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The Grand Tour Presents: Lochdown | Average Guy TV Review

 


Clarkson, Hammond and May are off on another adventure, and during lockdown. This time they're driving across Scotland in three American cars from the 1970's, in an attempt to discover why cars from across the pond never really took off here in the UK. Which can only mean one thing... no caravan is safe!


You'd think a road trip in 2020 wouldn't be all that entertaining, instead, Lochdown actually proves to be one of The Grand Tour's better episodes, in recent memory anyway. The fact is the car nut trio's last couple of outings have been a little gimmicky, but the restrictions forced them to go back to basics with this one. Which as it turns out, is a very good thing. The whole thing actually feels less scripted, like they were able to rely on the random occurrences that can occur with any road trip. It certainly doesn't take long for the laughs to start flowing. Lochdown actually feels like classic Top Gear - three loveable idiots pissing about in cars. And it doesn't get more fun than that!

After a year and a half of this pandemic many people are really missing their holidays, and Lochdown probably won't help. At the very least it inspires a desire to hit the road. Right now a road trip pretty much anywhere would sound like fun. But a trip across beautiful - but bitterly cold - Scotland with your mates, in three of the most ridiculous cars known to man, that sounds like the adventure of a lifetime! Although maybe without the caravans.



Speaking of, when was the last time we saw these guys destroy a caravan? Exactly! It's about time they got back to that all important mission. The house on wheels will certainly never look as comical as it does attached to three American parade floats. Ironically, thanks to Covid the entire film crew had to tow caravans on this trip. Where else were they going to stay? Scottish castles?

It doesn't take long for our heroes to show why these hilarious cars never took off outside the states. Forget the incredibly low MPG, and the piss poor horsepower they get from insanely large engines. What it boils down to is they literally - and hilariously - do not fit on our island. Seeing a Lincoln, a Cadillac and a Buick defeated by the city of Edinburgh - by which I mean a few tight junctions and a slight hill - is not only telling, it's hysterical. But that's the best part of The Grand Tour; laughing at automotive shenanigans. And these three parade floats, along with their nutty drivers, certainly lend themselves to that. 


A back to basics adventure that proves to be one of The Grand Tour's recent bests. It's funny from the off and brings with it a desire to hit the road.

9/10


The Grand Tour Presents: Lochdown is available on Amazon Prime Video.



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