A documentary filmmaker and former producer for MotorWeek on PBS, Joe Ligo is a contributing writer at The Drive. He enjoys researching and writing about lesser-known intersections of cars and pop culture, as well as the history of defunct U.S. automakers. He owns a 1972 AMC Ambassador and is currently working on a documentary about the history of American Motors Corporation.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Interests include automotive history, agriculture, cooking, electric vehicles, and what makes car companies succeed or fail.
- He’s an enthusiastic member of the American Motors Owners Association (AMO).
- He’s interviewed Malcom Bricklin, was once retweeted by Jim Farley, and met the two guys from Air Supply.
- Bylines include The Drive and Hagerty, and he’s produced video content for MotorWeek and founded the YouTube channel Automoments.
EXPERIENCE
Joe started contributing to The Drive in spring of 2021. Prior to that, he produced the Emmy-winning TV series Maryland Farm & Harvest, and prior to that he was a video/producer editor for the TV show MotorWeek. His 2013 documentary, The Unfortunate History of the AMC Pacer, placed 3rd at the National College Television Emmy Awards.
EDUCATION
Joe grew up on a farm and attended college for broadcast communications.
Fun Fact
Nobody in his family has ever owned a “fun” car. The closest was his father’s brief time with a 4-cylinder Mustang II.
NOTABLE WORK
- Inside the Rambler Ranch, One of the World’s Greatest Automotive Collections Hiding in Rural ColoradoThe Drive
- Parked in Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood: What Fred Rogers Taught Us About CarsThe Drive
- How a small fender-bender in my ’72 AMC turned into a big headacheHagerty
- The Velour-Lined Rocket: 1987 Buick Regal Limited TurboMotorWeek
- The Unfortunate History of the AMC PacerAutoMoments
Get latest from Joe Ligo

Cold Start: The Rise and Fall of Car Companies Building Refrigerators
By Joe Ligo / Published Oct 6, 2022

How Mitt Romney’s Dad Convinced America to Give Compact Cars a Chance
By Joe Ligo / Published Jul 26, 2022

This Vast Farm Salvage Yard in the Middle of Nowhere Saves Farmers with Hard-to-Find Parts
By Joe Ligo / Published Jun 23, 2022

Inside the Rambler Ranch, One of the World’s Greatest Automotive Collections Hiding in Rural Colorado
By Joe Ligo / Published Aug 3, 2021

Parked in Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood: What Fred Rogers Taught Us About Cars
By Joe Ligo / Published May 20, 2021

The 1970s Trucking Craze Can Be Traced Back to a Regional TV Commercial for Bread
By Joe Ligo / Published May 19, 2021