THIS CAR POD! with Doug DeMuro & Friends

Episode Title: Spy Shots of New Ferrari are Ugly! Audi RS5 Wagon Revealed! Big Trouble for Scout?
Date: February 20, 2026
Host: Doug DeMuro
Contributors: Filippo, Kenan

Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into the latest breaking automotive news, from regulatory changes and controversial new car designs to electric vehicle market turbulence. Doug and his co-hosts Filippo and Kenan offer their expertise and banter on topics including the repeal of start-stop credits in the US, the revelation of the new Audi RS5 Avant/Wagon, strong reactions to spy shots of Ferrari's new electric “Lucha,” delays for the eagerly anticipated Scout EV, and a look at niche and collector market trends. The hosts also discuss their own car projects, recent auctions, and take on a lively audience Q&A.

Major Discussion Points & Insights

1. US Start-Stop Credit Repeal & Cultural Backlash

(Starts at 01:09)

• The White House video announcing the removal of automaker credits for start-stop technology prompts mixed reactions:
  • Doug: "People don't like it, and I think that this is a response to the people not liking it." (03:07)
  • General consensus: Most people dislike start-stop. Kenan is not bothered, Filippo is indifferent, Doug jokes that Filippo welcomes “government overreach.”
  • Europe is considering making start-stop systems non-defeatable, but hosts see the US market diverging.
  • Manufacturers are expected to drop the feature except in hybrid/mild hybrid models.
  • Notable banter about “beefing up” starter motors and ongoing confusion about how the credits and regulations will develop.

Notable Quote:
Doug: “If you can get a few years out of not beefing up your starter motor, take a button away. There’s no beef. You could go chicken.” (05:44)

2. Audi RS5 Avant (Wagon) Leak & Enthusiasm

(Starts at 05:59)

• Audi’s embargoed RS5 Avant images leak; Doug is excited to finally discuss specifics:
  • Comparable in size to the BMW M3 Touring—smaller and lighter than the big E63/M5/RS6 wagons.
  • Plug-in hybrid 2.9L turbo V6, possibly producing 630hp.
  • Filippo and Doug debate whether it is a “true wagon” (it is!) and lament that these practical designs are rare.
  • Real excitement about the US finally getting more performance wagons in a reasonable size.
  • Kenan quips that Doug wants a “1.5-liter” wagon.

Notable Quotes:
Doug: "I said if they brought the M3 touring to the States, I would buy one... This is that but cooler." (06:44)
Filippo: “I think there’s a lot of people like a sport wagon. Yeah, I think that’s right.” (10:14)

3. Ferrari ‘Lucha’ Spy Shots – “Ugly!” Debate

(Starts at 11:12)

• First spy shots of Ferrari’s new electric “Lucha” provoke strong reactions:
  • Designed by Jony Ive (ex-Apple).
  • Doug: “This is the ugliest…” (11:15)
  • The design is divisive, likened (unfavorably) to the Nissan Stagea “bread van” and Alfa Romeo SZ.
  • Debate over foreign designers on Italian cars (Brits shouldn’t, per Doug!).
  • Johnny Ive himself admits to being “anxious about the reveal.”
  • The panel is worried about radical simplicity and how the EV platform will affect Ferrari tradition.
  • Kenan: “People are going to want to pile on this car to hate it because it’s an electric Ferrari.”

Memorable Banter:
Doug: “If the designer is saying that he’s worried about it…” (14:35)
Kenan: “Try opening a window instead.” (22:07)

4. Scout Delayed – Bad Signs or Typical EV Woes?

(Starts at 18:23)

• Scout, VW’s US-targeted rugged EV offshoot, delays its truck/SUV launch by a year.
  • They claim the delay is purely technical, not market-driven—but hosts are skeptical.
  • Most pre-orders are for the “range extender” variant; Doug jokes: “Oh good, that’s what I want for my full-size truck, a three-cylinder.”
  • VW’s “existing financial obligations” called out as a likely real reason; hosts point to both market and technical headwinds for EV upstarts.
  • Discussion about the challenges of building new factories (South Carolina plant) and Scout’s chance of repeating Rivian’s early success.

Key Insight:
“Every single company has delayed their launch of the first.” (Kenan, 20:47)

5. Tesla Cyber Cab & Robotaxis—Too Many Crashes?

(Starts at 22:27)

• Tesla has built its first Cyber Cab robo-taxi concept in Austin; regular production is months off.
  • Kenan notes robo-taxis crash four times as often as human-driven vehicles.
  • Only Waymo is financially stable in the sector—most others are "on the verge of bankruptcy."
  • Doug’s dark amusement: “I think they’re heinous and I want more of that... It’s going to revolutionize the taxi industry.”
  • Filippo: “Body shops are going to be thrilled.”

6. Audi TT Electric Coupé & Porsche’s Cautious Plans

(Starts at 24:51)

• Audi is committed to an electric coupe (the “C Sport”) based on the electric Cayman platform—even if Porsche bails.
  • Recognition that the TT’s legacy is not as sacred, so an EV is less controversial.
  • Doug: “Is this the coolest looking thing you’ve ever seen?”
    Filippo: “It’s up there.” (25:58)
  • Discussion cements the ongoing shift to EV coupes and speculation on Italian vs. German design philosophies.

7. Car Projects & Collector Market Trends

“Talk Car” segment starts at 34:35

• Filippo’s inherited 1972 F250 pickup—now running with help from Dave at Iconic Automotive. Doug’s suggestions for a resto-mod EV swap are swiftly rejected.
• Doug obsesses over the Hennessey Ranger Velociraptor, a high-output Ford Ranger special.
• Discussion of rare and niche collector models:
  • Audi Q7 V12 TDI (diesel super-SUV, only in Europe)—Doug tells story of sighting one in Prague.
  • Jeff Koons BMW 8-Series art car (market report): panel verdict—lavishly executed, “would drive if affordable.”
  • Ferrari 599 price spikes; manual conversions may be contributing.

8. Audience Q&A – Notable Responses

(Starts at 63:34)

• Most trouble with a dealer or press car provider: Doug shares an anecdote about manufacturer pressure to take down a review video—refuses unless the OEM calls him (66:03).
• If you could only drive one country’s cars forever: Most panelists land on Germany or Japan for range; Doug champions the US.
• Favorite cross-country stop: Doug’s annual tradition: staying at the “world’s largest Bass Pro Shops” hotel inside the Memphis Pyramid (69:54).
• Rank your interest in other transport modes:
  • Doug universally scores “zero” for everything but cars; Kenan/Filippo reveal some enthusiasm for trains and planes.
• What happened to automotive night vision systems?
  • Used to be a luxury feature (e.g., S-Class); faded due to cost, liability, and superseding tech like lidar, but remained very useful (77:09).
• “Intervention” car sale: Nick’s (offscreen) extensive, troublesome fleet is the clear answer.

Other Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On Ferrari Lucha:
  Doug: “Somewhere lurking inside this block of marble, is an attractive car.” (12:30)
• On electric Ferraris:
  Doug: “The way to go electric if you’re Ferrari is to come out with an F40—but it’s electric. Like that’s how you don’t lose.” (15:56)
• On US car size “growth”:
  Doug: “Cars are not getting bigger… In the ‘50s and ‘60s cars were huge!” (83:24)
  Filippo: “You see in Europe and Japan, people still buy small cars—because that’s what you can drive.” (84:41)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• White House Start/Stop repeal & video: 01:09–05:56
• Audi RS5 Avant leak & specs: 05:59–11:11
• Ferrari Lucha electric spy shots: 11:12–18:19
• Scout EV delays: 18:23–24:51
• Tesla Cyber Cab & robo-taxis: 22:27–25:13
• Audi electric coupe / TT news: 25:13–34:35
• Car projects, Hennessey Ranger, collector models: 34:35–43:40
• Market report (Jeff Koons 8 Series, Ferrari 599, etc.): 53:38–62:38
• Q&A segment: 63:34–85:19

Tone and Banter

• Style: Fast, irreverent, and often sardonic. Doug jests about government overreach and always steers topics back to enthusiasm for obscure wagons, beefed-up starter motors, and relics of weird automotive tech.
• Panel Dynamic: Filippo often plays “reasonable contrarian,” Kenan provides tech/scientific balance, with Doug anchoring the show’s blend of insight and comedy.
• Running Gags: “Government overreach,” “beefing up” starter motors, and whether Italian designers really have the Midas touch.

Summary Takeaways

• There’s genuine excitement about the return of practical, high-performance wagons to the US.
• Widespread skepticism about the future of certain EV startups, and concerns that electric luxury/car launches are out of sync with current market realities.
• The automotive world is watching Ferrari’s design pivot with a mix of dread and fascination.
• The car hobby/market remains quirky, with cult interest in oddball collector models, and recurring nostalgia for “simpler” features like non-defeatable start-stop or night vision.
• The hosts’ Q&A segment delivers humor and random wisdom—everything from the joy of staying in a Bass Pro Shops Pyramid to the futility of tracking every vehicle type.

For full experience, listen from 01:09 (after ads). Skip to 05:59 for RS5 discussion, 11:12 for Ferrari spy shots, and 34:35 for the highly entertaining talk car segment.