Botswana Cars: Top Gear

In the 2007 Botswana Special (Series 10, Episode 4), Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May were tasked with buying a two-wheel-drive car for less than £1,500 to drive 1,000 miles across Botswana. The journey spanned from the Zimbabwean border, across the Makgadikgadi salt pans, through the Okavango Delta, and finally to the Namibian border. The Main Vehicles Richard Hammond Opel Kadett ("Oliver")

The Kalahari Desert: A grueling test of cooling systems and suspension. top gear botswana cars

Performance: Chosen for its legendary reputation for ruggedness in Africa. It was the most comfortable but heavy, requiring May to strip it down to a bare shell to avoid sinking in the salt pans. In the 2007 Botswana Special (Series 10, Episode

The Makgadikgadi Pan

The first major hurdle was crossing the salt pans. To the untrained eye, it looks like a hard, white desert. In reality, the crust is thin, and underneath lies deep, sticky mud that acts like quicksand. Why it was insane: The Beta had a

Key Features to Consider

• Why it was insane: The Beta had a fragile aluminium engine block, an electronic ignition that hated moisture, and a carburettor that choked on dust.
• The hero moment: Despite catching fire, losing its dashboard electrics, and sounding like a lawnmower with asthma, the Lancia inexplicably survived. In one of Top Gear’s greatest editing feats, Clarkson abandoned the car, only for Hammond and May to tow it to the finish line. It didn't just finish—it looked cool doing it, with its olive green patina contrasting against the white salt flats.