Autoline After Hours

Tonight we're together again as Spring has finally sprung in the Motor City, and one of the cars that is putting a "spring" in our step is the just-launched 2011 Mustang. By all accounts, this is a car that can do no wrong: great power, great fuel efficiency and great fun. So, how did Ford do it? To answer that question we've asked Dave Pericak, the Chief Engineer of the Mustang to take a seat on...

This week it's a good old fashioned journalists' roundtable as we discuss the news of the week. Trial attorneys are ramping up their campaign against Toyota. Honda says joint ventures don't work out, but clearly Renault and Daimler don't agree as they get ready to collaborate. GM's EN-V promises to be the future of city transportation, but can it possibly be more than another Segway? John McElroy'...

This week we talk with the man who's running the little car company that want's you to "Think About It." John Krafcik, President and CEO of Hyundai Motor America, sits down with the AAH crew to discuss the Korean company's philosophy, and how that thinking has brought it recent success. Mr. Krafcik will also answer your questions about the future of the company and how it will keep from becoming t...

Tonight the old crew is back together to do a deep dive into the news of the week, and Jason Vines, that outspoken PR veteran that we love, is back to give his two cents. Toyota Priuses are seemingly going haywire left and right, and we wonder: isn’t this a little too convenient? Plus, as General Motors continues to make changes, Cadillac moves to distance itself from the corporation. And, is the...

This week we talk about all the latest, tumultuous news to come out of the automotive world as we welcome Sharon Silke Carty, auto industry reporter for USA TODAY. This week Big Ed shakes up the entire GM management structure after dismal February sales, and Bob Lutz announces he will retire in May. Toyota’s woes continue as they issue new recalls, but has human error been addressed sufficiently o...

This week we talk the future of car design with Bob Boniface, Director of Crossover Exterior Design and Global Electric Vehicle Design. Bob was the design director on the Chevy Camaro concept, but most recently his work can be found on the forthcoming Volt. We'll be getting into a discussion about how and why design decisions are made, plus a discussion of this week's news including the Toyota hea...

Tonight we talk hot rods as we invite a special guest on the show, Bob Larivee, Jr., the owner of the traveling AutoRama exhibition. Are baby boomers going to lose their shirts over the investments they've made into classic cars? What are the newest trends in customization? Which of today's cars will be the future collectibles? We'll be getting into those issues, plus a discussion of this week's n...

It seems like the bad news just doesn't stop for Toyota these days. Millions of vehicles have been recalled, with perhaps, more to come, tarnishing the auto giant's record of high-quality workmanship. Now, members of Congress are calling for Akio Toyoda to testify stateside. To discuss the delicate art of Crisis Management on this week's show, and what Toyota could have done better, we're summonin...

As the racing season gets ready to begin, the After Hours crew thought it would be appropriate to welcome the new director of Ford North America Motorsports on the show. Jamie Allison has worked for the Ford Motor Co. for 22 years in engineering, marketing, as well as Ford racing, but last month he was named to the top spot. We've got a lot of racing questions Jamie can answer, but we can't ignore...

Another week in the auto industry and we have more stories of triumph and failure. While Ford trumpets mega profits, Toyota finds itself amidst an embarrassing recall and production freeze of millions of vehicles. Meanwhile, Big Ed Whitacre has appointed himself as permanent CEO of GM, and we're not really sure yet if that's good or bad. With us to debate these issues and more is a friend of the s...

Back in its infancy you may remember this outspoken curmudgeon Autoline After Hours used to have on the program. Then he got a real job. But now, for one special night he's back. His name is Jason Vines and he's a PR veteran who has worked for practically every automaker around--Chrysler, Nissan and Ford, just to name a few. Today the conversation ranges from auto show models (and we don't mean ca...

Well, this was the big week. The North Amer--sorry--Detroit Auto Show has arrived and everyone's eager to see the future of the auto industry in the shadow of last year's economic meltdown. GM is at the show with four fewer brands than a year ago, while Fiat brought Chrysler's new Italian step-siblings in to class up the joint. Meanwhile, the other domestic auto maker, Ford, seems to have owned th...

It’s the first AAH of the new decade (depending on who you ask) and we’re ready for a dose of automotive rebirth. How convenient, then, that we also find ourselves on the cusp of the 2010 North American International Auto Show, which is in the process of renewal. Doug Fox, Co-Chair of NAIAS joins us to discuss what we can expect at the show this year and what’s new at Cobo Hall. We wonder, is it t...

We're gathered for our last show of the year and we thought it'd be fun to play a game of "I Spy" with the master, Jim Dunne, legendary spy photographer. Over his 45-year career, Jim brought us many of our first glimpses at new product before they ever hit the auto show floor. Now he's here to share some of his best tales of automotive espionage. Of course we've also got to discuss the tumultuous...

The gang is back on home turf after a wild week in Los Angeles, and while the year is winding down, the news certainly is not. And, once again, GM is dominating the headlines as it continues to shuffle its management around with key figures leaving for “personal reasons.” Joining us as a guest panelist to share his years of auto industry expertise is Sandy Munro, a noted expert in design and the p...

We've got our sunglasses ready for this episode as we come to you direct from the floor of the 2009 LA Auto Show, and it's the true After Hours experience as we start our webcast once the floor has been cleared of journalists and PR reps. For this special edition of AAH we bring you three unique personalities: Mark Vaughn of AutoWeek, Karl Brauer of Edmunds.com and Mark Rechtin from Automotive New...

Another After Hours and we've got two fresh faces in the Autoline studio: David Kiley of ICON Creative and Jean Halliday of Ad Age. They join John McElroy and Peter De Lorenzo this week to discuss the news of the week, especially as it relates to marketing. Brilliance Auto in China eyes abandoned Saturn stores. GM posts a huge loss while the other domestics are on the upswing. Chrysler looks for a...

Well, here we are again with, frankly, a calmer news week behind us. And in this episode we bring you a very special guest: the great Hal Sperlich, certainly one of the most famous product planners in the auto industry. Hal was the former president of Chrysler, but beyond that he is the father of the Mustang, Fiesta, K-car and the Minivan. Clearly, the man has got some good stories to tell, and he...

Could more news have been crammed into one week? Hardly. GM decides to keep Opel, Ford posts a billion-dollar profit and Toyota gets in trouble with NHTSA. All that, plus the After Hours guys are all whipped after a nine-hour marathon press conference at Chrysler. So what does Fiat’s wizkid have up his sleeve? Find out in today’s show as John McElroy is joined by regulars Peter De Lorenzo the Auto...

After a week's vacation for the entire AAH gang, the guys are eager to get back into the swing of things. Helping them usher in Big Episode 30 is Mark Reuss, GM's new Vice President of Global Vehicle Engineering who is newly back from Australia where he was in charge of Holden's operations. Peter De Lorenzo the Autoextremist and David Welch from BusinessWeek return as the regulars and are eager to...

It’s that time again, Mr. McElroy’s out and the inmates are here to run the asylum with the Autoextremist leading the charge. Tonight Peter De Lorenzo welcomes Rod Meloni from WDIV in Detroit, Frank Markus of Motor Trend, and the irrepressible Jim Hall from 2953 Analytics. Carlos Ghosn bets the farm on the success of EVs. Ray LaHood declares Detroit bailout money well-spent after a visit to the Mo...

Another After Hours is here and what a week it’s been! John McElroy is joined in studio this week by Peter De Lorenzo the Autoextremist, David Welch from BusinessWeek and guest panelist Michael Robinet who heads up vehicle forecasting for CSM Worldwide. Chrysler produces an unexpected management shake-up. Meanwhile, General Motors’ Mark LaNeve–our guest on AAH #12–gets an expected change of career...

It’s another edition of After Hours and the crew’s all back to mourn the loss of a “different kind of car company.” Peter De Lorenzo the Autoextremist is in the house once again, and he joins David Welch from BusinessWeek and John McElroy. The gang also welcomes guest panelist Erich Merkle, the President of Autoconomy, who comes bearing his automotive analysis. September sales fall through the flo...

This week we partake in the wisdom of an experienced automotive veteran, Tim Leuliette, the Chairman, President and CEO of DURA Automotive Systems. Joining John McElroy in the studio as usual is David Welch of BusinessWeek, in addition to Gary Vasilash of Automotive Design and Production. Now that the supplier Magna owns Opel, it finds itself in the awkward position of competing with its OEM custo...

The boss is back, and it’s time to talk about all the news to come out of Frankfurt over the past week. In the studio, as usual, are Peter De Lorenzo from Autoextremist.com and David Welch of BusinessWeek, both ready and raring to discuss the hot topics. Sergio Marchionne from Fiat says Chrysler is in more of a mess than anyone thought. Nissan’s Carlos Ghosn says EVs can be profitable at $70-a-bar...