Top Gear: Series 21, Episode 5

Richard drives the Porsche 918 in Abu Dhabi.
Jeremy and James shoot a public information film for safer cycling.
Jeremy tests the VW Golf GTI, BMW M135i and Mercedes A45 AMG.
Star in a Reasonably Priced Car: Aaron Paul.

Episode Guide

Review: Jeremy begins his review of the three German hot hatchbacks by dismissing the Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG as far too expensive. He then drives the BMW M135i around the Top Gear test track where he notes the major performance difference between it and the Golf GTI. He further discusses how 1-Series is the first hatchback in a long time to have rear wheel drive. This then leads to a drag race with a shocking outcome where the BMW loses control at 120 mph and spins off for a distance of a quarter mile ; the GTI then wins. At this point Jeremy switches to the VW establishing that it’s cheaper to buy, cheaper to run, cheaper to insure and no where near boring. The cars are then handed to the Stig where, for the first time this series the track is dry. The VW Golf manages a time of 1.28.6 where the BMW 1 Series comes in first place at 1.25.1; however, slower than the BMW 1M in the damp, which was the full blown M division car starting at £40k RRP before options.

News: Controversy behind the Mercedes 6×6 that Hammond drove in the previous episode; Jeremy and James continue to tease Hammond due to the fire issues with the new Porsche 911 GT3; comedy on Scottish independence

Feature: Jeremy and James set out to create a Public Information Film to promote the safety of cyclists in London.

Star in a Reasonably Priced Car: Aaron Paul talked about his role as Jesse Pinkman in Breaking Bad and his role in the upcoming Need for Speed. He then drove the Vauxhall Astra, achieving a time of 1.44.7. His time made him the fastest star in the reasonably priced car beating Brian Johnson of AC/DC by 4-tenths of a second.

Review: Richard heads to the Yas Marina Circuit to review Porsche’s new hybrid supercar: the 918 Spyder. He praised it for its mind-boggling straight line performance and incredible handling capabilities as well as its low emissions and great efficiency. He concluded with the statement that the McLaren P1 had used hybrid technology to liven up the supercar for today’s performance enthusiasts, but that the 918 Spyder used hybrid technology not just to liven up the supercar for today, yet to also preserve it for the future in which there will be more stringent emissions and economy regulations.

Some say…

“Some say that his hair is the exact same shape as a hat, and that if he worked for CNN… he wouldn’t get such pitifully low ratings that his show got cancelled. All we know is he’s called the Stig!”

Stig Power Laps

VW Golf GTI Mk7
1:28.60
BMW M135i
1:25.10

Star in a Reasonably Priced Car

Aaron Paul
1:44.70

Music

VW Golf GTI vs. BMW M135i:
00:57 – 01:22 – Abel Korzeniowski – Clock Tick
01:38 – 02:16 – Awolnation – Sail (Instrumental)
02:25 – 02:51 – U.N.K.L.E – Follow Me Down (Instrumental)
02:51 – 02:58 – James Jandrisch – The Cement Works
02:58 – 03:49 – Reinhold Heil – The Fiennes Hit (Rooftop Chase)
03:57 – 04:21 – The Pigeon Detectives – Done in Secret (Instrumental)
04:17 – 04:30 – Russell Emanuel & Dolphin Taylor – Almighty
04:31 – 04:56 – The Last Shadow Puppets – The Age of the Understatement
05:25 – 05:57 – U.N.K.L.E – Ever Rest (Instrumental)
06:08 – 06:20 – Röyksopp – Vision One
06:53 – 07:02 – Roni Size & Reprazent ‎- Brown Paper Bag
07:10 – 07:26 – The Dust Brothers – Corporate World
07:32 – 08:36 – U.N.K.L.E – Natural Selection (Instrumental)
08:38 – 09:14 – Battle – The Longest Time (Instrumental)
09:14 – 09:29 – Cliff Martinez – I Drive

The Stig’s Lap:
11:43 – 11:48 – Lilya Soyan – Dyngylday AND Ay-Kherel – Baezhin
12:09 – 12:13 – Lilya Soyan – Dyngylday AND Ay-Kherel – Baezhin

Cycling Public Information Film:
19:59 – 20:41 – The xx – Islands (Instrumental)
21:01 – 21:45 – Daniel Seguin – Now and Forever
21:47 – 22:14 – Steve Isles – A Gift For Stella
23:13 – 23:28 – The xx – Islands (Instrumental)
24:11 – 24:52 – Peace – Lovesick (Instrumental)
24:55 – 25:35 – John Swihart – Back to the Safe
25:57 – 26:04 – Steve Isles – Coat Sellers 1
26:40 – 26:55 – David Holmes – Benedict Returns
27:04 – 27:56 – David Holmes – Benedict Returns
28:02 – 28:20 – The Dust Brothers – Corporate World
28:21 – 29:11 – Charles Casey & Steven Hellier – Freak Chic
30:00 – 30:09 – ? MP3 Sample
30:49 – 31:03 – Cliff Martinez – Bride of Deluxe
32:01 – 32:38 – Steve Isles – The Councillor
32:51 – 33:39 – C2C – Le Banquet
34:03 – 34:34 – David Holmes – Kensington Chump
34:39 – 34:50 – James Newton Howard – Back to the Unit
35:16 – 35:29 – ? MP3 Sample
36:27 – 37:04 – John Lennon – Imagine
38:08 – 38:22 – ? MP3 Sample
38:22 – 38:49 – Cliff Martinez – Bride of Deluxe

Porsche 918 Spyder Test Drive:
50:27 – 50:46 – Hans Zimmer & James Newton Howard – Nycteris
50:55 – 51:08 – The Invisible – What Happened (Instrumental)
51:08 – 51:11 – ? MP3 Sample
51:36 – 52:01 – David Arnold & Michael Price – God Rest His Soul
52:04 – 53:06 – David Arnold & Michael Price – God Rest His Soul
53:08 – 53:17 – Hans Zimmer & James Newton Howard – Myotis
53:20 – 53:52 – Hans Zimmer & James Newton Howard – Myotis
53:55 – 54:30 – Depeche Mode – Long Time Lie (Instrumental)
54:55 – 55:37 – Depeche Mode – Alone (Instrumental)
55:39 – 56:28 – John Murphy – Strobe (Tyler Barton Remix)
56:28 – 57:12 – London Music Works – Welcome to Lunar Industries
57:12 – 57:26 – Depeche Mode – The Child Inside (Instrumental)
57:59 – 58:21 – David Arnold & Michael Price – The East Wind
58:21 – 59:13 – David Arnold & Michael Price – Floating Dust