WEBVTT - Hannah Elliott on All Things Automotive 0:00:02.279 --> 0:00:06.840 This is Masters in Business with Barry Ridholts on Bloomberg Radio. 0:00:07.200 --> 0:00:09.520 This week on the podcast, I wanted to try something 0:00:09.600 --> 0:00:12.440 a little different. Uh, you guys know, I'm a bit 0:00:12.560 --> 0:00:14.920 of an auto buff, and so I brought in one 0:00:14.960 --> 0:00:18.800 of my favorite automotive riders right here at Bloomberg. Hannah 0:00:18.800 --> 0:00:23.279 Elliott has been covering cars and luxury goods for the 0:00:23.320 --> 0:00:26.360 better part of a decade um and we just want 0:00:26.440 --> 0:00:30.320 out about all things automotive. If you're at all interested 0:00:30.480 --> 0:00:36.800 in where do I start, Tesla, electric cars, collectible cars, supercars, 0:00:37.320 --> 0:00:42.120 driving schools, racing, just the future of automotive industry, well, 0:00:42.280 --> 0:00:46.360 you're gonna find this to be absolutely fascinating. Unfortunately, there's 0:00:46.400 --> 0:00:48.640 a lot of me and this. You'll just have to 0:00:48.680 --> 0:00:51.760 get past that because once we start talking about cars, 0:00:51.800 --> 0:00:53.920 I can't shut the hell up. Um. But if you're 0:00:53.920 --> 0:00:57.880 at all interested in automobiles, you're gonna find this to 0:00:57.920 --> 0:00:59.960 be a lot of wonky fund So, with no further 0:01:00.040 --> 0:01:07.080 to do, my conversation with automotive journalist Hannah Elliott, This 0:01:07.480 --> 0:01:11.560 is Master's in Business with Barry rid Holts on Bloomberg Radio. 0:01:11.800 --> 0:01:14.880 This is an extra special edition of Masters in Business. 0:01:15.400 --> 0:01:19.919 I don't normally bring in guests who are also Bloomberg columnists, 0:01:19.959 --> 0:01:23.160 but today I've brought in one of my favorite people 0:01:23.200 --> 0:01:27.120 to read, Hannah Elliott More. You would say, welcome to 0:01:27.120 --> 0:01:30.120 Bloomberg now, but you have your own desk and badge, 0:01:30.120 --> 0:01:32.520 and you're here half the time I'm here. I'm here 0:01:32.680 --> 0:01:36.240 just across the way. You split your time between the 0:01:36.240 --> 0:01:39.760 East Coast and West Coast kind of my boyfriend on 0:01:39.880 --> 0:01:43.000 the West Coast. And cars are better on the West 0:01:42.400 --> 0:01:46.520 Coast roads, yes, especially during the winter. So I do 0:01:46.640 --> 0:01:49.040 find myself out west a lot. And I'm originally from 0:01:49.040 --> 0:01:52.640 the West Coast, so it is okay, So let's talk. 0:01:52.680 --> 0:01:56.600 We's start with your background. Um, I originally saw your 0:01:56.600 --> 0:02:01.000 bondline when you were at Forbes doing luxury. What's your background? 0:02:01.080 --> 0:02:03.840 How on earth did you find your way to car Well, 0:02:03.880 --> 0:02:08.079 it's a funny story. I have a journalism degree from 0:02:08.120 --> 0:02:10.919 Baylor University in Texas grade school. I went there to 0:02:11.000 --> 0:02:14.280 run on the track team, actually the eight hundred. In 0:02:14.280 --> 0:02:17.560 cross country, I ran the half and and and the 0:02:17.639 --> 0:02:21.840 two mile relay. Hardness is a brutal race. People don't understand. 0:02:22.480 --> 0:02:25.680 It's um two minutes sprints or unless you're good and 0:02:25.680 --> 0:02:28.600 then it's a minute thirty sprint. It really proves your 0:02:28.600 --> 0:02:32.120 worth and your courage as an athlete, because you know, 0:02:32.160 --> 0:02:33.880 they always say, whoever is leading at the end of 0:02:33.919 --> 0:02:36.040 the first lap is not going to be that's right 0:02:36.040 --> 0:02:39.280 at the end of the second. All strategy. I mean, 0:02:39.280 --> 0:02:41.720 I'm getting goosebumps just thinking about it. But get back 0:02:41.720 --> 0:02:46.239 to you. That was a hundred pounds ago. You're still Yeah, 0:02:46.919 --> 0:02:50.440 you should see my dad. Ye oh yeah, he actually 0:02:50.520 --> 0:02:54.639 ran for Athletics West Nikes Elite marathon training team back 0:02:54.639 --> 0:02:57.960 in the seventies and eighties. Um. Yeah, he's six four 0:02:58.040 --> 0:03:00.639 and weighs about it. What I do, You're that much? 0:03:02.480 --> 0:03:04.880 I'm actually five ten and a half. But I don't 0:03:04.880 --> 0:03:13.360 believe that does No one does towering. I I have 0:03:13.440 --> 0:03:15.440 a doctor's note that says I'm five. You have to 0:03:15.440 --> 0:03:21.000 be well and heels. Of course, I'm probably. I will 0:03:21.160 --> 0:03:23.000 prove it to you. I'll take off my shoes later, 0:03:23.040 --> 0:03:25.799 we can, we can back up against each other. I'll 0:03:25.840 --> 0:03:28.880 try that later. I'll get a photo. Believe it. Yeah, 0:03:28.919 --> 0:03:33.320 I know it's crazy, so bare by journalism school, but 0:03:33.520 --> 0:03:36.360 led you towards for so I moved to New York. 0:03:36.440 --> 0:03:39.200 I'm writing basically for the same wire service that I 0:03:39.240 --> 0:03:43.280 interned in in Baylor, writing about politics and religion. But 0:03:43.480 --> 0:03:46.240 it's kind of like it's good, but I'm looking for 0:03:46.280 --> 0:03:50.120 the next thing. I answer a Craigslist ad looking for 0:03:50.320 --> 0:03:54.560 a assistant editor at Forbes. I know nothing about cars Gigslist. Yes, 0:03:55.160 --> 0:03:57.840 well this was fifteen years ago, and apparently people still 0:03:58.000 --> 0:04:00.960 use Craigslist. People will use now. I know a ton 0:04:01.000 --> 0:04:04.920 of people who sell cars on Craigslist. Like, so, we'll 0:04:04.960 --> 0:04:07.280 talk about cars later. I can't. I got an old 0:04:07.400 --> 0:04:10.640 s L I have to get rid of what color 0:04:11.000 --> 0:04:16.560 red with the tan. It's a hundred and nineteen miles 0:04:16.600 --> 0:04:19.840 and it's my third convertible. I don't need I want 0:04:19.839 --> 0:04:21.840 to talk about this. We will talk about this in 0:04:21.839 --> 0:04:24.560 a few minutes. Okay. I have some funny car stories 0:04:24.600 --> 0:04:30.719 and I do too great so so so I answered 0:04:30.720 --> 0:04:33.120 and add on Craigslist. I don't know anything about anything. 0:04:33.160 --> 0:04:35.039 I'm such a baby. I don't know a thing. But 0:04:35.080 --> 0:04:36.960 I go in and I just think, all right, Forbes 0:04:37.040 --> 0:04:39.200 is a good brand. If I get my foot in 0:04:39.240 --> 0:04:41.520 the door, I'll figure something out once I get there. 0:04:41.560 --> 0:04:43.880 It's a great brand. So I go in and I 0:04:44.600 --> 0:04:47.560 the guy who hires me is a great person with 0:04:47.839 --> 0:04:51.159 who sees potential in people. And he basically said, look, 0:04:51.800 --> 0:04:54.360 you know, I get hired. He hired me because I 0:04:54.400 --> 0:04:56.960 was cheap. I was just out of college, and really 0:04:57.040 --> 0:04:59.960 I had no bad habits as a journalist. And he figured, 0:05:00.120 --> 0:05:03.160 I can teach this person how to write about cars. 0:05:03.240 --> 0:05:06.279 I can mold her exactly just like any other beat. 0:05:06.520 --> 0:05:08.400 He was used to dealing with a lot of car 0:05:08.440 --> 0:05:12.839 guys who can write about specs and machine car background 0:05:12.880 --> 0:05:16.520 at all, zero and previous interest. No, no, I mean, 0:05:16.560 --> 0:05:18.159 my dad's not a car guy. My brother is not 0:05:18.200 --> 0:05:21.480 a car guy. What was your first car? Buke Skylark nine, 0:05:22.720 --> 0:05:26.000 I mean olive, Olive with black interior bench seats. I 0:05:26.040 --> 0:05:28.559 was so embarrassed of that car. I mean I shared 0:05:28.600 --> 0:05:31.159 it with my sister. We bought it for two hundred dollars. 0:05:31.160 --> 0:05:33.839 We each paid a hundred. She loved it, and she 0:05:33.839 --> 0:05:36.640 she is cool like that. She saw that it was cool. 0:05:36.880 --> 0:05:41.520 But I was mortified of that car. And although so 0:05:41.600 --> 0:05:46.880 you're still too young, my generation cars represented freedom. Like 0:05:46.960 --> 0:05:49.840 you lived in the suburbs. Your parents would freak if 0:05:49.839 --> 0:05:52.800 you went into the city. There was no internet, you 0:05:52.839 --> 0:05:55.479 were not connected to the rest of the world, the 0:05:55.800 --> 0:06:00.360 entire Bruce Springsteen over of I have to get out 0:06:00.400 --> 0:06:05.599 of this place. Cars represented freedom that is no longer 0:06:06.680 --> 0:06:09.560 like kids. Not only don't they need cars today? Oh wait, 0:06:09.560 --> 0:06:11.679 were gonna go great, let's uber there. It's a whole 0:06:11.720 --> 0:06:15.400 different headspace. Plus they're plugged into the entire universe. So 0:06:16.000 --> 0:06:20.599 that sensation of being a white suburban punk a prisoner 0:06:21.240 --> 0:06:24.800 in For me it was plainview Long Island, but that 0:06:24.960 --> 0:06:30.200 was repeated by millions of people. Anyway, My my Chrysler 0:06:30.360 --> 0:06:32.640 three hundred that I paid a hundred dollars from my 0:06:32.760 --> 0:06:35.839 six s price with three hundred that I paid a 0:06:35.880 --> 0:06:39.200 hundred dollars from my uncle, and could chirp the tires 0:06:39.279 --> 0:06:42.880 at any speed. Um was a great first car until 0:06:42.920 --> 0:06:46.480 my mother borrowed it and totaled it. And that was that. 0:06:47.480 --> 0:06:51.560 So so they back to you, they could mold you, 0:06:51.839 --> 0:06:53.960 do you want to mention this person's name? Sure, Matthew 0:06:54.000 --> 0:06:57.600 de Paula, He's he's great. Uh no, he as it 0:06:57.640 --> 0:06:59.920 turns out, actually the next year he was laid off 0:07:00.000 --> 0:07:01.880 because of course he cost a lot more money than 0:07:01.960 --> 0:07:04.440 I did. And this was going into the two thousand 0:07:04.440 --> 0:07:09.000 and eight when everything was just so basically nobody was 0:07:09.120 --> 0:07:11.440 else was writing about cars, and it's like, oh hey, Hannah, 0:07:11.440 --> 0:07:13.920 get over there, do that. So I did that, and 0:07:13.960 --> 0:07:16.360 I kind of, you know, for it took four or 0:07:16.400 --> 0:07:19.880 five years before I finally embraced it. I always was thinking, 0:07:20.000 --> 0:07:21.640 this is just so I can have a job and 0:07:21.640 --> 0:07:24.560 I'll do something else that I actually care about. And 0:07:24.600 --> 0:07:27.080 then I started to like it. I don't know, it 0:07:27.160 --> 0:07:31.760 was very unexpected, unplanned. Um, I started to like it. 0:07:32.480 --> 0:07:34.800 And here I am fifteen years later when you first 0:07:34.840 --> 0:07:37.760 were doing reviews for Forbes. Was it the new Honda 0:07:37.840 --> 0:07:40.800 Accord or was it the was it the super cars? 0:07:41.280 --> 0:07:44.320 It was? It was everything when I first started. Of course, 0:07:44.400 --> 0:07:47.280 Matthew got the good quote unquote the good cars, the 0:07:47.280 --> 0:07:51.320 exciting cars. He'd throw me yes you know, yes, yeah, 0:07:51.400 --> 0:07:54.400 yeah exactly, which was great because you have to do 0:07:54.480 --> 0:07:56.800 your time, you have to put put in the work, 0:07:56.920 --> 0:08:00.880 learn the basics. It's not glamorous, even though it looks 0:08:00.920 --> 0:08:03.160 it can look really glamorous, but a lot of it isn't. 0:08:03.200 --> 0:08:06.080 And that's good. That's as it should be. Um. I 0:08:06.160 --> 0:08:09.200 find it a very honorable trade. So yeah, of course 0:08:09.240 --> 0:08:11.480 I would be in the Hondas and toyotas and forwards, 0:08:11.840 --> 0:08:15.000 and sometimes I would ride along with Matthew while he did, 0:08:15.560 --> 0:08:20.200 you know, review something more exciting. Um, and that slowly 0:08:20.280 --> 0:08:23.640 changed over time. Wow, that's really interesting. Let's talk a 0:08:23.640 --> 0:08:28.440 little bit about your process. First. I want to know 0:08:28.480 --> 0:08:30.160 how you pick a car to review. I want to 0:08:30.200 --> 0:08:33.000 know what the steps are, like, what sort of research 0:08:33.120 --> 0:08:35.680 do you do? Is it a blank canvas or do 0:08:35.679 --> 0:08:38.720 you do some background? Let's start first things first? How 0:08:38.760 --> 0:08:42.079 do you pick which car you want to review? This 0:08:42.160 --> 0:08:45.479 is a conversation I have with my editor a lot. Uh, 0:08:45.559 --> 0:08:49.320 and we try to pick cars that are new on 0:08:49.360 --> 0:08:53.640 the market and exciting for consumers. And by that I 0:08:53.640 --> 0:08:57.480 mean we may not review an outie just because it's 0:08:57.520 --> 0:08:59.959 not as exciting as something else. So we tried to 0:09:00.080 --> 0:09:05.599 keep in mind newness, um, excitement, and also vehicles that 0:09:05.640 --> 0:09:09.800 are pivotal for an automaker at that time, vehicles that 0:09:09.880 --> 0:09:13.000 means something for that automaker either you know, it's a 0:09:14.120 --> 0:09:17.319 do or die. Yeah, the first ever electric from Porsche, 0:09:17.320 --> 0:09:20.320 although not really the first, as we've found out. You know, 0:09:20.360 --> 0:09:23.680 there's there's some hybrids in their history, but um, yeah, 0:09:23.720 --> 0:09:27.200 so new, exciting and a car that means something pivotal 0:09:27.240 --> 0:09:30.760 for the automaker. Really the the criteria. Okay, so now 0:09:30.800 --> 0:09:34.320 it's some random car and I will come back to 0:09:34.360 --> 0:09:37.120 the Taycan later. I want to talk about that. But 0:09:37.280 --> 0:09:40.400 it's some car. How do you go about it? Do 0:09:40.480 --> 0:09:43.320 you approach it as a blank slate or do you 0:09:43.360 --> 0:09:46.120 do a lot of homework? And my fear is reading 0:09:46.120 --> 0:09:48.800 all the research might bias you a little bit. So 0:09:48.960 --> 0:09:51.600 how do you go about that? I don't read any 0:09:51.679 --> 0:09:55.160 other and often I couldn't if I wanted to, because 0:09:55.200 --> 0:09:58.000 the cars that I get are not literally not even 0:09:58.000 --> 0:10:00.760 on sale yet, um, but they're so lots of the 0:10:00.760 --> 0:10:04.360 automotive press, there's lots of this car. Let's let's use 0:10:04.400 --> 0:10:07.319 the Porsche as an example. There was the mission E, 0:10:10.679 --> 0:10:13.760 which we've heard about for years, well good couple of years, 0:10:13.880 --> 0:10:17.000 and then all the chatter that this was going into production, 0:10:17.120 --> 0:10:20.760 and then the early photos that looked very much, very similar. 0:10:21.240 --> 0:10:24.439 I mean, the production cars are never but this one 0:10:24.559 --> 0:10:27.600 is relatively did a very good job. And it doesn't 0:10:27.679 --> 0:10:31.080 hurt that the all the prototype cars and concept cars 0:10:31.080 --> 0:10:33.319 were white, and then the debut car was white. I 0:10:33.360 --> 0:10:35.800 mean even that that's a simple thing, but that is 0:10:35.840 --> 0:10:41.880 calculated they're trying to It had a tighter belt line 0:10:41.920 --> 0:10:45.960 and broader hips and front wheel wells. So you don't 0:10:45.960 --> 0:10:49.439 read any of the stuff. So I I you use 0:10:49.480 --> 0:10:53.040 a good word chatter. Um, I don't want chatter in 0:10:53.120 --> 0:10:55.840 my head. I don't trust it. UM. It has to 0:10:55.880 --> 0:10:59.280 be something real inside me. I trust my own judgment. 0:10:59.320 --> 0:11:02.600 I don't want to read other people's take. UM, And 0:11:02.640 --> 0:11:04.160 often I couldn't if I want to do. Because a 0:11:04.160 --> 0:11:07.480 lot of these cars are have not been driven and reviewed. 0:11:07.480 --> 0:11:10.480 They might have been covered like on data on debuts, 0:11:10.520 --> 0:11:14.280 but not actually driven. UM. I'm a big believer that 0:11:14.760 --> 0:11:20.040 cars should fulfill what automakers promise, and it's surprising how 0:11:20.160 --> 0:11:23.760 rarely that happens. Sometimes. UM, I think a car should 0:11:24.320 --> 0:11:27.360 fit it's what it's intended to do. The state statement 0:11:27.360 --> 0:11:30.920 of intent from the automaker. Should be fairly priced compared 0:11:30.960 --> 0:11:34.400 to others in this segment. Now maybe that's expensive, but 0:11:34.760 --> 0:11:37.600 maybe that's a fair price compared to others in this segment. Um. 0:11:37.640 --> 0:11:39.880 It should be able to do what it's intended to do. 0:11:40.000 --> 0:11:43.520 How well does it achieve that goal? So I think 0:11:43.559 --> 0:11:47.000 by that criteria, you could have a great experience in 0:11:47.040 --> 0:11:50.360 a Mini Cooper that costs, you know, twenty or thirty 0:11:50.360 --> 0:11:52.599 thousand dollars and you could have a great experience in 0:11:52.640 --> 0:11:55.720 a Bentley Continental GT, one of my favorite cars from 0:11:55.800 --> 0:11:59.360 last year. Car the costs over two dollars. Um. They 0:11:59.400 --> 0:12:02.679 both can be amazing cars for what they're intended to do, 0:12:02.840 --> 0:12:05.640 but they're very different things completely. How do you distinguish 0:12:05.720 --> 0:12:10.400 between what the engineers and automotive designers promise and what 0:12:10.600 --> 0:12:14.400 the marketing people promise, because there's often quite a lot 0:12:14.400 --> 0:12:17.600 of daylight between the Yeah, I don't like marketing at all. 0:12:17.640 --> 0:12:19.600 I mean, I think you have to do your best 0:12:19.679 --> 0:12:22.640 as a reviewer to cut straight through that. I don't 0:12:22.640 --> 0:12:24.880 watch car as I I don't have a TV. I 0:12:24.920 --> 0:12:27.520 couldn't if I wanted to. I really try to keep 0:12:27.600 --> 0:12:32.000 all of that out. UM. I often will read the 0:12:32.040 --> 0:12:35.360 press release after I review the car, just to kind 0:12:35.400 --> 0:12:37.800 of check and make sure that I get my facts straight. 0:12:38.040 --> 0:12:41.559 The big thing for me is that I'm fair and accurate. UM. 0:12:41.840 --> 0:12:44.360 It doesn't bother me if people disagree with my take 0:12:44.400 --> 0:12:46.520 as a critic, that's fine. I love, of course, I 0:12:46.600 --> 0:12:51.200 love having conversations. UM. I have sure automakers have said 0:12:51.200 --> 0:12:54.840 that's unfair, but I do try to be fair and accurate. 0:12:55.080 --> 0:12:59.680 So to your point about marketing, you know, I'll read 0:12:59.720 --> 0:13:02.920 through the marketing materials mostly as a fact check after 0:13:03.080 --> 0:13:06.120 I write the review, but before it's published. So now 0:13:06.200 --> 0:13:10.120 let's let's I'm assuming you or the editor or somebody 0:13:10.160 --> 0:13:14.120 reaches out to whoever Eston, Martin, Ferrari, whatever, they arrange 0:13:14.320 --> 0:13:18.560 the car. All that's administrative stuff. Now it's review day, 0:13:18.640 --> 0:13:22.840 and let's use um. The Bentley just mentioned one of 0:13:22.920 --> 0:13:26.240 my favorite car is one of the most beautiful looking things. 0:13:27.000 --> 0:13:29.160 They did such a spectactual job on the interior. But 0:13:29.200 --> 0:13:32.160 hold that aside. You and if I remember that was 0:13:32.200 --> 0:13:35.560 southern California, right, So you fly out to California, you 0:13:35.600 --> 0:13:38.760 pick up the car at Bentley, tell us what that 0:13:38.880 --> 0:13:42.320 day is like? The great thing about uh, this job? 0:13:42.360 --> 0:13:44.800 And I admit this is a great perk. Often they 0:13:45.040 --> 0:13:47.200 deliver the cars to me so I don't even have 0:13:47.240 --> 0:13:50.400 to be Do they have the handler with you all day? No? No, 0:13:50.600 --> 0:13:53.800 there there's a third party company that it's a press 0:13:53.840 --> 0:13:58.000 management press fleet managers. Basically, they manage the press fleets 0:13:58.000 --> 0:14:00.240 for a lot of automotive brands. So they'll and the 0:14:00.320 --> 0:14:02.640 guy with the car and then hand it over and 0:14:02.880 --> 0:14:05.199 he leaves you alone. That here the keys, trying to 0:14:05.280 --> 0:14:07.360 mess it up, right, and and with that Bentley, I 0:14:07.360 --> 0:14:10.840 actually it worked out perfectly because I drove that from 0:14:10.960 --> 0:14:13.520 l A up to Carmel in advance of the Pebble 0:14:13.520 --> 0:14:16.720 Beach auto shows, right, and so I you know, I 0:14:16.760 --> 0:14:19.520 had it for multiple days. You really get a feel 0:14:19.560 --> 0:14:21.600 of what it's like to live in these vehicles. So 0:14:21.720 --> 0:14:24.520 you have that car. Is it out yet or is 0:14:24.560 --> 0:14:28.360 this is still it's by now it's out At that 0:14:28.440 --> 0:14:32.920 point versions was probably they were taking they're always taking orders, 0:14:33.160 --> 0:14:35.760 but deliveries had not started. The reason I ask is, 0:14:35.800 --> 0:14:38.880 so you're going to Pebble Beach with a really hot car. 0:14:39.160 --> 0:14:43.880 I know it's but also Pebble Beach is the It's insane. 0:14:44.600 --> 0:14:48.400 Nothing nothing will be shocking there. Nothing, no car will 0:14:48.440 --> 0:14:51.400 be shocking there. I can just I mean, you kind 0:14:51.400 --> 0:14:56.680 of blend in even in Bentley. So so you get 0:14:56.720 --> 0:14:58.960 the keys to the car, Yeah, tell us take us 0:14:58.960 --> 0:15:01.720 through the process. I try to just live in the 0:15:01.760 --> 0:15:05.200 car as I would if I own the car. So 0:15:05.720 --> 0:15:08.120 take it to the store. You know, how does it 0:15:08.160 --> 0:15:10.480 feel to get gas? How does it feel to link 0:15:10.520 --> 0:15:12.600 your bluetooth? How does it feel to go on a 0:15:12.680 --> 0:15:15.000 hill climb up you know, you know, up Angeli's Crest 0:15:15.080 --> 0:15:18.000 Highway highway to in California, and I did take that 0:15:18.080 --> 0:15:21.040 car um up those hills. You it's like an elevation 0:15:21.080 --> 0:15:22.720 of six thousand feet? Did you get to the top? 0:15:22.760 --> 0:15:29.080 They've got not supercharged? Just just love that out right. 0:15:30.240 --> 0:15:33.680 And this is a what Bentley is billing as a 0:15:33.760 --> 0:15:39.160 grand tour, So they're so exactly they're they're saying. It 0:15:39.240 --> 0:15:42.240 has all of the capacities of a car you can 0:15:42.320 --> 0:15:44.400 live in day in and day out and take for 0:15:44.600 --> 0:15:47.280 on a long trip, you know, over a weekend or 0:15:47.320 --> 0:15:49.520 over a week and you're going to be equally comfortable 0:15:49.600 --> 0:15:51.480 in that. But it still has the performance of a 0:15:51.520 --> 0:15:55.080 sports car and a true sports car. So okay, all right, 0:15:55.200 --> 0:15:57.240 I'll take that and do that and live in it. 0:15:57.320 --> 0:16:00.880 So do you work with any sort of checklist and say, well, 0:16:00.920 --> 0:16:02.560 I want to do this, and I like, what what 0:16:02.600 --> 0:16:04.760 do you what sort of paces do you put this throat? 0:16:04.920 --> 0:16:07.360 It's it's more of a mental checklist by now. I 0:16:07.440 --> 0:16:09.040 used to have a list when I was just starting 0:16:09.080 --> 0:16:11.040 out doing just because I wanted to make sure I 0:16:11.080 --> 0:16:13.400 didn't forget anything that I would need for the review. 0:16:13.520 --> 0:16:16.560 But now, of course, um, you look at efficiency, you 0:16:16.600 --> 0:16:19.080 look at acceleration, how is the breaking, how is the 0:16:19.120 --> 0:16:22.840 steering um efficiency? Really does anyone who buy that car 0:16:22.920 --> 0:16:26.360 care about that? But other cars they might. For the 0:16:26.400 --> 0:16:30.440 Bentley No, but V eight versus a W twelve, I mean, 0:16:30.480 --> 0:16:34.600 they do make a W twelve version, and the power 0:16:34.680 --> 0:16:38.360 bump is incremental I really like. Not that I've spent 0:16:38.440 --> 0:16:40.960 much time in it, I know, but the super charge 0:16:40.960 --> 0:16:42.920 of the eight just seems to make so much more sense. 0:16:42.960 --> 0:16:45.760 I will tell you where the efficiency comes in. I 0:16:45.880 --> 0:16:48.480 drove that car from l A to Carmel on one 0:16:48.560 --> 0:16:52.600 tank of gass, which is insane. And half the people 0:16:52.640 --> 0:16:55.680 I tell don't believe that that car has a giant 0:16:55.880 --> 0:16:59.400 it's a giant car. But and it also yes, and 0:16:59.440 --> 0:17:02.960 it cuts out two cylinders when you're cruising to help 0:17:03.000 --> 0:17:06.520 improve efficiency, and that I think we talk about the 0:17:06.560 --> 0:17:10.440 readers of Bloomberg. You know, these people are more concerned 0:17:10.560 --> 0:17:13.680 concerned with saving time rather than saving me. So when 0:17:13.680 --> 0:17:15.840 you talk about efficiency, if you put it in terms 0:17:15.840 --> 0:17:19.320 of time saved difference, it does make a difference. And 0:17:19.359 --> 0:17:22.280 that's where the type of buyer that might buy that 0:17:22.320 --> 0:17:27.159 car actually does care about it, you know, the putting 0:17:27.240 --> 0:17:31.760 putting a bank of cylinders into retirement um temporarily, which 0:17:31.800 --> 0:17:33.920 I know even corvettes and other cars have done in 0:17:33.960 --> 0:17:37.240 the past. Is one thing that is mostly on the 0:17:37.280 --> 0:17:41.680 highway not noticeable, completely imperceptible. And the other thing I've 0:17:41.760 --> 0:17:45.720 noticed so I always used to turn off the a 0:17:45.760 --> 0:17:47.720 lot of cars you'll pull up to a rest start 0:17:48.119 --> 0:17:51.280 and the whole car pet peeve of mine, so me 0:17:51.440 --> 0:17:55.080 too until one of the new truck I have, which 0:17:55.119 --> 0:17:59.280 is the new BMW X four. It's the first, and 0:17:59.320 --> 0:18:01.439 it's really more of a crossover than a truck. It 0:18:01.440 --> 0:18:03.720 looks like a giant car until you pull up next 0:18:03.720 --> 0:18:06.840 to a real truck, It's like it's tiny, although the 0:18:06.960 --> 0:18:09.240 X six seems to be immense. I love the X six, 0:18:09.400 --> 0:18:11.800 and I know that's a polarizing car. And I tell you, 0:18:13.160 --> 0:18:16.480 if you only have one car and you need a truck, 0:18:16.520 --> 0:18:19.159 but you want something sporty, that's the way to go. 0:18:19.359 --> 0:18:24.119 And the old one you had that fastback that used up. 0:18:24.440 --> 0:18:27.720 The new one is more like an extended wagon. It's 0:18:27.840 --> 0:18:30.440 much more rational than the old one. And I think 0:18:30.480 --> 0:18:33.440 it's even better. And they made the interior very, very handsome, 0:18:33.640 --> 0:18:36.440 but hold that aside. Yes, this is the first car 0:18:36.520 --> 0:18:40.000 I've ever been in where the start stop is I 0:18:40.000 --> 0:18:43.800 don't want to say imperceptible, but it's pretty good subtle. 0:18:44.000 --> 0:18:47.919 The whole thing doesn't shudder in that annoying is the 0:18:47.920 --> 0:18:49.679 button to turn this damn thing off? I'll tell you 0:18:49.680 --> 0:18:52.040 where that's really weird when you're in a manual car. 0:18:52.320 --> 0:18:54.680 There are some manuals that also had to stop start 0:18:55.040 --> 0:18:56.879 half the time. I think somehow I killed it. My 0:18:56.920 --> 0:19:01.679 wife's too. My wife as an m convertible, so everything 0:19:01.720 --> 0:19:03.879 but the truck is a stick and the s l 0:19:04.040 --> 0:19:08.800 but um, there's two really interesting features with the start stop. 0:19:08.840 --> 0:19:10.720 If you put the clutch down and put it into 0:19:10.720 --> 0:19:13.040 gear or the start stop goes on, or if you 0:19:13.119 --> 0:19:16.560 hit the sport button, the start stop very unnerving. I 0:19:16.640 --> 0:19:20.159 mean it, I just right. It feels like an electric car. 0:19:20.200 --> 0:19:23.399 It's like, why is this so? But the the I 0:19:23.440 --> 0:19:26.200 don't say older Mercedes, but a five years old Mercedes 0:19:26.240 --> 0:19:29.440 and anything of that era. The whole car just shutters 0:19:29.440 --> 0:19:32.000 and shakes, and it's it's just way too annoying to 0:19:32.080 --> 0:19:35.439 make up a mile per gallon. So so there's that. 0:19:35.520 --> 0:19:38.679 But but BMW seems to have figured that out in 0:19:38.720 --> 0:19:41.480 the same way that GM figured out how to retire 0:19:41.520 --> 0:19:44.199 to bank to It's not too two banks, it's just 0:19:44.320 --> 0:19:46.560 one or two cylinders. And they do it in a 0:19:46.560 --> 0:19:49.440 way that it's really not very noticeable, which is really 0:19:49.480 --> 0:19:52.320 really interesting. All right, So you drive the car around 0:19:52.320 --> 0:19:54.439 for a couple of days. Are you taking notes or 0:19:54.480 --> 0:19:57.680 is it all meant? Or I take notes? I actually 0:19:57.760 --> 0:20:02.679 write emails to myself. I literally am typing emails. You know, 0:20:03.160 --> 0:20:05.640 even how does the seats feel? How do the seats 0:20:05.640 --> 0:20:07.920 feel after eight hours of driving? That's a big deal 0:20:08.400 --> 0:20:12.480 as visibility, you know, the three quarter pillar behind my shoulder? 0:20:13.320 --> 0:20:16.640 How does the bentley? It's terrible, it's bad, but but 0:20:16.720 --> 0:20:20.879 the good news is nobody's behind ye. I mean, how 0:20:20.880 --> 0:20:24.600 does the steering wheel feel? The most tactile? Simple things? 0:20:24.600 --> 0:20:27.840 How easy is the interface with the ent attainment? How 0:20:27.880 --> 0:20:29.800 quick does it? How long does it take me to 0:20:29.840 --> 0:20:33.080 connect my bluetooth? I mean, how easy is the map 0:20:33.080 --> 0:20:36.879 and navigation system? All of those things add up to 0:20:37.880 --> 0:20:41.680 the value of total experience? Yes, right, and and now 0:20:41.840 --> 0:20:45.040 how significant is that relative to Hey, how does this 0:20:45.080 --> 0:20:48.560 thing drive? Was it feel like when I bury the 0:20:48.560 --> 0:20:53.679 great question? I think it's I really do because it 0:20:53.720 --> 0:20:55.680 reminds me of that old quote. You know, people don't 0:20:55.720 --> 0:20:59.200 remember how you treated them, they remember how you made 0:20:59.240 --> 0:21:02.560 them feel some like. I think maybe I haven't thought 0:21:02.560 --> 0:21:05.399 about this, so this is coming out raw, but it 0:21:05.440 --> 0:21:09.280 could apply to cars that you know, um, the when 0:21:09.280 --> 0:21:12.000 you walk away, unless you're really a professional, a truly 0:21:12.080 --> 0:21:15.240 professional driver, you're gonna walk away with more of a 0:21:15.280 --> 0:21:19.480 general feeling about the car. Half of that feeling will 0:21:19.560 --> 0:21:23.159 be a direct result from how it actually drove, but 0:21:23.240 --> 0:21:25.840 the other half is going to be from other things. 0:21:25.920 --> 0:21:29.160 I mean, see comfort, I think is a big deal 0:21:29.600 --> 0:21:33.880 that that goes overlooked a lot. Shoulder room, especially for men. 0:21:34.119 --> 0:21:37.800 I actually think exactly right. I know, let's let's keep 0:21:37.880 --> 0:21:40.679 up in the height. Um My brother six eight, so 0:21:40.760 --> 0:21:42.359 we should talk about that. But I think it's an 0:21:42.400 --> 0:21:45.600 advantage that I'm tall, because I do maybe I'm able 0:21:45.640 --> 0:21:49.680 to relate to more men. It's something to think about. Um, 0:21:49.720 --> 0:21:54.320 all of those things, um impact how you feel about 0:21:54.320 --> 0:21:56.520 a car, for sure, even the engine note I mean, 0:21:57.040 --> 0:22:02.640 let's performance cars sound matters. I could not possibly agree more. 0:22:03.320 --> 0:22:07.000 And the funny thing is, and we'll talk more about 0:22:07.040 --> 0:22:11.440 my stupidity later, but both the so my X four 0:22:11.520 --> 0:22:15.480 is the m X four point out and the previous 0:22:15.560 --> 0:22:20.480 car was the mccon s. You went from Porsche to BMW. UM, 0:22:20.920 --> 0:22:24.000 that's an interesting Well, let's have a digression briefly. And 0:22:25.280 --> 0:22:31.359 so first I call this interface confusion and and you 0:22:31.359 --> 0:22:33.760