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Hyundai is preparing to challenge Toyota, Ford, General Motors, and Nissan in one of America's most fiercely competitive automotive segments: midsize pickup trucks. But how does a company known for SUVs and crossovers build a body-on-frame truck capable of taking on the Toyota Tacoma, Ford Ranger, Chevrolet Colorado, and Nissan Frontier? And what happens when one of the designers helping shape Hyundai's future isn't even 30 years old? In this episode of the MotoMan Podcast, we sit down with Kellen Gustine, a designer at Hyundai Design North America, for an unusually candid conversation about Hyundai's ambitious 2030 pickup truck program, the company's rapid approach to vehicle development, and the challenge of earning credibility with American truck buyers. We explore why Hyundai believes now is the time to enter the American pickup market, how the Boulder Concept could influence its future trucks, and why Hyundai cannot simply copy Toyota's formula. Kellen also takes us behind the scenes of Hyundai's California design studio, explaining how concepts become production vehicles, how designers research real-world off-road use, and why details such as tires, recovery equipment, interior controls, and functionality matter to truck buyers. Chapters 00:00 Hyundai's Impossible Truck Challenge01:26 Meet Kellin Gustine: Not Even 3004:55 Designing the Hyundai Santa Cruz05:39 Inside Hyundai's Small Design Team06:43 Why Hyundai Develops Cars So Quickly07:04 28 Projects in Just Four and a Half Years07:51 Hyundai's Body-on-Frame Pickup for 203008:33 Challenging Tacoma, Ranger and Colorado09:19 Pickup Truck or Bronco-Style SUV?10:18 How Hyundai's Reputation Has Changed10:59 Why Hyundai Is Entering the Truck Market12:32 Driving the Hyundai Crater Concept13:45 How Crater Influenced the 2027 Tucson15:07 Why Concept Cars Rarely Reach Production16:24 Translating Hyundai Concepts Into Reality17:23 What Boulder Could Reveal About the Pickup18:26 Why Ford Understands Truck Buyers19:15 How Hyundai Designers Learn Off-Road21:00 The Origins of Hyundai's Truck Project23:18 Hyundai's Wishlist: Tires, Winches and More24:55 Why Truck Buyers Demand Authenticity25:46 What Hyundai Must Get Right26:09 How Hyundai Plans to Differentiate27:01 The Leadership Behind Hyundai Design29:15 Can Hyundai Deliver on Its Ambitions?31:48 Hyundai Boulder vs. Bronco and 4Runner33:02 Why Hyundai Must Reinvent Truck Interiors34:09 Kellin on Hyundai's Interior Design35:26 Can Great Design Cost Less?37:00 Would You Pay More for a Better Interior?37:52 Why Hyundai Doesn't Trust Flashy Renderings40:26 Kellin's Three Keys to Early Success Subscribe to @MMTVPodcast for in-depth conversations with automotive designers, engineers, executives, and the people shaping the future of the automotive industry. #Hyundai #HyundaiTruck #HyundaiBoulder #KellenGustine #HyundaiDesign #ToyotaTacoma #FordRanger #PickupTrucks #BodyOnFrame #HyundaiCrater #MotoManPodcast For driving adventures & car reviews, before sure to visit us @ https://www.youtube.com/@MMTVCars Download the MotoManTV Podcast @https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/motomantv-podcast/id1836304387 https://open.spotify.com/show/0V4AKzLYrZc6rNCF23kwOt https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/90ba9b31-fe69-4baf-817d-cb3816a33c21/motomantv-podcast Connect with our Short Form content here: https://www.instagram.com/motomantv/ https://x.com/MotoManTV https://www.tiktok.com/@themotomantv http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVPodcastShorts http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVPodcastClips http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVCarsShorts http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVCarsClips Help us grow the show! If you enjoyed this deep dive into the "grind" of motorsport, please Subscribe and Share this episode on Reddit. If you’re listening on a podcast platform, leave us a written review and tell us who your favorite guest has been. Proudly shot on Sony’s Cinema line of Cameras

What makes a Maserati a Maserati? Is it the Trident, Italian design, engineering, or something deeper? And why does Maserati approach its heritage so differently from Porsche? In this episode of the MotoMan Podcast, George Notaras sits down with Klaus Busse, Maserati's Head of Design, for a candid conversation about automotive design, Italian culture, corporate influence, and the future of one of the world's most iconic automotive brands. Klaus traces his journey from Mercedes-Benz to Chrysler, where he worked alongside Ralph Gilles to transform the company's interiors, and ultimately to Maserati. He shares the advice he received from legendary Italian designer Giorgetto Giugiaro and explains why Italian automotive design embraces reinvention rather than Porsche-style evolution. But the conversation gets particularly interesting when George questions whether today's Maseratis live up to the brand's extraordinary heritage. Klaus pushes back, defending the Maserati Ghibli, Levante, Grecale, MC20, and GranTurismo while explaining what makes these very different cars unmistakably Maserati. They also explore Stellantis platform sharing, the future of touchscreens and analog controls, Lamborghini's success with the Urus, and why Maserati is already developing vehicles for 2030 and 2031. Can Maserati preserve its identity by reinventing itself? Or does that risk losing what made the brand special in the first place? Chapters 00:00 – Can Maserati Reinvent Itself? 01:35 – Klaus Busse: The Maserati Promise 04:57 – Why Maserati Represents Italian Culture 06:52 – From Mercedes-Benz to Chrysler 10:43 – How Ralph Gilles Transformed Chrysler 18:24 – Why Klaus Left America for Italy 23:48 – Giugiaro's Lesson on Italian Design 31:42 – Does Stellantis Compromise Maserati? 33:36 – Have Cars Reached Peak Screen? 41:07 – Maserati vs. Porsche, Bentley & Lamborghini 43:17 – Is It Still a Maserati Without the Trident? 47:10 – The Three Pillars of Maserati Design 50:20 – What Makes a True GranTurismo? 57:42 – Maserati's Future: 2030 and Beyond 1:00:00 – Corporate Influence and Ralph Gilles 1:04:19 – Three Lessons Behind Klaus's Success 1:08:25 – Friendship, Craftsmanship & One Wrinkle Subscribe to @MMTVPodcast for in-depth conversations with the key people shaping the automotive, tech and business worlds. #Maserati #KlausBusse #CarDesign #Porsche #ItalianCars #MotoManPodcast #Stellantis #MC20 #MCPura For driving adventures & car reviews, before sure to visit us @ https://www.youtube.com/@MMTVCars Download the MotoManTV Podcast @ https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/motomantv-podcast/id1836304387 https://open.spotify.com/show/0V4AKzLYrZc6rNCF23kwOt https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/90ba9b31-fe69-4baf-817d-cb3816a33c21/motomantv-podcast Connect with our Short Form content here: https://www.instagram.com/motomantv/ https://x.com/MotoManTV https://www.tiktok.com/@themotomantv http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVPodcastShorts http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVPodcastClips http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVCarsShorts http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVCarsClips Help us grow the show! If you enjoyed this deep dive into the "grind" of motorsport, please Subscribe and Share this episode on Reddit. If you’re listening on a podcast platform, leave us a written review and tell us who your favorite guest has been. Proudly shot on Sony’s Cinema line of Cameras

When Nissan was on the brink of bankruptcy in 1999, it threw the fight of its life—delivering a renaissance of unforgettable machines. But how does a company that created legendary nameplates like the Z, GT-R, Maxima, and Xterra find itself repeatedly fighting for survival from the inside out? In this rare, unfiltered sit-down in Miami, MotoMan reunites with longtime friend and retiring Senior Vice President of Global Design, Alfonso Albaisa. Over a 38-year career spanning from Brooklyn art school rebel to the head of design for Nissan and Infiniti, Alfonso pulled back the curtain on the triumphs, near-death alliances, and boardroom battles that shaped modern Japanese motoring. From the secret "country club" slush fund at Nissan Design America in San Diego to clashing with Carlos Ghosn over the 350Z, Alfonso reveals why 90s icons struggled commercially, what really happened during the R35 GT-R development, why Infiniti is making a hard pivot toward rugged trucks, and what the future holds for the next-generation Xterra and the Skyline sedan. CHAPTERS 00:00 – Nissan's Greatest Contradiction01:40 – 38 Years at Nissan: Alfonso's Journey13:37 – The Nissan Z32 and Figaro17:32 – How GM Influenced Nissan Design23:30 – Inside Nissan's Rebel Design Studio32:53 – Nissan's Lost Icons and Identity35:35 – How Nissan's Best Cars Failed44:41 – Renault, Ghosn and Nissan's Revival56:36 – How Ghosn's Ambition Hurt Nissan1:11:33 – The GT-R and Nissan's Performance DNA1:19:00 – Infiniti's Identity Crisis1:25:28 – Why Nissan Design Wasn't Enough1:30:30 – The Nissan Z Nearly Didn't Happen1:37:04 – Designing Cars Against the Odds1:46:12 – Why Nissan Stopped Making Icons1:51:44 – The New Xterra and Nissan's Future1:53:23 – NISMO, Horsepower and Regrets1:57:32 – Alfonso's Greatest Nissan Designs2:02:34 – The Future of Xterra2:06:10 – Alfonso Albaisa's Legacy #Nissan #AlfonsoAlbaisa #CarlosGhosn #NissanGTR #NissanZ #MotoManPodcast For driving adventures & car reviews, before sure to visit us @ https://www.youtube.com/@MMTVCars Download the MotoManTV Podcast @https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/motomantv-podcast/id1836304387 https://open.spotify.com/show/0V4AKzLYrZc6rNCF23kwOt https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/90ba9b31-fe69-4baf-817d-cb3816a33c21/motomantv-podcast Connect with our Short Form content here: https://www.instagram.com/motomantv/ https://x.com/MotoManTV https://www.tiktok.com/@themotomantv http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVPodcastShorts http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVPodcastClips http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVCarsShorts http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVCarsClips Help us grow the show! If you enjoyed this deep dive into the "grind" of motorsport, please Subscribe and Share this episode on Reddit. If you’re listening on a podcast platform, leave us a written review and tell us who your favorite guest has been. Proudly shot on Sony’s Cinema line of Cameras

What do Porsche, Tesla, Chinese automakers, and the decline of affordable cars have in common? According to automotive journalist and racer Jack Baruth, the industry may be building faster, more technologically advanced, and more expensive cars while losing sight of the people who actually drive them. Jack Baruth returns to the MotoMan Podcast for a provocative conversation in our Michigan Cigar Lounge about the future of the automotive industry, American manufacturing, Chinese EVs, Tesla's business model, Ford's challenge to Slate Motors, and the growing divide between luxury car culture and everyday drivers. Having experienced Chinese automobiles firsthand, Jack challenges the assumption that rapid innovation automatically produces better cars. Are BYD and other Chinese automakers engineering vehicles for long-term durability—or simply for an impressive showroom experience? The debate moves to Tesla, where Jack questions Elon Musk's direct-to-consumer model and whether it really serves the average American car buyer. He also makes a bold prediction: Ford's affordable electric pickup could threaten Slate Motors before the startup establishes itself. Then the conversation turns personal. From Singer's million-dollar Porsche creations to Pebble Beach and the Woodward Dream Cruise, Jack questions whether automotive culture has become more concerned with status, exclusivity, and wealth than the joy of driving. And after decades of racing, owning a Porsche 911, and pursuing experiences most enthusiasts only dream about, Jack shares an unexpected conclusion about what actually makes life worthwhile. CHAPTERS 00:00 – The Automotive Dream: What Are We Chasing? 02:33 – Jack Baruth Returns to the MotoMan Podcast04:19 – American Manufacturing Makes a Comeback?07:34 – GM, Cadillac and the Escalade Problem10:09 – Apple, Tariffs and Reshoring Manufacturing17:19 – Will American Manufacturing Stay?21:45 – Jack Baruth and George Experience Chinese Cars23:44 – BYD and the Question of Long-Term Quality28:47 – China, Competition and American Car Buyers31:39 – Why Buying American Still Matters34:49 – Tesla's Future Beyond the Model S and Model X38:13 – The EV Industry's Battery Problem40:28 – Why Ford's Cheap EV Could Kill Slate42:44 – Tesla vs Traditional Car Dealerships51:05 – Who Will Actually Buy a Slate Truck?53:00 – Why Dealers Make Affordable Cars Expensive58:15 – Pebble Beach vs Woodward Dream Cruise1:00:06 – Jack Baruth Takes on Singer Porsche1:07:04 – Why Woodward Represents Real Car Culture1:10:00 – Predictions for the Automotive Industry1:16:01 – Racing, Success and the Meaning of Life1:19:29 – Why Owning a Porsche 911 Won't Fix Your Life Subscribe to the @MMTVPodcast for in-depth conversations with automotive executives, designers, engineers, industry insiders, and the people shaping the future of mobility. #MotoManPodcast #JackBaruth #Porsche911 #Tesla #CarCulture #AutomotiveIndustry #BYD #SlateMotors #Ford #WoodwardDreamCruise #PebbleBeach #SingerPorsche #MotoManTV For driving adventures & car reviews, before sure to visit us @ https://www.youtube.com/@MMTVCars Download the MotoManTV Podcast @https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/motomantv-podcast/id1836304387 https://open.spotify.com/show/0V4AKzLYrZc6rNCF23kwOt https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/90ba9b31-fe69-4baf-817d-cb3816a33c21/motomantv-podcast Connect with our Short Form content here: https://www.instagram.com/motomantv/ https://x.com/MotoManTV https://www.tiktok.com/@themotomantv http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVPodcastShorts http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVPodcastClips http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVCarsShorts http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVCarsClips Help us grow the show! If you enjoyed this deep dive into the "grind" of motorsport, please Subscribe and Share this episode on Reddit. If you’re listening on a podcast platform, leave us a written review and tell us who your favorite guest has been. Proudly shot on Sony’s Cinema line of Cameras

Is Scout Motors building the anti-Tesla? While Tesla, Rivian and other automakers embrace futuristic electric vehicles, Scout Motors is taking the opposite approach: physical buttons, traditional truck engineering, a solid rear axle and less technology between the driver and the road. In this episode of the MotoMan Podcast, Scout Motors Chief Design Officer Chris Benjamin reveals the strategy behind the Scout Traveler SUV and Scout Terra pickup truck. Benjamin, whose career includes BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo and Jeep, explains why Scout is rejecting modern EV design trends, how Volkswagen Group influences the company, and why a gasoline range extender could change the electric truck equation. He also reveals why he rejected Scout's original design direction and had just three weeks to present an alternative. Can the future of electric trucks succeed by going backwards? CHAPTERS 00:00 – Why Scout Is Building the Anti-Tesla01:51 – Chris Benjamin Returns to MotoMan02:15 – From Startup to Scout Traveler and Terra03:06 – Bringing Back the Original Scout DNA04:27 – Why Scout Rejects Modern Styling Trends06:33 – What Jeep Taught Scout's Design Chief09:46 – Real Off-Road Experience vs Studio Design12:03 – Building a Startup Inside Volkswagen Group14:18 – Scout's Small Team and Big Ambitions15:12 – Why Scout Added a Gasoline Range Extender17:29 – Designing a Real Electric Off-Road Truck19:18 – How Scout Plans to Differentiate From Rivian20:36 – Why Scout Chose a Solid Rear Axle21:29 – Rejecting the High-Tech EV Experience23:22 – Are Automakers Finally Abandoning Touchscreens?24:41 – Physical Buttons, Switches and a Real Compass26:13 – Does Volkswagen Control Scout's Design?28:12 – How Much Freedom Does Scout Really Have?29:40 – Europe's Reaction to the American Scout32:13 – Three Leadership Lessons From Chris Benjamin33:01 – Why Benjamin Rejected Scout's Original Design34:30 – Designing for the Original Scout Community35:40 – Why Scout Isn't Building a V837:19 – Building and Trusting the Scout Design Team40:25 – Leadership, Autonomy and Corporate Culture41:30 – How Fatherhood Changed His Leadership Style43:13 – The Importance of Raising Debt-Free Children #ScoutMotors #ScoutTraveler #ScoutTerra #ChrisBenjamin #MotoManPodcast #ElectricTrucks #ElectricVehicles #Volkswagen #Rivian #Tesla #AutomotiveDesign #OffRoad For driving adventures & car reviews, before sure to visit us @ https://www.youtube.com/@MMTVCars Download the MotoManTV Podcast @https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/motomantv-podcast/id1836304387 https://open.spotify.com/show/0V4AKzLYrZc6rNCF23kwOt https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/90ba9b31-fe69-4baf-817d-cb3816a33c21/motomantv-podcast Connect with our Short Form content here: https://www.instagram.com/motomantv/ https://x.com/MotoManTV https://www.tiktok.com/@themotomantv http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVPodcastShorts http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVPodcastClips http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVCarsShorts http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVCarsClips Help us grow the show! If you enjoyed this deep dive into the "grind" of motorsport, please Subscribe and Share this episode on Reddit. If you’re listening on a podcast platform, leave us a written review and tell us who your favorite guest has been. Proudly shot on Sony’s Cinema line of Cameras

The global auto industry is changing faster than it has in decades — and Bob Lutz has some very strong opinions about who is getting it right, who is getting it wrong and which automakers may be in serious trouble. This week on the MotoMan Podcast, Bob Lutz returns for a wide-ranging conversation about China, the future of the German auto industry, electric vehicles, Porsche, Volkswagen, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, General Motors, Ford, Tesla, Hyundai, Kia, Ferrari, Corvette and the rapidly changing economics of building cars. Are Chinese automakers really leaving the West behind? Bob argues the real Chinese advantage may have less to do with EV technology than many people think — and far more to do with cost, development speed, vertical integration and the ability to improve products at a pace legacy automakers struggle to match. Then there’s Germany. Bob explains why he no longer considers companies like BMW, Mercedes and Audi as bulletproof as he once did, why China has become such a major problem for European automakers, and why Volkswagen and Porsche face particularly difficult decisions. He also weighs in on Porsche’s EV strategy, the enormous cost of failed vehicle programs and whether the German government would ever allow its biggest automotive companies to fail. Bob and MotoMan debate GM’s current strength, why Hyundai and Kia continue to move so quickly, Tesla’s shrinking product portfolio, the future of EV batteries and fast charging, Slate Auto, Rivian, software-defined vehicles, humanoid robots in automotive manufacturing and whether automation could ultimately help Western automakers close the cost gap with China. They also get into enthusiast cars, Corvette, the possibility of a Corvette SUV, why performance vehicles still matter to automakers, Ferrari design, the Pontiac Aztek and one of the most important questions facing the industry: Who adapts — and who gets left behind? CHAPTERS 00:00 Bob Lutz Returns01:26 Bob’s Wild Custom Pontiac08:00 Are EVs Still the Future?15:20 The Battery Breakthrough Coming Next20:10 Are German Automakers in Trouble?21:52 China Changes the Equation26:19 The Real Chinese Automotive Threat30:26 Can China and the West Coexist?38:20 Why Car Development Takes Too Long45:42 Tesla’s Radical Product Strategy50:10 Slate Auto, Rivian & the Maverick52:26 Who’s Winning — and Who’s Losing?54:30 Volkswagen and Porsche in Trouble57:28 Should Governments Bail Out Carmakers?1:00:01 The Economy and the Auto Business1:10:29 Do Enthusiast Cars Still Matter?1:14:41 Should Corvette Become a Brand?1:17:46 What CEOs Must Learn From China1:20:26 Can Robots Save Legacy Automakers?1:24:14 Why China Can Improve So Quickly1:27:46 Ferrari and “Adult Supervision”1:28:32 What the Pontiac Aztek Teaches Us1:32:09 What Happened to German Car Design? #BobLutz #AutomotiveIndustry #ChinaCars #Porsche #Volkswagen #BMW #MercedesBenz #Audi #ElectricVehicles #EV #GeneralMotors #Tesla #Corvette #CarIndustry #MotoManPodcast For driving adventures & car reviews, before sure to visit us @ https://www.youtube.com/@MMTVCars Download the MotoManTV Podcast @https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/motomantv-podcast/id1836304387 https://open.spotify.com/show/0V4AKzLYrZc6rNCF23kwOt https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/90ba9b31-fe69-4baf-817d-cb3816a33c21/motomantv-podcast Connect with our Short Form content here: https://www.instagram.com/motomantv/ https://x.com/MotoManTV https://www.tiktok.com/@themotomantv http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVPodcastShorts http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVPodcastClips http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVCarsShorts http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVCarsClips Help us grow the show! If you enjoyed this deep dive into the "grind" of motorsport, please Subscribe and Share this episode on Reddit. If you’re listening on a podcast platform, leave us a written review and tell us who your favorite guest has been. Proudly shot on Sony’s Cinema line of Cameras

Are EVs actually failing—or did the automotive industry simply promise too much, too soon? This week on the MotoMan Podcast, George sits down with EVgo product leader Alex Keros for a candid reality check on electric vehicles, EV charging infrastructure and where the industry goes from here. Alex has spent years working on alternative-fuel vehicles, from hydrogen at General Motors to today’s public EV charging network. And his view of the electric future is far more nuanced than the usual pro-EV vs. anti-EV debate. His philosophy? Stop dealing in “hopeful math” and deal with reality. That means admitting EVs aren’t the right solution for every driver. It also means recognizing where electric cars genuinely offer a better experience—and confronting why public EV charging can still be frustrating, unreliable and unnecessarily complicated. George and Alex dig into why EV charging still feels like “Windows 3.1,” why Tesla approached charging differently, whether America’s aging power grid can actually support millions more EVs, and why China’s extraordinary pace of battery and charging development should have Western automakers paying attention. They also explore BYD and megawatt charging, 5–10 minute charging technology, 800-volt and 1,000-volt architectures, solid-state batteries, the future of hydrogen and why learning to fail faster may be one of the most important lessons the American auto industry can take from its global competitors. This is not an argument for EVs or against them. It’s a conversation about where the technology actually works, where it doesn’t, what the industry got wrong—and what needs to happen next. CHAPTERS: 0:00 The EV Reality Check1:36 Reuniting After 16 Years3:05 Stop Using “Hopeful Math”9:30 Hydrogen vs. Batteries in 201013:30 Why We Need to Fail More19:00 Where EVs Really Stand in 202621:08 Who Should NOT Buy an EV?23:27 EVs Don’t Need to Work for Everyone25:02 How EVs Became a Movement27:40 Why Automakers Sold EVs Wrong32:17 The Reality of EV Road Trips35:17 Hopeful Math vs. Charging Reality38:03 The Ohio EV Road Trip Challenge41:03 Why Public Chargers Still Fail44:47 EV Charging Is “Windows 3.1”47:01 Why Charging Isn’t Frictionless53:56 Why Tesla Got Charging Right59:17 Can the Power Grid Handle EVs?1:04:32 Can the Grid Handle 20M EVs?1:07:24 Is China Beating America in EVs?1:09:20 BYD & 5-Minute EV Charging1:13:00 Why America Needs to Fail Faster1:14:50 Who Is Actually Innovating?1:20:25 EVs That Get It Right1:23:58 What Comes After 800 Volts?1:25:48 Solid-State Batteries: How Far Away?1:26:46 Is Hydrogen Really Dead?1:27:48 Advice for the Next Generation1:32:18 Final Thoughts What do you think: Have EVs been oversold—or is the technology simply going through the growing pains every major innovation faces? #ElectricVehicles #EVCharging #EVgo #EV #Tesla #BYD #ElectricCars #EVInfrastructure #AutomotiveIndustry #FutureOfCars #MotoMan #MotoManPodcast For driving adventures & car reviews, before sure to visit us @ https://www.youtube.com/@MMTVCars Download the MotoManTV Podcast @https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/motomantv-podcast/id1836304387 https://open.spotify.com/show/0V4AKzLYrZc6rNCF23kwOt https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/90ba9b31-fe69-4baf-817d-cb3816a33c21/motomantv-podcast Connect with our Short Form content here: https://www.instagram.com/motomantv/ https://x.com/MotoManTV https://www.tiktok.com/@themotomantv http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVPodcastShorts http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVPodcastClips http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVCarsShorts http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVCarsClips Help us grow the show! If you enjoyed this deep dive into the "grind" of motorsport, please Subscribe and Share this episode on Reddit. If you’re listening on a podcast platform, leave us a written review and tell us who your favorite guest has been.

How does a young engineer from the Greek island of Crete go from selling buses to leading Mercedes-Benz in America? Dimitris Psillakis never mapped out the career that followed. He joined Mercedes-Benz through an international management-trainee program, took responsibility for a small bus division in Greece and then accepted a series of increasingly complex assignments across four continents. Along the way, he oversaw operations across 29 Latin American countries, helped establish a Mercedes-Benz factory in Brazil, encountered customers armoring everything from C-Classes to Smart cars, navigated the cultural and business challenges of South Korea and ultimately arrived in the United States during the height of the pandemic. In this episode, Dimitris shares how curiosity, adaptability, discipline and resilience shaped his rise—and why he believes the best careers are built by focusing on the next decision rather than trying to plan the next 20 years. A production note: This is one of our final vault episodes, recorded before we upgraded to our current camera equipment. The picture quality may look different, but the audio, post-production and storytelling remain the same. What do you think matters most when building a truly global career: ambition, adaptability or resilience? Share your thoughts in the comments. CHAPTERS 00:00 One of Our Final Vault Episodes01:07 From Crete to a Global Career02:44 Studying in Britain—and Buying a Renault 5 Turbo04:33 Military Service and a Multinational Dream05:40 Joining Mercedes-Benz07:14 His First Leadership Role: Buses09:26 The Importance of Discipline and Resilience10:54 Growing Mercedes-Benz in Greece11:18 Why Mercedes Sent Him to Brazil14:05 Managing 29 Countries15:49 Reinventing Mercedes-Benz in Brazil17:09 Building a Factory—and Armoring Smart Cars20:16 The Move From Brazil to South Korea23:03 His Greatest Cultural Challenge25:42 Making Korea a Top Mercedes-Benz Market27:30 The Move to Canada28:50 Arriving in America During COVID30:27 The Challenge of Running Mercedes in the US32:05 What Four Continents Taught Him33:06 His Best Career Advice34:15 The Best Places He Lived35:01 The Future of Mercedes-Benz #MercedesBenz #DimitrisPsillakis #Leadership #AutomotiveIndustry #CareerAdvice #GlobalBusiness #MotoManPodcast For driving adventures & car reviews, before sure to visit us @ https://www.youtube.com/@MMTVCars Download the MotoManTV Podcast @https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/motomantv-podcast/id1836304387 https://open.spotify.com/show/0V4AKzLYrZc6rNCF23kwOt https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/90ba9b31-fe69-4baf-817d-cb3816a33c21/motomantv-podcast Connect with our Short Form content here: https://www.instagram.com/motomantv/ https://x.com/MotoManTV https://www.tiktok.com/@themotomantv http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVPodcastShorts http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVPodcastClips http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVCarsShorts http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVCarsClips Help us grow the show! If you enjoyed this deep dive into the "grind" of motorsport, please Subscribe and Share this episode on Reddit. If you’re listening on a podcast platform, leave us a written review and tell us who your favorite guest has been.

Slate is promising a $25,000 electric truck with no traditional trim levels, no sprawling options list and a radically different approach to personalization. But can that idea survive contact with manufacturing, service and the realities of launching a new car company? CJ Waelti joins the MotoMan Podcast to explain why the electric powertrain may be the least interesting part of Slate. Drawing on a career that has taken him from Harley-Davidson to Tesla, Rivian and now Slate, CJ lays out how the company is combining old-school mechanical expression with modern manufacturing. We dig into Slate’s blank-canvas philosophy, the risk that personalization becomes an expensive upsell, its DIY accessory strategy, removable seat covers, swappable body panels, simplified vehicle wraps and the company’s plan to begin delivering trucks in late 2026. More importantly, CJ answers the question hanging over every automotive startup: Why should anyone believe Slate can actually deliver? Chapters 00:00 Why Slate may be different01:45 CJ Waelti joins the podcast02:23 From Harley-Davidson to Tesla04:26 Why CJ believes in Slate06:31 The EV may be the least interesting part07:46 No options, no trims09:09 Can personalization work on a $25K truck?10:31 Avoiding the upsell trap11:12 Removable seats and swappable accessories12:17 Why affordability is the real message14:36 Bringing DIY back to the automobile16:42 Can Slate reconnect young people with cars?18:56 Have automakers gone too far with screens?20:30 How Slate plans to handle service21:45 Designing accessories for DIY installation24:17 How Slate made wrapping a car easier27:37 Three reasons Slate will deliver in 202628:36 What should Slate build next? #SlateAuto #ElectricTruck #ElectricVehicles #EVStartup #AutomotiveIndustry #CarPodcast #MotoManPodcast #MadeInAmerica #Tesla #Rivian For driving adventures & car reviews, before sure to visit us @ https://www.youtube.com/@MMTVCars Download the MotoManTV Podcast @https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/motomantv-podcast/id1836304387 https://open.spotify.com/show/0V4AKzLYrZc6rNCF23kwOt https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/90ba9b31-fe69-4baf-817d-cb3816a33c21/motomantv-podcast Connect with our Short Form content here: https://www.instagram.com/motomantv/ https://x.com/MotoManTV https://www.tiktok.com/@themotomantv http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVPodcastShorts http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVPodcastClips http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVCarsShorts http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVCarsClips Help us grow the show! If you enjoyed this deep dive into the "grind" of motorsport, please Subscribe and Share this episode on Reddit. If you’re listening on a podcast platform, leave us a written review and tell us who your favorite guest has been.

Chris Benjamin’s path to the top of automotive design was anything but straightforward. Long before becoming Chief Design Officer at Scout Motors, Benjamin arrived at design school unable to properly draw a car in three dimensions, learned a painful lesson after being labeled “unreliable,” and eventually landed what looked like a dream job at Mercedes-Benz. There was just one problem: he was so deep in debt that he spent his days designing Mercedes and his nights working a full-time shift at Taco Bell—sometimes surviving on barely three hours of sleep. That experience helped shape a career that would span Mercedes-Benz, BMW Designworks, Volvo and Stellantis. Benjamin explains how a last-minute design proposal changed his trajectory at Mercedes, how he helped establish the proportions that would define a new generation of Volvos, and how his luxury-car experience influenced the transformation of Jeep interiors in vehicles like the Grand Cherokee and Grand Wagoneer. Then came an entirely different challenge: bringing Scout back. Recorded before the new Scout vehicles were revealed, this conversation explores what attracted Benjamin to the dormant American nameplate, what made the original Scout different from Jeep and Bronco, and why he believes reviving an icon requires understanding more than its styling cues. CHAPTERS 00:00 Mercedes by day, Taco Bell by night02:27 How a childhood obsession with cars began11:16 Discovering design could become a career15:54 Three weeks from Miami to design school in Detroit20:33 Learning the unwritten realities of car design24:08 Being labeled “unreliable”29:44 Working three jobs just to stay in school31:01 Starting his career at Mercedes-Benz35:14 The secret Taco Bell night shift40:13 The Mercedes boss who changed his life42:18 Breaking through as a Mercedes designer47:31 Moving to Volvo—and getting a design into production49:05 How Volvo changed after Ford53:22 Joining Chrysler and Stellantis56:21 Transforming Jeep interiors58:37 What actually makes an interior feel expensive59:26 Fighting for better Grand Cherokee and Grand Wagoneer interiors01:02:47 The renegade culture inside Chrysler01:10:08 Why he left for Scout Motors01:11:49 Was the original Scout really first?01:13:54 The vision for bringing Scout back01:19:09 What design elements should survive01:20:50 Why good design isn’t always free #ChrisBenjamin #MercedesBenz #ScoutMotors #Jeep #Volvo #CarDesign #AutomotiveDesign #MotoManTV #MotoManPodcast For driving adventures & car reviews, before sure to visit us @ https://www.youtube.com/@MMTVCars Download the MotoManTV Podcast @https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/motomantv-podcast/id1836304387 https://open.spotify.com/show/0V4AKzLYrZc6rNCF23kwOt https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/90ba9b31-fe69-4baf-817d-cb3816a33c21/motomantv-podcast Connect with our Short Form content here: https://www.instagram.com/motomantv/ https://x.com/MotoManTV https://www.tiktok.com/@themotomantv http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVPodcastShorts http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVPodcastClips http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVCarsShorts http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVCarsClips Help us grow the show! If you enjoyed this deep dive into the "grind" of motorsport, please Subscribe and Share this episode on Reddit. If you’re listening on a podcast platform, leave us a written review and tell us who your favorite guest has been.

What will car collectors want when today’s roads are filled with electric, autonomous computers on wheels? According to Tommy Mica of TFLcar, the answer may be the exact opposite of a Tesla Model Y. In this very different MotoMan podcast episode, Tommy makes the case for the strange, tactile and overlooked cars hiding in plain sight. They discuss why analog experiences are returning, what actually makes a car collectible and which affordable cars could be tomorrow’s classics—from Land Rover LR3s and Pontiac Fieros to early Aston Martin V8 Vantages, forgotten Cadillacs, 1990s GM performance cars and manual V8 muscle. Before they get there, MotoMan reveals how his nearly new Porsche accumulated an astonishing $46,000 in warranty work—including an $11,000 headlight—and Tommy explains the difference between a car being reliable, fixable or simply defended by a very loyal owner. They also get into subscription fatigue, modern-car complexity, the psychology behind collector values, Tommy’s unusual personal fleet and the lessons that helped TFL grow into one of YouTube’s largest automotive brands. Which overlooked car do you believe will become the next major collectible? CHAPTERS 00:00 The Opposite of a Tesla01:45 Tommy Mica Has a Problem03:28 $46,000 in Porsche Warranty Work05:11 The $11,000 Porsche Headlight07:37 Cars You Should Never Own Past Warranty10:07 Maintenance vs. Reliability13:08 Are Modern Cars Built to Last?16:18 Reliable or Just Easy to Fix?17:16 Tommy’s Unusual Car Collection18:26 The Land Rover That May Become Collectible19:43 Will People Really Stop Buying New Cars?21:17 Tommy’s Aston Martin Insurance Problem22:41 Drag Racing the CEO of Hagerty24:14 What Makes a Car Collectible?28:52 Why Analog Cars Are Coming Back30:44 The Split Between Analog and Digital32:53 People Are Tired of Computers on Wheels34:26 The Next Underappreciated Classics35:34 Cheap Bentleys, Phantoms and V12 Luxury38:13 Should We Buy a Bentley Mulsanne?39:02 Forgotten SUVs and Trucks41:56 Will Pontiac Fiero Values Keep Rising?44:01 The Overlooked Cars of 1990s GM46:49 Why Manual Cars Will Matter48:24 The $33,000 Aston Martin Bargain50:37 The Business Case for Giving Buyers What They Want52:49 Building the Anti-Tesla Collector Car54:02 How Tommy Helped Transform TFL55:48 Tommy’s Rules for Growing on YouTube #TommyMica #TFLcar #MotoManPodcast #ClassicCars #FutureClassics #CollectorCars #AnalogCars #CarCulture #Porsche #Tesla For driving adventures & car reviews, before sure to visit us @ https://www.youtube.com/@MMTVCars Download the MotoManTV Podcast @https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/motomantv-podcast/id1836304387 https://open.spotify.com/show/0V4AKzLYrZc6rNCF23kwOt https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/90ba9b31-fe69-4baf-817d-cb3816a33c21/motomantv-podcast Connect with our Short Form content here: https://www.instagram.com/motomantv/ https://x.com/MotoManTV https://www.tiktok.com/@themotomantv http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVPodcastShorts http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVPodcastClips http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVCarsShorts http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVCarsClips Help us grow the show! If you enjoyed this deep dive into the "grind" of motorsport, please Subscribe and Share this episode on Reddit. If you’re listening on a podcast platform, leave us a written review and tell us who your favorite guest has been.

Slate Auto has been described as a Jeff Bezos-backed EV startup building a $25,000 electric truck — but that is only part of the story. In this episode of the MotoMan Podcast, we sit down with Rod Copes, Slate Auto board director and employee number one, to discuss the real strategy behind Slate: radical simplicity, American manufacturing, affordability, and avoiding the mistakes that crushed so many EV startups. Rod explains what he learned from Harley-Davidson, Royal Enfield, and Rivian, including what “production hell” really means and why Slate is deliberately doing less on purpose. The conversation goes deep into the $24,950 price promise, why Slate chose a two-door pickup layout, how the company plans to build in Indiana, and why the future of affordable transportation may depend on bringing manufacturing back to the United States. This is not just a conversation about a cheap EV truck. It is a conversation about whether America can still build things people can actually afford. Chapters:00:00 Highlight Open01:48 Why Rod Copes Matters To Slate02:44 Harley-Davidson, Royal Enfield & Rivian05:08 Rebuild Manufacturing & MIT08:46 Why US Manufacturing Matters11:24 What Changed After The Pandemic12:30 Why Time Beats Cash In Startups14:13 Can Slate Really Launch In 2026?16:44 Simplify, Simplify, Simplify18:03 The Risk Slate Is Taking19:32 The Bezos / Amazon Influence22:06 Slate’s Culture & Decision Making23:10 What Production Hell Really Means27:01 The Rivian Lesson Slate Learned29:37 Avoiding The EV Startup Trap31:08 How Slate Plans To Be Profitable33:19 Ford, Competition & The $25K Promise34:06 Why Car Pricing Feels Deceptive37:35 Making A Cheap Car Desirable39:16 Who Is Slate Really For?42:19 Could Slate Work For Apartment Dwellers?44:28 Why Slate Chose Two Doors47:30 The Battery Supply Challenge50:02 Why Slate Had To Be Electric55:30 Why Indiana?58:29 Could Slate Have Built It Cheaper Overseas?59:34 The US Manufacturing Renaissance01:02:09 What Slate Wants To Know From Viewers #SlateAuto #SlateTruck #RodCopes #MotoManPodcast #JeffBezos #ElectricTruck #EVTruck #AmericanManufacturing #MadeInUSA #Rivian #FordMaverick #AffordableCars #EVStartup #Manufacturing #CarIndustry #ElectricVehicles #MotoManTV For driving adventures & car reviews, before sure to visit us @ https://www.youtube.com/@MMTVCars Download the MotoManTV Podcast @https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/motomantv-podcast/id1836304387 https://open.spotify.com/show/0V4AKzLYrZc6rNCF23kwOt https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/90ba9b31-fe69-4baf-817d-cb3816a33c21/motomantv-podcast Connect with our Short Form content here: https://www.instagram.com/motomantv/ https://x.com/MotoManTV https://www.tiktok.com/@themotomantv http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVPodcastShorts http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVPodcastClips http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVCarsShorts http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVCarsClips Help us grow the show! If you enjoyed this deep dive into the "grind" of motorsport, please Subscribe and Share this episode on Reddit. If you’re listening on a podcast platform, leave us a written review and tell us who your favorite guest has been.

Most car designers are supposed to follow a path. Alfonso Albaisa did not. Before he became the global design leader behind Nissan’s future, he was a Cuban-American kid in Miami who did not learn English until he was six or seven, dressed like Napoleon, drew in a closet, nearly failed engineering with a 0.5 GPA, and found his way through art, architecture, balsa wood boats, New York, Detroit, and one unforgettable Jaguar E-Type. In this episode of the MotoMan Podcast, Alfonso Albaisa joins MotoMan for a deeply personal conversation about the unlikely road that took him from South Florida to the top of Nissan design. This is not just a story about cars. It is a story about exile, family, failure, obsession, creative purpose, and why the car industry keeps falling into the trap of copying whatever looks cool. Alfonso shares how his father’s architecture studio shaped the way he saw the world, why his mother quietly redirected his life, how a Jaguar E-Type changed everything, why Detroit nearly broke him and how Nissan found him in New York This is the story of an outsider who did not fit the system — and then helped shape one of the most important Japanese car brands in the world. CHAPTERS:00:00 The Outsider Who Ended Up Running Nissan Design01:49 Two Years In The Making02:39 From Immigrant Kid In Miami To Global Design Leader03:15 Leaving Cuba And Starting Over05:23 Architecture, Train Stations And Transportation In The Family07:50 The Real Forrest Gump Story08:34 Landing In Miami With Nothing09:19 Drawing In The Closet And Dressing Like Napoleon11:35 The Mother Who Saw Everything12:43 Where Cars Finally Enter The Story14:12 The Jaguar E-Type Moment16:03 Richard Nixon’s House And His Father’s American Story18:28 Learning Design By Sitting Next To His Father20:25 Isamu Noguchi, Architecture And Fresh Concrete22:48 Why Architecture Still Connects Him To His Father23:36 Bad Grades, University Of Florida And A 0.5 GPA24:41 Ceramics, Figure Drawing And Finding His Purpose26:07 Pratt, New York And The Road To Detroit27:44 The Renault Le Car Interruption28:28 Why Detroit Was The Wrong Room29:48 Leaving Transportation Design Behind30:50 How Nissan Found Him31:54 Drawing Cars Like Human Figures33:02 New York, Clubs And Creative Obsession34:06 Detroit Work Ethic And Finding The Gear35:16 Why He Did Not Want To Leave New York36:55 Moving To California And Nissan’s San Diego Studio38:21 The “Country Club” Design Studio39:14 The Yacht That Paid For The Volleyball Court41:16 Why Nissan Designers Took Outside Work42:45 Why Nissan Must Not Copy Everyone Else43:12 The Danger Of “Cool Hunters”44:45 Inspiration Versus Business45:04 Starting At Nissan46:43 Gemba, Japanese Culture And Collective Design48:01 Becoming Head Of Nissan Design49:46 Studying Japanese Art And Design50:12 The Meaning Of “Ma”51:07 The Nissan Logo And The Power Of Sincerity52:25 Why This Conversation Needs A Part Two#MotoManPodcast #AlfonsoAlbaisa #Nissan #CarDesign #AutomotiveDesign #NissanDesign #Infiniti #JapaneseDesign #DesignStory #MotoManTV For driving adventures & car reviews, before sure to visit us @ https://www.youtube.com/@MMTVCars Download the MotoManTV Podcast @https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/motomantv-podcast/id1836304387 https://open.spotify.com/show/0V4AKzLYrZc6rNCF23kwOt https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/90ba9b31-fe69-4baf-817d-cb3816a33c21/motomantv-podcast Connect with our Short Form content here: https://www.instagram.com/motomantv/ https://x.com/MotoManTV https://www.tiktok.com/@themotomantv http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVPodcastShorts http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVPodcastClips http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVCarsShorts http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVCarsClips Help us grow the show! If you enjoyed this deep dive into the "grind" of motorsport, please Subscribe and Share this episode on Reddit. If you’re listening on a podcast platform, leave us a written review and tell us who your favorite guest has been.

Greg Tada left software development to chase something far more personal: motorcycles. In this episode of the MotoMan Podcast, Greg joins MotoMan at ArtCenter to tell the story of how he went from working in tech to designing motorcycles for some of the most important brands in the industry, including Kawasaki, Indian Motorcycle, Piaggio, Aprilia, and Moto Guzzi. This conversation covers the moment motorcycles took over Greg’s life, why motorcycle design is different from car design, what it took to help relaunch Indian Motorcycle, why brand heritage matters, and why some mechanical details should never be cut — even when the accountants would love to remove them. They also get into ArtCenter, the brutal hours behind creative work, designing across cultures, why bike studios can feel like startups, and what it means to be a true guardian of a brand. CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Greg Tada: Guardian of the Brand 01:05 - Countach, Tank Engines, and a Very Different Podcast Set 02:21 - The Motorcycle Designer Who’s Been Everywhere 03:01 - Do You Have to Ride to Design a Great Bike? 04:00 - The Kid Who Wasn’t Supposed to Ride 05:00 - Software Paid the Bills, But It Wasn’t the Dream 06:03 - Parents, Pressure, and the Path He Had to Find 08:48 - The Mini Bike Moment That Changed Everything 10:08 - Quitting Software and Chasing Design in Detroit 12:31 - Why Bike Studios Feel Like Beautiful Chaos 14:12 - ArtCenter Outcasts and Learning to Draw Loose 16:00 - Detroit Wasn’t It, So ArtCenter Became the Move 17:23 - When Car Designers Cross Over to Bikes 19:13 - Bringing Indian Back Without Making It Fake 22:04 - 23 Months to Bring a Legend Back to the Road 25:09 - Why the Boring Projects Might Be the Hardest 27:01 - Kawasaki, Japan, and the Mohawk “Design Decision” 30:35 - The Brutal Hours Behind Creative Work 33:03 - Great Ideas Are Easy; Production Is the Fight 36:14 - 911s, Sport Bikes, Aero, and the Rules Closing In 39:18 - Moto Guzzi, Aprilia, and the Soul You Can’t Cut Out 43:18 - Roommates, Parents, Mentors, and the Price of Getting There 47:09 - Why Designers Can’t Stop Learning 49:05 - The Guest Who Changed How MotoMan Sees Motorcycle Design #MotoManPodcast #GregTada #MotorcycleDesign #MotoGuzzi #IndianMotorcycle #ArtCenter #Aprilla #Piaggio For driving adventures & car reviews, before sure to visit us @ https://www.youtube.com/@MMTVCars Download the MotoManTV Podcast @ https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/motomantv-podcast/id1836304387 https://open.spotify.com/show/0V4AKzLYrZc6rNCF23kwOt https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/90ba9b31-fe69-4baf-817d-cb3816a33c21/motomantv-podcast Connect with our Short Form content here: https://www.instagram.com/motomantv/ https://x.com/MotoManTV https://www.tiktok.com/@themotomantv http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVPodcastShorts http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVPodcastClips http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVCarsShorts http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVCarsClips Help us grow the show! If you enjoyed this deep dive into the "grind" of motorsport, please Subscribe and Share this episode on Reddit. If you’re listening on a podcast platform, leave us a written review and tell us who your favorite guest has been.

What happens when a university engineering project completely upends the power dynamics of the world's most elite supercar manufacturers? In this episode of the MotoMan Podcast, we meet Dr. Tim Woolmer, the CTO and Founder of YASA Motors. Long before the automotive establishment fully embraced electrification, Woolmer engineered a radical departure from traditional propulsion: the axial flux "pancake" motor. By rewriting the core physics of electric motor topology, YASA managed to strip away 80% of necessary iron, delivering an astonishing three-to-one power-to-weight advantage over industry-standard radial machines. It is the exact breakthrough technology quietly weaponized inside the apex hyper-hybrids of Koenigsegg, Ferrari and Lamborghini—and it is now stepping directly into mainline production as the core architecture of the upcoming 2027 Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door. Filmed on-site at YASA’s Oxford headquarters, this episode is a technical & narrative deep-dive into the realities of automotive disruption. We trace the journey from a crude 2006 PhD prototype to navigating tight venture funding rounds, partnering with Jaguar on the legendary C-X75 concept, and eventually executing a full corporate acquisition by Mercedes-Benz. Chapters 00:00:00 - The Future of Italian Exotics Started in Oxford 00:01:26 - A Quick Note on the Vault Episode 00:02:11 - The Pancake Motor That Stopped the Room 00:03:04 - Why YASA Had to Exist 00:03:48 - Radial Motors, Axial Motors, and the Big Difference 00:04:37 - The Tiny Stator With 250 Horsepower 00:05:38 - How a Smaller Motor Makes Way More Power 00:08:58 - Motor Number One: The Oxford PhD Prototype 00:10:04 - Building an EV Startup Before EVs Were Obvious 00:12:03 - The Jaguar C-X75 Moment That Proved It Could Work 00:13:16 - The Hard, Messy Reality of a University Startup 00:15:30 - From ‘I’ to ‘We’: Growing the YASA Team 00:16:17 - The Car Guy Who Was Really an Electric-Car Guy 00:19:04 - Batteries, Motors, Roads, and the Path He Chose 00:21:01 - Morgan, Hydrogen, and the Project That Forced Real Progress 00:23:59 - The Material Constraint That Sparked the Breakthrough 00:26:53 - The Grid Problem Nobody Can Ignore 00:29:28 - Help Grow the Motoman Podcast 00:30:13 - Yes, These Motors Are in Ferraris 00:32:25 - So Where Does Mercedes Fit In? 00:34:30 - Mercedes Didn’t Just Buy Today’s Motor 00:35:13 - Two Generations Ahead and Still Moving Fast 00:36:22 - Inside the Oxford Factory Making the Future 00:39:20 - Ferrari, Mercedes, and the Non-Compete Dance 00:40:47 - Why New Car Tech Has to Enter at the Top 00:43:32 - Aerospace, Patents, and the Moat Around YASA 00:46:10 - Patents Matter, but Speed Matters More 00:47:40 - The Next EV Leap: Moving the Motors 00:49:42 - Why EVs Need to Get More Interesting 00:52:43 - Could This Reach Everyday Mercedes Models? 00:53:59 - DNA, Team, Luck, and the Formula Behind YASA #YASAMotors #MercedesAMG #Ferrari #AxialFlux #EVTech #AutomotiveEngineering #Koenigsegg #Lamborghini #MotoManPodcast For driving adventures & car reviews, before sure to visit us @ https://www.youtube.com/@MMTVCars Download the MotoManTV Podcast @https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/motomantv-podcast/id1836304387 https://open.spotify.com/show/0V4AKzLYrZc6rNCF23kwOt https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/90ba9b31-fe69-4baf-817d-cb3816a33c21/motomantv-podcast Connect with our Short Form content here: https://www.instagram.com/motomantv/ https://x.com/MotoManTV https://www.tiktok.com/@themotomantv http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVPodcastShorts http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVPodcastClips http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVCarsShorts http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVCarsClips Help us grow the show! If you enjoyed this deep dive into the "grind" of motorsport, please Subscribe and Share this episode on Reddit. If you’re listening on a podcast platform, leave us a written review and tell us who your favorite guest has been.