Alan Taylor on LIVE! with Kelly and Michael

You know Alan Taylor as my co-host on Motorz, and perhaps you also know him as the host of “The Drive” radio, which I help co-host. But did you also know that for 16 years in a row he has also been on ABC’s “LIVE! with Kelly and Michael” (and the former “LIVE! with Regis and Kelly”) during the week of the New York International Auto Show? Alan is LIVE!’s official automotive expert, revealing four world, U.S. or television debuts per day for five days in a row.

From March 30 through April 3 this year, car enthusiasts will be see a total of 20 new vehicles revealed by Alan on the show. The crazy thing about this, is that up to the moment that he removes the car cover, most of these cars have never been seen before. Alan tells me that some of the vehicles are so secretive that the car cover remains on the vehicle (under lock and key) until the moment he pulls the cover off. These vehicles have to be driven onto the set for the audience and cameras to see via a small pull-down window in the windshield portion of the car cover.

Alan on the set with Kelly

Not only that, but most of the time he doesn’t even get to learn about the details of the vehicle (horsepower, MPG, technology, features, etc.) until moments before the car is shown on national television. Alan told me, “I get the information sometimes half an hour before the car is revealed live on the air. The information I deliver on the show is the first time the audience (and sometimes the world) gets to hear it.”

Incredible! How cool is it to be the guy that the producers of the number one morning talk show in America demand year-after-year to go on live television and unveil new vehicles to the world! I asked Alan how this incredibly exclusive and fun gig started. “There used to be a different automotive journalist/magazine guests every day on the show. One of them got sick, so the New York Auto Show people asked me if I would do it. After I was on just one time, they liked me so much that they asked me to be their permanent car expert!”

Alan with Michael & Kelly

Alan has not only been able to meet the great hosts of LIVE! over the years, including Regis Philbin, Kelly Ripa and Michael Strahan, but also the A-list guests that appear each day on the show throughout the week. “There are two make-up chairs, so you eventually get to meet lots of cool people. Getting my make-up on sitting next to Billy Crystal was fun, and so was Richard Dreyfuss. Some guests aren’t that friendly, like Russell Crowe, and others take it to a whole new level of funny, like Joel McHale who got a little too friendly!”

Michael is on vacation this week, so he won’t be co-hosting with Kelly. Instead, there will be a variety of co-hosts, including Jerry O’Connell, Mark Cuban, Mark Consuelos, and David Duchovny. Guests scheduled to appear this week include Sissy Spacek, Billy Gardell, Helen Mirren, Pharrell Williams, Vanessa Hudgens, Timothy Hutton, Chrissy Teigen, Ciara, and Jordana Brewster.

Vehicles scheduled to be revealed by Alan for the first time this week:

2015 Auto Week Schedule on LIVE! with Kelly and Michael

Monday (March 30) – Convertibles

The all new Mazda MX-5 Miata made its world debut, the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider made its US debut, and the Buick Cascada and Audi TT Roadster made their television debuts.

3/30/15 Update: See videos and photos, below.

Hosts: Kelly Ripa, Jerry O’Connell
Guests: Sissy Spacek, Billy Gardell

Tuesday (March 31) – Luxury Cars

Today marks the world premieres of the newest 2017 Lincoln Continental Concept, the Jaguar XF and the Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe, and the 2016 Lexus GS F made its television debut.

3/31/15 Update: See videos and photos, below.

Hosts: Kelly Ripa, Mark Cuban
Guests: Helen Mirren

Wednesday (April 1) – Concept Cars

All three concept vehicles made their television debuts: the Buick Avenir, 2016 Chevy Colorado ZR2 Concept and Hyundai Santa Cruz.

4/1/15 Update: See videos and photos, below.

Hosts: Kelly Ripa, Mark Consuelos
Gusts: Pharrell Williams, Vanessa Hudgens

Thursday (April 2) – SUVs and Crossovers

The 2016 Lexus RX 350 F SPORT, 2016 Infiniti QX50, 2016 Fiat 500X and the Mazda CX-3 made their their television debuts.

4/2/15 Update: See videos and photos, below.

Hosts: Kelly Ripa, Mark Consuelos
Guests: Timothy Hutton, Chrissy Teigen

Friday (April 3) – Sleek Sedans

The 2016 Nissan Maxima, 2016 Kia Optima, and Volvo S60CC made their television debuts. The all-new Chevrolet Malibu also was featured.

4/3/15 Update: See videos and photos, below.

Hosts: Kelly Ripa, David Duchovny
Guests: Jordana Brewster, Ciara

Alan tells me that the entire cast and crew of LIVE! are like a second family to him… just a lot of people having a great time, and you’ll be able to see that this week.

So be sure to watch my friend and Motorz co-host Alan Taylor all this week on “LIVE! with Kelly and Michael”, and then watch him right here on Motorz!

LIVE! starts at 9am (all time zones), so watch it live or set up your DVR!

Have a great time out there in NYC, Alan! We’ll all be watching!
–Chris