Challenges How hard could it be? Top Gear Series 10

Top Gear: Series 10, Episode 9

  • Team Top Gear enters the Britcar 24 Hour Endurance Race.
  • James tests the Fiat 500 against BMX riders through Budapest.
  • Jeremy power tests the Ascari A10 against the Daihatsu Materia.
  • Star in a Reasonably Priced Car: Keith Allen.

Episode Guide

Watch this episode on Amazon Instant Video

Main Review: As Clarkson has been told by the producers that he is not allowed to test any more supercars for the rest of the series, he decides to review the Daihatsu Materia hatchback alongside a “close” rival – the new Ascari A10. He says the Daihatsu is far more practical and economical, but it is too boring around the corners and is nowhere near as fast as the Ascari. Clarkson then announces that he prefers the A10 and its engine tone. The Ascari goes round the track faster than the Koenigsegg CCX with a time of 1:17.3, taking it to the top of the Power Lap board.

News: There is no news in this episode due to “lack of time”.

Review: May travels to Hungary to test drive the new Fiat 500. He races some youths on BMX bikes through the streets of Budapest and is just pipped at the finish.

Star in a Reasonably Priced car: Keith Allen gets a time of 1:51.7 on what the Stig said was the wettest day on record.

Challenge: In the previous series, the presenters planted their own bio-fuel crop, which was rapeseed. Having harvested the crops they accidentally made 500 gallons worth of bio-diesel, because May had bought the wrong seed. In order to dispose of it they take part in the Britcar 24 hour endurance race at Silverstone Circuit using a modified BMW 330d. Arriving at the event, the team discover that it is not an event for novices as they had expected, but rather a fully professional endurance race and that the team would be competing alongside actual 200 mph (320 km/h) supercars.

For qualifying, each team member had to do three laps each. Hammond is very unfamiliar with the track, and May forgets to do his flying lap. The team reveal their secret weapon: The Stig. After his three laps the team are stunned to find that they are not bottom of the table.

They then must do three laps at night. Hammond, Clarkson and The Stig all complete their 3-lap stints. However, disaster strikes when May is completing his. The turbo, clutch and flywheel break down and the fuel pump splits, thanks to the large amounts of methanol in the bio-diesel that had “eaten” away the seals. The team qualify in 42nd place, out of 59. The mechanics work through the night, doing the fastest repair job ever, but the team still misses the race start, and has to start from pitlane. The car comes to life minutes before the completion of the parade lap with The Stig behind the wheel.

The car starts the race in last place but the Stig climbs 20 places in the board into 39th. The car breaks down again, taking 30 minutes to repair. May takes it out next. After being tired out only halfway (90 minutes) into his stint and nearly wrecking the BMW, May is brought in and is switched for Clarkson. Clarkson completes his 3-hour stint and Hammond is next. He collides with a Mosler race car, sending him spinning off and forcing him to be towed back into pitlane to have the car repaired. This takes three hours, putting the team in last place. During the race, the fog becomes very thick and the race is immediately halted. Clarkson got the crowd to do a Mexican wave. The Stig makes up for lost ground, putting them back in the race, and despite their exhaustion, the others then take their turns. During Clarkson’s final stint, the front tyres start to wear rapidly so the car is brought back to the pits for new tyres. The car finished the race 39th overall and 3rd in their class.

Some say…

“Some say that he once lost a canoe on a beach in the north east, and that he once did some time in a prison in Canterbury because his teddy is called “The baby Jesus”. All we know is he’s called the Stig.”

Stig Power Laps

Ascari A10
1:17.30

Star in a Reasonably Priced Car

Keith Allen
1:51.70 (very wet)

Music

Britcar 24hr Endurance Race, Pt. 1:
01:50 – 02:03 – John Barry – The Human Jungle (Alt.)
02:14 – 02:59 – Amon Tobin – Keepin’ It Steel (The Anvil)
03:41 – 03:52 – Rolfe Kent – Schmidt Revisited His Alma Mater
04:07 – 04:27 – David Holmes – Planting the Seed
04:46 – 04:58 – The Sabres of Paradise – Flight Path Estate
04:58 – 05:26 – John Williams – Main Title (Star Wars)
06:14 – 06:21 – Hank Shocklee – Club Jam
07:07 – 07:23 – Robert Rodriguez – Sin City
07:24 – 07:45 – Killing Joke – Walking With Gods
07:47 – 08:02 – Louis Levy & The Gaumont British Orchestra – Music from the Movies March
08:15 – 08:34 – Brian Wilson – Mrs. O’Leary’s Cow
08:41 – 08:52 – John Barry – The Ipcress File
08:59 – 09:20 – Sex Pistols – Holiday in the Sun
09:27 – 09:52 – David Arnold – CCTV
09:52 – 10:46 – Danny Elfman – Batman to the Rescue
10:50 – 10:58 – The Early Years – So Far Gone
11:04 – 11:21 – Steve Jablonsky & Trevor Morris – Yellow Planet

Fiat 500 vs. BMX Bikers:
13:15 – 13:18 – Luigi & Antonio Russolo – Corale
13:18 – 13:30 – David Holmes – No Mans Land
13:30 – 13:43 – Walter Ruttmann – Wochenende
13:43 – 14:21 – Rhian Sheehan – Phobos
14:21 – 14:24 – Walter Ruttmann – Wochenende
14:24 – 14:39 – Porn Sword Tobacco – Pappa! Min Kärlek Är Gravid
14:42 – 15:08 – Amon Tobin – Kitchen Sink (Sixtoo Remix)
15:32 – 15:37 – Walter Ruttmann – Wochenende
16:17 – 16:40 – Clint Mansell – Go to Hell
16:40 – 16:55 – Rammstein – Heirate Mich
16:55 – 17:15 – Amon Tobin – Esther’s
17:15 – 17:32 – Clint Mansell – Mac Attack!
17:32 – 17:38 – Amon Tobin – Esther’s
17:41 – 17:49 – Amon Tobin – Esther’s
17:48 – 18:20 – Clint Mansell – Doom
18:20 – 18:36 – Amon Tobin – Kokubo Sosho Battle
18:35 – 20:07 – Clint Mansell – Doom

Daihatsu Materia vs. Ascari A10:
29:17 – 29:30 – Groove Armada – Your Song
29:39 – 30:55 – The Prodigy – First Warning
30:57 – 31:42 – Venetian Snares – Room 379
32:02 – 32:50 – Alan Silvestri – End Title (Predator 2)
32:51 – 33:07 – John Powell – Rejection is Never Easy
33:07 – 33:26 – Antonio Pinto – Little Odessa
33:26 – 33:42 – Nathaniel Mechaly – Sorter Shoot Out
33:42 – 34:08 – Alan Silvestri – End Title (Predator 2)
34:08 – 34:42 – Antonio Pinto – Little Odessa

Britcar 24hr Endurance Race, Pt. 2:
37:36 – 37:45 – Clint Mansell – Semper Fi
38:02 – 38:22 – Clint Mansell – Superhumans and Monsters
39:21 – 39:42 – Clint Mansell – Superhumans and Monsters
40:32 – 40:49 – Scott Walker – Cossacks Are
41:16 – 41:29 – Battles – Atlas
41:43 – 42:26 – Nathan Barr – Escape
42:26 – 42:46 – Jeff Danna & Mychael Danna – I Decide When It Gets Pulled
42:49 – 44:06 – Jeff Danna & Mychael Danna – I Decide When It Gets Pulled
44:16 – 45:08 – Ilan Eshkeri – Septimus
45:17 – 45:29 – The Early Years – So Far Gone
46:09 – 46:25 – The Early Years – All Ones and Zeros
46:30 – 46:57 – Louis Levy & The Gaumont British Orchestra – Music from the Movies March
47:01 – 47:25 – Stereophonics – Lady Luck
48:03 – 48:13 – Trevor Jones – Sixth Boss Fight
48:18 – 48:30 – Trevor Jones – Sixth Boss Fight
48:34 – 49:32 – Clint Mansell – Containment Breach
49:43 – 50:12 – Clint Mansell – Superhumans and Monsters
50:12 – 50:32 – Burial – In McDonalds
51:17 – 51:33 – Steve Jablonsky & Trevor Morris – Yellow Planet
51:40 – 51:53 – Steve Jablonsky & Trevor Morris – Yellow Planet
52:13 – 52:46 – Ilan Eshkeri – Lamia’s Inn
52:43 – 53:20 – Cinema – They Nicknamed Me Evil
53:20 – 53:33 – Steve Jablonsky & Trevor Morris – Black Dawn
53:47 – 54:06 – Steve Jablonsky & Trevor Morris – Crimson City
54:13 – 54:29 – Steve Jablonsky & Trevor Morris – Yellow Planet
54:29 – 54:55 – Ilan Eshkeri – Septimus
55:14 – 56:13 – Steve Jablonsky & Trevor Morris – Crimson City
56:29 – 57:02 – Ilan Eshkeri – Lamia’s Inn
57:10 – 57:25 – Jeff Danna & Mychael Danna – I Decide When It Gets Pulled
57:25 – 58:11 – Steve Jablonsky & Trevor Morris – Havoc
58:21 – 59:11 – Steve Jablonsky & Trevor Morris – Radiation Alert
59:17 – 60:40 – Corner Stone Cues – Velvet Choker

Screenshots

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