Car Chat

Mike Fernie spent 8+ years at DriveTribe, became Head of Video, and helped build some of the channel’s most-loved nerdy engine deep dives — now he’s gone solo on his own YouTube channel. We talk Clarkson/Hammond/May behind-the-scenes, how YouTube actually rewards consistency, and what Mike’s building next (including a big-turbo XJS and the infamous V10 MX-5). https://www.youtube.com/Mike_Fernie Enjoy. Show Notes: 00:00 Mike Fernie: the quick backstory (engineering → car media)03:06 Leaving DriveTribe: why he went solo (and what changes)06:05 Making videos people actually finish: workflow + production choices08:56 What the audience really responds to: retention, comments, feedback loops12:10 DriveTribe’s evolution: what worked, what got harder over time14:58 From mech eng to car journalism: how Mike got in18:02 Did DriveTribe change car YouTube / car journalism?20:55 The next phase of content: personal brands vs “channels with presenters”23:54 Favourite videos + experimenting creatively (what he’d do more of)56:00 Icon cars: reliability, running costs, and what’s actually worth owning1:00:48 Mike’s car taste: the stuff he’s drawn to (and why)1:04:09 Project car plans: ambitions, budgets, and “bad ideas”1:08:54 The business of YouTube: strategy, revenue, sustainability1:12:19 Dream gig: building engines with an OEM / real R&D access1:18:41 Engine design shifts: what’s changed (and what’s coming back)1:25:14 High-speed records: what’s possible now, what’s myth1:31:57 Five-car garage: the keeper list + standout car journeys Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Petrol Ped joins me to talk hybrids, from plug-ins to Porsche’s new 911 GTS-T Hybrid. We dig into whether a hybrid is better than the same car without. What makes a good PHEV, why real-world MPG figures are nonsense, and how Porsche is bringing back the ICE Boxster / Cayman. Enjoy. 👉 https://www.youtube.com/@PetrolPed Show Notes: 02:51 Plug-In Hybrids vs. Full EVs — The Real-World Trade-Off 06:03 How Modern Plug-In Hybrids Finally Got Good 09:00 Charging, Battery Health, and the Myths Around 3-Pin Leads 11:54 Living With a FEV — Real Use, Real Range 15:03 Why WLTP MPG Figures Mean Nothing 17:51 The Hidden Emissions Debate — Manufacturing vs. Use 21:09 What Actually Matters When Buying a Car 23:49 Are EVs Ready for Everyone Yet? 26:50 When Hybrid Tech Meets Performance Cars 30:04 Porsche 911 GTS-T Hybrid — Engineering a Future 911 32:49 EVs, FEVs and Finding the Right Balance 53:50 Porsche Ownership: When “Bulletproof” Isn’t 57:10 The 718 Spyder — Rediscovering What Driving Feels Like 01:02:22 Porsche’s Next Chapter: ICE, Hybrid, or Electric? 01:10:49 Hydrogen, eFuels and Other Future Powertrains 01:18:07 Have We Hit the Speed Limit for Combustion Cars? 01:34:35 Restomods, Soul and the Future of Car Culture Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I sit down with Tiff Needell — racer first, TV legend second — to talk F1 beginnings, Le Mans nights, and how the airfield days birthed that trademark opposite-lock testing style. We get honest about what makes a car feel alive, the quiet magic of cheap manuals, EV tradeoffs, and Tiff’s forever garage from McLaren F1 to Morris 1000. Tiff's Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/1L311xIKsJMmXpyaF1jbbZ Enjoy, Show Notes: 00:00 Tiff Needell: End of an Era for Drivers 02:49 Racing Driver → TV: Car Control on Camera 05:35 Motorsport Then vs Now: Cost, Safety, Show 08:45 Tech in Racing: Data, Aero, Tyres, Workload 11:47 Driver Pathways: Karting Costs & Sim Time 15:04 Women in Motorsport: Pipeline & Opportunity 17:54 Why F1 & Group C Thrilled: Power, Noise, Risk 20:45 GT Racing Explained: BoP, Big Grids, Fan Access 23:49 Media’s Role: Storytelling & Authenticity 26:46 Drifting 101: Technique Meets Spectacle 29:42 McLaren F1 Legacy: Design, Feel, Numbers 51:46 Filmmaking x Car Dynamics: Shooting Real Speed 58:05 Hypercars Compared: Performance vs Usability 01:04:13 Auto Media 2.0: YouTube, Algorithms, Niches 01:08:12 Beyond Racing: Golf, Mindset, Longevity 01:17:53 Future of Driving: EVs, Weight, Feedback, Fun Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Al Clark is the founder of Outrun Films and one of the leading automotive directors working in the industry today. From Bugatti and McLaren to Aston Martin, Al’s career spans viral films, major commercials, and the evolution of CGI car production. We discuss his journey from grassroots filming to global campaigns, what goes into making hypercars look their best on screen, and how the industry is adapting to new platforms. Enjoy, https://www.outrun.tv/ 00:00 – Intro & Al Clark’s path into car filmmaking 03:00 – How car marketing has evolved over the years 06:00 – Social media reshaping how we see cars 09:00 – From photography to video: the big industry shift 12:00 – Viral clips vs lasting storytelling 15:00 – Shooting for Instagram vs cinematic framing 18:00 – Moving from camera operator to director 21:00 – Why story matters in car films 24:00 – Breaking into the automotive film world 27:00 – Working with OEMs & the realities of brand projects 30:00 – Small crews vs 100-person productions 33:00 – Balancing creativity with logistics on set 36:00 – Where car filmmaking is heading next 39:00 – Why passion for cars shows on screen 42:00 – Shooting Bollywood action with supercars 45:00 – Keeping energy high on long shoots 48:00 – Why car enthusiasts make the best crew 54:00 – Second unit directors & filming car action 58:00 – The stunt drivers who make impossible shots possible 01:00 – Standout driving feats on set 01:02 – Behind the Bugatti Chiron 0–400–0 film 01:10 – First steps into CGI car filmmaking 01:22 – Unlocking creativity with full CGI 01:36 – Real cars vs CGI: where the future lies 01:42 – Why real stories and documentary-style films endure Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Miro Zrnčević is the Chief Test and Development Driver at Bugatti Rimac. We talk about his journey from Croatian car journalist to driving the most powerful hypercars in the world, what makes a great test driver, and how you balance engineering, feel, and feedback at 400 km/h. Enjoy.https://www.rimac-automobili.com/https://www.bugatti.com/ Show Notes: 00:00 The New Era of Hypercars 09:44 From Journalist to Test Driver 16:44 What Makes a Great Test Driver? 24:14 How to Talk to Engineers 30:08 Switching to EVs 40:00 Driving at the Limit 52:54 The Future with Bugatti and Rimac Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rod Chong is a creative director and automotive cultural icon whose career spans music videos, video games, and real-world car culture. In this episode, Sam explores Rod’s journey from directing rock music videos to co-founding Speedhunters, leading creative direction on Need for Speed and Project CARS, and building cutting-edge car experiences at Race Service with brands like Ferrari and Porsche. It’s a deep dive into racing games, car culture storytelling, and the art of blending virtual and real motorsport. Enjoy Show Notes: 00:00 – Why Loving the Creative Process Matters 02:12 – From Drawing Cars to Directing Culture 06:04 – Making Need for Speed and Project CARS 19:08 – Inside Roborace: Autonomous Racing at Speed 24:46 – The Hard Truth About Game Development 32:11 – Track Days, Sim Rigs, and Getting Serious 39:07 – How Speedhunters Changed Car Media 44:11 – Race Service, F1 Clients, and Global Collabs 49:25 – From Street Car to Hot Wheels Diecast 51:48 – Building a Street-Legal Porsche 935 56:42 – Running Canyons with a Built Cayman 01:01:38 – Best Drives, Future Builds, and Dream Garage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

George Williams returns to talk about launching Get Lost Automotive and their first build, Project Safari — a lifted, reimagined Lotus Elise S1. We cover everything from road trip stories to suspension geometry, design philosophy, and how he’s applying his photographic eye to building cars. Enjoy. https://www.getlostautomotive.com/https://www.gfwilliams.net/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Katarina Kyvalova races everything from pre-war Bentleys to Jaguar E-Types at places like Le Mans, Spa, and Monaco. We talk about her mad first race in a 1928 Bentley, how she handles gearboxes with no synchro, and what it’s really like driving five weeks across the world in the Beijing to Paris rally. Enjoy. https://www.instagram.com/kkyvalova/ Chapters: 00:00 – Why Racing Is Addictive 03:01 – From Classic Rally Co-Driver to Vintage Race Addict 05:57 – Baptism by Fire: Her First Race Was a 24-Hour in a 1928 Bentley 09:05 – Endurance Racing in Pre-War Machinery (No Seatbelts, No Syncros) 11:59 – Mastering Crash-Box Gearboxes and Central Throttle Pedals 15:12 – Jumping Between Pre-War Bentleys and GT4 Cars 18:02 – Adjusting Driving Style for Every Car – E-Type vs. Healey vs. LMP 21:02 – Beijing to Paris: A Five-Week Endurance Rally With No Team Support 24:09 – What Makes Historic Racing Totally Different From GT Racing 26:57 – Learning Teamwork at 100kph: Rallying With No Backup 30:07 – Brake Fade, Sticking Throttles & Other Historic Race Surprises 33:10 – Dream Garage, Future Races & the One That Got Away Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jingyi Chen, Head of Battery at Breathe Battery Technologies, joins me to discuss how software is transforming the way EV batteries are charged, managed, and designed. We get into the science behind fast charging, battery degradation, and why Breathe’s tech is already being used by major OEMs like Volvo, Rimac and Cosworth. Enjoy. https://www.breathebatteries.com Chapters: 00:00 - Intro: Smarter batteries, faster charging 02:48 - What makes lithium-ion batteries tick 05:44 - Battery management software: the brain of the pack 08:30 - Real-time monitoring, diagnostics & control systems 11:36 - Lithium plating, fast charging & what can go wrong 14:38 - Where charging tech is headed next 17:31 - What's coming in future EV battery tech 20:23 - How to treat your battery to make it last 22:27 - Wrapping up: challenges and breakthroughs ahead Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt Prior is back for a good rant about car tech gone wrong — from driver-monitoring nags to touchscreens where buttons should be. We cover the charm of the Ineos Grenadier, the Ariel Nomad, small luxury cars, and Matt’s latest purchase, plus behind-the-scenes stories from Autocar’s “My Week in Cars.” Enjoy. https://www.autocar.co.uk/ Show Notes: 00:00 – Why Cars Nag You: Attention Assist and Driver Monitoring03:02 – How The Podcast Started (and Who’s Behind It)05:55 – Weird Cars We Love: Niche Gems and Cult Favourites09:05 – Why Car Companies Make Odd Decisions11:37 – Luxury Cars: What Actually Sells and Why14:44 – Can Small Car Makers Survive the EV Shift?17:39 – How Car Design Has Evolved (and What Buyers Want Now)20:31 – Speed Isn’t Everything: What Makes a Great Drive23:49 – When Tech Helps vs When It Just Gets in the Way26:34 – The Laws That Shape the Cars We Get42:43 – Why Small Cars Got So Big47:07 – Premium Feel in Pint-Sized Cars49:06 – Real Quality vs Perceived Quality51:18 – Why New Tech Can Be So Annoying56:33 – Driver Aids: Helpful or Just a Hassle?01:00:46 – Why Simple Cars Are So Hard to Make Now01:09:43 – The UI Problem: Why Are Car Screens Still So Bad?01:15:29 – The Sweet Spot Between Features and Frustration Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices