As they reached the Jordan River, the heat was blistering. Hammond’s Mazda was holding together by sheer willpower, while Jeremy’s Fiat was leaking every fluid known to man. They spent their final night in the desert, under a canopy of stars, debating the merits of their battered machines.
The mission was simple yet daunting: land at an airport in northern Iraq and drive to the birthplace of Jesus in Bethlehem, Israel. To make things harder, the producers banned the presenters from using modern SUVs or reliable off-road vehicles. Instead, they had to buy a used, two-door convertible sports car for under £3,500.
When fans debate the greatest episodes in the 22-year history of Top Gear , three specials always rise to the top: the Bolivia Special, the Botswana Special, and what many call the perfect balance of chaos, beauty, and danger—.
It is a perfect piece of television: May, usually the calm voice of reason, losing his mind in the heat, only for Clarkson to point out that he has now made his car "open top" (and technically illegal for the next checkpoint).
Crossing the entire length of the country before the outbreak of the civil war. Jordan: Navigating deserts and historical ancient ruins. top gear - middle east special full episode
As with any great Top Gear challenge, the success rested on the cars. Each presenter chose a second-hand convertible for under £3,500, believing that open-top motoring would suit the Middle Eastern climate. They were all catastrophically wrong.
The episode begins in Iraq, a starting location kept secret from the presenters until they landed. The producers handed the trio a budget of £3,500 each to buy an open-top sports car. Their mission? Drive from Iraq, through Turkey, Syria, and Jordan, to reach Bethlehem. The Cars Chosen by the Trio:
Many fans prefer the physical "The Great Adventures" box sets for the unedited soundtracks.
Starting in the Kurdish region, they encountered hospitality and military history, including a drag race at an Iraqi air base built by Saddam Hussein. As they reached the Jordan River, the heat was blistering
The episode drew 7.5 million viewers and won praise for its ambitious scope. The Guardian called it “a return to form – daft, dangerous, and oddly heartwarming.” However, some Middle Eastern media outlets criticized the depiction of the region as “lawless and primitive.” The BBC defended the episode as “light-hearted entertainment, not a documentary.”
As they navigate the ancient streets of Damascus, Clarkson fails to see a viciously high speed bump. The Fiat Barchetta hits it at 25 mph. The suspension bottoms out with a sickening crunch. A cloud of rust, dust, and shame envelops the car. Upon inspection, the sump guard is bent, the exhaust is hanging off, and Clarkson declares, “It’s broken its spine.”
If you are searching for the , you have come to the right place. Below, we break down why this episode is a masterpiece, where to find it legally, the iconic cars involved, and the unforgettable moments that make it essential viewing.
A: As with all Top Gear , situations were engineered for comedy (e.g., the police escort was probably exaggerated), but the mechanical failures, the heat, and the checkpoint tensions were 100% real. The mission was simple yet daunting: land at
Top Gear: Middle East Special – A Study of Adventure, Orientalism, and Automotive Entertainment
Finding the unedited, full episode of the Top Gear Middle East Special can vary depending on your geographic location due to streaming rights and licensing agreements.
The team could not drive directly from Syria to Israel due to political tensions. They had to fly from Damascus to Amman, Jordan, to continue their journey.
As with all Top Gear specials, the journey was defined by mechanical failures, ridiculous challenges, and endless banter:
The premise is deceptively simple: find three used, roofless roadsters for under £3,500 and drive from the center of Iraq to the coast of Israel (via Jordan). Of course, the Top Gear production team never does anything simply. The journey begins in Erbil, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan—a region described by Jeremy Clarkson as "the second most dangerous place on Earth, after a pub in Stoke."