MotorWeek 35th Anniversary Episode

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

JOIN US AS WE ROLL BACK THE MOTORWEEK ODOMETER TO 1981...

REVISIT SOME OF THE ICONIC VEHICLES WE'VE TESTED... LOOK AT THE EVOLUTION OF CAR STYLING FROM THEN TO NOW... TRACK THE REVOLUTION IN AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGY... AND SEE THE AUTOMOTIVE WORLD AS WE DROVE IT... AND POKE A LITTLE FUN AT OURSELVES ALONG THE WAY.

SO COME DRIVE WITH US, NEXT!

>> ANNOUNCER: 35 YEARS OF MOTORWEEK, TELEVISION'S ORIGINAL AUTOMOTIVE MAGAZINE.

BROUGHT TO YOU BY: >> ANNOUNCER: PHYLLIS IS HEADED TO A SCIENCE CONFERENCE.

SO SHE'S NOT THINKING ABOUT TIRES RIGHT NOW.

IF SHE WERE, ALL SHE'D NEED TO KNOW IS TIRERACK.COM.

BUT PHYLLIS IS THINKING...

UH, I'M NOT REALLY SURE.

BUT IT'S PROBABLY IMPORTANT.

MORE INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE AT TIRERACK.COM.

>> ANNOUNCER :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: WELCOME TO MOTORWEEK.

I'M GLAD YOU'RE WITH US.

THIS IS A TELEVISION SERIES FOR PEOPLE WHO LOVE CARS.

AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO'D JUST LIKE TO FIND OUT A LITTLE MORE ABOUT THEM... HELLO AND WELCOME AGAIN TO MOTORWEEK.

WE'RE GLAD TO HAVE YOU WITH US FOR THIS SPECIAL EDITION CELEBRATING OUR 35 YEARS ON THE TELEVISION.

YOU KNOW, THIS ORIGINAL SET EXISTS ONLY IN VIRTUAL REALITY NOW, BUT IT WAS MOTORWEEK'S HOME IN STUDIO "A" AT MARYLAND PUBLIC TELEVISION FOR OUR FIRST 6 SEASONS.

THE SET DESIGN WAS SOMEWHERE IN-BETWEEN AN AUTOMOTIVE DESIGN STUDIO, A PLACE FEW OUTSIDERS HAD EVER SEEN, AND A NEW CAR SHOWROOM.

WE WANTED TO CREATE A SPACE WHERE OUR VIEWERS COULD EXPERIENCE THE NEWEST CARS AND TRUCKS FROM AN INSIDER'S VIEW, BEFORE THEY WENT ON SALE.

WHILE NOT ALL OF OUR EARLY TEST CARS HAVE SURVIVED THE TEST OF TIME, A FEW STAND OUT AS IMPORTANT MILESTONES ON THE AUTOMOTIVE TIMELINE.

SO LET'S START THINGS OFF WITH A LOOK IN THE REARVIEW MIRROR AT A FEW OF OUR MOTORWEEK AUTOMOTIVE ALL-STARS.

WE'RE PROUD TO HAVE WITNESSED SEVERAL AUTOMOTIVE MILESTONES OVER THE COURSE OF OUR HISTORY.

FOR MOTORWEEK'S FIRST BROADCAST, OUR STUDIO CAMERAS FOCUSED ON THE TRENDSETTING NEW "WORLD CAR" FROM FORD, THE ESCORT, ALONG WITH A FUN AND QUIRKY ITALIAN IMPORT, THE FIAT STRADA.

BOTH WERE FRONT-RUNNERS IN THE FRONT-WHEEL-DRIVE REVOLUTION, AS MAINSTREAM CARS WENT FROM PUSHERS TO PULLERS SEEMINGLY OVERNIGHT.

IN 1981, THE K-CAR WAS ALREADY TAKING BADGE-ENGINEERING TO THE EXTREME.

AND OVER THE NEXT 8 YEARS, SPAWNED COUNTLESS SPIN-OFFS FROM THE SAME BASIC CHASSIS, INCLUDING THE UBIQUITOUS MINIVAN, ARGUABLY THE MOST SIGNIFICANT VEHICLE OF THE LAST 35 YEARS, AND ONE THAT CHANGED THE FACE OF FAMILY TRANSPORTATION FOREVER.

WE SAW THE END OF AN ERA IN THE MID '80S WHEN VIRTUALLY ALL OF THE COOL EUROPEAN SPORTS CARS PACKED UP THEIR SIDE CURTAINS AND HEADED BACK ACROSS THE POND... ONLY TO BE REINCARNATED, IN SPIRIT AT LEAST, BY THE 1990 MAZDA MIATA, WHICH LED A ROADSTER REVIVAL THAT IS STILL LURING SUNSEEKERS TODAY.

AMC/JEEP'S 1984 4-DOOR CHEROKEE AND WOODY WAGONEER WERE THE FIRST MIDSIZE VEHICLES TO BLUR THE LINE BETWEEN CARS AND TRUCKS, BUT IT WAS THE HUGE POPULARITY OF FORD'S EXPLORER IN THE EARLY '90S THAT FUELED THE SUV PHENOMENON.

THE 1982 HONDA ACCORD HIT THE STREETS JUST A MONTH BEFORE OUR PREMIER BROADCAST.

THE FIRST JAPANESE-BRAND CAR BUILT IN AMERICA, THAT ACCORD WAS EVERYWHERE IN THE EIGHTIES, AND WITH GOOD REASON: >> "...AS A TOTAL PACKAGE, THIS HONDA TENDED TO BE MUCH MORE THAN THE SUM OF ITS PARTS.

IN SHORT, THE HONDA ACCORD IS A VERY COMPETENT FAMILY CAR."

>> JOHN: WE WERE BULLISH ON THE FORD TAURUS IN 1986, AS IT USHERED IN THE AERODYNAMIC OVAL ERA OF AUTOMOTIVE STYLING AND REMAINED A BIG SELLER FOR NEARLY TWO DECADES.

OUR EARLY EXOTIC CAR ADVENTURES, IN CARS LIKE THE BITTER, DELOREAN AND LANCIA ZAGATO WHET OUR APPETITES FOR WORLD-CLASS PERFORMANCE, WHILE THE DEBUT OF A NEW CHEVY CORVETTE FOR 1984 SIGNALED AT LONG LAST AMERICA'S ARRIVAL IN THE MODERN SPORTS CAR CORRAL.

OUR FIRST DRIVES IN THE PORSCHE 911 AND BMW M3 BECAME OUR PERFORMANCE BENCHMARKS FOR YEARS TO COME, AND SET A HIGH BAR FOR OTHER SPORTS CARS TO REACH FOR.

THE OUT-OF-THIS-WORLD PORSCHE 959 AND FERRARI'S FABULOUS F40 BOTH BLEW OUR MINDS, DELIVERING ULTIMATE PERFORMANCE UNHEARD OF JUST A FEW YEARS EARLIER.

THE CORVETTE ZR1 FULFILLED OUR DESIRE FOR A UNIQUELY AMERICAN HIGH PERFORMANCE ICON IN 1990.

DODGE FOLLOWED SUIT WITH THE VIPER A YEAR LATER, AND THE MODERN HORSEPOWER WARS WERE BORN.

BUT AMAZINGLY, ALL OF THEM ARE YAWNERS COMPARED TO TODAY'S CROP OF MUSCLE CARS.

IN FACT, WE REMEMBER WHEN THE BADDEST CAR IN THE LAND WAS A SLAB-SIDED SEDAN.

COME TO THINK OF IT, THAT'S STILL TRUE!

SUBARU MAY HAVE LAID CLAIM TO THE FIRST SPORT UTILITY WAGON IN THE '90S WITH THE OUTBACK, BUT IF YOU ASK US, THAT SEGMENT-BUSTER STATUS WAS TOYOTA'S RAV4 WAS THE FIRST TRUE CROSSOVER UTILITY, BLENDING A CAR-LIKE UNIBODY CHASSIS WITH AN SUV-LIKE STANCE AND VERSATILITY IN A COMPACT GARAGE-FRIENDLY PACKAGE.

GM'S EV1 SHOWED THE PROMISE OF CLEAN, EFFICIENT ELECTRIC POWER, BUT IT'S ORIGINAL HEAVY LEAD-ACID BATTERIES WERE ANYTHING BUT.

IT WASN'T UNTIL 1997 THAT THE TOYOTA PRIUS GAS-ELECTRIC HYBRID REALIZED THAT POTENTIAL IN AN AFFORDABLE, FAMILY-FRIENDLY MASS-MARKET CAR.

PERFECT PACKAGING AND BLING FOR THE BUCK WAS THE CALLING CARD OF LEXUS LS400, INFINITI Q45 AND ACURA LEGEND WHEN THEY TILTED THE LUXURY CAR GLOBE OFF OF ITS EUROPEAN AXIS IN THE LATE '80S, AND OPENED THE UPSCALE CAR MARKET TO THE MIDDLE CLASS.

AND WE'D BE REMISS TO NOT MENTION THE FORD F-150.

IT WAS ALREADY THE TOP-SELLING VEHICLE IN AMERICA WHEN WE DEBUTED IN 1981, AND HAS REMAINED SO THROUGHOUT OUR ENTIRE 35-YEAR RUN.

SIMPLY AMAZING!

WITH THE ONCE SCIENCE-FICTION AUTONOMOUS CAR OF THE FUTURE NEARLY UPON US, WE CONTINUE TO BE ASTOUNDED BY THE LEVEL OF TECHNOLOGY, EFFICIENCY AND PERFORMANCE THAT IS BEING PACKED INTO OUR CARS.

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

BUT THE SAME CONCEPT FROM 35 YEARS AGO STILL GOES TODAY... FOR US THE CARS ARE STILL THE STARS!

>> YOLI : BOY THIS IS QUITE A GROUP OF CARS, AND NOT A BAD-LOOKING ONE IN THE BUNCH!

>> JOHN : YOU'RE RIGHT, YOLI.

YOU KNOW IT'S FASCINATING HOW MUCH AUTOMOTIVE STYLING HAS EVOLVED, EVEN IN THE RELATIVELY BRIEF TIME THAT WE'VE BEEN ON THE AIR.

>> YOLI : THAT'S RIGHT, JOHN.

AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE SHOW ARCHIVES, LIKE I'VE BEEN DOING, YOU'LL SEE SOME PRIME EXAMPLES OF THE ART OF AUTOMOTIVE STYLE.

>> YOLI: WHEN MOTORWEEK FIRST HIT THE AIRWAVES IN THE EARLY 80'S, BOXY WAS BEAUTIFUL.

THE STRAIGHT EDGE WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT TOOL IN A DESIGNER'S ARSENAL AND WHEN IT CAME TO BODY LINES - WELL, THE SHARPER THE CREASE, THE SMARTER THE CAR.

CHROME WAS STILL KING OF THE BLING IN THE '80S, BUT WITH THE NEW DECADE CAME A NEW EMPHASIS ON MODERN DESIGN.

PLASTIC WAS FANTASTIC, AERODYNAMIC AIDS AND BODY-COLORED CLADDING RULED THE DAY AS THE JELLY BEAN LOOK TOOK OVER.

THE FRONT-WHEEL-DRIVE REVOLUTION AND IT'S EFFICIENT DRIVETRAIN PACKAGING GAVE DESIGNERS THE FREEDOM TO SHAPE CARS TO THEIR LIKING AGAIN.

BIG ON THE INSIDE, SMALL ON THE OUTSIDE WAS THE NEW NORM, AND CAB FORWARD WAS NOW IN EVERYONE'S VOCABULARY.

WITH THE TURN OF THE CENTURY THERE CAME A LONGING FOR BYGONE DAYS, AND THAT WAS CERTAINLY THE CASE IN AUTOMOTIVE DESIGN; SOME CARMAKERS WERE INSPIRED BY CLASSIC DESIGN LANGUAGE TO BRING A THROWBACK VIBE WITH A MODERN TWIST TO THEIR CLASSIC STYLING.

WHILE FULL-ON RETRO LOOKS LIKE THE VOLKSWAGEN NEW BEETLE, MINI COOPER AND FORD THUNDERBIRD WERE ALMOST CARICATURES OF THEIR OWN '50S AND '60S SELVES.

OVER THREE-AND-A-HALF DECADES WE'VE ALSO SEEN FAMILY TRANSPORTATION EVOLVE; FROM WAGONS TO MINIVANS TO SUVS AND NOW TO THE ENDLESS ONSLAUGHT OF SO-CALLED CROSSOVER UTILITIES OF ALL SHAPES AND SIZES.

WE'VE WITNESSED THE RISE AND FALL... AND PERHAPS RISE AGAIN, OF 5-DOOR HATCHBACKS... DOWNSIZED LUXURY, THE DAWN OF MONOCHROME MADNESS, THE BANGLE BUTT, AND MORE CUTE UTES THAN YOU CAN SHAKE A DIPSTICK AT.

AND WHAT CAN WE SAY ABOUT TRUCKS, OTHER THAN THEY TEND TO GET BIGGER AND BOLDER WITH EACH NEW GENERATION?

PICKUPS NOW EQUALLY AT HOME ON THE JOB SITE OR OUT ON THE TOWN HAS BROUGHT BIG CHANGES IN CONTENT AND COMFORT, AS WE WON'T SEE THIS BODY STYLE DISAPPEARING ANYTIME SOON.

INTERIOR DESIGN HAS COME A LONG WAY AS WELL, WITH PLAIN ROUND ANALOG GAUGES GIVING WAY TO THE VIDEO GAME LOOK OF THE DIGITAL ERA, AND THE VIRTUAL TOUCH-SCREEN WORLD WE SEE TODAY...

EVEN THE IMPROVED QUALITY AND FEEL OF INTERIOR MATERIALS HAS GIVEN DESIGNERS MORE FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION.

UNIVERSAL ROUND AND RECTANGULAR SEALED BEAM HEADLAMPS LIMITED A DESIGNER'S VISION TO CERTAIN PREDICTABLE SHAPES, WHILE MODERN XENON, HID BULBS AND NOW FULL LEDS ALLOW THE LIGHTS THEMSELVES TO BECOME MAJOR STYLING THEMES.

WHILE WE DON'T MOURN THE DEMISE OF LANDAU ROOFS, FAUX WOOD PANELING, AND WIRE WHEEL HUBCAPS, WE DO MISS SOME OF THE WONDERFULLY UNIQUE, PROUDLY QUIRKY DESIGNS THAT HAVE PASSED THROUGH OUR TEST LOT.

IT'S HARD TO PREDICT WHAT WILL DRIVE TOMORROW'S CAR STYLING, BUT WITH INCREASING SAFETY RS WILL CONTINUE TO LOOK MORE ALIKE THAN DIFFERENT.

BUT WE'LL STILL SEEK OUT AND APPLAUD THOSE DESIGNS THAT PLACE A VALUE ON STYLE.

>> JOHN: YOU KNOW, PAT, IT'S REALLY SAD TO SEE OUR OLD GOSS' GARAGE SET BEING BASICALLY AN ENGINEERING GRAVEYARD.

DO YOU REALIZE WE'VE OUTGROWN THREE GOSS' GARAGE SETS OVER 35 YEARS, AND THAT YOU'VE PRODUCED OVER 900 GOSS' GARAGE SEGMENTS... THAT'S A LOT OF CAR CARE ADVICE!

>> PAT GOSS : YEA, IT SURE IS, AND TO THINK THAT IT ALMOST DIDN'T HAPPEN.

REMEMBER IN THE PILOT, IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE "MOTORSHOP" AND CRAIG SINGHAUS WAS GOING TO BE THE HOST!

WELL, I GUESS IF THAT HAD HAPPENED, I COULD HAVE DONE THE HIGH ROAD SEGMENTS!

>> JOHN: OH I WOULDN'T CHANGE A THING, I THINK IT HAS WORKED OUT PERFECTLY 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 OUR PILOT EPISODE.

MOVING IN HERE, THE ACTUAL PARKING GARAGE FOR THE STATION'S REMOTE TV TRUCK, WAS A LUXURY.

BUT, I DO REMEMBER HOW CRAMPED THIS SET WAS.

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

IN 2004, WE TOOK OVER OUR CURRENT STUDIO, A FORMER CARPENTER SHOP FOR BUILDING PROPS AND SCENERY, AND HAVE EXPANDED OUR BOUNDARIES TWO OR THREE TIMES SINCE THEN.

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

BUT WHAT'S REALLY AMAZING TO ME IS HOW FAR AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGY HAS PROGRESSED: 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 JUST HOW CRUDE CARS WERE IN THE EARLY '80S, AND HOW MUCH WE TAKE FOR GRANTED TODAY.

TAKE BRAKES FOR INSTANCE.

YOU'D HAVE THOUGHT I WAS CRAZY IF I'D SAID THAT CARS WOULD ONE DAY STOP THEMSELVES TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT.

AT THE TIME, ABS WAS VIRTUALLY UNHEARD OF... WE WERE IMPRESSED THEN WHEN A CAR HAD FOUR-WHEEL DISCS.

A GOOD STOPPING DISTANCE ON THE TEST TRACK WAS SOME THIRTY FEET LONGER THAN TODAY'S AVERAGE.

THAT'S ABOUT THE LENGTH OF TWO BIG SUVS, AND WAS USUALLY ACCOMPANIED BY COPIOUS AMOUNTS OF TIRE SMOKE!

WHILE RADIAL TIRES WERE BY THEN UNIVERSALLY ACCEPTED, THEY WERE ALSO UNIVERSALLY MEDIOCRE IN PERFORMANCE.

FERRARI'S AND PORSCHE'S WORE RUBBER UNSUITED FOR TODAY'S ECONOBOXES.

13 INCH WHEELS WERE THE NORM, WHILE 15'S WERE A BIG DEAL.

THAT'S A FAR CRY FROM TODAY'S 22-INCH MONSTERS.

A LUXURY CAR WAS ANYTHING WITH LEATHER SEATS AND POWER WINDOWS, OR BETTER YET, CRUISE CONTROL.

A CASSETTE DECK WAS CONSIDERED STATE OF THE ART, NAVIGATION REQUIRED A PASSENGER AND A MAP, AND DUAL-ZONE CLIMATE CONTROLS MEANT YOU OPENED BOTH FRONT WINDOWS.

THE TYPICAL CAR CAME EQUIPPED WITH A THREE-SPEED AUTOMATIC, OR MAYBE A FOUR-SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION.

WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THAT SIX-RATIO GEARBOXES WOULD BECOME THE NORM, AND THAT ANYBODY WOULD EVER NEED NINE GEARS?

THE CVT TRANSMISSION CAME AND WENT WITH THE SUBARU JUSTY IN THE EARLY '90S, BUT IS BACK NOW AND BETTER THAN EVER.

THE OLD SLUSHBOX AUTOMATICS OF THE '80S AND '90S WOULD NEVER BE AN ENTHUSIAST'S CHOICE, BUT TODAY'S DUAL-CLUTCH, PADDLE-SHIFT GEARBOXES ARE SO INTUITIVE AND QUICK, THE THIRD PEDAL IS NOW SEEN AS A HINDRANCE WHEN THE GOING GETS FAST.

IF YOU WANTED AN ALL-WEATHER ALL-WHEEL DRIVE CAR IN 1981, YOU HAD TO SHOP FOR AN AUDI OR A SUBARU.

NOW THERE ARE AT LEAST 20 MANUFACTURERS PEDDLING THE ALL-WHEEL-DRIVE ADVANTAGE.

ELECTRIC CARS IN THE '80S WERE HOMEBUILT CONTRAPTIONS OR ONE-OFF CONVERSIONS LOADED DOWN WITH LEAD-ACID BATTERIES, A FAR CRY FROM THE LITHIUM-ION POWERED EV AND HYBRID VEHICLES OF TODAY THAT PROVE GREEN MOTORING CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED WITHOUT COMPROMISE.

YES, INDEED, JOHN, WE TAKE MANY THINGS FOR GRANTED THESE DAYS THAT WERE DISMISSED AS SCIENCE FICTION 25 YEARS AGO: ACTIVE SUSPENSIONS, NAVIGATION SYSTEMS, 100,000 MILE WARRANTIES...

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

I SAID IT IN OUR VERY FIRST SHOW, AND IT STILL HOLDS TRUE TODAY: "THE ONE SINGLE THING THAT IS MOST IMPORTANT AS FAR AS THE LIFE EXPECTANCY OF YOUR CAR, IS CHANGING THE OIL."

>> JOHN: IN 1983 WE STARTED OUR ANNUAL MOTORWEEK DRIVERS' CHOICE AWARDS.

SO NAMED BECAUSE THE WINNERS IN EACH CATEGORY ARE THE MODELS WE LIKE DRIVING THE BEST.

STILL, IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO BE 100 PERCENT CORRECT 100 PERCENT OF THE TIME.

OUR MOST PROLIFIC WINNERS HAVE BEEN THE DODGE CARAVAN, PLYMOUTH VOYAGER AND CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY, RACKING UP A TOTAL OF THIRTEEN VICTORIES AS BEST MINIVAN.

NOT SURPRISING, SINCE THEY INVENTED THE CLASS.

BUT TRUTHFULLY, MOST OF OUR CHOICES HAVE BEEN RIGHT FOR THE TIME, AND GENERALLY HAVE STOOD THE TEST OF TIME.

YET, AS THE CAR MARKET AND BUYING HABITS HAVE CHANGED, SO HAVE OUR CATEGORIES.

IN FACT, THE ONLY CATEGORY TO BE INCLUDED ON EVERY AWARD LIST SINCE 1983 IS BEST LUXURY CAR.

CADILLAC HAS TAKEN TOP HONORS THERE WITH 4 DIFFERENT MODELS, INCLUDING THE ODD-DUCK, AND VERY FORGETTABLE CATERA IN 1997.

A FEW CATEGORIES HAVE BEEN "ONE-YEAR WONDERS" LIKE "BEST TECHNOLOGY" , "BEST EXAMPLE OF THE AUTOMOTIVE ART" AND 1984'S "BEST AUTOMOTIVE ODDITY", THE MONTE CARLO SS.

OUR ODDEST PICK SO FAR IS ARGUABLY THE RAGTOP DODGE DAKOTA PICKUP AS BEST CONVERTIBLE FOR 1990.

DODGE DESCRIBED IT AS THE ULTIMATE FUN TRUCK, AND WE AGREED... THEN...

BUT WE CAN'T HONESTLY SAY WE'VE SEEN ONE SINCE.

BUT FOR OUR CLEAR MISSES, WE'LL NOMINATE CHRYSLER'S 1988 EAGLE PREMIER, THE 1989 PEUGEOT 405, AND THE 1991 MERCURY CAPRI.

WE PROCLAIMED THEM BEST IN CLASS... AND THEN WATCHED AS THEIR SALES TANKED AND ALL THREE WERE JUST AS QUICKLY AXED WITHOUT REMORSE.

HEY GUYS, NO HARD FEELINGS?

>> JOHN: WELL HELLO AND WELCOME AGAIN TO MOTORWEEK, IT'S GLAD TO HAVE YOU... [LAUGHS] >> PATRICK LUCAS: "...WHOAAA, WE ARE GOING FAST!"

>> PAT: "...SOMETHING VERY INTERESTING, AND COULD MAKE YOUR CAR ...SOMETHING...I DON'T KNOW..." >> PATRICK: "...THAT WAS... 55 MILES AN HOUR."

>> BEN DAVIS: "...UM, I GUESS WE HAVE ONLINE DATING TO BLAME FOR ALL THAT.

ALL THESE ONLINE DATING WEBSITES..." >> PAT: "TO THE BACK OF THE VAN... TO THE BACK OF THE VAN... TO THE BACK OF THE VAN...

THIS IS THE BACK OF THE VAN...

I'M AT THE BACK OF THE VAN..." >> LISA BARROW: "...IT'S CALLED THE INCREDIBLE CALYPSO BEVERAGE HOLDER, AND AS YOU CAN SEE, WHEN I TILT THE BACK OF THIS..." [LAUGHS] >> YOLI: "...IN FACT, DISTRACTED DRIVING...IS IT 'AND MORE' ...IT'S 'OR MORE SPECIFICALLY'... >> GREG CARLOSS: "...WHICH IS WHY IT'S IN THE SPORT TRIM LINE...THE...

MAN, SAY IT RIGHT."

>> YOLI: "...WHERE'S THE SEATBELT ON THIS THING?"

[LAUGHS] >> JOHN: "WELL HELLO, AND WELCOME AGAIN TO MOTORWEEK, WE'RE GLAD TO HAVE YOU TESTED..." [LAUGHS] >> ZACH MASKELL: "HAHAHA...

GODZILLA!"

>> BEN DAVIS: "...YEAAAAHHHHH!"

>> YOLI: "DON'T KILL ME, NOW!

"DON'T KILL ME, NOW!

OH BOY!"

>> JOHN: "...AND A REAL PLACE, WHERE THE SUN RUNS ON CARS...

NO!"

[LAUGHS] >> JOHN: "...I'M JOHN DAVIS, WE'LL SEE YOU THEN..." OH... [LAUGHS] >> JOHN : HEY ZACH, WHAT ARE YOU UP TO?

>> ZACH : AH I'M JUST RESEARCHING SOME SEGMENT IDEAS FOR OUR 35TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON.

>> JOHN : WELL, YOU'VE COME TO THE RIGHT PLACE.

THESE TAPE ARCHIVES HAVE THOUSANDS OF GREAT FEATURE STORIES FROM CRAIG SINGHAUS, LISA BARROW, HENRY KOPAZ, STEVEN CHUPNICK, AND EVEN A FEW OF MINE.

IF YOU LOOK HARD ENOUGH, I THINK YOU COME UP WITH SOME GREAT INSPIRATION.

GOOD LUCK!

>> ZACH: ...GOODLUCK.

AH, HE'S A FUNNY GUY.

I TELL YOU WHAT.

WHERE DO I EVEN BEGIN?

>> CRAIG: HERE, TRY THIS ONE.

IT'S MY STORY OF DRIVING THE OSCAR MEYER WEINERMOBILE.

>> ZACH: "CRAIG SINGHAUS!

WHAT'S GOING ON?

WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?"

>> CRAIG: "AH, THINK OF ME AS THE GHOST OF MOTORWEEK'S PAST.

>> ZACH: LAST TIME I SAW YOU, YOU HAD A TRUCKER HAT AND A CAMARO T-SHIRT ON!

>> CRAIG: "I STILL HAVE THAT HAT!

BUT SERIOUSLY, WHENEVER I WANTED TO LOOK FOR A GOOD STORY, I WOULD JUST LOOK FOR A BUNCH OF GUYS AND GALS HAVING A GREAT TIME WITH THEIR CARS, AND THEN, THERE WAS SURE TO BE A GREAT STORY BEHIND IT."

>> ZACH: SO EVERYONE IS WELL FAMILIAR WITH YOUR WEINERMOBILE STORY...TELL ME ABOUT THAT.

>> CRAIG: WELL ACTUALLY, I DROVE THREE GENERATIONS OF THE WEINERMOBILE.

I DROVE A 1968, A 1988, AND A 1996.

AND YOU MIGHT SAY I RELISHED THE OPPORTUNITY.

>> ZACH: SO I KNOW YOU LIKE TO BE INVOLVED IN YOUR STORIES, RATHER THAN JUST REPORTING ABOUT THEM... WHAT WERE SOME OF THE MORE MEMORABLE ONES?

>> CRAIG: WELL, THE IDEA WAS THAT I DID THE THINGS THAT A LOT OF OUR VIEWERS WOULD WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN.

FOR EXAMPLE, I GOT TO RIDE IN A P-51 MUSTANG FIGHTER PLANE.

ONE TIME, I KIND OF RODE IN THE GOODYEAR BLIMP.

IT WAS ACTUALLY A REALLY WINDY DAY, SO WE WERE ONLY ABOUT 25 FEET OFF THE GROUND.

BUT HEY, I WAS RIDING IN THE BLIMP!

>> ZACH: RIGHT RIGHT RIGHT... ANY STORIES THAT REALLY HIT HOME FOR YOU, THAT YOU GOT PERSONALLY ATTACHED TO?

>> CRAIG: WELL, I'LL TELL YOU, BACK IN THE LATE 1990'S, I ACTUALLY WENT BACK TO NORMANDY, FRANCE AND RETRACED THE STEPS THAT THE ALLIES TOOK DURING THE NORMANDY INVASION IN 1944.

IT WAS A REAL LIFE CHANGER FOR ME...REKINDLED MY INTEREST IN HISTORY.

>> ZACH: YOU MUST HAVE MET SOME PRETTY INCREDIBLE PEOPLE ALONG THE WAY... >> CRAIG: I TELL YOU, SOME OF THEM WERE FAMOUS, AND SOME OF THEM WEREN'T.

SOME WERE JUST PEOPLE WHO LOVED CARS.

BUT PROBABLY THE ONE GUY THAT REALLY STICKS OUT IN MY MIND?

WELL, EVER SINCE I WAS A LITTLE KID, I ALWAYS IDOLIZED CARROLL SHELBY.

AND IT WAS THE BIGGEST THRILL OF MY LIFE TO BE ABLE TO HANG OUT WITH HIM SEVERAL TIMES.

RECURRING THEME THAT YOU ALWAYS HAD FUN FIRST IN YOUR SEGMENTS.

>> CRAIG: WELL, NOBODY GOT RICH, SO THE IDEA WAS TO HAVE AS MUCH FUN AS YOU COULD POSSIBLY HAVE.

AND WHAT'S NOT TO HAVE FUN WITH?

GREAT CARS, GREAT PEOPLE...

IT WAS A TERRIFIC TIME.

REMEMBER, HAVE FUN FUN FUN, 'TIL JOHN DAVIS TAKES THE T BIRD AWAY!

>> LISA: HEY WAIT A MINUTE, HE DIDN'T HAVE ALL THE FUN!

>> ZACH: LISA BARROW!

I WAS JUST TALKING TO CRAIG, AND I DON'T KNOW WHERE HE WENT.

HOW ARE YOU?

>> LISA: I'M GREAT!

IT'S GOOD TO BE BACK HERE.

>> ZACH: OK, SO HOW ABOUT YOU?

WHERE DID YOU GET YOUR STORY IDEAS?

>> LISA: YOU KNOW, IF IT INVOLVED ADVENTURE, AND SEEING THE WORLD, I WAS THERE.

AND USUALLY THAT INVOLVED OFF ROADING EVENTS AND THINGS, SO HAD A PRETTY GOOD TIME GOING TO PLACES LIKE AUSTRALIA, WHERE I GOT TO LEARN TO DRIVE IN THE SAND FOR THE FIRST TIME.

MONGOLIA AND MOROCCO... MOROCCO WAS PROBABLY THE FIRST OFF ROADING EVENT WHERE I REALLY THOUGHT, "WHOA, I AM DEFINITELY NOT IN KANSAS ANYMORE."

>> ZACH: WELL THAT ALWAYS MAKES FOR SOME GREAT VIDEO.

ABSOLUTELY!

>> LISA: IT WAS CRAZY...

IT WAS FUN THOUGH, LEARNED A LOT.

>> ZACH: SO HOW ABOUT THE PEOPLE?

WHO DID YOU COME ACROSS ON THESE TRIPS?

ANYBODY VERY MEMORABLE?

>> LISA: YOU KNOW...

I WOULD HAVE TO SAY...

THERE'S A LOT...

BUT DENISE MCCLUGGAGE... WAS AMAZING TO SPEND TIME WITH HER.

ACTUALLY, ONE OF MY FIRST STORIES WAS GOING OVERSEAS WITH DENISE.

IT WAS THE BURDE BENZ RALLY.

I GOT TO SHARE A CAR WITH HER.

AND IT WAS A 1912 MERCEDES-BENZ WAGON IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY.

AND THAT THING WAS SO HARD TO SHIFT.

IT'S GOT THE SHIFT OUTSIDE THE DOOR, AND I HAD TO USE TWO HANDS TO DO IT, IT WAS INCREDIBLE.

BUT DENISE, SHE GOT INTO IT, AND SHE JUST DID IT.

AND I REALLY SAW HER COMPETITIVE SIDE.

IT WAS VERY IMPRESSIVE.

>> ZACH: HOW ABOUT WHEN IT COMES TO BEING ACTUALLY A PART OF THESE STORY?

YOU KNOW, WE DO SOME REPORTING, BUT WE REALLY FEEL A PART OF THEM SOMETIMES.

ANY MEMORABLE ONES THERE?

>> LISA: OH YEA!

I REMEMBER THE TANK STORY.

I DON'T KNOW, IT WAS ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE WE WENT UP TO ABERDEEN PROVING GROUNDS... >> ZACH: THE ABRAMS TANK?

>> LISA: YEA THE ABRAMS M1A2 MAIN BATTLE TANK!

AND I'M CRAWLING INSIDE THIS THING THINKING, "WHAT AM I DOING IN HERE?"

>> ZACH: JUST LIKE RIDING A BIKE, RIGHT?

>> LISA: EXACTLY!

>> ZACH: THERE'S NOTHING MORE TO IT.

>> LISA: EXACTLY.

YEA, THAT WAS A LOT OF FUN.

>> JOHN: "WELL, I HOPE YOU'VE ENJOYED THIS DRIVE DOWN 35 YEARS OF MEMORY LANE AS MUCH AS WE DID.

BUT DON'T FORGET TO JOIN US NEXT TIME... ...AS WE ROAR BACK TO THE FUTURE IN FORD'S NEW MUSTANG ANTE ALL-NEW RX.

TILL NEXT TIME, I'M JOHN DAVIS, THANKS FOR WATCHING AND HERE'S TO ANOTHER 35 YEARS OF MOTORWEEK!

>> ANNOUNCER: TO LEARN MORE ABOUT MOTORWEEK - TELEVISION'S ORIGINAL AUTOMOTIVE MAGAZINE, VISIT PBS.ORG/MOTORWEEK.

TO ORDER A DVD OF THIS PROGRAM, CALL 1-800-873-6154.

MOTORWEEK HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO YOU BY: >> ANNOUNCER: PHYLLIS IS HEADED TO A SCIENCE CONFERENCE.

SO SHE'S NOT THINKING ABOUT TIRES RIGHT NOW.

IF SHE WERE, ALL SHE'D NEED TO KNOW IS TIRERACK.COM.

BUT PHYLLIS IS THINKING...

UH, I'M NOT REALLY SURE.

BUT IT'S PROBABLY IMPORTANT.

MORE INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE AT TIRERACK.COM.

>> ANNOUNCER: 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.

>> ANNOUNCER: THIS PROGRAM WAS PRODUCED BY MARYLAND PUBLIC TELEVISION, WHICH IS SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR IT'S CONTENT.

BE MORE PBS