As Emperor Palpatine once said, “Good! Use your aggressive feelings, boy. Let the hate flow through you!” We might not be letting the dark side take control, but we are…
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THE DRIVE with Alan Taylor | Episode #360
As Emperor Palpatine once said, “Good! Use your aggressive feelings, boy. Let the hate flow through you!” We might not be letting the dark side take control, but we are most definitely letting off some steam about cars that confound us and the sterilization of motorsports. Starting off the show, Co-founder of CarTender and Freelance Automotive Journalist for CarGurus, Boston Globe, and U.S. News and World Report, George Kennedy III, gives a glowing review of the 2019 Infiniti QX80. This mammoth sized SUV sports a spacious, luxurious interior, V8 Engine, ample towing capacity, and… a busy infotainment system adorned by a slightly dated touch screen? Also, George discusses electric vehicle battery range in winter, the corporatization of motorsports, and delivers a critical review of the 2019 Nissan Kicks. Shifting gears, automotive journalist, Steven Cole Smith, continues the conversation on the decline of NASCAR and the public image issue that was the Daytona 500 race. Steven isn’t without suggestions, and he gives us some of his best (and worst) ideas on how to fix NASCAR. Also, Steven recently got to drive the Jeep Gladiator, and while he can’t tell us much, he can tell us that it is awesome! Closing out the show, Founder and CEO, Alex Littlewood, tells us about his new website, Motoroso. Offering a venue for car nuts to show off their latest projects, link to gear used for the build within a picture, and get inspiration from a community of gear heads, Motoroso is a must-see for all car enthusiasts. Don’t miss this episode of THE DRIVE with Alan Taylor.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed
THE DRIVE with Alan Taylor | Episode #359
It seems like there’s big news coming out every week around this time of year due to the plethora of international car shows that are taking place, like the Chicago Auto Show (CAS). First up to bat to fill us in on CAS happenings is Autotrader Executive Editor, Brian Moody. The 2020 Toyota RAV4 TRD Off-Road, 2020 Kia Telluride, and 2019 Volkswagen Jetta GLI gave Brian a lot to be excited about. While a few SUVs and sedans did stand out, the Chicago Auto Show had a clear focus on trucks. Automotive journalist, BJ Killeen, shares how manufacturers are pushing their trucks further and further, which vehicles caught her eye, and which rides fell flat. Next up, Executive Publisher for Kelley Blue Book, Autotrader.com, and Dealer.com, Karl Brauer, talks about his Rubella scare after the Detroit Auto Show, and the reintroduction of Sublime (a bright green) green to Mopar cars at CAS. Speaking of Mopar cars, Alan and Karl have both had their Dodge Demons for a year and it’s time for their extended review of this beast of a machine. Another monster machine that Alan owns is his 1-of-1 2016 Dodge Viper ACR, but he’s trying to not own it anymore; check out this future classic on ClassicCars.com. Closing the show, Owner of Collins Bros Jeep, Dennis Collins, gushes about the 2019 Dodge SRT Hellcat Redeye; this car loses to the Demon ever so slightly on horsepower, but makes up for it everywhere else. Also, we find out how Black Mountain Jeep’s licensee program works, how the trade wars are affecting business, why Dennis isn’t banking on the restomod market, and what kind of plans Dennis has for the rebirth of the Jeep Gladiator. Tune in for another exciting week of auto show coverage and monster car reviews.