Car News: Grand Tour Reboot, New STI & Celica, Dodge Charger EV, California Emissions, Cars & Bids 5th Anniversary

Grand Tour Reboot and New Hosts

• 🚗 The Grand Tour is returning with a new trio of hosts: Thomas and James from Throttle House, and TikTok train spotter Francis Bourgeois.
• 💡 While Thomas and James are beloved for their chemistry, there's uncertainty about how Francis Bourgeois will integrate, with speculation of a format change.
• 📺 The original Top Gear trio's success was chemistry-driven, and there's pressure on the new Grand Tour hosts to replicate that magic.

Potential New Sports Cars from Toyota and Subaru

• 🚀 Toyota is reportedly considering a new Celica, showing early designs to dealers, potentially completing their sports car lineup with the Supra and 86.
• 🤔 The financial viability of a new Celica is questioned, given Toyota's previous reliance on partnerships for the 86 and Supra.
• 📣 Subaru has teased a high-performance vehicle, possibly a WRX STI, despite earlier statements that an STI version wouldn't be released.
• 🇯🇵 A potential WRX wagon, similar to the overseas Levorg, is also discussed as a compelling option.

Automotive Controversies and Market Reports

• ⚠️ Reports of Dodge Charger EVs accelerating unintentionally have surfaced, with Dodge claiming it's a feature for accelerator pedal failure, though not documented in manuals.
• 💨 California's emissions waiver to ban gasoline cars by 2035 has been revoked by the Senate, marking a significant federal disagreement on environmental policy.
• 📈 Cars & Bids celebrated its 5th anniversary, having sold over 28,000 vehicles for $625 million.
• 🏆 A rare red Mercedes-AMG C63 Black Series with 38,100 miles sold for $111,000, a strong result for the desirable model.
• 💎 A 2020 Rolls-Royce Cullinan with 115,000 miles is listed on Cars & Bids, showcasing incredible durability and high usage for a luxury vehicle.
• 🏎️ An automatic transmission NA2 Acura NSX with under 10,000 miles sold for a high price, sparking discussion about manual conversions.

Listener Questions and Personal Car Picks

• 🤔 Listeners debated the impact of a CEO's persona on brand perception, particularly for Tesla, and the future of EVs.
• 🌟 The "holy trinity" of hypercars (918, P1, LaFerrari) was ranked, with the Porsche 918 being favored for usability.
• 🚗 Cars that were ahead of their time but might succeed today include the Toyota FJ Cruiser and Lincoln Blackwood.
• ❓ Hosts discussed their personal car matches: Fippo with a base VW Golf or Lopo Olympics Edition, Doug with a Jaguar XJ6, and Kenan with a chaotic, yet-to-be-determined choice.
• ⛽ Brand loyalty to gas stations like Shell was discussed, with hosts admitting varying levels of convenience and preference driving their choices.