According to reports, the opening scene of The Grand Tour cost over 2.5 million pounds ($3.2 million) to film and produce.



UK publication The Sun says that the scene was filmed in the Californian desert and depicts Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond driving three modified Ford Mustangs with a further 150 cars, 2,000 petrolheads, six jet planes, acrobats and stilt-walkers in toe.

It is claimed that the Mad Max-style opening “is the most expensive ever seen on the small screen”.

While the budget for the new Amazon show has never been confirmed, it is apparently in the region of 160 million pounds ($200 million) which spread over the confirmed three seasons works out to 4.5 million pounds ($5.7 million) per episode, significantly more than the BBC ever provided Top Gear with.

Beyond its dramatic opening scene, the only other thing known about the first episode of The Grand Tour is that the studio segments were filmed in the crew’s tent in Johannesburg, South Africa. It will air on November 18.

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