Three men. Three cheap, hopelessly impractical cars: 🇬🇧 Jeremy in a front-engined Porsche 911 (because of course) 🇬🇧 James in a BMW Z4 (the sensible choice) 🇬🇧 Richard in a Nissan 350Z (the loud one)
Top Gear: Middle East Special Series: Top Gear (UK) – Series 16, Episode 0 (often listed as a Christmas Special) Air Date: December 2010 top gear middle east
The episode is frequently cited by fans as the "gold standard" of Top Gear specials. It managed to balance the show’s trademark juvenile humor with a genuine appreciation for the hospitality of the Middle Eastern people. Three men
They start in Erbil, Iraq (the "new Dubai"), cross into Jordan, visit the Dead Sea (lowest point on Earth), navigate the Wadi Rum desert, and finally race to the coast of Syria. Iconic moments: 🗺 Getting lost without a SatNav 🏛 Pretending to care about ancient ruins 🔥 The sheer terror of a “Hammond” breakdown in 50°C heat They start in Erbil, Iraq (the "new Dubai"),
, originally aired as part of Series 16, remains one of the most ambitious and politically complex road trips in the show's history. Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May took on the role of the "Three Wise Men," attempting to follow a 1,200-mile path from northern Iraq to Bethlehem in a trio of open-top sports cars. The Vehicles: Unlikely Wise Men
The special begins with a genuinely tense start near the Turkish border in Iraq. This was filmed during the US military drawdown, and the sight of three brightly colored convertibles driving past military checkpoints is surreal.
Why the Top Gear Middle East Special (S16E04) is peak road trip TV