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More Convertibles Please

Wheel Bearings
Wheel Bearings
More Convertibles Please
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We’ve got a full team this week as Robbie shares his thoughts on the updated Mercedes-Benz Sprinter with a four-cylinder diesel and all-wheel-drive. Nicole discusses the aged Toyota Tacoma and Sam drives the Mazda CX-50 and the Rolls-Royce Ghost Black Badge. The LA Auto Show took place last week and Toyota revealed an all-new fifth generation Prius and Prius Prime. Genesis held an event in Malibu to reveal its Genesis X electric convertible concept. Fiat is bringing the 500e back to North America and brand chief Larry Dominique explains that Stellantis will experiment with it. By 2025, British EV drivers will have to pay a vehicle excise tax and after promising to open its Superchargers to other brands, Tesla says, just adopt our charging connector instead. We also answer some questions. Send in your own questions feedback@wheelbearings.media Links North American Charging Standard? UK EV excise… Read More »More Convertibles Please

Improving the User Experience

Wheel Bearings
Wheel Bearings
Improving the User Experience
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It’s another Robbie and Sam episode as Nicole is now in LA doing her World Car of the Year duty. Roberto got to drive the new Nissan Z and the Toyota GR Corolla. Sam and Robbie both discuss the updated user experience software in the Lucid Air and the new third generation Formula E cars. Robbie made a quick trip to Italy to drive the Porsche Taycan Sport Turismo and ride along in the electric Cayman GT4 prototype. Apparently someone still thinks there is a chance that Faraday Future will get its FF91 into production and has agreed to loan the startup another $350 million. Sam also has a conversation with Audi of America president Daniel Weissland Links Cheaper Lucids Lucid Air UX 2.0 Half of Porsches to be electrified Faraday Future lines up more loans Wheel Bearings has launched a Patreon. If you like… Read More »Improving the User Experience

Off To The Ocean

Wheel Bearings
Wheel Bearings
Off To The Ocean
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As Sam and Nicole got together to record this episode, Robbie was in LA driving vehicles for World Car of the Year. Nicole had a bunch of reviews to share since her last appearance including the Hyundai Kona EV, Kia Niro as a plug-in hybrid and an EV and a first drive of the new Fisker Ocean. Sam drove the Volvo XC60 Recharge and tried out some e-bikes at the Electrify Expo in Austin. In the news, Volvo unwrapped the new EX90 electric SUV that goes into production next summer. Honda has reworked the 2023 Accord of which they expect half to be hybrid. The entry price for the 2023 Kia EV6 goes up by over $7,000 as the base standard range model is discontinued and Audi refreshes the original e-tron with more range and rebadges it as the Q8 e-tron. Links Volvo EX90 2023… Read More »Off To The Ocean

Creeping Featuritis

Wheel Bearings
Wheel Bearings
Creeping Featuritis
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Nicole is travelling again so it’s just the boys this week. Robbie returns from a trip to Japan to drive the Rivian R1S while Sam spends time in between trips with the Polestar 2 Performance package. This week Sam attended the BMW test fest where he got to drive the new 2023 BMW 7 series including the electric i7. In Japan, Robbie visited Honda and learned more about its work on solid state batteries while Mini announced that it would open a manual driving school at the BMW Performance driving center in Thermal, CA. We also Links 2023 BMW 7 series first drive Mini Manual Driving School Honda Solid State Batteries 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

Top Novice

Wheel Bearings
Wheel Bearings
Top Novice
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Nicole and Sam are back after a week off where everyone was travelling. Robbie is still in Japan so Nicole shares here adventure driving in the Mille Miglia warm-up where she and co-pilot Eilleen Falkenburg-Hull came in second overall in the modern vehicle class and first among novices. Upon returning home, Nicole got to spend quality time with the new Nissan Z. Meanwhile, between trips, Sam got to drive the Volkswagen Jetta GLI Autobahn. Sam and Nicole also share their impressions of the new 2023 Toyota Crown. In the news, BMW announced a $1.7B investment in its Spartanburg SC factory to build EVs, GMC revealed the Sierra Denali EV Edition1 and Ford brought us the refreshed 2023 Escape. Ford and VW are pulling the plug on Argo AI, the company that was developing automated vehicles for them, and Ubers with human drivers will make fewer… Read More »Top Novice

Sony Software In Your Car?

Wheel Bearings
Wheel Bearings
Sony Software In Your Car?
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This week Robbie takes his turn in the Ford Bronco Raptor while Sam has the Expedition Timberline. Nicole drives the Honda HR-V up to Vermont to drive the Land Rover Defender Trophy Edition. In the news Honda announces a big investment in electrification in Ohio and that its joint venture with Sony will produce new EVs from 2026. Toyota has moved from Amazon to Google Cloud AI to power its voice services and Polestar has revealed the 3 crossover in full. We also answer listener questions. Links Sony Vision S-02 Honda-Sony EV coming in 2026 Electrify America Update Toyota drops Amazon for Google Polestar 3 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

Big Enough For A Drum Kit

Wheel Bearings
Wheel Bearings
Big Enough For A Drum Kit
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This week Sam and Robbie are both driving BMW i4s, but different varieties. Sam had the base eDrive40 for a run to Chicago, while Robbie got an M50. Since the last recording session Nicole had both the Subaru BRZ and the Genesis GV60 Performance. In the news, Ford has revealed a redesigned version of the big Super Duty pickups with lots of new and borrowed tech. Honda has provided a look at the upcoming Prologue electric crossover that will be built by GM. TFL Trucks has a failure with their new GMC Hummer and Volvo has started dropping information about the new EX90 electric replacement for the XC90. Help us get some sponsors by filling out survey at https://survey.wheelbearings.media Links 2023 Ford Super Duty first look Honda Prologue reveal Hummer EV failure for TFL Truck Volvo EX90 preview Wheel Bearings has launched a Patreon. If… Read More »Big Enough For A Drum Kit

A Taller Prancing Horse

Wheel Bearings
Wheel Bearings
A Taller Prancing Horse
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Nicole is travelling somewhere in the Earth’s biosphere so it’s just the boys this time around. Since this was recorded just a few days after the last episode, Robbie hasn’t driven anything but Sam shares his thoughts on the Hyundai Santa Cruz. In the news, Ferrari has unveiled its first four-door regular production model, the Purosangue (don”t call it an SUV). Honda has significantly the raised the base price on the new CR-V and the final Chrysler 300 won’t get a Hellcat. Tesla faces a class action lawsuit over unfullfilled promises about Autopilot and Full Self-Driving. The VW ID Aero will replace the Arteon and the 2023 Lincoln Corsair gets a bigger grille. Finally, Sam has a conversation with Schaeffler Group CTO Jeff Hemphill about some of the technologies the supplier is developing to improve EV efficiency. Links Ferrari Purosangue 2023 Honda CR-V pricing jump… Read More »A Taller Prancing Horse

Give It 6 More Months

Wheel Bearings
Wheel Bearings
Give It 6 More Months
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This week Robbie is missing, but Nicole and Sam managed to record a live episode from a hotel room (sorry about the room echo) in Bozeman, Montana with special guest Jordan Golson. We’re all here to drive the new Jeep Wagoneer L and Grand Wagoneer L but we’ll talk about those on an upcoming episode. Jordan and Nicole both got to drive the new Range Rover Sport in Spain a couple of weeks ago and share some thoughts on the plug-in hybrid with 50 miles of electric range. Sam got to spend a week with another plug-in hybrid SUV, the Jeep Grand Cherokee 4XE and got some really impressive fuel economy. Nicole and Jordan came to Montana directly from Vietnam where they visited Vinfast and got to try out the new VF8 electric SUV they are launching here in the US soon. Lots of interesting… Read More »Give It 6 More Months

Getting Buzzed

Wheel Bearings
Wheel Bearings
Getting Buzzed
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Over the past week we’ve had an assortment of travel and gigs but we’re back in the saddle with fresh material. Now that the embargo has lifted, Robbie can finally share his thoughts on driving the VW ID Buzz, while Nicole had the new Kia Sportage. Before heading out to San Francisco, Sam had the Volvo C40 Recharge and while in the Bay area he drove a Chevrolet Bolt EV. In the news, we’ve seen a bunch of new upcoming products in the leadup to the return of the much diminished Detroit Auto Show. The week before the show, Jeep started to reveal its 2024 EVs including the all-new Recon and Wagoneer S. Chevrolet also took the wraps off the Equinox EV. The big only big reveal at the show itself was the reworked 2024 Ford Mustang that’s coming next summer. The king of designing… Read More »Getting Buzzed