Episodes

  • The $20K Car Challenge, America’s New Hypercar, and Why the Lexus LC500 Deserved Better

    The $20K Car Challenge, America’s New Hypercar, and Why the Lexus LC500 Deserved Better
    Mar 18 2026
    This week on Full Throttle Talk, Tim Harris, Blair Smith, and Shinoo Mapleton dive into one of the most fun debates we've had yet. If you had just $20,000 to buy one car that must serve as your daily driver AND your fun car, what would you choose? There are rules. No EVs. It has to be your only car. And occasionally you need to haul around your 230-lb Great Mastiff named Matt. Good luck with that. But before we get there, we tackle some major automotive news — including rumors that GM may be preparing an American hypercar capable of 1,300–1,400 horsepower. If the speculation proves true, Corvette could soon be competing directly with the Ferrari F80, McLaren W1, and Lamborghini Revuelto. Yes… really. We also look at a strange automotive mystery: Why didn’t more people buy the Lexus LC500? It’s beautiful, sounds incredible, and was often $100,000 cheaper than a Porsche 911, yet the market largely ignored it. Plus: • What we each did in cars this week • The cars quietly dying by 2027 • The best enthusiast cars under $20k • Listener questions and commentary If you love cars, car culture, and the business of enthusiasm, this is the show for you. Buckle up. Don’t just listen — stay ahead of the conversation. 👉 Get the best insights, debates, and behind-the-scenes takes delivered straight to you:Subscribe now at FullThrottleTalk.com
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    1 hr and 11 mins
  • Are EVs the Biggest Scam in Automotive? Magnus Walker Selling Porsches + The Smartest Way to Sell Your Car

    Are EVs the Biggest Scam in Automotive? Magnus Walker Selling Porsches + The Smartest Way to Sell Your Car
    Mar 12 2026
    This week on Full Throttle Talk, the crew dives into one of the most debated questions in the automotive world: Are electric vehicles actually the future… or the biggest scam ever pushed on car enthusiasts? We break down the economics, the narratives, and what the shift toward EVs really means for people who love driving. But that’s only the beginning. We also discuss why legendary Porsche collector Magnus Walker is selling part of his collection — and whether this signals a broader shift happening in the collector car market. This Episode Covers: What We Did In Cars This Week Blair spent the weekend with a Kei van… and ended up buying one. He also drove a Ford Shelby GT500, proving once again that the best automotive experiences are often the most unexpected ones. Automotive News We discuss several developments shaking up the industry: • The disappearance of the controversial start/stop button • Plans for Caterham to expand in the United States • Early looks at the fully electric Volkswagen Golf Mk9 And the bigger question behind it all: What happens to driving culture if everything becomes electric? It’s Time To Sell Your Car — Now What? Eventually every enthusiast faces the same decision: How do you sell a car the right way? We break down the real pros and cons of: • Consignment • Wholesale to a dealer • Selling privately • Online auctions like Bring a Trailer Including the hidden costs, misaligned incentives, and why some cars should never go to consignment. This or That — Lotus Edition We debate some Lotus models that could become the next collector breakouts. Tim compares: • Lotus Elise 340R vs • Lotus Exige S 260 Blair looks at: • Lotus Esprit S4 vs • Lotus Elan S4 Which of these could quietly become the next big collector cars? Listener Question: The $300K Porsche Dilemma A listener secured an allocation for a Porsche 911 GT3 Touring, but rising prices and tariffs are pushing the cost toward $300,000. The dilemma: Buy the GT3 Touring… or buy a Carrera T, modify it, and keep six figures in the bank? We break down the psychology of enthusiast purchases, regret math, and how to think about high-end car decisions. If you love: • Analog sports cars • Collector car market insights • Honest enthusiast conversations • And smart automotive ownership decisions This episode is for you. Subscribe to Full Throttle Talk and join the conversation. 🚗🔥
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    2 hrs and 5 mins
  • Ferrari Breaks the Rules Again, ZR1X Performance Shock, and Has Porsche Lost Its Way?

    Ferrari Breaks the Rules Again, ZR1X Performance Shock, and Has Porsche Lost Its Way?
    Mar 5 2026
    This week on Full Throttle Talk, the crew dives into one of the biggest debates in modern enthusiast cars: Has Porsche lost its way? But first — things get wild. Tim straps into the Blue Shock Race X5 kart, a machine built on a Tony Kart chassis producing 44 horsepower with four-wheel disc brakes. It’s closer to a race car than a kart… and it’s completely unhinged. Then the conversation shifts to the biggest developments shaking the enthusiast car world: • Ferrari changes the rules again with the 296 Speciale and rumored 296 CS • The Corvette ZR1X performance numbers are emerging — and they’re borderline unbelievable • BMW may add rear-biased AWD to the M2, raising questions about the future of driver-focused cars And then we tackle the question enthusiasts everywhere are starting to ask: Has Porsche lost its way? With 20+ variants of the 911, escalating prices, and GT engines drifting further from their motorsport roots, we debate whether Porsche is still at the top of the enthusiast world… or slowly moving away from what made the brand legendary. We close with one of our favorite segments: This or That — Your Forever Sports Car Rules: • Under $250k MSRP • Built within the last 20 years • Your spouse must be willing to drive it coast-to-coast Matchups include: • 718 Spyder RS vs Ferrari 458 Spider • GT3 Touring vs Lotus Emira V6 • 993 Carrera S vs Ferrari 355 + BMW E36 M3 If you could only choose one sports car for the rest of your life, what would it be? Subscribe, leave a 5-star review, and join the Full Throttle Talk newsletter for behind-the-scenes updates and exclusive content: https://fullthrottletalk.com
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    1 hr and 23 mins
  • The Cars Got Faster — But Did Driving Get Worse? | The Analog Debate

    The Cars Got Faster — But Did Driving Get Worse? | The Analog Debate
    Feb 26 2026
    Modern performance cars are quicker, smarter, and more capable than ever. So why do so many enthusiasts feel like something’s missing? In this episode of Full Throttle Talk, we dive into one of the most important conversations in modern car culture: Have we optimized performance so much… that we’ve optimized away emotion? Drive-by-wire. Brake-by-wire. Electronic steering. Software-shaped torque and sound. At what point did cars stop being machines we operate — and start becoming systems that manage the experience for us? We welcome Blair Smith as the newest voice on Full Throttle Talk and are joined by Shinoo Mapleton to explore: • What “analog” really means • Whether lightweight engineering is nostalgia — or philosophy • If software enhances engagement or simulates it • And whether modern performance cars feel alive… or engineered From Ariel Atom and Caterham Seven to Lotus Elise, GR86, and Alpine A110 — we examine the machines still fighting for mechanical honesty in a software-defined world. If you care not just about how fast a car is — but how it makes you feel — this conversation is for you. 📬 Join the Full Throttle Talk Newsletter Get deeper discussions, behind-the-scenes insights, and future episode updates: 👉 FullThrottleTalk.com
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    1 hr and 31 mins
  • Is Magnus Walker Moving On From Porsche? The Signs Are Hard to Ignore

    Is Magnus Walker Moving On From Porsche? The Signs Are Hard to Ignore
    Jan 22 2026
    Ferraris are breaking records at Mecum. Porsche fans are arguing about soul vs. specs. And Magnus Walker is sending 150 items — including multiple Porsches — to an upcoming RM Sotheby’s auction. Coincidence, or a signal? This episode of Full Throttle Talk digs into what these stories really mean for modern car culture, collectors, and enthusiasts who still care about driving more than resale. Is Porsche drifting — or simply evolving? And what does Magnus’s auction move really say about where the brand and the culture are headed? We break it down with real-world perspective, not hype. CONNECT WITH US Paul Kramer 714-335-4911paul@autokennel.comInstagram and Facebook: @autokennel David Van Epps 704-799-7680dave@sonderwerks.com Instagram and Facebook: @sonderwerks Tim Harris (text only) 512-758-0206tim@timandjulieharris.com
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    1 hr and 50 mins
  • $301K Porsche Fail: Project Cars Are Broken

    $301K Porsche Fail: Project Cars Are Broken
    Jan 14 2026
    Project cars promise everything and often deliver regret. In this episode of Full Throttle Talk, they break down real-world project car mistakes, market timing failures, and the truth behind a $301K 1973 Porsche 911 RS Touring auction that did not meet expectations. From personal Porsche project stories to listener questions on values, restorations, and the 2026 collector car market, this episode explores what actually happens when passion meets reality. Full Throttle Talk is built for enthusiasts who care about ownership, not hype. CONNECT WITH US Paul Kramer 714-335-4911paul@autokennel.com Instagram / Facebook: @autokennel David Van Epps 704-799-7680dave@sonderwerks.com Instagram / Facebook: @sonderwerks Tim Harris 512-758-0206 (text only)tim@timandjulieharris.com
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    2 hrs and 6 mins
  • This Is a STREET-LEGAL Formula Car (Yes, Really) — RYN Motors Founder EXPLAINS Everything

    This Is a STREET-LEGAL Formula Car (Yes, Really) — RYN Motors Founder EXPLAINS Everything
    Jan 10 2026
    A street-legal formula car sounds like internet nonsense. Until you meet Caleb Borgstrom. In this episode of Full Throttle Talk, Tim Harris sits down with one of the founders of RYN Motors to tear apart one of the most unreasonable automotive ideas in years — and why it might actually work. This isn’t a concept render. This isn’t a YouTube kit car. This is a real, engineered, road-registrable, formula-style machine built by someone who got tired of being told, “That’s impossible.” In this episode, we get into the uncomfortable questions: Why Caleb refused to accept that formula cars should be track-only The exact moment this went from a sketch to “we’re actually building this” Chassis, suspension, engine, and gearbox decisions nobody agrees on The hardest engineering and regulatory problems — and how they reshaped the car Lap times vs. reliability vs. drivability (something always loses) What “street legal” really means in the real world Who should absolutely NOT buy this car Pricing, customization limits, delivery reality, and long-term support This conversation isn’t marketing fluff. It’s about tradeoffs, consequences, and obsession — the stuff most founders won’t say out loud. If you’re tired of: Overweight supercars Track toys that can’t survive real use “Driver’s cars” built by committees …this episode is for you. Subscribe to Full Throttle Talk for unfiltered conversations with the builders who refuse to play it safe. Connect with Us Paul Kramer 714-335-4911paul@autokennel.com Instagram / Facebook: @autokennel David Van Epps 704-799-7680dave@sonderwerks.com Instagram / Facebook: @sonderwerks Tim Harris 512-758-0206 (text only)tim@timandjulieharris.com
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    1 hr and 3 mins
  • 25-Year Rule Imports, 2026 Performance Cars & BAT Market Truths | Full Throttle Talk

    25-Year Rule Imports, 2026 Performance Cars & BAT Market Truths | Full Throttle Talk
    Jan 7 2026
    This week on Full Throttle Talk, we kick off the new year with one of our most wide-ranging—and opinionated—episodes yet. We cover the return of legendary roads as The Snake in Malibu reopens after seven years, along with the first real twisty-road shakedown of a rally-prepped air-cooled 911. There’s also a New Year’s Day drive in a Ferrari 296 GTS, where the steering wheel haptics controversy is finally settled. We dig into recent GT3 RS outings, the revival of a 964 C4, and why analog still matters more than ever. In automotive news, we share an FTT exclusive on RYN Motors and ask the question nobody else seems to be asking: can a Formula-style car for the road actually work? We also discuss the rumored return of the Toyota GR MR2 and Arizona’s very real attempt at building its own version of an Autobahn. Looking ahead to 2026, we talk about cars that are actually worth paying attention to, including the Caterham Project V, the Toyota GR MR2, the Corvette C8 ZR1X, and why the Porsche GT2 RS still counts. The 25-year rule takes center stage with newly eligible icons, including the Porsche 996 GT3 RS (EU), Ferrari 550 Barchetta, RUF RTurbo, Renault Clio V6, and Honda Integra Type R (DC5). We also break down what’s really happening in the market, including no-reserve versus no-sale auctions on Bring a Trailer, Speedster values finally waking up, and what’s truly winning—and losing—heading into 2026. Plus listener questions, aftermarket body quality debates, and why details still matter. No hype. No influencer nonsense. Just real car ownership, market insight, and strong opinions. Connect with us. Paul Kramer, 714-335-4911, paul@autokennel.com, Instagram and Facebook @autokennel David Van Epps, 704-799-7680, dave@sonderwerks.com, Instagram and Facebook @sonderwerks Tim Harris, 512-758-0206 (text only), tim@timandjulieharris.com
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    2 hrs and 17 mins