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Submit your questions for Autoblog Podcast #344 LIVE!

We're set to record Autoblog Podcast #344 tonight, joined by Doug DeMuro, author of Plays With Cars, formerly of Porsche Cars North America, and all-around swell guy. You can drop us your questions and comments via our Q&A module below, and we'll give them extra-diligent attention. Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes if you haven't already done so, and if you want to take it all in live, tune in to our UStream (audio only) channel at 10:00 PM Eastern tonight.
Discussion Topics for Autoblog Podcast Episode #344
BRZ STI?

Our love of SUVs is killing people in the streets

Americans are fond of supersized fast-food meals and colossal convenience-store fountain drinks, even though they're clearly bad for our health and U.S. adults keep getting fatter. We also like large vehicles, and our love affair with SUVs is killing people in the streets. According to a recent investigation by the Detroit Free Press/USA Today, the increase in SUV sales over the past several years coincides with a sharp rise in pedestrian deaths in the U.S. — up 46 percent since 2009, with nearly 6,000 people killed in 2016 alone. With SUV sales surpassing sedans in 2014 and pickups and SUVs currently accounting for 60 percent of new vehicle sales, it's no wonder Ford announced in April plans to cease U.S. sales of almost all passenger cars. And this followed Fiat Chrysler's move to virtually an all-truck, -SUV and -crossover lineup. While the Freep/USA Today investigation found that the simultaneous surge in SUV sales and pedestrian deaths comes down to vehicle size, it also points to a lack of action on the part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), even though it knew of the dangers SUVs pose to pedestrians. Also blamed are automakers dragging their feet on implementing active safety features. Using federal accident data, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) determined that there was an 81 percent increase in single-vehicle pedestrian fatalities involving SUVs between 2009 and 2016. Freep/USA Today's analysis of the same data by counting vehicles that struck and killed pedestrians instead of the number of people killed showed a 69 percent increase in SUV involvement. As far back as 2001, researchers at Rowan University forecasted a rise in pedestrian deaths as Americans began switching to SUVs. "In the United States, passenger vehicles are shifting from a fleet populated primarily by cars to a fleet dominated by light trucks and vans," the researchers wrote, with light trucks comprising SUVs.

Porsche Cayman GT4 looks sexy, rapid in the nude

Porsche doesn't officially have a name for its more hardcore version of the Cayman, yet. The speculation is that the coupe is called the GT4 as a little brother to the 911 GT3. However, the German sports car maker apparently is not interested in keeping the model's looks much of a secret because these latest shots show it without a hint of camouflage to speak of. The GT4 reportedly takes the GT3's ethos of more power, less weight and stickier-than-glue handling and brings it all to the Cayman. As these photos show, there's a much lower air dam up front with a cooling vent at the tip of the hood. Larger wheels are another obvious addition and are likely shod with some very sticky rubber. At the back, there's a double spoiler combining a wing and a ducktail. The power and gearbox for the GT4 remains a mystery, though. The rumor is that it uses a tuned version of the 3.4-liter flat-six in the Cayman S and GTS to make between 370 and 400 horsepower. A similar overhaul of the Boxster might be on the way, as well. A version of the convertible wearing some of the Cayman GT4's goodies was recently spotted testing. That one even had a manual transmission to make the prospects behind the wheel even more exciting.