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Paul checks out the Ferrari Luce in Rome, visits the Beijing motor show and Gordie falls in love with an Audi

Paul checks out the Ferrari Luce in Rome, visits the Beijing motor show and Gordie falls in love with an Audi

The Driver's Show Jun 12, 2026 53 min
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About this episode

Paul checks out the Ferrari Luce launch in Rome and the hosts compare the reveal energy to the Tesla Cybertruck moment. They dig into why Ferrari’s electrification is as much about battery care and future swapping as it is about performance, plus the brand-perception and resale-value chatter. The conversation then swings to the Beijing Motor Show’s scale and China’s shifting brand landscape—where Gordie “falls in love with an Audi.” Along the way, there’s crash-testing detail, EV design debate, and plenty of listener banter.

Technical Too Afraid to Ask
Car

cyber truck

"Then the car rolled out and I thought these guys serious, you know when they did the cyber truck reveal and I was like, Oh, he's going to walk off stage and then the real thing will come up."

The Cybertruck is a Tesla pickup that was revealed in a big, attention-grabbing way. The host is comparing the vibe of another reveal to that moment.

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Place

Rome

"Where was it? It was in Rome? Yeah, it was in Rome?"

They say the Ferrari Luce launch happened in Rome. It’s just the location of the event they’re talking about.

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Concept

city car

"If you stuck a Honda or a BYD badge on it, you'd go, oh, cool, it's a sixty thousand dollars city car. Yeah, this has a Ferrari badge on it."

A city car is a small, urban-focused vehicle designed for tight streets, easy parking, and short trips. In the transcript, it’s used as a price/category expectation: the host argues that a non-Ferrari badge would make people assume the car belongs in this cheaper, smaller segment.

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Brand

BYD

"If you stuck a Honda or a BYD badge on it, you'd go, oh, cool, it's a sixty thousand dollars city car. Yeah, this has a Ferrari badge on it."

BYD is mentioned as a contrast brand. The host is saying that if the car had a BYD badge, people would likely think it’s a much cheaper city car than if it had a Ferrari badge.

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Brand

Honda

"If you stuck a Honda or a BYD badge on it, you'd go, oh, cool, it's a sixty thousand dollars city car. Yeah, this has a Ferrari badge on it."

Honda is mentioned as a contrast brand. The host is basically saying people would assume a much cheaper car if it had a Honda badge instead of a Ferrari badge.

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Term

resale value

"...Ferrari's existing plug in hybrids have horrendous resale value, so a fully electric Ferrari is not going to do much better."

Resale value is what you can sell the car for after you’ve used it. The host is saying Ferrari’s plug-in hybrid models don’t keep their value well.

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Term

plug in hybrids

"...Ferrari's existing plug in hybrids have horrendous resale value, so a fully electric Ferrari is not going to do much better."

A plug-in hybrid is a car that can run on electricity, but it also has a gas engine. You can charge it like an EV, and the host is saying these kinds of Ferraris haven’t sold for as much money later.

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Term

battery longevity

"With a standard electric car, you always want to try and get as much life out of the battery range and longevity, whereas these guys want to do the opposite."

Battery longevity means how long the battery stays healthy and useful. The host is saying this project is designed for batteries to last even when the car sits for a long time.

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Term

battery range

"With a standard electric car, you always want to try and get as much life out of the battery range and longevity, whereas these guys want to do the opposite."

Battery range is how far an electric car can go before it needs charging. The host says most EVs try to maximize that, but this Ferrari strategy is more about keeping the battery healthy when the car isn’t driven often.

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Term

special mode

"So they've got like a special mode there to keep the battery at an optimum sort of percentage for you to just leave it sitting there."

The “special mode” is a setting that helps protect the battery when the car isn’t driven. Instead of letting the battery get too empty or too full, it holds it at a safer middle level.

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Part

suspension

"[301.4s] Is quite hard to do. [302.1s] If you leave a battery empty or full, they're both not good for the battery longer term. So they've got [307.3s] like a special mode there to keep the battery at an optimum sort of percentage for you to just leave it sitting there. [314.7s] Stuff like the suspension."

Suspension is what helps the car stay stable and comfortable over bumps. It’s mentioned here as the next topic, but they don’t go into details in this excerpt.

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Term

battery cell

"The battery cell is entirely interchangeable, So what [332.6s] they're saying is that in the future, when battery densities improved, they can actually swap out the battery so that you don't have to have a battery that's ten or fifteen years old."

Think of the battery as made of smaller pieces. They’re saying this car’s battery pieces are designed so they can be replaced later, instead of replacing the entire battery pack.

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Concept

swap out the battery

"they can actually swap out the battery so that you don't have to have a battery that's ten or fifteen years old. You can actually swap it out with a [343.1s] new one."

Instead of charging for a long time or replacing the whole battery the hard way, the idea is you can swap in a newer battery later. That way the car doesn’t feel “old” as battery tech improves.

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Term

free servicing

"No, So they are all sort of They have a program so when you buy a new Ferrari, you get seven years of free servicing, like it's included in the purchase price."

They’re saying Ferrari includes maintenance for a number of years as part of the deal. So for that time, you don’t pay for routine service.

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Term

warranty

"You then have the option of extending beyond [356.5s] that seven years for extra warranty, which a lot of owners will do. They also have a hybrid program, so [362.8s] any car with a battery and it once you extend that warranty for a certain period, you can actually just have the battery replaced as part of that package"

A warranty is coverage for repairs if something goes wrong. They’re saying you can extend it, and that extension can include battery replacement as part of the program.

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Term

hybrid program

"They also have a hybrid program, so [362.8s] any car with a battery and it once you extend that warranty for a certain period, you can actually just have the battery replaced as part of that package, so it is free in a sense."

They’re describing a special coverage deal for cars with batteries. If you extend the warranty, the program can cover replacing the battery.

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Brand

Johnny Ive

"Clearly tell that Love from which is the company that's that's run by Johnny Ive."

Jony Ive is a famous designer associated with Apple. The host is saying his design influence is showing up in the car’s interior and screens.

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Brand

Apple Car

"These guys were designing the Apple Car and that project died, and it is immediately obvious that this is just the Apple Car. Basically Ferrari had no involvement in the designs."

Apple tried to build its own car project, but it didn’t happen. The host thinks the Ferrari Luce’s design looks like it came from that same kind of Apple-style thinking.

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Term

screen

"The way that they've got the screen, the screen's. [415.5s] Functionality, you can kind of maneuver it."

They’re talking about the main digital display in the cabin—basically the car’s “tablet” for controls and information. The host thinks the way it works feels like modern Apple-style gadgets.

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Term

power steering

"his graves since the invention of fucking power steering. [471.8s] He's exactly you know what I mean, exactly, Yeah, that's that's the thing."

Power steering is a system that makes the steering wheel easier to turn. The host is joking that Enzo Ferrari would have hated it because it changes the feel of driving.

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Car

Ferrari Luce

"after he passed away, Ferrari really took a turn in terms of profitability. [484.2s] They are now worth a huge sum of money of eight percent less after the lu Che launch."

The Ferrari Luce is a new Ferrari model the host is talking about. They connect it to Ferrari changing how it makes cars—especially toward electrified powertrains—rather than sticking to the old “pure sports car” approach.

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Car

Porsche Cayenne

"this kind of reminds me of when Porsche released the Cayenne back in two thousand and one or whatever it was. [527.4s] People were up in arms, but it [528.3s] saved the company."

The Porsche Cayenne is Porsche’s SUV. The host brings it up because people criticized it at first, but it ended up helping Porsche financially.

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Term

euro admissions laws

"they've gone from this poster boy car company to now the euro admissions laws have kind of forced them to design a car for an EV focused group, which. [560.0s] I don't understand."

“Euro emissions laws” are rules in Europe that limit how much pollution cars can produce. The host thinks these rules are pushing Ferrari to add hybrid/electric tech to meet the limits.

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Term

EV focused group

"they've gone from this poster boy car company to now the euro admissions laws have kind of forced them to design a car for an EV focused group, which. [560.0s] I don't understand."

An “EV-focused group” here refers to the regulatory and market push toward electric-vehicle adoption. The host suggests Europe’s rules effectively force Ferrari to design cars for electrification rather than purely for traditional sports-car buyers.

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Term

hybridize

"Why do you have to hybridize a fee twelve Ferrari like, it just makes no sense to me at all. [578.6s] I just think that stuff is entirely stupid, and they really should be exempt from it"

Hybridize means the car uses both a gas engine and an electric system. The host thinks regulations are forcing Ferrari to do this, even when they’d rather keep cars more traditional.

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Term

electric car

"So maybe they will change the way that the driving experience is for an electric car, which which could be a good or bad thing. I don't know, but yeah, look."

An electric car runs on electricity from a battery and electric motors, not a gas engine. The host is asking whether the way it drives will feel different—and whether that difference will be good or bad.

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Car

Rolls Royce spector

"And I don't think they are ever expecting it to be a mass consumer car, which none of these fully electric cars are. You look at the sales that Rolls Royce spector, I mean that, and the resale is horrific, like even worse than a normal Rolls Royce."

They bring up the Rolls-Royce Spectre to make a point about resale value. The idea is that some electric luxury cars don’t hold their value as well as people might hope.

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Brand

Audi

"and they said, okay, we're going to have North Audi and South Audi. Really one of those is going to have the rings, the other will just have Audi written."

Audi is a German car brand with the four-ring logo. Here, they’re talking about how Audi is organized in China, with different regional companies using different branding.

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Concept

joint venture

"prior to a few years ago, every car company that wanted to sell a car in China had to have a JV with a joint venture with a local Chinese car company that would own majority percentage."

A joint venture is when two companies team up to run a business together. The host is saying that in China, car companies used to have to partner with local Chinese companies that controlled most of the decision-making.

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Car

Ford Bronco

"...s are now launching their own cars. It's like the Bronco. For example, Broncho New Energy is produced by a..."

The Ford Bronco is an SUV designed to handle dirt roads and off-road driving. It’s built for people who want a tougher vehicle than a typical family car. It may be mentioned when people talk about new car launches or brand directions.

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Term

ZF transmission

"Even the Ranger that they sell in China has a ZF transmission, which we don't have available here. It's got"

ZF is a company that builds car gearboxes. They’re saying the version sold in China uses a ZF gearbox, while the one sold locally doesn’t.

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Topic

Beijing motor show

"So yeah, Look, Beijing motors show unreal and I think a lot of people think in the back of their minds that China is like a third world country."

The Beijing Motor Show is a big car event in China where companies show off new cars and tech. The host says it’s proof that China’s car industry has progressed a lot.

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Topic

Beijing motors show

"So yeah, Look, Beijing motors show unreal and I think a lot of people think in the back of their minds that China is like a third world country."

They mention the Beijing car show as a way to make their point about how advanced China is. It’s more about the event than about a specific car part or system.

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Term

head on crash test

"Yeah, the crash test was interesting. So they did a head on crash test with a Ti Go nine and a tick Go seven I think."

A head-on crash test evaluates how a car’s front structure manages impact when it hits another vehicle directly. It’s used to judge things like cabin integrity and whether safety systems (like airbags) deploy as intended.

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Term

sled

"But then what they did was, as the head on crash test happened, they had a sled, which represents another car, which is I think a fourteen hundred kilo vehicle, crash into the back of one of the cars."

A sled in crash testing is like a moving platform that can hit a car at controlled speeds. It helps engineers study what happens when there’s more than one impact.

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Term

air bags

"So what they do this four is to understand whether you can still open doors and wheather air bags go off, what happens. So the door handles, all that sort of stuff."

Airbags are safety cushions that inflate during a crash to help reduce injury. They’re checked in tests to make sure they go off when they should.

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Term

three hundred meter runway

"And yes, this crash facility is enormous. They've got like a three hundred meter runway where the crash happens, so the cars are pulled along on a on like a metal guide."

The runway is the track where the cars are driven so they hit the crash point at a controlled speed. A longer runway helps the test be more repeatable.

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Term

metal guide

"They've got like a three hundred meter runway where the crash happens, so the cars are pulled along on a on like a metal guide."

A metal guide is like a rail that keeps the car on the planned path during the test. That makes the crash results easier to compare.

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Term

crumple zone

"so you can actually do crash tests where one car is going straight and then another car has come in from from the side and. Different different crumple zone of stuff."

A crumple zone is the part of the car that’s designed to crumple in an impact. It helps slow down the crash energy so passengers are less violently jolted.

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Term

one hundred and eighty degree

"So you've got not only your your sort of one hundred and eighty degree one, but then they spark off in like forty five degree thirty degree angles"

An “180-degree” crash test angle describes a direct, opposing impact direction (a head-on style geometry). The host contrasts it with smaller angles to show how side and offset impacts change the deformation and safety outcomes.

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Car

Prado / Meru

"...t they have. You've got much bigger problems. But Prado sales are down forty five percent, So I don't kno..."

Prado and Meru are Toyota SUV models. The podcast is saying that Prado sales have fallen a lot, which usually means fewer people are buying them. That can happen for reasons like pricing or changes in what buyers want.

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Car

land Cruiser

"Though we're down. My dad bought a land Cruiser about twelve months ago, decided he fucking is bored of it, put about a thousand kilometers on it, and just put it on the market."

The Toyota Land Cruiser is a tough, off-road SUV that’s built to last. Here, it’s just the car the speaker’s dad bought and then decided he didn’t want anymore.

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Term

phone call

"He's had it on there for one week, hasn't even had a fucking phone call. Oh really. Yeah, that's interesting."

They’re talking about how quickly a used-car listing gets interest. A “phone call” here just means someone contacting the seller to ask about the car.

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Car

Prado

"It's it was the Prato, so he bought that whenever the Prado came out. Yeah, it's just like, nah, it's too big or I don't know."

The Prado is a Toyota SUV related to the Land Cruiser, but usually aimed more at everyday driving. In the conversation, it’s the earlier Toyota SUV the dad had before moving to something bigger.

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Car

Tesla Model Y

"Yeah, you're right, actually yeah, so May twenty six Tesla Model why was the best selling car behind in front of Ford Ranger, toy to high Lux and rap four's And that's crazy."

The Tesla Model Y is an electric SUV made by Tesla. The hosts are talking about how it’s been selling extremely well in Australia.

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Car

Ford Ranger

"May twenty six Tesla Model why was the best selling car behind in front of Ford Ranger, toy to high Lux and rap four's And that's crazy."

The Ford Ranger is a pickup truck. The hosts mention it because it’s one of the top-selling vehicles in Australia alongside the Tesla Model Y.

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Car

Toyota HiLux

"May twenty six Tesla Model why was the best selling car behind in front of Ford Ranger, toy to high Lux and rap four's And that's crazy."

The Toyota HiLux is a popular pickup truck. It’s mentioned here because it’s also selling very well in Australia.

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Car

RAV4

"May twenty six Tesla Model why was the best selling car behind in front of Ford Ranger, toy to high Lux and rap four's And that's crazy."

The Toyota RAV4 is a common, everyday SUV. The hosts mention it because it’s also among the top-selling cars in Australia.

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Car

Honda Civic

"...ixty five boy boy, it's got the engine out of the civic hybrid. Why do they put a hybrid? Why'd you do th..."

The Honda Civic is a small, everyday car that many people use for commuting. The podcast is pointing out that some versions may use parts from the Civic Hybrid. That means the car can be related to the hybrid system, even if it’s not the same exact model.

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Term

fully electric

"This new one it just looks so [2342.4s] sedate and soft. It's fully electric, and it's more."

“Fully electric” means the car uses only electricity from a battery. It doesn’t have a gas engine, so the car’s layout and driving feel can be different.

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Term

aerodynamics

"[2446.8s] I think I think the problem they face is aerodynamics, and they've got to put a cut, like for some reason, when you get an electric motor and something, everything has got to be aerodynamic. And so there there clearly trying [2460.9s] to shape lights and grills and all that sort of stuff around curves and it's a weird."

Aerodynamics is how the car’s shape affects the air flowing around it. If the air doesn’t flow smoothly, the car has to work harder, which can hurt efficiency.

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Term

electric motor

"[2446.8s] I think I think the problem they face is aerodynamics, and they've got to put a cut, like for some reason, when you get an electric motor and something, everything has got to be aerodynamic."

An electric motor is what actually moves an electric car. It uses electricity instead of burning fuel, and that can affect how the car is designed to be efficient.

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Term

halo car

"[2490.7s] Audi have brought back the poster car poster a sports car. Actually, [2494.6s] I want to read something I saw on Magnus Walker's insta."

A “halo car” is a company’s dream car that’s meant to make people excited about the brand. It’s usually more about image and inspiration than about being the cheapest or most common car.

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Car

Porsche 918

"[2517.9s] It's been a long long time since the [2521.7s] nine to one eight came out in twenty thirteen, and it just can't be fifty seven varieties of a GT three."

The Porsche 918 is referenced as a prior “halo” sports car that came out in 2013. It’s being used as a benchmark for what enthusiasts want next—something more singular and inspiring than a long series of related variants.

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Car

Super Duty

"I just took delivery of my Super Duty. [2586.0s] Oh yeah, I just says new little super geny."

The “Super Duty” is Ford’s big, heavy-duty truck line. People buy it when they need strong towing and hauling capability.

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Car

F-150 Raptor

"...is so slow and this is the thing I got out of the Raptor and all this other stuff have been driving recent..."

The Ford F-150 is a large pickup truck with a cargo bed. People often talk about how it drives and how it compares to other trucks they’ve driven. In the podcast, it’s mentioned because the host is describing driving impressions from recent vehicles.

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Term

decontented

"As a model gets older, they slowly decontented without anyone knowing. [2756.2s] Yeah, it's crazy."

Decontented means the car gets fewer features over time. It’s like the same model name, but with some extras removed.

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Term

active noise cancelation

"So at the end of the last generation of Ranger, they had remove moved stuff like the active noise cancelation. [2764.2s] The other stuff that's disappeared as like cup holders in front of their events."

Active noise cancelation is technology that helps quiet the noise inside the car. It works by creating a counter-sound so certain sounds are less noticeable to you.

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Car

Falcon XR6

"Well, for me, the Falcon stopped at the XR six. I like that car."

The Ford Falcon XR6 is an Australian Ford model that enthusiasts like for its punchy straight-six engine. People talk about it as a fun, practical performance car.

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Car

Holden SSV Redline

"The SSV Redline I thought was just a manual, perfect way to finish at the W one was I think the pinnacle of Australian cars."

The Holden SSV Redline is a sporty version of the Holden Commodore. The host likes it especially because it’s a manual, which makes it feel more engaging to drive.

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Car

BMW X3

"that new X three, the new design language coming out of BAH, coming out of BMW, looks pretty fascinating."

The BMW X3 is a luxury SUV that’s meant to feel more fun to drive than a typical family car. Here, the host is talking about the newer version and its fresh styling.

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18 cars featured

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