But this little car became the heart of the episode. Hammond instantly bonded with it, christening it "Oliver," and that attachment only grew as it outperformed the more glamorous cars. At the Makgadikgadi Salt Flats, while Clarkson and May had to strip their cars, the lightweight Oliver crossed without a single major modification. The only major scare came when it was partially submerged while fording a river, leading to Hammond's desperate late-night repairs and the legendary cry of "Oliver!" he made when restarting the car. The moment remains one of the most emotional in Top Gear history.
Long thought scrapped, the original car was found on blocks in Botswana by fans in 2021. Clarkson was reunited with it during his final filming in 2024. Key Challenges and Modifications
: The "hero" of the trip. Due to its extreme lightness, it skipped across the Makgadikgadi salt pans while the others sank.
Jeremy Clarkson chose a 1981 Lancia Beta Coupé. Lancia is a brand legendary for its beautiful styling and rallying pedigree, but equally infamous for atrocious reliability and catastrophic rust issues. top gear botswana cars
A memorable moment came when the team introduced "The Stig's African Cousin," a local version of the show's masked test driver. Dressed in a loincloth and his signature white helmet, he attempted to set lap times for the three cars. Oliver managed a time of 1:12, May's Mercedes set a time of 1:06. However, when Clarkson's Lancia failed to start, the African Stig simply walked away.
showcased May’s love for engineering, logic, and quiet endurance.
Are you inspired to buy one of these cars? Here is the 2024 market reality check: But this little car became the heart of the episode
To cope with the suffocating heat and dust, Clarkson was forced to strip the Lancia down to its bare bones. He removed the doors, the hood, the boot lid, and most of the interior trim to reduce weight and improve airflow. Despite the constant breakdowns and the fact that it was completely open to the elements—including dust storms and swarming insects—the Lancia miraculously survived the journey to the Namibian border. Clarkson frequently declared it the most unreliable car that somehow never actually died. 3. The Mercedes-Benz 230E: James May’s Unstoppable Tank Vehicle Overview 2.3-liter inline-4 (M102) Power: Approximately 134 horsepower Drive Layout: Front-engine, rear-wheel drive Performance in the Desert
The expedition was the first time cars had successfully crossed the Makgadikgadi salt pans, though the environmental impact remains a point of historical discussion among fans. The cars’ fates varied significantly after filming: was donated to an advisor who assisted the crew. The
The W123 is legendary for being practically indestructible and is frequently used as a bush taxi across Africa. The only major scare came when it was
in a river, but the car was miraculously revived by the team's bush mechanics Wildlife Protection
Captain Slow took a predictably sensible approach. May bought a 1985 Mercedes-Benz 230E (W123), a car famously robust and widely used across Africa. It was known for its durability, strong build, and ease of repair with readily available spare parts.
To prevent overheating, Clarkson removed the bonnet and doors, which invited clouds of choking dust into the cabin.
If you are looking for the original Lancia or Mercedes from the special, they were last reported to be in private hands in Botswana.
The Kadett was incredibly simple, lightweight, and lacked complex electronics that could break down in the wilderness.