THIS CAR POD! with Doug DeMuro & Friends!

Episode: The Kia Soul is Dead. Cost to Insure My Cars? Jaguar Land Rover is Back!

Date: October 10, 2025
Guests: Doug DeMuro (Host), Kenan, Nick (guest host, filling in for Filippo)

Episode Overview

This episode of THIS CAR POD! is a lively tour through the latest car news, used car market insights, personal updates, and deep-dive discussions on enthusiast favorites. Doug, Kenan, and guest host Nick touch on the demise of the Kia Soul, surprising Hyundai and Tesla developments, Jaguar Land Rover’s recovery after a cyber attack, bold new concepts from Lamborghini, Ferrari’s test track innovations, Porsche's motorsport moves, and personal stories about car buying, selling, and owning. The team also fielded a hefty batch of insightful audience questions ranging from insurance costs, modifying cars, and personal breaks from car enthusiasm.

Major Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Death of the Kia Soul and Shifting Strategies at Kia

• Kia Soul discontinued: Once the brand’s star, the Soul is being dropped due to low profitability and the market’s shift towards larger, higher-margin vehicles, especially SUVs like the Telluride.
  • “The market has moved on. People want SUVs. I also wonder if Kia...is going to start stepping up...like the Telluride has become so popular.” — Doug [00:51]
• Soul’s reputation: The hosts discuss how the Soul defined perceptions of Kia.
  • "It seems like the opposite of a halo car where it anchors people...Oh, they make crappy cars." — Nick [01:18]
  • Nick likens the Soul to his own “ugly but practical” Fiat Multipla.
  • “If you were going into the dealership to buy a new compact car, you could do a lot worse than a Kia Soul.” — Doug [02:25]

2. Hyundai Building a Real Pickup for America

• Hyundai’s body-on-frame pickup truck coming to the US by 2030:
  • The new truck will not be a partnership — it's an in-house, midsize, body-on-frame model (i.e., a "real" truck), with speculation about an accompanying SUV.
  • “All they have said is they are developing an in house...body on frame pickup truck, midsize pickup truck in the US market.” — Doug [03:02]
  • Cylcical discussion about how imports are now well-accepted in midsize truck segment (Tacoma, Frontier).
  • Questions on whether a Kia version may follow.
  • Panel banter about fender flares and off-road truck aesthetics (carbon fiber, camo, etc.).
• Memorable moment: Doug jokes about plastic-flared fenders looking tougher, Nick’s “paint-matched fenders look like a diaper” jibe [05:23].

3. Tesla’s Strong Q3 and the Cheaper Tesla Promise

• Tesla financials: Tesla surprises with record Q3 profits and fresh optimism after subsidy phaseouts.
  • "Record Q3 is great if you own a stock." — Nick [07:36]
  • “The subsidies ended the day that Q4 started. So a ton of people pulled forward their vehicle purchases...into Q3.” — Doug [07:56]
• New entry-level Teslas: Discussion of de-contented, cheaper models coming soon.
  • "Those cheap Teslas that have been promised for so long are finally going to become a thing." — Nick [08:12]
  • Notable that some features (like self-driving) may be left out of base cars but could be added later via software.
• Speculation on EV market health post-subsidy and for high-end models (e.g., Pininfarina Battista).

4. Jaguar Land Rover Factory: Cyber Attack Recovery

• JLR reopens after ransomware attack: Factory is coming back online, starting with key assembly lines.
  • “Well, they've opened back up again...it's starting a little bit smaller...by the end of the week or end of next week, they will be back to operation.” — Kenan [09:59]
  • Playful speculation on whether hackers were “paid off” in new Range Rovers [10:31].
• Impact on sales: JLR down 24% YoY, blame partly on production issues, but panel doubts that's the whole story.
• Land Rover Defender: Discussion of Defender’s aging but still “cool” status, with Doug reflecting on his long cross-country journeys and the vehicle’s off-road prowess.

5. Lamborghini’s Wild Future: Manifesto Concept & Off-road Supercars

• Manifesto Concept: Lamborghini's dramatically impractical doorless, windscreen-less concept car wows the team.
  • “To me it just looks like...is it a shape? It looks like a shape, but that's what's cool about it.” — Kenan [15:58]
  • General agreement: “impracticality is the point” for modern hypercars.
• More crazy models planned: Lamborghini says more offroad-inspired or lifted supercars (like the Huracan Sterrato) are coming.
  • Discussion of why they don’t do a “Urus 4x4 Squared”-type model.
• Memorable quote: “The impracticality though is part of the point. The Valkyrie, all of these insane hypercars coming out now...being difficult and quirky...is now one of the main selling points.” — Nick [16:47]
• Lamborghini model naming digression: Riffing on the LM002 SUV’s “worst name” due to starting with zeros, and fun with “Lamborghini John Tamarion” in-joke [20:10].

6. Ferrari’s New Fiorano ‘Evortex’ Track

• Track expansion: Ferrari adds a new, varied test track section to simulate real road conditions and allow more on-site prototype testing.
  • “They acquired 37,000 square meters...to build this. And it's 2 kilometers long.” — Kenan [23:13]
  • Amusing speculation on why there's a sand trap—potentially for Purosangue SUV testing.
• Nostalgia for classic factory tours and spy shots; neighborhood complaints about noise.

7. Porsche Pulls Out of WEC, Doubles Down on IMSA and Formula E

• Headline: Porsche leaves World Endurance Championship to focus efforts elsewhere.
  • “They are going to focus instead on Formula E and IMSA. But no more competition in WEC, which I think is sad.” — Kenan [24:48]
  • Speculation that recent financial struggles may have driven the decision.
  • Humor around the “pinnacle” of motorsport, comparing Formula One to WEC and Formula E.

8. Personal Car Updates: Buying, Selling, and Insuring Supercars

• Doug’s car wants: He wants an arena red 993 Turbo and reflects on his “cars I should have bought” list, including passing on a 993 Turbo supposedly owned by “Morgan Freeman” (not the actor).
• Nick selling his Murciélago: It’ll be live on Cars & Bids—first publicly sold manual-converted example. Doug to review it.
  • Nick hints at swapping for a fire-damaged SLR McLaren, sparking group debate about whether this is a smart move.
  • “I think you are going to really enjoy it. It does not drive as well as a mid-engine supercar, but it has some really cool benefits including high speed and it looks crazy.” — Doug [33:41]
• Multipla update: Nick's recently imported Fiat Multipla is now (barely) street legal in California, albeit with a zip-tie door handle.
• Insurance costs: Doug spends nearly $20,000/year insuring his collection, with $10,000 of that going just to the Carrera GT.
  • “My bill at Hagerty, which comes due every February, is almost $20,000 a year.” — Doug [81:07]

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• “The impracticality though is part of the point. The Valkyrie, all of these insane hypercars...them being difficult and quirky is now one of the main selling points.” — Nick [16:47]
• “I am going to posit a theory...Lamborghini supercars will one day be valued and considered as the Ferrari supercars.” — Doug [44:11]
• “When a car becomes valuable, it's because the next gen screwed up things...but with the 1M, BMW followed this up with a car that is by all measures better. However, the market is just in love with this car.” — Doug [57:38]
• “My guilty pleasure is carbon fiber vented hoods...I love it. I think it's the Steve Saleen influence—the more vents, the faster.” — Nick [72:24]
• On old car content not performing: “This is one of the reasons I don’t do old cars. ...I filmed those five kind of famous Italian exotic cars...that one [a Hyundai Equus] did the best.” — Doug [55:12]

Listener Q&A Highlights

Modifications: Yay or Nay?

• Doug and Kenan are purists; Nick is a fan of aesthetic mods (CSL bits, spacers, carbon fiber hoods).
• “There is not a single car I have ever thought looked better lowered than OE.” — Doug [71:23]
• Riffing on RUF as an automaker: Doug provocatively argues RUF is “not an automaker” [74:36].
• “Roof does not pass the 'my wife test.'” — Doug [75:08]

Taking Breaks from Car Obsession

• Kenan sometimes diverts to other hobbies but returns; Doug and Nick have never truly taken a mental break.
  • “I've never taken a break in my life. Not even for a minute." — Doug [77:46]

Costs of Insuring & Owning Multiple Cars

• Doug’s insurance: Nearly $20K/year; $10K just for the Carrera GT. Registration costs low since most are older vehicles.
  • “Career GT is about 10 grand a year to insure, it's a thousand bucks a month.” — Doug [80:55]
• Nick’s Murciélago: $5-6K/year, and the Bentley Arnage is so cheap to insure it brings down his policy total.

Other Audience Questions

• Accidental stalling: Still happens, especially with unusual cars.
• Thoughts on Larry Chen’s Brunei collection video: Cool, but “not the real haul” (the insane, secret stuff).

Used Car Market Report (Timestamps 57:08+)

BMW 1M:

• One-owner, 24K miles, $72K—a testament to cult status and enduring value.
  • "It's crazy to me that these cars are still so valuable..." — Doug [57:38]

C4 Corvette ZR-1:

• Panel gushes about the unique LT5 engine; a hidden gem for $20K but admits project cars are always a gamble.

Mid-Engine GTI Build:

• Oddball sleeper, mid-engine swapped Mk6 GTI sells for under $10K. “Cool as hell...but you’ll always be tinkering with it.”

Fun Digressions & Running Gags

• Endless in-jokes: “Lamborghini John Tamarion,” “Murciélago values,” zip-tied door handles.
• The “merciless” debate on SL65 vs SLR, and Nick’s ongoing quest for obscure 2000s silver Mercedes wagons.
• Critique of classic car content getting low Youtube views vs newer curiosities.
• Doug’s “collecting supercar theory”—Lamborghini’s big four will be the next collectible set, Ferrari’s club is too muddied.

Closing: What’s Next?

• Mercielago manual conversion will be live for sale; Doug to film review.
• Nick teases SLR content; Kenan and Filippo prepping for Road Atlanta’s Petit Le Mans.
• Harry Metcalfe’s 250 GTO video gets a rave, but the panel laments general lack of appreciation for classic car media online.

Table of Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | |----------------------------------------------------|-------------| | Kia Soul Discontinued | 00:25–02:25 | | Hyundai Pickup Truck News | 03:01–07:00 | | Tesla Profits, Subsidies, Cheaper Models | 07:30–09:50 | | Jaguar Land Rover Factory Reopens | 09:59–14:04 | | Lamborghini Concepts & Off-road Future | 15:29–22:23 | | Ferrari Evortex Track | 22:23–24:46 | | Porsche Exits WEC | 24:48–28:29 | | Personal Car Updates (Mercy, SLR, Multipla) | 28:31–44:11 | | Doug’s Big Theory: Lamborghini Collectibles | 44:11–47:59 | | Market Report (1M, ZR1, Grand Sport, GTI swap) | 57:01–69:20 | | Modding Cars: Panel Debate | 70:24–76:01 | | Q&A: Breaks from Car Obsession | 77:13–79:58 | | Q&A: Owning & Insuring Multiple Cars | 79:58–82:55 | | Q&A: Manual Car Stalling | 82:55–85:09 | | Larry Chen/Brunei Collection Video | 85:26–87:05 |

This episode brims with passionate, knowledgeable, often comic takes on the automotive world—essential listening for market-focused enthusiasts and Doug DeMuro fans alike!