Autoline Daily

While the UAW settles on a transplant to unionize, it's picketing Hyundai dealerships in the U.S. in support of workers in South Korea. GM develops a technology that will double the life expectancy of brake rotors by preventing rust. Plus Audi reveals the A1 Sportback, Renault has a new Twingo and Toyota shows off a new fuel cell concept. All that and more, plus Seamus McElroy goes for a spin in MINI’s new Coupe.

The Center for Automotive Research says that the U.S. auto industry is going to add 190,000 jobs in the next four years. Volkswagen introduced a plug-in hybrid SUV concept at the Tokyo Motor Show called the Cross Coupe. And Honda unveiled seven new concepts in Tokyo, all of which are electric. All that and more, plus John answers your questions and comments in the “You Said It!” segment.

General Motors is in full-blown damage control over reports that the batteries in the Chevy Volt caught fire after a crash test by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Japanese automakers are getting hammered by the strength of the yen, and things could get a lot worse. Mazda just introduced a new regenerative braking system called i-ELOOP. All that and more, plus John reviews the movie “Revenge of the Electric Car.”

Further crash tests on the Chevy Volt by NHTSA found that the battery could catch fire in certain circumstances. Toyota finally revealed its new rear-wheel-drive sports car, called the GT 86. Daimler announced it will drop the Maybach brand since it was unable to turn a profit in nearly a decade. All that and more, plus a look at the new BMW X3.

Mazda is moving production out of Japan to Mexico because of the strong value of the yen and the number of free trade agreements Mexico has. Chinese automakers are starting to learn how to make safer cars. The Geely Emgrand EC7 and the MG6, were awarded four stars in the latest Euro NCAP tests. The used car market in the U.S. remains strong and in some cases second-hand vehicles are not depreciating in value. All that and more, plus John responds to your questions and comments in the You Said It! segment.

In a move that probably did not surprise anyone, Laura Soave was let go as head of the Fiat car brand in the American market. Speaking of personnel moves, General Motors appointed its vice chairman, Steve Girsky, as the chairman of the supervisory board of Opel. If you thought that the Volt is expensive here in the U.S., good thing you don’t live in China! All that and more plus a review of the new Chevrolet Sonic.

Car sales in China have been slowing all year and now the drop in sales is even hitting the luxury segment. But even with the slow down, China is still the biggest market in the world and that’s why Ford just announced plans to introduce 20 new engines and transmissions in the country. GM is considering a simple mid-size work truck for the U.S. All that and more, plus a look at how Chevy makes the ZL1 Camaro slice through the wind.

The electric version of the Honda Fit will only be available for lease in select cities in the U.S. GM’s sales chief in the U.S. says sales in 2012 won’t grow that much. Conversely, J.D. Power says next year’s sales rate could hit 14 million units. BMW just bought a 15 percent stake in a company called SGL Carbon, a maker of lightweight materials. All that and more, plus a preview of Autoline This Week the most recent UAW contract negotiations.

More news from the L.A. Auto Show: Honda unwraps its latest CR-V; Lincoln shows off its updated MKS and MKT models; and Hyundai reveals its new Azera. The much-talked-about new fuel-economy rules in the U.S. are official. In a good bit of news for the industry, dealership showroom traffic is up. All that and more, plus Peter De Lorenzo, the Autoextremist, sounds off on Fiat’s troubles.

We’ve got a couple unveils from the L.A. Auto Show. Cadillac finally showed off the new XTS which replaces the DTS and STS in the line-up. And Ford debuted the all-new Escape which comes with a host of new features. GM’s VP of U.S. Sales says this month’s seasonally adjusted annual rate or SAAR, could hit 14 million units. All that and more, plus guest host Peter De Lorenzo shares his thoughts on the 2012 Porsche 911 Carrera.