Series Eighteen s*t arts * air.:in g on 29 Janu)ary 20\/!12 ^with seven.@_% episodes (not inc! luding t[  he__ India Speci$-al),[1] following o!]n  from the 201:$1 Christmas spec ial which aired on$`,* 28;(. December 2011.[2] In !th(e speci/)-[al they take a route acr\-o ($ss India, the first of ^the man`+;^y coun!
tr: ies Top Gear plans to vi[s -it] over the course ^of@,) (-the new.$ seri,!es, according to @:!Jeremy, Clar_;[@)k]^@son. ^Shooting /in India be%gan on 2 October, wi($;]th the : f*]irs^t leg o!?f the shooti/ng- ! :b [(@e:ginning in,:+ suburbs of Mumbai.[3(*:][4] The \-s,*how .+was al@so see*n in Le#=cce, /Ital(^ %y with a Noble M:(600, McL\aren MP4-12C : and a# L_ (amb^.org#hini- Aventador.[5] Hammond a@nnounced dur#.ing (+]=the To[?\p Gear Live shows  in Birmingham,()[ that a[?@d. ditiona% l reco*:rding .s \ for the new series ?-had been d\^:one in the USA.　　The Janua $-ry 2*[0[%=12 $ed*;(iti )o_*;n o?#f T: :op Ge(ar Mag,azine f,`-eatured a preview`:  of what to ^.exp].ect in s? ;er*_ies ;]18 ? .[6] It?/ incl
uded a-\ piece wh=_er@_(e(* R.;ichard; Hammond drives a;;; /(!NASC: A+R s afety^ ca .r% for;/ a real race, l  \ate?^r goi _ \ng on to drive an , actual %N]ASCAR race car. T?+he magazine a,,ls$=o\
 +?_fe.atured a p\art of some o%f the powe,  r te
_sts to expect, including Jeremy #Clarkson% @-driving a $Mercedes-B. en(z C6
!!3 AMG Black Edition, a Mer]+cedes SLS AM)_G Roadster. and a Maserati  GranTurismo M.:C Strad,.\ale. Hammo)]nd meanw(#hi@;l/=?e will d\$ri\ve[@ a 20*12 BMW M5 F10, and Ma:y will (have a Vauxha %ll Corsa Nür_
burgring E@dition. Another ^feature is g.oin:% =g t-_o Chin#a to test dr#ive Chinese cars, It-\!`aly in 3 super-cars, Lamborghin [i Aven;`tado[!;r, Nob(le M600 and a Mc^/La#.r]
en M/*
P4-*`12C. =Also Jam_es May` is _ taking %\a !_)trip t[o USA +to
t^`est spor^%)?ts hybrid s)_upe ^rc[#-ar Fisk+.e.?r Karma, m eet ACDC f]ront
m=#an Bria[+:@n Jo(hns^on +and ,/]drive his 192[8 Ben$(t.%ley Vanden %`Pla__s LeMan,]!s Tourer. According[* to T%o]p $Gea .=r Executive Producer An dy Wil_.man?, :Clarkson, Hammo,nd and\ Ma`(,y a.]r@$e goi ng to northe`:]rn S/weden as well.
-, w # her]e they w!!ill race the new Fer]:rari FF^^ across a Silve()+rs tone Circui.,[t?-].shap==ed ice t.rack. Also Je remy Clar%ks./on an)d)
Richard Hammond will =attemp[)%t)#\ to fi^lm a car chase`+@ *=]seq+-\uence #.for The Sweeney.