If you are looking for the original Lancia or Mercedes from the special, they were last reported to be in private hands in Botswana.
Oliver was remarkably resilient, but the journey was not without drama. During a river crossing in the Okavango Delta, Oliver took on water, stalled, and sank to the riverbed. Hammond was genuinely devastated, but after being towed out and stripped down, the simple engine fired back to life. top gear botswana cars
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 If you are looking for the original Lancia
Because all three hosts despised the Beetle, the fear of being forced to drive it motivated them to keep their failing vehicles running at all costs. Ironically, the Beetle completed the entire journey right alongside them without a single mechanical hitch, proving itself to be just as tough as the main trio. The Legacy of the Botswana Trio Hammond was genuinely devastated, but after being towed
May wanted reliability above all else. He assumed the heavy German sedan would comfortably outlast the Lancia and the Opel.
The Opel Kadett's problem was less dramatic but more humiliating: the suspension was made of wet newspaper. Every pebble sent Hammond's spine into his skull. He solved it by filling the rear footwells with boulders. "Ballast!" he yelled over the crashing noises. "It's a rally technique!"
Forced to live without support crews or modern 4x4s, the trio picked three vehicles that, on paper, were spectacularly bad choices for Africa.