Richard Hammond decides his greatest Top Gear car of all time!
2023 ж. 6 Мау.
1 142 197 Рет қаралды
This is a big one - we set Richard Hammond the task of crowning his favourite Top Gear challenge car, by creating a tournament format. Grab a note pad, play along and see if you end up with the same result!
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I think Richard had a lot of fun making this one 😂 did you guys get the same result? I'm seeing LOTS of comments about the Africa WRX...
Yea 100% it should have come down to the Africa Nile WRX estate.. And Oliver. He even said in that special that you'd remember the WRX and not the other two..hes kinda right (although the volvo 850R was pretty awesome) because most do even if he didn't seem to? The kitchen in there and the cheetah bed and roof chair was epic. That's their best special ever on flop tear
I still think about Richards Ferrari and especially James’s Lamborghini, strangely not so much Clarkson’s Maserati ha. One of my favourite episodes
I think putting Oliver in was a mistake 😂
I don't think anything would've stopped Oliver but yeah the final should've been between the 2 Africa special cars
I call WRX every day
Now we need May and Clarkson to do this too!
and then the grand tour car variant
May - Dacia Sandero, Clarkson - PoWaaaaa
I second that...
Jeremy's final pick I'm betting it will be the Alfa GTV6. A close second will be his gigantic baby blue Mark V Continental
YES PLEASE!!!!!!!!!
How could it not be Oliver. Oliver is I think the most iconic TG car along side the Toyota pickup that survived complete destruction
And perhaps the Toybota.
How about Geoff?
As an Oliver myself, I agree 😂
Yeah the most recognisable TG cars are Oliver, Toyota Hilux that they dropped from a building, the Bugatti veyron on the London race with the truffles, Ford GT, and last but not least the Suzuki Liana
the most iconic TG car is the Dacia Sandero
It had to be Oliver. I occasionally see Richard driving him around Ross-on-Wye. Always makes me smile.
Richard firing the stretcher through the window from his ambulance is one of the best memories I have from watching TV. Sat in the TV room of my boarding house with my mates and all of us erupting into uncontrollable laughter when that happened will live with me forever.
My favourite moment in television history, the ambulance episode is possibly my favourite Top Gear episode of them all.
Laughed again just reading this comment looool
@@patepulkkinenvtec2403 100% agree. I was nearly wetting myself when they lapped their "ambulances" and triaged the patient. Amazing television.
@jamesluxton4751: Really enjoyed the ambulance episode myself. Especially the fact that Richard's ambulance was literally on fire when he launched the stretcher into the hospital. Top Gear has made laugh more times than I can count.
Or the operation but 😂 "STOP PEEING ON ME!!!"
I love how he describes the episodes as if we haven’t seen them 1,000 times and can recite them word for word 🤓
We have; HE hasn't. :)
safe to say, we remember it better than he does... Probably because of all the gin.
@@tonyjackson5115and all the crashes 💀
Seeing the Tubaru get knocked out the first round by the truck hurt me deeply inside. Love that car and that special.
I also got hurt a lot from that. Subaru is my favourite company. Hammond's love of America and Pick-ups killed the Subaru in this list. But at least he said he likes the subarus
The Subaru in Africa was legendary.
Africa Special, best episode of top gear of all time
Me too.
Agreed
I don't have the words to describe how fantastic these specials were. It was always nice to see the boys zipping around in top tier luxury & performance cars, but the cheap car specials were epic. To me, they defined the spirit of the show.
i know right, like the supercars across a country stuff were great, but the $$$$ pound car or the specials just had that extra flavour. shout out to the vietnam special tho, one of the all time best.
The cheap car challenges are the ones I go back to over and over.
sometimes its hilarious to realize "I could also go pick up that shitbox for cheap and thrash it the same way"
Yes Oliver. Richard was so happy driving him (except when he briefly floated). That bonding was the essence of what makes us car enthusiasts. Also, Clarkson and May had to significantly modify their cars while Hammond smugly demonstrated how operating the vent window was the extent of the modifications Oliver needed. It must be one of the top episodes of all time, it is for me.
Totally agree
it’s got to be the Subaru from the africa special for me. the absolute beating that it took and still managed to cross africa is unreal
same
Apparently it’s still going! Tough old boots those Subarus!
yeah for sure a mistake in the first round for me at least
I was going to say the same thing
I agree
Of course it's Oliver! I love how genuinely invested Richard is in this. He's not just doing a bit or doing TV, each of these cars means something to him. Brilliant idea, well done Mike and Lucy!
the legacy that Hammond, May and Clarkson left on multiple generations of people across the planet is mind blowing. I love you all
If he does not pick Oliver I will be severely disappointed...
I agree, I was going to say the exact same thing
Came here thinking about the same car.
He did pick it and yes I have seen it
I'm in
My first thought was Oliver!
It's funny how Richard is explaining the episodes to us but we already know what happened in all of them. We're all fans here lol
we probably remember them better than he does because we all love to rewatch them over and over
@@ghomerhust and most of us haven't had the head injuries that he has.
@Ghomer Hust and he got memory problems when he's not sober 😂
@@lanceortmann4157 Haha yeah. Pretty sure that whiplash he thinks is from the van flipping is more likely from the rocket car, the Rimac going off the cliff, falling off the horse etc etc. But yeah, let's run with flipping the van. 😂
He's just reminiscing, mate. Let him
I just want to say I was the perfect age to grow up watching you guys and I just rewatched the last of season 3 and i shed a tear as I always do. I felt compelled to leave a message somewhere saying thank you for all the years of entertainment and warmth and for making and American feel at home watching a British motorists car show. I will miss u guys ALWAYS, and I'm excited to see your latest special
Definitely wanna see James and hopefully Jeremy do the same thing
I love how much he still loves Oliver even with all the crazy cars he’s driven and owned. Just goes to show how much a plucky little slow car can tug at your heart strings!
ofc Oliver still gets all the love, I think it's still a showcar for the smallest cog since they restored it in their series
I honestly thought they would leave Oliver out as it can't be beaten. It's not just another car it's so much more.
You're right, my dream car is a '68 Fiat 500F. 😂
@@Em.2403 if they would 99% of the comments would've been "where is oliver, you utter peasants don't even know his most popular car!".
@@chloescat Lupin the 3rd car?
Every fan of that once great show knows it had to be Oliver. Go back to that episode when Oliver was skipping along the encrusted mud and how Richard was so protective of him when James and Jeremy were going Mad Max on their cars. The joy it gave Richard in that episode, come on, little Oli is it. 🤙🏻
no, I'm gonna need that
@@Nikdohc Lol
And when they had to shoot Oliver 😢
Totally agree!
As an Oliver myself, I agree
I really love that Hammond takes the time to make these types of fun videos. I hope he enjoys making them as much as we enjoy watching them. Hopefully he can keep finding time to do it
Yeah, that was back during a time when that show was almost singlehandedly getting me through the roughest patch of my life, so it's always going to be Oliver, always. That special is still one of my favorites, and never since when I hear Richard's voice do I not hear him screaming that car's name. From the first time I watched that episode I was routing for Oliver, and I always will.
hope you are doing great friend!
"Buy yourself an old snotter, and you and your mates just rag it around a field until one of you is killed or the car breaks." This is precisely what makes TG/TGT so wonderful. Thank you, Richard, for sharing more of your memories, always a pleasure. 👍👍
The boogies never make the hole in one.
I loved that Subaru WRX. What an incredible vehicle it could go across all of Africa.
Agreed. The fact that it lost to that ancient Dodge is criminal.
I saw headline and came to the comments to see if Oliver was mentioned…y’all didn’t disappoint. It’s truly awesome that the worldwide brotherhood of motoring enthusiasts has this shared experience. Love you all, brothers
I think we all knew Hammond would pick Oliver. His attachment to that car was instant and unwaveringly intense. This list was interesting because it pitted their sane track challenge cars against the ones they took out into the middle of nowhere and as one would expect, the grand and perilous adventure cars are the ones that are most memorable and most dear.
My favourite will always be Oliver. It was the only episode of top gear me and my late grandmother watched together. We still believe that oliver very likely could have been her first car as her first car here in south Africa was a yellow (same colour) same year Opel kadett. I beg of you Richard look after Olivier as you have done over the years as that car means more to me than i can explain. Thank you for the fond memories.
My favorite also, my mother had an OpalKadette, she even had it stolen from for office parking lot in the 70’s! We laughed for years over that, with all the late model cars they chose to steal this little old thing…
It absolutely is Oliver as the best of that bunch. I feel that it had the most character of them all and it's also the car that you bonded with the most during the show. And the fact that you restored it and kept improving it shows the bond between you and that car. I love it.
Seeing Richard still so hopelessly in love with Oliver makes me cry happy tears. It’s the most adorable instant cheesy special moment anyone could have possibly caught on camera for a car enthusiast. The moment they fall in love. I honestly think Hammond is the first person in history to have that moment caught on camera during film for tv And it’s not just the rose glasses for the old specials. But seeing him through the years and the fact that the love is just as if not stronger as ever Genuinely brings joy. Not just to me and Richard But to millions of others around the world. And that’s what makes him truly special. Oliver in a way represents the very spirit of car enthusiasm And Jeremy Richard and James Carry that spirit with them everywhere
Can we do this with Jeremy and James aswell would be so cool
jeremy its an alpha
@@vengeance86 *Alfa, but you are right; it is.
May would have the Dacia Sandero he always got a rock on talking about that car. Hehehe
My gut tells me Jeremy would pick the Toyboata, and James his Lotus from the Argentina special.
@@jeanackle or the off roading Bentley he still has 😂
I'm surprised that this list exists, I always assumed it was Oliver!
Oliver vs the MGB GT was the true final.
I honestly don't know why they even put Oliver in. The result would have been less predictable if they'd made it his favorite cheap car that **isn't** Oliver.
For the journey Richard and Oliver shared (and still are) it couldnt be any other car. I remember watching that episode and rooting for the little Opel to make it, and it did. What a car Oliver is!
Oliver always has been and always will be one of the most memorable cars from TG. Right up there with the Toyota Hilux. Iconic. "What a happy little car. I shall call him Oliver"
Richard saying that the "Source of the Nile" special was a long time ago, makes me feel really old. I also makes me think I remember Top Gear better than he does, as I vividly still remember that armchair on top of his subaru.
In fairness though, you've probably had a lot fewer head injuries than Hammond has
That and fear to say all of us here probs seen every episode at least a hundred times
Right from the bat, before the cars were presented, I had one thing: "If Oliver is amongst, it wins".👴😁
thanks for spoiling.
This turned out to be an amazing video. Richard is always entertaining. Love this.
Reminiscing and hearing little bits about behind the scenes, amazing!
Richard's southern American accent is so funny... and ACCURATE!!! One of the best Top Gear episodes, as well 😂
Accurate to a specific region.
@@WilliamTurk but in that region, VERY VERY VERY accurate!
One of my favorites was car battleship, followed by the bugani huaiya(butchered) and Porsche 918
"Apparently some of the people here have begun to mate with vegetables." -Jeremy Clarkson, Top Gear Across the USA special.
I find it ironic that Hammond will call Americans (in this case southerners) racist and homophobic, but some of the stuff the three (especially Clarkson) have said about Americans is downright appalling.
when hes in that land cruiser and that insect hes talking about is going nuts and hes just like "ARRGH, I CAN'T STAND THAT! I CAN'T STAND THAT!" absolutely hilarious.
I agree, Oliver is my favourite of your cars. It was so great to watch you take care of him, not stripping a part, making it to the end. So lovely.
I agree; Oliver was stock and epic!
It was no surprise what you picked Richard. Your emotion for that car was clear for everyone to see.
The Alabama scene is an all time classic, one of my favorite moments from these three 😂
having lived in georgia, and my brother in law in florida, i can confirm those people are still that way. as they have been since before cars were invented.
Since I am from the area I found it to be a timeless international embarrassment, and nothing has changed
For me It was the Porsche 928 That JC had in the Argentina special, He had the best car antidote story I ever heard of ever, Every person has a car story to be told in there life's, But Jeremy I think had the most touching emotional one that still makes me think about today still.
the fact all those cars got left behind and crushed because some argies lost a war they started still hurts :(
Agree with that (and the tragedy that those cars were destroyed)
That was indeed a great story.
It was nice to see that Jeremy isn't always a blowhard, and that he does have a human side.
I remember the special slowing down and giving us that moment. Jeremy wasn't being funny, all the shenanigans were on hold for a minute and I had the chills the first time I heard it. Also, that Porsche, all black, driving beside a red hot Lotus Esprit and a lime green Mach II Mustang with black racing stripes, all against the South American landscape is one of my favourite pictures.
Of course we called the result before we even clicked on the video. I have to say, I agree, although the reason for that one being my favourite of Richard's TV Cars is quite simple: it was an absolute joy to watch him slowly, and grudgingly, fall in love with the car through the trip.
I love this episode! I love all the small memories that was being awoken!
The defeat of the Subaru from the Source of the Nil at first match broke my heart.
The Mini from the India special was fantastic. It held its own against James' Rolls Royce and Jeremy's Jaaaaag
And the mexican flag on the bonnet 😂
*I am sooooo friggin happy with the result! Excellent decision indeed!!!* ❤
Another video! Keep them coming! I love your honesty and enthusiasm. I've probably already said this before 😊 keep it going!
My favourite was the WRX. I watched that special many times and was soo impressed how much abuse it took and it was most of the time the rescue car of the group and made it to the end almost unscathed.
I think Hammond was the only one of three that actually picked a car suited to the location in terms of capabilities
@@lettuce7378i still cant believe James brought an 850R
@@FeNcEcHILDWhat do you mean it’s a Volvo, it defines the estate car, nothing else is an estate car
I think we all called that before it even started lol. For me it was the subaru from the special. It came to mind before I even saw it was on the list. It went the distance when the others didn't and was am amazing machine.
Also, one of my favorite Hammond bits was when they had to make their cars lighter but he didn’t want to take anything off. Followed by Jeremy and May offering to break windows and such 😂
Lovely watch Richard
I like how all three of them no matter the situation will take any challenge seriously.
awww I'm glad it was Oliver , he is a legend in his own chassis . Would love to know May's and Clarksons too. Well done Richard
james would plug his gin every 5 seconds
@@BeautifulAngelBlossom 🤣👍 James rocks 😀
@@JD-cw4qg I like james too but he won't shut up about his GIn
@@BeautifulAngelBlossom too true 🤣, but it's a great achievement for Capt Slow eh? 😀
I honestly thought it will either be the Mini from the India Special, or Oliver.. As soon as I saw the mini go out on the first round I was surprised, but Im glad about my second guess :D Love the story sharing of the making of the episodes..Something about it. Maybe nostalgia? Keep em coming!
My first car was a Rover. And I'm from the states. Boy was it hard to get fix though. Then I researched it and found out it had a Legend engine.
As an Aussie that lives in the outback and uses landcruisers his impression was spot on 🤣
That Ferrari challenge episode was Hammond and the others at their peak on that show, it was easy and carefree and the flow was just perfect
One of my favorite episodes!
Absolutely. Second episode of the show I ever saw and I loved that car
8:05 he's talking about this and one of the Richard Hammond Enginnering Connection where he roll the same van full of water tank in it
Why does it seem like working for Hammond is one of the busiest, but relaxed job someone can do and probably the most fun.
I saw this title and heard Hammond yelling, "OOOOLLLLLIIIIVVVVEEEERRRRR!" immediately
I’m glad Mike & Lucy have so much time on their hands as to develop such a simple, yet complex and compelling episode. Thanks for the high production value masquerading as a 20 minute one-take improv. Well done
Love that you really showed that ownership of a car is a personal thing, a very personal thing.
Well would not have thought you'd chose Olivier but I'm glad you had a 635 and 924 both Icons of motoring history. That car you had the most fun in, is always the one. Mine is a Fiat 124 Sports Coupe.
I loved the story about Alabama. Even having watched the footage, listening to it from the horse's mouth is so interesting
I don’t believe it for a second
@@joetz1 u sir are a fool
@@joetz1 i was stationed in georgia and my brother in law is in florida. those people are 100% like that. it's absolutely frightening.
@@ghomerhust I’ve been to many cities in Alabama and I never met people like that. The accents didn’t even sound right to me that sounded like somebody trying to impersonate what they thought a southerner sounds like.
@@joetz1 ...cameras kept rollin & mics kept recording while they scrambled to escape, so there's a bunch of footage behind the scenes you can find. similar with the more recent Borat. it happened. rural is another world from the city sometimes.
My favourite was always the blue Subaru from the Africa special, sad to see it not make it further in the rounds, but still a laugh. Lovely content!
Nice to see that you have Maker's Mark--I live a half hour drive from the Distillery. Still my favorite Whisky.
I want to see the other two gents do this challenge as well.
The look of genuine concern on his face for semi final 2 was brilliant.
I always loved Oliver, he's such a great car and it's amazing what he has gone through and was still barely damaged, glad you still have it he's an icon to the "flop teir" Nation ❤
Except you know, having to rebuild the entire engine after it flooded.
To be fair to him, i also picked Oliver, 3 things hammond is known for; jet dragster crash, Switzerland crash, Oliver. Simple. I think the only car more iconic is the unkillable toyota. I do think the 24 hour BMW at Silverstone should have been in the mix though as that was amazing.
Some of the best TV I have ever watched is Top Gear and the specials they did with GT. Thanks Richard.
For me its either the Reliant Shuttle or the Hovervan
What a wonderful trip down memory lane! Thank you for this Richard, Mike and Lucy.
I owned a really clean example of an MGB GT. Had it repainted blizzard white Pearl, fitted a nice set of deep dished black panasports. After sorting out the original Smiths gauges, I was offered double what I had into it. I never got to drive it other than onto the trailer of the couple who bought it. Really wish i had kept it.
You you guys got me to watch the whole video even though I knew the answer before I clicked on it, well done!
Richard Hammond is an absolute legend. Thank you for being you Richard, Cheers from Canada!
Wow, the production value is amazing on this one. The camera angles, the bokeh, the lighting, tip top.
Yeah, DRIVETRIBE has been going really hard with the production recently.
they had to make the camera and editing match the quality of the folks on the show!
I found out watching this I somehow have never watched the Burma special. Not sure how I missed it. So now I have a 'new' special to watch. Fantastic.
Loved this so much! It was always going to be Oliver though wasn’t it? It was the only car I remember that you ever gave a name to. I can still hear you scream his name as he sank down in that river. The “Flop Tear” specials were truly that - “special”.
Somewhere in Patagonia, there is a green Ford Mustang Mach 1 that was abandoned on the side of the road. I hope it found a new home that took care of it.
Hyundai coupe from the thirteenth season is also forgotten
my fav car from the budget home made campers episode is Jeremy's 3 story camper, was hard to stop laughing when it swayed side to side with him yelling😆🤣
i think that they should all group together again and make another special
i will forever love that little mini.... i swear if i ever get my hands on one i'm going to buy it and not think about it twice
Knew it would be Oliver, sentimentality and all. I picked the MG, one of MY all time favorites. Well done!
For me it's the Subaru Impreza, with the exception of its wheel collapsing it was by far and away the most compact and well made car Hammond ever drove on one of their trips. Bit harsh that the Fiat Barchetta from the Middle East and the Mustang from Patagonia weren't included in the list
Is there even a contest, Oliver is the GOAT. Also, my first car was an '82 Dodge Ramcharger, and I still dream about that truck. It was awesome.
I once had an Opel 1900 wagon. Loved that car
Its always Oliver for me. Richard, you weren't the only one that fell in love with that silly little brave thing.
Oliver all the way!
"Her", by using the expression "Hick town" would suggest she was in fact quite enlightened and aware of what might be about to happen! Watched this special many times, as your posse passed right by me on I95 near Fort Lauderdale!
I always thought that behind her slightly brusque delivery she actually had some genuine concern for their well-being.
@@Gordanovich02 Agreed!
Wish you guys would do more 'cheap car challenges' just in your UK backyard. They're some of the best episodes.
How could it not be Oliver? The car was named during the show. We all know you never name things because that indicates attachment. Naming the car meant love - can’t argue with love 😂
*laughs in John and Geoff*
Watching you more than 15 years, upgraded myself with same reading glasses you have (almost same age with you), I appreciate your performance and your energy. Take care all the time 🙋🏻♂️
that isuzu truck went to the SHAN STATE before any other film crew had ever been allowed, it saw a party which made the end of 'apocalypse now' look like a quiet night in. it had a shower, a kitchen with lino to match, a hammock with mosquito net built in, a balcony and a drinks globe. twin stacks, white walls and a church pew.
Of ALL of your specials on both TGT & TG, I've watched the Botswana special the most. I might've seen it about 15 times now.
This was a no brainier, we all knew that Richard would have chosen Oliver all along, but he wanted to give us almost 20 minutes of entertainment and trip down Top Gear memory lane. Also, from Richard’s book on that Botswana episode, Oliver almost came close to dying after Richard drove it into a river. But, thanks to the local mechanic and their dogged determination, Oliver was saved, and that earns that plucky little car a special place in Richard’s heart. Although, I am wondering how much it cost Richard to ship Oliver to the UK, get him properly fixed up and MOT’d?
I loved the Scooby so much from the River Nile trip, I went out and bought an identical one immediately. Cost me £2000, best car I ever had. That will always be my favourite Flop Tier car!
Agreed with every single choice but the 300zx. Great video. Thanks for the nostalgia.
That flop tear joke was savage😂
Really enjoy when Mr Hammond makes an appearance. Small things really do come in slightly smaller than average packages ❤ When is the next series of smallest cog coming too please ?
Looking forward to this one!