Alex Robbins is a motoring writer who tests the latest new cars for a living. Richard Kitchen is an automotive engineer who spends most of his time bringing crumbling classics back to life.
Together, they spend a lot of time drinking tea and talking rubbish about cars. So they thought they may as well do it with a microphone in front of them.
On Overbore, Alex tries to convince Rich of the merits of the modern automobile - while Rich tries to help Alex learn more about running his classic. And along the way, they hope to help lovers of cars of all ages and types to broaden their horizons.
OB12: What's the BEST facelift? Plus: questions answered and McDonalds cupholders in a Citroen Saxo
Facelifts aren't always successful. When done well, they can extend the life of a car by giving a clever visual update; when done badly, though, they can turn a silk purse into a sow's ear. So which are the ones that work - and which don't? Kitch and Scrof talk through some prime examples, and reveal the one we both think is the most successful facelift ever.
Don't forget to send in your suggestions, either by leaving a comment or by emailing us at overborepod@gmail.com.
It's the last episode in the series, so it's time to close out by answering some reader questions. Fun four-seaters from the 70s, the best items to go in a breakfast roll, and the most stylish country for dashboards are all in the mix. Don't miss it. (Actually, you can miss it if you want to. It's a free country, after all.)
Thanks for listening - we'll be back soon for the start of Series 2!
12 May 2025
OB11. Why Volvo stopped making estates, oddfire V6s, engine noises and poppadoms, in a Volvo V60
This week, Kitch tells Scrof all about his hot male and female tools. No, we haven't gone 18-plus -- it's all completely legit and above board. Seriously.
Kitch also regales Scrof with the story of his local chippy Chinese which also sold poppadoms. He also explains why the Buick V6 in the TVR he's been working on is unbalanced, also known as an oddfire engine, and therefore sounds very good indeed.
The studio this week is a Volvo estate, so naturally the boys reminisce about the time Volvo entered an 850 estate into the British Touring Car Championship, building an enormous amount of love for Volvo estates in the process.
Estates are what Volvo has become known for. So you might well wonder why on earth Volvo stopped selling estates two years ago. Scrof explains -- and tells Kitch why they started again. But can he swing Kitch round to liking a Volvo estate in its modern form? You'll have to listen to find out. Obviously. We're not going to give it all away.
2 May 2025
OB10: Was the 90s the BEST era for cars? And did Kitch get stitched? In a Citroen Xantia Activa
Tales from the coal face of the car sales world, in this episode, as Kitch recounts the story of his brief stint trying to sell Rovers to old people, which culminated in him getting fired. (He did sell one car, at least...)
Our podcast studio this week is a Citroen Xantia Activa, and that leads us to talk about the 90s. Cool Britannia, Three Lions, Britpop - we mention literally none of these things, and instead focus on why the 90s was the best era for cars. Well come on - what did you expect from us?
25 Apr 2025
OB9: Buying a Saab, scrapping a Ford, and are Chinese cars any good? In an Omoda 5
We're back after a two-week break, and this week we're in an Omoda 5, one of a glut of new Chinese cars that are now starting to arrive on Britain's shores. They're temptingly cheap - but should you take the plunge? Scrof and Kitch discuss.
Closer to home, A sad fate has befallen Kitch's Ford S-Max while we've been away, so he's has been out test-driving a replacement. Meanwhile, he's sold another car, and is thinking about selling another. Scrof, meanwhile, has bought one. Which then immediately broke. Cars, eh?
3 Apr 2025
OB8: Why touchscreens suck, bring back Volkswagen, and a Mini adventure, in a VW ID.Buzz
This week, we’re in Scrof’s new long-term test car, which Kitch wants to love but… well, you can guess the rest.
It’s a Volkswagen ID.Buzz, and it gives us the perfect reason to ask: what’s happened to VW? Or more specifically, why have the company’s current cars lost the sense of quality and usability that used to be such a hallmark - and will they get it back again?
As part of this discussion we explain just why touchscreens and touchpads are such a step backwards. But we also discover Rich has been driving a modern car - and liked it. Which one? Well, you’ll have to listen to find out… (or, y’know, just look at the podcast title. Ahem.)
27 Mar 2025
OB7. Dashboard fish, the best estate ever, and why small cars make small money, in a Daihatsu Sirion
Kitch is back! Hooray! And this week, he's telling Scrof about the cars he's owned, but never really loved. Which, it turns out, is most of them.
One he did love, though, is a legendary estate he got for free from a bloke in Sheffield, and which turned out to be virtually unkillable. No prizes for guessing which French marque it came from.
We're also sitting in a small car this week, to talk about small cars, and why the industry is having trouble making them. Can it really be that hard? The answer, as it turns out, is 'yes'. Scrof explains why.
All this, plus: why one day you may need to go back to your dealer to get your dashboard fish reset.
20 Mar 2025
OB6. So you want to be a motoring journalist? And more of your questions answered
Scrof's flying solo this week, and from his podcast studio (well, his immobile hunk of old Citroen - you have to have one to be on Overbore) he's answering some reader questions.
For example, can we run press cars on the dyno? Do EV batteries really fit in saloon cars? And why does anyone buy a new car these days?
Scrof will also be talking about how to become a motoring journalist (and indeed, whether you should), and he'll tell you a little more about Audrey, his 1970 Citroen DS. See, he can call it that, because Kitch isn't about...
13 Mar 2025
OB5. Cars that lived up to the hype, cars that didn't, and what happened to MPVs - in a Ford S-Max
On Overbore this week, Kitch tells Scrof about the super-rare car he's been working on this week (it's not what you're expecting it to be - or maybe it is...), and explains why the Vauxhall Cavalier 1.6L is the perfect car for a trip to Newcastle.
Scrof tells Kitch why he preferred the Lotus Carlton to the Ford Escort Cosworth, and tells the story of his short, mildly terrifying drive in a Jaguar XJ220.
Also on the show this week: MPVs were everywhere once, but now they're almost extinct. We work out what happened and where they all went, and explain why we should mourn their passing.
Plus: we get nostalgic about what was once the most important date on the car industry's calendar: the Eastleigh Motor Show.
6 Mar 2025
OB4. Are saloons making a comeback? Are Rovers 800s good now? Plus: Genesis in a Genesis G80
This week, Overbore comes to you from inside a Genesis. A what? A Genesis. It's... sort of a Korean Lexus. Scrof explains all and, inevitably, he and Kitch try to fit as many song titles from a certain prog/pop-rock band into the conversation as they can. (Spoiler alert: they're not very good at this.)
Scrof explains why he thinks saloon cars like the Genesis may be about to make a comeback, and Rich elaborates on an encounter with a Renault Espace. Plus: how you can tell your 1990s Rovers apart by the amount of wood trim they’re fitted with. Never let it be said that we don't deal with the most pressing issues of the day.
Oh, and you can now get in touch with the show at overborepod@gmail.com - so send us an email!
27 Feb 2025
OB3. TVRs, vampires and touchscreens in a BMW 530e
Scrof and Kitch get themselves comfy in the back seat of a brand-new BMW 530e Touring for this week's episode.
Kitch explains to Scrof why he's bought an old Citroen with no engine in it when he already has an old Citroen with no engine in it, and tells us why early TVR Chimaeras are the very best ones.
There's a brief sojourn into vampire lore, before Kitch tells Scrof what he likes about the BMW - and Scrof tells Kitch what's wrong with. It's a touchy subject...
20 Feb 2025
The one in a Peugeot 106
In the second episode of Overbore, Scrof and Kitch take to a Peugeot 106 affectionately known as 'Dumpit' - they'll explain why.
After a brief discourse on the subject of small Peugeots, Kitch gives a potted history of Noble, a British sports car manufacturer that was, for a time, well known, and discusses his attempts to get one of the firm's earliest cars to fit back together.
Scrof, meanwhile, explains why he wasn't really feeling the Lamborghini he's been tooling around in (spoiler alert: it's because he's getting old and soft), and the pair discuss the ethics of motoring journalism.
12 Feb 2025
The one in a Citroën BX 16v
Scrof and Kitch kick off their podcast in an old Citroën, even though it's most definitely not a podcast about old Citroëns.
Via a brief discussion about knobs and the vagaries of Ford Fiesta nomenclature, they eventually get to the point, which is to talk about starter classics (because they're just starting off - see what they did there?)
They also discuss the new Renault 5 Turbo 3E, which hasn't got a turbo, and the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N, which makes fake engine noises (but is actually good despite this).
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
5,764
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Podcast Authority Score: 53 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
76
Social presence
0
YouTube
74
Engagement
0
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