The Underpowered Hour

Steve Beres and Liza Beres open the episode discussing missing the Land Rover National Rally and a rough Freelander listing, then cover JLR news including the new all-EV Range Rover GT (with hybrid capability later) and continued touring of the Range Rover Electric/Sport Electric with large no-money-down “preorders.” They discuss the Chery-collaboration Freelander 8 ahead of its international rollout, noting its range-extender setup, short EV-only range, off-road hardware, six-seat layout, and controversial “L.A.D.Y.” passenger seat branding and fragrances. They review 2027 Defender updates and pricing, including the Octa’s horsepower drop, engine lineup changes, new seating and accessories, and a self-healing wrap, plus JLR’s renewable-material tire initiative and a 2027 Range Rover option for real buttons. They note designer Giorgetto Giugiaro’s rollover in a Defender 110 with no major injury, then enter “Recall Corner” for Discovery rear-camera flooding and a large Ford Bronco recall, and close with a Matchbox movie trailer featuring a Defender 6x6 pickup.

00:00 Show Intro and Hosts
01:17 Missing the Rally
02:01 Freelander for Sale
02:48 Range Rover GT Reveal
06:16 EV Preorders and Tour
07:24 Freelander 8 Roadshow
09:10 Lady Seat Controversy
12:15 2027 Defender Changes
14:33 Detuning and Tuning Talk
15:22 Defender New Options
16:14 Self Healing Wrap Talk
16:32 Rice Husk Tires
17:26 Buttons Return Range Rover
19:03 Giugiaro Rollover Story
21:00 Recall Corner JLR
21:46 Bronco Recall Comparison
23:23 Defender Forums No Fix
24:15 Land Rovers In Movies
24:34 Matchbox Movie Trailer
27:07 John Cena Movie Debate
29:03 Wrap Up And Credits

Steve Beres and Ike Goss recap Goodwood news, including JLR’s fully electric Range Rover with an estimated 300-mile EPA range, a $130,000 starting price, and confirmation of a Range Rover Sport EV, plus a new single JLR app replacing multiple remote apps. They discuss JLR halting China-market vehicle production at its Chengshu plant as it shifts to building the Freelander under a Chery joint venture while continuing exports to China. The pair then tour notable Bring a Trailer listings, including a refurbished, bright orange Turkish Autocar-built Defender 110 with a carbureted 3.5 V8 and a heavily dented front differential, and a rare NAS Defender-style yellow camping trailer with a fold-out tent and period-correct details. They also preview attending the upcoming National Rally.

Steve Beres and Ike Goss open with Steve’s trip to Eugene/Springfield and an update on his rough-but-charming 1998 Defender high-capacity pickup, which needs multiple repairs but may become a support vehicle rather than a full restoration. In the news, they react to Range Rover’s “British Summertime Collection” of lifestyle goods like blankets, purses, tea sets, and parasols featuring the new stacked-R logo, joking that the brand has become a purse company. They also discuss JLR’s color-shifting “Spectral Green” Works V8 Defenders with white interiors and roll cages, compare the look to the Joker, and mention recent Wall Street Journal coverage of vintage Defender demand. The episode closes with spy-shot talk of a new Velar that looks more sedan-like and plans to attend the Ouray, Colorado national rally (July 26–30), including a possible live show.

00:00 Welcome and Introductions
01:21 Steve Arrives in Oregon
02:26 Croatian Farm Truck Check
04:05 Plans for the High Cap
04:58 Range Rover Summer Merch
08:56 Color Shifting Works V8
12:43 Wall Street Journal Hype
16:22 JLR Trends and EV Pivots
19:15 New Velar Spy Shots
24:45 MaxTrax Wellness and Rally
26:30 Ouray Event Wrap Up

Steve Beres and Ike Goss discuss Steve traveling to Vancouver, Canada to pick up a Land Rover pickup and bring it into the U.S., deciding to pay the chicken tax and debating whether to tow it due to worn tires. They cover reports of JLR profits dropping sharply and sales down 15%, talk about JLR’s U.S.-market strategy including a potential partnership with Stellantis and building Land Rovers in the U.S. to avoid tariffs, and mention the upcoming all-electric Range Rover reveal at Goodwood with a 77,000-person waitlist. They also touch on an airbag recall tied to corrosion and a stop-sale, share that cast member Linus Tremaine was hit by an uninsured drunk driver while driving a late-1920s Lincoln (he’s okay), update on a decal-covered 1958 Series II 109 pickup restoration, and preview the Ouray National Rally with a planned live show and guests.

Steve Beres and guest co-host Liza cover a week of JLR-heavy news while Ike Goss and Jenna attend Overland Expo. They discuss New York Times reporting on the major JLR cyberattack, including claims of Russian involvement, a simultaneous breach by a Jordanian hacker, Microsoft’s role in reporting the incident, and the estimated $2.5B impact on the UK economy. The episode also reviews a new JLR stop-sale recall affecting about 250,000 SUVs for driver airbag issues, alongside other recent recalls and a 23% sales downturn. They react to plans to price upcoming JLR EVs higher than gas models, highlight the new China-market Freelander with Chery, and note CEO changes at JLR North America as Leonard Hoenek replaces Joe Eberhardt, who stays on as a consultant tied to a controversial Stellantis Defender project. The show debuts “Insta-Rovers,” rating extreme Defender builds and questioning which are real versus AI.