James Engelsman has spent years building a career around something that once seemed far removed from mainstream television: making entertaining car videos for YouTube
Now that career has taken a huge turn. Engelsman is set to become one of the new presenters of The Grand Tour on Amazon Prime Video.
He will join fellow Throttle House creator Thomas Holland and viral trainspotter Francis Bourgeois as the show enters a new era after Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May stepped away.
He has already spent years reviewing cars, testing vehicles on track and producing road-trip content with Holland through their hugely successful YouTube channel Throttle House.
What makes the story interesting is how far the journey has come. Throttle House began as a much smaller YouTube project.
The new series will take Engelsman, Holland and Bourgeois across locations including Angola, Malaysia and California.
So who exactly is James Engelsman? How did he become a major car YouTuber? And why did Amazon choose him to help take The Grand Tour into its next chapter?
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Table of Contents
Who Is James Engelsman?
James Engelsman is a Canadian automotive content creator and presenter best known as one half of Throttle House.1
He works alongside Thomas Holland, who founded Throttle House before Engelsman joined the project.
The pair eventually turned the channel into one of the most recognizable automotive channels on YouTube.
Unlike traditional television presenters who often build their careers through broadcasting, Engelsman developed his audience directly through online video.
That background is important because The Grand Tour has always been more than a conventional car review show.
The original series became popular because Clarkson, Hammond and May could turn a simple car test into a comedy story. Cars were at the center of the show but personality was just as important.
Engelsman already works in that space. His videos with Holland combine car knowledge with jokes, unusual challenges and high-energy production.
The result is content that feels closer to entertainment than a traditional automotive review. Amazon clearly saw value in that approach.
When the new presenters were announced in February 2026, Amazon described Engelsman and Holland as the creators behind the YouTube phenomenon Throttle House.
Amazon also highlighted Engelsman’s enthusiast perspective and his unusual taste in cars. That description fits Engelsman’s public image.
He is not simply interested in the newest and most expensive performance cars. His collection and content show an appreciation for unusual vehicles and automotive history.
One of the best examples is his Toyota Century.
James Engelsman’s Love of Unusual Cars
If someone wants to understand Engelsman’s automotive personality, the Toyota Century is a good place to start.
The Toyota Century is a Japanese luxury limousine with a reputation for understated design and exceptional comfort.
Engelsman owns a V12-powered example and has featured it extensively through Throttle House.
The car became a memorable part of his online identity. Throttle House has described Engelsman’s Toyota Century as a luxury V12 limousine.
In one of the channel’s videos, the car was presented alongside other vehicles from the presenters’ collections.
The Century is an interesting choice because it is not the obvious YouTuber car.
Many automotive creators focus on supercars. Engelsman’s interest in a Japanese luxury limousine shows a willingness to appreciate cars for reasons beyond speed and status.
That kind of enthusiasm can also help explain why he fits The Grand Tour.
The franchise has traditionally worked best when its presenters have strong and sometimes unexpected opinions about cars. Engelsman brings that quality from YouTube.
One of us got to fiddle with the F-150 Lightning this morning! Your free tour by @jamesengelsman is now LIVE on the Extra Throttle House channel. Go watch it and enjoy!! https://t.co/Ya6gvLfoQO
— Throttle House (@throttlehouse11) June 18, 2021
Stats Table
| Category | Details |
| Full name | James Engelsman |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Profession | Automotive presenter and YouTube creator |
| Best known for | Throttle House |
| Throttle House co-host | Thomas Holland |
| YouTube audience | More than 3.4 million subscribers reported in 2026 |
| Signature car | Toyota Century V12 |
| New TV role | Presenter of The Grand Tour |
| Streaming platform | Prime Video |
| New Grand Tour season | Six episodes |
| New season release | September 4, 2026 |
| Co-presenters | Thomas Holland and Francis Bourgeois |
| Production | Studio Lambert |
How Did James Engelsman Join Throttle House?
The story of Throttle House is central to Engelsman’s rise. Thomas Holland started the YouTube channel in 2015. Engelsman joined him a few years later.2
A 2022 feature about the channel’s development described how Engelsman met Holland at a Miata meet in 2018.
At the time Throttle House had only around 20,000 subscribers. Engelsman was cautious about turning his passion for cars into a full-time career because he did not want his hobby to become something he no longer enjoyed.
That decision ultimately changed his life. Instead of remaining a small car channel, Throttle House continued to grow.
Engelsman and Holland developed a partnership that became the foundation of the channel. Their videos combined professional-looking cinematography with humor and a strong sense of personality.
The pair tested everything from everyday performance cars to exotic machinery. They also became known for unusual automotive projects and challenges.
This was important because YouTube gave Engelsman something traditional automotive media could not easily provide: direct contact with an audience.
He was not just reviewing cars for readers. Viewers were getting to know the person behind the reviews.
The Rise of Throttle House
Throttle House is now a major automotive media brand.
Reports around the announcement of the new Grand Tour presenters put the channel at more than 3.4 million YouTube subscribers. That is a significant audience for an automotive channel.
It also demonstrates why Amazon did not have to introduce Engelsman to car fans from scratch. He already had an international following.
Throttle House’s style is built around several elements that are useful for a show like The Grand Tour:
- Strong presenter personalities
- High-quality automotive filming
- Performance car testing
- Track driving
- Road trips
- Comedy
- Unusual automotive challenges
- A willingness to take risks
These qualities make the transition from YouTube to Prime Video more natural than it might initially appear.
Engelsman is not moving from an unrelated online career into television. He is moving from one form of automotive entertainment into another.
Why Did Amazon Choose James Engelsman?
The biggest challenge for Amazon was finding presenters who could follow Clarkson, Hammond and May without simply copying them. That is a difficult task.
The original Grand Tour trio had spent more than two decades building their chemistry through Top Gear and The Grand Tour.
Their personalities became as recognizable as the cars they drove. Amazon needed a different approach.
The company eventually selected Engelsman, Holland and Bourgeois after an extensive search.
Amazon said the new presenters emerged from an extensive process and described them as talents with distinctive personalities who could move the franchise into a new era.
The producers also stressed that the new trio should not be viewed as replacements trying to imitate the old presenters.
Andy Wilman, one of the key creative figures behind the franchise, said the new presenters were not “cardboard cutouts” of the original three.
He also praised their chemistry. That distinction matters. Engelsman does not need to become the next James May.
Holland does not need to become the next Richard Hammond. And Bourgeois does not need to become another Clarkson.
The goal is to create a new group with its own identity.
James Engelsman and Thomas Holland’s Chemistry
One of the biggest advantages Engelsman has going into The Grand Tour is that he is not starting the new show with complete strangers.3
He has worked with Holland for years. Amazon noted that Engelsman and Holland have been making car films together for almost a decade.
That experience should help when the cameras start rolling. Good automotive television depends on chemistry.
A presenter needs to know when to make a joke, when to challenge a co-host and when to let another person take control of a scene.
Engelsman and Holland already understand each other’s rhythms. That gives the new Grand Tour a foundation that a completely new presenting team might not have.
Then there is Francis Bourgeois. His presence changes the dynamic.
Bourgeois became famous for viral trainspotting videos but also has a mechanical engineering background and previous experience with Rolls-Royce.
Amazon has described him as a passionate petrolhead with strong technical knowledge. The combination is unusual.
You have two established car YouTubers alongside a social media personality who became famous for trains but has a genuine interest in cars.
That is very different from the original Grand Tour lineup. And that may be exactly what Amazon wants.
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James Engelsman’s Cars and Automotive Taste
Engelsman’s automotive taste appears to be broader than simply chasing the most powerful car.
His Toyota Century is perhaps the clearest example.
The V12 limousine has become one of his signature cars. It represents the kind of vehicle that can generate a story even before the presenter starts driving it.
That storytelling potential is valuable on The Grand Tour. The show has always relied on cars that create situations.
A strange car can be more entertaining than a perfect supercar because it gives the presenters something to discuss and argue about.
Engelsman’s enthusiasm for unusual vehicles also gives him room to develop his own identity on the show.
Viewers may quickly learn that they cannot always predict which car he will love. That unpredictability is useful for entertainment.
James Engelsman on The Grand Tour in 2026
The new Grand Tour is not a small reboot. Amazon is bringing the franchise back with six episodes and a global release.
The first new episodes are scheduled to arrive on Prime Video on September 4, 2026. The series will be available in more than 240 countries and territories.
The new presenters will face several major automotive adventures.
The announced locations include:
| Location | What the new hosts will do |
|---|---|
| Angola | Take track cars across the desert |
| Malaysia | Explore the country’s car culture |
| California | Test high-performance American cars |
| Other locations | Take on large-scale challenges and unusual adventures |
The trailer has already revealed some of the scale of the new season.
The presenters are seen testing cars such as the Ford Mustang GTD, Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 and Hennessey Venom F5 Revolution Evolution.
They also meet former Formula One champion Jenson Button. There are also more traditional Grand Tour moments.
The new trio are shown getting into trouble, taking on unusual vehicles and attempting challenges that appear designed to test both their cars and their decision-making.
That suggests Amazon is not abandoning the show’s established formula. Instead, it is giving that formula to a new generation.
What Makes James Engelsman Different From Traditional TV Presenters?
Engelsman’s biggest advantage may be his internet background.
YouTube audiences are used to presenters who speak directly to them. They expect personality. They expect opinions. They also expect presenters to show when something goes wrong.
That style can be powerful on television. It also creates a different relationship between presenter and viewer.
Engelsman has spent years developing that relationship. He knows how to make a car review entertaining without turning every video into a traditional review.
He understands pacing and visual storytelling. Most importantly, he has spent years working alongside Holland. These skills should transfer well to The Grand Tour.
The show needs presenters who can handle cars but also carry a scene when the cars are not moving.
That is where Engelsman’s YouTube experience could become particularly important.
Can James Engelsman Replace Jeremy Clarkson?
The simple answer is that he does not need to. Clarkson’s role on The Grand Tour was created by decades of television experience and an unmistakable personality.
Trying to recreate that would probably be a mistake. Instead, Engelsman is part of a completely different trio.
The new show is expected to keep the large-scale adventures, comedy and automotive enthusiasm that made the franchise successful while allowing the presenters to develop their own style.
Even Clarkson has reportedly given the new team his blessing.
The former presenter is also expected to make a cameo appearance alongside Richard Hammond and James May during the new season.
That makes the transition even more interesting. The old generation is not simply disappearing.
It is handing the franchise to a new group.
What Can Fans Expect From James Engelsman?
Fans who already know Throttle House will probably recognize some of Engelsman’s personality immediately. However, The Grand Tour gives him a much larger stage.
Instead of producing videos primarily for a YouTube audience, he will be working on a major international production with large budgets and ambitious locations.
That means viewers can expect more spectacular cars and bigger challenges.
The first season is already promising everything from desert adventures to performance car tests and encounters with racing stars.
But the biggest question will be chemistry.
Can Engelsman, Holland and Bourgeois create the kind of relationship that makes viewers want to watch them even when they are not driving?
That will determine whether the reboot becomes a lasting success. The early signs are encouraging.
Amazon and Studio Lambert have both emphasized the trio’s natural chemistry. Their existing backgrounds also give them different strengths.
Engelsman brings years of car-focused online entertainment.
Holland brings automotive journalism and racing experience.
Bourgeois brings a huge social media following and an unusual combination of mechanical knowledge and viral entertainment.
That is a potentially strong mix.
Why James Engelsman’s Career Move Matters
Engelsman’s move from YouTube to The Grand Tour says something important about how automotive media has changed.
For decades, the main route into major motoring television was through traditional journalism or broadcasting.
That path is no longer the only option. YouTube has created its own automotive stars.
Engelsman is a good example. He and Holland built an audience by making the content they wanted to watch.
They did not need a major television network to establish their personalities.
Eventually, the size and quality of that online audience became impossible for mainstream entertainment companies to ignore.
The Grand Tour casting shows that Amazon recognizes the influence of digital automotive media.
It also demonstrates that a successful YouTube presenter can move into a global franchise without abandoning the personality that made the online channel successful.
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FAQ’s
Who is James Engelsman?
James Engelsman is a Canadian automotive content creator and presenter. He is best known as one of the hosts of the YouTube channel Throttle House alongside Thomas Holland.
Is James Engelsman replacing James May?
Engelsman is part of the new presenting team for The Grand Tour after Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May left the series. He is not intended to be a direct copy of James May.
What is James Engelsman famous for?
He is best known for Throttle House. The automotive YouTube channel has grown to more than 3.4 million subscribers and is known for car reviews, track tests, road trips and entertaining automotive challenges.
Who are the new hosts of The Grand Tour?
The new hosts are James Engelsman, Thomas Holland and Francis Bourgeois. Engelsman and Holland come from Throttle House while Bourgeois is a social media personality known initially for trainspotting content.
When does the new The Grand Tour start?
The new six-part season of The Grand Tour launches on Prime Video on September 4, 2026.
Conclusion
James Engelsman’s journey to The Grand Tour is a strong example of how far automotive YouTube has come.
He started as part of a relatively small online car project with Thomas Holland. Throttle House gradually grew into a major automotive channel with millions of subscribers.
Engelsman may therefore be one of the most important figures in the next chapter of The Grand Tour.
His YouTube career has already shown that he knows how to talk about cars and entertain an audience.
The new series will show whether he can take those skills to a global television franchise.
For now, the biggest change is simple. James Engelsman is no longer just the guy making car videos on YouTube.
He is one of the new faces of The Grand Tour.
And on September 4, 2026, millions of viewers will get their first full look at what that means.
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