Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
If you're looking for someone who combines an extensive knowledge of cars with an ability to communicate captivating stories and an alluring personality, your options are mostly and regrettably limited to used-car sales people. However, with a degree in Mechanical Design, a decade on the tools as a mechanic and ten years as a motor journalist, writer and presenter, Daniel Gardner will take you on an automotive odyssey unlike any other - and won’t try to flog you a Falcon with a dodgy head gasket. While studying for an Honours degree in Mechanical Design at the University of Plymouth in the UK, Dan raised extra octane money working as a BMW mechanic – a career that eventually led him to Australia. After some not particularly noteworthy stints as a consulting engineer in the food and drink industry, and in recruitment, he turned his hand to media – first as a weekly opinion columnist for national newspaper mX, and later at Australia’s number-one auto industry publication GoAuto. Four years after that it was onto the nation’s favourite car mag Wheels as a senior journalist along with Motor, Street Machine and 4x4 Australia. In 2019 Dan made his TV presenting debut with the first of two Channel 10 series - WhichCar. After experiencing nowhere near enough sleepless nights, Dan took the leap into freelance life in 2023, while simultaneously co-founding The MaD Garage - a venture to create car and motorsport content - with partner and racing driver Molly Taylor. There are no gilded trophies on Dan’s desk but you will find a nomination for International Motoring Film Awards – Best Journalism Film, a heavily decorated passport, and a 17mm socket that exploded and nearly claimed a thumb. There are plenty of car nuts that understand what a Hans Device does but can they explain it? There’s no shortage of mechanics that can hone a bore but are they boring? And you’re probably spoilt for choice looking for people who can stand in front of a camera or rattle off a yarn, but do they know how to use an Oxford comma or the Oxford accent? Maybe. But here it is all in one package.
@themadgarage
Senior Journalist
Automotive Journalist