The second episode of the eleventh series of Top Gear aired on the 29th of June, 2008. It was presented by Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, James May and The Stig. Due to the lower number of episodes, the Star in a Reasonably-Priced Car segment was presented in a head-to-head format, pitting Rupert Penry-Jones against Peter Firth.
Synopsis[]
Jeremy begins this episode by declaring that tonight, and for one night only, they've accidentally made a show all about cars. This is then followed by Richard affirming Jeremy's initial implication, before similarly announcing the return of The Cool Wall, which burned down in the Hill End Farm barn fire a year prior. Before we get to The Cool Wall though, it's time for an update comparison between two four-seater four-wheel-drive road-going versions of rally cars; the Subaru Impreza WRX STi and the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution.
Tonight...[]
- Audi's dynamic ride control tested to the limit in the Alps.
- Variable torque split transmissions given a workout on our track.
- And Merc's 190mph Black on the edge in Wales.
Segments[]
Cool Wall[]
For the first time since Series 9, Episode 4, the Cool Wall formed a segment for the episode. As it was the first time the revamped wall was used, more cars than usual were applied to the wall. This would mark the only time the Cool Wall was used throughout the entirety of Series 11.
| Car | Ranking |
|---|---|
| Citroen C5 | C |
| BMW M3 | C (U) |
| Audi RS4 | U (C) |
| Fiat Panda | WBSU (C) |
| Mercedes-Benz SL | U |
| Volkswagen Passat CC | U |
| Ferrari F430 Scuderia | U |
| Fiat 500 | SZ |
| Aston Martin V8 Vantage | U (SZ) |
| Aston Martin DBS | U (SZ) |
| Aston Martin DB9 | SZ (<SU) |
| BMW X6 | SU |
Trivia[]
- This was the least-viewed episode of Series 11 with just 5.21 million viewers, perhaps indicating that the audience's attention was diverting away from the cars and onto the hosts.
- This episode's opening premise is very similar to that of Series 2, Episode 6, with Richard and Jeremy briefly discussing the Evo and the Impreza against one another.
- Jeremy Clarkson's line "Oh no! Anyway..." when James May announced that the Dacia Sandero was delayed became an internet meme.
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