Top five cars from Top Gear/Grand Tour and where they are now

New Delhi: If you grew up loving cars in the early parts of this century, chances are, your favourite Sunday programme was Top Gear with the iconic lineup of Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond. Back in 2002, when it had started, it was just another motoring show, revived from the 1970s run-up, with Fifth Gear being its only rival.

Over time, the show turned its course and walked away from conventional reviewing and more towards exploring what cars means to people. From it came the specials where three presenters would go across the globe, with different situations, and each would be driving old, absurd cars that weren’t particularly suitable for the situation, but through ingenuity would make them work across environments. 

Even when the trio left the show and went to Grand Tour, the specials would still be the same, filled with humour and in its final interpretation, the show just had the specials, going from the sands of the Sahara Desert to the rivers of Cambodia and Vietnam. Here’s a look at five of their most iconic cars and where they are now.

Top Gear had previously used the Toyota Hilux to perform a series of tests to destroy it, including throwing it in the sea, but it managed to start each time. So it was no brainer for them to use this whilst going for an expedition to the magnetic North Pole. It was a 3.0-litre diesel, in-line four-turbo that made 171 bhp and 343 Nm of torque. It was operated with a five-speed automatic gearbox and locking differentials.

Of course, going to the Arctic meant it needed more than strong axles and CV joints and was customised by Arctic Trucks, who gave it 38-inch tyres, custom suspension with reinforced shocks, body lift, auxiliary fuel tanks extending the range, external engine heaters and lots more. It is still in possession of Arctic Trucks and has been used for exhibitions.

While it was their second special per se, Botswana was the first time that the three presenters had truly gone out of their comfort zone of Europe or America and stepped into the wilderness of Africa. The three presenters travelled across the country in used cars bought from Africa, with each given £1,500 to buy cars that were two-wheelers and not made at all for off-roading.

Clarkson had a Lancia Beta Coupe, May was in a Mercedes-Benz 230E, and Hammond had the iconic Opel Cadet he named "Oliver”. It had a 1.0-litre, naturally aspirated petrol engine that made 40 bhp and 69 Nm. It was shipped back by Hammond, who still owns this car and more recently been restored at his workshop and has made multiple appearances since.

With the Grand Tour wrapping up the conventional style of the show with tents and guests, and reviews, the Madagascar Special was a return of the trio in their elements, surviving in the harsh conditions. While a Ford Focus on caterpillar tracks and an off-road Caterham were standout guests, the modified Bentley stood out. The Bentley Continental came in lime-green and came with a twin-turbocharged V8 engine. 

It came with a winch mounted on a steel platform at the front, armour-plated steel from front to back on the undersides, snorkels, which resulted in replacing the headlamp with motorcycle lamps, brakes changed because of the chunky tyres, but with smaller brakes from Volkswagen Golf GTi and a host of other modifications. It was initially with Clarkson but was ultimately Bentley took it back to their factory in Crewe, Cheshire, England, where it is behind a glass case.

Shot during the pandemic of 2020, the Grand Tour just went as far as Scotland in American cars from the 60s and 70s, answering the question of why these cars never caught on in Europe. Through the episodes, there are quite a few American cars, including the fabled Ford Mustang. However, it was Clarkson’s Licoln Mark V that stood out.

Dressed in blue alongside Richard Hammond’s Buick Riviera Boattail and Cadillac Coupe De Ville, it came with a 6.6-litre V8 and made 181 bhp. It is still in possession of Clarkson, slipping perfectly well with the Mercedes 600 he has in his garage.

In the final episode of the Grand Tour featuring the trio, Jeremy Clarkson chose the Lancia Montecarlo. Having driven the Lancia in the first proper special in Botswana, it felt like a perfect comeback. The 1982 model was with him in the final drive; the trio took across the Makadikadi desert, driven without doors like the first time around.

Painted in blue, it came with Ferrari 308 taillights and headlights, grille and rims from Lancia Delta Integrale. Clarkson chose an Alcantara steering wheel and, Recaro sport seat. It came with a 2.0-litre inline-four mid-engine and produced 118 bhp. There is an emotional moment in the film where he runs into his Lancia from the first special. The car has been shipped back and with Clarkson, with damage to the front end mended and will probably stay in Clarkson’s Chipping Norton farm garage.