Jeremy Clarkson poses in front of the McLaren SLR.
The Race to Oslo formed the main challenge for Episode 6 of Series 6. This was the third big race of the series, following up from the Races to Monte Carlo and Verbier during the prior 12 months.
Much like its predecessor, this challenge started immediately after the credits roll, with Jeremy announcing that the episode will feature the show's "biggest challenge ever". He is stood in front of the Aston Martin DB9 and Ferrari 612 Scaglietti, which won both of their respective races.
We are then told of the trio's plans for the upcoming race. Richard & James would catch a plane from Heathrow & Newcastle, and then catching a cruise ferry from Newcastle to Kristiansand, Norway. Meanwhile, Jeremy would drive from Heathrow to the Channel tunnel, take the channel train to France, and then drive across Belgium, Holland, Germany, Denmark, Sweden & finally to Oslo, Norway.
Jeremy used a Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren.
The Race[]
Jeremy thundered off from Heathrow, while Richard & James checked into the airport for their flight and were forced to wait around for nearly an hour before they were allowed to board their British Airways flight to Newcastle. Meanwhile, Jeremy was able to get to the Channel Tunnel, but due to a complication in planning, missed his train.
By the time Jeremy was able to board the next train to France, Richard & James had boarded their plane, taken off and already landed in Newcastle, before taking a bus to the harbour, where they boarded the Princess of Scandinavia cruise ferry. This would take them across the North Sea to Kristiansand over a 17-hour period.
Jeremy finally reached France and was thundering across it as Richard & James steamed out of the Newcastle harbour into the North Sea on the ferry. Jeremy was able to make it across Belgium with ease, before hitting Holland at rush hour.
Jeremy re-routed his trip and drove across the Zuiderzee Dike to avoid the traffic as the sun began to set. Richard and James meanwhile were able to eat dinner and go to a pub aboard the cruise ferry, before checking out a disco, along with a traditional Scandinavian cultural show.
Jeremy was able to make up for lost time on the unrestricted speed sections of Germany's Autobahn. To prevent running out of fuel too quickly, since the SLR is understandably not the most economical car in the world, Jeremy didn't go flat out but instead strategically held back and reached 160 miles per hour (256 km/h). It is learned that the SLR empties its fuel tank of 21 gallons in 19 minutes, if driven at the top speed of 208 mph/334 km/h.
Meanwhile Richard and James were able to turn in and discuss about wherever Jeremy was going to turn in as well. As Jeremy hit Denmark, he began to feel weary and kept pressing on, while drinking Coffee and Red Bull, refueling several times and eating Spunk, before calling it quits for the day and catching some shut-eye outside a service station located just outside of Copenhagen.
Jeremy awoke early in the morning and got over the Oresund Bridge on the way to Sweden as Richard & James had breakfast and prepared to undock as the ferry approached Kristiansand. Meanwhile, Jeremy was frantically trying to regain the lead. James & Richard got off the ferry at Kristiansand at 9:00am local time and took a speed boat to get to Oslo, however, Richard suffered from sea sickness and the power boat they were using blew its motor, causing James and Richard to transfer into the smaller chase boat to try and complete their journey, as Jeremy finally hit Norway and had to suffer with the one-lane highways nearly all the way to Oslo.
Richard & James pushed the chase boat to its very limits, but after hitting a large wave, the boat's rib burst and they ended up in the small town of Stavern, Norway as Jeremy hit the finishing point in Oslo and won the race.
Richard & James lost so badly that Jeremy was able to fly back to London, drive back home and was 'halfway through supper' before Richard & James got to the finishing point in Oslo, marking a victory for Jeremy and a dire loss for James and Richard.