Autoline Daily - Video

Toyota is pressuring its suppliers in Japan to cut prices because of the soaring value of the yen, and suppliers say Honda’s spirit of cooperation is far more confrontational now. Ford introduced an updated version of its popular Transit van for the 2012 model year. The world’s oldest running car was just sold at auction for $4.6 million. All that and more, plus a look at the Buick Regal Turbo.

There’s more yearning for the yen in today’s news as both Nissan and Toyota take steps to combat the rising currency. The American economy may still be stagnant, but things appear to be rolling right along in South Carolina as Bridgestone and Continental setup factories in the state. Surprisingly, traditional luxury automotive brands are a smash-hit in high-tech Silicon Valley, California. All that and more, plus guest host Christie Schweinsberg from WardsAuto.com fills us in on this year’s 10 Best Engines competition.

The strong yen is battering Japanese automakers. Mitsubishi’s CEO said the currency situation is starting to become futile. Also reacting to the exchange rate, Honda plans to cut exports from Japan by half over the next decade. The performance junkies at Shelby have introduced a new supercharged V-6 Mustang with bucket-loads of horsepower. All that and more, plus a preview of this week’s episode of Autoline, which takes an in-depth look at an interesting new manufacturing concept.

A top-level Nissan executive leaves the OEM world and joins an industry data firm. Honda says rumors of Ridgeline’s demise are greatly exaggerated. The Colorado makes its world debut in Thailand and we have all the latest pics. All that and more, plus a look into how Land Rover sales are remaining steady in an economic downturn.

Ford and the UAW announced they reached an agreement on a new labor contract. Now the workers have to vote on it. Chrysler’s former CEO, Bob Nardelli, has resurfaced, saying the Obama Administration didn’t need to turn Chrysler over to Fiat and that Cerberus, the private equity firm, could have done a better job turning the automaker around. China could be losing its edge as a low-cost manufacturing center. All that and more, plus a look at last month’s impressive sales numbers.

On this episode we take a look at Hyundai’s fight to be top dog in the fuel economy war. Plus, another power-to-weight comparison, this time with V-8 ponycars.

We take a look at an inexpensive rear view mirror that’s mounted in a unique spot. Plus, we ride in the all new Nissan Versa sedan.

We interview a man that’s made it his mission to drive a vintage car as his only transportation for an entire year. Plus, a look at Chrysler’s new SRT8 lineup.

We take an exclusive look at the new Mopar 11, a heavily modified Dodge Charger. Plus, John reviews one of the most luxurious and most expensive hybrids that you can buy.

We take a look at which car company spends the most amount of money on research and development. Plus, a power-to-weight comparison with V-6 ponycars.

Honda is rolling right along with a brand-new, global engine for its scooters: a liquid-cooled, four-stroke unit displacing 125 cc. Last week OnStar announced it would track customers even after they cancel the service and that the company reserves the right to sell the information it’s gathered. Not surprisingly, this caused a bit of an uproar. In order to celebrate its new partnership with the LEGOLAND theme park in Florida, Ford created an Explorer out of . . . you guessed it . . . LEGOs! All that and more, plus a review of the BMW 550i.

Despite a poor economy, car sales continue to grow in not only the U.S. but around the world. Toyota just introduced its first mini-car in Japan, called the “Pixis Space,” Ford CEO Alan Mulally said Ford may make electric vehicles in China but didn’t say when. All that and more, plus a look at Mazda’s new SKYACTIV technology.

The Chrysler-UAW talks have stalled as Sergio Machionne plays hardball with wages and benefits. Honda reveals the design of its new Honda CR-V. Ford gets a reversal in a $43-million court case. All that and more, plus a preview of Autoline This Week and a discussion about how thieves “clone” cars.

The UAW announced it is putting negotiations with Chrysler on the back burner and devoting its main efforts with Ford. Volkswagen doesn’t have enough dealers to triple its sales in the U.S. The wood trim in the Cadillac Ciel concept comes from a 300-year-old tree in Naples, Italy that was felled during a storm. All that and more, plus a look at the new interior in the 2013 Chevy Malibu.

More details about the GM-UAW contract come to the surface. Daihatsu introduces a gasoline-powered kei car capable of 71 miles per gallon. Republicans in the House of Representatives may divert $1.5 billion of battery funding to pay for disaster relief. All that and more, plus John responds to your questions in this week's edition of You Said It!

GM submits to China's EV demands and announces the development of a new electric architecture with its partner, SAIC. Meanwhile, Ford sees opportunity and is expanding in Indonesia. Nissan responds to the problem of a strong yen by outsourcing -- up to 90 percent. All that and more, plus a drive BMW's 650i Coupe.

GM and UAW reach a tentative contract agreement that raises entry-level wages and more. Ford finally goes for the throat in a new ad that uses the "B" word. For only dollars a day, you can adopt a Chrysler. All that and more, plus a drive in the new Mercedes-Benz M-Class.

Volkswagen just announced a five-year investment plan totaling more than $86 billion. The money will be spent on product development for its nine brands, plant upgrades and R&D. The Chevy Sonic with the Ecotec 1.4L turbo will get 40 MPG on the highway. A German company has created a number of car replicas out of scrap metal and junk car-parts. They are for sale but plan on spending some big bucks. All that and more, plus guest host, Peter De Lorenzo shares his thoughts on a controversial car he’s been driving lately. You might be surprised.

With a cool time-lapse video, Audi shows how it built its massive display pavilion at the Frankfurt Motor Show. By reusing old robots and other equipment from the shuttered NUMMI plant in California, Toyota has been able to keep the cost of the 2012 Camry down, cutting an average of $550 off the sticker price. Chevrolet asked fans to vote for the best Chevy of all time. Well, the people have spoken and the results are in! All that and more, plus Peter De Lorenzo sounds off on what he thinks is one of the most beautiful vehicles coming out in 2012.

More reveals from the Frankfurt Motor Show. We take a look at two-seat EV concepts unveiled by Opel and Audi. Ford’s Chief Creative officer, J Mays, says the company plans to introduce a redesigned version of the Mustang in 2014. Toyota’s North American production has fully resumed. All that and more, plus guest host, Peter De Lorenzo shares his thoughts on Porsche’s 7th generation 911.

Ford is pushing small-car performance with three different reveals in Frankfurt, including the 2012 Focus ST, the race-ready ST-R and the Fiesta ST. STay tuned for more. Volvo unwrapped a luxurious and technology-laden concept called the You, which is an evolution of its Concept-Universe that debuted at the Shanghai Auto Show earlier in the year. Spanish automaker SEAT, part of the Volkswagen empire, showed off a swanky design study called the IBL. All that and more plus a look at hybrid reliability.

Suzuki is seeking to end its alliance with Volkswagen after the German automaker accused it of breaking the terms of the partnership by purchasing engines from Fiat. GM released power numbers for the Chevy Camaro ZL1. The ponycar delivers 580 horsepower from its 6.2 liter supercharged V-8. BMW patented a design for a twin-turbocharged V-6. All that and more, plus guest host Rod Meloni from WDIV Local 4 News, Detroit, explains why he doesn’t believe we will see a strike from the UAW.

A Swedish court rejected Saab’s request to be protected from creditors over liquidity concerns. Subaru can’t build cars in China because it’s partly owned by Toyota. Toyota already has two joint ventures in China, the maximum the government will allow. Mahindra, Renault and Toyota launch new vehicles in India. All that and more, plus a preview of Autoline This Week with master car spy photographer, Jim Dunne.

The situation is looking increasingly hopeless for Saab as the company files for protection from its creditors. Toyota is denying a report it will export cars built in Thailand to Japan. Ford's versatile Transit Connect just made its big debut in New York City. Some 400 of them will be hitting the streets as taxis. All that and more, plus guest host Murray Feldman shares some insight on the UAW/Big Three contract negotiations.

Chevrolet sold nearly 2.2 million vehicles worldwide the first half of the year. Mercedes-Benz plans to expand its line-up to better compete with its German rivals BMW and Audi. Hyundai, Jaguar and Skoda revealed new cars before they debut in Frankfurt next week. All that and more, plus John answers your questions and comments in the "You Said It!" segment.

Good news about vehicle sales in the U.S. market. It appears last month’s lower-than-expected figures ARE NOT due to a lack of demand, instead because automakers are short on inventory. Bob Lutz is one happy guy. GM just announced he’ll be an adviser to the company’s top management. Volkswagen is set to reveal a new concept car at the Frankfurt Motor Show called the NILS. All that and more, plus John chats with Colleen Haley of Yazaki and asks her for some insight that has helped in her career.

Despite talk of a double dip recession, sagging employment numbers and the impact of a major hurricane, car sales in August look pretty good in the U.S. Honda revealed the 2012 Pilot which gets a minor facelift and slightly better fuel economy. Audi plans to reveal an all-electric concept at this month’s Frankfurt Motor Show. All that and more, plus a preview of Autoline This Week, all about the latest trends in collecting classic cars.

Many analysts are predicting weak sales for August, but General Motors says it had a strong month, with sales up 15 percent to 18 percent year-over-year. Volkswagen along with its partner in China, FAW, will take parts from old engines to make new ones! BYD’s sales have fallen off a cliff and to deal with the situation it just fired most of its sales staff . . . 70 percent of them! All that and more, plus a peek at Yazaki’s Plugless Power system that allows for wireless charging of EVs.

Ford, Land Rover and Audi all reveal new concepts and vehicles ahead of their debut at next month’s Frankfurt Auto Show. BMW has equipped a 5 Series with autonomous vehicle technology and is testing it out on the highway. A company called Voztec has come up with an innovative helmet to help emergency responders at the scene of a motorcycle crash. All that and more, plus John responds to your questions about Ford, the UAW and EVs in the "You Said It!" segment.

Peugeot and Fiat are two of the latest automakers to release pictures and information on what they’ll be revealing at next month’s Frankfurt Motor Show. Brazil’s auto industry has been red-hot for years, but now it’s running into headwinds. Anyone looking to purchase a new car might want to go to Naperville, Illinois. The city, along with 11 car dealerships, built a closed track to allow buyers to test-drive cars in a controlled environment. All that and more, plus a look at Buick’s new IntelliLink infotainment system.

Toyota owners remain loyal to the brand despite problems of unintended acceleration and production disruptions due to the earthquake in Japan. Porsche's CEO says the company plans to develop a vehicle to compete with Ferrari. A look at Ford's four-cylinder EcoBoost that's debuting in the 2012 Edge and Explorer. All that and more, plus John recently got a chance to ride in GM's EN-V concept car.

Volvo is repositioning itself as a brand designed around you. Mercedes offers a peek at the new B-Class ahead of its Frankfurt debut. Honda is the only other automaker in North America to have a wind tunnel, but it decides to keep mum. All that and more, plus a look at Autoline This Week with Cindy Estrada from the UAW.

You've heard about the UAW's effort to organize a foreign transplant, but did you know its working with unions in Mexico? Hyundai prices its unusual three-door coupe, which it says competes with the likes of Mini and Scion. The German car companies are making a mint in China. All that and more, plus a look at Chevrolet's latest entry in the infotainment space.

Toyota takes a major risk by sticking with "safe" styling on the new Camry. GM has a new painting process that reduces emissions using fire. Mazda’s Skyactiv-G engine improves fuel economy with an incredibly high compression ratio. How’d they do it? All that and more, plus John answers your comments and questions in another edition of "You Said It!"

GM’s stock is taking a beating! It’s plummeted 34 percent since the IPO. Warren Buffet’s baby, Chinese automaker BYD, is also taking it on the chin following a disappointing profits report. Saab is sinking . . . fast. Its financial situation looks grimmer by the minute as debt collectors come a-knocking. All that and more, plus another power-to-weight comparison, this time with V-8 ponycars.

Ricardo announces a breakthrough in flywheel technology for hybrid cars that don’t need a battery. We bid farewell to the Dodge Dakota, which ceases production tomorrow. Ford and Toyota team up to develop hybrid trucks. All that and more, plus we look at the latest refresh of the Cadillac SRX.

There were several reveals from luxury automakers at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. Cadillac unveiled a large, four-door convertible concept called the Ciel. Infiniti debuted a seven-passenger, three-row luxury crossover, powered by a V-6 engine matched with a CVT, called the JX. And Lexus showed off the 2013 GS 350 which has a 3.5-liter V-6 under the hood that produces 306 horsepower and 277 lb.-ft. of torque. All that and more, plus a little taste, a morsel, of what you missed on last night’s Autoline After Hours, where we broadcasted LIVE from Woodward Avenue.

Opel plans to make a big splash at next month's Frankfurt Motor Show with three world-debuts: the Astra GTC, the Zafira Tourer and the Combo. Here's a shocker, Kia will start building a rear-wheel-drive car next year. It's also developing a seven-speed, dual-clutch automatic transmission. GM has given Cadillac’s Converj concept the go-ahead. In keeping with Caddy’s three-letter nomenclature, the production version will be called the ELR. All that and more, plus an exclusive look at the new Mopar 11, a heavily modified Dodge Charger.

Chinese car exports jumped 50% in the first half of the year to just over 376,000 vehicles but they're selling for nearly $2,000 less than they were two years ago. Toyota and Honda are expected to unleash an incentive war in the U.S. to recapture lost market share once dealers get enough inventory. Fiat plans to introduce a limited-edition model of the Fiat 500 - the Gucci edition. All that and more, plus John answers your questions and comments in the "You Said It!" segment.

The global vehicle population hit 1 billion units, an impressive figure. Chevrolet is celebrating two important milestones this year: its 100th anniversary and the 100 millionth small-block V-8, which debuted in 1955. Saab is circling the drain. Unless it can pay suppliers some $620,000 TODAY, Sweden’s Debt Enforcement Agency will come banging on the door. All that and more, plus an interview with a man that’s made it his mission to drive a vintage car as his only transportation for an entire year.

The UAW is urging its colleagues to vote "no" on continuing the two-tier payment plan. The car market in China is cooling off faster than expected with one analyst expecting sales to grow just 1% this year. Heavy truck sales in the U.S. and Canada were up over 30% last month. All that and more, plus we take a look at which car company spends the most amount of money on research and development.

As expected IHS Automotive downgraded their 2011 sales forecast for the auto industry, the question now is how will automakers respond? GM will be sourcing its batteries for future EV's from A123 Systems. Goodyear is researching tires that can inflate themselves while rolling along the road. All that and more, plus Peter De Lorenzo spreads his wisdom on management at Chrysler.

Many auto analysts are a bit weary, and rightfully so given the threat of another economic downturn. Honda, long the darling of Consumer Reports has come under the gun as its model line loses favor with the reviewers at CR. Chrysler is back to partnering with Kettering University for engineering students, after eliminating the program during bankruptcy. All that and more, plus You Said It!

China's "soft" sales numbers are suddenly looking a lot better in Jul, while India's sales dipped for the first time in two years. GM plans to slash the number of platforms it builds in half. And, it works, it really works! Electronic Stability Control reduces deaths and accidents in the real world. All that and more, plus a Taiwanese company may just have an EV breakthrough that combines batteries with super capacitors.

As market woes continue, expect automakers to lower expectations -- especially the Japanese companies. Toyota plans to smash the EV lap time at Nurburgring hoping it will stir up more excitement for green technologies. The Obama Administration turns its focus toward reducing emissions from heavy-duty vehicles. All that and more, plus we put the new eAssist technology in the Buick LaCrosse to the test!

The stock market is hurting big time but for the automakers times have been great in 2011, worldwide sales in the first half hit 39 million units even despite the disaster in Japan. Lincoln looks like it's just about to break through, and with new designs from Ford's luxury division, styling will play a big part. The world's cheapest car, the Tata Nano, is sliding, rather plummeting, in sales. To the tune of 50 percent! Putting a dent the company's profits. All that and more, plus Ford's head of vehicle electrification, Nancy Gioia shares a lesson that helped her career at Ford!

General Motors is back to being No. 1 in global car-sales for the first six months of the year, knocking Toyota from the top spot. Volkswagen is crying foul on the Obama administration’s proposed CAFE rules saying they favor large vehicles and pretty much ignore diesels. Chevy confirmed it will sell its small hatchback, the Spark, in the U.S. All that and more, plus a look at the fantastic paintings of one automotive artist and how he puts so much realism into his work.

In a speech he gave at the Management Briefing Seminars in Traverse City, Michigan Fiat-Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne announced he plans to stick around until at least 2015 . . . and maybe longer. Aston Martin is feeling the squeeze. Without the backing of a major, volume brand it doesn’t have the resources to compete with other high-end automakers. Budget Rent A Car has come up with an interesting way to save drivers money. All that and more, plus a look at Chrysler’s new SRT8 lineup.

Automakers reported sales numbers for Jul and overall it was a pretty mediocre month with sales gaining less than one percent compared to June. But one company stands out from the rest. Toyota's sales numbers surged nearly 18% month over month. One analyst says South America is poised to become the best emerging global market for the auto industry over the next five years. All that and more, plus guest host Anne Doyle takes a look at what one global automotive supplier is doing to tap the full leadership potential of top women talent.

Volkswagen seems like a prime target for unionization, but manufacturing executives at the company say there haven't been any discussions between the UAW and its operations in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Mazda is showing off its new CX-5 crossover before it premiers at the Frankfurt Auto Show next month. The new Honda Civic took it on the chin in Consumer Reports' latest round of testing. The perennially popular compact car is no longer recommended by the influential magazine. All that and more, plus guest host David Kiley from AOL Autos shares a few of his thoughts on current affairs in the U.S.