Top Gear: Season 4, Episode 10

4 - 10: The Olympic Long Jump Challenge

On a size-is-everything Top Gear, James went on a Bargain Hunt, and Richard drove a lean, mean, American machine. Pedestrians just bounce off it gently, trees inhale super-clean exhaust fumes, and it's got a mouth bigger than Jaws. But the Peugeot 407 is French, and therefore automatically cool, regardless of how daft it looks. It has all the toys corporate owners demand. Hammond did something most reps won't and took it to a racetrack, stuck a light on the top, and used it as a safety car. It worked magnificently. We sent James out on a mission: take the king of all estate cars, a Volvo, and bring back something nice to sit on. James discovered it didn't have any boot space. But that didn't stop him from finding a 'nice' sofa that did fit. Let's face it, interior design isn't exactly his forte. We took a look at an American classic, the Corvette. The suspension was too hard, but it was preferable to the usual bouncy castle system the Americans seem to enjoy, and had another of those interiors that looks like it's been fashioned out of old ashtrays. Most of us have seen the school-run mums with their enormous 'off-road' vehicles. Most of us have shouted some sort of abuse at them. So when BMW announced the X3, several of us took a deep breath and held back the tears. It's not the car for you if you need to use your spine, or have any plans to drive on short grass.