Trama

Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond tour Europe in brand new British sports cars built to designs from the 1950s, an undertaking spoilt by the arrival of James May in a modern Honda Civic Type R. Back in the UK, Jeremy is at the track to test the Ford GT, and Celebrity Face Off sees Stewart Copeland.

Hammond and Clarkson set out to prove that classic Jaguars and Aston Martins - specifically a Jaguar XK SS (modelled after the 1950 Jag D type, which was a racing car. Jag commissioned 25 of those to be built into the XK SS, aimed at wealthy young people who wanted to dabble in motor-sport. But a huge fire at the factory in 1957 meant 9 of the 25 were never made, until now. Jag invested 10,000 hrs to rebuild it. Steel from the Spitfire plane. Body rebuilt from actual car and engine rebuilt by cutting one of the existing engines in half. BP 1 MM. The brakes only work if the car is accelerating as the power for brakes comes from the gearbox. 3.4 L Straight six, 362 BPH. 172 mph (faster than Ferrari's of the time).

The last original XKSS went for BP 12 MM)) and Aston Martin DB4 GT (BP 1.5 MM, 151 mph, fastest car from 1950's, 1950's twin spark engine, period dashboard. No air con, windows don't roll down. Racing gearbox, which means no synchronization) are better than May's belief that new cars are the best, pitting their choices against a modern Honda Civic Type R (320 BPH). The trio take them on a journey from Pau (where first ever Grand Prix was held in 1901), Pyrénées-Atlantiques, France, across the Pyrenees Mountain range, and towards Barcelona, Spain, placing their choices through a series of challenges. Clarkson has issues getting in and out of his Aston Martin. Gear changing in both is a bitch. The Jag has no roof or no locks and hence can't be left unattended.

Clarkson reckons May is being obtuse as he loves old cars (owns a 1977 Ferrari) and helps his friends in spare time to rebuild a steam engine. But May loves his Civic, which holds the track record for front wheel cars at the Nürburgring. At slow speeds the DB4 gearbox had a whine. Hammond is chilly in the mountains in his no roof car. Hammond's car broke down when all the spark plugs gummed up. Clarkson gets a headphone to reduce the amount of noise he hears inside his DB4. On mountains, the old cars were hard work. But as the cars came down the mountain, the cars were full of joy again. The DB4 overtakes the Civic.

In Barcelona they get to the Terramar, the oldest surviving banked track in Europe. 78 degrees of bank at the top. Clarkson drills 2 holes in the windows of his BP 1.5 MM Aston Martin, to give it air conditioning. As the tracks are bumpy and dangerous, Hammond decides to drop out. Aston Martin DB4 89 mph, Civic 93 mph. Clarkson jokes that modern cars are only 4 mph faster in 60 years. But May points that both DB4 and XK SS are not road legal. Clarkson had to register his as a prototype to drive it. Jag was a test car, so only a Jag employee could drive it. So, Hammond had to get a job at Jag to drive it.

Conversation street: People of Doncaster were asked by their council to vote for names of their 2 new town snowplows. Suggestions included Grit Van Dyke, Rule Grittania, Salt Disney, Grity Bitsy Teeny Weeny Tellow Anit Slip Machiney, David Plowie.

Formula E is like F1, but for electric cars. They got one of their cars (top speed 140 mph) to race a cheetah (top speed 70 mph). what was the point. A pigeon goes at 35 mph. A falcon does 220 mph. Lambo has come up with a new 4X4. 641 BHP. Called it Urus. Sounds like "something down there". Ford 150 pickup truck sells 2500 a day. And their customers like fuel consumption as the 28th most important factor in buying a car. But Ford has introduced a hybrid version, because of new US environmental rules.

Meanwhile, at the Eboladrome, Clarkson reviews the Ford GT in more extensive detail since he used it in the Niagara Falls race and now does so on a racetrack. On a track, the Ford GT is not as refined or delicate as a Ferrari. Its very raw. Twin turbo charged V6, soundtrack is bad. But the brakes and handling is superb. 647 BHP. 0-60 in 2.8 secs. Carbon fiber tub and aluminum frame. 216 mph. Fuel tank is too small. Body is too big, and steering wheel is ugly. 1:17.6 on the Eboladrome (3rd fastest all time).

Nick Mason (owns 40+ cars, including, Alfa Romeo TZ1, Aston Martin Ulster, Bentley 1930, Bugatti Type 35, Ferrari 250 GTO, Ferrari 250 LM, Ferrari 512 Berlinetta Boxer, Ferrari Daytona competition, Maserati 250F, Maserati birdcage, McLaren GTR. 250 GTO is his favorite. Bought it for 35K BP, worth more than BP 30 MM today) and Stewart Copeland (owns a Morris traveler, a Millman Hinx) compete against each other to see who the fastest drummer from a band is beginning with the letter P. Mitch Mitchell is both their favorite drummer. Stewart objects to Mitch being referred to as Jimi Hendrick's drummer. He says Jimmy was Mitch's guitarist. They reckon drumming is hard work as they have to chop wood for 2 hrs. if the drummer makes a mistake, just look angrily at the bass player. Stewart's dad was CIA spy. He installed Nasser as the dictator of Egypt and played a big role in Saudi. Nick Mason 1:21.3 , Stewart 1:24.2