Top Gear Botswana Cars — __exclusive__

A tiny, underpowered German economy car from the early ‘60s. It had no air conditioning, no power steering, and a top speed that barely scared a warthog. But it refused to die.

An unusual choice based on Lancia’s rally heritage, but it proved to be a "basket case" from the start. top gear botswana cars

: Clarkson chose a Lancia because the brand was legendary in rallying. However, this specific model was an automatic and plagued by reliability issues, breaking down almost immediately at the start of the journey. James May’s 1985 Mercedes-Benz 230E A tiny, underpowered German economy car from the

Top Gear Botswana Special is widely considered the episode that defined the show’s legendary "special" format. Tasked with crossing 1,000 miles of African terrain in two-wheel-drive cars bought for under £1,500, Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May chose vehicles that became more than just machines—they became characters with their own distinct narratives. The Three Contenders An unusual choice based on Lancia’s rally heritage,

Yes, and famously so. After the show, Hammond bought Oliver from the BBC for an undisclosed sum (rumored to be £1,000). He had the car shipped back to the UK and underwent a full restoration. He occasionally brings it out for charity events and his own streaming show, Richard Hammond’s Workshop . Oliver sits in Hammond’s workshop in Herefordshire as a trophy of his greatest battle.