Tag: car culture

Petrolhead ≠ Politically Incorrect: I don’t Rev for the Right, but nor do I Line-Lock for the Left!

Some think that if you enjoy the sound of a V8 and a whiff of burnt rubber, you’re a climate-denying dinosaur. Time to set the steering straight

I know that I’m pigeon-holed sometimes. And I know why. I love cars, especially big hairy monstrous motors that smoke their tyres and obliterate decibel detectors. 

Yes, my name is Shahzad and I’m an Autoholic. I confess the thrum of a V8 turns me on, octane is my cologne, and a gear-snatching, wheel-twirling thrash up a twisty road is my therapy. Cyclists are annoying, traffic cameras are the enemy, and the Highway Code is a quaint little booklet that’s just the right thickness for the wobbly leg of my coffee table. 

And most damning of all, I refuse to apologise for any of this. 

Continue reading “Petrolhead ≠ Politically Incorrect: I don’t Rev for the Right, but nor do I Line-Lock for the Left!” →
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The NEC Classic Car Show 2025 – A Treasure Trove of Metal, Mayhem and Mind-Blowing Prices

From a HEMI-swapped Datsun to a nut & bolt Charger win and a pristine ’78 Corolla with 23k miles – the iconic halls of the NEC delivered one of the most eclectic classic-car weekends in years

Let me pull you into it: vast halls, thousands of gleaming machines, petrol and polish in the air – that was the vibe inside the Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show 2025 at the The NEC Birmingham. I wandered the aisles with my good mate Sy (Founder of Drivers Union), trying to take it all in: club stands, traders, rare models, and some genuinely wild builds. It’s a show that doesn’t just showcase classics – it celebrates them with a roar.

Continue reading “The NEC Classic Car Show 2025 – A Treasure Trove of Metal, Mayhem and Mind-Blowing Prices” →
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Is Zohran Mamdani Anti-Car? What New York’s Motorists Need to Know

The Mayor doesn’t drive, but he’s steering New York’s future – and motorists might not like where the road’s heading

When a man who doesn’t even drive becomes the Mayor of New York City, you just know things are about to get interesting. Zohran Mamdani’s victory has made waves across the world – not just because he’s the first Muslim, first brown and first African-born mayor in NYC’s history, but because he represents something much bigger: a changing philosophy about how cities are built, who they serve, and – crucially for us car lovers – whether there’s still space for motorists in the urban future.

Now, before you reach for your pitchforks or your petrol can, let’s take a calm, and rational look at what this actually means for drivers.

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BCG Podcast: Movie Cars, Classic Cars & Superstars! – Ferrari Fails, KITT Dreams & The Jay Leno Syndrome

From ugly Ferraris and wannabe James Bonds to falling classic car prices and full-on hoarding confessions – welcome to the Therapy Session petrolheads didn’t know they needed

They say never meet your heroes – but what about driving them? In this week’s BrownCarGuy Therapy Podcast, I sit down with three of the most gloriously opinionated car nuts I know – Sy Ali (Drivers Union), Adnan Mallick (Landbeasts Automobile Classica), and Imthishan Giado (Motoring Middle East co-founder and Dubai Car Culture icon) – to unpack the messy, emotional, and hilarious world of modern car culture.

We’re talking ugly Ferraris, movie car nostalgia, the freefalling classic car market, and whether we’ve all secretly become Jay Leno-style hoarders. Strap in – this one’s pure petrolhead therapy.

Continue reading “BCG Podcast: Movie Cars, Classic Cars & Superstars! – Ferrari Fails, KITT Dreams & The Jay Leno Syndrome” →
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How to Be a Top Gear Writer

Shafiq Abidin’s Rebel Journey to Motoring Journalism

Some people dream of driving exotic cars. Others dream of writing about them. And then there’s Shafiq Abidin, who’s managed to land one of the coolest jobs, In The World – Top Gear staff writer. But the journey from a student interviewing me during Covid to being a year-in to one of the most coveted car jobs out there, has not been without challenges and disappointments. It almost never happened, but this young talent fought for his goals, pushing past cultural expectations, imposter syndrome, and countless rejections to make it happen. His story? It’s as inspiring as it is relatable.

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Are Robots the New Cars? How AI-Powered Domestic Bots Could Redefine Our Future

As AI robots take over our daily tasks, could they replace cars as our next big household essentials?

As a motoring journalist and avid tech enthusiast, I’ve find myself fascinated and captivated by the evolution of AI and robotic technology and, of course, its impact on our lives. Chiefly in the context of being a car guy, it raises an additional concern for me – where does it leave the now relatively humble automobile if we have a super-intelligent all-singing, all-dancing robot to do all our bidding, and essentially eliminate our need to even leave the house?

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DadCars Inspiring the Next Generation

Conversation with Ben Marshall of DadCars at NEC Classic Motor Show

At the 2024 NEC Classic Motor Show, I had the pleasure of chatting with Ben Marshall, the man behind DadCars, a YouTube channel with a mission to show that family life doesn’t have to mean giving up on exciting cars. With four kids in tow, Ben’s out to prove that petrolhead parents don’t have to trade passion for practicality.

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