That 'Top Gear' / Argentina / licence plate thing....

1235»

Comments

  • pottssteve
    pottssteve Posts: 4,069
    adamfo wrote:
    mamba80 wrote:
    I wonder how the patriotic british would view the Scilly Isles/Isle of white belonging to say the Russians/chinese/US of A due to some historical freak incident a 150 years ago ?
    to me, the falklands clearly belong to the Argentinians, the Spanish were the first to rule the place once they had colonised Argentinia, the british also took over before giving it back to the Spanish, before claiming the place in the mid 1800's, its a throw back to days of empire and nothing more, like Gibraltor, how the hell is that place British???

    I think most historians agree that had Argentina waited a few more years the UK would have handed them back, the Argies invaded because they mis read the political situation and thatcher desparate to regain her popularity launched the invasion force, knowing that a 1st world power would win out over a conscripted 3rd world army.

    What are the odds of JC/who ever - buying a car with that number plate, and due to run a programe in Argentina???


    The British claim to the Falklands dates from 1697 when the Viscount Falkland expedition mapped the islands and found no indigenous population. Argentina didn't come into existence till more than a 100 years latter. Britain has never given the islands to Spain as you say.
    In fact everything you say is wrong ! The Argentinian army had a professional core, which in some cases, was rather better equipped than the British Army. Plenty of foreign military analysts at the time were saying the islands could not be retaken. I'm old enough to remember reading such articles. In a sense the history doesn't matter. The people there are covered under the UN charter to the right of self determination having lived there for over a 100 years. Some families go back 6 generations.

    The show featured elderly V8s within a relatively low price point. There was only one dealer advertised 928 GT for sale when they bought it. 928s are relatively common but they went shopping for that particular variant with the rare manual gearbox and more powerful engine. The other 928 GT was at a breakers and needed some work doing, therefore the odds were 100% they would pick that car.

    The cars registration details are here. It has been running around for more than 14 years with that plate. Indeed it was the original age H prefix plate issued in 1991. The FLK part is the area code of the licensing office in Suffolk.

    https://www.instantcarcheck.co.uk/Report/h982fkl/lboyl

    Thank you, Monsieur Poirot! :D
    Head Hands Heart Lungs Legs
  • laurentian
    laurentian Posts: 2,389
    I can't help but think that if that number plate were on an escort van, you would have seen 3 vans pedalling through Patagonia . . .
    Wilier Izoard XP
  • Brassknocker
    Brassknocker Posts: 209
    laurentian wrote:
    I can't help but think that if that number plate were on an escort van, you would have seen 3 vans pedalling through Patagonia . . .

    I've not watched TopGear for about a year now, but I watched it last night on the iPlayer thing and that's exactly what I was thinking... I imagine that they saw that car with its number plate for sale which sparked the idea and it's the reason they decided on that location (& plot)...

    Quite beautiful to watch at times (well, the landscape and, as always, the photography), plus, James May had one or two great lines/gags.. but overall a bit embarassing to watch and seems like a tired formula now.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,738
    It was the town where the Belgrano set sail wasn't it?

    Where there is also a strong, militant, nationalist political movement?

    Who knew those two factors could contribute to a hostile reception for a program which regularly praises UK imperialist history and supports the UK armed forces.

    I don't think anyone should be that surprised about the local reaction. The issue of the war clearly runs very deep for them, perhaps unsurprisingly.
    _
  • CiB
    CiB Posts: 6,098
    Brassknocker wrote:
    I've not watched TopGear for about a year now, but I watched it last night on the iPlayer thing and that's exactly what I was thinking... I imagine that they saw that car with its number plate for sale which sparked the idea and it's the reason they decided on that location (& plot)...
    DVLA records show that the car was bought in early August. Filming was in September & October. You can't seriously believe that sometime in August a TG researcher spotted this car for sale and in about five weeks TG had located two similar cars, scripted the whole thing, set up the football match, organised all shipping to Argentina, sorted out hotels for the duration and secured all the relevant clearances to send a full crew to South America for 3 weeks? All on the basis of a weak and by TG standards a very subtle sight-gag based on a very unclear reference to the Falkland Islands?

    Yeah right...
  • laurentian
    laurentian Posts: 2,389
    I can believe that the cars would have been about the last things decided on, organised or purchased.

    The "trip" would indeed have been sorted out months in advance and gradually honed into an hour long light entertainment programme with as many gags shoe horned in as possible.

    As with the whole of TG over the last few years, the cars are pretty much secondary to the "entertainment" and so, their being purchased a month before "Setting Sail" after considerable research into their gag value would come as no surprise. Once a suitably amusing car has been located, finding two others of a similar ilk (in this case V8s) for sale over a period of a month, or even a week, is hardly difficult . . .
    Wilier Izoard XP
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,391
    This thread makes some of the doping threads in the Clinic seem well-reasoned...
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • markhewitt1978
    markhewitt1978 Posts: 7,614
    I think Clarkson wanted a 928 from the start given his recollection of doing 170mph in one to go and see his Dad. Which did leave me rather uncomfortable Clarkson admitting massively breaking the law like that..
  • jimmythecuckoo
    jimmythecuckoo Posts: 4,712
    Right, I have taken the time and trouble to watch it. Which I read in this thread makes me simple minded, as I found it quite entertaining.

    Not once did I believe all I was seeing was real and unscripted. But that's not the point for me. I like to see the scenery and enjoy the way they film the travel segments.

    As for all of the Argentina political stuff, I did feel ill at ease with the whole angle and I am sure that there are places they could go to for adventure that don't have the racist connotations of this one.
    http://fendrieneu.home.blog
    My blog and pod...
    Beers of Belgium Cycling Club UK
  • markhewitt1978
    markhewitt1978 Posts: 7,614
    jimmythecuckoo wrote:
    As for all of the Argentina political stuff, I did feel ill at ease with the whole angle and I am sure that there are places they could go to for adventure that don't have the racist connotations of this one.

    Yup. I can't help thinking a programme where they drove the full length of Chile (for example) would have been just as entertaining.
  • markhewitt1978
    markhewitt1978 Posts: 7,614
    BTW, go onto Google maps and have a look at some of the streetview images of the area they travelled through, breaktaking all of it.
  • Brassknocker
    Brassknocker Posts: 209
    CiB wrote:
    Brassknocker wrote:
    I've not watched TopGear for about a year now, but I watched it last night on the iPlayer thing and that's exactly what I was thinking... I imagine that they saw that car with its number plate for sale which sparked the idea and it's the reason they decided on that location (& plot)...
    DVLA records show that the car was bought in early August. Filming was in September & October. You can't seriously believe that sometime in August a TG researcher spotted this car for sale and in about five weeks TG had located two similar cars, scripted the whole thing, set up the football match, organised all shipping to Argentina, sorted out hotels for the duration and secured all the relevant clearances to send a full crew to South America for 3 weeks? All on the basis of a weak and by TG standards a very subtle sight-gag based on a very unclear reference to the Falkland Islands?

    Yeah right...

    Yes, I imagine that's exactly what happened.
  • Dippydog3
    Dippydog3 Posts: 414
    I really enjoyed it.
  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    Awesome scenery out there eh ? Maybe a bit too big for a little cycle trip - and lots of stray dogs around to to chase after you.

    I guess it was just a coincidence. If it had had GBR MAL or BEL or a number of other letters in the plate - people would have read that into it.
  • pinno
    pinno Posts: 51,364
    It is a great pity that the scenery was narrated and spoilt by a few tw@ts. It put the ratings up and therefore I can only hope that one day, they make the ultimate TG program, if you see what I mean.
    seanoconn - gruagach craic!

Categories