Jeremy chose a Lancia Beta Coupé, a decision that most car enthusiasts viewed as a death sentence given Lancia’s reputation for rust and unreliability. Throughout the journey, the Lancia suffered from constant electrical failures and structural issues. To save weight for the salt pans, Jeremy famously stripped the car of its doors and hood. Despite the Lancia being "the most unreliable car in the world," it miraculously finished the journey, earning Jeremy's genuine respect. Richard Hammond’s 1963 Opel Kadett (Oliver)
Jeremy Clarkson opted for glamour and performance over sensibility by choosing a 1981 Lancia Beta Coupé. Lancia is a brand historically synonymous with two things: brilliant rally heritage and atrocious mechanical reliability. Clarkson's car suffered from a relentless barrage of electrical faults, overheating issues, and structural failures from the moment the tires hit the dirt. Cruel Modifications
The W123 faced its toughest test in the Okavango Delta. To prevent water from entering the engine intake during deep river crossings, May rigged a makeshift snorkel using a plastic pipe extending out of the hood. The Mercedes ploughed through the water like a submarine. Aside from a few minor glitches caused by the brutal heat, the 230E completed the journey with its luxury interior and dignity entirely intact. The Unsung Hero: The Volkswagen Beetle top gear botswana cars
After the special ended, May chose to leave the car in Botswana, believing it was "utterly the wrong thing to do" to bring it back. He felt that the car's history was more valuable than its restoration. The Mercedes was later found, having been welded back together, but remarkably still intact.
Oliver was the oldest car in the challenge, boasting a meager 40 horsepower. Its simplicity proved to be its greatest asset. Lacking complex electronics or heavy modern components, the lightweight Opel floated over the treacherous, crusty surface of the salt pans where heavier vehicles sank. The Okavango Disaster Jeremy chose a Lancia Beta Coupé, a decision
remains a high-water mark for the series, proving that you don't need a customized 4x4 to cross a continent—you just need a bit of blind optimism and $1,500. Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May were tasked with driving across Botswana, from the Zimbabwean border to the Namibian border, using only used two-wheel-drive cars that were never meant to see a dirt road, let alone the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans or the Okavango Delta [ 0.5.1 ]. Here are the three unlikely heroes of that journey: 1. The 1981 Lancia Beta Coupé (Jeremy Clarkson)
The Beetle was used during the challenging salt pan crossing, proving to be surprisingly capable in the soft, muddy terrain where the heavier 2WD cars struggled. The Challenge: Surviving the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans Despite the Lancia being "the most unreliable car
James parked. Killed the engine. The silence was profound.
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 moment of genuine desperation, Hammond spent hours cleaning the distributor cap and drying out the engine. Against all odds, Oliver fired back to life. Where is it Now?
The chosen cars had to be easily repairable with basic tools, which was proven when Hammond and Clarkson had to fix their cars repeatedly.