About this episode
Dan Roth and Ross Ballett welcome Matt Farah (The Smoking Tire) for a wide-ranging chat that starts with how touchscreens and haptics changed car interiors—and why “high-tech” isn’t always better. They dig into the annoyance of ADAS and drive modes resetting every restart, arguing that safety features can become luxury only if they stay configured. The conversation then pivots to Matt’s analog-minded car tastes, his Myers Manx obsession, and his sailing background. It ends with a debate: hot dog vs taco, plus Matt’s Korean taco recipe.
Matt Farah of The Smoking Tire stepped off the catamaran and onto our podcast the other day. Our conversation took a meandering course starting with the premise that real luxury is going to mean "handmade." We talked about Matt's Boxster Spyder and Meyers Manx before taking a tack into sailing dinghies on Long Island Sound and the benefits of catamaran tourism. There's a lot of reminiscing from the older fellas, and you might remember the automotive enthusiast web of 2008, too. Come aboard for this shipshape hour!
touch screens
"...like doing haptics and touch screens is 50% cheaper than making buttons..."
A touchscreen is the big screen in the dashboard you tap to control things. Instead of pressing buttons, you use your fingers on the screen.
Touchscreens are the in-cabin displays used to control functions that used to be handled by physical buttons and knobs. In modern cars, they often run infotainment and sometimes climate/vehicle settings, which changes both cost structure and driver interaction.
Ford
"it was really interesting going inside Ford where once Tesla really got rolling that they had one competitor and it was Tesla, like Ford. Right. Like all they talked about was like, let's do it like Tesla."
Ford is a big car company. Here they’re talking about how Ford designs the car’s tech and screens, and whether that makes the car easier or more annoying to use.
Ford is a major automaker that, in this discussion, is being contrasted with Tesla on how it approaches “high tech” features. The speaker specifically talks about Ford’s in-car experience and how it feels to live with.
Tesla
"it was really interesting going inside Ford where once Tesla really got rolling that they had one competitor and it was Tesla, like Ford. Right. Like all they talked about was like, let's do it like Tesla."
Tesla is an electric-car company known for lots of tech in the car. In this segment, it’s used as the example that other brands try to imitate.
Tesla is being used as the benchmark for “high tech” in modern vehicles. The speaker suggests other automakers copy Tesla’s approach, and that this influence shapes how features are designed.
Lamborghini Kuntosh
"...super sucks. Like, you know, like my Lamborghini Kuntosh, like the air conditioning knob is from like a L..."
The Countach is an older Lamborghini supercar. It’s known for its bold, unusual styling and for being very distinctive inside and out. The podcast references it by pointing out a specific interior detail.
The Lamborghini Countach is a legendary Italian supercar from the 1970s–1990s era, famous for its sharp styling and dramatic presence. It’s mentioned in the podcast with a specific reference to interior details like an air-conditioning control knob, highlighting how distinctive and period-correct the cabin can be. Countach discussions often focus on its iconic design and character.
air conditioning knob
"Like, you know, like my Lamborghini Kuntosh, like the air conditioning knob is from like a Lancia that costs like $5,000."
They’re talking about the physical knob you use to control the car’s A/C. The point is that even small parts can be very expensive to replace on some cars.
The “air conditioning knob” is called out as a specific interior control that the speaker says is expensive and sourced from another brand. This is a good example of how small, seemingly simple parts can become costly in exotic or niche cars.
Lancia
"Like, you know, like my Lamborghini Kuntosh, like the air conditioning knob is from like a Lancia that costs like $5,000."
Lancia is another car brand. Here it’s mentioned because the speaker claims a Lamborghini interior knob is related to a Lancia part, which makes it feel costly and frustrating.
Lancia is mentioned as the source of an expensive air-conditioning knob used in the speaker’s Lamborghini. This highlights how some parts can be shared across brands or sourced from specific suppliers, and how that can affect cost and availability.
Pagani
"than the low volume bespoke cars, mostly just because of the scale and until you get to like, you know, Pagani or whatever, you know, that's a different conversation."
Pagani is a small Italian company that makes very limited-run supercars. The speaker is saying that when you get to rare, high-end brands like Pagani, the rules about “who can do details better” start to change because they build far fewer cars.
Pagani is an Italian supercar maker known for extremely low-volume, bespoke builds. The point here is that big manufacturers can spread engineering effort across huge production numbers, while brands like Pagani can afford more hand-tuned details but operate on a different scale.
cold start
"[460.7s] Yeah. [460.7s] The story I was told about that car is that Cadillac employees were told this was the [465.2s] last internal combustion car they would ever design. [468.5s] Seriously. [469.6s] That's, that's the story that they were told. [471.3s] They said, this is your last hurrah for a fucking cold start."
A cold start is when you start the car after it’s been parked for a while. Because the engine is cold, it often sounds louder and runs differently for a short time.
A cold start is when an engine is started after it has been sitting and the engine and fluids are at low temperature. Many modern engines run richer and/or use additional strategies to warm up quickly, which can make the exhaust louder and the idle more noticeable.
ADAS
"But at the same time, if you, if it starts with full ADAS every time and you've got to go into these touch screens to turn all this every time."
ADAS means the car’s driver-assist tech. Things like lane help and automatic braking that try to make driving safer, and many cars turn them on automatically.
ADAS stands for Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems. It’s the suite of features like lane keeping, adaptive cruise, and automatic emergency braking that can be enabled by default on many modern cars.
daily driver
"And you're in, you know, you're intended to use this as a daily driver car. [557.9s] I mean, it's an expensive SUV, but like the people who buy these SUVs, that's their daily for the most part, right?"
A “daily driver” is a vehicle used regularly for everyday commuting rather than occasional weekend use. The speaker argues that if a car is meant to be lived with daily, repeatedly dealing with re-enabled ADAS settings (and menu steps) clashes with the intended premium experience.
Lexus LS
"[625.6s] It's the Porsche spider. [628.5s] I'm surprised it's not like the Lexus LS or something. [632.4s] No, it's the fucking."
They bring up the Lexus LS as an example of a luxury car that might have had a CD player for a long time. It’s Lexus’s big, top-tier sedan.
The speaker mentions the Lexus LS as a possible candidate for the last car sold with a CD player. The Lexus LS is a flagship luxury sedan, and it’s often used as a benchmark for how long older tech features persisted in mainstream luxury.
single zone climate control
"[651.3s] And I have, I have a CD player, and I have single zone climate control, and I have wired [657.9s] carplay, and I have an analog gauge cluster, and that has one, you know, one of the rings"
Single zone climate control means the car heats or cools the whole cabin to one temperature setting. You can’t set different temperatures for driver and passenger.
Single zone climate control means the cabin temperature is controlled as one shared zone, rather than allowing different temperatures for driver and passenger. Dual-zone systems can set separate temps, while single-zone keeps things uniform.
wired carplay
"[651.3s] And I have, I have a CD player, and I have single zone climate control, and I have wired [657.9s] carplay, and I have an analog gauge cluster, and that has one, you know, one of the rings"
Wired CarPlay means you plug your phone into the car with a cable to use maps and music on the car screen. It’s the “older” CarPlay style before wireless became common.
Wired Apple CarPlay connects a phone to the car using a cable so the car can display compatible apps and navigation. Earlier CarPlay implementations often required a physical connection, unlike today’s wireless setups.
analog gauge cluster
"[657.9s] carplay, and I have an analog gauge cluster, and that has one, you know, one of the rings [664.78s] "
An analog gauge cluster uses traditional physical dials and needles (speedometer/tachometer) instead of a fully digital screen. Enthusiasts often prefer analog clusters for their readability and classic feel.
TPMS
"is the screen that has a multifunction for my TPMS and shit like that."
TPMS means your car can monitor tire pressure for you. If a tire is low, it will warn you so you don’t drive on underinflated tires.
TPMS stands for Tire Pressure Monitoring System. It uses sensors to alert the driver when tire pressure is too low or otherwise out of spec, helping with safety and tire wear.
Mazda Miata
"And I believe pretty strongly that that is the, the most analog new car that you could actually buy, even more so than a Miata, which has push button start."
The Mazda Miata is a small, fun sports car that many people like because it feels straightforward and easy to drive. In this conversation, it’s used as a benchmark for how “analog” a car can feel.
The Mazda Miata is a lightweight, driver-focused roadster known for its simple, analog feel compared with many modern cars. Mentioning it here sets up a contrast between “analog” driving experiences and newer tech-heavy interiors.
push button start
"even more so than a Miata, which has push button start."
Instead of turning a key, you press a button to start the car. Some people feel it makes the car feel less old-school and more techy.
Push-button start replaces a traditional key turn with a button that starts the engine, usually when the key fob is detected. It’s common in modern cars and can feel less “mechanical” or analog to some drivers.
disc brakes
"like I go on the highway, like it's geared to 90 and you can you can add it's got Porsche 356, like style disc brakes, but not like original ones like what you would put on a 356 race car like today."
Disc brakes are the common braking system where pads squeeze a metal disc to slow the car. They usually work better and more consistently than older drum brakes.
Disc brakes use brake pads clamping onto a spinning rotor to slow the car down. Compared with older drum brakes, they generally offer more consistent stopping power, especially when driving hard or repeatedly.
Sunfish
"What did you start? What did you start in? I started in Sunfish when I was like 10 right okay at at camp."
A Sunfish is a small sailboat you can learn on. It’s usually used by beginners because it’s not too complicated.
The Sunfish is a small, single-person sailing dinghy that’s popular for beginners and youth sailing. It’s known for being simple to rig and easy to learn on, which is why many sailors start with it.
laser
"My parents got me a laser. Also not a lot of sail, not a lot of laser. Nice and fast. Lasers are the fucking best lasers rip. So I went from Sunfish to laser."
A Laser is a common type of small sailboat people race. It’s a step up from the easiest boats because you have to sail it well.
The Laser (often referred to as the Laser dinghy) is a widely raced single-handed sailboat class. Compared with smaller beginner boats, it’s more performance-oriented and helps sailors develop technique.
catamarans
"we go with the moorings and we charter these 50 foot catamarans, like the leopard catamarans, which are they sail like meh."
A catamaran is a boat with two hulls. It usually feels steadier and has more room, which makes it more comfortable for longer trips.
Catamarans are boats with two parallel hulls, which generally provide more stability and space than single-hull monohulls. The speaker notes they’re nicer for living aboard during longer charters.
hydrofoil
"that's a great that's a great photo of the back as well. Isn't that like what a hydrofoil is? Like no, hydrofoils rise out of the water. So a hydrofoil has the has luck out of me being on a"
A hydrofoil is a boat that uses underwater “wings” to lift up above the water at speed. When it lifts, it can ride more smoothly because it’s not constantly hitting the waves.
A hydrofoil is a boat setup where wing-like foils lift the hull above the water once enough speed is reached. By reducing contact with waves, hydrofoils can feel smoother and faster, but they require getting “up” onto the foils.
galley
"And like, if I'm the captain, and my sister in law Jillian shout out to her is like a professional grade cook. So we have an arrangement that we travel together. I captain she mans the fucking galley."
The galley is just the boat’s kitchen. It’s where you cook meals while you’re traveling.
The galley is the onboard kitchen area of a boat (or ship). In this segment, it’s used to describe how the host’s arrangement works—one person handles navigation/captaining while the other runs the cooking.
optimist
"And then they transitioned out of weenips to optimists for their trainer. Yeah. So optimists are where a lot of little kids start."
An Optimist is a tiny beginner sailboat, usually for kids. It’s designed to be easy to learn on and forgiving when you’re new.
The Optimist is a small, single-handed sailing dinghy used worldwide to introduce kids to sailing. It’s known for being intentionally simple and stable, which is why many youth programs start beginners in it.
frostbite sailing
"We actually did summer and winter. We actually did frostbite sailing there as well. In the diet. So it was like the whitest of white things."
Frostbite sailing is sailing in very cold conditions—often in winter—where the challenge is managing cold weather and harsh water/air temperatures. The speaker compares it to polar-bear-style cold tolerance events, emphasizing how conditions drive the experience.
Road & Track
"I wouldn't have been able to tell you that I would be an editor at road and track. That seemed like, you know, when I was a kid..."
Road & Track is a well-known car magazine. He’s saying that working there felt like an impossible dream when he was younger.
Road & Track is a long-running American automotive magazine known for car reviews, road tests, and enthusiast coverage. The speaker mentions becoming an editor there as a “dream” outcome, tying the car obsession to a professional path.
Google Maps
"I was the expert in like Google Maps, which had just launched in 05. So I was making these routes that nobody had seen before,"
Google Maps is an app that helps you find directions and plan routes. In this story, it helped them find interesting roads to drive.
Google Maps is a navigation app that can generate routes and help people discover roads. The speaker credits using Google Maps—newly launched in 2005—as a way to plan driving routes that others hadn’t found yet.
SEMA
"scenes. Yep. Yep. Yep. Yep. About SEMA. I can't remember what year it was. Like, it was it was like a little graphic probably."
SEMA is a big car show in the U.S. where companies and builders show off aftermarket parts and custom/performance cars. It’s a place where a lot of new car ideas and products get attention.
SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) is a major U.S. trade show focused on aftermarket parts, customization, and performance vehicles. People often use SEMA as a benchmark for what’s trending in the car scene.
towing
"So it's not like I have like no experience towing, I've towed like tens of thousands of miles. I've towed like very recently, pulled my own car, whatever. I got I have a decent amount of experience towing."
Towing means pulling a trailer behind your car. It can feel different than normal driving, so having experience helps you know what to expect.
Towing is pulling a trailer behind a vehicle, which changes how the vehicle handles, brakes, and accelerates. Experience towing matters because trailer weight, hitch setup, and route planning affect safety and drivability.
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