Unnamed Automotive Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Episode 76: Strange Yet Amazing 2018 BMW 640i GT, 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee, Applebees In Your Car Jun 16, 2018

Show notes

The 2018 BMW 640i Gran Turismo is perhaps the most bizarre BMW also built - and yet, somehow, perhaps the most useful vehicle in the company's current line-up. Both Benjamin and Sami have their minds completely blown by this baffling, and amazing, automobile. Also on deck: Sami spends a week with the 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee, and the pair try to figure out who, exactly, needs to order Applebees directly from their car's touchscreen, which you can now do in a brand new Hyundai, and why Porsche named the Mission E the 'Taycan.'

Episode 75: 2018 GMC Canyon Diesel, 2019 Kia Sorento, Listener Questions Jun 09, 2018

Show notes

Would you buy a diesel pickup? What about a diesel pickup that's smaller than a full-size? And would you pay $50,000 for it? These are the questions Benjamin tries to answer when driving the 2018 GMC Canyon Diesel over the course of a week. Sami, when not provoking Benjamin about how many tires he's hauling around, also chips in with his thoughts on the 2019 Kia Sorento redesign, before wrapping things up with listener questions.

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2019 Kia Sorento vs 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee — Despite rising fuel costs and urban sprawl, SUVs still represent big business and sell in impressive numbers. In light of that, we decided to take a look at two of our favorite new SUVs, the Kia Sorento and the Jeep Grand Cherokee, to see which one is better for each kind of buyer out there.

Bonus Episode - 2019 Lexus ES First Drive Jun 07, 2018

Show notes

Does the 2019 Lexus ES still have a place at the table in a world where mid-size premium sedans offering tons of luxury features can be had from nearly every automaker on the market? Benjamin and Sami discuss the all-new ES after having put it through its paces.

Episode 74: 2018 Kia Soul, 2018 Toyota CH-R, Unusual Crossovers, Mazda RX-7 FD Drive Jun 03, 2018

Show notes

When is weird too weird? When is weird not enough? That's what Sami attempts to discover when comparing the 2018 Kia Soul crossover to the 2018 Toyota CH-R. Benjamin jumps in with his strangely authoritative opinions on why, exactly, a whole bunch of other strange-looking SUVs failed where the Soul has succeeded. He then talks about his time driving the twin-turbo rotary-powered FD Mazda RX-7 from the Mazda classic collection, while Sami quietly seethes with jealousy.

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Retro Rewind: Driving Mazda's RX-7 FD rotary wunderkind — How does “strange” hold up today in a world where turbos are now the norm and rotaries have been banished to the dust heap of history by emissions regs and warranty concerns? I spent some quality time with a 1993 Mazda RX-7 R1 borrowed from Mazda Canada’s classic collection to find out if an old favorite can still dance to modern music.
Your definitive Mazda RX-7 FD buyer's guide — The third-generation Mazda RX-7—also known by its internal designation FD or FD3S—is one of the most arrestingly beautiful shapes to have ever escaped a Japanese design studio. When it went on sale in the early ’90s, its flowing lines stood in stark contrast not just to the more boxy wedge offered by the previous version of the car, but also the more aggressively linear look of rivals like the Acura NSX and the Mitsubishi 3000GT.

Episode 73: 2018 Volvo S90 T8, 2018 Ford F-150, 2018 Mazda MX-5 Miata, 2018 GMC Sierra Denali May 26, 2018

Show notes

Is the 2018 GMC Sierra Denali falling behind the pack just prior to its complete redesign this fall? After towing with it this past week, Sami certainly thinks so - especially compared to the 2018 Ford F-150 that Benjamin was driving. The pair also discuss their shared time in the 2018 Volvo S90 T8, debate the merits of its battery power, and try to figure out why Sami is so in love with the red convertible top on the 2018 Mazda MX-5 Miata.

Bonus Episode - 2019 Hyundai Veloster Turbo First Drive May 21, 2018

Show notes

The embargo has lifted and we can finally talk about the 2019 Hyundai Veloster Turbo - and boy, do we have a lot to say.

Episode 72: 2019 Audi A6, 2018 Mercedes-Benz C300 Wagon, Chevrolet 4 Cylinder Turbo Pickup May 19, 2018

Show notes

Where does the redesigned 2019 Audi A6 fit into the executive sedan ecosystem? Sami drives the latest Audi in Portugal and comes back suitably impressed by what the luxury car has to offer. Meanwhile, Benjamin falls in love with the wagon version of the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, and delivers an impassioned soliloquy on the benefits of wagons over crossovers. Finally, Chevy's turbocharged four-cylinder Silverado gamble is an intriguing play for the full-size pickup, but neither Sami nor Benjamin are sure just how, exactly, it will play out.

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2019 Audi A6 Review and First Drive — New Audi A6 is a global role player that stuffs the stat sheet.

Episode 71: 2018 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross, 2018 BMW X2, 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio May 12, 2018

Show notes

The Eclipse Cross is the last Mitsubishi to be developed entirely in-house prior to the merger with Nissan, and Sami spends a week behind the wheel to figure out what the new SUV's lasting legacy will be for fans of the brand. Meanwhile, Benjamin has his expectations overturned by the 2018 BMW X2 sport-utility vehicle, while also sampling the similarly surprisingly - although not in a good way - 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio SUV. SUV! SUV! SUV!

Episode 70: 2019 Genesis G70, 2018 Land Rover Discovery, Sami Visits Ferrari World Abu Dhabi May 06, 2018

Show notes

The 2019 Genesis G70 turns out to be more than just a rival to the current crop of entry-level sport sedans from BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Audi - it's a bit of a time machine back to when dialed-in steering, suspension, and a lively character were more important than outright power and multi-stage traction control. On both the street and the Mont Tremblant race track the G70 impressed Benjamin to the point where he makes some very bold statements about its place in the world. Sami, on the other hand, had a week of sand and sun in the 2018 Land Rover Discovery over in the Middle East, and also checked out Ferrari World Abu Dhabi which was, well, not quite as Ferrari-esque as he had been lead to believe.

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First Drive: 2019 Genesis G70 resurrects ghosts of performance past to put spirit in sport sedan futures — That the latest challenger to Teutonic supremacy hails from Korea should be no surprise given the rising tide of quality, engineering prowess, and willingness to spend huge amounts of money on the part of parent company Hyundai. That the G70 succeeds so expertly where its erstwhile competitors have failed – or rather, ceased to try – is much more of a shock.
2019 Genesis G70 Review — Rest assured: there’s at least one automaker out there that’s still firmly committed to placing fun-to-drive luxury sedans at the forefront of its portfolio.
How the Land Rover Discovery Helped Me Get Engaged — How Sami tip-toed a cultural divide in a big SUV.
The Real Reason Ford Is Phasing Out Its Sedans — IT’S NOT THAT you’re getting smaller. It’s that automobiles are getting bigger.

Episode 69: 2019 Mercedes-Benz A-Class, 2018 Lincoln Navigator, Ford Stops Making Cars Apr 28, 2018

Show notes

Stop the press, because Ford has decided to stop making cars! Well, almost - in the middle of recording this episode, Benjamin and Sami learn that Ford will keep building the Mustang, but kill every other sedan in a bid to focus exclusively on SUVs and trucks. The pair also talk about the all-new Mercedes-Benz A-Class, which Sami drove under the Croatian sun, and the 2018 Lincoln Navigator SUV, which surprised Benjamin during their week together with how much of an effort Lincoln has made in revising its flagship.

Links:

2019 Mercedes-Benz A-Class Review and First Drive — The new Mercedes A-Class not only rectifies many of the criticisms of the old compacts but also delivers a whole suite of innovative, exclusive technologies that will make the car stand out to buyers.

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