Home / Series / Air an Rathad / Aired Order /

All Seasons

Season 9

  • S09E01 Episode 1

    • January 5, 2016
    • BBC ALBA

    Donnie, Linda and Murray are back for more motoring fun, driving some of the greatest, most exciting, and most expensive cars on the market today. They take part in motor events and meet the car fans; and they are back on the road again, with the Air an Rathad Rally. Donnie is off to the Grampian Transport Museum in Alford for the "How Many Left", event: a car show with a difference. And it seems to have a bit of an unusual effect on him. Linda is driving BMW's new baby M car, the M2. With the recent M3 having grown up a bit, can the M2 put the fun factor back into the German manufacturers arsenal? And the teams find out what they have in store for them in this year's Ralaidh na Trealaich. They find themselves in an unfamiliar location with no sign of any cars. Will all become clear?

  • S09E02 Episode 2

    • January 6, 2017
    • BBC ALBA

    It's been over 20 years since the Porsche Boxster first appeared on our driveways. Murray tries out the older versions and compares them to the latest model. Recent changes, including dropping two cylinders and adding a turbo has made it more economical, but has it also reduced the fun factor? Driving a new Rolls Royce is certainly an event for anyone, and Donnie is the lucky chap who is handed the keys and charged with testing it - but is it the car for him? And the Air An Rathad Rally teams continue their island adventures in Ralaidh na Trealaich. The Orange team's win last week may not have been a surprise given the size of their vehicle, but it hasn't helped them bond with their little Smart car.

  • S09E03 Episode 3

    • January 19, 2017
    • BBC ALBA

    This week on Air An Rathad, Linda takes part in one of the oldest forms of motorsport: The Hill Climb. Specifically, the Doune Hill Climb. And she'll be competing in one of the oldest designed new cars you can buy today, a Morgan Plus 4. And as Morgan has also brought out a new Aero 8, she gives that a go as well. Murray sees if the Peugeot 208 GTI by PeugeotSport can recapture the magic of Peugeot's iconic 205 GTI hot-hatch of the 80s. PeugeotSport has been responsible for the racing side of Peugeot for decades, so hopefully their magic touch can bring this 208 alive. And the teams slow down the pace in this weeks Ralaidh na Trealaich. After last week's high-flying excitement on the beach, this time the teams are in a car park, somewhere in South Uist.

  • S09E04 Episode 4

    • January 26, 2017
    • BBC ALBA

    Donnie spends a day with the, "Boys in Blue", and finds out what's involved to become a police driver and Linda finds out all about Suzuki's latest small car, which sits alongside their other two small cars, the Swift and the Celerio. The Swift is aimed at driving enjoyment, the Celerio affordability. So what's the new Baleno all about? And the teams meet up at Benbecula Airport for the next challenge in Ralaidh na Trealaich. The Blue team seem much happier with their Volvo, than the Orange team with their Smart. The Orange team are still ahead on points though. Could this be the challenge where the Blues claw some of that lead back.

  • S09E05 Episode 5

    • February 2, 2017
    • BBC ALBA

    Murray tries out the latest offering from Bentley and a first for the luxury carmaker: an SUV. The Bentley Bentayga costs three times as much as the latest Volvo XC90, itself at the premium end of the SUV market. Can the Bentley possibly be three times as good as the Volvo? Murray conducts three real-world tests to find out. Donnie has long been a fan of fast Fords. Ever since the Focus RS was announced, he's been badgering the production team to drive it. They finally relented and let him indulge in his reminiscing. So will the RS live up to Donnie's expectations, or will it be a case of never meeting your heroes? And this week the Air An Rathad team have crossed onto Harris where they're heading to the wonderful Golden Road. What will be in store for them once they get there?

  • S09E06 Episode 6

    • February 9, 2017
    • BBC ALBA

    Donnie drives the latest Ford Mustang, which is available as a right hand drive for the first time. It's got modern multilink suspension too, so is this a Mustang, a proper drivers car, rather than a slice of Americana? And when Donnie meets up with members of the Moray Muscle Group, will they like it enough for Donnie to join them on a cruise? Linda takes the second generation Mini Clubman to the roads around Torridon to see if this Mini for grown-ups has come of age. The previous Clubman had wonky doors, which didn't make sense in the UK. Will this car's more conventional arrangement make the car more practical as Mini intended? The teams head to a kart track in their respective steeds for the latest instalment of Ralaidh na Trealaich. The Blue team's Volvo is a wobbly, underpowered estate; the Smart is a small underpowered city car. Consequently, neither is especially suited to track work. How will they get on?

  • S09E07 Episode 7

    • February 17, 2017
    • BBC ALBA

    Linda is learning how to be part of a rally service crew with mechanic Ian Ross. She uses the skills she learns to assist the team, as driver Mairi Ross takes part in the Rally Hebrides. She'll need to operate as smoothly and quickly as possible to ensure the car is fully prepared to tackle each stage. Murray is testing Jaguar's first entry into the competitive SUV market, the F-Pace, both on and off road. While most SUV's rarely see anything more challenging than a muddy track, Murray takes it up the Lecht ski slopes treacherous access road to see how it copes. If it survives that, how will it drive on the road? And the Air An Rathad Rally teams head to Stornoway airport for a challenge where they leave their cars behind, and move up to something a little larger. None of the teams has driven a lorry before, so when faced with a 50-foot articulated tanker who will master it the best?

  • S09E08 Episode 8

    • February 23, 2017
    • BBC ALBA

    Murray takes a look at the history of vehicle safety systems and how they have evolved, so that today's cars are much safer than those of the past. He is driving, or should that be being driven in, a car, that is capable of driving itself. It's a Mercedes E-Class fitted with Driving Assistance Plus, a £1,600 option that takes control of the car for you. Does Murray think it's a safe option? Donnie is driving a MacLaren 570S, a £140,000 sports car with the performance of a supercar that's designed to be used every day. Is this really a car for popping to the shops or driving the daily commute in? And it's the final of Ralaidh na Trealaich. With the Blue team leading and five points up for grabs, the Orange team can still draw level. With a wonderful trophy at stake, both teams are desperate to win.