Autoline This Week
Autoline
Last episode almost 4 years agoIn depth discussions of the most important trends and developments shaping the automotive industry with industry executives and the top auto journalists. Your half-hour update on what they’re talking about in the C-suites.
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Episodes (685)
Autoline EXTRA #1405: Dan Weiss, Fred Smith, Ron Cogan
New clean diesel engines offer better fuel economy and lower emissions than their gas counterparts, so why aren't they more popular in the U.S.? That's the topic on this edition of Autoline EXTRA. John and his guests discuss why there are not more diesels in the U.S. and whether or not something should be done to promote them. Joining in the discussion is Dan Weiss from the Center for American Progress, Fred Smith of the Competitive Enterprise Institute and Ron Cogan from Green Car Journal.
Autoline #1405: Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
Mr. Smith Goes to WashingtonMany know this classic 1939 film pitted an everyman Jimmy Stewart against the rich and powerful under the U.S Capitol Dome. And though more than 70 years have passed, even the writers of this academy-award work of fiction couldn't have imagined that Washington would be even more corpulent and confusing in 2010. And one of the best examples of this weighty indecision can be found in what passes, or doesn't pass, for the nation's energy policy. Solar, Wind and Shale are just a few power options that we've added to the mix over the years while natural gas, electric and hydrogen hint at what may be driving our cars and trucks down the road: yet today no one knows for sure what's best and where we're going.So the question remains: what is our policy and who is driving it? And where better to try to get a handle on what's going on than "inside the beltway" as they say, than by paying a visit to our nation's capitol itself. This week Autoline presents its own version of "Mr. McElroy Goes to Washington" from the floor of the Washington Convention Center. There John is joined by two members of what are known as NGOs or Non-governmental organizations along with the publisher of a cutting-edge automotive periodical to discuss everything from off-shore drilling to the EPA.
Autoline EXTRA #1404: Larry Dominique
On this edition of Autoline EXTRA, John talks with Larry Dominique, the VP of Product Planning for Nissan North America, from the floor of the 2010 Detroit Auto Show. Mr. Dominique talks about Nissan's new EV, the Leaf and where it will first be introduced in the U.S. and whether or not the company plans to build it in North America. And staying on the topic of electrics he also explains why the company is so bullish on them.
Autoline EXTRA #1404: Ralph Gilles
On this edition of Autoline EXTRA, John sits down to talk with the President and CEO of Dodge, Ralph Gilles, from the floor of the 2010 Detroit Auto Show. Mr. Gilles talks about how he balances his dual role as the head of Dodge and also one of the leaders of design for the Chrysler Group. He also talks about how Dodge will hang on for the next year or so before new product hits showrooms.
Autoline #1404: The Sun Also Rises
The Sun Also RisesAfter a decade of reporting everywhere from local streets to foreign wars, Ernest Hemingway wrote and published his first novel "The Sun Also Rises." And though you might think we chose this title to turn a clever phrase regarding this week's guest, it has more to do with what the book wasn't named...at least in the United States. With the novel focused partially on traveling in Europe in the 1920s, Hemingway originally titled the book "Fiesta." Of course it was changed here in America but used in several countries throughout the continent. And how appropriate for this week's guest who chose to make a splash here in the U.S. recently with a European car called, ironically enough, "Fiesta." Ford's Global Marketing guru Jim Farley has been turning the Blue Oval every which way trying to draw attention to the new crop of critically-acclaimed products it has been putting out and it's been working on. With a sweep of the 2010 North American Car and Truck of the Year awards earlier this month with Fusion & Transit Connect, and the Fiesta and Focus on the way, they might not be holding a party down in Dearborn quite yet, but clearly Ford is on the rise.
Autoline EXTRA #1403: John Casesa
Watch John's full interview with John Casesa a Managing Partner at the Casesa Shapiro Group from the 2010 Detroit Auto Show.
Autoline EXTRA #1403: Susan Docherty
Watch John's full interview with Susan Docherty, the VP of Sales, Service & Marketing at General Motors from the 2010 Detroit Auto Show.
Autoline EXTRA #1403: Mike Jackson
Watch John's full interview with Mike Jackson, Chairman and CEO of AutoNation from the 2010 Detroit Auto Show.
Autoline #1403: Getting Better
Getting BetterThroughout the sixties the "sweet and savory" song writing from the Lennon & McCartney partnership produced lines that emphasized the beautiful schizophrenia of life. That's why this week it didn't take much to imagine that the good folks at the Detroit Auto Dealers Association might've been recalling the 2009 NAIAS with the Beatles' chorus "I've got to admit it's getting better...it can't get no worse" echoing in their ears. Yet the good news is true to the song, this year's edition is indeed "getting better" thanks to more OEM booths, more journalists and a heck of a lot of more smiles even though they -- the smiles -- are probably still bordering on the "cautiously optimistic" type.This week on Autoline Detroit John McElroy talks to three automotive professionals from disparate parts of the industry -- wholesale, retail and analytical -- to hear what they have to say about not only the 2010 North American International Auto Show, but where the next twelve months will take us.
Autoline EXTRA #1402: Guy Gordon, Sarah Webster, Jim Hall
Even though Chrysler will display some of its vehicles at this year's auto show in Detroit, they decided not to have a press conference or make any big announcements. This is somewhat perplexing since the show is right in Chrysler's back yard and they haven't held any press events since their day long one back in November. With that in mind, on this edition of Autoline EXTRA, John and his panel discuss what they expect to see from Chrysler at this year's show. Is the company missing a big opportunity or not? Joining John in the discussion are Sarah Webster from the Detroit Free Press, Jim Hall of 2953 Analytics and Guy Gordon from WDIV-Detroit.
Autoline #1402: Crawlin' From the Wreckage
Crawlin' From the WreckageWho would've predicated thirty years ago that a little known new wave song from England's Dave Edmunds would prove to be the perfect theme for the 2010 North American International Auto Show? Last January's edition of the world's most important auto show was less about cars, trucks and crossovers as it was about bailouts, Obama and bankruptcies. Add to that the strange Kabuki dance around the attempted restoration of Cobo Hall -- the show's longtime site -- and the '09 show had all the panache of sportscaster Howard Cosell's 1975 Variety show. But what a difference a year makes..."Crawlin' from the wreckage, into a brand new car"Just as the song's chorus suggests a rebirth, the 2010 NAIAS is likewise being resurrected. Manufacturers are again investing in their booths, prodigal sons have returned and the show is even recharging the career of '80s singer Eddy Grant with its "Electric Avenue" display. So watch this week's Autoline Detroit for an in-depth preview of all that is going on at this year's North American International Auto Show.
Autoline EXTRA #1401: Michelle Krebs, Mark Phelan
On this edition of Autoline EXTRA John and his panel discuss the nominees for the North American Car of the Year and share their opinions about the vehicles. Joining John for the discussion are fellow jurors Michelle Krebs from Edmunds.com and Mark Phelan of the Detroit Free Press.
Autoline #1401: The Result of Care: Part Two
The Result of Care: Part TwoNo matter the vocation it's a struggle to achieve quality or to be the best. Well, imagine trying to define it. Some write complex tomes containing various recipes which is fine for a Debate Team but hardly applicable to everyday life. Others like philosopher Robert Pirsig take a sleeker, more modern day approach. He believes the best or highest quality can be defined simply as producing whatever by "the result of care."So if philosophers, lit experts and big thinkers battle over meanings, how do you come up with a standard that means "the best?" Well if you're the jurors of the North American Car and Truck of the Year Awards (NACTOY) you have a criteria you work from. Sure there are still disagreements, arguments and fights over who is "more right" but that's the beauty of the award: subjectivity to the max.And on this week's Autoline John McElroy and his panel discuss those fantastic sparks inside, outside and around the vehicle that made them go WOW! Joining John to discuss the finalists for Truck of the Year are fellow jurors Michelle Krebs from Edmunds.com and Mark Phelan of the Detroit Free Press.
Autoline #1341: The Result of Care: Part One
The Result of Care: Part OneNo matter the vocation it's a struggle to achieve quality or to be the best. Well, imagine trying to define it. Some write complex tomes containing various recipes which is fine for a Debate Team but hardly applicable to everyday life. Others like philosopher Robert Pirsig take a sleeker, more modern day approach. He believes the best or highest quality can be defined simply as producing whatever by "the result of care."So if philosophers, lit experts and big thinkers battle over meanings, how does one come up with a standard that means "the best?" Well if you're the jurors of the North American Car and Truck of the Year Awards (NACTOY) you have a criteria you work from. Sure there are still disagreements, arguments and fights over who is "more right" but that's the beauty of the award: subjectivity to the max.And on this week's Autoline John McElroy and his panel discuss those fantastic sparks inside, outside and around the vehicle that made them go WOW! Joining John to discuss the finalists for Car of the Year are fellow jurors Jim McCraw from NewCarTestDrive.com and Jeff Gilbert of WWJ Newsradio 950 -- CBS Detroit.
Autoline EXTRA #1341: Jim McCraw, Jeff Gilbert
On this edition of Autoline EXTRA John and his panel discuss the nominees for the North American Truck of the Year and share their opinions about the vehicles. Joining John for the discussion are Jim McCraw from NewCarTestDrive.com and Jeff Gilbert of WWJ Newsradio 950 -- CBS Detroit.
Autoline #1340: Thin Air Part 2
Thin Air Part 2Climbing mountains is difficult and dangerous. Not only is it treacherous traversing the rocks and the snow, but if you're not in shape, just try breathing in all of the "thin air." Reaching for the summit of anything is time-consuming and perilous but rewarding as well. Especially when the prize -- like so many in the auto industry are striving for -- is alternative power independence. That's the brass ring that everyone from manufacturers to oil companies continue to chase. We've heard for years we're getting close, but, it seems, never close enough. On this week's Autoline, GM's new R and D guru, Dr. Alan Taub, shows us how the finish line is getting closer thanks to the success of developing "thin" materials. From batteries to fuel cells, Dr. Taub lays out the where his company is and the near-term future of plucking what we could call "thin power" out of the "thin air."
Autoline EXTRA #1339: Ian Callum
The design of the new Jaguar XJ is the topic of discussion on this week's Autoline EXTRA. Joining John McElroy to talk about the car is the man responsible for the new design, Ian Callum, the Design Director at Jaguar. Mr. Callum talks about what inspired the look of the new XJ and what compromises in design they had to make in the interior for it to function better. Joining in the discussion are Eddie Alterman from Car and Driver magazine and Gary Vasilash from Automotive Design & Production.
Autoline #1339: Connect the Dots
Connect the DotsOne of the first things we all learn is to draw. A dot here, a line there -- it's a combination of art, entertainment and education for children around the world. But somewhere along the way most of us move on from this creative foundation to discover other vocations. Those, that is, who haven't been bitten by the bug of design.One man who has, and devoted his life to it is Ian Callum. And his design of choice has been the car. Over the years he's had a distinguished career working for Ford, designing Aston Martin product and for the last decade leading the design team at Jaguar. This week he joins John McElroy on Autoline to discuss the latest vehicles from Jaguar, the state of the auto industry itself and what he sees for the future of automotive design.
Autoline EXTRA #1338: Aaron Bragman, Erich Merkle, Michael Robinet
On the broadcast version of the show, John and his panel discussed the big news of Chrysler revealing its turnaround plan. But that wasn’t the only bombshell dropped this week in the auto industry. On this edition of Autoline EXTRA, John and his panel discuss how Ford shocked just about everyone, reporting a $1 billion profit for the third quarter. The conversation then moves to October sales and what the big surprises were from those results. And finally the panel talks about GM’s decision to keep Opel and whether or not it was a good move. On the panel with John McElroy is Aaron Bragman from IHS Global Insight, Erich Merkle from Autoconomy.com and Michael Robinet from CSM Worldwide.
Autoline #1338: Stella Sconosciuto
Stella SconosciutoUnknown stars pepper our existence. From the night sky to our daily culture, we can't seem to take our collective eyes off them because you're never quite sure what they'll do. That's why, with a nod to our Italian brothers and sisters, the biggest story of the automotive week was the "Stella Sconosciuto" or unknown star in the business constellation, Chrysler.After months of intra-continental maneuvering, Chrysler's new CEO Sergio Marchionne left the security of Fiat's Italian headquarters and landed in Auburn Hills Wednesday to unveil his plan to save Chrysler. And what a meeting it was. The flight from Rome to Detroit might've been shorter.This week Autoline devotes its entire program to Marchionne's marching orders for Chrysler. John McElroy is joined by three top automotive analysts who will discuss and dissect these plans and tell us if this "unknown star" will shine brightly in the near future, or eventually burn out of existence.
Autoline #1337: Seaweed Part 2
Seaweed Part 2Many a boater has cursed that slimy green lake junk wrapped around the prop that killed his engine. But as today's technology continues to improve those curses may soon turn to congratulations when that same lake junk -- seaweed -- is used to power the boat. Of course that power source won't exactly be seaweed, however, it will be coming from the Latin derivative of the word known as algae. Yep, that tiny green chlorophyll organism may be the next best hope to replace petroleum and it's all good with the oil companies. At least that's the contention of the Don Quixote of the biofuels movement, Josh Tickell. You may remember him as the guy who drove the Veggie Van across America in the late '90s bringing attention to the ever-shrinking global reserves of fossil fuels. Well, for the last 11 years he's been making a movie about that very subject entitled "Fuel." And surprise, surprise, his documentary grabbed a big award at the prestigious Sundance Film Festival earlier this year. This week Josh joins John in studio to discuss all aspects of his film and the future of the fuel that we put in our cars. And that future, Josh contends, is all about algae.
Autoline EXTRA #1336: Bruce Dale
There’s a lot of debate over what should power our cars in the future. Hybrids and electrics are getting a lot of attention right now but what ever happened to biofuels? On this edition of Autoline EXTRA, biofuels expert Dr. Bruce Dale from Michigan State University talks with John McElroy and his panel to defend ethanol as a source for fuel. Dr. Dale discusses if creating ethanol from water waste or algae are viable options and he also tells the panel what policies he would recommend for pursuing ethanol. Joining in the discussion are Tim Higgins from the Detroit Free Press and James Amend from WardsAuto.com.
Autoline #1336: 10%
10%When most folks see a number like 10% they're receiving a discount on a sale item or reading a nutritional chart at the grocery store. But the number that we're talking about on this week's Autoline is more dramatic, and it has to do with your everyday transportation. When it comes to refining crude oil and turning it into gasoline in this country, the government has strict regulations. And when you start stretching a gallon of gas by adding ethanol -- which we've been doing for years -- you can only go so far...10% so far. Now, that used to be fine as we looked to find alternatives to imported oil, saving a little gas in each gallon, but we need more. We need, our experts have been preaching, to break through the "Blend Wall." That's what the industry calls the government's imaginary line in the corn field, so to speak. Experts say it's time to move beyond that 10%, especially when biofuels are coming from products other than corn. With cellulosic ethanol and other options inching closer each day to becoming viable fuel alternatives, that 10% number, hopefully, may be a thing of the past. So join John McElroy and his panel for an insightful discussion on ethanol, biofuels and the near future for both.
Autoline EXTRA #1335: Mark Vann
On this edition of Autoline EXTRA, John McElroy talks with Mark Vann, the Project Manager of GM’s fuel cell program, called Project Driveway, which gave customers the opportunity to drive a Chevy Equinox equipped with GM’s fuel cell stack. Mark discusses how customer feedback helped improve the vehicle and he also talks about GM’s 2nd generation fuel cell stack and how it differs from the original.
Autoline #1335: Thin Air
Thin AirClimbing mountains is difficult and dangerous. Not only is it treacherous traversing the rocks and the snow, but if you're not in shape, just try breathing in all of the "thin air." Reaching for the summit of anything is time-consuming and perilous but rewarding as well. Especially when the prize -- like so many in the auto industry are striving for -- is alternative power independence. That's the brass ring the everyone from manufacturers to oil companies continue to chase. We've heard for years we're getting close, but, it seems, never close enough. On this week's Autoline, GM's new R and D guru, Dr. Alan Taub, shows us how the finish line is getting closer thanks to the success of developing "thin" materials. From batteries to fuel cells, Dr. Taub lays out the where his company is and the near-term future of plucking what we could call "thin power" out of the "thin air."