AC45 Goes Up Against Car in BBC’s Top Gear Show

An America’s Cup AC45 wingsail catamaran will feature in a race against a car in the record-breaking BBC Top Gear show. The Cat vs. Car episode airs in the UK Sunday June 30th, and in the US on July 8th, followed by the other 212 countries around the world where broadcast BBC Top Gear is broadcast.

The race, filmed in March this year, pitted the world’s most successful Olympic sailor, Ben Ainslie, against the host of the world’s biggest factual show, Jeremy Clarkson. Ainslie and his ORACLE TEAM USA crew raced their AC45, with co-presenter James May aboard, against Clarkson who was driving a car in New Zealand’s North Island.

BBC Top Gear presenters are no strangers to fast, extreme and extraordinary machines. James May’s ride aboard Ainslie’s AC45 delivered this in open ocean sailing. But, was Jeremy Clarkson’s journey by road any easier?

The Cat vs Car race features in Program 1 of the hit show’s 20th series.

The 2013 Guinness World Record Book crowned BBC Top Gear as the world’s most widely watched factual TV program.

Broadcast details:
UK – Sunday June 30 at 8.00pm on BBC2
USA – Monday July 8th at 7.30pm on BBC America (check local listings). Details

Watch the season trailer here