Bring a Trailer Podcast

In episode 96 of the BaT Podcast, Alex is joined once again by Beck Diefenbach, who has Thoughts on the One-Year Garage game. They recount favorite classic Top Gear episodes, talk about the "fall rush" in White Glove, and note the much-improved production times for Classic and Plus listings. Alex prepares to try out a BaT Local Partner for himself. The pair compose a paean to one of our very best people, go over notable White Glove auctions of recent months and the near future, and engage in obligatory 356 and Furhmann dives. Finally, they move on to their own takes on recent Questions of the Week, which in turn elicit several embarrassing admissions from them both: favorite sports sedans, cars with the coolest scoops, favorite promotional vehicles, and pre-war daily drivers.

Follow along! Links for the listings discussed in this episode:

2:35 Clarkson flips his Milano YouTube

10:20 1930 Mercedes-Benz 770K Four-Door Cabriolet by Voll & Ruhrbeck

10:24 Special-Roadster-Style 1934 Mercedes-Benz 500 K

16:51 VIN-Matched 2023 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170 and 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon

19:35 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon model page

20:11 1958 Chevrolet Corvette Fuelie 4-Speed & 2008 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Pair

21:40 1957 Porsche 356A Carrera GS Coupe

22:10 1962 Fiat 600 Jolly by Ghia

22:30 Trust-in-the-Machine user profile

26:05 gblue user profile

27:45 2021 Ford GT Studio Collection

30:15 Question of the Week: What’s Your Favorite Sports Sedan of All Time?

31:20 BMW E34 M5 model page

37:00 Question of the Week: What Car has the Coolest Scoop(s) of All Time?

37:45 '56 Conti A/C scoop

38:53 SVO Mustang hood scoop

39:09 Thunderbird Turbo Coupe hood scoops

39:17 Porsche 924 Turbo NACA duct

41:42 Gullwing roof vents

42:55 1981 Ferrari 208 GTB

44:44 1991 BMW M3 Convertible

45:17 Question of the Week: What’s Your Favorite Promotional Vehicle?

49:04 Question of the Week: What Prewar Car Would You Drive Daily Today?

55:45 54-Years-Owned 1939 Ford Deluxe Coupe

58:38 Leno's Kleiber YouTube

Got questions for the BaT staff or suggestions for our next One Year? Don’t hesitate to let us know! Write to [email protected] and we’ll do our best to address them.

In episode 95 of the BaT Podcast, Alex and Zac welcome podcast newcomer and BaT stalwart, the one and only Patrick Trautfield, to join them for the latest round of The One-Year Garage. This time, it's 1984—a more difficult field on which to play than any of the trio imagined, but fertile ground nonetheless. Topics include a heretofore unknown first BaT Podcast attempt in 2017; the first-gen Toyota Camry Solara, that relatively agreeable precursor to one of the worst-looking cars ever made; much-delayed impressions from Luft 10; the shocking and completely unexpected realities of Ferrari ownership; overly generous definitions of "family hauler"; #vanagonlife;  a Toyota trifecta; and a rowdy theme for the wild cards of the era. 

Follow along! Links for the listings discussed in this episode:

1:44 23k-Mile 2001 Toyota Camry Solara SLE V6 Convertible and a bonus two-tone '99 coupe

21:47 1984 Mazda RX-7 GSL-SE 5-Speed

22:47 Ferrari 288 GTO Ferrari.com

30:46 1984 Ferrari 400i

34:03 1984 Toyota 4Runner 4×4 5-Speed

37:57 Asphalt Heritage Tour Auto 2018 Lancia 037

40:20 Ex-Walter Rohrl 1983 Championship Winner: 1983 Lancia Rally 037

40:59 This dirty Group 4 Ferrari 308 GTB sounds incredible Road & Track

45:29 Honda Restored Its First Concept, the 1984 HP-X, for Pebble Beach Car and Driver

46:41 A Rare Group B Homologation Special: The 1984 Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 Silodrome

Got questions for the BaT staff or suggestions for our next One Year? Don’t hesitate to let us know! Write to [email protected] and we’ll do our best to address them.

In episode 94 of the BaT Podcast, Alex, Randy and Zac shoot the breeze (but not the fish) about: Corona vs Cordoba, a rosier view of the current state of the market, Carrera RS colors, the dread question: "Is it real?", anti-stripe contrarianism, and searching by Lot Number, capping things off with a rambling exploration through our leaders' highly eclectic watchlists. They move on to display their collective, uncanny ability for remembering specific details from a huge list of movie cars (both stars and extras), dissect "ground effects," point out flawed car casting, and intentionally leave Eleanor out in the cold.

Follow along! (deep breath) Links for the listings discussed in this episode:

0:45 1992 Lancia Delta Integrale Evo 1 (not Randy's)
1:00 3SGTE-Powered 1985 Toyota MR2 Race Car 
1:15 1977 Chrysler Cordoba Race Car for Charity
1:27 267k-mile 1995 Volvo 850 T-5R Wagon
2:00 Widebody 1990 Mercedes-Benz 560SEC 6-Speed by Bespoke
3:57 Special-Roadster-Style 1934 Mercedes-Benz 500 K
4:05 Ravenna Green 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera RS Touring
4:24 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera RS Touring
7:05 1966 Shelby Mustang GT350
11:00 Iso Rivolta A3/C Sanction II Continuation by Il Bottegone
13:00 Autofirme’s 30-Years-Owned, 20V-Powered 1983 Audi Quattro
13:42 1967 Jaguar XKE Series I 4.2 Coupe 4-Speed
14:48 Cadillac CTS-V Race Car
14:59 1968 DeTomaso Mangusta
15:06 pWilliams Road Kings Pinball Machine
15:13 1924 Rolls-Royce 40/50 Springfield Silver Ghost Balloon Car
15:34 1966 Ford Mustang GT Fastback 5-Speed
19:00 Ex–Alfred Hitchcock 1958 Bentley S1 Continental Saloon by Mulliner
21:03 1988 Kawasaki KXF 250 Tecate4
22:15 1960 Chevrolet Bel Air Sport Coupe 348 4-Speed
23:10 S54-Powered 1972 Datsun 240Z 6-Speed
23:55 Modified 1991 Mercedes-Benz Unimog U1550L
24:27 Turbocharged 2.0L Cosworth-Powered KaRa 430
26:31 Ex–Le Mans Pace Car 2003 Chevrolet Corvette 50th Anniversary Edition Coupe 6-Speed
27:37 Ferris Bueller's Day Off: 1985 Audi 5000 S and 1985 Pontiac Fiero SE and 1985 Chrysler LeBaron Town & Country and Ferrari 250 GT Spyder California Replica
29:20 On Her Majesty's Secret Service: 1963 Mercedes-Benz 220 S and 1969 Mercury Cougar XR-7
30:05 Ronin: 1976 Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 and 1996 Audi S8
30:31 The Transporter: 1995 BMW 735i
31:00 Tomorrow Never Dies: 1997 BMW 740iL masquerading as 750iL
31:48 American Graffiti: 1958 Chevrolet Bel Air Impala Sport Coupe and 1955 Chevrolet and 1956 Ford Thunderbird
33:30 The Birds: 1954 Aston Martin DB2/4 Drophead Coupé
35:52 Charade: 1962 Citroën ID 19
36:20 Goldeneye: 1995 BMW Z3
36:42 Memento: 1997 Jaguar XK8
37:34 To Catch a Thief: 1950 Citroën 11 B and 1953 Sunbeam Alpine
39:15 The Rock: 1996 Ferrari F355 Spider and AM General Hummer
39:41 Office Space: 1996 Toyota Corolla and 1982 Porsche 911 SC
40:44 2 Fast 2 Furious: 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder (with ground effects!) and 2002 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VII
41:18 The Fast and the Furious: 2000 Ford F-150 SVT Lightning
42:02 Scent of a Woman: 1989 Ferrari Mondial t Cabriolet
43:02 Harold and Maude: 1967 Jaguar XK-E Hearse
43:53 The Matrix Reloaded: 1999 Ducati 996
45:19 Pulp Fiction: 1991 Acura NSX
46:25 Miami Vice: 2006 Ferrari F430 Spider
50:41 The Talented Mr. Ripley: 1956 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider
55:48 Back to the Future: 1984 BMW 733i
57:20 Le Mans: 1969 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray

Got questions for the BaT staff or suggestions for our next One Year? Don’t hesitate to let us know! Write to [email protected] and we’ll do our best to address them.

For episode 93 of the BaT Podcast, Alex and Howard sit down with Andrew Glaser, founder and CEO of Vantage Auto, who has currently listed just under 1,500 cars on BaT and is still going strong. Andrew calls in from the rear end of a Maybach to discuss the recent BaT Alumni Gathering in New York; the Smart Crossblade as art; broken family promises; wholesaling 200 cars a week; a quick and necessary pivot as the pandemic set in; the beauty in low-mile examples of otherwise pedestrian cars; barns full of undriven Dodges in the middle of nowhere; the downside of over-reconditioning; the somewhat unusual position of being a car enthusiast in car sales; the Element and CR-V trends; "bids per mile";  a frank look at the current state of the market for volume dealers, and sage advice for others in the same position; the power of the comments section; well over the unicorn limit; the triumph and pain of selling 11 special cars at once; and an upcoming move into consignment.

Follow along! Links for the listings discussed in this episode:

1:30 VantageAuto seller page

2:35 989-Mile 2005 Porsche 911 Turbo S Cabriolet 6-Speed

20:34 1,700-Mile 2006 Ford GT

23:40 Vantage Auto Collection on Instagram

25:28 12k-Mile 2006 Honda CR-V 4WD SE

Got questions for the BaT staff or suggestions for our next One Year? Don’t hesitate to let us know! Write to [email protected] and we’ll do our best to address them.

This week, we present in full a recording of the live panel discussion from the largest BaT Alumni Gathering yet, which was moderated by our own Alex Porter this past Saturday at Coker Farm in beautiful Bedford, New York. Special thanks to our guests Anthony Serra of 1600veloce, Dean Laumbach, and last but certainly not least, Philip Richter, who so graciously lent the use of his gorgeous property on one of the nicest fall days we've ever seen. We'll be back to regular programming next week!

Got questions for the BaT staff or suggestions for our next One Year? Don’t hesitate to let us know! Write to [email protected] and we’ll do our best to address them.

In episode 91 of the BaT Podcast, Alex, Randy, and Zac get together with Howard and call themselves "mid"; talk movies and music from this unappreciated year; decide what 1970s pickup qualifies as a sports car; find joy in '70s colors and graphics; buck an engine trend; issue some you-heard-it-here-first car investment advice; make fun of Canadians; agree and disagree on Ferrari rooflines; make unwise choices for daily drivers; deride stock Scirocco wheels; show that one's favorite car and favorite boat can be one and the same; pick unfortunate children's names; skirt the rules in favor of the BMW M1; judge people based on their usernames; and lie about the next One-Year year.

We want to know: What five cars are on your list? Why are our picks stupid? What did we forget about in our race to pick perfection?

Follow along! Links for the picks discussed in this episode:

4:40 All 1977 listings on BaT

6:30 1977 Jeep Cherokee Chief S 4×4

7:38 1977 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ40

9:04 1977 Ford F-250 Highboy Ranger 4×4 4-Speed

9:58 1977 Mazda Rotary Pickup

11:55 Ferrari Berlinetta Boxer model page

12:23 1977 Ferrari 512 BB

12:52 1974 Lancia Stratos HF Stradale

14:40 1977 Ferrari 308 GTB

15:55 Ex–Rod Stewart 1977 Lamborghini Countach LP400 Periscopio

17:05 1977 Lotus Esprit S1

18:15 1977 Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTV 5-Speed

20:15 RoW 1977 Porsche 930 Turbo

22:16 1977 Volkswagen Scirocco

23:43 1977 Aston Martin V8 S3 5-Speed

25:13 Lincoln Mark Vs on BaT

26:51 Euro 1977 Mercedes-Benz 450SEL 6.9

28:12 1977 Chevrolet G20 Conversion Van

30:12 1977 BMW 530i 4-Speed

30:40 Citroen CX model page

31:32 Looking Back on 10 Years of BaT Auctions: Howard’s Auction Wish List

31:37 Fiat 131 Abarth Rally Stradale (Silodrome)

33:01 Serial Number One: 1977 BMW M1 Prototype

34:22 Ex–Cale Yarborough 1977 Oldsmobile Cutlass NASCAR Race Car

35:55 1977 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am Y82 4-Speed

39:17 GMC Motorhomes on BaT

41:42 Le Mans-Class-Winning 1976 Porsche 934 Race Car

Got questions for the BaT staff or suggestions for our next One Year? Don’t hesitate to let us know! Write to [email protected] and we’ll do our best to address them.

Alex and Zac are joined once again by BaT moto guru Tyler Greenblatt to discuss the intricacies of lane-splitting laws (or the absence thereof) in California; the ongoing resurgence of vintage Easy Rider-inspired Harleys with ape hangers; improper bike appearances in movies; rude stereotypes wry observations about BMW riders; the staying power of the vintage Honda minibike in our marketplace; groundbreaking early moto tech; Zac's aspiration to be the youngest person ever to go on a cross-country road trip on a Goldwing; a closet appreciation for the cash-guzzling Rune; the wisdom of sustained autobahn speeds in the US; and the secret talents and charisma of a Triumph triple. Tyler blows Alex's mind with a Cam Count before the trio moves on to play a New Game: blazing through all manner of performance bikes from the last 25 years. 

Follow along! Links for the picks discussed in this episode:

3:00 2008 Victory Vegas 8-Ball by Roland Sands Design

8:51 1986 Honda Z50RD Christmas Special

9:20 Honda Christmas Specials on BaT

10:12 50-Years-Owned 1951 Vincent Rapide Series C

10:20 Egli-Vincent by Slater

12:38 1994 Honda GL1500 Gold Wing SE w/Sidecar

15:22 Honda Rune model page

16:50 362-Mile 2009 Honda DN-01

18:50 Alligator Motorcycle | Dan Gurney's All American Racers

22:44 137-Mile 2022 Combat Motors P51 Combat Fighter

25:27 Vincent Black Shadow model page

25:40 1930 Indian Four

25:52 1975 MV Agusta 750S America

26:55 Ducati 900SS Mike Hailwood Replicas on BaT

27:06 1931 BMW R11

29:42 550-Mile 2004 Ducati Monster S4R

32:15 Ducati 999 model page

35:45 2013 Suzuki GSX-R1000 1 Million Commemorative Edition

44:28 KTM 1190s on BaT

46:38 2000 Harley-Davidson FXR4

Got questions for the BaT staff or suggestions for our next One Year Garage episode? Don’t hesitate to let us know! Write in to [email protected] and we’ll do our best to address them.

Alex interviews Jeff Mason, Super-Legit Car Guy as well as President and COO of The Piston Foundation, whose mission is to fund skilled trades programs to help a new generation of craftspeople build rewarding careers in the collector car industry. They start with a primer on what Piston does before moving into the strong interest in cars displayed by today's youth; how modern job readiness and technical education have evolved; the influence of the "Maker Movement"; professional skills vs. trades, and the latter as a jumping off point for both technical and non-technical careers in the collector car industry; the intersection between artistic expression and mechanical inclination; the confidence boost and satisfaction of learning to do something real; and the joy of working with purely objective quality standards. They turn to Jeff's own automotive experiences, such as piggybacking off of someone else's midlife crisis, to great effect: racing with his brother in the Carrera Panamericana, the Mille Miglia, and other famous rallies to come. The pair close by detailing the direct, meaningful downstream effects of donations to the Piston Foundation and how collectors can help change the community's workforce from "graying to growing." 

Follow along! Links for the picks discussed in this episode:

1:00 The Piston Foundation

13:32 Shop Class as Soulcraft: An Inquiry into the Value of Work by Matthew B. Crawford (Amazon)

22:37 Riley's Rebuilds (Facebook)

25:26 Automotive Restorations (a BaT Local Partner)

32:02  Driving La Carrera

33:00 Fiat 508C Balilla 1100 (Wikipedia) 

38:10 Lot #100,000: The BaT 1973 Datsun 240Z for Charity

38:23 Piston Foundation BaT user page

38:27 Support Piston Foundation Scholars With New BaT x Piston Foundation Shirts!

45:30 Cars for Piston Scholars donation program

47:00 34-Piece Scale Model Car “Grand Elegance” Collection for Charity & 47-Piece Scale Model Car “American Classics” Collection for Charity

49:09 BaT Alumni Gathering, October 19 at Coker Farm in Bedford, New York—Registration is Open!

50:15 2025 Porsche Cayman GTS 4.0 sweepstakes

Got questions for the BaT staff or suggestions for our next One Year? Don’t hesitate to let us know! Write in to [email protected] and we’ll do our best to address them.

Donate to The Piston Foundation today!

In episode 81 of the BaT Podcast, Alex, Randy, and Zac reunite to lick their respective social media wounds ahead of the third edition of their new favorite game, The One-Year Garage. This time, the year is 1956 and Howard kicks it off with an easy theft from Randy, who maintains that shoving one's children through uncomfortable spaces is much cooler than granting them their own doors and goes on to expound further on his own car-related deficiencies as a father.  They move on to briefly rank the wives of Don Draper and mention Zac's upcoming race weekend in a field of, coincidentally, 56 Spec Miatas. The conversation turns to very special Italian sports cars and shocks Randy with a Porsche transmission revelation. Howard proves that one can make an eye-roll obvious in an audio recording, Randy does his best to describe the ultimate way to drive over a Canada goose, and Alex declares a favorite car of all time. Wild card territory sees Howard singing and declaring his love for Mike Hawthorn, Randy poking fun at our brick-and-mortar compatriots, Zac courting legal trouble with Ferrari, and everyone failing to send a link to the producer. They wrap by barely scratching the surface of honorable mentions for this absolutely stellar year in automotive history.

We want to know: What five cars are on your list? Why are our picks stupid? What did we forget about in our race to pick perfection? Let us know in the comments below!

Follow along! Links for the picks discussed in this episode:

1:30 The One-Year Garage: 1995

5:20 1956 Chevy Nomads on BaT

7:00 1956 Chrysler 3ooBs on BaT

8:18 Supercharged 1956 Ford Country Squire Wagon

10:33 1956 Fiat Multipla

13:06 1956 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Veloce Lightweight

15:23 The crown jewel of Italian collaborations is this Zagato bodied Fiat 8 V Berlinetta (Classic Driver)

18:29 1956 AC Aceca

19:35 Porsche 550 Spyder

22:26 406-Powered 1956 Chevrolet Carryall Suburban

22:42 1956 Dodge Power Wagons on BaT

24:31 Cummins-Powered 1949 Dodge Power Wagon Four-Door

25:04 1956 Ford F100s on BaT 

25:50 1956 Fiat-Bartoletti Tipo 306 Race Car Transporter (Sports Car Market)

27:15 Willock Swivel-Frame: 1958 Dodge Power Wagon

28:25 Lot #10,000: 1956 Porsche 356A Carrera GS Coupe

29:57 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing & Roadster Model Page

32:04 Aston Martin DB2/4s on BaT

33:10 1956 BMW R60

34:27 30-Years-Owned 1956 Volkswagen Beetle

35:21 Ferrari 290 MM (1956)

37:35 Ex-Gustavo Quintero 2-owner 1957 BMW 507 Series 2 (Supercar Nostalgia)

40:01 Ferrari D50: 1955 F1 single-seater

45:11 Earls Court Motor Show 1956 Austin-Healey 100M

45:49 Alfa Romeo Van at 2023 BaT Monterey Alumni Gathering

46:59 Rally Veteran: 1956 Lancia Aurelia B20 GT

48:51 1956 Thunderbirds on BaT

49:22 22-Years-Owned 1958 Lotus Eleven Series 2 Le Mans

50:48 1957 Continental Mark II

Got questions for the BaT staff or suggestions for our next One Year? Don’t hesitate to let us know! Write in to [email protected] and we’ll do our best to address them.

Alex and Zac tag-team to take on the one and only actor, Honda spokesperson, philanthropist, and soon-to-be-ex-pro wrestler John Cena. They start with a dazzling, if incomplete, list of Cena's accomplishments before moving on to the beginnings of his fascination with torture by British car; the formative influence of Matchbox cars in the mud and Richard Scarry's Cars and Trucks and Things That Go; and the evolution from early East Coast hip-hop to the car-flaunting mainstream rap of the 2000s. Cena takes time out to demonstrate a perfect elevator pitch for the BaT model and community before diving back into the difference between Brock Lesner and a 2,000-pound supercar with 1,000 horsepower; the healthy balance struck in his relationship regarding car collecting and safety; humility as it relates to gratitude; finding the reward in running through the gears in his XK120, even without a turn in sight; the satisfaction of gauges arrayed across a wooden dash; a memorable first motorcycle experience followed by his brief residence in a Lincoln Continental; life lessons taught through two decades with his infamous un-Lambo; the difference between an intriguing car and one that just costs a lot; and finally, asking one's self the right questions about philanthropy.