Top Gear may no longer be gracing TV screens, but the spirit of adventure that defined the show is alive and well through its magazine team in South Africa. Right now, a group from Top Gear South Africa is embarking on an ambitious mission to claim a Guinness World Record for the longest off-road journey ever completed in a vehicle. They’re taking a fleet of rugged Nissan Navara Warrior pickup trucks across 1,000 kilometers—roughly 621 miles—of some of the wildest terrain South Africa has to offer. And here’s the kicker: they’re doing it all without touching a single paved road.
The journey is taking place in Namakwaland, a remote and stunning region along South Africa’s western edge. This isn’t just a casual Sunday drive. The team is following the winding path of the Orange River, which forms a natural border between South Africa and Namibia. Along the way, they’ll tackle deserts with scorching sands, jagged mountains, deep valleys, and vast stretches of lonely, untouched land. Their final destination? The point where the Orange River spills into the Atlantic Ocean on the country’s western coast. If they make it, they’ll have set a new benchmark for off-road travel, officially recognized by Guinness World Records.
Image credit: Top Gear
The vehicles chosen for this epic trek are no ordinary trucks. The Nissan Navara Warrior is a beefed-up version of the Nissan Frontier Pro4X, specially modified by Premcar, an Australian company known for creating tough, factory-approved upgrade kits. These Warriors come with a 1.5-inch suspension lift, heavy-duty shocks, chunky all-terrain tires, and extras like a roll bar—everything needed to handle the brutal conditions of an off-road marathon. Recently introduced to the South African market, the Navara Warrior caught Nissan’s attention as the perfect candidate for a real test of its capabilities. Who better to put it through its paces than the thrill-seekers at Top Gear?
Avon Middleton, the publisher of Top Gear South Africa, explained the thinking behind the challenge. He said Nissan South Africa reached out with a challenge to showcase what the Navara Warrior could do, and the team wasn’t about to settle for something easy. Middleton noted that a Top Gear challenge has to be bold and boundary-pushing—it’s practically in their DNA. So, they dreamed up this 621-mile off-road odyssey to prove the truck’s toughness and make a statement that would turn heads.
Image credit: Top Gear
This isn’t the first time Top Gear has taken on wild off-road adventures, though. Fans of the TV show might remember the famous Polar Special, where Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May raced to the North Pole in a modified truck. That trip, while brutal, covered only about 350 miles of roadless terrain. Then there was the Botswana journey, which spanned 1,000 miles in total but relied on roads for a big chunk of the distance. Even their iconic crossing of the Okavango Delta, where they drove souped-up cars through mud and water, was much shorter than the 621 miles the South African team is facing now. By comparison, this Namakwaland expedition stands out as a whole new level of off-road insanity.
The route itself is a gauntlet of natural obstacles. Starting inland, the crew will weave through Namakwaland’s desert landscapes, where the sun beats down relentlessly and the ground shifts underfoot. They’ll climb rocky mountain passes and drop into valleys carved out over centuries by the Orange River. Much of the area is desolate, with little sign of human life—just the kind of place where a truck like the Navara Warrior can shine, or break down trying. The plan is to wrap up the journey on April 4, rolling up to the Atlantic coast with a story to tell and, hopefully, a world record in hand.
For Nissan, this is a golden opportunity to show off the Navara Warrior’s chops. Freshly launched in South Africa, the truck is built for folks who need a vehicle that can handle rough jobs or wild adventures. Premcar’s upgrades give it the muscle to take on everything from sandy dunes to steep inclines, and this record attempt is the ultimate proving ground. Top Gear South Africa, meanwhile, gets to keep its reputation as a crew that doesn’t shy away from a challenge, even with the TV cameras off.
If they succeed, this trip will go down as more than just a win for Nissan or Top Gear—it’ll be a testament to what’s possible when you pair a tough vehicle with a team crazy enough to drive it 621 miles off the beaten path. The countdown is on, and all eyes are on Namakwaland as the Navara Warriors charge toward the coast.
