Cars on Call

We decided to let Steve take a vacation after hosting the last 61 episodes. Stephan and Adams discuss the back windowless Polestar 4, and come up with an option package surely to keep them in the news. Hint: It may involve Pole Stars. How design affects safety and vice versa Deep dive into car designs, new and old, that hold true to their mission and attract buyers, fans and significant dollars in...

Overpaid for a car in the crazy Covid cash-grab? Many did. Who's to blame? Your best chance of an accident is literally in your own backyard. Stephan tells us why familiarity can be very dangerous. Longtime car dealer and this week's guest, Gary Duncan, joins the conversation. Swearing he'd never own a right-hand-drive car, he decided to import 5,000 of them in the last 5 years to beco...

Stephan takes a trip to the Savoy Museum. Big wow for the design, layout, and choices. Add it to your bucket list. Adams introduces the new Genesis GV80 which channels the Lamborghini Uvula (or something like that) for a very good reason. Steve runs down current sales figures for manufacturers. Why Tesla and Audi are playing for keeps, who fell asleep when making Jeeps, and three storied brands go...

Paul Newman, eternal car guy, left about 300 items for Sotheby's to sell. What collectibles will be up for sale? We hope one of his $1M Rolex's makes a debut. Adams spots an El Camino (don't tell his wife) - is it a car or a truck? Ask Santa Cruz and Maverick owners. Which one is wearing a reverse mullet? GM halts production of some of its pickups, plus a Jeep model you probably never...

The Dodge Demon 170, along with many other muscle cars, exists to go out with a nuclear bang as we enter the sad and humming EV age. Teslafication hits Mercedes Benz, as they ‘pilot’ a new Tesla-like boutique showroom near Atlanta. Good or not so good? Special Guest Geno Effler has been with Aston Martin, Mercedes Benz, NHRA and now amasses his knowledge at JD Power. Who in turn is amassing a brai...

GM Backs down from On-Star as a "mandatory option" indicating they may’ve looked up the meaning of those two words. Car Spotting the 1988 Mercedes 300 CE: When is a brick beautiful? Tapered, tightened, but not lightened, this MB is a drivable classic that telegraphs taste and restraint. But boy was it expensive when new.   Supersize me. Not. Porsche goes all out with an upscale (with emp...

The guys agree with an internet wag who described the Ford Bronco as an Escape with an Otter Box on it. He's right. They then hone in on the 50th anniversary of Pink Floyd’s classic album, ‘Dark Side of the Moon’. Meaningful then, meaningful now, and we all wish we were Nick Mason.   Car Spotting: Adams spots a Honda S2000. In his own garage (he just bought one). Lazy? Yes, but it's also a...

The Dick Barbour Interview. Buckle up people and enjoy a thrilling ride with a man who bought a used Porsche Speedster at 16, won his first-ever race in it, built a parts-selling mega business, and then became a Porsche-Audi dealer. Those endeavors simply funded his bigger goal to be a top-level race driver and team owner, where he scored wins in every endurance race in the world that matters. Phe...

Our guest James Steele discusses his Bronco's arrival and the long process he endured before it (finally) got to him. Btw - despite the delay, he loves it. Morgan is returning to the US with a $70K wood-framed sports car that looks a lot like a Morgan from 1955. But now it sports a modern 255HP BMW engine and transmission. The guys, ummm, like it. Adams spots a 2019 Nissan GTR, and we agree that a...

The guys discuss a new segment, "Shit Georg Kacher Says". Then they weigh in on Adams’ trip to Vegas Exotics Raceway and Shelby Museum tour. Steve spots a rather forgettable 1987 Toyota Celica that has become rare-ish. How could the hot-selling VW Golf have ever been a surprising success story? Insider Bertel Schmitt’s article reveals the truth and we talk about it. Our special guest Andrew Clark...

We look back on year 1 of CoC highlighting the Felicity Ace, 4Runners, and the "Teslafication of car sales". Adams does a deep dive into the Gen 1 Jaguar XK8, then Stephan loves on Ford coming back to F1 and hates on the team they're joining (hint: they're a bunch of whiney ass bitches) Are full size pickup trucks becoming passenger carriers with a small uncovered space to carry stuff? The evidenc...

Steve-0 has had one-on-one experiences with outgoing Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda and his replacement Koji Sato, which the guys discuss. Then they talk about the increasing popularity of 7yr car loans (spoiler alert, they're a bad idea). CoC gets seat time in the BEV Porsche Taycan: it's a great car, but its weight is a concern, and the charging infrastructure is still a work in progress. Finally, we ta...

The guys agree with Twitter that the Ferrari Purosangue looks a bit like a Toyota GR Corolla from the rear. Then they discuss the results of an Anderson Economic Gp study that shows that, in 2022, ICE mid-size crossovers are cheaper to run than comparable BEVs.  Then trauma surgeon Stephan and Steve-0 describe their day at Barber Motorsports Park doing the Porsche Track Experience, while Adam...

Did our conversation last week about being able to see Paint to Sample colors on the Porsche configurator make Porsche take that feature down? We say yes. Adams spotted a 1992 VW Corrado and the guys discuss. We also talk odometer fraud--more people are doing it, including high end collectors who should know better. Does the BMW i8 look like it's giving birth to a 911? We say yes. The guys have a...

Steve-O's neighbor's dad grapples with a serious medical condition and decides to order a new Porsche Carrera T. The guys pick their dream specs on the Porsche configurator, and they "discuss". Hint: the Dakar isn't mentioned. Then they deep dive car colors: how popular colors have evolved over time, the safety implications of car colors from the perspective of trauma surgeon Stephan, and how colo...

Car News: Why drive the Porsche 911 Dakar base model when you can add a $7000 tent? Whoops, $7029. Motor Trend Car of the Year: Who won it and how? (Please, not the Chevy Vega again Motor Trend). Have the Golden Calipers tarnished? The guys say yes. Car Sales 2022: Serious winners and how the mighty have fallen (we're looking at you Jaguar and Alfa Romeo). Safety: How can safety nannies and fatali...

Is the '96 Ford Taurus the saddest car ever? It gets no love from the guys, who conclude that, while getting complacent with success is a mistake, you shouldn't walk away from it either.  BMW XM: Pricey, techno-laden EV steals the hallowed ‘M’ badge, while looking like a 644hp electric razor. We all hate it.  Cars from the '80s on the lawn at Pebble Beach in 80 years? Yes, this IS the fu...

Supply vs demand wins again: Used car prices plunge off a steep cliff in Q4 2022 and look to continue dropping well into 2023. Adams spots a Ferrari F355, and we discuss the perils of this alluring but flawed car. The guys choose their dream garages with 3 new cars, 1 classic car, and few constraints. One car was common to all. Then trauma surgeon Stephan highlights some unexpected findings when B...

Is Rivian for real? Trauma Surgeon Stephan drives one and opines. Lottery winners have their priorities straight (well, for like 2weeks). Haggerty surprises us with a Saab story: the 1978-1983 900 turbo makes their list of most collectible cars of 2023. Audi is a world class carmaker, innovator, and proven rally and endurance racing winner. Yet has the brand with the 4 rings lost some luster recen...

Polestar joins a growing cadre of OEMs charging for enhanced performance. We don't like the concept, but at least Polestar is charging a one-time fee instead of a monthly subscription. Tyler Hoover of popular YouTube show "Hoovies garage" dumps his F-150 Lightning BEV because its range drops precipitously in cold weather. We talk about it. Dollars spent vs. results gained for autonomous vehicles i...

We start with a poetry reading. Really. Trauma surgeon Stephan waxes poetic about the 2022 F1 season. Then Steve and Adams join in to slam an obscene Mercedes AMG GT markup and ogle the oddness of a 1972 SAAB 96. The guys discuss the Corvette as-a-brand scheme with possible sedan and SUV variants (heaven help us) and Renault’s possible US launch of their Alpine sub-brand. We believe both – though...

2docs and Adams express their disgust with Mercedes for proposing to do what Stephan predicted manufacturers would: charge by the month for enhanced performance. Then the boys talk 1970s and ‘80s personal luxury coupes and why they were best sellers. 1960s Italian sports car authority Mike Clarke joins the group to talk all things Bizzarrini, including his beautiful example that earned him an invi...

2docs and Adams discuss their love of the late 70s Mercedes 6.9 sedan (no power seats?!!!) and their non-love for the new Porsche 911 Dakar. Returning guest Jeff Bank joins the team to talk Miatas old and new, and then trauma surgeon Stephan does a deep dive into the world of active driver assistance systems (ADAS) and how much safer they keep us. 

Steve-0 spots a Toyota MR2 and a 1995 BMW 325i sedan.  Three amigos talk classics that aren't and those that became one by accident.  Stephan goes over the history of major landmark automotive safety innovations.

Adams joins 2Docs again! Steve-0's neighbor with two Broncos on order finally gets one.  They discuss the new Dodge Hornet with the GLH option. The guys talk about buying/selling collector cars online and Adams deep dives into his experience with Bring a Trailer. The new trio talk about the evolution of the luxury car market from the 60s to now.