Series 3 Plot
The third series of Top Gear began on 26 October 2003, and concluded on 28 December 2003. The series featured 9 episodes. The series was subsequently followed by one "Best Of Top Gear" special, charting the best moments from the series. The series was the first series of Top Gear to get more than 10 million viewers for an episode.
Top Gear Series 3 aired on October 26th, 2003.
Series 3 Episodes
1. Episode 1
REVIEWS: Ford GT • BMW 5-Series • Porsche 911 GT3 CHALLENGE: Can the diesel Volkswagen Lupo get better mpg than the petrol version? Jeremy drives the new Ford GT40 in Detroit and a diesel VW Lupo around the M25. James drives the new-look BMW 5 series and Richard drives the new - but it looks like every other - Porsche GT3. The Stig drives off the end of an aircraft carrier (!?) and Martin Kemp is the Star in a Reasonably Priced Car.
2. Episode 2
REVIEWS: BMW M3 CSL • BMW M1 • BMW M3 • BMW M5 • Porsche Boxster • BMW Z4 • Honda S2000 CHALLENGE: Volvo 240 attempts to jump four caravans There is a BMW frenzy on the Isle of Man. The new M3 CSL and some BMW classics: the M1, BMW's one-and-only mid-engined car to date, the M5 series 2 and the classic M3.Also on the Isle of Man, three sporty convertibles are driven and the lads squabble over which is the best: the BMW Z4 championed by Richard, the Porsche Boxster by James and the Honda S2000 by Jeremy. A new Stig is introduced and Stephen Fry is the Star in a Reasonably Priced Car.
3. Episode 3
REVIEWS: Bentley Continental GT • Subaru Legacy Outback • Saab 9-5 CHALLENGE: Saab 9-5 versus a BAE Sea Harrier • How to Escape from a Sinking Car The Bentley Continental GT is taken for a leisurely drive through Devon by Jeremy, while James drives the new Subaru Legacy. Richard tries not to drown himself when he is dropped into a huge water tank whilst sitting behind the wheel of a Vauxhall Carlton. This is done as an experiment to show what can happen should you drive your car into water.Stig races the new Saab 95 against a Royal Navy Harrier and Rob Brydon is the Star in a Reasonably Priced Car.
4. Episode 4
REVIEWS: Lamborghini Miura • Lamborghini Countach • Mini Cooper S • Lamborghini Gallardo CHALLENGE: None Richard drives three tuned Minis: Hartge, Digi-tec, BBR and the BMW works. He also drives the Lamborghini Miura and Jay Kay drives his Miura. James drives the Countach - something he's been waiting 20 years to do. Jeremy drives the Gallardo. Rich Hall is the Star in a Reasonably Priced Car.
5. Episode 5
REVIEWS: Mazda RX-8 • Fiat Panda CHALLENGE: Is a Toyota Hilux really indestructible? Jeremy drives the Mazda RX8 and James drives the new Fiat Panda and is quite surprised when it doesn’t fall to bits. Richard looks at some modern classics, the Volkswagen Corrado VR6 and the Mercedes 190E 2.5 16 Cosworth. An 11-year-old diesel Toyota Hilux is tested for its durability by Jeremy. He drives in into a wall, a tree and through a shed. It’s left in the Severn Estuary, home to the second biggest tide in the world, hit with a wrecking ball, dropped and set on fire. They even drop a caravan on top of it, but still it works. Sadly, the same treatment wasn't given to this week's Star in a Reasonably Priced Car, Simon Cowell.
6. Episode 6
REVIEWS: Citroën C2 • Aston Martin V8 Vantage (1977) • Holden Monaro CHALLENGE: Is a Toyota Hilux really indestructible? - Part 2 The car most likely to… be modified, the Citroën C2 is driven by Jeremy, he also drives the Vauxhall Monaro - sideways mostly. Richard drives two new cars: the Renault Mégane CC and the Peugeot 307 CC…and hates both of them.James tries to succeed where Jeremy failed by trying to kill the Toyota Hilux by placing it on top of a tower block that is due to be demolished. Can it survive the 240 foot drop as the tower block collapses?Sanjeev Bhaskar is the Star in a Reasonably Priced Car.
7. Episode 7
REVIEWS: MG XPower SV • Porsche Cayenne Turbo • Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren CHALLENGE: Which professor can do the best burn-out? • What is the best British car? As usual the boys are squabbling about cars. This time they can't agree on which is the best British car. Jeremy says it's the Noble M12GTO, Richard can't see past the Morgan Plus 8 and James, in a moment of utter madness makes the case for the... Rover 75. Back on planet Earth, well, South Africa, Richard drives the new Mercedes McLaren SLR and the Porsche Ceyenne gets the benefit of Jeremy's scorn and delight. He also drives the MG SV - a £70,000 car built to compete with Porsche - don't laugh.Boffins, Brian Sewell, Colin Pilinger and Heinz Wolf try a 'burn-out' and Rory Bremner is the Star in a Reasonably Priced Car.
8. Episode 8
REVIEWS: Mercedes SL280 • Nissan Micra • Aston Martin Lagonda • Audi TT CHALLENGE: Top Gear Generation Game Cars from different eras are compared this week. Jeremy drools over the Mercedes 280SL from the early 70s and compares it to the modern Audi TT. The new Nissan Micra which costs £9,000 is compared to a Boeing 737 private jet worth £38m. James takes a nostalgic look at the Aston Martin Lagonda and there’s the first look at the new Aston Martin DB9. Old cars are compared with new cars in a drag race; the original golf GTI Vs a new Toyota MR2. The Escort Cosworth Vs the Ford Focus RS and the Peugeot 205 Vs the new Peugeot 206.Johnny Vegas is the Star in a Reasonably Priced Car.
9. Episode 9
REVIEWS: Chrysler Crossfire • Jaguar XJ6 • Honda Civic Type R • Honda NSX Type R CHALLENGE: None Jeremy drives the Chrysler Crossfire, Richard drives the Smart Car, which has been tuned by Brabus and the Honda Civic Type R. He also drives the Honda NSX which Stig also drives on the Top Gear track.James drives the Jaguar XJ6 around Birmingham - the “Barcelona on the black country”. Carol 'mutton dressed as mutton' Vorderman in a Reasonably Priced Car.
