Features

Mazda MX-5 vs greyhound
Top Gear has always loved the Mazda MX-5. But now, 15 years after the original MX-5 came along, there's a brand new one and that's a worry. What if they've accidentally chucked away all the agile joy of the old car?

Well, Mazda claim not, and they're boasting of the sacred Japanese principles like jinba ittai - horse and rider in perfect harmony - which guided its development. So, to find out if the new MX-5 handles as well as its predecessor, we employed a principle of our own which we call 'Chaseu Dogu'.

In other words, we sent Hammond to have a race against a greyhound. The car can do 0-60 in 7.9secs. But the dog can hit 45mph in just six strides. So, a pretty even race. Although the Mazda doesn't need to follow a stuffed bunny.

Audi RS4 vs rock climber
The new Audi RS4 is reckoned to be an impressive bit of kit. Some think it might even have the measure of the BMW M3. But, frankly, that's irrelevant, as Top Gear answers the question that everyone's been asking: can the new goatee-grilled super saloon beat a man to the top of a rock face?

The setting for this remarkable challenge is the Verdon Gorge in France, often called Europe's Grand Canyon (by the French tourist board). The climber is Leo Houlding, who is brave for a living, and the driver is Jeremy Clarkson, who isn't.

Clearly the Audi can't drive up a cliff face, but happily someone has built a road up the gorge, perfect for testing the car's acceleration and handling. No such gentle gradients for the climber, he's going straight up sheer rock with only a slim rope keeping him from going home in a bucket. Prepare for epic scenery, buttock-clenching bravery and an ending you simply cannot miss.