Top Gear: The Perfect Road Trip Page #8

The whole car goes, "Hmm, what?"

It's like saying "walkies" to a dog.

"Oh, really? Walkies?"

This has the same basic engine that

was fitted to the original Vanquish.

And that was comparable

at the time to the Ferrari 550

or 575.

Since then, Ferrari have moved on,

they're at the F12 now.

This doesn't even have

a double-clutch gearbox.

It's an old 7-speed slushmatic.

Each gear is delivered

by an elderly butler.

"I'd like third now, Jeeves. "

"Certainly, sir, I'll just

"pop off and get it.

I think it's in my pantry.

"There you are, sir. "

Very smooth,

lovely on the road, not brilliant here.

It's a bit of an ark, this.

It's a very pretty ark.

But when you stick it into

a corner on a track...

you know that beneath

the carbon fibre body,

everything's a bit old.

Not that theres much

wrong with old, as you can see.

Mean while, far behind...

Hammond was

revelling in the new 917's grip.

God, this thing is planted.

Still a 3.8-litre flat six,

it's still mounted at the back

of the car, it's still compact.

The big issue, though,

is that electric steering.

It's not talking to me. It's not...

It should be telling me everything

by going slightly

light at the front under power.

It means the front wheels can move

around a little bit more

than they would in an ordinary car.

And the steering wheel

should be telling me about that,

that's what lets me know it is a 911

and not an R8 or a Jaguar.

Does it feel like a 911?

I don't think it does.

And for Pau, I want something

that's more of a 911.

And I've had a very good idea for that.

I shall be using this,

the brand-new Porsche 991 GT3.

I am desperate to drive it.

It's lighter, lower, faster.

This is my unicorn,

my Helena.

Track-focused the GT3 may be,

but at Pau, it would be no

match for my choice.

The single-seater BACMono.

One of the fastest cars ever

to take on the Top Gear test track.

Purity simplified,

light, agile, balanced.

Perfect.

As men set about fettling our cars

for the big day...

we ruminated on all the boats

and bikes and cars

that we'd used on our journey.

Hammond!

And we tried to work out

which one we'd liked the best.

I loved that little Fiesta ST,

I really did.

I actually loved driving the Model-T,

crazy though that is.

I enjoyed the Ducati.

But for some reason, the Ferrari F12

has really stayed with me.

I thought it had presence and drama

and it's fast!

I wouldn't have the SLS 'cause

that's too much to use every day.

Golf GTI isn't quite enough.

Bugatti Veyron, I mean it's

the other end of the scale, then.

Too much. Bentley...

Oh, it's a great car but...

I've worked out what I'd have.

The Riva Aquarama.

- That's your favourite car?

- Yes.

That's what I'd use every day.

I'd have to move house.

With that decided,

we climbed back into our road cars

for the final push to Pau.

We were very excited by what lay ahead,

so excited that we left

the camera crew far behind.

And when they finally caught up with us,

there was a bit of a problem.

You mean, passports?

Oh, right

The French policemen and lady policemen

insisted that we should give

them all our money.

And then after quite a long chat,

they decided it would be best

if we didn't drive in France any more.

Yeah, okay.

And on that bombshell,

it is time to end.

Thank you very much for watching,

goodbye.

You total plonker!

I don't want to go in a Peugeot

Or this Vauxhall Zafira.

Can you be picky

when you're a hitchhiker?

I should think so.

There's plenty of choice.

Don't want to go in that Citroen.

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