The Weekly Driver Podcast

The Weekly Driver Podcast

Hosted by James Raia and Bruce Aldrich, The Weekly Driver Podcast dives deep into the highways and byways of the automotive world. Each week, we put you in the driver’s seat, exploring unique, unusual, and often untold stories from across the industry’s spectrum.

Episodes

#286, James Raia Behind the Wheel: Seven Years of Stories, Cars, and Conversations

November 4, 2024 • 56 mins
In this special The Weekly Driver podcast episode, Michael Kahn takes the reins from longtime hosts James Raia and Bruce Aldrich in an interview with Raia, who reflects on the journey in automotive journalism and podcasting over the past seven years. Raia leans forward and with a bit of a journalistic tone, he casually shares, "After reviewing cars every week for 21 years, I still find myself asking, 'What’s the story behind thi...
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#285, Hagerty’s 40-year celebration

April 17, 2024 • 29 mins
Tarra Warnes and her husband once owned two Yugos. The sub-compact three-door hatchback and two-door convertible are often cited as the worst vehicles in history. The Yugo enthusiast family's idea was to use one vehicle to provide parts for its counterpart's restoration as a race car. The outcome isn't as relevant as the irony of Warnes telling the tale. She's vice president of creative strategy at Hagerty. It's the insurance co...
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#284, Volvo software chief talks new EV SUV, relationship with Nvidia

March 25, 2024 • 18 mins
It was just before the opening evening session of the recent 2024 Nvidia GTC conference at the San Jose Convention Center and it got quiet quickly. Alwin Bakkenes, Russell Datz, the carmaker's national media relations manager, Bruce Aldrich, the co-host of The Weekly Driver Podcast, and I all stepped in and closed our respective doors of the 2024 EX90 electric SUV perched in the corner of the expo hall. The 2024 all-electric ...
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#283, Veteran WSJ reporters debut insiders’ look at Formula 1 failures, successes

March 13, 2024 • 37 mins
Jonathan Clegg and Joshua Robinson are colleagues in The Wall Street Journal's virtual sports department. Clegg, the sports editor, is an Englishman who lives with his family in New York. Robinson is an American based in London. They share global sporting interests, particularly soccer and motorsports. The duo's reporting expertise has led to a long collaboration away from daily journalism. They're now book co-authors for the th...
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#282, 2024 Nvidia Conference With Danny Shapiro

March 10, 2024 • 27 mins
The autonomous vehicle industry has reduced its speed. Its future is here, but it's not quite as in focus as the next signpost. Even the most fervent believers have re-evaluated their enthusiasm for the human-free driving mode. What's ahead for autonomous driving and an array of other pending driving technology is among the many topics in many industries set for explanation, examination and speculation beginning March 18...
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#281, Automotive legend: Ralph Teetor

January 29, 2024 • 32 mins
A strong argument could be made that Ralph Teetor is responsible for what is now called autonomous driving. Blind since he was a young boy, Teetor invented cruise control in the 1940s. It was one of more than 40 patents granted to a native of Indiana who died in 1982. Inventor Ralph Teetor. Teetor will be inducted posthumously into the National Inventors Hall of Fame on May 9 in Washington, D.C. Jack Teetor, the invento...
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#280, Pivotal Debuts Helix Personal Flying Vehicle

January 22, 2024 • 30 mins
Ken Karklin, the CEO of Pivotal, has had a several-decade career in engineering, aircraft and robotics. He knows technology as license holder of multiple patents. His latest passion is the Helix. Highlighted at the recent Consumer Electronic Show in Las Vegas, the Helix is the only personal flying vehicle in production in the United States. Public sales began January 8. Ken Karklin is the CEO of Pivotal, the manufacturer of t...
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#279, Ben Welch and his Million-Mile Suburban

December 27, 2023 • 29 mins
Ben Welch blames himself for driving his 1994 Chevy Suburban when he shouldn't have. He knew his van well except for one momentary lapse when the engine warnings were more serious than he thought. It was a long time ago and the vehicle has fared well regardless — it surpassed one million miles on the odometer without any engine overhauls. Welch, a Vietnam veteran who has lived in Lincoln, Nebraska, since 1962, is our guest th...
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#278, Lucid Air takes best of 2023 honors

December 19, 2023 • 31 mins
As co-hosts of The Weekly Driver Podcast, Bruce Aldrich and I have for the past several years picked the top cars of the year at the end of the calendar year. This year, as we do most often, Bruce and I interview a guest on the podcast and then drive the week's review vehicle to lunch. We often extend the day to further drive the vehicle, take images and share our opinions. The 2023 Lucid Air is The Weekly Driver Podcast's 20...
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#277, New author on Tales from the Garage

December 5, 2023 • 33 mins
Like many automotive enthusiasts, when Rodney Kemerer talks about cars his enthusiasm abounds. A lifelong enthusiast, Kemerer is the author of Tales From The Garage. As described in its Amazon profile, the "heartfelt book — the half memoir, have the memories of others — is truly a pop culture snapshot of modern society through the lens of the automobile." Kemerer is our guest this week on Episode #277 of The Weekly Driver...
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#276, John Vincent, U.S. News & World Report, talks Best Cars, Brands, LA Auto Show

November 27, 2023
John Vincent is the Senior Editor and Correspondent/Vehicle Testing on the Autos team at U.S. News & World Report. With more than 25 years of experience in the automotive industry, Vincent knows new cars, manufacturers and trends in the industry. The former long-time newspaper reporter is our guest this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast. Honda was recently named one of the best brands for 2023-2024 by U.S. News & World Report...
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#275, An Interview with Barrett-Jackson CEO Craig Jackson

November 6, 2023 • 29 mins
Craig Jackson is the CEO of Barrett-Jackson, the country's most well-known auction company, and he owns 108 vehicles — from muscle cars to sports cars and modern classics to resto-mods. Immersed in the automotive world since he was a boy, Jackson recently attended the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) annual gathering in Las Vegas. He was our special guest for the latest episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast. C...
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Travel author Jessica Dunham: The Open Road is her passion

October 30, 2023 • 33 mins
Jessica Dunham is a veteran journalist whose passion as a travel writer is the open road. She knows the well-traveled roads along Route 66 and Interstate 5. And she knows the less-visited locales, like the night sky over Marfa, Texas, which includes mysterious blinking lights. Dunham, the author of "The Open Road: 50 Road Trips in the USA" is our guest this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast. Jessica Dunham has authored numero...
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#273, Car talk with Car Talk’s enduring executive producer, Doug Berman

October 18, 2023 • 40 mins
Doug Berman is the unofficial third brother of the admired comedy team and automotive soothsayer duo of Thomas Louis Magliozzi and Raymond Francis Magliozzi. They were more well-known as "Click and Clack, the Tappet Brothers." They were co-hosts of Car Talk, the NPR radio show, for 25 years. Thinly disguised as a weekly program about automobile repair, the program was more about the banter between the brothers and an endearing r...
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#272, Genesis: not the band, not the Bible but the fast-growing South Korean carmaker

October 16, 2023 • 38 mins
Jarred Pellat is the senior manager public relations and communications of Genesis Motor North America. It's the eight-year-old luxury vehicle division of the South Korean vehicle manufacturer Hyundai Motor Company. A native of Canada who lived in South Korea for several years, Pellat is our guest on this episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast. The 2023 Genesis GV70 was the carmaker's first vehicle made in the United States. Ph...
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#271, Industry expert John Vincent talks lingering UAW strike, updates EVs

October 9, 2023 • 29 mins
John Vincent, senior editor and automotive correspondent for U.S. News & World Report, has more than 25 years of experience covering the auto industry. In addition to reviewing vehicles, he has vast expertise in auto financing, leasing and buying. He's also an expert observer and commentator regarding the current United Auto World strike. The UAW strike is a united effort to improve wages and benefits. As the strike approa...
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#270, Chicago-based business provides automotive Xtreme Xperiences

September 21, 2023 • 29 mins
Adam Olalde is the founder and CEO of Xtreme Xperience. The Chicago-based company provides unique driving experiences in luxury cars mixed with racetrack and lifestyle experiences. Olalde, who began his business after working for a luxury car rental service, is our guest this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast. Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia discuss with Olalde the fascination consumers have in exotic and high-performan...
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#269, Renowned automotive journalist talks future of car-sharing

September 14, 2023 • 30 mins
Michael Coates has done it all as an automotive journalist, from writer and editor to publishing and broadcast analysis. He's currently the editor and publisher of Clean Fleet Report, a well-respected automotive website focusing on automotive environmental issues. Coates, who also serves as Automotive Editor at Innovation & Tech Today magazine and writes for Autoweek magazine, is our guest this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast....
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#268 Newport Car Museum Adds Prized Collection of Vintage Porsches

August 18, 2023 • 30 mins
Gunther Buerman and his wife Maggie Buerman opened the Newport Car Museum in 2017 in Portsmouth, Rhode Island. They've constantly updated the combined automobile and history museum including its latest presentation — an homage to Porsche. Gunther Buerman, whose interest in automobiles began as a young boy when practiced wax paper transfer etchings of car advertisements from National Geographic Magazine, is our guest on this week...
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#267, The Voice: John Kraman talks Mecum Auctions, Monterey

August 13, 2023 • 33 mins
John Kraman knows the car auction business as well as a broadcaster. He's the senior member of the Mecum Auctions team and the only announcer who's been on all 16 years of the country's largest automobile auctions broadcast. He's our guest this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast. With broadcast colleagues and varied responsibility crew, co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia discuss with Kraman the auction's participation Aug. 17-...
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