Car Trends We Expect In 2026

You know, I consider myself a bit of a prophet as well.

You know, I think I might have started the previous video out like that before,

but when you're right so many times, I only feel like I can say it twice.

All of my car trends that I expected to happen in 2025 became true.

Yeah. And I want to talk to you guys about what car trends you think are coming

to the community. Are you looking into your crystal ball right now?

Yeah, just my forehead mostly, which by the way, welcome to Martiniworks.

MagikartMartiniworks.com.

Dakota, you got any ideas on what car trends you think are coming in hot?

Yeah, I got to ask the Magic Conch.

Yeah, you have it? Yeah, Magic Conch told me.

Oh, clean builds.

And what I mean by this is stuff with less arrow.

I think people are going to start dialing it back.

We've seen a lot of the over fender kits, big wings, all that stuff.

I think people are going to step away from that and they're going to do

a lot more minimalistic kits.

I still think there will be arrow.

You know, maybe hoods with some vents on them.

Ground effects kits like lips, side skirts, slight diffusers,

but they will be color matched.

They won't be just like black plastic or carbon fiber.

It's all going to be sleek.

It's almost going to look OEM plus.

Sure. I'm thinking a lot more people are just going to keep it tasteful.

I think we've gone the route where everything has went really crazy and wild.

And we've kind of started to peak where it's like you go further than that.

And it's just getting plain stupid at this point.

So I think now the trend is because the trend always ends up

being the opposite of what's, you know, getting super popular.

Yep. Is the dial it back and go clean again.

Hmm. Interesting. That's a good one.

Yeah, I know. Yeah.

That's pretty OK.

I think repossessions are going to.

That's crazy.

Jesus Christ.

2026, ladies and gentlemen, it's 2008 all over again.

I just I just time they're coming for the car.

I can't I can't tell you enough

that I just think repos are going to be a car trend.

Does that mean we get 2026?

I think what's going to happen is you're going to see

a lot of individuals with new generation M3s and M4s sell their car.

And they're going to come on and be like, guys,

I just had to go back to the basics.

Had to go back. You know, I just wanted to get something more had to legally.

Legally obligated.

Is there a lot of big loans in 2025 or what?

The amount the amount of

what do you call leverage that is in the automotive market right now

in terms of new car sales is insane.

And I do think a lot of people are going to get into

probably halfway 2026 and realize, man, this car is really cool.

I bought it for $80,000.

I don't know how I've only owned it for a year.

And now it's worth 56, but I should probably get rid of it.

And I do think you're going to see people go back

towards more modestly appropriate

car builds, even if they have the money, I think.

And what I've seen in 2026 or what I think I'm going to see more in 2026

is people are like, they're kind of turning their heads around saying, man,

maybe I don't need all this stuff.

I don't need all these things, the most expensive glitz and glam out there.

I've been over influenced by makeup and clothes and things like that.

And I think a lot of that has to do with cars as well.

Like you go out there and it's like, man, you want to people that are buying

you know, new BMW M240Is was insane.

The people that are spending money on M4s right now is insane.

And like they're great cars, fantastic cars.

And if you can financially afford one, they're hats off to you.

That's great.

But there are some people that I think really overspent on

maybe their second car, maybe their third car.

And they're like, man, I don't know if this is worth it.

It's like, no, I think they're going to sell it.

I think they're going back to like get a E46 or something like that,

or even like an E90 and they're going to be just as happy.

A year ago or so that that repo guy on TicTac was like blowing up.

I know.

That was just coming back.

Is he going to come back doing like the dances in front of people?

That was my favorite account on their repos.

That's insane.

Well, that's a wild take that a trend will be repossession.

So well, you know, I just have to hit them with the sideways one.

I would say more appropriate ones, just affordable builds.

I think affordability, I think is going to be more important than ever before.

I've seen a lot of people that have like stopped following big brands

and there's this new wave of people being OK with, you know, counterfeits

and people are being OK with like fake stuff.

Like even like in the apparel world, like the lifestyle world of things.

And I think that is the clearest indication of like a recession.

Like people are justifying the recession indicator.

I might just be what's the guy that always talks about the money

that's like got the crazy hair on the TV channel, the television.

SpongeBob.

Close enough.

You know, like there's always an indication of of a recession.

And, you know, this, I think, I think something's coming.

So I think people are going to get more into affordable builds.

They're going to find ways to enjoy their car the same amount

just with less expensive parts.

I don't like yours, Joe. What's yours?

Listen, all I know is a T-Pain in Kesha, but making music again.

And that's not a recession indicator.

I don't know what is T-Pain going dummy.

T-Pain going crazy. I love it.

I said a resurgence in VIP builds specifically with a lot of the newer platforms,

like the lesser known platforms of like the early 2000s becoming available from Japan.

So we've seen it with like that.

Was it like the crown athlete five wagon or whatever that it is?

Huge dope, awesome, not incredibly expensive for like what it is

and like what you can get them for.

And I think that every year that we, you know, that 25 year law

allows more vehicles in is every year that we get to see some like newer, cooler stuff.

I know I seen like there was that like Mirage,

like Mitsubishi Mirage wagon that was available like down in Wisconsin

not that long ago. They had like a VR for it.

Just like the crazy stuff like this that I think

like would often get overlooked, but you dump it and throw some dope wheels on it.

Like every VIP car should have, I think we're going to see a resurgence of that

and kind of going along with like the more like clean OEM plus look, you know,

just just making the normal stuff look really sick.

Galant VR four, cool car. Nobody knows about it.

It's absolutely awesome. I love the Galant VR fours.

My friend had one super sick.

The only problem is you say you have a VR four and everybody thinks it's a 3,000 GT VR four.

And you have to be like, yeah, no, it's a 4G, it was a weird weird thing.

There are so many good Japanese big body sedans out there.

Like there's a million.

And I feel like every year there's one I learn a new name.

Exactly. And they're decently affordable.

Like a lot of them are going like between eight and 12K.

Now, a lot of them are automatic because it's a four door sedan luxury vehicle.

But manual swaps are possible.

I mean, Alex had a glorious swapped and that was awesome.

It was really sick.

That's doable.

But my second one that was laying in to kind of ties into my first

how we're talking about the clean builds, I think liveries blew up like crazy.

This is going to be a two sided coin.

Oh, they got crazy.

Everyone was doing liveries.

They're going nuts with them.

A lot of like the brand ones, too.

You know, like we've seen like the twisted T's and Coors Light wraps, all this stuff.

I think it's going to end.

And I think it's going to be clean slates again.

One solid.

We're not doing two tone cars.

We're not doing three tone.

We're not doing half liver.

I think it's going to be clean slate one color across the build.

What are the what are the colors like?

Don't say brown.

Like a light, light, light, light, light, brown.

Do you like that color?

Like a like a that seems like a loaded question.

Like a caramel creamer color, one color.

If you're asking me if I like the color of the S2K, I don't.

Damn, at the same time, you've got decals all over that.

OK, but here's the other side of the coin.

I said it was a two sided coin.

I'm dead wrong, completely wrong.

People double down on the weatherman tactic over.

And I see 50 percent chance of rain.

Drift liveries getting super popular in the stance culture.

Yeah. And I see that exploding and going further.

I seen at some events this year, the meme liveries that went crazy,

like the entire cars.

I mean, I can easily see that transferring over to the stance culture.

And I really haven't seen any of it in the stance culture.

Maybe a couple of slammed cars with like a drift inspired livery.

I still have a little bit of like the chrome like tribal on it.

But I think I think they're going to go even further into that.

So it's one or the other. I'm not sure.

Fair enough.

You got another one. Oh, yeah.

This one's this one's fax.

This one's 100 percent going to tell me I'm going to be broken.

Twenty twenty six and more, more domestic cars getting built

and enjoyed and loved.

I just I see it.

I see the writing on the walls.

I think everybody wants to have power.

I think people want to get their cars to be affordable.

I think people want to have fun with their cars.

And there is really no better car to have ridiculous,

stupid back of the road style fun than like a C five Corvette

or even a like an S five fifty Mustang or some of the older,

even like early 2000s Mustangs that you can do some some pretty simple stuff

with and still have a good time with them like the sub 10 grand cars.

We talked about the arc state being like one of those things.

But man, like as as the years go on,

the older Japanese cars continue to get more expensive

unless you're getting weird stuff from Japan.

That's like an automatic or door.

But the domestic cars are continuing to go down in price.

Like outside of like very specific trim, like the really high rare.

Yeah. But like the Corvette, still a Corvette,

like the base model Corvette with the manual is still fun, right?

It's just if you want to go get the zero six that you're going to be,

you know, paying an arm and a leg for.

And I think people are going to enjoy that.

And I've seen friends, both girls and guys,

actually go back in time to get older and older cars.

Like there's a girl that I used to know is Claire.

She bought like a C four Corvette because she liked the way that they looked.

And then I started looking at these Corvettes and then I went on Instagram

and all of a sudden there's tons of people that are buying these old C four,

C three Corvettes and like lowering them a little bit

and just kind of like making them cool cruiser cars.

And that's pretty much all there is to it.

And so I think with how expensive most Japanese cars are,

like sport tuner cars, I think people are trying to have fun for like, you know,

six grand and it's hard to do that in any other car than the old bow tie.

Do you have one, Gels? Yeah, I got quite a few yet.

My next one is audio set of being incorporated into more builds again.

Oh, I think the audio is coming back.

I'd like to see it too.

And I think I think it makes sense.

Like we kind of talked about when we were first getting into cars,

like it was such a big thing.

Like we all put subs in our cars for some reason,

but I still think it's cool, especially like with the older stuff.

Like it's almost like a period piece at this point of like, oh, you got,

there was like that RX seven that you show me.

It had like the air setup, but then it also had audio incorporated.

And I started to like see that at the shows that we've gone to, you know,

if someone has a really wild trunk setup for their air setup,

they kind of incorporated it with some sort of audio setup too.

And I thought that was really dope.

There was actually even a guy with WRX that was up at Wisconsin modified

that did a completely custom audio trunk setup and it was really sleek,

but like the whole floor, I think he like cut out like the floor of the back

of the car to build this box that was like vented and everything.

And it was super dope.

So I think, I think seeing that come back in like a way

is very possible because I've already started to notice it.

Oh yeah. You got another one since you got like a list.

People getting more creative with their builds again,

custom parts and fabrication, especially because parts like we kind of talked

about and cars themselves are getting more expensive.

We talked about tariffs, raising the prices on everything in brands like

HKS, for example, announcing that like, hey, we've held off for as long as we've

can, but we need to raise prices of already a pretty expensive brand here in

the United States.

So I think that's going to continue to happen until something changes there.

Prices are probably more than likely going to go up on those sort of parts.

People are going to look, okay, well, how can I make something my own?

I kind of want to do something original anyway.

I'm going to go learn how to fab up some sheet metal or I'm going to go learn

how to do this thing in fiberglass or carbon fiber myself.

I'm at a 3D print something, you know, 3D printers are so available now.

And it's like the technology and AI generative stuff to even design a piece

for a car.

It's like, hey, I scanned this, build me a lip for it.

I feel like it's not that far out of the realm of possibility.

Literally get like a wireless scanner now for like 300 bucks and like scan

offender on a car and upload it right to your computer and start doing shit on

the 3D printer.

It's insane how accessible it is now.

And then obviously in the age of media and content, you can find a how to for

literally anything you want nowadays too.

And then the last one I had was custom engraving, aka more influenced

from the low rider scene.

I think we saw that with Richie's car that we saw up at FinalBot.

But I've even seen it pop up just on my Instagram, explore feed a ton of people

getting like even like the lower part of like their mirrors engraved, like, you

know, just little things, which it's insane because it's so expensive.

It is time.

But it looks so dope.

It's so sick.

And I don't mind that at all.

I think that's super cool.

The low rider doesn't correctly like the low rider and Chicano car culture

continuing to be one of like the primary artistic influences of automotive culture

will always be my favorite thing that we talk about every once in a while

because they deserve it.

That culture of automotive enthusiasts are such an underrepresented group

of people in digital media.

They are man, the stuff that they make and curate and crave and

build is just you look at it and you don't have to be a low rider enthusiast.

You don't even have to know what car it is.

You see those cars and you're like, that's art.

Yeah, that is art with four wheels.

It looks incredible.

It's insane.

Anytime it does pop up on an Instagram like Carousel or real or in like a

like a video or something like that.

I remember didn't they have one in like one of the Jim Connors or something

Yeah, a while ago and it was like, dude, that's so sick.

Like, you know, it's like anytime they are present, you're like, I respect that.

Yeah, I think it's one thing too when you see it online or you see the videos

of them like bouncing and stuff.

So, oh, that's cool.

That's weird.

I could never see myself doing something like that.

But the first time I saw a low rider, like an actual true low rider done up

in person was at SEMA and it changed my life and it changed my perspective on them.

I have so much respect for what they do to those cars.

The amount of work and the attention to detail is next to none in the car scene.

Like I can't think about another car group is just insane.

Like I can't even imagine not alone like the money put in, but the amount of

hours that are put into those vehicles are just insane.

So if you want to be super cool, just ditch all Japanese domestic cars.

Go get yourself.

Well, don't hold on in the domestic bit.

You know, give it all your Japanese cars, your all European cars.

Go get yourself like an old Nova and old Cheval and old Impala, maybe even a

Donk, you know, and just live that lifestyle for a season so that you can

understand the horrid baselines that those guys have to start off with with those

cars, because for the longest time, I just thought like all examples of those

like types of low rider cars were just great examples to begin with.

90% of those things before they get them are just absolutely pieces of shit.

Yeah, they're like complete restaurant.

They're complete restowed from the ground all the way to the top.

Those are like quarter million dollar cars and they say the coolest thing is

isn't this something I learned when I was in California is like some of those

cars, they stay in the families for like decades, generations.

Like they've passed them along to their kids and they're still in like the

family, like a good old best friend of mine is Michael Shaw.

He, his dad had a Bel Air and I remember he had owned it since he was like in

his early twenties and I remember talking to him like, what are you going to do

with this when you get older?

He's like, oh, it's simple.

It goes to Michael.

Michael then can have the Bel Air and hopefully Michael passes it along to

his son or daughter when he gets old enough and it's like, that's so cool to

see.

So here's your rule book for 2026.

You're going to grab about 10 grand in cash because we're not, we're not taking

a loan out on it.

No, it'll get repowed.

You're going to go buy either a domestic old or older domestic car or go find a

four door saloon from Japan.

You're going to keep it simple.

You're going to put it on some dope wheels, maybe a little bit of subtle arrow.

You're going to put a kick ass audio system in it and you're going to do some

custom engraving and you're not going to put a brand livery on it.

That's right.

There you go.

You just won 2026.

You got it.

All you got to do all year and you're going to get wheels and tires from

martiniworks.com.

You guys let us know what car trends you believe are coming to 2026.

So let us know in the comments below or wherever it is that you're listening

to, because I want to get your guys and gals thoughts on where you think the

season or the culture is heading as well.

With that said, thank you so much for watching.

That leads to the podcast group.

I did it again.

It's been a while since we broke that out.

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Well, ladies and gentlemen, it's official.

Oh God, what Dakota gels.

And myself, we're leaving.

We're on a jet plane.

And I don't, I don't know when I'll be back again.

Armageddon, great movie.

Uh, just so everybody is aware, I'm going to miss that actor tremendously.

He was like a childhood actor to me.

Um, different story, different podcasts, but we are going to Japan.

Yeah.

What?

Bruce will is still alive.

Yeah.

But he's, you know what's going on with him, right?

Yeah, so it's still alive.

Yeah, you know, what do you mean?

What do I know?

I know enough.

I know enough that I feel bad for, I know, I'm going to have to read that

scene all over again.

All I'm, I'll, I remember him as Armageddon and not die hard die hard die hard three.

I think was the last, last one I watched.

Sure.

But I watched the first one every Christmas because it's a holiday movie as it should be.

We always had, I remember him as a shark from fighting Nemo.

I'm sorry.

That was different.

I'm Bruce.

Different Bruce.

Oh.

So surprising and contrary to popular belief, Dakota and Gels do work, um, nine

to five Monday through Friday, they've, they've helped build, uh, this incredible

thing that we call martini works along with all of you guys getting to support us

through, uh, building, uh, your cars with us.

And so as kind of a celebration of making it through the year and doing some really

cool stuff together and kind of working our tails off, the whole team, martini

works and meta martini, if you follow that side of this, uh, are going to Japan.

We're taking them to Japan, baby.

I think I'm turning Japanese.

I think I'm turning to Japanese.

I really think so.

We were doing songs.

Now we're not from January 6th to January 13th, which just so happens to also be

the weekend of Tokyo out of salon.

Hell yeah.

I'm very, very excited for.

So we're going to talk a little bit about that today.

Yeah.

You've been to Tokyo out of salon.

We haven't.

So give us a load on what do I expect?

Is it looks came back and was like, we are going.

Yeah.

So I did say that.

And then we did it.

Yeah.

He's like, I don't know how, but we're going.

Yeah.

And so that's the cool part kids is just if you dream it, it'll happen.

Um, so Tokyo out of salon is an incredible show.

I would argue that they're like, I almost want to say there are three huge

automotive things that you have to do in your life.

Okay.

Number one, you have to go to a 24 hour endurance race.

Okay.

I just think you should have 24 hour spa, Nurburgring, La Ma, Daytona.

You have to go to one.

I would argue endurance racing is better than formula one.

It's incredible, incredible experience.

And I just think it is, it's just exciting.

Number two, I think everybody should go and enjoy one pinnacle type of community

car show that could be in your eyes.

That could be what slammed enough Gatlinburg was.

It could be even like a SEMA, maybe it could be low at the levee.

It could be something like that, like something that's just like, it's very

particular or alt race, you know, overseas, I think it's obviously like just insane.

Um, and then finally, I think you need to go to like one of the coolest trade shows

for the automotive car culture in the world, which one would be SEMA.

If you can make it to that, which is huge, but number two is Tokyo out of salon.

Tokyo out of salon is the coolest trade show for Japanese, mostly Japanese

aftermarket automotive and motorsport culture.

It takes place in Chiba, which is about an hour southeast of Tokyo.

It's held at, I think it's called the Makura Hesse, messy, um, Expo center.

It's huge.

It's awesome.

The culture is insane.

The cars are sick and dude, it's, it's so much fun.

Like all the cars and car brands that you like dreamed of as a kid, you know,

that you would see, I remember walking in and I was, I went down the escalator

and to my right was this tuner company.

And then I think it was like HKS and I was like, Oh my God.

And then I looked to the back and I saw San and I was like, wait a minute,

is that Nissan?

I'm like, start walking.

I'm waddling over there and I'm all excited.

All discombobulated from like the flight, you know, and I can't see up straight

and I'm walking, I'm walking, I'm walking.

And there it is, the big Nissan logo, right?

And I looked down the very first car I see was a calisthenic GTR in the flesh.

And I was like, this is insane.

We made it every car there is like that.

Like there is, there's stuff for everyone.

But one of the coolest things about the Tokyo Auto Salon is obviously they,

there's new introductions of new special models.

A lot of times vehicle manufacturers debut their performance and

sportline cars at Tokyo Auto Salon, not just the shows, because that's,

this is more of the motor sports side.

So there's a lot of motor sport cars there.

But also like all the builds are just really well done.

Yeah, like really well done.

They're not as many as what you would see at like a SEMA, for instance,

but the variety and the quality of the cars is on par, if not better.

Because I remember some of the, the ones that were there last year,

what was it?

The Lamborghini that Liberty Walk brought.

Yep.

Yeah, that was the Mura.

Yeah.

Like went just insane.

Like that car is so nuts.

Yeah.

And that was just like one of like five that I think then,

like we're just blowing up the internet from that week.

Yeah.

Then they had the super silhouette R32 GTR.

Oh, that thing was sick.

Landon Norris's, which was really cool.

And then work debuted the new work, work VSKF Sharp.

That was on a Lexus.

That was a big body.

Big news last year.

How are they going to top it this year?

I feel like we're going to get back and we're going to know car trends for 2040.

Damn.

Yeah.

There's there's a lot of stuff there that was like,

that's going to that's going to hit in the United States.

But the coolest thing about it is like, again,

I only can compare it to like SEMA, right?

And SEMA is a big car and truck show.

It's about everything.

It's everything.

Yeah.

So everything's like huge there or like really expensive.

But what I really loved about Tokyo Art of Salon is like,

there is a element of like lost masculinity with small cars.

But in Japan, that's just like a normal thing.

Like I think a lot of cars are small cars are better when they're sharper,

meaner and bigger and bigger engines.

You know, like that's the thing in America.

Like, you know, and then you go to Japan, it's like, hi, I'm a K car.

And you're like, what the fuck is that?

And it's like all decked out and it's got like a GT three wing on it.

And it's just like little tiny thing.

And you're like, it's just cool.

You know, like there is there was one where I think it was an S660

and it had an NSX body kit on it.

And so it wasn't it looked like an NSX and somebody just like

control X and selected it and then just took the the the size

and did 75 percent by 75 percent.

And just the whole thing went, you know, and you're like, man,

that's kind of sick.

Like, and then you go around and you see a Toyota Sentry that's like bagged.

You're like, hell, yeah, that's sick.

And then you go another corner and you see a crown athlete and you're like,

sick. And then there's these university kids that are building

those random ass stuff like last year.

And again, not everything is perfect.

Right. Like there's a lot of technical colleges that debut cars

that they build for the show.

And so last year there was a would be such a crazy college project.

My God, the craziest one was a technical college group of kids

built a wagon Nissan Z.

I remember that.

And it was the weirdest looking thing.

And I got to sit in it and it was it was all sorts of wrong.

Like it was it was just it was not anything that should be mass produced,

but they did it, you know, and it's so cool.

Like everything about it is just it's very fun.

It's an out of it's an out of your element experience.

I'm a huge advocate for people like getting out and traveling and seeing,

you know, that world.

And I think just like you do in normal life, right?

Or like more experiences help shape you.

I think as a car enthusiast, going out to more events and going out

to places that might be unfamiliar to you, help shape your taste

and your respect towards certain car cultures.

A hundred percent agree, because it is it is wild.

The the the wildest thing I remember we went with Suzuki.

His name is very, very nice guy.

We met the founder of Option magazine.

Oh, damn, who had set the land speed record in a bunch of different cars.

He actually brought a 300 ZX to the United States and meant to set a land speed record

and crashed it.

He's just had a land speed record and 300 ZX and crashed it and like flipped it

and like the whole nine years.

There's a crazy accident and he he made it out and he was just fine, you know,

blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, but I got to meet him and I remember talking to him

and I was like, you know, what's one thing what's one thing that you

always want to be known for?

And he's like, he was I may be I think he was like in his mid 70s,

but I remember you saying something like it doesn't matter how old I get.

I'm going to keep going faster and he was talking about his other build

that he wanted to do because like it's just it's neat.

Like I think the automotive culture over there is more concentrated

and I think it makes for really cool stories.

There's there's car culture in America, too, but I feel like it's so spread out.

Yeah, you know, in Japan, it's here.

You know, right.

So it's like you have so many different areas of the United States

that can have like influence on everything, but especially like vehicle builds.

Yeah, it's hard to get, you know, the most iconic car builder of Minnesota.

It doesn't know anybody that might be the most iconic builder of Alabama.

Right. Since you know what I mean?

It's like the builds are different.

The cars are different.

The styles are different.

But in Japan, I feel like everything is so tight in it.

A lot of people know each other and the quality is always super.

That's a good point.

You said there is a lot of stuff that you're like you went to the show.

You were sitting like, yeah, that's going to be huge in America.

Is there anything that you're like, this will never do well in America?

Yeah, I mean, dude, there.

I love Liberty Walk, right?

I love it. Oh, easy, easy.

I don't know where this is going.

They don't build cars like show cars, for instance.

They really do build them from like a show appearance.

They are very show oriented styles.

So like when the Mura was getting shown to me, it's a very cool car.

The car also had what looked like five inch spacers on it

to make the wheels fit the body kit of the car. Right.

So it's like, man, that probably rides like shit.

Like there's no way that drives well, you know, but it looks really sick.

I think there's a lot of what do you I don't know how to.

Like there's almost like a culture over there

that takes things and turns them into like cute little

animes and like mascots and things like that.

Like there's a huge culture for that.

So racing teams have mascots and liveries and things like that.

And they're all very, very colorful, but they're all kind of like they're like childish.

They're they just naturally they're very like childish in nature.

And I don't think that hits well over here.

I think a lot of stuff over here is very, like I said,

it's very like sharp and mean and angular.

And some people love that and some people don't.

And so the Japanese always have a really fun way of doing their their designs and stuff.

But I'd say like some of the show things can get really showy.

Yeah, I would argue that one of the coolest cultures over there actually isn't cars, though.

It's all the Land Cruisers.

Really? Toyota and the SUV and the overland culture over there.

Those things are sick as fuck.

Oh, I'm hyped. Dude, they're so cool.

I would have never guessed that.

Yeah, I didn't know they overland in the ocean.

There's areas for it.

I know they got mountains and stuff.

Yeah, but like Land Cruisers, 80 series stuff.

So it's like camping big over there. Yeah, that's huge.

So camping is big over there, actually. Interesting.

And our bears, bears killing everyone in Japan.

Do you guys see that? No. What the hell?

Yeah, there's like a frickin they bring bear mace.

You know what you know to fix that? Guns.

Yeah, legit.

No, legitimately, because that's part of the problem is in Japan,

the hunters have kind of died out and it's become a lost tradition to go hunting.

So now the population is going crazy.

That's the same thing with like bears killing people in Japan.

Same reason why you see people buying houses in Japan.

They're in the middle of nowhere. I have seen that, yeah.

Yeah, because old people are dying and the kids don't want to live in the

bum fuck know where they want to live in Shinjuku.

So then we're all like, I want to live in Japan and Japan's like,

I don't know why you'd want to live out here, but OK.

Sorry, I didn't mean to derail.

It's just that bears are taking people out left and right.

It is asking for help from like the military and then hunters worldwide.

Yeah, please come shoot the bears.

You got to see. I've been saying there.

Another thing I'll say that is really cool is I'm trying to bring it back

from the bears is there's like a in Japan, the the culture around

like when somebody is responsible for building like an iconic car,

they become like a spokesperson or like an ambassador.

So essentially, they never like retire from this role, kind of like a

a foos, you know, or somebody like that. Right.

But it's always really interesting how much they care about it.

The manufacturers do, you know, so like Mazda and Nissan and Toyota,

they put on these huge displays that are about a single person

and the thing that they built at the company.

I think that's super cool.

So last year, they had a huge one around the GTR

and the origins, even all the way back to like Prince Motors and Datsun.

And then the R32s and the 33s, the R31s, the 34s, the concept cars.

Some of like the movie cars that they proposed to be in movies

and things like that in America, which was really cool.

But it's always really neat to see that.

And every once in a while, you'd kind of catch them like talking

and these people, there's like thousands of people hovering over this guy

that's like five foot three, you know, and he's like 80 years old.

But they just have so much spunk.

They got so much energy.

They're they're old, but they don't act old.

And it's a language barrier that I think helps with that a lot.

But man, you see some of these older folks that are still in the car scene

and you're like, they don't look fat, lazy and tired.

They look like they're about to go run a marathon.

And like they just have this like really good energy, you know, and it's fun.

You get done with it and you feel like, man,

I didn't understand where that they said they probably said some negative stuff

or something like that.

But man, I just I'm going to live in this ignorance that they are just happy,

positive, energetic people, which is really cool.

The only thing I will say that is different is the photography culture.

Yeah, you said they got a little weird.

It is weird and a little weird.

So they got really weird. Yeah.

Yeah. Have you heard of this?

I think you briefly explained it at some point.

Yeah. So like there are.

Right. Yeah.

So there's some weird stuff going on in Japan with that,

where there are models at the booths of Tokyo Auto Salon

and there are media folks there that are allowed to take photos.

And so they do, they do take photos.

And the girls are obviously clad in various types of outfits and styles.

And they're probably from me to the camera away, you, the viewer,

which is approximately seven feet.

And these guys will bring like 70 to 200 F to eight.

Jesus, one like seen from the fans and furious.

It's like taking the picture of the model and he's like, right here.

He's got like the fucking cannon of a lens.

And they are not taking pictures of the cars, ladies and gentlemen,

they're not even taking pictures.

I think of the model's head.

I think they're taking very specific pictures of very specific

pieces of that individual.

And they're pretty like rude about it.

Like they're very direct on the pictures they want from these these these women.

So weird.

And the photographer, it's a very real thing.

So like Tokyo Auto Salon every year, they release like rules

and regulations on photography because it is that thing.

It's a it's a thing that like they have to curb and like slow down

because certain models will come out and like that's their job.

Certain models will come out and dude, these men,

they're not even there for the cars.

Fuck the cars.

They're there for the girls and they just go crazy.

I was trying to do a short in front of the veil side booth.

Impossible, impossible with the girls out there that these guys,

they didn't they didn't give a shit.

They're like this tall with a 70 to 200, just shooting

just straight at their belly button.

It's like what the heck?

That's so weird.

I did ask I asked Suzuki, I asked why they do that.

And we have a language barrier between us,

but he knows a little bit of English and I try my best to understand his Japanese.

And whenever we can't quite explain it, he just looks at me and he goes,

I was like, Suzuki, why?

Why so many?

Why so many picture girl men everywhere, everywhere?

And he's like, oh,

Japan style.

I'm like, what the fuck does that even mean?

So totally worth it.

Go to Tokyo Otislan.

I'm really excited to take you guys.

It's going to be an absolute trip.

Thanks for saying yes and bringing your sick others.

Thanks for saying yes.

He's that's why he's giving me the opportunity of a lifetime.

Yeah.

But with that being said, we're going to take a small break

and now for talking about our second partner in the Martini works podcast,

Gels, which of course is fortune auto.

I'm talking about about Japanese brands, but we got one right here in the United States

that hand builds some pretty dang fantastic coilovers.

And of course that's fortune auto second sponsor, the Martini works podcast.

We've all been running them on our cars for years

and have had some fantastic experiences with them.

So that's why when we were looking, you know, to start this whole shindig

and sit down and talk for an hour and 20 about every week or so, we were like,

OK, we want to bring in some sponsors on who do we mess around with?

Fortune auto is definitely one of them because we've been running them on our cars.

We trust them, got them on the 240.

Dakota's had them on multiple vehicles.

Alex, you've had them on multiple vehicles and whether it's between the 500 series,

the 510 series was a little more track oriented.

They have an option out there for you that are rebuildable.

They're modular.

So if you want, you know, we bought the 500 series and you're like,

man, I really want to get in track in this car.

I wish I would have just got the 510.

And guess what? You can send them in.

They'll upgrade them to the 510 series, which I think is pretty cool.

They also can customize a lot of stuff for you.

And like I said, they're all hand built right in Virginia,

which I think is pretty sick.

We went and visited their factory or factory, their shop, I guess you could say.

And it was super cool seeing them assemble them, test them.

And if it didn't meet that exact spec of what it needed to be,

tore all down, redone again until it was.

And then it got boxed up and shipped out the door.

So they really do care about their products.

They make some fantastic stuff.

They're always expanding their catalogs.

So they're trying to reach a lot of more different platforms,

even some off-road stuff, too.

They kind of, you know, talk about like the forerunners and stuff like that.

They're really starting to dove into that, which I think is really cool.

So if you want to check out Fortunato,

look for some new suspension for your car.

Make sure to check it out martiniwarch.com.

All right, guys, Alex had a little bit of an emergency.

So he had to dip out.

He had to attend some personal fairs.

So we got the man, the myth, the legend back at it.

Dustin Korth is here.

And he's got an upside down microphone.

That's fine.

I just, does no one else hold it like that?

Oh, that's fine.

I don't know.

I like, I like the like, but I like to keep it around it.

I don't know.

Yeah, keep it up.

It's like, this is weird to me.

I don't understand.

I don't, whatever.

Listen, you do you.

That's why we keep you our own.

We need to get microphone stands.

Anyways, we had them, but then we changed the setup.

And anyways, we have a treat for you guys because we got the coolest segment

probably we've ever done.

What music, group or artist do you associate with which car brand?

Oh God, let's start it off.

So excited.

You got to start with Subaru.

Who's going first?

You.

Oh God.

Ah, Eminem, but, but, but, but hear me out like post 20.

You're losing me.

15 Eminem, like, like rap God era beyond.

You think you associate rap God with Subaru?

Dude, I don't ask you.

You asked me for my opinion because of all the rod knocks.

I was like, ah, see, I don't know.

I just, that's just what came to my head, dude.

I don't know.

Rap God, vape God, whatever.

Same difference.

I like that brain works.

It's three o'clock on a Monday.

Leave me alone.

Now you get a pass.

All right, all right.

Uh, Jels, who do you get for Subaru?

Yeah.

Um, no, a con.

Interesting.

Not where I would have thought that was going.

I can relate.

That's nodding.

I can relate more with that over Eminem.

Really?

First thing.

Um, okay, Dakota, I'm going to say kids, Bob, kids, Bob, just in

general.

Yeah.

Which one?

Uh, I don't know if I know the volume volume.

What are they up to?

It's more so just the fact like it's like, I think they're just

at the year.

It's a really good song, but you hate not.

Not where I was going.

You're not helping the martini works.

Subaru stigma.

They just blow up.

They do.

And you can't confirm I had one.

You can't deny the fact that they blow up because literally every person.

This is where someone's going to talk to you.

Okay.

Chevrolet.

What cars or trucks?

There's a big difference.

Oh, cars and trucks do one for cars.

Oh, okay.

So Chevy trucks is like 1995.

George straight.

Oh, I knew that's a good kill.

Camarillo by morning type.

George.

Damn.

Yeah, dude, on the car side, what would I think?

Honestly, car like Chevy car stuff.

I think Camaro and Camaro makes me think like dad rock.

Yeah.

Yep.

You know, I'm saying Nickelback Creek stuff.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, even into like Buck Cherry and some of that.

Jesus, that's the, that's the jam.

I dig that.

That was good.

You redeemed yourself from the Subaru and I'm coming.

Josie got one.

Chevy.

Yeah.

You don't have to do trucks.

If you don't Lincoln Park, true, true transformers.

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, that makes a shout out to my home.

You haven't even seen transfers.

How do I know that?

He knows to, but I know that the entire Transformers fucking

soundtrack is Lincoln Park.

That's good.

He knows that.

And he knows that Megan Fox can definitely work on an engine anytime.

I never got that.

No, he hasn't seen the frickin movies.

I've never seen it.

Yeah, but you haven't seen the clip.

No, the one clip.

Oh, what clip range?

Where she transforms into Megan.

I thought the cars transformed.

Nevermind.

Moving on.

All right.

Uh, I'd say Chevy cars.

I would go with like Metallica.

I was kind of where, yeah, I'm down with that.

Need some head banging, maybe a little bit of mullet action going on.

I'm driving a mirror.

That's what I'm listening to.

All right.

Let's throw it back now over to the Japan land.

Easy Honda.

I feel like this is going to be tough, man.

A little bit safer.

It could be so many little more conservative, but then a few hidden

haters.

Oh, and that way, huh?

True.

That's true.

I think of the brand what they have out there.

It's reliable.

It's consistent.

But then they have just some absolute monsters hiding some bangers.

Mac.

Oh, Mac.

Yeah, I get down with that.

Yeah, that's good.

You hit when you hit me with the reliable and consistent.

I was like, that's got to be it.

Damn, that's a good one.

There are always a couple of songs that I always come back to specifically.

Yeah, yeah, a few bangers in there.

That's a good one.

I like that one.

That's true.

I think my personal music taste probably plays a preference in this.

That's fine.

But for me, like reliable, consistent, has a few bangers.

A data remember all day, every day, you know, but before they sold out

to big record and got gross.

I'm going to say, and yeah, and yeah, yeah, why use me, dude?

When you think of Honda, yeah, take any Honda commercial ever made

and put any over, I guarantee you, it'll fucking work out.

Okay, okay, not wrong.

Holy shit.

I'm here.

I like it.

It could be for a type R.

It could be for an accord.

I don't care.

He's on to something.

Yeah, son of a bitch.

Anya and Honda hand in hand.

They almost sound the same.

Honda and yeah, uh, send me a send me a part of an end your song.

Oh, I need to imagine the thing is, I don't know the lyrics.

Just my mom always played it pulled up on Spotify right now.

Come on.

And then to hold it into the mic all shoddily so they can hear it.

Do we get a copyright prolly?

Yeah, maybe I don't know.

You seconds of it.

I'll play two seconds.

Hey, editor, when you edit this, just just mute that out.

It's just to be.

I was trying to make it sound like we had an editor.

No, I am.

He is we do.

I am I'm here.

I'm trying to buy him time.

Me too.

No, I got I was just a Bluetooth connected probably.

Is it playing Dakota?

Is your car on playing through his MacBook?

Yeah, maybe play to the man.

I don't know why.

Oh, man, this guy, dude, who puts a case on his.

Yes. Oh, OK.

That's the song I was thinking.

I couldn't remember.

I don't know the lyrics, though, but your mom listened to this.

Yes.

I think that explains so much.

No, my mother did not listen to this explains a lot of things,

but we're not going to go there.

My mom listened to Shania Twain.

Yes, Mannheim steamroller.

That was my mom was Shania.

Yeah, that and Shania Twain.

Wait, what brand is affiliated with Shania Twain?

I don't know what my mom always drove Ram trucks

and that's always where the I was going to say dodge.

I was yeah, dodge.

Yeah, Shania Twain is stacked in like the visor like holder.

What about cheap?

What? Oh, what?

What musician is cheap?

Jelly roll. Yeah.

Why is that fit so well?

Jelly roll.

It works.

I don't know, man.

I'm with Gels on this.

I think he nailed it.

I don't think there is another answer.

Maybe not.

I don't know.

All right, we haven't done anything like

we haven't done like a super car.

Who would be like the Ferrari or Lamborghini?

Oh, music artist.

I mean, it's something mainstream.

I don't know.

Soldier boy for Lamborghini.

That's like a three.

No, that's like a Ferrari 360, though.

You know what I'm saying?

You roll up in that bitch.

The soldier boy just bop it.

I don't know.

I see a Gallardo and I'm thinking soldier boy immediately.

Yeah, see, I go you look at like Gallardo

and like that vintage stuff.

And then I start I start thinking like need for speed

heat soundtrack, you know, like the old heat, though,

or hop pursuit to, you know, very like kind of turn of the

century rock stuff.

Yeah, Brent agrees.

Yeah, yeah.

Brent's in the background.

Yeah, he heard it.

Gels, what you got for like a Lamborghini or Ferrari artist?

Oh, man, two chains.

Two chains.

That's a tough one, honestly.

I really don't know.

I'm gonna be exotic.

Exotic.

No, the cars are exotic.

Just say something off the wall.

Yeah, I think Vans off the wall Warp Tour.

Warp Tour confirmed.

Daft Punk.

OK, I could see that.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, that tracks.

I don't know.

I feel like all the cars at Gallamburg are Daft Punk.

All our GB helmets.

I thought they were all suicide boys.

Yeah, it's a mixture of blub, blub, blub, blub.

Well, they're good.

Damn, Dustin, thanks so much for coming on.

And I know it's like a highly intelligent, crazy, deep

in the automotive theory.

Yeah, so that really throw you in like that.

Just toss you in.

I mean, it speaks to how credible you are in this industry.

I appreciate that, guys.

I have a very well M&M Subaru thing.

I'm still trying to figure that out.

You know, I don't know.

You just I just said something.

I panicked.

I was like, what's the first thing I can say

that's going to be contrary to what you did?

You told him to sit down and answer this question.

There was no way he could have been perfect.

There's nothing else.

Thank you so much for coming on.

Thank you guys for listening.

Happy New Year.

Appreciate you guys all listening to Martino's podcast

in 2025 and then into now 2026.

It's going to be a great year.

And then our last sponsor, Melco.

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100% go check it out in my team works,

and we'll talk to you guys in the next episode.

Bye.

Car Trends We Expect In 2026

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