Electric cars are here, and for the most part appear to represent a very viable alternative to conventionally-fuelled vehicles. There are, however some big IFs to throw into the mix, and I teamed up with Evans Halshaw Nissan to understand what they mean to the ordinary motorist.

My ‘EV’ video blog series, produced for the UK’s leading automotive retailer, is underway, and already discussions have begun across social media.

The Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) and Drive EV Blog, among other key influential social media channels in the world of green motoring have joined the discussion.

Now it’s your turn – watch the video blog series unfold on Evans Halshaw’s blog, HERE and get involved on Twitter to join the conversation.

I’m delighted to announce that I will be joining the MotorSport Vision Group, as Circuit Manager of Cadwell Park.

Affectionately known as ‘Mini Nurburgring’, the Lincolnshire venue is host to a variety of motorsport disciplines, including the high profile British Superbike Championship.

I’ve been coming to Cadwell since I was three years old, and I’ve shared this photo of me, aged 3 at the 1987 Tour of Lincs rally on social media numerous times before now.

I’ve also returned many times since the photo was taken, presenting motor sport TV shows with Special Stage, and taking my own children to spectate at club motor racing events.

Cadwell Park is my local circuit, and I’ve always been excited to drive in to the track. But to think I’ll soon be driving in as Circuit Manager is a huge thing to me personally, to my family, and to my career.

The MotorSport Vision Group, owned by former Formula One driver Jonathan Palmer (also father to current F1 driver, Jolyon and McLaren Autosport winner, Will), also operates Brands Hatch, Oulton Park, Snetterton, Bedford Autodrome and as recently announced, Donington Park.

It’s with a huge sense of pride that I take on the Cadwell Circuit Manager position at such a pivotal time for the Group, and for the circuit. I also follow in the footsteps of well-respected Circuit Manager Jon Rush, who vacated the office at Cadwell due to his own promotion to the Manager job at Oulton Park. Congratulations to Jon!

The people I’ve met at MSV during my career so far, and also during the recruitment process have shown themselves to be extremely passionate about UK motor sport, so I’m looking forward to bringing my own passion and enthusiasm for two and four-wheeled competition to this role.

I’m looking forward to meeting the team I’ll be working with at Cadwell, having been at the hands of their excellent hospitality and event organisation on countless occasions to-date.

I’ll update further as I prepare to join MSV in post at Cadwell, but for now I just wanted to announce the news, and thank you for all the support to this point.

I truly hope you’ll join me for a track day, car or bike racing event at the circuit in 2017. Keep a look out on my social media channels and on my blog right here, and I’ll keep you up to date with this next chapter; my new, exciting motor sport adventure.

And of course – you need to come and say hello when you do visit Cadwell Park!

Full press release from MSV: http://news.cadwellpark.co.uk/new-cadwell-park-circuit-manager-appointed.aspx

Tonight I once again hosted the annual BTRDA Rally Championship awards dinner. And once again I worked with Special Stage Rally TV Producer, Wayne Goldring to produce a showcase film.

When I was a child, I won a Blue Peter badge for writing a poem about cars of the future. Little did I know, all these years into the future, I’d still be writing poems and turning them into films.

Anyway, here’s what we – as one of the UK’s leading rally TV series – think made rally great in 2016.

This, is our stage…

I haven’t really set any targets as of yet for my YouTube channel in 2017, other than continuing to shoot the things I love and tell you my motoring stories in film.

But I can tell you with absolute certainty that my target wont be to achieve over a million minutes watched on my channel, because we smashed that in 2016.

Well over 1 million minutes of motoring videos were watched on my channel, while that wont power a light house or feed a home for stray dogs, it has put a huge smile on my face, so thank you for that.

To put that in perspective, that’s two years’ worth of minutes. Which, frankly blows my mind as I write this. (yes – I did just Google ‘how many minutes in a year’)

To achieve those sorts of watch figures from a subscriber list of 1,500 people is great, because it shows that what I’m making is what you all want to watch. And that’s why I do what I do, and will keep doing it.

I have some big projects lined up already for 2017, one of which involves piloting an ex works World Rally Car round a race track, so I’ll be sure to keep taking you on these adventures with me, for as long as you want to come along.

Thanks ‘a million’ from the bottom of my iPad case. Have a good start to 2017.

What a year 2016 has been. From supercars to film cars, to my dream cars. 

I’ve filmed some of the best cars in the world, and worked with some of the big names in the U.K. Motor trade.

The story continues in 2017, but for now I need to say a big thank you to all those who have supported me – be that giving me the keys to amazing cars, sharing my content or simply watching my films.

Thanks so much – have a Merry Christmas, and a very happy and successful new year.

Woody

Question: Do you know the story of Porsche’s V8 engine? No, you probably didn’t. But that’s ok, Porsche isn’t exactly known for an eight cylinder soundtrack.

Here’s everything you wanted to know about Porsche’s V8 bloodline…in the shape of an ’80s supercar.

Enjoy!

Wow – what a day! I got behind the wheel of a Porsche 928, one of the most important cars Porsche has ever produced, owing to its transmission layout and V8 engine. 

As we’re currently in the 40th anniversary year of the transaxle Porsches, which also includes the 924, 944 and 968, it makes a nice follow-up to the Porsche 924 film I produced last year.

The 928 is what classic grand touring sports cars are all about – a true every day supercar. Its room-dividing, but unarguably iconic design still looks spaceship-futuristic on today’s roads.

This actual car featured in the 1984 model year brochure, and was bought new by an Iranian Prince…so it has a unique history to go with its motoring pedigree.

The full film will be released very soon, but in the meantime, here’s a trailer, together with some photos from the shoot – hope you enjoy!

P.S. I know I should be Christmas shopping, but…!

I don’t hold my first car review film up as the finest example of my work. But I do hold it up as an example of why I do what I do.

The year was 2012. I’d always wanted to present car films, and having an iconic ’80s hot hatch in the garage seemed like too good an opportunity to pass up. Of course I had no film crew or equipment, but I did have an original (!) iPhone, and a willing girlfriend.

Bear in mind that I’d never written, filmed, presented or produced anything like this before, and also that at this point I didn’t necessarily intend to share the results of my experiment publicly. That bit just sort of rolled down a hill.

Here is my very first car film; the place where this thing I do all started…

After showing a work colleague my video, I was persuaded to make it live on YouTube, and to my complete surprise it had gathered over 1000 views within an hour. I watched the view count going up, and spent some time that evening responding to the comments – talking about cars. I was hooked.

As it turned out, my family was hooked too. My wife was happy to help me film a sequel, and my five year old little boy wanted to get in on the act, having made a cameo appearance as Spider-Man in the ‘pilot’.

Here went number two…

Suddenly, I was Spider-Man. And I was also full of ideas; rushing home from work to scribble down the next idea. I’d somehow managed to start with a low production value car review, and started to turn it into a series of funny (?) videos, with a loose motoring theme.

My family were talking about the videos, my work colleagues were asking me what I’d be filming next, and one of my friends sent me an excited message to tell me that my original 205 GTI film had gone above Jeremy Clarkson’s in the Google rankings.

With trolls comparing my style to Richard Hammond, and my jacket to a Japanese brothel (hellooo – “Drive”, anyone?), I had even started to feel like a proper YouTuber.

For number three, I got back behind the wheel…of the go kart.

I’m not telling you this story in order to share the videos – I accept they’re pretty low quality. I’m telling you, because it’s proof that if you really want to do something – REALLY want to do something – there is quite literally nothing stopping you.

I’m now 30+ cars into the series. I’ve been given Ferraris, Lamborghinis, been flown all over Europe and now have an iPhone 6 to film on. And I’m still dreaming of Top Gear.

I’m also pleased to say that it didn’t all get too much for my girlfriend. She’s now my wife and I’ve even promised to return to the grass verge where we filmed the first shot for the 205 GTI video to enjoy a glass of champagne if I ever get the Top Gear call.

To watch the whole series so far, CLICK HERE.

I’m busy building my ‘playing Cars’ Tribe, and I’d like YOU to get involved. This surgery thing seems to work for politicians, after all.

I spend every possible minute of the day I can, thinking about new motoring content to produce, from articles to photos, live broadcasts and of course my car films.

I’ll still be blogging on here, as well as creating content on Drive Tribe, but I’d really like to know from you what you want to read, flick through and watch.

Would you like Formula One or WRC commentary? How about classic motoring – want some of that? Perhaps you’d like me to do a strange feature on real-life Barbie cars, who knows?

It literally doesn’t matter how conventional, or whacky your suggestions are. Get involved with my Drive Tribe surgery – let’s pool our car keys and get this show on the road.

You can get involved by joining my ‘Playing Cars’ Tribe HERE.

With the disappointing news that the MSA Asphalt Rally Championship will take a sabbatical in 2017, now is the time to discover the newest kid on the rally block – the Motorsport News Circuit Rally Championship.

I hosted the TV show for the MSA Asphalt series for a number of years, so I know first hand how passionate and hard working the organising team is, and I look forward to seeing what they can pull together ready for the relaunch in 2018.

Now, though there is another tarmac championship we need to get behind, and it’s the perfect place to come out and play cars in 2017 if you have a tarmac rally warrior in the garage looking nervous about the potential of a year without any tyre smoke. And it just so happens I host this TV series, too!

The Bolton-Le-Moors Car Club is behind the Championship, and its members spend just about every waking hour on a mission to turn the UK’s leading motor racing venues into varied, credible and challenging rally complexes.

What’s great about the Motorsport News Series, is that it allows us to go tarmac rallying through the winter, when rallying is normally fading from people’s memories. What’s also great, is that the events take place in a safe, family-friendly environment; great for entertaining sponsors, and for introducing new people into the sport.

Motorsport Vision, as a supporting partner of the series, has really got behind the concept, taking a flexible approach to their excellent facilities to ensure a great experience. Likewise the other circuits we visit, for example Rockingham – the extraordinary facility built to accommodate fire-breathing NASCAR machines.

At a time when rallying in general is struggling with the PR and safety issues, race circuits provide an infrastructure designed to accommodate large numbers of spectators, safely and as close to the action as you could hope to get.

Oh, just one more great thing. You can also take a wander round the service area, through the pitlane; chat to drivers, get up close and take photos of some of the world’s best rally machines, and many of the events have additional attractions to keep kids of all ages entertained.

You can view the full calendar HERE, and if you come and find me with the TV Crew, I may even be able to lay my hands on some rally goodies for you and the family – challenge me!

I really, genuinely do hope to see you on the stages. In the meantime, here’s something to put you in the picture…