The Weekly Driver Podcast

The automotive industry is ever-changing. Advancement in technology, autonomous driving and alternative fuels, keep manufacturers moving quickly. Joe Wiesenfelder, executive editor of Cars.com and a 25-year automotive expert, knows the industry trends as well as anyone. He's our guest on episode #117 of The Weekly Driver Podcast. Joe Wisenfelder, executive editor of Cars.com, discusses the top-5 a...

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway has been the home to many of motorsports' greatest drivers and races. In less than two years, the renowned racetrack will host another iconic racing event — without drivers. The speedway (IMS) and Energy Systems Network (ESN) recently announced a two-year, $1 million prize competition that will culminate in a head-to-head, high-speed autonomous vehicle race Oct. 23,...

Welcome to The Weekly Driver Podcast. We're broadcasting special daily episodes this week from the 2019 Los Angeles Auto Show at the LA Convention Center. It's the day before the showroom floors open for the global and North American debuts of several dozen vehicle debuts. But there's still plenty to see and discuss. Bollinger Motors is exhibiting the pre-production models of its utilitarian, elec...

Everett Anton Singer, known mostly by everyone as Tony, is a vintage auto poster collecting expert and founder of Automobilia Monterey. It's the memorabilia segment of Monterey Auto Week, the yearly August gathering of car shows, auctions and nearly every component of the industry. Expanded to three days this year, Singer's vintage automotive posters were an integral part of the show held at the E...

The yearly LA Auto Show is about a month away. It’s always a must-attend event as the first major car show of the automotive season despite is unique dates near the end of the calendar year. Alexis Evans, the show’s communications director, is our guest on Episode #107 of The Weekly Driver Podcast. The Byton all-electric sports car debut at the 2018 LA Auto Show. Image © James Raia/2018 Co-hosts B...

Sometimes forgotten in the 100-year legacy of Bentley is the English manufacturer's legacy at LeMans, the famous French racetrack and its 24-hour race. Joseph Bentley, the company earlier in-house designer was against the idea of participating in the event. He believed it was too severe to race a car at top speeds for 24 hours. Andrew Noakes' new book celebrates Bentley on its 100th anniversary. B...

Ferraris and Porsches are fine and define precision performance. Mark Aldrich appreciates those iconic cars as much as anyone. But the Aliso Viejo, California, lawyer's preferred vehicle is a 1959 Metro 1500. When high-end machines arrive at car shows with their distinctive growls, massive engines or flawless designs as mechanical works of art, Aldrich makes his entrance in a 60-year-old masterpie...

As a young commercial artist, Robert Carter left England for a motorcycle adventure in the United States. He malfunctioned one day in Chico, California. It's now been the entrepreneur’s home and workplace for more than 45 years. A vintage car and motorcycle enthusiast, Carter owns Carter Artworks. He creates large, vivid paintings of famous cars and motorsports venues. He’s also a motorsports enth...

It's unlikely anyone is more knowledgeable and as fond of their favorite carmaker than Don Martine is about MG. A guest staying at the Martine Inn in Pacific Grove, California who appreciates automobiles and nature gets two treats. Not only do they experience classic accommodations across the street from the Pacific Ocean, but the location also pays homage to the British manufacturer. Don Martine...

Maricela and Adam Fry, husband and wife, own Big Country Restoration and Transport in West Sacramento. They own three massive dump trucks and have one of many contracts to help the cleanup of The Camp Fire in Paradise, California. Not too long ago, I overheard a conversation in a Starbucks in Sacramento. The barista asked the woman in front of me what she does for a living. The response: "My husba...

Kevin Mullan is an easy guy to like, particularly if you appreciate beer, vintage firetrucks and the entrepreneurial spirit. Mullan owns a 1987 E-One pumper first E-One pumper firetruck converted into a mobile brewpub. Mullan, 38, of Toledo, Ohio, purchased the truck, had a walk-in cooler with 10 beer taps installed,  and named the business-on- wheels Ladder 419 beer truck. The name is a nod to th...

Historian Donald Farr likely doesn't have many equals when the topic has anything to do with the Ford Mustang. But he doesn't see it that way, and he's too humble. He cites others as all-knowing experts when the topic is the famous sports car. Farr, a Mustang owner, journalist and author, is our guest on Episode #85 of The Weekly Driver Podcast. Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia discuss with F...

Libby Edelman spent years raising a family, living in several locations around the United States and working as a fashion editor for national magazines. She also spent a lot of time thinking about women who love their cars, a curiosity prompted by a headline in The National Enquirer. While waiting in line at a grocery store one day, Edelman read in the supermarket tabloid about a woman who loved h...

The huge truck cab couldn't have been any more conspicuous. It dominated the back of the main showroom at the recent GPU Technology Conference in San Jose, California, and attracted plenty of attention. The all-electric prototype from TuSimple is aimed at providing cheaper, more-efficient long-hauling trucking. TuSimple, with offices in China and the United States, is among numerous startups worki...

Rivian debuted two concepts last November at the Los Angeles Auto Show and attracted as much attention as any vehicle at the automotive industry's first major show of the year. The all-electric concepts, the R1T pick-up and R1S SUV, have gained substantial attention since. The vehicles' debut is scheduled for late 2020 through direct sales. The Rivian concept is an all-electric SUV with 0-60 mph s...

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) began in 1966 and since 1990 it has announced a Most Wanted List of Transportation Safety Improvements. Its recently released list for 2019-2020 includes 46 recommendations. Bruce Landsberg, the board's vice chairman, is our special guest on this week's episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast. Bruce Landsberg, Vice Chairman of the National Transportatio...

Driving Essentials XE is an interactive and engaging driver training simulation made specifically for Xbox. It teaches new, teenage drivers how to deal with dangerous situations without actually being in danger. The vast majority of all serious teen crashes are due to critical (and preventable) mistakes — lack of judgment, lack of experience and driving distracted. Bob Davis, the Founder & Chief E...

John Lamm is a journalist and photographer who has worked for decades for many of the automotive industry's most prestigious magazines. He's also the author of several books, including the new release, Supercar Revolution: The Fastest Cars Of All Time. Sub-titled "The one-stop guide to world-class supercar and their battle for ultimate performance and supremacy," Lamm's coffee-table-sized volume i...

With the end of one year and the beginning of another, it's always a good time to look back at what happened in the automotive world in the past 12 months and pick cars of the year. It was an ideal time to be part of an industry in 2018. Alternative fuels, ride-sharing platforms, alternative fuel, and the increasing interest in vintage cars and trucks. It was a whirlwind year. The Genesis G80 and...

Welcome to another episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast, our last broadcast in 2018 and our 66th episode. Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia interview Ian Sweeney and Julie Blackley. The Weekly Driver Podcast #66 reports on on-demand insurance and best end-of-the-year new car deals. Sweeney is General Manager of Trov Mobility based in Danville, California. He explains the company's motto: "Insu...

Welcome to the latest episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast. We have a two-part broadcast with an entrepreneur from Australia and a discussion with an insurance industry analyst about driving hazards during holiday travel. Our first guest is Ian Davidson, the co-founder of GOFAR. It's a telematics device that connects vehicles to the cloud. Winter weather increases potential driving hazards. Named...

Welcome to another episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast. In this week's two-part presentation, we recap the recently concluded LA Auto Show and we discuss drivers' habits during the holidays with Laura Adams of DriversEd.com. As the first major auto show of the year, the LA Auto Show is always chock-full of innovation. This year was no different. Two concept vehicles, Byton and Rivian, both soon s...

Day 3 of the LA Auto Show was the last of the Media Days. The public show opened its 10-day run today (Nov. 30) and will continue through Dec. 9. A handful of vehicles attracted a vast amount of attention, and representatives of two of those companies are our guests on Episode #63 of The Weekly Driver Podcast. The Rivian Concept pick-up truck and SUV are potential competitors for Tesla and were fe...

Welcome to Day 2 of The Weekly Driver Podcast's special coverage of AutoMobility LA and the LA Auto Show. Today (Nov. 28) was the opening day for media previews of new car debuts, and it didn't disappoint. While co-host Bruce Aldrich produced Episode No. 62 remotely, James Raia (your other co-host) was reporting from the showroom halls of the Los Angeles Convention Center. Cadillac showcased its n...

Welcome to our special podcast episodes from AutoMobility LA and the Los Angeles Auto Show. For the past few years, AutoMobility LA has showcased the ever-advancing technology in the automotive world. Our first episode is direct from the technology tent on the eve of the opening day of the traditional show. The Byton concept SUV has a 49-inch touchscreen interface. Image © James Raia/2018 Co-host...