The Grand Tour's Opening Scene Cost A Staggering £2.5 Million To Make

We already know the budget for The Grand Tour - Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May’s new car show - is massive, with a £160 million kitty reported for the initial 36 episode run. And now, we’ve a good idea of how the production team will manage to burn through such a vast sum: the opening scene alone apparently cost a colossal £2.5 million to produce.

Granted, this is a figure being reported by The Sun - not exactly known as a bastion of accuracy - but it wouldn’t surprise us in the least if The Grand Tour splurged that much. Assuming they have, the opening scene will be the most expensive ever seen on the small screen.

So, what did the £2.5 million go on, other than a few steak dinners post-wrap? According to The Sun’s source, the scene involves the trio driving across California’s Lucerne Valley in three Ford Mustangs - one red, one blue and one white - followed by £20 million worth of cars including a Bugatti Veyron.

Adding to the massive logistical costs of getting the apparently 150-strong fleet of cars to the location were some 2000 fans, acrobats, and six jet planes. Should be suitably bombastic…