Like the Lancia, the Mercedes was left in Botswana after filming. The Backup Car: The Volkswagen Beetle
The mission was to drive from Botswana’s eastern border with Zimbabwe to its western border with Namibia, crossing some of the harshest terrain on Earth.
Here is the definitive guide to the iconic cars chosen for the trek, how they performed, and why they cemented this episode in television history. The Presenters' Car Choices Jeremy Clarkson: 1981 Lancia Beta Coupé top gear botswana cars
Jeremy Clarkson chose a 1981 Lancia Beta Coupé, a decision that epitomized his "ambitious but rubbish" mantra. Lancias of this era were notorious for two things: beautiful styling and catastrophic rust. The Gamble
. All three hosts found this prospect so "humiliating" that they worked tirelessly to keep their original cars running. Like the Lancia, the Mercedes was left in
May's Mercedes was the unsung hero of the expedition. While Clarkson's Lancia broke down and Hammond's Opel sank, the Mercedes quietly and comfortably conquered the salt flats, deep sand, and rocky trails. It suffered almost no mechanical failures, proving May’s sensible logic entirely correct. The Backup Car: 1968 Volkswagen Beetle
They crossed the border into Namibia. They had survived. The cars had survived. The Presenters' Car Choices Jeremy Clarkson: 1981 Lancia
Reviewers praise the special for its genuine sense of adventure and the rare emotional bond formed between the hosts and their "budget bangers". It transitioned the show from a standard motoring program to an iconic travelogue-comedy format.