GRAND Tour star Jeremy Clarkson has added a new British motor to his stunning collection after the show’s latest special.
The Sun columnist was so impressed by the car he used in his travels across Africa with co-stars James May and Richard Hammond that he “bought one immediately” when they returned to the UK.
AmazonJeremy Clarkson has added a new car to his collection after the latest Grand Tour episode[/caption]
AmazonHe used the Jaguar F-Type V6 to follow the route of the original Paris-Dakar Rally alongside Richard Hammond and James May[/caption]
AmazonThe star said he ‘cannot lavish enough praise’ on the luxury sports car[/caption]
The new special, set to air on Amazon Prime on February 16, sees the trio trek across the West African nation of Mauritania following a portion of the route of the original Paris-Dakar Rally.
However, rather than the custom-built machines used by rally racers, Clarkson, Hammond and May are forced to make the 1,200-mile trip in modified sports cars.
To tackle the monumental task, Jeremy opted for a supercharged Jaguar F-Type V6, spotted in the new trailer for the show.
Viewers of the upcoming special will see the kitted-out sportster carry the former Top Gear presenter across the vast Sahara Desert, but now it can be spotted roaming the Oxfordshire countryside.
That’s because Clarkson brought it home from Africa and now keeps it on his Diddly Squat Farm in Chadlington, near Chipping Norton.
What is the Paris-Dakar Rally?
The Paris-Dakar Rally was established in 1979 and is highly regarded as one of the most prestigious races in motorsport.
It originally covered a 3,000-mile route between the capitals of France and Senegal, with both amateur and pro drivers taking on the colossal journey.
Part of the appeal was that the endurance race tested cars to the limit by taking them across the unforgiving dunes of the Sahara.
The current title holder is Carlos Sainz Sr., a professional rally driver and father to F1’s Carlos Jr., who became the oldest man to win the race, aged 61.
However, contestants no longer take the legendary route across Africa after the event was cancelled in 2008 due to security issues.
Following that, the race was moved to South America in 2009 and stayed until the 2020 edition was held in Saudi Arabia, where it has remained since.
Not only that, but he also bought a brand-new version of the same car to add to his stable.
On his return from Africa, Clarkson said that he “cannot lavish enough praise”.
He added: “Well put it like this: it was so impressive, I came home and bought one immediately.
“I brought back the one I drove in Mauritania too, I have it at the farm.”
And speaking on the new special, he went on: “It’s my favourite one we’ve ever done.
“I’ve always thought we’d never go anywhere better than Botswana, and now we have.”
It comes after the presenting trio shockingly announced that they would leave the Grand Tour after the current run of specials, making the Mauritania trip, which has been dubbed Sand Job, their penultimate adventure.
Bosses at Amazon are understood to be considering continuing the show, potentially under a different format, and this is something the current hosts are said to be comfortable with.
They will each continue with their separate projects in the form of the Clarkson’s Farm and May’s Our Man In… series for Amazon, as well as Hammond’s Smallest Cog restoration garage which itself features on a Discovery Plus show.
However, James May did hint at potential future collaborations back in January when he gave his verdict on the prospect of the trio filming together again.
Why did Clarkson, Hammond and May leave The Grand Tour?
The Sun exclusively revealed in November 2023 that the beloved motoring trio would be stepping back from The Grand Tour.
They started the show together in 2016 after Clarkson was fired from BBC’s Top Gear, which they had all hosted since 2003.
Since then, they have trotted the globe, with specials emanating from countries including Vietnam, the USA, Norway and Colombia.
However, they have now decided to step down after the remaining specials, both set in Africa.
A TV insider told The Sun: “It’s a surprising decision and everyone realises it very much marks the end of an era for the three presenters.
“But the guys have made no bones about the fact they’re all advancing in years and they have lots of other projects to pursue.
“They just felt like the time was right and wanted to go out on a high when the show remained popular.”
AmazonThe episode will see the team follow a 1,200-mile section of the legendary race route, established in 1979[/caption]
AmazonHowever, they have to do it in modified sports cars[/caption]
AlamyThey will take on the treacherous trip across the Sahara Desert[/caption]
AmazonThe episode is the second-last special before the famed presenting team leave the show altogether[/caption]
AmazonThe Grand Tour: Sand Job airs on February 16 on Amazon Prime[/caption]