And yet. After a near-catastrophic suspension collapse and endless bashing, this Lancia refused to die. Clarkson named it “The Indestructible Lancia”—a title no Lancia has ever deserved less, yet earned through sheer spite. It finished the challenge, albeit with every panel dented, the rear window held in by tape, and the exhaust dragging. It remains a glorious monument to stubborn Italian spirit. “Oliver”
Hammond found a baby-blue 1969 Opel Kadett in a muddy used-car lot. It looked like a fragile toy from West Germany, but Hammond immediately bonded with it, naming it “Oliver.” The Kadett was slow, underpowered, and had no business crossing the Makgadikgadi salt flats. top gear botswana cars
While Clarkson bought drama and Hammond bought heart, May bought a bank vault. His 1979 Mercedes-Benz 230E (W123) was already old, beige, and terminally boring—exactly how May likes it. But the W123 is widely regarded as one of the most over-engineered, indestructible cars ever built. And yet
Oliver lives on. The Lancia was scrapped. The Mercedes probably still starts on the first turn of the key. It finished the challenge, albeit with every panel