15 December 2017
4 of the craziest Top Gear stunts, now on Showmax
Top Gear (2002-current) is speeding its way onto Showmax. And we’re talking about the old-school Top Gear, run by car-crazy presenters Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond – aka Jezza, Captain Slow and Hamster. There are currently four seasons of Top Gear on Showmax, plus 20 episodes of The Best of Top Gear, and three Top Gear Specials, including the Botswana and Polar specials!
If you’re looking for good, honest reviews about cars… find something else. These three “car enthusiasts” conduct the most absurd reviews on cars (like how well they hold water if you fill them up through the sunroof). And that’s part of the charm of Top Gear. The other must-see factor? Ridiculous stunts that should end in tears but are impossibly entertaining.
Remember these?
1. Tough ride (Season 3, episode 5)
The wheels: the good old Toyota Hilux bakkie
The challenge: destroy it!
You’d think that battering the bakkies with a wrecking ball and dropping them in rivers would be the end of the cars. But that’s where you’re very, very wrong. You’ve got to see the final test to believe what the Hiluxes are put through… and they keep ticking! Watch now »
2. Bullseye (Season 6, episode 5)
The wheels: Mercedes SLK55 and Porsche Boxter S
The challenge: not being shot!
Jeremy speeds around a little town setting while being shot at by elite Irish Guard snipers. They didn’t use real bullets (which Hammond and James say “makes this test utterly useless”) but if the soldiers had, Jezza would’ve been nailed over 40 times in 2 minutes! Watch now »
3. Houston, we have a problem (Season 9, episode 4)
The wheels: the sadly cut three-wheeled Reliant Robin
The challenge: turning the Robin into a space shuttle
What could possibly go wrong with turning a car into a spaceship, adding remote-control wings and strapping it to a couple of tonnes of fuel? There’s only one way to find out if the trio go soaring into the wide blue yonder or if the stunt ends in tears… and flames. Watch now »
4. Turning on the afterburners (Season 10, episode 3)
The wheels: Bugatti Veyron – aka the most insane production car ever made
The challenge: racing a R1.6 billion Eurofighter Typhoon airforce jet around the Top Gear Track (and a course in the sky)
Literally the craziest thing the guys could’ve done. It’s a good thing none of them are driving (or flying) because something very, very bad could’ve happened. Like Hamster crashing the Veyron, Captain Slow driving in reverse or Jezza firing a laser-guided missile at a caravan park. Watch now »
Watch Top Gear, The Best of Top Gear and Top Gear Specials on Showmax now »
Don’t have Showmax yet?
More Mzansi gold
Glam pics: Inside the star-studded Showmax Roast of Helen Zille
A look at the unforgettable moments from the Showmax Roast of Helen Zille at the Laugh Africa Comedy Festival, streaming from 16 May on Showmax.
Made in South Africa
Ntombee Ngcobo-Mzolo to host The Mommy Club S3 reunion
TV presenter, actress and singer Ntombee Ngcobo-Mzolo to host The Mommy Club reunion for the second consecutive year. The two part reunion streams on Showmax on 17 and 24 May 2025.
Made in South Africa
The Catch S1
In a high-stakes dating reality show, eight ladies are on a quest to find their suitor. Little do they know, among them lurk six secret imposters ready to break hearts and steal the prize.
Made in South Africa
Faizon Love joins Laugh Africa Comedy Festival as new headliner
Laugh Africa Comedy Festival announces Faizon Love as the festival’s new international headliner, following Deon Cole’s withdrawal due to an unforeseen medical emergency.