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The Porter Wins

Wheel Bearings
Wheel Bearings
The Porter Wins
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We’ve had a quite a variety of vehicles to drive in the past week. Robbie went all the way to Germany to drive the new BMW iX M60 from Munich to Lake Como in Italy. Nicole has been juggling Hyundais with a Sonata N-Line sedan at home and most of the brand’s electrified lineup in Nashville with the Ioniq 5, Kona EV, Tucson PHEV and Santa Fe PHEV. Sam finally got to spend some quality time with the new Toyota Tundra as well. In the news, Porsche revealed a preview of what might be its next car for a single make race series, the battery powered, 1,000+ hp 718 Cayman ePerformance. Honda released the first teaser sketch of the 2024 Prologue electric crossover that will be built by GM on its Ultium platform. Robbie shares his impressions of the Concorso D’eleganza and Nissan and Mitsubishi… Read More »The Porter Wins

Not A Crazed Squirrel

Wheel Bearings
Wheel Bearings
Not A Crazed Squirrel
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This week on the show, Roberto went all the way to Germany to drive the new Mercedes-Benz EQE midsize electric sedan. Nicole had a very different Mercedes, the seven-seat GLS450 SUV as well as the Hyundai Santa Cruz. Sam tested his new EV charger with the Mini Cooper SE. Nicole and Roberto also drove the GMC Hummer EV while Sam and Nicole tried out the Toyota bZ4X. A San Francisco police officer pulled over a driverless Cruise AV. Jeep is launching an even bigger version of the Wagoneer with the new Hurricane inline-six and Lincoln is teasing its upcoming EV concept. Links GMC Hummer EV first drive Lincoln EV concept tease Toyota bZ4X first drive Cruise AV traffic stop 2023 Jeep Wagoneer L/Grand Wagoneer L Manheim auctions tests used EV batteries Wheel Bearings has launched a Patreon. If you like the show and would like… Read More »Not A Crazed Squirrel

Indy Goes Driverless

Wheel Bearings
Wheel Bearings
Indy Goes Driverless
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This week Robbie gets his hands on the not-a-minivan minivan from Kia, the 2022 Carnival. Sam heads to Indy in the big, comfy and oh so thirsty Jeep Wagoneer and Nicole goes off-road in the 2022 Subaru Forester Wilderness. This past week jurors for the North American Car and Truck of the Year, which include Nicole gathered in Ann Arbor to drive a bunch of stuff and Sam managed to also squeeze in a drive in the Rivian R1T. The reason Sam went to Indianappolis was for the Indy Autonomous Challenge where self-driving Indy Lights cars took the big oval and Tesla announced it would use lithium iron phosphate batteries for its standard range cars globally. Links Indy Autonomous Challenge Hellcat powered Plymouth Prowler Tesla adds iron batteries 240 mpg VW XL1 Wheel Bearings has launched a Patreon. If you like the show and would… Read More »Indy Goes Driverless

Munster Challenger

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Wheel Bearings
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

Ultra Fine, Fine and Ok

Wheel Bearings
Wheel Bearings
Ultra Fine, Fine and Ok
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This week in the garage, Roberto has the 2021 Cadillac Escalade, Sam is driving the one of the last traditional full-size sedans in America, the Toyota Avalon Hybrid and Nicole is in the improved and refreshed 2022 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross. In the news, while Robbie was in Europe, he also got to try out the new Mercedes-Benz Drive Pilot system, a level 3 conditional automation system that let’s you go hands off and eyes off, but you can’t take a nap yet. Stateside, Sam tried out a prototype of the updated 2022 GMC Sierra with Super Cruise that let’s you go hands-free while towing a trailer but you have to keep eyes on the road. In the world of truly self-driving cars, Argo AI is teaming up with Lyft to deploy robotaxis in Austin and Miami. Links Mercedes-Benz Drive Pilot 2022 GMC Sierra Super Cruise… Read More »Ultra Fine, Fine and Ok

Nvidia Drive Labs

Building a reliable and robust automated driving system is really hard. In the past half decade a lot of progress has been made thanks to the advancements in machine learning and deep neural networks. One of the companies on the forefront of that effort is Nvidia. While most people think of Nvidia GPUs for graphics cards and bitcoin mining, they also have thousands of engineers that works on software. Neda Cvijetic is a senior manager on the automated driving team and she hosts the Nvidia Drive Labs video series explaining some of the core principles of how they are tackling this problem. 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
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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?
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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?

Episode #083 – Race On Tony Swan

Wheel Bearings
Wheel Bearings
Episode #083 - Race On Tony Swan
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This week Sam drives the latest Mazda6 which is still his favorite midsize sedan while Dan samples the Hyundai Kona and Toyota Sienna with all-wheel-drive. As the auto industry changes, Mercedes-Benz considers paring down niche models while GM and Honda team up on automated driving and mobility. Finally, we bid farewell to Tony Swan. Links The Passing of Tony Swan Mercedes-Benz prepares to cut low volume models GM and Honda team on Automated Driving` 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