#189, Sandra Button: Queen of the Pebble Beach Concours

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 32:11 — 44.2MB)Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | MoreSandra Button has judged thousands of cars, Bentley to Bugatti, Maserati to Mercedes-Benz. But a masterpiece from yesteryear can still give the chairwoman of the Pebble Beach Concours a jolt. It happens early Sunday mornings when 200 cars emerge at Pebble Beach Golf Links for the annual homage to automotive beauty and tradition. “I have seen cars drive onto the field from the mist and thought, ‘that’s the one; that’s got a run for the roses,’ “said Button. Sometimes, I’m right and sometimes I’m

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#188, Broadcaster John Kraman talks Mecum Auctions

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 33:40 — 46.2MB)Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | MoreJohn Kraman spends his work career immersed in automotive auctions. He’s the lead TV commentator and analyst for NBCSN during Mecum Auction broadcasts. He can barely curb his enthusiasm. There’s no doubt the broadcaster is ready for the return of the three-day Mecum Auction during Classic Car Week beginning Aug. 12. Kraman is my guest on this episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast. Co-host Bruce Aldrich is on vacation, so Kraman and I discuss the upcoming Mecum Auction during Monterey Auto Week. “This pandemic

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2021 Toyota RAV4 expands SUV lead with EV boost

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For several years, the Toyota RAV4 and the Honda CR-V have paced the keen competition at the front of the small, versatile sport utility vehicle pack. Toyota has further expanded its current lead with the 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime XSE. A plug-in hybrid option of the standard five-passenger, the Toyota RAV4 Prime is a small SUV offered in SE and XSE trims. Its 4-cylinder engine combines with a more powerful lithium-ion battery pack and three motors to produce 302 horsepower. The result is the quickest and most powerful RAV4. It accelerates from 0-to-60 miles per hour in 5.7 seconds. The

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Rivian electric truck closer to debut via test drives

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The much-anticipated, pending electric truck Rivian will begin its introduction to the public this summer when customers who have preordered the R1T model will be invited to test drive it. With its national tour, the carmaker seeks to educate its buyers about the pickup truck’s major features. Tour dates will be announced soon. Rivian has detailed its truck, rated with an 11,000-pound towing capacity, will be positioned between a mid-size and full-size truck and will comfortably seat five adults. A trailer hitch is located behind a cover and is accessible by removing two screws. According to the manufacturer, the R1T

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#187, Cars.com index: Tesla, the most American made

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 28:08 — 38.6MB)Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | MoreTesla innovation has changed the automotive world with a lot of industry firsts. Its latest designation is the top spot on the latest American Made Index (AMI). Introduced 16 years ago by the editors of Cars.com, the AMI analyzes a range of factors to determine the  percentage of new cars and trucks made American Kelsey Mays, the assistant managing editor at the online motoring website that debuted in 1998, is our guest on this episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast. He discusses with co-hosts

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Toyota Tacoma legacy: No. 1 million set for Mecum Auctions

Well into its mid-20s, it’s time for a Toyota Tacoma celebration. One truck fan may get the biggest gift — the one-millionth unit of the iconic small pickup truck. It was assembled Oct. 4, 2019, in San Antonio, Texas, and has been driven only 158 miles. The truck, which may reach a value of $100,000, will be for sale during Mecum Auctions‘ three-day presence at Monterey Auto Week, Aug. 12-14. A 1995 Toyota Tacoma cost between $17,000 and $19,000 new. Carrying lot #R285, the Army Green TRD Pro model will come with a letter from Toyota verifying its production number.

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Electric truck wars: 9 manufacturers ready to charge

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Changing nearly as fast as gas prices, there’s seemingly constant news in the electric truck market. More manufacturers are debuting EV pickups while others have plans to do so in the not-too-distant future. At least nine manufacturers are in the electric truck business, led by Tesla and Rivian. Here’s a synopsis of arguably the top-two most anticipated EV trucks and a list of the manufacturers currently in the market. Telsa has plans to offer Cybertruck. Company founder and CEO Elon Musk changes his mind often. But the pending slate currently includes a tri-motor with all-wheel drive, a dual-motor AWD model

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Used truck, car prices climb nearly 30 percent in one year

Statistics tell stories, with some of the best storytellers by numbers the numbers calculators at the U.S. Department of Labor who prepare the Consumer Price Index. Used truck and car prices represent the most dramatic example. According to the latest Consumer Price Index and Manheim, Inc., the world’s largest wholesale auto auction, the overall inflation from May 2020 to May 2021 was 5 percentage. Combined, the inflation rate of used cars and trucks increased nearly 30 percent in the same time. Used vehicles comprise one-third of the entire inflation increase. The automotive industry’s surge, similar to other industries, began at

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Future of U.S. mail delivery going postal again

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Electric vehicle startup Workhorse, the only company among three finalists to submit an all-electric mail delivery proposal, has filed an official protest after losing the bid to make the U.S. Postal Service’s next-generation vehicle. The USPS instead gave the contract in February to defense contractor Oshkosh. It said its new postal truck is designed to run on gas and electric drivetrains. The contract could be worth $6 billion. The Ohio-based company filed a sealed bid protest in the US Court of Federal Claims. The result of the high-profile court fight could have an impact on how and when those vehicles

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#186, CEO Tim McGrane embraces M1 Concourse challenge

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 37:06 — 50.9MB)Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | MoreTim McGrane has a long, varied career in the automotive industry. It’s steered him to his current role as the CEO of M1 Concourse in Pontiac, Michigan. The 87-acre playground for auto enthusiasts includes the world’s largest community of Private Garages and a 1.5-mile Performance Track with its own private Motorsports Club. A native of England whose previous experience tenures at Blackhawk Museum in Danville, California, and WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, McGrane is my guest this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast. Co-host Bruce

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Wiggy wheels, faulty cameras give Ram pickup trucks troubles

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Welcome to the world of recalls Stellantis! A few months into its tenure, the new owner of Fiat-Chrysler has made two dubious announcements. First, the new owner of Ram announced the wheels of more than a half-million of its Ram pickup trucks can fall off. And now comes word, more than 140,000 Ram trucks have recalled because their backup cameras may stop working when the vehicle is in reverse. The problematic wheels prompted the manufacturer to recall 510,000 Ram 3500 heavy-duty pickups and Ram 4500 and 5500 cab-chassis vehicles from 2012 to 2021 and mostly from North American have been

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NEW CAR PREVIEW: 2024 Honda Prologue SUV

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The 2024 Honda Prologue, the first in a pending lineup of battery electric vehicles, will debut in less than three years as the carmaker continues to target its goal of a fully electric fleet by 2040. Few details of the sport utility vehicle were revealed in the recent announcement, but Honda said the Prologue will operate on GM’s Ultium batteries. It will be available in the United States and Canada. An all-electric Acura SUV will also debut in 2024. Honda previously announced its plans for its vehicles in the second of this decade to operate on a new “e:Architecture.” Honda

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2021 Honda Accord Hybrid: The best gets better

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In its sixth decade, the Honda Accord is part of a small fraternity of vehicles that changed the automotive industry. Unveiled in 1976, the Accord was joined by the Toyota Camry six years later. The vehicles’ rivalry has continued since, with the carmakers’ healthy competition a constant in the always-in-flux family sedan segment. The Honda Civic was successful for several years when the carmaker decided it needed a more comfortable, more powerful, larger and quieter offering. The Accord and Camry were unveiled as compacts, but the segment leaders advanced to the midsize ranks where the competition now includes Kia, Hyundai,

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New pickup trucks pricey? Sure. But bargains abound

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In case anyone hasn’t noticed, pickup trucks have become increasingly expensive. With extensive option packages, several new pickup trucks more than $100,000. But considering the new Ford Maverick, soon debuting as a 2022 model, many pickup trucks are still reasonably priced. The Maverick is already upsetting the industry since it will undercut the current cheapest pickup truck, the Toyota Tacoma, by more than $4,000. Of course, payload, towing capacity, model year and many other factors make the list of the current cheapest pickup trucks skewed. But via dollars alone, Ford has put the other manufacturers on notice: the pickup truck

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Avoid These 5 Mistakes When Scrapping Your Car

COLLABORATIVE CONTENT Scrapped automobiles globally produce more than 25 million tons of recycled material every year. It’s among the most of all consumer goods recyclables. So, rather than have your old car rust away in your garage, why not have it scrapped? Almost every part of the car is recyclable, and the process helps protect the environment. Recycled metal is made into new sheets of metal used to manufacture new cars, saving energy and resources needed for metal production. Why not contribute to a better environment and get paid for it? Scrapping Your Car Properly But before scrapping your car

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Ford Lightning electric pickup truck pricing revealed

The Ford F-150 Lightning, the manufacturer’s recently announced electric truck, with be priced at just under $50,000 with its optional extended-range battery. Ford previously released a base price of $39,974 for the 2022 pickup truck. The newly announced detail has exactly a $10,000 premium for the trim with an estimated 300-mile range. The prices don’t include a yet-to-be-released destination fee and details of a potential $7,500 EV tax credit and other incentives. The Lightning is built with the same military-grade aluminum-alloy body as the gasoline versions of the F-150. However, a different frame helps accommodate the battery packs. Ford Lightning

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