SeriesEighteenstartsairingon29January2012withsevenepisodes(notincludingtheIndiaSpecial),[1]followingonfromthe2011Christmasspecialwhichairedon28December2011.[2]InthespecialtheytakearouteacrossIndia,thefirstofthemanycountriesTopGearplanstovisitoverthecourseofthenewseries,accordingtoJeremyClarkson.ShootinginIndiabeganon2October,withthefirstlegoftheshootingbeginninginsuburbsofMumbai.[3][4]TheshowwasalsoseeninLecce,ItalywithaNobleM600,McLarenMP4-12CandaLamborghiniAventador.[5]HammondannouncedduringtheTopGearLiveshowsinBirmingham,thatadditionalrecordingsforthenewserieshadbeendoneintheUSA.　　TheJanuary2012editionofTopGearMagazinefeaturedapreviewofwhattoexpectinseries18.[6]ItincludedapiecewhereRichardHammonddrivesaNASCARsafetycarforarealrace,latergoingontodriveanactualNASCARracecar.Themagazinealsofeaturedapartofsomeofthepowerteststoexpect,includingJeremyClarksondrivingaMercedes-BenzC63AMGBlackEdition,aMercedesSLSAMGRoadsterandaMaseratiGranTurismoMCStradal