The Track Tour: Top Gear's Solution to Britain's Slow Tractors

You may have seen the film and TV show featuring this extraordinary creation, but for those who haven't, let me give you a little reminder. The idea is that Top Gear has come up with a solution to the problem of slow tractors holding us all up on Britain's roads. And what they've done is create something truly special – it's called the Track Tour.

The Track Tour is an extraordinary piece of engineering that's so special, I wanted to give you a tour while it's sitting here in the studio waiting for the presenters to come in. The first thing to mention is its striking Lamborghini orange color – a bit of fun, we like to call it. And look at these lights; they're taken from an aerial Nomad because it's a racing tractor. It's a little bit of fun, why not?

The whole basis for this car is the Chevrolet Blazer SUV, an American car you might not have heard of. The engine too is a Chevy, a 5.7 liter V8 producing 500 horsepower. Yes, that's right – 500 horsepower! Now, I know what you're thinking; how does it manage to achieve such impressive performance? Well, the idea is because these rear tires are so massive if you ran the standard ratios on the three-speed Auto, well, it would be doing about 186 miles an hour top speed. Not exactly what we want when we're trying to get from point A to point B, is it?

So, the Track Tour makes a few adjustments. The idea is to shorten the ratios and improve acceleration. And that's exactly what they've done. They mention the wheels; yes, they're quite significant aren't they? The axle is an eight-lug axle down here – that's a military spec axle, and you need that to hold the whole thing together. Centrifugal forces when these things are moving around are absolutely insane. And did I mention the tires? Well, they're super swampers, imported from the US – something that can't be bought in the UK because they use too much oil in their production.

Now, come around the back, and you'll notice a large hole there. Yes, it's there in the film as well. It contains a second engine – a 1.6 Peugeot diesel engine – which drives the hedge cutter and the plow, along with all the other bits and bobs that make this thing actually useful. And what about that wing taken from stock car F1? Well, apparently it has proper downforce; at least with that added weight over the rear axle, this thing was pulling wheelies in a straight line. It's quite something to behold.

Now, let's take a look inside because there are more gadgets and gizmos right here. Take these two levers with blue balls on top – they're called the slew of right; we've got one for the left wheel and one for the right wheel. Pull them at different times, and it's effectively like a hammer X – you can pull a handbrake turn or spin up those rear tires and get off down the straight. Essential kit in farm work if you watched no extras in the back as well; couple pairs of wellies spades, and look! You can even take your other half for a leisurely drive in the countryside.

That's all the main bits there is to say about the Track Tour – it's quite an achievement in engineering. And now, all that's left is to fire it up and have a listen.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enright so you've probably already seen the film in the TV show but in case you happen I'll give you a little reminder and the idea is this thing is Top Gear's solution to a problem that's plaguing Britain's roads namely slow tractors holding us all up so they've come up with this quite extraordinary thing it's called the track tour see what they're done there and it's such a special piece of engineering that I wanted to give you a tour while it's sitting here in the studio waiting for the presenters to come in first thing to mention it's Lamborghini orange obviously these lights are taken from an aerial Nomad because it's a racing tractor little bit of fun why not the whole basis for this car is the Chevrolet Blazer SUV it's an American car you might not have heard of it the engine too is a Chevy a 5.7 liter v8 producing 500 we hold the track tour oh these two cherry bomb exhaust classic boy racer specials twin stats of course in the middle here you can't see it is a transfer box taking fuel amber over 1.6 transfer box the idea is because these rear tires are so massive if you ran the standard ratios on the three-speed Auto well it'll be doing about 186 mile an hour top speed I'm not going anywhere fast so it's about shortening the ratios getting the acceleration better and getting this thing off the line I mentioned the wheels yeah they're quite significant aren't they the axle is to an eight lug axle down here that's a military spec axle and you need that to hold the whole thing together the centrifugal forces when these things are moving around is absolutely insane the tires by the way super swampers they imported from the US you can't buy them in the UK because they use too much oil in their production very American I like that come around the back now you'll notice a large hole here yeah in the film there's a second engine a 1.6 peugeot diesel engine in there and that drives the hedge cutter and the plow and all the other bits and bobs they stick on the back to make this thing actually useful and up there well that's a wing taken from stock car f1 apparently it has proper downforce well at least with that given the downforce that adding weight over the rear axle this thing was pulling wheelies in a straight line let's have a look inside because there's more gadgets and gizmos right these two levers over here with blue balls on the top they called the slew of right so we've got one for the left wheel one for the right wheel pull one at a time it's effectively like a hammer X you can pull a handbrake turn turn the six months spin up those rear tires and far off down the straight essential kit in farm work if you watched no extras in the back as well couple pairs of wellies spades and look you can even take your other half for a leisurely drive in the countryside so well thought through thing this that's all the main bits there's only one thing left to do and that's to fire it up and have a listen you youright so you've probably already seen the film in the TV show but in case you happen I'll give you a little reminder and the idea is this thing is Top Gear's solution to a problem that's plaguing Britain's roads namely slow tractors holding us all up so they've come up with this quite extraordinary thing it's called the track tour see what they're done there and it's such a special piece of engineering that I wanted to give you a tour while it's sitting here in the studio waiting for the presenters to come in first thing to mention it's Lamborghini orange obviously these lights are taken from an aerial Nomad because it's a racing tractor little bit of fun why not the whole basis for this car is the Chevrolet Blazer SUV it's an American car you might not have heard of it the engine too is a Chevy a 5.7 liter v8 producing 500 we hold the track tour oh these two cherry bomb exhaust classic boy racer specials twin stats of course in the middle here you can't see it is a transfer box taking fuel amber over 1.6 transfer box the idea is because these rear tires are so massive if you ran the standard ratios on the three-speed Auto well it'll be doing about 186 mile an hour top speed I'm not going anywhere fast so it's about shortening the ratios getting the acceleration better and getting this thing off the line I mentioned the wheels yeah they're quite significant aren't they the axle is to an eight lug axle down here that's a military spec axle and you need that to hold the whole thing together the centrifugal forces when these things are moving around is absolutely insane the tires by the way super swampers they imported from the US you can't buy them in the UK because they use too much oil in their production very American I like that come around the back now you'll notice a large hole here yeah in the film there's a second engine a 1.6 peugeot diesel engine in there and that drives the hedge cutter and the plow and all the other bits and bobs they stick on the back to make this thing actually useful and up there well that's a wing taken from stock car f1 apparently it has proper downforce well at least with that given the downforce that adding weight over the rear axle this thing was pulling wheelies in a straight line let's have a look inside because there's more gadgets and gizmos right these two levers over here with blue balls on the top they called the slew of right so we've got one for the left wheel one for the right wheel pull one at a time it's effectively like a hammer X you can pull a handbrake turn turn the six months spin up those rear tires and far off down the straight essential kit in farm work if you watched no extras in the back as well couple pairs of wellies spades and look you can even take your other half for a leisurely drive in the countryside so well thought through thing this that's all the main bits there's only one thing left to do and that's to fire it up and have a listen you you\n"