Mexico’s ambassador to the UK, Eduardo Medina-Mora Icaza, has written to the BBC, demanding an apology for remarks made in a recent episode of Top Gear, the BBC’s flagship motoring program. Co-presenter Richard Hammond made the remarks during a review of the Mexican sports car, the Mastretta, labeling Mexicans as “lazy, feckless, flatulent and overweight”. The overweight comment might be accurate, but the ambassador is (rightly) outraged at the other words used by Hammond, and by other comments made in the show.
Jeremy Clarkson, Top Gear’s lead presenter, suggested at the time, and on air, that the Mexican ambassador would not complain about the comments because he would be slumped asleep in front of the television. The time has come for the BBC to make Clarkson eat his words, and issue a full apology.
The limited edition Mastretta MXT enters production this year; 150 cars will be made in the first year. It is the first sports car to be entirely Mexican designed and made.
[Uupdate: 2016 – The Mastretta MXT is no longer in production – see Mastretta press release]
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- Where exactly is Mexico? The “North America” hall of shame [a BBC howler involving Mexico]
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