Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[It's Not Easy Designing Dirt Cheap Cars - Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/06/04/autoline-on-autoblog-with-john-mcelroy/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/06/04/autoline-on-autoblog-with-john-mcelroy/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/06/04/autoline-on-autoblog-with-john-mcelroy/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Some of the most famous cars in the history of the auto industry were some of the cheapest ones. The Ford Model T, the Volkswagen Beetle, the Citroen 2CV and the BMC Mini were so successful mainly because they were so affordable.

Now the industry is trying to replicate that success by designing low cost cars for booming developing markets, like India. But they're discovering that building cheap cars is not nearly as easy as it sounds. And it all has to do with customer expectations.

In the past it was easy to build a cheap car for developing markets. All you had to do was take the tooling for an entry-level car that was being phased out of the market in a modern country and ship it to some backwater in the third world. Since the car was already developed and the tooling was already paid for, an automaker could build it cheaply with local labor. That's how it was done for the better part of the 20th Century.

But then came the internet. All of a sudden, car buyers in developing nations became fully aware of the outdated designs being foisted upon them. They could easily Google up the latest American, European and Japanese models, pore through the technical specifications, download the photographs and watch videos of them all in action. With their rising standards of living, they were no longer content to buy the clunky cars available in their home markets. They wanted what we have.


John McElroy is host of the TV program "Autoline Detroit" and daily web video "Autoline Daily". Every week he brings his unique insights as an auto industry insider to Autoblog readers.

Continue reading It's Not Easy Designing Dirt Cheap Cars - Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy

It's Not Easy Designing Dirt Cheap Cars - Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 04 Jun 2010 15:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Every single year, for almost 40 years, politicians and regulators have written piles of laws and regulations to control the automobile. And yet, there's no end in sight. Right now they're working on regulations that will take us out to 2025 and beyond. Will it ever end?

Worst of all there is no coordination between government agencies, so we get regulations that work against each other. NHTSA mandates safety equipment which makes cars heavier which makes them burn more fuel. The EPA mandates more stringent emission standards that make it harder to meet CAFE. And CAFE forces us into smaller cars which are not as safe. Around and around and around it goes.

There is roughly $5,000 in government-mandated hardware on every car today, based on information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. And this doesn't capture the cost of engineering all this stuff in the first place. Nor does it come close to capturing the cost of the armies of people that automakers have to hire to monitor all these regulations and fill out all the paperwork.

Cars are definitely safer, cleaner, and more efficient today. And yes, some of that is thanks to these regulations, but more of it is due to competition in the marketplace.

So when I look at the reams of new regulations that are coming down the pike, I have to ask: Do we really need so much more regulation? Or have we hit the point where the regulators are simply trying to make sure they keep their jobs?


John McElroy is host of the TV program "Autoline Detroit" and daily web video "Autoline Daily". Every week he brings his unique insights as an auto industry insider to Autoblog readers.

Continue reading Will They Ever Stop Writing Regulations? - Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy

Will They Ever Stop Writing Regulations? - Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 26 Apr 2010 16:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>autolineautoline detroitautoline on autoblogAutolineDetroitAutolineOnAutoblogMon, 26 Apr 2010 16:57:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19454530/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2010/04/26/autoline-on-autoblog-with-john-mcelroy/19454530/article-detail.xml 19454530 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/04/john-media-photo-3-opta-1272305081_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/04/john-media-photo-3-opta-1272305081.jpg <![CDATA[Runaway Toyotas? What About Driver Error? - Autoline with John McElroy]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/03/12/runaway-toyotas-what-about-driver-error/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/03/12/runaway-toyotas-what-about-driver-error/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/03/12/runaway-toyotas-what-about-driver-error/#commentsFiled under: , ,


No one wants to touch it. Not Toyota, not NHTSA, not any politician. But the issue has to be raised. Driver error is most likely at the root of these sudden unintended acceleration incidents.

Unintended acceleration is not a new issue for the auto industry. It's been around for decades and complaints have been filed against virtually every automaker. Even more telling, it was around long before electronic throttle controls (ETC) ever showed up in cars.

But we've managed to work ourselves into a hysteria where everyone automatically assumes that ETC is the culprit. That's a dangerous assumption that will likely lead us down a dead-end path, and could prevent us from implementing a fairly easy design change that could cure most of these incidents.

While it is possible that "ghosts" in the electronics could be causing a problem, no one has been able to find them. Toyota has done exhaustive investigations into this. So has every other major automaker. So have all the suppliers that make these systems. Independent laboratories, universities, and government agencies have investigated it. But none of them have ever found the problem. Never. And it is my contention that they probably never will.

John McElroy is host of the TV program "Autoline Detroit" and daily web video "Autoline Daily". Every week he brings his unique insights as an auto industry insider to Autoblog readers.

Continue reading Runaway Toyotas? What About Driver Error? - Autoline with John McElroy

Runaway Toyotas? What About Driver Error? - Autoline with John McElroy originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 12 Mar 2010 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Click above to watch the webcast live at 12:30 PM EST

Today at 12:30PM EST, our friends at Autoline will be hosting a live webcast from the 2010 Washington Auto Show. Special guests include Ford CEO Alan Mulally, President of Audi America Johan de Nysschen and President of BMW North America Jim O'Donnell, among others.

In anticipation of the show, you can submit questions for any of the guests by visiting this link. Then follow the jump to watch John McElroy and his team do their thing from D.C. at 12:30PM EST.

Continue reading Autoline going LIVE at 12:30PM EST from Washington Auto Show, now accepting questions

Autoline going LIVE at 12:30PM EST from Washington Auto Show, now accepting questions originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 26 Jan 2010 11:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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With all the attention being lavished on electric cars, you'd think the salvation of the planet is nigh at hand. But don't be duped by all the EV hype. It's going to take decades before they catch on - if ever.

I'm not anti-EV. Just the opposite. I am completely in favor of pursuing electric car technology. In fact, I'd even like to buy an electric.

But I don't let my enthusiasm for EVs cloud my analysis on how long it's going to take for them to sell in large numbers. And I would caution any automaker or supplier or dealer that wants to invest in the EV business to take all those enthusiastic sales projections with a grain of salt.

Why these words of caution? Because EV's face a mountain of problems: technical, social, economi, and environmental. And there are other emerging alternatives that could kill the electric car before it ever catches on. That's exactly what happened 100 years ago.

John McElroy is host of the TV program "Autoline Detroit" and daily web video "Autoline Daily". Every week he brings his unique insights as an auto industry insider to Autoblog readers.

Continue reading Don't Be Duped by the EV Hype - Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy

Don't Be Duped by the EV Hype - Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 20 Jan 2010 17:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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One of the more intriguing tidbits that dribbled out of Chrysler's grueling 8-hour press conference on Wednesday is that the company is considering getting back into the heavy truck business. They're not talking about heavy duty pick-ups, they're talking about 18-wheelers.

Up until the early 1970's Dodge sold heavy trucks, including semi-tractors. In fact, Dodge trucks were famous the world over. But like GM and Ford, the Chrysler Corporation decided to get out of that business at a time when the commercial truck sector was under pressure.

When times are good heavy trucks generate a significant amount of profits. Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, Renault, Toyota (Hino), Nissan and Mitsubishi (Fuso) are still in the business. But it takes a lot of capital investment to get into and stay in the highly cyclical heavy truck segment, which is why the American car companies abandoned that market years ago.

In this case, the idea to get Chrysler back into the heavy truck market is Fiat's, not Chrysler's. And that is precisely why this could actually happen.

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John McElroy is host of the TV program "Autoline Detroit" and daily web video "Autoline Daily". Every week he brings his unique insights as an auto industry insider to Autoblog readers.
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Continue reading Chrysler Considers Getting Back Into Big Rigs - Autoline with John McElroy

Chrysler Considers Getting Back Into Big Rigs - Autoline with John McElroy originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>autoline detroitautoline on autoblogAutolineDetroitAutolineOnAutoblogchryslerchrysler big rigchrysler semichrysler trucksChryslerBigRigChryslerSemiChryslerTrucksfeaturedfiativecojohn mcelroyJohnMcelroyFri, 06 Nov 2009 19:00:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19227124/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2009/11/06/autoline-on-autoblog-with-john-mcelroy/19227124/article-detail.xml 19227124 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/11/john-media-photo-3-opta_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/11/john-media-photo-3-opta.jpg <![CDATA[Autoline Detroit LIVE with special guest Tom Stephens, GM VC of Global Product Development]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/21/autoline-detroit-live-with-special-guest-tom-stephens-gm-vc-of/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/21/autoline-detroit-live-with-special-guest-tom-stephens-gm-vc-of/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/21/autoline-detroit-live-with-special-guest-tom-stephens-gm-vc-of/#commentsFiled under: ,

Join John McElroy and his journalist colleagues for an all-new LIVE webcast discussion with Tom Stephens, GM Vice Chairman of Global Product Development. First, you'll get to see a LIVE taping of Autoline Detroit starting at 10AM EST, then we will hand the mic over to the audience, and Tom Stephens will answer your questions coming through the website and our hotline 1-620-288-6546 (1-620-AUTOLIN).

Live Videos by Ustream

Enter your questions into the field above. Note that this chat is only open for questions this morning. General chat and off-topic comments will not be added. Please enter your questions only once, they will start to appear during the viewer Q&A portion later in the show. Thanks! You may also call in a comment or question at 1-620-288-6546 (1-620-AUTOLIN).

Autoline Detroit LIVE with special guest Tom Stephens, GM VC of Global Product Development originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 21 Sep 2009 09:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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In a shocking development Toyota faces a lawsuit filed with the U.S. International Trade Commission that seeks to ban the import of all hybrids to the American market. Toyota is being sued by Paice LLC for patent infringement on its hybrid system.

Before you think this is just a frivolous lawsuit that has no standing whatsoever, consider the fact that Paice has already successfully sued Toyota on five counts of patent infringement, and won on three of them. In April of this year, Paice was awarded by the Federal district court in the Eastern District of Texas a future royalty of $98 for every Prius sold.

Toyota is appealing that verdict, but just to up the ante Paice decided to file its suit with the ITC and go for an all-out ban on all the hybrids the giant Japanese automaker brings into the U.S. market.

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John McElroy is host of the TV program "Autoline Detroit" and daily web video "Autoline Daily". Every week he brings his unique insights as an auto industry insider to Autoblog readers.
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Continue reading Toyota's Hybrids Could Be Banned from the American Market

Toyota's Hybrids Could Be Banned from the American Market originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 17 Sep 2009 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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In this week's episode of Autoline After Hours, John McElroy, newly minted Christian publishing mogul Jason Vines and Peter "The Autoextremist" DeLorenzo gather for another unusually frank discussion about the motoring industry's ups and downs.

You can even join in by submitting questions to the panel at viewermail -at- autolinedetroit.tv (put "AAH QUESTION" in the subject line) to be answered on-air tonight during the show's Rapid Fire segment. Follow the jump to watch it live beginning at 7 PM EST.

Continue reading Autoline After Hours with John McElroy, Jason Vines, and Peter DeLorenzo

Autoline After Hours with John McElroy, Jason Vines, and Peter DeLorenzo originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 09 Jul 2009 18:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>autolineautoline after hoursAutolineAfterHoursautolinedetroitautolineonautoblogjason vinesJasonVinesjohn mcelroyJohnMcelroypeter delorenzoPeterDelorenzoThu, 09 Jul 2009 18:50:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19092973/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2009/07/09/autoline-after-hours-with-john-mcelroy-jason-vines-and-peter-d/19092973/article-detail.xml 19092973 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/06/ac6f41c876_after_hours_e_mail_header-580op_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/06/ac6f41c876_after_hours_e_mail_header-580op.jpg <![CDATA[Boom Times Coming in the Used Car Market - Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/05/22/autoline-on-autoblog-with-john-mcelroy/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/05/22/autoline-on-autoblog-with-john-mcelroy/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/05/22/autoline-on-autoblog-with-john-mcelroy/#commentsFiled under: ,


The future looks so bright for the used car market that I'm almost tempted to try and get into that business myself. Even though car dealers are going through tough times trying to sell new vehicles, they are going to more than make up for that on their used car lots.

The reason I'm so bullish on the used car business is that we're facing a looming shortage of good used cars. First off, the new car market has fallen by roughly 7 million units since its peak two years ago. That translates into 7 million fewer trade-ins available in the used car market. And the story gets even more interesting when you start to dig down into those numbers.

Follow the jump to keep reading...

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John McElroy is host of the TV program "Autoline Detroit" and daily web video "Autoline Daily". Every week he brings his unique insights as an auto industry insider to Autoblog readers.
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Continue reading Boom Times Coming in the Used Car Market - Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy

Boom Times Coming in the Used Car Market - Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 22 May 2009 09:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>autoline detroitautoline on autoblogautoline-detroitautolinedetroitautolineonautoblogfeaturedjohn mcelroyJohnMcelroyused car buyingused carsUsedCarBuyingUsedCarsFri, 22 May 2009 09:29:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/1553218/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2009/05/22/autoline-on-autoblog-with-john-mcelroy/1553218/article-detail.xml 1553218 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/05/john-media-photo-3-opta_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/05/john-media-photo-3-opta.jpg <![CDATA[Plenty of Life Left in the Piston Engine - Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/05/08/autoline-on-autoblog-with-john-mcelroy/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/05/08/autoline-on-autoblog-with-john-mcelroy/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/05/08/autoline-on-autoblog-with-john-mcelroy/#commentsFiled under:


There are all kinds of ways to boost the fuel efficiency of a vehicle. Hybrids are becoming more and more popular. Clean diesels seemed poised to make major inroads in the market. And even though they're a ways down the road, hydrogen fuel cells sure look promising.

But the problem with these technologies is that they add considerable cost to a car. Toyota has probably got the cost of its hybrid system down to about $2,500, but that's still a lot of money to add to the cost of the powertrain. At their present level of development, clean diesels probably carry $4,000-$5,000 worth of extra emissions control equipment. And hydrogen fuel cells aren't quite ready for prime time no matter what they cost.

Engine engineers complain to me all the time about these alternative technologies. They say it's unfair to compare what they are doing with gasoline-fueled piston engines to these alternatives. And it all comes down to money. They claim they can achieve comparable performance, emissions, and fuel efficiency at a lot lower cost.

Specifically, they say "Let me add just $1,000 worth of equipment and technology to my engine and let me show you what I can do."

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John McElroy is host of the TV program "Autoline Detroit" and daily web video "Autoline Daily". Every week he brings his unique insights as an auto industry insider to Autoblog readers.
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Continue reading Plenty of Life Left in the Piston Engine - Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy

Plenty of Life Left in the Piston Engine - Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 08 May 2009 15:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>autolineautoline detroitautoline on autoblogautoline-detroitautolinedetroitautolineonautoblogfeaturedjohn mcelroyJohnMcelroyFri, 08 May 2009 15:59:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/1540882/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2009/05/08/autoline-on-autoblog-with-john-mcelroy/1540882/article-detail.xml 1540882 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/05/john-media-photo-3-opta_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/05/john-media-photo-3-opta.jpg <![CDATA[It's a Fuel Problem, Not a Fuel Economy Problem - Autoline with John McElroy]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/04/10/autoline-on-autoblog-with-john-mcelroy/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/04/10/autoline-on-autoblog-with-john-mcelroy/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/04/10/autoline-on-autoblog-with-john-mcelroy/#commentsFiled under:


Every single day, the United States ships $600,000,000 out of the country. That's what it costs us to pay for the oil we buy from other countries at $50 a barrel. It is the single biggest cause of our massive trade deficit.

The U.S. uses roughly 20 million barrels of oil every single day, and about 60% of that is imported. About 10 million of those barrels are used in transportation, including the kinds of cars and trucks you and I drive, plus all the planes, trains, heavy trucks and off-road vehicles in the country.

Yet, our entire effort to reduce our dependence on oil is based on Corporate Average Fuel Economy regulations (CAFE). And that only impacts passenger cars and light trucks. In other words, the industry that causes less than 50% of the problem is bearing 100% of the effort to fix it. No other industry is being regulated to reduce our dependence on oil, and that doesn't look like a very effective approach to me.

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John McElroy is host of the TV program "Autoline Detroit" and daily web video "Autoline Daily". Every week he brings his unique insights as an auto industry insider to Autoblog readers.
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Continue reading It's a Fuel Problem, Not a Fuel Economy Problem - Autoline with John McElroy

It's a Fuel Problem, Not a Fuel Economy Problem - Autoline with John McElroy originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 10 Apr 2009 15:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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I just experienced one of the most amazing sound systems that that I ever heard in a car. What makes it so amazing is that it doesn't use a power booster, or equalizer, or better speakers, or anything like that. Instead, it's all done with software.

The inventor of this system is a guy named Tony Bongiovi, a brilliant recording engineer who's worked with a lot of the biggest names in music business: Aerosmith, Talking Heads, the Ramones, and Gloria Gaynor, to name a few. He also launched the career of his second cousin, Jon Bonjovi. He got his start back in the mid-1960s as a 17-year-old high school student from New Jersey who managed to wrangle his way into Motown Records as a recording engineer. That is a story unto itself but too long to recount here.

To hear Tony tell it, he used to drive around a lot of sub-compact rental cars and was always disappointed they did not come with better sound systems. So he set to work to figure out a way to improve the standard radio in the car to make it sound like a premium system. But he knew he had to do it in a low-cost way.

John McElroy is host of the TV program "Autoline Detroit" and daily web video "Autoline Daily". Every week he brings his unique insights as an auto industry insider to Autoblog readers.

Continue reading Breakthrough Audio System, All Thanks to Software - Autoline with John McElroy

Breakthrough Audio System, All Thanks to Software - Autoline with John McElroy originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 27 Mar 2009 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2010 CHEVY CAMARO: DRIVING IMPRESSIONS

I'm sure there are a lot of Autobloggers out there who know the specifications of the new Camaro far better than I do. But numbers on paper don't mean much until you experience them through the seat of your pants. So here are my driving impressions of the new Camaro, after spending the better part of a day with four different models, driving them hard over a variety of different roads.

First off, this is unmistakably a Camaro, yet one that looks fresh and modern. It's a powerfully built car that almost has a pugnacious appearance to it. Almost. But the size and proportions are well balanced, and it looks good from every angle. Follow the jump for more.

Come back Monday (3/23) at 12:00PM EST for Autoblog's own First Drive of the 2010 Chevy Camaro. We'll be working on it all weekend, so you won't want to miss it.

John McElroy is host of the TV program "Autoline Detroit" and daily web video "Autoline Daily". Every week he brings his unique insights as an auto industry insider to Autoblog readers.


Gallery: 2010 Chevy Camaro Driving Impressions by John McElroy

Continue reading Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy - 2010 Chevy Camaro Edition!

Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy - 2010 Chevy Camaro Edition! originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 20 Mar 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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There's no question that the Detroit-based auto industry needs a lot of help. There's a 100-year history of how it got into the problems it's in, and some of those problems are beyond management's control.

But there is one area where General Motors, Ford and Chrysler have total, complete control, and that's in how they deal with their suppliers. While progress has been made in some areas, most supplier CEOs who I know are still frustrated with how the "Big 3" treat them. They tell me there is at least $10 billion in waste that could be eliminated every year if they worked together as true partners instead of at loggerheads.

Remember, more than 70% of the value of a car today is actually designed, developed and manufactured by suppliers, not the car companies. GM purchases roughly $97 billion of materials, components and services from suppliers. Ford buys $90 billion, Chrysler $40 billion. We're talking about a massive amount of money, which potentially means a massive amounts of savings.

Here's how suppliers say the "Big Three" could slash costs and put some of that money back in their pockets.

John McElroy is host of the TV program "Autoline Detroit" and daily web video "Autoline Daily". Every week he brings his unique insights as an auto industry insider to Autoblog readers.

Continue reading Big Three Sitting on $10 Billion Goldmine - Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy

Big Three Sitting on $10 Billion Goldmine - Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 13 Mar 2009 17:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nobody reading this blog needs to be told how much trouble Detroit is in. Whether it's the Detroit Three, the city of Detroit, or the greater Detroit area, the story's the same: we're in trouble!

One of the very few events that provides positive media coverage for Detroit every year is the North American International Auto Show. I'd rate it as one of the top three auto shows in the world. It brings in thousands of members of the media, as well as executives from automakers and suppliers in Europe and Asia. They fill up every hotel for a 40-mile radius. Thanks to the exhibits that get built, the special events that are held, all the restaurant meals that are ordered and all the taxi rides needed to get around, the show brings in a half billion dollars of desperately needed economic activity every year.

The show is held in Cobo Hall, which was built in 1960. Everyone has known for years that it needs to be renovated and expanded, but that's going to take several hundred millions of dollars and the city is broke.

So it's taken years to carefully craft a deal that involves the governor, the state Senate and House, three different county executives, as well as the mayor and the city council of Detroit. But in a stupefying move at the 11th hour, the city council voted 5 to 3 to reject the deal.

John McElroy is host of the TV program "Autoline Detroit" and daily web video "Autoline Daily". Every week he brings his unique insights as an auto industry insider to Autoblog readers.

Continue reading The Amazingly Stupid Detroit City Council - Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy

The Amazingly Stupid Detroit City Council - Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 27 Feb 2009 19:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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When Toyota's Prius first hit Japanese showrooms in 1997, I was highly skeptical that hybrids would catch on. Not only was the technology really expensive, I thought the nickel-metal hydride batteries would prove to be the Achilles Heel in the system. Sooner or later you'd be facing an expensive replacement bill, right?

Well, here we are more than a decade later and those batteries are proving to be amazingly reliable. Toyota now has sold over 520,000 hybrids in just the American market. Honda has sold over 300,000 worldwide. Ford is just about to break through the 100,000 mark. The only reason they could sell so many hybrids is that the technology is working exactly like it's supposed to, including the batteries.

While these batteries were designed to last 10 years or 150,000 miles, in many cases they're even doing better than that. Ford brags that some Escape hybrid taxis now have anywhere from 200,000 to 300,000 miles on them and are still running strong with the original batteries.

John McElroy is host of the TV program "Autoline Detroit" and daily web video "Autoline Daily". Every week he brings his unique insights as an auto industry insider to Autoblog readers.

Continue reading Hybrid Batteries Surpass All Expectations - Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy

Hybrid Batteries Surpass All Expectations - Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 20 Feb 2009 13:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Today at 12:00PM EST, John McElroy of Autoline Daily is hosting a special live webcast with guest Ford Motor Co. Chief Economist Ellen Hughes-Cromwick. She and John will be discussing her forecast for the American economy and outlook on the automotive market. We've embedded the live webcast after the jump, as viewers will be able to participate in the discussion, submitting comments and questions throughout the hour-long chat. Follow the jump to join the discussion.

Continue reading Autoline Daily LIVE webcast with Ford Chief Economist Ellen Hughes-Cromwick

Autoline Daily LIVE webcast with Ford Chief Economist Ellen Hughes-Cromwick originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 06 Feb 2009 11:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Earlier this week President Obama instructed the EPA to determine whether it should grant California a waiver to set its own CO2 standards for cars. It's a hugely controversial issue, and one that's fraught with major problems for the auto industry.

First off, cars and trucks account for only 18% of total CO2 emissions in the United States. Yet it's the automotive industry that's in the cross-hairs, and California's rules are designed to "hold the automaker's feet to the fire." But even if it eliminated all automotive CO2, that still leaves 80% of other man-made sources untouched.

Besides, California's standard will merely bring the federal standard forward by four years. What's the big rush? Even more importantly, California only accounts for 1% of global CO2 emissions. So is it really fixing anything? And above all else, whatever reduction the state achieves will be immediately replenished by CO2 and other green house gasses blowing in from India, China and other points in Asia.

John McElroy is host of the TV program "Autoline Detroit" and daily web video "Autoline Daily". Every week he brings his unique insights as an auto industry insider to Autoblog readers.

Continue reading Big Problems with California's CO2 Standard - Autoline with John McElroy

Big Problems with California's CO2 Standard - Autoline with John McElroy originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 30 Jan 2009 19:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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In all this debate about whether we should provide the Big Three with a bridge loan, not enough attention has been devoted to their impact on our national defense. I'd hate to see this country ever get involved in a total global war again, but I especially shudder to think it might happen without the manufacturing capability that General Motors, Ford and Chrysler provide to the United States.

Some people say the Detroit 3 no longer play much of a role in making armaments for the American military. And that's true. But then again, except in time of war, they never have.

Prior to World War I, American automakers were way more interested in making cars for a booming market than they were in diverting resources to military matters. But after the United States entered the war they became intricately involved in the effort.

John McElroy is host of the TV program "Autoline Detroit" and daily web video "Autoline Daily". Every week he brings his unique insights as an auto industry insider to Autoblog readers.

Continue reading Detroit and Our National Defense - Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy

Detroit and Our National Defense - Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 12 Dec 2008 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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