Skip to content

Episode #090 – Back To The Future

Wheel Bearings
Wheel Bearings
Episode #090 - Back To The Future
Loading
/

This week Sam has been driving the Cadillac ATS-V and GMC Acadia Denali. Dan gets to be one of the first to try out the new Ram 1500 North Edition. Electric vehicle batteries don’t ignite very often, but when they do, they are really hard to put out. Lincoln goes back to the past for a special edition of the Continental and FCA appears to be preparing a new inline six cylinder engine. Links Lincoln Continental Coach Door Edition Twice-baked batteries New Fiat-Chrysler inline six 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 #089 – Plugged In Jag and Semi-Driverless Sorta Robo-Taxis

Wheel Bearings
Wheel Bearings
Episode #089 - Plugged In Jag and Semi-Driverless Sorta Robo-Taxis
Loading
/

We’re back with seat time in the Honda Odyssey, Jaguar i-Pace, Mazda6 Signature and Volkswagen Jetta S. Meanwhile Waymo sort of launches a commercial sort of driverless robo-taxi service, Porsche tests ultra-fast charging and Aston Martin reveals some engine details about the Valykerie. Links Waymo One soft launch Aston Martin Valkyrie Porsche ultra-fast charging Full review of the 2019 Jaguar i-Pace 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

Special: Sam on This Week In Tech 696

Wheel Bearings
Wheel Bearings
Special: Sam on This Week In Tech 696
Loading
/

While you wait for Dan and Sam to get organized and record a new edition of Wheel Bearings, check out Sam’s latest appearance on This Week in Tech with Leo Laporte, Rich DeMuro and Patrick Beja 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

2019 Jaguar i-Pace

In my formative years as a car enthusiast, having any kind of affection for British cars was fraught with peril. While many of them were attractive and enormously fun to drive, they also had a well-deserved reputation for unreliability. As often as not, the source of a failure to move could be traced back to electrical gremlins. After what seemed like an interminable wait, I finally had the opportunity to get behind the wheel of the all-new all-electric Jaguar i-Pace to see if it could live up to the hype and not let me down. Read the full review 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

Episode #088 – Plugged In At The LA Auto Show

Wheel Bearings
Wheel Bearings
Episode #088 - Plugged In At The LA Auto Show
Loading
/

The American automotive market is more about trucks and utilities than ever before. Sam and Dan look at a couple of bookends with the 2019 Chevrolet Silverado and Ford EcoSport. GM CEO Mary Barra makes the tough call to end production at five factories. Meanwhile at the 2018 LA Auto Show, there was lots of new product many of them with plugs. Some highlights include the 2020 Lincoln Aviator Grand Touring, 2020 Mazda3, 2020 Porsche 911, Audi e-Tron GT concept and the new Kia Soul with a battery that should go 250 miles or so. Links Episode #011 – Sam talks with Delphi’s Jim Zizelman about dynamic skip fire as used in the 2019 Chevrolet Silverado Lincoln Aviator Audi e-Tron GT Porsche 911 Kia Soul Sam talks about GM closing plants on the radio All-weather tires   Wheel Bearings has launched a Patreon. If you… Read More »Episode #088 – Plugged In At The LA Auto Show

Episode #087 – Carlos In The Clink, Driving In Winter and Charging Follies

Wheel Bearings
Wheel Bearings
Episode #087 - Carlos In The Clink, Driving In Winter and Charging Follies
Loading
/

This week Sam drives the new Volkswagen Jetta and Dan spends time with the Acura RDX and VW Golf Sportwagen. Out in the real world, Carlos Ghosn, CEO of Renault and Chairman of Nissan is arrested for alleged financial malfeasance and the future of the Alliance is in doubt. With snow and ice now on the road, it’s time again to think about winter tires. Land Rover unveils the second-generation Evoque with electrified powertrains and Tesla owners are experiencing Supercharger issues. Sam also interviews Pete Rander and Brett Browning of Argo AI. Links Carlos Ghosn Arrested Winter Tires 2020 Land Rover Evoque Supercharging issues 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 #086 – Complete with sirens from Magic City

Wheel Bearings
Wheel Bearings
Episode #086 - Complete with sirens from Magic City
Loading
/

This time out, Sam is recording from a hotel room in Miami as we discuss the Volvo XC40 T5 and its goofy shifter design, the Audi Q5 and its surprisingly fast handwriting recognition and the marvelous Kia Stinger. Subscriptions may or may not be the future of car buying, assuming car buying even has a future in an age of automated vehicles. Faraday almost certainly has no Future and Walmart joins Ford’s automated delivery test program. Links 2019 Volvo XC50 T5 Momentum Cadillac closes the Book on subscriptions for now Probably no future for Faraday Walmart and Ford team up on automated deliveries 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

2019 Volvo XC40 – The New Small Swede With Surprising Value

The first-phase of the ground up revamp of the entire Volvo product portfolio is nearing completion. Like most brands, Volvo has shifted heavily toward utility vehicles such as the midsize and large XC60 and XC90 as well as the slightly higher riding car variants like the V90 Cross-country. This year Volvo finally has an entry in the fast growing compact utility segment as well with the new XC40 and it has a lot to recommend it. Read the full review over on 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

Episode #085 – What is a Utility Vehicle Anyway?

Wheel Bearings
Wheel Bearings
Episode #085 - What is a Utility Vehicle Anyway?
Loading
/

After a week off, we have an extended length show to make up for it. Dan drives a very expensive Ford F-150 and a sportier Acura MDX A-Spec. Sam goes from the not really a crossover Toyota C-HR to the ginormous Genesis G90. Then we dive into some discussion of sales and earnings, GM’s call for a national EV mandate in response to Trump administration moves to freeze fuel economy standards and cost cutting moves while profits are still reasonably healthy.  We also discuss Consumer Reports reliability data and answer listener questions including the Hyundai pickup truck. Links Toyota C-HR  GM Calls for a national EV mandate GM offers buyouts and cuts spending Consumer Reports reliability survey 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… Read More »Episode #085 – What is a Utility Vehicle Anyway?

2018 Toyota C-HR XLE Premium: It Crosses Over, But It’s No Utility Vehicle

Over the history of the automobile, we’ve come up with a wide variety of descriptors that immediately give us a pretty solid idea of the type of vehicle being discussed. When we here pickup, station wagon or minivan, we largely know what to expect. But ever since marketers coined the term crossover utility vehicle sometime probably in the early 1990s, it has come to encompass such a broad array of designs so as to become essentially meaningless. A current prime example of that is the 2018 Toyota C-HR. Read the full review 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