James Raia

Articles by James Raia

#224, Cars.com editor reports on EVs, NY Auto Show

Joe Wiesenfelder, the executive editor of cars.com, recently returned from the New York Auto Show. Electric vehicles continue to be emphasized in the automotive market space, and Wiesenfelder is our guest on this episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast to discuss it. Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia talk with the veteran journalist about the influx of new manufacturers in the EV segment as wells as the health of the segment. Can any new EV carmaker, Rivian to Lucid to Polestar to VinFast, challenge Tesla? Can any mainstream manufacturer launch a sustainable EV? Cars.com: Will auto shows remain? Some high-end manufacturers have discontinued the tradition of debuting new models at auto shows, particularly the major events in Chicago, Los Angeles,

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Ford Lightning pickup truck will strike soon with 320-mile range

The enduring Ford F-150 pickup family will soon expand with the long-anticipated Lightning debut this summer with its just announced Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) certification and manufacturer revealed charge range. Depending upon engine configuration, the 2022 F-150 Lightning will have a range of 230 to 320 miles. Towing capacity is 7,700 pounds. The Lightning will come with two electric powertrain choices. The larger, extended range system will produce an estimated 563 horsepower and 775 pound-feet of torque. That will make the F-150 Lightning Ford’s fastest pickup. It will have an estimated 0-60 mph time in the mid-4-second range when equipped with an extended-range battery. The smaller standard range version will have 426 horsepower and 775 pound-feet of torque. Ford Lightning:

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Mystery icons on your dashboard? Pictures tell the stories

Flashing rectangles on the navigation system? Vibrating steering wheels? Abrupt warning sounds? It’s enough to drive a driver into making a mistake or it can save their life. And then there are those icons. Less invasive and also simultaneously helpful and confusing, warning icons can also abruptly appear on your car or truck‘s dashboard without, well . . . warning. Some of the icons are commonplace, others are more difficult to decipher. MotorTrend.com, the online version of automobile magazine dating to 1949, has accepted the task in long form of explaining in alphabetical order 10 icons that can appear on your vehicle. What they mean? How serious are their arrival? Here are abbreviate explanations. ABS Sensor Warning Light The ABS

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2022 Mercedes-Maybach S 580: Value-priced, Ultra Luxury

Like sports cars and economy vehicles, what defines a luxury car is blurred in marketing materials and manufacturers’ whims. An ultra-luxury car easier may be easier to pinpoint since fewer are made. The 2022 Mercedes-Maybach qualifies without any squabble. After its long tumultuous tenure, Maybach ceased as a standalone manufacturer in 2013. Two years later it became a sub-brand of Mercedes-Benz. Beginning in 2021, Daimler began to make ultra-luxury editions of the Mercedes-Benz S-Classic and GLS-Class using the name Mercedes-Maybach. The 2022 edition is available in S 580 and S 680 trims. The reviewed S 580 features a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 with 496 horsepower. Both trims have all-wheel drive and a nine-speed automatic transmission. The S 680 has a 12-cylinder

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#223, Hypercar Invitational Founder Alessandro Borroni

Like many automotive enthusiasts, Alessandro Borroni has a passion for automobiles that extends past his appreciation for fast cars and iconic carmakers. He’s giving back to the community while the inviting like-minded to mingle among peers, drive iconic machines and raise money. The result is the Hypercar Invitational. The fourth-year event will be held June 9-12 headquartered at WeatherTech Laguna Seca Raceway. Borroni, the founder of the event, is our guest on this episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast. Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia discuss with Borroni, the genesis of the event, how it’s expanded and what’s planned for this summer’s event. But just what is the Hyper Invitational? The exclusive offers an opportunity to not only preview a

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Tiger Woods driving again but he should never drive again

The fandom and television network adulation stopped for a while, but now it’s all back. Tiger Woods is playing in The Masters this week and it will be celebrated as miraculous and with additional adjectives always best used sparingly, particularly in sport. Woods apparently didn’t spend much time considering the possibility of his children being fatherless before he crashed on Feb. 23, 2021, while driving twice the speed limit on a notoriously dangerous Southern California road. The golfer was lucky. Removed from his Genesis SUV via the “Jaws of Life” after suffering substantial leg injuries, Woods was alive, but a lot was unknown. Would he have brain damage? Would he have a leg amputated? Would he walk and talk again?

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#222, Author Russell Hayes’ new book: everything VW Golf

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 28:12 — 38.7MB)Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | MoreThe VW Golf is the third best-selling car in history, behind the top-selling Toyota Corolla and Ford F-Series of pickup trucks. More than 35 million of the versatile vehicles have sold since the car’s debut as a 1974 edition. With the motoring icon approaching its 50th anniversary, author Russell Hayes has expanded and upgraded his book The Volkswagen Golf Story to include the full Golf 7 range and the latest incarnation, the Golf 8. The new edition is available from Behemoth Publishing  Co-host Bruce Aldrich is on assignment, so I interview Hayes this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast. “Europe has always been the

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#221, Modern car icon Carl Benz will get inventing honor

German engineer Carl Benz was the first to design a car around the internal combustion engine rather than adding an engine to an existing wagon or carriage, a critical insight in auto evolution. Benz, who died in 1929, is often called the inventor of the modern automobile. With six additional luminaries, all patent holders whose inventions range from cataract surgery to the Super Soaker will be honored as part of the latest class of National Inventors Hall of Fame (NIHF) inductees. Rini Paiva, the NIHF executive vice president for selection and recognition, is our guest this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast. Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia discuss with Paiva the selection of Benz to this year’s inductees. We

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2022 Lexus IS 500 F Sport Performance: New, upscale, worthy

The automotive industry is always expanding with new niche markets unveiled within broader style segments. Welcome the 2022 Lexus IS 500 F Sport Performance. It’s a V8-powered, rear-wheel-drive small luxury sedan. The new Lexus is a few cars in one. It’s ideal for buyers seeking an upscale comfortable and capable sport sedan. The top-performing model in the IS lineup, the 500 F Sport features the same non-turbo V8 engine as its siblings, the LC 500 and the RC F coupes. It also has 472 horsepower, a power surge further bolstered in key areas. A sport-tuned adaptive suspension, Torsen limited-slip differential, larger brakes and 19-inch Enkei wheels fitted with performance tires are also part of the touted performance push. The result:

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Pending new USPS trucks remain contentious

The pending first new USPS trucks in 30 years haven’t been driven. But they continue to be stuck before they start and the problem appears worse. The problem, percolating for months, now may include an investigation into a decision by Postmaster General Louis DeJoy to purchase up to 165,000 gasoline-powered mail trucks over the Biden administration’s objections. In a letter to Inspector General Tammy Whitcomb, lawmakers questioned whether the Postal Service had complied with a law requiring environmental reviews of major federal actions. Further, the lawmakers believe the multibillion-dollar contract would undermine the nation’s climate goals. The contract, worth up to $6 billion over 10 years, would be the Postal Service’s first large-scale vehicle purchase in three decades. News USPS

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2022 Mazda MX-5 still best-value roadster at age 34

The Mazda MX-5, then called the Mazda Miata, arrived as a diminutive, lightweight roadster in 1989. It’s now reached relic status, a near automotive dinosaur. With its attractive design and low-to-the-ground driving, the MX-5 became the best-selling, two-seat sports car in history in 2000. The one-millionth MX-5 sold six years later. The 2022 Mazda edition, called the MX-5 since 2006 to appeal to a larger buying audience, is updated and offered toward the end of the car’s fourth generation. The MX-5, by any name, is now 34 years old, Its general consumer appeal is minimal; its enthusiasts remain stalwart and passionate. Mazda MX-5 Sales Plunging In 1990, about 36,000 Miatas sold in the United States, still the vehicle’s highest yearly

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Tesla in space rings true with skyrocketing price increases

There once was a time when Elon Musk unveiled a plan to change the automotive landscape and offer his Tesla performance electric car for about $35,000. Musk has changed the car industry but his marketing promise never materialized. The original Tesla Model S debuted in March 2009 with a base price of $57,400 ($49,900 after federal tax credits). With the company founder’s pricing increase announcement March 15, the entry level price for Tesla is now about 40 percent more than originally promoted nearly 15 years ago. The latest price hike is far from the first price increase for the performance car. But it’s the second time in a week and the latest increase affects the brand’s entire line-up of electric

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#219, RV living on the road: One family’s travels

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 34:00 — 46.7MB)Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | MoreSpencer, Kristi and Kade Stevens, otherwise known as the Adventurtunity Family, live full-time in their RV. The family is traveling throughout the United States, embracing a lifestyle they’ve determined is best — at least for now. Spencer is our guest this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast. Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia talk with the husband and father about the trio’s RV adventures. He discusses the beauty of seeing the country to the challenges of the road. The Stevens’ lifestyle is also the family’s business, both achieved from the confines of a Class A, 2017 Holiday Rambler Vacationer 36H. With their website and

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2022 Genesis G70 challenges luxury foes

Four model years after it received more honors than its upstart manufacturer could have imagined, the Hyundai Genesis G70 is still an unheralded small luxury sedan. Sales are stagnant as the worthy upscale beauty stumbles along against its longstanding rivals. With its makeover for 2022, the underdog is trying again. The Genesis G70 remains in its first generation but much has changed. The sedan more than holds its own against Acura, Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Tesla competitors with its smooth driving, quick acceleration, comfort and good looks. 2022 Genesis G70: Old Is New Again It’s been seven years since Genesis became an independent marque, but a rewind is warranted. The Hyundai Genesis debuted as the South Korean manufacturer’s luxury sedan

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2022 Volvo XC60 worthy wagon as steady as steady gets

Now in its early teens, the Volvo XC60 is the Swedish manufacturer’s best-selling vehicle in the United States and globally. The luxury compact sport utility vehicle reached its tenure-best last year, with sales of about 41,500 in this country. The Volvo XC60’s second generation was introduced in 2017 as a 2018 model. The carmaker describes the 2022 model as the most significant upgrade since. Changes are aplenty. Exterior styling improvements include: subtle differences in the front and rear-end designs, new exterior color options and new wheel designs. Mechanically, a mild-hybrid powertrain is new and optional. The infotainment center has been improved to include an Android operating system and new sensor systems for driving assistance. Volvo XC60: Versatility Reigns What remains

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#218, Author Mike Mueller on the Complete Book of Ford Mustang

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 33:50 — 46.5MB)Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | MoreMike Mueller is an automotive expert among automotive experts. A journalist for more than 30 years, he has written and provided accompanying photography for more than 30 books on the Ford Mustang. He’s contributed images to many additional books and he’s written for many prestigious industry publications. Mueller is my guest this week on episode No. 218 of The Weekly Driver Podcast. Co-host Bruce Aldrich is on vacation, so Mueller and I discuss his latest and just-released updated and revised book, The Complete Book of Ford Mustang. Ford Mustang: A nearly 60-year icon It’s a coffee table-sized volume with more than 550 color photographs

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