MotoManTV Podcast

MotoManTV Podcast
  • 5.0 (17)
  • Automotive
  • Updated Weekly

Welcome to the MotoManTV Podcast, the reimagined version of Inside the MotoMan Studio. Join MotoMan for in-depth conversations with the key people shaping the automotive, tech & business worlds. From CEOs and legendary designers to race car drivers, we bring you the human stories behind the cars we love along with a glimpse into the future. Subscribe for new episodes every week. For more driving adventures, visit the #MotoManTV Cars channel @ https://www.youtube.com/@MMTVCars Or catch our short form content @ https://x.com/MotoManTV https://www.instagram.com/motomantv #MotoManTVPodcast

  1. They Wanted to Cancel the Tundra. This Man Stopped Them.

    6d ago

    They Wanted to Cancel the Tundra. This Man Stopped Them.

    In this exclusive vault episode of the MotoMan Podcast, MotoMan goes behind the scenes at Toyota’s North American R&D center with legendary former Chief Engineer Mike Sweers. Before his recent retirement, Sweers was the driving force responsible for the engineering DNA of Toyota’s entire body-on-frame lineup. But it almost didn’t happen. In this career-spanning deep dive, Sweers uncovers the hidden corporate battles required to keep the Tundra and Sequoia alive when leadership in Japan was ready to pull the plug. From his gritty beginnings on a Michigan farm to surviving the collapsing "graveyard" era of 1980s Detroit manufacturing at GM and Chrysler, Sweers shares raw, unvetted lessons on leadership, cost-cutting, and institutional friction. He also issues a sharp warning about the modern automotive industry: the traditional 15-year pace of change has completely collapsed into chaos, and rushing unvetted technology to customers is a dangerous game. If you want to understand how modern trucks are actually built, how multi-billion-dollar platform strategies are executed, and why Toyota engineers take every single part personally, this is a masterclass you cannot afford to miss. Chapters: 00:00:00 - The Guy Behind Toyota's Truck Decisions 00:01:11 - Why This Old Episode Still Matters 00:02:46 - Farm Kid, Truck Guy, Japanese Pickup Legend 00:04:29 - The Award That Turned Problem-Solving Into a Career 00:07:17 - Picking the School That Could Get Him the Job 00:09:21 - AMC Obsession and a Fake Detroit Cop Matador 00:13:02 - Oldsmobile, 92 Cars an Hour, and the Factory Floor 00:17:13 - The Worst Job That Taught the Best Lesson 00:20:43 - When GM Swung the Pendulum Too Far 00:24:48 - Quad Fours, Chassis Work, and a Messy GM Exit 00:28:06 - How Boring Seats Became His Best Engineering Class 00:31:46 - Chrysler Chaos, Big Egos, and AMC's Secret Weapon 00:35:56 - Iacocca, Cigars, and the Imperial That Never Happened 00:40:03 - Trying to Build Sports Cars Out of K-Cars 00:42:57 - The Toyota Phone Call That Changed Everything 00:46:46 - Toyota R&D Before It Had Structure 00:50:04 - The Camry-to-Tacoma Path Begins 00:51:15 - Why American Trucks Had to Be Designed in America 00:52:54 - The Mud Test That Created an Off Switch 00:54:47 - Go Where Truck People Actually Use the Truc 00:55:52 - How Complaining About Tundra Became His Job 00:58:29 - The Business Case That Saved Tundra and Sequoia 01:02:57 - The Chess Move: Three Platforms Into One 01:04:10 - Why Toyota Engineers Take Every Part Personally 01:07:52 - Teams, Longevity, and Always Learning 01:10:59 - Technology Is Moving Faster Than Customers Can Pay For 01:12:27 - Marty McFly's Tacoma and the Perfect Ending #ToyotaTundra #ChiefEngineer #TruckEngineering #AutomotiveHistory #ToyotaTacoma #DetroitMuscle #CarDesign #ToyotaSequoia #InsideTheIndustry #MotoManPodcast For driving adventures & car reviews, before sure to visit us @ https://www.youtube.com/@MMTVCars Download the MotoManTV Podcast @https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/motomantv-podcast/id1836304387 https://open.spotify.com/show/0V4AKzLYrZc6rNCF23kwOt https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/90ba9b31-fe69-4baf-817d-cb3816a33c21/motomantv-podcast Connect with our Short Form content here: https://www.instagram.com/motomantv/ https://x.com/MotoManTV https://www.tiktok.com/@themotomantv http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVPodcastShorts http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVPodcastClips http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVCarsShorts http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVCarsClips Help us grow the show! If you enjoyed this deep dive into the "grind" of motorsport, please Subscribe and Share this episode on Reddit. If you’re listening on a podcast platform, leave us a written review and tell us who your favorite guest has been.

    1h 14m
  2. Hacking Mercedes: From DIY Car Internet to CEO of R&D | MotoMan Podcast #018

    May 13

    Hacking Mercedes: From DIY Car Internet to CEO of R&D | MotoMan Podcast #018

    In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Philipp Skogstad, CEO of Mercedes-Benz Research & Development North America, to discuss the radical shift in how the world’s oldest car company builds for the future. While Philipp’s background includes a rebellious streak—hacking a serial port into his father’s car in the 90s to get internet on the road —his primary focus today is bridging the gap between German craftsmanship and the Silicon Valley mandate to "spend money, not time". We dive deep into the internal processes and technological philosophies driving Mercedes-Benz today: The Software Revolution: How Mercedes built a 100-person backend team in Seattle from the ground up to handle the shift toward software-defined vehicles. Democratization of Technology: Why the decision was made to debut advanced tech lower end cars first, targeting a younger, tech-savvy audience rather than the traditional top down rollout. The "Knobs vs. Screens" Debate: Philipp addresses the tension between haptic feedback and physical controls, defending a "safety-first" DNA while pushing for holistic digital design.  This conversation is a technical masterclass on how Mercedes-Benz is balancing its legacy of safety and craftsmanship with the aggressive execution required to compete in the modern era. Chapters 00:00:00 Intro with Philipp 00:00:22 The Vault Episode: Mercedes R&D 00:01:57 Munich Roots and the S-Class 00:03:46 Hacking the 90s Car Internet 00:08:56 From Germany to Saint Louis 00:11:30 Engineering and Business Strategy 00:15:13 Career Advice: Core Business Focus 00:16:12 The Stanford vs. MIT Dilemma 00:19:03 The Art of Showing Up Serious 00:21:24 Protecting Creative Confidence 00:24:26 Lane Keeping and Design Thinking 00:28:25 Silicon Valley: Spend Money, Not Time 00:31:08 PhD and Total Cost of Ownership 00:35:40 Complexity vs. Engineering Progress 00:40:50 Why Driver Assistance Matters 00:42:16 Predicting Future Ownership Costs 00:46:11 Leaving Cars for SAP Software 00:49:05 GitHub and Modernizing Workflow 00:52:03 Cutting Release Cycles to 90 Days 00:54:10 Tesla Speed vs. Traditional Safety 00:55:47 The Cult of Apple and Tesla 00:58:31 The LinkedIn Message to Mercedes 01:00:58 Building the Seattle Backend Team 01:02:15 MBUX and the A-Class Strategy 01:07:12 The Button Debate and Safety DNA 01:08:14 Training for Level 3 Autonomy 01:13:29 How the US Studio Impacts Stuttgart 01:15:13 The Quest for Constant Learning 01:18:11 Saint Louis and Family History 01:19:32 Philipp’s Rules for Success #MercedesBenz #AutomotiveEngineering #SiliconValley #Innovation #MBUX #SelfDriving #SoftwareStrategy #MotoManTV #FutureOfCars For driving adventures & car reviews, before sure to visit us @ https://www.youtube.com/@MMTVCars Download the MotoManTV Podcast @https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/motomantv-podcast/id1836304387 https://open.spotify.com/show/0V4AKzLYrZc6rNCF23kwOt https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/90ba9b31-fe69-4baf-817d-cb3816a33c21/motomantv-podcast Connect with our Short Form content here: https://www.instagram.com/motomantv/ https://x.com/MotoManTV https://www.tiktok.com/@themotomantv http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVPodcastShorts http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVPodcastClips http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVCarsShorts http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVCarsClips Help us grow the show! If you enjoyed this deep dive into the "grind" of motorsport, please Subscribe and Share this episode on Reddit. If you’re listening on a podcast platform, leave us a written review and tell us who your favorite guest has been.

    1h 24m
  3. How "Walmart Top Gear" Built a Media Empire | MotoMan Podcast #017

    May 6

    How "Walmart Top Gear" Built a Media Empire | MotoMan Podcast #017

    How do you build a global automotive media brand from a "B-Tier" city with no budget and zero industry connections? You get scrappy. Today on the MotoMan Podcast, we sit down with Jakub Wrobel, the visionary behind the "Walmart Top Gear" production style that helped The Straight Pipes leapfrog the automotive establishment. Jakub pulls back the curtain on the "psychopathic" decision to quit his stable job with only a limited buffer and a car he couldn’t actually afford. We explore the "abusive relationship" with a 1980 C3 Corvette that made him hate the brand for 20 years, and why—at the height of his success—he is now choosing to prioritize "substance" and family. Chapters: 00:00:00 - Intro to Jakub Wrobel and The Straight Pipes Blueprint 00:01:07 - Pahrump, Corvettes, and the Grand Sport Reveal 00:02:55 - How a Polish-Canadian Kid Became a Car Guy 00:06:52 - Meeting Yuri and the Friendship Behind The Straight Pipes 00:08:18 - Environmental Work, Film Industry, and the Camera Background 00:11:22 - Why The Straight Pipes Brought Cinematic Quality to YouTube 00:12:24 - Starting as an Exhaust Sound Channel in 2012 00:13:45 - The First Dealer Loaner and Turning Exhaust Clips Into Reviews 00:18:16 - Fatherhood, Family Influence, and Lessons from His Dad 00:19:50 - The Florida Road Trip and Raising a Kid Without Screens 00:25:29 - The Kia Stinger, Canadian Creators, and Early Press Trips 00:29:15 - Scrappiness, Timing, and Breaking Through From Canada 00:31:36 - Steady Growth, Schedules, and the Reality of Filming in Winter 00:34:51 - How Kids Changed the Business and Why They Hired an Editor 00:38:08 - His Wife, the Corvette Connection, and Changing His Mind on Corvettes 00:42:06 - Perfectly Imperfect Cars, C7 Corvettes, and the Elantra N 00:44:46 - Jakub’s Car History: IS F, GS 430, Raptor, and More 00:50:24 - Quitting the Day Job and Betting on YouTube 00:52:07 - Challenge Cars, the Fox Body Mustang, and Yuri’s Weird-Car Taste 00:56:43 - The C6 Z06, AMG Wagons, and Becoming a Corvette Guy 00:59:44 - The C5 Drift Car and Why Drifting Became the Answer 01:01:24 - Sponsorships, Business Instincts, and Protecting the Brand 01:04:44 - Watches, Fatherhood, and Building a Better Life for His Son 01:07:05 - The 2027 Corvette Grand Sport, Grand Sport X, and the Manual Debate 01:12:31 - Jakub’s Keys to Success and Final Thoughts #MotoManPodcast #TheStraightPipes #JakubWrobel #Corvette #ZR1X #GrandSport #Drifting #CarReviews #MMTV #Entrepreneurship #WalmartTopGear #AutomotiveJournalism #YuriTereshyn #MotoManTV For driving adventures & car reviews, before sure to visit us @ https://www.youtube.com/@MMTVCars Download the MotoManTV Podcast @ https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/motomantv-podcast/id1836304387 https://open.spotify.com/show/0V4AKzLYrZc6rNCF23kwOt https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/90ba9b31-fe69-4baf-817d-cb3816a33c21/motomantv-podcast Connect with our Short Form content here: https://www.instagram.com/motomantv/ https://x.com/MotoManTV https://www.tiktok.com/@themotomantv http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVPodcastShorts http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVPodcastClips http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVCarsShorts http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVCarsClips Help us grow the show! If you enjoyed this deep dive into the "grind" of motorsport, please Subscribe and Share this episode on Reddit. If you’re listening on a podcast platform, leave us a written review and tell us who your favorite guest has been.

    1h 15m
  4. I Was 24, Broke, and 50k in Debt: How I Became a Corvette Legend | MotoMan Podcast #016

    Apr 29

    I Was 24, Broke, and 50k in Debt: How I Became a Corvette Legend | MotoMan Podcast #016

    What does it actually take to become a racing legend? For Ron Fellows, it wasn’t a silver spoon—it was a shovel. In this episode, the Corvette icon pulls back the curtain on the brutal financial reality of his early career. From spending nearly a decade digging trenches for a natural gas company to fund his passion , to the "red flag" moment of financing a race car through a local bank , Ron shares the incredible story of how he managed to climb out of $50,000 in debt to become one of the most successful drivers in GM & Corvette history. Chapters: 00:00 – Built Not Bought 01:18 – The Branding Guy 02:12 – Growing up in the Shadow of Motown 03:43 – The Epiphany Moment at Mosport 05:06 – Saving for a Go-Kart 08:11 – Financial Reality and the Backup Plan 11:26 – Digging Trenches to Fund the Dream 14:15 – The $50,000 Debt Trap 18:49 – From the Gas Company to Racing Instructor 22:43 – Meeting His Match and Finding Sponsors 27:21 – Is Racing Harder to Break Into Than the NBA? 36:11 – The Job Interview on the Podium 41:54 – The Organized Partner 51:50 – Taking Corvette to Le Mans 01:01:05 – Racing with Royalty: The Earnhardts & Corvette Racing 01:07:00 – Developing the C6 Z06 01:11:44 – The Spring Mountain Legacy 01:17:08 – People, Passion, and Success #RonFellows #CorvetteRacing #MotoManTV #Motorsport #DaleEarnhardt #LeMans24 #Corvette #RacingLife #Daytona24 #Chevrolet #CarPodcast #NASCAR #DrivingSchool #TrackDay Special thanks to @BrianMakse for making this episode possible. For driving adventures & car reviews, before sure to visit us @ https://www.youtube.com/@MMTVCars Download the MotoManTV Podcast @ https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/motomantv-podcast/id1836304387 https://open.spotify.com/show/0V4AKzLYrZc6rNCF23kwOt https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/90ba9b31-fe69-4baf-817d-cb3816a33c21/motomantv-podcast Connect with our Short Form content here: https://www.instagram.com/motomantv/ https://x.com/MotoManTV https://www.tiktok.com/@themotomantv http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVPodcastShorts http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVPodcastClips http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVCarsShorts http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVCarsClips Help us grow the show! If you enjoyed this deep dive into the "grind" of motorsport, please Subscribe and Share this episode on Reddit. If you’re listening on a podcast platform, leave us a written review and tell us who your favorite guest has been.

    1h 19m
  5. Inside Tesla Before the World Caught On | MotoMan Podcast #015

    Apr 21

    Inside Tesla Before the World Caught On | MotoMan Podcast #015

    For over 30 years, Simon Sproule has been inside the rooms where the biggest decisions in the car industry get made. From working alongside Elon Musk at Tesla… To witnessing the rise and fall of Carlos Ghosn… This is a rare, behind-the-scenes look at how the modern car industry actually works. We go deep into Tesla’s early momentum, what made it different, and why the rest of the industry is still trying to catch up. Along the way, we unpack Ford’s luxury ambitions, Nissan’s comeback, Aston Martin’s brand power, and the decisions that separate the brands that survive from the ones that don’t. This isn’t a highlight reel—it’s a 2.5-hour deep dive into the wins, the mistakes, and the moments that changed everything. CHAPTERS: 00:00:00 – Intro to Simon Sproule and the Career Behind the Scenes 00:01:19 – Car magazines, dealerships, and the road into Ford 00:04:55 – From internal comms to launching an icon 00:06:28 – Detroit, Jaguar, and the Premier Automotive Group years 00:10:04 – Lincoln, Luxury SUVs, and What Ford Was Chasing 00:13:41 – Why Luxury Brands Need Patience, Budget, and Great Designers 00:18:18 – Why Ford’s Luxury Dream Started to Crack 00:23:13 – Jaguar, Aston Martin, and James Bond 00:30:19 – Looking Back at PAG, Land Rover, and the Brands That Made It 00:37:37 – The Real Story Behind the Jaguar X-Type 00:50:54 – Going to the Nissan Renault Alliance 00:53:50 – Nissan’s Comeback, the 350Z, and Infiniti’s Big Moment 00:57:38 – Badge engineering, missed chances, and the Europe problem 01:03:39 – Carlos Ghosn, the GT-R, and the Power of Halo Cars 01:10:15 – Simon Sproule on Ghosn’s Rise, Fall, and the Alliance 01:16:37 – The Move to Tesla 01:20:35 – Launching Tesla in China and Why Elon Was Different 01:29:34 – What Simon Sproule Learned from Elon Musk and Tesla 01:39:38 – Why the Car Industry Still Follows Tesla’s Playbook 01:50:18 – Aston Martin, Mythology, and Selling Pure Emotion 01:56:46 – Does Aston Martin Need a Bigger Owner? 02:07:02 – Mythology, Brand Power, and Why People Buy with Emotion 02:09:52 – Residuals, Oversupply, and the Ugly Truth About Luxury Cars 02:18:51 – Leaving Aston, Stellantis, and Big-Group Politics 02:28:38 – Simon Sproule’s 3 Keys to Success and Final Thoughts #Tesla #ElonMusk #CarIndustry #Automotive #Podcast #CarlosGhosn #EV #Nissan #Ford #AstonMartin #LuxuryCars #Business #motomanpodcast  For driving adventures & car reviews, before sure to visit us @ https://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVCars Download the MotoManTV Podcast @https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/motomantv-podcast/id1836304387 https://open.spotify.com/show/0V4AKzLYrZc6rNCF23kwOt https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/90ba9b31-fe69-4baf-817d-cb3816a33c21/motomantv-podcast Connect with our Short Form content here: https://www.instagram.com/motomantv/ https://x.com/MotoManTV https://www.tiktok.com/@themotomantv https://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVPodcastShorts https://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVPodcastClips https://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVCarsShorts https://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVCarsClips Proudly shot on Sony’s Cinema line of Cameras

    2h 36m
  6. From Doomscrolling TikTok to 11.8 Million Followers: Forrest Jones | MotoMan Podcast #014

    Mar 25

    From Doomscrolling TikTok to 11.8 Million Followers: Forrest Jones | MotoMan Podcast #014

    What happens when a hobby born out of "doomscrolling" turns into a global audience of 11.8 million people? In this episode, we sit down with Forrest Jones, the pioneer of the vertical car review format who fundamentally changed how we consume automotive media. Forrest opens up about the high-stakes journey of building a massive digital empire, from the "leap of faith" moving to California during the pandemic to the viral Honda Odyssey clip that changed everything. We explore the tension of maintaining a "real" voice while managing a massive business, including why he walked away from the security of paid reviews and how a devastating gear crash nearly ended it all. Chapters: 00:00:00 - Intro with Forrest Jones 00:01:42 - How the Vertical Car Review Actually Started 00:03:23 - Forrest Jones on Moving from Texas to California During COVID 00:07:32 - Doomscrolling TikTok and Posting the First Car Video 00:09:13 - The Honda Odyssey Clip That Changed Everything 00:11:46 - How Forrest Jones Got Obsessed with Cars 00:14:28 - The Mazda CX-5 Videos That Opened New Doors 00:18:19 - Why He Stopped Doing Paid Reviews 00:19:44 - The Crash That Wiped Out All His Camera Gear00:22:25 - From Pandemic Chaos to 1 Million Followers 00:23:57 - Forrest Jones on Faith, Favor, and Staying Grounded 00:30:51 - What Makes Long-Form Car Content Actually Work 00:36:21 - Why Authenticity Still Wins in Short-Form 00:38:42 - Using AI Without Letting It Replace Your Voice 00:40:30 - How Forrest Jones Builds a 60-Second Review 00:47:09 - Audience Retention, Storytelling, and Finding Your Style 00:51:52 - TikTok vs Instagram vs YouTube: What Really Changes 00:56:02 - Managers, Sponsorships, and the Business Behind the Content 00:57:52 - Marriage, Humility, and Keeping Life in Perspective 01:02:29 - Why Forrest Jones Bought a VW ID. Buzz 01:11:00 - Dream Dad Cars, Corvettes, and the Case for Manuals 01:16:19 - Handling Success, Brand Deals, and Long-Term Income 01:20:36 - Reinvention, Missed Opportunities, and What’s Next 01:25:21 - Forrest Jones on the 3 Keys to His Success 01:33:59 - Final Thoughts on Content, Cars, and the Long Game #ForrestJones #CarContent #AutomotiveMedia #CreatorEconomy #VerticalVideo #CarReviewer #SocialMediaGrowth #AuthenticContent #CarCommunity For driving adventures & car reviews, before sure to visit us @ https://www.youtube.com/@MMTVCars Download the MotoManTV Podcast @https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/motomantv-podcast/id1836304387 https://open.spotify.com/show/0V4AKzLYrZc6rNCF23kwOt https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/90ba9b31-fe69-4baf-817d-cb3816a33c21/motomantv-podcast Connect with our Short Form content here: https://www.instagram.com/motomantv/ https://x.com/MotoManTV http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVPodcastShorts http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVPodcastClips http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVCarsShorts http://www.YouTube.com/@MMTVCarsClips Proudly shot on Sony’s Cinema line of Cameras

    1h 36m
  7. The Business of Fun: How Vaughn Gittin Jr. Built the RTR Empire | MotoMan Podcast #013

    Mar 18

    The Business of Fun: How Vaughn Gittin Jr. Built the RTR Empire | MotoMan Podcast #013

    Most people see the smoke and the sideways Mustangs, but they don't see the payroll, the sleepless nights, or the massive career gamble that started it all. In this episode, Vaughn Gittin Jr. pulls back the curtain on the 20-year journey from a stable 9-to-5 to becoming the CEO of RTR Vehicles. We discuss why he chose to move his entire life to the "Silicon Valley" of racing to stay ahead of the curve and how fatherhood forced a shift toward quality over quantity in his professional life. Episode Chapters:00:00:00 Vaughn Gittin Jr. and the Drifting Empire 00:01:25 ‘Vault’ episode disclaimer 00:02:11 Quitting a Stable Job to Pursue Racing Dreams 00:04:08 The Jump from Driver to Independent Team Owner 00:05:40 Responsibility for Payroll and Team Well-being 00:07:22 Strategic Move to Charlotte (The "Silicon Valley" of Racing) 00:09:50 Work Culture and Talent Management at RTR 00:12:15 The Impact of Fatherhood on Professional Career 00:14:50 Finding Balance: Less Time, Better Quality 00:16:14 Transitioning to Off-Road Racing and King of the Hammers 00:21:10 The "Fun-Having" Philosophy as a Brand Pillar 00:25:35 Technological Evolution in Drifting and Engineering 00:30:15 Relationship with Ford and Production Vehicle Development 00:35:40 Technical Challenges: Adapting to Different Surfaces and Terrains 00:40:22 Business Strategy: Selling a Lifestyle, Not Just Cars 00:45:10 The Future of RTR Vehicles and Next Steps 00:49:45 Mentorship and Supporting the Next Generation of Drivers 00:55:15 Lessons Learned in 20 Years of Business Career 00:58:15 Final Thoughts on Success and Gratitude #VaughnGittinJr #RTRVehicles #Drifting #FordMustang #Entrepreneurship #Motorsports #KingOfTheHammers #BusinessStrategy #FunHaver #FormulaDrift For driving adventures & car reviews, before sure to visit us @ https://www.youtube.com/@MMTVCars Download the MotoManTV Podcast @https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/motomantv-podcast/id1836304387 https://open.spotify.com/show/0V4AKzLYrZc6rNCF23kwOt https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/90ba9b31-fe69-4baf-817d-cb3816a33c21/motomantv-podcast Connect with our Short Form content here: https://www.instagram.com/motomantv/ https://x.com/MotoManTV ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@MMTVPodcastShorts ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@MMTVPodcastClips ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@MMTVCarsShorts ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@MMTVCarsClips

    1h 1m
  8. The Man Behind the Chiron & Huracán Built His Own Car Company • Sasha Selipanov | MotoMan Podcast #012

    Feb 25

    The Man Behind the Chiron & Huracán Built His Own Car Company • Sasha Selipanov | MotoMan Podcast #012

    In this episode of the MotoMan Podcast, Sasha Selipanov shares the story behind some of the most important modern performance cars — and why he ultimately left the biggest automotive brands to start his own company. From growing up in 1990s Russia and sketching cars as a kid, to shaping icons like the Lamborghini Huracán and Bugatti Chiron, Sasha reveals the tension between engineering and design inside major OEMs, the creative realities of studio life, and what he learned working with Ferdinand Piëch and Koenigsegg. The conversation then shifts to Sasha’s next chapter: founding Nilu and creating the Nilu 27 — a car built around analog driving, a manual transmission, and a philosophy that challenges the industry’s shift toward automation and AI. If you’re interested in how iconic cars are created — and what it takes to build a new automotive brand from scratch — this is a conversation you don’t want to miss. Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction 00:01:50 - Cars that became real 00:05:06 - Sketching Lamborghinis 00:06:46 - Formative Years 00:09:46 - Collecting Bullets 00:11:55 - Art center 00:12:40 - Meeting Inna 00:14:14 - Sketching Cars as kid 00:17:11 - 90's living in Russia 00:20:35 - From Volkswagen to Koenigsegg 00:21:59 - The Huracan 00:23:41 - The Chiron 00:28:11 - Studio vs Big Car Company's 00:29:37 - Ferdinand Piëch 00:35:56 - Engineering vs Designing 00:37:47 - Going into Genesis 00:42:22 - Koenigsegg 00:45:30 - Committee approach or dictatorship 00:47:27 - His experience at Koenigsegg 00:48:59 - Car production in Sweden 00:50:52 - Koenigsegg Gemera and CC850 00:54:02 - Sketches vs Reality 00:55:38 - Sketching thinking on a production level 00:57:18 - AI in the Automobile industry 00:59:47 - Life after Koenigsegg 01:02:15 - Starting a car company 01:05:08 - Getting Investors 01:07:45 - Throwing back to basis 01:12:35 - Nilu Engine Manufacturers/Hartley Engines 01:14:09 - Nilu 27 01:21:52 - Nilu's Manual transmission/Cima 01:24:27 - Challenges 01:28:07 - The Nilu Reception 01:31:09 - The choices he made 01:33:36 - Final Thoughts #MotoManPodcast #SashaSelipanov #CarDesign #Hypercar #Nilu27 #Koenigsegg #Bugatti #Lamborghini #AutomotiveDesign #ManualTransmission #Supercar #CarDesigner #CarPodcast #MotoManTV #NILU27 #CarDesign #BugattiChiron #Koenigsegg #V12 #ManualTransmission For driving adventures & car reviews, before sure to visit us @ https://www.youtube.com/@MMTVCars Download the MotoManTV Podcast @https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/motomantv-podcast/id1836304387 https://open.spotify.com/show/0V4AKzLYrZc6rNCF23kwOt https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/90ba9b31-fe69-4baf-817d-cb3816a33c21/motomantv-podcast Connect with our Short Form content here: https://www.instagram.com/motomantv/ https://x.com/MotoManTV Proudly shot on Sony’s Cinema line of Cameras

    1h 35m
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About

Welcome to the MotoManTV Podcast, the reimagined version of Inside the MotoMan Studio. Join MotoMan for in-depth conversations with the key people shaping the automotive, tech & business worlds. From CEOs and legendary designers to race car drivers, we bring you the human stories behind the cars we love along with a glimpse into the future. Subscribe for new episodes every week. For more driving adventures, visit the #MotoManTV Cars channel @ https://www.youtube.com/@MMTVCars Or catch our short form content @ https://x.com/MotoManTV https://www.instagram.com/motomantv #MotoManTVPodcast

Information

  • Creator
    MotoManTV Podcast
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    21
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © MotoManTV Podcast
  • Show Website
    MotoManTV Podcast

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