Seasons & episodes

As the motor industry prepares to celebrate its centenary, the 100th edition of Top Gear comes from the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu with William Woollard taking a nostalgic look at the joys and hazards of motoring over those years. It's also the 50th birthday of the driving test, and in that time it's changed very little. Frank Page asks if now, with more than 20 million licence holders on Britain's roads, the standards of 1935 are still good enough. He also takes to the road to test the Porsche 944 Turbo.

Behind every new car lies years of planning and hundreds of thousands of miles of testing. This week William Woollard visits Ford's top secret proving ground at Lommel in Belgium, to experience for himself the testing of the new Granada. But how will it fare in the market place? Sue Baker compares the Granada with some of its rivals, the Renault 25, Volvo 740 and Rover 2300. How thief-proof is your car? Why do cars worth many thousands of pounds have vulnerable locks costing only a few pence? Frank Page gets locked into the world of car security and also test drives the new Rover 216.

Spring not only brings the flowers, but also the caravans from their winter hibernation. This week William Woollard looks at the new season's touring- and motor-caravans, and examines a new, safer towing hitch. Diesel cars have increased in popularity over the past few years, but are they a good investment? Sue Baker goes into the pros and cons, and tests a selection of diesels currently on the market.

William Woollard reports from a derelict 30-acre site in the heart of Birmingham that is being converted into an exciting new adventure centre for the young and unemployed. It provides facilities for everything that runs on wheels from roller-skates and BMX, to motorcycle scrambling and karting. Sue Baker has news of help for the disabled driver and Frank Page tries out the new Subaru 4x4 Turbo saloon.

William Woollard talks to Formula Three Champion, Johnny Dumfries at the launch of a tyre, claimed to be the 'fastest high performance tyre in the world', and asks if this new tyre technology means safer driving. Frank Page road tests the 126 mph MG Montego Turbo, while Sue Baker drives the 'Blackpool Flyer' - the TVR 390SE and tunes in to the latest in in-car entertainment.

With Spain about to join the EEC, William Woollard travels to Seat, the Spanish motor manufacturers in Barcelona, to look at their products and assess their impact on the British market. He also visits Coventry to find out more about an all- British development in four-wheel-drive technology that is catching on with the major car companies. Four-and-a-half million used cars are bought and sold each year and for many buyers this can be a traumatic, and sometimes expensive, business. Frank Page gives hints on best buys and points out potential weaknesses.

William Woollard finds out just how much 'blood, sweat and tears' is needed to build your own kit car and looks at the way in which the British component car industry is cleaning up its cowboy image. For more than 20 years Allan Garland has lavished great care and attention on the exhibits in Vauxhall's own motor museum at Luton. Now he's retiring as curator and Sue Baker spent a day with Allan and some of the cars he has loved for so long. And Frank Page drives through the Yorkshire Dales to find out how Fiat's new Uno Turbo shapes up against the opposition.

Top Gear turns its attention to West Germany tonight with a special programme direct from Europe's major motor show of the autumn which opened its doors just a few hours ago in Frankfurt. William Woollard and Frank Page report from the giant exhibition halls on the latest trends and technical developments. Sue Baker gets to grips with VW's new 16-valve version of its cult car, the GTI, and looks at an accident alert system still under test in Germany. Away from the show, Frank Page tries out Subaru's hi-tech XT model, and there's news from Berlin of a spectacular driving simulator.

Chris Goffey reports on an £8 billion-a-year business — the company car. The motor manufacturers sell about half their cars to the company fleets, so it's vital that they get their models right. How do companies choose and what do the manufacturers do to woo them? Sue Baker rediscovers her youth when she tests the new Naylor sports car. It looks and feels like the old MG she drove as a teenager. Frank Page rides a new BMW motorcycle and there's some advice on how to transport the family pet happily and safely.

The pressure is on! Between next year and 1990, legislation will be introduced in stages to reduce the level of pollution caused by car emissions. William Woollard examines the various options open to motor manufacturers, and the price motorists will have to pay. Frank Page meets up with a motor club with no cars, and nowhere to go. The recently-launched Citroen BX Estate is road tested by Chris Goffey and compared with one of its predecessors.

For most people a Grand Prix starts with a green light and ends with a chequered flag, but for the organisers work starts a year in advance. Tonight William Woollard tells the story of the army of 15,000 that makes it happen. Top Gear spent five days leading up to the British GP looking at the side of motor racing the spectator never sees. William Woollard also reports from the M1 on the unnecessary risks drivers take, and Frank Page tries out an interesting newcomer to the British motoring scene, the Bitter SC two-door coupe.

Tonight William Woollard, Sue Baker and a 1930s Bentley Tourer represent Top Gear in the Great English Wine Run. One hundred teams driving a variety of vehicles leave Alfriston in Sussex en route for Paris. Sue Baker also reports from Transport in Action, the trucks 'shop window'. Chris Goffey tries out the new Volvo 760 Estate car for size; and Peter Burgess travels to Sardinia to get to grips with Ford's latest additions to their range: the 4WD Granada and 4WD Sierra XR4.

Four out of ten motorists break down each year — everything from running out of petrol to bursting into flames. William Woollard explores some of the organisations that could come to your rescue. What will succeed the Vauxhall Astra as Car of the Year? Chris Goffey looks at the contenders and discovers how the judges make their choice. Sue Baker looks at the future for the micro car: cheap to buy and tax and economical to run.

Next year, Austin Rover unveil their latest executive saloon car, code-named Project XX. Much of its success, or otherwise, will depend on its penetration into the lucrative US market where Austin Rover have been absent for a number of years. William Woollard visits Canley in Coventry to see the preparations for this important launch, and to find out what the future holds in terms of design and further collaboration with Honda. Frank Page tries out an interesting newcomer to the British motoring scene, the Bitter SC two-door coupe, and Peter Burgess explains your rights, and what to do if the second-hand car you bought is not what it seemed.

The carnage at last month's Portuguese Rally in which four spectators died, exposed the need for tougher action from rally organisers to control the crowds. Top Gear asks what the sport can do to prevent it happening again. William Woollard tests the new Ford Escort and its anti-lock brake system. As Nissan prepare for assembly of the Bluebird at their Tyne and Wear factory, Frank Page looks at the shape of things to come. And Chris Goffey looks back to the spring of 1966 and the start of the Japanese invasion.

Cosworth engines have powered their way to more than 100 Grand Prix victories. Tonight William Woollard revs up in the Sierra Cosworth, the first road car to carry the famous name, and looks behind the scenes at the company's Northampton headquarters. There are road tests on two of the winter's newcomers, the Peugeot 309 and Vauxhall's Belmont. Are the days of motorists struggling with road maps numbered? Chris Goffey travels to Holland to try out an amazing in-car navigation system.

The Turin Motor Show is traditionally the place where the top European car-designers exhibit their latest fantastic creations. William Woollard examines tomorrow's shapes and reports on what the manufacturers are offering today. Chris Goffey visits the Pininfarina Museum and discovers 'what might have been' for some of Britain's most popular cars. Frank Page road tests the latest executive model from Fiat, the Croma Turbo, ie, and sees how they put fire into the Panda 4x4.

Are the days of the traditional, much criticised car service numbered? Chris Goffey looks at a new breed of cheap, fast-turnover, top-you-up operators — US-style franchised chains that look set to revolutionise servicing and threaten one of the bastions of Britain's garage trade. William Woollard takes to the kart track — the training ground of future Grand Prix champions. There's a road test on the Renault 21 and Sue Baker finds out what special 'magic' a car needs to make it a classic.

With the 480 ES, Volvo set out to produce a car which 'radiates dynamic appeal and gives exceptional levels of driving pleasure'! William Woollard discovers whether they've succeeded. Sue Baker and Russell Bray take to the hills, wrestling with a range of all-terrain vehicles, undaunted by forests, hills, axle-deep mud and water. And Top Gear looks at two developments in safety: the air bag and a device to reduce fire risk.

William Woollard reports on a controversial scheme to re-educate drink-drive offenders who can't kick the habit. Chris Goffey and Russell Bray take to the track for a side-by-side comparison between the Porsche 924S and its new Japanese look-alike, the Mazda RX7. Frank Page drives the new breed of Hondas and Sue Baker takes to the high seas to report on some of the dos and don'ts of taking a car abroad this summer.

How fast can your car accelerate from 0-60 mph? Well, whether it's fewer than seven seconds, or slightly more than 30, it's the one magic figure which manufacturers sell and motorists believe is the true test of a car's potency. But is it all that important? How do the testers achieve such dazzling figures; do the results accurately reflect what average motorists can expect from their cars? Chris Goffey reports. One hundred years on, Top Gear looks at the pioneering achievements of Karl Benz and how to give accident victims a safer ride in Britain's ambulances.

Peter Burgess drives one of the newest entrants in the hot hatch race, the Renault 5 turbo, and compares it with the Peugeot 205 GTI. Why don't they teach them something useful at school? William Woollard discovers that you can do motor mechanics and road traffic studies at CSE; and in 1988 there will be a new exam - but could he pass? All cars will soon have rear seat belts as standard; but as yet there is no compulsion to wear them. Chris Goffey looks at Volvo's dummy back seat drivers, and the tortures they endure for research.

Rallying's governing body FISA has reacted quickly to curb the power of the super cars following the tragic death of Henri Toivonen in the Corsican Rally. Following its earlier report into rally safety, Top Gear looks at the dramatic effects the new rules will have on the sport. Chris Goffey test-drives the new Alfa 75 and drives safely among pedestrians in Holland. When is a spare not a spare? Sue Baker examines the phenomenon of the 'skinny' spare tyre - are they safe or merely convenient for manufacturers?

Supermarket shopping in Britain takes on a new look this week when you'll be able to add saloon cars to your shopping list. William Woollard goes to London's Isle of Dogs to see an experiment started yesterday by one major supermarket chain to sell cars to its customers. Sue Baker road tests a convertible from Eastern Europe, the Skoda Rapide, and Frank Page reports on the concerned mum whose interest has led to a baby-seats-for-hire scheme which encourages young mothers to belt up their new babies from the moment they leave hospital.