Top Gear Nissan Amphibious

Challenge: The amphibious cars make a return as the team are challenged to drive improved amphibious vehicles from Sidcup to Dover, and then across the English Channel. Clarkson uses a used 1996 Nissan pick-up nicknamed the ‘Nissunk’ with a 225 hp Honda outboard motor, attaching two lightweight oil drums to act as buoyancy devices.

Hammond modifies a second 1981 Volkswagen Transporter (nicknamed the ‘Dampervan’) by using a fibreglass hull and adding sealant.

May uses his original 1962 Triumph Herald sailboat, adding a collapsible mast and an insert for a centreboard keel.

During the trip to Dover, Hammond and Clarkson’s cars begin to smoke as their foam insulation cause overheating, while May’s emits a buzzing sound and also starts to smoke. May is the first to launch his car, but the keel insert fails and the car sinks on its first attempt. Clarkson’s Nissan works well on the water, but can’t go faster than 20 knots despite Clarkson claiming that it could do 40 knots (as he claimed during the amphibious challenge the previous year). Although recovered and repaired, the Triumph suffers a broken mast on the second attempt and is no longer usable. Hammond’s new ‘Dampervan’ successfully floats, but the choppy waters eventually damage his steering on the first attempt and despite fitting a 2.3 hp outboard to the back, the Dampervan subsequently sinks during the next day’s attempt. All three eventually set off in Clarkson’s Nissan, attempting (and failing) to break Richard Branson’s previous record for crossing the Channel in an amphibious vehicle (Branson crossed the Channel using a Gibbs Aquada in 1 hour 40 minutes and 6 seconds). They manage to get to France, albeit not Calais where they had planned, but Sangatte. Upon arriving, Clarkson declares, ‘The pick-up had landed.’