- Jeremy Clarkson makes his own take on a Ken Block-style car skidding video, James May tests the new VW Up GTI at the Eboladrome, and Richard Hammond smashes around Dubai in a high-powered tank called the Ripsaw. Plus, Preacher star Dominic Cooper goes against comedian Bill Bailey in Celebrity Face Off.
- Hammond travels to Dubai to start with A sand rail, 1500 BHP, 0-60 in under 3 secs and then tests Ripsaw EV2 (around BP 300,000, air con, adjusted leather seats, stereo, light bar and a thunder-bird style steering wheel) around the city and the surrounding desert. In the city it's hard to see on the sides and keep bumping into other cars, is too big to park in a mall (but can drive through mall walls). 6.6L Diesel V8, fastest track vehicle ever built, 700 BHP, 4 tonnes, has more suspension power than a range rover. Very supple to ride. Can ride a gradient of 75 degrees (Land rover discovery can only do 45 degrees). The tracks are rubber and hence can be driven in the UK
Conversation street: The new Bentley Continental GT has been given an uplift but doesn't look any different than before for BP 150,000. W12, twin turbo car. AMG Project one, developed by Lewis Hamilton. BP 2 MM. BMW 8 series, 6.6L V12. Clarkson thinks that cars with the V12 depreciate far too quickly as compared to a V8. Lambo Terzo Millenio, concept car, super capacitors instead of batteries, motor for every wheel, nano-tubes in the bodywork that repairs itself when damaged. Renault have a new pickup truck which Clarkson thinks won't work as Americans don't want a Renault and French don't want a pickup truck. Dodge Charger Daemon (a more powerful version of the Hellcat at 840 BHP)
while May heads to the Eboladrome to try out the Volkswagen Up! GTI. The hot hatches have evolved since the 80's. They are bigger, heavier, more space, more power, and take themselves far too seriously. The new VW hatch is a throwback to the original Mark 1 golf (113 BHP, 0-60 in 9 secs, starts with a key and has a stick). Weighs 200 Kgs more than the original Mark 1. A 1L 3 cylinder engine with a turbo and a sound actuator (that throws growling noises into the cabin to simulate acceleration). comes with climate control, heated seats, Bluetooth, reversing camera. Is fun around the corners. BP 14,000 half of a modern Golf GTI. 1:39.7 at the Ebola \drome, the slowest car in the world.
Meanwhile, Clarkson creates a Ken Block-styled film entitled "Farmkhana" near Rye, East Sussex, complete with outtakes and behind-the-scenes footage of the filming. Clarkson reckons that with clever editing you can make yourself look like doing amazing driving with a car, but it is just grunting and looking fierce with very few shots of doing anything at all. Clarkson had some shots of him inside the car fiddling with the pedals and gears and such, while all the actual driving shots were performed by a pro 3 times British Rally champion Mark Higgins. Clarkson killed 11 sheep during his stunts and rolled the car upside down Hammond style and got stuck in a ditch while attempting to jump over a river.
Bill Bailey (band was called famous five and it had 4 people in it. Owns a Citroen DS (a stunning looking classic car), which he bought when he was stuck in Spain during the Rejyawick volcanic explosion that grounded all planes and the French had a rail strike, to get back home. Went over the 12-point demerits for Speeding 3 times) and Dominic Cooper (out down 2 make up sponges in the front of his trousers to make himself look "big". Learnt to drive in a Citroen 2CV. First car was Austin Healy Sprite) compete in "Celebrity Face Off" to see who is the fastest amongst them "who has a failed former career in a band". A band is failed when the band outnumbers the audience. Bill 1:25.1, Dominic 1:23.6
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