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#080 - The Muscle Truck Era Has Begun, They Ruined The AMG GT, New SRT Coupe, New M3 Manual & More

#080 - The Muscle Truck Era Has Begun, They Ruined The AMG GT, New SRT Coupe, New M3 Manual & More

Clutch Culture Podcast May 26, 2026 71 min
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About this episode

Memorial Day Monday promo chatter and banter set the stage before the hosts dive into Mercedes design backlash—“nuclear reactor taillights,” fake V8 sounds, and questions about who would buy the car. They argue corporate “yes people” culture can’t easily reverse late-stage design decisions, then pivot to EV depreciation and used-market math. The second half turns to muscle-truck and SRT news: Ram “street truck” variants, a new SRT top-line coupe, and speculation about reviving the Viper name.

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Car

Amg Gts

"...you guys won't believe this. I started looking at AMG GTs on my search query not too long ago. And earlier ..."

The AMG GT is a sports car made by Mercedes-AMG. It’s designed to be fast and sporty, with a more focused driving experience than a typical family car. The podcast brings it up because someone is looking at them specifically.

Car

Audi Etron

"They didn't think this was a poor design, which by the way, it basically looks like what an e-tron maybe has a little tie can in it. It's got a whole lot of Kia forte in the front."

The Audi e-tron is an electric SUV. It uses electricity instead of gasoline and is meant for everyday driving with room for passengers and cargo. The podcast mentions it because of its overall design and appearance.

Car

Kia Stinger

"I'm going to have to do some research of how many Kia Hyundai people help it on this car because this looks like a stinger. This looks like a stinger."

They’re saying the back of this car looks like a Kia Stinger. The Kia Stinger is a sporty-looking car, so the comparison is basically about the shape and styling.

Car

Kia Forte GT line

"Dude, that is definitely a Kia stinger rear end. [1073.8s] And then the front is a very Kia Forte GT line kind of front end."

The Kia Forte GT line is a more stylish version of the Kia Forte. In this clip, the host is basically saying the front of the car looks like it came from that GT line styling.

Concept

experimental launch

"I get, if you're designing something and taking a chance on something [1110.5s] you don't know how to do as a company, like you just go, Hey, we've never done [1114.4s] this before."

An “experimental launch” means the company tried a new, unusual way to introduce the vehicle to the public. The host is saying it might have been a mistake to make such a big deal out of it.

Car

G-Class G Wagon

"...how to do that. This is a company that's made the G wagon look good. Even the baby G."

The G-Class is a luxury SUV made by Mercedes-Benz. It’s known for being tough and capable off-road, while still feeling upscale inside. The podcast mentions it as a standout model that helped define the style.

Term

flip

"I said, bud, I bought it to flip it. Take a deep breath."

“Flip” here means buying a car and then selling it later, usually to make money. It’s not about keeping the car as a personal vehicle.

Car

Chevrolet Corvette

"You don't own, what'd you say? You don't own Corvette. You don't own Chevy."

A Corvette is a sports car made by Chevrolet. It’s built for fast driving and has a strong reputation among car fans. People mention it a lot because it’s considered a special, high-performance car.

Brand

Mercedes

"But there are a lot of Mercedes I could buy. And it's one of the few brands that I think a lot of us that are enthusiasts, you go, there's a lot of older stuff from them."

Mercedes is a luxury car brand from Germany. The speaker is saying they like older Mercedes models and that there are lots of them out there for enthusiasts to consider.

Car

SL 500

"I would buy, I mean, I'd buy an SL 500 right now."

The Mercedes-Benz SL 500 is a luxury car meant for comfortable, long drives. It’s also meant to feel quick and special, not just like a regular sedan.

Car

S 63 AMG

"I mean, S 63 AMG. How, I mean, how quickly would you buy that?"

The Mercedes-Benz S 63 AMG is a luxury Mercedes sedan that’s been tuned to be much quicker than a normal S-Class. It’s basically the “performance” version of a comfort-first car.

Car

BMW E63

"We're just talking about when you see it pop up, you go, yeah, I could own that. E 63 wagon, E 55 wagon. I mean, the list goes on."

The BMW 6 Series is a luxury BMW model line. It’s generally aimed at drivers who want a nicer ride and a more stylish look. The podcast mentions it as a car people might want to own.

Car

Mercedes-Benz E55 AMG

"We're just talking about when you see it pop up, you go, yeah, I could own that. E 63 wagon, E 55 wagon. I mean, the list goes on."

The Mercedes-Benz E55 AMG is a high-performance version of the Mercedes E-Class. It’s meant to be faster and more exciting than a regular E-Class. The podcast mentions it as one of the cars that shows up and could be something someone would want.

Car

E 55 wagon

"E 63 wagon, E 55 wagon."

This is another Mercedes E-Class wagon, but with an AMG performance engine. It’s the older “fast wagon” version compared to the E 63.

Car

E 63 wagon

"E 63 wagon, E 55 wagon."

This is a Mercedes E-Class wagon, but the “E 63” version is the fast, performance one. It’s a wagon that’s meant to be sporty, not just practical.

Car

Dodge Ram

"All right. Got my flag, this is going to be a clip, Dodge, Ram, Stalantis. All right."

The Dodge Ram is a pickup truck. It’s built for carrying things, towing, and general utility. People talk about it because it’s a popular truck model.

Car

F-150 Raptor

"... still kind of a cabin and a half kind of like my Raptor, but it's got the four doors. So it's not a full ..."

The Ford F-150 is a pickup truck. It’s designed to carry people and cargo and can be used for towing. The podcast mentions it in terms of having a four-door layout and a comfortable cabin.

Car

Scat Pack

"So TRX powered, the first ever Scat Pack powered. So the 6.4 will be in this one and the 5.4 will be in that one."

Scat Pack is a Dodge performance package—think “more power and more attitude” than the standard version. Here, the hosts are saying the Scat Pack versions will come with different engine options depending on the variant.

Term

wide body

"dude, I think they look sweet. That body looks great. The wide body, four doors."

A “wide body” is a bodywork modification that adds extra fender width to fit wider tires and improve stance. It’s often used to make a car look more aggressive and to help grip, especially when the vehicle is expected to put down more power.

Topic

street truck

"Didn't they drop that they were going to do a street truck? ... And then they clarified with this video that their idea of street truck is still not a two door street truck."

A “street truck” is basically a pickup meant to be more fun and stylish for everyday driving, not just hauling work. The debate in this clip is whether it should be a two-door truck or something else.

Brand

Ram brand

"I mean, this has been, this is to me, this is his baby. This Ram brand and the SRT brand as well."

Ram is the truck brand (pickups) under a bigger automaker. Here, they’re talking about how Ram’s trucks fit into the “street truck” idea.

Concept

checking all the right boxes

"either way, dude, they're checking all the right boxes. [1849.6s] They look fantastic. [1850.5s] Some of the people, they haven't checked all the right boxes."

It means the truck seems to match what fans usually want. They’re saying it looks like it hits the important points, even though the final cost and exact performance still aren’t known.

Car

Ford Torino

"You're like, get off my back. What does keep Gran Torino? I thought that was a great movie."

The Ford Torino is an older American car model known for its muscle-car style. The podcast mentions it because it’s connected to a movie title people recognize. It’s mainly being referenced as a familiar car name.

Car

Jeep Gladiator

"I thought that was a great movie. Gladiator. Have you seen anything in the last 20 years?"

The Jeep Gladiator is a pickup truck made by Jeep. It’s designed to handle rough roads and trails, not just regular commuting. It’s basically a truck with Jeep off-road DNA.

Car

Renault Wind

"...ff, I'll just get a towed and you'll just see the wind blowing. It's like, I'm still going."

The Renault Wind is a small convertible car. It’s designed so you can drive with the top down more easily than in a larger convertible. The podcast mentions it as a specific model name.

Term

bedside

"So if you want to replace a bedside, for instance, [2100.5s] I don't know how this always happens to people in Rivians,"

On a pickup truck, the bedside is the big side panel along the cargo bed. If it gets damaged, a shop may need to replace it, which can be a hassle.

Car

Porsche 911

"And there was another one on a guy backing out his 9-11 says before you, or be grateful for what you drive."

The Porsche 911 is a sports car made by Porsche. It’s known for being fast and for having a very recognizable design. People talk about it a lot because it’s one of the most famous performance cars.

Car

Tesla Model S

"...ling people. And then you got this dude driving a Model S Plaid acting like an asshole to a guy driving an ..."

The Tesla Model S is an electric car, meaning it runs on electricity instead of gasoline. It’s designed to be quick and has a lot of modern tech inside. The podcast mentions it because it’s a noticeable, high-performance electric sedan.

Car

Plymouth Prowler

"Yeah. I mean, I see prowler, I see viper, I see. You just see a more refined ..."

The Plymouth Prowler is a sports car with a very unusual, retro-style design. It’s built to look different and feel like a special kind of hot-rod. The podcast mentions it as part of a group of cars people might be interested in.

Car

viper

"[2750.8s] I mean, I see prowler, I see viper, I see. [2754.5s] You just see a more refined viper. [2764.2s] Yeah, that's going to be, yeah, they're going to be had two door coupe. [2793.1s] But you go down to that viper."

The Viper is a famous Dodge sports car name. The hosts are debating whether Dodge would reuse the Viper name for a new SRT coupe, and whether it would be a more polished version of the old vibe.

Brand

SRT brand

"[2764.2s] Yeah, that's going to be, yeah, they're going to be had two door coupe. [2766.9s] It's going to be, you know, part of the SRT brand, probably a V8. [2770.1s] And even though they saw some stuff, they really couldn't say much more in the article,"

SRT is a performance label Chrysler used for its faster, sportier cars. The hosts are saying the new coupe could carry that SRT badge and probably use a V8 engine.

Term

V8

"[2764.2s] Yeah, that's going to be, yeah, they're going to be had two door coupe. [2766.9s] It's going to be, you know, part of the SRT brand, probably a V8. [2770.1s] And even though they saw some stuff, they really couldn't say much more in the article,"

A V8 is an engine with eight cylinders. It’s often used in bigger, punchier cars because it can make strong power and torque.

Term

heavily depreciate

"No, they, they won't sell very many of them, but we are all four of them bringing back stuff that will heavily depreciate and we can maybe pick up on the used market in a few years."

Depreciation means the car loses value as time goes on. “Heavily depreciate” means it’s expected to drop in price faster than usual, so it could be cheaper if you buy it used later.

Car

chargers

"So Dodge, again, going all in on SRT, you know, the, the chargers are going to have a two door and a four door, the Durango."

The Dodge Charger is a popular Dodge muscle-car model. They’re saying there will be both two-door and four-door versions.

Car

the Durango

"So Dodge, again, going all in on SRT, you know, the, the chargers are going to have a two door and a four door, the Durango."

The Durango is a Dodge SUV. Here they’re saying Dodge is also pushing performance versions of it under the SRT name.

Car

2027 BMW M3

"You know what I want to do? [3265.3s] I want to drive this 2027 BMW M3. [3267.8s] How do you pronounce it?"

The BMW M3 is BMW’s high-performance version of the 3 Series. It’s built to feel more responsive and fun to drive than a normal BMW 3 Series, and the hosts are talking about the 2027 model they want to drive.

Term

bird-desk looking wheels

"[3330.2s] Gives a rest. [3330.7s] And I'll say this, I've kind of always liked the wheel. [3333.7s] I mean, I like, I like how the wheels look on the design. [3336.0s] Oh yeah. [3336.4s] These bird-desk looking wheels love them."

They’re describing the wheels by how they look, like a nickname for the style. It doesn’t refer to a specific mechanical feature—just the design.

Concept

engine swap

"There was a guy that swapped a Civic, funny we were talking about SIs last week. I think it was an SI, like a 99, 2000, something like that with a B58 BMW motor."

An engine swap means replacing the engine in a car with a different one. In this case, they’re talking about putting a BMW engine into a Honda Civic as an enthusiast project.

Car

B58 BMW motor

"I think it was an SI, like a 99, 2000, something like that with a B58 BMW motor. Thing was insane. Yeah."

The B58 is a BMW engine (a turbo inline-six) that a lot of people trust. Here, they’re saying it’s a strong choice for an engine swap because it’s reliable and can make serious power.

Term

horsepower talk

"And I think one of the coolest things about this is that they kind of got away from the horsepower talk because it's a manual and just sort of talked about the vehicle more where they drop some weight and some things you used to talk about"

“Horsepower talk” is when people mainly judge cars by the biggest power number. They’re saying it’s more interesting to talk about how the car drives and how it’s set up, not just the peak horsepower number.

Term

manual

"got away from the horsepower talk because it's a manual and just sort of talked about the vehicle more where they drop some weight and some things you used to talk about, you know what I mean?"

A manual is a car you shift yourself using a clutch pedal and a stick. They’re saying BMW is focusing on the manual driving feel instead of only talking about horsepower.

Term

all wheel drive

"It's not like the four S. It's the affordable way to slip into the all wheel drive Taycan."

All-wheel drive means the car can send power to all four wheels. That usually helps with grip, especially in rain or snow.

Car

Taycan

"It's not like the four S. It's the affordable way to slip into the all wheel drive Taycan. It's still $108,000, by the way."

The Porsche Taycan is Porsche’s fully electric sports sedan. Here they’re discussing how, as more Taycans show up on the used market, the price can drop enough that it starts to feel more attainable.

Concept

depreciation

"I mean, you get another year of depreciation on some of these that are already on the used market or headed to the used market."

Depreciation is how a car’s resale value goes down as it gets older. They’re saying EVs may lose value quickly once lots of them start showing up for sale used.

Concept

flood of used EVs

"there's, these used, we are at the very beginning of the flood of used EVs on the market."

A “flood” here means a lot of used EVs showing up for sale at once. When that happens, sellers usually have to lower prices to move them.

Concept

lease turn-ins

"People think now we got all these EVs, as these become lease turn-ins and everything, and that start keeps ramping up and they're on, you're going to have a flood of these."

Lease turn-ins are cars that come back when a lease is over. When lots of them hit the used market at the same time, prices can drop.

Car

Kia Rio

"... at the market and you don't have things like the Kia Rio or a lot of the Nissan stuff, or even some of the..."

The Kia Rio is a small car meant to be affordable and easy to drive. It’s typically chosen for everyday commuting rather than performance. The podcast mentions it as an example of a lower-priced model.

Car

Toyota Celica

"...ven some of the older Honda stuff, or Toyota like Celica, I know it kind of came back, but like those chea..."

The Toyota Celica is a smaller sporty car from Toyota. It’s known for being fun to drive and for having a performance-focused reputation. The podcast brings it up as an older Toyota model people still talk about.

Car

Subaru Uncharted

"...'s going to be because this is, we are sort of in uncharted territory because we've never seen this type of p..."

“Subaru Uncharted” sounds like the podcast is talking about something Subaru-related that feels new or not well-known yet. It’s described as being in unfamiliar territory. The exact car details aren’t clear from the snippet alone.

Term

LEDs

"Just leave the LEDs out. Let's just put the old glass headlights back into cars."

LEDs are a type of light bulb used in modern car headlights. The discussion here is basically whether they should use modern LED lights or go back to the older-looking headlight style.

Car

Bugatti

"Nick was shilling for Bugatti money. You're right. But you're like, hey, Ram Charger, I'm for sale."

Bugatti is a brand that makes very expensive supercars. They’re using it as a joke about having a big budget, then talking about cheaper truck options.

Car

Ram Charger

"But you're like, hey, Ram Charger, I'm for sale. Or some muscle trucks."

The Ram Charger is an older Dodge SUV that people associate with the classic American “big truck” era. Here it’s mentioned as a cheaper alternative to something like a Bugatti.

Car

Dodge

"What if they outfitted your fleet and paid for the fuel? All Dakotas on Dodge."

Dodge is the car brand. Here they’re saying to stick with Dodge trucks (like Dakotas) for the fleet idea.

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