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Top Gear: The new series
01 October 2007
Vijay Pattni takes a look at what Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May will be doing in this series of the show. They’ve driven to the North Pole in a Toyota. They’ve raced across Europe using one of the world’s most exclusive machines and a bi-plane. And one of them has even eaten his own hair. Top Gear storms back onto our screens this weekend – but what goodies do the team have up their sleeves for their tenth series? Bugatti Veyron vs Jet Fighter In the new series, the Veyron is back – but this time the race between plane and machine has been ramped up. The Bugatti may have seen off James’ pesky Cessna 182, but can it overcome the might of the RAF’s new Eurofighter Typhoon jet? In the new series, the RAF offered up their base for a race – a two-mile sprint between the Veyron and a jet fighter. The bonkers Bugatti will have to race to the end of the mile-long runway and back, while the jet plane will have to fly a mile straight up in the air and then back down again. One of the world’s most exclusive and expensive machines, the Veyron houses a 16.4-litre engine which churns out a colossal 1,001bhp. In the first Veyron challenge, Jeremy swallowed all of his lucky pills and piloted the (then) world’s fastest production car from Italy to London while his co-presenters donned their favourite Top Gun call-signs and took to the air – in what looked like a flying toaster. Car=Boat? Remember the cars all three presenters turned into boats? The challenge was to race across a reservoir in cars the trio had modified themselves. In the new series, the intrepid trio revisit their amphibious cars in one of the most ambitious challenges yet – to cross the English Channel.
Hammond was the first to go under – until Jezza gallantly picked him up in his ‘Toyboata’. But soon he was to suffer the same fate as he too felt the cold reservoir creep into his car. James was eventually crowned the winner – a full 346 hours later – largely because he was the only one left. 24-hour Britcar endurance race Hammond nearly lost his life a year ago attempting to break the land speed record when his jet-propelled dragster crashed at nearly 300mph. Back in the racing saddle once again, Richard was shunted off the Silverstone racetrack filming for the new series – in a £100,000 BMW 3 Series. All three presenters and The Stig took part in the Britcar 24-hour endurance race when Hammond was pushed off the course. Catch the full footage in the new series. Star in a Reasonably Priced Car Actress Helen Mirren and jazz supremo Jools Holland will feature in the ‘Star in a Reasonably Priced Car' section of the new series, where well known faces race around the Top Gear track in a Chevrolet Lacetti. Jools Holland also featured on Auto Trader – when his Bentley Turbo R was for sale on the site. Auto Trader links Top Gear's Hammond in new car smash Richard Hammond races Bugatti Veyron Auto Talk: Richard Hammond Top Gear star Jeremy Clarkson's Ford for sale Top Gear stars' cars Top Gear star: 'I prefer cycling'
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