Daily Recap: Thursday, March 19, 2026
29 episodes · If you only listen to one: F35s and Arlington — Off Track with Hinch and Rossi
Supply chain disruptions from the Middle East conflict forced production cuts at Toyota and Nissan, while BMW revealed its i3 Neue Class sedan with a claimed 900km of range. Discussions also turned to whether car dealers should chase AI search rankings or stick with proven marketing fundamentals. Honda's Zero Series cancellation (first covered Thursday 2026-03-12) continued to draw reactions from Auto Buyers Guide and Tired.
Middle East Supply Chain Crisis Cuts Toyota and Nissan Production
Japan sources approximately 70% of aluminum and naphtha from the Middle East, prompting major production cuts at Toyota and Nissan as geopolitical tensions disrupt supplies (first covered Wednesday 2026-03-18).
Toyota is reducing production by as many as 40,000 vehicles through the end of April, while Nissan is cutting monthly output in Japan by about 1,200 vehicles.
"Japan gets seventy percent of its aluminum and naptha from the Middle East. Bloomberg reports that some Japanese and Korean automakers are even talking to a Russian supplier to get the aluminum that they need"
The Middle East is the second largest market in the world for both Nissan and Toyota, making the region critical to their operations.
Episode Spotlights
BMW i3 Unveiled: 900km Range EV and Model Y L Australia First Look
On the BMW i3 Neue Class's 900km WLTP range:
"The i3 50xDrive, the first variant, dual-motor setup like the iX3. 900km of range WLTP — come on, that's ridiculous."
#423 - AI vs. Traditional Marketing: Where Car Dealers Should Be Investing Right Now
On whether TikTok drives meaningful car sales for dealers:
"I know dealers who have doubled down on their TikTok channels and are supposedly selling cars off of that."
On why the production cuts could actually benefit US inventory levels:
"If you're Toyota, why wouldn't you? You need inventory here... maybe instead of a 30-some day supply, we'd be just as well off. It was a 45 or a 48-day supply. Let's reallocate some production capability for vehicles to ship to the United States."
FIAT Pulse Abarth 2026
The FIAT Pulse Abarth 2026 is arriving in Mexico, covered here in Spanish for the Latin American market.
A Monkey Crashed Our Kia Review
The episode also reviews the 2025 Mustang GT Convertible, noting steep options pricing:
"The base trim price on this vehicle that we were driving is $56,580. The base model price on a Mustang is $33,915... Almost twenty thousand of options."
If You Only Listen To One
F35s and Arlington
IndyCar drivers James Hinchcliffe and Alexander Rossi tour the Lockheed Martin F-35 assembly plant in Fort Worth, drawing parallels between precision manufacturing in fighter jets and race cars, plus their preview of the IndyCar season opener at Arlington.
By the Numbers
Most-Discussed Cars
| Car | Mentions |
|---|---|
| Porsche 911 | 8 |
| Chevrolet Corvette | 8 |
| Dodge Charger | 6 |
| Ford Mustang | 5 |
| Honda S2000 | 4 |
| Honda Accord | 4 |
| Acura Integra | 4 |
| Porsche 356 | 4 |
Trending Terminology
| Term | Mentions |
|---|---|
| EV | 5 |
| Formula One | 4 |
| MSRP | 3 |
| hybrid | 2 |
| V8 | 2 |
| 12 Hours of Sebring | 2 |
29 episodes. 454 car mentions. 565 terms explained. Browse every episode with searchable annotations and plain-language term definitions in the Car Curious app.