Overdrive

Summary:

In this episode of Overdrive, we delve into the evolving world of motoring and mobility—from high-tech pedestrian detection fabrics to nostalgic reflections on motoring larrikins. David Brown and Paul Murrell critique inconsistencies in safety tech, vehicle naming confusion, and the charm of classic cars. We also road test the Mazda CX-30 and examine whether EVs are truly delivering on sustainability promises. Plus, we pay tribute to rally legend Ed Mulligan.

Program Links and Credits

Overdrive is produced by David Brown with assistance from Paul Murrell, Graham Patterson, Bruce Potter, and Mark Wesley.

More info and extended segments available at Cars Transport Culture, or search “Overdrive Radio” on your favourite podcast platform.

First broadcast: 19 April 2025

Syndicated across Australia via the Community Radio Network.

MG Response

A listener wondered if his car had been upgraded with the latest software when he found the very performance disappointing. The response from MG is as follows

The background to car badges

If ever we needed proof that all is not always as it seems, the Porsche badge is a perfect example.

While it looks like it’s been around forever, that’s far from the case.

Porsche is, of course, named after Ferry Porsche, the son of Ferdinand Porsche and designer of the Auto-union racers and the Kraft durche Freude people’s car (or Volkswagen).

But the badge was designed in response to a request from American Porsche importer, Max Hoffmann who thought sporting cars needed a badge worthy of their stature.

First appearing in 1953, the shield features the curving stag horns and colours of Baden-Württemburg while the centrepiece is the crest of the city of Stuttgart.

The rampant horse (reminiscent of the Ferrari badge) comes from origins in the Middle Ages – Stuttgart was a stud farm on the banks of the River Neckar.

Road Test - Tucson N-Line hybrid

A medium SUV that is quite a complete package.

Contacts Details

Web Site: Driven Media: drivenmedia.com.au

Podcasts

iTunes: Cars Transport Culture

Spotify: Cars Transport Culture

Or our social pages

Facebook

Cars Transport Culture

Instagram

Cars Transport Culture

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Cars Transport Culture

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Credits

And this has been overdrive

Thanks to

Mark Wesley

Bruce Potter

for their help with this program.

You can get more of our work including longer versions of the program on our website, through our podcasts, or more visual information on Facebook, Instagram or YouTube. In all cases search for cars transport culture.

Overdrive is syndicated across Australia on the Community Radio Network

This program was first broadcast on

I’m David Brown

Thanks for listening

G’Day and welcome to Overdrive, a program that practices what it preaches, most of the time, on the subject of cars and transport.

I’m David Brown

For more information go to our website, podcast, or social media – just search for Cars, Transport, Culture.

Once again, I am joined by the tireless Paul Murrell from seniordriveraus.com

Recalls in America covering some 35 million vehicles

First-ever redesign of Genesis GV60 makes Korean debut

Some of the thoughts that came out of a chat with Justin Douglas who is head of Genesis in Australia

Genesis is Hyundai’s Lexus

Sales volumes aren’t high, but orders are starting to look good

They only have five dealers

Servicing can be done by Hyundai Dealers

No haggle pricing

Everything Electric Show coming up

Audi, BMW, BYD, Cadillac, Cupra, Deepal, GWM, Jeep, Kia, Leapmotor, Mini, MG, Peugeot, Polestar, Renault, Skoda, Tesla, Volkswagen, XPeng and Zeekr.

No Hyundai nor Toyota

Stuart Sharp Railway history and a critical item for facilitating travel (public toilets)

I have always seen the provision of public toilets as a key issue of mobility. Particularly for women.

The reason for charging money is usually for the maintenance of the equipment. In NSW it was to limit the riff raff

Paying to use a toilet can be traced back almost 2000 years

As this is the anniversary from 1973 of legislation being passed to remove the charges on toilets in Chicago, the first American city to enact a ban

There is such a thing as The American Restroom Association

In Australia we here about several centenary anniversaries of developments in public toilets at railway stations

Road Test of the Genesis GV80 coupe

Large SUV

Coupe body is not to everyone’s taste

Contacts Details

Web Site: Driven Media: drivenmedia.com.au

Podcasts

iTunes: Cars Transport Culture

Spotify: Cars Transport Culture

Or our social pages

Facebook

Cars Transport Culture

Instagram

Cars Transport Culture

Or YouTube site

Cars Transport Culture

Search for Cars transport culture

Credits

And this has been overdrive

Thanks to

Paul Murrell

Mark Wesley

Bruce Potter

for their help with this program.

You can get more of our work including longer versions of the program on our website, through our podcasts, or more visual information on Facebook, Instagram or YouTube. In all cases search for cars transport culture.

Overdrive is syndicated across Australia on the Community Radio Network

This program was first broadcast on 8 March 2024

I’m David Brown

Thanks for listening

G’Day and welcome to Overdrive, a program that ponders the philosophical and practical aspects of motoring and transport.

I’m David Brown

For more information go to our website, podcast, or social media – just search for Cars, Transport, Culture.

Once again, I am joined by the effervescent Paul Murrell from seniordriveraus.com

A few quick stories

Toyota Discontinues Granvia People Mover in Australia

• A vehicle where function was much more powerful than form: it looked ugly

Reverse parking – Automatic parking

• Some “research” about which areas in Australia searched the internet the most for how to reverse park

• Parking spaces are getting smaller as cars get bigger

• Do people use the automatic parking on cars

Good Design – the best and worse cup holders

• BMW once said they would never have cup holders – never say never

• What are some good and bad aspects of cup holders

• Research on what type of coffee (cappuccino, flat white etc) is least likely to spill.

Nissan, Honda and Mitsubishi Motors terminate MOU

• A very short-term affair

Elon Musk Admits He Was Wrong

• You current Tesla will not be able to do autonomous driving with just a software update

The Cybertruck Appears to Be More Deadly Than the Infamous Ford Pinto, According to a New Analysis

• The Pinto had a reputation for catching fire

• It wasn’t just the Pinto that has become the whipping boy for a broader issue

• The stats on the Cybertruck are early days: but then again there is not much independent testing of their safety

Contacts Details

Web Site: Driven Media: drivenmedia.com.au

Podcasts

iTunes: Cars Transport Culture

Spotify: Cars Transport Culture

Or our social pages

Facebook

Cars Transport Culture

Instagram

Cars Transport Culture

Or YouTube site

Cars Transport Culture

Search for Cars transport culture

Credits

And this has been overdrive

Thanks to

• Paul Murrell

• Genesis Australia

• Bruce Potter

• Mark Wesley

for their help with this program.

You can get more of our work including longer versions of the program on our website, through our podcasts, or more visual information on Facebook, Instagram or YouTube. In all cases search for cars transport culture.

Overdrive is syndicated across Australia on the Community Radio Network

This program was first broadcast on 22 December 2024

I’m DB

Thanks for listening

In the Program

• The real costs of car insurance – EV vs PHEV vs ICE

• Beware of new cars about to be delisted due to ADR (Australian Design Rules)

• Elon Musk Admits He Was Wrong

• Problems with the MG Hybrid

• We review the car ads that were played in the Superbowl

• Road Test of the Genesis G70 – is it the modern equivalent of an old Jag?

Contacts Details

Web Site: Driven Media: drivenmedia.com.au

Podcasts

iTunes: Cars Transport Culture

Spotify: Cars Transport Culture

Or our social pages

Facebook

Cars Transport Culture

Instagram

Cars Transport Culture

Or YouTube site

Cars Transport Culture

Search for Cars transport culture

Credits

And this has been overdrive

Thanks to

Paul Murrell

Genesis Australia

Mark Wesley

Bruce Potter

for their help with this program.

You can get more of our work including longer versions of the program on our website, through our podcasts, or more visual information on Facebook, Instagram or YouTube. In all cases search for cars transport culture.

Overdrive is syndicated across Australia on the Community Radio Network

This program was first broadcast on 15 February 2025

I’m David Brown

Thanks for listening

G’Day and Welcome to Overdrive, a program that ponders the particulars of motoring and transport.

I’m David Brown

If you want to dive deeper into our thoughts, ideas, and occasional ramblings, you can find us on our website, podcast, or social media – just search for Cars, Transport, Culture.

Once again, I am joined by the ever-enthusiastic Paul Murrell from seniordriverauz.com

Subjects

This week we

Interview Genevieve who is a senior teacher in English and literature and who accompanied her revhead husband to a veteran vintage and classic motor show

With two cars to test this week we have something old; something new; something borrowed; something blue

We took the Hyundai Ioniq 5 to Bathurst to watch the motor racing. Our mechanical engineer and road tester Fred Brain reflects on this long trip in a (performance) electric vehicle.

But we'll start with our trip to Melbourne for the Motor and Masterpieces Show

Contacts Details

Web Site: Driven Media: drivenmedia.com.au

Podcasts

iTunes: Cars Transport Culture

Spotify: Cars Transport Culture

Or our social pages

Facebook

Cars Transport Culture

Instagram

Cars Transport Culture

Or YouTube site

Cars Transport Culture

Search for Cars transport culture

Credits

Thanks to

Paul Murrell

Genevieve

Fred Brain

Hyundai Australia

Jeep Australia

Bruce Potter

Mark Wesley

for their help with this program.

Overdrive is syndicated across Australia on the Community Radio Network

This program was first broadcast on 30 November 2024

I’m David Brown

Thanks for listening

Welcome to Overdrive, a program that ponders on the issues of motoring and transport

If you want to dive deeper into our thoughts, ideas, and occasional ramblings, you can find us on our website, podcast, or social media – just search for Cars, Transport, Culture.

Once again, I am joined by Paul Murrell from seniordriverauz.com

Subjects

• When something goes wrong with your car don’t tell the mechanic what you think the problem is

• Road tolls – ABC program and what we still need to cover

• Feedback on the Deepal S07

• Road test GWM Tank 500 Hybrid

• Road test Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV

Contacts Details

Web Site: Driven Media: drivenmedia.com.au

Podcasts

iTunes: Cars Transport Culture

Spotify: Cars Transport Culture

Or our social pages

Facebook

Cars Transport Culture

Instagram

Cars Transport Culture

Or YouTube site

Cars Transport Culture

Search for Cars transport culture

Credits

And this has been overdrive

Thanks to

• Paul Murrell

• +Mark Wesley

• Bruce Potter

for their help with this program.

You can get more of our work including longer versions of the program on our website, through our podcasts, or more visual information on Facebook, Instagram or YouTube. In all cases search for cars transport culture.

Here at 99.3 FM you can also listen to past programs that went to air through our web site at northsideradio.com

Overdrive is syndicated across Australia on the Community Radio Network

This program was first broadcast on 26 October 2024

I’m David Brown

Thanks for listening

Welcome to Overdrive, a program that probes deeply into the issues of motoring and transport

I am joined by Paul Murrell

If you want to dive deeper into our thoughts, ideas, and occasional ramblings, you can find us on our website, podcast, or social media – just search for Cars, Transport, Culture.

Subjects

• McLaren Automotive’s newly announced $3.9 million W1 hypercar comes with an option of a watch at the snip of a price of $560,000

• Nissan is making vehicle to grid technology much more affordable which allows EVs to return power back to the grid or provide power for local needs such as your house in a blackout.

• Bathurst and advertising on cars – the good the bad and the ugly

• Launch of the Deepal S07 (at Bondi Beach) seeking out the influencers not just the traditional motoring press.

Contacts Details

Web Site: Driven Media: drivenmedia.com.au

Podcasts

iTunes: Cars Transport Culture

Spotify: Cars Transport Culture

Or our social pages

Facebook

Cars Transport Culture

Instagram

Cars Transport Culture

Or YouTube site

Cars Transport Culture

Search for Cars transport culture

Credits

And this has been overdrive

Thanks to

• Paul Murrell

• Brian Smith

• Mark Wesley

• Bruce Potter

for their help with this program.

You can get more of our work including longer versions of the program on our website, through our podcasts, or more visual information on Facebook, Instagram or YouTube. In all cases search for cars transport culture.

Overdrive is syndicated across Australia on the Community Radio Network

This program was first broadcast on 19 October 2024

I’m David Brown

Thanks for listening

Hello and welcome to Overdrive, a program where we explore the world of motoring and transport.

I’m David Brown

If you want to dive deeper into our thoughts, ideas, and occasional ramblings, you can find us on our website, podcast, or social media – just search for Cars, Transport, Culture.

Subjects

· The Rise and Legacy of the Iconic Pirelli Calendar

· Vintage Trains and Sydney's Hidden History

· Japan’s Kei Cars: Small, Efficient, but not for everywhere

· Is Tesla Facing the Same Fate as Tupperware?

· Suzuki Swift: The Humble Car with Loyal Fans

Contacts Details

Web Site: Driven Media: drivenmedia.com.au

Podcasts

iTunes: Cars Transport Culture

Spotify: Cars Transport Culture

Or our social pages

Facebook

Cars Transport Culture

Instagram

Cars Transport Culture

Or YouTube site

Cars Transport Culture

Search for Cars transport culture

Credits

And this has been overdrive

Thanks to

· Paul Murrell

· Evan Jones

· Suzuki Australia

· Mark Wesley

· Bruce Potter

for their help with this program.

You can get more of our work including longer versions of the program on our website, through our podcasts, or more visual information on Facebook, Instagram or YouTube. In all cases search for cars transport culture.

Overdrive is syndicated across Australia on the Community Radio Network

This program was first broadcast on 12 October 2024

I’m David Brown

Thanks for listening

Hello and welcome to Overdrive, a program where we wander through the world of motoring and transport.

I’m David Brown

If you want to dive deeper into our thoughts, ideas, and occasional ramblings, you can find us on our website, podcast, or social media – just search for Cars, Transport, Culture.

Subjects

• The new Polestar 3 – an accomplished SUV but at a price (01:04)

• Some of the Chinese brands headed for Australia – There’s manufacturing revolution going on here and around the world (07:51)

• Road Test the Suzuki 5 door Jimny (12:25)

• Two legends of the Australian Rally scene – Wayne Bell and David Body (24:50)

Contacts Details

Web Site: Driven Media: drivenmedia.com.au

Podcasts

iTunes: Cars Transport Culture

Spotify: Cars Transport Culture

Or our social pages

Facebook

Cars Transport Culture

Instagram

Cars Transport Culture

Or YouTube site

Cars Transport Culture

Search for Cars transport culture

Credits

And this has been overdrive

Thanks to

· Alan Zurvas

· Evan Jones

· Wayne Bell

· Dave Body

· Suzuki Australia

· Mark Wesley

· Bruce Potter

for their help with this program.

You can get more of our work including longer versions of the program on our website, through our podcasts, or more visual information on Facebook, Instagram or YouTube. In all cases search for cars transport culture.

Overdrive is syndicated across Australia on the Community Radio Network

This program was first broadcast on 28 September 2024

I’m David Brown

Thanks for listening