Welcome back as BJ Killeen – Automotive Journalist and Voice of Reason.BJ Killeen has some exciting news in the world of automobiles. The Chevy Malibu will no longer be produced, and the 2025 Toyota Camry will be a hybrid. Toyota has decided to phase out gas engines, and the Camry will be exclusively a hybrid model from its ninth generation onwards. While the gas engine option will no longer be available, sticking to the hybrid model will likely keep the Camry successful. Sedans are becoming increasingly rare, and not everyone wants an SUV. So, there is still a demand for comfortable sedans that can get the job done. Additionally, the Camry’s appearance has been revitalized, and it now looks better than ever. It has a modern style, improved performance, and plenty of space. Fisker, the manufacturer of the Ocean SUV, is struggling financially. Production has been halted by Magna International, and it’s unlikely to resume anytime soon. The electric vehicle market is tough, and smaller companies like Fisker and Faraday Future are struggling to make a profit. Even Lucid Motors is facing significant losses. It’s a difficult industry, and we hope these companies can survive and thrive in the future.

Up next is Karl Brauer, an Automotive Industry Analyst, Forbes Autos Contributor, North American Car and Truck of the Year juror and board member, and Executive Analyst for ISeeCars.com. He talks about the new Dark Horse Mustang from Ford, featuring a naturally aspirated 5-liter V8 coyote engine that delivers 500 horsepower and 418 lb-ft of torque. The car has undergone significant changes inside and out, resembling a Mercedes Benz with advanced performance on the road. The car weighs 3875 lbs and includes advanced technology like MagnaRide. Karl also shared a study from ISeeCars.com, stating that electric cars are the most expensive to own per 1000 miles driven per year, especially when driving less.

Next is Brian Moody – Executive Editor of Auto Trader.com and KBB.com. Brian Moody is back to discuss The Dark Horse, the appeal of the Mustang is that it’s an affordable performance car and Its Mustangs 60th Anniversary. Alan noticed silver being popular at this year’s auto shows. Brian shares how It’s interesting to see color trends in cars. For example, gray is becoming more popular, with 25% of SUVs sold now being gray. White used to be the most popular, but by 2023-2024, gray will be more popular. On the other hand, gold, beige, orange, and brown are less popular, usually accounting for about 0.5% of sales. If you have a unique color like orange on a Corvette, it may hold its value, but for more common cars, it may not add value and could take longer to sell. Brian and Alan discuss how important it is that you must like the interior of your car to enjoy the ride. Which bring the next discussion as to the best car interiors under 50k. Here are some top choices: Chevy Blazer, 2024 Genesis G70, GMC Acadia, Hyundai NFA, and Lincoln Nautilus. Car interiors have notably improved, with brands like Mazda, Lincoln, and Toyota offering luxurious options. While 50k may seem like a lot, features such as a sunroof and leather in a three-row SUV can easily reach that mark.

Closing the show is automotive journalist Steven Cole Smith who works with Haggerty and grassroots Motorsports about the upcoming NASCAR race at Darlington. He mentioned that the race is on Sunday at 3:00 PM Eastern Time and it’s called the Goodyear 400. Darlington is known for its throwback race, where teams use paint jobs that honor past drivers. We also discussed the challenges NASCAR is facing in attracting new fans, and Smith mentioned that other racing series like sports car racing may be growing more than NASCAR due to their appeal to a younger audience. At the Indy Motor Speedway, there’s a road course race with the Indy cars. It’s the Sonsio Grand Prix at 3:00 PM Eastern on NBC, serving as a warm-up for the 108th annual Indianapolis 500. There are 34 cars competing for 33 spots. The road course was originally built for the Formula One series and is also used for sports cars by IndyCar and IMSA. Cars can reach speeds of over 200 miles per hour in the Indy 500 and possibly on the road course as well, but the twisty nature of the road course makes it a different challenge compared to the big Oval race.

Closing the show is Alan, and shares that he recently read an article in Car and Driver about General Motors crushing some of their concept cars, including the 1990 Cadillac Aurora and the 2001 Pontiac Rev. I think it’s unfortunate to see these concept cars being destroyed. I also wonder how the shift to electric vehicles is impacting the future of traditional car models like the Malibu, which Chevrolet is phasing out to make room for electric vehicles. Alan shares another article about the 2025 BMW M4 CS in Car and Driver. It’s fascinating how the car can deliver 543 horsepower from its twin-turbo inline 6-cylinder engine. It’s impressive to see how technology continues to advance engine performance. Additionally, Dodge’s shift towards electric chargers and inline 6-cylinder engines is intriguing. While I appreciate electric cars, I believe automakers should be allowed to focus on their expertise without heavy-handed government intervention.

[00:00:00] – Contributor BJ Killeen
[00:06:43] – Fiskar Financial
[00:13:00] – Synthetic Fuel
[00:20:51] – Contributor Karl Brauer
[00:29:42] – Coyote Engine
[00:37:22] – 2024 Ford Mustang “Dark Horse
[00:44:12] – Contributor Brian Moody
[00:50:48] – Color Trend
[00:57:10] – I’ts All About the Interior
[01:05:02] – Contributor Stephen Cole Smith
[01:16:39] – Sonsio Grand Prix
[01:21:32] –Host Alan Taylor

Host: Alan Taylor
Producer: Dave Milligan
Copy Editor: Colleen Mahi

Contributor: BJ Killeen

Contributor: Karl Brauer

Contributor: Brian Moody

Contributor: Stephen Cole Smith

Vehicles Discussed:

Mazda CX-70, Lincoln Nautilus, Corvette, GMC Acadia, Bentley Rolls Royce, Aston Martin, Chevy Malibu, 2025 Toyota Camry, Ocean SUV, 2024 Ford Mustang, “The Dark Horse”,2025 BMW M4 CS, 1990 Cadillac Aurora, 2001 Pontiac Rev

• Austin Hatcher Foundation
• AutoTempest.com
• Brembo
• Dodge
• Foundation of Human Understanding
• Shell
• Subaru

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