NEW Toyota GR GT, Alpine A110 combustion comeback and our favourite cars from the Festival of Speed

The Alpine A110 is a lightweight, mid-engine sports car from Alpine (Renault’s performance brand) that became famous for its agile handling and rally-inspired character. In this segment, the hosts are discussing whether Alpine will bring back a petrol (ICE) version after focusing on an electric A110.

Philippe Krief is the CEO of Alpine (and a key figure in the brand’s strategy). Here, he’s quoted describing a plan to finish electric A110 development and then evaluate an ICE/petrol alternative.

ICE stands for “internal combustion engine,” meaning a traditional petrol or diesel engine. An “ICE equivalent” is the gas-powered version of a car that’s otherwise being developed as an electric model, aiming to deliver a similar role or experience.

A “platform” is the shared engineering foundation—like the underlying structure, mounting points, and major systems—used across multiple vehicle variants. Here, the APP platform is described as being used for an EV, but capable of supporting different powertrains from the ground up.

A powertrain is the set of components that generate and deliver motion—typically the engine (or electric motors), transmission, and related driveline hardware. The host is emphasizing that the platform can accommodate different powertrain types (electric vs petrol) without being redesigned from scratch.

The Fiat 500e is an electric version of the Fiat 500, designed for city driving with a compact footprint. It’s mentioned in the context of how an electric model can be “shoe-horned” into a small platform, meaning packaging and design constraints are part of the conversation. In a podcast, it often comes up when discussing how well small cars adapt to electrification.

“Q4 26” means the fourth quarter of the year 2026, a common business shorthand for timing. The host uses it to estimate when Alpine would likely decide whether to proceed with bringing a petrol A110 back.

Le Mans refers to the famous endurance racing event held in France, centered on the Circuit de la Sarthe. The host mentions it as the timeframe when they spoke with Philippe Krief about the electric A110 plan.

The Toyota GR Yaris is a hot hatch built by Toyota’s Gazoo Racing (GR) division, known for its rally-inspired performance. In this segment, the hosts use its price as a benchmark to explain why a combustion engine (and related development) for a similar concept can be difficult at scale.

ICE stands for “internal combustion engine,” meaning a petrol/diesel engine that burns fuel. The hosts are discussing doing an EV first, then an ICE “potential version” if the electric approach doesn’t work commercially.

The Alpine A290 is a smaller Alpine model positioned as the brand’s higher-volume offering compared with its more exclusive sports cars. It’s discussed because it “doesn’t sell in massive numbers,” but it’s described as Alpine’s biggest-selling car. In a podcast, it often comes up when talking about how Alpine balances mainstream demand with its performance identity.

The Porsche Taycan is Porsche’s all-electric sports-sedan, often used as a benchmark for what “serious” electric performance looks like. Here, it’s mentioned as a more expensive alternative to an electric A110, implying the price gap and positioning affect how much demand exists.

The Tesla Cybertruck is Tesla’s distinctive electric pickup, known for its angular design and polarizing appeal. The hosts use it as an example of how some US buyers will still choose EVs, but they question whether an electric sports car like an A110 would have the same kind of “appetite.”

An EV sports car is a performance-focused car where propulsion is electric rather than combustion. The hosts argue that this category can be a “hard sell,” especially when compared with established electric performance options and when considering how small the market segment may be.

In automotive policy, “emissions” usually means the pollutants and greenhouse gases produced by vehicles. The hosts are discussing how regulations can force manufacturers to sell EVs to reduce overall fleet emissions.

The Toyota GR GT is a homologation-focused special intended to meet racing rules and create a road-going link to motorsport. It’s discussed because “homologation special” cars are built with competition in mind, often with specific performance and design goals. In a podcast, it typically comes up when people are excited about new track-oriented Toyota projects.

A “homologation special” is a car built to meet racing-series rules that require a manufacturer to produce (or at least certify) a road-legal or spec-compliant version. The hosts are teasing that the GR GT is “homologation special” in spirit, even if it’s not a straightforward production homologation exercise.

A GT3 car refers to the FIA GT3 racing category, where cars are based on production models but heavily modified for racing. The hosts say the GR GT is “basically a GT3 car,” meaning its design and intent align with GT3-style competition.

Kazuki Nakajima is a Japanese racing driver known for endurance racing and Toyota’s motorsport involvement. The hosts note he was present at Goodwood and comment on his personality, which is notable because he’s directly tied to Toyota’s racing world.

Goodwood is the British motorsport venue associated with the Festival of Speed, where manufacturers bring cars to run up a hill and show them to the public. The hosts mention engineers flying in to watch the cars go up the hill there.

An all-aluminium monocoque is a body structure where the shell itself carries the loads, rather than relying on a separate frame. Using aluminium helps reduce weight and can improve stiffness, which matters for high-performance handling and crash structure.

A space frame chassis uses a network of tubes or members to create a rigid structure. It’s often used in racing because it can be engineered for stiffness and safety while keeping weight down, and it can support complex mounting points for suspension and drivetrain.

The Lexus LFA is a halo supercar known for its advanced lightweight construction and high-performance engineering. It’s referenced here because it was the last time Lexus used an aluminium space-frame approach before this Toyota project.

A four-litre hot V twin-turbo V8 describes a V8 engine with two turbochargers mounted close to the exhaust (“hot side”), which can improve throttle response. The “hot V” layout places turbo hardware within the V of the engine, helping packaging and potentially reducing turbo lag.

“Front mid” is a layout description where the engine is positioned closer to the middle of the car than a typical front-engine setup, but still forward of the cabin. This helps move weight rearward for better balance and can improve traction and steering feel.

A “front mid-engine car” places the engine ahead of the cabin but behind the front axle. That layout helps balance weight distribution and can improve handling compared with a traditional front-engine setup.

A “customer racing paint job” refers to a livery style offered to privateer teams or buyers who race the car, rather than a one-off factory race scheme. The hosts are describing how the car’s graphics are meant to look like a race-prepped customer car, even though only limited areas are actually covered in carbon and stickers.

The Aston Martin V8 Vantage is a V8-powered version of Aston’s Vantage sports car, typically positioned below the most extreme track models. In this discussion it’s grouped with the AMG GT and 911 as a “benchmark” for the new Toyota GR GT’s target buyer and market segment.

The Mercedes-AMG GT is a performance grand tourer from AMG, known for its V8 power and track-capable dynamics. Here it’s mentioned as one of the benchmark cars the new Toyota GR GT is being compared against for pricing and customer-racing credibility.

The Porsche 911 GT3 is a track-focused 911 variant built around racing-derived aerodynamics and a high-revving performance setup. In this segment, it’s used as a pricing/benchmark reference for the new Toyota GR GT aimed at customer racing buyers.

The Porsche Carrera is the mainstream 911 trim line, positioned below the GT3 and other hardcore variants. The hosts use the “Carrera” starting price to argue that the gap between entry-level 911s and GT3-level track cars is widening.

“Firmness of the suspension” refers to how stiff or compliant the suspension feels, which is typically adjusted via damping settings. Changing it alters ride comfort and how the car responds to bumps and cornering loads.

An active ride system uses sensors and actuators to actively control suspension movement to keep the car settled and reduce body motion. The speaker contrasts this with a “passive setup,” implying the car relies on conventional suspension behavior rather than computer-controlled ride control.

Driving modes are selectable settings that change how the car behaves—often altering throttle response, steering/traction behavior, and sometimes suspension or drivetrain mapping. Even when the speaker says the setup is “passive,” modes can still change the car’s character.

A “neutral platform” is a chassis setup intended to feel balanced and predictable, with minimal unwanted pitch/roll/yaw sensations as conditions change. The speaker links it to driver confidence: at speed, the car should behave in a way you can understand and control.

The speaker credits Accio Morizo Toyota as a key driver/developer involved in the car’s development. In Toyota’s performance culture, this kind of involvement emphasizes tuning for real-world driver feel rather than just chasing numbers.

Mid-engined cars place the engine near the center of the vehicle, which strongly influences balance and rotation during cornering. The speaker describes how mid-engine layouts can create a “pendulum effect” when the car is pushed to the limit, especially if it gets fully sideways.

The Ferrari Roma is a front-mid-engined grand tourer from Ferrari, known for being relatively easy to drive compared with more extreme supercars. In this discussion, it’s used as an example of a mid-engine balance that can still feel approachable.

The “pendulum effect” is a handling behavior where a car’s weight distribution and yaw/traction changes can make it swing more dramatically when it’s rotated too far—like a pendulum. The speaker ties it to mid-engine cars going fully sideways, implying a more dramatic rotation if you exceed grip.

Front engine rear wheel drive (FR) describes a layout where the engine sits at the front and power goes to the rear wheels. The speaker argues FR is more approachable because it tends to be more forgiving and predictable for drivers when traction is limited.

Malcolm Corner is a named corner on a motorsport circuit, used as a reference point for where drivers commonly get it wrong. The speaker says it’s “the one everyone goes off on,” highlighting it as a tricky section.

A chicane is a deliberate sequence of tight bends that forces cars to slow down and change direction. On racetracks and event courses, it’s often added to reduce speed in a risky area and make incidents less likely.

The Porsche 911 GT3 RS is a track-focused 911 variant known for high downforce and motorsport-derived aerodynamics. In this segment, it’s used as an example of a GT3 that has active aero, which is a key difference versus the standard GT3.

Active aero refers to aerodynamic elements that can change their shape or position based on speed, throttle, or driver inputs. The goal is to optimize downforce and drag for different driving conditions rather than using fixed aero settings.

The Mercedes-AMG GT is a performance sports car built by AMG, known for its V8 power and driver-focused layout. It’s mentioned in the podcast in the context of how it feels “different” compared with other AMG performance models. That kind of comparison usually comes up because enthusiasts notice differences in character, balance, and how the cars are positioned.

Alcantara is a synthetic suede-like material often used on car interiors for its soft touch and sporty look. It’s popular for steering wheels, seats, and trim because it grips well and can be dyed in different colors.

EVs are electric vehicles—cars powered primarily by electric motors and rechargeable batteries instead of a gasoline or diesel engine. In motorsport discussions, the key question is whether battery capacity and thermal management can support repeated laps.

BYD is a Chinese automaker known for large-scale EV production and battery technology. Here, the hosts connect BYD’s battery expertise to the idea that EVs can be competitive on track.

Denza is BYD’s performance-focused sub-brand, positioned as a more premium/sporty arm. In this segment, it’s tied to a supercar model and a headline power figure.

The Denza Edge is described here as Denza’s supercar, with extremely high power output for an EV. The hosts use it to illustrate how far EV performance has progressed—especially for enthusiasts who doubt EVs can be track-capable.

Horsepower is a measure of engine (or motor) output power. For EVs, it’s still used as a common headline number to compare performance potential, even though the underlying torque/power delivery is different from gasoline cars.

Coil springs are suspension springs made from metal coils that compress and rebound to support the car’s weight. In a track-oriented setup, they’re often paired with firmer damping so the car responds more directly to steering and bumps than a softer, more comfort-focused setup.

Air suspension uses an air spring (compressed air) instead of steel coils to control ride height and spring rate. Because the air spring can be tuned for comfort, it can feel softer or “floatier” than a coil-spring track setup, especially during quick transitions.

Charging refers to replenishing an electric vehicle’s battery using external power. The discussion highlights how charging speed and cost vary by location, and why fast charging access matters as much as battery range for real-world EV use.

Rapid chargers are high-power EV charging stations designed to add significant battery energy in a short time. They’re typically measured in kilowatts (kW), and higher kW generally means faster charging—though real-world speed can still depend on the car and battery temperature.

A flash charger is an EV charging approach focused on extremely high power delivery for very rapid charging. The term is used here to emphasize a charging-speed leap beyond common public fast-charging rates.

In EV charging talk, “supercharger” is used as shorthand for very high-power fast charging (often hundreds of kilowatts). The host clarifies the comparison by referencing typical 350–400 kW charging levels as the benchmark for what people call “superfast.”

The grid is the electrical power network that supplies electricity to homes and businesses. The host addresses a common concern: if too many ultra-fast chargers draw huge power simultaneously, it could strain local grid capacity and require upgrades.

The host is joking about whether there’s an “electric turbocharger” that multiplies electricity like a turbo multiplies engine air. In reality, EV charging is about delivering electrical energy from a source into a battery, not boosting it with a compressor-like device.

This refers to a large stationary battery used as an energy buffer for charging. Instead of building high-power electrical infrastructure everywhere, the system stores energy in advance and then “flashes” it to EVs when cars arrive.

Planning permission is the formal approval process required to build or modify certain types of infrastructure, including EV charging installations. The discussion highlights how permitting can be a major bottleneck for deploying charging hardware.

Thermal management is the system’s ability to control heat in batteries and electronics. The host links it to charging behavior, noting that charging can affect battery health if the temperature isn’t managed properly.

A runaway effect of damage describes a failure mode where one problem accelerates others—often related to overheating or escalating battery stress. In EVs, this is why thermal control and safety systems are so important.

Kilowatts (kW) measure power, and for EVs they’re commonly used to describe how fast a car can charge. Higher kW generally means faster charging—though the battery and charger must be able to support it.

The Volkswagen e-Golf is an all-electric version of the Golf, used here as an example of an EV that could be charging at a public station. The point is that the speaker initially thought the car was an EV, but it turned out to be a regular Golf.

A straight-six is an inline engine with six cylinders arranged in one line. It’s often associated with smoothness and a distinctive sound, which is why the speaker contrasts it with EV ownership for a daily driver.

“High-voltage stuff” refers to the electrical systems used in EV charging and power distribution. EVs and charging equipment use much higher voltages than household wiring, which is why installation and safety planning can be difficult at remote racetracks.

A “rapid charge EV” is an electric vehicle designed to accept very high charging power quickly. The key idea is charging speed measured in kilowatts—higher kW means less time spent plugged in, assuming the car and charger both support it.

A V10 is an engine with ten cylinders arranged in a “V” shape. In performance and racing, V10s are often chosen for their ability to rev high and produce strong power, which is why the host highlights a V10 plan for Le Mans and then ties it to later Porsche road-car development.

The Porsche Carrera GT is a rare, track-focused supercar derived from Porsche’s racing experience and engineering. It’s brought up because it’s an unusual and limited model that people associate with motorsport heritage. In the context of the podcast, it sounds like it’s being compared to other rare Porsche projects and discussed as a “really rare thing.”

The McLaren MP48 is a rare prototype/experimental racing car associated with early-1990s development. The host frames it as a “thing of legend” because it was used during testing while McLaren explored a Lamborghini V12 direction.

A V12 is an engine with twelve cylinders arranged in a V configuration. The host uses it to describe the specific powerplant McLaren was testing—an engine choice that signals a high-performance, high-rev development direction.

Ion Senna is a Brazilian racing driver and the brother of Ayrton Senna. In this segment, he’s specifically named as the driver of the all-white Lamborghini V12 development test car, which adds credibility and historical context to the “legend” the host is describing.

The Peugeot iOn is a compact electric car that was developed as an all-electric city-focused vehicle. It’s mentioned in the podcast alongside a development story involving Ion Senna, which highlights how prototypes and test cars can be used to validate real-world behavior. In this context, it’s being referenced as part of an electric development narrative.

MP48B is a McLaren test car mentioned as an “incredible thing” the hosts hope to see later. In McLaren’s naming, “MP” typically refers to their internal racing prototype program, and “B” indicates a specific variant or development step.

“Production spec” means the configuration intended for actual customer/production cars, not a one-off prototype. It typically includes the final bodywork, packaging, and specification choices that will be built repeatedly.

A “Can-Am road car” refers to a street-legal version inspired by Can-Am racing. Can-Am (the Canadian-American Challenge Cup) was a major North American sports-car series, and some manufacturers built road cars that borrowed the racing concept.

The McLaren F1 is McLaren’s famous early supercar known for its distinctive three-seat layout and high-performance V12. The hosts mention it to clarify that the car they’re discussing is not the F1, but another McLaren road-car concept tied to Can-Am history.

An “American V8” describes a V8 engine configuration associated with large-displacement American engine traditions. In this context, the host is speculating that the car uses a big, loud V8 rather than a smaller or more exotic powerplant.

The Ford Fiesta is a compact car that’s widely known for being practical, fun to drive, and available in performance trims. In the podcast, it’s specifically referenced with a request for Ford to do something similar with the Fiesta RS, implying interest in an even more performance-oriented version. That’s why it comes up: the Fiesta name is often associated with enthusiast-friendly driving.

The Renault Sport Spider is a lightweight, open-top sports car concept associated with Renault Sport’s performance-focused design language. It’s discussed in the context of paying homage to earlier Renault Sport models, especially the Mark II RS styling theme mentioned by the host. In a podcast, it comes up when people talk about design inspiration and modern tributes.

The McLaren 720S is a modern supercar built on McLaren’s sports-series platform, designed for strong performance and lightweight efficiency. It’s discussed because it was one of the first cars to define that platform’s approach. In the podcast, it comes up as part of a lineup of cars and engineering choices.

“Limited to production-wise” describes a model that’s capped by a fixed total number of cars. This is a common strategy for high-end supercars to create scarcity and justify very high pricing.

In supercar talk, “tub” is shorthand for the car’s main body structure—the central chassis/monocoque that everything else mounts to. Saying it’s the “same tub” implies the new limited model shares the core structural platform with the base car.

Exclusivity in car terms means the model is intentionally scarce—either by limited production numbers or restricted availability. Buyers often pay a premium for that rarity, even when the underlying mechanicals are closely related to a more common model.

Intensa Emozione is a special-edition name used by Ferrari for a particular model’s styling and interior theme. It’s mentioned in the podcast as part of a naming pattern discussion, reflecting how Ferrari uses evocative names for different variants. In this context, it’s less about mechanical specs and more about the identity and branding of the car.

Formula One (F1) is the top tier of open-wheel circuit racing, with teams running purpose-built cars and competing for world championships. The segment references F1 cars and liveries being displayed and discussed at Goodwood.

A livery is the car’s paint scheme and graphic design—colors, logos, sponsor placement, and patterns. In racing, livery often signals team identity and era, and it can also be tied to specific cars or seasons.

The Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR is a rare, track-bred supercar tied closely to Mercedes’ racing efforts. It’s discussed because it sits in a family of extreme CLK models, including other V12 and endurance-focused variants. In the podcast, it’s referenced as the car between the V12 CLK GTR and the flying CLK CLR, emphasizing its place in that racing lineage.

The BMW M3 GTR is a purpose-built race version of the M3, best known for its V8-era endurance racing presence. In this segment, it’s specifically called out for having a V8 going up the hill, which is why the sound stands out so much at the Festival of Speed.

The Nissan GT-R is a high-performance sports car known for combining everyday usability with serious track capability. In the podcast, it’s referenced alongside other race cars and hill-climb talk, showing how the GT-R name comes up in performance comparisons. It’s often discussed because it’s become a benchmark for fast, capable cars.

A V8 is an engine with eight cylinders arranged in a “V” shape. Because it has more cylinders than a typical four- or six-cylinder, it often produces a distinctive sound and strong power delivery, especially in race cars.