Autoline Daily

Opel has been struggling for some time now, but it looks like the situation will get worse before it gets better. Sergio Marchionne says he expects Fiat and Chrysler to post a 3 billion dollar operating profit in 2012. Tomorrow, the final Cologne V-6 will be installed in the last Ford Ranger pickup. All that and more, plus guest host Christie Schweinsberg from Ward’s Auto fills us in on the winners of their annual 10 Best Engines List.

In response to the U.S. placing tariffs on Chinese-made tires, China will impose tariffs on imported cars from the U.S with engines larger than 2.5-liters. The National Traffic Safety Board is calling for a nationwide ban on cell phone use and other electronic devices while driving. It’s back! Chrysler announced it will reopen its Conner Avenue Assembly Plant in Detroit to produce the next generation SRT Viper. All that and more, plus guest host Michelle Krebs from Edmunds.com, shares her picks for the North American Car and Truck of the Year awards.

In yet another sign that electric cars might not catch on as fast as some automakers expected, Nissan is stopping construction of a battery plant in Portugal. Long-time industry executive Sue Cischke is retiring from the Ford Motor Company, where she was group vice president for sustainability, environment and safety engineering. Last week Chrysler taunted us with a few teaser shots of Dodge’s latest compact car, the Dart. Now it’s hinting at what’s going on inside. All that and more, plus John answers your questions and responds to your comments. That's right; it's time for another "You Said It!"

Last week we reported that GM was going to switch battery suppliers for the Chevy Volt. But GM tells Autoline Daily that is not the case at all. BMW is following Mercedes-Benz and Audi into the four-door coupe market with the 6 Series Gran Coupe. Members of the U.S. House of Representatives are renewing efforts to block the use of E-15, or gasoline with 15 percent ethanol. All that and more, plus a look at the all-new Buick Regal GS.

General Motors is going to change battery suppliers. It had been buying batteries from LG Chem, now it will switch to batteries from A123. A new study shows there are now more electric car charging stations in the United States than there are gas stations that sell E-85 fuel. Taiwanese automaker Luxgen revealed its latest car, the Luxgen5. All that and more, plus a look at Hyundai’s funky looking new car, the Veloster.

The Detroit News reports that UAW president Bob King is calling Nissan a human-rights violator, but he offers no specifics. Nissan, of course, says the accusations are baseless. Renault is releasing details about its facelifted Scenic and Grand Scenic models. GM and Chrysler dealers who lost their franchises when the two companies went bankrupt want to take their case against the feds all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. All that and more, plus we take the new Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe for a spin.

The Chevrolet Volt seems to be getting slammed by everyone right now and it looks like GM has a full blown public relations disaster on its hands. Chinese consumers prefer foreign car brands, due to big gaps in quality and reliability with the homegrown ones. Dodge is bringing back the Dart name for its new replacement for the Caliber. All that and more, plus John responds to your questions and comments in the “You Said It!” segment.

While global car sales have been running at decent rates all year long, sales of heavy trucks are running at record rates, especially in China and North America. We’re going to see a lot more European vans in the U.S. as Ford, GM and other automakers expand their range of offerings. Honda announced it plans to deliver best-in-class fuel economy in every vehicle segment within three years thanks to a new suite of technologies it's calling "Earth Dreams." All that and more, plus we take a look at the new Range Rover Evoque.

Automakers are ramping up their production plans for the first quarter of 2012. EV start-up company Aptera announced it’s closing its doors because the company is out of money. Volkswagen’s new factory in Chattanooga, Tennessee was just rated the greenest auto assembly plant in the world. All that and more, plus a look at the new Volkswagen Beetle.

As the auto industry struggles to sell more cars, teens aren’t helping matters because fewer of them are learning to drive. Motorcycle sales are on the increase in India while Tata Nanos languish on dealership lots. This RC car doesn’t come cheap, but for good reason: it can hit 100 miles per hour! All that and more, plus John McElroy’s analysis of November sales results.