Autoline This Week

What’s going on with your local auto show? Is it still viable or is the steam running out on this 100 year old tradition as the baby boomers find less need for autos in retirement and the younger generations seem more wedded to the concept of mobility? You may be surprised by what the experts say. Joining John McElroy for this roundtable is Rick Deneau, the Head of Product Communications for FCA; Steve Bruyn is with Foresight Research and Stephanie Brinley is an auto analyst with IHS Automotive.

Ford, like its competitors, is facing the future straight on. And perhaps the biggest question to answer is what will be powering its cars: hybrids, fuel cells, electrics or the good old I.C.E.? The man on Ford’s frontline of propulsion systems is Robert Fascetti. Today he joins John McElroy and his panel to discuss Ford’s future driving options.

The new cars, trucks and SUVs that we’re all buying are not only filled with new technology, they are also filled with data. Data that some companies will pay dearly for such as where we go and what we listen to. But how can automakers monetize that data? They have enough to do just designing and engineering the vehicles. On today’s show, John McElroy and his panel explore how to turn that data into gold with John McFarland from General Motors, Ben Hoffman the CEO of supplier Movimento and Joe Vitale, the Global Automotive Leader from Deloitte.

You might know Dearborn, Michigan as the home of the Ford Motor Company. But what you may not know is that Henry Ford wanted to make the city the model suburb for the rest of America. Join John McElroy as he welcomes author and historian Heather Barrow as she highlights the Ford philosophy as it moved from the factory floor to mass suburbanization.

Many know Jack Roush from his NASCAR teams, but his businesses reach far beyond just racing. Join John McElroy for a very special one-on-one interview with the man who started at Ford in the ‘60s and today commands companies that touch everything from the environment to autonomy.

It burst onto the scene at the NY Auto Show, with a stunt worthy of Hollywood itself. And in fact, the Dodge Demon has teamed up with the Fast and Furious film franchise. So what’s all the hoopla about? Join John McElroy and the man responsible for this 840 horsepower muscle car coming up on Autoline THIS WEEK.

If you look back 8 or 9 years, the state of Michigan was an absolute mess. As two of its largest tax payers – GM and Chrysler -- declared bankruptcy, there was a legitimate fear that many tangential companies would also fall, putting the layoff totals in numbers not seen since the 1930s. But of course that did not happen. And in fact, Michigan’s automotive recovery couldn’t have been stronger. So what happened and how did the state avoid the worst? Joining John McElroy on this edition of Autoline THIS WEEK are representatives from three organizations who had a front seat to everything that happened.

Automakers may have their logo on cars and trucks, but more than any time in history, what they produce is a team effort. And much of that team consists of Tier One Suppliers. Joining John McElroy to discuss the relationship of Suppliers and the OEMs are Lon Offenbacher, President and CEO, Inteva Products along with Rainer Jueckstock, Co-CEO and Co-Chairman of the Board, Federal-Mogul.

Before the Great Recession, General Motors had its hand in a lot of different powertrains. But once it slimmed down it had lost a lot of those options. But 2017 is certainly a new day. Now there are diesels, hybrids, electrics and let’s not forget the good old internal combustion engine in both the car and truck lineup. On today’s show John McElroy and his panel get the inside scoop on GM engines from Dan Nicholson, the vice president of Propulsion Systems.

From the floor of the New York International Auto Show, John McElroy interviews three Wall Street analysts whose job it is to keep an eye on what’s going on with the automotive landscape. We’ll see where they think the industry is headed and how soon autonomous vehicles may be driving off dealer lots.