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Nissan Frontier and a mid-engine Mustang | Autoblog Podcast #622

In this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by News Editor Joel Stocksdale and Associate Editor Byron Hurd. They discuss news about the 2020 and 2021 Nissan Frontier, as well as a mystery Mustang and classic luxury coupes. After that, they talk about cars from the fleet including Chevy Silverados and the long-term Volvo S60 T8. Autoblog Podcast #622 Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown 2020 and 2021 Nissan Frontier updates 1966 mid-engine Mustang prototype Personal luxury coupes Cars we're driving 2020 Chevy Silverado 1500 Trail Boss 2020 Chevy Silverado 2500 HD 2020 Volvo S60 T8 plug-in hybrid Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Related Video:

What car should James Robertson buy to drive his famous 21-mile commute?

The Internet has been abuzz this week with the story of Detroit resident James Robertson, the 56-year-old factory worker who has walked some 21 miles to work for the last 10 years. The Detroit Free Press brought Robertson's story to the fore, helping an online fundraising campaign to generate more than $275,000 (as of this writing). The original goal was just $5,000, or about enough to replace the used Honda that died on Robertson back in 2005, and left him walking. So, newly flush with funds, what's the perfect car for Robertson to buy? Let's look at the specifics of his situation, and try to pick out the best options. Here's what we know: Robertson's commute is (famously) 21 miles; he lives in downtown Detroit (for now) and seems pretty humble, so something very flashy is probably out; former Honda aside, his ties to the city (and statements about being a Ford fan) seem to indicate a Detroit Three company product is best; he's a single guy with a girlfriend; he's got to deal with Michigan weather, and the sometimes fickle snow removal processes in The D. Here are some choices: Ford F-150 Robertson is on record as being a Taurus fan, and after a decade of walking I've no doubt that the big sedan would offer a cozy respite. Still, as a car guy and a student of the industry, I'd have a hard time recommending a sedan so clearly in need of replacement. Especially when The Blue Oval has such great stuff within the rest of its roster. The 2015 F-150 seems almost perfect for Robertson. Opting for either of the new EcoBoost V6 engines should help keep fuel bills in reasonable check, while healthy ride height and four-wheel drive will get him to work on time even during the snowiest of snow days. Better still, with a fat options sheet and car-like ride quality, Robertson can have just about every amenity he might want, in a package that won't disrespect his blue-collar roots. Chevrolet Colorado You guys saw this one coming, right? The smaller footprint of the midsize Chevy pickup, relative to some of the other options here, should be an advantage for urban parking and driving. And again, 4x4 is an option for the nasty weather, the running costs should stay pretty low and there aren't many tech/luxury features that can't be had in-cabin. I'd go ahead and splash out on the Crew Cab bodystyle, too, just in case Robertson feels like starting a carpool.

Hennessey HPE1000 builds a 1,000 hp 2016 Chevy Camaro

If the 455-horsepower 2016 Chevrolet Camaro SS isn't powerful enough for you off the showroom, ring up the folks at Hennessey Performance. The company can bump the coupe's output up to 650 hp if you want to keep the engine naturally aspirated, but supercharged versions can more than double the stock rating to 1,000 hp. To achieve such a massive boost in performance, the company performs a thorough suite of engine modifications in addition to installing the supercharger and intercooler. Among the biggest tweaks is stroking the motor to 6.8 liters from the stock 6.2 liters. To make sure the mill can handle the boost, it also gets forged pistons, billet steel connecting rods, ported cylinder heads, an upgraded valve train, new engine management, and more. Hennessey tests each car before and after on a chassis dyno and does up to 100 miles of road evaluations. The company claims this tune works with the factory automatic and manual gearboxes. The HPE1000 Camaro is available to order now. Clients send the company their 2016 Camaro SS, and the upgrades cost $65,000, which includes installation, John Hennessey tells Autoblog. The improvements also come with a one-year / 36,000-mile warranty. Unfortunately, Hennessey Performance doesn't have a video of the HPE1000 Camaro, but it does have a clip (below) showing the naturally aspirated HPE600 version, which boasts 526 hp at the rear wheels. Think of it as just a taste of what the forced induction model might offer, but we'd imagine with a screaming supercharger.