The Weekly Driver Podcast

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 media room at the Los Angeles Convention Center

The automotive columnist for the Alameda Post, Berg is our guest this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast.

A convertible Genesis concept with "wrap-around" lights was displayed at the recent LA Auto Show. All images @ James Raia.

Berg, who drove from the San Francisco Bay Area to Los Angeles to the recently concluded 10-day show in his new, sixth-generation Chevy Camaro, is also a car collector. He owns nearly 20 vehicles.

Co-host Bruce Aldrich and I talk with Berg about the car industry and his passion for cars. We also ask for his impressions of the show, the vintage vehicles on display to debuts and concepts.

Several manufacturers at the LA Auto Show recognized their past while also presenting current models and concepts, including this 1956 Lincoln Continental.

What did he make of the Genesis concept and its wrap-around headlights? What about Vinfast, the Vietnamese company that showcased two more vehicles and is now taking orders? And what of the absence of Tesla, Rivian and others?

We discuss all of it in our usual half-hour of light-hearted banter

To read more of Berg's work, visit: https://alamedapost.com/automotive/

 

New rich exterior paint colors were among the themes of the LA Auto Show, including the stunning green on a Genesis sedan.

The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.

Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.

If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.

The podcast is in its fourth year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions.

Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: [email protected].

All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast

Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform. Several of the more prominent platforms are listed below.

Amazon.com

iheartradio

Spotify

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 but electric and built from the "ground up," the '67 is on display during the LA Auto Show.

Bill Morse, a marketing spokesperson for the London-based company is the first of my three guests during the opening day of the 2022 LA Auto Show.

The '67 by Charge Car presented at the LA Auto Show. All images © James Raia/2022.

While co-host Bruce Aldrich remained in Sacramento to produce the episode, I traveled to Southern California for the first major auto show of the season.

Bespoke Icon Stuns

A former actor who has worked with several manufacturers, Morse discusses the new company, now six years into its build process.

Morse details the long process of making each vehicle, some of which have already been purchased before they've been made. The '67 By Charge Car vehicle features an impressive list of specs and a hefty price.

Hagerty had a low-key presence at the 2022 LA Auto Show, but the 1994 Ferrari 248 stood out and it was fun to drive.

Charge Cars uses a snowflake as its cars' badge, with Morse explaining "each car is slightly different, "like a snowflake."

Morse said Charge Cars has two other iconic cars planned but wouldn't name the choices. "If I told you, it would bring a smile to your face."

Hagerty Goes Vintage

Jeremy Malcomb works for Hagerty, the Michigan-based automotive lifestyle and membership company, specializing in vintage cars. Hagerty had a low-key presence at the auto show. But its booth has prominently situated the front of the main entrance to the show and it had two vehicles available for test drives, including a 1994 Ferrari 248.

Pizza Hut uses a small fleet of ElectraMeccanica vehicles for the SOLO's convenience and EV efficiency. Three of the company's vehicles were showcased at the LA Auto Show.

With Jeremy as my guide and front-seat passenger, I drove the Ferrari on a two-mile loop around the city streets near the convention center. Later in the day, Jeremy was my second guest and we talked about the increase in vintage car values. The Ferrari I drove, cost about $100,000 new and it's now also worth about $100,000.

Ferrari Cruises Downtown

"Certainly, it was probably the cheapest Ferrari at the time, it's a mid-engine V8, a gated manual transmission, a great receipt for a much-loved car," said Jeremy. "Today, they've been widely considered a great place to start if just you're getting into Ferraris."

Jeremy and I also discussed the market-wide increase in vintage car prices and Hagerty's ride-share program, Drive Share. Owners from around the country list their collectible cars for rent.

ElectraMeccanica is a Canadian-designed and manufactured single-seat electric vehicle called the Solo. It's considered an enclosed motorcycle.

Ingeniously designed to be sleek, fun, easy-to-charge, and earth-friendly, SOLO transforms your daily routine with its maneuverability, a top speed of 80 mph, and up to 100 miles of range on a single charge.

The company, which debuted last year at the LA Auto Show, presented its update this year and it's my third segment. ElectraMeccanica had three vehicles on display, including one wrap for a Pizza Hut franchise. Its one commercial application that's been a success for the convenient, about-town little machines.

The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.

Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.

If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.

The podcast is in its fourth year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests: famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions.

Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: [email protected].

All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast

Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform. Several of the more prominent platforms are listed below.

Amazon.com

iheartradio

Spotify

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 range.

First, car names can mean a lot toward the success or failure of an automobile. We found a recent list on a prominent auto site that lists the top-25 worst car names in history.

The list comes to mind with the not-too-long-ago naming of the pending new Ferrari sport utility vehicle. It will be called the Purosangue.

The concept cars at 2021 LA Auto Show included the Mullen Five. The EV sedan hasn't been made. Image © Bruce Aldrich/2021.

Ferrari, of course, has long been associated with horses and its "Prancing Pony" logo. The new Ferrari is named after the word for an Italian thoroughbred. It's pronounced PURO-o-SAN-gue, and it's a hideous name. The list of the 25 oddball names of cars is a fun read, so have a listen.

Also on this episode this I will be attending the LA Auto Show this week (Nov, 16-18) while Bruce produces my daily podcast interviews from the Los Angeles Convention Center.

Electric vehicles will again be emphasized this year, and VinFast, the Vietnamese manufacturer, will be again be part of that portion of the show. VinFast will be the first Vietnamese car available in the United States with the pending debut in 2023.

Speaking of debuts, as always the LA Auto Show will have its share of global and North American debuts.

Manufacturer ambassadors are always par of the LA Auto Show. Image © James Raia/2014.

The 115th The LA Auto Show will be held Nov. 18-26 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Alfa Romeo, Aston Martin, Charge Cars, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, ElectraMeccanica, Fiat, Genesis, GMC, Hummer, Hyundai, INDI EV, Jaguar, Kia, Land Rover, Lexus, Lincoln, Mazda, Porsche, Subaru, Supernal (Advanced Air Mobility), Volkswagen, Volvo and the abovementioned VinFast will have all exhibitions.

But arguably the best bets, the most consistent, the cars for the every person, are presented every year. New models from the top-10 best-selling vehicles from 2021 will all be presented.

Ford continued its dominance with the F-Series pickups accounting for 726,004 sales. The Ram pickup (569,388), Chevrolet Silverado (519,774), Toyota RAV-4 (407,739), Honda CR-V (361,271), Toyota Camry (313,795), Nissan Rogue (285,602), Jeep Cherokee (264,444), Toyota Highlander (264,128) and Honda Civic (263,787) completed the top-10.

Despite the continuing chip shortage and Covid-19 ramifications, only the Chevrolet Silverado (down 13 percent), Ford F-Series pickup trucks (8 percent) and Toyota RAV4 (5 percent) had lower sales tallies in 2021 than in 2020.

Bollinger Motors exhibited its concept vehicles for the past several years at the LA Auto Show. They've never been manufactured. Image © James Raia/2019.

Manufacturers aren't required to detail what vehicles will be shown at the LA Auto Show. Some new offerings have been announced, others will be unveiled as late as the week of the show.

Honda recently announced the public availability of the 315-horsepower 2023 Civic Type R. It's the most powerful production vehicle the manufacturer has ever sold, and its will have a starting MSRP of $42,895.

Toyota has eliminated V6 Highlander, replacing for 2-23 with a 2.4-liter, four-cylinder. The new model will also feature new multimedia dashboard-area screens and new exterior paint choice, Cypress Green.

The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.

Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.

If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.

The podcast is in its fourth year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions.

Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: [email protected].

All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast

Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform. Several of the more prominent platforms are listed below.

Amazon.com

iheartradio

Spotify

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 Bloom's passion for high-performance vehicles. It also ignited his interest in writing about his experiences and the always-compelling automobile industry.

Bloom, 16, a sophomore at Aptos High School (located on the central coast of California), is our guest this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast.

Co-host Bruce Aldrich and I talk with the journalist about his automobile interests and those of his peers. We also talk with him about his writing talents.

Bloom, recommended by Dave Kellogg (my long-time editor at The Monterey Herald), is now also a writer for TheWeeklyDriver.com. He has also contributed to The Herald and other automotive websites.

Legendary Mario Andretti (front center) taken during the Velocity Invitational at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. © Mason Bloom/TheWeeklyDriver.com.

"In 2012, I think it was, my dad bought a Porsche 911 and that just really changed my perspective," said Bloom, who has contributed four articles to TheWeeklyDriver.com. "You know, being able to ride in a small, fast sports car, that radiated the love of cars for me. He's owned the car for about 10 years now, but that's really the root of it."

During Covid-19 pandemic, Bloom had the opportunity to drive his family friend's Aston Martin. Bloom was further enamored with cars. He took images and wrote his first full car review in 2020.

"It was a typical Aston Martin; it was loud and it was fast," said Bloom of his Vantage experience. "It's not the most comfortable city car, contrary to popular belief. But the Mercedes V8 and the Aston Martin styling. It's a classic combination."

We also talk with Bloom about the high school car club he has with several classmates, and the cars he's considering when the time is right for his first vehicle.

Bloom began contributing to TheWeeklyDriver.com in mid-October after attending the Velocity Invitational at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca with his father.

In August, an article and accompanying photography Bloom crafted about the famous Concours d'Elegance was featured on Page 1 of the Sunday edition of the Monterey Herald.

Here are the links to his four articles to date:

Wildly Modified Porsche 911s Scale World's Tallest Volcano

Ferrari Launches First LeMans Hypercar in 50 years

WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca Repaved for 2023

Velocity Invitational: History, Hypercars, Luxury Lifestyle

The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.

Image © Mason Bloom, TheWeeklyDriver.com/2022

Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.

If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.

The podcast is in its fourth year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions.

Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: [email protected].

All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast

Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform. Several of the more prominent platforms are listed below.

Amazon.com

iheartradio

Spotify

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 car insurance expert with CarInsuranceComparison.com, is our guest this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast.

Prepare for driving in inclement weather by following winter driving safety tips.

Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia talk with Musson about the importance for drivers and pedestrians to remain acutely vigilant during the time of the year when nightfall occurs earlier.

Musson provides expertise in many areas of car insurance, notably the increased accidents and other concerns during winter driving.

Statistics tell the story:

• Seventy percent of drivers who live in regions of the United States that receive five inches or more of snowfall a year should start preparing for adverse winter road conditions;

• Winter road maintenance accounts for nearly 25 percent of most states’ DOT budgets.

• More than four fatal crashes annually for every a million drivers occur due to snow or sleet.

• Nearly 55,000 people are injured annually in traffic accidents due to snow or sleet.

• Snow, ice and fog account for 544 million hours of traffic delays per year.

• Snowy, slushy, and icy pavement cause more than 1,300 traffic deaths each year.

Considering the staggering numbers, Musson details why should we focus on winter driving statistics,

how winter driving conditions affect car insurance and how drivers can improve their safety in adverse road conditions and avoid needing roadside assistance.

Proper equipment and well-maintained vehicles, including car batteries greatly improve safety during winter driving. Make certain tires are properly inflated. Replace windshield wipers. Make sure engine fluids are the right consistency for the season and at the proper levels. Catastrophe can be avoided.

For additional information,  CarInsuranceComparison.com has a comprehensive list of 25 winter driving statistics.

The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.

Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.

If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.

The podcast is in its fourth year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions.

Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: [email protected].

All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast

Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform. Several of the more prominent platforms are listed below.

Amazon.com

iheartradio

Spotify

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 had my first experience renting a car for a day in the peer-to-peer, car-share industry.

We also discuss the continuing troubles of Rivian, the upstart electric vehicle manufacturer, and we visit the list of the world's top 50 most expensive cars.

Bruce Aldrich (left) and  James Raia have broadcast The Weekly Driver Podcast for more than four years.

For their longest excursion and sixth trip in their fifth-wheel RV, a 29-foot Keystone Cougar towed by their 2022 Ford F-250 pickup truck, Bruce and Alene traveled from Sacramento along the North coast of California and into Bandon, Oregon.

As Bruce explained, he's far more skilled driving the RV — from maneuvering on winding roads to using the fifth wheel hitch. But he continues to learn.

During nearly 20 years of reviewing cars, I've rarely had a rental car. Last week was an exception. I needed a rental vehicle for one day and I decided to try the personal car share business. I rented a 2015 Volkswagen Passat and drove it slightly less than 200 miles.

We discuss my experiment, with some personal perspective on the pros and cons of car sharing compared to driving a vehicle from a traditional car rental business.

Rivian makes beautiful pickup trucks and it also had an RV on display a few years ago when the new EV manufacturer debuted its concept vehicles at the Los Angeles Auto Show. The pickup truck is on the market, but not the SUV.

Now comes word Rivian has recalled 13,000 trucks because of a possible loose fastener that could cause the driver to lose steering control. Rivian has delivered only 13,198 vehicles in about a year since the truck's public delivery began.

Lastly, Bruce and I talk about top 50 most expensive cars ever made. What's the most expensive? You'll have to list to the podcast.

The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.

Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.

If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.

The podcast is in its fourth year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions.

Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: [email protected].

All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast

Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform. Several of the more prominent platforms are listed below.

Amazon.com

iheartradio

Spotify

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 1987 as the Towe Ford Museum. It was renamed the Towe Auto Museum 1997 and has has held it current name for nearly 15 years.

The California Automobile Museum has a varied selection of vintage cars and trucks. Images courtesy of Gabriel Ionica.

Felderstein is my guest this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast. While co-host Bruce Aldrich remains on assignment, I talk with Felderstein about his varied collection of vehicles and about the museum.

The museum's largest event of the year, the California CruiseFeast, will be held Oct. 8 from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Proceeds of the event benefit the California Vehicle Foundation - a 501c3 charitable organization.

With several prominent streets closed, hundreds of cars of all makes and models and thousands of spectators will take in the varied history of the automobile. Food trucks, music and beer garden are all included in the 11th annual event.

Besides its collection of vehicles, the California Automobile Museum has vehicles for sale.

Felderstein, who rotates through his collection of vintage cars to complement his daily drivers, discusses his interest in mechanics, the history of cars and his work at the California Automobile Museum.

Please join me for a varied episode about Sacramento's enduring automobile museum.

For more information Sacramento CruiseFest, the museum's exhibits and community events, visit: www.CalAutoMuseum.org.

The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts. The idea of more eyeballs on more content works for us.

Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com. A graphic display at the bottom of the post links to automotive selections of the online retailer. But there's also a search function for anything available directly from the site.

If you shop via this site, we receive a small commission. It helps us continue to produce independent content. The site began in 2004 and includes more than 700 reviews.

The podcast is in its fourth year, and we've had a diverse collection of guests — famous athletes, vintage car collectors, manufacturer CEOs, automotive book authors, industry analysts, a movie stuntman and episodes from auto shows and car auctions.

Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: [email protected].

All podcast episodes are archived on theweeklydriver.com/podcast

Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform. Several of the more prominent platforms are listed below.

Amazon.com

iheartradio

Spotify

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 the basics and the details.

Owned and operated by QuinStreet, Inc., a "pioneer in delivering online marketplace solutions to match searchers with brands in digital media" the website offers a good launching point for those seeking car insurance. It recently published a list of the cheapest and most expensive 2022 vehicles to insure.

The 2022 Subaru Forester Wilderness is the cheapest car on average to insure in the United States.

The site’s editors looked at the insurance rates for more than 3,000 vehicles to determine how much policyholders pay.

Laura Longero, executive editor for CarInsurance.com, is our guest on this episode of the TheWeekly Driver Podcast.

Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia discuss with Longero the top-five most expensive and cheapest 2022 models on the road.

We talk about how CarInsurance.com assembles its data and the importance of determining auto insurance rates.

Maserati has the top two most expensive 2022 cars to insure in the United States.

Insurance for the priciest cars ranges from $4,000 to more than $5,000 per year. Rates for the cheapest cars to insure run around $1,300 per year.

Here are the lists of the top-five most expensive and top-five least expensive cars to insure in 2022:

Cheapest

Subaru Forester Wilderness

Hyundai Venue SE

Honda CR-V LX

Mazda CX-30 S

Toyota C-HR XLE

Most Expensive

Maserati Quattroporte

Maserati Quattroporte Modena Q4

BMW M8 Competition Gran coupe

Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid Executive

Audi RS e-tron GT

Please join us as our guest, a long-time industry expert, shares with us the latest in car insurance.

The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts.

Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com.

Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: [email protected].

All podcast episodes are archived on www.theweeklydriver.com/podcast

Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform:

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iTunes

Spotify

Stitcher

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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 the iconic automobile introduced by Italian-French carmaker Ettore Bugatti in 1924. Greene owns three, including the 1925 Bugatti Type 35 he's competed in at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca for many years beginning in 1997.

The former investment executive was my recent guest on The Weekly Driver Podcast during this year's automotive gathering, the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion. He participated for five straight days in his rare vehicle.

Nathanael Greene, 80, and his 1925 Bugatti Type at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. All images @ James Raia/2022

While co-host Bruce Aldrich was on vacation, talked with Greene about his lifelong passion for cars and his three Bugattis.

"I was visiting my grandmother in New Hampshire; I must have been 12 or 14," Greene explained. "One day, there was this blue car going vroom down the street and vroom coming the other way, several different times.

"I thought, 'this is fantastic.' I had no idea at the time. Jump forward at least 20 years and I buy my grandmother's house. I got to know the neighbor. He bought Bugatti Type 43 in 1952. He was a great car enthusiast, a great Bugatti enthusiast."

The Bugatti undergoing road tests on suburban New England streets was given to Greene's neighbor to sell. It became hugely successful in Europe. It also impressed Greene to the degree that bought his 1925 Bugatti Type in 1997. It was in parts.

Nathanael Greene owns three Bugattis. He participates in vintage races around the country.

"It (the Type 35) had been taken apart 20 years earlier," said Greene. "But the guy bought another car, concentrated on that and this one got pushed to the back and nothing was done for a long time. I came along and said I would buy it and he said OK."

Greene's passion for Bugatti combines his keen interests in fine mechanics, driving, history and the umbrella of the automobile industry. He no longer works on the Bugatti Type 35, but he knows the minutiae of the brand and originator's varied innovation. Greene also has two daily drivers, a Subaru Outback and a Volkswagen Sportwagen diesel.

"Bugattis were never the fastest cars, but they were the easiest to drive," he said. "The races were generally 300 to 500 miles. Cars like Maserati would simply wear the drivers out. Everything about this car is so light."

The Type 35, is a three-valve, two-liter engine with a four-speed transmission. It weighs 1,700 pounds and has 90 horsepower. The vehicle was driven to more than 1,000 wins, including the 1926 Grand Prix World Championship.

Nathanael Greene lives in New Hampshire. He participate in vintage car events at Laguna Seca since 1997 in his 1925 Bugatti.

Greene's father was an engineer who had more interest in steam than cars. The younger Greene has a degree in mechanical engineering from Yale University.

"I think somewhere between the ages of 12 and 15 there wasn't anything I owned that I hadn't taken apart and put back together," said Greene who retired from an investment management career in 2004.

Greene only competes in his Type 35 and has completed more than 500 laps at Laguna Seca. He has also completed the Mille Miglia, the 1,000-mile roundtrip event for vintage cars from Brescia to Rome.

As a vintage race competitor, Greene defines the events as competitions of respect.

"For racing, I think the pre-war is the best because everybody really respects the cars much more than the modern cars," he said. "Everybody is really careful. In some ways, it's more high-speed driving around the track as much as it is racing. I am never going to win. I know that. It's the experience."

As an octogenarian, Greene says his driving skills, including reaction instincts, haven't diminished.

"You have to concentrate pretty thoroughly when it's hot," he said. "You're racing, so this stuff gets hot. But you don't think too much about it because you're really concentrating on driving the car."

Although has never dented his Bugatti or been hurt in the vehicle, a race steward once told him Greene he'd hit someone. The driver replied: "It wasn't me."

While participating at tracks around the country takes time, money and energy, Greene also had other recreational pursuits. He enjoyed helicopter skiing but stopped because of the Covid-19 epidemic. He likely won't return to the slopes, but his vintage car racing will continue.

"It's a terrific feeling," said Greene. "It's a lot of fun; it's fun to show what the car can do. Yesterday in practice, it was the fifth-fastest in the group."

Greene has dispatched several inquiries from potential buyers, but says he will eventually sell the Type 35, now likely worth $1 million and not in parts.

In the meantime, after a week on the Monterey Peninsula, Greene and his wife returned to their home in Peterborough, N.H. to prepare for The Hilliard U.S. Vintage Grand Prix weekend. It begins Sept. 8 in Watkins Glen, N.Y.

The Weekly Driver Podcast encourages and appreciates feedback from our listeners. Please forward episode links to family, friends and colleagues. And you are welcome to repost links from the podcast to your social media accounts.

Support our podcast by shopping on Amazon.com.

Please send comments and suggestions for new episodes to James Raia via email: [email protected].

All podcast episodes are archived on www.theweeklydriver.com/podcast

Every episode is also available on your preferred podcast platform:

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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 lives in San Francisco, Lappin has imported two vehicles from Japan, including his latest find, a 1990 Daihatsu HiJet Firetruck. It's named "Kiri."

Todd Lappin purchased his 1990 Japanese firetruck in 2020. All Images © James Raia/2022.

Lappin, who showcased his truck at the recent The Little Car Show in Pacific Grove during Monterey Auto Week, is my guest this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast.

Lappin, who bought the truck two years ago, qualifies. While uncertain of its detailed service history, the vehicle's new owner communicates with residents of the city where it lived largely unscathed.

"I have gotten to know a bunch of the people in the town where it's from through social media, which is really cute," said Lappin, an interface designer. "They thought they were done with this firetruck and then it shows up on Instagram having the party lifestyle in San Francisco."

The firetruck's legacy is unspectacular. When Lappin purchased it had been driven 2,500 miles in 30 years. It has right-hand drive, a three-cylinder, mid-engine and four-wheel drive. It has 12-inch wheels and uses regular-grade fuel.

Todd Lappin's petite firetruck had only 2,500 miles on its engine after 30 years of service.

"It's not actually slow until it is," Lappin said. "You top out at about 50 miles per hour, but getting to 50, it's actually pretty quick.

Unlike traditional firetrucks, the Daihatsu Hijet doesn't have a water tank. Because Japan is a "wet" country, as Lappin explained, firefighters assume a water source is nearby when they respond to a fire.

The truck has a removable pump that's brought to a water source and its hoses are utilized.

The firetruck served in Kirigamine, a city in Nagano Prefecture. Lappin compared it to a smaller version of Auburn. It had a 30-year tenure as part of the volunteer fire department but was rarely called into service. Relegated to the Japanese auction system it is retirement, Lappin purchased via a wholesale transaction.

Todd Lappin purchased in 1990 Japanese firetruck for about $10,000.

Shipped to San Francisco, the firetruck arrived intact. With all costs involved, Lappin paid less than $10,000.

"I have always been a car person, too, and the two things started blending," said Lappin, 55. "I imported a Nissan Skyline from Japan about five or six years ago, which I always say was my gateway drug to the firetruck."