Autoline Daily - Video

Bentley sales are back to pre-recession levels and the super-luxury brand is considering building an SUV. The price tag? At least 140,000 dollars. Ford will unveil a redesigned version of its popular EcoSport B-segment SUV at the New Delhi Auto Expo this week. It's an important product for the company and CEO Alan Mulally will be on hand for the reveal. In related news, German supply giant Bosch i...

The Polk company says worldwide car sales could hit 77.7 million units in 2012, about a 7 percent gain compared to 2011. Mopar is set to unveil a couple of new packages at the Detroit Auto Show next week. A man in Southern California is looking to shatter the current land speed record of 763 miles an hour, by hitting 2,000 MPH! All that and more, plus John McElroy and two of his fellow NACTOY juro...

Hyundai just named Christopher Chapman as its Chief Designer in the U.S. He’ll be responsible for new vehicle and concept designs. Biodiesel incentives are set to expire at the end of the year in the U.S. Edmunds predicts that car sales will end up at 12.8 million units in the U.S. this year. All that and more, plus a look at the brand new Buick Verano.

The National Transportation Safety Board recently recommended that all mobile phones be banned in cars, even hands-free phones. But in a startling outbreak of common sense, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood says he does not support the ban. Rumors are swirling around Italy that Luca di Montezemolo might run for prime minister. GM engineers are working to eradicate noisy brakes. All that and more...

Audi will introduce an all-wheel-drive, limited-edition version of the A1 which goes on sale next year, but not in the U.S. Pricing and a few technical details on the Tesla Model S have finally been released. Mercedes just started exporting the E-Class out of China and Honda is exporting Fits built in China to Canada. All that and more, plus John answers your questions and comments in the “You Sai...

Two former UAW officers were just sentenced to prison for extortion. A company called True Car is infuriating dealers because the method it uses to turn leads into sales is killing profits. The next-generation Audi A3 is going to share some pretty significant parts with Skodas . . . and tens of other vehicles! All that and more, plus a look at how Lexus is getting the word out about its brand-new...

Well, as we’ve been predicting for over a year, Saab is filing for bankruptcy and will likely liquidate its assets. Chevy will debut an RS version of the Sonic at the Detroit Auto Show next month. Car sales this month in the U.S. could reach 1.23 million units, which is a 15 percent gain from November. All that and more, plus a look at the all-new Hyundai Accent.

The finalists for the North American Car and Truck of the Year Awards were announced. Former DaimlerChrysler CEO Tom LaSorda will join Fisker and Mercedes-Benz USA announced its replacement for former CEO, Ernst Lieb. Google was granted a patent for a vehicle that can switch from being human driven to autonomously operated. All that and more, plus Mark Fields, the head of Ford in the America’s, ex...

Opel has been struggling for some time now, but it looks like the situation will get worse before it gets better. Sergio Marchionne says he expects Fiat and Chrysler to post a 3 billion dollar operating profit in 2012. Tomorrow, the final Cologne V-6 will be installed in the last Ford Ranger pickup. All that and more, plus guest host Christie Schweinsberg from Ward’s Auto fills us in on the winner...

In response to the U.S. placing tariffs on Chinese-made tires, China will impose tariffs on imported cars from the U.S with engines larger than 2.5-liters. The National Traffic Safety Board is calling for a nationwide ban on cell phone use and other electronic devices while driving. It’s back! Chrysler announced it will reopen its Conner Avenue Assembly Plant in Detroit to produce the next generat...

In yet another sign that electric cars might not catch on as fast as some automakers expected, Nissan is stopping construction of a battery plant in Portugal. Long-time industry executive Sue Cischke is retiring from the Ford Motor Company, where she was group vice president for sustainability, environment and safety engineering. Last week Chrysler taunted us with a few teaser shots of Dodge’s lat...

Last week we reported that GM was going to switch battery suppliers for the Chevy Volt. But GM tells Autoline Daily that is not the case at all. BMW is following Mercedes-Benz and Audi into the four-door coupe market with the 6 Series Gran Coupe. Members of the U.S. House of Representatives are renewing efforts to block the use of E-15, or gasoline with 15 percent ethanol. All that and more, plus...

General Motors is going to change battery suppliers. It had been buying batteries from LG Chem, now it will switch to batteries from A123. A new study shows there are now more electric car charging stations in the United States than there are gas stations that sell E-85 fuel. Taiwanese automaker Luxgen revealed its latest car, the Luxgen5. All that and more, plus a look at Hyundai’s funky looking...

The Detroit News reports that UAW president Bob King is calling Nissan a human-rights violator, but he offers no specifics. Nissan, of course, says the accusations are baseless. Renault is releasing details about its facelifted Scenic and Grand Scenic models. GM and Chrysler dealers who lost their franchises when the two companies went bankrupt want to take their case against the feds all the way...

The Chevrolet Volt seems to be getting slammed by everyone right now and it looks like GM has a full blown public relations disaster on its hands. Chinese consumers prefer foreign car brands, due to big gaps in quality and reliability with the homegrown ones. Dodge is bringing back the Dart name for its new replacement for the Caliber. All that and more, plus John responds to your questions and co...

While global car sales have been running at decent rates all year long, sales of heavy trucks are running at record rates, especially in China and North America. We’re going to see a lot more European vans in the U.S. as Ford, GM and other automakers expand their range of offerings. Honda announced it plans to deliver best-in-class fuel economy in every vehicle segment within three years thanks to...

Automakers are ramping up their production plans for the first quarter of 2012. EV start-up company Aptera announced it’s closing its doors because the company is out of money. Volkswagen’s new factory in Chattanooga, Tennessee was just rated the greenest auto assembly plant in the world. All that and more, plus a look at the new Volkswagen Beetle.

As the auto industry struggles to sell more cars, teens aren’t helping matters because fewer of them are learning to drive. Motorcycle sales are on the increase in India while Tata Nanos languish on dealership lots. This RC car doesn’t come cheap, but for good reason: it can hit 100 miles per hour! All that and more, plus John McElroy’s analysis of November sales results.

While the UAW settles on a transplant to unionize, it's picketing Hyundai dealerships in the U.S. in support of workers in South Korea. GM develops a technology that will double the life expectancy of brake rotors by preventing rust. Plus Audi reveals the A1 Sportback, Renault has a new Twingo and Toyota shows off a new fuel cell concept. All that and more, plus Seamus McElroy goes for a spin in M...

The Center for Automotive Research says that the U.S. auto industry is going to add 190,000 jobs in the next four years. Volkswagen introduced a plug-in hybrid SUV concept at the Tokyo Motor Show called the Cross Coupe. And Honda unveiled seven new concepts in Tokyo, all of which are electric. All that and more, plus John answers your questions and comments in the “You Said It!” segment.

General Motors is in full-blown damage control over reports that the batteries in the Chevy Volt caught fire after a crash test by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Japanese automakers are getting hammered by the strength of the yen, and things could get a lot worse. Mazda just introduced a new regenerative braking system called i-ELOOP. All that and more, plus John reviews the m...

Further crash tests on the Chevy Volt by NHTSA found that the battery could catch fire in certain circumstances. Toyota finally revealed its new rear-wheel-drive sports car, called the GT 86. Daimler announced it will drop the Maybach brand since it was unable to turn a profit in nearly a decade. All that and more, plus a look at the new BMW X3.

Mazda is moving production out of Japan to Mexico because of the strong value of the yen and the number of free trade agreements Mexico has. Chinese automakers are starting to learn how to make safer cars. The Geely Emgrand EC7 and the MG6, were awarded four stars in the latest Euro NCAP tests. The used car market in the U.S. remains strong and in some cases second-hand vehicles are not depreciati...

In a move that probably did not surprise anyone, Laura Soave was let go as head of the Fiat car brand in the American market. Speaking of personnel moves, General Motors appointed its vice chairman, Steve Girsky, as the chairman of the supervisory board of Opel. If you thought that the Volt is expensive here in the U.S., good thing you don’t live in China! All that and more plus a review of the ne...

Car sales in China have been slowing all year and now the drop in sales is even hitting the luxury segment. But even with the slow down, China is still the biggest market in the world and that’s why Ford just announced plans to introduce 20 new engines and transmissions in the country. GM is considering a simple mid-size work truck for the U.S. All that and more, plus a look at how Chevy makes the...