2019 Mazda6: worthy sedan struggles against Honda, Toyota

The 2019 Mazda6 is among several manufacturers’ offerings presented in recent years to infiltrate the dominance of the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry. It’s automotive competition at its finest. Beyond the Mazda6, consider the Chevrolet Malibu, Ford Fusion, Hyundai Sonata, Kia Optima, Nissan Altima, Subaru Legacy and Volkswagen Passat. Reasons abound for any of the alternatives to the midsize monoliths as solid choices. Honda and Toyota sedans remain the definitions of consistency and have among the industry’s best resale values. The Mazda6 in 2018 sold about 10 percent of the Accord and Camry tallies, and its best annual sales season

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#104, RV expert discusses the ever-changing industry

Chuck Woodbury, publisher of RVTravel.com, is the preeminent expert in the ever-evolving recreational vehicle community. He’s traveled throughout the United States and in several other countries, documenting his journeys via the RV lifestyle. With his website and electronic newsletters, Woodbury and his contributors provide the industry’s leading source of news and information. Woodbury is also one of the few repeat guests on The Weekly Driver Podcast. Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia cover multiple components of the industry in episode #104. As we previously discussed, the RV industry offers many types of vehicles and various ways to experience a mobile

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#103, On the mend for years, U.S. roads crumbling again

Poor newspaper delivery, slow internet speed and increasing utility costs are constant public annoyances. But arguably at the top of the list of everyday frustrations is the worsening condition of roads. The Reason Foundation has been reporting on the issue for nearly a quarter-century. And in its recently released 24th Annual Highway Report, the libertarian think tank based in Los Angeles reports the nation’s roads are deteriorating. Baruch Feigenbaum, lead author of the Annual Highway Report and assistant director of transportation at Reason Foundation, is our guest this week in an abbreviated edition of The Weekly Driver Podcast. We experienced

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#102, Sacramento renaissance man drives a 1961 Studebaker

Dean Seavers has long appreciated vintage cars. He’s owned several, a passion that continues a family heritage. Seavers’ now-deceased father worked for General Motors in Fremont, California, and his son learned about mechanics and vehicle history at a young age. Seavers is also a renaissance man. He likes old stuff in his East Sacramento home. He appreciates craftsmanship from yesterday. Seavers’ interests are represented ideally by his current favorite automobile — a 1961 Studebaker Lark VIII station wagon. He’s owned the car for about three years and seemingly knows every inch of it. Seavers is our guest on Episode #102

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2019 Nissan Titan: tough competitors, tough road ahead

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Pickup trucks for many years have topped annual sales charts. With their sport utility vehicle cousins as co-conspirators, several manufacturers did what seemed unfathomable — abandon their sedan lineups. Poor gas mileage, difficult entry and exit and sometimes clunky rides don’t matter. Masculinity and versatility reign in new automotive purchasing. The top six best-selling vehicles in the United States in 2018 were either pickups or SUVs. Good reasons abound. In many instances, pickups are luxurious small apartments. The Nissan Titan is among the few trucks struggling. Sales slipped to just over 50,000 in 2018, a loss of nearly 5 percent

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#101, Mark Aldrich has 33-year family affair with ’59 Metro

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 28:47 — 39.5MB)Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | MoreFerraris and Porsches are fine and define precision performance. Mark Aldrich appreciates those iconic cars as much as anyone. But the Aliso Viejo, California, lawyer’s preferred vehicle is a 1959 Metro 1500. When high-end machines arrive at car shows with their distinctive growls, massive engines or flawless designs as mechanical works of art, Aldrich makes his entrance in a 60-year-old masterpiece. Aldrich is our guest on Episode #101 of The Weekly Driver Podcast. Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich (no relation) and James Raia discuss with Mark

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#100, Artist Robert Carter rides, vividly paints the auto world

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 30:30 — 41.9MB)Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | MoreAs a young commercial artist, Robert Carter left England for a motorcycle adventure in the United States. He malfunctioned one day in Chico, California. It’s now been the entrepreneur’s home and workplace for more than 45 years. A vintage car and motorcycle enthusiast, Carter owns Carter Artworks. He creates large, vivid paintings of famous cars and motorsports venues. He’s also a motorsports enthusiast with extensive knowledge of the machines he paints. Carter is our guest on Episode #100 of The Weekly Driver Podcast. Co-hosts

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Kwik Fit interactive game highlights distracted driving dangers

Kwik Fit takes its business as a retail tire seller and vehicle serving company seriously. But the United Kingdom-based enterprise isn’t opposed to having some educational fun while immersed in the importance of safe driving in the automotive industry. Which is why Kwik Fit has developed the interactive game Driven To Distraction. It clocks users’ recreation times and those shows how districting it is for drivers to use their phones while driving. The game challenges users to click on the screen as soon as they see the stop sign appear. The game records how many milliseconds it takes for players

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Auction backfire halts rare Porsche sale after $53 million mistake

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What’s a $53 million error among friends, collectors and vintage Porsche fanciers? It likely what was the biggest blunder in car auction history, an auctioneer with a hard-to-decipher Dutch accent at RM Sotheby’s on Aug. 17 during Monterey Auto Week began bidding on a 1939 Porsche Type 64 at was heard at $30 million. The starting bid for the one-of-kind vehicle was actually $13 million. It’s what was expected for the spacecraft lookalike. Only three of the cars were built and the prototypeup for auction is the only survivor. But monitors in the room showed the bid at $30 million.

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2019 Chevrolet Camaro defines muscle car in shrinking market

One of the most compelling automotive industry competitions occurred more than 50 years ago with the debut of the Ford Mustang. It was followed in quick order by the Chevrolet Camaro and Pontiac Firebird. The trio represented affordable sporty coupe sensations. The Firebird ceased production in 2002, but the Mustang and Camaro remain rivals. The Dodge Challenger is a newcomer foe now in its third iteration. As muscle cars, the trio represents a polarizing segment. Loud, powerful, masculine gas-guzzlers have loyal followers and equally passionate detractors. Sales figures give the latter group some boasting clout. Ford sold 75,842 Mustangs in

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#99, Pacific Grove Auto Rally celebrates 25th anniversary

The Pacific Grove Concours Auto Rally is among the most popular free-to-spectator events in the celebration of all things automotive during Monterey Auto Week. The trek through portions of the picturesque Monterey Peninsula is scheduled Friday, Aug. 16. It began in 1995 with automotive legend Caroll Shelby participating to help raise money for charity. To celebrate the rally’s 25th anniversary, the legendary Cobra (Shelby’s creation) Cobra will be the marque for the parade of drivers and their classics, sports cars and vintage machines. David Laws, a key event organizer, is our guest on Episode #99 of The Weekly Driver Podcast.

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#98, Mary McGee shares her career as motorcycle icon

Mary McGee has been busy lately. In July, she was a guest at the Superbike World Championships at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca on the Monterey Peninsula. A few weeks later, McGee was a guest at The Sacramento Mile, the long-standing motorcycle event. McGee’s presence at various events provides a chance for the public to recognize the pioneering race car and motorcycle driver now age 82. Inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame last November, Mary is our guest on episode #98 of The Weekly Driver Podcast. I had the opportunity to interview McGee during the Superbike World Championships. Bruce joined

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2019 Mazda3: Can hatchback help rally poor sales?

Nearly every mainstream manufacturer has a basic car marketed to appeal to budget buyers and a flagship model touted to redefine luxury. Competition is fierce, and the extremes of success and failure can often be defined by Mazda. The former Mazda Miata (now the MX-5) is 30-years-old and is the best-selling sports car in history. But the carmaker’s overall sales and industry influence continue to stumble. Individual models, like the CX9, are highly respected. But Mazda sales fell in 2016 to 1.7 percent of the U.S. market share — the carmaker’s lowest tally. More than two dozen compact crossovers are

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#97, Don Martine, Pacific Grove inn owner, MG museum curator

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 46:15 — 63.5MB)Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | MoreIt’s unlikely anyone is more knowledgeable and as fond of their favorite carmaker than Don Martine is about MG. A guest staying at the Martine Inn in Pacific Grove, California who appreciates automobiles and nature gets two treats. Not only do they experience classic accommodations across the street from the Pacific Ocean, but the location also pays homage to the British manufacturer. The Inn is home to the proprietor’s museum of MGs and memorabilia. From paintings on the Inn’s walls to vintage automotive posters

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100-year Bentley legacy set for Monterey Auto Week

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Bentley Motors’ continued centennial celebration will be highlighted in several ways during Monterey Auto Week, most notably the British carmakers’ spotlight on its past, present and future. The varied occasion will be held Aug. 15-18 during the now nearly two-week yearly celebration of all things automotive on the Monterey Peninsula. A featured marque during the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, Bentley will showcase several all-new and soon-to-be-available vehicles for the United States market. Highlights will include the debut of the Flying Spur luxury four-door Grand Tourer and the EXP 100 GT: a vision of luxury mobility in 2035. The Bentley spotlight

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2020 Kia Telluride: steller SUV debuts in saturated market

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More sport utility vehicles cruising down the road look alike. Even high-end, niche manufacturers that once disdained the idea of combining luxury and utilitarian characteristics in one vehicle offer SUVs. And they all look the same. Bentley, Maserati and Porsche sell SUVs. What’s next? Aston Martin, Ferrari, Lamborghini and Rolls-Royce SUVs? Yes, they would be the Verekai, Purosangue, Urus and Cullinan. It’s hard to fathom how they’ll fit into the crowded marketplace. The 2020 Kia Telluride debuted in February as a three-row SUV that looks like it could be part of the supercar SUV fraternity. But it costs about 10

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