Autoline After Hours
Autoline
Updated 1 day agoThe show for those who are more than just car enthusiasts, but are also enthusiasts for the automotive industry. Join us as we talk shop with the top designers, chief engineers and product planners about the latest vehicles they’re bringing to the market.
Are you the creator? Claim this podcast
Episodes (795)
AAH #193 - The Rise and Fall of Henrik Fisker
Sometimes it's good to hang out with "just the guys." That's why on this week's Autoline After Hours, we'll be eschewing our normally scheduled guest segment for a longer discussion about the news of the week and other hot topics that need talking out. Ford reports a record first-quarter profit with North America providing a strong contribution, Buick takes the wraps off a Riviera concept in Shanghai and Fisker goes under the gun of the U.S. Congress. Joining John McElroy in studio is co-host Peter De Lorenzo, the Autoextremist, Gary Vasilash from Automotive Design and Production and AAH alum David Welch from Bloomberg Businessweek.
AAH #192 - Wow! Achates Opposed Piston Engine Design
There is no shortage of innovative thinking when it comes to internal combustion technology. And, as this week's guest will demonstrate, Achates Power is no exception. David Johnson is the President and CEO of the company, which is developing an innovative opposed-piston engine that will be more fuel efficient and less expensive to produce than conventional power plants. But, we'll be asking him, is the world ready for such a radical new design? Will a mainstream automaker take a chance at adopting an untested technology? Plus we'll get into the news of the week including the game of musical chairs going on amongst the executive ranks of Chrysler and Nissan. And, Edmunds projects that 40-50 percent of new car sales will be hybrids... in the year 2040. Joining John McElroy in studio to discuss this and a whole lot more is co-host Peter De Lorenzo, the Autoextremist, and Gary Vasilash from Automotive Design and Production.
AAH #191 - Superchargers Stage a Resurgence
What do the Nissan Micra, Chery Tiggo and Audi Q7 all have in common? While one of these things is not like the other, all have engines with Eaton superchargers. And, like turbochargers in recent memory, get ready to see superchargers in cars you would have never expected. This week's guest is Grant Terry, the Business Development Manager for the Eaton Supercharger Product Line. We'll be asking him what advantages superchargers have over the ever-more ubiquitous turbocharger technology. Plus, we'll be discussing the news of the week including a tale of two startups: EcoMotors and Fisker. And, which is really the best seller, the Ford Focus or Toyota Corolla? Joining John McElroy in studio is co-host Peter De Lorenzo, the Autoextremist, and Lindsay Brooke from SAE.
AAH #190 - A Bridge in a Backpack for Tomorrow's Roads
Why is it that everyone wants better roads to drive on, but no one wants to fix them? If only we'd build them like the German autobahns, nary a pothole there'd be ... right? It may not be so simple. Kirk Steudle is the Director of the Michigan Department of Transportation and one of the foremost road experts in the country. We'll be asking him about what it takes to build highways and byways that last, and we'll discuss how we're going to pay for it one way or the other. We'll have plenty of news on tap as well including the latest car sales breakdown. Also, the long-forgotten Detroit Electric has been revived in the form of a sporty Tesla-like model. Plus, the latest news on GM's full-size trucks: do they have what it takes to compete? Joining John McElroy in studio is co-host Peter De Lorenzo, the Autoextremist, and Gary Vasilash from Automotive Design and Production.
AAH #189 - World-Class Cat Throws on the Brand New Chevy Impala
Chevrolet's new Impala is finally here and it's big and beautiful, but does it have what it takes to challenge full-size competition like the Chrysler 300 and Hyundai Azera? As this sedan rolls into the studio, we'll be asking Chief Engineer Todd Pawlik to give us the download on the new car. We'll also get into the hottest topics of the week including the myriad reveals of the New York Auto Show. While we're on the subject, we'll discuss whether all these auto shows are worth it. Australia is canceling at least one of its major shows due to lack of interest, should others be on the chopping block? And, Ford has just initiated a very interesting program challenging app makers to dig deep into its fuel economy data. Joining John McElroy in studio is co-host Peter De Lorenzo, the Autoextremist, and Gary Vasilash from Automotive Design and Production.
AAH #188 - The Best Car Designs Since 1950
This week we gave our guest of honor a very challenging task: name the best vehicle designs since 1950. But, John Manoogian II, former GM designer, was up to the task, so join us as he presents, and we discuss, his short list. Did your favorite car make it? Find out! Peter De Lorenzo, the Autoextremist, takes the helm tonight and is joined by Jim Hall of 2953 Analytics and Gary Vasilash from Automotive Design and Production.
AAH #187 - What's Next in Automotive Interiors
Remember the days when Chrysler interiors were wall-to-wall shiny plastic? It's quickly becoming a fading memory because, with Klaus Busse, Head of Interior Design, at the helm, the company's cabins are among the best in the business. As Mr. Busse joins us tonight, we'll ask him what innovations we can expect as future generations of vehicles roll off the line. Per usual, we'll get into the hot topics of the week. Joining John McElroy in studio with the best insider discussion in the industry is his co-host Peter De Lorenzo, the Autoextremist, and Drew Winter from WardsAuto.com.
AAH #186 - The Supercar Segment has Hit its Peak
This week the AAH team gets out its crystal ball to see what is in store for the industry in the next few years. Michael Robinet from IHS will be on hand to help us do just that. We'll ask him to map out the state of the global industry in the years ahead. Plus, we'll take a look at future vehicles through the prism of the spectacle known stateside as the Geneva Motor Show. Paul Eisenstein from TheDetroitBureau.com has spent the last several days at this massive show, and he'll tell us what cars to watch. Plus, we'll get into other hot topics like the latest vehicle sales -- why did passenger cars plummet? Also, it looks like LPG and CNG are poised to dominate the heavy truck market. Joining John McElroy in studio to talk about all that and much more is his co-host Peter De Lorenzo, the Autoextremist.
AAH #185 - Mr. Mopar Pays a Visit
What's black and blue and striped all over? Well, it's rolling into the Autoline After Hours studio this week, and the team at Mopar is ready for it to tear up the tarmac. Our guest is Pietro Gorlier, President and CEO of the Mopar Brand, and he'll be bringing a very special variant of the Dodge Dart called the Mopar '13 -- in fact the only one traveling around right now. We'll be asking Mr. Gorlier what's so special about this slick-looking compact, and we'll find out more about Mopar's dealer business. Plus, we'll get into the news of the week: a top Porsche designer departs for greener pastures at... Chery?; GM steals away Volkswagen's top marketing executive; and we rank the automakers to see who has the best claim as top dog. Joining John McElroy in studio to talk about all that and much more, is Scott Burgess from Motor Trend and Gary Vasilash of Automotive Design and Production.
AAH #184 - Winners and Losers in the Automotive Branding War
If you want to stick out from the crowd in this ever more-busy, social media-laden, fifteen-seconds-of-fame world, there's only one way to do it and stay there: good, solid branding. To that end, we've got the guy who wrote the book on branding, literally. Charlie Hughes is the author of "Branding Iron" and the former head of Land Rover North America. We'll be asking him to help us identify the winners and losers in the branding game. As per usual, we'll be getting into the news of the week as well: Volkswagen has just announced that its super-efficient XL1 will actually be going into production; Danica Patrick became the first woman ever to qualify in the pole position for the Daytona 500; and the New York Times and Tesla's Elon Musk duke it out in public. Joining John McElroy in studio to talk about all that and much more, is co-host Peter De Lorenzo, the Autoextremist, Frank Markus from Motor Trend and Gary Vasilash from Automotive Design and Production.
AAH #183 - Inside the 2013 Ford C-MAX Energi
Just as you could get the Ford Model T in any color, as long as it was black, when the company brought the C-MAX stateside, it declared you could get any powertrain, as long as it was a hybrid. This week the C-MAX Energi rolls into the Autoline studio with John Davis, Chief Program Engineer, in tow. We'll be asking him all about the car and about what challenges Ford faces in trying to sell a plug-in. We'll also want to know why the C-MAX struggles, in testing, to meet the fuel economy ratings on the EPA label. And, yes, we will also get to the top news of the week. GM earnings are disappointing; 2013 just may be the year of the diesel as Ram and Subaru both announce new entries; and Federal Mogul says goodbye to spark plugs while Chevrolet says hello to shape memory alloys. Joining John McElroy in studio to talk about all that and much more, is Peter De Lorenzo, the Autoextremist, and Todd Lassa from Automobile.
AAH #182 - Don't Knock the Chevy Diesel
It's been decades since GM released a diesel engine in a U.S. passenger car. Now, with the Chevrolet Cruze Clean Turbo Diesel, it's back in the game. On deck to answer all our questions is Josh Tavel, Vehicle Performance Manager for Chevrolet Small Cars. Plus, we'll be delving into the big news of the week and the questions racking our brains. Did the auto industry bet wrong on small displacement turbos? What happened to Nissan's partnership with the revolutionary DeltaWing race car? Joining John McElroy in studio to talk about all that and much more, is Peter De Lorenzo, the Autoextremist, and Gary Vasilash from Automotive Design and Production.
AAH #181 - Super Bowl Advertising: the Good, the Bad and the Ego
On Sunday all eyes--well, a lot of eyes--will be on the action going down in New Orleans, but while the 49ers and Ravens are at each others' throats, another competition will be playing out. That's because all of those aforementioned eyes will be there for the taking and there is nothing else that matches the advertising spectacle that is the Super Bowl. Thus, automakers from around the world will be embroiled in a battle of corporate egos. As luck would have it, many of these ads have already been, *ahem*, "leaked" so the AAH panel will be doing a roundup of what's on the docket, so far. Joining us to offer an inside perspective on this high-stakes competition is Michael Sprague, the Executive Vice President of Marketing and Communications for Kia Motors America. Kia has two ads in the queue for the big game, and we'll get to preview at least one of them. Joining John McElroy in studio to talk about all things Super Bowl, plus the news of the week, is Peter De Lorenzo, the Autoextremist, and David Kiley from AOL Autos.
AAH #180 - From Indy to Le Mans, Mose Knows Engines
He spent 55 years developing racing engines with Ford, worked with some of the greatest drivers of the 20th century, and now he's talking with us! Mose Nowland is the former Senior Motorsport Engineer for Ford Racing, and he's only recently retired. Having worked on cars for Le Mans, Indy, NASCAR and drag racing, this guy's no one trick pony. We'll be asking him to opine on the good ole days and compare them to what's going on today in racing. Plus, you can bet there's a discussion of the past week's hottest topics on tap, including the revelation that Mark Reuss got passed over for Dan Akerson at GM. And, should Corvette spin off into its own brand? Peter De Lorenzo thinks so, and John McElroy thinks his ambitious plan might not be ambitious enough. Joining John and Peter in studio is none other than the man who knew far, far too much: Jim Hall of 2953 Analytics.
AAH #179 - Corvette C7 Heaven
For the first time ever, John McElroy and the Autoextremist, Peter De Lorenzo, host the webcast from the floor of the Detroit auto show! They'll be joined by Todd Lassa of Automobile to review their favorite reveals to come out of the show. Plus, they’ll be taking a stroll over to the Corvette booth to take a look at that little car you may already have heard about, the 2014 Stingray. Harlan Charles is the Product and Marketing Manager for the Corvette and he'll be giving us the lowdown on this all-new two seater.
AAH #178 - Yesterday's Chevrolet, Tomorrow's Corvette
“Chevy Runs Deep” no more, instead it’s trying to “Find New Roads” with a new slogan. And, as another tagline lands in the dustbin, we’ll be asking a Chevrolet historian for his take on the matter. Mike Davis is the author of “Images of America: Chevrolet,” a two-volume pictorial history of GM’s flagship brand, and we’ll see what lessons he learned in the long tale of the bowtie. We’ll also get into the news of the week and talk a bit about what we’re anticipating as brands roll out their newest stuff at the North American International Auto Show next week. Joining John McElroy in studio to discuss all this and more is co-host Peter De Lorenzo, the Autoextremist, and a face we haven’t seen in a long time, none other than grizzled PR veteran and AAH founding member Jason Vines.
AAH #177 - Forecast 2013: Cars are set to Soar
Well, it would appear we've survived both the Mayan apocalypse and the fiscal cliff, but how will the auto industry fare in 2013? To help us answer that question we've invited Anthony Pratt, Director of Forecasting Americas for Polk. In keeping with our New Year's theme, our panelists will be discussing the resolutions the automotive world should adopt in 2013. Plus, we'll get into the recent news including the promotion of Kia designer Peter Schreyer to Group President at Hyundai-Kia. Joining John McElroy in studio is co-host Peter De Lorenzo, the Autoextremist, as well as Ed Lapham from Automotive News.
AAH #176 - Naughty and Nice
Once a year the Autoline After Hours fellas get to play Santa as they bestow their prestigious (or not so prestigious) Naughty and Nice awards. What people, brands and cars will get presents? Which will be smothered in coal dust? There's only one way to find out! Joining John McElroy for this special holiday-themed broadcast is his partner in crime Peter De Lorenzo, the Autoextremist, Jim Hall from 2953 Analytics and Gary Vasilash from Automotive Design and Production.
AAH #175 - Full Chat with the BorgWarner Turbo Guy
This week the conversation gets turbocharged as we welcome John Norton from BorgWarner into the AAH studio. He heads up the company's racing efforts and we'll be asking him what technologies they are developing and if we might see these innovations on everyday cars and trucks. Plus, as always, we'll be getting into the biggest news of the week including who we think will win the North American Car and Truck of the Year Award. We'll also talk about all-new trucks just revealed by GM and delve into the news about Chrysler's delinquent employees getting reinstated. Joining John McElroy to participate in the discussion is Peter De Lorenzo, the Autoextremist, as well as auto journo Jim McCraw.
AAH #174 - The Inside Story on the World's Newest Automotive Design School
The U.S. is home to two of the preeminent automotive design schools, the College for Creative Studies and Art Center College of Design, but are these lauded institutions falling down on the job? Finding that design school graduates were entering the workforce with a lack of engineering knowledge, automakers approached Lawrence Technological University about developing a design program that would intertwine the two disciplines. Our guest, Keith Nagara, is the Director of the Transportation Design Program at Lawrence Tech. We'll be asking him what his school is doing differently to prepare students for a real world design occupation. And, you can bet we'll also get into the news of the week including the big announcement that Michigan Governor Rick Snyder is pursuing right-to-work legislation that will have major ramifications for the UAW. Joining John McElroy in studio to discuss all this and more is Peter De Lorenzo, the Autoextremist, Scott Burgess from AOL Autos and Gary Vasilash of Automotive Design and Production.
AAH #173 - Topless on the Beach with Three Cylinders Thrown In
This week Autoline After Hours comes to you from California with a special edition. John McElroy will be taking an in-depth look at the latest incarnation of VW’s Beetle Convertible with Product Manager Andres Valbuena. McElroy will also get a hands-on preview of the new 1.0L EcoBoost engine in the Ford Fiesta with Stephen Russ, Tech Leader of Gas Engine Systems, and Liz Elser, the Marketing Manager for the Fiesta. John will even get behind the wheel and experience both of these cars on the streets of Santa Monica! So, buckle up and join us for the best insider information in the industry.
AAH #172 - How Ford Developed the New Fusion
Well, the Ford hit parade continues, and this week we have the hottest new star out of the Motor City, the Fusion, parked in the Autoline Garage. But, more importantly, to get the back story behind this four-door looker, we have invited John Jraiche, the vehicle's chief engineer. We'll be asking him what Ford has done differently to turn out a vehicle that is truly a world-class car. And, you can count on a discussion of some of the biggest news stories of the week as well: the U.S. is set to dominate worldwide oil production in the near future; Tesla's Model S wins Motor Trend Car of the Year; and Ford PR outflanks GM in electrification announcements. Joining John McElroy to talk about this and a whole lot more is the Autoextremist, Peter De Lorenzo, and Alisa Priddle from the Detroit Free Press.
AAH #171 - A Breakthrough in Automotive Materials
What's the true cost of that Nissan LEAF your neighbor is driving? How about that Chevrolet Volt? We're not talking about the cost to own; we're talking about the cost to manufacture. Sandy Munro is a manufacturing expert, and as the president of Munro and Associates, he makes it his business to figure out the smartest way to assemble cars. He recently reverse engineered the Chevrolet Volt, and as our guest this week he'll be able to tell us what it really costs to build an EV and where that expense originates. Of course, we'll also be getting into the hottest topics in the news including a discussion about what impact the 2012 election results will have on the auto industry. Joining John McElroy to talk about this and a whole lot more is the Autoextremist, Peter De Lorenzo, and Joe White from The Wall Street Journal.
AAH #170 - Taking the Pulse of the Ad Biz
This week the Autoextremist, Peter De Lorenzo, takes the helm, and it's time to talk auto advertising. And, we've got one of the marketing world's seasoned veterans to offer his expert opinion. Mark LaNeve was the marketing chief for General Motors before going to Allstate and now he's back, fully enveloped in the automotive world, as the COO for Team Detroit, Ford's advertising agency. We'll talk about some of the very best examples of car ads out there right now and find out what agencies are turning out the most engaging creative. On hand to offer her opinion as well is friend of the show Jean Halliday from AutoAdOpolis.
AAH #169 - And Hau!
One of the most anticipated cars over the last few years has been the Ford Focus ST. Well, this hot hatch is finally gracing the Autoline studios, and as if that weren't enough, we're also joined by Ford's gearhead supreme, Hau Thai-Tang, Vice President of Engineering and Global Product Development. Suffice it to say, we won't be lacking for topics. Plus, John McElroy and Peter De Lorenzo, the Autoextremist, will discuss the news of the week including A123's bankruptcy. Which EV companies could be next? All that and much more on this week's rip-roaring installment of Autoline After Hours.