Top Gear Botswana Cars ❲95% VALIDATED❳

is usually the first words out of their mouth. It was the first time Clarkson, Hammond, and May were sent to a foreign land with a shoestring budget ($1,500 each) and a simple goal: drive 1,000 miles across the Kalahari Desert and the Okavango Delta to the Namibian border.

May's Mercedes performed exactly as expected: like a tank. It handled the rough terrain with minimal complaints, providing a comfortable, air-conditioned ride while the others suffered.

"Oliver" was the only car to survive the trip in good condition and was shipped back to the UK, where it remains in Hammond's possession. 3. James May: 1985 Mercedes-Benz 230E

When selecting a , there are several key features to consider:

The final stretch required modifying the cars with makeshift wildlife protection (such as wood and metal bars) to protect against lions and elephants, alongside deep water crossings that threatened to hydrolock the engines. Where Are the Cars Now?

While other specials—the Polar Special or the Middle East journey—had higher stakes, the Botswana episode is often cited as the perfect blend of stunning cinematography, mechanical brutality, and the chemistry of three friends suffering together in terrible cars.

For more details on the production and episode specifics, you can visit the Top Gear Botswana Special Wikipedia page or view behind-the-scenes clips on Instagram .

won the hearts of millions of viewers worldwide, proving that a basic, lightweight car with zero electronics can sometimes outperform modern engineering marvels.

The W123 series Mercedes is known as one of the most durable cars ever made. The challenge wasn't whether it would survive, but rather if it could handle the deep sand without stalling, given its weight.

Most adventure content shows you pristine Land Rovers with roof tents and $10k of gear. Top Gear showed three idiots fixing a Lancia with zip ties, a hammer, and desperation.

A running gag in Top Gear specials was the introduction of a universally disliked backup car. If any presenter’s vehicle broke down permanently, they would be forced to drive a 1968 Volkswagen Beetle.

The trio was instructed to drive across it. Hammond and May made steady progress, but Clarkson’s Lancia, with its low ground clearance, dug itself into a hole. The struggle to extract the car was agonizing. Clarkson, in a fit of desperation, stripped the car down to save weight—removing the doors, bonnet, and bumpers. He resorted to cutting up the upholstery and using the foam as traction mats. It was a desperate, ingenious move that highlighted the show's core theme: fixing cars with hammers and anger.

Clarkson’s choice was the most technically fragile. Historically plagued by rust and electrical issues, the Lancia was an "unsuitable" choice by design. To survive the heat, Clarkson famously removed the car's doors and hood to increase airflow—a modification that eventually compromised the structural integrity and invited Botswana's dust into every internal component. Opel Kadett " (Hammond)

, this car was praised for its build quality despite the harsh conditions. After the trip, it was donated to an adviser who assisted the production team. 1968 Volkswagen Beetle

This public link is valid for 7 days and shares a thread, including any personal information you added. This link or copies made by others cannot be deleted. If you share with third parties, their policies apply. Can’t copy the link right now. Try again later.

Despite being the most unreliable car on paper, it technically made it to the finish line, proving that "soul" sometimes beats logic. 1985 Mercedes-Benz 230E James May opted for German reliability with a W123 Mercedes . It was the sensible choice—until it wasn't.