'Top Gear Season 28' Episode 1: Freddie Flintoff meets a bungee cord, at a dam, in a Rover; cue chaos
Andrew 'Freddie' Flintoff was a proven all-rounder on the cricket field. His ability to play cricket despite the heavy risks that would come in as obstacles didn't stop him from going on to become one of the greats to have played the game. He might not be turning out for England on the field anymore, but that hasn't stopped him from being the daredevil that he is. Episode 1 of 'Top Gear' Season 28 had three segments— a good ol' summer vacation on convertibles, the review of the Ariel Atom 4, and a bungee jump off a dam in Switzerland.
Long story short, the Ariel Atom 4 can vroom from naught to 60 mph in 2.8 seconds, but then spending for it is an expensive affair. So the brilliant minds at 'Top Gear' decided to have Flintoff in a shiny red Rover convertible, strap him and the car up heavily with a tough and durable bungee rope attached to the tail and then drop him off. That Flintoff was nervous was no surprise and fellow host Chris Harris kept him company while he mentally prepped for the jump.
The logic was simple. A dive is faster than breakneck speed on a racetrack. While neither are safer, they are surely an adrenaline junkie's delight. The final minutes of Episode 1 see Flintoff lowered from the crane with the nose of the car facing the ground. He fails to take off after countdown as the handbrake was applied, and as soon as Harris points that out, Flintoff just gets off the brakes and what follows next is a pure exhilarating rush as he defies death and successfully bungee jumps while seated in a car.
After the season opener special saw the trio of Paddy McGuinness, Chris Harris, and Flintoff heading off to Nepal in search of the perfect city car, they now have different missions in Episode 1. The hunt for the perfect summer convertible sees them test a Ford Escort, a Mercedes SLK 230, and a Chrysler LeBaron.
The Escort emerged the winner after surviving a humidity and agility test, not to mention the durability of maneuvering in damp and soft roads. Harris reviews the Arial Atom 4 and declares a spin on it would be mood-lifter. However, the best part of the episode had to be Flintoff and his bungee-jump.
Before we wind up this story, we would like our readers to know these stunts have been performed under the supervision of experts and strict safety measures were taken. We sincerely request to not attempt these stunts, but rather enjoy them when 'Top Gear' Season 28 returns on Sunday, 8 pm ET on BBC America.