Unnamed Automotive Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Episode 190: 2020 Cadillac CT4-V, Nissan Z Proto Sep 20, 2020

Show notes

V, M, AMG, S, it all gets dissected on this week's episode thanks to the nightmare world of branding and Cadillac's ultra-confusing nomenclature, kicked off by Benjamin driving the 2020 Cadillac CT4-V sedan. The pair then discuss the Nissan Z Proto, which has Sami excited about the turbocharged sports car's potential to continue the Z legacy into the future with its clutch pedal intact.

Links:

MANUAL TRANSMISSION NISSAN Z PROTO TARGETS AUTO-ONLY TOYOTA SUPRA WITH RETRO FLAIR AND MODERN TWIN TURBOS — The Nissan Z has spent the past several years watching almost every other sports car on the market zoom by it in terms of performance, technology, and perhaps most telling, sales. With only a handful of examples finding new owners in 2019, the once-proud rear-wheel drive coupe has been on life support in world where the Chevrolet Corvette has morphed into a mid-engine monster and even four-cylinder hot hatches are turbocharging their way past the Nissan's performance envelope.

Episode 189: 2020 Kia Seltos, 2020 Chevrolet Traillazer, Automatic Climate Control, What's The Deal With Crossovers Sep 13, 2020

Show notes

The 2020 Kia Seltos and the 2020 Chevrolet Trailblazer are ostensibly the same, but different, which describes almost every small SUV and crossover currently available on the market. Overwhelmed with slightly different shades of choice, Benjamin and Sami try to make some sense of it all after spending time with each vehicle. The pair also get lost in the madness that is the AUTO button on modern climate control systems.

Episode 188: 2020 BMW X5 M Competition, Jeep Grand Wagoneer Concept, 2021 Hyundai Kona, 2021 Hyundai Tucson, 2021 Mercedes-Benz S-Class, Listerner Questions Sep 06, 2020

Show notes

Benjamin's time behind the wheel of the 2020 BMW X5 M Competition has him comparing it against the ultimate muscle truck, the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk - but is more refined a better formula for super SUVs? Sami gets up to speed on the long list of new cars introduced over the last week, including the Jeep Grand Wagoneer Concept, the 2021 Mercedes-Benz S-Class, and the 2020 Hyundai Kona and Hyundai Tucson. The pair also discuss a listener's experience with the Alfa Romeo Stelvio.

Links:

JEEP GRAND WAGONEER CONCEPT LEANS ON LUXURY SUV HERITAGE TO TAKE DOWN CADILLAC ESCALADE AND LINCOLN NAVIGATOR — Jeep's revival of the Wagoneer brand name for a new full-size SUV puts it in a unique position in the world of premium SUVs. Unlike any other American brand operating in the luxury segment, Jeep is the only one able to claim an actual link to high end heritage, with the Wagoneer (and later the Grand Wagoneer) having invented the idea of a plush 4x4 people mover as far back as the early 1960s.

Episode 187: 2020 Porsche Macan Turbo vs. 2020 Mercedes-AMG GLC 63, 2020 Lexus GX 460, Kia Stinger, Bollinger, Audiobooks Aug 30, 2020

Show notes

Personality goes a long way, which is what Sami discovers when comparing two luxury performance SUVs - the 2020 Porsche Macan Turbo and the 2020 Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 - that on paper seem a lot closer than they are in reality. Benjamin is completely befuddled by the 2020 Lexus GX 460, an off-road SUV that time forgot, wrapped in a luxury package that time also forget. Also on deck is talk about the Kia Stinger, the Bollinger van, and automotive audiobook recommendations.

Links:

Review: The 2020 Lexus GX 460 Is a Big, Comfy SUV That Can Actually Handle a Trail — In the automotive industry, history and heritage are sometimes confused with a reluctance to move forward. Case in point: as sport-utilities and crossovers have blown through showrooms like a category-five storm, reshaping consumer tastes and vehicle lineups at every single price point, Lexus has stubbornly clung to an old-school template for both the LX 570 and GX 460. These hulking body-on-frame designs have more in common with the original truck-based platforms that once ruled the SUV roost than the smooth, car-like people-movers that have come to dominate the discourse.
IS THE 2020 LEXUS GX 460 SUV A WORTHWHILE LUXURY UPGRADE OVER THE TOYOTA 4RUNNER 4X4 — Why did Lexus choose to stand apart from rivals like BMW and Audi by delivering a traditional truck in a market that's more apt to go for a sport-utility that's based on a sedan platform? In a word, cost.

Episode 186: 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT Trackhawk, 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E, 2020 Nissan Rogue Sport, Hawks vs. Eagles Aug 23, 2020

Show notes

The 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT Trackhawk is the baddest high performance SUV on the planet - but is the 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E GT a few months away from kicking sand in its face? Benjamin extolls his love for Jeep's most ridiculous truck, and then discusses just how close the Mach-E GT will likely be when it comes to handling and acceleration.

Sami then explains why the 2020 Nissan Rogue Sport is a much better small sport-utility vehicle value than it might at first seem, especially when it comes to safety. Also, there's a really long tangent about hawks versus eagles versus falcons. You've been warned!

Links:

2020 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE TRACKHAWK VS. 2021 MUSTANG MACH E: CHANGING OF THE DOMESTIC SUPER SUV GUARD? — The apex predator of the performance SUV world is undoubtedly the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk. While other, pricier haulers from Porsche (the Cayenne Turbo) and BMW (the X5 M) might deliver smoother handling or a larger helping of luxury features, nothing else features the shock and awe of the Trackhawk's Hellcat-sourced, 707hp supercharged V8 engine, a power plant that causes even the mightiest twin-turbo Euro rival to cower in its presence.
Review: Jeep’s 700-HP Grand Cherokee Trackhawk Is the Super SUV Nobody Needs, But Everybody Wants — “Who needs a 707-horsepower Jeep?” It’s a question that would seem to have a very short answer from any rational SUV fan’s point of view, and yet it’s one that Fiat-Chrysler saw the need to address not with a glitzy, over-muscled concept truck, but a fully-warrantied supercharged production monster that can shame a respectable list of supercars in a straight line.

Episode 185: 2020 Subaru BRZ tS, 2020 Cadillac CT5-V, Parts Bin Sports Cars Aug 16, 2020

Show notes

The 2020 Subaru BRZ tS is the last of a dying breed, and Benjamin is lucky to spend a week behind the wheel before the lightweight sports car gets redesigned to reflect the modern turbocharged reality. Sami isn't quite as enthused after his time with the Cadillac CT5-V, which muddies the waters for the luxury brand versus its European rivals. The two wrap things up by talking about a trio of sports cars - the BMW Z3, the Pontiac Solstice, and the Lexus RC F - that tried very hard to rise about the sum of their parts bin roots.

Episode 184: 2020 Lincoln Aviator SUV, 2020 Nissan Kicks vs. 2020 Hyundai Venue, ZZ Top Book Review Aug 09, 2020

Show notes

Benjamin discovers that the 2020 Lincoln Aviator turns its back on its Ford Explorer template to provide luxury customers with something more fitting of its $70k purchase price. Sami has to search his heart before using his brain when selecting between the 2020 Nissan Kicks or 2020 Hyundai Venue, which each offer something completely different to entry-level small SUV buyers. The pair then also debate the merits of Billy Gibbons and his car collection as presented in the ZZ Top guitarist's new book.

Episode 183: 2020 Mercedes-AMG GT R, 2020 Ford Mustang EcoBoost 2.3L High Performance Package, LS Swapped Jeep Update Aug 02, 2020

Show notes

Is the 2020 Mercedes-AMG GT R one of the best cars the Silver Star has produced in the past decade? Benjamin certainly thinks so, and Sami is inclined to agree after a week behind the wheel of the twin-turbo sports car. The pair aren't nearly as impressed with the 2020 Ford Mustang EcoBoost 2.3L High Performance Package, however, which keeps trying to make 'EcoBoost' and 'performance' synonmous for pony car fans. The duo wrap things up with an update about Benjamin's 1987 Jeep Grand Wagoneer LS swap project.

Episode 182: 2020 Ford Explorer ST, 2020 Subaru Legacy XT, Nissan Z Book Review, Listener Questions Jul 26, 2020

Show notes

Does Benjamin have the same negativity towards the 2020 Ford Explorer ST that Sami does after his Edge ST experience? Does Sami prefer the Legacy XT or the Outback XT, and is there a place for Subaru's mid-size sedan in a crossover-crowded market? The pair answer these questions - along with a couple sent in by listeners - before tying things up by reviewing a new Motorbooks publication about the history of the Nissan/Datsun Z.

Links:

Code 45 - Benjamin's graphic novel!

Episode 181: 2020 BMW X7 M50i, 2020 Kia Forte 5 GT, 2021 Ford Bronco Jul 19, 2020

Show notes

Is the 2020 BMW X7 M50i SUV a better buy than the often-overlooked BMW 7 Series sedan? Benjamin weighs in after having sampled the full spectrum of Bavarian big-boned sport-utilities. Sami gets small with the 2020 Kia Forte 5 GT, which provides secret hatchback practicality in a package you can't find from corporate sibling Hyundai. The two then wrap things up with a fairly deep dive into the reveal of the 2021 Ford Bronco off-roader.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Unnamed Automotive Podcast

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected