Top Gear Botswana Cars Updated Info

Detail the specific modifications made to each car for the trip. Provide more details on the "Oliver" restoration journey.

If you’re planning a real Botswana trip, take a – not a Lancia.

Oliver is the only one of the three cars to leave Africa. Hammond fell so in love with the car that he shipped it back to the UK immediately after filming, a process that took two years due to paperwork issues. top gear botswana cars

The Mercedes handled the journey admirably, handling the tough conditions despite lacking high ground clearance.

If you enjoyed this article, check out our deep dives on the "Top Gear Vietnam scooters" and the "Top Gear Bolivia 4x4s." Detail the specific modifications made to each car

May's Mercedes performed exactly as expected: like a tank. It handled the rough terrain with minimal complaints, providing a comfortable, air-conditioned ride while the others suffered.

The affection for the episode runs so deep that when the trio finished their final Grand Tour adventure, they returned to Kubu Island in Botswana—the exact granite rock island in the Makgadikgadi Pans where their 2007 journey concluded. Jeremy Clarkson called Kubu Island "just about the most astonishing place I've ever seen". Ending the 22-year partnership on that specific island was a poignant tribute to where their greatest adventure began. Oliver is the only one of the three cars to leave Africa

The result was a journey of over 1,000 miles across salt pans, the Okavango Delta, and dense brushwood, leading to the creation of television motoring history. Here is a detailed look at the cars that defined the Botswana Special. 1. Jeremy Clarkson’s 1981 Lancia Beta Coupé

Richard Hammond opted for simplicity, purchasing a tiny, 43-year-old 1963 Opel Kadett. This car would go on to become the most famous single vehicle in Top Gear history, affectionately named "Oliver." Why the Choice Was Genius

, the sight of it trailing them through the dust provided the ultimate motivation to keep their beat-up Lancias and Mercs moving. Botswana Special