Interview With João Isaac, Garagem Global

João Isaac is a motoring journalist from Portugal and the founder and editor of the blog Garagem Global. I recently spoke to João about his favourite cars and how he began his career in motoring writing!

1. Can you introduce yourself in a few sentences?

First of all, I want to thank you for this interview, Caroline. It really is a pleasure to share my experience with you and all the Changing Lanes readers. My name is João Isaac. I´m 33 and I’m from Lisbon, Portugal. Let’s cut to the chase: I love everything about cars. It was always my obsession since I can remember. In my youth, what started with playing with toy cars and reading all the car magazines I could buy, evolved to something that’s more than just a hobby. It’s a way of life. My way of life, I’m truly addicted to cars. Their history, how they changed throughout the years and evolved to what we know and drive today. From the iconic and expensive classics to the humblest new hatchback you can buy today at any dealership, I do believe they all have something special. They all have a story to tell. As a product, since their early development stages until the day they finally leave the roads and give way to a replacement. It’s a big journey worth sharing. And let’s not forget the most important part of a car, the memories we create while driving them and living with them through our lives. Those are the best ones.

2. What was your first car?

I inherited my first car. It’s a 1991 Seat Ibiza 1.2 GLX with System Porsche engine and was bought new by my grandparents. I still own it today and it has only 43,000 miles on the clock. It’s my pride and joy. It has huge sentimental value to me. The first car I bought is another Ibiza. It’s a 2001 model with a 1.9 TDI engine and it is my daily driver. This one has nearly 250,000 miles and has never left me stranded on the side of the road. I can’t sell it either. I love them both.

3. Why did you start your blog?

My blog Garagem Global started because I needed more cars in my life. Collecting magazines, attending classic car and racing events to take some pictures, hearing the engines roaring and buy some memorabilia wasn’t enough. I also developed a special taste for photography in these events, which I thought I could use one day to shoot press cars and events I could get in to. So one day while working at an event in Circuito do Estoril (at the time I worked as a consultant in a Fleet Management company) I met Renault Portugal’s PR and made my first move. I introduced myself and told him I was beginning a new blog and that I needed a first car to review and start working on my dream job. He accepted my suggestion and a few days later I found myself driving a cabriolet Mégane. This was the beginning and soon other brands and cars followed.

4. What attracted you to this industry?

The engineering part of it plays a big role here. I have an engineering degree and my love for cars was the main reason I chose it. But as I said before, the car as a product and the way it changed throughout the years is also very relevant to me. I’m interested in knowing how car manufacturers have evolved since their beginnings and how relevant each model was and still is to the market. And of course, the act of driving. There’s nothing like driving your car, on your favourite road. As someone once said, way before me, “It’s not about the destination, it’s the drive to get there that really matters the most”. If I could spend all of my time behind the wheel, I’d do it. No doubts about that.

5. What would be in your dream 3 car garage?

This has to be one of the trickiest ones. Can I change it to “Which cars would be in your 3 enormous garages?” Back to reality. I would say a fully loaded rally Spec Mk1 Ford Escort, a Porsche 911 GT3RS and something fast but usable on normal roads. Something beautiful and great to drive like an Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio. It can be driven hard at a race track or on a winding road, but it can also be very competent as a daily driver.

6. What has been your favourite car to test and why?

I think I have to say the Caterham 7. It gave me the most pure, analog and emotional experience possible at the wheel of a car. It’s not the most practical car in the world at all, I’ll admit it, but it is so much fun and so good to look at! I’m writing this and at the same time I’m remembering those few days I had that magical key in my hand. As I said earlier, memories.

7. Most memorable moment of your career to date?

My first day working for a car magazine was very special. It was something I pursued for a long time. But later I had the opportunity to drive an Audi R8 V10 Plus at the Ascari Race Circuit. This has to be one of those moments that I will keep forever in my mind. It really was epic. I loved every single moment of that day.

8. What advice would you give to anyone who wants to become a motoring journalist?

Don’t stop believing and don’t stop trying. If the opportunity does not show, go around and make it happen. Find another way to make it real and believe in yourself and in your passion. I have tried for many years to start working for a car magazine and I have never made it. So I decided to work on that anyway by creating my blog. It all started way back in 2014 and I have to say I never made any money directly from that. Of course, my blog provided me a way of developing my writing abilities and a way to show my work, which has evolved into my first paid job as a motoring journalist in a car magazine during 2018. But money was not the point. That was not my objective. I started driving the cars I love and being with important people from the industry that I followed for years. That still gives me great pleasure. I enjoy it like it was the first time. My point is: use your time to make it happen. Start writing and let your motoring journalist journey begin. The path you choose will be great. I’m sure of that because there will be cars on the way. Lots of them.

Thank you to João for taking part in this interview!

You can follow João on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.