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‘The Grand Tour: Eurocrash’: Review

Ashley Thieme
A winding road on a hillside in Romania.

Ashley Thieme

June 16th saw the release of a much-anticipated new episode of Amazon Prime’s The Grand Tour: Eurocrash.

Following the latest special, ‘Scandi Flick’, the second instalment of The Grand Tour‘s fifth season has been well-received by fans. It is clear that the series only gets funnier while remaining honest about its Top Gear routes.

Throughout the episode, the boys — Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May — explore beautiful landscapes, wax museums, racetracks, and ski slopes. The twists and turns of their journey guarantee belly laughter for all audiences. As with every Grand Tour endeavour, the trio’s escapades evoke nostalgia for their past adventures together.

Episode Overview

The show’s presenters begin the episode on a ferry, as they set out the route for their road trip. The trio encounters unforeseen challenges during the planning stages, compelling them to undertake a journey that they hadn’t previously considered. They also plan to tackle the trip in cars that seem unfit for a road trip of this magnitude.

As the trio presents their route, the audience begins to understand their decision-making process. Countries that they had previously considered for their route are either too dangerous, in some cases hotspots for terrorism, or locations that they have been banned from entering.

“May, as always, provided the comedy for the episode through his choice of car”

We learn that Clarkson is banned from India, along with multiple Middle-Eastern countries, due to previous controversial and offensive remarks he has made.

Instead, the trio embarks on a trip across Central Europe, leading them on a 1,400-mile journey through Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, and Slovenia — from Gdansk to Vled — facing challenges that become increasingly comical along the way.

Euro-Carnage

There was no budget to be adhered to for this challenge and this led to some questionable choices of vehicle, especially by James May. May, as always, provided the comedy for the episode through his choice of car: a 1947 Crosley CC convertible. The car costs him £11,000. Maybe a budget would have done him some good.

May’s car is 4ft wide and able to fit through the door of a store or, indeed, the door of a hotel restaurant. When Clarkson and Hammond find out about this particular quirk, they take advantage and enlist some locals to help them move the car to various locations.

“It wouldn’t be an episode of The Grand Tour if Hammond didn’t do something reckless and crash.”

Having spent the most on his vehicle, spending £18,000, Hammond opted for a 2005 Chevrolet SSR, a convertible pick-up truck. Clarkson splashes out £11,500 on the truly obnoxious and Cruella-Deville-esque Mitsuoka Le-Seyde.

However, there is always something lurking in the rearview mirror on an episode of The Grand Tour – the backup car. On this occasion, a Hot Rod inscribed with “titties ‘n’ beer” adds an element of suspense to the episode, as the vulgar notation is sure to embarrass whoever takes the bait.

A Crash Course In Comedy

The first pitstop, and a real highlight of the episode, is the group’s visit to a Polish racetrack. The track is home to an array of Formula Eastern cars, which the trio gets the opportunity to race.

Of course, it wouldn’t be an episode of The Grand Tour if Hammond didn’t do something reckless and crash. But we need not worry — May comes to the rescue in his Crosley, with a flashing blue light placed atop.

On another one of their stops, 1993 Formula One World Champion, Nigel Mansell joins them… at least, a pretty unconvincing waxwork, stolen from a museum in Krakow, does. For me, this was the funniest subplot of the episode by far. It lent itself to non-stop jokes, capturing the beloved comedy that the audience has come to know and love from both Top Gear and The Grand Tour.

“From flying cars to armoured archers on horseback, it has everything you could ask for”

Amidst the montages, pit stops, and shenanigans, James May is left behind in the dust. For this reason, the excursion turns out to be a dire ordeal for May, as he misses every stop, every meal, and every sightseeing opportunity. Nevertheless, the camaraderie among the trio, honed over their two-decade-long partnership, ensures non-stop laughs. They know exactly how to bounce off each other, as well as how to push each other’s buttons.

The Grand Tour’s EuroCrash Delivers as Expected

As put by The Review Geek, “The special doesn’t break new boundaries, nor is it a particular stand-out next to so many others down the line”, and this is exactly what sets The Grand Tour: Eurocrash apart. The audience knows exactly what they are getting, and each episode of the series provides comfort and familiarity alongside new jokes and unseen trials.

The Grand Tour: Eurocrash is an episode for everyone. From flying cars to armoured archers on horseback, it has everything you could ask for from an episode with Clarkson, Hammond, and May.

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Featured image courtesy of Maria Teneva via Unsplash. No changes were made to this image. Image license found here.

Ashley is a Masters student at Cardiff University studying Magazine Journalism.

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