Autoline After Hours

This week on After Hours it’s all about the numbers as we dig into Cash for Clunkers. But before we get to all that, we’ve got to review the week’s news including the departure of Jim Press from Chrysler and Ed Whitacre sending Fritz Henderson back to the drawing boards. In the studio to talk about everything is John McElroy along with the regulars, David Welch from BusinessWeek and Peter De Lorenzo the AutoExtremist. And, Skyping in from Santa Monica is guest panelist Jessica Caldwell from Edmunds.com, who has uncovered some great disparities in the numbers being reported by the government in the Clunkers program. All that, and we get to your questions in Rapid Fire.

Another week, another After Hours and it’s time to talk electric. First, we talk about GM canceling the Saturn Vue-based plug-in Buick and what impact social media had on the decision. Our guest, Joel Feder, Skypes in from Minneapolis to tell us how things went down in the Twitterverse. Then we get into Ford’s EV plans when we invite Nancy Gioia, the company’s Director of Sustainable Mobility Technologies and Hybrid Programs, into the studio. All that, and we get to your pressing questions in Rapid Fire.

It’s a very special After Hours this week as we come to you live from the Woodward Avenue Dream Cruise. Yes, yes, we know. The Dream Cruise doesn’t start until Saturday, but you sure wouldn’t know it from the look of our parking lot at the Auto Zone and the classic cars rolling down M-1. We’re joined by some of the regulars–Peter De Lorenzo, David Welch, Jim Hall–as well as some surprise guests. Ed Welburn, VP of GM Global Design, stops by with his treasured ‘69 Camaro. Robert Gelardi, designer of the 2010 Mustang, pays us a visit bringing his very own classic Ford. Jim Wangers, famous for his intimate relationship with the original Pontiac GTO, stops by with a prime specimen. All that, and we get some live entertainment courtesy of the Exhaust Tones.

This week on another After Hours we get an inside look at the high-stakes world of automotive advertising with the originator of the iconic Like a Rock Chevy campaign, and more recently, the 2010 Prius spots. Along with John McElroy and the regulars, Peter De Lorenzo of AutoExtremist.com and BusinessWeek Detroit Bureau Chief David Welch, Kurt Ritter of Saatchi LA Skypes in from his offices in Torrance, California. David Kiley, also from BusinessWeek, visits the studio as well, eager to join the gang in grilling Kurt on such things as the controversial marketing announcements coming out of Toyota, pricing of the new Lexus LF-A supercar, and what Kurt thinks of his former employer’s (GM’s) marketing efforts. And, as always, we get to your incisive phone calls and e-mails in this week’s installment of Rapid Fire.

This week on another thrilling After Hours we’re running at redline as guest panelist Jim Hall of 2953 Analytics takes the discussion to a new level of intensity. Along with John McElroy and the regulars, Peter De Lorenzo of AutoExtremist.com and BusinessWeek Detroit Bureau Chief David Welch, Mr. Hall brings his expansive industry knowledge to bear as the discussion swings from the GM management shake-up to Ferrari to Mr. Welch’s little-known alter ego. Amid all the excitement, we even get some breaking news about the fate of Cash for Clunkers. And, as always, we get to your incisive questions in this week’s installment of Rapid Fire.

When it comes to cars and trucks, it’s not just the manufacturers who are researching what customers want. There are some independent voices out there that do focus groups, among other activities, on all makes and models of cars and trucks with some fascinating results. One of those experts joins the panel tonight to discuss what he and his team discover about the buying whims of the public. Art Spinella is the brain trust of CNW Marketing Research and he joins John, Peter and Jeff Gilbert from CBS Radio Detroit via Skype from his homebase in Bandon, Oregon. The guys have a chance to talk about not only Art’s automotive research but this week’s news as well, including the big changes in GM management, company profits (kind of) for Ford and (definitely) for Hyundai, CAFE Pay to Play and of course all your insightful questions during Rapid Fire.

This isn’t a reference to a classic Sam Cooke tune or even its Blues Brothers’ cover, but if you’ve watched an NBA game the last six months or cruised YouTube at all you know this title is talking about a couple of hip-hop hamsters in a blazing hot Kia ad featuring the all-new Soul. Joining John McElroy and our panel, David Welch from BusinessWeek and Scott Burgess from The Detroit News, is the guy who is responsible for that ad as well as all Kia America Motors marketing, Michael Sprague. Michael will be discussing not only the Soul but Kia’s other new compact cars the Forte and Forte Koup as well as its growing U.S. marketshare. In addition, John finally announces the winner of our GM Bankruptcy Bonanza.

It’s a big night of battery talk on Autoline After Hours this week as University of Michigan Professor, CEO of her own startup and battery expert Ann Marie Sastry joins John, Peter and BusinessWeek’s David Welch to discuss automotive’s electric future. The crew also discusses GM’s impending exit from bankruptcy as well as someone’s idea (and we hope it wasn’t President Obama’s) of changing the color of the company’s iconic logo from blue to green. Of course there’s also an update on who might be the big winner of our GM Bankruptcy Bonanza as well as an announcement on Jason Vines’ AAH absence. All this and more on this week’s edition of Autoline After Hours.

With the screwy way auto brands are moving around these days it’s like trying to watch the pea in a shell game. Hummer’s going here, Saturn there and Saab who know’s where? Well one guy who may not have all the answers but certainly has a good idea is Charlie Hughes, the former auto exec with Land Rover and Mazda (to name two), author of the book Branding Iron and our guest on this week’s edition of Autoline After Hours. He joins John, Peter & Jason to discuss the future of the bankrupt Detroit Two, where Ford fits into the mix, as well as a bevy of other brand analysis. And after they handle this week’s Rapid Fire segment Jason updates us on on the leaders in the After Hours GM Bankruptcy Bonanza. We’re getting closer to a winner. Have a great and safe 4th of July everyone.

Octogenarian autowriting and racing icon Denise McCluggage joins the boys — John, Peter and Jason — for a 60-minute high speed discussion on all things automotive. Starting with a black and white look back into her past as a guest on the ’50s game show To Tell the Truth and onto her passionate desire for diesel future, they manage to squeeze in a few other topics like Cash for Clunkers, Chrysler’s Empty Product Pantry and even a marriage proposal for Ms. McCluggage. Maybe she’ll deal with that one in our Rapid Fire round. Oh, and don’t forget to get an update on where you stand with our After Hours contest on just when GM will exit Bankruptcy. Sad to report, we already have some losers.