OWINGS MILLS, MD – MotorWeek, TV’s original and longest-running automotive magazine series, marks its milestone 40th season with a special episode premiering Saturday, May 15 on public television stations across the country.

Maryland Public Television (MPT) will air the MotorWeek 40th anniversary special on MPT-HD on May 15 at 5 p.m. and Wednesday, May 19 at 7:30 p.m. The episode will also be shown on MPT2/Create® on Sunday, May 16 at 7:30 p.m.

Fans of the show should buckle up as longtime host and series creator John Davis and the MotorWeek crew take viewers on a 30-minute high-speed run through the vast archives of the show’s four decades on the air. John Davis, MotorWeek host and series creator “It’s been a wonderful ride,” says Davis. “When we started, I thought it would be a fun project for a few years. Who knew that it would last four decades and still be going strong? But the real credit for that goes to the viewers and their insatiable love of the automobile and, of course, to the cars themselves that from day one are the stars of MotorWeek.”

Special episode features include a look back at MotorWeek’s earliest days and how the series got started; a visit with some of the people and places seen during the show’s 40 years on the road; and conversations with feature reporters, past and present, as they reminisce about their most memorable stories.

MotorWeek fans also will enjoy a countdown of the series’ top 10 most popular Retro Reviews; a segment with Master Technician Pat Goss showing that the more things change, the more they stay the same; and no episode of MotorWeek is complete without a look John Davis (center) and the MotorWeek crew, circa 1982 ahead at the future of driving.

During this 40th anniversary season, MotorWeek is continuing its quest, to test, evaluate, and understand the insatiable American appetite for personal transportation, despite major shifts in culture and the global Covid-19 pandemic.

Davis and team bring the 2021 model year into focus, and while the automotive industry is still ripe with near-term prospects of cleaner electric and self-driving autonomous vehicles, the landscape is cloudier than ever due to ever-changing car company priorities, and the impact of the pandemic on sales.

“MotorWeek remains committed to reporting the facts that most affect consumers in their wallets,” notes Davis. “As always, our reporters navigate the marketplace and identify genuine trends and best values for drivers and their passengers.”

MotorWeek is produced and distributed by Maryland Public Television. The series airs on 90 percent of PBS stations nationwide. Viewers can find out which station near them airs MotorWeek by going to the station listings page on motorweek.org/about/station_listings.

The winner of dozens of prestigious automotive journalism awards, MotorWeek is also seen on Discovery’s MotorTrend cable channel, and on the V-me Spanish-language network.

MotorWeek is available for every type of video screen and mobile device with up-to-the-minute automotive news, instantaneous driving impressions, and exclusive videos at motorweek.org. More than 500 of the latest MotorWeek road tests are available through series partner cars.com.

Program excerpts are available at pbs.org/motorweek, and MotorWeek’s YouTube Channel, youtube.com/motorweek, with two million views per month. Viewers can also follow MotorWeek on Facebook, Twitter as well as download complete episodes on iTunes.

MotorWeek is nationally sponsored by RockAuto.com and TireRack.com.

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About Maryland Public Television Maryland Public Television (MPT) is a statewide, public-supported TV network and Public Broadcasting Service member offering entertaining, educational, and inspiring content delivered by traditional broadcasting and streaming on TVs, computers, and mobile devices. A state agency, it operates under the auspices of the Maryland Public Broadcasting Commission. MPT creates local, regional, and national content and is a frequent winner of regional Emmy® awards. MPT’s commitment to educators, parents, caregivers, and learners of all ages is delivered through instructional events and Thinkport.org. MPT’s year-round community engagement activities connect viewers with resources on a wide range of topics. For more information visit mpt.org.

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