Up To Speed (2017)

Alfa Romeo, an iconic automotive powerhouse with deep roots in racing, and the masterminds behind the new Giulia GTAm, the modern Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione, and 4C Spider. With over 100 years of history, they helped mould Enzo Ferrari, survived two world wars, and were pioneers of the early automotive space, from the early 8C spiders, to the legendary Alfa Romeo 155. Grab your Quadrifoglio for good luck, and join James Pumphrey as he tells you everything you need to know about Alfa Romeo!

The cursed tale of TVR automotive--one of the most unlucky automotive companies of our time. And yet, they've managed to hold on, and create some of the most unique looking british sports cars of the era. From wacky names like the Jomar, the Grandtura, and the Griffith, to their wacky looking Tuscan, or Trident, TVR has managed to set a precedent for creating unique looking, light-weight, fast sports cars--that no other brand could quite replicate. With TVR's luck, who would want to?

Nissan’s Datsun took the American streets and tracks by storm in the 1970s. From the BRE 510 and 240Z to compact trucks and the B210 Honey Bee, this is the story of a brand that built a huge name for itself and then decided to leave that name behind.

Whether it’s a Ford Transit or a Ford Econoline, you could call any Ford van a Supervan! From shagadelic E-Series conversion vans in America to the ubiquitous Transit cargo vans in Europe, we remind you how awesome these unassuming work and family vehicles really are.

The Mercedes-Benz Unimog is like a rolling Swiss army knife. Half truck, half tractor, all MASSIVE. Originally built for farming by a company that made metal trinkets in a country banned from making military equipment, the Unimog now does everything from army service to off-road racing and climbing volcanos.

The Ford Fiesta — Ford’s affordable, pint-sized, rally dominating, hot hatch. It burnt rubber in the XR2, RS Turbo and Fiesta ST, tore up WRC rallies in Fiesta S2000 and R5 M-Sport rally cars. Ford has sold over 17 million Fiestas worldwide, making it Ford’s third most popular car of all time. Gather round D-Holes, and hear James Pumphrey explain why this Fiesta is no siesta.

The Legacy birthed Subaru’s best selling vehicle, the Subaru Outback. It was driving rallies before the Impreza WRX and even won with legendary driver, Colin McRae. From its trusted All-Wheel Drive to its sleeper Legacy 2.5 GT Turbo, the Legacy might not be the hottest Subaru in town, but it is Subaru's longest running model. See how the Subaru Legacy forged a whole new road in marketing strategies and set Subaru on the path to success.

The Bentley Motor Company--the mastermind team behind some of the world's most luxurious bespoke, performance built cars. They survived being bought out by a competing brand, roared through the 20's with the Bentley Boys, and now produce some of the most customizable British 'muscle' cars on the market. From the iconic Continental GT asnd Flying Spur, to the early Lemans slaying 3-liter and 6-litres, to the newest Bentley Bacalar and behemoth Bentayga, join James Pumphrey as he walks us through Bentley's rich, RICH, history.

The great BMW Z8--a car that knocked modern retro styling out of the park, and sent automotive collectors into an all out bidding war. Designed by the acclaimed Henrik Fisker, and powerful enough to lap a Ferrari on the track--this car is hands down, one of the most iconic BMW's in the history of the German automotive brand. Inspired by one of the most beautiful, but failed sports cars, the BMW 507, which captivated celebrities like Elvis Priestley, and more--the BMW Z8 roadster, ushered in a new era of automotive styling. Timeless, lightweight, and with a hint of luxury.

Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution is the off-roading king of the Dakar Rally. It’s the OG SUV that left Jeep Wranglers, Nissan Patrols and Land Cruisers quakin’ in their boots. Whether a Pajero, a Montero or a Shogun, it’s been sold for over 40 years and even has a Guinness World Record. No joke, the Mitsubishi Pajero holds the record for Most Victories of a Dakar Rally Car between 1985 to 2007. So sit back and join James as we explore what makes the Mitsubishi Pajero a legendary 4x4.

The Toyota GT86, the Subaru BRZ, and the Scion FRS--the tuning trifecta that helped define the meaning of ‘driving experience.” With famed Tetsuya Tada at the helm, and a Subaru Boxer engine under its bonnet, the 86 took off from Japan, splashed into the European and American Automotive markets, and ushered in a new era of young drivers and enthusiasts. Of all its accolades, the GT86 just lacked one thing...power babeh!

The Ford SVT Raptor was born from the Ford SVT Lightning high performance sport truck, baptized at the Baja 1000 and remains one of the fastest high performance off-road production trucks to ever exist... plus it's called the friggin' RAPTOR! What more could you want!? Join James as we explore the dusty origins of one of America's favorite trucks. The journey from humble Prerunner to race-proven legend, this is the story of the Ford Raptor!

The Chevy LS V8 Engine--don't let it's small size fool you, this motor is one of General Motors greatest legacies, and perhaps the most swapped engine platform to date! With humble LS1 beginnings in the C5 Corvette, to its current mid engine LT2 powerhouse in the C8 Corvette, this engine platform has stood the test of time, and proven to the automotive community that yes--you CAN fit this engine in your car too. Come on down drift freaks, boost creeps, and Corvette geeks, and join us as James Pumphrey tells the tale of the Chevy LS Engine--maybe we'll even convince you to LS swap something!

The Toyota Prius might be one of the most hated cars, but it was the first mass-produced hybrid in automotive history! It kicked off a revolution with the Prius concept and quickly turned into an entire Toyota hybrid family, including the Prius Plug-In, Prius C and Prius V. From 1899 to 2020, join James as he explores the Toyota Prius and tries to find LOVE for one of the most hated cars.

HKS, Japan’s most renowned tuning company, and the father of the aftermarket automotive parts industry. From designing bolt on turbo kits for skylines in the 1970's, to crafting full carbon fibre Altezzas, to outfitting drift cars for Formula D, HKS has pioneered the Japanese Domestic Market (JDM,) conquering motorsport after motorsport along the way. Join James Pumphrey as he dives into the legacy of Hiroyuki Hasegawa, and the History of HKS.

The Mustang. The F150. The Taurus. These are just a few of the cars pushed to the extreme by Ford’s Special Vehicle Team. SVT has been turning your favorite rides into monsters for decades, building icons like the SVO Cobra, the Terminator, Ford Focus SVT, Ford Taurus SHO, Ford Lightning, and everyone’s favorite truck named after a dinosaur. So fasten your seatbelt and get ready to join James as he dives DEEP into the history of Ford’s very own Special Vehicle Team.

Toyota Racing Development, TRD, Toyota's legendary in house tuning shop, are the masterminds responsible for Toyota's global motorsport domination. From Toyota's modern consumer TRD brand, with their off roading Tacomas to their performance built Camry's, to TRD's motorsport domination, conquering many platforms from Nascar to IMSA, TRD has been pushing the boundaries of their brand since the mid 1950's. Join James Pumphrey as we get you Up To Speed, on the history of Toyota Racing Development.

Ariel Motor Company is famous for their Ariel Atom, Ariel Nomad and Ariel Ace, but did you know the Ariel of today actually started 150 years ago? From penny-farthing bikes to iconic motorcycles like the Ariel Red Hunter, Ariel Square Four and Ariel Cyclone, this small British manufacturer set the stage for success but died under poor leadership. Now back from the dead, the Ariel of today makes ultra-low production, ultra-lightweight speed monsters. So hold on to your face and join host James Pumphrey as he gets you Up To Speed on the exciting history of Ariel Motor Company!

Rauh-Welt Begriff (RWB,) is one of the most notoriously successful, yet controversial, Japanese car tuners to exist today. With his army of modified Porsche 911’s, he has built a world famous tuning company—frequently circulating through automotive press giants like Speedhunters, Hoonigan, Illest, Fatlace, and Auto Otaku. From his first Rough World AE86’s, to Porsche 930’s, 964’s, and 996’s, many find his modification techniques to be…. well, rough! Grab a Stella and your air saw, and sit back in your leather armchair, as James Pumphrey tells the story of the REAL Nakai san, and the history of RWB.

Ford Thunderbird was meant to be the Ford Motor Company's answer to the Chevy Corvette. From Square Birds to Bullet Birds to Aero Birds to Retro Birds, this American icon got bigger and bigger (literally) and even shared the same platform as the Foxbody Mustang! So take flight with James Pumphrey as we discover how it all happened and meet the people who shaped it into a National Treasure. Except this one we don’t have to steal from the Decoration of Inner Pendants!

Did you know that the Ford Probe, was ALMOST a next generation mustang? Or that Mazda helped Ford, to mastermind the design of the Probe? Whether you answered yes or no, the Ford Probe and Probe GT, has a juicy history of pissing off Mustang fan boys, and thanks to Mimi Vanderholen, winning the hearts of 90's women and families across the US. Slated to compete with the Japanese domestic market cars of the time, and to compete in the Nascar dash series--it soon became clear, that this midsize passenger sedan, could keep up with the competition. So sit back, relax, and join James Pumphrey as he walks us through the tale of the failed Ford Mus... I mean, Ford Probe.

Geely is the biggest car company, that you’ve never heard of. Their Chinese badge may be only 30 years old, but in that time, they’ve managed to sell millions of cars, like the Geely Haoqing, and the Geely Borui, win an FIA manufacturer’s cup, and set a lap record at the Nurburgring in the Lynk & Co.'s Lynk 03. But how in the world did they go from making unreliable cars in the 90s to BUYING VOLVO? And what made the founder so mad that he drove a steamroller over an entire lot of cars? Join James Pumphrey as he gets you up to speed, on the largest Chinese car brand you've never heard of.

The Suzuki Samurai (Jimny) was a compact off-roader with a BIG 4x4 punch! What kicked off as one of the most revolutionary all-terrain vehicles, even outselling the Jeep Wrangler two to one in 1987, ended with an unbelievable fraudulent crash lawsuit that killed Suzuki's automotive American dreams. Sharpen your katanas because host James Pumphrey is about to take a stab at one of Suzuki's greatest creations.

JOHN DEERE is one of the most recognizable brands in the world with its iconic yellow deer, the symbol of HARD WORK! But did you know their tractors and farm equipment have been helping the world for nearly 200 years?! Join James as he plows the fields of John Deere’s long history. From the Model D and 110, to Gator 6x4 and beyond. And by “beyond”, I mean farmers fighting for the right to repair their JOHN DEERE tractors which could change the nature of farming forever.