Despite the departure of Top Gear’s fan favourite presenters the show’s international appeal looks promising after Top Gear China aired its most watched episode ever in which its presenters raced across England in tanks to get to a Manchester United match.

The first five episodes of the second series have so far been viewed by more than 200 million viewers. The latest episode surpassed the 9 million average after it drew a record breaking 11 million viewers.

In it the Taiwanese actor-singer host races across England, using vehicles including a tank with his co-hosts in a battle for a single ticket to Manchester United v Everton.

The TV viewing figures were amplified by a huge online audience of 173 million across the series so far thanks to views across China’s eight biggest video platforms.

BBC Worldwide will take confidence in the enduring strength of the brand without of Clarkson, Hammond and May after fears that the brand’s £50m annual revenue from its international licenses could be hurt following their abrupt departure.

Paul Dempsey, president of global markets at BBC Worldwide, said the success in China “demonstrates the unique appeal of the world’s favourite motoring entertainment show.”

He added that it was “also a testament to a successful collaboration between our own UK producers and their Chinese counterparts who have recreated a British institution for a whole new audience.”

The success has been helped by the BBC’s majoring marketing efforts to promote the second season of the show in China with a 30ft high “Big Stig” which toured 10 cities across China ahead of the first episode.

The new-look British version of the hit BBC2 motoring show, with DJ and TV presenter Chris Evans as the lead host, is due to debut next year.