Jon Summers is the Motoring Historian. He was a company car thrashing technology sales rep that turned into a fairly inept sports bike rider. On his show he gets together with various co-hosts to talk about new and old cars, driving, motorbikes, motor racing, motoring travel.
In this episode, Jon reminisces about his history with unreliable yet fast cars and bikes, shares details about a harrowing night drive through Death Valley, and talks about sponsoring AUXITO lights. The hosts also recount experiences with various company cars, the culture around them in Britain during the '70s and '80s, and their personal favorite company car stories. They explore the thematic shift in popular bike styles from sports to adventure and cafe racers, and delve into the nostalgia and technical excellence in driving simulation games like Gran Turismo. Additional segments cover topics such as the appeal of the Porsche Carrera GT, the death of designer Marcello Gandini, and recommended motoring reads.
Judas Priest - Running Wild (intro)Furious Driving, A Mustang in the desert and Auxito, our first show sponsorOur Auxito Discount link 15% off with code MOTORINGHISTORIANRunning Wild - Free Wind Rider (intro)Owatrol - not sponsored, but improve old headlights without needing polishing tomfoolery, as recommended by Chops GarageXan Clan - Go, Go, GoNismo 400 launch party at Z Car GarageGroup C and IMSA of the eighties; an awesome spectacleJudas Priest - Running Wild (break/2nd verse)Gerald LaingRunning Wild Freewind Rider (chorus)The why of our Company Car EpisodeA potted history of the British company car, and its unusual foiblesSunroofs. Rooves.The Rise of the Car AllowanceJ’s first company car, a white Ford MondeoThe Importance of the 2.0 Ghia vs the 1.6 LThe Ford Granada 2.8i Ghia XM”s red ‘97 Renault Laguna RN(?). Base.M’s silver ‘00 Ford Focus 2.0 Ghia, a eulogy to Richard Parry-JonesThe nineties/noughties requirement to meet customers face to face meaning 50,000+ miles per year (!!!)Cars with low horse power, but low weight too Company car policies and bending the rules; M’s Seat Leon Cupra RHooligan behaviour on the way to Le Mans (neither M or J driving) Living in the car; the value of the face to face meeting, especially if the deal doesn’t go your way, because at least they used to tell you why you lost.J’s “Annus Horribilis”, in 2000. J’s Vauxhall Vectra S202BVT, understeery as hellJ’s Ford Soapbox. Are you listening Ian “Hubnut” Seabrook?J’s 2000 Subaru Impreza Turbo, which he never drove (go me)J destroys M and J’s shared Sierra Sapphire 2.0 Ghia crashing into a ditchM’s ‘07 Nissan 350Z and ‘09 Honda CBR600RRM’s Nissan 350Z and 370ZJ’s Stinky SubaruAfter the power metal special, today’s Running Wild specialAn early and very effective traffic avoidance technologyA wrecked Citroen Saxo VTSThe Uffington White Horse and a rolled carNot Sierra but Slayer, on the bootlid of E773NKV M’s Sierra 2.0 LA Red J-plate Subaru Legacy wagon; Gary Lineker, beloved British soccer player, calls J a Motherfu**er. J’s misses the Green Vectra SRi sedan, dark green V-plate. Vauxhall speke: SRi vs GSiJ mourns J191RBH, a grey Mk2 Vauxhall Cavalier SRiSlow cars fast vs Fast cars slowJ has Toyo Proxes on his Fiesta ST. Now it sounds like a Stuka. But the grip is unholy.M's Fiesta ST now has a Mounttune catback exhaustJ’s business idea flipping French hot hatches becoming US-legal thanks to the expiry of the 25 year ruleRenault Safrane Biturbo / MonacoPeugeot 309 GTi, 106 Rallye, 306GTi-6, 306 RallyeRIP Marcello Gandini, the designer of the Renault 5 Turbo 2 and Cizetta V-16. Among many others.The Bertone PiranaJ on the dodgyness of Car Consignment; the car the money and the title - at no point should one person have all threeWill J’s ‘77 Lincoln sell ? Or more accurately, will it be picked up?The rise and rise of the Porsche Carrera GT, compared to the Ferrari Enzo and Mercedes-McLaren SLRM’s eulogy to the Carrara GT; peak analogue?Running Wild - Riding The StormSportsbikes were bikes when M and J learned to ride. J hadn’t realized sportsbikes were a flash in the pan!M is tired out by naked bikes and wants some wind protection; J appreciates the artificial speedlimitBMW S1000R and S1000RR; M’s ‘09 Honda CBR600RR is better than him, and might remain that wayJ cannot speak highly enough of Gran Turismo as a virtual preservation and introduction to the world of cars, driving, and motoring culture as a whole, while retaining a Japanese flavourJ’s white Sierra Cosworth RS. In Gran TurismoJ and M do not like mudflapsRenault Laguna BTCC carM’s digression on difficult computer games Favourite company car; M’s handbrake turnsJ’s black Mondeo, limping up to Worcester using zipties in place of an alternator beltCar guy reading 101: J: Enzo Ferrari - My Terrible Joys; M: Matt Oxley, a very clever motorcycle writerRunning Wild - Wild Animal (Outro)===== (Oo---x---oO) =====
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