THIS CAR POD! with Doug DeMuro & Friends! Episode: Ugliest Car Ever? Doug DeMuro's Road Rage Strategy, and the Tesla Future Classic! Release Date: September 27, 2024
1. Mansory’s Ferrari SUV: The Pinnacle of Ostentatious Design
The episode kicks off with a spirited discussion about Mansory's latest offering—a Ferrari SUV that has stirred considerable debate among car enthusiasts for its unconventional and, to some, unattractive design.
Doug DeMuro expresses his disdain for the vehicle, stating, "This is the ugliest thing I have seen in my life. Do you agree?" (04:07).
Nick elaborates on the design philosophy, explaining that Mansory aims to create an "ostentatious display of wealth," making the SUV as "ugly and more obnoxious" as possible to ensure it stands out in elite settings like Monaco or the Middle East (02:28).
Filippo adds that despite the high craftsmanship, the fit and finish "doesn't look great," further cementing the SUV’s reputation as a controversial masterpiece (04:46).
2. Volkswagen’s Ketchup Promotion and the Golf Harlequin Legacy
Transitioning to Volkswagen, the hosts discuss a peculiar marketing strategy involving ketchup giveaways with car purchases.
Filippo highlights, "Volkswagen, for some reason, is giving you bottles of ketchup when you buy specific cars" (06:31), leading to curiosity about its origin. Doug speculates it might relate to factory practices, suggesting the ketchup is "served in their factories to their factory workers" and now extended to customers (06:43).
The conversation shifts to the nostalgic Golf Harlequin, a multicolored Volkswagen model from the 90s. Doug reminisces about its unique panel assembly and its limited appeal, noting, "Nobody wanted this multicolored Golf" which resulted in remaining unsold stock being returned (08:00).
3. Ram Heavy Duty’s Over-the-Top Grill Design
The hosts critique the new Ram Heavy Duty truck, focusing on its extravagant grille design.
Doug describes it as "absolutely ridiculous" with lines that resemble a "baleen whale" (10:15). Nick humorously notes the practical implications, questioning who actually cleans such vehicles regularly (10:32).
Filippo concurs, adding, "100" to emphasize the severity of his agreement with Doug's assessment (10:59).
4. INEOS Pauses Grenadier and Quartermaster Production
A significant part of the episode covers INEOS’s decision to halt production of its Grenadier and Quartermaster pickup trucks due to unspecified part delays.
Nick mentions, "They’re pausing production. It’s hard to see the resolution of our camera, but there are lines everywhere" (10:15), speculating that the real issue might be an oversupply rather than actual part shortages (12:44).
Doug adds skepticism, suggesting that if the cars were performing well, the company wouldn't pause production for six months without securing alternative suppliers (12:44).
5. GR Corolla’s New Automatic Transmission: A Costly Option
The introduction of an automatic transmission option for the GR Corolla sparks debate among the hosts.
Doug questions the necessity and resale value, stating, "And it's going to resell worse" (17:27). Filippo agrees, asserting, "I would never buy the automatic version of this car ever" (18:56).
Nick conjures a hypothetical investment scenario based on lease specials, humorously suggesting to "short those stocks" (18:10).
6. Doug’s Road Rage Strategy: Targeting First-Gen Nissan Leaf Owners
In the Talk Cars segment, Doug shares a unique strategy for engaging in road rage incidents without reciprocal danger.
Doug proposes, "if you're going to get in road rage, you should engage with a driver of a first generation Nissan Leaf" (22:22). He rationalizes that these drivers likely have reduced range, making escalation difficult (23:37).
Nick humorously adds that Leaf owners are "statistically less likely to be gun owners" (22:57), further emphasizing the safety aspect.
7. Nick’s Maserati Quattroporte Procurement Saga
Nick narrates his tumultuous experience purchasing a Maserati Quattroporte, highlighting the challenges of dealing with a sketchy seller.
Nick recounts, "The big issue was the title... it was missing a signature" (25:24), which led to multiple cancellations and re-negotiations (26:10).
Doug quips about the unreliable transaction, noting, "the sketchiest man in the world has sold the second sketchiest man in the world, a Quattroporte" (27:02).
Nick concludes the story optimistically, mentioning upcoming video content featuring the Quattroporte (28:05).
8. Color Enthusiasm: Green Hell Magno AMG GTR vs. Verde Mantis Huracan Evo
The Cars and Beds segment dives into the preferences for vibrant car colors, debating the aesthetics of specific green shades on high-performance vehicles.
Filippo expresses his admiration for the "Green Hell Magno" on the AMG GTR, declaring it a "great color" (30:12), though Doug remains nonchalant, stating, "That's what they are" (30:05).
Nick supports the notion of bold colors, likening them to Mansory’s approach: "To be obnoxious" (30:08).
The discussion highlights personal color preferences, with Filippo favoring unique hues like "Damson" on a Bentley and Nick teasing about selling an automatic GR Corolla in "lizard green" (31:34).
9. Market Report: Tesla Model S Signature Edition as a Future Classic
In the Market Report, Doug and his co-host analyze the Tesla Model S Signature edition, predicting its potential rise in value and historical significance.
Doug shares his theory that the limited "Signature" edition cars, especially those signed by Elon Musk, will become valuable collectables in the future (37:11).
Filippo concurs, noting, "this already is $53K in 2022 for a super low mile one," and emphasizes the collectibility of well-preserved models (39:05).
They reflect on the Model S's impact on the automotive industry, highlighting its role as a cornerstone for Tesla's success (38:00).
10. Listener Questions: Collaborations, Scout EV, and BMW Offroad SUVs
The episode concludes with a Q&A segment addressing listener inquiries.
-
Collaboration with Whistlin Diesel: Doug expresses regret over never collaborating with the popular YouTuber known for blowing up cars. He admires Whistlin Diesel's content and humorously laments the missed opportunity (47:14).
-
Scout EV Release: Listeners inquire about the new Scout EV. Doug expresses excitement but remains skeptical about Volkswagen's ability to execute successfully, referencing past failures like the "long wheelbase one five years after they first announced it" (50:21).
-
BMW’s Absence in Offroad SUVs: The hosts discuss why BMW hasn’t ventured robustly into the offroad SUV market. Filippo suggests BMW misunderstood the image and purpose of successful offroaders like the G Wagon, leading to less impressive attempts like the XM (55:04).
Doug and Nick emphasize the importance of capability and image alignment for success in the offroad SUV segment, critiquing BMW’s efforts as misguided compared to competitors who excel in this niche (55:15).
11. Closing Remarks
The episode wraps up with light-hearted banter and acknowledgments. Nick humorously apologizes for the content, while Doug reflects on the dynamic discussions and teases upcoming content.
Notable Quotes:
- Doug: "This is the ugliest thing I have seen in my life. Do you agree?" (04:07)
- Nick: "It's just a flex on your buddies." (03:25)
- Doug: "This grill's got to be 4.5ft high. Yep. It will murder children. It'll be very tragic." (11:07)
- Doug: "If you want a jerk Corolla, but you want your significant other who can't drive a manual, maybe you would buy the automatic." (19:21)
- Doug: "Here's my road rage contention... engage with a driver of a first generation Nissan Leaf." (22:22)
- Nick: "He's gonna screw this up, too. It's what they do." (51:36)
Timestamp Reference:
- 04:07 - Discussion on Mansory’s Ferrari SUV
- 02:28 - Nick on Mansory’s design philosophy
- 04:46 - Filippo on craftsmanship issues
- 06:31 - Volkswagen’s ketchup promotion
- 08:00 - Golf Harlequin legacy
- 10:15 - Ram Heavy Duty’s grill
- 10:32 - Nick on cleaning trucks
- 12:44 - INEOS production pause skepticism
- 17:27 - GR Corolla automatic transmission cost
- 18:56 - Filippo on not buying the automatic GR Corolla
- 22:22 - Doug’s road rage strategy
- 23:37 - Reduced range of first-gen Leaf
- 25:24 - Nick’s Maserati Quattroporte title issue
- 26:10 - Transaction stalemate
- 27:02 - Doug on sketchy transaction
- 28:05 - Upcoming Quattroporte content
- 30:12 - Filippo on AMG GTR color
- 30:05 - Doug on color preference
- 30:08 - Nick on Mansory-like obnoxiousness
- 31:34 - Filippo’s Bentley color preference
- 37:11 - Tesla Model S Signature as future classic
- 39:05 - Filippo on collectibility
- 47:14 - Collaboration with Whistlin Diesel
- 50:21 - Scout EV skepticism
- 55:04 - BMW’s offroad SUV shortcomings
- 55:15 - Doug on BMW’s misunderstanding
- 19:21 - Filippo on automatic GR Corolla buyers
- 51:36 - Doug on Scout EV's future mishaps
This comprehensive summary captures the essence of the episode, highlighting key discussions, insights, and humorous exchanges among the hosts. For an in-depth understanding and the dynamic chemistry between Doug, Nick, and Filippo, tuning into the full episode is highly recommended.