Autoline After Hours

Latest Episodes:

AAH #189 - World-Class Cat Throws on the Brand New Chevy Impala Mar 29, 2013

Show notes

Chevrolet's new Impala is finally here and it's big and beautiful, but does it have what it takes to challenge full-size competition like the Chrysler 300 and Hyundai Azera? As this sedan rolls into the studio, we'll be asking Chief Engineer Todd Pawlik to give us the download on the new car. We'll also get into the hottest topics of the week including the myriad reveals of the New York Auto Show. While we're on the subject, we'll discuss whether all these auto shows are worth it. Australia is canceling at least one of its major shows due to lack of interest, should others be on the chopping block? And, Ford has just initiated a very interesting program challenging app makers to dig deep into its fuel economy data. Joining John McElroy in studio is co-host Peter De Lorenzo, the Autoextremist, and Gary Vasilash from Automotive Design and Production.

AAH #188 - The Best Car Designs Since 1950 Mar 22, 2013

Show notes

This week we gave our guest of honor a very challenging task: name the best vehicle designs since 1950. But, John Manoogian II, former GM designer, was up to the task, so join us as he presents, and we discuss, his short list. Did your favorite car make it? Find out! Peter De Lorenzo, the Autoextremist, takes the helm tonight and is joined by Jim Hall of 2953 Analytics and Gary Vasilash from Automotive Design and Production.

AAH #187 - What's Next in Automotive Interiors Mar 15, 2013

Show notes

Remember the days when Chrysler interiors were wall-to-wall shiny plastic? It's quickly becoming a fading memory because, with Klaus Busse, Head of Interior Design, at the helm, the company's cabins are among the best in the business. As Mr. Busse joins us tonight, we'll ask him what innovations we can expect as future generations of vehicles roll off the line. Per usual, we'll get into the hot topics of the week. Joining John McElroy in studio with the best insider discussion in the industry is his co-host Peter De Lorenzo, the Autoextremist, and Drew Winter from WardsAuto.com.

AAH #186 - The Supercar Segment has Hit its Peak Mar 08, 2013

Show notes

This week the AAH team gets out its crystal ball to see what is in store for the industry in the next few years. Michael Robinet from IHS will be on hand to help us do just that. We'll ask him to map out the state of the global industry in the years ahead. Plus, we'll take a look at future vehicles through the prism of the spectacle known stateside as the Geneva Motor Show. Paul Eisenstein from TheDetroitBureau.com has spent the last several days at this massive show, and he'll tell us what cars to watch. Plus, we'll get into other hot topics like the latest vehicle sales -- why did passenger cars plummet? Also, it looks like LPG and CNG are poised to dominate the heavy truck market. Joining John McElroy in studio to talk about all that and much more is his co-host Peter De Lorenzo, the Autoextremist.

AAH #185 - Mr. Mopar Pays a Visit Mar 01, 2013

Show notes

What's black and blue and striped all over? Well, it's rolling into the Autoline After Hours studio this week, and the team at Mopar is ready for it to tear up the tarmac. Our guest is Pietro Gorlier, President and CEO of the Mopar Brand, and he'll be bringing a very special variant of the Dodge Dart called the Mopar '13 -- in fact the only one traveling around right now. We'll be asking Mr. Gorlier what's so special about this slick-looking compact, and we'll find out more about Mopar's dealer business. Plus, we'll get into the news of the week: a top Porsche designer departs for greener pastures at... Chery?; GM steals away Volkswagen's top marketing executive; and we rank the automakers to see who has the best claim as top dog. Joining John McElroy in studio to talk about all that and much more, is Scott Burgess from Motor Trend and Gary Vasilash of Automotive Design and Production.

AAH #184 - Winners and Losers in the Automotive Branding War Feb 22, 2013

Show notes

If you want to stick out from the crowd in this ever more-busy, social media-laden, fifteen-seconds-of-fame world, there's only one way to do it and stay there: good, solid branding. To that end, we've got the guy who wrote the book on branding, literally. Charlie Hughes is the author of "Branding Iron" and the former head of Land Rover North America. We'll be asking him to help us identify the winners and losers in the branding game. As per usual, we'll be getting into the news of the week as well: Volkswagen has just announced that its super-efficient XL1 will actually be going into production; Danica Patrick became the first woman ever to qualify in the pole position for the Daytona 500; and the New York Times and Tesla's Elon Musk duke it out in public. Joining John McElroy in studio to talk about all that and much more, is co-host Peter De Lorenzo, the Autoextremist, Frank Markus from Motor Trend and Gary Vasilash from Automotive Design and Production.

AAH #183 - Inside the 2013 Ford C-MAX Energi Feb 15, 2013

Show notes

Just as you could get the Ford Model T in any color, as long as it was black, when the company brought the C-MAX stateside, it declared you could get any powertrain, as long as it was a hybrid. This week the C-MAX Energi rolls into the Autoline studio with John Davis, Chief Program Engineer, in tow. We'll be asking him all about the car and about what challenges Ford faces in trying to sell a plug-in. We'll also want to know why the C-MAX struggles, in testing, to meet the fuel economy ratings on the EPA label. And, yes, we will also get to the top news of the week. GM earnings are disappointing; 2013 just may be the year of the diesel as Ram and Subaru both announce new entries; and Federal Mogul says goodbye to spark plugs while Chevrolet says hello to shape memory alloys. Joining John McElroy in studio to talk about all that and much more, is Peter De Lorenzo, the Autoextremist, and Todd Lassa from Automobile.

AAH #182 - Don't Knock the Chevy Diesel Feb 08, 2013

Show notes

It's been decades since GM released a diesel engine in a U.S. passenger car. Now, with the Chevrolet Cruze Clean Turbo Diesel, it's back in the game. On deck to answer all our questions is Josh Tavel, Vehicle Performance Manager for Chevrolet Small Cars. Plus, we'll be delving into the big news of the week and the questions racking our brains. Did the auto industry bet wrong on small displacement turbos? What happened to Nissan's partnership with the revolutionary DeltaWing race car? Joining John McElroy in studio to talk about all that and much more, is Peter De Lorenzo, the Autoextremist, and Gary Vasilash from Automotive Design and Production.

AAH #181 - Super Bowl Advertising: the Good, the Bad and the Ego Feb 01, 2013

Show notes

On Sunday all eyes--well, a lot of eyes--will be on the action going down in New Orleans, but while the 49ers and Ravens are at each others' throats, another competition will be playing out. That's because all of those aforementioned eyes will be there for the taking and there is nothing else that matches the advertising spectacle that is the Super Bowl. Thus, automakers from around the world will be embroiled in a battle of corporate egos. As luck would have it, many of these ads have already been, *ahem*, "leaked" so the AAH panel will be doing a roundup of what's on the docket, so far. Joining us to offer an inside perspective on this high-stakes competition is Michael Sprague, the Executive Vice President of Marketing and Communications for Kia Motors America. Kia has two ads in the queue for the big game, and we'll get to preview at least one of them. Joining John McElroy in studio to talk about all things Super Bowl, plus the news of the week, is Peter De Lorenzo, the Autoextremist, and David Kiley from AOL Autos.

AAH #180 - From Indy to Le Mans, Mose Knows Engines Jan 25, 2013

Show notes

He spent 55 years developing racing engines with Ford, worked with some of the greatest drivers of the 20th century, and now he's talking with us! Mose Nowland is the former Senior Motorsport Engineer for Ford Racing, and he's only recently retired. Having worked on cars for Le Mans, Indy, NASCAR and drag racing, this guy's no one trick pony. We'll be asking him to opine on the good ole days and compare them to what's going on today in racing. Plus, you can bet there's a discussion of the past week's hottest topics on tap, including the revelation that Mark Reuss got passed over for Dan Akerson at GM. And, should Corvette spin off into its own brand? Peter De Lorenzo thinks so, and John McElroy thinks his ambitious plan might not be ambitious enough. Joining John and Peter in studio is none other than the man who knew far, far too much: Jim Hall of 2953 Analytics.

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