The Carmudgeon Show - Hagerty Media

Getting Down to Two Cars & General Update — The Carmudgeon Show Cammisa & Derek Tam-Scott — Ep 123 Dec 04, 2023

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.

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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.

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Jason's 3-day Exclusive with the Cybertruck — The Carmudgeon Show Cammisa & Derek Tam-Scott — Ep 122 Dec 01, 2023

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.

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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.

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Ultimate Porsche 911 Spotter's Guide — The Carmudgeon Show w Jason Cammisa & Derek Tam-Scott — Ep 121 Nov 27, 2023

The Most Important Mercedes Ever? — The Carmudgeon Show w/ Jason Cammisa & Derek Tam-Scott — Ep. 120 Nov 20, 2023

This episode of the Carmudgeon Show is a documentary on the Mercedes-Benz W201 — the 190E, which might be the most important Mercedes ever.

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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.

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What Does Handling Really Mean? — The Carmudgeon Show w/ Jason Cammisa & Derek Tam-Scott — Ep. 119 Nov 06, 2023

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?

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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!

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Every Mustang including Dark Horse — Carmudgeon Show w/ Jason Cammisa & Derek Tam-Scott — Ep. 118 Oct 30, 2023

Review of the 2024 S650 Ford Mustang Dark Horse and every generation of Mustangs ever — it's The Mustang Episode!

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In this episode of the Carmudgeon Show, automotive journalist Jason Cammisa talks with historian and expert Derek Tam-Scott about the history of the Ford Mustang.

The story begins with Lee Iacocca's 1965 Mustang, which was largely a marketing ruse, since the sports-car looks masked an economy-car chassis. And heads through the Mustang II, the Fox-Body and SN95 Mustang, the S197 Mustang, and finally the S550, including the incredible Shelby GT350 and GT500 models.

And then finally, Jason reviews the S650 Mustang GT Performance and Mustang Dark Horse. Including comparing it with the BMW M2, Toyota GR Supra, and the gorgeous Lotus Emira.

It's everything you need to know about the Ford Mustang.

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Random Number Generator Car Reviews #4 — Carmudgeon Show w Jason Cammisa & Derek Tam-Scott — Ep. 117 Oct 25, 2023

Ask Us Anything Part 2 — Carmudgeon Show w Jason Cammisa & Derek Tam-Scott — Ep. 116 Oct 17, 2023

Ask Us Anything Part 1 — Carmudgeon Show w Jason Cammisa & Derek Tam-Scott — Ep. 115 Oct 09, 2023

This week, it's your questions and our answers!

HagSwag! Cool Mugs!

https://shop.hagerty.com/

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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.

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The Full Air-Cooled Porsche 911 Story — Carmudgeon Show w Jason Cammisa & Derek Tam-Scott — Ep. 114 Oct 02, 2023

Become an expert on the original Porsche 911 in just one hour!

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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!

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Live From The Detroit Concours w/ Richard Vaughan — The Carmudgeon Show — Cammisa & Hyphen — Ep. 113 Sep 25, 2023

Recorded live at the 2023 Detroit Concours, with special guest Richard Vaughan!

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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.

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Driving the 2024 Lotus Emira & Eletre — Carmudgeon Show w/ Jason Cammisa & Derek Tam-Scott — Ep. 112 Sep 18, 2023

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?

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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.

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Mercedes Motor Swaps w/ Matt Kwiek — Carmudgeon Show feat. Jason Cammisa & Derek Tam-Scott — Ep. 111 Sep 11, 2023

This week, the Carmudgeons welcome special guest Matt Kwiek, mastermind of numerous outrageous Mercedes engine swaps.

Matt helped Derek swap the engine in Derek's Holy Grail purple ("Bornite") S124 E320 dogleg-manual wagon from a 3.2-liter to a freshly built 3.6-liter from a W202 C36 AMG.

The swap happened at Jason's warehouse with the help of his Bendpak lift — and the motor is a straight drop-in. Easy work for Matt Kwiek, who built a reputation for custom engine swaps in older Mercedes.

The Carmudgeons both spent time driving Matt's white C126 500SEC, which features a 5.4-liter M113 (from an S55 AMG) and computer-controlled 722.6 5-speed automatic transmission.

For more info on Matt and his creations, see:

https://www.kwiekclassics.com/

https://www.instagram.com/kwiekclassics/

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How To Survive Monterey Car Week — Carmudgeon Show with Jason Cammisa & Derek Tam-Scott — Ep. 110 Aug 28, 2023

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.

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Random Number Generator Car Reviews #3 — Carmudgeon Show with Jason Cammisa & Derek Tam-Scott Ep 109 Aug 24, 2023

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!

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Bugatti's Next Car Has a V8; The Carmudgeons Don't Approve — Jason Cammisa & Derek Hyphen — Ep 108 Aug 14, 2023

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.

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Radwood Is Not An Ordinary Car Show — The Carmudgeon Show Jason Cammisa & Derek Tam-Scott — Ep 107 Aug 07, 2023

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.

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2023 Civic Type R vs 2024 Integra Type S — The Carmudgeon Show Jason Cammisa & Derek Hyphen — Ep 106 Jul 31, 2023

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.

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Filming Ultimate Drag Race Replay — The Carmudgeon Show w/ Jason Cammisa & Derek Tam-Scott — Ep 105 Jul 24, 2023

What's it like on the set of Cammisa's Ultimate Drag Race Replay? This week, Derek finds out.

Hyphen joined Jason and his team at Willow Springs during the filming of three different episodes — and gives his perspective of what it's like to be part of the production.

The episodes haven't yet aired, of course, but this episode of The Carmudgeon Show podcast gives a sneak peak of what's to come.

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The Citroën CX is a Festival of Freak — The Carmudgeon Show Jason Cammisa & Derek Tam-Scott — Ep 104 Jul 17, 2023

Everything you ever wanted to know about Citroën — but didn't know you wanted to know it.

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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.

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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.

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The Raptor R is Jason's Favorite Car — The Carmudgeon Show w/ Jason Cammisa & Derek Hyphen — Ep 103 Jul 03, 2023

There's something wonderful about driving a vehicle that's the opposite of all the things you love. And for Jason, that's the Ford F-150 Raptor R.

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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.

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Jason, lover of simple, lightweight, nimble sports cars, is enamored of the Raptor R — even more so than the Bronco Raptor. Why? Because it's unabashedly what a Raptor should be. And everything that Jason ostensibly hates in cars:

It's heavy, it's inefficient, it's loud, it's an automatic, it has forced induction, it doesn't go around corners or stop, and it's huge. But it's also perfect.

Jason's highway encounter with a Rolls-Royce Cullinan made for some of the biggest laughter he's ever experienced in a car, and this leads the boys to discuss cars they love that are out of sync with what they typically appreciate.

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The Impossible Rover SD1 Road Trip — The Carmudgeon Show w Jason Cammisa & Derek Hyphen — Ep 102 Jun 26, 2023

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.

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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.

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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.

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Is There A Successful Facelift? — The Carmudgeon Show w Jason Cammisa & Derek Hyphen — Ep 101 Jun 19, 2023

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.

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Hoarders R' Us: We Bought More Cars — The Carmudgeon Show w Jason Cammisa & Derek Hyphen — Ep 100 Jun 12, 2023

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.

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The World's Only Dogleg Manual Wagon!? — The Carmudgeon Show w Jason Cammisa & Derek Hyphen — Ep 99 Jun 05, 2023

In this episode of the Curmudgeon Show, Derek Tam-Scott buys the world's only factory dogleg manual-transmission station wagon!

This episode is all about the dogleg: the transmission layout that automatically makes any car cool.

The discussion starts with the simplest question: What is a dogleg? Why does it exist — and why did it come about in the first place?

The reason is, of course, racing — where the gears of the H pattern are used all the time, but first gear is only used once (to get moving.)

The discussion then continues with every car ever produced with a dogleg manual — 3-speeds, 5-speeds, and 7-speeds.

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Why Villa d'Este Matters, Even To Us — The Carmudgeon Show w Jason Cammisa & Derek Tam-Scott — Ep 98 May 30, 2023

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

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The American V8 that created the SUV — The Carmudgeon Show w Jason Cammisa & Derek Tam-Scott — Ep 97 May 23, 2023

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.

==

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The G87 M2 can't compete with a Dino — The Carmudgeon Show w/ Jason Cammisa & Derek Tam-Scott — Ep 96 May 15, 2023

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.

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Can a single-brand car show be cool? — Carmudgeon Show w Jason Cammisa & Derek Tam-Scott — Ep 95 May 08, 2023

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.

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The Hot Hatch Daily-Driver Episode — Carmudgeon Show w Jason Cammisa & ISSIMI's Derek Hyphen — Ep 93 May 01, 2023

On this episode of the Carmudgeon Show, we discuss hot-hatches and daily drivers with automotive journalist Sam Smith.

Discussion centers around the Toyota GR Hot-Hatch Twins: Jason has driven both the GR Corolla and Yaris, Sam has driven only the Corolla, and Derek only the Yaris. Which is best: Corolla or Yaris?

And is either as good as the 2023 Honda Civic Type R? And is the CTR, in turn, anywhere near as good as the original Integra Type R? Sam used to own an ITR.

Unrelated, Jason used to own a W202 Mercedes C43 AMG, and Derek showed up to the studio in his new-to-him C43, which replaces his Mk7 VW GTI as his daily driver. Turns out that both Jason and Sam also have Mk7 Volkswagens (e-Golf and GTI, respectively), and so the boys discuss daily drivers.

In fact, Jason and Derek realize they've owned so many cars in common — W201 190E 2.3-16, R129 Mercedes SL, to name a few — that Jason almost accuses him of being a copycat.

Meanwhile, Sam educates us on the Neue Klasse BMW (and its differences relative to the 1602 and 2002-series coupes).

Find Sam's podcast, "Driven to Fail" wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. It, like the Carmudgeon Show, is part of the Hagerty Podcast Network.

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Crashing Many Cars with Sam Smith — The Carmudgeon Show with Jason Cammisa & ISSIMI's Derek — Ep 93 Apr 24, 2023

Special Guest Sam Smith joins the Curmudgeons in this episode! Not the singer, but the best writer in the automotive business.

Sam also has his own podcast on the Hagerty Podcast Network called "Driven To Fail." This inspires Jason to bring up all the times Sam "failed" while at Automobile Magazine.

Jason and Sam both started their careers at Automobile Magazine at 2006, working with the brilliant, talented, and wonderful Jean Jennings. And Sam had a rocky start — immediately recognized as one of the best writers in the business, but crashed a lot of cars. There were Camry Dents, tire blowouts in a Mk5 GTI, a crunched Lotus Elise, and a Ford GT spun into a culvert.

There exist no photos of those accidents, but Jason does have an old video of his Ann Arbor steep-driveway tire test: a Range Rover Sport on summer tires vs a GMC Acadia on all-seasons versus a Chevy Suburban on winters. The results are amazing.

You can find Sam's podcast here:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjPn6_Dtiq4umtc-E0_SbIQ

The BABE Rally Story:

https://www.motortrend.com/features/2007-big-apple-to-big-easy/

===

The Carmudgeon Show is part of the Hagerty Podcast Network

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Automotive Toponyms — The Carmudgeon Show Jason Cammisa & ISSIMI's Derek — Ep 92 Apr 17, 2023

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

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Advanced Engine Concepts Made Simple — The Carmudgeon Show Jason Cammisa & ISSIMI's Derek — Ep 91 Apr 10, 2023

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.

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Random Number Generator Car Reviews Part 2 — Carmudgeon Show Jason Cammisa & ISSIMI's Hyphen Ep 90 Apr 03, 2023

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!

===

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Rimac Nevera Driving Impressions — The Carmudgeon Show w/ Jason Cammisa & Derek from ISSIMI Ep 89 Mar 27, 2023

The Rimac Nevera is the fastest-accelerating car in the world, according to its manufacturer.

When asked to verify that claim, automotive journalist Jason Cammisa responded with, "holy sh...excuse me." Derek Tam-Scott uttered similarly unsuitable words not fit for YouTube descriptions, though they were far more colorful.

Rimac's 4-motor, torque-vectoring, carbon-tubbed masterpiece is capable of unleashing 1.4 megawatts (that's 1400 kW, 1877 SAE hp, 1914 metric HP, and the exact number doesn't matter.) 0-60 hits in a claimed 1.85 seconds and through the 1/4-mile in 8.6 seconds on to a top speed of 258 mph.

This isn't just fast, this is Bugatti fast, and so it's no wonder Rimac and Bugatti are now the same company.

Is the Nevera Bugatti-good? At $2.2 million, it's certainly less expensive than the Chiron. But let's let Jason and Derek discuss the intricacies here.

===

The Carmudgeon Show is part of the Hagerty Podcast Network. We extend a heartfelt thank-you to both Rimac Automobili and ISSIMI for time with the Nevera.

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We should all respect Lancia — The Carmudgeon Show Jason Cammisa & Derek Hyphen of ISSIMI Ep 88 Mar 21, 2023

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.

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Random Number Generator Reviews! — The Carmudgeon Show Jason Cammisa & Derek Hyphen of ISSIMI Ep 87 Mar 13, 2023

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.

===

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Carlton! Lotus' Only-ever Sedan was Insane! — Carmudgeon Show Jason Cammisa & Derek of ISSIMI Ep 86 Feb 27, 2023

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.

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Is Ferrari's Future in Jeopardy? — Carmudgeon Show Jason Cammisa & Derek of ISSIMI Ep 85 Feb 20, 2023

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.

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The R129 Mercedes SL is Bargain Perfection — Carmudgeon Show Jason Cammisa & Derek of ISSIMI Ep 84 Feb 13, 2023

In this podcast, Jason Cammisa and Derek Tam-Scott ("Hyphen") cover everything you didn't realize you wanted to know about the R129-chassis Mercedes-Benz SL.

The R129 comes in many forms: 300SL, 300SL-24, 500SL, 600SL, and then the renamed SL320, SL500, and SL600. It had three different body styles and two interiors thanks to two facelifts, three different transmissions in the U.S. — a 4-speed automatic, a 5-speed automatic, and a 5-speed dogleg manual transmission.

And the 500SL/SL500 had 3 different engines: a CIS-E "K-Jetronic" tall-deck M119, a LH-Jetronic short-deck M119, both with 4 cams, 4 valves per cylinder, and VVT; and then a 2-cam, 3-valve, non-VVT M113.

So which is the one to get? Which variants drive the best? Which R129s suffer from the dreaded wiring-harness failure?

How much did Jason's 300SL 5-speed weigh?

These are important questions. But the Carmudgeons also talk about the R129's fascinating development history including — why the car that Bruno Sacco himself described as "perfect" was 10 years late. They discuss the R129's world-firsts, like the first-ever fully automatic roof mechanism (and its failure-prone 11 hydraulic cylinders), the first-ever popup rollover protection, the world's first seat-mounted seatbelts (with magnesium-frame seats); and the first time the world ever saw a convertible wind deflector.

The R129 was a technological tour de force, combined with a timelessly elegant and stunningly beautiful design and absolutely impeccable build quality, making it the high point of every generation of Mercedes SL — excepting of course the original W198 300SL Gullwing, which wasn't an SL at all.

Huh? Yeah, you're going to have to watch the episode to figure that one out.

The Carmudgeon Show is part of the Hagerty Podcast Network.

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Do Pre-RADwood Cars Have a Chance? — The Carmudgeon Show w/ Jason Cammisa and Derek of ISSIMI Ep. 83 Feb 06, 2023

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.

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Car storage Solutions Without the Cash — The Carmudgeon Show w Cammisa and Derek from ISSIMI Ep. 82 Jan 30, 2023

You don't need to be rich to be a car hoarder, but storing your cars is a challenge no matter how much or little money you have.

On this episode of The Carmudgeon Show, Jason and Derek discuss a crucial piece of being an enthusiast/having a car collection (of any size or value): vehicle storage! How to take something drab and make it fab, both of their personal vehicle storage solutions and even some *very* exclusive collection setups as well.

Cars are meant to be driven — so how do you protect them inside but keep them accessible to drive regularly. After all: Never. Stop. Driving!

All this and more, brought to you by the Hagerty Podcast Network.

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Jason's Honda Beat gets beat — The Carmudgeon Show with Cammisa and Derek from ISSIMI Ep. 81 Jan 23, 2023

On this episode of The Carmudgeon Show, Jason tells Derek the sad tale of how Jason's Honda Beat got beat from behind a few weeks ago. Which then segues nicely into how while Jason ended up being ok, the Beat will also end up being ok due to the type of collector auto insurance Jason has on it... and you'll *never* guess which company he uses!

All this and more, brought to you by the Hagerty Podcast Network.

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Driving your investment strategy? — The Carmudgeon Show with Cammisa and Derek from ISSIMI Ep. 80 Jan 09, 2023

On this episode of The Carmudgeon Show, Jason and Derek talk about the Hagerty Bull Market list for 2023 and the companion video piece that Jason and his team created for it. (the tl:dr on Bull Market: Hagerty has a team of folks who nerd out on tracking vehicle values based on an assortment of data that only Hagerty can access. They then make a list of vehicles that they feel are a great value in terms of being an entry point into car collecting and that have the potential to, at a minimum, hold even and at a maximum, increase in value.)

Watch the Hagerty Bull Market 2023 video here: https://youtu.be/nkllFjtGRrI

All this and more, brought to you by the Hagerty Podcast Network.

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The world's QUICKEST cars! — The Carmudgeon Show with Cammisa and Derek from ISSIMI Ep. 79 Dec 19, 2022

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.

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Do Cars Reflect Where They're From? — The Carmudgeon Show with Cammisa and Derek from ISSIMI Ep. 78 Dec 12, 2022

On this episode of The Carmudgeon Show, Jason and Derek riff on a question that came up during a previous Q&A episode: do cars reflect where they come from? Does the country of origin impact how they're designed and engineered? Sweden, Germany, America, Japan, etc. how do these locations influence the end product that you end up driving? As always, Jason and Derek have their thoughts and they're ready to share.

All this and more, brought to you by the Hagerty Podcast Network.

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Jaguar: Dead Brand Walking — The Carmudgeon Show with Cammisa and Derek from ISSIMI Ep. 77 Dec 05, 2022

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.

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Ferrari's Greatest Road Cars — The Carmudgeon Show with Cammisa and Derek from ISSIMI Ep. 76 Nov 28, 2022

On today’s episode, Jason and Derek are accompanied by a large pile of snacks to discuss the greatest Ferrari driving experiences of all time. Needless to say, all prancing horses have been FAR from created equal. Discussion revolves mostly around the F50, which surprises Derek in its accessibility after some recent seat time with reserved expectations.

Jason follows up with his experience in the 288 GTO, which was nearly perfect- high praise, given Jason’s general disinterest in turbocharged power plants. In reality, the greatest road-going Ferraris are the ones that actually be used on the road- cars that were developed during a time when speed limits were gradually being raised, rather than docked while the bar of modern performance surpassed achievable road-going limits. This brings into question cars like the 812 Superfast and LaFerrari that Jason and Derek argue are wonderful feats of engineering but simply too fast for enjoyable road use. What even is the last great Ferrari that won’t throw you into a guard rail? Or is the ability to light up the rears in third all the fun? Tune in, and perhaps you’ll find out.

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F is for Ferrari, Fiero...and FIRE! — The Carmudgeon Show with Cammisa and Derek from ISSIMI Ep. 75 Nov 21, 2022

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/

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More questions, answered! Q&A Part 2 — The Carmudgeon Show with Cammisa and Derek from ISSIMI Ep. 74 Nov 14, 2022

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!

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Your questions, answered! — The Carmudgeon Show with Cammisa and Derek from ISSIMI Ep. 73 Nov 07, 2022

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!

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Why FWD Doesn't Suck— The Carmudgeon Show with Cammisa and Derek from ISSIMI Ep. 72 Oct 31, 2022

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.

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Should Maserati Exist in 2022? — The Carmudgeon Show with Cammisa and Derek from ISSIMI Ep. 71 Oct 24, 2022

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?

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The World's Best Sounding Cars —The Carmudgeon Show with Cammisa and Derek from ISSIMI Ep. 70 Oct 03, 2022

On this episode of the Carmudgeon Show, Jason and Derek discuss the world’s best sounding cars, embracing the cacophony of cylinder count and alignment, valves per cylinder, and other factors that make each engine a musical instrument of sorts. Following a discussion that begins with the Audi RS3 and a breakdown of five cylinder aural theory, Jason and Derek land on the V10-powered Porsche Carrera GT and Lexus LFA as the best sounding cars in the world. Despite having the same cylinder count and revs capable of beyond 8500 RPM, the perception of sound as a driver is much more than meets the ear. Jason and Derek unpack this similarly concluded realization, much in part to a certain Japanese piano maker’s philosophy on engine sound design.

The two Carmudgeons also discuss updates on their recent purchases. Jason upgrades the wheels and tires on his new-to-him Dodge Grand Caravan camera van to take on some additional maneuverability and capability, with newly found grip to throw people and passengers violently about in back. On a similar but entirely different other end of the front wheel drive spectrum, Derek buys a carbureted and hydropneumatic 1979 Citroen CX- a car which may lack in dynamics but compensates with an oozing of character and style.

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Fixing Broken Cars in the Alps —The Carmudgeon Show with Cammisa and Derek from ISSIMI Ep. 69 Sep 26, 2022

On this episode of The Carmudgeon Show, Jason and Derek (and their traveling circus) venture to Europe to make memories of a lifetime taking two old German cars on an incredible 2,000 mile journey through Germany, Italy, and Switzerland via the wonderfully twisty roads of the Alps…or so they thought.

Derek’s journey begins with the purchase of a W201 Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3-16 in Italy, a car whose brakes, in fact, break very quickly after taking delivery. Continuing along, the trip becomes decorated in a chain of breakdowns of slightly assorted mechanical origin and severity, as well as a visit with the Carabinieri where Derek finds out that he may have purchased a “gypsy car”.

Jason borrows a similarly charming E30 BMW 320i from Sreten of the M539 Restorations YouTube channel, a car while very well sorted by its owner has some minor quibbles of its own along the way. Despite the small issues however, the 40 year old BMW fulfills a promise of completing its journey and doing a skid or two along the way.

And what’s more, the spectacular scenery makes the gremlins slightly less hateful. Between the most rewarding of driving roads and the great friends made along the way, it’s a case for all enthusiasts to go find mechanical delight in faraway places.

After all, it’s all about finding bliss in the breakdown.

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GR Corolla vs. GR Yaris —The Carmudgeon Show with Cammisa and Derek from ISSIMI Ep. 68 Sep 19, 2022

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.

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A Carbon-Tub 911 that ISN'T a Porsche —The Carmudgeon Show with Cammisa and Derek from ISSIMI Ep. 67 Sep 12, 2022

On today’s episode, Jason and Derek discuss the YouTube algorithm and how the mere suggestion of the death of gasoline performance cars can send traditional automotive enthusiasts to grab their pitchforks and smash the dislike button. Surely, it’s hard to imagine a world where we’ll say goodbye to the ICE-powered, character-filled machines we have known and loved since the beginning of the car’s existence. But will we ever celebrate what we’re losing and look forward to what we’re gaining? Only time will tell.

On the other end of the ICE car spectrum, Jason and Derek share their mutually terrifying experiences being driven in the new Chimera EVO37- a completely resto-modded Lancia 037-inspired creation with a substantially larger power-to-weight ratio than a Ferrari F40.

Derek and Jason also get a go in the RUF CTR, a similar concoction of old and new 911 that ultimately feels like something entirely different than any 911 that came before it. This begs the question- do restomodded cars retain any of their original seat-of-the-pants identity once modified? Or do they build an entirely new identity separate from what they started from?

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Car Week with James Engelsman — The Carmudgeon Show with Cammisa and Derek from ISSIMI Ep. 66 Aug 29, 2022

This week, special guest James Engelsman of Throttle House joins the show to unpack the many happenings of this year’s Monterey Car Week, the center of all things automotive once a year. It’s James’ first car week experience, one which included multiple manufacture reveals, seas of interesting cars from pre-war to Pagani, and the occasional high five between Christian Von Koenigsegg and Gordon Murray.

In a discussion beginning with pre-war cars, Jason, Derek, and James discuss various driving experiences that overpromise and under-deliver (and vice-versa). The centerpiece of frustration revolves mostly around the original Acura NSX, a car Jason says promised looks over actual delivered performance.

Jason and James also cover their lightspeed hot lap around Laguna Seca in an 1100 horsepower Lucid Air Sapphire, piloted by none other than Top Gear’s original tame racing driver, Ben Collins (aka The Stig).

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Things you never knew about Kei Cars — The Carmudgeon Show with Cammisa and Derek from ISSIMI Ep. 65 Aug 22, 2022

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.

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Why Dealerships Suck Right Now — The Carmudgeon Show with Cammisa and Derek from ISSIMI Ep. 64 Aug 15, 2022

On this episode of The Carmudgeon Show- Jason and Derek each acquire new vehicles, both on very different ends of the spectrum…

In a quest not to be #1 soccer dad, Jason discusses his recent experience in car dealer hell with a purchase of his very first American vehicle- an ex-rental spec Dodge Caravan SXT that will serve as his new camera and crew vehicle. Added dealer markup (ADM), paint protection, and other miscellaneous retail magic tricks are discussed, at what could ultimately be the doom of dealers altogether with the rise of the direct-to-consumer sales model.

In the business of selling used cars himself, Derek leads the discussion towards the used car market as a whole. Have prices collapsed? Or will we all continue to be swimming in dealer add-ons for all eternity? Outside of a recent Ferrari 308 GT4 sale on Bring A Trailer for $220,000, Derek seems to think we are somewhere in-between the asinine and not-so asinine.

On the opposite end of the US, Derek purchases a vehicle conceived far before the time of ADM- a W116 Mercedes-Benz 280SE. He proceeds to take it on a 2,000 kilometer roadtrip through Maine and Canada and, despite some hoonage and squeaky belts, lived to tell the tale. All this and more, brought to you by the Hagerty Podcast Network.

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Supercars don't make you superhuman! — The Carmudgeon Show with Cammisa and Derek from ISSIMI Ep. 63 Aug 08, 2022

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.

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Is the E39 BMW M5 actually any good? — The Carmudgeon Show with Cammisa and Derek from ISSIMI Ep. 62 Aug 01, 2022

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?

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A Ban On Electric Vehicles— The Carmudgeon Show with Jason Cammisa and Derek from ISSIMI Ep. 61 Jul 25, 2022

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…

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Automotive Archeology in Action— The Carmudgeon Show with Jason Cammisa and Derek from ISSIMI Ep. 60 Jul 18, 2022

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…

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Derek Does Pikes Peak — The Carmudgeon Show with Cammisa and Derek from ISSIMI Ep. 59 Jul 11, 2022

This week, Jason drives Derek’s Lamborghini Miura- which, as it turns out, is a vehicle that most commonly enjoys flirting with its own death by fire, inclement weather, or just modern day traffic. Jason and Derek discuss the car’s other difficulties, including but not the mystery of non-standardized interior button labels, glowworms for headlights, and windshield wipers which prefer to eject versus function. Conclusion- if anything happens to your Miura, make sure the whole thing burns to the ground- the subsequent restoration won’t be worth the trouble or finished in your children's lifetime.

The main focus of this episode, however, is Derek’s recent trip to Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, a journey not traveled without some difficult weather, 3 AM traffic jams, and many flavors of Porsche 911 Turbo eating up the elevation. Despite some unique challenges in Derek’s adventure, he luckily did not get struck by lightning. This eventually leads to an extended discussion on Mobil 1 oil and some discoveries Derek made while talking to an oil engineer atop Pike’s Peak.

Jason and Derek explore differences in oil weight, detergents, anti-foaming agents, modifiers, and more magic that lubricates our engines. Oil change intervals and oil analysis also come into play- sometimes a scary Blackstone result isn't as worrisome as you might be led to believe.

Jason also revisits his findings on the new Acura Integra and Honda Civic SI, and uncovers why ultimately there is more to the $7,000 price gap than initially meets the eye. Jason and Derek also discuss a recent spin in an original DC2 Acura Integra Type R, a car whose mass alone dictates how much the Integra nameplate has changed in 25 years. All this and more, brought to you by the Hagerty Podcast Network.

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Is The New Integra A Future Classic? — The Carmudgeon Show with Cammisa and Derek from ISSIMI Ep. 58 Jun 27, 2022

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.

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How To Be An Automotive Journalist — The Carmudgeon Show with Cammisa and Derek from ISSIMI Ep. 57 Jun 20, 2022

In this episode of The Carmudgeon Show, amateur interior designer Jason Cammisa and living encyclopedia Derek “Hyphen” Tam-Scott go back to the basics and recall their respective foundations in their respective automotive ecosystems.

Derek embarks on a trip into his past of Alfa Romeo brake jobs, buying and selling old cars, and building a prolific knowledge of cars and planes through books received since his childhood. In fact, Derek's encyclopedia became certified by age 8 when elaborating on engineering differences between a Porsche 956 and 962 to his family's local mechanic.

Jason similarly recalls his beginnings watching and memorizing his parents’ movements driving manual transmissions as a child. As a prize for his attentiveness at age 14, he wins an unrealized $50 bet after successfully not stalling his father’s FJ60 Toyota Land Cruiser, a journey filled with risky hill-starts and rev-match downshifts.

Amidst a discussion of calibrating driving styles and learning how to drive old cars properly, Jason discusses a recent drive in a friend’s Ferrari Mondial T after doing some throttle tinkering. As it turns out, the more broken a car is, the better you become as a driver by circumventing the brokenness. And anyway, who’s really broken- you or the car?

Throughout the episode, Jason and Derek engage in a conversation about the importance of being objective in the world of automotive storytelling. Jason identifies the rewards that come with experiential curiosity and the art of purposeful ambiguity- perhaps, at the cost of being fooled by a PR department behind an Audi RS3 or a similarly FWD-feeling Dodge Neon. Maybe- just maybe- we can all learn to understand a hateful vehicle.

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The World's Best Sports Sedan is a Cadillac? — The Carmudgeon Show with Cammisa and Hyphen — Ep. 56 Jun 13, 2022

In this episode of the Carmudgeon Show, 95-year-old Derek Tam-Scott and ex-Yinzer Jason Cammisa discuss their enjoyment of the Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing. They cautiously approach the startling conclusion that the Blacking is the world's best current sports sedan — but not without a seaworthy exploration of Cadillac’s post-landyacht identity crisis. While unpacking the good, the bad, and the Malaise, Derek realizes that maybe there’s more to our perception of a 120-year-old brand than meets the eye.

Naturally, this discussion is not without mention of past performance sedan greats — including the Chevrolet SS, E39 BMW M5, and Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio. And the ATS-V with the pushrod, small-block V-8 — which totally should have existed.

Jason’s ten cars become nine as he bids farewell to Rose Gold, his Cashmere-Beige BMW E30 325i, but not without sending it off with a bumper-to-tailpipe warranty and a deep investigation of a tacho-metric truth. He also celebrates 25 years and 100,000 miles with his 1987 Volkswagen Scirocco 16V and the newly-realized vulnerabilities that come with long-term ownership.

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Driving an XL1 in the USA — The Carmudgeon Show featuring Jason Cammisa and Derek from ISSIMI Ep. 55 Jun 06, 2022

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

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Driving rally legends- — The Carmudgeon Show featuring Jason Cammisa and Derek from ISSIMI — Ep. 54 May 30, 2022

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.

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Discussing the Nissan Z — The Carmudgeon Show featuring Jason Cammisa and Derek from ISSIMI — Ep. 53 May 23, 2022

There’s a new Z in town and Jason has driven it!

In this episode of the Carmudgeon Show, award-winning automotive journalist Jason Cammisa and award-deserving automotive encyclopedia Derek Tam-Scott discuss the 2023 Nissan Z. And the Jaguar E-Type. And Bridgestone S007 tires. And Aston Martin Vantages — V8 Vantages with blown engines. And Gordon Murray T.50s.

Derek takes a turn for the nerdy by pointing out that British tax-horsepower regulations encouraged the tractor-like long-stroke engines that sapped some of the fun out of the 1960s sports cars.

But not the Fairlady Z432, which Jason thinks might be the best-sounding six-cylinder engine of all time — up there with the Mercedes 300SL “Gullwing.”

Mostly, though, this episode discusses Z — from the new one back to the original S30 240Z and Fairlady. Including the VR30DDTT engine that originally debuted in the Infiniti Q50 Red Sport 400 — though it’s derived from the port-injected R35 Nissan GT-R.

And what episode would be complete without a highly legal street drag race between two BMW E30 325is? Certainly not this one.

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Road Rage in slow cars — The Carmudgeon Show featuring Jason Cammisa and Derek from ISSIMI — Ep. 52 May 16, 2022

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.

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How can Miata always be the answer when there are multiple Miatas and an E30?— Carmudgeon Show Ep 51 May 09, 2022

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.

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Track Day? Nah, we'd rather do a Hyphen Rally: mountain roads with friends — Carmudgeon Show Ep 50 May 02, 2022

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!

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Conventional wisdom: sedans aren't investments. Conventional wisdom = wrong! — Carmudgeon Show Ep 49 Apr 25, 2022

Historically, sedans were viewed as non-collectibles. But history was wrong — these days, sedans are doing just fine.

In this episode, Jason Cammisa and Derek Tam-Scott ("Hyphen") discuss the collectible and awesome sedan — everything from the Mercedes 6.9 and 6.3 to the W124 500E, and the AMG Hammer and Hammer Wagon 500E 6.0. To say nothing of the W201 190E 2.3-16 with its triumphant debut at the grand opening of the Nürburgring GP circuit in a one-marque race won by none other than Ayrton Senna.

And then there's the non-Mercedes: BMW E28 M5, the E30 325i, E36 M3, E31 850i.

And the discussion of Maserati Quattroporte versus GranCoupe. And Honda Prelude, Acura Integra, Camry Coupe, Lexus SC, and Buick Reatta.

The Coupe story ends with a discussion of Jason's nephew's Infiniti G35 Coupe, which started its journey at a 24 Hours of Lemons race in San Francisco and Teen Driving School at Thunderhill Raceway and drove cross-country — and Tail of the Dragon. And then met a deer in South Carolina.

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Hagerty is The Carmudgeon Show’s New Home — Ep. 48 — with Jason Cammisa and Derek from ISSIMI Apr 18, 2022

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.

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