The Drive with Alan Taylor

BJ Killeen – Automotive Journalist and Voice of Reason opens the show with Alan as they discuss “color” depreciation. Alan quickly wants to know if his choice of color on his new Jeep Wrangler Rubicon was the right one. BJ says, “as long as it’s not yellow, orange, purple, red, green, blue or gray you’re good!” BJ announces that Barrett Jackson is heading to Las Vegas at the West Hall. Showcasing around 650 vehicles, 250 memorabilia, along with auctioning off a 2023 Cadillac Escalade V, serial number 0001, with profits being 100% donated to charity. BJ and Alan are guessing a value of 600-700K. It’s got all the bells and whistles. Alan shares that his newest media car he drove was a 2022 John Cooper Works Mini 2 door coupe. He said it has a 7k trim package and car sells for around $41k. Lots of fun to drive with its 2 liter twin power turbo 228 horsepower engine. He felt like a kid again. Before BJ leaves, she shares news on the passing of Burton Smith. He was the founder and creator of Speedway Motorsports. His story is a rags to riches piece with him donating over 61 million towards charity over the years. Up next is Lauren Fix, Editor-in-Chief for Car Coach Reports. Gas Prices and Gimmicks are her topics. Is the president giving us a ‘Gas Holiday’? Lauren breaks it down for us – 18.4% off regular gasoline and 24.4% off diesel. That’s approximately between $25-$35 dollars worth of savings in 3 months…Whoopie! Only for it to turn around and bite us back when that savings ‘borrows’ the budget from road maintenance. Somehow, someway we will end up paying for it. Lauren briefly switches the topic and shares how there was a Tesla that caught on fire in California and it took 24 hours and over 4500 gallons of water to extinguish the car. She and Alan then discuss what is the best way to purchase a vehicle. Lease or buy? Well, in the world of finance, rates are rising in car loans and the average car payment is around $700 a month. They both agree financing through a credit union may be your best option. Rolling in next is Josh Hancock – JoshCAR Hollywood Car Consultant as he points out that Ford is the only company who is not pledging to become all electric. They plan to be about 40% electric based on customer demand. Josh shares the the European Union is really pushing Germany to become all electric, but Germany refuses to stop producing internal combustion engines. Mic Drop! Josh and Alan talk about provisions in your contract when purchasing new vehicles. For instance, Ford Lightning contract stipulates that you cannot sell the vehicle for a 1 year period. This allows market adjustments for dealerships so they can survive. Purchasing vehicles from the manufacturer and doubling the price to make up for lost revenue. Bringing in the rear and closing the show today is Karl Brauer – Automotive Industry Analyst, Forbes Autos Contributor, North American Car and Truck of the year juror and board member and Executive Analyst for ISeeCars.com. He chimes in with his bit on the “contract provisions’ as he says that when purchasing his new 2022 Ford GT, his contracts states that he can’t sell the vehicle for 2 years. Alan shares his frustration of how he feels that the industry is forcing people to buy electric. Both he and Karl say that is a huge mistake for a manufacturer to say they will be all electric. It’s like saying you can only have one tool to fix everything on your car or in your home. People want choices. Alan inquires, “What is the greatest invention in auto history?” Karl replies that plug-in hybrids like the Chrysler Pacifica, are “fabulous vehicles”. He got to drive the new Volvo Polestar 1 plug-in hybrid that can go 70 miles on a charge and 300+ miles for gas. No range anxiety there.

Ed Justice Jr. – Justice Brothers, Inc. President and CEO joins Alan on this weeks “The Drive” as they both discuss the ridiculous rise of gas prices. Ed say’s some stations have a $100 cut off, so if you need to fill up your tank you will have to go to another gas station. Ed believes it’s the freight cost that is causing the ever increasing price of gas as well as food and products. United States is the largest producer of oil in the world and there should be no reason for what’s happening. The duo discuss how people are leaning towards electric vehicles and the possibility of installing wires in the highways to charge your car as you drive. Ed makes a point by stating, “if they can’t fix the potholes, what makes you think they can afford to install “wires” in the roads? Ed also feels that politicians should be business owners or entrepreneurs before becoming a government official in order to understand what it takes to manage people. Before Ed leaves he shares that over 325,000 plus people showed up to watch the Indy 500 as it was the first year back from COVID. The largest single day sporting event in the world. His highlight was Marcus Ericsson taking the win and the lowlight, Jimmy Johnson hitting the wall as soon as he hit the apron. Up next is Karl Brauer – Automotive Industry Analyst, Forbes Autos Contributor, North American car and Truck of the Year juror and board member and Executive Analyst for ISeeCars.com. He shares with Alan that he sitting on the side of a lookout mountain in his hometown of Denver, in a 2022 Acura NSX. He is doing the 8 day, 2000 mile odyssey, 2022 Longtail Rally. The NSX is super refined with its all wheel drive, hybrid powertrain and of course it’s combination of an electric motor and combustion engine. Karl says with a push of the button you can be in “quiet” mode as if you were in the luxurious Lexus or sports mode where you get the need for speed. Karl also got to drive the 2022 Maserati MC20 Cielo which is the convertible version of the new MC20 while he was in Italy, a smooth ride as if you were driving in the clouds. BJ Killeen drops in as she briefly shares the struggles of Rivian. $1.6 billion dollar loss in the first quarter. Due to the supply chain disruption and the material cost rising, manufacturers such as Rivian are taking a hit. BJ also announces that Genesis is talking about a new division called, “One of One”. You can modify anything from the power train transmission to the interior and exterior color. A personalized pick. Before BJ leaves she gives us a list of the upcoming NACTOY vehicles, “2023’s”, Acura Integra, BMW IX4, Genesis G80 & 90, Mercedes C Class, Mercedes EQE, Nissan Z, Subaru WRX, Toyota GL Corolla, Chevy Silverado, Ford F150 Lightning, Cadillac Lyriq, Audi Q4 and the Fisker Ocean. Rounding up the show is George Kennedy III – Co-Founder of Cartender and Freelance Automotive Journalist for CarGurus, Boston Globe, and U.S. News & World Report, stops by to share his experience with driving the 2022 Mercedes S580, the same vehicle Alan is test driving. He explains that it is an “experience” from how you sit in it to the MBUX Interior system. The dynamics control, air suspension, 4 wheel steering is just a few reasons you would enjoy driving this mild hybrid. Your taking the traditional engine and tacking on different hybrid components. It’s got a twin turbo 4 liter V8 engine, with 496 horsepower and 516# ft of torque. It’s a beautiful, amazing luxury machine that is absolutely completely loaded. Well car junkies and gear heads that’s a wrap. Stay tuned as we bring more gear wrenching, head-to-toe, throttle blipping auto news on the next episode of, “The Drive”.

The duo switch topics to discuss the global manufacturing industry as BJ believes that due to the competitors such as Honda and Toyota moving into town it made the American manufacturers become better vehicle makers. If your a fan of Bond, James Bond that is, the classic 1964 Aston Martin DB5 will be going up for auction. The kicker for the new owner of this car is that Jackie Stewart, British Racecar Driver will take you for a spin in it. Before BJ say’s goodbye Alan shares with her a tidbit on what’s new with Tesla. Tesla will no longer let people buy their leased cars when the lease is over, however they will sell you a new one! Oh My! Up next is George Kennedy III- Co-Founder of Cartender and Freelance Automotive Journalist for CarGurus, Boston Globe, and U.S. News & World Report. George is driving a 2022 Mercedes Benz AMG GLB 35. It is one of the smallest vehicles in the Mercedes SUV line. A three row sub compact crossover with 8 speed automatic transmission and all wheel drive. It’s also got a voice assistant that will help you drive your car. Alan shares that he is also driving a Mercedes Benz M440i, and can’t get over the intuitive learning curve that basically teaches you how to drive it. Next up on George’s list is the 2022 Hyundai Elantra N. He explains that the “N” is considered the “performance letter”. It’s a solid value practical car and Hyundai injected a lot of excitement and performance into this vehicle. It’s fun to drive with 276 horsepower and 289#ft of torque. It’s legit competitor for Honda’s Civic Si. An impressive fact about the new Elantra is that with one push of a button, it completely changes the characteristics of the vehicle that is routed through a drive mode system. Jumping in the passenger seat next is Richard Rawlings – Owner of Gas Monkey Garage, American Entrepreneur, media personality, and star of Fast N Loud. Richard has been quite the busy man. He has been doing a lot of giveaways and his next giveaway is 200,000 buckaroos. You can find more information on how to enter at gasmonkeygarage.com. Richard shares that a portion of sales go back into the community for his new ventures is community based. Since breaking out on his own, Richard shares that his platforms are YouTube and social media. He say’s his viewers have double to 26 million and say sit feels great to be back full force. Alan ask’s what next for him? Richard explains that he has a few things stirring but first he will be heading to the Isle of Man TT racing. His team and driver Peter Hickman are already there gearing up to do a 37 mile track around the island. He say’s this race has been going on since the 1800’s and can’t wait to get there. One thing he shared before saying goodbye is his new venture in the virtual world. NFT, is about building a community in the virtual world. He will be debuting 10 cars with around 150 added attributes to which one will actually be available to purchase. He encourages everyone to get onto gasmonkeygarage.com for what’s new and cool. Closing the show today is Steven Cole Smith – Automotive Journalist for Autoweek, Automobile Magazine, and Grassroots Motorsports. So what’s new in motorsports? Steven shares that Marcus Erickson drove a perfect race at the Indy 500. Once he was out front, he wasn’t challenged. Say’s it was a dull race until the end. Next Steven discussed the Monaco Grand Prix, “hard” F1 race. Hard in the sense that it is narrow and tight with no fast straight a ways to get along. Mother nature was indecisive about whether or not she wanted to rain or shine which caused a lot of pit stops. Strategy was the key to this race. Steven shares that the winner, Sergio Perez with Red Bull drove a fantastic race. Steven went onto say that NASCAR 600 was a mess for it seemed li...

Brian Moody – Executive Editor of AutoTrader.com is back to share the, best new cars for graduates, the best new car deals of May along with what’s cooler the new 2022 GMC Hummer EV. First, Congratulations to the Graduates of 2022 and welcome to the big bad world! Here is a list of vehicles that are less than $30k and gets better than 40mpg. First the 2022 Ford Maverick, the 2022 Honda Accord Hybrid, the 2022 Honda Insight, the 2022 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid, the 2022 Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid, the 2022 Sonata Hybrid, the 2022 Kia Nero, the 2022 Camry Hybrid, the 2022 Toyota Corolla, and the 2022 Toyota Prius. Before Brian shares what the “best deals” of May are, he chimes in with what he thinks is cooler than the new 2022 GMC Hummer EV, starting with the 2022 Chevy Silverado ZR2, then the 2022 Jeep Wrangler 4XE followed by the 2022 Ram 1500 TRX, the 2022 Ford F150 Lightning and the redesigned 2022 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro. For the best new car deals of May seems to be sedans or hatchbacks. Like the 2022 Chevy Malibu, the 2022 Honda Accord, the 2022 Honda Civic, the 2022 Hyundai Elantra, the 2022 Kia Forte, and the 2022 Toyota Camry. Karl Brauer – Automotive Industry Analyst, Forbes Autos Contributor, NACTOY juror and board member and Executive Analyst for ISeeCars.com. He and Alan talk about the ever rising gas prices that are really hurting peoples pockets. They share how some people believe it’s a way the government is forcing them to buy electric vehicles. The Problem? The price of everything you need to build an electric vehicle is skyrocketing and the access to the parts like the “chips” are limited. Both Karl and Alan feel that the “horse and buggy” wasn’t broken and should of been left alone. Alan asked Karl on how he like driving the new 2022 F150 Lightning. Karl says it has lots of innovation, however the range capacity isn’t what it seems. When you add weight and tow to it and going over a mountain pass, your 300 plus range just got cut in half. BJ Killeen – Automotive Journalist and Voice of Reason makes a quick stop to share with Alan that the CEO of Ford, Jim Farley has launched a new podcast called, “DRIVE”. He will be talking about the lifestyles of cars. She also shares a tid bit about the 2024 Honda Prologue SUV, its gonna be a new era for Honda where versatility and power range will be on par with zero emissions. Closing the show today is Lauren Fix – Editor in-Chief for Car Coach Reports. She and Alan talk about the price of gasoline and how she is “on fire” about it. She believes that it’s gonna double. The little things like not idling in a drive through and adding additives to help with better engine performance with less emissions are but a few ways to help with the sting of gas prices. The pair talk a bit about “vicarious liability” when it comes to your vehicle as they reiterate an accident involving lack of experience, a jeep and a sad ending. Lastly Lauren and Alan share news that Ford, GM and Honda will be pulling out of this years SEMA 2022 show. [00:00:00] – Best New Cars for Graduates[00:06:20] – Cooler Than The Hummer [00:12:31] – Best New Car Deals for May[00:19:53] – May The Force Be With You! [00:28:43] – Horse and Buggy[00:35:54] – Prices Stabilizing[00:42:15] – New Podcast[00:49:02] – Lifestyles of Cars[00:54:46] – Zero Emissions[01:02:06] – Additives[01:10:58] – Vicarious Liability[01:18:07] – SEMA 2022 CREDITS Host: Alan TaylorProducer: Dave MilliganCopy Editor: Colleen Mahi ...

Alan welcomes back Steven Cole Smith – Automotive Journalist for Autoweek, Automobile Magazine and Grassroots Motorsports. Steven discusses the Formula 1 race in Miami, Florida. He explains that the race was ok, but the event surrounding the race made it amazing. He goes on to say that Stephen Ross, owner of the Dolphins, managed to turn the Dolphin stadium into the race track and it looked like the new Monaco. Steven goes on to share that Formula 1 is now more popular than ever, especially after the Netflix documentary that was released this year. He also got to ride in the new 2022 Ford F150 Lightning, and claims it is an amazing vehicle. With a 325 mile range and a 10,000 pound towing capacity, it’s Impressive! He also got to drive the new Maserati Ghibli, to which he say’s, “it’s a fun car to drive for a whopping $120k.” Lastly Steven shared a little tidbit about the latest NASCAR race to where Joey Lagano seems to be the new and welcomed villain in town and earned a crowd of “booers” as he bumped William Byron for the win. Up next for a brief visit is long time friend BJ Killeen – Automotive Journalist and Voice of Reason. BJ also got to get behind the wheel of the new 2022 Ford F150 Lightning. She claims that this vehicle is unstoppable. With 452 horsepower and the extended version to have 580. Fast and fun! They are also sold out all the way into next year. BJ also notes that these vehicles aren’t cheap. She also got to drive the new 2022 GM Cadillac Escalade V. It comes with a 6.2 V8 supercharged motor that has 682 horsepower and 653# of torque. GM released this for their 120th anniversary. Cooper Breus joins Alan next as he is a Gen Z Car enthusiast and the creator of Track Agent. Cooper believes his generation is the last generation to appreciate and see gas powered vehicles before electric vehicles take over. He goes onto share that growing up around Barrett-Jackson auctions to which he visited quite often gave him the “oohs” and “awws” of the auto industry to which he found his love for the “car hobby”. He goes onto share his creation, a technology solution for racetracks and car events. It’s an app that will organize your track day without the huge cost. It will also keep you updated with the latest car events. Closing the show with Alan this week is George Kennedy – Co-founder of Cartender and Freelance Automotive Journalist for CarGurus, Boston Globe, and U.S. News & World Report. Both he and Alan are test driving the new 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness. It’s got a 4 cylinder dual overhead cam, 2.4 turbocharged boxer engine with 260 horsepower that can tow 3500 pounds. It’s also has a symmetrical all wheel drive and an eyesight driver assistance technology that simplifies your driving responses. A very enjoyable car. Lastly he also got to drive the new 2022 Toyota Tacoma TRD. It’s the old with the new technology. He said it’s the vehicle for him. Lifted suspension, special off-road shocks, added skid plates and a bed for his gear is all he needs. The only “off” thing is the starter button and it’s placement. Multi terrain select and a terrain camera system that will allow you to see what’s ahead of you is a bonus. They briefly discuss that vehicles are being sold even though they might not have all the chips installed and are required by the dealerships to bring them back once they get the chips in hand. They laugh as they conclude that it’s a good way for the dealership to get the consumer back in for a possible upgrade. That concludes our show this week. Please join us next week for what’s new in the auto world! [00:00:00] – Formula 1 in Miami[00:06:12] – Miami Dolphin Stadium...

Brian Moody – Executive Editor of Auto Trader.com joins Alan as they start todays show off with big news. General Motors is going to offer an electric Corvette with all wheel drive. Alan shares how he is starting to get a little excited about possibly owning an electric vehicle soon. However, Brian says how everyone is willing to overlook the harm to the environment to build such cars. The duo discuss how they feel that the automakers are forced into a position to make EV’s thanks to our government. Back to the discussion of the upcoming new electric Corvette, Alan feels that the performance part of the equation is what matters “Like driving a Mercedes Benz EQS Sedan, when you drive this electric car, it feels every bit of an Mercedes Benz”, says Brian. He goes on to shares the top ten best electric cars for 2022. The Chevrolet Bolt EUV, Ford Mustang Mach E, GMC Hummer EV Pickup, Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV6, Mercedes Benz EQS Sedan, Rivian R1T, Tesla Model 3, Volkswagen ID4, and the Volvo C40 Recharge. Next Brian shares the best used convertibles under $15k. 2011 Audi A5, 2012 BMW 3 series, 2011 Chevy Camaro, 2011 Mustang GT, 2012 Miata, 2011 Mercedes SLK Class, 2013 Mini Coupe, 2010 Nissan 370x, 2003 Porsche Boxster, and a 2013 Volkswagen Beetle. Up next is BJ Killeen – Automotive Journalist and Voice of Reason. The duo stress on the fact that you can’t talk about politics when it comes to cars. They laugh as BJ makes a great point, “How can they NOT, for they are the ones who set the regulations and force the industry to go all electric as if that is the answer!” Automakers are losing money. Alan shares how the CEO of Rivian made a statement that if you think the semi conductor or chip shortage was bad, a shortage of battery fuel cells are on the rise. Mining for lithium is destroying the earth and still not enough to supply. BJ still supports the idea that Hydrogen fuel is the way to go. Before BJ leaves she shares a bit of good news, the new 2023 Acura Integra will be arriving early June and it starts at $30k. Karl Brauer – Automotive Industry Analyst, Forbes Autos Contributor, North American Car and truck of the Year juror and board member and Executive Analyst for ISeeCars.com, takes the last hour with Alan as they start off with Elon Musk and Tesla’s quarterly revenue report. A 30% profit from a $18.76 billion dollar revenue. Wow! Karl feels automakers are pushing too hard on selling electric cars. The duo discuss the politics of what lies behind electric vehicles and the push from the government. Alan interjects that owning a Hybrid is the best of both worlds. Karl shares a little news on Lincolns Star Concept EV. It’s very futuristic looking, attractive, and all the right proportions. It’s very evolved, as this vehicle recognizes when you are near it. It also acknowledges your presence. Karl spills some news on Ferrari’s recall for over 5,000 of its vehicles to change out a part that will take them but 10 minutes. Alan feels it’s a gimmick to get Ferrari owners to look at what’s new in Ferrari’s display case. Upsell! Closing the show Karl shares what are the fastest selling cars in March. Begins with the Honda CRV, Genesis GV70, Lexus Rx350, Toyota Highlander, Toyota Camry, Rav 4 Hybrid, and the Ford Maverick Hybrid. The best selling used cars for the “cost conscious” are the Tesla Model X, Honda Insight Hybrid, Hyundai Ioniq, Tesla Model Y 4 and the Toyota Prius Prime. Join us next week on “The Drive” with Alan as he shift’s gears and presses metal and what’s hot and what’s not in the auto world. [00:00:00] – Electric Corvette!![00:06:31] – Ford F150 Lightning To Be Launched[00:12:32] – 10 Best Electric Vehicles[00:19:53] – Best Used Convertibles ...

Alan welcomes BJ Killeen – Automotive Journalist and Voice of Reason. BJ shares how Tesla will no longer be sending a mobile charging cable with their cars now. If you need one you will have to purchase it for an extra $400, and that’s because they are finding out that most Tesla owners use the charging stations chord instead. The duo talk about how everything is electric! Why? BJ believes the government is pushing their agenda on everyone. She say’s electric is not the answer, it’s hydrogen. BJ exclaims how hydrogen is a renewable energy, water vapor, and it doesn’t require mining of materials out of the ground, earth friendly is the way to go! Alan changes gears and shares his driving experience with a 2022 Dodge Durango RT with a 5.7 hemi. He loved it! The exhaust was delicious! BJ goes on to share how this years New York Auto Show was one of the weakest. Everything electric. Some of the cars that were showcased was the 2023 Subaru Outback, Genesis Xperidium Coupe, 2023 Hyundai Palisade, 2023 Kia Niro Hybrid, and a 2023 Kia Telluride. Rounding the corner next is Lauren Fix – Editor in-chief for Car Coach Reports. She to was at the New York Auto show and she shared how she got to speak with the CEO of BMW. Lauren goes onto say how he explained that BMW will not be going al electric. Reason for that is there is no money to be made in electric vehicles. The access to the minerals needed to create a lot of the needed parts to electric vehicles such as nickel and lithium are just not as accessible and very expensive. BMW showcased the X7 SUV, and you can get it in all 3 ways, gas, hybrid or electric. Lauren gives a little detail about the BMW X7, it has Swarovski Crystal for their headlights. Bling! Bling! Hyundai is also not going all electric as Lauren shares how she will be driving their Genesis GV60 soon. Alan pipes in to say how he gets to drive a 2022 BMW X4 m40i and can’t wait to see how it moves. Lauren gives us a list for World Car Winners. For design, electric vehicle and overall winner, it goes to Hyundai Ioniq 5. Urban car went to Toyota Yaris Cross, performance went to Audi eTron GT, and luxury goes to Mercedes’ Benz EQS. Other cars that were showcased were Lamborghini’s 2022 Huracan Tecnia, 2023 Alfa Romeo Tonale, and 2023 Honda HR-V. Alan asked Lauren what has been her favorite vehicle to test drive this year and she easily answered, “The GMC Hummer EV”. Ed Justice Jr. – Justice Brothers, Inc. President and CEO joins Alan next. He shares an article from the Automotive News which is considered the “Bible” of the industry that there is talk about installing wires in the highway that will allow electric vehicles to charge as they drive. “It’s a fallacy!”, says Ed. He doesn’t believe it will happen for the government can’t take care of what they already got. Ed shares that the cost of raw materials for electric vehicles has gone up. The Wall Street Journal published a story about the raw materials to build electric vehicles are over the top. Four hundred pounds more of aluminum and 150 pounds more of copper for just one car. The gentlemen say that the true answer is hydrogen. Ed says the car industry is the most capital intensive industry in the world. It takes so much capital to do what they do, and the environmental impact of electric cars is not good. Ed goes onto say that most of the materials needed come from places that are not America friendly and questions as to why do we want to be dependent on not so friendly nations? Good point! Steven Cole Smith – Automotive Journalist for Autoweek, Automobile Magazine, and Grassroots Motorsports closes the show today with Alan. He briefly shares a story of an incident that happen in his hometown that left him bewildered. Alan has him shift gears onto a better subject as they r...

Blowing up this segment with Alan is long time colleague, Greg Stebben – Chief Bomb Fundraiser. He calls in from Warsaw, Poland where he is raising money to purchase missiles that will blow up Russian Tanks. Greg is passionate about raising a million dollars for weapons. He said “when you have weapons you don’t need humanitarian aid”. He goes onto explain that this is not an offensive move but completely an defensive one. He also believes that this situation can be a global threat. To learn more or to participate you can find him @Beamz.live/buy-a-bomb.com. BJ Killeen – Automotive Journalist and Voice of Reason, makes a quick call in from the New York Auto Show. She say’s it’s all about electric. The thrill is gone! BJ say’s they are all starting to look the same. However she did like the new VW ID Buzz, Micro Mini Bus. She also announces that Kia will be serving their 10 millionth customer. Up next is Aaron Pfau – Lead Development Engineer for GMC. They discuss the new GMC Hummer EV and how awesome of an vehicle it is. Aaron explains that it’s goal were to get people really excited as to what an EV can be. For it to appeal to a lot of different types of folks, from off road to on road capability. The second goal was to help transform GM. A team of 5 were given the creative freedom to bring this vehicle to life. The first version is a 4 door truck and later a SUV with a shorter wheel base. This is a complete game changer with the ultimate flexibility. Karl Brauer – Automotive industry Analyst, Forbes Autos Contributor, North American Car and Truck of the Year juror and board member and Executive Analyst for ISeeCars.com joins us next as he shares his experience on driving the new 2022 Mclaren 765LT Spider. He say’s it feels non-real as if he was in a video game. The responsiveness is so fast and real with 755 horsepower, twin turbo charged V8. The duo chuckle on the fact that GMC beat Elon Musk at creating the super electric truck. Karl and Alan discuss the price of hybrids and electric cars on the rise as the internal combustion vehicles drop down a bit. George Kenny III – Co-founder of Cartender and Freelance Automotive Journalist for CarGurus, Boston Globe, and U.S, News & World Report closes the show with Alan today. They talk about the “World Car of the Year” that goes to the 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 to which George has been driving around. It is a subcompact crossover SUV. Its a great new take on the electric car, functional and affordable. George explains that the Ionic looks small but it has a lot of room and ton of space. They discuss that the hummer brand is looking to be the weekend warrior lifestyle vehicle. They don’t see Chevy, GMC, or Ford going away from big diesel trucks. George suggests if you are on the fence about getting an electric car, to test drive the Ionic 5. [00:00:00] – Bombs Away![00:06:31] – Global Threat[00:12:33] – New York Auto Show[00:19:54] – Crab Walk [00:29:47] – Game Changer[00:35:55] – Center of Gravity[00:42:15] – Itsy Bitsy Spider[00:48:37] – GMC vs Elon[00:54:46] – Hybrid and Electric on the Rise![01:02:06] – Ioniq 5[01:11:45] – Big Diesels Still In The Game[01:18:06] – Generational Likes CREDITS Host: Alan TaylorProducer: Dave MilliganCopy Editor: Colleen Mahi Contributor: BJ KilleenContributor: Karl BrauerContributor: George Kennedy III ...

Alan welcomes contributor Josh Hancock – JoshCAR Hollywood Car Consultant as they open the show with a brief discussion about Will Smith’s inappropriate behavior at the Oscars. Josh shares with Alan his thoughts on the 2022 Lucid Air and how the exterior is the same size as a Mercedes E class, yet the interior space is as big as an S class. Josh says it drives extremely well and that is gives competition to the Mercedes EQA class. Josh brings to light the 2022 Lotus Eletre, the world’s first electric hyper SUV. Starting price at $70k up to $140k. Next up is Lauren Fix – Editor in -Chief for Car Coach Reports. She got to drive the new 2022 GMC Hummer. A fully charged and fully electric vehicle. With 3 motors it has 1000 horsepower, 11,500 # ft of torque, and goes from 0-60 in 3 seconds. Lauren say’s for it being such a beast it drives really well and that’s because of the all wheel steer. It’s got 18 cameras and 2 huge screens that shows you everything that you need to see. Lauren shares that there are over 6500 reservations for this vehicle and that the pick up version won’t be released until 2024. Alan asked Lauren as to when she believes the gas prices will come down? Never is her answer. BJ Killeen – Automotive Journalist and Voice of Reason joins Alan as she shares a little about what will be happening at the New York Auto Show. They will have an EV test track as well as having a large focus on micro mobility. BJ explained that a lot of the manufacturers are backing away from the auto show like Acura, Mercedes, Mitsubishi, Honda, Audi, BMW, Cadillac, Ferrari, Buick, GMC, Jaguar, and Mazda for they are leaning towards experimental experiential instead. People are wanting to experience the drive itself instead of relying on journalists which will unfortunately perhaps make them obsolete. BJ goes on to share with Alan that Dodge/Stellantis will be showing off their 3 liter inline 6 cylinder twin turbo engine called the Hurricane which will be replacing the 5.7 liter Hemi. She also shares that Subaru is introducing a new WRX with a manual transmission, 2.4 liter box engine, and all wheel drive. The STI model will be released in 2023. Closing the show with Alan today is another long time contributor and friend, George Kennedy III – Co-founder of Cartender and Freelance Automotive Journalist for CarGurus, Boston Globe, and U.S. News & World Report. George talks about the F1 race in Las Vegas that will be held on the strip and how it will be another exciting event. The duo switch gears and talk about Fords new release of the baby bronco the 2022 Bronco Sport SUV. It’s similar to a Ford Escape SUV with the off road capabilities as its big brother. Starting at $27k on up to about $33k. [00:00:00] – Hit Me With Your Best Shot![00:06:30] – Lucid[00:12:31] – Lotus Eletre[00:19:52] – GMC Hummer [00:29:47] – Intimidated?[00:35:52] – 6500 Reservations[00:42:13] – Fueling UP![00:48:18] – New York Auto Show[00:54:43] – The Hurricane[01:02:03] – F1 Race on the Strip[01:12:16] – Baby Bronco[01:18:03] – Just Like the Big Brother CREDITS Host: Alan TaylorProducer: Dave MilliganCopy Editor: Colleen Mahi Contributor: Josh HancockContributor: Lauren FixContributor: BJ Killeen Contributor: George Kennedy III ...

Karl Brauer – Automotive Analyst, Forbes Auto Contributor, North American Car and Truck of the Year juror and board member Executive Analyst for ISeeCars.com starts the show with Alan this week. The duo engage into a conversation about the “Jumping” Tesla. Apparently there was a “meetup” of people at Los Angeles Echo Park neighborhood, where someone (Do NOT try this at home!) rented a Tesla Model S and jumped it over a street, completely annihilating the car while losing control of the car and hitting a parked vehicle totaling it as well. Karl announces the release of Volvo’s first all electric vehicle, the 2022 Volvo C40. Karl says its pretty impressive. 402 horsepower, 486 ft of torque, 0-60 in 4.7 seconds with a 226 range. Very comfortable and fully loaded. Karl and Alan discuss the bump in the cost of electric and hybrid vehicles. With the gas prices going up, people are thinking that the electric and hybrid vehicles are the answer to the problem. Well the car dealers are thinking the same thing, so up goes the sticker price. Why? Because they can. Up next is Brian Moody – Executive Editor of Auto Trader.com. Brian shares the, Best Interior for vehicles under $50k. 2020 Audi S3, Pacifica Unlimited, 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia Telluride, Lincoln Nautilus Reserve, and Dodge Ram to name a few. Next Brian discusses the 9 best vehicles that give you the best mpgs. Honda Civic @ 36mpg, Nissan Versa @ 35mpg, Nissan Sentra @ 33mpg, Hyundai Ioniq 58mpg, Honda Prius L echo 56mpg, Corolla Hybrid 52mpg, Honda Insight 52mpg, and the Kia Niro 50mpg. Lastly Brian gives us the list of fuel efficient SUV’s starting with the Lexus NX450H Plus, Volvo XC40, 2022 Toyota RAV 4 Prime, Volkswagen ID4 and the Ford Escape PHEV. Next up in the hot seat is Lauren Fix – Editor In-Chief for Car Coach Reports. She and Alan discuss the shortage problems not only in chips, but battery and rubber as well. A number of these materials needed for the vehicles come from Russia and Ukraine. Cadillac Converters that are made with palladium which come out of Ukraine are high on the thieves list. Lauren explains how much thousands of pounds of earth and its minerals that are harvested in order to make a battery for 1 electric vehicle. Electric vehicles, are they really earth friendly? Lastly Lauren and Alan discuss the cost to service your vehicle are now astronomical. Lauren says she went to have an oil change done and was quoted $400. She ended up doing it herself. Closing the show today is Rocco Fiorentino – Automotive Journalist. He speaks of going to his long awaited bucket list event, the Amelia Island Concourse in Florida. Simply amazing, a great experience for he and his wife. The cars were just fabulous. He and his wife enjoyed Sundays fashion show, where the owners of the classics dressed up for their cars era. However, Rocco explains his favorite to be when he got to see all the classics being driven in to collect their prize and he got to see a 1937 Talbot Lago T150 Teardrop Coup that went for $12million and a 1934 Packard 12 Convertible Victoria Dietrich that went for a cool $5million. What a treat! [00:00:00] – Jumping Juniper[00:07:06] – All Electric[00:12:30] – Rise Up![00:19:51] – Best Interior Vehicles [00:27:47] – Best MPG Vehicles[00:35:53] – Best MPGE Vehicles[00:42:14] – Ukraine Has What We Need[00:48:19] – Theft At Its Highest![00:54:45] – Eco Friendly?[01:02:05] – Oil Change $400[01:12:55] – Concourse in Florida[01:18:04] – CARS CARS CARS CREDITS

Alan welcomes to the show this week, Mike Spagnola – Interim CEO for SEMA – Starts of by saying that it’s a blessing to be a part of the car industry.  SEMA has so many new programs.  Besides planning for the next show, they are working on the EV market and looking to the future.  Mike shares that their SEMA Garage help manufacturers develop products and bring it to the market.  They are building their new facility in Detroit to where a big portion will be dedicated to really understanding the advanced drivers’ systems.  From lane changing departure warnings to self-braking systems. Learning what happens with all these systems when you modify a vehicle.  Mike switches gears to talk about how they monitor and pass laws while working with the government to get it done like the Small Volume Act.  Now if you want to build a replica car, you can buy the kit from a manufacturer, or sell you one assembled.  But you must put the engine in yourself.  Now with this new rule, you’ll be able to buy, completed and ready to go with the engine in them.  Mike also discusses the RPM Act:  it will allow you to take a street vehicle and turn it into a race car.  EPA says you can’t do that.  Mike encourages the auto enthusiast to get involved.  Up next is Dr. Jamie Meyer – President of PRI (Performance Racing Industry).  Jamie talks about having the largest racing trade show, as hard-core racing fanatics showed up in Indianapolis.  Hunter Pinsky kicked things off at their kickoff event.  NHRA is off to a great start, as Grassroots drag racing and Swamp Buggy racing takes off.  Jamie says people are still waking up to the fact that the Government has over-reached on the auto industry.  EPA has made the racing industry one of their targets.  Millions of dollars in fines.  It’s spilling over into the garages.  SEMA government affairs group in DC are working hard for the car industry.  He encourages everyone to sign up @ Saveourracecars.com.  We need to make people aware.  Jamie switches topics as he announces that their road tour just kicked off in Florida.  Their content creators are out to get the insight in the racing manufacturers and racers world.  Jamie reminds everyone to get out there.   Karl Brauer – Automotive Industry Analyst, Forbes Autos Contributor, North American Car and Truck of the Year juror and board member. Executive Analyst for ISeeCars.com, jumps into the seat as he shares with Alan about the annual study of 2022, as to which vehicles are most likely to hit 200 thousand miles.  Karl lists the top 8.  1.Toyota land cruiser 2.Toyota Sequoia 3.Chevrolet Suburban 4.Yukon XL 5.Toyota 4 Runner 6.Ford Expedition 7.Chevy Tahoe 8.Toyota Tundra.   Karl shares his purchase of a 2001 BMW 325 Seac Convertible.  It drives like a dream, 207,000 miles on it.  Alan mentions looking at a 2020 Aston Martin DB11 Volante with only 216 miles and how it’s a beautiful vehicle to own.   He then inquiries about the new Acura MDX Type S.  Karl says its the performance version of the MDX which is the bestselling luxury SUV.  More power more torque, and great handling.  Closing the show is Brian Moody – Executive Editor of Auto Trader.com.  Brian says getting an electric vehicle in the long run really isn’t going to save you money.  If you factor in the average cost to own, from financing, fuel, repairs, state, and local fees, over a 5-year period the cost to own an electric car is not cheaper in comparison to all other vehicles.  Before you rush out and trade your car for an electric vehicle…just hold up.  Brain says with the gas prices going up, here’s the average increase in monthly fuel cost by vehicle segment.  Compact, an extra 40 a month, full size pick-up, $57, high end luxury, $60.

Alan welcomes long time friend and contributor Steven Cole Smith – Automotive Journalist for Autoweek, Automobile Magazine, Grassroots Motorsports. The duo reminisce about greased hands and tools as they worked on their vehicles in comparison to the ever evolving car hobby becoming electric and it taking away the nostalgia of what it’s like to get down and dirty your machine. However with the rise in gas prices, electric vehicles seems a bit more appealing. Steven says he’s fine with a plug-in hybrid, but forget an all electric especially for the long hauls. They jump over to what’s happening in motorsports as NASCAR starts up showcasing the new NASCAR stock car. It was a success with only a few drawbacks. The new aluminum 1 lug wheels did cause a few problems and the fact that the undercarriage is so low to the ground that it’s difficult for them to get from the grass to the tar. Sliding in the passenger seat next is George Kennedy III – Co-founder of Cartender and Freelance Automotive Journalist for CarGurus, Boston Globe, and U.S. News & World Report. George has been driving a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392. It’s the perfect jeep. They took a 392, 6.4 liter V8 with 470 horsepower and shoved it into a Wrangler. He says every time you start it up, it puts a smile on your face. George mentions the Subaru’s redesigned WRX for 2022 being a fun car designed for places other than the tarmac. Up next is BJ Killeen – Automotive Journalist and Voice of Reason. BJ shares that Lucid has stopped manufacturing their luxury sedan, “The Air” and is moving the date for their release on the SUV, “The Gravity” to 2024. She also shares with us that the Rivian R1t and the R1S have gone up 17 to 20%. The supply chain cuts are really making it hard and the customers are ending up having to pay for it. Alan suggests that before people sell their vehicles to just “hold” on for a bit. BJ shares a little insight on Hyundai filing for a patent on a sliding tailgate. It will slide a liftgate up and over the roof instead of having it on a hinged from the bottom. Closing the show with Alan today is Ed Justice Jr – President and CEO of Justice Brothers, Inc. They discuss the 4000 vehicles that went down with the ship in the Atlantic Ocean. 355 million dollars worth. Not a good day for Volkswagen! They switch over to talk about motorsports. First race of the year, the Rolex 24 at Daytona was very well attended. There were still masks mandates and he noticed that people took to these mandates differently in each state that he has been in. He believes age and health plays a role in who’s wearing one or not. Ed speaks about he event that NASCAR put on at the L.A. Coliseum. $4 million dollars worth of asphalt laid and removed. The event was a complete success along with the introduction of the new NASCAR stock car as mentioned by Steven Cole Smith. Ed say’s his opinion on the drawback of the new car is that you can’t wreck them a lot because you don’t have access to the parts. He noticed that drivers were not as aggressive as if they were in the Daytona 500. Well attended and diverse crowd. The car hobby is still alive! Join us next week as we welcome Mike Spagnola Interim CEO of Sema as well as Dr. Jamie Meyer, President of PRI. [00:00:00] – Back To The Future[00:05:41] – Gas On The Rise[00:12:32] – Get Prepared[00:19:53] – Rubi [00:26:17] – Diesel Gladiator[00:35:54] – Tesla Inspired[00:42:14] – New York Here I Come[00:48:21] – Just Hold On A Minute or Two![00:54:46] – Patent[01:02:06] – Sorry Volks...

Alan welcomes Brian Moody – Executive Editor of Auto Trader.com. Brian shares the best new cars for 2022. The Acura MDX Luxury SUV, Ford 150 Lightning, Ford Maverick and so much more. They debate whether or not the Ford Maverick is considered to be a car or a truck because it has a truck bed. They compare it to the el Camino. Alan shares his thoughts on self driving vehicles’ and how it’s taking away the fun in the mechanics of driving a vehicle. Alan switches gears and shares with Brian that he is slowly being pulled into the electric world and is thinking about purchasing a Ford 150 Lightning and perhaps even installing charging stations at his plaza. Brian believes plug in hybrids are the way. Diversify is the key word here. Up next with Alan, is Karl Brauer – Automotive Industry Analyst, Forbes Autos Contributor, North American Car and Truck of the Year juror and board member and Executive Analyst for ISeeCars.com. The gentlemen talk about how slightly used vehicles are being sold above the MSRP. 1.3% to be exact says Karl. The average consumer today is smarter because of the internet and all the studies that are done so they know when value is being pushed. Since there is a bottleneck in the supply chain due to the war, pandemic, etc. there is a ripple effect. Karl shares that the fastest selling vehicle is the Kia Telluride and coming in second is the Toyota Corolla. This has to do with the every rising gas prices. California is averaging between $4.50 to $5.00 again. Karl also informs us that Ford has stopped making the 2022 Ford Maverick, the next for purchase will be a 2023 models. Karl shared that the following vehicles are high in demand: Chevrolet Corvette, Toyota Highlander hybrid, Subaru Cross truck, Honda Civic, Toyota Tundra, Subaru Forester, Toyota Rav 4 Hybrid, and Honda Ioniq 5. Karl go to test drive a Honda Ioniq 5 and loved it. Karl also informs us that latest Ford GT is down to the last 200 models in production as Alan claims that the next generation of Ford fast cars will be electrified. Alan welcomes Chris Brewer – Director of event communication at Hagerty along with Kevin Fisher – Director of PR at Hagerty as they discuss the Amelia Concours d’Elegance that is happening in Florida from March 3 thru the 6th. Alan shares with the duo that he likes where they are taking this in regards to getting the youth involved to keep the legacy alive. Chris shares the 4 new elements that will be a part of the classic car show: Cars and caffeine, Radwood, concours d’Lemons, and first ever “kid zone” where there will be slot cars, racing simulator and hands on activities. There will also be a supercar celebration, where there will be a series of spectacular cars showcased. Not to mention rare Japanese vehicles like a 1966 Hino Contessa. BJ Killeen closes the show with Alan as they talk about the cargo ship that is on fire holding 4000 vehicles like Porsche, Lamborghinis and Bentleys. Over 155 million dollars in loss. BJ switches over to Ford as she says they found their “niche”. The Ford Bronco Raptor, Ranger Raptor, and 150 Raptor has exploded onto the scene in a good way. The duo discuss the insane gas prices that will be going up along with the cost of electricity. Lastly they talk about how people are wrenching on their older model vehicles vs. having to deal with the new technological and electrical motors of the newer models. What happened to the good ‘ol days! [00:00:00] – Nothing but the best for 2022[00:05:56] – Car or Truck?[00:12:32] – Diversify[00:19:53] – 1.3% above the MSRP [00:27:36] – Gas Pri...

BJ Killeen – Automotive Journalist and Voice of Reason is back and she and Alan share their frustrations in dealing with the maintenance of their vehicles. Alan talk’s about turning Patrick Swayze’s 1990 Range Rover into an electric vehicle. He say’s it will be about 40K to do it. The duo switch gears and talk about being in the industry for so long. Alan and BJ send their condolence’s out to the Borla family as they say goodbye to their friend and life long car enthusiast, Alex Borla. BJ announces that Ram has launched a new website, Ram Revolution.com. If you want to see and give input on what you would want to see in an electric vehicle, this is the place to do it. She also announces that Rolls Royce is making an electric car called the Spectra, and that it will showcase the new hood emblem “Spirit of Ecstasy”. Josh Hancock – JoshCAR Hollywood Car Consultant pops in as he discusses the car advertisements that will be shown during Super Bowl. The 2023 Nissan Z is one of the new reveals. Josh talks about Germany wanting to make an internal combustion engines illegal by 2030. They are changing the infrastructure so they can change their vehicles with sustainable energy. Alan feels it will be ridiculous to think that it will be 100% all electric. Josh explains unless you can charge at home and you’re not making a bunch of trips, then electric maybe for you. Alan shares that he bought another gas tank for his new diesel truck so he can make long range mile trips. Steven Cole Smith – Automotive Journalist for Autoweek, Automobile Magazine, Grassroots Motorsports. Steven and Alan discuss the new ways of dealing with work and life because of COVID. Steven explains that it really hasn’t impacted him to much for he has gone everywhere he has wanted to go. He shares how Daytona 24 was one of the coldest in all 60 years. He shared that is was a big win for Acura. Meyer Shank racing car won the race 10 years prior on its 50th anniversary and now the 60th. Big win for Porsche as well. They won the 2 GT classes. Having the race at the LA coliseum was a home run for NASCAR, as Joey Longano took first place. Steven shares that Ford shut down 4 plants, because of the chip shortage. He goes onto talk about the Daytona 500 coming up as it’s a big race to test the new car. New transaxle, rack and pinion steering, 1 lug nut wheels, and the interior is new along with a composite body. Steven says it looks fantastic but the real test is to see how it runs. George Kennedy III – Co-founder of Cartender and Freelance Automotive Journalist for CarGurus, Boston Globe, and U.S,. News & World Report, takes the last lap of the show with Alan as they discuss Winter vehicle testing. George says the Subaru Outback and the Forester stand out amongst the rest. They discuss having the “right shoes” to make sure your vehicle is ready for the season. George says an all wheel drive vehicle with all season tires will do right by you around 95%. They briefly discuss how the new Ford lightening has a 50/50 weight distribution and power delivery to be able to handle all seasons. George shares how he is enjoying driving a 2022 F150 crew Cab 4 wheel drive hybrid, with limited trim. He says fantastic powertrain with a generator set. Dual panel moon roof, and the best feature is the shifter that folds away to turn the center console into a table, what a game changer! [00:00:00] – Vehicle Maintenance[00:06:07] – ” Nobody Puts Baby In The Corner”[00:12:31] – Farewell Dear Friend[00:19:53] – Ram Revolution.com [00:28:24] – Car Capit...

BJ Killeen – Automotive Journalist and Voice of Reason starts this weeks, “The Drive” with Alan as they chat briefly about the Barrett-Jackson Auction in Arizona. Alan shares how there was so much going on. Over 1857 vehicles sold, 11,053 vehicle items with a 100% sale rate. Everything sold! BJ shares that the non charity vehicles like the 2004 Porsche Carrera GT went for just under $2mil and a McLaren P1 for $1.7mil. Alan says it was the best Barrett-Jackson he ever went to. Next they discuss the 2022 motor trend SUV of the year, the Genesis GV70. It’s a five passenger compact SUV. BJ says it’s a really nice vehicle, fast of the throttle, solid steering and your choice from 2 different liter engines. The 2.5 liter or 3.5. From 300 horsepower to 375 horsepower. It’s an amazing luxury vehicle with amazing features. George Kennedy III – Co-founder of Cartender and Freelance Automotive Journalist for CarGurus, Boston Globe, and U.S. News & World Report. Alan shared with George his want for a 2007 Mustang GT 5 Convertible that he saw at Barrett-Jackson which sold for only $53k. Alan goes on about the most surprising sale, a 1971 K5 Blazer that went for $400k. George is test driving a Toyota 4 Runner TRD Trails Edition. Its a V6, 4-Wheel drive, that starts off at a cool, $39k. 270 horsepower with 278 torque. George says he likes anything that can go off-roading. Next they talk about the Nissan Sentra SR Black-Out Edition. George says its a well rounded vehicle with decent interior space. Next up is Karl Brauer, Automotive Industry Analyst, Forbes Autos Contributor, North American Car and Truck of the Year juror and board member. Executive Analyst for ISeeCars.com. Karl shares his driving experience in a Maserati MC20. It’s a mid-engined sports car with a carbon fibered hub, twin turbocharged V6 with 621 horsepower and 538lbft of torque. It’s cool looking, drives great, super precise steering. Starting price is $215k. Next they talk about the Toyota Tundra Capstone. It’s a high end luxury hybrid truck. Its got a twin turbo V6 engine, 10 speed automatic, 437 horsepower and 583lb ft. of torque. Powerful drive train, fuel efficient and fabulous sound. Karl briefly shares Toyota’s 2023 Toyota Sequoia, its a large 3 row SUV with a great drive train. Closing the show with Alan today is Brian Moody – Executive Editor of Auto Trader.com. Alan and Brian discuss how the prices of used vehicles are only gonna go up and how the average buyer won’t be able to afford new vehicles. Thanks to the continuous chip shortage it’s not making things easier. Brian believes that by the beginning of 2023 things should change for the better. Alan say’s people are trained to do things differently like ordering “new” cars online. Smaller, hybrid vehicles are what people are going for now. Brian also shared that Toyota will be re-issuing parts for their older models like the SJ40 and the Supra A70 to name a few. Join us next week for more gear grinding, brake stomping, shop talk as Alan and his guests update us with what’s new in the auto world. [00:00:00] – 100% Sale Rate[00:06:08] – Genesis GV70[00:12:30] – Lucid vs Tesla[00:19:51] – 1971 K5 Blazer [00:28:38] – 4 Runner-Up![00:35:52] – Overlooked Nissan[00:42:12] – Maserati MC20[00:49:08] – Maserati MC12[00:54:44] – Toyota Tundra[01:02:05] – Price Up![01:09:45] – The Average Buyer![01:18:07] – Toyota Starting Something New CREDITS