Inside The Dakar: Stock Defenders, Strategy, And Grit

Sand roosts. Moving cities. Split-second calls. We sit down with Mercedes Lilienthal for an unfiltered look at the Dakar Rally—what it is, how it really works, and why accuracy can matter as much as speed. From Saudi bivouacs that can rebuild cars overnight to the reimagined stock class spearheaded by Defender, Mercedes shows how a modern OEM program comes together under tight regulations, compressed timelines, and the relentless pressure of 13 stages.

We pull back the curtain on the logistics: when a bivouac loops vs leaps, what a “marathon” day does to crews, and how three full-size spares can still feel like not enough. You’ll hear how spectators find safe vantage points, why photographers always plan escape routes, and how even a royal visit can reroute a live stage. Mercedes explains the craft behind regularity and TSD rallying—holding speed, nailing time, and staying on course—plus why that style of precision racing is so addictive for data-driven drivers and navigators.

Then we look ahead. Mercedes and Andy gear up for the new Colorado Adventure Rally and a summer Alcan 5000 that stretches more than 6,000 miles if you opt into every challenge, reaching the Arctic Ocean and back. We switch lanes to auctions with a sharp breakdown of Barrett-Jackson vs Mecum—no-reserve drama vs reserve strategy, sell-through rates, and who buys what—and close with a driver-focused review of the 2026 Mazda CX-50, a compact SUV with standout handling, a willing turbo four, standard AWD, and an infotainment system that still needs polish. Finally, we honor Ed “Isky” Iskenderian, the Camfather whose matched sets and bold ideas powered generations of racers and hot-rodders.

If you love rally raids, overlanding, OEM motorsport programs, classic car auctions, or just well-sorted everyday vehicles, this one’s for you. Follow the show, share it with a friend who dreams in dunes and stage notes, and leave a quick review—what part of Dakar’s ecosystem fascinates you most?

The Lupe' Tortilla Restaurants
Lupe Tortilla in Katy, Texas

Gulf Coast Auto Shield
Paint protection, tint, and more!

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

---- -----
Want more In Wheel Time car talk any time?

In Wheel Time is now available on Audacy!

Just go to Audacy.com/InWheelTime where ever you are.
----- -----
Be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast provider for the next episode of In Wheel Time Podcast and check out our live multiplatform broadcast every Saturday, 10a - 12nCT simulcasting on Audacy, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Twitch and InWheelTime.com.

In Wheel Time Podcast can be heard on you mobile device from providers such as:

Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music Podcast, Spotify, SiriusXM Podcast, iHeartRadio podcast, TuneIn + Alexa, Podcast Addict, Castro, Castbox, YouTube Podcast and more on your mobile device.

Follow InWheelTime.com for the latest updates!

Twitter: https://twitter.com/InWheelTime

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inwheeltime/

https://www.youtube.com/inwheeltime

https://www.Facebook.com/InWheelTime

For more information about In Wheel Time Podcast, email us at

info@inwheeltime.com

Transcript

Welcome & Show Roadmap

SPEAKER_01 0:00

Welcome to another In Wheel Time podcast. Welcome to the In Wheel Time Car Talk Show. Just ahead we talked to Mercedes Lillienthal about her run to the Dot Car Rally. Plus, Jeff has his motor minute and I'll review the new Mazda CX 50. Just ahead of the In Wheel Time Car Talk Show. Howdy, along with Mike Out of this Wilmar is coming to you live in the living color from Neederville, Texas. And we always need more Jeff Zeken and Don Armstrong. Glad that join us on this Saturday morning for our live show. If you are podcast, we invite you to join our live show. Get a head up, leg up on all of the stuff that we talk about in our podcast. So thanks so much for joining us today. And uh I think we're going to go to the great northwest and join Mercedes Lillian Thal, who's joining us now, hopefully, with uh information about her venture. Hi, honey. There you go. Hello, how are you? Well, we're pretty good, thank you. Uh I'm gonna talk about the Dakar rally. So, uh, where are you? Are you back up in the Northwest?

SPEAKER_00 1:11

I am in the Pacific Northwest. I'm actually home right now, so that's a rarity, but yes, I am home.

SPEAKER_01 1:16

Okay, good. And where's Andy?

SPEAKER_00 1:18

Uh in the other room.

SPEAKER_01 1:22

Because this is all about you.

SPEAKER_00 1:24

Yeah, this one's actually me. I feel like I have an empty space right here because he's always on the show with me. So uh, but I'm running solo this time with you guys.

SPEAKER_01 1:32

So, well, it's good to see you, and uh, we uh really excited to hear about the dahcar rally. So, first of all, let everybody know if you will, what the dahcar rally is.

SPEAKER_00 1:44

Yes, the Dakar rally is probably one of the biggest and most grueling uh desert rally raids in the world. Um, it's been going on way back when it started in 1978, I believe it was, uh, as the Paris to Dakar rally, um, or Paris to Dakar rally that started in Paris and ended in Dakar, Senegal. Throughout those years, it had moved uh uh you know, continents, it had uh shifted, um, and and now the last uh, let's see, I think since 2020 it was in Saudi Arabia. Um, so there's multiple facets to the Dakar rally, you've got multiple different vehicle classes with this big desert rally. Um it's all based on accuracy. So you have to follow a certain route. So you have a driver and a co-driver, and then you have the main dakh rally, which is basically the fastest, the most efficient you can get to the finish line. And then underneath that you have what is called the Dakar Classic, which is all the classic rigs like the old Pajeros, the Land Rovers, you know, you have it, um, uh all these different old vehicles. And they are an accuracy uh regularity where, you know, like a time, like a time speed distance or TSD rally that we've been on the show talking about, they have to be perfectly on speed, on course, not late, not early, and they have a different route to follow. So the dot car classic runs under the actual dot car rally umbrella, so to speak.

SPEAKER_01 3:01

I see. So and well, you're and you're familiar with being on time and making your points and hitting certain time parameters and speed and all that stuff. Because that's what you guys trying to. Yeah, but I mean I mean that's what you guys, that's what you guys uh have been doing here well lately. And so um how what did you drive?

Classic vs Main Rally Explained

SPEAKER_00 3:23

I I actually this time I didn't compete. That would be a huge bucket list. If I can get Andy and me to find a money tree um or a large sponsor in a vehicle, we'd love to be able to run uh the Dakar Classic. I mean, we've got heck, we've got our Pajero sitting on the other side that did the Alcan 5000 sitting over there. We've got an old gymney, we've got you know vehicles that could do it, but you know, that's a huge, huge effort. What I did is I actually competed, not competed, there's my competitor brain here. Um I actually covered the event. Um so I was on behalf of Jaguar Land Rover uh hosted, and I covered the three new defender teams as they competed, uh, as well as the whole Dah rally. So uh that was what I was over there for. I was there for about stage two and stage three. Uh so it was more of a brief period, but it was really interesting to see them in the flesh, on the ground, boots on the ground, actually rallying in full rally mode, see the vehicles back the bivouac, get a tour of the bivouac and their their huge entrage setup of all the semis with all the different parts and pieces, and meet some of the staff and some of the heads.

SPEAKER_01 4:23

Well, now you've got a connection with Subaru. Have you talked to them about maybe uh sponsoring you and uh getting an entry over there?

SPEAKER_00 4:30

Yeah, you know, uh someday. You you never know. You never know. I we partnered with Subaru for many, many different things. Um, the latest being the Trans America Trail, uh, you know, where we took a um cross-track wilderness, we built it up, or they built it up under our direction, and we literally did over 7,000 miles across the United States. A lot of it was off pavement, so I think 3,184 miles of it during that 29-day adventure was off pavement, and we were self-supported, living, living out of the car.

SPEAKER_02 4:56

But who's counting?

SPEAKER_00 4:58

Yeah, who's counting? Yeah, yeah. You know who the navigator is, right?

SPEAKER_01 5:01

That's right. Uh, so tell us about this class that you were involved with, the Defender stock class. What explain that?

Covering, Not Competing

Defender Stock Class Origins

SPEAKER_00 5:12

Yeah, so the so the stock class is kind of a revamped class uh that Defender was instrumental with the governing body, FIA or FIA, um, to basically update to say, okay, a lot of these vehicles way back when in 1978, 1982, you know, what have you, were production vehicles because you didn't have all of the aftermarket ability, you didn't have all the technology, you didn't have all the stuff of what some of these vehicles can do today. And so they wanted to update uh a lot of the regulations to make it more friendly for manufacturers like uh Defender, like uh Toyota, and other future manufacturers to be able to come in and compete in a revamped stock class. So Jaguar Land Rover, you know, of course, is the big umbrella. Then you have Defender underneath it. So Defender said, we're gonna sign on for three years, right? The W2RC uh rally raids, starting with Dot Car in 2026. That was the first one of their three-year run that they're doing. So there's a lot more rallying to see with Defender coming up. Um, so what they did is they basically said, okay, we're gonna sign on, we're gonna do three teams of very accomplished racers from all around the world, uh, two Americans actually, um, uh uh Sean Behrman and then also American Sarah Price were the two that were uh kind of rounding out the six people. But take all of that, figure out what vehicles that they wanted to actually build, again, adhering to the new and revamped uh uh regulations, test it all, you know, come up with the parts, come up with how they're gonna build it, you know, what shocks are they gonna use, what tires are they gonna use, all this type of stuff. And mind you, they have to have all the support network around them with about hundred, you know, I don't know, 100, 120 different people as support and figure this all out. And I think it was less than 18 months. And oh yeah, you got to compete too. So there's a lot that was going on with it. There were semis upon semis that had things like um, you know, tools, tons of tools. My gosh, if I could have just a small section of that in my house, I'd just be a you know woman in heaven. Um, they had one with consumables, they had one uh with uh differential parts, with spare engines, with you know, all sorts of different parts and pieces. And when we got the tour, the guide said, Yeah, we could pretty much rebuild an entire D7XR rally rig if we need to. Um, so as they were going through, when I was there, of course, they had just started with stage two when I was boots on the ground there of the 13 total stages, and they were ironing some things out, like um like Stefan Peter Hansel and uh Micah Metke, that that was the other team, they had some power steering issues. So they were trying to figure that out, and then uh Sarah and Sean had really uh taken a big blow underneath their um their chassis, and so they had some issues there, and they were trying to iron that out and and come strengthen things all within regulation. So, you know, but that happens with everybody, right? You know, there's there's people that have different mechanical issues, or people that have uh blown tires. I mean, these D7XR rally rigs, all three of them, they had three full-size spare tires, for instance, um, and a whole bunch of other parts and pieces.

SPEAKER_03 8:03

So you've got all these diesel, all these big rigs and all these supplies and the trails. So does this encampment move with the race every day?

Building Teams, Rigs, And Support

SPEAKER_00 8:14

Uh not necessarily every day. That's a really great question because when I flew in, so we were visiting family from the Midwest. So I went from the Midwest, so uh Minneapolis to Dulles um to the East Coast, uh, had a layover there, then went to Riyadh, and Riyadh to Alula. And Alula uh is more on the western side of Saudi Arabia, and that's where the bivouac was just getting set up because it just I think they came from Yambo, don't quote me, uh, for stage two and stage three. So they were building that bivouac. So as the rally actually goes around the whole entire country, there are points where you might just be doing some sort of a loop and then ending back in Elula. You might be moving the whole entire entrage up to the next point all the way around the country until the finish.

SPEAKER_03 8:56

Yeah, but if the race I guess what I'm trying to visualize is if the racers leave early in the morning and they're going to point B at some point, let's say they're not coming back to that one, that whole small city's got to move in a day.

unknown 9:10

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 9:11

Because your repair people have got to be there. If something breaks, they gotta be there or go to the house.

SPEAKER_01 9:14

But they're not doing a thousand miles an hour either on the ground.

Early Stages: Problems And Fixes

SPEAKER_00 9:18

Right. So they I think it's a few hundred kilometers that they do each day. Again, don't quote me because this is my first actual being boots on the ground at dot car. But um they do have they do have stages and days where they have a pit crew or they have a pit stop in the middle of the day. Sometimes they don't if it's a marathon stage. So there's a lot of moving parts. Um, and that's something that I would love to learn more of exactly how this all works. I mean, heck, if I had my way, I'd fly back there again for 10 minutes if I had a chance. But I'd love to be able to cover this event for the whole entire duration. I mean, it's almost it's about two weeks of like actual, you know, a hands-on, total, you know, balls of the wall rally, you know, when you when you think about it, it's a crazy desert rally. Um, but so intense and so um it's it's such a storied, legendary event um that's been going on for decades. And it's a coverage. Um spectators, you know, you can you can watch it in parts online. Um there's not, I you know, I don't even know if if anybody really knows where the course is. There may be opportunities if you can see, you know, if you know where they are to try to see to catch them uh in action. Uh, you know, we had a chance to go out during stage three to see the defenders coming through, one, two, three, just super confidently, all in one, where there was kind of a bivouac, a small little, you know, bivwack side area set up. Um, so I think that was maybe a known point, but it all it all fluctuates. I mean, when we were there for stage three, there's uh a bit of um uncertainty as to where the the course was going to be because the prince was coming in. Uh, and and so there was, you know, lots of police all over the place and spots.

SPEAKER_01 10:56

Was he coming in to watch the rally?

SPEAKER_00 10:58

I believe so. Yeah, yeah. They're they're very so we didn't have a chance to see that. Uh, but when we were there, you know, we saw the police at every exit and this and this, and then we got wind of a couple people said the prince. One person said the king. I'm not sure. I didn't have a chance to see that part of it. But yeah, then they had to shift things, of course, just to be protected.

SPEAKER_01 11:17

Did you sign any hero cards for him?

unknown 11:21

No.

SPEAKER_02 11:22

You know, with with all that the media attention and the police and everything, that happens when we do remotes. Yeah. Yeah, they do remember. Yeah, we had to have to have police.

SPEAKER_03 11:31

So we fully understand all that. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 11:33

So they're generally just warrants.

SPEAKER_03 11:36

Yeah, the warrants are the problem. So they're racing across the desert, so they don't really go through towns where the spectators would be. Is that right?

SPEAKER_00 11:44

That's a really good question. Um, I would think, since it is mainly the the main part of the dock car, mind you, is a speed event, accuracy, but speed as far as how fast you can go and the fastest wins those certain stages. Uh, and then of course the fastest person per each class can win their class, and then uh so on and so forth. I I couldn't imagine that they would be very close to cities. I I know that we drove a little while ago outside of Alula during my time there. Um that's a really great question. I couldn't imagine because you'd have populations, you've had, you know, people with, you know, just uh normal vehicles being out on course. I mean, when I was there, you saw people driving on the sidelines, you know, very close to where they were, and people walking very close to where they were racing. And for me as a photographer and a journalist, I'm always just I always have my eye on where I can move, like where I can escape if if somebody loses control. I mean, it's motorsports, right? You know, people need to place their trust in these racers to make sure they're not gonna go off course and then careen into you know some common vehicle just driving on the side.

SPEAKER_01 12:47

So yeah, I I interest. I'll I'll tell you what. Did Andy go with you?

SPEAKER_00 12:52

No, no, he didn't. This is a solo trip for me.

SPEAKER_01 12:55

Wow. Well, that's a rarity too.

SPEAKER_00 12:58

Yeah, you know, sometimes we do things differently. I mean, I just came back uh from Dakar, and then I went to Subaru uh launched on in California, was actually finishing my malaria uh medication, preventative malaria medication down in California, which is odd in itself, but then he went to Death Valley uh with Forge. So, you know, we we do shift from time to time.

How The Bivouac Moves

SPEAKER_01 13:17

Well, man, I'll tell you what, you know, we've we've followed you guys for quite some time now, and things have really ballooned for you uh with your motorsports, especially, and uh being involved in in all of these different events that you guys go to. It's so much fun to live life through you. And and you're such a great spokesperson. I I can't imagine, you know, that we're we'll be left in the dust when you know today's broadcast by Mercedes Lillienthal is going to be sponsored by Mercedes Benz of the World.

SPEAKER_00 13:49

Yeah, yeah. Well, you never know, world domination might not be that far away. All kidding aside, uh, you know, I think for us, uh, and I speak for Andy as well, you know, rally, like we do a lot of times speed distance rally by us or TSD. That's what, you know, it's more known over here, but over there they call it regularity rallies. Um, I know different competitions call them enduro's, but this accuracy thing, um, whether it's based on being on point for speed or the fastest, it's so electrifying. It's like, you know, for us when we compete, we're always media, right? So we compete, and then we also are media too. So we wear many hats and we photograph things as well. Um, but to be around like like-minded gearheads, to be around all these really cool vehicles and in such passion and and to be able to see new things and travel to new places, especially Saudi Arabia, it was my first time in the Middle East and traveling solo as a woman across the world to do this. Um, that's a whole nother, you know, podcast in itself. Uh, but but to me, it it's such a neat and just wonderful experience every single time we do it. I just can't get enough of it. And to hopefully share that to the world and say, hey guys, you know, yes, there's NASCAR, yes, there's American football, but there's a whole nother world of really cool things that's called, you know, TSD rally or Dakar Rally and all of these that you need to pay attention, you need to see it because it's just so electrifying.

SPEAKER_02 15:12

I just want to say, while you were gone, Andy throws great parties, he really does. That second day party, it was off the it was just yeah, you were wondering about uh trash can he throws the beer bottles.

SPEAKER_00 15:22

Well, no, no.

SPEAKER_02 15:23

He knows how to entertain, I'm telling you.

SPEAKER_00 15:25

Oh, yeah, oh yeah, yeah. He might have learned a thing or two from me. So there is that.

SPEAKER_01 15:30

So what's next on your list?

SPEAKER_00 15:32

Yeah, that's that's a great question. Speaking of rally, uh, we let's see, in July, Andy and I are gonna be doing the uh car rally in Colorado, which is a brand new rally. It's the Colorado Adventure Rally, uh, which has since been doubled in size and still has a wait list. It's a time speed distance rally. I think it's going on for three or four days. And then uh Al CAN somewhere for this year is gonna be happening as well, but we are tight-lipped as to the vehicle or anybody that we're partnering with. Uh, stay tuned on that.

SPEAKER_01 16:01

So, what what uh where is the uh Colorado event gonna take place?

SPEAKER_00 16:06

That starts near Denver. Um, boy, I can send you the link as far as uh where it is, but if you look up Colorado Venture Rally, um there's like a motorsports.com or dot org website that has all the details. I don't know exactly where the loop it goes. I don't know that right off the top of my head.

SPEAKER_01 16:22

Okay, well, we're gonna look that up because you know my youngest daughter is in Denver.

SPEAKER_00 16:25

So Oh yeah, sure.

Spectators, Safety, And Course Access

SPEAKER_01 16:27

Yeah. And uh well, I'll I'll tell her that if she has the time, maybe she can hook up with you guys.

SPEAKER_00 16:33

Yeah, definitely. I mean, it's uh this rally is gonna be mostly on pavement, but there are some dirt sections. So I think it's under, I want to say maybe uh uh six or seven hundred miles in total. And of course, then you know, you know, hot on its heels, uh beginning of September, the Alcan 5,000 is gonna be massive. It is 11 days this time. It goes all the way up to the Arctic Ocean, which we've never been in the summer. Uh, and then it goes all the way back down and it goes, of course, into uh Alaska and then halfway up to the uh actually past the Arctic Circle up there to Coldfoot back down. Again, it's all if you do all of the uh extreme control optional routes, which we always do, because of course we test a vehicle, you gotta test the vehicle. You gotta go.

SPEAKER_03 17:13

Research. It's research.

SPEAKER_00 17:15

Yeah, it is, it is. And you know, the Alcan being the mother of all rallies over here in in North America. I mean, yeah, if you're doing, you know, a thousand, thirteen hundred miles of dirt and gravel alone, I think this next rally, uh, if you do everything I want to say is about sixty, three hundred. Sixty, three hundred miles in 11 days. Think about that.

SPEAKER_01 17:33

She was. That's that's awesome. Well, that's why young people do it. That's right, and they are. So let's stay in touch. And I guess uh with your next uh uh adventure coming up is gonna be Colorado, you say?

SPEAKER_00 17:46

Uh yes, I'm sure that there will be things in between, but uh Colorado the that rally is in uh July. Yes, in July.

SPEAKER_01 17:53

Mercedes, it's great to talk to you. Great to see you. What a fun story, and thanks for sharing with us. We appreciate you.

SPEAKER_00 18:00

We'll do, we'll do. Thanks, fellas. Appreciate being on.

Travel, Solo Reporting, And Culture

SPEAKER_01 18:03

Thank you. Talk to you again soon. All right. Uh just ahead, Jeff's motor minute, and a review of the new Mazda CX50 when the in-wheel time car talk show continues right after this break. The TexBecks dining experience is defined by Lupi Tortilla, your destination for Texas's best beef fajitas and frozen margaritas. Since 1983, Lupi Tortilla has served authentic and time-tested recipes made with the freshest ingredients. Atmosphere is part of the award-winning experience of Lupi Tortilla, all developed in a little house near Highway 6 and I-10 in West Houston. Visit any of the Loopy Tortillas and you'll see the same attention to detail in each and every location. Start your loopy experience with queso flammiato and guacamole, along with a classic frozen margarita. Dine on famous loopy beef and chicken fajitas, or pepper shrimp pochette, or a fish or vegetarian entree, and finish with a scrumptious flan for dessert. Find Luppy Tortilla in Houston, College Station, Beaumont, Austin, San Antonio, and Dallas, Fort Worth. There's a Texas location near you. The recipes are authentic and time-tested. The ingredients always fresh. Loopy Tortilla, he's pretty good. Apple or Android NWL Time podcasts can be found everywhere, on the stream and through downloads. Whether you're on the road or at home and Jones in for a different kind of car talk show, give InWheel Time a try. Honest new car reviews, fun, informative interviews with real car people, weekly automotive news, features like Jeff's car culture and Mike's driving destinations, all on In Wheel Time. Check us out on Sirius XM Podcasts, iHeartRadio, or while you're shopping on Amazon through Amazon Music. Mm-hmm. Inwheeltime.com has a list, and we know you love lists.com, YouTube, and Facebook. Check us out. It's free. And don't forget 30-minute podcasts of our shows can be had from your favorite podcast store. Okay, time now for Jeff's Motor Minute. Here you go, and we can be had.

Why Regularity Racing Captivates

SPEAKER_02 20:06

So I've been watching Barrett Jackson's past couple weeks ahead at the end of January. And uh kind of raised some questions in my head that what's the difference between the Barrett Jackson's of the world and the make them auctions of the world? Well, uh the two leading auction houses for classic car collectors, each with unique features of track. So the differences are with Barrett Jackson typically has no reserve auction format, meaning that the cars are sold without a minimal price, leading to a higher sell-through rate more across the block at about 98%. This creates a competitive bidding environment where buyers may pay more for desirable vehicles. On the Mecum side, uh they uh allow the sellers to set reserve for their cars, reserve pricing for their cars, which leads to a lower sell-through based on the pretty much to compare to Barrett Jackson, and it's it's a lot less. So the volume of cars, Mecum generally sells a larger amount of cars because of that. They sell about eighteen hundred and eleven, uh significantly more than Barrett Jackson's 1,343. So same period, same kind of uh auction types, but they're set up a little bit different. Types of vehicles, Barrett Jackson is known for its focus on high-end vehicles, particularly muscle cars, American classics uh uh attracting more serious collectors looking for a unique and valuable car. Meekham offers a broader range of vehicles, including classic antiques, modern exotics, making it appear to be a wider audience. Barrett Jackson uh holds fewer auctions auctions each year, typically around four major events, including the well-known January event, Scottsdale, it's the one I previewed. Uh highlight for all the collectors kicking off the season. Bacum conducts auctions more frequently with the events through roughly once a month, providing more opportunities for buyers and sellers to participate through the year. So overall, depending on what you're looking for in a classic car or an auction car, there's a lot of local auctions, but not these big Boys. So check out what you're what you're looking for, what you want to collect. If it's just a daily driver, how much money do you have? Do you want to buy cheap and sell high? Whatever you want to do, they've got that auction for you. I want to buy cheap. There you go.

SPEAKER_01 22:12

I want a lot from my money. Okay. Okay.

SPEAKER_02 22:16

Good luck, Don.

SPEAKER_01 22:17

You'll be waiting until Methusela comes. Yeah, Methuselah.

SPEAKER_02 22:20

You can get that pretty cheap now. They've got a Methuselah model.

Upcoming Colorado Rally & Alcan Plans

SPEAKER_01 22:23

The Methusela model. All the tires are flat, but it's okay. It's a beater. Time now for this hour's car review. I had a chance to drive the 2026 Mazda CX50. Uh the uh available trim levels. I don't know what they are because I didn't write them down. Many. Say many. Great. You know, this is what happens when I do this at work. And the fact of the matter is that I get interrupted a lot. Yeah. So anyway, there are several editions, and I had the 2.5 liter turbo meridian edition, which is new. This is a small SUV, uh, seats five, exterior changes from last year. Well, it was all new in 2023, so it is a relatively new version of the CX50. Sharp looking front fascia, nicely proportioned grill. Uh, Meridian Edition has a huge flat roof rack on the top of it that looks kind of funny. It's also got a big sticker on the hood that says Meridian Edition. Uh squinty rear tail lights and dual exhaust tips, black plastic wheel trim. Um that's wheel well trimmed. What I liked about it, the overall body looks great on this. What could use improvement? Maybe perhaps tone down the disproportionate roof rack. I don't know, it just looks funny sitting up there. It's flat. And it kind of like you could tie down another car up there. Interior highlights, nicely designed, horizontal dash. Love the center console design with uh the radio volume knob right down there by the shifter. Comfortable seats, two rows, overall gets high marks. Cargo room, adequate for this small SUV. I liked pretty much everything. What could use improvement? As I said many times, the infotainment operating system needs a redesign. Engine, as the title suggested, it was a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with a twin scroll turbo. Turns out 227 horsepower with 310 pound feet of torque through a six-speed automatic transmission. It will tow up to one ton. Uh miles per gallon, rated 23 city, 29 highway for combined to 25. I got 22.2 miles per gallon over 500.0 miles. Wow. Yeah, I know. Great at no anything. Uh, what I liked, this has got perfect power. Um, it's just right for the size vehicle, the weight of the vehicle, and it runs well. Uh, what could use improvement? Uh, I would suggest that you check out the hybrid version. It's four thousand dollars more, but you get better gas mileage. Riding handling, uh, standard all-wheel drive on all trim levels for this vehicle. What could use improvement? This is one of the best handling SUVs in its segment. Wow. And I would definitely uh want to check that out if you're into a semi-performance kind of thing. If you're a really uh a guy that likes the way his car handles, this is one I think that you would appreciate because you know most SUVs are basically built for the road or for off-road, right? And uh they got a squishy kind of uh chassis on it. This one does not. Squishy. Squishy. I like that. It's a very technical term. Um let's see.

SPEAKER_02 25:44

Hand me my squishy wrench.

Jeff’s Motor Minute: Barrett-Jackson vs Mecum

Review: 2026 Mazda CX-50

SPEAKER_01 25:45

Base trim price,$34,645. Price is tested,$44,675. The base model price drum roll is$29.9. Oh wow.$29.99. So competitors on the base model price include the Honda CRV for$39.20, the Toyota Rav4,$31.9, and the Nissan Rogue for$29,090. So I think it's one for you to look at. There you go. Uh next week we're gonna review the Lexus RX. Okay. It was gonna be the NX, but for some reason they pulled it and said, We're gonna give you the RX in status. You can give me that RX any old time that you can. Yeah, please do. Um, I did want to get this in uh because I think it's important, at least for my generation. Um Ed Isky Iskandarian uh died last week. Oh uh he was born before the Great Depression. He's been around a long, long time. And if you're not familiar with him, he was also known as the Cam Father. Oh. It was while in high school in LA that Isky built the famous black Model T Ford Roadster that would define the best of that class of art and engineering. He was a car guy through and through. Uh elegant, uh laughing skull radiator cap, the cast himself in high school Metal Shop to the Maxi Heads, Edelbrock Triple Manifold, and Vertex Magneto that are still on the car, and the car still survives today. Ed served in the Army Air Corps. Um, it was said that ISC Cams could get more power out of almost any engine with no penalty, from his famous five-cycle cams to the ultra rev kits with rollers. ISC cams were the sought-after components for speed, horsepower, and torque, and still are to this day. Hot Rod noted that in addition to camshaft profiles, ISC designed valve springs and first high-density chilled iron lifters for top fuel cars and anti-pump-up hydraulic lifters. Plus, he was among the first to sell cams, lifters, and springs as a matched set. The small block Chevy with one of Ed's cams was the first to make more than one horsepower per cubic inch. He's also a pioneer in marketing, starting with the famous white t-shirts that said ISC racing cams and bright red letters. I'm sure you've seen it. Those were the hot commodity back in the day. And uh he even offered contingency money to racers who used his products, Don Proudhome, one of the early beneficiaries of ISC sponsorships, crediting the Cam father with helping get his career going on the drag strip. He also sponsored future racing greats Don Garlitz and Mickey Thompson, among others. He was 104 years old when he passed this week. Wow. So he'll be missed. All right. Um, hey, if you'd like to get in touch with us, shoot us an email. The address is info at inwheeltime.com. We are back after this quick break. The Tex-Mex dining experience is defined by Loopy Tortilla, your destination for Texas's best beef fajitas and frozen margaritas. Since 1983, Loopy Tortilla has served authentic and time-tested recipes made with the freshest ingredients. Atmosphere is part of the award-winning experience at Loopy Tortilla, all developed in a little house near Highway 6 and I-10 in West Houston. Visit any of the Loopy Tortillas and you will see the same attention to detail in each and every location. Start your loopy experience with queso flamillado and guacamole, along with a classic frozen margarita. Dine the famous loopy beef and chicken fajitas, or pepper shrimp rochette, or a fish or vegetarian entree, and finish with a scrumptious flan for dessert. Find loopy tortilla in Houston, College Station, Beaumont, Austin, San Antonio, and Dallas Fort Worth. There's a Texas location near you. The recipes are authentic and time-tested. The ingredients always fresh. Loopy Tortilla is pretty good. Apple or Android NWL Time podcasts can be found everywhere, on the stream and through downloads. Whether you're on the road or at home and Jones in for a different kind of car talk show, give In Wheel Time a try. Honest new car reviews, fun, informative interviews with real car people, weekly automotive news, features like Jeff's car culture and Mike's driving destinations, all on In Wheel Time. Check us out on Sirius XM Podcasts, iHeartRadio, or while you're shopping on Amazon through Amazon Music. Mm-hmm. InWheeltime.com has a list, and we know you love lists. That's it for this podcast episode of the In Wheel Time Car Show. I'm Don Armstrong, inviting you to join us for our live show every Saturday morning on Facebook, YouTube, Twitch, and our InWheeltime.com website. Podcasts are available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, iHeartPodcast, Podcast Addict, TuneIn, Pandora, and Amazon Music. Keep listening, and we'll see you soon.