A lively discussion unfolds as the hosts share their experiences from the Tokyo Motor Show, highlighting the new Toyota HiLux and Honda Prelude. They dive into the unique features of the Prelude, including its quirky history, and debate the HiLux's updates, focusing on comfort and market strategy. The conversation also touches on the importance of family-friendly marketing in the automotive industry, while sharing personal anecdotes and humorous banter. Notable mentions include the Genesis GV80 and a nostalgic look at the Hyundai Excel, which one host recently acquired.
Steph steps in to cover for Paul and she talks about her new classic Hyundai Excel.
We also chat about the new Toyota HiLux, the Tokyo Mobility show (better known as the Tokyo motor show), plus Gordie and Steph butt heads over Ute advertising...and Gordie is right - as usual.
If you haven't done so - subscribe to the show on your favourite podcast platform and hit us up at [email protected] if you have any questions you want us to read out on the show!
"What's the point? What am I going to do with this? Happy meal? Yeah. What are we going to do with this? Okay, so the Toyota, the Tokyo Motor Show..."
Toyota makes cars that are popular worldwide for being dependable and easy to maintain. They offer many different styles, from small city cars to big family SUVs.
Toyota is a Japanese automotive manufacturer known for reliable, fuel-efficient vehicles and a wide range of models from compact cars to SUVs.
"[708.9s] Bathurst 12-hour. Yes. And they're not in the GT series anymore..."
It’s a long car race in Australia where drivers and cars try to stay on the track for 12 hours straight, testing speed and durability.
The Bathurst 12-hour is a prestigious endurance race held annually at the Mount Panorama Circuit in Australia, where cars compete for 12 continuous hours.
"I'm at there. Good to say. So please stop. Lexus. Yeah. Yeah."
Lexus makes fancy cars that are comfortable and reliable, often chosen by people who want a luxury experience without paying as much as some other brands.
Lexus is the luxury vehicle division of Toyota, known for its refined interiors and smooth ride.
"I was rewarded for bad behavior. So I was in the GV70 and the GV80."
The GV70 is a small SUV from Hyundai that feels like a luxury car but costs less. It has a fancy interior, good safety tech, and can be powered by a regular engine or a hybrid.
The Hyundai GV70 is a compact luxury crossover SUV that debuted in 2020, offering premium interior materials, advanced safety features, and a range of powertrains including gasoline and hybrid options.
"I was rewarded for bad behavior. So I was in the GV70 and the GV80."
The GV80 is a larger SUV from Hyundai that feels like a luxury car. It has a roomy interior, high‑end materials, and can run on a regular engine or a hybrid.
The Hyundai GV80 is a full‑size luxury crossover SUV introduced in 2021, positioned above the GV70. It offers a spacious cabin, premium materials, and a choice of gasoline or hybrid powertrains.
"it was really good lane assist I can find. It tries to yank me in front of trucks a fair bit."
Lane assist is a safety feature that nudges the steering wheel to keep your car in its lane, so you don’t drift into oncoming traffic.
Lane assist is an advanced driver‑assist feature that helps keep a vehicle centered within its lane by providing steering inputs or warnings when the car drifts toward the lane markings.
"Which, by the way, Hyundai Excel now are great. Now, well, you know, well, you know, they're the I-30, right? That's sort of the family that it branched into."
The Hyundai i30 is a small car that many people use for commuting. It’s known for being reliable and having good safety features.
The Hyundai i30 is the successor to the Excel, a compact hatchback/ sedan that has become popular for its practicality and modern features.
"But we in touch with a Hyundai employee who was selling his Excel, which is the car that I've now bought. It’s a 1991 Hyundai Excel. It has less than 30,000 kilometers on it."
The Hyundai Excel is a small, inexpensive car that was sold in the U.S. in the 1980s and early 1990s. It’s known for being simple, easy to maintain, and a good choice if you want something cheap to drive.
The Hyundai Excel is a compact car produced by the South Korean manufacturer Hyundai from 1985 to 1994. The 1991 model is an early generation that was popular for its affordability and reliability in the U.S. market.
A granny spec is a car that has been heavily customized or worn out, giving it a unique look. It’s often seen in off‑road scenes.
A granny spec refers to a vehicle that has been heavily modified or worn, often with aftermarket parts and a distinctive, sometimes chaotic appearance.
"I have a friend who is the owner of the Muscle Car Warehouse. Right. And so I had a delivered there just while I got spruced up."
It’s a shop that sells and fixes old American muscle cars, like the classic Ford Mustang or Chevrolet Camaro.
Muscle Car Warehouse is a specialty automotive retailer and restoration shop that focuses on classic American muscle cars, offering parts, detailing, and custom work.
"So my Hyundai Excel is officially, if you're wondering what historic plates. It's officially part of the Sydney Prestige and Muscle Car Club."
Historic plates are special stickers you can put on a car that’s old or classic. They let you drive it sometimes, but only for a few days each year.
Historic plates are special license plates issued to vehicles that qualify as historic or classic cars, allowing limited use on public roads and often granting certain tax or insurance benefits.
"So it's not hydraulic steering, it's power, electric steering now."
Electric steering helps you turn the car more easily by using a small motor instead of fluid pressure. It’s lighter and can be tuned to feel different depending on the car’s settings.
Electric steering, also known as electric power steering (EPS), uses an electric motor to assist the driver in turning the wheels, replacing traditional hydraulic systems.
"people are paying $85,000, $90,000 drive away for a high-lux that is so old."
High‑lux cars are fancy, expensive vehicles that have a lot of comfort and tech features. Even if they’re older, people still pay top dollar for them.
High-lux refers to high‑luxury vehicles—cars that offer premium features, upscale interiors, and advanced technology but may be older models.
"Like the tech in it, the interior in it is just like you don't even get Apple CarPlay or Android Auto."
These systems let you use your phone’s maps, music, and messages on the car’s screen. They’re common in newer cars but some older models don’t support them.
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are infotainment platforms that allow smartphones to interface with a car’s display, providing navigation, music, and app access in a driver‑safe way.
"Well, Tesla is really good with that sort of stuff."
Tesla makes cars that run only on electricity instead of gasoline. They also have a big network of special charging stations so you can recharge your car while traveling.
Tesla, Inc. is an American automotive and energy company known for producing all-electric cars, battery energy storage, and solar products. Their vehicles are notable for high performance, advanced software, and a large network of fast-charging stations.
"It's a performance hybrid. So the hybrid engine is just going towards getting rid of any sort of turbo lag."
A performance hybrid is a car that uses both gasoline and electric power to make it faster and more efficient. The electric part helps the car start quickly and run smoother.
A performance hybrid combines an internal combustion engine with electric motors to deliver higher power and torque while improving efficiency. The electric assist can reduce lag and provide instant response.
"So the hybrid engine is just going towards getting rid of any sort of turbo lag."
Turbo lag is the moment when a car with a turbo engine feels slow to respond after you press the gas. Hybrids can help make that delay less noticeable.
Turbo lag is the delay between pressing the accelerator and the turbocharger providing boost pressure. Hybrid systems can mitigate this by using electric motors for instant torque.
"[2815.7s] They tell you how to drive that car.
[2816.7s] And I'm like, thank you, sir.
[2818.7s] Yes.
[2819.7s] I had a bit of a debate in my head whether we should put on the Mazda MX-5"
The Mazda MX‑5 is a small, two‑seat car that’s famous for being very easy to drive and fun on winding roads. It has a simple, lightweight design that makes it feel like a real sports car.
The Mazda MX-5, also known as the Miata in North America, is a lightweight, rear‑wheel drive sports car celebrated for its balanced handling and fun driving experience.
"So Mini Cooper S, Caballet, Porsche 911 GT3 hybrid,"
Caballet makes parts that improve the look or performance of Mini cars. They’re known for making good quality upgrades like better springs and body panels.
Caballet is a specialty aftermarket company that designs and manufactures performance parts for Mini vehicles, including suspension upgrades, body kits, and engine components.
"So you can sit in the back of the Bentley and drink a scotch. It’s smell of your violin."
Bentley makes fancy, expensive cars that are very comfortable and powerful. They’re often seen as a status symbol.
Bentley is a British luxury automobile manufacturer known for high-end, handcrafted cars that emphasize opulence and performance.
Select text to request an explanation
The driver's show podcast is looking for a sponsor. If you'd like to help Paul and Gordy fulfill their lifelong dream of reviving the world's greatest car brand, the Hugo. Let's face it, who doesn't want to see that happen? Here's your opportunity. Drop us a line at contact at the driver'sshowpodcast.com.au or send us a DM on our Instagram page. We'd love to work with you. In the late 80s, early 90s, I think one of their models, it had what they called a pervert lever. I've got one of those, too. Do you want to say? Yeah, can you put it away? Okay.
The driver's show. Paul Maric and Gordy Waters. How's the lighting? Is the lighting okay? Well, you've got a hat on, so. Yeah, but you requested a soft... No, no, no. I requested floodlights. A soft shadowy... No, I need... I need floodlights and Vaseline on the lens. Jesus. Oh, on the lens?
Yeah, yeah. Okay. What kind of show do you think this is? Well, I don't know how much of the show you've actually heard, but by the way, Steph Cooms is here and I'm just going through her list of demands. She has actually just finished a 45 minute foot massage from the cleaner, which I thought was... How was that? You know what? It was pretty good. She looked a bit tired at the end. Yeah, well. She started crying when she got to Bunyup Country. Yeah, and again, in my opinion, I have huge feet, so it takes quite a while to work from the top of the foot down to the bottom of the foot.
And from left to right. There was a mirror needed in here, but that was for me just so I can see myself in the reflection. Yeah, you haven't looked at me once. We have a bowl of M&Ms here, too, which Steph demanded. The brown ones get picked out. Yeah. Not for any racist reasons or anything like that. I think you just thought they were almonds. I don't know what was... Let's just... Are we going to air all my dirty laundry, okay? Yes. All of it? Well, including your underpants, which by the way, sunny side up, left on the floor and on a good look. I'm leaving. We need to talk about cars.
I guess if you want. But it would be really nice if I could get those dry cleaned and returned to me. Not like last time, where I didn't get them back. You didn't get your clothes back. Are you wearing my underpants right now? Yes. I'm using them. I use them as a hand out while I cook them bacon. I'm going to have this Turkish delight while we talk. Oh, don't do that to them. They don't want to hear that. That's so gross. Really gross. That always looks a little sourced when you look at it from the inside. Brown on the outside, pink in the middle. I don't know what you're referring to.
A bumhole. No, it's a bumhole, I say. Yeah. I don't know. I don't stare that directly into bumholes all that. Don't you? No, I don't. You should check your own bumhole every now and then. For health reasons. I thank you. Right, of all those, my muscle chefs and stuff that you ate, you should really check your poo. Nothing is said in confidence here. I don't eat well. Use what we were discussing before. You kindly bought me a dinner, which is lovely. That stopped me from digging around in the bin like a possum. Yes. Which you were doing, by the way.
That's how I found you downstairs. I was sure whether to bring you in or she you out with a broom. Thank you for choosing the one where you brought me up and you fed me. Yeah, I brought you in a towel. I put you in a cardboard box. And I hissed. And then poked you a couple of times. I'm like, okay, I think she's ready. Yeah, no, and that's all cars. But yeah, I ate a lot of microwave food. It's just because I was saying this before, but eating is just an imposition. And if we could just get the soil and green version of eating where you just get fed
nutritional paste. And ideally, you know, ideally not made out of people, but I'd be kind of okay with that anyway. Then I'd just be a happier person. I feel like I feel like breastfeeding for you. It's just like you were just straight to the point. I am done with nutrition now, mother. It's just give me soil and green. I didn't know what that 1960s reference is. I know. It's a little bit too high brow. Yeah, it's going to very like you prefer me to bring in some, like, I don't know gladiator references. Yeah, bring in some Russell Crowe stuff. Not your bloody nine.
1960s. I'm a library teacher vibe. Sorry, some people on this show like to read. How are you? I'm good. It's been a while since I've been on this show. It's been a hot minute. Pavley, since he's condolences. Have you noticed you've never seen us in the same time in the same room? Well, I know that you've been in the same room before. We were. We were actually. I was in Japan for the Tokyo mobility show, which was unbelievably cool. Two years ago, I paid for myself to go to the Tokyo
mobility show. This is how much I love this stuff, right? And I got sent this time to go and cover. Should I say the Honda? The Honda, no, the Honda store in particular. It's been a long day already. So does that mean like Honda sent you over there? Yeah. So we were. I was writing for news.com today. You and Honda had some stuff that they wanted to show us. They wanted to show us the new prelude. They wanted to show us the new super one. I've got a lot to say on both of those. The super one is the first electric car that Honda is bringing to
Australia. It's a little bit like a K-Car, K-E-I, those little Japanese guys are not technically a K-Car because a K-Car is very underpowered. And you can't have those on Australian roads usually because they're too dangerous. So the super one looks like a K-Car. It's cute and it's round or whatever. It's just, it's just got a bit of safety rating than that. And it was great. It was fun. But. By the way, what is your vibe on the prelude? Because looking on paper, I thought it looked kind of cool. It sort of fell off.
It looked underpowered. I think the vibe is. It's not fast but it is fun. Paul, it sounded really well where he said it's a fast slow car. And I liked that line. And I was like, oh, pass that on to it. Do I rip that off and pass it off as my mind? But no, I won't. Those were his words. And I think that for a lot of people, yeah, they will feel like it is a slightly underpowered car. And it is a hybrid. And you know, the powertrain is not extremely like gutsy and exciting. But the history of the prelude is that it wasn't
ever really like a sports car. It was never a, you know, it was a genuine. It's probably a grand tour, if anything. Yeah. And it's about confidence, about handling. So you never had a car that was blistering. It was a car. That's why it was called a secretary's car in Australia. Or when I was a hairdresser's car in Australia, it was a secretary's car in America. And that was because it kind of looks sporty. And then you drove and it was a little bit gutless. So I kind of got that reputation in Japan. Here's a fun prelude fun fact. In Japan, it was known as a date car. The date car. It was. But it had
a, it had a bad reputation in Japan. And this was this flew under the radar. It was in the late 80s, early 90s. I think one of their prelude models. It had what they called a pervert lever. Okay. I've got one of those two. Do you want to say? Can you put it away? Okay. The pervert lever was when you had the chair recline. Right. Usually when you have the chair recline, it's on the side of the door. Okay. And that's how the passengers in control of that. But in the prelude,
in Japan, the passenger seat recline was in easiest reach for the driver. So. So if you're driving with a partner and you decide like we've gone to make out point and we're going to get more serious, the driver would be able to like hunk down your seat. Oh, give you a big hunk. Yeah. And then that's why I had this date car reputation. That's not like the prolly of something you would drive. Just so you could just do a bit of honking. What can I say? This is my part. Yeah. But yeah. But anyway, so that that's the history of the car.
The car is that it's never been like a really gutsy, growly car. And this one wasn't the hybrid would be disappointing, but the simulated manual mode was really convincing. It was very fun. I reckon people aren't going to be wildly. There'll be some enthusiasm. Some people who really liked the history of the car and who had it, you know, maybe in there, they think that it's going to be a big Gen X car. They think Gen X is going to go mad for it. So maybe it'll just have that nostalgia. Now I can, yeah, now I can finally afford it. We don't know pricing yet. I suspect it will be
expensive. He is a bit expensive. The thing is, like, you don't see many preludes on the road now. They were discontinued in early 2000, something like, you know, a lot of them just don't exist anymore. But they're still just not a huge amount of love for there. There's not like a huge cult vibe from them. Maybe this is just me, right? Because I am actually a bit of a Honda fan girl. I would love a prelude. And I keep my eye open on the Facebook marketplace. I can tell you would love a prelude. I would. I know. Yeah. It's the
love at Lever. I did ask if they had it in this model. They do not. They didn't continue. They didn't continue that one. But they are too much. Jesus. We ruined it for everyone. You ruined it. You ruined the bloody. What do you call it? The point lever? What do you call it? You ruined it. We did. We did. You only a bloody equal rights. Jesus. But they're like, oh, it's, you know, it's still got the date car DNA. It's like, yeah, but I can't force my date to recline. You know, while we're at make out point, can I?
What's the point? What am I going to do with this? Happy meal? Yeah. What are we going to do with this? Okay, so the Toyota, the Tokyo Motor Show, I guess, or the Tokyo Mobility Show, which by the way does sound like something for disabled people. Well, I mean, that is actually why I thought you were there. I don't take that as an insult because it's not an insult. Thank you. Mobilities for everyone. Of course. That actually was a big part of the show. Honestly, like a assisted mobility. Japan has a big
aging population. And there's a lot of stuff that supported that because they've got a huge crisis coming as their population gets older and there's not enough people to look after. They eat too bloody healthy over there. That's their problem. Right. They need a bit of a turn around. Give them some microwave meals. I can get them some tips. Exactly. If I make it to 40, if you want that, I'll be like, if you want that bean bag like stomach, whatever it is with your bits of plastic in it. Hey, Miyagi, I got a fucking deal for you. Eats of microplastics. Yes. I mean, which is it going?
We ate your box of shit and get out of it. Cut your bonsai tree. Eat your meal. There's your plot in the ground. Yeah, too much mindfulness, too much good living, too much lifestyle. So that look, the mobility is a big part of it. But they also just had some cool stuff, right? No, it was a cool stuff. I think that Toyota had a few really fun things on there. Is that what they revealed the high locks? No, they had the, or if they didn't say it, no, they had the new century.
Oh, yes, that was like, yes, the SUV. Yeah, it looked great because it was so shiny. And it was this really violent orange color and under the lighting.
And they were like, oh, this is the car that gives us vision for the future. They were a bit emotional about it. How much will it be? I don't know. Would you buy a Toyota instead of a Bentley? Are you nodding?
I would, but I would buy a century, one of the new centuries every day of the week, every day. Yeah, because like for say, let's say half the price, you're getting one of those cars, half the price of a Rolls-Royce and way less wonky. Like, I'm sorry, but a lot of the new rolls are so I fucked up the Bentley, the Bentley Bentayga is a shit car. It's so shit. It's so shit. It's so overrated. It's like, oh, half a million bucks felt like a heavy piece of junk.
Have you driven it? Yes. Why are you driving Bentley's? And I'm not driving Bentley's. That doesn't seem fair. Why? Because I should have a Bentley. Where's my Bentley?
Well, what have you done to get a Bentley? What have you done to get a Bentley? I started a podcast. Yeah, well, maybe this will be enough. Hey, Bentley.
Yeah, and I won't come on a rubbish. So, you know, that's the whole point of the podcast. I'm not going to lie to people. They're shit cars.
Okay, okay, all right, all right, all right. If there's shit, I won't lie. I also have a soft spot for Bentley because I love the
Bathurst 12-hour. Yes. And they're not in the GT series anymore, which is tragic, I think. But when I saw that green Bentley win the
Bathurst, like what? That's cool. It was sick because I don't think of them as racing cars. They're like comfortable couches. Yeah. And to see like a couch win an endurance race was
sick and
the next year they're out of it. I'm going to talk about an old Bentley later on, which we'll get to in a sec. Not totally shit-counting, Bentley. I just
think a lot of them are overrated. But yeah, I think the century was pricing, obviously, not out. Will it come to Australia?
No, but the other thing is is like, you know, they're like, we have this new luxury brand. It's like, whoa, century, you know,
obviously it's been around before, but like, oh, we're launching it's beautiful. And then like, this is premium and meanwhile in the corner, Lexus is like,
oh, I don't know either. It's me. Like get in the corner. Yeah. Get in the corner. You're adopted. Get in the corner. You're pretty bitch. Yeah. So Lexus is now. That was my impression of Toyota, complete with Japanese accents. Yeah. And I was just going to let that one go through the key for. But thank you for bringing your attention back to it. But Lexus, yeah, which I felt like, oh, that's must make them feel a little bit like who are we in the market. If you've got this, like, axles.
You're like, holy shit, amazing brand. And then Lexus, which is a premium brand, but it's not the big shiny, beautiful orange supercar that they've just released.
Lexus, you've been great shame off family. Oh, my God. This is absolutely not. I actually speak a bit of Japanese. I do. You ready? No, don't have a conversation. Absolutely not.
I'm at there. Good to say. So please stop. Lexus. Yeah. Yeah. You'll bring shame off your family. Very bad. I'm not going to say, this is okay. I feel like I have to talk about a European car or something to stop this from having. I feel like you watched the karate kid. And that's kind of all that you've absorbed me.
Yagi Stephanie, son, bonsai. I basically wanted to I want to I've always wanted like to beat up the bully in the car park. And somebody, I thought you were the bully in the car park. No, I'm the hero of this story. Okay.
Somebody hands me a gigantic way oversized trophy. And just says, you're all right. La Rousseau. You're all right.
Affirmative. Affirmative film. That's what I wanted. Yeah, right.
Hey, we should talk about you last time you were on here. You were like, oh, I don't care for Genesis. Stop it.
I was dead. I leave a great name of Genesis. I was such a jerk about Genesis. You were such a shit canner. I was just like, yeah, I just think they look a little bit boring.
And then I think that would brilliant. And I told you how good they were. I told you they wanted my boss genuinely. My boss the other day said, hey, I'm tossing up between a BMW X3. And that's it. And I said, fuck your X3. Get a Genesis. And you never heard of them. He goes, what are they? And I told him, hey, they're like the Lexus of Yanday. But they are South Korean just gold.
Just go get it. And buy them. Don't buy them. You buy them second hand. There's a fair few people downstairs to that of us. I've spruced a good name of Genesis.
Look, I and I will in my words. I said that when I saw them drive by I was like, oh, is that an interesting car? And then I'm like, is it by second hand?
Yeah. Why by second hand? Because they lose a lot of value on resale. Yeah.
So if you want it, you'll save a lot of money if you buy it. Stop the lot. But having said that, I don't think that's necessarily fair because I think that it's brand recognition is the problem.
Because I, I should can them. They reached out to you. They listened to this podcast. They did. And they went, hey, Steph, why don't you drive this car before you say something?
Yeah. And I'm like, oh, okay. Sorry. So I was rewarded for bad behavior. So I was in the GV70 and the GV80. And both cars were really good.
So good. It was so good. It was so fun. And they drove beautifully. The engine sounded amazing.
I think it had this like really low, grumbly sound. It was really responsive to drive. I actually think the GV80 though, I think was a better car on the road.
So good. That was stunning. It was actually really, really comfortable to drive.
They're so well-kitted out. That sports coupe that I had back in. I think it was July. They were amazing. And like, they've got all the BS in the back, the TV screens and stuff like that, which probably not necessary.
But I like the fact that they're there. Yes, such a cool car. But like that's it. It has all the silly tech, which you can love or ignore or whatever. But it's there. A lot of people want it.
I think a lot of people for me, it's basically got like all the high-end lucks tech that you're getting in European cars, but you're not paying that price.
But there has the engine and the feel of the car. It's got everything to back it up. It actually feels good on the road. And I thought that the tech was less intrusive, like the safety tech, I think especially in the GV80,
it was really good lane assist I can find. It tries to yank me in front of trucks a fair bit. I don't know if you've experienced that on lane assist. But whereas I thought all of the safety tech was an intrusive, which was nice. So yeah, anyway, so I eat my words on that one.
But Genesis, yes, Gordy as well. I gave you a hard time for that, but I will say that was a nice car.
It's a great car. And weirdly, did this end you getting an Excel?
There is a wonderful story here. This is actually the best thing that's happened to me this year. I've been in the lookout for a while. I've really wanted a pristine ship box.
That's my thing. A bad car and average car that's in really good condition that's quite old because if you're buying a Ferrari, you're looking after it and you have this understanding that it will either keep its value or appreciate it value.
And that's why there are a lot of pristine looking supercars that are quite old. But you don't get that for bad cars. No one buys a Hyundai Excel or any of these small cars.
Which, by the way, Hyundai Excel now are great. Now, well, you know, well, you know, they're the I-30, right? That's sort of the family that it branched into.
But as I was handing back the Genesis, the case, there was this really old looking car in the lot. And it had perfect paintwork.
And if you're looking for a shitty old car, paintwork is, you know, the one.
Oh, when you were handing back the keys to the Genesis, so this was in the Hyundai headquarters.
Yes. Well, anyway, so this wasn't the sprint though. And I was like, it was a pony, the predecessor to the Excel.
Anyway, so the pony was there. And I said to the guys, I'm like, what's the deal with that car? I'm like, that's a beautiful old car.
The paint on that is exquisite. And they're like, oh, yeah, we used it for a photo shoot. I reckon they might be getting rid of it.
And I'm like, no one like, like, I was putting my arms around it like, don't take this baby away from me. You know, I'll look after her.
And they're like, yeah, just get in touch with your car person and say what the deal is because it's like if they get to throw it out.
And I was like, that's terrible.
But anyway, so I got in touch. And they were like, all right, you know, no, it hasn't actually got an engine in it, which would have been a problem for me.
And it's got a little bit of historic value. It's got a bit of a story that car. And they're like, but I reckon I know something that you like.
But we in touch with a Hyundai employee who was selling his Excel, which is the car that I've now bought.
It's a 1991 Hyundai Excel. It has less than 30,000 kilometers on it.
It's brand new. It was garaged. It's the sprint edition. It's got these like pinstried stickers.
Yeah, the stickers make it.
The stickers are still on there. They look so good. They look incredible. And the caps, the wheels.
Yeah, the plastic cup caps. It has all four of them. This car. It's a granny spec.
Absolutely. Yeah. It's imperfect. It's a five-speed manual. It's in perfect condition. It's like it's brand new, which means it's still a chicart.
And how much is a chicart then? It's chicart now. How much do you pay for it?
$5,000. Oh, you got it for five grand. That's amazing. That's amazing.
I reckon that's probably what it's worth. No, it's not.
I reckon that's what it's worth. If this person's listening, I would have paid eight.
You wouldn't have loved it like me, though. I would have.
No, but I would have loved the fact that I have it and you don't.
Yeah, and I would have, because then it would have been a bidding war, because I really wanted it.
And I took it to a friend. I've got a friend who is the owner of the Muscle Car Warehouse.
Right. And so I had a delivered there just while I got spruced up.
Every car in that place is worth more than my mortgage like twice over.
It's unbelievable. I've got the most insane cars.
But they treated my Hyundai Excel like it was this VIP car.
It was on the floor of their warehouse. They detailed it. It looked amazing.
They put like the Muscle Car Warehouse plates on it while they were doing work on it.
Say good. Meanwhile, there's like a walking shore next to it that's done.
You know, it's never been registered. That's worse, you know, $600,000.
And they were like, oh, look, we'll help you out.
You know, I know someone who has a car club.
So my Hyundai Excel is officially, if you're wondering what historic plates.
It's officially part of the Sydney Prestige and Muscle Car Club.
Oh, good. And so you're on historic plates on that thing?
Yeah, yeah, yeah. So you can only drive it like how many Ks per year?
Not very far. So it's more days, I think.
So you've got like 50 or 60 days of the year. You're allowed to drive.
But I didn't drive it here. I was like, oh, no, no, no, no.
I live in the eastern suburbs near the water.
All right.
All right.
All right.
There's more games with the shiny classic car.
That's not where my mortgage is.
Classic car.
But the problem with these old cars have risen by not many of them existed,
particularly that era of the Hyundai.
You tipped the paint in a week.
The panel would just have rusted off.
Yeah.
There was so susceptible to rust.
So all of these cars, they just do not exist on the road.
I cannot have this within 100 kilometers of any kind of ocean.
I'm keeping it with my parents, which are in the Southern Highlands
just to keep it nice and fresh.
Fresh.
Nice.
Yeah.
That's my, so thank you.
Because of this podcast, I met the love of my life, my Hyundai self.
There you go.
This podcast brings, I was going to say, people together, things together.
What do you think of the Toyota Hilux?
Yeah, look, so I was at the launch for that a short while ago.
It's an interesting car, always.
I think that it's hard, right?
Because that's a car that people love.
And there is a big argument to be made for.
If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Yeah, I think at some point, though, progress has got to take shape.
And I question whether this was enough.
So putting that old, what is it?
There's still kept the 2.8 liter four-cylinder turbo diesel in it.
So here's the thing, right?
There's a lot of carry over.
So it's the same chassis, it's the same engine.
And that 2.8 liter four-cylinder is going to be across all the variants.
We've lost the cheaper petrol models.
And I think that there was a 2.4 liter diesel as well that's now gone.
The biggest change, I think, if you're going from one driving experience to the next,
is the steering is really different.
So it's not hydraulic steering, it's power, electric steering now.
And that makes it really beautiful on the road.
The comfort is really good.
The interior has been changed for comfort.
They need that.
Oh my god.
People, do you know what's wild up until even now, as we record this episode,
people are paying $85,000, $90,000 drive away for a high-lux that is so old.
Like the tech in it, the interior in it is just like you don't even get Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.
Well, now you do.
So that's now across it.
And what it does is it makes this car competitive again.
A little bit longer.
I think in the market.
So it keeps it alive.
What I'm guessing is that they can see that the dual-cabute market is getting more competitive
and it's softening.
A lot of people who have these cars have these cars now.
A lot of the tax advantages that really brought people into buying them have finished up.
So why would you reinvest a lot of money and time resources into it when they're probably going to get diminishing returns?
So keep it afloat a little bit longer.
I mean, look.
There's no doubt about it.
Yeah.
The thing is, I just think the price pointed out that they haven't quite done enough.
Like it's, it might have kept it in the game, but I don't think it's enough for it to,
they should have done more for it to lead in the game.
I think that that's strategic though.
I'd like these guys don't do anything that's like they know exactly what the market is worth
and they can project where it's going to be in a few years' time.
I think that they have done exactly what they think makes sense in the market.
And they're not trying to win.
They don't need to be number one.
They're selling enough.
And if they, you know, there's no point,
spending double to completely redevelop the car to get back to number one
and sell, you know, a few thousand more units.
The amount, it's diminishing returns, I think, is probably what they've decided.
I feel like if they put just a little more something into it.
Yeah, I mean, and a lot of people agree.
But if you don't like that, you've got a lot of other options and you're never going to please anyone.
He's my thing about you.
All right.
He's my controversial ladies opinion on you.
And God knows men love it when women have an opinion on you.
But the thing, I reckon all these car manufacturers are missing a trick here.
What do you mean?
Well, Kea and Tasman did the same thing.
When you're looking at the ads that those guys ran,
it's blokey blokes, doing blokey, you stuff,
and they're all tradies or whatever.
And it's sports stuff.
Nope, but don't you?
And now for the highlights, it's the same thing.
It's blokey bloke, but they're all pushing the one line,
which is tradies are men, right?
And definitely, obviously, you two are something that's being driven a lot by tradies.
That's the market they're trying to capture.
There is a secondary market that everyone is intent on ignoring.
The guys who are buying this, often are family men.
And if you're buying a car, you can't just have one person driving it.
If you're a family, your wife's going to need to drive that
to take to the shops to drop off the kids.
We would have just ignored in this at all.
And if you look at all the changes that have been made in the high-lux,
they're all comfort changes.
The car is more comfortable to drive.
That's it, none of this is about performance, all they've done.
In the high-lux?
Yeah.
It's a more comfortable car to sit in to drive.
It's also a different look.
Yeah, and I feel like I can talk about that in a moment,
because I also have feelings on the appearance of this thing.
But the way that it's marketed, I think that they're forgetting
the secondary market, which is that this wouldn't be
the most popular car.
You just wouldn't be the most popular car in Australia
if they weren't serving as family cars.
And I think that if they want to get these sales across,
you have to say to women, because I was talking to someone
at work the other day, who was like, oh, yeah,
I wanted to, I wanted you, but my wife said absolutely not.
And I'm like, well, there's your problem.
Like, you've got to show this as a car that's actually useful for,
you know, he's a tough, shady driving it.
And then you get to take it to the shops or whatever.
And it's convenient because you chuck your groceries in it.
But that side of it is being ignored by all these car manufacturers.
But isn't that what SUVs are more popular than ever?
But that's the thing.
They're trying to make you it's closer to the SUV,
but also, but kind of covertly marketing to this group,
rather than overtly marketing to this group.
And I think it's mostly weekend warrior dad types
who are getting these high-range,
specced up off-roading vehicles,
whether or not they actually take it anything, you know,
off-dirt is remained safe.
So I'm just looking out, I'm just chat GPTing.
What's the most popular?
I don't use chat GPTing.
What's the most popular style of car in Australia?
In Australia today, the most popular style of car is in a little sedan.
It's a larger vehicle, like SUVs and euths.
SUVs coming in at number one, sports utility vehicles, SUVs.
They've become the clear favorite in-body style for Australians,
accounting for around 60% of all new vehicle sales.
Second, euths.
So the thing is, I think what you're saying is very true,
but that's why SUVs have kind of climbed to number one.
In 2024, the top-selling car was still the Ford Ranger, right?
And then we had the RAV4, which is an SUV,
and then we had the high-lux.
Yeah.
You are not driving.
I don't think that these Ford Rangers and these high-luxers
are selling really well.
They're not just being sold just to tradisers.
That's just not it.
They have this secondary life.
But you want to sell more cars.
But no tradis buying one of those Toyota RAV4s.
But men are still involved in the marketing.
You still have, this is the thing.
I'm not saying that it's not an inclusivity thing.
I think it's just business sense that the people who are driving
these top-of-the-range just because tradis aren't getting...
They're advertising you.
They're advertising you.
Straight up and down.
You advertise it as a woman's car when clearly the woman...
No, no, no, no.
It's not advertising as a woman's car.
It is advertising it as sure he can go put the cement bags
in the back.
And then have a couple of shots of women driving
to do whatever the hell they want.
Just have a picture of a woman in a car doing something maneuvering it.
They are so absent from the campaign that is, to me,
I think ignoring the secondary market.
And it's why people...
I don't care.
I have no skin in this game really.
Like, I'm not buying these.
But I just think that they're missing a trick.
They're missing a trick.
This is what the cars are used for.
They're making the cars more comfortable
because people are driving them like SUVs.
Just acknowledge the fact.
acknowledge the fact that they might be family involved in this.
I think the advertising is derivative.
I think they might be, but I don't understand.
Because if you want to sell stuff, you want to show people
using the car who would be using the car.
That's the thing.
Yeah, but clearly, like a youth is for a treaty.
There's no doubt about it.
What do you think it should be more of a family car?
I think that that is why a lot of people are buying them.
It wouldn't...
The ranger would not be the top selling car in Australia
if it didn't have a secondary market of people who are using their pay.
How many women do you see driving rangers?
What?
Yeah, but...
What's the thing?
A percentage-wise.
I'm not sitting there with a notebook.
But that's a thing.
You buy them...
It's a family car.
I think for a lot of people.
Because you buy them so you can have the horse trailer
or the caravan off the back.
And that's a family activity.
Well, I just...
I think now, like the youth is definitely more of a family car
than it used to be.
Yeah.
Because when we were growing up, the youth was two seats in the front.
Yeah.
Just enough for the treaty and maybe an apprentice.
Yeah, exactly.
But now, like the treaty wants to use it as a main car.
So that's hence why the dual cabs are popular.
I think you're spending $75,000 on a car.
You're probably between 35 to, let's say, 65.
And I reckon that that means that you're likely to have kids.
And that means that the car is going to be used for two purposes.
I don't reckon...
I'm not saying that you need to paint it pink and, you know,
call it the tampon reveal.
I just think that...
That's a great idea, though.
Yeah.
That's how you drive it.
I would drive the tampon reveal.
But you just need to...
I just think that it's just a...
Just a market that would make sense to acknowledge.
Because in advertising, right, if everyone is zicking,
it pays to be zagging.
I'm seeing the same fucking ad over and over again.
Give me an example.
It's like, okay, every ad you see red dirt
and just bloke's driving around a rugged red dirt
and they're always 2030 something, right?
And they're just doing tough shit.
That's the ad.
That's all it is.
Which ad?
Whether or not they use exactly what we saw,
but that's a variation of what the high-lux ad is.
That's exactly what the Tasman ad is.
Of the Tasman ad's not that at all.
The Tasman is probably one of the most genius ads ever.
That's just a bunch of sports people.
They're pretending to be tradies.
They're spitting around these rugged tradies.
No, there's haves of sports women in that ad.
There's two or three, but that's still the idea.
Let me finish.
Right, okay.
No, no, no, no, no.
Let me finish because then you have,
I think the high-lux ad which was the same thing.
Why don't we, when we're doing this,
like the tradies driving it,
why not just have a cutaway of all,
like have a couple fighting over who gets to use the keys.
And he wants to go take it for off-roading
and she wants to go take a back road to pick up something.
Like have this struggle between two people
wanting to drive this car.
Just reckon that, again, in advertising,
if everyone is zicking, it pays to be zagging.
There's a secondary market that we know exists
because they wouldn't be popular just, just acknowledge it.
In any of your advertising material, just acknowledge it.
And I reckon that that would go well.
I reckon they'd sell more cars.
Really?
I don't know why you're so offended by that.
I'm not offended by it.
I just don't agree with that.
You just do not think that at all acknowledging the fact
that 50% of the population may be interested in driving this car.
Because if they were interested in driving that car,
that would be buying that car.
I reckon that they are also driving that car
and buying that car.
And maybe they'd be more interested in buying that car,
Lordy, if they had some ads telling them
that it would be a good thing to buy.
That's what advertising is that changes opinion
that those people on.
Again, I'm not working.
I get no commission for you sold.
But I reckon that if you got rid of that, like,
you know, the wife says there's no way we're buying that car
because it's really, you know, I don't want to be seen in it.
If you could fix that, you could sell more stuff.
And I reckon that's what they want to do.
Really?
I think they do.
We need to bring the pink tampon car out.
And watch these ads.
If you see any women driving them.
Here, Tasman one.
I think I've proved my point about the key, Tasman.
All I'll say is, let's look at...
Actually, I think you're right.
We say the shark.
I look at the shark at it and that's like,
mud and glow up.
But to be fair, I can't remember seeing a guy in that car.
Yeah, Ranger.
Also, I saw an ad it was more mud and stuff.
And then they were young couple and they went camping.
And I'm like, no, I don't think they're young.
I don't think that it's young couples.
So I think that young couples aren't buying stuff that's worth this much.
So you can be advertising.
The people who are getting paid lots
and have fed all this information about demographics
and all this sort of stuff that the client brief,
you think that they've got it totally wrong.
I don't think they have it totally wrong,
but I do think that they are, again, covertly marketing these people.
If you're making it more comfortable and you're talking about ride comfort,
which was a lot of what the Hilux was,
you've got the lower spec models that are tuned, you know,
for the car to be really good when it's got a lot of weight in the back,
and then the higher spec models had much better tuning for softer roads.
You said the big tough trades shouldn't have comfort.
Obviously, they should and that's why people drive it.
But the cars are looking and the Tasman as well.
This is stuff they were telling us at the launchers.
Like, it is more comfortable and we know that people are using for SUVs,
acknowledge the fact that families have it.
Why don't these ads have any families in them?
I just think it's a strange blind spot.
I'm surprised that you haven't convinced me, but I'm open to the argument.
You know when Ford got number one with their cars?
You know who the person, there was one single person
that was responsible for that in their advertising,
and it was a woman, and she sold fuckloads of cars.
They'd never done it before. You can look her up.
That whole ad campaign, they used her for years,
and she was a total monopoly.
She sold a shit ton of cars for them, including you, including everything.
I don't know her name.
She's just an actress.
Let me ask Chageeb it here.
Why? Why don't you trust it?
Why? Because it's proving you wrong.
It's going to take your job.
Fuckin' it can happen.
If Chageeb it wants to talk about the new one from Justin Bieber.
All right, here we go.
Hey, who was the lady who was...
Oh, fuck, I don't know.
That was great.
Are you there?
Yeah, I'm right here.
No worries.
Okay, just stop talking.
Who was the lady who was doing the advertising
for the Ford commercials a couple of years ago?
Oh.
Sure, that would be Naira Dawn Fair.
She was the actress who did those Ford commercials in Australia a couple of years back.
Oh yeah, Naira Dawn Fair.
Okay, have you got a photo of her?
There we go.
It even sounds...
International, too.
Sounds like they're hitting all the demographics that you're hoping for.
I don't care about demographics.
I think I'm really getting the diversity higher on it.
You're still not pleased.
Can you show me a photo of her please?
Oh, that chick.
Oh, yeah.
Oh, oops.
I kind of remember her.
Yeah, but that's...
I think that that only goes to my point, doesn't it?
Yeah, but it proves you point wrong.
No, it doesn't.
Car companies were doing exactly that.
And it succeeded and then they never did it again.
No, I think that...
I just look at...
Look at some new ads again.
I don't...
I know this is very threatening.
I don't think it should be threatening.
I just think that...
I just think that...
I think it wouldn't be that crazy if considering that women are 50% of the population
and they do often make the decisions about car purchases,
that you just have one picture of them driving the you once.
Just one.
Just try it out.
Just try it out.
I know it's crazy.
But we have licenses now.
Just one picture of them driving.
You know, we're more than 50% of the population.
I kind of feel like it's almost weird that we don't, you know?
Just one picture of them holding a steering wheel.
Okay.
Yeah, just one.
Just one.
Just one?
And then I'll be quiet.
Maybe it will work, maybe it may be wrong.
Maybe women don't ever ever buy cars and have no opinions
when families are making $75,000 purchases.
Maybe that's entirely a masculine thing.
I think that we should acknowledge
that women exist in these ones.
But you know, that is my crazy lady brain talking.
Oh, that's an answer.
Australian car mechanics, and they've got a woman doing the advertising.
Oh, they love to say that.
Okay, yeah, yeah.
Are you just googling women driving cars?
No, you don't be silly.
You are silly.
Don't be silly.
Don't be silly.
Don't be silly.
It's just something I've noticed.
Just something I've noticed.
Just something you've noticed.
I'll say you need one more.
And by the way, I'm not a threat anymore.
There's one woman on the show and she starts saying,
Oh, come on.
Come on.
Come on.
We've had Trevor Long on several times.
Hey, I wanted to talk about top three cars, right?
Yeah.
For, I thought this would be fun to do little lists
and maybe people can vote for the favorite
if we threw down like a top three and gave it a category.
Okay.
All right.
So if we did like say the top three road trip cars.
Ooh.
I think we've talked to Genesis GV80.
That's got to be on there.
That has to be, I took that on a road trip.
Yep.
Same.
The funniest thing about that car, right?
I actually had friends in the back seat.
And in the-
Do your friends.
Sometimes.
Sometimes.
If you've got a nice car.
Are they women?
They're all men.
Oh, there you go.
And they're all my little passenger princesses.
Yeah.
I was like, you can get in my car but you have to wear a dress
and you're going to, you know, invest in the entire car.
Did you have the prelude kind of thing on it?
Yeah, the prelude.
I all sat in the back.
They weren't risking the front seat.
I don't blame them.
I don't blame them.
Yeah.
I heard her vagina has teeth.
It does.
Yeah.
It does.
Can you believe I'm single?
No.
That's crazy.
No, I've got no idea.
I mean, you just need a guy driving a U.
You'll be fired.
I'll be fucking driving.
He'll be sitting in the back passenger princesses.
Oh my God.
Can you imagine if like you started dating a guy
and you went out on a date with a guy and you said,
what car are you driving?
He goes, I drive a U.
I would be like, cool.
Would you?
Yes.
Why would I have no problem?
I feel like I've been painted like a shrew.
I just think boy, if you'd selling an ad,
having a one picture of a woman driving,
isn't that radical?
Okay, I told you.
I'm sorry.
I knew it.
I stepped into an FM radio station.
This is a dead of snakes.
I'd like to call it a room full of assassins, babe.
Yeah.
So, yeah, when I had my passenger princess guys in the back,
you have these screens right in the backseat
and you can start a mode or a mood or something like that.
And there was like, oh, we will enact relaxation mode.
And from the backseat, your press this button,
the lights in the car change around the trim
to sort of match the mood.
You get relaxing music playing through the speakers,
which is, I don't know, I find that very funny.
And you get a scent.
And there's a scent.
It wasn't loaded into this car, I couldn't find.
But they're quite expensive, I think, to refill.
You basically get some massage, too.
It actually smells like noodles from South Korea.
I'd actually really love that.
Yeah.
But can you imagine, though, I don't have kids.
Don't you?
If you work, what?
Can I do not like this representation of me?
I was an annoying kid.
If I had that option to piss off my family,
I would be just like hammering the moods all the time,
just to annoy them.
I don't know if I want my backseat passengers
being able to curate the mood of the car
at their discretion and not me.
Can you imagine Paul in that car?
He'll just be like, yeah, it's got a bloody...
Let's chuck on this.
Let's chuck on the scent.
It's pie causing intergestion scent.
Ha ha ha.
Oh.
That's...
I'm setting the mood now on our stiff mood.
I should give him more...
More Croatian-less travelong.
Yeah.
Oh my god.
I'm eating a lolly.
Yeah, no.
You chose the chewiest lolly.
You were boring me.
Sorry.
I was not talking about gender stuff
then I was talking about the genesis.
I thought you'd like that.
Okay, that's better.
Okay, so let's chuck a genesis on the list.
So that's on there.
But just because I want to piss you off,
I'm going to put a forward,
arrange a wild track over there.
I have no ideological issue with youths.
Baby gags.
Shush.
Okay.
Shush puts it down.
So...
I took...
I took...
I actually have one for a while,
and I'm taking one over summer,
and I just think they're the best.
They let your wife drive it.
I dare my new crush.
Don't be stupid.
What are you?
They're so cute.
Lady brains.
And you wanted to put in a contraption.
I was like,
I'm going to put it down.
I'm going to put it down.
I'm going to put it down.
I'm going to put it down.
I'm going to put it down.
And you wanted to put in a controversial one.
Yeah. Well, look.
I think it's a good idea.
This is a controversial one.
I'm actually not a fan of the Tesla's usually.
I find them.
They have their grievances.
But if you're doing a road trip and you've got kids,
there are things about that car that's fun.
Any sort of Tesla.
The ridiculous screen in the back that's a waste.
Do you think it's a waste?
Yes.
Why do you think it's a waste?
Because kids are going to have their own bloody screen.
They're not going to look down on this tiny little screen
in the middle.
Yeah.
I'm telling you, as a parent,
they're not going to look down on that thing.
Well, yeah.
It's silly.
It's just a gimmick.
It really is a gimmick.
It's cool.
Don't get me wrong.
It's kind of cool.
But kids are going to have the fucking iPads that are attached
to the back of their seat and that's that.
Yeah.
And they won't care about it.
They'll probably kick the fucking thing.
Nathan, stop kicking the fucking Tesla screen.
How many Nathan, you fuck?
I told you.
You do it one more time.
Next time we get to the fucking survey, Nathan.
I'll belt.
Yeah.
That's good.
Was that you growing up?
Yeah.
Yeah.
Sorry.
I said, Mum would actually dot my face.
Bring back cigarette.
Yeah.
Bloody hell.
I got a smite.
And like the when you would ash out in the.
I'm a carpet.
No, no, no.
When you had the actual ash trays in cars.
Oh, yeah.
I love how you thought about that.
Yeah.
What are you talking about?
You were holding a car.
What was in ash tray?
They built a car around it.
Yes.
That started off as a fucking ash tray.
How can we make this ash tray better?
I know.
It's just the wheels on it.
Yeah.
Drive it around.
This ash tray can get you from fucking Torrelgan to Bloody Frankston.
I was driving the Model Y the most recent one.
Are you an Uber driver on the side?
Oh god no.
Could you imagine?
Oh, cool.
I'm actually.
Yeah.
No, I would not.
I'd report you.
You're trying to get bloody touchy.
That actually gets me six stars usually.
Yeah, it does.
I'll let you know.
Like my rating system is actually pretty good.
Some people prefer that.
But I was in the Y.
And there were things about that car that was really good and really clever.
Stuff that.
Shat me.
Like the fact that you.
You want to put the car in reverse.
And it's through the screen.
Yeah.
What?
That was so infuriating.
That was crazy.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Like how could you not.
And it didn't matter how many times I did it.
It was really annoying a bit.
A bit weird.
It's one of those things.
It's not intuitive.
Ever.
Intuitive.
Yeah.
You would never get used to it.
People clearly do.
Well, I guess I think you put up with that for other benefits of the car.
But okay.
But the reason I put an electric car on this list is that if you're driving an electric car on a road trip, you know, having to fill up and get the car up to charge.
Actually can sort of make it more fun.
You've got to have.
It just means that you plan out your trip a bit differently.
You sort of know where you're stopping and where you're going.
Well, Tesla is really good with that sort of stuff.
Right.
I'll keep it that.
It's probably the best of out of all of them.
Yeah.
And I'm someone who, if I'm driving, I usually just will jet off and I'll do as many hours as I can just to get there.
But if you have a car, it forces you to go and interact with local towns again, which I actually think is really good.
Like you force there for 40 minutes.
You'll go get a coffee.
You'll have a walk around.
You'll look at the souvenir stores.
It sort of reinvigorates a road trip thing rather than just getting to your destination.
It forces you to get out and look around.
So that's why it's on there.
Top three road trip cars.
Well, not top three.
But yeah.
That's cool.
Top three that we liked.
Top three.
Top three road trip cars.
Ford Ranger.
Wild track.
Tesla Model 3.
Genesis GV80.
Let us know what you think.
I guess you can comment below.
Or if this is a little snapperel, I don't know.
Contact at the drivershow.com.au or check us out at DM.
What about summer fun cars?
All right.
I put on the Mini Cooper S Cabralay.
Of course.
You put on.
It's so obnoxious.
What?
You're your pick.
I liked it.
I was in this car for like five minutes and you had to practically drag me out.
It's the 9-11 GTS hybrid.
It was a startlingly fun, amazing car.
It's a performance hybrid.
So the hybrid engine is just going towards getting rid of any sort of turbo lag.
I've never driven a Porsche before.
I never loved the luxury.
You should compare it to other ones.
You should jump in something else.
I can't afford the excess if I crash in you.
You'll be fine to honestly go.
Like hopefully Porsche will listen to this now and go because I'm the fan boy.
But you should compare that hybrid to just even a base 9-11.
Look, that car though was...
I watched a lot of racing car racing and I watched a lot of touring car racing.
They've never been the most beautiful cars to me.
But everyone was always like, I don't really get it.
And then someone said to me, you'll get it when you drive it.
And I'm like, yeah.
And then I drove it.
And I'm like, oh, I get it.
And it's why these cars win the bath as 12 hour.
And that's why they're so competitive.
The handling of that car.
It was just glued to the road.
I had utter faith in where it was going to be and how it was going to sit.
It was unbelievable.
If I had that car for some art, you would never get me out of it.
They're German.
They tell you how to drive that car.
And I'm like, thank you, sir.
Yes.
I had a bit of a debate in my head whether we should put on the Mazda MX-5
or the Jeep Gladiator Rubicon.
And I reckon we should check on the Gladiator because that car is just...
It's like a shopping trolley.
When you get pushed by your mates and you're in a shopping trolley,
you've got no fucking clue where you're going.
You're going around a corner.
You're like, oh, my God.
But you're hoping for the best.
And you're having a great time getting there.
Do you know what I mean?
And that's this car.
It's big.
You can take the bloody roof off.
You can take the fucking doors off.
It's got this cool thing where it's like an Easter egg.
But in the back seats, you can pull up the back seats.
And it's got like a pull out Bluetooth speaker.
So if you're on the beach or something like that,
yeah, you can just have a bit of fun.
That is an actual summer car.
That is fun.
Yeah.
It's like an American teen movie.
Yeah.
You're in a beach town.
Come on, Jason.
Let's go to the beach.
You heard Kirstie's going to be there.
Exactly.
And there's like a surfing competition.
But you know, you're only just starting to learn how to surf, man.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
I think this is just a cry to me.
And you're sitting right in a bonfire and some guy with long hairs.
That would be a waste of time.
And you're like, is that Anthony Cater from the Chili Peppers?
What's going on?
Yeah.
Yeah.
So Mini Cooper S, Caballet, Porsche 911 GT3 hybrid,
and the Jeep Gladiator Rubicon are our top three summer cars.
Let us know what you think.
All right, top three hidden gems.
Of course, you're a little hidden.
Number one, you're no Excel 1991 sprint edition.
Five speed manual.
Oh, but it has to have less than 50,000 kilometers.
How does it have to be my car specifically?
You said that like you're busting from poop.
Oh, no.
So let's love that car so much.
How are you going with the manual, by the way?
Oh, as a baby bit of a learning car.
Poor cars clutch.
Yeah, it's because it's unforgiving.
It's an unforgiving car.
It's not holding your hand at any point.
And I have not had to drive a lot of manuals in my life.
That's the truth of it.
You get me.
Yeah, I'm getting there.
It's fine.
Okay.
So we're putting on steves, Hyundai Excel 1991, which edition?
Sprint edition.
We're going to put on a Toyota Century as a hidden gem
because it's always such a delight when I see that cargo.
And it's such a brilliant, just smooth, old-school Japanese stoic car.
Where did you even get a chance to drive one?
I know a few people.
And by the way, nearly I came close to actually buying one,
a dude was selling it really cheap.
And I don't know what happened with that actually.
Like the weird thing is I went around there, test drove it twice.
Wow.
I agreed to buy it without a pre-purchase.
And because the pre-purchase, especially because that's a V12.
It was just like, oh, fuck it, it's a dry time.
And I was like, yep, cool.
I'll pick it up Saturday.
Yeah, yeah, cool.
And he just scrubbed everything.
He just disappeared.
What?
Yeah.
That's weird.
Like did the ad when I, he took the ad on Facebook,
called him never picked up.
Just, yeah.
Yeah, it was really weird.
That sounds like a ghost car.
Yeah.
It might be as a ghost.
Yeah.
It would be funny if like, I go to the guy's house like, hey, is John here?
And it's like, John died 12 years ago.
John died 12 years ago.
Who the fuck are you?
I was supposed to buy his Toyota Century.
Oh, you're bastard.
He died in that Toyota Century.
No, no, no.
That's what I like to think happened rather than it was a stolen car or something.
Yeah.
And then I look over at a brick wall and a big burst of flames and a Toyota Century comes out.
That'd be sick.
Like, it's like back to the future.
That'd be sick.
That would be cool.
I hope that happens to you.
Would they do?
Do you reckon they could do it like a back to the future again?
Cause I know Martin McFly's future is not looking too good.
Oh my God.
What am I just saying?
Jesus.
But like, I reckon they could, I don't think the mood was ever up.
But I think, I just think like, do it while Doc Brown still looks good.
Like, you could ride Martin McFly.
I reckon we've, I reckon we just leave that one.
What, what old 80s classic has been improved by reboot in the last 10 years?
Name?
I was going to say Terminator.
Terminator like the last 10 years.
Yeah, well, the very last Terminator that where Sarah Connor comes back, that was a good movie.
Was that, that wasn't 10 years ago?
He was less than 10 years ago.
Not the second one.
I didn't even know they put out another one.
There's like a, there's like a Terminator 5, it's really good.
What are the 80s movies?
Hang on, didn't they?
Haven't they done something recently?
There's haps.
Yeah, but they're, they're all the reboots are just, I think.
Top Gun?
Sad.
Oh, no, Top Gun was good.
Oh, that was sick.
Top Gun was good.
But it's just the same movie again, if you know what I mean, right?
Like, it's just the same premise.
It's a different storyline.
But it's like, it's exactly, it's beat for beat the same film.
Like, they just do it so well.
Well, what did you say again if it's broken, why fix it?
If they ain't broken, something like that.
If it's broken, don't fix it.
Okay.
Come down to Tony Robbins.
If it's broken, don't fix it.
Yeah.
Now, get in my fucking highlights, love.
You're not driving.
Nathan, stop kicking the fucking Tesla screens.
Okay, so what do we have?
So we're talking about...
We've been recording for 1,000 hours.
Yeah, this is our best take.
We've got...
Toyota Century, we've got...
I think this is...
You're no Excel 1-2-3.
You're no Excel 1-2-3.
You're no Excel 1-2-3.
You're no Excel 1-2-3.
You're no Excel 1-2-3.
I'm shouting, darling.
Sorry.
Wait, I'm sorry.
Do we want to go back on to the gender stuff?
Because I can do it.
Go on.
No, I can't be bothered.
I've run out of change.
Do you want me down?
Did you mean it is a great car?
Did you mean it's really cool?
It's fun, but it doesn't feel safe.
It's like...
That's partially why it's fun.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
It's got like a...
I can't go over 110 kilometers an hour.
And you are technically driving a tin can.
Yeah.
But jeez, you haven't fun while doing that.
Same thing, same thing in my Excel.
It's like, if there is a crash in this,
I'm not coming out, okay.
Yeah.
I am not coming out.
Is there a gearbox in that?
No.
And it's like a driving and the car is rattling.
Like, everything feels...
Because it was a cheap car in the 90s.
And like, a cheap car in the 90s.
Who gets a shit about safety?
Like, it drove.
It's cheap.
It's fun.
Yeah, so like...
The shops.
You know, if you crash into that,
the steering column is just going to pin you like a bug to the chair, I think.
It's...
You know, you're flailing around.
Top three hidden gem cars.
What's your favorite out of the chimney?
The Toyota Century?
Or the Yunday Excel in 1991?
If you...
Sprint.
Thank you.
If you don't sell...
You've had enough opinions on this show already, darling.
I'll cry.
I'll cry if you don't sell any Excel.
I love that car.
You have to love it too.
Yeah.
I actually think that's a good choice.
Yeah.
That's a good top three.
Yeah.
That's a weird top three.
I was going to say, actually,
because when we...
I wasn't totally shit counting Bentley's,
but like, in 1988, Bentley,
like the turbos,
like the turbo ones.
They've kind of got the red around the headlights.
They look really good.
I don't know what you...
That's how people know it's a turbo.
What are you?
Yeah, about 1988.
It's the year I was born 1988.
Where are you?
Yeah, no.
I should have lied about that.
I should have probably lied about my...
Yeah, no.
I'm kind of at the age of age.
Oh, that looks sick.
Doesn't it look good?
That looks sick.
Oh, man.
And I mean, like, the interior is on the Bentley's adjust.
Cool.
Yeah.
The one with like red leather interior.
And there's like a...
Can I see? Can I see?
There's like a tray table for drinks,
which I think is very funny.
Oh, yeah.
So it's like an aeroplane.
Yeah, look at that.
So you can drink...
And that's like a scotch glass
that someone's put up there.
Yeah.
So you can sit in the back of the Bentley
and drink a scotch.
It's smell of your violin.
You know what I mean?
It doesn't go on with a greasy smell
or oily mess
and makes a good lubricant
when I'm in a prelude
like a wangong stick
or whatever.
It's a pervert stick.
It's a pervert stick.
Yes.
See you when you're ready.
I don't have them anymore.
All right.
Welcome to the program.
My name is Gordon.
And here is Stephanie Coombs
with an opinion.
Okay.
That's enough, baby cakes.
Thanks for your time.
It's been a pleasure.
Thank you so much.
I do bring you a Christmas present.
Oh, what is it?
Do you want to...
Yeah, sure.
Yeah, of course.
Here it is.
I've got you a Christmas present.
There you go.
It's something you will not have.
It's for the girl who has everything.
It's a toothbrush and sterilizer.
Yeah.
Thank you.
It's all right.
That's so nice.
It's a...
And it's a USB.
You can't even plug it into the...
Well, you have to plug it into your computer.
Yeah, well, you can...
You can use the same USB code you do if you've vibrated.
Honestly, I...
That's lovely.
What I really like about this is that it assumes I use a toothbrush.
Which is really nice.
What do you use?
Your finger?
I just don't brush my teeth.
Oh.
That's a fucking explosive, you think?
I do, I do.
Where on earth did you even get that?
Well, I know some people and I made some calls.
I said, hey, I've got Steph Coombs on the show.
News.com.au, NewsCorp.
She's a big deal.
I love it.
She's a big deal in the rag, see?
99.9% of bacteria.
I'm worried about that.
That point 1% it doesn't kill.
That's got to be...
You should probably put that in your underpants.
I should...
What?
Sorry.
What does that even mean?
I don't know.
Paul would have laughed at that.
I'm sure he would have.
I'm sure he would have.
Anyway, Merry Christmas.
Thank you very much.
Merry Christmas.
That's sweet.
And also revolting, but sweet.
That's a rise.
It has been a pleasure.
That's vital.
Thank you.
And thank you for coming in and having a chat.
Follow me on Instagram.
Last time I was on here, I got a bunch of Instagram followers.
Did I probably lose some?
Someone wants to follow me on Instagram.
No, no, no, no, no.
Follow me.
You can see my Excel.
Well, my Instagram is at Kumbles.
The COOMB LAS.
I am immediately regret this episode.
At Kumbles.
Look at my Excel.
Follow me.
Tell me that you agree with my feminist text.
Yeah.
Well, thank you for coming on.
Contact at the drivershow.com.au if you want to shoot as an email.
At the drivershow.com.au on Instagram.
Paul and I will be back probably never.
Steph.
We haven't told anyone but Steph is actually Paul transitioned as a lady.
Thank you for lobbing off the English call.
I'm so worried now.
No, thank you.
I feel like I'm a much better person.
Yeah.
I'm a much better person for it.
For you.
Yeah.
I am a much better person for you being here.
Thank you, everybody.
The drivershow podcast is looking for a sponsor.
The proceeds will be used to fulfill Paul and Gordy's lifelong dream of bringing back
the GOGO Mobile.
But this time, it's an EV.
Is that the best idea ever or what?
King, drop us a line at contact at the drivershowpodcast.com.au
or send us a DM on our Instagram page.
We'd love to work with you.
Request an explanation for:
3 cars
3 cars featured
Request an Explanation
Heard something you'd like explained? We'll add it to this episode.
Sign in to request explanations for terms you heard.
Want to learn more?
Browse our glossary for plain-English explanations of automotive terms, jargon, and concepts.
See something that's not quite right? Our annotations are AI-generated and can sometimes miss the mark.
Click the flag icon on any annotation to suggest a correction.