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…
In Mary Shelley's book Frankenstein, she couldn't have been more on point when she had Dr. Frankenstein belt, "It's Alive...It's Alive!!". From amps to voltage we got an "electrifying" show…
Jumping right in, BJ Killeen, Automotive Journalist & Voice of Reason, dishes about SEMA 360 and the online Battle of the Builders competition this year. BJ and Alan discuss Carlos Ghosn…
Kicking off the show today we have George Kennedy III, Co-Founder of Cartender and Freelance Automotive Journalist for CarGurus, Boston Globe, and U.S. News & World Report, joining us! George…
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THE DRIVE with Alan Taylor | Episode #376
Kicking off the show, Autotrader, Kelley Blue Book, Dealer.com Executive Publisher, Karl Brauer, is relaxing in Costa Rica for the “Lexus Milestones” 30th Anniversary event. We discuss the brands ascent to legendary luxury status, how it disrupted the industry, and how Kia and Hyundai are doing similar things in today’s world. Karl also fills us in on the new Ford/Volkswagen alliance. Then, Collins Bros. Jeep and Black Mountain Jeep, Dennis Collins, shares his latest creation: the first 2020 Jeep Gladiator with a 6.4L V8 HEMI! Also, Dennis discusses the opening of a new Black Mountain Jeeps location, Pebble Beach Concours, and other upcoming events. Shifting gears, Motorsport Auction Group Founder, Mike Oberle, divulges what’s in store for their auction during Hot August Nights on August 8th, 9th, and 10th, including Alan’s serial number 8 Dodge Demon! Then, Hot August Nights Executive Director, Mike Whan, gives us a detailed outline of the awesome entertainment and events they have in store, including appearances by The Temptations, Little River Band, Chubby Checker, and more! Changing lanes, Fast N’ Loud, Richard Rawlings, describes how Chad McQueen approached him to create the recent two hour epic episode in which they shut down the streets of San Fansico to recreate the legendary Bullitt Mustang chase sequence. Richard also fills us in on his new podcast, Beer:30, asks for malt liquor suggestions for his new wine cellar, and drops some exclusive, big news about his deal with Discovery! Closing out the show, Cartender Co-Founder, and freelance automotive journalist for CarGurus, Boston Globe, U.S. News & World Report, George Kennedy III, compares his time in the Rolls-Royce Cullinan with his test drive of the 2020 Jeep Gladiator. Find out why George thinks the Jeep Gladiator is the perfect weekend warrior machine.
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THE DRIVE with Alan Taylor | Episode #362
If there’s one thing that the Swiss people are known for, it’s having a lot of money! Which is why it is fitting that the Geneva International Motor Show (GIMS) would showcase some of the wackiest, most outlandish, and of course, ridiculously expensive concept cars on the planet. Reporting from Geneva, Switzerland, so we don’t have to, Autotrader Executive Editor, Brian Moody, fills us in on some of the craziest concept cars he’s witnessed. It isn’t all highfalutin dream-cars in Geneva; the Mazda CX-30, Subaru e-Boxer engine, and Honda e Prototype have much more grounded philosophies in mind. Changing gears, Executive Publisher for Autotrader, Kelley Blue Book, Dealer.com, Karl Brauer, gives us his drive review of his new Ford GT (finally!), and discusses electric vehicles and the effects of trade tariffs on the automotive industry. Next, Co-founder of CarTender and Freelance Automotive Journalist for CarGurus, Boston Globe, U.S. News and World Report, George Kennedy III, makes a case for electric cars and showers praise upon the 2019 Dodge Charger SXT AWD. Closing the show, automotive journalist, BJ Killeen, offers her opinion about some of the strange (and amazing) designs at the Geneva Motor Show. While the Hispano Suiza Carmen and Engler F.F. Super Quad may be goofier looking than Donald Duck’s best buddy, cars like the Bugatti La Voiture Noire and Kia Imagine are inspired and beautiful.
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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.
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THE DRIVE with Alan Taylor | Episode #357
As January turns to February, the industry is awash with news, scandals, and car companies struggling to stake out their place. Starting off the show, Kelley Blue Book Director of Industry Insights, Michael Harley, fills us in on his recent test drives of the new 2020 Porsche 911 and 2020 Porsche Panamera. We also tackle Porsche’s foray into the electric vehicle (EV) with the renamed Porsche Taycan (previously ‘Mission E’), and Michael shares a couple of wacky experiences he had riding in autonomous cars. Next, while we may have missed the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit, MI, Autorader Executive Editor, Brian Moody, remained faithful and is here to give us some highlights from the show. Also, Brian questions whether all of these automakers that are pumping out three-row SUVs will be faced with a rude awakening when consumer price fatigue sets in. Changing gears, Executive Publisher for Kelley Blue Book, Autorader, and Dealer.com, Karl Brauer, discusses the Ford GT resale scandal and his new 2019 Ford GT (which went straight from the delivery truck to the detail shop). Then, Automotive Expert, “The Car Coach”, and President of North American Car of the Year (NACTOY) Awards, Lauren Fix, shares the winners of the Car, Truck, and Utility vehicle categories, which were revealed at NAIAS recently. Lauren also gives a preview of what’s in store at the Chicago Auto Show as Alan blows her mind with statistics from Barrett-Jackson’s most recent Scottsdale auction. Closing the show, automotive journalist, BJ Killeen, discusses Cadillac’s decision to focus on electric vehicles, Elon Musk and Tesla’s shaky public perception, Lincoln’s amazing concierge services, and Carlos Ghosn’s Japanese imprisonment. Tune in for the latest automotive insights.
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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!
Written by BJ Killeen For nearly 40 years, the Volkswagen Jetta has been a part of the automotive landscape in the United States. There aren’t a lot of vehicles that…