Top Gear Botswana Cars Verified [2025]

. Because all three presenters shared a deep-seated hatred for the

Jeremy Clarkson chose a 1981 Lancia Beta Coupé, a decision that epitomized his "ambitious but rubbish" mantra. Lancias of this era were notorious for two things: beautiful styling and catastrophic rust. The Gamble

James May lived up to his "Captain Slow" persona by selecting a 1985 Mercedes-Benz 230E (W123 generation). Universally praised for its bulletproof engineering, the W123 Mercedes was the vehicle of choice for African taxi drivers for decades. May’s strategy was pure logic: buy the most reliable car ever built. The Ultimate Survivor top gear botswana cars

: Kept standard until the final leg, where it was stripped down to the bare metal to navigate the delta. Performance on the Journey

Jeremy Clarkson chose a 1981 Lancia Beta Coupé, a car notorious for two things: beautiful Italian styling and catastrophic rust. Why the Choice Was Risky The Gamble James May lived up to his

Unlike Clarkson's complex Lancia, the Opel Kadett was mechanically primitive. It featured a tiny 1.0-liter, 4-cylinder engine, leaf-spring suspension, and virtually no electronics. Its lightweight footprint allowed it to float over the treacherous crust of the salt flats where heavier vehicles would sink. The Near-Disaster in the Delta

Jeremy Clarkson opted for glamour and performance over sensibility by choosing a 1981 Lancia Beta Coupé. Lancia is a brand historically synonymous with two things: brilliant rally heritage and atrocious mechanical reliability. Clarkson's car suffered from a relentless barrage of electrical faults, overheating issues, and structural failures from the moment the tires hit the dirt. Cruel Modifications The Ultimate Survivor : Kept standard until the

May's Mercedes was the unsung hero of the expedition. While Clarkson's Lancia broke down and Hammond's Opel sank, the Mercedes quietly and comfortably conquered the salt flats, deep sand, and rocky trails. It suffered almost no mechanical failures, proving May’s sensible logic entirely correct. The Backup Car: 1968 Volkswagen Beetle

Hammond bonded so deeply with the car that he named it "Oliver" and officially imported it back to the UK, where it remains in his collection today. 🇩🇪 James May’s 1985 Mercedes-Benz 230E (W123)

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

was eventually restored and shipped back to the UK, where it remains in Hammond’s personal collection today. 1981 Lancia Beta Coupé