The Top Gear crew had some good times throughout the show’s original run, and a Blue Oval vehicle was often the subject of their unconventional reviews. They once raced a trio of vans, including an underwhelming Ford Transit, while they also took a spin in a Ford GT and gave a thorough, if not honest, review of the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500. They even put the muscle car to the ultimate test in an episode from January 2013, pitting the Mustang Shelby GT500 against a train.
Jeremy Clarkson had the honor of driving the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 in this race, taking to the streets while James May and Richard Hammond hitched a ride on a railway. Their goal? Beat Clarkson and his Mustang Shelby GT500 to Milan. The Alps pose a bit of a problem for the train, which has to take a winding path through the hills, giving Clarkson a chance to catch up to the high-speed rail.
There’s another disadvantage to riding the rails. May and Hammond are forced to stop at every town to allow other passengers to embark and disembark the train. Clarkson, meanwhile, can cruise right on at his own speed, putting the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 through its paces. That is, until he hits a section of roadwork, which levels the playing field once again.
After crunching some numbers, Clarkson reckons he’s just 14 minutes shy of beating his compatriots to their chosen rendezvous point of San Siro stadium. After a dramatic race – with May and Hammond resorting to sprinting on foot and riding bikes through the streets of Milan – the trio convenes at a bar. May is the winner, with Hammond galloping in at a close second, Clarkson brings up the rear.
“My first ever loss,” Clarkson laments. But the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 put up a good fight on Europe’s highways, even if it wasn’t faster than the train.
Comment
The train has a huge advantage. It can carry many more passengers with their cargo on thst same trip.