[S8, E16] Time To Sell My Challenge Stradale?

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I don't know how to sit. This sofa's too comfortable.

Normally on your bum. I mean, I'm going to be asleep, aren't I?

It's so real. Do you know what I mean?

Are you all right, mate?

Not really.

Crush your legs, mate. I know it's a girl thing to do, but...

No, but I can't because your legs are there and they might...

What? I mean, you're so awkward.

All of the legs.

Audio listeners, you join us on a very plush sofa.

Oh, we've done well.

So, we're coming to you behind the scenes.

Literally.

Literally. We are on the UK media drives for the BMW iX3.

Which we can't talk about.

We're embargoed. Now, I use this term a lot and I think I've explained it a lot,

but just in case you don't know what that means,

she says she means we can't talk about the car's driving impressions or...

Yes, well, whatever, until a certain day.

And that's because this week, BMW are hosting media on...

Or each day of the week.

Yeah.

Five rotations.

And to allow everyone to edit their videos,

write their stories and publish them,

and not gain or lose out in terms of competitive advantage.

And that's the sole reason why they do it?

Yeah, because obviously, if you come on Monday,

Yeah.

You could get your video posted Monday night,

or you get your article out Monday night.

And then if you're not coming till Friday,

you're like, well, there's no point in me doing anything because all the content's out.

They put an embargo to create a level of fairness.

That can be a shitshow in terms of social media,

because it can mean that you suddenly log online on Monday,

and there's a thousand reviews of the iX3.

Which is perfect for the manufacturer.

They love it.

No?

I think it cannibalizes content.

I don't like it as a viewer and I don't like it as a creator.

I often avoid the embargo date.

Okay.

And for a manufacturer, I don't think so,

because that's just one big spike.

Yeah, fair.

Fair.

But the thing is, they used to be very different, didn't they?

Like, they'd invite top gear.

I'm talking the old days before you lot.

They'd invite top gear and...

Magazine or TV?

Both, wouldn't they?

No, TV would not.

Like, the TV show, Clarkson having a May,

wouldn't go to a press launch, no.

Oh, so it was just TV.

And then, so what was the...

Because I remember once, come in,

do you remember when we met Jason at Ferrari?

Yes.

The press man.

And he said, because he was explaining the importance

of having the cars on top gear,

and he said, no matter what Clarkson said,

bad or good, so that was a different avenue, is it?

Yeah, they would get them a car.

Sometimes pre or post, like either an early car or a late car.

Because don't forget, really, these press launches,

as I understand it, were mainly aimed at written journalists.

You would, the magazines would bring their own photographer

or use the photographer provided by manufacturer,

and it was written, and so the stories that I get told

are of journalists attending and the very merry events,

you know, lots of long boozy lunches and things like that.

Get drunk.

Yeah, because essentially, you'd have the experience,

then you go home, you write up the piece on the airplane home

and submit it to your editor, and off you go.

And then obviously, video started to become more and more part of it.

We had things like Chris Harrison Cars and Evo

starting to document things.

And then the rise of, I guess, us supercar YouTubers

and us being invited.

And now it's a whole Fandango with...

Free for all.

Free for all, basically.

So it's evolved a lot in the last 10 years.

Obviously, I don't know what it was like

before I started doing them.

Yeah, so before I knew to get a load of,

a load of journalists, written journalists,

and you'd have people like

Sutcliffe, Steve Sutcliffe, Chris, obviously,

and all the other, they'd come and do the trips,

write it all down, essentially, then it'd go out.

And then it evolved to digital.

Yeah, as I say, I mean, I understand it from my time

and from my experience.

But yeah, that's what I believe used to happen.

And so the actual media events have evolved and changed within that too.

And so, you know, in Barg, as I get why there's in Barg,

because there's a whole...

Today, on this rotation for the IX3,

I mean, Joe Achilles is here.

Yeah, yeah.

Who else?

There's a whole variety of people from magazines to influences

to whatever you might call it.

So they try and create fairness.

But as I say, from my side, it's not ideal.

From a creator point of view.

Yes, because then when the embargo lifts,

suddenly everyone's videos go at the same time.

It's like we all cannibalise each other.

But anyway, that's what we're going to do.

And we've recorded an IX3 special,

because we think this car is so important.

We've recorded a special episode that will go out next week in the IX3.

So for those of you that hate in-car episodes, we're sorry.

We tried our best.

But we're here to catch up on a number of things,

including our adventure last week in the AMG GT 63 SE performance.

The bullet car.

Well, I don't know if you call it bullet, like a Sledgehammer.

The Sledgehammer, yeah.

One outrageous car.

So to recap, last week, Tony and I were doing the scouting trip,

the recce, as I like to call it, the reconnaissance trip,

for our first on the road driving tour of the year.

It's happening sort of mid to late April.

It's this short three and a half day teaser,

Taster Tour, where to try before you buy.

It involves five countries in the three and a half days

and finishes at the Nürburgring with a chance to do

some laps on the Green Hell.

If you want.

But as we now know, includes some fantastic driving roads.

I say now know because it's actually been my first time

exclusively choosing the routes for one of our tours.

Absolutely, yeah.

Oh, you've done a good job, mate.

Well, thank you so much because usually,

I would say 70% or 80% of the routes are done by you.

I usually feed in the odd road.

Correct.

So actually, most of the actual routes, point A to point B,

are done by you with a few mine going,

oh, I like this road here.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

So this is the first time I've done it exclusively.

And so I was a little bit nervous.

But not just that, mate.

Like I didn't know some of them.

I mean, you've cheated because you've done them roads before.

Yes.

But I didn't know some of them roads existed.

Yeah.

I mean, it was great.

I mean, then some of them I've only done,

you know, I've done part of the road and then we went further on

to be like, yeah, down here and they got better than we even

realized.

Yeah.

So the roads are great.

And you and I had done a couple of them roads previously

on previous tours.

But because my memory doesn't really serve me much longer

than about four days, I didn't remember.

And it's only when you said to me,

mate, we done this road in the AMG.

And I went, did we?

Well, this is what killed me because I,

so quite a number of years ago, Ten and I did a trip

when he had an AMG GTR and I had my manual 360 Modner.

And we drove through Luxembourg.

And I remember we had this epic drive on this incredible road

where I think I was chasing Tony for a bit.

Then he wasn't chasing me,

but he was pushing me down the road.

We stopped for an amazing ice cream.

And it was this incredible road.

Like it sort of reminded me of a road up in,

you know, the Hakone Turnpike in Japan.

I was like, anyway, it's this great, great road.

It's burned into my red knife.

Starred it and pinned it.

I thought at some point we had to go back there.

We went back to the road and I was so puzzled.

I was like, Tony, we're back.

He's like, where?

I did.

What are you on about?

It's the road.

And you're like, I've never been here before.

I was like, oh my God, no, please.

Don't remember when it's right, mate.

But that was one of the roads.

And we're happy with all of our stops and our hotels.

And anyway, it was a very successful scouting mission.

Yeah.

But we decided to, well, I decided to arrange a loan of,

yeah, the new, the second generation AMG GT

and the hybrid variant, the 63SE performance.

Because I thought what a perfect accomplice for the trip.

Well, it was quite fitting really,

being that I've had 400 AMG of the previous model.

Well, that's exactly it.

And I currently own a Turbo S to which you can half compare it to.

100%.

So it was kind of like, you know, ticking so many boxes.

Great car to do the trip in.

Relevant because you love the MG GT.

You own the rival.

I just driven the new Turbo S. I've driven the Bentley.

It was just like, OK, great, let's check this thing out.

Some crazy stats that come with this car.

Some of them like mind boggling.

Well, firstly, it's a very different car to the cars that you used to own.

It's now a two plus two, two and a half.

Well, yeah, nearly two and a half tonne.

2.340.

Which by the way, sorry to get aggy.

Not again.

There are quite a few people, and by quite a few, I mean two,

that commented the right, you're saying the wrong weight.

That's the wrong weight, mate.

On my YouTube video.

Great video, but you've got the weight wrong.

Yeah.

And the power and all sorts of that.

For the first time ever.

We knew this was coming.

I actually used the fact sheet that Mercedes themselves sent us.

When you book a press car,

press teams send you a fact sheet on the specific car that you're driving with them.

Some of them leave it in the car, mate.

Yeah.

To die, they've left it in the car.

You're right.

In the IX3, it was left in the car.

So we actually checked it multiple times.

And on the fact sheet from Mercedes, weight was 2,340 kilos.

And Newton meters of torque, Tony, was?

Was it 1,420 or something?

1,420 Newton meters of torque.

We honestly, I checked that on the fact sheet, we googled it.

We went on the Mercedes website.

I watched the video because neither of us could believe that was true.

We're like, that can't be right.

But do you remember, mate, when you were saying it, I said,

mate, are you sure?

Like, I kept asking you that, mate.

And you went, mate.

Look, from MercedesPress at Mercedes.com.

Because I didn't believe him.

And I know how many people are going on you.

And what was it, 805 horsepower or something?

105 horsepower.

I mean, it's insane stats.

Jackhammer.

Absolute jackhammer.

It was kind of weird.

So tell me, we're talking about a bit on the main channel video,

which has already gone live.

But give me your sort of thoughts upon reflection.

It's been a few days now.

How do you look back on that car?

Well, I'm glad you've asked, because I did look back on it.

And I come away.

I wasn't harsh in the car, because sometimes I

can be a bit brash and a bit harsh of my opinions.

But actually, I had a little bit more.

When I look, I did actually like it, mate.

Like, it is a bloody good car.

And it's all right saying, oh, take the weight away

and take this and do this.

You shouldn't do that, because it is what it is.

Like, the car is what it is.

But it didn't put a foot wrong, really.

Well, it did.

Really?

You want to talk about the heat?

Oh, OK, fine.

But that might have been like a...

I should need to still speak to Mercedes about that.

Fine.

But that might have been a...

We can talk about that in a minute.

But that might have been a problem with that specific car.

What about the error messages that we got?

Which ones?

Malfunction.

Oh, but that was when we were asking it for $1,400,

and it means a talk.

Basically, what the gearbox was saying at that point was,

get me out.

Nine.

Nine, nine, nine, nine.

Anyway, so I'm being...

You've been pedantic, mate.

Thank you.

Yeah.

But in...

It didn't put a foot wrong.

You're right.

No, it was like we'd done 1,000 miles.

It was full up with luggage.

I mean, it's what you'd expect from a 200,000 pound car,

by the way.

You know, it's not a bloody 20-gram polo.

No.

I mean, they're quite good 20-gram polos,

but you wouldn't be going that fast.

But what we asked it to do, and what really impressed me,

even going back, was the traction.

Because for most of the week, like, it was wet.

You know.

We'll drive now.

I know, mate.

You're right.

It was greasy on a lot of the back roads we were doing.

It was not that warm.

And we were on, you know, fairly aggressive.

P...

What are they called now?

PS5Ss?

PS5.

The Michelin Pilot Supersport.

Yeah.

And had really, really big front tyres.

But I expected bigger rear tyres because of the grip.

Like, so I think there were two...

Two 7.5 or two 8.5 on the fronts,

and they were three 0.5s on the rears.

My GT3 and Turbo S, they're free 1.5s.

So I expected that level...

Because of the grip, it was only when I looked at the tyres,

I thought, oh, well, they're not actually that big.

So that really impressed me.

So a lot for the systems on the mark,

but then also the actual tyres themselves.

Yeah, like, really didn't put a foot wrong.

We noticed a couple of times where maybe it was managing the torque

or the power slightly in terms of the traction systems,

but it's not like you get these sudden dirges in power,

like it's suddenly holding back.

It was, yeah, it was...

It just did do everything sort of perfectly.

It was a solid...

We spoke about the end.

If you gave the Turbo S a 9.5 in every area,

this was like a solid 9 in every area.

Yeah, really good.

Yeah, just really good.

Would you be more intrigued by a non-hybrid version?

Would you...?

It's weird because I wouldn't have any of their modern

of that AMG, you know, considering I had most of the other ones.

I wouldn't have any of them Mercs,

but if I had to pick one, it would be that E-hybrid one or the Pro.

But actually, probably for Tours, mate,

I think that car we've just driven,

that would be absolutely perfect.

And it's a good looking car.

Yeah.

But at least let's quickly talk about the heap thing,

which I should have got an answer from Mercedes

about before we sat down to record this.

But we were driving along,

and actually on the first day,

Tony very kindly offered to buy me a Quattro,

which I thought was very generous.

I didn't actually buy you one, mate.

I got it from Flexi Plus.

Oh, OK.

You got a free from Le Chateau.

You offered to pick it up?

Yeah, I let you run with it all week.

I bought you a Quattro, mate.

I didn't actually buy it.

I nicked it.

You nicked it.

Anyway, at the time you nicked it, I didn't actually want it.

So I was going to chuck it in the glove box.

And throughout the trip, we kept both young.

Oh, they must have a Crustall factory around here.

It must be a bakery.

Well, it must be a bakery,

because that's a really strong smell of like hot Crustall.

Yeah.

A very nice smell.

I can't remember what happened before.

Oh, no.

You, on the end of the first day,

had to get your wallet out of the glove box.

That's got my wallet in my passport.

And you said to me, oh, my God, my wallet's on fire.

Like, it's so hot from the glove box.

And this started our realisation that there was

an immense amount of heat pouring through the,

I guess, behind the bulkhead or through the bulkhead

on the passenger side.

So this is the left-hand side of the vehicle

through the glove box, even instead of in and around

and underneath the screen.

And by the way, I didn't even mention this to you,

on the way home, the screen, the fan behind the screen

started going because there was so much heat

because we did that big drive.

We did like eight hours on the last day.

There was so much heat in the vehicle because of that

weird whatever was going on.

And the fan of the screen was trying to cool itself down

because the heat was affecting the screen too.

Was it making a noise?

I was like, what's this?

Yeah, it was, mate, it was really bizarre,

really orking off to the point where we had to put

like freezing cold air con on in the footwell

to stop your feet catching fire.

Well, on day one, I didn't notice it on my feet that much,

but because it was fairly mundane, weren't it, the first day?

Yes, with a lot of just generic motorways.

Yeah, it was actually you that really said,

mate, my feet and the bottom of my legs are boiling.

On fire.

And then obviously when I jumped back in the past,

when we was like, do some spirited driving,

I realised as well.

Yeah, so I really need to get to one of that because

the only thing that we could work out was that the electric motor,

yes, from the diagram on the screen,

was just behind the passenger footwell, essentially.

But anyway, really concerning and really weird.

So that was one thing which we need to get to the bottom of.

But just on the passenger side, though,

the driver's side, it was completely fine, weird.

All in all, though, it was a successful trip

and it was a good car.

And I say like, I like the look of it, you know,

and it did us well, so we shouldn't really promote it too much.

And like we said, like, 200 grand is a lot of money for a car.

But actually, when you look at price and what you get

with the cars that it competes with, it's actually the cheapest.

Which is bad, doesn't it, when you think about it, you know?

You will take the Turbo S on the actual Aperitivo tool?

Yes, well, yeah.

GC3 is getting service next week.

Oh, that's nice.

That will come on something, though, right?

That will come on a Croatia trip.

Yeah, I'll do that on the Croatia trip.

Yeah, that's going for...

Did I tell you the service bill for the Turbo S?

Oh, I don't know if we spoke about that on here.

Did we speak about that on here?

We spoke about that on here.

I don't know, I told you on the phone, didn't I?

We got to talk about this.

Yeah, okay, fine.

So earlier on in the year, my car's four years old now,

coming up literally now.

Literally now, it's four years old.

So it needs its second service, essentially.

I've had it just over three years.

So I called Porsche up in January for a presser.

Guys, I need to put my car in for a second service.

It's a big service, Tony.

We'll get you estimate over.

Yeah, no problem.

So I was expecting like 1,500 quid, two grand,

probably absolute tops for a big service,

bearing in mind it's a Porsche,

and most Porsches, they're fairly reasonable

when it comes to servicing.

I mean, I don't think that's reasonable, but still.

No, no, no, but it is for a supercar, mate.

Take Ferrari up, because obviously,

you've got the service plans on them,

which is genius, the best thing they ever did.

But most of them are a few quid to service.

Anyway, gets the bill, gets the estimate.

4,900 and summing pennies pound.

And I literally thought it was a misprint.

Yeah, you called me how I could call you immediately.

Panic, saying, say your car, mate.

Say your car, because this is coming for you.

This is going to happen.

I literally phoned everyone with a GT product car.

A five grand, let's call it, near as damn it.

Second service for your car.

Yeah, so the reason why it was five grand

is because it needs plugs, V-belt,

brake fluids every two years anyway,

and then a regular service, but to the labour and parts

to change the plugs, 3,000 pounds.

Three grand.

I mean, it is mad, isn't it?

Yeah.

Yeah, I don't love this.

No, well, I found a solution.

Oh, tell me.

Oh, mate, I've hit the jackpot.

Go on.

So what I'm going to do...

My arm's strong.

No, no, mate, actually, mate, if you listen in,

they're going to knock me out of there.

Good.

So I'm going to take it to JZM.

It's going to JZM Porsche next week.

Right.

No, no, no, I've got a question.

Keep going.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

They're going to do the plugs and the V-belt,

and then it's going to go to Porsche

three days later to have the service,

and they're going to do the brake fluid and the oil.

That doesn't affect your warranty.

No, mate.

It's absolutely fine.

You know, I'll use Porsche parts and Porsche rim voice,

but it's just that JZM's labour rate

and the way they go about doing the plugs

are way different to what Porsche...

I mean, Porsche want to take the back of the car off.

A lot more cost-effective.

Yeah, hugely.

But JZM, you want the service stamp from Porsche?

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

So it's being serviced at Porsche.

So it'll have its oil and brake fluid at Porsche,

and then they're just going to do the plugs and the V-belt.

And can we say 50% saving, 30% saving?

Sorry?

At least.

I mean, it's like night and day.

I mean, they do look off.

They're lovely at JZM.

They've done loads of stuff for me in the past.

But yeah, it's like fruit of roof savings.

So when you're ready.

Yes, thank you.

Okay, but that's interesting because I assumed

disnaively because I extended my warranty

when I decided to keep the car in last year

and it came up from Refinance.

Yeah, about 2,300 quid.

For the warranty?

Yeah.

Yeah, yeah.

Well, we're expensive these Porsches, aren't we?

It's just a little bit.

It's about to be treat.

What is the oil as well?

I kind of assumed that meant I had to continue on

with sort of servicing and maintenance.

Yeah, I mean, you can't.

You don't, it's the age old thing.

Like you don't have to.

It's not what you've got manufacturer warranty.

You don't have, they can't put a gun to your head.

You don't have to get it serviced.

But if you have an issue post this spark plug related,

you think you'll be fine.

But why I don't really understand what the difference is

whether they do it or whether it's the same.

Just from a warranty point of view,

I guess I would have thought.

Yeah, I hear what you're saying.

I'm just going to ask you,

it's just removing spark plugs and putting it.

The difference is, is the labour rate and I'm not paying.

I mean, Porsche dealers are 250 quid an hour.

I mean, I could be really, really dodgy

and just get my workshop to do it.

And it costs me literally pennies.

But I'm not doing it.

I'm going to take it to a proper specialist.

No, they'll go on properly.

I'm joking.

What I'm saying is,

JZM are specialists in Porsches, you know?

So they do lots of work.

Maybe they can identify my popping noise.

What? My front end popping noise.

The chassis popping.

Well, they were the ones that diagnosed my

wheel bearing thing.

And then it went to Porsche and they did eventually

put a wheel bearing in it.

And I went on tracking it last week.

Was it last week or week before?

Well, whenever.

And no, it's fine.

Completely fine.

I went brands out.

Because yeah, I still get that slightly strange like

from the front.

Over like speed bumps and things like that.

Maybe I'm going to lean on that.

But anyway, well, five grand service bill.

That's always fun.

At least it's ready, I suppose, for trips.

I mean, be ready for the trip.

What were who account performance?

How is that to service?

What else has been a big?

That was expensive.

So I only done one service on that car.

Because at the time, I think they do service plans.

Now, by the way,

when I had my performanty, they didn't.

That was spiteful.

That was bearing in mind.

That would have been 2018 or 2019.

I think that was 1500 or two grand.

And they were annual services then.

Same as the Mercs, the AMGs were expensive.

The thing is, like, I scratched my head.

Because like I said to you, like,

you know, I've had all these Porsches,

but normally I'd buy them new.

And I'd have them two years.

Sure, move on.

As long as you've kept the car like that.

The GT3 is literally the longest I've ever had a car.

So I've had it three years.

Now I've serviced it twice.

And it's bloody spiteful.

And I think that this reflects more and more

what a lot of us are doing.

Of like, how would you replace it?

What would you replace it with?

Well, this is the problem, you see,

because what would I replace it with?

I've done my depreciation on it now.

I'm the right way on finance.

You know, I'm in positive equity.

So why would I replace it for a new one

and pay 50,000 quid more and be down that,

be down that, you know, I don't, it's fine.

I put private plate on it.

You love it.

Are you putting private plate on it?

I put private plate on it, yeah.

D1CK.

Nearly.

JU57.

Yeah, just.

Yeah, yeah.

OTR.

Did you have that on the spider web?

Just on the road.

Yeah.

Oh, well done.

Yeah, it's a good one, isn't it?

That's very good.

We like that.

Yeah.

So it's on brand.

Dot com.

I should...

On the road.

Dot tors.

Oh, nice one.

Oh, I like that.

Private plate on one of your cars.

That really is a side of the time.

Oh my gosh.

Well, yeah, I mean, I've got,

I have no reason to,

to, I'm obviously driving it the other week at Brands Act.

Like, because I sit and look at it for most of the winter.

I don't, I literally does not turn a wheel.

And I go, oh, I don't really need this.

Just sitting there.

And then as soon as I drive it,

I like back in the middle of it again.

Yeah, I love it.

I haven't known mine for a while, to be fair.

I actually just, we, um, GT3 belts came over.

Legend that is Einstein II.

Update my back seats.

They've developed new...

Do you remember that in my back seats,

I had those cushions, the soft cushions.

They've now basically been able to install the proper

back seat, back rest.

Oh, okay.

Which are good because I had to upgrade.

Now my daughter's getting so big.

Upgrade her car seat.

Well, she's basically a teenager.

Literally.

Um, and so...

It happens that quick.

They, Einstein Fluorovac literally has a 15 minute job.

Changed the back seats out.

Still doesn't need to have to do any modifications to the car.

It's all still reversible, but, you know, compliant.

And they've got what's called TUR.

What's the...

Yeah, so it's fully TUR compliant now.

So, so that was great, but I haven't really driven that car.

You won't sell your car, are you?

No, no, I'm not selling my one.

I convinced my one.

What I am selling is the Chandler Dali.

Are you?

Really?

No, but I had half a minute.

Have you seen, have you been keeping an eye on this?

Well, I...

Have you been keeping an eye on this?

It's been rammed down my throat, mate.

Literally, when I challenged the Dali.

Well, yes, all by you.

Because as soon as the Chandler Dali sells,

you're literally messaging me or putting it on your stories.

Wow, look at this.

I must sell my car immediately.

I didn't say that, but because it's ridiculous.

I'm posting it sort of, like, ironically.

Because ever since that one...

No, no, I am it.

I'm, like, poking the holes, and it'll be like,

guys, what are we talking about?

Like, I am the biggest Chandler Dali fan in the world.

Those cars, in my mind, for a really good one, is $250,000.

Yeah, great.

Did you hear me?

Like, for a really good one.

Yeah, yeah.

That one sold for $1.8 million, and the world has gone insane.

We then had the broad-arrow car in Paris,

go for whatever it was, $599,000.

Crazy.

And then this insane one the other day on Collecting Cars,

that sold five years ago for $140,000,

that just sold for, like, $360,000.

For a Japanese import, left-hand drive,

not even perfect service history, fairly, like, leggy car.

How long have you had your car now?

The CS, two years.

Really?

Yeah, mate.

That's short.

Oh, yeah.

Yeah.

Oh, mate, I thought it was longer than that.

No, I bought it end of...

You didn't buy it 24?

Yeah, 24, 20...

No, no, end of 23.

Oh.

End of 23.

Two and a half years.

Did a year.

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Did I talk too much at a fan of that?

Why can't I just let it go?

Oh, it's stoppish.

Oh, it's stinking so much.

I don't know how to let it go.

Oh, my God.

Did I talk too much?

It's stoppish.

Well, I think it's better to let it go.

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End of 24, it went in for restoration,

picked it up mid, yeah, end of 23.

Two and a bit years.

Fine, two and a bit years.

And then this other one went the other night

for 200 and something, 250.

Another left-hand drive,

bad service history, like high mileage.

It's outrageous.

There's some cars coming up via auction again

at Amelia Island this weekend.

You just have a bit of a wife.

Well, you know, I, you cannot help it

if you're sitting on a car that is going

that astronomical value.

You've got to question yourself.

You have to think, oh, I wonder what mine would be worth.

Like if I'm looking at 200, 300 grand

worth of profits staring at me in the face.

Am I actually, if at one point, right?

I'm not.

I mean, I'm really sick that my car is high mileage.

It's 50,000 miles.

It's not.

Isn't it?

Yeah, it was 40 something, 45, 46.

But nearly 50,000 miles,

not original paint, not original interior.

Mine is at the bottom of the market.

Like one, and it's right-hand drive.

So it's the bottom of the market.

But it is a nice one though.

I mean, I have no plans to sell.

Like, I don't care.

Like, but I'm realistic in that.

And also, again, I did not buy this car

as an investment piece.

I'm not trying to speculate the market

or drive up prices.

I'm literally talking about being like,

guys, what are you all doing?

Because if you buy a challenge starly for a million pounds,

you are going to be deeply disappointed.

Yeah.

Like, like the car.

It's like, it's like a career at GT.

Oh, like, I was the one and only.

I wasn't the one and only.

But I was the most likely person

to pay a million pounds for a challenge starly

in the sense that it was all my all-time dream car.

And if I ever made that much money,

that's how much.

But like this kind of speculation,

it's made, it's madness.

But my point being is if this is now the rocket ship

to a million pounds, which would just be ridiculous.

I just, I can't.

If, or half a million pounds,

if someone came and knocked on my door and said,

I will pay you, you know,

I'll give you 200 grand, 300 grand worth of profit

on your car today.

Like, I am definitely not in a position

where I could like ignore that.

Really?

Mate, are you mad?

300 grand is in your pocket.

Yeah, fair.

I could buy 17 other dream cars for a couple of days.

You could buy another one.

Well, you know, there's not much point in doing that.

No.

Look, I have absolutely no plans of selling it.

It is my dream car.

I adore it and I love it.

And it's, you know, it's all good fun

watching this kind of stuff.

But it did make me think that's what it made me

here I am sitting here going,

I'm not selling that car.

But if they really do go mad

and they are rock solid in value at 500, 600 grand.

You're off.

It's all.

Well, I'm not off, but I just asked myself,

what would I do?

But I don't have the answer, but what would I do?

But what would you buy though?

I don't even know.

Would I sell it is the question.

What would I buy is an easy thing to get.

That's a very easy game to play.

Someone gives me 300 grand worth of profit.

What would I buy?

I could have a lot of fun with that.

What would you buy, mate?

Well, probably a 901 speed to start with.

Would you?

Yeah.

And then a 488.

And then something else.

Yeah.

901 speed is a what, 280, 290.

All right.

So you've got 300 grand that you're not going to buy 488.

No, I don't know how much profit I'm talking about here.

But you said 200 or 300 grand.

Well, yeah.

So it's not even a 901 speed stuff.

300, 300 grand is a lot of deposits for finance, isn't it?

Oh, okay.

Yeah, fair, fair, fair, fair, fair.

The point, it's, you know.

Hypothetical.

It's all hypothetical.

But my point being, just cash alone, not even for cars,

because say I would be very happy just putling around an aroma.

Yep.

Do you know what I mean?

Like just the cash.

I'm just talking about, I just want, you just want the money.

If someone came and offered you, I'm in the heel of one person to ask.

Yeah.

If someone came and offered you 200 grand of profit for your GT3 today,

it's gone, isn't it?

Yeah, yeah.

Exactly.

Someone offered me 10 grand, it's gone.

That's what the other one person does.

And sell my mum for 10 grand.

I thought I'd get a grand for her, but I wouldn't.

It's so harsh.

Yeah.

It's the first time I've ever had to think to myself,

oh God, what happens if someone comes knocking?

Because at some point all the good cars are going to go.

And so they're going to be, people are going to be like,

I just need a CS because they're, you know.

I just want the right shit on the blue interior.

So, um, yeah, it's been, it's been mad to watch and values in general.

There's a lot of options happening.

By the way, sorry to interrupt.

And this is so not interesting for audio listeners.

This is an absolutely outrageous setting we're sitting on.

I can't really show you, but I can't show you on video either.

But we're at an outhouse of a private estate.

This BMW have taken this over this week.

I'm looking out, there's a private swimming pool.

There's a pool table or a snooker table in front of me.

Sunbeds.

And then this incredible sort of lake stretching out.

And I just saw this swan sort of glide down onto the water,

stretch out its wings as elegant as ever.

The trees that have got clear blue sunshine.

I honestly, it's one of the most amazing places we've ever recorded a podcast with.

And we've been inside Porsche Museum's private collection.

Yeah, we are.

Yeah, fair.

So thank you, BMW, for finding us.

That's from a link.

So I just got distracted.

I didn't even know what I was talking about.

But I saw the swan.

You saw the swan, didn't you?

And let's have a moment, mate.

You're having a fun time.

An absolute moment.

Anyway, I'm off to buy a car on Saturday.

What car, mate?

You sold your challenge to Johnnie.

You're going to go down my estate.

Another challenge for Donald.

Well, I say that.

I'm spectatively buying a car.

So that means you're not buying one.

Then I'm going to kick some tires on Saturday.

The new Fiat Grande Panda.

A Fiat?

Yes, mate.

I love a Fiat.

Do you remember our conversation last time?

Oh, I remember our conversations, unfortunately.

And the last time you bought a Fiat, it was 30-yard grand.

You and Tony, this is...

Hey, that wasn't Abarth.

It's the same thing.

It was a very legit Abarth.

No, good point.

So I'll call you on Saturday.

You know what I'm saying?

It's not 30-yard grand, this one, is it?

A 20-something.

So to recap, I spoke last time about wanting a 10-ground run around.

And you made the fairly valid point.

Well, hold on a second.

Why don't you just go and get a cheap, effective new car

that you might pay 200 or 300 quid a month?

And over a couple of years, you're going to be probably less...

You know, we'd start doing man-maths.

How would I lose less money?

Anyway, I started looking here.

What are the small, semi-affordable run-around cars?

There's millions of them.

Well, you say this, lots of them are also electric.

Or deeply ugly and boring.

Okay, so name me a few.

Come off your head.

There's loads of Renaults.

Yes, good point.

But name me one.

I can't pronounce the names.

No, no, no.

It's just Renaults.

No, but okay.

So a little Renault hatchback.

It's not a hatchback.

It's like a little SUV.

Yeah, I don't want an SUV.

I'm talking about little hatchbacks.

Talk to me about little, small city cars that are affordable and attractive.

Electric.

Oh, mate, you'd get like a little...

You'd get a little fit of 500.

Yes, you would for 200 quid.

But they're electric.

You can have a petrol one.

You can have a high-little hybrid one, no?

I don't think you can have the Fiat.

Really?

Of the Abarths, you can.

You can get a hybrid little Fiat 500.

Still see them knocking around.

But new ones.

They must have.

They've got little...

They've got hybrid on the back.

Unless they've literally stopped making them.

I literally saw 25 plates.

I'll give you that.

I'll give you that, yeah.

Mate, there's loads.

There'll be a little...

I'm annoying if that's the case.

I don't want to believe you because I'll be down.

That's the car I want.

What, you want a little bit of our money to knock around?

Anyway, go on.

Give me another one.

I've literally for 10 years fought your corner about you being a man

and then you pull up with a little fit of 500.

Right, give me another one.

What else is there?

Little and pokey.

There'll be a little voxel.

There'll be a little Peugeot.

Peugeot.

Little Peugeot.

I think it was the strongest.

Can you make a consideration?

There'll definitely be a little Corsa or something.

Yes.

Because they're cheap.

Yeah, yeah.

I don't know about Ford.

Could Ford do the Pumas now?

That's the smallest car I don't think they're too on.

I think they're a bit more.

What else is there that's...

I know.

The little bloody BYD thing.

Yes, Dolphin Surfing.

Yeah, yeah.

Cupras.

The Leon.

That's a very affordable car.

That's not 200 pounds.

That's a bit more.

A little bit more, but they're doing mad deals.

Yeah, fine.

There's nothing.

Volkswagen.

There's nothing Skoda.

Well, I found it infinitely more hard than you did.

There'll be a Citroen.

There's a C3 air console thing, and that's an EV.

I found it hard to find something that was not an EV,

because, look, you could go Renault 5, you know.

But again, I was in the middle of the same problem,

because the minute I needed to drive anywhere further away,

I've been allowed to drive the drag, you know.

So I wanted something with Peugeot.

Anyway, I stumbled across this thick Grand Open Panda,

which I was sort of semi-aware of.

And I think it looks mega.

I don't really know.

It's a 1.2-litre hybrid.

I've never seen one.

It's got, it's really boxy.

It looks like the old, they've done the same thing as Renault

have, gone heritage and design.

So it looks like the old boxy panda.

Yeah.

But sort of modern and futuristic.

It's got really quirky interior.

As I say, a hybrid which is better than nothing.

Uh-huh.

And I'm going to find out money, but well-priced.

Used to 200 per arm.

Well, it's in or about that.

It's going to end up in 329.

It's, they're like 21, 23 grand.

I'm going to call you a sesame seed.

I spent one up to 34, and I'm paying 559 per month.

But I love it.

Anyway, the point you could have got on A45.

It's supposed to be, because I nearly went and bought another Abarth.

I sown it, but that car, they're expensive.

God, anyway, so I'm really into my things.

They've just landed in the UK.

So I'm going to go and have a little kick of some ties.

And I may, I may drive away my new little, I think they're cool.

My little run around, non-descript, non-content.

No one's going to know it's you.

No, just to, you know, I'd say nursery runs, shopping trip runs.

Like just, yeah, like this, like, this morning,

I walked up in the project eight.

Yeah, I thought it was kind of cool.

Is this unnecessary?

Completely.

Poodle along.

And so let's say I'm quite excited by it,

but I might go and decide it's a lot of crap, but we'll find out.

What's been going on with you and your, your cars,

your work, your bits and bobs?

What's been happening, mate?

Well, I just told you I've been to, been around the Brands Arch.

I've had a, I've actually been busy last month.

Nice, well done.

I was busy, yeah, selling cars and vans.

And you just went to an open track day with the GT3?

Yeah, nice.

Yeah, I went to Brands Arch.

Full, because at Brands, I guess.

Indie, I did.

So that's which one?

That's the smaller one.

That's the little circuit.

Okay, fine.

Which does annoy me in the Porsche,

because it's a bit too fast for the Indie circuit.

It's only about four or five corners, but I just lucked out.

A couple of my friends went and I just booked on in the morning.

Fine.

And I had, I didn't do all day.

I had just done all morning because in the afternoon,

it pulled down a rain and I didn't see any sense at all

in driving around a 50 odd second lap

in a GT3 in the pouring rain.

Complete waste of time.

Yes.

I just want really to be fine.

I just want to make sure the wheel bearing was fine.

Yeah, sure.

My friend Jake, the racing driver, he was, he was there.

So he had a whiz round as well.

Interestingly, he's got a four RS.

And he said he can't believe the difference

between the GT3 and the four RS.

Oh, well, Jake, we could have told you that.

Yeah, I did tell him we could have told you that.

But yeah, in terms of front end and front end

and just, just more grip.

It's like, he said it feels so much faster than my car.

So it's not, but it's just the grip

and it's the punt at the corners.

Wow.

So that's cool.

You suddenly made me think, oh, well,

I was going to segue, are you done with that story?

I was going to segue.

Yeah, I finished completely finished.

Because obviously you're talking of circuits.

Where'd you be, mate?

I've been so excited about this segue.

We're going to be watching Formula One cars on circuit.

Oh, mate, this weekend.

We didn't even, like, I, because of course

this episode is going to go out on Thursday.

We got the first race of the year this weekend, mate.

Yeah.

Will you wake up in the morning and watch it?

Oh, yeah, I'm going to.

I'm going to.

The only thing is the internet is going through a bit weird.

So I was like, could I go and get a hotel?

Could I go to the hotel room for the night?

To watch GF1?

Yeah.

That's really ridiculous, right?

It's like the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard you say.

Because it's not, that's not like a premiere or anything like that.

Why not?

I just did a good Wi-Fi.

Oh, I've seen you watch it on your laptop.

But yeah, because no one else, no one,

there's not a cafe I can go to.

A Capnut or 4A.

Exactly.

Excuse me.

We're going to a nightclub with good Wi-Fi.

So everyone's in my noise-cancelling headphones.

So I'm just a bit nervous.

What I'd be terrified about because I don't want to wake up at

what's going to be 345.

If you don't want to wake up at 4, you're going to wake up at 345.

And then get it all loaded.

And then just as this crazy new start sequence is supposed to kick off

that we're all so intrigued by, it goes like, and it freezes.

I'm going to have a mild panic attack.

So I don't really, I literally try.

Maybe I'm like, what are you doing, mate?

How are you watching it?

You can watch it at home.

That means you've got to wake up at 2.45.

I'll be there.

Look on your door.

Are you excited?

Yes, mate.

I can't wait.

Are you intrigued or do you feel like you know what's going to happen?

Well, I think you'd be a liar if you thought you knew what was going to happen.

Agreed.

I don't know if anyone knows what's going to happen.

No, I do think there's going to be a high level of chaos.

I think maybe we could, if there was no chaos,

predict your podium finish for me, will you?

Well, if we go off testing, I don't think you can say what order,

but Mercedes and Ferrari.

I don't want you to give me a podium finish, please.

OK.

Russell.

Leclerc.

Hamilton.

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I would agree with you.

I'm going to say Russell Antonelli Leclerc just to shake it up.

OK, fine.

So that's my, yeah, I think you're right,

but I think it's going to be so much more unpredictable than that.

I think even if Mercedes is as dominant as we think,

I think there's still going to be question marks for reliability.

I think it may look like one team or one driver is in a really strong position,

and then it could all change halfway through the race.

I think there'll be lots that will evolve throughout the race weekend.

I really hope, I know this is not going to happen,

but I really hope Lewis wins the championship this year.

It would be unbelievable.

And then he can go and marry Kim Kardashian and move happily ever after.

Yeah.

I would, you know what, I would just be happy with him winning.

Well, firstly, winning a race, but winning a number of races.

If he won a number of races, I'm happy with that.

I don't need the championship.

I'm resigned to the fact he's old.

I need the championship really, just because of my argument.

And secondly, on the flip side, you're going to hate me for this.

Oh, God.

I'd actually quite like to see George Russell win a championship as well,

because I actually like, he used to really annoy me, but I don't mind him now.

It's so weird, and I'm sure we've spoken about this before.

Sport is so weird, right?

Because, well, I mean, to say I've met George is the biggest stretch of a situation ever.

I've literally shaken out.

Yeah, I've shaken out.

So let's not pretend for a second I don't know who George Russell is,

but it was very nice when I said hello to him.

And I'm sure he's probably like a really nice individual.

Like I have people who are friends with him.

Like literally, and Jamie Chadwick's really close with him.

Oh, wow.

But when it's sport, you sort of forget that they're humans, aren't you?

Oh, I hate that.

I don't want them to win.

What a dick.

Like it's so weird how sport does that too.

Yeah, it does.

Yeah.

I cannot tell you how many times I used to absolutely ruin who Nicky Rosberg was as a human.

And then he became a YouTuber.

I was like, oh, Nicky, what's up?

So take all of this with a pinch of salt.

But God, I'd be depressed if George Russell won the championship.

And won the clear to win the championship, don't you?

Yes, I won the clear to win the championship.

Look, hey, if Ferrari in a position to win, I won Hamilton to win.

But Leclerc has always been my Hamilton understudy.

Yeah, fine.

And I'm now in this really awkward position where they're teammates and it's Ferrari.

And I genuinely wouldn't care.

I genuinely wouldn't care.

I do want Lewis to win.

But he's had so much sense he doesn't need it.

Well, I just want Leclerc to do it.

Because as well, I'll tell you what as well, by the way,

what does he do if he doesn't win this year?

Leclerc.

Yeah, because on a serious note, mate, he's been with that team seven or eight years now,

long time, and nothing's happening.

No.

And he deserves better.

He does.

And he's almost getting to a point where he's going to miss his moment.

I agree, because I think he operates at that level now where he's a proper driver.

Do you know what I mean?

He makes a lot less mistakes than he did a few years ago.

And he's like, properly fast.

Yes.

I think most analysts, when you hear them talk about it, would say over a single lap

in identical cars, most of their money's on Leclerc for the pole lap.

I'd agree.

But he's always been good at qualifying, right?

But I think, you know, that's what I mean in terms of speed.

I think he is regarded as probably the fastest over a single lap.

Championships and races may be different.

But that's what people who in the know seem to say.

Yeah, it's a great question, Mark.

If he's not competitive again, if Ferrari dropped the ball,

if he doesn't win the championship, if he doesn't fight,

I feel like he is committed for life.

I don't think he's going anywhere.

But, God, what a waste.

Because as well, they wouldn't be looking for one driver.

They're looking for two, because Lewis would be gone.

Yeah, you know, we're definitely not seeing Lewis stay there for years.

And Ollie Bearman's in the wings, isn't he?

But of course, I think this must be so weird as a sports person.

I would love to get some insight on this, you know, especially,

you know, you work all your life to get to the pinnacle.

And, you know, you're in a competitive team, whatever it might be.

It's not happening.

Is there a part of Leclerc's psyche, do we think,

that may have settled into the thought that you might not have a winner championship?

I don't know about that, mate.

It's weird, though, isn't it?

Because seven years in, he had one year where he was in the fight,

maybe one and a half years.

He was the first year with Vettel that he was one of those few races.

But really, I guess you could look at Lando's career and say, like, did he,

but he had a sort of quite an upward trajectory for Lando.

Every year there was a bit of improvement.

Yeah.

He said, working towards it, then you've got someone like Oscar,

who comes into a championship winning team almost straight away.

But, like, Leclerc, there must be some part of his human body,

has he got the same hunger?

I just would be fascinated.

Because, like, you follow football, you did.

I do.

You, you know, play for a kid, do your teens,

you make it to your big team, you sign for Man United on a five-year contract,

and you're just like, what's not going to ever win in the thing?

And that might be my moment.

Like, at what point do I go,

but I think that depends on the individual at that point.

And that's the difference between someone that's, like,

good and mediocre to the very best.

And I think that's probably the difference, you know,

where they'll push a bit harder or they'll go, well, I'm not having this.

I will win a championship.

I'm good enough.

You know, they don't, they won't settle for second best.

Because Alonso is convinced he will win another championship.

Well, he's deluded.

Do you know who he is?

Like, do you not get that from him?

He's been talking about that 15 years now.

And he literally just keeps blaming,

I mean, I've been so unlucky.

And so, I mean, you know,

how many times has there been a space available in a top car

and he's not got it?

Well, there'll be, there's a reason for that.

Oh, he's got it.

And then not being able to, you know,

deliver or fall in love with them or whatever.

Yeah, it's a weird one.

They're saying that bloody, I mean,

all the experts are saying that Us the Mighty won't finish the race.

They're not going to try to, are they?

They're not going to try to.

I suppose it's going to run a few laps and then call it in.

And then bow.

I mean, that's not funny, mate.

That isn't funny.

I suppose it's quite funny.

It's not.

I mean, it's not good for the sport actually.

No, no, no, no.

It'd be interesting to see how they dig the way out of that.

Yeah, they will, though.

They will, they will.

All four-wheel-on teams somehow do.

Yeah, they will.

God knows how.

Anyway, we are going to have to be wrapping things up.

Love you and leave you.

Well, yeah, because they're going to be kicking us out

of this lovely room in a moment.

We do have to continue on.

Well, I'd stay here.

They've got a Wi-Fi and we're going to play it.

Yeah, we're good.

We have to continue on with our fantastic Ix3 media drive,

as I say, exclusive episode in the car coming next week on that.

And then we'll be back afterwards, I guess, to review

the first few races of the season and see where we're at.

Then before we know it, we're going to be out on the road.

Just to mention, and we mentioned in the mention of the video,

few limited spaces still available for the aperitif at all.

That's the one coming up in April that we just did.

We're nearly closed books on that.

So just last chance, if you do want to come and join us,

three and a half days, five different countries,

amazing back roads, finishing off at the Nürburgring.

Bring any car.

We're like, it's super open, any car you want.

There's no level.

Obviously, it's just the actual entry price.

But once you're in, you've got your space,

you could bring anything you want.

And we'd like someone to bring some ink.

We like variety.

Variety, absolutely.

No, bring a bus.

Honestly, there's no pressure on that.

So yeah, go check it out on the road.tours.

And then our two flags prevents again, June and September.

That's Croatia and the Alps or Barcelona, Tom Monaco.

But anyway, we'd better go back to work

and go and fill that IX3.

So thank you very much for tuning in

and we will catch up with you very soon.

Bye-bye.

See ya.

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[S8, E16] Time To Sell My Challenge Stradale?

About this episode

Bmw Ix3

embargoed

Ferrari

top gear

Nürburgring

Green Hell

Hakone Turnpike

Porsche 911 Turbo S

Newton meters of torque

Michelin Pilot Supersport

Audi Quattro

big service

supercar

service plans

brake fluid

warranty

Porsche

wheel bearing

Porsche 911 GT3

Ferrari 488

hatchback

SUV

small city cars

electric cars

hybrid

Fiat 500

Ford Puma

5 Renault 5

Formula One

Formula 1

Mercedes

championship

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