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Into the Air

Wheel Bearings
Wheel Bearings
Into the Air
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In the garage this week, Sam discusses the smoothest diesel he’s ever driven, the 2020 Chevrolet Silverado with GM’s new 3.0-liter inline-six-cylinder compression ignition engine. Dan shares his impressions of the 2020 Lincoln Aviator Grand Touring Black Label and where Lincoln has come in recent years. Rebecca tries out both extremes of the Toyota product lineup with the CH-R compact crossover and the Lexus LC500 Convertible. The conversation then goes off on a bit of tangent as the ponders why people buy convertibles and the drive them with the top up all the time before getting back on course with the GM-Nikola strategic partnership that was announced this week. Our heros finish up with the reveal of the Lucid Air electric sedan before diving into some listener questions. Links 2021 Lucid Air GM and Nikola Motors Electric turbos and boosters Wheel Bearings has launched a… Read More »Into the Air

Jeep Plugs In

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Wheel Bearings
Jeep Plugs In
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This week, Rebecca shares her thoughts on the Volvo XC90 T6 and how it compares to the similarly sized Cadillac XT6 she had a couple of weeks ago. Dan shares his thoughts on the limited edition Series.White Subaru WRX and how it makes him feel like he’s back in high school. Sam took his first road trip in many months with the Cadillac CT5 and it didn’t break his back. In the news, Jeep is getting electrified. The promised Wrangler 4XE plug-in hybrid is finally going into production this fall and promises 25 miles of electric only operation. The Wrangler is the first of multiple models with plug-in capability (actually the Compass and Renegade PHEVs are already on sale Europe) with the new Wagoneer family coming next summer. The new Grand Wagoneer concept provides a preview of Jeep’s new premium full-size SUVs. Over the last… Read More »Jeep Plugs In

Performance Bargains

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Wheel Bearings
Performance Bargains
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Bargain is a relative term here. It has to be taken in context of the market segment you’re competing in. That said, Sam’s ride this week is probably the performance bargain of the decade, the 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, aka the mythical mid-engine Vette. With a starting price of just $60,000, even optioned up, it’s still well under the half the price of an Audi R8 or Acura NSX and let’s not even talk about Ferrari, Lamborghini or McLaren prices. Meanwhile, Rebecca was driving the Genesis G70 which compares very favorably with the Infiniti Q50 she recently drove as well as BMW’s 3 series. On the less value oriented side was the Jeep Gladiator Mojave Dan drove, but that doesn’t take away from how good it is. Our crew discusses Strategic Vision’s Brand Equity Index and JD Power’s Technology Experience Index before diving into a… Read More »Performance Bargains

Pineapple Pizza? Absolutely…Or Not

Wheel Bearings
Wheel Bearings
Pineapple Pizza? Absolutely...Or Not
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Dan’s back this week but before we addressed the truly pressing issue of whether pineapple is a suitable pizza topping, we talked about vehicles. This week Sam had the BMW 228i xDrive Gran Coupe and pondered some potential alternatives that were less pricey. Rebecca was fetching family from JFK and using the OnStar wifi hotspot as a mobile office in the Cadillac XT6. Dan was getting irritated by the infotainment in the Subaru Outback and fetching a generator in the Ram 1500. In the news, Rebecca got a first in-person look at the new Ford Bronco while Sam got to ride in it. Ram has gotten the Hellcat bug with the new 702-hp Ram 1500 TRX, the fastest full-size truck on the market. However, it’s reign as apex predator might be short-lived once electrics like the GMC Hummer, Rivian R1T and Cybertruck arrive. The crew… Read More »Pineapple Pizza? Absolutely…Or Not

The Interior and Tech of the Ford Bronco Family

Wheel Bearings
Wheel Bearings
The Interior and Tech of the Ford Bronco Family
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Sam speaks with Rob Gelardi, interior design manager of the 2021 Ford Bronco 2-door and 4-door and Scott Anderson, interior design manager of the 2021 Bronco Sport. The discussion then turns to the technology side with Bronco technology strategy chief Donna Bell. Sorry about the audio quality, we were outside and all wearing masks and trying to stay socially distanced. Links 2021 Ford Bronco Aims for the Heart of Jeep 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 True Successor To The F1

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Wheel Bearings
The True Successor To The F1
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This week it’s just Rebecca and Sam as Dan tries to finish some projects running behind schedule. Rebecca shares her experience with the Kia Seltos and explains why you should get keyless entry if you can. Meanwhile Sam has been driving the BMW X3 xDrive30e, aka the smaller plug-in hybrid SUV from Munich (via Spartanburg). There was lots of news this week as Ford announced another changing of the guard as Jim Farley prepares to succeed Jim Hackett as CEO. Cadillac finally had the delayed public introduction of the Lyriq electric crossover, but it’s still going to be two years before you can buy one. Hyundai has decided to replace the current Ioniq with a whole sub-brand of Ioniq electric vehicles. Finally, Sam shares some history with his first exposure to the legendary McLaren F1 before our team discusses it’s true succcessor, the Gordon Murray… Read More »The True Successor To The F1

How To Expand The EV Market

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Wheel Bearings
How To Expand The EV Market
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Rebecca is back from a little vacation where her scheduled ride got swapped out at the last minute. Instead of a minivan, she did a multi-hundred mile road trip with three girls in the Infiniti Q50 Red Sport 400. She also got to revel in the joy that is the Mercedes-AMG GLC 43 Coupe. Sam meanwhile took his turn in the 2020 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid with its solar roof before stepping into the new Toyota Highlander. Dan got to live the life of a man of the people in the latest Nissan Versa. In the news this week, its all about electrification with the Ford Mustang Mach-E 1400 and its seven motors. Then we got word that GM is teaming up with EVGo to deploy 2,700 DC fast charging stations in urban and suburban locations and we discuss the logic behind the move. The show… Read More »How To Expand The EV Market

Stash The Doors – Hit The Trails

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Wheel Bearings
Stash The Doors - Hit The Trails
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This week Rebecca discusses the benefits and perils of driving a plug-in hybrid with the BMW X3 xDrive30e and the benefits and challenges of the Fiat 500X. Sam revisits the Honda CR-V hybrid and its weird noises before coming full circle on BMW with the 840i coupe. Meanwhile Dan has moving stuff with Ford’s very pricey F-350 Super Duty Platinum. In the news, Ford finally revealed the Bronco family with big off-roaders that are thoroughly modular and ready to take on the Jeep Wrangler’s stranglehold on the segment. There’s also the smaller Bronco Sport that may cause some confusion. Nissan also took the wraps off its next EV, the Ariya. The team wraps up with a rant on the Stellantis. Links 2021 Ford Bronco 2021 Ford Bronco Sport 2022 Nissan Ariya What is Stellantis Sam’s 2020 BMW 840i review Rebecca’s Honda CR-V Hybrid Review Rebecca’s… Read More »Stash The Doors – Hit The Trails

Live On Zoom #2 – Subscriptions All Around

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Wheel Bearings
Live On Zoom #2 - Subscriptions All Around
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This episode is so nice, we had to edit it twice! The team reconvened this week for another live Zoom session with some listeners. In the garage, Sam reiterates his love for traditional station wagons and why they are better than any SUV or crossover for most people as he discusses the Volvo V60 T8. Rebecca spent time with the refreshed 2020 Nissan Titan Pro-4X and the all-wheel-drive Toyota Prius. Meanwhile Dan was in the Toyota Tacoma TRD-Pro. In the news, our crew discusses the announcement of a family of Ford Broncos, the upcoming Audi Q4 e-tron Sportback and the coming of subscriptions for features like heated seats. Links Ford Bronco Family BMW Feature Subscriptions 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

There’s A New F-150 In Town

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Wheel Bearings
Wheel Bearings
There's A New F-150 In Town
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Our intrepid trio reconvenes to talk about the all-new, cleverly updated Ford F-150. The lineup now includes a hybrid, on-board generator, and more thoughtful features than a Swiss Army knife. We talk about driving the Genesis G90, Hyundai Sonata Hybrid, Buick Encore GX, and Cadillac XT4. It wraps up with a couple listener questions, so listen and let us know what’s on your mind! Links Ford Active Drive Assist and OTA updates 2021 Ford F-150 Sam Interviews Ford CEO Jim Hackett Casey Liss Sold his used BMW