Never before have I felt even the slightest bit compelled to reach for the comments section week in week out as i do with this absolute gem of a podcast. Thank you chap's, it really is the only way to start the weekend. Truly the best thing on the internet.
I think the Q-Car appeals to all men because (getting a bit abstract here) it's a form of archetype of the alpha male we'd all wish to be. The younger generation seem to aspire to this brash style of alpha who has to tell you he is one, like a Lambo. In reality a true Alpha doesn't need to say, he confidently and quietly gets on with what he wants, but when he needs to he has the strength and skills to beat anyone. That is the Q-Car and that's why we love it.
My offer for this week's two car garage: full tarmac rally spec E30 M3 with a habitable interior and as unknackered a Suzuki Cappuccino as the remaining £2.50 will buy. And the ultimate Q-car is, of course, the D2 Audi S8, ideally with the EU-market manual 'box.
Getting funnier, got scammed on this site, they took my money for the auction, blocked my account and sticked on the story of 10 times convicted seller 🤷♂️🙂
Great one gents, Chris is my unsung hero. His emotion before he went out in a mini, his dear mum story was all I needed to hear. Plus his episodes/exploits about the interwebs on other shows are always a treat. A true enthusiast and driver.
Weekly videos/podcasts from Drivetribe, AutoAlex, Late-Break Show, Smith&Sniff, Harry's Garage, I enjoy them all. But this podcast tops them all in my book.
Love this podcast lads. Shared it with all my friends and all of us (in our early 30s). We are all falling in love with more and more classic cars because of this and terrified for our bank accounts. Thank you from all of us for this entertainment.
For a pointless podcast about silly cars this thing has had a profound effect on me: these 5 guys spend so much time with each other + so much time driving and thinking about cars. It makes realize perhaps I can slow down and take some time with friends or make space for a fun car in my life.
Alan Clark went from being a 'bit of a cad' to 'rapist' pretty quickly about 4 years ago when new facts came to light. He was my late dad's favourite MP too, unfortunately.
Mr Lietz what a legend he is. Have watched the whole story with MF becoming a Racing Driver in the GT3 class, it was brilliant. RL provided so much confidence to MF when he had a huge crash at Le Mans in '22 or in the build up to it. I'll agree with Eddie's (Jordans) comments that F1 is boring with MV & RB winning everything. The '22 Rule/ Regs changes were supposed to level the playing field, but sadly alas it hasn't happened and F1 should make changes to do so, just as they tried to do in the Merc AMG era. A good PC as always though Gents.
Chris (H), I have been extolling the virtues of a Group 4 Escort rally car for a while now ( I had them back in the day), ...... all the performance you can handle (its not about top speed), and still utilise on our narrow lanes.....so I am 100% behind your choice. As you say Viking will build you one with a proper BDG motor (I would say 250 bhp is enough, with a proper works spec drive train - no sequential gearbox or 15 inch wheels), or perhaps one of MST's lovely recreations.
Love the segment on the Q Cars. The Q car I would point out in this new generation is the new 2023 Lexus IS500. It incapsulates the meaning of Q car with its subtle looks but packs a 5.0L V8 with 470hp!
Brilliant as ever gentlemen. I am going to do two challenges in one. A gentlemen lived near us on the outskirts of Edinburgh. He owned a Misano Blue E61 M5 Touring which along with a Caterham would get Reg's money spent with plenty left over. Thing was I first encountered this car in a traffic jam and I smiled at the 285 section rear tyres and the quad exhausts but on the tailgate it read "520D". Perfect Q-car.
Q-Car: On our way back from Italy we were overtaken by a big, upright black 4-door 50´s Merc in the north of Germany. As we were doing over a 100 mph this was a surprise... So I overtook it, and got a good look at it. It was beautifully restored and shiny, and had no problems at all keeping up with Autobahn traffic. Her blew past me in a cloud of petrol fumes a few times, and that thing could move! Got home and looked it up: It was a Mercedes-Benz W189, basically the car the production Gullwing got it´s engine and suspension from. That´s a Q-car.
And thanks for having Adrian Newy on. I'm a 60 years hoon and at work the young folk call me Analogue Pete. I love sharing the Newy story about designing the Red Bull Aero with an HB pencil and a sheet of A3 paper using only his nowse and no digital program shite.
Probably the best car podcast around along with the Intercooler. What I love about you guys is, and this is rare in the current climate, you are giving honest opinions on cars without restriction for fear of the wrath of car brands. Similar to Harry’s Garage, Tyrell’s classic cars etc… what we crave now is honesty and open views. This podcast feels like a bunch of car enthusiasts sitting in a pub, and saying whatever they are thinking without restriction. Praise and criticise without fear. Love it.
This week on Collecting Q's Missed the music section, but I understand the time constraints. Absolutely loving these chats gents, they have become a stapled part of my week. A quick glance on collecting cars and Uncle Reg's inheritance is going on a B6 Alpina (E30) and a 512 TR
For me, Paul Stoddart is an unsung motoring hero. Minardi was a terrible team with a miniscule budget. They were really struggling to get any kind of operation together. Stoddart knew that the team had absolutely no ambitions beyond the back of the grid, but it was a great way to get people into motorsport. His team introduced Fernando Alonso and Mark Webber to Formula 1. It was the last team Jos Verstappen ever raced for. And Stoddart got the ball rolling on budget caps, which are now in place and have changed the sport forever.
I’ll gladly defer to Chris Cooper’s knowledge but I’m sure I read somewhere that Q Cars came about as a result of the RUC (possibly MI5) in Northern Ireland needing souped up undercover cars to get them out of sticky situations. Some were more Q than others - some MK1 Escort Estates were run as well as the usual 60s,70s and 80s cars with big engines dropped in. Alan Clark is a hero of mine. Little Silver his 85 911 cabriolet, his Citroen Méhari, Jane Clark’s DS decapotable being some of my favourites. I think the family sold some of the cars but it would be lovely to hear what has happened to them - perhaps a segment for a future PodCast? I’m addicted to Collecting Addicts please don’t ever make us go cold turkey!
Huge drive? Up to the highlands? he he he. Having just driven Melbourne to Exmouth (WA) for the solar eclipse, across the Nullarbor (twice) and going along a stretch for 500km only passing 12 vehicles, and then some real remote places - a mere 9,864km there and back - that was a huge drive.
Sleeper car for me is a COPO, not just any COPO but a 1969 Chevy Camaro ZL1 which had no badging at all , car was homoogated for drag racing with no graphics or anything on car that bragged about its performance. It had 7 litre Aluminium engine producing over 430hp. At the lights it looked like it had a 396 cubic inch engine not the 427 it actually had.
Really love the podcast guys . When Chris said about going down the pub to talk about pro drivers. This is what the podcast feels like. Friends down the pub having a good natter. Cheers guys ! 🍺
:O CHRIS i can't believe you mentioned BRIXMUS, my dad was involved with that during his time in the Army. I took him to RAF Cosford once and they had one there in Cold War exhibit and when he saw it he was gobsmacked as it brought back so many memories for him. Glad you mentioned that. Lovely episode as ever gents
MGZT /Rover 75 260 for best Q car. Not many made, no bodykit, vents etc to distinguish them from the non v8 cars and developed by British madcap engineers!
I was quite impressed when a VW dealer lent me a Passat W8 estate way back when. Not exactly a good car but 280hp and 4motion. Debadged the only give away would be the 4 exhausts. In metallic gold it hid its intentions well. Not "really" quick but it could definitely "shovel a bit". Relentless would be a good description.
Q Car-My 309gti with an mi16 engine in on webber 45's in the early 90's , sitting at the traffic lights next to much more powerful machinery and watching their faces as the roar erupted on amber.. Priceless
It would be interesting to hear your thoughts on how F1 seems to have managed to bury women's F1 racing by the back door with the F1 Academy. Coverage only on midweek online highlights and magazine packages, pretending to be supportive, whilst ensuring lack of visability for the drivers and their sponsors. Putting them back into less powerful, less able cars than W series. It appears to be a mechanism to pretend women can progress in F1, whilst ensuring the absolute opposite is true.
There's a BRIXMIS Opel Senator on display in the cold war exhibit at RAF museum Cosford, it was there that I first heard about the mission and the undercover cars they used. The notion of a family saloon being used as something so badass is quite extraordinary
If I had an uncle Reg, the 250K would go on an Alfa Romeo Disco Volante and a Land Rover Discovery 3 TDV8 with a trailer to tow it back from everywhere
Well that's more than an hour of my life I'll never get back. Nothing but super this and super that, which only highlights your lack of vocabulary. Think I need to avoid the podcasts if I'm not to be bored to tears.
Hahaha love it just about to comment and there's Mr Newey amazing thank you. My sleeper I own is a not loved but I do. It's a 93 Subaru rs liberty(legacy) a couple of weekends ago drove down to Grafton, I backed off at 200ks totally illegal in this country but you know what, I love this old girl quick( enough) quiet and comfortable. Love this show my other half just knows when I'm watching.....out bursts of laughter...thanks guys.🇦🇺
Best Q Car is the Toyota Aurion - its more Q than any Merc or Jag or the like - it looks like a Camry, which makes it next level Q as it disappears into obscurity, but it has a 3.5 V6 and goes like the clappers - and is as reliable as they come.
Why are F1 drivers held in such high esteem when WEC drivers drive at faster speeds for longer and rally drivers have more driving control. I’m really going off F1 as it’s just a celeb fest and F1 egos
7 years of dominance from Mercedes and their British driver, where was all this crying then? Not even a full year of dominance yet with Red Bull, stop whining.
None of the guys went for the AMG Hammer, remember reading an article in a magazine where it was tested against a 288 GTO, with Michele Alboreto at the wheel of the GTO and has shock as the Hammer was glued to his bumper 😂
un sung hero did not think it was important at the time yet now i think how they left a mark on a normal hatch back ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,the article in car magazine 70,s fiesta do not scoff
I swear i thought Chris at least mention Lotus Carlton as he mentioned those agent Senators.. What a miss. Imo, an E39M5 is the ultimate one. not being obnoxious at the same time as a modern motoring car.
Thank you so much chaps, another fantastic bit of work, I would genuinely pay for quality like this and I think, as many many others do what you lot do is just brilliant, long may it continue, once again thanks.
*Not really a Q-car in its current livery but I was very taken with the ex-Silverstone XJ12 Series 1 at Bicester last weekend with its manual 'box, does that work as a Q-car if it received a more subtle paintjob (which would be heresy I know)?*
I would disqualify the Project 8 as a Q car because it's too damn pornographic for a sedan. Jag is the right direction though but probably a XJR and (perhaps unimpressively) X308, I love the pre-E39 M5 era of supersedans. E28 M5 would be a contender aswell or maybe the M5CS would probably blind anyone for how fast it is...but again, X308 is pure class which Alpinas and 300SEL 6.3s and the like have as a defining characteristic. Discreet. Fast. *Amazing* noise
Truly excellent show as usual fellas. Thank you for taking the time as always. Just with regard to Q-cars, my all time favourite is the original early-90's Volvo T5. You couldn't pick a more unlikely, dull, mundane car to be a fast, performance-focused vehicle. When the police choose a car as their unmarked highway vehicles (as they did with the T5), that is the absolute badge of approval of a Q-car. No one ever paid it any attention, never saw it coming, and didn't take it seriously until they couldn't shake it at 150mph on the M1. My close 2nd is the C5 Audi RS6 (as seen in Layer Cake). The choice of big time cocaine dealers posing as respectable business men... Says it all! Legendary cult Q-car.
Great podcast. Bit too addictive to watch tbh. Good cast too. Love Chris Harris's vain attempts to marshall, umpire and keep the guys on topic. I have a question for the panel. Why do we always see VOLVOS depicted in most American films with a strong family message? Reliability? Unbreakable movie contract? Please clarify, elucidate and discuss. P.S. keep up the good work.
But George crashed trying to keep up with Max, Lewis and Alonso that is the biggest tell you can get in this sport. Just as Sainz overshooting corner when chased in Silverstone or Charles in France and Imola. George wouldn’t beat 17 year old Max in 2015.
My ultimate Q car has to be a Mercedes-Benz W123 500TE AMG... whilst wearing an Ex MOD Rolex Mil-Sub 5513, which could be picked up from army surplus sales for a mere £350 back in the day.
I’ve been listening to this from day one, another fantastic episode today. Fabulous piece about Q-Cars, I totally agree with Neil’s comment that most come from Germany and with Chris H saying it’s usually the second one down in the pecking order. One of my personal favourites is the BMW M340i Touring. Far less ‘shouty’ than the new M3 Touring, but still an iron fist in velvet glove and I suspect, a better day to day proposition. Surprised Chris C didn’t nominate an Alpina, a brand built on Q status in my opinion. Thanks guys and already looking forward to the next episode 👍
