THIS CAR POD! — Episode Summary

Podcast: THIS CAR POD! with Doug DeMuro & Friends
Episode: The Next Miata Might Be a Toyota? EV Tax Credit Killed, End of Cheap Electric Cars?
Date: October 3, 2025
Hosts: Doug DeMuro (A), Kenan (B), Filippo (C)

Overview

This episode dives deep into a rapidly shifting automotive landscape: the extinction of iconic luxury sedans, the surprising new direction for beloved sports cars like the Miata, the ripple effects of ending federal EV incentives, the perils and excitement of used car buying, plus lively community Q&A. The vibe is irreverent and comically candid, with plenty of debate, market insights, and car culture banter.

Key Topics & Discussions

1. The Death of the Lexus LS & the Big Luxury Sedan (00:07–03:35)

• LS Discontinued: The Lexus LS, long a symbol of status and innovation, is being discontinued after declining sales.
  • Sales fell from ~26,000 in 2005 to just over 6,000 in 2024 ([01:04])
  • The segment is "a trickle. The market is no longer interested in these cars." – Doug ([01:28])
• Industry Trend: Other flagships like Jaguar XJ and possibly Audi A8 are also vanishing, leaving mainly the Mercedes S-Class.
• Used LS Value: Surprisingly affordable and undervalued on the used market—"These are incredibly impressive cars to own and operate... they're so cheap." – Doug ([02:56–03:15])

2. Mazda Miata’s Future: Toyota Partnership Rumors (03:46–07:13)

• Joint Sports Car Project: Reports claim Mazda and Toyota will jointly engineer the next-gen Miata and Toyota GR86/BRZ equivalent.
  • "Mazda is developing the car. Toyota will sell it." – Filippo ([04:10])
• Will Subaru Exit? Subaru’s increasing distance from the BRZ is noted, with price hikes and trims cut ([04:56–05:37]).
• Platform Philosophy: Discussion of coupe vs. convertible strategies, with speculation the Miata will remain a convertible while Toyota variant serves as coupe ([06:36–06:47]).
• Quote: "These are two of the greatest driving, affordable, lightweight, rear wheel drive cars in existence. Might as well put them together." – Doug ([06:50])
• Market Satire: Brief jokes about obscure badge-engineering possibilities (e.g., Daihatsu).

3. EV & Hybrid News: Dead Models and the Federal Incentive Fallout

A. Acura ZDX Killed After One Year (07:13–09:54)

• The ZDX, Acura’s EV SUV (co-developed with GM’s Blazer EV), dies quickly—also blamed on weak demand and expiring EV incentives.
• "Acura has announced that the ZDX, no limit of sale. You're going to see some of these EVs come off the market with the end of the federal incentive..." – Doug ([07:53])
• Acura and Honda’s lackluster EV strategy critiqued ("I'm just disappointed at the... approach they're taking to these new segments." – Doug [08:52])

B. Porsche Cayenne EV Debut (10:33–15:14)

• Mixed excitement over Porsche’s new Cayenne EV—impressive design, massive screen technology, and 1,000+ horsepower but skepticism about sales and pricing.
• Unique tech: Inductive charging pad ("The only other car... is the McLaren Speedtail. I think that's amazing." – Kenan [13:37])
• "For a luxury SUV, an EV is a perfectly fine thing... Porsche, the Taycan was excellent. The Macan EV is excellent." – Doug ([14:46–15:14])

C. Jaguar Land Rover Cyberattack and Bailout (16:41–18:48)

• JLR suffered a crippling ransomware attack, halted production, and was bailed out by the UK government.
• Commentary on supply chains & supplier vulnerability.
• Jokes about going "back to typewriters and smoking in offices," lampooning tech’s downsides ([18:21]).

D. End of Federal EV Incentive & Its Fallout (19:30–25:41)

• As of October 1, 2025, the $7,500 federal EV tax credit has ended, dramatically impacting affordable EV sales.
• Automakers like Hyundai are offering temporary matching incentives, but industry effects loom large: "This is going to have a real effect on the lesser priced EVs... EV sales, which are already milk toast this year." – Doug ([22:57])
• Political finger-pointing over the incentive’s end, with California’s governor blaming GM’s Mary Barra ([21:09]).
• Insight: "By not creating the incentive, the automakers are not incentivized to innovate in this space... in 20 years, you might see Chinese cars on these streets." – Doug ([24:29])
• Ford CEO Jim Farley’s reaction and ongoing policy lobbying covered ([24:29]).

4. Market Musings & Buying Experiences (28:51–39:55)

• Countach Reliability Epiphany: Doug proclaims his Lamborghini Countach his favorite and most reliable car—bucking stereotypes.
  • "For all you Countach haters... this is the longest I have ever gone with any of my cars ever in my life between services. 655 days." – Doug ([29:45])
• Porsche 993 Turbo Search: Doug details the difficulties and due diligence required in buying high-value used cars—odometer rollbacks, transparency, and value ([36:39–41:21]).
  • "It's just annoying to buy a car at the level I want... I like to really do a lot of diligence if I can." – Doug ([39:08])
  • Importance of auction platforms for seller transparency.

5. Cars & Bids Market Report (44:59–68:07)

• Ferrari California Bargain: A 45k-mile Ferrari California recently sold for $65k, now "the Mondial of the modern world"—ugly when new, but a deal today ([51:43–54:05]).
• E60 M5 SMG Auction: Ultra-low-mile BMW E60 M5 SMG bids to $74k but doesn’t meet reserve; discussion of rarity/value vs. actual desirability ([54:39–57:43]).
• Unassuming Swaps: Grand Cherokee Laredo sleeper with Hemi and blower is a favorite; praised for not being over-modded ([58:36–61:43]).
• BMW Z3M Roadster & Coupe: Deep dive into why oddball performance models (especially in unique colors) remain undervalued—and why that could change ([62:41–68:07]).
  • "This is a very ugly color. And the interior is even... horrible. However, if I were buying one of these, this is the only color I would consider." – Doug ([63:26])
• Viper Generations & Values: The trio debates Viper values and retroactively renames their generations for clarity/fun ([69:16–70:27]).

6. Quick Debates: Porsche 718 Value, Enthusiast Car Buying Logic (44:59–51:09)

• The 718 Boxster/Cayman’s reputation for a turbo-four "unfairly bad rap." The hosts argue it’s a bargain and still a great drive, and debate depreciation curves vs. older naturally-aspirated models ([44:59–51:09]).
• "I think the 718 Boxster has gotten an unfairly bad rap... This car still drives really well. It is an excellent car to drive." – Doug ([47:03])

7. Community Q&A Highlights (71:29–89:36)

• Carrera GT "Widowmaker" Fears: Doug explains why his wife didn’t worry about legendary vehicles like the CGT, and why tech has changed their character ([71:50–74:01]).
• Automatics vs. Manuals: Buying the "wrong" transmission—when is it forgivable? The pod crew is pretty forgiving depending on use case ([80:48–81:55]).
• If-You-Know-You-Know Cars: Lotus Carlton, V70R, Saab 900 Turbo, and more are cited as "enthusiasts' insiders" ([82:30–84:37]).
• Normal-to-Enthusiast Car Timeline: The group concludes it typically takes 20–25 years for a mundane car to become an enthusiast collectible (think: 1990s Camry now being "cool" at Radwood) ([85:52–88:43]).
  • "When I was a kid, this generation of Camry was hated by everybody... Now, they've become beloved." – Doug ([86:03])

Notable Quotes & Timestamp Highlights

• "These are two of the greatest driving, affordable, lightweight, rear wheel drive cars in existence. Might as well put them together." — Doug ([06:50])
• "This is going to have a real effect on the lesser priced EVs... EV sales, which are already milquetoast this year." — Doug ([22:57])
• "For all you Countach haters... this is the longest I have ever gone with any of my cars ever in my life between services. 655 days." — Doug ([29:45])
• "I think the 718 Boxster has gotten an unfairly bad rap... This car still drives really well. It is an excellent car to drive." — Doug ([47:03])
• "It's just annoying to buy a car at the level I want... I like to really do a lot of diligence if I can." — Doug ([39:08])
• "Ugly cars get a lot cheaper as they depreciate, or ugly cars get a lot prettier as they depreciate." — Doug ([52:39])
• "When I was a kid, this generation of Camry was hated by everybody... now, they've become beloved." — Doug ([86:03])

Key Timestamps

• 00:07: Start of News — Lexus LS discontinued
• 03:46: Miata and Toyota sports car joint project
• 07:13: Acura ZDX and Blazer EV partnership flop
• 10:33: Porsche Cayenne EV reveal discussion
• 16:41: JLR cyberattack & bailout
• 19:30: End of federal EV tax credit impact
• 28:51: Cars & Bids cars, Countach reliability, personal car stories
• 44:59: Market report: Ferrari California, M5 auction, hidden gems
• 51:09: Porsche 718 vs 981 and market values
• 62:41: BMW Z3M Roadster and Coupe values
• 71:29: Community Q&A

Final Thoughts

This episode is a vibrant snapshot of today's car world: big changes, the death of old luxuries, electrification pushbacks, new enthusiast bargains, and the quirks of living and breathing car culture. Doug and his crew don’t shy away from their opinions, and between stats, laughs, and market savvy, offer a must-listen for anyone passionate about the auto scene—or just keeping up with what’s next.

For further conversation, Cars & Bids’ community Q&A delivers classic car nerdery, spicy debates, and practical buying wisdom, all in the podcast's signature blend of wit, knowledge, and sarcasm.