Autoline After Hours

UP FOR DISCUSSION:- Our driving impressions on the newest products from Audi and GM.- Nissan's top marketing man, Simon Sproule, leaves to join Tesla.- How has GM done in managing its ignition problems?SPECIAL GUEST: Chuck Thomas, Chief Engineer Automotive Safety, Honda R and D Americas- How did Honda get the jump on other automakers to beat the IIHS small overlap crash test?All that and more with John McElroy, Autoline.tv; Gary Vasilash, Automotive Design and Production; and Brent Snavely, Detroit Free Press

UP FOR DISCUSSION:- Geneva auto show hits and misses.- Cadillac's anti-Occupy ad.SPECIAL GUEST: Calvin Visser, Fierce Fuel Systems- Can the answer to diesel's woes be as simple as H2O?All that and more with John McElroy, Autoline.tv; Gary Vasilash, Automotive Design and Production; and Frank Markus, Motor Trend

UP FOR DISCUSSION:- What's the deal with Geneva? Do we really think "Switzerland = Automobile"?- Overweight keychains lead to a massive GM recall.- Detroit makes snubbed again by Consumer Reports.SPECIAL GUEST: Elaine Bannon, Chief Engineer, Lincoln Navigator- What's next for the newly refreshed luxury SUV?All that and more with Gary Vasilash, Automotive Design and Production; Mark Phelan, Detroit Free Press; and Keith Naughton, Bloomberg News

UP FOR DISCUSSION:- The UAW is voted down at VW; will they take it out on the Detroit Three?- Dodge is lauded for innovation, but not for the cars they build- Tesla is on fire (in a good way)- China's largest auto supplier now owns FiskerAll that and more with John McElroy, Autoline.tv; Gary Vasilash, Automotive Design and Production; Karl Henkel, The Detroit News; and Dave Sullivan, AutoPacific

UP FOR DISCUSSION:- Will people pay $60K for a Kia K900?- Richard Petty disses Danica PatrickSPECIAL GUEST: Bill Warner, Amelia Island Concours- What goes into putting on a major automotive event like the Concours?All that and more with John McElroy, Autoline.tv; Gary Vasilash, Automotive Design and Production; and John Manoogian, Center for Creative Studies

UP FOR DISCUSSION:- Will EVs ever catch on in big numbers?- What are Ford's plans for autonomous vehicles?- 60 years from now, will Ford still be a car company?SPECIAL GUEST: Nancy Gioia, Director, Electrical, Connectivity and User Interface - Strategy and Planning, FordAll that and more with John McElroy, Autoline.tv; Alisa Priddle, Freep.com; and Lindsay Brooke, SAE

UP FOR DISCUSSION:- Bob Lutz discusses his latest ventures.- Bob Lutz's thoughts on Ford's aluminum F-150.SPECIAL GUEST: Bob Lutz, CEO of Lutz Communications, Chairman of VL Automotive, formerly Vice Chairman of GMAll that and more with John McElroy, Autoline.tv; Gary Vasilash, Automotive Design and Production; and Todd Lassa, Automobile

UP FOR DISCUSSION:- Truck Strategy: Aluminum vs. Compact.- What happened to the Green buzz?- The IIHS Smear Campaign.All that and more with John McElroy, Autoline.tv; Henry Payne, The Detroit News; Joe White, The Wall Street Journal; and Tony Swan, KBB and Car and Driver

UP FOR DISCUSSION:- Is the U.S. car market really slowing down?- Why Alan Mulally decided to stay put at Ford.PLUS:- Who will steal the headlines at the 2014 Detroit auto show?All that and more with John McElroy, Autoline.tv; Gary Vasilash, Automotive Design and Production; Scott Burgess, Motor Trend; and Mark Phelan, Detroit Free Press

UP FOR DISCUSSION:- Why did John Krafcik abruptly leave Hyundai?- The Fiat-Chrysler takeover is complete. We'll tell you why the UAW is the big winner.- Despite prohibitive fuel prices and a lack of incentives, VW's diesels are handily outselling the EV/hybrid competition.SPECIAL GUEST: Bob Casey, Curator of Transportation (Ret.), The Henry Ford- We talk to the man John McElroy calls a "walking encyclopedia of automotive knowledge and a true car guy."All that and more with John McElroy, Autoline.tv and Gary Vasilash, Automotive Design and Production

Who was naughty and who was nice in 2013? It's time for our third-annual Presents and Coal awards. Find out who we liked and who gets lumped.John McElroy, Autoline.tv; Peter De Lorenzo, the Autoextremist; Scott Burgess, Motor Trend; and Gary Vasilash, Automotive Design and Production

UP FOR DISCUSSION:- VW of America sacks its president, Jonathan Browning- NACTOY jurors debate car and truck of the year- GM pulls Chevy out of Europe, appoints a new CEO, shuts down Holden and a whole lot moreAll that and more with John McElroy, Autoline.tv; Peter De Lorenzo, the Autoextremist; Matt DeLorenzo, KBB; and Gary Vasilash, Automotive Design and Production

UP FOR DISCUSSION:- The much-hyped, all-new Ford Mustang rolls out on a brand new platform, but is it worth the wait?- John McElroy drives Chevy's new rear-wheel performance cars back-to-back, including the SS- The numbers are in, which automakers are thankful for November sales?SPECIAL GUEST: Jeff Bracken, Group Vice President and General Manager, Lexus Division, Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A.- What does Lexus make of increasing competition on their luxury turf, from the likes of Mercedes with its sub-$30K CLA?All that and more with John McElroy, Autoline.tv; Peter De Lorenzo, the Autoextremist; Mike Ramsey, Wall Street Journal

UP FOR DISCUSSION:- Is the Porsche Macan a Crossover Too Far?- Chevrolet Colorado gets GM back into the midsize pickup market- Mercedes presents what could be the "most hideous" concept of the LA Auto Show- Kia's K900 represents a bold attempt to elevate the bargain brandSPECIAL GUEST: Bruce Meyer, Owner, Beverly Hills Garage- Among all the hot rods, classic cars, and motorcycles (not to mention a boat) what's the real gem in his collection?All that and more with John McElroy, Autoline.tv; Jack Nerad, Kelley Blue Book; Matt DeLorenzo, Robb Report

UP FOR DISCUSSION:- Which automakers are investing the most in their future?- Lincoln's MKC shows its face ahead of LA- The number of driver's licenses under age 20 is falling fastAll that and more with Peter De Lorenzo, the Autoextremist; Gary Vasilash, Automotive Design and Production; Frank Markus, Motor Trend; and Todd Lassa, Automobile

UP FOR DISCUSSION:- J Mays Retires from Ford- A Third Tesla Catches Fire — Is it a Design Flaw?- Mark Reuss Talks About His Wishlist for New GM ProductsSPECIAL GUEST: Tadge Juechter, Chief Engineer, Chevrolet Corvette Stingray- What was the Biggest Challenge in Designing the C7?All that and more with John McElroy, Autoline.tv; Peter De Lorenzo, the Autoextremist; and Gary Vasilash, Automotive Design and Production

Controversial design. Production delays. For a brand so often associated with off-road adventures, the description "rocky start" seems particularly apt. Mitch Clauw is the Vehicle Line Executive in charge of the Jeep Cherokee. We'll be asking him what problems are behind the delays in getting this SUV to dealerships. As usual, we'll also get into some other topics including Ford's poor performance in Consumer Reports due to infotainment issues. Plus, we'll talk about what to expect out of the Las Vegas SEMA show. And, John McElroy just got to drive Nissan's 2014 Rogue; he'll give us some thoughts on this all-new family hauler. Joining John in studio is co-host Peter De Lorenzo, the Autoextremist, and Scott Burgess from Motor Trend.

Despite increasingly aggressive fuel economy regulations and a trend toward more desirable small cars, make no mistake: the truck business is big money and Toyota wants a piece of the action. That's why we've invited Mike Sweers, the Chief Engineer of the Toyota Tundra, to join us with pickup in tow (so to speak). We'll be asking him if, with this updated truck, he thinks Toyota has cracked the code on how to sell full-size pickups. Of course, we'll be getting into some hot topics including John McElroy's visit to China, where he observed a smog problem that just might cripple the auto industry. Also, could car ownership as we know it end within ten years? Plus, we'll talk about Ford's latest conundrum: balancing the cost of complexity with the value of variation. Joining John in studio is co-host Peter De Lorenzo, the Autoextremist, and Gary Vasilash from Automotive Design and Production.

So far Tesla has been the electric brand that could do no wrong. But that may all be about to change. BMW reports that early orders of its i3 model are exceeding expectations and the company will be increasing production to meet demand. The power of brand is quite a force to be reckoned with, indeed. Meanwhile, Cadillac's electrified ELR coupe now has a price tag and it exceeds $75,000 -- another sensitive numbers game for a luxury brand still clawing its way up from the brink. We'll talk all about this greenified chess game and its greater implications as we round up the week's news, discuss our latest test drives and more. Host Peter De Lorenzo is joined by Scott Burgess from Motor Trend, Todd Lassa of Automobile and Jim Hall from Design Handbook and 2953 Analytics.

The kids haven’t even stepped out on the sidewalk draped in their ghoulish finery, and Aunt Mildred has yet to buy a fat turkey for the family feast. Nevertheless, here in the auto world, the time has come to start deliberating on the best cars and trucks of the year. Among the accolades in the automotive community, one of the most prestigious honors is the North American Car and Truck of the Year award. On this week’s special edition of Autoline After Hours, John McElroy welcomes three fellow jurors to join him in reviewing the nominees on the “short lists.” See which cars, trucks and utility vehicles have risen above the rest as John is joined by Michelle Krebs from Edmunds.com, Chris Paukert of Autoblog.com and freelance auto journalist Jim McCraw.