Novelty/stunt Challenges
Novelty challenges and short stunt films are typically based on absurd premises, such as jumping a bus over motorcycles (instead of the more typical scenario of a motorcycle jumping over buses), or a nun driving a monster truck. These features have become much less prominent over the life of the programme (they were much more regular during the first four series); they have been superseded in later series by the How hard can it be?" and Cheap car challenges, which are much larger in scope.
- How fast do you have to drive to be undetected by a speed camera? Series One, Episode One
- How many motorcycles can a double-decker bus jump over? Series One, Episode Two
- Can Grannies do donuts? Series One, Episode Three
- Can you make an 'average' car into a 007/Bond car, for less than £300? Series One, Episode Five
- Can Grannies do handbrake turns? Series One, Episode Six
- What is Britain's fastest faith? Series One, Episode Seven & Ten
- Who is Britain's fastest white van man? Series One, Episode Eight
- Lotus give a Lada Riva a £100,000 makeover Series One, Episode Eight
- How much faster will a car go if you strip it to save weight? Series One, Episode Nine
- What to do with the worst car of all time, the 1985 Nissan Sunny? Series Two, Episode One
- What is Britain's fastest political party? Series Two, Episode Two
- What country makes the fastest supercar? Series Two, Episode Three
- Can Ford's World Rally Championship pit team dismantle and rebuild a rally car faster than four women can get ready for a night out? Series Two, Episode Five
- May oversees an attempt at the land-speed record for a caravan Series Two, Episode Six
- A "race for the universe": Sci-Fi characters race around the Top Gear track Series Two, Episode Eight
- Can The Stig achieve 100 mph on the 200m runway of HMS Invincible? Series Three, Episode One
- How many caravans can a 1987 Volvo 240 jump over? Series Three, Episode Two
- What is the best wig for driving fast in an open top convertible? Series Three, Episode Five
- Which professor can do the best burn-out? Series Three, Episode Seven
- Can a nun drive a monster truck? Series Four, Episode Two
- Hammond and May play darts using real cars Series Four, Episode Four
- Hammond makes fun of motorists that block yellow boxes Series Four, Episode Eight
- Is the jet from a 747 enough to blow a car over? Series Four, Episode Eight
- Can you parachute into a moving car? Series Four, Episode Nine
- Olympic Games for cars: Long Jump Series Four, Episode Ten
- How many bouncy castles can an ice cream van jump? Series Five, Episode One
- Hammond and May play conkers with caravans Series Five, Episode Four
- Historic People Carrier Racing Championship Series Five, Episode Five
- Can a stretch limo jump over a wedding party? Series Six, Episode Four
- Hammond oversees an attempt at the world record for the number of complete sideways rolls in a car Series Six, Episode Nine
- Hammond and May play with life-size radio control cars made from real cars Series Seven, Episode Two
- The Team try to get a 1986 Mini to beat a skier down a ski slope at Lillehammer Winter Olympic Special
- Hammond oversees an attempt by the Stig at the nonexistent indoor world speed record Series Eight, Episode Six
- Motorhome Racing Series Ten, Episode Six
- Hammond converts a G-Wiz into a full-sized remote-controlled car Series Ten, Episode Ten
- May oversees an attempt by Top Gear Stuntman at the nonexistent world record for car jumping in reverse Series Eleven, Episode One
- May oversees an attempt by Top Gear Stuntman to replicate a corkscrew car jump, as featured in The Man with the Golden Gun Series Eleven, Episode Two
- The Top Gear team (Britain) take on the hosts of D MOTOR (Germany) in a series of car challenges to decide the best motoring country Series Eleven, Episode Six
- Hammond oversees an attempt by Top Gear Stuntman to beat rival show Fifth Gear's distance record for jumping a car while towing a caravan Series Twelve, Episode Seven
- Clarkson plays British Bulldogs with the British Army Series Thirteen, Episode Four
- Airport vehicle racing Series Fourteen, Episode Four
- Clarkson drives a 1994 Reliant Robin from Sheffield to Rotherham (constantly flipping over) Series Fifteen, Episode One
Read more about this topic: Top Gear Challenges
Famous quotes containing the words novelty and/or challenges:
“Jargon is the verbal sleight of hand that makes the old hat seem newly fashionable; it gives an air of novelty and specious profundity to ideas that, if stated directly, would seem superficial, stale, frivolous, or false. The line between serious and spurious scholarship is an easy one to blur, with jargon on your side.”
—David Lehman (b. 1948)
“A powerful idea communicates some of its strength to him who challenges it.”
—Marcel Proust (1871–1922)