Full Metal Challenge

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Country of originUnited Kingdom
No. of series1
No. of episodes13
Full Metal Challenge
StarringCathy Rogers Henry Rollins
Country of originUnited Kingdom
No. of series1
No. of episodes13
Production
Production locationRichborough Power Station
Running time1 hour 60mins (inc. comms)
Original release
NetworkChannel 4
Release6 April (2003-04-06) 
6 July 2003 (2003-07-06)

Full Metal Challenge was a television series made by RDF Media for Channel 4 in the UK and the Learning Channel in the United States.[1] It ran for one season from 2002 to 2003.[2] Hosted by series creator Cathy Rogers and Henry Rollins, the show was very similar to Rogers' last show, Scrapheap Challenge. It was filmed in the United Kingdom with a budget of approx £6.5 million on location at the disused Richborough Power Station just outside Sandwich in Kent.

Twenty-seven teams from around the world compete in the challenge. Each team consists of 3 people. The teams were all given 1 month and $3000 USD (exchanged to their country's respective currency) to build a vehicle that "could withstand anything." Teams did not know ahead of time exactly what the events would be and how they would work. Periodically during the build, a technical advisor would visit the teams to make sure the vehicles would pass safety regulations and to make sure they stayed legal for the tournament. They were also required to be no heavier than 3 tons and/or wider than 8 feet (for the hall of mirrors). Cars ended up being loud, noisy, big, and destructive (qualities relished by the show's co-host, Henry Rollins).

In each show, 3 machines competed. In the first round, there were 9 heats, each of which involved one machine from the United Kingdom, one from North America, and one from another country (Chile, India, Australia, China, Iceland, Germany, Russia, South Africa and New Zealand). The team that won a challenge got 3 points, placed 2nd got 2, and 3rd placed got 1, with a failure to finish worth 0 points and a tie worth half a point. After the 3rd challenge, the machine with the lowest score was "incinerated" and the top 2 progressed to the Sumo round.

Results

Episode 1: Chile - 9, United States - 6, UK - 3 | Sumo Final - Chile d. United States via Knockout

Episode 2: United States - 7, UK - 6, India - 5 | Sumo Final - United States d. UK via Technical Knockout

Episode 3: United States - 8, Australia - 5.5, UK - 4.5 | Sumo Final - Australia d. United States via Knockout

Episode 4: United States - 8, China - 5, UK - 2 | Sumo Final - China d. United States via Technical Knockout

Episode 5: United States - 8, UK - 6, South Africa - 4 | Sumo Final - UK d. United States via Decision

Episode 6: Canada - 7, Germany - 6, UK 5 | Sumo Final - Canada d. Germany via Knockout

Episode 7: Iceland - 7, United States - 6, UK - 5 | Sumo Final - Iceland d. United States via Ring Out

Episode 8: UK - 9, Russia - 5, United States - 4 | Sumo Final - UK d. Russia via Ring Out

Episode 9: New Zealand - 8.5, Scotland - 4.5, United States - 2 | Sumo Final - New Zealand d. Scotland via Technical Knockout

Episode 10: UK - 8, Australia - 6, China - 4 | Sumo Final - UK d. Australia via Ring Out

Episode 11: Canada - 7, UK - 6, New Zealand - 5 | Sumo Final - Canada d. UK via Knockout

Episode 12: Iceland - 8, Chile - 7, United States - 3 | Sumo Final - Chile d. Iceland via Decision

Episode 13: UK - 8, Canada - 6, Chile - 4 | Sumo Final - UK d. Canada via Knockout

Tournament play

The vehicles competed in a series of events, with each episode showing the competition between 3 vehicles. After the events, the teams each received points based on their performance, usually 3 for 1st place, 2 for 2nd place, 1 for 3rd place, though contestants could score 0 points for not completing a course, or share points if they got the same score). After all the events were complete, the team with the lowest score had to watch their car blow up, though it was feigned for effect. The two winning teams faced off in a sumo wrestling match. The winner of Sumo advanced to the next round of the tournament.

Events

References

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