- The Grand Tour travelling tent arrives Stuttgart, Germany, the home of Porsche and Mercedes-Benz. In this show, James May takes the new Honda NSX supercar to the Eboladrome to push its cutting-edge hybrid technology to the limit and Richard Hammond immerses himself in the world of doomsday preppers as he constructs a 'bugout' vehicle that will allow him to survive a bleak future of nuclear winters, alien invasions and massed herds of zombies. Meanwhile, in a less realistic attempt at engineering, Jeremy Clarkson invents a new kind of fashionable SUV. Also in this show, the hosts attempt to meet the future demands of electric cars by harnessing power from the currently untapped actions of everyday life.
- The trio set up their tent for the next episode, near Stuttgart, Germany. Local green politician Andreas Kaufman tried to ban them from coming to Stuttgart, saying that Stuttgart is a bicycle friendly place. Clarkson engages in a bit of banter about German quality saying that Mercedes tests a car by putting a cat inside it and if the seals are working well, it will be dead by morning. Jaguar tests a car by putting a cat inside it and it is working well, if the cat has not escaped by morning.
Clarkson attempts to make a "proper" car (sporty and utilitarian) by combining classic car bodies (1978 MGB) with the chassis of a Land Rover Discovery, whereupon he tries out his creation by taking his fellow presenters for a trip to Chelsea Football Club. The outcome is disastrous as the body doesn't fit the chassis at all and sits a foot over the chassis, not connected to anything. The lighter car with the 3.9 L V8 engine beats some of the more established SUVs from brands such as Nissan. He compares his hybrid monster to an Audi R8 on specs, and then proceed to go off-road in his car, which he claims Audi can't do. But the car breaks down and the MGB body falls off, after only a few miles off-road. So, Clarkson decides to go with a 1980's Mercedes body instead. He calls it "The Excellent". He takes Hammond & May for a test drive, who both hate it. Now, Clarkson reckons, the Discovery was BP 2,500, Mercedes BP 4,500, BP 7,000 for the work. Total BP 14,000 and he can get BP 120,000 for it. They take it the Chelsea football club to get it reviewed by the entire team, who hate it. Clarkson edits the subtitles to show that they loved it. Later Clarkson puts the car up for auction in Kensington. It sells for BP 4,000.
Meanwhile, the presenters look at ingenious charging methods. As more and more electric batteries power the world, the trio wonders how much electricity can be harnessed in a single day. Revolving doors, charging packs attached to running dogs, Clarkson even puts an energy harness on kids. Hammond and May are successful, while Clarkson is arrested for harassing kids. May tried to harness the energy generated in a gym, but it won't even get him home after 8 hrs of charging.
May heads for the Eboladrome to review the new Honda NSX super-car to push its cutting-edge hybrid technology to the limit. Originally launched in 1990 and killed off in 2002, as a replacement to the Ferrari that was reliable and easy to drive. The current version is a replacement to the original (BP 138,000, same as Porsche 911 Turbo S, 3.5 L twin turbo V6, 573 BHP, hybrid car, 0-60 in 3.2 secs, 191 mph). It is slow on speed compared to its rivals. But the NSX has 3 electric motors. One at the back is a back-up to the petrol engine and plugs the gaps in power from the turbo, which gives it ballistic pick-up at any speed. It is aerodynamically designed to provide cooling air to the engines and down-force at the same time, without spoilers. 1/8th the price of the LaFerrari. Does a wet lap at the Eboladrome in 1:26.0.
Conversation Street. The green party asked residents of Stuttgart not to use their cars for a day due to the smog (its bright and sunny outside). Tailgating fines in Stuttgart are 400 euros and 2 penalty points, while overtaking on the inside is 150 euros and 1 penalty point. Overtaking in the emergency lane is 90 euros and 1 point. But if you fit your car with blue lights (for a police car), you get a 20 euro fine and no points at all.
Hammond tries to make some post-apocalyptic creations that his colleagues soon destroy via different methods. He constructs a 'bugout' vehicle that will allow him to survive a bleak future of nuclear winters, alien invasions, and massed herds of zombies. He converts an old VW van and toughens it up. Flood lights, grills, armored front guard, assault weapons, water, camouflage paint on the outside. On the inside, it has CO2 filters, radiometer, urine recycle machine, chickens for eggs and Foie Gras cans. May and Clarkson attack the van with a sniper rifle and an assault machine gun. They blow it with a grenade launcher. Hammond makes a new one that he needs a heavier amour plating for the entire body. May and Clarkson destroy the car with a Challenger 2 main battle tank. Hammond's next attempt is an armored personnel carrier. But this one is destroyed from a shell from a US navy destroyer.
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