Autoline Daily - Video

Nissan will race the revolutionary DeltaWing car at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Car sales are on the way up, up, up, but a lack of car haulers and other supply chain issues will prevent sales from hitting their potential. Audi is in talks to buy luxury motorcycle manufacturer Ducati. All that and more, plus Craig Cole has his first impressions of the new Toyota Prius c.

VW wants to match last year’s operating profit which was close to 15 billion dollars but it won’t be easy. Mazda is looking at laying off employees in its North American operations due, in part, to the strength of the Japanese yen. Hyundai is readying an updated Santa Fe crossover to introduce at the New York Auto Show. All that and more, plus a fun new segment called Hall vs. Hall featuring Jim Hall and his evil twin brother Bob.

Consumer Report’s purchased a Fisker Karma to test drive but it broke down with less than 200 miles on the odometer. GM announced that the 2013 Chevy Malibu will have an optional turbocharged engine that cranks out 259 horsepower. Mazda says it’s pulling the plug on its CX-7 crossover. All that and more, plus the story behind a Jewish engineer who really came up with the idea for the original Volkswagen Beetle.

BMW reports the highest profits in the history of the company. Obama announces a $4.7 billion plan to get Americans to buy more fuel-efficient cars, but diesels are conspicuously absent. Mazda’s weight reduction on their newest crossover has gone to obsessive levels. All that and more, plus Seamus McElroy has a report on Volvo’s latest Polestar-tuned models!

Fiat’s Sergio Marchionne could be seeking a partnership with Mazda and Suzuki. Ferrari says the “Occupy” movement is hitting them where it hurts. Mexico mandates that the remaining VW Beetle taxis have to go. All that and more, plus John McElroy responds to your questions and comments in this week’s edition of You Said It!

It’s Geneva Motor Show time and we’ve got the first batch of reveals including Bentley’s shiny crossover. And, Mazda’s Takeri concept could be hinting at the next Mazda6. Ford updates its MyFord Touch infotainment system to stem the tide of poor quality ratings. All that and more, plus Isaac Bouchard gets out on the track with the new BMW 3 Series.

California and a handful of other states are following Nevada’s lead in allowing autonomous cars. Renault is introducing a new “square” gasoline engine inspired by F1 racing. GM will start selling trucks that can run on gasoline and natural gas. All that and more, plus Seamus McElroy has a look at the new Fiat 500 Abarth.

The February SAAR in the American market hit 15 million units, a jaw-dropping surge that has taken everyone in the business by surprise. Nissan will sell low cost cars in growing markets under the Datsun nameplate starting in 2014. A test drive of the all-new Mazda CX-5 with Autoline Daily correspondent Isaac Bouchard. All that and more, plus guest host Michelle Krebs from Edmunds.com shares her thoughts on whether the high price of gasoline will hurt car sales.

Volkswagen just announced it will premiere a convertible version of its Golf GTI at next week's Geneva Motor Show. The Detroit Three are starting to become more popular in California, a market that's long been dominated by import brands. Audi released a list of seven advanced technologies it's developing for future vehicles. All that and more, plus guest host Christie Schweinsberg from WardsAuto fills us in on the organization’s upcoming 10 Best Interiors competition.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration was on the verge of mandating back-up cameras in all vehicles but decided to put those plans on hold as it collects more input. In another sign of the problems at Fisker, the company just appointed former Chrysler CEO Tom LaSorda as the new CEO of the company. The head of OnStar, Linda Marshall, is stepping down from the company after being named to the position a little over a year ago. All that and more, plus John responds to your questions and comments in You Said It!

China is “getting the lead out,” and this time it’s an American company that’s in trouble. Indicators say the boom times are just getting started for heavy trucks. Holden starts production on an LPG version of the ever-popular Commodore. All that and more, plus we walk around the Scion iQ with head honcho Jack Hollis.

The Chinese government says it will only buy domestic vehicles for government fleets. Fiat will build two factories in Russia to make Jeeps. Meet Toyota’s $83,000 luxury minivan. All that and more, plus an eerie look into the past as we dissect some historical footage.

Volkswagen just posted record financial results for 2011. Its earnings before interest and taxes were up 58 percent to 15.1 billion dollars. Panasonic announced it will supply lithium-ion batteries to Ford for its hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles. Mercedes-Benz could be toying with the idea of a four-door SLS. Sketches of one popped up in a German patent application. All that and more, plus a preview of Autoline This Week with the U.S. Secretary of Transportation, Ray LaHood.

In somewhat of an unexpected move GM named Jon Lauckner Vice President and Chief Technology Officer starting April first. Images of the all-new Volvo V40 were leaked before the car debuts at the Geneva Motor Show next month. Honda announced its top executive in North America will also become the second highest executive in the company. All that and more, plus a look at the all-new Toyota Prius c.

It looks like two European losers could be getting together to keep each other afloat. Ford's Tourneo Concept gets previewed ahead of its Geneva debut. The new Lexus ES is spied hanging around in China sans camouflage. All that and more, plus John McElroy responds to your comments and questions in You Said It!