S3 Magazine Podcast

S3 MAG recently featured Jzilla's new team cars - a MK7 GTI and a VW Beetle. So James Marcellana & I got no to discuss that, and ended up getting into 'the emotion' behind cars/driving, and how that's a driving force (no pun intended) in what draws us to certain cars. Connection > perfection.

So in this podcast, we talk with Chris from E3 Spark Plugs. Chris is a huge Toyota fan, so we discuss the current 'energy' in the Toyota lineup (GR & TRD models), plus their courage to speak-out against all the recent misinformation surrounding the EV push. We also discuss Chris's role in E3 Spark Plugs.... and spark plug 'myths & truths' in general.

We FINALLY get with James from Jzilla Track Days. Topics of discussion: 1) Breaking down those 'walls of intimidation' that come with signing-up for your first track day. Jzilla 'gets it'. And they've created a welcoming & affordable atmosphere where drivers can progress and have fun (at any level). 2) The car industry & car culture in general. Ya know? What's it gonna take for the modern...

Jeepin' Bubba from Black Bear Off-Road (and also a contributor w/ S3) talks about their first SEMA build... and what it took to get a vehicle to The SEMA Show. You can also check out the feature & photos of this Jeep at S3 Mag.

Here’s a quick breakdown of the new VW-owned  Scout Motors  brand.  The SUV is the  Traveler , and the pickup is the  Terra . VW is bringing Scout back as  EV-only . The new Scout has no lineage-connection to its past other than name, design, & nostalgia. But  off-roaders  should appreciate VW’s effort of  body-on-frame  construction,  mechanical front & rear lockers , and a  solid rear ax...

We talk about the greatness of motorsports, and why there's kinda become a disconnect between motorsports and the masses. Then again - when we consider how overall 'disconnected' most new cars have become... it kinda tracks.

It's kinda turned into an annual tradition, but Ben Battles (Battles Digital) and I talk about this year's Slammedenuff event in Sevierville (Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg) Tennessee. See I wrestle with a love/hate thing with stance... as in I love the people & energy, but hate the way they're willing to castrate their cars for an Instagram follower. And every year, Ben Battles makes me try to unde...

Certain vehicle names carry weight.  Whether it was performance, prestige, and/or durability… they earned their stripes in automotive history. For example, you’d have to go to some pretty remote corners of the earth to find someone who’s unfamiliar with iconic names like the Corvette, Mustang, Camaro, Jeep, or 911. Today however, the automotive industry is in a thick trend, where they’re resurrect...

Rumor has it: Toyota MR2 and CELICA are coming back.  So what's that mean exactly? It means that  IF  the rumors are true, then Toyota is the most enthusiast-based & spirited car-maker...  by a landslide . Rumors are, both the MR2 and the Celica will get 2-liter turbocharged engines -  no hybrid, no electrification . And manual transmissions  WILL  be available. Both cars will allegedly be...

Just being real honest here:  I have a history of fighting for dying causes.  Print magazines, 2-door sports coupes, 2-stroke jet skis, 3-pedal sports cars, 80’s metal, etc. It’s because I put my heart into  (and defend)  what moves me. And that’s neat & all. But it can also leave me in frustration. So… I was on a boat all this past weekend, and boats have a way of giving you clarity. And the...

Restriction is dumb… just do better. You wouldn’t go to the North Pole without a jacket right? So why do some of y’all go out & drive with no skills I swear & barely a pulse? And then try to make laws that slow everybody else down?

Maybe you’ve heard the phrase  ‘perfectly imperfect’ … but that’s been swimming in my head a lot lately. Try this: Try pulling little moments out of your life, and take the time to realize how perfect ‘imperfect’ can actually be. And also… how boring, disconnected, sanitized, & short-sizzling ‘perfection’ can be honestly. Perfection isn’t always all it’s cracked up to be, so don’t always hold...

Ford CEO,  Jim Farley , is saying that Americans need to adopt  a more positive mindset for smaller cars .  He's saying this with EVs in mind of course... as electric vehicles are more viable in smaller packages. But a lot of car enthusiasts find his statement  super-ironic & slightly-irritating , since it was FORD who killed all their small fun cars  (minus the Mustang) just a few short y...

If you DON'T like electric vehicles, you should drive the Genesis GV60. Because here’s the thing: I don’t like EVs either. At least I was pretty convinced I didn’t. But the driving experience of the Genesis GV60 is good enough to make me realize, it’s actually not 'the concept' of an electric vehicle that I don’t like. Rather, it’s 'what they’ve come to represent' over the last...

Is was another epic Riverside Meet in Chattanooga. Car enthusiasts come from all over the country for this event. The event is very thoughtfully organized, and very well executed. But this year after the event, the COPS made their presence felt. Was it deserved?

We have guest, Nick Caloroso on the podcast. Nick works in the aftermarket industry, volunteers with SEMA, and has a very soulful/astute way of looking at cars. Yet - Nick manages to keep optimistic hopes for the automotive future. So we dive into that & discuss current automotive trends/designs, EVs & their impact, glory cars of yesteryear, and SEMA's role in protecting the future of car culture....

In episode 103 of the S3 MAGAZINE podcast, we talk about the magic of golden era Hondas. And when we say 'golden era'... we're referring to roughly the late 80s, through the 90s. At that time, Honda packed a ton of punch. They were innovating spirited-driving assets like VTEC! And they were bringing it to the people affordably! It all helped to create a new generation of hot-rodder & driving enthu...

Topic of discussion for this podcast: The 2023 SEMA Show. We discuss positives, negatives, previous years, and a little bit of 'the state of the industry'. How significant manufactures have fallen out of the show. How The SEMA Show is growing & trying to adapt post-covid. Sema Fest (which is SEMA's new music festival). As well as SEMA's efforts to protect the automotive aftermarket politically. Fo...

Ben Battles came on the podcast to discuss... •The state of Georgia cracking down on JDM cars. Specifically, kei cars & trucks. And gov't overreaching to the point of revoking current titles & registrations (IE: stripping tags & titles on already registered vehicles). •Slammedenuff Gatlinburg. One of the most anticipated (stance) events of the year had some controversial judging.

Me & Frankie Corndoggs had lunch last week. Ironically... hotdogs. Well, I had hotdogs & he had a salad. Anyway Frankie got all worked-up about how he missed having a shitbox rowdy hatchback. The kind that was FUN-pegged the second you pulled out of the driveway. They kind that doesn't try to fit in, or care WTF anybody else thinks. Or base its value in specs & numbers. Just pure driving fun/thril...

Legacy car manufactures have been in an all-out race to go EV, but have they all been racing for just 10% of the market? Have EVs hit a ceiling? This EV transition isn’t naturally consumer-driven. Instead, it’s largely government-forced. And therein lies the problem. You are forcing/squeezing people to buy something that many of them don’t want… at a price they can’t easily afford. For a product t...

"Efficiency" has consumed the automotive industry. Perhaps "brainwashed" is a better word. And while efficiency an important measurable & should certainly be the driving-force of SOME models... it doesn't have to be the primary regulating factor in ALL models. So while we all want an efficient vehicle... what's it costing us? And why is there little-to-no tolerance for some common-sense compromise...

Now that supply chains are getting back to normal, EVs are starting to stack-up at dealership lots. That's not a great look... considering how much they told us demand & orders for these EVs was off-the-charts. Pay attention to 'the narrative' vs 'the reality' here. And get ready for some backpedaling, incentives, (dare I say fuel price manipulation), and hold-pattens during election years. •Get t...

The Nissan Z is a genuinely exciting new sports car, but that doesn’t matter if the car is not accessible. Nissan Z sales are alarmingly low. The Z has been out for a year now, and total US sales in the first quarter of 2023 were just 466. The Z is not supposed to be an ultra-exclusive sports car. It’s supposed to be a fun & viable alternative to that. Nissan is, of course, still blaming Corona &...

I saw a meme that got me a little triggered. I mean, while I can certainly appreciate some of the truth to it... I also think "you can't have it both ways". Fact - your parents and grandparents were not driving around in cars that practically drove themselves - with infotainment screens & bluetooth & navigation & backup cameras & auto-everything with auto/dual climate & remote start & turbocharger...