#216, Arôme d’Art: A new way to make your car smell good

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 31:42 — 43.5MB)Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | MoreIt seemed odd at first to see the booth for Arôme d’Art at the Unveiled Expo at the recent Consumer Electrics Show in Las Vegas. Diffusers aren’t new, but the product and the approach to the distribution of fragrances in homes and offices — and in cars and trucks — is new. It’s called  a “Multisensory Clean–Air Fragrance System.” Doug Patton, CEP of Patton Design, the consulting industrial design firm and inventor of Arôme d’Art, a new defuser that combines natural aroma and natural

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Truck accidents more frequent, labor stats reveal

Road travelers likely know it all too well. Truck accidents happen. The increase was small in 2019 from 2018 in some areas and it was substantially higher in another segment of the trucking industry. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 843 trucker deaths in 2019, the most recent statistics available, and a 1.4 percent increase. The highest yearly death tally (880) occurred in 2014. Including professional drivers of light-duty trucks, the industry suffered 1,005 fatal occupational injuries last year. It’s the highest since the agency started tracking the category in 2003. Truck accidents happen; other jobs more

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2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz goes big in a smaller way

Introduced as the manufacturer’s first pickup truck, the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz addresses a niche market. It’s a pickup truck for buyers who don’t want a truck or at least as previously defined. Available last June as this year’s model, the four-door, front-engine, all-wheel drive is marketed as an Adventure Sport Vehicle. Like the Honda Ridgeline and Ford Maverick, the Santa Cruz has a unibody chassis design, not the ladder frame featured on most pickup trucks. The back seats are comfortable only for children or petite adults. The standard Hyundai Santa Cruz engine is a 2.5-liter, 4-cylinder setup with 191

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To keep or sell old cars, that is the question

The consensus among car owners is to keep their old cars longer. According to IHS Markit, the average age of cars on U.S. roads reached more than 12-years-old in 2021. It isn’t uncommon for vehicles to last well past the 100,000-mile milestone, with some cars exceeding 200,000 miles. In the wake of the post-pandemic economy, it is expected drivers will keep their vehicles even longer. Still, not every car owner is willing to keep their vehicle forever. In fact, despite the economic situation, some drivers are already wondering how to sell a car rapidly so they can buy their next

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#215, Ferrari parts business in Sacramento leads industry

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 32:43 — 44.9MB)Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | MoreFerrParts is a Sacramento business that strives to lead the independent Ferrari parts distributor industry for the international Ferrari community. It’s succeeded so well, the company recently expanded its business to include Maserati, Lamborghini, McLaren and Bentley. Russell Putnam, the owner of the Ferrai parts company, is our guest this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast. Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia discuss with Putnam his business, from how it started to its expansion into other areas of the exotic car world. Putnam began

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#214, Indigo wants to change ride share and delivery

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 28:33 — 39.2MB)Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | MoreWill Graylin is a tech entrepreneur who believes rideshare and delivery is the future of affordable, more efficient transportation. The Chairman and CEO of Indigo Technologies, Graylin is our guest on this episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast. Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia talk with Graylin about his company’s new class of EVs and his vision for ride-hail and delivery and other essential services.   “We focus on the next generation of urban mobility, especially in ride-share and delivery,” says Graylin. “As you

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Ripped Off: Catalytic Converter theft skyrockets

The theft of catalytic converters in cars and trucks nationwide is increasing exponentially. The reason: The easily accessible part includes rare metals skyrocketing in value. Located in front of a vehicle’s tailpipe, catalytic converters are easily removed, particularly in older cars and trucks with high clearances. Mandated for all U.S. cars and trucks in 1975, catalytic converters convert harmful pollutants into less harmful emissions before they’ve left the exhaust system. Platinum, palladium, rhodium or gold are used as the catalyst. Catalytic Converter: Rare Metals Thieves can sell converters to metal recyclers for $20-$200. The recyclers extract the metal and resell

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Pickup truck owners beware: theft on the rise

Pickup truck owners get the best of all automotive versatility. But there’s also a dubious consideration — theft. According to newly released statistics from the National Insurance Crime Bureau, four of the top-10 most stolen vehicles in the United States are pickup trucks. At the top of the stolen list for the second straight year is Ford F series pickup truck. Theft of the country’s most popular vehicle increased 13 percent from 2019 to 2020, with 44,014 reports of stolen. The most “popular” year for the full-size pickup truck’s theft is 2006. Pickup Truck Theft: Ford Tops List Trucks on

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Bored with driving? Here’s how to enjoy the ride

Driving can be a fun, exhilarating and life-affirming experience — at least when you’re in the right frame of mind driving enjoyable places. Most drivers are optimistic when they pass their first driving test. Road trips, greater autonomy and the ability to properly enjoy the world of auto enthusiasm and car culture are appealing. Unfortunately, the initial enthusiasm wears off. Many drivers use their cars to commute and the repeated pattern because mundane. It doesn’t help the driving experience when a driver gets into an accident or another car-related issue that requires the assistance of a car accident attorney. Determining

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2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E: Yes, It’s A (Great) Mustang!

Introduced slightly more than two years ago, The Ford Mustang Mach-E, a battery-electric compact crossover SUV, went on sale a year later to a resounding, universal reaction — that’s a Mustang? Mustang purists scoffed at the 2021 debut model describing it as automotive sacrilege. Other car buyers viewed the BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle) as innovative — what’s this new Mustang all about? 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E: It’s Different Ford viewed its new vehicle with its Mustang nameplate, Mustang identifiers and a Mach-E moniker as a way to differentiate itself from other EV newbies. It’s succeeded. Ford’s first fully-electric crossover SUV

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#211, Drifting away while ice driving in Lapland

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 32:55 — 45.2MB)Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | MoreEvery winter for the past 17 years, proprietors of Lapland Driving School in Sweden prepare acres of frozen tundra for the specialty automotive niche of drifting while ice driving. The facility, offering 14 varied circuits on nearly 3,000 acres, is located at Lake Udjaur near Arjeplog in Sweden. It’s a three-hour airplane flight from Munich, Germany or Paris, France. Ice Driving: Fast & Controlled The lure of learning the skills to maneuver elite vehicles at high speeds on challenging, albeit on controlled surfaces, attracts

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2021 Ford Escape PHEV delivers as new SUV option

Following global semiconductor delays, the long-promised 2021 Ford Escape PHEV debuted a few months ago, adding to the longstanding sport utility vehicle’s lineup. It’s a strong addition to the always-expanding segment of family-oriented vehicles. Sales of SUVs are nearing 50 percent of yearly vehicle sales in the United States. With the new Escape, buyers can combine the utility of a family and small business vehicle with the economy of electricity for short excursions. It also continues Ford’s early entry into the hybrid SUV marketplace, an option that began in 2005. The Escape is powered by a 2.5-liter, four-cylinder engine and

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#209, Author Russell Hayes showcases tiny cars in big book

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 25:01 — 34.4MB)Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | MoreVeteran automotive author Russell Hayes is at it again. His latest book, “The Big Book of Tiny Cars” was recently published. It’s a definitive look at the global industry of the most famous and infamous microcars and subcompacts from 1901 to current models. Hayes, who lives and works in London, England, is a repeat guest on The Weekly Driver Podcast. He first joined co-host Bruce Aldrich and me on Episode #153 last October 2020 to discuss all things Volkswagen. Tiny Cars: All Shapes, Sizes

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GM unveils electric shock treatment: new $105K pickup truck

The electric truck wars are on. With all major manufacturers vying for the future marketplace, GM has just made the biggest, boldest mainstream move to date – the 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV. Mary Barra, the CEO of GM, announced the vehicle during the recently concluded Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. She revealed the all-electric light-duty pickup will have an estimated 400 miles of range (with the largest battery), as much 664 horsepower and 780 lb-ft of torque. The 0-to-60 mph time is estimated as quick as 4.5 seconds with the Wide Open Watts Mode. Initially, there will be

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#213, CES: Moonbikes and Flying Formula 1 Cars

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 19:28 — 26.7MB)Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | MoreIf the entrepreneurs at MACA get what they’re were hoping for at CES, motorsports enthusiasts may soon be watching racing featuring the MACA Flying Formula 1 Car. The fast and futuristic-looking vehicle is called a “Carcopter.” It could change motorsports, or so its creators believe. Much different but the same, Nicolas Muron, founder ad CEO of Moonbikes (www.moonbikes.com) believes his electric snowbikes will be a new way to travel on snowmobile trails and on private land. The two new vehicles were featured at the

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New GM troubles, massive lawsuit claims faulty transmissions

The eight-speed transmissions installed in numerous Cadillac, Chevrolet and GMC vehicles, including several trucks and SUVs manufactured by General Motors, are faulty. According to a new class-action lawsuit against GM in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, Southern Division, the automaker shipped vehicles with transmissions with that: “Slip, buck, kick, jerk, harshly engage, suffer abnormal internal wear, sudden acceleration, delay in downshifts, delayed acceleration, difficulty stopping the vehicle, and eventually require replacement of the transmission or its components.” Vehicles affected include: Cadillac ATS (2016-2019), Cadillac ATS-V (2016-2019), Cadillac CTS (2016-2019), Cadillac CTS-V (2016-2019), 2016-2019 Cadillac CT6,

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