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2020 Lincoln Corsair Takes Flight

Lincoln president Joy Falotico unveils the 2020 Corsair

Five years ago, Lincoln was a brand that seemed to be on its last legs. The products felt uninspired and no one seemed to know why Ford was still pouring money into its last premium brand. Despite that, Ford recommitted to the brand, appointing Kumar Galhotra as president of Lincoln and the resurgence began. That continues under current Lincoln president Joy Falotico with this week’s reveal of the 2020 Corsair. Lincoln has fleshed out its SUV lineup with new or revamped products from bottom to top, leaving the MKZ and MKT for as long as they last as the only remnants of the old product lineup.

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Wheel Bearings has launched a Patreon. If you like the show and would like to chip in toward the cost of producing and hosting it you can join at https://www.patreon.com/wheelbearingsmedia

Episode #105 – Sometimes Tilting At Windmills Pays Off

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Wheel Bearings
Episode #105 - Sometimes Tilting At Windmills Pays Off
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This week Sam and Rebecca both discuss their experience with the Nissan Murano. Rebecca has also been in the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV while Dan drives the Honda Pilot. In the news, four decades of tilting at mid-engine wind mills finally pays off for Don Sherman as GM confirms the 2020 Chevrolet Corvette will debut on July 18, 2019. Tesla really doesn’t want to sell any $35,000 Model 3s and the gang discuss the challenges of updating a 50 year old airplane for the 21st century. Links The mid-engine Corvette is almost here and here Please, please don’t buy a cheap Tesla Model 3 Updating the 50 year old Boeing 737 Wheel Bearings has launched a Patreon. If you like the show and would like to chip in toward the cost of producing and hosting it you can join at https://www.patreon.com/wheelbearingsmedia

Episode #104 – Who Says Millennials Don’t Like Cars?

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Wheel Bearings
Episode #104 - Who Says Millennials Don't Like Cars?
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This week Rebecca describes a road trip she took in the Buick Regal with her millennial nephew to watch some sportsball. She also samples the new generation Mazda3 sedan and we ponder the potential of Mazda to reposition itself as a more premium brand. Sam drives the BMW X4 and isn’t repulsed while Dan is less enamored with the latest Toyota Tundra TRD Pro. In the news, Ford’s fourth-generation Escape is revealed and it’s becoming more of a city slicker. It also brings back the hybrid and adds a plug-in hybrid. The Audi e-tron Quattro has a range number and it’s disappointing and Rebecca tries out the Jeep Gladiator. If you like the show, help us out by giving us a rating or review on iTunes or your platform of choice and tell your friends. Links Welcome to Escapeville with the 2020 Ford Escape Audi… Read More »Episode #104 – Who Says Millennials Don’t Like Cars?

Welcome To Escapeville, Introducing The 2020 Ford Escape

Another day, another compact crossover utility vehicle introduction. Today, Ford is revealing the all-new 2020 Escape, the fourth-generation model to bear that badge. As Ford’s second best selling nameplate after the F-series pickups, the Escape is particularly important to the brand as works its way through a massive realignment from cars to utilities. Based on a first look at the new Escape, it looks like Ford is making a lot of the right moves with this model. Read the full story at Forbes Wheel Bearings has launched a Patreon. If you like the show and would like to chip in toward the cost of producing and hosting it you can join at https://www.patreon.com/wheelbearingsmedia

The Tech Guy #1579

Sam says that even with driverless cars, he’s not sure if Lyft can still make any money. There’s no networking effect. There’s no loyalty or switching costs. So the only way to make it work is to have a lot of drivers and lower fares. Also, companies like Lyft and Uber have no real hard costs or assets. They don’t own the cars, or have to maintain them, or pay for the gas. When you go driverless, suddenly you have to pay for cars and maintain them. Those hard investments and will be in the billions at first. Wheel Bearings has launched a Patreon. If you like the show and would like to chip in toward the cost of producing and hosting it you can join at https://www.patreon.com/wheelbearingsmedia

Episode #103 – Mandatory Smarts and Saving Smart

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Episode #103 - Mandatory Smarts and Saving Smart
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This week, Rebecca finishes up with the Volvo V60 and tries out the new Ram 2500 in Manhattan. Sam has also been in a big truck with the 2019 Nissan Titan Pro4X while Dan goes small with the Hyundai Kona Ultimate. In the news, Lincoln releases the first teaser image for the Corsair compact crossover while Geely ponders stepping in to save the Smart brand from oblivion. Speaking of smarts, the European Commission is moving to make a whole suite of driver assistance features mandatory including automatic speed limiting. Links Lincoln Corsair Teaser Geely to save Smart Mandatory driver aids in Europe Wheel Bearings has launched a Patreon. If you like the show and would like to chip in toward the cost of producing and hosting it you can join at https://www.patreon.com/wheelbearingsmedia

The Tech Guy #1577

Sam joins Leo to talk about the etiquette of charging an electric vehicle.  Sam says that some EV users believe it’s OK to park next to a charger, thereby making that charger unusable for hours. Tesla has addressed this issue by charging people after their car has been filled up. Users now get a 5 minute grace period. Leo says while that’s true, if you’re traveling and are parking at the airport, you don’t really have a choice. While that’s a special case, most EV owners are just using charging spots at the mall and other locations as parking spots. Thereby preventing other EV drivers from charging.  Meanwhile, Mercedes Benz has included What3words navigation to their 2019 vehicles. All you need to do is input the three words of your destination, and it’ll take you there. What3words is a system that assigns three words to every ten… Read More »The Tech Guy #1577

Episode #102 – No Charging, No Parking!

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Wheel Bearings
Episode #102 - No Charging, No Parking!
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This week Sam has returned from California and after driving the 2019 Kia Niro EV, he has a rant about electric vehicle drivers that think they have a right to park right next to the building even when they aren’t charging. Rebecca has been driving the lovely new Volvo V60 and Dan has the “first ever” Ford Edge ST. In the news, the crew ponders the new Cadillac CT5 that was shown ahead of its public debut at the New York Auto Show. Porsche drops some teasers of the upcoming Taycan electric sedan and Fisker pivots with a new production, retail and service strategy. Sam talks with Henrik Fisker and the team opines. Links New Fisker electric SUV Porsche Taycan Teaser 2020 Cadillac CT5 Wheel Bearings has launched a Patreon. If you like the show and would like to chip in toward the cost of… Read More »Episode #102 – No Charging, No Parking!

The Tech Guy #1575

Sam joins Leo in studio, and he says that while electric vehicles are getting more popular, it would still take 20-30 years to replace the entire fleet in the US. He drove to Eastside Studios in a KIA NIRO electrified vehicle. The NIRO Hybrid gets 50 mph, but you can get a plugin hybrid as well, which gets 27 miles on a charge. Or you can get a fully electric NIRO, which has a 239-mile range.  Wheel Bearings has launched a Patreon. If you like the show and would like to chip in toward the cost of producing and hosting it you can join at https://www.patreon.com/wheelbearingsmedia

Episode #101 – We Don’t Need No Stinkin’ Badges

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Wheel Bearings
Episode #101 - We Don't Need No Stinkin' Badges
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The whole crew is back in the same time zone this week as Rebecca shares her thoughts on the new Toyota Rav4 Hybrid, Sam drives the refreshed 2019 Nissan Maxima and Dan plays with the Ford F-150 Raptor. The mythical mid-engine Chevrolet Corvette has been Don Sherman’s personal unicorn for nearly 50 years and the first prototypes go back even farther than that. It now seems closer than ever and yet still so far away and we discuss why. Cadillac is adopting a new badging scheme similar to what Audi launched in Europe a couple of years ago and no seems to be happy about it. We discuss whether to just dispense with the badges entirely. Meanwhile Rivian seems to be developer a modular bed system for its upcoming electric pickup truck. Links Cadillac’s new badges Audi updates is nomenclature Rivian goes modular Corvette’s twisting… Read More »Episode #101 – We Don’t Need No Stinkin’ Badges