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.

Show Notes:

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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

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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

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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.

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

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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:

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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/

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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

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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

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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 Monitoring
03:02 – How The Podcast Started (and Who’s Behind It)
05:55 – Weird Cars We Love: Niche Gems and Cult Favourites
09:05 – Why Car Companies Make Odd Decisions
11:37 – Luxury Cars: What Actually Sells and Why
14:44 – 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 Drive
23:49 – When Tech Helps vs When It Just Gets in the Way
26:34 – The Laws That Shape the Cars We Get
42:43 – Why Small Cars Got So Big
47:07 – Premium Feel in Pint-Sized Cars
49:06 – Real Quality vs Perceived Quality
51:18 – Why New Tech Can Be So Annoying
56:33 – Driver Aids: Helpful or Just a Hassle?
01:00:46 – Why Simple Cars Are So Hard to Make Now
01:09:43 – The UI Problem: Why Are Car Screens Still So Bad?
01:15:29 – The Sweet Spot Between Features and Frustration

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Simon Saunders, founder of Ariel Motor Company, returns to chat about the all-new Nomad 2, the future of EVs, Ariel's experimental hypercar, and why some cars just make people smile. We also dive into titanium 3D printing, rally testing, and the psychology of driving.

Enjoy,

https://www.arielmotor.co.uk

Chapters:

03:01 Introducing the Nomad 2: Design and Performance Changes

05:58 Off-Road Capabilities and Customer Experiences

08:58 Testing and Development: Real-World Applications

11:51 The Psychology of Driving: Car Perception and Enjoyment

14:56 Navigating Regulations: The Future of Internal Combustion Engines

18:03 Electric Vehicles: Challenges and Opportunities

23:25 The Future of Electric Vehicles

28:15 Innovations in Electric Bike Design

35:05 3D Printing and Material Advancements

40:31 Design Philosophy and User Experience

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