DRIVE THRU RADIO: Caffeine & Gasoline

Tune in Saturday (5/25/19) for Drive-Thru Radio… 8AM Eastern on WPRO sister station AM790 (streaming live on 790business.com and podcast later.) Rick Schad, Audrain Auto Museum’s Director of Events joins Paul and John Zangari to describe Audrain’s Newport Concours and Motor Week in October. What’s in store will blow your mind!

See fine cars in Newport-only locations, like these three Bugattis in Belcourt Castle.

General Motors is sharing priceless dream cars and prototypes, including the first concept car built – Harley Earl’s 1938 Buick Y-Job . Chris Earl plans to share stories of his grandfather, recognized as having led off the modern era of automotive design.

The future will be in focus too, with a new “30 Under 30” class. Owners of these cars are under age 30, and have spent no more than $30,000 on buying and improving them.

Last Saturday, Audrain held its second “Cars & Coffee” this year. These are open for enthusiasts to show off their pride and joy on Saturday mornings at Newport venues. Click for dates and locations.

Cars that showed up at The Elms included this ’57 Pontiac,.(PHOTO 5 the kind of car seen in everyone’s driveway in the Ike and JFK eras); this ’58 Edsel, ( PHOTO 6 seen in fewer driveways!); this ’36 Packard (PHOTO 7 seen in a few carriage houses of the well-off); and this more-recent (2014) McLaren MP4 (PHOTO 8).

Cars & Coffee is at Marble House on June 8. It’s appropriately one of the childhood homes of William Kissam Vanderbilt II. Early “autoist” Willie K loved speed and raced his own cars – Daimler, Mors, Mercedes – on Ocean Drive early in the 20th Century, often to the irritation of neighbors. In 1904 he inaugurated and funded races for the Vanderbilt Cup – the first auto-racing trophy in America!

Also on the show, Paul & John’s Drive-Thru Review of the plug-in-hybrid-powered 2019 Subaru Crosstrek (PHOTO 9) and news about Chevrolet’s latest “Teen Driver” technology (PHOTO 10).

Chevrolet’s industry-first Buckle to Drive feature is available when the vehicle is in Teen Driver mode. If the vehicle is on and the driver’s seat belt is not buckled, the feature is designed to not allow the driver to shift out of park for up to 20 seconds. When the brake pedal is pressed, the driver will hear an audible alert and see a message in the driver information center that reads “Buckle seat belt to shift.” (Photo by John F. Martin for Chevrolet)