TG's Polar special: now on Facebook

We like dealing in faintly ridiculous facts here at Top Gear, so here's another one: at over 8.8 million, our Facebook page now has more members than the entire population of Austria. And look out Azerbaijan, you're next.

We knew we had to do something to reward our medium-sized nation-state of fans, so aside from the daily news, videos and other car-based nonsense that you've been enjoying, we've come up with a few more plans.

And here's the first: from today, you can now watch full-length episodes of Top Gear on Facebook itself, starting with our special race to the North Pole. Over the coming weeks we're going to be putting up some of our favourite specials from over the years, as well as a rare film that you probably won't have seen before.

If you're a fan of our Facebook page you can redeem Facebook credits to rent the films for two days, and then watch them at any time. And if you're so inclined, you can even keep your chat window open throughout so you don't miss out on what your friends are having for lunch/breakfast/dinner/midnight feast.

To watch Top Gear on Facebook, click here

If you're unfamiliar with the first film on Facebook - Top Gear's Polar Special - then you may want to look at some of the dramatic pictures from the three presenters' perilous 450 mile race to the magnetic north of this planet.

Gallery: Top Gear's Polar special

First aired in 2007, and the first ever Top Gear broadcast in HD, the film also saw starring support roles for Jeremy and James' Toyota Hilux, Richard's team of huskies and the rather frost-bitten support crew. And given the combined extreme cold weather experience consisted solely of Jeremy's biannual skiing holiday and James once building a really big snowman, it was never going to be easy.

Did they make it? Did anything blow up in the sub-zero conditions? Did the Stig wrestle an entire family of polar bears into submission? You'll have to watch on Facebook to find out the result, but here's a taste of the entire film: