Axial flux motors are a type of electric motor used in some EVs. They’re designed to be compact and efficient, and they help the car deliver strong power in a controllable way.
Fully variable AWD means the car can change how power is split to the front and rear wheels as conditions change. It’s meant to keep the car gripping better and feeling more stable.
Adaptive suspension is a suspension system that can adjust itself while you drive. It tries to make the ride smoother on rough roads and more controlled when you drive harder.
Active aerodynamics means the car can change its aerodynamic shape while driving. That can reduce wind resistance and sometimes improve grip at higher speeds.
AMG force S plus is a system that tries to make an electric car feel more like a gas AMG. It uses things like sound and touch/feedback so the driving experience feels more “engine-like.”
AMG ride control is Mercedes-AMG’s way of adjusting how the suspension behaves. It helps the car feel more stable and controlled, especially when you change driving modes.
Driving modes are different settings you can choose in a car. They can change how the car feels and responds, like how it accelerates and what kind of feedback you get.
Haptic means the car uses touch sensations, like vibrations or feedback through controls, to make the experience feel more real. In this case, it’s used to help the EV feel more like a gas AMG.
Traction is how well the tires grip the road. If traction is interrupted, the car may briefly reduce power to prevent wheelspin—something that can also be used to imitate how a manual or automatic gearbox feels.
This is a high-performance Mercedes-AMG version of the CLA. The point here is that AMG tends to set these cars up with track-style driving features, not just normal commuting.
This is the AMG performance version of the GLA. In the conversation, it’s used as an example of AMG cars that are meant to be driven hard, not just used normally.
Track mode is a special driving setting that makes the car act more “serious” for fast driving. It usually changes things like how the throttle feels and how the car manages grip when you’re pushing hard.
This is a powerful AMG version of the GLS SUV. The discussion is basically: can a big, heavy SUV really handle track driving like the smaller AMG cars?
This is an AMG option package that adds extra performance-focused features. Here, they’re saying it makes the car feel more like a performance car by enhancing things like sound and driving feel.
This is a system that fakes the feel and sounds of a normal gas engine and transmission. Instead of relying on real engine noise, it uses speakers and vibrations to make it seem like the car is doing the same things.
Term
vibrating motors inside the front seats
These are small motors in the seat that shake or vibrate to mimic things like engine rumble. The goal is to make the driving experience feel more like a traditional performance car.
These are the “engine/exhaust” sound effects—like little pops and loud bangs—that you often hear when a gas car is decelerating or changing throttle. Here, they’re saying the car can generate those sounds artificially.
A shooting break is like a mix of a coupe and a wagon. It usually looks sleeker than a normal wagon, but still has space in the back for luggage or passengers.
Term
giant screens
“Giant screens” means the big digital displays inside the car. Instead of lots of physical buttons and gauges, the car shows most information on large screens.
A “door to door screen” is when the car’s display stretches across a big part of the cabin, not just in the center. It can make the interior feel more like one unified digital dashboard.
A “track focused car” is set up to drive hard on a racetrack. It’s usually tuned for grip, braking, and handling so it feels confident during repeated fast laps.
Concept
simulating almost everything
This phrase points to the idea of recreating the feel of “mechanical” driving in a different powertrain or platform. The goal is to mimic the sensations enthusiasts associate with traditional cars—like response, feedback, and controllability—rather than relying purely on raw tech features.
EVs are cars that run on electricity stored in a battery. The conversation is about how many people are buying them and where adoption is growing fastest.
EV adoption refers to how widely electric vehicles are being purchased and used in different regions over time. In this segment, the hosts compare adoption patterns—especially that EVs are selling well globally but less so in the US.
Market share means “what fraction of all car sales” a type of car gets. They’re saying EVs are increasing, but they’re still a smaller part of the US market than in some other countries.
The Hyundai Ioniq 5 is an all-electric car. Electric cars can feel very fast right away, and this discussion is about how you can change the driving “feel” so it’s more engaging or more relaxed.
Engine note just means how the engine sounds. It includes the pitch and tone, and it changes as you press the gas—so it’s a big part of how a car feels to drive.
Gear sensations are the “feel” you get when the car shifts—like a change in pull, vibration, or timing. Electric cars don’t always shift the same way, so some systems try to simulate that feel.
A “fake manual” is when a car pretends to be a manual. It may let you “shift” with paddles or simulate the feel of gear changes, even though the car isn’t actually using a traditional manual transmission.
A “12 cylinder” usually means a V12 engine—an engine with twelve cylinders. It’s a rare, high-end setup, and this clip is saying Ferrari is adding a manual-like driving mode to that kind of engine.
DSG is a type of automatic transmission used by Volkswagen. It uses two clutches so it can switch gears very quickly, often feeling smoother than older automatics.
The Corvette is a sports car made by Chevrolet. It’s built for quick acceleration and sporty driving. The discussion mentions using a dual-clutch transmission to make shifting faster and smoother.
Brake-by-wire means the brake pedal doesn’t directly push a mechanical brake system. Instead, sensors read what you’re asking for and the car controls the brakes electronically.
A dual-clutch transmission is an automatic that uses two clutches to get the next gear ready ahead of time. That’s what allows it to shift fast and feel more responsive.
Topic
manual vs automatic listing confusion
They’re talking about how online car listings can be misleading. Sometimes a car has features that sound like a manual, but the transmission is actually automatic (or vice versa), so buyers get confused.
Rev matching helps the engine speed up or slow down so downshifts feel smooth. Some cars can do this automatically, which is why a seller might describe it in a way that confuses buyers.
AMG is Mercedes’ performance brand. An “AMG V8” is a Mercedes performance engine with eight cylinders, and the point here is that people love how those engines sound.
In this context, “fake” refers to artificial sound generation—making a car’s engine note imitate another engine’s character. The speaker is criticizing the idea of using audio tricks to make a four-cylinder sound like something more desirable, instead of using the real hardware.
“G-wagons” refers to the Mercedes-Benz G-Class. It’s a very recognizable, boxy SUV, and the speaker is saying it sounds great even if they don’t like how it looks.
The G-Class is a luxury SUV with a very recognizable boxy shape. It’s designed to handle rough roads better than many regular SUVs. The podcast mentions it because it has a strong, impressive sound.
This is a Mercedes-AMG E-Class with a powerful V8 engine. “Twin turbo” means it has two turbochargers that help the engine make more power, especially when you accelerate.
The BMW 6 Series is a luxury BMW model line. It’s generally positioned as a more stylish, higher-end option than smaller BMWs. The podcast mentions it in terms of how it should sound when driving.
They’re talking about the car’s on-screen settings. You can pick different options, like choosing how the car sounds, without changing hardware.
Term
sound like
They’re talking about making the car sound different on purpose. Some cars can simulate the sound of other engines, so you can pick a “vibe” for the exhaust/engine noise.
They’re referencing the Mercedes 300 SL “Gullwing,” which is known for its classic inline-six engine. An inline-six means six cylinders arranged in a straight line, and it has a recognizable smooth sound and driving feel.
Here, “immersion” means how much the driver feels involved and connected to what the car is doing. The host is saying real driving can be immersive, while some media-style effects don’t necessarily make the car itself more engaging.
“Add lightness” is basically the idea that making a car lighter makes it feel better to drive. Less weight can mean quicker response and more agile handling.
Direct steering means the car responds immediately when you turn the wheel. It feels more connected, like you’re directly controlling what the wheels are doing.
No assist steering means the steering isn’t powered by a motor or hydraulic system. You feel more of the effort and feedback through your hands, which can make the car feel more raw and connected.
A “street legal go-kart” is a car that feels small, light, and super responsive like a go-kart—just with road legality. The idea is that it’s easy to feel what the car is doing.
Concept
EV go-karts
The host is talking about electric go-karts—go-karts powered by electricity. They can still be fun because the driving can feel immediate and simple, especially if steering is responsive.
“Performance EVs” are electric cars built to drive like enthusiast cars, not just to be efficient. The host is saying that if you keep them light and make them feel connected to the driver, they can be fun.
Term
lightweight direct connection
The host means two things: keep the car light, and make the controls feel immediate—like your inputs are directly affecting the car. The goal is to avoid a numb or delayed feel.
A drivetrain is the parts that take power from the motor and send it to the wheels. The host’s point is that the exact power setup is less important than the overall feel and weight.
Manual steering means the driver does more of the work to turn the wheels, instead of the car doing most of it for you. People like it because it can feel more precise and more “in touch” with what the tires are doing.
The Tesla Roadster is an electric sports car. It was one of the early Tesla EVs that helped show what electric performance could look like. The podcast brings it up as an example of something the first Roadster did.
Concept
Elise chassis electrified
This is basically the idea of putting an electric powertrain into a lightweight sports-car platform. The host is saying the key is to keep the car’s original lightweight feel, not to add heavy EV hardware.
“Gas cars” are cars that burn gasoline in an engine. They’re the traditional baseline people compare against when talking about how cars sound and feel.
“Vibrating seats” are seats that shake or buzz on purpose. Some cars use this to make the ride feel more exciting, even if the engine isn’t physically creating that much vibration.
“Rumbling” is that deep, vibrating feeling you can get from a gas engine and exhaust. Some people don’t like it, especially if they’re used to the quieter feel of EVs.
“400 miles” is the claimed distance the electric car can drive on one charge. In real life, it can be more or less depending on how you drive and the weather.
The Toyota 4Runner is an SUV built for tough driving and long trips. The podcast mentions getting about 400 miles out of it, which points to how far it can go between fill-ups. It’s brought up as a practical, capable SUV.
The Tesla Model S is an electric car shaped like a sedan. It was one of the early Teslas that helped prove electric cars could be exciting and advanced. The podcast mentions it as an important starting point.
The Tesla Model Y is an electric SUV-style car. It’s meant to be practical for everyday driving while still being powered by electricity. The podcast mentions it as an early example in Tesla’s lineup.
Concept
holdover cars
“Holdover cars” are basically the older style of cars that companies keep making for a while. Even if new tech is coming, they don’t stop the old stuff overnight.
They’re talking about how heavy the car is. Lighter cars often feel quicker and more fun to drive because they’re easier to change direction and speed.
Goodwood Festival of Speed is a famous car event in the UK. People bring lots of different race cars and cool street cars to drive up a hill for the crowd.
Formula One is the highest level of open-wheel racing. It’s the kind of racing you see on TV with teams and drivers competing at tracks around the world.
Indy cars are race cars from a major US open-wheel racing series. They’re built for speed and racing, similar in spirit to Formula One but in a different championship.
The BMW M3 is a performance-focused BMW, made to drive more aggressively than a regular 3 Series. It’s designed for faster acceleration and sharper handling. The podcast brings it up as part of a performance-car comparison.
The Ferrari F80 is a very high-end Ferrari supercar. Bringing it up in the same breath as the Maserati suggests these are rare, serious performance cars.
The Maserati MC12 is a very rare, high-performance supercar. It’s built for extreme driving performance rather than everyday use. The podcast brings it up as one of the exotic cars being talked about.
DLS is mentioned as part of a special car build name in the podcast. In this context, it’s tied to a turbocharged 911-style car. The point is that it identifies a specific rare variant people are talking about.
The Ford Mustang GTD is a high-performance version of the Mustang. It’s meant to be faster and more track-capable than a regular Mustang. The podcast mentions it while comparing different extreme performance cars.
Car
Gordon Murray T.50S
The Gordon Murray T.50S is a more track-focused version of the T.50. It’s designed to be light and fun to drive, not just fast in a straight line.
The Gordon Murray Automotive T.50 is a very high-end supercar made in small numbers. It’s built for performance and an engaging driving experience. The podcast brings it up as one of the special cars people are excited about.
Ben Collins is a race driver and TV personality. He’s famous for being “The Stig” on Top Gear, and the segment credits him with drifting that car up the hill.
Term
go tires
This sounds like a tire brand being mentioned. Tires matter a lot because they’re what actually grip the road—especially when a car is sliding or being pushed hard.
“Sideways” means the car is turned a bit more than you’d expect for the direction it’s moving. That usually happens when the tires lose some grip, so the driver has to manage throttle and steering carefully.
The McLaren F1 is a famous supercar that many enthusiasts consider one of the greatest ever. It was designed like a race car, with a mid-engine layout and a driver-focused cockpit.
Here, “interface” means the way a computer tool connects to the car to read data or make changes. If the interface isn’t right, the tool can’t talk to the car’s systems.
A serial bus is like a digital “chat line” inside the car. It lets the car’s computers talk to each other and also lets a service tool read and control what’s going on.
Term
early EV
“Early EV” means the first wave of electric cars. They were still figuring out things like charging and computer diagnostics, so servicing them could require special tools or connections.
Concept
digital and computerized reality
The speaker is saying today’s cars are run by computers and software. That means you can’t always just “turn it on” and go—sometimes you need the right computer connection to make everything work.
Term
right kind of electricity
This refers to the correct electrical characteristics needed by the vehicle—such as voltage/current type and charging/distribution compatibility. For EVs and other electrified cars, the wrong electrical setup can prevent proper operation or charging.
The BMW 2 Series is a smaller luxury BMW. The podcast mentions an M240i, which is a more performance-oriented version, and notes it had a manual transmission. That matters because a manual can change how the car feels to drive.
This is an Acura Integra with the A-spec trim, which usually means it’s set up to feel more sporty than the standard version. The host is saying the owner bought it as a fun weekend manual, but it didn’t stick.
The BMW X3 is a luxury SUV/crossover. The speaker is pointing out that this one is powered by a smaller 4-cylinder engine, and it doesn’t match what the owner wanted for himself.
“Four-banger” just means the engine has four cylinders. The host is using it to point out the X3 is powered by a smaller, simpler engine rather than something more performance-focused.
The Porsche 911 is Porsche’s most famous sports car. The host is saying the event was packed with 911s from many different model generations, which shows how popular and enduring the 911 is.
The Porsche 918 Spyder is a very expensive, high-performance sports car. It uses both electricity and a gasoline engine. The podcast brings it up as one of the rare, impressive cars people talk about.
The Porsche 356 is an older Porsche sports car that was made before the 911 existed. It’s a big deal to enthusiasts because it’s part of Porsche’s early history, and the host is saying they were instantly drawn to it.
“Pre-911” just means “before the Porsche 911.” The host is using it to explain that the Porsche 356 is older than the 911, so it’s from Porsche’s earlier era.
The BMW M2 is a small BMW that’s tuned to feel more like a sports car than a regular 3-series-sized car. Here, the point is that someone planned to buy it, but the car they ended up with didn’t satisfy them.
The Integra is a compact car with a performance focus. The podcast mentions the Integra Type S, which is a sportier version. The speaker says they didn’t end up liking it after considering buying one.
Auto Tempest is a website/app that helps you search for cars across multiple listing sites at once. The host mentions it as the place where people get tempted by crazy cars they might not actually want to live with.
Car
M240
The BMW M240 is a sporty BMW 2 Series variant. In this conversation, it’s being compared to the M2, which is the more intense, more hardcore option.
The Cadillac XT5 is a midsize luxury SUV. It’s designed to be comfortable for everyday driving and family use. The podcast mentions it as a real-life example of a person’s SUV.
Crash protection is how well a car protects you if you crash. “Low crash protection” means it probably doesn’t have the same safety features and strong structure as newer cars. So it may feel risky to drive.
Lotus is a car brand that’s famous for making sporty cars that handle well. Here, they’re talking about an event specifically for Lotus fans and owners.
This is a race track in the Salt Lake area. The hosts are saying it can be run in different layouts, and the “full” layout is long enough that you get the whole experience in one go.
On a race track, the “front straight” is the long straightaway near the front of the course. It’s where cars build speed before slowing down for the next turn.
Top speed is the highest speed the car can reach. On a race track, you only get there if the straight is long enough before you have to slow down for the next turn.
The Lotus Elise is a small, lightweight sports car that’s built to feel very connected to the road. Here, they’re using it as a benchmark for how another car (“111 RS”) compares to it.
A track day is when regular drivers bring their cars to a race track and drive them on the track in a controlled setting. This segment is inviting people to come out for that kind of event.
Place
UMC
UMC is referenced as a track venue (“full track experience”), and the segment is promoting a track day. The excerpt doesn’t expand the acronym, so listeners may need the show’s context to know which specific circuit it refers to.
The Subaru BRZ is a small sports car that’s built to handle really well, especially on twisty roads and track days. The 2023 BRZ is the newer version, and it’s popular with people who like driving feel over tech.
This is a Volkswagen wagon with all-wheel drive (4-motion). The owner treats it like a practical daily, but they don’t like the automatic transmission setup (DSG) compared with driving a manual.
A normally aspirated engine is a gas engine that doesn’t use a turbo to force extra air in. It’s the “no turbo” setup, and some drivers like how it feels and responds.
The Mustang Mach-E is Ford’s electric vehicle. It’s an EV that looks like a crossover, and it’s the kind of car people buy when they want to switch from gas to electric.
An Audi A4 Avant is a wagon version of the A4. “Avant” basically means it has a bigger cargo area than the sedan, and it’s the kind of car people use for everyday errands.
This is a big van (the Ram ProMaster 2500) that people often turn into a camper. The “2500” usually means it’s the larger/heavier version, better suited for carrying gear and living out of it.
Car
Volvo 145 wagon
The Volvo 145 wagon is an older Volvo station wagon from the early 1970s. People like it because it’s a classic, practical car that’s also interesting to enthusiasts.
IPD is a company that specializes in parts for certain Volvo cars. The point here is that classic Volvos often need specialty parts and help from people who know them well.
The Volkswagen Golf is a compact car. The podcast mentions a 2000 GTI, which is a sportier version, and also a sport wagon style. It’s brought up because it can work for everyday life while still being enjoyable to drive.
VR6 refers to a special type of Volkswagen six-cylinder engine layout. “Naturally aspirated” means it doesn’t use a turbo or blower to force air in—it just breathes normally.
A “platform” is the car’s underlying design that other versions can be built from. So “BRZ platform” means the basic engineering that could support other BRZ-style cars.
Rear-wheel drive means the power goes to the back wheels. Many drivers like it because the car can feel more fun and predictable when you steer and accelerate.
Drive wheels are the wheels that actually get the engine’s power. They’re saying the buyer doesn’t care as much whether it’s front, rear, or all-wheel drive—other requirements matter more.
The BMW 3 Series Touring is the wagon version of the BMW 3 Series. Here they’re pointing to the F31 generation as a possible replacement because it can be found with a manual, which is a big part of the shopping checklist.
This is a BMW 3 Series wagon from the E91 generation, sold as the “Touring.” The “328” is the model name, and the host is talking about finding one with a manual gearbox, which is harder to locate than the automatic.
They’re basically asking: if a car were really old—like something you’d expect to be around for 80 years—would people still want it and still drive it? The point is to test whether the appeal is still there after a lifetime of wear and repairs.
This is a BMW 3 Series wagon (called “Touring”) with a 328 model name. The hosts are basically saying that even with very high miles, a clean, well-kept one can still be a great choice.
A “four cylinder” engine has four cylinders that do the work of making power. The speaker is saying BMW had to offer bigger engines (like the 340) if you wanted to avoid the smaller four-cylinder setup.
The Lotus Evora is a sports car where the engine is placed toward the middle of the car. It’s designed to handle well and feel agile. The podcast talks about a supercharged Evora, meaning extra air pressure is added to make more power.
Supercharged means there’s a device driven by the engine that pushes extra air into the cylinders. More air usually means more power, and it can feel responsive because boost comes quickly.
The Lotus Emira is a sports car made by Lotus. It’s built to feel light and fun when you drive it. The podcast mentions it in the context of how it can be set up with different power options like supercharging.
The Challenger is a muscle car built for strong acceleration. The podcast talks about the Hellcat engine, which uses a supercharger to make more power. That’s why it’s mentioned—because it’s a major performance feature.
The Supra is Toyota’s sports car, and this conversation is about its engine. They’re saying it’s a great turbo setup, which supports the idea that not all turbo engines are disliked.
The 2020 Kia Stinger GT2 is a sporty Kia with a shape that’s more practical than a typical sedan. The host is pointing out that it has a rear hatch-style opening, which makes it easier to load stuff.
A “hidden hatch” means the back of the car opens like a hatchback, even if the car’s shape looks more like a regular sedan. That can make it easier to load groceries, bags, or gear.
A turbocharged six-cylinder engine is an engine with six cylinders plus a turbo that helps it make more power. The host is basically saying the turbo doesn’t automatically make it worse for normal driving.
The Kia Stinger GT2 is a sportier version of the Stinger. It uses a turbo engine, but the point here is that it can still be a good, easy-to-live-with choice.
The Mercedes-Benz E-Class is a luxury sedan. The podcast mentions a 2014 E63 AMG, which is a much more powerful version, and it also notes it has all-wheel drive. It’s brought up because it’s a performance-focused Mercedes model.
The E 63 AMG is a very powerful version of the Mercedes E-Class. The podcast mentions a 2014 model with all-wheel drive. It’s brought up because it’s meant to deliver performance beyond a normal luxury sedan.
Term
maintenance money
“Maintenance money” just means the regular upkeep and repairs you’ll have to pay for. The host is saying the car may be priced well, but it could still cost a lot to keep running.
Off-roading means taking a vehicle onto rough, unpaved paths like dirt trails or rocky ground. It’s harder on the car, so people look for things like traction and clearance.
They’re talking about the RAM ProMaster van. It’s a big, practical van that’s often used for work, and people also convert it for trips and outdoor gear.
This is a supercharged-up Cadillac CTS-V, and the “V” means it’s the fast, performance version. The special part here is it’s a wagon and it has a manual transmission, which is uncommon—so it’s a rare find for people who want a practical car that’s still fun to drive.
A wagon is a car with extra cargo space that’s part of the main cabin area. It’s like a practical version of a sedan, and in this case it’s paired with a performance drivetrain.
The Renault Wind is a small car model. In the podcast, it’s mentioned as the one the speaker ended up choosing after checking off a list of requirements. The point is that it matched what they wanted.
The Audi e-tron GT is an electric car designed for performance. The podcast compares it to another electric Audi model and talks about pricing/value. It’s mentioned because people consider it when choosing between similar electric Audis.
The Audi e-tron is an electric SUV. It’s meant for regular driving, not just short trips. The podcast compares it to another electric Audi model and talks about how their values differ.
The Porsche Taycan is Porsche’s electric performance car. It’s the kind of EV people buy for fast acceleration and sporty feel, and here they’re talking about how much cheaper it’s gotten.
“Turbo fours” means a 4-cylinder engine with a turbocharger. The turbo helps the engine make stronger power, often earlier, compared with a non-turbo engine.
A manual transmission is the kind of car where you use a clutch and a gear stick to change gears yourself. It’s often considered more “hands-on” than an automatic.
Car
CTSV Blackwing
The Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing is a performance Cadillac that’s known for being fun to drive in a more traditional, hands-on way. In this discussion, it’s suggested as a good alternative if you don’t want to give up shifting.
Concept
new parameters
They’re basically saying: don’t stick to the same checklist. Try thinking about what you actually want in a car now, even if it’s different from before.
Genesis is Hyundai’s luxury car brand. The podcast mentions a Genesis concept related to the G90, which is a luxury sedan. Concept cars are shown to preview possible future designs and features.
Genesis is a luxury car brand. The G90 is their big, top-of-the-line sedan. Here they’re talking about a special “concept” version with unusual styling that got a lot of attention online.
The Cadillac CT5 is a mid-size luxury sedan. “Blackwing” is Cadillac’s performance version of the CT5, aimed at drivers who want something more exciting than a regular luxury trim. They’re saying it’s the better choice if you don’t want a wagon.
Cadillac’s CT4 is a smaller luxury sedan. They’re using it as a comparison point—basically saying there are other cars you could pick if you don’t want a wagon. It’s brought up because it can be had in more enthusiast-friendly forms.
FCP Euro is a company that sells car parts, especially for European brands. People who work on their own cars often use it to get the right parts. The host is mentioning it as a trusted source.
Pre-built kits are packages of parts that are already matched for a particular repair. It helps you avoid forgetting something important when you do the job.
The 2017 Toyota Corolla is a common, sensible daily car. In this story, it’s being used because it has a lot of miles and still works well for a long commute.
A “gas guzzler V8” means a big V8 engine that usually uses more gas than smaller engines. They’re worried it would get expensive for commuting every day.
“Rational creep” is when you start with a fun idea, but then practical reasons slowly take over. It can make you end up buying the sensible option instead of the car you actually want.
This is a 2024 Mazda MX-5 Miata with a retractable hardtop, so it can feel like a coupe when closed and an open-top roadster when you want it. The Grand Touring version is the more feature-rich trim.
“Delivery miles” are the few miles a new car racks up while it’s being transported to the dealership. It usually means the car hasn’t been driven much by an owner yet.
The Hyundai Elantra is a regular four-door sedan that many people use for everyday driving. They’re suggesting it could also be a fun commute car, not just the Miata.
Front-wheel drive means the front wheels do the work of moving the car. The host is saying this particular car’s front-wheel-drive setup feels tight and fun, even when you’re just driving around town.
This is a performance Hyundai hot hatch with the drive wheels up front. The host is saying it feels tight and fun to drive even during normal commuting, not just on a race track.
John Cooper Works (JCW) is MINI’s performance version. It’s meant to feel more energetic and fun to drive than the regular MINI, and the host is discussing a JCW Hardtop deal based on mileage and price.
A MINI Cooper is a small car that’s built to feel quick and easy to drive. Here, the point is that it’s light, so it can feel more fun and responsive, especially in everyday driving.
Car
GTI
A GTI is a sporty Volkswagen hatchback that’s meant to be fun to drive but still practical. The host is saying an older GTI can be a smart deal—cheaper, but still gives you the normal, button-style controls.
“Land of buttons” refers to a car’s physical, tactile controls (buttons and knobs) rather than relying heavily on touchscreens. The host uses it to argue that older GTIs can feel more straightforward and driver-friendly than newer, more screen-centric interiors.
The GR Corolla is a sporty Toyota hatchback made for driving enthusiasts. Here they’re talking about the fact you can get it with an automatic, not only a manual.
Place
Thunder Hill five mile
Thunderhill is a real race track in California. The “five mile” part means they were using a longer version of the track, which makes the car work harder through lots of turns.
The Civic Si is a sportier version of the Honda Civic. It’s meant for drivers who want something more fun than the standard model without going all the way to a full performance car.
This is a Kia K4 hatchback with the GT Line package and a turbo engine. The host is saying the automatic version feels a little dull at first, and you have to turn on Sport mode to make the gas pedal feel more responsive.
The gas pedal is what you press to ask the car for more power. The host is saying that in the default mode it doesn’t feel like the car responds right away.
“Pops and cracks” are the little bang/pop sounds a car can make, usually when you lift off the throttle. Some cars do it naturally, and some use sound effects to create the same vibe.
“Rally mode” is a special driving setting that changes how the car behaves. It usually makes the traction and stability systems less strict so the car can slide a bit more on loose or slippery roads.
Term
lowest price
“Lowest price” means sorting the listings so the cheapest ones show up first. That helps you get a starting point for what the car might cost before looking at pricier options.
A “statement car” is a car you pick because it says something about you. It’s more about personality and style than just being the most sensible option.
The Alfa Romeo Milano is a car model from Alfa Romeo. The podcast mentions someone buying a 2026 Milano in white with a “Giulio Veloce” trim. That means it’s a specific version and color choice of the Milano.
They’re talking about the updated 2024 version of the Alfa Romeo Giulia. That usually means the car got some improvements and new features, not an entirely new model.
Term
Italian statement
They mean the car choice is part of an “Italian vibe” or identity. It’s about picking an Italian brand because it matches the image they want.
The Porsche 928 is a classic Porsche grand tourer with a V8 engine. Here, they’re talking about selling it and losing money on the sale before switching to a different car.
“Hold its value” means the car doesn’t get much cheaper when you go to sell it later. They’re saying the Ferrari might keep its price, even though getting into it still costs a lot.
An EV charging adapter is a hardware piece that lets a vehicle connect to a charger that uses a different plug standard. Here, the family’s Rivian came with an adapter that wouldn’t connect to their Rivian charger setup, so they couldn’t charge when they needed to until they got the right one.
NACS is the common plug type used by many fast chargers in North America. They needed the right adapter so their Rivian could charge at a charger that uses that plug.
The Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing is a sporty Cadillac sedan. In this story, they got the 2026 version and it comes with a manual transmission, which is a big deal for enthusiasts.
Term
six P manual
A “manual” transmission means the driver shifts gears themselves using a clutch and gear lever, rather than relying on an automatic. The “six” indicates a six-speed manual, which is often sought after by enthusiasts for more direct control and engagement.
“E46” is the name for a BMW 3 Series from a specific generation (roughly the late ’90s/early 2000s). Enthusiasts like it because it drives well and there are lots of parts and upgrades available.
A gearbox is the transmission that changes gears so the engine can stay in the right power range. Saying a “BMW gearbox” is “perfect” usually means it shifts smoothly and feels good to drive.
The Ford Fiesta is a small car. The podcast talks about the Fiesta ST, which is a sportier version. They’re comparing it to another performance car mentioned in the episode.
The Rivian R1S is an electric SUV from Rivian with room for passengers and cargo. Because it’s electric, it has instant acceleration, and it’s designed to feel more outdoorsy than many EVs.
The Yaris is Toyota’s smaller city car. Here, the hosts are saying it’s so compact that it doesn’t work as well for people who want more space, especially in the back seats.
A subcompact car is a small car—usually easier to park and drive in cities than bigger models. Here, they’re talking about a small car that still has sporty performance.
A “performance version” means the regular car, but tuned to feel faster and handle better. The point here is that people want a practical hatchback that’s also fun to drive.
The Ford Zodiac is a specific model of Ford car. In the podcast, it’s mentioned as part of a quick comment about what cars were around. There isn’t much detail in the snippet beyond the name.
The Dacia Duster is a cheap, practical SUV sold in Europe. People like it because it’s not fancy, but it’s useful and usually costs less than most other SUVs.
LIVE
Hey, happy Tuesday.
We are back again for another podcast.
And, uh, you know, I have to say, I actually really like, I know
not everybody does, but I actually really liked it.
We went to one podcast a week and we kind of get to gather up the news
and all the car debates and we get to just do everything at once.
It's very, very cool.
I'm actually really excited about it.
We've got all of the above for this podcast.
So thank you guys for being with us as always.
We are just now starting at it for our monster Europe trip this year by
we, Todd means him and chance.
Yes, that, that is the way I'm very grateful for that, but you're fast
and you're good at it and you're, and you're handling podcast.
You have all the podcast posts.
So I mean, there's, there's, yeah, but we're just not beginning that.
We're already talking about what's the big trip we're doing next year,
which is so exciting.
Yes.
I hope I hope so.
And we haven't even put these videos out yet.
Yeah.
Keep in mind also, we have our Utah meetup coming up, which sold out in like
seconds.
I can't even believe it.
Oh, and also we haven't gone on pilgrimage yet.
That's a few weeks away.
There's still stuff from this year, but I just, I want to make it clear to
those of you watching and listening.
I want to, I want to put it out there already.
We are going to keep trying to stay with our current cadence, which is two
US based trips, one European trip.
We may add something to that equation, but the plan right now is we'll be
somewhere else in the US other than our backyard next year.
We will do bear tooth and we will do the ring and spa, the pilgrimage trip.
It's exciting.
There may be something else.
We really are trying to do a big road trip film every year.
We're thinking about next year's production while I'm starting to edit
this year's production.
That's how crazy we are.
We're so excited to share all of these with you, not just in video format.
Keep an eye on our announcements.
Keep on, keep an eye on, you know, when registrations go live because we want
you on some of these trips.
We want to share this.
We don't want to just create the films and have you watch, which we do and we
appreciate you watching.
And that is vital for us and our sponsors, but we also want you to
consider, hey, in the back of your mind, if you've never gone on pilgrimage with
us, if you've never done a Utah adventure or even a larger trip with us,
we'd love to have you come.
So you're all cordially invited.
You had to jump in the news, fakery news, fakery news from Mercedes AMG.
The new CLA 45 formatic EV has been announced.
Not coming to the US, but this announcement, I kind of makes my blood run cold.
I'm wondering if they might reconsider because the CLA 45 did come to the US.
It hasn't been the friendliest of markets for EVs in general or EV sedans.
It has done OK.
But I'm wondering if they still reconsider and think, you know what,
we should try it and we should still bring this here.
Maybe the headlines are three axial flux motors delivering 680 horsepower for
peak power, fully variable all wheel drive, adaptive suspension, active
aerodynamics, AMG ride control, AMG force S plus, which is combustion engine
in motion at the touch of a finger.
It's the driving modes that deliver an authentic AMG typical combustion engine
experience with a characteristic sound of high performance AMG four cylinder
engine coupled with haptic, which you love.
I love it.
Immersive experience, including interruption of traction during simulated
gear changes that result as a driving experience, according to Mercedes
AMG, that makes performance intensely tangible.
Let me let me know what I can start to rant.
Let me know.
Let me know.
Fakery.
Uh-huh.
I'm so fascinated by this car being introduced and shown on a track.
Agreed.
Agreed.
The CLA 45, the GLA 45 have always and pretty much every AMG product has always
been track focused.
There's always a track mode and you think track worthy GLS 63.
Should I take that on the track?
Cause it's like 7000000 pounds.
Yeah, exactly.
Yeah.
I wonder if it'll burn up my tires and my rotors.
It will, but it'll still be great.
Yeah.
Your personal racing coach, the AMG dynamic plus package transforms every
journey into an immediate performance experience.
Push your limits lap after lap over 400 miles of range, 670 or 640 kilometers of range.
So they claim equivalent distance between Berlin and Vienna and this AMG force
simulated engine and gearbox replicates the sound and power of the older 45
models, vibrating motors inside the front seats to mimic the gas engine rumble.
And finally, the sound can be heard inside and outside, complete with pops,
crackles and bangs.
Now you can.
Okay.
I'm, uh, I feel like, I feel like the angry version of Mr.
Rogers right now.
I'm taking, I'm taking off my sweater, put double slippers, rant incoming.
Here's the shooting break version of this.
And, uh, I want to show you the interior.
So despite a lot of screen Mercedes claim that giant screens do not denote luxury.
They continue on with giant screens and door to door screen.
I'm amazed they're continuing down this road, but I guess this is the thing
that they've established the interior actually looks quite great.
It looks pretty interesting.
And yeah, it does.
I mean, there's a lot of stuff to look at, but they continue with, with clean,
simple themes.
I don't know that the exterior styling is really progressive necessarily
for next generation.
No, it's, it's kind of where we're at right now.
So it seems barely evolutionary, but nice.
I think I do, I do like it.
Well, 400 and sixty miles of range, lots of performance.
It's track focused car, bakery based on mechanical, based on the mechanical
stuff that we all love, that enthusiasts love on a track.
So they're simulating almost everything that is the cool part about mechanical cars.
There's there's so much here.
They're serving up the pizza here.
OK, first, let me go down the positive side here.
Mercedes made a bunch of EQ models that was their first round of EVs and the market
yawned. OK, correct.
We drove a few and they were worth yawning.
They were not interesting.
It didn't, it didn't denote necessarily luxury or specialness.
And it was just here's Mercedes with a bunch of screens and their EV models
and they didn't sell well.
And Mercedes has been correcting ever since.
I will also acknowledge that EVs are selling well everywhere but the US.
True. Now, don't get me wrong.
I'm not saying because if you look at the actual numbers,
it's not like they're overwhelming.
The percentage of the total cars being sold every year of EVs is going up
everywhere but here.
Pretty much. Yeah.
It's still like 10, 12, 15 percent of the market to chase your market to figure
out, I mean, China, it's much more than that.
It's still the small part of the market, but it is a growing part of the market.
And it's not going away.
For sure. EVs are not going away.
For sure.
There's many things great about them.
So you're saying Mercedes is right to introduce a model like this by based
on stats and numbers and the fact that they're continuing to make EVs make sense.
Of course.
Versus just like fully pivoting and going, OK, no more EVs.
You didn't like our last round.
They're going to continue to make EVs.
I get that.
The other positive thing I want to talk about is we've driven the Ioniq five in.
We drove it against a Ferrari for God six and we talked about engine note.
We talked about gear sensations.
We talked about the things with the Ferrari that create a four seat hatchback
fun car that the Ioniq five and fakes and fakes well.
And we loved it.
And we loved it.
And you can turn off all that stuff like you just can in this.
You can turn off all that stuff.
But if you want to have engagement of gear shifts and you can't see air quotes,
but air quotes sound the interaction that we enjoy that tells you where you are
and how fast you're going.
See, this is the problem as a driver.
You don't have the reference points to know how fast you're going
because the EV just rockets away and having those engagements back.
We were very positive about all of that.
So I understand what Porsches looked at it.
Clearly Mercedes has looked at it.
Ferrari is now offering a fake manual on the on the 12 cylinder.
It's a fake manual.
Let's just go ahead and continue to call it that.
Many of you chimed in and you totally agree.
And that's exactly the case.
I love people chiming in on YouTube because one person said,
I've got that exact box for my my home sim set up.
So exactly. I have a for our gearbox.
Oh, they could remove that from the car and sell that as a separate piece
for sim racing and make them with a Ferrari badge on it and sell it for,
I don't know, $100,000 and people would still buy it.
This is going to be a thing that most manufacturers start offering
because they have their big, their big DSGs that are awesome.
And it's a whole separate thing.
Corvette could do the same thing with their DCT.
That's how Corvette brings the manual, which horrifies me.
They've already gone to break by wire.
They have. I'm sorry.
But I think I think Ferrari is the harbinger of this reality.
I think usually you say doom after the word harbinger.
Yes. That's why I put it there.
Word comes after.
Uh-huh. That's why I said harbinger.
100 percent why I use that word.
I think that I think they are trumpeting the fact
that many other manufacturers are going to go,
well, we have a dual clutch transmission.
Yeah, we could plop that on top of our dual clutch and make it operate.
We could charge you for an extra thing.
And you could say you have the manual in quotes.
By the way, small thing and I'm coming back to my Ferrari,
my Mercedes rant.
How confused is something like the people posting on Auto Tempest
going to be when they have to check manual or automatic
when the it's a manual on top of the DSG.
And what will dealer say?
Is it what are we?
How do we sell the car with a manual on top of it?
I don't understand how to.
I don't. This is a man.
They already are confused.
They already get it. They already have no idea.
Yes, they called manuals or DSGs, you know, manuals.
Yes, it has. You can do it yourself.
I saw the reverse today.
I looked up a G.R. Corolla and I asked for automatics only
and somebody listed a manual
because it had rev match as automatic.
They're not really wrong.
I mean, it's they're like 30% wrong.
So they're already confused.
So where is this going to go on this 45?
The last one was very good.
Yeah, the surprising amount of power.
But but let me put it this way.
It had a surprising amount of power we all enjoyed
and then went, this is a four cylinder.
Nobody wants the sound of a four cylinder.
If they're going to mimic this
and make it any sound they want,
they chose their four cylinder
that everybody was like,
that's not bad for a four cylinder.
Why didn't you do one of your really cool,
amazing sounding AMG V8s
that are the best sounding engines out there?
If you're going to fake it, fake the good stuff.
Why did you do the fake?
You can, you can reminisce on the four cylinder
you were surprisingly surprised by.
What? What about the V8 that you love?
It's true.
They're making it sound like the old 45s.
Yes.
As much as I think that the G-wagons are obnoxious,
they sound amazing.
They sound amazing.
Let's make this sound like a G-wagon
or the big E63 V8 twin turbo thing
that is in the big wagon.
Make it sound like that.
Well, it's in the menu.
What are we doing?
You can say, I want my car to sound like this.
Of course it in the Antonelli's Ferrari.
You could do that too.
His Mercedes Ferrari, well, he's Italian.
So Matt Ferris talked about this before
as you could have like the menu
of all the historic cars for Porsche or whoever you do that.
Today? Yeah, totally.
The Mercedes straight six from the Gullwing
or something like that.
My issue here is doing all of this stuff is impressive.
And I think Mercedes and Ferrari,
this is only the beginning.
Everybody's going to offer this kind of thing.
But I'm very confused as to who this is actually for.
Because putting all this stuff and making it available
that you can turn off is like putting
a lot of salad dressing on broccoli.
You've come to somebody who clearly
doesn't want to eat that.
So you drown it in ranch.
Exactly.
So we're going to put a bunch of stuff on it
until you're willing to choke it down.
This is we know you don't want to performance EV from us.
But let me just drown it in salad dressing real quick
and have you go, well, maybe I'll try it.
But the people that want EVs
don't want anything they've added.
I mean, you know, moms and dads will look stylish
and they can, you know, do the throttle blip
and the vibration in the seats.
And it'll sound amazing, I think.
Vibration in the seats to make it sound like,
because everything everybody likes about EVs
is the fact that they're quiet and there's no vibration.
So along comes Mercedes and goes,
well, what if I gave you loud and with vibration?
Well, all the EV buyers are like, why would I want that?
And all the people that actually want a car with an engine
are like, yeah, but it's an EV.
This is a car for nobody.
This is a car for nobody.
I don't understand who we're selling this for.
It is, to your point, it is ranch on top of broccoli
for people that don't like EVs.
And it's everything you don't like about a gas engine
as an extra layer on top of people that like EVs.
Okay, so let me ask about movie theaters
with the vibrating rumble seats
to make you more immersed, the IMAX experience
and the vibrating rumble seats.
Does that add to the movie experience
because you know it's, well, it's fake
and the explosion rumbled in my seat and yeah.
Okay, I guess I'm paying even more attention now
because you got me and I'm freaked out by it
and I'm more, does that help the immersion?
You're not in the movie.
You're watching a movie on a large screen.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
And so you're there, you are participating,
you're viewing, but you always know that you're viewing.
This is designed to take you out a next step.
I feel the rocket take off because my seat,
sure, sure, blasted.
And Disney and all kinds of amusement parks
have done this forever.
I mean, that's a merging of, it's a blending of
because you're still in entertainment now.
Still fakery, I'm not in the movie.
I wasn't there when the rocket took off.
But that is blending entertainment with immersion.
This is driving, which is supposed to be immersive
because all of that information we're taking in
helps inform us as a driver for what to do next.
This is starting to make cars into entertainment.
It absolutely is.
This is an overlay.
Let me say this thing that I'm gonna keep beating on
and I wore the shirt to go with it, add lightness.
I'm going to keep being ignored.
Okay, but I'm gonna say this again.
All of this EV fakery ignores the number one thing
that would make EVs more involving
and that is why don't they weigh less?
If they weighed less, and I will give you an example.
Not only did I wear the add lightness shirt,
but I drove my Elise over here today
because I was thinking about this so much.
I wanted to drive my Elise and think about it again.
And I'm gonna say this to all of you and some of you
are gonna be like, he's not a car guy,
take away his car guy cred, whatever.
I don't care what the Elise is powered by.
I don't care, it is irrelevant to me.
And I don't even have to have it be a manual.
I like that it's a manual, I enjoy that it's a manual.
It's a fun thing for me.
If the Elise at 2,000 pounds was available with an EV,
I wouldn't have to wear noise canceling headphones
all the time.
If it were an EV without shifting,
I bet you it would be 85, 90% as much fun
as I have actually shifting the four-cylinder
and it would be more powerful.
But the key thing is what makes that car fun
is direct steering, complete no assist steering,
and low weight because it makes it,
and it's a cliche, but it makes it a street legal go-kart.
The reason we like go-karts is because there's no extra
between us and what the thing is doing.
That's why we like go-karts.
That's why you can take your mom who doesn't like cars
go-karting and she's like, yeah, it was kind of fun.
Why?
She's directly connected because it doesn't weigh anything
and she's directly connected.
And EV go-karts are still quite fun.
In fact, I would argue that an EV go-kart
is better than a gas go-kart.
So my point is, yes,
all of this crap, salad dressing
on top of EVs misses the number one thing
I think that we get people involved again
for performance EVs.
An EV for seven seats, for luxury, it's gonna weigh a lot.
But I'm talking about, if we wanna get performance people
in an EV, give it lightweight direct connection
and then the actual drivetrain
and the source of the power is irrelevant.
And I stand by an Elise at 2,000 pounds
with manual steering and an EV engine
I would like just as much as the one I have.
Awesome, amazing points.
Tesla Roadster, the first Tesla Roadster did this very thing
and they did almost all of what you're talking about
except for the weight and the weight alone.
You and I drove it briefly and the weight killed everything.
It killed all of the fun.
It muted it, it made it faster and worse.
It was terrible, I don't like them,
I don't like driving them
and it's the Elise chassis electrified.
It's everything you're talking about except for weight.
And I believe technology will in the future get us there.
I believe what you're talking about is possible eventually.
The problem is how long from now
because gas cars are still going to be the benchmark
and the reference point for every manufacturer
and they're doing it ostensibly.
Well, I mean, here's all the brand new.
The list of things that they are mimicking
all come from mechanical cars,
mechanical gas powered cars to make this engaging
but you're right, they still haven't addressed the weight
because they can't.
Yes.
Now, now.
Well, so how long will it take before all of that happens
and then maybe none of these features exist.
No more vibrating seats, no more rumbling, no more sound
because it's light enough
that it can stand on its own merits.
I hope so, for performance cars.
And I also think that you're splitting the market here
because the folks that are coming from EVs
or have experienced EVs, they don't want rumble,
they don't want noise.
So yeah, you can turn it off in here
but now you're going like, what did I pay for?
Why do I even want all that crap?
And the people, again, I'm gonna say it,
the people that actually want rumble
and noise and engagement don't want an EV to fake it,
they wanna actually experience it.
I think this is a car for nobody.
I'm very impressed with the technology.
I think it is a car for no one.
Every manufacturer's gonna continue to do this
because they're glossing over the fact
that all these EVs will continue to be so heavy.
We've been doing this, we,
the collective automotive world has been doing this
for more than a decade now
and electric cars are still very heavy.
They've overcome with the power.
They've overcome now with range.
400 miles out of this.
It's a lot more than my forerunner.
It's great.
Yeah.
Oh yeah, for sure.
Yeah.
Just fine.
No more range worries really.
As a vehicle, this will be great.
It'll be great.
But the weight is still glossed over.
The weight and putting every mechanic
or every electric feature on it to mask and overcome
what the basics of good driving involved
is just lack of weight.
I think you're right.
But that just means every car manufacturer
is going to continue to build these holdover cars.
I don't know what else to call them.
They're gonna be placeholders.
Like the first Tesla Model S,
great groundbreaking, amazing,
and look where it's done for Tesla's
and look what it's done to every manufacturer
looking at that and we've got some incredibly,
amazingly powerful EVs that outperform gas cars
in pretty much every metric.
But gas cars still are sought after
and they still want them.
I mean, the EV supercars, nobody really wants those.
You're right, you're right.
Buyers don't really want them.
So car manufacturers are still going down the road
of building beautiful, amazing engines
of all cylinder shapes and sizes.
So I think manufacturers are gonna continue
to build these holdover cars.
And with dressing, with the dressing to play paint
and please enthusiast because at what point
will somebody come out with, it's this
and this properly weighs like 3,000 pounds.
Because this is probably gonna weigh five,
4,800 to 5,000.
Every bit of that.
And I bet you it's 50% more fun if it weighed 3,000 pounds.
Speaking of gas powered cars,
Goodwood Festival of Speed happened over the weekend
and I just went on the YouTube live stream
and I captured a few images that just signify power, speed
and they have all kinds of cars,
all kinds of classes from rally cars,
all the Formula One and Indy cars got driven up the hill,
all the Le Mans cars and then of course
all the street cars that are so desirable.
So just in an effort to tease you
and get you excited about cars in general,
look what appeared in front of the crowd,
the MC Xtrema Maserati here.
This is blasting up the hill, which is so, so cool.
I mean, the hill is not made for any of these cars.
It's a driveway.
Let's be honest, it's a driveway.
I mean, it's a very nice driveway,
it's a big estate, but it's a driveway.
It's a garden party with a car problem.
Yeah, it's very cool.
It's what this amounts to.
So Maserati MC Xtrema Ferrari F80,
which I am personally in love with.
I just, I'm all about this thing.
Interesting.
I need to drive it.
Lamborghini Ascenza R 6.5 liter.
Here is the Ferrari Amalfi Singer DLS Turbo 911
and a Singer Turbo as well.
Mustang GTD and the Gordon Murray SV,
Special Vehicles Le Mans GTR XP, which was delightful.
And also the Gordon Murray T.50S.
And then Ben Collins, the Stig,
drove a 200 horsepower Blitzen Benz
and drifted this thing up the hill.
His hands were constantly going.
The thin go tires, yeah.
He had this thing sideways the whole time
and the announcers were just going nuts
and it was just so cool to see these driven.
So the future topic Tuesday that I bring up
by showing you all these images and getting you excited,
this car is, I don't know what the year is,
but it's probably approaching 100 years old.
And it's still running, it's still maintained,
it's still being driven hard, it's still in existence.
All these others, when they're 60, 80, 100 years old,
will they still be around?
Will they still be being driven?
Would you drive an 80 year old Mustang GTD?
Because they're, it'll probably be around.
Well, and here's where the digital reality is so difficult.
These last because they're mechanical.
Yeah, you're right, you're right.
Will all these others last and be sought after and driven
and drifted up the hill at whatever event in the future?
I mean, I hope so, but I mean,
you've probably heard the story
and it was famous story for a while, four or five years ago,
that the McLaren F1 continually thought up
as one of the best hypercars ever,
maybe the first ever hypercar,
all of these things are debated, was released in the 90s.
And anybody that needed to service it
had to have a mid 90s Toshiba laptop to do it.
And it wasn't until literally after this
kind of became a known problem,
five, maybe 10 at the most years ago,
five or so years ago,
that they actually figured out a way
to get the interface to talk to something
other than a mid 90s Toshiba laptop.
It was the bus in a serial bus.
Whatever they had to do to convert it.
And this is what's going to be required
for every early EV and pretty much any modern car
because there is so much data and digital
and computerized reality going on to make it run at all.
You can't just fire it up in the garage
because you stoked it properly.
You can't, you're gonna have to get it,
I hate to say it this way,
the right kind of electricity delivered
through the right plug and talking to the right computer
to go, I just, I found in the code and I resurrected it.
Any of us, any of us right now,
do you have a computer more than 10 years old?
And any of us right now,
do you have data on a digital disk format
that doesn't have a reader anymore?
I do and I still have the reader,
but it's old USB and that was cutting edge.
That's just like home computing, not car computing.
We all already have stuff that's like,
I really ought to get it off this disk before
nobody can read this disk anymore, you know?
I don't own a CD, well, I guess I do own my,
I still have a CD player that's the five disk turntable.
Of course it is, yeah.
It is collecting dust on a shelf somewhere.
I still have it, yeah.
This is the thing about how fast technology's moving
when we have digitally driven cars,
let me put it another way, a car with a digital brain.
Which is most, how long does the digital brain last
and how do you keep talking to it?
And I'm not, please, I am not saying, therefore who cares?
I'm saying, how do we solve this?
Yeah, yeah.
At that point, when the Mustang GTT is 80 years old,
this'll be like 160 years old.
Yeah, it will, yeah.
Do you want to drive a 160, 200 year old car?
Fascinating, isn't it?
It's amazing to think about
and yet the mechanicals are still so sought after,
there's still that interaction of feeling.
I mean, it comes down, for me, it's all about watches.
I think the Fitbit, the whatever digital thing on your wrist,
it's going in the junk drawer.
They're cool, they do all kinds of features,
at some point they're gonna hit the junk drawer
and maybe a garage sale and maybe you'll be like,
I don't even know what that does anymore in the trash.
Well, the battery died and I can't even have the plug anymore,
it doesn't even work, but a mechanical watch,
doesn't matter the movement, I don't care,
but a mechanical automatic, even a quartz watch,
that's still gonna be around a long time.
Yeah, I mean, we've talked to this before
and anytime we post anything and it's happened ad nauseam
on our R2 Model Y forerunner piece,
there's always comments about why would you want
to go backwards, which is, that's what the EV,
Mercedes is trying to solve, why would you want
to go backwards, but pick your analog interest
and I'm gonna give three, pour over coffee
when you could do instant, a film camera,
be that stills or actually making a feature film,
when you could just record digitally or a vinyl record,
when you could get the digital remaster
that has none of the pops and hiss
and all that kind of stuff.
Do any of you listening, like any of the things
I just mentioned, and if so, you've picked
the harder, older, worse version of that?
I like vinyl, I actually think vinyl's interesting.
Probably paid more for it.
Absolutely, you did it because there is something
about that analog non-digital experience that you prefer
and you know 100% with no illusions
that it's harder, worse and more difficult
and you like it more.
This is the thing that when we hear people argue
about EVs are everything and why do you like old cars,
folks miss, there is a interaction that some of us like
that is like these things I've mentioned,
pour over coffee and film.
I mean, Christopher Nolan is shooting on film, on IMAX.
Still.
Yes, absolutely.
And no one, all of us are at some level
of Christopher Nolan aware, none of us are going,
why isn't that guy shooting digital?
We're all going, good for you, man.
It's true.
Okay, so there is something about analog processes
that is more engaging, but it is most of the time
harder and worse, but the experience makes it worth it.
But now code, Mercedes is alleviating all of that
with a few lines of code.
They make the seats rumble, they make the pops
and cracks and bangs and it's all fine.
We can just gloss over everything.
It's just a few lines of code and you're done.
Soon AI will write the code and soon you can plug your EV,
your old EV from 40 years ago into the OBD or whatever it is
and say, hey, Claude or whatever current AI platform
dominates at the time and say, will you fix my car?
And you're like, fixed, done and it probably charges
to the same port.
So AI.
While you drink your instant coffee and watch your, yes.
Clearly here, the solution is AI for everything.
Maybe it'll.
Thanks for listening.
Next week, this podcast we done entirely by AI
and proud to be better for it.
Anyway, yes.
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Tim in Knoxville, Tennessee says greetings.
He says, maybe this is a seed of a topic Tuesday.
I think it is Tim.
He's been in a funk about his garage for a while.
Years, actually.
The first time he had the disposable income
for a second vehicle, he bought a nice pre-owned BMW M240i
with a manual transmission.
It left within a year because he just wasn't feeling it.
After he flirted with other ideas
and replaced his daily driver with an Integra A-spec,
also manual, thinking that it would be a nice thing
to toss around on the weekend,
well, that only lasted 15 months.
Again, he wasn't feeling it.
He reverted to a daily with zero sporting pretense,
BMW X3 with a four-banger in German rainbow shade.
Meaning gray.
I saw a writer describe a shade of gray
as gray that's been through an ugly divorce.
Like that is a descriptor from gray.
That's a gray you don't want.
We know what that gray looks like.
Yeah, that's all bad, yeah.
He says this X3 is a great tool for kids, dogs work,
but his driveway is a sea of crossovers
and that is not what he envisioned for himself.
The past weekend after he wrote to us,
he went to Porsche Platica.
It was the first show of any kind
that he's ever experienced.
Unlike his driveway, the quarry was a sea of 911s
in every generation, names them all.
Knoxville area has figured out
how to do their own version of air water.
It's an all Porsche display at a very nice location
and it's all very curated from the website
to the way the cars are parked.
They definitely have looked at air water, okay?
And they've gone, how do we do this
on our coastline ourselves, okay?
On our part of it.
It's cool.
So that's what it is.
So you can just envision what we're talking about.
So a very artistic, very well curated way
to walk around a bunch of Porsche product.
And he went there and just thought, this is amazing.
He saw Gunther's, Gunther Works, Singers, Roofs,
Crere GTs, 918s, every version of 911
he could possibly imagine and found himself
just standing and staring at a 356.
That's pre-911, for those of you who don't speak Porsche.
That is pre-911, old pre-911.
Staring at a 356 coupe going, I am in love with this.
It makes no sense.
I can't afford it, but I'm just in love.
Which made him come to an interesting realization.
Remember that 240 that he bought didn't like enough?
Or the Integra A-spec that he bought didn't like enough?
In both cases, that's not the car he wanted.
He was wanting to buy an M2, bought an M240,
ended up not liking it.
Wanted to buy the Integra Type S, they were available.
He had the money for it, went, yeah,
but the A-spec makes more sense,
bought that one and didn't like it.
Tim says he's unhappy because he's rational.
That really struck me, Tim.
Yeah, I see it.
Because there's that part of all of us.
There's the irrational part of us that scans auto tempest
and looks for crazy cars for sale
and watches Goodwood Festival of Speed
with a, I would totally buy that.
And when it actually comes down to it
and you actually have the money, would you?
Would you go through the pain and trouble
even at a low level of sports car?
Let's say 100,000, maybe 150.
People still look at you.
People still kind of chase you through traffic,
take photos, you can't just go over all the normal
drainage ditch humps and bumps and you gotta slow down,
you gotta be careful, you gotta drive it
a little bit differently.
He's hung up on the idea that a car should be used
for an intended purpose.
So much so that when buying, he forgot to factor
in the beauty and sensation and engineering.
The things that draw him to cars in the first place.
Does Tim still believe in using a thing
for its intended purpose?
Yes, but going forward, he has to be a little frivolous.
As if buying a weekend car is based on that sense
in the first place and he doesn't know
how he got into this mental cul-de-sac.
This is good stuff, Tim, I like this very much.
I've equated cars and car relationships
to people relationships many times.
So I'm gonna go kinda out on that limb again.
I'm gonna ask this question to all of you
listening and watching.
Any of you listening and watching have somebody,
your parents, thought you should marry?
I remember in my teenage years, my dad had-
You had this happen to you?
My dad, I mean, it was never like,
there was never like pressure,
but my dad, I remember, was like,
he knew this girl that was friends of friends of ours
and he was like, that would be perfect for you.
And I was like, really?
And then if I was objective about it intellectually,
he'd made a good intellectual choice.
She would have been a perfectly acceptable spouse.
But you heard the sentence I just said,
a perfectly acceptable spouse, okay?
She was cute, smart enough, interestingly enough,
we had enough of a rapport.
But there wasn't that extra layer of spark.
Passion, love, romance.
I've been married a long time to a woman at some times,
or I don't like her that much.
It's just like, this is hard,
because that's marriage, okay?
She's fiery, all right?
But yet that's kind of the point too, all right?
The intellectual choice,
the choice that makes all the intellectual sense,
rarely, not always, but rarely has a layer on top of it
of frivolity and fun.
You made the smart choice, the wise choice.
It's very rarely the fun choice,
in people, in cars, in hobbies, okay?
If you wanna make a smart choice on an outdoor hobby,
shuffleboard, you're not gonna be injured,
you get to talk to friends, let's be honest, okay?
This is why, I hate to say it,
but this is why golf is successful,
because you can be wildly out of shape and do golf.
I'm not saying you're doing it well, but you can-
You can just sit in your golf cart and use it like polo.
But golf cart, getting you to all the places,
you get to talk to your buddies,
you can be wildly drunk.
You have all the activities, all right?
Okay, you see what I'm saying?
Mountain biking, skiing,
and I'm not saying you have to go to wingsuit flying,
even though there's a part of me that's like,
wingsuit flying looks pretty cool,
because I've wired that way.
But I'm also like, yeah, I'm also a husband and a father,
I have a career, so let's not do that.
So, you know, it's a lot of-
But the GoPro videos look really cool.
The stuff that has a little bit of layer of unknown,
or I shouldn't be doing this,
or this is more crazy than I should probably be,
that's the stuff that has hardcore memories
and long-term love.
He bought an Integra A-spec, not the Type-S.
Which is a cool car.
He bought an M240 and not the M2.
This is rationality-winning, and for car-
Look, you're also talking about second car, fun car.
You're already in an irrational category.
The whole point there is let's go fun.
That's true.
That's the whole thing.
But you have to convince yourself,
and especially if it's second car,
so Tim, I wanna encourage you, what is the car?
The 356 may be out, but what is the car?
You think, no, I couldn't, couldn't.
You want to, very badly.
Like the little kid in you was like,
please, please.
But the rest of you is going, I just, I couldn't,
I couldn't, I couldn't.
What is that car?
Because I want you to buy that car.
And then I want you, here's the thing,
to take real drives in it.
Uh-huh.
Communicate it if you want.
Obviously every day driver, we want you to drive,
love the car you drive every day,
but what is the thing you could go do in that car
where you're like, could I really,
could I really do an overnight to that place in that car?
Yes, yes, do that.
That's what we gotta do.
Tim says, feel free to use him as a cautionary tale.
And I guess a little bit, Tim,
that's kind of the purpose of your email,
because you're wanting to get this out there
to everybody listening and watching.
He writes that he hopes to get this right
with a third attempt.
And we don't know if you've done this yet,
we don't know if you've gotten the third car yet,
or the third try.
I wanna use this as justification
for why I always push on people's budgets.
I want to do that and I wanna say,
I told you so because if you spend more,
you'll like it more.
That's not always true.
Spending more does not equate.
And what I do love doing is,
hey, we found you something that you didn't consider
and it's less than your budget and you love it even more.
I do love that part.
I agree, I agree.
But many times spending more
can equate to what you're looking for.
Here's the other problem with that though, Tim.
You get precious with it.
It's the opposite of what he's talking about.
You get precious and it sits in the garage
and he rubs it with a diaper.
He never drives it, he just rubs it with a diaper.
I couldn't do it.
A man with his priorities so far in a whack
doesn't deserve such a beautiful automobile.
How much a Therapheuler would you like me to do?
Right there.
So you need to keep it clean,
use Griot's Garage products to do so,
but then go drive it because Griot's Garage also says,
go drive your stuff, go drive it into the ground,
go do those road trips, go on the vacations
and take the fun car.
I come back to that story about
when we had the Corvette on the South Dakota trip
and a guy approached us,
he was riding in his wife's Cadillac XT5
or Cadillac SUV or whatever it was.
He said, I just got one of these.
I just took delivery, it's at home.
We're like, why isn't it here?
No, that was the thing.
You see, it's back at home in Canada or somewhere.
If I remember correctly,
I don't know, maybe you're making this up,
but maybe this is the version I wanted to happen.
But if I remember correctly,
but he said, I just bought one of these
and you said, where is it?
And I watched the guy get unplugged.
It was like, I watched him power down.
Like...
Seriously.
Well, I wanna see it, like, where is it?
Is it in the parking lot?
Like, cool.
No, no, we brought the wife's SUV
and he just, he was having so much trouble
computing the fact that here was a C8
covered in bugs in South Dakota
and some of those roads around Mount Rushmore are awesome.
They're awesome.
I guess I just wanted to know
and I was just trying to be encouraging.
Like, oh, cool.
Assuming that you'd driven yours too,
because that's what they're built to do.
They're made to do that.
But no, it was not at home.
So we actually parked next to them
in an underground hotel parking garage.
And we left before they did in the morning
and that thing starts in sport mode
and the garage thundered.
I know they heard it in their hotel room
and he probably just went...
Gosh.
Fly home and get your car.
Seriously, man, oh man.
Tim, I want to encourage you as well
because I want to say go spend more money
to get the thing that you've always wanted.
And I'll say, you know, 51% of me will say that.
But also, what is the cool, fun thing
that is maybe irrational, but it's cheaper,
but it's so unusable, it's so sport-like that you can't.
The perfect example is a replica 356.
Those are 40 grand.
It's still the unusable low crash protection.
You know, not sure if it's gonna start and run.
I forgot to hook it up to the battery charger.
You know, you got to pay attention to it
more than you do a Corolla.
But on the other hand, you could get all the benefits
of that 356, go get yourself a 30 or $40,000 replica,
be happy and get a little, I mean, still a $40,000 car.
I get that.
Yeah, money's a thing.
But then you'll, oh, the lightweight,
oh, I'm in a 356.
I mean, who cares if it's a replica?
And people that see them nowadays,
most people expect it to be a replica
because they know that if you're driving a real one,
you're out in a half a million dollars, a 356.
Hope there's no, you know, nothing happens to it
because then you get too precious.
So I'm not, not every car can be a replica car
to bring that feeling back.
But if the 356 really did it for you,
go shopping for the 356.
And I expect your third attempt means 356.
That means you went and bought one.
I mean, I'm joking, but I wanna encourage you.
I wanna encourage all of us.
I wanna encourage you listening and watching that,
yeah, let's put the rationality a little bit aside,
especially to your point when you're talking
about a second car.
For a second car, for family car,
look, family car, if you need a minivan
and you have a bunch of kids
and you can't afford another car and it's minivan,
Hooked on driving Midwest is celebrating 50 years of speed
at Hallett Celebration Weekend
at his Hallett Motor Racing Circuit in Jennings, Oklahoma.
That should be a really cool track.
And Lonnie and Marla have talked about getting back to Hallett.
They love that track.
And yeah, that'll hopefully bring a lot of people.
So if you're looking, if you're in that area
and you haven't been to Hallett,
come to Hooked on Driving Day July 18th, 19th.
That is next weekend, Saturday, Sunday.
Following Saturday, Hooked on Driving Pacific Northwest
is Portland International Raceway, PIR.
It is right next to the airport.
And a great track from what we understand.
Come to PIR and go meet Bear, go meet Jonathan.
They would love to have you and host you there
and bring your fun, amazing car and get some laps.
And we continually hear that both Pacific Northwest
and Midwest are doing some awesome food.
I mean, every region is doing some great food,
but they are really focusing heavily.
So we're a foodie group of the car problem, I guess.
Absolutely, there's other stuff going on.
I wanna mention two things
that are actually in our backyard real quick.
If you're in Utah, certainly the Salt Lake area,
we're gonna be at both of these.
And we'd love to see you there.
And I'm gonna give you lots of lead time on both of these.
First off, August 29th,
there's a charity car show that is happening.
All the proceeds go to military families
in Ronald McDonald House.
That is all makes welcome.
That is gonna be down in the Salt Lake area.
But then even more exciting for me personally,
as I wear a Lotus shirt and park one in your driveway,
there's a huge national Lotus event happening
at the end of September in the Salt Lake area.
And on Monday, September 28th,
we are doing a hooked on driving,
a hooked on Lotus and Friends Day
at our local track, Utah Motorsports campus.
But why this is extra special?
Besides having a lot of Lotus content,
and I have two I can bring.
Anyway, besides that, it's a ridiculous sentence.
Can't even believe it.
Anyway, besides that, this is the full UMC.
It's over four miles long.
You rarely get to run the full track.
And I would argue that the full track at UMC
is up there with some of the best tracks in the nation.
Either the halves are fine,
but the full track is way up there.
It's like 25 corners or something.
There's a lot to remember.
A lap takes a while.
It is a unique experience with a huge front straight.
Whatever your top speed of your car is,
you will find it on the front straight.
That's how long the front straight is.
And then there's all of these wiggles.
It's fantastic.
Yeah, I can't wait.
So that is Monday, September 28th.
Lead time, as Todd said.
Also, we heard Shenu, who built the 111 RS,
that was in our Elise comparison just recently.
Hopefully you've seen that.
He is bringing a new version of a 111 to that event.
So he'll be showing that off.
There'll be Lotus of all kinds.
I'm hoping they accept Porsches to come run on track.
It's hooked on Lotus and Friends.
So we'll let you in.
I mean, we might make fun of you a little bit.
But we'll let you in.
That's all right.
I'll be just fine.
But if you are in the Utah area
or you have never driven UMC, full track experience.
We know that's a Monday, but hey,
extends the weekend and come out
for the full track experience,
hooked on driving.com for a track day near you.
And the second half of 2026 is shaping up
to be an amazing track day.
Track day is across the nation.
There's some great events coming up nationwide.
So look for an event near you.
Come to an event and we hope to see you there.
Dave is in Seattle writing about his almost perfect garage
because it's not quite perfect yet.
We're working on it.
We're helping.
It's good.
We are the primary influence on him getting
a low miles 2023 BRZ last November.
Congratulations, Dave.
That's amazing.
Yeah, that's really cool.
He was not strapped for budget,
looked at every option, including various 911s
and concluded only thing cooler than being a poor man
driving a poor man's Porsche
as a rich man driving the poor man's Porsche.
He also knows that that's a terrible sentence,
but what I like is you drove everything.
This is what I like.
You drove everything.
You had budget to go high and big into the 911 lineup
and you bought the BRZ and you love it as a daily.
You love it as involving and I'm gonna beat on it again.
You like it because it's low weight.
Yeah, you do.
You like it because it's low weight and involving.
And so that has just revolutionized your thinking
about cars and that is fascinating.
He's now got the BRZ and his 2017 Volkswagen Sportwagon
4-motion has 135,000 miles on it.
And he says most people dropped them.
I didn't really realize that.
He lifted his, he went the other way.
I love it.
Shocks, replaced turbo, tuned it from 170 horsepower
to 270 horsepower, pretty cool.
Up in Seattle, they spend a lot of time
in the mountain skiing,
he and his family climbing, trail running.
He's a musician and has to lug amps and guitars around.
And this wagon is perfect as the practical side
of the garage, but only almost.
After owning a manual as his daily again,
the Sportwagon is DSG and the only automatic he's ever had.
He's so not into the automatic transmission.
Interesting, okay.
And also after having a good normally aspirated engine,
he's not into the turbo.
I have a thought on this that I think,
I think your issue, Dave, might not be what you think,
but okay, let's keep going.
He wants us to help him replace half the garage.
Okay.
His gal just replaced her absolute ripper,
Audi A4 Avant with a Mustang Mach-E.
They also have their fully kitted Dodge Ram
ProMaster 2500 camper van.
He's got a long history, including a lot of Volkswagen's.
He had a GTI GLX VR6, finally BRZ.
Ooh, Volvo 145 wagon from 1972.
He had a 1963 Volvo 122 sedan.
Wow.
Datsun 610 wagon, what a dog he says,
but obviously fond enough memories that you wrote it here.
Yeah, you mentioned it, yeah.
He was really into cars in his 20s,
three of his best friends, and he owned Volvo 122s.
They had a Volvo specialist, IPD, down in Portland.
Then he had kids and life, and life got crazy.
He wasn't so into cars, time passed.
Kids went to college.
Slow fade, end of montage.
Yeah.
Coming back up.
Yeah.
Then he found a 2000 GTI and let the kids drive the sport wagon
and discovered he loved the little VR6 naturally aspirated
engine, but he wanted rear wheel drive,
something a bit newer, which led to deliberation
and finally the purchase of the BRZ.
So you'd think he's happy, but he wants his practical car
to be more like that BRZ.
Interesting.
He finds himself why Subaru doesn't make more cars
in the BRZ platform.
Well, they've got another car company to consider
in the market and the fact that their entire lineup is like SUV,
all-wheel drive, everything off-road, and the BRZ.
That one's super weird in their lineup.
But even in Toyota's lineup, it would be weird.
But I'm going to side note this again.
We've talked about it before.
If Toyota or Subaru made a four door sedan version
on top of that platform, we'd have a new E36 in BMW.
And that's a car that I feel like a good percentage
of our car debates would be answered by that car.
Small, light, rear-wheel drive four door, but nobody makes it.
So Dave is asking for suggestions to replace the sport wagon.
Now, here's where it gets quite difficult,
because many of you are thinking already, oh, I've got it.
But now let me put the actual parameters on you.
Needs to be naturally aspirated, no turbos, no superchargers,
manual transmission, wagon or hatchback.
Stuff is falling off the list right and left
to hit all of those buttons.
Doesn't need to have exceptionally high clearance,
but can't be super low.
He's flexible on drive wheels, and it needs to be a car
he's confident jumping into and driving across country.
So not some weird, this has to be babied, mechanical reality.
He's asking for our best shot.
He's loving us leading him to the BRZ.
He wants essentially the wagon four door version of a BRZ,
which resoundingly does not exist.
Chance, our videographer, whom most of you know
and have seen on camera, he has been suggesting a lot
about his next car and been sending us all the cars
that he's found from the 2012 to 2018 F31 BMW 3 Series
Touring.
The manuals are almost non-existent
to be able to find and drive.
So I started with that as the germ of the idea.
I thought, could we do something here?
And I'm going to sniper with caveats.
OK, what I came up with here is a 2008 BMW 328 I.
And this is the only one that I could find so far
because most of them are automatics.
But this is the 2006 to 2012 E91 BMW 328 Touring
with 141,000 miles.
So it's a bit higher miles.
Yeah, I get it.
But it's only $25,000.
Great wheels, looks top condition.
And this pretty much, I think this is the car
that you're looking for because manual, like I said,
most of them are auto and this is the manual one,
but it's got higher miles.
But based on our initial discussion, our topic Tuesday
and what we were discussing about Mercedes,
imagine this is an 80 year old car.
Interesting. Yeah.
Will we still be interested in it?
Would you still drive it with maybe half a million miles on it?
And it's been much of the everything has been replaced.
Suspension and gearbox and engine, everything's been replaced.
But it's still in great shape and we're still driving it.
And if you have that long lead time, that long headspace,
does it matter that it's got 141,000 miles on it?
Because it looks really clean.
Also, I think the price is a little bit dream in here for 25 grand.
I mean, I think there I think it should be worth about 20,
maybe just under for something like this.
But it looks great and looks great.
I think that's exactly what you want as a musician.
You've got the outdoor thing.
I think this is the car for you.
I actually love this.
There's caveats, though.
It's a little bit higher priced and it's a little bit higher miles.
But if you don't mind having maybe a.
Two or 300,000 mile BMW 328 touring in top shape
that everybody's going to be like, oh, what a great sweet wagon.
I mean, there's other wagons in this genre that I think you could find.
But I'm using this as a representative example
to go shop in this category because I don't think you're going to find anything
that will satisfy you outside of this category.
The problem here is all of these parameters at once, Dave,
where we can't make exceptions on any of them.
And I like these BMWs, but I think by this point, and I'm not sure,
but I think by this point, BMW had to get into the 340s to get away
from the four cylinder.
But I want to stop there on four cylinder turbos for a second, Dave.
And I think your issue and I could be wrong,
but I think your issue is not you don't like turbos.
I think it's you don't like four cylinder turbos
because there's not a lot of discussion here about you having anything
but a four cylinder turbo.
And I'm trying to think of cars that are not naturally aspirated
that are above four cylinders.
My supercharged Evora.
I mean, I supercharged Amira, which was the Evora platform.
So it's a 3.5 liter V6 supercharged.
Actually, it's a great power plant.
The supercharged Hellcat motor, not naturally aspirated,
but nobody's arguing that's a bad power plant.
It's true.
The B 58 motor that is in the BMW three series products
and the Supra phenomenal engine.
I don't think you're driving that and going, yeah, but it's turbo.
I don't think you care.
I think it's awesome.
I think the issue for you, Dave, is four cylinder turbo.
Interesting.
And I'm saying that, honestly, to justify some of my own choices.
But but because doing all of these things is really hard.
The other part is you're recognizing and liking
the small, chuckable nature of the BRZ.
And I think there, Paul, you've done the only answer.
The closest you can get in wagon form is those BMWs.
It's not, but it's the it's the closest.
Absolute closest.
You've got to look back a few generations just to get to there.
Only you can answer the question if you agree with that
and you and you would accept that.
I'm going to give you a few here, Dave.
I'm going to give you a few other ones.
But what I had to do is I had to go bigger than I think you want.
But I can solve it with to your point, caveats,
things that are not quite perfect.
But let's walk through them real quick.
First off, I think a great option for you.
Haven't given us a budget.
Clearly you have budget to work with.
So that can be a little scary here on the show.
But let's start here.
A 2020 Kia Stinger GT2 for $50,000 with 3,900 miles.
It's brand new in fantastic orange.
Six years old and brand new.
These drive so well.
They have that hidden hatch on them.
Yeah, they drive great.
They drive better than you think.
This is a turbocharged six cylinder,
but I think like that V58 is not as good as the V58,
but it's still a solid engine.
I think you're going to get in this and not care.
I think that engine is going to be good enough.
You're not care.
But the problem not a turbo for it's exactly.
The problem is it doesn't come in manual manual.
OK, but I think this Kia Stinger GT2
is a great option for you.
I'm going to stand by that in spite of the fact
that it's turbocharged.
How about this?
2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class E63 AMG.
Formatic.
This is the wagon we're all picturing
with the great grumbly engine, a real grumbly engine.
This is not seats that vibrate.
This is the real thing, everybody.
$55,000 roughly with 56,000 miles.
This is a more than 10-year-old car.
I can't decide if that's a deal or not.
I think it's probably a deal except for the fact
that you're going to be spending maintenance money on this.
Yeah, $55,000.
But it looks great too.
When I saw this in 2014, I was like,
that doesn't look like a 2014.
It looks like it had been last year.
This is a great era of Mercedes.
My neighbor has one of these, and they live up the hill.
Oh, you get to hear it.
Every time they come home and they just nail it up the hill,
I'm like, oh.
Sounds great.
These have such great performance.
I think this is a win across the board,
except for one problem, and that is it's auto.
There's no manual.
But the engine's right.
The scale of it is right.
I love this for you.
Also, by the way, a part of you wants to make this wagon
do your off-roading things, and then you
have the ProMaster RAM.
Yeah.
You're going to do a big off-roading thing.
Take the ProMaster, OK?
But anyway, so this is exactly what you're looking for,
except that's sweet looking.
It is auto.
So then how about what I think is the only actual answer
that checks every box for you, and I still
don't know that it's right.
The 2012 Cadillac CTS-V wagon with a manual.
The one I'm showing right here is a manual.
This is an $80,000 car with 50,000 miles on it
because they are rare and hard to find.
But this, my friend Dave, is exactly what you want.
It's a big old V8.
It's manual transmission.
It's wagon shape.
Dynamics are very good.
Watch our old review of this.
These are very, very good.
Now, it's bigger.
All of these are bigger than your 86, your BRZ.
But this is a phenomenal car.
And if I had to check every box of what you want,
I wind up here and nowhere else.
CTS-V wagon manual, they are so hard to find.
This one was the only one on Auto Tempest right now.
$80,000?
$80,000 for 50,000 miles.
$80,000.
But that reflects the fact that nobody else
makes this combination.
So Dave, I think your answer is this.
I don't know that it really is the car you're going to buy,
but if I really take your parameters
and I go hit every box, this is where I am.
This is the one that does it.
I think you've nailed it.
It's all that does it.
I mean, everything except for the price.
Yeah, well, we know he's got budget, but there you go.
So there's your answer for the wagon you want.
I have a wild card though, too.
I originally had two wild cards
because I actually thought one of the wild cards
for him would be the Mustang Mach-E rally.
It's lifted, but his girl has a Mach-E already.
So I threw that out and I left us with one wild card.
You're going to see all the exceptions I'm making.
Also, the one I'm showing is not the one you should buy,
but I'm showing this for what they cost now.
And I can't believe this one looks like this.
It's in Vegas, which is appropriate.
This is a Chrome Pink 2022 Porsche Taycan 4.
Oh, but look at that.
Look at the price.
$72,000.
These cars are not worth anything.
Yeah, they're worth a lot more than the equivalent
similar chassis Audi e-tron GT,
but I like the Taycan quite a bit.
This is the Sport Turismo, which I prefer that back end.
But I just thought, I'm wondering
if you should just go electric, okay?
You have exposure to it.
This Taycan, you also have eyed Porsches.
So this puts you into Porsche.
I mean, not necessarily the pink Chrome version from Vegas,
but I wanted to show this
because I can't believe this is out there and exists.
Anyway, it's pretty eye-catching.
You're not going to ignore it.
It's not for everyone, but it is.
I mean, I still think this is a great looking car.
They have come down like crazy.
You can get these as low as like 50 grand now
if you get like a base model Taycan, okay?
So they're out there, they're well within your budget
because we have an understanding of the range
of your budget somewhere in 9-11 money, which is a lot, okay?
You get away from turbo fours.
This is removing multiple things.
Let's be honest, there's no manual transmission here.
There's no engine at all.
But I'm wondering if it separates you enough
that it's okay again.
I wonder if we get you away from an engine
into something that's just quick and agile.
If the fact that you've got full analog,
or as analog as modern cars go in your BRZ,
we get you into Porsche dynamics.
We remove the engine element at all.
It's just quick because it's electric.
Then do you, because it's the daily,
are you okay with the fact that you can't shift it anymore,
that there's no manual?
I'm wondering.
That's why it's in wildcard territory.
I think the answer is CTSV Blackwing.
I mean, CTSV Wagon.
I think that's the answer.
But my wildcard that I feel pretty confident about
is a Taycan, possibly.
That's quite good.
And what you're asking Dave to do
is not ignore his list of must-haves,
but set them aside because he gets them out of the BRZ
and embrace new parameters that he might actually like.
Potentially, yes.
That maybe Dave, you hadn't considered.
That's really good.
I like the Taycan, but this.
Taycan, these are my top two
because one of them's a wildcard.
That's really good.
I think you've nailed it here,
but they're on the higher end of things, but yeah.
But I think he has the budget for both of these.
And here's the other part about it.
I actually think you could get a Porsche Taycan
and it'll run indefinitely.
I really do.
I think they're gonna run a long time.
And this CTSV Wagon in manual,
they're not making this car again.
If only Cadillac builds the next generation CT5
with a wagon.
In a wagon shape.
Because certainly Cadillac executives
have seen what Genesis did with the G90 wingback concept
and how the internet melted down.
I hope they sell that car, but yeah.
Surely in Cadillac, maybe we should make the wagon again
because it was so everything.
It just hit all the hot buttons.
I mean, they're already making a manual transmission
rear wheel drive sedan, which is already on the outlier
of everything they wanna do.
Might as well go all the way.
I mean, if you didn't want a wagon,
I would say CT4 or CT5 blackwing all day long for you, Dave,
but the wagon thing takes those out.
Yeah.
Right along the lines of what you're hoping for
in every other way, except for not being wagons.
Anyway.
Dave, we're curious.
Let us know.
I think everyone's curious.
Keep us posted.
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Rick R writes to us.
He's 41 years old and he's got a dilemma
because he drives currently at 2017 Toyota Corolla.
160,000 miles, it's still chugging along.
His current commute is about 41 miles each way
from Maryland into DC and back again,
which means a lot of traffic each way.
Corolla has been a car that's provided great mileage
and reliability with zero driving engagement.
Does everything about the commute add
doesn't involve me at all, yep, got it.
Rick's son just turned 16 and he's thinking
about handing him the keys to the Corolla
and then buying something else, something more exciting,
but it also has to do the commute part very well.
He's had a strange and diverse car history
with sportier fast cars sprinkled in between
the last one before the Corolla being a 2006 Pontiac GTO
with the six liter LS2 that made around 450 horsepower.
That's an awesome, fun car, not really a good commuter.
He's had his eye on the ND2 Miata Elantra N,
but he doesn't know if he'd be okay
commuting back and forth on those.
He doesn't want a gas guzzler V8 that's gonna be
too expensive, but he also doesn't want to buy
some other boring commuter or hybrid car
and then finding himself wishing.
You don't want to let the rational creep in
into your rational decision.
We're gonna have to walk the line here on that one.
But this is the same conversation we had
with the topic Tuesday at the front of the podcast.
That's what we're talking about.
We're debating that again, I love it.
He's going to finance whatever he buys.
His budget is $25,000 to $35,000.
Car doesn't have to be new, but needs to be low mileage
because it will rack up the mileage.
And he likes manual transmission,
but doesn't know if that's really the best call
for DC traffic.
He says it sounds like he wants a transformer
or something like that.
I love it, this is really great.
Rick, we have a very good friend of the show, Shane,
who does exactly what you do.
He commutes into DC.
And I think based on what I understand of the area,
as much as I love manual transmission, I think it's out.
I think it's out.
Unless, here's the caveat.
Unless, Rick, you're gonna be a person
who's going to take your manual transmission car out
on the weekends for fun drives,
to places where you can actually be in motion.
A little unclear on that one.
And I think it's unlikely.
I think you're mainly shopping for a daily
you can enjoy more.
And as much as I want to say get a manual
for the stop and go understanding
I have of current DC traffic,
I think it's gonna frustrate you more
than you're gonna enjoy it.
That's my concern.
That's my initial think, I think.
Look, I am a guy that has driven a manual transmission
stop and go.
It can be done.
There's still-
For about three minutes.
There's still the engagement factor
that is really cool, but I just think,
I think the car is gonna leave your life faster
because it's a manual.
So I'm thinking,
everything I'm thinking about here is automatic.
Okay.
You've got choices.
I do.
How many?
Let's just walk through.
I'll just run through them real quick.
Okay, so you're thinking about commuting
in an ND2 or an Elantra N.
So let's just start there.
There's not a thing wrong with those.
I think that's a great idea.
Right now, in front of us,
a 2024 MX-5 Miata RF Grand Touring
in the proper color right inside your budget
at 34.8 with, essentially, delivery miles,
320 miles on it.
Somebody just got rid of this right after they bought it.
I don't know why.
That is an auto.
This is just representative.
It's all right.
Go on Auto Tempest.
Right now, you can find a ton of these.
AutoTempest.com slash everyday.
Find yourself a Miata that you like,
the color and the spec.
Find them in auto.
They're almost always cheaper in auto.
This is one of those cars where,
yes, I prefer it in manual,
but it's so light and involving and interesting to drive
that it doesn't lose those features in auto.
It's still good.
That's why this is set.
Because it's auto, you think?
Yeah, I think you're right.
I think that's why it's as cheap as it is.
But the autos are where you find the deals on Miatas.
I think an MX-5 would be a fantastic commute car in auto,
and I think you would just personally enjoy it.
The other thing about the current ND
that I've said before, first off, I hope you fit.
But if you fit, it's not a great car for a passenger.
It's a great commute car.
There's limited amount of space in the footwell
for the passenger, but you're commuting in it.
This will be a fun car to commute in
because it's lightweight and small.
Lightweight and small are the things
that I think are gonna make this work for you, Rick.
I'm gonna go to the Elantra.
I think that would also be a fun commute car.
That's pretty.
Yeah, this was coming right off of Auto Tempest via Carvana,
and this is 31.5 right now, and come on,
10,000 miles on this, four-door sedan, DCT.
I think you would enjoy this.
I don't know how much you'd get to ring it out.
I think it has more power than your commute's gonna need,
but this is a fun car.
It feels like an event.
It's got a good front-wheel drive chassis.
We recently drove the sister car to this,
the I-30N in Germany.
All the driving we did for the day was,
I need to go over here and now I need to go over there.
It was no track driving, and I was struck by the fact
that that chassis is so rigid and fun in front-wheel drive
that it just feels engaging doing the commute kind of stuff.
Just slow-speed cruising around was fun.
Oh, I gotta take this corner real quick.
Oh, I got an on-ramp.
Okay, this is cool.
So I think the Elantra N would work in that regard.
Let's give you some other options though.
An 86.
Yeah. A G86 or BRZ.
The thing is, this is one of those automatics
that the manual is better, but the auto's not bad.
I wanna hang on to that real quick
because you're commuting in it.
This does all the things the Miata does,
but it's got more usable real-life space.
It is small enough, light enough, engaging enough
that in traffic, you're gonna not feel
like you're one of the herd.
You're gonna feel like,
I've got something different and interesting
and kind of fun because you don't need a ton of power
and performance in traffic.
You need engagement for the steering, and this has it.
So 86 is on my list.
While I'm here, mini.
Get yourself a mini.
This is just chuckable and fun.
The automatic in this is fine.
There's no reason to have the manual.
The manual's good, but there's nothing wrong
with the auto in these.
These are fun in auto.
So get yourself, I happen to be showing a John Cooper works
right here for $30,900, so $31,000
for a 14,000-mile 2023 mini hardtop.
I mean, this is enough that I looked at it and went,
do I need that?
I mean, I'm like, wait a minute.
I don't know why.
You were shopping for?
Exactly right.
This would be really, really fun.
And it's snorty enough at low speeds
that it would just feel like I'm having fun in this.
So mini Cooper, again, lightweight.
I'm just below 3,000 pounds here.
I like all of those very much for you.
My wild card is only a wild card
because I think it's slightly more sensible than these,
but also works.
And that is, just get yourself a GTI.
And I'm actually on purpose showing an older one.
A 2018 for $20,000 at 60,000 miles.
You could go all the way up to the brand new GTI
and it would still do everything I'm talking about.
The older ones, you save yourself money
and you keep yourself in a land of buttons.
That's why I'm showing older.
That's true.
I don't know which one's right for you,
but I'm showing these options
because I want you to see the older versions
are still fully viable.
The DSG is great.
That is the best auto I've shown of all of these candidly,
but I think it would still work.
I don't like it as much as some of the others,
but I can't ignore it.
Good stuff, good choices.
I like that we aligned on a few things.
Did you?
Okay, good, yeah, yeah.
I went looking to expand your Corolla collection.
I wondered about these, yeah.
Because you might think I can't afford a GR Corolla
with an automatic.
Yeah, you can.
At the very top end of your budget,
the Cor, because most of them are the premium version.
They're 42, they're a little bit further
outside your budget, but this one I found,
the Cor 35 grand for an automatic.
Yes, I think this would be a lot of fun.
And you know, the Corolla's gonna be good on gas mileage.
It's gonna putter through traffic,
but then when you wanna get on it and slice and dice,
I think this would be great.
And I rode with one of our hooked on driving coaches
who got one of these for just a fun little track car
to get around kind of thing.
And he brought it to a track day
and he took me around at Thunder Hill five mile.
It was Craig.
Yeah, yeah.
And I thought, all right, it's the automatic.
Let's see how she'll do.
Craig's a fantastic driver, he knows that track.
He was chucking that thing in.
We were like over the curbing and landing.
I love it, that's great.
And it did great.
I was very impressed, just being in the passenger seat.
Cool.
He's like, yeah, it's my little daily runabout.
I got the automatic, but whatever.
And we hewned that thing.
I love it.
That's so great.
So it's got to be on your list shop wisely,
but you can afford to complete your Corolla collection
with the pinnacle of GR Corollas of Corollas there.
I also thought of Civic SI base.
And this was, it's in your budget.
It does everything you want.
It's perfect except for manual transmission.
And I think we've decided.
I mean, it's manual transmissions a bit out.
That is the easiest manual on the planet to drive in traffic.
It truly is.
It'd be incredibly easy to drive in traffic.
It's just, it's a manual.
It's a manual.
Do you want that?
32 grand, 32,000 miles.
Great color, fantastic condition.
Boom.
But again, manual.
At the same time, I couldn't ignore
the Kia K4 hatchback GT line turbo in automatic.
There's some shortcomings with this car.
Most notably is you have to turn on sport
every time you get in.
Because immediately.
It'll feel like the gas pedal's not connected to anything.
Like the light switch in your house
that doesn't do anything.
Like what does this do?
Honey.
No idea.
What's this connected to?
Yep.
It does feel a little bit like that.
But if you keep it in sport, then the turbo comes on
and it's fun and it's interesting, good commuter.
It's a different choice.
But I think this is pretty cool car.
I haven't found that tiger's eye
kind of looking orange that we had.
But that yellow thing, yeah.
But this could be a viable option for $28,000.
Talking about electric, pushing on your budget a little bit.
These have dropped in price dramatically.
The i5N, we've talked about this earlier in the show.
These were 70 new, weren't they?
They were 65 to 70 brand new.
Yeah, 70 grand.
New one with 940 miles for 42.
That is a huge deal.
They might take 41, maybe 40.
Yeah.
Here you go.
i5N, great fun.
Your commute will be simulated with pops and cracks
and bangs and inside the car.
I mean, there's speakers in the rear bumper
and people can ostensibly hear you.
But nobody will be hearing you in their commute.
So it'll just be you in the car,
upshifting, downshifting.
Sure, yeah.
You're doing rally mode while you're commuting
and it could be just a load of fun.
And these are really interesting.
If you're going to consider a performance EV,
these are top of my list right now.
So interesting price.
I'm surprised by that.
That's actually, that's a heck of a deal on that for sure.
There's others that are still a little bit higher used.
For sure.
That's good.
That's impressive.
On an auto tempest, set it to lowest price.
Type an i5N or any of these cars
and set it to lowest price and start there.
And work your way up to something that you like.
But we ended at the same place, almost.
All right, yeah, you did a brand new one.
I was also thinking of Shane and he just,
he was glowing about how he bombs around DC traffic
and doesn't care and it's just a load of fun.
This is the DSG.
Yes, definitely newer.
So 29 with 9,000 miles.
But I do like the exterior styling a lot better.
I like the wheels, color.
It's just the interior.
Can you deal with the interior?
So this is the newer version.
And I just thought, it's not 60,000 miles
where the dash lights up like a Christmas tree.
It's a little bit lower, so less maintenance at this point.
But go beat on this thing.
30 grand is right in the middle of your budget.
So I love all these options.
I like the Mini Cooper.
That's gotta be a consideration.
I think that would be really, really fun as a daily.
I really do, yeah.
All of these I think would work,
but you've got choices to make.
Driving to do, let us know what you end up getting.
EverydayDriverTV at gmail.com.
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We've got Elias writing in with a car conclusion.
It's been since episode 670, I will admit it.
I have no idea what we talked about.
I don't know.
Thank you for helping us.
He was living in rural New York at the time
and he couldn't ride his motorcycle as much as he wanted,
but things have changed since then.
It's been a few years.
He was looking Corvettes, Supras, Lotus, Amir, et cetera,
but he has moved back to California,
doubled down on his riding obsession.
California's a great place to ride a motorcycle for sure.
Bought himself a Ducati Supersport 950S for daily riding
and that he made an adult decision
to buy a Ducati Street Fighter V4S for track day.
So you've gotten, not only did you lean in,
you bought two different motorcycles
for different purposes.
Wow, he said the idea of a fun car though
never left his mind.
He drove the Supra, he thought it was great,
but daily use didn't make sense to him,
drove the C8 Corvette and loved it.
Said he couldn't get over how much he loved it,
but given garage space it was like
it's probably not the right choice as his purely fun car.
And then he started thinking differently
because of your advice.
What did I say?
To look at not even the more extreme or expensive cars,
but searching for some statement car
or piece of automotive tech or art that just inspired him.
And that got him looking around beyond just sports cars.
This is really cool.
So two days ago he bought a 2026 Milano White
Alfa Romeo Giulio Veloce.
Oh, he said he's always had an affection for Alfa
since he was a kid.
He loves the refreshed Giulia since 2024,
really did it for him.
It's not extreme, but it's distinct, you're right it is.
Fun to drive and considering the low sales in North America,
he got himself a unique car for a good deal in the Bayer.
He's beyond happy.
You're making a statement.
By the way, an Italian statement,
you're on Italian bikes or an Italian car.
This is designed forward.
I love this, Elias, this is cool.
As long as you go out to your garage every day
when you're gonna drive it, you start singing.
When the moon hits your eye like a big...
We should not.
Right, but all Italy garage.
Sing an arian like all these Italian machinery.
I think it's amazing.
I thought you were gonna say,
you just need to walk out there with an espresso
and then pick what to drive.
An espresso and a bowl of pasta,
and I mean that would be neat.
I would love to do that.
You would 100% do that.
Oh, just me.
You would just lean against the door frame
with an espresso and a bowl of pasta
and pick your Italian transportation.
Oh, that sounds amazing.
You would totally do that, yeah.
I think at some point I need to own a Ferrari.
I just think I do.
Do I not?
I don't know how.
I don't know how.
My co-host, yeah, uh-huh, right, yeah.
How is a mystery?
My dear friend, Paul.
Yes.
But just someday.
Well, okay.
So, what I think this means is,
the 928 has to go,
which you're gonna take a loss on.
And you replace it with an older Ferrari
that you currently can't afford.
Which I'll take a loss on.
Well, you'll take a loss.
Your bank account will take the loss.
The Ferrari will probably hold its value,
but it's gonna hurt a lot to get into an old Ferrari.
There'll be a lot of pain.
I just, uh-huh.
I understand your desire.
I just don't know where the cash comes from.
I don't either.
I don't either, yeah.
Aaron B writes to us from Denver.
He is the ZHP of fame, notable fame,
that he rebuilt the entire gearbox
to make it the most amazing transmission ever.
And also the red Carrera T
in our first price of fun film.
He generously provided that car.
He's been on a few of our trips
and really appreciate you writing, Aaron.
Their family hauler 2016 XC90,
which was bought new, is now gone after 165,000 miles.
It's been replaced by a 2026 Rivian R1S dual performance Max.
Wow, okay.
It's their family's first EV, mostly a happy leap.
The one hiccup was a Rivian adapter it came with
won't connect to their Rivian to a Rivian charger.
And they discovered this in Hayes, Kansas,
which turns out to not be a great part for charging EVs,
but they had just enough juice to reach a working NACS charger.
But now they have the right adapter.
So that's all, but it's not fun to find that out
and discover that when you desperately need it.
Yeah, to fill for sure.
Yeah.
The bigger news is they're the owners
of a new 2026 Cadillac CT4 V Blackwing
with a six P manual,
replacing that vaunted E46 ZHP 186,000 miles on that,
which he's not casually parting with.
He's hoping to sell it to somebody on the Edd Discord.
So it stays within the community.
And I love that because Aaron's a patron.
He's hoping to sell it to one of our patrons at patreon.com.
And that is a well-known car on our patron group.
Also, if you watched our Beartooth road trip piece,
we've released essentially the beginning of this year,
that car gets featured.
It is an excellent version of an E46.
It's the four door, almost M3 with, I'm telling you,
it's the perfect BMW gearbox.
Thanks to Aaron.
It's perfect.
So I do hope it goes to somebody in the family,
so to speak.
Apparently I made a comment
about the Fiesta ST versus Blackwing piece
that I hope GM always decides to build this car
or something like it because if they don't,
this car will turn out to be the greatest hits
in a moment in time car.
And Aaron says, here we are.
Yep, that's why they bought it.
He's very excited to have it.
I'm thrilled for you guys.
That's an interesting garage too.
The Rivian R1S and that Cadillac.
That's a great pairing.
I know he still has his clear clear,
but that's really good.
That's a nice slice of, yeah.
Spread of things.
Hope they're all in interesting colors too.
That'd make it even better.
You didn't tell us that.
But anyway, very cool.
Aaron, congratulations.
We always ask for questions on Instagram and Facebook
right before we record, so please look for those.
And we'd love to actually hear questions from any of you.
There's no barricade to getting in
and asking us questions.
We'd love to hear from you.
Ryan said, looking at these quick pictures
you posted of Forbidden Fruit,
he's gonna reverse the question.
Is there a car made for North America
that isn't sold in Europe
that we think would be great to have over there?
And I have one.
Okay.
GR Corolla.
GR Corolla's up there.
You're right.
They should just have it in Europe.
I mean, they have the Yaris.
They have the Yaris, but here's the thing.
The Yaris is small.
The Yaris is genuine and really small.
And it's not a backseat car.
And the Corolla, the GR Corolla
does not have huge back seats either.
But I just feel like that's a car
that would sell in volume in Europe.
Because I think the Yaris is a little niche
because it is so small.
Who are the people?
It's the Fiesta ST buyer.
Who are the people buying a subcompact car
with a lot of performance?
They're out there, but there's not that many.
People that might buy,
especially that it's offered in auto,
a performance version of a usable hatchback.
That's the thing we saw all over Europe.
The mini sells like crazy in Europe.
There were minis everywhere.
Zodiac is.
Yes.
And the Dacia's in every possible form you can imagine.
The Duster is practically handed out at the border
in some of these countries.
Pretty much.
It's insane.
But I really think that the GR Corolla
is a sales opportunity in Europe
because it's the right size.
It's performance in the right size.
I think they just sell.
Kirk Meyer has a bunch of questions on Facebook
about the European trip,
including American roads we've driven
that would be a comparable to any of the European roads
that we just drove.
I think that's got to be saved a little bit for the film.
He asks, were we able to get similar road trips,
snacks as the road trips as we've done in America?
I admit to just buying based on pictures in Romania.
Yeah.
For sure.
Absolutely.
And I'm the kind of guy like fruits and nuts
and little dried fruits and graham crackers
and pretzels and things like that.
So I was just buying based on photos
and I found delicious snacks
and they were all very tasty.
And then we discovered the water with gas versus still water
was, I guess, magic and no magic, right?
There was one that translated as magic and no magic.
Yeah, that was very funny, yeah.
Bubbles, still water or with gas.
And I found that interesting and entertaining.
He also asks, what's the best part of commute driving
on a rally, views only or can it be as boring
as American roads?
Kirk, you've nailed it.
Here's the reality.
If you're driving across a country on their freeway,
it's not a whole lot different than US freeways.
Here's the difference I will tell you, though.
We have so much space here, especially in the West,
that you can drive for a half hour
and not see a structure that is not Europe.
There's so much more packed in.
The city around you, like the big city will fade out,
but you never really lose structures, farms,
the occasional old building.
Oh, look, there's a castle.
That never completely dies.
And the other thing that we see a lot in Germany,
but you see a lot of other places,
think about the fact that historically in Europe,
they kept having lots of little towns.
They would build a church in the middle of the town
and a bunch of buildings around it,
a bunch of homes around it,
and then five kilometers down the road.
They'd do it again, because historically,
that's where you lived your entire life.
Maybe you went to one of the towns
in either direction of you, but there's a lot of history
to show that the average person 150 years ago
never went more than 100 miles where they were born.
Okay, so we're traveling a lot now.
So that's the funny thing about Europe
is you never really get away from structures, cities,
that kind of stuff.
Oh, I should say towns, not cities, towns, okay?
So that's the difference,
is you never really get to open expanse of nothingness,
like when we're driven across Nevada
and it's like for the next hour,
you're not gonna see a thing but road.
True.
Tumbleweed's road, that's good.
Tumbleweed occasionally, yeah.
That does not happen in Europe.
So that's the big change.
Otherwise, yes, we had commute day.
We've got hundreds of kilometers to do.
We're gonna get on the road that gets us there
the fastest, sometimes the toll road, and off we go.
Kirk, I was not able to bring my interior detailing tools
to make sure it remains CPO for both of our cars,
but I did in Romania, I think it was Eradia?
Were we in Eradia?
Possibly, I think right outside, yeah.
And I found a car wash and it took,
you swipe your credit card and then it converts it to tokens
that you can then use to do the spray wash.
So that was all very normal, but it just kept going.
Like once I finished the timer counted down,
I just turned it back to rinse and it just kept going.
Yay!
At some point I just walked away, drove away.
I guess I've done that.
The timer just reset itself and kept going.
It was like, maybe I put in too many tokens
or spent too much money, I don't really know.
That's still running, by the way.
You put in so many euros, it's 24 seven now.
Free soap, I don't know.
But we're able to blast them off a little bit,
but on the rally and on the giant road trip,
having a little bit of filth and dirt
is a bit of a badge of honor because it showed
how many miles we did, how many kilometers we did
and just kind of showed off what these cars went through
and the road trip aspect of it.
I will say you were 100% right
because we had a lot of dusty, almost rain
and a couple of big rains during our first few days.
And that would keep it.
And so the cars got so dusty rainy
that the end of first week, they didn't look very good.
We washed them at the end of first week
and had sunny days after that.
So then they got normal dirty.
There's something about that dusty kind of,
like you turn down the saturation
when you get a car that gets like dusty rained on.
That doesn't look good, doesn't look good for cameras.
So we did get it washed off in actually Timishwara.
It was Romanian.
Timishwara, that's right.
Yeah, which is a crazy word to say.
By the way, there's an S in Romanian
that has a little like fingers on the top and bottom
that becomes an SH sound and I don't always do it right.
But we're gonna fail.
I am going to fail spectacularly this entire series
in my pronunciation and it's part of the fun.
Anyway, thank you guys for incredible questions
for being with us as always.
Keep in mind, if you would like to support this show
further, patreon.com.
We have a link from our everydaydriver.com website,
but you can also just go to Patreon and search for us.
That gets you a lot of insider access.
It also supports this show, keeps it going.
It gives you access to our Discord.
And coming up very soon is the first ever
of our insider podcasts that are for our middle level $10
and the $20 up level.
Those are happening for the first time that's coming.
We're gonna do a new podcast, extra podcast
about every other month for that level.
So that'll be a lot of ins, as the name suggests,
insider stuff only for our patrons
and only questions from our patrons.
So that's gonna be an actual little thing we're doing.
Thank you guys for your support there.
But even if you aren't a patron supporter,
thank you for listening, for watching,
for coming to the Hooked On Driving events
and just being a part of this community.
We are very, very grateful.
I couldn't agree more, couldn't say it better
and we're looking forward to next time as always.
Cheers everyone.
About this episode
Hosts kick off with event and road-trip planning, then pivot into a long debate about Mercedes “fakery” on EVs—simulated engine/gearbox behavior, seat vibration, and sound effects—plus whether that kind of entertainment immersion helps or distracts from what makes cars engaging. The discussion broadens into analog-vs-digital ownership, diagnostic/obsolescence concerns, and how weight and steering feel matter more than fake noise. Later, they field listener car-shopping questions, narrowing “manual wagons” and recommending specific used options and upcoming track events.
The guys discuss the direction Mercedes-Benz is taking with their performance EVs, notably the recently announced 2027 AMG CLA45 4Matic+.
Goodwood Festival Of Speed is one of the most accessible and inspirational events for car enthusiasts, and allows people to easily see the cars up close and driving quickly up the hill.
For Topic Tuesday, the guys discuss a mental cul-de-sac for Tim in TN, who is unhappy because he’s rational about cars.
Car Debate #1 is for Dave in Seattle, who loves manuals, wagons, and lightweight cars. Can the guys replace half his garage?
Car Debate #2 is for Rick in DC, who also loves manual transmissions but needs a good commuter.
Car Conclusion #1 is from Elias in CA, who decided to buy a car for what he actually wanted.
Car Conclusion #2 is from Aaron in CO, who is excited by moment-in-time cars, and bought possibly the last of an era.
Audio-only MP3 is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and 10 other platforms.
Look for us on Tuesdays if you’d like to watch us debate, disagree and then go drive again!
00:00 - Intro
2:09 - 2027 Mercedes-AMG CLA45 4Matic EV Announced
19:32 - Cars From 2026 Goodwood FOS - Will They Be Around In 100 Years?
27:56 - Topic Tuesday: The Mental Cul-De-Sac
40:49 - Car Debate #1: My Almost Perfect Garage
1:01:32 - Car Debate #2: The Best Of Everything
1:14:04 - Car Conclusion #1: The Most Important Buying Parameter
1:17:08 - Car Conclusion #2: The Last Of The Last?
1:19:19 - Audience Questions On Social Media
Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, and subscribe to our two YouTube channels. Write to us your Topic Tuesdays, Car Conclusions and those great Car Debates at [email protected] or everydaydriver.com
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