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Autoblog Podcast #407

Episode #407 of the Autoblog Podcast is here, and this week, Dan Roth, Steven Ewing, and Sebastian Blanco talk about the Michelin Challenge Bibendum, the Toyota Mirai, and the BMW 3 Series falling off the Car and Driver 10Best list. We start with what's in the Autoblog Garage and finish up with some of your questions, and for those of you who hung with us live on our UStream channel, thanks for taking the time. Check out the rundown below with times for topics, and you can follow along down below with our Q&A. Thanks for listening! Autoblog Podcast #407: The video meant to be presented here is no longer available. Sorry for the inconvenience. Topics: Challenge Bibendum Toyota Mirai fuel cell 3 Series falls off Car and Driver 10Best list In The Autoblog Garage: 2015 Acura TLX 2015 Dodge Charger 392 Audi Prologue Concept Hosts: Dan Roth, Steven Ewing, Sebastian Blanco Runtime: 01:07:55 Rundown: Intro and Garage - 00:00 Challenge Bibendum - 18:32 Toyota Mirai - 28:20 C/D 10Best - 44:52 Q&A - 53:52 Get the podcast: [UStream] Listen live on Mondays at 10 PM Eastern at UStream [iTunes] Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes [RSS] Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator [MP3] Download the MP3 directly Feedback: Email: Podcast at Autoblog dot com Review the show in iTunes Podcasts Acura Audi BMW Dodge Toyota toyota mirai challenge bibendum

Owner reflects on his $20.91 Toyota unintended acceleration settlement check

Where General Motors and Takata have grabbed many auto safety-related headlines this year with their problems with ignition switches and airbag inflators, a few years ago, a similar sort of scrutiny fell on Toyota for unintended acceleration. After multiple settlements with various parties totaling billions of dollars, the issues seem largely behind the Japanese automaker now. Owners are actually starting to receive their money, but it isn't exactly breaking the bank. Payouts are expected to be between $37 and $125 per person. Computer science student Jonathan Sourbeer received a check for just $20.91, and he considers what that money actually means in an op-ed in The Wall Street Journal. Sourbeer's biggest gripe is that the roughly 85 lawyers in the case are receiving $227 million in attorneys' fees and expenses, while the 25 primary plaintiffs and class representatives receive a total of just $395,270. According to the Frequently Asked Questions about the settlement, Toyota set up a $250 million fund to pay affected owners, as well. The money isn't for injuries or damages but for alleged economic loss to the vehicles. However, Sourbeer says he feels no personal suffering and still has the same car. In addition to the settlement, the automaker obviously has its own legal fees to deal with, as well. Sourbeer wonders how this is all going to affect Toyotas in the future. Obviously, the money has to come from somewhere, and it likely gets amortized over the company's vehicles in the coming years to add a few dollars to each one. That puts the problem back onto customers. Anyone involved in a class-action suit has likely seen this happen first hand. The lawyers take a large chunk of the money, and the rest is distributed in tiny morsels to those actually affected. Unfortunately, Sourbeer offers no solutions beyond saying the system needs to change.

Toyota pays tribute to Clarkson as he asks press, fans to leave producer alone

Say what you will about Toyota, but the Japanese brand was generally treated pretty well by former Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson, despite the fact that the show routinely destroyed the brand's vehicles in each encounter. Whether it was a Hilux of some vintage, his attempts at annihilating a Kiwi Corolla (technically an Auris) or his honest attempts at reviews, the now-unemployed host has enjoyed quite a history with Toyota. It's hardly surprising, then, that the behemoth automaker's UK arm has put together a Clarkson montage, following the host's firing. There are some classic clips, featuring the vehicles mentioned above, as well as some amusing moments featuring the host himself. While the motoring world is still reacting to Clarkson's firing yesterday, the host has already broken his silence on the matter after getting intercepted by the media while cycling through London. "All I would like to say is, I wish people would leave Ois alone, because none of this is his fault," Clarkson told the media while deflecting questions about his potential arrest, the BBC reports. "Ois," of course, refers to Oisin Tymon, the Top Gear producer Clarkson physically and verbally assaulted following a full day of filming. Clarkson is a polarizing character, to be sure, but it takes a big person to make that kind of statement following his firing from a show he was so integral to. Check out Toyota's video up top, and then click over to the BBC to see Clarkson's comments to the media.