It's been two weeks since our last podcast -- we tried to do one last week, but technical difficulties scuttled the effort. With that in mind, we packed some extra content into Autoblog Podcast #93. It's the usual rollicking good time where we discuss our current Autoblog Garage occupants, hit a few news items like the neo-M1 concept from BMW, Suzuki's content addition to the SX4, and the unveiling of the new Mazda6. Most importantly, we burn a healthy amount of minutes on the new Knight Rider suckfest. We also take a few emails from our podcast at autoblog dot com address. Thanks for your hour and seven minutes!SUBSCRIBE to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes
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James Garner recovering from mild stroke
VIDEO: God's ringtone is a V10-powered Audi R8
IIHS releases official results on the smart fortwo
Tragedy at LeMons: Send love and a little bit more
Officially Official: New Ferrari California exposed!
In the Autoblog Garage: 2008 Ford Shelby GT500 Mustang
Future Classic: 1984 Chrysler Minivans
Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy
First Drive: 2009 Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen
Project Track Slut, Part One: Pick a weapon on the cheap
_thumbnail.jpg "Lamborghini Reventon unboxed in Las Vegas")
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Seoultrain @ May 2nd 2008 3:26PM
Totally agree with John on the manumatics. My Mazda3 has ruined any other manumatic for me. I drove the G8 also, and I couldn't stand that auto transmission. In D, it'll hunt for gears for whole seconds before anything happens, and in manual mode, it's all backwards.
Also, DSG has a stick, just like Tiptronic, in addition to the paddles on the wheel. The paddles are good, but I prefer using a stick, which of course is backwards.
Another issue with the stick is that everyone pushes the stick away from the driver (to the right) for manual mode. Mazda makes you pull it towards you (left) in the 3, which I really enjoy. It's like you're taking ownership of it. Curiously, the Mazda6 has it wrong. BMW gets it right.
dinnercoat @ May 2nd 2008 5:00PM
Why wouldn't I want nav? Because I don't know what the extra cost incurred is.
I wonder, "Yeah, it has nav but would it be $300, $500, $1000 cheaper if it didn't have nav?"
Rather than make it standard, obscuring what you are paying for that feature it would have been more meaningful had Suzuki priced it rationally at as you guys were saying $250-$1000, rather than $1000-$3000 (if not more, e.g. Mazda3 GT requires Moonroof+SatAudio to get Navigation, which is $1900+$1400) as seems the norm.
komamura @ May 2nd 2008 6:40PM
For a moment I wasnt sure if you where talking about F-1's new Kers boost system next year, or Kinght Rider's. then again maybe at this point there both interchangeable.