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Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →For a classic Top Gear rewatch, start with the Vietnam Special: it captures the Clarkson, Hammond and May era at its most distinctive, mixing an ambitious journey, improbable transport and the presenters’ bickering camaraderie. This curated list moves from landmark road trips to car challenges, improvised engineering and a city race. It is a set of recommendations, not a permanent or objective ranking.
MotorTrend’s August 30, 2019 list said its ten selections reflected IMDb viewer rankings at the time; it is not a live chart or a statement of current scores. Episode names are the most reliable way to find these programmes, since streaming services may package or number specials differently. The choices below draw on the episode descriptions and vary the viewing experience rather than treating every pick as a destination special.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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Top Gear: The Complete Season 17 | $19.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Top Gear 20 | $17.43 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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Top Gear: The Complete Season 16 | $18.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
|
Top Gear 14 (DVD) | $13.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
|
Top Gear: The Complete First Season (USA) | $19.97 | Buy on Amazon |
Start with the destination specials
1. Vietnam Special
In an eight-day, 1,000-mile ride from Ho Chi Minh City to Ha Long Bay, the presenters travel by motorbike, and their contrasting machines help shape the comedy. It works as a road-trip story and a character piece as much as a vehicle showcase. SlashGear identifies it as Season 12, Episode 8 and describes the route from Saigon to Ha Long City; the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) likewise describes an eventful motorbike journey across Vietnam. (MotorTrend; SlashGear; BBFC)
2. Bolivia Special
The trio take used off-roaders on a 1,000-mile journey through the Amazon and over the Andes toward the Chilean coast. The vehicles—a Suzuki Samurai, Range Rover Classic and Toyota Land Cruiser FJ40—make the changing terrain a test of both driving and questionable purchasing decisions. The BBFC describes the South America Special as a 4×4 road trip from Bolivia to Chile. (MotorTrend; BBFC)
#1 Best Overall
- Factory sealed DVD
3. Africa Special, Part 1
The search for the source of the Nile begins in Uganda, then runs through Tanzania and the Serengeti. The presenters buy their cars in the UK for under $2,000: a BMW 528i, Subaru WRX and Volvo 850R. Landscape and geography are as important as the motoring, but this is explicitly Part 1 of a two-part journey—not a self-contained resolution to the expedition. (MotorTrend)
4. Botswana Special
Richard Hammond’s 1963 Opel Kadett, nicknamed Oliver, gives this crossing of Botswana its emotional thread. Clarkson’s Lancia Beta and May’s Mercedes-Benz 230E complete the trio of cars, but Hammond’s attachment to his little Kadett is what makes the episode linger after the scenery and mishaps. (MotorTrend)
Rank #2
5. Burma Special, Part 2
In Thailand, the presenters travel in Isuzu and Hino commercial trucks, including one fitted with a crane. The closing engineering problem is practical and suitably ambitious: build a bridge strong enough to carry the trucks and reach the destination. The heavy vehicles and hands-on construction make this a good choice when the appeal is less sports-car glamour than the trio trying to make a plan work. (MotorTrend)
6. Middle East Special
Recreating the journey of the Three Wise Men, Clarkson, Hammond and May set out in a Mazda MX-5, BMW Z3 and Fiat Barchetta, travelling through Iraq, Iran, Syria and Jordan on the way to Israel. The trip belongs to an earlier historical period, before the Arab Spring; it should be watched as a record of that episode’s journey, not used as present-day travel guidance. (MotorTrend)
Rank #3
- Factory sealed DVD
Switch from long journeys to contained challenges
7. Cheap High-Mileage SUV Challenge
Despite the label used in MotorTrend’s list, the described cars are a Peugeot 304 S Cabriolet, MGB GT and Fiat 124—not SUVs. The presenters buy old, high-mileage cars, then get several months to improve and restore them before a car meet, a track test and a classic-car show. It earns its place here for the longer arc: the cars’ condition and the presenters’ attempts to make them presentable matter as much as a single stunt. MotorTrend labels it Season 22, Episode 8. (MotorTrend)
8. The Boys Build Their Own Motorhomes
The designs escalate from a Land Rover 110 conversion to a Lotus Excel carrying a shuttle-like pod with an escape chute, then to an apartment-style, three-storey structure mounted on a Citroën CX. The fun is in watching each improvised solution become more elaborate—and less plausibly useful—than the last. (MotorTrend)
Rank #4
Finish with speed and a city race
9. Volkswagen Touareg vs. Swedish Snowmobiles
The headline matchup pits a modified Volkswagen Touareg against Swedish snowmobile racers, but the episode’s speed centerpiece is James May in a Bugatti Veyron Super Sport at Ehra-Lessien. MotorTrend gives the run as 258 mph; that figure is the episode guide’s account, not an independently verified performance result. The combination makes this a pick for viewers who want spectacle rather than another multi-day expedition. (MotorTrend)
10. The Boys and the Stig Race Across St. Petersburg
A city race supplies a brisk change of scale: Clarkson travels by hovercraft, Hammond by bicycle, The Stig by public transport and a Renault Twizy joins the contest. Hammond also reviews a Lamborghini Huracán. It is a lively finale to a list otherwise weighted toward journeys through open country. (MotorTrend)
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One more episode to add
U.S. Roadtrip Special
For a bonus, MotorTrend’s extra pick sends the presenters from Miami to New Orleans in $1,000 cars: a Dodge Ram pickup, Chevy Camaro RS and Cadillac Brougham. The episode uses broad redneck stereotypes as part of its comedy; treat those as the show’s framing, not as facts about real communities. (MotorTrend)
Where to find these episodes
Availability depends on territory, date and the particular catalogue or edition. BBC Player’s specials page lists episodes with limited availability windows, so check the current listing for your country rather than assuming a special is permanently or worldwide available. (BBC Player)
For physical viewing, search at the category level for Top Gear DVDs or a specials collection, then verify the exact episode list, region format and edition before buying. BBFC records document streaming, video-on-demand and physical-media classifications, but do not establish that a specific set contains all ten selections. Some records also flag language, injury imagery and other content; check the classification for the exact version and territory if suitability matters. (BBFC)
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
