Motor Trend Audio

As we polish off the 100th episode of our podcast, what better topic to land on than the 100th anniversary of the founding of "The Ultimate Driving Machine." BMW is the featured marque at this year's Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca and Tom Plucinsky, Department Head of BMW Corporate Communications, explains all the goings on surrounding the event including BMW's on display and on the track. From the prewar sports car, the 328, to the 3.0 CSL and the famous Art Cars in between—this was a true showcase of the maker's racing heritage and past accomplishments. Yet, in a world built for opulence and power, the direct opposite was on display at the 2016 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance as a green, 1961 BMW Isetta Police Car complete with its own uniformed German police officer stole the show. We speak to its owner, Steven, who shares the Isetta's background with us and how he managed to execute the look of this beloved microcar. Finally, we delve deeper into the difference between historic and vintage BMW cars and finding racing success with renowned BMW tuner, Bill Watson of Road Rockets in Sonoma, California.

NASCAR rolls into Sonoma Raceway each spring for its one only round course. The seasonal heat and raceway combine for a wild card race where the winner is anyone's guess. We hear from several drivers including two Kyles—Busch and Larson—along with points leader, Jimmie Johnson, who discusses his approach on finishing the season strong. We also hear from Claire B. Lang, the host of "Dialed In" on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, as she weighs in on the intricacies of racing in the NASCAR circuit. Finally we're joined by Chip Ganassi, having just returned from a team victory at Lemans, who shares his thoughts on what it takes to develop a racing team.

Stop us if you've heard this one: A nuclear scientist, an aerospace engineer and an IndyCar driver walk into the Stanford REVS Program. Wait, it's true! American race car driver J.R. Hildebrand is the professor and the other two are his pupils. All three join this episode's conversation about what Stanford has developed to educate those who will be creating the future of mobility. This is heavy! Executive Director of the REVS Program, Reilly Brennan also joins the podcast to talk abouthow seriously Stanford views the history of cars and a cool class any auto aficionado would want to take.

The 2016 Best Driver's Car competition is one of Motor Trend's four signature events that rounds up this year's newest, sporty metal from manufacturers the world over. This is the competition that aims to find the car that enables any driver, regardless of their experience, to get the best out of it and the best out of themselves. The production value is high given the quality and the depth of data harvested for this accolade with bragging rights at stake. So how does a week like this come together? Who's in attendance? How does the Motor Trend team decide on the potential list of contenders? What does performance testing actually consist of? Lean in as we pull back the curtain to reveal the inner workings of this competition to find the most rewarding car to drive.

This week, we talk about the reintroduction of the legendary Italian roadster—the Fiat 124 Spider. Fiat revealed the all new 124 at the 2015 LA Auto Show last year and Motor Trend's Senior Features Editor, Jonny Lieberman, was a bit underwhelmed with the its look at that time. Now Fiat has announced a new partnership with the Bondurant Racing School, Jonny has driven the car and everyone seems happy. Jason Bondurant, VP of the Bondurant Racing School, details the experience, which includes classroom instruction, team rally cross activities, slalom and hot laps in the Fiat 124 Spider Abarth. We also meet Dennis Holloway, Owner and President of Mothers, who briefs us on the history of the company name and offers up some car care advice for auto aficionados. Beyond polishes, waxes and cleaning products, Mothers has deep ties to the Barret-Jackson auctions and Hot Rod's Power Tour and are enthusiasts themselves, racing Mazda RX-8's in the Southern California Region of the National Auto Sport Association's (NASA) competitive racing series.

The Motor Trend Audio team review all the goings on that comprise the wonderful week on the Monterey Peninsula ahead of the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. Call it what you like—Pebble Beach Auto Week, Monterey Car Week or as one local labeled it, "that car thing that causes all the traffic"—it comprises many days of automotive wonderment. Charlie, Shawn and Alex go over all the different events that take place during the week, including auctions, car shows, forums, memorabilia, races and more. But it's the vehicles in attendance that steal the show, ranging from the opulent to the ordinary, olden to the modern, the powerful to powerless. We frequent this prestigious event for days every year and never get our fill of the passion, perfection and people that surround Pebble Beach.

Vic Doolan is a successful automotive executive that contributed to the popularity of BMW in the USA. He talks about his experience starting in Africa with British Leyland, as well as his tenure at Volvo North America, paving strong sales foundations for each manufacturer along the way. Additionally, we're joined by famous car designer Henrik Fisker who also made his mark at BMW. Henrik started at BMW before moving on to Ford and Aston Martin and has had a hand in many modern automotive masterpieces including the BMW Z8, the Aston Martin V8 Vantage, and of course, the Fisker Karma. Now, as a founding partner of VLF Automotive, Henrik is yet again looking to set the bar when it comes to design, innovation and luxury standards.

Every two years Mini takes the States! Mini organizes a drive across the United States and anyone who owns a Mini can participate. Thousands of Mini owners from around the country (and around the world) join all or part of the drive. For the past 10 years the 6 MTTSs have become the largest owner driving event created by a brand. This year's 15 day rally was 4373 miles long through 18 states and ended in sweltering desert heat. Two years ago Charlie and Shawn drove the first day and this time they drove the last. Along the way they share their impression of the event, the Mini Clubman and meet several Mini aficionados including Tom from Mini, Eric from Automobile, Fausto from Spain and our good friends Todd and Alex from White Roof Radio.

Maurizio Sala wrote the book on Alfa Romeo…well, if not "the" book it was "a" book and there were lots of pictures. He is passionate about Alfa Romeo because it's been an integral part of his family for generations. Maurizio has an infectious accent and he's excited to share his family's history and advice for future car buyers. We also meet Dr. John "Tico" McNutt, Founder and Director of the Botswana Predator Conservation Trust. He shares his multi-decade experience operating a fleet of Land Rovers in the wilds of Africa. Every day, Tico puts Land Rover engineering and his own resourcefulness to the test as he depends on the marque's "reliability" in an incredibly hostile environment.

Beepi and Shift are a couple of Bay Area startups for used car buyers and sellers. The two services have the same value proposition, utilizing technology to create an all new buying and selling experience. In the process, customer service is greatly improved and the hassle associated with these transactions is alleviated. Used cars are displayed with wonderful photos, complete details and pricing that benefits everyone involved. However, this is where the similarities end. We dig into both services to learn how they are each revolutionizing the car buying process to reduce angst and make it more efficient. Listen to find out which experience is right for you.