The BEST episodes of Top Gear (1977) season 39
Every episode of Top Gear (1977) season 39, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Top Gear (1977) season 39!
The original Top Gear (which was aired from 1977 to 2001) started as a monthly television series produced by BBC Midlands, based at Pebble Mill. The 30 minute programmes had a magazine format and were transmitted to viewers in the Midlands region only. Top Gear and its title, was conceived by Executive Producer Derek Smith. The programme covered motoring related issues such as new car road tests, fuel economy, safety, the police, speeding, insurance, second-hand cars and holiday touring.
#1 - Episode 9
Season 39 - Episode 9 - Aired 4/16/1998
Jeremy Clarkson squeezes inside the sleek MX5 to find out whether Mazda have improved their modern-day sports classic. In an item postponed from last week, Tiff Needell tries his hand at NASCAR racing, and Tony Mason discovers one of the most extraordinary car collections in the world.
#2 - Episode 1
Season 39 - Episode 1 - Aired 2/19/1998
The motoring magazine returns after its Christmas break. Jeremy Clarkson looks at the new Volkswagen Beetle. Will its combination of retro styling and new technology gain it the same cult status as its older brother? And Tiff Needell pits a pair of uncompromising sports cars against each other as the latest BMW Z3, with a more powerful engine than an earlier model, meets Britain's TVR Griffith.
#3 - Episode 2
Season 39 - Episode 2 - Aired 2/26/1998
The VW Golf continues to be one of the most popular small cars. Quentin Wilson assesses how it fares in the second-hand market. Plus Jeremy Clarkson preaching the virtues and vices of the new BMW 3 series, and Tiff Needell trying his hand at ice racing at Isola in France.
#4 - Episode 3
Season 39 - Episode 3 - Aired 3/5/1998
The new Toyota Avensis enters a fiercely competitive market where sales reps and families are the main customers. Jeremy Clarkson asks whether the Avensis is good enough to win a share of this sector, and looks at the other contenders. And Vicki Butler-Henderson tries out the Peugeot 106 Rallye.
#5 - Episode 4
Season 39 - Episode 4 - Aired 3/12/1998
Jeremy Clarkson test-drives the star of the Geneva Motorshow the new Rolls-Royce Silver Seraph - and, accompanied by Quentin Wilson, analyses the pros and cons of the latest debutantes and concept cars.
#6 - Episode 5
Season 39 - Episode 5 - Aired 3/19/1998
Tiff Needell takes to the track to test road cars with a racing heritage, such as the Porsche 911, Nissan Skyline and Honda NSX. Jeremy Clarkson reports on Vauxhall 's new Astra - can it continue to attract customers despite growing competition?
#7 - Episode 6
Season 39 - Episode 6 - Aired 3/26/1998
Jeremy Clarkson attempts to prove his assertion that fast cars are the safest, Quentin Wilson looks at prices for a second-hand Saab 900, plus a guide to Swedish car-buying.
#8 - Episode 10
Season 39 - Episode 10 - Aired 4/23/1998
One-third of the half-a-million cars stolen annually in England and Wales are never recovered. Quentin Wilson reports on evidence that suggests that many are being given the identities of legitimately owned vehicles. How well does the latest Lotus Esprit compare with its illustrious predecessors? Tiff Needell tests the new supercar. And Jeremy Clarkson sees how the new Mercedes M-class fares in the four-wheel-drive market.
#9 - Episode 11
Season 39 - Episode 11 - Aired 4/30/1998
Jeremy Clarkson reports on successful women and the cars they drive. Have roadsters and coupes replaced diamonds as a girl's best friend? Quentin Wilson reports from the Turin Motor Show and also test-drives Fiat's new small car, the Seicento, the replacement model for the Cinquecento.
#10 - Episode 12
Season 39 - Episode 12 - Aired 5/7/1998
Why is it so difficult to import cheap cars from the continent? Quentin Wilson attempts to untangle the red tape. Tony Mason helps Land Rover to celebrate its 50th anniversary, and Jeremy Clarkson takes a look at Renault's new Clio.
#11 - Episode 07
Season 39 - Episode 7 - Aired 4/2/1998
Jeremy Clarkson test-drives America's 170mph Vector, which boasts a powerful 5.7 litre V12 engine. Has it got what it takes, though, to beat the might of Ferrari and Lamborghini? Meanwhile, Quentin Wilson discovers which cars offer credibility and practicality for the young driver on a tight budget.
#12 - Episode 08
Season 39 - Episode 8 - Aired 4/9/1998
Quentin Wilson discovers the people's choice in terms of performance, reliability, economy and customer care with the announcement of the results in the fifth annual survey gauging customer satisfaction. In Europe, motor-racing grew on road circuits. In America its home is the oval, where fans are treated to the incredible sight of nose-to-tail racing at speeds of 200 miles per hour. Tiff Needell travels to the US to find out what it takes to be a Nascar racer.
#13 - Episode 13
Season 39 - Episode 13 - Aired 5/14/1998
In the last of the series, Jeremy Clarkson looks at the opposition that the Cougar, Ford's new coupe, will face, while Tiff Needell tests the supercharged version of the Jaguar XK8. Quentin Wilson follows up an earlier report on why it is so hard to buy a right-hand-drive car outside the UK.