Unnamed Automotive Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Episode 94: 2019 Mazda CX-9, 2019 Subaru Outback, 2019 Nissan Kicks, Mustang Blues Oct 21, 2018

Show notes

Reaching above its station as an affordable three-row SUV, the 2019 Mazda CX-9 offers swanky digs and a smooth ride - at least, according to Sami, who can't get enough. Benjamin's crossover-of-the-week is a 2019 Subaru Outback, a great family hauler that has lost its quirkiness but still delivers the goods. The comparison between the two sport-utility vehicles triggers a deep conversation about what vehicles need to be interesting to drive and which ones don't, just before Sami drops the bomb that the 2019 Nissan Kicks he drove weighs only a couple hundred pounds more than a modern Miata. Finally, Benjamin laments the passing of Ford's passenger cars once more upon hearing news that there's a four-door Mustang in the works.

Episode 93: 2019 BMW i8 Roadster, 2018 Subaru BRZ tS, Datsun Track Woes Oct 14, 2018

Show notes

What's better than a three-comma-door supercar? A three-comma-door supercar without a roof - at least according to Sami, who spent a week with the 2019 BMW i8 Roadster, perhaps the most unique hybrid electric in BMW's line-up. Benjamin also waxes philosophical on the value of factory 'tuner' cars like the 2018 Subaru BRZ tS, a fun-to-drive coupe that may or may not be worth paying the upgrade fee for the handful of STI parts that come with it. Also, Datsun carnage after Benjamin's most recent track day.

Episode 92: Formula Experiences Race School, 2019 BMW X5, 2018 BMW M2 Oct 07, 2018

Show notes

Ever wanted to drive an open cockpit race car? Or an open wheel formula car? Benjamin got to do both courtesy of Formula Experiences at Virginia International Raceway, and he has nothing but raves for the Radical SR1 and SR3. Sami then talks about his time with the 2019 BMW X5, an SUV that's now better in every way, except for the one area he was really hoping they'd improve. Finally, Benjamin reveals that out of all the BMWs in the land, the 2018 BMW M2 he drove for a week is the only one he really, really wants - and Sami actually agrees.

Links:

Formula Experiences

Episode 91: 2019 Lamborghini Aventador SVJ, 2018 Alpina B7, 2018 Jeep Wrangler Sep 30, 2018

Show notes

What has active aero, a naturally-aspirated V12, and enough curb appeal to trigger a valet batle royale? The 2019 Lamborghini Aventador SVJ. Special guest Bradley Iger put the newest Nurburgring record holder through its paces at Estoril, in Portugal, and was wowed by its grip and speed, and he's here to tell us all about it. Next, Sami holds forth on the confusing 2018 Alpina B7, a full-size luxo-machine that feels like an answer in search of a question, followed by Benjamin's first take on the 2018 Jeep Wrangler, the redesigned icon that manages to maintain its old-school cred despite its increasingly modern platform.

Links:

Bradley Iger - Instagram
2019 Lamborghini Aventador SVJ first drive review — Lamborghini’s V12 flagship brings the shock and awe for SVJ duty.
On the Track: 2019 Lamborghini Aventador SVJ — Wrangling Sant'Agata's Baddest Bull.

Episode 90: 2020 Toyota Supra Test Drive, 2019 Chevrolet Silverado Arctic Ocean Adventure Sep 23, 2018

Show notes

The 2020 Toyota Supra isn't quite here yet, but Sami spends a day on the racetrack behind the wheel of a Gazoo Racing prototype Supra at Jarama, Spain, while also piloting it through the streets of Madrid. Driven back to back against the Toyota GT86, it raises almost as many questions as it answers, and the pair go deep on what it means for a car with a history as long as the Supra to ride entirely on BMW mechanicals. Benjamin is back from the Arctic Ocean after driving the region's only permanent road to the northern shore in the 2019 Chevrolet Silverado, a truck that shakes out much better than its luxury-focused GMC Sierra Denali platform-twin.

Links:

2020 Toyota Supra First Drive Impressions — Forget the historic nameplate, ignore the weird Japanese-German fusion, and try not too hard to think about the specs. The Toyota Supra is finally arriving and it’s fast, focused, and fun.
2019 Chevrolet Silverado: Reviewed in the Arctic — The 2019 Chevrolet Silverado finds itself in a unique position on the cutthroat full-size pickup market. Whereas rivals such as the Ford F-150 and Ram 1500 (alongside lesser lights like the Nissan Titan and the Toyota Tundra) are free to court big spenders seeking a six-figure luxury truck by way of their upmarket trim levels, the Silverado sits in the corner like a loyal WWE soldier while a sweaty Vince McMahon screams ‘KNOW YOUR ROLE!’ right in its face.

Episode 89: 2018 Mercedes-AMG CLA45, 2018 Volvo XC40, Exploding Chevrolet Colorado Airbags, Death Of The Beetle Sep 16, 2018

Show notes

The 2018 Mercedes-AMG CLA45 will cost you $20k more than the base CLA-Class, but is it a real AMG car? Benjamin thinks so, and while both he and Sami have reservations, it's a major improvement over the standard version of the vehicle. Get ready for more gushing about the 2018 Volvo XC40 SUV, too, as Benjamin hauls tires in class and style. Finally, the pair talk about the Chevrolet Colorado's airbag problem (hint: the explode when you go off-road), and the death of the new new VW Beetle.

Links:

Chevrolet Colorado Side Curtain Airbags Keep Deploying On Easy Off-Road Trails — The Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 is supposed to be a rough-and-tumble, body-on-frame, solid rear axle-having pickup that can handle off-road trails with ease. And yet, a number of trucks’ airbags are deploying on mild off-road trails, leaving owners with major hassles. Here’s what’s going on.

Episode 88: 2004 Mazdaspeed Miata vs. 2018 Mazda MX-5 Miata, Arctic Circle Mercedes-Sprinter Adventures, 2018 Honda Pilot, Volvo's Secret Autonomous Car Language, BMW Lightning Round Sep 09, 2018

Show notes

Did adding a turbo to the Miata teach Mazda an important lesson about not messing with the MX-5 formula? After a week behind the wheel of a 2004 Mazdaspeed Miata from Mazdas' classic collection, Benjamin certainly seems to think so. Sami, on the other hand, can't get enough of Benjamin's weird winter tales of driving the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van to the Alaskan Arctic Circle after he himself samples the new model in warmer climes. Before wrapping things up, Sami posits that the 2018 Honda Pilot is really just a fancier minivan - and is totally ok with that - and then the pair riff through Volvo's new 'languge' designed to help its autonomous bed-office-living-room cars communicate with mere human beings, as well as a BMW lightning round featuring the longest SUV name in automotive history.

Episode 87: 2018 BMW M5, 2018 Cadillac CTS-V vs. 2004 Cadillac CTS-V, Ford Stepping Into The Abyss Sep 02, 2018

Show notes

Sami is terrified - really and truly - after spending a week behind the wheel of the ferocious 2018 BMW M5, but wonders why you need to input the Konami code to really have a good time. Benjamin counters with the 2018 Cadillac CTS-V's 640-horsepower simplicity, and then contrasts it against the much more raw experience of driving his own first-year, first-generation CTS-V with a manual transmission. The pair wrap things up by lamenting Ford's short-sighted decision to leave the car market in the pursuit of trucks and SUVs.

Episode 86: 2018 Acura NSX, 2018 Lamborghini Huracan Performante Spyder, 2019 GMC Sierra Denali, Pebble Beach, VW Controls The Weather Aug 28, 2018

Show notes

Is the 2018 Acura NSX the ultimate example of soulless supercar perfection? Sami discovers that an amazing powetrain and incredible performance statistics don't make for a mesmerizing drive experience - but that the 2018 Lamborghini Huracan Performante Spyder that he drove the next day - also at Monterey Car Week - more than made up for it. Benjamin, on the other hand, is less impressed by the 2019 GMC Sierra Denali, a full-size pickup that comes across more like a missed opportunity than anything else after his time behind the wheel on the coastal roads of Newfoundland. Finally, the two investigate claims that Volkswagen has been controlling the weather, James Bond-style, at one of their Mexican factories.

Links:

Volkswagen accused of ruining Mexican crops with weather-altering 'hail cannons' — Local groups have accused the German automaker of causing a dry spell with hail cannons that shoot sonic booms into the air to prevent the formation of hail. The devices are used to protect cars parked outside the factory from dents caused by hailstones.
2019 GMC Sierra Denali Review — The 2019 GMC Sierra Denali, its flagship full-size truck, is the most important jewel in the company’s crown. Not only is it the one area where GMC has a legitimate chance to give its Silverado-cloning Sierra a chance to rise about its shared Bowtie platform, but it’s also the strongest seller in the entire Denali family. As goes Sierra, so goes the rest of GMC’s fortunes.

Episode 85: AutoGuide's Jodi Lai, 2018 Mercedes-Benz S560 Cabriolet, 2018 Jeep Cherokee, 2019 Acura RDX vs. 2019 Infiniti QX50, EV Self Destruct Systems Aug 19, 2018

Show notes

This week AutoGuide's head honcho Jodi Lai, guest hosts with Sami and Benjamin to talk about her disappointing experience with the 2018 Jeep Cherokee SUV. Sami compares the 2019 Acura RDX's incredibly frustrating touchpad infotainment system against the 2019 Infiniti QX50's variable compression engine, while Benjamin puts many miles on the largest Mercedes-Benz convertible, the S560. The three also try to figure out why, exactly, NextEV decided to patent a self-destruct system for electric vehicles.

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