'Top Gear' season 22 update: Premiere with two-part special, filming in Argentina controversy

Car enthusiasts out there should gear up because "Top Gear" will be back in just a matter of days. There will be new cars to check out, new terrains to travel on, and new information to learn.

This 22nd season of the show, BBC America brings back Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond as they set off to present three new cars in a two-part premiere episode.  According to Digital Spy, the three new cars to be featured are the Porsche 928, the Ford Mustang and the Lotus Esprit. Viewers will witness the three hosts as they take these cars to deserts, ski slopes, beaches, forests and swamps, just to make their way to Patagonia in South America. 

Upon their arrival in Patagonia, however, the car soccer game that was earlier planned didn't push through. During the filming of the episode in October last year, people in the city protested against "Top Gear" due to a car registration plate that they deemed was offensive. It so happened that the Porsche 928 that was being used in the show at the time sported the plate H982 FKL. The Argentinians didn't take it kindly, saying that the FKL refers to the Falklands War between the U.K. and Argentina back in 1982. BBC and Clarkson denied the allegations. 

Argentina filed a formal complaint to BBC and "Top Gear" was asked to stop filming in the country. When BBC TV Director Danny Cohen responded to the complaint, Ambassador Alicia Castro of Argentina believed that the response was "inadequate." Castro even pointed out Clarkson's behavior on the set and said that it was unbecoming of someone from the network. 

Nonetheless, Ambassador Castro expressed her interest in maintaining a good relationship between Argentina and BBC. Castro pointed out that Argentina has been hospitable to the company and have given their full cooperation in the network's other projects. 

"Top Gear" season 22 will kick off on Jan. 12 on BBC America. In the meantime, here is the sneak peek of the two-part special.

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