Autoline Daily - Video

Chrysler reported its third quarter earnings and posted a $239 million operating profit. General Motors will field a Chevrolet-branded twin-turbo V-6 engine for the 2012 IndyCar season. A report by China's ministry for environmental protection says about a third of the 113 cities in the study failed air quality tests due to the influx of cars sold in the country. All that and more, plus guest host Christie Schweinsberg from WardsAuto.com, shares her thoughts on all the EV bashing that’s taking place on the internet.

Over the last 6 months Toyota racked up $3.6 billion in profits. BMW announced it will build a sports car with plug-in hybrid technology based on its Vision EfficientDynamics. Chinese automaker BYD is delaying EV sales in China because it says the infrastructure isn’t sufficient yet. All that and more, plus a look at the Mid-Term Election results and how that will affect the auto industry.

The numbers are finally in for October sales in the American market and we'll take a look at who the winners are. Ford launched a media campaign to help increase car exports to South Korea from the U.S. Panasonic announced it will invest $30 million in Tesla to take a two percent stake in the company. All that and more, plus a look at the Cadillac CTS Coupe.

Aston Martin says it won't look for another automaker to partner up with and will remain independent. General Motors will not have to pay taxes on the next $45 billion in net profits that it reports thanks to a special exemption. A look at some of the highlights from the SEMA show that's underway in Las Vegas this week. All that and more, plus John answers your questions in the "You Said It!" segment.

Researchers in the U.S., Australia and Russia have developed a new type of aluminum alloy that's as strong as steel. The Canadian Auto Workers' union is advising the Canadian government to hold on to its shares in GM. The Ford Racing Performance Group is bringing its R2 rally kit to the U.S. so anyone can transform their Fiesta into a rally racer. All that and more, plus we take a look at Volkswagen's advanced self-parking car.

Global sales are up nearly 16% compared to last year and automakers are on track to sell about 74 million vehicles before the year is over. Nissan showed off a two-seat electric car this morning, which it calls the New Mobility CONCEPT. Ford is set to show off a specially tuned undercover-version of its new Police Interceptor at the SEMA show. All that and more, plus John test drives the Chevy Volt.

Italian researchers travel 8,000 miles, from Italy to China, in four autonomous electric vehicles. A humanoid robot developed by GM and NASA is set for its first launch into outer space. In an astonishing development, the California Air Resources Board is rating the emissions of the Chevrolet Volt several levels below other cars. All that and more, plus a preview of this week's Autoline Detroit with David Champion from Consumer Reports.

Automakers have been reporting promising third-quarter numbers, but which ones have raked-in the most money so far this year? Citroen plans to introduce a production version of its Metropolis concept in China. GM waxes nostalgic with Chevrolet’s new advertising campaign. All that and more, plus a look at the interior of the 2011 Volvo S60.

Nissan says that every one yen increase against the dollar shaves nearly $190 million off its profits. The CK1 from Chinese automaker Geely received zero stars in crash tests. A 1964 Aston Martin DB5 driven by Sean Connery in the James Bond movies "Goldfinger" and "Thunderball" is up for auction. All that and more, plus John responds to your comments in the "You Said It!" segment.

Ford reported its third-quarter earnings today and the numbers are downright impressive. Nissan just introduced its own hybrid in Japan, the Fuga, which is known as the Infiniti M elsewhere in the world. The U.S. Department of Transportation and the Environmental Protection Agency issued fuel-economy standards for heavy-duty trucks . . . for the first time ever. All that and more, plus a comparison of the Chevy Volt and the Nissan LEAF.

Fiat CEO, Sergio Marchionne provoked anger in Italy when he said the automaker would be better off without the country and its unions. BMW plans to launch a new program in Germany that allows drivers to rent its vehicles by the hour. We get an update from John McElroy, who's down in Nashville driving the Nissan LEAF. All that and more, plus a look at the brand-new engine lineup for the 2011 Ford F-150.

John got to test drive the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid and the Sonata GLS and found that the base version got better fuel economy. Chevrolet is going to sell the Volt in Europe right up against the Opel Ampera. Ford is developing an SUV based off of the redesigned Ranger's architecture. All that and more, plus a preview of this week's Autoline Detroit all about selling luxury cars in the American market.

China is cornering the market for rare-earth metals used in hybrid batteries and electric motors. Toyota’s in trouble, again, this time recalling vehicles for brake-fluid leaks and fuel-pump problems. The auto-parts business is booming with the stock prices of several companies at 52-week highs. All that and more, plus a look at how Ford is working to make its vehicles as quiet as possible.

Sergio Marchionne is making one big push to finally make Alfa-Romeo profitable and analysts he needs to invest at least €2 billion to pull it off. Mazda just introduced what it calls its Skyactiv powertrain in the Demio and claims it can get over 70 miles per gallon. Hyundai announced pricing of its luxury sedan, the Equus which will be introduced in the U.S. at the end of the year. All that and more, plus John answers your questions in the "You Said It!" segment.

Big news for electric vehicles. GM is showing the Volt to automotive journalists this week and Nissan is letting them drive the LEAF next week. Another hurdle EVs face is a shortage of machines that make lithium-ion batteries. The Volkswagen/Porsche merger is taking a little bit longer to go through than we thought. All that and more, plus a look at the exterior design of the 2011 Volvo S60.

Employees at GM’s plant that makes batteries for the Chevrolet Volt decided to join the United Auto Workers union. The CUV segment is the most popular in the American market for the second consecutive year. Ralph Nader questions R&D spending claims Toyota made in some of its advertisements. All that and more, plus a look at the design of the 2011 Kia Optima.

Car sales continue to decline in Europe, falling over 9% last month. Formula 1 is headed to Russia and the country must pay $40 million a year for the rights to host the event. A look at Ford's new engines for the 2011 F-150. All that and more, plus Autoline Daily hit two important milestones, our two-year anniversary and episode number 500 and to celebrate we'll show you some of the hilarious, unaired clips from the past two years.

Former GM CEO Ed Whitacre speaks out about GM's IPO. We hate to say we told you so, but it looks like Steven Rattner's in hot water again. Continental develops a brilliantly simple mechanism for triggering under-the-hood airbag systems. All that and more, plus a preview of this week's Autoline Detroit coming to you once again from Paris.

The US Environmental Protection Agency took a step closer to approving E-15, but so far it's limiting that approval to cars built since 2007. The Chinese government confiscated seven of BYD’s factories saying it built them on land that was zoned for agriculture. Researchers successfully hacked into a car by intercepting wireless tire-pressure monitoring signals. All that and more, plus John answer's your questions about the Chevy Volt and the Ford C-Max in "You Said It!"

General Motors is caught in another flaming controversy, this time over the Chevrolet Volt's drivetrain. New-vehicle sales in China are slowing down, but some analysts say they could hit 17 million units this year. Nissan released a sketch of its next-generation Versa, which is a lot more stylish than the current model. All that and more, plus John comments on the attention the media are paying to Steven Rattner.

Google says it has equipped a fleet of cars with autonomous technology that have logged 140,000 miles driving on roads in California. Disgruntled union workers are going to picket the UAW’s headquarters because of wage concessions. In an attempt to help alleviate "range anxiety", Nissan is considering offering Leaf customers a free car loan for at least one week a year. All that and more, plus a look at the Ford Grand C-Max.

The Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers doubled its sales forecast for the year. Fiat may bring its compact Doblo to North America because sales of the Ford Transit Connect jumped 76% last month. GM announced it’s pouring $145 million in its Orion Assembly plant to make small cars but could this lead to discontent between the company and the union? All that and more, plus a look at a 2-cylinder engine Fiat just introduced in Europe, in a preview of this week's Autoline Detroit.

GM just announced details on household charging units for the Chevrolet Volt. Toyota is expanding its Prius lineup with two new models that are expected to debut by the end of 2012. Not surprisingly, China's booming car sales are giving its overall economy a big boost. All that and more, plus the inside scoop on the new V-8 engines Ford is putting in the 2011 F-150.

Smart USA signed a memorandum of understanding with Nissan Americas, which will build it a 5-door, 5-passenger B-size car. Toyota says that plug-in hybrids are the top alternative vehicle, not hydrogen powered fuel cell cars. Chrysler released new details about the 2011 Dodge Charger. All that and more, plus John answer's your questions in the "You Said It!" segment.

Allstate, the giant insurance company, is suing Toyota because of damages it had to pay to customers when their Toyota’s were damaged due to unintended acceleration. BMW has confirmed that it plans to introduce a line-up of compact, front-wheel-drive cars. Ford is cooking-up an extra-special Mustang for the 2014 model year, which is the 50th anniversary of the pony car. All that and more, plus John shows you around the city of Turin, a place that's referred to as the Detroit of Italy.

Alan Mulally says that Ford will have zero net debt by the end of next year, but exactly what does that mean? Australia could become a world leader in rare earth metals within a few years. Mopar shows off its V-10 Drag Pak for the Challenger. All that and more, plus don't believe what everybody else is saying: September sales were not good! We'll explain.

Autoline Daily has learned that VW is tooling up its new assembly plant in Tennessee to build up to 85 percent diesels when it introduces its new mid-size sedan. A look at Jaguar's latest concept, the C-X75, unveiled in Paris. Researchers in Japan have developed a hybrid car that doesn't use rare-earth metals. All that and more, plus a preview of this week's Autoline Detroit with the President of Audi of America, Johan de Nysschen.

It looks like talks between Nissan and Daimler about sharing engines and platforms is progressing nicely. Delphi announced it’s teaming up with WiTricity Corporation to develop wireless charging systems for EVs. California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a bill yesterday allowing windshield-mounted cameras to record video and audio inside vehicles! All that and more, plus some of guest-host Murray Feldman’s thoughts on the problems facing the automotive supplier industry.

Toyota has setup a task force on rare-earth metals following reports that China banned exports to Japan. A new study done by the Highway Loss Data Institute shows that texting bans while driving don't work. GM will develop electric versions of the Opel Meriva for research purposes. All that and more, plus the Autoextremist, Peter De Lorenzo, shares his opinion on why the Volkswagen and Porsche merger is not a good thing.

GM Vice Chairman, Tom Stephens, said the automaker plans to offer a midsize car in the U.S. with a diesel engine, but he did not mention which model it will be or when it will go on sale. Mopar introduced an electronic vehicle tracking system that lets you locate your car if it gets stolen. The lawnmower land-speed record is back in the USA! All that and more, plus some perspective on the U.S. auto bailouts.

Saab and BMW have hammered out a deal that would give the Swedish automaker access to BMW engines. Fiat is considering a Ferrari IPO in order to raise the cash necessary. Ford CEO Alan Mulally says he would like to slash the brand's portfolio to as few 20 models. All that and more, plus a look at the Ford F-150's new engines.

A Wall-Street analyst says that the Detroit automakers are a good investment. Nissan benefits from Toyota’s quality problems and surpasses them in the Chinese market. Did you know you could get free OnStar in any used GM vehicle? All that and more, plus a preview of this week’s Autoline Detroit with Edmunds.com CEO Jeremy Anwyl.

Chrysler workers are caught drinking and getting high on lunch break, and the UAW has nothing to say. Nissan backpedals on comments made by its CEO about China. Citroën says its latest concept car will reject the status quo oppression of the automotive world. All that and more, plus a look at the new Ford Edge Sport.

The Michigan State Police evaluate cop cars from the Detroit Three, and the Caprice is a winner. Adesa and Barrett-Jackson form an alliance. STP and Armor All get sold for big bucks to a private-equity firm. All that and more, plus John responds to your questions and comments in "You Said It!"

China and Japan are at each other's throats again, this time over allegations that Toyota bribed dealers in China to steer customers toward their in-house financing arm. Ford revealed a teaser shot of its redesigned global Ranger pickup. The tire industry -- and by extension, the auto industry -- is facing a rubber shortage as droughts then heavy rains hamper production in Asia. All that and more, plus John shares a few of his thoughts on the design of the 2011 Jaguar XJ.

Ford hires former Hyundai and Mercedes-Benz designer, Joel Piaskowski to head up all exterior design for Ford in the Americas. Nissan plans to nearly double its production in China to 1.2 million units. BMW is set to unveil what looks like a thinly disguised version of its next-generation 6 Series at the Paris Motor Show. All that and more, plus a look at a competition organized by Ward's Auto, to see which Detroit Three automaker has the best diesel engine for its heavy duty pickups.

China drafts up a new policy requiring foreign automakers to hand over hybrid and electric vehicle technology to their domestic counterparts. Chevy reveals a number of the vehicles it will debut at the Paris Motor Show. Shareholders approve a plan that will split Fiat in two. All that and more, plus we talk to Scion’s Jack Hollis to see how the company plans to curb flagging sales.

China has designs on dominating the auto industry as it pushes to merge dozens of car companies. Mercedes previews its electric A-Class prior to Paris. Heavy truck sales continue an upward trend in the U.S. indicating a recovering economy. All that and more, plus John takes what he thought was his last drive in a Viper.

The largest automotive retailer in the U.S. says it's impressed by Chrysler's upcoming offerings. Porsche and Ford both preview some of the vehicles we'll see at the Paris Motor Show. Meanwhile, Ford says it would like to reduce its dealer ranks now that Mercury is winding down. All that and more, plus John responds to your questions and comments in You Said It!

A report says plant waste and municipal waste could provide for a majority of Europe's fuel needs by 2020. Volvo's new Chinese owner Geely intends to double global sales of the brand. Ford assembles a "smell jury" to figure out what odors people like best. All that and more, plus our drive of the new Nissan Juke.

Could Range Rover be spun off as its own high-end brand? VW gets a new head honcho in America. And here's a shocker: a new report says Chinese consumers prefer large vehicles with handsome styling. All that and more, plus our first drive of the Chevy Cruze.

The latest production data shows that automakers in the North American market are expecting sales to slow down. A new forecast predicts sales in China will hit 17 million units this year. Ford canceled plans to move production of its Kuga crossover from Germany to Kentucky due to currency exchanges and labor troubles. All that and more, plus a look at a car we can guarantee you haven’t seen on the road, the McLaren MP4-12C.

The first Chevrolet Cruze rolled off the assembly line at GM's Lordstown, Ohio plant yesterday. Honda completely redesigned the Odyssey and believes it can attract buyers with more dynamic styling. Nissan is double checking the quality of vehicles built in Thailand before they are sold in Japan. All that and more, plus the Autoextremist, Peter De Lorenzo, shares his thoughts on why the Chevy Cruze is the most pivotal mainstream car launch in GM's history.

BMW announced that it’s ending production of both the coupe and convertible versions of the M6. OnStar is getting some additional functionality that will allow you to connect with a Facebook page and convert voice messages to text. To capitalize on the growth in the low-end of the Chinese market, Nissan and its partner Dongfeng plan to introduce a new low-cost brand. All that and more, plus a test drive of the Hyundai Equus with John Krafcik, the CEO of Hyundai Motors America.

A top official in China’s economic planning agency warns that automakers are blindly investing in too much manufacturing capacity. Nissan announced that it plans to build its LEAF EV in China. Ethanol producer Coskata is trying to raise cash to build its own facility to make biofuels. All that and more, plus some of John's thoughts on the Hyundai Equus.

The US government is worried about financial institutions owned by foreign governments buying up big chunks of GM's stock. Dodge reveals new photos of the redesigned Durango. Mazda just unveiled its new design theme, one that it’s calling Kodo, which translates into Soul of Motion. All that and more, plus John answers your questions about the Chevy Volt and Acura in the "You Said It!" segment.

The numbers are in and new-vehicle sales in the U.S. last month aren’t as bad as everyone is reporting. Another distillery in the UK has figured out how to make fuel from potato leftovers. Ferrari is having some "external combustion" problems with its 458 Italia. All that and more, plus a blast from the past with a look at the Chevy Vega.

Hyundai is moving Santa Fe production out of its assembly plant in Alabama and into Kia’s plant in Georgia, in order to build more Sonatas. Its been rumored that Maybach will be discontinued, but a report says the brand will offer five different models. The CNG versions of the Chevy Express and GMC Savana will tack another $16,000 on top of the base price. All that and more, plus a look at Ford's new cop car.

Chrysler reveals more of its plans for Fiat in the U.S., and some important numbers like sales and pricing leak out. Opel is planning to expand globally, entering Australia and South-American markets. The U.S. EPA is aiming to make it easier for consumers to compare fuel-economy ratings between different vehicles by introducing a new-type of window sticker. All that and more, plus we take a look at the recently redesigned Saab 9-5 . . . from a designer’s perspective.

Even though global sales hit just over 43 million units through Jul compared to 2009, they were down compared to this June and analysts expect sales to continue to slide. We take a look at some vehicles that aren't selling well because of their unusual designs. Citroën released details about its new vehicle, the DS4, ahead of its debut at the Paris Motor Show. All that and more, plus John shares his thoughts on who he thinks would be the perfect person to run GM.