What car from the cheap car challenges or the specials surprised you the most?
Posted by GiftedGeordie@reddit | thegrandtour | View on Reddit | 27 comments
For me the most surprising one has to be James' Lotus Esprit from the Patagonia Special considering that Lotus doesn't have the best reputation for reliability and then it hardly had any issues with it during the whole trip.
Another one, sticking with Captain Slow, would be his Volvo Estate from the Africa Special; while the low-to-the-ground Volvo had some issues, it managed to survive Africa and keep up with the other two. So while Hammond's Subaru was clearly the best car there, it isn't a surprise that basically an estate version of a rally legend did well in Africa.
So, what car surprised you in the Cheap Car Challenges or the Top Gear / Grand Tour Specials with how good or bad it was?
Zombieutinsel@reddit
Most of the reasons James May's cars survived is because May was driving them himself.
That Stag in the last special should proved that.
The funniest one was the Maserati that Clarkson blew up while driving down the road in one of the first series. When engine parts hit May's windshield that was a new kind of funny.
spiffiestjester@reddit
That was the cheap italian supercars episode and one of my favourites. James had a lambo that would not keep running, Richard in his 'not' Ferarri and Clarkson with his Maserati. All to get to a peeler bar that I am pretty sure was a ladies only deal. Good times.
cwx149@reddit
Especially after James bought an AA truck you'd think his would be the worst
ComfortDouble130@reddit
Don’t forget the BiTurbo he blew up on the French bridge
cwx149@reddit
"I've got no brakes"
Crash camera man confused hand wave
"I know but I've got no brakes"
MilesAhXD@reddit
What's the episode where he blew up the Maserati?
Zombieutinsel@reddit
Cheap exotic cars, May got a cheap Lamborghini, Hammond got a Ferrari and Clarkson had a 70s Maserati that threw a rod cap into May's windshield while attempting to drive to a strip club.
mad007din@reddit
The one with the fake SS badge, right?
Zombieutinsel@reddit
Yep
macIovin@reddit
its Oliver.
Close second James Fiat Panda in colombia
haikusbot@reddit
Its Oliver. Close
Second James Fiat Panda
In colombia
- macIovin
^(I detect haikus. And sometimes, successfully.) ^Learn more about me.
^(Opt out of replies: "haikusbot opt out" | Delete my comment: "haikusbot delete")
Ok_Vehicle9878@reddit
Oliver, hands down.
Aware_Nebula8305@reddit
I loved Oliver!
The_Mellow_Tiger@reddit
I mean... I LOVED HER!!
MagnumForce24@reddit
Oliver
graytotoro@reddit
Good: the £1 Volvo for being indestructible.
Bad: the Bolivian Land Cruiser. Somehow Hammond was able to roll a car without being in it.
Sir-Barks-a-Lot@reddit
Hammonds Fiat during the middle east special
joden3@reddit
James and his Yellow Princess with the brown interior.
Useful_Design_7437@reddit
From memory, the previous owner saw what happened on the show and was pretty pissed as the car was immaculate. The team buying the car also asked how they’d go about emptying the Hydragas suspension, so even though they said it had collapsed on the show, in reality it was done on purpose to make it seem like it had more issues than it did.
joden3@reddit
That's very interesting. I hadn't heard that. And I'm sure there were quite a few purposely engineered foibles over the years. Makes for better TV.
No_Doubt_About_That@reddit
Hammond’s BMW convertible for what it contained.
Washingtonpinot@reddit
James makes a Fiat Panda seem like a wise choice for anyone needing to make their way through a jungle.
Especially if you’re a couple of big blokes who could maneuver the car itself if you had to…
OgdenDermstead@reddit
Idk if it counts as cheap but James’ Lotus Esprit in the Patagonia special was mighty impressive.
driftywiftypleb@reddit
Bolivia special Range Rover. Those Classic Range Rovers are awesome cars, but (especially at that time) they where run cheaply and treated badly, and I'm surprised that even after the hard life it had, it was still going.
MilesAhXD@reddit
What's the episode where he blew up the Maserati?
ts405@reddit
probably those jeremy’s lancias
PuzzleheadedFold503@reddit
The BMW 330d from the 24hr challenge. Inspired me to build a much more "gangsta" e93 smoke spitter of my own... the sheer torque kept me within sight of M3s from 30 to 70. Plenty fast enough for a daily... 50mpg of the motorway too.