In Wheel Time Podcast: Your Go-To Automotive Talk Show Feb 2, 2026

Come For Camp Jeep, The Monster Trucks, Stay To ....?

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Concept

Formula One

Formula One is a popular racing series where teams race specially designed cars on tracks around the world. It's known for its speed and advanced technology.

Car

Toyota Supra

The Toyota Supra is a sporty car that was redesigned for 2020, and the 2026 model is part of its fifth version. It's known for being fast and fun to drive.

Concept

fifth generation

Fifth generation means this is the fifth version of the Toyota Supra car. Each new version usually has improvements and changes compared to the last one.

Car

BMW X3

The BMW X3 is a small luxury SUV that is fun to drive and has a nice interior. It's a good option for people who want a stylish car that can also carry a lot of stuff.

Car

BMW Z4

The BMW Z4 M40i is a sporty convertible car that is designed for performance. It shares some parts with the Toyota Supra, which means they have similar features.

Term

19 inch wheels

19 inch wheels are the size of the wheels on the car. Bigger wheels can help the car handle better but might make the ride feel bumpier.

Term

carbon fiber duct tail spoiler

A carbon fiber duct tail spoiler is a lightweight part on the back of a car that helps it stay stable when driving fast. It's made from a strong material called carbon fiber.

Term

bulging rear wheel wells

Bulging rear wheel wells are the parts of the car where the tires sit that stick out a bit. This helps fit bigger tires and makes the car look more sporty.

Term

factory racer

A factory racer is a car made by the company to be used in races. It's built to be fast and perform well without needing many changes.

Term

infotainment screen

An infotainment screen is like a computer screen in your car that shows you maps, music, and other information. It helps you stay connected and entertained while driving.

Term

torque

Torque tells you how strong an engine is when it starts moving. More torque means the car can speed up faster, especially from a stop.

Term

horsepower

Horsepower is a way to measure how powerful a car's engine is. The higher the horsepower, the faster the car can go.

Term

paddle shifters

Paddle shifters are buttons or levers on the steering wheel that let you change gears in a car without using a clutch pedal. They make driving more fun and sporty.

Term

automatic transmissions

Automatic transmissions change gears by themselves, so you don't have to do it manually. This makes driving easier, especially in traffic.

Car

Chevrolet Corvette

The Corvette is a fast sports car made by Chevrolet. It's popular for its speed and stylish looks.

Term

rear wheel drive

In a rear wheel drive car, the back wheels get the power from the engine, which can help with speed and handling, especially when driving fast.

Term

hot rod

A hot rod is a car that has been changed to go faster and look cooler, often using older models that people have fixed up.

Term

fuel tank

The fuel tank is where the car stores its gas. If the tank is small, the car needs to stop for gas more often.

Term

chassis upgrades

Chassis upgrades are changes made to the car's frame and suspension to make it handle better and drive smoother, especially when going fast.

Term

active exhaust system

An active exhaust system is a feature that lets you change how your car sounds and performs by adjusting the exhaust flow. It can make your car sound louder or quieter depending on how you drive it.

Term

base trim price

Base trim price is the starting price of a car model before adding any extra features or options. It's the price you would pay for the simplest version of that car.

Car

Nissan Z

The Nissan Z is a sporty car made by Nissan. It's known for being fun to drive and is often compared to other similar cars based on price and performance.

Car

Mazda Cx50

The Mazda CX-50 is a compact SUV that combines style and functionality. It’s designed for people who want a practical vehicle that’s also fun to drive.

Company

Gulf Coast Auto Shield is a place in Houston where car enthusiasts go to get their cars protected and made to look like new. They offer services like applying special coatings and fixing damaged parts.

Part

ceramic coating

Ceramic coating is a special liquid that is put on a car's surface to protect it and make it shiny. It helps keep the car looking good and safe from dirt and scratches.

Part

paint protection film

Paint protection film is a clear cover that is put on a car's paint to keep it safe from scratches and damage. It helps the car look new for a longer time.

Part

ExoShield

ExoShield is a product that protects car windshields from getting damaged. It helps keep the glass safe from chips and cracks.

Part

radar detector

A radar detector is a gadget that helps drivers know if police are using radar to check their speed. It can help you avoid getting a speeding ticket.

Term

EVs

EVs stand for electric vehicles. These cars run on electricity instead of gas, which can be better for the environment.

Car

Nissan Rogue

The Nissan Rogue is a popular SUV that many people buy because it's spacious and good on gas. It's designed for everyday use and is great for families.

Car

Nissan Pathfinder

The Nissan Pathfinder is a type of vehicle called an SUV, which is bigger than a regular car and can carry more people and stuff. It's great for families and can handle rough roads, making it a good choice for trips.

Car

Mercedes-Benz SL

The Mercedes-Benz SL is a fancy sports car that you can drive with the top down. It's known for being really comfortable and powerful, making it a popular choice for people who want a stylish ride.

Brand

Honda

Honda is a well-known car company from Japan that makes reliable cars like the Civic and Accord.

Brand

Hyundai

Hyundai is a car company from South Korea that makes affordable cars with good features, like the Sonata and Tucson.

Car

Pontiac GTO

The Pontiac GTO is a classic American car that was made in the 1960s and is famous for being one of the first muscle cars. It has a strong engine and a cool look, making it a favorite among car enthusiasts.

Car

Pontiac Firebird

The Pontiac Firebird is a classic American car that was made from the late 1960s to the early 2000s. It's known for its sporty look and powerful engines, and many people love it for its performance.

Car

Ford GT40

The Ford GT40 is a famous race car from the 1960s that won a lot of big races, especially against Ferrari. It's known for being very fast and is considered one of the best race cars ever made.

Car

Buick GNX

The Buick GNX is a special version of a Buick car from the 1980s that is known for being very fast. It looks pretty normal on the outside, but it has a powerful engine that makes it exciting to drive.

LIVE

Welcome to another In-Wheel Time podcast.

From the 43rd annual Houston Auto Show, welcome to the In-Wheel Time car talk show.

Just ahead, we talked to

the

In-Wheel Time car talk show.

Welcome to In-Wheel Time.

It's a new season.

Formula One tested in Barcelona this past 10 days or so ago.

And what they're doing is they're shaking down the new 2026 Formula One cars because

they've all been redesigned.

They've got the hybrid stuff going on.

So they all went out there and I was interested in how Cadillac did.

A Botas is one of the Cadillac drivers and they've all had challenges.

Cold tires, cold air, ambient temperatures, they're not used to the car.

So they're trying to figure that out.

It should be good, but they've all across the board suffered the same type of technical

issues and driver issues and things of that nature.

So we're looking at that.

Now, today, February, I'm sorry, not Saturday, February 7th, which is next week.

The 57th annual international I-500 snowmobile race, NASCAR style race, it is for snow machines.

So if you enjoy NASCAR, you'll love the I-500 snowmobile race.

It's NASCAR on ice.

It began in 69.

It's a 100% volunteer organization.

You don't need a helmet.

You don't need Hans devices.

You get out there and you run.

And it's up in Michigan, up in the upper peninsula.

Well, Gaylord is actually close to the upper peninsula.

So that's going on next week and they anticipate 31 degrees below zero is when it started.

So we'll find out who survived.

How do you address for 31 below?

Well, I know, but not 31 below.

No, no.

No, it's too much.

Your eyeballs hurt.

We used to build snowboards and play in all that stuff.

But not at 31 below.

Not at 31 below.

But it's going to be cold.

It's an event.

You can look at it online and I believe there's some sites on YouTube.

You can probably watch it, but it's a big event up there.

Okay.

Thank you, sir.

Time now for this hour's car review.

I had the opportunity to drive the 2026 Toyota Supra comes in these trim levels, the 3.0,

3.0 premium and the mark five final edition now M. It's mark five and right definition.

The reviewed trim level is the final edition mark five two-seater.

This vehicle was first introduced in 2020.

This is the fifth generation of it and the last year of production.

Grab them while they're hot.

It shares the same platform as the BMW Z4 M40i.

I did not realize that.

Wow.

Did you know that?

It shares the same platform and it's got the same motor in it.

Pardon me.

I said I'll be there.

Exterior features 19 inch wheels on this one with carbon fiber duct tail spoiler, smooth

arrow nose.

The whole car sits a couple of inches off the road and your butt can feel the road going

by underneath it bulging rear wheel wells big one bad to the bone factory racer.

What I liked overall design.

Excellent.

What could use improvement?

Doesn't matter.

Get one now that I got to make them anymore.

By the way, if you're an AM radio fan, have your phone ran handy because they don't have

AM radios in them.

Oh boy.

Interior highlights, Gazoo racing embroidered headrests and red seatbelts.

I mean red seatbelts.

I like the red seatbelts 12 speaker Bose stereo compromises for storage throughout the cabin.

In other words, not a whole lot of storage throughout it.

Every little nook and cranny is used up with something.

Head up display and great infotainment screen.

The cargo trunk area, itty bitty teeny weeny little to pack light.

What I liked the sport car with a luxury vibe to it.

It's so cool.

What could use improvement?

Well, last call, not going to make them anymore.

Grab one now and believe it or not, they're affordable.

I'll tell you the price in here in just a minute, you're going to go, well, that's not affordable.

Yeah, it is.

When you figure out what you got compared to the rest, three liter twin scroll turbo straight

six, it's a BMW motor that turns out 382 horsepower, 368 pound feet of torque and a chassis and

body combination that weighs about 150 pounds.

Oh boy.

You can only imagine it gets squirrely real easily transmission, eight speed automatic

with paddle shifters.

Now it can be equipped with a manual shift, but the days automatic transmissions, you're

going to go, why wouldn't I do this myself?

I know that there are diehard people out there that love the manual shift.

I've got a Corvette that's got a manual shift in it, but I'll never buy another one.

Not with today's automatic transmissions.

This is a rear wheel drive car gets 22 miles per gallon city, 29 highway for combined to

25.

I got 28.7 miles per gallon over 391 miles.

What I liked about it, the mileage with all the horsepower and this thing is a hot rod

and gets pretty good on good gas mileage for being a hot rod.

What could use improvement, a bigger fuel tank.

It's got a teeny, weeny little fuel tank, because it's a tiny car, right and handling.

It's stiff if you're not used to a factory hot rod.

And this final edition gets chassis upgrades, but it all is all adjustable through the computer

screen.

What could use improvement?

It's a race car with a license plate.

It does have an active exhaust system on it too.

Base trim price 67,950, you're not going to find one for that.

As tested 71,160, the base model price 58,300.

If you got 58,300 and you can find one where the dealer is going to sell it to you for that

price, buy it.

That car is going to be worth some major bucks here in a couple of years.

Yeah, especially if it's the last year, make a model.

Competitors to the vehicle in base size and price, Nissan Z starts at 42,970, I did not

know that.

BMW Z4M40, its direct competitor, sister, what do you want to call it, 56,1 and the Corvette

just wanted to throw that in there because it is a two-seater, it starts at $70,000.

Next week I review the Mazda CX-50, quite a jump in difference in vehicle and all of

that.

Okay, if you'd like to get in touch with us, send us an email.

The address is infoatthenwheeltime.com.

We're back after this quick break.

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This is your place for all things automotive.

Live the award-winning end wheel time car talk show.

Today coming to you from the 43rd annual Houston Auto Show.

Just ahead, another guest from this year's show.

Later, Mars has this week in auto history.

Jeff has the racing calendar and I'll get you caught up on the stories making automotive

news headlines this week.

Howdy, along with Mike out of this world Mars, we always need more Jeff Seekin, chief engineer

David Ainslie decided to get out of bed and join us this morning.

I'm Don Armstrong, so glad that you could join us.

We're waiting for our first guest from the show here.

He's coming right down here about 50 feet.

All right.

Is that Joe Garcia?

That's Joe Garcia.

Joe, come on, we're on the air, bud.

Let's go, buddy.

He's hurrying as fast as he can.

He had a late night.

He did.

Looks like he had a late night.

Oh my goodness.

So he's going to put on that headset and we're going to talk to him about Nissan's.

And by the way, the first question I have for you, Joe, do you know Steve Parrott?

No, I don't.

You don't?

No.

Okay.

Are you a local guy?

I just came to Houston about a year ago.

Welcome, Steve, to the show in Houston.

From California.

California?

Southern California.

Aren't you glad you're here?

Awesome.

I'm glad I'm here.

So are you based across the street over here at Central Nissan?

Yes, I am.

Yeah.

That's a nice dealership.

Who owns that?

It's the Central Automotive Group.

Okay.

Yeah.

So we have quite a bit of dealerships, high line dealerships, and we have Nissan.

Yeah, we've been around for quite a while.

Yeah.

Treat your customers right.

Exactly.

That's a new facility over there.

I mean, they tore down the old one and put a new building on it.

Yeah.

We did what Nissan calls it a 2.0 conversion.

So it's more of a, it's a newer version of the Nissan brand.

So Nissan rebranded their dealerships.

Updated.

Yeah.

That's the one that's got kind of an indoor showroom for the used cars too.

Yes.

I was over there for the opening.

I remember that because it kind of shocked me to be able to say, yeah, let's go look

at the used cars and it's raining.

So let's go over here.

And it was cool.

Yeah.

We can, I think we could put about, about 90 cars in that showroom.

Seriously?

That's major.

That's a warehouse in a showroom.

It is a warehouse.

It's pretty cool.

It gives you like a warehouse vibe, like, you know, but we have all the Nissan, I think

it's the whole story on the wall, you know, and you could see from the very first Nissan

to where we are now in the used car showroom.

Very good.

So tell me about the difference between California car sales and Houston, Texas car sales.

Yeah.

It's the heat.

Is it car sales or truck sales?

Well, that's, that's a given, but as far as, as far as, you know, the buyers are concerned

because it's really two different kinds of buyers for the most part.

You got the Houston, Texas buyers and then you got Southern California and they, I mean,

yeah, they're all buying cars, but it's a different vibe out there.

You know, I know that EVs are huge out there.

They're not as huge here.

This is where they make the gas for the gas cars.

Right.

And I've not had a great experience with EVs myself personally, and I've driven lots

of them here, especially in the past year.

We have a real problem here and I think in other parts of the country with infrastructure

and finding a place to get the fast charge.

And then when we get a fast charge, I get charged either 50 or $35.

No, I'm not doing that.

Right.

Yeah.

When I, when I stop at the 7-Eleven on the corner and for $30, I can get a full tank

of gas that'll go 500 miles in 10 minutes.

So what is, what is the best selling Nissan?

The best selling Nissan right now, it is a Rogue.

Yeah.

So, and it has been for a while.

Yes.

Right.

Just overall, just, just this last weekend, we sold out of the 20 cars that we sold over

two days.

We sold 11 Rogues.

So, yeah, so that's a big chunk of our, of our, it's a good size vehicle.

Yes.

It's a good size vehicle.

It's, it's, it's not as, as, as, it's not too small, not too big.

It's just.

It's just, I feel like, like the three little bears actually, we, we do have people come

in and they, they look at our, you know, they look at our kicks, you know, oh, it's too

small.

Yeah.

You know, they look at our, our model too big, you know, they, they look at our pathfinder,

oh, you know, just, I just need a little smaller.

What's the price range of a Rogue?

The price range of the Rogue, you're looking right about, but from 33, you can go to up

to 42.

Sure.

That's a good solid price.

The one that we have here in, in, in the, in the showroom, we have a, a brand new model

is called a Dark Armored.

It's about $36,000.

We no longer have the, the SV Premium and the SL, the Dark Armored is both combined.

So, and, and it's good because the price point of the, of the Dark Armored is actually

about $2,500 less than the SL, so, but it has all the equipment.

Same features.

Yes.

Do you have a lot of people that come in over there and shop, in other words, okay, here's,

here's the Nissan Rogue.

Now I'm going to go over here and I want to look at the Toyota comparison.

And I know that there are a lot of dealerships around here.

Yes.

Do you have a lot of people that come in and go, I'm not sure what y'all want to buy.

Yes, actually.

And I, and I like that, that we have that we have Toyota, we have Honda, we have Hyundai

all within, all within the loop and with our side of the loop.

And I don't mind them going and looking at other brands where I'm really confident in

the brands that we have.

So, you know, we're not a pushy dealership, you know, and say, Hey, you know what, go

more often than not, they come back and they buy, they buy the Nissan Rogue.

And here at the auto show, they can, they can still come in and they can actually set

in the vehicle.

Right.

They can get all their questions answered without being sold, being standing out without

being sold and go off and look at somebody else and come back and say, this guy.

And that was, that was one of my questions.

So I come up to you as a, as a pardon me, I'm just going to get rid of that.

Pardon me.

You want to answer that for you?

I don't get it.

So someone comes up to you, you're not going to push me to buy a car.

You're going to give me maybe a business card and a location I can go look at the rest.

So what I, what I instructed my, my, my guys here, my product specialist is that this is

an information, informational gathering session, right?

Get all the information you can go to, go to all the, all the brands, see what you like,

you know, touch and, you know, touch, sit, smell, you know, and we'll give you all the

information that, that, that we have to sell our brand, but we're not going to sell the

vehicle to you.

Right.

And we do, and what I do, what I did is I have a QR code that I give them, then they

can, if they really interested in what we're doing, not here, you know, they can go ahead

and go at home, scan the QR code, look at our inventory, and then they can make an appointment

to see us there.

And that's, that's different than past years, maybe a decade or so where people now do their

due diligence.

They know, you know, the hybrids, the EVs, the gas hybrids, the plug ins, all that.

So people do do their own due diligence, sometimes no more than the person they're trying to sell

the car.

Exactly.

And that happens a lot because they, they, if somebody looks at a vehicle down, down the

road and I, you know what, I like that car, they go on the, they go on the internet, they'll,

they'll see, you know, the horsepower, the torque, you know, everything about the vehicle.

And you know, and because of, you know, our, our product specialists say they, we have

a big line of vehicles and, you know, maybe, maybe five, five different trims of one model

and they have all this information in their head, you know, but not, you know, but, but

they have, they're pinpointed on that one car.

They know what they want.

Yeah.

I would think that that could be real helpful to you as the sales person because now whoever's

coming here, they get all their information here, but if they come to your place next

week, they've pretty well got their mind made up on what they want and, and they've got

all their information together that they can come in and say, Hey, I'd really like to have

that one.

And, you know, that's, they come in wanting to buy, they become buyers.

Yeah.

It makes it a lot easier.

Most, you know, most sales people, you know, will say, Oh man, I don't want them to go

shopping and go shopping, make it a lot easier.

You know, if you know what you want, the process is going to be a lot easier on everybody,

on everybody.

Yeah.

So you're not going to be in a dealership for five hours, you know, you know, it, it's

just going to be down from the meet and greet to deciding in finance is going to be a lot

easier.

Do you, do you still get a lot of people though that come into the lot and just, you know,

say, I'm just looking, you know, they really haven't done their homework or anything.

Yes.

And that's, and that's when my product specialist started, they try to narrow down what they,

what they need and their needs and wants and, you know, and land them on a car.

Yeah.

And I don't expect, and really I don't expect them to buy right then and there.

You know, I want them to do the research because most like, I'm, like I said, I'm really confident

in our brand that they'll come back and they'll, and they'll buy from us if we treat it well

and if they like the product.

And if they're happy with their purchase, they're going to be a better customer, I

would think.

Right.

So if I go down there, I'll say Joe, Joe Garcia sent me, I get a special deal or actually

if I, from here, from the auto show, if you, if you tell them that Joe Garcia from the

auto show, um, sent you, uh, we'll give you $500 of a discount.

Oh, fantastic.

I'm glad.

And then tell them that Don Armstrong sent you and then they're going to mark it up by

1500.

25 probably.

But that's good to know.

And I'm sure folks appreciate that too.

Yes.

So, uh, and we're, uh, we treat everybody like family where we're at, um, at Central

Houston, Nissan.

Uh, we do have a, like, a, uh, lifetime powertrain warranty, uh, so, um, anything that goes wrong

with the engine, axle, anything that's, uh, um, that's, uh, lubricated, we'll take care

of it, uh, for just $100 deductible.

Are there any other, uh, incentives to buy a Nissan, you know, you see all these commercials,

you get this much off, you get this much off by now.

Financing.

Yeah.

Like, uh, uh, a lot of our vehicles, we have 0% right now.

Uh, so anyone, and just, uh, just to give you an idea on the Pathfinder, we have 0%

and, uh, and, uh, $5,000 or $5,000 of a rebate.

So that makes it really, uh, really, uh,

I saw a commercial last night, it didn't be the interrupt, but, uh, I saw a commercial

last night on television for the frontier that, uh, that they're pushing.

And I thought, you know, I haven't had a frontier in quite some time.

Is it, it was the new one.

The new, it doesn't look like a frontier.

No, it doesn't.

And, uh, I was impressed and the price was impressive too.

The starting price on it, I'm going, huh, not to cost.

Hey, Steve, would you please get the frontier in the press fleet?

Let me have it for a week.

Yeah, yeah.

Yeah.

The beard sting.

I have, uh, I have two frontiers right now.

I have a pro pro.

So you can't get them either.

I have personally, I have, I have, I own two.

Oh, you personally, he's got the whole inventory of the country.

Yeah.

So, um, I do have a pro four X, which is our off-road and a pro X, which is our

higher line, you know, um, it, uh, so pro X is a four by two.

Do you have any over there?

Yes, I have a, the pro four X here.

No, I know, but I mean, at the dealership, yes, we do.

You got an inventory.

Yeah, we have not just one or two.

No, I have, uh, right now I have exactly 22 of them.

Okay.

Yes.

That's good.

That's an inventory.

That's a good, that's a good number to have.

Yeah, absolutely.

So because I say that because, you know, the Ford Maverick has become very popular

and, um, that whole segment, because, you know, let's face it, half ton pickup trucks

have become so huge and so expensive that, uh, I know a lot of people now when they

go looking for a truck and this is truck country here.

As you know, right, that they go and looking for a truck and you want, man,

that thing wouldn't fit in the garage and, uh, you know, that, that size, what

do you call it, a compact or you, you name it, whatever name you want to put on

it, that fits in the garage and it also fits my budget a lot more so than a half

time.

And the, the, one of the biggest selling points from right now with the frontier

is that we are one of the last V sixes normally aspirator.

We don't have a four-cylinder turbo.

It'd be the last frontier.

Just saying.

That Jeff Zika needs something else, you need more of me people.

Party hard.

You need more of me.

Yeah.

All right.

So, um, where are you located?

I've got, I've got a map.

So when you come in the front door, the Nissan booth is going to be the front

to the right, where it says, all right there.

Right.

You know, don't make me have to come over there.

I see it now.

We need to enlarge the, uh, the logo.

No, I was talking about that sign.

Okay.

Got you.

We have just to the right when you walk in.

Yeah.

We have a big one, a big monument there.

That says central Houston.

Perfect.

Nice.

Joe, thanks.

Hey, thanks for stopping by a man.

It's great to talk to you.

Uh, and, uh, so maybe in the market for a Nissan, even if you're not, stop by,

check them out.

My daughter's coming.

She owns a Nissan now, so she's going to be looking.

Uh, the, uh, just to, uh, just to give you an idea of what we have right now.

We have the Z.

We have a heritage edition.

It's a midnight purple.

Everybody, that's what she needs.

No, she doesn't.

Everybody's looking at that vehicle.

I don't think my son a lot like that.

Everybody's looking at that vehicle because of the color.

You know, it's, uh, it's, um, it's like northern lights.

So you can see the lights on it.

Um, and we have the pro four X, uh, Armada.

What do they call it?

Marano paint, but it, it's, uh, it's just like make the translucent.

Yeah.

It's called flip flop.

I'll go with Marano.

You go.

All right.

You're wearing flip flops.

That's why that's, that's why a feeder calls Joe.

We won't let you have to put up with this any longer, but thanks so much for

stopping by.

We appreciate you.

We'll come by for a hot dog later on.

Yeah.

Awesome.

Okay.

Thank you, sir.

Thank you.

All right.

Hey, um, we want to remind you that Jeff has the racing calendar.

Yeah, I got some more.

Mars has this week in auto history and I'll bring you this week's automotive

news headlines.

The in wheel time car talk show continues right after this break.

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from your favorite podcast channel.

Okay, time now for the racing calendar sponsored by Texas Muscle Car Club

Challenge, Jeffery.

Thank you for that.

NHRA is coming up.

We talked about that.

I've got a lot of stuff to go through here.

Bear with me.

Oh, Bob, take your time.

Sure.

But I've got plenty.

Okay.

NHRA coming up.

Gainesville.

That's going to be in March.

I have the Formula One schedule for 2026.

You don't, because usually, usually that's barred from your list.

And for my lips, not only my lips, but my lips.

I'm going to go ahead and follow it.

You've got Bahrain, Bahrain.

Bahrain, you got brain testing.

You need some water.

I do.

Good.

February 13th, they're going to be testing in Bahrain.

I have Bahrain, Bahrain.

Indy car schedules out.

Hubba, hubba.

That's in St. Petersburg, March 1st.

Where is the Indy 500?

That's May weekend of Memorial.

Memorial weekend.

You get it's my birthday and, uh, Indy and everybody gets off for the holiday

because of my birthday.

For your birthday.

Yeah, it's very nice.

You got trucks.

You got Xfinity.

You got Cup coming up very soon in February.

Check this out.

It was announced by the president this week that Indy car is coming to

Washington, DC, Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington.

I'd like to go to that.

I think we need to cover that.

We need to be there.

So you are your chart and I want you to be the witness.

You Mars, it's up to you to make sure that we get there and we do a live broadcast

on the Saturday before the actual event.

It's going to be all paid for.

We want to have motel room, hotel rooms, right downtown Washington, DC,

next to the Washington monument.

We want all of this.

Maybe we could say a Trump tower.

I don't care about that.

Well, if I can get him to pay for it, well, whatever, I don't care.

Whoever pays for it.

We don't care.

Well, it's going to be at the Capitol under the Washington mall.

It's a historic event.

It's going to be August 21st through the 23rd of this year celebrating

America's 250 birthday.

Now it's a lot of stuff going on.

It's a lot of departments of this and department of that.

The race is expected to be free for spectators.

And I think the way they're going to do this is you have to register online

to get a ticket, but you know, it's going to be no cost to the public.

Wow, I'm I'm here.

I guess the bleachers will be able to have like reserved seating and you win.

And I don't know.

It just says the race is expected to be free to attend spectators

and will be a significant event history of American motorsports.

Yeah, I think what I'm saying that the last time they had a race there,

it was a horse and buggy race back in early.

You were there, weren't you?

Well, I remember it kind of sort of, but it was I was really young.

You had the scooper.

You were the scooper behind the horse.

Here's the pooper scooper.

Now, a couple more things you've got this year.

There are 22 mushers, David, and the Iditarod trail sled dog race.

There's 22 of you, a musher, a musher.

That's what they call them.

And the reigning champion, Jesse Holmes, has re-entered the race.

It's going to be fantastic.

I'd go to Jesse.

Jesse.

And now you've got also a snowmobile hill climb racing is coming up.

That's going to be in in Wyoming.

And you've got some things going on in Colorado.

So all the snow stuff going on, all the racing, cool stuff.

I like it. Get a snowball.

Take it with you.

Throw it.

Dress warm, my friends.

All right, Mr.

Mars has this week in auto history.

Yes, sir. I do.

So there was about six, seven things I found that thought were really

interesting, particularly coming to the car show now in January of 1926.

Pontiac brand was actually introduced and it was actually positioned to be

above the Chevrolet and as one of the kind of a performance car,

but actually a value cars where it actually started out.

But it ended up being the GTO, the Firebird, the Pontiac,

all the things that actually made the or started the muscle car environment.

Then in 1958, the first production air suspension came up,

and I thought this was interesting that it was 1958 before it happened.

Cadillac was one of the big people that really bought into it.

There were several others like American Motors had air suspension

on some of their cars that year.

It didn't last very long on other cars, but Cadillac hung on to it

and they've actually used it even today in some of the vehicles.

And GM puts it on some of their SUVs as well.

So it was kind of, I thought it was kind of interesting that it all started then.

Then in 1969, the Ford GT40, this is its last major victory.

Now it won a lot of things going on.

And if you've got to see the movie, Ford versus Ferrari,

you saw how that all worked out and there's another story about that

I think we need to look into and how that race ended.

But anyway, it dominated in Le Mans and it really set up American

endurance racing as something that actually competes.

And it's a very historic car.

And this is actually the car that's on in a museum.

Then in 1971, we relate back to history how it kind of repeats.

This is actually what is considered the end of the muscle car era.

Now it was part of it.

Everybody thinks it was because of the small controls.

That was a big deal of it.

But the insurance premiums really is what started putting the pressure

on people buying these cars.

They were high powered engines.

They got expensive to insure.

If you were 18, 19 years old at a high school, had a job and you wanted

to go buy one of these cars for four or $5,000.

Insurance could cost you $1,000 or $1,500 a year.

It cost you almost as much as the car.

And then you combine that with the emission regulations as putting

pressure on the car manufacturers to go along with lower sales because

of insuring them and it all worked together to kind of create

the end of the muscle car era as we knew it.

Then in 1987, of course, somebody's got to be different.

Buick.

Jeff.

Thank you.

The GNX was released and it was a very unassuming.

It was a black coupe, but it had many powers where many V8 cars really were

surprised because of the turbocharged engine that was in this car.

It wasn't loud and it just was kind of a sleeper.

It's what we would call a sleeper nowadays.

Then tying it all together in 2010, the last Pontiac was built.

Now this was, uh, it had been working around for generations.

He threw the transands, the GTX, the Grand Prix.

I mean the GTO and the Grand Prix.

But the last Pontiac that was actually built was this particular car right here.

And it's a G8 car and it's in the museum and like everything else.

And everybody goes, wow, what happened to him?

The G8 of all the things, really?

All the things they could.

That was the last one that was built.

You remember the G8?

Some frumpy sedan that General Motors came up with that nobody bought.

Way to go Pontiac.

So it was, uh, that was this week in auto history since we were at the new

car show for a lot of automakers.

Super Bowl marketing is in the rear view mirror.

The category once a stalwart is poised for another down year with only two brands.

Toyota and Cadillac confirming ad buys as of now, instead of shelling out as much

as $9 million for 30 seconds of airtime in the game, plus millions more for production costs.

Many automakers are seeking more value with their media buys.

According to experts, the in real time car talk shows a great buy.

Oh, excellent.

The reality is that the while the game routinely attracts well in excess of 100

million viewers, only a fraction of those people are typically in the market for a car

and reaching those consumers has become a priority.

Toyota, an official NFL sponsor, is back after taking last year off.

Cadillac is in the game for the first time since 2021.

The GM brand is using its ad to promote its new Formula one team via a buy and creative

approach handled by its joint venture with TWG Motorsports possible for

automakers to still jump in.

But ad age has confirmed that two Super Bowl regulars, Stalantas and Kia are sitting it out.

BMW, Ford, Hyundai, Audi, Honda, Nissan and Mercedes-Benz also do not have plans to run

in game spots, according to representatives.

Wow. Volkswagen, which last ran an ad in 2024, was less explicit, telling ad age that

we don't have any Super Bowl plans to share at this time.

Well, of course, you're not going to share anything.

Well, you got to kind of see it coming.

The expense and.

Well, and there's a lot more outlets now to spend your ad dollars.

And BMW is sticking with large combustion engines, including V8 and V12 units,

even as it pivots its core lineup toward electric vehicles under its new class strategy

spelled N-E-U-E, capital K-L-A-S-S-E.

What?

Classy.

I before E, except after C.

I know, it's German.

High performance engines remain a central part of our strategy.

A BMW spokesman said, pushing back against speculation that the automaker was preparing

to phase out its biggest engines.

Those rumors gained traction after BMW ended V8 production at its Steyr plant in

Austria at the end of 25, the move marked a relocation rather than a shutdown.

Production of V8 and V12 engines has been transferred to BMW's Hams Hall facility

in the UK, where the company has been building three and four cylinder gasoline

engines and has produced large displacement engines since 2022.

Well, so there's that.

And finally, Ford Motor Company has formed a broad multi-year partnership with

Workwear car maker Carhartt, aimed at getting more people into skilled trades

and improving communities.

Collaboration also involves co-branded merchandise, uniforms for aspiring

dealership technicians, and a Carhartt edition for the 2027 Ford Super Duty

pickup truck.

Those are some of the stories this week.

We got more also just ahead, so stay with us for that.

OK. Hey, we'd love to hear from you.

Shoot us an email.

The address is info at InWheelTime.com.

The InWheelTime car talk show continues after this break.

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Apple or Android and Wheel Time podcasts can be found everywhere on the stream

and through downloads, whether you're on the road or at home

and Jones in for a different kind of car talk show, give in Wheel Time a try.

Honest new car reviews, fun, informative interviews with real car people,

weekly automotive news, features like Jeff's car culture

and Mike's driving destinations all on In Wheel Time.

Check us out on Sirius XM Podcasts, iHeart Radio,

or while you're shopping on Amazon through Amazon Music.

InWheelTime.com has a list and we know you love lists.

That's it for this podcast episode of the In Wheel Time car show.

I'm Don Armstrong, inviting you to join us for our live show every Saturday

morning on Facebook, YouTube, Twitch and our InWheelTime.com website.

Podcasts are available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, iHeart Podcast,

Podcast Addict, Tune In, Pandora and Amazon Music.

Keep listening and We'll see you soon.

About this episode

Live from the 43rd annual Houston Auto Show, the In-Wheel Time Podcast dives into exciting automotive discussions, including a review of the 2026 Toyota Supra, which marks the last production year of this iconic model. The hosts share insights on the new Formula One cars and the upcoming I-500 snowmobile race, drawing parallels to NASCAR. A special guest from Central Nissan discusses dealership innovations and the differences in car sales between California and Texas, adding a local flavor to the conversation.

19 inch wheels active exhaust system automatic transmissions base trim price bulging rear wheel wells carbon fiber duct tail spoiler ceramic coating chassis upgrades EV Exo Shield

BMW X3 BMW Z4 Buick GNX Chevrolet Corvette Ford GT40 Mazda CX-50 Mercedes-Benz SL Nissan Pathfinder Nissan Rogue Nissan Z Pontiac Firebird Pontiac GTO Toyota Supra

Original notes

Engines echo, tires climb, and families light up as we go live from the 43rd Houston Auto Show—where test drives, ride-alongs, and a boat hall next door turn the day into a full-on adventure. We walk you through Camp Jeep and the Ram Truck track, then step outside for Polaris side-by-sides and a monster truck ride that’s already creating legends in the lobby. Inside, the floor is packed: mainstream brands with full lineups you can sit in, scan, and compare, plus a luxury gallery ranging from Rolls-Royce and Aston Martin to Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Lotus.

We dig into what buyers really care about right now—transparent pricing, base vs top-trim choices, and how QR codes help you validate features on the spot. Our conversation moves from tow ratings and hitch options to a smarter way to shop: plan a route with the official floor map, hit your short list first, and use the show to compare brands in minutes, not weekends. Along the way, we spotlight why Stellantis returned in force and how interactive experiences like Toyota’s game show and Subaru’s adoption corner make the event feel human and memorable.

Gearheads get a double hit. Jeff kickstarts racing season with Formula One’s new era testing notes, the I-500 snowmobile classic, and a calendar stacked with NHRA, NASCAR, and IndyCar—plus a fresh street race headed to Washington, D.C. Then we dive into the 2026 Toyota Supra Final Edition: Gazoo Racing details, BMW-sourced straight-six punch, an eight-speed that makes the manual optional, and the kind of poised stiffness that turns on-ramps into moments. We close with Joe Garcia from Central Houston Nissan, who explains why the Rogue keeps winning, how the new Dark Armor trim hits the value sweet spot, and why the V6 Frontier is the right-size truck for garage and budget.

Subscribe for more live showfloor coverage, share this with your car-curious friends, and leave a review with the one vehicle you’d test first at the show.

Be sure to subscribe for more In Wheel Time Car Talk!

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