In this episode of the Carmudgeon show, part-time ambulance chaser Jason Cammisa befriends some forbidden freeway fruit in form of the Volkswagen XL1 — a car that hardly exists at all, let alone on a California freeway at 11 PM. Jason recounts his seat time in the mirrorless, peak-Piëch Bugatti Veyron of MPG and how its small-footprint journey across the US makes for a large-footprint cause — more on that below. Side effects may include a string of broken-necked Bolt drivers and/or a stay in your local hospital.

Derek and Jason make some other low-drag comparisons, such as the ill-fated GM EV-1 and original Honda Insight.

Jason recounts vivid childhood memories of a 1975 Chevy Impala wagon and a GM hotline that served solely to feed his growing curiosity of facts and figures.

This somehow leads to a discussion (and confession) of the different terrible and elaborate ways that rental vehicle customers can cause havoc. Have you ever pulled a 6-liter Vortec out of a U-Haul and returned it with a lowly 4.8? Perhaps you’ve rented a Toyota Tercel and returned it within an inch of its life.

We won’t judge you. Maybe.

A special shout-out to Jim Magill (@thealso) who drove the XL-1 cross country to raise money for Alzheimer Research. Click the link here to donate to the cause: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/thecarofthefuturepast

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