THE WEEKLY DRIVER: Recent Episodes
James Raia and Bruce Aldrich
In this special The Weekly Driver podcast episode, Michael Kahn takes the reins from longtime hosts James Raia and Bruce Aldrich in an interview with Raia, who reflects on the journey in automotive journalism and podcasting over the past seven years.Raia leans forward and with a bit of a journalistic tone, he casually shares, "After reviewing cars every week for 21 years, I still find myself asking, 'What’s the story behind this car?'” With candid humor and heartfelt anecdotes, Raia shares the story of how he and Aldrich built the podcast from scratch, interviewing everyone from car enthusiasts next door to industry giants like the CEO of Fiat.This conversation covers career-defining moments, memorable guests, and why cars are more than just machines—they’re connections to our history, personalities, and even families. "Some of our best episodes were just like having a coffee with a friend—it’s like you forget the mic is even there," Raia reminisces fondly.Whether you’re a car lover or just love a great story, James Raia and Michael’s final chat offers a look back at the people, places, and stories that made "The Weekly Driver" an enduring success and where it is going from here.Michael Kahn and James Raia driving the 2023 Lucid Air Pure.TranscriptMichael Kahn: All righty. Well, weekly driver podcast final episode with James Raia being taken over by myself, Michael Kahn. What are we doing here?James Raia: We're doing a final podcast of the weekly driver Bruce Aldrich and I started it more than seven years ago, and I think we're, we went past 275 episodes. We mostly did it weekly because the site's the weekly driver, and that was corresponding to the fact that I test drove cars for each week for about 20 years before you purchased the site. And Bruce and I decided to do this podcast on a whim and we just had a blast that we got to meet a lot of important people in the car world some internationally famous, some locally famous, people with used cars, people with vintage cars, people with new cars, book authors, all kinds of different people. Analysts, anybody who was marginally related to the automotive field; we interviewed a lot of people.Michael Kahn: Yeah, in listening through all of your episodes over the past seven years, you have such a diverse array of subjects and people you've talked to, friends you've made, and just the way that you ask your questions and tell people or let people tell their stories. It's a really good podcast.James Raia: Thank you.Michael Kahn: And I know that I'm taking over and of course I have my own personality and my own direction, which is fine.James Raia: Sure.Michael Kahn: But I'm excited just to leave these episodes up and let people continue to listen to them. And also they're, they're timeless. The things that you talk about aren't relevant to whether they were published last week or seven years ago, they remain very interesting and they're certainly worth revisits and I'm sure you have plenty of favorites.James Raia: Oh, absolutely. I think, before discussing some of the favorites, one of the things that made the podcast work, at least as far as I'm concerned, is that Bruce and I have been friends for a very long time.Michael Kahn: Yeah, how did you meet Bruce?James Raia: Bruce was a Triathlete, a pretty prominent local triathlete, and I worked at the Sacramento Bee years ago, and I did a story on him.Michael Kahn: Sacramento Bee, being the Sacramento based newspaper.James Raia: Yeah, back then Sacramento Bee was it was the daily newspaper in Sacramento for a long time and now it's six days a week. And it back in the day, you know 30 years ago, it had a large budget and I was interested in endurance sports, I still am. And Bruce, I'd heard about Bruce and we met, did a story on him. And, we struck up a friendship and, Bruce inherited from his father a 1959 Volkswagen bug, and I had an old Volkswagen bug.
Tarra Warnes and her husband once owned two Yugos. The sub-compact three-door hatchback and two-door convertible are often cited as the worst vehicles in history. The Yugo enthusiast family's idea was to use one vehicle to provide parts for its counterpart's restoration as a race car.The outcome isn't as relevant as the irony of Warnes telling the tale. She's vice president of creative strategy at Hagerty. It's the insurance company, marketplace, magazine, website publisher and automotive event organizer focusing on classic cars and their owners.Tarra is our guest this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast. Co-host Bruce Aldrich and I interview Warnes about Hagerty's advancement from a small company to its current status with more than 1,700 employees.The company began in 1984. Husband and wife Frank and Louise Hagerty couldn't find satisfactory insurance coverage for their wooden boats, so their new Michigan company did. Insurance for cars and other vehicles followed. The couple's son McKeel Hagerty became CEO in 2000."We started as a niche insurance company; it was built by people who love cars and it was built for people who love cars," said Warnes, a 15-year employee. "We have grown now in 40 years to insure about 2.4 million vehicles and we are a community and hub for millions of classic car lovers."From its insurance beginnings, Hagerty's magazine, the company reports, has 815,000 print subscribers and a "robust" online presence with social media channels. Hagerty is also the "steward" for multiple automotive events. The brand's most recent offering is Marketplace where consumers can buy and sell vehicles. Live auctions are also held via Hagerty's relationship with Broad Arrow Auctions.The company also owns the Greenwich Concours d'Elégance, Concours d’Elegance of America and the Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance. It also established MotorsportReg.com and Hagerty Garage.The magazine's success has prompted substantially increased public brand awareness. The publication debuted nearly 25 years ago, but it was renamed Hagerty Drivers Club Magazine in 2020 and it's part of member benefits. It's also available as a stand-alone subscription.Published six times per year, the country's largest automotive publication has a lifestyle slant. It's largely absent of engine performance nuances, gear ratio analyses and other automotive complexities.Columnists include renowned collector and entertainer Jay Leno and Wayne Carini, the car restorer and television personality whose prominence arrived with the 2008 debut of the documentary series "Chasing Classic Cars."Warnes' responsibilities encompass marketing the Hagerty brand. The company's approach is far removed from heavy-handedness."We are not trying to hit people over the head with direct marketing or product all the time," she said. "I think that really great brands can create really compelling content that people enjoy seeing and that bring a smile to their face, that puts a tear in their eyes and that sort of connects with them on an emotional level."Recent article headlines provide ideal examples: "Tattoo artist’s ’56 Bel Air Sport Sedan is a rolling marquee," "This restored 1969 Ford Torino is staying in the family," and "Blind at 58, one man chose to keep loving life—and his classic Plymouth."Hagerty's year-long anniversary campaign includes a television commercial, broadcast on various networks, titled "Keepers of the Flame." It's "to signal to the automotive world that Hagerty has 'plenty left in the tank' for the next 40 years."What vehicles qualify is subjective. The Warnes sold their Yugos when they moved and downsized their garage space. They no longer own a classic, but may have a future purchase. Tarra Warnes drives a red Volkswagen Jetta turbo diesel wagon. But she desires a car from her childhood, a station wagon from the mid-1980s or a minivan from the early 1990s.
It was just before the opening evening session of the recent 2024 Nvidia GTC conference at the San Jose Convention Center and it got quiet quickly.Alwin Bakkenes, Russell Datz, the carmaker's national media relations manager, Bruce Aldrich, the co-host of The Weekly Driver Podcast, and I all stepped in and closed our respective doors of the 2024 EX90 electric SUV perched in the corner of the expo hall.The 2024 all-electric Volvo EX90 sport utility vehicle was presented at the recent Nvidia GTC conference in San Jose, California.Volvo and Nvidia, the multinational corporation and technology company headquartered in Santa Clara, California, have had a business partnership since 2016. And with the conference an in-person gathering for the conference for the first time in five years, Volvo was among several manufacturers' representatives in attendance.Despite his software engineering expertise and his explanation, Bakkenes didn't need to apologize for his lack of speaking abilities. He's a skilled corporate spokesperson and he was our guest on episode #284 of the podcast Aldrich and I started in August 2017."This particular car is the start of the new era for Volvo Cars," said Bakkenes. "It's born electric, it's born software-defined and it's very safe. What we have done is build the software architecture based on what we call our core technology which we built with Nvidia."What Bakennes means, and how the soon-to-be-available EX90 is different from the current Volvo lineup, is the subject of our podcast.Please join us as our guest explains how the new vehicle's powertrain, chassis systems, and the driver assistance features all operate on their own computers and what that means to consumers.
Jonathan Clegg and Joshua Robinson are colleagues in The Wall Street Journal's virtual sports department. Clegg, the sports editor, is an Englishman who lives with his family in New York. Robinson is an American based in London. They share global sporting interests, particularly soccer and motorsports.The duo's reporting expertise has led to a long collaboration away from daily journalism. They're now book co-authors for the third time. The most recent effort, published on March 12, is titled "The Formula: How Rogues, Geniuses, and Speed Freaks Reengineered F1 into the World's Fastest-Growing Sport.” (Mariner Books, 304 pages, ISBN: 9780063318625; $29.99).With co-host Bruce Aldrich on vacation, I interview the two writers on this episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast.The once-faltering circuit is now thriving. With its focus for many years at global venues, except North America, the elite motorsports circuit now has three events in the United States. It debuted in Las Vegas last November in the first year of a 10-year contract, joining U.S. stops in Austin and Miami.With events also in Canada and Mexico, five of the 24 races this year are scheduled in North America. The 11-month circuit began in late February in Bahrain, and it continues through December 6 in Abu Dhabi. The 20-car circuit will travel to 21 countries on five continents."Both of us grew up in Europe with F1 during its first real peak in the late 80s and early 90s," said Robinson. "We both saw it as it fell away; people got bored. It just didn't have the same cultural relevance for about 15 years. That really changed in the last five or six years."The resurgence was substantially assisted by "Formula 1: Drive to Survive." The documentary series on Netflix debuted in 2019 as a behind-the-scenes look at drivers and races and money. The sixth season debuted in February."We thought the time was right to kind of explain the rise, fall and reinvention of a sport," said Robinson.Clegg and Robinson also co-authored: "The Club: How the English Premier League Became the Richest, Wildest, Most Disruptive Force in Sports,” and "Messi vs. Ronaldo: One Rivalry, Two Goals, and the Era That Remade the World’s Game.""We spend a lot of time before we commit a single word to paper or a computer screen," said Clegg. "We spend a lot of time sort of thinking about the characters and episodes we want to include in the book and the narrative arc we are trying to unpack with the story we are telling.”What's detailed is compelling. The authors are veteran reporters, skilled scene-setters and writers who write succinctly about rich subject matter. The cars, teams, and staff require extreme budgets. Drivers are charismatic, fans fanatical, rivalries intense. Races are held in opulent locales among pretty and handsome faces and bling. The sport has emerged from corruption.Two additional major themes of the book: Red Bull and the energy drink’s billionaire Austrian owner, Dietrich Mateschitz, and Liberty Media, the American company. It purchased F1 in 2016 in a multi-billion-dollar deal.Mateschitz infiltrated the sport quickly and retains supremacy in Formula 1 unlike any other brand in sport, according to Clegg.Liberty Media drastically changed how the sport is presented. It rebranded the logo, modernized marketing and emphasized streaming broadcasts.For years lapped by the popularity of other motorsports, the authors present F1 as the "world's fastest-growing sport.""I think we realized pretty early on that the one through line that can be traced back from the very beginning of F1 in the early 1950s right through to its current present-day success as a sort of global entertainment monster and streaming property is that this is a sport that has been defined by reinvention," said Clegg.The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family,
The autonomous vehicle industry has reduced its speed. Its future is here, but it's not quite as in focus as the next signpost. Even the most fervent believers have re-evaluated their enthusiasm for the human-free driving mode.What's ahead for autonomous driving and an array of other pending driving technology is among the many topics in many industries set for explanation, examination and speculation beginning March 18 during the four-day Nvidia GPU Technology Conference (GTC).Danny Shapiro, Nvidia's vice president of automotive, is our guest on this episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast. With Co-host Bruce Aldrich on vacation, James Raia interviews Shapiro about the pending conference."The autonomous space is progressing very nicely," says Shapiro. "It's taken longer than we initially thought. "In fact, the entire industry underestimated the complexity of being able to safely navigate."Shapiro was also a guest on The Weekly Driver Podcast (Episode #123) in February 2020.The conference involves the advancing usages of Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) for accelerated computing and AI. The naming sponsor, Nvidia, is the Santa Clara-based multinational corporation that designs and supplies graphics for data science and high-performance computing. It's also the dominant global supplier of AI hardware and software.Founded in 1993, Nvidia took its name from invidia. It's the Latin word for envy, the ancient Greek Titan deity of hatred and jealousy. The company chose its name to symbolize its vision and innovation in the fields of graphics and computing.The quickly evolving automotive industry and its AI future will share the conference with similar advancing innovations in healthcare, accelerated computing and data science.Organizers note more than 900 talks, training sessions, workshops and panels and more than 300 exhibitors and demonstrations are scheduled. "Any companies that are doing work in AI will have NVIDIA in their data center, in their workstations or their vehicles," Shapiro says. "We have hundreds of car companies and truck companies; robot taxi companies have our have our data platform in their vehicles."According to Shapiro, organizers anticipate 20,000 in-person attendees and several hundred thousand virtual attendees.In the automotive portion of the conference, Shapiro details AI's part in improved safety. Humans still have erratic behavior whether they are driving or pedestrians. Many companies, Shapiro notes, are integrating driver assistance platforms."The owner of the vehicle, the person behind the wheel is the driver still responsible but artificial intelligence is making the road a lot safer,” Shapiro says. "It can alert them (the driver) and it can take over certain functions on the highway, lane-keeping, emergency braking, adaptive cruise control."These are all very complicated software systems that are getting better and better. Now, there's the notion of a software-defined car or a vehicle that can get updates just like your phone. Vehicles are just getting smarter and smarter."
A strong argument could be made that Ralph Teetor is responsible for what is now called autonomous driving.Blind since he was a young boy, Teetor invented cruise control in the 1940s. It was one of more than 40 patents granted to a native of Indiana who died in 1982.Inventor Ralph Teetor.Teetor will be inducted posthumously into the National Inventors Hall of Fame on May 9 in Washington, D.C.Jack Teetor, the inventor's great-nephew, is our guest this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast.Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia discuss with Teetor the family legacy and the fascinating life of his great-uncle.Teetor has spent many years making the documentary film “Blind Logic: The Ralph R. Teetor Story.” Screenings of the film are scheduled throughout the county in the coming months.As Teetor shares, his great-uncle was remembered primarily for his invention of cruise control. But his life was remarkable in many ways.In our interview, Teetor details the circumstances of his great uncle's blindness and well as how the disability didn't stop the inventor from achieving his goals.Please join us for an intriguing episode on Ralph R. Teetor and presented by Jack Teetor.For more information about Jack or Ralph Teetor, visit: www.blindlogicproductions.com.For more information about the National Inventors Hall of Fame, visit: https://www.invent.org
Ken Karklin, the CEO of Pivotal, has had a several-decade career in engineering, aircraft and robotics. He knows technology as license holder of multiple patents. His latest passion is the Helix.Highlighted at the recent Consumer Electronic Show in Las Vegas, the Helix is the only personal flying vehicle in production in the United States. Public sales began January 8.Ken Karklin is the CEO of Pivotal, the manufacturer of the Helix, the electric personal flying vehicle. Image © James Raia/2024.Karklin is our guest on this week's episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast. Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia discuss with Karklin the new vehicle and his experiences flying the Helix. We examine the practical uses of the aircraft, the regulations of the ultralight and the specs of the 15-foot-long machine. It has vertical take-off and a forward-tilting design for flight mode.Weighing just 360 pounds, the Helix falls under the FAA Part 103 (Ultralight) classification, allowing flight without a pilot's license. The EV has dual wings housing eight motors and batteries and can fly for two hours at 62 miles per hourWith deliveries scheduled to begin in June, the Helix base model is priced at $190,000. With extensive additional features like 4K cameras and flight-traffic control systems, the price increases to $260,000.Please join us for a look at the future of personal transportation.
Ben Welch blames himself for driving his 1994 Chevy Suburban when he shouldn't have. He knew his van well except for one momentary lapse when the engine warnings were more serious than he thought.It was a long time ago and the vehicle has fared well regardless — it surpassed one million miles on the odometer without any engine overhauls.Welch, a Vietnam veteran who has lived in Lincoln, Nebraska, since 1962, is our guest this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast.Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia talk with Welch about his 30-year ownership of his Suburban and his vast experiences driving the vehicle an average of about 33,000 miles per year.Welch, according to information provided by a public relations representative, had driven the Suburban about 400,000 miles before the serpentine belt broke during a long road trip, causing the engine to overheat.The vehicle, of course, was damaged but it "survived," which Welch attributes to only using American-made Conklin lubrication products in his Suburban. He also cites Randy Bloom, his long-time mechanic and friend, for providing great expertise while working on the Suburban. Welch is now an independent distributor for Conklin.When Welch bought the Suburban he planned to retain ownership for about a year and drive it for 35,000 miles trading it in for the next model year's offering. But he didn't like the 1995 Suburban's appearance and some of its features. He kept his original purchase and just kept driving it.Please join Bruce and me as we learn more about the million-mile Suburban.
As co-hosts of The Weekly Driver Podcast, Bruce Aldrich and I have for the past several years picked the top cars of the year at the end of the calendar year.This year, as we do most often, Bruce and I interview a guest on the podcast and then drive the week's review vehicle to lunch. We often extend the day to further drive the vehicle, take images and share our opinions.The 2023 Lucid Air is The Weekly Driver Podcast's 2023 Best Car of the Year. Image © Bruce Aldrich/2023.Bruce has certain interests and knows the mechanics of cars and trucks far better than I do. I write reviews of vehicles for several publications, including TheWeeklyDriver.com since 2004. I usually drive every week for a week.Bruce has contributed images for dozens of vehicles and has produced every podcast episode.Like we do every year, we selected best-of-the-year lists is based only on the model year corresponding to the same calendar year.The plush interior of the Lucid Air. Image courtesy of the manufacturer.This year we individually chose our favorite vehicles of the year based on 2023 models of 37 vehicles fully reviewed.As has also occurred several times, we both selected the same vehicle as The Weekly Driver Podcast's best vehicle of the year. It's the 2023 Lucid Air. The Lucid Air (Grand Touring) and Lucid Air (Pure) both were reviewed.Here's what I wrote in part in my review of the Lucid Air (Grand Touring):"Available in Pure, Touring, Grand Touring, Grand Touring Performance, and the new-for-2023 Sapphire trims, the Lucid Air is a high-performance, handsome, and the-future-is-now vehicle that provides a new definition of a sedan."Spacious and wide-bodied, the reviewed Lucid Air (Grand Touring) has 819 horsepower and a 112-kWh battery that provides the dual-motor, all-wheel-drive wonder with a 516-mile range and acceleration from 0-to-60 miles per hour in 2.5 seconds.""For performance enthusiasts and the electric vehicle obsessed, the stats are industry-best numbers. For the rest of us, sub-three-second efforts may cause lightheadedness. Conversely, driving from San Francisco to Los Angeles and halfway home isn’t possible in many gasoline-powered vehicles. A recharge isn’t required for long hours behind the racing-styled Lucid wheel."Please join Bruce and me as we further discuss the upstart Lucid lineup and also reveal the rest of our respective Best-of-the-Year lists.
Like many automotive enthusiasts, when Rodney Kemerer talks about cars his enthusiasm abounds. A lifelong enthusiast, Kemerer is the author of Tales From The Garage.As described in its Amazon profile, the "heartfelt book — the half memoir, have the memories of others — is truly a pop culture snapshot of modern society through the lens of the automobile."Kemerer is our guest this week on Episode #277 of The Weekly Driver Podcast.Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia talk with Kemerer, a veteran journalist, about his first book and the surprising reactions he's received from readers."Kemerer understands that car stories can be the gateway to every aspect of our lives," the book's introduction states.During our interview, Kemerer details his quick entry into automotive journalism. He submitted an article "cold" a decade or so years ago to Hemmings, the car collector magazine. The article was published, although its author was never told. Kemerer noticed it when reading another issue of the magazine.The writer's debut was the impetus for other articles in the Los Angeles Times to Old Cars Weekly. He developed a relationship with the editor and publisher of Garage Style Magazine and began writing a column called "Tales From The Garage. The columns were successful and the new book is a compilation of the columns."I realized maybe I could have a broader audience for the pieces because they seem to have a universal appeal," says Kemerer. "The book is 30 essays and each one has its own graphic language."Kemerer, who lives in Beverly Hills, California, has a vast collection of model cars and most of the vehicles he's ever owned.Please join us for a 30-minute interview with a new author. He's funny and he loves cars. It's a good match.Tales From The Garage (Amazon, $29.95) is available via TheWeeklyDriver.com's affiliate program with the online retailer.Visit: Tales From The Garage
John Vincent is the Senior Editor and Correspondent/Vehicle Testing on the Autos team at U.S. News & World Report. With more than 25 years of experience in the automotive industry, Vincent knows new cars, manufacturers and trends in the industry.The former long-time newspaper reporter is our guest this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast.Honda was recently named one of the best brands for 2023-2024 by U.S. News & World Report. Image © James Raia/2023.Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia talk with Vincent about his publication's recent release of its Best Cars of 2023 and 2024. Besides individual rankings throughout the spectrum of the industry, the publication also selected Best Car Brand (Honda), Best SUV Brand (Mazda), Best Truck Brand (Ram) and Best Luxury Brand (Rivian).Vincent details the publication's methodology and the publication's site also explains it:"The Best Vehicle Brand awards are an objective assessment of quality across all of a brand’s offerings in four categories: Cars, SUVs, Trucks and Luxury."Brand ratings are based on the U.S. News Best Cars overall scores for each vehicle, which incorporate the consensus opinion of the automotive press, as well as safety and reliability data."Vincent also discusses his recent attendance at the Los Angeles Auto Show and his analysis of the show including why several mainstream manufacturers and prominent upstart carmakers weren't there.Please join us for our informative episode #276 as we talk with one of the automotive industry's most prominent journalists.
Craig Jackson is the CEO of Barrett-Jackson, the country's most well-known auction company, and he owns 108 vehicles — from muscle cars to sports cars and modern classics to resto-mods.Immersed in the automotive world since he was a boy, Jackson recently attended the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) annual gathering in Las Vegas. He was our special guest for the latest episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast.Co-hosts James Raia and John Berg spoke with Jackson inside the Barrett-Jackson trailer on the showroom floor in one of several exhibit halls that housed the massive automotive showcase.Jackson, 63, discussed Barrett-Jackson's legacy and details of his vast personal collection. He also shared his business philosophy and thoughts on the expanding electric vehicle industry segment."For an auction house to be over 50 years old, we've through a lot of changes," said Jackson in the wide-ranging episode. "The changes are that when we first started it we were selling all pre-World War II cars. Then it evolved. It started changing when we decided to go after the cars that the 'boomers' like, muscle cars."Headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, Barrett-Jackson began in 1971, as an expected one-time-only event. Its success prompted an annual auction. The Arizona event remained the showcase of the company's auctions around the country. It starts each season and is scheduled for January 20-28, 2024.Jackson took over full operations in 1995 following the death of his brother and his father. Jackson added vendors and live entertainment to the auction events.Barrett-Jackson saw increased popularity when the Speedvision network, later Speed Channel, began broadcasting the auctions in 1996. It was the first collector car auction to be televised, and coverage has since continued across several channels."We are in the live event business," Jackson said. "We are in a very passionate business. And what it's all about is bringing new people into the hobby."
Jessica Dunham is a veteran journalist whose passion as a travel writer is the open road. She knows the well-traveled roads along Route 66 and Interstate 5. And she knows the less-visited locales, like the night sky over Marfa, Texas, which includes mysterious blinking lights.Dunham, the author of "The Open Road: 50 Road Trips in the USA" is our guest this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast.Jessica Dunham has authored numerous travel books, including an updated edition of "The Open Road: 50 Road Trips in the USA.Co-host Bruce Aldrich and I interview Dunham about her latest book (it's an updated edition) and also about the pleasures of traveling — on good days and bad days. She discusses how the many places she's traveled were condensed into the 50 places in the book.According to its media information, the book comprises "lists of the best coastal drives, cross-country journeys, trips for kids and awe-inspiring views."The book, available on all major online retailers, is organized by region and includes suggestions for a weekend getaway to a cross-country trip.Descriptions include a leaf-peep along the Blue Ridge Parkway, wildflowers on Arizona's Apache Trail, kitschy roadside attractions along Route 66, crossing the Continental Divide in Colorado and falling asleep to the sound of crashing waves at your campsite in Big Sur.Dunman writes about eating your way through Vermont's farms, dairies, orchards and maple houses. She details gulf shrimp and fried okra in the South, oysters and craft beers Oregon and shaved ice along the scenic Oahu Coastal Loop.The comprehensive book features planning resources from easy-to-use maps, helpful info on things to do, lodging and dining for every route, clear directions to each route's starting point and tips for minimizing your environmental impact along the way.Dunham's enthusiasm for travel, whether on a solo trek, with girlfriends or with her husband and the couple's two dogs is evident in her upbeat demeanor.The book also includes essential tips for health and safety on the road, navigating weather conditions, strategies for road-tripping with kids and four-legged friends as well as playlists and podcasts for accompaniment of the open road.Besides her new book, Dunham has vast experience as a travel writer. She was a travel guide editor at Madden Media and has contributed to PHOENIX magazine, Midwest Living, Modern Luxury and Runner's World. She's also co-written and solo written several other travel books.Please join us for a lively half-hour. Dunham shares her keen insight as a traveler and author, and she shares a few travails from the open road.
Doug Berman is the unofficial third brother of the admired comedy team and automotive soothsayer duo of Thomas Louis Magliozzi and Raymond Francis Magliozzi. They were more well-known as "Click and Clack, the Tappet Brothers." They were co-hosts of Car Talk, the NPR radio show, for 25 years.Thinly disguised as a weekly program about automobile repair, the program was more about the banter between the brothers and an endearing relationship with their call-in audience. The former mechanics diagnosed engine problems, but they also provided advice, notably about relationships. Comedy reigned.Ray Magliozzi (L) and Tom Magliozzi co-hosted Car Talk on NPR for 25 years. Image courtesy of cartalk.com.Behind the scenes, Berman has coordinated the show since its early days. A former production assistant and then new director for NPR and several affiliates, Berman took on the producer's role of the then-fledgling auto show as a volunteer. He's remained in charge since.The creator of the NPR show, "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell," Berman is our guest on this episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast. A guest at the recent Best of the Bay gathering of the Western Automotive Journalists (WAJ) in Santa Rosa, California, the long-time journalist spoke with co-host James Raia and guest co-host John Berg about the enduring enterprise that is Car Talk.Tom Magliozzi died in 2014 at age 77. We discuss with Berman the brothers' relationship and how the program has continued in syndication and most recently, the rebroadcast of the long series from the first episode in podcast format.Berman details his relationship with Tom Magliozzi and his current role editing www.cartalk.com as well as collaborating on the syndicated newspaper column the brothers wrote. Berman also runs the program's vehicle donation program, writes car reviews and is the impetus for the enterprise's continuing success.Car Talk show was honored with a Peabody Award in 1992, and the Magliozzis were both inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame in 2014 and the Automotive Hall of Fame in 2018.
Jarred Pellat is the senior manager public relations and communications of Genesis Motor North America. It's the eight-year-old luxury vehicle division of the South Korean vehicle manufacturer Hyundai Motor Company.A native of Canada who lived in South Korea for several years, Pellat is our guest on this episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast.The 2023 Genesis GV70 was the carmaker's first vehicle made in the United States. Photo © Bruce Aldrich/2022.Co-host Bruce Aldrich was on assignment, so John Berg, a new automotive columnist and photographer for The Weekly Driver, joined me for our interview during Best of the West.Pellat, the fourth employee of the Genesis, was a guest during a two-day gathering of the Western Automotive Journalists (WAJ), the San Francisco Bay Area organization of automotive media professionals and industry influencers.During the two-day gathering, nine manufacturers provided 13 vehicles to test drive from our headquarters at Vinter's Resort in Santa Rosa, California. Genesis had two vehicles on site: the 2023 Electrified GV70 Prestige AWD and the 2023 Electrified G80 AWD.Pellat discussed the two vehicles at the presentation, and we also discussed the quick ascension of the manufacturer, its eight-vehicle lineup and the growing list of accolades Genesis has received in recent years.Please join us as Pellat details plans for Genesis, its small but growing locations of Genesis-specific showrooms and the carmaker's philosophy for its automobiles.
John Vincent, senior editor and automotive correspondent for U.S. News & World Report, has more than 25 years of experience covering the auto industry.In addition to reviewing vehicles, he has vast expertise in auto financing, leasing and buying. He's also an expert observer and commentator regarding the current United Auto World strike.The UAW strike is a united effort to improve wages and benefits.As the strike approaches its one-month duration, Vincent is our guest on this episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast.Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia discuss with the veteran writer the current status of the strike and what it means to the automakers and union members.How have the communities throughout the Detroit area been affected? Has the strike changed the industry for consumers?Does Vincent see the strike ending soon or could it continue into 2024? How does the Biden Administration view the current situation?We also discuss with Vincent the automotive industry's focus on electric vehicles and what it may or may not mean to consumers.Please join us for a 30-minute insight into the strike from an industry and sought-after media guest.A member of the North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year Awards (NACTOY) jury, Vincent joined U.S. News & World Report after a long newspaper career at The (Portland) Oregonian and The Portland Tribune.
Adam Olalde is the founder and CEO of Xtreme Xperience. The Chicago-based company provides unique driving experiences in luxury cars mixed with racetrack and lifestyle experiences.Olalde, who began his business after working for a luxury car rental service, is our guest this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast.Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia discuss with Olalde the fascination consumers have in exotic and high-performance vehicles — from Lamborghini to Porsche to Rolls-Royce.Xtreme Xperience provides high-performance drives and lifestyle packages in unique vehicles. Images courtesy of the company.The business began with Olalde renting vehicles for one-hour test drives throughout Chicago. The idea expanded to test drives at a nearby racetrack.Since the company's debut in 2012, the company reports it has helped more than 300,000 people cross 'drive an exotic car' off their buckets list at more than 50 driving destinations nationwide.Xtreme Xperience offers several travel and entertainment packages, all centered around an expansive lineup of unique vehicles.It's not uncommon, Olalde explains, that the joyful experience of driving a highly desirable car leads to a wedding proposal.Please join Bruce and me as we spend 30 minutes with a business owner passionate about unique cars and providing unique driving experiences.
Michael Coates has done it all as an automotive journalist, from writer and editor to publishing and broadcast analysis. He's currently the editor and publisher of Clean Fleet Report, a well-respected automotive website focusing on automotive environmental issues.Coates, who also serves as Automotive Editor at Innovation & Tech Today magazine and writes for Autoweek magazine, is our guest this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast.The idea of car-sharing helps car owners save money and it also reduces traffic.A recently updated post on Clean Fleet Report discussing the evolving and revolving companies involved in shared mobility piqued our interest.The article begins:"Car sharing has changed dramatically since Clean Fleet Report first reported on it almost two decades ago. While it was picking up steam at that point, in the years since it has morphed and been influenced by changing technology, both in vehicles and in the software that enables the service."Some big players have jumped in and then retreated. Some auto companies have incorporated car-sharing elements into their new business enterprises. Some small players were gobbled up by bigger companies."Podcast co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia discuss with Coates the most well-known car-sharing platforms (Uber and Lyft) and not-so-well-known options such as Turo, vRide and Getaround.Coates, an alternative engine proponent, also shares his opinion of the industry, including the future (or lack of a future) of hydrogen vehicles.Please join Bruce and me as we spend 30 minutes with a passionate automotive expert.
Gunther Buerman and his wife Maggie Buerman opened the Newport Car Museum in 2017 in Portsmouth, Rhode Island. They've constantly updated the combined automobile and history museum including its latest presentation — an homage to Porsche.Gunther Buerman, whose interest in automobiles began as a young boy when practiced wax paper transfer etchings of car advertisements from National Geographic Magazine, is our guest on this week's episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast.A repeat guest who was willed a 1966 Ford Mustang nearly 40 years ago, Buerman owns dozens of vehicles, none any more important than his collection of the German sports cars of his early youth.The Newport Car Museum has a new permanent display of Porsches.He moved to New York as a young boy with his family where Buerman eventually became an attorney. He's the former chairman of Harris Beach, LLC, a major New York law firm.From his early life fondness for cars, Buerman and his wife, who live in Highland Beach, Florida and Newport, R.I., have established the largest auto museum on the East Coast.Co-host Bruce Aldrich and I interview the car collector and avid sailor about his nearly lifelong interest in cars, notably the expansive collection of prized Porsches at the Newport Car MuseumStarting with a 1956 Porsche 356a Speedster, the Museum’s collection includes every Speedster developed to date. The Speedster was redesigned in 1989, ’94, 2011 and for a final time in 2019. After the 356 came a legend among modern automobiles, the Porsche 911. Ahead of its time when introduced in 1964, the rear-engine 911 evolved over three decades when Porsche introduced a new 911 Carrera in 1999.Among the Museum’s 911s are a 1979 930 Turbo, a 2016 Targa 4S and three GTs – the 2011 GT3 RS 4.0, 2016 GT3 RS, and 2018 GT2 RS Weissach – the latter representing the highest-powered (700 hp), dual-track-and-road cars of their vintage.The museum's 2005 Carrera GT is one of the last real supercars with manual transmission: a naturally aspirated 10-cylinder "monster." Finally, the 2015 918 in the collection is forever relevant as one in the trifecta of current hypercars. The McLaren P1 and Ferrari La Ferrari are the also in the prized threesome.The vehicles in the Newport Auto Museum are complemented by mid-20th Center Modern furnishings of renowned international designers and automotive artworks by Los Angeles-based artist David Lloyd Glover.Please join Bruce Aldrich and me as we spend 30 minutes with a passionate automotive expert.THE NEWPORT CAR MUSEUM PREVIOUSLY ON THE WEEKLY DRIVER PODCAST#228 Newport Car Museum artist David Lloyd Glover#226 Newport Car Museum Visionary Gunther BuermanThe Newport Car Museum, 1947 West Main Rd., Portsmouth, R.I., is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Email: info@newportcarmuseum.org; Phone: 401-848-2277; Website: https://newportcarmuseum.org
John Kraman knows the car auction business as well as a broadcaster. He's the senior member of the Mecum Auctions team and the only announcer who's been on all 16 years of the country's largest automobile auctions broadcast. He's our guest this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast.
With broadcast colleagues and varied responsibility crew, co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia discuss with Kraman the auction's participation Aug. 17-19 in Monterey Auto Week. Mecum is the only daytime auction during what is now nearly a two-week celebration on the Monterey Peninsula of all things automotive.
1963 Shelby 289 Cobra Roadster. Thought to be the 100th production car, per serial number, following the initial prototype car. Billed to Shelby American on March 13, 1963. All images courtesy if Mecum Auctions/2023
The Monterey stop on the Mecum Auctions nearly yearlong circuit is the company's smallest in volume. About 600 vehicles are sold in three days. But the Monterey Auction, held at the Hyatt Regency and the adjoining Old Del Monte Golf Course, has the auction's highest average amount per individual sale.
Kraman, a repeat guest who's also a vintage car collector, details how the auction works live and with remote bidding.
A mechanic and pilot, Kraman joins his colleagues with a fast-paced presentation. He knows the pedigrees of all of the vehicles and details each one like it’s his favorite.
1966 Chevrolet Corvette Race Car. The only 1966 Corvette campaigned by Alan Green Chevrolet and raced by Gary Gove in SCCA AP Class competition.
As always, rarities will be highlighted during the Mecum Auctions. But attainable vehicles are the norm. As in past years, vehicles are auctioned every few minutes. It's the only auction televised live during Monterey Auto Week.
Here are three unique vehicles ready for auction during Mecum Auction's gathering in Monterey:
1948 Packard Super 8 Convertible Victoria. Currently owned and for the past decade by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, six-time NBA Champion, and the league's only six-time MVP. The Packard was one of 4,750 built for 1948;
1963 Shelby 289 Cobra Roadster. Thought to be the 100th production car, per serial number, following the initial prototype car. Billed to Shelby American on March 13, 1963;
1966 Chevrolet Corvette Race Car. The only 1966 Corvette campaigned by Alan Green Chevrolet and raced by Gary Gove in SCCA AP Class competition.
For more information on Mecum Auctions Monterey 2023 and all other Mecum auctions, visit Mecum.com. Mecum’s website is updated daily with the latest consignments and includes detailed descriptions and photographs of the vehicles to be offered. For schedule information, to consign a vehicle or to register as a bidder for this and all Mecum events, visit Mecum.com, or call (262) 275-5050 for more information.
Auction Schedule: The Daytime Auction: Mecum Monterey 2023, Aug. 17-19, 2023
Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel and Spa – Del Monte Golf Course1 Old Golf Course Rd.Monterey, CA 93940
Bidder Registration: Options for in-person, telephone and internet bidding start at $100
Admission: $20 in advance online, and $30 at the door and online after Aug. 16—per person, per day; children 12 and younger receive complimentary admission
Preview: Gates open daily at 8 a.m.
Auction: Vehicles begin at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 17, and at 9 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 18 and Saturday, Aug. 19
TV: Friday, Aug. 18 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. (Live) on MotorTrendTV and MotorTrend+ and from 2-6 p.m. (Re-Air) on MotorTrendTV; Saturday, Aug. 19 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. (Live) on MotorTrendTV and MotorTrend+, from 10 a.m.-noon (Live) on Discovery and from 2-6 p.m. (Re-Air) on MotorTrendTV. (All timed PDT)
Buying a vehicle made in the United States is essential to many consumers.
According to Cars.com, about half of the car buyers in the United States say they will pay more for a vehicle that creates U.S. jobs. Additionally, 24 percent of Americans believe a manufacturer has to be headquartered in the U.S. to qualify as "substantially contributing to the U.S. economy."
Tesla holds the top four places in the 18th annual American-Made Index announced by Cars.com.
Jenni Newman, the editor-in-chief of cars.com, is our guest this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast. We discuss consumers' preferences for cars made in the United States.
Co-host Bruce Aldrich is away this week, so I interview Newman, a repeat guest, about the online publication's 18th annual American-Made Index (AMI). The index independently evaluates and ranks the highest-contributing vehicles to the U.S. economy for manufacturing, parts sourcing and employment.
The Honda Odyssey is a mainstay on the American-Made Index (AMI) announced recently by Cars.com. Image © James Raia/2016.
Newman speaks to the methodology behind the compilation of the list, the disconnect between consumer understanding and the American-made automotive market.
This year, the AMI consideration set comprises 388 vehicles. Only 100 vehicles made the cut with Tesla sweeping the first four spots, joined at the top by mainstay Honda and returning Acura. Volkswagen is debuting in the Index’s top 10.
Here's the list, Nos. 1-10 on this year's AMI list:
Tesla Model Y, Tesla Model 3, Tesla Model X, Tesla Model S, Honda Passport, Volkswagen ID.4, Honda Odyssey, Acura MDX, Honda Ridgeline, Acura RDX.
Please join me as Newman and I examine the AMI list and further discuss its relevance in today's automotive marketplace.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com.
Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform. All episodes are also archived via the link: www.theweeklydriver.com/podcast.
Ben Parker and Toby Kraus are co-founders of Lightship. Both entrepreneurs worked for Tesla but are now immersed in a collaborative project in the recreational vehicle industry.
Parker and Kraus recently introduced the prototype of the L1. It's a pending all-electric trailer Lightship is marketing for a 2024 debut.
Parker was my recent guest on The Weekly Driver Podcast. During the indoor Outdoor Sports Retail Expo in Salt Lake City, Utah. Parker and I sat in the front seat of a Ford Lightning, the new electric pickup truck. It was part of Lightship's vendor exhibit, which attracted strong industry during their multiple-day show at the Salt Lake City Convention Center.
The Lightship L1 is the prototype of the new Colorado-based EV RV company.
Co-host Bruce Aldrich was on vacation, so I was the solo host for the episode as our podcast progresses in its sixth year.
Among many topics, Parker and I discuss how the RV industry and the automobile industry will soon work together for consumers interested in towing an electric trailer with an electric truck or sport utility vehicle.
Parker explained the futuristic-looking trailer, its two planned models and plans for the Colorado-based company.
According to the company's website (www.lightshiprv.com):
"The L1 was tightly engineered for zero emissions, for comfort, and built to last. We started with aero principles to create a near-zero range loss for EVs and lower costs at the gas pump.
"From the battery and solar roof down to appliances, every decision was about ease of use. And of course, relaxing just outside nature’s door.
"Kick back with plenty of room to gather and stow it all away in smart storage solutions. Add the bonus of powering your home or charging your EV, and this is unlike any travel trailer you’ve ever had."
With enthusiasm to spare, Parker detailed the prototype and the pending consumer model specs: 300 miles of range, 3 times more dynamic than a traditional trailer, the 7-foot-6 interior and height and its 2-3 kW of solar power.
The Lightship's interior is a combination of a minimalist's nirvana with RV innovation. Spacious windows and modern design prevail.
In vast detail, Parker explains how the trailer generates power and how he and Kraus began their company. He details the reservation process and pricing structure
Please join me for a 30-minute conversation with Parker as the entrepreneur explains the company's vision for the future of the RV industry.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com.
Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform. All of the episodes are also archived via the link: www.theweeklydriver.com/podcast.
Chris Miller has been a friend of The Weekly Driver Podcast for three years. An artist who lives Maples Corner, a hamlet outside Calais, Vermont, Miller began made his sculpture career nearly 50 years ago. He works in granite, wood and marble, and his work is featured in private collections, public buildings and galleries.
It's all acclaimed work and he continues his various commercial contracts. But Miller's "hobby" is his side project making stone cars, trucks and tractors.
Chris Miller designs and makes stone sculpture vehicles. He's currently making his sixth of 10. His seventh is being negotiated. Images courtesy of Chris Miller.
Miller is our guest this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast. It's our third interview with the 65-year-old artist.
Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia talk with Chris about the progression of this limited series of creations. He's now working on his sixth vehicle. He's only making 10.
Miller's series stone vehicle was inspired by a stone creation of a Volkswagen Beetle built in Ithaca, New York, in 1976. His first piece was built in 2012. It was created in five weeks after Miller launched a Kickstarter campaign with a goal of $2,500. He received $3,200 from 85 backers.
According to his bio on www.chrimillerstudio.com, Miller is primarily self-taught, although he studied art in college. He also studied anatomy and sculpture with the late Lothar Werslin of Sandgate Vt., and drawing and anatomy under Billy Brauer of Warren Vt. He collaborated with several stone sculptors nearby Barre Vt.
There’s a lot involved in making a true-to-size (or larger) stone truck. Miller’s initial piece included 8 loads of quarry stone, 2 pallets of bluestone, a marble tailgate and big chunks of granite. The truck weighs about 40 thousand pounds.
Chris Miller of Vermont is in the middle of creating h10 stone sculpture vehicles. Images courtesy of Chris Miller.
While Miller's sixth project is in the works, a seventh stone vehicle is in negotiation.
Please join us as the article details the advancement of his works and the labor involved. The podcast episode also showcases Miller's enthusiasm for his work.
Here are the links to our previous episodes with Chris Miller:
Episode #164: Chris Miller builds his third stone vehicle
Episode #134: Chris Miller builds stone trucks
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com.
Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform. All of the episodes are also archived via the link: www.theweeklydriver.com/podcast.
Megabus, the discount city-to-city bus system, debuted in 2006. Marketed as having served more than 50 million customers in more than 500 cities, the express service features tickets between metro cities for as little as $1 each way.
The travel option available throughout the United States and in Europe, has had successes and failures. But with heavy travel season approaching, Megabus recently announced its return to the California market.
According to its press release, May 15 marked the return of Megabus to California with three trips daily between Anaheim, Los Angeles, Bakersfield, Fresno, San Francisco, Oakland and Sacramento.
Colin Emerson, VP Commercial for Megabus, is our guest this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast.
While co-host Bruce Aldrich is on vacation, James Raia interviews Emberson about the service's return to California.
Megabus began its service on April 10, 2006 in the United Kingdom and advanced to the United States within two years with routes between Chicago and Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Detroit, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Minneapolis and St. Louis. Several major city hubs were quickly added as the inexpensive travel option had increasing success as a commuter and vacation travel option.
"We pride ourselves in being a really good value-based, reliable, green option for people to get around," said Emberson. "We want to make it as easy as possible. We want to make it as enjoyable as possible."
Like many businesses, Megabus face challenges during the pandemic.
"We have a very good product and we know there's a need for affordable, safe to get folks around, Emberson said. "What we do is look to offer a really good value when things are a little bit slower. When the domain is high, the prices will reflect that."
A recent search for a ticket from Sacramento to San Francisco within the month revealed a one-way ticket for as low as $7.77. A return ticket was also available for the same price.
Emberson emphasized that passengers can use the service with the company's app as little as five minutes before departure. Most Megabus users book tickets like airplane travel with advance purchases and with ticket prices based on supply and demand.
Another popular travel option, Emberson noted, is random travel with the company's "fare finder."
The idea is explained: A trip from Sacramento leaving on June 27 at 3:05 a.m. at arriving in Los Angeles at 2:05 p.m. also costs $7.77. A return trip leaving at 7:05 a.m., and arriving at 7:15 p.m., also costs $7.77. A trip leaving June 27 and returning June from Las Vegas to St. George, Utah, is as low as $52 each way. A trip from Louisville, KY to Evansville, Ind., on the same dates is as low as $40. Some off-hour, low-demand travel is as little as $1 per each way. All transactions included a $3.99 service fee.
"We did see quite a lot of folks buying very last-minute tickets which, I guess, is somewhat surprising to me that somebody on a whim might take in some cases an eight, nine or 10-hour bus ride," said Emberson. "But I guess some people live a little more spontaneously than I might."
Megabus also has a call center to assist passengers with ticketing and other information. The company's website is https://us.megabus.com/. The telephone number is 877-462-6342.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com.
All podcast episodes are archived on www.theweeklydriver.com/podcast
Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform.
The citizens of Santa Cruz and the surrounding oceanside towns and tree-lined hamlets may hold an unofficial record for their entrepreneurial ways. Creativity rules small businesses, from bespoke bicycle makers to artists to Annie Wolff Patsch.Wolff Patsch and her husband, Adam Patsch, combine their last names without a hyphen. The unique pronunciation and the former's upbeat personality are the reasons she's mostly known as Annie. It's the only name on her business card as the founder of Brew Cruz.A 1964 Volkswagen Bus is showcased at the Dream Inn in Santa Cruz. Image © James Raia/2023.While co-host Bruce Aldrich was on vacation, I interviewed Annie for this week's episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast.I interviewed Annie as part of a media trip to the central coast city. Annie's enterprise is a two-vehicle proprietorship, a 1989 Thomas International school bus and a 1964 Volkswagen Van. It's known as Santa Cruz's Original Brewery Tour. It's "fueled by local craft beer," reads the back of Annie's card. The bus is named Betty Jane; the van is Slowboy. Reasons are detailed.Approaching a decade ago, Brew Cruz was established after a seven-month renovation of the school bus. Purchased in San Francisco as an abandoned vehicle of a disbanded band, it's redone in funky chic. Annie bought a one-way ticket to San Francisco, bought the bus and drove it home.A beer drinker with a business plan, Annie and other drivers take passengers on pub tours and various, sometimes unbound, celebrations. The bus has a captain's swivel chair with one arm, a living room-style sitting chair, shiny wooden floors and other endearing qualities of any customized school bus."On my gosh; At this point, I wish that I had kept sort of a journal, an Anthony Bourdain-like "No Reservations" or "Kitchen Confidential" situation," Annie said. "I've been doing it for so many years, the memories are expansive and there hasn't been a bad tour, except for maybe one."Most of the memories just revolve around joy and reconnection, some hilarity, some inappropriateness, which of course means what happens on the Brew Cruz, stays on the Brew Cruz."While accompanying larger groups was fine, a more intimate option soon seemed wise.The 1964 VW bus at the Dream Inn in Santa Cruz takes guests around town. Image © James Raia/2023"I knew when I was searching for a secondary vehicle I wanted something smaller to be able to facilitate small groups and to be able to get around town easier," Annie said. "I knew I wanted to get a VW bus. I mean, whose dream is it not to at some point drive or own a VW bus, especially if you have some sort of family nostalgia."The result is a 1964 VW van. For several years, the 13-window microbus has been parked in front the Dream Inn, the surf city boutique hotel perched along West Cliff Drive and overlooking Cowell Beach. It was purchased a few cities away after a national search.It's a perfect match. The hotel celebrated its 60th anniversary in March. The VW bus, its myriad siblings still surfers' favorites, will soon turn 60. Guests of the hotel are often passengers on the facility's unofficial mascot.Whether she's driving the International or VW to brewpubs, parties, weddings or a wake, the small business on wheels personifies the city’s work spirit and history."Everyone had one; everyone had a story," Annie said. "My own mother-in-law had a VW bus that she towed my now husband around in for most of his young life. And Santa Cruz? Our funky beach town? It has many of those stories."It's almost instantaneous when the bus goes out that somebody's going to walk up and start chatting or asking questions about it or regaling their own stories. But the younger generation I love because, whether they'll ever drive one, with popular culture trends, you could argue they (the buses) never went away. They are definitely considered cool in cross-culture now."Not long ago,
From time to time during the more than five years of The Weekly Driver Podcast, co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia catch-up on automotive news instead of having a guest. This week on Episode #260 we visit four diverse topics — cheap SUVs, the death of speed racing icon Craig Breedlove, the most expensive states to own vehicles and no ignition new carIt's no secret, Hyundai and Kia have drastically improved in recent years. The related manufacturers' vehicles have had some of the industry's top ratings, from economy to luxury segments. The 2023 Hyundai Venue is also the country's cheapest SUV. It only has 121 horsepower and its cargo area is a postage-stamp sized at 32 cubic feet. And it's not available with all-wheel drive. But for about $20,000 its base model is available.Breedlove, who died in April at age 86, was a professional race car driver and a five-time world land speed record holder. A California native living in Rio Vista, Breedlove was the first person in history to reach 500 and 600 miles per hour.The Hyundai Venue is the cheapest SUV in the United States.All of his turbojet-powered vehicles were named Spirit of America, and Breedlove's persona fit the name. He was handsome and flamboyant and perfect for the spotlight.The need for speed was also a family affair. Breedlove's wife, Lee Breedlove, became the fastest woman in the world when she drove the Sonics 1 to 308 mph in 1965. Craig Breedlove was inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame in 2009.Bruce and I also discuss the most expensive states to own a vehicle. And here's a surprise: It's Connecticut where $1,503 on average is the year cost for a minimum insurance policy. The cost increases to $2,999 for a full coverage policy.Finally, Bruce and I talk about the 2023 Volvo XC40 Recharge. It's the first vehicle both of us have driven that doesn't have an ignition button, toggle or switch or any need for a keyfob except to have it nearby to operate the car.The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts.Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com.All podcast episodes are archived on www.theweeklydriver.com/podcastEvery episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform.
Greg Abbott, an ordained minister for nearly 40 years, is also a steel fabrication artist, craftsman, prop builder and television personality based in Los Angeles, California.Mostly, he's known as "Reverend Gadget" or just "Gadget" for his leading role in a custom car build team on the short-lived Discovery Channel series Big!Abbott, my guest this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast, has also been part of several other cable television programs, including his current show on EarthxTV.During the episode, Abbott discusses his advocacy of alternative energy sources by converting gasoline-powered vehicles to electricity.Abbott took the name "Reverend Gadget" to reflect his craftsman works and because of his minister responsibility that began in 1986. According to his website, he currently holds 10 Guinness World Records for his works, some of which were with the Big! build team. He was interviewed in the documentary Revenge of the Electric Car.Revered Gadget was also a guest at the recent EarthX Electric Vehicle & Alternative Fuel Ride & Drive in Dallas, Texas. The three-day event featured manufacturers and dealers, Trophy Nissan in Dallas and included nearly a dozen of top-selling electric vehicles for test drives and purchase.The models included the Audi Q4 e-tron, Chevy Bolt, Lucid Air, Nissan Ariya, Nissan Leaf, Polestar 2, Volvo C40 and Volvo XC40.Are Tesla owners groups also displayed dozens of vehicles. Also, eCarra, electric vehicle ride-sharing and Wallbox, which features smart electric car charging stations, were represented as were Peterbilt and solar car teams.Reverend Gadget's Garage is broadcast Monday nights on EarthxTV. It's available on Charter Spectrum, Directv, and FuboTV.The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts.Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com.All podcast episodes are archived on www.theweeklydriver.com/podcastEvery episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform.
Jimmy Creed, born and raised in Talladega, Alabama, is a decades-long journalist whose interest in motorsports and specifically NASCAR racing began when he was a young boy.Creed knows the city's famous racetrack as well as any journalist. He cultivated his knowledge in his long tenure as the sports editor of The Anniston Star in nearby Anniston, Alabama.As one of four writers who've collaborated to write NASCAR 75, a definitive volume of the legendary sport, Creed is our guest this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast.Talladega International Superspeedway is prominently featured in the new book NASCAR 75.Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia speak with the veteran journalist about his lifetime involvement in motor racing and his participation in compiling the text and images of the coffee table-sized book."You really can't go into anything with a pre-conceived notion," says Creed, who also wrote a biography of famous driver Donnie Allison. "When I first got this assignment, I sat down and I knew I was going to have to talk about the evolution of the cars.NASCAR 75"I knew the '80s started the restrictor plates, so I was going to write about that, and I knew I was going to write about Dale Earnhardt and his emergence. And I did touch on it. But when I researched it what surprised even me was that Darrell Waltrip just dominated the 1980s."With sections also authored by veteran journalists Al Pearce, Mike Hembree and Kelly Crandall, NASCAR 75 captures the greatest moments throughout the sport's decades.According to its marketing materials, NASCAR 75 covers the sport "from the beaches of Daytona to the jaw-clenching competition, the mind-bending technology, the triumphs, the teamwork, and the high-speed thrills."Large-format photography from throughout NASCAR history ideally complements the text. The authors cover the evolution of the vehicles—from modified family sedans to 700-horsepower race-built behemoths to the “Next Gen” cars that debuted in 2022.The book celebrates the drivers who have mastered the tracks in Daytona, Talladega, Darlington, Las Vegas and other cities. The sport's icons — Richard Petty to Dale Earnhardt and Darrell Waltrip to Kyle Busch — are all profiled.Also reported on is the history of the series while celebrating crew chiefs, pit crews and owners on and around the superspeedways, short tracks and road courses.Join us for our varied 30-minute conversation with Creed, a writer whose passion for motor racing is infectious — even after all these years.The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts.Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com.All podcast episodes are archived on www.theweeklydriver.com/podcastEvery episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform.
Divya Sangam, an industry expert at ValuePenquin.com, the LendingTree.com insurance division, is immersed in EVs, the Electric Vehicle segment of the automotive world. In a recently released survey, Sangam detailed the still-niche electric vehicle market.Specifically, Sangam, citing numerous statistics, reports exactly what is stressed in the survey's direct headline: "High Costs & Safety Concerns: Why Millions of Americans Aren't Buying Electric Vehicles in 2023."Sangam is our guest this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast.The public hasn't embraced the expanding marketplace of EVs according to ValuePenquin.com.Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia discuss with our expert the various reasons the market share for EVs hasn't substantially improved. And we discuss the unlikely success that awaits the federal initiative's mandate to have EVs account for at least 50 per of new car sales by 2030.In 2022, sales of EVs improved by 65 percent from 2021. According to LendingTree.com, however, the increase didn't make a change in consumers' buying preferences.According to the survey, 79 perfect of Americans are still driving gas cars in 2023 and they aren't ready to make a switch to EVs.The sale of EVs isn't on par with pending federal electric vehicle mandates. Image © James RaiaSangam details the overall average new EV cost is $58,725. Americans making less than $35,000 are 43 percent more likely to cite price as a deterrent for than those in households making at least $100,000.Forty percent of American drivers report a driverless automobile would make them feel much less safe on the road. Forty-five percent of drivers believe autonomous vehicles pose a tremendous risk to pedestrians. Fifty-three percent believe the driver should be at fault if they get into an accidentPlease join Bruce and me as we analyze the EV market with industry expert Divya Sangam.The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts.Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com.All podcast episodes are archived on www.theweeklydriver.com/podcastEvery episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform.
EagleRider is a California-based motorcycle rental, touring and subscription company addressing the increasing two or three-wheel needs of experienced and novice motorcycle riders.Shawn Fechter, Senior Vice President of Brand Experience for EagleRider, is our guest on this episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast.EagleRider is a leading motorcycle rental company with locations available on six continents.In late January, EagleRider announced 18 of its 52 international locations are now accepting credits to be redeemed by Club EagleRider members in the company's monthly subscription service.The company's services, available on six continents, include rentals from Harley-Davidson, BMW, Yamaha, among others, as well as adventure and electric bikes.Podcast co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia talk with Fechter about the growing industry."As the world reopens, international travel is soaring in popularity, and the best way to experience it is on the seat of a motorcycle," said Fechter. "Our club members can now tap into that sense of wonder and realize their dreams by redeeming credits for a global experience that is perfectly suited for them."In addition to renting motorcycles, customized tours led by experienced guides are exclusively offered to club members at most international destinations.Club EagleRider membership plans range from one to 10 credits per month. Riders can use credit(s) each month, save them for up to 18 months, or share credits with family and friends at no extra cost.EagleRider, which started 31 years ago, pioneered the motorcycle rental and tour business.Please join Bruce and me as we discuss the industry and the variety of individuals renting motorcycles.The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts.Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com.All podcast episodes are archived on www.theweeklydriver.com/podcastEvery episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform.
John Berg has spent decades in the automotive industry including as a reporter and photographer.
John and I met recently at the LA Auto Show. We both had work to do, but we ended up talking for quite a while the media room at the Los Angeles Convention Center
The automotive columnist for the Alameda Post, Berg is our guest this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast.
A convertible Genesis concept with "wrap-around" lights was displayed at the recent LA Auto Show. All images @ James Raia.
Berg, who drove from the San Francisco Bay Area to Los Angeles to the recently concluded 10-day show in his new, sixth-generation Chevy Camaro, is also a car collector. He owns nearly 20 vehicles.
Co-host Bruce Aldrich and I talk with Berg about the car industry and his passion for cars. We also ask for his impressions of the show, the vintage vehicles on display to debuts and concepts.
Several manufacturers at the LA Auto Show recognized their past while also presenting current models and concepts, including this 1956 Lincoln Continental.
What did he make of the Genesis concept and its wrap-around headlights? What about Vinfast, the Vietnamese company that showcased two more vehicles and is now taking orders? And what of the absence of Tesla, Rivian and others?
We discuss all of it in our usual half-hour of light-hearted banter
To read more of Berg's work, visit: https://alamedapost.com/automotive/
New rich exterior paint colors were among the themes of the LA Auto Show, including the stunning green on a Genesis sedan.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.
If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.
The podcast is in its fourth year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com.
All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast
Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform. Several of the more prominent platforms are listed below.
Amazon.com
iheartradio
Spotify
Charge Cars was founded in 2016 and its first project is now available. Without the manufacturer mentioned, the London-based company has for order 499 of its bespoke "The '67 By Charge Car."
Created individually and built like the original Ford Mustang but electric and built from the "ground up," the '67 is on display during the LA Auto Show.
Bill Morse, a marketing spokesperson for the London-based company is the first of my three guests during the opening day of the 2022 LA Auto Show.
The '67 by Charge Car presented at the LA Auto Show. All images © James Raia/2022.
While co-host Bruce Aldrich remained in Sacramento to produce the episode, I traveled to Southern California for the first major auto show of the season. LA Auto Show: Bespoke Icon Stuns A former actor who has worked with several manufacturers, Morse discusses the new company, now six years into its build process.
Morse details the long process of making each vehicle, some of which have already been purchased before they've been made. The '67 By Charge Car vehicle features an impressive list of specs and a hefty price.
Hagerty had a low-key presence at the 2022 LA Auto Show, but the 1994 Ferrari 248 stood out and it was fun to drive.
Charge Cars uses a snowflake as its cars' badge, with Morse explaining "each car is slightly different, "like a snowflake."
LA Auto Show: Hagerty Goes Vintage
Morse said Charge Cars has two other iconic cars planned but wouldn't name the choices. "If I told you, it would bring a smile to your face."
Jeremy Malcomb works for Hagerty, the Michigan-based automotive lifestyle and membership company, specializing in vintage cars. Hagerty had a low-key presence at the auto show. But its booth has prominently situated the front of the main entrance to the show and it had two vehicles available for test drives, including a 1994 Ferrari 248.
Pizza Hut uses a small fleet of ElectraMechannica vehicles for theSOLO's convenience and EV efficiency. Three of the company's vehicles were showcased at the LA Auto Show.
With Jeremy as my guide and front-seat passenger, I drove the Ferrari on a two-mile loop around the city streets near the convention center. Later in the day, Jeremy was my second guest and we talked about the increase in vintage car values. The Ferrari I drove, cost about $100,000 new and it's now also worth about $100,000. LA Auto Show: Ferrari Cruises Downtown "Certainly, it was probably the cheapest Ferrari at the time, it's a mid-engine V8, a gated manual transmission, a great receipt for a much-loved car," said Jeremy. "Today, they've been widely considered a great place to start if just you're getting into Ferraris."
Jeremy and I also discussed the market-wide increase in vintage car prices and Hagerty's ride-share program, Drive Share. Owners from around the country list their collectible cars for rent.
ElectraMeccanica is a Canadian-designed and manufactured single-seat electric vehicle called the Solo. It's considered an enclosed motorcycle.
Ingeniously designed to be sleek, fun, easy-to-charge, and earth-friendly, SOLO transforms your daily routine with its maneuverability, a top speed of 80 mph, and up to 100 miles of range on a single charge.
The company, which debuted last year at the LA Auto Show, presented its update this year and it's my third segment. ElectraMeccanic had three vehicles on display, including one wrap for a Pizza Hut franchise. Its one commercial application that's been a success for the convenient, about-town little machines.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the onlin...
As we do periodically throughout the year, on this week's episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast co-host Bruce Aldrich and I get caught up on the automotive industry news. There's always a lot happening, and our topics cover a wide range.
First, car names can mean a lot toward the success or failure of an automobile. We found a recent list on a prominent auto site that lists the top-25 worst car names in history.
The list comes to mind with the not-too-long-ago naming of the pending new Ferrari sport utility vehicle. It will be called the Purosangue.
The concept cars at 2021 LA Auto Show included the Mullen Five. The EV sedan hasn't been made. Image © Bruce Aldrich/2021.
Ferrari, of course, has long been associated with horses and its "Prancing Pony" logo. The new Ferrari is named after the word for an Italian thoroughbred. It's pronounced PURO-o-SAN-gue, and it's a hideous name. The list of the 25 oddball names of cars is a fun read, so have a listen.
Also on this episode this I will be attending the LA Auto Show this week (Nov, 16-18) while Bruce produces my daily podcast interviews from the Los Angeles Convention Center.
Electric vehicles will again be emphasized this year, and VinFast, the Vietnamese manufacturer, will be again be part of that portion of the show. VinFast will be the first Vietnamese car available in the United States with the pending debut in 2023.
Speaking of debuts, as always the LA Auto Show will have its share of global and North American debuts.
Manufacturer ambassadors are always par of the LA Auto Show. Image © James Raia/2014.
The 115th The LA Auto Show will be held Nov. 18-26 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Alfa Romeo, Aston Martin, Charge Cars, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, ElectraMeccanica, Fiat, Genesis, GMC, Hummer, Hyundai, INDI EV, Jaguar, Kia, Land Rover, Lexus, Lincoln, Mazda, Porsche, Subaru, Supernal (Advanced Air Mobility), Volkswagen, Volvo and the abovementioned VinFast will have all exhibitions.
But arguably the best bets, the most consistent, the cars for the every person, are presented every year. New models from the top-10 best-selling vehicles from 2021 will all be presented.
Ford continued its dominance with the F-Series pickups accounting for 726,004 sales. The Ram pickup (569,388), Chevrolet Silverado (519,774), Toyota RAV-4 (407,739), Honda CR-V (361,271), Toyota Camry (313,795), Nissan Rogue (285,602), Jeep Cherokee (264,444), Toyota Highlander (264,128) and Honda Civic (263,787) completed the top-10.
Despite the continuing chip shortage and Covid-19 ramifications, only the Chevrolet Silverado (down 13 percent), Ford F-Series pickup trucks (8 percent) and Toyota RAV4 (5 percent) had lower sales tallies in 2021 than in 2020.
Bollinger Motors exhibited its concept vehicles for the past several years at the LA Auto Show. They've never been manufactured. Image © James Raia/2019.
Manufacturers aren't required to detail what vehicles will be shown at the LA Auto Show. Some new offerings have been announced, others will be unveiled as late as the week of the show.
Honda recently announced the public availability of the 315-horsepower 2023 Civic Type R. It's the most powerful production vehicle the manufacturer has ever sold, and its will have a starting MSRP of $42,895.
Toyota has eliminated V6 Highlander, replacing for 2-23 with a 2.4-liter, four-cylinder. The new model will also feature new multimedia dashboard-area screens and new exterior paint choice, Cypress Green.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer.
Mason Bloom has experienced a lot as a young automotive enthusiast. His father owns a Porsche 911 and his father's friend owns an Aston Martin Vantage. Bloom drove the latter at age 12.
Mason Bloom
The Porsche and Aston Martin experiences solidified Bloom's passion for high-performance vehicles. It also ignited his interest in writing about his experiences and the always-compelling automobile industry.
Bloom, 16, a sophomore at Aptos High School (located in the central coast of California), is our guest this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast.
Co-host Bruce Aldrich and I talked with the journalist about his automobile interests and those of his peers. We talked to him about his writing talent.
Bloom, recommended by Dave Kellogg (my long-time editor at The Monterey Herald), is now also a writer for TheWeeklyDriver.com. He has also contributed to The Herald and other automotive websites.
An image of legendary Mario Andretti taken during the Velocity Invitational at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca by Mason Bloom.
"In 2012, I think it was, my dad bought a Porsche 911 and that just really changed my perspective," said Bloom, who has contributed four articles to TheWeeklyDriver.com. "You know, being able to ride in a small, fast sports car, that radiated the love of cars for me. He's owned the car for about 10 years now, but that's really the root of it."
During Covid-19 pandemic, Bloom had the opportunity to drive his family friend's Aston Martin. Bloom was further enamored with cars. He took images and wrote his first full car review in 2020.
"It was a typical Aston Martin; it was loud and it was fast," said Bloom of his Vantage experience. "It's not the most comfortable city car, contrary to popular belief. But the Mercedes V8 and the Aston Martin styling. It's a classic combination."
Image © Mason Bloom, TheWeeklyDriver.com/2022
We also talk with Bloom about the high school car club he has with several classmates and the cars he's considering when the time is right for his first vehicle.
Bloom began contributing to TheWeeklyDriver.com in mid-October after attending the Velocity Invitational at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca with his father.
In August, an article and accompanying photography Bloom crafted about the famous Concours d'Elegance was featured on Page 1 of the Sunday edition of the Monterey Herald.
Here are the links to his four articles to date:
Wildly Modified Porsche 911s Scale World's Tallest Volcano
Ferrari Launches First LeMans Hypercar in 50 years
WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca Repaved for 2023
Velocity Invitational: History, Hypercars, Luxury Lifestyle
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.
If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.
The podcast is in its fourth year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com.
All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast
Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform. Several of the more prominent platforms are listed below.
Amazon.com
iheartradio
Spotify
It's a family affair. Several relatives have been or are in the field and now for nearly a decade, Melanie Musson has cultivated her expertise in the car insurance industry.
With Halloween and the winter on the horizon, Musson, a published car insurance expert with CarInsuranceComparison.com, is our guest this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast.
Prepare for driving in inclement weather by following winter driving safety tips.
Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia talk with Musson about the importance for drivers and pedestrians to remain acutely vigilant during the time of the year when nightfall occurs earlier.
Musson provides expertise in many areas of car insurance, notably the increased accidents and other concerns during winter driving.
Statistics tell the story:
• Seventy percent of drivers who live in regions of the United States that receive five inches or more of snowfall a year should start preparing for adverse winter road conditions;
• Winter road maintenance accounts for nearly 25% of most states’ DOT budgets.
• More than four fatal crashes annually for every a million drivers occur due to snow or sleet.
• Nearly 55,000 people are injured annually in traffic accidents due to snow or sleet.
• Snow, ice and fog account for 544 million hours of traffic delays per year.
• Snowy, slushy, and icy pavement cause more than 1,300 traffic deaths each year.
Considering the staggering numbers, Musson details why should we focus on winter driving statistics, how winter driving conditions affect care insurance and how drivers can improve their safety in adverse road conditions
Proper equipment and well-maintained vehicles greatly improve safety during winter driving. Make certain tires are properly inflated. Replace windshield wipers. Make sure engine fluids are the right consistency for the season and at the proper levels. Catastrophe can be avoided.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.
If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.
The podcast is in its fourth year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com.
All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast
Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform. Several of the more prominent platforms are listed below.
Amazon.com
iheartradio
Spotify
Co-host Bruce Aldrich and I get caught up on the automotive industry on this week's episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast. Bruce and his wife Alene took another trip in their new RV towed by their new pickup truck. I had my first experience renting a car for a day in the peer-to-peer, car-share industry.
We also discuss the continuing troubles of Rivian, the upstart electric vehicle manufacturer, and we visit the list of the world's top 50 most expensive cars.
Bruce Aldrich (left) and James Raia have broadcast The Weekly Driver Podcast for more than four years.
For their longest excursion and sixth trip in their fifth-wheel RV, a 29-foot Keystone Cougar towed by their 2022 Ford F-250 pickup truck, Bruce and Alene traveled from Sacramento along the North coast of California and into Bandon, Oregon.
As Bruce explained, he's far more skilled driving the RV — from maneuvering on winding roads to using the fifth wheel hitch. But he continues to learn.
During nearly 20 years of reviewing cars, I've rarely had a rental car. Last week was an exception. I needed a rental vehicle for one day and I decided to try the personal car share business. I rented a 2015 Volkswagen Passat and drove it slightly less than 200 miles.
We discuss my experiment, with some personal perspective on the pros and cons of car sharing compared to driving a vehicle from a traditional car rental business.
Rivian makes beautiful pickup trucks and it also had an RV on display a few years ago when the new EV manufacturer debuted its concept vehicles at the Los Angeles Auto Show. The pickup truck is on the market, but not the SUV.
Now comes word Rivian has recalled 13,000 trucks because of a possible loose fastener that could cause the driver to lose steering control. Rivian has delivered only 13,198 vehicles in about a year since the truck's public delivery began.
Lastly, Bruce and I talk about top 50 most expensive cars ever made. What's the most expensive? You'll have to list to the podcast.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.
If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.
The podcast is in its fourth year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com.
All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast
Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform. Several of the more prominent platforms are listed below.
Amazon.com
iheartradio
Spotify
David Felderstein is a passionate collector of vintage automobiles and he shares his interests with friends and neighbors in East Sacramento and at the California Automobile Museum.
Felderstein is the Exhibits Committee Chair and Board Secretary for museum, which opened in 1987 as the Towe Ford Museum. It was renamed the Towe Auto Museum 1997 and has has held it current name for nearly 15 years.
The California Automobile Museum has a varied selection of vintage cars and trucks. Images courtesy of Gabriel Ionica.
Felderstein is my guest this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast. While co-host Bruce Aldrich remains on assignment, I talk with Felderstein about his varied collection of vehicles and about the museum.
The museum's largest event of the year, the California CruiseFeast, will be held Oct. 8 from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Proceeds of the event benefit the California Vehicle Foundation - a 501c3 charitable organization.
With several prominent streets closed, hundreds of cars of all makes and models and thousands of spectators will take in the varied history of the automobile. Food trucks, music and beer garden are all included in the 11th annual event.
Besides its collection of vehicles, the California Automobile Museum has vehicles for sale.
Felderstein, who rotates through his collection of vintage cars to complement his daily drivers, discusses his interest in mechanics, the history of cars and his work at the California Automobile Museum.
Please join me for a varied episode about Sacramento's enduring automobile museum.
For more information Sacramento CruiseFest, the museum's exhibits and community events, visit: www.CalAutoMuseum.org.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.
If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.
The podcast is in its fourth year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com.
All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast
Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform. Several of the more prominent platforms are listed below.
Amazon.com
iheartradio
Spotify
Buying car insurance may be the least enjoyable component of automobile ownership. It's a huge industry ripe with misinformation, high-profit margins and small print.
CarInsurance.com, self-defined as "a one-stop online destination for car insurance information," does its part to give consumers the basics and the details.
Owned and operated by QuinStreet, Inc., a "pioneer in delivering online marketplace solutions to match searchers with brands in digital media" the website offers a good launching point for those seeking car insurance. It recently published a list of the cheapest and most expensive 2022 vehicles to insure.
The 2022 Subaru Forester Wilderness is the cheapest car on average to insure in the United States.
The site’s editors looked at the insurance rates for more than 3,000 vehicles to determine how much policyholders pay.
Laura Longero, executive editor for CarInsurance.com, is our guest on this episode of the TheWeekly Driver Podcast.
Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia discuss with Longero the top-five most expensive and cheapest 2022 models on the road.
We talk about how CarInsurance.com assembles its data and the importance of determining auto insurance rates.
Maserati has the top two most expensive 2022 cars to insure in the United States.
Insurance for the priciest cars ranges from $4,000 to more than $5,000 per year. Rates for the cheapest cars to insure run around $1,300 per year.
Here are the lists of the top-five most expensive and top-five least expensive cars to insure in 2022:
Cheapest Subaru Forester Wilderness Hyundai Venue SE Honda CR-V LX Mazda CX-30 S Toyota C-HR XLE
Most Expensive Maserati Quattroporte Maserati Quattroporte Modena Q4 BMW M8 Competition Gran coupe Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid Executive Audi RS e-tron GT
Please join us as our guest, a long-time industry expert, shares with us the latest in car insurance.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com.
All podcast episodes are archived on www.theweeklydriver.com/podcast
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Visiting a grandparent as a youngster often includes affection, treats and wisdom, all offered for free. It leads to buying a Bugatti in parts for $150,000 less frequently.
Nathanael Greene's childhood visits to New Hampshire resulted in his 65-year history with the iconic automobile introduced by Italian-French carmaker Ettore Bugatti in 1924. Greene owns three, including the 1925 Bugatti Type 35 he's competed in at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca for many years beginning in 1997.
The former investment executive was my recent guest on The Weekly Driver Podcast during this year's automotive gathering, the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion. He participated for five straight days in his rare vehicle.
Nathanael Greene, 80, and his 1925 Bugatti Type at Weather Raceway Laguna Seca. All images @ James Raia/2022
While co-host Bruce Aldrich was on vacation, talked with Greene about his lifelong passion for cars and his three Bugattis.
"I was visiting my grandmother in New Hampshire; I must have been 12 or 14," Greene explained. "One day, there was this blue car going vroom down the street and vroom coming the other way, several different times.
"I thought, 'this is fantastic.' I had no idea at the time. Jump forward at least 20 years and I buy my grandmother's house. I got to know the neighbor. He bought Bugatti Type 43 in 1952. He was a great car enthusiast, a great Bugatti enthusiast."
The Bugatti undergoing road tests on suburban New England streets was given to Greene's neighbor to sell. It became hugely successful in Europe. It also impressed Greene to the degree that bought his 1925 Bugatti Type in 1997. It was in parts.
Nathanael Greene owns three Bugattis. He participates in vintage races around the country.
"It (the Type 35) had been taken apart 20 years earlier," said Greene. "But the guy bought another car, concentrated on that and this one got pushed to the back and nothing was done for a long time. I came along and said I would buy it and he said OK."
Greene's passion for Bugatti combines his keen interests in fine mechanics, driving, history and the umbrella of the automobile industry. He no longer works on the Bugatti Type 35, but he knows the minutiae of the brand and originator's varied innovation. Greene also has two daily drivers, a Suburb Outback and a Volkswagen Sportwagen diesel.
"Bugattis were never the fastest cars, but they were the easiest to drive," he said. "The races were generally 300 to 500 miles. Cars like Maserati would simply wear the drivers out. Everything about this car is so light."
The Type 35, is a three-valve, two-liter engine with a four-speed transmission. It weighs 1,700 pounds and has 90 horsepower. The vehicle was driven to more than 1,000 wins, including the 1926 Grand Prix World Championship.
Nathanael Greene lives in New Hampshire. He participate in vintage car events at Laguna Seca since 1997 in his 1925 Bugatti.
Greene's father was an engineer who had more interest in steam than cars. The younger Greene has a degree in mechanical engineering from Yale University.
"I think somewhere between the ages of 12 and 15 there wasn't anything I owned that I hadn't taken apart and put back together," said Greene who retired from an investment management career in 2004.
Greene only competes in his Type 35 and has completed more than 500 laps at Laguna Seca. He has also completed the Mille Miglia, the 1,0000-mile roundtrip event for vintage cars from Brescia to Rome.
As a vintage race competitor, Greene defines the events as competitions of respect.
"For racing, I think the pre-war is the best because everybody really respects the cars much more than the modern cars," he said. "Everybody is really careful. In some ways, it's more high-speed driving around the track as much as it is racing. I am never going to win. I know that. It's the experience."
As an octogenarian, Greene says his driving skills, including reaction instincts,
Todd Lappin is a self-described Japan geek. He visits the country often and says he speaks the language badly. He has also spent several years combining his interest in cars with his fondness for the Orient.
A former magazine editor who lives in San Francisco, Lappin has imported two vehicles from Japan, including his latest find, a 1990 Daihatsu HiJet Firetruck. It's named "Kiri."
Todd Lappin purchased his 1990 Japanese firetruck in 2020. All Images © James Raia/2022.
Lappin, who showcased his truck at the recent The Little Car Show in Pacific Grove during Monterey Auto Week, is my guest this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast.
Lappin, who bought the truck two years ago, qualifies. While uncertain of its detailed service history, the vehicle's new owner communicates with residents of the city where it lived largely unscathed.
"I have gotten to know a bunch of the people in the town where it's from through social media, which is really cute," said Lappin, an interface designer. "They thought they were done with this firetruck and then it shows up on Instagram having the party lifestyle in San Francisco."
The firetruck's legacy is unspectacular. When Lappin purchased it had been driven 2,500 miles in 30 years. It has right-hand drive, a three-cylinder, mid-engine and four-wheel drive. It has 12-inch wheels and uses regular-grade fuel.
Todd Lappin's petite firetruck had only 2,500 miles on its engine after 30 years of service.
"It's not actually slow until it is," Lappin said. "You top out at about 50 miles per hour, but getting to 50, it's actually pretty quick.
Unlike traditional firetrucks, the Daihatsu Hijet doesn't have a water tank. Because Japan is a "wet" country, as Lappin explained, firefighters assume a water source is nearby when they respond to a fire.
The truck has a removable pump that's brought to a water source and its hoses are utilized.
The firetruck served in Kirigamine, a city in Nagano Prefecture. Lappin compared it to a smaller version of Auburn. It had a 30-year tenure as part of the volunteer fire department but was rarely called into service. Relegated to the Japanese auction system it is retirement, Lapin purchased via a wholesale transaction.
Todd Lappin purchased in 1990 Japanese firetruck for about $10,000.
Shipped to San Francisco, the firetruck arrived intact. With all costs involved, Lappin paid less than $10,000.
"I have always been a car person, too, and the two things started blending," said Lappin, 55. "I imported a Nissan Skyline from Japan about five or six years ago, which I always say was my gateway drug to the firetruck."
As always, The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.
If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.
The podcast is in its fourth year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com.
All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast
Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform. Several of the more prominent platforms are listed below.
Amazon.com
iheartradio
Spotify
After nearly 20 years at Consumer Reports, Jon Linkov is an expert among automotive experts. The Deputy Auto Editor, Linkov is our guest this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast to discuss one of the publication's most popular features — its annual most reliable cars list.
Join co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia as we discuss with Linkov the "Top 10 Most Reliable Cars For 2022."
The 2022 Mazda MX-5 has a few upgrades and it's on Consumer Reports' most reliable cars list for 2022. Photo © Gretchen Gaither/2022
"What we do is survey our members, our millions of members, and ask about their experiences with the cars they own or have owned," said Linkov of the most reliable cars list. "We just don't look at current vehicles, we look at used cars, the ones they've had for years. We have data going back 20 years." 2022 Most Reliable Cars The current most reliable cars list involves a database of information for about 320,000 vehicles. The publication's analysts calculate the list on their prediction of which new car models will give car owners the fewest number of problems covering 17 trouble areas. The criteria range from ranging minor nuisances to expensive repairs.
"We have data for all different years of vehicles," Linkov said of this year's most reliable cars list. "But we also have robust data that allows us to predict for the new model year."
The 2022 Toyota Highlander is among the most reliable cars in 2022, according to Consumer Reports.
Three Toyota models, two vehicles from Mazda and one car each from Cadillac, Honda, Kia, Lexus and Subaru are also on the list
"We've been around for more than 70 years; We certainly have evolved over time in the sense of our relationships with manufacturers," said Linkov of Consumer Reports' enduring reputation. "We still hold them accountable. I've been there almost 20 years and early in my career and before I was even there, there might have been a little bit of an adverbial relationship." Most Reliable Cars 2022: Three Toyotas "They didn't really understand us and we really wanted to have a closed-off wall from communicating with them. Now it's different. We don't take advertising. We pay the rent of the getting a press car from them. But we do have a better sharing of data and a better rapport. In the end, that makes a vehicle for a consumer."
The 2022 Lexus GX, a luxury midsized sedan, is Consumer Reports' most reliable vehicle for 2022. It has a price range of $56,125 to $65,365. It's rated at 12 miles per gallon in city driving and 24 mpg on the highway.
Here's the top-10 list:
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Lexus GX Price Range: $56,125 - $65,635 CR MPG: Overall 17 / City 12 / Hwy 24 mpg
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Kia Niro Electric Price Range: $39,090 - $44,650 CR MPGE: Overall 112 / City 123 / Hwy 102 mpge
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Toyota Prius Prime Price Range: $28,670 - $34,450 CR MPG: Overall 69 / City 56 / Hwy 81 mpg
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Toyota Prius Price Range: $25,075 - $33,370 CR MPG: Overall 52 / City 43 / Hwy 59 mpg
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Cadillac XT5 Price Range: $43,995 - $55,895 CR MPG: Overall 20 / City 13 / Hwy 30 mpg
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Mazda MX-5 Miata Price Range: $27,650 - $38,550 CR MPG: Overall 34 / City 25 / Hwy 42 mpg
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Honda Insight Price Range: $25,760 - $29,790 CR MPG: Overall 54 / City 44 / Hwy 62 mpg
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Toyota Highlander Price Range: $35,855 - $51,460 CR MPG: Overall 22 / City 14 / Hwy 32 mpg
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Subaru Crosstrek Price Range: $23,145 - $36,345 CR MPG: Overall 29 / City 20 / Hwy 39 mpg
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Mazda CX-9 Price Range: $35,630 - $47,560 CR MPG: Overall 22 / City 15 / Hwy 32 mpg
For additional details of the Consumer Reports' most dependable car for list for 2022 as well as the publication's diverse content, visit. www.consumerreports.org.
As always, The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts.
Bruce Aldrich and I have co-hosted The Weekly Driver Podcast for more than four years. It's available on all major podcast platforms, including TheWeeklyDriver.com. The independent automotive website, which I edit and publish, has been online since 2004.
In this episode, Bruce and I discuss two books about as opposite as feasible — although both are about the automotive world.
Bruce Aldrich (left) and James Raia interview Alex Guberman, an electric vehicle expert who has a vast following on the YouTube Channel, E For Electric on The Weekly Driver Podcast.
We introduce the books as a way of also introducing listeners to the podcast and visitors to the website to Patreon.
The platform allows visitors to the site to support our efforts. The Weekly Driver Online Since 2004 At the bottom of each page is a Patreon logo. If you click on the icon, another page is presented that lists options to support the site and podcast.
For as little as $2 per month, you can help us continue to provide content on The Weekly Driver. Six levels, including as much as $500 per month, are available through a secure payment system.
The Weekly Driver gifts for supporters, including a vast library of books, all from various areas of the automotive industry. If you provide financial support, we'll be happy to mail you a book or two right away. (Please provide your mailing address.
The books we discuss in this episode are 50 First Victories. It chronicles the journey of NASCAR’s best as they drive their way to their landmark first victories. Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt Sr., Jimmie Johnson and Chase are all featured. The book is co-authored by veteran automotive journalists Al Pearce and Mike Hembree. The Weekly Driver Podcast The book I discuss is technically a catalog, but it's chock-full of descriptions and beautiful colors images of the vast display of vintage cars for sale in the inaugural Broad Arrow Auctions. It will be held on Aug. 18 in conjunction with Hagerty's Motorlux event (formerly McCall’s Motorworks Revival) located at the Monterey Jet Center. The auction will feature approximately 90 exceptional motor cars.
In this episode, the website also debuts our affiliate relationship with the hotel reservation system Booking.com. The popular globally renowned business offers the best hotel and car rental prices on the Internet.
By using the affiliate program on my site, you'll secure the same rate as you visiting Booking.com directly. If you reserve a hotel, motel, apartment or other lodging or rent a vehicle, the site receives a commission. The Weekly Driver Feedback As always, The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.
If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.
The podcast has had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com. All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast
Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform. Several of the more prominent platforms are listed below.
Amazon.com
iheartradio
Spotify
Reporter Joe White of Thomson Reuters. Joe White has reported on the automotive industry for more than 40 years. Primarily based in Detroit throughout his career, White worked for The Wall Street Journal for 28 years, including tenures in Brussels and the United Kingdom. Since 2015, White has been employed by Thomson Reuters, the international data company and news service. He writes Auto File, a free, three-day-per-week electronic auto newsletter. It's chock-full of business-oriented news stories and trends in the automotive industry.
While co-host Bruce Aldrich is traveling, I interview White on this week's episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast.
Like the always changing financial landscape, the automotive industry is ever-evolving. White and I discuss the landscape, Elon Musk to autonomous driving, start-ups like Rivian and Lucid, to continuing saga of the supply change strain.
A graduate of Harvard University, White and former Wall Street Journal bureau chief Paul Ingrassia were awarded a Pulitzer Prize for beat reporting for their 1992 coverage of the management turmoil at General Motors Corp.
"I started doing the Auto File almost as a personal side project, most to connect with sources and to connect with people on the (auto) beat," says White. "I was using a free and easy-to-use email service. Anyone who follows the auto industry knows it's a total fire hose of news every day; it just is."
White determined there's so much news, enthusiasts and even those immersed in the industry likely couldn't keep up. Auto File is White's way to aggregate the news and inject his analysis into an electronic auto newsletter.
"Newsletters have definitely become a creative, vital and growing form of delivering news," he says. "A lot of the traditional outlets, like The Wall Street Journal, are starting to use newsletters for the very same reason. They realize that people are just swamped. They're looking for someone to cook down the news in a certain sector."
White was producing the auto newsletter five days a week, but the three days per week is the current format.
"Three days is both plenty and not enough at the same time," jokes White. "You could do a whole newsletter on Elon Musk. You might regret it, but you could do it."
While writing seriously in his auto newsletter on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, White also presents the news with clever headlines, such as references to rock & roll music. He also incorporates images and video.
"It's to lighten things up a bit and not be excessively serious," he says.
Please join me during this episode as my guest provides his opinion of the founder of Tesla, autonomous driving, electric start-up and his preferred personal vehicle of choice.
Subscribe to Auto File and other free newsletters at Reuters Newsletters .
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.
If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.
The podcast is in its fourth year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com.
All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast
Jen Collins knows digital business partnerships from more than two decades of career experience, Fox Entertainment to the Los Angeles Times. In her current capacity, Collins is senior vice president of business development at TuneIn, the world’s leading live streaming audio service.
Collins is our guest this week to discuss TuneIn's new relationship with Rivian, the electric pickup truck and sport utility vehicle manufacturer.
TuneIn and Rivian have a new partnership.
Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia discuss with Collins the TuneIn platform and its integration with the innovative manufacturer as well as other carmakers. TuneIn Expands in Auto Industry "We are really a one-stop shop for the automotive field," says Collins of the expansive TuneIn collection of global music, podcasts, news and sports content . TuneIn is really the radio for Rivian. AM-FM dials are really far away from where we are today."
Bruce and I also talk with Jen about TuneIn's partnership with more well-established manufacturers.
"This is really an exciting time to be working with the automotive industry," she says. "Whether it's upstarts like Rivian or brands that have been known for generations that are reinventing themselves. There's so much creativity, there's such a spark of innovation. Rivian has the access to the full catalog. But I anticipate that how forward-thinking Rivian we will be evolving the service for years to come." TuneIn: News, Sports, Podcasts, Etc. TuneIn reports it has more than 75 million monthly active users and broadcasts over 100,000 owned & operated and partner radio stations. The platform's premium subscribers get exclusive access to commercial-free news from CNN, Fox News Radio, MSNBC, CNBC and Bloomberg, as well as live NFL, NHL and college sports programming and commercial-free music channels.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.
The podcast is in its fourth year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions. Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com.
All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast
Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform. Several of the more prominent platforms are listed below.
Amazon.com
iheartradio
Spotify
Marc O'Dell is the expert you want to talk with when there's an issue with your car.
For the past two-plus years he's worked as an auto expert for JustAnswer.com. The platform connects people with live doctors, lawyers, veterinarians, mechanics and other verified and vetted experts for real-time assistance, insight and answers to just about any question or problem.
The service, available with different payment tiers, is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
JustAnswer.com has experts in many areas including car repairs.
O'Dell, who has more than 25 years of automotive repair industry experience, is our guest this week on The Weekly Driver podcast. Car Repair Needs? Answers Online Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia discuss with Marc how JustAnswer.com works and how he's used his expertise to help customers.
"It just kind of depends on who you are speaking with and what you are talking about," says O'Dell about how he balances his answers between a lay person and an expert seeking his expertise.
"If it's a dealer technician who has specific measurements and specifications ready to go. With that type of stuff you need to be really technical. But dealing with the general public, looking for answers to general questions, like how can I make this work better, you don't need to be so technical."
Marc O'Dell of JustAnswer.com assists customers with their car repair problems.
O'Dell, who works at the dealer and corporate levels with Ford and Chrysler, has helped consumers with mechanical and electrical repair as well as communications and engine performance issues for all domestic and most foreign vehicles. Car Issues? Let JustAnswer.com Help "I've been a getting quite a range of questions lately," O'Dell says. "They've ranged from different maintenance tips to diagnostic questions or how do I test the wiring.
"A lot of people are asking how they can get better fuel mileage and what they can do to save gas and money. A lot of questions are also about maintenance and people trying to make sure their car is well-maintained."
JustAnswer.com, founded in 2003, has more than12,000 experts across 150 categories. It has helped more than 16 million customers across 196 countries.
Join Bruce and me as we talk with O'Dell for 30 minutes about his virtual mechanic responsibilities.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.
If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews. The podcast is in its fourth year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions. Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com.
All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast
Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform. Several of the more prominent platforms are listed below. Amazon.com
iheartradio
Spotify
WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca has a diverse annual motorsports calendar. It began this year in April with the Trans Am Superfest and continues through mid-October with the Velocity Invitational. Next month is the busiest time of the year with the iconic facility heavy into the mix of Monterey Auto Week.
Barry Toepke, Director of Heritage Events & Public Relations at WeatherTech Raceway, is our guest this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast. A guest three times previously, Toepke shares with co-host Bruce Aldrich in Episode #233 the upcoming schedule, notably the Monterey Pre-Reunion (Aug. 13-14) and Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion (Aug. 17-20).
The annual Reunion, according to raceway officials, is a "museum revving to life with hundreds of historic and period-correct race and sports cars from nearly every era."
WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca is approaching its busiest of the season, Monterey Auto Week.
Besides the usual collections of vintage racing, the venue this year is the official start of a year-long celebration of the 100th anniversary of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Barry Toepke, Director of Heritage Events & Public Relations at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.
Cultivated from private collections or museums and no longer driven in competition, more the 50 vehicles with pedigrees as overall winners or first in class at LeMans will be highlighted in a heritage legends building. The cars' histories will also be detailed in video, historic images and storyboards. The first Porsche (1970) and the last Ferrari (1965) to win the overall title will be included in the historic display.
"It will arguably be the largest collection of authentic Le Mans-winning cars ever in one place in America," said Toepke. "We'll be the kickoff launch event for a year-long celebration. It's quite an honor and we don't take it lightly."
Representatives of the race held yearly in June on the Circuit de la Sarthe have been invited to the festivities. Motorsports Reunion officials recently announced Tom Kristensen of Denmark, the record-holding, nine-time winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans will serve as Grand Marshal and will autograph sessions.
The previous week at WeatherTech Raceway more than 300 historic race cars, most competing days later in the Reunion, will get valuable track time in a more relaxed and less-crowded environment. The field is comprised of carefully selected entries by our selection committee.
Bruce and James also discuss with Toepke the upcoming Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey (Sept. 9-11) as well as the selection of Bill Warner as Chief Steward, a newly created position. Listen to our previous discussions with Toepke:
185 West Coast Bike Week Set For Monterey Peninsula Debut
170 WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca Set For Racing Season
128 WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca Adjust To Covid-19, Stays On Course
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us. Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.
If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.
The podcast is in its fourth year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com. All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.
After several years of negotiation and testing, Cruise was at the front of the autonomous line last week. It became the first driverless taxi service in San Francisco to charge for its services. The limited service area program features solo occupants getting rides in Chevrolet Bolts.
The system is currently geofenced to the Northwest corner of the city of San Francisco, mostly residential areas in a grid of low-speed streets.
Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia talk with Jackie Shannon, Director of Product Management at Cruise, in this episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast.
The Cruise driverless taxi service debuted last week in San Francisco.
The episode was taped the day after Cruise's debut. We were curious to hear about the company's feedback from passengers the day after its first night of operation. Cruise: Limited Debut in San Francisco Shannon shared details of the company's background and its purpose as a ride-share option.
The company's spokeswoman also explained the anticipated popularity of the autonomous car ride-share program, particularly among women passengers seeking increased safety.
Bruce and I have co-hosted the podcast for more than four years. We keep the 30-minute episodes light. We provide exposure for our guests and their product and services. On many occasions, guests have told us how much they enjoyed the conversation.
Our conversation with Jackie Shannon was enjoyable, but she was "guarded." The conversation was coordinated by Tiffany Tesso, Senior Manager of Engineering External Communications at Cruise. We appreciate her diligence and assistance in finalizing the episode and her last-minute technical consult.
Tesso told us she would be monitoring the podcast, which was agreeable. But what we did not appreciate was being instructed during the interview to "stay on topic." We were told Shannon's job was only to discuss "user experience." Cruise: Let Reporters Due Their Jobs We've edited out the intrusions, part of an unprofessional, passé PR tactic used to control an interview. We hope you enjoy the remaining conversation about the autonomous industry and its fast-moving future.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.
If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.
The podcast is in its fourth year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com.
All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast
Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform. Several of the more prominent platforms are listed below.
Amazon.com iheartradio Spotify
Not too many days pass without the automobile, truck or RV industry abuzz. But it's not always about Elon Musk, Tesla and the latest delay of his electric pickup truck.
Sometimes, Bruce and I just have to get caught up in other auto news, and that's what we do on this episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast.
We cover several topics. Bruce and his wife Alene recently returned their fifth trip in their new fifth-wheel RV, a 29-foot Keystone Cougar, towed by their 2022 Ford F-250 pickup truck. Bruce updates listeners with his tales from the road — hot weather to windy driving conditions.
Happier Camper makes small, retro RV beauties.
"We've got it down; my wife and I," Bruce says. "We know what to do. But it's like flying an airplane. You almost need to go through a checklist, hooking up. I make a lot of mistakes, but I haven't wrecked anything yet."
While driving about 300 miles North to South from Sacramento in the Central Valley of California in strong tail winds, Bruce and Alene's RV average a "wonderful 10.1 miles per gallon." The return trip was meat with massive head winds and the RV averaged 9.2 mpg.
While Bruce and his wife were traveling, I attended the Outdoor Retailer show in Denver as was enamored by RVing of a different kind — Happier Camper.
Cruise, an autonomous electric taxi, has received permission to operate in California.
The Los Angeles-based company makes three small fiberglass trailers, retro style, efficient and as attractive as any classic vehicle — except new. They're lightweight, modular and have port windows. Bruce and I chat about the little trailers that can.
Bruce and I also discuss the pending arrival of Cruise, the e-taxi service in California. We chat about the new survey by iseecars.com on favorite used car colors. And there are a few other "odds and ends" from the automotive industry.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.
If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.
The podcast is in its fourth year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com.
All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast
Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform. Several of the more prominent platforms are listed below.
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Bruce Meyer loves 1932 Fords. He owns 10. It may seem excessive unless you're a founding member of the Petersen Auto Museum in Los Angeles and it just unveiled an exhibition honoring the 90th anniversary of the vehicles and their iconic legacy as hot rods.
Meyer, 90, founding chairman of the museum, is our guest this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast. Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia discuss with Meyer the country's most well-known museum and its celebration of the cars often known by their moniker, "Deuce."
The exhibit began earlier in June with a celebration and honor given to Billy Gibbons, the lead guitarist and primary vocalist of the rock band ZZ Top. Gibbons is also a Deuce enthusiast as well as a collector of other vintage cars of the era. Four of the band's videos include a 1933 Ford Coupe.
One of the 1932 Fords on display at the Petersen Auto Museum in Los Angeles in a new exhibit celebrating the car's 90th birthday. Images courtesy of the Petersen Auto Museum.
"My family didn't have a lot of money and my grandparents couldn't afford a car," said Meyer. "In my family, cars were the biggest waste of time and resources.
"But I was born loving cars. I have been a car guy my entire life; my family just couldn't understand it. They told me to get off of it and go get a job."
According to the Petersen Auto Museum exhibit information, nearly 275,000 of the cars were sold despite debuting in one of the worst years of the Great Depression. The 1932 Ford's popularity was largely connected to its V8 engine and modest price. Petersen Auto Museum: Beach Boys' Influence The car's popularity further expanded when the Beach Boys released Little Deuce Coupe, the band's fourth album, in 1963. The lead single had the same name.
The Petersen Auto Museum exhibit, Ford Fever: The Deuce Turns 90, is Meyer's joy. It includes the McGee Roadster, Flathead Roadster, Victoria Sedan and many other Deuce examples.
Many body styles of '32 Fords are on display in a new exhibit at the Petersen Auto Museum in Los Angeles.
"This is a big deal," said Meyer of the exhibit. "The '32 Ford, in my world, is really the genesis of hot rodding. That's the one that matters to me. We have a fabulous display."
Please join Bruce and me for episode #230 of the podcast as we embrace Meyer's expertise about his collection and the legacy of the Petersen Auto Museum.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.
If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.
The podcast is in its fourth year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com. All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast
Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform. Several of the more prominent platforms are listed below.
Amazon.com
iheartradio
Spotify
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Tracy Broshar began riding motorcycles at age 19 but she hadn't ridden for years out of respect for her partner's wishes. When her partner died three years ago and the effects of Covid-19 hit, Broshar "felt lost."
"I kept thinking, 'what can I do to get myself out of this,' " the resident of Sacramento recently explained. "I know I couldn't ride two-wheelers anymore because I needed a knee replacement. I started looking online and I found the three-wheelers and history was written."
Broshar, 63, now a passionate rider and advocate of three-wheel motorcycles, is our guest on this episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast.
Tracy Broshar of Sacramento began riding three-wheel motorcycles in her early 60s.
Co-host Bruce Aldrich and I talk with the rider (she's a close neighbor in East Sacramento) about her experiences on her Can-Am Spyder, a three-wheel, 1,300 cc motorcycle manufactured by Can-Am Motorcycles, a division of Bombardier Recreational Products. Three-Wheel Motorcycles: Confidence Builder "It's a very comfortable fit; it kind gives you a little bit of self-confidence if you haven't ridden a two-wheeler before," said Broshar. "They are independent suspension so you're not going to roll over on them like the old three-wheel bikes, so it's a much more comfortable ride."
Unlike driving a two-wheeler, Broshar says she has more control on the road when riding three-wheel motorcycles. They have a single rear drive wheel and two wheels in front for steering.
"One thing I've noticed is that the car people like us," she said. "I have more people wanting to stop and talk about it. I even have young men going by with their thumbs up."
Broshar, who sold her first-three-wheeler her now riding partner, upgraded to the Can-Am with cruise control. She uses her vehicle on weekend trips and she's driven round-trip from Sacramento to Missouri. The woman who purchased Broshar's first bike had never ridden a two-wheel motorcycle and she became a three-wheel enthusiast at age 65. Three-Wheel Motorcycles: Road Comfort Please join Bruce and me as our guest explains the comfort of riding a three-wheeler and shares many of her experiences. She's ridden to Oregon and nearly across the country on Route 66. She rides in small groups but also enjoy solo travel.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.
If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.
The podcast is in its fourth year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com.
All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast
Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform. Several of the more prominent platforms are listed below. Amazon.com
iheartradio
Spotify
David Lloyd Glover, a former newspaper illustrator who has worked as a full-time artist since 1969, created the auto museum artwork in the showrooms of vehicles and architecture in the Newport Car Museum.
A week after Gunther Buerman, visionary and founder of the museum was our guest on The Weekly Driver Podcast, Lloyd Glover joined the podcast to discuss his collaborations with the auto museum.
A long-time vintage car collector, Lloyd Glover works often with translucent watercolors using the classic British technique. His work has been featured in numerous galleries in the United States and internationally. He works in a studio in Pacific Palisades in Southern California overlooking Malibu Beach.
David Lloyd Glover is known for his oversized creations including many examples on display at the Newport Auto Museum.
With the museum's specialty of mixing automobiles with architecture and art, Lloyd Glover was the ideal artist to add his creativity as a complement to the 85 vehicles on display. Auto museum in Rhode Island features cars and art Co-host Bruce Aldrich is on vacation this week, so I interview the artist about his long career, his interest in vintage cars and his work with the Newport Car Museum.
"People who love automotive art generally are people who can't afford the real thing," says Lloyd Glover. "The car I have created as a piece of art, say it's a Cobra or a Ferrari, or whatever, it's certainly out of everyone's grasp, especially these days."
Often described as a “vivid impressionist painter,” Lloyd Glover's work at the auto museum helps better tell the story of eight decades of automotive design and history.
David Lloyd Glover has many examples of auto museum artwork at the Newport Car Museum in Rhode Island.
"I started being a car nut back in the 1960s," he says. "In those days, a decent sports car was actually very affordable. I started collecting when I was very young. I got in with another collector friend of mine who happened to have a full auto shop, so that helped. Auto Museum: What was once cheap, now isn't "We would buy sports cars inexpensively, which would include Mustangs and Chevelles, cars that were performance cars and muscle cars. They were inexpensive in those days; they are not anymore."
Lloyd Glover, who was contacted by Buerman, is known for his oversized works, some as large as 10’ X 20’. Additional examples at the Newport Car Museum, include the Fin Car Gallery’s “Marilyn (Monroe) and Joe (DiMaggio)” placed behind a bright-red 1959 Cadillac Series 62 Convertible located in the Corvette Gallery’s powerful C6-R in race mode."
Please join me for an entertaining podcast episode as the renowned artist details his art career, including one of his combined passions of automobiles and automotive art offered in the famous auto museum located just outside of Newport, R.I.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us. Auto Museum: The Weekly Driver podcast now 4 1/2 Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.
If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.
The podcast is in its fourth year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions. Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com.
Mark Glover, the long-time Sacramento-based journalist, will continue his passion for motorsports this week. He will attend the Indy 500 for the 58th time.
It will be a family affair. Glover's son will accompany his father for the 30th time.
The 106th Indy 500 is scheduled May 29 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Glover is our guest on this episode of The Weekly Driver podcast. Co-host Bruce Aldrich and I talk with the Indy 500 historian about his legacy at the race, the event he first attended with his father when he was a young boy.
Glover was also our guest on Episode #39 in 2018.
We also talk with Glover in Episode #227 about iconic drivers. From four-time winner A.J. Foyt to Hélio Castroneves and his chances of breaking the career-win record shared by Foyt, Al Unser and Rick Mears. Indy 500: Veterans, Rookies Intriguing We also discuss changes in the race and its evolving cars, Mark's favorite drivers and memories from the race
"I'm kind of chomping at the bit because I missed the two," says Glover, of the Covid-19 altered event. "Of course, no one could go in 2020; And last year, they didn't want you to go through airports and it was still shaky and I didn't go.
"I am literally starving for my Indy 500 fix. What really intrigues me this year is the mix of veterans and young folks. You have some very capable older drivers, multiple winners of the race, names that are instantly recognizable throughout the field and then you have a lot of kids. Indy 500: Unknown Winner? "It is possible this time around that on Sunday race day you could have a winner, a young man who 98 percent of the sporting public has no idea who he is."
Glover is also a long-time automotive columnist. Read his new car reviews and automotive features on his website AutoGlo.
The 106th Indianapolis 500 is scheduled Sunday, May 29.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.
If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.
The podcast is in its fourth year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions. Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com. All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast
Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform. Several of the more prominent platforms are listed below.
Amazon.com iheartradio Spotify
Approaching its fifth anniversary, the Newport Car Museum is the largest automotive museum in New England. It celebrates seven decades of modern industrial car design represented in more than 85 vehicles.
It's all the vision of owners Gunther and Maggie Buerman. The couple, who live in Highland Beach, Florida, and Newport, R.I., opened the museum in 2017. It's located about 20 miles north of Newport in Portsmouth.
The Newport Car Museum has a varied collection of vehicles and a corresponding history museum.
Gunther Buerman, originally from Mannheim, Germany, moved as a young boy with his family to New York. His interest in automobiles began when he practiced wax paper transfer etchings of car advertisements from National Geographic Magazine. He was willed a 1966 Ford Mustang convertible in the mid-1980s from an uncle and his passion for cars hasn't waned.
A former chairman of Harris Beach, LLC, a major New York law firm and current chairman of American Rock Salt Co. in Retsof, N.Y., Buerman is my guest on Episode #226 of The Weekly Driver Podcast.
The vehicles is the Newport Car Museum are owned by Gunther Buerman.
Co-host Bruce Aldrich and I interview the car collector and avid sailor about his nearly lifelong interest in cars and his decision to start a museum.
"It was a wonderful, wonderful car that I admire for a long time," recalls Buerman. "But my love of cars started before then. I especially remember drawing over some of those cars from Studebaker and Packard dealerships of that time and important Mercedes.
The Newport Car Museum has more than 85 vehicles on display.
"I was so enamored by the Gullwing that was pictured in the middle of National Geographic and doing my own rendition of it. In fourth grade when they had vocation day and asked, 'What do you want to be when you grow up?' Everyone wanted to be doctors, lawyers and Indian Chiefs; I wanted to be president of General Motors."
The Newport Car Museum is far more than its iconic cars from Ford and Shelby to Fin Cars and Muscle Cars. The varied collection is a also museum for complemented mid-20th Center Modern furnishings by renowned international designers and automotive artworks by Los Angeles-based artist David Lloyd Glover.
Please join us for an entertaining episode with Gunther Buerman. His passion for automobiles is readily apparent.
For information visit: The Newport Car Museum
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.
If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.
The podcast is in its fourth year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com. All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast
Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform. Several of the more prominent platforms are listed below:
Amazon.com iheartradio Spotify
Chris Bright remains as enthusiastic and energized as the vintage car enthusiast and businessman was last July when his new company Collector Part Exchange debuted.
Bruce Aldrich and I interviewed Bright last summer, just before Monterey Auto Week, for Episode #190 of The Weekly Driver Podcast. Collector Part Exchange: Nearing One-Year Anniversary Chris Bright is the co-founder of Collector Part Exchange.
A few weeks later, we met him and his business partner and co-founder Aaron Laliberte at the annual show to talk all things vintage cars and online businesses.
Bruce is on vacation this week traveling on another sojourn with his wife Alene in their new Recreational Vehicles So I interviewed Bright from his home in Portland, Oregon in Episode #225.
Much has happened for Collector Part Exchange in its short tenure. It's promoted as a modern-day global automotive swap meet for vintage parts. The niche wasn't being addressed online, but it is now.
"It's all been moving in the right direction, which is what you hope for when you start a business," said Bright, a tech entrepreneur who switched careers when his previous company was acquired to start Collector Part Exchange. "One of the things I've always been frustrated with as a car person was trying to find parts for my cars." Collector Part Exchange: Niche Market "Trying to find parts online was very frustrating. It's typically more of an old school space with telephone calls and lots of back and forth trying to get what you need."
Bright, who has a master degree in international affairs from George Washington University, worked in high tech startups for more than 25 years. Most recently he co-founded a legal software company called Zapproved. It was acquired by Vista Equity Partners.
Collector Park Exchange also recently featured its first auction, and Bright also publishes a free weekly e-newsletter. Each edition features an interview or opinion from the author, and it highlights available vintage parts area on the site.
Visit: www.collectorpartexchage.com Collector Part Exchange: Let The Weekly Driver Podcast Assist The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.
If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.
The podcast is in its fourth year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com.
All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast
Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform. Several of the more prominent platforms are listed below.
Amazon.com iheartradio Spotify
Joe Wiesenfelder, the executive editor of cars.com, recently returned from the New York Auto Show. Electric vehicles continue to be emphasized in the automotive market space, and Wiesenfelder is our guest on this episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast to discuss it.
Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia talk with the veteran journalist about the influx of new manufacturers in the EV segment as wells as the health of the segment.
The Mustang Mach-E is among the influx of new EVs cars.com is monitoring as the segment expands. Image © James Raia
Can any new EV carmaker, Rivian to Lucid to Polestar to VinFast, challenge Tesla? Can any mainstream manufacturer launch a sustainable EV? Cars.com: Will auto shows remain? Some high-end manufacturers have discontinued the tradition of debuting new models at auto shows, particularly the major events in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York and Detroit. We talk about that.
Wiesenfelder discusses with us the health of auto shows and his recent experiences attending the Chicago and New York events.
The industry continues to suffer because of the microchip shortage and also we discuss inventory shortages and the effects of rising fuel costs. That topic is also in our interview.
Cars.com also has a new EV Buying Guide and the site's staff picks in top EVs in different categories. Cars.com: Curious about EVs? The website will host its second Cars.com's Guide for the EV Curious on April 28. Cars.com's editors will share their Top EV Picks and answer your questions about electric vehicles and EV ownership during a Live Q&A. Visit cars.com to register.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.
If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews. Cars.com: Editors on three podcast episodes The podcast is in its fourth year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com.
All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast
Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform. Several of the more prominent platforms are listed below.
Amazon.com iheartradio Spotify
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Like many automotive enthusiasts, Alessandro Borroni has a passion for automobiles that extends past his appreciation for fast cars and iconic carmakers. He's giving back to the community while the inviting like-minded to mingle among peers, drive iconic machines and raise money.
The result is the Hypercar Invitational. The fourth-year event will be held June 9-12 headquartered at WeatherTech Laguna Seca Raceway.
Borroni, the founder of the event, is our guest on this episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast.
Alessandro Borroni, founder of the Hypercar Invitational, and some of the event's hypercars.
Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia discuss with Borroni, the genesis of the event, how it's expanded and what's planned for this summer's event.
But just what is the Hyper Invitational?
The exclusive offers an opportunity to not only preview a selection of hypercars but drive them on a closed track.
"It's really hard to start something news," says Borroni during our 30-minute interview. "There's a lot of explaining and convincing, especially with the car companies and that they should come and spend their money is a totally new concept. But little by little, we're doing it. It's been an incredibly fun process."
Three years ago, the Hypercar Invitational partnered with Make-A-Wish Greater Bay Area and made the foundation the chief beneficiary of proceeds raised before the event.
Alessandro Borroni, founder of the Hypercar Invitational.
Money is raised by allowing the public to bid on charitable passenger laps in featured vehicles that will be at this year's show in June.
Whoever wins the bid is also invited to Hypercar Invitational, which is closed to the general public. Last year, the event raised $70,000 and it hopes to substantially increase the amount this year.
Advocates of the Hypercar Invitational compare it to The Quail: A Motorsports Gathering. It's a well-heeled event held during the annual Monterey Auto Week in August.
According to an event spokesperson, "The best way to visualize Hypercar Invitational is to imagine The Quail but move it to Laguna Seca and allow people to drive those cars on track (and a runway)."
"Unlike Quail, the Hypercar Invitational is closed to the public. Invited guests include executives from featured manufacturers, designers, engineers, drivers, and other industry VIPs."
The organization’s mission is to become the premier dynamic launch platform for new sports cars, with a strong focus on charitable giving to Make-A-Wish Greater Bay Area.
Details of the event's itinerary, donation options and additional event details are posted on https://www.hypercarinvitational.com.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.
If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.
The podcast is in its fourth year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com.
All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast
Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform. Several of the more prominent platforms are listed below.
Amazon.com iheartradio Spotify
The VW Golf is the third best-selling car in history, behind the top-selling Toyota Corolla and Ford F-Series of pickup trucks. More than 35 million of the versatile vehicles have sold since the car's debut as a 1974 edition.
With the motoring icon approaching its 50th anniversary, author Russell Hayes has expanded and upgraded his book The Volkswagen Golf Story to include the full Golf 7 range and the latest incarnation, the Golf 8. The new edition is available from Behemoth Publishing
Co-host Bruce Aldrich is on assignment, so I interview Hayes this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast.
Russell Hayes has authored his eighth book and second on the VW Golf.
"Europe has always been the Golf's natural habitat; it's been one of the top sellers for a long time and I believe it still might be right now, " said Hayes while describing details of his eighth book. "But in the U.S., it's had a very interesting up and down career. VW: The long winding road "Although largely it's been replaced by the Jetta, I found the story of the Golf in the U.S. very interesting because they built them here between 1978 and 1987. It was trying to be a homegrown Golf and it was quite different than the European one."
As Hayes details in Episode #222, VW Golf buyers in the U.S. eventually decided they'd rather have a European edition and U.S. production shutdown.
The marketing for the second edition of The Volkswagen Golf Story elaborates:
"The Volkswagen Golf is a motoring paradox, seemingly never really changing its look but always pushing technical development forward as a ‘classless’ car which still carries a ‘premium’ feel about it. While the VW Golf wasn’t the first front-wheel-drive hatchback, its interpretation established the template for others to follow and the benchmark by which they are still judged today." VW: Lots of key industry players Author Russell Hayes discusses the history of VW in his book Volkswagen Beetles and Buses.
From the development of the first VW Golf to interviews with key figures — Volkswagen's first designer to its former chairman — the book is the definitive history of the iconic vehicle.
A London-based motoring author, Hayes has written eight books, including the first edition of The Volkswagen Golf Story in 2014. He has also written about the VW Beetle and Type 2 van. Other subjects have been as mixed as Lotus, the Ford Cortina, Aston Martin V8s and the Earls Court Motor Show.
Hayes, also a guest on The Weekly Driver Post on Episodes #209 and #153, was formerly a motoring journalist for British magazines and national newspapers. He has also worked for TV programs such as Top Gear, The Car’s the Star and Driven. VW: The little car phenomenon Please join me for an intriguing 30 minute-episode as Hayes and I discuss the phenomenon of the Volkswagen Golf.
Hayes was also a guest on:
Episode #209: The Big Book of Tiny Cars
Episode #153: Volkswagen: Beetle to Buses, Smaller and Smarter.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.
If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.
The podcast is in its fourth year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions. Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James R...
German engineer Carl Benz was the first to design a car around the internal combustion engine rather than adding an engine to an existing wagon or carriage, a critical insight in auto evolution.
Benz, who died in 1929, is often called the inventor of the modern automobile. With six additional luminaries, all patent holders whose inventions range from cataract surgery to the Super Soaker will be honored as part of the latest class of National Inventors Hall of Fame (NIHF) inductees.
The National Inventors Hall of Fame will inductee Carl Benz this year.
Rini Paiva, the NIHF executive vice president for selection and recognition, is our guest this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast.
Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia discuss with Paiva the selection of Benz to this year's inductees. We also discuss the organization, its mission and the selection process of the honored individuals.
"We really wanted the give the people who have changed our worlds the proper recognition they deserve," said Paiva of the multi-pronged organization, including its museum located in Alexandria, Va. "It's where we can celebrate the inventors who we are talking about."
According to his bio posted on the NIHF website, Benz partnered with co-investors in 1882 to establish Benz & Cie. to market a stationary two-stroke engine he had developed. Its success allowed Benz to focus on developing a lighter engine for vehicles. The two-stroke engine was impractical for this purpose, so Benz set to work on increasing the speed of the four-stroke engine by developing the ignition and valve control.
By 1886, Benz had built a gasoline-powered three-wheeled vehicle, the first to combine an internal combustion engine with an integrated chassis. The two rear wheels supported the 0.75 hp strong, single-cylinder engine, and the front wheel was connected to the steering tiller inside the passenger compartment.
The National Inventors Hall of Fame, located in Alexandria, Virginia, will induct modern car inventor Carl Benz this year.
Debuting on the streets of Mannheim in July 1886, it had all the main components of today's internal combustion engines: a crankshaft, electric ignition and water cooling. It traveled about 10 km on a liter of gasoline (about 23 mpg), reached a top speed of 16 kph (about 10 mph) and is considered by experts as the first practical, gasoline-powered automobile to be commercially available.
"It's very difficult, it's interesting and sometimes it can even be fun," said Paiva, light-heartedly. "We don't limit the inventors were are looking at to any particular area. The main requirement is that they have a U.S. patent. "The other thing that we look for and that our selection committee is where the inventors have done has impacted our lives."
The inductees will be honored at “The Greatest Celebration of American Innovation,” on May 4-5.
Danica McKellar, star of the TV show “The Wonder Years,” Hallmark Channel regular and author of New York Times bestselling “McKellar Math” books — will serve as master of ceremonies.
Please join Bruce and me for an informative discussion with Paiva about the pending celebration and the legacy of Carl Benz.
To learn more about the event, visit: www.invent.org/induction.
For general NIHF information, visit: www.invent.org.
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Matt Moore, Senior Vice President of Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI), oversees the organization's research program, the collection of vehicle information and the production of loss data.
A complementary company to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, HLDI processes insurance data from companies that represent approximately 85 percent of the U.S. private passenger auto insurance market.
IIHS, HLDI, Progressive work together for improved auto safety.
Moore is our guest this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast. Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia interview the automobile safety expert with an emphasis on his involvement in a new study released in conjunction with Progressive Insurance titled Does Tech Make Driving Safer?
The HLDI reported in 2020 that forward collision warning combined with automatic braking reduced front-to-rear crashes by 50 percent and crashes with injuries by 56 percent.
Moore reiterated the importance of the report's findings.
"The big one and the I feel the most personal satisfaction about is front auto-braking systems," says Moore. "These are systems that eliminate a lot of problems related to human error, inattention or rapidly emerging circumstances.
"The vehicle is just watching the road and the environment ahead and if it senses a crash-imminent situation it's going to hit the brakes for you."
"The great news is that in September of this year, as a consequence of the work that IIHS and HLDI did and with the voluntary commitment of the National Highway Traffic Administration that the vast majority of vehicles sold are going to have that front auto brake system."
Join Bruce and me as we discuss with Moore the collaborative work of the IIHS and HLDI to further increase driving safety. To read the full Progressive study, visit: Does Tech Make Driving Safer?
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.
If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.
The podcast is in its fourth year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com.
All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast
Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform. Several of the more prominent platforms are listed below.
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Spencer, Kristi and Kade Stevens, otherwise known as the Adventurtunity Family, live full-time in their RV. The family is traveling throughout the United States, embracing a lifestyle they've determined is best — at least for now.
Spencer is our guest this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast. Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia talk with the husband and father about the trio's RV adventures. He discusses the beauty of seeing the country to the challenges of the road.
The Stevens' lifestyle is also the family's business, both achieved from the confines of a Class A, 2017 Holiday Rambler Vacationer 36H.
The Adventurtunity Family on the road and celebrating in front of their RV.
With their website and other social media outlets and with the RV and lifestyle sponsors' support, the husband-wife and their 5-year-old young are about as far removed from their previous corporate employment world as feasible.
It's an RV lifestyle many families may dream about, but not many accomplish.
"In April 2019 we returned from a six-week trip to New Zealand and Australia where we quickly realized our current day-to-day life wasn’t aligning with the direction we wanted for our family," Spencer details on the family's website and as he reiterated to us in episode #219.
"We had goals and dreams, like everyone else, but weren’t taking steps to make them a reality. It wasn’t until we asked ourselves one simple question, “If you had everything you needed to make a change, would you?” that we finally took action."
"We sold it all to live in our home on wheels, traveling the countryside together. Little did we know that selling most of our things and living small would actually give us more than we ever had before!"
Last September marked the family's one-year anniversary on the road. They sold their home and most of their possessions and began living full-time in their RV.
Reaching the family in Texas, Bruce and I cover discuss with Spencer many areas of life on the road, from meals to educating a child, meeting people to driving.
Please join Bruce and me for a lively episode.
The travels of the Adventurtunity Family can be followed on the family's social media presence:
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/adventurtunityfamily/
FACEBOOK: https://youtu.be/DnF7pzJsVEo
HOLIDAY RAMBLER: https://www.holidayrambler.com/travel-blog/
WEBSITE: https://www.adventurtunityfamily.com
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.
If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.
The podcast is in its fourth year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com.
All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast
Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform. Several of the more prominent platforms are listed below.
Amazon.com
iheartradio
Spotify
Mike Mueller is an automotive expert among automotive experts. A journalist for more than 30 years, he has written and provided accompanying photography for more than 30 books on the Ford Mustang.
He's contributed images to many additional books and he's written for many prestigious industry publications.
Mueller is my guest this week on episode No. 218 of The Weekly Driver Podcast.
Author Mike Mueller on the iconic Ford Mustang.
Co-host Bruce Aldrich is on vacation, so Mueller and I discuss his latest and just-released updated and revised book, The Complete Book of Ford Mustang. Ford Mustang: A nearly 60-year icon It's a coffee table-sized volume with more than 550 color photographs and complementary text included in 320 pages.
Created in cooperation with Ford and providing extensive details, specifications and photographic coverage, the book is the "ultimate resource on America's best-loved pony car."
According to the book's marketing materials, the Ford Mustang is the only vehicle that deserves the title "pony car." Ford Mustang: Original Pony Car "From the first six-cylinder Mustang of 1964 1/2 through the fire-breathing, world-beating Boss and Shelby versions of the 1960s and early '70s, to today's Mustang Mach 1 and Shelby GT500, the Complete Book of Ford Mustang offers an in-depth look at prototypes and experimental models, the anniversary and pace cars and the specialty packages for street and competition driving that have made the Mustang an automotive legend for nearly 60 years."
Please join me for an upbeat 30-minute podcast with Mueller about the Ford Mustang and his long career as an automotive journalist.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.
If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.
The podcast is in its fourth year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com.
All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast
Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform. Several of the more prominent platforms are listed below.
Amazon.com iheartradio Spotify
New RVs. A massive Tesla recall. Hyundai's new hip pickup. The World Car of the Year nominations. It's all covered — and more — this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast.
Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia don't have a guest on Episode No. 117, which gives us the ideal opportunity to catch up with the never-ending and always-changing automotive landscape.
We start with the continuing still-new exploits of Bruce and his wife's adventures in their 29-foot Keystone RV and its towing vehicle a new Ford F-250 pickup truck. Bruce details learning the nuances of backing the RV into a camping site and his quickly advancing skill set as a first-time RV owner.
Will the Tesla Cybertruck ever debut?
Depending upon perspective, Elon Musk is the most important person in the show business of automobiles or he's the industry's constant enigma. Or, maybe he's both at the same time.
Anyway, Musk is never content and nor are his Tesla products ever status quo. With a few recent days, Musk announced Tesla wouldn't offer any new models in 2022, including the now delayed debut of the Tesla Cybertruck.
A few days later, Tesla had the first of three recalls so far in 2022. Bruce and I discuss the recent Tesla issues and Musk's continuous souring relationship with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Bruce and talk about the issue and Musk's expanding image of a human deflector shield.
The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz pickup truck is a debut vehicle for the South Korean manufacturer.
One of the hottest trends in the industry is the of new smaller trucks. Hyundai not too long ago introduced its new unibody Santa Cruz. I recently reviewed it for a week and was enamored by the South Korean manufacturer's maiden voyage in the truck lightweight truck segment. Bruce and I also discuss the Santa Cruz and the pending arrival of other new trucks from Ford to Rivian, Chevrolet to Ram.
And we also discuss top-10 finalists for World Car of the Year honors. The list and the eventual winner are connected to the marketing of the New York International Auto Show. It's scheduled for April 15-24, with the awards in many categories announced April 13.
The list of the top-10 finalists couldn't be more diverse — The Ford Mustang Mach-E to the Toyota GR86.
Please join Bruce and me this week for another lively 30 minutes of our weekly podcast.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.
If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.
The podcast is in its fourth year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com. All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast
Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform. Several of the more prominent platforms are listed below.
Amazon.com iheartradio Spotify
It seemed odd at first to see the booth for Arôme d’Art at the Unveiled Expo at the recent Consumer Electrics Show in Las Vegas. Diffusers aren't new, but the product and the approach to the distribution of fragrances in homes and offices — and in cars and trucks — is new.
It's called a "Multisensory Clean-Air Fragrance System."
Doug Patton, CEP of Patton Design, the consulting industrial design firm and inventor of Arôme d’Art, a new defuser that combines natural aroma and natural essential oils and art, is our guest on this episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast.
"All these things that you buy for fragrance in the store, including to put in your car is probably about 20 percent solvents," says Patton. "So what you are doing, you might as well inhale unleaded gasoline. It's horrible. We decided we wanted to go with all-natural fragrances."
While home use was the original idea, Arôme d’Art is expanding. For automobile use, Patton says, the defuser can "fill the entirety of your car of less than 30 seconds."
The company displayed different manufacturers' logos as the removal top covers of the diffuser.
"It took about a year or a year and a half to blend all the fragrances," says Patton. "Many people may know, like wine, fragrances are divided into top, middle and bottom notes. It was an experience creating these innovations.
"In all of the focus groups we've had with perfumists across the nation, there are rave reviews of these rare fragrances we decided in is fragrances from these countries of their origin, so we have France, Spain, Greece and China."
Please join Bruce and me as we discuss with Patton the product and its uses with an emphasis in cars and trucks.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.
Arome d'Art diffuser are available in numerous varieties.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.
If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.
The podcast is in its fourth year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com.
All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast
Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform. Several of the more prominent platforms are listed below.
Amazon.com iheartradio Spotify
FerrParts is a Sacramento business that strives to lead the independent Ferrari parts distributor industry for the international Ferrari community.
It's succeeded so well, the company recently expanded its business to include Maserati, Lamborghini, McLaren and Bentley.
Russell Putnam, the owner of the Ferrai parts company, is our guest this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast.
FerrParts in Sacramento caters to owners of exotic Italian cars needing Ferrari parts.
Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia discuss with Putnam his business, from how it started to its expansion into other areas of the exotic car world.
Putnam began his Ferrari business following a successful real estate career. He bought a salvaged Ferrari 355.
"I had sold 100 rentals and I had enough cash to buy a new one, but there was something about my 'inner-guyness' to save a buck that I could repair a Ferrari myself," Putman says.
"You know, for one-third of the money and have a project and something to enjoy. The disease just grew into the company, one of the largest, if the not largest Ferrari parts distributors in the world."
FerrParts imports genuine Ferrari parts from Europe, factories, and dealer closeouts with new parts arriving daily. The inventory covers a broad range of models and includes the rarest to the most common parts.
The company's motto: "If we don’t have it, we can get it."
Please join Bruce and me as we hear from Putnam how his first exotic car business has grown into two additional companies www.ferraripartsexchange.com and Ferrsurance.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.
If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.
The podcast is in its fourth year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com. All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast
Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform. Several of the more prominent platforms are listed below.
Amazon.com iheartradio Spotify
Every winter for the past 17 years, proprietors of Lapland Driving School in Sweden prepare acres of frozen tundra for the specialty automotive niche of drifting while ice driving.
The facility, offering 14 varied circuits on nearly 3,000 acres, is located at Lake Udjaur near Arjeplog in Sweden. It's a three-hour airplane flight from Munich, Germany or Paris, France. Ice Driving: Fast & Controlled The lure of learning the skills to maneuver elite vehicles at high speeds on challenging, albeit on controlled surfaces, attracts participants from around the world, California to Brazil.
Ice driving in Lapland is a niche sport for three months every year.
Alix Masson, marketing director for the driving school, is our guest on this episode of The Weekly Driver podcast.
Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia contacted Masson in Paris as the driving school was preparing for the first of this year's guests. Ice Driving: Five Formula-1 Tracks Masson explains it takes 10 professionals with more than 40 years of combined experience to prepare the ice driving circuits. Among the courses are at 1:1 scales formula-1 tracks such as YAS Marina in Abu Dhabi, Circuit Paul Ricard, Nürburgring, Le Mans and Silverstone. Oval tracks and other training tracks are also offered.
"We are the biggest driving center in the world," says Masson, whose career has included marketing different automotive racing disciplines. "We have 30 cars in the fleet and in the months from January to March when it is the coldest, you are welcome to come with us and everyone learns how to drift."
In drifting, a driver forces their car to slide sideways while ice driving through a turn. Accomplished drifters can control what occurs when their vehicle's tires no longer grip the road. Ice Driving: Practice Takes Times "After two or three days of training you are able to reach 200km per hour on the ice," Masson says of the skills learned at Lapland Driving School. "But the most important thing is to take as much fun as you can."
According to the website:
"14 Circuits in total spread over our nearly 3,000-acre private frozen lake, the equivalent of 6 times the area of Monaco. It’s a Herculean task, with more than 5,000 man-machine hours necessary from November 1st to ensure that the world’s largest driving center is operational by January 8th. The officially-licensed Formula 1 circuits are constructed to meter accuracy thanks to GPS coordinates."
Please join Bruce and me in our discussion with Masson about the unique world of drifting while ice driving. We discuss the vehicles used, what the instruction involves and the various travel packages available for potential participants.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.
If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.
The podcast is in its fourth year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com.
All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast
Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform. Several of the more prominent platforms are listed below.
Amazon.com
iheartradio
Spotify
Will Graylin is a tech entrepreneur who believes rideshare and delivery is the future of affordable, more efficient transportation.
The Chairman and CEO of Indigo Technologies, Graylin is our guest on this episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast.
Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia talk with Graylin about his company's new class of EVs and his vision for ride-hail and delivery and other essential services.
"We focus on the next generation of urban mobility, especially in ride-share and delivery," says Graylin. "As you know, the world is changing. More and more miles are being put on the road big gig workers. They're delivering our food, our meals our packages."
Indigo's motto: "Smoothest, Greenest Rides For Our Planet."
The company debuted at the recent Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas a van-like electric car in two versions.
The Indigo Flow is designed for ride-haring; the Indigo Flow Plus serves as a delivery van.
For both cars, the startup emphasizes what it calls robotic wheels, which hold a 22 kW electric motor each. They also combine transmission and active suspension in one module with the drive. The active suspension, in particular, is intended to compensate for the well-known disadvantage of wheel hub motors, namely the higher unsprung masses.
According to its literature:
Indigo is delivering radically more efficient, comfortable and affordable EVs that are purposely built for ride-hail, delivery by leveraging its patented electric robotic wheel suspension and propulsion system.
Indigo is also combining innovative fintech and insurtech from its partner OV Loop to make affordable transportation more accessible to everyone through advanced mobility as a service platform."
"When you think about it, most vehicles carry one or two passengers, so why are they driving around in big SUVs and trucks," says Graylin.
"We are being asked to supersize our cars. The OEMs make more money selling trucks and SUVs. We wanted to build a solution that is much lighter and much more efficient."
Please join Bruce and me as we discuss with Graylin his company's (www.indigotech.com) philosophy of the future of urban mobility."
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.
If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.
The podcast is in its fourth year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com.
All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast
Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform. Several of the more prominent platforms are listed below.
Amazon.com iheartradio Spotify
If the entrepreneurs at MACA get what they're were hoping for at CES, motorsports enthusiasts may soon be watching racing featuring the MACA Flying Formula 1 Car. The fast and futuristic-looking vehicle is called a "Carcopter." It could change motorsports, or so its creators believe.
Much different but the same, Nicolas Muron, founder ad CEO of Moonbikes (www.moonbikes.com) believes his electric snowbikes will be a new way to travel on snowmobile trails and on private land.
The MACA flying Formula 1 race car was showcased at the recent CES gathering in Las Vegas.
The two new vehicles were featured at the recently concluded Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
The principles involved are my guests on this episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast.
Co-host Bruce Aldrich is the producer of this episode in Sacramento. I attended the show and spoke with our guests during the first night of the three-day gathering called CES Unveiled.
With the slogan, "Future is in the Air," MACA (www.macaflight.com), still a prototype, is an aerodynamic speed machine its aviation brain trust hopes will become the first (manned) flying hydrogen Formula 1 car. It's billed with a top speed of 153 miles per hour.
Former fighter pilot Thierry de Boisvilliers and former Airbus executive Michael Krollak are the creators of the hydrogen-powered racer. They hope by 2023 races will be held by drivers in the lightweight, twin helicopter-blade vehicles hovering around tracks.
The pending idea is an effort to reduce the carbon emissions produced by traditional combustion engines on the Formula 1 track.
"We developed this because we really want to go faster use this technology using hydrogen," said de Boisvilliers. "The vehicle is seven meters (23 feet) long and there's one pilot on board. We will fly the first one by the end of 2022 and are doing all of the environmental appraisings and we are developing the race concept."
The new Moonbike, a new winter transportation vehicle was showcased at the recently concluded CES showcase in Las Vegas.
Muron, self-describes as a "motor and tech lover," beliveves winter recreation enthusiasts needed another transportation mode. The Moonbike lineup was developed during the winter of 2015 when the inventor was visiting his grandparents' home in the small village of Saint-Nicolas-de-Véroce in the French Alps.
Snowmobiles are too noisy and emit too much pollution. Muron's Moonbike idea, a "silent sled," was born.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.
If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent automotive content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.
The podcast is in its fourth year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com.
All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast
Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform. Several of the more prominent platforms are listed below. Amazon.com iheartradio Spotify
Early in 2021, a teenage boy witnessed a colleague and me exit a 2021 Rolls-Royce Ghost at a local sandwich shop. He approached us, looked at my friend and said: "Excuse me, sir. What kind of job do I need to get to afford a car like that?"
A few hours later while waiting in the Ghost at a stoplight two men in a vehicle to my right that may not have made it to its destination, caught my attention. Before the light changed, they uncorked a jubilant dance of synchronized hand signs and body gestures. I didn't know what the display meant, but I'm certain it was a good thing.
The Rolls-Royce Ghost is the 2021 Car of the Year. All images © James Raia/2021
Far more expensive vehicles exist. But the Ghost, with its stunning craftsmanship and its elusive existence, is the Car of the Year chosen by TheWeeklyDriver.com.
As per the site's tradition, our Cars of the Year list is published at the end of the calendar year. Many prominent print and online publications make selections sometimes before vehicles are available to the public. We've always waited until the end of the year. It provides perspective, 2021 Car of the Year? Rolls-Royce Ghost! TheWeeklyDriver.com reviewed 34 different 2021 model year vehicles with full reviews. We drove several other 2021 models and included their information in round-up articles, on podcasts and in additional industry print and online publications.
TheWeeklyDriver.com has been online since 2004 and this is our 15th annual list.
For the past several years, Bruce Aldrich, my co-host on The Weekly Driver Podcast, and I have picked our top-10 vehicles individually and then shared our selections on podcasts episodes.
We're doing so again this year. Bruce also picked the 2021 Rolls-Royce Ghost as his Car of the Year. Together, we reveal our respective choices.
The 2021 Rolls-Royce Ghost is powerful and beautifully designed. It's the 2021 Car of the Year selected by TheWeeklyDriver.com.
The new Rolls-Royce is an unfair selection in some ways. While the Ghost has no rivals in several areas, it's not available to the general consumer. The entry-level Ghost and its siblings — Cullinan, Dawn, Phantom and Wraith — attract attention like no other carmaker's offerings. Global sales of 5,125 in 2020, a record, continued the brand's reputation. It's a name everyone knows, a car few see.
By the time the new Ghost was announced, it was already sold out. The manufacturer describes its creation as its "purest expression." 2021 Cars of the Year: Ford Mustang Mach-E gets runnerup Who's to argue? The 2021 Rolls-Royce Ghost features a 6.75-liter, twin-turbo, 48-valve V12. It produces 563 horsepower and advances from zero to 60 miles per hour, via its eight-speed automatic transmission, in 4.6 seconds. The top speed is 155 miles per hour. The drive is powerful, smooth, quiet and carried 21-inch, 10-spoke wheels. And while the wheels spin, the RR center emblems remain upright.
It's all impressive for a vehicle that weighs 5,540 pounds and extends slightly more than 18 feet.
The sedan's performance could define it, but Ghost's presence reigns. The combination of the Tempest Grey exterior paint with Tailored Purple trim is unusual, but it works. Similar colors adorn the interior, complemented with Obsidian Ayous wood trim and white lambswool foot mats.
The 2021 Mustang Mach-E was runner-up to Rolls-Royce Ghost in the Cars of the Year list selected by TheWeeklyDriver.com.
A few Rolls-Royce Ghost signature features add ridiculously wonderful opulence. An umbrella is secured into the interior of both rear doors, released with a push of a button. Two champagne flutes are ready in the cooled small refrigerated compartment in the middle of the back seat.
The headliner is the design of a shooting star. Lots of constellations are offered, a bespoke feature selected by every new buyer and configured with between 600 and 1,600 hand-placed fiber-optic stars.
Ira Spector owns a rare car he sometimes compares to a cute dog. It's a term of endearment. When he's driving his 2012 Fisker Karma Revero everyone wants to know all about it.
"It's like a puppy; people stop you and they engage you," said Spector, who likely owns the only Revero in Los Gatos. "They ask questions; it's kind of fun. Most of them have never seen it before. Others who have seen one may think the company is bankrupt and that they're longer built." Fisker Karma: Rare, Beautiful Spector is our guest on this episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast. Co-hosts Bruch Aldrich talk with the car's owner, his enjoyment of sports cars and his automotive passion for his Fisker Karma.
A 2012 Fisker Karma — only about 2,700 were globally available.
A retired electrical engineer, Spector has further fun as the organizer of a club whose members own the iconic upscale sports car. The group periodically gathers for a seminar relating to the car, lunch and a driving outing.
Owners from throughout the Bay Area and as far away as Canada bring their Karmas. The gatherings have had as many as 20 participants.
"In my opinion, it's one of the most beautiful cars ever designed," said Spector, who has owned many other sports cars, including several Corvettes. "And that's why I want to keep it for as long as I can drive it. It's performing beautifully; it looks brand new inside and out." Fisker Karma: Made only in 2012 Although new versions were made after a change of ownership beginning in 2017, about 2,700 of the electric-gas, plug-in hybrid original Reveros were made in 2012. About 1,600 were available in the United States It's the only model manufactured by Fisker Karma and its originator, Henrik Fisker. The company went out of business a year after it began.
"For any other manufacturer, that would be a prototype run," said Spector, a retired electrical engineer, about the limited edition."That's what we are all driving and everyone has had problems with it. It wasn't really finished."
The original Fisker Karma was only manufactured for one year.
The Revero has about a 50-mile electric-only range, 300-mile total range. When switched to "Sport" mode, the Karma will use the gas engine in conjunction with the electric motors. The total output is 403 horsepower. It accelerates from 0-to-60 miles per hour in about six seconds.
Not everything was perfect. Replacement batteries weren't available until a third-party manufacturer emerged. When Revero models were repaired, Spector believes owners were used as test drivers to "find the bugs and get them fixed." Fisker Karma: A car drivers love driving But he's not complaining. The original car has had a resurgence. New models have also returned via Karma Automotive, headquartered in Irvine. Fisker attended the recent Los Angles Auto Show to tout his pending new all-electric sports car, the Fisker Ocean.
Spector's car also carries a family legacy. With his Barbara (she drives a Tesla Model 3) then the mayor of Los Gatos, the couple drove the Revero via a loan from the owner in the city's annual holiday parade in 2012. Spector bought the car two months later for about $100,000. He traded in a Jaguar XK8.
"It sat in a lot for a year with a bunch of other cars because of the company's bankruptcy issues," he said. "We were invited to rides in a parade. One of the investors in Fisker who had the car and let us use it. I fell in love with it just sitting in it and looking at it."
The 2.0 GM turbocharged engine is similar to the engine in a Pontiac Solstice. It's used to charge the battery.
The Revero, Spector says, is quiet, smooth and a vehicle for drivers who thrive on the enjoyment of driving.
"The Fisker Karma was designed to engage you with a driving experience," he said. "It's got 22-inch wheels. It's low-to-the-ground. It's heavy. The CG (center of gravity) and tires make it handle beautifully. It's so much fun to drive.
"By contrast,
Veteran automotive author Russell Hayes is at it again. His latest book, "The Big Book of Tiny Cars" was recently published. It's a definitive look at the global industry of the most famous and infamous microcars and subcompacts from 1901 to current models.
Hayes, who lives and works in London, England, is a repeat guest on The Weekly Driver Podcast. He first joined co-host Bruce Aldrich and me on Episode #153 last October 2020 to discuss all things Volkswagen. Tiny Cars: All Shapes, Sizes During Episode #209, Hayes discusses his latest offering and his enjoyment of researching American brands and styles like the Crosley Super Sport to the German BMW Isetta.
According to the book's marketing information, more than 100 vehicles are included. Each vehicle's history is detailed. Archival photography and modern-day images in a fact box are also provided for each selection.
Sub-titled "A Century of Diminutive Automotive Oddities," the 176-page volume includes 250 color and black-and-white photos, and vintage advertisements. Microcars, minicars, bubble cars, Kei cars, subcompacts and compacts are all featured. Rarities include Hanomag Kommissbrot, Bond Minicar and Sebring Vanguard Citicar.
Russell Hayes is the author of the Big Book of Tiny Cars.
The book is divided into nine sections: New Babies (1900-1939), Not Much Motoring (1940s), The Microcar Bubble (1950s), The Bubble Has Burst (1960s), The Supermini ERA (1970s), Econoboxes and Hatchbacks (1980s), Smaller and Smarter (1990s) and Your Pod Or Mine? (2010s and Beyond).
"Supplanting the rickety cyclecars of the early 1900s, we began with the best-selling diminutive prewar cars such as the Peugeot Bebe, Austin Seven and American Crosley," writes Hayes. "We then ride the wave of tiny cars in the fuel-deprived, postwar Europe, such as the cult-classic Messerschmitt and BMW Isetta bubble cars . . ."
More modern vehicles such as the reimagined Mini Cooper and Fiat 500 and the SmartCar are also included.
Please join Bruce and me as we absorb the author's expertise snd take a fascinating look into the world of the sometimes minuscule motor machines.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.
If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.
The podcast is in its fourth year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com.
All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast
Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform. Several of the more prominent platforms are listed below.
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After a 10-day public run and a two-day media preview, the LA Auto Show ended Nov. 28. It was the industry's first major show since the beginning of the Covid-1 pandemic. The Weekly Driver Podcast was on site to take in the sights and sounds.
Co-host Bruce Aldrich and I drove from Sacramento to Los Angeles round-trip in a 2020 Hyundai Nexo. Despite being two years old, the hydrogen-propelled SUV had been driven only about 1,500 miles. We added another 900 miles, give or take a few miles.
The LA Auto Show this year showcased many concept cars. All images © Bruce Aldrich/2021
In this episode of the podcast, we review the highlights and lowlights of the show. We discuss our experiences in the Nexo. And we abruptly switch topics in the second half of the episode to discuss the experience Bruce and his wife Alene had in the maiden voyage in their new Ford F-250 pickup truck and its fifth wheel companion, a Keystone Cougar recreational vehicle. LA Auto Show: Hydrogen Horrors To close the podcast, Bruce also reviews his experience with Alene attending a parade in nearby Elk Grove to celebrate the NASCAR national championship of Kyle Larsen. He was raised in the community and it recently honored his accomplishment with an old-style, downtown parade.
As co-hosts of the podcast for more than four years, Bruce and I share similar opinions about most automotive topics. We agreed the LA Auto Show's major emphasis was on the future of electric cars and trucks. Our observations meshed also in the low-key atmosphere of this year's show as well as thoughts on the always-speculative nature of concept vehicles. LA Auto Show: RVs and Concepts One exception to our often like-minded automotive opinions: Bruce thought our experience driving a hydrogen vehicle proved the idea has major issues and is unlikely to succeed. I still maintain hydrogen has a future in the automotive market despite its drawbacks. We had our share of difficulties refueling.
VinVast, the first Vietnamese carmaker set to distribute vehicles in the United States, showcased it pending offerings at the LA Auto Show.
Please join us for another varied episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast.
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The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.
If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.
The podcast is in its fourth year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com.
All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast
Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform. Several of the more prominent platforms are listed below:
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Al Unser Jr., born into one of motorsports' most prominent racing families, won the Indianapolis 500 twice and two IndyCar Championships. But he was also troubled.
Unser abused alcohol and drugs and it destroyed a marriage. Friendships ended and he was arrested multiple times for drunken driving and domestic violence.
Unser's struggles and his winding road in recovery is the subject of the new book, "A Checkered Past." Al Unser Jr.: A Story To Tell The race car driver, recently re-married, tells his story to author veteran motorsports author Jade Gurss.
Gurss is our guest on this episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast
Al Unser Jr., tells his story to veteran automotive writer Jade Gurss in the new book, "A Checkered Past."
Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia discuss with the author the difficulties of writing the book.
"It was very challenging," says Gurss. "I had just come off finishing a book with John Andretti in the final months of life. Sadly, John dies of colon cancer. When I was contacted about doing Al's story, he was very upfront. He said, 'I am going to be open; I am going to be honest and I am going to tell the truth."
"I knew that it was going to be a challenge to write something that obviously had very, very tough issues and very, very tough stories about what he had gone through battling with drugs and alcohol." Al Unser Jr.: 'Not So Heroic' A two-time New York Times best-selling author, Gurss' latest book is his sixth, and it's now available on Amazon.com from Octane Press. A native of Topeka, Kansas, Gurss resides in the Charlotte, NC area.
"I give Al full credit for being so open and willing to talk about things that don't paint him in such a heroic light," says Gurss. "A lot of my previous books had a much more positive attitude, I guess, for a lack of a better term. And this one certainly has a sense of sadness."
Gurss has been involved with a long list of motorsports sponsors and racing categories. He has represented Anheuser-Busch, Mercedes-Benz, Mazda and many other major motorsports sponsors. Al Unser Jr.: His Story Writer's Sixth Book In his work for Budweiser, Gurss was a publicist for Dale Earnhardt Jr. from 1999 through the end of the 2007 season. Gurss was also Director of Corporate Communication for Andretti Autosport and Andretti Sports Marketing. Hw co-authored "Driver No. 8" with Earnhardt Jr., which became Amazon's top-selling sports book of 2002, and spent 17 weeks on the New York Times Best Seller list.
Veteran motorsports author Jade Gurss has written his sixth book, "A Checkered Past."
Please join on this episode as the author provides an inside look at his writing formula as well as his working relationship and friendship with Al Unser Jr.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.
If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.
The podcast is in its fourth year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com.
All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast
Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform.
The LA Auto Show advanced to the second and final media day Thursday and The Weekly Driver Podcast was back in the vehicle showcase halls at the Los Angeles Convention Center. It was a day for a visit back to the future — maybe.
Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia visited with representatives from a variety of concept vehicles, some from established manufacturers, others from new carmakers.
VinFast of Vietnam debuted two electric SUV at the LA Auto Show. All images © James Raia/2021.
As in previous years, concept cars showcased at the LA Auto Show are tentative at best. None of the concept vehicles we viewed and discussed are predicted to be publicly available until at least the fall of 2022.
Some of the vehicles are not expected until as late as 2025. Other EVs, like the Byton, a concept that debuted with Rivian in 2018 and filed for bankruptcy earlier this year, will never be manufactured. LA Auto Show: Concepts Galore VinFast, the first "mainstream" manufacturer from Vietnam with plans to distribute two sport utility vehicles in the United States, had the largest presence of the pending electric vehicle manufacturers at the LA Auto Show.
From its unveiling on the opening day of the show to its evening reception and further show presence, VinFast made a committed presence.
According to its marketing, VinFast in Vietnamese stands for Style, Safety, Creativity, Pioneer. It touts its vehicles as the "product of our inspiration to launch a distinctive, world-class automotive brand with Vietnam and demonstrates the ability of the Vietnamese people to skillfully implement cutting-edge technology."
The Canoo concept family vehicle debuted at the LA Auto Show.
Like other pending vehicles, VinFast has neither definitive production plans or pricing for its SUV crossovers, the e35 and e36. Both are designed by Italy's famed Pininfarina. LA Auto Show: Can You Canoo? Two names new to the EV marketplace are Canoo and Mullen. The former is promoted as an autonomous "Lifestyle Vehicle." Its marketing material reads in part: "Fully electric, highly versatile and offering more utility, inside and outside for city explorers, businesses, families and adventurers."
The Canoo, also touted as a "Loft on Wheels," is scheduled for late 2022. It's named the Canoo, according to a company spokesman, because it resembles an upside-down canoe. Its front end and rear look interchangeable.
Canoo, based in Los Angeles, says "there is no need for electric vehicles to look like traditional cars, yet today they still do. Canoo plans to change that." It did.
Canoo said its first vehicle will have "the exterior footprint of a compact car, with the interior space of a large SUV." LA Auto Show: Come Back in 2024 Mullen, based in Brea, California, is promoted as the first "Pure Electric SUV Crossover." The Five has an estimated range of 325 miles, it's electronically limited to 155 miles per hour and with an estimated 0-6 mph of 3.2 seconds. It's not predicted to be manufactured until 2024 will be sold in kiosks called "Lounge Points."
We also discuss the Hyundai Seven concept, arguably the most unique concept at the show. While the Canoo may be promoted as a loft, the Seven is better defined as a futuristic lounge. It has sterilization lights, newfangled ambient lighting and enough fancy interior to be best-suited for an interior design magazine layout.
Lastly, we chat about the Edison Future and its two luxury concepts, both combinations of utilitarian, off-road, futuristic SUVs, plushly attired and replete with technology overload and 35-inch wheels.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us. LA Auto Show: All Podcasts Archived
The 2021 LA Auto Show media days began Wednesday, Nov. 17, marking the first major automotive show of the season after a two-year COVID-19 pandemic. The Weekly Driver Podcast was in attendance for the first of our daily episodes.
A few minutes after the show opened, co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia visited various halls at the Los Angeles Convention Center. We viewed the new models of legacy brands, Ford to Chevrolet, Honda to Chrysler. And we viewed a slew of current and pending (maybe) electric vehicles — high-end Porsche to moderately priced Hyundai, the Mullen Five (2024?) to the 2022 Lucid Air, the MotorTrend Car of the Year.
The LA Auto Show featured many current and pending electric cars and also new Nissan Z. All Images © Bruce Aldrich/2021
As the first LA Auto Show since November 2019, differences in this year's show were readily apparent from the last edition. LA Auto Show: Electric Cars Galore The emphasis on electric vehicles from more manufacturers is an overriding theme. Matted color palates are also more prevalent.
The Weekly Driver Podcast has hosts offer our opinions as we meander from manufacturer to manufacturer.
We observed the new Mustang Mach E, the new, bigger and the more plush Lincoln Navigator and its competitor, the Jeep Wagoneer.
As for electric vehicles, newbies include the Kia EV9, Fisker Ocean, Nissan Ariya, Subaru Solterra, Toyota bX4X and Vietnamese startup VinFast.
A vintage racing Porsche was showcased at the LA Auto Show.
Of course, where's the new, there's usually old. Among the vast array of new Porsches in the Germany manufacturer's segregated hall, a wondrous barn find — a vintage 1960 Porsche 356, 1,600 Super 90 resplendent in dents and patina. LA Auto Show: Public Show, 10 Days Following another media-only day, the public show will be held Nov. 19-28. For show details, visit: www.laautoshow.com.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site. LA Auto Show: All Podcasts Archived If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.
The podcast is in its fourth year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions. Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com.
All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast
Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform. Several of the more prominent platforms are listed below.
Amazon.com iheartradio Spotify
After one delay and one cancellation, the LA Auto Show is back for the first time in two years.
Like many businesses, the automotive industry has suffered. But its first major auto show since the Covid-19 pandemic began will be held Nov. 19-28 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.
The 2021 LA Auto Show will emphasize auto mobility but will feature its traditional large selection of vehicle debuts.
David Fortin, Head of Consumer Marketing for the event, is our guest on Episode #205 of The Weekly Driver Podcast. Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia discuss with Fortin the pending show and the expected highlights. LA Auto Show: It's Back Founded in 1907, the LA Auto Show has built its reputation as one of the world's most prestigious auto shows. It hasn't been held since November 2019.
As it did two years ago with further emphasis, the LA Auto Show will focus on the continued electrification of the automotive industry.
The LA Auto Show always has its share of prototypes one-offs, including designer Jeremy Scott's Smart Car Concept.
From startups to established brands, the 10-day show with packed days of test drives, never-before-seen vehicles, custom and exotic cars, all-new zero-emission vehicles, interactive activations and one-of-a-kind experiences. LA Auto: Plenty of Test Drives Influencers and shoppers can test-drive vehicles from brands such as Audi, Chrysler, Dodge, ElectraMeccanica, Fiat, Ford, Honda, Jeep, Nissan, Ram, Subaru and Toyota.
Featured this year is the inaugural ZEVAS award program. It's the first people’s choice award program of its kind that celebrates the top zero-emission vehicles available for sale or pre-order."
The Byton all-electric sedan concept debuted at the 2018 LA Auto Show.
"The ZEAVAS is probably one of the things we are there most proud of," said Fortin. "It was born within our company. Our owner and CEO, Lisa Kaz, really has always been connected to where vehicles are and where they are going. LA Auto Show: Future Is Now "As the EV mandate started to come into play even as a whisper and now as a true mandate she recognized that the LA Auto Show has always had a place in history, almost an obligation, to inform, educate and inspire people to ask 'what does mobility look like in the future?"
Among the several additional attractions:
• Camp Jeep (Outdoor): The long-standing manufacturer will present in a 25,000-square-foot indoor exhibit test course the opportunity for attendees to experience the off-road capabilities of Jeep vehicles.
Product specialists, sometimes called Ambassadors, are an integral part of the LA Auto Show presentation of new vehicles.
• EV Track Powered by Electrify America (Indoor): The largest open ultra-fast DC charging network—is the show's exclusive sponsor of the all-new indoor electric vehicle (EV) test track and charging provider for the automotive brands and vehicles featured in this year’s outdoor test drives.
Please join us as Fortin provides details about the much-anticipated return of the LA Auto Show.
The event will be operated in full accordance with all safety protocols required by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.
Vaccination cards or a negative COVID test within 72-hours of arriving onsite at the LA Convention Center along with masks will be required for entrance to the show. Free onsite rapid testing will be available to those who wish to test onsite.
For additional information, including further COVID protocols, ticket information, show hours and parking, visit: www.laautoshow.com.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive s...
Ben Auslander, vice president of sales and marketing for PitStopConnect.com, is enthusiastic about all things related to predictive analytics in automobiles. And he has been for a long time.
Auslander, our guest this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast, worked on the GM Onstar program for more than 12 years. He helped launch VW's connected car program in North America. He also worked for Charge Point as its Automotive Director. Pitstopconnect.com sees the driving future "It's allowed me to see and understand a broader picture around mobility," Auslander says.
Predictive automotive analytics is what pitstopconnect.com does best.
Co-host Bruce Aldrich and I discuss with Auslander the ever-changing world of car connectivity.
Based in Toronto, Ontario and Detroit, Mich., the company's platform, according to its website, has:
"Over 500,000 connected vehicles and is growing more than 800 percent every quarter. Our industry-leading AI platform is a flywheel that only ever improves with more data and time, providing increasingly better predictive analytics insights to our customers.
"This puts Pitstop in a unique position to not only service existing markets, but also play a leading role in the emerging EV and autonomous markets that will soon become ubiquitous across the world." The future of driving? PitstopConnect.com gets it Please join us as Auslander provides insight into what automotive predicability means for consumers, manufacturers and related industries.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward this episode's link to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.
If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.
The podcast is in its fourth year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com.
All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast
Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform. Several of the more prominent platforms are listed below.
Amazon.com
iheartradio
Spotify
Joe Wiesenfelder is the executive editor of Cars.com and he's immersed in the future of EVs — electric vehicles.
According to the website's recent data, about one-third of car buyers are actively looking to purchase their first electric vehicle. But many questions remain with the anticipated growth. Wiesenfelder and his colleagues are counting on it.
Wiesenfelder is our guest on this episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast.
Rivian and it electric trucks and SUVs are potential competitors for Tesla and are part of the new segment of EVs entering the automative marketplace. Images © James Raia. EVs: Marketplace will expand Co-host Bruce Aldrich and I discuss with the long-time journalist the future of the electric vehicle market and the goal of Cars.com to assist consumers with their buying decisions.
"Cars.com bought its first plug-ins a decade ago, a Nissan Leaf and Chevrolet Volt, and we have since continued to evaluate scores of other electric models," Wiesenfelder said. "Expanding beyond just how the cars drive, we live with EVs and test the range, as well as the cost and setup associated with home charging."
"With all the buzz surrounding EVs, our team will cover everything from charging setup and other considerations to our thoughts on some of the more popular EVs.”
The Tesla Model X, which debuted in 2015, is part of current leader among EVs.
Electric vehicle information comprises only about five percent of the current searches on Cars.com. But by its calculations, more than 100 new options are expected to join the market in the next five years. EVs: West Coast Growth Expected The EV market share is predicted to grow, notably Cars.com believes, in Denver, Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Francisco and Seattle.
With the pending market expansion, Cars.com hosted a live webinar: Guide For The EV Curious, on Oct. 28.
We interviewed Wiesenfelder before the event, but his thoughts on the industry are relevant anytime. EVs: Buying, Leasing, Charging With other editors and contributors to the publication, Wiesenfelder discussed the rise in consumers’ interest in EVs, buying/leasing EVs, charging barriers and the most popular new EV makes and models.
According to Cars.com, local dealerships also have to prepare to meet demand. Currently, only 37 percent of local dealerships are selling electric vehicles, while 63 percent are actively planning for EV sales, service and training.
On Cars.com 41 percent of new car dealers listed inventory of new electric vehicles. EVs: Uncertainty Remains “On Cars.com, searches for EVs have almost doubled since last year — however, sales of EVs are growing at a slower rate," said Wiesenfelder "There’s no doubt that consumer interest in EVs is growing, especially as more major automakers commit to the category and offer more SUV and pickup truck options for shoppers, but to the average person, uncertainty still exists."
Please join us for an insider's look into the EV industry.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.
If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.
The podcast is in its fourth year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions.
Please send comments and suggestions for new ep...
As co-hosts of The Weekly Driver Podcast, Bruce Aldrich and I sometimes have a guest cancel at the last minute. Two-time Indy 500 winner Al Unser Jr. was our scheduled guest. With his non-appearance, we decided to talk about him.
Specifically, we discuss Unser's new book, "A Checkered Past." The 302-hardcover offering includes a foreword by Roger Penske, the team owner who once employed "Little Al" and who is now the owner of the Indianapolis Speedway.
Al Unser Jr. tells his life story in his new book, "A Checkered Past."
The book is written "As Told To Jade Gurss." A long-time journalist, Gurss has written several additional motorsports books and has also worked in marketing and publicity for Mercedes-Benz and Mazda in his varied career.
Unser's book is appropriately titled. Throughout his adult life, the winner of the 1992 and 1994 Indy 500s has been addicted to alcohol and drugs. It costs him his racing career, friends, family and nearly his life. Al Unser Jr.: Life Was A Party "Something else made a big difference for me personally," Unser says in Chapter 15: Randomly Selected. "For the first time CART has instituted random drug testing. A month before the first race of the season (1988), I quit smoking marijuana on a daily basis. I felt sharp. I could feel the difference when I was driving and giving feedback to the team."
But for Al Unser Jr. life as an addict and its ramifications exceeded his attempts for a healthy life.
Beyond discussing the new book, Bruce also provides an update on the pending new Ford F-250 pickup truck and RV he and his wife Alene have recently purchased. Telsa Moves To Texas Where Gas Rules We also talk about Elon Musk's to relocate Tesla's headquarters from Palo Alto to Austin, Texas.
And we conclude Episode #201 with some observational "odds and ends" from the automotive industry including a brief report on Escapod. It's market as "Born from a desire to build the best damn camper known to man, the TOPO2 is a premium teardrop trailer that doesn’t ask you to choose adventure over comfort."
During the recent Sea Otter Classic bicycle festival on the Monterey Peninsula, I met the co-founder of the company, Chris Hudak during the event's expo. We briefly talked about his family and their travels. The Weekly Driver Podcast: Comments, Support Welcomed The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.
If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.
The podcast is in its fourth year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com. All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast
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Cars.com recently released its 2021 Car Seat Fit Report Card. It provides a detailed analysis of which cars are the best for parents when it comes children's car seat installation.
Jenni Newman, the editor-in-chief of Cars.com and a certified child passenger safety technician, is our guest on Episode #200 of The Weekly Driver Podcast.
Co-host Bruce Aldrich and I discuss the report card and the reactions by carmakers to the grades they received.
Only a few carmakers get top grades for child car seat installation.
Only four vehicles made the car seat installation Honor Roll with “straight A’s”: the 2021 Nissan Sentra, 2021 Genesis GV80, 2021 Audi SQ8, and the 2022 Hyundai Tucson Hybrid. Few carmakers get car seat installation right While the 2021 Ford Bronco Sport earned a “B” for its Latch system, it received an “F” in the rear-facing convertible category.
We also talk about common mistakes parents and caretakers make when selecting and vehicles with proper car seat installation. Parents also have car seat installation woes The Cars.com national survey also revealed 56 percent of parents stated they have installed a car seat incorrectly.
Additionally, 84 percent of parents find "some level of the process frustrating."
The survey also noted 67 of parents with car seat age children make vehicle purchase decisions based on car seat fit.
Each Car Seat Check is performed by a Cars.com certified child-passenger safety technician who installs three types of car seats — infant, convertible and booster — into each new vehicle and evaluates the vehicle’s Latch system, as well as how the vehicle accommodates the different car seats. The car seat installation issue is our 200th issue The Latch system is a set of lower anchors and top tether anchors that are supposed to make car seat installation easier, but that’s not always the case.
To earn an “A” grade, a vehicle must show it has plenty of room for the car seat and the child, without impacting legroom for the driver or front passenger. Vehicles must also demonstrate their Latch system is easy to find and use (without any fit issues), in order to show it’s car-seat-friendly.
Please join us as we celebrate our 200th episode as we report on this important issue.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.
If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.
The podcast is in its fourth year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com. All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast
Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform. Several of the more prominent platforms are listed below.
Amazon.com iheartradio iTunes Spotify
A minute's drive from County Rd. 21 in the Elizabeth, Colo., Rambler Ranch is perched in a clearing of trees on the outskirts of the small town about 45 miles southeast of Denver. It's a secluded museum of Americana, a life's work for Terry Gale as a remembrance of family and the iconic automobiles of yesteryear.
Gale, 60, didn't plan to own the world's largest collection of Nash, Rambler and AMC vehicles. But in 30-plus years he's cultivated an unequaled collection of the small vehicles originally produced inexpensively for the post World War II economy.
A selection of vehicles in Rambler Ranch.
A lot happened to the long-ago defunct vehicles and life has changed for Gale, too. He started with his father's 1954 Nash Ambassador and he spent years building his occupation with his deceased former partner Greg Kissinger. Rambler Ranch: Colorado's "hidden" museum The Weekly Driver Podcast recently traveled the museum en route to a writers' conference in Estes Park, Colo., and Gale is our guest on Episode #199.
Co-host Bruce Aldrich is way this week, but I spent about 2 1/2 hours with the museum's proprietor. I was the only one visiting that day. The museum has appointment-only hours three days a week and it was closed. But Gale accommodated me.
Row after row of Rambler and other vintage cars at Rambler Ranch.
Gale, a Roger Maris-lookalike, suffers from neuropathy, so he often travels building-to-building on a segway.
Besides his vast interest in Ramblers and other vehicles "no one else collects," Gale is a historian and aficionado of Americana. He collects vintage appliances and antiques. Memorabiliamand promotional materials cover the walls, floors and shelves. Mannequins are everywhere. There's a recreated old-style diner. It's where we talked after a tour of the expansive museum buildings.
A "boneyard" of other Ramblers is used for parts is on a corner of the ranch and is its own museum.
Gale likes new cars, too, with an enviable collection that includes McLaren, Tesla, Rolls-Royce, among others.
Mostly, Gale's appreciation for what he does is infectious.
Terry Gale's collection of Rambler and other vintage cars is unequaled.
Please join me for a 30-minute conversation with the curator of one of the country's most impressive car and Americana museums.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.
If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.
The podcast is in its fourth year and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com. All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast
Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform. Several of the more prominent platforms are listed below.
Amazon.com iheartradio iTunes Spotify
Colton Herta is 21 years old and he's been behind one steering or another since he was age six. Go-karts to Indy cars and several racing classes between, Herta is now competing at his best as the NTT IndyCar Series concludes this week in Long Beach, California.
Herta (Andretti-Autosport), the youngest driver to win an IndyCar race, successfully defended the Grand Prix of Monterey title he won two years ago on Sept. 19. He completed the 212.61-mile race at WeatherTech Laguna Seca Raceway in 2 hours, 2 minutes and 32 seconds and at an average speed of 104.114 miles per hour.
Colton Herta is the youngest driver to win an IndyCar race. Herta's season of crashes and other misfortunes was reversed with a dominating performance as smooth as well-performing tires. After attending the event for three days and getting the opportunity to interview the young star one-on-one during the weekend, his performance and revisiting the IndyCar circuit is the subject of Episode #198 of The Weekly Driver Podcast.
Colton Herta, then age 18, after winning his first IndyCar race. Colton Herta Interview Co-host Bruce Aldrich and I discuss the enduring series and we've included my brief, varied interview with the race winner, a Southern California native. After a cool, misty morning, the championship was held with temperatures reaching into the low 70s and with track surface increasing to more than 100 degrees. The finale thus included its share of tire changes. We also cover that component of racing.
Bruce and I also discuss Herta's relationship with his father, Bryan Herta. The elder Herta, a four-time Indy winner including twice at Laguna Seca, is now his son's strategist. The father-son team communicates during races via radio.
"I made mistake or two," Herta said after his win. "I dropped a wheel or two. It wasn't a perfect weekend, but it was pretty close."
Herta had a monetary concern late in the race. He ran over something on the track, near turn 8, the famous "Corkscrew."
"It was either a squirrel or a bunny," he said. "But he came along with me to win the race. He's done a lot more than some IndyCar drivers."
Herta's 2019 win in Monterey occurred a few months after his historic first career IndyCar series title. He became the youngest winner in the circuit's history at the Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas at 18 years, 359 days old.
Please join us for a varied conversation about IndyCar racing as well as the skills of Colton Herta.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.
If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.
The podcast is approaching its fourth year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions. Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com.
All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast
Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform. Several of the more prominent platforms are listed below. Amazon.com iheartradio iTunes Spotify
Ashlee Tilford is the managing editor of QuinStreet.com, the marketing and search engine service company. It recently released a consumer-based post detailing a new study by CarInsurance.com — the cheapest and best car insurance companies.
Tilford is our guest this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast. Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia discuss with Tilford the CarInsurance.com, one of QuinStreet.com's companies, compiled the resource guide.
CarInsurance.com has picked the best and cheapest auto rates.
While considering what's available in major and small auto insurance companies, the report includes information vetted by experts in several categories, including driver’s age, location and driving habits.
"We compared rates among 35 different insurance providers," Tilford explains. "But before we did that, we created 11 different driver profiles because almost anybody is going to find into one or more of those categories or someone on their policy probably will." Car Insurance: Different Rates, Different Drivers Tilford explains the categories were established to relate to consumers to see what should be expected for "whatever their driver profile is."
The study shows good value insurance options considering various categories: comprehensive coverage, drivers with speeding tickets, drivers with poor credit, drivers with accidents, student and teenage drivers and low-mileage drivers.
Tilford also provides insight into some of the controversial areas insurance companies use to determine rates, including credit score and marital status.
"I compare credit scores to high school GPAs or even college GPAs," says Tilford. "People said 'when you get out there in the real world, your GPA isn't going to be that big of a deal. Nobody is going to care about that. Credit scores are similar.
"We can shuffle them under the rug and we can ignore them for a long time. But when they do start affecting us and they do, that is when it becomes apparent how important it is. Your credit score absolutely impacts your auto insurance rates."
Please join us on Episode #197. Our guest provides knowledge and a jovial approach to what is often a mundane but integral part of car ownership.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.
If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.
The podcast is approaching its fourth , and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com.
All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast
Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform. Several of the more prominent platforms are listed below.
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Driving a new car is generally enjoyable; the process of acquiring it? Not so much.
Bruce Aldrich, the co-host of The Weekly Driver Podcast, hadn't purchased a new vehicle in more than a decade. His Subaru Outback will soon approach 200,000 miles, and it's doing fine.
But Bruce and his wife, Alene, decided a new Ford F-250 pickup truck is the vehicle to get. It'll tow an RV just fine, which is a good thing since the couple is planning to do more traveling with friends who are also RVers and who also own a pickup truck.
Co-host Bruce Aldrich and James Raia discuss the process of buying a new truck.
Bruce "built" his new truck online from the Ford website, and now he'll wait for the truck to arrive. Delivery could take months.
The process of buying a new vehicle is the first of three topics this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast. I interview Bruce about his experience negotiating with dealership personnel and what he expects from the sales department when the truck arrives. Buying A New Truck Isn't Easy Bruce's purchase is also timely with the current chaos in the truck segment. Inventory is still slim because of the microchip shortage. If he didn't want to wait, Bruce could have purchased a recent-year used truck. But it would have cost more than a new truck.
In the second portion of the podcast, Bruce and I discuss two recent e-mail letters I received from the readers of my new car reviews. The Weekly Driver began in 2004 and I recently received that could have motor
One letter writer provided overt praise about a piece I wrote on Charlie Watts, the deceased drummer for the Rolling Stones. Within a few hours, I also received a harsh letter about my recent view of the 2021 Honda Ridgeline. The letter pretty much said I'm in the wrong line of work.
Bruce and I discuss the letters and have some fun doing do. Support Our Podcast: Buy Us A Cup Of Coffee Lastly, with this episode, listeners who like our podcast can help support. The podcast and its host website, TheWeeklyDriver.com have a new feature. It's called "Buy Us A Cup of Coffee."
By clicking on the area below that shows a cup of coffee, you can contribute as little as $3 as a one-time contribution. Or, you can contribute more on a one-time or monthly basis. Contributions are secure and submitted through PayPal.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com.
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Giles Chapman is a prolific automotive journalist whose book topics have ranged from the importance of car badges to the history of Land Rover. His latest title is "Jaguar Century: 100 Years of Automotive Excellence."
Jaguar Century chronicles the company and its remarkable vehicles. It covers the manufacturer's start in 1922 by William Lyons and William Walmsley, and it reports on the current F-Type sports cars to the F-Pace SUV.
a 1961 Jaguar XKE presented a recent Jaguar event in Sacramento, California. Image © Bruce Aldrich.
Chapman, who began his career in 1984 in automotive consultancy, is our guest on episode #195 of The Weekly Driver Podcast. New Jaguar book: Aches, pains at 100 Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia reached Chapman in England where he enthusiastically discussed all things Jaguar.
As the book's advanced materials detail the book covers the transformation of the Swallow Sidecar into one of the auto industry’s most revered car brands, synonymous with performance and luxury. It's filled with images, history, and in-depth analyses of the incredible cars Jaguar has created year after year."
Jaguar Century is the latest book by Giles Chapman.
"The task was to really cover the entire century, from the very beginning of the company to now, says Chapman. It takes you from a period from before they even made a car. The first thing they did in 1922 was to produce a sidebar on the side of a motorbike."
The book details the brand in the trying economic times leading up to World War II. It also covers the resetting of Jaguar during England’s bleak postwar years, first with its XK120, then the XK140 and XK150.
As the press information states, the new volumes also chronicle sporting saloons (i.e., sedans) like the Mark 2 and Mark X standards for four-door luxury in the 1950s and 1960s. And it reports on the unveiling of the E-Type in 1961, the vehicle often cited as the most beautiful car ever made.
"I accepted the commission to do it because I thought there was a fantastic story to tell there, not just of the cars but of the people," says Giles.
As the author of more than 50 books, Chapman is an award-winning writer and commentator on the industry, history and culture of cars. In 1991 became the editor of Classic and Sports Car, the top-selling classic car magazine.
Giles Chapman is a prolific automotive journalist.
Giles has been a freelance writer since 1994. In addition to his books, Chapman contributes to national magazines and newspapers and is a commentary on automotive history.
"What I really have enjoys is stitching this whole thing together in a way I hope somebody who drives a Jaguar now and doesn't know a tremendous about the history would get to know it," Giles says.
While Giles has a great appreciation for Jaguar, he doesn't own a new or used model. But he's driven many.
"The original XJ6 is just an amazing pinnacle of Jaguar did," Giles says of his favorite of the manufacturer's varied offering. "It was such an extraordinary comprise between the handling of the car and the ride comfort. It's amazing how they did it. I just love driving old XJ6s.
"At the time, they were like nothing else and now they continue to feel like that. It's hard to express if you haven't driven one. They're very soothing and they make you feel very proud."
"Jaguar Century: 100 Years of Automotive Excellence" is scheduled for publishing Sept. 28, 2021, by Motorbooks. The hardcover is 224 pages and is priced at $75. With Chapman's other books, it's available via Amazon.com.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com. All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.
Seventeen years ago, Honda introduced the Ridgeline to challenge the mainstream pickup truck empire. The Ridgeline was something. It had the industry's first lockable in-bed storage trunk. It had a fully independent suspension. The truck's dual-action tailgate could be opened to the side or down.
The 2006 Honda Ridgeline (made in Canada beginning in March 2005) also had an unusual exterior design, a unibody frame. It had a 3.5-liter V6 transverse-mounted engine a five-speed automatic transmission and 247 horsepower. Its towing capacity was (and remains) 5,000 pounds.
The 2021 Honda Ridgeline has a new optional exterior upgrade.
Accolades arrived quickly, including the Ridgeline's selection as Motor Trend's 2006 Truck of the Year. It was also named Car and Driver's top mid-size truck for 2006. The Ridgeline combined truck capabilities with a car-quality ride. It became a purchase for those who had a need but didn't want to own a truck.
In its debut model year, sales of the Honda Ridgeline slightly surpassed 50,000 in the United States. It was the truck's best-selling year but it was still about one-tenth the volume of the top-selling counterparts from Ford and Chevrolet. 2021 Honda Ridgeline: exterior facelift Not much of startling change has occurred with the Ridgeline since. Its innovation however once refreshing has waned. The Ridgeline was last redesigned in 2017.
The 2021 Honda Ridgeline is more focused on exterior change to attract young buyers. New designs for the hood, face, dual exhaust system, fenders and bumper cover detail the makeover.
Honda also now features a Honda Performance Development (HPD) Appearance Package. It's attention-grabbing and money-heavy bling — a stylized grille, black fender flares and bronze alloy wheels. An HPD emblem and decals are added to the post-production $2,800 option.
The 2021 Honda Ridgeline could be the last year of the unique pickup truck.
The rest of the 2021 Honda Ridgeline, available in four trims, remains the same as the 2020 model. And it's destined to the same fate as the truck's recent year decline. In the pandemic-affected 2020 sales year, the Ridgeline's total was 32,168. Sales in 2019 were 33,334.
From its original specs, the current Ridgeline has improved, but not dramatically. It's now offered with a 3.5-liter VTEC V6 with a nine-speed automatic transmission and only in all-wheel drive. Front-wheel-drive has been discontinued. Acceleration from 0-60 miles per hour takes 7.2 seconds. Gas mileage averages are 18 mpg in city driving, 24 mph on the highway.
With its unique styling, car-like qualities and value-pricing, a Ridgeline success story seemed logical. But the truck hasn't revisited its early success. It's simultaneously a mystery and easy to fathom why
Consider the value. The base Sport trim includes: LED headlights, proximity entry and push-button ignition, automatic tri-zone climate control, 8-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility and a seven-speaker sound system.
Safety feature bundled in the Honda Sensing Safety Suite includes adaptive cruise control. It adjusts speed to maintain a constant distance between the vehicle and the car in front. It has lane-keeping assist. It steers the truck back into the proper lane if it drifts over the lane marker. And it has forward collision mitigation. It warns the driver of an impending collision and applies the brakes in certain scenarios. The MSRP is $36,490. Its price as tested is $40,860, slightly below the new vehicle price average.
Still, the Ridgeline has had repeated recall problems — fuel pump failure to rust issues, extreme oil consumption to electric system malfunctions.
It's difficult to consider any Honda vehicle a failure. The carmaker's diverse lineup includes some most enduring and top-selling vehicles in history.
But like the Honda Fit, the Ridgeline may have run its course. The Fit was highly rated and it may hold the unofficial title of Best of Design Efficiency.
Bigger trucks keep getting bigger. The increased size also means increased dangers.
That's the assessment of Consumer Reports. The publication's analysts detailed that from 2000 to 2018 (the most recent study) trucks are 11 percent tall and 24 percent heavier.
The 2023 Nissan Frontier lineup of bigger trucks will debut truck's third generation.
As a result, big trucks have poorer front sight lines and bigger blindspots that can prevent viewing a small vehicle or a pedestrian. Bigger Trucks doesn't mean better trucks "Because of their height and long hoods, some trucks have front blind spots 11 feet longer than some sedans and 7 feet longer than many popular SUVs, which increases the risk of the driver running over someone in front of them they can’t see," said Keith Barry, Consumer Reports Auto Editor.
An analysis from the advocacy group KidsandCars.org found most fatalities in these kinds of crashes are children between 12 months and 23 months old.
A new lineup of bigger trucks, the Ford Super Duty, will soon debut.
According to Ford and GM representatives, trucks have increased in size because of consumer preferences. Bigger trucks require more girth and larger grilles to further assist engine cooling, particularly when the vehicles are towing trailers.
Consumer Reports believes mandatory advanced safety technology such as automatic emergency braking could help reduced increase problems. Reducing and designing safer roads for pedestrians and cyclists would also be beneficial.
The publication also reports a pickup truck's tall front end and higher bumper are also more likely to cause serious injuries upon impact than the bumper of a lower vehicle.
The 2021 Mercedes-AMG A35 4MATIC, a compact luxury sedan, is positioned in a wickedly competitive segment. It defines automotive industry rivalry at its best.
Several BMW and Audi models are top German counterpart competitors. The Cadillac CT4, Infiniti Q50, Lexus IS and Volvo S60 are also long-time stalwarts. More recent additions include the Kia Stinger, Genesis G70 and Volkswagen Arteon, expanding the all-worthy list to more than a dozen choices. Pick one and rejoice in your good choice.
The 2021 Mercedes-AMG has a handsome exterior design. All images © Bruce Aldrich/2021
The AMG (Aufrecht Melcher Großaspach) lineup showcases Mercedes at its best. The manufacturer customizes its vehicles with improved performance and more features. The A35 is powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine with 302 horsepower and a seven-speed, dual-clutch automatic transmission.
The 4MATIC designation is the automaker's variable all-wheel-drive system. Acceleration is impressive, with the 3,153-pound sedan completing the 0-to-60 miles per hour standard in 4.3 seconds.
Gas mileage, according to EPA estimates, is 24 miles per gallon in city driving, 31 mpg on the highway. It gives the Mercedes good standing among its rivals. 2021 Mercedes-AMG A35: upscale inside, outside Introduced as a 2020 model, the second-year A35 edition keeps much the same from a year ago. Upgrades to the standard equipment list include blind-spot monitoring and a 64-color ambient-light system. The carmaker's MBUX Interior Assistant is a new stand-alone option. It allows selected contact-free multimedia system functions.
As the Mercedes-AMG's cheapest and least powerful model, the impressive sedan negates any consideration as an "entry-level luxury."
The 2021 Mercedes-AMG is luxury sedan with sports car tendencies.
Driving the A35 combines comfort, performance and versatility. It features five driving modes: Comfort, Individual, Sport, Sport+ and Slippery. Sport+ increases responsiveness; Slippery enhances stability, provides smoother responses and reduces power.
One keen option is the upgraded steering wheel with touchscreen buttons for controlling driving modes. The A35 sports car enthusiasts' appeal is further enhanced by the optional Aerodynamics package. It includes a larger front splitter, small front canards, a bigger trunk spoiler and additional rear bumper trim.
As a luxury vehicle, the A35 has several features often discovered in higher-priced sedans. The steering wheel is wrapped in perforated leather and features paddles for manual control of the seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. It also has a twin-bar grille, a deep rear diffuser and larger front bumper openings.
True to its AMG branding, the A35's cabin has sporting touches, including aluminum trim and leather upholstery.
Considering the AMG's designation as a compact luxury sedan, front seating has restrictive entrances and exits. Rear passengers have it better, but not great. There are only nine cubic feet of cargo room, far smaller than the BMW S3 and S2 models. The front sport seats have 12-way power adjustments on the door panels. Four-way power lumbar support and three-position memory is also included.
The AMG's four premium packages combine to advance the A35 from its entry-level luxury machine classification to a premium ride. The total cost of the grouped options is slightly more than $4,300. It's all worthy. The MSPR is $45,850; The car’s price as reviewed is $57,890.
Consider: Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration come standard, but satellite radio costs $460. Mercedes provides five USB-C ports throughout the cabin plus an eight-speaker stereo. The 12-speaker Burmester sound system ($850) transforms the cabin into an intimate concert hall for four or five if the rear seat occupants are petite.
Purists might be critical. Is the 2021 Mercedes-AMG A35 4MATIC a sedan wanting to be a sports car?
What would a James Bond movie be without iconic cars doing the impossible?
OK, there's espionage, guns, chase scenes, adventures in exotic places, tuxedos, pretty women in slinky dresses, villains and a martini or two (shaken, not stirred).
But other than that, fans of the 24 films (and soon to be 25 movies) in the franchise need to see cars, notably various Aston Martin vehicles.
Aston Martin and James Bond need each other, only since 1962.
Aston Martin needs the James Bond movies. The James Bond movies need Aston Martin.
In the final preview before the nationwide debut of No Time To Die on Oct. 8, cars are in the mix, including a homage to yesteryear with protruding automatic weapons all the rage. James Bond: Retired? Not So Much The premise of the new film, as promoted:
"James Bond has left active service and is enjoying a tranquil life in Jamaica. His peace is short-lived when his old friend Felix Leiter from the CIA turns up asking for help.
The mission to rescue a kidnapped scientist turns out to be far more treacherous than expected, leading Bond onto the trail of a mysterious villain armed with dangerous new technology."
The Aston Martin DB 10 is used in James Bond movie, Spectre, also starring Daniel Craig.
"No Time To Die "stars Daniel Craig, Rami Malek, Léa Seydoux, Lashana Lynch, Ben Whishaw, Naomie Harris and Jeffrey Wright, Christoph Waltz and Ralph Fiennes.
The cast also includes Rory Kinnear, Ana de Armas, Dali Benssalah, David Dencik and Billy Magnussen
Cary Joji Fukunaga is the director and co-wrote the screenplay with Neal Purvis & Robert Wade and Phoebe Waller-Bridge. Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli are the producers.
The film's management and Aston Martin representatives have reiterated for months that "No Time To Die" will include four models of the iconic sports car.
Not every Bond film has featured an Aston Martin, but there's little doubt the human and automotive icons are meant for each other.
Here’s a list of the movies and the prominent cars used in the two-dozen James Bond movies to date:
Dr. No., 1962, 1961 Sunbeam Alpine II
From Russia With Love 1963 1935 Bentley Drophead
Goldfinger 1964 1963 Aston Martin DB5
Thunderball 1965 1963 Aston Martin DB5
You Only Live Twice 1967 1967 Toyota 2000GT
On Her Majesty’s Secret Service 1969 1968 Aston Martin DBS
Diamonds Are Forever 1971 1971 Ford Mustang Mach 1
Live and Let Die 1973 1947 AEC Regent III
The Man With the Golden Gun 1974 1974 AMC Hornet X
The Spy Who Loved Me 1977 1976 Lotus Esprit S1
Moonraker 1979 Chevrolet C10 ambulance
For Your Eyes Only 1981 1981 Citroën 2CV
Octopussy 1983 1981 Alfa Romeo GTV6
A View to a Kill 1985 1983 Renault 11 TXE
The Living Daylights 1987 1985 Aston Martin V8 Vantage
Licence to Kill 1989 1987 Kenworth W900
GoldenEye 1995 1963 Aston Martin DB5
Tomorrow Never Dies 1997 1997 BMW 750iL
The World Is Not Enough 1999 1999 BMW Z8
Die Another Day 2002 2002 Aston Martin V12 Vanquish
Casino Royale 2006 2006 Aston Martin DBS V12
Quantum of Solace 2008 2008 Range Rover Sport HSE
Skyfall 2012 1963 Aston Martin DB5
Spectre 2015 Aston Martin DB10
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Some rock & roll stars collect women. Charlie Watts preferred one, Shirley Ann Shephard, his wife of 57 years. Instead, the deceased Rolling Stones drummer fancied fancy clothes and vintage cars. He often coordinated his style hobbies as package deals.
Watts, who died at age 80 on Aug. 24, didn’t enjoy driving his rare vehicles. He’d opt for proper attire for the occasion to sit in one of the cars and enjoy the combined craftsmanship of his suits and his vehicles.
Charlie Watts, the drummer for The Rolling Stones who died Aug. 24 at age 80, had a collection of vintage cars he didn't drive.
Watts didn’t have a driver’s license. He liked how cars were made, how they looked and how they sounded. It was somehow all made better when he took it all in while wearing the proper custom-made attire. He reportedly owned 200 suits and not quite as many cars.
The drummer’s entire car collection wasn’t discussed after his death. But several of his most well-known vehicles were revisited in remembrances.
Among other vehicles, Watts owned: a 1937 Lagonda Rapide Cabriolet with a V12 (only 25 were made); Citroën 2CV (The French sedan James Bond drove “For Your Eyes Only”); Bugatti Atlantic (late 1930s); Citroën Méhari; Lamborghini Muira; and several Rolls-Royces.
Charlie Watts, the recently deceased Rolling Stones drummer, owned a 1937 Lagonda Rapide Cabriolet with a V12.
"I just love the shape of old cars,” Watts said in a 2018 interview with the British music magazine New Musical Express. "I can’t drive, so I just sit in them and listen to the engine. I suppose you could call it a rich man’s indulgence." Charlie Watts didn't drive but still loved cars While not as fanatical about cars as Watts, other Rolling Stones band members enjoyed vintage vehicles and, unlike their bandmate, liked driving them.
Keith Richards often drove a 1972 Ferrari Dino 246GT. Mick Jagger preferred a 1966 Aston Martin DB6. Bill Wyman drove a 1966 Mercedes-Benz 250 S luxury limousine. Richards, Jagger and Wyman also all had 1983 Ferrari 400I models and drove them in London and in the UK countryside when feasible.
But with celebrity, convenience and privacy reigned. The band's concert stops around the world were best accomplished with travel in a customized private Boeing 737-400. The group owned it.
Regardless, the Rolling Stones' collective and individual interests in automobiles remained important. The group sang songs with lyrics about cars, including “I see a line of cars /And they’re all painted black.”
It’s from the single "Paint it, Black." One interpretation of the song is that it’s about a person struggling with depression.
The song "Black Limousine" is a single from the band's 1981 album "Tattoo You."
Richards and Jagger co-wrote the group’s single, "Brand New Car."
It’s taken from the studio album “Voodoo Lounge” and was released in July 1994. The lyrics are often cited as being about a woman.
The song begins: "I got a brand new car / And I like to drive real hard / I got a brand new car / And I’m feeling good so far / Take her on the highway for a little spin / I want to see the kind of shape she’s in."
With more than 400 songs recorded, the Rolling Stones' catalog of tunes with automotive themes also includes: “Moonlight Mile,” “All Down the Line” and a cover of “Route 66.” The latter may be the band’s best-known automotive-related tune. It begins:
"Well, if you ever plan to motor west / Try take my way / That's the highway / That's the best / Get your kicks on Route 66."
The song was written in 1946 by Bobby Troup, an actor who played a neurosurgeon on the 1970's television drama ''Emergency." He died in 1999.
The Stones recorded the song in 1964, joining an illustrious and varied group with iconic renditions, Nat King Cole to Chuck Berry, Depeche Mode to John Mayer.
In a black-and-white YouTube video of the Rolling Stones’ recording, Watts is on the drums in his usual background perch. He's wearing a suit and a thin necktie.
Tesla isn't new to controversy and nor is the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), and both are back in the news.
The NHTSA, previously critical of the electric vehicle manufacturer, recently said its conducting a preliminary evaluation into the carmaker's self-titled "Autopilot" systems after 11 crashes in nine states.
NHTSA has questioned Tesla after 11 of its cars were involved in 11 accidents with emergency vehicles.
The concern, the agency reported, is how the driver assistance technology works to "monitor, assist, and enforce the driver's engagement with driving while Autopilot is in use."
Bryant Walker Smith, an associate professor in the School of Law and the School of Engineering at the University of South Carolina, discusses the Tesla situation on this episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast. Tesla questioned again by NHTSA Podcast co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia talk with Smith about a full range of emerging transport technologies.
"I will refer to automation technologies generally," Smith explains during the opening of the podcast. "But I think we will be specifically talking about driver assistance technologies of which Tesla has questionably named AutoPilot and the future of automated driving technologies, that is those that could truly deserve the name self-driving."
Smith is also an affiliate scholar at the Center for Internet and Society at Stanford Law School and co-director of the University of Michigan Project on Law and Mobility.
He previously led the Emerging Technology Law Committee of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academies and served on the US Department of Transportation's Advisory Committee on Automation in Transportation.
A graduate of New York University School of Law, Smith also has a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from the University of Wisconsin. He advises cities, states, countries, and the United Nations on emerging transport technologies.
"In a lot of ways, the stats are old news, the roughly dozen crashes involving Tesla vehicles and Emergency Responding vehicles have been widely reported and discussed," says Smith. "What's news is the NHTSA's formal inquiry into them which to could potentially lead to a finding of defect or an effort to get some sort of recall.
"In that way, it's not terribly big news. It's one piece t it's a piece of a much larger set of questions about Tesla, its technologies and really its marketing. That's a much more important story."
Bruce and I further discuss with Smith the quickly changing auto technology in several areas.
"Drivers in all kinds of vehicles, unfortunately, do collide with emergency vehicles," he says. "Emergency vehicles tend to be in dangerous places. That is a problem. Driver distraction is a problem. Tesla's driver assistance technologies may have very serious problems in their design and their interactions with the drivers and in the marketing and all of that is worth examining and it's important in a broader context."
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The podcast is approaching its fourth year. We've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions.
In the Philippines, it was known as a "country truck" or “Trakbayan." In Indonesia, its name was "Mitra," meaning partner. By any name, the Volkswagen Basis-Transporter was among the carmaker's oddest creations.
The two-door, boxy work truck, manufactured in German and in Mexico, were made between 1975 and 1979 only 6,200 were built. It was called the Hormiga or "Ant."
The VW Basis-Transporter had a short-live tenured but never in the United States.
As a basic utility vehicle, the Basis-Transporter was primarily shipped to Mexico, Turkey and Pakistan. It had a 1.6-liter, 50-horsepower engine and a maximum speed of 48 miles per hour. Its bed had a maximum payload of 2,205 pounds. VW Basis-Transporter: Odd, Rare The utilitarian vehicle founds some success during its short tenure because of high fuel prices and a tenuous economy. It had a VW Beetle powertrain, but the transporter's engine and transmission were located under the cab and drove the front wheels.
When the Transporter debuted, it sold for the equivalent of $5,150. Today, prices are as high $26,900.
The VW Basis-Transporter found limited success in Europe and Asia but it wasn't available in the United States and is now collectible.
And how rare is rare? There's a Basis-Transporter in a German museum and periodically they've been auctioned in the United States
And just as a modern-day comparison, the original Volkswagen sport utility vehicle is about the same size as a VW Polo, the carmaker's compact sold in Europe and in countries but not in the United States. It's about 13 1/2 feet line and 5 1/2 feet wide.
Every Chevy Bolt ever made dating to 2017 has now been recalled after 73,000 vehicles were added to the list because of potentially defective battery modules.
The latest recall includes 73,000 vehicles in the U.S. and Canada from 2019 through 2022 model years, including the recently launched larger version called the Bolt EUV.
The entire catalog of the EV Chevy Bolt lineup dating to 2017 has been recalled.
With the previous recall involving about 69,000 cars globally, including nearly 51,000 in the U.S., the recall expansion is expected to cost the automaker an additional $1 billion. It brings the recall’s total to $1.8 billion.
Both issues are related to the same two potential battery defects, stemming from reports of fires when Bolt EV vehicles had been plugged in and or recently charged to full.
The Bolt EV and EUV models use cells made by LG Chem in South Korea through mid-2019, and then Holland, Michigan from mid-2019 on. GM previously said the so-called “design level N2.1” made in Michigan were unaffected. It hasn’t disclosed whether it’s aware of instances of fire with newer cells.
As a result of Bolt models produced under recall, the future of GM to expand to exclusive selling only electric vehicle 2035 may be in question.
It also adds to billions of dollars in problems for new EVs amid the Biden administration’s push for 50% of all new cars sold to be electric vehicles by 2030. Chevy Bolt: Recall Saturation GM said it is pursuing reimbursement commitments from EV battery supplier LG Energy Solution, which produced the defective parts in plants in South Korea and Michigan. Parts from the U.S. plant were previously not involved in the recall.
The automaker plans to replace the vehicle’s costly battery cell modules. GM also said it is working with LG to rectify the cause of the defects and increase production of the new modules.
“Our focus on safety and doing the right thing for our customers guides every decision we make at GM,” Doug Parks, a GM executive vice president who oversees products, purchasing and supply chains, said in a release. “As leaders in the transition to an all-electric future, we know that building and maintaining trust is critical. GM customers can be confident in our commitment to taking the steps to ensure the safety of these vehicles.”
The expansion follows the companies finding that the batteries for these vehicles may have two manufacturing defects — a torn anode tab and folded separator — present in the same battery cell, which increases the risk of fire.
GM has confirmed one fire in the new population of recalled vehicles. That’s in addition to at least nine previous confirmed fires in the first round of vehicles that were recalled. It also said it will notify customers when replacement parts are ready.
In the meantime, GM is asking affected Bolt EV owners to set their vehicles to a 90 percent state of charge limitation using Hilltop Reserve mode (for 2017-2018 model years) or Target Charge Level (for 2019 model year) mode.
GM also is asking owners to avoid depleting their battery below approximately 70 miles of remaining range and, as it advised last week, continue to not park their vehicles inside or charge them unattended overnight “out of an abundance of caution.”
The Bolt electric vehicle is larger than the Volt, its predecessor and shares its hatchback body style. Batteries from LG Chem would give the car a range of 200 miles on a single charge. The powertrain would be derived from the one in the tiny Chevrolet Spark EV sold in California and Oregon.
GM says owners with questions should visit www.chevy.com/boltevrecall, contact its Chevrolet EV helpline at 1-833-EVCHEVY or contact their preferred Chevrolet EV dealer.
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Besides buying a house, purchasing a car is likely the most expensive personal expense. So, it's important to make the right choice. But what's the best way to make the best choice?
Questions can vary greatly. How much can I afford? What's the best car for family travel or for long journeys? What's the best value or most dependable brand?
Buying a new car requires proper financial and commonsense planning.
If you're partial to certain manufacturers you right asked where is Jeep made? Are hybrids or electric cars good choices? Is a sedan a better option than an SUV?
Determining what car will serve your needs best can be daunting, so here are some guidelines:
Review Your Budget
Before you start test-driving vehicles and researching the latest technologies and models, you should determine several monetary areas: Are you going to finance the car? If so, what's the best available interest rate? Will you contribute a percentage of your savings toward the purchase? What are your overall budget and monthly budget?
When you visit a car dealership to buy a new car make certain to ask a lot of questions.
To determine your budget, examine your recent bank statements to help determine what amount you can afford to spend on a vehicle. Additionally, owning a vehicle is more than just the purchase price. It also requires maintenance, fuels and insurance.
Some vehicles require the most costly premium fuel and also have expensive repair parts costs. Further, owning a car requires paying sales tax, registration fees and dealership fees and potential other add-ons like an extended warranty.
Identify Your Needs and Wants
Once you’ve determined how much you can spend on your new car, you need to assess what type of vehicle is the most appropriate for your lifestyle. A single person may have vastly different needs in a vehicle than a family of five.
Test-driving a two-seater sports car isn't a good approach if you're buying a vehicle for family use. And purchasing a car with poor fuel economy isn't wise is the vehicle will be used for commuting. Buying a new car takes planning Make a list of your essential car qualities — vehicle size to safety features to fuel economy. And what are some unnecessary options for a new vehicle? A new technology feature may be desirable but not necessary.
Consider a "need" checklist first: How many seats do you need? Do you need extra seating on an Adhoc basis? Do you regularly travel long distances? Do you need a car that is compatible with a roof rack, tow bar, or bike carrier?
Will you be towing anything? If so, what weight do you need the car to be able to pull? Isofix points for care seats. Do you need an automatic or manual transmission?
And also consider a "want" checklist: You may fancy a panoramic sunroof, a Bose sound system, or a fluorescent paint, but they aren’t necessarily a ‘need’, they are more of a want. These are "compromise" items.
Consider the options list: Satnav, Bose sound system, Aux port, Alloy wheels, Bluetooth, handsfree, certain colors, extra trims, heated seats and a different engine.
Research Best Models, Brands
After determining your needs, consider the make and model of a vehicle that best suits your needs. Consider online listings, blogs. Consider average lifespan, quality of the reviews, average as well as various ownership costs. What are the vehicle's safety ratings?
While online research may be preferred, visiting several dealerships where experts are available is also wise. Make sure to test drive any vehicle prior to its purchase. Key considerations are comfort, handling and acceleration. Ask questions about the make and model of the car as well as its history.
Make sure you always consider ongoing costs. Consider the car's resale value and the value of the vehicle you're trading in for a new vehicle. Make certain of the potential new car's ongoing costs, insurance to fuel to repairs.
Finally,
The 2022 Aston Martin Valkyrie Spider, unveiled during the just concluded Monterey Auto Week, is a new hypercar. Its stunning looks and impressive specs are equaled by its unannounced price speculated at more than $3.5 million.
It's also an unattainable vehicle unless you're a current Aston Martin owner who was afforded the opportunity to buy one of the 85 examples manufactured. And good luck with that. They're all sold.
Only 85 of the new 2022 Aston Martin Valkyrie Spider hypercars will be made. Images © Bruce Aldrich/2021.
By the numbers, the Valkyrie Spider has the same 6.5-liter Cosworth V-12 as the regular Valkyrie. Combined with its hybrid system, the new Aston Martin has a total output of 1,139 horsepower. The Spider's engine is mounted directly to the car's carbon-fiber tub without an insulating subframe. Aston Martin Valkyrie Spider: 85 made, sold Tobias Moers, Aston Martin's CEO, and Lawrence Stroll, the carmaker's Executive Chairman, made clear, easy-to-digest presentations during the debut just off the 18th hole fairway at Pebble Beach Golf Links.
A casual Q&A followed, emceed by former versatile driving pro Derek Hill, son of the automotive legend Phil Hill. The debuts corresponded to Aston Martin's 70th anniversary.
The 2022 Aston Martin Valkyrie has a futuristic exterior design.
As presented, the Valkyrie Spider's top is removable, not folding. Its top speed without its roof is 205 miles per hour and 217 mph with its roof intact.
While the new vehicle's 0-60 miles-per-hour acceleration wasn't listed, the current Valkyrie is rated in the standard performance test at 2.5 seconds.
The Valkyrie Spider’s modified windows tilt forward dihedrally, rather than directly up. The roof uses a central carbon-fiber panel that connects to two fixed polycarbonate windows. The removable panel adds only 33 pounds to the vehicle's weight.
The new hypercar's interior mirrors the setup of the standard Valkyrie introduced in 2017. It has a Formula 1-like seating position, six-point racing harnesses and a rearview camera system.
Aston Martin said its new hypercar will be offered in left-hand and right-hand-drive configurations. Deliveries will begin in the second half of 2022.
Monterey Auto Week has a problem, and it's about as good as it gets.
After a two-year hiatus because of COVID-19, the return edition ended Sunday, August 15 with the 70th anniversary of the Concours d'Elegance. It was the grand finale to a now 10-day occasion of about 30 events.
And therein the issue for automotive enthusiasts gathering on the Monterey Peninsula: Where do we go and what do we all do first? How do we prioritize? Isn't it great to have choices?
There's usually at least one Kaiser-Darrin at every edition of the Concours on the Avenue. All images © Bruce Aldrich (2021).
Bruce Aldrich and I have represented The Weekly Driver website and podcast at Monterey Auto Week for several years. I've attended various auto shows, racing, auctions and related events on the peninsula since 1987 while contributing content and images to several local, regional, national and international publications. Monterey Auto Week returned in splendor Attending the festivities is a wondrous grind. What's not to like?
This year's event had a special vibe, a celebration of automobiles amid coronavirus protocols. Fewer cars were showcased at some events, but exuberance prevailed.
Monterey Auto Week: Crosley automobiles were made by the Crosley Brothers in Cincinnati, Ohio. The company made the first post-WWII sports cars and the first modern-day sport utility vehicles.
The usual assortment of multi-million-dollar vehicles found their usuals perches at the Concours d'Elegance and high-end auctions. But attainable vehicles have always been more interesting, and we found plenty. We talked to car owners and memorabilia vendors. And we chatted with entrepreneurs, collectors and a museum curator.
I did most of the interviewing and writing, including an article on the COVID-10 protocol at the Concours on the Avenue for The Monterey Herald. Bruce took all of the images and produced our podcast. It was fun teamwork — once again.
Monterey Auto Week: Not too many of these around, a Matra-Bonnet Djet. A dozen or so are in the United States, according to the owner.
We interviewed Donald Osborne, the long-time co-emcee of the Concours on the Avenue and an international automotive businessman. We talked with Kit and Rick Franke of Pacific Grove about their 1960 Buick Electra 225; We talked with David and Pam Hibbert about their 1974 Type E 4.2 liter Jaguar; And we talked with Jessica Denecour of Pacific Grove, the owner of a 1947 Crosley Convertible.
Bruce and I attended the Porsche Monterey Classic in Seaside upon our arrival from Sacramento on Monday night, Aug. 9. We couldn't have timed it any better. Vintage Porsches of all shapes, sizes and eras arrived in a steady stream of wheeled history.
Of course, we wouldn't miss the Concours on the Avenue in Carmel (Aug. 10) and The Little Car Show (Aug. 11) in Pacific Grove. We visited the streamlined Pop-up Memorabilia Show (Aug. 11) at the Embassy Suites in Seaside.
Monterey Auto Week: How's this for style? A 1950 Alfa Romeo 6C. It was named Best of Show at the Concours of the Avenue.
Aston Martin invited Bruce and me to the unveiling of the manufacturer's new hypercar, the Valkyrie Spider and Valhalla at Pebble Beach. The late morning, early afternoon gathering Aug. 12 couldn't have been presented better. The press conference was held at a private residence parallel to the 18th fairway of Pebble Beach Golf Links.
Tobias Moers, Aston Martin's CEO, and Marek Reichman, CCO and Head of Design, made clear, easy-to-digest presentations. A casual Q&A followed, emceed by former versatile driving pro Derek Hill, son of the automotive legend Phil Hill. The debuts corresponded to Aston Martin's 70th anniversary.
Monterey Auto Week: Vintage Porsches had a dominating presence.
And just before making the return trip to Sacramento, we visited with Chris Bright and his colleague Aaron Lalibert from Collector Part Exchange.
Chris was a recent guest on The Weekly Driver Podcast,
Fifty years into its unequaled success, Ford decided it needed more from its lightweight pickup trucks. The Super Duty lineup, including the F-250, was introduced.
The family of haulers comprises the country's best-selling vehicles, and it's been that way for decades.
The 2021 Ford F-250 pickup truck helps retains the manufacturer's dominance. Images © James Raia/2021.
With its siblings, the F-350 through F-750, the F-250, which debuted in 1998 as a 1999 model, features a heavier-duty chassis and heavier-duty suspension. The result is a pickup truck with a complementary role as a rugged small apartment on wheels.
Pickup truck owners accustomed to the girth and power of the beasts will rejoice. The F-250 ideally defines the segment. It's in charge on the road with a commanding presence but without having to prove its appeal with bravado. 2021 Ford F-250: Lots of choices The 4x4 Super Duty features a 7.2-liter, 385-horsepower engine propelled by a 10-speed automatic transmission. Three cab configurations — a regular, extended (aka SuperCab) and a crew — can be paired with either a 6.8-foot or 8.2-foot bed. Rear-wheel drive is standard on most trims and four-wheel drive is available on all options.
For 2021, Ford has let success rest — with a few exceptions. The truck hasn't been redesigned since 2017. But the new offering is now available with exterior colors named with creative writers' embellishments — Antimatter Blue, Carbonized Gray and Lithium Gray.
The 2021 Ford F-250 has a variety of towing capacities depending upon trim level.
Trailer-tow mirrors with heated glass and manually adjustable-and-telescoping abilities have been added to the base model with a dual-rear-axle. A bed step is now available on all models.
Long gone is the era of pickup trucks as cargo haulers beset with occupant discomfort. The F-250 in the Lariat trim, one of six varieties offered, includes leather-trimmed seats, dual-zone climate control, an eight-inch infotainment display screen and an 11-speaker Bang and Olufsen sound system.
The Lariat trim also includes: a power-sliding rear window, rear parking sensors, power-adjustable front seats and an auto-dimming rearview mirror.
The top-end features offer comfort and encouragement for pickup truck novices accustomed to driving sedans, sports cars and even medium-sized SUVs.
Negotiating the F-250 properly requires mastering a learning curve. Forget using regularly sized parking spots or any notion of negotiating nimble U-turns. It's not what the F-250 does best. Its strengths are workhorse duties, hauling cargo to towing an RV.
Despite its proportions, the 2021 Ford F-250 handles the road with more refinement than might be expected. The automatic transmission shifts are smooth; the overall ride quality is balanced and quiet.
For more rugged responsibilities, hill-hold assist and optional adaptive steering are stress reducers. The engine brakes, in auto mode, to allow the driver to preserve the truck’s disc brakes and advance at a set speed on wicked descents.
The Tremor Package is further appealing. It's a collection of stuff for off-road negotiations: twin-tube dampers, a unique rear stabilizer bar, locking rear differential and 35-inch tires.
The package also includes lifting the F-250 to provide 10.8 inches of ground clearance, a 33-inch wading depth and a newly angled front fascia. The Tremor offering isn't available on XL and Limited trims.
As an RV companion, the F-250 has several towing limit options. The base-level 6.2L V8 engine has a 15,000-pound maximum when properly equipped. When equipped with a 7.3L V8, the maximum capacity is 24,200 pounds. The truck earns best-in-class maximum gooseneck towing of up to 37,000 pounds, best-in-class maximum 5th-wheel towing of 32,500 pounds. The maximum payload capacity is 7,850 pounds.
With its extensive power and performance, the F-250 guzzles fuel, with EPA estimates of 11 miles per gallon in city driving, 16 mpg on the highway.
The Valkyrie Spider, marketed as one of the world's most extreme hypercars, was unveiled August 11 by Aston Martin at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance during Monterey Auto Week.
With off-roof driving and described by the manufacturer as "the most comparable experience to that of an F-1 car not limited to the track," the Valkyrie Spider will feature a 6.5-liter V12 with revving to more than 11,000 RPM.
Aston Martin has unveiled its new hypercar the Valkyrie Spider. Image courtesy of Aston Martin.
While the Aston Martin Valkyrie’s unique 1155PS hybrid V12 powertrain remains unchanged, the Valkyrie Spider has received revisions to its carbon-fiber structure.
Plus, Aston Martin has announced a "precise recalibration of both the active aerodynamic and active chassis systems." Aston Martin Hypercar Debuts With its ultra-lightweight construction and high downforce aerodynamics package, the upper body surfaces of the teardrop-shaped cockpit and lower tub contours follow the envelope of space available between the huge full-length Venturi tunnels that run either side of the cockpit floor.
Drawing huge quantities of air beneath the car to feed the rear diffuser, these tunnels are the key to generating Aston Martin Valkyrie Spider’s extraordinary levels of downforce, while keeping the upper body surfaces free from additional aerodynamic devices that would spoil the purity of the open-top styling.
Capable of achieving a vMAX of 330km/h+ with the roof removed (350km/h+ with the roof on), it's the fastest and most extreme open-top, road-legal Aston Martin ever built.
Delivering LMP1 levels of performance, Valkyrie Spider is simulated to set impressive lap times, not normally achievable in a road-going car.
The same driver-focused cabin sits at the heart of Valkyrie Spider. F1-inspired low hip-to-heel height and near-central seat positioning, along with a 6-point safety harness to keep the occupants safely in the car. A center rear-view camera system along with front and rear parking sensors will aid the driver at both high and low speeds, with displays sitting just above the Instrument Panel.
The Valkyrie Spider features a bespoke, removable lightweight roof comprising of a carbon fiber central panel, latching onto the tub at the rear and to the windscreen surround at the front, along with a pair of polycarbonate roof windows, hinged on either side.
Upon opening the doors, the roof lifts off for stowing. Modifications to the carbon-fiber tub have been made to support the removable roof panels and the open-top layout as well as new doors. The now front-hinged dihedral doors, unique to Valkyrie Spider, have been redesigned to tilt forward.
“The Aston Martin Valkyrie is the product of incredible innovation and technology, but above all it has always been about emotion," said Tobias Moers, Aston Martin Chief Executive Officer. "With the Valkyrie Spider, we are taking that passion and emotion to the next level. The driving experience promises to be truly sensational.
The 85 examples of the Valkyrie Spider "are over subscribed," according to Aston Martin. Allocations are pending, with the vehicle available in both left and right-hand drive derivatives. First deliveries are scheduled for 2022.
Donald Osborne is an opera singer, museum CEO, international business owner and one of the voices of the Concours on the Avenue in Carmel, California. He knows cars and people and the gift of gab.
Osborne recently returned from Europe but in plenty of time for Monterey Auto Week. The coronavirus and its variants are in different stages in Italy and England, where he attended globally renowned automotive events.
On Tuesday morning, Aug. 10, the proprietor of Audrain Auto Museum in Newport, R.I., was in his usual perch nearly the judging platform on Ocean Avenue, looking dapper in his official blazer, bowtie and Panama hat.
Osborne was among four guests co-host Bruce Aldrich and I spoke with him during the first of our three days of days attending Monterey Auto Week.
Kim (above) and Rick Franke own a 1960 Buick Electra 225 and showcased at the Concours on the Avenue during Monterey Auto Week. Images © Bruce Aldrich/2021.
"This year we are in a different place," said Osborne, a short while before he sang the national anthem. "It's a testament to both the strength of this event and the enthusiasm for cars that people will do what they have to do come and share an event like with other people."
The Concours on the Avenue, abiding by amended COVID-19 regulations, required attendees to show proof of being vaccinated or were required to wear a mask. Car owners, officials and car enthusiasts in attendance with proof of vaccination were light blue paper wristbands. Monterey Auto Week: Classic Cars, Classic Owners Show attendees moved through vaccine stations with short lines and with no longer than brief delays. Enthusiastic covid rule compliance was matched only by the enthusiasm for the oxymoron of common rare cars — Ferrari to Porsche — to rarities even unfamiliar to industry devotees in attendance.
Bruce and I also spoke with Kit and Rick Franke, owners of a 1960 Buick Electra 225 and David and Pam Hibbert, owners of 1974 Jaguar Type E 4.2 liter. Its Regency Red exterior was as eye-catching as the Buick and its black sheen.
Kit and Rick inherited a 1960 Buick Electra 225 and showcased what they call a "land yacht" for the first time at the Concours on the Avenue. The family has owned the vehicle since 1962.
A Regency Red 1975 Jaguar XKE Type E 4.2 was displayed at the Concours on the Avenue during Monterey Auto Week.
The Buick, 20-feet long, has been upgraded with disc brakes, LED lights and seatbelts. Its exterior black paint is vivid black, a shade making the darkest of dark black enticing.
At the opposite end of Ocean Ave. from the Frankes, the Hibberts sat in short lawn chairs watching over Jaguar. Its Regency Red exterior was as eye-catching as the Buick’s black sheen. We discuss its legacy and Rick's Jaguar is his native England.
On Wednesday, Aug. 11, Bruce and I attended the Little Car Show in Pacific Grove. Like the Concours on the Avenue, the Little Car Show is free and has the same welcoming atmosphere for those who appreciate vintage cars and trucks
We interviewed Jessica Denecour of Pacific Grove, the owner of a 1947 Crosley Convertible. She bought the car as a retirement gift to herself and now drives the car throughout the Monterey Peninsula, but never on the freeway. Like all vintage car owners, Denecour has plenty of stories to tell about her light blue Crosley.
It's the way it is during Monterey Auto Week.
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Steve McQueen, the iconic actor known as the King of Cool, rode many motorcycles in his movies and for recreation. Several vintage bikes from the actor's estate have sold.
But the first Husqvarna dirt bike McQueen owned is particularly revered. And the machine of legend could several hundred thousand dollars when it's auctioned during RM Sotheby’s sale Aug. 12-14 during Monterey Auto Week.
Steve McQueen owned about 200 motorcycles but his first bike was a Husyvyrna 360 and it will be up for auction at RM Sotheby's sale August 12-14 during Monterey Auto Week.
McQueen's coveted two-wheeler is a classic 1968 Husqvarna Viking 360. It's believed he first saw the high-octane Husky tear up the track during a series of races in Southern California in 1968. Steve McQueen: Motorcycle Icon After watching acclaimed motocross rider Bengt Åberg in the saddle, McQueen bought the bike from Swedish rider after the third race. Powered by a single-cylinder, 360 cc two-stroke engine, the motorcycle produces 37 horsepower and weighs 215 pounds.
According to industry reports, the 1968 Husqvarna Viking 360 was restored in 2014 and will be auctioned on a Utah title. It has its original engine, 32mm Bing carburetor and a 4-speed gearbox. It's been fitted with a PowerDynamo electronic ignition.
McQueen, who died in 1980, reportedly had more than 200 motorcycles in his collection. He rode a 400 Cross and in the 1971 motorcycle racing documentary On Any Sunday and is arguably his most famous Husky. It sold for $230,500 at Bonham's Auction in 2018.
But the first dirt bike McQueen owned? It could sell for more than the 400 Cross.
Monterey Auto Week is the umbrella name for all things automotive collectively presented for 10 days during mid-August. It all began with the Pebble Beach Road Race in 1950.
The races were called "The Del Monte Trophy" and were held on the twisty, leafy and narrow Pebble Beach roads. The series lasted until 1956.
The Concours on the Avenue will be held Aug. 10 during Monterey Auto Week on Ocean Ave. and on nearby side streets in downtown Carmel. The show is free. All images © James Raia
The Concours d'Elegance, now the world-renowned finale to international collections of races, rallies, auctions, memorabilia and car debuts, began as an afterthought.
Now, Monterey Auto Week attendees have to make decisions. Where does a visitor go first? How many events can be taken in on any given day?
Here's a calendar of events for the 2021 edition of Monterey Auto Week.
For details of events, click on links for previous coverage: MONTEREY AUTO WEEK EVENTS SCHEDULE August 6 Monterey Car Week Kick-Off
August 8 Monterey Pre-Reunion
August 9 Monterey Pre-Reunion The Porsche Classic
August 10 Automobilia Pop-Up Show (NEW) Concours on the Avenue Monterey Kickoff Cruise-In
August 11 Automobilia (New) Little Car Show McCall's Motorworks Revival Pebble Beach Motoring Classic Russo & Steele Auction
August 12 Mecum Auction Monterey Pebble Beach Classic Car Forum Pebble Beach RetroAuto Pebble Beach Tour d'Elegance Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion Russo & Steele Auction
A Kaiser Darrin displayed at Concours of the Avenue in Carmel, Ca., during Monterey Auto Week.
August 13 Bonhams Quail Lodge Auction Gooding & Company’s Pebble Beach Auctions Mecum Auction Monterey Pacific Grove Rotary Concours Auto Rally Pebble Beach Classic Car Forum Pebble Beach RetroAuto RM Sotheby’s Monterey Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion Russo & Steele Auction The Quail: A Motorsports Gathering Werks Reunion
August 14 Concours d'LeMons Concorso Italiano Ferrari Owners Club Gathering Gooding & Company’s Pebble Beach Auctions Legends of the Autobahn Mecum Auction Monterey Pebble Beach Classic Car Forum Pebble Beach RetroAuto RM Sotheby’s Monterey Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion
August 15 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance
RESCHEDULED EVENTS FOR 2022
August 8-11 Worldwide Auctioneers
August 10 Carmel Mission Classic
August 11 Prancing Ponies Women's Car Show
August 13 Exotics on Broadway
August 15-17 Automobilia Monterey Expo
For a synopsis of every 2021 event, visit: Monterey Auto Week
Learning how to operate a manual transmission car or truck was a rite of automotive passage for drivers of a certain age. It's now a rarity, with a few exceptions including a campaign introduced by Hagerty.
The American automotive lifestyle and membership company, Hagerty in July announced, as part of its 10th anniversary of the Hagerty Driving Experience, a mission. Its goal: to teach 500 people to drive a stick shift in 50 days.
Rachel Ventimiglia, Assistant Manager of Car Culture at Hagerty, is my guest on Episode #192 of The Weekly Driver Podcast.
Hagerty started a program in July to encourage more drivers to learn how to drive manual transmission vehicles.
Co-host Bruce Aldrich is on assignment, so I discuss with Ventimiglia the ever-increasing disappearance of manual transmissions and the importance of Hagerty's mission.
Consider some drastic statistics:
• The first car to use a manual transmission with synchromesh (single clutching) was the 1929 Cadillac;
• The first automobile model to use an automatic transmission was the 1948 Oldsmobile;
• In 1980 models, 35 percent of cars produced for sale in the United States had manual transmissions;.
• In 2011, the number had fallen 13 percent;
• In 2020, only 2.4 percent of new cars sold in the United States had manual transmissions. Want to drive a manual? Hagerty can help • In a recent report published by U.S. News & World Report, only 18 of current U.S. drivers can drive a vehicle equipped with a stick shift.
To reach the 500-person goal, Hagerty is calling on manual drivers to connect with an untaught friend or family member and spend an hour in a parking lot or quiet road to teach the basics.
Many vintage cars were equipped new with manual transmissions but far fewer new cars and trucks have stick shifts.
Drivers are asked to share their experience on the Hagerty Community website, after which they will receive two "Shift Happens" hats for their participation.
"Being able to drive a manual transmission is exhilarating and empowering, and we want to offer people the chance to get behind the wheel of a cool car and experience the fun and passion that enthusiasts know so well," said Hagerty CEO McKeel Hagerty. "Teaching others how to drive stick is at the heart of car culture, and we hope to pass down this skill to the next generation of car lovers."
Since 2011, Hagerty and its volunteers have trained more than 4,000 people how to drive a manual transmission through initiatives such as the Hagerty Driving Experience and Hagerty Driving Academy, a series of more than 40 events nationwide that teach safe, proficient driving skills and the art of shifting a manual. For more information, call (800) 922-4050 or visit www.hagerty.com.
Join me for my discussion with Ventimiglia. She provides a few unusual stories of drivers who've learned to operate a stick shift for the first time. We also discuss some of our personal experiences learning how to drive a manual transmission.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.
If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.
The podcast is in its third year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia vi...
Bobby Rahal, the three-time Indy 500 winner who also won three consecutive Indy Car races at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca beginning in 1985 will have a feature role at the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion.
Rahal will be part of the celebration of a historic Indy Car group that originally competed between 1963 and 1978. It will be run for the first time in an exhibition August 12-15 during Monterey Auto Week.
Current IndyCar racing, which returned to WeatherTech Raceway in 2019, will be joined by a three-day vintage IndyCar exhibition during the Rolex Reunion, Aug. 12-15.
The introduction of rear-engine Indy Cars, starting at the Indianapolis 500 in 1963, changed the sport. A front-engine car and its driver would never win the Indy 500 again after 1965.
Rahal, who has Rahal Straight at the Laguna Seca racetrack named for him, will debut his recently restored 1966 Eagle with a 255 4-cam Ford V-8 engine at the Reunion.
Three Indianapolis 500 winning cars will be at the track. The 1964 Indy winning Watson, driven to victory by A.J. Foyt; the 1970 Indy winning Colt, piloted by Al Unser; and the 1973 Indy winning Eagle which captured the checkered flag with Gordon Johncock driving.
“The roar of authentic Indy Cars navigating the WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca circuit will be music to the ears of race fans,” said Barry Toepke, director of heritage events and public relations at WeatherTech Raceway. “This exhibition will be something special that can’t be found anywhere else, which is a hallmark of what the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion has come to represent.” Bobby Rahal Honored Guest at Rolex Reunion Another winner on display includes the 1964 Lotus Type 34, which Parnelli Jones drove to victory at Trenton in 1964 and A.J. Foyt in 1965 to a remarkable seven poles and three victories during the 1965 USAC Championship season.
IndyCar racing has a long history at WeatherTech Laguna Seca Raceway and will be part of it again in a three-day exhibition during the Rolex Reunion.
The 1975 McLaren M16E-001 which was raced at the three 500-mile superspeedway races by Johnny Rutherford as the #2 Gatorade entry with its best finish of second at the 1975 Indianapolis 500 will also be at the Reunion, Joining the McLaren at the Rolex Reunnion will be a 1968 Eagle Mk IV, which started Team Penske’s Indy Car program 53 years ago.
Spectators will also be treated to seeing the 1978 Penske PC-6, which was driven by Tom Sneva in the 1978 USAC Championship season on track. Sneva posted six 2nd place finishes and 12 top-five finishes to win the National Championship in 1978 without winning a single race.
“Fans will be treated to a quality collection of Indy Cars all under one tent,” said Ellen Bireley, who curated the historic Indy Car heritage display. “They will be able to view these historical jewels up close. I personally am grateful the owners agreed to share these treasures with the fans.”
The Rolex Reunion features several new family fun activities.
In addition to the collection of race cars in the paddock and on track, there is a go-kart track in the Hagerty Marketplace where families can experience the thrill of sitting behind the wheel of their own kart, in addition to other engaging areas for children of all ages.
The Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion features several new family fun activities. In addition to the incredible collection of race cars in the paddock and on track, there is a go-kart track in the Hagerty Marketplace where families can experience the thrill of sitting behind the wheel of their own kart, in addition to other engaging areas. Ticket information and other event details are available at WeatherTechRaceway.com or via phone 831-242-8200.
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A few events have been amended, few postponed for another year. But by any name, Monterey Auto Week to Classic Car Week, and with events from The Little Car Show to the Concours d'Elegance, it's back.
The all-encompassing showcase of automobiles and many related areas returns after a one-year COVID-19 hiatus.
A crew attends to details on a vintage Rolls-Royce just prior to the bidding during Mecum Auctions at Monterey Auto Week. All images © Bruce Aldrich
The festivities begin August 6 and continue through August 15 at multiple locations throughout the Monterey Peninsula.
Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James it all during this Episode #191 of The Weekly Driver Podcast. We'll be on-site for four days beginning Aug. 9. Plans include a podcast from the Concours on the Avenue in Carmel (Aug. 10) and The Little Car Show (Aug. 11) in Pacific Grove.
Aston Martin will have a world debut in Pebble Beach (August 12), and we'll be there, too. Monterey Auto Week: Auto Overload In the meantime, Bruce and I discuss our previous experiences attending various activities during Monterey Auto Week.
We agree the best show to attend for the money (it's free) is the Concours on the Avenue. Get there early and watch the cars arrive on Ocean Ave. and the surrounding side streets. It's a show with a variety of vintage vehicles, some rare, some not-so-much.
A rare Pagani was featured at The Quail: A Motorsports Gathering during Monterey Auto Week.
But every vehicle has a passionate owner and the enjoyment of the show is as much to them as it is the showcased of vintage machines.
Attending Mecum Auctions (August 12-14) at the Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel and Spa/Del Monte Golf Course is like attending a circus for automobiles (although no cars are mistreated). It's a three-day parade of vehicles for sale, 600 in all, with a vehicle on the auction block ready for bidding every few minutes.
We've attended the auction several times. It's held during daytime hours and it's nationally televised. Ticket prices vary but all are inexpensive. It's complete entertainment. Plentiful refreshments are available and the combination of car-and-people-watching is hard to beat.
The Concours d'Elegance at Pebble Beach Golf Links (August 15) traditionally ends the annual celebration. And it will again with the finale's 70th anniversary. It will also be Sandaa Button's 35th presentation as the event chairwoman.
The first Bugatti Veyron was auctioned a few years ago during Monterey Auto Week.
If you're on the Monterey Peninsula during Monterey Auto Week make sure to pick up a free copy of the Monterey Herald's specialty publication on the now nearly two weeks of activities. It includes a detailed schedule of events and profiles of the people and vehicles involved.
As a long-time contributor to the Monterey Herald, I have six articles in the specialty publication.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.
If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.
The podcast is in its third year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com. All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast
The 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe, the new hybrid trim, is available as a four-door in three high-end offerings: the premium Sahara, more premium High Altitude, and Rubicon, geared toward off-road excursions.
The 4xe (pronounced "four by E"), engine combines a 270 horsepower turbocharged inline-four-cylinder with a 44-horsepower motor connected through a front-end accessory belt. A 134-horsepower motor replaces the transmission's back-end torque converter.
The 2021 Jeep Wrangler Sahara 4xe.
The motors draw power from a 14.0-kWh lithium-ion battery located under the rear seats. Whether the 4xe is in electric mode or running as a hybrid, torque is routed to the wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission. A transfer case offers rear-wheel drive, all-wheel drive (4WD Auto), and high-or low-range four-wheel drive for off-road use.
In its luxury role, the Sahara features upgrades from other trims. Eighteen-inch aluminum-alloy wheels with gray-painted accents, color-keyed fender flares, optional LED front headlamps with daytime running lamps (DRL's) and premium cloth seating surfaces. Touch sensors are located on all door handles for the Sahara equipped with the Remote Proximity Keyless Entry option. 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe entends versatile lineup Additional options include leather-trimmed seating surfaces, a stitched vinyl dashboard, and Keyless Enter-'n'-Go. When equipped with leather-trimmed seats, the Sahara includes a stitched vinyl dashboard panel similar to the Jeep Grand Cherokee.
The 4xe edition achieves a combined 20 miles per gallon with its gas engine and a 49 MPGe rating. The electric-only range is 22 miles and the total range is 370 miles. Recharging the Jeep 4xe at network trailhead chargers takes about 2 1/2 hours. The process extends to 12 hours at a 110-volt home wall outlet.
Acceleration is satisfactory, but the Jeep is far from a fine-tuned performance machine. With its emphasis on off-road ruggedness, the Wrangler has road limitations. It doesn't accelerate well on inclines and passing requires a concerted effort.
Jeeps at their best are for drivers who like to experience the fullness of the experience. Bumpy roads, great, if you like that sort of thing. Wind rush through the soft top and soft side and with accompanying vinyl windows? Absolutely, and bring it on. It's part of the Jeep heritage that defines fun.
The review Sahara featured the soft top/side option and all remained since off-road trips or safaris weren't part of the itinerary.
As manufacturer literature details, the soft siding and soft top choices cost less than the hardtop. They’re easy to remove and to re-attach. They’re also versatile — half down to top up with rear side and tailgate windows removed.
Disadvantages beyond increased noise include less security protection, less protection from outside elements which also may mean window scratches and other durability issues. When the top and soft windows are down and stored, cargo areas are diminished and more difficult to access if other items are also stored.
As a hybrid, there's one additional downside. The battery is stored beneath the second row of seats, further limiting the storage capacity.
The Jeep brand is iconic and driving fun and off-road versatility are keys to its enduring success. The 4xe's MSRP is $47,955. With options, the review vehicle was priced at $54,240. It's available as a plug-in hybrid for a $7,500 federal tax credit and other state rebates may also apply.
Buy the Wrangler, add some outdoor equipment to your vacation arsenal and head off the grid. It's what Jeep is all about. But keep the family sedan for road travel.
The spirit of adventure won't be the same, but decisions over wheel configurations and vinyl versus metal windows and roofs aren't required. It's a better option for the asphalt jungle.
Chris Bright is a vintage car enthusiast with an empathetic ear toward other automotive fanciers who can have difficulty finding parts for their unique vehicles. Or maybe they have a garage full of parts and don't know what to do with the load.
To help, Bright recently debuted CollectorPartExchange.com. It's a modern-day swap meet. As the site is promoted it's "Open 24/7/365 and spans the globe. Oh, and the weather is always perfect."
Bright, a competitive age-group cyclist who lives in Portland, Oregon, is our guest on Episode #190 of The Weekly Driver Podcast.
Collector Part Exchange is a new online automotive resource.
Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia discuss with Bright the idea for Collector Part Exchange and the impressive response it's received in its short time online. Collector Part Exchange "We have thousands of rare, authentic, and remanufactured parts," the site details. "Plus, we welcome project cars, automobilia, and services too."
As Bright further explains on the site:
"Time to get real. You're not using all the parts you've been saving, and someone out there needs them. Why not list them in minutes — for free? You'll have shelf and floor space, and cash - to buy parts you can use now." Win-win."
Collector Part Exchange also features a Part Ping. It's the site's part locator.
The site's text explains: "Can't find what you need Use Part Ping and we’ll see if we can find it for you through our network. The cost? Nada."
In its brief time online, the site's offerings have become increasingly varied. How about a 9000cc Marine Motor? Or maybe you're seeking a 1955 Chevy Body Shell or an original Porsche 356-B Original Speedometer?
Bright explains how Collector Part Exchange works including the key FAQs: It's free to post on the site and the site receives five percent commission on transactions.
Please join Bruce and me for a lively 30 minutes with Chris Bright. And if you're considering buying or selling, car stuff, check out CollectorPartExchange.com.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com. All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast
Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform:
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Sandra Button has judged thousands of cars, Bentley to Bugatti, Maserati to Mercedes-Benz. But a masterpiece from yesteryear can still give the chairwoman of the Pebble Beach Concours a jolt.
It happens early Sunday mornings when 200 cars emerge at Pebble Beach Golf Links for the annual homage to automotive beauty and tradition.
"I have seen cars drive onto the field from the mist and thought, 'that's the one; that's got a run for the roses,' "said Button. Sometimes, I'm right and sometimes I'm not. Sometimes, they don't even make it out of their class.
Sandra Button is celebrating her 35th anniversary as chairwoman of the Pebble Beach Concours.
"But I've been surprised many, many times seeing a car come around the corner onto the field and saying, ‘wow, what is that?' It didn't translate in a photo. It's the stance, the height and everything about the car."
Button, celebrating her 35th year as the event's chairwoman is our guest this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast. Pebble Beach Concours: 70th anniversary Co-host Bruce Aldrich and James Raia talk with Button about the upcoming Monterey Auto Week and the enduring status of the Pebble Beach Concours.
While Button celebrates her anniversary, the event is celebrating its 70th anniversary.
"One of the things that's pretty neat about the Pebble Beach Concours is that our roots are definitely in motorsport," said Button. "Actually, as we are celebrating 70 years of the Pebble Beach Concours we are also celebrating 70 years of the Pebble Beach Races, which really were the star of the show in 1950."
"The Concours was honestly just an afterthought. The races were the show and all the attention was on that. But we thought, 'Let's kick tires and talk cars after the races are done.' "
Sandra Button, chairwoman of the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance.
To commemorate the occasion, the Concours d'Elegance will include a Reunion Class. So far, 40 of the best of show winners will return. The vehicles will be showcased on the golf course paralleling the Pacific Ocean.
"You can imagine what that's going to be like seeing what the tastes were back in the day," said Button. “Was it a more formal, bigger car? Or was it more of a French coachwork or European coachwork? They'll all be there."
Please join us for a lively 30-minute conversation with "The Queen of the Concours."
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com. All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast
Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform:
Amazon.com
Google Play
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iTunes
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Stitcher
John Kraman spends his work career immersed in automotive auctions. He's the lead TV commentator and analyst for NBCSN during Mecum Auction broadcasts. He can barely curb his enthusiasm.
There's no doubt the broadcaster is ready for the return of the three-day Mecum Auction during Classic Car Week beginning Aug. 12.
A vintage Rolls-Royce on the carpet during the Mecum Auctions three-day sale in Monterey Auto Week. Image © James Raia/2018.
Kraman is my guest on this episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast. Co-host Bruce Aldrich is on vacation, so Kraman and I discuss the upcoming Mecum Auction during Monterey Auto Week.
"This pandemic really hasn't slowed us down," said Kraman. "We have been on the go. Our foot has been on the gas pedal, making adjustments to scheduling and having some safety issues we've had to deal with at the venues. Mecum Auctions Monterey: "Reset the Bar." "It looks like a lot of that has started to relax a bit and we are starting to get back to the way things used to be. I have to tell you, man, the upcoming Monterey auction is really about to reset the bar. It's such a high profile and important event."
Mecum Auctions will return to Monterey following a late July auction in Orlando, Florida. Mecum calls the occasion a "pickup auction.”
The mix of a sale at Mecum Auctions during Monterey Auto Week. Image © Bruce Aldrich/2018.
In previous years, the time slot would be reserved for an auction in Harrisburg, Pa. The city plans to return to the Mecum Auctions auction rotation in 2022.
"I have to confess, I have to tell you as much excitement as there is toward Orlando, it's really all about Monterey in my mind at this point," said Kraman.
Mecum's auction at the Hyatt Regency is among its smallest with 600 vehicles. But its average price per sale is annually the company's highest.
Kraman is my guest for third time. Here are links to previous occasions:
Episode #95: Mecum Auctions defines fun during Monterey Auto Week
Episode #45: Fast and Furious Monterey Auctions returns to Monterey
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.
If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.
The podcast is in its third year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com. All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast
Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform. Several of the more prominent platforms are listed below.
Amazon.com
Google Play
iheartradio
iTunes
Spotify
Tesla innovation has changed the automotive world with a lot of industry firsts. Its latest designation is the top spot on the latest American Made Index (AMI).
Introduced 16 years ago by the editors of Cars.com, the AMI analyzes a range of factors to determine the percentage of new cars and trucks made American
The Tesla Model 3 has a new title: the most Anerican made
Kelsey Mays, the assistant managing editor at the online motoring website that debuted in 1998, is our guest on this episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast. He discusses with co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia the latest index result and Tesla's top spot.
"We like to think that the index is fairly relevant," says Mays, a staffer since 2006. "When we survey consumers this year we found out 72 percent said that the domestic nature of a vehicle is an important part of their shopping position."
"The whole point of it is to really help the consumer deduce what the economic contribution to a given vehicle he or she may buy turn out to be." Tesla Gets Top American Made Honors Using a five-point criteria, the Tesla Model 3 became the first electric vehicle to claim the top sport considering where a vehicle is assembled to the amount of American and Canadian made parts. Three other components of what Mays calls a matrix also determine the index rankings.
The top-five positions on the AMI for 2021 include: Tesla Model 3 (Fremont, California), Ford Mustang (Flat Rock, Michigan), Tesla Model Y (Fremont, California), Jeep Cherokee (Belvidere, Illinois) and Chevrolet Corvette (Bowling Green, Kentucky).
According to the AMI findings, 68 percent of car shoppers said they would consider an electric or hybrid vehicle as their next car. Additionally, 29 percent of respondents found it unpatriotic not to buy American.
Please join co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia and Mays as we examine this year's ratings, including some surprising results as well as what Tesla's designation means to the auto industry.
Visit Cars.com to read the complete index.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.
If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.
The podcast is in its third year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com. All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast
Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform. Several of the more prominent platforms are listed below.
Amazon.com
Google Play
iheartradio
iTunes
Spotify
Tim McGrane has a long, varied career in the automotive industry. It's steered him to his current role as the CEO of M1 Concourse in Pontiac, Michigan. The 87-acre playground for auto enthusiasts includes the world’s largest community of Private Garages and a 1.5-mile Performance Track with its own private Motorsports Club.
A native of England whose previous experience tenures at Blackhawk Museum in Danville, California, and WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, McGrane is my guest this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast. Co-host Bruce Aldrich is on assignment.
The M1 Concourse in Pontiac, Michigan is back with a full calendar of events for the 2021 season.
McGrane assumed his latest position in March and like the management of other automotive facilities, M1 Concourse has had to adapt its business during the Covid-19 pandemic.
M1 Concourse, will proper protocols, is now ready for its full season of activities, and we discuss it during Episode No. 186.
In the current issue of his regular online newsletter, McGrane describes M1 as "a place where enthusiasts can keep, show and exercise their vehicles in the company of other enthusiasts and enjoy unforgettable experiences in a social setting unavailable to people who keep their cars at home or in a traditional storage facility." M1 Concourse: A Family Affair "In short, M1 Concourse is the epicenter of all things automotive in metro Detroit and provides the largest concentration of auto enthusiasts in the world a venue to enjoy their passion with friends and family."
A new featured event this season is the Woodward Dream Show, August 19-21. The gathering was initiated to complement the famed Woodard Dream Cruise with historic and legendary hot rods and muscle cars on display.
This year's schedule also includes Motor Bella (September 21-26) and the American Speed Festival (Sept. 30-Oct. 3). The remaining M1 Cars & Coffee are scheduled July 24, Sept. 4. and Oct. 16.
The M1 Concourse in Pontiac, Michigan, is the hub for regional and international motorsports activities.
McGrane details all of M1 Concourse events and his experience in his new role at the five-year-old facility. Event specifics are available here: m1concourse.com.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.
If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.
The podcast is in its third year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com. All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast
Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform. Several of the more prominent platforms are listed below.
Amazon.com
Google Play
iheartradio
iTunes
Spotify;
Motorcycle racing and lots of related activities will add to the always-full calendar of motorsports with the debut of West Coast Bike Week at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.
The community-focused, 10 days of racing and fan interaction will be geared toward those who enjoy all things on two wheels.
Barry Toepke, Director of Heritage Events & Public Relations for the raceway, is our guest on this episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast.
The inaugural West Coast Bike Week will be held July 9-18 at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca and other Monterey Peninsula locations.
Co-hosts James Raia and Bruce Aldrich discuss with Toepke the new series as the racetrack's future as pandemic restrictions have been upgraded.
Activities will begin July 9 at the MotoAmerica in downtown Pacific Grove from 5-9 p.m. The new showcase of events will be highlighted by the GEICO Motorcycle MotoAmerica Superbike Speedfest at Monterey, July 9-11, followed by exciting vintage racing with the AHRMA Classic Motofest of Monterey, July 16-18. West Coast Bike Week: Family Fun "It's going to be fantastic," said Toepke of the Superbike Speedfest. "They were here last year during the pandemic to a close paddock and had some super racing.
"There were some people who came into the park to watch. But now that we are open to the public, we are selling tickets. As of now, we are open and mask-free for those people who are vaccinated. We are excited."
For the Pacific Grove event, Lighthouse Avenue will be shut down between Forest Avenue and Congress Avenue, where live music, merchandise and other surprises await at this free event that is presented by the Pacific Grove Chamber of Commerce. Fans are encouraged to bring their motorcycles to help launch West Coast Bike Week.
The inaugural West Coast Bike Week will be held July 9-18 at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca and other Monterey Peninsula locations.
Toepke is enthusiastic about all things at Laguna Seca, but he stressed the unique "bagger" competition. It's called "King of the Baggers." Harley-Davidson and Indian touring bikes – complete with saddlebags – compete.
"To see these bikes go through the corkscrew and accelerate out of that is something you actually have to see," said Toepke. "It will bring a smile to your face. People are enjoying their bikes."
During the podcast, the co-hosts and Toepke also discuss the year-long calendar and the new racetrack management. It has revitalized the racing calendar and improved marketing, public relations and community outreach programs at the famed track and surrounding recreational area.
Please join for a comprehensive look at the new West Coast Bike Week in Episode #185
For additional information on West Coast Bike Week, visit: www.weathertechraceway.com.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.
If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.
The podcast is in its third year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com. All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast
Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform.
Monterey Auto Week. Monterey Car Week. Classic Car Week. By any name, the now nearly two-week presentation of all things automotive will be back in mid-August.
After a one-year hiatus because of the Covid-19 pandemic, most of the usual annual attractions — shows to auctions, speakers' forums to memorabilia — will unfold throughout the Monterey Peninsula.
Andrew Herrala and Kim Foxx own Ferrari Literature and will also organize this year's memorabilia show during Monterey Auto Week. Images © James Raia/2019
Recently approved as an indoor show, the Automobilia Pop-Up Show, with a new one-year-only husband-wife organization team, will be held Aug. 10-11 at Embassy Suites in Seaside. Monterey Auto Week Is Back While long-time show organizer Everett Anton "Tony" Singer (www.vintageautoposters.com) continues plans for a full-field 2022 return, Andrew Herrala and his wife Kim Foxx will coordinate this year's edition. It will include about 25 vendors of memorabilia — hood ornaments to owner manuals, vintage scale models to apparel, books to keychains.
Herrala is my guest this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast. Co-host Bruce Aldrich is on vacation, but my guest, a Ferrari memorabilia expert, and I discuss all things auto memorabilia.
Herrala and Foxx own Ferrari Literature (www.ferrariliterature.com). It caters to owners of the Italian supercar seeking the vehicles' often rare paperwork as well as a kaleidoscope of other Ferrari-related stuff.
We discuss the increased interest in automotive memorabilia and how interest changes in different parts of the country. We talk about fraud in auto memorabilia collecting and how the industry changed during the pandemic.
Robert Carter, who creates large-sized automobile-themed paintings, in his studio in Chico, California, will return to Monterey Auto Week.
As a long-time freelance writer for the Monterey Herald, I first interviewed Herrala two years ago, the first year the memorabilia event had expanded to three days.
“We have factory, original printed literature for Ferraris,” Herrala said on the show’s opening day in 2019. “You can get some of this stuff online, but you have to be careful it’s authentic. Some guys are real sticklers. If you have a ’65 car, you don’t want a ’67 manual. You want all the details perfect.”
Herrala has been involved with Ferrari for years and has owned several of the supercars. He's traveled to memorabilia shows around the country. Pouches, brochures, manuals, dealer directories, posters, books, parts and tools, posters, yearbooks and other collectibles are all offered beginning from 1947 models.
While smaller this year, many of the regular vendors will be back, including Robert Carter, who owns Carter Artworks.
Carter’s paintings, which range from $5,000 to $20,000 are often sold to museums, restaurants, homeowners and, of course, vintage car owners. He also sells limited edition posters.
“I did fruit labels for about 12 years,” Carter in 2019. “I was still a motorcycle nut and into cars, so one day I just took a fruit truck label and instead of oranges, and put a Ferrari in there. It looked much better. This (a painting of a red Ferrari) is the best canned tomato label you’ll ever see.”
Please join me for comprehensive 30 minutes all about automotive memorabilia on episode #184 of The Weekly Driver Podcast.
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Proud car owners aren't often at a loss for words. It's part of the enjoyment of sharing artwork of wheels. The artists at Respoke Collection offer another way to showcase a favorite machine or a showroom full of automobiles or motorcycles.
Forward a quality image online to the company's online presence, and it will return a vehicle rendering on canvas or on paper in dimensions as large as 24x36. It's an ideal, unique Father's Day gift for the car collector in the family.
A 1959 Bug is the subject of a new offering from Respoke Collection.
On this episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast, co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia discuss Father's Day gifts for auto enthusiasts.
We start with the Respoke Collection.
According to the website, here's how the idea works: Find the best photo of the car you're looking to print. The image can be taken from any angle but with clear quality and lighting.A new book on the history of the Ford Model T is an ideal Father's Day gift.
Respoke Collection's designers will recreate a detailed illustration. Customers approve the rendering with unlimited revisions from printing on canvas or poster. All pieces include hanging hardware and an acrylite front protector. Framed posters feature black frames made from semi-hardwood alder wood. Canvas prints have oak frames.
All artwork is made in the United States. Company response occurs within 24 hours with a three-day turnaround on designs. Secure checkout is done via Shopify. Visit: respokecollection.com for sizes and various collections.
We also discuss several books perfect for Father's Day, June 20. Here's a synopsis of a few gift options:
Here are three other Father's Day gift ideas for automotive enthusiasts:
A new book on the history of the Ford Model T is an ideal Father's Day book.
- Chas Parker is a long-time motor racing enthusiast and veteran motorsports and historic racing car author. He has a new title: Ford Model T an Enthusiast’s Guide 1908 to 1927.
The model T, according to the book's marketing, transformed American society. It brought mobility through car ownership to millions of middle-class Americans when horses and the railroad were previously the only viable means of transportation.
The author, who has also has written about Jaguar, Buggati and Lola, among other topics, explains how arguably the most influential car in history was made on assembly lines. An estimated 16.5 million model Ts were made between 1908 and 1927. The 160-page book includes more than 220 images.
Carmaker Henry Ford's legacy was astonishing. By 1918, half of the cars built in American were Model Ts. About 8,000 made daily. The selection of body styles varied from two-and four-seat open and closed models – tourers, town cars, runabouts, landaulets, cabriolets, vans and pick-up trucks.
The iconic vehicle's racing history and the restoration projects of three England-based Model T owners provide more further context of the car's importance. Visit: www.quartoknows.com or online booksellers.
BMW has a new line of sunglasses.
- Vehicle technology is ever-advancing, but it has drawbacks. Navigation systems and other infotainment visuals aren't always legible with polarization and other eyewear features. The new BMW Eyewear Drop Collection is optimized with a polarization filter. It allows clear views of LCD screen map road signs and other environment details pending on the road.
Developed by Dalloz Creations, the sunglasses, launched this summer, are integrated with Vi/ON lenses. They reduce the polarization filter and protect again intense forms of glare.
A wide range of modern and easy-to-wear men's and unisex models are available and are offered with the BMW community and followers in mind. They're sunglasses for drivers. Styles range from sporty to youthful, with racing-inspired color-block combinations and dynamic profiles. Visit: www.shopbmwusa.com.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates f...
Many cars have failed, but none quite like the Edsel. Scott Gunnari knows all the stories. But the vintage car collector enjoys the car named after Henry Ford's his son as much as any collector of any brand.
Gunnari, the lead inspector for Page One Automotive, the automotive fleet and event management service company in Brisbane, California, has had six of the much-maligned machines in his collection. He now owns three.
1958 Edsel. The car was only made for three years.
Gunnari is our guest this week on Episode #182 of The Weekly Driver Podcast.
Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia talk with Gunnari about three his 1958 Edsels — a Corsair 4-door and Pacer 2-door and 4-door. He also owned a 1958 Bermuda nine-passenger wagon, which he sold about three years ago to another Edsel enthusiast. Edsel: 'It's Weird; That's Why I Like.' "I've been an Edsel nut for years," said Gunnari. "It started at a very young age. I was about 7 or 8 years old when the Edsel came out. I was fascinated by the design. It was so different than anything else. It was weird and that's what I liked about it."
"The three that I have I would say are in various states of disrepair I like to say rather than show cars or even driver quality at this point. They're projects and I seem to have an affinity for that sort of thing, for bringing a car back to life, making it a decent driver and enjoying it."
The Edsel was short-lived but has a following among vintage car collectors, including Scott Gunnari.
Edsel vehicles were manufactured from in model years 1958-1960 and were developed in an effort to give Ford a fourth brand to gain additional market share from Chrysler and General Motors.
"It was just mistimed," said Gunnari of Edsel's short tenure. "There are many, many reasons for the demise. One of the major reasons is that it came out at the wrong time. It was too late. If it had come out in 1955, we might still have an Edsel. But it was late in 1957 and there was a recession."
Please join Bruce and me for an entertaining conversation about Edsel. We encourage and appreciate feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.
If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.
The podcast is in its third year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com.
All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast
Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform. Several of the more prominent platforms are listed below.
Amazon.com
Google Play
iheartradio
iTunes
Spotify
Dr. Katia Nicolet, a marine biologist, is part of two, five-person crews rotating on board the Energy Observer. The self-sufficient, 100-foot catamaran is the first round-the-world, hydrogen-powered sea vessel. It's a working lab designed to showcase zero-emission technologies and demonstrate that clean energies can be accessible to everyone.
As part of its six-year odyssey, the Energy Observer arrived in early May on Pier 9 in San Francisco about two weeks after entering the United States in Long Beach, California.
The Energy Observer is on a global voyage to promote zero-emission technologies All images © Bruce Aldrich/2021
Nicolet, who has been involved with the project for about a year, is our guest on this episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast.
After joining several other guests for Nicolet's extensive tour of the vessel, co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia interviewed our host about a wide range of topics — sustainable energy to living on the ocean for extended durations.
Dr. Katia Nicolet, a marine biologist, is a crew member on the Energy Observer.
"Everything is covered in solar panels and looks black," said Nicolet at the beginning of our podcast recorded in a makeshift sit-in area on the pier and among storage containers. "The primary source of our electricity comes from the solar panels. Energy Observer: Six-Year Worldwide Voyage "The main goal here is to be fully autonomous in energy and to go around the world only using renewable energy and hydrogen and not a single emission of C02 or any other kind of greenhouse gasses."
The Catamaran is a hybrid-propelled vessel. It also has two sails, described by Nicolet as "more like wings."
The hydrogen fuel tanks on the Energy Observer.
"Let's say if we have 10 or 15 knots of wind, we are able to sail with what we call ocean wings," she explained.
Energy Observer began its voyage in Saint-Malo, France in 2017. It has navigated more than 30,000 nautical miles.
While two crews rotate about every six weeks, each five-person team includes a captain, engineer, a reporter, a scientist and boatswain, who Nicolet describes as "kind of the Swiss Army Knife of the ship." All crews share duties, cooking to cleaning.
The Energy Observer is about 100 feet long and has two "wing sails."
Toyota is among the Energy Observer's primary sponsors.
"Yes, Toyota is one of our sponsors and we really like them," Nicolet said
Two years ago, engineers from the manufacturer and the Energy Observer collaborated to create the fuel cell the vessel is currently using. Toyota is using its fuel cell in the Mirai, the hydrogen car introduced in California in 2015.
The Energy Observer was docked at Pier 9 in San Francisco.
"They adapted those cars' fuel cells to be more compact, to fit inside the boat and that's the fuel cell we've been using for two years now," Nicolet said. "It's much more efficient than what we had created when the project began in France.
"People tend to think that hydrogen is very dangerous, but I have been sleeping two meters away from big hydrogen tanks and it's really rough seas this boat has been experiencing. We have big swells and lightning storms and really rough conditions and we've never had any issues."
The Energy Observer is now en route to Hawaii. It will then continue to Japan.
F0llow the global voyage of the Energy Observer on the website: www.energy-observer.org
Please join us for our interview with Dr. Katia Nicolet as she details her life at sea with an engaging combination of science and a sense of humor.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotiv...
It's easy to hear overt enthusiasm in Bill Mayer's voice. He's owned, restored and sold several of what he calls "works of art" — classic and exotic cars.
After many years of planning, Mayer is now also the co-founder of the website, ThatsANiceCar.com. It reflects his passion for expensive automotive rarities. Andrew Sparrow is also a co-founder and the site's technology guru.
Launched in January, the website features only high-end exotic cars offered in a unique pricing platform. It's for buyers and sellers.
A 2015 Ferrari 458 Italia Speciale is among the exotic cars for sale on thatsanicecar.com.
Mayer is our guest on episode #180 of The Weekly Driver Podcast.
Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia discuss with Mayer the idea for the website and his plans to compete in the online marketplace. Exotic cars get reactions "I'm a car guy and I like to talk about cars," says Mayer. "I've been working on this concept for a while. The way I came up the with name is that it's kind of a common understatement that I hear car guys make.
"Let's say I'm at a Cars and Coffee event and I'm standing next to a beautiful Ferrari or a Lamborghini. Someone will just nod their head a little bit and say, 'that's a nice car.' That's the genesis of the name."
Mayer has been researching and studying exotic cars online for about 15 years. He started when several niche print publications switched to online publishing. He was first interested in classics.
"I had a hard time finding classic cars for a while," Mayer explains. "There weren't really any sites devoted to classic cars. You really couldn't find any sites that were only devoted to classic cars. I remember being frustrated when I looking."
A 2019 Lamborghini Urus is among the exotic cars for sale on thatsanicecar.com.
Mayer's interests then moved toward exotics and supercars.
"I was starting to see exotic cars much more regularly, Mayer says. "Ten or 15 years ago, you almost never saw a Ferrari, Lamborghini or Aston Martin just driving down the road or parked in a parking lot. But now you do. It started to occur to me that if there was another segment of the used car marketplace that needed to be segmented like the classic car segment had evolved, it's supercars and exotic cars."
Thus, the online business began.
Please join us for an engaging conversion on how the site acquires vehicles and the platform for buyers and sellers to negotiate.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.
If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.
The podcast is in its third year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com. All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast
Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform. Several of the more prominent platforms are listed below.
Amazon.com
Google Play
iheartradio
iTunes
Spotify
Three mainstream automobile manufacturers, Honda, Hyundai and Toyota, sell and lease hydrogen vehicles. The Clarity (Honda) and Mirai (Toyota) are sedans; the Nexo (Hyundai) is a sport utility vehicle.
Combined, the three vehicles compromise a small fraction of the automotive industry and are overwhelmingly in California.
Ben Xiong, the Communications Specialist at California Fuel Cell Partnership (CaFCP) in West Sacramento, California, discusses the hydrogen vehicle industry on this week's episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast.
The 2017 Honda Clarity Fuel Cell showcases hydrogen technology. Image © James Raia/2018
Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia report on the progress of the hydrogen car and truck industry, the public's perception of hydrogen fuel and the availability of hydrogen refueling stations.
"My main passion, really, is reacting with people via public website and social media about the industry," said Xiong, who has been working with the CaFCP for 15 years. "Right now there are 45 locations in California that are open for retail (public) use in California," said Xiong. "They are primarily focused in Southern and Northern California and we do have one in the central valley at Harris Ranch (Coalinga)." Hydrogen Cars Have Perks Founded in 1999, the California Fuel Cell Partnership is an industry/government collaboration aimed at expanding the market for fuel cell electric vehicles powered by hydrogen to help create a cleaner, more energy-diverse future with no-compromises zero-emission vehicles.
While unheralded and limited, Xiong explains his industry's beliefs in fuel-cell vehicles and the monetary perks of buying or leasing a hydrogen vehicle.
Chris White of the California Fuel Cell Partnership was among the first drivers of a Honda Clarity Fuel Cell hydrogen vehicle. She's now on her second vehicle.
Please join us for an interview with a hydrogen fuel industry proponent.
Beyond our podcast, please visit www.cafcp.org for hydrogen vehicle specifications, a map of fueling stations in California and a host of articles about the industry.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.
If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.
The podcast is in its third year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com. All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast
Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform. Several of the more prominent platforms are listed below.
Amazon.com
Google Play
iheartradio
iTunes
Spotify
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A long-time battle between racing organizations could have destroyed Indy Car Racing. It's unlikely anyone has as much intimate knowledge of the chaos, anger, resentment and money-grab than John Oreovicz.
With the Indianapolis 500 on the not-too-distant horizon, Oreovicz, author of the new book Indy Split, is our guest on this episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast.
Author John Orevicz details Indy car racing's vicious money battle in his new book, Indy Split.
Co-host Bruce Aldrich and I discuss with Oreovicz the money battle between the competing organizations and the men who sought to control the sport.
A long-time motorsports reporter, Oreovicz began attending the Indianapolis 500 as a teenager in the late ‘70s. It allowed him to witness the sport’s growth as an avid fan before documenting its decline as a journalist.
“My growing interest in Indy car racing in the late 1970s coincided with the original USAC vs. CART split," said Oreovicz. "I was just a kid, but I studied the roots of the conflict. I was as fascinated by the politics, the personalities and the posturing as I was by the cars and the competition."
The book traces the roots of Indy car racing’s dysfunction, which began in 1945 when Tony Hulman rescued the Indianapolis Motor Speedway from its potential redevelopment.
Over the next 75 years, the Hulman-George family used the stature of the Speedway to carve out a powerful position in American auto racing that sometimes resulted in conflict with Indy car competitors. A volatile period in the late 1970s sparked the formation of Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART), and tensions ramped up even more when Hulman’s grandson, Tony George, assumed power in 1990. Indy Car Racing: Civil War, Ugly Racing According to his bio, Oreovicz has loved cars since he was a child. He turned that passion into a career as a professional sportswriter specializing in auto racing. He covered Indy car racing in print and online for 30 years for major media outlets, including National Speed Sport News, Racer, and ESPN.
Oreovicz currently resides a short walk from Turn 1 of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
"The 1996 IRL-CART split was a civil war and an ugly divorce, all wrapped into one," he said. "No matter how it started or who was responsible for prolonging it, the split took a toll on anyone who cared about Indy car racing Friendships were strained. Historic venues and events were lost, key sponsors and manufacturers departed. NASCAR was the only real winner in the Indy car split."
Indy Split includes a foreword by Motorsport Hall of Fame inductee Robin Miller, arguably Indy car racing’s most vocal advocate.
"I started writing this book in 2017," said Oreovicz. "But I’ve been doing the research for most of my life. Over the last 45 years, it was my privilege to attend or cover nearly 500 Indy car races. I wanted to tell this important story in an accurate, entertaining, and hopefully, reasonably objective way.”
"As I followed the sport as a fan through the ‘80s, it was clear the CART-USAC conflict was not totally resolved. The Indy 500 was sustained by CART’s growth, yet a crucial part of CART’s success was the inclusion of the Indy 500 in its championship. There was an uneasy coexistence, but still a lot of hard feelings on the USAC side that occasionally flared up during the month of May at IMS."
Indy Split "The Big Money Battle that Nearly Destroyed Indy Racing," ($35), will be published by Octane Press on Sunday, May 30. (https://octanepress.com)
Please join Bruce and me in our engaging discussion with the enthusiastic author.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com.
Nvidia, an American multinational technology company based in Santa Clara, California, began in 1993. It originally designed graphics processing units (GPU) for gaming, professional markets and mobile computing.
Since 2014, Nvidia has diversified its business, focusing on three markets: gaming, automotive electronics and mobile devices.
Danny Shapiro, Senior Director, Automotive, is our guest this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast.
Nvidia is increasingly focusing on autonomous cars and trucks.
Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia discuss with Shapiro the ever-evolving status of autonomous driving. The Nvidia GPU (GTC) annual event in San Jose was a virtual event this year. It was held April 12-16 with an "After Party" set for April 19-23. Conference sessions are also available on demand. Nvidia: Expanding Autonomous Vehicles The GTC (Global Technology Conference) features breakthroughs in AI, data center, graphics, accelerated computing and intelligent networking. A wide range of interactive sessions, recorded presentations, demos, podcasts and training covering transformative technologies are included.
"The autonomous automotive world is going through a tremendous transformation," said Shapiro on the eve of the conference. "It's in the form of AI. It's a function of the software. It's a function of bringing supercomputing into the vehicle.
Shapiro explained that until recently Nvidia was not well-known.
"We started out developing a lot of computers the were used by other computing companies," Shapiro said. "We started out making 3D graphics and graphic cards so people could play video games."
"Our products now span everything from consumer electronic devices live tablets to PCs to work stations to supercomputers and data centers. But also now we have a group that's been around that's developing technology that goes into cars."
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.
If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.
The podcast is in its third year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com. All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast
Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform. Several of the more prominent platforms are listed below.
Amazon.com
Google Play
iheartradio
iTunes
Spotify
Stitcher
RVTravel.com is the country's pre-eminent recreational vehicle website. It reports on every conceivable component of tthe ever-expanding industry. It has expert text and video, twice-weekly newsletters, daily tips, a huge social media presence and a forum. Its new feature is a weekly podcast.
Scott Linden, a long-time television and radio broadcaster and an avid RVer, is the host of the podcast which debuted in early April.
Scott Linden is the host of the new RVTravel.com podcast.
Linden our guest on episode #176 of The Weekly Driver Podcast.
Co-host Bruce Aldrich and I discuss with Scott the back story of how he started the podcast via his friendship with Chuck Woodbury, the publisher of RVTravel.com. Scott also details how he plans to host the podcast and topics it will cover every Sunday.
"There's so much to be done in the works of RVing," Linden says. "Especially now when there are some many people trying it for the first time. That's probably the most exciting part about it for me is trying to help people have more fun.
A long-time hunter and fisherman, Linden will combine his television and broadcast experience and enjoyment of RVing into the podcast every Sunday. RVTravel.com is the industry's leading website “Podcasting is much like radio broadcasting,” he says. “Yet one advantage podcasting has over radio is that you can listen to podcasts on your own schedule. The library of past episodes is always available if you happen to miss a good topic.”
Linden will strive to make the podcasts about topics RVers want to know about. He won't make it a show geared toward his interests.
Chuck Woodbury, Publisher of RVTravel.com, welcomes a podcast to the popular site.
"I want to cover topics of interest to them instead of what's of interest to me," he says. "The feedback has been very positive. We are really ringing the bell of a lot of folks."
The new podcast is available on RVTravel.com and will soon expand to popular podcast outlets.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.
If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.
The podcast is in its third year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com. All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast
Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform. Several of the more prominent platforms are listed below.
Amazon.com
Google Play
iheartradio
iTunes
Spotify
Stitcher
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RV industry awash in chaos; readers' advocate speaks out
After a postponement and cancellation because of the COVID-19 pandemic, LA AutoMobility and the LA Auto Show will be back later this year at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Collectively, the automotive industry can't wait.
Plenty of other auto shows didn't occur last year and won't until later this year. But organizers of the Los Angeles show, the first major industry event of the season, decided to offer a glimpse into the future.
The 2021 Toyota Mirai was discussed during the recent LA Auto Show virtual Media Day.
A virtual media gathering with representatives from many carmakers was recently held, and The Weekly Driver Podcast was part of it.
Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia listened to several presentations and follow-up question-and-answer sessions. We even submitted a few questions that were answered.
The LA Auto Show will be held Nov. 19-28.
In the meantime, on episode No. 175 of The Weekly Driver Podcast, we'll hear from representatives from Magna, Toyota and Volkswagen.
Magna International is a Canadian mobility technology company for automakers. It produces automotive systems, assemblies, modules and components supplied to BMW, Fiat-Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, Mercedes, Volkswagen and Tesla.
The 2021 Volkswagen ID.4 was introduced during the 2021 LA Auto Show virtual Media Day.
Toyota's presentation is the introduction of the 2021 Mirai. It's one of only three mainstream hydrogen fuel cell cars available in the United States. LA Auto Show: EVs on the horizon In the ever-expanding electric vehicle segment, Volkswagen's latest offering is the ID.4. It debuted in late 2020 in Europe and in early 2021 to North American customers in early 2021.
It's the fully electric crossover SUV under the Volkswagen brand. The German manufacturer is marketing the ID.4 as a high-volume, mass-market electric vehicle — a car for “the millions, not the millionaires." We'll hear VW's presentation, too.
Please join Bruce and me for this virtual presentation hosted by the Motor Press Guild. It's an audio-only preview of the pending LA Auto Show.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.
If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.
The podcast is in its third year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com. All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast
Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform. Several of the more prominent platforms are listed below.
Amazon.com
Google Play
iheartradio
iTunes
Spotify
Stitcher
Karl Brauer has an extensive history in the automotive industry, including his current position as the executive analyst for iseecars.com.
The website, an automotive research firm and data-driven car search engine, helps shoppers find the right car at the right price. It also develops and shares powerful studies and market analyses that have been featured in over 2,000 media outlets.
iseecars.com: The Ford F-150 pickup truck remained the country's top-selling vehicle in 2020.
Brauer is our guest on this week's episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast. iseecars.com is a top auto search engine Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia discuss with Brauer several areas of the automotive industry, including the research firm's recent study on top-selling new and used cars for 2020.
It's no surprise the Ford F-150 leads both categories. The enduring pickup truck has been the top-selling truck in the United States for nearly 50 years. It's also been the country's top-selling new and used vehicle for many years.
Karl Brauer of iseecars.com.
Brauer details why he believes pickup trucks have remained at the top of the sales rankings for so many years.
We also discuss with Brauer the immediate future of electric trucks. It's a super-competitive segment including Tesla, Rivian, Bollinger and pending EV trucks from traditional manufacturers like Ford.
Besides its recent new and use best-selling vehicle list, iseecars.com's recent studies have included the popular survey of manufacturers' percentage of vehicles lasting 200,000 miles.
And we talk about the popularity of vehicles by state. Surprise! Ford reigns again.
According to the website, iSeeCars.com has saved users more than $249 million by applying big data analytics powered by over 25 billion (and growing) data points. The site uses proprietary algorithms to objectively analyze, score and rank millions of new and used cars.
Join Bruce Aldrich and me as we absorb the knowledge of industry leader Karl Brauer.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com.
All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast
Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform:
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There's always a lot happening in the auto industry. But it's been a particularly wild ride lately.
Tiger Woods crashed a new 2021 Genesis GV70. I test drove a 2022 Rolls-Royce Ghost for four days. And a new coffee table-sized book on the new mid-engine Corvette C8 has been published.
Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia discuss the three topics and more on this episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast.
Bruce Aldrich and James Raia discuss Tiger Woods, the 2021 Rolls-Royce Ghost and a new book on the mid-engine Corvette C8 on this episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast. Image © Gretchen Gaither/2021.
Woods sustained multiple leg injuries early February 23 when he was involved in a single-car accident in Los Angeles County. The accident continued the golf icon’s years of misfortune while driving.
After removing Woods from his vehicle with the “jaws of life,” the golfer was taken by ambulance to Harbor UCLA Medical Center. It was Woods’ third car accident since 2009.
Woods, 45, an 82-time PGA Tour winner, was in the Southern California area for his annual Genesis Invitational golf tournament at the Riviera Country Club in the Pacific Palisades.
A lot still remains unknown about the accident and Woods' future. Bruce and I give our opinions, which mostly streamline to: "Hey Tiger. Live Longer. Hire A Driver."
Tiger Woods suffered multiple leg injuries Feb. 23 in a single-car accident in Southern California. It was Woods' third car accident since 2007.
Woods recently had another in his long series of back surgeries and he recently said his recovery could recent back surgery could keep him out of the upcoming Masters tournament in Augusta, Georgia.
The 2021 Rolls-Royce Ghost attracted as much attention as any vehicle I've reviewed in 16 years as an automotive journalist
The entry-level Ghost and siblings Cullinan, Dawn, Phantom and Wraith attract attention like no other carmaker’s offerings. Global sales of 5,125 in 2020 continued the brand’s reputation. It’s a name everyone knows, a car few see.
The Cullinan, the company’s first SUV, debuted in 2018. It catapulted sales to record levels. The Ghost is described as the carmaker’s “purest expression.” Podcast No. 172: Tiger Woods, Rolls-Royce, Corvette CB Book Who’s to argue? Newness abounds this year in the long-anticipated five-passenger sedan’s second generation. The so-called entry-level Rolls Royce was the brand’s top-seller for the previous decade.
The new Ghost features a 6.75-liter, twin-turbo, 48-valve V12. It produces 563 horsepower and advances from zero to 60 miles per hour, via its eight-speed automatic transmission, in 4.6 seconds. The top speed is 155 miles per hour.
The drive is powerful, smooth, quiet and carried on 21-inch, 10-spoke wheels. And while the wheels spin, the RR center emblems remain upright.
It’s all impressive for a vehicle that weighs 5,540 pounds and extends slightly more than 18 feet.
And speaking of beauty, consider the new Corvette. The debuts of the 2020 C8 and its 2021 sibling, both delayed in production by the coronavirus pandemic, feature what Chevy considered for decades — a mid-engine.
With diminishing sales for several years, the eighth generation is unlike any previous Corvette. Its engineers, like other renowned American artists, were influenced by European supercar masters from Ferrari, Lamborghini and McLaren. Some purists were aghast, others welcomed the change.
With a starting price of less than $60,000 and stunning specs — a 6.2-liter V8, top-speed of 194 miles per hour and 0-60 mph in less than three seconds — the new Corvette has global sales aspirations. Chevy hopes its sports car flagship’s reputation, cultivating since 1953, accelerates across continents and into competitors’ domains.
The new Corvette also disrupts previous signature traits. An eight-speed, double-clutch transmission replaces a stick shift.
Please join us for another episode as we examine the ever-changi...
"The Lady and the Dale" tells the little-known story of Liz Carmichael in the 1970s. Carmichael rose to prominence when she released a fuel-efficient, three-wheeled vehicle while being responsible for one of the biggest auto scams in history.
Nick Cammilleri, the creator, writer, director and co-producer of the four-part docu-series now showing on HBO Max, is our guest on this episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast.
Liz Carmichael: Her life is portrayed in the HBO series "The Lady and the Dale."
Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia talk with Cammilleri about his 10-year project making the series, his relationship with Carmichael's family and the twists and turns of the film's unique circumstances.
Born Geraldine Elizabeth "Liz" Carmichael in 1927, the American automobile executive and a convicted fraud, was married four times. She was born Jerry Dean Michael but was transgender. Liz Carmichael: Marketing Felon Arrested for counterfeiting U.S. currency in 1961, she went on the run in 1962. In the late 1960s, faked a serious car accident and changed her name to Liz Carmichael.
Twelve years after her arrest and while still a fugitive, Carmichael worked at the U.S Marketing Institute in Los Angeles where she met Dale Clifft. The latter had invented a three-wheel car with low gas consumption.
"Dale Clifft was an engineer and he built this thing called a commuter cycle," explains Cammilleri. "It was a three-wheel contraption, some people called it a Dune Buggy when he drove it around Ventura Blvd. (in Los Angeles).
"When he came into the office where Carmichael was working, he said 'I've built this car and it gets 70 miles per gallon. This might be a thing.' Liz Carmichael thought 'we could have something really special here.' Basically, she signed a deal so she could license it, believing she could market it."
The complex and convoluted saga of the Dale had begun.
None of the vehicles were produced, and only four prototypes of the Dale were made. Only one prototype was able to move under its own power.
Carmichael, who died of cancer in February 2004, lied about her personal life and her education and lots of other things. She eventually was charged with 31 counts of grand theft, fraud and corporate security violations.
The bizarre tale of the Dale vehicle, Carmichael's life as a transgender person, her years of hiding from law enforcement and her eventual arrest in 1989 are all detailed in the series.
"Was she criminal or a hero? I view her as an anti-hero," says Cammilleri. "I think she's one of the best anti-heroes I've ever seen. She did nothing different than people like DuPont, Budweiser, Coca-Cola. All those companies to extra-legal things. She did a lot of stuff those companies did."
Among the unusual circumstance of Carmichael's life: She served 18 months in a men's prison, despite having been recognized as a woman by the courts.
The documentary, which premiered on January 31, has a 100 percent critics' rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The reviewers' consensus: "An intoxicating blend of historical footage, candid interviews, and animation that deftly captures Liz Carmichael's incredible life, The Lady and the Dale is a wild ride."
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.
If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.
The podcast is in its third year,
Just like any business relying on visitors, WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca had it tough during 2020. Events were rescheduled and canceled. But management did its best to offer recreation opportunities when it could.
One unheralded but important track use is the facility's access to non-competitive racing clubs and performance driving programs. Members rent or bring their vehicle to the racetrack and experience the famous layout.
WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca has a full schedule of racing as well as programs for improving driving skills.
Barry Toepke, the director of heritage racing at the WeatherTech Raceway, is our guest on this episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast.
Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia discuss with Toepke the upcoming 2021 season and the varied competitive events on the horizon. WeatherTech Raceway: Improve Your Driving But we also talk about programs available to the public to develop their skills behind the wheel.
For a minimal fee, and sometimes a club membership, anyone can come and take part in a track day. Participation usually consists of five, 20-minute sessions circling the track.
Several organizations such as Hooked on Driving and Speed SF also offer one-on-one professional coaching, for those who desire more confidence in a high-performance vehicle or want to take their skills to the next level.
WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca is renowned for its varied motorsports racing.
In many cases, professional instruction is required for those who’ve never driven on track before, ensuring the safety of all participants. There are manufacturer group programs as well, such as the Lexus Performance Driving School featuring instruction by championship driver Scott Pruett.
For someone looking for a way to get a competition license and graduate into a professional series, regular renters like Skip Barber Racing School, the Allen Berg Racing School and the AMG Driving Academy offer enthusiasts the chance to learn from seasoned professionals how to get the most out of their car and themselves.
As Toepke details, it's the best way to learn how to handle a car under racing conditions.
The Skip Barber Racing School has seen many graduates go on to race professionally. Patrick Dempsey Paul Newman and Jerry Seinfeld have frequented the driving programs at the racetrack. And icons Jeff Gordon and Chip Ganassi honed their careers at the facility's driving programs.
For individuals or groups looking for time on the track or a detailed list of the racing season, visit WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends, and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.
If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.
The podcast is in its third year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com. All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast
Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform. Several of the more prominent platforms are listed below.
Amazon.com
Google Play
iheartradio
iTunes
Spotify
Stitcher
Auto auctions are back! Live, that is. Online auctions have continued during the pandemic, but January sales are a key indicator for collector car sales. And what a January it was.
Brian Rabold, Vice President of Valuation Services at Hagerty, is our guest on this episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast.
Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia talk with Rabold about the new year, the return of live auctions and some of the surprising prices paid for vehicles.
Hagerty reports a 1957 Chrysler New Yorker helped launch a resurgence in station wagon prices as the 2021 auction season began strongly in January with $181.9 million in sales.
According to Hagerty, January 2021 auto auctions generated $181.9 million. The impressive tally doesn't include sales from the launch of the Barrett-Jackson campaign. It's been postponed until March.
"For us at Hagerty and others in the collector car market, January is a huge month. It always has been," said Rabold. "Barrett Jackson is one the anchor events that happens every January and over the years nearly a dozen events have sprung up around it.
"A lot of people look around and see whats's going on at those auctions, read the tea leaves and see where the market is headed. Of course, this year is very, very different." Hagerty: New Auction Season Strong Hagerty compiled a list of the top sellers about January and it's an impressive, diverse collection.
The month kicked off with Mecum’s best-ever Kissimmee, Florida sale. Mecum offered 24 percent fewer lots than in 2020, but total sales were 27 percent higher thanks to a sell-through rate that jumped from 64 percent in 2020 to 83 percent in 2021.
Average sale prices increased by 31 percent. This performance likely gave confidence to bidders at RM Sotheby’s and Bonhams sales, which respectively recorded 102 and 112-percent increases in average selling price. Gooding & Company’s average price fell 2 percent, from $293,501 to $287,100.
The usual Ferrari, Corvette, Cobras and other popular collector vehicles all sold well. But, for something different, here two unique sales from January.
A 1957 Chrysler Town & Country wagon sold for $67,200. The upscale machine has air conditioning and power everything—amenities a modern driver should greatly appreciate. It "straddles the line between family commuter and rip-snorting tire smoker," wrote Hagerty, "with fantastic 1950s jet-age styling and good performance from its 325-horsepower 392 engine."
Mecum Auctions also sold a 1972 Chevrolet C10 CST for $88,000. The surprising price more than doubled the average condition value. The C10 short-bed pickup is equipped with a 400-cubic inch big block engine. It also has some cool features: bucket seats with houndstooth upholstery, a center console and faux wood-grain trim.
Please join us as Rabold details what January meant to the collector industry.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.
Hagerty reports a 1972 Chevrolet C10 CST sold for $88,000 in January.
If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.
The podcast is in its third year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: j...
Its official name is the Antique Automobile Club of America Museum, but it's almost always called the AACA Museum or the Hershey Auto Museum.
By any name, the museum in Pennsylvania is among the country's most active facilities honoring the history of automobiles — and it's reopened.
Jeffrey Bliemeister, the museum's Executive Director, is our guest on this week's episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast.
The AACA Museum, among the country's most prominent auto museums, has reopened.
Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia discuss with Bliemeister the status of auto museums around the country during the coronavirus pandemic. Specifically, we talk about the AACA Museum and its approach to presenting the ever-fascinating world of vintage vehicles.
The museum's vast digital experiences — tours, ride-alongs and collection chronicles — are all highlighted on the AACM website and YouTube channel. In-person visits began again on January 4.
(A storm in the area temporarily stopped in-person visits again, but the museum has re-opened.)
One compelling vehicle on display is a 1933 LaSalle. The artwork on wheels, sometimes known as the Cadillac Companion, was manufactured from 1927-1940. It was slotted between the Buick and Cadillac lineups, and like Cadillac, was named the Frenchmen who explored America in the 17th and 18th centuries.
The museum's LaSalle is a two-door convertible coupe with a rumble seat. It has most of the features of the Cadillac line, including the 115 horsepower V8 engine. The trim and detail distinctions and an approximate $500 price difference set the two lines apart.
Restored in the late 1970s, the car was shown then placed in long-term storage. It was donated to the Museum in 2017 by Walter Van Nuys of Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania.
A new exhibit showcases the world of "Hemis."
As the website explains:
"Most people associate the word “Hemi” with Mopar/Chrysler vehicles; however, there are many more vehicles that have a “Hemi” engine that might surprise you!
"The term “Hemi” refers to hemispherical combustion chambers – learn more about these robust engines and the vehicles they power."
The auto museum in Hershey, Pennsylvania, is often referred to as the AACA Museum or the Hershey Auto Museum. One of its current exhibits showcases "Hemis."
Please join us for a lively discussion about all things auto museums.
The AACA Museum, Inc., is located at 161 Museum Drive, Hershey, Pa. Tel. (717) 566-7100. Visit its website: AACA Museum.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.
If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.
The podcast is in its third year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com.
All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast
Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform. Several of the more prominent platforms are listed below.
Amazon.com
Google Play
iheartradio
iTunes
Spotify
Stitcher
The Casagrande family car has a legacy that weaves through four generations beginning when Steve Casagrande's father purchased a new 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air Beauville. It's a three-row, nine-passenger station wagon with as much pride and pedigree as any car.
Steve Casagrande, who operated a prominent Sacramento dentist practice for many years that's now run by his son Michael, grew up in the Chevy Bel Air with his four brothers. The wagon has had rotating family residences through the years. It also had years when it remained untouched.
A 1956 Chevy Bel Air Beauville station wagon and its accompanying Shasta travel trailer. Images Courtesy of Steve Casagrande.
Casagrande, who was age seven when his father bought the wagon, is our guest on this episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast.
Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia talk with Steve about the car's legacy and what it means to his multi-generation family to share time in the vintage machine. Chevy Bel Air: Family Rare The Chevy Bel Air isn't the rarest or most sought after vehicle manufactured 65 years ago. But no other vehicle means more to the Casagrande family than the vintage wagon.
It's taken the family on trips and provided brothers and their families with lifelong memories. It's escorted fathers and sons on hunting trips and brothers on fishing trips. It's taken wives, children and grandchildren on trips across states or just for short treks around Sacramento.
The Casagrande family's 1956 Chevy Bel Air and its accompanying Shasta travel trailer on display at the Sacramento Automobile Museum.
"It was bought brand new in 1956 by my father at Good Chevrolet in Bakersfield," Casagrande explains. "Basically, it's as an original car now as it was back then. We've done nothing really to alter it. It's original and a good daily driver."
Casagrande, who rebuilt the car, shares tales of riding in the third row when the wagon was driven from Taft to Los Angeles on hot summer days. It was an ordeal of negotiating the infamous "Grapevine."
Casagrande explains getting his driver's license and going on his first date in the wagon, just like most of his siblings. He talks about working on the car through the years and the surreal feelings of taking his grandchildren for rides.
"People just get a warm feeling about it," Steve says. "The colors, light blue and white. It's pleasing to the eye. You don't see those colors in cars today. They're gray and black and white. It catches peoples' eyes. It puts a smile on your face."
"We're just lucky it's stayed in the family. It's become a rallying point, a focal point for the family."
The Chevy Bel Air also has an accompanying Shasta travel trailer. It's an integral part of the story best saved for the podcast.
Please join us for a half-hour of vintage car talk and the story of a family and the wondrous glory of its 65-year Chevrolet Bel Air Beauville.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.
If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.
The podcast is in its third year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com.
Steve Birkett is an electric vehicle expert who embraces the automotive technology of sustainable choices.
Birkett, who lives and works in Boston, Mass., has owned several electric vehicles. He provides his expertise in the field and his advocacy of the industry on the website findthebestcarprice.com and other industry publications.
And he's our guest on this episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast.
The EV industry is expanding quickly.
Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia discuss with Birkett the industry at-large.
We ask Birkett about his family experiences with EVs. (He drives to visit relatives in Ohio on occasion in addition to daily car use). Bruce and I chat with our guest about how the alternative fuel industry has changed. EV industry rapidly changing And, of course, we ask about how he views the industry's future and the pending competition between Tesla and the nearly dozen manufacturers in different stages of debuting electric cars and trucks.
Birkett also provides his thoughts on the "electric highway" and the companies involved in providing recharging stations. He also discusses home charged, battery longevity, the promotion of the industry and pending legislation.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.
If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.
The podcast is in its third year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com. All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast
Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform. Several of the more prominent platforms are listed below.
Amazon.com
Google Play
iheartradio
iTunes
Spotify
Stitcher
There's never a dull moment in the automotive industry. Car news never stops. Competition is intense. The emerging electric vehicle market continues to emerge but with its future unknown.
Recalls aren't going away anytime soon. And how consumers buy and sell vehicles is further transitioning from in-person sales to the online marketplace. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed everything.
The debut of the 2020 Corvette CB Stingray is was among the top car news stories of the year of 2020. Image © Gretchen Gaither/2020
Overall, the automotive industry, just like most businesses, endured a turbulent 2020. Car News Abounds The Weekly Driver reported on much of the car news . . . recalls to bogus speed records, an iconic sports car's mid-engine revelation to a record sales in the vintage car sales market.
Bruce Aldrich and I discuss on this episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast.
Here are our top news stories from 2020, scattered throughout the calendar year:
DECEMBER 27: ODOMETER FRAUD ON THE RISE
https://theweeklydriver.com/2020/12/odometer-fraud-on-the-rise
Manipulating odometer readings is a well-known automotive fraud. Government agencies have attempted to curtail the cheating for years, but it’s getting worse.
NOVEMBER 23: TAKATA AIRBAG MESS
https://theweeklydriver.com/2020/11/takata-airbag-mess-means-7-million-gm-recalls/
The Takata airbag fiasco won’t go away, and it’s not good car news for General Motors, pickup truck and SUVs owners and the bankrupt Japanese company.
NOVEMBER 15: MID-ENGINE CORVETTE C8
https://theweeklydriver.com/2020/11/corvette-mid-engine-rocks-auto-world/
The debuts of the 2020 C8 Corvette and its 2021 sibling, both delayed in production by the coronavirus pandemic, feature what Chevy considered for decades — a mid-engine.
NOVEMBER 2: SHELBY SUPERCAR GETS NON-RECORD IN RECORD TIME
https://theweeklydriver.com/2020/11/shelby-supercar-tuatara-gets-no-record/
The need for speed has resulted in the Shelby Supercar Tuatara crossing a line it hadn’t hoped to cross — in a blur of doubt. And, then the non-record was ratified.
SEPTEMBER 24: MICHAEL SCHUMACHER VEGETATIVE
https://theweeklydriver.com/2020/09/michael-schumacher-vegetative-recovery-unlikely/
Michael Schumacher, the legendary Formula 1 driver who has been in a coma since a 2013 skiing accident, is in a “vegetative state” and has a minimal possibility of returning.
SEPTEMBER 20: FORD ANNOUNCES FIRST EV TRUCK
https://theweeklydriver.com/2020/09/ford-announces-next-f-150-plus-first-ev-truck/
With several pickup trucks, including the much-touted all-electric options, competition is increasing. The Ford F-150 still rules, but the manufacturer isn’t resting on its success.
SEPTEMBER 6: LA AUTO SHOW POSTPONED
https://theweeklydriver.com/2020/09/covid-19-postpones-la-auto-show/
The LA Auto Show is annually held in November, but it’s the first major national showcase for new models of cars, trucks and sometimes campers and motorhomes. The show must go on, but it won’t be as planned because of Covid-19.
AUGUST 20: FERRARI SETS SECOND SALES RECORD
https://theweeklydriver.com/2020/08/rare-ferrari-sets-2nd-sales-mark-3-08-million/
Is there any more lucrative manufacturer in the vintage car market than Ferrari? Doesn’t it seem like it’s almost always collectors’ top choice?
AUGUST 20: AUCTION BACKFIRE HALTS RARE PORSCHE SALE
What’s a $53 million error among friends, collectors and vintage Porsche fanciers?
FEBRUARY 26: GENESIS UPENDS LEXUS IN JD POWER RATINGS
https://theweeklydriver.com/2020/02/genesis-upends-lexus-as-most-dependable-carmaker-says-j-d-power/
J.D. Power named the Genesis, the industry’s most dependable in the renowned analysts’ detailed Dependability Study. The comprehensive study is an overview of owners’ repair history of their three-year-old models.
JANUARY 22: SIX MILLION HONDA, TOYOTA MODELS RECALLED
https://theweeklydriver.
Jim Brooks owns Approved Autos Bakersfield, California. It's a used car business, a constantly changing segment of the automotive landscape.
Brooks worked as a new salesman at a dealership for two years. But he didn't like the sales practices and decided his own business was a better option.
Fifteen years later, Brooks has witnessed lots of industry changes, particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Jim Brooks owns Approved Autos, a used cars business in Bakersfield, California.
Brooks is this week's guest on The Weekly Driver Podcast. The used cars sales market has changed Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia talk with Brooks about all aspects of buying and selling used cars, live and online auctions to financing, price negotiations to paperwork.
Brooks also discusses some of the unusual vehicles he's bought and sold. We also talk about thr influx of national companies selling new and used vehicles online and without a customer "kicking the tires" of a vehicle before it's purchased.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.
If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.
The podcast is in its third year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com. All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast
Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform. Several of the more prominent platforms are listed below.
Amazon.com
Google Play
iheartradio
iTunes
Spotify
Stitcher
Welcome to the 14th annual Cars of the Year list, selected by TheWeeklyDriver.com.
This year, co-host Bruce Aldrich and I announce the top-10 list on this week's episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast.
The 2020 Aston Martin Vantage is among the Cars of the Year, announced on Episode #163 of The Weekly Driver Podcast.
Bruce and I individually picked 10 vehicles from the nearly 40 cars and trucks in 2020 models I reviewed and Bruce drove.
Neither of us was surprised. Our choices for cars of the year were nearly identical, including our No. 1 choice, the 2020 Corvette Stingray.
Unlike many publications, we wait until the end of the year to announce our selections. A year's perspective is important. Cars of the Year Here are The Weekly Driver Podcast's choices for 2020 (with prices), followed by cars of the year lists dating to 2007.
2020 1. Corvette Stingray $78,265; 2. Aston Martin Vantage $182,000; 3. Genesis G90, $76,695; 4. Ford Bullitt Mustang, $52,000; 5. Hyundai Palisade, $43,115; 6. Jeep Gladiator, $54,145; 7. Kia Telluride,$41,900; 8. Mazda MX5 Miata, $36,005; 9. Volvo XC40 T5, $47,395; 10. Honda Civic, $26,130.
2019 Chevrolet Camaro Z1, Chrysler Pacifica (Hybrid), GMC Sierra, Honda Civic, Hyundai Ioniq (Hybrid), Infiniti QX90, Lexus LS500, Kia K900, Subaru Ascent, Toyota Camry.
2018 Audi A5, Genesis G80, Genesis G90, Honda Accord, Hyundai Ioniq, Infiniti QX60, Lexus GS300, Mazda3, Range Rover Velar, Volkswagen Golf SportWagen.
2017 Bentley Bentayga, Genesis G90, Honda CR-V, Kia Niro, Lincoln MKZ (Hybrid), Mazda3, Volvo S90, Volvo V90 Cross Country, Volkswagen Jetta, Toyota Prius Prime.
2016 Honda Accord (Sport), Honda Civic, Honda Fit, Honda Odyssey, Kia Optima, Lexus IS200t, Lexus RC F, Lincoln MKX, Mazda6, Scion iA, Toyota Avalon (Hybrid), Toyota Sienna.
2015 Buick Lacrosse, Chrysler 200, Ford F150, Ford Mustang, Honda Accord (Hybrid), Honda Civic, Hyundai Genesis, Hyundai Sonata, Kia K-900, Lexus ES350, Subaru Outback, Toyota Camry (Hybrid).
2014 Chevrolet Impala, Chevrolet SS, Ford Focus, Ford Fusion (Hybrid), Honda Accord, Honda Accord (Hybrid), Honda Odyssey, Hyundai Equus, Kia Cadenza, Volkswagen Jetta, TDI. Special Mention: Rolls Royce Wraith.
2013 Acura ILX, Audi Allroad, BMW 750 Li, Ford Fusion, Honda Accord, Honda Odyssey, Hyundai Santa Fe, Infiniti IPL, Mazda3, Volkswagen Beetle.
2012 Acura MDX, Acura TSX, Audi A7, Honda Odyssey, Honda Civic (Natural Gas), Hyundai Sonata, Infiniti G37 IPL, Kia Optima Hybrid, Lexus ES350, Nissan Maxima.
2011 Acura TSX, Buick Regal, Hyundai Elantra, Hyundai Sonata, Kia Optima, Mazda 2, Suzuki Kizashi, Toyota Avalon, Toyota Sienna, Volvo S60.
2010 Audi A5, Chevrolet Camaro, Ford Transit Connect, Honda Crosstour, Infiniti G37, Lexus LS 460, Mini Mayfair (Special Edition), Subaru Forester, Suzuki SX4, Volkswagen Golf.
2009 Acura TSX, Audi A3, BMW 335d, Honda Civic (Hybrid), Honda Fit, Infiniti G37, Lexus GS450h, Lexus IS350, Nissan Versa, Toyota Corolla.
2008 Audi A4, Audi A8 W12, BMW 128i, Cadillac CTS, Honda Accord, Honda Civic (Hybrid), Honda Fit, Kia Amanti, Mini-Cooper Clubman, Nissan Altima.
2007 Cadillac CTS, Honda CR-V, Honda Fit, Honda Ridgeline, Hyundai Elantra, Lincoln MKZ, Mini-Cooper, Saab 9-3, Saturn Aura, Volkswagen EOS.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.
If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 ...
Chris Miller has been a sculptor for several decades. He makes public art, primarily out of granite, marble and wood. But on Thanksgiving night, he returned home to Vermont from Maryland with swollen hands and tired from another creation of his latest passion — automotive art, as in a stone truck.
Miller, who lives outside of Calais, Vermont, had just completed his third piece. The 125 percent-sized sculpture is located on the property of a business in Lexington Park, Maryland.
Chris Miller's latest stone truck, a 1929 Ford Model A.
The business owner is a car and truck collector and semi-truck racer. Miller's stone truck creation is the signature for the combined home and business. It's a 1929 Ford Model A.
Co-host Bruce Aldrich and James Raia interview Miller, a returning guest, on this week's episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast. Stone truck: 30,000 pounds of granite "It has all the curved fenders; it's from my favorite era of trucks," says Miller, who owns ChrisMillerStudio.com. "It has beautiful lines."
Miller still spends most of his time creating traditional sculptor work. He has commissions for several years. Automotive creations are his side work.
"The stone trucks are sort of a fun way to get outside," Miller says. "I get out of the studio, do some traveling and work with a crew, that sort of thing."
After completing his latest truck, Miller arrived home at 9 p.m. His right hand was swollen from swinging a four-pound hammer day for several weeks. His left hand was covering from wounds from the repeated wallops of the hammering of chisels. His body was sore and he couldn't use his hands for four days. His girlfriend has a turkey dinner waiting.
"There are no plans; I make it up as I go," says Miller, reflecting particularly on the completion of his current piece. "You measure a vehicle, you draw it all out, you think out all of the different parts you'll need. But it's all quite a puzzle, a challenge and a lot of fun."
Miller is primarily self-taught, although he studied art in college. He also studied anatomy and sculpture with the late Lothar Werslin of Sandgate Vt. He also studied drawing and anatomy under Billy Brauer of Warren Vt. He’s collaborated with several stone sculptors in nearby Barre Vt.
Completion of the 1929 Ford Model A was a three-person project, Miller and a two-person crew. It took 700 hours, the craftsmen working nine-hour days. About 30,000 pounds of granite were used.
"I don't know how much longer I am going to be able to swing a four-pound hammer every day," says Miller. "But I think I have a decade more in me. But I will slow down as I go."
But it won't be soon.
Miller's next stone vehicle project will be a 1952 Ford Truck and pending are a 2007 Peterbilt dump truck and at least one more creation.
We also interviewed Miller last May on Episode #134: Vermont Artist Chris Miller's Stone Truck
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.
If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.
The podcast is in its third year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com.
New car sales are hurting during the COVID-19 pandemic. Used cars, car subscriptions, leasing, etc., are increasingly popular. Clasiq.com hopes for its share of the marketplace as an online start-up.
As its name implies, Clasiq.com sells classic cars. It streamlines the process of buying and selling a classic vehicle.
Classic car start-up Clasiq.com specializes in buying and selling classic cars. Image © Jeremy Birenbaum.
Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia talk with Jeremy Birenbaum, Clasiq’s Creative Director, on this episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast.
Birenbaum says Clasiq.com defines a classic vehicle as dating from 1994 and older.
As the car-buying and car-selling landscapes evolve during the pandemic, Birenbaum discusses the procedures of buying and selling from the company, including inspection, payments, pick-up and delivery. Clasiq.com Specializes In Classic Cars According to the company, Clasiq.com provides "peace of mind" to first-time buyers and veteran car buyers and sellers.
"I developed the site when my casual social media posts on cool classic cars become the largest and fastest-growing online community of classic car lovers, and I realized through their comments that there simply wasn't a place for them to reliably trade," explained David Zysblat, CEO and Founder of Clasiq.
"To make a solid business out of it, we at Clasiq promise to independently verify the condition and accurately price every car we list, and only put up for sale what we would happily buy ourselves."
Clasiq.com does not charge a selling fee. The company arranges and obtains a professional car inspection and produces high-quality photos and videos at no cost to the seller, all in the name of presenting a transparent and trustworthy shopping experience to interested buyers.
Clasiq.com offers an online auction platform and provides a secure escrow service through which a seller can be sure that the buyer has paid for the car before signing over the pink slip of ownership.
The buyer and seller never have to have any contact at all through this COVID-friendly shopping experience.
Xavier Martinez, who is selling his head-turning, red 1971 Fiat Spider, is using Clasiq because of the sense of security he feels with the process.
"I've sold five classic cars in the past and had no idea what someone's intentions were when they expressed interest. Now, using Clasiq, I don't feel like I'm on my own. The hassle and worry are gone because the buyers are screened by Clasiq and I know that they are serious."
The Clasiq.com website also has a free classic car valuation tool and hosts fun videos about interesting cars and their owners, classic car ownership guides and news from the car collecting world.
Clasiq began 2016 as a social media presence focused on interesting classic cars. Nearing 900,000 in its audience, the business side of the brand launched in November 2020.
Join us for another compelling episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.
If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.
The podcast is in its third year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions.
Easy. Appreciated. Two words and a holiday gift issue solved. Buy automotive books for the enthusiasts on your holiday shopping list.
Bruce Aldrich and I discuss a half-dozen automotive books on episode #160 of The Weekly Driver Podcast.
Automotive books make good holiday gifts for the car enthusiasts on your holiday shopping lists.
We've had everal authors on the podcast in the past three years. All share a passion for the automotive industry — Chevrolet to Volkswagen, Jeep to the massive Takata airbag catastrophe.
Here's a synopsis of three of the books we discuss:
- Russell Hayes, like all automotive industry book authors, is passionate about his subject matter. Hayes’ interests cover several iconic carmakers, including his latest effort celebrating the 75th and 70th anniversaries of the Volkswagen Beetle and Bus. Automotive Books: VW to Jeep to Chevrolet For enthusiasts as interested in vehicles as the author, Hayes' coffee-table sized volume is Volkswagen Beetles and Buses: Smaller and Smarter (Quarto Publishing Group, $40).
Automotive books are a good choice for the car and truck enthusiasts on your holiday shopping list.
As Hayes explains, no carmaker’s history is as unique as Volkswagen — its association with the Nazi movement to the Hippie generation.
- Patrick Foster knows as much as anyone about automaker Jeep. With more than 30 years in the automotive industry, Foster is a prolific journalist, particularly when writing about the long history of utilitarian, four-wheel-drive vehicles.
Foster’s latest book is Jeep: Eight Decades From Willys to Wrangler (Motorbooks $32.99.) Accompanied by more than 200 photographs, the 192-page paperback is described as “the definitive book on the greatest four-wheel-drive vehicle ever.”
Foster details his vast knowledge of Jeep, and he gives an insightful account of the stories behind its design and production. The automaker’s well-known World War II presence to current models are all covered.
- Mick Mueller has written and another authoritative book on the history of the Corvette. The Complete Book of Corvette, a coffee table-sized volume detailing the first seven generations of “America’s Sports Car” (Quarto Publishing Group, $55), continues Mike Mueller's prolific writing career.
Showcasing more than 60 years of Corvette history, the book was published in cooperation with General Motors. It's illustrated with 500 color and black-and-white photos from GM’s exclusive Design and Media Archives.
Development, tech specs and visual prowess of the Corvette lineup are all covered in Mueller's second book on the iconic sports car.
Bruce and I also discuss several other books, from a fascinating look at a junkyard of cars in Los Angeles to an expert who details the tragedy of the airbag crisis.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.
If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.
The podcast is in its third year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com. All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast
Every episode is also available on your preferred podca...
Chris Lane is the chief marketing officer of Airfield Supply Co., a cannabis dispensary in San Jose, California. Its name is derived from the company's proximity to the San Jose International Airport. Its motto is "High Is A Place."
The company is thriving in the Silicon Valley, where marijuana delivery is a competitive segment of the business community. Airfield Supply also recently determined it can more efficiently deliver its product. It added six Tesla Model 3s to its delivery fleet.
Airfield Supply Co. in San Jose, California, has six Teslas in its cannabis delivery fleet.
Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia talk with Lane about the cannabis industry in the Silicon Valley and the Airfield's decision to utilize the electric sports car in its business.
With sales increasing during the COVID-19 pandemic, Airfield’s delivery capabilities are a new benchmark across the industry, the company notes. Cannabis Delivery In Style — Tesla According to industry reports, Silicon Valley has had a 400 percent increase in marijuana deliveries since the pandemic began.
"The Tesla fleet is an investment that will in time pay for itself and considering that with future updates pushed directly to the vehicle, the Model 3 will only become more sustainable over time," said company CEO Marc Matulich. "This is really central to who we are.”
Lane, who discussed regulations of cannabis delivery vehicles, noted the efficiency of the Teslas in the company fleet. Airfield says it saves about $10,000 per Tesla annually or $60,000 per year compared to gasoline vehicles.
“We’ve expanded our delivery program, reduced prices and minimum ordering costs in order to be a better neighbor to our customers and to make it just that much more affordable and convenient for everyone,” Matulich said.
The six Teslas are outfitted with GPS devices for San Jose police to track them, as required by the city’s regulations, in addition to lockable containers and front and rear dash security cameras.
"Using smartphones, customers can now pre-pay for pickup and delivery of cannabis purchases, allowing for 100 percent secure, one-click transaction processes that decrease wait times as well as the spread of germs," said Matulich.
Lane also discusses customers' reactions to their orders being delivered in Teslas.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.
If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.
The podcast is in its third year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com. All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast
Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform. Several of the more prominent platforms are listed below.
Amazon.com
Google Play
iheartradio
iTunes
Spotify
Stitcher
Convenience, flexibility, and value are key attractions to car subscription company services offered by T4L, Inc., and several other regional and national companies.
The concept is the latest trend in the automobile industry. It caters to drivers who don't have the time or desire for the details of buying a vehicle but need transportation.
Car subscription services are ideal for drivers who wish to avoid the paperwork and permanency of owning a vehicle.
Allen Witters, the CEO of T4L, headquartered in Naples, Fla., is our guest on this episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast.
Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia discuss with Witters the new industry and the ideas behind the need for some to consider a car subscription.
T4L membership prices range from about $600 to $2,270 per month for cars in the company's electric vehicle-only fleet. The fee is inclusive: insurance, taxes and registration to vehicle swap. Car Subscripti0n: All-In-On Transaction Full maintenance — tires, brakes, batteries, wiper blades, vehicle refresh and software updates, charging, roadside service support — are also provided as is priority concierge services.
Prospective T4L car subscription members can build and request a vehicle. Once a vehicle has been configured and requested, a T4L concierge contacts every enrollee and provides membership, subscription, vehicle selection, deposit and delivery expectations.
Vehicle delivery is expected within 90 days and all cars arrive fully charged and with a T4L new membership kit and a membership app.
"As auto customers continue to explore the growing mobility market, service-related offerings are becoming more in demand," said Witters. "Our members will enjoy easier vehicle access, a better overall dollar value, a hassle-free transportation experience, and best-in-class customer service."
The car subscription model has also been introduced in other regions of the country, some catering to higher-end vehicles, others to the expanding EV industry.
Subscription car service companies are hoping for increased market shares, with consumers considering depreciation, dealer fees, interest rates, maintenance and other monetary and convenience factors.
Auto subscriptions are not only all-inclusive, consumers using vehicles only when they need them is an environmentally savvy concept people embrace.
"We believe this is priceless to someone who is passionate about electric vehicles," said Witters. "The trend is the result of consumers uncertain about a new purchase in uncertain times.”
For more information, visit https://t4l.me.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.
If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews. The podcast is in its third year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com. All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast
Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform. Several of the more prominent platforms are listed below.
Amazon.com
Google Play
iheartradio
iTunes
Spotify
Stitcher
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122,
Turning age 66 doesn't have the same milestone traditions as ages 40, 50 and 65. But there are connections to the automotive world for me with double six on the horizon, including 50 years of driving.
Driving the iconic Route 66 is a bucket list item for many travelers. I'd like to do that at age 66. And for those who acquired their first driver's license at age 16, a half-century of driving has likely provided plenty of opportunities for reflection.
50 Years of Driving: The Weekly Driver Podcast co-host Bruce Aldrich and his father share a moment in the family's 1959 Volkswagen Bug.
During the past half-century, the automotive industry has advanced with the acceleration of a Tesla. So my friend and co-host Bruce Aldrich and I decided the time was right. We discuss our respective pending 50 years of driving on Episode #157 of The Weekly Driver Podcast.
Elon Musk, the creator and eccentric owner of Tesla, has changed the automotive world with a quantum leap into the future of electric vehicles. How has the supercar changed the industry and its relationship with our world and its failing environment?
Automotive technology has made cars safer with GPS navigation systems, back-up cameras and various driving warnings. But has technology overloaded?
Autonomous driving and flying cars aren't too far in the future. Is it all good or a disaster waiting to happen?
A lot more has also occurred. Consider: anti-lock braking systems (ABS), power steering, automated driving, navigation systems, infotainment centers were all developed in the past 50 years. Manual transmissions, once prominent, are larger gone. Taxis have given way to Uber and Lyft.
Alternative fuels haven't yet grabbed the public. But gas-electric, plug-in hybrid and hydrogen cars and trucks are at least in the public consciousness. Will the technology ever sway the public-at-large?
50 Years of Driving: The Weekly Driver Podcast co-host James Raia in front of a 2011 Acura TSX wagon during the 2011 USA Pro Challenge pro bicycle race in Colorado.
Fifty years of driving changes skill levels. Drivers develop habits — good and bad. Eventually, good abilities begin to slip.
The latter is discouraging. Bruce and I and surely many others agree: Our reaction times are slower. Peripheral vision isn't as good as it once was. Night driving is increasingly difficult. 50 Years Of Driving: Tickets To Family History Bruce and I also discuss 50 years of driving in other areas — tickets to accidents, family history to unusual circumstances. It makes for a lively episode.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.
If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews. The podcast is in its third year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com. All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast
Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform. Several of the more prominent platforms are listed below.
Amazon.com
Google Play
iheartradio
iTunes
Spotify
Stitcher
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122, Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich, James Raia talk car stuff
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127, Hey, hey,
Aaron Gold is a veteran automobile writer who has contributed to many print and online publications. He's as enthusiastic about his work as anyone in the industry, and it shows in his articles and in conversation.
A staff writer for Automobile, Gold is our guest on this week's episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast. Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia discuss the automotive industry with the journalist, with a particular interest in several of his recent articles.
Automobile writer Aaron Gold discusses the Bricklin and many other Canadian cars on this episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast.
Canada isn't an automotive powerhouse, but Gold recently wrote: "Who Knew Canadian Cars Were a Thing? Well, They Are."
The article detailed Bricklin Motors to Conquest Vehicles, Felino to Magnum, Electra Meccanica to McLaughlin and several unique offerings. We hadn't heard of several of the vehicles, which made Gold's article all the more interesting. Aaron Gold: Automobile Writer Has Fun Gold recently wrote: "Far Out and Funky Forgotten Cars of the 1970s Worth Remembering" and "The All-New 2021 Rolls-Royce Ghost Releases You From Sorrow."
Automobile was founded in 1986 with the working motto: "No Boring Cars."
The publication ceased its print edition in early 2020, but the online edition remains true to the publication's mission.
Among other recent articles, Gold's has written: "How I Met Your Mother: Chevrolet’s Bad-Ass Monte Carlo" and "Bugging Out: We Take a 1949 VW Beetle on a Fascinating 1949 Architectural Tour."
And we couldn't help ourselves. We thoroughly enjoyed talking about another article: "Far Out and Funky: 12 Forgotten Cars of the 1970s That Are Worth Remembering."
Cars are serious business. But please join us for a light-hearted podcast episode with journalist Aaron Gold.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com. All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast
Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform:
Amazon.com
Google Play
iheartradio
iTunes
Spotify
Stitcher
A new book, a speed record (not), new truck towing capacities, autonomous vehicles and the future of electric trucks. There's always a lot happening in the automotive industry, and periodically Bruce Aldrich I just talk about a lot on The Weekly Driver Podcast.
We're are each other's guests this week to visit the above-mentioned news items. And it's the 155th episode of our slightly more than three-year-old, 30-minute broadcasts.
First up this week is a new book by author Mike Mueller. It's The Complete Book of Corvette, a coffee table-sized book details all generations of the "America's Sports Car."
The book is an all-encompassing volume showcasing more than 60 years of Corvette history. Created in cooperation with General Motors and illustrated with 500 color and black-and-white photos from GM’s exclusive Design and Media Archives, the book highlights the development, tech specs and visual prowess of the entire Corvette line. New Book Details Corvette History The book was released before the debut of the Corvette's eighth generation, mid-engined C8. Mueller's new book is an updated edition of his first Corvette title. But a third book may also be warranted detailing the 2020 model and its disruption of the industry.
In this episode, Bruce and I also discuss:
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The short-lived recent speed record of 331.15 mp set behind the wheels of the SSC Tuatara. Turns out the record wasn't accurate with eagle-eyed video watchers noticed some peculiarities. The record is no more;
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A letter writer comment on a column I wrote recently, and he has plenty to say about the towing capacities of heavy trucks;
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Autonomous cars are being tested in controlled circumstances in the streets of San Francisco;
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Auto innovation usually seems like a great idea. How about a new solar-powered pickup truck bed liner?
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com. All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast
Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform:
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Google Play
iheartradio
iTunes
Spotify
Stitcher
RELATED CONTENT
Podcast #114, Indianapolis Motor Speedway Set For Autonomous Race
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Todd Reiners is a race car enthusiast and philanthropist in Sacramento. He competes in vintage cars and is as passionate about his collection as anyone.
Reiners is our guest on Episode #154 of The Weekly Driver Podcast. He discusses his long-time appreciation for cars as well as his fund-raising efforts and a unique, moving experience he shared with those less fortunate.
Todd Reiners has several vintage race cars including a 1974 Formula 5000 Vintage Lola T332
As a daily driver, Reiners negotiates Sacramento in a 1994 Honda Accord "with a dent."
But it's Reiners' other vehicles he prefers to discuss. They include:
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1971 Detomaso Pantera, 351 CI Cleveland V8 Supercharged 600 HP;
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1972 Plymouth Barracuda, 383 CI V8;
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1974 Formula 5000 Vintage Lola T332 Chevy 305 Stock Block, Lucas McKay Injection 600 HP, 1200 pounds;
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1983 Lotus Esprit Turbo, 2.3 4 Cylinder Lotus 910 285 HP;
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1984 Porsche Carrara, 3.2 Flat 6;
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1985 Ferrari 308 GTSI, 3.0 V8. Todd Reiners: Race Car Driver, Philanthropist About a decade ago, Reiners, the Executive director at HOPE, Inc., who also works for McKesson Corporation and The McClatchy Company, had a keen idea to incorporate his interest in racing with the desire to help the Sacramento community.
Reiners wasn't particularly comfortable with the attention, but he agreed to let the Sacramento Bee write an article on his Formula 500 Grand Prix car and its unusual crew.
Reiners trained some of his homeless friends to change tires, fuel the car the work on his pit crew during a race. The car was sponsored by Loaves & Fishes, the Sacramento area's largest homeless service provider.
Several thousand dollars were raised for the sponsor. And as added karma for the day, Reiners won the race.
Please join co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia as we interview Reiners about his amateur racing career, his enjoyment of working on his cars and his philanthropic interests.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com. All podcast episodes are archived on www.theweeklydriver.com/podcast
Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform:
Amazon.com
Google Play
iheartradio
iTunes
Spotify
Stitcher
RELATED CONTENT
Podcast #114, Indianapolis Motor Speedway Set For Autonomous Race
Podcast #131: Greg Griffin Races A Ferrrari, Builds Florida Homes
David Letterman: Late Night Comedy, Sex and Race Cars
Russell Hayes, like all automotive industry book authors, is passionate about his subject matter. Hayes' interests cover several iconic carmakers, including his latest effort celebrating the 75th and 70th anniversaries of the Beetle and Bus.
Hayes is the author of numerous automotive books ranging in topics from auto shows to Lotus to several offerings on Volkswagen. His latest book is the just-released "Volkswagen Beetles and Buses: Smaller and Smarter."
Author Russell Hayes discusses the VW Beetle and Bug in a new coffee table-sized book.
In a wide-ranging interview, Hayes is our guest on Episode #153 of The Weekly Driver Podcast.
Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia talk with the author about VW's two most iconic vehicles, the first Beetles spearheaded by Ferdinand Porsche in the 1940s to the buses that became synonymous with a generation. VW History As Unusual As Any Carmaker As Hayes explains, no carmaker's history is as unique as Volkswagen — its association with the Nazi movement to the Hippie movement.
More than 23 million VW Beetles have been manufactured since 1945. The book examines and celebrates all aspects of the vehicles and their more than 70 years as cultural symbols.
Hayes looks back at the vehicles while focusing on the classic air-cooled VWs that ran into the late 1970s. He discusses, with accompanying photography, the Beetle and Bus at work and play.
Plenty of cars and trucks having starring roles in film, but none likely as varied as VW, with its presence in films like The Love Bug, Little Miss Sunshine, Footloose, Fight Club, The Big Lebowski, and Fast Times at Ridgemont High.
And there were roles in television shows like Lost and Once Upon a Time and on the covers of the Beatles’ Abbey Road and Bob Dylan’s Freewheelin’ album.
Hayes covers all things VW and pop culture. He writes about the New Beetle and plans for the VW Buzz, a modern electric version of the iconic Microbus due in 2022.
Please join us for an informative episode with the knowledgeable and funny author who knows Volkswagen as few others do.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com. All podcast episodes are archived on www.theweeklydriver.com/podcast
Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform:
Google Play iTunes Spotify Stitcher iheartradio
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The next time you hear the quality of the auto system in your vehicle, it's likely Johnathan Pierce of Harman had something to do with it.
Pierce, Senior Manager of Global Experiential R&D for Car Audio at Harman, leads a team of scientist and engineer colleagues. They "apply research and robust measurement techniques to further understand the relationship between an artist's intent and listener preference."
A new Harman consumer store in Munich, Germany.
In other words, Pierce oversees a Harman team that ensures you get what you pay for when you invest in an expensive sound system. Harman expert helps Cadillac, Lincoln Pierce has most notably has been responsible for the 3D Revel in Lincoln and Cadillac's new AKG system. It replaced Cadillac’s 30-year partnership with Bose.
Pierce is our guest on this week's episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast.
Co-host James Raia is the sole interviewer this week. Bruce Aldrich, the podcast's co-host and producer is on vacation.
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In a wide-ranging interview, Pierce discusses what makes a premium audio system better than a stock system. He explains why one top-end brand is better than a competitor. And he details when sound system marketing is worthy or overblown public relations.
We also talk about what a consumer should listen for while testing an audio system. Ande Pierceshares his favorite songs to test a new system. Harman makes sound sound better Please join me for an informative episode with the renowned automotive audio expert from Harman.
It may not exactly be music to your ears, but it's a comprehensive 30 minutes for anyone who appreciates listening to a sound system while driving or as a vehicle passenger.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues.
And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com. All podcast episodes are archived on www.theweeklydriver.com/podcast
Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform: Google Play iTunes Spotify Stitcher iheartradio
About halfway between Sacramento and San Francisco, travelers on Interstate 80 can visit an iconic brewery, renowned confectionery or an indoor-outdoor homage to military transportation within minutes. But a full day's visit to one or any combination of the attractions is warranted.
The setting is a trio of museums all located within a few-mile radius on farmland off frontage roads in Fairfield, an agricultural hub in Solano County. The Anheuser-Busch facility doesn't have much in common with Jelly Belly or the American Armory Museum. But the latter two destinations share much.
The American Armory Museum features one of Gen. Geroge Patton's Jeeps. All Images © Bruce Aldrich/2020
Geoff Lippman, the military museum's general manager and curator, is our guest this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast.
Lippman discusses the history of the museum, its ever-expanding collection of vehicles and military memorabilia from several countries and several wars with co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia.
The armory's history began in 2013 when Herman Rowland Sr., the former CEO of Jelly Belly, bought several military vehicles from the estate of armored vehicle collector Jacques Littlefield. The initial collection included an Israeli M-3 half-track, a self-propelled artillery piece and an M-113 Armored Personnel Carrier. Military museum has more than 60 vehicles Open to the public two years ago, the museum has guests ranging in age from primary grade school children to WWII veterans in their 90s. Many visitors find the roadside business by happenstance while driving along the Interstate.
Positioned on eight acres and in a nearly 5,000-square-foot warehouse, the collection showcases about 60 vehicles and a vast collection of all things military — uniforms, flags, weapons, gear and soldier mannequins in full uniform. The vehicle collection, 90 percent of which is drivable, includes an Army Harley-Davidson from WWI and one of the Jeeps Gen. George Patton used in WWII. A British Scorpion and an M-60 Patton tank are also prominent. The collection includes donated pieces, items purchased and others on loan.
Lippman wasn't in the military, but the former land developer and auto restorer in Florida has a vast knowledge of machinery and engines. He was hired by Rowland to repair the collector's original collection but then accepted his current position. He knows every vehicle intimately and works with numerous volunteers to get vehicles running properly. He also curates the facility.
The museum's centerpiece is Patton's 1942 Command Jeep. The vehicle is accompanied by a display of Patton's history, including a video featuring Francis J. “Jeep” Sanza, Patton's driver. Sanza died two years ago in Napa.
In addition to weekly outdoor church services, the museum hosts special events, including the Military Vehicle Demonstration Weekend, scheduled Oct. 10-11.
Please join us in this episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast as we travel to Fairfield for a tour of the American Armory Museum and a conversation with its general manager and curator.
The American Armory Museum is located at 4144 Abernathy Rd., Fairfield, Ca., 94534. Tel. (707) 389-6846. Various membership levels are available. Admission: Adults $7; Children 11-under, $3; Military and Veterans with ID are free; Group & Membership rates available; Hours: Wednesday-Saturday, 10 a..m.-3 p.m. Donations are accepted. Volunteer opportunities are available; Website: americanarmorymuseum.org.
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The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com.
The Weekly Driver Podcast debuted in September 2017. Bruce Aldrich and I had already collaborated on automotive YouTube videos and attending car shows together for several years. A podcast seemed like an ideal new creative outlet.
We're now 3-years-old and 150 episodes into our show.
Bruce Aldrich (left) and James Raia interview Alex Guberman, an electric vehicle expert who has a vast following on the YouTube Channel, E For Electric, on The Weekly Driver Podcast
To celebrate the milestone, Bruce and I independently picked our five favorites episodes. And we discuss them in a double presentation on Episodes #149 and #150. The Weekly Driver Podcast Celebrates 3 Years Bruce actually picked six episodes. And among our combined 11 favorites, only one overlapped.
We both selected artist Chris Miller. An article posted in the creative newsletter Atlas Obscura about Miller's first stone truck creation many years ago led to email contact and Chris agreeing to be our guest.
Based in Calais, Vermont, Miller has been a traditional sculptor and mason for more than 45 years. Miller's hobby and now a new income source: He creates elaborate life-size trucks from stone. He recently completed his second creation and has contracts for three more.
During the three years of The Weekly Driver Podcast, we've had diverse guests: authors, CEOs, analysts, vintage car colleges, website owners, race car and motorcycle drivers, a stuntman and a museum curator.
We've talked with a city mayor, small business owners, memorabilia collectors, auto show guests, car auction experts, vintage car rental shop owners, an automotive painter, a former cyclist who restores classic junkers and experts who haul junk cars.
The audio for episodes #149 and #150 is the same.
Listen to episode #149 for the details of my five guests and episode #150 for Bruce's top-five picks:
Bruce's top guests include:
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134, Chris Miller: Stone truck artist
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120, Author Patrick Foster: 80 years of Jeep
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114, Autonomous Racing, Indy Motor Speedway
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84, David Ankin: ToyMakerz TV Show
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58, Consumer Reports Reliability Survey
Visit part 1 in our double episode when James reveals his top-5 podcast episodes.
We'll be back with new episodes soon.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com.
All podcast episodes are archived on www.theweeklydriver.com/podcast
Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform:
Google Play iTunes Spotify Stitcher iheartradio
The Weekly Driver Podcast debuted in September 2017. Bruce Aldrich and I had already been working together on automotive YouTube videos and attending car shows together for several years. A podcast seemed like an ideal new creative outlet.
We're now 3-years-old and 150 episodes into our show.
Bruce Aldrich and James Raia interview automotive guests every week on The Weekly Driver Podcast.
To celebrate the milestone, Bruce and I independently picked our five favorites episodes. And we discuss them in a double presentation on Episodes #149 and #150. The Weekly Driver Podcast Celebrates 3 Years Bruce actually picked six episodes. And among our combined 11 favorites, only one overlapped.
We both selected artist Chris Miller. An article posted in the creative newsletter Atlas Obscura about Miller's first stone truck creation many years ago led to email contact and Chris agreeing to be our guest.
Based in Calais, Vermont, Miller has been a traditional sculptor and mason for more than 45 years. Miller's hobby and now a new income source: He creates elaborate life-size trucks from stone. He recently completed his second creation and has contracts for three more.
Chris MIller's stone truck creation was among our favorite episodes of the first three years of The Weekly Driver Podcast.
During the three years of The Weekly Driver Podcast, we've had diverse guests: authors, CEOs, analysts, vintage car colleges, website owners, race car and motorcycle drivers, a stuntman and a museum curator.
We've talked with a city mayor, small business owners, memorabilia collectors, auto show guests, car auction experts, vintage car rental shop owners, an automotive painter, a former cyclist who restores classic junkers and experts who haul junk cars.
The audio for episodes #149 and #150 is the same.
Listen to episode #149 for the details of my five guests and episode #150 for Bruce's top-five picks:
My top guests include:
-
134, Chris Miller: Stone truck artist (May 22, 2020)
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109, Joe Palmer, Sacramento, backyard vintage car owner (Oct. 27, 2019)
3. #105, Stuntman Robert Nagle talks about his work on Ford vs. Ferrari (Oct. 1, 2019)
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98, Mary McGee, pioneering female motorcycle racer (Aug. 14, 2019)
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22, Alex Honnold, El Capitan free solo mountain climber, life in a van (Jan. 13, 2018)
Visit part 2 in our double episode when Bruce Aldrich reveals his top-5 podcast episodes.
We'll be back with new episodes soon.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com. All podcast episodes are archived on www.theweeklydriver.com/podcast
Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform:
Google Play iTunes Spotify Stitcher iheartradio
Ray Elliott, a tow truck driver in the south San Francisco Bay Area, has viewed the mistakes motorists make so often he started a website several years ago called Idiots on the Interstate (idiotsontheinterstate.com).
The site is void of advanced graphics and is perhaps best described as primitive. But it's chock-full of information, videos and Elliott's opinions about the pathetic, often tragic and often preventable accidents and incidents he's witnessed throughout his long career.
Ray Elliott, a tow truck driver in the south San Francisco Bay Area, discusses how the coronavirus has changed driving habits.
Elliott has arrived on the scene of every kind of accident imaginable, sometimes before law enforcement personnel or first responders. He has seen fender benders and death, and he has saved lives and comforted many in need.
Part of Elliott's introduction on his website, lets the reader quickly know what he's all about:
"I have saved lives, fought fires, washed dishes, driven nails, and now I tow. If there is one thing I know, it’s towing. And you people can’t drive, so I have job security. That said, let’s get to what you should expect when you call for a tow truck.
"Let me tell you what it’s like being a tow truck driver. I come to rescue you and your vehicle in any situation you can put your vehicle in. I have removed cars from places you can’t get a car into. I have seen cars on all four sides and front and end. Quite often, I arrive at the scene of an accident before the fire department.
"I know all the streets in all the cities I work in. I know every short cut to get you where you need to take your car. I know most of the automotive shops in my area. I know we all make mistakes, myself included. I have set tow rates that I cannot bargain lower prices.
"I know what your car needs. I have done this for a long time and have seen your situation more than once. My goal being there, at your aid, is not just to tow your car, but to make sure that you, being my customer, are also safe and off of the side of the road, and hopefully, driving away." Tow Truck Driver: Times Have Changed It's the reason Elliott is among our favorite guests on The Weekly Driver Podcast.
On episode #148, co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia discuss with Elliott how the coronavirus has changed the driving landscape and his job as a tow truck driver.
As many have likely noticed, fewer vehicles are on the highway. One major result — drivers are driving faster. And Elliott is busy.
Elliott has written two essays for theweeklydriver.com:
NEVER BUY A CHRYSLER PRODUCT and DRIVING IS A PRIVILEGE, IT'S NOT YOUR RIGHT
Elliott was also our guest on Episode #60 in November 2018. He told us about the crappy engineering in cars, chastised the use of frontal airbags and his many experiences. He says want he wants without a filter.
Join us for another lively episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com.
All podcast episodes are archived on www.theweeklydriver.com/podcast
Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform:
Google Play
iTunes
Spotify
Stitcher
iheartradio
Driving across the United States in an electric vehicle takes planning and patience. For car owners driving an EV or considering a green car alternative, the challenge has been simplified.
Electrify America recently announced the completion of the first of two cross-country routes. It allows EV drivers to travel from coast to coast using the largest open DC fast-charging network in the United States.
Electrify America recently announced the completion of the first of two cross-country routes. It allows EV drivers to travel from coast to coast using the largest open DC fast-charging network in the United States.
Rich Steinberg, Senior Director of Green Cities, Marketing and Communications for Electrify America, is our guest on this episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast. Electrify America: Coast-to-Coast Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia discuss with Steinberg the new route and the pending second route. We also discuss the overall EV industry, from new vehicles to charging stations to the public's awareness of the technology.
And with a nod to our podcast's headquarters in Sacramento, we also discuss the capital city's status as the Green City/Electrify America national hub.
The debuting route extends from Los Angeles, CA to Washington, DC. It spans 11 states and more than 2,700 miles utilizing Electrify America's open DC fast-charging network. It's called the Northern Route.
The first cross-country route travels along Interstates 15 and 70, providing high-powered chargers with speeds up to 350kW. Electrify America charging stations are on average about 70 miles apart in metro areas and near highway routes located conveniently by shopping and dining amenities.
The second route, expected to be completed by the end of summer, is the Southern Route. Electric vehicle travelers can cross the southern portion of the U.S., from Jacksonville to San Diego, on interstate highways starting near I-10 and finishing along I-8.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts.
Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com.
All podcast episodes are archived on www.theweeklydriver.com/podcast
Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform:
Google Play
iTunes
Spotify
Stitcher
iheartradio
Jim Brainard has a law degree, but he's spent the past quarter-century thinking about circles. It's a compliment, and it's likely the reason why Carmel, Indiana is internationally famous.
The mayor of the 102,000-population city, located 23 miles northeast of the state's capital of Indianapolis, is the country's leading expert on the benefits of roundabouts.
Mayor Jim Brainard of Carmel, Indiana believes in the benefits of roundabouts.
Brainard, who has overseen the construction of 132 roundabouts in the 47-square-mile city, is our guest on this episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast.
Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia talk with Brainard about his roundabout advocacy and how Carmel has adapted to its world prominence.
Brainard first became interested in roundabouts as a graduate student at Oxford University in England. The first modern roundabout, built in 1909, is located in Letchworth, England. Mayor Jim Brainard: Roundabouts Save Lives “Roundabouts have reduced traffic fatalities by 90 percent in Carmel,” said Brainard, who has traveled to many countries to study roundabouts. "The U.S. average fatality rate per 100,000 people is 14. It tends to be higher in suburban areas because the roads are built wider for faster speeds. Indianapolis has done a little bit better than normal—11.7 per 100,000. The average in Carmel is two.”
By definition, a roundabout (also called a circle, traffic circle, road circle, rotary, rotunda or island) is a circular intersection or junction in which road traffic is permitted to flow in one direction around a central island. The priority is typically given to traffic already in the junction.
Brainard has been Carmel's mayor since 1996. In addition to the current roundabouts in the city, at least another seven more are planned. The mayor has also consulted with many cities around the country about the benefits of roundabouts. He often cites safety.
"With cars moving at 10-15 mph, a pedestrian who gets hit has a much better chance of surviving than if someone blows through a light or a stop sign at 50,” he said.
According to Brainard, a stoplight encourages drivers to increase their speed to get through an intersection. In a roundabout, he says drivers have to decrease their speed to 15 to 25 miles per hour. As a result, Brainard notes vehicle accidents involving occupant injuries requiring hospital visits have been reduced by more than 75 percent.
Modern roundabouts became more popular in the United States in the 1990s, much in part to Brainard. About 5,000 roundabouts are located throughout the country. Carmel has the most of any city by several-fold.
Not everyone is a believer. According to Wikipedia, the first modern roundabout in the United States was constructed in Summerlin, Nevada in 1990. It dismayed many residents, and a local news program reported, "Even police agree, roundabouts can be confusing at times."
Eighty years earlier, architect John McLaren designed one of the first American roundabouts for both autos and streetcars (trams) in the Hatchett Residence Park. It's now named San Jose, California.
In many European countries, roundabouts are the rule, not the exception. France, by its latest official government tally, has more than 50,000 roundabouts. The United Kingdom has about 25,000 roundabouts.
During the podcast, Brainard also discusses the costs of making roundabouts, environmental aesthetics and the public's response to the city's reputation as the "Roundabout Capital of the World."
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues.
And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com.
All podcast episodes are archived on www.theweeklydriver.
As if the pending Tesla Cybertruck hasn't received enough attention, leave it to company owner Elon Musk to generate more attention for the futuristic-looking machine.
After announcing the electric-vehicle manufacturer's plans to build a new factory in Austin, Texas, Musk hinted at a few of his new truck's color choices. The possible options are as unique as the car.
The Tesla Cybertruck may be offered with a rainbow exterior paint theme.
Musk suggested a pure white option or a treatment to offer a rainbow option.
If the Cybertruck in rainbow adornment is ever offered, it will likely be an aftermarket option, not a dealership choice.
And it wouldn't the first rainbow-colored Tesla. Several models have received rainbow wraps in Tesla's support of various events. Tesla Cybertruck: Color me rainbow The rainbow option has also been presented on other supercars in recent years. But there wouldn't be any more polarizing vehicle on the road than a multi-colored Tesla Cybertruck.
Musk doesn't do subtle well. So, while the rainbow the idea doesn't seem shocking for the Tesla Cybertruck, it still won't present the innovative new vehicle at its best.
The new truck its described as “an all-electric, battery-powered, light commercial vehicle.” Three models have been announced, with range estimates of 250–500 miles and an estimated 0–60 mph time of 2.9–6.5 seconds, depending on the model.
According to Tesla specs, the Cybertruck will be constructed “with cold-pressed, unpainted stainless steel.” It will have a towing capacity of as much as 14,000 pounds.
Jerry W. Cox has a stark warning for the driving public. He says 12 million cars and trucks on U.S. roads have defective Takata-made airbags that still have not been replaced.
Cox, a former consultant for the now-defunct Japanese automotive parts company, discusses the details in his new book "Killer Airbags: The Deadly Secret Automakers Don’t Want You To Know."
Now an automotive consultant, Cox is our guest on Episode #145 of The Weekly Driver Podcast.
Jerry W. Cox is the author of the new book, "Killer Airbags."
Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia discuss with Cox what he believes is a catastrophe waiting to happen.
Killer Airbags details the events that led to the airbag scandal that rocked the automotive industry. Cox also criticizes a recent decision by the Trump Administration not to recall an additional 30 million newer-model cars with Takata airbags. Killer Airbags in 70 million vehicles Ammonium nitrate, the chemical used in the airbags made and installed in 70 million cars in 19 different models by Takata, exploded in the defective airbags and led to hundreds of deaths and thousands of serious injuries, Cox states.
The airbags were eventually recalled in the largest consumer product ever, but 12 million cars still have these devices that still have not been replaced.
Cox writes he warned the company to recall the devices completely in 2014, but it didn't listen.
"Takata chose ammonium nitrate to inflate its airbags because it was vastly cheaper than more stable propellants,” Cox said. “They faked reports showing ammonium nitrate was suitable and lied about the danger until 2017 when the company was convicted of criminal fraud and went bankrupt.”
In 2015, federal regulators gave Takata until the end of 2019 to prove these “desiccated” inflators safe or to recall the 30 million affected 2018 and later-model vehicles.
Instead of seeking an independent assessment, the Trump Transportation Department secretly solicited an engineering study from the motor vehicle manufacturers who were responsible for paying for the recall. It decided in May 2020 not to recall those vehicles.
"The Transportation Department never asked the Takata engineers who designed those inflators whether they are safe,” said Cox. “All of those experts insist the inflators eventually will turn into hand grenades and that nobody should be driving a car with ammonium nitrate in their airbags.”
By that time, Cox hadn't been consulting with Takata for a few years. In 2016, Cox viewed a gruesome image of Joel Knight.
As Cox details in the podcast, Knight was driving his pickup truck and hit a cow. It was a minor accident, but the Takata airbags deployed. The canister blew like a hand grenade sending a chunk of shrapnel the size of a hockey puck through the airbag and through Knight’s neck – killing him instantly.
Cox said he then vowed to tell the inside story of how Knight and now at least 23 others have been killed and more than 300 have been injured by Takata airbags.
The book details how Takata’s fraud scheme worked and exposes actions by current and former federal government officials that delayed and prevented safety recalls.
"I feel I am morally obligated to write the book," said Cox, who further details the airbag issue on his website: www.killerairbags.com.
The book is available on the author's website as well as on Amazon.com.
Please join Bruce Aldrich and me as we hear from the author in a compelling episode.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com.
Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com.
All podcast episodes are archived on www.theweeklydriver.com/podcast
Rolls-Royce has long represented elegance and sophistication in automobiles most often named after ghosts. There have been years of exception. Used Rolls-Royce models, particularly in the company's native England, were hard to sell for years.
But now the bespoke machines are back in a big way. In 2019, Rolls-Royce sold more than 5,100 vehicles worldwide, the best annual sales volume in the company's 116-year history.
The 2020 Rolls-Royce Wraith defines power, opulence and obsession. Image © Bruce Aldrich/2020
Elizabeth Williams, the company's product communications manager, discusses the Rolls-Royce return to prominence on this week's episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast. Rolls-Royce has a 116-year legacy Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia discuss all things Rolls-Royce with Williams — the legacy of the brand to the current lineup.
The podcast episode seemed like a natural after my recent opportunity to review a 2020 Rolls Royce Wraith.
The Wraith remains the company's high-performance model. It features a twin-turbocharged 6.6-liter V12 engine that produces 624 horsepower. It's the most powerful car the company has ever made. It weighs 5,380 pounds but has serious, controlled speed.
Named after the Scottish word meaning the image of a ghost or spirit, The Wraith debuted in 2013 as a 2014 model.
For 2020, The body style is a two-door, pillar-less coupe with iconic suicide doors. The door handles are likely the largest ever installed in a car. Their girth suggests they weigh more than a Chevy Spark.
The Wraith's interior is an opulent living room where the old world meets modern, understated technology. The analog features are complemented by the digital age working in the background.
Every surface has a unique texture and color. The stitching and hides are different. Rolls-Royce has all the top-scale necessities in the back, but it forgot a place for adult-sized legs, so the rear seats are only for the small
A Rolls-Royce's performance is always at least equally matched by its beauty. The lines are a juxtaposition. Its battle-tank strength front flows into elegant curves at the rear of the beast.
The Wraith offers a poised and unassuming in city driving — as if a Rolls-Royce can be understated. Feel the need to accelerate to merge into traffic at ease or maneuver around a pending situation, the Rolls' power prevails.
Beyond the Wraith, Williams discusses the uniqueness of Rolls-Royce, including the new Black Bade trim. It's a $50,000 option — 21-inch carbon wheels to illuminate treadplates.
Rolls-Royce extravagance also includes signature features, the shooting star headliner to its Teflon-coated hidden umbrella.
Williams details who's buying the Wraith and its stature as a vehicle weighing more than 5,000 pounds, possessing 624 horsepower and with 0-to-60 miles per hour acceleration in 4.4 seconds
Please join for an episode full of facts and figures and the glorious history of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.
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There's always news in the automotive world. Sometimes, The Weekly Driver Podcast doesn't schedule a guest so co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia can discuss a few topics, like cars that will no longer be manufactured and a 55-year-old Mustang selling for an eye-opening record.
That's what we do in this episode. The Chevrolet Sonic and Honda Fit will no longer be manufactured after the cars' current editions. Bruce and I discuss why we say good riddance to the Sonic and a hearty farewell to the Fit.
The 2020 Rolls-Royce Wraith defines power, opulence and obsession. Bruce Aldrich and I discuss it and several other topics like the recent sale of a 1965 Ford Mustang for a record price during this episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast. Image © Bruce Aldrich/2020. Mustang, Mustang. How about a Mustang? Who would have known, a Mustang selling for nearly $4 million? It's true. A 1965 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350R sold for a record $3.85 million The vehicle has a great heritage. It was once driven by Ken Miles of “Ford v Ferrari” fame. It sold at the recent Mecum Auctions event in Indianapolis.
The sale marked the second record Mustang sale this year. In January, the long-lost 1968 Mustang featured in the Steve McQueen film “Bullitt” sold for $3.74 million.
Bruce and I discuss that, too.
This 1965 Ford Mustang sold recently for a record $3.85 million at Mecum Auctions in Indianapolis
In this episode, we talk about the cancellation of all but one event of Monterey Auto Week. More than 30 events are held annually for about 10 days in August. The only event left is a 100-mile auto rally in Pacific Grove. The vehicles involved won't be on display as usual, but the yearly drive for charity will remain.
And was there any bigger news recently than the return of the Ford Bronco? We've got that covered, too
And lastly, Bruce and I chat about my recent review of a 2020 Rolls-Royce Wraith. It's among the most opulent vehicles I've ever driven during my 16 years as a car reviewer.
As always, The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners.
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Editor's note: This post has been corrected. Chevrolet will discontinue the Sonic, not the Spark as previously written,
Amir Daneshvar is accustomed to selling unique, high-end, modern-day cars — Audi to Porsche, BMW to Mercedes-Benz. But how about a 1958 Chevrolet Apache Fleetside?
It's more unusual considering its appearance. It's an homage on wheels to the San Francisco Giants.
The pickup truck was made for one of the team's "super fans." The year of the truck is the year the Giants relocated from New York to San Francisco. It has a 350 crate motor and a 700R4 transmission.
A 1958 Chevy pickup truck in the SF Giants colors is for sale at Zen Auto Sales in Sacramento, California. Image © Bruce Aldrich/2020.
Daneshvar is our guest on Episode #142 of The Weekly Driver Podcast.
Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia visit with Daneshvar in his office at Zen Auto Sales in East Sacramento. The 1958 Chevrolet Apache Fleetside is parked outside, a few feet away. A one-of-a-kind 1958 pickup truck Apache was Chevrolet's terminology for the light-duty trucks of the so-called Task Force line. It was introduced as a replacement for the Advance Design line. The Apache was sold in the Fleetside configuration starting in 1958 and it's become an industry favorite for customization.
The pickup truck's exterior paint is dominated by the team's primary colors, orange and black. The team logos on the pickup truck are original 1958 Giants decals.
"We just call it a nice daily driver," said Daneshvar, who has owned Zen Auto Sales since June of 2006. "It's a vehicle somebody took the time to dedicate to the appreciation and his love of the team."
"I guess with any of these vehicles you can pick it apart with a fine comb. But for the most part, anybody who likes to have a token of a sports team, this is a really nice example of it. We are pleased and honored to have it."
Not all details of the pickup truck are known. It's had a few owners and on consignment by its current owner, Julio Peix. He owns Lefty's, a taproom and grill across the street from Zen Auto.
Peix bought the vehicle years ago and had plans to use it in opening day parades for youth baseball teams. He tried make an arrangement with the Giants to use the vehicle for marketing or promotional events but that didn't happen.
The Sacramento River Cats, the AAA affiliate of the Giants, weren't interested, either. Prix decided owning two food businesses in Sacramento took precedent and the vehicle is now on consignment.
"It's not overdone like some trucks can be," said Daneshvar. "It's tastefully done. It's just a nice example for someone."
"And I think when people buy these vehicles, they understand that they are not the comfort features of the vehicles you buy cars. But this one does have air conditioning, power steering and disc brakes on it."
Daneshvar, a former pharmaceutical salesman whose father works in the same building space in a complementary business, is happy to discuss more details of the truck as well as the histories of his other vehicles. The price of the pickup truck isn't posted on the vehicle, a usual approach in the vintage car business. But the Zen Auto Sales' owner estimated its worth at approximately $22,000.
For additional information, visit or contact Zeno Auto Sales: 5613 Elvas Ave, Sacramento, CA 95819. Tel. (916) 743-1165; Email: Website: https://www.zenauto.biz.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts.
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Nearly a quarter-century after it was last made, the new Ford Bronco makes its debut today (July 13) with as much anticipation as any new vehicle in recent memory.
Often cited as the first Sport Utility Vehicle, the Bronco has a loyal following and its new edition is likely to continue the iconic vehicle's increasing legacy.
The Ford Bronco debuted in 1966 and the 2021 edition was unveiled July 13, 2021.
Brian Rabold, vice president of valuation services for Hagerty, is our guest on this episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast to discuss all things Ford Bronco. Ford Bronco: Its legacy contines Hagerty, the Michigan-based automotive lifestyle company, provides specialty insurance for collectible vehicles. The Bronco, in its various model years, generations and trims, has increased in value rapidly in recent years.
Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia talk with Rabold about the history of the Bronco and Hagerty's insights into the vehicle's chronology and its re-emergence.
According to Hagerty, consider some facts and figures:
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the age of the average owner of Bronco owner is 54, seven years younger than the average collector car owner;
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The first generation (’66-‘77 Broncos) are the most valuable at a median value at $50,600. The ’73-’77 Wagon 4x4 with the 302cid engine is the most valuable model with a median value of $60,200;
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The highest sale for an unmodified Bronco at auction is $143,000 for a 1971 Bronco Stroppe Baja Edition.
Rabold discusses all of the Bronco's attributes and he has an impressive knowledge of the vehicle's place in American automotive culture. He also gives us an opinion about one oddity of the debut of the new Bronco.
Originally scheduled for July 9, the planned debut of the 2021 Ford Bronco coincided with the birthday of O.J. Simpson.
Simpson, the former Heisman Trophy winner and National Football League star, was wanted in the slayings of ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend, Ronald Goldman.
After Simpson failed to turn himself in, a national television audience of 95 million watched for hours as the drama unfolded of Simpson slowly being pursued on Los Angeles Freeways as the passenger in a 1993 white Bronco driven by his friend.
Simpson was acquitted a year later in one of the most closely watched murder trials in American history. But the Bronco has since been associated with the bizarre day.
Ford officials said it was “pure coincidence” when they announced the debut's original date. But Ford dropped the Bronco in 1996.
Rabold said he "gives Ford the benefit of the doubt."
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Chuck Woodbury has traveled in his motorhome for as long as two years at a time. He recently returned to his Washington state home from a seven-month RV trip that began as an expected far shorter journey. It quickly changed.
In February, the first outbreak of COVID-19 occurred in a nursing home in Kirkland, Washington, six miles from where Woodbury lives in Everett. At least 37 people died.
The RV industry is changing quickly during the coronavirus pandemic.
Early in their trip, Woodbury and his companion Gail Meyring heard the news from home and decided to remain on the road.
Woodbury, the editor and publisher of RVTravel.com, is our guest on Episode #140 of The Weekly Driver Podcast. The coronavirus has impacted the RV industry Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia discuss with Woodbury how the coronavirus affected his journey. How did the virus affect various campgrounds and trailer parks in different states?
Chuck Woodbury, Editor and Publisher of RVTravel.com, discusses the impact of the coronavirus on the RV industry.
Woodbury, previously a guest on our podcast in episodes Nos. 25 and 104, also discusses the industry's boom.
With restaurants, movie theaters, grocery stores and airline travel all suffering during the virus, sales have escalated. For dubious reasons, the motorhome industry, which had tapered in recent years, is returning to a peak when about a half-million vehicles were sold per year.
According to a recent article in the Los Angeles Times, sales have increased by nearly 200 percent in the last year, via statistics provided by an industry association.
The article's author, describing RVing, wrote: "Travelers carry their homes, complete with personally sanitized bedrooms, bathrooms and kitchens, with them in tortoise-like fashion."
As an industry advocate with a critical eye on the lack of quality control in craftsmanship and repair, Woodbury also discusses the manufacturing component of the industry.
Can the new demand be meet by consistency in the manufacture of new motorhomes? Or will quality control remain problematic?
With more travelers on the road in RVs, can the repair industry work efficiently and with consistency in quality control?
Woodbury gives his opinions on those topics and several others during our 30-minute conversation. He's concerned about how reservation systems will work? Will campgrounds and state parks experience overcrowding?
In a recent issue of the RVTravel.com newsletter, Woodbury wrote in his Roadside Journal:
"If this buying frenzy continues, I worry that there may often be times when there is no place to stay with an RV except on public lands or in Walmart parking lot. But that’s not part of the 'RV dream' for most of the newbies."
"They are not campers in the sense of roasting marshmallows over the campfire, and most never dreamed that one day they could be so lucky to sit in their lawn chair in a Walmart parking lot and celebrate solar-heated asphalt."
Please join Bruce and me as we talk with a preeminent industry expert about the current and potential future of RV travel.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts.
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Google Play
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To listen to previous episodes of The Weekly Driver Podcast with Woodbury as our guest, visit:
Episode #25: Website publisher shares RV horror stories on Facebook
Episode #104: RV expert discusses the ever-changing industry
Kelsey Mays, senior consumer affairs and vehicle evaluations editor for Cars.com, knows what it means for the industry and consumers when a vehicle is made in America. It means a lot.
According to research from Cars.com in its recently released 2020 American-Made Index (AMI), 70 percent of shoppers consider a car’s U.S. economic impact a significant or deciding factor in their vehicle purchase.
Mays is our guest this week on Episode #139 of The Weekly Driver Podcast.
The 2020 Ford Ranger is the most American made vehicle in cars.com recently released 15th American Mage Index.
Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia discuss with Mays the 15th AMI and how during the COVID-19 pandemic it has further impacted Americans’ desire to “buy local.”
The survey found 37 percent of consumers report they are more likely to buy an American-made car due to the current health and economic crisis. Four percent said they were less likely.
Additionally, 26 percent of those surveyed said “unpatriotic” to buy a non-American-made car. It's an increase of eight percent from 2019. 2020 Ford Rangers gets Cars.com top marks “This marks the 15th year we have released the American-Made Index, and for the first time, we are ranking a full, comprehensive list of qualifying American-made cars available in the U.S. Of some 350 cars on the market for 2020, 91 models qualified for our index,” said Mays. “The auto industry is highly globalized, but these 91 models bring jobs to America and investments to our local communities — a growing concern for Americans in the current climate.”
For 2020, the No. 1 most American-made vehicle for is the Michigan-built Ford Ranger. The Jeep Cherokee, assembled in northern Illinois, is No. 2 in the survey. New entrant Tesla took three spots among the top 10.
Cars.com’s American-Made Index ranks cars based on five factors: assembly location, parts sourcing as determined by the American Automobile Labeling Act, U.S. factory employment relative to vehicle production, engine sourcing and transmission sourcing.
The survey, conducted May 26-28, included more than 1,000 participants from an independent, third-party provider.
With rising interest in buying American amid the economic disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic, cars.com has changed its methodology and expanded its rankings to all qualified cars built in the U.S.
Here are the top 10 finishers on the 2020 Cars.com American-Made Index:
Rank Make/Model U.S. Assembly Plant Location(s)
1. Ford Ranger Wayne, Mich.
2. Jeep Cherokee Belvidere, Ill.
3. Tesla Model S Fremont, Calif.
4. Tesla Model 3 Fremont, Calif.
5. Honda Odyssey Lincoln, Ala.
6. Honda Ridgeline Lincoln, Ala.
7. Honda Passport Lincoln, Ala.
8. Chevrolet Corvette Bowling Green, Ky.
9. Tesla Model X Fremont, Calif.
10. Chevrolet Colorado Wentzville, Mo.
“Expanding the American-Made Index required significant updates to certain elements of our methodology, but the results accommodate a long-standing desire of AMI audiences: to see the full list,” Mays said.
In total, the 2020 American-Made Index ranks cars from 13 automakers built in 14 states.
Please join us for an informative episode as we chat the Mays about all things involving American-made cars and trucks.
CARS is a leading digital marketplace and solutions provider for the automotive industry that connects car shoppers with sellers.
Launched in 1998 with the flagship marketplace cars.com and headquartered in Chicago, the Company empowers shoppers with the data, resources and digital tools needed to make informed buying decisions and seamlessly connect with automotive retailers.
CARS enables dealerships and OEMs with innovative technical solutions and data-driven intelligence to better reach and influence ready-to-buy shoppers, increase inventory turn and gain market share.
For more information on the 2020 Cars.
Tom Britzman learned to drive at age 10. His father was enamored with automobiles and quality father-son time behind the wheel of an Austin seemed right. It was 80 years ago, but it could have been yesterday.
"It was stupid," said Britzman, a Korean War veteran who worked for 32 years for Sears, Roebuck and Co., following his Army service. "But at the time, when you're a 10-year-old kid and you live out in the country, it was pretty exciting."
Britzman, who lives in East Garrison, California (formerly Ft. Old) is our guest in this week's episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast.
Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia talk with Britzman about his 80 years of driving.
Tom Britzman drove a 1917 Saxon as a freshman at Lodi High School.
Now living with his wife in the unincorporated community of East Garrison (formerly Ft. Old), Britzman was an experienced driver when he acquired his first driver's license at age 14. It was the former minimum age. 1917 Saxon: A competitor to Ford's Model T As a freshman, Britzman began driving a 1917 Saxon to Lodi High School. His father purchased the car for $35.
"Basically, it was made like a hotrod, but there's was no such thing as a hotrod in 1917," said Britzman, who recalls his life with automobiles with vivid detail.
"I have a picture in my garage with me sitting in it with my Levis rolled up about six inches. Of course, there are no doors, so you can see a lot of me in the picture."
Saxon Motor Car Company, based in Detroit later in Ypsilanti, Michigan, had a decade-long run beginning in 1913. It was offered as a two-seat roadster with a 2 or 3-speed rear axle gearbox. It cost $395.
Headlights were an option until electric lighting became standard in 1915. That's when a Saxon Six, with seating for five, a 112-inch wheelbase and 32x3 1/2-inch wheels, debuted. The price was $785.
A record 27,800 Saxon vehicles were made in 1916, followed by a name change (Saxon-Duplex) in 1921. The company's demise occurred two years later. Britzman didn't have his 1917 Saxon long.
An alternative to a Model-T, the Saxon Six had two more cylinders than its more renowned competitor.
"Four-cylinder cars of the day vibrated a lot, Britzman said. "A six-cylinder didn't vibrate quite as much."
Britzman's high school car was painted red and white, the colors of Lodi High School. The word Lodi was emblazoned across the grille, which was actually the radiator. The car didn't have a self-starter, so Britzman learned how to crank start the engine. The Saxon also didn't have a top, doors, running boards or fenders.
While still in high school, Britzman upgraded to a Ford Model-A. It was a substantial improvement, but the car was also topless. Britzman made a top for his new wheels in shop class.
"It was fine, even when it rained," Britzman recalled of his Saxon. "When you are 14 and you're in high school and you have wheels, you think you are pretty good. The car had a windshield and it was really kind of neat. But I think the car was more well-known than I was."
Lots of vehicles followed, including a '37 Ford with 60 horsepower, a '58 Chevy Nomad station wagon and a '54 Chevy Corvette he bought used for $1,300.
Britzman, 90, currently drives a 2010 Ford Fusion. He limits trips to five miles.
"The last moving violation I got was in the 1970s," he said. "Well, I've deserved a lot more. I did a favor for someone in the 1960s. I was helping the (California) Highway Patrol do something. They gave me a miniature highway patrol badge.
"I have it attached in my wallet. If I am stopped, which I have been occasionally, it's generally for going too fast. I always find a way to fumble around to get to my driver's license so that they see the badge. I've gotten some warnings, but I haven't gotten a ticket."
As for the 1917 Saxon, Britzman said he understood the engine was used in a irrigation ditch to water plants.
Sean Pour is a co-founder of SellMax, a nationwide, used-car-buying service headquartered in San Diego, California. His father once owned a used car dealership and the younger Pour followed the family's business interests, albeit from a different angle.
Pour, who started SellMax at age 14, is our guest on this week's episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast. Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia talk with him about the business of used cars in various conditions, and how the quick buy-and-sell market works.
SellMax is a nationwide used-car-buying service headquartered in San Diego that simplifies the process of selling a used car — in any condition.
The goal of SellMax (www.sellmax.com) is to make offers to sellers who want quick, smooth, streamlined transactions.
"We now buy and sell and thousands of cars every month and it's been quite the journey," said Pour. "SellMax started in response to the 2008 recession, so as you can imagine there were lots of ups and downs."
In addition to its San Diego base, SellMax has eight additional locations in California, five in Washington as four in Texas and in other states. SellMax will buy your used car Sean Pour is a co-founder of SellMax, a nationwide company that streamlines the process of selling a used car regardless of its condition.
Among other topics, Pour discusses vehicles that retain resale value, getting a good price when buying or selling a car, and how to avoid internet car scams on Craigslist and other online car-buying platforms.
Since he's been in the business for more a decade, Pour and his co-workers have seen a lot of cars. They know the selling patterns, fair pricing and the oddities of the automotive industry. Some vehicles end up going to auction, some are sold for scrap metal.
Pour recalls SellMax once had a vehicle the FBI was interested as a part of a criminal investigation. And then there was the time the steering wheel of one of the company's vehicles fell off.
In a 2019 article in the publication techrepublic.com, Pour details SellMax is in contact with 7,000 customers a month and purchases about 4,200 vehicles a month. He estimates buying 6,000 vehicles a month by the end of 2020.
Pour reiterates SellMax's goal is to simplify the process of selling a vehicle. Among the company's mottos:
"We Ain't Picky. Don't sweat it! At SellMax, we love all cars equally. Whether your car's falling apart or state-of-the-art, we'll make sure it'll find a home for a fair, competitive price."
SellMax enjoys its business and it shows. It advertises its business in a folksy, humorous way. But, of course, the buying of used cars is a business.
The company's slogans also include:
"We hate complications. That’s why we’ve streamlined things for you. With quick quotes, minimal paperwork, and free, flexible pick-ups, you expend minimal effort to get maximum profits. It’s that easy."
"Welcome to SellMax. We're not magicians, but we'll make your old car disappear and leave a fat stack of cash."
Please join us for an entertaining episode with Sean Pour and his journey in the business of buying and selling cars quickly, regardless of condition and circumstances.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts.
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Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com. All podcast episodes are archived on www.theweeklydriver.com/podcast
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Brian Marks is the Executive Director of the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program at the University of New Haven in West Haven, Conn. He has a Ph.D. in Economics, a law degree, several additional titles and plenty of academic responsibilities.
Marks' opinions are thought-provoking and concisely address the COVID-19 and how it has and will continue to affect the automotive world.
While covering many areas of the industry, Marks is our guest this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast.
Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia, continuing our social- distancing podcast, speak with Marks from Bruce's backyard in Sacramento, California. Our guest joins us from his basement office in Connecticut. How has COVID-19 changed the auto landscape? How will buyers' habits change? How will autonomous driving move forward? As the COVID-19 restrictions lift, will the workforce retain its current collective home office practices? Or will commuting, highway congestion and other pre-virus driving dilemmas quickly return?
Marks believes buyers' preferences, shared driving platforms, business models and public transportation will all remain unlike it they were prior to the health crisis. And the industry will remain different for the foreseeable future.
Join us for Episode #136 of The Weekly Driver Podcast as we welcome an expert who presents a healthy dose of practical expertise on how COVID-19 is affecting the automotive industry.
The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues.
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Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: james@jamesraia.com.
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(At the top of this post is an encore presentation of our recent podcast with Barry Toepke, the marketing and communications director at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. Several changes for the 2020 season were announced after the orginal podcast brodcast April 14, 2020.)
Like all businesses, WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca has altered its plans several times this year as the COVID-19 pandemic situation remains ever-evolving.
When the multi-disciple racing season finally begins this summer, visitors to the Monterey Peninsula may wish to taste a new cocktail, created to celebrate the delayed-but still-scheduled season.
The Corkscrew Paradise is a new drink created to celebrate the iconic corkscrew turn 8 at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.
To commemorative the start of the unique season, Estéban restaurant in downtown Monterey has created the Corkscrew Paradise. It celebrates the iconic corkscrew turn 8 on the raceway. Cheers: Laguna Seca honored by drink The cocktail pairs El Jefe Tequila with ginger ale and raspberry puree. El Jefe is distilled in Jalisco, Mexico at Casa Maestri from 100 percent Blue Weber Agave. The goal of El Jefe is to strike the perfect balance of quality tequila made by traditional methods that will appeal to the American palate.
The Corkscrew Paradise will on the Estéban cocktail menu from June through December, in honor of our extended racing season.
The 2020 premier event schedule: the Monterey Motorsports Pre-Reunion August 7-9, Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion August 13-16, the IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship featuring the Hyundai Monterey Sports Car Championship September 4-6, and the NTT IndyCar Series featuring the Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey Doubleheader September 18-20, the Ferrari Challenge September 24-27, the GEICO Motorcycle MotoAmerica Superbike Speedfest at Monterey October 23-25, and the Trans Am SpeedFest December 1-3.
The 2020 Season Pass offers savings on admission to all six premier events on the schedule.
Here's the Corkscrew Paradise official recipe:
• 2 oz El Jefe Reposado Tequila • 1.5 oz Fever Tree Smoky Ginger Ale • 0.5 oz House-Made Raspberry purée
Pour tequila and ginger ale over ice in an 11 oz rocks glass, top with purée and stir. Garnish with a lime wheel and fresh raspberries.
For information about VIP hospitality packages, multi-day and individual day tickets, and preferred parking, visit: www. WeatherTechRaceway.com or by calling 831-242-8200.
If you're interested in purchasing a vehicle, why not considering buying a new car that's nearly two years old?
There's a huge inventory of 2019 vehicles available, particularly for consumers interested in Dodge.
Here's the deal. The covid-19 pandemic stalled production of 2020 models for carmakers and resulted in the temporary closing of many car dealerships. Sales suffered.
The 2019 Dodge Caravan is available for sale as a new car despite being nearly two years old.
But a positive emerged from the health crisis, and Julie Blackley, an analyst at iseecars.com, is our guest on this week's episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast to discuss the issue. Dodge Caravan: New Car, Nearly Age 2 Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia talk with Blackley and she details the reasons why such large inventories of 2019 vehicles are available from different manufacturers.
According to iSeeCars.com, the online automotive search engine and research website based in Woburn, Mass., there’s a 10.8 percent industry average of new 2019 vehicles still in inventory.
Surprisingly, some models, dubiously led by the Dodge Grand Caravan, have six times the national average of 2019 vehicles still in inventory. The top-20 vehicles on the list all have at least 20 percent of 2019 inventory available. Of course, not all of the list's vehicles are available in every state.
iSeeCars.com analyzed its national inventory of more than 1 million new cars for sale to determine which models have more inventory from the 2019 model year available.
“These cars provide opportunities for buyers to get a good deal on a new vehicle and are likely to come with generous incentives,” the website’s analysts wrote.
“A surplus of vehicles from the 2019 model year might remain on dealer lots because a car’s popularity is declining because car buyers want to wait for an upcoming redesign, or because dealers simply have too much inventory,” said Phong Ly, the iSeeCars.com CEO.
“More significant deals may be found on its remaining 2019 inventory, so consumers must examine their options for both model years and understand their negotiating power on 2019 vehicles.”
Three additional Dodge models made the list including the third-ranked Dodge Journey, 11th-ranked Dodge Challenger and 18th-ranked Dodge Charger.
“Discontinued after 2020, the Dodge Journey is limiting its trim and engine options for its final year, and is only advertising deals on its new 2019 models which include up to $5,000 off MSRP,” said Ly.
“Meanwhile, the Dodge Charger saw record sales in 2019, but buyers may be opting for 2020 versions that have wider wheelbases including the SRT Hellcat and Scat Pack models.”
The 2020 Dodge Grand Caravan is not available in 13 states due to emissions regulations, so dealers in those states are only selling new vehicles from the 2019 model year.
Current offers on a 2019 Grand Caravan include $4,250 cash allowance and 0.9 percent APR financing for 84 months.
Generous incentives are being offered on 2020 Charger and Challenger models including zero-percent financing and between $3,050 to $7,970 cashback.
Similar to the Journey, another discontinued American car made the list: the Chevrolet Impala.
“Although a reliable and highly-rated car, the discontinuation of the Impala shows that the large sedan isn’t in high demand,” said Ly.
By segment, minivans, led by the Dodge Grand Caravan, have the largest available inventory, 66. 3 percent. Compact luxury SUVs have the least available inventory, 14.3 percent.
Here’s the list of the top-20 vehicles in the United States with the largest percentage of new vehicles remaining in inventory from 2019.
- Dodge Grand Caravan, 66.3 percent; 2. Chrysler 300 (50.9); 3. Dodge Journey (45.8); 4. Nissan Titan (43.7); 5. Ford Ranger (41.9); 6. Audi Q7 (40.9); 7. Ram Pickup 1500 Classic (39.4); 8. Volkswagen Atlas (37.1); 9. Alfa Romeo Giulia (32.8); 10. Chevrolet Impala, 31.8.
11.