For fans worldwide, and especially those of us in the automotive content creation world, the announcement of the Grand Tour ending marks a significant moment. If you recall the upheaval when Top Gear as we knew it concluded in 2015, then you’ll understand the sense of finality as Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May seemingly park their motoring adventures for good.
The move of this iconic trio to Amazon Prime Video was a lifeline for many. It wasn’t just about seeing more of Clarkson, Hammond, and May; it signaled Amazon’s serious entry into global entertainment, including markets like Australia, offering fans a continuation of the high-octane, often hilarious, and occasionally insightful car content they craved. The Grand Tour became synonymous with зрелищные road trips and chaotic challenges, delivering exactly what audiences expected – and often more.
For some, The Grand Tour might not have reached the heights of Top Gear in its prime. Opinions are always divided when it comes to entertainment, and the humor of three middle-aged men getting into scrapes isn’t for everyone. However, for a generation of automotive enthusiasts, including myself, the Grand Tour ending feels like closing the book on a very important chapter. September 13, 2024, will be a date etched in the memory of many fans as the day the final credits rolled on this era.
My own career path is inextricably linked to the influence of Top Gear. At 33, a significant portion of my life has been spent watching and being inspired by the work of Clarkson, Hammond, and May. Discovering Top Gear in 2006 was a pivotal moment. I vividly remember watching an episode where they pitted an Aston Martin DB9 against the Eurostar train to Monte Carlo. That episode sparked an obsession, not just with cars, but with the art of automotive storytelling.
As I delved deeper into filmmaking, my appreciation for Top Gear evolved. Beyond the fast cars and witty banter, I began to recognize the exceptional production quality. The innovative filming techniques, the dynamic editing, the carefully crafted visuals and sound – it was clear that Top Gear, and later The Grand Tour, were pioneers in automotive cinematography.
These shows revolutionized car-based filming. Consider in-car cameras. While the concept existed, Top Gear perfected it. The production team, under Andy Wilman, developed methods to mount small cameras inside vehicles, creating stable rigs and long-lasting power systems. This allowed for continuous filming throughout long drives, capturing every moment without interruption. This innovation became a standard in the industry, influencing how car shows and even movies are filmed today.
Car-to-car filming was another area where they pushed boundaries. Initially, it involved someone precariously positioned in the back of a Range Rover with a camera. This evolved into collaborations with external companies to create sophisticated, smaller, and more versatile exterior mounting systems. These advancements moved away from the traditional, and often cumbersome, “Russian Arm” approach, offering greater flexibility and dynamism in capturing moving vehicles.
The editing was equally groundbreaking. Wilman, Clarkson, and the post-production team possessed an unparalleled ability to transform vast amounts of raw footage into engaging, humorous, and visually stunning narratives. They set a new benchmark for automotive content, a standard that many still strive to reach.
The impact of Top Gear and The Grand Tour extends far beyond entertainment. Many of us in automotive journalism owe a debt to these shows. The filming styles, camera techniques, and storytelling approaches they pioneered are now fundamental tools in our industry. From camera placement and lighting to capturing dynamic driving shots and crafting engaging road trip sequences, their influence is undeniable.
While at CarExpert our video content focuses primarily on providing practical information to car buyers, the spirit of Top Gear and The Grand Tour subtly informs our work. Whenever we have the opportunity to step outside the typical car review format, we often find ourselves drawing inspiration from their innovative and entertaining approach.
The Grand Tour ending has been anticipated for some time. As Clarkson, Hammond, and May pursued individual projects, it became clear that their collective journey in The Grand Tour format was nearing its conclusion. After 22 years of this demanding and intense work, it’s understandable that they are ready for a change.
Creating those 90-minute specials, often involving weeks of arduous travel and filming in challenging locations, is an immense undertaking. Yet, they consistently delivered a polished and entertaining product, even for those who weren’t always fans of their particular brand of humor.
As we reflect on the Grand Tour ending, it’s the memories of the iconic moments that resonate. The bizarre creations like the Hammerhead Eagle i-Thrust (Geoff), the ambitious TG V12 train, the ludicrous races against planes (both slow and incredibly fast), Hammond’s terrifying jet car crash, the Stig reveal with Michael Schumacher, the poignant Senna documentary segment, and even Hammond’s more recent electric car mishap.
Then there are the unforgettable specials: the original Botswana adventure, the chaotic India and Vietnam trips, the Arctic and North Pole expeditions, building “John” and driving him across Mongolia, and the genuinely emotional moment when Clarkson teared up in the Grand Tour tent, announcing the end of the studio audience format. Witnessing Top Gear Live and the Top Gear Festival in Sydney firsthand are also cherished memories.
These shows achieved a level of global recognition and cultural impact that most television programs can only dream of. It all stemmed from what they jokingly called a “pokey little motoring show on BBC 2.” But that “pokey little motoring show” profoundly changed the landscape of automotive media and inspired countless careers, including my own.
As the credits roll on The Grand Tour for the final time, the sentiment echoes the lyrics of “American Pie”: “and the three men I admired the most…they caught the last train for the coast, the day the music died.” While Clarkson, Hammond, and May’s careers are far from over, and their journey was certainly by car, not train, the feeling of an era ending is palpable.
Perhaps it’s time to put on “Jessica” by The Allman Brothers, in tribute to the music that accompanied so many Top Gear moments, and reflect on the incredible journey. Like Top Gear before it, The Grand Tour as we know it, with this beloved trio at the helm, is coming to an end. It’s likely that Andy Wilman and much of the talented crew who moved with them from the BBC to Amazon will also be moving on, marking not just the Grand Tour ending, but potentially the end of a very special team.
For many, September 13, 2024, will indeed feel like a genuinely sad day – the day the Grand Tour ending truly marks the end of an era in automotive entertainment.
