Porsche Sells Bugatti, US Bans Chinese Cars, Trouble At Stellantis And More! THIS CAR POD EP109!
THIS CAR POD! with Doug DeMuro & Friends!
Porsche Sells Bugatti, US Bans Chinese Cars, Trouble At Stellantis And More! THIS CAR POD EP109! THIS CAR POD! with Doug DeMuro & Friends! · May 1, 2026
Porsche Sells Bugatti, US Bans Chinese Cars, Trouble At Stellantis And More! THIS CAR POD EP109!

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Porsche Sells Bugatti, US Bans Chinese Cars, Trouble At Stellantis And More! THIS CAR POD EP109!
Topic

Porsche Sells Bugatti, US Bans Chinese Cars, Trouble At Stellantis And More! THIS CAR POD EP109!

This is the episode’s headline list of what they’re talking about. Think of it like a roadmap for the main news segments.

Concept

divesting

Divesting means selling something you own—like a business or brand. Porsche is doing this to bring in money.

Company

private equity

Private equity is a type of investor group that puts money into companies. They may buy a business and try to make it more profitable before selling later.

Term

operating profits

Operating profit is basically how much money a company makes from running its main business, after paying the usual day-to-day costs. The hosts say Porsche’s operating profit has been falling.

Term

Q1

Q1 is just the first three months of the year. The hosts are talking about how Porsche did financially in that early part of the year.

Term

expenses

Expenses are the costs of running the business—what the company has to pay out. The hosts are saying Porsche’s costs are likely very high.

Term

revenue

Revenue is the money a company earns from sales. The hosts are comparing revenue to expenses to show whether the business is making or losing money.

Company

Rimac

Rimac is a company that builds electric-performance technology and cars. In this segment, they’re talking about Rimac’s partnership with Bugatti and how much of the venture Rimac owns.

Concept

joint venture

A joint venture is basically a partnership where two companies work together on the same project. They share ownership and decisions, so the “who owns what” part can be important.

Company

HOF capital

HOF Capital is mentioned as an investor/owner involved with Bugatti’s current ownership. They say it owns 45%, meaning it has a significant share in the business.

Brand

Volkswagen lineup

They’re talking about Volkswagen Group’s set of car brands and how they range from cheaper models to the most expensive, fancy ones. Think of it like a company that owns many different “levels” of cars.

Brand

Skoda

Skoda is one of the car brands owned by the Volkswagen Group. Here it’s mentioned as the more budget-friendly end of the group’s brand lineup.

Brand

Lamborghini

Lamborghini makes high-end supercars. The hosts are using it as an example of the most prestigious brands in the Volkswagen Group’s lineup.

Brand

Bentley

Bentley is a luxury car brand. They mention it as one of the upscale brands in the same group of companies.

Brand

Opel

Opel is a car brand from Europe. Here it’s brought up because the speaker is trying to remember whether it’s part of the lineup they’re talking about.

Volkswagen Passat
Car

Volkswagen Passat

The Volkswagen Passat is a regular, everyday kind of car. They mention it because the Veyron’s key fob was reportedly shared with the Passat, which is a surprising cost-saving detail.

Term

key fob

A key fob is the little remote you use to lock and unlock your car, and sometimes to start it. Here it’s mentioned to show that even a supercar can use shared, off-the-shelf components.

Brand

Koenigsegg

Koenigsegg is a company that makes very extreme, high-performance supercars. The hosts are talking about how accessible the people behind the brand can be.

Company

Rehmats

Rehmats is mentioned as a business partner in a deal that affected who owns part of Bugatti. The hosts are saying that ownership changes can shift how the brand operates.

Brand

Porsche brand

Porsche is a well-known sports-car brand. In this discussion, they’re saying Porsche would bring experience in building cars as part of a larger partnership.

Veyron
Car

Veyron

The Bugatti Veyron is a very expensive, ultra-fast supercar. They’re saying that if there’s less support for cars like this, it makes the idea of owning one less appealing.

Concept

keep stuff around

They mean keeping the resources needed to support the car for years. That usually includes having replacement parts and the ability to service the car properly.

Lotus Elise
Car

Lotus Elise

The Lotus Elise is a small, sporty car made by Lotus. The hosts say Artioli owned Lotus and chose the name “Elise” for it.

Company

Wall Street Journal

They mention the Wall Street Journal, which is a well-known business newspaper. The point here is that the car topic was covered in a mainstream news story.

Concept

ban Chinese cars

They’re talking about a proposed law that would stop Chinese cars from coming into the U.S. That would limit what car brands you can buy, because the cars wouldn’t be allowed to enter the country.

Kia Rio
Car

Kia Rio

The Kia Rio is a small, everyday car made by Kia. Here it’s just an example of the kind of car a tourist might be driving at the border.

Term

tariffs

Tariffs are extra taxes added when something is brought into a country. If the U.S. adds big tariffs to imported Chinese cars, the cars usually cost more for buyers.

G-Class Gwagon
Car

G-Class Gwagon

The Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon is a luxury SUV that’s famous for being tough and off-road capable. Here, they’re just saying Sean was driving one during the interview.

Volvo S90
Car

Volvo S90

The “Long Wheelbase S90” is a Volvo S90 sedan with extra space between the front and rear seats. They’re bringing it up as an example of a car people might not be able to bring across the border anymore.

Tesla
Car

Tesla

Tesla is the electric-car brand they’re talking about. They’re saying some Teslas made in China were sold in Canada and may have crossed the border.

Polestar 2
Car

Polestar 2

The Polestar 2 is an electric car (an EV) made by Polestar. In this segment, it’s mentioned as a specific example of a car the hosts are talking about in relation to a proposed ban.

Brand

Bob Lutz

Bob Lutz is a famous person in the car industry—an executive who’s often quoted about cars and business. Here, the hosts bring him up to support a point with a quote.

Buick Envision
Car

Buick Envision

The Buick Envision is a Buick SUV—basically a crossover that’s meant to feel a bit more upscale than a regular family car. Here, they’re talking about it as a standout Buick compared with how people usually felt about Buicks.

Term

2.4-liter four-cylinder

That phrase tells you what kind of engine the car has. It’s a 2.4-liter engine, and it uses four cylinders to make power.

Term

180 horsepower

Horsepower is a number that describes how much power the engine can make. It’s one of the main stats people look at when comparing cars.

Concept

Chinese cars banned from America in theory

They’re talking about a possible U.S. rule that could stop Chinese-made cars from being sold here. The phrase “in theory” implies it’s more of a proposal or discussion than something already fully in effect.

Brand

Great Wall Motors

Great Wall Motors is a big car company from China. The hosts are talking about it possibly selling more cars in the U.S.

Brand

MG

MG is a car brand with roots in the UK. The host likes it because it has a long history behind the name.

Topic

Beijing Auto Show

The Beijing Auto Show is a big car event in China. Companies use it to announce new cars and new technology.

Topic

CES

CES is a big technology conference where companies show off new tech. Car companies sometimes preview car-related technology there too.

Byd Seal
Car

Byd Seal

The BYD Seal is an electric car made by BYD. They’re bringing it up here as an example of the kinds of cars Chinese brands are selling.

BYD Dolphin
Car

BYD Dolphin

The BYD Dolphin is a small electric car made by BYD. They mention it as one of BYD’s EV models.

Term

V8

A V8 is a type of engine with eight cylinders. More cylinders usually means more potential power, and it’s often used in bigger or performance-oriented cars.

Term

turbocharged

Turbocharged means the engine uses a device that compresses air before it goes into the cylinders. That helps the engine produce more power without needing a bigger engine.

Term

carbon-fiber monocoque chassis

This means the car’s main structure is built from carbon fiber in one integrated shell. It’s designed to be strong but lighter than many traditional body structures.

Term

plug-in hybrids

Plug-in hybrids are cars that use both a gas engine and an electric motor. You can charge the battery by plugging the car in, so some driving can be done on electricity.

Term

V12 SUV

A V12 SUV is an SUV that uses a V12 engine. It’s a rare, high-end setup compared with most SUVs that use smaller engines.

Term

Formula One

Formula One is the highest level of major international race car competition. Saying someone is “losing Formula One” means they’re not doing as well in that top racing series.

Brand

Cadillac

Cadillac is a luxury car brand from the United States. The hosts mention it as the opposite of Ferrari in terms of who’s doing better.

Term

gasoline powertrain

A gasoline powertrain means the car is designed to run on regular gasoline. It includes the engine and the related systems that make the engine work.

Concept

dealer base

A dealer base is the set of local car dealerships that sell the brand. Building one helps customers find the cars easily and get service afterward.

Concept

production in the US

Producing cars in the US means building them locally instead of shipping them in. That can help with cost and pricing, and it can also help companies meet local rules.

Concept

price war

A price war is when car companies keep lowering prices to attract buyers. When everyone does it at once, it can hurt profits and make it harder for companies to stay healthy.

Company

McLaren

McLaren is a well-known performance company, especially in racing. The point of the mention is that the engineer coming over has experience from a very high-level performance environment.

Concept

reliability play

A “reliability play” means trying to make cars more dependable so they break less. The hosts are saying this situation isn’t mainly about that.

Term

VINs

A VIN is a vehicle’s unique ID number. Officials can look up that number to figure out where the car was made.

Tesla Model 3
Car

Tesla Model 3

The Tesla Model 3 is an electric car made by Tesla. They’re talking about it because it can be built in China, and that matters to the policy being discussed.

MG Cyberster
Car

MG Cyberster

The Cyberster is an MG electric sports car. They’re saying they haven’t seen that kind of MG in a while since they drove the Cyberster.

Shelby GT350
Car

Shelby GT350

The Shelby GT350 is a high-performance version of a Ford Mustang made with Shelby branding. People talk about it because it’s known for being sporty and performance-oriented. The episode also mentions the naming history, which matters to fans.

Term

nomenclature

Nomenclature just means the naming system—what a company calls its models. They’re saying Ford changed the labels (like GT350/GT500) instead of keeping the old names.

Shelby GT500
Car

Shelby GT500

The Shelby GT500 is a very high-performance version of a Shelby Mustang. It’s designed to be stronger and more aggressive than the lower-performance versions. The episode mentions the naming history because fans care about how these trims are labeled.

Company

Ford

Ford is the car company involved in this decision. They’re choosing to stop paying for the Shelby name/branding arrangement and cut costs instead.

Brand

Shelby brand

“Shelby” is the name tied to performance cars, especially Mustangs. They’re saying Shelby has long been closely connected to the Mustang.

Brand

Dodge

Dodge is a car brand. They’re mentioning it because Shelby has worked with more than just Ford Mustangs.

Car

Ford Shelbys

“Ford” here is being mentioned because some high-performance Shelby versions are based on Ford models. Shelby is known for making special performance cars. The conversation is about how those cars are identified by name.

Brand

Shelby badge

The “Shelby badge” refers to the Shelby branding used on certain performance cars. The badge carries marketing and heritage value, and the hosts connect it to brand following and pricing.

Shelby Cobra
Car

Shelby Cobra

The Shelby Cobra is a classic sports car associated with performance and racing. “Shelby” refers to the company/person behind the car’s famous version, and “Cobra” is the model name. People talk about it because it’s one of the most iconic old-school sports cars.

Car

Dodge Daytona Shelby

This is a Dodge Daytona that’s associated with Shelby branding. The hosts are clarifying which Daytona they mean, because there’s a more famous Shelby Daytona people often think of first.

Company

Autobsture Garage

They mention “Autobsture Garage” as the place that sold the car they’re talking about. That helps explain where the car came from and what kind of listing it was.

Dodge Dart
Car

Dodge Dart

The Dodge Dart is a type of Dodge car. Here, they’re talking about it like a model they’d like to see come back or get reviewed, connected to what Dodge’s parent company might do next.

Term

platform sharing

Platform sharing means different car models are built on the same basic “skeleton.” That helps the company spend less money and build cars faster, even if the final cars still look and drive a bit differently.

Company

Stalantis

Stellantis is a big car company that owns multiple brands. Here, the hosts are talking about a news story involving employee health complaints at the company’s headquarters.

Term

badge engineering

Badge engineering is when the same basic car is sold under different brand names. The differences are usually small, like badges and styling, rather than a totally new design.

Brand

Alfa Romeo

Alfa Romeo is an Italian car brand. The hosts mention it here as part of the set of brands connected to Stellantis.

Brand

Jeep

Jeep is a car brand known for rugged, off-road vehicles. In this segment, it’s named as one of the brands tied to Stellantis.

Brand

Ram

Ram is a car brand that mainly makes pickup trucks. In this chat, it’s mentioned as one of several brands in the same discussion.

Brand

Chrysler

Chrysler is a car brand. They’re talking about Chrysler’s lineup and a rumor that it might build an off-road version of a minivan.

Chrysler Pacifica
Car

Chrysler Pacifica

The Chrysler Pacifica is a minivan. An “off-road Pacifica” would be a version meant to handle dirt roads and rough terrain, but the speaker doesn’t trust Chrysler to do it well.

off-road Sienna
Car

off-road Sienna

The Toyota Sienna is a family minivan. Here, they’re saying they want a version that’s lifted and better suited for dirt roads—basically an “off-road” Sienna.

Term

lifted Sienna

A “lifted” vehicle has increased ride height, usually via suspension changes, to provide more ground clearance. That helps with obstacles like ruts, rocks, and uneven dirt roads, which is why the hosts connect “lifted” to their idea of an off-road minivan.

Concept

new platforms

A “platform” is the car’s main design foundation. If a company builds a new platform, it can use that same base for several different models and make future cars cheaper and easier to develop.

Concept

powertrains

A powertrain is what makes the car move. It includes the engine/motor and the parts that send power to the wheels.

Dodge Ram
Car

Dodge Ram

The Dodge Ram is a large pickup truck made for hauling and everyday truck use. It’s the “Ram” brand within Dodge’s truck lineup. People mention it because it’s a well-known, capable truck model.

Brand

Peugeot

Peugeot is a car company from France. The hosts are saying it’s important for Europe/France, so it’s unlikely to be dropped.

Brand

Fiat

Fiat is an Italian car brand. In this discussion, it’s being treated as the cheaper option compared with the more premium brands.

Dodge Avenger
Car

Dodge Avenger

The Dodge Avenger is a car model name. The podcast is pointing out that there’s also a “Jeep Avenger,” and the names can sound similar even though they’re different cars. It’s mentioned to avoid confusion.

Jeep Avenger
Car

Jeep Avenger

The Jeep Avenger is a small SUV that Jeep sells in Europe. The point here is that Jeep’s lineup overseas can be different from what you might think of as “Jeep” elsewhere.

Brand

Maserati Alpha

This sounds like a Maserati model name, but the exact car being referenced isn’t clear from the snippet. If you can share more of the surrounding audio, it may be possible to pin down the exact model.

Charger
Car

Charger

The Dodge Charger is a popular American muscle car. The discussion here is about whether it’s still sold with a V8 engine, which is a big part of what people expect from Chargers.

Challenger
Car

Challenger

The Dodge Challenger is a muscle car from Dodge. The hosts are using it as an example of what happens to the lineup when Dodge isn’t selling those cars anymore.

Term

V8s

A “V8” is an engine with eight cylinders. In this conversation, they’re talking about which vehicles are still sold with that kind of engine.

Term

electric

“Electric” means the car uses an electric motor instead of (or in addition to) a gas engine. They’re debating whether the lineup is moving away from V8s toward electric options.

Ram Pro Master
Car

Ram Pro Master

The Ram ProMaster is a van made for work, like carrying cargo or tools. The podcast mentions it has a nine-speed transmission, which is how the car changes gears. It’s brought up because it’s a practical vehicle for business use.

Term

nine-speed transmission

A nine-speed transmission is an automatic gearbox with nine different gear settings. It helps the vehicle choose the right “gear” for the speed and driving conditions.

Concept

class action lawsuit

A class action lawsuit is when many affected customers team up in one legal case. In this story, the claim is that the van’s computer is set up so it won’t use the top gears, even though it’s supposed to.

Term

Fuel economy

Fuel economy means how far the car can go on a given amount of gas. Higher fuel economy usually means you spend less money on fuel and emit less pollution.

Term

TPA

TPA is an acronym the hosts mention while talking about testing, but they don’t explain it here. It likely refers to a specific testing or approval step, and you’d need the full episode context to know exactly what it means.

Brand

Mothers

Mothers is a company that makes car cleaning and detailing products. The hosts are saying they’re partnering with them and will use their products as part of the show.

Term

detail spray

A detail spray is a quick cleaner/shine product you spray on the car and wipe off. People use it to keep the paint looking good without doing a full wash.

Term

concoctions

“Concoctions” is used to describe custom-mixed chemical blends—essentially the formulated recipes for detailing products. It’s not a standard automotive term, but it signals that they’re making experimental mixtures in a lab.

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