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.

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All Episodes

Another GM shock: All Chevy Bolts have been recalled

The Weekly Driver Podcast ·

2021/08/23

Every Chevy Bolt ever made dating to 2017 has now been recalled after 73,000 vehicles were added to the list because of potentially defective battery modules. The latest recall includes 73,000 vehicles in the U.S. and Canada from 2019 through 2022 model years, including the recently launched larger version called the Bolt EUV. The entire catalog of the EV Chevy Bolt lineup dating to 2017 has been recalled. With the previous recall involving about 69,000 cars globally, including nearly 51,000 in

How to prepare to choose the right new car to buy

The Weekly Driver Podcast ·

2021/08/19

COLLABORATIVE CONTENT Besides buying a house, purchasing a car is likely the most expensive personal expense. So, it's important to make the right choice. But what's the best way to make the best choice? Questions can vary greatly. How much can I afford? What's the best car for family travel or for long journeys? What's the best value or most dependable brand? Buying a new car requires proper financial and commonsense planning. If you're partial to certain manufacturers you right asked where is

New Aston Martin Valkyrie Spider unveiled and...

The Weekly Driver Podcast ·

2021/08/19

The 2022 Aston Martin Valkyrie Spider, unveiled during the just concluded Monterey Auto Week, is a new hypercar. Its stunning looks and impressive specs are equaled by its unannounced price speculated at more than $3.5 million. It's also an unattainable vehicle unless you're a current Aston Martin owner who was afforded the opportunity to buy one of the 85 examples manufactured. And good luck with that. They're all sold. Only 85 of the new 2022 Aston Martin Valkyrie Spider hypercars will be

Monterey Auto Week returned to glory with cars galore

The Weekly Driver Podcast ·

2021/08/18

Monterey Auto Week has a problem, and it's about as good as it gets. After a two-year hiatus because of COVID-19, the return edition ended Sunday, August 15 with the 70th anniversary of the Concours d'Elegance. It was the grand finale to a now 10-day occasion of about 30 events. And therein the issue for automotive enthusiasts gathering on the Monterey Peninsula: Where do we go and what do we all do first? How do we prioritize? Isn't it great to have choices? There's usually at least one

NEW TRUCK REVIEW: 2021 Ford F-250 rocks power

The Weekly Driver Podcast ·

2021/08/14

Fifty years into its unequaled success, Ford decided it needed more from its lightweight pickup trucks. The Super Duty lineup, including the F-250, was introduced. The family of haulers comprises the country's best-selling vehicles, and it's been that way for decades. The 2021 Ford F-250 pickup truck helps retains the manufacturer's dominance. Images © James Raia/2021. With its siblings, the F-350 through F-750, the F-250, which debuted in 1998 as a 1999 model, features a heavier-duty chassis and

Aston Martin world debut: Hypercar Valkyrie Spider

The Weekly Driver Podcast ·

2021/08/13

The Valkyrie Spider, marketed as one of the world's most extreme hypercars, was unveiled August 11 by Aston Martin at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance during Monterey Auto Week. With off-roof driving and described by the manufacturer as "the most comparable experience to that of an F-1 car not limited to the track," the Valkyrie Spider will feature a 6.5-liter V12 with revving to more than 11,000 RPM. Aston Martin has unveiled its new hypercar the Valkyrie Spider. Image courtesy of Aston

29:50

#193, Monterey Auto Week: Classic cars, Classic owners

The Weekly Driver Podcast ·

2021/08/12

Donald Osborne is an opera singer, museum CEO, international business owner and one of the voices of the Concours on the Avenue in Carmel, California. He knows cars and people and the gift of gab. Osborne recently returned from Europe but in plenty of time for Monterey Auto Week. The coronavirus and its variants are in different stages in Italy and England, where he attended globally renowned automotive events. On Tuesday morning, Aug. 10, the proprietor of Audrain Auto Museum in Newport, R.I.,

Rare Steve McQueen Husqvarna could fetch fortune in...

The Weekly Driver Podcast ·

2021/08/06

Steve McQueen, the iconic actor known as the King of Cool, rode many motorcycles in his movies and for recreation. Several vintage bikes from the actor's estate have sold. But the first Husqvarna dirt bike McQueen owned is particularly revered. And the machine of legend could several hundred thousand dollars when it's auctioned during RM Sotheby’s sale Aug. 12-14 during Monterey Auto Week. Steve McQueen owned about 200 motorcycles but his first bike was a Husyvyrna 360 and it will be up for

Monterey Auto Week: sensory overload for all things cars

The Weekly Driver Podcast ·

2021/08/05

Monterey Auto Week is the umbrella name for all things automotive collectively presented for 10 days during mid-August. It all began with the Pebble Beach Road Race in 1950. The races were called "The Del Monte Trophy" and were held on the twisty, leafy and narrow Pebble Beach roads. The series lasted until 1956. The Concours on the Avenue will be held Aug. 10 during Monterey Auto Week on Ocean Ave. and on nearby side streets in downtown Carmel. The show is free. All images © James Raia The

26:24

#192, Want to drive a stick shift? Hagerty has a...

The Weekly Driver Podcast ·

2021/08/04

Learning how to operate a manual transmission car or truck was a rite of automotive passage for drivers of a certain age. It's now a rarity, with a few exceptions including a campaign introduced by Hagerty. The American automotive lifestyle and membership company, Hagerty in July announced, as part of its 10th anniversary of the Hagerty Driving Experience, a mission. Its goal: to teach 500 people to drive a stick shift in 50 days. Rachel Ventimiglia, Assistant Manager of Car Culture at Hagerty, is

Bobby Rahal set to celebrate Indy Cars at Rolex Reunion

The Weekly Driver Podcast ·

2021/08/04

Bobby Rahal, the three-time Indy 500 winner who also won three consecutive Indy Car races at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca beginning in 1985 will have a feature role at the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion. Rahal will be part of the celebration of a historic Indy Car group that originally competed between 1963 and 1978. It will be run for the first time in an exhibition August 12-15 during Monterey Auto Week. Current IndyCar racing, which returned to WeatherTech Raceway in 2019, will be joined

27:36

#191, Monterey Auto Week tuned up, ready for restart

The Weekly Driver Podcast ·

2021/08/03

A few events have been amended, few postponed for another year. But by any name, Monterey Auto Week to Classic Car Week, and with events from The Little Car Show to the Concours d'Elegance, it's back. The all-encompassing showcase of automobiles and many related areas returns after a one-year COVID-19 hiatus. A crew attends to details on a vintage Rolls-Royce just prior to the bidding during Mecum Auctions at Monterey Auto Week. All images © Bruce Aldrich The festivities begin August 6 and

2021 Jeep Wrangler (hybrid!) still best off-road

The Weekly Driver Podcast ·

2021/07/31

The 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe, the new hybrid trim, is available as a four-door in three high-end offerings: the premium Sahara, more premium High Altitude, and Rubicon, geared toward off-road excursions. The 4xe (pronounced "four by E"), engine combines a 270 horsepower turbocharged inline-four-cylinder with a 44-horsepower motor connected through a front-end accessory belt. A 134-horsepower motor replaces the transmission's back-end torque converter. The 2021 Jeep Wrangler Sahara 4xe. The motors