Autotown with Jamie Butters

Jamie Butters Drives Around the Block with Kurt Nagl from Automotive News to talk about General Motors plans for making hybrid crossovers. They Stop at the Coffee Shop with Lisa Krusemark from the Center for Automotive Research in Ann Arbor to discuss how U.S. drivers make American roads unusually unsafe. Kurt and Jamie Browse the Dealership Lot with Jay Maxwell, who leads the Costco Auto Program,...

Jamie Butters and Automotive News reporter Richard Truett Stop at the Coffee Shop to talk with Tedros Mengiste, chief operating officer of Genesis Motor North America, about the upcoming three-row GV90, the “wow moment” of its coach doors and the challenges of marketing such a tech-laden model.

Jamie Butters is joined by Detroit Free Press reporter Jackie Charniga to discuss General Motors’ tech strategy. They Browse the Dealership Lot with Alex Knizek from Consumer Reports to examine the Hyundai Venue, the lowest-priced new vehicle on the U.S. market. Jackie and Jamie Stop at the Coffee Shop to ask Mark Wakefield from AlixPartners how China is impacting the European auto industry and wh...

Jamie Butters is joined by Matthew DeBord to talk about the Tesla Roadster reveal. And they Stop at the Coffee Shop to chat with John Wall, president of QNX, a division of BlackBerry. And in the Town Hall, Matt and Jamie talk about UAW priorities in 2028 negotiations.

Jamie Butters is joined by veteran automotive journalist Greg Migliore to discuss the new generation of car collectors and Stellantis making a statement in Paris. They Stop at the Coffee Shop to chat with veteran auto executive Larry Dominique about the China threate and the early part of Nissan’s turnaround effort. And at the Town Hall, Greg and Jamie talk about which policy or macroeconomic chan...

Jamie Butters is joined by Richard Truett, reporter at Automotive News, to discuss the Jaguar Type 01. And they Stop at the Coffee Shop with veteran industry executive Larry Dominique to talk about the China threat. And they visit the Town Hall to discuss what policy moves could do the most to help the auto industry.

Jamie Butters is joined by David Welch, Detroit bureau chief for Bloomberg News, to discuss trade with Canada and General Motors big truck plans. They Stop at the Coffee Shop to talk about automated driving possibilities and challenges with C.J. Finn, the partner at PwC who leads their U.S. auto practice. David and Jamie Browse the Dealership Lot with Jessica Caldwell, looking at the Infiniti QX65...

Jamie Butters is joined by Kalea Hall from Reuters to discuss General Motors’ powertrain strategy. They Stop at the Coffee Shop with Steffen Fuchs, managing partner at McKinsey & Co., to talk about the return on investment in artificial intelligence — or lack thereof. NEW FEATURE: Kalea and Jamie visit the Autotown Theater to hear from Jimmie Comer III about a Southfield, Michigan, production of D...

Autotown and Franco PR hosted a happy hour ahead of the Automotive Hall of Fame induction ceremony on Sept. 23, 2026. Jamie Butters moderated a panel discussion with John Murphy of Murphy Automotive Partners, Mary Arraf from Aumovio, James Davies from Guaranteed Outcomes and Brent Snavely from Franco. They discuss the biggest challenges facing the industry and why — as Jamie put it — collaboration...

Jamie Butters is joined by Richard Truett, reporter at Automotive News, to discuss prospects for a Stellantis-Land Rover project and how Ford is using AI to improve quality. They Stop at the Coffee Shop to dig in on rising vehicle prices with Rick Wainschel from Catalyst IQ. Richard and Jamie Browse the Dealership Lot with Scotty Reiss to explore the next-generation Hyundai Tucson. And the three o...

Jamie Butters is joined by Michael Wayland, auto industry reporter for CNBC, to discuss the outlook for third-quarter auto sales in the U.S. They Stop at the Coffee Shop to discuss Jay Leno’s Law with Mike Spagnola, CEO of SEMA. Michael and Jamie Browse the Dealership Lot with Jill Ciminillo to check out the Mercedes-Benz CLA 250+ electric compact sedan. The three of them go to the Town Hall to di...

Jamie Butters is joined by guest co-host Martin French, formerly managing director for Berylls and a global vice president for Webasto. And they Stop at the Coffee Shop to chat with Alan Haig, founder and CEO of Haig Partners, about the M&A market for auto dealerships. Then Martin and Jamie visit the Town Hall to discuss brand loyalty. There’s a lot to see in Autotown!

Jamie Butters is joined by Joe Whilte, author of the High Speed Rodeo blog, to discuss what AI titans can learn from the auto industry. They Stop at the Coffee Shop to chat with NADA CEO Mike Stanton about auto dealers’ priorities in Washington, including bills regarding Chinese cars and the Right to Repair. Joe and Jamie Browse the Dealership Lot with Sean Tucker, managing editor at KBB, about ho...

Jamie Butters is joined by guest host Michael Martinez from Automotive News to discuss Ford’s new paint shop for the Kentucky Truck Plant and the company’s efforts to improve quality. They Browse the Dealership Lot with John Walawender, Ford’s F-150 consume brand manager, to talk about the latest updates for 2027 including Blue Cruise with towing and lower-priced Tremor and Raptor variants. Mike a...

Jamie Butters is joined by Adam Bernard, founder of AutoPerspectives, to discuss Volkswagen’s restructuring and whether Toyota should break off GR as a separate brand. They Stop at the Coffee Shop to chat with John Bozzella, CEO of the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, about trade with China and with Canada. Adam and Jamie visit the collectors’ lot with Jiyan Cadiz, founder of the Cars at the St...

Jamie Butters is joined by guest co-host Tyson Jominy from J.D. Power to discuss surprisingly strong U.S. vehicle sales in August. They Stop at the Coffee Shop to talk about careers in a world of change with Ashwini Balasubramanian, a 3M executive who just published a book, “Map Your Ascent.” And Tyson and Jamie visit the Town Hall to discuss car-shopping preferences.

Jamie Butters is joined by Liam Rappleye from the Detroit Free Press to discuss the UAW’s leasing arrangement with Stellantis and the departure of marketing chief Olivier Francois. They Browse the Dealership Lot with Scotty Reiss, founder of A Girls Guide to Cars, to consider the Genesis GV90 and what the new flagship means to the brand. Liam and Jamie Stop at the Coffee Shop to meet Anan Bishara,...

Jamie Butters is joined by guest co-host Gabrielle Coppola to discuss Hyundai’s ambitious product plans and Unifor’s challenge negotiating with Stellantis. They Stop at the Coffee Shop to chat with Steve Greenfield about the relative advantages of startups and big incumbents in deploying artificial intelligence. And Gaby and Jamie go to the Town Hall to discuss how consumers should think about Pre...

Jamie Butters is joined by guest co-host Jordyn Grzelewski to talk about trade relations between the U.S. and Canada, robot technicians, and funding for a mobility startup. They Stop at the Coffee Shop to chat with Johannes Ariens, CEO of Zero Range Emissions, the commercial electric vehicle dealer about the company’s transformation, including its new partnership with Hyundai. And at the Town Hall...

Jamie Butters is joined by Joann Muller, transportation correspondent at Axios, to discuss the trade war with Canada and smart headlights. They Stop at the Coffee Shop with Erin Keating, executive analyst at Cox Automotive, about the resilient American new-car buyer. Joann and Jamie Browse the Dealership Lot with Joel Feder to examine the Dodge Durango Hellcat. At the Town Hall, Jamie and Joann di...

Jamie Butters is joined by Michael Martinez, reporter at Automotive News, to discuss Ford’s product plans and the proliferation of in-car AI assistants. Acura sales chief Jessika Laudermilk discusses the Nexera Vision concept car the brand revealed as part of Monterey Car Week. And Ed Loh from MotorTrend discusses other highlights from Monterey, including Jim Farley racing motorcycles. At the Town...

Jamie Butters is joined by guest co-host Stephanie Brinley to discuss electric vehicle registrations and plans for the next Jeep Cherokee. They Stop at the Coffee Shop to talk with Glen DeVos, CEO of MicroVision, the solid-state lidar company, about opportunities for military applications. At the Town Hall, Jamie and Stephanie discuss this week’s poll question: Would you ride in a car without a hu...

Jamie Butters is joined by guest co-host Jordyn Grzelewski, senior enterprise tech reporter at Morning Brew, with a focus on transportation, to talk about automakers’ pivot to stationary electric storage and robotaxi developments. They Stop at the Coffee Shop to chat with Micky Bly, senior vice president of global propulsion systems engineering at Stellantis. Jamie and Jordyn Browse the Dealership...

Jamie Butters is joined by guest co-host Jackie Charniga, who covers General Motors for the Detroit Free Press, to discuss the company’s union negotiations in Canada, long-term strategy in China and history of “industrial musicals.” They Stop at the Coffee Shop to chat with Srini Rajagopalan about why some premium brand vehicle owners are switching to mainstream brands. At the Town Hall, the three...

Jamie Butters is joined by guest co-host Mike Austin, executive editor of Road & Track, to discuss the Ford Fathom and what’s next for U.S. auto sales. They Stop at the Coffee Shop to chat with Art Wheaton, director of Labor Studies at Cornell University’s Industrial and Labor Relations school. Jamie and Mike Browse the Dealership Lot with Elena Ciccotelli, host of “The EVs for Everyone Podcast,”...