Originally published February 8, 2018. This article has been expanded with additional historical context while preserving the original story.
Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May brought The Grand Tour to Area 27 for the Canadian SUV comparison in Season 2, Episode 10, titled "Oh, Canada."
The Day "Oh, Canada" Came to Area 27
The Area 27 segment formed part of a wider Canadian feature, using the circuit for timed testing and comparison rather than presenting the whole episode as an Area 27 production.
The episode paired Clarkson with an Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio, Hammond with a Porsche Macan Turbo Performance Pack and May with a Range Rover Velar P380.
Area 27 founder Bill spent time with the presenters during filming, and James May joked that he thought he had managed to get through Turn 7 correctly once.
Clarkson, Hammond and May Take on the Circuit
The visit connected a young Canadian circuit with one of the most internationally recognised automotive entertainment series of its era.
The detail matters because a motorsport facility is never only a strip of asphalt. It depends on instructors, marshals, members, partners, buildings, calendars and the discipline to run every event properly.
That culture is still part of Area 27 today: the circuit, the people and the standards all have to move together.
The Three SUVs That Framed the Episode
The circuit seen in the episode is still part of the current Area 27 experience. Readers can explore the 16-corner circuit and the Academy 27 programs.
The television segment was not a generic driving scene. It was filmed on a real circuit with a layout designed by Jacques Villeneuve.
Why the Segment Became Part of Area 27 History
The visit remains a defining early media moment for Area 27 because it connected the facility with Clarkson, Hammond and May at a point when the circuit was still being introduced to a wider audience.
For fans who know the episode, it adds a simple reason to look closer: the track in the show is a place people can still learn, drive and experience today.
The Area 27 Thread That Carries Forward
The details may belong to a specific season, but the pattern is familiar across Area 27's history: a technical circuit, a growing member culture and a facility that kept adding reasons for people to come back.
That continuity is what makes the story worth preserving. It helps new readers understand that today's Area 27 was built through many smaller moments, each one adding something to the way the track is used, remembered and experienced.
A private motorsport park earns its character over time. Announcements about people, buildings, programs, partners and events may look small on their own, but together they show how the club found its rhythm.
Read that way, the story is not a footnote. It is one piece of the larger record of how Area 27 became a place where driving, instruction, hospitality and community all meet around the circuit.
FAQ
What episode of The Grand Tour featured Area 27?
Area 27 appeared in Season 2, Episode 10, titled "Oh, Canada."
Which SUVs were tested?
Jeremy Clarkson drove an Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio, Richard Hammond drove a Porsche Macan Turbo Performance Pack, and James May drove a Range Rover Velar P380.
Was the whole episode filmed at Area 27?
No. Area 27 hosted the circuit segment inside a wider Canadian feature.
Can visitors drive the same circuit?
Yes, depending on current program availability, visitors can experience the circuit through Academy 27 and public experiences.
Experience the Circuit Featured on The Grand Tour
The television cameras have moved on, but the circuit remains active.
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