#146, Carmel (Ind.) mayor Jim Brainard has city in circles

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 30:16 — 41.6MB)Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | MoreJim Brainard has a law degree, but he’s spent the past quarter-century thinking about circles. It’s a compliment, and it’s likely the reason why Carmel, Indiana is internationally famous. The mayor of the 102,000-population city, located 23 miles northeast of the state’s capital of Indianapolis, is the country’s leading expert on the benefits of roundabouts. Brainard, who has overseen the construction of 132 roundabouts in the 47-square-mile city, is our guest on this episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast. Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James

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2020 Ford Expedition: bravado and big bucks

Car manufacturers are big on adjectives and embellishment. There may be no better example than the promotion of the 2020 Ford Expedition. It’s big, no doubt, and the SUV’s facts and figures tell the story. The Expedition (Max Edition) has a 3.5-liter V6 engine with 375 horsepower and a 10-speed automatic transmission. It can weigh as much as 5,800 pounds depending upon its configuration. When equipped with its optional towing package, the Expedition can haul 9,300 pounds, an impressive capacity. The Expedition is standard with rear-wheel drive, but all-wheel drive is an option. Consumers who wish to transport RVs or

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Two 1970s Chevy Silverado pickup trucks thrive as one

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Eric Wright can’t drive far before people point, shout, make jokes and take pictures. Wright hasn’t done anything wrong. It’s just that most observers can’t figure out what’s going on when they view him in his truck on city streets, on the highway and in parking lots. Is Wright driving on the wrong side of the road? Is he going against traffic? Or just what exactly is he doing is in his Chevy Silverado? Specifically, what is he doing in two 1970s Chevy Silverado pickup trucks, the cabs of which are advancing in opposite directions? Wright, who was seeking a

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Tesla Cybertruck: build me big in Texas, color me rainbow

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As if the pending Tesla Cybertruck hasn’t received enough attention, leave it to company owner Elon Musk to generate more attention for the futuristic-looking machine. After announcing the electric-vehicle manufacturer’s plans to build a new factory in Austin, Texas, Musk hinted at a few of his new truck‘s color choices. The possible options are as unique as the car. Musk suggested a pure white option or a treatment to offer a rainbow option. If the Cybertruck in rainbow adornment is ever offered, it will likely be an aftermarket option, not a dealership choice. And it wouldn’t the first rainbow-colored Tesla.

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VW has a new mini-van with a camper slinky

Many companies make unusual-looking RVs, campers and mini-vans. Volkswagen‘s new entrant among the fraternity of the odd is the Mini-Camper. The small camper is called a Caddy Camper. The full-sized model was launched in 2018. Its innovative junior sibling transforms a small van into a larger “glamping lodge.” It will replace the outgoing larger Caddy Beach van. Versatility is a premium attribute of the new van. Its small size means easier parking and nimble handling. It also adds to VW’s lineup of vehicles with multitasking abilities. The vans are ideal as daily drivers but work equally in what the manufacturer

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#145, Author unloads on Takata in new Killer Airbags book

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 43:17 — 59.4MB)Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | MoreJerry W. Cox has a stark warning for the driving public. He says 12 million cars and trucks on U.S. roads have defective Takata-made airbags that still have not been replaced. Cox, a former consultant for the now-defunct Japanese automotive parts company, discusses the details in his new book “Killer Airbags: The Deadly Secret Automakers Don’t Want You To Know.” Now an automotive consultant, Cox is our guest on Episode #145 of The Weekly Driver Podcast. Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia discuss with

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#144, Rolls-Royce is back with a wicked ghost of a machine

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 29:16 — 40.2MB)Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | MoreRolls-Royce has long represented elegance and sophistication in automobiles most often named after ghosts. There have been years of exception. Used Rolls-Royce models, particularly in the company’s native England, were hard to sell for years. But now the bespoke machines are back in a big way. In 2019, Rolls-Royce sold more than 5,100 vehicles worldwide, the best annual sales volume in the company’s 116-year history. Elizabeth Williams, the company’s product communications manager, discusses the Rolls-Royce return to prominence on this week’s episode of The

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2020 Dodge Charger ultimate family muscle car

The Dodge Charger began as a concept vehicle in the 1940s, debuted in production in 1966 and gained its fame as the car driven by the bad guy in the 1968 movie Bullitt. Steve McQueen pursued the Charger and its stuntman driver Bill Hickman on the hilly streets of San Francisco in his 1968 Ford Mustang. The scenes defined muscle car bravado. Not much has changed in the past half-century. The Charger and Mustang, in their best performance trims, remain iconic. They’re modernized, more powerful and both retain a link to the past. The 2020 Dodge Charger knows its strengths.

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RV industry booming in COVID-19 crisis but buyer beware

The COVID-19 pandemic has likely forever changed the business landscape — and not for much good. But the RV industry is an exception among the tragedies of long-time companies closing, furloughed employees and depleting workforces. RVing has provided a new part-time and full-time opportunity for travelers who are increasingly weary of the restrictions of home stay drug the coronavirus. Sales are up. The video below and its commentary on the CNBC network provides an excellent overview of the industry. It discusses ownership of different types of RVs and vans and the major companies that manufacturer them. RV industry quality control

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Toyota Tundra recall woes: faulty wiring, dim turn signals

Nearly 200,000 Toyota Tundra pickup trucks in model years from 2018 through 2020 and equipped with LED headlights have been recalled their front turn signals may be too dim for other drivers to see. The problem occurs because on certain Tundra models the wiring harness connecting the front headlights and turn signals to the vehicle’s electrical system was improperly installed. Because of an error in written instructions used on the assembly line, the front turn signal bulbs were connected to the wrong wires in the harness and the bulbs do not fully illuminate. Toyota Tundra dealers will fix Federal motor

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Laguna Seca woes: COVID-19 concerns prompt IndyCar scratch

Following a 15-year absence, the IndyCar Series returned to Laguna Seca in 2019 with Colton Herta winning. Bryan Herta, Colton's father, was victorious at the raceway in 1998 and 1999.

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New stone truck built to last more than any Ford truck

Not too long ago, Chris Miller took a camping trip. It was for relaxation but he was also seeking inspiration for his next art creation. He found it — a perfectly patinaed 1940 Chevrolet pickup truck. The 80-year-old truck prompted an idea for Miller’s second elaborate work of automotive art — his second stone truck. Eight years after he made his first stone truck, Miller has created another. He’s also kept Ford Motor Company true to its word in an astonishing way. Miller, a sculptor who lives Maples Corner, a hamlet outside Calais, Vermont, began carving about 45 years ago.

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#143, Record sale for Mustang; goodbye Chevy Sonic, Honda Fit

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There’s always news in the automotive world. Sometimes, The Weekly Driver Podcast doesn’t schedule a guest so co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia can discuss a few topics, like cars that will no longer be manufactured and a 55-year-old Mustang selling for an eye-opening record. That’s what we do in this episode. The Chevrolet Sonic and Honda Fit will no longer be manufactured after the cars’ current editions. Bruce and I discuss why we say good riddance to the Sonic and a hearty farewell to the Fit. Mustang, Mustang. How about a Mustang? Who would have known, a Mustang selling

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#142, Pickup truck rarity: 1958 Chevy an homage to SF Giants

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Amir Daneshvar is accustomed to selling unique, high-end, modern-day cars — Audi to Porsche, BMW to Mercedes-Benz. But how about a 1958 Chevrolet Apache Fleetside? It’s more unusual considering its appearance. It’s an homage on wheels to the San Francisco Giants. The pickup truck was made for one of the team’s “super fans.” The year of the truck is the year the Giants relocated from New York to San Francisco. It has a 350 crate motor and a 700R4 transmission. Daneshvar is our guest on Episode #142 of The Weekly Driver Podcast. Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia visit with

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5K deposit for ghost truck: Gamblers’ delight or dilemma?

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Here’s an investment adventure for hybrid truck enthusiasts: You can make a deposit of $250 to $5,000 on a hydrogen/electric pickup truck with an estimated range of 600 miles. The caveat: The Nikola Badger doesn’t exist — at least not yet. Nikola, named after Nikola Tesla, the Serbian-American inventor, electrical engineer, mechanical engineer and futurist, was announced in late June. According to the company based in Phoenix, Ariz., the powertrain has 906 horsepower and 980 lb-ft of torque and can accelerate from 0-to-60 miles per hour in 2.9 seconds. The truck’s full cost ranges between $60,000 and $90,000. It’s touted

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5 great cars for drive-in movie visit during Covid-19

There’s no wrong vehicle to drive to a drive-in movie theater. But some are better than others. And one of the best is a Ram 1500 pickup truck — at least according to cars.com. Drive-in movie theaters are having another renaissance during the coronavirus as a safe escape from social distancing. Drive-ins around the country aren’t yet showing new movies. Instead, classics from many genres are playing. “Drive-in theaters are making a comeback this summer as the destination of choice for movies, music and other forms of live entertainment that people can experience without ever leaving the safety of their

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