The Weekly Driver Podcast

By James Raia and Bruce Aldrich

What's The Weekly Driver Podcast about?

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.

Download our free app to listen on your phone

The Weekly Driver Podcast episodes:

04.18.2024
#285, Hagerty’s 40-year celebration
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...
03.25.2024
#284, Volvo software chief talks new EV SUV, relationship with Nvidia
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...
03.13.2024
#283, Veteran WSJ reporters debut insiders’ look at Formula 1 failures, successes
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...
03.10.2024
#282, 2024 Nvidia Conference With Danny Shapiro
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...
01.29.2024
#281, Automotive legend: Ralph Teetor
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...
01.22.2024
#280, Pivotal Debuts Helix Personal Flying Vehicle
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,...
12.28.2023
#279, Ben Welch and his Million-Mile Suburban
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...
12.19.2023
#278, Lucid Air takes best of 2023 honors
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...
12.06.2023
#277, New author on Tales from the Garage
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...
11.27.2023
#276, John Vincent, U.S. News & World Report, talks Best Cars, Brands, LA Auto Show
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...
11.06.2023
#275, An Interview with Barrett-Jackson CEO Craig Jackson
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...
10.31.2023
Travel author Jessica Dunham: The Open Road is her passion
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,...
10.19.2023
#273, Car talk with Car Talk’s enduring executive producer, Doug Berman
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...
10.17.2023
#272, Genesis: not the band, not the Bible but the fast-growing South Korean carmaker
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...
10.09.2023
#271, Industry expert John Vincent talks lingering UAW strike, updates EVs
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...
09.21.2023
#270, Chicago-based business provides automotive Xtreme Xperiences
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...
09.14.2023
#269, Renowned automotive journalist talks future of car-sharing
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...
08.19.2023
#268 Newport Car Museum Adds Prized Collection of Vintage Porsches
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...
08.13.2023
#267, The Voice: John Kraman talks Mecum Auctions, Monterey
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...
08.02.2023
#266, Cars.com releases 18th ANNUAL American-made index
Buying a vehicle made in the United States is essential to many consumers. According to Cars.com, about half of the car buyers in the United States say they will pay more for a vehicle that creates U.S. jobs. Additionally, 24 percent...
06.24.2023
#265, Lightship: entrepreneurs debut EV RV
Ben Parker and Toby Kraus are co-founders of Lightship. Both entrepreneurs worked for Tesla but are now immersed in a collaborative project in the recreational vehicle industry. Parker and Kraus recently introduced the prototype of the L1. It's a pending all-electric...
06.22.2023
#264, Chris Miller: Vehicle sculptures in stone
Chris Miller has been a friend of The Weekly Driver Podcast for three years. An artist who lives Maples Corner, a hamlet outside Calais, Vermont, Miller began made his sculpture career nearly 50 years ago. He works in granite, wood...
06.11.2023
#263, Megabus returns to California market
Megabus, the discount city-to-city bus system, debuted in 2006. Marketed as having served more than 50 million customers in more than 500 cities, the express service features tickets between metro cities for as little as $1 each way. The travel option...
05.17.2023
#261, Vintage buses, pub crawls, one crafty Santa Cruz woman
The citizens of Santa Cruz and the surrounding oceanside towns and tree-lined hamlets may hold an unofficial record for their entrepreneurial ways. Creativity rules small businesses, from bespoke bicycle makers to artists to Annie Wolff Patsch. Wolff Patsch and her husband,...
05.04.2023
#260, Cheap SUVs, racing icon dies and more
From time to time during the more than five years of The Weekly Driver Podcast, co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia catch-up on automotive news instead of having a guest. This week on Episode #260 we visit four diverse topics...
04.26.2023
#259, Reverend Gadget: preaches for EVs
Greg Abbott, an ordained minister for nearly 40 years, is also a steel fabrication artist, craftsman, prop builder and television personality based in Los Angeles, California. Mostly, he's known as "Reverend Gadget" or just "Gadget" for his leading role in a...
04.07.2023
#258, NASCAR at 75 detailed by four authors in new book
Jimmy Creed, born and raised in Talladega, Alabama, is a decades-long journalist whose interest in motorsports and specifically NASCAR racing began when he was a young boy. Creed knows the city's famous racetrack as well as any journalist. He cultivated his...
03.28.2023
#257, Data reveals public hasn’t embraced EVs
Divya Sangam, an industry expert at ValuePenquin.com, the LendingTree.com insurance division, is immersed in EVs, the Electric Vehicle segment of the automotive world. In a recently released survey, Sangam detailed the still-niche electric vehicle market. Specifically, Sangam, citing numerous statistics, reports...
03.15.2023
#256 EagleRider expands global motorcycling rental reach
EagleRider is a California-based motorcycle rental, touring and subscription company addressing the increasing two or three-wheel needs of experienced and novice motorcycle riders. Shawn Fechter, Senior Vice President of Brand Experience for EagleRider, is our guest on this episode of The...
03.14.2023
#167, Honoring Steve Casagrande and the family’s Bel Air
A REMEMBRANCE Stephen Casagrande was my dentist for about 35 years. His office was in midtown Sacramento, a few blocks from my office and a restaurant we both often visited called Cornerstone. Like he was with many patients, Dr. Casagrande became...
03.06.2023
#255 Pacific Coast Dream Machines celebrates 30 years
After a three-year hiatus, the most varied collection of automobiles, planes, boats and exotic machinery and their equally varying owners will again gather for the daylong Pacific Coast Dream Machines. Sometimes described as a showcase of motorized mechanical marvels, the event's...
02.28.2023
#254, Wife, husband share RV travels in new book
Bonnie and Grant Sinclair are high school teachers in Georgia who also enjoy the outdoors as part-time RV enthusiasts. As wife and husband, Bonnie Sinclair has co-authored an RV travel book with her husband Grant Sinclair. Grant Sinclair The Sinclair's first book...
02.21.2023
#253, Journalist John Berg’s passion for Corvettes
John Berg is passionate about cars and trucks, notably vintage vehicles with an emphasis on Corvettes. The automotive columnist for the Alameda Post owns two of "America's Sports Car." Berg is our repeat guest this week on Episode #253 of The...
01.25.2023
#252, iSeeCars.com analyst Karl Bauer talks used cars
Karl Brauer is an automotive analytics wonk. It's a compliment to the work and enthusiasm the lead analyst for iSeeCars.com has for number crunching, comparisons, trends and all things related to buying, selling, appreciation and deprecation of cars and trucks....
12.24.2022
#251, LAND Energy debuts versatile electric light vehicles
Scott Colosimo is the founder and CEO of LAND Energy, a Cleveland tech company that will debut its light electric vehicles at the upcoming Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, January 5-7. Colosimo, whose company started in 2020, is our guest...
12.14.2022
#250, The Weekly Driver’s 2022 Cars of the Year
Selecting the cars of the year helps celebrate another year reviewing new cars and trucks, visiting auto shows and talking with vintage car owners, book authors and industry experts about their cars of the year. There are always great and not-so-great...
12.07.2022
#249, Formula 1 US nirvana, muscle cars, surveys
With the recent announcement of the 2023 Formula 1 schedule, automobile racing's most lucrative series will have three events in the United States for the first time. The international circuit doesn't include any drivers from the United States, but enthusiasts in...
11.29.2022
#248, Auto journalist John Berg talks LA Auto Show
John Berg has spent decades in the automotive industry including as a reporter and photographer. John and I met recently at the LA Auto Show. We both had work to do, but we ended up talking for quite a while the...
11.21.2022
#247, 2022 LA Auto Show: Vintage Ferrari, Bespoke ’67, Solo
Charge Cars was founded in 2016 and its first project is now available. Without the manufacturer mentioned, the London-based company has for order 499 of its bespoke "The '67 By Charge Car." Created individually and built like the original Ford Mustang...
11.14.2022
#246, New Ferrari, LA Auto Show, Dumb Car Names
As we do periodically throughout the year, on this week's episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast co-host Bruce Aldrich and I get caught up on the automotive industry news. There's always a lot happening, and our topics cover a wide...
11.07.2022
#245, Young reporter Mason Bloom joins TheWeeklyDriver.com
Mason Bloom has experienced a lot as a young automotive enthusiast. His father owns a Porsche 911 and his father's friend owns an Aston Martin Vantage. Bloom drove the latter at age 12. Mason Bloom The Porsche and Aston Martin experiences solidified...
10.27.2022
#244, Insurance expert talks all things winter driving
It's a family affair. Several relatives have been or are in the field and now for nearly a decade, Melanie Musson has cultivated her expertise in the car insurance industry. With Halloween and the winter on the horizon, Musson, a published...
10.17.2022
#243, RVs, car-sharing, Rivian, expensive cars
Co-host Bruce Aldrich and I get caught up on the automotive industry on this week's episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast. Bruce and his wife Alene took another trip in their new RV towed by their new pickup truck. I...
10.01.2022
#242, Sacramento collector talks California Automobile Museum
David Felderstein is a passionate collector of vintage automobiles and he shares his interests with friends and neighbors in East Sacramento and at the California Automobile Museum. Felderstein is the Exhibits Committee Chair and Board Secretary for museum, which opened in...
09.10.2022
#241, Subaru, Maserati, cheapest, priciest insurance rates
Buying car insurance may be the least enjoyable component of automobile ownership. It's a huge industry ripe with misinformation, high-profit margins and small print. CarInsurance.com, self-defined as "a one-stop online destination for car insurance information," does its part to give consumers...
09.02.2022
#240, Vintage driver, vintage Bugatti
Visiting a grandparent as a youngster often includes affection, treats and wisdom, all offered for free. It leads to buying a Bugatti in parts for $150,000 less frequently. Nathanael Greene's childhood visits to New Hampshire resulted in his 65-year history with...
08.23.2022
#239, SF man operates tiny firetruck as his daily driver
Todd Lappin is a self-described Japan geek. He visits the country often and says he speaks the language badly. He has also spent several years combining his interest in cars with his fondness for the Orient. A former magazine editor who...
08.15.2022
#238, Consumer Reports’ Top-10 Most Reliable Cars For 2022
After nearly 20 years at Consumer Reports, Jon Linkov is an expert among automotive experts. The Deputy Auto Editor, Linkov is our guest this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast to discuss one of the publication's most popular features —...
08.11.2022
#237, Support The Weekly Driver website, podcast
Bruce Aldrich and I have co-hosted The Weekly Driver Podcast for more than four years. It's available on all major podcast platforms, including TheWeeklyDriver.com. The independent automotive website, which I edit and publish, has been online since 2004. In this episode,...
08.01.2022
#236, Pulitzer Prize winner Joe White’s auto newsletter
Reporter Joe White of Thomson Reuters. Joe White has reported on the automotive industry for more than 40 years. Primarily based in Detroit throughout his career, White worked for The Wall Street Journal for 28 years, including tenures in Brussels and...

What's The Weekly Driver Podcast about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

The Weekly Driver Podcast episodes:

#285, Hagerty’s 40-year celebration

#284, Volvo software chief talks new EV SUV, relationship with Nvidia

#283, Veteran WSJ reporters debut insiders’ look at Formula 1 failures, successes

#282, 2024 Nvidia Conference With Danny Shapiro

#281, Automotive legend: Ralph Teetor

#280, Pivotal Debuts Helix Personal Flying Vehicle

#279, Ben Welch and his Million-Mile Suburban

#278, Lucid Air takes best of 2023 honors

#277, New author on Tales from the Garage

#276, John Vincent, U.S. News & World Report, talks Best Cars, Brands, LA Auto Show

#275, An Interview with Barrett-Jackson CEO Craig Jackson

Travel author Jessica Dunham: The Open Road is her passion

#273, Car talk with Car Talk’s enduring executive producer, Doug Berman

#272, Genesis: not the band, not the Bible but the fast-growing South Korean carmaker

#271, Industry expert John Vincent talks lingering UAW strike, updates EVs

#270, Chicago-based business provides automotive Xtreme Xperiences

#269, Renowned automotive journalist talks future of car-sharing

#268 Newport Car Museum Adds Prized Collection of Vintage Porsches

#267, The Voice: John Kraman talks Mecum Auctions, Monterey

#266, Cars.com releases 18th ANNUAL American-made index

#265, Lightship: entrepreneurs debut EV RV

#264, Chris Miller: Vehicle sculptures in stone

#263, Megabus returns to California market

#261, Vintage buses, pub crawls, one crafty Santa Cruz woman

#260, Cheap SUVs, racing icon dies and more

#259, Reverend Gadget: preaches for EVs

#258, NASCAR at 75 detailed by four authors in new book

#257, Data reveals public hasn’t embraced EVs

#256 EagleRider expands global motorcycling rental reach

#167, Honoring Steve Casagrande and the family’s Bel Air

#255 Pacific Coast Dream Machines celebrates 30 years

#254, Wife, husband share RV travels in new book

#253, Journalist John Berg’s passion for Corvettes

#252, iSeeCars.com analyst Karl Bauer talks used cars

#251, LAND Energy debuts versatile electric light vehicles

#250, The Weekly Driver’s 2022 Cars of the Year

#249, Formula 1 US nirvana, muscle cars, surveys

#248, Auto journalist John Berg talks LA Auto Show

#247, 2022 LA Auto Show: Vintage Ferrari, Bespoke ’67, Solo

#246, New Ferrari, LA Auto Show, Dumb Car Names

#245, Young reporter Mason Bloom joins TheWeeklyDriver.com

#244, Insurance expert talks all things winter driving

#243, RVs, car-sharing, Rivian, expensive cars

#242, Sacramento collector talks California Automobile Museum

#241, Subaru, Maserati, cheapest, priciest insurance rates

#240, Vintage driver, vintage Bugatti

#239, SF man operates tiny firetruck as his daily driver

#238, Consumer Reports’ Top-10 Most Reliable Cars For 2022

#237, Support The Weekly Driver website, podcast

#236, Pulitzer Prize winner Joe White’s auto newsletter