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Charging The Charger

Wheel Bearings
Wheel Bearings
Charging The Charger
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This weeks show is a bit different. Robbie is dealing with some family stuff, Nicole is at DisneyWorld wedding and Sam is headed to Omaha for Operation Frodo so no regular review section until next week. Instead, Sam and Robbie recorded a discussion on the death of Cruise and the future of automated driving. Sam also had a conversation with Chad Kirchner about our first drive experiences of the new Dodge Charger Daytona. Sam also interviewed Dodge CEO Matt McAlear and Charger chief engineer Audrey Moore. Links Sam’s initial review of the Dodge Charger Daytona The Kirchner Report RIP Cruise Operation Frodo 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

Tacos At Every Charger

Wheel Bearings
Wheel Bearings
Tacos At Every Charger
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This week, Robbie didn’t drive anything, but Nicole got time with the Ram 1500 RHO and Honda Civic Hybrid hatchback while Sam had the Kia Niro PHEV. At Art Basel Miami, Jaguar showed off its new design direction with the Type 00 Concept and it’s different. Toyota is taking advantage of its joint venture factory with Mazda to offer Soul Red Crystal as an optional color on the Corolla Cross. Carlos Tavares has been ousted as CEO of Stellantis. Hyundai has a new version of the Palisade coming and Genesis is building a race car to go to Le Mans in 2026. Nissan’s Ariya can use Superchargers now but it needs an extra adapter for its adapter. Ion Dynamics has a cool little mobile EV charger and we recommend tires for winter driving in West Virginia. Get your Wheel Bearings merch at https://shop.wheelbearings.media Links Ram… Read More »Tacos At Every Charger

Let’s Go Racing

Wheel Bearings
Wheel Bearings
Let's Go Racing
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This week Sam has been driving the Ford Ranger with the 2.7-liter V6 and Kia Carnival Hybrid. Nicole had the Toyota Tacoma and Hyundai Ioniq 6 and Robbie had the outgoing VW Tiguan. In the news, Acura has a new entry-level crossover, the ADX and Toyota is working on a new generation Celica. California’s governor has a plan to preserve EV incentives in the states if the Trump administration pulls the plug, and it doesn’t include Tesla. Cadillac is joining the F1 circus in 2026 and Dodge is slapping some big money on the hood of the new Dodge Charger Daytona and Jeep Wagoneer S. ConnectDER has a solution for installing EV charging on older homes and smaller apartments. Edmunds range tests the Chevrolet Equinox EV and decides to unload their Fisker Ocean while they still can and we answer listener questions. We’ve updated the… Read More »Let’s Go Racing

Are Bad Font Choices A Bad Sign?

Wheel Bearings
Wheel Bearings
Are Bad Font Choices A Bad Sign?
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The whole team is back this week with lots of LA Auto Show news. Nicole drove the Audi SQ8 around Los Angeles for the week. Robbie had the new Toyota Land Cruiser. In the news, Jaguar has launched new branding ahead of the reveal of concept version of its next new EV. Stellantis talked about the STLA Frame platform for its new EV an EREV large trucks and SUVs, and we spoke with Stellantis executives including NA COO Antonio Filosa about where Jeep and the other brands are headed. Nicole got to try out the new GMC Sierra EV Denali. Lotus is also bringing out some EREVs. We also discussed some of the products announced at the LA Auto Show including a refreshed Genesis GV70, new VW Tiguan, the Hyundai Ioniq 9, and the NACTOY finalists. We also answered some listener questions. Links Nissan N7More… Read More »Are Bad Font Choices A Bad Sign?

Working for the WKNDR

Wheel Bearings
Wheel Bearings
Working for the WKNDR
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Kia WKNDR conceptMercedes-Benz CLA previewVolvo EX30 arriving in America this yearMazda Iconic-SP to get produced2026 Cadillac Vistiq first lookCadillac XT4 to give way to new BoltBentley To Launch EV in 2026, delay full transition to 2035SEMA 2024 RoundupMercedes-AMG Electric SUVA2RL Roman’s New G-Wagen 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

We’ve Got The Buzz

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Wheel Bearings
We've Got The Buzz
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This week Robbie and Sam both spent time driving the Volkswagen ID Buzz and came away surprisingly delighted. Sam also spent a week with the Toyota Land Cruiser while Nicole got to drive the 2025 Camry. In the news, VW is adding enhanced hazard alerts to its latest models and Polestar and Volvo finally have Supercharger access for their EVs. Ford is now shipping Lectron NACS to CCS adapters to customers instead of Tesla made adapters. Cadillac is bringing a Lyriq-V in 2025 and Lucid is about to open the order books for the Gravity SUV. Hyundai has a new fuel cell vehicle coming in 2025 with a new look for the brand and sister brand Kia is launching the Tasman pickup but it can’t come to America because of the chicken tax. Rivian doesn’t believe in buttons and they are wrong. FSD can’t see… Read More »We’ve Got The Buzz

Scouting Mission

Wheel Bearings
Wheel Bearings
Scouting Mission
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Hey everyone, we’re back with a standard episode this week. Unfortunately a family emergency came up at the last moment and Robbie couldn’t join us. Fortunately, our friend Perry Stern was able to step in and join Nicole and Sam. Perry was driving around in the new Subaru Forester while Nicole had the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid and Sam had the Kia Sorento Hybrid. It was good to have Perry on the show, because he was the only one among the group that was able to attend the reveal event of the new Scout Terra and Traveler which are due to arrive in 2027. Stellantis has started assembly of battery modules at its new factory in Windsor, Ontario, and plans to try out semi-solid state batteries in 2027. They have also updated their Auburn Hills wind tunnel and are planning to sell their Arizona proving ground.… Read More »Scouting Mission

Where’s The Plug?

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Wheel Bearings
Where's The Plug?
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Hey everyone, this week’s show is a bit different. Sam is on his way to South Korea for the week, Nicole is visiting her daughter in Wisconsin and Robbie is Lake Tahoe for a gig with one of his bands. But rather than leave you with no content, we’ve got some material from the Nissan Fast Forward event that Sam attended in Nashville this week. Nissan unveiled the new 2025 Murano and Sam has some thoughts and then we have presentations from 4 Nissan executives including chief product officer for North America, Ponz Pandikuthira, VP of sales and marketing Vinay Shahani, VP of aftersales Kim Less and SVP manufacturing David Johnson. Lots of interesting stuff in here about where Nissan is going for the rest of the decade including plug-in hybrids, e-Power, and extended range EVs. We’ll back with a regular episode next week. Links… Read More »Where’s The Plug?

AI Stock Boondoggle

Wheel Bearings
Wheel Bearings
AI Stock Boondoggle
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Nicole is back and she drove the Honda Prologue while Robbie spent more time with the GMC Hummer EV SUV and Sam had the VW GTi. Links 2025 Jeep Compass2025 Bronco Free Wheeling2025 Chevy Silverado EV UpdatesVolkswagen TayronMCity 2.0CyberCab2-seat robotaxisCarlos Tavares to retire in early 2026Stellantis EV price parityMore cheap EU EVsFisker reaches bankruptcy dealFisker office mess 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

What Is All-New?

Wheel Bearings
Wheel Bearings
What Is All-New?
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Nicole’s Saturday morning flight home from Venice was cancelled so she’ll be back next week. In the meantime, Chad Kirchner joins us to talk about what’s going on. Robbie has been driving the GMC Hummer EV SUV and Sam had the Mazda CX-70 and a weekend with the Lamborghini Huracan Sterrato. In the news, Mazda has launched a new electric sedan in China that goes for just under $23,000 but we can’t have it. Lots of charging news this week with Enel X Way shutting down it’s US operations, but Ford is offering EV buyers free chargers and installation. Ionna has started construction on its first charging station with just 29,990 chargers to go. Ford had cut pricing on BlueCruise and launched a somewhat-new Expedition. Our pals at TFL finally got FSD Supervised on their Cybertruck and Toyota pushed back the launch of their 3-row… Read More »What Is All-New?