Brett Berk - The Smoking Tire | Wave AI Podcast Notes

Brett Berk

Thu Apr 02 2026

Brett Berk might be the busiest freelance journalist we know. He has the incredible power to drive one car and extract 3 interesting, unique stories from the experience. That's why he's driven Jaguar's new EV, a very special Bentley, driven cars on boats (yes, that's a thing), and toured factories. Patreon questions include: Best used AMG car for under $40k? Can we fix bad drivers? Will Aston make an entry-level mid-engine car? Cameras vs lidar Toddlers vs supercar owners Best bang-for-buck car EPA's move to 15% ethanol Do Alpina's last longer than BMWs? Are convertibles always worth more than coupes? Is car-themed luggage gauche? BRZ: best chassis you can buy under $100k? And more! Recorded March 31, 2026 Find links to all Brett's work here: https://muckrack.com/brett_berk http://brettberk.com/ DeleteMe Get 20% off your DeleteMe plan when you go to https://joindeleteme.com/TIRE and use promo code TIRE at checkout. Hello Fresh Go to https://HelloFresh.com/sm...

Transcript

Matt Farah (0:00)

What up, everybody? Welcome to the Smoking Tire Podcast. This episode is brought to you as always by off the Record. We love off the Record over here. They are looking out for you wherever you are. 50 states. If you get pulled over for a moving violation, big or small, don't plead guilty, Call off the Record. They will arrange for a qualified attorney to represent you in your case and at a hugely high percentage. Get those points off your record. Go to offtherecord.com TST that's offtherecord.com Tst. We'll give you 10% off all legal services booked through off the Record one more time. Offtherecord.com TST and also this morning, welcome to Avance. You guys know Avance, right? It's a quarterly print magazine. It's a cool editorial website and Instagram and they do awesome in person events all over the US I've known about Avance for a long time. My red car was even on the COVID of their magazine. And now they've got a new membership program allowing you to save money on things that you're buying anyway, like tires. Avance members get 10% off a discount tire, plus an additional 10% off all Michelin and BFGoodrich. So if you spend 1500 bucks on a set of Cup 2s, you're going to save $300 just for being an Avance member. It's only $99 a year and it comes with a $70 griots garage gift card. So it's basically paying for itself right off. Now you can use code TST for 10% off your membership. Go to avance.com TST and use code TST to sign up one more time. Avants a v a n-t s.com TST and code TST for 10% off your avance membership. And thank you to Avance for sponsoring the show today. All right, folks, on this episode, our old pal Brett Burke is in studio. He writes for Vanity Fair, esc, all kinds of different, very important print publications and as we learn on this episode, also Super Yacht Weekly or monthly or the magazine where people buy yachts in. It's Brett Burke on the Smoking Tire podcast. It's like, I can't take vacations during the month of September and October because it's just like all the new cars are out, all of the of the year tests, all that bullshit. And like, they don't plan that shit early enough for me. So I just, I have to leave the months open. It's like same for you, right? Kind of.

Brett Burke (2:36)

I Mean, it just depends, you know. Yeah, I mean, I never really think about things being busy or not busy. Like certain times a year, I guess are busier than others.

Matt Farah (2:45)

But I went a really long time before observing that I shouldn't do. Like, I did this job for like 18 years before I was like, hey,

Brett Burke (2:52)

you know, maybe I never bothered to think about.

Matt Farah (2:54)

It's really fucking busy. I get a little crazy if we start right.

Summary

The Smoking Tire Podcast – Brett Berk Episode Date: April 2, 2026

Episode Overview

In this engaging episode of The Smoking Tire Podcast, hosts Matt Farah and Zack Klapman are joined in-studio by seasoned automotive journalist Brett Berk. Writing for outlets like Vanity Fair, Esquire, and Showboats International, Brett brings a distinct, luxury-tinted perspective to car culture and the wider automotive world. The conversation covers his epic six-week car press tour, the shifting landscape of the high-end car industry, the peculiarities of automotive luxury, the impact of income inequality, and more. Expect sharp insight, sharp wit, and plenty of memorable anecdotes.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Realities of an Automotive Journalist’s Schedule

Busy Season Frustration: Matt laments how the influx of new car launches prevents him from taking autumn vacations, sharing, “I have to leave the months open... I did this job for like 18 years before I was like, hey, it’s really fucking busy.” (01:30)
Brett’s Approach: Brett is less rigid, lining up extended multi-car tests in one locale: “I’m out here for like six weeks right now. This is the end of my time here.” (03:13)

2. Brett’s Epic Six-Car Press Fleet Run

His Lineup: Mercedes E53 AMG Wagon, McLaren Arturo Spider, Lamborghini Temerario, Audi RS3, BMW M2, Bentley Continental GT Convertible, and previously the Rolls Royce Spectre Black Badge.
- “That’s a pretty good lineup.” – Brett (06:03)
Individual Car Impressions:
- E53 Wagon: “Great all-arounder... I miss the V8, you know.” – Brett (06:17)
- Lamborghini Temerario: “It goes. Looks great. It revs so high... Super fun to drive up on Angeles Crest... It’s a hero-maker car—a medium-grade driver can go real fucking fast in that thing.” – Brett/Matt (07:21)
- McLaren 12C (Dodeci Cylindri): “The proportions... are crazy. It feels much...does not feel small in the Trader Joe’s parking lot, for sure.” – Brett (09:57)
- Bentley GT Convertible Azure: “It looks like it’s black, but it’s a real dark, dark metallic green...cream colored interior... It’s got piano cream instead of piano black.” – Brett (27:34)
- Rolls-Royce Spectre: “Driving the Spectre is like driving a two-door Yukon... the last day I was coming home from something late at night... I was like, yeah, it’s a pretty baller car for this.” – Matt (19:09, 20:17)
Spectre’s Transformation: Electric Rolls Royce makes sense but is an “incremental change in refinement.” Matt’s affection clicked only at the end of his test.

3. Modern Social Media Cynicism

Going Off-Grid: Brett shares, “I’ve gotten off entirely from social media... It’s great. I live my life entirely incognito.” (04:43)
Productivity Boost: “I finish up my work sooner and can do other things.” (04:55)

4. The Luxury Arms Race & Income Inequality

Luxury Focused Car Industry: Matt critiques how brand strategies now cater to billionaires and the ultra rich, moving away from attainable models:
- “For 1500 families globally, there are more choices in seven figure vehicles right now than there are five figure enthusiast cars. Like, what the fuck is that about?” (24:02)
- “It’s not just Rolls Royce... it’s happening at Aston Martin, Ferrari, Lamborghini.” (21:12)
Profit Margins > Broader Market:
- “Profit on that segment is like 50 to 80%... why would they do anything else?” – Brett (23:29)

5. Neighborhood Reality of Driving Supercars

Curious Neighbors: Brett parks test cars at his Airbnb in LA:
- “The boys have been looking up and down the street... to see if you’re coming because they know you come during cookie season.” (29:32)
- On driving high-end cars in LA: “A middle-aged Jewish guy driving a fancy car in Los Angeles isn’t that weird.” (31:16)
Spectre in the Wild: Both Matt and Brett note that the Spectre prompts questions like, “How’d you get that money?” instead of the typical supercar awe. (25:08)
EV Etiquette: Brett recounts being careful to show he’s plugging in the Spectre at chargers so as not to look like a rich person stealing an EV spot. (26:22)

6. Boat and Yacht Culture Crossover

Superyacht Car Columns: “I used to write for Showboats International. We did a feature on cars you’d have on your superyacht to drive around the boat.” (32:31)
Mega-Yacht Madness: The group muses on the absurdities of superyacht life—tender boats, salt rock spa walls, and the surreal scale of maritime luxury. (32:11, 28:38)

7. Fascination with Oddball Experiences & Automotive Nerdery

Golf Carts and Low Speed Electric Vehicles: Stories about Rolls-Royce golf carts and neighborhood electric vehicle laws in beach cities. (34:05)
Brett’s Mega-Cruise Ship Adventure: “We came back and people were like, What was it like? And we were like, ‘It was terrible. But we had a great time.’” (37:34)
Lighthearted, Self-Aware Humor: Matt quips about billionaire-centric luxury: “If you’re rich, you can feel things. The rest of us are the virtual version of feeling things.” (86:16)

8. Listener Q&A Highlights (Timestamps reflect when Q&A section begins)

Best Used AMG Value Under $40k (41:05):
- Consensus: C63 with naturally aspirated V8, possibly CLS 63, ML 63, or SL 63 for bargains.
- “You can get an 07 CLS 63 for 13 grand.” – Zach (42:22)
Fixing Bad Driving & Old Age Behind the Wheel (43:59):
- Calls for enhanced driver education, possible retesting at advanced ages, and recognition of social isolation risks when the elderly give up driving.
Aston Martin’s Place in the Market (46:31):
- No more ‘entry-level’ Astons coming; focus is shifting further upscale.
Cameras vs. Lidar in Autonomous Driving (48:45):
- Tesla’s camera-only approach is cost-driven and risky; Waymo offers more safety layers (multiple sensors, commercial insurance), but both have limitations.
- Brett: “I don’t dislike Waymos. They do a pretty good job of driving.” (50:30)
Impact of Automation on Sports Car Demand (53:33):
- If AI hollows out white-collar jobs, the new and used sports car market would shrink. “Anyone who was like, Oh, I got money...they’re gonna have to let that go.” – Zach (54:34)
Affordable Car Experiences (60:40):
- Brett recommends the Lane Motor Museum in Nashville: “Jeff Lane rules. I’ve driven dozens of cars from there.” (60:49)
- Matt plugs Car Week (Monterey) for accessible car culture: “There’s so much free shit to do and see.” (61:55)
Touchscreen Vent Controls = Fatal Flaws (69:58):
- Panelists agree: “Touchscreen vent control. This is not good at all.” – Matt (70:11)
Fitted Luggage for Luxury Cars (74:06):
- “I would totally go for the luggage... if there’s any in the car, I usually steal it.” – Brett (74:09)
- Anecdote about Singer owner commissioning $250k custom luggage.
Best Chassis Under $100k (76:16):
- Panel likes the GR86 for its pure feel; C8 Corvette and several others also mentioned.
Automotive Stunt Spectacles (77:55):
- Nostalgia for wild “figure eight,” “chain bus,” and “wall of death” racing spectacles.

9. The Upper Crust’s Quest for the Analog

Analog as New Luxury:
- “I did a story about this recently...Analog is the new luxury, essentially. That’s what automakers are seeing the demand for.” – Brett (85:38)
- True tactile engagement is becoming a premium feature—think haptic feedback, real buttons, non-digital controls.

Memorable Quotes & Moments

On LA Wealth Signaling:
- “A middle-aged Jewish guy driving a fancy car in Los Angeles isn’t that weird.” – Brett (31:16)
On the Spectre’s True Audience:
- “It’s so incremental in refinement, but the car has to be... you have to yell ‘tacking!’ every time you make a right.” – Matt (19:12)
Brett on Social Media Exit:
- “I live my life entirely incognito. No one knows where I am or what I’m doing.” (04:48)
On Manufacturer Strategy:
- “For 1500 families globally, there are more choices in seven figure vehicles right now than...for five figure enthusiast cars.” – Matt (24:02)
On Yacht Culture:
- “We did some feature...about the kinds of cars you’d have on your super yacht...to drive around the boat.” – Brett (32:31)
Brett’s Yacht Test Anecdote:
- “We didn’t talk to anyone else, and I think that was the way to do it.” (38:00)
On Vehicle Touchscreen Controls:
- “Touch screen vent control. This is not good at all.” – Matt (70:11)

Notable Timestamps

03:13: Brett reveals his six-week car testing plan.
06:08: Deep dive on each car in Brett’s press lineup.
19:09: Rolls-Royce Spectre driving impressions.
21:05 – 25:00: The luxury market pivot & income inequality rant.
29:32: Tales of neighbors and Girl Scout cookies.
32:31: Superyacht and car crossover discussion.
38:00: The sadness (and fun) of luxury cruises.
41:05 - Q&A Segment: Used AMG values, driver training, car market shifts, and fan questions.
60:40: Lane Motor Museum and budget car adventures.
74:06: Fitted luggage, Singer anecdote.
76:16: Best-handling cars under $100k debate.
85:38: “Analog is the new luxury” discussion.

Plugs & Where to Find Brett

Online Presence
- Website: brettberk.com
- Digital portfolio: Brett Burke on Muckrack
Recent Works: Vanity Fair interview with LeBron James about his custom Maybach, coverage of the new Jaguar EV, and more.

Tone: Witty, sharp-eyed, and conversational, with frank admissions about automotive excess, market realities, and a love for mechanical and cultural quirkiness.

This summary captures the major points and takeaways, including listener Q&A, auto industry trends, and the delightful chaos of Brett’s press car marathon. Perfect for anyone who missed the episode but wants the full flavor and key takeaways from an hour-plus of car-centric camaraderie.