The Carmudgeon Show (Hagerty Media)

If you put someone from 1985 in a modern car, what would they be most surprised by? Hint: Why is it so much easier to get a speeding ticket today? === Click here to join the Hagerty Driver's Club: https://bit.ly/Join-HDC-Cammisa-Rev === The Carmudgeons chat briefly about Jake's Honda CR-Z — a manual, hybrid, very good-looking car — and why it doesn't have a K20 or K24 instead. The main point of discussion, though, was started by Jason's drive in his Scirocco looking at how high 1980s cars rev on the highway. And he explains why '80s cars are geared so short (it's to achieve their relatively low top speeds at their relatively high-rpm power peaks.) In discussing this, Jason explains how German car companies chose their top-gear ratio. (Hint: it's to maximize top speed.) But there are, of course, other major changes since the 1980s — and not just things like keyless-start and infotainment. Or just power.  NVH, mostly as a function of torsional rigidity, has changed dramatically. And with it, safety. Including things like ABS, ESC, AEB, FCW, and then of course all the other driver aids we take for granted today.  Including the ones like BAS — brake assist — which several times accidentally almost caused Jason to have a crash. (Or make someone else crash.) But... Jason does describe a few times he experienced modern automatic braking systems have actually avoided an accident that WOULD have happened. One in a VW and one in a Mercedes, that could have caused him to hit pedestrians. It was a triumph of modern safety technology. Also, cars have grown tremendously in size and weight. And the total area of the glass has shrunk considerably, so visibility has changed for the worse.  So has ride quality — today's cars have far stiffer suspension, coupled with large wheels and small sidewalls. 1980s cars often rode more smoothly than today's cars. And much more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s tale of two Toyotas, Jason and Derek discuss their parallel experiences driving two angry and estranged hot-hatch siblings: the GR Yaris and the GR Corolla. Jason unpacks a recent drive in the US-bound Corolla variant, while Derek discusses his go in the rest-of-world Yaris while in Europe. Despite its menacing looks, Jason highlights that the GR Corolla is overall more tame, forgiving, and subsequently competent than expected. It’s difficult to slide in the dry and less shouty and on-edge when going about its business unlike the Fiat 500 Abarth and Hyundai Veloster N. The triple-cylinder power plant is often restrained- a muffler chop might help! But how is the Yaris in comparison? Derek aligns- it's much the same, but with a bit less power and perhaps a bit more eager to rotate- understandably so with 300 fewer pounds to carry around. This leads to the discussion of modifying cars and kicking failure down the road- an advisory that in most cases, you’re probably just better leaving it stock. Or at least, toeing the line between life as stock and death by over-modification. All this and more, brought to you by the Hagerty Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jason rides in the left seat of a T.50 and declares it the best sounding engine he's ever heard — dethroning the Lexus LFA. With which he and Derek have experience. === Click here to join the Hagerty Driver's Club: https://bit.ly/Join-HDC-Cammisa-Rev === First of all, Jason calculates his cars' brake fluid age and is mostly okay with it, but also slightly horrified at how old the brake fluid is in several of his cars — one of which is 13 years old. Whoops. Secondly, GMA allowed Jason a ride in the leftmost (passenger) seat of Gordon Murray's T.50, with Dario Franchitti in the center seat. There's video — and audio. And it's enough to have moved Jason to dethrone the LFA, which he had just pronounced the best sounding engine of all time. The LFA's V-10 sounds amazing — far better in the car than the Porsche Carrera GT, the other best-sounding V-10 of all time (with honorable mention given to the BMW S85 — and every other V10 short of the Viper's.) The boys also speak about the LFA Revelations Episode — and the history of the Lexus LFA. And of cars that ride poorly, like the LFA does. Like the Mercedes AMG GT. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Recorded live at the 2023 Detroit Concours, with special guest Richard Vaughan! == Click here to join the Hagerty Driver's Club: https://bit.ly/Join-HDC-Cammisa-ICONS == This week, Jason and Derek travel to Detroit to check out the Detroit Concours d'Elegance — and of course Jason's first move is to go over to the RADWOOD-Era cars! There's an Alpine V6 Turbo that immediately captures his attention — and then he's distracted with a Ford Raptor-swapped Delorean with 450 hp and a six-speed manual. On closer inspection, and after instruction from Hyphen, there are other fabulous cars. For example, an incredible one-of-400 Series 70 1957 Cadillac Eldorado Broughams, a pillarless, hand-built hardtop coupe with a stainless-steel roof that cost more than a Rolls-Royce. And a Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spyder, one of the most valuable Ferraris ever. But the true highlight of the episode is a conversation with Richard Vaughan, Jason's longtime friend and storied designer. Richard started his career by designing the original Lincoln Navigator, and most recently worked on the Rivian R1T's interior. But the coolest part about him is his cars: he owns an original Aston Martin Lagonda sedan, several Bentleys and Rolls-Royces, and of course a Sacco-era Mercedes W124 300CE Coupe in Smoke Silver. The Carmudgeon Show was recorded live in front of an audience at the show, while sitting on beautiful and comfortable Recaro chairs — and is part of the Hagerty Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of The Carmudgeon Show, your questions become answers! Jason and Derek take a deep dive into last week’s audience questions and cover an array of mostly automotive topics, including but not limited to: driving nirvana in an attainable car, the pronunciation of coupe vs. coupé, cars that belong to the wrong manufacture, drum brakes on EVs, and you heard it here first- the new VW Phaeton V12 TDI. Many of this week’s questions will become the topics of future episodes, so if you’re looking for a sneak peak of what’s to come, listen up and enjoy! All this and more, brought to you by the Hagerty Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do we love fast cars? Or is the experience more important than the speed? === Click here to join the Hagerty Driver's Club: https://bit.ly/Join-HDC-Cammisa-Rev === Jason's T-Shirt: https://closed-course-productions.printify.me/ Get some behind-the-scenes of Jason's Ultimate Drag Race Replay episode racing the two most powerful American cars of all time: the 1234-hp Lucid Air Sapphire and the 1025-hp Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170. Jason's episode raced the cars both on regular asphalt and then on a VHT-prepped race surface at the Famoso Drag Strip.  Are the Carmudgeons impressed? We'll find out — in a discussion about whether the faster engine option is the better choice.  Is it speed we love? Or are we looking for experience? In that latter case, electric sports cars like the Rimac Nevera might be in trouble. And it might explain why Bugatti-Rimac's latest car uses a combustion engine. This, and more, on this episode of the Carmudgeon Show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week the Carmudgeons address the 48 billion market cap prancing horse in the room: do the younger generations actually care about Ferrari? Cars like the 296 GTB are absolutely gorgeous (and they mark the start of the mid-engine V8 to V6 transition in Maranello), but, if you're sourcing the vehicles from Ferrari themselves, are unable to be compared to any other vehicles that people may want to see them compete with. But, they're also vietato (forbidden) to have instrumented testing done on them as well. In a world where people love competitions and comparisons, how are audiences (both fans, as well as potential clients) supposed to understand where cars like this stand in the hierarchy of cars? Does it even matter to Ferrari after they sold a record-breaking 13,221 vehicles in 2022? (and that's before the new Purosangue hits showrooms) As you'd expect, both Jason and Derek have thoughts. Lots of thoughts! The Carmudgeon Show is part of the Hagerty Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The GTI's manual is dead — despite half of U.S.-spec GTIs being sold with a clutch pedal. What on earth is going on? === Click here to join the Hagerty Driver's Club: https://bit.ly/Join-HDC-Cammisa-Rev === In this episode of the Carmdudgeon show, we discuss every manual-transmission car on sale in the U.S., and what percentage of buyers opt for it. This includes: Acura Integra Type S Acura Integra  BMW M2 BMW M3 BMW M4 Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing Chevrolet Camaro Dodge Challenger Ford Mustang Ford Bronco Honda Civic Manual Honda Civic Si Honda Civic Type R Hyundai Elantra N Hyundai Veloster N Jeep Wrangler Jeep Gladiator Kia Forte Mazda Miata ND2 Mazda3 Manual Mini Cooper Mini Cooper S Mini Cooper John Cooper Works JCW Nissan Versa Nissan Z Manual Porsche 718 Porsche 911 911 GT3  Cayman GT4 Boxeter Spyder Subaru WRX Subaru BRZ Subaru Impreza Crosstrek Toyota GR 86 Toyota GR Supra Toyota Tacoma Volkswagen Golf R Volkswagen Jetta GLI Volkswagen Golf GTI Volkswagen Jetta S === The Carmudgeon Show is Part of the Hagerty Podcast Network Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Carmudgeons buy a 1980 Rover 3500, and attempt to drive it from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada to San Francisco — 1600 miles, over the Rocky Mountains. = This episode of the Carmudgeon show is sponsored by Lucid Motors, who has special lease and finance offers on available 2023 models of the Lucid Air Touring and Grand Touring. Visit lucidmotors.com for offer details. = This is the kind of road trip that only the brave would attempt, especially in a 43-year-old British Leyland product that hasn't traveled that far in the previous 20 years combined. But Jason Cammisa and Derek Tam-Scott are brave, if not crazy, and flew to Canada to rescue their newly aquired Persian Aqua Metallic SD1. In this episode, the boys recount their stresses and successes, and teach us a couple things about the world's first 5-door luxury hatchback. == The Carmudgeon Show is Part of the Hagerty Podcast Network Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Derek Tam(Hyphen)Scott has waited for years for the chance to school Jason Cammisa on the importance of Lancia. Now reduced to little more than a badge-job, Italian-market joke, Lancia was once an automotive powerhouse. Derek speaks with interest and precision about Lancia's storied history — as if he was there, personally. It's a fascinating story that demonstrates just how incredible this Italian Automaker once was — and how resilient its spirit was. Once a champion of front-wheel drive rally cars, Lancia became part of the FIAT Group and was stripped of much of its core value. However, its desire to be a technical pioneer remained, and so Lancia continued to be untouchable in its racing efforts. WRC (the World Rally Championship) might not be as popular in the United States as it is and was abroad, but Lancia's dominance here is unmatched. When the ability of its front-wheel drive cars were threatened, Lancia created the first car ever to be purpose-built for Rally Racing and then adapted for street use. The mid-engined Lancia Stratos became an instant legend due to its immediate success. However, when that success threatened parent-company Fiat's WRC standing, it was killed off so that Fiat could campaign its Fiat 131 WRC. Lancia's never-dimmed spirit rose again with the outrageous 037, which was the last rear-wheel-drive car to ever win the World Rally Championship. Left ultimately with an uncompetitive fwd corporate economy hatch, the Delta, Lancia set about creating a legend: the Delta Integrale would grow to become one of the most successful race cars in history, winning SIX consecutive World Rally Championships — something no other car has ever managed, before or since. And this is just scratching the surface of Lancia's incredible history. === The Carmudgeon Show stars automotive journalist Jason Cammisa and walking encyclopedia Derek Tam-Scott, and is part of the Hagerty Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oh, truck it, let's say the word! Nobody likes the word "hybrid" but adding electric assist to combustion engines really can pave a way forward, especially for long-haul trucking. === Click here to join the Hagerty Driver's Club: https://bit.ly/Join-HDC-Cammisa-Rev https://www.pickmebean.com  https://range.energy === This week, Derek and Jason have an experience at Sonoma Raceway with Range Energy, a company focusing on hybridizing long-haul trucking. It's an ingenious solution to the problem of reducing emissions and fuel consumption, without needing to throw away existing diesel tractors. And while they were there, they take Jason's e-Golf on the race track. Because, stupid. But the idea of electricity helping combustion engines is what propelled Porsche to install a hybrid system on the 992.2 911 GTS. Learn how that system works in our discussion — including a chart of engine response of the last 3.0-liter twin-turbo six that debuted 991.2 Carrera versus naturally aspirated engines. Also, Derek drives a Lucid Sapphire around Sonoma Raceway. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Esprit Origin Story! === Click here to join the Hagerty Driver's Club: https://bit.ly/Join-HDC-Cammisa-Rev === On this episode of the Carmudgeon Show, Derek fills us in on the origins and engineering behind Colin Chapman’s last Lotus – the Esprit. DTS gives us the run-down on its connections to both past and contemporary Lotus’, as well as its journey from lithe and naturally aspirated 4-cylinder sports car to twin-turbo V8 giant killer. Meanwhile, Jason comes up with a new t-shirt and covers proper water heater maintenance. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Keep your fire extinguisher nearby, for today’s episode of the Carmudgeon Show covers the beginning and end of GM’s first mid-engine blaze of glory- none other than the Pontiac Fiero. Covered in depth in the latest Revelations video, the Fiero was a troubled car from the start, tasked with delivering sports car performance and exceptional fuel economy but having major challenges achieving either or. Jason reviews the timeline of the Fiero’s promises and ultimate demise for GM. In a continued discussion of fires in cars both exotic and mundane, Jason and Derek also review other cars whose individual demises took the heat, including but not limited to the Chevy Bolt and Volt, the Ferrari F40, and even the legendary Lamborghini Miura. All this and more, brought to you by the Hagerty Podcast Network. This episode is brought to you by Reliable Carriers- call your next shipping quote and mention The Carmudgeon Show for 10% off your next vehicle shipment. https://reliablecarriers.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este is the most prestigious car show in the world, and Jason just attended for the first time. As always, it's about the cars first, but this show differentiates itself from the big American show, the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, in some significant ways. Jason and Hyphen discuss the show, the old cars, the sounds they make, and of course the beautiful new BMW Coupe Touring Concept, which made its debut at the stage. And the Hyundai Vision N74 Concept, as well as the production BMW XM SUV. === The Carmudgeon Show is part of the Hagerty Podcast Network Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This 100th episode of the Carmudgeon show is sponsored by Lucid Motors, who has special lease and finance offers on available 2023 models of the Lucid Air Touring and Grand Touring. Visit lucidmotors.com for offer details. We've made it to episode 100! This week, Jason and Derek confess that they've bought another couple of cars: Derek took delivery of his gorgeous Bornite-purple, dogleg 5-speed-manual Mercedes S124 wagon. And a JRG W140 S420. ...and Jason bought his first shared-car. He and Derek purchased a 1980 Rover SD1 3500! This has been a dream for Jason for (literally) 30 years. What Jason Cammisa and Derek Tam-Scott did NOT record is the long-awaited Piëch-isode. Why? You'll have to watch for yourself. === The Carmudgeon Show is part of the Hagerty Podcast Network Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jason and Derek open up their review archives once again and share stories about the cars they've driven over the years.  === Click here to join the Hagerty Driver's Club: https://bit.ly/Join-HDC-Cammisa-Rev The Carmudgeon Show Sponsor, Vredestein Tires: https://www.vredestein.com/ === In this episode, the boys ponder the meaning of a Jaguar “175 Edition”, give praise to the best rear wiper integration ever, debate if a Juke can be cute, and wonder how many cylinders power the illustrious Dodge Nitro. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jason drives the 2024 Porsche 911 S/T, the latest limited-production sports car from the Rennsport division of Porsche that makes the GT2, GT3, and GT4. And this leads to a discussion of our favorite drives of the year. == This episode of “The Carmudgeon Show” is presented by Valentine One Radar Locator: Find radar before it finds you! https://bit.ly/Valentine1_Hagerty Click here to join the Hagerty Driver's Club: https://bit.ly/Join-HDC-Cammisa-ICONS == The 2024 Porsche 911 S/T is the 992's version of the 991.1's 911R — the ultimate driver's car within the 911 lineup. A naturally aspirated, 9000-rpm, independent-throttle-body, 518-hp flat-six with a 6-speed manual. It's limited-production, which is frustrating, but has convinced Jason that it's the best sports car on the market today. Or perhaps ever. The discussion leads Jason Cammisa and Derek Hyphen to discuss their favorite drives of the year, including quick reviews of: Rimac Nevera Ford F-150 Raptor R Lotus Emira Toyota GR Corolla Morizo Lancia Delta Integrale Renault R5 Turbo Évolution Ferrari 250 California Spider replice Ferrari 246 Dino Toyota GR Yaris Circuit Audi RS2 Avant Porsche 911 RS (964) Porsche 911 GT2 (997) Bentley Mulsanne EWB Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.5-16 Evolution II Lucid Air Sapphire ...and of course a quick discussion of the politics surrounding Jason's review of the Tesla Cybertruck, including Matt Farah (The Smoking Tire) objections. [This was recorded before Jason and Matt recorded the TST Podcast to clear the air.] The Carmudgeon Show is part of the Hagerty Podcast Network Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jason just solved a nagging problem on his car that he paid to have fixed 26 years ago. Turns out, the mechanic charged him for a repair he didn't make. === Click here to join the Hagerty Driver's Club: https://bit.ly/Join-HDC-Cammisa-Rev === Jason just solved a nagging problem on his car that he paid to have fixed 26 years ago. Turns out, the mechanic charged him for a repair he didn't make. === Click here to join the Hagerty Driver's Club: https://bit.ly/Join-HDC-Cammisa-Rev === It's well known that Jason Cammisa's Volkswagen Scirocco 16V is his favorite car. What's not so well-known is that he hit a curb while driving it back in the late 1990s, and bent a control arm. After saving for over a year, he finally had the money to replace the arm, and commissioned a local repair shop to perform the work. The Scirocco came back from the alignment shop with bad news: Installing the new control arm didn't put there wheel back where it belonged. The Scirocco's frame was bent.  After living with the guilt of having damaged his favorite toy for more than a quarter-century, Jason finally got up the gumption (and money) to have the car's frame straightened.  The frame shop had some interesting news: there was nothing wrong with the car — the control arm was merely bent. Turns out the shop that charged Young Jason to replace the arm... didn't. And last week, Jason finally replaced it himself, solving a decades-long alignment issue.  This made Jason think about his first three bad experiences as a young man with a VW shop (who tried to charge him near as much in diagnostics than he'd paid for the whole car for a simple bad ground wire) a VW dealer who disconnected his headlights and tried to extort him out of hundreds... and the aforementioned shop — all of whom are responsible for encouraging Jason to do all the work on his cars himself. Derek has a similar story about a local mechanic to tried to charge him $4500 for a simple ignition coil.  Fun times. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Derek feels like young enthusiasts have gotten screwed in multiple ways — there are no affordable collectible cars anymore and there are no modern cars that are fun and affordable. Plus, with increased cost of living and sky-high student debt, young people have no chance of owning anything great. Jason fully disagrees. == This episode of “The Carmudgeon Show” is presented by Valentine One Radar Locator: Find radar before it finds you! https://bit.ly/Valentine1_Hagerty Click here to join the Hagerty Driver's Club: https://bit.ly/Join-HDC-Cammisa-ICONS == This is a rare instance where Jason Cammisa and Derek Tam-Scott disagree. Jason feels like Derek (who's ironically more than a decade younger) doesn't understand young people: the cars that appeal to Derek (and older buyers) just don't appeal to younger buyers. And the cars that do appeal to young people are too new for Derek to care about them — but they do exist! What follows is intelligent conversation about getting older, whether cars are actually getting better, whether there are any interesting post-2000 or post-2010 cars — and whether Derek is just too old to understand. Plus, Jason shows Derek his opulent, ridiculous, and over-the-top new garage decor, talks about his 2020-part-4 surprise Covid, and Derek talks about his new car-sales business: OTS & Company.  Or, OT Sand Co., dot com. === The Carmudgeon Show is part of the Hagerty Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Burnout Specialist Jason begins today’s episode with a guided presentation on vehicles that do the easiest burnouts- a discussion that starts and ends with V6 front-wheel-drive. It turns out that in his findings, Jason has also determined a way to pull off a smokey burnout *even* in a vehicle with an electronic parking brake- an answer that we don’t recommend trying at home, or in a press car… The term of the day is automotive archeology- in other words, the art of uncovering the sparkling or spotted past of an old car. Derek discusses his Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider and his exploration of the many body shop receipts that, by “visiting enough still and moving objects”, have eventually repainted the whole car. Jason brings stories of his Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3-16 and C43 AMG to the table, highlighting a time when he accidentally bought a car that the manufacture didn’t know existed. Amidst a discussion on many other collective vehicles that Jason and Derek have owned and observed, this leads to a discussion on how cars are treated on average from country-to-country depending on inspection processes and the overall cultural differences in . Thinking about buying a nicely kept car in Germany? Perhaps consider a compression test if the car has been in any considerable distance of the Autobahn… All this and more, brought to you by the Hagerty Podcast Network Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is Luxury? The boys are back, proving once again that you don’t have to be old to be bitter. On their inaugural episode for the Hagerty Podcast Network, automotive journalist Jason Cammisa and Walking Encyclopedia of Automotive Knowledge Derek Tam-Scott discuss different types of luxury cars. Their unexpected conclusion: the best luxury car might be a cheap beat-up car. After all, there is no luxury greater than not having to worry. Or at least, that’s the theory. Along the way, the Carmudgeons touch upon the difference between a perfect BMW E30 (like Jason’s 325i Touring) and a beater (like Jason’s 325i Sedan.) Then, it’s off to the Lucid Air, Derek’s Mk7.5 Volkswagen GTI, and how sometimes daily-driving a cheap example of an expensive car is possibly the least luxurious way to go. Because nothing is less luxurious than a tow truck. Or is space the final luxury frontier? After all, the Rivian R1T packs more cargo space in it than an AMG SUV. And it can keep up with an R35 Nissan GT-R.   The Carmudgeon Show is part of the Hagerty Podcast Network.   About the Podcast: The Carmudgeon Show is a comedic, information-filled conversation with Jason Cammisa and Derek Tam-Scott, two car enthusiasts who are curmudgeonly beyond their years. Proving you don’t have to be old to be grumpy, they spend each episode talking about what’s wrong with various parts of the automotive universe. Despite their best efforts to keep it negative, they usually wind up laughing, happy, and extolling their love for cars. Which just makes them angrier and more bitter. Jason Cammisa is an automotive journalist, social-media figure and TV host with over 250 million views on YouTube alone. Jason’s deeply technical understanding, made possible by a lifelong obsession with cars, allows him to fully digest what’s going on within an automobile — and then put it into simple terms for others to understand. Also, a Master’s Degree in Law trained him to be impossible to argue with. Derek Tam-Scott still tries. He’s a young automotive expert with old-man taste in cars, and a Master’s Degree in Civil Engineering — which means he knows how to be civil to Jason. Or at least he tries. With a decade and a half’s experience buying, selling, driving and brokering classic and exotic cars, he’s experienced the world’s most iconic cars. And hated most of them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If Eight is Enough, Ten is too many: Jason just bought his tenth car, and it’s a problem. It’s also slow. Japanese Kei cars are limited to 660 cc and 64 horsepower — but the Honda Beat is an 8500-rpm 3-cylinder with ITBs and sounds like a Porsche 911’s flat-six. Just without any chance of a speeding ticket. Jason also just drove an Autozam AZ-1, which has Gullwing doors and is surprisingly fast — so the boys wonder if a Suzuki Cappuccino is just as good? This leads a discussion of slow cars, which invariably means diesels. And a Fiat Cinquecento. Its 2-cylinder, 11-hp just gave Derek some anxiety this past weekend. More so than the underpowered Land Rover Defender 110 diesel that actually managed 70 mph — after miles of full-throttle motoring. Jason once had a W123 300TD Turbo wagon that started, but didn’t run. How is that possible? Starting fluid. But the OM617 diesel’s loping idle is among the best sounds in the world. And some later Mercedes diesels — like the W124 1995 E300 diesel and OM606 24-valve straight-six. Which is smooth, but slow. Somehow the conversation then turned to Derek’s hatred of the Ferrari F355 and 550 Maranello. It’s always fun to see Derek miserable, at least for Jason. We suspect the same will be true for you. The Carmudgeon Show is part of the Hagerty Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Put on a beret and grab a baguette because on this week's episode of the Carmudgeon Show, Jason and Derek are talking about the French (in name and origin story at least) monster that is the Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport. As well as the Lucid Air Sapphire and the Tesla Plaid. Why? Because all of them were featured in Jason's most recent episode of "Cammisa's Ultimate Drag Race Replay," last week where Jason had the world-exclusive with the Sapphire and happened to set a production car 1/4 mile record with it. And as you'd expect, both Jason and Derek have their thoughts on these three cars! All this and more, brought to you by the Hagerty Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Many enthusiasts don't realize that the Alfa Romeo 164 and Saab 9000 share their underpinnings — with the Lancia Thema and Fiat Croma. They all ride on the Fiat Tipo Quattro (Type 4) platform, and in this episode, we discuss the their history and drive the three most powerful, quickest, and fastest FWD sport sedans of their era. === WATCH THE FULL REVELATIONS EPISODE HERE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G71uIVvnzvw == This is a history less about their initial development, to the plethora of engine options, posh and/or aerospace-inspired interiors, styling, power, handling dynamics, and the pros and cons of platform sharing.  We kick things off with the platform’s predecessors: the Tipo Zero, Tipo Uno, Tipo Dua, and Tipo Tre – go figure – all of which underpinned a variety of Fiats. Meanwhile, Saab had effectively been building cars on the same platform since the 40s before finally making something new for the Saab 99 during the late 60s, and then the 900 in late 70s (which was really just a revised 99). But when it was time for a shift upmarket in the late 80s, Saab needed financial help to create the 9000 after a merger deal with Volvo fell through. At the time, Lancia was in need of a full-size family sedan and jumped into the mix as well via an existing relationship with Saab (see the Saab Lancia 600). There’s a brief sidebar about weird cars of the time. Select picks include the Citroen DX and GS, as well as the AMC Eagle and Concord. Plus oddball platform sharing in the form of the Dodge Monaco, Renault 25, and Chrysler 300M. Merkur enters the chat, as does Cizeta and the equally prodigious V6 Chevy Cavalier Z24, 4-cylinder Cadillac Cimarron, and, of course, the forever elegant Lumina Euro.  What’s that? You’d like to know how many V6s were on sale in Europe in the late 80s? One. Or two. Somewhere between 1 and 3-ish. We think. Pretty sure. In any case, the hottest of the hot Tipo Quattro cars are QUICK. The Saab 9000 Aero being the quickest FWD car of the time, but the Thema 8.32 and Alfa 164Q4 were close behind. As were the Dodge Omni GLHS and the Ford Taurus SHO – the original fast blob. In This Episode: The Alfa Romeo 164 Quadrifoglio Verde (230 hp) The Saab 9000 Aero (225 hp) The Lancia Thema 8.32 (215 hp) There’s much talk of Busso V6s, Ferrari V8s (cross- and extra jiggly flat-plane) and their sound profiles. We’ll also cover the delightful smell of rich Italian leather, and our most favorite Pininfarina pen strokes. Then we’ll blitz through a bunch of badge-engineered bungles like the VW Routan, Acura SLX, Mazda2 and Honda’s new Prologue. When done poorly, platform sharing can kill entire brands, but sometimes we’re left with a small crop of lust-worthy enthusiast cars, and for that we are thankful! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's not always easy being nice when you're paid to be honest. This week, the Carmudgeons discuss how to give a bad review without upsetting everyone. === Click here to join the Hagerty Driver's Club: https://bit.ly/Join-HDC-Cammisa-Rev === John Phillips: "What Not To Write." https://www.caranddriver.com/features/columns/a15127687/john-phillips-a-whole-bunch-of-what-not-to-write-column/ Derek's job is to facilitate sales of cars between collectors, which often requires him to be honest to both buyer and seller. That's especially difficult when a car isn't great. Jason's job is to give unbiased, fact-based reviews of cars. It's easy when things are good, but word choice and observations require extra scrutiny when insults are flying. Perhaps no one did harsh reviews better than Automobile Magazine's Robert Cumberford or Car and Driver's John Phillips. And so Jason recounts Robert's hilarious takedown of the famously opulent Bugatti EB110 reveal from 1991. And he found a Car and Driver column from Mr. Phillips where he shared some of his most hilarious burns. But the best part of the episode? Listening to Derek giggle. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Ford Sierra RS Cosworth is best described as... Porsche-great. This week we’re doing a deep dive into Ford’s funky sedan of the 1980s: the Sierra, together with its American identical cousin, the Merkur XR4Ti. In the early 1980s, Ford of Europe (and chairman Bob Lutz) was on a mission to get a piece of the export pie that was dominated by Mercedes, BMW, and Audi. The car they conjured up to do so, the Sierra, was a massive success in Europe. When it eventually made it to the U.S., badged as a Merkur XR4Ti, Lutz's plan to sell the cars to yuppies via independent niche dealers was foiled, and the car was placed on Lincoln-Mercury dealer lots alongside big American barges and clueless salesmen, only to die a slow death. Meanwhile, on the other side of the pond, the extra-spicy Ford Sierra RS Cosworth was born. In fact, the car was so sought-after (i.e. stolen) by British hooligans that insurance companies refused to cover them. And it was so fast it was repeatedly banned from racing, eventually effectively spelling the end for Group A racing. Ford of Europe (headed up by Bob Lutz) was seeing the likes of BMW and Audi making a killing with their U.S. exports and Ford wanted in. The plan was to try something different, and rather than a Ford-branded import program where Sierras would be sold alongside LTDs, Cougars and other giant American sedans, Bob wanted to do a Ford of Europe export scheme where their new car could be sold alongside other European curios like Saabs and Volvos at independent dealers under a new brand name. They settled on Merkur (the German word for mercury – pronounced “maercoor”), but they also needed a new model name as Sierra was trademarked by Oldsmobile (think: Cutlass Ciera.) Ford used the “XR” prefix to denote a variety of upgraded model trims followed by a number which corresponded to the vehicle size – which is where XR4 comes from. Add abbreviations for “turbo” and “injection” and you’re off to the races! Both the Merkur and Sierra RS Cosworth were powered by versions of Ford’s Pinto 4-cylinder motor. The Merkur engine could also be found in the USDM Mercury Cougar XR7, Thunderbird Turbo Coupe, and Mustang SVO. Across the pond however, the Sierra engine went to Cosworth to get an aluminum head with an extra cam. The results were clear: the XR4Ti’s motor needed 13 lbs of boost to pump out 175 hp, while the Cosworth version only needed 8 psi to make 200 hp. But the Cosworth got a whole host of additional modifications beyond the engine, and the resulting package was so exceptional it wound up getting banned from racing repeatedly, until eventually the regs shut down the entire series. The chassis is so exceptional that Jason proclaims it the best sedan chassis he’s ever experienced – on the same level as a Porsche Cayman GT4. Transcendent. A 9.9/10. Where "Beatrice," his extensively modified E30, only managed a mid-8 (for the same reasons that caused Sreten at M539 Restoration to drive his into a tree). The likes of the Lotus Carlton didn’t even garner a 5 from either Carmudgeon. Honorable mentions go to the Maserati Quattroporte, C126 560SEC, and a handful of M products. We’ll even dive into every generation of M5 – E28 through G90. Lastly, we’ll learn about 80s and 90s Lexus dealership brutalism, that “light” means window, our friend Mike’s transient collection of eclectic cars has graced the show at least 3 times (thanks, Mike!), superbly compliant AWD cars like the Delta Integrale and Subaru WRX are good but rarely fun, and Bob Lutz had to fight tooth and nail to get a Chevrolet dealership in NorCal to sell him a Corvair Monza. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

People often misunderstand the definition of "handling." What does the term really mean — and what makes the Lucid Air Sapphire the best-handling car in the world? == Click here to join the Hagerty Driver's Club: https://bit.ly/Join-HDC-Cammisa-ICONS == Watch Larry Webster try to roll a Corvair: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NI9Hq0_Mhy0 Watch Jason Cammisa and Jason Fenske in the Lucid Sapphire: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Via70c8rOOY In this episode of the Carmudgeon Show, part of the Hagerty Podcast Network, Jason Cammisa and Derek Tam-Hyphen-Scott discuss handling. Jason recently drove the Lucid Air Sapphire and proclaimed it the best-handling car ever.* *With the possible exception of the Rimac Nevera, which he hasn't slid around. What makes the Lucid different? Is it merely grip? Or composure? Or does the 3-motor torque-vectoring, combined with in-house 1000-Hz stability control and perfect software and hardware tuning simply follow its driver's wishes flawlessly? How does this EV compare to cars from the traditionals — like the VW id.4 or the Mercedes EQS, or even the Vinfast? What about this car makes it "Engineered Like No Other" more so than any current Mercedes. Or help it adhere to Lotus' Colin Chapman's "Simplify and Add Lightness" mantra even though it weighs more than 5000 lb? Watch and find out! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is the Surprise Bugatti Episode, and it happened when Jason revealed that the Bugatti Chiron Replacement would have an electrified V-8 engine. What resulted is Derek Tam-Scott admitting he knows nothing about Bugatti's history, but reciting it like an encyclopedia anyway. Jason has some experience with vintage Bugattis and a lot of experience with the W-16-powered Veyron. And both of them agree: a V-8 isn't the correct engine for a Bugatti — even if it's a bespoke unit and not the VAG-group corporate 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8. However, they could be wrong: the Carmudgeons have both driven the Rimac Nevera, and it's absolutely spectacular. It could be that Mate Rimac and his team will make an incredible followup to the Chiron that's worthy of the Bugatti badge. === The Carmudgeon Show is part of the Hagerty Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's largely being reported in the media that Electric Vehicles are in trouble — sales are down, inventory is up, and customers just aren't interested. Is any of this true?  ...or is this just a blip in the now-unavoidable transition away from combustion vehicles? === Click here to join the Hagerty Driver's Club: https://bit.ly/Join-HDC-Cammisa-Rev === Special Tuesday Episode: Happy Memorial Day! Hyundai is making great EVs. BMW is making really good EVs. Tesla (despite the controversy) is still selling the dickens out of its cars — and the new "Highland" Model 3 is nearly perfect. But the rest of the industry? Perhaps no one is interested in their cars because the cars are crap. We don't know. But the Carmudgeons certainly have opinions on it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Jason Cammisa and Derek ("Hyphen") Tam-Scott discuss having to choose between the Miata NC and ND, specially NC3 and ND2, after driving them back to back on a rally. Of course, the meandering conversation starts with BMW E90 and E90 LCIs, the term Life-Cycle Impulse, and the hideousness of E60 and the E65 BMWs. NB, Hyphen says, is not the right answer. But NC2 and NC3 might be. ND Miata proved the entire industry wrong — it's possible to drop weight and gain performance. But it didn't come alive until the ND2's higher-revving engine. But is it better than the NC2 Miata? And is even that better than an E30 BMW 325i? It takes an entire episode to find out, but the Carmudgeons are clear on this decision. And to discuss whether we're in a bubble of old-car values? == The Carmudgeon Show is part of the Hagerty Podcast Network. It consists of multiple award-winning automotive journalist Jason Cammisa and automotive expert and Derek Tam-Scott of ISSIMI. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's a special bonus holiday episode of the Carmudgeon Show! The boys meant to do an episode teaching you everything you need to know about tires.  == This episode of “The Carmudgeon Show” is presented by Valentine One Radar Locator: Find radar before it finds you! https://bit.ly/Valentine1_Hagerty Click here to join the Hagerty Driver's Club: https://bit.ly/Join-HDC-Cammisa-ICONS == The tire conversation lead to fun experiences involving different brands — and Derek discovering Rallycross, which is like autocross, but filthy. Jason has lots of experience pushing different tires to the limit — and Michelins seem to hold up to whatever he throws at them. Pirellis? Less so. The biggest surprise lately is Vredestein Tires, which Jason has been experiencing recently. A Bridgestone fan for years, Jason recently placed third overall in a 24 Hours of Lemons race using Bridgestone's new Potenza RE-71RS. They wore well, but gripped fantastically in the dry and (especially) in the wet. Things the boys discussed: what to know about tire size, ratings, and categories. Pirelli CN36s look great, but are they better than Michelin's XWS repops, manufactured by Coker? And what's with Jason's Hankook experience? Who is Petlas? Why is Dunlop's Direzza ZII great, and why can't Yokohama make a round s.Drive? Also — some discussion of efficiency on Jason's Volkswagen e-Golf, which dropped by nearly 40% after switching from the factory Bridgestones to larger, far more aggressive Michelin Pilot Sport 4S. The plan is to try out Vredestein Quatracs over the rainy season to see if he can get some range back. Don't forget — the only thing touching the ground is your tires. Choose appropriately! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Y'all never thought it was going to happen, but here it is — whether you've seen the ICONS video or not, this is one to watch! HOODIE: https://tinyurl.com/CammisaHoodie === Click here to join the Hagerty Driver's Club: https://bit.ly/Join-HDC-Cammisa-Rev === After years of teasing, the Carmudgeon Show is finally covering the life and achievements of Ferdinand Piëch. This is where the idea began, and the boys provide far more in-depth information than Jason could cover in the relatively short ICONS episode. Enjoy, and thanks for the patient wait! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Single-brand car fans don't know what they're missing. Mark Twain once wrote that “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts." The sentiment holds true for cars, too. **SORRY FOR BEING A DAY LATE, FOLKS!** === Click here to join the Hagerty Driver's Club: https://bit.ly/Join-HDC-Cammisa-Rev Jason's T-Shirt: https://closed-course-productions.printify.me/ === In this episode, the Carmudgeons proceed to rip into one of their friends — light-heartedly. It all started when GG brought his R129 Mercedes 500SL to a shoot involving Jason's E31 850 CSI, and the two started a mock-argument about which car was better. Anthony Esposito, our favorite cinematographer, said GG's Mercedes-fanboyism reminded him of the Twain quote. In fact, GG's automotive tastes are actually quite well-rounded, but the experience served as the perfect impetus for a conversation about car fans who only experience one brand, or one marque, or one era, or one type of car. Turns out that nearly every car Jason and Derek have experienced has created fascination and interest in something they didn't previously know enough about to be interested.  Travel — i.e. experiencing new things — often creates unforeseeable interest in people and places you'd never have realized you were interested in. So, umm, Never Stop Driving... new-to-you cars! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Back by popular demand, Jason and Derek return to answer more viewer/listener questions this week. Amongst many similar discussions from last week, topics of interest include: how to make electric cars fun, what generally hated cars are actually great, why the Ferrari F355 is actually terrible, Z3 vs Miata, and why even the best new analog cars will never match the sensation of old analog.    And on the subject of old analog- have you always dreamed of owning a 1994 Hyundai Excel? If you resemble this impressively small minority of cheap car enthusiasts, your time may be now. Jason tells you everything you need to know about this glorious machine that could be yours.   Just like last week, many of this week’s questions will become the topics of future episodes, so if you’re looking for a sneak peak of what’s to come, listen up and enjoy!   This episode is sponsored by Reliable Carriers- mention Carmudgeon when you call and get 10% off your quote! https://reliablecarriers.com/   All this and more, brought to you by the Hagerty Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

By popular demand, Derek gives a year-by-year spotter's guide to the Air-Cooled Porsche 911. == Click here to join the Hagerty Driver's Club: https://bit.ly/Join-HDC-Cammisa-ICONS == The air-cooled Porsche 911 was in production for three decades, with significant changes almost every year. In this episode of the Carmudgeon Show, Derek Tam-Scott, a hyphenated walking encyclopedia on vintage Porsches, chronicles the production changes. Memorize this, and you'll be able to identify the model year of any air-cooled Porsche 911. We promise we've made this topic far more interesting than you'd expect — with updates on the Piëchisode, unintended defecation, other ICONS episodes, and Jason's profanely-named Dodge Grand Caravan, Jynah. Plus, a 911 Spotter's Quiz at the end, just for fun! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jason and Derek review their top 10 best (and worst) experiences behind the wheel in 2024. Everything from ulta-rare Porsches, to open-air Lamborghinis, manual-swapped Mercedes (and Ferraris), supercars, hypercars, rally icons, and more! === The Carmudgeon Show Sponsor, Vredestein Tires: https://www.vredestein.com/ Click here to join the Hagerty Driver's Club: https://bit.ly/Join-HDC-Cammisa-Rev === Christmas comes early for us this year (but not quite in time for this episode) in the form of 6 brand new sets of dutch rubber courtesy of our sponsor, Vredestein Tires!  The Curmudgeon's then continue with a discussion about each Carmudgeon’s Grandmother’s vehicular preferences, which included the likes of the Ford Pinto, AMC Pacer, ‘87 Chevy Cavalier, Saturn SL1, ‘99 Nissan Sentra, Dodge Aries K-car, Dodge Duster 340, and Buick Wildcat.  Then we briefly revel in some sweet, sweet vindication after Car and Driver named the Tesla Model 3 to their 10 Best list, but rejected the G20 BMW 3-Series (as it had the F30 before it) and specifically the G80 M3. The Cadillac CT4 and CT5 Blackwing both made this list, alongside a handful of perennial stalwarts like the Honda Civic, Honda Accord, and GR86/BRZ twins. Afterwards, we recount hanging with Jay Leno while filming 3 separate episodes of Jay Leno’s Garage featuring Jason’s Mk2 VW Scirocco 16V, E30 BMW 325i Touring, and E31 850 CSi.  And finally, it’s time to talk best drives of the year! The boys loved three Ferraris: the 296 GTB, 360 Challenge Stradale (manual-swapped), and F50. Plus one car from Enzo’s nemesis: the Lamborghini Diablo VT Roadster.  Then, Jason and Derek include wwo Porsches: the 992.1-chassis 911 S/T and 964 Carrera RS 3.8. Both the Bugatti EB110 GT and Veyron made the list, as did another Piëch-era favorite: the VW XL1.  Speaking of VWs, the 1964 Beetle and new ID.Buzz both made the cut as well. What would a Carmudgeon episode be without a smattering of Mercedes products? The W209 CLK63 Black Series (manual-converted), W201 190E 2.5-16, C126 560SEC, and a W124 300E with a Mosselman twin-turbo kit and Zender body!  Two EVs even made the list: the incredible Lucid Air Sapphire and spunky Hyundai Ioniq 5 N. Plus some exquisite lightweights: the Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint 1300, Lotus Exige V6 Cup, and Lancia Stratos. The worst drives of the year? That honor goes to the disappointing Pagani Zonda and 4-cylinder W206 Mercedes-AMG C63. We end wondering how to rack up miles behind the wheel of our favorite vintage cars safely. One thing we can all agree we need? More time off!   Happy Holidays! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s episode begins with cars shoehorned with engines they were never supposed to possess, such as the W124 Mercedes-Benz 500E and R129 SL600. On the opposite end of the engine-size spectrum, Jason also discusses his recent findings in the newest Cammisa Ultimate Drag Race series, featuring new front-wheel drive manual transmission offerings such as the Hyundai Elantra N, Volkswagen Jetta GLI, and Acura Integra (and special guest Ford Bronco Raptor). On the subject of super sedans, Derek discusses his recent adventures in an E39 BMW M5, a car which controversially did not capture his soul. As a two-time six-cylinder E39 owner, Jason chimes in on why Derek might not be so out of line on this rather unusual opinion. Some cars, like the E39 M5 and many other period-exceptional cars, are inherently less desirable for not having enough flaws and subsequent character. What’s more- the E39 M5 is an excellent sporting luxury sedan, but is it an excellent sports sedan? A discussion on flawed yet wonderful vs. wonderful yet flawed cars opens the floodgates for many other questions to be answered. For instance, what makes a car significant for its time? What makes a terrible car better than a fundamentally great car over time? What is definition of a sports sedan? What’s a sports car? And seriously, why is the Hyundai Elantra N so ugly? All this and more brought to you by the Hagerty Podcast Network Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Back by popular(-ish) demand, and because the Carmudgeons were at Monterey Car Week instead of podcasting live, we have another episode where Jason and Derek dig into their vast spreadsheets of automotive reviews. The boys use Random Number Generator to call up cells in their spreadsheets of automotive nerdery, forcing Jason and Derek to take a trip down memory lane — and then read aloud their sometimes-embarrassing commentary on cars they've driven in the past. Cars that they'd often forgotten about it. In this episode, we hear about some of the following cars: Alfa Romeo GTV6 Mercedes 300SL Roadster (W196) 2009 BMW E92 M3 Coupe DCT in a Hypermiling challenge 2023 BMW 760i xDrive 2001 Dodge Viper 2007 Mercedes CLK 550 Cabriolet Lancia Fulvia HF 2009 Jetta TDI (Mk5) 2009 Honda CR-V Diesel Bosch Prototype 1991 BMW 318is convertible (E30) 1994 Porsche Speedster 2011 Audi A8 2015 Volkswagen Golf Mk7 Suzuki XL7 1961 Jaguar E-Type 2017 Aston Martin V12 Vantage S 7-speed Dogleg Manual 2024 Aston Martin Valour 1985 Ferrari Testarossa Monospecchio BMW 850i (E31) Bentley Continental W12 2008 Mercedes C300 Sport 6-speed …and more! === The Carmudgeon Show is a part of the Hagerty Podcast Network Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode, Jason and Derek uncover the fruitful history of Kei cars, the limitations they possess, and the various misconceptions that most enthusiasts have taken as truth. Jason and Derek discuss the differences in character between Honda Beat, Autozam AZ-1, Suzuki Cappuccino, and the other sub-700cc pocket rockets that have become popular 25 year rule imports into the US in recent years. Today’s topic also explores how different world governments create (and destroy) the existence of specific vehicle types, as well as the important cars throughout history that have mobilized developed and developing countries. Just like the Model T and the Beetle mobilized the United States and Germany respectively, the Kei car was responsible for getting the masses in Japan on the road while establishing a standard for efficiency and reliability that would eventually define Japanese auto manufacturing around the world. All this and more, brought to you by the Hagerty Podcast Network. This episode is sponsored by Reliable Carriers- mention Carmudgeon in your next shipping quote and get 10% off! https://reliablecarriers.com/request-a-quote/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bank robbers prefer sport sedans: all the speed of a supercar with seating for all their accomplices — and trunk space for their loot. And the fast sedan was born with the Jaguar sedan powered by a Le Mans-winning-engine. In the 1950s, Jaguar was on a Le Mans winning streak with its MK120-C and D-Type race cars. But why let the sports cars have all the fun? In 1955 Jaguar introduced the 2.4 Saloon (aka the Mark 1), and a handful of months later plopped their Le Mans-winning 210 hp 3.4L straight-6 engine into the chassis to create the 3.4 Saloon. Equipped with race-spec 4-wheel discs and double-wishbone front suspension it outran everything (including the police), and is arguably the world’s first sports sedan. In this episode we’ll cover the elegantly menacing Jaguar 3.4 Saloon or “Mark 1”. Starting with how to properly pronounce Jagyoowuhr. Or is it Jagwire? Depends. We’ll cover the marque’s origins – from Sir William Lyons’ Swallow Sidecar Company, to early sports cars like the XK120 and the Le Mans winning streak of the 1950s with the C-Type and D-Type. The 2.4L straight-6, followed by the monster 3.4, then 3.8, and even 4.2 which was used all the way up until the mid-1980s in the XJ6 and even early 90s in the Daimler DS420. The 3.4 Saloon employed 4-wheel disc brakes, double wishbone front suspension, a cantilevered rear leaf spring, and panhard rod. Early cars had centrally-mounted gauges, and the chassis was Jaguar’s first to use unitary construction. Sadly, galvanization wouldn’t take off for another two decades, starting at Porsche. And while the unibody proved stronger than anticipated, it wasn’t strong enough to protect racer Mike Hawthorne when he fatally crashed his Mark 1 while passing a Mercedes 300SL Gullwing in England in 1959. The Mark 1 comes from a bygone era of race cars where Le Mans-winning engines (and entire vehicles) would find their way into dealer showrooms effectively unchanged. With few exceptions since (notably the McLaren F1 – which, incredibly, went the reverse direction from streetcar to dominant race car). The last of the breed may have been the Mark III Ford GT40, as things escalated dramatically with the arrival of the Porsche 917. Luckily for us poors, plenty of lower level racing exists, and we got a handful of other homologation specials to choose from in the form of the BMW E30 M3, Mercedes-Benz 190 2.3-16, Ford Sierra RS Cosworth, and Rover SD1, to name a few. Cars like the Alfa Giulietta Ti sedan give the Jag a challenge for the original sports sedan mantle, but the Italian wasn't first. In today’s world, the Jag was a performance-per-dollar bargain akin to a Tesla Model 3. Or possibly a Dodge Charger Hellcat. In any case, today’s quintessential sports sedan, the M3, has gotten far too pricey to be considered a bargain. As Derek points out, if you’re a thrifty enthusiast, skip the G80 and E30 and get yourself a nice used E36 or E46. No matter what you buy, budget for fixing it (especially if it’s a Land Rover). And always, always get a silly license plate. Just maybe one that doesn't tempt fate like Jason's friend's NEED AAA plate. Because, umm, he did. Immediately. [The words Hagerty Roadside didn't fit on the plate. Obviously.] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ever wonder how to get your father arrested in 1990s Germany? 18-year-old Jason can probably answer that for you. Upon taking the keys to his father’s Vauxhall Calibra, Jason tells an adolescent story of getting a speeding ticket 100 mph over the posted limit. Going to Monterey Car Week without your car? Buy or rent an old car, no matter how much oil it leaks! Jason and Derek discuss which car in their respective collections they’ll bring to this year’s car week and complain about the soul-sucking rentals and assorted boring new cars that other attendees often drag along. This episode’s main focus revolves around the varying types of people who have previously and currently buy supercars for status. Jason and Derek discuss their general distaste for individuals who see supercar ownership purely as a luxury experience, when in fact the opposite is most often true- particularly when stuck on the side of the road waiting for a tow.  But perhaps the individual is not actually to blame when the manufactures make their most hardcore supercar offerings more accessible to the average Joe and Jodie. Make an amazing, highly capable, accessible supercar, and more often than not the wrong type of buyer will go after it. But that won’t stop them from being passed on track by Jason in a Volkswagen Golf VR6 or a Derek in a Mazda Miata- after all, the driver mod beats all. All this and more, brought to you by the Hagerty Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Jason digs into his storied spreadsheet of reviews of every car he's ever driven. And we learn that Derek has a spreadsheet, too. With the help of a Random Number Generator that calls up cells in their spreadsheet, Jason and Derek take a trip down memory lane, reading aloud their sometimes embarrassing commentary on cars they've driven in the past. One entry of Jason's was so... NSFW... that he initially couldn't read it out loud. When he finally did, Derek was so shocked he shot water out of his noise, misswallowed, and threw up in his mouth. All in the name of fun, of course. Speaking of which, do you remember the Suzuki Equator? Neither did Jason, even though he drove one. === The Carmudgeon Show is part of the Hagerty Broadcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The front-wheel-drive platform is one that has been historically not taken seriously by many driving enthusiasts. After all, given all of the responsibility of moving AND steering the vehicle while stuffing the weight of an engine over the front wheels, who wouldn’t agree that FWD is always the inferior choice to RWD? Today’s episode of The Carmudgeon Show is all about the unspoken glory of front-wheel-drive and its general tendency to be misunderstood by enthusiasts across the board. Despite having owned a small minority of FWD cars in their pasts, Jason and Derek cover all the bases of how and why the dynamics of FWD handling tend to be overlooked in the real world- including but not limited to the truth behind understeer, weight transfer, and overall chassis tuning that can make a FWD driving experience far more enjoyable than its favored RWD counterpart. All this and more, brought to you by the Hagerty Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We quickly review the fastest cars you can buy for less than $35,000: the 2024 Ford Mustang EcoBoost High-Performance Pack, 2024 Subaru Impreza WRX tS 6MT, 2025 Mazda3 Turbo AWD, 2024 Volkswagen Golf GTI 380 S manual, 2025 Hyundai Elantra N 6MT, 2025 Mini Cooper S and 2024 Toyota GR86 Trueno 6MT (and Subaru BRZ twin). Plus 3 of the quickest – and most expensive – new GT cars on sale today: the 2025 McLaren GTS, 2024 Mercedes-AMG GT63, and 2025 Bentley Continental GT Speed. === The Carmudgeon Show Sponsor, Vredestein Tires: https://www.vredestein.com/ Click here to join the Hagerty Driver's Club: https://bit.ly/Join-HDC-Cammisa-Rev === On this episode of the Carmudgeon Show, Jason vows to go on an all-expenses-paid trip to Lake Tahoe on Hagerty’s dime to properly evaluate the van, Jynah’s, grip in the snow (now that it’s wearing a set of Vredestein Wintrac Pro tires). Then the boys dive into Gran Turismo – no, not the classic Playstation racing simulators – but rather attaining and maintaining high speeds over extended durations. More specifically, the “Old Man GT” episode of Cammisa’s Ultimate Drag Race Replay, which features some of the quickest, most expensive, and impractical 4-wheeled jewelry money can buy: the McLaren GTS, Mercedes-AMG GT63, and Bentley Continental GT Speed.  While discussing the new AMG GT63 (which no longer rides on underpinnings from the Dodge Viper lineage like its predecessors, the gullwing-door SLS AMG and the previous AMG GT, but now shares its platform and drivetrain with the SL line), Derek shares a nugget from his vintage Mercedes literature which shows SL buyers in the 1990s had significantly more money to spend than S-Class-buying plebes. And Jason theorizes that SEC owners likely had even more still.  Speaking of the Mercedes, Jason laments that the new SL63’s posterior profile looks suspiciously Porsche 911-y, but the duplicative flattery appears to date all the way back to the Porsche 356 and the contemporary Mercedes-Benz W198 300 SL Gullwing.   In other news, Motor Trend Video is dead, and Jason is deeply empathetic.  After the mourning, we delve into the next drag race episode: cars under $35,000! This episode pits the latest crop of cheap speed against one another in bracketed races with nearly every drivetrain orientation: naturally aspirated, turbocharged, front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive, all-wheel drive, manual, automatic, DCT, and so on. Unabashed boosted 4-cylinder noises assault the senses and appease the Abarth gods. Our first race pits the front-wheel drive cars against one another: the Hyundai Elantra N races the Mk8 Volkswagen GTI and the new F66 Mini Cooper S – which is completely overlooked by enthusiasts in 2024 (and is too cutesy for its own good), yet somehow manages to be effortlessly quick and best the OG hot hatch GTI.  Then, the second race includes the rear- and all-wheel drive cars: the rwd Ford Mustang EcoBoost races the rwd Toyota GR86, the awd Subaru WRX and the surprisingly quick Mazda 3 Turbo AWD.  And all Jason wants for Christmas is a GR86/FR-S/BRZ hatchback with a K24.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is there such a thing as a car so perfect that it doesn't need any modifications? === Click here to join the Hagerty Driver's Club: https://bit.ly/Join-HDC-Cammisa-Rev The Carmudgeon Show Sponsor, Vredestein Tires: https://www.vredestein.com/ === Jason and Derek have modified many of the cars in their personal collections, which makes Jason wonder: is any of those cars so good that any modification would make it worse? The discussion begins with a look at both Jason’s and Derek’s personal fleets and the modifications (if any) they did to them: Jason’s daily driver Mk7 Volkswagen e-Golf, his beloved but heavily modified Mk2 Scirocco 16V, the bat-shit bitch basket Mk1 Cabriolet, and even his OEM+ E30 wagon. Derek divulges his vast 964-chassis Porsche 911 mod list, and talks W124 wagon mods before they both look back at some of the cars they’ve sold: MKIII Golf, Elise, Isuzu Pup, E39 BMWs, and more!    But were the modifications they installed necessary fixes for factory deficiencies, or simply a matter of personal preference? Then they get down to business – what car(s) left the factory perfect? Candidates up for debate range from: Cadillac’s CT4 and CT5 Blackwing Alpha-chassis Chevrolet Camaros Chevy SS sedan Aston Martin V12 Vantage S 7-speed Honda S2000 Nissan 240Z Ferrari 308 GT4 Mercedes W201 (190E) Mercedes W202 C43 Mercedes R129 500SL / SL500 E39-chassis BMW 5-series Various Porsche 911 models And more! What do you think? What car(s) were perfect from the moment they left the factory floor? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Has any automotive facelift ever made a car better than its original design? This episode of the Carmudgeon show is sponsored by Lucid Motors, who has special lease and finance offers on available 2023 models of the Lucid Air Touring and Grand Touring. Visit lucidmotors.com for offer details. What Carmudgeon episode would complete without a discussion of Bruno Sacco's Mercedes masterpieces, including the W201, W124, W140, and R129? Then, there's the Ferrari lineage: 246 Dino to 308 GTB to 328 GTB to 348 tb to F355. And perhaps the most successful facelift ever, the Bangle-Butt BMW E65/E66 7-series — which was vastly more successful in showrooms after BMW"s "LCI," or "Life Cycle Impulse," BMW-speak for a facelift. There's the Mk1 Volkswagen Golf, with the Clipper Kit Cabriolet and the Citi versions, the BMW E30, the Jaguar Series III to XJ40 to X300 to X308. And what if all the Radwood-era cars only got prettier because of relaxed and harmonized bumper standards, like the W116 Mercedes S-Class did when it was replaced with the W126. Discussed is also the Lamborghini Countach, Renault R5 Turbo, Lancia Integrale and Evo. And of course the Ferrari Testarossa Monospecchio, turned into the Testarossa, the 512TR, and ultimately 512M. How about BMW's prime era of the E38 and E39 and E46? The original Chevrolet Cavalier? The ovoid Taurus? Or just the Miata NC Miata, in NC1, NC2, and NC3 revisions? It's all an interesting discussion and a fun brain-dump from two curmudgeonly car experts, one of whom probably needs a facelift himself soon. === The Carmudgeon Show is part of the Hagerty Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The 6-speed swapped Mercedes-Benz CLK63 AMG Black Series is finally here, and Jason drove it! Derek’s – or rather OTS’s – OEM-grade 6-speed manual CLK63 Black Series by Kwiek Classics is done, and Jason and Derek get behind the wheel to review the car that AMG should’ve built all along.  Enthusiasts around the world have never had a chance to interact directly with AMG’s only clean-sheet engine, the M156 – a monster 6.2L, 32-valve, DOHC, cross-plane V8 making 500 horsepower for the CLK63 Black Series. But now, thanks to Matt Kwiek at Kwiek Classics, we finally can! And it’s why Derek and his business partners at OTS bought one for Matt to manual swap using OEM Mercedes-Benz parts. The swap is done, and the car is here in the Bay Area where the Carmudgeons got to row the gears in AMG’s widebody beast of the noughties. By junking the recalcitrant automatic transmission, the car is transformed into the athlete its flared fenders promise it to be. Combine the manual trans with the factory triple-adjustable dampers (which feel like they’re full of sand in its current track configuration, though according to Jason are magical with the settings Mercedes used at the launch event) and the CLK63 Black Series becomes a car that even the most curmudgeonly enthusiast will struggle to come up with an excuse not to buy. As familiar and confidence-inspiring as the best M cars like E36 and E46 M3, and with an engine more engaging and experiential than the likes of the E39 M5. Even better to drive than a V8 Vantage and a Lexus LFA. Unlike typical 3-pedal swaps that lend themselves to terrible throttle mapping (see: Pagani Zonda), this one is a 9 out of 10, and an easy “marry” over a plethora of Ferraris: Testarossa, 355, 550 – even a Porsche 997 GT3. After the AMG, we dive into Jason’s recent dyno day at Chuckles Garage in NorCal, where Jason managed to take 3 spots on the dyno’s leaderboard for least horsepower (not including Jason, who can put down 500 watts). Jason got power numbers on his E31 BMW 850CSi, the Rover SD1 3500 V8, and the Honda Beat. Plus a friend brings along a Euro-spec 850CSi for comparison. Using some Turner Motorsport chips for the dual-ECU S70 850CSi motor, in conjunction with some Ferrari 599 mufflers, Jason’s CSi managed to beat the Euro car at 304 rear wheel horsepower. But even with Ferrari exhaust, the 850 still needs help in the sound department. Luckily, @czechmate_e30 is working with a fabricator to make a set of stepped headers for BMW V12s! Then, with fresh dyno numbers in hand, Jason combines the data with the power figures from the rest of his fleet, and indexes them by percentage of peak power versus percentage of peak RPM. The resulting graph provides an excellent visualization as to where and how each of his car’s engines makes their power. Science! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cybertruck is easily the most controversial vehicle of the last decade, and Tesla gave Jason Cammisa exclusive access to its engineers — to drive it, watch it in a crash-test, drag race it, race it around a go-kart track, and hit it with a sledgehammer. This is a companion podcast to the "Jason Cammisa on the ICONS" episode, available on the Hagerty YouTube channel. == Click here to join the Hagerty Driver's Club: https://bit.ly/Join-HDC-Cammisa-ICONS == As mentioned in the podcast, see the original Car and Driver road test of the 1987 Lamborghini LM002 here: https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a15142136/lamborghini-lm002-archived-instrumented-test-review/ The Cybertruck has finally launched, 4 years after its shape was revealed to the public. What we didn't know in the intervening years was that the shape was the least outrageous part of Tesla's truck. Underneath the structural stainless-steel skin is an entirely-new method of constructing vehicle, with enormous aluminum castings and a structural battery pack made of Gen-2 4860 cells developed by Tesla. The Truck uses a new 800-volt battery and motor architecture with a switch to run the battery modules in series/parallel hybrid mode for 400-volt backwards compatibility.  The 12v low-voltage system has been replaced by an industry-first 48-volt architecture, together with a new electrical architecture and gigabit CAN. And the Cybertruck is the world's fully steer-by-wire vehicle - using nothing but electric motors to turn both the front and rear wheels. In addition, this 3-motor variant pulls off consistent 2.6-second 0-to-60 runs and manages 11.0 @ 119 mph through the quarter-mile, a production truck world record (by some margin — beating the previous record holder, the Rivian R1T Quad-Motor through the 1/4-mile by 0.7 seconds.) This podcast is Jason Unfiltered, talking about his experience with the Cybertruck to film the ICONS episode. The Carmudgeon Show is part of the Hagerty Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lots of cars are named after a geographic location. Many cars are named after a place you'd never see them. We discuss them all. In this episode of The Carmudgeon Show, Jason Cammisa and Derek Tam-Hyphen-Scott discuss cars named after places! But first, an update on some of the boys' cars: Derek's R129 Mercedes 500SL finally has rebuilt hydraulic cylinders — and a functioning roof. Jason's W201 Mercedes 190E 2.3-16 has had a rearview mirror blowout. Jason decides he hates his Scirocco after working on the interior for a few hours — and then dropped it off at the body shop to have its frame measured for straightness because he still loves it. Derek's Citroën still doesn't run. Jason signed up for an autocross in his Lotus Elise SC and can't decide whether to run the Michelin Pilot Sport All-Season 3+ tires, or put the original Yokohamas back on. But then - they got to the subject at hand: Cars named after places! And we made a comprehensive list of every car named after a place. Over 100 of them! Here they are. EVERY CAR NAMED AFTER A PLACE! Alfa Romeo Milano Alfa Romeo Montreal Austin A40 Somerset Austin Atlantic Austin Cambridge Austin Devon? Austin Dorset? Austin Montego Austin Westminster betntley Arnage Bentley Brooklands Bentley Continental Bentley Mulsanne Bugatti Atlantique Buick LaCrosse Buick Lucerne Buick Park Avenue Buick Rainier Buick Riviera Buick Verano Cadillac Biarritz Cadillac Calais Cadillac Cimarron Cadillac Seville Chevrolet Bel Air Chevrolet Biscayne Chevrolet Cheyenne Chevrolet Colorado Chevrolet Corsica Chevrolet Delray Chevrolet Malibu Chevrolet Montana Chevrolet Monte Carlo Chevrolet Monza Chevrolet Silverado Chevrolet Tahoe Chrysler Aspen Chrysler Cordoba Chrysler Fifth Avenue Chrysler New Yorker Chrysler Newport Chrysler Pacifica Chrysler Saratoga Chrysler Sebring Colt Sapporo Daewoo LeMans Dodge Aspen Dodge Charger Daytona Dodge Dakota Dodge Daytona Dodge Durango Dodge Monaco Ferrari 360 Modena Ferrari 458 Italia Ferrari 550/575? Maranello Ferrari California Ferrari 330 America Ferrari Fiorano 599 Ferrari Portofino Ferrari Daytona Ferrari Monza Fiat 131 Mirafiori Ford Capri Ford Cortina Ford Fairmont Ford Grenada Ford Taunus Ford Torino Ford Torino Talladega GMC Yukon GMC Denali GMC Sonoma Hyundai Santa Fe Hyundai Tucson Hyundai Tiburon Hyundai Veracruz Kia Borrego Kia Telluride Kia Rio Kia Sedona Kia Sorrento Lancia Montecarlo Lancia Aurelia, Lancia Flavia Lancia Fulvia Lancia Flaminia Lincon Versailles Lincon Continenal Lotus Cortina Lotus Europa Maserati Indy Maserati Mexico Maserati Sebring Mazda Montrose Mercedes Mannheim Mercedes Nürburg Mercedes Stuttgart Mercury Milan Mercury Montclair Mercury Monterey Morris Oxford Nissan Murano Packard Carribean Plymouth Sundance Plymouth THE WHOLE BRAND! Pontiac Bonneville Pontiac Catalina Pontiac LeMans Pontiac Montana Pontiac Parisienne Porsche Cayenne Capital of French Guiana Renault Floride Riley Monaco Rolls-Royce Carmague Rolls-Royce Picadilly SEAT Ibiza Seat Leon Seat Marbella Skoda Kodiaq Subaru Baja Subaru Outback Subaru Tribeca Toyota Avalon Toyota Tacoma Triumph Dolomite Triumph Toledo Vauxhall Belmont Volvo Amazon Yugo Florida Outer Space: GM's Saturn Brand Mazda Cosmo Lancia Stratos Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Everything you ever wanted to know about Citroën — but didn't know you wanted to know it. = This episode of the Carmudgeon show is sponsored by Lucid Motors, who has special lease and finance offers on available 2023 models of the Lucid Air Touring and Grand Touring. Visit lucidmotors.com for offer details. = This episode of the Carmudgeon Show is all about the French brand Citroën, sparked by Jason's recent drive of Derek's magnificent CX. Purposefully weird, it's not only a monument of design, but of engineering, too, with incomparably smooth hydropneumatic suspension. Tune in to learn everything about the history of Citroën (including its Dutch name), the Traction Avant, DS, ID, CX, BX, and other models. And of course a discussion of modern Citroën, its history, and innovations. == The Carmudgeon Show is part of the Hagerty Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of The Carmudgeon Show, Jason and Derek discuss the future of Jaguar--the iconic automotive brand struggling to survive in today's market. All this and more, brought to you by the Hagerty Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Now that the Bring-a-Trailer crowd have made 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s cars unaffordable, what happens to pre-1980s cars? Do they just fall out of favor like today's pre-war and brass-era cars? Or is the solution to get younger generations of car enthusiasts interested in pre 1980s cars? And then, how do you best preserve the cars of true interest from those periods so that younger generations can continue to have the option to be interested in them in the first place? Good questions! Tough questions! Per usual, there are opinions! All this and more, brought to you by the Hagerty Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jason and Derek discuss the origins of one of Lamborghini’s most iconic models: the Diablo. And what makes this 1 of 83 GT edition so special.   === The Carmudgeon Show Sponsor, Vredestein Tires: https://www.vredestein.com/ Click here to join the Hagerty Driver's Club: https://bit.ly/Join-HDC-Cammisa-Rev === Prior to recording this episode, Jason’s Diablo-experience was limited to a blue VT he drove as part of a V12 Lamborghini story back in 2012 that included a 1972 Miura SV, 1988 Countach 5000 QV, Murciélago, Aventador, and LM002. Luckily for Jason (and all of us,) Derek – who also recently drove a Diablo Roadster – brought along this spectacular orange Diablo GT (one of just 83 ever built), which both he and Jason took for a spin. Their impressions followed after a brief history lesson courtesy of Derek.  The history lesson will include the origin of Lamborghini itself at the hands of multiple different owners: Ferruccio Lamborghini, Jean-Claude and Patrick Mimran, and Chrysler, which took over just as the Diablo concept was nearly production ready. Luckily for everyone, legendary designer at Bertone, Marcello Gandini, didn’t throw his hands up and walk off the job, and we got the Diablo (and the non-Chrysler-tainted early designs went on to become the Cizeta-Moroder V16T). But it was the 90s, and we demanded more! So the motorsport-focused Diablo GT was born. Featuring widened front fenders, a carbon-fiber rear diffuser, carbon-fiber bucket seats, oil cooler w/ heat extractor hood vent, and a roof scoop to direct cold air into the massive carbon-fiber intake plenum feeding independent throttle bodies – and much, much more! Like all Diablos, the interior is a little kit-car spec. A flat bezel with holes carved into it for individual gauges comprises the main “cluster.” The suspension is ultra-stiff, but handles exceptionally well on smooth tarmac. And the car can effortlessly break traction at both near-idle RPMs and at near-triple-digit speeds. Rear visibility is non-existent (there is effectively no rear window), but boy are you visible to everyone else on the road.  Before we wrap things up, we talk crankshafts and who made the first modern flat-plane crank for a production V-8. Perhaps it’s the Urraco and not the Ferrari 308? Ford’s contemporary flat-plane crank Voodoo V-8 from the Shelby GT350 is known to shake itself to pieces. Is that par for the course? Chevy’s C8 Z06 Corvette seems to be doing just fine. As are the AMG GT Blacks Series and Aston Martin Valhalla, but does anyone care?  Cars like the new Revuelto and Temerario are more common than ever these days. And the number of people who stand a chance of someday affording them seems to be dwindling. Do you care about these million-dollar super cars? Or would you rather see more $35,000 challenges with cars like the Mini Cooper S, Hyundai Elantra N, Ford Mustang Ecoboost, Mazda3 Turbo, VW GTI, Subaru WRX, and Toyota GR86 in 2025? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Back by popular demand, Jason and Derek dig into their vast spreadsheets of automotive reviews. Rather than picking our favorite cars, a Random Number Generator calls up cells in their spreadsheet, forcing Jason and Derek to take a trip down memory lane — and then read aloud their sometimes-embarrassing commentary on cars they've driven in the past. Cars that they'd often forgotten about it. In this episode, we hear about some of the following cars: TVR Vixen Triumph TR6 2018 BMW M5 (F90-chassis) 1960 Porsche 356B Roadster 2010 BMW X6 Active Hybrid BMW 1-series ActiveE 2023 Porsche Cayenne GTS Coupe Maserati Bora Ferrari 365 BB Lamborghini Miura Mercedes 280SL Pagoda (W113) 2010 Audi A5 Cabriolet Alfa 4C Launch Edition 2007 Mitsubishi Outlander 2009 Ferrari F430 Scuderia 16M Toyota Highlander Hybrid Maserati MC20 1989 Porsche 911 Turbo (930) 1st-gen Honda Insight 5-speed manual E92 BMW 335i (N54) with dyno 1964 Citroën DS19 Chapron ...and more! === The Carmudgeon Show is part of the Hagerty Broadcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this celebratory 50th episode of The Carmudgeon Show, Jason Cammisa and Derek Tam-Scott regale us with tales of their 624-mile weekend old-car road rally. Derek brought his 964-chassis Porsche 911, Jason brought "Beatrice," his beater E30-chassis BMW 325i. Two friends bought Miatas: an NC3 and an ND2. More on the Mazdas in a future episode, we promise. Derek picked a route of the twistiest back roads Northern California can offer and the boys grabbed a couple hotels. Several things occurred to them: 1. California's passing laws suck because they put the onus of pulling over on the slower, weaker driver. 2. We've found our people: they use turn signals. 3. Track days are great, but we prefer back roads. 4. Tight and twisty back roads are more fun than track - it trades repetition for adventure. 5. This is the cheapest way of enjoying a weekend. 6. Poor Beatrice. 7. Focus on the driver mod! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode of the Carmudgeon Show is a documentary on the Mercedes-Benz W201 — the 190E, which might be the most important Mercedes ever. == Click here to join the Hagerty Driver's Club: https://bit.ly/Join-HDC-Cammisa-ICONS == The W201-chassis 1982 Mercedes 190E was a game-changer, because it was a ground-up new car that allowed the luxury car maker to move into the small-car space. This is the full story of how the W201 came to be (hint: it was a response to US fuel-economy regulations) and the barely comprehensible about of engineering R&D that went into it — 4 billion Deutschmarks.  In this episode, we talk about all 190E variants — from the base 2.0-liter, 8-valve and 190D 2.5 Diesels, to the 190E 2.3-16 and 190E 2.5-16 Evolution II DTM car. The Carmudgeon Show is part of the Hagerty Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Luftgekühlt has just happened in Northern California, for the first time, and Derek attended. So, of course, Jason wants to know: can any single-marque car show ever be cool? Or was this just a bunch of "Porsche-weenies" showing off their roof-racks? As usual, the answer isn't quite that straightforward. Of course, Jason starts out with a rant about Porsche drivers on the freeway, and Derek responds to it with logic. The problem, as always, is that air-cooled Porsches really make sense as a primary collector car, because they're so inherently, incredibly good. So does that make a show consisting of only one car boring? Definitely not, it turns out. Because these shows, like all shows, become about the community, the people, and the friends you make from them. Porsche-weenies are just as cool, it turns out, as VW nuts or BMW nerds. There's also discussion of the single-marque water-cooled VW shows on the east coast: Wateriest, H20 International, and "Cincy," the Ohio-based annual Scirocco Cruise-In. And, of course, Jason's surprise 23-year-old timing belt on the Honda Beat. And Derek's incredibly well-sorted 964-chassis Porsche 911. Which Jason doesn't like because it's too good. And the C4-chassis Chevy Corvette and Corvette ZR-1. And the Tesla Roadster. Plus, they discuss the 3-seater Talbot-Matra Murena, proving that the Carmudgeon Show talks about cars you've never even heard of. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode is a great discussion coming from a question submitted by our producer Jake: what is the modern equivalent of the Mercedes W201 190E? == This episode of “The Carmudgeon Show” is presented by Valentine One Radar Locator: Find radar before it finds you! https://bit.ly/Valentine1_Hagerty Click here to join the Hagerty Driver's Club: https://bit.ly/Join-HDC-Cammisa-ICONS == Jason and Derek try to come up with a list of 5 Cars That Are Significant Like the W201 was.  The first question is what made that old Mercedes so special. The criteria are: Technical Innovation. Moving Into a New Market. Meaningful Change to the Industry. Democratizing Features Previously Not Part of a Segment With bonus points for: Motorsport Heritage Design Then, it becomes so much more. And possibly includes the Hyundai/Kia triplets: Hyundai Ioniq 5, Genesis GV60, and Kia EV6. The 1992 Toyota Camry. The answer lies somewhere between Tesla's Model 3, the Porsche Cayenne, the Toyota Prius, and the Lexus LS400.  === Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Reviewing two V12, manual-transmission masterpieces — the Carmudgeons drove a Pagani Zonda Nero and a Ferrari F50, thanks to DK Engineering. === Click here to join the Hagerty Driver's Club: https://bit.ly/Join-HDC-Cammisa-Rev Jason's Hoodie & Merch: https://closed-course-productions.printify.me/ === DK Engineering slid into Jason's DMs with an offer to drive an F50, a car he hadn't driven. Derek is already on record praising the F50 — but neither had driven a Zonda.  They drove the cars, but didn't talk about it with one another until now. So here's the unfiltered truth about these two cars. In reality, they couldn't be more different. Disappointing. Derek called the Pagani disappointing — the worst thing you could ever hear from your parents. Especially after Jason had just ridden in the Gordon Murray GMA T.50. Perhaps this Zonda, which had been federalized for U.S. emissions, was quieter than most, but it was an acoustic nonevent: it sounded like a Toyota Camry V6. Which isn't an insult (that's the best sounding V6 in production today) — but it was out of bounds with their expectations. Where the Zonda surprised, however, was that it's a nice GT. But one perhaps that's not what the boys expected. On the other hand, the Ferrari F50 was a complete experience. Its V12 sounds nothing like any of the other 3 Ferrari V12s (Colombo, Lampredi, or F116/F140.) It's not a particularly beautiful sound — more a yell than a scream — but it's fully enveloping and wonderful. The rest of the experience matches up, with linear controls, beautiful steering, and a chassis that feels natural and wonderful. With one of the best clutch/shifter/gas calibrations ever, despite the V12 having almost no flywheel weight. Also, we include a video of Jason shifting the F50 about 2.2 million times in a minute.  All this and more on this episode of the Carmudgeon Show, which is part of the Hagerty Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the Carmudgeon Show, Derek Tam-Scott helps Jason Cammisa make a not entirely welcome discovery about the past of his recently-acquired Honda Beat, which somehow transitions seamlessly to a discussion about homologation cars and how they are both strange and cool. Included among these are Derek’s recently-acquired Mercedes-Benz W201 190E 2.3-16 Cosworth. The main focus, however, is the homologation cars Derek drove on his recent trip to Europe, including the Lancia Fulvia HF Fanalone, the Lancia Stratos HF (which necessitates discussion of the Ferrari 246 Dino, of course) , the Group B-dominating Peugeot 205 Turbo 16, and Kimera Automobili’s spectacular Lancia 037 redux, the EVO37. These become the vehicles to discuss the differences between Group 4, Group 5, and Group 6, and their evolution into Group A, Group B, and Group C. No Carmudgeon Show episode is complete without a discussion of BMWs, in this case the E46 M3 CSL, which Derek drove in Switzerland. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Land Cruiser is one of Toyota’s – and, arguably, the world’s – most haloed marques. In this episode, Jason and Derek discuss its origins and history from its jeep origins, to its enormous family tree, all the way up to the brand new 250-series models, the 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser and Lexus GX550. Jason and the Hagerty crew traveled to the rugged, mountainous outskirts of Salt Lake City (and the nearby Land Cruiser Heritage Museum) to film an ICONS episode on the illustrious off-roading Toyota. And in this episode, the carmudgeons dive into the origins of the Japanese jeep and its Attila-grade family tree of subsequent series: the 20-series Land Cruiser and then the, 40, 55, 60, 70, 80, 100, 200, 250, and 300, just to name a few!  The FJs, BJs, the Iron Pig, heavy duties, station wagons, Prados, the Lexus-badged models like the LX600 and GX550 (Motor 1’s SUV of the year!). We’ll even cover the Land Cruiser’s competition along the way: the Jeep Wrangler, Compass, Cherokee, Grand Cherokee, and Wagoneer; the Land Rover Defender, Range Rover, Velar, Discovery and Evoque; even the Ford Bronco and International Scout.  In addition to the WWII Willys Jeep 4x4, we’ll cover the origin of the “J” in BJ and FJ – an abbreviation for jeep, which itself many believe is a pseudo-acronym for GP or “general purpose,” but a fact-check says otherwise. Even the Land Cruiser name itself was a tweaked version of the Land Rover moniker to make Rando-kurūzā in Japan.   Jason also reviews both of the new 250-series Prado trucks: the 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser and 2024 Lexus GX550. We'll talk powertrain, styling, cargo and passenger capacity, comfort, handling, NVH, luxury, and more.  Now let’s get to it! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A barrage of tariffs are foisted onto the automotive marketplace and throw a wrench into the car importing business (including Derek’s OTS and Co.). Are used cars affected? Not even ChatGPT knows. Jason wants to file a class action suit against VW for sunsetting 3G functionality in Mk7 cars, and Jay Leno puts his name behind California SB 712 to reduce the smog check burden on California-based classic car owners. We’ll start off with 1980s turbocharged lag-mobiles: the Saab 99 Turbo, BMW 2002 Turbo, and Porsche 930. At the time, Lotus deemed this power curve and response time unacceptable and managed to create a significantly better turbocharged experience in the Esprit Turbo. So good in fact that it may be on par with the W124 Mercedes-Benz 300E with a Mosselman twin-turbo setup that Jason recently drove. Next, Jason thinks a class action lawsuit is in order against VW of America. That’s because after 3G cell networks were shut down in 2022, VW failed to maintain the functionality of its Car-Net app that allowed for remote lock/unlock, cabin pre-heating, break-in alerts, charging start/stop and automatic crash notifications. Now, 3 years later, VW has admitted defeat, and has told owners that no fix will be provided. This is quite different from Tesla’s approach, who called in owners and upgraded their modems to run on the newer networks. Derek also notes the class action lawsuit against Mercedes when it was discovered that the clear coat on their Mars Red paint didn't last. Then we dive into the tariff chaos. Mainly the 25% tax on all imported automobiles, which may be permanent like the “chicken tax” on imported trucks, or it may last a few hours? Does it apply to used vehicles? No one is sure. But Derek wasn’t waiting around to find out when OTS was facing a $700,000 duty on a car it was actively importing for a client. Ronald Reagan briefly weighs in on the effectiveness of tariffs, and EU-allergic Switzerland enters the chat. Plus Ford and Mercedes-Benz both have extensive experience evading tariffs from their time importing non-tariffed “passenger” vans into the States, only to have their technicians immediately convert them into cargo trucks by removing the seats and windows then shipping the pieces back to Europe for the next batch. We’ll also cover various shipping methods (container vs "RoRo") as both Derek and Jason have experienced shipping cars overseas – both Derek’s W116 and W124 wagon made the voyage across the Atlantic, as did Jason’s E30 Touring and 190E 2.3-16. We’ll talk Boeing 747 8F cargo planes, RoRo cargo ships, 20- and 40-foot containers, and all of their associated pros, cons and costs. We’ll also dive into the used car market and recent auction results. Why are similar cars fetching wildly different prices at major auctions and on websites like Bring A Trailer? Derek and Jason both weigh in on the factors at play, including two recent BMW 850CSi sales. Lastly, we’ll touch on California SB712, now nicknamed Leno’s Law. A new law working its way through the California legislature that aims to reduce the smog check burden on classic car owners and collectors (as well as the repair shops burdened with maintaining dynamometers for a dwindling pool of cars requiring one for proper smog testing). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We drive the Sacrilege Motors 911 "Blackbird" — a fully electric-converted 964-chassis Porsche 911, and answer the question: can an EV be fun? === Click here to join the Hagerty Driver's Club: https://bit.ly/Join-HDC-Cammisa-Rev === The name of the company says it all: it is sacrilege to rip out a flat-six from the back of a 911 and replace it with batteries and a motor. But calling it out as sacrilege takes the wind out of that argument, and so Derek (a 964 owner and 911-weenie) and Jason each spent some time with this $850,000 (ish) Porsche to answer the question on whether it makes sense. The answer might surprise you. It surprised both of the boys, who hadn't discussed their opinions until we hit record in the studio. Derek was, of course, violent at the idea of a Restomod 911. Called it an abomination, at least conceptually. Especially because it's a 964, the least numerous of the air-cooled variants — and the best-driving according to Derek. This is the same basic car that companies like Singer also modify, because you can backdate the styling — which isn't possible on a 993. Jason, meanwhile, loved the memory structure of the Tesla Roadster blowing his mind — the other electric convertible sports car with great steering.  But did the boys like it? Love it? Hate it? Want to burn it at the stake? Only one way to find out! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, it's your questions and our answers! HagSwag! Cool Mugs! https://shop.hagerty.com/ == Click here to join the Hagerty Driver's Club: https://bit.ly/Join-HDC-Cammisa-ICONS == Jason and Hyphen have asked you to pose your questions, and as usual, you've proven that the Carmudgeon Audience is a bunch of smart, interesting humans. The questions were thought-provoking and intelligent. So, too, were the students of CCS in Detroit, with whom the the boys chatted a few weeks ago — the curmudgeonly Carmudgeons were loathe to admit that the future is in good hands. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's time for a quick Carmudgeon Catch-Up. The boys have been busy filming, but they're back in the studio for a session to discuss what's been going on. And, it turns out, to ponder what life would be like with only two cars. == This episode of “The Carmudgeon Show” is presented by Valentine One Radar Locator: Find radar before it finds you! https://bit.ly/Valentine1_Hagerty Click here to join the Hagerty Driver's Club: https://bit.ly/Join-HDC-Cammisa-ICONS == The updates are many! Jason's Dodge Grand Caravan finally got the custom license plate he ordered almost a year ago – and its innocent profanity is making him laugh.  Beatrice the E30 325i is back on the road after a double-suspension swap with Jason's 325i Touring. Thanks to help from the legendary Bill Arnold Independent BMW, the Spec E30 kit is now on Beatrice, complete with a new clutch and throw-out bearing, and she's ready for track days and rallies. And, of course, taking Jason's niece to Thunderhill Raceway's Teen Survival driving school. Where G learned just how it feels to be in low-earth orbit.  And the 325iT switched back to factory antiroll bars with H&R's new springs, tuned specifically for E30 Touring, and Bilstein B8 shocks that were a gift from our friend Sreten at M539 Restoration in Germany.  Meanwhile, Jason also went to Radwood SoCal 2023, where he gave away a gorgeous set of RML Snowflake wheels to a deserving Scirocco fan. He also met @outlaw_welt — a fan and a gentleman who 3D-printed a bunch of Carmudgeon Show and Jason Cammisa Hagerty Show logo pieces. And gave Jason a ride to the airport in his C126 500SEC 6-speed manual.  Of course, no Carmudgeon Show would be complete without a discussion of Sacco-era Mercedes, and the boys successfully put on a Cars & Coffee in Berkeley on Bruno Sacco's 90th Birthday. More than 100 cars showed up, including almost a dozen W124 500Es. Quite an achievement — and Happy Birthday, Mr. Sacco! Meanwhile, Jason will have just completed his third 24 Hours of Lemons race at Sonoma Raceway (wish him luck and safety) with Bill Arnold and Randy Pobst. The last time they ran this race, 2 years ago, they won overall in their tired, battered E28 BMW. And Derek has major news to share: he's parting ways with ISSIMI to start his own dealership. Daihatsu? Daewoo? Either way, Derek will be peddling the Cheapest D in Town! Details to follow! And he spent a couple days driving his brother's Rivian R1S. Derek's bro has what could possibly be the best 2-car solution ever: an ND2 Miata and a Rivian. This leads the boys to discuss: what would happen if they had to get down to just two cars. Would Jason keep just the Scirocco and the Ferrari? What else?  And could Derek actually do it? The Carmudgeon Show is part of the Hagerty Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Car Week Update, including: the Vintage Ferrari market nosedives at Pebble Beach. Jason sells his Lotus Elise. === Click here to join the Hagerty Driver's Club: https://bit.ly/Join-HDC-Cammisa-Rev === Neither of the Carmudgeons went to Sunday's Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, but both boys were at Car Week for the rest of the week.  And then left to shoot an episode of "Jason Cammisa on the ICONS" and "Ultimate Drag Race Replay." Which was even hotter than it was in the studio, where it was over 100ºF recording the Lexus LFA episode.  Sreten from M539 destroyed Jason's house, warehouse, and life, but resurrected an E60 M5 (that OTS & Co will be selling!) They discuss some Behind-the-Scenes on what it's like to try to close a road — Jason means it when he says "professional idiot on a closed course." Hint: it doesn't always work. Derek's company, OTS & Company, sold Jason's 2009 Lotus Elise SC, which was a pleasant surprise for Jason, who's never sold through an agent before — and who is generally terrible at selling cars. Jason is now a convert — and wants OTS&Co to sell everything! OTS & Co also won an award at the Quail with the Ferrari 365 "Croisette" shooting break at the Quail!  That coach built Ferrari might be the Ultimate Car Week Car! But it could be M539's Ring Taxi homage E60 M5 manual! But the real surprise at Car Week was how poorly the Blue Chip Ferraris did at auction. There were some other cars that were soft (including two Mercedes 190E 2.5-16 Evo II that sold below Derek's expectations) but the multiple-million-dollar 1950s and 1960s Ferrari market was the big shock. At the same time, a Ferrari F50 hit a new record at $5.5 million with fees — so there's probably not some major bubble bursting. Maybe it's just a generational shift? Lots of philosophical discussion ensues. You should listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Become an expert on the original Porsche 911 in just one hour! == Click here to join the Hagerty Driver's Club: https://bit.ly/Join-HDC-Cammisa-ICONS == The original, air-cooled Porsche 911 Classic spanned many variations and several variants over its 34-year run. In this episode of the Carmudgeon Show, Porsche expert Derek Tam-Scott gives you everything-you-need-to-know to become an expert on the 911. Derek starts out by talking about the original engineering, and then quickly covers the variants of the original long-hood cars, which had 2.0, 2.2, and 2.4-liter engines (though the latter actually displaced 2.3 liters.) There were carbureted, MFI, and Bosch CIS-E (K-Jetronic) variants, even before the next-generation G-Body was launched, with a 2.7-liter flat-six and impact bumpers. It was this version where the Carrera began — with the 2.7 and later 3.0 liter versions. The 911 SC came later, in model year 1978, with 3.0-liter engines — and it was to be the last of the 911s. Thankfully, CEO Peter Schutz, an American, saved it from being replaced by the V-8-powered 928. The SC was replaced with the Carrera 3.2, with Motronic fuel injection, before the original 911 was finally replaced — by the 1989 964, which was a functional enhancement but still basically the same car. The 964 replaced the original 911's torsion-bar suspension with coil springs — and power steering was available for the first time. It used a 3.6-liter. The final variant of the original 911 was the 993. If 85% of the parts were new for the 964, a further 80% were new again for the 993. Here, the 911 got the Weissach Axle rear multi-link suspension, VarioRam 3.6-liter, and a 6-speed manual. Learn about all of these Porsches in this episode! == The Carmudgeon Show is part of the Hagerty Podcast Network Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, the Carmudgeons recap their recent 600-mile back-road blast, which resulted in a surprise Best Car for the Mission. Unrelated, an update on their newly-acquired V-12 cars. === This episode is sponsored by Vyper Industrial — America’s #1 rated shop chair, tool carts, and creepers, proudly made here in the US. Go to https://www.vyperindustrial.com/ and use code HAGERTY for $50 off on all your order! Click here to join the Hagerty Driver's Club: https://bit.ly/Join-HDC-Cammisa-Rev === Jason and Derek now both own V-12-powered cars. Jason confesses his 850 CSI purchase, which happened while he was doing research for an upcoming Revelations episode. Derek lit his on fire while learning that it needs an engine rebuild. Turns out the BMW 850CSi has the shortest gear ratios of any V-12 car ever sold — and Jason is a self-described whore for short gearing.  Meanwhile, Derek bought a V12, manual Ferrari that has no compression in several cylinders. The main subject of the episode is one of Jason and Derek's many friend-group backroad trips in Northern California. As usual, it was a varied group of cars: Jason brought "Beatrice," his E30 BMW 325i sedan. Derek brought his race-prepped Mk5 Volkswagen GTI. Also present was a BMW Z3 2.8, an NA Miata, a GR Corolla, and one car that was very much not appropriate for tight mountain roads:  A C126 Mercedes 560SEC.  And the Mercedes was, by far, everyone's favorite. Wildly obese and far too large, with non-performance tires, the W126-chassis Mercedes should have been miserable. And what it instead demonstrated was perfect chassis balance, an indefatigable, 300-hp Euro/Japan-spec 5.5-liter engine, and a riotous time. Sometimes, it's the wrong car on the right road that's the most fun. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cizeta-Moroder V16T was the world's first sixteen-cylinder supercar, beating Bugatti by more than a decade. From its Gandini-designed Lamborghini origins, to disco-backed financing via Giorgio Moroder, a star-studded launch party with MC Jay Leno, and a cavalcade of lawsuits that continued up until the death of company founder and creator Claudio Zampolli in 2021. Brian Wiklem’s "16" book is available here: https://www.cizeta-v16t.com/ This is the true story of the Cizeta-Moroder V16T.  The Cizeta’s mysterious engine has left many guessing when it comes to its origins. Turns out, it has 2 cross-plane crankshafts from a Lamborghini Urraco P300 V8, a block design taken right from Ferrari’s 308 V8, and heads dissimilar to each — looking more like Cosworth’s contemporary DOHC designs. We even learn – thanks to Iain Tyrrell's Classic Workshop – that there appears to have been a flat-plane crank version in the works too!  Lots of nerdy engineering talk in this one: the torsional forces acting on crankshafts that make V16s (and straight-8s) not work so well, and how Claudio solved for them with a central power takeoff unit in his transverse V16 with a longitudinal transaxle – as opposed to the McLaren F1 (which debuted not long after) which did the inverse with a longitudinal engine (albeit with 4 fewer cylinders) and transverse transaxle. There were only a handful of V16 engines in the early 1900s, early examples fitted to Cadillacs and Marmons, with the Cizeta and other esoteric oddballs filling the gaps until present day, but now we’re getting a new one in the form of the Bugatti Tourbillon – whose predecessors used a much shorter “W” layout for their 16-cylinder powerplants. In any case, the cross-plane crank in the V16T elicits a raucous, lopey idle, and a Ford Mustang Shelby GT350R Chewbacca-grade WOT bellow accompanied by a cacophony of gear and induction noises. Build quality is exceptional throughout, and puts the Bugatti EB110 and Countach to shame.  Claudio would find himself in very public spats with Jay Leno, the author of the V16T book itself, Brian Wiklem, and countless others at car shows, on Ferrari forums, on Facebook – just about everywhere. He may have been paranoid and a little delusional, but he was an incredible engineer and mechanic, and we’re grateful to have been able to experience the Cizeta-Moroder V16T! Huge shout-outs to owner Brendan Gallaher, Jay Leno, and Brian Wiklem. At the start of this episode, we’ll also talk Golfs! Specifically MK7s, and the one Jason just bought for his niece. Believe it or not, despite decades of VW-dom, Jason has never owned a real GTI until this car. Now he’s turning the youth into car people one relative at a time, starting with the purchase of a 2006 Infiniti G35 Coupe 6-speed for his nephew a few years ago, and then sending him to driving school with it. His niece got to attend the same driving school in Jason’s E30, Beatrice. And, if Jason leaves the surprise 034Motorsport tune on this new GTI, his niece will inherit a car much quicker than her older brother’s (and Derek may have to buy one too). But should we trust 18-year-olds (or Dereks) with 300 hp cars? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Carmudgeon returns! After a short break, Jason and Derek have returned to discuss the past, present, and future of Maserati- and at the end of the day, should they even exist at all in the current car market? There’s no doubt that the legacy Italian brand has taken a new shape molded by mass-market modern consumer tastes, influencing the birth of the Ghibli, Levante, and MC20. With V6 powertrains across the board, Jason and Derek, Maserati may have lost its’ way, lacking the character of even the late Quattroporte V’s ferocious, snarling V8. Without the direction it once had, will Maserati ever find its way in a market biased by EVs and SUVs? In highlighting brand identities, Jason and Derek naturally land on the discussion of the SUV’s existence overall. Jason remarks on recent seat time in the Porsche Cayenne Coupe GTS, a vehicle which has become exceptionally dynamic to drive and whose existence allowed Porsche to continue making sports cars after flirting with bankruptcy. But a world of great SUVs, will the general consumer ever return to form and downsize back to smaller and lighter offerings? All this to unpack and more, brought to you by the Hagerty Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The boys are back from The Amelia, and now you get the recap on all that was amazing. === Click here to join the Hagerty Driver's Club: https://bit.ly/Join-HDC-Cammisa-Rev === The Amelia is one of the most prestigious Concours in America, but it's evolving more quickly than most — there was a whole 1990s JDM supercar section!  And the same weekend, a Radwood, a Cars & Caffeine, a Porsche show, and The Hangar.  Loads of great cars, even for Carmudgeons who aren't aged! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode is an unfiltered chat about the 2024 Hagerty Bull Market — an annual gathering of collector cars that are poised to appreciate in the next year. == This episode of “The Carmudgeon Show” is presented by Valentine One Radar Locator: Find radar before it finds you! https://bit.ly/Valentine1_Hagerty Click here to join the Hagerty Driver's Club: https://bit.ly/Join-HDC-Cammisa-ICONS Learn more about the 2024 Bull Market at Hagerty.com/media == Hagerty Media boss Larry Webster joined as our special guest to discuss the list of cars that made the 2024 Bull Market List — and many that didn't. Ferrari 308 GT4 Dino The E9X BMW M3 Competition (E90 and E92) E46 M3 E36 M3 E30 M3 Porsche 911 (997) Chrysler Town & Country A124 Mercedes E320 Cabriolet Lamborghini Countach 25th Anniversary  Mitsubishi Pajero Evo Jaguar XJ6 Rover SD1 Lotus Omega / Vauxhall Carlton Lancia Delta Integrale Honda Beat Ferrari FF 4RM Ferrari 612 Scaglietti FD3S (FD) Mazda RX-7 Z32 Nissan Z Chevrolet Impala SS (1965-1970) Ford Galaxie Jeep Comanche Jeep Scrambler Jaguar XKR C3 Corvette Ford Thunderbird Lincoln Continental Plymouth Prowler Maserati Quattroporte V Lancia Fulvia As always, there are lots (perhaps too many) opinions about the cars. And much comedy. The Carmudgeon Show is part of the Hagerty Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jason and Derek drive and discuss the legendary Lancia Stratos – its origins, its parts-bin interior, and its unhinged handling. === Click here to join the Hagerty Driver's Club: https://bit.ly/Join-HDC-Cammisa-Rev === On today’s episode, things start off by looking at commenters' nominations for elegant mid-engine cars. Most are promptly rejected, but a handful give the Carmudgeons pause: the De Tomaso P72, McLaren Speedtail, Jaguar XJ220, Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale, and Ferrari 296. And two previously overlooked but notably elegant exceptions are: the Ferrari 246 Dino and the first-generation Toyota Previa.  Afterwards, it’s all things Stratos – starting with Jason’s and Derek’s driving impressions. They discuss the handling characteristics of this mind-bendingly miniature, Ferrari-engined, rally missile. Thanks to its short, upward-swept overhangs and relatively massive suspension travel, it can traverse rough terrain with ease (including massive potholes and steep driveways), setting it apart from your average sports car experience. But, like a fighter jet, it sacrifices stability in favor of maximum maneuverability.  They also cover its diminutive size (the Stratos is 2 feet shorter than a Mk8 VW Golf!) and its parts-bin interior – including the trunk release it shares with the Lamborghini Countach and Ferrari 308 GT4, exterior door handle from the Fiat X1/9, and interior door pull from the Miura (among others). Not to mention its paper-thin fiberglass “firewall,” and very unique hinged side windows.  Later on, discussions move to the origins of the car. From the philandering nature of mid-century Italian design houses like Pininfarina and Bertone, which seemed to take turns designing Italy’s newest models at the time. Things like the Fiat Dino Coupe and Spider, and the Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint and Sprint Speciale (not to mention the wild Stratos Zero concept by Marcello Gandini that became the wedge-shaped Stratos) – plus the dubious last-second rally homologation of the Stratos.  Lancia’s little wedge would go on to race all across the world; from the Acropolis Rally in Greece, to the East African Safari Rally in Kenya, to the Press-on-Regardless Rally in Michigan. The Stratos, which replaced Lancia’s too-fragile Fulvia, would prove itself plenty rugged and become a wildly successful rally car (but a total sales flop). Lancia's parent company, Fiat, wanted it out in favor of its new 131, but the Stratos' WRC wins continued thanks to privateers all the way up until the 1980s, when it was finally replaced by the 037. The Stratos Stradale, a car you could buy 50 years ago for the price of a mildly-luxurious contemporary GT like the Alfa Romeo Montreal – now goes for several hundreds of thousands of dollars. Probably one of the highest dollar-per-sq/ft ratios in the automotive world – start saving! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the Carmudgeon show, part-time ambulance chaser Jason Cammisa befriends some forbidden freeway fruit in form of the Volkswagen XL1 — a car that hardly exists at all, let alone on a California freeway at 11 PM. Jason recounts his seat time in the mirrorless, peak-Piëch Bugatti Veyron of MPG and how its small-footprint journey across the US makes for a large-footprint cause — more on that below. Side effects may include a string of broken-necked Bolt drivers and/or a stay in your local hospital. Derek and Jason make some other low-drag comparisons, such as the ill-fated GM EV-1 and original Honda Insight. Jason recounts vivid childhood memories of a 1975 Chevy Impala wagon and a GM hotline that served solely to feed his growing curiosity of facts and figures. This somehow leads to a discussion (and confession) of the different terrible and elaborate ways that rental vehicle customers can cause havoc. Have you ever pulled a 6-liter Vortec out of a U-Haul and returned it with a lowly 4.8? Perhaps you’ve rented a Toyota Tercel and returned it within an inch of its life. We won’t judge you. Maybe. A special shout-out to Jim Magill (@thealso) who drove the XL-1 cross country to raise money for Alzheimer Research. Click the link here to donate to the cause: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/thecarofthefuturepast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Lotus Emira is fantastic — and the Carmudgeons have a lot to say about it. The last gasoline-powered Lotus is certainly a looker — but it's very closely related to the Evora it replaces. And while the Evora was always good, was it ever truly great? == Click here to join the Hagerty Driver's Club: https://bit.ly/Join-HDC-Cammisa-ICONS == Jason, who owns a Lotus Elise, is always in search of "bad cars" — sports cars that provide experience but make poor transportation devices. Is the Evora enough of an assault on its driver's senses? Derek isn't a fan of the Elise because of the sounds its creaky body and rattly interior make — he loves a great GT. Is the Evora comfortable enough? Luckily, the boys have a clear answer to the question: Lotus Evora or Porsche 911? And then a unanimous decision on the Lotus Eletre, the brand's first SUV: it drives unlike anything else. Jason drove the Eletre as a surprise — without knowing anything about it. A Lotus engineer told the boys it was a 905-hp Eletre R with 3 motors and torque vectoring. Turns out the 905 hp comes from 2 motors, and what Jason felt and described as the most obvious torque-vectoring he's ever felt is actually rear-wheel steering. Whatever the cause, the boys both enjoy the SUV's maneuverability and outrageous speed (Lotus claims 0-60 in under 3 seconds.) Is there a future for Lotus in a heavy-EV world? There shouldn't be. But Jason and Derek feel there is. == The Carmudgeon Show is part of the Hagerty Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What happens in a theoretical world where electric cars are banned? In this alternate simulation, Jason and Derek imagine a world where electric cars make another disappearance into the depths of history and the consequences that might follow. They also travel down the rabbit hole of alternative fuels and reveal their current disdain of hydrogen fuel cell technology and government handling of alternative fuel distribution. In this current simulation, however, it seems fairly predictable that automotive evolution will give full way to the electric vehicle. But the popularity of electric vehicles once rose and gave way to gasoline in the early 1900s. To explore where society has come and gone with EVs, Jason and Derek hop in a non-Delorean time machine and explore the beginnings of personal automobiles during a time when steam power, electricity, and gasoline, and diesel lived in harmony and why fossil fuels ultimately prevailed in history. This leads to a discussion of other general automotive technologies that have standardized or suffered over the years, including but not limited to two-pedal manual transmissions, cylinder deactivation, early CRT touch screens, and other strange and successful engineering choices made by manufactures throughout history. Perhaps Chrysler’s Electronic Voice Alert system will make a comeback someday… All this and more, brought to you by the Hagerty Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We dish the VW/Audi dirt with tuning company 034Motorsport’s Director of Sales and Marketing, Nick Mercadante. We’ll discuss 40 years worth of VAG foibles, from mismatched rotors, calipers that can’t handle the heat, 1980s ABS tech, wandering shifters and shattering engine mounts – but don’t worry, 034 has you covered!  Nick brought out his Audi 90 for us on this episode, and we’ll start by discussing its 6-level, buttock-melting heated seats (the relay for which is on its deathbed). Jason’s dad had this same car back in Germany in the 90s – featuring cloth seats, crank windows, and no AC. It made for a significantly improved Autobahn experience compared to his previous car, an FJ60-Series Land Cruiser. However, in stock form, the little Audi inline-5 hotrod of the 80s is no match for Jason’s modified 170 hp VW Scirocco. The Audi 90’s 7A engine just doesn’t have the oomph to make up for the drivetrain loss and general heft of the AWD drivetrain. If it had the turbocharged 3B motor from the S2, it may be a different story… Speaking of stories, Jason wrote one for Automobile Magazine some 15 years ago on this exact car that now sits in our background. Did you know it has a carbon fiber driveshaft and an anti anti-lock button? Yes, ANTI anti-lock.  We learn about the delightfully colorful California vehicle titles of the last century: both rainbow and pink (which is where the phrase “pink slip” comes from). And Derek is deeply distraught to learn Nick has removed the original California 2-number plate (and to learn just how easy it is to register cars outside of California). We’ll cover Nick’s various vehicles: his college runabout Audi 90, UrS6 wagon, his BMW M2 (F22), Porsche Cayenne GTS (958.2), Audi SQ5 (w/ nearly 700 hp), his Kei truck Subaru Sambar (w/ nearly 20 hp), his Porsche 944, Audi TT RS, and his first-gen Audi R8 V8 with a NASCAR-grade 034Motorsport exhaust.    Speaking of Nick’s cars, we’ll also cover another 034 Nick’s collection – friend of the show, Nick Sgambelluri, who so generously provided (and abused) his monster-turbo Audi 200 sedan, as well as his pristine first-gen Ford Probe Turbo for the Dark Horse ICONS episode – where its axle unalived itself in the middle of a reverse donut (sorry, Nick!).   We talk 034Motorsport (which is singular and starts with a “zero”), including their 7 lbs aluminum flywheel for the Audi 90, their dogbone engine mounts, their origins making ECUs for 5-cylinder cars 20 years ago, and their new arm, 034Tradition, which will make classic parts to fill in the voids left behind when parts manufacturers discontinue them (they will even take requests!).  Other fun tidbits: Jason’s secret new turbo car, the classic RV anal-prefix name game, washing titles in Alabama, Derek the felon, trash Kumhos, Derek advising against too much stroking, the Rover gets a makeover (suspension and tires), and possibly a full Vitesse-style engine build via Redline Rebuilds! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode is all about the Lotus Carlton and Lotus Omega. Lotus has only ever made one 4-door sedan, and this episode of the Carmudgeon show dovetails with Jason Cammisa's "Revelations" episode on the Lotus Carlton. A dream car of both hosts, the Carlt-Omega was based on the Opel Omega A, badged Vauxhall Carlton in the U.K.'s right-hand-drive market. It held the title of the fastest sedan in the world for a decade, achieving more than 177 mph, right as the German automakers agreed to limit their cars to 250 km/h (155 mph.) Wouldn't have mattered — the Lotus' twin-turbocharged, 3.6-liter straight-six made 377 hp and 419 lb-ft of torque, which, channeled to the rear wheels through the 6-speed manual transmission from the C4 Corvette ZR-1, was enough to leave both the E34 BMW M5 and the W124 Mercedes 500E (E300) for dead. The backstory of the Lotus Type 104's development is a complex and fascinating one, pushed through by Bob Eaton, the boss of GM Europe. Opel, GM's German subsidiary, and the creator and builder of the Omega, seemingly didn't want to help Lotus at all, even though Lotus also belonged to General Motors at the time. Lotus was barely deterred by Opel's roadblocks, and made a magnificent, well-rounded sport sedan that was praised universally — until the UK Parliament vilified the car for being too fast. Or at least, too fast for its price (it was half the price of other cars capable of the same speeds, like the Ferrari Testarossa.) In the end, the government's concerns proved at least partially founded, when "40 RA," a stolen Carlton, was used to commit a string of ram-raid robberies and crimes across the UK — but was too fast for the police to catch. All this discussion and more on the Carmudgeon Show, part of the Hagerty Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After a quick review of the updated (and even better) 2024 Mazda MX-5 Miata, the boys delve into the long-awaited Piëchisode by talking about the cars it featured. === Click here to join the Hagerty Driver's Club: https://bit.ly/Join-HDC-Cammisa-Rev === Included in this episode is a review and discussion of: 2024 Mazda Miata MX-5 (ND3) 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera 2.7 RS 1980 Mercedes-Benz 300SD Turbodiesel (W116) 1985 Audi Coupe Quattro (Ur-Quattro) 2002 Volkswagen Golf TDI (Mk4) 2004 Volkswagen Golf R32 (Mk4) 2004 Volkswagen Phaeton W12 2006 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 2014 Volkswagen XL1 2024 Bentley Continental GT Speed W12 and a small discussion of Ferdinand Piëch, Dieselgate, and corporate conscience (Boeing, The Ford Pinto) === Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode is about the new G87-chassis 2023 BMW M2 — except, it's not. Jason spent a week with an M2, and it coincided with doing a video on the Ferrari Dinos — the 206, 246, and 308 Dinos. What happened, Jason admits, is that the M2 is a perfect example about how the automotive world has gone in the wrong direction, prioritizing isolation and speed above the experience. Measured against its modern peers, perhaps the M2 is okay, but every enthusiast owes it to themself to try some old experience-first cars. Derek Tam-Scott exercises his prodigious history muscle and the boys lead us through a history of the redheaded-stepchildren of the Ferrari lineup — the 206 Dino, 246 Dino, and 308 Dino. And how that "less-than" name (Dino) actually was the highest honor possible: the cars were named after Enzo's fallen son. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Honda has finally made a DOHC version of its venerable 3.5-liter V-6 and it makes... no more power. This spurs the Carmudgeons (in a post-lunch coma) to a discussion about head design: why are two cams worth it when you only have two valves? Why did Honda drop VTEC from that V-6 in favor of infinite cam phasing? What is cam phasing, anyway? And why use a V-6 instead of a straight-six when it uses twice as many cams? Or a supercharger and a turbocharger (hello, Lancia Delta S4.) This episode is all about difficult-to-comprehend engine-building decisions, digested and discussed in terms we can all understand. Hopefully. === The Carmudgeon Show is part of the Hagerty Podcast Network, and stars veteran automotive journalist Jason Cammisa and walking-encyclopedia Derek Tam-Scott. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How to not get ripped off when buying a used classic car! How to spot fakes, frauds and phonies! The importance of documentation and pre-purchase inspections, and other lessons learned over 50 collective years of car shopping! === This episode is sponsored by Vyper Industrial — America’s #1 rated shop chair, tool carts, and creepers, proudly made here in the US. Visit vyperindustrial.com and use code CARMUDGEON for $50 off. === We start off with a reminder to put fuel stabilizer in your car when it’s going to sit for a while – especially if you’re using garbage California gas. We debate what the acronym “smh” stands for, and discover there seems to be a cat-flatulence epidemic in France. Then we’ll dive right into the importance of the pre-purchase inspection (PPI) – something Jason thought he was more than qualified to perform himself on a Le Mans-blue Alfa Romeo GTV at Monterey Car Week several years ago. However, at the urging of concours car-prep extraordinaire, Tim McNair, Jason acquiesced and let expert automotive consultant, Chuck Wray, take a look at the car, and almost immediately discovered that Jason was moments away from buying two GTVs that had been stealthily welded into one. Derek will fill us in on how there can possibly be multiple “numbers matching” cars with the same serial numbers. And we’ll cover several of the factory-based archival certification programs like VW’s Birth Certificate, Porsche’s Kardex and Certificate of Authenticity, Lotus’ Certificate of Vehicle Provenance, and the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust. We’ll cover Ferrari Classiche (pronounced “classi-kay”), and the handful of exhaustive and painstakingly researched books detailing the specs of iconic models: Carrera RS, The Dino Compendium, and Simon Kidson's The Lamborghini Miura. Plus automotive engineering and restoration atelier, Pur Sang. We take a trip to Esoteria once again to discuss the subtlest model changes on cars like the Scirocco, Rover SD1 3500, Porsche 911 Carrera 2.7 RS, Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3-16 and what each change signifies (or doesn’t in the case of VW’s haphazard product planning). Jason even uncovers a handful of U.S.-spec C43s accidentally left the factory wearing a Europe-only paint color, Black Opal. Which is actually blue. Jason’s approach to not getting screwed while buying a 996 cabriolet on eBay involves arriving at the seller’s in a blacked out E39 BMW 5-series wagon with Argentina plates and wielding a baseball bat – classic haggling. Meanwhile, Derek does everything by the book and pays for a $500 PPI on a Porsche 911 he found online, only for it to arrive smoking and in need of a head rebuild. Both Carmudgeons revel in learning the histories of their cars (and others’ cars): Jason getting the original paperwork for the Ferrari 308 GT4 from distributor Chinetti-Garthwaite to dealer Schwing Motor Company in 1975, and Derek tracking down his friend’s 356’s Kardex and subsequently locating photos of the car with its original owner when the car was brand new. There's loads of automotive history, forensics, anthropology and archaeology in this one! The question is, would you give up your original California plate if it meant no more SMOG checks? Leno's Law hopes to find out. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sorry for being a day late, fans! The Carmudgeons were on-location recording a forthcoming set of videos for the Hagerty Channel! Jason and Hyphen have asked you to pose your questions, and as usual, you've proven that the Carmudgeon Audience is a bunch of smart, interesting humans. The questions were thought-provoking and intelligent. And so numerous that we couldn't finish answering them in the previous episode, including: - What's a great weekend ride for under $35,000? - Why don't we love the BMW 2002? [Because the E30 is better?] - White-elephant car gift? [Bentley Turbo R?] - Practical snow-worthy fun daily driver? [E90 335i xDrive or R32 Golf] - What mods would you do to a 911 Carrera SC? - What about a Self-Driving BMW? Ultimate Riding Machine? - Why is the Small Block better than Ford's Voodoo GT350? - Talk about Double-Wishbone Hondas - Does the new BRZ have rev-hang? - Dirtfish Rally School (or Team O'Neill?)  - How to become a better driver — track school? - What does the 2025 Toyota MR2 need to be successful? - Why do cars no longer have spare tires? - Do you get used to 800-hp Ferraris? Speed vs. Experience? - Have we ever driven an SVT Focus? - First car on our spreadsheet: Mazda5 manual - Should journalists include brand reputation and reliability? - Can the buyers of a car ruin its reputation? See: Altima Driver! - Subaru Drivers are the Worst Drivers on the planet - Will people modify their EVs? Yes, absolutely. - McLaren GT's brake feel? - Are Alfa 105s good to drive? - Why didn't Derek like his 991.2 Porsche 911 GT3 Touring - Are modern cars just made out of parts from suppliers? (Let's talk Tesla!) - Why doesn't Hagerty insure 18-year-old drivers? - Will we be able to resist driving an EV for the next 40 or 50 years? - What's with the cheat code on the Lotus Omega / Carlton? - Motorcycle vs Car enthusiasts — are we the same? ...and more. We'll finish them another time! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Carmudgeons made it through unscathed!  Jason's Honda Beat didn't — it wound up getting towed 148 miles home using Hagerty Roadside Assistance. Instead, the well-traveled Rover 3500 SD1 provided Jason's transportation needs. Derek relied on his reliable Citroën CX. The week is a nonstop celebration of cars, with literal dozens of events from manufacturer debuts and parties to single-marque car shows like the Werks Porsche Reunion to single-country shows like Legends of the Autobahn or Concorso Italiano. Then, of course, there's the Quail, a Motorsports Gathering, the Little Car Show, the Grassroots Motorsports kickoff party, Motorlux at the Monterey Jet Center, auctions by Broad Arrow, RM Sotheby's, Gooding, and Barrett-Jackson — to name just a few. And that's not even mentioning the Concours itself, or the 2 weeks of nonstop vintage racing at Laguna Seca. It's impossible to see even half of the events during car week — but here's a guide to surviving the most amazing car week of the year. == The Carmudgeon Show is part of the Hagerty Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every once in a while, a great new car comes along that, despite its overall excellence, still reveals its incapabilities in becoming a sales success. In this episode of The Carmudgeon Show, Jason remarks on his recent experience with the new Acura Integra, a car which looks better in person despite its snot-inspired launch colors. While Derek initially judges the car based on Legend and not Vigor, he ultimately concludes that maybe there’s more than meets the eye when stacked up against the crop of other new sporting and enthusiast-aimed cars in the segment. This opens a discussion on the history of Honda and Acura’s image in the 80s and 90s and the types of folks who bought them- some of whom you may have street raced with if you pulled up in a similarly-matched Volkswagen in 1990s Pittsburgh. Similarly, Jason and Derek discuss the wavering transitions between good and bad in 30 years of Acura product planning, and the importance of thoughtfully relaunching legendary nameplates. Can the current Integra carry the torch and become another future Honda classic? We may need another 30 years to find out. All this and more, brought to you by the Hagerty Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The enthusiast car market has cooled — which likely benefits you. === Click here to join the Hagerty Driver's Club: https://bit.ly/Join-HDC-Cammisa-Rev === This episode is the Tales of a Used Car Salesman, Derek Tam-Scott Edition! Derek spends his professional (and personal) life selling enthusiast and collectible cars, and he's noticed some major changes in the market. The bottom hasn't fallen out, he says, but the market has become more rational — which means transaction prices seem to make sense. Even if that transaction price is $117,600 for a Laguna Seca Blue E46 M3. Because Derek has a rational explanation for the record-breaking six-figure E46 M3 he sold last month. All this insight and more, with a dose of comedy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lamborghini has turned out to be everything Ferruccio didn't want it to be — and thank heavens. What started out as the Ultimate Grudge Match against Enzo Ferrari created some of the most outrageous cars ever made. === Click here to join the Hagerty Driver's Club: https://bit.ly/Join-HDC-Cammisa-Rev === This episode covers the history of Lamborghini — from Ferruccio's infamous clash with Enzo Ferrari over a slipping clutch, through the Miura, Coutach, LM002, Diablo, Murciélago, Aventador — and the lesser-known models like the Urraco and the front-engined Islero, Jarama, Espada, et al.  Oh, and the Lamborghini Urus.  And of course, we discuss the now-late, great designer, Marcello Gandini — who designed so many of Lamborghini's most beautiful cars. Learn everything about the history of the world's most outrageous car company — here. With laughs, smiles, and too much caffeine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Which is better, the brand-new Honda Civic Type R, or the Acura Integra Type S? That's the question the Carmudgeons answer this week — in a festival of Honda's Greatest hits, that also discusses the NA1-chassis original Acura NSX, the original Integra Type R, and the AP2 Honda S2000 CR. === The Carmudgeon Show is part of the Hagerty Podcast Network Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Jason and Derek interview Sreten, a friend and YouTuber who stars in his channel M539 Restorations. Sreten bought a salvaged, rare 6-speed manual-transmission E60 BMW M5 — and resurrected it to attend Monterey Car Week. === Click here to join the Hagerty Driver's Club: https://bit.ly/Join-HDC-Cammisa-Rev === M539 Restorations specializes in resurrecting abandoned and neglected BMWs from around the world. Based in Frankfurt, Germany, Serbian-born Sreten creates entertaining videos where he approaches huge repairs without ever skimping on anything. This time, on his honeymoon, Sreten bought a salvaged E60 M5 that was located in Fresno, California — and Jason had it shipped to his warehouse. Sreten sent boxes of parts, and showed up a week before Car Week and started the process of getting the E60 running again. If you've now seen Sreten's posts, you'll know he performed a miracle (or got incredibly lucky with a really nice E60) and the car runs again. But that all happened after we recorded this episode. Get to know the real Sreten. And why he loves the S85 V-10 and the E60 5-series in which it's installed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There's finally a hot-hatch for enthusiasts that runs on electricity — and it's a $67,500 Hyundai! === Click here to join the Hagerty Driver's Club: https://bit.ly/Join-HDC-Cammisa-Rev === This is the Embargoed first review of the 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 N by Jason Cammisa! The Ioniq 5 N isn't just an EV — it has a mode called N e-Shift that emulates an internal combustion engine and 8-speed dual-clutch automatic.... and it's so good, it could genuinely fool an enthusiast into thinking it's real. Should this be happening? Is simulated fun as good as real fun?  Well, on track, the Ioniq 5 N is actual fun — with a well-behaved, well-balanced chassis set up for tail-out antics. Learn all about it in this full review from Jason Cammisa. === Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we take a close look at British Leyland through the eyes of the Rover 3500 (SD1)starts a discussion about the current state of — and scary future of — Stellantis. === Click here to join the Hagerty Driver's Club: https://bit.ly/Join-HDC-Cammisa-Rev === British Leyland was the combined entity of many, many English car brands: Austin, Land Rover, Leyland, MG, Riley, Wolseley, Vanden Plas, Princess, Jaguar, Daimler, Mini, Innocenti, Morris, Rover, Triumph, and several others. This sounds remarkably similar to today's Stellantis: Abarth, Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Citroën, Dodge, DS, Fiat, Jeep, Lancia, Maserati, Opel, Peugeot, Ram, and Vauxhall. The curmudgeonly Carmudgeons look to see if history is about to repeat itself, exploring what went wrong with the development and production of the gorgeous Rover SD1. The Carmudgeon Show is part of the Hagerty Podcast Network Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A double episode: First, our experts weigh in on Jaguar's new marketing stunt and concept. And second, Jason drives a prototype Lucid Gravity, the all-new SUV. === The Carmudgeon Show Sponsor, Vredestein Tires: https://www.vredestein.com/ Click here to join the Hagerty Driver's Club: https://bit.ly/Join-HDC-Cammisa-Rev === This was a big week for Jaguar, with a controversial ad that got lots of attention, and a wild concept that previews its new 4-door electric GT. Jason feels it's important to remember that the ad served one purpose: to get attention on an automaker we called Dead Brand Walking. And it very much worked. Jason's Van, Jynah, survived a 1500-mile round-trip to Salt Lake City, joining the mile-high club several times along the way. Thankfully, Vredestein Tires shipped a brand new set of Wintrac Pro winter tires just in time for alpine blizzards, because the Van, Jynah, had to make it across a mountain chain in the snow. Including climbing the famed Donner Pass — with chains. Afterwards, Jason gets behind the wheel of Lucid’s latest creation – and second ever model – the new 2025 Lucid Gravity SUV. The boys discuss its unrelenting commitment to efficiency across the board: from its range, to interior and cargo space, and even mounting fuse blocks inside of chassis bracing on the Air sedan.  Jason admits to taking an engineering mule for a brief spin and recounts its handling dynamics. Later, while smooshing his face onto a pane of glass at Lucid HQ, Jason spoke with CEO, Peter Rawlinson. Peter personally engineered the ingenious rear hatch seal, and also showed off the new frunk seat with fold-out mud guard.  Then the boys lament the post-fact and internet-troll era which we, unfortunately, continue to live in. Derek defends his honor and encyclopedic knowledge from a viewer who claims the Mercedes CLK DTM had the first AMG engine – not the CLK63 Black Series. Too bad the viewer is incorrect (the CLK DTM used a derivative of the regular production M113; the Black Series used AMG's own M156. And Jason fights off M fans who argue they can “code out” the G80 M3’s faults.  Afterwards, they discuss the state of automotive marketing. First by reminiscing about automotive ads from 20 years ago with staying power, and then by debating whether or not Jaguar’s latest rebranding and ad campaign was a success. Does Jaguar's last-ditch effort to save the marque stand a chance at actually swaying consumers? Or is it still a Dead Brand Walking? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's time to be honest with each other and the world: Derek and Jason take turns roasting (or just honestly reviewing) the other's cars in their collections. Plus, they roast their own stuff. We’ll cover the good and the bad of nearly all of the boys’ various vehicles:  Derek’s bikes – the Ducati Panigale V4S and Husqvarna 701 Supermoto.  Jason’s E30s – the 325i wagon and beater sedan track car.  The mid-engine Italian exotics – Derek's Lamborghini Miura and Jason's 1975 Ferrari 308 GT4. Then, Jason's mid-engine micro machine 1991 Honda Beat. Naturally, a plethora of Mercedes products will be in the mix – the R129 500SL, W201 190E 2.3-16, W124 E320 wagon and W202 C43. The atypical oddballs: the Rover SD1 and Citroen CX.  Plus Jason’s new-to-him V12 E31 BMW 850 CSi and Derek’s favorite back-road weapon 964-chassis Porsche 911. And we’ll round things out with Jason’s babies – the VW Scirocco and Mk1 Cabriolet.  You’ll learn about the Rover SD1’s sketchy, outdated front suspension design, and the 190E’s oversized steering wheel and underbolstered seats. The corpulent hamster styling of the e-Golf and terrible brake balancing on the Beat. The 964 sounds like flatulence, and the VW Cabriolet sounds like imminent disintegration. Recaro-equipped, art deco, cheap, and Zebra-print interiors. Sloppy shifters, burning odors, affordable V12 Ferraris and BMWs, and the Mk1 VWs’ good vibrations versus the E30 M3’s shit ones.  Join us for some Nikki Glaser-inspired antics, Carmudgeon-style! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Range Rover is arguably the definitive luxury SUV, and it wasn't possible without the long-lived aluminum Buick V-8. The Buick "Small-Block" 225-cubic inch V-8 was made entirely out of aluminum — very rare for the 1950s. It wound being turbocharged for the one of the first-ever production turbocharged cars, the Oldsmobile Jetfire. It was ultimately too expensive for production, and was fraught with casting issues, so Buick killed its V-8 — and Rover bought it. The powerful V-8 was (literally) the driving force behind the Range Rover — arguably the first SUV to create today's Luxury SUV formula. In this episode, walking encyclopedia Derek Tam-Scott and automotive journalist Jason Cammisa discuss the Buick V-8 in all its applications, including Jason's favorite 5-door, rear-drive luxury hatchback, the Rover SD1 3500. They also discuss a hair-raising incident Jason caught on his dash cam — a Mustang that passed him at over 150 mph on the shoulder, coming within inches of hitting him. == The Carmudgeon Show is part of the Hagerty Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Three cars have caused Jason a journalistic existential crisis: the Alfa Romeo Tonale, the Tesla Cybertruck, and the Tesla Model 3 Performance.  Two of them have nothing to do with the cars, and everything to do with the internet backlash from passionate enthusiasts. It's war out there. === Click here to join the Hagerty Driver's Club: https://bit.ly/Join-HDC-Cammisa-Rev Jason's Hoodie & Merch: https://closed-course-productions.printify.me/ === The Carmudgeon Show has a new studio! (Or at least a new look.) But back to the cars: All of the innovation in the car industry these days is happening at the nontraditional OEMs. Which necessarily means that all of the interesting stories are about EVs.  And yet every time Jason does a review of an EV, it incites an online war between EV fans and ICE fans. And when Telsa's passionate fans and detractors become involved on X (formerly known as Twitter) it gets personal. Suddenly, Jason is vilified and "loses his credibility." This reality has caused Jason to take a serious look at the possibility of no longer reviewing new cars. He wonders if his personal interest in them is too small to put up with the backlash — and maybe he should concentrate on the older cars he loves more? On the other hand, is that letting the armchair warriors win? Perhaps. But the larger trend, as Jeremy Clarkson pointed out recently, is that new cars are shit.  And it was the Alfa Romeo Tonale that highlighted Jason's concerns. Not because it's a bad car — it's not — but Jason had a hard time getting excited about a 1.3-liter PHEV compact SUV with an Alfa Romeo badge on it. It has none of the qualities he likes in cars. And specifically none of the qualities (other than gorgeous green paint) that he feels are appropriate for a brand like Alfa Romeo. Hear all about the dissonance on this episode of the Carmudgeon Show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Back by popular demand, it's another Random Number Generator Car Reviews episode, where Jason and Derek pull reviews of cars from their extensive spreadsheet. This, after Jason succeeds in getting his van, Jynah, stuck in the snow. And succeeds, despite there being no snow. === This episode is sponsored by Vyper Industrial — America’s #1 rated shop chair, tool carts, and creepers, proudly made here in the US. Visit vyperindustrial.com and use code CARMUDGEON for $50 off. === Jason takes the van to Tahoe to finally test the Vredestein Wintrac Pros in the snow. He experiences the joys of installing tire chains on the side of a cold, wet freeway while chain-control enforcers allow countless all-season- or even summer tire-equipped SUVs to pass by. The Carmudgeons discuss the importance of tires and the dramatic grip disparity between various tire types in the snow. Then they open up their driving history spreadsheets once again for more random number generator car reviews! Jason heads to Lake Tahoe just after a 4-foot snow storm that somehow never materialized. After trekking another 2,000+ feet up in elevation to Mt Rose, he found some, and a simultaneously serene and serendipitous photoshoot ensued. Caravaning up the mountain alongside the van were Jason’s pals in a VinFast VF8 (which easily beats the van in a roll race) and a Range Rover. Someone has to call AAA – guess who! Jason is incensed by the farcical chain-control restrictions which forced him – driving the FWD van on brand new dedicated winter tires – to pull over and install chains on the slushy roadside, while countless boobs driving AWD SUVs wearing all-seasons or even summer tires were allowed to pass right through (one of which winds up totalled in a Jersey Barrier). The Carmudgeons can’t stress enough the importance of tires. Especially in the wet and snow. We’ll cover stopping distances of various tire types, and recommend excellent videos from both Engineering Explained and Tyre Reviews on YouTube – especially this one measuring stopping distances and acceleration times on snow using a variety of tire types and grip enhancement measures like chains, ladders, snow socks and more: https://youtu.be/W-k_1gz87vM?si=gR3iIm_77Go1vzmZ Following the tire discussion, we dive into yet another Random Number Generator Car Reviews session. The Carmudgeons will recount their drives in the following cars: Mercedes-Benz E55 AMG 4Matic Wagon W210 First-gen Porsche Panamera (alongside a 760Li and S63) B8 Audi S4 3.0 “Tupercharged” Acura TL SH-AWD 6-speed (and ZDX) 1957 Porsche Speedster with 4-cam Carrera engine 1958 Porsche 356 Speedster Intermeccanica 2006 Mk5 VW GTI 2.0T 1960 Alfa Giulietta Spider Veloce 2012 E90 BMW M3 Competition Package 2007 Chevy HHR Panel van 2006 Jaguar XJR 2023 Acura Integra Type-S 2009 Ford Escape 4-cyl 1949 Hudson Super 6 Convertible 2010 Jaguar XFR 5.0 Supercharged 1971 Mercedes 280 SE 3.5 Cabriolet 2019 Mazda3 AWD Sedan 2003 Aston Martin Vanquish 2019 Genesis G70 AWD 1974 Lancia Stratos HF 2008 Ford Expedition 2000 BMW Z3 2.3i 2015 Ford F-350 Super Duty Diesel 2008 Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet Tiptronic Jason once got to play policeman while driving around a 2012 CLS63 AMG Fashion Force “police” car that Mercedes created for New York Fashion Week, where he tickets egregiously modified cars. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jason tows the wrong car, Derek goes to England, and the boys have a conversation about the new USPS Delivery Vehicle. === Click here to join the Hagerty Driver's Club: https://bit.ly/Join-HDC-Cammisa-Rev Jason's Hoodie & Merch: https://closed-course-productions.printify.me/ === Jason's Honda Beat proves it speaks English by responding to Jason saying "my Honda doesn't leak oil" by leaking oil.  And Jason's only British car, the Rover SD1 3500 V8, leaked a cubic meter of brake fluid on the ground, which Jason thought was the VW Cabriolet. Turns out the VW's brakes are fine — but its transmission fluid's color and metal content was highly concerning. Then, Jason and Derek discuss the Grumman LLV, which is about to be replaced as your local mail delivery vehicle by the Oshkosh NGDV — which is aesthetically challenged (despite it being a huge functional upgrade.) More importantly, though, Derek flew to England to attend the Goodwood Revival, which he and Jason agree is possibly the best automotive event in the world. There are many factors. The cars, the total commitment to period dress, the gender balance, the spectators, the vendors, the amusement park fair rides, the picnics, and of course — no bad social media behavior.  Listen to Derek's rundown of an exceptional event. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

More than just a car show, Radwood is a time-period event — with music, costumes, and cars from the 1980s and 1990s. Derek Tam-Scott and Jason Cammisa attended the 2023 Norcal Radwood, which took place in downtown San Francisco for the first time — on a storied pier overlooking the city. The show's fascination is about far more than just the typical, expensive cars you see at Concours d'Elegance and such - it's filled with attainable stuff, including cars that were once ubiquitous but now are gone. Things like a perfect-condition Isuzu VehiCross, a pristine Previa, or a showroom Chevrolet Cavalier convertible. Jason brought out their new-to-the-Carmudgeons 1980 Rover 3500 (SD1), freshly back from its Canadian road trip home, and Derek brought his magnificent Citroën CX, which delighted the audience with its self-raising hydropneumatic suspension. But what were the stars of the show? You'll have to listen to find out. == The Carmudgeon Show is part of the Hagerty Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The legendary, 500-hp Mercedes CLK63 AMG Black Series was never produced with a manual transmission. So, Derek had one built. === The Carmudgeon Show Sponsor, Vredestein Tires: https://www.vredestein.com/ Click here to join the Hagerty Driver's Club: https://bit.ly/Join-HDC-Cammisa-Rev === Derek Tam-Scott's company, OTS & Co., purchased a C209-chassis 2008 Mercedes CLK63 AMG Black Series for science/tax reasons and immediately sent it to Matt Kwiek of @kwiekclassics for a new Mercedes-sourced manual transmission swap. How does the legendary AMG M156 6.3-liter V-8 (which is actually 6.2 liters) work with a 6-speed manual? For science, Derek hired SCCA Hall of Fame race car driver Randy Pobst to set a lap time in both a stock, automatic CLK63 BS and a 6-speed swapped one. The Black Series is one of Jason Cammisa's favorite cars of all time. He attended its launch at Willow Springs raceway, where he struggled to keep up with an 80-year-old Denise McLuggage as she executed flawless and effortless laps in the exact same car. It's a fun story. The ‘mudgeons then briefly cover all the Black Series models: the R171 SLK55, C209 CLK63, R230 SL65, W204 C63, and SLS AMG.  Is the CLK Black Series peak AMG? Derek compares the 6-speed swapped CLK to the fifth-gen Pontiac GTO and E39 BMW M5 Dinan S2. And the Carmudgeons discuss whether other collectible cars should also be manual-swapped, including the Lexus LFA, Alfa Romeo 4C and 8C, and the E60 M5.  The boys also ponder if tearing out the OE tranny on the Black Series is a crime akin to that of the Sacrilege Motors 964 911 EV conversion.  Which wasn't, actually, a crime. We end with a brief discussion of twin-engine cars: a half-Leaf half-motorcycle, a Twini (dual-engine Mini Cooper), DuRocco (twin-engine Scirocco), a pre-war Alfa, and a Citroen 2CV Safari.  Plus, the van, Jynah, prepares for potentially slippery, wet and white conditions with a brand new set of Vredestein Wintrac Pros! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We talk with SCCA Hall of Fame race car driver Randy Pobst. From his racing origins in a Mk1 VW Rabbit, to his 2 wins at the 24 Hours of Daytona, and his personal car collection – including his Smokey and the Bandit Trans Am and Flyin’ Moose Volvo 740.  To start, we’ll dive into Randy’s racing experience: factory contracts with Porsche, Mazda, Volvo, and Toyota. Winning the 24 Hours of Daytona not once, but twice, and his 2015 induction into the SCCA Hall of Fame. We’ll cover his exploits at Thunderhill, VIR, Road Atlanta, Laguna Seca, Daytona, Pikes Peak, Sonoma, Lime Rock, Willow Springs, and more!  From humble origins in a Mk1 VW Golf (no, not a GTI), to a factory-backed FX16 Toyota Corolla, to setting a Laguna Seca lap record in a McLaren Senna. Randy even worked on the set of 2 Fast 2 Furious as a driving instructor for the film's stars: Paul Walker, Tyrese Gibson, and Devon Aoki – to name a few.  Randy eventually met Jason while filming an uncooperative Cayman GT4 for Motor Trend, and, despite a rocky start when Jason unexpectedly flung a Range Rover off track while racing Randy in an Alfa Romeo 4C, the two teamed up again to film multiple Ultimate Drag Race, Lap Battle and ICONS episodes for Hagerty. The whole gang laments some of the most irritating modern car tech: excessively bright headlights, lights that are somehow off at night, ABS systems that fully shut down when traveling backwards, AEB overreach, and EPAS systems that completely ruin a car’s limit handling by curtailing the driver’s ability to quickly catch a slide (like the Shelby GT350 Randy repeatedly spun and Jason crinkled at Willow Springs – not to mention the Unplugged Performance Tesla Model 3 Randy famously wrecked at Pikes Peak).  Speaking of handling, Randy divulges his dislike of twitchy cars like the Jaguar F-Type R and XJ, the KTM X-Bow, and Ariel Atom. Jason on the other hand loves an ass-y car like the V12 Vantage S, but says the Lotus Exige V6 Cup was so tail-happy it was uncontrollable. The Porsche Carrera GT is somewhere in the middle with mixed reviews and experience all around. While on the topic of handling dynamics, Randy tells us his secret plan to invent a fix for the C8 Corvette’s trailing throttle oversteer. He also gives praise to Porsche’s Lars Kern for his work on the latest crop of RS products – which may or may not be Randy’s favorite track cars of all time out of the box, alongside the 2014 Porsche 911 50th Anniversary Edition. All of which receive top marks on Randy’s understeer spectrum, and are polar opposites of the likes of a 1960s Cadillac.  We’ll touch on Randy’s personal car collection as well, which includes a Volvo 740 sedan and wagon, his 1977 Pontiac Trans Am “Randit” (and its oil starvation woes), Toyota Tundra tow vehicle, VW Karmann Ghia and early Tesla Model S.  Plus, Derek invents a new phrase for “road rage”, Randy bitch slaps cars out of his way, and also beautifully sings Primus’ Wynona’s Big Brown Beaver. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices