About this episode
On the first episode of Hot Pursuit!, Hannah and Matt discuss Hannah's trip to Austria to be the first journalist to drive the electric Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon . Can it even come close to comparing to the gas-powered G that has existed since 1979? Then, it's a look at BMW's polarizing XM hybrid, its most powerful SUV but not its best--we'll tell you why. Meanwhile, Matt is driving over New York City curbs in another expensive V8 SUV this week, the Jeep 392 Rubicon , and Hannah has a few thoughts about it from that time in Moab. Plus, Matt just bought a Dodge Challenger R/T Scat Pack Widebody - but how fast is it really? Follow Hannah and Matt on Instagram: @HannahElliottxo @mattmiller1973 Find more on Bloomberg.com , Bloomberg Radio and YouTube . FULL TRANSCRIPT: Hi. I'm Hannah Elliott and I'm Matt Miller, and this is Hot Pursuit. All right, welcome to the first episode of our new podcast. Hannah Elliott from Bloomberg Pursuits and me Matt Miller from Bloomberg Television. We're going to walk you through everything that's hot in the world of autos and motorcycles. I point out, Hannah, because Ducati has released a brand new version of the Multi Strata. This is the V four version. It's called the RS. And the really cool thing about this bike, and then we'll get back to cars, is that it has the Desmo dramatic valve operation. Once again, they've gone away from that to reduce, you know, the amount of mechanical work that you had to do, the amount of upkeep you had to do, and now they've gone back just for this one version. So I'm pretty pumped about that. That's cool. It all sounds very complicated. I'm more scrambler girl myself or a dirt by I love a dirt bike. But of course we're focused mainly on cars, and you have been very much focused on the Mercedes g Wagon. So we're going to talk about that. We're going to talk about a trip that you recently took to Austria to test out a new version of that. We're also going to talk about a couple of the vehicles that we're driving, which I think people might cross shop with a G Wagon, you know, wealthy people that are looking for some kind of big, gigantic suv that has a lot of power behind it. And then we're going to talk about the new car that I recently bought, which maybe is kind of the other end of the spectrum. It wasn't very expensive, it's not an suv and it's like a dinosaur. So we'll talk about my Dodge Challenger RT scatpack wide body. Unfortunate name notwithstanding, I have to say every time when we say that name, I pringe. I think of like Dean Martin and you know Frank Sinatra. Yeah, yeah, Shahinatra was out there in a mopar type car and I don't know the history, but I think that's why they called it that. Anyway, let's kick it off with the G Wagon. So this is I think one of the coolest vehicles in automotive history. And I would say you probably agree because you're a big fan. Tell us about what you did over the weekend, so I have to say I felt pretty lucky. I was the first non Mercedes Benz employee and first American to drive the electric G Wagon, which is really exciting because we've been hearing about this since twenty eighteen when Arnold Schwarzenegger said he wanted one and Mercedes said, okay, we'll make it. Basically, this was back at the G Wagon launch in Detroit, which Matt, I think you'll remember, well, yes, but yeah, all of that to say, I went to go drive it in Austria on the Shekel Mountain also pronounced she Shekel if you want to that tea in there. It's a proven ground in Austria where Mercedes has all of their G Wagons, and I went up there to do some driving in the electric g This was a pre production electric G Wagon, and I have to say it was pretty fun. That's so cool. So I bought back a couple of years ago when I was living in Berlin the new generation of the G Wagon and right inside the door you get a little badge on all of the new G's that says something like tested on the stuckle or proven on the stuckle Jeckel proof, Yes, exactly something like that. So for g Wagon owners, the place is magical and maybe mysterious because it's in Grots and like hardly anybody ever goes there. But basically this is where Magna Steyer makes the g Wagon right there. They're not made by Mercedes in house. Yes, this is a little known fact. So the company was formerly called Poop. Now it's called Magnet. It's a bigger corporation that bought it out, but same company, same location, and it's kind of a mecha for g Wagon owners to go there. There is a factory, there's an experience center which is right by the airport, and it's it is an iconic vehicle. I mean, how many car models can you say I've been made without interruption since the seventies. I mean, it's pretty cool. I have to say, no, it's awesome, and it's in super high demand, even though it's so dang expensive, right, I mean when I bought mine, they were like one twenty five to start and there was a two year waiting list. I don't think the waiting list has come down, it's gone the other direction, and I know the price has gone up. Yeah. Yeah, that's a really good point. And this will be a challenge. I hesitate to get everyone all excited about the electric G because right now Magna makes about forty thousand G wagons per year in that facility. I was in the facility last week. It's very cool, but the production volume is limited. And I've asked Mercedes, hey, how are you going to add in all of these extra electric GEW wagons on top of your maxed out production line? And you know, they say they have a plan. They say they have They're going to have flexible shifts. They're currently running two shifts five days a week at Magna. They don't want to tell me if they're going to add a third shift. Apparently overnight shifts are tricky. You tend to get more fabrication errors in the overnight shift, so they don't necessarily want to go to a third overnight shift. But bottom line, yeah, last year there were two year wait times for new G wagons and Mercedes actually stopped taking orders on the G. It got so bad. They are taking orders again now. But you know, if you order an electric GEW wagon, I think patients will be your highest virtuo because there's going to be high demand and production will be is a big question mark. We'll put it that way. What's going to be called? Is it the EQG because all of their others like the Big the ASS is the EQS now the electric version, and the obviously the E is the EQE the electric version. So is this the EQG. But that's a great question. We've been calling it colloquially the EQG. Mercedes has been using that loosely, but that is not the official name. And Mercedes has said they're going to announce the official name next year when they announced the pricing and they have this big world debut of it. So we don't know for sure that EQG is the actual name. If you call it that now, people will probably know what you're talking about. But the official name will be announced next year. And we should say the one that I drove it was covered in camouflage. There is going to be some slight, slight, slight difference in the roofline on this Electric G Class I, and they pointed it out to me. I can't even tell the difference. It looks basically this. I mean, I don't have that refined and I I guess they changed a few things to help with efficiency. But yeah, we'll know a lot more next year. It's gonna debut on twenty twenty four. I just have one question before we go on to competitors that you and I are driving this week. On the interior of my G five hundred, the European versions were called that the US version of the G five to fifty kind of the base model. They didn't use the new MBUX, they didn't use the new infotainment system. We still had the old one. Were you able to suss out what they're going to use in terms of the interior electronics package on the new one. I have to believe that they're going to use the new system. The one that I drove was draped in a black cloth. I knew it. Although they did lift up. We were lifting up the cloak, so to speak, to change certain off road modes, to do the rock mode, to do the G turn. I should talk to you about that in a second. And it looks like the news is in there. Don't quote me on that, but it would be ridiculous for them not to put it in. So I'm like ninety percent sure that it'll be in there, and I think that's what I saw the G turn. I have to talk about this briefly. So Mercedes is doing this G turn in the new Electric g which basically you push a button and it flips the whole thing around in a three hundred and sixty degree circle without going forward to backward. It just like what does a spin? Basically? Yes, yes, And I think this is becoming a thing like remember the crab walk from the Electric Hummer, and then the Cadillac Electric Escalade has ballet mode, which like self parks. I feel like all of these new electric SUVs think they have to have like one party trick y p and the G turn is the party track, all right, So the new g Wagon is going to have real, real steering, then, is my takeaway. Yeah, let's talk about the other big, expensive, at least partially electric suv that you're driving right now, which is really controversial, the BMW x M. I already already spent a week in it, so I have my own thoughts, uh, and I think everyone who comes even near this thing as thoughts. So what are your thoughts on the BMW XM. My thought is it's ugly. It's big, and it's ugly. I can't look past the wheels which are just like these big rome break things discs. It's just big and lumbering. I'm not necessarily bothered by our new beaver tooth BMW grill which this has. Doesn't bother those don't bother me. It's just the whole thing. It's Matt. I think I heard you say the other day you were kindly referred to it as brutalist, which maybe maybe, I mean, that would be a kind way of describing it. But and you know, the exterior is it just looks rather unsophisticated and then of course worse. The interior has some design notes that I raised my eyebrow at, especially the ceiling, which is kind of like a Eastern European nightclub in the nineties. Uh. Yes, it's like lined and swayed, and it's got mood lighting and there are like sort of uneven ridges all across the top. It looks a little bit like a mountain range. Baby. I'm not sure what they were going for, but that's just the looks. I've got a lot of other thoughts about how it drives to I mean, I think also say I think it's more expensive than the g Wagon. Yes, I do think it has a brutalist look, is very aggressive it's imposing and I like that it's very big and massive. The Germans would say vuchtik, which I think is a really fitting way to say it. I love the badges on the back. You know. They have two BMW in Signa insignias on the top sides each side of the winds, which is kind of like what the M one had on its flying buttresses, if that's what you call those things. And this is the only other dedicated M car that they've made. There won't be any other base version. It's only an MV vehicle. I don't understand why they d tuned the V eight, which is in the X five M. It's more powerful in the X five than it is in this, and this is supposed to be their pinnacle like halo vehicle. And I also don't understand why they left out air suspension. I guess the engineers thought it would be troublesome for some reason. But if I'm going to pay one hundred and sixty thousand dollars before I check any boxes, I definitely want air suspension. And I want like some kind of sun roof or panoramic moon roof for something other than the horribly ugly headliner that they've put in there just for design cred. Yeah, I have to I have to agree. I think it's it's wildly expensive and the engine does sound and feel really unsophisticated. To me, that was just the That was my overall take. It just felt very unsophisticated, but not in a cool like you know muscly Way. It just felt rough. And I also, I think we have to give them props. You know, this is a six hundred and forty four horse power vehicle. It's their most powerful vehicle, I think at the moment. Yeah, you can check that, but no, it is. It does zero to sixty faster than the G Wagon and you know I love the g really fast. Yeah, and I stop on that thing and I can pretty much, you know, dominate Beverly Hills if I want to, And yes I have been. I apologize to anyone who's been around me lately driving this because it does make you feel a little bit bossy. But it's it's just you know, it's long. It's it's over sixteen feet long. It's just a brick. It's a fast brick. The anti roll bars are so strong that it's really impressive in a vehicle. Of that size and weight. But otherwise you know, it's comfy, but obviously it's for such a big vehicle. It's going to be comfy and it's kind of luxurious, but that's what you expect when you pay one hundred and sixty grand. So, and I do like the screen. There's that curve screen in the dashboard. Nice. Nice. Yeah, No, they did some okay things with it, but they should have it should be firing on all cylinders, yes, agreed, plus electric power. Speaking of unsophisticated, I'm driving the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon three ninety two right now, yes, which is obviously a car that you reviewed in twenty twenty one, and I love that you pointed out back then that you thought it was too expensive at like seventy five grand, and now you know, less than two years later, I'm driving it and the base model costs ninety three grand before you check any boxes as well, So like the price has gone twenty three percent, and it is awesome. It's so much fun. It's so loud. I drive over for every curb that I can. Today. I just crossed over a median from interstate to a service road, and I think you have to where you get your license for votes. But but man, is it expensive? Why is it so much? Yeah, this is this is a case of an arms race in terms of pricing for these SUVs. And I think I thought it was expensive when I drove it two years ago. And Jeep is charging this much because they know people will pay this much. It's it's crazy the amount of brand loyalty people who buy Jeeps have. This is another icon. I mean, we were talking about the G class being an icon. The Jeep is older than the G. We have to give props there and it is so beloved. And you know, when I drove it, it was in Moab. I was out there with Jim Morrison, not the cool Jim Morrison, Morrison, not the dead Jim Morrison, the vice president of Jeep. And he told me that basically one hundred percent some of them leave the shop with heavy modifications on them. So people are already pricing them way higher than the starting price. So when we see an MSRP of close two hundred thousand, I think we can assume that most of them don't even leave the factory at that price. Yeah, you're definitely not getting off the dealership yet without without six figures. Yeah, and you know, I don't think the Jeep Rubicon is a luxury vehicle, but they're certainly putting their pricing up where it feels like they're aspiring to be considered amongst some of these other luxury subs that are expensive. And it's all margin. Like if I look at the Jeep yes Wrangler three ninety two at one hundred grand out the door, and I remind myself that you can buy a Dodge Challenger scatpack wide body for sixty and it's got the same engine, you know, and it's also got all the bells and whistles over the base Challenger. So and they're charging an extra forty thousand for the Jeep. It's just insane. By the way, I did just buy that Dodge Challenger. And I want to talk about here we go with you for a second, because I so I got it since this is the last call, right, this is the last year they're making these, and this is like the oldest must be one of the oldest cars in production, you know, from a G class standpoint, and they'll go back the seventies. They redesigned it once. Sure, this hasn't been redesigned since two thousand and seven, with the exception of putting it on that bigger fenders. And well, I think it's cool because it's it's still attractive, at least in my opinion, and obviously it's totally subjective. But this six point four liter V eight is so much power. But they put it in such a huge boat that half the time I'm just spinning my wheels, which is frankly a lot of fun. I do it a lot, and after two weeks I'm almost done with this set of tires. What color did you get? And how is it? Opening the doors in like a garage situation? So obviously, because it's a two door and the doors are so long, it's very difficult. I just don't park next to anybody, which curiates my wife. I'll go to the other side of the parking lot to be alone. In terms of the color, it's F eight green, like an army green, which is a very cool I think it's a throwback to the seventies, as are all of Dodge's colors, and that's why I bought it, you know. It reminded me of a car that like my great grandmother had, although her wasn't quite as sporty, and I just love the kind of big American V eight feel. It reminds me of driving a car and Grand Theft Auto four. I think it was where you know, you just you pull the trigger and it starts to make a lot of noise and slowly roll and pick up momentum because it's not super fast here the sixty and then when you let go of it, it it just keeps going because it's built up so much inertia. So I like that momentum car. Yes, No, have you gone around any corner as yet? I haven't. You know. I'm kicking out at the back end of this car around every like on ramp and off ramp. But that's part of the fun for me. We'll see how it handles in the winter. I probably will be keeping in the garage when it snows. But it's just are you driving that in the city. I have driven into the city a couple of times. Wow? Any any looks? Uh? You know it's kind of a you're kind of a badass when you're driving this car. I think people are afraid of the kind of dudes who drive this car. In fact, I was getting personalized placed yesterday and I thought of getting Girl Dad because I have a daughter and I have another daughter. But then I thought I shouldn't get that because if I get into a road rage fight with somebody and then they see my license late, says girl Dad. You know, no one will take me seriously. How are you on the horn? Are you? Are you someone who honks? Honker? Yes, a lot, I'm a big honker. I do think it's a safety device more than anything. I'm just talking, just talking to you. Yes, you know. When I'm on the horn, I'm just making a statement, and I hope people, yeah, outside of my car understand what I'm saying. You know, go at that right turn quickly, please, that's right. You know, that's right. I prefer the horn to a hand gesture. I'm not a real gestory person. I like a horn. All right. That's going to do it. For our first episode of Hot Pursuit, I'm Matt Miller. You can catch me on Bloomberg Radio weekdays from ten am to one pm. I'm on Bloomberg Television weekdays from one pm to two pm. My Instagram is Matt Miller nineteen seventy three, and you can always catch my weekly car segments. What Matt Miller driving this week on YouTube, and I'm Hannah Elliott. You can find my writing on Bloomberg Pursuits, which is on Bloomberg dot com. You can also find me on x poor really known as Twitter at Hannah Elliott. That's two l's and two t's. I like to have everything. And then of course on Instagram. I'm definitely not putting my birth year on my Instagram account like Matt. It's just Hannah Elliott XO, keep it very simple. Two l's, two teas, and you can find me yeah, on Bloomberg dot com Slash Pursuits. All right, join us again next week for another episode of Hot Pursuit, same time, same place. I'm Matt Miliker and I'm Hannah Elliott, and this is Bloomberg See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.