The Car Curious Weekly for January 25, 2026

The Car Curious Weekly is a look at what the automotive podcast world is talking about, who's saying it, and what patterns emerge when you listen to all of them at once.

January 18 - January 24, 2026 · 159 episodes across 102 podcasts.

Automotive podcasts this week covered Tesla shifting FSD to subscription-only, the Mecum auction breaking records with a Ferrari 250 GTO selling for multiples of its estimate, Scout Motors clearing a dealer hurdle in California, and Tesla launching unsupervised robotaxis in Austin.

Here are the four biggest storylines and where they showed up across the feed.

Tesla Moves FSD to Subscription Model

Tesla announced they will stop selling full self-driving (FSD) as a one-time purchase option, moving to a $99 per month subscription starting February 14, 2026.

From Ride the Lightning: Tesla and EV Podcast:

"Tesla will stop selling FSD after February 14th, FSD will only be available as a monthly subscription thereafter."

Mecum Auction Breaks Records, Ferrari 250 GTO Sells for Multiples

The Mecum auction in Florida shattered records — Saturday alone hit $259 million, the largest single-day auction in history. A 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO sold for two to three times its estimated value.

From Shift and Steer:

"Saturday alone was the largest single day auction in history, with $259 million in sales."

From CarCast:

"To go two or three times its value, crazy. We've seen that fall on its head multiple times."

Scout Motors Clears Dealer Hurdle for Revival

Scout Motors received approval to sell their vehicles in California, clearing a regulatory hurdle.

Scout Motors is still facing pushback from the powerful dealer lobby in the rest of America, which wants Scout vehicles to be sold through Volkswagen dealerships.

From EV News Daily:

"Scout has cleared some hurdles in California, now allowed to sell their vehicles there. Exacting regulators in California. So lots of hoops to jump through, but that's nothing compared to the very powerful dealer lobby in the rest of America that is intent on selling scouts through VW dealerships."

Tesla Robotaxi Service Launches in Austin

Tesla launched its first robotaxi rides without safety monitors in Austin, Texas on Thursday.

The robotaxi service is currently operating with just a handful of unsupervised vehicles mixed in with Tesla's broader Austin fleet.

From Automotive News Daily Drive:

"It is a milestone. It is a big deal."

Not everyone was convinced. Electrek questioned whether the launch was more about optics than real progress.

From Electrek:

"This screams just optics, these scream like, make it look like progress rather than actual progress."

Recommendations

If You Only Listen To One

Jerry Seinfeld's 10 Year Porsche 907 Restoration — Spike's Car Radio

With Mecum's record-breaking auction dominating this week's coverage, this deep dive into Jerry Seinfeld's decade-long restoration of a rare Porsche 907 is the perfect complement. It's a fascinating look at what drives collectors to pursue perfection, told through one of the most meticulous restorations in recent memory.

More Episodes Worth Hearing

• CRASHED - EP.169 (Right Hand Drive Guys) — The Right Hand Drive Guys podcast delivers an engaging discussion on a crashed vehicle, providing a unique perspective on the challenges and experiences of automotive enthusiasts.

• Vinny Ten On The World's Fastest 350z, Building VQ Engines and The Return of The Supra (Street Alpha Podcast) — This episode of the Street Alpha Podcast features an interview with Vinny Ten, a renowned expert on Nissan VQ engines and the tuning scene, offering valuable insights for performance enthusiasts.

• ETHANOL FUEL: What It's Really Doing to Your Engine (Car Connection Workshop) — The Car Connection Workshop delves into the impact of ethanol fuel on vehicle engines, providing valuable information for car owners and enthusiasts to make informed decisions about fuel choices.

Next Week + Subscribe

Next week, listeners can expect coverage of the latest developments in the electric vehicle market, including updates on battery technology, charging infrastructure, and new model releases from major automakers.

This recap publishes every Saturday. Subscribe to get it in your inbox.

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Publishing Pattern

159 episodes. 2194 car mentions. 2077 terms explained. Browse every episode with searchable annotations and plain-language term definitions in the Car Curious app.