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| Top Gear (series 3) | |
|---|---|
| Starring | |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| No. of episodes | 9 |
| Release | |
| Original network | BBC Two |
| Original release | 26 October – 28 December 2003 |
| Series chronology | |
← Previous Series 2 | |
| List of Top Gear episodes | |
Top Gear Killing A Toyota Downloads
The third series of Top Gear aired during the latter half of 2003 and ran for 9 episodes, beginning on 26 October before concluding on 28 December, with the show being hosted by returning presenters Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, James May. A new 'Stig' was introduced after the previous 'Stig' (referred to by the presenters as 'Black Stig') was written out of the show in the first episode. A 'Best of Top Gear' special for the series was aired on 4 January 2004. This series was first in the relaunched show's history to acquire more than 10 million viewers for an episode.
- 3Criticism and Controversy
Episodes[edit]
| No. overall | No. in series | Reviews | Features/challenges | Guest(s) | Original air date | UK viewers (millions) [1] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 | 1 | Ford GT • BMW 5 Series • Porsche 911 GT3 | Can the diesel Volkswagen Lupo get better mpg than the petrol version? | Martin Kemp | 26 October 2003 | 3.32 | |
Clarkson heads to Detroit to find out how good the heavily-anticipated Ford GT handles against all its competitors, before finding out how well a diesel Volkswagen Lupo fares against its petrol version by doing a lap of the M25. Elsewhere, Hammond tests out the Porsche 911 GT3, May defends the BMW 5 Series, and the Stig drives fast with the trio's Jaguar XJS on board HMS Invincible with disastrous results. Meanwhile, singer and Spandau Ballet bassist Martin Kemp, tries to see is he is better than Ross Kemp when he takes the Liana for a lap of the track. Note: This was the final appearance of the original Stig, Perry McCarthy; the segment involving him with the XJS and HMS Invincible was his scripted departure from the show. | |||||||
| 22 | 2 | BMW M3 CSL • BMW M1 • BMW M3 • BMW M5 • | Volvo 240 attempts to jump four caravans • Best 2 seater sportscar: (Porsche Boxster • BMW Z4 • Honda S2000) | Stephen Fry | 2 November 2003 | 3.41 | |
Black Stig is gone, and in his place is brand new, White Stig, who is quick to get to work by seeing how fast the BMW M3 CSL is on the track after Clarkson tests it out. Meanwhile, the trio head to the Isle of Man to find out which old BMWsports car is the best - the 1970s M1, the original M3, and the second-gen M5 - before testing out three two seater convertibles on the Isle - the BMW Z4, the Porsche Boxster and the Honda S2000. Finally, a Volvo 240 tries to jump five caravans side-by-side, and Stephen Fry discusses the advantages of driving his London Taxi before seeing how he fared in the Liana. Note: This was the first appearance by Ben Collins as the new Stig; his identity would remain a secret until August 2010. | |||||||
| 23 | 3 | Bentley Continental GT • Subaru Legacy Outback | Saab 9-5 Aero versus a BAe Sea Harrier • How to Escape from a Sinking Car • Top Gear Survey | Rob Brydon | 9 November 2003 | 4.02 | |
| Clarkson is unimpressed when he manages to secure the rights to test out the Bentley Continental GT, while he compares the hot Saab 9-5 Aero to an aeroplane. Meanwhile, May finds out whether the aristocracy will go for the Subaru Legacy Outback, Hammond investigate the dangers of being in a car that is sinking in water and how to quickly escape such a scenario, the Stig races a Saab around the track against a Harrier Jump Jet, and the results of the Top Gear Survey are in. Finally, Rob Brydon becomes the first Welshman to do a lap in the reasonably priced car. | |||||||
| 24 | 4 | Lamborghini Miura • Lamborghini Countach • Mini Cooper S Works • Lamborghini Gallardo | Lamborghini Tribute | Rich Hall • Jay Kay | 16 November 2003 | 4.59 | |
| Top Gear celebrates the 40th anniversary of the Lamborghini by looking back at some of the classics by the company, including the 1967 Lamborghini Miura, an improved 1971 SV, the Lamborghini Countach, while there is a look at the Lamborghini LM002, Clarkson tests out the Lamborghini Gallardo, and the Murciélago is back to set a time on a dry track. Meanwhile, Hammond tests out several versions of the Mini Cooper S - the BMW-official Works Cooper S, the third-party tuned Hartge Cooper S, the Digi-tec Cooper S and the wild 275 bhp (205 kW) BBR Cooper S - while American comedian Rich Hall improvises a country song about a Rover 25 before seeing how he fared in the reasonably priced car. | |||||||
| 25 | 5 | Mazda RX-8 • Fiat Panda | Is the Toyota Hilux really indestructible? • Hammond searches for future classic cars | Simon Cowell | 23 November 2003 | 4.80 | |
| Clarkson sees how tough a Toyota Hilux pick-up truck truly is by putting it through a series of tests, including driving it through Bristol and nearly losing it to the sea, before returning to the test track to see what else it can withstand. Elsewhere, he tests the Mazda RX-8 on the track, while May drives the Fiat Panda up in Hertfordshire, and Hammond looks at several cars deemed to be good investments as future 'classic' cars. There's also the task of finding which is the best wig for a fast drive in an open top convertible, while Simon Cowell stops judging future singers to see if he can be judged the best at driving fast in the Liana. | |||||||
| 26 | 6 | Citroën C2 • Renault Mégane CC • Peugeot 307 CC • Aston Martin V8 Vantage (1977) • Holden Monaro | Is a Toyota Hilux really indestructible? – Part 2 | Sanjeev Bhaskar | 7 December 2003 | 5.40 | |
| May sees what else can be done to prove that a Toyota Hilux is tough by placing the same Hilux from the last episode on top of a tower block due for demolition. He also reviews the Aston Martin V8 Vantage and discusses how British supercars differentiate from those elsewhere in the world, while Hammond sees whether the Renault Mégane CC and the Peugeot 307 CC are good hard-top convertibles, and Clarkson reviews the successor to the old Citroën Saxo, the Citroën C2, and takes a drive in Australia's first contribution to the motoring world - the Holden Monaro. Meanwhile, Sanjeev Bhaskar is the latest star to drive in the reasonably priced car. | |||||||
| 27 | 7 | MG XPower SV • Porsche Cayenne Turbo • Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren | Which professor can do the best burn-out • What is the best British car: (Rover 75 • Morgan Plus 8 • Noble M12) | Rory Bremner | 14 December 2003 | 3.35 | |
| The beautiful and powerful MG XPower SV hits the track, but Clarkson is less impressed with it, while he also sees how good the off-road abilities of the Porsche Cayenne Turbo are by taking it to Bovington, Dorset. Meanwhile, Hammond travels to South Africa to review the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren, there's a burn-out contest between Heinz Wolff, Brian Sewell and Colin Pillinger, and the presenters see which car is the best British car - the Noble M12, the Morgan Plus 8 and the Rover 75. Elsewhere, Rory Bremner impersonates voices for car adverts before seeing how he fared on the track in the Liana. | |||||||
| 28 | 8 | Mercedes-Benz 280SL • Nissan Micra • Aston Martin Lagonda • Audi TT | Top Gear Generation Game | Johnny Vegas | 21 December 2003 | 3.15 | |
| Hammond sees how good a Nissan Micra is in comparison to a Boeing 737 (BBJ-2), while Clarkson tests out the Audi TT V6 after dressing for it, before seeing if car designs peaked in the '60s by testing out a '60s Mercedes-Benz 280SL (W113). Elsewhere, May drives the crazy and bold 1970s Aston Martin Lagonda, there's a duel-out between 5 of Hammond's modern cars versus 5 of Clarkson's older cars in a 1/5 mile drag race, and comedian Johnny Vegas proves he can drive fast in the Liana, even when he has no driving licence. | |||||||
| 29 | 9 | Chrysler Crossfire • Smart Roadster (Brabus V6 Bi-Turbo) • Jaguar XJ6 • Honda Civic Type R • Honda NSX Type R | Top Gear Awards 2003 | Carol Vorderman | 28 December 2003 | 4.24 | |
| It's a Cut-Price version of Top Gear this episode, after the budget for the series has been exhausted. The trio shoulder on regardless, with Clarkson driving the Chrysler Crossfire, Hammond handling a Smart Roadster Brabus V6 Biturbo and the Honda Civic Type-Rhot hatch as well as the Honda NSX Type R Supercar, and May reviewing the Jaguar XJ6. The trio also host the Top Gear Awards for 2003, while Carol Vorderman sees if she can do better than (the late) Richard Whitely, when she takes the Liana around the test track. | |||||||
Best-of Episodes[edit]
| Total | No. | Title | Feature | Original air date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S2 | CE | The Best Of Top Gear: 2003 | Best moments from Series 3 | 4 January 2004 | |
| A look back at some of the best moments from Series 3, including how much was done to the Indestructible Toyota Hilux, and the demise of the Original Stig. | |||||
Top Gear Killing A Toyota Downloader
Criticism and Controversy[edit]
Hilux Toughness Challenge[edit]
Following the broadcast of the fifth episode of the 3rd series, the BBC was contacted by the Churchill Parish in Somerset in regards to the tree that featured in the segment where Clarkson was proving the sturdiness and reliability of the Toyota Hilux. Up until the episode had been broadcast, villagers had presumed that the damage had been done accidentally or by vandals, until they watched what had happened on the show. After the BBC was contacted, the director of Top Gear admitted guilt and the broadcaster paid compensation.[2]
References[edit]
- ^'Weekly Top 10 Programmes'. Broadcasters' Audience Research Board.
- ^'BBC stumps up for tree stunt'. BBC. 21 February 2004. Retrieved 9 January 2006.
I was talking Toyota trucks with someone the other day and was surprised to find out that he had never seen the Top Gear series where the British trio tried to kill a Toyota pickup. You know, the one where they let it get swallowed by the ocean and drop it from a building (technically, the building was imploding). It was one of the most ridiculous, yet brilliant, pieces of automotive television I had ever witnessed.
We landed on the subject after discussing my recently purchased 2008 Toyota Tacoma. While there was no argument that the resale value of the Toyota truck was impressive, we both agreed that the first-gen Toyota pickups from the late 1970s and early 1980s were the epitome of a simple, rugged and reliable truck. That conversation got me thinking how many others may have missed the attempted assassination of one classic Toyota truck. So, here for your viewing pleasure is the entire three-part series. Enjoy.