Motorweek; 2032

Odd. Odd. Odd. Odd. Odd. Odd odd this time on motorways we celebrate 20 years of protests. Remember things we'd just as soon forget and were view the world as we drove it. So come drive with us next. Look at. TV's original automotive magazine brought to you by Priceline with Priceline dot com you name your own price for new cards

all makes and models of cars trucks sport utility vehicles minivans and more. When you log on to Priceline you name your own price. And buy Pep Boys. No matter what you drive Pep Boys Over 27000 items and stock virtually any part for any car with all the name brands you know plus service staff with a a c certified technicians boys parts tires accessories service. Motor Week TV's automotive magazine with your hose. Welcome to motor week. Glad you're with us. This is a television series for people who love cars and for those of you who just like to find out a bit more about them. Each week we'll have our own road test of new models. Our chief mechanic Pat gospel tell us to leave it or not as that's how it all began 20 years ago right here in Studio A Maryland Public Television in Owings Mills Maryland. We were a fledgling show with a simple idea to bring the

automotive world to your home TV every week. And while time has changed all of us more than just a little the past two decades in the auto industry have been nothing short of amazing. So as we celebrate 20 years down the road we thought we'd lead off this special trip down memory lane with a look back at some of the more interesting vehicles that we've tested over the years. Now I'm not talking about the run of the mill exotics like Ferrari Lamborghini and Porsche although we've certainly seen our share. No the cars we remember most are those seemingly forgettable one of a kind and whatever happened to the unloved orphans and oddballs of the automotive world. When we went on the air in 1981 makes like Renault 80 and see them LANCIOTTO were still a regular sight in US showroom. Sadly they're all gone now along with the likes of the lorry and Brooklyn bitter and Maharani. We've always made room in our schedule for the small especially importers

to like us. C-x auto or volley perhaps only 1 in 10 will make a go of it but we applaud their efforts anyway. Think back when was the last time you saw a spider try tooling down the turnpike or had your rear view mirror filled by a torero. We tested both of those in 1990 and haven't seen one since. The French have been known to make an odd car or two most notably the legendary to see the firm so true when we tested one in 1986 and we loved it. Egged on no doubt by the success of squeeze in our slot machine. We're No brought Look car to the US. Unfortunately it was blown blown up in the sales department and left our shores in the early eighties. The motorway cameras have seen cars that float cars that sprout wings and fly in cars that look good enough to eat. Indeed we found our luggage in some pretty strange cars and found our cars in some pretty strange luggage. We come across monster

motorcycles thundering three wheelers and more goofy customs than you can shake a stick at. Not to mention cars and we had to carry and one we even had to build ourselves. From taxicabs to police cruisers to horse drawn buggies and Model T Ford if it had wheels it was bound to turn up on motor week sooner or later. We can remember when one of the fastest cars in the country was a Buick sedan and when our favorite convertible was a pick up on doubt of Lee our biggest test was that of this 1993 Mack truck. We still cringe thinking of our poor test driver as he ground the gears over and over again. For pure thrills it's hard to top the experience of driving a manufacturer's concept vehicle for show car. We've had the good fortune over the years of wheeling around quite a few of those one offs and we can never get enough. We haven't limited our test vehicles to the civilian ranks either. Witness our test of Chevy's

military concept the Bushwhacker the ultimate rolling soldier the Hummer the Bradley fighting vehicle and the M1 Abrams tank tank we even got to drive the USS North Carolina. Ever try to run a camera when a missile guidance system is tracking your every twitch. Well we've done that and more in the last 20 years worth of motorway grotesque but no matter what the vehicle or where the roads lead. We've enjoyed every mile. The nose felt look belongs to evolve that Tolani a builder of solid and reliable Swedish transportation first German car was an affordable nameplate.

If there is such a thing as. Volkswagen. But the introduction of BMW is new 7 series has caused a downturn in sales for the Big Ben's notepad and twenty years of motorway. You've outgrown three Goss's garage set but you've produced over 500 segments. That's a lot of car care for anybody. Well it sure is but as far as the sets go this latest one is certainly far better than anything we've had before. Especially if you think back in the old days when we were doing it in the corner of my old service station. Well you know we spare no expense for you know the bills in the mail. Yeah. Anyway the technology though that you've covered That's just amazing the amount of change we started 20 years ago we didn't have computers in our offices let alone the cars. Yeah but think about this in 1981 first year in the show. That was the year the computer showed up in cars in Mass. Looking back at some of those early shows it's shocking just how crude cars. We're in the early

80s and how much we take for granted today. Take breaks for instance. ABS was virtually unheard of. We were impressed then when a car had four wheel disks and a good stopping distance on the Test Track was some 30 feet longer than today's average and was usually accomplished by copious amounts of tire smoke. Fifteen inch tires were a big deal and the typical car came equipped with a three speed automatic or maybe a four speed manual. 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 and dual zone climate controls meant you opened both front windows navigation but required a passenger and a map and the only air bag was the mother in law in the back seat front wheel drive. Family cars were the modern marvel of packaging inefficiency big on the inside small on the outside but that was just a fad right. American drivers would never stray from the driving too.

Front engine rear drive layout or with a company new rear drive family cars to you name today. We had high praise for this 1983 Pontiac Trans-Am muscle car when it reported a quarter mile time of seventeen point one seconds per perspective. That's exactly one second quicker than our recent test of the three cylinder Honda Insight. Just about the only minivan on the road in 1981 with a rear engine Volkswagen and GM is idea of a hybrid power plant. It was a gasoline engine converted to run on diesel an abomination that powered many a cutlass and a Cadillac during those dark days. Yes indeed John. We take many things for granted these days that were dismissed as science fiction 20 years ago. Active suspensions navigation systems. Tune ups every hundred thousand miles. But there is one thing that auto engineers haven't been able to do away with despite all the

computers and 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 automobiles engine is changing the oil. Carjackings are on the rise nationwide but your chances of being a victim of this crime are slim. For example here in the Baltimore Washington metropolitan area. Something I can remember roughly 30000 now is a 30000 36000 vehicles have been stolen so far this year but only 2 percent of those incidents are due to carjackings. I got a look to get over and I can I do that. What you guys are doing. You know John I realize this is only your second season with motor week but it's terrific to see how well you've been able to basically just blend in with the series so seamlessly.

You know I really enjoy it that's why you know I thought such a nice anniversary show you know one of the things we should do is let our audience see what it is that we do here. I mean we put you know behind the scenes and the scenes. Is it safe to do that. I think you know that's a good idea because then they can actually the names they see on the credits they can actually connect those to faces to real people and the people that make this show possible absolutely. Well our impressions be positive or otherwise about this. While our impressions be positive or otherwise about his road test motor news and features that's what you as the audience see every week. But there's a lot more that goes into the show than you think. Yes we've been on the air for 20 years and the show has changed quite a bit in that time. But the amount of work and effort that's put in DEFINITELY IS NOT. You walk up and down the hallways and always have papers in your room what you do makes people

think you're really important in your business. My job to follow Jennifer was on this crazy Auto Show. Sometimes I even get to edit it. When I started on the show I was young I was thin and I had a lot more hair. School is how to go when people say I have the best job in the world. I say that's absolutely correct. About 60 to 70 percent of the time. OK. So I work with quite a few jokesters but in reality all of us work very hard. I think what most viewers would be surprised at when they watch an episode of motor week is that it takes a lot longer than a week to produce a weekly episode. I mean we may be out shooting six in eight weeks in advance we road test to do. Often our crews are traveling to the press previews to record new vehicles we get they are on the air as quickly as possible. And that's only part of it there's a lot more to do. But let me tell you it's getting the true flavor of what goes on behind the lens was no easy feat. Those who were camera shy wanted me dead by the end of the day especially our head writer Dave Duerson.

Do you know this will be a slow leak. Yeah you know I never really know what you're doing. I'm sure you. Don't like the prop. But being the kind hearted gentleman he is he finally agreed to cooperate. Ok I worked there for 14 years I started in Season 6. Now we're going into 20. Don't ask me why I'm still here. I gather the reason is the same as mine and as everyone else's. We all love what we do after we determine what our production needs are and make sure we have facilities crews and most importantly cars to test. We basically. Jack of all trades as a producer needs information research they need video they need information from previous shows I can get that for them. Here Mother we have two full time writers on staff. We have the writer and the other writer that would be me. I'm back here keeping track of the spelling of the screen and watching the overall quality of the show.

Sure things look right the right shots in the right place just the show flows OK with time wise on the graphic art director. I'm responsible for the overall look of the show. I not only respond I'll feed the graphics to your I mean I push buttons and put us together. OK so I'm on camera. I almost left out two key people are videographers Pats Dalio Nyssa Drake Awada they deserve a medal for the amount of work they do. But for me and my counterparts John Davis Greg Haas and Pat Goss We obviously play a different role. We all produce segments and it's our job to bring all the staff hardwork and dedication into your living room. Many people tell us that we have the dream job and in many ways we do. I feel fortunate enough to work with a group of people who are so knowledgeable about the subject and hey who would complain about working with cars. I sanded in ski salmon in the saleslady me to damn bread in Egypt.

I see the doors of the rocks. Have a complimentary American flag. I don't want to get there are populated by yet. Another high road trip. Yeah we're leaving for the airport right now. We might want to take a ticket. Thank you. You know lucky for all of us Greg you keep coming up with so many great ideas for the high road. That's pretty easy I mean keep in mind this is Motor Week the way I figure it if it has a motor it's fair game. You're right that's good. How very trip banks. You know. In the 20. Years I've been test driving with motor week I've had the unique opportunity to drive everything from Ford 40 knots your Meyer

Wienermobile. It's simply been a blast. But as cool as the cars are and believe me some of these cars are very cool. The best part of the job has been the opportunity to meet some very special people. Now number one on that hit parade continues to be the amazing Carol Shelby. Here's a guy who has created an automotive legend survived two organ transplants and yet still has time to create a major international charity. I made my mind up. If God ever so clear for me to get a heart I was going to take care. Try to do my best to take care of the people that could. The indigent kids that are just left by the wayside in this thing Carol Shelby's heart may not be original equipment right. But it's a great big one just the same. Another sports car legend that I've had the honor to meet is Utaka Katsuyama. Mr. Kay as

his fans call him is the marketing genius that introduced the legendary 240 sports car and made Dotson a household name in the U.S.. You know maybe Nissan should bring back the real Mr. K out of retirement. Not everybody I admire is a sports car guy. Not by a long shot. Irrepressible John Force continues to collect championships in drag racing like other people collect postcards. And no matter where he goes he always has time for his legions of fans with an autograph a handshake. And a bit of self-deprecating humor and a kick for you to get his autograph. Definitely. A really nice guy. I really like John Kars I just hangs on volleyball. I'm a. Mess. Not every racer I admire is famous either. These young racers redefined hot rodding with their explosively fast import drag cars. This is just the best it's. Ever been doing anything like anything bad it gives you away from all the best.

Again you know it's good. You can either just happen and believe me it's not just racers that I admire. There are the collectors in the restorers that help preserve so much of the legacy that goes with the automobile. From Chet Krauss and his amazing collection of military vehicles to the Collier brothers and their 9 17 Porsche from puddle jumpers to P-51. It's the people behind the nuts and the bolts that truly are the story. In the last two decades I have driven everywhere from in the heat of the Baja desert to the frozen vastness of the Arctic. But I've always met warm friends. Out on the highroad. From the home office in Owings Mills Maryland here is now the top five reasons not to become a motor we test drive the year we go number five. You can't earn frequent flier miles. Number four pesky

pedestrians never yield the right of way. Number three. Helmet hair. Number two. The two questions were most tired of answering. One raise. Need Anymore test drivers and the number one reason not to become a motor we test drive those poor dreaded words we've all heard too often. License and registration please. Thank you very much ladies and gentlemen. Hey Pat Henry you know you guy John you're good you know I'm not sure our audience realizes that over the course of motorist's history that we've videotaped over 2000 road

test. That's a lot of protests if sometimes it feels like we shot them all last month. Come on now they can all run together I know you've both driven some pretty fascinating cars. What's your favorite. Well what about that speedboat shooting Well yeah you know what I mean that was a good one. Israel is a good one. My most memorable vehicle has to be a quote without a doubt. The best muscle car I've ever driven. Under total control. The story. Also on the racetrack. It was simply. Mind blowing. My most memorable vehicle has to be the Maxton roller skate that we built and gave away on motorways. We had so much fun with that project from getting drunk on fumes from the glue to giving it away to delivering it. The whole thing was very memorable. You drive so many great cars for so many years. We took it for granted after a while. But at home for me was to yellow for hours we had a 348 speciality in a cabriolet and a

staffer and I were having an argument about which car to take for the weekend. And I went out for a few minutes if I realized where we are going to forest to enjoy it for that's. My most memorable vehicle and I would have to be. A pleasure to drive lots of power great styling one of the things I remember most about that car was that whenever I'd come to a stop either at a stop light or gas station people would walk up to the car and ask me what is that. How much does it cost. Why do you get to drive. Just a great fear. I have to say that my most memorable car is the ninety nine letters the spray and the reason for that is because it was the first exotic car I had to drive. When I came in out of it and I was so excited. So. I've had the opportunity to drive a number of different vehicles here both on the road and on race tracks but my most memorable one is one that I didn't even drive. But to get some hot laps in that was with forty fours Bob Tillis the Jaguar X came running. Now here's a concept vehicle that. That was quite pleasing to the eye and very

capable on the race track. Most memorable car probably in 1992 was the first Corvette Motor Week ever tested as a collectors edition. But keep in mind I'm 24 years old shingle and they let me have this gorgeous Corvette for the weekend. I tell you what my image looked real good that week. For me it's not any one car that's most memorable It's the whole concept of our cars. I love our cars that's when people do just whatever they feel like to make their car an extension of who they are. Painted up making a sculpture and so forth and paraded around town. It has to be the Ducati 916. It's an amazing motorcycle. I know it's a cliche but it really is a race bike with lights and I could rock probably ride it for 10 years and never reach the limits of the bike's performance he would always be a challenge most in my mind would be the Viper. It's big it's loud it's fast. Nasty American rear wheel drive horsepower doesn't game better than that from the very beginning of

motor week we had a saying that the cars are the stars. But when you test 150 cars a year it's hard to have a favorite. But I do have one. The Porsche 928 Now the last time we tested was a 93 9 28. It was coming to the end of its life it had not gone over well with Porsche fans because the engines in the front a drove the rear wheels. But I love that cars the quintessential GTI. It was fast. It had great handling it was comfortable. A wonderful sounding V8 and that's the sports car I always wanted to own. I was on a shoot once with a boat called The Hustler 50 down in Miami has triple Lamborghini engines six hundred fifty horse power apiece was 105 mile per hour boat. It was just the most awesome experience I've ever had and the boat was just flying. Happy Anniversary Motor Week from the Peters family. Here's to another 20 years.

Against me. Glad to have you tested. I'm. And if you have a question or a comment. To me because he was. At a real place where the sun runs on cars now. Ah. Four car dealers left overs of those models left behind on their lots at the end of the model year. Nothing left now from that old set but memories. Boy what an exciting time it was. People thought we were crazy to be doing a weekly television series about cars. And now there are entire networks devoted to the subject and our audience has grown larger and more loyal with each passing year. It has been quite a ride so for all of us at motor we thank you for sharing it with us. And here's to the next 20 years here hare and we'll see you here next week on Motor Week. To learn more about Motor Week TV's original automotive magazine visit us

online at PBS dot org or America Online keyword PBS motor week has been brought to you by Priceline dot com with Priceline dot com you name your own price for new cars. All makes and models of cars trucks sport utility vehicles many bands and more. When you log on to Priceline dot com you name your own price and buy Pep Boys. No matter what you drive Pep Boys has over twenty seven thousand items in stock. Virtually any part for any car with all the name brands you know plus service space staff with a a c certified technicians Pep Boys parts tires accessories service to order a video cassette of this program call 1 800 4 2 2 0 0 6 4. Happy Anniversary mode a week from the Peters family. Well that was it was a happy anniversary not only of the Peters family was already well many people that want to. Know. Why. Many people tell us that we have the dream job to judge.

I have a good trip. So you know where everything in this week's show. Regularly. It was like oh OK here we go again for coming. From. The One. Side that. I knew. Was like you know. We look. Back with no one back to the writer and I would and I would have the other bag on my head that would say. Other. Right. They said we're not on camera for a reason. This is PBS.