Jamie from Officially Gassed joins the Street Alpha Podcast to discuss his journey through the UK car culture, including his experiences with street racing, project cars, and the evolution of automotive content creation. He shares insights on the differences between UK and US car scenes, the challenges of building high-powered vehicles, and the impact of notable figures like One Stock on the community. Jamie also reflects on his own builds, including his Honda Integra and McLaren, while exploring the future of his content and the automotive industry.
In todays episode we sit with Jamie from Officially Gassed to talk about the UK racing scene, the fastest street cars in the UK, and what really makes UK car culture unique. From BMWs and Porsches to McLarens and Hondas, Jamie breaks down his builds, wild experiences, and lessons learned in the scene. This episode dives deep into tuning, street battles, and the future of Officially Gassed.
Jamie Official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/officially_gassed
"...And one day I bumped into him. And it was at AMG owners meet."
AMG is a special part of Mercedes-Benz that makes faster and more powerful cars. They take regular Mercedes cars and make them sportier and more exciting to drive.
AMG is a performance division of Mercedes-Benz that specializes in high-performance vehicles. They enhance the power, handling, and design of standard Mercedes models to create sportier versions.
"...at AMG owners meet. I think it was New Year's Eve or something like that at Mercedes-Benz like a dealership."
Mercedes-Benz is a famous car brand from Germany that makes luxury cars. They are known for their stylish designs and advanced technology.
Mercedes-Benz is a German luxury automotive brand known for its high-quality vehicles, including sedans, SUVs, and sports cars. The brand is recognized for its engineering excellence and innovative technology.
"And I was like, hey, I've got a Mercedes-A45. Have you ever featured one?"
The Mercedes-AMG A45 is a fast and sporty version of a small car called the A-Class. It's made for people who love driving and want a powerful engine.
The Mercedes-AMG A45 is a high-performance version of the A-Class hatchback, known for its powerful turbocharged engine and sporty handling. It's designed for enthusiasts looking for a compact car with significant performance capabilities.
"So there's just this, what is it? A Ford Escort or something like that? Ford Escort, yeah, yeah."
The Ford Escort is a small car that many people bought because it was cheap and easy to drive. It was made by Ford and was popular for many years.
The Ford Escort is a compact car that was produced by Ford from 1968 to 2000. It was known for its affordability and practicality, making it a popular choice for first-time car buyers.
"I want to say it had 140 BHP. It's a 1.6 turbo engine in it."
BHP means Brake Horsepower, which tells you how powerful an engine is. It's measured before any energy is lost in the car's systems.
BHP stands for Brake Horsepower, which is a measure of an engine's power output before losses like friction and heat are taken into account. It's a useful metric for understanding how much power a car can deliver.
"It's a 1.6 turbo engine in it. That was my first car, but even for a first car,"
A turbo engine has a special part called a turbocharger that helps it produce more power. It does this by pushing more air into the engine, which lets it burn more fuel.
A turbo engine uses a turbocharger to increase the engine's efficiency and power output by forcing more air into the combustion chamber. This allows for more fuel to be burned, resulting in greater power without significantly increasing engine size.
"...I actually swapped that car with someone else for a Peugeot 205 GCI. Did you get them here in the UK?"
The Peugeot 205 GCI is a small car that is known for being light and easy to handle. It was popular in the 1980s and 1990s and is often remembered for its sporty performance.
The Peugeot 205 GCI is a compact car known for its lightweight design and agile handling. It was part of the popular 205 series, which gained a reputation for being fun to drive and was particularly successful in motorsports.
"After my first two modified cars, I went and bought a diesel. I bought a diesel mini of all things. It was like a 2003, that kind of shape."
The Mini is a small car that is fun to drive. The 2003 version is part of a newer series of Minis that became popular after the brand was relaunched.
The Mini is a small car known for its compact design and fun driving experience. The 2003 model is part of the modern Mini lineup, which has been popular since its revival in the early 2000s.
"I went and bought a diesel. I bought a diesel mini of all things."
A diesel engine is a type of engine that uses diesel fuel instead of gasoline. Diesel engines are often more fuel-efficient and can provide more power for heavy vehicles.
A diesel engine is an internal combustion engine that runs on diesel fuel. It is known for its fuel efficiency and torque, making it popular for vehicles that require more power and towing capacity.
"So what horsepower generally is considered as is what the car makes at the wheel or the hub or the tire basically. What BHP is what the car makes at the crank, which is also what manufacturers quote, right?"
Horsepower tells you how powerful an engine is. It's a way to measure how much work the engine can do, and it can be measured in different ways depending on where you check it.
Horsepower is a unit of measurement for power, commonly used to quantify the power output of engines. It can be measured at different points in the drivetrain, leading to terms like brake horsepower (BHP) and wheel horsepower.
"They put on something called an engine dyno. And that gives you the correct brake horsepower figure."
An engine dyno is a machine that tests how powerful an engine is. It helps people see how much power the engine can produce in a controlled setting.
An engine dynamometer, or engine dyno, is a device used to measure the power output of an engine. It allows engineers to test and tune engines under controlled conditions, providing accurate data on performance metrics such as horsepower and torque.
"via drivetrain loss, essentially. So whether it's auto, whether it's a manual, whether it's a front wheel drive car..."
Drivetrain loss is the power that gets wasted as it travels from the engine to the wheels. Some of the energy is lost because of friction in the parts that move the car.
Drivetrain loss refers to the power that is lost in the components of a vehicle's drivetrain, which includes the transmission, driveshaft, and differential. This loss occurs due to friction and inefficiencies in these components, meaning not all of the engine's power reaches the wheels.
"Now a lot of UK dinos, generally not hub dinos because hub dinos do read at the hub..."
A hub dyno is a machine that tests how much power a car's wheels are producing. It does this by connecting directly to the wheels, which gives a clearer picture of the car's performance.
A hub dyno is a type of dynamometer that measures the power output of a vehicle directly at the wheel hubs. This method provides a more accurate measurement of the power that actually reaches the wheels, as it eliminates losses from the drivetrain.
"So basically, usually for a front wheel drive car with a manual gearbox, there wouldn't be a major amount of drivetrain loss. So you'd probably go for anywhere between 10 and 12%."
Front wheel drive means that the car's engine powers the front wheels. This setup can help with traction, especially when the roads are wet or slippery.
Front wheel drive (FWD) is a vehicle configuration where the engine's power is directed to the front wheels. This layout is common in many cars and can provide better traction in certain conditions, particularly in wet or slippery environments.
"A rear wheel drive car manual, probably about the same."
Rear wheel drive means that the car's engine powers the back wheels. This setup is often used in sports cars because it can improve how the car handles and accelerates.
Rear wheel drive (RWD) is a vehicle layout where the engine's power is sent to the rear wheels. This configuration is often preferred for performance vehicles as it can enhance handling and acceleration dynamics.
Four wheel drive means that the car's engine powers all four wheels at the same time. This is helpful for driving on rough terrain or in bad weather, as it provides better grip and control.
Four wheel drive (4WD) is a system that allows all four wheels of a vehicle to receive power from the engine simultaneously. This setup is beneficial for off-road driving and in conditions where extra traction is needed, such as snow or mud.
"So I've got a four wheel drive sequential Honda DC5 Type-R. That made on the dyno..."
The Honda DC5 Type-R is a sporty version of the Honda Integra, designed for performance. It's known for being lightweight and fun to drive.
The Honda DC5 Type-R is a high-performance variant of the Honda Integra, known for its lightweight design and sporty handling. It features a 2.0-liter K20 engine that is highly regarded among car enthusiasts.
"between BMWs, right? 335s, I'm not sure how many of those you've had, but- ..."
The BMW 335 is a luxury car that many people enjoy driving because it's fast and comfortable. It's part of the 3 Series, which is known for being a good mix of style and performance.
The BMW 335 is part of the 3 Series lineup, known for its blend of performance, luxury, and practicality. It typically features a powerful inline-six engine and is often discussed for its driving dynamics and overall appeal in the compact luxury segment.
"I've had, gosh, my first BMW was a 325, 325D, I think. I think it was a 325D."
The BMW 3 Series is a stylish and comfortable car that many people love to drive. It's known for being fun to handle and has a nice interior with lots of features.
The BMW 3 Series is a compact executive car that has been a benchmark in its class for decades, known for its driving dynamics and luxury features. It offers a range of engines and configurations, appealing to a wide audience of drivers.
"And then I got a 330D and then I had an M3 and these are all in the E92 chassis."
The BMW M3 is a fast and sporty car based on the 3 Series. The E92 is the coupe version made between 2007 and 2013.
The BMW M3 is a high-performance version of the BMW 3 Series, known for its sporty handling and powerful engines. The E92 generation refers specifically to the coupe variant produced from 2007 to 2013.
"And then I got a 330D and then I had an M3 and these are all in the E92 chassis."
The BMW 330D is a diesel version of the 3 Series, which is a popular car. The E92 is the coupe version made between 2007 and 2013.
The BMW 330D is a diesel variant of the 3 Series, known for its balance of performance and fuel efficiency. The E92 generation refers to the coupe version of the 3 Series produced from 2007 to 2013.
"...ll, what else have I had? In fact, I've got a BMW M240i now, which is obviously a G-Series,"
The BMW 2 Series is a smaller luxury car that is fun to drive and looks great. It comes in both a two-door and a convertible version, making it a stylish choice.
The BMW 2 Series is a compact luxury car that offers sporty performance and a stylish design. It is available in coupe and convertible forms, appealing to those looking for a smaller yet dynamic driving experience.
"which is obviously a G-Series, and I have the X4M."
The G-Series is the newer generation of BMW cars that started being made in 2016. It includes updates in design and technology.
The G-Series refers to the generation of BMW vehicles that began production in 2016, including models like the 2 Series and 3 Series. It features updated designs and technology compared to previous generations.
The BMW X4M is a fast and sporty version of the X4, which is a luxury SUV. It offers a mix of performance and utility.
The BMW X4M is a high-performance version of the X4, a compact luxury SUV. It features a powerful engine and sporty design, combining the practicality of an SUV with the performance of a sports car.
"...my X4M is my daily. And Matt, it's a pleasure to drive."
The BMW X4 M is a sporty version of the BMW X4 SUV. It has a powerful engine and is designed for both comfort and performance, making it fun to drive every day.
The BMW X4 M is a high-performance version of the X4, a compact luxury SUV. It features a powerful engine, sport-tuned suspension, and aggressive styling, making it suitable for both daily driving and spirited performance.
"But it was one of those, the car really, it was a very well-balanced car. And it was then I knew that like, yeah, M's no joke."
M cars are special versions of BMWs that go faster and handle better than regular BMWs. They're made for people who love driving and want a sportier experience.
M cars are high-performance variants of BMW vehicles, designed for enthusiasts and track use. They feature enhanced power, handling, and overall performance compared to standard BMW models.
"...entially the 1.9 TDI, which comes in like your VW Golfs. I'd imagine some Audis and some other things."
The Volkswagen Golf is a small car that many people like because it's easy to drive and good on gas. It has been around for a long time and comes in different versions, including one that uses diesel fuel for better fuel efficiency.
The Volkswagen Golf is a compact car that has been a staple in the automotive industry since its introduction in 1974. Known for its practicality, performance, and versatility, the Golf is often discussed for its various engine options, including the efficient 1.9 TDI diesel variant.
"...test Porsche and quickest Porsche, which is a 997 911 Turbo. So it's kind of like a 2010 kind of model."
The Porsche 911 is a famous sports car that many people admire for its speed and style. The 997 Turbo model is one of the faster versions, and it's known for being really fun to drive.
The Porsche 911 is an iconic sports car that has been in production since the early 1960s, known for its distinctive design and exceptional performance. The 997 generation, particularly the Turbo model, is celebrated for its powerful engine and advanced technology, making it a favorite among enthusiasts.
"So a 991.2 GT3, you can have. 991.2 GT3 RS, 99.2 Turbo, 99.2 Turbo S, Carrera, GTS. You've got all of these within that model code."
The Porsche Carrera GT is a very rare and expensive sports car that is known for being super fast and powerful. It's a dream car for many people because of its amazing design and performance.
The Porsche Carrera GT is a limited-production supercar that was produced from 2004 to 2007, renowned for its exceptional performance and engineering. It features a V10 engine and is often discussed for its rarity and status among collectors.
"...uld say just scraping into that category is a V10 Audi R8. Just, just."
The Audi R8 is a super cool sports car that looks amazing and goes really fast. It's known for being luxurious inside while still being super powerful.
The Audi R8 is a high-performance sports car known for its striking design and powerful V10 engine. It represents Audi's entry into the supercar market and is often discussed for its combination of luxury and performance.
"...ut essentially it would probably be a Lamborghini Huracan, a McLaren 570S,"
The Lamborghini Huracan is a very fancy sports car that is super fast and has a really cool design. It's known for being one of the best cars you can drive if you want speed and style.
The Lamborghini Huracan is a luxury supercar that has gained acclaim for its performance and stunning design. It features a powerful V10 engine and is often discussed for its driving experience and status as a symbol of automotive excellence.
"a Lamborghini Huracan, a McLaren 570S, that would probably just about get in there."
The McLaren 570S is a high-performance sports car that looks really cool and goes super fast. It's known for being lightweight and having advanced features that make it fun to drive.
The McLaren 570S is a supercar that represents the entry-level model in McLaren's lineup, offering impressive performance and lightweight construction. It is often discussed for its striking design and advanced technology, making it a favorite among car enthusiasts.
"Because over here we have that. Acura RSX. Acura RSX, right."
The Acura RSX is a small, sporty car that many young people like because it's fun to drive and not too expensive. It's also known for being reliable, which is a plus.
The Acura RSX is a compact sports coupe that was produced from 2002 to 2006, known for its sporty handling and reliable performance. It appeals to younger drivers and enthusiasts due to its affordability and tuning potential.
"...en I first drove it, the first car I drove was an R33 GTR. It's like a thousand horsepower."
The Nissan Skyline is a powerful sports car that many people love because it's fast and can be modified to go even faster. It's especially famous for its racing abilities.
The Nissan Skyline, particularly the GT-R variant, is a legendary sports car known for its performance and tuning potential. It has a strong following among car enthusiasts, especially for its capabilities in motorsports.
"and in front wheel drive too. It was a, it was a Renault Clio. Now I don't think you get those over in the Stat..."
The Renault Clio is a small car that is easy to drive and park, especially in the city. The five-door version has extra doors, which makes it easier for people to get in and out.
The Renault Clio is a popular subcompact car in Europe, known for its practicality and efficiency. The five-door variant offers additional convenience for passengers and cargo, making it a common choice for city driving.
"...e when I went to Australia, it seemed like the 2J Supra wasn't really that popular. I'm not sure if it's ..."
The Toyota Supra is a powerful sports car that became really popular in the 1990s. It's known for being fast and can be modified to go even faster, which makes it a favorite among car fans.
The Toyota Supra is a legendary sports car that gained fame in the 1990s for its performance and tuning potential, especially models equipped with the 2JZ engine. It has a strong following among car enthusiasts and is often discussed for its role in automotive culture and motorsports.
"...ecially the GTRs, the V10 platforms. We don't get vipers in the UK, but seeing the vipers and everything l..."
The Dodge Viper is a really fast sports car with a big engine that makes a lot of noise. It's not very common in some places, which makes it special for those who get to see or drive one.
The Dodge Viper is an American sports car known for its striking design and massive V10 engine, delivering exhilarating performance. Although it has a dedicated fan base, it is less common in certain markets, such as the UK, which often leads to discussions about its exclusivity and driving experience.
"...kind of stuff. The Dazzars, you know, you get the RS3s, the TTRSs. They'll probably be out there."
The Audi RS 3 is a fast and sporty version of the regular Audi A3. It's known for being powerful and fun to drive while still being practical enough for everyday use.
The Audi RS 3 is a high-performance version of the A3, featuring a turbocharged five-cylinder engine that delivers exhilarating speed and handling. It is often discussed for its blend of practicality and performance, making it a popular choice among enthusiasts.
"...other story early on when you had bought an Audi, Quattro. Quattro, yeah, Quattro, yeah, yeah."
The Audi Quattro is a special type of car that has all-wheel drive, which helps it grip the road better, especially in bad weather. It was really important for racing and changed how cars are made today.
The Audi Quattro is a groundbreaking all-wheel-drive system that revolutionized rally racing and paved the way for modern performance cars. Its introduction in the early 1980s marked a significant shift in automotive technology and design.
"Okay. So anyway, I saw this Audi A5, two litre TDI Quattro that I just, I fell in lov..."
The Audi A5 is a fancy two-door car that looks great and feels nice to drive. It has a comfortable inside and is known for being a good mix of style and performance.
The Audi A5 is a luxury coupe that combines elegant design with performance and advanced technology. It is often praised for its comfortable ride and high-quality interior, making it a popular choice among those seeking a stylish yet practical vehicle.
"... what am I building with a 1,000-wheel horsepower 600LT, because it's not a quarter-mile car. Could be a ..."
The McLaren 600LT is a super fast sports car that is made to be really light and quick on the track. It's designed for people who love to drive and want the best performance.
The McLaren 600LT is a lightweight, high-performance version of the 570S, designed for track-focused driving. It features enhanced aerodynamics and a powerful engine, making it a favorite among driving enthusiasts.
Intro with Officially Gassed
Why Jamie Started YouTube
Jamie’s First Car
Peugeot 205 GTI Story
The Diesel Mini Days
Jamie’s Humble Beginnings
BHP vs HP Explained
Why Jamie Loves BMWs
Thoughts on Audis
Mercedes Experience
BMW Interiors Talk
Are All BMWs the Same?
Diesel BMWs Discussion
TDI Engines Explained
Petrol vs Diesel Debate
CarWow Collaboration
How OG Car Battles Started
Fastest Car Jamie’s Been In
Tukes Drives a Porsche
Porsche Chassis Codes
Best Porsche for Performance
Turbo vs NA Porsche
Why Porsches Rule the UK
Real Cost of Owning a Porsche
Porsche PDK Limits
What Counts as an Exotic
Which Porsche Is Exotic
Jamie’s Thoughts on Hondas
DC5 Integra Type R
Overbuilding Cars
Cost of Jamie’s Honda Build
Inside the DC5 Build
Sequential Gearbox Setup
How to Drive a Sequential
Sequential vs H Pattern
Paddle vs Stick Shift
RB vs 2JZ Debate
UK vs US Car Culture
UK’s Fastest Street Cars
1Stock’s UK Influence
Racing on Airstrips
Buying a Fake Quattro
Jamie Buys a McLaren
Why Jamie Chose McLaren
The Stage 1 2 3 Tuning Trend
The Future of Officially Gassed
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Welcome back to another episode of the Street Alpha Podcast.
I'm your host, Tux.
And today we got my guy, Jamie,
all the way from the UK.
Let's go, bro.
So I didn't even know you were gonna be out here, right?
I was at FL2K this past weekend,
which was a fantastic event.
Love that event.
And I ended up walking down the staging lanes
and I saw you there.
And I was like, I had no idea you were even still here.
You know what, it's quite random.
And a lot of people said the same thing.
I'm just like, I think when they see me
all the way from England out in a place
that I shouldn't be, it's a surprise for everyone.
But you know, it was a welcome surprise to see you.
Cause we spent quite a bit of time together at Tux2K.
I think it was last year.
Yeah, we were talking for like quite a while actually.
For a while, for a while.
Same time this time too, same thing.
100%.
Good people in it.
Yeah, yeah.
To communicate.
So I reached out to you obviously.
And I didn't wanna bother you
because I'm like, I know you do features.
So I was like, I didn't wanna just like
intrude on what you had going on.
So I figured, you know what?
I'm not gonna bother asking him.
But I was like, you know what?
Worth a shot.
When I saw the message come through,
I was like, hell yeah.
Listen, we've been very busy.
Yeah, yeah.
Listen, when street out for contact you're broke.
You gotta make that time, you know what I mean?
So here we are.
Nah, so I appreciate you for doing this
and also, you know, for the Airbnb.
We're in the Airbnb right now
for where you're staying at.
Normally you guys see us in garages and so on,
but I think as of the last episode
we were in the tower at Tux2K.
So, you know, honestly,
you guys don't really care about location
too much anymore.
It's pretty cool.
So there's a lot to unpack with, you know,
what you do and who you are.
And also about the UK car scene
and car culture as a whole, right?
So I would say you've been doing this for about,
I don't know, maybe seven, eight years roughly?
Yeah, yeah.
About seven and a half years, yeah.
Yeah, yeah.
So what even made you wanna get into YouTube?
Like were you a mechanic before that?
Like what was the...
Yeah, so I was actually a mechanic,
but a HGV mechanic.
So I used to work for London Fire Brigade,
fixing fire engines.
And although I wasn't at that company
when I first started,
I'd pretty much been on the tools for 16 years
at the time where I started my,
well maybe not 16 years,
there was a slight crossover period,
but I'd been on the tools for a long time.
And the thing that got me started with YouTube
is basically, so I used to follow a YouTuber
called Living Life Fast.
And at the time I wanna say
he had about 30,000 subscribers.
And I didn't watch a lot of YouTube
because seven and a half years ago,
I don't know, man,
social media has grown crazy quick, right?
So the way we consume it now,
potentially weren't the way we were consuming it back then.
Definitely wasn't the way I was.
I love cars, always love cars.
So I stumbled across this guy,
started watching his content for it was really cool.
He done features on cars.
And one day I bumped into him.
And it was at AMG owners meet.
I think it was New Year's Eve or something like that
at Mercedes-Benz like a dealership.
And I was like, hey, I've got a Mercedes-A45.
Have you ever featured one?
He was like, no, I think I had like a tuning box on it
or something like that, you know what I mean?
And he's like, let's get it done.
So we've done one.
I love the process, you know?
It was cool seeing what goes on behind the scenes,
what it takes to make a video like that.
And of course you're around petrolhead people
when you're driving your car.
Yeah, I loved it.
And basically when it comes to the end of the video,
putting out your first video,
you're always quite nervous to see
how people react to you as a person.
Because you don't know who's gonna be watching, right?
And so like, you're quite worried.
And I'm sure there was some negative comments,
but I saw a lot of positive comments.
So I was actually quite happy with that.
And I remember speaking to a guy,
his name's Ricky from Living Life Fast after.
And just in passing,
he said something along the lines of,
you should start YouTube.
And I was like, you know what, maybe I should.
Like, you know what I mean?
Like, it was just a passing comment
that you probably say to anyone who like, you know?
And yeah, I picked up a camera.
I had no clue how to edit, how to film.
And through trial and error, made my first video.
And again, through the creation of that video,
putting it out, seeing everyone's kind of thoughts in it.
I just loved the process.
And then it kind of just, it spiraled from there.
Do you, so one of the things that, you know,
when you pick up a camera and you start filming,
do you ever feel like you're just talking to nobody?
Like it's always awkward and uncomfortable
when you're just like recording
and even in public places too.
Do you still have that feeling like all these years later?
Do you know what the worst one is, right?
So you've got to try and not think
about what you're doing too much, right?
And I get it now and again.
So I'll have the camera out here.
And then I'll look directly into the lens.
And it messes me up.
I was like, it's like looking directly in someone's eyes.
When you speak to someone, usually like you're kind of,
so that kind of messes me up.
But now I'm cool with it.
Now at first, obviously it's an adjustment.
Like, you know what I mean?
But because you have generally editorial control,
it's like, look, if I mess up,
no one's ever gonna see it.
Like, you know what I mean?
So it was one of those ones.
But when there's people around, even now,
because you know, like especially when,
because people know who I am now.
I'm blessed to have quite a big fan base now.
I'm not fan base, viewer base, should we say.
So when I pick up that camera and I start talking to it,
it's almost like people stop and like, oh my God,
he's doing it.
So then it's, do you know what I mean?
So there's more pressure.
And when you think about what you're doing, you mess up.
But you know, it is what it's part and parcel
of what we do.
So yeah.
So you've gotten way more comfortable, of course.
And now you're also like, you started like going
into people's cars and doing that kind of content.
So I'm sure there's a lot more to even think about,
not just filming yourself,
but like you're driving somebody else's cars in times
and it can be kind of sketchy, right?
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
So I want to talk about some of the earlier cars
that you've had, right?
So there's just this, what is it?
A Ford Escort or something like that?
Ford Escort, yeah, yeah.
So my first car.
So is it the same as like a US?
I don't know.
So this is the thing.
I think we use the same name.
I mean, the comments would tell us,
but I want to say it's very similar.
So it's essentially like a two-door coupe kind of Ford.
Okay.
Escort.
Is that kind of what you guys got?
Yeah, I think there's like a four door.
Sporty one was the RS turbo, right?
This wasn't, it wasn't really too sporty.
I could be wrong, but the Ford Escort,
I remember it was not sporty at all.
It was crazy, right?
So talking about sporty, like,
so even when I got it when I was 19,
it was a fairly old car.
And sporty back then is different to sporty now.
I want to say it had 140 BHP.
It's a 1.6 turbo engine in it.
That was my first car, but even for a first car,
it's quite a, it's like,
I remember a lot of people were like,
wow, I can't believe you got that for your first car.
If that makes sense.
How old were you? You said 19?
So I was 19.
Okay, okay.
So I used to ride bikes, like scooters and mopeds.
And then I moved on to gear to kind of
two stroke one, two fires and things like that.
I actually got a ban, like a driving ban
in the UK on my bike.
And I was off the road for like 16 months.
So I couldn't, yeah, it was a bad ban.
So I used to ride with a load of people.
And basically in a period where I was in a ban,
they all moved on to cars.
So by the time I was old,
so we can drive from 17 in the UK.
So I was on a ban throughout that period.
But yeah, by the time I was ready to get my license,
my driver's license, everyone had moved on to cars.
So I was like, all right, cool.
I need to make a bit of an impact to see what I could do.
But also insurance, coming off a ban for your first car
and just getting your license, insurance is crazy.
And it's actually quite a funny story with that.
I won't go too, too much into it.
But so in the UK and probably all around the world,
you've always got friends that can make things happen.
You know what I mean?
They can make things happen.
Whether it's above board or below board,
like against the law or not so.
But I've got a friend who basically said to me,
he can get any car I want insured for 500 pounds basically.
And I was looking at like 5,000 pounds
to get the car insured.
So I was like, this is the dream.
Let me get that.
Like, you know what I mean?
500 pounds.
Now I can get any car I want.
And hot on my kind of favorite cars
was a Escort RS Turbo.
So I grabbed the car and grabbed the insurance.
And I want to say about two months later
or something like that, the insurance just was voided
because it was all like, it wasn't legit if that makes sense.
So I was left with a car that I could barely afford to run,
but it's part of the game.
It was all right.
It was all right.
It's all I spent my money on basically.
Most people are probably wondering why I even brought that up
but that was one of your first cars, right?
Yes, yes, literally.
So did that inspire any of the other future builds
that you had or was just a car you had to get into
because you needed something or?
So you know what happened, right?
So after that car, I actually swapped that car
with someone else for a Peugeot 205 GCI.
Did you get them here in the UK?
What is it called?
So a 205 GCI, no?
Did you, is Peugeot a big thing?
How do you say it?
Peugeot or Peugeot?
How do you spell it?
P is it?
Oh, you're going to catch me on it.
No, no, it's something like P-E-G-O-U-T or something.
If Peugeot, P-E-U-G-O-E-A-T, I don't know.
Okay, I am familiar with the brand.
It's like a, yeah, I just don't know.
I never knew how to say that.
How do you say it?
Peugeot, it's a French brand.
French cars are terrible.
They're known for just falling apart,
but basically I swapped it for that.
That had a mad engine swap.
It was modified.
That car didn't last long at all
because it just like self-destructed itself.
And I was so annoyed with modified cars.
After my first two modified cars,
I went and bought a diesel.
I bought a diesel mini of all things.
It was like a 2003, that kind of shape.
Yeah, yeah.
So a diesel one of them.
That's one of the popular ones.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
It was popular, 1.4 diesel bro.
It had no power at all.
It had like 80 BHP, you know what I mean?
It was terrible.
But I felt nice because I finally was out of,
I didn't have to spend a lot on the car
just to keep it running.
It just ran itself like pretty much.
So yeah, there was a bit of a gap.
I kind of, before I got into my YouTube,
I was always dipping my toe in the car scene
and then back out because it got expensive.
Like, you know what I mean?
I was just an average dude earning an average wage.
Do you know what I mean?
Like, you blow up an engine, bro, it's game over.
Like, there ain't no rebuilds.
Like, you know what I mean?
That's me out.
So it's always been a case of dipping in, dipping out.
So I've had some cool cars leading up to the point
where I actually started YouTube,
but nothing mega, mega, if that makes sense.
So it's cool because, you know,
you were kind of in and out of the scene,
but you always came back to it.
100%.
And now I'm sure the way that you buy cars now,
it's probably more of an appreciation thing like,
damn, what car's in the past
when I didn't have it like that
and now I'm able to buy them
with all the work that I've done.
So a lot of people in the UK,
well, not a lot of people in the UK,
but some of my followers know that,
bro, I come from humble beginnings, like, you know,
like a lot of us, like, these things that I have now
and I'm lucky enough to do,
even being sat here, bro, in the States, talking to you,
is mad.
Like, before I started YouTube,
I could never imagine this kind of stuff.
You're throwing it around, bro.
You've been doing this long in a knee.
No, no, bro, like, I gotta give you your flowers
because what you're doing is right up there.
Like, you know what I mean?
To be rubbing shoulders with people like you,
it's big, it's big for me.
It's something that I didn't think I'd be able to achieve.
Again, coming from where I come from,
like a small town, like on the outskirts of Northwest London
and not really thinking too much of myself
in terms of what value I could give other peoples,
where I am right now and everything I've got, bro,
I'm blessed, do you know what I'm saying?
So I appreciate everything.
And yeah, it still comes as a massive surprise
when like, I guess what people will consider
looks normal now when I buy these lavish cars
or do crazy stuff.
But still, to me, it's just like,
I can't even believe I'm doing this.
Do you know what I mean?
No, it's beautiful to see a journey though.
Cause like, you can tell when somebody is first starting
to YouTube, if you go back to the oldest videos
to now, like, you know, people will become more polished
and they're more, you know, professional and so on
on camera, but it just seems like you kept,
you stayed true to your roots.
And it seems like a lot of your fan base
or viewers see that.
They say you're a very humble person
and you know, you keep, you keep at it
no matter what.
Do you know what it is, bro?
It's like, as I say, like I was on the tools
for those 16 years, the camaraderie
with everyone else in the workshop,
being happy with like who I was as a person.
I wasn't, sorry, I wasn't, I was 29, sorry,
when I first started YouTube.
So I had already, I knew who I was.
You know, when you like, you've kind of learnt yourself.
So just by me picking up a camera now
and getting some notoriety, I'm not the kind of,
I know some people do, but for me,
I'm just the same person who picks up a camera
like and just is doing cool stuff.
I'm the same person.
I don't wanna be anyone who I'm not.
And I think that might translate in videos.
You know what I mean?
And maybe that's why people like watch my stuff.
You find that later, like with YouTubers,
a lot of them who are in the like 30s,
they're just comfortable with who they are.
So it just comes across a lot different
and more genuine and humble too.
So there's this thing you keep saying
break horsepower, right?
You see BHP.
So I'm sure people are probably like, you know, confused.
Like, well, what is that even the horsepower, right?
So what is the difference between horsepower and BHP?
How you guys calculate it?
So you've got break horsepower and you've got horsepower.
BHP is now almost like as a running joke,
people from other countries kind of call it British horsepower
because no one else uses it.
Some people actually say bullshit horsepower,
do you know what I mean?
Because what essentially BHP is is the bigger figure, right?
So what horsepower generally is considered as
is what the car makes at the wheel
or the hub or the tire basically.
What BHP is what the car makes at the crank,
which is also what manufacturers quote, right?
So the reason they're able to do that
is because what they do at time of building the car
and working out how much power they're gonna put into the car
is they take that engine out of the car
or they have the engine out.
They put on something called an engine dyno.
And that gives you the correct break horsepower figure.
I don't know exactly how they measure it,
but it's something to do with using a break
of some description on the crank
to basically work out how much power it generates
or something along those lines.
Sorry if I'm butchering it.
Whereas when you're dyno in a car,
the tire or the hub of your car is attached to the dyno.
And at that point of contact
is where it's measuring the power from.
So essentially what we do or what BHP figure
or what a BHP figure is on a tuned car
running on like a hub dyno or a wheel, sorry,
or a normal dyno would just be a drivetrain calculation
of some description to find the BHP figure
via drivetrain loss, essentially.
So whether it's auto, whether it's a manual,
whether it's a front wheel drive car
and whatever might be in that driveline
that could potentially take away power.
Right.
Now a lot of UK dinos, generally not hub dinos
because hub dinos do read at the hub.
There's no way around it.
I've never seen a hub dyno give a BHP calculation.
So I kind of, I do a thing called the calculator of truth.
And I think I'm part of the problem with BHP, right?
Cause I always like to give the bigger figure.
And of course, YouTube, right?
We've got to grab people's attention, right?
So if I can give them a BHP figure
which looks a little bit bigger than a model,
you know what I mean?
You might click, right?
So yeah, that's kind of how it works.
But yeah, essentially it's just a calculation
that can never be correct,
but it's a calculation based on certain transmissions,
drivetrains to give you what it should be making
at the crank, if that makes sense.
But it can never be correct.
It can never be correct unless you put that engine
on an engine dyno.
Okay.
So a thousand horsepower car, right?
Let's just talk, cause you're not gonna,
10 horsepower is, you're not,
basically not existentals, right?
So a thousand horsepower car
would be how much brake horsepower BHP?
All right, cool.
Roughly, roughly.
So I'll give you a good example, right?
So, and also I'll give you a little bit of an example
of different drivetrains and potentially what calculation
or what drivetrain loss calculation
you'd add to that subtract.
So basically, usually for a front wheel drive car
with a manual gearbox,
there wouldn't be a major amount of drivetrain loss.
So you'd probably go for anywhere between 10 and 12%.
Okay.
A rear wheel drive car manual,
probably about the same.
Four wheel drive car manual or auto,
you'd probably be at about 15.
Okay.
Some people go up to 18%.
So it depends.
And then some people are cheeky, right?
So you can apply any drivetrain loss calculation
you want to and you'd make up a number
saying you put in a calculation or a loss.
But again, it's never right.
So going back to it.
So I've got a four wheel drive sequential Honda DC5 Type-R.
That made on the dyno,
last time we had it on a dyno,
which was a hub dyno,
it made 1,030 at the hubs.
Okay.
With my drivetrain loss calculation of about 15%,
makes 1,200 BHP.
So you added 15% to the...
Yeah, so the calculation, the way you do it,
so for instance, you'll put in 1,030 into the calculator,
then you'll go divided by 0.85
and then you hit the equals
and it will give you your figure.
Basically, yeah.
Okay.
And that's why I call it the calculator of truth.
So...
Because it's always a lie.
You know what I mean?
Now, when is there ever going to be a time
where UK switches over just to horsepower rather than BHP?
100%.
Now, pretty much all of my builders
are probably cursing me right now.
Cause every time I'm there with my calculator of truth,
they're like, what are you doing?
It's made what it made at the wheels or the hubs.
Why are you putting another figure onto this?
Like they all, like the serious guys in the game
in the UK, they're all talking about wheel
because it only really matters
about what it's putting on the wheel.
Like you know what I mean?
But there's a big culture within the UK
where we talk about BHP.
So I would say the less, not serious,
but the more kind of casual car tuners,
not tuners, car builders or enthusiasts,
they're always used to BHP figure.
The real guys will horsepower or at hubs.
Interesting.
So it's more just for like,
I guess on the content space,
it's more just because the numbers are kind of inflated.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
But we call it wheelie waving.
You know what I mean?
We call it wheelie waving.
You know?
Wheelie waving?
You have a little shave, you find an extra inch.
Like, you know what I mean?
It's one of those ones, bro.
Like, you know what I mean?
We give out the big enough, you know what I mean?
Stop measuring from here.
Wheelie waving?
Okay, I'm like, wait,
I thought it was like some other hard turn or something.
A wheelie in the UK is a penis.
Like, you know what I mean?
Just show the people didn't cut an arm.
You know what I mean?
Okay, that's not really good to know,
but I guess it's-
Now you know.
You learn something new every day, you know what I mean?
Oh man, okay.
All right, so wheelie waving.
Got it.
All right, cool.
That's pretty good to know
because I've always been curious about that.
And a lot of people from the US who watch the videos
are like, well, what does that even mean?
And it's good that you bring it up
because most people will click the video
because of that 1,200.
Does that mean 2,000?
Does that mean it's 1,500?
So it is a kind of way to get the viewers
to kind of tune in more.
Early on, you seem to bounce back and forth
between BMWs, right?
335s, I'm not sure how many of those you've had, but-
Bro, I've had quite a few BMWs, you know?
I've had, gosh,
my first BMW was a 325, 325D, I think.
I think it was a 325D.
And then I got a 330D and then I had an M3
and these are all in the E92 chassis.
So like-
Which is like probably one of my favorite chassis.
Yeah, very, very good looking design, you know what I mean?
And yeah, then I had the F80
and then, well, what else have I had?
In fact, I've got a BMW M240i now,
which is obviously a G-Series,
and I have the X4M.
Yeah, they, yeah.
I mean, there's something about a BMW
and I don't, I'm not like a massive BMW fanboy,
but again, I'm lucky enough to hop in and out
so many different cars and drive so many different cars,
hundreds, literally no exaggeration, hundreds.
And something about the way a BMW drives,
it's got, I don't know, it's got like a level of refinement.
The, I don't know, it's like,
it's kind of like a sport,
like when we're talking about the sport models at least,
they've got a level of refinement
and a good, it's such a good feel
that I don't feel Audi or Mercedes
being the competitors of the European market can deliver.
So I always kind of go back to the, to the BMs.
Like, you know what I mean?
But I'm not, I'm not a massive fanboy.
As I say, I've got quite a few different brands.
Right, right.
I dip in and out, but it's, I must say,
my X4M is my daily.
And Matt, it's a pleasure to drive.
It's a pleasure to drive.
Like, you know what I mean?
Everything's nice to the touch.
It's built right, you know,
I would, I'd probably honestly say
BMW is only second and only not by much
support in terms of refinement.
Now, is that from a driving experience?
Driving experience, yeah.
Yeah, a complete driving experience.
Do you feel like an Audi?
Cause an Audi could be pretty close, right?
But do you feel like it's too,
like it caters more to the luxury market?
No, I think Audi is stuck in a weird position.
For me personally, like design wise,
I think they're the most on trend
in terms of the design shop.
It looks nice.
It's futuristic.
It looks, it's racy.
They, I think out of the big three,
let's talk about BMW, Mercedes and Audi.
I think they've got it dialed in
for the most sporty kind of on trend look.
Also, I'd probably say the materials that they use
and they fit and finish the quality is,
is probably the best too.
I'd probably go as far as that.
I think the drive of the Audi lets it down.
It's a little bit numb.
I've never had an Audi that drives
as well as much feel as a BMW personally.
And the Mercedes is a weird balance.
Mercedes is that luxury brand.
Well, they, they, that's what they try to do.
So the ambient light is always mad.
The material is, it's a movie.
You sit in that car, it's like a movie.
You know what I mean?
Listen, if you're picking a girl up
in one of the three Mercedes, right?
But a BMW is like a blend of both of them,
but with the best drive.
Arguably the most boring interior.
But in fact, on the G series,
I would say they stepped it up.
The F series, you know, an E series, very dead.
But the G series, they're all getting close to Audi.
I don't know how I feel about the,
the way they did the display on the G80s.
Some of them I think-
Oh, you're talking about the-
Yeah.
And I think it has a lot to do with the packaging nowadays.
It seems like they're starting to package up
their cars a little bit differently.
But I just felt like, you know,
they didn't really mold it into the dash,
which is kind of placed there.
It's a bit of an afterthought kind of just-
Right, right.
I think it's still cool because I think,
I believe Mercedes has a similar thing,
but it's molded.
It's part of the dash.
So I think that the interior on the BMW
has improved a lot just with that aspect.
I just think it wasn't as refined
as an Audi or Mercedes like you say.
So now with the BMW,
it's more of a, I guess it's more performance, right?
It's more of a performance kind of brand in terms
of the M packages and so on the M series.
Now you didn't have all M's.
You had some 335s and 325s.
Did you get the same feeling with those cars?
The drive, the feel, the kind of,
you know what is why?
The reason I keep kind of doing this
is because the feel behind the steering wheel,
you know what I mean?
Like, you know, even just the way it takes bumps,
you know what I'm saying?
I did.
However, bro, going back to the beginning
when I'm saying I'm dipping in and out
of the car community, bro,
anytime the badges got a D behind it,
that's when Jamie's hurting.
Like the D means economic Jamie.
You know what I mean?
The D stands for unbroken now
because the last mistake went badly wrong.
Like, you know what I mean?
So I dipped in and out.
And I would actually say my first like,
my first real like big boy car was my E92 M3.
And I had a manual on a 6MT, bro.
That was, that was a step that like,
that was like a big step for me.
That was like a really big step.
And driving that, that was like,
I felt like I was driving a race car.
That was my first proper car, bro.
It was the weight distribution.
I think it was close to 50-50.
So although I wasn't really like a driver like that
when it comes to rear-wheel drive,
when the arson stepped out, the control,
and like sometimes you felt like a hero
because the arson was swing out,
bro, I weren't in control,
but it might have looked like I was in control
because it kind of brought,
I kind of like flapped around behind a steering wheel
and it kind of brought itself back into line.
And then people behind me are like, yo.
And I'm like, yeah, that looked cool.
But it was one of those,
the car really, it was a very well-balanced car.
And it was then I knew that like, yeah, M's no joke.
Like, you know what I mean?
When you're into that real M category, no M lights.
When you're into that real M category,
the cars are serious cars, man.
Now with the diesels, right?
You can't make any power with those.
So you can, man.
And at 100%, like the diesels,
and again, I'm probably gonna get this wrong.
It's either the M57 or the N57
that come in the 330D and the 335D.
One's a single turbo, one's a twin turbo.
I think I've got that right.
And believe me, they are very, very tunable,
but to a level.
Like, you know what I mean?
They have a roof, they have a ceiling.
So with the diesel, let's say the 335D,
I wanna say they come out the factory
with about 270 BHP, with some hybrid turbos on that.
You could pretty much get that to about 420 BHP.
See, this is British horsepower again.
So you have to bear with me, people,
like get your calculator and work it out.
Maybe somewhere in the realms of 370 at the wheel.
But I would say as far as you're gonna go with one of those,
unless it becomes an all-out drag car
that is just undrivable because of the amount of black smoke
that they emit that you generally find
when you really, really tune a diesel,
you're probably gonna see no more than 550 to 600 BHP,
which might be, let's say, 500 wheel.
So they're tunable to a level.
But for someone who is a cash,
like times have changed, bro.
You know how quickly the tuning game has moved.
Like 10 years ago, bro, 1,000 brake horsepower,
you were the man.
Now 2,000 brake horsepower is like, all right, cool.
Yeah.
But you're not the man.
That's how crazy it's moved.
So 600 BHP or 500 wheel in one of those
is still enough for the casual kind of car like enthusiasts.
Do they build the diesels more stout
than I guess a petrol engine?
Is that what you guys call a petrol?
Yeah, we do actually, you guys call it a gas, right?
And it's quite weird because my YouTube channel
is officially gas.
Officially gas.
And we don't use that word.
So we, so that was a bit of a play on word
because we use the word gas for excited.
We're like, get him hyped up, like, get him gas,
get him gased up, like, you know what I mean?
Like gas and somebody up means like hyping him up.
That's right.
But then obviously it can translate to gas and petrol.
Kind of word after what I was doing like seven and a half
years ago with me trying to make up a YouTube channel name.
But yeah, no, essentially.
So a lot of these diesels also,
when it especially coming to the end,
talking about the engine we're talking about,
bro, they're still stock internals
because they're very, they're built different, right?
They're built to handle a lot of talk from factories.
So the rods are going to be bigger.
The pistons are going to take more abuse.
So a lot of these, not all of them.
And again, I didn't really,
I didn't go too deep into that tuning game.
This is just through things I've picked up along the way.
But as far as I know,
a lot of them is just like old ones, bro.
And they're making these kinds of powers.
We do also, so another big tuning platform
that people love in the UK and around Europe,
maybe in America, I'm not sure about,
is the PD engine, the PD-130,
which is essentially the 1.9 TDI,
which comes in like your VW Golfs.
I'd imagine some Audis and some other things.
They can make good power too.
They can make in and around the same.
Maybe up to, they like nitrous.
See, diesels like nitrous.
So you could probably get a little bit more
also on the BMWs with nitrous,
but the 1.9 TDIs, they love the nitrous.
So they make about 450 BHP.
So probably a 370-ish at the wheel
on the motor and the turbo.
And then a bit of nitrous.
Some of these guys run like 250 shots of nitrous.
Like, you know what I mean?
Yeah, yeah, so they'll rock up
in these little crazy little hot hatches.
All this black smoke coming out of the front
with a massive bottle of nitrous.
Like, you know what I mean?
They're pretty quick, they're pretty quick.
But again, there is a little bit of a cap
on how far you can tune them.
But it is a massive tuner scene when it comes to those
and they do build their engines.
They kind of upgrade them a little bit.
Now, you did a video, I think,
it was like a petrol versus diesel kind of thing.
Sure, yeah, yeah, just recently.
Yeah, so what did you experience between the two?
Like, what was the reason for even doing that?
So with me, again, when it comes to the OG battles,
which is for the people who don't know,
it's non-prep racing.
So I've got my own race series,
which is non-prep racing on a runway.
No prep at all, street cars, generally.
And again, some of them get a little bit spicy.
You know, like people say they're street cars
so they've still got a stereo, windows to wind up.
You can get like that, but generally street cars.
And I've done so many videos.
I think we're deep, like 200 different races,
maybe even more.
And it gets to the point where it's like,
oh, cool, we've done everything.
Let's just see what could be interesting.
And in the UK, you know, there is arguments
about what's better at a certain power level
between diesel and petrol.
Now, of course, diesel creates a lot of torque,
petrol, you know, generally you can tune them
a little bit higher, then rev a little bit higher,
so a lot of revs or whatever.
So I thought it'd be interesting to pitch the two
against each other at similar power levels
and see what happens.
And funnily enough, I don't want to give away too much.
People go check it out because it's quite cool,
but essentially diesel comes out on top
within that power level.
But the thing is, I got some comments saying,
all right, cool.
Well, if we put the heavy hitters from the petrol in
and the heavy hitters from the diesel in,
bro, the diesel ain't gonna stand a chance.
Like it's because the levels of petrol tuning,
like that is done in abundance at least in the UK,
the levels of petrol is way higher.
Like, you know what I mean?
But at a certain power level, like let's say 500 wheel,
diesel can put up a good fight.
And especially rolling because torque is a great tool
to have when you're rolling.
When you're rolling.
You know what I mean?
Yeah.
Make sure you guys go check that out.
I will be putting that down in the description as well.
So that's interesting because I know that overseas
it seems like diesels are a big deal.
If there's enthusiast and petrol heads around
or diesel heads or whatever you wanna call them,
people love to tinker.
They love to blaze or anything that runs, bro.
We wanna see how much power can be made.
Like, you know what I mean?
As you say in Europe, diesels and those two
kind of engine variants plus others are quite,
yeah, they're quite hot.
So you, with these videos, right?
You started doing these battles.
I'm not sure how early on you started doing the battles,
but it's pretty cool.
You just had one recently did with the GTRs,
which I saw on the internet as well.
Now there's this other YouTube channel
called Carwow.
Carwow, yeah.
So are you guys friends?
Like, cause what's the affiliation there?
Cause I get confused too.
Cause I'm like, wait, are they doing the same content?
They're at the same.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
So it's really interesting.
Yes, we are friends, essentially.
We're not like friends, friends, like we'll call each other.
But funnily enough, I'm in a group chat with their
like producers and now on again, we do some bits together.
I've been on their channel quite a few times.
But essentially, yes, we do the same thing.
However, they're generally OEM stuff.
So they might get the newest Lamborghini Aventador.
Whatever it will reveal to,
whatever it might be and erase it against something else.
So they generally do non-modified stuff.
However they do, like funnily enough, like in recent years,
they've been doing a little bit more modified stuff.
It's like anything, content runs out,
you have to try different things, right?
Whereas I'm all modified, you know?
Everything is modified.
And of course, and again, maybe I'm wrong in saying this,
but I would assume that Carwow have a bit more
of a casual car following in terms of like
not the big, big, big enthusiast
into the tuning game watching.
So it's kind of just your average Joe
who would watch their channel that likes a little bit of racing.
Whereas you'd probably watch mine if you love tuning.
Like, you know what I mean?
But also these guys are 10 times as big as me.
I've got a million subscribers, they got 10 million.
Like, you know what I mean?
Their reach is much more vast.
Like, you know what I mean?
So I'm kind of the smaller channel.
They were doing it before me.
And our, although we both do drag racing,
no, it's not on the same surface,
our styles are slightly different.
But it's something good to be had from both, for sure.
Yeah, yeah.
No, that's cool.
I think it's cool that you guys can like work together.
You know, it's not like, cause it's so easy.
People will be like, why is this guy copying or doing?
Like, it's cool to see that you guys are,
cause I think I saw you in one of the videos, right?
Or our vice versa.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Yeah, I've went there and smoked a couple of hypercars
in my Honda, you know what I mean?
So it was pretty cool.
I'm like, oh wow, okay, cool.
So there's no, they probably just, you know,
friends or something like that.
Yeah, it's cool, man, it's cool.
That's awesome.
So, what was the,
was that just an idea that you came up with one day?
And you were just like, yeah,
I want to get all these cars together and start doing stuff.
Like, what was the initial thought process behind doing this?
So it come about quite interestingly.
So believe it or not.
So it started about five years ago, four or five years ago.
And at the time, so me and my business partner,
we were like, we want to have a product of our own,
like a physical product that we can sell.
And we started looking at the dragging.
And we thought, man, these guys,
man, these guys are killing it.
Like, you know, with this little device here,
there's got a GP, I don't know what goes into it,
this, that, the other.
Surely we could do our own with what I do.
And at the time what I was doing is I was using the draggy
to measure my zero to 60s in my reviews.
So anyone who comes on with a car,
whether it be four-wheel drive, real-wheel drive,
a front-wheel drive, I had these little leaderboards,
there will be a segment in it where we see how fast
the car goes zero to 60.
Because also it's a measure that we can do legally
because our speed limit's 70.
And the road that I used to do it on was 60 miles per hour.
And we could talk about the speed
and people could get the metrics of the car a little bit
to just give them a bit of a deeper feel
to what the car's actually doing if that makes sense.
So I was using the draggy and I'm like,
why am I promoting draggy?
Like, do you know what I mean?
I could make my, oh no, they don't pay me or anything,
like, you know, I could make my own.
So my business partner was calling around
and he actually called, he just,
I don't know why he thought this would work
or be a good idea, like they'd give him any information.
But there's a company called RaceLogic.
So RaceLogic basically build the V-Box.
So the V-Box is like the OG GPS measure.
Before the draggy.
And a little bit more in depth.
Or the first one had a little screen
so you could do it all on a screen.
It wasn't, it didn't interface with your phone
or anything like that.
Whereas now they've got all that integration
and it's come on leaps and bounds.
But anyway, they're like the OG.
So we called them and he was like,
trying to get some details of how we could make that,
make our own product.
And to be fair to them, they did give some information
but then they turned around and was like,
well, why don't you just use our products?
You know, we'll pay you, like, you know.
And I was like, let's do it.
Like, you know, and they said on top of that,
why don't you use our runway that we have?
You can come down, you can race
and cause against each other
and you can show how our products work.
And I was like, hell yeah, let's do it.
So it kind of spawned off,
not even trying to start like a drag racing series.
And it kind of just, it blossomed.
We use their runway for a little bit.
Unfortunately, the runway was quite short.
So it wasn't long before the cars overpowered the track
and we had to move on to the next one.
But yeah, it was through that that it kind of got started
and just people, like, it was a new thing,
like in terms of for my channel and people are loving it.
You know, and I enjoyed it too, it was crazy.
So yeah, that's how that started.
So you're not using a drag, you're using what?
No, so we only use, we only use RaceLogix V-Bots.
RaceLogix, that's what I always see
when you guys calculate.
So essentially, I'll be honest to you,
it's, we don't use it to its full potential.
What we use is a V-Bots performance box touch
and it's actually a track tool.
So it's a circuit tool.
So it's actually to make you,
or it can potentially make you a quicker driver
around the track.
It can tell you where you're losing speed, gaining speed.
It has all the tracks around the world in fact,
like in its memory,
and it can give you any metric you want.
But it's essentially, you've got a memory card
and you take it out,
put it in a laptop and just get every metric.
We only use it for 100 to 200 KPH times,
zero to 60 and quarter mile times.
So we barely dip our toe in the water,
but it's a great product
and that's why we continue to use it.
So with that being said,
you're in a lot of these fast cars, right?
I think I'm at a best the other day,
but I can't remember what you had said honestly.
What was one of the fastest cars that you were in
or driven or either were passenger in?
So you know what, as you say,
I've been in so many fast cars
and I've been in so many fast, fast cars
to the point where like they all give crazy experiences.
Like, you know what I mean?
But what does happen is you become slightly immune to speed.
So it has to be, you're nearly dying
or it has to be a stripped out tin can
with way too much power
that you're just gonna make it feel crazy.
But again, being in so many different cars,
but one that just stands out so, so much to me
is basically a tuning company who I'm very close with.
Like these guys are my brothers,
they're called ES Motor UK.
They build the world's quickest and fastest Porsches.
And funnily enough, they own the world's fastest
or the owner of EMEA, sorry,
the owner of ES Motor EMEA,
he owns the world's fastest Porsche and quickest Porsche,
which is a 997 911 Turbo.
So it's kind of like a 2010 kind of model.
The car's got 2,200 wheel horsepower.
So it's got a lot of power, sequential gearbox too.
Is it rear wheel drive?
It's four wheel drive, but bro,
it might as well be rear wheel drive.
Because when you're trying to drive this car
in a straight line, it just wants to rotate on you.
It holds the current half mile record in Europe too.
Actually, sorry, I think it just got beaten.
But it held the current half mile record for any car,
but definitely for any Porsche it still holds out,
which I think is, I wanna say it's 230.
It might be 229, I'm not sure.
But bro, this car is just, it's so scary.
On my runway, we've got four lanes
and it feels like a big runway
until you're in that car.
And it's changing lanes
and using up the whole of the run.
It bro, it is mind blowing.
And of course, sequential gearbox.
You've got to drive it with one hand,
unless you wanna keep, you know what I mean?
You're trying to control this thing,
but it might as well be rear wheel drive.
When the boost hits, bro, it's no joke.
Like you feel everything.
The only way I can kind of describe it
is four wheel drive torque steer.
So you know in a front wheel drive car,
you put your foot down and it goes do-do-do-do,
and it might pull to the side.
It's kind of the same with this car.
Like you know big power GTRs,
how they kind of walk.
Yeah, this does the same.
And it's almost hazing all four wheels,
like down the whole track.
It's wild.
It's like one car that I'm like, what am I doing?
Why am I even trying to drive this?
Like, you know what I mean?
Yeah, that one really left a lasting impression,
but a lot of Porsches have done that to me,
believe it or not.
So now we were talking about this before
with the Porsches, right?
I am not a, I can't say I'm not a Porsche fan.
And you know what's funny about that?
The only Porsche I've ever driven might sound crazy.
The only Porsche I've ever driven was a GT2 RS.
I just flexed on us now, all right, bro.
I see only, and that was only because it came in,
if it was a customer's car at some shop
I used to film at in New York,
and we would take the cars and do videos and photos of it.
So I got to drive it, really fast car, a little scary,
but I didn't even know what I was in at the time.
Oh, it's the GT2 RS, all right, cool.
And then until later on, I found that it's a really,
like it's honestly a rare,
that's the one, bro, that's the one.
So that didn't really get me into Porsches at all.
I just thought it was cool,
but I never really looked into them.
I'm not really sure what the chassis codes are.
That's the biggest confusion.
So what is the breakdown for chassis codes for a Porsche?
So, all right, we'll go for them.
But first I will say, bro,
you're not alone when it comes to this confusion.
Okay.
No one, like unless you're into Porsches,
you don't know.
And the thing is also, it's an interesting one.
Like, you don't come across many,
many big, big, big Porsche enthusiasts,
because in my opinion,
the shape and design doesn't change much between generations.
So it's still a classic design, if that makes sense.
And for the money they cost,
what you could buy instead and look a lot more,
like you could look like you're balling in a Lambo,
or you could buy a Porsche and blend in a little bit more,
but the cars are kind of the same price.
So for the younger generation
to want to spend that money on a Porsche,
you've got to be an enthusiast.
You've got to know what you're buying
based on the stats of what the car can do.
But when it comes to chassis codes,
it gets very, very confusing.
So I can run through the turbo.
So like, when they first started the turbo,
the Porsche 911 turbo basically.
So it started with the 930.
That was the first ever 911 turbo.
And then it went to the 964.
It was the second generation.
And then it went to the 993.
The 964 for anyone who's watching
is the one that was on Bad Boys.
So after the 993, it went to the 996.
That was the first one
that didn't have the round headlights at the front.
Do you know the kind of, the one it looked like?
I think they call it like fried eggs.
It's kind of round and it comes round.
It's like almost the ugly duckling version.
Arguably the ugliest.
I think it's the ugliest of the bunch.
And then it, so that was the 996.
Then it goes 997.
They went back to the round lights.
And the 997 generation is the generation
I was just talking about.
The sequential gearbox around 2010.
I think they come out in about 2007,
but had it like a facelift.
And then after the 997, it went 991.
And now it's went 992.
And the confusing thing is,
they dropped the 993 after the 964,
then went 996,
but now I've went back behind the 993 with their coding.
So it's very confusing.
All these numbers are very confusing.
On top of that, you've got dot one, dot two, right?
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