Cars on call is a different kind of podcast. We’re 2 car guy physicians. Steve Schutz has been reviewing cars for over 30 years. Stephan Moran is a retired trauma surgeon and motor vehicle safety expert. Join us as we discuss car topics with unique viewpoints you won’t find anywhere else.
A Chinese transport ship carrying electric cars across the Pacific Ocean catches fire and sinks, shades of the famous Felicity Ace that caught fire and sank three years ago in the Atlantic Ocean. The Chinese ship doesn't have a stripper name, but it sends the same message: transporting EVs by ship is dangerous and can cause ecologic disasters.Thanks to retired Ford CEO Alan Mulally the US has moved from using old-school and fuel sucking body-on-frame vans like the Econoline to fully embracing Euro-style unibody work/family vehicles like the Transit and Ram ProMaster. It's a huge transformation that happened over 15 years. Our trauma surgeon Dr Stephan Moran discusses a different safety advantage of self-driving cars: passengers in self-driving taxis don't have to worry about a driver they don't know victimizing them either during the ride of afterwards.The Audi TT was launched 25yrs ago as a 2000 model year car. When it hit the market it was an absolute sensation, and we pour some sugar on one of the greatest Audis of our generation.Everybody Wants to Rule the World turns 40 this year. OMG we can't believe it's been that long! Remember the car featured in the video? If you answered British Racing Green Austin Healey 3000 you win.#carsoncallpodcast #automobile #traumasurgeonsafety #audittmk1 #auditt #oneford #fordtransit #fordtransitconnect #felicityace #evtransporter #carsoncallpodcast #automobile #traumasurgeonsafety
Dr Moran goes to Tuscany for a wedding. Now he wants to move there.Hyundai branding that even non-car enthusiasts get. That's smart.Automotive journalist Steve Schutz tested a Mercedes Maybach GLS recently. The guys discuss.Automotive safety: our trauma surgeon Dr Stephan Moran addresses "Swangers", window tinting, and other car mods that subtract from safety. Bottom line, don't do it.Thanks to sagging sales in China and a very expensive failure to launch for the Taycan and other BEVs, Porsche AG is struggling. Steve-0 and Stephan say bring back the 914 from the 1970s and lean on the 911 by making more base models and launching a softer luxury version.Regular cars in Europe are far more colorful than vehicles in the US that are overwhelmingly (and depressingly) gray, silver, black, and white. Dr Moran says give our cars more color, if only for safety reasons.#carsoncallpodcast #automobile #traumasurgeonsafety #porsche #porsche911 #carsoncallpodcast #automobile #traumasurgeonsafety
Nissan bringing back the XTerra. We've been pushing for that and Nissan finally listened!Trauma surgeon safety. Dr Stephan Moran gives us another lesson in automotive safety from his unique perspective Our automotive journalist Steve Schutz gives us tidbits from Q1 new light vehicle salesDr Moran discusses the new 2026 Hyundai Palisade. Despite a dash of Range Rover, it looks distinctive and luxJagged Little Pill turns 30!
Dodge hints they're resurrecting their V8 engines including Hellcats. Yay!Trauma surgeon safety: fatalities on our highways are dropping, and Dr Moran discusses. We hope this trend continues.Doug DeMuro said Ford should make a Lincoln version of the Bronco, and we get into it. Like Doug, we think it would succeed. Ford please do this!Steve-0 spotted a mid-1980s Nissan Pulsar NX. What a weird car!#carsoncallpodcast #nissanpulsar #traumasurgeonsafety #automobile #dodgev8 #dodgeperformance #carsoncallpodcast #nissanpulsar #traumasurgeonsafety
Our trauma surgeon Dr Stephan Moran discusses the recent Trump tariffs (25% on imported vehicles). He hates them, and Steve-0 is mostly opposed. We hate higher prices for cars and parts, but we like manufacturing jobs coming back to America.Steve-0 spotted a 1992 Saturn SC2. Saturn was GM's 90's effort to compete with Honda and Toyota, which failed. We get into it.Dr Moran's safety segment says, "If you want to get out of your vehicle, make sure it's in Park before you do". As usual, our trauma surgeon has graphic examples of what can happen if you don't.Finally, the guys discuss Nissan's current dire straights. It's an involved conversation, but maybe you can sum it up by saying, "Bring back the X-Terra and do some other stuff"#carsoncallpodcast #nissanproblems #traumasurgeonsafety #saturncars #tariffs #carsoncallpodcast #nissanproblems #traumasurgeonsafety
Adams and trauma surgeon Stephan Moran are away, so Steve-0 and his long time friend, automotive journalist Ed Barrett, discuss what it's like being an active and published member of the motoring press. Neither of us is famous like the writers from Car and Driver and Jalopnik, but we enjoy access to press cars and have been invited to many cool events. We talk about it.#carsoncallpodcast #automotivejournalism #automobile
Steve-0 spent a weekend in Newport Beach (the epicenter of SoCal's Orange County) and saw a lot of cool cars. We discuss.Our trauma surgeon Dr Stephan Moran talks about the safety advances that accompany active driver assistant systems (ADAS). He loves it but wants each system to include driver monitor systems (DMS).Adams introduces the topic of great cars let down by lousy engines. There are many cars like this, and the three of us each list five examples. Finally, Dr Moran gets into BYD and other Chinese BEV manufacturers who are way ahead of the US and the Europeans.#newportbeach#carsoncallpodcast#traumasurgeon#carsoncallpodcast#newportbeach#traumasurgeon#traumasurgeonsafety
Our trauma surgeon Dr Stephan Moran talks 2025 Formula One. Will the great Lewis Hamilton win a championship for Ferrari? Stephan thinks so and tells us why.Noted car collector and consultant Adams Hudson thinks muscle cars are fading as desirable collector items and goes into why.Then Steve-0 discusses Audi's 14% sales drop from 2023 to 2024. Part of the reason for that drop can be found by comparing the 2009 Q5 SUV with the latest model. Tough to tell the difference isn't it? That's a problem.Finally the guys go around the horn dishing on a bunch of topics including the new Land Cruiser and Lexus GX, the Hyundai Santa Fe's looks, et al.#carsoncallpodcast#classiccars#racing#vintagecars#f1#audi#audiusa#audiq5#musclecars
Steve-0 runs down 2024 new car sales: BMW leads the luxury market with Lexus number 2, pickups still rule, BEVs are stalling, and hybrids are surging. Oh, 24,000 people bought cybertrucks?!! Our trauma surgeon Dr Stephan Moran gives some love to modern ADAS (active driver assistance system) systems. Thanks to better software and machine learning, ADAS has become less "Karen" and more "chauffeur Jeeves". Adams, our collector car expert, discusses how boomer faves like muscle cars are fading while "fast and furious" cars like 90s civics and supras are ascendant. Demography is destiny, even in the collector car world. Finally, we give our 2025 predictions. #carsoncallpodcast #adas #collectorcars #carsoncallpodcast #adas #collectorcars
Nissan had their CEO Carlos Ghosn arrested and jailed in 2018. Now the company is on life support. Lesson to any major corporation anywhere in the world: Don't have your CEO jailed unless you absolutely have to. Our trauma surgeon Dr Stephan Moran discusses cars that have high death rates and why they do. Adams spots a new Aston Martin. Will Aston Martin survive or go the way of Nissan? We get into it. Steve-0 tells the story of how a relatively small New England advertising agency won the BMW North America account 31yrs ago, and then made some classic ads that still pop up on Instagram and elsewhere. Steve-0's sister was there, and so was Steve-0 (kind of), and he spills the tea #carsoncallpodcast #mullenadvertising #mullen #bmwna #90sbmw #bmwadvertising #astonmartin #traumasurgery #nissan #nissandying #carsoncallpodcast #mullenadvertising #mullen
Adams went to the spectacular Chatanooga Auto Show and loved it. Luftgekuhlt was there along with an incredible array of gorgeous classic carsOur trauma surgeon Dr Stephan Moran discusses upcoming pedestrian safety regs that he thinks will save livesWe channel Mark Greene of Cars Yeah and pick the car we think we areAnd finally Steve-0 rants about how three Euro-trash owners, especially the Current one Stellantis, ruined the venerable Chrysler Corporation #carsoncallpodcast #traumasurgeon #traumasurgeoncarsafety #automobile #stellantissucks #stellantis #E28M5
Steve-0 will be driving from Atlanta to Manchester-by-the-Sea, Mass in 2025 so he bought a 997 Gen Porsche 911 from Dick Barbour for the trip. He talks about it. Trauma surgeon safety: newly retired Air Force Colonel Dr Stephan Moran, MD talks about the Automated Emergency Braking state of the art. Bottom line, it's not ready yet. We found a published list of 50 underappreciated cars. The list isn't perfect (or even good), but we get into our lists as well as current cars that we think will be appreciated in 20-50yrs. #autosafety #automobile #carsoncallpodcast #steveautos
A 991.2 Porsche Turbo S cabriolet (!!!) crashed during a law enforcement-sanctioned Sun Valley Idaho high speed event. The driver and his passenger (!!!) crashed at approximately 205MPH, and miraculously lived (although they were both severely injured). Why a cabriolet and why with a passenger?!! Wtf?!! Our trauma surgeon Dr Stephan Moran weighs in with unique insights. Listeners/viewers, don't miss this discussion. Another vintage Mercedes 1955 race car is going up for auction soon and is expected to bring $70mil. Our collector car expert Adams weighs in. Then Adams talks about his new (to him) 50th anniversary 911 edition. It's his first 991, and he loves it. Rivian wants to charge a monthly fee for Apple Music or Spotify even if you're already a subscriber. We hate the idea. A lot. Future Ford Mustang 4dr sedan and Subaru Crosstrek-like versions are coming. Do we like it? Not all of us do. #carsoncallpodcast #traumasurgeonsafety #steveautos #porschecrash
This is the first of three special episodes focusing on the legendary AC Shelby 427 Cobra. Stephan has owned a Unique Motocars 427 replica and is currently building an ERA Narrow Hip 427 Street. Bobby Crumpley is a Ford enthusiast, former guest, and sold the highest result for an ERA Street on BAT that he built. Adams who has owned everything but a Cobra, joins in. In this episode we talk about the original 427s by the numbers, reminisce about when we got Snake bit, and try and figure out why this 65ish yr old design still takes are breath away. In Episode 2 we'll compare the top replicas and in Episode 3 we'll banter about engine choice.
Trauma surgeon Stephan Moran MD is away, so Steve-0 and Adams take over CoC. Steve-0 argues that 2024 seems a lot like how things were 50 years ago. Adams describes his experiences at the high quality Highlands car show in North Carolina and the national PCA parade #carsoncallpodcast #steveautos
Cars on Call is going bi-weekly. We think this will provide a better product, and we hope our listeners and viewers will agree. Adams is away this week. He'll be back, but we miss his incisive wit and insightful commentary. Autobahn Adventures is a travel company that arranges trips to Europe that involve driving new Porsche 911s at high speed on the autobahn, spectacular tickets to watch the Monaco Grand Prix, and much more. Steve-0 took one of their great trips and gushes about it. Our trauma surgeon Stephan Moran MD gets into how round-abouts and other road design differences between us and Europe make driving safer over there than it is here. Finally, U.S. Air Force veteran Steve-0 became "Skid" Schutz after being given a call sign on his Autobahn Adventures trip by three retired Air Force fighter pilots. Thank you ET (prior CoC guest USAF Gen (ret) Brett Williams), Bobaloo, and Oscar, Steve-0 couldn't be more proud. #carsoncallpodcast #steveautos #traumasurgeon #traumasurgeonsafety #autosafety #autobahnadventures #porsche911 #porsche992
Car spotting — Adams saw a New VW GTI and loved how it's a cool sporty car for everyone Steve-0 talks about Air Water Porsche show in Orange County, CaAdams Nissan Z rant - They took a great car and ruined it!Steve-0 rant — Robert Eaton was a momentous figure in the auto industry, and not for good. If not for him Chrysler would be alive and American rather that Euro and dyingCrazy car deals — Adams went to a Porsche Cars and Coffee and came home with *two* more Porsches. Then Steve-0 talks about a Duke faculty member who sold a crappy old Dodge Omni by bundling it with tickets to the Duke-Michigan basketball game which featured the “Fab Five”
New Renault Alpine A110s were spotted testing in Fla. Will the divine A110 come to the US? We definitely hope so!5/1/2024 is the 30th anniversary of Aryton Sennas death. We discuss this great and complicated figure.Trauma surgeon safetyThe Porsche 911 turbo turns 50 this year. We say happy birthday! Adams talks about its history and evolution then lists the 5 most collectible models. And then the three of us pick our all-time favorite 911 turbo. A Porsche dealer in Charleston, SC is suing a former sales manager for taking bribes from customers who wanted in-demand cars (think GT3, GT3 RS, 911 S/T, and 911 Turbo S). CoC wonders if this practice isn't more widespread, and why dealerships don't have small committees make these important decisions rather than individual employees. Finally, Steve-0 takes Mercedes to task for dumping too many EQS BEVs on their dealers (who don't want them), having to cut EQS prices by OMG $20,000, and for insisting on making their heretofore wonderful V8 C63 sedan a four-cylinder hybrid. We predict tepid sales. #carsoncallpodcast #steveautos #traumasurgeon #traumasurgeonsafety #autosafety #carsafety #porsche911turbo #porscheturbo #porscheturbo50jahre #mercedeseqs #mercedesc63 #porscheedealerbribe #porschecharleston #porschecharlestonbribe
News: Supra isn't selling. Just 484 in Q1, less than 671 Nissan 400Zs (and way less than 1930 Porsche 911s or 8600 Corvettes). Car spotting: the sublime 2018 Lexus GSF. Better than that year's BMW M5? Trauma surgeon safety Infiniti is now irrelevant as a luxury brand. After starting at the same time (and in the same place) as Lexus in 1989 they went from promising newcomer to not quite keeping up to sad also-ran in the luxury car battle. To prove the point: in 1990 they rivaled Lexus, but in 2024 sales wise they're equal to, and about to be passed by, Porsche. And that's despite many Infinitis being sold to rental car companies. We get into it. Finally Adams gives us a great "This or That": 1973 Datsun 240Z vs 1991 Nissan 300ZX #carsoncallpodcast #steveautos #traumasurgeon #traumasurgeonsafety #autosafety #carsafety #collectorcar #nissan300zx #datsun240z #infiniti
#carsoncallpodcast #steveautos #traumasurgeonsafetyWe celebrate the Ford Mustang's 60th birthday! Stephan goes through the original pony car's 60 years, generation by generation. Steve-0 talks new Mustang sales: spoiler alert, it sells way better than its competitors, the Chevy Camaro and Dodge Challenger, both of which are going away. Then Adams gives us a list of the most collectible Mustangs, and our trauma surgeon Stephan Moran MD goes through important racing Mustangs. The guys list their all-time favorite racing Mustangs and configure dream collector 'Stangs. Steve-0 mentions a few memorable press car Mustangs he's driven. And finally we all configure new Mustangs and discuss why our choice is good and the other guys' are stupid. #carsoncallpodcast #steveautos #traumasurgeonsafety #fordmustang #mustang60 #fordmustangbirthday
A new Toyota 4Runner is coming and we have a lot to say about it. Adams spotted a Gen 2 Toyota MR2. He likes it, but Steve-0 doesn't. Trauma surgeon Stephan Moran MD talks self-driving cars, starting with the recent Tesla settlement with the family of an Apple engineer who died behind the wheel of a Model X using Autopilot in California, and moving on to active driver assistance systems (ADAS), which he believes should always include driver monitoring systems (DMS). Adams eulogizes the Audi R8, which just went out of production. It was a great car. Steve-0 discusses Mansory, the luxury car personalization company in Germany that takes high end cars like Rolls Royces or Bentleys and "enhances" them with garish colors inside and out and other outlandish embellishments. We hate. #toyota4runner #toyotamr2 #teslaautopilot #audir8 #mansory #mansoryrollsroyce #carsoncallpodcast
News: Q1 new car sales highlights: Bronco/full size pickup sales down, small regular and luxury crossovers up, Maverick killing it. Adams spots an early 2008 Mercedes SLR McLaren. Both companies expected big success, but things didn't turn out that way. Our trauma surgeon Dr Stephan Moran talks about the recent decrease in highway deaths and how we have a long way to go to reach zero deaths (we're at 42k/yr right now). Adams rants about BEVs: he doesn't like them and is bothered by how they're not even good for the environment. The guys pick $10,000 collector cars they'd happily put in their garages. #carsoncallpodcast #steveautos #traumasurgeon #traumasurgeonsafety #autosafety #carsafety #collectorcar #vintagecar
News: Easter wknd is *the* Jeep off road event of the year in Moab, UT. Jeep typically brings a few concepts for their most active fans, and this year they brought 4 good ones. Trauma Surgeon Safety: CoC trauma surgeon Stephan Moran, MD talks about automated driving systems and why they don't work unless they come with robust driver monitoring systems. Car spotting: Adams spots and discusses the great 1965 Pontiac GTO. Steve-0 Rant: GM full-size SUVs are carrying the company and get no respect from anyone, especially GM management. That's a shame. The guys are CEO of Stellantis and get to make special bespoke Jeeps for ourselves. What would they be? The only rule is everything has to be available in 2024 (body/transmission/engine). #carsoncallpodcast #steveautos #traumasurgeon #traumasurgeonsafety #autosafety #carsafety #collectorcar #vintagecar #pontiacgto #selfdrivingcars #jeep #jeepmoab #gmsuv #gmfullsizesuv
Ford halted production of their best-selling F-150 because sales are softening. GM and Ram are also experiencing a slow down in sales of their full size pickups. We blame climbing interest rates and higher prices. Trauma surgeon safety: CoC trauma surgeon Dr Stephan Moran discusses the fact that the well-publicized death of billionaire Angela Chao in a submerged Tesla Model X was complicated by the fact that Ms Chao was drunk. Then he goes into drunk driving (and scootering) in general. CoC spots a 2020 Ford Mustang Mach 1 Steve-0 visited the incredible Ingram Porsche collection in Durham, NC. He describes it (hard to do it justice, honestly). Finally, Adams goes through the different kinds of car collectors and collections as well as what makes a collection great, good, or bad. And the guys say which cars they'd buy for their dream collections. #carsoncallpodcast #steveautos #traumasurgeon #traumasurgeonsafety #autosafety #carsafety #collectorcar #vintagecar #cardesign #ingramcollection #ingramporsche #drunkdriving #fordmustang #mustangmach1 #f150 #pickups
News: the 2025 Euro Audi A3 will require buyers to pay subscription fees for adaptive cruise control, automatic high beams, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, and dual zone climate control. We hate this but it's not going away, regrettably. Collector car expert Adams Hudson eulogizes the great Italian automotive designer Marcelo Gandini, who's portfolio includes the original BMW 5-series, Lamborghini Miura and Countach, and Renaut R5 Turbo. Our trauma surgeon Dr Stephan Moran discusses Angela Chao's death in a Tesla Model X after it sank into a pond and teaches us how to survive if your car gets submerged in water. Adams spots a 1989 Buick Reatta. You don't see many of those anymore. We revisit interiors. Our trauma surgeon talked about the safety benefits of the Ineos Grenadier interior with buttons instead of screens last week, and we know that the popular current 4Runner interior looks just like one 10yrs ago. We get into how interiors make a difference in attraction and collectability in addition to safety. Finally we each pick our #1 favorite interiors of all time. #carsoncallpodcast #steveautos #traumasurgeon #traumasurgeonsafety #autosafety #carsafety #collectorcar #vintagecar #ineosgrenadier #buickreatta #marcelogandini #carinterior #cardesign
News: Two Felicity Ace lawsuits. We knew this was coming after the car transporter ship named after a stripper sank 2yrs ago, and we get into it Collector car expert Adams Hudson gives us the best of Amelia Island after his recent trip there. He saw many amazing cars and brings us an update on the ever-changing collector car market. CoC trauma surgeon Dr Stephan Moran discusses the top 10 ways people get distracted during driving, as well as how interior design contributes to safety (or detracts from it). Car Spotting: 2024 Ineos Grenadier. A new SUV with an old look. We like it! Adams' stroke of dumbness this week is modern sports cars with overly complicated controls. His first recommendation to make these cars less dumb is to reintroduce the manual transmission to sports cars like the Corvette, then remove screens and other tech "improvements" to make things simpler. Lottery Car: you suddenly have $500k to spend on a car. It can be new or used but has to be driven, not necessarily daily but at least weekly. We each pick one. #carsoncallpodcast #steveautos #traumasurgeonsafety #traumasurgeon #strokesofdumbness #ameliaislandconcours #distracteddriving #ineosgrenadier #felicityace
Bronco update -- previous guest James Steele waited for 2yrs for his 2023 2dr Ford Bronco Sasquatch, and he just traded it in. For what? A 2024 4dr Bronco Raptor of course. We discuss.... Mercedes has been fading in the US luxury sales race, finishing 3rd in 2023 behind BMW and Lexus. In fact, Audi is catching up, which is big news. Mercedes' plan for 2024? Start selling less expensive vehicles and throttle back on the BEVs that their customers seem not to want. Trauma surgeon safety -- our trauma surgeon Dr Stephan Moran gets into regional differences in car crash and fatality rates. Albuquerque is the least safe city. Which is best? Toyota, Stellantis, and Mercedes Benz are investing in Vertical Take Off and Landing (VTOL) companies like Joby. Is that a smart move? CoC says yes. The average price of a new car or light truck in the US in 2023 was $47,000. Stephan and Steve-0 (and Jeff Bank) pick three vehicles they would buy for that much or less. #carsoncallpodcast #steveautos #broncoraptor #fordbronco #mercedeseqs #fordbroncoraptor #mercedeseq #traumasurgeonsafety #autosafety #joby #vtol
Friend of the show and former guest James Steele traded in a 2023 Bronco for a new Bronco Raptor Trauma surgeon Dr Stephen Moran talks about Lyme scooters and how unsafe they are. We spotted a Porsche Taycan Turbo S. It's quite a car, but OMG does it depreciate! Speaking of depreciation, collector car expert Adams gets into the cars that depreciate the most. Spoiler alert: the Taycan is on the list... This or that: Radwood era Mazda RX7 vs Nissan 300ZX #carsoncallpodcast #steveautos #traumasurgeon #traumasurgery #traumasurgeonsafety #autosafety #fordbronco #fordbroncoraptor #porschetaycan #depreciatingcars
Champion Porsche of Florida had a huge scandal in 2019 where customers who wanted to buy highly coveted Porsche GT cars got scammed by a dealership employee. We get into it. Trauma surgeon Dr Stephan Moran discusses the horrific Cruise/GM accident in San Francisco and takes the companies to task for how a terrible situation was made worse by their handling of it. We spot a 1986 Ford Bronco ll. The guys talk about how this SUV foreshadowed the Explorer which arrived 4yrs later as well as Ford's habit of calling some of their vehicles back then "ll" presumably in honor of CEO Henry Ford ll. Cars on Call has a lot to say about the AMG division of Mercedes, especially that they're not nearly as cool as they used to be. Each of us then list our three favorite AMG cars of all time. #carsoncallpodcast #steveautos #traumasurgeon #traumasurgery #traumasurgeonsafety #autosafety #broncoii #fordbroncoii #mercedesamg #mercedesna
Mark Greene's podcast Cars Yeah! is well known to automotive enthusiasts around the world, and Mark joins Cars on Call for a very special episode. Mark talks about his childhood as a young car guy, the 20-plus years he spent building Griot's Garage into a (very) successful business, and his popular podcast, which is now approaching its 2,500th episode. Mark has interviewed every person of note in the in the car world, and Cars on Call was thrilled to get to turn the tables and interview him. #carsoncallpodcast #steveautos #traumasurgeonsafety #autosafety #carsyeah #carsyeahpodcast
We preview the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe compact SUV. It's smaller than the Palisade and promises to be as successful. CoC is excited to see the Genesis version when it launches! Trauma surgeon safety: Dr Stephan Moran discusses the significant safety benefits of guard rails. He's concerned that electric vehicles, which are a lot heavier than internal combustion cars and trucks, can break through barriers too easily. We spotted a 1983 Volkswagen Rabbit GTI (the US version of the iconic Golf GTI sold in Europe). 2024 is the fiftieth year of the Volkswagen Golf. Adams gets into its history and why it had and has so much staying power. The guys have 200,000 fictitious dollars to spend on a collector car. They each come up with really cool cars. Of course. #carsoncallpodcast #steveautos, #volkswagengolf #vwgolf50jahre #golfgti #rabbitgti #traumasurgeonsafety #traumasurgeonsafety #traumasurgery
Toyota's coming out with a rest-of-world (ie - non-North America) pickup that's cheap and bare bones but not safe enough for the U.S. We discuss that vehicle as well as other small pickups like the Ford Maverick, which are increasing in popularity We spot a 1986 Lincoln Mark Vll LSC, which we think was America's best effort against the Germans in the 1980s. Adams gets into it. Trauma surgeon Dr Stephan Moran reviews a number of automotive safety features from the past. Many (most?) didn't really make people any safer, but they're interesting and serve as reminders of how much progress has been made in the world of car safety. Finally, the guys each go through their three favorite cars from TV shows. Listeners will probably not be surprised to hear that the Rockford Files, Speed Racer, Get Smart, the Brady Bunch, the Monkees, and others make our lists. #carsoncallpodcast #steveautos #traumasurgeon #traumasurgery #traumasurgeonsafety #autosafety #tvshowcars #rockfordfiles #speedracer #themonkees #mannix #munsters #starskyandhutch #lincolnlsc #lincolnmarkvii
Steve-0 discusses 2023 full size pickup truck sales. These popular vehicles drive the entire market, so Steve-0 gets into it. OMG they're wasteful! But they're great to drive on the highway. Our trauma surgeon Dr Stephan Moran says inflate your tires properly in order to keep you safe and maximize safety. And check your tires' age often, because they may just be worn out or too old. Btw - just because the outside of your tires looks fine doesn't mean the inside is. Adams spots a 2023 Aston Martin DBX SUV. The guys aren't psyched about it, but all three of us want Aston Martin to survive. Adams gets into AM's history. You're a 40-45 year old successful professional or tech start up "dude' (or dude-ess) and you want a vehicle that reflects your success. You're not rich yet, but you're getting there. What do you drive? The guys talk about the answer to that question if you were living in 1975, 1985, 1995, 2005, 2015, and 2025. It's a spirited conversation and you're welcome to tell us your ideas.
Porsche issues a stop-sale order for the Carrera GT. Which hasn't been for sale since 2006!! Steve-0 discusses 2023 luxury car sales: BMW is number one again, with Lexus, Mercedes, and Audi taking up the next three spots. Big surprise: Porsche outsold Lincoln. No one would have predicted that 20yrs ago. Trauma surgeon Dr Stephan Moran talks about winter driving safety. Tires, tires, tires! And don't go out unless you have to. We spot a 1974 MGB, and car collector/historian/consultant Adams Hudson gives listeners a thumbnail history of a brand that was great until it wasn't. Finally, Adams asks us whether we'd buy a vintage Jaguar E-type or Datsun 240Z if we had the choice of "this or that". #carsoncallpodcast #steveautos #vintagemg #mgcars #mgb #carreragt #porschecarreragt #porsche #traumasurgeon #traumasurgery #traumasurgeonsafety #autosafety
100 shows is a great milestone to reach, so the guys list their favorite five segments, and we "discuss" But first, Steve-0 likens the current BEV moment to the development of the cell phone, which began in 1983, went through a long phase of evolution, and then settled on the iPhone in 2007. As cell phone users 25 years ago didn't know what ideal devices would eventually be, BEV owners don't know what really good BEVs will ultimately turn into with time. You'll have to listen to learn each host's five favorite stories, but regular viewers won't be surprised that the list includes the Felicity Ace transport ship that sunk, the Toyota 4Runner, Teslification of the car industry, don't ever put your feet up on the dashboard of your car, how our trauma surgeon Stephan Moran helped save the life of NASCAR great Jack Roush, BMW lost their way, the glorious history of Jaguar, kit cars, etc etc. Finally, we each list our favorite car spotting vehicle #carsoncallpodcast #steveautos #roushracing #bricklin #classiccars #BMW #felicityace #4runner #traumasurgeon #traumasurgery #traumasurgeonsafety #autosafety #BEVproblems #electriccars
News - Steve-0 drove a Smart Fortwo. He had fun but it's only good in town and SGM has a lot to say about its safety profile Car spotting - Adams spots an 1972 Opel GT, a weird euro sports car sold in Buick dealers that had pop-up headlights with mechanical (non-electronic) mechanism to pop them up Safety - our trauma surgeon Dr Stephan Moran talks about how a Smartcar isn't safe, but it's safer than driving a golf cart or a motorcycle Buick - last week we discussed how >50% of dealers are walking away from the brand as it electrifies. That's not good news, and we think it means that Buick is dying. We give Buick the Jaguar treatment (from two weeks ago) and get into their past greatness. Finally we'll each name our favorite Buick #carsoncallpodcast #steveautos #buick #opelgt #classicbuick #strokesofdumbness #buickgrandnational
Steve-0 rode in a self-driving Waymo car and talks about it #thefuture Audi Sport turned 40 in 2023. We discuss how it made Audi the legitimate luxury automaker it is today thanks to victories in Rally racing and LeMans, where they won 13 twenty four hour races (14 if you count the 2003 Bentley win, which was actually an Audi win--yes we talk about that). Not coincidentally we spot a 2001 Audi TT, an iconic Audi and one of the best platform sharing cars ever (despite its great reputation it actually shares a platform with the pedestrian VW Golf). Trauma surgeon Dr Stephan Moran then goes into the many safety benefits of AWD. Then, the three of us pick a dream three car garage. The rules: new vehicles only, they're our only cars, and we have to keep them for five years. Finally, we make 2024 predictions #carsoncallpodcast #steveautos #traumasurgeonsafety #traumasurgery #audisport #auditt #audirally #audilemans
GM and Mary Barra confront more problems, including a "stop sell" for the BEV Chevrolet Blazer and Edmunds announcing that their test Blazer, the Motor Trend SUV of the year, if you can believe it, had 23 problems that kept it at the dealership for 2wks of their 2mos experience with it. Shame on Motor Trend for their award! We spot a 1986 Pontiac Firebird and revel in its '80s graphics. No, it won't ever be a collector car. Trauma surgeon Stephan Moran, MD discusses Waymo and how that Google-related self-driving car company is leading the way toward safe roadways. Our collector car expert Adams Hudson asks in this week's, "This or That?" would you want an older Cadillac CTS-V wagon or a newer Porsche Cayenne GTS SUV? Finally, the guys configure the new Ford Bronco that they would want in their garage. #carsoncallpodcast #steveautos #rangeroverevoque #rangeroverevoqueconvertible #nissanmuranoconvertible #fordbronco #fordbroncoconfiguration #traumasurgeon #traumasurgery #traumasurgeonsafety #autosafety
The Wall Street Journal recently published a hit piece taking down GM CEO Mary Barra. Among other things the article discussed how Barra overinvested in battery electric vehicle (BEV) and self-driving tech, while underinvesting in proven hybrids and internal combustion vehicles. We say: GM's CEO should have hedged her BEV/self-driving bets rather than going, "all in". Trauma surgeon Stephan's daughter Lauren spotted a 2016 Range Rover Evoque convertible. She and we hate it! WTF? Dr Moran then puts on his trauma surgeon hat and discusses rear seat safety ratings, in this case those for mid-size luxury SUVs. He is gratified that the IHSS is now measuring the safety ratings for rear seat passengers but disappointed that so many "family haulers" have unsafe rear seats. You can't improve something unless you first measure it, so we hope rear seats become safer for kids soon. The guys then get into their favorite childhood car toys. You-build-it plastic model cars are all of our faves, especially Tamiyas, but Hot Wheels and Corgis also earned our love. Finally, all three of us select the $125,000 collector car that we would pick to put in our garages. Spoiler alert: they're all cool! #carsoncallpodcast #steveautos #traumasurgeonsafety #suvconvertible #rangeroverevoque #gmtroubles #timesupforbarra #firebarra #tamiya
Jeep drops the Renegade, a lousy Jeep based on the lousy Fiat 500L. We're *very* glad to see it die. Trauma surgeon Stephan Moran talks about how distracted pedestrians contribute to pede-cyclists deaths. Dr Moran introduces his, "pede-cyclist fatality risk duality coefficient". Yes, we're trademarking it. We spot a 2002 Jaguar S-type sedan. We think it either killed Jaguar or contributed significantly to Jaguar's death. For the record, we are aware that Jaguar isn't dead, but, honestly, Jaguar in 2023 is a zombie brand. We discuss and then list our favorite Jaguars of all time. #carsoncallpodcast #steveautos #jaguarusa #jaguarhistory #traumasurgery #traumasurgeon #traumasurgeonsafety #jaguarstype #jeeprenegade
Collector car prices are dropping. Cars on Call collector car expert Adams Hudson weighs in with the deets, including a deep dive into what the market looks like for the next year or so. Stephan spots a Mango green Mercedes AMG G63. He hates it, Steve-0 loves it, and Adams doesn't care. We laugh about collector car advertisement phrases and what they really mean. Trauma surgeon Stephan Moran gets into the safety crisis we face in the US as more and more pedestrians and cyclists are being killed on our roads. He talks about how regulators and drivers can fix the problem, and Steve-0 wonders if distracted pedestrians are exacerbating things. Then, we each pretend we are the CEO of Ford and then Toyota and can have the company make bespoke vehicles for us. We "build" the cars (or trucks) we'd have Ford or Toyota build for us and discuss. Boy was this a fun challenge! Finally we raise a glass to Paul Walker, who died in a Porsche Carrera GT (driven too fast by a "friend" of his) almost exactly 10 years ago. We think he's the Millennial generation's Steve McQueen. #carsoncallpodcast #steveautos #paulwalkerrip #collectorcars #collectorcarprices #traumasurgeon #traumasurgery #traumasurgeonsafety #fordna #toyotausa
Just over 5yrs ago Nissan arranged for their CEO Carlos Ghosn to be arrested and charged with financial crimes that involved, among other things, not actually stealing anything. Mr Ghosn is now hiding in Lebanon, where he can't be extradited, and Nissan has taken a beating financially. Maybe next time quietly fire your CEO and avoid a raft of problems. Our collector car Adams discusses the 2006 Pontiac Solstice. A future collectible? We say yes. Finally, we talk big block C2 Corvettes and many other "car guy" topics with our trauma surgeon Stephan Moran's French cousin Carole Gratzmuller. It's a great conversation with a very interesting woman. #carsoncallpodcast #steveautos #pontiacsolstice #traumasurgery #traumasurgeon #c2corvette #rallyedesfemmes #nissanghosn @carlosghosn
Hyundai announces that customers will be able to buy their vehicles on Amazon soon. Stephan says it's more "Teslafication", a term he coined about 2yrs ago. He's right! A 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO that went for $500,000 in 1985 sells for $52,000,000 at a recent auction. We talk about GTOs and focus on Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason's because we love that band and his cars. Steve-0 isn't happy that Stellantis is laying off half (yes *half*) of its North American salaried workforce in a cost cutting move. If Chrysler had merged with GM rather than Fiat in 2009 most of those jobs would have been saved. Shame on Stellantis. Our trauma surgeon Stephan Moran hates the "Carolina squat" that many dude bros are doing to their pickups. OMG guys, stop! You're endangering everyone around you, especially pedestrians! Finally the guys pick the $100,000 collector car they'd pick for their respective garages. We think you'll like them.... #carsoncallpodcast #steveautos #traumasurgeonsafety #traumasurgeon #ferrarigto #stellantis #teslafication #carolinasquat
Mercedes decides to put BEV charging stations at Buc-ees. Say what? The guys agree that Mercedes and Buc-ees don't belong together. Trauma surgeon Stephan Moran and former CoC guest USAF Lt Gen/F15 pilot (ret) Brett Willams did the two-day Masters Porsche track experience at Barber Park together. They loved it, and Stephan talks about it. Next Stephan gets into the safety lessons that he learned during that experience, including: if you find yourself in a situation where a collision is unavoidable, pull your arms into your chest and make sure your feet are off of the pedals! Finally, the guys discuss which $80,000 collector car they would buy for their garages. #carsoncallpodcast #steveautos #traumasurgeonsafety #porschetrackexperience #bucees #collectorcars #mercedeseqs #mercedescharging #mercedesbucees #personalfinance
Manufacturers are pausing production of battery electric vehicles (BEV), cancelling factories, and walking back sales forecasts. We discuss why BEVs are suddenly on the struggle bus and get into how and why, "the dogs aren't eating the dog food". Our two cents? Slow down implementation of pure electric cars and rely on hybrids in the near and medium term. We spot a pristine 1978 Dodge Aspen, sister car to the more famous Plymouth Volare. Steve-0 says that 1978 was the epicenter of the Malaise Era, and this car is as "malaise" as it gets. Trauma surgeon Stephan Moran has more to say about self-driving cars and how that technology is both good and bad for making vehicles safer. The guys discuss. Finally, we imagine GM's new vehicle lineup in 2030, but rather than it being 90% BEV as many predict, we say it'll be just 30% that way. So which internal combustion GM cars and trucks would we manufacture in 2030 if we were CEO? Listen and find out. #carsoncallpodcast #steveautos #bevsarestruggling #bevstrugglebus #dodgeaspen #plymouthvolare traumasurgeonsafety #futuregm
A few weeks ago we each picked a $35,000 collector car for our virtual garages. Today we sell that car and spend $50,000 on a dream collector car to replace it. The only caveat, it must seat four. Adams spots a 1999 Plymouth Prowler, Daimler Chrysler's attempt to resurrect the hot rod. The guys agree that it was ugly then, and it's still ugly. In general, the best fix for a bad looking car is more power, but the Prowler's 253HP V6 provided neither a lot of oomph nor an attractive exhaust note. Girls: if your mom did it better and looked better doing it, maybe just stay home on Saturday night....... Our trauma surgeon Stephan Moran discusses some self-driving car problems as well as how he'd address them to make piloting vehicles with "autonomous" technology safer. Then the crew gets into when certain features that we remember--carburetors, front bench seats, cassette players, pop-up headlights, vent windows, and chrome bumpers--died, plus features on current cars that we think will die soon. #carsoncallpodcast #steveautos #automotivefeatures #autonomousdriving #selfdrivingcars #traumasurgeonsafety #plymouthprowler #collectorcars
The guys take issue with Jeep's congress-like delays in getting the Wagoneer to market, and we hate the styling. The market agrees by steering clear of it and the more lux Grand Wagoneer. Car Spotting: Adams sees a Mitsubishi Montero. Remember those? Neither does anyone else, though Stephan recalls they were generally seen in front of a blue haze of oil smoke. Safety: Trauma surgeon Stephan Moran tells us of upcoming safety risks in the creep toward autonomous driving: Situational Ignorance. (Yes we all know many to whom this applies in all situations!) But looking out the window, scrolling your phone and general day-dreaming WILL NOT allow you time to correct in the face of an emergency. Then the guys bring up some lively conversation picking THREE cars in each category below: 1) Dead but cool cars we wish they'd bring back. 2) Car models that came back and were very good. 3) Cars that came back and should've stayed dead. Ugh, we're looking at you 2004 Ford T-bird revamp. Heaven help us. Agree or disagree? Which ones would you have picked? #carsoncallpodcast #steve.autos #traumasurgeonsafetytips #traumasurgery #montero
Stephan and Adams are away so guest host Jeff Bank and Steve-0 do the best they can to fill in. Jeff gets into infotainment systems and why JD Power says they're making new car buyers unhappy. Jeff explains why the logical fix is to let Apple and Google take over. Steve-0 agrees. Steve-0 discusses Q3 2023 auto sales data: what's up and what's down. There are some surprises! Next, Jeff and Steve-0 talk about their experiences owning a new Miata and 911 respectively. They both love their cars! Then Jeff's dad Jerry joins in the conversation when it turns to a Gen 1 Jaguar E-type that Jeff spotted. And finally, Jerry and the guys talk Corvettes. Long time Vette fan Jerry has a lot to say about where the Corvette brand has been, where it is now, and where it's going. Thank you Jerry! #carsoncallpodcast #steve.autos
Steve-0 went to the 7th Porsche Rennsport Reunion with previous CoC guest USAF Gen (ret) Brett Williams. They had a great time, and Steve-0 tells us about it. Trauma surgeon Stephan Moran spots a Gen 1 Bentley Continental GT and loved it. Sadly, its innovative W12 engine is going away. Trauma surgeon safety message: One Wheel electric skateboards are unsafe. Avoid them. Regardless of why you buy a particular car, owning it says something about you, whether you like it or not. The guys get into the many realities of owning different cars: a new Mercedes S-class says, "rich guy", an old Toyota Corolla says, "poor guy", BMW owners don't use their directionals, Porsche owners are dicks, and Ferrari owners are even worse. We go deep into this multi-faceted topic. Finally another "This or That" from Adams: would you pick a 2017 Audi R8 or a similar vintage Lamborghini Gallardo? #carsoncallpodcast #traumasurgeonsafetylesson #traumasurgeoncarsafety #bentleycontinentalgt #rennsportreunion7 #steve.autos
Stephan and Adams lay into Tesla for calling their "Autopilot" nothing more than smart cruise control in court. Umm, then why call it "Autopilot"? We spot an Oscar Meyer Weinermobile! Then our trauma surgeon Stephan calls out e-bikes for being much more dangerous than advertised: message to listeners--be very careful on these machines, they can kill you if you're not careful. Finally, our special guest Bobby Crumpley and the boys discuss vintage Fords, especially Cobras, but also many other Ford muscle cars. Bobby has bought, sold, and held many collector cars of that genre, and he educates us (and you) on the ins and outs of collecting old cars. Hint: it's easy to get it wrong. #carsoncallpodcast #vintageford #fordcobra #fordmustang
Adams bought a 20 year old Ferrari F360 with a gated manual transmission in NART Blue. We're psyched for him and gush. Frequent guest Jeff Bank sends his lists of new cars for sale now that are cool and not cool, and we go through them. He sent great lists! Trauma surgeon Stephan Moran discusses the surprising lack of rear seat safety in, of all things, minivans. OMG this needs to change! Steve-0 spots a 1968 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia. Ford launches the "Rally" version of the BEV Ford Mustang Mach E. We hate it. This or That: 2017 Mercedes AMG GT Coupe or 2017 Corvette Gran Sport? #carsoncallpodcast #traumasurgeonsafety #karmannghia #ferrari360 #10coolcars #10uncoolcars #macherally #fordmacherally
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