Top Gear S17E4: GT-R, XKR-S and a Caravan Train
Episode four of Top Gear’s seventeenth series features a caravan train challenge, road tests of the Nissan GT-R and Jaguar XKR-S, and Rowan Atkinson as the star guest.
Top Gear’s seventeenth series reached its fourth episode on 17 July 2011, with a mix of engineering mischief, high-performance road tests and a celebrity guest appearance. The highlight was a challenge to create a cheaper, more interesting form of train travel using caravans and a modified car in place of a locomotive.
Caravan train challenge
Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May set out to improve British rail by replacing the traditional locomotive and carriages with a road car and a string of caravans. The team’s home-built train ran on a real railway line, with Hammond driving a specially adapted car as the power unit. The challenge was to offer a faster, cheaper and more enjoyable alternative to conventional train travel, though the results were predictably chaotic. The segment played to Top Gear’s strengths, combining practical engineering with comic disaster.
2012 Nissan GT-R tested
The episode also featured the revised 2012 Nissan GT-R. For this update, Nissan raised the GT-R’s power output to 530 bhp and torque to 448 lb-ft. Aerodynamic tweaks increased both front and rear downforce by 10 percent, while the drag coefficient dropped from 0.27 to 0.26. The result was a claimed 0-60 mph time of just 2.88 seconds, placing the GT-R firmly in supercar territory. In the US, the updated GT-R went on sale in February 2011, priced from $89,950 for the Premium and $95,100 for the Black Edition.
Jaguar XKR-S: Britain’s answer
Jaguar’s XKR-S appeared alongside the GT-R as the most powerful production Jaguar at the time. Its supercharged 5.0-litre V8 produced 550 bhp and 502 lb-ft, launching the XKR-S to 60 mph in 4.2 seconds and on to a top speed of 186 mph. Jaguar reworked the suspension and fitted 16-way adjustable sport seats trimmed in carbon-fibre effect leather. The XKR-S’s price in the UK was around £97,000, making it considerably more expensive than the GT-R. The combination of performance, handling and British character gave the XKR-S a distinct identity in the grand tourer segment.
| Nissan GT-R (2012) | Jaguar XKR-S (2012) | |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 3.8-litre twin-turbo V6 | 5.0-litre supercharged V8 |
| Power | 530 bhp | 550 bhp |
| Torque | 448 lb-ft | 502 lb-ft |
| 0-60 mph | 2.88 sec | 4.2 sec |
| Top speed | 196 mph (claimed) | 186 mph |
| UK price (approx) | N/A (US: $89,950+) | £97,000 |
Star in a Reasonably Priced Car: Rowan Atkinson
Rowan Atkinson, best known for his roles as Mr Bean and in Blackadder, joined the episode as the Star in a Reasonably Priced Car. Atkinson, a known car enthusiast and racer, took to the Top Gear test track in the show’s standard Kia Cee’d.
Where to watch and related episodes
Episode four aired after 10pm GMT and is available to view online through official and authorised channels. For other notable episodes, see Top Gear Season 14 Episode 3for the Lamborghini Gallardo LP550-2 Balboni feature, or Season 14 Episode 4for a battle of SUVs and a Twingo test.
