Episode Archive - Series 8

On brand-new-studio-but-somehow-still-low-rent Top Gear, our presenters went for a world first and turned a people carrier into a convertible. Clarkson went mental in the new Koenigsegg, James enjoyed a new Honda, and Richard didn't enjoy the Micra C+C. At all.

The Swedish are a crazy bunch and, it seems, not afraid of dying. If they had the normal human self-preservation instinct, why on earth would they create a car as wildly insane as the Koenigsegg CCX? Like the CCR, it's the vehicle most likely to try to see you off to an early, but very rock and roll, grave.

After embarrassingly trying to build a career in daytime television by filling Paul O'Grady's slot over on ITV, Richard was punished by being sent out in a pink Nissan Micra convertible.

We attempted to turn a boring multiple person transporter into a fashionable 'drop top', by putting a working convertible roof on an ageing Renault Espace. Removal of the roof was a complete success - construction of a new one less so. We concluded that trying to make your own convertible is a bit like trying to cut your own hair. You can do it, but you probably shouldn't.

Owning a Honda used to be as as much a part of old age as incontinence and nose hair. But it looks like with the new Civic, it looks like Honda employed a designer to create funky tweaks to scare off the older generation. The door handles look like rocket ships. And the dashboard is a sci-fi fan's wet dream. Looks like granny and grandpa are actually going to have to start using their free bus-passes.

Finally, and rather sadly, we said goodbye to our venerable Suzuki Liana. But don't worry, because that could mean only one thing... The arrival of our brand new reasonably priced car, the 'awesome' Chevrolet Lacetti.

First shown on: 07/05/2005