Wheel Bearings

We've got a full team this week as Robbie shares his thoughts on the updated Mercedes-Benz Sprinter with a four-cylinder diesel and all-wheel-drive. Nicole discusses the aged Toyota Tacoma and Sam drives the Mazda CX-50 and the Rolls-Royce Ghost Black Badge.

The LA Auto Show took place last week and Toyota revealed an all-new fifth generation Prius and Prius Prime. Genesis held an event in Malibu to reveal its Genesis X electric convertible concept. Fiat is bringing the 500e back to North America and brand chief Larry Dominique explains that Stellantis will experiment with it. By 2025, British EV drivers will have to pay a vehicle excise tax and after promising to open its Superchargers to other brands, Tesla says, just adopt our charging connector instead. We also answer some questions. Send in your own questions [email protected]

Links

North American Charging Standard?

UK EV excise tax from 2025

Fiat 500e is coming back to America

Genesis X concept

2023 Toyota Prius

2023 Toyota Prius Prime

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

It’s another Robbie and Sam episode as Nicole is now in LA doing her World Car of the Year duty. Roberto got to drive the new Nissan Z and the Toyota GR Corolla. Sam and Robbie both discuss the updated user experience software in the Lucid Air and the new third generation Formula E cars.… Read More »Improving the User Experience

It's another Robbie and Sam episode as Nicole is now in LA doing her World Car of the Year duty. Roberto got to drive the new Nissan Z and the Toyota GR Corolla. Sam and Robbie both discuss the updated user experience software in the Lucid Air and the new third generation Formula E cars.

Robbie made a quick trip to Italy to drive the Porsche Taycan Sport Turismo and ride along in the electric Cayman GT4 prototype. Apparently someone still thinks there is a chance that Faraday Future will get its FF91 into production and has agreed to loan the startup another $350 million.

Links

Cheaper Lucids

Lucid Air UX 2.0

Half of Porsches to be electrified

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

As Sam and Nicole got together to record this episode, Robbie was in LA driving vehicles for World Car of the Year. Nicole had a bunch of reviews to share since her last appearance including the Hyundai Kona EV, Kia Niro as a plug-in hybrid and an EV and a first drive of the new Fisker Ocean. Sam drove the Volvo XC60 Recharge and tried out some e-bikes at the Electrify Expo in Austin.

In the news, Volvo unwrapped the new EX90 electric SUV that goes into production next summer. Honda has reworked the 2023 Accord of which they expect half to be hybrid. The entry price for the 2023 Kia EV6 goes up by over $7,000 as the base standard range model is discontinued and Audi refreshes the original e-tron with more range and rebadges it as the Q8 e-tron.

Links

Volvo EX90

2023 Honda Accord

Kia EV6 price increase

2024 Audi Q8 E-Tron

Electrify Expo

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Nicole is travelling again so it's just the boys this week. Robbie returns from a trip to Japan to drive the Rivian R1S while Sam spends time in between trips with the Polestar 2 Performance package.

This week Sam attended the BMW test fest where he got to drive the new 2023 BMW 7 series including the electric i7. In Japan, Robbie visited Honda and learned more about its work on solid state batteries while Mini announced that it would open a manual driving school at the BMW Performance driving center in Thermal, CA. We also

Links

2023 BMW 7 series first drive

Mini Manual Driving School

Honda Solid State Batteries

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Nicole and Sam are back after a week off where everyone was travelling. Robbie is still in Japan so Nicole shares here adventure driving in the Mille Miglia warm-up where she and co-pilot Eilleen Falkenburg-Hull came in second overall in the modern vehicle class and first among novices. Upon returning home, Nicole got to spend quality time with the new Nissan Z. Meanwhile, between trips, Sam got to drive the Volkswagen Jetta GLI Autobahn. Sam and Nicole also share their impressions of the new 2023 Toyota Crown.

In the news, BMW announced a $1.7B investment in its Spartanburg SC factory to build EVs, GMC revealed the Sierra Denali EV Edition1 and Ford brought us the refreshed 2023 Escape. Ford and VW are pulling the plug on Argo AI, the company that was developing automated vehicles for them, and Ubers with human drivers will make fewer left turns in the future. Finally, Sam got to chat with Stephan Winkelmann, the CEO of Lamborghini about the where the iconic Italian brand is going in the age of electrification.

Links

How Autumn Weather Contributes to Your Car’s Downfall

BMW EV Investment

GMC Sierra EV Denali

2023 Ford Escape

2023 Toyota Crown

Argo AI closing up shop

No left turns for Uber

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

This week Robbie takes his turn in the Ford Bronco Raptor while Sam has the Expedition Timberline. Nicole drives the Honda HR-V up to Vermont to drive the Land Rover Defender Trophy Edition. In the news Honda announces a big investment in electrification in Ohio and that its joint venture with Sony will produce new… Read More »Sony Software In Your Car?

This week Robbie takes his turn in the Ford Bronco Raptor while Sam has the Expedition Timberline. Nicole drives the Honda HR-V up to Vermont to drive the Land Rover Defender Trophy Edition.

In the news Honda announces a big investment in electrification in Ohio and that its joint venture with Sony will produce new EVs from 2026. Toyota has moved from Amazon to Google Cloud AI to power its voice services and Polestar has revealed the 3 crossover in full. We also answer listener questions.

Links

Sony Vision S-02

Honda-Sony EV coming in 2026

Electrify America Update

Toyota drops Amazon for Google

Polestar 3

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

This week Sam learns the limits of "all-terrain" tires as he goes off-roading with the Ford Bronco Raptor. Nicole shares first impressions of Nissan's new Ariya electric crossover and Robbie tests the Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV.

Nicole and Sam both got to try out the Jeep Wagoneer L and Grand Wagoneer L with Stellantis' new Hurricane twin-turbo inline-six cylinder engine. They also had a conversation with Jeep North America boss Jim Morrison. Chevrolet is launching a second generation Trax entry-level crossover that is both larger and cheaper than before. Motional has a 10-year deal to operate its robotaxis on the Uber network in multiple markets and the TFL Trucks Hummer has been fixed.

Links

2024 Chevrolet Trax

TFL Trucks Hummer EV followup

Motional and Uber 10 year deal

Ford Bronco Raptor review

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

This week Sam and Robbie are both driving BMW i4s, but different varieties. Sam had the base eDrive40 for a run to Chicago, while Robbie got an M50. Since the last recording session Nicole had both the Subaru BRZ and the Genesis GV60 Performance.

In the news, Ford has revealed a redesigned version of the big Super Duty pickups with lots of new and borrowed tech. Honda has provided a look at the upcoming Prologue electric crossover that will be built by GM. TFL Trucks has a failure with their new GMC Hummer and Volvo has started dropping information about the new EX90 electric replacement for the XC90.

Help us get some sponsors by filling out survey at https://survey.wheelbearings.media

Links

2023 Ford Super Duty first look

Honda Prologue reveal

Hummer EV failure for TFL Truck

Volvo EX90 preview

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy