Top Gear Botswana - Cars

Mostly dependable, though it nearly "drowned" during a river crossing and suffered a broken steering rack after hitting a tree root.

Richard Hammond bought a 1963 Opel Kadett , a small, robust German car that he affectionately nicknamed "Oliver."

It was a stylish, front-wheel-drive Italian sports car with decent performance.

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. top gear botswana cars

The Cars of the Top Gear Botswana Special: A Definitive Guide

As a running joke and penalty system, the producers decreed that if any presenter's car broke down permanently, they would be forced to drive the "backup car": a 1968 Volkswagen Beetle.

Hammond famously bought a white, two-door Opel Kadett for just £400—well under budget. He named it "Oliver." This was the quintessential "Hamster" move: buying a car so old (over 40 years at filming) that it predated most safety regulations. Mostly dependable, though it nearly "drowned" during a

The Lancia, affectionately known for its fragility, actually survived, though it was later found in Botswana, stripped and sun-damaged, showing the brutal aftermath of the trip. It famously had to survive a deep river crossing, leading to it being modified with "gull-wing" style doors after being submerged.

The Botswana Special is consistently rated as the most popular episode in Top Gear history, garnering over 20 million views on YouTube. It defined the "Special" format.

Jeremy chose a Lancia Beta Coupé, a decision that most car enthusiasts viewed as a death sentence given Lancia’s reputation for rust and unreliability. Throughout the journey, the Lancia suffered from constant electrical failures and structural issues. To save weight for the salt pans, Jeremy famously stripped the car of its doors and hood. Despite the Lancia being "the most unreliable car in the world," it miraculously finished the journey, earning Jeremy's genuine respect. Richard Hammond’s 1963 Opel Kadett (Oliver) If any presenter’s vehicle broke down permanently, they

However, the Lancia’s fragile Italian constitution couldn't handle the abuse. The gearbox seized, the suspension collapsed, and eventually, the engine gave up the ghost. But before it died, it gave us one of the show's most iconic images: Clarkson, topless, driving a crumpled sports car through a river crossing, looking like a fashion model on a disastrous shoot. It was a tragic, beautiful end to a car that tried too hard.

May wanted reliability above all else. He assumed the heavy German sedan would comfortably outlast the Lancia and the Opel.