Welcome to “Wheel Nuts” a new weekly feature for Inside Lane that puts the spotlight on the people who make car content happen! Like an iceberg, what you see or read is only the most visible element of the automotive industry. Whilst you enjoy glossy magazine stories or watch some serious sideways action on YouTube, there is an army of people who do everything from source the star cars to drive them on screen. The vast majority are interesting people, but above all, real petrol heads. This week we feature Alex Goy as he answers our key questions.
I am sure many of you will be familiar with his work on Carfection and as a fellow motoring journalist he has driven some of the finest cars on four wheels. Before we kick off, a huge thank you to Alex for donating his time.
Name:
Alex Goy
Occupation:
Senior Editor, Carfection/Roadshow
What is it about cars that gets you fired up?
The look, the feel, the drama and the experiences they can offer. Cars are a fantastic leveler because whether you’re an owner or a fan, everyone can appreciate cool metal. It helps if they’re properly noisy as well because it make the car a much more sensetastic experience: good materials stimulate touch and smell (Audis smell ace, Nissans smell funny), a proper exhaust hits up hearing, something pretty sorts your sight out and… taste should be well left alone.
Earliest car related memory?
I remember playing with rust bubbles on the bonnet of my Dad’s knackered old Audi 80. It’s was a proper sack of sh*t, but he loved that thing. It didn’t look good, go fast or feel particularly nice. It had a very distinctive smell though.
What was your first car?
A Rove Metro 1.1-litre Quest Edition +. It was K-Reg and my mum had it for 14 years before I got it. It was genuinely awful, but when I was 17 only two things mattered: 1) I had a car 2) It had an aftermarket CD player. I didn’t have it for long, and though our time together was short it was sweet as well.
What is your current set of wheels?
I’ve got two (well… 1 1/2). The practical one is a 2005 Lotus Elise 111R in Saffron Yellow. It’s got fewer than 25k on the clock and was my dream car when I was 12 (well, the S1 Elise was back then…). I promised my 12 year old self I’d have one when I was 25 and started saving. It’s fantastic fun but does have a few flaws: if yo don’t drive it the battery will eat itself, the doors/roof leaks, it has ENORMOUS blind spots. I adore it though.
The second is a Morgan Three Wheeler. It’s purple and has a shark face on it. It’s a very silly car, but sometimes it’s worth saying: “f**k it, I’m going to do something stupid.” It understeers horribly, has no room for anything and if it rains you just get wet. Here’s the thing – it makes everyone happy. Cameras come out as you burble by, people wave at you, cars slow down to watch you. And it’s damn good fun to drive/fly.
Perfect road trip?
A repeat of my 2008 Route 66 run. Same people, better car, bit more experience under our belts. Albuquerque… it’s time for round two.
What would be in your dream 3 car garage?
TVR Tuscan, Audi RS 6 Performance, Morgan Aero Coupe. I’m a sucker for British cars and fast Audis. I blame my old man – he was an Audi man when I came along, but before that he loved Minis and his Triumph TR 7. Must be in the blood or something.
Alex Goy ladies and gents! (Photo of Alex credit to: Alex Roo Lewis.)
