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The Wild World of F1, The Mercedes-Benz EQS, and a Big New Hybrid Corvette

The Wild World of F1, The Mercedes-Benz EQS, and a Big New Hybrid Corvette

Bloomberg Hot Pursuit! Mar 20, 2026 50 min
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About this episode

A lively discussion covers the latest in Formula 1's evolving landscape with new manufacturers and controversial hybrid powertrains, the luxurious yet underwhelming Mercedes EQS 400 SUV experience, and exciting rumors about a new hybrid Corvette Grand Sport with a powerful 6.7L V8. The hosts also touch on BMW's new electric 3 Series, the resurgence of EV interest due to rising gas prices, and the thrill of MotoGP racing. Personal car stories and dealership insights round out the episode, blending industry trends with enthusiast perspectives.

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Technical Too Afraid to Ask
Concept

F1

"so today we have a number of topics from F1 and MotoGP to new car releases from BMW and hopefully Corvettes"

F1 is a type of car racing where very fast cars race on special tracks all around the world. It's the top level of racing for cars with one seat.

Car

Corvette

"so today we have a number of topics from F1 and MotoGP to new car releases from BMW and hopefully Corvettes"

The Corvette is a fast and sporty car made by Chevrolet, a big American car company. It's known for looking cool and going very fast.

Concept

MotoGP

"so today we have a number of topics from F1 and MotoGP to new car releases from BMW and hopefully Corvettes"

MotoGP is a type of motorcycle racing where very fast bikes race on special tracks. It's like the top level of motorcycle racing.

Car

Mercedes-Benz EQS 400 SUV

"you're driving the Mercedes sure the EQS 400 SUV I think the timing of that is perfect and any electric car news right now"

The Mercedes-Benz EQS 400 SUV is a fancy electric car that is shaped like a big SUV. It doesn't use gas and is made by Mercedes-Benz, a well-known car company.

Car

Rivian R2

"Uber wants to invest I think one and a quarter billion dollars in Rivian to buy 10,000 R2s for autonomous taxis but I've noticed all of my friends who have EVs have been doing victory laps"

The Rivian R2 is a new electric truck and SUV made by Rivian, a company that makes cars that run on electricity instead of gas. It's smaller and cheaper than their older models.

Company

Uber

"like this morning we got a story that Uber wants to invest I think one and a quarter billion dollars in Rivian to buy 10,000 R2s for autonomous taxis"

Uber is a company that lets you use your phone to get a ride in a car. They are also working on self-driving cars and electric cars.

Term

autonomous taxis

"Uber wants to invest I think one and a quarter billion dollars in Rivian to buy 10,000 R2s for autonomous taxis but I've noticed all of my friends who have EVs have been doing victory laps"

Autonomous taxis are cars that can drive themselves and take people where they want to go without a driver. They use computers and cameras to know where to go.

Term

EV

"but I've noticed all of my friends who have EVs have been doing victory laps the last"

An EV is a car that runs on electricity instead of gas. It helps the environment because it doesn't make pollution from the tailpipe.

Term

premium fuel

"I'm talking about regular gas right most of the cars that we test or drive only except premium fuel fuel but so I think there could be a resurgence in EV demand..."

Premium fuel is a special kind of gas that some cars need to run better and avoid problems. It costs more than regular gas.

Concept

EV demand

"I think there could be a resurgence in EV demand if this goes on much longer and that's why I'm interested to hear about your Mercedes EQS experience..."

EV demand means how many people want to buy electric cars. When gas prices go up, more people want electric cars because they don't use gas.

Car

Mercedes-Benz EQS

"I'm interested to hear about your Mercedes EQS experience so we should talk about it and we should also say on the way to talking about the EQS..."

The Mercedes-Benz EQS is a fancy electric car that runs on batteries instead of gas. It's made by Mercedes-Benz and is known for being very comfortable and high-tech.

Car

Cadillac Escalade

"I only pay $20 a month for you know energy to fuel my EV and meanwhile you're getting 13 miles a gallon in your Cadillac Escalade so well fair fair"

The Cadillac Escalade is a big and fancy SUV that uses a lot of gas. It's comfortable and roomy but doesn't get very good mileage.

Term

miles per gallon equivalent

"this EQS that I'm driving this week gets 80 miles per gallon equivalent in the city which is kind of amazing"

Miles per gallon equivalent is a way to show how far an electric car can go using the same amount of energy as one gallon of gas. It helps people compare electric cars to gas cars.

Car

Mercedes-Benz SL 63

"my favorite car I drove of the year was a Mercedes I loved it too that was what the SL 63 yes yes this is not that car"

The Mercedes-Benz SL 63 is a sporty and fancy convertible car that goes very fast and feels very comfortable inside.

Term

horsepower

"it has 355 horsepower which is pretty low it's so weird I thought EVs all had a thousand horsepower no this is on the other end of it"

Horsepower tells you how strong a car's engine is and how fast it can go. More horsepower usually means a more powerful car.

Term

CarPlay

"your carplay Bluetooth seamless never fail and that is actually quite a rare thing no I agree yes it's amazing"

CarPlay lets you use your iPhone on the car's screen so you can get directions, make calls, and play music easily.

Car

BMW i3

"...first time its actual production model of the new i3 which is their electric version of the three ser..."

The BMW i3 is a small electric car made by BMW. It runs only on electricity and is good for driving around the city.

Concept

electric car range

"it doesn't make you hate it at first plus it has like 450 miles of range it adds you know 250 miles in a 10-minute charge it seems very promising to me"

Electric car range means how far an electric car can go before it needs to be charged again.

Car

BMW 3 Series

"I do think yeah the new styling is great I mean this I think the three series started in 1975 it's been a long time this is yes and this is what I remember when I first moved to New York every junior level banker wanted like well they wanted they really wanted M3 but but they bought the three series they get a 325 maybe they move up to an M3 later"

The BMW 3 Series is a popular small luxury car that many people like because it drives well and looks nice. It's been around since 1975 and lots of people buy it.

Car

BMW M3

"every junior level banker wanted like well they wanted they really wanted M3 but but they bought the three series they get a 325 maybe they move up to an M3 later"

The BMW M3 is a sportier and faster version of the regular BMW 3 Series. It has more power and is built to be more fun to drive.

Car

Porsche 911

"maybe they move up to an M3 later and they definitely want a 9-11 it yes the pinnacle but this the three series is like a pioneering car"

The Porsche 911 is a famous sports car that many people admire. It looks unique and is known for being very fun and fast to drive.

Car

Porsche Macan

"here's my question for you Matt you know how Porsche made basically it's two best-selling models the Cayenne and the McCann like sort of hybridized and electrified those and that was a bit of a mistake"

The Porsche Macan is a smaller SUV that Porsche sells. They have made versions that use a mix of gas and electric power to be more modern and better for the environment.

Car

Porsche Cayenne

"here's my question for you Matt you know how Porsche made basically it's two best-selling models the Cayenne and the McCann like sort of hybridized and electrified those and that was a bit of a mistake"

The Porsche Cayenne is a fancy SUV that Porsche sells a lot of. They have made versions that use both gas and electric power to be more modern and eco-friendly.

Term

torque

"the electric version is gonna come out with pretty much like e340 m340 or base m3 power so it also doesn't have huge horsepower and torque numbers it's like high 400s for both of those"

Torque is the force that helps a car start moving and speed up. More torque means the car can accelerate faster.

Concept

EV backlash

"right and the fact that they showed for example the new Cayenne at the height of like EV backlash it was the zeitgeist at the time to hate all EVs and we had just killed all of the tax subsidies"

EV backlash means some people didn't like electric cars and were against them for different reasons, like worrying about how far they can go or how to charge them.

Concept

tax subsidies

"it was the zeitgeist at the time to hate all EVs and we had just killed all of the tax subsidies and and and and right"

Tax subsidies are discounts or money from the government that help people buy electric cars more cheaply. When these go away, electric cars can seem more expensive.

Brand

Audi

"...though I spoke with the CEO of Audi earlier this week and he came on TV cool and they had you know a real problems in Audi..."

Audi is a company from Germany that makes fancy and fast cars. They are known for using new technology and making cars that look nice.

Concept

Formula One (F1)

"...and we know that of course they're in Formula one this year you know what let's put a pin in this right now..."

Formula One, or F1, is a type of very fast car racing with special cars that race on tracks around the world.

Concept

battery recuperation

"they slow down to recuperate battery power in random places and then the other thing is I'll be rooting for you know someone who's behind to catch up"

Battery recuperation means the car saves energy when slowing down or stopping, so it can use that energy later to go faster.

Term

powertrain

"and Red Bull has a new powertrain and there are so many new entrants so to me the exciting thing is that Ford's involved GM is involved"

Powertrain means all the parts in a car that make it move, like the engine and the parts that send power to the wheels.

Brand

Ford

"so many new entrants so to me the exciting thing is that Ford's involved GM is involved yes Audi is involved"

Ford is a big car company from the United States that makes many cars and also helps with racing teams.

Brand

General Motors

"so many new entrants so to me the exciting thing is that Ford's involved GM is involved yes Audi is involved"

General Motors, or GM, is a big car company from America that owns many car brands and is now helping with Formula One racing.

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