@@paulie-Gualtieri.You're a w⚓ I've seen you say on curious cars that you can't stand Doug's reviews yet he you are on every video commenting some inane bullsh!t.
@@STJ9694 relax. He is confident and entertains that characteristic to strike a cord with people like you. He literally makes videos about you for profit.
Kinda incredible how good Doug is at telling stories. I thought there is no way i will be listening to list of 5 cars for 19 minutes and yet I am actually invested
He talks with his hands like an Italian. Didn't do that in such an exaggerated way in his early videos, though. Makes me wonder what happened inbetween :)
THIS… is one of my favorite episodes..!!! Doug, your passion and enthusiasm for cars is just awesome. Especially love this episode and so great to hear / know this side of how you got started. In a world of such scripted, “sponsored” and paid for Creators, your genuine person shines through here and on every program you’re a part of. Thank you!
This is, to me, by far, the most heartwarming video from Doug, because like for most of us, the car love and obsession started as a kid and it’s so nice to remember when I, for example, dreamed of having a Porsche Cayman /911 in Brazil and when seeing one, I would lose my sh** and ask my dad to follow the car. It was just so exciting and would make me bond with my dad and share the love of cars. Now I have my own Porsche and I share the joy when I see a kid taking pictures of my car even though, nowadays and here in Canada, it’s not as difficult to see a Cayman/911.
Doug is the type of guy to stalk a Citroën C4 cactus 2018 when he visits Europe and write down all of its quirks and features with a comically oversized pencil that he stores above his ear
@Oli1974 It makes perfect sense. I didn't feel the need to specify any European country in particular as Citroëns are sold all across Europe (in France, Spain, Portugal, Luxembourg, etc), whereas they aren't sold in the USA, hence the joke about Doug being fascinated by said vehicle
Thanks for sharing! I never heard your Ralph Lauren story before. It's fun to see someone like yourself still getting excited for car spotting. I remember I as 15 years old and in Monaco for the 1st time on a family trip. We walked by the casino and I saw a Ferrari 365 GT 2+2 and a Mercedes 280 convertible. We were staying in Nice and driving back I saw a DB-7 and a F355 spider driving by us. I will never forget the sound of the Ferrari as it pasted us. All the best to you, and never stop being that teenage boy nerding out over other peoples cars.
Same thing! Id never heard this story, and actually got pretty excited just hearing the story. Good for him man! Very cool he stopped and let him get more pictures
@@rkan2 still an icon and pinacle of motoring engineering for it's time. Specially for our generation this was like the F1 or F40 for us in our time that we got to expirience. Sure it's pretty slow compared to newer cars and 1000 hp is like a joke for hypercars and electrics but still it's a icon for it's time.
@@wildmikefilms - That is so true. And, it’s true for any car. I had a Pontiac Aztek for almost 20 years. Friends and family still send me pictures of Azteks in the wild.
Mate, I was obsessed with the Veyron too, a little tale about my spotting: - I was based in the Czech Republic for work and had just gotten a company Passat CC. I took 3 friends and we drove to Germany to test the car in the autobahn. I was doing 220 km/h when something on my mirror gave me a light flash, I opened up, and this thing when past me so far that even at 220km/h we couldn’t identify the car. We drove approx 60km in hopes to catch up with it. That’s when some road work piled up the traffic and we finally saw a brand new Bugatti Veyron, driven by Czech Republic’s best ice hockey player at the time. A memory I’ll cherish forever.
Truly the most passionate story from Doug.... unsure how anything could top this from him.... the passion is there, the stories match it, the way he tells it - as if you and him are there swapping stories.... amazing
Doug, I almost never comment on videos, but I must say that I totally get it. You personify what it means to be an enthusiast. I am so happy for you, that your life has followed the trajectory that teenage car nuts dream of. I get it. The excitement at seeing something rare and beautiful that was designed to be driven but certainly almost is. I was on the Garden State Parkway one summer night when I saw unfamiliar headlights rapidly approaching from behind me. I pulled to the right to let it pass, and lo and behold it was a Bugatti Chiron. I was speechless. I could think of nothing else for days. I told everyone I could about it. Received eye rolls and polite smiles. They didn't get it. YOU would understand. Too see something so iconic, and unexpected; to bear witness to mobile artwork is truly something I will hopefully never forget. In the early days of the internet, a famous painter, who was very elderly, was shown his paintings posted online. He became upset. 'It cheapens the experience' he said. It is a privilege and a 'moment' to see the work of a great artist. I understand his point of view. But the truth is, we can see 1,000 pictures and videos, but to see the real thing right in front of you, outside of a garage of museum, is still such a thrill. I watched this video and your storytelling makes it clear that the enthusiasm is alive and well. The fact that you make that annual phone call to your friend is special and shows how ingrained your passion really is. Keep it real and keep rolling.
This is so cathartic. I'm a touch older than Doug so I definitely did not have social media and I have been mocked many a time for car spotting in my youth. But I did love car spotting (and still do) - my dad and I still compare notes when we see each other. One infamous story that I was never able to live down: It was in the mid 90s and I told a friend and his parents that I saw a Ferrari. That was the beginning and end to my story - the alpha and the omega if you will. To me, it was enthralling - gripping even. To them, I was off my rocker. They waited expecting some sort of finale. But much like this post, none was to come.
EDIT: what I wrote isn't actually accurate, see the comment from @ThirteenMatt in response to mine for more precise information. Fun tidbit of info about the no.4, the Ferrari, the license plate is actually one of the older French license plates, before 1993 (white on black with two numbers at the end, the numbers correspond to the location ("département" in French) where the car is registered. 83 is the département of "Var" so that's the French riviera, where you have Saint-Tropez. So the driver might actually be the original owner! In any case, at the time the picture was taken the car had not been sold since 1992 (that license plate would have been changed if sold after 1992), so very cool!
The car could still have been sold after 1992. The numeral format of "1111 AA 11" lasted until 2009, and though legally only registrations from before 1992 and classic car registrations are allowed the black plates it is largely accepted to put black plates on cars old enough but with a later registration number. This is possible because in France plates are not issued by the government, only the number is. You get your registration with your number on it, then you go to a place to have your plates made. That's why someone can still decide to put black plates even though it is not allowed. Also, the fact it has three letters in the middle and quite late in the sequence makes me think it's a later plate. I'll go check if I can find more info on registrations in Var. EDIT: checked the last plate issued by year in Var (département 83) and realized it was 3420 WS and not 342 OWS (which should have been obvious since "O" is never used in french licence plates). Last plate in 1991 was 944 WS 83 and last in 1992 was 1938 XC 83. Which means this is car has changed licence plate in 1992.
@@ThirteenMatt Oh wow, thanks for the insight, I didn't know! I know some people that run black plates illegally with the new format (11-AAA-11) but didn't realize people might have been doing that before 2009. May I ask what website/tool you used to find the information on the license plate of the last car sold in Var? I struggle to find information about older license plates, with the new ones I use siv-auto
Loved this video! I used to carspot religiously back in 2006-2012. I have a similar story of being in Greenwich CT and knowing that Tommy Hilfiger lived nearby and had an Enzo, my favorite car. The day I visited I ended up seeing him drive his Enzo to the CVS at the top of the hill to run a mundane errand. The highlight of my carspotting career!
I’m not a car spotter, but several years ago, I did valet work. A couple of the best cars I got to drive (or be near) were these: a BRAND NEW Rolls Royce drop top (the top cover looked like a yacht, and the new car tags were still on it! I think the dude bought it that day.), a brand new Ferrari (either a 458 or 488), a Noble M600, an Aston Martin Rapide, and a BMW Z8 (which I was allowed to park several times.
I was never really a car spotter but in the 40 years I lived in Northern Virginia (1983-2023) one wound up seeing a lot of interesting cars. These included an Ariel Atom on I-66 inside the Beltway, a Lamborghini Espada just tooling around in early rush-hour traffic in Arlington, a Lambo LM002 someone had parked on the street in Georgetown, what I think was a Ferrari 348 (with its nose buried in one of those rapid-stop bins full of sand), a first-generation Tesla, and, coolest of all, a late 1930s Chevy coupe that was an obvious survivor. I talked to the driver and that Chevy had been in the family since it rolled off the dealership back in the day.
In 1985 I was living in Geneva Switzerland, and every year you had to get your car inspected at the official government inspection station. You would drive there and get on live to wait your turn. In 1985 I pulled up for inspection in my Ford Fiesta, and the car before me on the line was a 288 GTO
seeing RL driving a Veyron is probably rarer than seeing a leprechaun riding a unicorn. AND the fact that DM was wearing a polo shirt...it's a trifecta of sugary goodness. what a great story!
Man, I love carspotting! It helps me during rough times, believe it or not, and I absolutely love it. Just like you did, I always bring my camera with me and photograph every car I like. Then I post them on Autogespot. Such a lovely hobby, it has some risks but I just can’t stop. Plus, I’m not the kind of guy that runs after every car, I’m more of a classic-style spotter
Best spot I ever had was in Manhattan in 2005. My wife and I were walking from the theater to a restaurant and we passed a very small parking lot were they backed in about 10 cars. And right smack dab in the middle of those was a McLaren F1. I still have a picture of it someplace.
Every time I hear Doug tell his career life story starting with the spotting of the carrera gt it gives me chills. It’s such a sweet simple and heartwarming story
I really appreciate that despite the years you have never lost your essence or your humility, and thanks to that people who do not have the resources or are not in the right place can enjoy cars as special as you do... I truly wish you the best!
In 2001 I pulled up next to Ralph Lauren at a stoplight in his silver McLaren F1. This was in a small Colorado town not too far from his Ranch. I’d say that was a good spot!
Ralph Lauren's ranch fronts Hwy 145 southwest of the turnoff to Telluride. For miles the fence along the highway has an "RL" logo hanging on the wire every few hundred feet.
I really enjoyed learning about car spotting and how it influenced your life. Of all people, it seems so fitting that the obsessed car spotter kid has now become a respected and well-known automobile expert. And it seems especially deserving that you and your friends now get to own and experience some of the special cars yall used to look out for. What an inspiring story!! So, thanks for sharing it here. Best regards from Brasilia, Brazil.
Doug, I think you're such a happy guy, just living your dream, and I'm so happy for you, and you're such an inspiration in a world where we're always told to "grow up" "get serious" "be a real man", etc.
Someone crashed a F40 recently in the small south-western German town I work in. I don't usually read any local news, but my colleagues at the office talked about someone totaling some million Euro car near to our office and when I checked, it was a real F40.
@@anomius8112 If it is like Rowan Atkinson's (Mr Bean's) McLaren F1 the insurance company will spend several times more repairing it than the car cost new. The Lamborghini Miura Doug drove had a similar back story. p.s. I just checked out the F40 pictures. At least it still had four wheels attached (unlike Rowan's F1) 🙂
Over the years, I don’t know how many hundred of your videos I’ve watched. Yet I think this one is my favorite. Especially the yellow Carrera GT story.
Love this video and I'm so glad you've branched out into videos like this. Keep pushing the limits. This is a great story for car enthusiasts and its appreciated and noticed.
About 15 years ago i saw a Vector W12 on I-95 near Palm Beach, Florida. It was the rarest car I've seen in person on the road. It looked like a spaceship. I'm pretty sure i was the only person who knew what they were looking at.
People who talk crap about Doug being a sellout and say “he’s changed” need to watch this video. The reason I still watch Doug is because he’s so *passionate* about cars. And he’s such a good story teller.
Way back in 1987 when I was a 16 yr-old kid with a Countach poster on my wall, I passed one driving up the old winding highway above Donner Lake in California... I nearly flipped the Bronco II I was driving trying to keep up with it. But at the top of the mountain overlooking the lake it pulled off and I met the owner; it was magnificent. There couldn't have been too many Lambo's in the US at the time- it was almost 20 yrs before I saw another.
Watch James May on Top Gear talk about the late '70s Aston Martin V8 Vantage, then you will know why that was the KING of my automotive aspirations when Porsche Turbos, Lambo Countach's and Ferrari Berlinetta Boxers were the thing !!
It’s great to see Doug so enthused about those car spottings from decades ago - and even the ones he sees today. I live in northern Ohio. Spotting a rare and/or super expensive car here is a very rare experience. So when I do see anything cool - Ferrari, McLaren, etc. - it’s a real treat.
Car Spotting is such a special thing 🥰 To this day I take photos of every cool car I see on the street (Although, now I tend to focus on my favorite models) You know how I got into cars? I saw a Toyota GT 86 parked on the street in about 2014, it was the first Sports Car I had ever seen, it was so low, so stylish, so wonderful, I just loved it SO MUCH that as soon as I got home I researched everything about it, EVERYONE loved it. And that's how I got into cars and to this day the GR 86 is my favorite car ever. ❤️ It's just so much fun 😂
Vacation with his girlfriend in college in Telluride... that's another world. I had trouble even paying for enough calories to stay alive in college. My best sighting was John Carmack's turbo Testarossa near Mesquite, TX in 1995 with a couple of friends.
I’m a mailman in Summerlin, Las Vegas. I’ve seen two Shelby Cobras, a Veyron, and an SLR. But by far my favorite car spot was a show-quality Herbie replica Beetle outside of the grocery store. This thing was PRISTINE.
1. Ferrari Enzo driven by Michael Schuhmacher 2. Vancer Sarthe in Dubai 3. Wiesmann GT Roadster 4. Aston Martin Rapide (when it was brand new) 5. BMW Z1
I'm with another poster, I never thought I could spend 19 minutes watching a video about a guy geeking out on cars that he's spotted but Doug's enthusiasm is so contagious! This is a real lesson on how doing what you love isn't really work, it's passion and success will follow with some luck and the ability to capitalize on it.
Yeah, the Veyron was peak Top Gear. I remember the excitement myself when I heard they got one. That Ralph Lauren story was so sweet - he sounds so gracious. 👍
Minus the exact date and time to the second that Doug first saw his dream cars for the first time in person, I can always remember the storyline, images, and specific details when I "carspotted" my dream rides or rarities running around in the wild on the road. Doug is definitely an interesting character. I can feel his same sense of passion and excitement when he tells his stories. This was a great video you put out Doug! Thanks for filming this for all of us.
I live in Cape Town, South Africa🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦. My Top5 favorite car spots of all time: 1) McLaren F1 driving in Franschoek, Cape Winelands 2) Ferrari F40 driving in Stellenbosch, Cape Pinelands 3) Bugatti Chiron driving in Sea Point 4) LaFerrari (Aperta) driving in Camps Bay 5) Pagani Imola driving in Stellenbosch.
You can see the genuine enthusiasm. Even for a Veyron still, after all these years having reviewed and driven several Bugattis. It’s the special memories that are tied to certain cars in your life that makes people smile.
Doug i think this is such a heartwarming video. You have come so far you can now call these absolute dreamcars your own. All this time being a hardcore car nerd finally lead to your jobs, channel and cars and bids. It is absolutely crazy and feels like it is out of a movie. I am happy to see you still enjoy these absurd toys like a kid playing with hotwheels or driving in need for speed on a playstation.
If, for some reason, you forgot why Doug is the ultimate car TH-camr...few share his level of passion, and he articulates it in a way that captivates and simply mesmerizes. Thank you Doug!
I do car spotting myself though because I’m not in an area with any real exotic cars driving around, I look for older RADWOOD era cars from the 80s and 90s. I love documenting those cars and sharing them online to appreciate the history of the car and the fact it’s still here. Whenever I have a spare few hours or so, I love just driving around looking for cool old cars to get shots of.
That story about Ralph is so nice. I can’t imagine having so many eyes on you all the time and he gave time to a kid stalking his car. I saw an F40 driving down the road one day while in my E46 M3. I was hoping they’d push it so I could follow along and have a great memory. They never went over the speed limit and the driver was about 80. I was very disappointed, but it was still great to see one on the road.
Uhhh Ralph Lauren…? Yeah he is pretty cool you could say 😂 his overall car collection today is also worth somewhere in between $500 million - $1 billion dollars. Some would say that he is the coolest.
I'm 23 and the veyron had me amazed from the moment it was premiered. Absolutely a pivotal point. When someone says it is not pretty, I inmediately understand they haven't been into cars for long because the veyron is not about about being pretty (I definitely find it very unique and astonishing)
In 2006, I was taking a shuttle to school in Fort Lauderdale. It was raining hard... very hard. I looked to my right and saw a red Ferrari F50 with no roof. Inside, it was filled with water-so much water that the driver's and passenger's shoes were submerged. The lady passenger was upset, but the driver seemed not to care. It was crazy to me.
Ironically, when Doug posted the Veyron on GTPlanet he was pretending to be a wealthy middle aged bloke with a collection middling but interesting cars. He got rumbled after years and then changed his name.
Doug is the chosen one, the messiah of car journalism, you don't just have an experience like that with ralph and the Veyron without you being like an anime protagonist
Doug, you have to check out the Louis J Mascaro Automotive Museum next time you are on the East Coast. A few of these cars are on display. It's an amazing collection and I'm sure you would love it. Cheers!
I had a photo album on my MySpace called "Supercars In the Wild" that I made in 2005 that featured pics of all the cars I had seen. Proooobably should have pursued that.
I’ve been “Car Spotting” since the mid 1980’s. Absolutely fantastic. Loved it then as much as I do now. Coolest car as a kid was a Countach at Tech Automotive in West Bridgewater Massachusetts in about 1989. And I have the 35mm photos still to back me up!
This story was one of the best and most aspiring stories I have ever heard and witnessed. Doug you are really legit, you are the definition of a car guy in the best possible way. Keep those stories coming, I really enjoy them. Thanks!
In 2005, I saw Carroll Shelby driving a Shelby Series I down Sunset Blvd towards PCH. I pulled along side and followed for awhile, just to verify what I was seeing. He was alone and seemed to be enjoying a nice drive on a beautiful Sunday afternoon. Not my favorite car, but by far my greatest car spotting moment
Mine was a testarossa. I was drinking coffee next to a car shop and i saw the side panel and ran over because I thought it was fake. Turns out it was the owner of a yacht club. I thankfully was allowed to sit in it.
i've personal seen 2 288 gto, on one instance it was at a local car show and was probably the most expensive thing there, on the time it was in a museum with one car that could out shine it, im one of only a few thousand people to have seen this car and it is the porsche 550/1500 rs that sterling moss raced.
Not sure who have had the rarest sight on that day - Ralph Loren driving his Bugatti Veyron or Doug DeMuro wearing a decent looking shirt.
Best comment!
OMG for real!
So true 😂😂
imagine if Ralph saw him wear 2 t shirts
I’m 100% back then it was a gift from his mum and he didn’t buy it self 😂
Doug the type of guy to clarify that he didn’t invent looking at cars
Yet claims he was the first in his usual way of not saying he was the first.
@@paulie-Gualtieri.You're a w⚓ I've seen you say on curious cars that you can't stand Doug's reviews yet he you are on every video commenting some inane bullsh!t.
He seems arrogant now.
conceited af lol
@@STJ9694 relax. He is confident and entertains that characteristic to strike a cord with people like you. He literally makes videos about you for profit.
Doug is the kind of guy to open his garage door and say “yippie” at his own collection
I’d be the same way if I had his garage 😂
CGT, Countach & a Ford GT. What a beautiful collection!
@@AhmedMJ97 No A-Class though. 😢
I don't think Doug is the only one😂😂.
doug the type of guy to have the nastiest wettest fartthat it causes a ferrari F12 to crash at cars and coffe
"It was the coolest moment of my entire existence."
Doug's kids when they're older: "What about when we were born?"
Doug: "Not even close."
What about when you met your wife? Doug: It was nice.
@@Matyaz84also doug: but you weren't an f40 soooooo
Let's give it a Dougscore
Kinda incredible how good Doug is at telling stories. I thought there is no way i will be listening to list of 5 cars for 19 minutes and yet I am actually invested
Facts though he’s so good at it
He talks with his hands like an Italian. Didn't do that in such an exaggerated way in his early videos, though. Makes me wonder what happened inbetween :)
@@Oli1974 is DeMuro not an italian name?
@@eamonjames8496 Now that you say it ... could well be!
Frfr
THIS… is one of my favorite episodes..!!! Doug, your passion and enthusiasm for cars is just awesome. Especially love this episode and so great to hear / know this side of how you got started. In a world of such scripted, “sponsored” and paid for Creators, your genuine person shines through here and on every program you’re a part of. Thank you!
This is, to me, by far, the most heartwarming video from Doug, because like for most of us, the car love and obsession started as a kid and it’s so nice to remember when I, for example, dreamed of having a Porsche Cayman /911 in Brazil and when seeing one, I would lose my sh** and ask my dad to follow the car. It was just so exciting and would make me bond with my dad and share the love of cars. Now I have my own Porsche and I share the joy when I see a kid taking pictures of my car even though, nowadays and here in Canada, it’s not as difficult to see a Cayman/911.
The yellow Carrerra GT will be included mark my words 😂
It indeed is
Nah you where wrong bro
@@mindyabusinesses649 were*
@@mindyabusinesses649 what crack are you smoking
Doug is the type of guy to stalk a Citroën C4 cactus 2018 when he visits Europe and write down all of its quirks and features with a comically oversized pencil that he stores above his ear
is he a nazi?
To say "visiting Europe" makes as much sense as "visiting America", could be anything from arctic Canada to Southern Chile.
Are they rapist?
@Oli1974 It makes perfect sense. I didn't feel the need to specify any European country in particular as Citroëns are sold all across Europe (in France, Spain, Portugal, Luxembourg, etc), whereas they aren't sold in the USA, hence the joke about Doug being fascinated by said vehicle
@@ryanswatchworld Well again, you say "Europe" and "USA" as if Europe were a country. Citroëns are sold in America, too. Maybe not in the USA.
Doug is the kind of guy to tell Ralph Lauren that he’s so legit 17:22
😂
Thanks for sharing! I never heard your Ralph Lauren story before. It's fun to see someone like yourself still getting excited for car spotting. I remember I as 15 years old and in Monaco for the 1st time on a family trip. We walked by the casino and I saw a Ferrari 365 GT 2+2 and a Mercedes 280 convertible. We were staying in Nice and driving back I saw a DB-7 and a F355 spider driving by us. I will never forget the sound of the Ferrari as it pasted us. All the best to you, and never stop being that teenage boy nerding out over other peoples cars.
Same thing! Id never heard this story, and actually got pretty excited just hearing the story. Good for him man! Very cool he stopped and let him get more pictures
Who goes to Monaco on a family vacation? Rich much you buffin...lol Geez
The Veyron is just one of those cars... legendary forever
and yet some people are dumb enough to call it "just an expensive volkswagen"
@@Krzysztof_88But it is 😂
Power of the BBC production and Clarkson’s writing and personality did this.
@@rkan2 still an icon and pinacle of motoring engineering for it's time. Specially for our generation this was like the F1 or F40 for us in our time that we got to expirience. Sure it's pretty slow compared to newer cars and 1000 hp is like a joke for hypercars and electrics but still it's a icon for it's time.
Doug is the type of guy to make a 4 minute intro explaining why he is qualified to see cars on the road before showing the cars he saw on the road.
I like how nobody in the comment just appreciate how far Doug have come to get to where he is. Doug deserved everything he got to this point.
Doug is the type of guy who gets excited seeing a carrera gt even though he sees one everyday
I do this even with my own cars. If I see somebody driving the same thing I get all excited
I have a 97 viper gts and I get so excited seeing other vipers
He's like "We're CARRERA BROTHERS. WOOHOO."
No matter what car you have, its exciting to see its twin in the wild
@@wildmikefilms - That is so true. And, it’s true for any car. I had a Pontiac Aztek for almost 20 years. Friends and family still send me pictures of Azteks in the wild.
More car spotting videos please!
He recently did one, sort of, with Kenan and Felippo (sorry I don't remember proper names) on cars and bids channel
Mate, I was obsessed with the Veyron too, a little tale about my spotting:
- I was based in the Czech Republic for work and had just gotten a company Passat CC. I took 3 friends and we drove to Germany to test the car in the autobahn. I was doing 220 km/h when something on my mirror gave me a light flash, I opened up, and this thing when past me so far that even at 220km/h we couldn’t identify the car.
We drove approx 60km in hopes to catch up with it.
That’s when some road work piled up the traffic and we finally saw a brand new Bugatti Veyron, driven by Czech Republic’s best ice hockey player at the time.
A memory I’ll cherish forever.
Truly the most passionate story from Doug.... unsure how anything could top this from him.... the passion is there, the stories match it, the way he tells it - as if you and him are there swapping stories.... amazing
Doug, I almost never comment on videos, but I must say that I totally get it. You personify what it means to be an enthusiast. I am so happy for you, that your life has followed the trajectory that teenage car nuts dream of. I get it. The excitement at seeing something rare and beautiful that was designed to be driven but certainly almost is. I was on the Garden State Parkway one summer night when I saw unfamiliar headlights rapidly approaching from behind me. I pulled to the right to let it pass, and lo and behold it was a Bugatti Chiron. I was speechless. I could think of nothing else for days. I told everyone I could about it. Received eye rolls and polite smiles. They didn't get it. YOU would understand. Too see something so iconic, and unexpected; to bear witness to mobile artwork is truly something I will hopefully never forget.
In the early days of the internet, a famous painter, who was very elderly, was shown his paintings posted online. He became upset. 'It cheapens the experience' he said. It is a privilege and a 'moment' to see the work of a great artist. I understand his point of view. But the truth is, we can see 1,000 pictures and videos, but to see the real thing right in front of you, outside of a garage of museum, is still such a thrill.
I watched this video and your storytelling makes it clear that the enthusiasm is alive and well. The fact that you make that annual phone call to your friend is special and shows how ingrained your passion really is. Keep it real and keep rolling.
Well said and much agreed! Doug is definitely an Automotive Ambassador!
The truth is I really just love Doug. For all your content and videos, hearing you tell stories about your life is always the best for me.
This is so cathartic. I'm a touch older than Doug so I definitely did not have social media and I have been mocked many a time for car spotting in my youth. But I did love car spotting (and still do) - my dad and I still compare notes when we see each other. One infamous story that I was never able to live down: It was in the mid 90s and I told a friend and his parents that I saw a Ferrari. That was the beginning and end to my story - the alpha and the omega if you will. To me, it was enthralling - gripping even. To them, I was off my rocker. They waited expecting some sort of finale. But much like this post, none was to come.
EDIT: what I wrote isn't actually accurate, see the comment from @ThirteenMatt in response to mine for more precise information.
Fun tidbit of info about the no.4, the Ferrari, the license plate is actually one of the older French license plates, before 1993 (white on black with two numbers at the end, the numbers correspond to the location ("département" in French) where the car is registered. 83 is the département of "Var" so that's the French riviera, where you have Saint-Tropez. So the driver might actually be the original owner! In any case, at the time the picture was taken the car had not been sold since 1992 (that license plate would have been changed if sold after 1992), so very cool!
Wow awesome
The car could still have been sold after 1992. The numeral format of "1111 AA 11" lasted until 2009, and though legally only registrations from before 1992 and classic car registrations are allowed the black plates it is largely accepted to put black plates on cars old enough but with a later registration number.
This is possible because in France plates are not issued by the government, only the number is. You get your registration with your number on it, then you go to a place to have your plates made. That's why someone can still decide to put black plates even though it is not allowed.
Also, the fact it has three letters in the middle and quite late in the sequence makes me think it's a later plate. I'll go check if I can find more info on registrations in Var.
EDIT: checked the last plate issued by year in Var (département 83) and realized it was 3420 WS and not 342 OWS (which should have been obvious since "O" is never used in french licence plates). Last plate in 1991 was 944 WS 83 and last in 1992 was 1938 XC 83. Which means this is car has changed licence plate in 1992.
@@ThirteenMatt Oh wow, thanks for the insight, I didn't know! I know some people that run black plates illegally with the new format (11-AAA-11) but didn't realize people might have been doing that before 2009. May I ask what website/tool you used to find the information on the license plate of the last car sold in Var? I struggle to find information about older license plates, with the new ones I use siv-auto
Loved this video! I used to carspot religiously back in 2006-2012. I have a similar story of being in Greenwich CT and knowing that Tommy Hilfiger lived nearby and had an Enzo, my favorite car. The day I visited I ended up seeing him drive his Enzo to the CVS at the top of the hill to run a mundane errand. The highlight of my carspotting career!
I’m not a car spotter, but several years ago, I did valet work. A couple of the best cars I got to drive (or be near) were these: a BRAND NEW Rolls Royce drop top (the top cover looked like a yacht, and the new car tags were still on it! I think the dude bought it that day.), a brand new Ferrari (either a 458 or 488), a Noble M600, an Aston Martin Rapide, and a BMW Z8 (which I was allowed to park several times.
I was never really a car spotter but in the 40 years I lived in Northern Virginia (1983-2023) one wound up seeing a lot of interesting cars. These included an Ariel Atom on I-66 inside the Beltway, a Lamborghini Espada just tooling around in early rush-hour traffic in Arlington, a Lambo LM002 someone had parked on the street in Georgetown, what I think was a Ferrari 348 (with its nose buried in one of those rapid-stop bins full of sand), a first-generation Tesla, and, coolest of all, a late 1930s Chevy coupe that was an obvious survivor. I talked to the driver and that Chevy had been in the family since it rolled off the dealership back in the day.
In 1985 I was living in Geneva Switzerland, and every year you had to get your car inspected at the official government inspection station. You would drive there and get on live to wait your turn. In 1985 I pulled up for inspection in my Ford Fiesta, and the car before me on the line was a 288 GTO
seeing RL driving a Veyron is probably rarer than seeing a leprechaun riding a unicorn. AND the fact that DM was wearing a polo shirt...it's a trifecta of sugary goodness. what a great story!
I loved this video. This is real excitement right here. Thanks Doug
Man, I love carspotting! It helps me during rough times, believe it or not, and I absolutely love it. Just like you did, I always bring my camera with me and photograph every car I like. Then I post them on Autogespot. Such a lovely hobby, it has some risks but I just can’t stop. Plus, I’m not the kind of guy that runs after every car, I’m more of a classic-style spotter
Best spot I ever had was in Manhattan in 2005. My wife and I were walking from the theater to a restaurant and we passed a very small parking lot were they backed in about 10 cars. And right smack dab in the middle of those was a McLaren F1. I still have a picture of it someplace.
Every time I hear Doug tell his career life story starting with the spotting of the carrera gt it gives me chills. It’s such a sweet simple and heartwarming story
Doug is the kind of guy who can go car spotting in his own garage !
I really appreciate that despite the years you have never lost your essence or your humility, and thanks to that people who do not have the resources or are not in the right place can enjoy cars as special as you do...
I truly wish you the best!
In 2001 I pulled up next to Ralph Lauren at a stoplight in his silver McLaren F1. This was in a small Colorado town not too far from his Ranch. I’d say that was a good spot!
that is cool asf!
Damnnn should’ve had a camera on you
Ralph Lauren's ranch fronts Hwy 145 southwest of the turnoff to Telluride. For miles the fence along the highway has an "RL" logo hanging on the wire every few hundred feet.
@@avsystem3142 Correct, my encounter was in Montrose where I was fortunate enough to live at the time.
Can confirm. I was a high school student in 2003, 2004, 2006, and 2007. I knew all the Bugatti statistics.
I think I remember... Was the top speed of the Super Sport 430 km/h?
I really enjoyed learning about car spotting and how it influenced your life. Of all people, it seems so fitting that the obsessed car spotter kid has now become a respected and well-known automobile expert. And it seems especially deserving that you and your friends now get to own and experience some of the special cars yall used to look out for. What an inspiring story!! So, thanks for sharing it here. Best regards from Brasilia, Brazil.
Man yall need to put some acoustic dampers in the building
Would require a massive amount of audio treatment to get the reverb out of a space like that
I kinda like it. Feels like chatting with a buddy in a garage.
Doug, I think you're such a happy guy, just living your dream, and I'm so happy for you, and you're such an inspiration in a world where we're always told to "grow up" "get serious" "be a real man", etc.
Someone crashed a F40 recently in the small south-western German town I work in. I don't usually read any local news, but my colleagues at the office talked about someone totaling some million Euro car near to our office and when I checked, it was a real F40.
I saw it crashed, I was so heartbroken to see such a beautiful car destroyed
@@anomius8112 If it is like Rowan Atkinson's (Mr Bean's) McLaren F1 the insurance company will spend several times more repairing it than the car cost new.
The Lamborghini Miura Doug drove had a similar back story.
p.s. I just checked out the F40 pictures. At least it still had four wheels attached (unlike Rowan's F1) 🙂
@@MrDuncl wasn't it a Ferrari mechanic who crashed the F40? It's getting fixed anyway,the VIN alone costs millions probably
Over the years, I don’t know how many hundred of your videos I’ve watched. Yet I think this one is my favorite. Especially the yellow Carrera GT story.
Love the thumbnail, that alone has me laughing. Doug is such a goober 😊
Love this video and I'm so glad you've branched out into videos like this. Keep pushing the limits. This is a great story for car enthusiasts and its appreciated and noticed.
About 15 years ago i saw a Vector W12 on I-95 near Palm Beach, Florida.
It was the rarest car I've seen in person on the road. It looked like a spaceship. I'm pretty sure i was the only person who knew what they were looking at.
Very cool. Those are way more rare than any Ferrari or Lambo.
People who talk crap about Doug being a sellout and say “he’s changed” need to watch this video. The reason I still watch Doug is because he’s so *passionate* about cars. And he’s such a good story teller.
Way back in 1987 when I was a 16 yr-old kid with a Countach poster on my wall, I passed one driving up the old winding highway above Donner Lake in California... I nearly flipped the Bronco II I was driving trying to keep up with it. But at the top of the mountain overlooking the lake it pulled off and I met the owner; it was magnificent. There couldn't have been too many Lambo's in the US at the time- it was almost 20 yrs before I saw another.
Watch James May on Top Gear talk about the late '70s Aston Martin V8 Vantage, then you will know why that was the KING of my automotive aspirations when Porsche Turbos, Lambo Countach's and Ferrari Berlinetta Boxers were the thing !!
It’s great to see Doug so enthused about those car spottings from decades ago - and even the ones he sees today.
I live in northern Ohio. Spotting a rare and/or super expensive car here is a very rare experience. So when I do see anything cool - Ferrari, McLaren, etc. - it’s a real treat.
Car Spotting is such a special thing 🥰 To this day I take photos of every cool car I see on the street (Although, now I tend to focus on my favorite models)
You know how I got into cars? I saw a Toyota GT 86 parked on the street in about 2014, it was the first Sports Car I had ever seen, it was so low, so stylish, so wonderful, I just loved it SO MUCH that as soon as I got home I researched everything about it, EVERYONE loved it. And that's how I got into cars and to this day the GR 86 is my favorite car ever. ❤️
It's just so much fun 😂
Was smiling/giggling watching this.. you could see Doug still geeking about each moment even if he owns rare cars himself.
Vacation with his girlfriend in college in Telluride... that's another world. I had trouble even paying for enough calories to stay alive in college.
My best sighting was John Carmack's turbo Testarossa near Mesquite, TX in 1995 with a couple of friends.
He worked in a Ferrari dealership during high school. He didn't grow up poor.
I’m a mailman in Summerlin, Las Vegas. I’ve seen two Shelby Cobras, a Veyron, and an SLR. But by far my favorite car spot was a show-quality Herbie replica Beetle outside of the grocery store. This thing was PRISTINE.
1. Ferrari Enzo driven by Michael Schuhmacher
2. Vancer Sarthe in Dubai
3. Wiesmann GT Roadster
4. Aston Martin Rapide (when it was brand new)
5. BMW Z1
I'm with another poster, I never thought I could spend 19 minutes watching a video about a guy geeking out on cars that he's spotted but Doug's enthusiasm is so contagious! This is a real lesson on how doing what you love isn't really work, it's passion and success will follow with some luck and the ability to capitalize on it.
Yeah, the Veyron was peak Top Gear. I remember the excitement myself when I heard they got one. That Ralph Lauren story was so sweet - he sounds so gracious. 👍
Minus the exact date and time to the second that Doug first saw his dream cars for the first time in person, I can always remember the storyline, images, and specific details when I "carspotted" my dream rides or rarities running around in the wild on the road. Doug is definitely an interesting character. I can feel his same sense of passion and excitement when he tells his stories. This was a great video you put out Doug! Thanks for filming this for all of us.
So Doug got to meet Ralph Lauren while wearing a Polo shirt. These days he must really be wanting to meet Mr. T.
I live in Cape Town, South Africa🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦. My Top5 favorite car spots of all time:
1) McLaren F1 driving in Franschoek, Cape Winelands
2) Ferrari F40 driving in Stellenbosch, Cape Pinelands
3) Bugatti Chiron driving in Sea Point
4) LaFerrari (Aperta) driving in Camps Bay
5) Pagani Imola driving in Stellenbosch.
Doug is the type of guy whose birthday gift is car spotting
(He's turning 36 in 10 days, on 22 May)
something in me tells me there is going to be a special video that day
@@tnhn1903 he’s going to play a game with Kennan and Fillipo so he can win on his bday
@@lukerynkofs8678 lmao bet
You can see the genuine enthusiasm. Even for a Veyron still, after all these years having reviewed and driven several Bugattis. It’s the special memories that are tied to certain cars in your life that makes people smile.
Doug the kind of guy who pulls his shorts down to his socks when using a urinal.
why does this comment exist 😂😂
Doug i think this is such a heartwarming video. You have come so far you can now call these absolute dreamcars your own.
All this time being a hardcore car nerd finally lead to your jobs, channel and cars and bids. It is absolutely crazy and feels like it is out of a movie.
I am happy to see you still enjoy these absurd toys like a kid playing with hotwheels or driving in need for speed on a playstation.
Doug,
That was your best video ever. Thank you.
If, for some reason, you forgot why Doug is the ultimate car TH-camr...few share his level of passion, and he articulates it in a way that captivates and simply mesmerizes. Thank you Doug!
I spotted an Enzo on the highway in Honolulu. Blew my mind. Either 2003 or 2004. I was in my C4 Corvette and I followed for a few miles.
we really don't care, this is not about you
@@slowery43 tons of people are posting their stories. No need to be a jerk.
I do car spotting myself though because I’m not in an area with any real exotic cars driving around, I look for older RADWOOD era cars from the 80s and 90s. I love documenting those cars and sharing them online to appreciate the history of the car and the fact it’s still here. Whenever I have a spare few hours or so, I love just driving around looking for cool old cars to get shots of.
Who will replace Jay Leno after he's gone? Doug DeMuro perhaps. The passion, The energy, The enthusiasm.❤
Doug will never own as many cars as Leno..
That story about Ralph is so nice. I can’t imagine having so many eyes on you all the time and he gave time to a kid stalking his car. I saw an F40 driving down the road one day while in my E46 M3. I was hoping they’d push it so I could follow along and have a great memory. They never went over the speed limit and the driver was about 80. I was very disappointed, but it was still great to see one on the road.
That Bugatti owner was the definition of “cool”
Yeah, he kind of invented a fashion brand.
Uhhh Ralph Lauren…? Yeah he is pretty cool you could say 😂 his overall car collection today is also worth somewhere in between $500 million - $1 billion dollars. Some would say that he is the coolest.
@@bdoginit didn't realize he had such a baller car collection
I'm 23 and the veyron had me amazed from the moment it was premiered. Absolutely a pivotal point. When someone says it is not pretty, I inmediately understand they haven't been into cars for long because the veyron is not about about being pretty (I definitely find it very unique and astonishing)
Who else agrees that Doug should make another “car spotting” video with Hoovie?
Seeing how far you’ve come makes me genuinely happy. I remember watching your first videos and it’s great to see you’re still at it and doing well 🙂
9:08 clean integra
Im going to comment in every video about this theme, we demand an 1h video of doug doing carspotting!!!!
Doug, the kind of guy to go Carrera GT spotting in his Carrera GT
Doug is just incredible at story telling
In 2006, I was taking a shuttle to school in Fort Lauderdale. It was raining hard... very hard. I looked to my right and saw a red Ferrari F50 with no roof. Inside, it was filled with water-so much water that the driver's and passenger's shoes were submerged. The lady passenger was upset, but the driver seemed not to care. It was crazy to me.
Ha haa, very cool!!!
i started doing this, but in my neck of the woods the coolest/oddest thing I have seen so far was a restomodded Subaru SVX.
Doug is the type of guy to stalk a guy with a Veyron.
Doug DeMuro is the most genuine person on TH-cam Car enthusiasts I know. Privilege to see all is grow since back 20 years ago.
Ironically, when Doug posted the Veyron on GTPlanet he was pretending to be a wealthy middle aged bloke with a collection middling but interesting cars. He got rumbled after years and then changed his name.
Doug is the chosen one, the messiah of car journalism, you don't just have an experience like that with ralph and the Veyron without you being like an anime protagonist
Doug, you have to check out the Louis J Mascaro Automotive Museum next time you are on the East Coast. A few of these cars are on display. It's an amazing collection and I'm sure you would love it. Cheers!
I had a photo album on my MySpace called "Supercars In the Wild" that I made in 2005 that featured pics of all the cars I had seen. Proooobably should have pursued that.
I’ve been “Car Spotting” since the mid 1980’s. Absolutely fantastic. Loved it then as much as I do now. Coolest car as a kid was a Countach at Tech Automotive in West Bridgewater Massachusetts in about 1989. And I have the 35mm photos still to back me up!
Doug's the type of guy to spot the Sasquatch and make a quirks and features video
very cool idea. I hope you do updates on this..
Doug's the type of guy who would do a Doug's top-5 "Doug's the type of guy" comments video.
He's mentioned in podcasts that they were funny in the beginning. But they're lazy and not well thought out like they used to be.
This is such an enderaring side of doug, even with his own exotic car collection he still freaks out over seeing rare cars on the road. Car guy 10/10
Carspotting has been a thing for atleast a 100 years
This story was one of the best and most aspiring stories I have ever heard and witnessed. Doug you are really legit, you are the definition of a car guy in the best possible way. Keep those stories coming, I really enjoy them. Thanks!
In 2005, I saw Carroll Shelby driving a Shelby Series I down Sunset Blvd towards PCH. I pulled along side and followed for awhile, just to verify what I was seeing. He was alone and seemed to be enjoying a nice drive on a beautiful Sunday afternoon. Not my favorite car, but by far my greatest car spotting moment
so cool, you are a great story teller
I haven't heard audio reverb like this since new wave music was a thing in the 80's.
Crazy how a concrete dungeon makes for bad acoustics
Mine was a testarossa. I was drinking coffee next to a car shop and i saw the side panel and ran over because I thought it was fake. Turns out it was the owner of a yacht club. I thankfully was allowed to sit in it.
This is the type of content More Doug DeMuro was made for. RIP
i've personal seen 2 288 gto, on one instance it was at a local car show and was probably the most expensive thing there, on the time it was in a museum with one car that could out shine it, im one of only a few thousand people to have seen this car and it is the porsche 550/1500 rs that sterling moss raced.
I bet there is an MC12 included in this vid.
Edit: 7:52 I knew it...
I love Doug's enthusiasm for this stuff. He's a genuine car guy.
Doug is the best car TH-camr ever.
One of the best automotive story times, Doug has lived up to his dreams and truly inspirational thank you Doug!
2:00 My picture of the Utopia is there.
thats crazyyy dudeee
0:27 Giga Doug