The Smoking Tire Podcast: Corvette ZR1X Record; 1-of-1 Ferrari Found; WHAT is that Car?

Hosts: Matt Farah & Zack Klapman
Date: January 16, 2026
Episode Overview:
Matt and Zack dive into the latest performance car news, reflect on their own car adventures, break down the “Performance Car of the Year” picks from Road & Track, delve into the mind-blowing numbers behind the Corvette ZR1X quarter-mile run, and share some automotive oddities—like a one-off Ferrari-badged Elantra found on the street.

Main Theme & Purpose

The episode centers on:

• Road & Track’s Performance Car of the Year selections and details from testing
• Chevrolet’s astonishing 8-second quarter-mile run in the Corvette ZR1X
• Odd and interesting car sightings in LA, including a unique “Ferrari” Elantra
• Answering listener questions about performance metrics, car buying, and more

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Morning Drives and Car Catching-up

• Matt shares a morning leisure drive in his Porsche 718 Spyder after letting it sit for weeks ("Pink car very happy now" - Matt, 07:01). He connects several scenic canyon roads, finding the optimal route to avoid commuter traffic.
• Discussion on GT3s with wing delete, referencing Jerry Seinfeld’s Porsche builds and how deleting the swan-neck wing alters looks and high-speed stability.

2. Wing Design and Aftermarket Aerodynamics

• Aerodynamics of changed wing heights:
  • Sharkey’s GT4 wing riser kit discussed; speculation about negligible impact on performance but improvement in rear-visibility.
  • "Seeing is good." (Matt, 05:54)
• General philosophy: Let engineers handle the technical aspects (07:26).

3. Road & Track Performance Car of the Year (P.C.O.T.Y.)

• Main Winner: The new Corvette ZR1
  • “The ZR1 is just fucking nuts. It’s insane.” (Matt, 18:57)
• Comparison to other competitors:
  • McLaren 750S: "ZR1 is like legit, like a 750 McLaren but with more traction." (Matt, 32:15)
  • Lambo Temerario: "It's really cool. It's so balanced. It revs to 10,000...the ride's incredible, the steering's incredible and it's really roomy." (Matt, 33:28)
• Zack’s observations on Lucid Air Sapphire: Recalling a previous experience drag racing the Lucid, which rivals high-end performance numbers (29:35).
• Tested Cars: M5 Touring, RS3, Golf R, Mini Cooper, AMG GT Pro, Mustang GTD, and more.
  • “May I never see an RS3 again. I have enough RS3 miles.” (Matt, 34:32)
• Track and real-world usability:
  • “If you are the kind of person whose goal is to go fast and maintain traction...that AMG GT is pretty good.” (Matt, 35:28)
  • Mini Cooper S is dismissed: "Don't buy one of those." (Matt, 36:39)

4. Corvette ZR1X and Performance Metrics

• ZR1X posted an 8.67s quarter mile at 159 mph on street tires
  • "That's got to be the fastest quarter mile ever run on PS4S." (Matt, 22:28)
  • “That zero to sixty time between the ZR1X and the Nevera R is only 2/100 of a second difference. That’s pretty wild.” (Zach, 22:52)
• Technical talk about hybridization:
  • “I’m a little less excited about the ZR1X than the regular ZR1—not because I’m a downer on hybridization, but because GM’s focus…is really drag racing.” (Matt, 19:10)
  • “It really gives you that initial bite really, really well.” (Matt, 21:33)
• Comparisons to other acceleration experiences:
  • “Outside of like bullets, what the fuck else goes from 0 to 60 miles an hour that fast?...Those magnetic roller coasters don’t do that.” (Matt, 23:21)

5. Car Features, Pricing, and Value

• ZR1’s value as a future used buy:
  • "When these things depreciate to $100,000, I am so in." (Matt, 33:01)
• Roof Removability:
  • “The ZR1's roof comes off and that's just a nice thing.” (Matt, 39:09)
  • Matt shares how the convertible aspect clinched his top pick: “I was gonna vote for Temerario as my number one until… I took the roof off and I went for a rip with the top down. I was like, oh my god… this is exactly what's up.” (Matt, 39:30)

6. Listener Q&A and Miscellaneous Topics

• Oddball car versions:
  • Discussed: G-Wagon Cabrio, Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet, Range Rover Evoque Convertible, Dakota Convertible Pickup
• Reliance on driving aides / ESC:
  • “If you're getting into like ABS and traction control, like, you're going too fucking fast. It's a public road.” (Matt, 95:09)
  • On disabling: "What are you doing wrong that is causing the car and the computer to save you from yourself?" (Zack, 96:55)
• Horsepower vs. torque:
  • “If we're going to get away from horsepower, eventually it’s going to be kilowatts.” (Matt, 81:40)
• Financing project cars:
  • Both strongly advise against it ("Just save until you can buy this stuff in cash." - Zack, 84:45)
• Ubers using Fisker Oceans:
  • Matt and Zack speculate on how fleets reprogrammed problematic Fiskers to make them usable (100:47).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• “Seeing is good.” — Matt Farah (05:54)
• “The ZR1 is just fucking nuts. It’s insane.” — Matt Farah (18:57)
• “That's got to be the fastest quarter mile ever run on PS4S." — Matt Farah (22:28)
• “Outside of like bullets, what the fuck else goes from 0 to 60 miles an hour that fast?” — Matt Farah (23:21)
• "When these things depreciate to $100,000, I am so in.” — Matt Farah (33:01)
• “Don't buy one of those [Mini Cooper S]. That's not good.” — Matt Farah (36:39)
• “You can carry things. You can carry things.” — Matt Farah (42:25)
• “I was gonna vote for Temerario as my number one until…the last day… I grabbed the ZR1, I took the roof off and I went for a rip with the top down. I was like, oh, my god.” — Matt Farah (39:30)
• “If you're getting into like ABS and traction control, like, you're going too fucking fast. It's a public road.” — Matt Farah (95:09)
• “What are you doing wrong that is causing the car and the computer to save you from yourself?” — Zack Klapman (96:55)
• “Just save until you can buy this stuff in cash.” — Zack Klapman (84:45)

Fun Side Segments

Oreo Sampling Brainstorm (13:11)

Matt muses about wanting a box with one of each Oreo flavor:

"I wish there was a package of Oreos that you could get that had one of every type of Oreo in it...a box...like one of those fancy boxes of cookies. But it's all the Oreos." (Matt, 13:11)
Zack suggests an Oreo Advent calendar.

Car Oddities: The “Ferrari” HyundaI Elantra (53:08–59:50)

• Zack shares photos of a Hyundai Elantra near his home, covered with Ferrari badges, painter’s tape accents, gold-painted wheels, painted caliper covers with Ferrari logos, a tricolore stripe, and more.
• Both hosts are torn between mockery and respect for the commitment:
  • “This is the classiest trash build ever.” (Zack, 58:17)
  • “Do you think this started with, hey man, do you think my lower grill looks like a Ferrari Portofino's? I don't know. Let's take that to its logical conclusion.” (Matt, 58:25)

Identifying a Wild Wrangler Build (49:12)

• Zack asks Matt to identify a strange two-toned (pink and teal) Jeep Wrangler with custom hand-built widebody fenders, a cam-back roof, and huge "Kia" lettering in tape.

Wild Three-Wheeler Formula Car Loophole (76:10)

• Discussion of the Rhine Motors “formula style” street-legal car, sold as a three-wheeler to exploit regulations, then convertible to four wheels:
  • “That’s a very guilty until proven innocent kind of car.” — Matt (79:28)

Selected Timestamps for Key Segments

• 05:54 — Rear wing visibility and aftermarket solutions
• 13:11 — Oreo sampler fantasy
• 18:57 — ZR1 wins PCOTY; reactions to ZR1X quarter-mile time
• 22:28 — Details on the ZR1X quarter-mile run and technical talk
• 32:15 — How ZR1 compares to McLaren 750S
• 33:28 — Lamborghini Temerario impressions
• 34:32 — Matt’s exhaustive test mileage in the RS3
• 36:39 — Mini Cooper S strongly dismissed
• 39:09 — Convertible ZR1 and value; why Matt picked it as his top choice
• 49:12–53:08 — Video and breakdown of bizarre Wrangler build spotted by Zack’s wife
• 53:08–59:50 — The “Ferrari” Hyundai Elantra saga
• 84:45 — Financing project cars: “Just save until you can buy this stuff in cash.”
• 95:09 — Driving with (or without) traction/stability control on public roads

Tone

• Casual, irreverent, and deeply knowledgeable
• Full of automotive in-jokes, sidebars, and real-life anecdotes

For Listeners Who Missed the Episode

This episode gives you a full debrief on:

• How the new Corvette ZR1X is shattering street and drag records—and why its hybrid system is a game-changer for acceleration
• What it’s like behind the scenes at a major “Performance Car of the Year” comparo
• Whether exotic, high-performance cars have to come with real-world sacrifices (hint: ZR1 might be the outlier)
• Some wild custom cars spotted in LA and why car culture is as creative—and strange—as ever
• Practical car advice for buyers, project car builders, and canyon carvers

If you want the hosts’ full driving impressions, technical breakdowns of performance stats, and the best in high-octane banter, this episode is a must-listen.

For the best action, check out Road & Track’s Performance Car of the Year feature and the accompanying video Matt hosts, as referenced throughout the show (42:27).