The episode dives into the recent changes in EU regulations regarding internal combustion engines and synthetic fuels, sparking a lively debate among hosts Chris Harris and his guests. They discuss the implications for manufacturers like BMW and Volvo, and the potential impact on the automotive industry. The conversation shifts to the thrilling conclusion of the F1 2025 season, highlighting Lando Norris's victory and the emotional atmosphere surrounding McLaren's success. The hosts also share their favorite car-related Christmas movies and intros, making for a light-hearted yet insightful discussion.
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This week, we’re still to feel Christmassy – sort of – with a slight Christmas theme to a film section. This, a review of the 2025 F1 season, a love letter to the 4x4, and much more. We hope you enjoy!
(00:06) Europe changing the ICE/EV legislation
(12:19) Xmas movies - best car movie intro
(23:23) The lovely warm feeling of a 4x4 when it's windy and wet or in a storm- when only a 4x4 will do…
"e-fuels and synthetic fuels and some very clever people trying to do that. But the darker side of me thinks, do you know what? That's the thin end of the wedge."
Synthetic fuels are fuels made in a lab instead of from natural sources like oil. They can work like regular gasoline or diesel but are created using different methods.
Synthetic fuels are man-made fuels created from chemical processes, often using carbon dioxide and hydrogen. They can be designed to mimic the properties of gasoline or diesel, providing an alternative energy source for internal combustion engines.
"e-fuels and synthetic fuels and some very clever people trying to do that. But the darker side of me thinks, do you know what? That's the thin end of the wedge."
E-fuels are a type of fuel made from renewable energy. They can help reduce carbon emissions and are considered an alternative to regular gasoline and diesel.
E-fuels, or electro-fuels, are synthetic fuels produced using renewable energy sources. They are created by capturing carbon dioxide and combining it with hydrogen derived from water, potentially offering a carbon-neutral alternative to traditional fossil fuels.
"People like Volvo and I presume Polestar who have full, full facts committed to EV futures are probably thinking, hang on a minute."
Polestar is a car brand that makes electric vehicles and is associated with Volvo. They focus on creating high-performance electric cars.
Polestar is a performance electric vehicle brand that originated from Volvo. It focuses on high-performance electric cars and aims to lead in sustainability within the automotive industry.
"Whereas BMW, Mercedes, other bigger manufacturers with a broader industrial base"
Mercedes is a famous car brand from Germany that makes high-end vehicles. They are also developing more electric cars as part of their future plans.
Mercedes-Benz is a German automotive brand known for luxury vehicles and innovative technology. The brand is expanding its electric vehicle lineup and aims to lead in the luxury electric market.
"I haven't bought it. I've been lent it by a lovely company called Wisely that are the experts in BMW i3s. No promotion there, but it is the, I think it's the thinking man's i3 because it's the range extender..."
The BMW i3 is a small electric car that has a special feature called a range extender, which is a small gas engine that helps it drive further when the battery runs low.
The BMW i3 is a compact electric vehicle known for its unique design and sustainable materials. It offers an optional range extender, which is a small gasoline engine that helps increase its driving range.
"it's the range extender, but with car play, but not the S."
CarPlay is a feature that lets you connect your iPhone to your car so you can use apps and listen to music on the car's screen.
CarPlay is a smart interface developed by Apple that allows iPhone users to connect their devices to their car's infotainment system, enabling access to apps, navigation, and music through the car's display.
"...my favorite car movie with a good intro is the obvious one which is obviously a shit movie apart from the intro which is Le Mans with Steve McQueen because the beginning of that movie..."
Le Mans is a well-known car race that lasts for 24 hours. It features different types of cars racing against each other, and it's famous for being very challenging.
Le Mans is a famous endurance race held annually in France, known for its grueling 24-hour format. The race features a variety of sports cars and is one of the most prestigious events in motorsport.
Car
Renault 2.2 S
"...two citrons and a reno and he just parks up and I think oh you know it's that funny 2.2 s with the american front lights..."
The Renault 2.2 S is a type of car made by Renault, known for its distinctive look, especially its front lights. It has a unique design that some people find interesting.
The Renault 2.2 S is a model known for its unique design features, including specific front lights that distinguish it from other variants. It reflects the automotive styling trends of its era.
"...what feature is some move what feature is particular to a 2.2 s that wasn't on a 2.4 s the oil filler cap..."
The oil filler cap is a part of a car's engine where you can add oil. It's important for keeping the engine lubricated and working well.
The oil filler cap is a component of an engine that allows for the addition of engine oil. It's crucial for maintaining proper oil levels and ensuring the engine runs smoothly.
"I think the Italian Job for me has just got the greatest intro with the car ever you know I'm obsessed with Murat so that's that ticked"
The Italian Job is a famous movie that involves a group of thieves who use small cars to pull off a big heist. It's well-known for its exciting car scenes, especially at the beginning.
The Italian Job is a classic heist film known for its iconic car chase scenes featuring Mini Coopers. The film's opening sequence is particularly celebrated for its thrilling driving and clever use of the cars in the plot.
"...is what is the best car movie what is the best movie with the car intro which makes you happy at Christmas and I had Italian job as one but I think actually a really funky fun one is Bell Bottoms baby driver no that's good Ansel egg egg or Elgort in a 2006..."
The 2006 Subaru WRX STI is a fast car that can handle well in different weather conditions. It's known for its racing background and is loved by many car fans.
The 2006 Subaru WRX STI is a high-performance version of the Subaru Impreza, known for its turbocharged engine and all-wheel drive. It's popular among car enthusiasts for its rally heritage and sporty handling.
"...who had a 2008 so pre-facelift L322 and it was black wonderful leather interior I mean really beautifully specced..."
The L322 is a model of the Range Rover, which is a luxury SUV. It was made between 2002 and 2012 and is known for being comfortable and capable off-road.
The L322 is the third generation of the Range Rover, produced from 2002 to 2012. It is known for its luxury features and off-road capability, making it a popular choice among SUV enthusiasts.
"...there is nothing as warm and secure and wonderful as being in a supercharged L322 driving through the desert..."
Supercharging is a way to make an engine more powerful by pushing extra air into it. This helps the engine burn more fuel and produce more power.
Supercharging is a method of forced induction that increases an engine's power output by forcing more air into the combustion chamber. This allows for more fuel to be burned, resulting in increased horsepower and torque.
"...it's a lovely protective feeling jumping into the Range Rover or the you know whatever the slam of the door the..."
The Range Rover is a fancy SUV that can handle rough terrains while keeping you comfortable inside. People talk about it because it's stylish and makes you feel safe and powerful when driving.
The Land Rover Range Rover is a luxury SUV known for its off-road capabilities and premium features. It has become a symbol of status and comfort, often discussed for its blend of ruggedness and elegance.
"...I don't think any car does that as well as a four by four you may well be driving to work or you know you're probably not..."
A four by four is a type of vehicle that can use all four wheels to drive, which helps it handle rough terrain and bad weather better than regular cars.
A four by four, or 4x4, refers to a vehicle with a drivetrain that allows all four wheels to receive power from the engine simultaneously. This feature enhances traction and stability, making these vehicles ideal for off-road conditions and inclement weather.
"Toyota makes arguably one of the most impressive if not the most impressive and robust and reliable four by four the Land Cruiser"
The Toyota Land Cruiser is a tough and reliable SUV that can handle rough terrains and is built to last.
The Toyota Land Cruiser is known for its durability, off-road capability, and reliability, making it one of the most respected four-wheel drive vehicles in the world.
"...but Georgia does other things as well gave us the LFA for example that's not a bad thing but this is ab..."
The LFA is a super fancy sports car made by Lexus, known for being really fast and having a unique engine that sounds amazing. It's rare and special, which makes it a hot topic among car lovers.
The Lexus LFA is a limited-production supercar that showcases Lexus's engineering capabilities, featuring a high-revving V10 engine and advanced materials. It's significant for its performance and exclusivity, often discussed as a benchmark in the luxury sports car segment.
"Georgia does other things as well gave us the LFA for example that's not a bad thing"
The Toyota LFA is a fast and powerful sports car that is very rare and has a unique engine sound.
The Toyota LFA is a high-performance supercar known for its exceptional engineering and distinctive sound, featuring a V10 engine and lightweight construction.
"...the Escort Mark IV was incredibly popular but it's an absolutely awful vehicle..."
The Ford Escort Mark IV is a small car that many people bought because it was cheap and practical. However, some people think it wasn't very good compared to other cars.
The Ford Escort Mark IV was a popular compact car produced in the 1980s and early 1990s. It was known for its affordability and practicality, but many enthusiasts criticize it for its lack of performance and build quality.
"...a series one first generation Defender diesel and it had a diesel engine made in the UK which was actually very advanced at the time..."
The Land Rover Defender is a tough vehicle made for off-road driving. The first version was built to handle rough terrain and is very popular among adventure seekers.
The Land Rover Defender is a rugged off-road vehicle known for its durability and capability. The first generation, produced from 1983 to 2016, became iconic for its boxy design and off-road prowess.
"...it was one of the first direct injection diesel engines that used a high-pressure pump..."
A direct injection diesel engine is a type of engine that puts fuel directly into the part where it burns, making it more efficient and powerful. This was a new and better way to design engines when it was first introduced.
A direct injection diesel engine injects fuel directly into the combustion chamber, allowing for more efficient combustion and better fuel economy. This technology was advanced for its time and contributed to improved performance.
"...he uses the phrase axle casings and he's so right yeah you know if you find yourself in a lotus exige in a rainstorm..."
Axle casings are the outer parts that protect the axles of a car. They keep the important parts safe from damage and help the car handle better on the road.
Axle casings are protective housings that encase the axle components of a vehicle. They help support the weight of the vehicle and protect the axle from damage due to road debris and other environmental factors.
"...if you find yourself in a lotus exige in a rainstorm when you're behind a lorry you do feel incredibly vulnerable..."
The Lotus Exige is a small, fast sports car that is very light and can handle turns really well. It's built for people who love to drive and want a thrilling experience.
The Lotus Exige is a lightweight sports car known for its exceptional handling and performance. It features a mid-engine layout and is designed for agility and speed, making it a popular choice among driving enthusiasts.
"I'd rather be in an RS6 with a bit of spray thanks..."
The Audi RS6 is a fast and powerful car that is designed for performance. It's a more exciting version of the regular Audi A6, making it a favorite among car lovers.
The Audi RS6 is a high-performance variant of the Audi A6, known for its powerful engine and sporty handling. It's popular among enthusiasts for its combination of luxury and performance.
"...that was just cool Chinatown Jake Giddiss has the 48 convertible gorgeous looking thing um moonlighting BMW 635 CS..."
The AC 428 Convertible is a rare and beautiful sports car that’s fun to drive. People talk about it because it’s unique and has a lot of charm, making it special for collectors.
The AC 428 Convertible is a rare British sports car known for its elegant design and powerful performance. It is often discussed for its exclusivity and classic appeal among collectors.
"...wcett majors in Charlie's Angels who had the 1976 cobra two she made that car famous white with the black..."
The Shelby Cobra is a classic sports car that’s really fast and powerful. It's famous for its cool looks and has a big place in car history, making it a popular topic among enthusiasts.
The Shelby Cobra is a classic American sports car known for its powerful V8 engine and lightweight design. It has a legendary status in automotive history and is often discussed for its performance and influence on the muscle car genre.
"...the character played by Emma Thompson and it's done really well because the Citroen DS which is such a great cool car..."
The Citroën DS is a famous French car known for its futuristic design and smooth ride. It was made from the 1950s to the 1970s and is still admired today for its unique look.
The Citroën DS is a French luxury car that was produced from 1955 to 1975. It is renowned for its innovative design and technology, including hydropneumatic suspension, which provided a smooth ride and unique styling that has made it an icon in automotive history.
"...ma Thompson and it's done really well because the Citroen DS which is such a great cool car really suits a cha..."
The DS 3 is a small, stylish car from Citroen that you can customize to look how you want. It's popular because it’s comfortable to drive and looks really cool.
The Citroen DS 3 is a stylish compact car known for its unique design and customization options. It has gained popularity for its chic appearance and is often discussed for its comfort and driving experience.
"...I used to think the 328 was better looking than the 308 it's not the 308 is better looking isn't it the 308 is a better looking car..."
The Ferrari 328 is a stylish sports car made by Ferrari in the 1980s. It's popular for its looks and speed, and many car lovers admire it.
The Ferrari 328 is a mid-engine sports car produced by Ferrari from 1985 to 1989. It is known for its classic styling and performance, making it a desirable model among enthusiasts.
"... is there is a magnum there's a there's a club of magnums in in in California we're post a picture where al..."
The Magnum is a big car that looks like a wagon but can be really powerful like a sports car. It’s talked about because it’s different from most cars and has a lot of space.
The Dodge Magnum is a full-size station wagon that combines the practicality of a wagon with the performance of a muscle car. It's notable for its bold styling and has a niche following among fans of unique vehicles.
"...it's a Peugeot it's a Peugeot oh we had just before didn't we..."
Peugeot is a car brand from France that makes different types of vehicles, including cars and bikes. They are known for their stylish designs and good performance.
Peugeot is a French automotive manufacturer known for producing a range of vehicles, including cars and bicycles. They have a long history in the automotive industry and are recognized for their innovative designs and engineering.
"...let's talk about formula one let's talk about formula one manage was there on the ground at Abu Dhabi..."
Formula One is a type of car racing that features very fast cars competing in races around the world. It's known for being very exciting and has a lot of advanced technology in the cars.
Formula One is the highest class of international auto racing for single-seater formula racing cars. It features a series of races known as Grands Prix, held on various circuits around the world, and is known for its high-speed competition and advanced technology.
"...it was just it was McLaren they did it I made a TV show in 2017 which was McLaren's..."
McLaren is a famous car company from Britain that makes fast sports cars and races in Formula 1. They are known for their advanced technology and unique designs.
McLaren is a British automotive manufacturer known for its high-performance sports cars and involvement in Formula 1 racing. The brand has a rich history in motorsports and is recognized for its innovative engineering and design.
"I currently have a 2013 Volvo XC70 which is wonderful..."
The Volvo XC70 is a type of SUV that is great for families and has a lot of space for carrying things. It's also good for driving in different weather conditions.
The Volvo XC70 is a mid-size crossover SUV known for its versatility and all-wheel drive capability. It offers a spacious interior and is often favored for family use and outdoor activities.
"...the first time this has ever happened um I've got S2000 I mean of course the right answer is really Boxst..."
The S2000 is a small, sporty car from Honda that’s fun to drive and has a powerful engine. People like to talk about it because it’s known for being reliable and giving a thrilling ride.
The Honda S2000 is a two-seat roadster known for its high-revving engine and precise handling. It has gained a cult following for its engaging driving experience and is often discussed for its performance and reliability.
"...S2000 I mean of course the right answer is really Boxster but I'm becoming boring myself if I choose a Boxe..."
The Boxster is a sporty car from Porsche that has its engine in the middle, which helps it handle really well. It's loved by many for being fun to drive and still practical enough for daily use.
The Porsche Boxster is a mid-engine sports car that offers a balance of performance and everyday usability. It's significant for its engaging driving experience and has been a popular choice among sports car enthusiasts since its introduction.
"...ow weighed in and I think I'm I almost went for a Jimny as well but I love a Land Rover down in Cornwall ..."
The Jimny is a small SUV that can go off-road and handle tough conditions. People like it because it's easy to drive in the city but can also take you on adventures.
The Suzuki Jimny is a compact SUV known for its off-road capabilities and rugged design. It has gained popularity for its small size, making it ideal for urban environments while still being able to tackle rough terrain.
"...m I'm really into these I've scratched record e92 m3 manual they're just fabulous cars they are I mean..."
The M3 is a super sporty version of a regular BMW car, known for being really fast and fun to drive. People love it because it combines luxury with a thrilling driving experience.
The BMW M3 is a high-performance version of the BMW 3 Series, celebrated for its powerful engine and sporty handling. It has a strong following among car enthusiasts and is often discussed for its driving dynamics and motorsport heritage.
"...d you're burning your arse off driving along in a 911 so I had to put on Toto's Africa because he talks..."
The 911 is a famous sports car from Porsche that looks unique and drives really well. It's talked about a lot because it's known for being fast and fun, and it has a long history of racing.
The Porsche 911 is an iconic sports car renowned for its distinctive design and exceptional performance. It has a rich history in motorsport and is often discussed for its engineering excellence and driving pleasure.
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65. We never thought we'd get here, but we have. If you put a three in between the six and the five,
you have one of my favorite BMWs. There you go. Interesting BMW. One of us happens to be sitting
in a BMW that he's just bought that I think he's instantly fallen in love with. We love people
that have instant love affairs with cars. Write that down Finley. Instant love affairs with
cars. There's a topic. Yes. Yes. Another t-shirt. Another t-shirt. Let's begin with these changes
that have been announced. Some might call it backtracking from the EU. Not that any of this
has been remotely predicted by this podcast at all that these 2035 regulations might represent
some of the poorest central making ever seen by a political body. But I'm going to go straight
to Chris Cooper, who as ever will explain these in a nonpartisan logical way. Well, this was Neil's
suggestion as a question because it was a good spot over the weekend when he saw the latest part of
this news. Last week it was trailed that there was a suggestion the EU would allow combustion
engine cars to be made beyond 2035, which was previously the cutoff, still formally the
cutoff. But only if they use synthetic or e-fuels or whatever it is, blah, blah, blah.
That was followed a few days later by this rumor that actually the EU may just push the whole
thing back to 2040. It isn't going to happen. I mean the death of the combustion engine
isn't going to happen. The 2035 thing with synthetic fuels I think is interesting because
at one level you might say, aha, there's an incentive now to invest in all of these
e-fuels and synthetic fuels and some very clever people trying to do that. But the darker side of
me thinks, do you know what? That's the thin end of the wedge. Would I invest my money in an
e-fuel when I could get closer to 2035? And suddenly on a whim, the regulators could say,
we're going to carry on with gasoline and diesel cars. Your synthetic fuel world suddenly
becomes a whole lot less interesting and valuable. So we've talked about this a lot.
We've wondered whether we get pushed back. There is a split in the manufacturer lobby.
People like Volvo and I presume Polestar who have full, full facts committed to EV futures
are probably thinking, hang on a minute. We took you at your word, people of the EU,
and now it looks like you're equivocating. I suspect they're doing more than equivocating.
Whereas BMW, Mercedes, other bigger manufacturers with a broader industrial base
and a greater investment and commitment to internal combustion engine might say,
few. My bet right now, a small bet, a gentlemen's sporting bet would be the closer
we get to 2035 or 2040, the more fudges and caveats there will be. And internal combustion
engines in one way or another will still be available. Maybe just smaller numbers of specialist cars.
Who knows? It's such a moving feast. But I think the UK's position right now,
it remains formally the case that 2030 is the cut off, looks increasingly untenable.
Is my summary. I think that's the first summary. Neil, you spotted this. Well, I have to say,
I spot, I saw it at the same time. I think all of our Instagram algorithms are spotted around
the same area. What do you think, Neil? Well, it's our daily search for emergencies.
As we're now looking to do at least two emergencies a week. But this actually is probably the biggest
one. We probably were a bit premature in our last emergency because it should have been this
emergency. Because this is the biggest one probably that we've had, isn't it? This is
bigger than, I don't know, will Max win the blah, blah, blah. Look, I think it's good news,
isn't it? Hopefully it's practical news. It looks, it's not been officially, officially
officially said, is it? And it's a lot of lobbying coming from, I don't know whether it was
the Mercedes guy or the BMW guy, but he's basically telling the FT by the looks of it,
what the EU have already decided, even though the EU have not actually said anything.
So that's immense pressure going on through industries that probably are going to get possibly
wiped out or under immense pressure and German unemployment going through the roof if these
things aren't changed. It looks as though it totally is going to change. Hopefully we would all agree
in our little world of motoring that it's logical and practical, that it does get pushed back
a bit because who knows? Maybe they'll be able to create cars and fuel that is so efficient that we
don't need to just make electric cars. It says the man that's 14 years late on electric cars that's
actually sat in one, but it does, it does have a little range extender in the back.
It's a car that I fell in love with quite quickly. I presume you have as well.
Well, I haven't bought it. I've been lent it by a lovely company called Wisely that are the experts
in BMW i3s. No promotion there, but it is the, I think it's the thinking man's i3 because it's
the range extender, but with car play, but not the S. So it's, you know, I'm told obviously
it's the one to have Mr Clifford and it's not for sale, but if you want to buy it,
then we'll have a chat. It's one of those loans, but it's really good. It's really,
and actually I thought I had one and then I said to my wife, did I have one or was it a dream?
And she said, we did have one for a week and you're an idiot because you got so annoyed
with the bloke because you couldn't get the price you wanted. You gave it back and I really
wish you'd have kept it nine years ago. So now I'm the last man ever to say that the i3
is brilliant. And obviously now, as I've probably semi-owned one, it is brilliant. I just think that
hopefully this will get formalized and a bit of pressure. There is a bit of pressure on the
UK now to maybe come in line with that because it's going to be very difficult not to come in
line with it, isn't it? I've just been handed a piece of paper that's up there. It's wonderful.
Lovely Indian chap who helped me with the internet a minute ago just says
heads up there's a stewards meeting for the rally scheduled in this room in another
20 minutes. That's good for me, isn't it? So I'll be homeless.
I'll bring them all in and introduce them. And then when they're discussing the
hopefully we might get some time back because we pressed our overtake button,
I think 52 times on the last stage and didn't get that pass. Right, I think it's fascinating
because this podcast is completely apolitical. But there is, let's just say, if your politics
leans to the left, you're probably not that into the motor car. But if you look at the bigger picture
here, it's the sort of state ownership of a particular car company that is probably helping
force this in Germany. Lower Saxony owns a chunk of the VW Group. And ultimately,
if this doesn't work and they can't and Volkswagen Group starts to suffer,
there will be mass unemployment in that area. So that they really need to be able to build
ICEs. It's a bizarre situation that you have a state ownership of something that means
they kind of have to go to bat for stuff they don't quite believe in. I think it's very strange,
manage. I thought this felt a bit like a yes minister sketch where you kind of had Bernard
running into Humphrey again. You won't believe it, you won't believe it. Boris Johnson's
announced 2030 to get rid of the ICE calm down Bernard. It won't happen. But it will,
but it will. And then, you know, a few beats later, Rishi Sunax pushed it back to 2035. You're
quite right. He is a shopkeeper's son. He's not a shopkeeper's son. He's a pharmacist's son
and a GP's son. Well, that's not a great medical profession. But he went to Winchester.
Well, that's not a very great school. You can see that. And then Keir Starmer's brought
it back to 2030. What are we going to do? We're going to announce an inquiry and it's
going to be in 2027, which is what we're doing. We're having an inquiry in 2027,
and Bernard is going to make sure, along with Humphrey, that that inquiry is going to take about
five years to report. And we're going to fall into line. Of course it will. Of course it will.
Of course it will. But we'll fall into line with the EU, which we've left. But we will
fall into line. And we will also announce it's 2040, because that's what we do. It's
kind of genius. I mean, the great shame is that R1, real last volume car company, JLR,
that operates in the UK, would really benefit from this more than anyone else, wouldn't they?
So we really need this. Do you think via the medium of this podcast, we could reach out to
the lovely people of Jaguar Land Rover and say to them, look, you know, you know,
we have a love affair with what you're trying to do. We do, because all that we've said has always
come from a place of love and passion. It would be great to go and meet them and talk to them
about what they're trying to do and see them. And so they can inform us that we can talk with
more passion about that. I think that would be. I think that might already be being organised.
So I'm really happy about it. Okay. So actually. So I go on. I just say it's quite rare
in this day and age to have a really good news story that features the internal combustion engine.
And this is, you know, I think this is a good news story. And I'm not just coming at this as some sort
of knuckle-dragging petrolhead who wants to eschew any kind of new technology. I think it's just
it's common sense meeting the enthusiast in a place where no one needs to feel guilty is what
is what I think personally about this. Go on, Chris Cooper. May I just one last point and
I'd be interested to see how our esteemed correspondents and audience feel about this and
their views on it from around the world that there is a dimension of moral hazard here
in that well-worn phrase from the global financial crisis 15, 17 years ago and every
once that some institutions were quote too big to fail. Volkswagen is too big to fail
because the economic and social and human consequences of that would be enormous.
The moral hazard is that by is there is a temptation for the manufacturer not to do
quote the right thing which is accelerate the investment and move towards electric vehicles
because they know that if they don't there is a possibility that the regulator will rescue
them in some way in this case by moving the date or fudging and all those and that is a
wider social debate for society to have I think our view would be I think Niels put his
his finger on it a little earlier if the regulator was to say we want to target outcomes rather than
mechanisms so the outcome is you want to lure emissions rather than stop you building certain
kinds of technology does that incentivize a manufacturer to say right turns out we've
got some quite clever people who look at this stuff all the time let's let them loose on
this problem of the outcome and I think that would get us all to a place where we can recognize
that there is a global challenge on emissions the population well is getting ever bigger
that in itself we have to respond to can't pretend it isn't happening so but I think
the fact that common sense is everything's debate is good and I think from our point of view
loving the car and motoring and all the ventures that we have
um this feels like a positive set forward we welcome it
yeah um let's move on to an even more serious subject wait one second what time is your meeting
is it in 10 minutes I'll be out and I'll be out in nine um so I will I'm um I'm moving on to
Chris yes Stuart's meeting starting in a minute I'll probably get thrown out for this um Christmas
movies best car movie intro at least we'll be dealing with a really adult subject when they
walk in and realize that this world worth having me here um Christmas movies best car movie intro
that's interesting what's the question is is it the best car movie Christmas movie or is it
the best car movie intro Neil I look at this as in what's the best car movie you can watch at
Christmas to cheer yourself up because it's Christmas and therefore of those car movies which
one's got the best intro so it doesn't need to be a Christmas movie with a car in it
it's a car movie you watch at Christmas that's certainly the way I've looked at it
the car bit has to be at the beginning of the film yes hence the word intro yeah do keep up
and it seems it seems it seems a rather mean spirited way to apply the um the logic
it is the time of year to be mean spirited isn't it okay well you can bloody well start
go I'm scratching my head here go on okay well I'll talk slowly the the my favorite car movie
with a good intro is the obvious one which is obviously a shit movie apart from the intro
which is Le Mans with Steve McQueen because the beginning of that movie I've tried to
reenact it so many times with my friends with the slate grade 2.2 s screaming through those
beautiful uh desolate isolated french country roads that are straight as an arrow with all the trees
and then he goes into the little village which we're convinced is our nage
and drives past all the little shops because they're all closed because everyone's asleep
because it's two o'clock in the afternoon and then the he parks in that car park which
have parked in many times overlooking the cathedral in the old town of Le Mans
which now you know is particularly when you go to Le Mans is full up but I think in the movie
there's like four cars two citrons and a reno and he just parks up and I think oh you know it's
that funny 2.2 s with the american front lights which at the time you're like oh why why has he
got those funny those funny lights in the front but now you look at it and think actually it's
really cool what's got those front lights what feature is some move what feature is
particular to a 2.2 s that wasn't on a 2.4 s the oil filler cap yeah yes the oil clapper
yeah yeah it's well it's only on 1970 I think um and and it's in slate gray and it's got the
perpita half leather and it's got his sunroof and it's all going on and that's my that's 100%
my favorite start to that move the rest of the movie is actually a bit shit apart from
it's quite good to look at Steve McQueen because he's lovely but that's the best bit
right gotta work out where to go there hold on that's the pool there
carry on to find starlink right keep going keep going
it really is
manage why don't you go there I'll sit here for a minute okay well I uh
I think there are two films that um I I dip into actually more than once a year
and uh one's a thriller and the other one is I think a definite car movie I think the
Italian job for me has just got the greatest intro with the car ever you know I'm obsessed with
Murat so that's that ticked it's really interesting isn't it that they didn't do something more
obvious and go with the Ferrari and that always makes me makes me think about how lateral in
some ways that movie is so we've got Norwich Murat the Italian countryside but if you actually
watch it it's what's his name Bratsio's forget his first names that were so named Bratsio the
guy who's driving the car who comes up with a master plan I love watching him drive and you're
hearing that that beautiful piece of music Quincy Jones on days like these and um you're watching
him he there's a really lot of subtle change in it starts sort of almost in the summer
and then when he gets up into the mountains suddenly you start to see the snow and he
puts those really cool designer sunglasses on lights a cigarette who's got this thing
just literally hanging from the cover it it's just the epitome of calling you wonder where is
this going I was watching because where is this going and then bang they blow him up and then you
have that line of lunches don't you fiat fiat and um I forgot the name of the baddie and he
sits and he crushes the sunglasses under his shoes and that's it you know what this story is about
before the story ever opens and that for me is it's it's the best kind of storytelling
we've all we've all re-enacted that I'm sure or certainly up the cold of terrini or one of the
past we've all done it a million times is that an intro I don't I don't I'm still slightly confused
that's not the intro because a whole load of film before that no no it begins with the wine
of the v12 and you see it does you see what you think is about the camera hands down you see
Chris Cooper well I've got two answers to this question um because there is only one Christmas
movie there is only one Christmas movie and it's so much a Christmas movie you can only
watch it on Christmas specifically Christmas Eve ha ha ha now I have a machine gun it's die hard
it's the best Christmas movie welcome to the party pal it's and and I if we had all the day
I could recite the whole bloody script it's wonderful so it's a fantastic Christmas movie
we watch it at home for every year for the last seven or eight years we sit down in Christmas Eve
I take a little photograph of the opening scene as the jumbo is landing in Los Angeles and send
it to Mr Harris because that's my Christmas card to him every year um it is that the intro is a jumbo
yes because I said there were two answers one is what's the best Christmas movie and the second
one which I'm just about to get to is what is the best car movie what is the best movie with
the car intro which makes you happy at Christmas and I had Italian job as one but I think actually
a really funky fun one is Bell Bottoms baby driver no that's good Ansel egg egg or Elgort in a 2006
uh wrc super wrc with sti enhancements with John Bernal Eliza Gonzalez and John Hamm
I've watched this movie a few times and when John Bernal just points forward he sticks it in
reverse and does the most amazing fantastic it's just brilliant everyone will see in it but that
is a great movie to watch at Christmas with a great opening titles car scene makes you happy
those are my twists fly me this is I'm on the spot here so it's just potentially two answers
I mean Christmas movie I think I'm with Chris I just love die hard it is a Christmas film and um
but just think it's just a it's a brilliant brilliant um film so I'll go with that I mean
I tend to dip back into Bond films over Christmas I'm always I think I think they're not Christmas
films but for those of us that are old enough to remember that you had you bought the
radio times and the and the tv times and your dad bought them and put them on the table and went
you know circle around what you want you can all argue about who can watch it on the telepods
you're the youngest you get outranked but but the bond film was the one thing everyone agreed on
everyone wanted to watch whatever bond film was on even though right even if it was never say
never again you'd all sit down and watch it and and talk about how the franchise speared off into
parallels um well shorn too old um and you know you know I could even watch you only live twice and
I find that purgatory so um I think and this is controversial that some of I think one of the
best sequences of stunt driving in a bomb film was at the very beginning of quantum of solace
when the dps is in the tunnel and it ended up going it ends up going backwards
I'm pretty sure that was choreographed by my friend Ben Collins and he did the driving for
the tunnel scene I think the dirt driving was done actually by um by Higgins um and
by Mark Higgins and David his brother is actually co-driving on this event here and being hugely
helpful to me because I'm useless at go one I've only just started my god have I got a
baptism of fire here so I'm going to go I think there's something about the driving in that
film it was just before it all got a bit too silly and drifty the cars actually looked like
they were in a chase and they looked like the person that was trying to get away was trying
to save their own life that's another that's maybe another subject maybe Finley can remember that
one when when does driving in a film really look like the driver is trying to get away from
something it's not just choreographed to look cool it's like that car's got the language of
if I don't if I don't win this one I'm dead and I think that is a very different look to
talking and quantum of solace I think has got some of that about it when the when the alfa
from a priest cast chase of down into the quarry it's quite it's quite edgy actually um in fact
quantum of solace is a film I really disliked at the start but has got far more going for it
than people give it credit for I think it's a great bond film I had 100% with you either
on my list as well but I'm glad I left it to you because I 100% agree all of those
Daniel all of those Daniel Craig they all merge into one for me I can't tell the
difference between any of them they're all great but I can't I could no
no I wish I could right let's go let's go for the lovely warm feeling of a four by four when it's
windy and wet or in a storm when only a four by four will do comma basically you know what
I just I'm not there but I've heard it's a bit rough in the UK at the moment and it sounds
like they are quite handy things this week let's go to Manish who certainly doesn't
nor ever has done or ever will drive a four by four well I have driven one I just never
owned one but um the the line that that caught my eye in this was it's windy and wet
or in a storm and um I have to tell you um I have a very very good friend in Abu Dhabi
who had a 2008 so pre- facelift L322 and it was black wonderful leather interior I mean really
beautifully specced and he's a bit of an artist and on the side of his car there was an Emirati
insignia from the Air Force with a little red wedge in it and I have to tell you if you are
caught in a sandstorm it is just as nasty as being caught in a hail storm it I mean it's
unpleasant your you know your glasses don't stop anything shut your eyes shut you know shut
your eyes get into one of those and drive down through the desert on a highway just watch the
sand drifting across blasting against you there is nothing as warm and secure and wonderful as
being in a supercharged L322 driving through the desert in a desert storm it's the most amazing
feeling you're high up you feel kind of bulletproof those things are they're either they were
pretty wonderful cars pretty peak do you like the post facelift ones perhaps you guys when was that
12 wasn't it but I don't know about that from 08 to about 10 they were they were mid yeah that's
just the most beautiful era wasn't it L322 in a sandstorm you're safe it's all bulletproof
it's all beautiful and that little insignia proving you're an artist on the side god I love that car
I think you're right about that the sandstorm sorry the sandstorm thing I think sorry
Neil you go on my apologies no go ahead Mr Cooper no go ahead I was saying I remember reading
Biggles books when I was growing up and they told you all about sandstorms when
Biggles goes east or Biggles goes sandy or whatever they were called or Biggles to the rescue and
and there'd be sandstorms and you're absolutely it's it's your description of it managed
reminded me of reading those Biggles books all those years ago very evocative sorry Neil back to you
no I I think the four by four gets a bad rap really I think I think I think we're over
negative about it and we clearly are well I'm not wrong because I'm not negative about it but
I think you can't argue with success of a genre or a type of car it's it's a it's a it's it changed
automotive to a large degree didn't it and I think it's there's many many many reasons why
consumers love the four by four thing and my particular I think we've got some sort of
named storm at the minute haven't we boomer or sumer or some bloody thing I don't I don't get this
naming storms things all a bit of an exaggeration isn't it like we it rained a bit basically and
there's a little bit windy last night I mean it's hardly a bloody tornado or a hurricane
but when you when you when you get in it's particularly when it's dark and it is raining
or it's windy or just basically winter I think it's a lovely protective feeling jumping into
the Range Rover or the you know whatever the slam of the door the fact that you're higher
you feel safer than you you you feel you feel that you can escape anything if it's gonna flood
it's a bit like that sort of overengineered thing that we talked about recently with
having a watch that goes down to 65 000 meters you can go in a swimming pool on your holiday
I think the fact that it's you can survive what could well be one percent chance of disaster
I think is a lovely feeling you put on the heated steering wheel you put on the heated seat
you set it at 23 you know you're going to be safe and I think it's a I don't think any car
does that as well as a four by four you may well be driving to work or you know you're probably not
going to go up a mountain in Anglesey you know but I think it's a the cosy protective
feeling of that four by four I think is one of the big reasons why they are successful
and I like that feeling yeah I good god there's so much in there I want to reply to
my Chris Cooper go first so I think that's a love letter to the four by four
I 100% agree with it I had one question though Neil does it matter what kind of tires you're on
good right answer no no that doesn't matter they're all round and black and sticky
excellent um I'm gonna be right he's gonna carry on Chris or not are you gonna move
is that what are you finished no no I carry on one one small thing to add which is
this is about the best four by four by far Land Rover and Land Rover I stand to be corrected here
I'm sure there's an example that the challenge is this but Land Rover is always stood apart
we're biased we're talking about this from within the United Kingdom so it's the home team
but it's been the manufacturer that only does one thing it makes four by fours it's pushed
what a four by four can be granted but its DNA is a four by four Toyota makes arguably one of the
most impressive if not the most impressive and robust and reliable four by four the Land Cruiser
but Georgia does other things as well gave us the LFA for example that's not a bad thing
but this is about a love letter to the four by four and I was in a Land Rover product
earlier on this week in the Little Storm and Neil's right you know I got in and it's sort of
you just look at the little thing on dashboard and says do you want to raise the wading height
to nine to 900 millimeters and I thought because on our little lane where we live the farm
there were some quite big puddles I mean you could feel the underside of the car not
just the tires sloshing in the water so I thought I'm just going to press the wading depth up a bit
I mean I was nowhere near needing to do it it just felt safe and comfortable it's lovely and warm and
lovely lovely is the word okay so yeah Neil said something that I I normally agree with
lots things Neil said but I profoundly disagree with one thing you said it doesn't mean I'm
right I just I've always felt as a journalist that it's actually that it's the one statement that I
react to I don't think you I don't think if something's popular it's right but I think you
know the idea that the four by four is popular doesn't make it right and I don't need to name
certain things in history that have proved very popular that when we look at them in hindsight
weren't very good but you know lots of things you mean come on and I think you know the
escort mark the escort mark four was incredibly popular but it's an absolutely awful vehicle
and I think the four by four yeah okay I think if you could tell me that the four by four was popular
because it felt costating and safe in stormy weather I'd agree with you but actually it's just
so mummies look cool on the way to school it's nothing to do with what they can actually do
so no I don't agree with you well but they're not but but surely you have to
acknowledge the fact that they're not using any of the things you're talking about
what what what makes them popular is their image it's not because they can do the things they do
because they never do any of those bloody things they spend most of their time in town
driving between large houses and schools I mean that's how many of them are actually out there
it's the feeling that you can if you need it it's it's safe
but because of because of that we're using twice as much fuel we're using twice as much
tyres that we fucking need to the four the SUV has accelerated the death of the motor of the
i-c e motor car we love because politically it's so easy to latch on on how horrifically
inefficient it is it's it's awful you know it's it's done it's not explaining the negative so
I was explaining why it was popular but I but I think I I actually completely agree with what
you're saying I just I just I don't think it's a positive thing for a message at all
but but I but I do think the late Alan Clark described it beautifully now he used to write
with real passion about a series one first generation Defender diesel and it had a diesel
engine made in the UK which was actually very advanced at the time it was one of the first
direct injection diesel engines that used a high-pressure pump and he used to write about
driving it to his estate in Scotland and he used to write about driving it in his
disco disco disco yeah sorry disco yeah um yeah my head's a bit fun and um and he used I remember
one phrase when he stuck with me and he to describe the high driving position of driving
in inclement weather which and the high driving position if you drive in poor weather is so
so much safer it's raining because you're above the spray for most vehicles and he said
I don't want to be staring at the axle casings of hgvs and he uses the phrase
axle casings and he's so right yeah you know if you find yourself in a lotus exige in a
rainstorm when you're behind a lorry you do feel incredibly vulnerable and and where I
would count I'll contradict what I just said is that human beings are incredibly defensive
creatures you know we might be we might think we're quite advanced but ultimately if you've
got some children you're just going to put them in what you think is the biggest
safest box possible and you don't really give a shit if the chance with the checker
is going to tax you you don't really give a shit if people are going to sneer at you
you just want to be in the biggest box possible and it's got landrover badge on it it looks lovely
you're going to do it because you're ultimately homo sapiens and you're there to protect your
clutch and that bit I get I don't like it I'd rather be in an rs6 with a bit of spray thanks
but um but I think it's a it's a really interesting one it's a really interesting one and I'm
not being deliberately opposite I just think it's a shame that but the there's no vehicle
whose capabilities are so underused as these things when you go and see the way they're
developed you go and watch go and see a landrover been developed I've been lucky enough to do that
over the years when you do the journalist story and they're wading up to their fucking nipples and
it's waterproof and it's got all these buttons or do stuff and you think that's just going to
drive through full of this is just ridiculous but but that's the way that's exactly this
it's exactly the watch analogy Neil used people love knowing it can do it
and who am I I can't I can't I can disagree but I can't say that people shouldn't do it
Chris don't you think I mean the thing it's it's the I think that's the kind of unconscious
marketing though it is playing on people's sense of safety I think there's quite a lot of
marketing research on you know why do women like four by fours they all say it's the seating
position I feel safe but you've only got one child and if you hit a child in one of these
things don't you think it's worse for the child that I hit and that produces the kind of slightly
blank no I'm protecting my child it's all very primal I think the use of the four by four
to take your kids to school and that's I think how they're marketed
I think it's nicer in in in in bad weather as Chris says it's a nicer thing to draw
everybody had one Neil if everybody was exactly at the same height in four by fours that kind
of neutralizes that a bit doesn't that well or the alternative yes if you're driving a four by four
don't drive into people in a straight line I don't I find them really uncomfortable sitting in the back
when you when they yaw and they roll and I don't like being in them at all but um you're right in
a rainstorm if you want if you want to feel like you're in twister chasing a hurricane
you don't want to do it in a three series you want to be in a very great big tank don't
you of course you do you want to be a g-wagon right the apocalypse car here we go name your
favorite private detective car I mean if anyone chooses anything other than the obvious one then
you're all cretins I'm going to go with manage first well I'm not going to go with the rockford
files I'm afraid oh not going to go I'm not um I'm actually going to go I I went through this
I thought do you remember the show Vegas with Dan Tanner who had the red and he parked it
in a garage in his actual house he was always in the background and said that was just cool
Chinatown Jake Giddiss has the 48 convertible gorgeous looking thing um moonlighting BMW 635
CSI that was a great program but no I have the winner I believe the winner is
Farron Fawcett majors in Charlie's Angels who had the 1976 cobra two she made that car famous
white with the black stripe along the side that said cobra two a brilliant incognito car
to follow baddies in they will never spot you in that thing right behind that is the car for me
you've done that really well manage yeah how manage you've taken them all off the board there Neil
sorry I mean Charlie's Angels what a program that kept you going didn't it if you didn't
have the cat if you didn't have the catalogs yeah um I think we all know what you're saying
um I've I've you know I it's brilliant isn't it what where are the tv detectives nowadays
it was it was youtube youtube has killed them but
no they're all driving around in four by fours I I think um okay I'm going I'm going British
niche I there's many american ones I'd love and I love Jim Rockford bloody hell but do you
remember Hazel yes now Hazel wasn't actually that successful I don't think it was a sort of
successful prior to Minder in a way but it was really 70s I mean loads of flares loads of
hairspray I had a lot of hair jealousy because I can't remember his first name but his hair was
amazing he drove a triumph stack and to a to a 10 year old boy which you didn't really know
how shit the triumph stag was at the time but what a what a very handsome aggressive
manly car that was I think it was green actually he had made green great again before it was even
great for first time and he he was he always was pulling the birds he was always you know he
getting into scrapes but then he jumped in that target topped triumph stag in green and I thought
oh how how do you get a life like that when you you know when you you've got eczema in your
imports with a 10 years old I wanted to find a way to be Hazel yeah Nicholas was green that was
the actor oh yeah it's a great looking car the triumph stag I tell you what I think
Chris Cooper well Mr. House and we'll leave the obvious one to you but it's not
Rockford Files I think we all had another one in my mind but the private detective is a live
and kicking on TV down Cemetery Road which is on one of the streaming channels right now
Zoe Bowam the character played by Emma Thompson and it's done really well because the Citroen DS
which is such a great cool car really suits a character it's in the books as well it doesn't
really have a big part in it it's just there it's it's a car rather than a statement but it's
such a cool car and my wife and I were watching it I think the last one's out this week actually
we've caught in this week beginning whatever it's 8th of December and I had to stop and pause it
so I could go away and look it up and I thought that's the sign of a great car in a private
detective television program so I would go for the one that's right now out there
Zoe Bowam's Citroen DS good for you this this is a tricky one because obviously the
word private rather narrows it down because it can't be they can't be employed by the state
police it's not any detective's got to be driving around in Morse is Mark 2 Jag which is just my
favorite television car of all time it's the obvious one isn't it it's bloody magnum in that 308
because I just exactly I just think that opening sequence when it when he when he wheel spins
on the dirt off the side of the road bit of luck psych and also it's another it's a very important
one this we've discussed this and Neil Clifford and I do agree on this is that I used to think the
328 was better looking than the 308 it's not the 308 is better looking isn't it the 308 is a better
looking car it is much better looking car cheers now yeah I probably said this I said this before
but I didn't talk about this before there is there is a magnum there's a there's a club of magnums
in in in California we're post a picture where all these men dress up as magnum and drive around
in 308 with the shorts with the shirts and I'll I'll I saw them at car week it's just brilliant
do they have mustaches do they all yeah yep yep yep I'll post a picture of it it's great
I mean the one what did columb what did what did colombo drive
a common gear no yes it wasn't a common gear I think wasn't it no it's 300 was he
was 190 with the convertible you're right it's a Peugeot it's a Peugeot oh we had just
before didn't we I've got common gear stuck in my head yeah you're right Peugeot I love colombo
yeah um okay let's talk about formula one let's talk about formula one manage was there on the
ground at Abu Dhabi so tell us what happened oh my days I have never had such a tense few days
ever I think it was funny we got to the circuit on on Friday and there was just this sense
that that max might do it and it it's he's been building and building and building but at the
same time um I was there in 2010 when uh Fernando was meant to do it and I remember that what stopped
Fernando beating the Red Bulls was the fact that it was Fernando all on his own and it was two
Red Bulls and they could split their strategy and he had to he had to mark one of them or the other
so just from a purely motoring point of view you had this sort of what am I clown going to do that
there were so many rumors well max is going to back them up as he did in 2000 and as Lewis did
sorry in 2016 at Abu Dhabi and that was like well the circuit's different now and the cars are
so different in any way if he does that Oscar might take him up it was there was so much
speculation and the atmosphere was so tense and I have to say the turnout which can be a
little bit variable I mean the main grand sound which is opposite where we were watching was
completely full and um I would say that normally there's a lot of sort of Ferrari red I would say
overall there was this real desire that McLaren win and if the desire was that McLaren win then
Lando was obviously going to be the more likely of the two and you know I watched the quali
I know it was just incredibly exciting and just again max just just pulled it out of his hat
it was it was a fantastic but I think as fast as two laps would have done it so it was just
you know it was just that good that was I what I was doing is we have this amazing balcony that you
could in theory watch from but the problem is the screen was too far away so this balcony was at the
end of the pit straight on the right hand side if you're watching as a as a driver and but the
timing screens were about 40 yards to my left and across I just couldn't see the times so I
actually went back inside the um the paddock club just stood underneath two screens when the
cars came down I looked and again just afterwards we wandered down into the paddock it it was absolutely
electric I think in terms of if you want to show to have max on pole Lando right behind him and Oscar
right behind him you know it was just then people were like what do you think is going to
happen what do you think is going to happen of course all the sensible people were saying
well Lando is going to drive sensibly to third but that's all very sensible the
fact is in formula one you know anything can happen you have a puncture you go over a piece of
this you go wide heaven knows what can happen and then um on race day I went down I sat with
Andrea Stella's family I know them really well Andrew was obviously very very busy
and uh Edo Fede and um Michaela and I were just sitting and having a chat they were incredibly
calm and I said so how's Andrew doing it's like you know everything's been very methodical this
just has to be a normal weekend and we have to enjoy it we have to remember how lucky we are we're all
here in Abu Dhabi in the sun having this fantastic time and then very sweet Lando's father and his
girlfriend um sat on the table next to us we were having a little bit well you know he said hello
obviously they wanted to be on their own the number of people who kept coming up to him
going are you feeling nervous are you feeling that it's everything I was thinking to one other
person touch that I think I might punch them so eventually um wandered up into um went back into
the lounge and I really held my breath I did stand on the balcony for the first five laps
because the the big worry was that you know there would be some all four first turn thing
and literally just watch just watched Oscar steaming up and I saw that Oscar was on the hearts
and Lando was on the medium so we knew Lando's almost certainly going to two stop and it felt
like Oscar it was I mean it was a bit of a genius strategy because if Oscar could get past Lando
he could push Max and just keep pushing and pushing and pushing because Max knows full well
that Oscar's going to drive off after him and I think the strategy was inspired
but we all expected Lando to be covering George Russell and George made a pretty mediocre start
and then after that looked like the Mercedes just wasn't working Charlotte Clerk looks so dangerous
first five laps he was never more than six tenths behind Lando and I was half expecting him to throw
on down the inside because they'd interviewed him before the race and said you know what are
you doing he said I'm going for a podium and what about Lando he's like what about Lando
and that's absolutely not what you want to hear when you're driving for third but then
in the first pit stop I actually missed Charles coming in so I thought what's happened here
what's happened here why'd they put Lando in so early then I realized he was covering Charles
he came out and just as the race evolved it became more and more clear how brilliant
the Clarence execution was they weren't going to try to chase some kind of random glory
despite that one brilliant line from Oscar when he came out of the pit saying he said
tell me what I have to do to win this race but actually they drove beautifully as a team the
orders were executed beautifully as a team and I felt pretty emotional at the end but
the emotions really came out we went we went stood underneath the podium we saw a British
world champion you know spraying something it was I can't describe how that how that felt you
know it was just it was McLaren they did it I made a TV show in 2017 which was McLaren's
Anna's Horriblest the Honda engine didn't physically fit onto the back of the chassis
think about that eight years after that they've won both championships in their own style
and then you know the walk through the garage the walk into the paddock and then
just standing and sitting sometimes just as the McLaren personnel came in there was no
acrimony there wasn't there was no sort of hard cheese at all you could see that Oscar was maybe
you know maybe but that's all it was it wasn't anymore rancorous and that Tom Stalard was
he was titanic he was just so sort of look you know we almost did it we've got to be proud
that was through the roof and then Andrea arrived and that is when I did start crying
I just literally could not stop myself we just had a really you know he had a billion things to do
but we just had a genuine hug and it was just wonderful that you know they did it their way
and I know listen I've taken the mickey out of Mr Cooper and in fact here's time and I
rather did take the mickey out of Mr Cooper because I think papaya rules rule but
it was great to see a British team find their way back it was great to see a British driver
triumph in that way in that style that Landau has you know he's not a nasty human being he's a
lovely young man he is full of self-doubt sometimes perhaps he does wear it on his sleeves but that's
who he is and that gives me a lot of joy because I think when this whole motor racing thing is over
for him that young man is going to know who he is he'll be he'll be an older man and you know
my my father it was just so authentic this victory was so authentic that team is so authentic
it's a real team and it's not about spraying champagne and just going yeah we won we won
that's that's something but they are a team it's the most coherent group of people and
you know it was a joy a privilege a dream to be there it really was that's what I would say
well what a lovely weekend and privilege to be there Manish Neil what do you think
if Manish doesn't get that movie I'll be shocked
I think I think the look thank fuck McLaren in the end were lucky and they deserved it in the end
and if you're British you're really chuffed that Landau won and great job by McLaren
you know Zach what a genius the whole gang I don't know anyone I don't know anyone there
actually but I think what a great job but crikey it could have gone wrong in the end because they're
the best driver right on their case and it shouldn't have been that way really but in the end they just
got it over the line and congratulations and it's really great to have another British Formula
1 champion and well done to to Landau Chris Cooper I think it's fantastic there's a British
world champion in a British team it's a new world champion it's fantastic for British motorsport
with my motorsport UK hat on it's been fantastic it creates interest Landau is a different kind
of world champion it's the one we've had the last four years and probably the years before
that in Lewis and that's really good it's just you know it's not just one kind of person
that can do this great for genetic cars and their genetic junior series
yes which every every dad with 200 million in the bank now thinking aha I can be like Adam Norris
and put my son in the genetic junior so great for them great so Lawrence Tomlinson and all
of your crew up in Leeds well done you and yeah it was it was but it was a close run thing
two points and I think um my any other time he managed you said it all and it was everyone's
watching and they'll know how they feel and it's great for British motorsport but two quick additional
thoughts um if you were one of or either of the Ferrari dealers dealers drivers you'd be thinking
what am I going to do what's going to happen tricky
Charles has had eight wins in six years that he's been there Lewis has had his worst season
he wears we felt we all feel for him he's he's worn his emotion and his his confusion and his
and his upset on his sleeve bless him um and you just really hope that somehow
they can throw a double six over the winter with these new rules and somehow it's all better
but it feels like it's it's a double six it just doesn't feel um so I feel for both of them and and
for max I thought he conducted himself really well yeah in um you know he win or lose he was happy
I'm sure clearly he wanted to win um but to have got within two points if somebody said after
Zandvoort you'll be two points behind at the end of Abu Dhabi none of us would have said that is
remotely possible so I think well done to well done to the Red Bull team we can probably call it
the new Red Bull team the news of Helmut Marcos retirement at 82 he's probably due a bit of time
off whatever one everyone thinks about him um he's an incredible ashen at stalwart for the
sport he has picked the odd good driver or two in his time goodness me well championships between
them it's unbelievable actually I think Laurent Miquez and his team and all that's going on there
well done them for giving us a championship and manage the tension that you described so well
wonderful yeah I'm over the moon there's something there's something in the water
near where I was bought up I was bought up about 10 miles 50 or 50 miles from Froome and um yeah I
wish I had the button Norris water there's there's obviously a bit better than mine but it's remarkable
that little that little little part of the west country has produced the last two well sorry two
of the last three British world champions um I'm over the moon yeah Lando is a very interesting
gap and I think he's he wears his heart and his sleeve and he's got a vulnerability that a lot of
young people his age align with and and um and I think they they see themselves in that and that's
that's a really good thing you're right max conducted himself really well I the old max
wouldn't have been maybe as gracious I don't know I watched it in a I watched I watched the race or
the last part of the race in a in a on a big screen in a safari lodge in Kenya and the person
sitting in front of me was was Joss Verstappen and watching a father deal with that is you know you
forget the people like the Adam Norris's and the Joss Verstappen's what are they going through when
they watch their children duke it out in in front of hundreds of millions of people it's
remarkable I couldn't deal with the stress um I just think I could think but we should all think
Reg Bull for coming good at the end of the season and not letting McLaren run away with it I think
I still find some of McLaren's thinking around it utterly baffling and I think
I'd hope they'd admit that there's a certain dose of serendipity that got them this championship it
could have gone wrong and the outcome and the postmortem if a few things had changed
um at Barcelona would would be quite different right now and everyone be saying how do they throw
it away but the great thing about sport is you don't you don't live in the conditional
tense you don't live in ifs and buts and maybes you live in what has actually happened and
they've delivered a constructors and a world driver's champion who's British and um you know what this
country needs a shot in the arm and I want to say one thing this is really important and this
matters more than all of the accolades that Lando's got he's got the big pot he's a world champion
his girlfriend is utterly beautiful and he's got the world at his feet but he now joins that
rare group of human beings that will have his name used in the following context when
you're stopped for speeding who do you think you are Lando Norris and I think there's only
Nigel Mansell Sterling Ross Jensen Button and Lewis Hamilton and he's now joined that that for me
is the coolest group you could ever join who do you think you are Lando Norris I love that it's
brilliant here and Sterling didn't even win it no no um let's move on to a two car garage
which I think Chris Cooper is going to read out for me because I can't really see
I will read out now just a quick parish notice before that if I may the eagle eyed amongst you
will notice that there is some Chris Harrison cars podcasty merchandise now available if you go to
the Chris Harrison cars insta site you'll find a link to it um we're trying to sort out
international shipping um so bear with us on that um so yeah but please for your newest
endures there is something there for all of you so thank you very much um this week's two car garage
comes from Christian Ford uh who's down in Newquay so Christian we love this one so um this might be
autobiographical um you are a 37 year old man living on the outskirts of Newquay in beautiful
Cornwall Cornish born and bred going back 14 generations I'm a surveyor and a runner small
business I have two dogs excellent which come to work with me regularly I currently have
bear wisdom it's quite a long one but it's good I currently have a 2013 Volvo XC70 which is wonderful
but now time to change the Volvo is worth 6k on a trade seven and a half private retail
include that in the total cost of the garage 35 grand all in two cars one must be robust and
big enough to carry me and two dogs around call and Devin 20,000 miles a year other must which
could also be used for work but which is on his own um one also must be a fun the other one
fun weekend car days out on road trips he says this has been going through my mind for ages
all the best another podcast you are all a shining light to each Friday thank you the
best Christian Christian thank you chaps manish okay my first car is going to be because car
and classic this week is rather wonderful I found a 2004 Mercedes Benz W163 ML 55 for sale
very low mileage look at that I think you could have a bit of fun around Newquay in that beast
over 300 horses 2004 so it's not overly electronic I think you'd enjoy that
it's a great little car and then my fun weekender
is going to be this rather stunning 2000 very low mileage very low mileage
2000 Honda s 2000 look at that navy blue very low mileage it's got grey black interior it is a
stunning car that's my brace for the weekend yes like it I like it off you go um Neil Clifford
I can't show you pictures because I'm on my phone and if I show my phone then you can't see me
so the pictures will come up later by clever finley um the code in here was a couple of things
the guy's living alone with two dogs so he he doesn't seem to have a partner or children
which frankly is probably good in some respects because you can do whatever you want in life
and the dogs can't argue so he doesn't need a big car and the other the other the other
thing for me was a lot of mileage so if you if you choose the wrong four by four you're going to
it's going to cost you a tonne in petrol but more importantly it's going to probably break down
so I've gone Japanese I've gone small and Japanese and cute that can only be a chimney
and I love the little chimney and I think you know you I remember when I bought one
the man at the Suzuki dealership in in um in uh where was there near St Albans said
it was lovely to meet you Mr Clifford I will never see you again because nothing will ever
go wrong with this car so that goodbye because those switches are 40 years old there's a Suzuki
1972 are the same switches so you never ever anything go wrong with this car so thanks very
much so you buy a chimney I think they're about 25 grand they hold the money incredibly well because
they're super pretty actually as as an aside they do a little g-wagon body kit and there's
going to be a small g-wagon we should talk about that when it gets announced because wouldn't that
be great good point and then I've got I've stuck with Honda actually I've stuck with Japanese
so I've gone exactly if I think I've actually chosen the same car as Manish which are things
the first time this has ever happened um I've got S2000 I mean of course the right
answer is really Boxster but I'm becoming boring myself if I choose a Boxer everywhere
so but you know what I think we always choose this Honda 2000 and as they say in the magazines
a gear change like a rifle a rifle thing whatever it was you know rifle bolt right rifle bolt rifle
bolt gear change when you get over 6000 revs the engine really sings pretty car you want the hard top
I think mine was blue so I've gone full on Japanese um Chris Cooper which is exactly what I went for
as well
yes and I'll I'll just explain I quite Christian sounds like a very thoughtful
yes passionate professional man yes proud of his heritage proud of his work uh takes pride
in lots of things and I think he could take pride in a Honda S2000 beautiful roads of Cornwall
and Devon I think it's a great choice the fact that three of us agree Christian yeah you know weighed
in and I think I'm I almost went for a Jimny as well but I love a Land Rover down in Cornwall
and Devon on car and classic I found a 2009 twin cab Land Rover 110 got a pickup body
all you all you sort of worked up in there and the dogs uh all the dogs you can sit on the
back seat in front of you with you that's what I do question is a winner 25 000 miles a year and one
of them mate you'll have to get your own chiropractor yeah he's a robust man yeah he is therapy after
that right so um I've gone this is one of my guilty pleasures I really like b8 a4 all roads
there's one on car and classic and I think they're really good little cars those a4 all roads they
much better they're much better over much better over lumpy surfaces than you think that's only a
seven grand that one and I think right now I am I'm really into these I've scratched record
e92 m3 manual they're just fabulous cars they are I mean that's good as well
you can't it's a car from an era that you just think god we can't you can't buy stuff like manual
v8 m car that goes like stink sounds fabulous you can't buy that anymore so that's good they will
be a million pounds each yeah um now I'm just um so my music choice I'll explain it to you so
I'm I'm I'm just past the halfway point of the east african safari classic rally which is
easily the hardest thing I've ever done in the car I'm co-driving it's I don't really I'm a bit bashed up
because I just got off the stage half an hour before we started the podcast and um yeah it's
been an experience and I'm sitting next to I'm co-driving next to Ferdy Porsche so he says
Porsche on the side of the car and his great-granddad started it all so it's it's been
quite interesting and today we had some very big hits and he drove magnificently he really
pushed and in this when you sit in the car in the stage you put your cans on you take
your helmet put your cans on for the road stages because the car's so noisy and the latest steelo
has got a bluetooth thing where you can actually have a little bit of music coming out of your
headphones so you can talk to each other there's music in the background and we've we've been in
where we are now I'm ambasaili national park on the edge for the last two rounds today we're
240 kilometers of roads of gravel stages which is like two rallies in the UK in one day but
it's the same yesterday and when we came off I looked at him and I said am I allowed to
and he went he didn't quite know what I meant and then he looked up and he saw it because
Kilimanjaro is is right in front of us and it sits right it's it's massive and it's quite strange
having a mountain come out of the ground it comes out of the savannah it's not in a range
of mountains it's just a volcano that sits there with snow on the top and you're burning
your arse off driving along in a 911 so I had to put on Toto's Africa because he talks about
Kilimanjaro in it and I did do it it's utterly cheesy and we both exchanged and we exchanged a
large grin as we listened to Toto's Africa with the lyrics that make no sense at all
but what a tune and it's got the word Kilimanjaro in it as we looked at the mountain
I'm a lucky boy um manish lovely um it is starting to head towards Christmas and I'm not a huge fan
of all the crooning around Christmas but I am a huge fan of the movies that we tend to watch
then I love dipping into James Bond and I listened to from Russia with love this morning Matt Runroe
who actually sang on days like these I think it's a so wonderful song any time of year but especially
this time of year yeah wonderful tune uh nil Clifford what a what a voice he's got uh okay um I
didn't talk about this I went uh I went to see um our friend uh Jay Jamiraquai last night
his first of two gigs in the O2 uh I'm biased he's a mate but it was brilliant all my kids you
know young kids took them they said it was one of the best gigs they've ever went he's totally
back in the game voice is better than ever could dance like a 25 year old looks cool as fuck
basically and um so well done Jay you bloody absolutely hit it out the park million you don't
think you forget how many songs he's had that you know that you don't know them and when he plays them
you do know them I'm going the obvious virtual insanity he ended with that you know the whole
the whole of the O2 went crazy and it was a brilliant night Chris Cooper well that's
fantastic and I mean it must have been it must have been wonderful and really really jealous not to
be there um thinking about Ferrari and charl and louis it can only be the clash should I stay or
should I go that's a good one that's a good one I mean there are going to be a few
here the only good thing is it's all changed they've got they've got a little bit of luck here
that this everything's changing right double six yeah I'm off to go and see the chiropractor
and have my back sorted out thank you very much for tolerating the poor audio and all
the other stuff that's gone on with episode 65 I'm currently sitting there's a monkey down there
I can't get I can't you can't see him but there is a monkey just over there and it's not me
um so uh please go to my instagram or the um Chris Harrison cars instagram go and have a
good search on car and classic it's full of good good metal and plastic at the moment um and enjoy
the rest of your week and thank you very much for bearing with us I know this thing is a roaming
podcast but I wouldn't be able to have such brilliantly windswept and interesting co-hosts
if we just sat in the studio every week you have to accommodate some of these downsides to
have their frankly brilliant opinions and um and lovely lucid explanations and with that we send you
our love and we look forward to seeing you and hearing you while you're hearing us next week bye bye
la harina masa yes
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