Best In Class

The Saturn brand was meant to reinvent car buying and manufacturing, but instead it lasted only 25 years and it's parent company GM went bankrupt. How did Saturn start? Were they any good? And what convinced Adam's family to buy one in 1996? All that and more on this week's Best in Class.

We're casting our shopping net around the interwebs to find the best used car available right now for $15,000. Steve picked a car, Adam picked a car, and our guest host Erika picked a car. Now they will battle to the death to see who is the Best in Class car shopping champion!

The 7-series is BMW's flagship that previews the design, features, and technology that will not only trickle down to the rest of the brand, but to the entire car world as well. These cars are packed with the latest bells and whistles, and as such are sold only to the titans of industry. But are they any good? And will Steve ever be able to afford one?

First of all, sorry about that title. It had to be done. But seriously, what Canadian car companies do you know about? Did you know they used to be the second-largest manufacturer of cars in the world? Did you know there were 11 different Canadian car companies at one time? And did you know that Steve just got back from Canada? Hence why we're talking about it this week...

Mansory is a (in)famous car tuner out of Germany that likes to take some the best and most luxurious cars in the world, and slap on garish bumpers, absurd wings, and downright ugly leather. Bought exclusively by people with more money than taste, there is not such thing as a Best in Class Mansory. But is there a worst?

Mercedes is known for producing luxurious and comfortable cars, and strangely also the AMG GT - a no-nonsense sports car that can turn any driver into a hero. Mercedes rarely makes sports cars, so we of course had to cover this ride AND bring in some expert advice. Friend of the show Warren had the opportunity to drive all the versions of the car recently, so he helps us figure out which one was t...

Steve got mad at Adam's Subaru joke on our last episode so as punishment Adam now has to host a whole episode on the Outback. So you have to suffer too...

To celebrate Father's Day, instead of calling our dads or giving them a gift, Steve and Adam are going to argue what the coolest dad car is, talk about the cars their dads owned, and how they taught them to drive. Makes sense to me.

Did you know that the Plymouth Laser was the last sports car the brand ever made? Did you know that Tina Turner was the spokeswoman for the launch? And did you know that we (kina) already covered this when we talked about the Eclipse? We'll we're taking another swing at it in honor of the passing of the Queen of Rock & Roll.

Friend of the show Diego recently bought a very nice Datsun Roadster for his commutes up the coastal roads of Southern California. As an advertising man, he has a lot in common with Steve, but as a compassionate human being he has a lot more in common with Adam. But what's the deal with his car? Are tiny Datsun convertibles any good? And did Diego buy the right one? We'll find out today on Best in...

In honor of Mother's Day (well a day late, like all good sons), we're talking about the best mom car in the world. Is it an SUV, a mini-van, or a sports car? And what does Steve wish his mom drove when he was going up?

What's better than an (almost) free truck? Our guest host Warren had that experience with his truck and he's here to tell us all about it. Along the way, we'll argue over which generation was best, pulling the space shuttle, and how to reach 1 million miles. Also, Steve bought a new car...

Steve still hasn't chosen his next car, despite so many great suggestions from Adam to just get a Honda Odyssey and be done with life. No, despite the logical choice before him, he continues to search for a new ride for his Great Dane. And he might be buying this car in the next 24 hours! So naturally, Adam is going to try to talk him out of it.

Beyond the MINI Clubman, Steve is also looking into buying a Land Rover LR4 for his dog to destroy. A very different car for sure, but somehow more Steve in it's British-ness, luxury, and excessive weight. And of course Adam is here to tell him all the ways he is choosing wrong.

The MINI Clubman is the oddball in the MINI lineup, and Steve is the meatball of the Best in Class partnership - so it's a match made in heaven. Steve is on the hunt for a new dog car, and the Clubman is looking like the answer. Predictably, Adam is here to tell him all the ways in which he is wrong...

We made it to 100 episodes! I'm not sure how, why, or even where, but 100 have been recorded and broadcast (well 101 if you count the accidental re-record of Panamera...), so what better time to cover the car that started it all - the Ford Model T. Plus Steve tells us about his ancestral homelands.

The current music video and tiktok selfie king is the Lamborghini Urus - first of the super SUVs. It's brakes are bigger than most cars' wheels, it's as fast as a sports car, and uglier than burnt Picasso. But is it any good at being an SUV? What about being a Lamborghini? And will Steve shove his dog in the back of one as his new car? That's this week on Best in Class.

The Fiat Panda is the Italian poster child for "cheap and cheerful." Known to be aggressively simple to manufacture, run, and maintain, it is as much the car of Italy as the 500. But is it any good? And will Steve's dog fit in the back? We get into all that and more this week, without somehow talking about the Porsche Panamera again...

The Porsche Panamera just might be the first four door sports car. Not sported-up sedan or sporty saloon, but actual sports car. Purpose built from the ground up to carry four passengers with inhumane speed around corners. So why did it take Porsche so long to come out with it? Which one is the best? And can we get Steve to trade his Ferrari for one?

Steve doesn't believe Adam is any good at being a racing driver, so he's brought in an experienced BMW racer to teach Adam a thing or two, and to discuss which BMW race car was the best of all time. For some reason, Steve is allowed to have an opinion on this, despite never having been to a race track.

The VW Thing just might be the weirdest mass-market car ever attempted. Decidedly unattractive - anti-aethestic even - with no creature comforts, and a price the well exceeded the normal Bug. They never caught on, but now they are classics because of their quirks. But are they actually any good? Steve is gone today, so Adam has enlisted VW expert Reed to help sort through the history of the Thing...

The modern world is built on international cooperation and globalization. Cadillac was there first in the early 80's when they came out with the Allante. Proudly built over two continents, this was supposed to keep Cadillac on top of the luxury market for another decade. Instead, it was another nail in the coffin of Cadillac's demise. And we're here to detail every precarious step.

The Volkswagen Jetta is widely regarded as the big brother of the fun, plucky Golf - and with good reason because it's true! The Jetta was originally just a Golf with a trunk. But is it actually any good, and are there any generations worth getting? Adam and Steve are on the case to try to liven up this very boring car!

Jaguar famously leaned into their bad-boy reputation with the "Good to be Bad" advertising campaign featuring famous British movie villains shilling for the new F-Type. So is the F-Type a car only fit for a sociopath, or can you enjoy one too? And which is the best one for the professional race car driver? That's this week on Best in Class.

The Pontiac Fiero has a rich and storied history as a terrible car that is most famous for being the base of numerous questionable kit cars. But is that sordid reputation deserved? Was the Fiero ever a good car? And can Adam talk Steve into ditching his Ferrari for a replica? All that and more on this week's Best in Class.