The Smoking Tire Podcast – April 7, 2026

"Vantage S Review; that Ford GT Lap; the Peril of Selling a Project"

Hosts: Matt Farah and Zack Klapman

Episode Overview

In this engaging episode, Matt and Zack dive deep into recent car news, their latest drives, and misadventures in project cars. The main focus centers around their impressions of the new Aston Martin Vantage S, an in-depth discussion on Ford’s record-setting GT Mk IV Nürburgring lap time, and the real risks of selling a project car with a loan. The hosts also reveal their plans to skip Monterey Car Week in favor of the Woodward Dream Cruise, offer listener advice, and share plenty of banter and relatable auto-nerd moments.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Car Culture Catch-Up & Banter (02:43–08:10)

• Rum Chat & Inside Jokes: The show opens with a classic Matt-and-Zack digression—this time, a riff about discovering and gifting a $60 bottle of rum:
  “A $60 bottle of rum is way better than a $500 bottle of bourbon.” – Matt (03:09)
  They recall past trips and compare bourbon to quality rums, musing about tricking friends into thinking the rum is a high-dollar rarity.

• Social Media Gripes: Matt vents about algorithm-driven feeds and post-April Fool’s confusion, lamenting how Instagram intentionally limits desktop usability.
  "Your TL isn't your fucking TL, it's your AL." – Matt (08:52)

• April Fools’ Car Pranks: Quick round-up of the best car world April Fools’ jokes, including fake titanium trumpet exhausts for the Z.
  “They did very good, probably AI animation… Like, hand-welded four trumpets.” – Zack (10:10)

2. Aston Martin Vantage S Deep Dive (13:08–35:20)

Evolution & Driving Impressions

• Long Gestation to Perfection: The current Vantage has been around since 2018; the S version is presented as the culmination of years of incremental improvement (“S is for sorted”).
• Driving Dynamics:
  “Everything is super harmonious… it does exactly the thing you want it to do, all the time, which is lovely. 671 horsepower in a short wheelbase means you can spin the tires into third.” – Matt (19:12)
• Emotional vs. Rational Choice:
  “The emotional side of me would buy this over a 911 Turbo. The mental side would buy the Turbo.” – Zack (18:48)
  This Vantage S is framed as the choice for those who seek drama, as opposed to the calculated superiority of the 911 Turbo.

Comparisons & Practicalities

• On Price and Competitiveness: Compared to the Porsche 911 GTS and Turbo S, the Vantage S is positioned as a performance ‘bargain’ within its rarefied class:
  • Base: $198k, As tested: $248k
    “It does make it, in the game of Top Trump, seem kind of a bargain.” – Matt (21:48)
• Comfort Critiques: Both hosts wish for more seat travel and legroom, with Matt detailing the importance of small ergonomic differences on comfort for long drives.
  “One to two inches more legroom, seat travel, that’s the only reason I’d get a 911 GTS…” – Matt (20:51)
• Updated Looks: Consensus is that Vantage S now nails aesthetics after earlier, less-attractive iterations.
  “The aesthetics are there now, for the most part. Very pretty.” – Zack (22:07)
• Practical Storage: Hatchback is praised for its luggage capabilities—enough for clubs, gear, and a gun safe (30:11).
  “You could live out of this car for a couple weeks.” – Zack (30:46)
• Attention Factor: The Vantage S doesn’t attract much street attention in LA, likely due to the saturation of high-end cars.
  “If you’re seeking attention, it’s the wrong car.” – Matt (25:27)

Memorable Vantage S Quotes

• “It’s like Carl’s matzo ball soup. After so much time simmering, the ingredients have really come together.” – Matt (19:15)
• “If you want a tent [attention], it’s the wrong car.” – Matt (25:27)

3. Changing Up: Dream Cruise vs. Monterey Car Week (35:32–46:32)

• Why Skip Car Week? After years of attending Monterey, the hosts feel burned out and opt for Detroit’s Woodward Dream Cruise—framed as “traffic surrounded by wildness, but not the same cars as Pebble Beach.”
• Dream Cruise Ethos:
  “Imagine that same [Monterey] traffic, but it’s tuner cars, wild muscle cars, a guy who built a sleigh pulled by eight Harleys… The word ‘contraption’ is never used at Pebble, but it is in Detroit.” – Matt (36:14)
• The event is described as a 16-mile parade of automotive oddities, with hundreds of thousands of attendees and nonstop variety.
• Plans: Secured a house, looking for interesting cars to drive—including possibly the “Drift Hummer” (40:22). Calls for local Detroit tips and possibly a live show.
• Comparing Car Cultures: The breadth and wildness of Detroit car scene is contrasted with the high-dollar, ticketed, vineyard atmosphere of Monterey.

4. Project Car Perils & Mercedes Build Update (53:37–59:33)

Project Car Progress

• Matt’s Mercedes E320 Cabriolet Project:
  The saga of converting a W124 Cabriolet into the 500E convertible that Mercedes never made. Heavy praise for Shont at CMS Motorsports for creativity and resourcefulness.
• Swap Details:
  The preferred heart is a 1999 E55 5.5L V8 for reliability, compactness, and torque.
• Surprise Progress:
  “They have two E55 engines running on stands, two harnesses, all four replacement body panels ready. Next week, I should come see where we’re at.” – Matt (58:10)
• Key Quotes:
  “That’s a lot farther than we thought, huh?” – Zack (59:36)

5. Ford GT Mark IV at Nürburgring - Record Lap Discussion (49:04–53:33)

• New Lap Record: Ford GT Mk IV posts a 6:15 lap at the ‘Ring, making it the fastest gas-only car ever and third fastest overall.
• Made-Up Stats Fun:
  “It’s the fastest vehicle ever that you can buy… That’s the first time anyone made that distinction.” – Matt (50:17)
  The hosts joke about manufacturers inventing new categories for records to own a headline.
• Comparisons: It slots behind the VW ID.R and Porsche 919 Evo (both not street-legal), but beats all other petrol cars.
• Car Details: 780hp, sequential gearbox, new aero—race car spec.

6. Car Market, Selling Projects, and Listener Advice (61:26–107:22)

Listener Q&A Highlights

• Used Performance Car Shopping:
  – Mark 7.5 Golf R as a smart S4 replacement
  – AMG E63s as “Maserati-flavored” sedans for $50–100k – First-gen M2 praised for dual-purpose (track+road), with concerns about service history and running costs of 996 911s
  – “The M2 delivers a lot of those things…good duality.” – Zack (71:32)

• When is a 996 No Longer Worth It?
  While special, 996 values have gone up—there’s “no substitute” for the 911 experience, but “40k was 30k five years ago.”

• Life Advice for 20-Somethings Today:
  – Save early; “saving is buying your future time.”
  – Value of skilled trades jobs in an AI world
  – “Money gives you options or security later. You probably won’t have a lot of it in your 20s, but you can at least have some…” – Zack (80:58) – Don’t dismantle a car with a loan on it and expect to recoup mods.

• Best Place to Test a Car’s Dynamics:
  Nürburgring seen as an all-in-one test; LA’s Angeles Crest combo also gets props.

• Trashy Cars: In LA, “90% are Model 3s,” but it’s “regional”—with no easy answer for “trashy women’s cars.”

• Project Car with Debt—What to Do?
  Advice: Be realistic on price; go no-reserve if you want it gone, but if you set a high reserve and it doesn’t sell, be ready for the consequences (106:02).

Other Notables

• Hypercar Servicing:
  Most get annual “regardless of miles” maintenance, making low-mile examples not inherently less desirable.

• Tech & Robo-Taxis:
  Brief discussion on Rivian and Uber’s plan for autonomous R2s; doubts expressed about the ambitious 2030 timeline.

7. Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Vantage S:
  “S is for sorted.” – Matt (18:48)
• On Detroit:
  “Detroit is a city full of flavor, a good time. Dream Cruise is the best time to be there. It’s a total shit show.” – Matt (42:32)
• On Project Car Risks:
  “I do not recommend taking your car apart and turning it into a project if you owe money on it, that’s a tough place to find.” – Matt (107:04)
• On Social Media Algorithms:
  “Your TL isn't your fucking TL, it's your AL.” – Matt (08:52)
• Life Advice:
  “Saving is buying your future time.” – Matt (81:53)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Rum & Bourbon Comparison: 03:00–06:30
• Algorithm Rant & Social Media: 08:00–09:50
• Vantage S Discussion: 13:00–35:20
• Dream Cruise Preview: 35:32–46:32
• Project Car (Mercedes Build): 53:37–59:33
• Ford GT Nürburgring Lap: 49:04–53:33
• Selling Project Car w/ Debt: 104:52–107:22
• Life Advice for 20-somethings: 79:27–84:27

Conclusion & Takeaways

The episode blends sharp car analysis, personal stories, and candid advice. The Aston Martin Vantage S earns praise as the most harmonious and sorted in its lineage—ideal for the emotional buyer. Dream Cruise beckons as a refreshing shift from the usual scene. The perils of project car finances are underlined with humor and hard truth. Plus, a record-breaking Ford GT and the always-insightful Q&A segment round out one of The Smoking Tire’s richer episodes, full of quotable lines and practical wisdom for enthusiasts and everyday drivers alike.

[Links & Further Resources]

• Smoking Tire YouTube Reviews
• [Dream Giveaways Turbo S Details – Link in show notes]
• [Patreon Access – patreon.com/thesmokingtirepodcast]

Original Hosts’ Language & Tone:
Conversational, irreverent, insightful, and peppered with inside jokes and honest takes.