“The Grand Tour” ended last year with a road trip looking back on the adventures of Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May. But was this their best journey together?
This question has become pertinent as “The Sun” has reported that a trio of new hosts will take over the Prime Video series moving forward. The outlet cited insider sources while reporting that Thomas Holland and James Engelsman of “Throttle House” fame will join forces with TikTok star Francis Bourgeois.
Prime Video has not confirmed the new hosts, but the sudden burst of information makes us look back at the 46-episode run featuring the men who made “Top Gear” a household name.
The trio of Clarkson, Hammond, and May started their Prime Video series in a traveling tent, but they ditched it in later seasons while moving more into full-on specials. Some were obviously staged while others better blended the ridiculousness with the random.
No. 1 – “One for the Road”
“One for the Road” easily tops the list due to what it meant to longtime fans of this trio. This special delivered a full-circle moment as Clarkson, Hammond, and May headed to Africa. They started in Zimbabwe and journeyed to Botswana, the site of their first true “Top Gear Special.”
This journey was an emotional one for the hosts as they reflected on 22 years together. They rediscovered two of their cars from the previous Botswana trip, and they ended the trip at an iconic location from the special, Kubu Island.
The “One for the Road” special served as a fitting send-off for cast and crew, especially as the credits featured soundbites and photographs from both trips.
No. 2 – “Colombia Special” Part 1 & 2
While “One for the Road” served as an emotional career retrospective, the “Colombia Special” showed the trio in classic form. This was one of their ridiculous road trips based on a flimsy premise.
The task in this special was simple — travel to Colombia and showcase the joys of wildlife photography. The trio approached this differently.
Hammond had a portable camera with multiple lenses. May had a basic digital camera seen at birthday parties and on vacations. Clarkson only brought one lens — the largest telephoto he could find.
Of course, the vehicles used in this special were the focus. May went with a small Panda 4×4 Sisley, while Clarkson opted for a Jeep Wrangler. Hammond, a secret American, chose a ridiculous Chevrolet K2500 Monster Truck.
As with most specials, things quickly went off the rails in entertaining fashion. One SUV ended up in the ocean while another ended up in a large hole.
No. 3 – “The Beach (Buggy) Boys” Part 1 & 2
Some of the best episodes in “Top Gear” and “The Grand Tour” have featured the trio making rather unexpected modifications to cars. “The Beach (Buggy) Boys” delivered in this case.
This special sent Clarkson, Hammond, and May to Namibia’s Skeleton Coast. They didn’t show up with normal vehicles, however, as they controlled their versions of 1960s beach buggies.
Hammond and May went the more traditional route with their designs. Clarkson opted for more power. He mounted a V8 engine to the rear of his beach buggy.
This journey took the trio across the Namib Desert, where they navigated dunes. It tasked them with hunting poachers. May, in particular, had to replace the gearshift in his beach buggy with a rubber…appendage.
No. 4 – “Moroccan Roll”
The first season of “The Grand Tour” featured a healthy mix of trips and local hijinks. “Moroccan Roll” served as a fitting example.
This episode featured a trip to Morocco in affordable roadsters. The trio faced challenges along the way, including a race through the Atlas Corporation Studios in Ouarzazate. One of the obstacles in this race was a castle from “Game of Thrones.”
The episode also featured Hammond and May facing off in their own version of a childhood game, Battleships. How did this work? They lined up real vehicles on a grid and then called in their firing positions.
A large crane then dropped a hatchback on the designated spots on the grid. A direct hit delivered explosive results.
No. 5 – “Seamen”
Part of the charm of “Top Gear,” which extended to “The Grand Tour,” was the opportunity to watch the hosts outside of cars. The Vietnam Special was entertaining in the “Top Gear” days as Clarkson had to learn how to ride a motorcycle while filming a cross-country road trip.
“Seamen” followed a similar theme, albeit with a twist. Instead of motorcycles, the trio had to control boats. They traveled from Siem Reap, Cambodia, to Vũng Tàu, Vietnam, in wildly different boats. Clarkson, in particular, controlled a military-style patrol boat.
It was entertaining enough watching the hosts learn a new skill in the pouring rain, but the episode also continued a long-running theme. Hammond is a very picky eater, so it’s incredibly hard for him to find options away from home.