‘Top Gear’ Recap: ‘Season 28, Episode 2’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 2802 of ‘Top Gear’.
​
Innovation is a word that has more or less become synonymous with the car industry. Because ever since the first automobile rolled off an assembly line a century ago, people have been working tirelessly to improve upon cars and make them more reliable, safer, faster and in more recent years, more energy efficient. Which is why a television show like Top Gear is vital, since it can showcase innovation the instant it arrives on the market and give everyone an idea of where the industry is heading and what wonders will soon work their way into our next vehicle. If anything, innovation is critical to today’s discussion, simply because this week’s episode of this phenomenal series put that concept on full display, in the most entertaining and awesome way imaginable. 
​
For this is an episode that saw Paddy McGuiness straight up invent a brand-new type of Land Rover. One that he dubbed ‘The Dirty Rascal’, and the whole point of him designing his own off-road vehicle, was to prove that something supremely affordable and fun could be built and let’s be honest, this is innovation at its finest. Because the whole point of inventing the car and refining its features was to make day to day travel affordable and fun and accessible to everyday people and sometimes, dropping $40k on an off-road vehicle isn’t feasible and that’s why the Rascal definitely catches your eye. Because for $7k, this hearty ride features a lot of creature comforts for folks who love weekend getaways to the very heart of nature, but don’t want to truly rough it. Since it just so happens to have a flat screen, a beverage dispenser (complete with hot gravy) and candy and comfortable chairs and of course… a monsoon shower to refreshen one’s spirit and mind.

Which makes this ride pretty freakin’ awesome for certain. But while the flash and dash in this off-road vehicle made it quite appealing, the bigger question surrounding it, was whether or not it could actually outperform the competition and sadly, the answer to said question was a great big… kind of. Because while this slick ride can handle most of the terrain that off-roaders are born to conquer, it definitely struggled to handle deep water without a snorkel add on. Plus, it also had a little bit of trouble with incredibly rugged terrain. A fact that came to light, when Paddy and Chris took it through the Scottish Highlands to try and outpace Freddie and some former British SAS members. But while it may not be a flawless off-road vehicle, it really was quite the impressive ride when all is said and done, and really this would be more of a leisure off-roader and there’s definitely a market for cars that offer comfort and gravy and a sense of adventure. Also, Paddy built a car! How awesome is that?

But while Paddy’s ride made for some incredible moments, there was still more innovation to be found in this particular episode. Because Chris Harris took the time to offer up an up-close examination of the incredible McLaren Speedtail. A supercar that is of note, simply because it features so many stunning features. Such as the fact that the driver’s seat is situated in the middle of the car, and that it is devoid of side mirrors, and boasts a flexible chassis. All so that this slick little speedster can accelerate to hundreds of miles of hours in a matter of seconds and this is… one amazing car. One that is so quick and so powerful that Paddy thought it might be able to hold its own with an F-35 fighter jet in a race, and oddly enough, for a brief period of time, it really seemed as though the Speedtail might do just that. Because Chris was hauling on the racetrack and making solid time. But you simply can’t outrun a fighter jet that can break the sound barrier and accelerate to 1200 miles an hour in a matter of seconds. But it was quite cool to see these two vastly different elements of innovation go head to head in this manner.

In the end however, this really was quite the wonderful episode. In large part due to the fact that it did a phenomenal job of celebrating the wonder and majesty and downright importance of innovation. But this is also a standout episode, simply because it was downright fun through and through. Because seeing a car and a fighter jet, take part in a race is simply amazing, and truly who didn’t lose it and burst out in laughter when Paddy supplied his mates with slippers and toffee from inside The Dirty Rascal? And even the celebrity segment with Romesh Ranganathan was an absolute treat. Since he had plenty of hilarious stories to tell and the jokes, he supplied us with during his time on the track, definitely put smiles on our faces as well. Which makes this one of the best episodes that Paddy and Freddie and Chris have ever put together, and it definitely leaves one eager to see what fun will be had when we travel with the lads to Peru, come next week. Until then.

---

Behold. The Dirty Rascal.