Autoline After Hours

This week we welcome the author of the book Car Wreck, Mark Ragsdale, a former dealership owner and operator that says the U.S. auto industry took the American public for a ride. By the way, he wonders, why has there never been a dealer on an auto company’s board of directors? And, according to Ragsdale, you should never buy a new car again–only lease, and he’ll tell us why. Of course, we’ll get into the news of the week: Chrysler posts a profit, the UAW wants more compensation, and sales slow down in China. John McElroy’s in studio with Peter De Lorenzo, the Autoextremist, and David Welch from Bloomberg BusinessWeek.

This week we welcome Chantel Lenard, Ford's Group Marketing Manager for Global Small and Midsize Cars. We'll be asking her about the challenges ahead as the Ford Fiesta launches this summer. For instance, what will the company be doing to train its dealers, and how can it prevent the Focus from cannibalizing Fiesta sales? Of course we'll also get into the news of the week including the ousting of Susan Docherty as GM's head of marketing. Plus, we'll find out what Mr. De Lorenzo thinks about Chevy's new tagline. And, our analysis of April sales indicates Chrysler could be on the way back up, but not everyone agrees. John McElroy's in studio with Peter De Lorenzo, the Autoextremist, as well as David Welch from BusinessWeek and Bloomberg News.

This week we welcome Nina Beckhardt, President of The Naming Group, a company that specializes in branding. She’ll be joining us to offer her expertise in how car names are created–what works and what is a total disaster? Of course we’ll also get into the news of the week including Chevy’s decision to dump Campbell-Ewald, its advertising agency since 1919. Plus, we’ll talk money: do recent earnings mean the industry has turned the corner? Is GM’s deception that it has paid off all government loans going to backfire? Why has Ford stock plummeted despite the fact that the company beat analysts’ expectations? John McElroy’s in studio with Peter De Lorenzo, the Autoextremist, as well as David Welch from Bloomberg BusinessWeek.

This week we welcome Doug Fehan, the man who’s the “heart and soul” of Corvette racing as the GM Racing Program Manager for the American Le Mans Series. He’ll be joining us to discuss what effect the GM Racing team had on the design of the latest Corvette and whether racing on cellulosic ethanol gives the team an advantage. Of course we’ll also get into the news of the week including a study that suggests the negative perception of domestic automakers is starting to change. John McElroy’s in studio with Peter De Lorenzo, the Autoextremist, as well as David Welch from BusinessWeek and Bloomberg News.

This week we welcome Walter McManus, an economist at the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute and Director of the Automotive Analysis Group. He'll be joining us to discuss the news as well as talk about CAFE standards and some recent studies his organization has been performing. John McElroy's in studio with David Welch from BusinessWeek and Bloomberg News as well as Scott Burgess from the Detroit News who's filling in while Peter De Lorenzo is on the road.

This week we hit a milestone: 50 episodes of "unscripted, unapproved, unusually frank discussion" from Autoline After Hours. We, and the auto industry, have come a long way in the last year, and tonight we'll spend just a little time looking back--at the good and the bad. But, we'll also be looking forward as we welcome our guest, Larry Erickson, the Chair of Transportation Design for the College of Creative Studies in Detroit. We'll be asking Larry where the future of automotive design is going and also ask him what he and Billy Gibbons have in common. John McElroy's in studio with Peter De Lorenzo, the Autoextremist, as well as David Welch from BusinessWeek and Bloomberg News.

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 the AAH sofa and spill the beans. Of course, we'll also be getting into the news of the week including the announcements coming out of the NY Auto Show. John McElroy's in studio with David Welch from BusinessWeek and Bloomberg News and they welcome an AAH newcomer, Reilly Brennan from AOL Autos.

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's in studio with the Autoextremist, Peter De Lorenzo, and they welcome two other esteemed automotive colleagues on the program: Frank Markus of Motor Trend and Tom Walsh of the Detroit Free Press.

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 the next Toyota. All that and we discuss the news of the week and take your pressing Rapid Fire questions. John McElroy's in studio with the Autoextremist, Peter De Lorenzo, and they welcome After Hours newcomer Stephanie Brinley from AutoPacific.

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 goverment actually going to profit from the GM bailout? All that and much more. John McElroy’s in studio as usual as well as David Welch of BusinessWeek and Bloomberg and Peter De Lorenzo, the Autoextremist.

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 or at all? John McElroy’s in studio as usual as well as David Welch of BusinessWeek and Bloomberg and Peter De Lorenzo, the Autoextremist.

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 hearings and Fritz Henderson's reappointment at GM. John McElroy's in studio as usual as well as David Welch of BusinessWeek and Bloomberg and Peter De Lorenzo, the Autoextremist.

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 news. John McElroy's in studio as usual as well as David Welch of BusinessWeek and Bloomberg and Peter De Lorenzo, the Autoextremist.

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 summoning an old friend for a deposition before our panel. Jason Vines was at the helm of Ford Public Relations when the Explorer rollover crisis occurred in the 1990s. We'll ask how a company can effectively diffuse a PR bomb and keep the situation from spiraling out of control. John McElroy's onboard as usual as well as David Welch of BusinessWeek and Bloomberg and Peter De Lorenzo, the Autoextremist.

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 all of the Toyota issues that have been in the news, so we'll definitely be talking about that too! John McElroy leads the discussion and is joined by David Welch of BusinessWeek and Bloomberg as well as Peter De Lorenzo, the Autoextremist.

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 show who's really with us every Thursday night, albeit virtually. Eric Trytko, the blogger and podcaster from Rumblestrip.net is normally one of our loyal chat mods, but tonight he's here in the flesh to weigh in on the discussion. Peter De Lorenzo, the Autoextremist, and David Welch from BusinessWeek and Bloomberg News also join John McElroy in studio.

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 cars) to Ray Charles, so get ready. Peter De Lorenzo, the Autoextremist, and David Welch from BusinessWeek and Bloomberg News also join John McElroy in studio.

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 this year's show. In to review the show as well as talk about some innovative new engine technology is Don Runkle, the CEO of EcoMotors. Peter De Lorenzo, the Autoextremist, and David Welch from BusinessWeek and Bloomberg News also join John McElroy in studio.

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 time for major change for the show by losing the “NAIAS?” And will the EcoXperience still, well, stink? Peter De Lorenzo, the Autoextremist, and Steve Finlay from Ward’s Dealer Business magazine join John McElroy in studio.

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 world of green vehicles of late: Chevy Volt - the Dance, Audi's De Nysschen says the EV "love affair" has to end and Honda is under pressure after the Civic Hybrid doesn't meet mileage claims. Peter De Lorenzo, the Autoextremist, and David Welch from BusinessWeek and Bloomberg News help John McElroy in studio.