Top Gear Tonight: 1980s Hot Hatches and Hugh Bonneville is SIARPC

Top Gear is back tonight with the first episode in Series 21

Sunday nights haven’t been the same without Top Gear, but it’s back tonight – Sunday 2nd February 2014 – with the first episode of series 21. Yes, Top gear comes of age. As the series unfolds we’ll see the usual mix of supercars and mayhem, old trucks and tanks, but tonight’s main item is on 1980s hot hatches.

Jeremy Clarkson opts for an original VW Golf GTI, Richard Hammond chooses a Vauxhall Nova SRi and James May a Ford Fiesta XR2i.

The 80s Hot Hatch Road Trip encompasses the required set of challenges, including a race inside a supermarket, a tricky hillclimb and ends up at an old army training ground in Wales (which no doubt has the odd tank or two) where moustachioed Top Gear Police use Die Hard-size explosions to attack the trio.

Apart from that, the BBC is being tight-lipped about what else the first show in the new series offers, although there’s little doubt there will be a new car or two; perhaps not the Alfa 4C (which comes next week) or the McLaren P1 (which we will probably have to wait for). Or maybe not?

Star in a Reasonably Priced Car is Downton Abbey’s Lord Grantham – Hugh Bonneville – who takes to the Dunsfold track in the reasonably priced Astra.

Top gear – Episode One of Series 21 – airs on BBC 2 tonight – 2nd February 2014 – at 8pm.

By Cars UK