#175, 2021 LA Auto Show virtual media preview

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 46:42 — 64.1MB)Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | MoreAfter a postponement and cancellation because of the COVID-19 pandemic, LA AutoMobility and the LA Auto Show will be back later this year at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Collectively, the automotive industry can’t wait. Plenty of other auto shows didn’t occur last year and won’t until later this year. But organizers of the Los Angeles show, the first major industry event of the season, decided to offer a glimpse into the future. A virtual media gathering with representatives from many carmakers was recently

Read more

Six safety and convenience driving features to consider

Driving can be liberating. It’s a form of freedom. You can go where you want when you want, and you’re in control. Driving a car can be more than just a way to get from one location to another. While in transit, there’s a lot to enjoy. Driving can be comforting and entertaining, and the experience can be better because of extra safety considerations. While not always essential, the car’s safety features complement the overall enjoyment of getting behind the wheel. Infotainment Systems A vehicle with a navigation system installed is ideal and it has a lot of different features.

Read more

2021 Kia Niro PHEV: worthy but not royalty

Unveiled by the South Korean manufacturer five years ago, the Kia Niro debuted in the United States in 2018. The five-door subcompact joins the list of unheralded vehicles offered as gas-powered crossovers, hybrid plug-in electric vehicles (PHEV) and electric-only options. Many of the little SUVs seem much the same. The 2021 Niro has the identical platform as close automotive relatives, the Kia Seltos and Hyundai Ioniq. (Hyundai owns about one-third of Kia.) The Niro revisits last year’s model with a few updates. The front grille has a new diamond shape. The headlamps are also new and the wheels have been

Read more

They’re back: New Hummer EVs still have swagger

Previously known for its outrageous design and as a favorite vehicle of actor and former governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger, the new GMC Hummer EV will look significantly different. And, finally, more details are now available for its pending debut. Its engine and many other features will also different than its extinct predecessor. The new Hummer will be an all-electric, full-size luxury pickup with a long driving range. Here are some new attributes: Crabwalk. In low-speed situations, the front and rear wheels can turn the same way for a “crabbing” type maneuver. The rear wheels can also turn opposite the

Read more

America’s freeways: the land of spilled milk and money

Freeways full of bees spilled milk, frozen pizza and money? Who knew? They could have been scenes from comedy movies or low-level horror films. And since no one was seriously hurt, a little humor seems just fine when discussing some of the unusual cargo that’s fallen or spilled off trucks traveling the country’s freeways. The industry site freightwaves.com has documented odd circumstances when something’s gone wrong — 14 million bees in on the I-5 median at the I-405 interchange near Lynwood, Washington to the hundreds of pizzas spilled on the intersection of two freeways in Little Rock, Arkansas on I-30,

Read more

New Ford Super Duty Trucks: big, bad, ready soon

,

The pending 2022 Ford Super Duty Trucks define the brawn and bravado of pickup trucks. The models — F-250, F-350 and F-450 — have impressive statistics for the mammoth segment, specifically in areas important for RVers. Powered by gasoline and diesel engine options, the 2022 model beasts have options: The 7.3-liter gasoline V-8 produces 430 horsepower and 475 lb-ft of torque; Ford Super Duty Trucks: Big, Bad The turbodiesel 6.7-liter Power Stroke V-8 churns includes 475 horsepower ad and 1,050 lb-ft of torque; A gasoline 6.2-liter V-8 also remains available. Current max towing and hauling numbers are also massive: 37,000

Read more

Carvana offers good slot odds in Las Vegas on used cars

,

A vending machine isn’t a slot machine. But almost anything goes in Las Vegas, so why not spend thousands of dollars in a vending machine in Sin City? You can buy a used car. Less than a month ago, Carvana, the online used auto company opened another of its e-commerce locations, its first in Nevada. It’s the newest location for the company’s “vending machine” approach. Via its location in an 11-story glass tower, located at 3720 Morgan Cashman’s Way, off I-15 south between Spring Mountain and Flamingo Blvd., customers can observe various vehicles for sale. If a customer decides to

Read more

#174, iseecars.com: Ford tops new, used 2020 sales

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 24:41 — 33.9MB)Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | MoreKarl Brauer has an extensive history in the automotive industry, including his current position as the executive analyst for iseecars.com. The website, an automotive research firm and data-driven car search engine, helps shoppers find the right car at the right price. It also develops and shares powerful studies and market analyses that have been featured in over 2,000 media outlets.   Brauer is our guest on this week’s episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast. iseecars.com is a top auto search engine Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich

Read more

2021 Aston Martin Vantage: stunning, fast, flawed

There’s no way around it. Something’s not right with the 2021 Aston Martin Vantage. And what would James Bond have to say about it? Sean Connery as Agent 007 was often portrayed escaping from criminals and saving the world while driving an Aston Martin. But how could anything but perfection be the vehicle of choice for the epitome of espionage elegance? Bond film aficionados know the secret agent often drove an Aston Martin DB5 in films, although the tuxedo-wearing purveyor of cool drove other models, including the Vantage. 2021 Aston Martin Vantage: Pricey Options As awkward as it may read,

Read more

Toyota seeks to revive Yaris interest with Cross SUV

COLLABORATIVE CONTENT Following other manufacturers, Toyota is looking to revive interest in the declining Yaris brand by launching an SUV model of one of its best-known models. The Toyota Yaris Cross is a small SUV that looks way more stylish than any other Yaris to date. They’ve usually been as exciting as a new pair of socks. The Urban Cruiser, Toyota’s last foray into the small SUV market, was discontinued in 2012 after only three years on the market. But the manufacturer has repeatedly demonstrated its automotive foresight. As with other Toyota vehicles, the Yaris Cross comes with the manufacturer’s

Read more

The legacy of BMW includes 2 funky pickup trucks

,

BMW makes vehicles admired by many performance-car enthusiasts. The automaker’s reputation, like other German automakers’ pedigrees, is well-heeled and varied. The carmaker makes comfortable sedans that power along the open road like sports cars. What’s less known is BMW’s foray into pickup trucks. It made the E30 M3 and the E92 M3. The E30 M3 debut in 1986. It had a 2.3 liter engine with 200 horsepower and it was a soft top convertible. The pickup wasn’t a success but it lasted for 26 years — as a transport vehicle for the manufacturer. BMW pickup trucks didn’t sell well The

Read more

It’s not a canoe. It’s a Canoo, a new electric pickup truck

,

There’s another new electric truck on the horizon, the oddly named Canoo. formerly known as Evelozcity, Canoo is an American manufacturer headquartered in Torrance, California. While specs and pricing weren’t announced, the start-up announced it will debut its trucks in 2023. The trucks will be offered with single-motor and dual-motor all-wheel-drive options. The latter version is touted to produce 600 horsepower and 550 foot-pounds of torque. Canoo said its trucks will have 1,800-pound payload capacitors and a 200-mile range. The Canoo will be built on the same modular platform as Canoo’s other vehicles. The company announced last December a lineup

Read more

2021 Mercedes-AMG, Maybach SUVs boast opulence

How far will manufacturers extend their obsessions with sport utility vehicles to possibly find an untapped market niche? Mercedes seems to know its plans. With its various higher luxury brand relationships, the German-American stalwart is all in. Who knew the combination of upscale, utility and performance was a thing? And who knew any manufacturer offering more than one $100,000-plus SUV was necessary? Mercedes-Benz offers eight 2021 models SUVs. The high-performance subsidiary of Mercedes-Benz, AMG, has a fleet of SUVs, including the GLE 63. And now Maybach, the ultra-luxurious subsidiary of Mercedes, is back. Its ostentatious new beast is the 2021

Read more

#172, Tiger Woods, Rolls-Royce, New Corvette C8 book

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 25:08 — 34.5MB)Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | MoreThere’s always a lot happening in the auto industry. But it’s been a particularly wild ride lately. Tiger Woods crashed a new 2021 Genesis GV70. I test drove a 2022 Rolls-Royce Ghost for four days. And a new coffee table-sized book on the new mid-engine Corvette C8 has been published. Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia discuss the three topics and more on this episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast. Woods sustained multiple leg injuries early February 23 when he was involved in a

Read more

What to look for when buying an RV motorhome

COLLABORATIVE CONTENT If you are looking for a way to travel across the country in style, then you may have thought about renting an RV. RVs are also an important investment. Sometimes, people sell their house before they purchase an RV. If you are looking to get the most out of your RV, then you need to know what to look for. What are some of the most important factors that you should consider if you are looking at an RV? Consider the Age of the RV First First, take a look at how old the RV is. RVs have

Read more

2021 Rolls-Royce: behold the new Ghost of the present

The 2021 Rolls-Royce Ghost was parked in front of Roxie Deli in Sacramento. It’s old-school, defined by robust sandwiches, barbecue, brisket, homemade sides and an intoxicating aroma permeating the immediate neighborhood. A teenage boy who witnessed a friend and me exit the opulent luxury sedan approached us in line at lunch. He looked at my colleague and said: “Excuse me, sir. What kind of job do I need to get to afford a car like that?” A few hours later while waiting in the Ghost at a stoplight two men in the battered vehicle to my right caught my attention.

Read more