Cheap Car Challenges would usually involve the trio, being given a certain amount of budget to buy a car before being set a number of challenges in finding out who had the best deal with regards to their purchase, the first being a £100 Car Challenge. Sometimes the challenges would usually involve the trio going against their producers in an attempt to prove that a certain type of car was superior. This segment was passed on, during the transition to The Grand Tour.
The earliest execution of this idea dates back to presenter Jeremy Clarkson's 2000 home video release, At Full Throttle, which he presented with then-current Top Gear presenter Vicki Butler-Henderson. Tasked with modifying an older sports car for less than £5,000, Jeremy would purchase a 1979 Rover SD1 whereas Vicki would purchase a 1986 Vauxhall Nova Sport. They would then be tuned by tuning firms associated with their brands for less than the money the presenters had left, and would be raced against one another at the end of the video.
Top Gear (Clarkson-era)
| Episode | Challenge | Budget | Jeremy's Purchase | Richard's Purchase | James' Purchase | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Series 4, Episode 3 | Extremely Cheap Cars | £100 | Volvo 760 GLE | Rover 416 GTi | Audi 80 1.8E | Jeremy |
| Series 5, Episode 6 | Cheap Porsches | £1,500 | Porsche 928 | Porsche 924 | Porsche 944 | Jeremy |
| Series 6, Episode 2 | Cheap Coupes that Aren't Porsches | £1,500 | Mitsubishi Starion | BMW 635CSi | Jaguar XJS | James (Jeremy Claimed Victory) |
| Series 7, Episode 4 | Cheap Italian Supercars | £10,000 | Maserati Merak | Ferrari 308 GT4 | Lamborghini Urraco | None |
| Series 8, Episode 8 | Cheap Vans | £1,000 | Ford Transit | Suzuki Supercarry | LDV Convoy | Richard |
| Series 9, Episode 5 | Tractors | N/A | JCB Fastrac 8250 | Case STX Steiger 530 | Fendt 930 Vario | None |
| Series 10, Episode 7 | British Leyland | £1,200 | Rover SD1 | Triumph Dolomite Sprint | Austin Princess | James |
| Series 11, Episode 1 | Police Car Challenge | £1,000 | Fiat Coupe 20V Turbo | Suzuki Vitara JLX | Lexus LS400 | Richard |
| Series 11, Episode 3 | Cheap Alfa Romeos | £1,000 | Alfa Romeo 75 | Alfa Romeo Spider | Alfa Romeo GTV | Jeremy |
| Series 12, Episode 1 | Cheap Lorries | £5,000 | Renault Magnum | ERF EC11 | Scania P94D | James |
| Series 13, Episode 2 | Teenage Cars | £3,000 | Volvo 940 Estate | Hyundai Scoupe | Volkswagen Golf | Jeremy |
| Series 13, Episode 5 | RWD Cars | £1,500 | Porsche 944 S2 | Nissan 300ZX | Ford Capri 2.8 (Morris Marina) | James |
| Series 13, Episode 6 | Pre-1982 Cars | £3,000 | Austin-Healey Sprite | Lanchester LJ 200 | Citroen Ami | James |
| Series 15, Episode 2 | Track Day Sports Saloons | £5,000 | Ford Sierra Sapphire RS Cosworth | BMW M3 | Mercedes-Benz 190E Cosworth | James |
| Series 15, Episode 6 | British Sports Cars | £5,000 | Jensen-Healey | Lotus Elan | TVR S2 | All |
| Series 16, Episode 4 | 4 Seater Convertibles | £3,000 | BMW 325i (1988) | BMW 325i (1987) | BMW 325i (1989) | James |
| Series 18, Episode 7 | Rallycross Racers | N/A | BMW 328i | Citroen Saxo VTS | Toyota MR2 | Richard |
| Series 21, Episode 1 | Cheap Hot Hatches | £800 | Volkswagen Golf GTi | Vauxhall Nova SRi | Ford Fiesta XR2i | All |
| Series 22, Episode 3 | Cheap Ambulance Challenge | N/A | Porsche 944 Turbo | Chevrolet G20 Motorhome | Ford Scorpio Cardinal | Richard |
| Series 22, Episode 8 | Classic Car Ownerships | N/A | Fiat 124 Spider | MGB GT | Peugeot 304 S Cabriolet | Richard |
| Series 22, Episode 8 | Cheap SUV'S | £250 | Vauxhall Frontera Sport RS | Jeep Cherokee | Mitsubishi Shogun Pinin | Jeremy |
Statistics
- James: 7 wins
- Jeremy: 5 wins
- Richard: 5 wins
- Shared: 2 wins
The Grand Tour
| Episode Title | Challenge | Clarkson's Purchase | Hammond's Purchase | May's Purchase | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Italian Lessons | Cheap Maseratis | Maserati Biturbo S | Maserati 430 | Maserati Zagato Spyder | Northern France |
| Jaaaaaaaags | Reliable Jaguars | Jaguar XJR | Jaguar Mark X (Jaguar XJ Series II) | Jaguar XK8 Convertible (Jaguar XJS) | Colorado, United States |
| Chinese Food for Thought | Luxury Cars | BMW 750iL | Cadillac STS | Mercedes-Benz S600 | Chongqing, China |
| Well Aged Scotch | Italian Classic Investment | Alfa Romeo GTV6 | Fiat X1/9 | Lancia Gamma Coupe | Inverness, Scotland |
Dual Challenges
During Series 17, Episode 3, Jeremy and Richard each purchased a V12 Coupé for the same price as a Nissan Pixo, which James stood by as a good choice for a car. Jeremy purchased a Mercedes-Benz CL600 while Richard purchased a BMW 850CSi.
