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Alan never got to take his Dodge Demon to the drag strip before he sold it, but Executive Publisher of Kelly Blue Book, Autotrader, and Dealer.com, Karl Brauer, recently did at the Legion of Demons Drag Race. Karl fills us in on his 9.996 second pass, delves into the recent news of Tesla’s valuation surpassing that of Ford and GM combined, and analyzes some of the dangers the automotive industry faces in modern America and around the world. Next up, JoshCAR Hollywood Car Consultant, Josh Hancock, reviews the new Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 and holds it in high regard in all areas – except for the fact that it doesn’t come with a manual option!! Then, we chat about the surprising return of the Hummer, the death of NASCAR driver John Andretti, and the continuing saga of Carlos Ghosn’s international story that is putting Hollywood writers to shame, with Automotive Journalist, BJ Killeen. Shifting gears, Director of Sales in the Automotive Vertical at Nvoicepay, Pam Cichoke, chats about the danger dealerships face with the increasing tide of technology that is set to wash over them, and how Nvoicepay can help them stay current. Closing out the show, Co-founder of Cartender and Freelance Automotive Journalist for CarGurus, Boston Globe, and U.S. News & World Report, George Kennedy III, evaluates the new Ford Explorer ST, its upgraded 400 HP and 450 ft-lbs of torque, and where it fits into the expanding category of high performance SUVs. Are these sporty SUVs really worth the exorbitant price tags?

·[00:00:00] Karl Drag Races With Legions of Demons
·[00:05:50] Why is the Dodge Demon so Great?
·[00:12:30] Tesla Worth More Than Ford and GM
·[00:19:51] Is the Automotive World in Danger?
·[00:28:27] No Stick Shift in the New Shelby
·[00:35:52] How are Manufacturers Adapting to EVs?
·[00:42:13] NASCAR Driver John Andretti Dies at 56
·[00:47:59] Hummer Making an EV Comeback?
·[00:54:44] Carlos Ghosn’s Escape From Prison
·[01:02:05] How Will Dealerships Survive?
·[01:09:29] Ford Explorer ST 400 HP Family Car
·[01:18:06] Are Sporty SUVs Really Worth it?

[00:00:00] Karl Drag Races With Legions of Demons
If you’re a frequent listener of the show, you know all about Alan’s Dodge Demon and what it was capable of. Executive Publisher of Kelly Blue Book, Autotrader, and Dealer.com, Karl Brauer, tells about his recent trip to Houston, where he got to take his stock Dodge Demon out on the drag strip at the Legion of Demons event, to burn rubber and squeal tires. Karl was able to eek out a 10.90 second pass on street tires and a fully loaded stock interior! But that wasn’t good enough for Karl, he knew he could do better.

[00:05:50] Why is the Dodge Demon so Great?
Being a Dodge Demon owner is serious business! At the Legions of Demons event, you can’t leave until you get a nine second pass. Executive Publisher of Kelley Blue Book, Karl Brauer, shares how, with a little perseverance, he was able to get just under 10 seconds (landing in the target nine second window) with his stock Dodge Demon. The amount of power Dodge was able to pack into the Demon is astounding, especially considering the fact that it’s a street legal daily driver off the track! Tune in for more.

[00:12:30] Tesla Worth More Than Ford and GM
Earlier in the week Tesla was reported to have a valuation of over $100 billion! While the rest of the industry struggles to understand why Tesla’s stock has soared to a value of over $450 per share, Democratic Presidential Candidate, Mike Bloomberg, has outlined policy ideas to restrict sales of cars to just the EV markets by 2035. Kelley Blue Book, Autotrader, and Dealer.com Executive Publisher, Karl Brauer, and Alan explain why this is a losing strategy for the Mike2020 campaign, and what evidence we have that a lot of these lofty goals never end up hitting their deadlines.

[00:19:51] Is the Automotive World in Danger?
The politics of emissions are restricting the automotive market every year, making it harder for companies to develop new vehicles and technologies. With up to a 25% tariff on automobiles, some car manufacturers will struggle to maintain a foothold in the United States. With the European auto market struggling with Brexit, tariffs, and now 2020 emissions standards lowering CO2 output, it seems the deck is stacked against the European car manufacturers. Listen in as Kelley Blue Book Executive Publisher, Karl Brauer, analyzes some of the dangers the auto industry faces in the the years to come.

[00:28:27] No Stick Shift in the New Shelby
If you’re a fan of the control a manual transmission gives you over your driving experience, then Shelby American might be getting on your bad side. JoshCAR Hollywood Car Consultant, Josh Hancock, shares his thoughts on the new Shelby GT500. While it is an amazing car with a ton of horsepower, it is missing a manual gearbox option. Josh got to drive the new GT500 to Charlie Agapiou, one of the developers of the original Shelby Mustang, to get his impressions. Tune in to hear what Charlie had to say.

[00:42:13] NASCAR Driver John Andretti Dies at 56
The world recently, and sadly, lost a racing legend. Automotive Journalist, BJ Killeen, remembers John Andretti who recently passed away at the age of 56 due to colon cancer. The Andretti family is very nice and genuine, so it’s sad to see something like this happen to someone so young. Alan shares some Andretti family stories as we remember John’s influential life. Rest in peace, John.

[00:47:59] Hummer Making an EV Comeback?
If you’ve missed Hummer, then we have some… news for you. Automotive Journalist, BJ Killeen, discusses the return of Hummer, but it might not be int he form you’d expect (or prefer for that matter). Yep, that’s right – GM is teasing their new Hummer EV. This beast is rumored to be capable of putting out 1,000 HP and 11,500 ft-lbs of torque (no that’s not a typo). With the hummer being an offroad vehicle, it will be interesting to see how they handle some of the challenges electric off road vehicles often encounter. Are you a fan of this newly proposed Hummer?

[00:54:44] Carlos Ghosn’s Escape From Prison
Carlos Ghosn’s crazy escape from prison has been all over the news after he escaped house arrest in Japan in black musical equipment box. Tokyo prosecutors have just sent out another arrest warrant for Ghosn and his American accomplices. Nissan is blaming Ghosn for their poor performance despite the fact he hasn’t been CEO since 2017. Alan and Automotive Journalist, BJ Killeen, wonder how long it will take Hollywood to cash in on a movie adaptation of this whole event.

[01:02:05] How Will Dealerships Survive?
With the number of things you can do on the internet compounding year after year, what will happen to dealerships? Director of Sales in the Automotive Vertical at Nvoicepay, Pam Cichoke, breaks down what dealerships are going to have to do to stay in business in the face of the oncoming wave of new technology. Thankfully, Nvoicepay has a solution that will keep dealerships at the top of their game going into an uncertain future. Tune in to learn more.

[01:09:29] Ford Explorer ST 400 HP Family Car
Co-founder of Cartender and Freelance Automotive Journalist for CarGurus, Boston Globe, and U.S. News & World Report, George Kennedy III, shares his thoughts on the new Ford Explorer ST. Ford’s Sport Technologies Group has taken a deep look at this family SUV and has given it a boost. Now tuned up with 400 HP and 450 ft-lbs of torque and converted into a rear-wheel drive vehicle, the Ford Explorer is getting beefier with the ST edition. Tune in to hear how it fairs on the street.

[01:18:06] Are Sporty SUVs Really Worth it?
Sporty SUVs are pretty awesome, but what are the drawbacks? Freelance Automotive Journalist, George Kennedy III, discusses the massive expenditure these high performance SUVs have become – and the whole package is really worth the cost. We also discuss how the Ford Explorer is attempting to set itself apart from its competition in this competitive market.

Explore More with Helpful Links:

·Contributor: Karl Brauer | Executive Publisher, Kelley Blue Book/ Autotrader/ Dealer.com

·Contributor: Josh Hancock | Hollywood Car Consultant, JoshCAR

·Contributor: BJ Killeen | Voice of Reason, Automotive Journalist

·Contributor: George Kennedy III | Co-founder, Cartender | Freelance Automotive Journalist, CarGurus/ Boston Globe/ U.S. News and World Report

·Special Guest: Pam Cichone | Director of Sales in the Automotive Vertical, Nvoicepay

Credits

Host: Alan Taylor
Producer: Dave Milligan
Audio Engineer: Dave Milligan
Copy Editor: Cody Castleberry
Contributor: Karl Brauer
Contributor: Josh Hancock
Contributor: BJ Killeen
Contributor: George Kennedy III
Special Guest: Pam Cichone

Our Sponsors & Supported Charities:

·Austin Hatcher Foundation

·Brembo

·Dodge

·Foundation of Human Understanding

·Shell

·Subaru

***

This episode was produced by Entertainment Right Now (ERN). If you found value in this episode, and you’d like to hear more, please consider leaving us a review on iTunes and be sure to subscribe to our podcast so you don’t miss a beat. Your feedback helps us to reach more enthusiasts around the world! If you have a question you’d like us to answer, please leave a comment below or e-mail us at info@ernlive.com.

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