Top Gear (series 7)

Top Gear (series 7)
Country of origin United Kingdom
No. of episodes 7
Release
Original network BBC Two
Original release 13 November 2005 (2005-11-13) – 12 February 2006 (2006-02-12)
Series chronology

The seventh series of Top Gear was aired during 2005 and consisted of 6 episodes, beginning on 13 November and concluding on 27 December. The series contained six specials that were aired in 2006, with the first being a Winter Olympics special that aired on 12 February, in which the presenters did their own version with cars, and was filmed in Lillehammer, Norway. The remaining five were all "Best Of Top Gear" specials that aired throughout March and the beginning of April, charting some of the best moments from the past seven series of the show; four of these were themed around Supercars, Special Guests, British Motoring and Challenges.

Episodes

Total No. Title Reviews Features Guest Original air date UK viewers
(million)[1]
601Series 7, Episode 1Ascari KZ1Shootout: Performance sports coupes (Aston Martin V8 Vantage • BMW M6 • Porsche 911 Carrera S) on the Isle of Man • Top Gear survey 2005 resultsTrevor Eve13 November 2005 (2005-11-13)3.74

The presenters travel back to the Isle of Man to compare a new set of cars - the Aston Martin V8 Vantage, the BMW M6, and the Porsche 911 Carrera S. Meanwhile, Hammond takes a look at the Ascari KZ1, a British supercar that can be found around the £235,000 bracket, while there's a look at the "How reliable is your car?" poll, and Trevor Eve makes a lap in the Liana and breaks a wheel in the process.

Note: A running gag was started in this episode, and continued until the end of the series, in which Clarkson commented that Hammond had whitened his teeth, which the presenter denied anytime the comment was made.
612Series 7, Episode 2Porsche Cayman S • Audi RS4Life-sized RC cars • History of British racing green • Audi RS4 vs Speed Climbers raceIan Wright20 November 2005 (2005-11-20)4.48
Hammond explains the history of British racing green, with a run in a Bentley Blower, and a 1903 Napier and reviews a recreation of a Vanwall F1 car, before competing against May with some life-size radio control cars made from real cars. Elsewhere, Clarkson disgusts the director when he reviews the Porsche Cayman S, races against the climber Leo Houlding to the top of the Verdon Gorge in France in an Audi RS4, and footballer Ian Wright uses his feet on the pedals of the Liana.
623Series 7, Episode 3Ford Focus STSupercar road trip to Millau Viaduct, France (Ferrari F430 Spider • Pagani Zonda S • Ford GT)Stephen Ladyman27 November 2005 (2005-11-27)4.61
The presenters go on a trans-France road trip to the recently completed Millau Viaduct (at the time of broadcast), in their favourite supercar - Hammond takes the Pagani Zonda, May drives the Ferrari F430, and Clarkson handles the Ford GT. Along the way, the trio cause mayhem in the backstreets of Paris, and take a blast along a mountain road. Meanwhile, Clarkson reviews the Ford Focus ST on the track, and British transport minister Stephen Ladyman injures the Liana as he tries to set a time on the test track.
634Series 7, Episode 4Pagani Zonda F • Renault ClioItalian mid-engine supercars for less than £10,000 (Ferrari 308 GT4 • Maserati Merak • Lamborghini Urraco) • Renault Clio vs. downhill cyclist race in LisbonDame Ellen MacArthur4 December 2005 (2005-12-04)4.88
Each presenter has £10,000 to buy themselves a used Italian supercar for a drive from Bristol, to a strip club in Slough - Hammond goes for a Ferrari 308GT4 with severe rust problems, Clarkson buys a Maserati Merak with terrible brakes, and May brings in a Lamborghini Urraco that is broken down right from the start. On this journey, the trio visit Castle Combe raceway to do a lap and find out how much power is left in their cars, stop off for a DIY tuneup against the clock, and try to make a difficult park in Marlborough town square, before seeing who will make it to the club. Elsewhere, Hammond reviews the heavily revised Pagani Zonda F, James races against downhill mountain biker Gee Atherton through Lisbon, Portugal, in the new Renault Clio, and Ellen MacArthur recalls her experience on her around the world sailing trip before hoping she sailed the Liana to a fast time.
645Series 7, Episode 5Marcos TSO • Bugatti Veyron • Porsche 911 Carrera 4 • Porsche 911 Carrera 2Epic race: Bugatti Veyron versus Cessna 182 Private Plane from Alba, Italy to London • RWD vs. AWD Porsches debate: Porsche 911 Carrera 4 vs Porsche 911 Carrera 2Nigel Mansell11 December 2005 (2005-12-11)4.76
Clarkson, Hammond and May embark on another race, this time seeing which is the fastest way to get a truffle from Northern Italy to a restaurant on the top of the Natwest Tower in London. While Clarkson hopes he can do it in the brand new, 1001 PS (736 kW/987 bhp) Bugatti Veyron supercar, his rivals try to beat him by flying the whole way in a private plane, although Hammond is not happy to learn that May will be piloting them through the air in a Cessna 182 (light aircraft). Meanwhile, Hammond takes a drive in the Marcos TSO GT2, the Stig is comparing drivetrains on an indoor exhibition rally track of the World Rally Championship at Millennium Stadium, and F1 and IndyCar champion Nigel Mansell comes to see how fast he is in the Liana.
656Series 7, Episode 6Volkswagen Golf R32 • BMW 130i • Mazda MX-5 • Honda NSXOld generation vs. New generation car culture • Lap times from a video game vs. Real life in the Honda NSX • Mazda MX-5 vs. Greyhound race • Top Gear Awards 2005David Walliams • Jimmy Carr27 December 2005 (2005-12-27)4.52
Hammond finds out if the Mazda MX-5 is quicker in a race at a dog-racing dirt track than a greyhound, while Clarkson tests out the Volkswagen Golf R32 and the BMW 130i, and tries to see if he can match a time made on Gran Turismo 4, using the same car from the game - the Honda NSX - and the same track - the Laguna Seca racetrack in Monterey, California. Meanwhile, there's a showdown between classic and modified cars at the Prescott Hill Climb Course, the 2005 Top Gear Awards are announced, and Little Britain star David Walliams is in the Liana, with a surprise appearance from Jimmy Carr.
667"Winter Olympics Special"N/ATop Gear Winter OlympicsN/A12 February 20065.22
Main article: Top Gear Winter Olympics

Top Gear hosts its own version of the Winter Olympics in the former venue at Lillehammer, Norway. First up, Clarkson is in an Volvo XC90 in a "Biathlon", competing against May in a Audi Q7, as they endure a cross-country course complete with 2 shooting rounds, before Clarkson tries to see if he can beat a human skater in the "Speed Skating" event, in a Jaguar XK. The pair then compete against each off in the "Off-Road Slalom" event, in a battle between a four-wheel drive Land Rover Discovery and a two-wheel drive Jaguar XK against the clock, on just about five inches of frozen lake. Meanwhile, there's a look back to the Bobsleigh challenge from Series 5, before Hammond subjects himself and a Citroën C1 to Arctic temperatures to see which will give out first. Returning from Daytime Television, Hammond competes against May in a game of "Car Ice Hockey" with several Suzuki Swifts, before assisting his colleagues in seeing if a Mini can jump further than a skier from a downhill slope.

Note: The end credits of this episode were edited as a reference to the members of Swedish pop group ABBA, with Clarkson referred to as "Björn Clarkson", Hammond as "Benny Hamond", May as "Agnetha May" and The Stig as "Anni-Frid Stig", whilst every other crew member in the credits had their first name replaced with Björn.

Compilation Episodes

Total No. Title Feature Original air date
S4CE-1"The Best of Top Gear: 2005 #1"Best Moments from Last Seven Series - Part 113 March 2006
A look back to the best moments from Series 6 and 7, including the Heathrow To Oslo Race, and the reviews of the Ford Focus ST and the Volkswagen Golf R32, BMW 130i.
S5CE-2"The Best Of Top Gear: 2005 #2 - The Special Guests"Best Moments from Last Seven Series - Part 2 • Tour of Top Gear Studio by Jimmy Carr13 March 2006
Jimmy Carr gives a short tour of the studio, meets with the audience on a day of filming, looks at the cars in the studio's car park, and interviews David Walliams, James May and The Stig. Elsewhere, there are look back to some of the best moments with the show's Special Guests, including the challenge of getting a Transit Van around the Nurburgring, the supercar shootout between the Aston Martin Vanquish S and the Ferrari 575M, and the Audi RS4's race against the Speed Mountain-Climbers.
S6CE-3"The Best Of Top Gear: 2005 #3 – The Challenges"Best Moments from Last Seven Series - Part 320 March 2006
A look back to some of the show's best Challenges, including the difficulties faced in finding a second-hand Italian, Mid-Engined Supercar, the Range Rover Sport vs. Challenger 2 Tank duel, and the Renault Clio's race with the Urban Biker.
S7CE-4"The Best Of Top Gear: 2005 #4 – The Supercars"Best Moments from Last Seven Series - Part 427 March 2006
A look back at some of the best moments with the supercars that featured on the show, including the Bugatti Veyron vs. Cessna Aeroplane race, the Aston Martin DB9 vs. Train race, and a compilation of moments from the Stig's Power Laps and Cool Wall segments.
S8CE-5"The Best Of Top Gear: 2005 #5 – The Best of British"Best Moments from Last Seven Series - Part 54 April 2006
A look back at some of the best British moments from the show, including the review of the Ascari KZ1, and the laps in the Liana by Stephen Fry, Joanna Lumley, Sir Ranulph Fiennes and Ellen MacArthur.

References

  1. ↑ "Weekly Top 10 Programmes". Broadcasters' Audience Research Board.
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