Top Gear: India Special
| "Top Gear: India Special" | |
|---|---|
| Top Gear episode | |
| Episode no. |
Series 18 |
| Original air date | 28 December 2011 |
| Running time | 90 minutes |
Top Gear: India Special is a Top Gear Christmas special first broadcast on 28 December 2011 after which the next series began on 29 January 2012.
The special was a route across India, one of the many countries Top Gear plan to visit over the course of the new series, according to Jeremy Clarkson. Shooting in India began on 2 October, with the first leg of the shooting beginning in suburbs of Mumbai.
This episode was a mission to promote Britain to the Indian public. The opening sequence of the show shows the Top Gear team in Downing Street opening a letter by Prime Minister David Cameron refusing their request to go to India on an official trade mission. Cameron appears for a separately filmed one-line cameo, telling them to - "Stay away from India!" Despite this, they decide to go anyway: Jeremy Clarkson in a 1995 Jaguar XJS, Richard Hammond in a 2000 Mini Cooper, and James May in a 1975 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow.
The trio visit India in an attempt to improve economic relations between Britain and India. The opening sequence of the episode shows Clarkson, Hammond and May outside 10 Downing Street, opening a letter sent by David Cameron refusing their request to go to India on an official trade mission. Cameron then appears for a separately filmed one-line cameo - saying "Stay away from India!" Despite this, the trio decide to go ahead with the trip.
The trio arrive in India and begin by arriving in their cars. Jeremy Clarkson chose a Jaguar XJS, Richard Hammond chose a Mini Cooper, and James May chose a Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow.
Challenges:
Afterwards, they drive into the Himalayan region of Himachal Pradesh past Shimla towards the border with China at Shipki La to test their vehicles on the high terrain and played a game of cricket with local people. They commented on how their trade missions had been a failure but that the cars selected had tolerated the harsh road conditions they were not designed for. None of them broke down during the trip and the only problems encountered with the cars were due to either sabotage from the other presenters or due to an attempt to help each other out - in particular when Hammond tried to winch the Rolls-Royce up a hill towards the end, the winch sheared off most of the front of his Mini. The show finishes by showing the cars left at a hill on plinths with the Union Flag on them.
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