247 Another unscripted Sunday catch-up, and this time Roberto is behind the wheel of his new Mini Electric - loving every second of it - while Jon is still waiting for his Nissan to be returned after nine months in a dealership. Life is unfair. We cover a lot of ground this week, from a film you absolutely need to see to a battery technology that could change EVs forever.

Today’s conversation covers:

•Jon’s Nissan saga update - nine months since the car was towed for repairs and still no resolution; a surprise service appointment, a head mechanic who said things he definitely shouldn’t have, and how filing a Financial Ombudsman case suddenly made Nissan very interested in picking up the phone

•Mini Electric vs BMW M2 - Roberto drove the M2 to Sussex mid-week for speed and efficiency, but the car he keeps finding excuses to drive is the Mini; real-world range (150–170 miles), motorway behaviour, remote parking via phone, and why driving silently past school parents in idling Range Rovers is deeply satisfying

•Project Hail Mary - both Roberto and Jon are evangelical about the Ryan Gosling sci-fi film; practical effects, an emotionally hopeful story, and why it might deserve a Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar nomination; Roberto’s slightly dodgy viewing arrangement and why he booked Odeon tickets anyway to clear his conscience

•Solid-state battery breakthrough - Finnish startup Donut Lab claims the holy grail: a battery with 400Wh/kg energy density (roughly double current lithium-ion), a potential 5–8 minute full charge, unlimited lifespan, and performance unaffected by heat or cold; if it works, this is the tipping point that makes petrol cars obsolete

•Cheshire road trip in the Mini - Roberto is planning to drive the Mini Electric up to Rookery Hall and the Bentley factory visit on 18th May and film the whole thing as a road trip vlog; expect at least two charging stops and a revisit of the earlier road trip format

•Books & tech - Jon has finished the Walter Isaacson Steve Jobs biography (spoiler: sad ending) and moved on to Adrian Tchaikovsky’s Shards of Earth; the Lego Game Boy gets a playable upgrade via the BrickBoy Kickstarter mod; Jon is deep into Final Fantasy VII Integrade on the Nintendo Switch 2

•James Bond - First Light & casting rumours - the IO Interactive Bond game (007: First Light) is roughly six weeks away and Roberto cannot wait, given IO’s pedigree on the Hitman series; Louis Partridge (22) is being linked to the role of a younger, prequel-era Bond, and the lads debate whether the whole franchise is heading in a prequel direction while waiting for Denis Villeneuve to wrap Dune

•Cinema vs streaming - films are leaving cinemas faster than ever, screens can’t fit as many runs of longer films, and both agree Project Hail Mary deserves to be seen again on IMAX - which may well return later in the year

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📺 Head to YouTube @TailoringTalkMagazine for video content on lifestyle, gadgets, menswear and more - and stay tuned for the upcoming three-way Project Hail Mary deep-dive with Alex.

Chapters:

00:00 Mini Electric vs BMW M2 - Roberto’s Surprising Verdict


02:46 Jon’s Nine-Month Nissan Nightmare & the Financial Ombudsman Case


03:45 Project Hail Mary Review: Ryan Gosling, Practical Effects & Oscar Chances


05:32 Shards of Earth, Steve Jobs Biography & Sci-Fi Book Recommendations


08:13 Real-World EV Range: Mini Electric, IONIQ 6 & the Joy of Silent Driving


10:18 Cheshire Road Trip: Mini Electric to Rookery Hall & Bentley Factory Visit


13:20 Donut Lab Solid-State Battery: The Holy Grail of EV Charging?


16:45 Lego Game Boy BrickBoy Mod & Nintendo Switch 2 Final Fantasy VII


21:14 007 First Light Game, IO Interactive & Louis Partridge as the Next Bond


25:08 Cinema vs Streaming: Why Project Hail Mary Deserves an IMAX Return

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