Top Gear: Range Rover Evoque, McLaren MP4-12C & Sebastian Vettel

The McLaren MP4-12C tussles with the 458 on the Top Gear track

Are we sure? Is the McLaren MP4-12C really going to be at Dunsfold going round the track in the hands of Jeremy Clarkson and combating the Ferrari 458 Italia this week?

Well, we’re as sure as we can be. The 12C piece was supposed to air last week – as we told you – but it seems the BBC had a change of heart.

We’re guessing the change of heart revolved around Fifth Gear’s test of the McLaren MP4-12C – with the Ferrari 458 Italia as its benchmark combatant – which aired just 48 hours before.

But the Beeb are adamant that the 12C test will be this week. And even though it’s at Dunsfold – just as Fifth Gear’s was – it’s not the same car. Jeremy gets an orange MP4-12C.

Which is probably just as well as the weather was rather poor when TG went out to play, and an orange McLaren is going to be easier to see in the rain than the black one Fifth Gear got.

Elsewhere in this Sunday’s episode James goes off to the States to play with the new Range Rover Evoque. He gives the Evoque a bit of a bashing through Death Valley (which the Evoque is probably well-suited to as much of the hot weather testing for new cars is done there).

He then wanders off to Las Vegas to try the Evoque’s other hat on for size – that of funky, cool, urban transport – and acquires a ‘Global Megastar’ to chauffeur round in the process. What’s Dame Edna doing in Vegas?

Finally, there’s a look at what second-hand cars can be had for the price of Britain’s cheapest new cars – the Nissan Pixo – which can be bought for a quite reasonable £6,995.

We’ve had no feedback this week on what bargains get turned up (beyond the CL600 and the 850i in the trailer), but a quick look round this afternoon turned up an ’03 Jaguar XJ6 Sport, a ’97 Lotus Elise Convertible, a ’91 Bentley Turbo R and a Porsche 928 Series 4 with full service history all for under £7k. All of which would be huge fun – at least until they broke.

Star in a Reasonably Priced Car this week is Red Bull F1 star Sebastian Vettel. Which was to be expected – well, an F1 driver of some description –  as its the British Grand Prix this weekend.

Top Gear series 17, episode 3 tomorrow – Sunday 10th July – 8pm (UK – and YouTube soon after).

By Cars UK