Joining Alan this week is Steven Cole Smith - Automotive Journalist for Autoweek, Automobile Magazine, Grassroots Motorsports. The duo shed more light on the shortage of semiconductor chips that will…
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THE DRIVE with Alan Taylor | Episode #374
We kick off the show with Autotrader, Kelley Blue Book, and Dealer.com Executive Publisher, Karl Brauer, as we discuss the possibility of Alan selling his serial #8 Dodge Demon, Mid-Engine Corvette rumors, the 24 Hours of Le Mans race, and the rapidly changing automotive industry how KBB keeps up. Next, automotive journalist, BJ Killeen, reviews the Kia Telluride and Toyota Sienna. Both of these amazing vehicles should be considered for any family looking to upgrade to a spacious ride. Then, JoshCAR Hollywood Car Consultant, Josh Hancock, gives us his impressions on the Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio and a quick Hollywood car update. Closing the show, Co-founder of Cartender and freelance automotive journalist for CarGurus, Boston Globe, U.S. News and World Report, George Kennedy III, gushes about his love for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, reviews the 2019 GMC Acadia SLT 1 Black Edition, and chats with Alan about his 1973 Chevrolet Blazer with full removable hardtop. Tune in for more on the latest performance SUVs, racing news, and sports car talk.
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THE DRIVE with Alan Taylor | Episode #373
Can most people make full use of a one-ton dually pickup truck? Likely, the answer is no and we could go as far as to question how necessary a 1500 class truck is as well. Co-founder of Cartender and freelance automotive journalist for CarGurus, Boston Globe, and U.S. News & World Report, George Kennedy III, explains why the mid-size Ford Ranger could be the perfect size truck for most Americans; but does that mean the Ranger is George’s #1 pick for the category? Not necessarily. Find out why he thinks a Toyota Tacoma would fit his needs better. Then, Autotrader Executive Editor, Brian Moody, discusses Autotrader’s “10 Best Cars to Lease in 2019”, “Best Pet Accessories for Your Car: 2019 Edition”, and “6 Great Used Family Sedans Under $15,000 for 2019” articles. Next up, freelance automotive journalist, Mike Austin, shares some industry news, including a deal between Michelin and General Motors to test airless tires on a fleet of Chevrolet Bolt, Cadillac Super Cruise update, and Ford v Ferrari. Closing the show, automotive journalist, BJ Killeen, shares skepticism of Elon Musk’s promises of a new pickup to beat all pickups from Tesla, and reviews the Hyundai Accent. Tune in for the latest from the automotive industry.
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THE DRIVE with Alan Taylor | Episode #363
Horsepower, luxury, and value, what we love in cars here on THE DRIVE with Alan Taylor. We kick off the show with Executive Publisher for Kelley Blue Book, Autotrader, and Dealer.com, Karl Brauer, who tells us about the new mid-engine Chevrolet Corvette – a beast of a machine with more horsepower than its chassis can handle. Then we talk about the all-electric Kia Niro with a 250 mile range and the Land Rover Evoque that he test drove in Greece. Next, we discuss the insane $200,000+ Mercedes-Benz Maybach SUV, the affordably luxurious Kia K900, and the release of the Tesla Model Y (but, why?), with automotive journalist, BJ Killeen. Shifting gears, our new friend and Editor and Publisher of Rides and Drives, Harvey Briggs, shares about his test drive of the ultra-luxurious 2020 BMW X7 SAV with Alan Taylor. Harvey also discusses his time cruising down under in a Ford Ranger Wildtrak, the diesel version of the Ranger we all wish we could get our hands on. Changing lanes, automotive journalist for Autoweek, Automobile Magazine, Grassroots Motorsports, Steven Cole Smith, gives the update on 12 Hours of Sebring, in which Cadillac dominated (taking first, second, and third place), and gushes about his extended experience with the Acura NSX. Closing out the show, JoshCAR Hollywood Car Consultant, Josh Hancock, reviews the new Ford F-250 Super Duty and gives us new information on the upcoming Ghostbusters movie. Tune in for the latest automotive news and test drive reviews.
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THE DRIVE with Alan Taylor | Episode #355
It’s the last show of the year, and time to get everything out of our system! First, we chat with Collins Bros Jeep President and Owner, Dennis Collins, about the new Jeep JLU and JKU Wrangler Rubicon, the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye wide body, and the exciting list of cars he’s bringing to Barrett-Jackson in Scottsdale, Arizona. Changing lanes, automotive journalist, Steven Cole Smith, fills us in on the postseason slump in motorsports, the Nissan Maxima and Murano, and the all-new Ford Ranger; will the Ranger’s excessive price put another damper on the small and midsize truck category? Next, Kelley Blue Book, Autotrader, and Dealer.com Executive Publisher, Karl Brauer, catches us up on his Ford GT and tour of the Multimatic Facility where it is being built. Switching gears, Co-founder of Cartender and freelance automotive journalist, George Kennedy III, gives us his take on the Ford Ranger and Jeep Gladiator, and gets us pumped about Wide Open Baja, a touring service that gives us a taste of the Baja 500 and 1000 endurance races. Then, Blinker.com Founder and CEO, Rod Buscher, describes his revolutionary private party car trading app that also functions as a car identifier. Lastly, freelance automotive journalist, BJ Killeen, praises the new 2019 Toyota RAV4’s fresh redesign and coaxes some information about Alan’s new TV show, THE DRIVE with Alan Taylor, out of him. Don’t miss this year-end wrap up with your favorite car experts!
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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 | Episode #317
It’s a new year, and Alan is gearing up for a month of some of the big trade shows; CES, North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), and Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale are just around the corner. We chat with some of our favorite guests about what this year has in store. We begin the show with automotive journalist, BJ Killeen, who discusses the North American Car, Utility and Truck of the Year Awards (NACTOY), and rides that are about to make their debut at NAIAS. Next, Brian Moody of Autotrader talks CES, auto apps, and life-saving autonomous technology. Changing lanes, John Hennessey of Hennessey Performance shares the story of why he created THE EXORCIST, a 1000-HP Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. Last but not least, Karl Brauer of Kelley Blue Book sounds off about his new monster, the Dodge Demon SRT. Tune in for an episode packed full of trade shows, technology, and horsepower.
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THE DRIVE with Alan Taylor | Episode #301
We all know that there is a bit of nervousness that comes into any conversation about autonomous cars. The fact is they are here to stay; it’s time to start looking at how to adapt. We chat with automotive journalist BJ Killeen about her recent trip to test Volvo’s newest fleet. Russell Datz, National Media Relations Manager for Volvo Car USA, shares about some large promises they are making to help assure their buyers that they put safety and quality first. Changing lanes, Autoblog Editor-in-Chief, Greg Migliore, fills us in on his experience with Monterey Car Week, his thoughts on the Durango SRT, and addresses the rumor of the Jeep pickup truck. Then, Executive Editor for Autotrader, Brian Moody, tells us about great rides for man’s best friend, and the higher taxes that will come with autonomous cars. We end the hour with George Kennedy, automotive journalist for The Boston Globe, reviewing the new Toyota C-HR, which was originally designed to be a Scion. It’s time you got up to speed, listen now.
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THE DRIVE with Alan Taylor | Episode #295
Whether you’re into muscle, horsepower, electric vehicles, or even celebrity car guys, we’ve got a little something for every gearhead. Automotive journalist BJ Killeen reviews the luxurious 2018 Lincoln Navigator and tells us about the pure glamour of this large SUV. Next, we chat with Michelle Krebs, Senior Analyst at Autotrader, who talks about the fate of sedans, the sales of EVs, and gives some insight on Tesla. Then, we talk with Greg Migliore, Editor-in-Chief of Autoblog, who takes us on a journey into the future with discussions on the 2020 Ford Bronco and Aston Martin Valkyrie. He also has some inside information on his co-worker’s test drive of the Dodge Demon and the power of the Jeep Trackhawk. We end the hour with excitement from Ed Justice, Jr., President and CEO of Justice Brothers, Inc., about Monterey Car Week. This week is full of must attend parties including Gordon McCall’s Motorworks Revival and The Quail. Tune in.
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THE DRIVE with Alan Taylor | Episode #281
There are car guys and girls all over the world and today we hear from some of our favorites. At the top of the hour, we’re on the line with Canadian automotive journalist, Norris McDonald, chatting about his induction into the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame, and his thoughts on the 2017 Land Rover Discovery. Then, Chris Duke gives us the lowdown on the newest episode of Motorz, “2000 Ford Ranger Part 1”. Next up is BJ Killeen sharing her review on Hyundai’s new level-up brand, Genesis. Kia’s James Bell raves about the new Stinger which is garnering favor from auto journalists around the world. Dennis Collins of Collins Bros Jeep tells us a little about notable company growth propelled by Jeep fandome. We end the hour with Rephin Productions CEO, Carson Lev, sharing the history of his company, and an exciting new TV project starring Chip Foose. We’ve got the top the top auto news and reviews to keep your engines revving. Listen now.