In this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by News Editor Joel Stocksdale. They kick things off discussing the old-school body-on-frame SUVs they've been driving recently including the 2021 Chevy Tahoe and Suburban and the 2021 Lexus GX 460. After that, they talk about the continuation Bentley Blower and help a listener spend some money.
Transcript[THEME MUSIC]
GREG MIGLIORE: Welcome back to "The Autoblog Podcast." I'm Greg Migliore. Joining me today on the phones is news editor Joel Stocksdale. How are you?
JOEL STOCKSDALE: Doing all right.
GREG MIGLIORE: Yeah, me too. It's kind of early December. It's getting chilly here in Michigan, which is great because we've been driving some very capable sport utility vehicles. I spent about a week in the 2021 Chevy Suburban. A little while back, you drove the Tahoe. They both are significantly refreshed for 2021.
These are among the biggest SUVs that General Motors makes. It's interesting. They don't redesign them very much. And when they do, I always find the approach what they do, what they don't do, to be, again, very interesting. And we'll get into that, touch on some of the other SUVs that do relate to this.
And more recently, though, you did drive the Lexus GX 460 I can't wait to hear about that. I think that's one of the more attention-getting Lexus SUVs. But yeah, more on that to come as well.
We'll do a quick news hit on a "1930"-- air quotes, you can't see me-- but it's a 1930 Bentley, the Bentley Blower is coming back, if you will-- a continuation. Automakers have been kind of doing this-- it's like a trend, if you will, in recent years bringing back some of the greatest hits. This one is just a 90-year interval.
Joel wrote the story, he can take you through that. Finally, we will spend your money. So let's get right into it. The 2021 Chevy Suburban. This is one of the longest running nameplates in the automotive industry. It goes all the way back to 1935. At that point, these were basically farm, work, and military vehicles going all the way back there.
The Suburban evolved throughout the years. This is what they're calling the 12th generation, the first since 2015. Some major enhancements-- the spotlight feature is a diesel engine. This is the Duramax that's shared with a number of other large GM SUVs as well as the Sierra and the Silverado. For me, that caught a lot of my attention driving the vehicle, just because you don't see that many diesels in light duty vehicles like this.
They were kind of a fad for a little bit, but then it kind of went out of style, if you will. Fiat Chrysler was really into them. They had the Ram EcoDiesel. They do have the Ram EcoDiesel. But you saw diesels make their way into other engines like, you know, the Grand Cherokee. I feel like the diesel scandal with Volkswagen cooled off the technology.
People maybe were a little reticent to try to market this idea when there was so much bad publicity out there. General Motors, I don't think, is going to have that problem with a name like Duramax. If you're into diesels, you're going to consider this. If you're not, you're probably not. I interviewed one of their executives last week, and she basically was taking a wait and see approach as far as take rate.
Maybe they know, I don't know, but they weren't telling me. And you know, I think they expect there to be some interest in this. It's hard to say if it's going to be a sizable share or not. I would guess maybe more people will be favoring diesels in the pickups versus the SUVs. That said, I really enjoyed my week in the suburban.
It's very well done for 2021. A key part that's, I think, significant for the Suburban and the Tahoe-- and I'd like to hear your take, Joel-- is the interiors are much nicer. Before, it was basically a truck interior. And if it's a Ram truck, that's a great interior. F-150, maybe not so much. Then there's the Silverado and the Colorado and, frankly, those Chevy truck interiors have always been, even in the High Country trims, to me a little bit, you know, not great, Bob, I guess. Let me put it that way.
This interior I found to be very nice. So I think that's a major part of this redesign and this new generation. There's also a new independent rear suspension, which adds cargo space in the back, and it really helps the handling. It makes it so, yes, it's still a very large sport utility vehicle, there's still a lot behind you-- I kind of walked it off.
It's literally like the back window is five yards from where you sit up front. It's a big vehicle. But it handles pretty well in spite of all of that. Again, I try not to overly index on the diesel part of this, if you will, because you can still get the tried and true 5.3-liter V8 and the 6.2-liter V8. The 6.2 is standard in the High Country trim. And they're compelling.
But after a week driving this thing, I mean, my takeaway is if you're going to put some highway miles on your car, on your SUV, diesel's something worth considering. It's a slight surcharge-- I want to say, like, 995 is an option on most of the trims. You can't get it on the off-road Z71, which I think would be a riot just to get a diesel, take it on the trails.
But overall, I really liked it. I think it really probably gets to the top of the segment. I think it edges out the Ford Expedition, because I think the Expedition is probably better looking. It's a little flashier. But inside, it starts to fall apart a little bit, and maybe you want to look at, like, a Navigator or an Aviator or something like that.
The Expedition is also very expensive. The suburban, I felt-- this one cost nearly $80 grand, but I also was testing out a Premier with the premium package. I can't make this stuff up, right, folks? This one was $79 grand with, again, a few options on it. But to me, it felt worth it.
Would I for that money maybe kind of try to step into, like, Yukon territory or Yukon XL territory? Perhaps, simply because an $80,000 SUV, the Yukon has that kind of luxury vibe with those really big headlights and those big wheels. But again, you really can't beat the Chevy value, I think, especially the range of, like, options and trim packages available on the suburban and the Tahoe.
So that's my, like, mini-monologue. You spent some time in the Tahoe, which essentially got the same update-- very important vehicle. They sell a lot of them. The Tahoe is just a little bit smaller. So I mean, in some ways, it's a vehicle that is slightly more mainstream. I mean, you need to have a big family with, like, a lot of stuff to haul if you're going to buy a Suburban. But what do you think of the Tahoe updates?
JOEL STOCKSDALE: Yeah. So far, I've been really impressed with the Tahoe. And I've also spent some time in the Yukon Denali. And both of them, like, they do comfort and kind of cushiness quite well. They're quiet, they ride nicely. And like, I'm actually fairly impressed with kind of like the power train and even kind of the handling.
The steering actually feels pretty nice on these things. And, like, the transmission is super, super smooth. And if you can get it with the magnetic ride control, that's the way to go, because it offers super smooth ride. It helps get rid of a lot of the, like, kind of shimmies and shutters that you can find in body on frame SUVs. And it also returns surprisingly nice handling. You don't get a lot of body lean or anything.
GREG MIGLIORE: I'd agree with that for sure. Magnetic ride control really makes a difference. But go on.
JOEL STOCKSDALE: And the ones that I've driven, I've driven them with the 5.3-liter V8 and also, I think, the Denali I had had the 6.2-liter. The 5.3 is fine. It's not terribly quick, but it gets you where you need to go. And it makes a good noise because it's a V8.
But if you do need to have a little bit of giddy up and go, the 6.2-liter is definitely worth the extra money. It offers quite a bit more pep. I have not driven the diesel yet. I would really like to drive one sometime, in part because everything I've heard is that it's actually really smooth and refined for a diesel. Whenever I've driven one of the EcoDiesels from FCA, either in the RAM or in the Wrangler, it's definitely diesely.
Like, it's got kind of that clatter and turbo whistle and is a little bit unrefined, which on one hand can be kind of fun, on the other hand, it can be a bit intrusive if you just want just a quiet, smooth, uninterrupted driving experience. So I was kind of curious what your thoughts on the diesel in that regard are.
GREG MIGLIORE: Yeah, so it's interesting. The first time I drove this, we went up to just this downtown near us that's all lit up. And you know, it was totally, like, cold start, the car had actually sat for maybe a day after it was dropped off. And I didn't tell my passengers, hey, this is a diesel.
So start it up, there's a little bit of a burble. And some of the things you mentioned, like, you can notice there's a little bit of that kind of like turbo diesel, like, you know, demeanor. But you really don't notice it too much. It's not intrusive.
I would say sort of is-- I don't know, let me put this this way-- as, like, a car person, I almost forgot about it. You know, like, you don't fixate on it. You notice and, like, acknowledge those diesel traits, but they're not overbearing and they move on. And I think even, like, my passengers were like, you know, they might notice something's a little bit amiss, if you amiss miss probably isn't the right word, but is different than a traditional gasoline-fed engine, but nobody thinks about it, dwells on it, or even, I think, is, like, bothered by it.
So I actually think it's pretty good. It's not intrusive. It's not diesely in that sense. It didn't bother me at all. And I try to, like, sort of look at that with an awareness that not only am I hyper-aware of these characteristics, but also as sort of, like, a car guy, I get used to it, you know, whereas like somebody who isn't one of those, like, people if you will, might not notice it, but then they also, like, might be annoyed by it once they do.
So in some ways, I guess that's good and bad. But good engine-- wasn't, I think, the good parts of diesel, like the low end torque-- you notice that it. Feels relatively quick off the line. Like, I've driven large GM vehicles with that 5.3-liter. That's a good engine, but it's kind of lumbery, you know what I mean? Like, it can take a bit to get, you know, like, a Yukon, if you will, where you want to go-- still very capable for towing and hauling and things like that.
And the 6.2-liter is, I'd say, a little bit better. Diesel, you're getting 460 pound feet of torque talk at, like, 1,500 RPM. That will move a suburban. I mean, it's not bad. So I was not offended by any of that, like, you know, the negative connotations that are associated with diesel. They weren't, to me, omnipresent, if you will. They weren't, like, in your face, anything like that.
You know, if you're a car person, though, you'll notice them. And then the good things-- like, I mean, I expected to really kind of drain the tank a little bit. And I really didn't. Like, I drove a lot too. I tried to drain the tank.
I actually went to, like, a light fest-- like, a stay in your car light fest-- still couldn't get the thing below, like, even near half. GM just put out, like, the EPA ratings. So I'd have to do some math to see what, like, the total range is for a tank of diesel fuel is. But I mean, the Suburban has a pretty big gas tank, and when you're getting that kind of fuel economy, you know, it's-- you know, you can go pretty far in that thing.
So yeah, I mean, I would-- let me put it this way-- it's not a crazy cost situation-- like 995 on most trims. And if you're going to do like some highway commuting and you want to get those good fuel economy figures on the highway, the Suburban is definitely, I think, something to consider in that sense. And then it's also good, obviously, for towing and hauling.
I was just going over the specs this morning. They don't have specific numbers for, like, the four-wheel. For the two-wheel, it's very good. I mean, just, in my mind, it's like, I do feel like diesel is going to be a little bit of a hill to climb for a lot of American consumers. Like, they just are going to be like, yeah, I don't want a diesel Tahoe. I feel like if you're willing to like avail yourself of that opportunity, you're going to really potentially like what you see. So yeah.
JOEL STOCKSDALE: Yeah, like, I'm super excited about the diesel just because the fuel economy is remarkable. The fact that you can get 28 miles per gallon on the highway in the Tahoe, or 27 in the Suburban, is just-- it's mind blowing. And I think for me probably the sweet spot-- because you mentioned how your suburban, the Premier with all of the options on it-- was getting pretty pricey.
I would definitely lean to the Yukon Denali if you're going to spend that kind of money, because the Yukon Denali does get a very significant interior upgrade. It's got a completely unique interior. It's got real wood trim and, like, fancy stitching. It actually feels relatively luxurious, while also not feeling quite as, like, glitzy and, like, downtown, gala feeling as, like, an Escalade. It has a little bit of ruggedness to it still.
GREG MIGLIORE: So I'm curious-- even just looking at all three of them, really the Escalade's kind of its own thing-- there was a little bit of, like, controversy when the Silverado came out a few years ago like, wow, that is not how the last gen Silverado looked. And a lot of people said, well, hey, if that's what you're going to do to the Silverado, I'm going to go get a Sierra.
And we actually saw Silverado sales dip for a bit. The Ram kind of inched ahead of them for a while there. I think the styling has caught on. I think especially depending on the trim you get, I think it looks pretty good. I really do. In some ways, Chevy trucks have had, at times, a little bit of, like, curves to them.
And I think it's a really good look. I think coming off the really boxy look of the previous gen Silverado and large Chevy SUVs, people weren't quite ready for it. And then the truck didn't have a great interior, which they then had to try to fix.
But I think all that being said, I think it looks pretty good on the SUVs. Those headlights are kind of, like, tapered. The fenders are kind of curvy. I think it's a good look. I think the Tahoe in particular, like in the Z71 trim, really good looking. I really like the suburban. It's super anonymous in this kind of battleship gray that I tested it out in, but you get this kind of like boomerang, like, LED daytime running lights.
And there's just-- there's a little bit of attitude there that you didn't used to see in GM's SUVs. You know, they were very much, like, almost enclosed pickup trucks. And that's what they were for a huge chunk of their life. But I'm curious-- do you have a preference, like, Yukon or Tahoe slash Suburban as far as the looks department?
JOEL STOCKSDALE: I don't know that I've got a particularly strong feeling either way. The Tahoe and Suburban are definitely toned down a lot from the Silverado as far as exterior design, with the exception of the Tahoe Z71. That's got a pretty over the top front end. I'm not entirely--
GREG MIGLIORE: I really like that front end. I think that looks just sick-- like, really, really good looking in my opinion.
JOEL STOCKSDALE: I'm of two minds on it. Part of me appreciates the aggressiveness, but part of me is also kind of like, they might have gone a little too far in some spots. But--
GREG MIGLIORE: Yeah, I mean, that grill. I mean, that's--
JOEL STOCKSDALE: It's a lot.
GREG MIGLIORE: It's a lot for sure. Chevy has swung and connected and swung and missed on some of the grills. Like was it the '18 Camaro or whatever they did-- remember, like, that beam that bisects it was kind of, like, blacked out, I think, or, like, body colored. People were just like, it doesn't look like the car even has a grill.
JOEL STOCKSDALE: Yeah, that was a bad redesign. And you know it was bad because they fixed it for the following model year.
GREG MIGLIORE: For sure.
JOEL STOCKSDALE: But yeah, I think I would probably just lean toward the Yukon just to get the Denali, because the interior upgrade is really nice. The regular Yukons have the same interior as Tahoe, which is still a good interior. I would still give it a slight edge over the Expedition. But the Yukon Denali is actually a legitimately really nice place to be. And I would combine that with the diesel engine-- like, you've got a luxurious, fuel efficient super hauler.
GREG MIGLIORE: Yeah, I would agree with that. I think the Yukon, in some ways, has a really good combination of, like, a bit of rough and tough look to it-- not a bit. It's a pretty rough and tough vehicle-- almost a transformer look, to the point of maybe being a little cartoonish at times. But overall, I do like that.
When I saw them when they first came out, I tended to lean Yukon. Now that I've been through several of them, I'm starting to feel maybe a little more like Tahoe, but also in the looks department. But also, again, it's very trim specific, and same with the trucks. And I would also say this-- Suburban is such an iconic nameplate, I think I almost put it not quite with Land Cruiser, but you're getting into similar price points actually-- long running, enormous SUVs.
But the Suburban is now very competitive, in my mind, with, like, anything out there, same with the Tahoe. Whereas, like, the Land Cruiser is, like, the land before time, if you will. So I think if you want that kind of, like, Chevy Suburban, maybe you're a long time suburban owner, maybe you've always owned Chevys, I see why you go that way.
But a Yukon or Yukon XL is a really nice blend between, like, just a pure, like, luxury Escalade versus well, you just spend $80 grand on a Chevy. So you know, there's a little bit of cognitive dissonance that I think starts to creep in when you see just how much some versions of the Suburban and the Tahoe cost.
JOEL STOCKSDALE: Yeah. And one kind of, like, final note-- you mentioned how big the Suburban is-- like, it's gigantic now, not that it was ever small. But I would say to anybody considering one, take a hard look at a Tahoe before you look at a suburban, because the Tahoe has gotten much larger this generation.
And it has a very usable third row seat. Like, I could sit behind myself behind myself. So, like, I could have the driver's seat where I want it, the second row seat where I want it, and I could still be comfortable in the third row. And you would still have some cargo space left over. So before you think you have to go get a Suburban, think a lot about, like, what your use case is, because you can probably get away with a Tahoe now just because it's grown so much.
GREG MIGLIORE: That's a great point. Just calling up the press kit here-- the 2021 Tahoe is 6.7 inches longer, so over half a foot, than the 2020 Tahoe. You get 3 more inches of leg room and 10 more inches in the third row-- plus 10 more cubic feet of cargo space in the third row. And that actually directly plays into something I was going to bring up, and that's that the Tahoe in particular was always very big. It seemed big.
But sometimes once you, like, packed it up with a couple of coolers and if you had the third row up or you tried to throw a bike in there or, like, you know, maybe you were going camping for, like, a long weekend, that thing filled up quickly. And it was almost like, you know, this is supposed to be one of the larger vehicles on the market, and it was not as capable as far as just, like, straight up hauling stuff as you might think.
We went camping in a Tahoe two or three years ago now, had a great time. We were even able to sleep in it because it is that big-- you put the seats down and away you go-- but I mean, just two of us at that point. We didn't even have the dog at that point. We really filled that thing up with just tents and sleeping bags and coolers and it was like-- fishing poles.
Like, well, jeez, you know, this is just two people in a Tahoe? Like, I don't know, I was less than impressed with the storage and usability in the back, especially with those, like, gargantuan wheel wells and just the way that, like, the fenders were, like, paneled. So I think they've done a lot to really remedy that situation.
And the Suburban for me, essentially, it's been a while. GM doesn't actually put these in the fleets very much, just because they don't change them very much. It had been a while since I had driven either vehicle. And then you get in the new Suburban, which is even bigger than it was before. And in my mind, coming off that sort of, like, Tahoe, like, experience, you get in the new suburban, which is-- get this-- it's 4.1 inches longer between the wheels.
It's only an inch longer overall, and then you get a couple more inches just in the second and third row. It felt huge compared to, like, what I was sort of calibrating for as far as these, like, SUVs. And to me, that's a credit to General Motors. They knew they kind of had a little bit of a problem there. Hey, these things are huge, but they don't hold that much. Like, that's a problem-- I mean hold that much relatively speaking.
But now, I mean, inside, they're huge. And that's a great thing. One question for you-- I'm curious-- the Expedition is very important. It's a huge vehicle for Ford. I take, like, Lincoln out of it a little bit, but then when you bring GMC in, you can kind of bring the Navigator back into the equation. But the Navigator also kind of competes with the Escalade. So there's a lot of different ways to look at this experience.
And I think, you know, when you look at the GMC, like, the Yukon, I think a Chevy buyer who's got some money would be willing to step into that, whereas the Expedition buyer I think may not want to go into Lincoln territory, even though it's got a great interior, simply because I think there's some people that are like, let me drop $80 grand on an Expedition, get everything, and then I just have this big SUV, versus I'm going to go buy a Lincoln.
Like, I think that's still a hill that's too far for some people. So GM or Ford, who do you think's reigning supreme in this kitchen stadium segment, if you will?
JOEL STOCKSDALE: Yeah, I think I'm going to give the edge to GM, mainly because they just offer so much selection now. You can choose anything from a Chevy up to a Cadillac, and you've got GMC very comfortably in between that offers-- with the Denali, you can get more luxury but without having sort of that ultra-flashy, wealthy look.
It still has a little bit of that kind of quote unquote "of the people" feel to it, whether that's true or not. I mean, it's kind of like-- it's kind of like a King ranch F-150, where, like, it's incredibly expensive and very luxurious, but because it still says Ford on it and still looks kind of rugged, it doesn't give off the same vibe as, like, a Mercedes or something.
So you have lots of model choice and trim choice. And, like, the Escalade has some really cool technology. It's got Super Cruise, and it has the big OLED screens in it for instruments and things. And you have the choice of a couple of V8's and a diesel now for all of those. Even Escalade's getting the diesel.
Whereas with the Ford and Lincolns, you get the twin turbo 3.5-liter V6. It's an extremely good engine, but that's also the only engine choice that you get. And I think that the GM trucks drive a little better than the Ford ones. It is close, though. I mean, the Expedition is really good. It's significantly improved in basically all the same ways that Tahoe is improved.
And the Lincoln Navigator has just fabulous interiors. They look amazing. They've got great materials. So you really, honestly, you can't go wrong with either of them. I'm just giving a slight edge to GM right now.
GREG MIGLIORE: My take is the Expedition, I think, slightly looks better. It's just-- I love that grill. I think they really just nailed it with their most recent generation. And then I think Chevy and GMC win in most of the other areas. It's close with ride and handling, but then when you look at, like, the engine options, General Motors all the way.
Interiors-- it's closer than you might think, but I do think Chevy and GMC come out ahead. The last time I was in an Expedition and an Explorer and really a number of Ford SUVs, I was underwhelmed. I thought some of the characteristics I experienced in there were like some of the bad things-- like, the hard structural elements, you know, the not so great materials, the plastics-- the, like, vinyl like things.
I didn't like that as much, whereas I feel like Chevy has done a better job of cleaning up some of that, and they've sort of got their infotainment system looking like it's just nicely positioned. And I think that actually helps-- little things like that. So I would give the slight edge inside the Chevy and GMC.
Again, GMC, you're kind of competing against the Lincoln and a little bit against the Ford. But overall, I would give the edge to-- if you're asking me Expedition versus, like, you know, a Tahoe or a Suburban, I would give the edge to Chevy. It's close, but it's also-- to me, it's pretty decisive.
You know, if you're going to say, which one would I recommend? I would say if you love the Expedition, get it, because that's, like, the psychology of purchasing a car. Like, don't try to change somebody's mind if they have a true favorite. But if you're a little more, like, kind of agnostic, yeah, I think the Chevy's are better.
And I think the GMC, when you roll that into the equation-- sometimes the price, depending on what incentives are out there, the GMCs can be about the same, you know? And I think that's where it gets also worth a look as well on your shopping list. So I was very excited to drive this vehicle.
I think it's interesting when, you know, nameplates that don't get redesigns very often do get redesigns, vehicles that aren't in the press fleet, frankly, all that much get in there and we can test them, find out what's new, and go from there. I think eventually-- and this is kind of the way I cast it in my story-- is diesel is great for now. At some point, I think they're going to have to electrify these vehicles.
The Hummer is all electric with the Altium, which sounds like some sort of character on "Transformers," but that's the battery pack that GM is going to put in the Hummer. So I mean, to me, the future could involve, like, an electric suburban, and I think that would be a great thing. So why don't we leave it there, and how about we transition to another really more of a crossover, but the Lexus GX 460. Tell me about that.
JOEL STOCKSDALE: Yes, so we're going from SUVs that are completely and totally redesigned to one that has just been around for ages with very little change. And it feels that way, for better and for worse. In the better category, the old 4.6-liter V8, which doesn't make an awful lot of power-- it only makes 301 horsepower-- but it's astoundingly smooth and quiet.
Like, it is worthy of a luxury vehicle. It's not fast, but it's ultra-refined. And the old school automatic transmission coupled to it, it does the job. It's smooth. That's kind of about all I can say for it, but that's a priority in a luxury vehicle. And--
GREG MIGLIORE: I mean, it's a beefy body on frame, like, you know, SUV. I think I kind of spaced and call it a crossover there a minute ago, but I mean, this is the pretty capable SUV here for Lexus. I've always kind of liked this, if you will, although I prefer-- when I look at things in the segment, I tend to prefer, like, 4Runner and Land Cruiser as far as, like, give me the Toyota versus the Lexus. But you know, I mean, did you do anything with it fun?
JOEL STOCKSDALE: Just cruised around town. Well, and so besides kind of the engine, sort of the one main other, like, positive about it is that it is quiet. Comfort is all right. It could be a little bit better, but not bad. But that's kind of about where the positives end for me. The steering is really vague, it's really slow, it's imprecise.
And so it does not handle well. It doesn't have a lot of grip-- not as much body roll as I expected, but it's just not something that is very confidence inspiring. And as mentioned, the V8 doesn't make a lot of power, so it's not very quick. It's a thirsty engine. Good luck trying to get over 20 MPG ever in it.
It's a little bit on the small side, which on the one hand makes it easy to maneuver, like, in tight parking spaces and things, which is nice. On the other hand, it's kind of a narrow cabin. Like, you're kind of up close to the doors from the driving position. And the interior is really old. It's actually got kind of a lot of plasticy plastics.
The infotainment is really dated. It's not super responsive. Oh, and a weird thing about it-- so it's sold as the Toyota Cruiser Prado in other markets-- sort of the, like, baby brother to the full size Land Cruiser. And so in those other markets, you can get it with, like, a full-sized spare mounted to the rear tailgate.
And because of that, it's a swing out tailgate, kind of like on a Jeep Wrangler or something. Because if you had to open, like, a normal hatchback, you'd have to have some, like, crazy struts to hold it up-- to hold up the hatch and the tire. But the problem is that this tailgate is hinged in favor of right hand drive markets.
So it swings out so that, like, if you were in a parallel parking space, you wouldn't be able to get to the cargo area from the street because the door would be blocking your way. You'd have to, like, go around-- just kind of a weird thing that I noticed. It's just very much like an old school off-road truck.
And you can tell that it is, like, designed for, like, the Outback and, like, the Middle East and things like that. And it's sold here with a bunch of luxury items to kind of help cover the cost. So it's a weird thing in a market that's full of, like, car-based, unibody crossovers designed for, like, on-road performance.
GREG MIGLIORE: I love your description of the driving characteristics, because I was literally picturing the last time I drove one of these, that really light steering, it's kind of tall. If you take a corner and you're maybe, like, changing the radio station or something, yeah, it can feel a little nervous, if you will-- a little nerve racking. That engine is, like, you know, microwave a slice of pizza and kind of slow, and it'll be done by the time the vehicle gets moving.
That interior is not great, let's put it that way. Yeah, good description, let me put it that way. I almost had a flashback to the street I was on. It was back we were at the old office over in Southfield, you might remember. I remember driving one of these and coming around the corner on, like, I think, Southfield Road.
And I was just kind of like, ugh, OK. But people buy these things. I mean, it's-- I don't know, it's not what I would go for in the segment for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is, you know, again I prefer the 4Runner and the Land Cruiser on the Toyota side of things. And this is kind of a tweener sort of thing. And it's also, like you said, really old. This thing has not had a major redesign since, like, what, '09, '10, somewhere in there?
JOEL STOCKSDALE: Yeah, it's been a while. I forget the exact year, but it's been a while.
GREG MIGLIORE: I just looked up some sales numbers here-- Wikipedia-ing it at this point. Literally this thing has been locked in at 25,000, give or take a couple of sales, for the last five years for the 460. And then, yeah, for the GX 460. And so it's, like, obviously, there's, like, this kind of core group of people who want it. I don't know.
JOEL STOCKSDALE: Like, my theory is that-- like, the people that buy this thing are people that have, like, owned a whole bunch of them, and it's just-- it's exactly what they want. It's luxurious enough, and it's super, super reliable, and it doesn't change so much that, like, they can just get it into a new one. And they feel right at home. And that's all they want in, like, a luxury car.
That they're really happy with that. They just want-- like, they use theirs for, like, 10 years or so. And when it's finally-- like, they put, like, 200,000 miles on it, it's kind of worn out, and they're like, all right, I really like this. I'm just going to buy another one. I just want the new one.
And I think that's how it goes. And I think that's kind of the same sort of buyer mindset as, like, the Mercedes E-Class wagon that it's just-- it's these people that that's what they've always had. And so that's what they're always going to have. They just want the next one. They just found, like, their little vehicle niche that they're like, this makes me happy and I'm going to keep buying it, even if, in this case, it's objectively worse than a lot of other cars in a similar price and design segment.
GREG MIGLIORE: I think-- I think it's interesting too that sometimes if you look around the incentives on these things are somewhat reasonable end of year sales. For some reason, that popped into my head right now. I had a totally different train of thought. But you know, another thing about these is just the-- like, you know, to your point, the reliability, but also the loyalty.
Lexus buyers who want this and seek it out, like, this is their thing. This is what they're going to, you know, keep going for, you know, again and again. So any other thoughts?
JOEL STOCKSDALE: I will say, I would take one of these over a 4Runner in a heartbeat.
GREG MIGLIORE: Tell me why, because I would not. Tell me why.
JOEL STOCKSDALE: It's mainly because the V8 in it-- it's so, so much nicer than the V6 and five-speed automatic in the 4Runner. And I don't think it gets much worse fuel economy, if worse at all. But it's way smoother, way quieter, and is a little gutsier than the V6 in the 4Runner.
And the interior is a little bit nicer. And, like, you don't really lose out on off-road capability. This thing still has a low range, and it's got lockers, and it's got the Toyota, like, off-road cruise control system. It's absolutely as capable off-road as a 4Runner, arguably maybe even more so, because it's based on the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado. So I would definitely take the Lexus over the 4Runner in a heartbeat.
GREG MIGLIORE: I prefer the styling, especially in TRD trim. I don't really like the V8 that much, because it's so old and slow. I think the 5.3-liter GM V8 is better. It's more powerful. But the 4.6-liter V8 in the Toyotas and the Lexus, there's nothing for me because it's so freaking slow. So for me, the 4Runner's a little bit of an easier choice, even though, admittedly, the powertrain in that thing's not great.
And the interior is not great either. To me, it's just a very visceral feel. Like, I like the 4Runner. I like how it looks. I like the bouncy jouncy drive. I like the different TRD things you can get on it. So that's how I would land. But you're not crazy. I think maybe I'm crazy, actually.
JOEL STOCKSDALE: And, like, I was looking at the prices. Like, a 4Runner TRD Pro starts at $50,000, and a base GX 460 starts at $53,000.
GREG MIGLIORE: Yeah.
[INTERPOSING VOICES]
JOEL STOCKSDALE: So these could be closer than you might expect. Now, granted, like, if you're smart, you would buy a 4Runner, like, TRD Sport or TRD Limited, which comes with, like, 80% to 90% of the TRD Pro's upgrades for way, way less. But, like, you could arguably compare a 4Runner and a GX without a huge price discrepancy.
GREG MIGLIORE: Agreed, totally. For me, to be on your side a little bit here-- the Lexus side, if you will-- the ride and handling of the Lexus is, you know, again, not great. It does at times feel like it's going to tip over. But it's more comfortable on road than, say, the 4Runner, which is just so, you know, like I said, kind of off-road tuned.
The interior's a bit better. I mean, again, the interior's, again, not great. But get inside a 4Runner interior, and you're like, whoa, this is, like, driving a '90s Explorer or something. I'm kind of exaggerating, but that interior is pretty dated, though they have done some things in recent years to spruce it up a bit.
So yeah, I think in some ways too, the 4Runner for me is more like-- it is a little bit about the experience. I almost put it into the Wrangler bucket of, you're not going to be comfortable when you're driving a Wrangler, but a lot of people do it just to drive around and commute and go to the mall, do whatever-- you know, go to work.
I would consider being among those people. I don't do a lot of off-roading. I wish I did more. I would buy a Wrangler. It would beat me up to commute to the office and, you know, go wherever-- go golfing and go shopping and all that good stuff. But I would still consider doing it, because I like that experience.
And that's where I sort of rationalize what a 4Runner is and does. And that's why I subscribe to that a little bit more than the Lexus, which does have that luxury, like, vibe to it, even though I think the GX 460 is one of the weaker, like, luxury feeling Lexus vehicles, if you will. Like, there's far more luxurious Lexus-- Lexi, if you will-- but that's more due to, like, they're newer. So yeah, any other thoughts?
JOEL STOCKSDALE: No, I think that pretty much sums it up. I guess more broadly speaking, I will say, I'm surprised that Lexus hasn't added a more car-like SUV to their lineup. Because, basically, the only ones that they have are the itty-bitty UX, and then they have the RX, which is kind of a midsizer.
But then after that, they've got old school body on frame SUVs-- the GX and the LX, both of which are based on Land Cruisers of different sizes. And it surprises me that they don't have, like, a more flagship crossover based on, like, the Lexus LS platform-- something that could compare with Mercedes' GLS or Audi Q7, something like that.
GREG MIGLIORE: I agree with that. In some ways, I think Lexus might be good to expand its strategy a little bit in the SUV space and maybe try to compete against those brands you mentioned. Because it's-- I mean, they're fighting, like, you know, trench warfare here. This is, like, old school, straight ahead, we're going to kind of slice and dice the Land Cruiser up.
And you know, I think in some ways, their image of-- because Lexus has such a great image and such a good reputation-- sometimes I think maybe the Lexus consumer doesn't necessarily think, do I really want this ride and handling character? Maybe I would be happier in an Audi or an Infinity or an Acura or something.
But I think rethinking some of their strategy might be good to appeal to a broader audience, even though they're, like, one of the most mainstream luxury brands. So what do I know? Maybe they know what they're doing.
But you know, when you look at things-- not, like, the direct, like, metric competitors to the GX 460 as far as size and capability, but just things in this, like, segment-- I mean, I do mean size-- there's a lot of different things out there and a lot of different approaches. And some of the Other things that are, like, this size are almost, like, lifted cars basically.
So you know, again, not everybody wants to, like, forge the rivers and go through trees. And even if you're not going to do it, you're still signing up for that type of driving character. So. All right, that's a lot of SUV talk.
Kind of a fun little mini feature this weekend-- the Bentley Blower's coming back, if you will. It's a continuation. This is, like, sort of resurrecting one of the iconic models from the 1930s-- specifically 1930. It's one of the longer gaps between continuations I think we've ever seen. Tell us about this. You wrote the story, news came out this morning-- it's Wednesday. What are the highlights here?
JOEL STOCKSDALE: Yeah, so last year, Bentley announced that they were going to do a limited run of continuation Blower Bentleys. And these are these pre-war, huge-- they were offered both as production cars, and they also raced some of them. It's a supercharged 4.5-liter four-cylinder engine in just a very old school looking car. It's a pre-war machine. Its body on frame.
Like, don't-- like, feel free to double check me on this, but I think I remember-- I want to say it was Enzo Ferrari-- not 100% positive-- but he said something along the lines of, like, the Blower Bentley is, like, the fastest truck at Le Mans, as kind of a slightly derogatory thing. Even though it was a very good and very successful.
GREG MIGLIORE: Sounds like an Enzo-- an Enzo statement, right?
JOEL STOCKSDALE: Like, a bit derogatory. Like, they weren't very successful race cars, but they were also from the thinking of, make them bigger, make them more powerful-- kind of like a Hellcat of the late '20s, early '30s.
GREG MIGLIORE: I love that analogy-- a Hellcat in the '30s. But it's also when you look at that, like-- that ethos, that strategy, Hellcats really are a throwback to that era, where it's like, we're going to take a relatively unsophisticated chassis and drop a big engine in it, you know? I mean, that's what Auburn and Cord did and Cadillac for a long time until they figured out some of the rest of the car. I digress. Go on.
JOEL STOCKSDALE: Yeah. So basically to celebrate just this car in general, Bentley decided they were going to build 12 examples, brand new, based on their 1929 example-- or no, 1930 example-- in their collection. They restored that car, and they took, like, laser scans of every single part and component of that vehicle, and combined with old drawings and photos and other things, basically just reproduced the entire car from the ground up and assembled them.
And they announced today that they have completed their test prototype. They're calling it car zero, because it's not part of the 12-car production run. This is their pre-production test car. They put, let's say, 40,000 hours into building this car. They reached out to local British restoration experts and things.
Like, the frame was built by a company that restores boilers for steam engines. It's a neat vehicle. They even created, like, a new engine stand so that they could hook up the engine to their in-house engine dynamometers that they use for breaking in, like, their modern W2 and V8 engines, so that they could run a break-in loop on this old school supercharged four-cylinder.
And they're planning on doing a lot of, like, durability testing on the car. They're going to do a test loop that will give it, like, the equivalent of a little over 20,000 miles of real world driving and then about 5,000 miles of track use, just to make sure that, like, it doesn't wear out abnormally quickly, like, make sure that they've assembled everything properly, make sure they don't have to make any changes.
As for the 12 production examples, they will start building those, like, in the next year or so. All 12 have already been sold. And all the customers have made their choices on how they want to spec it out-- what color, what kind of leather, that kind of stuff. One of the things that's interesting is that earlier this year, a number of very wealthy car collectors and car enthusiasts sent an angry letter to Bentley expressing their concern about producing these continuation models-- that they're worried that these
GREG MIGLIORE: Cheesed Ralph Lauren off, right? He's not happy.
JOEL STOCKSDALE: Yeah, Ralph Lauren was one of them, the fashion mogul. And also, in case you didn't know, he's a big time car enthusiast, car collector, and has some of the finest like pre-war cars in the world. They all signed on this letter to Bentley, because they were expressing concern that these continuation cars will reduce the value of the originals and make the originals less special, I guess, which I think is completely ridiculous.
And the reason for that is that just look at Shelby Cobras. There are a zillion gajillion replicas made of fiberglass and aluminum and who knows what with Ford engines or LS engines or some that are built in garages, some that are built by aftermarket companies. And even with the existence of all these cars, the original Shelbys are still worth oodles and oodles of money.
And people still get really excited if they're looking at a real Shelby Cobra and not just some replica or continuation or something. So I really don't think that 12 continuation cars built by the same company that built the originals is-- I don't think that's going to do anything to the value of the originals.
GREG MIGLIORE: I think it could drive the value up, to be honest, because you're going to get publicity. People-- like, 1929-- I think I said '30, they hadn't built them since '30-- it was 1929 is the actual Bentley Blower we're talking about--
JOEL STOCKSDALE: That's right.
GREG MIGLIORE: That was a long time ago, man. Like, I mean, you're talking about the year the stock market crashed. Like, you're talking about 11 years after World War I. Like, I mean, this is-- like, you're talking pre-war, it's almost post-war of the Great War.
Like, if anything, this, like, brings back, like-- I think it makes this era of cars seem cool and special again in a way that people who are, like-- I mean, we're talking about it. Like, you know, we're not the market. I mean, probably our grandparents aren't even the market for, like, a '29 Bentley Blower, you know, if they had the means, if you will.
So, like, I think it's a great way to get a really interesting era of, you know, car make back in the spotlight. You know, and who cares what Ralph Lauren thinks-- other than the entire fashion industry, right? He's right there, but you know, if he's mad about 12 Bentley Blowers, so be it.
JOEL STOCKSDALE: Yeah. And, like, we were talking a little bit about this in the office chat, and we were pointing out that this could possibly drive up the value of the originals in the sense that it brings attention to those cars again.
GREG MIGLIORE: Exactly.
JOEL STOCKSDALE: And personally, if I owned one of the originals, I would be extremely wealthy, and I would seriously consider buying one of the continuation cars and drive the heck out of that one and keep, like, my original in pristine condition and not risk it. Because then I would have one that's not the original and I can just drive it and enjoy it as much as I want, because it's not anywhere near as valuable as the original.
GREG MIGLIORE: I agree with that. And I think to your point earlier, the extreme validation and the rigor that they are putting these continuation cars through is exceptional. I mean, what did you say, like, 12,000 miles they're going to, like, simulate or whatever? I mean, do you think any of these cars are going to get that many miles on it? I don't.
You and I probably would do it, but one of those, like, lucky 12, I highly doubt is going to be commuting in their 1929 continuation Bentley. To me, it seems like they're almost over-engineering them, and validating them, and making sure that they can know at least perform the bare minimum of what the buyer might ask. Whereas to me, these seem to be more, like, destined to be museum pieces. But Bentley's not taking that approach. They're, like, driveable. So I guess we'll see.
JOEL STOCKSDALE: Like, one other thing-- again, like, if I was really wealthy, even if I didn't have an original one, I'd be kind of interested in this. Because in some ways, it would be kind of cool, because, like, this is the chance to actually own a vintage car but brand new. Like, I don't know if you've ever heard the phrase, like, it's only new once.
It's like, this would be-- it's almost like time travel. It's like, you'd actually be able to buy a new one. Like, no one-- like, no one else has driven it. It hasn't been, like, restored multiple times. It's just-- it's factory fresh. Like, that's kind of cool.
GREG MIGLIORE: I think that's a very cool thing. I love history. I think nostalgia is a very powerful thing. There's a line in "Mad Men," the hit TV show, about how it takes you back to a place maybe you wish you were and yearn to go again. Most people didn't live through the '20s. We're already back in the '20s.
In fact, very few people are probably alive that lived through, like, the '20s, as I think people of our age would call, like, the 1920s. I haven't heard anybody call the 2020s the '20s yet, have you? I don't know.
JOEL STOCKSDALE: I mean, I've heard some people joke about, like, we're going back into the roaring '20s.
GREG MIGLIORE: Call me crazy, but when you say, the '20s, you think the 1920s, right? Or am I just getting old?
JOEL STOCKSDALE: Right.
GREG MIGLIORE: All right. But I mean, to me, it's like you get that kind of Gatsbian feel. You get to go back and get that vibe of what it was like to live through that era and drive these types of cars and do it in a way where you're not, like, potentially destroying, like, what is a priceless work of art-- you know, whereas if it's a recreation, I think, I could probably take that to Costco-- I mean, not really, but I wouldn't be afraid to take it out on Sunday and drive the heck out of it within my limits-- again, if I was some sort of wealthy person who wanted to buy these types of things.
JOEL STOCKSDALE: And actually--
GREG MIGLIORE: I think this is cool. I really do.
JOEL STOCKSDALE: And now that I think about it, in the off chance that anybody from Bentley happens to be listening to our podcast and, like, once all of this pandemic stuff blows over, if you want to, like, fly us out to Crewe and, like, let us take car zero out for a spin, we'd love to do that.
GREG MIGLIORE: Sounds good. I think car zero-- put it through the press fleet, if you will. Fly out there and give it a go. I think-- I mean, again, you go back to the handling and the characteristics of driving these cars. I drove a Model T one time, and it was insane-- although it was easier than you think. So it is very intriguing when you think about what it would be like to get the opportunity to drive something like this.
So yeah, nice story. Check it out, Autoblog.com, as you all know. That's why you're listening to this podcast. But that went up on Wednesday morning, so if you're listening to this on the weekend while you're walking the dog, having drinks on your patio, or whatnot, scroll back-- or Google it. Let's spend some money.
This one comes from Jesse, who is a longtime listener of the podcast and wants to spend some money. Currently drives a 2018 BMW 540i right now. Before that, has had 5-Series and 3-Series. Perennially has not chosen the best handling BMWs, does not want to make that mistake again.
Right now, they're looking at "downgrading" quotes to a 3-Series because they're in the market for a fun sedan, if you will, not the one with the best interior. I actually think the 3-Series interior is pretty good. I don't see a huge difference, but yeah, 5-Series is probably better.
Looking at a 330i with all of the handling tricks, which I think is a good idea. This is instead of, say, an M340i. So that's sort of the layout, if you will. The price difference is not an issue-- looking to stay under $75 grand. The question is, is Jesse crazy to spend M340i time money on the four-cylinder 3-Series? What else should be considered?
Other cars that have been test-driven include the A4, the S60, the Alfa Romeo Giulia, the new TLX, but none of these are of interest. I can't get past the CT5's design elements, which is-- I think that's a problem for Cadillac, even though I do think the CT5 looks pretty good right now. I think it looks better than the old one.
G70 is tempting, but can't wait for this four-cylinder. A35 AMG was a blast to drive, but is a bit raw. I agree with that. Great email. Thanks for writing, Jesse. What do you think, Joel?
JOEL STOCKSDALE: Yeah, so I, first off, am extremely impressed by the amount of research and test driving that this person has done. Like, I'm really impressed. Like, this is great. And honestly, I am going to have a hard time-- like, one of the things that I would have jumped at saying would be Alfa Romeo Giulia, but you've driven that and you didn't like it. So that's off the list.
And I guess really the only thing I would say is before you write off the G70 just yet, go ahead and try out the G70 four-cylinder. I would recommend the V6, but it does feel nose-heavy. I've driven both of them, and I do like the lighter feel of the four-cylinder one of those. That twin turbo V6 in the G70 is-- it's a big, heavy engine. I still really like the V6 one, but I think you would probably be disappointed by the nose-heaviness of it.
But I would definitely check out the four-cylinder G70, because just as a whole, the G70 is a spectacular handling car. I love it to death. It's probably my favorite car in the segment. I think I would agree-- like, the A35 or if, like, its twin-V CLA35-- our editors, I know that James Riswick, he has been very disappointed with the ride quality on that car. It's kind of rough.
So honestly, like, I would say check out a G70 just to be sure. But after that, honestly, I think a 330i with the handling options would be a good choice. And, like, I was pricing it out, and even with the handling upgrades, you're still going to come in probably less than you would if you bought, like, an M340i with the stuff that you want.
So I think it would make a lot of sense. And, like, the BMW four-cylinder engines-- well, BMW engines in general are some of the best in the business. Like, they're really, really, really good. And they feel underrated. Like, they feel much punchier than the numbers that they give.
Actually-- and I don't know if maybe you were going to suggest this, Greg, but maybe check out Mercedes C-Class. Mercedes makes really good-- actually, and even the Mercedes E-Class is really, really nice. But otherwise, like, you're definitely not crazy to pick a 330i over the M340i.
You'll save a little money. Like, if it feels better to you, that's great. And, like, with the extra money you save, you can spend on other stuff. And, like, BMW's engines, they feel underrated. So, like, the four-cylinder is going to feel good. So what do you think, Greg?
GREG MIGLIORE: 330i all the way. I like BMW's sedans. I always have. I think the 3-Series holds a special place for me, even though I'm sure-- I think it has a tough time living up to the legend that is the 3-Series that we all sort of put that pressure onto that car. That being said, I think it handles well. I think it looks pretty good.
I think BMW's cars have-- they need a little bit of a design, like, I think, like, a clean sheet approach. Just the grills, they're getting-- it's a little bit not what I want it to be. But based on the preferences here, based on previous ownership experience, and based on the values, I think it's a pretty good move.
I think the writer will be happiest with this. This is one of those examples earlier in the show we were talking about-- there may be something that's better in the segment, and I would argue the C-Class is better. The interior is a little bit better. I prefer the exterior design.
I think it may be even-- eh, handling's about the same. But I would argue if you're scoring them, that the C-Class is better than the 3-Series right now. That being said, if you're a BMW person, and all of the reasons that people are BMW people, a Mercedes isn't going to make you happy. It's not.
So yeah, I feel pretty good about that. I would go with the 330. I think it's a reasonable play. It's fun. It's emotional. I get why the writer has such a strong preference for BMWs in the past. It wants to get that more engaged, visceral experience for this next purchase.
So yeah, that's how I would fall. It's a really interesting segment. The G70 is a brilliant car. In some ways, Genesis has the grill disproportioned and executed the way that I think BMW should look at some of its cartoonish grills. The Cadillac's an interesting car-- the CT4, of the CT5.
I like how they look, but I feel like right now, Cadillac is going to need a generation of good sedans to try to get people to subscribe to them as premium cars versus just these raw, crazy, powerful cars with brilliant chassis but rough interiors.
You know, the Alfa-- I always would throw the Alfa on the list too. It's an emotional car-- handles great, looks great. Interior's not great. Some of the electronics and things aren't so good. But yeah, to try to bring this together-- 330i, maybe we're kind of confirming what they're asking. But I think that's OK.
JOEL STOCKSDALE: Yeah, I think 330i makes sense. I still say check out a G70 four-cylinder. And while I do mention C-Class, one of the downsides is that they haven't-- I know that at least on the AMG, I think is still using the old V6. And I don't think the four-cylinder in that is quite as nice as the BMW engine.
GREG MIGLIORE: Yeah, I'd agree with that.
JOEL STOCKSDALE: So it's one of those things that-- yeah, I think you have pretty much narrowed-- I think, like, 330i makes sense. I do still say check out the G70. Just, I love that car so much. It handles amazing-- even if the powertrain is a little bit worse. Like, it would be my take over the BMW.
But I mean, everything you've said, it sounds like the 330i makes sense. And definitely, like, looking at the handling upgrades, I don't think anything there is going to make the ride any worse. Like, it should still be just as comfortable, but just handle better. So I think you'd be quite happy with the 330i with the handling upgrades.
GREG MIGLIORE: Agreed. And I will take your G70 sort of suggestion, throw in the Alfa Romeo Giulia, even though-- just if you're looking to, like, you try something different before you end up with the, like, BMW 3-Series-- but also, very impressive job here of researching and test driving all these vehicles. Normally, we tell people to do that, Jesse already did that. So that's great.
And that's all the time we have this week on "The Autoblog Podcast." Thanks for joining me this week, Joel. Everybody, have a great weekend. Be safe out there. We'll see you next week.
[THEME MUSIC]
In this episode of the Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Associate Editor Byron Hurd for a gasoline-powered installment. They lead off by diving into the Tesla layoff news from this week before leaving electrification behind for a bit to talk about not one, but two production V12 unveilings. …
In this episode of the Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Senior Editor Jeremy Korzeniewski. The Tesla Model 3 Performance has been revealed, and we discuss Tesla's first-quarter results. Mercedes unveiled its G 580 with EQ Technology. A VW factory voted to join the UAW. The Ford Mustang celebrated …
In this episode of the Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Road Test Editor Zac Palmer. The two kick things off with a loaded review section, starting with the 2024 Cadillac Lyriq Sport 3 then moving along to the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe Calligraphy. After that, they dig into …
In this episode of the Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Associate Editor Byron Hurd, who joins us fresh from the floor at the 2024 New York Auto Show. They start with an overview of the show and this year's big debuts, then pivot to other news for talk …
In this episode of the Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Senior Editor Jeremy Korzeniewski. In the news, BMW revealed the Neue Klasse X EV, Jeep Wrangler drops the V8, Ford Mustang gets a 810-horsepower supercharger kit and Shell leans into EV charging. We look back on the life …
In this episode of the Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Associate Editor Byron Hurd. They start off discussing a couple of vehicles they've both driven — the 2024 Ford Maverick Tremor and the 2024 Volvo C40 Recharge 2WD. From there, they pivot to Byron's first drive of the …
In this episode of the Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by News Editor Joel Stocksdale. They lead off with the 2024 Dodge Charger reveal, followed by various EV startup news including the reported death of the Apple Car; rumors of a tie-up between Fisker and Nissan; and when we'll finally …
In this episode of the Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Senior Editor James Riswick and News Editor Joel Stocksdale. Joel shares his experience checking out the Tesla Cybertruck in Chicago. James leads a discussion concerning GM's track record with the Ultium EV roll-out and the company's history with …
In this episode of the Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Associate Editor Byron Hurd. They start out talking about Scout's new facility in South Carolina and what Volkswagen Group wants to do with its new truck and SUV brand. From there, they briefly revisit the General Motors F1 …
In this episode of the Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Senior Editor, Electric, John Beltz Snyder. This week, they've been driving the Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing, Kia Seltos and Autoblog's long-term WRX (which has a CD player). They discuss the Chrysler Halcyon concept and what it means for a possible …
In this episode of the Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Senior Editor James Riswick. We kick off the week by reviewing cars we've been driving, including the new Lexus GX, Land Rover Defender 130 Outbound, Jaguar F-Pace, Hyundai Kona and our long-term Subaru WRX. Next, we break down …
In this episode of the Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Senior Editor, Electric, John Beltz Snyder. In the news, F1 snubs Michael Andretti, Jeep shows off the electric Wagoneer S, Mazda reveals the updated 2024 Miata, Mary Barra talks about future plug-in hybrids, and Rivian is set to …
In this episode of the Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by News Editor Joel Stocksdale, and they cover a wide range of topics. They discuss refreshed models from GM and VW including the new Blackwing Cadillacs, the Chevy Equinox, and the GTI. They also talk about the upcoming Jeep …
