Car Stuff Podcast

Tesla Abandons $25,000 Model, Jill Drives the Alfa Romeo Stelvio, Talking to the EVP of SUV Startup Ineos

April 08, 2024 Consumer Guide Automotive, Tom Appel, Jill Ciminillo Episode 214
Car Stuff Podcast
Tesla Abandons $25,000 Model, Jill Drives the Alfa Romeo Stelvio, Talking to the EVP of SUV Startup Ineos
Show Notes

Jill and Tom talked briefly about the eclipse that was taking place during the recording of this week’s episode. The conversation turned to the news that Tesla will not be producing the long-promised Model 2, a small electric vehicle with a base price of around $25,000. In other news, the hosts discussed the sudden decline in large pickup-truck sales, a thing which Jill believes is temporary, and not a harbinger of economic weakness. 

Jill shared her impressions of the 2024 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio, a vehicle which the hosts agree is best suited for performance-loving extroverts. Jill noted that the Stelvio is very fast, and that the Verde Montreal (green) color of her test car is not for the faint of heart. 

In the second segment Tom and Jill welcome Greg Clark, Vice President of Ineos Automotive of the Americas to the show. Greg talked about the Ineos Grenadier, an off-road SUV, which is now on sale in the States. The Grenadier was designed to be an homage to the original Land Rover Defender, and is built for severe rock-crawling activity. 

Greg talked about the process by which Ineos was able to bring a vehicle to market in less than three years. Greg also discussed the Ineos Quartermaster, a Grenadier-based pickup truck arriving in Ineos dealerships later this year. 

In the last segment, Jill is subjected to Tom’s “Mitsubishi or Golf Club” quiz. Jill’s quiz winning streak may be in jeopardy. After the Quiz Tom talked about the 2024 GMC Sierra AT4X he is currently driving. Tom is generally impressed, and had a few things to say about the diesel engine his truck is equipped with.