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…
Pump Your Brakes! We got a showstopper this week as Alan welcomes Dan Sandberg - President and CEO of Brembo Brakes North America. Dan shares how Brembo and Ford are…
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THE DRIVE with Alan Taylor | Episode #378
News in the automotive industry abound, and first up to help us decipher it all is Executive Publisher for Autotrader, Kelley Blue Book, Dealer.com, Karl Brauer. Did you know that, according to a study, one in five US adults feel pressured into spending more than they should on vehicles? Well, neither did we, but apparently it’s true. Karl also reviews the 2020 Lamborghini Huracan EVO Spyder, chats about Alan’s decision to sell his Dodge Demon in favor of a Toyota Supra, praises the new $60,000 Chevrolet C8 Corvette, discusses the horrendous profit drop facing Nissan, and gives an industry report card. Changing lanes, Automotive Journalist for Autoweek, Automobile Magazine, Grassroots Motorsports, Steven Cole Smith, fills us in on his trip to Rome, what he learned about the pooping habits of Colosseum goers, and gives us an update on the world of motorsports. Next up, Manager of Long Range Strategy and Planning at Kia Motors America, Steve Kosowski, explains the three different powertrains of the new 2020 Kia Niro and all of its amazing features. Closing out the show, Co-founder of Cartender, and Freelance Automotive Journalist for CarGurus, Boston Globe, U.S. News & World Report, George Kennedy III, reviews the 2020 Acura RDX and the 2020 Dodge Challenger Hellcat Red Eye. Tune in for the latest auto news and car reviews.
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THE DRIVE with Alan Taylor | #342
Monterey Car Week was in full swing last weekend, and Alan sat down with some of the best guys the car hobby has to offer at Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. First off, Justice Brothers, Inc. President and CEO, Ed Justice, Jr., was blown away by the auction of a 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO, which sold for an astounding $48.5 million, awe inspiring historic races, an unrestored IndyCar from the 60s, and a rare 1970 Ferrari 512S Modulo Pininfarina Coupe. Monterey Car Week truly is a window into the automotive past. Next, Ken Eberts, President and Co-Founder of the Automotive Fine Arts Society (AFAS), shares his journey from New York City’s High School of Music and Art to co-founding AFAS. With a mission to legitimize and promote the work of its members, and build a fellowship among automotive fine artists and enthusiasts, AFAS has been attending Pebble Beach Concours since 1986. Then, Barrett-Jackson Auction Company Chairman and CEO, Craig Jackson, fills us in on new projects he has in the works, including two of the three-car limited run of 1967 Shelby GT500s, Little Red and the Green Hornet. Craig is making use of crowdsourced photos, information, and parts to help restore these beauties to their original glory. Also, we get a snapshot of upcoming Barrett-Jackson Las Vegas 2018 where a very special 2015 Shelby GT350 will be auctioned off to benefit the Driven Hearts Charity Initiative. Changing gears, ACURA Executive Creative Director for Honda R&D Americas, Inc., Dave Marek, mentions his new podcast, Man Seeks Adventure, and and how he’s drawing inspiration for a designer like Dave Marek is in abundance at Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. Switching lanes, Wade Kawasaki and Corky Coker of Coker Tire Group, Chasing Classic Cars Host, Wayne Carini, and Meguiar’s President, Barry Meguiar, discuss all things Pebble Beach, Coker Tire Group, Chasing Classic Cars, SEMA, Car Crazy, and mustache related. Wayne Carini has three classic cars on the green at Pebble Beach: a 1954 Studebaker, Osca MT4 TN, and a Bugatti Type 57SC. Wayne isn’t worried about winning any awards, showcasing his cars at Pebble Beach is a win of its own. As Wayne Carini, Corky Coker, and Wade Kawasaki depart, Barry Meguiar is left in the middle of an Alan Taylor sandwich! Classic Car Restorer Alan Taylor’s reputation as one of the best car restorers in the hobby precedes him, and he gives us the details on his 1949 Delahaye Gilroy bodied Cabriolet he is showing at Pebble Beach. Alan shares the story of a Bugatti he had on the lawn at Pebble Beach a few years ago whose legitimacy came into question. Then, Kelley Blue Book’s Karl Brauer shares his highlights from Monterey Car Week, from a stunning 1937 Cadillac Series 90 Hartmann Cabriolet to the premier of the 2019 Ford GT Heritage Edition at the Laguna Seca race track. We catch up with Barry Meguiar to close out our 25th show from Pebble Beach, as he fills us in on the brand new Preservation Award. Last, we discuss the truly amazing 1937 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Touring Berlinetta took home the Best in Show award. If you missed out on Monterey Car Week this year, be sure to get your tickets now for the 2019 event! If you love cars, you’ll love Monterey Car Week.
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THE DRIVE with Alan Taylor | #340
They really don’t make any bad vehicles these days and luckily our favorite automotive experts help us narrow down the right car for us. We begin the show with automotive journalist, BJ Killeen, who discusses why premium SUVs are taking a top spot in the market. BJ and Alan also talk about the 2018 Ford F-150 diesel that Alan drove down to Newport Beach and they excitedly chat about the greatly improved fuel consumption of most new trucks. Then, Karl Brauer, Executive Publisher of Kelley Blue Book, sounds off about the latest rad events he was able to attend. San Francisco played host to a reenactment of the classic Mustang Bullitt car chase as Ford showed off the 2019-2020 redesign of the Mustang Bullitt and Karl said how cool it was to witness. After that, he tells us about his exciting drive down Pikes Peak in the all-new pure EV Audi e-tron and raves about its amazing regenerative brakes. Karl ends the first hour with an update on his greatly anticipated Ford GT, which he has made all of his final designs decisions on and is patiently waiting for its finalization. Next, Executive Editor of Autotrader, Brian Moody, pits the 2018 Toyota Tacoma against the 2018 Chevrolet Colorado. While the Tacoma still has one of the best resale values in the truck market, the Colorado stole Autotrader’s vote. Brian explains that he believes the Tacoma played it a little too safe with their redesign, while the Colorado stepped it with their interior, diesel engine option and aggressive ZR2 off-road package. Continuing with the compact truck theme, Brian also addresses the rumors surrounding the U.S. version of the all-new Ford Ranger after a write up from their sister company in Australia, Car Guides. Brian explains that he doesn’t believe we will see a diesel engine but to keep an eye out for the 2.3L EcoBoost, 10-speed automatic transmission, and a plethora of safety features. Then, before Brian goes he explains Autotrader’s Accelerate, which is an online vehicle buying program that can make it possible for you to shop from the comfort of your own home. Switching gears, automotive journalist, George Kennedy, reviews the impressive handling of the 2018 Dodge Challenger Hellcat Widebody and explains that he really loved that one could tune the individual performance options on the infotainment system. After that, he sounds off about the 2018 Lexus NX vs the 2018 Acura RDX and shares that he was excited to drive these two major competitors back-to-back. The NX was a little too small for 6’3” George and the RDX had a frustrating infotainment system but overall, the two were really great cars for under $50k. Changing lanes, Ed Justice, Jr. updates us on the recent DUI of NASCAR’s CEO, Brian France’s, and what that could mean for the position he has been in for over a decade. Ed ends the hour by sharing about his favorite new documentary, Ferrari: Race to Immortality, which showcased the most dangerous and glamorous time in racing that took place from 1955-1958. Tune in now to fill your cranium with the latest and greatest from the automotive world.
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THE DRIVE with Alan Taylor | #333
In a world with endless options, how is it possible for us to choose just one car? Well, thankful there are companies out there that are trying to make these tough decisions easy. We begin the hour with Chief Strategy Officer for AMCI Global, who details their 2018 Trusted Automotive Brand Study. The automotive industry has already established quality and satisfaction but when it comes to the emotion behind the trust we put in brands, there is still long way to go. Chevrolet, Kia, and Genesis – are just a few of the rides that made the most trusted list; listen for the rest! Next, we hear from Peter Zawadzki, Director of DriveShare by Hagerty, about this classic car rental program that can take you on a cruise down memory lane. DriveShare gives you the opportunity to either rent that collector car of your dreams for a weekend, wedding, or a multitude of other events. It also allows owners to stretch the legs of the beautiful cars they have collecting dust in their garage. Are you interested in buying, zooming around, or taking photos with a gorgeous classic? After that, we catch up with automotive journalist, BJ Killeen, about her recent trip to New York to explore some of the top automotive manufacturers’ experiential facilities that are not about selling you a car but about helping you discover more about the brand. She also reviews the 2019 Hyundai Veloster, and explains that this car has really taken on a great refresh. Headroom, connectivity, comfort, and even five trim levels have made the Veloster better than it has ever been. Then, we talk with Alan about the 2018 F-Type 400 Sport AWD Coupe that he just drove. The design, body style, and flavor of the car is beautiful and the V6 supercharge engine makes it a snappy little car. It has some amazing technology that will allow you to use a GoPro camera to take real-time video from driving the car to social. Alan raves about this fantastic machine! Switching lanes, Steven Cole Smith gets us up to speed on what we can look forward to from the Indy 500 and Coca-Cola 600. He tells us that the media at the Indy 500 will certainly be keeping their eye on Danica Patrick, and many believe that this is her final race. Steven then shares that there is not much to look forward to from the Coca-Cola 600 but if he had to put his money on anyone then it would have to be Chase Elliot. Lastly, he tells us that he is about to make his way to England to view the Global RallyCross that will soon be making its way to the United States. Join us for an action-packed episode with the automotive news you don’t want to miss!
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THE DRIVE with Alan Taylor | Episode #330
Performance, utility, and economy – automotive manufacturers are going above and beyond to exceed consumer expectations. We begin with the perfect example: automotive journalist, George Kennedy, shares his drive experience in the astounding 2018 Kia Stinger GT. With Brembo brakes and a V6 twin-turbocharged engine, Kia’s reputation as a ‘discount car company’ is a thing of the past. George also touches on Ford’s decision to cut most of their sedans, believing they may have been a bit shortsighted. Automotive journalist, BJ Killeen, also offers insight on Ford’s sedan decision after a recent stop at a red light had her surrounded by only trucks and SUVs. Shifting gears, BJ sounds off about her test drive of the 290-HP, 3.5L V6 Lexus RX 350L. While she enjoyed many aspects of this ride, such as the fit and finish and handling, she had a few points that Lexus could improve on with the future models. Next, we catch up with Karl Brauer who calls from the inside of an Acura NSX on his way to the 2018 Drive Towards a Cure “California Adventure”, a charitable event benefiting for Parkinson’s research. Karl pits his 2006 Ford GT against the super handling AWD of the Acura NSX in a surprising review. Then, Luke Schneider, CEO of Silvercar, explains his rental car app which was recently acquired by Audi. Through the app, customers are able to effortlessly rent an Audi A4 or Q5 for an all-inclusive fee ranging from $59-$79 a day. (Yes, all of the rentals are all silver.) Lastly, we catch up with Chris Duke celebrates the 10th anniversary of Motorz TV, announces a brand new episode featuring Alan’s Dodge Demon, and discusses the close of National Car Care Month. Plus, as the ambassador of GM’s BuyPower Card, Chris tells us of the surveys they have been conducting with the help of their patrons. Tune in now to pump your mind full of the latest automotive knowledge!
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THE DRIVE with Alan Taylor | Episode #320
It’s February already and there are less than two months until the New York International Auto Show and Alan’s annual appearance on ABC’s ‘LIVE! with Kelly and Ryan’. As the excitement builds, we chat with some of our favorite contributors about what they are up to. We begin the hour with Executive Publisher of Kelley Blue Book, Karl Brauer, who gushes about his Dodge Demon before paying homage to the new Acura NSX. Then, Mike Forsythe of Haynes Publishing discusses their digital assets and new repair manuals coming our way. Next, automotive journalist, BJ Killeen, shares her experience at the Grand National Roadster Show. Changing gears, Hollywood car consultant, Josh Hancock, joins us along with Brembo North America’s Dan Sandberg to talk about the best brakes around. Lastly, Josh and Alan discuss a Porsche exhibit that recently opened at the Petersen Automotive Museum.
As the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship series came to Road Atlanta it was bringing to the end an important transitional year for the growing series. The championship would be bestowed…
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THE DRIVE with Alan Taylor | Episode #300
One-of-a-kind rides from all over the world cruise into town for Monterey Car Week. There is never a dull moment once the cars arrive, and you can even walk out of a cheap hotel room and see a Lamborghini or Porsche sitting right there. This show is a pivotal place for high rollers to come show off their dream cars. If you’re lucky enough to see the car sitting on the lawn of Pebble Beach, you had better take it all in because it may be the only time you will ever see it in your life. We chat with some of the heavy hitters of the auto industry live from the green. Guests include Josh Hancock, Dave Kunz, Dan Sandberg, Ed Justice, Jr., Wade Kawasaki, Corky Coker, Barry Meguiar, Craig Jackson, Dennis Collins, Chris Smith, Ken Eberts, and Pietro Zollino. They are on the air telling stories, giving rave reviews, and gushing over their favorite parts of this sophisticated event. Don’t miss all the fun, listen now.