MotorWeek

HI, I'M JOHN DAVIS AND THIS IS MOTORWEEK !

JOIN US FOR A BLAST DOWN MEMORY LANE AND 40 YEARS OF MOTORWEEK ... PAT GOSS SHOWS US THAT WHILE TECHNOLOGIES CHANGE, BASIC CAR CARE IS MUCH THE SAME... WE'LL LOOK BACK AT THE PEOPLE AND PLACES THAT STOOD OUT TO US THE MOST... PLUS, A PEEK AHEAD AT WHAT WE'LL ALL BE DRIVING IN THE FUTURE...

SO COME DRIVE WITH US, NEXT!

CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY MARYLAND PUBLIC TELEVISION.

* Announcer: MOTORWEEK , 40 YEARS, STEERING YOU IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

BROUGHT TO YOU BY... YOU'RE SHOPPING FOR TIRES ONLINE AND YOU HAVE QUESTIONS.

"I DO."

WE'RE TIRERACK.COM AND WE HAVE ANSWERS.

AND, TOOLS TO HELP.

"LIKE OUR TIRE DECISION GUIDE.

IT'S, UH, TAKE A LOOK."

TIRERACK.COM.

FIND, DELIVER, INSTALL.

ROCKAUTO HAS AUTO PARTS FROM HUNDREDS OF MANUFACTURERS, OFFERING A VARIETY OF BRANDS, PRICES, AND SPECIFICATIONS.

ROCKAUTO.COM, ALL THE PARTS YOUR CAR WILL EVER NEED.

John: WELL, HELLO AND WELCOME AGAIN TO MOTORWEEK , WE'RE GLAD TO HAVE YOU WITH US FOR THIS SPECIAL PROGRAM CELEBRATING OUR 40 YEARS ON THE AIR.

SO, JOIN ME AS WE LOOK IN OUR REARVIEW MIRROR, STARTING IN THE EARLY 1980s...

THE WANING DAYS OF THE BIG AMERICAN LAND YACHT...

THE DAWN OF THE FRONT-WHEEL DRIVE REVOLUTION... AND THE IDEA FOR A NEW TELEVISION SERIES ABOUT CARS... Flashback: FROM OUR MOTORSHOP, A STEP BY STEP GUIDE, TO OIL AND FILTER CHANGES.

AND AS EVERY WEEK, A LOOK INTO THE FUTURE WITH WHAT'S NEW ON WHEELS.

John: WELCOME TO MOTORWEEK, I'M YOUR HOST JOHN DAVIS, AND I'M GLAD TO HAVE YOU WITH US.

IN 1978, I PITCHED THE IDEA FOR A CAR SHOW TO MY BOSSES AT MARYLAND PUBLIC TELEVISION AND WE DID A PILOT EPISODE.

BUT IT DIDN'T GET THE GO AHEAD UNTIL THE SUMMER OF 1981.

WITH ONLY 12 WEEKS BEFORE BEING ON THE AIR, THE FIRST CHALLENGE WAS FINDING THE RIGHT PEOPLE.

I KNEW EVERYBODY ON THE STAFF WAS GOING TO HAVE TO WEAR MANY HATS: TV PRODUCER, TEST DRIVER, ACTOR.

I HAD A BUILDING FULL OF TV PROS TO PULL FROM.

BUT, TO HELP WHITTLE IT DOWN, I LOOKED IN THE PARKING LOT TO SEE WHAT EVERYONE DROVE!

BASED ON THAT, CRAIG SINGHAUS WAS AN EASY CHOICE.

HE DROVE A SHELBY MUSTANG!

Craig Singhaus: LISTEN, SO YOU CAN CALL ME UNCLE SAM, GET IT?

UNCLE SAM, HERE, HAVE A COMPLIMENTARY AMERICAN FLAG.

John: JOYCE BRAGA, OUR FIRST NEWS REPORTER, DROVE A PORSCHE 924, SO I KNEW SHE HAD POTENTIAL!

THERE WAS A POOL OF US THAT HAD BEEN CHATTING ABOUT IT SINCE THE PILOT, AND A LOT OF THOSE FOLKS CAME ON BOARD RIGHT AWAY BECAUSE IT WAS A CHANCE TO DO SOMETHING NEW AND FUN.

Flashback: TURNING CIRCLE TURNING 35 FEET.

THAT'S CONSIDERED AN AVERAGE SHOWING FOR COMPACT SIZED CARS.

AND ABOUT WHAT WE EXPECTED.

John: THOSE EARLY SHOWS WERE REALLY A LEARNING EXPERIENCE.

WE WERE ALL CAR ENTHUSIASTS, BUT HAD NEVER ACTUALLY TESTED A CAR BEFORE.

SO, WE BASICALLY TAUGHT OURSELVES HOW TO LAY OUT A SLALOM, AND TO MEASURE BRAKING.

WE'D READ ABOUT HOW THE CAR MAGAZINES DID IT.

WE'D WATCHED ENGINEERS DO IT ON VIDEO.

SO, IT WAS REALLY JUST A MATTER OF DOING THE TEST IN A SCIENTIFIC FASHION, BUT ALSO MAKING IT LOOK GOOD FOR TELEVISION.

OUR FIRST TRACK WAS THE SEAPLANE RAMP AT MARTIN STATE AIRPORT IN BALTIMORE, AND IF YOU GOOFED UP IN THE SLALOM, YOU COULD EITHER GO DOWN THE RAMP TOWARD THE RIVER, OR INTO ROWS OF PARKED TRANSIT BUSES.

AFTER A BRIEF STINT USING A YET-TO-BE-OPENED HIGHWAY, WE MOVED TO 75-80 DRAGWAY NEAR MOUNT AIRY IN 1982, AND ARE ONLY NOW JUST TRANSITIONING TO USE A NEW TEST TRACK AT MASON-DIXON DRAGWAY IN BOONSBORO.

BECAUSE THE EARLY EPISODES HAD FEWER FEATURE SEGMENTS, WE HAD THE LUXURY OF TIME IN THE ROAD TESTS TO SHOW DETAILS LIKE THE LOCATION OF THE SPARE TIRE, WHERE TO CHECK THE FLUIDS, AND ALSO TIME TO HAVE A LITTLE FUN.

Flashback: AND JUST IN CASE YOU WANT TO TRY FOR THE GUINESS BOOK OF RECORDS, THE PHOENIX LUGGAGE BAY WILL HOLD UP TO NINE UNSAVORY CHARACTERS.

AGAIN, MORE THAN ANY OTHER.

John: AS THE CARS HAVE BECOME MORE SOPHISTICATED, SO MOTORWEEK HAS EVOLVED TO KEEP PACE.

THOSE FIRST ROAD TESTS WERE OVER EIGHT MINUTES LONG, AND HAD LESS THAN TWENTY-FIVE EDITS.

NOW, FOR A FIVE-MINUTE TEST, WE'LL USE THREE TIMES AS MANY SHOTS.

AND THAT WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY EVOLVING CAMERA TECHNOLOGY: WE WERE ALREADY MOUNTING SMALL POINT OF VIEW CAMERAS ON CARS 15 YEARS BEFORE THE GOPRO WAS INVENTED.

NOW ALONG WITH DSLR'S, DRONES, DOLLIES, AND SLIDERS AND EVEN CELL PHONES CAPABLE OF HIGH-DEFINITION VIDEO, THE CREATIVE POSSIBILITIES ARE ENDLESS.

ABOVE ALL, I'VE BEEN FORTUNATE TO BE SURROUNDED BY TOP-NOTCH PROFESSIONALS BEHIND THE SCENES...

SOME FOR MORE THAN THIRTY YEARS!

WE'VE NEVER HAD A BIG HOLLYWOOD BUDGET OR A CAST OF HUNDREDS, BUT THAT NEVER SLOWED US DOWN OR COMPROMISED OUR COMMITMENT TO MAKING THE BEST SHOW POSSIBLE.

AND I'M PROUD THAT SO MANY OF OUR STAFF ALUMNI HAVE GONE ON TO WORK FOR OTHER MEDIA AND CAR COMPANIES LIKE CHRYSLER, PORSCHE, JAGUAR, GM, AND VOLVO.

SO, DESPITE MONUMENTAL CHANGES IN BOTH THE AUTOMOTIVE AND VIDEO INDUSTRIES OVER THE PAST 40 YEARS, THE SAME CONCEPT FROM DAY ONE STILL DRIVES ALL OF US TODAY, AT MOTORWEEK , THE CARS ARE THE STARS!

* AS IF DRIVING VIRTUALLY EVERY NEW CAR AND TRUCK SOLD FOR THE PAST 40 YEARS WASN'T ENOUGH, THE MOTORWEEK STAFF AND CREW HAS TRAVELED TO NEARLY EVERY CORNER OF THE COUNTRY AND GLOBE WHILE DOING IT.

AND EVERYWHERE WE GO, WE REDISCOVER THE UNIVERSAL APPEAL OF THE AUTOMOBILE - BE IT FOR WORK, PLAY, OR JUST HITTING THE ROAD!

* Greg Carloss: CARS ARE MEANT TO TAKE US PLACES AND BOY HAVE THEY DONE THAT FOR MOTORWEEK .

IN FACT, WE GET SO USED TO THE NON-STOP TRAVEL, SOMETIMES IT'S LIKE WE'RE STUCK IN A TIME WARP.

WHOA...CRAIG SINGHAUS, WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN THE WIENERMOBILE Craig Singhaus: GREG, I AM SO GLAD, I MUSTARD THE COURAGE TO KETCHUP WITH YOU!

LISTEN...SINCE 1988, I HAVE BEEN ON A COAST TO COAST WIENIE ROAST WITH MY BEST PALS, THE OSCAR MAYER HOTDOGGERS.

YOU'LL RELISH THE OPPORTUNITY, YOU NEVER SAUSAGE A THING!

Greg: NO DISRESPECT TO OSCAR MAYER, BUT THEIR FLEET OF WIENERMOBILE'S HAS BEEN DOGGIN' IT COMPARED TO US.

NOT ONLY HAVE WE VISITED ALL 50 U.S. STATES, BUT WE'VE ROLLED RUBBER ON EVERY CONTINENT.

WE'VE ACED THE AUTOBAHN...

KICKED THE ALCAN... HURTLED THE ROAD TO HANA... AND RALLIED EVERY ROAD IN BETWEEN.

OF COURSE, WE USE THE TERM "ROAD" LOOSELY, SINCE SO MANY OF OUR TRAVELS HAVE TAKEN US, QUITE LITERALLY, OFF THE BEATEN PATH-- THE SLICK ROCK OF MOAB, OVERLANDING IN OREGON, AND EXPLORING THE ANCIENT WONDERS OF BELIZE, SOME OF OUR MOST THRILLING AUTOMOTIVE ADVENTURES HAVE BEEN OFF-ROAD.

TRACK DAYS DON'T ACCOUNT FOR THE MOST MILES, BUT THEY DO ADD THE MOST SMILES.

OVER 40 YEARS OF TESTING, WE'VE LOGGED THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS OF LAPS AT LONG-TIME FAVORITES ROEBLING ROAD, SUMMIT POINT, DOMINION RACEWAY, AND DOZENS OF OTHER CIRCUITS, BOTH FAMOUS AND FORGOTTEN.

Ben: OH, YEEEAAAAHHH!

Greg: WE STILL GRIN AT EVERY MEMORY OF BRAVING THE MIGHTY NURBURGRING, OR PILOTING PORSCHE'S AWESOME 918 SPYDER ON PORTUGAL'S ALGARVE CIRCUIT.

[ENGINE REVVING] OF COURSE, WE DON'T ALWAYS HAVE TO GO FAST TO HAVE FUN.

SOMETIMES, WE LIKE TO SLOW DOWN, GRAB THE FAMILY AND TAKE THE SCENIC ROUTE.

WHETHER, IT'S RVS, SUVS, OR FAMILY TRUCKSTERS, JUST LIKE THAT FAMOUS EXPLORER CLARK W. GRISWOLD, THE GOOD OLD-FASHIONED ROAD TRIP HAS BEEN A STAPLE FOR MOTORWEEK SINCE THE BEGINNING IN 1981.

AND FROM CAPE COD TO THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE, MEETING COUNTLESS FELLOW TRAVELERS AND SHARING OUR PASSION FOR THE AUTOMOTIVE WORLD, EVERY MILE HAS TOLD A STORY WE'VE BEEN HONORED TO SHARE.

Jay Leno: HEY MOTORWEEK , HAPPY 40TH ANNIVERSARY.

THIS STINGER IS ALREADY 20 YEARS OLD WHEN YOU STARTED SO HEY, HOW OLD AM I?

OH, MY GOD!

BUT ANYWAY, HAPPY 40TH.

I WISH, I WAS STILL CELEBRATING MY 40TH.

Craig: I USED TO BELIEVE THAT... GAH!

John: IT'S A GENERAL MOTOR SOLAR POWERED CAR CALLED A "SUN RACER."

THIS WEEK HE TAKES THE HIGH ROAD TO A POSSIBLE FUTURE IN A REAL PLACE WHERE THE SUN RUNS ON CARS.

Pat Goss: BUT WE FIRST NEED TO DEFINE WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.

Flashback: AM I DOING SOMETHING WEIRD?

Ben Davis: ACTUALLY, LET ME SHOW YOU THAT BACK...SHAZAM!

Pat: YOU'VE PROBABLY, NEVER ENCOUNTERED THIS IN REAL LIFE.. John: WE'VE ACKNOWLEDGED HOW LAPIDLY, HOW LAPIDLY.

Greg: AUGH, SAY IT RIGHT.

Craig: BLAAAHH.... John: IT'S GLAD TO... Flashback: BUT DEALERS COMPLAINED THAT.... Flashback: EHHH, WHATEVER.

Pat: AND IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION OR COMMENT PLEASE WRITE TO ME.

I FEEL SO ALONE.

John: PAT, DO YOU REALIZE THAT IN 40 YEARS, WE'VE OUTGROWN THREE GOSS' GARAGE SETS, AND THAT YOU'VE TAPED MORE THAN 1000 SEGMENTS... THAT'S A LOT OF CAR CARE.

Pat: IT SURE IS, JOHN.

AND TO THINK THAT IT ALMOST DIDN'T HAPPEN.

IN THE PILOT SHOW, CRAIG SINGHAUS WAS THE MECHANIC AND THE SEGMENT WAS CALLED "MOTORSHOP."

NOW MAYBE, HAD THINGS WORKED OUT DIFFERENTLY, I MIGHT HAVE HOSTED THE HIGH ROAD SEGMENTS AND I COULD HAVE DRIVEN THE WEINERMOBILE INSTEAD OF HIM!

John: AH, YOU KNOW PAT, I WOULDN'T CHANGE A THING, ITS WORKED OUT FINE JUST THE WAY IT IS.

Pat: YOU CAN SAY THAT AGAIN!

* I SURE DON'T MISS THAT HOT NOISY GAS STATION, WE FILMED IN FOR THE PILOT AND FIRST GOSS' GARAGE EPISODES.

DESPITE ITS CRAMPED QUARTERS, MOVING INTO OUR GARAGE STUDIO WAS TRULY AN AIR CONDITIONED LUXURY.

BY THE TIME WE GOT A CAR AND A COUPLE CAMERAS IN THERE, I COULD BARELY TURN AROUND!

NOW, HAVING A WORKING LIFT AND ROOM TO SPARE HAS HELPED US DELIVER BETTER INFORMATION TO OUR VIEWERS, AND THAT'S WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT FOR ME.

BUT WHAT'S REALLY AMAZING IS HOW FAR AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGY HAS PROGRESSED.

BACK IN 1981, WE DIDN'T HAVE COMPUTERS IN OUR OFFICES, MUCH LESS IN OUR CARS!

LOOKING BACK AT SOME OF THOSE EARLY SHOWS, IT'S SHOCKING HOW CRUDE MOST CARS WERE, AND HOW MUCH WE TAKE FOR GRANTED TODAY.

ABS BRAKES, NOW THEY WERE VIRTUALLY UNHEARD OF IN THE '80s.

WE WERE IMPRESSED THEN WHEN A CAR HAD 4-WHEEL DISC BRAKES.

A GOOD STOPPING DISTANCE ON THE TEST TRACK WAS SOME 30 FEET LONGER THAN TODAY'S AVERAGE, AND HARD STOPS WERE USUALLY ACCOMPANIED BY COPIOUS AMOUNTS OF TIRE SMOKE!

RADIAL TIRES WERE A NOTEWORTHY OPTION ON OUR EARLY TEST VEHICLES.

EVEN SO-CALLED EXOTIC CARS RODE ON RUBBER UNSUITED FOR TODAY'S ECONOBOXES.

THIRTEEN INCH WHEELS WERE THE NORM, WHILE 15s WERE A BIG DEAL.

A LUXURY CAR WAS ANYTHING WITH LEATHER SEATS AND POWER WINDOWS.

A CASSETTE DECK WAS CONSIDERED STATE OF THE ART.

NAVIGATION REQUIRED A PASSENGER AND A PAPER MAP AND DUAL-ZONE CLIMATE CONTROLS WELL THAT MEANT YOU OPENED BOTH FRONT WINDOWS.

THE TYPICAL CAR IN THE '80s CAME EQUIPPED WITH A 3.0 SPEED AUTOMATIC OR A 4.0 SPEED STICK SHIFT.

WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THAT SIX AND SEVEN-SPEEDS WOULD BECOME THE NORM, AND THAT ANY CAR WOULD EVER NEED TEN GEARS?

THE SIMPLE TUNE-UP IS NOW A THING OF THE PAST, AND INDIVIDUAL REPLACEMENT PARTS HAVE GIVEN WAY TO MODULES AND ASSEMBLIES FOR NEARLY EVERY SYSTEM ON A MODERN AUTOMOBILE.

SO, AS CARS HAVE BECOME MORE COMPLEX, THE FOCUS OF MY SEGMENT HAS SHIFTED FROM DO-IT-YOURSELF, TO KNOW-IT-YOURSELF.

TODAY'S VEHICLE OWNER NEEDS TO BE MORE INFORMED THAN EVER TO MAKE THE RIGHT DECISIONS ON FINDING A SERVICE PROVIDER AND SAVING MONEY ON COSTLY DIAGNOSTICS.

BUT THERE'S ONE THING THAT AUTO ENGINEERS HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO DO AWAY WITH, DESPITE ALL THE COMPUTERS AND SENSORS AND BILLIONS OF DEVELOPMENT DOLLARS...

I SAID IT IN OUR FIRST SHOW, AND IT STILL HOLDS TRUE TODAY... WELL, THE ONE SINGLE THING THAT IS MOST IMPORTANT AS FAR AS THE LIFE EXPECTANCY OF YOUR AUTOMOBILE'S ENGINE, IS CHANGING THE OIL.

John: THANKS TO THE INTERNET, WE CAN NOW REACH VIEWERS VIRTUALLY ANYWHERE.

OUR VIDEO LIBRARIAN BEN DAVIS DIGS DEEP INTO OUR 40 YEAR MOTORWEEK ARCHIVES TO POST OUR FAVORITE ROAD TESTS AS RETRO REVIEWS, BUT HERE HE IS NOW WITH YOUR TOP TEN MOST POPULAR BLASTS FROM THE PAST.

Ben: MAN IT FEELS GREAT TO GET OUT FROM UNDERNEATH MOTORWEEK'S MOUND OF ARCHIVE TAPES TO CATCH A LITTLE SUNSHINE.

BUT TO BE HONEST WITH YA, I MISS IT ALREADY.

SO, AS THE CURATOR OF ALL THINGS VINTAGE MOTORWEEK , IT'S MY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE TO YOU THE TOP 10 MOST WATCHED RETRO REVIEWS OF ALL TIMES.

Logan Davis: THAT'S A LITTLE BIT TOO EXCITING.

Ben: ALRIGHT.

IN THE 10TH SPOT IS THE 1985 DODGE SHELBY CHARGER WITH 437,000 VIEWS.

John: AND YES, IT IS FAST... Ben: AT NUMBER 9 WITH OVER 455,000 VIEWS, IS THE 98' COBRA VERSUS Z28.

John: AND BOTH READY TO GO THE DISTANCE.

Ben: AT 460,000 VIEWS, THE BATTLE CONTINUES AT NUMBER 8, WITH THE 82' MUSTANG GT AND CAMARO Z28.

John: A NO HOLD BARD QUARTER MILE DRAG RACE.

Ben: THIS ICONIC 1987 YUGO GV IS HOLDING STEADY AT NUMBER 7 WITH 481,000 VIEWS.

Craig: HEY, WHERE DO YOU WANT THE HUGO?

Ben: THE 1990 CHEVY 454 SS PICKUP IN THE NUMBER 6 POSITION WITH ALMOST 515,000 VIEWS.

John: CHEVY 454 SS SEEMS TO HAVE A MARKET ITSELF.

Ben: 1996s BIG THREE PICKUPS GO HEAD TO HEAD AT NUMBER 5 HAULING AT A HEFTY 525,000 VIEWS PAYLOAD.

John: GUARANTEED TO GET THE WORK DONE, NO SWEAT.

Ben: AT NUMBER 4, MUSTANG AND CAMARO ARE AT IT AGAIN.

FROM 1994 THIS TIME WITH 576,000 MINUTES.

John: MUSTANG AND CAMARO THE ORIGINAL PONY CARS ARE BACK.

Ben: NUMBER 3, 1994s SUPRA 968, STEALTH, 300ZX, RX7 AND CORVETTE AT 614,000 John: IF ALL THINGS IN LIFE OFFER US THIS KIND OF CHOICE WE'D PROBABLY CALL IT PERFECT.

Ben: SUPRA MARK IV AGAIN AT NUMBER 2, CLIMBING FAST AND FURIOUS WITH 617,000 VIEWS.

John: THIS IS A PURE SPORTS CAR BY ANYONE'S DEFINITION.

Ben: NUMBER 1, THE '85 TRANS AM, CAMARO, AND MUSTANG GT SHOWDOWN.

CRUSHING THE LEAD WITH OVER 1,250,000 VIEWS.

Flashback Joyce: WHAT DO YOU HAVE?

Craig: YEAH, A BURGER, FRIES, AND A COKE.

AND MY MUSTANG GT ATE THAT TRANS AM FOR LUNCH.

Max: OH, YEAH?

ISN'T THAT MUSTANG A F-O-R-D AS IN FOUND ON ROAD DEAD?

Craig: HEY!

THAT'S FIRST ON RACE DAY.

Mike: WHAT A CROCK.

THIS NEW IROC CAMARO WILL BLOW YA BOTH IN THE WEEDS.

John: WHILE WE'VE CERTAINLY BEEN TO A LOT OF EXCITING PLACES DURING FOUR DECADES ON THE AIR, IT'S REALLY THE STORIES, WE'VE FOUND ALONG THE WAY THAT HAVE MADE THE JOURNEY TRULY ENJOYABLE.

SO HERE'S A LOOK BACK AT SOME OF OUR FAVORITE MEMORIES.

Stephanie Hart: THESE ARE JUST A FEW OF THE THOUSANDS OF TAPES IN THE MOTORWEEK ARCHIVE.

ALL THE GREAT, GREAT STORIES ARE KEPT RIGHT HERE.

I TRACKED DOWN SOME OF OUR FORMER REPORTERS TO FIND OUT ABOUT THEIR FAVORITES FIRST HAND.

Lisa Braga: CHEVROLET'S EL CAMINO IS IN FOR SOME COMPETITION.

THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY AND NATIONAL COACH PRODUCTS ARE ENTERING EXCLUSIVE HALF CAR, HALF TRUCK MARKET WITH A VEHICLE OF THEIR OWN.

THE DURANGO.

Charlotte Nichols: SO, WE DECIDED TO TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT REALLY HAPPENS WHEN YOU DRINK, AND THEN DRIVE.

WITH THE HELP OF MARYLAND STATE POLICE OFFICERS, JAMES WILLIAMS AND MICHAEL CRIANDIRES AND MOTORWEEK STAFF MEMBERS BETH NARDONE AND MARTIN PETERS, WE CONDUCTED A DRUNK DRIVING TEST ON A COURSE AT MARTIN STATE AIRPORT OUTSIDE OF BALTIMORE.

Lisa Barrow: I KNOW, IT'S A SHOW ABOUT CARS, BUT THE HUSTLER 50 BASE BOAT HAD THREE LAMBORGHINI ENGINES AND IT WAS A TOTAL OF ALMOST 2,000 HORSEPOWER.

I HAD TO GO DRIVE IT!

I JUST HAD TO.

THE THING THAT REALLY AMAZED ME WAS 0-100 WAS I THINK, 15 SECONDS.

BUT WHAT I STILL REMEMBER TO THIS DAY, I CAN ALMOST FEEL IT, IS THE WAY IT AFFECTED MY SKIN, IT FELT LIKE MY SKIN WAS GOING TO BLOW OFF!

THAT WAS A WILD RIDE!

I DON'T KNOW, IF I WOULD DO THAT ONE AGAIN.

[LAUGHS] Jennifer Khasnabis: ACTUALLY, PROBABLY ONE OF MY FAVORITES WAS WHEN WE DID MARYLAND SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND.

AND I HAVE TO TELL YOU WHEN I LEFT THAT DAY AFTER SHOOTING THAT, I REMEMBER JUST HAVING THIS, TEAR IN MY EYE BECAUSE THESE KIDS WERE AMAZING.

THE KIDS WERE SO ENTHUSIASTIC, AND PORSCHE WAS REALLY SO DEVOTED TO MAKING THIS A WONDERFUL DAY FOR THE KIDS, AND THEY DID AN AMAZING JOB WITH READING THE DIRECTIONS IN BRAILLE.

JUST THE WHOLE CONCEPT WAS JUST WONDERFUL.

Steven Chupnik: I THINK AS A CHILD GROWING UP IN THE '80s ONE OF MY FAVORITE STORIES IS THE HISTORY OF THE DELOREAN AND THE RETURN OF THE DELOREAN.

"BACK TO THE FUTURE" IS ONE OF THOSE MOVIES THAT IS JUST ICONIC AND THE DELOREAN WAS ONE OF THOSE STORIES I GOT TO GO DOWN TO TEXAS WHERE THEY'RE REBUILDING THE CARS USING ALL THE OLD PARTS.

Henry Kopacz: YOU'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO BE A RACER BUT YOU NEVER HAD THE CHANCE.

WELL, LUCKY ENOUGH FOR ME AND A SELECT GROUP OF OTHERS, SOMEONE WILL HELP OUR DREAMS COME TRUE.

IN ORDER TO EXPERIENCE THE COMPETITION IN ITS RAWEST FORM, MOTORWEEK ASSOCIATE PRODUCER BRIAN ROBINSON AND I SUITED UP AND MIXED IT UP WITH THE OTHER COMPETITORS AT THE RACE FINALS IN PHOENIX, ARIZONA.

Yolanda Vazquez: SOMEHOW OR ANOTHER I CAME ACROSS THIS ROCKET SHIP CAR ARTICLE AND I THOUGHT TO MYSELF, WOW, THAT'S A GREAT IDEA, BUT IT'S AN EVEN BETTER FYI.

IT WAS SUCH A UNIQUE STORY THAT THESE TWO BROTHERS DECIDED TO PRESERVE A PIECE OF HISTORY.

THEY HAD EXPERIENCED TIME AT THAT AMUSEMENT PARK ALONG WITH SO MANY OTHER PEOPLE IN THE AREA AND DECIDED THAT LET'S JUST KEEP A LITTLE SLIVER OF THAT.

AND NOT ONLY KEEP IT, BUT LIKE, LET'S RETROFIT IT AND TURN IT INTO AN EXPERIENCE.

I THOUGHT, THE FACT THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO EVEN DO IT WAS AMAZING.

Lauren Morrison: NOW THAT I'M LIVING THAT MINIVAN MOM LIFE, SOME OF MY FAVORITE MOTORWEEK MEMORIES INCLUDE A NEED FOR SPEED.

LIKE, THE TIME I GOT TO TEST OUT THE TRACK AT THE PORSCHE EXPERIENCE CENTER IN ATLANTA.

Zach Maskell: BEING A MOTORWEEK REPORTER ALLOWED ME TO DO THINGS I NEVER THOUGHT, I WOULD BE DOING.

I WAS CONSTANTLY CHECKING OFF ITEMS ON MY OWN BUCKET LIST.

THERE WAS ALWAYS SPEED AND ALWAYS ADRENALINE.

ONE OF THE MOST FUN TIMES WAS HANGING OUT UP AND COMING FORMULA STAR CAMERON DOSS WHERE HE LET ME DRIVE HIS OPEN WHEELED F-3 CAR AROUND SUMMIT POINT IN WEST VIRGINIA.

Stephanie: MY FAVORITE MOTORWEEK MEMORY WAS VISITING THE HOT WHEELS HEADQUARTERS IN CALIFORNIA.

WE GOT TO SEE HOW HOT WHEELS ARE CREATED FROM START TO FINISH.

WE ALSO GOT TO PLAY WITH THEIR GIANT TEST TRACK AND RIDE AROUND IN SOME HOT WHEELS COMMEMORATIVE VEHICLES.

I WAS DEFINITELY LIVING MY BEST CHILDHOOD DREAM.

* Flashback: EVER GO AROUND A CORNER IN YOUR CAR AND YOUR COFFEE GOES FLYING ALL OVER THE PLACE?

IF THE ANSWER IS YES, YOU MIGHT LIKE THIS NEW PRODUCT THAT WE FOUND.

IT'S CALLED THE "INCREDIBLE CALYPSO BEVERAGE HOLDER."

AND AS YOU CAN SEE WHEN I TILT THE BACK OF THIS... * Dave Scrivener: THE LUMINATING PV IS TRULY A MULTIPURPOSE VEHICLE.

WITH ITS CAVERNOUS INTERIOR, IT'S PERFECT FOR THE FAMILY VACATION.

WITH THE EXPANSIVE DASH, IT'S PERFECT FOR THE EXECUTIVE ON THE ROAD.

* John: BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT THIS STORY IS ABOUT.

IT IS ABOUT WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW BEFORE YOU REPLACE ALL THOSE WORN OUT TIRES.

HERE'S LISA BARROW WITH HER FYI... LISA?

[LAUGHS] FOR AS LONG AS THERE HAVE BEEN CARS, THERE HAVE BEEN PREDICTIONS OF WHAT'S COMING NEXT.

BUT, JUST AS THE FUTURE NEVER ACTUALLY ARRIVES, MANY CRYSTAL BALL PROPHECIES FALL SHORT.

ADD IN A GLOBAL PANDEMIC AND INCREASING CALLS TO MOVE AWAY FROM FOSSIL FUELS, AND IT'S HARD TO SAY EXACTLY WHAT TO EXPECT IN THE NEXT 40 YEARS.

BUT HERE'S HOW WE SEE IT, RIGHT NOW.

* WE'VE CERTAINLY SEEN GLIMPSES OF THE "CAR OF THE FUTURE" IN THE PAST 40 YEARS, AND WE'VE APPLAUDED EACH EFFORT REGARDLESS OF THE OUTCOME.

THE BRICKLIN SAFETY CAR ANSWERED A QUESTION NOBODY WAS ASKING AT THE TIME.

AND, THE DELOREAN DMC-12 STILL MAKES MORE SENSE AS A "BACK-TO-THE-FUTURE" MOVIE PROP THAN IT EVER DID AS A REAL CAR.

WHILE, NONE OF US MOURN THE DEATH OF AUTOMATIC SEATBELTS, INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES LIKE NIGHT VISION, ACCIDENT AVOIDANCE, AND AUTOMATIC BRAKING WILL MAKE ALL CARS SAFER TO DRIVE.

THAT ELUSIVE "CAR OF THE FUTURE" MAY IN FACT LOOK VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT WE'RE DRIVING NOW... MODERN CROSSOVER DESIGNS STRIKE A GOOD BALANCE BETWEEN UTILITY, AGILITY AND LIVE-ABILITY, WHILE PROVIDING A SUITABLE PLATFORM FOR PACKAGING A VARIETY OF DRIVETRAINS.

IN FACT, ALREADY EVS DON'T LOOK SO MUCH LIKE EVS ANYMORE.

NO DOUBT, THE BIGGEST CERTAINTY OF OUR ROADS YET TRAVELED, IS THAT THEY WILL BE FULL OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES.

ALL MAJOR BRANDS HAVE FULL-EVS IN THE WORKS; WITH SOME ALREADY PLANNING TO LEAVE INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES ENTIRELY IN THE PAST.

ALL WHILE, HISTORIC NAMES LIKE MUSTANG AND HUMMER ARE EITHER REBORN OR REIMAGINED TO EMBRACE THE FUTURE OF BATTERY POWER.

THAT SHIFT OPENS UP NEW LANES FOR MANUFACTURERS SUCH AS KARMA, RIVIAN, BYTON, AND OF COURSE, TESLA, TO FIGURE INTO THE MIX AS WELL.

THE PUSH FOR FULL AUTONOMOUS DRIVING SEEMS TO HAVE SLOWED SOME, BUT A BIG CHANGE WE DO SEE COMING IS HOW WE BUY OUR CARS.

MORE AND MORE MANUFACTURERS ARE GOING DIRECT TO CONSUMER WITH "BUY NOW" OPTIONS ON THE WEB.

BUT, DON'T WORRY, YOUR LOCAL DEALERS WILL STILL BE THERE WITH FOLKS TO HANDLE VEHICLE DELIVERY, FINANCING, AND MAINTENANCE.

WE MAY ALSO SEE SHORT-TERM SUBSCRIPTION LEASING SERVICES BECOMING A BIGGER PART OF THE DEAL MAKING TOO.

WHATEVER HAPPENS, MOTORWEEK PLANS ON BEING HERE TO SEE YOU THROUGH IT ALL; GIVING YOU THE INFO YOU NEED, TO MAKE THE BEST BUYING DECISION.

FOR NOW, AND FOR THE FUTURE.

WELL, THAT'S OUR SHOW, I HOPE YOU ENJOYED IT.

AND I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE CLASSIC AUTOMALL IN MORGANTOWN PENNSYLVANIA AND THEIR FABULOUS COLLECTION FOR HOSTING OUR DRIVE DOWN MEMORY LANE.

NOW FOR MORE MOTORWEEK WHY DON'T YOU CRUISE ON OVER TO PBS.ORG/MOTORWEEK.

AND I HOPE YOU'LL JOIN US NEXT TIME, AS WE ROUND UP THE TROOPS FOR A ROAD TEST OF NISSAN'S LATEST ARMADA.

THEN, WE'LL DROP THE TOP ON CHEVROLET'S REBORN CORVETTE STINGRAY CONVERTIBLE.

TIL' THEN, I'M JOHN DAVIS, WE'LL SEE YOU RIGHT HERE ON MOTORWEEK !

Announcer: TO LEARN MORE ABOUT MOTORWEEK , TELEVISION'S ORIGINAL AUTOMOTIVE MAGAZINE, VISIT... MOTORWEEK HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO YOU BY... YOU'RE SHOPPING FOR TIRES ONLINE AND YOU HAVE QUESTIONS.

"I DO."

WE'RE TIRERACK.COM AND WE HAVE ANSWERS, AND, TOOLS TO HELP.

"LIKE, OUR TIRE DECISION GUIDE.

IT'S, UH, TAKE A LOOK."

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