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Season 18  "Italian Supercar Shootout"  18x1

Aired 12 years ago - Jan 29, 2012

Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May head to Italy for a supercar shootout featuring the Lamborghini Aventador, the McLaren MP4-12C and the Noble M600. Their trip starts at the incredible Nardo test track, a facility so massive it is visible from space, before heading north for a nerve wracking drive around the centre of Rome. The journey concludes at the legendary Imola circuit, a track challenging enough to have embarrassed many an F1 driver, with a timed challenge against the incredible skills of the Stig. Back in the studio, the presenters look forward to some car highlights of 2012 and another top celebrity guest takes the wheel of the Reasonably Priced Car.

Mouse over thumbnail for slideshow

Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 1
This is the McLaren MP4-12C.
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 2
It's a supercar. "So give it guns! Let's give it guns! Space rockets!"
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 3
That's Bugatti Veyron territory, and you know it!
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 4
I buy the argument for a flamboyant supercar. I get it.
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 5
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 6
Do Noble not have a workshop here? Not a workshop, no.
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 7
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 8
Yes, well, OK, but let's not forget, Yamaha make it,
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 9
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 10
God, it's hypnotic.
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 11
Who have you got? I've got James's. James's? Yes.
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 12
see which had used the least fuel doing it,
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 13
Hampshire. Really? Yes. That's where it is. Anyway, the news.
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 14
"You must not stop on these road markings
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 15
Very lightweight. Carbon fibre, all sorts of clever technical stuff.
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 16
And then they say,
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 17
They're in a different price bracket. Entirely different.
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 18
I bet I could drive in a sleeping bag. Right, you're on!
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 19
So, three supercars, lovely weather, drive across Italy,
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 20
It's a byword for reliability and quality. Absolutely.
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 21
It's very clever. It's active, this car.
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 22
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 23
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 24
That's not a bad view, is it? Marvellous.
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 25
OK? OK! Yeah.
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 26
Once that broke, that came away, which is not supposed to happen.
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 27
It's five centimetres wider than a Range Rover.
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 28
its intelligent computer, is doing quite well.
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 29
No! God Al-bloody-mighty!
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 30
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 31
I don't think he could see me. "Hello! I'm here." No, nothing.
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 32
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 33
Yeah. Then you put them together, like a sandwich, and then you got your product.
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 34
I think we've got a picture of it, as well. IAMAUTO 88. That is...
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 35
Can we just go into your car history?
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 36
So then I couldn't drive until I was 20.
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 37
so last thing you want is, in the cold, I have to go, "My phone is ringing..."
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 38
Who would like to see the finished lap?
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 39
There's a bit of dirt from an earlier spin coming out.
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 40
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 41
hasn't actually won anything. Nothing! Zero.
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 42
It's won me over. Completely. It's not just the best car here.
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 43
'The destination turned out to be a racetrack...
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 44
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 45
If I can remember this bit...
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 46
So, that night, each of us spent a little
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 47
you're made by McLaren. You've got the best race pedigree.
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 48
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 49
I'm going to go for 5th. I'm going to take
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 50
It will go round, it WILL.

Or scroll and see one by one:

Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 2
It's a supercar. "So give it guns! Let's give it guns! Space rockets!"
#2
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 3
That's Bugatti Veyron territory, and you know it!
#3
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 4
I buy the argument for a flamboyant supercar. I get it.
#4
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 5 #5 Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 6
Do Noble not have a workshop here? Not a workshop, no.
#6
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 7 #7 Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 8
Yes, well, OK, but let's not forget, Yamaha make it,
#8
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 9 #9 Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 10
God, it's hypnotic.
#10
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 11
Who have you got? I've got James's. James's? Yes.
#11
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 12
see which had used the least fuel doing it,
#12
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 13
Hampshire. Really? Yes. That's where it is. Anyway, the news.
#13
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 14
"You must not stop on these road markings
#14
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 15
Very lightweight. Carbon fibre, all sorts of clever technical stuff.
#15
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 16
And then they say,
#16
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 17
They're in a different price bracket. Entirely different.
#17
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 18
I bet I could drive in a sleeping bag. Right, you're on!
#18
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 19
So, three supercars, lovely weather, drive across Italy,
#19
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 20
It's a byword for reliability and quality. Absolutely.
#20
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 21
It's very clever. It's active, this car.
#21
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 22 #22 Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 23 #23 Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 24
That's not a bad view, is it? Marvellous.
#24
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 25
OK? OK! Yeah.
#25
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 26
Once that broke, that came away, which is not supposed to happen.
#26
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 27
It's five centimetres wider than a Range Rover.
#27
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 28
its intelligent computer, is doing quite well.
#28
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 29
No! God Al-bloody-mighty!
#29
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 30 #30 Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 31
I don't think he could see me. "Hello! I'm here." No, nothing.
#31
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 32 #32 Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 33
Yeah. Then you put them together, like a sandwich, and then you got your product.
#33
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 34
I think we've got a picture of it, as well. IAMAUTO 88. That is...
#34
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 35
Can we just go into your car history?
#35
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 36
So then I couldn't drive until I was 20.
#36
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 37
so last thing you want is, in the cold, I have to go, "My phone is ringing..."
#37
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 38
Who would like to see the finished lap?
#38
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 39
There's a bit of dirt from an earlier spin coming out.
#39
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 40 #40 Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 41
hasn't actually won anything. Nothing! Zero.
#41
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 42
It's won me over. Completely. It's not just the best car here.
#42
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 43
'The destination turned out to be a racetrack...
#43
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 44 #44 Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 45
If I can remember this bit...
#45
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 46
So, that night, each of us spent a little
#46
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 47
you're made by McLaren. You've got the best race pedigree.
#47
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 48 #48 Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 49
I'm going to go for 5th. I'm going to take
#49
Recap of Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 (S18E01) - 50
It will go round, it WILL.
#50