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Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale revealed, Dodge Challenger Black Ghost driven | Autoblog Podcast #796

In this episode of the Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Senior Editor John Beltz Snyder. John has been driving the 2024 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392, while Greg has been making noise in another last call from Dodge, the 2023 Challenger Black Ghost. John, along with Associate Editor Byron Hurd, recently tested the 2023 Honda CR-V and Kia Sportage hybrids for an upcoming comparison review. In the news, Felipe Massa seeks to overturn the 2008 F1 Championship in his favor through legal means; Ford might return to the street-performance truck scene with the F-150 Lobo; Volkswagen has been hinting at something interesting at the Munich show by tweeting a mysterious video of a rabbit (the animal); and while the podcast recording was underway, Alfa Romeo unveiled its beautiful 33 Stradale supercar. Send us your questions for the Mailbag and Spend My Money at: Podcast@Autoblog.com. Autoblog Podcast #796 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 2024 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 2023 Dodge Challenger Black Ghost Additional reading: 1970 Dodge Challenger Black Ghost hammers for $975,000 at Mecum Spring Classic 2023 Honda CR-V Sport Touring Hybrid vs. 2023 Kia Sportage Hybrid SX Prestige Massa vows to fight for Hamilton's 2008 Formula 1 title Ford F-150 Lobo reportedly coming as street-oriented performance truck Volkswagen teases Rabbit in mysterious video Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale supercar revealed with gas and EV versions, gorgeous either way Additional reading: Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale is a fast Alfa, developed fast 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 Alfa Romeo Dodge Ford Honda Jeep Kia Volkswagen Truck Coupe Crossover SUV Electric Hybrid Luxury Off-Road Vehicles Supercars

It lives! Our first glimpse of the Jeep Wrangler pickup

Okay, it's real now. We've been hearing rumors for years, and Jeep officials have confirmed a pickup will be added to the next-gen Wrangler lineup, but now we have our first photographic evidence of the long-awaited variant. It looks huge, and we're totally okay with that. These photos show a very-long-wheelbase Wrangler with a decent-size pickup bed. It looks to be about the same overall size as the AEV Brute Double Cab Wrangler pickup conversion, which itself is about the length of a Suburban. The bed appears to be in the five-foot range, maybe slightly shorter than the standard box of a half-ton truck. And those taillights, or at lest the covers on them, recall the shape of the lights on a Ram. These overhead shots also give a better look at the next Wrangler's evolved seven-slot grille. We see bigger spacing between thinner ribs, which would seem antithetical to the goal of improving the Wrangler's traditionally poor aerodynamics. It's possible FCA is using an air shutter to manage airflow, as it does on the Ram pickups and some other products. Related Gallery 2018 Jeep Wrangler Detailed Spy Photos View 18 Photos To recap what we know about the next Wrangler: It's expected to offer a gas V6 once again, as well as a turbocharged four-cylinder nicknamed Hurricane and an EcoDiesel-branded diesel engine. There have also been rumors of a hybrid powertrain. We don't yet know how many of those engines will make it to the pickup, but at least one gas engine and the diesel are safe bets. People love the idea of diesel Jeep pickups. We also know from interior spy photos that at least some of those new powertrains will use an eight-speed automatic. That, the modern engines, and improved aero will help the Wrangler be more efficient while still retaining much of its rugged, blocky look. The two- and four-door Wranglers are expected for the 2018 model year, with the pickup following for 2018 or 2019. Related Video:

2015 Jeep Renegade Sport 4x4 Quick Spin [w/video]

Which is the most entertaining Jeep Renegade you can get? While one might make an argument for the Trailhawk model and its accompanying off-road hardware and consequential go-anywhere ability, that car comes with one glaring flaw – its 2.4-liter engine and nine-speed automatic transmission just aren't very entertaining. Instead, I submit the turbocharged, 1.4-liter base engine and its accompanying six-speed manual, a position that was reinforced after a recent stint behind the wheel of a very basic Sport 4x4. Not only do you get a fair amount of the Trailhawk's off-road ability – the Selec-Terrain system and a 4WD Lock mode are standard, but you'll be without the 20:1 crawl ratio and Rock off-road mode – you'll also enjoy a more dynamically interesting powertrain. Read on to see why the force-induced Renegade might just be the way to go. Driving Notes My first date with the Renegade was on the mostly empty, winding roads of northern California. There, the 1.4-liter turbocharged inline-four with 160 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque felt fine – with no traffic and few stoplights along the drive route, it was easy to keep the engine on boil. But this engine isn't as enjoyable in day-to-day suburban traffic. Power arrives suddenly – peak torque comes between 2,500 and 4,000 rpm – and if you don't use it, you lose it. There's not much oomph in the higher end of the rev range. With such a peaky powerband, it's easy to get caught flat-footed if you're not paying attention. Thankfully the manual transmission makes it simple to stay engaged and in the correct gear. The stick-shift is enjoyable to use, with a firm clutch that's easy to modulate and shift action that isn't sloppy or vague. The 1.4-liter engine sounds good. Turn down the stereo, stomp on the throttle, and you'll be treated to a delicious turbo whistle and a smooth exhaust note. I've said it before and I'll say it again: I want Mopar to offer the Fiat 500 Abarth's exhaust on the Renegade. It'd be fun. If you do prefer the stereo, know that the Renegade's standard four-speaker unit is weak. Base models don't offer Bluetooth or satellite radio, but you can add both of those luxuries, two extra speakers, and a five-inch touchscreen for just $695. Not a bad bargain. The Koni frequency selective dampers do an excellent job of managing both small, frequent imperfections (like freeway expansion joints), and the bigger potholes that still haven't been fixed after the havoc of Detroit's winter.