Autoline Daily - Video

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.

Honda reported its first quarter earnings which were way down due to disruptions from the earthquake in Japan earlier in the year. Global vehicles sales in the first half of the year were barely up compared to 2010 because of the disaster in Japan, a cooling market in China, and a drop in sales in Europe. BMW unveiled two electric vehicle concepts which hint at where its new "i" sub-brand is headed. All that and more, plus guest host Jim Hall shares his thoughts on the real meaning of CAFE.

To hit the proposed CAFE target of 54.5 MPG automakers would have to improve fuel economy at a rate the industry has never achieved in 100 years. Sergio Marchionne announced management changes at Fiat-Chrysler, but one industry expert says he still has too many direct reports. Toyota is readying a product blitz in the U.S. in which it will introduce 20 new models by 2013. All that and more, plus a preview of this week's Autoline about which new cars and trucks that have come out this year have a shot at winning the North American Car and Truck of the Year award.

European automakers are posting exceptionally strong earnings today and we hit some of the highlights. The UAW wants a seat on GM's board of directors. Ford just released some pretty impressive numbers for the Explorer, which is getting an EcoBoost four-cylinder engine for the 2012 model year. All that and more, plus a look at the brand-new Nissan Versa.

Daimler and Nissan both reported financial earnings. The Obama Administration has agreed to a lower fuel economy standard but the biggest question is, what are the loopholes? Renault will introduce a small-van concept at the Frankfurt Motor Show, called the Frendzy. All that and more, plus John answers your questions and comments in the "You Said It!" segment.

Ford and Chrysler both reported second-quarter earnings this morning and the results are somewhat mixed. An innovative new technology developed in Australia allegedly reduces fuel consumption by 7 percent while slashing engine wear by 96 percent. Toyota is being accused of patent infringement on its hybrids . . . again. All that and more, plus another power-to-weight comparison, this time with V-6 ponycars.

Labor issues are in the news today. The UAW would like to represent Volkswagen at its plant in Tennessee and the union begins its contract negotiations with the Detroit Three today. Waste plastic from Chrysler's Brampton plant in Canada is being converted to fuel. The world’s largest container ship is also home to the world’s biggest diesel engine. It weighs 2300 tons, is 90 feet long and 44 feet high. All that and more, plus a look at the Mini Countryman.

Fiat reached a deal with the Canadian government to buy its stake in Chrysler which makes the Italian automaker the majority owner in Chrysler. Saab announced that it's postponing production once more. Some Ford Raptor owners are complaining that they have managed to bend the frames of their trucks which obviously should not be happening. All that and more, plus a preview of this week's Autoline about classic cars in Cuba.

We all know the UAW is targeting transplant automakers in the U.S., but Autoline Daily has learned its strategy includes going after suppliers as well. In a good sign for the entire NAFTA region, sales and production in Mexico posted big gains last month. Toyota and Tesla just signed a three-year, $100 million deal for batteries and electric motors. All that and more, plus a look at some advanced new automotive technologies on the not-so-distant horizon.

GM and OnStar will launch a pilot program for smart grid technology for EVs later this year. Nissan announced it's increasing the price of the LEAF because it now comes standard with a battery warmer, heated steering wheel, and heated seats. Sales of convertibles in the U.S. dropped after the economy crashed a few years ago. All that and more, plus John answers questions about Audi and the UAW in the "You Said It!" segment.

The White House and automakers are warming up for a big fight over where the next round of fuel-economy standards should be set. Daimler is merging smart and Mercedes-Benz dealerships. Is it trying to recreate BMW’s success when it introduced the new MINI? According to the Highway Loss Data Institute, Volvo’s City Safety system on the XC60 SUV has dramatically reduced insurance claims. All that and more, plus a look at Hyundai’s updated Genesis sedan.

Car sales in the U.S. are slow again in Jul. It's estimated that sales will barely top one million units because of low inventory at Japanese car dealers. Daimler plans to introduce a lineup of electric bicycles as early as next year. The new 2012 Volkswagen Beetle is set to go on sale soon with a starting price just under $19,000. All that and more, plus a look at Audi’s all-new flagship sedan, the A8.

The amount of waste created by manufacturing a vehicle at Honda has plummeted. Sales may be slowing in China, but the first half of the year was still a staggering success. Ford is aiming for a greener image in Germany. All that and more, plus, a preview of this week's Autoline with the President of Bosch in America.

GM is all in a tizzy because it says Volkswagen has been spreading the speculation that Opel is up for sale and that it's hurting GM. Hyundai's home office in Korea wasn't very happy with the new Sonata, saying it was too radical. But that didn't matter to consumers as sales increased 30 percent over the old model. Instead of measuring things gone wrong, Strategic Vision is measuring things gone right and overall ownership experience. Their unique system shakes up the rankings compared to more traditional schemes used by J.D. Power and Consumer Reports. All that and more. Plus, a look at Ford's vehicle to vehicle communication technology.

Car makers and the UAW are in agreement, but not on wages or benefits yet, their new found common ground is that the Obama Administrations proposed 56.2 MPG CAFE target will hurt jobs. Speaking of the UAW, the union is in talks with Volkswagen about union representation at the company's plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Toyota is merging its two subsidiaries, Toyota Auto Body and Kanto Auto Works to gain efficiencies for the company, which is hurting from the strong Yen. All that and more, plus John talks about young people going for imports and the UAW in the "You Said It!" segment.

While Chinese car sales have slumped lately due to the expiration of government incentives, luxury car sales are booming in the People’s Republic. Peugeot is the first automaker to announce a diesel hybrid vehicle with their 508 RXH earning 70 MPG in European testing. Speaking of diesels, sources at GM have said the Cruze will offer an oil-burning engine in 2013 and that it will rival the Prius for fuel economy! All that and more, plus Seamus McElroy test drives the redesigned Hyundai Accent.

The UAW has its sights set on organizing the new VW plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and the AP says some workers at the plant have actually reached out to the union. The new CAFE rules proposed by the Obama administration will not be as harsh for light trucks as originally thought. Trucar.com says young buyers prefer foreign nameplates, with Scion, Mitsubishi and Mazda leading the demographic. Jeep was the top domestic brand but it came in 12th place! All that and more, plus we preview this week’s Autoline Detroit featuring Volkswagen’s head of design, Walter de’Silva.

BMW just introduced the new 6 Series Coupe which is slightly larger and offers three engine choices. Fiat's commercial vehicle brand, Iveco revealed an updated version of the Daily which goes on sale in September. Land Rover released some important figures on the new 2012 Range Rover Evoque which gets impressive fuel economy thanks to lightweight construction and a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine. All that and more, plus a preview of this week's Autoline about why hybrids represent a very small slice of the total automotive market.

June sales in the U.S. market will be announced tomorrow and almost all the analysts are predicting it will be a decent month . . . at least by today’s standards. Michigan’s new Republican Governor, Rick Snyder, initiated a letter that was sent to regulators in Washington D.C. questioning the proposed 56.2 mile-per-gallon standard. 14 other state leaders followed suit. Around 85,000 hybrid drivers in California will no longer be able to use carpool lanes. All that and more, plus a look at the new Toyota Prius v.

Carlos Ghosn, the head of Nissan and Renault, raked in almost $11.5 million dollars last fiscal year, which makes him the highest paid executive at a Japanese car company. Ford is working to increase capacity at its plant in the United Kingdom that builds four-cylinder EcoBoost engines because demand is so high in Europe. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued fuel-pump labels for E-15 - gasoline that's blended with 15 percent ethanol - which warn consumers not to use E-15 in vehicles older than model year 2001. All that and more, plus guest host Peter De Lorenzo shares his latest compressed auto thoughts in social media speak.

Nissan released more details on its "Power 88" business plan including how it intends to average one "all new" vehicle introduction every six weeks for the next six years. Turkey of all places is really starting to emerge as an important market for vehicle assembly. Holden, GM’s Australian subsidiary, could be in deep trouble because of political flip-flopping and budget cuts in the country. All that and more, plus John reviews the 2011 BMW Active Hybrid 750 Li.

Saab announced it will pay its employees this week, after getting an infusion of $18 million from a Chinese company that ordered 582 cars. Nissan just announced a new midterm business plan called "Power 88" to pull itself out of the sales doldrums. The Obama administration is proposing a new CAFE standard of 56.2 miles per gallon. All that and more, plus a look at how Mini is letting drivers connect to their cars via their iPhone.

Lots of news about electric cars. Think, the electric car company out of Norway, filed for bankruptcy yesterday. Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn says the LEAF will be profitable by 2014. And GM just unveiled an electric version of the Beat in India. Ford dropped to 23rd place in J.D. Power's latest Initial Quality Survey, after being the highest-rated non-luxury brand last year. Volkswagen just demonstrated a semi-autonomous vehicle that it calls the Temporary Auto Pilot, or TAP. All that and more, plus a preview of this week's Autoline Detroit with Derrick Kuzak, the head of all product development at Ford.

As we’ve been reporting, Saab has some serious financial issues and now it’s unable to pay its workers. The UAW and unions representing Fiat workers came to an agreement to negotiate together on issues concerning them collectively. Hyundai is pulling a Hawtai in China, exaggerating sales of its Sonata YF sedan. All that and more, plus a look at an innovative new safety feature that’s dirt cheap and could be a life saver.

Ford says it’s tweaking the software behind its SYNC and MyFord Touch systems because of customer complaints about the technologies. The Environmental Protection Agency is proposing another reduction in the use of cellulosic ethanol, the third straight year its slashed requirements. Over the last year, Detroit automakers have boosted sales in California while their Japanese rivals have seen their market share drop in the state. All that and more, plus, we find out the draft order in next week's automotive draft on After Hours.

China wants to be in a position to dominate the global market for electric cars and the government is offering subsidies of $7,700 for plug-in hybrids and over $9,000 for EVs. Chrysler has been at the bottom of Consumer Reports' reliability and road-test scores for years, but the magazine just tested eight of its 2011 models and says its cars are improving. MINI just released photos and information on its latest model, a two-door, two-seat coupe. All that and more, plus John responds to questions and comments in the "You Said It!" segment.

Good News! Ward's is predicting June Sales will increase over May's Daily Sales Rate. At the same time, used car prices, which rose sharply in May, have been returning to earth this month. Ford says this is their 'last chance' to revive their Lincoln brand, and the company is investing $1 billion toward rolling out new products for the luxury brand. All that and more, plus John's segment on the versatile, venerable and value-minded Nissan Versa.