Best Convertible

Episode Summary & Review

Summary

Richard takes the Mazda MX5, Toyota MR2 and Fiat Barchetta out for a spin to find the recipe for the perfect roadster. We find out if it is really possible to parachute into a moving car. Richard and James find out why the Isles of Harris in Scotland is the perfect location to test a selection of cabriolets. Jeremy goes skiing on a snowy public road behind the new Jaguar X Type Estate. The Stig takes the Mercedes CL65 onto the test track. And intrepid explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes discovers A Reasonably Priced Car.

Our Take

A strong mid-season hour that leans on the scenic Scottish cabriolet test, and honestly the location does half the work. The parachute-into-a-moving-car stunt is genuinely tense even though you know how it ends, and Fiennes makes for a surprisingly game guest. The skiing bit runs a little long but the CL65 lap picks things back up. Worth your time.