The Smoking Tire – September 9, 2025

Episode: Nissan Z Nismo Manual (!); Robots; BMW Bike Review; Power:Weight

Hosts: Matt Farah & Zack Klapman
Main Theme: A wide-ranging, witty discussion on the evolving automotive world—including a manual Nismo Z, robots and their place in society, a deep dive into the SSC Tuatara and power-to-weight numbers, court-worthy car legal cases, and a detailed review of BMW’s R12 9T motorcycle.

Episode Overview

Matt and Zack dig into the latest from the car scene and beyond. Big topics include robots (and why robot housekeepers actually exist), the surprising nuances of autonomous cars, an in-depth look at the SSC Tuatara, comparisons of power-to-weight ratios (including their own rides vs. legendary supercars), a “loud” ticket for the Charger EV, and a thoughtful, critical review of the new BMW R12 9T motorcycle.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Roller Coaster Talk & Robot Olympics

• Roller Coasters as the Ultimate Thrill:
  Matt and Zack reminisce about Six Flags, discussing which coasters still get their adrenaline pumping. Tatsu and X2 come up frequently, serving as a metaphor for automotive "tuning" and pushing limits.
  • "I bet that coaster has a sicko mode." – Matt (03:27)
• Robots: Beyond the Human Shape:
  The duo riffs on the recent (and clumsy) Robot Olympics in China, pondering the reality of humanoid robots.
  • Matt points out that useful robots aren't humanoid; they’re engineered for repetitive tasks.
  • The social awkwardness of service workers at home, and societal desire for robot servants, is challenged:
    • “A humanoid robot is to clean your house so you don't feel awkward being in the house with a person that's cleaning your house.” – Matt (05:59)
    • “That is such a complicated solution to what?” – Zack (06:08)
  • Expense and obsolescence come up: Robots are expensive, easily outdated, and often less practical than simply hiring a person.
    • “I'd rather do that than have something that's going to be obsolete in two years.” – Zack (08:25)

Autonomous Cars: Weird Behavior & Anecdotes

• Matt shares personal experiences taking Waymo autonomous taxis, puzzling over why they often make odd routing choices:
  • “They only take one of the two exits, no matter which direction they're going…” – Matt (09:39)
  • Observations include random lane changes and perhaps some “learning” from local (aggressive) LA drivers.

BMW R12 9T Motorcycle Review

[82:50] Full Segment

• Matt brings in his candid review from the Pro Driver Patreon show:
  • Looks & Street Cred: Universally praised as "very pretty", with strong BMW cachet.
  • Ride Quality:
    • Heavy for its size, making it less agile than appearances suggest.
    • “It’s not the most agile bike... $19k as equipped, which will buy you a lot. And so it exists in this middle ground where it's really cool and weird and interesting and different.”
  • Performance & Ergonomics:
    • Fantastic midrange torque, but handling is less agile.
    • Complaints include the lack of a proper fuel gauge, quickshifter usability (only smooth at >50% throttle), “chunky” clutch, and a bizarrely bouncy plastic gauge bracket:
      • "Those gauges are mounted... on a plastic bracket... So much metal on this motorcycle. And this bracket's plastic... the gauges fucking bounce." – Matt (95:59)
  • Bottom Line:
    • Great for boxer BMW fans seeking on-street comfort, but not the best value or refinement for $19k.

SSC Tuatara & Power-to-Weight Math

[12:55] – [26:20]

• The SSC Tuatara review is a centerpiece, with details about the driving experience:
  • “This is a 1750 horsepower car that weighs less than my Spider. It has triple the horsepower of my Spider... pants-shittingly fast.” – Matt (12:55)
  • Compared to Koenigsegg or Pagani, it’s “the Corvette of hypercars”: American, fast, practical(ish), well-priced, but less refined.
• Power-to-Weight Analysis (with listener-fan math):
  • Fan “Max” provides spreadsheets comparing Matt and Zack’s cars (plus legends):
    • NSX, E46, Countach, Taycan, 964, Hellcat, Aventador, Ruf Yellowbird, and the Tuatara (1155hp/ton!)
    • Reveals their Porsche: 370 hp/ton (between a Hellcat Redeye and 911 Turbo S).
    • “We should drag race your car against a lot more cars, because its horsepower per ton is so similar to these legendary supercars.” – Zack (25:53)

Charger EV & the 'Loud Exhaust' Ticket

[33:26] – [41:24]

• A story surfaces about an EV owner being ticketed for “loud exhaust”—which electric cars, of course, don’t have.
  • “Are you aware electric cars don't have mufflers?” – Zack, mocking the police logic (39:25)
  • Hosts expect the ticket will be laughed out of court (“I call four seconds in front of a judge.” – Matt, 41:50), musing about the absurdity of faked exhaust sounds and aftermarket audio mods.

Patreon Q&A: Highlights

[42:45+]

• Car towing power-moves (what car/truck/trailer combos are coolest?)
• Dream garages with infinite money: Matt says, “I could still end up buying [an] enormous amount of cars.” (44:59)
• Advice: Don’t buy a used Tesla Model Y; buy a used Mustang Mach-E instead.
• Discussion of Porsche’s new wireless EV charger:
  • Zack prefers the reliability of a cable, but agrees people always drift toward convenience.
• Volkswagen Golf R rumored to get the Audi 5-cylinder: thumbs up all around.
• Advice on buying “premium color” used cars vs. wrapping them: the premium for rare colors (like Laguna Seca Blue) is real and "parked, not spent."
• Radar detector best practices.
• Genesis pick for employee discount: Loaded GV60 or GV70 wins out.

Notable Quotes

• On robots:

  • "A robot is meant to do a task, and a human is meant to do all tasks. That’s why good robots don’t look like humans. They look like fucking arms..." – Matt (04:39)

• On the SSC Tuatara:

  • "This car is fucking pants-shittingly fast... You'd think with triple the horsepower it would exit the atmosphere or something." – Matt (12:58)
  • "The most memorable driving experiences I've had. And it's a lot more violent than when we had the Bugatti Chiron." – Zack (17:38)

• On the ‘loud exhaust’ ticket:

  • (mocking officer) “Are you aware electric cars don't have mufflers?” – Zack (39:25)
  • "Your honor, it's electric. What? Dismissed." – Matt (38:29)

• On BMW R12 9T gauges:

  • “Those gauges are mounted on a plastic bracket... the gauges fucking bounce. I was like, how is this a thing?... On some rough roads I had trouble reading them.” – Matt (95:59)

Memorable Moments

• Crack-up over the concept of a “hardcore tune” for a roller coaster.
• Analysis of why wealthy people really want robot housekeepers: not labor savings, but social awkwardness.
• The back-and-forth on “loud” EVs and the Kafkaesque ticket given for a non-existent muffler.
• Deep dive into their own cars’ power-to-weight, with listener math, and plans for new drag race “science.”
• Matt’s frustration and amusement with the wireless BMW motorcycle gauge pod, finally (almost) upstaged by his desperate need for a bathroom break.

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Topic | Timestamp | |-----------------------------------------|-------------------| | Robot Olympics & Social Robots | 03:55 – 08:35 | | Autonomous Car Anecdotes (Waymo) | 08:35 – 11:37 | | SSC Tuatara Review & Power/Weight Math | 12:55 – 26:21 | | Charger EV “Loud Exhaust” Ticket | 33:26 – 41:24 | | Patreon Q&A (Dream Garages, Genesis) | 42:45 – 80:44 | | Porsche Wireless EV Charger Chat | 51:53 – 57:57 | | Power-to-Weight Q&A & Color Premium | 23:31 – 80:44 | | BMW R12 9T Motorcycle Review | 82:50 – 96:59 |

Podcast Tone & Style

• Conversational, sharp, and irreverent.
• Loaded with real-world anecdotes and quick-fire opinions.
• Direct with criticisms but always rooted in personal experience and genuine passion.
• Plenty of humor—at the industry’s expense and their own.

For Listeners Who Missed It

• This episode is a must-listen for fans of car culture deep-dives, cynically funny takes on tech hype, and authentic, detailed gearhead commentary.
• The BMW motorcycle review at the end is especially rich and nuanced, balancing respect for the brand’s reputation with pointed, practical criticisms.
• The Tuatara segment breaks down what it's like to drive 1750 hp, and why power-to-weight still doesn’t tell the whole story.
• Legal nerds and EV fans will love the witty dissection of the “loud exhaust” traffic ticket saga.
• Q&As give honest, actionable advice—always with Matt and Zack’s personal flavor.

Quotes and timestamps sourced from the provided transcript for maximum fidelity to the episode’s character and flow.