Derbyshire photographer travels through wildest parts of South America for TV show

You don't often see classic Lotus and Mercedes travelling through the wildest parts of South America - but on Friday night the first of a two-part TV programme will follow a group of intrepid drivers navigating their way across some of the most remote jungle areas and highest mountain ranges in the world.
Allison and Peter Coates with their 1967 Lotus Elan driving through the Brazilian rainforest on the Great Amazon Adventure. Picture: Rod Kirkpatrick.Allison and Peter Coates with their 1967 Lotus Elan driving through the Brazilian rainforest on the Great Amazon Adventure. Picture: Rod Kirkpatrick.
Allison and Peter Coates with their 1967 Lotus Elan driving through the Brazilian rainforest on the Great Amazon Adventure. Picture: Rod Kirkpatrick.

The video footage, which was taken by Derbyshire photographer Rod Kirkpatrick from F Stop Press, follows the rally covering more than 4,000 miles from Suriname to Peru and is being shown on Motors TV, the channel dedicated to all things motoring, at 8.30pm.

Billed as an event for 4x4s and well-prepared classics, one crew brought along their much loved Lotus Elan – and viewers can find out what happened when faced with giant car-swallowing potholes.

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The amazing adventure, organised by Bespoke Rallies, a UK-based classic car adventure company, includes extraordinary scenes in Brazil when the cars were loaded onto a river ferry for two nights, highlights from the Amazon rainforest, dirt roads, breakdowns and on-the-road repairs.

Leaving the magnificent rainforest the cars climbed above the clouds to cross some of the highest mountain passes in the Andes, following the path of the Inca to Machu Picchu, Lake Titicaca and Colca Canyon, the home of the condor, on their way to Lima.

The second show, to be aired at 8.30pm on Friday, September 23, follows the 2016 Maya Classic Rally, a 3,600 mile journey from Panama City to Veracruz in Mexico.