Autoline This Week

Heavy steel, hard plastic and thick rubber used to dominate an automaker’s assembly line. But these days those elements have been replaced by high strength, lighter weight cousins of the earlier versions along with newer materials, like aluminum. On this week’s Autoline, John McElroy introduces you to his panel of materials experts who talk about how their latest products are impacting the auto industry. Joining John on his panel are Rose Ryntz from IAC talking about the new softer, stronger plastics, Blake Zuidema from steel manufacturer ArcelorMittal discussing today’s high strength steel and Ganesh Panneer from Novelis, who provides lightweight aluminum to many auto manufacturers.

Scott Painter is the essence of the 21st century entrepreneur. Having started several dot-coms since his days at Berkley, he turned his sights to the auto industry with TrueCar.com, an attempt to educate the automotive consumer with data and pricing. And that’s where all the trouble began. On Autoline This Week, John McElroy welcomes Scott Painter to the studio to talk about how TrueCar is attempting to change the auto buying customer experience. John’s panel of industry experts includes Steve Finlay from WardsAuto.com and Joe White from the Wall Street Journal.

When GM product guru Bob Lutz retired, many automotive insiders wondered what would happen to the company’s revived product line and, more importantly, who would fill those big shoes. It turns out they didn’t have to look very hard. GM veteran Mary Barra was appointed Senior Vice President of Global Product Development soon after and the stunning products have kept rolling off the line. This week on her first visit to the Autoline studios host John McElroy is joined by panelists Michelle Krebs from Edmunds.com and Jeff Bennett from the Wall Street Journal to talk to Ms. Barra about the company and her vision for future GM products.

You may only know the company as the one that uses hamsters in its ads but with 24 straight months of U.S. sales records as well critically-acclaimed product, it’s not surprising that South Korea’s Kia is the least known success story in the car industry. Well, joining John McElroy on Autoline This Week to correct that are the men who can talk, first hand, about Kia’s slow and steady growth in the American market. Tom Loveless is Kia Motor America’s vice president of sales and Michael Sprague is its executive VP of marketing (aka., the man responsible for green lighting the hamsters). Also joining John is Brent Snavely from the Detroit Free Press.

Cash for Clunkers may have been great for the manufacturers at the time, but few realized the long term impact it would have on the used car market. Even today – close to four years later – the prices for good used cars are still rocketing skyward. Whether they come from the auto auctions, trade-ins or even Internet sites, thanks to the combination of Clunker destruction and a stagnate economy, the used market continues to be a hot commodity. And John McElroy has the topic covered with his Autoline panel including: Ricky Beggs from the Internet site Black Book, Ron MacEachern, the General Manager from the Detroit area dealership the Suburban Collection and Steve Finlay from WardsAuto.com.

AM Radio was king in the car for nearly 50 years. But since the 70s, its evolution has been fast and furious. First FM was all the rage followed by music on 8 Track and Cassette tapes. It wasn’t long before CDs started flooding the front seat and now, well you know, anything goes. Today’s Multi Media Interface can offer the driver everything from Satellite Radio Services to Navigation to even the Internet without breaking a sweat, but that’s just the tip of the chip. On Autoline This Week, John McElroy talks with three experts in audio electronics to hear first hand about the latest and greatest that they’re offering the consumer. Joining John are Marios Zenios, the head of Chrysler’s Uconnect Systems, Mike Hichme, GM’s Infotainment Design Manager and Allen Kudla from Panasonic Automotive.

It used to be a Cadillac world. Recognized as the top luxury car, its name became synonymous with the best of anything. But then came the 1980s with production issues, an aging demographic and worse, competition from around the world. Suddenly, as Eric Burdon and The Animals sang, their best just wasn’t good enough. For 5, 10, 20 years, the brand wavered until the latest models have shown a bit of life. The man in charge of restoring the luxury nameplate to the top is Don Butler, VP of Global Marketing for Cadillac. He is John McElroy’s special guest on Autoline This Week. Joining the panel are Tim Higgins from Bloomberg and Aaron Bragman from IHS Automotive.

A few years ago many believed ethanol was the answer to our fuel questions. There was refining capacity, plenty of corn and OEM commitment with their Flex Fuel option. Fast forward to 2012 and it’s a totally different landscape. There are more and more small cars on the road being powered by 40+mpg engines. But just as important, we’re facing the effects of the worst drought in 50 years. In fact, the USDA says the corn yield may come in at 1995 levels, which is worse than predicted. On Autoline This Week John McElroy talks to an expert panel for an in-depth look at the ethanol issue and see where we go from here. Joining John are Candace Wheeler from General Motors, James Frusti of Chrysler and Professor Bruce Dale from Michigan State University.

Automakers protect their secrets like the U.S. Army guards Fort Knox. And the biggest secrets they have are their future designs. That’s why few people and fewer cameras are granted access to the inner sanctum of automotive design studios. So it is with great pleasure that John McElroy and the Autoline crew take you inside one of the most historic buildings in the auto industry, as well as one of the toughest to gain admittance, General Motors Design. Global Design Chief Ed Welburn talks with John and Peter De Lorenzo of the Autoextremist.com before giving them a behind-the-scenes tour through this top secret facility.

In 1963 Avis Rent-a-Car came up with iconic “We Try Harder” slogan, which it has carried ever since. But it also seems to be the perfect phrase to describe the current race for the number one selling car in America. After years of playing not just second but third fiddle to the Toyota Camry and the Honda Accord, Nissan has unveiled its striking new Altima and believes this car is prepared to finally challenge that number one slot. That’s why John McElroy and Autoline go on-the-road this week to Nashville, Tennessee to visit the home of Nissan Americas and to talk with the team in charge of taking Altima to number 1.

Hidden down a long driveway behind two locked gates and four garage doors is the private car collection of one of the most respected “car guys” in history, Bob Lutz. Rarely do journalists get a glimpse of these cars let alone an exclusive tour as he gave Autoline. So join host John McElroy and Peter De Lorenzo of the Autoextremist.com as “Maximum Bob” gives them a look at some of his prized cars including a 1934 LaSalle, his unique ‘70s Swiss-made Monteverdi and even the 1952 Aston Martin DB2 he found completely by accident a few years ago which originally belonged to his father. Exotic cars, rare motorcycles and even collector bikes all from the garage of Bob Lutz this week on Autoline.

There’s been a product renaissance at Ford the last few years, thanks in large part to Global Product Chief, and 33-year veteran of the company, Derrick Kuzak. But when Kuzak announced he was retiring earlier this year it didn’t take Ford long to find his replacement. Raj Nair started with the company in 1987 and has worked all over the world in various capacities. Now as he takes control of the product wheel for Ford we’ll see if he can keep the momentum going. This week he joins host John McElroy and panelists Tony Swan from Heart Magazines and Mark Phelan of the Detroit Free Press as our guest on Autoline This Week.

Pick up any car magazines and you’ll find lists. Lists for best car, lists for worst MPGs, lists for most collectible and so on. But the one list that Pulitzer Prize-winning author Paul Ingrassia could not find is the subject of his new book “Engines of Change.” Mr. Ingrassia looked at our car culture and has come up with a list of vehicles and how they have impacted our entire American society. John McElroy leads a fascinating discussion with Mr. Ingrassia and panelists Todd Lassa from Motor Trend and Drew Winter from WardsAuto.com.

Running a car company in Europe is decidedly different than in America. Especially if you’re on the Board which makes all the big decisions. Join John McElroy and his guest Dr. Walther Kiep, the longest serving member of Volkswagen’s Supervisory Board, for an inside look at his years helping run this mega-automaker as he promotes his recollections of a life in politics and business in his new book “Bridge Builder.” Joining John on his panel are Christina Rogers of Automotive News and Mike Ramsey from the Wall Street Journal.

How to break the ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) ceiling? Some manufacturers don’t think we need to and continue to upgrade their current crop of engines. But then there are companies like Nissan-Renault, whose leader Carlos Ghosn, gave the world the all-electric Leaf and is continuing down that path. As Senior VP in charge of Research and Development for Nissan Americas, Carla Bailo has to walk a delicate line -- continue to provide the company with ICE vehicles all while working with Japan to develop those ground-breaking high mileage electric cars. Joining host John McElroy and Ms. Bailo on this week’s Autoline are Brent Snavley from the Detroit Free Press and Lindsay Brooke with Automotive Engineering International.