Detroit is constantly ranked as one of the most dangerous cities in America and The Grand Tour’s Jeremy Clarkson discovered why first hand.
In an interview with Mirror, Clarkson recalled the terrifying incident which occurred back in 1997. According to the presenter, “Somebody held a gun against my head in Detroit” because they felt he and his film crew were “trespassing on their turf.” Clarkson went on to describe the event as “pretty nasty” and reportedly said he was afraid for his life.
While Clarkson didn’t go into detail, the publication talked to a source familiar with the incident who suggested the host was filming at “a ruined railway station.” The paper doesn’t specify which station, but it’s likely Michigan Central Station which was abandoned in 1988.
If that station sounds familiar, it should, as Ford bought it last year with plans to transform the icon – which has appeared in movies such as 8 Mile and The Transformers – into an innovation campus for autonomous and electric vehicles.
Regardless, police reportedly warned Clarkson and the crew “not to go inside [the station] as there were warring gang factions operating.” However, they ignored this advice and reportedly found themselves surrounded by gang members. Clarkson was apparently able to talk the group “out of the situation,” but the incident reportedly left the crew terrified.
The incident hasn’t kept Clarkson away from Detroit as the host returned to the city to drive the first-generation Ford GT for Top Gear and more recently to film a segment for the upcoming season of The Grand Tour which returns on January 18th.
In the episode, Clarkson and his co-hosts travel to the city’s abandoned Packard plant and transform its grounds into a race track so they can compare the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon to the Ford Mustang RTR Spec 3 and Chevrolet Camaro-based Hennessey Exorcist.
H/T to The Drive
