Top Gear — Series 12
The 12th series of Top Gear contained eight episodes, and premiered on 2 November 2008, with the usual presenting team of Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, James May and The Stig. Clarkson was injured while filming the series, after crashing a lorry through a brick wall at 56 mph in the first episode's HGV challenge. The running joke regarding the Dacia Sandero continues from series 11, with the alteration that Clarkson is now the one making the announcement with feigned enthusiasm, to utter indifference from May. Each news segment also features one of the hosts wearing something unusual, like slippers or a garishly patterned shirt. The only reference to this is that one of the other hosts will, at some point in the segment, ask if they're wearing it for a bet. The Stig, instead of listening to music during power laps, now listens to morse code. The final episode, the "Top Gear: Vietnam Special", aired two weeks after the rest of the series as part of the BBC's Christmas line-up. The series was followed by four "Best Of Top Gear" specials, charting the best moments from Series 11 and 12.
Jeremy, Richard, and James acquire used trucks, embarking on an exploration of the path to becoming a heavy goods vehicle driver. They also subject a Porsche 911 and a Lamborghini Gallardo to rigorous testing, while Michael Parkinson takes …
Jeremy, Richard, and James embark on a road trip across America, journeying from San Francisco to the heart of Utah in three cutting-edge muscle cars. This time, they hope to avoid the hostility of local residents, recalling past experience…
Clarkson, Hammond, and May undertake the task of coaxing a commonplace used car to complete the test track at a speed rivaling that of a fresh, purpose-built sports saloon. May seeks insight from Formula One world champion Mika Häkkinen, ho…
Jeremy, Richard, and James face a demanding challenge: a drive from the Swiss countryside to the English coast, all on a single tank of petrol. The victor will have the honor of switching on the Blackpool illuminations. Meanwhile, James put…
Richard celebrates the fortieth anniversary of the Ferrari Daytona by driving one to its birthplace, the Italian Riviera, where he then challenges James and a powerboat racer to a race from Portofino to St Tropez. Meanwhile, Jeremy tests th…
Jeremy pondered if the nations of the Eastern Bloc had ever produced a truly worthwhile automobile, while Richard evaluated the capabilities of the new German sports car, the Veritas. The latest iteration of the Ford Fiesta underwent a rigo…
James travels to California to explore Honda’s Clarity, a vehicle powered by hydrogen. Meanwhile, Jeremy evaluates the capabilities of Tesla's Roadster, a battery-electric supercar. Richard reflects on half a century of British touring car …
Upon reaching Vietnam, Jeremy, Richard, and James faced a daunting challenge: traverse the country's vast expanse in a mere eight days. Their immediate task was securing suitable transportation, a prospect that proved unexpectedly complex. …
