Scott Mills launches UK-first podcast
Scott, 52, whose dad Pete ran a removals company and drove a van, recorded the series discussed everything from his enduring love of service stations to the changing face of van drivers. The series, which has been launched to celebrate 30 years of the Sprinter, also delves into findings from the second annual Mercedes-Benz Vans Under the Bonnet report, which found conversations about potholes have overtaken football as the number one ice-breaker when talking to a stranger.
The first episode of the Under the Bonnet podcast sees Scott in conversation with BBC Celebrity MasterChef judge and food critic Grace Dent, who reveals that her guilty pleasure is dining out at a motorway service station.
In the second episode Scott opens up about his own mental health challenges as he talks to van driver David Curtis about the mental load of life on the road. The Mercedes-Benz Van Under the Bonnet report reveals 65% of van drivers have suffered from depression or anxiety.
Scott said: 'As a child, I spent hours sitting in front of my dad's van, so recording a podcast in a Sprinter wasn't strange for me at all. Having grown up around it, I've seen first hand the invaluable role van drivers play in the UK. I'm proud to bring the Under the Bonnet podcast to the van driver community who work so hard around the clock to keep our businesses moving, our shops stocked and our deliveries made."
Iain Forsyth, Managing Director at Mercedes-Benz Vans UK said: 'Scott Mills is the voice of the UK in the mornings so who better to become the voice of our Under the Bonnet podcast as we mark 30 years of the iconic Sprinter van. Since we launched the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter in 1995 the world has changed and so have our van drivers. Back then drivers only had radio for company. Our Under the Bonnet research shows its podcasts they now switch on, so it made sense to create a dedicated podcast just for our drivers that talks to them about the challenges they face day-to-day.
'We're really excited to launch the Under the Bonnet podcast to shine our full beams on the reality of van life.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Auto Blog
a day ago
- Auto Blog
Mercedes-AMG's GT XX is a Direct Shot at BMW M's Electric Future
They share a platform and a reputation for dependability, but these two SUVs aren't clones of each other. What is the Mercedes-AMG Concept GT XX? The Mercedes-AMG Concept GT XX is a four-door electric grand tourer concept, serving as the bold preview of AMG's first standalone EV. Built on the all-new high-performance platform is not just a styling study—it's a fully running, road-legal prototype with production potential. Powertrain & performance The GT XX packs a tri-motor setup with two rear-mounted axial‑flux motors and one front-mounted booster motor. Axial-flux motors are compact, lightweight, and incredibly efficient, roughly the size of a medium pizza box. They can be stacked in series for even more output—hence the insane numbers. Mercedes claims the AMG GT XX can produce over 1,340 hp with a top speed of up to 233 mph. Battery-wise, it will reportedly use high‑performance oil‑cooled NCMA cells with optimized heating/cooling for sustained power. The automaker also claims ultra-rapid charging at up to 850 kW, adding ~250 mi (400 km WLTP) in 5 minutes. Exterior design: Sexy with purpose It's been too long since a Mercedes-AMG four-door has felt truly sexy rather than just aggressive. The GT XX brings sensuality back while maintaining function-first aerodynamics. Coming in at 17 feet in length, it claims a stunning aerodynamic figure of Cd 0.198, achieved through wheel blades, active aero vents, and functional hood fins. Other touches that help set it apart from any other Mercedes model include integrated headlight speakers for artificial AMG sound, electroluminescent rocker sills, and a rear LED 'Fluid Light Panel' that displays charge status or messages. Interior: Futuristic, yet realistic Inside, the GT XX balances next-gen materials with production-ready tech. It uses sustainable 'LABFIBER' biotech leather & silk alternatives made from silk proteins produced by genetically modified bacteria, which are entirely biodegradable and very light. The 3D‑printed seat shells are custom-fitted via body scanning to ensure maximum comfort for every driver, while the dual hi-res digital displays boast a stripped-down, driver-focused layout for no distractions and the ultimate driving experience. Everything feels buildable today, not some far-off concept. What will it drive like? While no one outside AMG has driven it yet, the tri-motor layout suggests torque vectoring for razor-sharp handling with near-instantaneous power delivery. By delivering true AMG-style dynamics despite being fully electric, it aims to be a grand tourer that can also destroy lap times, blending luxury and extreme performance. Will it be built? Given its road-legal status and production-ready tech, it's highly likely a version of the GT XX will launch by 2026. Expect elements like the active aero, lighting, and drivetrain tech to trickle into future AMG models even sooner. Mercedes-Benz has been losing ground to BMW in EV sales, especially in the U.S, so the GT XX signals a hard reset for AMG's EV strategy, showing they're ready to outdo BMW's M EVs while also pushing the Porsche Taycan and Audi RS e-tron GT and establishing AMG as the performance EV benchmark. This car is both a halo and a warning shot. Final thoughts The Mercedes-AMG Concept GT XX is a statement of intent. With over 1,300 hp, ultra-rapid charging, and stunningly functional design, it could redefine what an electric grand tourer can be. If Mercedes-AMG can deliver on this promise, it will be the EV that resets the performance luxury market. Expect to see more AMG concepts and production models inspired by this design soon.
BBC News
a day ago
- BBC News
Two men and two girls seriously injured in Staffordshire crash
Two men and two girls have been seriously injured in a crash in Staffordshire.A silver Mercedes and a red Hyundai crashed on the A53 in Flash, close to New Lodge Farm, shortly before 17:30 BST on male drivers were airlifted to hospital and one was in a critical condition, West Midlands Ambulance Service two girls, who were passengers in the Hyundai, suffered serious injuries, which were not believed to be life-threatening, and were taken to hospital by ambulance. Police have urged anyone who has any information, or who has dashcam or CCTV footage, to get in touch. Follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Daily Mirror
Molly-Mae Hague looks glum as she's hit with SIXTH parking ticket this year
Molly-Mae Hague has received her very sixth parking ticket of the year already after getting 11 in 2024 and once again she was busted outside her office in Cheshire Poor parker Molly-Mae Hague has racked up her sixth parking fine of the year so far - and her second inside a six weeks. The busy mum was seen peeling yet another sticker off her sleek matte black £200,000 G-Wagon following a visit to her office in Cheshire. She had already been pictured removing five tickets, with the last one coming in July at the same place. Molly clearly isn't learning her lessons, and on Friday she was left in another spot of bother after seeing the yellow fine on her windscreen. The millionaire won't be too worried about the cost, with the average punished around £75, usually reduced by half that amount if settled within 14 days. It comes after reports of the sad fortune Steve Irwin left his wife and kids as they went into debt. The star appeared unfazed by her latest penalty as she clutched a cold drink and her phone. Molly yanked the fine off her motor before heading home. She'll be familiar with the payment process have racked up half a dozen in 2025 alone - but she's got some way to go to break her record! Will she better last year's total? She received 11 fines in 2024 and if she didn't pay early, Molly would have coughed up close to £800 unless she disputed the fines - and the number of tickets are just the amount she has been seen removing from her windscreen. She purchased the Mercedes in 2022 while pregnant with her and Tommy Fury's daughter, Bambi As she revealed her Mercedes-AMG G 63 Magno Edition, valued at £193,155, on her YouTube channel, the former Love Island star admitted she had gone back on her promise to gift her old car to her sister and instead sold her Range Rover. When Molly-Mae first purchased her car, she rushed to tell fans about her excitement over the purchase. She said: "I'm joining you today from my new car which is so exciting. "I've only waited for this moment for just over a year. I wanted to come on today and say 'I got my new car'. As for what car I got, I'm sure a lot of you will have guessed I got a Mercedes G-Wagon! "This has been my dream car for literally years and years. I feel so lucky and happy." Molly-Mae then shared why her old Range Rover never made it to her sister Zoe, despite her initial idea to gift it to her. "It was probably about a year ago that I made a plan to give my Range Rover to my sister because I grew so attached to my last car that I really, really didn't want to get rid of it when I got this car," the Maebe founder continued. "However, I had planned to gift it to my sister before I found out I was pregnant." The TV personality added: "How do I explain this? If I wasn't pregnant and didn't have a lot of other things to be spending money on, maybe I would have still given her my car. "But I decided in the end to sell my car, which was very sad. I still got Zoe a new car - she's upgraded to an Audi. I didn't give her the Range Rover. I wanted to give it to her so I could still see it, but I just had to put my sensible hat on."
