Top Gear (series 17)

Country of origin	United Kingdom
No. of episodes	6
Release
Original network	BBC Two
Original release	26 June 2011 (2011-06-26) – 31 July 2011 (2011-07-31)

The seventeenth series of British motoring programme Top Gear began on BBC Two and BBC HD, on 26 June 2011, with the usual presenting team of Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, James May and The Stig.

Episodes

Total	No.	Title	Reviews	Features	Guest	Original air date	UK viewers (million)
133	1	Series 17, Episode 1	Marauder • BMW 1 Series M Coupe	50th Birthday of the Jaguar E-Type • Mini John Cooper Works WRC with Amy Williams	Alice Cooper • Amy Williams • Kris Meeke	26 June 2011	6.22
Review: Richard is given the task of road testing the Marauder, a South African military vehicle. He attempts to find similarities and differences between it and the Hummer before subjecting it to a series of tests, including how to manoeuvre out of a supermarket parking space, how to drive it through a crowded town, and what would happen to it if seven pounds of Semtex were to be detonated under the car. After the Hummer is completely destroyed by the explosives, Richard performs the same test to the Marauder, only to have the car survive and drive away from the explosion. Review: Jeremy reviews the BMW 1 Series M Coupe, comparing it to the original Volkswagen Golf GTI, the Porsche Cayman R and the Lotus Evora S. By the end of the review, he is very pleased with everything about it, even though Richard can't justify the £40,000 price tag. It sets a lap time of 1:25.00, about 0.3 seconds faster than a 4-door BMW M3, despite the damp track condition. News: The trio talk about the new MG 6, criticising its looks and it being a rebadging of the Roewe 550. Jeremy then goes on to discuss a website he has found, which informs people how many models of a particular type of car are still on the road in the United Kingdom. He reports that there are hardly any old MGs, but there are plenty of classic Fords. James also discusses the new MINI coupé, which the trio strongly criticise because of the claim that it would be "styled to look like a baseball cap used backwards". Feature: Jeremy pays homage to the Jaguar E-type on its 50th birthday, driving an E-Type Speedster to a hilltop convention where over 100 E-Types have gathered in celebration. He claims that every model was fantastic, and it was possibly the best-looking car ever. He also unveils a successor (the Eagle Speedster) which has been updated for the 21st century, but he is startled by its £500,000 price tag. "Car Vs. Something" Race: James returns to Lillehammer in Norway in a bid to clear up some unfinished business. He gathers a MINI John Cooper Works WRC, MINI test driver Kris Meeke and skeleton sled racer Amy Williams in an attempt to prove that a car can be faster than a bobsleigh; James was beaten on his previous attempt by Richard's bobsleigh team. James and Kris complete the race in 59.73 seconds and Amy finishes in 1:01.04. Star In A Reasonably Priced Car: Rock legend Alice Cooper sets a time of 1:56.3, becoming the second slowest star to drive around the track in the Kia Cee'd.
134	2	Series 17, Episode 2	Aston Martin Virage	High-performance hatchbacks in Lucca and around the Monaco Grand Prix track: (Citroën DS3 Racing • Fiat 500C Abarth • Renault Sport Clio 200 Cup)	Ross Noble	3 July 2011	5.72
Review: James rants about almost all Aston Martins, claiming that they all ride too hard because Aston develops all of their cars at the Nürburgring. He then reviews the Aston Martin Virage, at first praising the build quality and its handling, saying that it's sharper than Aston Martin DB9, but not as hardcore as the DBS. However, when he took the Virage for a ride around the Top Gear test facility, he was very cross about the uncomfortable ride. In the hands of The Stig, the Virage sets a lap time of 1:24.4 News: The hosts talk about the new Aston Martin V12 Zagato, which prompts James to complain about the number of new cars being developed at the Nürburgring. Jeremy introduces the Citroën DS5, and then discusses the faces of new Peugeot and Kia Optima, and positive camber on the rear wheels of the Vauxhall Insignia. Jeremy then brings up the topic of modern Jaguar E-Types, with a Jaguar XK redesigned by a Swiss company named "Growler", which Richard states is "the welcome mat of a lady from the 1970s". The trio then trade off various quips, with Jeremy commenting on how there will be a "trimmed down version for the Brazilian market", and James suggesting how awkward it will sound when a bloke says "I'm going to the garage to wax the Growler" as well as Jeremy imitating the horror of the car's Swiss designers, who had never heard what "Growler" actually meant. Road Trip: The team attempt to compare three of the latest hot hatchbacks by subjecting them to a series of challenges during a journey across the Italian Riviera. Jeremy believes he has found the perfect machine in the Citroën DS3 Racing, while James attempts to prove the sincerity of the Renaultsport Clio Cup. Richard is mocked, however, when he arrives in an Abarth 500C, which is not really a hot hatchback. The team began by attempting to find out which of them could reach the edge of Lucca the quickest, by traversing a series of extremely skinny and complicated, one-way roads. Jeremy managed to get out first, followed by Richard (who jumped out of his car, and subsequently lost it when mapping a route out of the Lucca), while James, however, got lost and ended up stuck on top of the city wall. The team then had to complete a scavenger hunt in less than six hours, retrieving items from the road-side and shops, without any money being allowed to change hands (for some items, they couldn't leave the car). Jeremy and James managed to find all of the required items, while Richard failed to collect three of them: a vine, a CD and a dog. The team, after driving further north towards the Riveria, reached Monaco, where they took part in one final challenge, in which they attempted to set a fastest lap time round the Formula One Circuit de Monaco. To help them, each had someone guide them around the track - James was guided by Flavio Briatore, Richard by Christian Horner and Jeremy by Bernie Ecclestone. Jeremy managed to complete the fastest lap of the three, while enjoying the chance to drive round the circuit. In the studio, Jeremy was declared the winner, compared to Richard who only scored 5 points. To Richard's disbelief, James and Jeremy took points off him for every challenge whilst explaining, and clearly making up, rules the producers had not explained in advance of the challenges: Richard abandoning his car during the Lucca challenge, failing to collect all of the items during the scavenger hunt, although he did post a faster time than James on the Monaco Grand Prix circuit, but was given a 5 point penalty due to bringing a convertible, which Jeremy said the producers said was not allowed, although Jeremy clearly said that only to make sure that Richard scored 0. Had Richard not had his points stripped, he still would have lost by 5 points to Jeremy. Star In A Reasonably Priced Car: Comedian Ross Noble sets a time of 1:43.5, becoming the second fastest man on the leaderboard.
135	3	Series 17, Episode 3	McLaren MP4-12C • Ferrari 458 Italia • Range Rover Evoque	Examine toughness of the Range Rover Evoque in Las Vegas • Second-hand bargains for the price of the Nissan Pixo (Mercedes CL600 • BMW 850Ci) .	Sebastian Vettel	10 July 2011	6.55
Review: Jeremy reviews the McLaren MP4-12C and its main supercar rival, the Ferrari 458 Italia. He praised the comfort, the handling, and the build quality of the Mclaren, but dislikes the lack of joy when he drove it. On the track, it managed to set a blistering lap time of 1:16.2, only 1.1 seconds slower than Ariel Atom 500 and 0.6 seconds faster than a 1,184 bhp Bugatti Veyron Super Sport. News: The trio discuss the effects that the London 2012 Olympics will have on motoring, suggesting that new cars will need to be built in time for the games in order to make the British public safe from 'Foreign Tourists'. They also ask the point of being in a car owner's club, with Jeremy claiming that standing in car parks admiring other people's cars is simply sad and a waste of time. Review/"Car Vs. Something" Race: James travels to the American state of Nevada to test the sustainability of the Range Rover Evoque. He attempts to drive the car through Death Valley, testing aspects such as the car's suspension, on-board equipment and ability to sustain a soft ride on all terrain. He also attempts to reach an appointment to chauffeur megastar Cher across Las Vegas, however, is disappointed when it turns out to be a male Cher impersonator, named Steve. Challenge: Jeremy and Richard attempt to find the best second-hand bargains for the same price as Britain's cheapest new car, the £6,995 Nissan Pixo. Jeremy finds a nine-year-old Mercedes CL 600, whereas Richard opts for a seventeen-year-old BMW 850Ci. The duo ponder the fact that both have V12 engines, many equipment features, and luxurious interiors. The pair decide to road test both vehicles, to see which one has the better handling. They then compete in a drag race, before placing both cars on a rolling road to see how much power they have lost. They then have the cars forensically examined, to find traces of what happened in the car before they owned it. After the film, James is dismayed that anyone would purchase a used luxury car when they could instead buy a reliable car still under warranty. When Richard informs him that they have actually bought these cars (not merely borrowed them for the show), James bets all of his hair that one of the cars will break down within 2 weeks. And the trio announced the caravan train challenge. F1 Star In A Reasonably-Priced Car: Reigning Formula 1 world champion Sebastian Vettel sets a time of 1:44.0 in the old Suzuki Liana, becoming not only the fastest ever Formula 1 driver but also the fastest person to ever do a lap.
136	4	Series 17, Episode 4	Jaguar XKR-S • Nissan GT-R	Make a train out of a specially modified car and caravans as carriages: (Jaguar XJ-S Convertible • Audi S8)	Rowan Atkinson	17 July 2011	7.14
Review: Jeremy reviews the Jaguar XKR-S. He likes the speed, the handling, and especially the noise it made, but dislikes the styling, the hard ride, and its £97,000 price tag, saying that Jag had sacrificed all of its core value for the pursuit of speed. He then reviewed the 2012 Nissan GT-R, praising the speed and the handling of it, and the fact that it costs £69,000 and more practical than the Jag. On the test track the XKR-S sets a lap time of 1:23.3, while the revised GT-R managed to set 1:17.8, just as fast as Pagani Zonda Roadster F Clubsport and 2 seconds faster than the old GT-R. News: Before the news proper, James takes a moment to tout the virtues of the Nissan GT-R's launch control. This prompts Jeremy to declare launch control to be the stupidest thing to have on a car today. After some debate it is revealed that of the three, James is the only one who has a car with the feature. Jeremy goes on to declare night vision a worthless feature – as it doesn't work when you turn the car's headlights off. Segueing into the main body of the news, there is a new Range Rover Sport with a "Say what you see" function (also worthless in Jeremy's opinion). There is a new version of the Abarth Punto Esseesse – essentially a hot hatchback that comes with the SS kit in a wooden box that the buyer can keep. This raises Jeremy's hackles, but Richard confesses that he struggles throwing boxes away because of their potential. Finally, James asks Jeremy and Richard if the used cars they bought in the previous episode have broken down or not. Richard says his BMW 850Ci has not broken down but, after some evasion, Jeremy admits that the ignition coil of his Mercedes CL 600 needs replacing, and with labour costs, will end up costing him £1,200. Car Creation Challenge: Jeremy, Richard and James try to find a cheaper alternative to expensive carriage trains. To begin, the trio buy a classic 1980s Jaguar XJ-S Convertible, and take it to the Top Gear "Rail Technology" Centre (on the Great Central Railway), where they fitted it with special train-track wheels. They also build carriages out of caravans, with each one representing a different class of a regular train - First Class, The Buffet Car, Second Class, and "Scum Class". They initially test the train out, with the Jaguar doing alright on its own, but unable to generate enough traction to pull the carriages. While arguing over the solution, Jeremy suggests that they instead build a "Sports Train", with only one carriage, while James and Richard suggest they buy a new carrier vehicle. The team split up, and James and Richard return with a 4WD Audi S8, and secure the already built caravan carriages to the car. Meanwhile, Jeremy built a new four-man carriage to fit to the back of the Jaguar. With both trains ready, the trio decided to race each other's trains to Loughborough train station, with Richard and James heading off first (with a team of train inspectors onboard). Both teams encounter problems - James overshoots a station, their train is not well liked by the inspectors (in terms of noise, safety, and service), while Jeremy finds himself stuck behind Richard and James and is then stopped by another train when he switches tracks. While James and Richard bicker over who is to do announcements on their train (to the point of swearing at each other, much to their passengers disbelief), a fire breaks out on the Buffet Car, much to Jeremy's delight, who makes it to the finish line first. Richard and James stop to assess the burning wreck of the carriage (with their passengers gone), not noticing that the "Scum Class" carriage has not cleared a crossover from the opposite track properly and is destroyed by another train. In the studio, Jeremy claims his "Sports Train" would be used by the government, but quickly admitted to just lying, with Richard relaying the findings of one of Jeremy's own passengers (the editor of railway express), who hated his train. The trio announced the wrecking crew challenge with second-hand military equipment vs demolition experts. Star In A Reasonably-Priced Car: Comedian Rowan Atkinson previews his new film Johnny English Reborn, as well as talking about the prototype V16 engine used in the film's Rolls-Royce Phantom, as well as his McLaren F1 and his love for the Honda NSX. Rowan sets a time of 1:42.2, becoming the fastest man to lap the circuit in the Kia Cee'd.
137	5	Series 17, Episode 5	Lotus T125 • Jensen Interceptor	Demolish a house with second-hand military equipment vs demolition experts	Bob Geldof	24 July 2011	6.13
Review/Feature: Jeremy tests a new and updated version of the classic Jensen Interceptor, only to discover himself driving back into a time characterised by leather driving gloves and droopy moustaches. He decides that the Interceptor has never been given enough TV recognition, and in light of his recent discovery, enlists the help of Richard and James to create a title sequence for a new 'classic' TV show, "The Interceptors", which is styled like a parody of 1970s action/adventure series such as The Persuaders! and Department S. In the title sequence, the three are shown driving various Interceptors, and are credited as "James Steed", "Roger St. Hammond" and "Jason Clarkson". Review: Jeremy reviews Lotus' new purpose-built Formula 1-inspired track car, the T125. Jean Alesi coached him on driving the T125 effectively, however Jeremy lacked the reaction time to drive the Lotus to its fullest extent. He demonstrated the difference between the reactions needed to drive the T125 compared with a street-legal vehicle, his own Mercedes-Benz CLK63 AMG Black, saying that in order to enter the Hammerhead corner he would have to start braking at 140 metres out, but braking at the same distance with the T125, it would stop about 60 metres before the entry point of the corner. The T125 was unable to set a lap time due to inclement weather. News: The team discuss the fact that they will be cut short for live coverage of the Moto GP race at 10:00pm. Jeremy purposely extends conversations, and rabbits on to James about things unrelated to the show, saying "Top Gear is more important than bike racing. Nobody likes it, anyway." Jeremy mocked the new £41,000 Mini Inspired by Goodwood, then comparing it to a £43,000 Aston Martin Cygnet & Colette, which the team also mocks. Towards the end of the news, Jeremy reviews more 'bird dirt' incidents, reflecting on pictures sent to him by the public. Challenge: The boys are challenged by a group of professional demolishers to knock down a row of derelict houses zoned for demolition, in less time than it would take them to do the same. In preparation, the team travel to Albania to have a practice run, however, their demolition machinery fails to really have much impact. Upon their return to England, the trio travel to a military surplus yard to buy heavy-duty machinery to complete the job. Richard purchases an FV434 armoured recovery vehicle that has been retro-fitted for combat engineers, James an FV180 Combat Engineer Tractor (CET) that can be used as a battering-ram, and Jeremy an Armtrac 400 mine-clearing vehicle. As the team begin the challenge, things do not go well. Richard's attempts to tear the roofs from the houses with a harpoon cannon only succeeds in dragging a portable toilet over the houses, while James' efforts to batter the houses in submission ends up trapping Richard and his tank inside a collapsed house. Meanwhile, Jeremy is using the remote-control feature of his mine-clearing vehicle and loses control, mangling a car and rupturing a buried water main. In an attempt to catch up to the professionals, Jeremy plants explosives inside the chimney breasts of the houses. However, he fails to use enough explosives, and only manages to "blow the bloody door off". Finally, the trio resort to using their vehicles as battering rams, but they only tear two and a half houses down before the professional demolition crew finish. Because of the MotoGP 2011 live coverage coming up after the show, the trio were told to not take too long on the show. Jeremy fails to heed this, and the show ended prematurely after Jeremy asks what they are going to do, only to realise they've ended (in repeats, the credits are shown, unlike the original transmission). Star In A Reasonably-Priced Car: Rock star and charity ambassador Bob Geldof sets a time of 1:48.1
138	6	Series 17, Episode 6	Lamborghini Aventador	Electric cars for the seaside: (Nissan Leaf • Peugeot iOn) • Extraordinary rally team of amputee military veterans	Louis Walsh	31 July 2011	6.76
Review: Richard reviews the Lamborghini Aventador, the long-awaited successor of the Murcielago. He was initially impressed by the performance, styling, and handling, but later declared it to be 'too serious', because it lacked the drama and the thrill from all the previous V12 Lamborghinis. After the review, Jeremy points out Richard's mistake of saying Helsinki syndrome (by which he means Stockholm Syndrome), while disagreeing with Richard and James' opinion about the Aventador. It sets a lap time of 1:16.5, only 0.3 seconds slower than the McLaren MP4-12C. News: The team discuss the new Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Black Series. Richard mocks Jeremy about owning a Black series (CLK63 AMG) and calls the C63 a 'stupid' car. Jeremy shows an advertisement for leathers featured on the back of a 1976 motorcycling magazine, which featured a model resembling James (even though he was 12 at the time). They also discuss Lewis Hamilton's complaint that the British National Anthem is too short. They compare it to other countries' national anthems. James shares his idea for a shortened 'national anthem'. Jeremy discusses his CLK63 AMG automatic service warning system. The Lotus T125 was brought back to the Test Track to set a lap time. It was driven by The Stig who, according to Jeremy, requested a softer suspension and softer tyres for his lap. The V8 T125 made it around the circuit in 1:03.8, just 4.8 seconds slower than the V10 Renault R24 driven in series 5, episode 8. Car Review Challenge: Jeremy and James are given the task of taking two new electrically powered cars, the Nissan Leaf and Peugeot iOn, on a trip to the seaside. They test the length of time it takes before each car runs out of juice, and find out how easy (or hard) it is to find a place to recharge. While waiting for them to recharge in Lincoln, they take guided tours of several historic attractions around the city, where they discover the electric car was a concept that was thought about much longer ago than they first imagined. Feature: Richard meets the world's most extraordinary rally team, called Race2Recovery, which is made up entirely of war amputees. He watches them prepare for a race at Silverstone, before becoming part of the team for a race at Snetterton Park in Norfolk. He questions members of the team on the problems they encounter due to their disabilities, and asks what inspired them to become part of a rally team. He also sets the team up to be coached by Ben Collins, acknowledging Ben's role as The Stig in previous seasons. The trio announced to viewers to watch The X Factor start in August on ITV, before the show started in January 2012 on BBC. Star In A Reasonably-Priced Car: Louis Walsh makes his first appearance in the reasonably priced car, and posts a time of 1:47.7.