THIS CAR POD! with Doug DeMuro & Friends

Episode: The Ugliest Car Ever, EV Sports Cars Are Cancelled, and Jaguar Land Rover Hacked?
Date: September 19, 2025
Cast: Doug DeMuro (Host), Kenan, Filippo

Episode Overview

This lively episode dives into the latest automotive news and trends, with Doug DeMuro and friends serving up insightful and witty commentary on breaking stories. Topics span from a crippling cyberattack at Jaguar Land Rover, Ford’s confusing new HQ announcement, the mysterious future of fast Audi wagons, skepticism around electric sports cars, AMG’s Batman identity crisis, and a passionate debate about the world’s ugliest (and most practical) car. The hosts also field thoughtful audience questions and share personal car stories, all with their signature banter and automotive expertise.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Jaguar Land Rover Cyberattack Shutdown

00:39–04:49

• News: Jaguar Land Rover production has been halted for weeks due to a significant cyberattack—the second this year. No cars built since early September; possible shutdown period through end of year.
• Impact: Estimated loss of $3.5 billion in revenue (~12–13% of annual revenue), translating to around $5 million in daily profit lost.
• Inventory: Company has survived so far due to high inventory levels, but concerns loom for the future.
• Industry Trend: Fears rise in the industry about the frequency and severity of manufacturer cyberattacks.
• Notable Quotes:
  • "Has it impacted them yet? Turns out...they have been helped thus far by having insane amounts of inventory." (Filippo, 01:15)
  • "Shutdowns may cost them about $3.5 billion in revenues." (Filippo, 01:53)
  • "Amazing that it could potentially send them offline for 2–3 months. Every other automaker out there has got to be sitting and wondering, are we next?" (Kenan, 04:20)
  • "We are not pro-cyberattack. I want to be really clear. We want to take a stand today." (Filippo, 04:49)

2. Ford’s New Headquarters Shuffle

04:58–08:55

• News: Ford is announcing a new, tech-inspired headquarters campus (the “Glass House/Window Room”). However, the press release was confusing about the move’s specifics.
• Modernization: The campus aims for a Silicon Valley vibe but remains in chilly southeast Michigan, raising questions of practicality.
• Employee Capacity: New HQ will accommodate 14,000 employees within a 15-minute walk.
• Critique: Hosts poke fun at glam renderings and wonder if Ford knows what it’s getting into.
• Notable Quotes:
  • "They're trying to be a tech company. Unfortunately, you see the problem." (Kenan, 06:29)
  • "You're looking down on the finest Kmarts, the finest empty parking lots..." (Kenan, 08:22)

3. The Future of Audi Fast Wagons

09:00–11:56

• Spy Shots: New plug-in hybrid and fully electric RS6/RS5 wagons spotted testing, creating confusion about the model’s future powertrain.
• Debate: Mixed signals from Audi—are the next-gen fast wagons plug-in, electric, or both?
• Wagon Culture: Excitement tempered by a sense of loss for the “subtle” era of powerful wagons.
• Notable Quotes:
  • "We do know that there will be some sort of fast Audi wagons coming...Sad that we finally get these fast Audi wagons and it's the plug-in hybrid era." (Kenan, 10:59)
  • "Remember when the wagons were subtle?" (Kenan, 11:30)

4. Are Electric Sports Cars Dead? Porsche’s Gamble

13:02–17:59

• Porsche’s Position: Despite market skepticism, Porsche is moving forward with electric sports cars. Quotes from company execs emphasize confidence.
• Challenges: Weight and range are concerns for enthusiasts. Skepticism about whether enthusiasts will embrace EV sports cars.
• The “Nucleus” Sports Car Theory: Kenan proposes the Cayman GT4 embodies the ‘nucleus’—the purest, most central form of a driver’s sports car. Any deviation indicates a specific preference or compromise.
• Debates: Are EV sports cars for real enthusiasts? Is character being lost from flat-sixes to turbo fours to full EVs?
• Notable Quotes:
  • "Porsche does have a general history of kind of saying, we are right, we know we are right, we are doing this..." (Kenan, 15:49)
  • "If you've made any enthusiast automotive decision that isn't a Cayman GT4, you have strayed from the automotive sports car nucleus." (Kenan, 18:19)
  • "Any sports car decision...says something about you that you have elected not to get a Cayman GT4." (Kenan, 19:28)

5. The Durango V8’s Bizarre State-by-State Limits

21:40–25:58

• News: The revived Dodge Durango is V8-only, but most trims can’t be sold in 17 CARB states due to emissions regulations.
• Sales Maps: Discussion on how political geography and state rules interact with demand for “muscle SUVs.”
• Used Car Issues: Restrictions can make selling across state lines complicated.
• Notable Quotes:
  • "It's been a long time since a major manufacturer has sold the majority of a model trims not in only 33 of the 50 states." (Filippo, 24:32)
  • "When they become used cars, this becomes a significant problem..." (Filippo, 24:54)

6. Electric Door Handles: Design Over Function

25:59–32:29

• Tesla Investigation: NHTSA may look into Model Y/3 door handles trapping children inside due to failed electric releases.
• Broader Problem: Other brands (e.g., Mercedes, Lucid) have gone to electric handles, irritating users, introducing reliability and safety concerns.
• Banter: Old-school mechanical handles are still the best, and the innovation is called out as pointless and “gimmicky.”
• Notable Quotes:
  • "It's just like—the door handle worked for 120 years." (Doug, 29:14)
  • "There are a few things that we as a society should be like Kenan on, where we just draw the line and say this was perfected." (Filippo, 29:55)

7. AMG’s Enigmatic “Batman vs Superman” Identity Crisis

33:47–37:27

• Corporate Messaging: AMG management offers confusing “Batman vs Superman” analogy for the brand’s desired identity.
• Interpretation: AMG wants to be seen as edgy and dangerous (“Batman”) rather than safe and boring (“Superman”)—but their own team is internally divided on how far is too far.
• Humor: Hosts mock the analogy’s awkwardness, especially its odd invocation of "your daughter."
• Notable Quotes:
  • "Batman is the one who is too dangerous for your daughter...We want to be the dangerous son-in-law. Superman is the nice son-in-law." (Kenan quoting AMG, 34:18)
  • "But the lineup is plenty Batman today. And some are too Batman." (Filippo, 36:28)

8. Lamborghini Pregunta: The Forgotten Ugly Supercar for Sale

37:30–39:14

• News: The one-off Lamborghini Pregunta, a 1990s concept built on a Diablo, is up for sale (previously at the Lamborghini museum).
• Design: The car’s looks are widely panned (“all the pictures are kind of dark—probably good.”)
• Insight: Lamborghini’s strange design direction under Chrysler, pre-Audi takeover.
• Notable Quotes:
  • "They screw up everything...But I will say most Lamborghini names are Spanish, as is Pregunta." (Kenan/Filippo, 37:53)
  • "I just, I didn't know it existed...It's a weird car." (Doug, 38:36; Kenan, 39:40)

9. Doug’s Countach: The Mysterious Leak

39:57–43:39

• Anecdote: Doug discovers his Lamborghini Countach is leaking oil/fluid from the front, sparking armchair diagnostics about possible causes.
• Ownership Philosophy: Doug underscores his “drive it, not just display it” approach—vowing to service the car only as needed, not obsessively.
• Notable Quotes:
  • "The point is the Countach is leaking. I'm going to finally have to service it, which I've been dreading for...almost two years." (Kenan, 41:05)
  • "I think you've gotten lucky with how—I mean, it was—George Evans knows what he was doing." (Doug, 43:05)

10. Content Creator Embargo Rant (Mustang GTD Example)

43:49–47:31

• Inside Baseball: Rant about automaker video embargo times—Doug advocates for noon ET releases rather than 6am, based on years of YouTube analytics experience.
• Neat Easter Egg: Same Palm Springs parking garage appears in both Mustang GTD and Bronco Raptor reviews.
• Notable Quotes:
  • "If you're an automaker and you're watching this...do not make your embargoes 6am Eastern, ever." (Kenan, 45:31)
  • "It allows the east coast people to see it at lunchtime and carries your story throughout the afternoon. It allows the west coast people to get it right in the morning. That is the time you want to go live." (Kenan, 46:00)

11. Ugliest Car Ever? The Fiat Multipla, Platypus Edition

52:32–56:51

• Discussion: Friend Nick’s acquisition of a Fiat Multipla—often crowned “ugliest car ever”—sparks debate about utility vs design.
• Kenan’s Take: The Multipla’s design is purposeful, not ugly; it achieves remarkable packaging with three-across seating.
• Platypus Analogy: A hilarious visual comparison to animal photos ensues.
• Notable Quotes:
  • "If you simply Google ugliest cars and go to Google images, the first car is the Multipla!" (Doug, 52:47)
  • "The Multipla is a vehicle that is just eminently practical. It's all about practicality..." (Filippo, 53:22)
  • "It legitimately looks like...a platypus." (Kenan, 54:16)

12. Miata & the “Nucleus” of Sports Cars Theory—A Love Letter

57:27–61:17

• Drive Review: Kenan and Doug gush over the ND2 Miata, declaring it potentially the greatest enthusiast car currently sold.
• Reinforcement of Nucleus Theory: ND2 Miata and GT4 cited as the only true “nucleus” cars—no ego, all focus.
• Notable Quotes:
  • "ND2 is amazing. If I had those two cars [ND2 & GT4], I wouldn't even need friends." (Kenan, 58:22)
  • "I truly believe this is the best Miata ever made." (Kenan, 59:28)

Audience Q&A (Key Questions & Insights)

Most questions begin at 62:08.

• Modded vs OEM Special Models (63:40–65:19)

  • Buying a GT350R and modding it gets you most of a GTD, but “rarity and specialness” matter just as much as performance.
  • "If you have to explain it, that's when it starts to lose its coolness to someone else." (Doug, 64:03)

• Enthusiast Brand Reputations (66:33–69:06)

  • Mazda called out for sporty reputation based on Miata, while most of its line is ordinary crossovers. Honda also named for previous enthusiast cred that no longer matches its lineup.
  • "They've convinced enthusiasts and journalists that their cars are somehow really sporty. The CX90 is just a Big crossover." (Kenan, 68:05)

• Cars You’d Skip the Manual In (75:25–77:24)

  • Sometimes, a manual does NOT make the driving experience better (CLK Black Series, trucks, some commuter cars).

• Tracking Your Own Valuable Cars (77:24–79:09)

  • The group admits that while they occasionally take their special cars to the track, actual hard driving is limited by “fear of wrecking something too valuable.”

• Car Recommendations Gone Wrong (79:09–83:17)

  • Doug and Filippo explain their philosophies for advising friends/family—and how most end up with a CR-V anyway.

Memorable Moments & Notable Quotes

• "Styled for a purpose." (Filippo defending the Multipla, 56:35)
• "The thing about cars is we can always make fun of them." (Kenan, 56:36)
• "That's our pod...Best pod we've ever done. Goodbye." (Doug, 83:51)

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Topic | Start Time | |------------------------------------------|------------| | Jaguar Land Rover Cyberattack | 00:39 | | Ford HQ Move | 04:58 | | Audi Plug-In/Electric Wagon Confusion | 09:00 | | Durango V8 Emissions Drama | 21:40 | | Tesla & Electric Door Handle Rant | 25:59 | | Porsche EV Sports Car Scepticism/Nucleus | 13:02 / 18:03 | | AMG “Batman vs Superman” Identity Crisis | 33:47 | | Lamborghini Pregunta For Sale | 37:30 | | Doug’s Countach Leak | 39:57 | | Embargo Rant (Mustang GTD Example) | 43:49 | | Fiat Multipla Debate | 52:32 | | ND Miata as “Nucleus” | 57:27 | | Q&A | 62:08 |

Episode Tone

Witty, irreverent, and deeply enthusiastic about all things automotive, with a friendly dose of inside jokes, good-natured ribbing, and expert analysis. A genuine “hang out” with skilled car obsessives who love to dissect industry trends and personal passions alike.

For listeners who missed the show, this episode brings together major industry news, colorful opinions, and the kind of grounded car chat only Doug DeMuro and friends can deliver.