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Driving the Lotus Emira and Nissan Sakura | Autoblog Podcast #805

In this episode of the Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Senior Editor, Electric, John Beltz Snyder and Associate Editor Byron Hurd. This week we've got a handful of cars to review, like the Lotus Emira, Jaguar F-Type, Honda Accord Hybrid, Mini Cooper SE and Nissan Sakura. There's a new Autoblog T-shirt available through a collaboration with Blipshift (read more here, and buy yours here). Could there be a new, midsize Ram pickup set for U.S. production? Nissan is considering an affordable, electrified small pickup for America. The VW ID.7 Tourer electric wagon has been revealed, and we consider whether it should come here, too. John talks about the energy of the exhibition halls at the 2023 Japan Mobility Show, and our hosts talk highlights from SEMA 2023. Finally, we open some listener mail to help choose a fun convertible rental for a trip to Phoenix in this week's "Spend My Money" segment. Send us your questions for the Mailbag and Spend My Money at: Podcast@Autoblog.com. Autoblog Podcast #805 Get The Podcast Apple Podcasts – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes Spotify – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast on Spotify RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown Cars we're driving 2023 Lotus Emira First Edition 2024 Jaguar F-Type R75 Convertible 2023 Honda Accord Hybrid 2024 Mini Cooper SE 2024 Nissan Sakura Blipshift's 'Automn 2023' sale is here and it includes a brand new Autoblog T-shirt Stellantis-UAW agreement brings new (Ram?) midsize truck to Illinois Nissan exploring electrified and affordable small pickup for U.S. market Volkswagen ID.7 Tourer previewed as the brand's first electric wagon — should it come to the U.S.? 2023 Japan Mobility Show: the feel from the show floor SEMA 2023 recap Spend My Money: Renting a fun convertible through Turo Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on Apple Podcasts Autoblog is now live on your smart speakers and voice assistants with the audio Autoblog Daily Digest. Say “Hey Google, play the news from Autoblog” or "Alexa, open Autoblog" to get your favorite car website in audio form every day. A narrator will take you through the biggest stories or break down one of our comprehensive test drives. Related video: Green Podcasts SEMA Show Tokyo Motor Show Honda Jaguar Lotus MINI Nissan Convertible Coupe Hatchback Economy Cars Electric Hybrid Lightweight Vehicles Luxury Performance Sedan

Mini juices up Convertible with John Cooper Works model

Almost one year ago today, we caught our first and only look at the new Mini John Cooper Works Convertible, courtesy of a set of spy photos. Now, the new hot droptop has arrived, and no surprise, it's basically the same thing as the JCW Hardtop. The new model blends the standard three-door hardtop's 2.0-liter, 228-horsepower, 236-pound-foot, four-cylinder with the folding canvas roof of the new Mini Convertible, which debuted in October of last year. Available with a standard six-speed manual or an optional six-speed automatic, the three-pedal JCW Convertible will hit 60 in 6.4 seconds while the two-pedal will do the run a tenth of a second faster. The brawnier powertrain is backed up by a standard sport suspension – dynamic damper control is an optional extra – and convertible-specific chassis enhancements, including a new stiffening plate underneath the engine. To bring proceedings to a halt even quicker, Mini attached JCW-specific Brembo brakes. There's also the usual array of interior and exterior enhancements. Outside, there's a sportier body kit, standard, JCW-specific 17-inch wheels (or optional 18s), and standard LED headlamps. We're aching to try out the new JCW sport seats, which feature a fixed headrest and some serious bolstering. They're also rocking a pretty nifty black-and-red color scheme. Mini has paired its latest announcement with a full pricing release for the Cooper, Cooper S, and JCW Convertibles. Adding the softtop kicks up the price $5,000 to $5,500, with the base model starting at $26,800. The S model just barely cracks the $30,000 mark, coming in at $30,450, while the Works model is $36,450. That, friends, is a lot of money, and you'll be putting it down before even dipping into Mini's deep options catalog. Read on for both official press releases from Mini. EXTREME DRIVING FUN, INTENSIVE OPEN-AIR PLEASURE: INTRODUCING THE NEW MINI JOHN COOPER WORKS CONVERTIBLE Woodcliff Lake, NJ – January 14, 2016... When passion for motor racing is the driving force and intense open-air pleasure the goal, the new MINI John Cooper Works Convertible takes the ideal line from the word go. The second John Cooper Works model of the latest generation combines engine and suspension technology optimized for use on the race track with distinctive design and equipment features as well as the extensively refined qualities of the new MINI Convertible.

On Location in California with BMW and Mini

A mid-winter escape from frigid Michigan to drive a trio of new BMW and Mini products? It'd be a busy couple of days, but you can't argue with Southern California in February. The temperatures in LA, where we drove the Mini Cooper S Convertible, hovered in the mid-80s, and it was solidly in the 70s further north, at Monterey, where we drove the M2 and X4 M40i. The highlight of the trip was Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, which is a rewarding track to drive in a street car. The M2 was a blast there. The canyon roads above Malibu in the Mini were a close second, but even the lazy drive down the PCH to Big Sur was a blast. More important is the California state of mind we were in when driving all three of these cars. I've spent a lot of time in this state, and it has a complicated relationship with the car – and there's also a huge difference in attitude between the greater Bay Area and Southern California. Ample sun and twisty roads clash with image-consciousness, eco-consciousness, and brutal urban gridlock, and each BMW dealt with that paradox admirably, in its own way. Take a quick jaunt to California with me and check out the locations and experiences that helped form our impressions of these vehicles: the 2016 BMW M2 First Drive, the 2016 Mini Cooper S Convertible First Drive, and the 2016 BMW X4 M40i Quick Spin.