Editing Fire Up the Quattro (Mini Episode)

{{Infobox episode
|episode name = Fire Up the Quattro
| image    = [[File:top gear.jpg|400px|The "Hamster".]]
| airdate  = 14 November 2008
| writer = N/A
| director = N/A
| previous = [[Alex's Big Day]]
| next     = [[Series 2: Episode 1 (Ashes to Ashes)|Series 2: Episode 1]]
}}
'''Fire Up the Quattro''' (also known as '''Top Gear Meets Ashes to Ashes''') is a [[Non Canon|non-canon]] mini-episode of [[Ashes to Ashes]] made for Children in Need 2008. It guest starred (then) Top Gear presenter [[Richard Hammond]] as himself.

==Plot==
While admiring the [[Audi Quattro]] in [[1981]], Richard Hammond is caught on the scene by [[DCI Gene Hunt]] and demanded to raise his hands in the air. After revealing his admiration for the car, he asks politely for a test drive which Hunt reluctantly agrees to after discovering Hammond co-hosts [[Top Gear|a car show]] "with two other blokes" and that his nickname was "Hamster" due to his height and name. Hammond gets behind the wheel and "Jessica" by the Allman Brothers (which is also the ''Top Gear'' theme) plays as he slams the Quattro into reverse. He then pulls off two smooth J-turns, then pulls alongside [[DI Alex Drake]] and invites her to join and "meet the Stig". Due to Hammond's expert driving skill, Drake agrees and Hunt walks away humiliated, telling [[DC Chris Skelton]] to shut up.

==Cast==
[[File:Hammond Hunt.jpg|thumb|left|300px|The Manc Lion meets the Hamster]].
*[[DCI Gene Hunt]] - [[Philip Glenister]]
*[[DI Alex Drake]] - [[Keeley Hawes]]
*[[DC Chris Skelton]] - [[Marshall Lancaster]]
*[[DS Ray Carling]] - [[Dean Andrews]]
*[[Richard Hammond]] - Himself

==Canonicity==
This episode is non-canon because behind DCI Hunt, DI Drake, DC Skelton and DS Carling have cars and vans that would not be made until the 21st Century. It is also non-canon because Hammond refers to the 2002 format of Top Gear which DI Drake recognises as a programme of "boys with their toys".

==Appearances==
{{App
|dramatis personae=
*[[DCI Gene Hunt]]
*[[DI Alex Drake]]
*[[DS Ray Carling]]
*[[DC Chris Skelton]]
|other characters=
*[[Richard Hammond]] {{C|First appearance}}
|creatures=
|events=
|locations=
*[[London car park]] {{C|First appearance}}
|organizations=
*[[Top Gear]]
|vehicles=
*[[Audi Quattro]]
*[[Toyota Yaris]]
*[[Caravan]]
|technology=
|miscellanea=
*[[The Manc lion]]
*[[Hamster]]
*[[Jeremy Clarkson]] {{C|Mentioned}}
*[[James May]] {{C|Mentioned}}
*[[The Stig]] {{C|Mentioned}}
*[[Pudsey Bear plush toy]]
}}

==Music==
*The Allman Brothers — ''Jessica''

==Trivia==
*The title of the episode of based on the quote "Let's fire up the [[Audi Quattro|Quattro]]" which DCI Hunt makes before him and the CID team set off to rescue the kidnapped [[WPC Sharon Granger]] ([[Series 1: Episode 1 (Ashes to Ashes)|A2A ''Series 1: Episode 1'']]).

==See also==
*[[Ashes to Ashes does Sport Relief]]

==External Links==
*[http://www.bbc.co.uk/pudsey/ The Children in Need website]
*[https://topgear.wikia.com/wiki/Fire_up_the_Quattro ''Fire up the Quattro'' on the ''Top Gear'' Wiki]


{{Episodes}}
[[Category:Non Canon]]
[[Category:Ashes to Ashes episodes]]