Top Gear/Season 3 Episode 3

Season 3 Episode 3
Season 3, Episode 3
Airdate	November 9, 2003
Written by
Directed by
← 3x02 Season 3 Episode 2	3x04 → Season 3 Episode 4
Top Gear — Season Three

Episode Three of the third season of Top Gear, and is episode twenty-three overall.

Guest Stars: Rob Brydon

Information

Bentley Continental GT

Jeremy Clarkson takes the 110,000 GBP (202,700 USD) Bentley Continental GT out for a test drive to the "English Riviera". It has a twin-turbocharged, 6 liter W12 engine developing 550 bph. It pushes the car to 198 mph and 0-60 in 4.7 seconds. It's quiet and comfortable, yet has ferocious power. The hardness of the suspension can be adjusted from inside the cockpit, but Clarkson doesn't know why anyone would want to make their Bentley more uncomfortable. Clarkson believes the Continental GT is a really good car, but it's missing the "sparkle" that would turn it into a really great car.

Hammond vs. Sinking Car

Richard Hammond is dropped into a water tank while inside a car to see how one should get out. Hammond attempted to wait until the water filled the interior of the car, thereby equalizing the pressure and allowing him to open the door, but the door wouldn't open. He had to wait until the car hit the bottom of the tank before the pressure finally equalized. So they have a second go at, but this time Hammond tries to get out as soon as the car hit the water. Opening the door straight away, Hammond managed to get himself out.

Star in a Reasonably Priced Car

This week's Star in a Reasonably Priced Car is Rob Brydon, a Welsh actor and comedian. Rob Brydon takes the Suzuki Liana around the test track in 1.48.6.

Subaru Legacy Outback

James May reviews the Subaru Legacy Outback.

2003 Top Gear Survey Results

The presenters discuss the results of the 2003 Top Gear Survey in which 43,000 people participated in.

First Place: Jaguar XJ
Last Place: VW Sharan

Cool Wall

Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond believe the Bentley Contintental GT to be cool and it's placed in the Cool section.

The BMW M3 CSL is placed in the Seriously Uncool section due to the kind of person who would buy it — a person who would worry about his gear shift aggression on the drive to work.

Clarkson places the Ford GT in the Uncool section, but the audience and Hammond disagree with him. Hammond tries to place it in the Cool section, but Clarkson takes the picture and places it high up in the Uncool section and out of Hammond's reach.

Clarkson thinks the Porsche 911 GT3 is uncool, while Hammond thinks it's cool. Asking a young woman in the audience if she would think it'd be interesting if he had to explain the rollbars in the back of the car, she tells him he'd make the second date, so he places the Porsche 911 GT3 in the Sub Zero section.

Next is the BMW 5 Series. Clarkson says the problem with this car is that it will be almost entirely bought by people who play golf. So Clarkson places the 5 Series at the very edge of the Seriously Uncool section.

Saab 9-5 Aero vs. Sea Harrier FA2

Jeremy Clarkson reviews the Saab 9-5 Aero. He explains how Saab has for years likened their cars to jet fighters, yet the Saab 9-5 is made by General Motors. And to demonstrate the differences further, Clarkson wants the Stig to race the 9-5 around the test track against a fighter.

The Stig takes the Saab 9-5 Aero around the test track in 1.37.9. The Sea Harrier FA2 makes it around the test track, albeit in the air, in 0.31.2.

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