Editing Top Gear (2002 TV series)/Series 1/Episode 1

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|airdate = {{FlagUK}} 20th October, 2002
|airdate = {{FlagUK}} 20th October, 2002
| airdates    =
| airdates    =
{{TG 2002 Airdates/S01E01}}
{{BBCW}} 13th November, 2002<br>
{{FlagNL}} 26th September, 2003<br>
{{BBCP}} 9th November, 2004<br>
{{FlagPL}} 19th February, 2005<br>
{{FlagRU}} 28th April, 2005<br>
{{FlagBE}} 22nd July, 2006 (BBC Prime)<br>
{{FlagFI}} 4th January, 2007<br>
{{FlagAU}} 23rd February, 2008<br>
{{FlagKO}} 3rd May, 2008<br>
{{FlagCZ}} 3rd April, 2009<br>
{{FlagHU}} 15th June, 2009<br>
''Data may not be 100% accurate.''
}}
}}


{{TG 2002 Episode|episodename=Series 1, Episode 1|airdate=20th October|year=2002|xth=first|series=Series 1|number=1st|number77=550th|number78=541st|prognum=2nd|totprog=11|resolution=576i|aspratio=16:9 Widescreen|tvorstream=British television|channel=BBC Two}} {{TG 2002 Episode Starring|hosta=Jeremy Clarkson|hostb=Jason Dawe|hostc=Richard Hammond|stig=[[The Stig#Black Stig|The Stig]]|star=[[Harry Enfield]]|waswere=was}}.
{{TG 2002 Episode|episodename=Series 1, Episode 1|airdate=20th October|year=2002|xth=first|series=[[Series 1]]|number=1st|number77=550th|number78=541st|prognum=2nd|totprog=11|resolution=576i|aspratio=16:9 Widescreen|tvorstream=British television|channel=BBC Two}} {{TG 2002 Episode Starring|hosta=Jeremy Clarkson|hostb=Jason Dawe|hostc=Richard Hammond|stig=[[The Stig#Black Stig|The Stig]]|star=[[Harry Enfield]]|waswere=was}}.


This episode marked the revival of the ''Top Gear'' name following the [[Top Gear (1977 TV series)/Series 45/2002 Awards Special|2002 Top Gear Awards special]] in February. For the [[Top Gear (1977 TV series)/Series 40/Episode 15|first time]] since 1998, the episode starred Jeremy Clarkson in the role of lead presenter.
This episode marked the revival of the ''Top Gear'' name following the [[Top Gear (1977 TV series)/Series 45/Top Gear Awards 2002|2002 Top Gear Awards special]] in February. For the first time since 1998, the episode starred Jeremy Clarkson in the role of lead presenter.


==Synopsis==
==Synopsis==
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{{Unabridged Article|articlename=Murciélago vs. Zonda Film}}
{{Unabridged Article|articlename=Murciélago vs. Zonda Film}}
In the world of Italian supercars, there's a new name; [[Pagani]]. With its jet-fighter styling, the company's [[Pagani Zonda|Zonda]] is an unbelievably quick supercar powered by a 7.3 litre [[Mercedes-Benz]] engine prepared specifically<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20170202064820/http://www.pagani.com/en/zonda/default.aspx (Archive link) Pagani Automobili - Zonda.]</ref> by the latter's [[AMG]] firm. Clarkson thinks the car is fantastic, considering it came from nothing, but must stack up against arguably one of the most fierce opponents imaginable; [[Lamborghini]]'s newest flagship V12 halo car, the [[Lamborghini Murciélago|Murciélago]]. The latter is the first ground-up vehicle produced by Lamborghini since its acquisition<ref>[https://europe.autonews.com/article/19980622/ANE/806220833/vw-s-audi-agrees-to-buy-lamborghini Automotive News Europe - VW's Audi Agrees To Buy Lamborghini.]</ref> by [[Volkswagen]] in 1998, and there were worries the new car wouldn't feel like a traditional Lamborghini. However, with its radical styling, trademark scissor doors and screaming V12, the car more than fits the archetype set by its immediate predecessors, with the only hints of German engineering making the car easier to drive. Clarkson freely powerslides both cars across the [[Top Gear Test Track]], before holding a drag race between the two Italians. Despite the Murciélago's blinding quickness, it is beaten by the upstart Zonda, much to Clarkson's amazement.
In the world of Italian supercars, there's a new name; [[Pagani]]. With its jet-fighter styling, the company's [[Pagani Zonda|Zonda]] is an unbelievably quick supercar powered by a 7.3 litre [[Mercedes-Benz]] engine prepared specifically<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20170202064820/http://www.pagani.com/en/zonda/default.aspx (Archive link) Pagani Automobili - Zonda.]</ref> by the latter's [[AMG]] firm. Clarkson thinks the car is fantastic, considering it came from nothing, but must stack up against arguably one of the most fierce opponents imaginable; [[Lamborghini]]'s newest flagship V12 halo car, the [[Lamborghini Murciélago|Murciélago]]. The latter is the first ground-up vehicle produced by Lamborghini since its acquisition<ref>[https://europe.autonews.com/article/19980622/ANE/806220833/vw-s-audi-agrees-to-buy-lamborghini Automotive News Europe - VW's Audi Agrees To Buy Lamborghini.]</ref> by [[Volkswagen]] in 1998, and there were worries the new car wouldn't feel like a traditional Lamborghini. However, with its radical styling, trademark scissor doors and screaming V12, the car more than fits the archetype set by its immediate predecessors, with the only hints of German engineering making the car easier to drive. Clarkson freely powerslides both cars across the [[Top Gear Test Track]], before holding a drag race between the two Italians. Despite the Murciélago's blinding quickness, it is beaten by the upstart Zonda, much to Clarkson's amazement.
====Power Laps====
And the surprises don't stop there. In order to better evaluate the potential performance of cars such as the Zonda and Murciélago, they need a tamed racing driver to put them through their paces. Enter [[The Stig#Black_Stig|The Stig]]. A voiceless, anonymous racing driver clad in an all-black racing outfit. He is introduced by Clarkson as having a small brain and worthless opinions; doctors allegedly call this condition [[Nigel Mansell|Mansell]] Syndrome. However, in spite of this mental deficiency, The Stig is very good at his main job; driving cars fast.
{| class="wikitable" style="width: 675px;"
! style="width: 75px"|Position
! style="width: 320px"|Car
! style="width: 115px"|Time
! style="width: 165px"|Track Conditions
|- align="center"
|1
|'''Pagani Zonda'''
|1:23.0
|Moist<ref>In actuality, the track was dry during filming; a water truck was used to try and dampen the track in the name of impartiality, and this ultimately failed.</ref>
|- align="center"
|2
|Lamborghini Murciélago
|1:29.0
|Moist
|}
The Zonda sets a lap time which is a full six seconds quicker than the Lamborghini, in spite of Clarkson claiming the latter to be faster through the corners on top of having the advantage of all-wheel drive as opposed to the Zonda's rear-wheel drive. Clarkson believes a lap time that quick won't be beaten for the rest of the series, and offers viewers the chance to prove him wrong by sending in their own cut-price and modified cars.
===The Stig vs. A Speed Camera, Part One===
{{Unabridged Article|articlename=Speed Camera Challenge}}
Around the time the episode was produced, there was a persistent rumour that if a car is able to go fast enough, it can bypass a speed camera's detection system. To put this to the test, Richard Hammond has brought the programme's new Stig and a [[Honda Civic Type-R#Second_generation|Honda Civic Type-R]] to a deserted strip of runway along with a speed camera and appropriate measuring equipment to verify if this is true or not. The Stig is able to get the Civic Type-R up to a velocity of 129 MPH (207 KPH), which is not fast enough to evade detection from the camera.
===Star in a Reasonably-Priced Car, Introduction===
Further investigation must be put aside for the time being, as it's time to introduce another new type of film; the [[Top Gear (2002 TV series)/Star in a Reasonably-Priced Car|Star in a Reasonably-Priced Car]], where a celebrity will take the show's very own [[Suzuki Liana]] out for a lap around the track. This week, the special guest is [[Harry Enfield]]. Jeremy Clarkson introduces Enfield by mentioning the typical car history enjoyed by successful comedians, mentioning [[Rowan Atkinson]] and his [[McLaren F1]] for instance, with Enfield instead opting<ref>Autocar Magazine, 23rd March 1988.</ref> for a [[Vauxhall Cavalier (second generation)#Convertible|Vauxhall Cavalier]] convertible, a car which he still owned at that point and Clarkson pulled a shiny tarp from to reveal in all its glory.


{{Airing History}}
{{Airing History}}
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<big>'''Worldwide'''</big><br>
<big>'''Worldwide'''</big><br>


Internationally, the episode would first premiere on [[BBC/BBC World|BBC World]] on the 6th of November, 2002, 2 weeks after its UK release. In the Falkland Islands it would premiere even earlier, on the 27th of October, 2002. It would then be shown in the Netherlands on [[Veronica (TV channel)|Veronica]] from the 26th of September, 2003, 11 months later, before appearing on [[BBC/BBC Prime|BBC Prime]] in November 2004, and then the likes of [[TVN Turbo]] in Poland and [[NTV]] in Russia during 2005, the latter in a similarly cut-down form to how the episode was shown on BBC World. The episode would be reshown in a handful of countries thereafter, but would not premiere in many Baltic and Balkan nations such as the Czech Republic, Hungary and Estonia until as late as mid-2009, a full six and a half years after the episode was first shown in the United Kingdom.
Internationally, the episode would first premiere on [[BBC/BBC World|BBC World]] on the 13th of November, 2002, 3 weeks after its UK release. It would then be shown in the Netherlands on [[Veronica (TV channel)|Veronica]] from the 26th of September, 2003, 11 months later, before appearing on [[BBC/BBC Prime|BBC Prime]] in November 2004, and then the likes of [[TVN Turbo]] in Poland and [[NTV]] in Russia during 2005, the latter in a similarly cut-down form to how the episode was shown on BBC World. The episode would be reshown in a handful of countries thereafter, but would not premiere in many Baltic and Balkan nations such as the Czech Republic, Hungary and Estonia until as late as mid-2009, a full six and a half years after the episode was first shown in the United Kingdom.


{{Unabridged|episodename=Series 1, Episode 1}}
{{Unabridged|episodename=Series 1, Episode 1}}
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