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Alan attended the F1 race in Las Vegas, NV, and starts the show with special guest, Mark Wang – President and Chief Executive Officer at Hilton Grand Vacations. Mark shares how the spirit of experience and hospitality drives the Hilton brand, as people are looking for a connection. Mark loves cars, and his first Formula 1 experience was in 1979 in Long Beach, California. Now, he is attending his 27th Formula 1 race. He believes bringing F1 to Vegas was a wise investment, especially considering the 4000 events that Hilton hosts, having F1 be a part of that experience is phenomenal. Hilton is focused on providing ultimate experiences for customers and members, including access to sporting events, concerts, and other entertainment. 

BJ Killeen is an automotive journalist and a voice of reason. The F1 race on the strip has been a nightmare for the locals and workers. However, it brings in around a billion dollars, which is

not all of Vega’s benefits. The Fremont Strip and its surrounding hotels and casinos were mostly quiet as everything was focused on the opposite side of the strip for the event. Max Verstappen, the winner of the F1 race, wasn’t a fan of the location or the track, and his negative commentary and attitude could have been more helpful. BJ also shares that Hot Rod and Motor Trend magazine will be transitioning to quarterly issues instead of monthly ones starting next spring. Magazines have been struggling for years since the rise of the internet. BJ is currently test-driving the 2025 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid Max Limited all-wheel drive, the top-of-the-line model priced at $57k. It’s a big vehicle with seven trims and three gas models, with the Platinum Max being the top model. It has seven-passenger seating, and the interior is almost as lovely as the Lexus. The vehicle has excellent ergonomics, a big screen, 11 speakers, 362 horsepower, 400 # ft of torque, and 21 mpg.

Up next is Brian Moody, Executive Editor of AutoTrader.com and KBB.com. Brian attended the L.A. Auto Show where he saw the 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5N, the electric version, with an impressive 641 horsepower output. Starting in 2025, you will be able to buy a Hyundai on Amazon and shop dealer inventory. By 2025, all Hyundai cars will have Amazon Alexa software included. The Lucid Gravity SUV, 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe, and Toyota Camry are now all hybrid, which is great news for the environment. At the L.A. Auto Show, Brian saw some exciting concept cars, such as the KIA EV4 and KIA EV5, as well as the KIA EV3 and KIA Forte. Brian’s favorite was the Genesis GV80 Coupe, which has impressed him every time he’s driven it. Brian also shared a list of the 10 best-used cars that get at least 40 miles to the gallon. If you’re in the market for a used car, consider the following: the 2017-2022 Hyundai IONIQ Hybrid Blue, which gets an impressive 60 MPG, the Toyota Prius L Echo at 56 MPG, the Hyundai Elantra Hybrid Blue at 54 MPG, the 2019-2022 Honda Insite at 52 MPG, the Toyota Corolla Hybrid at 2020-2021 52 MPG, the 2018 Camry Hybrid at 52 MPG, the 2021 Kia Nero SE at 50 MPG, the 2017-2021 Honda Accord Hybrid at 48 MPG, the 2017-2019 Malibu Hybrid at 46 MPG, and the Rav4 Hybrid at 40 MPG.

Lauren Fix, Editor-in-Chief for Car Coach Reports, test drove the Hyundai IONIQ 5 N, an electric car, and was impressed with its performance. The synthetic sounds installed in the program were designed to give the driver the experience of an exhaust, which was well-designed and highly creative. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has suggested several measures to curb speeding, including speed limiters, more severe penalties, and more restrictions. They propose that if a driver exceeds the speed limit, their steering wheel and seat will vibrate, and lights will flash to alert them. If the driver continues to break the law, the NTSB wants to impose additional punishments besides taking away their license. Before Lauren exits the show, she and Alan discuss the impact of electric vehicles. While electric cars are a step towards reducing pollution, they still have a negative impact on the environment. Additionally, the weight of these vehicles causes wear and tear on roads, What does that ultimately mean? In order to fix the roads an estimated $80K will be needed. And where will they get that money? From the raise in our taxes.

[00:00:00] – Special Guest Mark Wang
[00:06:33] – F1 Race
[00:13:01] – The Hilton Experience
[00:20:52] – Contributor BJ Killeen
[00:30:20] – Hot Rod and Motor Trend
[00:37:23] – Toyota Grand Highlander
[00:43:43] – Contributor Brian Moody
[00:51:33] – L.A. Auto Show
[00:56:45] – Top Ten Used Hybrids
[01:04:35] – Contributor Lauren Fix
[01:14:51] – NTSB Out of Control
[01:21:11] – Negative Impact

CREDITS

Host: Alan Taylor
Producer: Dave Milligan
Copy Editor: Colleen Mahi

Contributor: Lauren Fix
Contributor: Brian Moody
Contributor: Karl Brauer Contributor: Ed Justice Jr.

EXPLORE MORE WITH HELPFUL LINKS:

• Contributor: Lauren Fix | Editor in-Chief for Car Coach Reports.
• Contributor: Brian Moody | Executive Editor of Auto Trader.com and KBB.com..
• Contributor: Karl Brauer |  Automotive Industry Analyst, Forbes Autos Contributor, North American Car and Truck of the Year juror and board member and Executive Analyst for ISeeCars.com
• Contributor: Ed Justice Jr. |  Justice Brothers, Inc. President and CEO.

Vehicles Discussed:

Ford F350 super duty,  Toyota Land Cruiser,  Toyota Tundra, Toyota Sequoia, F250, Honda pilot, Toyota Tacoma, GMC Sierra 2500, Chevy Silverado, 2500, and Honda pilot, Ford GT,  2023 Volvo V60

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• Austin Hatcher Foundation
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• Brembo
• Dodge
• Foundation of Human Understanding
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• Subaru