Best experience in a dealership was the McLaren store in Munich. Out at night after dinner, nursing a cold, and of course it was cold and raining. We walked up to the storefront and looked at all the (why were all the cars orange?) cars, and then walked in. Sales guy was very nice allowed us to sit in the displays, and imagine, if briefly affording one. Gave me brochures and a hat.
“Of the Big Three, only Stellantis has a reliable half-ton V-8…”
Ehh the Coyote isn’t that bad. The 10 speed auto CERTAINLY has had issues, but those are mostly ironed out too from what I understand.
I don’t know if I’d trust it more than the 5.7 Hemi, but I really don’t think I’d trust it any less either.
Tangentially related, GM just announced an EIGHT POINT THREE (8.3!!) liter duramax for the next gen 3/4 ton+ trucks. Thats 506 cubic inches!
If it’s anything like every other modern diesel, it’ll be a piece of shit. But 8.3 liters is inspiring in the face of $7/gal diesel in the states. Shout out to ‘em.
The new McLaren logo looks like it belongs on the face of a 200 dollar quartz fashion watch but I reckon the one positive that will come of it is that it may bolster the resale of their “old logo” cars
Steven Rattner led the government team that made GM shut down Pontiac, so he can fuck right off. I wouldn’t believe anything that comes out of his mouth.
Not a defense of GM, just pointing out that Rattner is a petty tyrant.
I’m currently driving an Envision AWD, courtesy of Avis. It’s mostly “fine”. However, the stalk mounted “shifter” is STUPID and annoying. Which also means the wiper controls are moved to the left stalk which is ANNOYING as I have 50 years of muscle memory with wiper controls being on the right stalk in GM cars. And it’s got a sort of lovely wrap around screen thing on the dash, which is mostly fine except the steering wheel blocks the view of some of the info. Brilliant. At least there are buttons for some of the HVAC controls and a real volume knob for the radio. Would I buy this if made in the USA? Maybe. Built in China? NO.
“McLaren does on thing well either exhilarating skilled drivers or killing unskilled drivers” That should be a marketing slogan for the company, not…..
Factoid: I was speaking to the marketing manager for Washington DC Ferrari McLaren Massartee dealer at the Greenbrier Concourse this past spring and I was asking about his customer base. He said half the buyers were Indian IT workers from the IAH Greenbelt area. However off handed he says about 50 percent of the cars gets wrecked in the first few months of ownership and they do a lot of repair work. Moral of the story, if you want to drive an exotic car, don’t buy used in the DC Metro and if you want to drive an exotic car get a job as an Indian IT worker. Sorry Speed, I don’t think a pail Canadian could pass. 😁😁
I would guess not many, those IT workers the whole family lives in an overpriced NVA McManson and the family members all pool their money and when I see IT manager job posting the jobs pay in the low six digits.
I was going to ask you if you were going to write about the Porsche financial collapse. Seems their profits suddenly cratered in 2025. Is it due to a crash in sales in China? EV development write downs? Some other accounting voodoo?
Waymo and the like are just evil. I have this visceral desire to get a 350/3500 truck, put big crash bars on both ends, go hunting those things, and ram them off the road.
But remember that Waymo, if Jack’s fanfic is to be believed, is creating multiple JERBs that you would be willing to destroy because you need to put a Monster Truck to use.
“The McLaren supercar/hypercar/whatever in its various forms is the purest rich-person vehicle to exist in modern times.”
Doug DeMuro made this observation more than a month ago on ‘THIS Car Pod’ … so who’s the REAL podcuck?
“This new “wordmark”, with its awkward nod to a heritage that essentially never existed in anyone’s mind until yesterday and is therefore peak McLaren marketing, apparently presages a move into SUVs and lifestyle branding and an attempt to join Ferrari in the “clothing licensor that happens to make cars” segment.”
Luca di Montezemolo is on the McLaren Board now.
“A bunch of you have sent me the Angeles Death Highway video about the Porsche GT3.”
Surely you mean the Angeles Death Highway video about the Porsche GT3 RS? For the GT3 is the understated choice, and the RS variant is the choice of the gold chain, silk shirt, Miami course-seller phenotype.
I was encouraged this week to see reports of potential future production of my ‘dream car’, a Grand Cherokee with the new Hurricane I6. I think the new GC is attractive inside and out, perfectly sized for me, priced right where I want to be in the market, and missing only a good powertrain (not saddled with the hilariously unreliable new 2.0T). Yes, if it comes through, the GC I6 should make a good impression of an American Range Rover Sport, which is pretty much exactly what I’d like to buy, without all the Range Rover baggage, markups, and maintenance costs (it will still break but will cost reasonable money to fix). Color me enthused.
That McLaren shifter is gorgeous… is it up lit? Damn, do want.
That said every McLaren looks like a car from the Asphalt line of mobile games. That is, every one after the F1. The F1 IS McLaren to me and probably a lot of people my age. There is no topping that, from the cool three seat design to the custom luggage compartment with luggage to the full set of Facom tools it came with (including a massive 56k modem for remote diagnostics). Perfection.
This...
"..less German than falling asleep on the Maginot Line."
...is why I subscribe.
LMAO
McLarens don't really do anything for me. They look like ugly expensive designer hi top sneakers.
Or Nerf footballs on wheels.
https://www.athleticpropulsionlabs.com/pages/mclaren?srsltid=AU7gw4VFsUmFv_fwB9Ip8Wi6DSbXCkZiETj3RpD5LJdOkOw_vVhRWA_G
As Ned Ryerson would say, bing!
Best experience in a dealership was the McLaren store in Munich. Out at night after dinner, nursing a cold, and of course it was cold and raining. We walked up to the storefront and looked at all the (why were all the cars orange?) cars, and then walked in. Sales guy was very nice allowed us to sit in the displays, and imagine, if briefly affording one. Gave me brochures and a hat.
“Of the Big Three, only Stellantis has a reliable half-ton V-8…”
Ehh the Coyote isn’t that bad. The 10 speed auto CERTAINLY has had issues, but those are mostly ironed out too from what I understand.
I don’t know if I’d trust it more than the 5.7 Hemi, but I really don’t think I’d trust it any less either.
Tangentially related, GM just announced an EIGHT POINT THREE (8.3!!) liter duramax for the next gen 3/4 ton+ trucks. Thats 506 cubic inches!
If it’s anything like every other modern diesel, it’ll be a piece of shit. But 8.3 liters is inspiring in the face of $7/gal diesel in the states. Shout out to ‘em.
The new McLaren logo looks like it belongs on the face of a 200 dollar quartz fashion watch but I reckon the one positive that will come of it is that it may bolster the resale of their “old logo” cars
Resale of the ones that haven’t exploded in flames ….
I live in Fort Wayne, and my neighbor, a UAW 1250 member, builds them about 9 miles from my house.
There is no plant on which I’ll give GM $3000 for a delivery charge.
But “friendly arrogance” is far more of a GM value than “Excellence”. https://www.theguardian.com/business/2009/oct/21/us-car-czar-slams-gm
Steven Rattner led the government team that made GM shut down Pontiac, so he can fuck right off. I wouldn’t believe anything that comes out of his mouth.
Not a defense of GM, just pointing out that Rattner is a petty tyrant.
I’m currently driving an Envision AWD, courtesy of Avis. It’s mostly “fine”. However, the stalk mounted “shifter” is STUPID and annoying. Which also means the wiper controls are moved to the left stalk which is ANNOYING as I have 50 years of muscle memory with wiper controls being on the right stalk in GM cars. And it’s got a sort of lovely wrap around screen thing on the dash, which is mostly fine except the steering wheel blocks the view of some of the info. Brilliant. At least there are buttons for some of the HVAC controls and a real volume knob for the radio. Would I buy this if made in the USA? Maybe. Built in China? NO.
“McLaren does on thing well either exhilarating skilled drivers or killing unskilled drivers” That should be a marketing slogan for the company, not…..
Factoid: I was speaking to the marketing manager for Washington DC Ferrari McLaren Massartee dealer at the Greenbrier Concourse this past spring and I was asking about his customer base. He said half the buyers were Indian IT workers from the IAH Greenbelt area. However off handed he says about 50 percent of the cars gets wrecked in the first few months of ownership and they do a lot of repair work. Moral of the story, if you want to drive an exotic car, don’t buy used in the DC Metro and if you want to drive an exotic car get a job as an Indian IT worker. Sorry Speed, I don’t think a pail Canadian could pass. 😁😁
Wonder how many of those IT workers are buying on 8 year loans?
I would guess not many, those IT workers the whole family lives in an overpriced NVA McManson and the family members all pool their money and when I see IT manager job posting the jobs pay in the low six digits.
I was going to ask you if you were going to write about the Porsche financial collapse. Seems their profits suddenly cratered in 2025. Is it due to a crash in sales in China? EV development write downs? Some other accounting voodoo?
Over-indexed to China and EV-related write downs, yes.
Blume got defenestrated from the PAG seat in lieu of Leiters - who got defenestrated from McLaren - but Blume does still hold the VW CEO seat.
Waymo and the like are just evil. I have this visceral desire to get a 350/3500 truck, put big crash bars on both ends, go hunting those things, and ram them off the road.
Then don’t be a CUCK … do it!
But remember that Waymo, if Jack’s fanfic is to be believed, is creating multiple JERBs that you would be willing to destroy because you need to put a Monster Truck to use.
“The McLaren supercar/hypercar/whatever in its various forms is the purest rich-person vehicle to exist in modern times.”
Doug DeMuro made this observation more than a month ago on ‘THIS Car Pod’ … so who’s the REAL podcuck?
“This new “wordmark”, with its awkward nod to a heritage that essentially never existed in anyone’s mind until yesterday and is therefore peak McLaren marketing, apparently presages a move into SUVs and lifestyle branding and an attempt to join Ferrari in the “clothing licensor that happens to make cars” segment.”
Luca di Montezemolo is on the McLaren Board now.
“A bunch of you have sent me the Angeles Death Highway video about the Porsche GT3.”
Surely you mean the Angeles Death Highway video about the Porsche GT3 RS? For the GT3 is the understated choice, and the RS variant is the choice of the gold chain, silk shirt, Miami course-seller phenotype.
I was encouraged this week to see reports of potential future production of my ‘dream car’, a Grand Cherokee with the new Hurricane I6. I think the new GC is attractive inside and out, perfectly sized for me, priced right where I want to be in the market, and missing only a good powertrain (not saddled with the hilariously unreliable new 2.0T). Yes, if it comes through, the GC I6 should make a good impression of an American Range Rover Sport, which is pretty much exactly what I’d like to buy, without all the Range Rover baggage, markups, and maintenance costs (it will still break but will cost reasonable money to fix). Color me enthused.
I think I’ve seen similar branding on cracker boxes at Waitrose
That McLaren shifter is gorgeous… is it up lit? Damn, do want.
That said every McLaren looks like a car from the Asphalt line of mobile games. That is, every one after the F1. The F1 IS McLaren to me and probably a lot of people my age. There is no topping that, from the cool three seat design to the custom luggage compartment with luggage to the full set of Facom tools it came with (including a massive 56k modem for remote diagnostics). Perfection.