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The ZR1 is INSANE; Wooden Manx; M3 Wrenching; Q&A

The ZR1 is INSANE; Wooden Manx; M3 Wrenching; Q&A

The Smoking Tire Oct 07, 2025 100 min
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About this episode

A lively discussion kicks off with a recap of the performance car of the year test, featuring the insane ZR1 and its competition. The hosts share personal anecdotes about wrenching on their cars, including a detailed look at an intake manifold installation. They also discuss upcoming events, including a live show at Willow Springs and the excitement of driving various high-performance vehicles. The episode wraps up with a Q&A segment, addressing topics like the practicality of convertibles, the joys of driving stick, and the merits of different performance cars.

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Technical Too Afraid to Ask
Part

intake manifold

"I pulled apart my intake manifold last night. So I did that to install this eventory, call it a hybrid air box."

The intake manifold is a part of the engine that helps get air into the engine. It's important for how well the engine runs and how much power it makes.

Company

Pelican Parts

"...the Pelican parts guide, which was pretty good, but it just says, remove plenum."

Pelican Parts is a website where you can buy car parts and find helpful guides for fixing cars, especially European brands.

Part

plenum

"...remove plenum. You're like, right, I've unhooked the things, remove plenum. You have jumped there. You have put a lot of steps into one step."

The plenum is a part of the engine that helps send air to where it needs to go. It's important for the engine to work properly.

Car

BMW M3

"...And I'm going to bring the pink car, I think. Yeah. And Zach will have the M3 and it'll be fun..."

The BMW M3 is a fast and sporty car that many people love to drive. It's designed for performance and has a history in racing.

Car

Lamborghini Huracán Tecnica

"but the four fastest cars we had with the ZR1, the Temerario, the GTD, and the GT3."

The Lamborghini Huracán Tecnica is a powerful sports car that is built for speed and performance, making it suitable for both driving on the road and racing.

Car

Chevrolet Corvette ZR1

"but the four fastest cars we had with the ZR1, the Temerario, the GTD, and the GT3."

The Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 is a super-fast version of the Corvette sports car, designed for high performance and racing.

Car

Ford GT

"but the four fastest cars we had with the ZR1, the Temerario, the GTD, and the GT3."

The Ford GT is a very fast sports car that is known for its sleek design and powerful performance, inspired by a famous race car from the past.

Car

Porsche 911

"...d very nice. Very, very nice. That livery on the 911 is crazy. That's a, that's a, I don't know if it'..."
Car

McLaren 765LT

"...it's like a set, you know, it's like a 765 or something like. Way more power. Yeah, it's heavier than a 765."

The McLaren 765LT is a very fast sports car known for being lightweight and powerful. It's built for speed and performance, making it exciting to drive.

Term

horsepower

"...It does have 200 more horsepower. And I think a 765 might at, might was probably a little quicker and is definitely a little scarier..."

Horsepower is a way to measure how powerful an engine is. More horsepower usually means the car can go faster and perform better.

Car

Chevrolet Corvette

"...mean, I will say, like, this is speculation, but Corvette has had such good, like, performance track, like ..."
Car

Mazda2

"For me, it was a bone stock based manual Mazda2. Yeah, those are actually all right."

The Mazda2 is a small car that's fun to drive, especially if you get the version with a manual gearbox. It's known for being light and easy to handle.

Term

high performance tires

"high performance tires, but not the sticky icky's. And you could pretty much daily that just like any other car. With the Grand Touring Edition, basically."

High performance tires are special tires that help cars handle better and go faster. They stick to the road more than regular tires, making them great for sports cars.

Car

Lexus ES 350 F Sport

"I mean, I don't know about fun, but like the Lexus ES 350 F Sport is pretty not terrible."

The Lexus ES 350 F Sport is a fancy sedan that feels nice to drive. The F Sport version has some sporty features that make it more fun.

Term

GM Durability Cycle

"Right, that's super, that's cool. GM Durability Cycle, like, what?"

The GM Durability Cycle is a set of tests that General Motors uses to make sure their cars are strong and can last a long time, even in tough conditions.

Car

Nissan Skyline

"I drove a skyline like a small one of the ones that was like the two liter turbo and that was pretty fun."

The Nissan Skyline is a sporty car that many people love for its performance. There are smaller versions with a two-liter turbo engine that are also fun to drive.

Concept

computer controlled cars

"so many cars are computer controlled in so many ways. Like a lot of the questions on car talk where I'm hearing this sound..."

Computer controlled cars are vehicles that use computers to help manage how they run. This makes it easier to find problems because you can plug a computer in to see what's wrong.

Car

BMW M240

"I own a 2020 BMW M240 convertible that I would like to give to my college age daughter."

The BMW M240 is a small, sporty car that has a convertible version. It's designed for fun driving and has a nice mix of comfort and performance.

Term

twin-turbo V8

"you know, ish five and a half liters, but small ish twin turbo v8 that really does feel like a Pista..."

A twin-turbo V8 is an engine that has eight cylinders and uses two turbochargers to make it more powerful. This helps the car go faster and use fuel more efficiently.

Car

Ferrari 488 Pista

"but small ish twin turbo v8 that really does feel like a Pista..."

The Ferrari 488 Pista is a special version of the Ferrari 488 sports car that is faster and lighter. It's built for racing and has features that make it very exciting to drive.

Car

Chevrolet Corvette Z06

"the difference between the Z06 and the ZR1 most of the time isn't much..."

The Chevrolet Corvette Z06 is a faster and more powerful version of the regular Corvette sports car. It has special features that make it great for racing and driving on the road.

Car

BMW M5

"... no, no, no, while intending to slide. I spun the M5 probably twice because the M5, it took me a whil..."
Term

rev limiter

"going 360 and like foot to the floor, like banging rev limiter."

A rev limiter is a part of a car's engine that stops it from going too fast. It helps keep the engine safe by preventing it from spinning too quickly.

Car

Subaru 360S

"...he floor, like banging rev limiter, did a couple 360s before continuing on. And he was like, you know, ..."
Term

fresh tires

"...gets fresh tires. And then like we'd use whatever's left at the end of the day, we swap them for the next day."

Fresh tires are new tires that haven't been used much. They help cars grip the road better, especially during races.

Term

traction control

"...to the, uh, multi-matic wet driving traction control program"

Traction control is a feature in cars that helps them stay stable when accelerating. It stops the wheels from spinning too much, which can happen on wet or slippery roads.

Term

throttle mapping

"...It really changes the throttle mapping as well. It dials down, you know, you're the throttle position..."

Throttle mapping is how the car's engine reacts when you press the gas pedal. It can make the car feel more responsive or smoother depending on the setting.

Car

Ford Mustang

"...imagine you guys like started with a Corvette instead of starting with a Mustang..."

The Ford Mustang is a classic American sports car that's known for being powerful and stylish. It's been popular for many years and is a symbol of American car culture.

Car

Audi Rs3

"...h, um, and, uh, and yeah, 2000 miles on that Audi RS3. Do the, uh, that car, uh, the, the, the brake f..."
Term

brake fluid

"the brake fluid was really boiled after the second track day."

Brake fluid is the liquid that helps your car's brakes work. If it gets too hot or dirty, the brakes might not work well.

Term

torque rear mode

"...they were trying like torque rear mode, slidey mode, which, you know, it's cool. It does help the car rotate through corners..."

Torque rear mode is a setting in some cars that sends more power to the back wheels, helping the car turn better when going around corners. It's useful for driving fast or on a racetrack.

Car

Ford Focus RS

"...most, uh, front wheel drive based all wheel drive cars. Um, but at the same time, it's, it's, it's a little inconsistent with like all of them, all of those ones are like the Focus RS and the Golf..."

The Ford Focus RS is a fast version of the regular Ford Focus. It has a powerful engine and special features that make it fun to drive on tracks or winding roads.

Car

Volkswagen Golf

"...all of those ones are like the Focus RS and the Golf. They all like the way they actually shift the power to the rear..."

The Volkswagen Golf is a small car that's popular for being practical and fun to drive. There are sportier versions that are even faster and more exciting.

Term

all-wheel drive system

"...different from a rear wheel drive based all wheel drive system. You know, that usually is a lot better at that. Yeah. And you know what I, you know..."

All-wheel drive means that power goes to all four wheels of the car, which helps it grip the road better, especially when it's slippery or when turning.

Car

Ford Galaxys

"I had all my cats eating from the same bowl and they would eat one at a time from the same bowl. It was kind of an interesting thing. Then I saw in Jackson Galaxy's book to do four separate bowls and have them feed at the same time every day, you know, morning and night for sort of better"
Car

Volvo XC90

"Yeah, probably co-part in the XC90. Someone definitely crashed an XC90 leaving their third house."

The Volvo XC90 is a big, comfortable SUV that many people like for its safety and roominess. It has a lot of tech features that make driving easier.

Car

Mazda Miata

"...ping wrench, manage the team, whatever. They have Miata. I arrive Friday evening. I miss practice and wh..."
Car

Ford Explorer

"...ll of that. And let's see what they have to say. Explorer, I hardly knew her, says, I'm looking for at the..."
Car

Honda Prelude

"...ardly knew her, says, I'm looking for at the new prelude. I'm not sure who this vehicle is for. Who wants ..."
Car

Honda Lot Honda

"bone stock based manual Mazda two. Yeah, those are actually all right. Now the Mazda two is not bad. There was a spec series for a while with those Honda fit a lot. Honda fits are good. Really good. Way more fun. I mean, I don't know about fun, but like the Lexus ES 350 F sport is pretty not"
Car

Honda Fit

".... There was a spec series for a while with those Honda fit a lot. Honda fits are good. Really good. Way mor..."
Car

Honda Civics

"..., like basic ass like Hondas from the 1990s, like civics with double wishbones is like the civic hatches ..."
Car

Tesla Semi

"...y small risk of decapitation if you drive under a semi or something without a Jane Mansfield situation...."
Car

Lotus Elise

"..., currently driving cross country and my friends Elise OMG. Oh, wait. Oh, wait. They just want to, oh, ..."
Car

Acura NSX

"...d be pretty nice. You could get a mid years, um, NSX and put 50, you know, you buy a hundred thousand ..."
Car

Toyota Supra

"...r the market. You know, you keep a nice mark for Supra. Those just, those just take miles. No problem. Y..."
Car

Ferrari 250

"...'re talking fantasy cars, then you and I are in a Ferrari 250 Tessarosa. Oh, sure. Ripping. Right. The roads a..."
Car

Hyundai Kona

"...or maybe son-in-law S I L just bought an electric Kona other than EV rated winter tires. What else? Oh,..."
Car

Saab 92X

"the Saab 9-2X back in the day and selling it for more. What's up everybody? Welcome to the Spoken Tire podcast. Today's podcast is"
Car

Porsche Cayman

"...Oh, okay, wait. So a black wing daily in a 911 or Cayman as a weekend car versus a McCann or Panamera dai..."
Car

Porsche Panamera

"...11 or Cayman as a weekend car versus a McCann or Panamera daily in a Corvette weekend car, $150k for both c..."
Car

Cadillac Ctsv

"Living here, I would go McCann daily Corvette weekend car. That's what I would do. CTS-V is awesome, but as a daily noise fuel consumption, stiff, low, around here, it would just be stupid. I agree. Yeah, McCann daily and Corvette weekend car would probably be all right."
Car

BMW M2

"...thoughts, 2007, LL being outback thoughts on the M2 CS, the old one compared to other sports cars in ..."
Car

Ford Gt350

"...h is pretty cool. I was that good compared to the GT350, Cayman, GTS and Camaro SS, ZL1. Well, is that, ..."
Car

Chevrolet Camaro

"...that good compared to the GT350, Cayman, GTS and Camaro SS, ZL1. Well, is that, I mean, the Mustangs and ..."
Car

Subaru BRZ

"...hould I upgrade my F87 M2 or get something like a BRZ for the track? I mean, comes down to money and s..."
Car

Ford Mustang GTD

"... probably feel slow. I'd probably get like a 2014 Mustang GT with a maximum motorsports kit and run actual go..."
Car

BMW E36

"...would actually be, you know, or you could get an E36 track car with like the regular S52 or some or ju..."
38 cars featured

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