The Weekly Driver Podcast

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....

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 collect...

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 ar...

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,...

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...

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...

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...

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 wh...

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, decid...

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.co...

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 Podca...

"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 Weekl...

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...

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 auc...

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 Podc...

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....

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...

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 pandem...

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 2...

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-siz...

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....

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....

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...

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 t...

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 l...