Car Chat

Mike Fernie - Leaving DriveTribe and Going Solo

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 [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 choices 08:56 What the audience really responds to: retention, comments, feedback loops 12:10 DriveTribe’s evolution: what worked, what got harder over time 14:58 From mech eng to car journalism: how Mike got in 18:02 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 owning 1:00:48 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, sustainability 1:12:19 Dream gig: building engines with an OEM / real R&D access 1:18:41 Engine design shifts: what’s changed (and what’s coming back) 1:25:14 High-speed records: what’s possible now, what’s myth 1:31:57 Five-car garage: the keeper list + standout car journeys Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]

Petrol Ped - Driving The 911 GTS Hybrid And The ICE Cayman / Boxster Are BACK!

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 [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 [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]

Tiff Needell - Racer First, TV Second

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 [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]

Al Clark - A Film Maker's Journey From Drift Videos to Bugatti Films

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/ [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 [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]

Miro Zrnčević | Bugatti Rimac Chief Test And Development Driver

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.rimac-automobili.com/] https://www.bugatti.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 [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]