Episode no. Series 18 | Running time 90 minutes | |
Original air date 28 December 2011 (2011-12-28) | ||
Top Gear: India Special is a Top Gear Christmas special first broadcast on 28 December 2011 after which the next series began on 29 January 2012.
Contents
Introduction
The special was a route across India, one of the many countries Top Gear plan to visit over the course of the new series, according to Jeremy Clarkson. Shooting in India began on 2 October, with the first leg of the shooting beginning in suburbs of Mumbai.
Mission
This episode was a mission to promote Britain to the Indian public. The opening sequence of the show shows the Top Gear team in Downing Street opening a letter by Prime Minister David Cameron refusing their request to go to India on an official trade mission. Cameron appears for a separately filmed one-line cameo, telling them to - "Stay away from India!" Despite this, they decide to go anyway: Jeremy Clarkson in a 1995 Jaguar XJS, Richard Hammond in a 2000 Mini Cooper, and James May in a 1975 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow.