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Going Wide

Wheel Bearings
Going Wide
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This week it’s just Roberto and Sam as Nicole gets some Disney time. Sam was double booked in the garage this week with the 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander and Toyota Camry XSE Hybrid. Meanwhile Robbie is enjoying one of the last manual transmission high-performance sedans with the Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing. Staying with Cadillac, they released first images of the Escalade V with more to come in the next couple of months. Ford will start taking orders for the 2022 Bronco Raptor in March and they are also forming a vehicle security joint-venture with ADT called Canopy. BMW is preparing to build its final batch of V12 powered production cars with a run of 12 M760is in June. 2022 will be the last year when Lamborghini builds internal combustion models exclusively. Sam interviewed TrueCar CEO Mike Darrow about the company’s new online sales platform at the LA… Read More »Going Wide

Return of Avalanche and Airflow, Eventually

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Return of Avalanche and Airflow, Eventually
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We’re kicking off 2022 with lots of battery powered vehicles. Nicole gets a first drive in the Lucid Air Dream edition, Roberto drives the Mini SE and Sam is the outlier with the 2022 Honda Civic Hatchback. In the news, it’s CES week and while the team have all opted to stay away from Las Vegas this year thanks to Omicron, there’s plenty of news. GM moved the Mary Barra keynote online but Sam got a preview look at the 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV just before Christmas. Over at Stellantis, there apparently is a future for the Chrysler brand as they reveal the Airflow concept and Sam talks with brand CEO Chris Feuell. Waymo and Geely team up for a purpose-built robotaxi and we answer a bunch of listener questions. Links Waymo and Geely partner for a custom robotaxi Chrysler Airflow Concept 2024 Chevrolet Silverado… Read More »Return of Avalanche and Airflow, Eventually

I See Pixels

Wheel Bearings
I See Pixels
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This week we’ve got multiple opinions on a couple of cars. All three of the hosts drove the new Hyundai Ioniq 5 EV while both Nicole and Sam had 2022 Genesis GV70s. Nicole got a rear driver while Sam had all-wheel-drive, both with the 3.3-liter twin-turbo V6. Roberto had something completely different, the Arcimoto Roadster, an electric three-wheeler. In the news, Rivian reports its first quarterly earnings and loses big on a small number of deliveries but already has plans for a second factory. GM has first deliveries of its two newest EVs, the GMC Hummer and BrightDrop EV600. Sam also has an interview with Trevor Lai, director of product planning for EVs at Hyundai of America and we answer some questions. Links Sam’s first impressions of the Ioniq 5 Roberto’s video review of the Ioniq 5 GMC Hummer and BrightDrop EV600 deliveries What happened… Read More »I See Pixels

That’s a Giant Wiper

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That's a Giant Wiper
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This week Nicole is taking some time off and flying out to meet her daughter for a long drive back home for the holidays so it’s just the boys without supervision so we start off with a tangent about pies. Roberto has only had a brief time with the BMW X5 plug-in hybrid so the garage is mostly the 2022 Hyundai Kona electric that Sam has been driving. In the news, Ford will be moving production of the electric Explorer and Lincoln Aviator somewhere other the Mexican plant where the Mustang Mach-E is built so they can more than triple production of the Mach-E. If congress manages to pass the Build Back Better act, it should include some expanded EV tax incentives but because Elon Musk hates unions and competitors, he thinks the incentives should be abolished all together. VW confirmed that it will build… Read More »That’s a Giant Wiper

The Perfect Mulch Hauler

Wheel Bearings
The Perfect Mulch Hauler
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Lots of stuff in the garage in this week as Nicole gets to spend more time with the 2022 Subaru Forester Wilderness. On the opposite coast, Robbie has one of his two ideal cars, the Audi RS6 Avant and also shares some thoughts on the BMW 330e plug-in hybrid. Sticking with the PHEV theme, Sam had a first drive in the new Lincoln Corsair Grand Touring and also got to try out GM’s new Android Automotive based infotainment system in the 2022 Chevrolet Tahoe. In the news, GM and Ford are both doing deals with chip makers to try to avoid future shortages, Genesis shows the exterior of the next generation G90 luxury sedan and Nissan announces some of its electrification plans between now and 2030. We also have an interview that Sam recorded in LA with Aditya Jairaj, director of EV marketing and sales… Read More »The Perfect Mulch Hauler

Phoenix From The Ashes

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Phoenix From The Ashes
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This week, the whole gang has been in Southern California for the LA Auto Show and related events. In the garage, Nicole drove the 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee in Moab and Sam had the 2022 Nissan Frontier Pro-X at home in Michigan. We discuss the new Acura Integra Prototype and answer a question about how we review cars. Finally, we have some of the interviews that Sam did with various people while in California with more to come over the next couple of weeks. This time we have Mike Tripp and Cooper Erickson from Toyota about the bZ4X and Henrik Fisker on the new Ocean EV. Links Fisker Ocean first look Henrik Fisker Interview from 2009 Detroit Auto Show 2023 Toyota bZ4X reveal 2023 Acura Integra Prototype Wheel Bearings has launched a Patreon. If you like the show and would like to chip in toward… Read More »Phoenix From The Ashes

Munster Challenger

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Munster Challenger
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This week we have lots of cruising. Roberto has been riding on BMW’s big bruiser bike, the R18, Nicole has been Grand Touring in the Lincoln Aviator plug-in hybrid and Sam has had the unicorn-like Ford Escape plug-in hybrid. Robbie and Sam each got to drive Ford’s quickest EV yet, the Mach-E GT while Nicole got a first drive in Toyota’s new 2022 Tundra including the hybrid variant. GM announced its next-gen hands-free driving assist called Ultra Cruise. We answer some listener questions and Sam interviews Ford’s Darren Palmer and Dave Pericak. Links Sam’s Take on the Mach-E GT Robbie’s Impressions of the Mach-E GT GM Ultra Cruise 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

When Enough Is Enough

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When Enough Is Enough
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This week in the garage, Nicole is getting a kick out of the Hyundai Sonata N-Line with its 290-hp turbocharged engine. Sam has been tossing around the Mazda Miata RF while Robbie has been too busy with work to drive. Nicole got a first drive in the Ford Maverick compact pickup and and Sam and Nicole each got to drive Mazda’s first EV, the MX-30. In Britain, drivers facing gas shortages are taking a closer look at EVs. We answer some listener questions and Sam interviews Jay Chen and Dave Coleman from Mazda. Links British drivers look to EVs during gas shortages 2022 Mazda MX-30 first drive review 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

I’m Not a Bus

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I'm Not a Bus
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This week on the show, Robbie has returned from the IAA show in Munich and while he can’t yet tell us about some of what he drove, he shares some thoughts on what he saw there including the VW ID.Life concept, the BMW Vision Circle and he also describes the new Hyundai Kona EV, the he and his wife just bought. Nicole shares her impressions of the new single motor Polestar 2 while Sam has been driving the Hyundai Tucson hybrid. In the news, the Lucid Air gets an official EPA range rating of 520 miles while Rivian starts regular production of the R1T electric pickup. Unfortunately, R1T buyers won’t be getting the zero radius tank turn feature. In 2023, General Motors will be introducing the follow-up to Super Cruise called Ultra Cruise and it will include lidar sensors from Cepton. We answer a bunch… Read More »I’m Not a Bus

It’s Not Just Another Hyundai

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It's Not Just Another Hyundai
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In the garage this week, Sam has been driving one of the last car-shaped Volkswagens still available in America, the 2021 Arteon SE 2.0T and finds that yes, it can almost swallow a thick queen-size mattress through its sleek hatchback rear opening. Before jetting off to Munich for the IAA Mobility show, Roberto spent time in the Volvo XC40 Recharge, the first battery electric model from the Swedish brand. Nicole spent her time with the 2022 Genesis GV70, a lifted, wagonish version of the lovely G70. Since our last recording session, Audi unveiled the GrandSphere concept, a preview of its new design direction as it goes all electric. Another brand going all electric is Cadillac and their first battery model is the upcoming Lyriq. Sam got to spend three hours with the team developing it and shares some thoughts. Finally, Nicole and Sam got to… Read More »It’s Not Just Another Hyundai