The Best AMG Isn't the 63; Heli Crash; Robotaxi vs Waymo

This week we convene without a guest, but we don't need one because Matt and Zack have driven plenty of new cars in the last week.  At the Chyrsler press event the Ram Pro Master, Dart GT, Fiat 500e, Cherokee Trail Hawk and Grand Cherokee diesel were all abused and thrown recklessly  enthusiastically driven, occassionally with passengers in designated cargo areas.  Matt also shares his experience with the mid-cycle refresh of the Panamera to be followed by discussions of flight lessons, high class hobos, and pizza delivery.   Want your question answered? Want to watch the live stream, get ad-free podcasts, or exclusive podcasts? Join our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thesmokingtirepodcast Use Off The Record! and ALWAYS fight your tickets! Enter code TST10 for a 10% discount on your first case on the Off The Record app, or go to http://www.offtherecord.com/TST. Watch our car reviews: https://www.youtube.com/thesmokingtire Tweet at us!https://www.Twitter.com/thesmokingtirehttps://www.Twitter.com/zackklapman Instagram:https://www.Instagram.com/thesmokingtirehttps://www.Instagram.com/therealzackklapman

9 Okt 20131h 25min

Everything  you NEED to know about WHEELS. Alan Peltier and Patrick Moran from HRE Wheels join us to discuss wheels of course.  Alan dives deep into wheel design and construction, while we spout off with our usual barrage of bullshit.  Additionally Alan teaches us what to look for when purchasing wheels.  Beyond all the wheel talk Zack spent some time with a new Tesla Model S and Matt had the good fortune of spending an afternoon with a Lexus LFA.  Want your question answered? Want to watch the live stream, get ad-free podcasts, or exclusive podcasts? Join our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thesmokingtirepodcast Use Off The Record! and ALWAYS fight your tickets! Enter code TST10 for a 10% discount on your first case on the Off The Record app, or go to http://www.offtherecord.com/TST. Watch our car reviews: https://www.youtube.com/thesmokingtire Tweet at us!https://www.Twitter.com/thesmokingtirehttps://www.Twitter.com/zackklapman Instagram:https://www.Instagram.com/thesmokingtirehttps://www.Instagram.com/therealzackklapman

2 Okt 20132h 9min

This week Garnett Lee of Weekend Confirmed and Editorial Director of GameFly Media joins us in studio.  We talk about Garnett's vehicle history including his new Boxster. Rolling with the theme of vehicle history we discuss highschool car culture in the late 90s.  After the trip down memory lane we find time to discuss tires, the new Mini JCW GP, stolen iPhones, Gwar and tire modeling in racing games.  Also Zack and Matt just returned from Nevada where they particpated in the Silver State Classic, encountered a racist rodea clown (redundant?) and Matt uknowingly purchases a stolen iPhone.   Want your question answered? Want to watch the live stream, get ad-free podcasts, or exclusive podcasts? Join our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thesmokingtirepodcast Use Off The Record! and ALWAYS fight your tickets! Enter code TST10 for a 10% discount on your first case on the Off The Record app, or go to http://www.offtherecord.com/TST. Watch our car reviews: https://www.youtube.com/thesmokingtire Tweet at us!https://www.Twitter.com/thesmokingtirehttps://www.Twitter.com/zackklapman Instagram:https://www.Instagram.com/thesmokingtirehttps://www.Instagram.com/therealzackklapman

25 Sep 20131h 58min

This week we welcome Rich Fowler of Motorsport Retro. We spend a bit of time talking F1 stuff mostly Prost vs. Senna and of course the new Räikkönen + Ferrari alliance.  We touch upon the mertis of Australia's V8 Super Car series vs NASCAR, the reckles aussie abandon that is Bathhurst, and of course Australia's most famous vehicles the utes.  Beyond all of that and our usual brand of bullshit, Rich is simply floored by our outlook on electric vehicles and hybrids; the Volt and Tesla Model S specifically.   Want your question answered? Want to watch the live stream, get ad-free podcasts, or exclusive podcasts? Join our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thesmokingtirepodcast Use Off The Record! and ALWAYS fight your tickets! Enter code TST10 for a 10% discount on your first case on the Off The Record app, or go to http://www.offtherecord.com/TST. Watch our car reviews: https://www.youtube.com/thesmokingtire Tweet at us!https://www.Twitter.com/thesmokingtirehttps://www.Twitter.com/zackklapman Instagram:https://www.Instagram.com/thesmokingtirehttps://www.Instagram.com/therealzackklapman

18 Sep 20131h 18min

This week we convene sans guest, that being said we make do.  Matt discusses his upcoming moderation of "Black Air" (Grand National Documentary) at the Jalopnik Film Festival.  Zack and Thad share tales of drag racing station wagons.  We thoroughly lambast the appearance of the Shelby Raptor, lust over a 64 Corvette autocross special, Matt reviews the Range Rover Sport, we say many kind words about Greg Fitzsimmons and more...  Want your question answered? Want to watch the live stream, get ad-free podcasts, or exclusive podcasts? Join our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thesmokingtirepodcast Use Off The Record! and ALWAYS fight your tickets! Enter code TST10 for a 10% discount on your first case on the Off The Record app, or go to http://www.offtherecord.com/TST. Watch our car reviews: https://www.youtube.com/thesmokingtire Tweet at us!https://www.Twitter.com/thesmokingtirehttps://www.Twitter.com/zackklapman Instagram:https://www.Instagram.com/thesmokingtirehttps://www.Instagram.com/therealzackklapman

11 Sep 20131h 56min

I'll get right to the cool stuff, Matt put 300 miles on a brand new C7 Corvette Stingray and Zack spent some time with the 2014 911 Turbo S.  Now the rest of this post is likely superfluous but what kind of sorry excuse for a podcaster/blogger would I be if I didn't expound a bit?Beyond two of the biggest names in sporting things with 4 wheels, Matt and Zack both made their ways to Europe and brought us the gift of stories from the "old country" and likely unending jealousy for many of our listeners.  Matt visited Koenigsegg and spent some time with their test driver as they flogged an Agera R for an afternoon; you know when he wasn't busy touring the continent in a brand new M6 Coupé (accent added for additional euro flavour (also the u because I'm feeling international)).  Whilst making his way across the continent the M6 may or may not have spanked a Ferrari 458.  If that wasn't enough Zack flew over to Germany to film the 2014 911 Turbo S for Tangent Vector, and it seems as though Porsche may have produced a car that is good.  In a different part of the country Matt was busy making his way around the Nürburgring Nordschleife because racecar.Oh yeah, and of course everybody is back from Pebble Beach and the Concours d'Elegance.  We make fun of snooty old money guys wearing stupid pants, the autmotive journalists who believe they're mocking them (even though they really aren't) and our plans for next years appearance at Pebble.All of that and the requisite number of dick and fart jokes.  Want your question answered? Want to watch the live stream, get ad-free podcasts, or exclusive podcasts? Join our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thesmokingtirepodcast Use Off The Record! and ALWAYS fight your tickets! Enter code TST10 for a 10% discount on your first case on the Off The Record app, or go to http://www.offtherecord.com/TST. Watch our car reviews: https://www.youtube.com/thesmokingtire Tweet at us!https://www.Twitter.com/thesmokingtirehttps://www.Twitter.com/zackklapman Instagram:https://www.Instagram.com/thesmokingtirehttps://www.Instagram.com/therealzackklapman

4 Sep 20131h 28min

This week we put too many damned people on mic.  Mike Spinelli and Travis Okulski from Jalopnik join us alongside Doug Demuro of Plays with Cars and the rest of the usual crew with a half intoxicated Dan Neil and Blake Rong shouting things at us from the background.The topics run long and varied on this episode here's the breakdown.Jalopnik's Road Trip to Pebble BeachJaguar F-Type & XFR-SLemons newest spectacle the upside down CamaroMatt drives a turbocharged Chevy ColoradoWe once again expound on the heaping pile that is the Mercedes G WagonRidiculous warranty abuse at CarmaxWe discuss John Salley's boner pillsTravis spent some time in the Hennessey Turbo Ferrari 458Travis being the lucky bastard he is also got an Audi RS7 for a week alongside a Porsche Cayman SSpinelli regales us with tales of his youth and using a Bitter SC to buy doughnutsStories from the famed Stelvio PassWe teach Matt about KloutAnd finally we discuss Wheel of Fortune if it were to be filmed in Wales.  Want your question answered? Want to watch the live stream, get ad-free podcasts, or exclusive podcasts? Join our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thesmokingtirepodcast Use Off The Record! and ALWAYS fight your tickets! Enter code TST10 for a 10% discount on your first case on the Off The Record app, or go to http://www.offtherecord.com/TST. Watch our car reviews: https://www.youtube.com/thesmokingtire Tweet at us!https://www.Twitter.com/thesmokingtirehttps://www.Twitter.com/zackklapman Instagram:https://www.Instagram.com/thesmokingtirehttps://www.Instagram.com/therealzackklapman

28 Aug 20132h 10min

This week we invite Gale Banks of Banks Power and "Special" Dan Neil of the Wall Street Journal into the studio.  Of course with Mr. Banks in the house we spent copious amounts of time discussing diesel engines and turbocharging technology.  Additionally we covered Banks' new StraightShot Water/Methanol Injection system, jake brakes, Jetta TDis, Turbocharged 5 Cylinder Chevy Colorados, tuning a BMW 335, Pikes Peak and of course Dan convinces Gale to lend him a racecar.If you like the show please leave us a review on iTunes.   Want your question answered? Want to watch the live stream, get ad-free podcasts, or exclusive podcasts? Join our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thesmokingtirepodcast Use Off The Record! and ALWAYS fight your tickets! Enter code TST10 for a 10% discount on your first case on the Off The Record app, or go to http://www.offtherecord.com/TST. Watch our car reviews: https://www.youtube.com/thesmokingtire Tweet at us!https://www.Twitter.com/thesmokingtirehttps://www.Twitter.com/zackklapman Instagram:https://www.Instagram.com/thesmokingtirehttps://www.Instagram.com/therealzackklapman

21 Aug 20131h 52min