S16 E2
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Sundays 8:00 PM on BBC One
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Season 16  "The Motoring Ashes"  16x2

Aired 13 years ago - Jan 30, 2011

Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May go head-to-head against their opposite numbers from Australian Top Gear in a car-based version of The Ashes. With disciplines including rallying, drifting and an Aussie version of double-decker car racing it's an all-out grudge match that will almost certainly end in tears. Also in the show, Jeremy is on the test track in Ferrari's new 599 GTO and Boris Becker is the Star in a Reasonably Priced Car.

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Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 1
Strangely, none of them was very happy about the prison lorry.
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 2
Is that any good? It doesn't make it a commercial vehicle. Not really, no.
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 3
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 4
It even managed to beat you while carrying an engine in the back.
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 5
We have both these.
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 6
Right. What's his name again?
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 7
What's the start? The klaxon thing?
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 8
Tell him to shut up and drive!
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 9
No! An Australian's come through!
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 10
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 11
This is the biggest car in the world, OK? You might think this is a stubble field. It isn't.
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 12
It's got a carbotanium body, so that is carbon fibre, but titanium woven in with carbon fibre in it.
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 13
if you're driving fast... I got that.
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 14
What? I'm going to have to pull you up on that, as I think you'll find murderers drive a Renault Espace.
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 15
Cars reflect national characteristics, so German cars are very well built, efficient.
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 16
Oh, I'm a Mexican. That's all I'm going to do all day.
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 17
It's never happened before. It's an Alfa Romeo - it has!
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 18
And because the aluminium body panels were hand-beaten over pieces of wood,
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 19
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 20
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 21
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 22
It doesn't even have a radio.
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 23
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 24
And this is just the same. It's an F-22
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 25
It's just a limited-edition tweaked version of the car Gordon Ramsay drives.
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 26
But, anyway, we must now find out how fast this Chinese psychopath goes round our track.
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 27
Carbon ceramic, second generation, so the Stig can brake very hard and very late, but he's not braking now.
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 28
LAUGHTER
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 29
Yeah. First, for the younger members of the audience, you were the first German to win it,
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 30
I was reading the papers the last couple of days, I find it a bit harsh.
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 31
I thought I'd come with my best weapon to impress you.
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 32
"and there's this highway from Milan down to Geneva, three lanes, where we maybe give it a go. "
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 33
Well... he's young, that's the look. Those 21-year-olds wear it that way now.
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 34
This is the worst racing driver excuses I've...!
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 35
Would anyone like to see that? AUDIENCE: Yeah!
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 36
That was quite slow but if it looks slow it's normally fast.
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 37
Pedals were somehow the wrong way round, as well.
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 38
I made all of the mistakes in the book. Sliding out, I didn't know how to accelerate on the wrong side.
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 39
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 40
The judges, however, who had a much clearer view of the action, disagreed.
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 41
You couldn't get two? No, but it will be fine.
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 42
It did. But our guests were still losing badly. So, to cheer them up,
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 43
But you were stationary for an entire lap.
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 44
Why? Well, you made a mistake, they're terrific.
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 45
How good are you at riding off-road?
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 46
No! Bloody hell!
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 47
'The Aussies had been awarded 10 points and we'd got minus 20 for losing all the sheep. '
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 48
Hammond is the co-driver in this and James is going to be driving it.
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 49
'Unfortunately, they'd saved their pro racing driver for this event. '
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 50
Oh! That's just... He's getting better!

Or scroll and see one by one:

Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 2
Is that any good? It doesn't make it a commercial vehicle. Not really, no.
#2
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 3 #3 Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 4
It even managed to beat you while carrying an engine in the back.
#4
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 5
We have both these.
#5
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 6
Right. What's his name again?
#6
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 7
What's the start? The klaxon thing?
#7
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 8
Tell him to shut up and drive!
#8
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 9
No! An Australian's come through!
#9
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 10 #10 Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 11
This is the biggest car in the world, OK? You might think this is a stubble field. It isn't.
#11
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 12
It's got a carbotanium body, so that is carbon fibre, but titanium woven in with carbon fibre in it.
#12
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 13
if you're driving fast... I got that.
#13
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 14
What? I'm going to have to pull you up on that, as I think you'll find murderers drive a Renault Espace.
#14
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 15
Cars reflect national characteristics, so German cars are very well built, efficient.
#15
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 16
Oh, I'm a Mexican. That's all I'm going to do all day.
#16
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 17
It's never happened before. It's an Alfa Romeo - it has!
#17
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 18
And because the aluminium body panels were hand-beaten over pieces of wood,
#18
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 19 #19 Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 20 #20 Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 21 #21 Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 22
It doesn't even have a radio.
#22
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 23 #23 Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 24
And this is just the same. It's an F-22
#24
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 25
It's just a limited-edition tweaked version of the car Gordon Ramsay drives.
#25
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 26
But, anyway, we must now find out how fast this Chinese psychopath goes round our track.
#26
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 27
Carbon ceramic, second generation, so the Stig can brake very hard and very late, but he's not braking now.
#27
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 28
LAUGHTER
#28
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 29
Yeah. First, for the younger members of the audience, you were the first German to win it,
#29
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 30
I was reading the papers the last couple of days, I find it a bit harsh.
#30
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 31
I thought I'd come with my best weapon to impress you.
#31
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 32
"and there's this highway from Milan down to Geneva, three lanes, where we maybe give it a go. "
#32
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 33
Well... he's young, that's the look. Those 21-year-olds wear it that way now.
#33
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 34
This is the worst racing driver excuses I've...!
#34
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 35
Would anyone like to see that? AUDIENCE: Yeah!
#35
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 36
That was quite slow but if it looks slow it's normally fast.
#36
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 37
Pedals were somehow the wrong way round, as well.
#37
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 38
I made all of the mistakes in the book. Sliding out, I didn't know how to accelerate on the wrong side.
#38
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 39 #39 Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 40
The judges, however, who had a much clearer view of the action, disagreed.
#40
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 41
You couldn't get two? No, but it will be fine.
#41
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 42
It did. But our guests were still losing badly. So, to cheer them up,
#42
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 43
But you were stationary for an entire lap.
#43
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 44
Why? Well, you made a mistake, they're terrific.
#44
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 45
How good are you at riding off-road?
#45
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 46
No! Bloody hell!
#46
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 47
'The Aussies had been awarded 10 points and we'd got minus 20 for losing all the sheep. '
#47
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 48
Hammond is the co-driver in this and James is going to be driving it.
#48
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 49
'Unfortunately, they'd saved their pro racing driver for this event. '
#49
Recap of Top Gear Season 16 Episode 2 (S16E02) - 50
Oh! That's just... He's getting better!
#50