The amorous bull, known in the park as Amarula, “started to rub himself against the car, breaking the wing mirrors and cracking the windows,” said Irishman John Somer.

It was only after the car had been flipped over and shoved wheels up into the bushes that the elephant seemed to realize his jumbo-sized mistake.

Amarula then chased a photographer who had been snapping photos of the intimate encounter before eventually wandering off into the bush.

Somer and his female passenger were mainly unharmed by their terrifying taste of elephant ardor.

Park officials said Amarula is one of the largest bull elephants in the reserve and had been in musth, a period when a rush of hormones had made it aggressive and compelled to mate.

Photo: Riaan van Wyk