Top Gear Winter Olympics
Encyclopedia
Top Gear Winter Olympics is an episode of Top Gear
.
presenters Jeremy Clarkson
, Richard Hammond
and James May
travel to Lillehammer
, Norway
for a special edition of the show, themed on the Winter Olympics.
The show consists of Winter Olympic sports that have been adapted to be played using motor cars, with the losers of each challenge having to eat golden snow.
The end credits of this show were edited to show Jeremy Clarkson as Björn Clarkson, Richard Hammond as Benny Hamond, James May as Agnetha May and The Stig as Anni-Frid Stig. Whilst every other crew member in the credits had their first name replaced by Björn. This is a reference to the members of Swedish pop group ABBA
.
against May in an Audi Q7
, cross-country, with 2 shooting rounds mid-course while every missed target gives 5 penalty seconds (the loser had to eat "golden snow
"). May used a standard Biathlon .22
rifle, while Clarkson opted for a H&K MP5
Sub machine gun. Despite the increased firepower, Clarkson missed every target and felled a tree. May missed only 2 targets in the final shooting round. However, near the end, he crashed into a tree and had to dig himself out. Despite this, May re-overtook Clarkson at the end and won the race.
, in a bid to see who will crack first: man or machine? After being subjected to a temperature of about minus-40 Celsius, Hammond narrowly beat the car, concluding that 'if you're going to drive to the North Pole, buy a Hammond'. (Ironically disproved in later series by his runner-up placing without a car in the Polar Challenge
)
against a human skater (Introduced by May as Eskil Ervik
) on the ice course of Vikingskipet Olympic Arena
. Clarkson was terrible at this event as his Jag had no grip whatsoever, being lapped twice by Ervik.
Land Rover Discovery
and a two-wheel drive
Jaguar XK
against the clock, on just about five inches of frozen lake. May declared himself the winner as he was the fastest with 2:03.28, but was disputed by Clarkson, who claimed his run to have been more graceful and interesting.
rally car piloted by Norwegian Henning Solberg
, along near-identical courses. Hammond won with 59.68 in the end, May's time was 1:02.24
s played 5-a-side hockey, in teams captained by Hammond and May, and refereed by Clarkson. May's team was called "primetime television" playing in Buffalo Sabres
colours, while Hammond's team was called "daytime television
" playing in Montreal Canadiens
colours. At one point, Hammond's team were winning 3-0, but a biased Clarkson intervened and successfully helped May to 3-2. Hammond's team then scored two more goals. Later, Hammond crashed into May's car and was sent to penalty box, so May could score another goal. The result was supposedly 5-4 to Hammond's team, although only three of May's team's goals were shown in the programme.
could jump further than a skier from a downhill slope. The Mini didn’t manage to beat the skier and ended up crashing into a wall of hay made at the end of the ski jump, but the fact that they did manage to get a car down a ski jump is extraordinary nonetheless. The challenge was then concluded by a ski jump on a snowmobile
driven by The Stig
.
Engineered by Bickers Action www.bickers.co.uk with UK Rocketeers.
Rockets By "The RocketMen Ltd" (Damian Hall and Colin Rowe) Used 3 Contrail Hybrid motors
Top Gear (current format)
Top Gear is a British television series about motor vehicles, primarily cars. It began in 1977 as a conventional motoring magazine show. Over time, and especially since a relaunch in 2002, it has developed a quirky, humorous style...
.
Summary
Top GearTop Gear (current format)
Top Gear is a British television series about motor vehicles, primarily cars. It began in 1977 as a conventional motoring magazine show. Over time, and especially since a relaunch in 2002, it has developed a quirky, humorous style...
presenters Jeremy Clarkson
Jeremy Clarkson
Jeremy Charles Robert Clarkson is an English broadcaster, journalist and writer who specialises in motoring. He is best known for his role on the BBC TV show Top Gear along with co-presenters Richard Hammond and James May...
, Richard Hammond
Richard Hammond
Richard Mark Hammond is an English broadcaster, writer, and journalist most noted for co-hosting car programme Top Gear with Jeremy Clarkson and James May, as well as presenting Brainiac: Science Abuse on Sky 1.-Early life:...
and James May
James May
James Daniel May is an English television presenter, journalist and writer. He is best known for his role as co-presenter of the award-winning motoring programme Top Gear alongside Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond....
travel to Lillehammer
Lillehammer
is a town and municipality in Oppland county, Norway, globally known for hosting the 1994 Winter Olympics. It is part of the traditional region of Gudbrandsdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Lillehammer. As of May 2011, the population of the town of Lillehammer was...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
for a special edition of the show, themed on the Winter Olympics.
The show consists of Winter Olympic sports that have been adapted to be played using motor cars, with the losers of each challenge having to eat golden snow.
The end credits of this show were edited to show Jeremy Clarkson as Björn Clarkson, Richard Hammond as Benny Hamond, James May as Agnetha May and The Stig as Anni-Frid Stig. Whilst every other crew member in the credits had their first name replaced by Björn. This is a reference to the members of Swedish pop group ABBA
ABBA
ABBA was a Swedish pop group formed in Stockholm in 1970 which consisted of Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Agnetha Fältskog...
.
Biathlon
Clarkson raced a Volvo XC90Volvo XC90
The Volvo XC90 is a mid-size luxury crossover SUV produced by Volvo Cars since it was unveiled at the Detroit Motor Show 2002. It is based on the P2 platform, shared with the first generation Volvo S80 and other large Volvo cars...
against May in an Audi Q7
Audi Q7
The Audi Q7 is a full-size luxury crossover SUV unveiled in September 2005 at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Production of the Q7 began in autumn of 2005 in Bratislava, Slovakia. It is the first SUV offering from Audi and went on sale in 2007. Later, Audi's second SUV, the Q5, was unveiled as a 2009...
, cross-country, with 2 shooting rounds mid-course while every missed target gives 5 penalty seconds (the loser had to eat "golden snow
Urine
Urine is a typically sterile liquid by-product of the body that is secreted by the kidneys through a process called urination and excreted through the urethra. Cellular metabolism generates numerous by-products, many rich in nitrogen, that require elimination from the bloodstream...
"). May used a standard Biathlon .22
.22 Long Rifle
The .22 Long Rifle rimfire cartridge is a long established variety of ammunition, and in terms of units sold is still by far the most common in the world today. The cartridge is often referred to simply as .22 LR and various rifles, pistols, revolvers, and even some smoothbore shotguns have...
rifle, while Clarkson opted for a H&K MP5
Heckler & Koch MP5
The Heckler & Koch MP5 is a 9mm submachine gun of German design, developed in the 1960s by a team of engineers from the German small arms manufacturer Heckler & Koch GmbH of Oberndorf am Neckar....
Sub machine gun. Despite the increased firepower, Clarkson missed every target and felled a tree. May missed only 2 targets in the final shooting round. However, near the end, he crashed into a tree and had to dig himself out. Despite this, May re-overtook Clarkson at the end and won the race.
Cold Weather Endurance
Hammond was subjected to Arctic temperatures in a Citroën C1Citroën C1
The Citroën C1 is a city car produced by the French manufacturer Citroën since 2005.The C1 was developed as part of the B-Zero project by PSA Peugeot Citroën in a joint-venture with Toyota. The Peugeot 107 is identical to the C1 other than the front bumper and front and rear lights, while the...
, in a bid to see who will crack first: man or machine? After being subjected to a temperature of about minus-40 Celsius, Hammond narrowly beat the car, concluding that 'if you're going to drive to the North Pole, buy a Hammond'. (Ironically disproved in later series by his runner-up placing without a car in the Polar Challenge
Top Gear: Polar Special
Top Gear: Polar Special was an episode of the popular series Top Gear, first broadcast on 25 July 2007 on BBC Two. It was an attempt by the BBC's Top Gear crew to be the first to drive a motor vehicle to the 1996 location of the Magnetic North Pole....
)
Speed Skating
Clarkson ('Torville' with no ability to walk on ice) raced a Jaguar XKJaguar X150
The Jaguar XK is the second generation of the Jaguar XK grand tourer from Jaguar Cars. The vehicle was unveiled in 2005 at the Frankfurt Motor Show with the first generation's 4.2 V8 engine. The XK convertible was unveiled in 2006 North American International Auto Show in Detroit...
against a human skater (Introduced by May as Eskil Ervik
Eskil Ervik
Eskil Ervik is a Norwegian speedskater. Ervik's best distance is traditionally the 5000-m, where he for several years was among the very best of the world, but his top priority for the most part of his career was to perform optimally in the allround championships...
) on the ice course of Vikingskipet Olympic Arena
Vikingskipet Olympic Arena
Vikingskipet , officially known as Hamar Olympic Hall , is an indoor multi-use sport and event venue in Hamar, Norway. It was built as the speed skating rink for the 1994 Winter Olympics, and has since also hosted events and tournaments in speedway, rally, association football, bandy, ice sledge...
. Clarkson was terrible at this event as his Jag had no grip whatsoever, being lapped twice by Ervik.
Off-Road Slalom
May and Clarkson raced a four-wheel driveFour-wheel drive
Four-wheel drive, 4WD, or 4×4 is a four-wheeled vehicle with a drivetrain that allows all four wheels to receive torque from the engine simultaneously...
Land Rover Discovery
Land Rover Discovery
The Discovery was introduced into the United Kingdom in 1989. The company code-named the vehicle "Project Jay". The new model was based on the chassis and drivetrain of the more upmarket Range Rover, but with a lower price aimed at a larger market segment and intended to compete with Japanese...
and a two-wheel drive
Two-wheel drive
Two wheel drive or 2WD describes vehicles with a drivetrain that allows two wheels to receive power from the engine simultaneously.-Four wheeled vehicles:...
Jaguar XK
Jaguar X150
The Jaguar XK is the second generation of the Jaguar XK grand tourer from Jaguar Cars. The vehicle was unveiled in 2005 at the Frankfurt Motor Show with the first generation's 4.2 V8 engine. The XK convertible was unveiled in 2006 North American International Auto Show in Detroit...
against the clock, on just about five inches of frozen lake. May declared himself the winner as he was the fastest with 2:03.28, but was disputed by Clarkson, who claimed his run to have been more graceful and interesting.
Bobsleigh
In a repeated segment from Series 5 Episode 8, Hammond and a bobsleigh team race against May and a Mitsubishi Lancer EvolutionMitsubishi Lancer Evolution
The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, colloquially known as the Lancer Evo or Evo, is a high-performance sedan manufactured by Mitsubishi Motors. There have been ten official versions to date, and the designation of each model is most commonly a roman numeral...
rally car piloted by Norwegian Henning Solberg
Henning Solberg
Henning Solberg is a Norwegian rally driver. Together with co-driver Ilka Minor, he currently competes in the World Rally Championship with Stobart M-Sport Ford. Solberg is the older brother of the 2003 world champion Petter Solberg....
, along near-identical courses. Hammond won with 59.68 in the end, May's time was 1:02.24
Ice Hockey
Ten Suzuki SwiftSuzuki Swift
The Suzuki Swift is a subcompact car produced by Suzuki in Japan since 2000. Prior to this, the "Swift" nameplate had been applied to the Suzuki Cultus in export markets such as Australasia, Europe, India and North America.- Predecessor :...
s played 5-a-side hockey, in teams captained by Hammond and May, and refereed by Clarkson. May's team was called "primetime television" playing in Buffalo Sabres
Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League .-Founding and early success: 1970-71—1980-81:...
colours, while Hammond's team was called "daytime television
Daytime television
Daytime television is the general term for television shows produced that are intended to air during the daytime hours on weekdays. This article is about American daytime television, for information about international daytime television see Daytime television....
" playing in Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
colours. At one point, Hammond's team were winning 3-0, but a biased Clarkson intervened and successfully helped May to 3-2. Hammond's team then scored two more goals. Later, Hammond crashed into May's car and was sent to penalty box, so May could score another goal. The result was supposedly 5-4 to Hammond's team, although only three of May's team's goals were shown in the programme.
Ski Jump
The trio attempt to find out if a rocket-powered MiniMini
The Mini is a small car that was made by the British Motor Corporation and its successors from 1959 until 2000. The original is considered a British icon of the 1960s, and its space-saving front-wheel-drive layout influenced a generation of car-makers...
could jump further than a skier from a downhill slope. The Mini didn’t manage to beat the skier and ended up crashing into a wall of hay made at the end of the ski jump, but the fact that they did manage to get a car down a ski jump is extraordinary nonetheless. The challenge was then concluded by a ski jump on a snowmobile
Snowmobile
A snowmobile, also known in some places as a snowmachine, or sled,is a land vehicle for winter travel on snow. Designed to be operated on snow and ice, they require no road or trail. Design variations enable some machines to operate in deep snow or forests; most are used on open terrain, including...
driven by The Stig
The Stig
The Stig is a character in the British motoring television show Top Gear. The character plays on the anonymity of racing drivers' full-face helmets, with the running joke that nobody knows who, or indeed what, is inside the character's racing suit. The character was the creation of presenter Jeremy...
.
Engineered by Bickers Action www.bickers.co.uk with UK Rocketeers.
Rockets By "The RocketMen Ltd" (Damian Hall and Colin Rowe) Used 3 Contrail Hybrid motors
Vehicles
- Volvo XC90Volvo XC90The Volvo XC90 is a mid-size luxury crossover SUV produced by Volvo Cars since it was unveiled at the Detroit Motor Show 2002. It is based on the P2 platform, shared with the first generation Volvo S80 and other large Volvo cars...
- Audi Q7Audi Q7The Audi Q7 is a full-size luxury crossover SUV unveiled in September 2005 at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Production of the Q7 began in autumn of 2005 in Bratislava, Slovakia. It is the first SUV offering from Audi and went on sale in 2007. Later, Audi's second SUV, the Q5, was unveiled as a 2009...
- Jaguar XKJaguar X150The Jaguar XK is the second generation of the Jaguar XK grand tourer from Jaguar Cars. The vehicle was unveiled in 2005 at the Frankfurt Motor Show with the first generation's 4.2 V8 engine. The XK convertible was unveiled in 2006 North American International Auto Show in Detroit...
- Land Rover DiscoveryLand Rover DiscoveryThe Discovery was introduced into the United Kingdom in 1989. The company code-named the vehicle "Project Jay". The new model was based on the chassis and drivetrain of the more upmarket Range Rover, but with a lower price aimed at a larger market segment and intended to compete with Japanese...
- Suzuki SwiftSuzuki SwiftThe Suzuki Swift is a subcompact car produced by Suzuki in Japan since 2000. Prior to this, the "Swift" nameplate had been applied to the Suzuki Cultus in export markets such as Australasia, Europe, India and North America.- Predecessor :...
- Mini Cooper (old)