From the April 2023 issue Car and Driver.
We don’t recommend reading car magazines while driving (although we do recommend reading them the rest of the time). When you’re behind the wheel and need automotive content, your choices are to listen to Jan & Dean’s Drag City on repeat or explore some of the thousands of automotive podcasts. Among well-known suggestions, such as that of Adam Carolla CarCast and Matt Farah The smoking tireand shows with a specific collectible, racing or historical theme, there is bound to be a pod to suit your driving style. We recently spent time touring Hollywood in a BMW M5 with the ex C/D editor-in-chief Eddie Alterman, talking about what makes podcasts such a great way to learn more about cars. He should know – he hosts one, Car show! with Eddie Alterman.
Alterman’s interest in doing a podcast was based on the format itself. “It’s such an intimate medium for storytelling,” he says. “You’re right in the listener’s ear.” Civilization began when humans first learned how to share information through speech, so this may be the best way for us to learn. “We tend to pick up on the tone of a person’s voice, and what they say a little better, we remember more.”
Podcasting, with its friendly, memorable nature, seemed like the right way for Alterman to tell stories that connected with history. “I wanted to show the car at the intersection of all these interesting human activities,” he says. “The Corvair represents human accountability and responsibility. The Jeep, we’re still so in love with it because it’s our last connection to World War II. The minivan appeared at a time of great parental uncertainty. This placement can make the car interesting to people who think they don’t like cars.”
Not all hosts have Gutenberg brackets in mind when they turn on the mic, but even if you’re just listening to make your workout or commute go by faster, the right podcast can feel like having a friend along for the ride.
TO THE POINT WITH MARCUS AMICK
Industry analysis, deep technology dives and concept cars when your autofocus is on the future. Amick is that rare interviewer, the kind who knows how to ask a question and then step out of the way to let the guest answer. If you’re tired of podcasts that have more interruptions than brunch with a toddler, tune in. As promised, Amik gets to the point.
DINNER WITH COMPETITORS
Have you ever dreamed of getting drunk with Mario Andretti or sharing a sandwich with Jeff Bodin? Dinner with Racers hosts Ryan Eversley and Sean Hackman are living that dream. The duo meets retired and current racers at local eateries and the occasional driver’s home to elicit racing and personal (sometimes very personal) stories. DWR is casual, fun and often surprising.
CARS AND CULTURE WITH JASON STEIN
Fantastic interviews, and not just with people from the automotive industry. You’ll learn about everything from Toto Wolff’s difficult childhood to the who’s who of car geeks in Hollywood and sports. Stein is as likely to be talking to Coldplay’s bassist as he is the CEO of Dodge. The series covers design, technology, collecting, nine-second C8 Corvette racing and more.
CAR KRUSH IS HOT BOXING
Hotboxing is like going on a road trip with a punk rock girl group. There are giggles, crude jokes and lots of cool project cars. Among the guests are mechanics, tattooists and stuntwomen. Some episodes are reruns of the hosts’ compilations, while others quiz the guests on their automotive interests or share tips for budding tinkerers. It’s a good-natured, all-inclusive blast.
THE DORK-O-MOTIVE PODCAST
Dork-o-Motive host Brian Lohnes has a voice we wish we could narrate for the rest of our lives. We’ll settle for his tales of vehicle history, from rocket-powered axles to steam engine demolition derbies. Loness dug up stories from old newspapers and even taped interviews about exploding lighthouses and World War II convoy heroes. They’re so good, you’ll wish your trip was longer.
Senior Editor, Features
Like a sleeper agent activated late in the game, Elana Sher didn’t know her calling at an early age. Like many girls, she plans to be a vet-astronaut-artist and comes closest to the latter by attending art school at UCLA. She painted images of cars, but did not own one. Elana reluctantly gets her driver’s license at 21 and discovers that not only does she love cars and want to drive them, but that other people love cars and want to read about them, which means someone has to write about them. Since receiving the activation codes, Elana has written for numerous automotive magazines and websites covering classics, car culture, technology, motorsports and new car reviews.