It felt like the end of an era. When the final special of The Grand Tour aired in 2024, seeing Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May journey through Zimbabwe, it marked the conclusion of a remarkable 20-year collaboration that spanned two epic shows. For motoring enthusiasts in New Zealand and across the globe, it was like saying goodbye to three old mates you’d shared countless adventures with from the comfort of your couch. Fans were gutted, left desperate for just one more outing from the beloved but dysfunctional trio.
But hold onto your driving gloves. Just when we thought it was all over, James “Captain Slow” May has let slip an idea for a Grand Tour episode that never was, sparking a flicker of hope for a potential reunion. In a recent chat, May revealed the one part of the world the trio never quite managed to conquer with their unique brand of automotive chaos.
The Uncharted Territory
So, where would this hypothetical “one more for the road” take place? According to May, the team had their sights set on a region they’d conspicuously missed. “The one bit we never really went to… is sort of everything between Southeast Asia and Australia. Malaysia, the Philippines and all that sort of whole strip of stuff,” May explained. He admitted to never having been there and knowing very little about it, lamenting, “We never came up with a good reason for going there, which is a shame really, because just about everywhere else we went”.
For fans, the “good reason” was always just getting the three of them together. The destination was secondary to the inevitable arguments, mechanical failures, and genuine camaraderie. A journey through the bustling cities and remote jungles of Malaysia or the Philippines sounds like a perfect backdrop for their brand of entertainment. The possibilities for vehicle-based mayhem are endless, which brings us to the core of May’s brilliant, yet-to-be-realised plan.
The Glorious Allure of the Awful
When asked what car he’d choose for this imaginary expedition, May didn’t pine for a shiny new supercar. Instead, he championed the philosophy that has been the secret sauce of their success for decades. “I think we used to have the best results when we picked something a bit old and shabby,” he mused.
This isn’t just a preference; it’s the foundational pillar of their greatest films. Think of the Botswana special and Clarkson’s Lancia Beta, Hammond’s beloved “Oliver” the Opel Kadett, and May’s Mercedes-Benz 230E. Or the legendary Vietnam special, where they traversed the country on cheap, unreliable motorbikes. These weren’t tales of automotive perfection; they were stories of survival, ingenuity, and man-versus-knackered-machine.
May doubled down on this concept, revealing an idea that could work anywhere on the planet. “I always wanted to do a trip where we bought the cheapest car you could locally,” he said. “There’s always a subculture of incredibly knackered cars that somehow keep going, and they make the best material. Driving terrible cars is always much more interesting than driving really nice ones”.
He’s absolutely right. Watching three middle-aged men navigate a state-of-the-art Ferrari through the Alps is mildly amusing. Watching those same three men try to fix a collapsing suspension on a 30-year-old banger in the middle of nowhere using only a hammer and some choice swear words? That’s television gold. It’s the struggle, the imperfection, and the shared adversity that makes it so relatable and hilarious.
Will They, Won’t They? The Reunion Question
Of course, this was all revealed as part of a conversation ahead of May’s “Explorers – The Age of Discovery” live tour, a show about great adventurers of the past. It seems fitting that while discussing historical pioneers, he couldn’t help but dream up one more pioneering journey of his own.
But does this mean a reunion is actually on the cards? Officially, the trio has parked their professional alliance. Clarkson is busy on his farm, Hammond is running his restoration workshop, and May is off exploring other historical and travel-based projects. However, the chemistry they share is lightning in a bottle, and the global demand for more of their adventures has never waned.
May’s comments, though hypothetical, prove that the creative spark is still there. The idea is simple, brilliant, and perfectly on-brand. The concept of finding the cheapest, most decrepit local rides in Southeast Asia and attempting an epic journey is pure, uncut Top Gear/Grand Tour. It’s a formula that has been copied by many but never bettered.
While we probably shouldn’t hold our breath for an official announcement tomorrow, it’s comforting to know that the spirit of adventure hasn’t been extinguished. James May has planted a seed, a “what if” that will have fans buzzing. Perhaps, just perhaps, for the right knackered car and the right ridiculous reason, the world’s most famous motoring trio might just be convinced to get the band back together for one last, glorious, breakdown-filled tour. We here at Tarmac Life can only hope.
