Wheel Bearings

This week Nicole is driving the Ford Maverick Tremor, Robbie has the Range Rover plug-in hybrid and Sam has new Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road.

We've got lots of news this week. After a decade of work and billions of dollars spent, Apple has apparantely finally abandoned the idea of building a car. Ford took its latest electric Supervan and had Romain Dumas set a new lap record at Mount Panorama. Ford is also hosting a camping party at the Austin Bronco Off-Rodeo for the upcoming total solar eclipse and Ford EV drivers can now Supercharge.

Sam went to a secret location to see the production version of Dodge's new e-Muscle car, the Charger Daytona. Honda has introduced a new plug-in hybrid CR-V with a fuel cell and VW has done some upgrades to the ID4. Fisker warns that they are almost out of money and then Nissan steps up to possibly save the company. Finally Red Bull has a crazy drone that can track a Formula 1 car.

Links

The end of the Apple car

2024 Dodge Charger Daytona

Ford SuperVan 4.2 Bathurst record

Ford EVs can now access Superchargers

Total Solar Eclipse at Bronco Off-Rodeo

Honda CR-V e:FCEV

2024 VW ID4 upgrades

Fisker warns of running out of cash

Fisker talking to Nissan

World's Fastest camera drone chases Red Bull F1 car

Roman Breaks a new Tacoma

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This week Robbie got to spend some time with something really fast, the new McLaren 750s. Meanwhile, Nicole and Sam had some more pedestrian rides. Nicole got a few days with the Volkswagen ID.7 as well as the Jeep Hornet PHEV. Sam had the Toyota Crown Platinum. In the news, we’ve got first drive reports… Read More »What’s Happening at Jeep

This week Robbie got to spend some time with something really fast, the new McLaren 750s. Meanwhile, Nicole and Sam had some more pedestrian rides. Nicole got a few days with the Volkswagen ID.7 as well as the Jeep Hornet PHEV. Sam had the Toyota Crown Platinum.

In the news, we've got first drive reports on the updated 2025 Ram 1500, now powered only by six-cylinder engines and the Honda Prologue, the brand's firsrt purpose-built EV for North America. Sam also talks with Prologue chief engineer John Hwang. Jeep's new CEO provide's an update on the SUV brand's plans and we get a first look at the upcoming Wagoneer S and Recon electric SUVs. Ineos is developing an electric off-roader as well called the Fusilier. The soon to arrive US-built Kia EV9 may not have full tax credit eligibility at launch. Waymo's expansion plans in California are paused and Cruise problems will put a damper on GM bonuses. We also have listener questions.

Links

Jeep Update

Honda Prologue first drive

2025 Ram 1500 first drive

Ineos Fusilier EV

US Built Kia EV9 soon, without full tax credit

Waymo expansion suspended

40% of GM bonuses based on EV, software, Cruise

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Robbie is back from Colorado where he attended the Bridgestone winter driving school and spent time with the Toyota Rav4 and 4Runner in the snow. He also rented a Ford Transit van to move ping-pong tables and drove a Kia Carnival. Nicole has been spending time in the psuedo off-road Honda Passport Trailsport and Sam had the Audi Q8 e-Tron Sportback Launch edition.

In the news, GM is expanding the driving domain of Super Cruise and has priced the Chevy Equinox EV which might eventually go on sale when the software issues are fixed. As more vehicles start to use Tesla Superchargers, Kyle Connor is finding there are interoperability issues. The multi-automaker DC fast charging network is now operational and called Ionna. Being made of stainless steel doesn't make Cybertrucks corrosion proof and Stellantis won't be buying any more EV credits from Tesla. Shell has shut down its California hydrogen stations and a crowd in San Francisco burned a Waymo robotaxi that drove by during lunar new year celebrations.

Finally, we are joined by Tire Rack's tire testing manager TJ Campbell to talk about rubber.

Links

Super Cruise expanding to 750K miles

Chevrolet Equinox EV $35-47K, 319 miles w/FWD

Interoperability issues with Superchargers

Cybertruck rust?

Shell closes California H2 stations

San Francisco crowd burns Waymo

Stellantis done buying EV credits

Tire Rack

Ionna Charging Network

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Robbie is off visiting some family this week, but even with just Nicole and Sam it's a long episode. Sam has been burning up the gas in a Ford F-250 XL 4x4 while Nicole has a much more reasonably sized Subaru Outback.

Nicole and Sam were both in Chicago this week and talk about the future of auto shows. While in Chicago we saw a bunch of stuff including mid-cycle updates for the Kia K5 sedan and Carnival minivan (sorry, I meant MPV). Parking large or heavy vehicles in Paris will soon be much more expensive. A majority of workers at VW's Chatanooga factory have signed up to join the UAW and an official vote may be coming soon. Americans are loosing trust in automated vehicles and companies like Cruise and Tesla have only themselves to blame. We saw the Cybertruck and Sam has some serious safety concerns. Automakers collect data from connected vehicles on which features customers actually use. Ford is using this data as justification to drop automater parking assist because no one uses it. We talk with Julie and Chris Ramsey about their Pole to Pole road trip in a Nissan Ariya. We also spoke with Chris Feuell, CEO of the Chrysler brand about the new Halcyon concept and what we can expect from the brand in the next couple of years. We also answer some listener emails.

Links

Paris votes to charge large, heavy vehicles more for parking

Majority of VW workers sign UAW cards

Ford Skunkworks team developing low cost EV

Americans losing trust in AVs

Cybertruck safety issues

2025 Kia Carnival

2025 Kia K5

Ford Killing Active Park Assist

Chrysler Halcyon

Ionna Charging Network

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This week Sam is driving a very luxurious and pricey version of the J300 Land Cruiser in the form of the Lexus LX600. Robbie has been trying out the 2024 Ford Mustang Premium Ecoboost and Nicole had Toyota Prius.

Nicole has first thoughts on driving the new Lexus GX. Ford and Lincoln have finally gotten around to updating the Explorer and Aviator and they both lose their hybrid variants. Mazda is adding another plug-in hybrid with the new CX-70, basically a two-row version of the CX-90. GM is also bringing plug-in hybrids back to the US market, eventually. Honda is reportedly working on an electric next-gen NSX. Kyle Conner tries to buy a Vinfast VF8 and Volvo is pausing deliveries of the EX30 because of software problems. Early Cybertruck owners are having issues with tires and suspensions and Elon wants protection from China.

Links

2024 Lexus GX

2025 Ford Explorer

2025 Lincoln Aviator

2025 Mazda CX-70

GM to bring back PHEVs

Honda NSX EV

Kyle Conner tries to buy a Vinfast VF8

Volvo EX30 deliveries paused because Software

Cybertruck aero wheel covers chewing up tires

Broken Cybertruck at King of the Hammers

Elon wants more tariffs on Chinese EVs

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Nicole has been having some fun with the Mazda 3 Turbo while Robbie has the Subaru Impreza RS. Sam is driving the most affordable Buick in a long time in the form of the new Envista.

In the news, Chevrolet has revealed a second completely different and not at all electric Equinox and expanded its CT5 refresh to the CT5-V and CT5-V Blackwing. Honda and Acura have released pricing on the Prologue and ZDX which won't be released until GM fixes the software platform. The dealership employees that sold a Dodge Demon 170 that was allocated to a member of the military to someone willing to pay an extra $50,000 have been fired. Porsche has released a second-generation Macan that is now exclusively electric. Akio Toyoda thinks EVs won't exceed 30% market share and Revoy has an electric assist system for heavy trucks. Sam talked with Andrey at TFL trucks about modded trucks and we answer some listener questions.

Links

2025 Chevrolet Equinox

Dealers fires employees who sold Demon 170

Acura ZDX pricing

Honda Prologue pricing and range

Porsche Macan EV

Akio Toyoda projects EVs will top out at 30% share

2025 Cadillac CT5-V/CT5-V Blackwing

Revoy electric truck assist

The limits of modified and lifted trucks

Chevy Astro commercial

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This week, Nicole has the Mazda CX-50 in a disappointing color, Robbie has the Range Rover Velar in one of the 8 available non-colors and Sam is driving the Chevrolet Trailblazer in Cacti Green.

In the news, Jeep teases the upcoming Wagoneer S EV with too much power. Stellantis also launches the Ram Promaster EV and confirms the STLA Large EV platform will also support hybrid powertrains. JerryRigEverything tries towing with the Cybertruck and comes up short. For some reason, BMW has decided to put some humanoid robots into the Spartanburg assembly plant, what could go wrong? Mazda has launched a development program for a new rotary sports car, will it ever be built?

Ford and Lincoln are launching an all-new infotainment system based on Android with a 48-inch full-width screen. Sam also spoke with friend of the show, Andrey Smirnov for an episode of TFL Trucks about lifted trucks and we debate the legitimacy of a threads video about software defined vehicles. Sam also has a conversation with Paul Thomas, president of the mobility unit of Bosch from CES.

Links

Jeep Wagoneer S

8 STLA Large EVs coming by 2026

Ram Promaster EV

JerryRigEverything Tows with the Cybertruck

BMW to deploy humanoid robots in Spartanburg

Ford abandons self-repo cars

Mazda Launching rotary sports car development

Ford/Lincoln Digital Experience

The problem with lifted trucks no one talks about

More software defined vehicle trouble

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Sam and Robbie survived another year of CES and have lots to discuss. Sam has been driving the Chrysler Pacifica plug-in hybrid since returning. Nicole has had the Hyundai Tucson and Robbie got to ride the Honda Motocompacto at CES. At CES, large language models have been integrated into cars with VW using ChatGPT, BMW… Read More »Tell Me A Dinosaur Story

Sam and Robbie survived another year of CES and have lots to discuss. Sam has been driving the Chrysler Pacifica plug-in hybrid since returning.  Nicole has had the Hyundai Tucson and Robbie got to ride the Honda Motocompacto at CES.

At CES, large language models have been integrated into cars with VW using ChatGPT, BMW using one from Amazon and Mercedes-Benz working with Nvidia. Fisker joins Vinfast in ditching direct sales as it signs up dealers and Sam chats with Henrik Fisker about it. Honda's new concepts preview its upcoming Series 0 EVs coming in 2026. There was lidar news from Hesai, Robosense, Aeva and Luminar. Intel is jumping back into the automotive chip business. Eaton has developed an EV charger that fits in your circuit breaker panel. Supernal and Xpeng are still trying to make personal aviation a thing. Android Auto is getting battery state of charge information for Google Maps and the Detroit Auto Show is going back to January. Vinfast also showed off a pickup truck and tiny crossover at CES.

Links

VW gets ChatGPT, LLMs everywhere

Fisker abandons direct sales

Honda Series 0 concepts

Lidar in China

Luminar Demo

Intel gets into cars - again

Eaton's mini EV charger

Supernal

Xpeng AeroHT

NAIAS Goes Back to January, right against CES

Android Auto gets battery information

Vinfast at CES

Amphicar

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