#264, Chris Miller: Vehicle sculptures in stone

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 29:57 — 53.2MB)Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | MoreChris Miller has been a friend of The Weekly Driver Podcast for three years. An artist who lives Maples Corner, a hamlet outside Calais, Vermont, Miller began made his sculpture career nearly 50 years ago. He works in granite, wood and marble, and his work is featured in private collections, public buildings and galleries. It’s all acclaimed work and he continues his various commercial contracts. But Miller’s “hobby” is his side project making stone cars, trucks and tractors. Miller is our guest this week

Read more

#263, Megabus returns to California market

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 33:51 — 61.8MB)Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | MoreMegabus, the discount city-to-city bus system, debuted in 2006. Marketed as having served more than 50 million customers in more than 500 cities, the express service features tickets between metro cities for as little as $1 each way. The travel option available throughout the United States and in Europe, has had successes and failures. But with heavy travel season approaching, Megabus recently announced its return to the California market. According to its press release, May 15 marked the return of Megabus to California with

Read more

Aston Martin Bulldog exceeds 200 mph 44 years after debut

, , , ,

The first and only Aston Martin Bulldog has finally reached the 200 miles per hour milestone it was built to achieve. It took decades. Classic Motor Cars, a United Kingdom-based vintage car repair shop, recently announced the Bulldog reached a top speed of 205.4 mph at a former NATO base in Scotland. Darren Turner, three-time Le Mans class winner and test driver for Aston Martin, piloted the Bulldog. “Bulldog’s 200 mph goal has been over 40 years in the making, being part of that legacy is a fantastic feeling,” said Turner whose previous attempts at reaching 200 mph in 2021

Read more

How to maximize fleet efficiency, performance

Managing a business automotive fleet efficiently requires following a guide of best practices. Creating a schedule, detailing a driving report, maintaining vehicles, proper driving training and properly using current driving technology are all imperative. Here are five tips for effectively maintaining an automotive fleet: Create A Schedule The best thing you can do if you want to manage your fleet properly is to create an inspection schedule. A regular schedule will help ensure your vehicles are running correctly. If not properly detailed, costly repairs are likely. Repairs, of course, involve time and money. Keeping an accurate log of truck tyres,

Read more

2023 Ford Bronco 100K build set for giveaway

PAOLI, Pa.– Aftermarket parts authority Turn5, Inc. (T5) has unveiled Stage 1 of its 2023 Badlands FordBronco build, coined “The Gator.” The company is transforming the 2023 Bronco with modifications totaling more than $100,000. The Ford Bronco will then be given to the winner of the T5 current sweepstakes ending Sept. 30, 2023. Customers can head to the “Gator” build pages below for a full rundown of Phase 1 including details on how they can increase chances to drive away the sweepstakes winner. According to T5, “This beast is ready to conquer any terrain and turn heads wherever it goes.”

Read more

BMW luxury sedan thrives on split personality

The 2023 BMW 760i xDrive combines the best of an executive sedan and a luxury car without visible pretentiousness. It’s comfortable and stylish, smooth and quiet. It has a sizable backseat theater screen that unfolds from the headliner with controls embedded like smartphones into the rear seat handles. From its exterior, the new BMW looks more sporty than extravagant, with its aggressive nostrils grille, 21-inch M sport package wheels, brakes and black calipers. The sportiness continues on the interior, mixed with its luxury elements. The cabin design’s upscale quality combines high-scale wood and superior-quality leather. The stainless steel door design

Read more

Aston Martin unveils DB12, the world’s first ‘super tourer’

, ,

Aston Martin called upon 73 years of heritage to unveil last week not only a new member of its iconic DB line, but a corresponding new vehicle category. In debuting its newest DB12, Aston packed so much “new” into the latest DB it required its own category — the super tourer. The DB12 super tourer — and the simultaneous farewell to the DB11 — offers a lot more. More power, more performance, more timeless styling and more technology are deployed to perfect the hardware used by its DB11 predecessor.  The part-aluminum chassis utilizes a reworked cross brace, undertrays, a crossmember,

Read more

2023 Lexus NX450h: SUV plug-in hybrid prowess

, ,

One year after its second-generation debut last year, the high-end Toyota relative has introduced the 2023 Lexus NX450h into its lineup returns in 2023 with a collection of small crossover sport utility vehicles, including two hybrid offerings. The 450h+ is the upscale carmaker’s first plug-in hybrid and it joins the NX 350h conventional hybrid. The NX lineup was first introduced nearly a decade ago and is slotted between the subcompact UX and the mid-sized RX. Who knew there was a need for a slew of “Nimble Crossovers,” the meaning of the vehicles’ two-letter identifier? Buyers, apparently. The NX joined two

Read more

Checklist of What To Do After A Truck Accident

Truck accidents can be especially frightening, given the significant difference in size between trucks and regular vehicles. From property damage to significant injuries, and even fatalities, truck accidents are almost always serious with severe consequences. Unfortunately, truck accidents have increased across the U.S. in the last few years. Truck crashes are especially a concern in states like Connecticut that rely on big rigs for cargo shipments. 85.8% of the community in Connecticut counts on trucks to move their goods.  Even more unfortunate is that many of these accidents are preventable and caused by, among other things, distracted driving, driving under

Read more

Lucid Air: a bonafide Tesla rival — finally

In the 15 years since Tesla debuted, several potential competitors have swiftly arrived and departed without any impact. Lucid Motors, less than two years into its luxury electric sedan life, is an exception. The Lucid Air, designed in Newark, California, built in Casa Grande, Arizona, and majority owned by a Saudi Arabian sovereign investment fund, at least equals the omnipresent Tesla in a dozen criteria. It outdoes the EV stalwart in several ways. It’s new, powerful, industry bending and has limited availability, traits Tesla also had in its infancy. Unveiled in October 2021 as a 2022 model, Lucid produced 7,180

Read more

#261, Vintage buses, pub crawls, one crafty Santa Cruz woman

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (73.0MB)Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | MoreThe citizens of Santa Cruz and the surrounding oceanside towns and tree-lined hamlets may hold an unofficial record for their entrepreneurial ways. Creativity rules small businesses, from bespoke bicycle makers to artists to Annie Wolff Patsch. Wolff Patsch and her husband, Adam Patsch, combine their last names without a hyphen. The unique pronunciation and the former’s upbeat personality are the reasons she’s mostly known as Annie. It’s the only name on her business card as the founder of Brew Cruz. While co-host Bruce Aldrich was on vacation,

Read more

VinFast VF8 SUV arrives in US from South Vietnam

,

A dual-motor, all-electric, all-wheel-drive drivetrain powers the VinFast VF8, a new midsize sport utility vehicle that combines performance and efficiency. The design of the vehicle was created by Pininfarina, the renowned Italian design house. The VF8 has a long wheelbase and short overhangs, which give it a balanced and attractive appearance. VinFast is a new electric car brand from Vietnam, founded in 2017 by Vingroup, a leading conglomerate in the country. Vinfast aims to produce high-quality electric cars for the global market, with a focus on innovation and sustainability. VinFast has already established a presence in several countries, including the

Read more

Luftgekühlt 9: Beauty at the beast

, , , ,

Luftgekühlt, which translates from German to “air-cooled,” is a pilgrimage for dedicated Porsche fans. It showcases the best of what many consider to be Porsche’s Golden Years — the air-cooled period. Luft 9 highlights the fastest, most prestigious air-cooled products from Porsche’s 1931 founding leading up to the discontinuation of the air-cooled 911 in 1998.  For the first time Luftgekühlt, often shortened to Luft 9, offered back-to-back days to commemorate all Porsches without regard to door count, means of cooling, motorsport success, and more. Air | Water exhibits vehicles from the Pre-A era to 992 — Mezger 997’s, Carrera GT’s,

Read more

How to travel and where to go on your next trip

If you’re thinking about your next trip one dilemma may be where to go and what to do. Choices abound, and getting advice sometimes helps the decision-making process. Do you drive, fly or take the train? Should you consider the money rate exchange? What airlines are you considering? Here are some suggestions: Beach Adventure One of the most popular trips is visiting the ocean, a beach adventure. Beautiful beaches are located around the world. Consider the golden beaches of the Caribbean. How about Jamaica or Barbados? Beach holidays often afford the opportunity to view local wildlife, including dolphins or whales.

Read more

5 issues that prevent drivers from driving (and how fix ’em)

Driving a vehicle is a huge responsibility. And while many of us see driving as second nature, there are legitimate reasons why it may not be appropriate, legal or safe to get behind the wheel. Below you will find five of the most common of these reasons, as well as how to correct them. Lack of Fuel Pressure A lack of fuel pressure will quickly stop you from driving your vehicle. Indications of a problem can include the engine backfiring, smoke coming from the exhaust, and difficulty starting the vehicle. The good news: If you’re maintaining your own vehicle, several

Read more

#260, Cheap SUVs, racing icon dies and more

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 28:11 — )Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | MoreFrom time to time during the more than five years of The Weekly Driver Podcast, co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia catch-up on automotive news instead of having a guest. This week on Episode #260 we visit four diverse topics — cheap SUVs, the death of speed racing icon Craig Breedlove, the most expensive states to own vehicles and no ignition new car It’s no secret, Hyundai and Kia have drastically improved in recent years. The related manufacturers’ vehicles have had some of the

Read more