Botswana Cars | Top Gear

The most unreliable car on the trip, suffering from broken dials, multiple engine stalls, a jammed throttle, failing brakes, and a broken starter solenoid. It finished the trip by crashing into May's Mercedes because it had no brakes.

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Richard opted for a 1963 Opel Kadett, which he affectionately named "Oliver." Small, lightweight, and surprisingly sturdy, Oliver became the breakout star of the episode. While it struggled with river crossings—nearly drowning at one point—the little car’s simplicity allowed Richard to fix it with basic tools. Hammond’s emotional attachment to the car was so strong that he eventually had it shipped back to the UK, where it remains part of his personal collection today. James May’s 1985 Mercedes-Benz 230E top gear botswana cars

The special is readily available for streaming. In the UK, it can be watched for free on . It is also available on Amazon Prime Video via the Top Gear channel and is available for digital purchase on platforms like Google Play and Apple TV . The director's cut version was released on DVD in 2009 as part of a two-disc set alongside the Vietnam Special .

The journey's difficulty forced "ridiculous as they were necessary" modifications: The most unreliable car on the trip, suffering

James May opted for ultimate German reliability by purchasing a 1985 Mercedes-Benz 230E (W123 generation).

The rules of the challenge dictated that if any presenter's car broke down permanently, they would be forced to drive a backup vehicle: a bright yellow Volkswagen Beetle. This link or copies made by others cannot be deleted

And that, as Jeremy would later write, "was the moment we learned that you don't buy a car in Botswana. You adopt a god."

Richard Hammond picked a 1963 Opel Kadett, which he immediately nicknamed "Oliver".

However, the Lancia’s fragile Italian constitution couldn't handle the abuse. The gearbox seized, the suspension collapsed, and eventually, the engine gave up the ghost. But before it died, it gave us one of the show's most iconic images: Clarkson, topless, driving a crumpled sports car through a river crossing, looking like a fashion model on a disastrous shoot. It was a tragic, beautiful end to a car that tried too hard.

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