Joana Fidalgo
Engineer
Unlike most of The Intercooler’s contributors, Joana actually has a proper job. She is a powertrain engineer who has worked for several years for automotive OEMs across Europe. She also has a Masters in Motorsport Engineering, drives an E46 BMW M3 and rides motorcycles both for work and play.
She moved to the UK from Portugal in 2011, primarily because cars are cheaper here. The fascination with all things mechanical started when aged 16 she bought her first motorcycle, tried to drift it and nearly fell off. Not much has changed since then. She loves cars too and is particularly obsessed with anything possessing a flamboyant 1980s interior; and she has a curious penchant for small quirky Japanese cars.
Currently Joana divides her time between trying to figure out the future of the car and the endless maintenance demands that come with multiple vehicle ownership. When she is not staring blankly at Excel spreadsheets and trying to save the world, she can be found rambling on Twitter or enjoying the best of car culture at different events across the UK.
First car:
Driving a Porsche 996 GT3 up a snowy but empty Stelvio pass in the early hours of the morning
Dream car:
A Porsche 930 or 964 Turbo. In the realm of the unobtainium, Lamborghini Miura Jota
Fondest driving memory:
An R56 Mini Cooper D on cool wheels and a Cookie Monster rooftop decal. Sorry, Dad
"I remember riding my first motorbike at 16 and suddenly feeling an extreme connection with all things mechanical. Cars and bikes give me the joy of absolute freedom. There’s no feeling like being in control of a machine and hearing an engine revving through the gears"
