The Western US Road Trip was a Road Trip featured in the second episode of series nineteen of Top Gear in which Jeremy, James, and Richard drove across the Western side of the United States in three GT styled supercars.
Jeremy brings the Lexus LFA (although originally was intended to bring the Ferrari F12), Richard takes the latest SRT Viper while James handles the Aston Martin Vaniquish.
Overview[]
Prior to the trip, the trio agreed to each to bring a new GT Styled Supercar but thanks to Richard, they end once again revisiting the US, meeting up at the Valley of fire in Nevada. Jeremy arrived first with the Lexus LFA, which he felt was "the best car he's ever driven" despite it's high price, questionable looks and not high top seed. James arrives next in the latest Aston Martin Vanquish before Richard finally arrives in the new SRT Viper. After a brief argument over their cars, they begin their trip, but are limited, once again by America's Speed limits, however, thanks to editing, trickery, the trio are able to enjoy there GT styled Supercars. Eventually the presenters arrive the Las Vegas Motor Speedway where they head to the drag strip. After learning that most of the cars are modified, the trio attempt to prove that modified cars are idiotic by racing them against their own cars. Despite the LFA being the fastest of the three, they all end up losing to the tuned cars, and eventually head into Las Vegas.
The following morning, the trio head for Willow Springs, while mocking Jeremy and Richard's cars. The LFA is mocked due to it's idiotic seatbelt, small fuel tank and lack of equipment, (particularly the lack of a cup holder which Richard jokingly fits to the Steering Wheel) while Viper is mocked for it's inappropriate features, poor build quality and old fashioned nature (which Clarkson demonstrates by purchasing wood). After discovering a Musical Road, thanks to the LFA's ingenious Sat-Nav, they arrive at Willow Springs. Once at the track, they discover that they're cars handling will be tested in a game of Aerial Laser Tag. The trio are challenged to drive around the track as fast as possible while avoiding being shot by a pair of Italian Marchetti's. After setting off at 30 second intervals, the trio, while finding that their cars, (particularly the LFA) perform well on track, get shot multiple times, (particularly the LFA, which Jeremy claims is "Racist"). After trying a few tactics, (Richard doing donuts in the Viper and Jeremy attempts to hide the LFA) which don't work, they enter a state of panic, end up almost having an accident until the massacre ends. In the end, the Vanquish gets hit 17 times, the Viper 23 times and the LFA gets the largest hit count of 48 times.
The next day the trio enter Los Angeles where Richard leads them to the cities storm drains and challenges Jeremy to a Number elevenses test which they end up drawing in. Later all three attempt to see which car does the best donuts which ends up with them drawing a giant penis. Because of this and there previous US controversy they flee to Palm Springs but conclude about their cars, with James being impressed with the Vanquish's abilities, Richard falling in love with the Viper and Jeremy declaring that the LFA was the "best car he'd ever driven" as well as his most favourite car ever. Once at the hotel in Palm Springs, the trio are surprised to learn that the producers had challenged them to a race to the Mexican border, where the loser would end up driving the Mastretta MXT, which none of the presenters fancy due to the Mexican Comments Controversy. James and Jeremy decided to sabotage Richard by modifying the Viper as they believed that the Mexico controversy was mainly because of Richard and the fact Richard suggested a road trip in the US. James and Jeremy moved the driver's seat all the way back, moved the car's electric pedals all the way forward, stolen the fuses for these mechanisms, put fruit in his exhaust pipe, and disconnected two of the Viper's HT leads, causing the V10 to behave as a V8.
The following morning the race began with James setting off with little issues in the Vanquish, Jeremy too had little issues apart from the complex seatbelt in the LFA and promptly set. off. Richard however had realised the sabotage and after approximately 11 minutes, fixed the Viper and quickly set off in hot pursuit. After leaving the city of Palm Springs, they faced a choice of taking two routes around a lake, James took the shorter route on a freeway while Jeremy had chosen to take the longer route before deciding to drive fast but risk refuelling, pleased about his scenery. Richard followed on James' route with Jeremy having to refuel enentually while James had reached the bottom of the sea. All three presenters enter the town at its northern side, each having taken one of three roads through the city all in search of the border. Jeremy finds the Mexican border first before James follows shortly behind and Richard's fate being sealed as he arrives stone dead last. Jeremy and James greet Richard goodbye as he walks across the boarder.
Back in the studio Jeremy and James conclude that the Vanquish and the LFA were Tremendous whereas the Viper was awful, concluding that they would hopefully be giving a road test of the Mastretta in a few weeks unless anyone finds a "Suspicously White Tooth in their Taco".
Trivia[]
- Initially Jeremy was intended to bring the Ferrari F12 for this road trip, however there were two reasons why this was unlikely to happen:
- Ferrari were unable to provide an F12 as none were available in the US until 2013, (This trip was filmed in late 2012).
- Following his Series 20 review of the F12, Jeremy would've probably taken the LFA anyway.