Autoline Daily - Video

Wow! Hyundai just surged past Honda in global sales in the first quarter. The federal government is downsizing . . . the vehicles in its fleet, that is. Six U.S. Senators - three Democrats and three Republicans - are working on a debt-reduction plan that includes a gas-tax increase! All that and more, plus a look at the power-to-weight ratios of some popular b-segment cars.

Volkswagen’s first quarter numbers are in and they are a record for the German automaker. Audi just completed its first public test of its latest diesel powered racecar, the R18 TDI, at Le Mans over the weekend. General Motors released a couple images of its next-generation Opel Astra GTC which is set to debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September. All that and more, plus John responds to your questions and comments about hydraulic hybrids, Lexus design and more in the "You Said It!" segment.

Ford is back on track. It just posted impressive profits for the first quarter of 2011. Analysts are predicting the automotive industry in India will surpass those in Brazil, Russia and Europe by 2015. The Chevy Volt and Nissan LEAF just aced the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s rigorous crash tests. All that and more, plus a look at a safer way to refuel racecars.

Toyota says production won't return to normal until December and doesn't expect to meets its full year global production goal of 7.7 million units. Six Japanese companies had their outlooks downgraded to negative from stable by the Standard's and Poor's Rating Service. Chinese automaker SAIC wants to export cars to the U.S. and other markets because the market in China is slowing down. All that and more, plus a look at a new type of electric car that can be recharged in less than five minutes.

Inexpensive polymers may soon make paint scratches a thing of the past. The usage of public EV charging stations in France calls their worth into question. BMW will be the first manufacturer to equip all motorcycles with anti-lock brakes. All that and more plus a drive in the smart ED and a wrap up of the New York International Auto Show.

Fiat will take a controlling stake in Chrysler sooner than expected, with the company paying $1.27 billion in order to boost its stake. Scion unveiled a rear-wheel drive sports coupe concept in New York called the FR-S which will be the inspiration for a new model coming out next year. In order to get people to come check out the new A7 at the New York Show, Audi made a paper replica of the car. All that and more plus guest host Murray Feldman from Fox 2 News, Detroit wonders when or if the American taxpayer will ever make money or break even on their investments in automakers.

The UAW takes a new negotiating tact by targeting the domestics for an early labor agreement. Mercedes takes the wraps off a dramatic new A-Class concept. Hyundai's new technology combines the functionality of Sync and OnStar. All that and more, plus John responds to your comments in this week's "You Said It!"

New York and Shanghai fight it out this week for auto show supremacy. Volvo reveals its stunning Universe concept in China. What will you have to pay to get your hands on BMW’s all-electric ActiveE? All that and more, plus Chevrolet officially takes the wraps off its new Malibu in a global reveal.

Toyota, Nissan and Honda now have all their plants in Japan up and running but only at half capacity. Nissan revealed a race car that's powered by the same EV technology as the LEAF, called the LEAF NISMO RC. Mazda announced that its crossover concept, the MINAGI, which debuted at this year's Geneva Motor Show, will be called the CX-5 when it goes on sale next year. All that and more, plus a look at the redesigned Beetle that Volkswagen just unveiled at the auto shows in both Shanghai and New York.

Toyota will run at 50 percent capacity at all of its plants in Japan for nearly a month starting in May due to supply shortages. Chevy just announced a lineup of aftermarket parts for the Sonic called Z-Spec accessories. Ford plans to introduce 15 new vehicles and double the size of its dealer network in China by 2015. All that and more, plus guest host Murray Feldman from Fox 2 News, Detroit shares his thoughts on whether or not the growth in the auto industry is too much, too soon.

Experts are saying the adoption of EVs may be derailed by the high cost of building the infrastructure to support them. Chrysler announced an agreement with parts supplier Magneti Marelli and Shell Lubricants that will allow its dealers to service competitors' vehicles. Volkswagen is introducing a new commercial van for the UK market. Called the Crafter, it's based off the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter. All that and more, plus guest host Christie Schweinsberg fills us in on the 2011 Ward's Auto Interiors Conference.

Detroit automakers are having trouble delivering new vehicles by rail due to a shortage of freight cars and delays are taking anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. Chrysler is developing compressed natural gas vehicles that could go on sale by 2017 in the U.S. Lexus revealed its LF-Gh hybrid concept before its debut at the New York Auto show next week. All that and more, plus guest host Rod Meloni from WDIV Local 4 News, Detroit answers your questions and comments in the "You Said It!" segment.

Big news in the Renault espionage scandal. A number of executives are resigning from the company. Daimler and Bosch have teamed up to produce electric motors for Mercedes-Benz and smart. GM has pulled the 2013 Chevy Malibu ahead by several months and it's expected to go on sale early next year. All that and more, plus guest host Rod Meloni of WDIV Local 4 News, Detroit shares a few of his thoughts on Chrysler's resurgence.

A company owned by Russian billionaire Vladimir Antonov will purchase Saab assets from Spyker and then lease it back to the company. New fuel economy mandates are spurring automakers and suppliers to develop more fuel efficient powertrains and as a result they are hiring hundreds of engineers. Ford is using a nylon-based resin that’s made from 100 percent recycled carpeting to make plastic cam-covers for some of its engines. All that and more, plus guest host Scott Burgess from the Detroit News, explains why he resigned and went back to the newspaper.

Car sales in the U.S. and China are neck and neck, but America squeezes out a win — for now. John Mendel reports that Honda will make up for production lost during the Japanese crisis. Jaguar and Jeep both seem to be digging diesels. All that and more, plus maybe cell phones aren’t quite as bad as we thought.

Toyota has sold its 1,000,000th Prius, but is that really impressive? Returning from the brink of collapse, Ssangyong makes an impressive showing at the Seoul Motor Show. GM announces the number of miles Volt drivers are going between fill-ups. All that and more, plus a closer look at the BMW ActiveE.

Saab stopped production again because of another dispute with suppliers over payments. Toyota and Microsoft will team up to develop smart grid technology to use electricity more efficiently and harness power from renewable sources. Yesterday we reported Ford was raising prices because of the rising cost of raw materials, now automakers in India are doing the same. All that and more, plus John responds to your questions and comments in the "You Said It!" segment.

Toyota just dodged another bullet. Plaintiff attorneys who are suing the company over unintended acceleration tried to get people in foreign countries to join their lawsuit, but the judge overseeing the case dismissed them. Ford is raising prices across the board because of the surging cost of raw materials. One website has a great way to get back at drivers that don't park properly. All that and more, plus a look at Kia's sporty new SX lineup.

Toyota wins its first lawsuit over unintended acceleration but the company still faces many more on this issue. Former Formula One champion, Kimi Raikkonen will race a limited schedule in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series for Kyle Busch's team. A software development company is introducing an app for first responders that lets them know where it’s safe to cut with the Jaws of Life. All that and more, plus a look at the sales results for March in the U.S. market.

Saab is running out of money fast and may be on the brink of collapse if it does not get new funding soon. Traffic deaths in the U.S. dropped for the fifth straight year to the lowest number since 1949. A couple reveals from the Seoul Motor Show. Chevrolet pulled the wraps off an ultramodern roadster concept called the Mi-ray, and Hyundai revealed its first-ever fuel-cell car called the Blue2. All that and more, plus a preview of this week's Autoline Detroit with Pietro Gorlier the CEO of the Mopar brand.

Yesterday President Obama called for the United States to reduce its dependence on oil - a goal every president since Nixon has stated - we'll see how it goes this time around. Buick is working on a rebadged version of the Opel Ampera. Chevrolet teases the upcoming 2013 Malibu. All that and more, plus we take a look at a technology called near-field communication that supplier company Visteon has found a variety of automotive uses for.

One economist says automakers may have consolidated their suppliers too much and may need to rethink how they structure their supply chain due to the disaster in Japan. Saab had to halt production in Sweden because some suppliers stopped shipping parts because they were worried about getting paid. A top UAW official says the union would be open to accepting more lower wage positions as long as automakers keep jobs in the U.S. All that and more, plus John answers your questions about electric vehicles, Hyundai and much more in the "You Said It!" segment.

The news coming out of Japan isn’t getting any better. Deutsche Bank says production will not return to normal until October! Chrysler got back some 700 vehicles that were being held hostage by car-hauling company Allied Holdings. Nissan of Canada has turned down the Murano Crosscabriolet and this drop-top crossover will not be offered in the country. All that and more, plus John sits down with author and former Ford executive Anne Doyle to talk about enemies in the workplace.

Reports coming out of France say that Carlos Ghosn may have withheld evidence from police involving Renault's espionage case. IHS Automotive analyst Michael Robinet says the disruptions in the auto industry caused by the earthquake in Japan will be significant once parts shortages hit North America. The Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation is hard at work reviving the MG brand and yesterday it debuted the new MG3. All that and more, plus a look at Daimler's new heavy-truck brand that was developed for the Indian market.

IHS Automotive projects global vehicle production could drop 30 percent this year due to parts shortages because of the disaster in Japan. Volvo will charge more than $2,100 per month for its C30 electric vehicle and the company says it will still lose money on the deal! An analyst in Europe says Volkswagen should buy Navistar, the American company that makes big diesels and heavy trucks. All that and more, plus a preview of this week's Autoline Detroit with GM's president of North America, Mark Reuss.

Toyota, Nissan, Honda and many other companies are facing production disruptions around the world because of the disastrous situation in Japan. Detroit’s automakers are roaring back to life, hiring workers and engineers, and expanding their operations. The UAW is recruiting an activist army from countries around the world. All that and more, plus John shares some of his thoughts on Hyundai’s luxury car, the Equus.

Bob King the president of the UAW is calling Ford CEO Alan Mulally out on his recent stock bonus of nearly $57 million. China is going to make its own GPS, available for civilian use, to challenge the U.S. monopoly in satellite navigation. General Motors and Chrysler are suing car hauling companies for holding on to its vehicles and not giving them back. All that and more, plus John responds to your comments about Audi, Nissan and much more in the "You Said It!" segment.

Japanese manufacturers have further delayed production with Toyota extending its shutdown until Saturday and Honda until Sunday. Fisker officially started production of the Karma plug-in hybrid at its plant in Finland. Just when you thought it was over for Toyota . . . it’s not. Plaintiff attorneys are challenging NASA's findings and demanding to look at the company's computer source code. All that and more, plus a look at McLaren's racing simulator.

As supplies of vehicles dwindle due to the earthquake in Japan, dealers are expected to end all discounts and sales incentives. GM, Ford and Chrysler want to give workers bonuses based on quality and profits, rather than just give them pay raises. France's Industry Minister, says he does not want to "destabilize Renault any further" when asked if Carlos Ghosn should step down as CEO. All that and more, plus a look at the new Audi A6 which has been extensively updated for 2012.

Ford held a ceremony at its Michigan Assembly plant to kick off production of the 2012 Focus but the big news is Ford will build the electric and hybrid versions of the C-MAX at the same plant. Nissan is monitoring all of its vehicles built in Japan for possible radioactive contamination due to the disaster in the country. JD Power released its annual Vehicle Dependability Study and for the first time ever Lincoln topped the list. All that and more, plus a look at Nissan's new commercial vans.

As if Japan wasn’t going through enough turmoil it’s now facing a currency crisis as the value of the yen surges. Sulfur in gasoline is a surprising roadblock to more efficient engines. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is offering fuel economy window stickers for used cars, and anyone can print them out. All that and more, plus John sits down with Roberto Giolito, the head of Fiat and Abarth design, to chat about how the company created a modern version of its iconic Cinquecento.

The United Auto Workers union is holding a convention next week to determine its bargaining strategy with GM, Ford and Chrysler in order to win back concessions. Auto supplier Honeywell predicts that the number of cars equipped with turbochargers will double in the U.S. by 2015. Carlos Ghosn apologized for the whole Renault espionage scandal but that might not be enough for the French government which is the company's largest shareholder. All that and more, plus John answers your questions about Alan Mulally, Chris Liddell and much more in the "You Said It!" segment.

Renault’s Carlos Ghosn and Patrick Pélata have apologized profusely for the company’s bungled espionage caper and Ghosn is giving up his bonus. Of automakers in the American market Toyota is the most vulnerable to production disruptions because it imports more models from Japan than any other. Our colleagues at Edmunds Insideline put together an unusual comparison test, pitting the hot new 2011 Dodge Charger R/T against the General Lee. Yes, that General Lee. All that and more, plus a look at how Visteon is integrating cars and consumer electronics.

We know a little bit more about the new CFO at General Motors, Daniel Ammann and here's the best part, he owns a '61 Cadillac convertible and drives a CTS-V wagon. General Motors announced it will bring the Chevy Captiva Sport to the U.S. to sell to fleet customers. BMW just revealed its redesigned 6 Series which features numerous upgrades. All that and more, plus John shares his impressions of how Ford's EcoBoost technology performs with smaller engines in bigger vehicles.

Japan got pounded by an 8.9-magnitude earthquake yesterday afternoon and not surprisingly, automakers and suppliers are shutting down factories because of the disaster. If you add up the value of all the stock and options Ford CEO Alan Mulally has earned since joining the company, it’s now worth over $300 million! BMW reported record profits for 2010 with revenues increasing nearly 20%. All that and more, plus a look at Nissan's new light commercial vans.

In a bombshell of an announcement this morning, General Motors said that its Chief Financial Officer, Chris Liddell, is leaving the company. The espionage case at Renault just keeps getting more and more fun to watch and now the company is going to exonerate and rehire the three execs it fired. Going against the grain, one industry analyst is urging car buyers to NOT worry about gas prices. All that and more, plus a design tour of the new Chrysler 200 convertible.

Fiat held the top spot in sales in Brazil for the last 11 years but for the first two months of this year Volkswagen is number one. Chrysler will sell a couple of Fiat’s small commercial vehicles in the U.S. but they're not here yet, in the meantime the company will offer a utility version of its popular minivan, called the Ram Cargo Van. Pixar just released a new trailer for the upcoming Cars 2 movie that's in theaters this June. All that and more, plus John answers your questions about Ford, Chinese car companies ripping off designs and much more in the "You Said It!" segment.

There's a gold rush in Dearborn! Ford CEO Alan Mulally earned $56 million in stock last year while Chairman Bill Ford made off with more than $42 million. The internal-combustion engine is under attack in Europe where the EC wants to ban them from cities by 2050. Sergio Marchionne wants to build more Fiat models at Chrysler's plant in Toluca, Mexico. All that and more, plus we take a look at the 2012 Mazda5's flowing design.

Chinese automaker Brilliance is coming out with two new vehicles that are blatant rip-offs of the BMW 5-series and Nissan NV 200. Speaking of China, car sales fell last month for the first time that we can remember. Even though there are more cars sitting on dealer lots, the day’s supply has gone down because the daily selling rate is so much stronger. All that and more, plus a look at how Ford's EcoBoost is different from its competition from a technical standpoint.

An Acura executive hints that the curiously-styled ZDX may not be for this world much longer. Raw material prices have been going up, up, up, but only now are automakers feeling the pain. The Renault espionage saga only gets more complicated. All that and more, plus the first-ever automotive recall to be caused by a spider.

Curiously, French automaker Renault is backpedaling from its claims that it was a victim of industrial espionage. Something fishy is going on here. Autoline Daily has learned how much the battery packs in the Chevy Volt and the Nissan LEAF cost. Hint: a lot. COBO Hall, home of the Detroit Auto Show, is getting some significant upgrades over the next three years as part of a $211 million investment. All that and more, plus McElroy responds to your questions and comments in the ever-popular “You Said It!” segment.

New car sales shot up by more than 27% in the American market last month, falling just shy of one million units. General Motors and Toyota put in a blistering sales performance in February amongst the major manufacturers. Cadillac had the most shocking sales performance with sales up 70%. All that and more, plus John test drives the new Mazda5 which is in showrooms right now.

We’ve got a full report on the latest news coming from the Geneva Motor Show including Ford’s new subcompact MPV, the B-Max, Volkswagen’s latest Microbus concept and a Saab model that points at the brand’s future design direction. Consumer Reports just released its latest . . . report; the magazine pans a surprising number of luxury automakers for quality. Ford is the master of PR spin. All that and more, plus a look at the 2011 Kia Optima TURBO.

Jaguar along with Italian design firm Bertone are pulling the covers off two concept cars at this week's Geneva Auto Show. Diesels are making a comeback in the European market where they had been losing market share. Researchers say safety systems in cars need to be specifically engineered to protect obese and older people in crashes. All that and more, plus John compares a Chevy Silverado with a 5.3 liter V-8 versus a Ford F-150 with an EcoBoost V-6.

Toyota is recalling another 2.2 million vehicles in the U.S. because of floor mat issues. Volkswagen and Russian automaker GAZ will partner to build more than 100,000 VW and Skoda cars annually in Russia. Despite the Supreme Court's unanimous ruling, Mazda Vice President Jay Amestoy told Autoline Daily that it was what the Court didn't say that's also important. All that and more, plus a preview of this week's Autoline Detroit about automotive television advertising.

General Motors reported its earnings for 2010 and overall the numbers look pretty good. In a sign that the global industry is turning around Daimler announced it plans to hire over 10,000 workers this year. Tiny Dutch automaker Spyker is selling its sports car unit to a Russian businessman in an effort to reduce its debt and allow it to focus more resources on saving Saab. All that and more, plus the one, the only Jim Hall shares a few his thoughts on Cadillac's controversial Urban Luxury Concept. Find out why it may not be such a bad idea after all.

Analysts are saying don’t be surprised if GM's fourth quarter earnings are not that good because it had to spend money on developing and introducing new vehicles. MINI will debut a concept in Geneva called the Rocketman which is smaller than any car it builds now. Aston Martin just introduced its latest sportscar, called the Virage which is powered by a hand-built 6.0-liter V-12 that cranks out 490 horsepower. All that and more, plus John answers your questions about ethanol, the Toyota Prius and much more in the "You Said It!" segment.

Anti-government protests in Libya have shut down oil production in the North-African country causing the price per barrel to spike overnight. EcoMotors teamed with Navistar to deliver a production-version of its opposed-piston engine. The U.S. embassy has rated the air quality in Beijing WORSE than hazardous. All that and more, plus John gives us his instant impression of the brand-new, 2011 Chrysler 300.

Mazda is considering pulling out of its manufacturing plant in Flat Rock, Michigan which it shares with Ford. The U.S. House of Representatives voted to block E-15, gasoline that has 15% ethanol mixed with it. BMW just introduced a new performance exhaust system which reduces back pressure and allows the engine to produce an even more powerful sound. All that and more, plus John shares his impressions of Hyundai's luxury car, the Equus.

Yesterday Nissan Americas appointed Carla Bailo as the senior VP of Research and Development, the first American to hold the position. Chevy just introduced its own hands free voice control infotainment system called MyLink. Honda quietly revealed its brand-new Civic which offers some mechanical changes but not much else. All that and more, plus a big argument between what liberals and conservatives think the auto industry should be doing in a preview of this week's Autoline Detroit.