Lancias of this era were built using cheap Russian steel, meaning they could rust away in a light breeze. Furthermore, the Beta was plagued by notoriously complex and unreliable Italian electronics. Choosing a fragile, front-wheel-drive sports coupe for a desert crossing was widely viewed as automotive suicide. Modifications and Weight Reduction
Oliver survived the trip remarkably well, including being submerged in the Okavango Delta after a ferry failure. Hammond developed a deep, genuine emotional bond with the car, and it became the emotional heart of the special.
The car's only true enemy was the strict weight limits imposed on the hosts to cross the fragile Makgadikgadi salt crust. May was forced to strip away the car's luxurious interior, doors, and trunk lid to prevent it from breaking through the salt surface. Despite being stripped down to a bare skeleton, the mechanical components never faltered. The Backup Car: The Dreaded VW Beetle top gear botswana cars
To combat the overheating and weight issues in the sand dunes, May reluctantly stripped the Mercedes. He removed the doors, hood, and trunk lid. To replace the missing doors, he famously fashioned makeshift barriers out of local wood and reeds, giving the luxury sedan a distinctly tribal aesthetic. Ultimate Fate
If a car broke down beyond repair, the presenters would be forced to finish the journey in the "Back-Up Car": a Volkswagen Beetle, which was universally despised by the trio. Lancias of this era were built using cheap
Sixteen years later, the image of three men pushing a flaming Lancia across a white salt flat remains the definitive image of old-school television motoring. It wasn't about speed; it was about survival. And as long as Richard Hammond keeps Oliver running in his garage, the spirit of that Botswana road trip will never die.
Halfway across, Hammond’s Opel died. Just… stopped. Fuel starvation. He got out, kicked a tyre, and immediately regretted it as his boot sank into the burning salt. "It's like a giant's frying pan!" he shrieked. Modifications and Weight Reduction Oliver survived the trip
Jeremy, ever the romantic, chose a rust-orange Lancia Beta. In the world of classic cars, the Lancia Beta is infamous for one thing: rust. These cars were notorious for dissolving in European rain, let alone African river crossings.
James May, adhering to his reputation for sensible (yet often boring) choices, opted for a 1985 Mercedes-Benz 230E .
A staple of early Top Gear specials was the "punishment" car. If any presenter's car broke down permanently, they would be forced to drive a vehicle they all universally despised. For the Botswana Special, the backup car was a 1968 Volkswagen Beetle, painted in a bright safari camouflage.
Botswana Special (Series 10, Episode 4) is legendary for proving that cheap, two-wheel-drive "bangers" could survive 1,000 miles across some of Africa's most punishing terrain. The Core Trio