Challenges Epic Roadtrip Top Gear Series 20

Top Gear: Series 20, Episode 3

  • The boys take three supercars on a trip through Spain.
  • Jeremy in a McLaren MP4-12C Spyder, James in an Audi R8 V10 Spyder and a Richard in a Ferrari 458 Spyder.
  • Star in a Reasonably Priced Car: Benedict Cumberbatch.

Episode Guide

Watch this episode on Amazon Instant Video

Challenge, part 1: The trio plan to drive across Spain to test three new “budget convertibles”. Clarkson selects a bright yellow ₤195,000 McLaren MP4-12C Spider, Hammond takes a red ₤198,000 Ferrari 458 Spider, and May chooses a gray ₤121,000 Audi R8 V10 Spyder. Their first competition is to see who can drive through the marina area of Puerto Banus with the fewest number of pictures taken: May’s R8 is snapped 22 times, Hammond’s 458 47 times, and Clarkson’s MP4 a whopping 438 times. The next day, they come across an immense area of abandoned, newly-built flats and decide to conduct a noise test. Hammond believes that he has won when his 458 generates 107 dB of engine noise at full tilt (to 105 dB from the other two), but is declared the loser when Clarkson and May declare the object to be to generate the least amount of noise. They then set off on a curving road in the Sierra Nevada mountain range to test the limits of their cars, but their reverie is cut short – literally – when the road suddenly stops, unfinished due to lack of funds. When action switches back to the studio, they note that the R8 was also first in an (unshown) economy test.

News: Clarkson admits that he was not in Hertfordshire with the Ferrari F12 in the last episode; rather, he claims that he was in Buckinghamshire. The three then take turns complaining about electronic gimmicks in new cars, singling out voice-activated controls and power-operated boot lids for special condemnation. In comparing the effects of “sport” modes in new cars, Clarkson notes that the Stig was able to lap a Volkswagen Golf GTI faster in Comfort mode than in either Normal or Sport modes. A new supercar, the Icona Vulcano, is profiled, with the presenters finding substantial humour in the name of the car’s chief design director, Samuel Chuffart.

Challenge, part 2: The trio use a near-deserted motorway to head further north into Spain. Searching for a place to test the top speeds of their cars, they chance across the disused Ciudad Real Central Airport. After amusing themselves with the still-active facilities in the abandoned terminal, they give themselves permission to use the main runway to test their cars. First is a top-speed test: Clarkson’s MP4 reaches 198 mph (319 km/h), besting the 458’s 193 mph (311 km/h) and the R8’s 186 mph (299 km/h). The next test, campaigned over a half-mile length of runway, is a race in which the presenters must start with the tops down, and finish with the tops up; the MP4 wins again, followed by the R8 and the 458. Instead of renting hotel rooms, the presenters find another series of abandoned housing projects and squat in an unoccupied house for the night.

Star in a Reasonably Priced Car: Benedict Cumberbatch sets a 1:47.8 lap time in the Vauxhall Astra.

Challenge, part 3: The trio enter Madrid and find yet another huge abandoned housing project. Commenting on the size of the project, Clarkson opines that the development would be an ideal location for a street-racing circuit, which they create and christen the “Circuito de Sir Francis Drake”. Calling their event the “Madrid Grand Prix”, they import the Stig to set a benchmark lap in a Jaguar XKR-S convertible. None of the presenters best the Stig’s 0:57.5; Hammond runs a 0:58.5, followed by Clarkson’s 0:59.1 and May’s 1:00.8. Back at the studio, Clarkson claims that the MP4 has won, while May produces a chart demonstrating how the R8 has won. In the end, though, all three presenters decide that they would rather have the Ferrari.

Star in a Reasonably Priced Car

Benedict Cumberbatch
1:47.80

Music

Three Budget Convertibles thru Spain, Pt. 1:
00:53 – 01:09 – Quincy Jones – Britannia and Mr Bridger, If You Please
01:39 – 02:40 – Savages – She Will
02:49 – 03:26 – Baltic Fleet – Engage
03:31 – 03:46 – Gipsy Kings – Aven Aven
04:27 – 04:39 – Gipsy Kings – Fandango (Patchai)
04:53 – 05:13 – Jeff Cardoni – Corrupt Cops
05:13 – 05:27 – Roy Budd – 9M2
05:30 – 06:00 – Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Phenomena (Instrumental)
06:38 – 06:59 – Stevie Wonder – Another Star
07:29 – 07:41 – Gotan Project – Notas
07:46 – 07:59 – Antonio Pinto – The Ecstasy
07:59 – 08:38 – Atticus Ross – Movement
08:38 – 08:51 – David Holmes – Upstate NYC
09:40 – 09:50 – David Holmes – Upstate NYC
10:22 – 10:28 – David Holmes – Upstate NYC
11:20 – 12:51 – Radiohead – Optimistic
12:48 – 13:32 – Antonio Pinto – Snitch
13:33 – 13:35 – Broadcast – Mark of the Devil
13:33 – 14:21 – Ulrich Schnauss & Jonas Munk – Sirocco
14:22 – 15:09 – Beady Eye – Face the Crowd (Instrumental)

Three Budget Convertibles thru Spain, Pt. 2:
23:43 – 24:14 – 2Pac feat. James Brown – Unchained
24:19 – 25:08 – ?
25:11 – 25:58 – David Holmes – Shot in the Face
26:17 – 26:34 – David Holmes – Upstate NYC
26:47 – 26:58 – David Holmes – Upstate NYC
26:58 – 27:33 – Trevor Morris – Main Titles (Fire with Fire)
27:45 – 28:03 – ?
28:05 – 28:35 – ?
28:40 – 28:48 – Ilan Eshkeri – Flying Vessel
28:53 – 29:32 – Ilan Eshkeri – Zombie Fight
29:35 – 29:50 – Ennio Morricone – Almost Dead
29:54 – 30:43 – David Sardy – I Am the Police
31:45 – 32:38 – David Sardy – I Am the Police
32:39 – 32:58 – ?
32:58 – 33:52 – David Sardy – I Am the Police
33:55 – 34:02 – David Sardy – Alley Escape
34:41 – 34:53 – David Sardy – Alley Escape
35:06 – 35:26 – Jeff Cardoni – Bus Stop
35:39 – 35:51 – Jeff Cardoni – Bus Stop

Three Budget Convertibles thru Spain, Pt. 3:
49:46 – 49:59 – Stevie Wonder – All Day Sucker
50:04 – 50:32 – Cat Power – Silent Machine (Instrumental)
50:33 – 51:20 – Gotye – The Only Thing I Know
51:20 – 51:26 – Foals – Providence (Instrumental)
51:25 – 51:58 – Steve Mazzaro – It’s All Over
51:57 – 52:06 – Brian Tyler – Tightrope
52:41 – 53:16 – Brian Tyler – Wayne and Buck
53:44 – 54:02 – Jeff Cardoni – Corrupt Cops
54:06 – 54:51 – Duologue – Cut & Run (Instrumental)
54:55 – 55:22 – ?
55:20 – 55:30 – David Sardy – Follow Me into the House
55:20 – 56:45 – Brian Tyler – Rising
56:45 – 57:52 – Justice – Horsepower
57:53 – 58:06 – Lorn – Diamond
58:06 – 59:12 – Lorne Balfe – Assassin’s Creed III Main Theme

Screenshots

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3 comments

jawad ali January 6, 2014 at 7:11 pm

those cars were soooo cool!!!

Reply
Zimbo July 18, 2013 at 10:43 am

This was the best top gear episode in a very long time, compared to when they went to America last season it blows it out the window. The cars, the location, the actual car review and the scripting was loads better. this was an excellent episode.

Reply
FarmerNIC December 9, 2013 at 4:23 am

Sure was but bringing back to older episodes should they bring back the cheap car challanges ?

Reply

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