Episode 248: 2022 Mini Cooper S 4-Door, 2022 Mercedes-AMG SL-Class, Did O.G. Hummer Have A Chance, Rivian's Toxic Bro Culture
How good can a four-door 2022 Mini Cooper S really be? Benjamin chats about his experience with the compact hatch and how different it feels compared to the JCW droptop from a few weeks back. Sami then chats about one of his favorite cars of all time, the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class, and how its legacy is quickly diminishing following the reveal of the new 2022 Mercedes-AMG SL, which now sounds more like a 911 than ever before. Benjamin also brings up the Hummer H2 and how the brand could have avoided an untimely death if just a few other automakers jumped into the market of tough, rugged, big, SUVs, a theory that makes Sami sick. Finally, the pair discuss some ugly news over at Rivian, and how the EV startup has some serious concerns about its toxic corporate culture.
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Show Notes
It's time for a fantastic voyage into the four-door 2022 Mini Cooper S. As Benjamin compares the experience of driving this against the John Cooper Works convertible he had a few weeks ago, Sami brings up the vast amount of available features and extra cost items that can be had on a modern Mini. Hear their final thoughts on whether the four-door Cooper is the one to get, or even if its worth considering at all in a market full of strong compacts.
The pair then chat about the new 2022 Mercedes-AMG SL Class, and ponder about its journey from flagship roadster to the also-ran status it's heading towards. With all-wheel-drive, rear seats, a soft top, and AMG development, it sounds more and more like a 911 wannabe than a true SL, which was a sought-after classicfor decades.
Then the car talk shifts to another icon, but this time of the late '90s and early 00s: Hummer. Benjamin theorizes that the Hummer nameplate could have survived if other automakers jumped into the same market it was competing in, and describes three 2000s-era concepts that never came to fruition: the Dodge Power Wagon, Ford Equator and the Hummer HX/H4.
Finally, the pair discuss some ugly news coming out of Rivian and tackle the challenges presented by allegations regarding its toxic bro culture.
Links:
- Life Outside the Boys Club: Why I Spoke Up About Rivian’s Toxic Bro Culture (and Got Fired) — Rivian publicly boasts about its culture, so it was a crushing blow when I joined the company and almost immediately experienced a toxic bro culture that marginalizes women and contributes to the company making mistakes. I raised concerns to HR about the gender discrimination from my manager, the “boys club” culture, and the impact it was having on me, my team, and the company. Two days later, my boss fired me.
- Could these ill-fated 2000s concepts have ensured Hummer’s survival? — With big back in style, we started to wonder: How might Hummer have survived the market collapse?
- 4 cars that couldn’t save their doomed brands — Which brands had a secret star backstage that could have staved off bankruptcy and prevented a backslide into oblivion, had executives only stuck it out a bit longer?
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