Autoline Daily - Audio

Tesla Motors announces its paid off its government loan, and ticks off another automaker in the process. A new study highlights how car dealers need to do a better job on the internet. After nine decades of making cars in country, Ford announces it will end production there. All that and more, plus the debut of Design Handbook with the encyclopedic automotive expert, Jim Hall.

In a historic move, General Motors is going to move its Treasurer’s office from New York to Detroit. With new car sales running strong in the American market, Ford chops its summer vacation in half. Mitsubishi announces its next-generation global compact sedan, called the Attrage. All that and more, plus host John McElroy responds to your comments and questions in this week’s edition of You Said It!

Trade groups that represent the major automakers push for the U.S. and the European Union to harmonize safety and emission regulations. Did you know that the U.S. imports cars from 12 different countries, not counting Canada or Mexico? Hennessey takes one automaker’s high-performance pickup, caps the bed and turns it into an SUV. All that and more, plus John McElroy asks whether the 2014 Chevy Silverado can take on the Ford F-150.

John McElroy has his first impressions of Kia’s new full-size sedan, the Cadenza, which is a stretched version of the Optima. For the first time in two years, GM’s stock closes above its IPO. According to Bank of America Merrill Lynch light vehicle sales will smash the all-time sales record in the U.S. by 2018. All that and more, plus a look at how augmented reality can make race car driving safer.

Car sales did something in Europe last month that they haven’t done since September 2011 — go up. The reason Kia believes its car sales will rebound all starts with the number seven. Porsche introduces its plug-in hybrid, the 918 Spyder. All that and more, plus GM CFO, Dan Ammann explains what the company is doing to make Opel profitable once again.

Honda returns to Formula 1 racing after leaving in 2008. Of the 11 small SUVs tested in the IIHS small overlap crash test, only one received a good rating. A company called Laservision invents a unique solution to warn truck drivers of low-hanging overpasses. All that and more, plus how a three-time racing champion is helping Infiniti develop its cars.

General Motors takes aim at Ford with a rebadged version of Nissan’s NV200. Acura announces it will build its supercar at a new Performance Manufacturing Center in Ohio. The American Civil Liberties Union files a lawsuit against LA’s two major police departments over data collecting scanners. All that and more, plus the Autoextremist, Peter De Lorenzo, shares his thoughts on Jaguar’s new marketing plan.

The European Commission approves a deal to allow Volvo Trucks to acquire a 45 percent stake in a Chinese truck division. Honda could get rid of over half of its lineup in the American market, and sales would not go down that much. Facebook is close to purchasing social mapping and traffic app maker, Waze. All that and more, plus the Autoextremist, Peter De Lorenzo shares his thoughts on the value of Chief Marketing Officers.

While traffic fatalities in the U.S. have fallen 40 percent in the last decade, they leaped by 72 percent in Brazil. GM sees an opportunity to start selling advertising in the car, as internet access becomes more available. At its private 50th birthday party, Lamborghini pulls the wraps off a very futuristic looking concept. All that and more, plus host John McElroy responds to your comments and questions in this week’s edition of You Said It!

There was a time that vehicles were said to be made out of steel, but these days you say they’re made out of steels. Structural adhesives can make a quieter, stronger, lighter car that is easier to manufacture, which is why one automaker is using a lot more of them. The joint venture between Chinese automaker Brilliance Auto and BMW comes out with a low-cost minivan. All that and more, plus in our exclusive interview with UAW President Bob King he discusses the controversial topic of Right-to-Work.

While a few EV startups have bit the dust recently, Tesla reports its first quarterly profit. Elio Motors makes its debut with a prototype three-wheeler. Even after selling 7,300 cars last year, Ferrari decides to reduce sales to under 7,000 units. All that and more, plus a look at what’s new with the 2014 Mercedes-Benz GLK.

Elon Musk talks with Google about using its autonomous technology in Tesla vehicles. Not only does the Cadillac ELR have a much sleeker design than the Chevy Volt, the range-extended hybrid has a unique feature called Regen on Demand. Autoline takes a few laps around the famous Michigan International Speedway in the 2014 Lexus IS. All that and more, plus the next generation of car designers provide a look into automotive interiors of the future.

A number of Japanese automakers have been plagued by faulty airbags made by Takata. Now a prominent European brand joins the fray. Tesla could tally up another $250 million in its bank account when it cashes in on California EV credits. We have our first up-close look at the 2014 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter. All that and more, plus Drew Winter from WardsAuto has some thoughts on the surprising results of this year’s 10 Best Interiors list.

Despite the fact that the entire segment was up, hybrid sales at Toyota and Lexus are down. Audi announces plans to build a new assembly plant in Mexico. Chevy has missed out on the luxury pickup segment, so it responds with the Silverado High Country. All that and more, plus we discuss why the world needs more alternatively powered cars on the road.

Ford expects to break its full-year sales record for hybrids in the U.S. this month. The 97th running of the Indianapolis 500 takes place later in May and the all-new 2014 Corvette Stingray is the official pace-car. Porsche rolls out a new 911 Turbo as the car celebrates its 40th anniversary. All that and more, plus we discuss the steps the auto industry is taking to make autonomous cars a reality.