculpted velour upholstery, a bathroom, and four beds. Their tow car is a Kia Cerato (known as the Kia Spectra in the United States) 1.5 L Diesel. They chose this 11,000 GBP hatchback (about 20,000 USD) because it's economical and the Caravan Club's 2006 Tow Car of the Year. Finally, they're campsite is a five-star location in the rolling hills of Dorset in South West England.

After getting the Cerato properly hitched to the caravan, the boys start their 100 mile journey to Dorset with James May — Captain Slow — at the wheel. May tries to open the Cerato up, but can only manage a top speed of 30-35 mph. This results in a massive queue of cars behind them, so they pull over to let everyone by. Continuing onward, the boys realize the Kia Cerato is not a very good two car, so they compile a list of cars that would have a proper amount of torque to tow a caravan: a Dodge Viper, a Humvee, and a Land Rover Discovery. Eventually they hit the mid-point of their caravan journey, yet it's taken them 3 hours and 15 minutes to travel just 50 miles. While continuing on, the Cerato begins to weave back and forth, so Clarkson consults the Caravan Club's handbook. The handbook suggests you attempt to keep the car and caravan straight ahead and to slow down gradually, but the boys note that the handbook is wrong and that you should put your foot down on the gas and power out of it. They manage to get the weaving under control, but it already caused Top Gear Dog to throw up in the back of the Cerato. They pull over at a gas station to clean up and, in the meantime, Clarkson purchases an electronic message board to put up in the back window of the caravan so they can display messages to people behind them. However, as May pulls the rig out of the gas station he takes a turn too sharply and the caravan smashes into a metal piling. Making it to Dorset, they boys try to find the campsite but get turned around. May attempts to make a U-turn on a two-lane road, but discovers it's not wide enough and blocks traffic. To boot, one of the tires goes flat and they spend twenty minutes changing it out. Once that's sorted out, May tries make the U-turn again when the police show up and caution them. Eventually, Clarkson and Hammond unhitch the caravan and turn it around themselves by hand.

Six hours later, the boys finally make it to the campsite. May tries to back the caravan into position by himself, but ends up backing it into a nearby tent. Meanwhile, Clarkson and Hammond take a walk around the campsite to find out what caravaners do with their time. They eventually run into an old couple who tell them they spend their time walking around the country side and filling up the toilet. Once the caravan is in place, the boys set everything up and discover there isn't really much to do. Clarkson rattles off a list of the campsite rules including no fires, no ball games, and no music. He likens their holiday to being in a concentration camp. While attempting to make chips in the kitchen, Clarkson manages to start a fire that spreads and destroys the caravan.

Star in a Reasonably Priced Car

This week's Star in a Reasonably Priced Car is Brian Cox, a Scottish actor. He discusses his work as Hannibal Lecter in Manhunter (1986), his work in other films such as X-Men 2 (2003) and The Bourne Identity (2002), and talks about the United States. Brian Cox races the Chevrolet Lacetti around the test track in 2.01.0.

Formula One Car Indoors

Richard Hammond travels to the 385 meter long (about 1,263 feet) main hall of the ExCeL Exhibition Center in London. With him is the TF105 Formula One car run by Panasonic Toyota Racing in the 2005 F1 season. The TF105 has a 3.0 L V10 engine that spins to 19,000 rpm and produces 900 bhp; it weighs under half a ton, and has a top speed of about 220 mph. The goal? To see how fast you can run an F1 car indoors.

First, the Stig takes the Chevrolet Lacetti on a test run to see how fast a normal road car can be taken up to inside. The 1.8 L Lacetti with its 118 bhp manages to get up to 70 mph. Next up it the Toyota F1 car. It manages to make it up to 81 mph. Clarkson explains that it's due to the TF105 being unable to put all its power down on the slippery exhibition floor, so it just ends up spinning its wheels.