- Jeremy compares the Volkswagen Golf R32 against the BMW 130i.
- Richard and James have an Old generation vs. New generation car race.
- Richard tests the Mazda MX-5.
- Top Gear Awards 2005.
- Jeremy sets a Laguna Seca laptime using a Honda NSX in Gran Turismo, then attempts to beat it in real life.
- Stars in a Reasonably Priced Car: David Walliams, Jimmy Carr.
Episode Guide
Main review: Volkswagen Golf R32 and the BMW 130i. After originally conceding that the BMW was more fun and seemed faster on a dry track, Clarkson was amazed to see that the R32 trounced the 130i with a lap time of 1:30.4 over the 130i’s 1:31.9. But it fell in line with his other heavy criticisms of the lack of practicality and the price of the BMW.
Challenge: Hammond and May argue about the state of modern-day driving, which sparked a time trial showdown at Prescott Hill Climb Course, pitting an Austin-Healey Sprite representing a mostly middle-aged classic car owners club, versus a modified Peugeot 306 backed by a more youthful group. The Stig takes the two around, with the Sprite, on a serious race-focussed diet, defeating the showy and stereo-laden 306 by one second.
Review and Challenge: Hammond tests the Mazda MX-5, which involves racing the car against a greyhound at a dog-racing dirt track. The dog won.
Star in a reasonably priced car: Little Britain star David Walliams and comedian Jimmy Carr appear with Walliams’ lap time of 1:50.7 slower than Carr’s. Walliams also tells of his love of Aston Martin.
2005 Top Gear Awards:
Biggest Surprise – Audi RS4
Ugliest Car – BMW 3 Series
Best Car – Bugatti Veyron
Best Engine Noise – Aston Martin V8 Vantage
The most ill-advised piece of facial hair in motorsport – Fernando Alonso
Gas Guzzler – Ford GT
Best German – Sabine Schmitz
Best Driver – Ellen MacArthur
The Golden Cock – James May
Coolest Car – Aston Martin V8 Vantage (according to Clarkson), Porsche 997 (according to Hammond and the script)
Challenge: In the final segment, Clarkson travelled to Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, California to compare racing a lap in real life versus the video game Gran Turismo 4. Clarkson’s time of 1:41.148 for the video game was substantially faster than the 1:57 time that he was able to do on the real course due to the course omitting a few details of the track and Clarkson’s inability to replicate digital bravery in real life. This section also featured a farewell to the NSX.
Some say…
“Some say that his heart is in upside down, and that his teeth glow in the dark. All we know is he’s called the Stig.”
Stig Power Laps
Volkswagen Golf R32
1:30.40
BMW 130i
1:31.90
Star in a Reasonably Priced Car
David Walliams
1:50.70
Music
BMW 130i vs. VW Golf R32:
00:51 – 01:27 – DJ Zinc – Faster
01:27 – 01:32 – Laurent Garnier – The Sound of the Big Babou
01:44 – 03:06 – PMT – Gyromancer (Wookie Slut Mix) / Azzido Da Bass – Dooms Night (Timo Maas Remix)
03:06 – 03:10 – Hybrid – Know Your Enemy
03:11 – 04:21 – Four Tet – A Joy
04:25 – 05:29 – Air – Dirty Trip
05:50 – 06:19 – Air – Dirty Trip
06:19 – 07:42 – Death in Vegas – Girls
‘The Stig’ Lap:
08:49 – 08:54 – Tchaikovsky – Waltz of the Flowers
Battle of the Generations:
10:59 – 11:15 – Edward Elgar – Pomp & Circumstance March
11:16 – 11:38 – Usher – Yeah (Instrumental)
11:50 – 12:23 – Craig Armstrong – Finding Beauty
12:23 – 12:57 – Kelis – Milkshake (Instrumental)
12:58 – 13:23 – Arcangelo Corelli – Adagio from Concerto Grosso Op. 6 No. 8 in G Minor
13:24 – 13:48 – J-Kwon – Tipsy
14:11 – 14:19 – Maksim – Flight of the Bumblebee
14:24 – 14:30 – Maksim – Flight of the Bumblebee
14:31 – 14:39 – Usher – Yeah (Instrumental)
14:47 – 15:41 – Fatboy Slim – Ya Mama
15:56 – 16:33 – Bentley Rhythm Ace – Theme from ‘Gutbuster’
Mazda MX-5 vs. Greyhound:
27:42 – 28:04 – Amon Tobin – Four Ton Mantis
28:09 – 28:16 – Alan Silvestri – Judge Dredd Suite
28:19 – 28:36 – U.N.K.L.E – Reign
28:36 – 29:24 – Amon Tobin – Defocus
29:24 – 29:41 – Amon Tobin – Get Your Snack On
29:47 – 29:54 – Amon Tobin – Theme from Battery
29:54 – 30:27 – Amon Tobin – Get Your Snack On
30:27 – 30:28 – Amon Tobin – The Clean Up
30:28 – 30:35 – Amon Tobin – Theme from Battery
30:35 – 30:49 – Amon Tobin – El Cargo
30:50 – 31:17 – Amon Tobin – The Clean Up
31:18 – 31:37 – Death in Vegas – Dirge
31:38 – 32:03 – Primal Scream – Movin’ On Up
32:03 – 32:10 – Peace Orchestra – Who Am I?
32:29 – 32:48 – Amon Tobin – Ruthless
32:48 – 34:59 – Amon Tobin – The Lighthouse
Top Gear Awards 2005:
38:53 – 39:04 – Rob Dougan – Left Me for Dead
39:58 – 40:09 – Gabriel Fauré – Pavane
40:13 – 40:25 – Alan Silvestri – Useless Crucifix
43:07 – 43:13 – Underworld – Dark and Long (Dark Train Mix)
43:13 – 43:21 – Timo Maas – Manga
Real vs. Virtual Car:
49:23 – 50:27 – Silent Witness & Break – Higher Rates
50:45 – 51:06 – Bryan New – Crime Scene
51:27 – 51:37 – The Antidote – Bullet
51:37 – 53:28 – Moby – Oil 1
54:23 – 55:24 – Primal Scream – Rise
55:25 – 56:01 – Amon Tobin – Searchers
57:10 – 58:16 – Amon Tobin – El Cargo