Top Gear Botswana Cars ◎

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.

Leaving the salt pans, the route headed into the Kalahari. Here, the challenge wasn't getting stuck, but surviving the environment. The cars had to navigate dense bush, fighting against thorns that shredded tires and overheating engines. The Price: £1,500 (on the nose) The Philosophy:

It was during this leg that the Lancia finally began to die. The heat was too much. Yet, in a display of mechanical sympathy that defied logic, Clarkson managed to keep it running. He famously discovered that the car would only start if he poured water over the starter motor, a routine he performed daily.

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. His argument was simple: for the budget of

The setup was simple but genius. The three presenters were tasked with buying a car for less than £1,500 (approximately $3,000 at the time) in the UK. Once purchased, they were told to ship the cars to Africa, where they would drive across Botswana. The final destination was the border with Namibia, but to get there, they had to cross the Makgadikgadi Pan—a massive salt flat that becomes a treacherous, dusty bog in the dry season—and the dense scrub of the Kalahari Desert.

Crucially, they were told that if their car broke down beyond repair, they would have to complete the journey in the producers' backup car: an immense, bright orange Mercedes-Benz station wagon. The shame of driving the "Orange Box" was the fuel that kept the trio going.

Top Gear’s Botswana special featured three cars chosen to tackle rough roads and remote terrain while delivering entertainment and challenge. Below are concise details, strengths, and practical notes for each vehicle as used on the episode.

Conclusion: Suitable mainly for paved or well-maintained gravel roads; not recommended as primary overland vehicle in remote Botswana.