Jeremy Clarkson proves to be an opinion-splitter at the best of times, but one car owner has an extra reason to take against the former Top Gear host - claiming that Clarkson ruined his £50,000 BMW.

27 year-old Rob Willis bought the BMW M3 from a dealership, but soon noticed that the vehicle had braking and steering issues.

As it turned out, the car had been put through its paces on Top Gear by Jeremy Clarkson himself.

“When I bought it, I was told it was an ex-demo which one of the managers had been driving. The brakes were constantly squeaking and the steering wheel made a clunking noise every time I came off the motorway,” Willis told The Sun.

“We were watching Top Gear about four weeks later and my fiancée noticed that the M3 Jeremy Clarkson was driving had the same number plate as my car.”

In the segment, Clarkson took the sports car out for a spin on the Top Gear track and was reportedly impressed with its performance.

However, Willis was not impressed that the vehicle could have proved a danger to himself and his family.

“It’s outrageous, I have an eight-year-old daughter and three young nephews whose lives have been risked,” he said. “The dealers told me it was a mistake and the car should never have been sold as it was unfit for the road.”

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After the issue was raised, the dealership replaced the M3 with a BMW 330d.