Mat Armstrong (YouTuber)

Mat Armstrong (born 11 June 1993) is a British YouTuber, automotive content creator and former professional BMX rider. He is best known for documenting the purchase, restoration and modification of damaged luxury and performance vehicles on his YouTube channel Mat Armstrong. His engaging mechanics-focused storytelling, hands-on work and authentic personality have built him a global following.^[1][2]

Armstrong was born on 11 June 1993 in Leicester, England. He grew up immersed in mechanical environments, largely due to his father, Tony Armstrong, a skilled automotive mechanic who ran a garage. From a young age, Mat spent time watching and helping his father work on cars, developing practical mechanical skills and a passion for vehicles, long before he became a creator.

Armstrong’s parents separated during his childhood. In addition to his father, he has a sister, Holly Michelle Armstrong. He attended Lutterworth College in Leicester, where he balanced education with athletic pursuits.^[3]

Initially, Mat Armstrong sought financial freedom through the Buy, Rehab, Rent, Refinance (BRRR) investment strategy. ^[4]

Before his rise to YouTube fame, Armstrong was a professional BMX rider, competing internationally in freestyle BMX events. He began focusing on BMX as a teenager and quickly gained sponsorship from brands including Madd Gear Pro (MGP), which supported his travel to competitions across Europe and beyond. During this period, he developed basic video production and editing skills by recording his riding to share with sponsors and fans.

Armstrong’s competitive BMX career spanned from approximately age 16 to 20, during which he participated in events in countries such as France, Germany and Dubai. Despite his skill and dedication, the sport did not provide sufficient income, and sponsorships typically only covered travel expenses, rather than a sustainable livelihood.

His BMX career ultimately ended after a shoulder dislocation during a qualifying run at the BMX World Championships in Germany. The injury caused ongoing shoulder instability and forced him to retire from riding as a full-time athlete. This setback played a significant role in his eventual pivot from BMX to automotive content.

Channel launch and early content

Armstrong launched his YouTube channel Mat Armstrong on 7 April 2013, initially posting BMX trick videos and other content related to his athletic pursuits.

Even while pursuing BMX, he worked various part-time jobs, including at his father’s garage, delivering food, bartending and working in automotive retail and tuning shops, to support his interests and develop mechanical skills.

Shift to automotive content

Following his BMX injury and growing experience in car mechanics, Armstrong shifted his focus toward automotive projects. A defining moment came when his girlfriend’s Audi TT was badly damaged in a crash; he purchased the salvaged vehicle and documented the full rebuild process. This series became his first significant automotive content and helped establish the format he is known for today: buying wrecked or damaged cars and restoring them to working condition on camera.

A major breakthrough came during the COVID-19 pandemic when he purchased and restored a damaged Bentley Continental GT, which helped grow his audience substantially.

Content style and growth

Armstrong’s channel blends mechanical repair work with storytelling and entertainment, appealing to both automotive enthusiasts and general audiences. Projects range from everyday vehicles to high-end luxury and performance cars including BMW, Audi, Maserati, Lamborghini and Rolls-Royce.

He involves close friends and family - especially his partner Hannah Smith and his father Tony - in many projects, which adds a personal element to his videos. As of March 2026, Armstrong’s main channel has amassed over 6.3 million subscribers and total views in the high hundreds of millions.

Tony Armstrong

Mat’s father, Tony Armstrong, played a pivotal role in his early mechanical education and ongoing video content. Growing up working alongside his Dad in a garage provided Mat with foundational automotive knowledge and confidence in tackling complex repairs later in his career.^[5]

Tony has appeared on camera with Mat in several build videos, helping diagnose issues, offer practical insights and collaborate on restorations. One notable project involved them jointly rebuilding a Ferrari F430 as a heartfelt gift — a vehicle they worked on meticulously together, highlighting both skill and family bond.

Armstrong lives in England with his partner Hannah Smith, who often appears on his channels and assists with business and production aspects. They have a Boston Terrier named Kevin that has been seen on his YouTube channel. He also operates additional content hubs including Mat Armstrong MK2, Mat Armstrong Shorts, and international spin-offs.

In addition to YouTube, Mat has engaged in property investment and merchandising, diversifying his income streams beyond his advertising revenue and sponsorships.

In late 2025, Mat Armstrong began documenting the restoration of a heavily damaged Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport, one of only about 60 produced, on behalf of its owner, American influencer Alex Gonzalez (FXAlexG), after the hypercar was declared a total loss by insurance and sold at auction. Armstrong travelled to Miami to inspect and start the rebuild, which quickly became one of his most high-profile projects.^[6]

Bugatti initially quoted approximately $1.7 million for a factory repair, and then offered a repair for $600k, which the owner turned down. Bugatti subsequently refused to sell official parts or support an independent rebuild conducted outside of its authorised network. The manufacturer’s stance effectively “blacklisted” the car’s VIN, making it difficult to source genuine components through dealers.^[7]

The project sparked public attention and discussion after Bugatti Rimac CEO Mate Rimac responded on social media, explaining that independent repairs on such a complex hypercar posed safety risks, and that the car should ideally be repaired at Bugatti’s Molsheim, France facility. Rimac’s comments also sought to correct rumours about parts costs and discourage unauthorised repairs due to engineering and safety concerns.

Armstrong acknowledged Rimac’s position but expressed his intention to continue with the project independently, highlighting the challenges of sourcing parts and controversies around parts access while documenting progress in ongoing videos.^[8]

Some of Armstrong’s most viewed and celebrated rebuilds include:

1. Audi TT (Mk2) – 2018–2019: Mat’s first major restoration project on his YouTube channel was his girlfriend’s crashed Audi TT, which he bought from insurance and rebuilt. This project began in late 2018 and helped launch his automotive content.
2. Bentley Continental GT – 2020–2021: during a COVID-19 lockdown, Mat purchased a damaged Bentley Continental GT and spent significant time restoring it, later driving it to Monaco and featuring it in several videos.
3. 2019 Aston Martin Vantage – 2022: a complex rebuild that involved extensive repairs and OEM part sourcing, filmed and released through his channel around 2022–2023.
4. 2012 Audi RS5 – 2022: acquired for his girlfriend after a collision, rebuilt and cosmetically enhanced as a personal project in 2021–2022.
5. 2007 Maserati GranTurismo – 2021–2022: modified with Liberty Walk body kit and air suspension; project documented on his channel around 2021–2022.
6. 2015 Range Rover Vogue – 2021–2022: restored from a damaged condition with upgrades and custom wheels in 2021–2022.
7. 2002 Lamborghini Murcielago – 2021: brought back from long non-running condition and mechanically revived during 2021.
8. BMW E24 635 CSi (barn find) – 2020: a classic car restoration project of a neglected 'barn find' car, worked on around 2020.
9. Porsche 911 GT3 (Ex-Adam LZ wreck) – 2023: a rebuild of a wrecked Porsche 911 GT3 previously owned by fellow car content creator Adam LZ, around 2023.
10. Porsche 718 Cayman S – 2022–2023: acquired badly damaged and restored extensively, around late 2022 – early 2023.
11. BMW M3 (wrecked, crashed into house) – 2022: a documented restoration and rebuild of a nearly new M3 heavily damaged in a crash, around 2022.
12. Marcus Rashford’s Mansory Rolls-Royce Wraith Black Badge – 2024: purchased in March 2024 after the crash, restored over several months through mid-2024, with final touches and a road trip to Mansory’s factory in Germany.

Other notable projects

• Ford Fiesta (third generation) 1,118 cc (first car)
• Volkswagen Lupo and Lupo Sport (second and third cars)
• Audi RS 6 – repaired, profit series on previous projects.
• Audi A4 / Audi S5 / Audi Q5 – various work featured over time.
• BMW M3 (E46) – early channel content.