Autoline This Week - Audio

Politics as Unusual Has the American public ever been so fickle? Two years ago the country went heavily Democratic. This year the pendulum swung strongly Republican. Who knows what next two years hold in store. But what we need to know is: what does this mean for the auto industry? New fuel economy standards, stricter CO2 legislation, generous EV subsidies, the controversial cap and trade policy, our free trade policy, and the Employee Free Choice Act are all on the agenda. Or, at least they were. Thanks to the mid-term elections, committee chairmanships are switching from one party to the other. That means the legislation agenda is going to switch as well. To learn about how the agenda will change, and to put a name to faces of who’s going to be running the show, this week’s Autoline is all about the abrupt about-face in the American political scene. Joining host John McElroy on the show are Nolan Finley, the Editorial Page Editor of the Detroit News, and co-host of the public television program "Am I Right?," as well as Edward Lapham, the Executive Editor of Automotive News.

Movin' On Up The 1970s was the touchstone for transformation in two important American industries. The world of television was changed forever by producer Norman Lear with ground-breaking shows like 'All In The Family' and its successful spinoff whose theme song has given us this week's headline, 'The Jeffersons.' But at the same time that TV was "movin' on up" the U.S. automotive industry was starting a decades long decline. Fueled by OPEC in tandem with the rise of the imports, the Big Three produced model after model of lower quality cars and they began to pay the price. And we all know what price they eventually paid. But since the start of the new century the 'downgraded' Detroit Three have been on the road back. Designing and building better cars that are not only attracting both old and new customers into showrooms, but they're starting to appear on lists that many consumers use to shop for vehicles. One of those tabulations -- the Consumer Reports Reliability Rankings -- was just released and David Champion, the Senior Director of its Auto Test Division joins John McElroy as his guest on this week's Autoline. Doron Levin of AOL Autos and Fortune Magazine and Scott Burgess, Autocritic of The Detroit News, join John and David to talk about today's best cars.

Champagne Wishes Celebrity and luxury have been part of our culture since the beginning. But that potent combination didn't truly take off until about twenty-five years ago when television host Robin Leach made "champagne wishes and caviar dreams" our daily mantra. Suddenly greed was good, TV cops became Armani models and we all worshiped the people and products consumed nightly on the juggernaut "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous." That was the springboard that brought us to today's luxury-satiated society where even ten year olds discuss the merits of Louis Vuitton's latest. We're now undeniably smack dab in the middle of a pop culture that's in love with luxury; and don't think any of this has been lost on certain companies that make cars. The American luxury car market used to be just a few select players that came from Italy, Germany and the UK with a couple of homegrowns thrown in for good measure. Today the list of both cars and countries have exploded. But how has the market grown, who are today's players and which customer is buying what? Joining John McElroy for a look at today's luxury car market is an all dealer panel who pretty much have all the brands covered. Ken Meade of Meade Lexus is one of the brand's original dealers whose stores continue to be among the brand's top-sellers in the Midwest while Chris Consiglio is the Group General Manger of the Eitel Dahm Motor Group who handles three different high-end brands from Germany. And rounding out the panel is a man with a multitude of luxury brands to look after. Rob Kurnick is the president of Penske Automotive Group which operates 325 dealerships which nearly half could be considered luxury -- everything from Bugatti to Rolls Royce to Cadillac and more.

The Left Bank 2 Last week Autoline Detroit began its coverage of the 2010 Paris Motor Show with four different interviews. This week we've decided to emulate the Seine River, take a couple of twists and turns and do something a bit more avant-garde. Yes, we still have a couple of in-depth automotive interviews that you've come to expect in Autoline Detroit such as talks with J Mays from Ford and Mike Manley from Jeep. But in addition, this week you'll get something completely different. In fact, get ready for John McElroy to take you on a walking tour. Not of Paris mind you, but of some of the brands of cars that populate the city, the country, the entire European Community and that you never see here in the states. From Lancia, to Renault to Alfa Romeo and more, John goes from booth to booth sharing with us some of the history of the brand and as well as why these European vehicles may be influencing what we park in our driveways in the coming years. Oh, and don't miss our preview of the Special Edition Autoline Detroit that we shot in the Ligurian Alps just above Nice. That's also in this week's wrap-up from the Paris Motor Show.

The Left Bank The river Siene slices through the city of Paris like the gentle folds of a fresh croissant. To the south is a section known as "La Rive Gauche" or The Left Bank. The moniker is artistic in origin thanks to the community of superlative painters and writers who called it home at one time or another. From Picasso to Hemingway to Matisse to Fitzgerald, some of the greatest works that we still admire today trace their ancestry to the southern section of the City of Lights. And even though those days are gone it doesn't mean that today The Left Bank is bereft of artistic merit. In fact just the opposite. Over the years it has become home to some of the greatest works of contemporary art though with a more technological feel. And for the next two weeks Autoline Detroit will spotlight this "21st Century Art" as we visit the Paris Motor Show. In this week's first part, John McElroy talks with Stephen Odell, the CEO of Ford of Europe, Jonathan Browning, the new CEO of Volkswagen of America, Ian Callum, Jaguar's Director of Design, and Fiat's Giovanni Mastrangelo, Platform Manager for Small Gasoline Engines.

Don't Look Back The longtime Hall of Fame baseball pitcher Satchel Paige once said "Don't look back -- something might be gaining on you." In the case with today's luxury car leaders BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Lexus that "something" is Audi. The great luxury car maker that, in the past, could never quite get over the top has been gaining momentum with awards, marketing and, most importantly, sales. Halo vehicles like the R8 have grabbed the headlines but the real gains are coming across the entire lineup putting pressure on the traditional leaders of the segment. Just what are Audi's sales goals and how does the company plan to keep the momentum rolling? This week on Autoline Detroit to answer those and other questions on this blazing hot German luxury car maker is Johan de Nysschen, President of Audi of America. John McElroy is joined on his Autoline Detroit panel by David Welch of Bloomberg/Businessweek and Chris Paukert from Autoblog.com.

Predictive Power Ensconced in the ivy-covered halls of universities around the world are men and women who spend their days looking for answers. Answers to questions that might not even exist called "Unknown Unknowns." Many recognize this function as engaging in scientific theory which, over the years, has led to accepted works like Einstein's "General Theory of Relativity." But before his or Newton's or even Darwin's research was accepted, their theories had to generate testable predictions otherwise known as Predictive Power. Predictive Power appears on Autoline Detroit but not in the guise of any ground-breaking theories. Here, as is the case with this week's show, we divide the phrase and spotlight one word at a time. For instance take "power." Who better to talk about it than an executive of McLaren Automotive, the British manufacturer of high performance vehicles? And what better vehicle to talk about than its first sports car developed for those who don't wear fire-retardant suits, the MP4-12C. McLaren's Tony Joseph not only talks to John McElroy about the company and its move into production cars for consumers but also takes him for a walkaround the car that you won't want to miss. Then as far as "predictive" or in this case "predictions" go, we turn to Jeremy Anwyl, the CEO of Edmunds.com. This 45-year-old firm along, with its sister sites, gather automotive information and distribute it to largely a consumer audience. Mr. Anwyl and his team keep their eyes glued to the OEMs do and analyze everything from production to sales to the executives who run the organizations. He stops by Autoline to give John a look at the automotive world from the Edmunds' perspective.

Family It's often said that the most important part of human life is family. Despite the fact that you may argue with your father on almost everything or your Aunt Rose still squeezes your checks at 35, being able to gather, celebrate and mourn together is unique to the human existence. Plus, that structure provides a perfect environment, which allows us to learn from one another, perhaps about our heritage or maybe life itself. Of course when it comes to corporations things are a little different to say the least, however, some do embrace the family structure for a variety of reasons. In the automotive industry, for instance, a company like Toyota offers customers three distinct brands that are aimed at different socioeconomic groups. The youngest member of that family, Scion, was created just a few short years ago and provides the entire corporate unit a young and unique set of products and customers. Jack Hollis is in charge of Scion in North America and he joins John McElroy on this week's edition of Autoline Detroit. Mike Ramsey from the Wall Street Journal and Greg Gardner of the Detroit Free Press join in the discussion.

Containment It may be a noun with three different meanings, but the word containment has filtered into our daily lives. From news stories spotlighting the Gulf of Mexico to military strategies on the Asian continent, we think of it in big picture terms, but it effects us much differently. Containment is more personal, especially as it relates to transportation. Whether it's your own vehicle or public transportation, the driving force underneath the hood of both modes are fluids; oil, water and gasoline to name three. Delivering those fluids throughout the vehicle is complicated to say the least. And that's where containment comes in. One of the top companies in the automotive "containment" field if you will, is TI Automotive. It's been building fluid delivery systems since the days of the Model T. Joining John McElroy to discuss today's complicated world of fluid storage, carrying and delivery technology is TIA President & CEO Bill Kozyra. And joining in on the conversation is Dave VanderWerp of Car and Driver.

Listening Booth: 2010 - Part 2 With a nod to our inspiration, musician Marc Cohn's new release "Listening Booth: 1970," in Autoline's 2010 version last week, our focus wasn't on forty-year-old songs, but rather a fresh look at Ford's recent comeback. And that look came from the eyes of someone who has watched it up close -- the company's Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Lewis Booth. In last week's Part 1 he gave us an accounting of that comeback touching on a variety of subjects including its well-received new products, its surprising profit as well as its still-looming debt. This week Mr. Booth is back for Part 2 of our discussion with a deeper dive into Ford's present and future. Join John McElroy along with the New York Times' Bill Vlasic and former Car & Driver chief Csaba Csere as they talk with the man who could be the company's next Alan Mulally.

Listening Booth: 2010 Putting a new twist on "the classics" is suddenly chic and popular. Just ask musician Marc Cohn whose new recording, "Listening Booth: 1970" -- a collection of songs from that year -- is a hit on Billboard. Who would've thought re-creating 40-year-old songs like "Wild World" from Cat Stevens, The Grateful Dead's "New Speedway Boogie" or "Make It With You" by Bread of all groups would raise a winner, yet it did. But maybe given what's been going on in Dearborn recently we shouldn't be so surprised. After all, who would've thought even just two years ago that re-creating "classics" like Fiesta, Taurus and Explorer would be returning Ford to its past sales glory, but it is. Of course it's much more than just a couple of new cars that's making the difference, but, as any of the Ford team will tell you, having fresh, quality product doesn't hurt. To understand what's driving Ford back to the top of the industry, this week Autoline takes a turn in its own "Listening Booth", as the company's Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Lewis Booth joins John McElroy for the first of two shows. Joining John and Mr. Booth on the panel are Bill Vlasic from the New York Times and former chief of Car & Driver magazine Csaba Csere.

Autolineian Analysis always seems more important when it has a name attached to it. Take the world of psychology for instance. Sigmund Freud's surname established the famous 'Freudian' school of psychoanalysis while his contemporary Carl Jung gave us the 'Jungian' version. Two names that have stood the test of time when it comes to branding analysis. So when it comes to the automotive world is it out of bounds to ask if that type of analysis should also have some sort of moniker? Well this week Autoline Detroit does its best to answer that question as it features three top-notch automotive analysts who opine on everything from the current state of the industry, its 2010 sales, the resurrection of the Detroit Three and those all-important breakthrough vehicles like the Volt and the Leaf we keep waiting for. Joining John McElroy on the his 'Autolineian' panel are Rebecca Lindland and John Wolkonowicz two senior analysts from IHS Global Insight and Erich Merkle from Autoconomy.

Hands Down Without a doubt, some of the reasons are simple. Old line factories have closed, there's more automation in those that remain and foreign companies are building in right-to-work states. With all that working against them, it's understandable why membership in the United Auto Workers has fallen the last thirty years. Like the constant drip from a faulty faucet, the pool of workers from this once dominant union has been slipping away losing more than a million since its peak in the '70s. But don't cry for Bob King, the new UAW president. Elected merely a month ago, he knows the job in front of him and it's no easy task. Not only does he have to retain his current members, but reach out and recruit new ones. Just how he does that is one of the biggest challenges he'll face. But wait, don't forget about the questions surrounding The Detroit Three. How will the UAW deal with not only the success of Ford, but also the rebuilding at GM & Chrysler? These are just a few of the tough questions that our all-star panel tackles on this week's Autoline Detroit. Joining John McElroy to discuss the future of the UAW are Sean McAlinden from CAR, Joe Szczesny from the Oakland Press and Robert Chiaravalli of Strategic Labor & Human Resources.

B Driven You can see it, can't you? The slow-motion black and white shots of sweaty sinewy muscles inter-cut with close-ups of a certain athletic footwear and a simple closing graphic. Of course you could "IF" this really were the next iconic brand message from Nike. But this "B Driven" headline references the tsunami of new compact cars that will soon engulf America. And though the Bs lead the list, this week on Autoline Detroit we look at several new cars, trucks and crossovers either out now or poised to hit the marketplace soon. Joining John McElroy for this new vehicle smorgasbord are two of his fellow voters on the North American Car and Truck of the Year jury, Tony Swan from Car and Driver and Michelle Krebs of Edmunds.com. Throughout the show they'll be discussing many of the potential award-winners that could come from virtually any segment including luxury entrants like the CTS Coupe from Cadillac or the latest XJ from Jaguar. Of course performance cars are always in the spotlight especially with new products such as BMW's 5 Series and Ford's iconic Mustang with not one but two all-new powertrains: a V-6 and, finally, an honest-to-goodness 5-Liter. And of course there are crossovers as well like the Hyundai Tucson, Kia Sorento and Infiniti QX56 to talk about. But without a doubt, the largest group of important cars coming out this year are indeed the Bs: Ford Fiesta, MAZDA2 and Chevrolet Cruze -- to name three of the bigger volume models -- will be getting the most attention from critics and consumers alike. So join John and his NACTOY panel for a look at the latest and greatest coming to dealer lots this week on Autoline Detroit.

Detroit Drift Even though it may sound like the next installment in "The Fast & Furious" franchise, this drift refers to what's going on right now in the auto industry in not only Detroit but across the globe. Fresh leaders, closed brands and new marketing plans are just a few of the topics that go into evaluating today's automotive landscape by R.L. Polk, the 140-year-old analytical firm with long-time Detroit roots. So if anyone knows what's going on with sales trends, market position and brand loyalty -- to name a few -- it's Stephen Polk, Chairman, President and CEO of the company. On this week's special July 4th edition of Autoline Detroit, Mr. Polk joins John McElroy to discuss the latest news on everything from sagging spring sales to the potential plug-in revolution. And joining John on this week's journalist panel are Jeff Green from Bloomberg News and Tom Walsh of the Detroit Free Press.