Top Gear

Top Gear’s Controversial Falkland Patagonia Special Cars Have Been Destroyed

Jeremy Clarkson and his Top Gear escapade in a Porsche 928 GT made headlines after the car’s numberplate became internationally famous when it was driven through Argentina. 

Reading ‘H982 FKL’, viewers of the Patagonia Special mistakenly thought this to be a dig at the Falklands War, which was a conflict between the United Kingdom and Argentina. It began in 1982. 

Filming of the special had to be cut short after the public attacked Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May as they drove through the area. They had stones, eggs, and even pickaxes thrown at them as they were behind the wheels of the star cars: a Lotus Esprit, Ford Mustang Mach 1, and the Porsche. 

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But where did these cars end up? 

 

The Argentinian government took the cars to be stored in a safe warehouse away from the public eye, fearing that if they were found, they’d be burnt to the ground.

Now, only a couple of years ago, these cars were crushed and the resulting cubes were sent to a junk yard in Rio Grande. Executive producer Andy Wilman tried to bring the cars home after their destruction, but this was rejected as the Argentinian government thought they’d be used as war trophies like the other cars kept in the Top Gear studio. 

Fans were distraught to hear of this, with many taking to Twitter to voice their disappointment. 

“The Argentine Government should have auctioned the cars.

“Probably would have raised the GDP a few percentage points,” said one fan. Another joked that the Lotus is “part of my dishwasher now”. 

What are your thoughts? Would you have liked to see the cars come home? Let us know.

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Alex Harrington

Alex started racing at a young age so certainly knows his way around a car and a track. He can just about put a sentence together too, which helps. He has a great interest in the latest models, but would throw all of his money at a rusty old French classic and a 300ZX. Contact: [email protected]

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One Comment

  1. Argies still haven’t gotten how in the wrong they were in the 80s as well as today.

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