Scout Motors’ chief exterior designer Taylor Langhals breaks down how the new Scout Traveler and Terra reinterpret the 1960s Scout look without going full retro—highlighting the long dash-to-axle silhouette and the “equator line” lighting that wraps the body. The show also covers sim racing gear: Mike Slade reviews Fanatec’s direct-drive DD Pro wheel and load-cell pedals, explaining why the feel matters over time. In the garage, they test the Audi Q3 (now with a seven-speed dual-clutch) and the Ford F-150 Lobo V8 package, then debate rumors about Chevy’s Corvette hybrid/Grand Sport naming.
This week we catch up with the chief exterior designer for Scout Motors, Taylor Langhals, who explains how Scout took a 1960s and '70s icon and made it cooler than ever for modern buyers. Host Greg Migliore interviews Langhals at the Scout Innovation Center in suburban Detroit, where they discuss the look and features of the Terra pickup truck and Traveler SUV.
In this week’s gear test, Mike Schlee reviews Fanatec sim racing gear.
In the AutoGuide Garage, Greg test drives Ford F-150 Lobo, and Mike gets behind the wheel of the Audi Q3.
We close things out with the mailbag, where we try to make sense of Corvette’s electric future.
"In this week's gear test, Mike reviews some Bannatec Sim racing gear."
Sim racing gear refers to peripherals like steering wheels, pedals, and cockpits used to race in video games. It’s often used to build real driving skills through force feedback and realistic controls.
"Title, financing, registration, delivery, it's all built in."
They’re listing the paperwork and logistics needed to get a car: the title, the loan/financing, registration, and delivery. The point is that it’s handled for you.
This list describes the major administrative steps involved in buying a car. Bundling them together is meant to reduce friction for buyers who don’t want to coordinate paperwork across multiple parties.
"I mean, I think you captured it really well with kind of the mix of old and new.
But for us, we have a really powerful and beautiful heritage to pull from."
They’re trying to keep the Scout look that fans recognize, but update it so it feels modern. It’s like using familiar design features, then refreshing everything else.
The “mix of old and new” refers to a design strategy that keeps recognizable brand cues from the original Scout vehicles while updating the styling for modern tastes and technologies. In practice, this often means preserving proportions or signature shapes while changing surfaces, lighting, and aerodynamics.
"But for us, we have a really powerful and beautiful heritage to pull from.
There was definitely a key aesthetic that the original Scout vehicles had, but there's"
They’re talking about the Scout brand’s history—what made the original vehicles special. That history includes both the look of the cars and the people who kept the brand going.
“Heritage” here means the original Scout vehicles’ defining visual identity and the culture around them. The guest ties heritage to both a key aesthetic and a community that kept the brand’s spirit alive.
"And first and foremost, they were a blank canvas for people to work from.
They people modified them.
They made them their own."
They mean the old Scouts were easy for owners to customize. People could modify them and make them their own without starting from a car that was too restrictive.
Calling the original Scouts a “blank canvas” describes how the vehicles were popular starting points for customization. This implies the design and packaging were friendly to modifications—owners could personalize them with aftermarket parts and unique builds.
"something we call the equator line. It's it's where the the visual weight of the car is and everything hangs off of it in a very beautiful way."
“Visual weight” means what part of the design looks most important or dominant. They’re saying the equator line is the main reference point that makes the rest of the car’s shapes look balanced.
“Visual weight” is a design term for how heavy or dominant a shape/feature feels to the eye. Here, the equator line is described as the anchor that determines how the rest of the surfaces and lighting “hang” visually.
"So for us, we spent a lot of time on the face of the new Scout vehicles. So you'll notice that the Scout script, for example, is offset to the right."
Scout Motors is the car company talking about how they design their vehicles. In this part, they’re explaining how the front design and lights help you recognize the car quickly.
Scout Motors is the automaker being discussed in this segment. The speakers focus on how the brand’s design language—especially the front fascia and lighting—helps make the vehicles recognizable.
"Or maybe worst of all, wait for hours at the DMV just to transfer the title. That era is over for years."
When you buy a car, the title has to be put in your name. That’s the legal proof you own the vehicle, and it usually involves paperwork at the DMV.
Transferring a vehicle title is the legal process of changing ownership from the seller to the buyer. It’s often handled through state agencies like the DMV and can involve fees, forms, and verification of the vehicle’s status.
"eBay has been the go to for gear heads, collectors and DIYers because whatever you're into from classics to SUVs and trucks to imports. eBay's got it."
eBay is an online marketplace where people buy and sell cars. Here, they’re talking about using it to buy a car more like a complete transaction, not just a listing.
eBay is an online marketplace where buyers and sellers can find vehicles ranging from classic cars to modern SUVs and trucks. In this segment, eBay is positioned as a platform that can streamline the buying process beyond just listing cars.
"we have this nice five and a half foot bed. So again, drawing inspiration from the past."
That’s the length of the truck’s cargo area. They’re connecting the design to real-world usefulness—how much you can haul.
A “bed” is the cargo box on a pickup-style truck. Mentioning a “five and a half foot bed” ties design choices to function—specifically, how much usable cargo space the truck provides.
"They are body on frame trucks through and through. They're functional."
Body-on-frame means the truck has a strong “skeleton” (frame) and the body is attached to it. This is typical for trucks and can make them better for tough use and adding gear.
“Body on frame” describes a truck construction method where the body is mounted to a separate ladder-style frame. It’s common in traditional trucks because it can be durable under heavy loads and is often well-suited to off-road use and aftermarket modifications.
"eBay has reinvented vehicle buying from click to curb.
Everything's covered with their new secure purchase."
“Click to curb” means you can buy a car online and have it delivered to you. It’s meant to feel easier than doing everything at a dealership.
“Click to curb” describes buying a vehicle online and having it delivered to the buyer’s location. It emphasizes convenience—most of the process happens digitally rather than in-person at a dealership.
"This is a Fanatec gear for some sim racing.
If you're a big fan of racing and gaming, this is definitely something you're going to want to hear more about."
Fanatec makes racing simulation gear, like steering wheels and pedals. Here they’re talking about the setup used for sim racing games.
Fanatec is a well-known manufacturer of sim-racing hardware like steering wheels and pedals. In this context, “Fanatec gear” refers to the equipment used to simulate driving/racing for video games.
"[792.8s] And this wheel is anywhere from two to three times the price of, say,
[796.9s] Thrustmaster or Logitech entry level.
[799.2s] And the reason being is a strut drive."
Logitech sells affordable racing wheel and pedal setups for games. The speaker is saying the Fanatec gear costs more than these entry-level Logitech options.
Logitech is a mainstream consumer electronics brand that also sells entry-level sim racing wheels and pedals. The speaker uses it as a reference point for pricing versus higher-end direct-drive hardware.
"[792.8s] And this wheel is anywhere from two to three times the price of, say,
[796.9s] Thrustmaster or Logitech entry level.
[799.2s] And the reason being is a strut drive."
Thrustmaster makes sim racing controllers and steering wheels. Here it’s mentioned as a cheaper alternative to the higher-end Fanatec setup.
Thrustmaster is a major sim-racing and flight-sim hardware manufacturer. The speaker compares the Fanatec wheel’s cost to Thrustmaster’s entry-level options, implying a step up in realism and performance.
"[822.8s] But I know a lot of people use the same setup for a set of Corsa or iRacing.
[826.9s] It really does make a difference.
[828.9s] And then the pedals, too,"
iRacing is an online sim racing platform that supports force-feedback wheels and load-cell pedals. The speaker’s point is that direct-drive wheels and load-cell brakes can noticeably improve the feel and control in these sims.
"Like I said, the DD Pro, which has a it comes with a five Newton meter torque force, direct drive force feedback, I've upgraded to the eight, but you can get like bigger systems with 12 to give you even more risk breaking force."
Force feedback is the system that turns the game’s physics into physical resistance in the steering wheel. It’s what lets you feel things like grip changes, braking load, and steering corrections through the wheel.
"And we were there to drive the all new generation of the Audi Q3. [1094.6s] So this is the third gen and they've taken the vehicle."
The Audi Q3 is a small luxury SUV/crossover. They’re talking about the newest version and what Audi changed for it.
The Audi Q3 is a compact luxury crossover. In this segment, the host is driving the “all new” Q3 and discussing how the latest generation changes the design and powertrain.
"So with this new combination, it's taken like over one and a half seconds off the zero to 60 time, which is quite a bit because you're only talking like a 27 horsepower increase, but a lot of us do the transmission."
It’s a measure of how fast the car gets from a stop to 60 mph. Faster times usually mean quicker acceleration, but tires and drivetrain also matter.
“Zero to 60 time” is how long a vehicle takes to accelerate from 0 mph to 60 mph. It’s a common way to compare performance, though it depends on traction, gearing, and vehicle weight as much as engine power.
"The dual clutch is actually one of the smoothest of ever driven. It really lacks a lot of that low speed jerkiness and hesitation that plagues that kind of transmission."
A dual-clutch transmission is a type of automatic that shifts quickly. It can feel smooth, but some cars can be jerky at low speeds—this one is described as avoiding that.
A dual-clutch transmission (DCT) uses two clutches to pre-select gears, enabling fast shifts. The speaker praises its smoothness and notes it avoids common low-speed jerkiness.
"The downside is unless you're in full launch control, you never get that 5.5 seconds, 0 to 60 mile an hour."
“0 to 60” is how fast a car can go from stopped to 60 mph. It depends on how well the car can put power to the road and how quickly it responds.
“0 to 60” is a common performance metric measuring how quickly a car accelerates from a standstill to 60 mph. It’s heavily influenced by traction control, transmission behavior, and how quickly the powertrain responds.
"It comes with the S line trim. There's not all these different like alpha numeric configurations"
S line is an Audi trim that usually makes the car look sportier and adds nicer features. It’s more about style and equipment than raw performance.
S line is an Audi appearance and equipment trim level that typically adds sportier styling cues and upgraded interior/exterior features. It’s not the same as an S or RS performance model, but it often gives a more aggressive look.
"The F-150 Lobo is basically a package that you can get on the STX trim"
They’re saying the Lobo is more like a bundle of options. Instead of building the truck from scratch, you get a set of features together.
The speaker says the F-150 Lobo is “basically a package,” meaning it’s bundled with specific equipment rather than being a completely separate model. This is common in truck lineups: packages let buyers get a desired look/feature set at a defined price.
"22 inch black wheels with kind of thin spokes. It has like a 12 piece body kit..."
Wheel size and finish strongly influence a truck’s visual stance and perceived sportiness. Larger wheels with thinner-spoke designs also tend to pair with lower-profile tires, which can change ride quality.
"You get that low end low end torque, which is very desirable"
Low-end torque is the engine’s pulling power when you’re not revving high. It helps the truck feel responsive right away when you start moving.
Low-end torque is the twisting force available at lower engine speeds, which helps with quick takeoffs and effortless acceleration. The speaker calls it “very desirable,” implying the engine feels strong without needing to rev high.
"[1567.2s] Like you're talking cloth seats, no seat heaters, no steering wheel heaters.
[1572.1s] A lot of the things that for sixty two grand, you just kind of think"
Seat heaters warm your seat. They’re great in cold weather because you don’t have to wait for the cabin to warm up.
Seat heaters are comfort features that warm the seat cushion and back. They’re especially valuable in cold climates because they reduce how long it takes the cabin to feel comfortable.
"[1567.2s] Like you're talking cloth seats, no seat heaters, no steering wheel heaters.
[1572.1s] A lot of the things that for sixty two grand, you just kind of think"
Steering wheel heaters warm the steering wheel. In winter, it helps your hands feel comfortable faster.
Steering wheel heaters warm the wheel for comfort in cold conditions. They’re a common “premium” feature on higher-trim vehicles, and their absence can make a car feel less upscale even if performance is strong.
"And as we all know, EVs and electric vehicles have been so politicized that there's probably a lot of consumers who like Corvettes who are like, I'm not going to touch the electric one..."
EVs stands for electric vehicles—cars that run primarily on electricity from a battery. The host notes that EVs have become politically charged, which affects how some Corvette buyers perceive an electrified (but not fully electric) variant.
"reportedly meaning that it gets a front-mounted electric motor plus all-wheel drive, you're definitely soft selling it in a way"
All-wheel drive means power goes to all four wheels. That usually helps the car grip the road better when you accelerate.
All-wheel drive (AWD) sends power to both front and rear axles. In electrified performance cars, AWD can improve traction and reduce wheelspin, especially during hard launches or in low-grip conditions.
Select text to request an explanation
Welcome back to the AutoGuide Show, presented by eBay Motors.
I'm Greg Migliore and this week we catch up with the cheap exterior designer for Scout
Motors.
His name is Taylor Langhills and he explains how Scout took a 1960s icon and made it cooler
than ever for modern buyers.
In this week's gear test, Mike reviews some Bannatec Sim racing gear.
If you're a gamer who's into racing, you definitely want to stick around for that.
In the AutoGuide Garage, I test drive the Ford F-150 Lobo and Mike gets behind the wheel
of the Audi Q3.
We close things out with a mailbag, where we try to make sense of Corvette's electric
future.
But first, a word from eBay.
eBay has reinvented vehicle buying.
From click to curb, everything's covered.
With their new secure purchase, eBay isn't just where you find your car, it's where
you buy it.
Start to finish.
Title, financing, registration, delivery, it's all built in.
And eligible vehicle purchases are backed up by up to $100,000 in protection.
This is what modern car buying looks like.
Get your next ride on eBay.
eBay.
Things people love.
Secure purchase is powered by Carmel Dealer Services LLC and eBay subsidiary.
We're here with Taylor Langhals.
He's the chief exterior designer for Scouts New Vehicles.
This is the Tara and the Traveler.
Thanks for being here.
Yeah, of course.
Yeah, pleasure.
So it's a little loud.
This is sort of one of Scouts first press conferences here in Michigan.
So everybody's super excited to see the vehicles.
We've got the old one behind us here.
This is super sweet.
The new ones sort of blend some of that, that heritage of the old ones, but with a much
more modern cable slinker styling.
Taylor, why don't you start us off, tell us what's the sort of design mission for these
new vehicles?
Yeah.
I mean, I think you captured it really well with kind of the mix of old and new.
But for us, we have a really powerful and beautiful heritage to pull from.
There was definitely a key aesthetic that the original Scout vehicles had, but there's
also a very rich community that kept it alive over all these years.
So a couple of things stood out to us.
When I think back to all the Scouts I've seen throughout my life, there was a couple of
things I noticed.
And first and foremost, they were a blank canvas for people to work from.
They people modified them.
They made them their own.
It was the extension of their personalities really.
But in doing so, they're all still very uniquely Scout, which I thought was very interesting.
Like even, you know, with the modifications people did to them at a glance, you still
knew it was a Scout vehicle going down the road.
So I think that was crucial to us going forward.
So for us, when we started designing, it really starts in a side view.
It's creating this beautiful silhouette that is recognizable.
And the old Scout that's directly behind us here does that in a pretty unique way.
The cabin is set back on the wheels, as we call it very long dash to axle.
So it's a distance between the windshield and the front wheel, and that gives it like
a really powerful stance, but a very cool silhouette.
So that's where we drew inspiration from when we started designing the traveler was those
key features.
So the from the original Scout to and then as we worked our way around the car, we found
a lot of unique features that we wanted to pull from and incorporate into our DNA.
As you can see on the original one, there was this really unique side marker that was
on the front and the back of the vehicle.
And so we took that opportunity to modernize it into something we call the equator line.
And so you'll see on the new traveler and Tara, we have a really cool light that's placed
in the same location.
You could draw a very clean line between the surfaces and that tracks all the way around
the car is where the headlights come and go through the fender and again on the tail lights,
something we call the equator line.
It's it's where the the visual weight of the car is and everything hangs off of it in a
very beautiful way.
So there's I mean, there's we could go around a million different details that have drawn
inspiration from from the original car, but we've put a lot of time and thought into every
single aspect of of how it is now.
So I'm curious, like some brands have gone like totally retro.
Like you think of like the Dodge Challenger, for example.
You guys have like, if you look at the new the new Scouts, they look like it old Scout,
but they're not carbon top.
Right.
Why do that?
Yeah, I mean, as we said, the original cars had this very recognizable aesthetic.
Yeah.
And we don't want to copy what they did before, but we want to interpret it and bring it into
today's market, into into the future, into something that we can continue to build on
as we go forward.
If we just did a retro statement, where do you go from there?
Right.
So we had to we had to create something that was Scout motors that was inspired by the
past, but it gave us room to play as we go forward.
And I think we did that in a successful way.
Very cool.
Very cool.
Tell me maybe like two or three of your favorite features from the exterior, some Easter eggs
even too.
So as we talked about, there's the equator line that wraps around the car.
But then I think a really key element of of any car design is the face.
It's a personality, right?
Yeah.
So for us, we spent a lot of time on the face of the new Scout vehicles.
So you'll notice that the Scout script, for example, is offset to the right.
It's our signature on the art piece.
It's not centered.
It's, you know, the original cars had international on the driver's side.
We took that as inspiration to rebrand in our new way with our Scout script,
which is a beautifully designed hitter of the original Scout logo.
And then we have something that we call ghost lighting, which is this nice
ambient light that traces around that shape.
And it really just celebrates the shape.
And the original cars had that.
They had this very unique kind of pill shape on the front end.
We wanted to do that.
And again, a more modern way so that at night, if one's coming at you,
you'll see this nice blow of the shape versus like high powerful headlights.
There was, you know, you can't tell what the vehicle is.
This will give you an instantly recognizable shape, daytime and night.
So, you know, I think it's a pretty cool feature.
You're listening to the Auto Guide show presented by eBay Motors.
We'll be right back with more from Taylor from Scout Motors.
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Taylor, can you tell me a little bit about any differences
between the SUV and the truck beyond like the obvious ones,
but any design differences?
How did that shake up?
Yeah, so obviously the the terror and the traveler, they share a very similar front end.
There's subtle differences in the hood and the bumpers.
But then as you work your way down the terror, for example,
we have this nice five and a half foot bed.
So again, drawing inspiration from the past.
The Scout 80 was this very beautiful, pure form.
You had a very clean shoulder line, a nice barreled body side.
But in the back of it had a really subtle flick of the surfacing that was in the shoulder.
And you'll see that exact flick in the bed of the the terror truck.
So it was a nice like tie to another part of the past
that we wanted to bring into the terror.
And then in the back, you know, the rear ends of the vehicles are complementary,
but they're not exactly the same.
So again, celebrating the lighting and the shape is done in two different
ways between the terror and the traveler.
But they both have a very clean rear mask graphic that celebrates the brand.
Can you talk about how the design supports the function of the vehicle?
Yeah. So as I mentioned, early on, the original vehicles, right?
They were heavily modified.
Yeah. And I think that that is some of the magic of the Scout brand
and something we want to embrace.
So you'll see in our terror and our traveler,
we're taking this as an opportunity to test different accessories.
We want to see people modifying them.
We want to see them upfit.
We want to see them as an extension of whoever is buying them's personality.
So we're starting to look at some different options of accessories
that that we see people could benefit from.
And our goal is, you know, when the vehicle launches to have a plethora
of things that people can choose from and then have their vehicle
upfit exactly how they want it.
What what haven't I asked you?
Would you like to tell me about the design of these new scouts?
Oh, that's a good one. Free question. Yeah.
I would say the the thing that we're most proud of, I think,
and what sets us apart right now is one, the technology to the design,
but three, it's still a very authentic vehicle.
They are body on frame trucks through and through.
They're functional.
They have pulled door handles.
There's no fuss, you know, no extra ornamentation.
They are built for function and they are built for purpose.
And I think that that that's going to be a powerful thing in this segment.
All right. I cannot wait to drive.
So this is I think this is going to be a very fun brand to watch
in the coming years. Yeah, appreciate it.
You're listening to the Auto Guide Show presented by eBay Motors.
eBay has reinvented vehicle buying from click to curb.
Everything's covered with their new secure purchase.
eBay isn't just where you find your car.
It's where you buy it, start to finish title, financing, registration,
delivery, it's all built in and eligible vehicle purchases
are backed up by up to $100,000 in protection.
This is what modern car buying looks like.
Get your next ride on eBay.
eBay, things people love.
Secure purchase is powered by Carmel Dealer Services, LLC and eBay subsidiary.
OK, Mike Slade joins me now to talk about his latest gear test.
This is a Fanatec gear for some sim racing.
If you're a big fan of racing and gaming,
this is definitely something you're going to want to hear more about.
So what have you been doing with this, Mike, playing games on company time?
I wish that's my goal is to, you know, review review games
on the side on company time car games, of course.
But yeah, I know I've I've been doing racing games forever.
Anyone who follows the site will see all of my throwback video game reviews
and my growing up with Gran Drismo series and talked about Gran Drismo Seven.
And so I got into actually had a wheel for Gran Drismo one, I think,
for PlayStation one, and it was terrible.
It was there wasn't even analog back then.
So the pedals were basically buttons and so was the wheel.
But as the years went on, I ended up getting more advanced ones
for Gran Drismo five and six.
And then when those ones finally wore out, I decided to make the plunge
and buy the Fanatec Gran Drismo DD Pro.
And this wheel is anywhere from two to three times the price of, say,
Thrustmaster or Logitech entry level.
And the reason being is a strut drive.
So that means it's not a bunch of pulleys and wires.
It's more like a real steering set up in a vehicle.
And it feels that way.
I heard about it.
And when you get when you first start using it, you think,
this doesn't feel a ton different.
But as you play more and more and you feel the expansion joints on the road
and the races you're doing, especially if you're using something
that has some pretty real feel, a guy in Gran Drismo.
But I know a lot of people use the same setup for a set of Corsa or iRacing.
It really does make a difference.
And then the pedals, too, I've upgraded my pedals from the CSL ones
to CSL twos with a load cell break.
And it just gives such a more real feel.
And again, I switched to it.
And over time, I realized how much better it was.
And then recently I actually used just, I won't say the competitor,
but a regular setup.
And I was like, oh, wow, this feels so artificial.
Now, I mean, it's not completely replicating, but it's kind of cool.
And again, when I'll reference Gran Drismo, how the cars are programmed
different, so some of the race cars are very light precise steering
and some of the road cars are way too heavy steering.
And that's sort of how it is in real life.
And it's it's as close as you can get.
I don't even have the full version I have.
Like I said, the DD Pro, which has a it comes with a five Newton meter
torque force, direct drive force feedback, I've upgraded to the eight,
but you can get like bigger systems with 12 to give you even more
risk breaking force.
But anyone that's really serious into
SIM driving or even just part time like I am, it's
this system is worth the investment if you're going to play enough.
I mean, we're talking thousands of dollars up front.
But if you use it daily for years, it pays for itself early.
It sounds fun.
And now what type of, I guess, way to get into this would you suggest?
Would you say like go full on with like all of the elements of it,
maybe ease into it?
I mean, if you're maybe more like a casual gamer, how do you approach stuff like this?
So that's sort of how I got into it.
I always was interested, but the problem is, is there's bases and there's wheels
and there's a ton of wheels.
You can get some pretty expensive wheels like full replicas of GT three cars
or somewhat replicas of F1 car wheels, like that's just a double grip,
almost like a, not a wheel, but what do you call it, the Yoke.
So those can get real expensive, but it's to give you the better feel.
The reason I got into it was Gran Turismo released the Gran
Turismo DD Pro set, which gave me the wheel, the base and the pedals offer
at the time, it was about $1400.
So somewhat reasonable for what you got.
They've upgraded it since there's actually a bigger version,
but that set, I can still, as I said, I've already upgraded the pedals.
I could get different wheels.
I could get a different base to put with the wheel.
The reason I use this specific steering wheel is it's designed for the game.
But I mean, there's people out there who are probably into the five digits
of wheels and bases and pedals at the interchange.
And the ones who are super serious and some racers have like,
this is my GT three racing set.
This is my open wheel set.
So I mean, you can go as crazy as your budget allows, but you could get
a full kit with the proper direct drive for, like I said, somewhere
between a thousand fifteen hundred dollars.
So it's a bit of an investment, but obviously it really takes
the gaming experience to another level.
Correct.
And like the next thing and you can upgrade as you go.
So like I said, I got the kit that I spent the money to get the upgraded pedals.
The next thing is I want to get the shifter.
So Phantac has a specific shifter, which is kind of cool because it's a dual.
So it can either be an H pattern.
So you can have like a traditional manual to use with my clutch pedal,
or you can put it into a mode where it's just like a sequential
and just pops back like up and down.
I wheel mounted shifters as well.
But it's kind of cool.
So with the game, like I have that as old cars that have manuals,
like a drive manual just for fun.
Or if I get in some of the older race cars that had sequentials,
I can do that as well.
All right, we're going to go inside the Auto Guide garage.
Now, where Mike has been driving the Audi Q3 out in California,
getting some beautiful weather out there, and I have been driving
the Ford F-150 Lobo in some not so beautiful weather here on the wet
and rainy spring streets of Michigan.
Mike, since you win the weather game, let's go with you first.
How is the Q3?
So yes, I was in San Luis Obispo, which I think I pronounced that right.
It is in the central coast of California.
I'd never actually heard of it.
It's in a place called Slow County SLO and it is beautiful.
Nice rolling hills all around it.
It's sort of like a college town, all low rise buildings,
lots of thrift shops, just a quaint downtown.
It's quite the nice place.
And we were there to drive the all new generation of the Audi Q3.
So this is the third gen and they've taken the vehicle.
And I'd say it's evolutionary, but they've improved almost everything,
which is, I know, a lot to say, but it kind of is true.
So the styling I like, it's representative of the other new models
the brands introduced like the A5 and the Q5 and the A6.
It's got the big Audi grille.
They always have big, huge grilles up front.
But I like sort of the way the lights are integrated in the back inside.
It's a little bit larger.
It's a little bit larger in every dimension outside with length and height.
Not a great deal. We're talking a couple inches here and there.
Big news under the hood, the two liter engine is up on power.
It's now making about 255 horsepower.
I should know that number off my heart, but I'm pretty sure that's what it is.
But the bigger news is the eight speed automatic transmission is gone.
And it's been replaced by a seven speed dual clutch.
So whereas a lot of manufacturers are going
away from dual clutches and to automatics, Audi's decided to go back.
And the reason being is they wanted to give it a little more response and performance.
So with this new combination, it's taken like over one and a half seconds
off the zero to 60 time, which is quite a bit because
you're only talking like a 27 horsepower increase, but a lot of us do the transmission.
So it's like five and a half seconds.
This isn't designed to be a performance vehicle, though.
And they made that clear in the event in the presentation.
It's meant to be a luxury little SUV with a sporty edge.
It's designed power price content wise to fit between say the BMW X1
28 X-Trive and the 35 X-Trive for the Mercedes Benz GLA 250 and the 35 AMG.
And that's because Audi is going with a single vehicle solution here.
There's no more 40, 45 and the numbers they used to use that stuff's all dead.
And this is just a single all wheel drive version.
Quickly, how does it drive?
It drives really well. No adaptive suspension whatsoever.
Just a solid fixed suspension, but it really does split sport and comfort well.
It's not the poshest and it's not the best handler, but it does both pretty well.
We were ripping through the roads and it remained flat enough and didn't make me
or my co-driver nauseous or queasy.
Yeah, when you hit bumps, it doesn't jar the cabin either.
So kudos there.
The dual clutch is actually one of the smoothest of ever driven.
It really lacks a lot of that low speed jerkiness and hesitation
that plagues that kind of transmission.
And I think that's because Audi's tuned it to really eliminate that.
The downside is unless you're in full launch control,
you never get that 5.5 seconds, 0 to 60 mile an hour.
There's a delay from when you hit the accelerator to when the transmission
and engine decide, OK, let's get under power smoothly, as opposed to a lot
of dual clutches where you feel the jerkiness of it engaged.
But as I said, when you're slowing down or you're just driving at low speeds,
there's none of this on off that you feel inside technology.
Great. It's got the dual screen set up.
It's got the largest single piece of wood Audi's ever put in a vehicle,
which is kind of funny, since they're tiny with the SUV,
but it just looks and feels premium inside and out.
There's nothing about it that stands out as like this defines the class
like the X one is funky and the GLA has that sort of crazy.
Well, when it first came out, this crazy upscale interior,
but this just does everything really well, sort of like the what they're aiming for,
the one solution for everything.
I think it'll be a real contender in the segment.
I think they've improved everywhere, including fuel economy,
even though it's got more performance.
So, yeah, it was well executed and they didn't try to reinvent the segment
or the car. They just tried to make it better.
I think this is actually a really refreshing take on the segment.
Just do like keep it very simple.
It comes with the S line trim.
There's not all these different like alpha numeric configurations
where you're trying to figure out is this different, is the motor different?
So I think it's again, very refreshing.
I like how it looks to look at these pictures.
I can't wait to drive it.
I'll be interested to kind of sit in the car, see, feel and touch
all the different elements because I've always really liked Audi interiors.
I think they're simple. I think they're clean.
I think they're kind of a nice middle ground between just the pure luxury
that is Mercedes. I think it's Mercedes is often like old money.
It's just so I think that the carriers.
But I think BMW is also sometimes at times they've been a little too like
angular and over the top.
So, you know, we'll see. I can't wait to drive it.
So my dog's making her weekly appearance.
But yeah, I really think it being compared against the
GLA and the X1 would be fantastic.
The question is which trim because they are split the difference.
I mean, they had a slide comparing where you could load up the lower models
and pricing is pretty similar, or you can take the entry level upper models
and basically just undercut them, but have more equipment.
So yeah, something worth investigating in the future.
But overall, good job by them.
Alrighty, so a transition over here to the Ford F-150 Lobo
vastly different segment and execution.
The F-150 Lobo is basically a package that you can get on the STX trim
in the super crew configuration.
So it's a big truck that looks pretty cool.
The one I had was all black, which I think is a really nice treatment
for the Lobo, you know, package, because it's lowered about, I think,
22 inches has 22 inch black wheels with kind of thin spokes.
It has like a 12 piece body kit that makes it look even a little bit
lower than you might expect from an F-150.
And, you know, that's that's about it.
If anything, I think it's maybe a little a bit of a lighter touch
than what you might see with the Maverick Lobo, which to me, that feels
a little more special, a little more fully formed.
But the reason being, though, for that, and that's not like a knock
on the F-150 Lobo, I think it's just there's so many different
flavors of F-150 that this just does a nice job of bringing a lot
of those cool features together.
So I think where's the Maverick, you know, there's not that many different trims.
So hey, they do the Lobo and they can almost credibly call it like a special model.
Whereas this is a little bit more of a variant.
So that's that's kind of the explanation.
But I liked it.
I mean, it allows you to get into the the five liter V8, which I have
not driven in a while, and that is a heck of a good, good engine.
That's a good time.
It sounds good.
You get that low end low end torque, which is very desirable
and a naturally aspirated V8.
Forty horsepower, four to ten pound feet of torque.
Mine was around sixty two thousand dollars right in that range.
It's again, I think it's a pretty good deal in that sense.
It reminds me a little bit of the like the RSTs on the Chevy side of the
where you could get into that V8 and it's like, you know, you're not
getting everything, but you're getting a lot of the things you want is an enthusiast.
I would say the trade off is the interior is pretty basic.
Like you're talking cloth seats, no seat heaters, no steering wheel heaters.
A lot of the things that for sixty two grand, you just kind of think
are going to be in whatever vehicle you're in, regardless of.
Yeah, no seat heaters.
Wow. Yeah, it's it was cold and rainy this morning.
And I, as you can see, for those of you watching on YouTube, I'm just wearing
a Patagonia vest and kind of a light sort of golf shirt.
So I was a little colder than I thought, but, um, yeah, I drove it
here for this week's episode.
And I think this is the right sort of package for, again, the enthusiast
truck buyer who wants something that's a little bit different in Michigan.
F one fifties are so ubiquitous that, you know, if you can do something
a little bit different, it's nice.
Again, it sounds good with the quad exhaust, five liter V8.
What's not the like, right?
Ten speed automatic, smooth, smooth shifting transmission.
And yeah, maybe I'll go haul some, haul some logs or something or move
some lumber. Have you been in an F one 50 lately, Mike?
Oh yeah. Yeah.
Not a, not the Lobo, obviously, but yeah, I mean, I'm usually in the high end ones.
So it'd be interesting to try something like that.
Does it have a upgraded exhaust at all?
Yeah, dual exhausts are on there.
So you get that is just sort of part of the, the Lobo package.
They bring that in, which sounds pretty good.
So basically, it's a modern take on the old Harley Davidson, because that's
sort of what it was that had the body kit and the exhaust and the thin wheels.
And it was on sort of not a fully loaded trim.
It's just, yeah, it's, it sounds like a good package.
And when you sell as many F one fifties as Ford does, it's you can and it's
good to have all these different packages because it allows people to customize.
I'm just curious if in Mexico, if it's the Lobo Lobo,
I don't really know how that will work down there.
Yeah, that's a good point.
That's a good point.
It's also, I think, I mean, speaking of the Lobo branding though,
I think it's a nice way to extend it.
I could even see them doing something like this on like the Explorer.
That might be a little far afield, but right now it's on two trucks.
And I think that that works well.
I think they're going back to that like 1980s, 1990s street truck vibe.
Which I think they credibly pull it off.
It's not like the original lightning or anything, but I mean, they're going for it.
Again, it just, it reminded me so much of the RST,
which I guess I drove most recently in the Tahoe.
But you can get that in a variety of Chevy trucks and SUVs and, you know,
big engine, a bunch of different, you know, things.
Chevy's upgrades are actually more like brakes and chassis,
whereas the Lobo is kind of something different.
But it's a nice, it's a nice recipe.
It also somewhat unrelated, but also related.
Ram has made such a big deal about bringing back the Hemi.
And then you drive Ford's five liter V8 and you're like,
yeah, actually they did need to bring back the Hemi.
I don't really care what the hurricane, how good it is,
how much I actually maybe even like it more,
how better it is for performance and efficiency.
It's like you get inside the, you know, the Ford here
and you're just like, yeah, five liters, V8, no waiting, let's go.
And it's like, how could Ram not have an answer for that?
So that kind of like, it's funny how driving a competitor
makes that make a little bit more sense.
So, yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah, no, the V8 and the, I don't want to make the sound wrong,
but not in the performance truck, but sort of the image truck makes sense
with the exhaust because that's the point.
So, yeah, no, it's good on them and it's something I want to try for sure down the road.
Alrighty, so that is the Auto Guide Garage.
We'll be right back to close things out with the mailbag.
Okay, it's time to go inside the mailbag where this week's question is,
what do you guys make of the rumor that Chevy is going to bring back
the Grand Sport and offer a hybrid trim?
There was a rumor we had this week.
It was in a number of our newsletters this week.
If you're subscribing, we hope you do.
But basically, the E-Ray would go away and then the Grand Sport would offer a hybrid option.
So, not really changing the products or the technology too much,
just kind of rebranding it.
What do you make of this, Mike?
So, I have two main thoughts on this.
The first one really would be how is it executed?
That's not even the thought, like this could change everything.
But if they are simply going to rebrand the E-Ray Grand Sport because of the naming
and what they're trying to do, I get it.
People, for some reason, that, I won't say for some reason,
people think the E-Ray may be a fully electric Corvette because of the E.
And as we all know, EVs and electric vehicles have been so politicized that
there's probably a lot of consumers who like Corvettes who are like,
I'm not going to touch the electric one, even though it's actually just a hybrid boost and
probably the best road going, well, there's the best road going Corvette model, period.
So, giving it a different name like Grand Sport makes sense.
You'll get them to buy it.
But on the flip side, Grand Sport was always basically a Z06 without the engine.
And that's sort of what it's been.
Or, I mean, even the originals of the 90s, well, not the originals,
but the ones in the 90s, they were zero ones without the engine.
And that's always sort of been it is you don't have to pay for the exotic engine,
but you get the cool brake and suspension bits and you get the stripes and all that.
And the E-Ray isn't really that.
So if they're going to have a Grand Sport that is a Z06 minus the engine,
and then you can also put the E-Ray drive train in if you want.
Okay, that makes sense.
It's going to get pricey.
But if they're just renaming it, they're kind of caught because you're going to have the people
who maybe wanted the hybrid Corvette but wouldn't touch it with the E-Ray name buy it.
But then the people who want a Grand Sport probably aren't going to buy it
because it's not a true Grand Sport.
So maybe a different name from their past, but I don't know what you would have gone with.
They're already using C06 and Z01 and Grand Sport.
I mean, that's sort of the big ones.
So yeah, they could dust off Zora.
Yeah.
Z02 used to be a Corvette name back in the day, but that's the only one by the cars.
So yeah, I mean, I get their thinking if it's a true ZR or Grand Sport,
and you just hybrid it as well.
So it's like a baby ZR1X, then I'm all for it.
But if it's just straight up renaming it, I don't care about the names.
So it's not like I'm one of those people like, oh, you've killed the Grand Sport name.
I just think, well, I don't know.
I think the people who care about the names aren't the people buying Corvettes anyway.
I think we're so close to things with what we do in our industry.
We make a bigger deal out of probably what it really is.
I like Corvettes.
I like electric cars.
I feel like I'm pretty read in on this stuff.
But honestly, I think even I at times just mentally thought E-Ray was all electric.
I mean, I know it's not, but I still would just go back, Google it,
and you start to think to yourself, wait, did they say they were going to do an all electric?
Is this all electric?
Wait, what is this?
So there is a little confusion.
I actually happen to think it's a pretty good name.
And if they do do an electric Corvette, which I think they should do, maybe not right now,
that's probably what they should call it.
But rolling it into more of just like Grand Sport badging with Grand Sport X,
reportedly meaning that it gets a front-mounted electric motor plus all-wheel drive,
you're definitely soft selling it in a way that maybe it actually aligns more with what
the Corvette buyer is looking at because you're not being as upfront about the hybrid technology.
But also last time I checked, hybrid technology is amazing in racing.
It's good for performance.
Like why wouldn't you want your Corvette to have a hybrid motor?
To me, that's a good thing.
Like when you tell me things like that, I'm like, does it have curves?
This is great.
Can we do this?
I'm not like, you know, but maybe I'm not the Corvette buyer.
I don't know.
Yeah.
I mean, Grand Sport X does make sense.
But thinking of it now, just thinking names.
How is E-Ray?
Maybe you call it, okay, I got three name choices.
My last one's my favorite, but you could just go Stingray.
Because that's what they call the C7 briefly.
But I mean, you got the Ray.
So it could just be like, oh, that's the Stingray and people are like, oh, that's the hybrid.
Or if you want to play off the, you get more power, so it sounds cooler.
Like the Boost Ray, although I'm not sure if I'm sold on that one.
But why not call it the Corvette Le Mans?
Because like you said, it's got sort of that assist front motor.
It can run on electric, fire the engine up independently,
like the Le Mans prototypes are right now.
It's like they could brand it there.
And you could even have like a cool paint package.
So there you go, Chevy.
Call the E-Ray the Le Mans.
You know, we've been workshopping this for a few minutes here,
right there, two outs, bottom of the ninth.
Walk it off.
That's it.
Right there.
Love it.
And that is all the time we have this week on The Auto Guide Show, brought to you by eBay Motors.
Thanks for listening.
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This was The Auto Guide Show.
We'll see you next week.
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