Motor Trend Audio

#100 - Two times 100

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.

#99 - Hot and Slippery

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.

#98 - A Class not to Ditch

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.

#97 - World's Hardest Pop Quiz

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.

#96 - Along Comes a Spider!

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.