New Top Gear presenter Rory Reid has said filming the first episode of the series in Kazakhstan was a highlight because it “brought us all together really nicely”.

Motoring journalist Rory, 37, last year won the public vote to star in Top Gear, but has returned this year as a co-host alongside Chris Harris and Friends star Matt LeBlanc.

The trio will visit a number of exotic locations in the 24th series of the BBC Two series including Cuba, Montenegro and United Arab Emirates.

He told Press Association: “We were in this very unusual place, miles away from home and for the three of us it was the first time we’d actually stood together in front of the camera on location.

“We had no idea what was going to happen or how it was going to turn out, but through that week of shooting I think we ended up doing so many incredible things together, like challenges and races, and having that culminate in this amazing thing at the of the adventure, I think that brought us all together really nicely.”

During the course of the new series, viewers will also get to see them slip behind the wheel of some impressive sets of wheels that include a Bugatti Chiron, described on the French luxury manufacturers official website as “the world’s most powerful, fastest, most luxurious and most exclusive production super sports car”.

Car enthusiasts will also see them driving a Ferrari FXX K, of which there are only 40 in the world.

Chris said: “You’d expect to get one if you were lucky, one uber, hyper, porno crazy super car, we’ve got three in this series and that is mega.”

Flashy horse power aside, Matt joked that they “also get to drive some of the absolute worst s**t boxes, which is also fun”.

The former Friends star said he developed a soft spot for the used cars they purchased in Kazakhstan, adding: “When it was all over we all developed a fondness for those vehicles and it was kind of sad to see them go.”

:: The new series of Top Gear starts on March 5 at 8pm on BBC Two.