Top Gear Botswana Cars May 2026

| Requirement | Best choice (real world) | Avoid | |--------------|--------------------------|-------| | Crossing salt flats | Toyota Hilux/ Land Cruiser (or any car with sealed electrics and good rust-proofing) | Lancia Beta (dissolves) | | Deep sand / mud | Light 4x2 with high ground clearance (e.g., old Mercedes W123) | Heavy 4x4 without diff locks | | Repairability in rural Africa | Mercedes W123, Peugeot 504, old Toyota Corolla | Anything with computers or rare parts | | Overheating risk | Mechanical fan + simple cooling (Mercedes) | Electric fan + tiny radiator (Lancia) |

The Price: £1,500 (on the nose) The Philosophy: Style and comfort.

Jeremy Clarkson has historically hated Lancia. He once famously called them "Italy’s contribution to therust bucket industry." So, it was a shock when he arrived in Botswana with a rust-free, electric-blue Lancia Beta Coupe.

His argument was simple: for the budget of a cheap suit, he had bought a proper Italian sports car. Initially, it seemed he had pulled a masterstroke. It had a luxurious interior, it didn't leak, and it looked magnificent against the African sunset. top gear botswana cars

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.

Conclusion: Best overall choice for Botswana overland travel; strong blend of capability and serviceability.

The Top Gear Botswana Special represents a bygone era of television. It captured the spirit of adventure in a way that felt spontaneous and real. It gave us "Oliver," it gave us Clarkson hacking his car to pieces with an axe, and it proved that a Mercedes W123 is essentially indestructible. | Requirement | Best choice (real world) |

Years later, automotive enthusiasts still talk about that trek across the Kalahari. It wasn't just about cars; it was about perseverance, friendship, and the joy of a terrible journey in good company.

In a move that baffled his co-hosts, Hammond bought a beige 1963 Opel Kadett. It was boxy, slow, and seemingly the least capable off-roader imaginable. Clarkson and May mocked him relentlessly, calling it "boring." However, the Kadett was built with simple, agricultural toughness. It was light, easy to fix, and unburdened by complex electronics. Hammond named the car "Oliver," and over the course of the trip, a genuine love affair blossomed between man and machine.

The Botswana Special is frequently voted by fans as the greatest Top Gear episode ever made. There are several reasons for this: In the end, the Mercedes won the challenge,

The challenge was deceptively simple: Buy a car for no more than £1,500 that represents the "soul of motoring." Drive it from the Botswana/Zimbabwe border, across the brutal, waterlogged flats of the Okavango Delta, and finish 1,000 miles later at the Makgadikgadi Pan.

Forced to live without support crews or modern 4x4s, the trio picked three vehicles that, on paper, were spectacularly bad choices for Africa.

The Botswana Special remains the gold standard for a reason. It wasn't just about the cars; it was about the balance of the trio.

In the end, the Mercedes won the challenge, but the fans won the memories. We learned that you can drive across a country with a sewing machine strapped to your bonnet (long story), that showering in a waterfall is harder than it looks, and that a £1,500 budget can buy you an adventure of a lifetime.

What was your favorite moment from the Botswana Special? Let us know in the comments