The Namibia Special: Here’s What You Need To Know
In keeping with a long standing Top Gear tradition, this week will be the first Grand Tour holiday special. As is customary, a challenge has been set, and three different vehicles have been chosen by each presenter.
This time, they will be traveling around Namibia in a two-part episode apparently aimed at showing boss man Andy Wilman that 60’s beach buggies are still awesome.
Their mode of transportation wont be the only throwback in this episode. As with many episodes we have seen of The Grand Tour so far, it follows a very specific formula. From the trailer it looks like this will all look a bit familiar to fans of old Top Gear specials. Here’s what we know so far.
According to Seenit, the trio wont be traveling in just any beach buggies. They’re in buggies that were set up to their exact specifications. And indeed, they certainly don’t look vintage, with their brand new Cobra seats. Even so, it seems that Jeremy’s buggy may prove to be an issue.
This would add one of those layers of familiarity to old Top Gear fans, as someone’s car always ends up going wrong. It’s not unusual for that person to be Jeremy. On Top Gear’s first trip to Africa, Jeremy found himself crossing Botswana in a Lancia Beta Coupe, which just barely rolled over the finishing line under its own power.
No special would be complete without a little bit of peril, a theme we have seen from the beginning with these three. During the Top Gear Burma Special, James awoke to find himself in trouble, dangling from his tent above a river. Namibia may prove to be even more treacherous for Richard though, as he seems to be awakened looking over the business end of a waterfall.
Even though James is often blamed for directional blunders, the other two often lead the whole group astray, usually to the detriment of someone’s car. During their controversial Patagonia special, Jeremy led James and Richard down a particularly hazardous road that got everyone stuck and broke Hammond’s Mustang.
It seems that in Namibia, it is Jeremy again who gets everyone in trouble. At the beginning of the trailer, we hear Richard tell Jeremy, “…if we don’t make it, please know that I hate you.” Then later on we see Clarkson asking the others to “not get bogged down with whose fault it was.” Apparently though, it was his, and it looks somewhat serious given the look on James’ face.
The Grand Tour has once again stuck to its if-it-ain’t-broke-don’t-fix-it method and we couldn’t be happier. It looks like this episode will have the look and feel of a classic Top Gear holiday special, full of mishaps, misfires and beautiful landscapes.
