Autoline This Week - Video

Soon after Barack Obama was inaugurated he paved the way for California and other states to set its own emission standards for automobiles. But for automakers to meet the standards California wants its going to need alternatively powered vehicles to do so. But there are still a lot of question marks around this future technology. On this edition of Autoline EXTRA, John McElroy and his guests talk everything electric. They discuss the infrastructure for EVs and whether our electric grid can handle vehicles plugging in to it. And they also discuss the many battery challenges automakers face. Joining John for the discussion is John DeCicco from the Environmental Defense Fund and Paul Eisenstein of The Detroit Bureau.

Guilt-Free

America has a penchant for over indulgence. You can see it with our collective weight, which has ballooned of late and given rise to a cottage industry of guilt-free products that hardly look like diet foods. But we're told that we can have our cake and eat it too. Sound too good to be true? Well in many respects the auto industry has mirrored this individual over-consumption problem. For years it built vehicles that may have been big and comfortable but consumed far too much petroleum and got too few MPGs. Now with our new world financial order it's trying to wean Americans off of our "cheesecake" SUV and into that not-as-satisfying hybrid "sorbet" among other greener "lighter" options.

This week John McElroy is joined by two experts to talk turkey -- tofurkey more appropriately -- about the coming environmental options for the auto industry. John DeCicco is an automotive analyst who works for the Environmental Defense Fund and Paul Eisenstein is a veteran automotive journalist who has brought a special focus to hybrids, diesels and electrics for the last few years. Both have a unique perspective on both the processes and products that we'll be driving and riding in the not too distant future.

On this edition of Autoline EXTRA, John McElroy speaks with Daniel Howes of The Detroit News on the floor of the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Mr. Howes gives his impression of the show and which automakers made the biggest statements at the show.

On this edition of Autoline EXTRA, John McElroy talks with Chief Engineer Pete Reyes the man in charge of creating the 2010 Ford Taurus. Mr. Reyes discusses the development of the new Taurus and how using new design and engineering technologies shaved months off the development process.

As the industry starts to shift from internal combustion to electric power, more and more automakers are racing to develop batteries and EVs, except Mazda. On this edition of Autoline EXTRA, John McElroy speaks with Jim O’Sullivan the President and CEO of Mazda North America. Mr. O’Sullivan explains what technologies Mazda will use instead of electric power to reach its goal of increasing its fleet MPG 30% by 2015.

Detroit Duck

Detroit's annual celebration of arguably its most important invention -- the car -- is just steps from the site of another Motor City discovery. Across the street from Cobo Hall and the North American International Auto Show is 234 West Larned, the former site of one of the city's most famous restaurants, the Pontchartrain Wine Cellars. It was there one night in 1937 that owner Harold Borgman thought he would save the red wine left in customers' bottles and combine them with a half bottle of undrunk champagne. It was at this epic moment in American history when the popular adult beverage "Cold Duck" was born.

So, with a nod to Mr. Borgman, we have gathered some of our tastiest interviews yet to be broadcast from the 2009 N.A.I.A.S. and put them in this week's show: a video homage to his famous drink that we'll call "Detroit Duck." Appearing with John from the floor of the show is a perfect Press Days potpourri: one OEM CEO, the Chief Engineer of one of the hottest cars unveiled in Detroit, the Executive Director of the dealer group who puts on the show and then we wrap-up interviewing the only Pulitzer Prize-winning automotive columnist going. All of that this week on Autoline Detroit. Cheers...

The big question these days in the auto world is, when are things going to finally pick back up again. On this edition of Autoline EXTRA, John McElroy talks with Don Esmond, the Senior Vice President at Toyota Motor Sales. Mr. Esmond gives his opinion on what sales will be like this year, when the market will recover and what needs to happen for it to recover.

On this edition of Autoline EXTRA, John McElroy talks with BMW’s North American President, Jim O’Donnell. Mr. O’Donnell talks about BMW’s successful certified pre-owned vehicle program and also the success MINI had in 2008.

There hasn’t been a whole lot of good news coming out of Chrysler recently but the company did make some noise at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit this year when it unveiled the 200C EV Concept. On this edition of Autoline EXTRA, John McElroy sits down with Frank Klegon, the executive Vice President of Product Development at Chrysler. They discuss that vehicle and how it fits into their plans going forward.

GM must make and has already made tough decisions to prove to Congress that it can be a viable business. On this edition of Autoline EXTRA, John McElroy sits down with GM’s Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Mark LaNeve. They discuss the Pontiac Solstice Coupe, Chevy Cruze, Cadillac CTS Wagon, and the Buick LaCrosse and how those vehicles fit into GM’s plans moving forward.