Revving Engines with Luke: A Journey from Passionate Car Enthusiast to YouTube Phenomenon

Good morning, James McGarrah.

Andy Gawnt, how are you doing on this fine Sunday morning or Sunday night, whatever it is Well yes, sunday night, where I am, it's pitch black.

Yeah, no, I'm doing good.

Do you know what we had?

We had sunshine today, so I'm a happy camper.

Very nice, I've got asked did you finish dune?

I did finish dune.

Yes, I did and I liked it.

I'm about it.

I'm definitely about it.

Very good, I mean you did say that Captain Kirk or Jean-Luc Picard or Blando Calrissian or someone, was going to come in at the end.

Did you not?

see that and they did not not, unless it was in like a post-credits scene.

Maybe I missed.

Yeah, that might be the Snyder Kurt.

I'm not sure.

Yeah, you've probably got a different version in Australia.

It might have been.

It might have been Wow, I mean everyone.

We're here to talk Porsches, but we're talking science fiction movies, but we've got a great guest today, so should we start the show.

Let's get it on.

Welcome to Curb your Canyon.

James, our guest this week.

He is someone who I reckon will be familiar to anyone that goes hunting for Porsche content on YouTube and, in fact, his 992 GT3 touring coffee run video.

Do you know?

That was our first ever video of the week?

First ever.

I didn't know that really yeah yeah, yeah, yeah.

He's been putting out amazing content since, I think, 2015,.

2016, maybe Cinematic videos that honestly rival the work of much bigger productions.

And some might argue oh yeah, yeah, some might argue he's got an unfair advantage, with the Swiss Alps as his backdrop and some of the world's most delicious cars as he subjects, and that may be true, but he brings a level of craft and care to his videos that truly sets him apart.

Add to that, he's got this like every man approach when it comes to talking about cars, which I love, and very, very fine work with a stills camera, and I reckon you've got a recipe for something very cool.

You've heard him say holy, moly and chow for now for years, and I'm very pleased to say that this week he's a special guest.

It's Luke from Cars With Luke, luke, welcome.

Hi guys.

Yeah, thanks so much for having me.

It was quite quite funny listening to you talk so good of me, but very much appreciated.

Well, you know what Last time we did one of those intros was with Henry Cachpole, and James interrupted me halfway through and suggested that our guest was actually Joey from Friends, and Henry laughed goodnaturedly, but I'm not sure he wasn't offended, james.

No, I know, and it was because I think the prompt you gave me at the beginning of that conversation was don't give the game away.

So I thought how about best not to give the game away by completely throwing a curveball, because you know it could have been Joey from Friends.

I mean it could have been.

He was on TV driving cars for a while he was.

Yeah, I don't know who enjoyed really watching him do that, but you know I did like him eating the sandwich in the 9-11R.

I thought that was okay.

Look, I've reached out to Matt's people and so far they haven't got back to me, but I'm not giving up.

Hope We'll get him on here one day, is that?

right, I would have thought they'd be all over our podcast.

Anyway, luke, welcome.

It's so good to have you on.

It's taken us a little while to make this work.

And slightly, I think, over a year.

Look, I may have hassled a little bit gently from time to time.

I think I said to the other day I wasn't sure, when I reached out to you, whether you thought who is this real?

Do these guys even have a podcast or they're just trying to get my money somehow?

No, no, not at all.

I mean, I've listened to a few of your podcasts and it was just, I think I was just overwhelmed with so many podcasts invites the last year.

I just couldn't keep track of anything anymore and I was just struggling to keep track of my own time alone and juggling three jobs and so, but yeah, I definitely kept you hanging for a good year before we got here.

Yeah, it's funny, james.

Were you thinking when Luke said that he was overwhelmed, then that he was going to say overwhelmed by the quality of our banter?

And that of course.

Oh no, not even for a second.

Well so, Luke, for those who don't know and those who are living under a rock, who are you and what is cars with Luke?

That is a good question.

I've never really thought about it, to be honest.

I'm just a guy that's trying to do what he loves, and trying to do it regularly and pay my bills by doing what I love.

I think that simplifies it.

It's just combining the things I love, which are filming photos, cars, mountain passes, mountains in general just being out, exploring, driving and sharing that passion with so many like-minded people.

Yeah, that's all I am really.

It's just a guy trying to try his best to live his dream.

I guess you could say that's beautiful.

Doing it successfully.

One would say yeah.

I mean, I'm learning every day and a lot of the time I'm not thinking about what I'm doing too much.

I think it's more other people think about what I'm doing, but with me it's just more like a feeling and, yeah, I'm really learning every single day.

I'm super grateful for everyone that gives so many compliments on my filming and storytelling and they feel emotions and it touches them.

Some videos and they feel like they are with me in the car, which is really important, I mean it means the world to me when I hear this from people, but I'm still figuring it out.

It's been like seven years, I think, since I started my YouTube channel, at which I started it as not a joke, but it was really.

It was silly fun and I thought, god, no one's ever going to watch this junk.

And I also had no idea what I was doing then.

And then it's been seven years now and, like I said, still learning every day and trying to figure out which direction I want to go.

Now I thought it would get easier as it get bigger, but it did in one way, then also became harder in other ways that I never even thought about.

Yeah, so, who knows, just going to keep doing what I'm doing and, who knows, maybe I get to produce a movie one day.

That's definitely a big goal of mine to produce a real big movie or be part of more film productions.

That's what really excites me, that's cool.

Maybe a Transformers film set in the office.

I'm down for that.

Yeah, I'm very much down for that.

Yeah, when you started way back, when you said it kind of started as a joke.

I can't imagine.

You had in your head or maybe you did a vision of what your channel would ultimately become and where you would take it, and you've made some stylistic choices over the journey that I think have defined the look of your channel and the tone of it At the start.

Was it just what made you decide, hey, I'm going to film myself driving around in a car and put it on YouTube and see what happens.

It's funny thinking about it, I guess.

A few reasons.

First, it was a dream of mine.

So I was the classic petrolhead kid that grew up watching Top Gear daily.

Literally it was my Bible.

It was just everything to me.

I was obsessed with watching those guys have fun in cars.

It was the dream.

So I had kept that with me my whole life until one day I just said come on, I've got to give it a go.

I want to try filming cars.

I'd always enjoyed filming and photography and storytelling.

I think I was quite a kind of late bloomer.

I guess I was very insecure I mean I still am mostly, but very sorry, I was still shy.

Otherwise I'm not someone that wanted to be on camera.

Yeah.

I was quite a quiet person, Hence I love filming in the Alps alone.

I can have a lot of enjoyment from that.

Yeah, right, and I just said it was one of those moments I was really unhappy in my job and it was kind of now or never thing.

So I just tried.

That was, yeah for sure the hardest part was just putting yourself out there at the beginning, yeah, but I'm obviously very happy I did go through that.

Now oh yeah, yeah, I love that, do you and James, I don't know if you were a watcher of Top Gear, do you have?

Is there a segment that you look back on and think that one really just captured my imagination and has stuck with me ever since?

Is there a Top Gear segment that really did that for you?

For me, I don't know.

I guess you could say I'm just such a star whore that the best moments of those shows were watching the stars race around the lab.

Yeah, totally.

That is so you.

But just listening to them talk about themselves a little bit and then actually see them not on TV but behind the wheel and I remember Cameron Diaz was absolutely awesome Tom Cruise seemed to be relatively sincere and he was quite happy with his results yeah, it was always those moments, to be honest, it was just like, okay, yeah, I can do that myself in my little Ford Fiesta.

Put me in a Fiesta and get me on that ring and I'll have a go.

Definitely looked fun and look what about you?

There must have been some influential segments for you and what you've gone on to do.

Sure, Not one in particular.

I was actually finally enough watching it last night on this channel called Dave, and they play older top with such a man channel.

They play old episodes of Top Gear, so it's super nostalgic, obviously, watching watching them.

At last night I watched the Burma special from, I think, 2007.

Yeah.

You know, with with Hammond, when he has Oliver, which he still has now, and they were all they.

I think I like them all as much as each other and the cool, the cool wall that was.

I really enjoyed the cool wall, which was on last night Missed that a lot.

Yeah, they were all kind of equally as good as each other.

As you said, the guest they had on was always fun.

It was, it was, it was for me, it was for me just the dream.

I think any episode they always did did magic.

Yeah, yeah, and not with.

Not with big budgets on lead to believe, or at least not really in.

Yeah, not least not in those early days.

I'm sure that towards the back end they were you know BBC were probably throwing money at it.

But yeah, my understanding is that in the early days it wasn't as budget heavy as you might imagine, and I think you're so right, though there was this great chemistry between the three of them that I think is really difficult to just replicate.

They just the combination just worked.

Yeah, yeah, no, you can't.

Yeah, it was really.

It was just just happiness.

It was for me my happy place.

Yeah yeah, to watch that.

Why cars?

Where's the?

Where's the cars interest come from?

I honestly don't know.

I, growing up as a kid, I was just always obsessed with them.

As far as I can remember, you know, if I saw anything interesting I would just be staring at it visually and the sound.

I was just always attracted to them.

From as far back as I can remember, I was obsessed.

Actually, I guess you could say I can't yeah, I can't really say where it comes from.

I just I just never wanted to stop looking at cars.

I used to.

I used to buy these what's called when I was living in the UK.

The auto trader was this car magazine for selling cars, you know, I mean I was like seven years old and I was.

I would just flip through.

I would literally memorize every single car in there and facts and prices.

So yeah, it was really, really, I guess you can say obsessed with with it.

So it's funny how, when you're young, you do that, you do that and you, you know you.

You fold over pages where there's a car that you're interested in and you're certain that is though you might buy it one day.

Even, yes, I still do it now.

I mean, I just got bigger and older, but I still, I still doing it, don't we all?

don't we all?

I was talking about this with a friend and saying I'm I constantly have car sales, which is our, I guess, auto trader in Australia.

I have that open all the time all the time looking through it.

And James has his open all the time and then sometimes at three o'clock in the morning, he sends emails to dealers and buys cars.

No right, this week is the week.

Is this the week?

I've got 24 hours left on it is yeah.

So I've got 24 hours left on my auction on Peek Our Market for my nine, nine, six.

And then I'm picking up a nine, nine one dot two on Friday on my way back from a business trip.

Perfect, it's like I just can't.

The last few days I haven't been able to do anything but look at auto trader dot com, which, which actually goes back to the UK for me as well, luke, yeah yeah.

Because auto trader was the place and I'm just like I'm constantly looking over the listing of the car that I'm buying and the car that I'm selling, just like constantly.

How's it doing selling?

Is it still there?

What about my car?

Is it?

Is it gone yet?

You know, it's just I'm obsessed as well.

Joe, it makes me think.

Actually, every time I've bought a car, or even been considering buying a car, I end up trawling YouTube right and watching every single piece of film I can about that car.

So when I was looking for a 981 GT4, I watched all the videos.

There was a there's a piston heads video comparing the 981 with the 718.

I can.

I watched it 10 times, luke.

Your first one where you drove a friend's silver one.

Watch that a whole bunch of times as well.

Do you do that and if so, where do you go to to watch this kind of content?

Yeah, I just like you.

I mean, when I have a car in my head, I literally, I think I watch every video on YouTube about it and to the extent I know I have, because now when I search cars that I know I've searched a lot, I have to put the search settings to.

You know, recently uploaded, yeah, yeah yeah, because and then I'm refreshing, I'm like OK, I've really watched every video about it on YouTube.

Yeah, I always love when they start giving you options in different languages.

Yeah, yeah, exactly.

They're like OK, now we're desperate.

So yeah you're done with English there, mate.

We're going to give you now some Arabic, because we've scraped YouTube at this point.

My friend my friend bought a 991.2

GTS and I must say he had told me at the time he'd watched, he'd watched your.

You did a drive of one of those pretty early on I think it was when you were on the hunt to buy your first sports car.

There was a crayon GTS.

You drove and he watched that a bunch of times.

Oh, the crayon one, yeah, that was, yeah, that was such a nice car.

That one, yeah.

That's.

I find that one frustrating for me.

That car was the one that got away.

I think oh really.

Yeah, the spec on it was so nice I I really wanted to.

I mean, I mean I was what I don't know what job.

I was working in some horrific job and I could barely afford to eat, let alone buy such a car.

And they actually offered me a leasing on the car and it somehow would have gone through.

I don't ask me how, but I kind of wish I just gone for it, even though I couldn't afford it, because that car also ended up going up in value because it was the right year, it was the, it was a manual, had ceramics, the right color, and I remember seeing it come back online a year later with triple the kilometers and for more money, and I was like I should have gone for it.

I didn't.

Yeah, wow.

Well, I mean, you know what, we've all got those regrets, but let's, let's talk, because currently you've just taken possession of a GT for RS, am I right?

Yes, last week, holy wow, wow.

Now tell me, is it, is it the?

Is it too loud for the road or is it OK?

I mean, you can drive it normally when you're just driving normally it's.

It's totally reasonable.

For any you know anyone who likes cars it's totally reasonable to drive normally.

It's only loud when you're pushing it.

Yeah, right, Right.

Well, because it's interesting that when I've seen again, I've watched all the reviews, not with an intention to buy this time, but it just depends who you watch, right?

Like catch pole says yeah the, the sound isn't a problem and then other people say it's too loud and it just it literally depends who you're listening to.

Yeah, it depends exactly.

I mean, we'll have a very different, you know, hearing and sensitivity levels.

And it depends what you want to use it for.

If you want to just go forth for us through the whole time, then maybe it is too loud.

Yeah, yeah.

Do you?

Because you know, looking at let's, let's talk about your, your car journey.

Yeah, what was the time delay between?

If you look at, say, a video where you were driving something like that 991.2

GTS and then I think you got a 981 GTS, is that right?

Yeah, that was my first Porsche.

That's a pretty good first Porsche.

That's a really good idea.

Yeah, it is it's.

I really liked the car at the time.

I had a very bad experience with the car, which actually I never talked about because I'm so, so stressful.

I never got round to making a video about it.

It was a very bad buying experience and the car ended up having quite some issues which caused quite some stress.

So my first ever Porsche was actually a horrible experience.

No, it was definitely not positive at all, but that was nothing on the brand, that was on the garage that sold it to me.

Right, right and yeah, well, I bet you glad I brought it up.

I am.

But then, since then, what do we have?

What do we got?

Like two 718 GT4s, a 992 GT3, and now GT4 RS, that's.

They're all big hitters.

What is it that draws you to those big hitting GT cars?

First, just the feeling.

You know anyone who's ever tried a GT car on a twisty road it's not much that can compare with it, especially not in that price range.

I think the next step would be, you know, spending double the amount or so.

First it's just the feelings the way it steers, it's the feedback, it's yeah, the sounds, and not talking about the exhaust sound, it's the, you know.

It's the gearbox, it's the straight cut gears, it's just, it's you feel that you're just driving a race car on the road and have just endless fun having that experience.

It feels so special but at the same time, as loud as they can be in R, you can drive them normal and you have luggage space.

So it really does work.

Also in the real world.

Yes, my GT4s.

You know it's quite hard suspension, but I don't mind it, I'm kind of used to it.

I like sometimes bouncing around a bit and the roads here are so good.

It's not a big issue.

I think in the UK or something it might be different, but it really depends on where you live.

That's why I see sometimes people talking bad about certain cars and suspension, but they forget about it it really depends on where you live and what roads you have.

Right right.

Yeah, well, in fact, I think Lee Sibley from Total 911 and Nineworks Radio was talking.

I think he did a review on the Carrera T and he was saying you know, it's almost at the point where Porsche need to do a UK spec version of their cars.

Yeah yeah, crazy.

Yeah, yeah, because I hear a lot of UK YouTubers and car jet complain about the roads and about suspension and I think well, I've driven that car and had no problems.

Yeah, yeah.

So the roads must be so bad in the UK.

Now that's what it sounds like, anyway.

Yeah, not much different here in Australia.

So, having come from the UK and driven in the UK in the last year, the roads there are perfect compared to the roads we have in the United States.

Is that right?

We must be.

Oh my God.

There are so many cities that have crumbling roads, crumbling infrastructure.

I mean, I don't want to start talking politics, but it's pretty embarrassing.

Even with my Cayenne, on the comfort suspension setting, you can still feel like you're getting kicked in the balls as you're driving down the road, right, it's just terrible.

Yeah, the roads here.

Man, if they did a US spec, a true US spec, I think everybody would be driving Safari 911s with massive bouncy springs.

Is that the quality of the roads here?

Well, that is pretty much the James spec, though, because, luke, I know you like a car that's quite lower.

James tends to have his cars.

Would we say they're lifted James, or are they just factory cities?

No, it's stock Factory is the thing, luke.

Let me ask you about this, luke, because this really gets me so lowered cars, all right, what I like about the factory ride heights is that the perfect circle of the wheel fits perfectly into the semicircle of the wheel arch and aesthetically I think it looks really nice.

It lines up the minute you start lowering the cars.

They just look odd, they just.

Then you lose symmetry.

They just I can't do it.

They look odd, they drive me nuts.

Where are you on?

this.

Yeah, no, it's a really good point.

I mean, it's one of those things.

Again, it's beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

So Listen to Luke trying to be diplomatic.

He's trying very hard to be diplomatic.

Yeah, I am not.

I mean I don't judge anyone and you know, the car scene can be quite, quite, quite, you know, bitchy at times and I just think, come on, guys, it's.

I mean it's great that we all like different things.

It would be so boring if we all did the same thing.

That's true.

And I like what you said.

I saw I'm obsessed with symmetry, so I totally understand that, but at the same time I think I hate the gap between the wheel and the arch even more.

Oh, really On that occasion, yeah, okay, okay.

Yeah, I never would want the wheel going into the arch.

I still have a couple of millimeters gap.

It's not like flat, yeah, but it's very close to being just above the tire.

And I think, on depending on the car, I think on Porsche GT cars, I just love them when they, when they're low.

I think yeah, it looks like again a real race car for the road and I do like the feeling too, not just visually.

I do like how it feels, even lower.

I'm definitely not making it more practical, but I think most petrolheads, yeah, we don't do things to be practical.

Most of the time it's based on, you know, looks and feeling and sacrifices If it scratches the front lip sometimes.

But I also have a front lift system on the GT4 RS, so at the moment I've had no problems.

Can I just say, Luke, that was the most Swiss response I've ever heard.

I mean, do they teach you this diplomacy and this neutrality in school?

That was, that was the perfect response.

I think I've just been here too long.

I've just.

That's as simple as that.

I'm just neutral.

I'm sat here waving my white flag to you know, like keeping my gold underneath the floor, as they do here.

We're neutral, honestly.

I got it.

I don't have any gold, I just want to make that clear?

I wish I did, but I don't.

James, that's a big accusation from someone who couldn't decide if they liked the 911 ST or not when we last recorded.

That's true.

You were well on the fence.

Speaking of which Luke 911 ST.

Are you a yay or a nay?

What are your first thoughts on this car?

I mean for sure I'm a yay for just how amazing the car looks and sounds.

It's yeah, it looks spectacular.

But, then, as soon as you see the price tag, you start to question it a bit.

I did a configuration with a few options and was straight to just over 400,000 Swiss francs.

Whoa.

And you're like, okay, it's cool.

Then you look at it from a distance you're like, okay, that could be a normal touring if you didn't know.

And you, you know, you see, okay, it's got magnesium wheels, but you don't see that.

And it's got the carbon fiber roll cage.

Looks magnificent, but otherwise, yeah, of course, at a first glance it doesn't look that much different from a regular 911 touring.

So yeah, it's a tough one.

I think the car will be simply incredible as the ultimate one car, possibly for everything.

But the price is another point.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, no, I agree, I agree.

Anyway, I don't think any of us will.

Well, do you know what?

You probably get a chance to drive when I hope.

So I look forward to that video.

Yeah, I know I liked.

Well, I think I'm confident enough to say I will definitely.

I mean in Switzerland.

I assume a lot of them will be sold because they have huge market here in Switzerland.

It's an absolute Porsche country.

Yes, so I will definitely I will find a way to get my hands on one either.

I guess there will be a press car going around eventually, but when I don't know and yeah, like we all know, I'm gonna see them for sale here next summer, I bet for 600K plus like always, that's gonna be reality, yeah indeed, it's time to liquidate some of that gold.

Luke, just pull up the floorboards.

I might just pull up the floorboards.

You never know, there might actually just be some hidden here you just switch.

It can't hurt to try right Like just at least one board.

Have a look, have a look.

So funny.

Luke, what is it for you about Porsche?

Cause you talk about being a car nut, since you were young and watching top gear and doing these sorts of things.

Wow, and you've driven everything right, Like you've driven Ferraris and Lambos and Merck's Audi's, all of it.

Why do you keep circling back to this brand?

Why Porsche?

First of all, I never actually liked the brand until not even when I first started my YouTube channel.

I didn't hate the brand, of course, it was just I didn't have any feeling or connection to Porsche.

So growing up I was, I loved the idea of the definition of a super car, which was then a Lamborghini, a Ferrari, something loud and bright in your face.

Yeah, yeah.

That's what I was obsessed with.

If you would ask me when I was 18, what my dream car would have been, it would have been some kind of Lamborghini, and Paul Switzerland actually got me into Porsche.

So, coming here, I started to make videos for fun and because there's so many Porsche enthusiasts here, I just ended up being around them a lot and even then I wasn't that attracted to them.

I still liked this idea of a more in your face super car.

Like you would have a poster on your wall and it was a friend or a guy I met at the time who's now still a one of my, turned into one of my best friends here.

He had a GT3 RS and 991 and he took me out in it and I'd never been in a Porsche GT car before.

And it all made sense once I got to drive it for the first time.

And then, once you feel it for the first time, and then you go back to like driving an R8 or something you're like it just feels a bit numb after that and that was it.

So that's what I tell people.

So as soon as you get to try your first GT car, then I feel like that's it, it's game over, because just trying to find something that competes with.

it is really tough yeah yeah, yeah, let's get inside baseball a little bit on the way you produce your content, because, as I said in the intro, you've got this beautiful cinematic approach, and it seems as though you made a very deliberate choice from the get-go that you were going to produce content with a real focus on high production values and to really set it apart, which, I have to say, I think you've done successfully

.

Why not, though, just smash out content with a GoPro or a little Sony hand?

cam Gives me shivers when you say that.

Smash out content.

But you know what I mean.

But people do that and are very successful doing it.

You look at people like Shmi.

He just pumps out content and it works really well for his channel.

Yeah, why do you not take that path?

I just don't have it.

You just gave me the answer and said shiver, it does.

Oh god, I feel sick.

Everyone has to find their own thing.

Of course, when I started YouTube, I mean, I was also still quite.

I was quite late to the game.

Then the car YouTuber thing had already taken off, and I'm someone that was obsessed and still am with film.

I always dreamt of being a filmmaker or producer, so quality has always been important to me when watching a video.

And then I said to myself okay, I can't be another car vlogger.

There's too many already.

What can I bring to the table?

That's different, how can I be different from everyone else?

And I thought, okay, I'm going to try and push the quality, because that's also what I enjoy.

I kind of regretted it at the time.

Yeah, yeah, I guess I started doing this high quality and then it became a headache and then I thought, oh god, I wish I could put out more videos, but it was just.

I just can't.

If you want to film something that's more meaningful, it's just well by yourself.

It's very time consuming.

So that's the route I took, and I questioned it for many years, but in the end, it was, without a doubt, the best thing, one of the best things I did.

I stuck with it because it's definitely paying off now and bigger brands notice it.

And I just want to make one video a week.

That's of a certain standard.

I mean some I'm not happy with.

Still, some are quite rushed, like I filmed a Ferrari F40 recently.

I had three hours to film the video, which is hard for me to do, to give in and say, okay, today's video is not going to be of my usual standard with cinematic B-Raw and storytelling.

It's just kind of grab and run, which I do actually also like doing now and again a bit more raw just like a real straight up vlog that's in the moment.

It's also quite nice to do now as well.

So it's a bit of a mix, I guess, of these short films, something in between a short film and a vlog, and then this just a bit of a mess vlog, to be honest.

But I think people get those ones, though right, because you'll always say I've got access to this for a couple of hours.

So I think people have enough whether they really have a sense of what it takes to produce, like you say, cinematic B-Raw and the like.

I think people get that.

Yeah, there's a certain amount of time involved in doing that.

So if you've only got the car for a couple of hours, hey, you're going to take us all along for a ride in it and tell us what it's like, rather than spending all of that time Shooting B-Raw.

Yeah, I mean, it's nice, obviously, for you to like to hear that and for you to say that, but I guess everyone doesn't feel the same.

I'm also probably quite guilty of putting way too much pressure on myself and thinking that if I upload something that's not my usual standard, everyone's going to give me grief for it.

And I feel like I have this standard to keep to and I want to please the viewers and I want to make them happy, so I get quite nervous about it.

A lot of people have always said to me hey, you should upload more.

I definitely wouldn't want to upload I think, anyway more than twice a week.

I think that changed a lot in the last years.

A few years ago it was about regular content.

I hate even using that word content, but regular videos.

But now I think quality in 2023 is above quantity.

Like you said, there was a couple of YouTubers, like Shmi, for example, that he has his thing.

It works for him.

He has his viewers.

That likes it like it and that's great, but for the rest of us, I think there's not.

Yeah, uploading daily vlogs now is not as interesting as it was.

No, I agree.

I agree.

I think people, I think our expectations of what we see on YouTube have evolved too, because YouTube has become a genuine content platform that we tune into in the same way.

Once upon a time, we did Free to Wear Television or Cable Television, so we have high expectations now.

Yeah, no, we do.

We do.

Some people definitely have too high expectations.

I mean I can make.

It's hard, it's a hard game.

Sometimes I make movies that I've worked hard on.

In the end it's just actually I'm minus in money.

It's costing me money and there's.

You know, someone will straight away try to point out something negative on it, but that's just part of it as well.

It's tough sometimes, but the majority just sit back and enjoy it and realize, you know, okay, I'm not paying for this.

I mean, I'm giving my time but it's not costing me anything.

And most people that complain, I'm pretty sure couldn't do better themselves.

If they could.

If they could, they'd be doing it.

And yeah, exactly, it's funny because I heard a phrase just the other day and it seems to me to be particularly relevant to creatives, and that is that you know, we're often Teflon for positives and Velcro for negatives.

You know, we can get a million million positive comments on a piece of content that you drop, but the one negative comment will be the one that sticks with you and that you stew about.

Yeah, that's, yeah, that's a sad truth.

It's something that I definitely had to work on over the last years.

At the beginning, I think I speak probably for any YouTuber or blogger or creative or anyone out there putting themselves out there on social media.

The first time you, you know, read a hurtful comment, it hurts.

And then, after time, you learn to go above it and you start to realize that most of the well, nearly all the time, if anyone would say anything hurtful, it's it also means you're doing a good job, You're doing something right.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's true.

Do you have any that stand out?

In particular, andy, it sounds like you're coming from a place of trauma.

my friend, Well, I mean James.

I realized that all of the negative comments on my channel have been written by you, so it's all good.

I left a few as well.

Oh, did you think Sorry?

You know, the one comment I got on one of my videos which still to this day just like makes me laugh and it always cheers me up is I did a driving video and the comment was just simply more car, less face.

I mean it's quite straight to the point, at least I know right, yeah, exactly Exactly.

Swift kick in the nuts.

But it's also constructive feedback.

Do you know what I mean?

It's like it's not saying, hey, you're a moron, it's, it's.

It's somewhat constructive.

I think you should put that on a t-shirt.

To be honest, more car, less face.

That's a good idea.

But you know, I do, I do.

I take that one comment in a positive way into every video that I make.

Now as I, as I shrink my face into the corner and make sure that the focus is on the car, I think yeah that is an interesting topic.

That's also something I tried to do that some people recognize that stopped me in the street or write me there.

They said that they like that.

The car is the star on my channel.

Yeah, I never, of course, I'm part of it, but I never wanted it to be like hey, I'm the star, I'm in front of the car and you see the difference on YouTubers as well.

For instance, on like the thumbnails, you see a lot of car YouTubers are standing in front of the car on the thumbnail and you know, for me I look at it like hey, like, get out the way.

I want to see the car Like you should be pushing the car forward.

I mean, it's up to you what you do, of course.

But yeah, it's about the car firstly, and then I'm just kind of the luggage.

Well, you know, I heard, I did hear, actually, matt Farah saying that, with all of the video videos they released, that the YouTube algorithm seems to work better when you put yourself in front of the car.

People, you know, people just are attracted to a face for some reason.

So, james, your friend who posted that comment, you know, didn't know what they were talking about.

Yeah right.

But, luke, you do it well though, because you do the, you know you do things like your, you know your nighttime service station shots, so you're in the shot.

It's unmistakably our cars, with Luke thumbnail yeah.

But, the car is still the hero right.

Sure yeah, yeah, I mean it always will be.

Yeah, the way you deliver, the way you talk about the car when you're driving it.

It seems as though you took a deliberate path to, I guess, not try and position yourself as a motoring journalist, but rather just an enthusiast talking about the car from an enthusiast perspective.

Is that?

Is that fair?

Yeah, totally fair.

It's what I tell people all the time.

It's a I saw.

I never wanted to be a car journalist.

I just wanted to have fun with cars.

I wanted to share emotion and adventures and create this community.

There's plenty of amazing car journalists out there.

I think there's also maybe enough if you want to know details.

You know, you, you, we all know, like certain channels of people we can go to to know facts.

Yeah, and figures.

That was also something I thought about when starting.

I felt like everyone was heavily talking about zero to 60 and weight and all this stuff, and I used to always sometimes miss okay, cool, but when am I going to see you have some fun with it?

So that was another point where I said okay, I want to take these cars to amazing locations, to beautiful roads, and kind of let the car do the talking and the smiles and the emotion.

And that was just my way at it.

Of course, I like talking about some facts and figures, you know, sure, but I don't go too into detail.

Yeah, yeah.

Now do you know?

While we've been sitting here talking, I've just had a YouTube notification that your latest video has just dropped.

Yeah, it is yeah, so you might have been uploading while you were talking to us.

I was actually multitasking if.

I'm on it for 10 minutes now.

I feel quite bad for it.

No, it's all good.

You gotta make a living.

Yeah, I like I told you, I mean to find time.

It's just been crazy.

I tell my days have been where it's just to find an hour free.

It's been, it's been overwhelming.

Yeah, amazing.

And if I'm not mistaken, this video features a 964.

Exactly yeah.

Tell me about that car.

Well, for you it's interesting, isn't it?

I guess?

Yeah, no one else likes them.

Well, it's a friend's.

I wanted to film it since quite some time and, yeah, so I started filming now this series called Alpine Vibes Well, I've just actually just named it that now and it's short movies, no talking.

It's about showing a road, the car, some surrounding area, to give you a real feeling of if maybe you ever wanted to visit there.

You just want to see it and actually want to go there.

That's my again, my attempt to try and do more films rather than vlogs.

And yeah, this car was something different for me.

It was.

I've not had that much experience driving classic cars in general, but this one stood out just based on the looks.

It's.

You know, it's the ultimate bad boy.

Look, yeah, yeah, yeah, and I was obsessed with how it looks To drive.

However, yeah, it was definitely interesting.

It was tiring because I've been spoiled with, you know, pdk and Apple CarPlay and air conditioning and all this stuff, and I was like God, I really have to work in this car.

I mean, I was sweating after the day driving that on the pass.

It was really hard work and especially with a nickname as the widowmaker as well, I thought I need to take care.

So it was.

It was a whole new experience that I loved.

Whether I would ever have one, I don't know if I could really own multiple cars, like like three or four cars one day, then?

yes, for sure, but it's.

It made my GT4 RS as hardcore as it is.

It made my GT4 seem very daily usable.

Yes.

Compared to driving the 964 Turbo.

That's funny, isn't it?

Cause I think everybody has a sweet spot in terms of the era of car that they just naturally gravitate back towards.

And you know, for example, you've driven so many of the modern cars and owned the modern cars, that you can have an experience like that in a 964, where you enjoy it and it's a good time, but still your natural place to play is in the modern stuff, where if you could only have one, if you have multiple cars, then yeah, maybe you'd consider a classic, but if you can only have one, then it's going to be, it's going to be something modern.

And I'm almost the other way around, right, like so I've had my 964 for seven years now seven something like that and you know, I've had, I've had a 991, I've had a GT4, but always the 964 is the one constant for me.

That's, that's my kind of centre spot.

I love how Porsche you just have so many different experiences in different eras and, yeah, if you can afford multiples, then they're all great experiences.

I think visually for me a 964, I wanted for a long time.

Yeah, just I just want to look at it.

You know, I want to look at it more than to drive it that's for sure.

And I definitely have enjoyed driving a 964, carrera 4 and, yeah, now the 911 Turbo 964.

Yeah, super amazing experiences.

It's a whole different thing.

But, like I said, it wasn't just hard work, as in driving it was.

The seats are so upright like a coffin.

The lower back pain I had was I mean it was, I just had to roll out of that car.

It made you know the 918 Spider carbon seats I have in mind seem like sofas.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, there's no leg room on the left and I'm quite tall, so I had to stop every hour and a half or hour and you know stretch and it was fun, don't get me wrong.

That's part of the fun, right, but as someone that can only own one sports car at the time, at the moment I just couldn't do it.

It would have to be a third car.

Yeah yeah, yeah, yeah.

I wonder if those seats were your favourites, James the Riccaro pole positions which tend to find their way into a 964.

Thank you.

Thank you, luke.

I absolutely can't stand those seats.

No no, they don't agree with me.

So, james, we're one, we're one at one apiece, right, Exactly, luke agrees with my ride height preferences, but your seat preferences now too.

All right, that's good.

It's a very Swiss, your 1-1.

Yeah, I know.

Right.

Oh look, I was saying to you the other day it's funny when you watch your videos, because you put out so much content and, like you, say one a week.

It's really easy to get the perception that every time you are driving a mountain pass that we're seeing content around that I'm sure that's not necessarily the case.

Is there a drive you've had, whether it was with cameras or not, but one that just sticks in your memory as an incredibly special one?

Is there one that really stands out?

That's a good question.

Thank you, it really is.

Yeah, because I feel like I should know the answer.

It might be multiple right, like there's.

You might say one now, and then later you'll think, ah, but there was also that time, or this road, or that drive.

I mean, one very special drive was when I did the first drive in my 992 GT3 a year ago up the system pass, because I dreamt about owning a GT3 since, yeah, a very long time and that whole day was so special.

It's definitely one of my favorite videos on my channel because of the community, of all the people that turned up that evening.

I just did one Instagram story and was like, hey, anyone who wants to come hang out?

And in the end it was just.

I mean, so many people turned up.

It was the perfect light.

Like I've never seen such beautiful lights up there.

It was the perfect setting.

It was.

It was definitely you know, some people give me a hard time about it but it was an emotional evening.

It was really touching.

It was.

I've driven that past loads, but I guess driving up there in my GT3 at that time was like the first drive I did and it was really special.

And apart from that, I guess it would have been the first time I got to drive a GT3 on the Sam Bernardino pass around seven years ago.

That was, you know, something I'd never experienced before.

Yep, I can totally understand what you're saying about that 992 GT3 video.

I've seen that video and you know when you think about it.

For you it's the culmination of so many things, right it's?

You've got this achievement where you finally managed to buy this car.

That has been the goal, the dream, the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, for so long, and you've put the work in and finally managed to make that happen.

And then to have that moment where you arrive at the top of the mountain and there's all these people that gather.

You know that in itself must have been really gratifying too.

Yeah, that was more than the car in the end you know, because the people really make it at the end.

Yeah, it's about sharing these experiences and that really made the whole evening.

And you know, when I talk about buying cars as well, just to be clear, because I know people also give a hard time about it, like I've always openly said, you know, I pay for my cars monthly.

I take my cars on finance and I want to enjoy such cars now.

And yeah, it was.

But obviously I'd never been in a position before where I could think, okay, I can afford to pay that amount.

Yeah monthly and get to live with this car, and I know there's lots of different opinions on that, but it was yeah, regardless.

It was still a huge moment for me and I would say, you know, a future goal for me would be that one day I don't know maybe I could save enough money that I could order and buy a brand new Porsche.

GT car.

I don't know what it would be in my own configuration, my own color, and then that would be the one that I eventually keep.

But until then I won't.

Do you see that being the case, that one day there'd be one that becomes the forever car, or are you just gravitating towards experiencing different things constantly?

Yeah, I mean, I just love experiencing different cars, as any petrolhead does, and of course, the bigger my channels becomes, the more offers I have, the more opportunities I have.

So then you end up with all these offers on the table which are very tempting.

As a petrolhead, you know nearly impossible to say no to so but I do think, yes, that I would eventually have my car.

I don't know what it will be.

Maybe it won't even be a new one, maybe I will find something older.

That's just me, and I think once, if I'm ever in a position where I could fully buy out a car and say, okay, I own this outright, this is mine.

I can afford now just to keep it, and I think I would like to.

Anyway, I would like to have not a car collection, and so just like three unique cars, I think, would be more than enough for me.

I wouldn't really want more than that and, yeah, one of them I would like to keep as a forever car.

Love it, love it.

Now, look every week on the pod James and I.

Well, james and I, we do a video of the week.

James.

I think you've contributed so far as many as Henry Katchapal you know what, every time I offer up a video, you're like oh interesting, yeah, no, this is the one we're going to use.

So I just I've given up.

Well, and confession time, because the last time you did that it was one of Luke's videos.

I think it was a GT3RS coffee run video and there was something else to it.

That's right, so, luke.

I'm sorry you got kicked because there was something else that had come out this week that I took my attention.

Well anyway.

But when we had Henry Katchapal on, he said can I do a video of the week?

And we said, yeah, of course.

I mean he's clearly a big fan of ours.

Are there any videos that have caught your attention over the last week for our video of the week segment?

I don't think I've watched any of the last week, if I'm honest.

You haven't seen James as one more carless face.

No, but I really want to.

I just want to find that comment and give it a thumbs up.

I love that.

Well, I guess you're so busy, right?

I mean, yeah, let's say the last weeks have been a bit challenging, to say the least, as life is sometimes on and off the camera.

For example, I had cancellations with cars because they were damaged the day before and I had to find other cars last minute for filming.

Oh, no, it was it was meant to have the 992 GT3RS again last week for a second time and we planned this whole movie to film with it, and I was told the day before that it was someone damaged it while cleaning it or something, so I gave me 12 hours to find another car.

It was one of those weeks where everything was challenging.

So the last week I've definitely not done anything apart from work and tried to sleep when I can, but I mean a video that's.

It takes a lot for me to really enjoy a video.

I think in the last week's nothing, the last special car video I watched I maybe can look quickly.

I can't remember what it's called, but it was a short film from a Group B rally.

It was such an incredible piece of work.

It was really well.

It really makes my hair stand up.

It was it had quite a famous accent.

I'm bad with names.

I'm going to search it for you now quickly.

So it's?

Is it the dude from Game of Thrones?

Yes, him.

That's it, yeah, yeah, yeah, I know the one.

All right, perfect.

We can share that.

Yeah, it's like a British rally stage Group B era.

When it was rally it was at its most dangerous, most insane.

Yeah, exactly, I think it's just called Group B.

Actually, I think it's a short film.

It's 25 minutes long and wow, I mean why someone else also hasn't made Group B films up until now?

Right.

Yeah, this is on my list, but things like this I dream of, but without budget I can't.

And I think, yeah, I hope one day I can start getting some real budget from somewhere, because I would just give my left arm to be able to produce such movies.

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, 100%.

I've always thought that the production company that made Senna and those films surely there's just such an opportunity for them to be getting into something about Group B, Such a crazy year of racing right.

Yeah, and just terrifying it's absolutely terrifying.

Mental yeah, yeah.

So if anyone hasn't watched that yet, I can highly recommend it.

It's really incredible, love it.

I love it.

Do you know?

I had in the back of my head.

I thought, if you don't have something, the one thing I was going to point out as my alternative video of the week was the one you did during COVID called the Sunday Escape.

Oh yeah, yeah with people.

I really wanted to talk about that.

Yeah, because we were.

Melbourne was.

I'm not sure if we still are, but we had the dubious honour of being the most locked down city in the world, and at that time it was terrible and I remember that film came out and watching it.

There was something about.

There was a scene where you left your car, walked into the woods somewhere and lit a fire and cooked a hot dog or something.

And I remember just thinking all I wanted to do.

All I wanted to do was get in my car and go and do exactly what I'd just seen you do, and I watched that film a bunch of times.

It was actually.

It was quite cathartic for me in a tough time.

So thank you.

Yeah, no, I mean, that's also why I made it and I appreciate that I'm really happy to hear.

But it was also why I made it.

It was God.

That was a horrible time for most people and I was.

I mean, I was really down, I was somewhat depressed, it was worried, it was, if I also can't be creative, I'm not in a particularly good place and I thought well, I can't.

We're not allowed to go anywhere, really, you know, apart from locally.

So we just, yeah, I wanted to make that short movie.

It was the best we could do at the time.

It was just an idea and, yeah, it was a lot of fun to make and I had quite good feedback from it.

And, yeah, I'm really happy, of course, if, if others enjoyed it and or felt something from it.

Hmm, hmm, no, I did?

I did Look.

Final question If you're informed that after tomorrow you can never drive another Porsche and you can never drive another twisty road, but tomorrow you can take any Porsche you want on any road you want, anywhere in the world, what car are you taking, on what road?

I think, although I've driven it too many times, I would have to go back to the system pass, just because it's kind of where it all started for me.

Yeah, so I would think I would end it there too.

What?

car?

Pretty depressing question, actually.

It is right, no, I know I do.

I would end it there.

I would just dry up, you know, off the top of the cliff, and that would be it, you know.

Just Thelma and Louise style, just saying Exactly.

What car I guess it would have to.

It would be a GT3.

It would be maybe even a 991.2

manual, because, although that's not one I'm I love.

Not necessarily I would buy right now, but it was because it was also where it started for me.

It was.

Oh yeah.

When I got to drive that car, like five years ago, it was one of the first GT3s.

It was in Sapphire Blue.

It was a friend's car and he gave it to me for a day to film and I remember I took it to the system pass, I drove it up.

It had some exhaust on.

I had to just figure out what this flat foot shifting is and it was.

I was just blown away.

So I think, yeah, if it had to like end, it would have to end with one of the first, best memories I had.

I love that, james.

Do I need to work out a better final question for our guests, one that's not so devastating.

So it is quite a dark question.

I just want to finish these things on a downer look.

Yeah, it's fine, mate.

Have you walked away?

Absolutely, I'm just going to go away and have a good think about everything I think next time let's get a Swedish person.

We'll get someone from Sweden on next time and ask that question, because they're a particularly bright bunch.

Yeah, I know it sounds good, I mean, but it is of course.

It's sad when you think about it happening and you think, okay, god, can you imagine doing your last drive in the and saying, okay, you're not allowed to do this anymore.

Yeah, it is quite a dark one.

Yeah, good.

Well, I'm glad I could bring it home strong.

Well, luke, we know how busy you are, so we genuinely appreciate you taking the time to chat to us.

It's been terrific.

And if I could just acknowledge you, I think the work you're doing is spectacular.

It certainly inspires me Absolutely.

I just can't get enough of it.

So keep doing what you're doing and whether it's raw, the non-talking stuff, whatever it is, just keep going, my friend.

Yeah, I really appreciate it.

No, it really means a lot.

I will do my best, like I said, still figuring it out.

And yeah, let's see where the next year goes.

Love it, love it.

Just remember if, when in doubt, more car, less face.

I'm pretty sure that I've had very similar comments, so don't be offended by it and I'm someone that really does show cars more than my face, and I still get those comments like come on, guys, I can't.

So you know.

But then I make a movie and they're like Luke, why don't you talk more?

Okay, give me a break.

I was like I can't, but that is part of it.

As we all know, it's impossible to please everyone.

When making a movie, a film, a budget film, or a movie with 20 billion, whatever You're still going to not please everyone, and that's part of it.

But the majority is the important part and the majority love it and that's the part to focus on.

That's it, and I reckon the majority love your stuff.

Thanks again, luke.

Yeah, thank you very much.

We'll chat soon.

Yeah, thank you so much.

See you, mate.

What a good dude, what a nice guy.

Yeah, such a nice guy down to earth Just really really enjoyed that conversation.

Yeah, same and really humble, and he knows exactly what he's doing with his channel.

Do you know what I mean?

He's got a this is what I do and others do their thing, and that's great, but I do my thing and that's what's worked for me and he's had success with it.

Yeah, yeah, totally.

I just.

It amazes me just the quality of the content he puts out.

You know, if he talks about wanting to produce a movie at some point, I want to see that movie.

Whatever he puts out, I'll be watching.

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, 100%, 100%.

Because he's got he's got that real cinematographer's eye, I think.

I think the look of his content is always stuck and if you've not seen it I mean I'm sure you guys have he's pretty hard to miss on YouTube and he's driven everything Like any.

Every great car you can think of is driven, so you'll have seen it.

Yeah, he got his hands on some pretty amazing stuff.

Right.

I didn't want to admit when he was talking about when we're talking about the ST and I said, oh, you'll probably get to drive it, and he was just like, oh yeah, of course I will.

And all I could think of was my.

It was my interaction with Portia of Australia when I asked for a press card.

And they told me to go and get myself 100,000 subscribers, and then we'd talk.

Oh, so funny, yeah, yeah.

Oh, dear.

Well, my man, enjoy your Sunday, and you too.

Next, of luck with the Bluey auction.

Oh God, yeah, fingers crossed.

Whoever, whoever told me and convinced me that no reserve was a good idea.

Right now Speak to closing moment.

Oh, my God, yeah, so I'm going to be.

I'm going to be on a plane, on a flight to Puerto Rico when the auction ends, so I'm hoping.

So you won't even know you get off the plane.

I should have in flight wifi, hopefully sold for 5k less than you bought it for, oh my God.

Just, I just wanted to sell for 5k.

We'll see.

No, you know what?

It's a.

It's a car that's famous.

It's attached to one of the world's biggest Porsche stars.

It's going to.

It's going to go right down where it showed up, man yeah.

Well, that now so.

All right guys.

Well, thanks for tuning in.

I hope you enjoyed this episode of cars with Luke and we will see you in the next one.

Thanks very much, thanks very much gang.

Revving Engines with Luke: A Journey from Passionate Car Enthusiast to YouTube Phenomenon

Porsche 992

Ford Fiesta

Cayman 718 Gt4S

Porsche Carrera T

Porsche Cayenne

911 Porsche Gt

Audi R8

Ferrari F40

Porsche 918 Spyder

About this episode

Original notes