S12 E3
Status
Continuing
Next episode
TBA
Airs
Sundays 8:00 PM on BBC One
SEASON
VIEW ALL EPISODE

Season 12  "Second-Hand Sports Saloon"  12x3

Aired 15 years ago - Nov 16, 2008

Clarkson, Hammond and James take on the challenge of making an ordinary second-hand car lap the test track as fast as a brand-new, purpose-built sports saloon. James enlists the help of F1 world champion Mika Hakkinen in a quest to discover why the Finns are such good racing drivers. Richard hammers around the track in the outlandish Veritas sports car. Mark Wahlberg is the Hollywood Star in a Reasonably Priced Car.

Mouse over thumbnail for slideshow

Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 1
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 2
downloading tunes to their iPod from their iReal.
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 3
Because Honda has made an even better car, right?
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 4
Now, Geoff Hoon, OK, is the transport minister, yes?
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 5
- Theresa? - (Man) Villiers.
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 6
"I'm not spending a penny more than L1.2 mil on my next car!"
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 7
Jeremy was not really bothered.
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 8
You can go in with that jacket, well, maybe not.
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 9
As you're getting all hot under your tweed collars about this,
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 10
so before letting him loose on our track in a very fast car,
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 11
One of the reasons for Finnish driving prowess
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 12
Unfortunately, the only person I could find was a retired bloke.
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 13
No, honestly, what's going on now, we are going really, really slowly.
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 14
But he taught me to be quite smooth and fast on a tarmac circuit.
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 15
And then finally...
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 16
What is Finnish courage? Let me give you an example.
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 17
- Is that quite Finnish? - Yes, it is. Very much.
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 18
"I want to buy your car," and he or she has to sell it to you.
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 19
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 20
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 21
you have to be able to power-slide a car?
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 22
is blend some beef.
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 23
- I'm just worried. - Relax!
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 24
What I'd like to do is whenever my wife puts The Archers on,
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 25
- You haven't! Have you? - Yes!
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 26
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 27
No hip-hop. He's not really from "the hood", you know.
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 28
and you go, "Ah, no."
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 29
and we wanted to make sure we could make a really cool movie.
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 30
I was going to say, you did have a... How can I phrase this?
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 31
(Laughter)
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 32
I'm at the one, you know...
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 33
(Jeremy) Here we go! That's an aggressive start.
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 34
Most of whom you won't have a clue who they are.
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 35
Now, in these dark and difficult times,
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 36
He's right. That or the Kia Rio. They were over 20 seconds to 60.
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 37
...Ford Mondeo... - Ford Mondeo. Good one.
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 38
but, no, they fitted it with clever double hinges that they call kinematic
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 39
but we didn't realize how nowhere near.
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 40
we backed the car into a borrowed workshop
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 41
Right, this is the standard front disk of the Avantime.
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 42
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 43
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 44
and the boffins from the Top Gear technology centre,
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 45
The springs are stiffer and the dampers can be adjusted
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 46
No, look. James, just old-fashioned tuning.
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 47
All our figures have been gained with about 150 horsepower.
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 48
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 49
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 50
So it had come to this.

Or scroll and see one by one:

Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 2
downloading tunes to their iPod from their iReal.
#2
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 3
Because Honda has made an even better car, right?
#3
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 4
Now, Geoff Hoon, OK, is the transport minister, yes?
#4
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 5
- Theresa? - (Man) Villiers.
#5
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 6
"I'm not spending a penny more than L1.2 mil on my next car!"
#6
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 7
Jeremy was not really bothered.
#7
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 8
You can go in with that jacket, well, maybe not.
#8
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 9
As you're getting all hot under your tweed collars about this,
#9
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 10
so before letting him loose on our track in a very fast car,
#10
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 11
One of the reasons for Finnish driving prowess
#11
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 12
Unfortunately, the only person I could find was a retired bloke.
#12
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 13
No, honestly, what's going on now, we are going really, really slowly.
#13
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 14
But he taught me to be quite smooth and fast on a tarmac circuit.
#14
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 15
And then finally...
#15
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 16
What is Finnish courage? Let me give you an example.
#16
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 17
- Is that quite Finnish? - Yes, it is. Very much.
#17
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 18
"I want to buy your car," and he or she has to sell it to you.
#18
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 19 #19 Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 20 #20 Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 21
you have to be able to power-slide a car?
#21
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 22
is blend some beef.
#22
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 23
- I'm just worried. - Relax!
#23
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 24
What I'd like to do is whenever my wife puts The Archers on,
#24
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 25
- You haven't! Have you? - Yes!
#25
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 26 #26 Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 27
No hip-hop. He's not really from "the hood", you know.
#27
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 28
and you go, "Ah, no."
#28
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 29
and we wanted to make sure we could make a really cool movie.
#29
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 30
I was going to say, you did have a... How can I phrase this?
#30
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 31
(Laughter)
#31
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 32
I'm at the one, you know...
#32
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 33
(Jeremy) Here we go! That's an aggressive start.
#33
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 34
Most of whom you won't have a clue who they are.
#34
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 35
Now, in these dark and difficult times,
#35
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 36
He's right. That or the Kia Rio. They were over 20 seconds to 60.
#36
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 37
...Ford Mondeo... - Ford Mondeo. Good one.
#37
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 38
but, no, they fitted it with clever double hinges that they call kinematic
#38
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 39
but we didn't realize how nowhere near.
#39
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 40
we backed the car into a borrowed workshop
#40
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 41
Right, this is the standard front disk of the Avantime.
#41
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 42 #42 Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 43 #43 Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 44
and the boffins from the Top Gear technology centre,
#44
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 45
The springs are stiffer and the dampers can be adjusted
#45
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 46
No, look. James, just old-fashioned tuning.
#46
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 47
All our figures have been gained with about 150 horsepower.
#47
Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 48 #48 Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 49 #49 Recap of Top Gear Season 12 Episode 3 (S12E03) - 50
So it had come to this.
#50