The Drive with Alan Taylor Entertainment Right Now

Lauren Fix shared her experience with Alan Taylor at the New York International Auto Show and made it clear that people should not be forced to buy electric cars. She believes that electric vehicles are not practical for everyone as they take a long time to charge, and fast chargers are limited, causing inconvenience. Lauren recommends leasing hybrids as they are becoming more efficient and warns about the costly problems that arise with cars over three years old. She suggests that the government’s goal of having 100% electric vehicles on the road by 2032 is not realistic, and people should not be misled by it.







Karl Brauer is an automotive industry analyst, Forbes Autos contributor, North American Car and Truck of the Year juror, board member, and executive analyst for ISeeCars.com.  is up next, as he drove the 2024 Lexus IS 500 has a V8 engine, which is rare for its category. It’s an emotional, emoting exhaust system V8 compact luxury sedan and a direct competitor to the BMW 3 Series and the Mercedes C Class. The car has 472 horsepower and 395 lbs-ft torque, going from 0 to 60 mph in 4.4 seconds. A study by ISEECARS.com identified one-year-old cars with the biggest and smallest savings from new. The study found that cars lose approximately 40% of their value in the first three years. However, buying a one-year-old car with 13,000 miles on it can save you up to 48% off the new car price. The study shows that the Mercedes-Benz EQ S lost 47.8% of its value after one year, making it the car with the biggest savings.







At the New York Auto Show, George Kennedy III, co-founder of Cartender.com, and the Vice President of the New England Motor Press Association. He contributes to U.S. News & World Report, CarGurus, Forbes Wheels, and here on The Drive and Alan admired the 2025 Mustang GTD, a supercar with a powerful 800 horsepower engine and advanced features usually found in high-end cars. George also highlighted the Corvette E Ray, a hybrid Corvette with electric power in the front wheels, and enjoyed the modified vehicles showcased downstairs. Hyundai, Genesis, and Kia had significant exhibitions at the show, with Genesis showcasing their Berlinetta concept and the magma line. George is currently test driving the Hyundai Ioniq 6 Electric Sedan, which has won multiple awards and boasts a sleek design, spacious back seat area, an impressive range of up to 361 miles, and fast-charging capabilities.







At the New York Auto Show, Brian Moody, Executive Editor of Auto Trader and KBB, was impressed by the Genesis brand showcased by Hyundai Motor Group. He believes Genesis has the best overall lineup in the auto industry, with sharp-looking cars that are receiving positive feedback. The show featured a mix of impressive concept cars and other innovative vehicles, including gas, hybrid, and electric cars. Autotrader has Raptor trucks for sale, but they can be costly. A used car study by Kelley Blue Book found that listing prices are down by 3% compared to last year, with 2.27 million unsold used cars across the country, and used cars priced above $35,000 are selling the fastest.















[00:00:00] – Contributor Lauren Fix[00:07:20] – Hybrid vs. Plug-In[00:13:00] – Infotainment System and Beyond[00:20:51] – Contributor Karl Brauer[00:30:58] – ISeeCars.com Study[00:37:22] – Car Art with Ted7[00:44:11] – Contributor George Kennedy[00:51:13] – New York Auto Show[00:57:12] – Hyundai Ioniq 6[01:05:02] – Contributor Brian Moody[01:14:43] – Raptors for Sale[01:21:32] – Listing Prices Down







CREDITS







Host: Alan TaylorProducer: Dave MilliganCopy Editor: Colleen Mahi















Contributor: Lauren Fix







Contributor: Karl Brauer

Brian Moody, Executive Editor of Auto Trader.com and KBB.com shared some good news on the show. According to Cox Automotive, new vehicle affordability is at its best in 31 months. The typical payment has decreased by 0.7% for February, and the new average monthly payment for a new car is $744, down from $749 in January. Brian test drove the BMW XM, a fast and aggressive plug-in hybrid SUV that provides an immersive driving experience. The Mustang Dark Horse costs $58,000, but its performance and style are unmatched.







Steven Cole Smith from Car Coach Reports discussed the 12 hours of Sebring IMSA race where Acura and Cadillac teams won. Goodyear tires wore out quickly at the Bristol race as the track was converted from dirt to concrete. Responsibility is unclear. Circuit of the Americas race is expected to be exciting. Steven test-drove a Mercedes AMG EQE SUV with 677 horsepower and 0-60 in 3.4 seconds, but it required frequent charging.







Lauren Fix, Editor-in-Chief for Car Coach Reports, discusses vegan leather, which is a popular trend but not always eco-friendly. Real leather is longer-lasting and biodegradable. A proposed bill in New York requires truth in advertising for car interiors. Car insurance rates are increasing due to black boxes in cars that record driving habits, determining rates based on credit score and driving behavior. It’s important to be aware of this and how it may impact insurance rates.







Special Guest, Ray Evernham, NASCAR Hall of Fame Member, veteran in the automotive racing industry, has a new book out called “Trophies and Scars”. In it, he shares his journey from a young boy knocking around the Jersey Shore to working with some of the biggest names in Motorsports history. Over 50 years, Ray has been involved in many different things and considers himself the “Forrest Gump of Motorsports”. He hopes to entertain and educate readers by sharing how he handled both his failures and victories, acknowledging that scars sometimes come with the trophies.







BJ Killeen – Voice of Reason and Automotive Journalist is here to drop some quick automotive news.  “EV automakers lose $6,000 on every vehicle sold. Boston Consulting Group found that EV drivers want a 20-minute charge time, 350-mile range, and under $50,000. Hertz rental cars lost $350 million due to EV investment. Tesla stock is at $138, down from $335. Car insurance costs are up 21% this year, with the average person paying $2,500 per year. The average price of a new car is $47,000. Sticker shock is killing buyers.”







[00:00:00] – Contributor Brian Moody[00:06:10] – BMW XM[00:13:00] – Mustang Dark Horse[00:20:51] – Contributor Steven Cole Smith [00:30:57] – Dirt to Concrete[00:37:22] – Mercedes AMG EQE SUV[00:44:12] – Contributor Lauren Fix[00:51:02] – Vegan Leather[00:57:13] – Black Boxes[01:05:03] – Special Guest  Ray Evernham[01:16:02] – Contributor Alan Taylor[01:21:33] – Contributor BJ Killeen







CREDITS







Host: Alan TaylorProducer: Dave MilliganCopy Editor: Colleen Mahi















Contributor: Brian Moody







Contributor: Steven Cole Smith







Contributor: Lauren Fix







Contributor/Host: Alan Taylor







Contributor: BJ Killeen







Special Guest: Ray Evernham















EXPLORE MORE WITH HELPFUL LINKS:









* Contributor: Brian Moody | Executive Editor of Auto Trader.com and KBB.com. Forbes Wheels, and here on The Drive

Alan and Karl, Automotive Industry Analyst, Forbes Autos Contributor, North American Car and Truck of the Year juror, and board member and Executive Analyst for ISeeCars.com, are both proud owners of the 2023 Dodge Demon 170, discussed how some automakers are hesitant about electric cars and are now going back to building hybrids and plug-in hybrids. Companies like GM, Porsche, and Hertz are struggling with the shift to electric cars, but Honda has recently unveiled their new electric vehicle called the Prologue. However, Honda is in their universe, where they do things the way they want to, moving away from their core strength of building fantastic engines. Karl shares the latest study on the best-used cars for the money. The study analyzed the amount you pay for a car, whether new or used and how much lifespan the car has left. The study found that despite the rise in prices for new and used cars over the last five years, plenty of cars are available in the $20,000 range with more than 100,000 miles of life left. The top 5 cars in the study, ranked by the price per 10,000 miles of lifespan, are Chevrolet Trax, Honda Fit, Honda Insight, Buick Encore, and Mitsubishi Outlander Sport. You can find the complete study on iseecars.com.







Contributor George Kennedy III, the co-founder of Cartender.com and VP of the New England Motor Press Association, talked with Alan about Honda’s first high volume all-electric vehicle, the Honda Prologue. The car is based on the Altium architecture and the BEV3 platform developed by General Motors, and the platform is shared with the Chevrolet Blazer EV and Cadillac Lyric. The Honda Prologue features a new interior design which uses both Honda and GM parts, and it comes with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in their infotainment system. This partnership with General Motors allows Honda to enter the electric vehicle market at a lower cost. George Kennedy reviewed the 2024 Acura TLX type S, a mid-size luxury sedan that offers great acceleration and handling. It has a twin-turbo V6 engine that produces 355 horsepower and a super-handling all-wheel-drive system that works well in all conditions. The car is comfortable enough to drive in traffic and has a healthy dose of athleticism. “George, what are your final thoughts on the Honda/Acura TL Type S? In my opinion, the TLX Type S is an incredibly well-built car. This is one of the reasons why Acura is known for being a premium vehicle brand. The Type S is not only athletic and exciting but also reliable. Honda is also doing more than just relying on its reputation for reliability. Another area worth mentioning is their technology. The ELS stereo system is phenomenal.”







Lauren Fix from CarCoachReports.com is calling from the Chicago International Auto Show. The 2025 Ford Explorer was shown, and they canceled the hybrid engine. Instead, they’re focusing on EcoBoost engines that consumers prefer. The new Explorer has a larger screen, includes the Copilot 360, and has an impressive interior.







Lauren Fix from CarCoachReports.com makes a quick pit stop to call us from the Chicago International Auto Show. The 2025 Ford Explorer was shown, and they canceled the hybrid engine. Instead, they’re focusing on EcoBoost engines that consumers prefer. The new Explorer has a larger screen, includes the Copilot 360, and has an impressive interior.  Lauren shared a little news that California is proposing a bill to limit the speed of new cars to 10 mph over the speed limit, which has caused controversy. The auto industry is not happy about this proposal, as it could pose a danger to drivers.







Brian Moody, the Executive Editor of AutoTrader.com and KBB.com, is attending the Chicago International Auto Show. According to him, the Tesla Cybertruck is bigger and more significant than expected,

Alan is at the Barrett Jackson event in Scottsdale. Our guest, Mark Valentino, Director of Business Development at Radford Racing School, boasts highly-skilled instructors who teach driving skills. They are developing a course program for the new Demon 170 to help drivers get the most out of it. Radford offers driving courses to people who do not own a Dodge, a youth driving program, SCCA license program, and an F4 program. They also offer courses for straight-line, drag, and twisting tracks, and have a karting truck. Recently, Radford started a new initiative called the Radford Motorsports Club for people who own a race car and want to race more affordably. The club offers a chance to race on Friday nights under the lights at the Chandler, AZ track. For more information, visit the Radford Racing School website at RadfordRacingSchool.com.







Our next guest is Rick Malone,  Chief Driving Instructor of Spring Mountain Motor Resort and Country Club, which is situated about 50 miles west of Las Vegas and is home to the Ron Fellows Performance Driving School, the Cadillac V Performance Academy, and Radical Racing Academy. The facility boasts 9.3 miles of race track and is located on just under 1000 acres of land. The largest track in North America, Spring Mountain Motor Resort and Country Club is one of the most amazing Motorsports facilities in the United States, and is expected to surpass the Nurburgring. The facility also includes a Motorsports Country Club, 40 condos, and a two-day program that includes the use of our cars and equipment, breakfast, and the opportunity to bring along a guest who can participate in the schools.







Next up is Cameron Foremaster, who is in charge of marketing here. Craig Jackson’s Camaro is also here. First, Cameron tells us about Craig’s car and what they did to it. They installed a pro touring subframe with a torque arm rear suspension. This build was done by Barrett Jackson and other companies like Muncie speed for carbon fiber, Dynacorn on the body, and GM performance. The result is a modern performance vehicle in a first-gen body. Cameron mentions that their company, Speed Master Speed Tech, makes chassis and suspension for 1st through 3rd Gen. Camaros, Novas, Chevelles, C10 trucks from 52 all the way up through the end of OBS Ford trucks, E-body Mopar, B-body Mopar, and first-gen Mustangs.







Next is Jeff Taylor, Founder and CEO of Rover Trophy sources classic Land Rover Defenders from Spain, Italy, or Turkey and then imports them to his warehouse in Connecticut. He uses three different drive trains – LS3, Tesla, and diesel – and builds custom models, including a Woody Defender with an electric Tesla Model 3 rear Dr. unit. The starting price for one of his custom Defenders is around $199,000 and can go up to $345,000.







Our next guest is, Phil Smunt is a sales manager at Roadster Shop, a car-building company with over 30 years of experience. They specialize in offering suspension options and production-style chassis for a wide range of vehicles, including muscle cars, trucks, and cruisers. In addition, they also provide custom chassis tailored to meet their clients’ specific design preferences. They offer different chassis designs tailored to meet specific ride stances and design preferences. If someone wants a custom chassis for a car that Roadster Shop has never designed before, the process can take about 10 to 12 months to complete. The company begins by scanning the vehicle and then goes into the design phase to build the chassis to the ride stance, wheel, and tire size requested.







Up next we got Dennis Collins, the President of Collins Bros Jeep, has been in the custom Jeep business since 1984. They offer high-quality parts, accessories, and restoration services for Jeeps.

Alan welcomes back friend and contributor BJ Killeen – Automotive Journalist and Voice of Reason.  Barrett-Jackson, the renowned auction house, is back with a new online streaming feature available at tv.barrett-jackson.com. Alan will be attending their symposiums. BJ Killeen shares a few details about the upcoming auctions, including the sale of Frank Teague’s collection, which includes classic cars like the Plymouth Hemi Super bird, Yenko Camaro, and pre-war classics such as the 37 Bugatti, Packard Amelia Concourse winner Silver Ray. Switching topics, China has been trying to monopolize the EV market and is promoting nationalism by sending a fleet of cars to Mexico and Europe. In other news, Oscar Meyer is hiring 12 people to drive the Wienermobile for a salary of 35k a year. Although the job includes good benefits, the drivers will have to attend 1200 events in 40 cities or 20,000 miles. BJ test-drove the 2023 Hyundai Palisades SUV, a sister vehicle to the Kia Telluride. The SUV has an impressive warranty and a standout feature called “Smart Park,” which will park the car for you.







Alan’s next guest is Lauren Fix, Editor-in-Chief for Car Coach Reports and a long-time friend of his. Since Lauren lives in  Buffalo, he asks Lauren what should be done with electric vehicles that are stranded in cold weather. Her response is straightforward: stay home! The cold weather has caused several problems for EVs, including charging issues, longer charging times, minimal charge percentage, higher insurance rates, quicker tire wear, and difficulty driving in the snow. Switching gears to a different topic, Lauren mentions that the House of Representatives has overturned the EV mandate. This means that each state may not have to go all-electric , allowing the “choice in automobile retail sales” and the freedom to buy what the people want. She encourages people to let their local representatives know their thoughts on federal registry regulations through the website comments.gov for their peace of mind.







Next up is George Kennedy III, who is a co-founder of Cartender.com and the Vice President of the New England Motor Press Association. He contributes to various publications, including U.S. News & World Report, CarGurus, Forbes Wheels, and The Drive. Recently, George test-droved the 2024 BMW Z4 Convertible and found it to be a great cruiser and a fun car to drive. He particularly liked the heated seats, steering wheels, and the clever features that allow you to drive the vehicle with the top down even in colder weather. George also expressed interest in driving the 2024 BMW M40i, which starts at $66k and has a 380 horsepower inline six engine. The Z4 Convertible has a starting price of $53k for the four-cylinder turbo model, which can go from 0 to60 in 5.2 seconds. Customers can also opt for the dynamic chassis package for a few thousand dollars.







At the end of the show, we hear from Karl Brauer, an automotive industry analyst, Forbes Autos contributor, North American Car and Truck of the Year juror, board member, and Executive Analyst for ISeeCars.com. He talks about Hertz’s decision to sell off a significant percentage of their EV fleet and replace them with non-EV vehicles. The reason behind this move is the higher upfront cost, higher maintenance and service cost, and increased accidents associated with EVs. This decision is a smart business move as they want to reduce costs and increase profits. According to Karl, EVs were not as dependable and reliable as they should have been. Karl also shares the results of the latest study, which lists the top 25 cheapest cars that last the longest, based on every 10,000 miles. According to the study, the top four cars that offer the best value are the Mitsubishi Mirage, Toyota Corolla, Subaru Impreza, and Honda Accord. The complete list will be available on Iseecars....

Revolution is underway as technology revolutionizes the way we live our daily lives. From robotic kitchens to autonomous driving, the advancements in technology are changing the way we communicate, work, and play. It’s an exciting time to be alive, and every day, we witness new innovations that make our lives easier, more efficient, and more enjoyable. We must embrace these changes and learn to adapt to them because the future is now and technology is leading the way.







Alan welcomes Scott Bocarnick is a Policy and Executive Communications Specialist at Consumer Technology Association. CES is a trade show where over 130,000 attendees gather to explore the latest technological developments in different industries. A.I. technology is being used in vehicles to scan for dangers, slow down cars, and provide alerts. Innovations such as A.R. windshields, gaming vests that deliver pain, and self-driven tractors are being introduced. Companies such as L’Oreal is launching “Beauty Tech,” which includes an infrared light blow dryer and an A.I. that adjusts makeup colors to suit one’s face. In terms of start-ups, Eureka Park showcases innovative products such as a rolling robotic ramen kitchen. Technology is on the move!







Coming up next at the CES, Alan interviews Stefano Genco – the Global Head of Super Audio and Nuance Audio at EssilorLuxottica. EssilorLuxottica is well-known for its brands, Ray-Ban and Oakley, and has created a pair of glasses that come with integrated unit solutions for mild to moderate hearing loss. Around 1.2 billion people have mild to moderate hearing loss, and these glasses are designed to recover missed conversations caused by ambient noises or hearing problems. They are lightweight, stylish, and cost a fraction of the price of traditional hearing aids. Stefano is utilizing glasses with built-in technology that enables recording and video capturing, music playback, texting, and conversations with A.I. Furthermore, these glasses can connect to the internet, allowing for internet browsing on the go.







Next is Chris Sheldrick is the co-founder of What3Words, a company that has developed a location precision technology capable of mapping the entire world using 3-meter squares. Each square has been assigned a unique combination of 3 words, making it easier to share your exact location, particularly in emergency situations.







 Let’s talk about tractors! Alan is joined by Troy Aberle, a former salesman for John Deere, to discuss the autonomous tractor currently being showcased. Troy explains that equipment has had to become larger and more capable of performing various tasks due to the challenges faced by the agriculture industry, such as labor and safety standards, performance and profitability, and accommodating high land prices and input costs. All these factors have contributed to John Deere’s current position in the market. Alan asks Troy what stands out the most regarding all this new technology. Troy replies, “Making people’s lives easier.”







Up next is Luke Aberle is a YouTube influencer who tests products and provides feedback from a kid’s perspective. He has been doing it since he was nine. When asked about his first impression of CES, he said that it was incredible to see major companies innovating and creating a better lifestyle and experience for the average consumers. The AI side of things, from agriculture to coffee-making and autonomous driving, excites him the most so far.







Joining Alan next is, Sterling Pratz is the Chief Executive Officer at Car IQ. It’s a company developing innovative technology allowing users to make purchases through their vehicle for in-car entertainment options. The technology also enables the car to connect with merchants and pay for servic...