The Car Curious Weekly for March 8, 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.

March 01 - March 07, 2026 · 196 episodes across 121 podcasts.

Formula One's 2026 regulations drew scrutiny this week as teams debate the new hybrid power units that split output between electric motors and gas engines while cutting complexity. Volkswagen hit two million EV deliveries globally, a milestone marking its transition progress, even as Scout Motors faces dealer lawsuits over direct-to-consumer sales in Colorado and New Jersey.

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

2026 Formula One Season Regulations Spark Debate Over Hybrid Power Units and Driver Concerns

The 2026 Formula One power units split power 50-50 between electric motors (350 kilowatts) and internal combustion engines (400 kilowatts), with teams eliminating the MGU-H (motor generator unit-heat) to reduce complexity and cost for incoming manufacturers like Audi.

Ferrari opted for smaller turbos that spin up faster to minimize lag, while other manufacturers chose larger turbos — a strategic split reminiscent of the 1980s turbo era when Ayrton Senna would blip the throttle through corners to keep turbos spooled.

Stay On Track with Damon Hill and Johnny Herbert:
Is Verstappen right about F1 2026? Hill and Herbert's verdict

"They got rid of the MGU-H, so now we're going to have to go back to normal passive turbo that just works on the exhaust gases. Well, what do we know about turbos? You get lag. So some took the decision, we're going to go for the monster turbo, the big one. And Ferrari seems to have gone for a smaller one, which is easier to spin up."

F1-focused podcasts dissected the technical challenges drivers face with the new hybrid system, particularly around turbo lag at race starts and energy management through corners.

Volkswagen Reaches Two Million Electric Vehicle Deliveries Milestone

Volkswagen Group hit two million cumulative electric vehicle deliveries globally, a milestone that took the automaker several years to achieve as it ramps up its EV transition.

The milestone comes as VW launches its new small EV triplets — the ID.Polo, Cupra Ravel, and Skoda Epiq — all built on the same platform.

The Kilowatt Half Hour:
Kilowatt Half Hour Ep 95: VW's Spice Girls, Polestar windows & Cars of the Year!

"Congratulations, Volkswagen, they're having triplets. So the VW ID Polo, well, it's Baby Spice. Everyone's going to love that car. Cupra Ravel is Sport Spice. And then Epiq is posh Spice, because let's face it, Skoda is basically Audi these days."

Most shows mentioned VW's two million EV milestone in passing while focusing on the new small EV launches and interior technology improvements. The Kilowatt Half Hour devoted significant time to the triplets, praising VW for finally fixing their infotainment systems after customer complaints.

Scout Motors Faces Multiple Lawsuits from Volkswagen Dealers Over Direct-to-Consumer Sales Model

Volkswagen dealers in Colorado and New Jersey filed lawsuits against Scout Motors over its direct-to-consumer sales model, bypassing the traditional franchise dealer network.

Automotive News Daily Drive:
March 4, 2026 | Does Toyota need a sixth U.S. plant?; More VW dealers sue Scout

"Scout Motors' direct-sales model has VW dealers in Colorado and New Jersey lawyering up."

Coverage focused heavily on the irony of Volkswagen dealers suing their own parent company's new brand. Shows highlighted how Scout's direct-sales model creates legal and business conflicts with VW's existing dealer network.

Subaru Issues Recall for 2026 Crosstrek Hybrid and 2025 Forester Hybrid Due to Fuel Tank Fire Risk

Subaru recalled 53,000 vehicles — all 2026 Crosstrek Hybrids and 2025 Forester Hybrids — after discovering improperly installed fuel tank quick-connect fittings that could leak gasoline and create a fire risk.

The recall affected every single unit of both hybrid models sold, with dealers instructed to inspect and replace faulty fittings at no cost to owners.

Under The Hood Show:
A Time Traveling Voyager Or Just Another Broken Car

"I think it's actually a good sign when a manufacturer catches something like this internally before there's fires all over the place. Subaru found it, they're fixing it, nobody got hurt. That's how recalls should work."

Most shows treated this as straightforward safety news.

Iran Conflict Drives Oil Price Spike, Threatening Automotive Supply Chains and Sales

Oil prices spiked as Iran's conflict effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz for commercial shipping — though no formal blockade exists, vessels stopped transiting the strait voluntarily amid military warnings.

Auto parts flow through the strait is minimal, but a prolonged conflict could force shipping through the Red Sea and Suez Canal to reroute around Africa, adding weeks to transit times from suppliers in India and Thailand.

Automotive News Canada Conversations:
The week's top stories and AlixPartners' Dan Hearsch on Iran conflict

"Anybody's guess how long this lasts. And I think that the strait itself being closed is a small part of the problem. I mean, if military actions are ongoing throughout that whole region, then oil production is going to be disrupted, much less shipping. So yeah, I mean, you would expect that oil will spike and continue to spike."

Coverage focused heavily on oil price implications rather than immediate parts disruption, with AlixPartners' Dan Hearsch explaining that the strait itself carries little automotive cargo but serves as a critical choke point for Persian Gulf oil exports.

Recommendations

If You Only Listen To One

To All The Cars I've Loved Before:
VW Women: "Muth" The Super Beetle & the Air-Cooled Sisterhood with Marla Aufmuth

Photographer Marla Aufmuth tells the story of "Muth," her 1971 Super Beetle, and how it connected her to a community of women who wrench on and rally air-cooled VWs. The conversation moves between restoration details, road trip adventures, and what it means to build an identity around a car that most people write off as a relic. Doug's interviews always find the personal story inside the car story, and this one delivers.

More Episodes Worth Hearing

Cars The Podcast:
We got scammed. Policeman & car nut reveals tips as buyer or seller. Take it to the Limit.
A cop who's also a lifelong Mustang guy shares the story of getting scammed while selling his Toyota 4Runner — complete with a staged oil leak to knock down the price. His breakdown of dishonest buyer tactics is both entertaining and practical.

Beyond the Wrench:
Second Generation Shop Ownership
Brad Templin's path from aerospace engineering at Purdue back to his family's tire shop is a thoughtful look at why most shop owners' kids don't take over the business — and what it takes when they do. The conversation digs into growth mindset, risk tolerance, and his mother's pioneering role as a female shop owner, offering real wisdom about succession in any family business.

Bracket Breakdown:
Michelle Lackey & Alaska Raceway Park
Michelle Lackey runs a drag strip and oval track in Alaska, dealing with everything from frozen fuel systems to hosting Richard Petty at a bucket-list racing venue. Her stories about managing motorsports in sub-zero temps and building a tight racing community in the far north are genuinely unique, and she's refreshingly candid about being a woman in a male-dominated world.

Another Pointless Automotive Podcast:
Episode #214 - Pony Boys
A deep dive into Mustang variants across generations — Fox bodies, the turbocharged SVO, modern Coyote power — mixing technical knowledge with personal driving experiences and plenty of humor. The hosts have clear chemistry and manage to make even niche topics like '80s turbo technology genuinely engaging for anyone who appreciates American sports cars.

All Automotive with Matt Clawson:
Restoration Projects Update w/ Jeff Clawson
Matt and his brother Jeff get into the nitty-gritty of rewiring a 1968 C-10 for an LS swap, discussing everything from Painless harness installation to grounding challenges in fiberglass bodies. It's detailed enough for anyone mid-project but conversational enough to stay interesting, with real lessons learned from past mistakes on a Jeep rewire.

9WERKS Radio:
Why the 997 is My Best Car Ever (and How To Build A Parts Empire)
Barney traces his path from fixing cars at 15 to building Heritage Parts Center into a major parts business, all while explaining why the Porsche 997 remains his favorite car he's ever owned. Equal parts business story and love letter to air-cooled and water-cooled Porsches.

Auto Off Topic:
Starts and runs Starion
Episode 400 lands with a milestone moment: the hosts fire up their long-running Mitsubishi Starion project car for the first time. Months of wrenching pay off in a genuinely satisfying first-startup sequence, with honest talk about what went wrong along the way.

Next Week

Watch for fallout from the Scout Motors dealer lawsuits and continued coverage of the Iran conflict's impact on oil prices and automotive supply chains.

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196 episodes. 2473 car mentions. 3380 terms explained. Browse every episode with searchable annotations and plain-language term definitions in the Car Curious app.