Seasons & episodes

William Woollard reports from the new Langbaurgh complex on Teesside, catering for a series of two-and four-wheel motorsport events. Tiff Needell looks at the design of Jaguar’s Le-Mans-winning XJR9 and puts it to the test at Silverstone. Back in the north east, Washington is now the site of an important new Nissan car plant. Chris Goffey reviews this spring’s changes to their range and takes a particular look at their redesigned Prairie. Beki Adam assesses the new deal for cyclists in Middlesbrough.

Presented by William Woollard with reports from Tiff Needell, Tony Mason, Chris Goffey. Aston Martin owners from all over the world met last weekend at Brands Hatch to race their cars. William Woollard traces the history of the marque while Tiff Needell drives their latest car, the Virage. Why is Britain one of the very few countries in the world not to close public roads for rallying? Tony Mason investigates. And Chris Goffey drives two new sporting hatchbacks — the Maestro Turbo and the 16-valve Vauxhall Astra GTE.

Presented by William Woollard with reports from Beki Adam, Tom Boswell, Chris Goffey, Tony Mason. For the last of the current series, William Woollard and Beki Adam travel to northern France to report on the pleasures and perils of taking your car abroad, and Tom Boswell looks at how to learn to love your caravan. Lancia are making a determined effort to win back lost markets with their new mid-range saloon. Chris Goffey test drives the Dedra in Spain. For a seasonal touch, Tony Mason takes his car on to the beach at Weston-super-Mare, but finds tough competition in Britain’s only sandrace meeting.

William Woollard and Sue Baker present the first of a new series from Europe’s biggest and brightest motor show at Frankfurt. On the road, Chris Goffey has been driving the new Citroën XM — will it live up to the French company’s reputation for innovation and comfort? And there’s a road test of Mercedes’s new SL sports car, soon to be launched in Britain. But are German motorists’ attitudes to the car changing? Jeremy Clarkson reports on how the nation with more cars than any other in Europe is coming to terms with congestion and pollution.

The switch to lead-free petrol has created a lot of confusion for the ordinary motorist — confusion that now seems to be stalling the growth of sales of unleaded fuel. Tom Boswell seeks to shed light on the introduction of the new high-octane ‘super’ unleaded. As Britain moves closer to Europe, businessmen are less concerned about being seen driving only British cars. Chris Goffey compares three desirable executive saloons from the continent: the Alfa 164, the Saab CD and Lancia’s Thema. Plus, a look at the arcane world of autojumble; and Tiff Needell demonstrates what it’s like to drive a 500hp Ford Sierra.

Politicians in southern California have agreed to a scheme to ban petrol and diesel vehicles within the next 20 years. William Woollard reports from Los Angeles on the implications of this drastic decision and on the more immediate threat to European luxury car manufacturers whose rich markets in the USA are being threatened by the Japanese. Back on this side of the Atlantic, Chris Goffey road tests new versions of Renault’s 19 and 21 and visits Peugeot’s new museum at Sochaux in France.

William Woollard and Tony Mason report from Brands Hatch at the end of the Autoglass Tour of Britain on the success of this newly revived event. Chris Goffey assesses the chances of Skoda’s new front-drive model, the Favorit, improving the company image. This week, the Department of Transport introduces a new pursuit test for learner motorcyclists. Tom Boswell looks into the way motorcyclists are trained.

Britain’s car industry is booming for the first time in a decade, partly thanks to Japanese investment. William Woollard presents the programme from the new Honda engine factory in Swindon. There’s a look at two of Honda’s new models, the Accord and the Concerto, and a road test of a car from Honda’s great Japanese rivals — the Mazda 323. Beki Adam looks back at the celebrations for 30 years of the Mini and Tony Mason reports on the progress of Top Gear’s Rally Quest competition winner.

Three major new British models are being launched at this year’s Motorfair. William Woollard and Sue Baker report from Earls Court on these and other highlights of the show, while Chris Goffey compares one of them, the Rover 200, with its Japanese counterpart, the Honda Concerto. A spate of crashes during police chases has raised worrying questions about the rules governing the pursuit of suspects. Tom Boswell examines the problem and asks whether police driver training might be at fault. Tiff Needell has been partnering Derek Bell in a full season’s sports-prototype racing in the Richard Lloyd Porsche 962. Beki Adam watched a day’s testing at Silverstone to see what goes on behind the scenes preparing and improving these sophisticated cars.

What if your new car turns out to be a lemon? In the United States there are tough laws to protect you, but in Britain you’re still at the mercy of your individual dealer. William Woollard examines proposals to give car buyers more rights. Chris Goffey visits one of the world’s largest car museums, the Musee national de I’automobile at Mulhouse in France. Acquired over many years by the famous Schlumpf brothers, it has a particularly spectacular Bugatti collection with no less than three of the famous Royales. Beki Adam experiences the full terror of 200mph in a straight line — drag racing, of course!

William Woollard reports from the Motorcycle Show on the latest in two-wheeled transport. Vic Allan tests the new Norton F1 road-going version of this year’s Formula 1 British Championship winner, and the Voyager, the latest ‘feet first’ motorcycle. The Brighton Speed Trials are among the oldest events in the British motor sport calendar. Tiff Needell joined a wide variety of men and machines, trying out three contemporary sports cars. Plus, Tom Boswell reports on this summer’s massive gathering of Lotus enthusiasts at Donington, and Chris Goffey road-tests Peugeot’s new executive saloon, the 605.

Throughout most of its history, the motor vehicle has been to war. William Woollard visits the Museum of Army Transport in North Humberside to try out some of the unusual machines which have seen action. Last year Top Gear mounted a special programme on the Pirelli Classic Marathon — a successful attempt to recapture the spirit of 50s and 60s rallying. Europe’s longest classic car event has been run again this year, providing an opportunity for famous names from the sport to be reunited with their old machines. And Chris Goffey tests Ford’s new Fiesta XR2i against its recent rival from Seat — the Ibiza SX1.

William Woollard reports from Autotech 89 on the latest engineering advances in prospect for car owners. This summer Top Gear sponsored the Heritage Team Challenge to help promote club racing between traditional British sports cars. Chris Goffey took over the wheel of an MGB. Plus, Tony Mason reports on the Radio Times Rally Quest winner Liz Jeffries as she prepares for the Lombard RAC Rally with Tiff Needell.

This year Britain’s Louise Aitken-Walker was at the Monte Carlo rally with a full works team in her first bid for the ladies’ world championship. Tony Mason follows her progress. Why are more child pedestrians killed on British roads than in most other European countries? William Woollard looks at some possible ways to reduce the statistics. Sue Baker and Chris Goffey report from the Geneva show on the new models.

The new Lotus Elan is eagerly awaited. Have Lotus designed a civilised, high performance sports car with front wheel drive? Chris Goffey finds out. In the first of a short series, William Woollard considers technical solutions to the problem of carbon dioxide and its contribution to global warming, starting with solar energy and hydrogen as alternative fuels. Plus, Tom Boswell looks at the latest in car security, and Beki Adam is initiated into the new sport of supermoto.

Ford recently paid £1.6 billion for Jaguar cars. They wanted a prestige name and a ready-made slice of heritage. William Woollard looks at the history of the marque and what Ford may do with their new acquisition. Tiff Needell drives the Yugo Sana, the most modern-looking car yet to emerge from eastern Europe. And there’s the second part of Top Gear’s analysis of the alternatives to petrol which may help to reduce the contribution made by cars to global warming.

William Woollard reports from the Ultimate Truck Show at Stoneleigh in Warwickshire on the biggest, fastest and safest trucks on the scene. Steve Webster has been world motorcycle sidecar champion for the last three years. Tiff Needell takes the place of his regular passenger around the challenging Cadwell Park circuit in Lincolnshire to try out one of the most dangerous and spectacular jobs in motor sport. For the disabled, mobility itself is a challenge. Simon Barnes of the One in Four programme investigates how to go about learning to drive and buying a car if you are confined to a wheelchair. Plus Jeremy Clarkson examines the return of the car with a boot, with three new models which started life as hatchbacks.

The Italian city of Turin is now the home of the world’s most influential car stylists. William Woollard presents the programme from the city’s prestigious Motor Show where they display their latest ideas. Chris Goffey road tests Fiat’s new mid-sized saloon, the Tempra. The Chevrolet Corvette is America’s classic sports car; Beki Adam looks at its history. Tony Mason reports from a classic British sporting event — the Land’s End Trial.

William Woollard reports from Donington Park where the final selection of the Rally Quest 90 winner takes place. Tony Mason follows the finalists to find who will have the chance of an entry into this year’s Lombard RAC rally. Tiff Needell assesses Toyota’s new MR2 and Celica GT4. Tom Boswell tests the Honda CN 250, a new breed of bike-cum-motor scooter. Plus, Jeremy Clarkson reports on two novel ways of recovering a stolen car.

Interest in classic cars has never been greater and the prices they fetch have never been higher. William Woollard reports from the International Classic and Sportscar Show and Sue Baker asks whether the bubble of inflated values is about to burst. Chris Goffey tests two cars from less well-known Japanese manufacturers, the Subaru Legacy and Daihatsu Applause.

William Woollard reports from the Veteran Car Club’s diamond jubilee rally at Stratford-upon-Avon. Chris Goffey assesses the new versions of the Rover Metro and Fiat Uno. Jeremy Clarkson investigates the falsification of mileage on second-hand cars, and why this multi-million-pound fraud isn’t taken seriously enough. Tiff Needell tries his hand at rallying behind the wheel of the Mitsubishi Galant that won last year’s Lombard RAC Rally, with expert tuition from winning driver Pentti Airikkala.

Earlier this year, Tiff Needell and Tony Mason joined a remarkable collection of sports racing cars assembled on the Ecurie Ecosse Historic Motor Tour of Scotland. Vauxhall’s new Calibra is a sleek four-seater performance coupe. Radio Times’s motoring columnist Chris Goffey assesses how well it fills the gap left by the Ford Capri. Traffic congestion can turn serious accidents into fatal ones by delaying medical help. Helicopters have proved a cost-effective answer in Germany. Presented by William Woollard from the Midland Motor Museum in Shropshire.

William Woollard and Sue Baker report from the prestigious Paris Motor Show on what’s new on the stands. Radio Times’ motoring columnist Chris Goffey road-tests the new Renault Clio and looks at some of the ways French motoring retains its individuality.

Hispano Suiza is a make of car more exclusive even than Rolls-Royce. The company stopped making them over 50 years ago so it is rare today to see even one in public. Willie Rushton accompained 40 of these elegant reminders of a bygone age and their equally distinctive owners on a nostalgic visit to their native Spain.