After an illustrious run spanning more than two decades, the iconic trio of Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May are about to sign off from presenting a car show together. The last ever episode of “The Grand Tour” drops on Sept. 13, and the trailer was released today.
The final episode, entitled “One For The Road,” sees the presenters set out across Zimbabwe in a Lancia Beta Montecarlo (known as the Scorpion in America), a Ford Capri, and a Triumph Stag. Admittedly, those aren’t exactly the cars best suited for such an environment, but it wouldn’t be an episode of The Grand Tour if everything was meant to go perfectly.
![Vidframe Min Top](https://images-stag.jazelc.com/uploads/theautopian-m2en/vidframe_min_top1.png)
![Vidframe Min Bottom](https://images-stag.jazelc.com/uploads/theautopian-m2en/vidframe_min_bottom1.png)
Unusually, the trailer’s sparse in dialog, with a montage of shots scored by a version of “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother.” There’s plenty of laughter and a handful of shenanigans, but it feels like the producer’s leaving it vague, almost like we already know what to expect. The truth is, after so many years, we almost do.
I doubt that when Clarkson and Andy Wilman set out to relaunch “Top Gear,” they expected to create one of the biggest shows in the world, much less do it again on Amazon Prime. The fact is, millions of people laughed along as three men, or perhaps three man-sized boys, drove cars on television. From magnetic north to Australia to America to Botswana, the fantastic travels of three people who, from the outside looking in, had the best job in the world, captivated us and sparked joy, whether they were driving six-figure supercars or three-figure shitboxes.
Sure, the trio is not without controversy. There’s the time they pissed off everyone in Spain and everyone in America and everyone in Mexico and everyone in Wales and everyone in India and everyone who drove a truck and everyone in Germany and everyone in Scotland and everyone in the North, and a few people in a village in Somerset, and the Mountaineering Council, and caravan enthusiasts, and the Morris Marina Owners Club, and anti-smoking campaigners, and Elon Musk, and many other people, but let’s not get too bogged down in details. It also says something that the most frequent targets of their brand of banter were each other, as that’s a huge part of what often made both shows brilliant fun to watch.
I’ll never forget the first time I saw an episode of “Top Gear” broadcast on television. Series five, episode one, the one with the Vauxhall Monaro, Chrysler 300C, and Jaguar S-Type R on the Pendine Sands. I was but a small boy, but seeing cars slithering about on camera made me think “Man, I want to do something like this when I grow up.” I might be lucky to have a platform, but I’m not the only one who felt that sort of way. Clarkson, Hammond, and May did so much for automotive enthusiasm, and it’s worth recognizing them for that.
All good things must come to an end, and while we can always wish for more, the fact is, it feels about time for “The Grand Tour” to wrap. With a three-week wait for the final ride off into the sunset, it feels about right to start marathoning the old stuff, don’t you think?
(Photo credits: The Grand Tour)
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> There’s the time they pissed off everyone in Spain and everyone in America and everyone in Mexico and everyone in Wales and everyone in India and everyone who drove a truck and everyone in Germany and everyone in Scotland and everyone in the North, and a few people in a village in Somerset, and the Mountaineering Council, and caravan enthusiasts, and the Morris Marina Owners Club, and anti-smoking campaigners, and Elon Musk, and many other people
We get it, they’re British.
Rather than trying to make a car programme entertaining, Top Gear made an entertainment programme that featured cars.
I get their getting old and doing these things is hard. I just wish they still got together now and then to do “The News”
The best jokes of either show often came from the news or conversation street
eh, I don’t think Everyone in America, I have seen the episode, I was not upset.
I hate the lazy writing of their recent years, where you can see the “jokes” coming from a mile away. I usually watch them every time to see if they are better than expected, but they’re mostly worse 🙁
Are you caught up? Eurocrash was hilarious (one before last)
No, it wasn’t.
Of all the people they pissed off, I think maybe Argentina was the MOST pissed off. Patagonia special was pretty epic, imo.
And that was all around weird, felt more like a set up by someone else than an actual bit gone awry. Really, what kind of angry mob goes around taking issues with license plates?
Even if it was intentional, what would the punchline be?
When she was a high school student this was my youngest daughter’s favorite show. She used to watch it ALL the time.
She waited until college to get her license. Doesn’t like to drive, sold her car. But she loved TG and TGT. That tells me a lot, mostly that yes it was a show about cars but it wasn’t a show about cars.
I will miss this trio. But I’m not so secretly hoping the Grand Tour (current format, no tent) will be re-released with Adam, Tanner and Rut. I couldn’t vibe with the USA guys at first, but I recently purchased season 6 (uncensored) on Amazon. I laughed my ass off!
I regularly find myself saying to myself, “Good news – there’s a new Dacia Sandero”, and smiling.
I’ve been watching them since before tg and gt on their various specials and presenter roles and writing. Always enjoyed their perspectives and individual personalities and interests. Good to see them go out on a high. Been following drivetribe, Clarksons Farm, Hammonds shop and Mays various shows and side gigs.will miss gt as I did tg, but there is still more entertainment in their bones yet.
I used to host Top Gear Tuesdays at one of my previous jobs, where I’d download it and put it on a projector, half the company would show up to watch it over lunch. I miss Top Gear, and I’ll miss this too.
Shame but I guess it has to end at some point. Me and my wife love watching these guys.
I think the episode that completely shocked us was when May was going down a tunnel and he was supposed brake before it dead ended. He braked too late, lost control and smashed the car right on it’s side against the concrete wall. Dude got a concussion I think but came right back to finish the episode. I thought man these dudes are getting up there and they are going to seriously hurt themselves so I think it’s time for them to call it quits.
I would be lying though if I am not wishing that this is truly not their last one and they manager to crank out a few more down the line.
Never got into the Grand Tour. It always felt blatantly scripted (even compared to Top Gear) and had that sheen of streaming formulaic production. I’ll stick with rewatching the classic Top Gear moments
The GT specials they’ve done the last few years once they dropped the “studio” audience stuff have been really good I thought, and I’ve seen every episode since 2002. The fact is they are all tired old men at this point and flinging them all over the globe for grueling driving mania almost seems a bit cruel now.
Bittersweet, but it’s time. Clarksons farm and our man in * have been fantastic and from what I understand, Hammond shop is doing well
I’ll miss them, but it’s time to let go. Three road cars pressed into off-road duty driving through a barren landscape? We’ve never seen that before.
MotorWeek and Top Gear with this crew are the only two car shows I’ve actively watched over the years. Assume John Davis will be stepping down soon enough as well.
John Davis stepping down will be a sad day. Kind of odd as I feel the TG/GT Trio slightly overstayed their welcome, but hopefully can head out on a high note.
MotorWeek without John Davis will be a real poo show!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D27skOE1cOU
For a few years I worked on a Canadian automotive TV show. The videographer was very good and would sometimes spend quite a bit of time aligning a shot or make us all wait for the golden hour for that the perfect lens flare. The hosts referred to that as a Top Gear shot. I didn’t know what they were talking about so I investigated.
Holy Shit what I had been missing. Then the world came almost full circle when I got to work on Top Gear America.
Unpopular opinion but I liked Top Gear America.
It wasn’t the same as Tope Gear UK but it didn’t need to be.
It definitely had some memorable moments, and Tanner Foust was the most talented driver featured on any Top Gear series.
2 Brits and an American…
and had his teeth done LOL
Man, some of the running jokes they had were good!