Top Gear/Season 1 Episode 3

Season 1 Episode 3
Season 1, Episode 3
Airdate	November 3, 2002
Written by
Directed by
← 1x02 Season 1 Episode 2	1x04 → Season 1 Episode 4
Top Gear — Season One

Episode Three of the first season of Top Gear, and is episode three overall.

Guest Stars: Ross Kemp

Information

MINI One, Toyota Yaris Verso

Jeremy Clarkson reviews the MINI One. There are three versions of the MINI Cooper: the supercharged Coope S, the normal Cooper, and the bottom-of-the-range MINI One. Clarkson has the 10,500 GBP (about 19,100 USD) MINI One. He was worried BMW would ruin the Mini, but they haven't. The MINI One is a wonderful, comfortable car. But which model to buy? Clarkson suggests you should get the MINI One as it has the same 1.6 L engine as the Cooper and the only difference is a chip on the onboard computer. You save 1,300 GBP (about 2,400 USD) by buying the MINI One and then only have to spend about 385 GBP (about 700 USD) to change the chip. But should you buy a MINI at all? Clarkson points out that the MINI has the same wheelbase as a Land Rover Discovery, so where's all the room gone? There's a lot of space in the front, but none at all for those in the back, and there's not much trunk space.

So there's the Toyota Yaris Verso. It costs about the same as the MINI One but is a little smaller. On the inside, you get three full rear seats with plenty of leg room. The rear seats can also be folded into the floor to increase the trunk space, although Clarkson had a very difficult time trying to figure out how to fold the seats down. Air conditioning is standard, which you don't get with the MINI. Clarkson says it's perfect in every way, except for the styling.

Citröen DS

Richard Hammond reviews the Citröen DS, which he believes is the best looking car made. It was launched in 1955 and 12,000 were sold on its first day. Hammond's model is from 1972, but he explains that, aside from a few cosmetic changes, it's the same car first introduced in 1955. Citröen manufactured the DS from 1955 to 1975, and Hammond explains that by then the DS got pretty clever — the headlamps swivel with the steering wheel. The styling was dictated by aerodynamics, which weren't given much thought back then. In addition, the DS has disc brakes and a central hydraulic system that controlled the suspension, the brakes, the steering, and the gear changes in DS' with a semi-automatic transmission — all back in 1955.

Car Design Talk

Jeremy Clarkson talks to a car designer about how to design a car. Clarkson then talks with the designer of the Aston Martin DB7 Vantage. At the end, the three draw what they think a modern Jaguar E-Type would look like. Clarkson exclaims that the designer's pictures look exactly alike and, since the two work at Jaguar, he theorizes Jaguar is working on a new E-Type.

Granny Donut Challenge

Richard Hammond decides to see if grannies can do donuts in a Honda S2000.

Star in a Reasonably Priced Car

This week's Star in a Reasonably Priced Car is Ross Kemp, an English actor. Ross Kemp races the Suzuki Liana around the test track in 1.54.0 in the wet.

Insider Dealing

Jason Dawe explains that you can get a brand-new Alfa Romeo 166 for 349 GBP (about 635 USD) a month in a 3-year lease. Due to Daewoo's liquidation, 700 used Daewoo's have hit the market for very little money. Dawe also suggests that people should pick up something like a 3-year-old Ford Mondeo instead of buying new, small hatchback. You'll save money, get a bigger car, and won't have to deal with the hit from depreciation.

Aston Martin DB7 Vantage

Jeremy Clarkson reviews the Aston Martin DB7 Vantage, which he believes is the best looking car ever made. He says the early models were very poorly made — some caught fire and some just stopped. It's also based off the Jaguar XJS, so the DB7's underpinnings are twenty-five years old. You don't get climate control, radar-guided cruise control, voice-activation — all things you get on a Jaguar for half the price of the DB7. Even with its 6.0 L V12, the DB7 isn't that powerful. The engine computer is under the driver's seat, resulting in very little head room which is even worse in the convertible. However, for all its faults, Clarkson believes the Aston Martin DB7 Vantage is the most beautiful thing made by man.

Westfeld XTR2

Believing that nothing could beat the Pagani Zonda around the test track, the boys issued a challenge to the world for road-legal cars that could beat the Zonda. A small company called Westfield answered with their XTR2. Clarkson doesn't believe the XTR2 can beat the Zonda around the track since the Zonda has a 7.0 L engine whereas the XTR2 only has a 1.3 L. But Hammond believes it can as the XTR2 is very light.

Hammond reviews the Westfield XTR2. You don't get the leather and aluminum interior, Pope's shoes, windscreen, air conditioning and everything else you would get with the Pagani Zonda. But you can build your own XTR2 for under 20,000 GBP (about 36,400 USD). The XTR2 only weighs only 410 kilograms (about 904 pounds) — a MINI weighs almost three times as much. The engine may only be a 1.3 L, but it's lifted from the Suzuki Hayabusa and develops 170 bhp. Hammond exclaims that the best thing about the bike engine is that you get revs and revs and more revs.

The Stig takes the Westfield XTR2 around the test track in 1.22.6, beating the Pagani Zonda.

Reviews

• Overall Grade: N/A with 0 reviews
• Review Breakdown: A+: 0 A: 0 A-: 0 B+: 0 B: 0 B-: 0 C+: 0 C: 0 C-: 0 D: 0 F: 0