Then we get an update about Benjamin's experience at Watkins Glen International Racetrack, and how he handled the fast and exciting track in his Datsun, and his Dad's Mustang! Thanks for listening!

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Then the conversation turns to Benjamin's track car, his Datsun Z, which has been turning laps for the last few years, though with some varying periods of downtime. He details its recent upgrades and how he'll return to the track in a few weeks with a new approach to apexes. Thanks for listening!

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Then Sami talks about the 2024 Lexus RX 450h+, a PHEV version of the ever popular Lexus RX. On a long road trip, Sami had the time to experience how practical, efficient and luxurious the new plug-in RX is, but has a few issues with its approach to technology. Is it worth the nearly $20k upgrade from the entry level RX? Thanks for listening!

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Then Sami returns from Spain where he drove the new 2023 Range Rover Sport, including its impressive (to him) PHEV model. Sami answers the ever-important question of "Whats the deal with the Range Rover Sport anyways?" by telling you about its price, seat configuration and other products at Jaguar-Land Rover, before getting distracted by a LIGHTNING ROUND of Detroit Auto Show news.

That's the fun of this week's episode, so be sure to subsribe, drop us a line on social media, or send us a tip through Ko-Fi!

Links:

• First Drive: 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport PHEV — The latest trend in the automotive industry is to tough up a utility vehicle and sell it at a premium price as an aspirational object to those with deep pockets. Sometimes it doesn’t feel quite genuine; other times it feels like blatantly cashing in on a fad. But Range Rover has been offering high-end, go-anywhere kinds of SUVs for decades, allowing the company a bit more flexibility regarding how to stand out. The solution seems to be electrification, with our first taste coming with the Range Rover Sport Plug-in Electric Vehicle (PHEV).
• Review: The 2023 Cadillac Escalade-V Is a Roadgoing Mega Yacht With Rocket Power — The Saturn V was the king of all rockets, a towering, 363-foot monument to escaping the surly bonds of Earth, its 7.6 million pounds of thrust defying not just gravity but also its own 3,100 tons of mass on the way towards pushing manned spaceflight further into the solar system than ever before. Back on the surface of our planet, Cadillac has just unveiled its own ultra-heavy rocket: the Escalade-V, a startling merger of the brand’s largest sport-utility vehicle and its most powerful supercharged V8 engine.
• Like what you hear? Tip us at Ko-Fi — Send a dollar our way using Ko-Fi to help support the Unnamed Automotive Podcast.

Then flyboy Sami talks about his bizarre mission from Europe, where he tested out the not-for-America 2023 Mazda CX-60. The CX-60 features the same platform and powertrain of the upcoming CX-90, just in a smaller package, so now Sami and you, our odeal listener, have an idea of what's going on behind the doors at Mazda. It's easy to forget that this automaker worked on such wild ideas as the compression ignition engine, rotary engine and DEF-less diesel engine, so what can go wrong with another weird change of pace? Benjamin also provides an interesting update on his Grand Wagoneer, and explains why he won't be towing with it anytime soon.

For more fun stuff like this weeks episode, head on over to unnamedautomotivepodcast.com, or engage with our guys (@huntingbenjamin and @Sami_HA) on your favorite social media platform."

Links:

• Like what you hear? Tip us at Ko-Fi — Send a dollar our way using Ko-Fi to help support the Unnamed Automotive Podcast.

Then Sami jumps into the 2022 Kia Telluride, a former darling of the automotive media. The Kia had also seen new rivals in the form of the new Jeep Grand Cherokee L and the Nissan Pathfinder. Can it still keep up? Should shoppers wait for the newly announced 2023 model? Sami jumps into each of those questions with reckless abandon and little time to think, so be ready for off-the-cuff answers.

Finally the two talk automotive news and Apples automotive dashboard design that's a part of iOS16, before Benjamin shares an update on his Datsun. Hear it all right here and be sure to subscribe to hear all the latest episodes throughout the summer.

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• Like what you hear? Tip us at Ko-Fi — Send a dollar our way using Ko-Fi to help support the Unnamed Automotive Podcast.

Then Benjamin dives in to talk about the 2022 Acura MDX Type S, which leverages Acura's once sexy sport trim for a new (nefarious?) purpose. With a turbocharged 3.0-litre six-cylinder engine, is the MDX Type S hot enough to be worthy of that name? Where else does its performance shine? Will Benjamin end up begging listeners to help him understand where Acura is going with this Type S branding?

Finally, Benjamin shares an update on his Datsun woes, and how he hopes to resolve his issues to get back on the track again.

Thanks for listening! Be sure to subscribe and review!

Links:

• Review: The 2022 Acura MDX Type S Trades Its Hot Hybrid Past for Turbocharged Nostalgia — Acura's best-selling SUV sees an almost-revival of the Type S promise.
• Like what you hear? Tip us at Ko-Fi — Send a dollar our way using Ko-Fi to help support the Unnamed Automotive Podcast.

Then Sami finds himself in the driver's seat of a 2022 Land Rover Range Rover Velar, an SUV that used to look stylish, modern and fresh, but is now feeling a bit unrefined and out of sorts following the latest updates elsewhere in the Range Rover lineup. Hear his thoughts on the dizzying technology within the Velar, the start-stop system and the luxurious appointments of the cabin, before sharing his fears of being carjacked.

Finally, Sami and Benjamin discuss the latest news in the industry, including the reports of a new Thunderbird, a huge 8-seater Land Rover Defender and a funny looking rally Juke. Listen to it all and don't forget to subscribe if you haven't yet. Or leave us a review!

Links:

• Like what you hear? Tip us at Ko-Fi — Send a dollar our way using Ko-Fi to help support the Unnamed Automotive Podcast.

Sami then shares his thoughts on the European market after having spent two weeks abroad, including some fun road trips in the 2022 Toyota Yaris Cross. The subcompact crossover is quirky and efficient, and managed to impress it's fair share of fans.

Benjamin follows with an explanation of what it's like to tow his Datsun Z track car with the new 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer. Will his wallet will ever be the same? Finally the pair wrap up a secret, sticky, sweet feature that's only our die hard fans will really appreciate. Listen, like, rate and enjoy!

Links:

• Like what you hear? Tip us at Ko-Fi — Send a dollar our way using Ko-Fi to help support the Unnamed Automotive Podcast.
• Review: The 2022 Audi RS E-tron GT — It's an astonishing automobile that shows, when it comes to EVs, range isn't everything.
• Tow Tested: The 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer SUV Is A Luxurious And Thirsty Trailer Rig — The 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer might not share much in common with my own Grand Wagoneer other than the name, but it certainly proved itself a comfortable, if thirsty, stand-in while towing my Datsun up and down New Hampshire's White Mountains.

Links:

• Code 45 - Benjamin's graphic novel!

Also - Porsche book contest winners!

Links:

• A YEAR ON THE RACE TRACK IN A VINTAGE CAR: WHAT DID IT COST ME? — Four years later, almost all of the bugs have been worked out of my 1978 Datsun 280Z. A series of upgrades have left the engine largely untouched, but the driveline and the suspension have been built to withstand the perils of high performance driving. Now that I am past the stage of correcting the issues that crop up on any secondhand automobile (deferred maintenance, design defects), I thought it would be interesting to examine what it cost me, in terms of time, toil, and treasure, to keep a 41 year old automobile in fighting shape during a full summer of on-track abuse.
• 2019 Mazda MX-5 Review — The Mazda MX-5 adds horsepower for 2019, addressing one of the most common complaints from people who’ve never actually driven the car. Is the extra output more of a good thing, capable of pushing the world’s most popular roadster to the next level where it can better hang with the current crop of sports cars? Or is it too much sauce slathered on top of an already excellent recipe?

Links:

• First Drive: 2019 Toyota Corolla Hatchback — The conscious decoupling of Toyota and Scion after the latter brand’s demise resulted in a few awkward years for product planners at the parent company, who tried their best to cram leftovers (iM) and newly birthed orphans (CH-R) wherever they could into the behemoth’s North American showrooms. By now, however, the game of musical chairs is over, and there’s no longer any riff-raff hanging around to clutter up the playing field – which is why Toyota has introduced an all-new Corolla hatchback for 2019.

Links:

• First Drive: Electronic charm school civilizes the wildest C-Class family members, the 2019 AMG C63 and C63 S — Even though the rowdiest members of any family eventually grow up, they don't always entirely mature. Mercedes-AMG has been walking a delicate line with its entire lineup over the past several years in a well-intentioned effort to refine what has traditionally been one of the woollier gatherings of hairy-knuckled luxury sports cars. They’re branded with the Silver Star, to be sure, but still wild enough to buck their riders in a bellowsome display of horsepower and oversteer.
• 2019 Mercedes-AMG C63 First Drive Review — Sometimes, to help tame the beast you must first sharpen its claws. So it goes with the 2019 Mercedes-AMG C63 and C63 S, a full-fledged family of monsters wrapped in a golden fleece that does little to mask the sheer brutality of their twin-turbo output. Rather than dial back any aspect of the C63’s formidable character, AMG has instead elected to digitally parse its power by way of a host of high-tech helpers that secure its purchase on terra firma more effectively than in the previous model.

Links:

• 2017 Mercedes-AMG E43 Review — Automotive branding breeds unusual beasts, and nowhere is this truer than in the ever-shifting landscape of German luxury sedans and their performance counterparts.