Autoline Daily - Audio

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!

Chinese automakers are invading Europe from Bulgaria to Britain to Sicily. Despite an overall trend downward, teen traffic deaths jump by several percentage points. Peugeot unveils two B-segment concepts ahead of Geneva. All that and more, plus John McElroy explains what Mazda must do to turn itself around.

Hyundai and Kia are being sued for patent infringement with their hybrid technology in the Sonata and the Optima. MINI is showing off a utility version of the Clubman called the Clubvan before it premieres next month at the Geneva Motor Show. February car sales in the U.S. are expected to be near 1.1 million units which translates to a SAAR of 14.3 million units. All that and more, plus a look at a sports car that’s coming out of Mexico called the Mastretta MXT.

The U.S. Department of Transportation proposes new rules to curb distracted driving. Porsche’s gumbo-evoking, not-yet-unveiled SUV gets a new name. Tesla and Mercedes and Mercedes and Renault are partnering up and swapping parts. All that and more, plus Seamus McElroy has the latest details about the new Hyundai Azera and Genesis Coupe.

The folks at J.D. Power just released their latest Vehicle Dependability Study and Toyota carried the day. Its Lexus brand was ranked No. 1. A couple days ago President Obama unveiled his latest budget proposal for the next fiscal year. Among other things, it proposes raising the tax credit for electric vehicles. An extremely rare 1913 Hispano-Suiza is going up for auction at the Amelia Island Concourse next month and it could fetch as much as $1 million. All that and more, plus John breaks down GM’s financial performance for 2011.

Uh-oh, there’s more trouble in green-car land. Like China, EVs are simply not selling in Europe. The stage is set for Ford to unveil its redesigned B-Max compact MPV. It will take a bow in less than two weeks at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain. Audi is getting ready to drop a bomb — a 450-horsepower explosive charge in the form of its new RS 4 Avant. All that and more, plus John answers your questions and responds to your questions in the weekly “You Said It!” segment.

Yet another study shows that electric cars would do more to damage the environment in China than using gasoline- or diesel-powered cars. The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers in the U.S. is asking the Obama Administration to tweak its proposed fuel-economy regulations. They want certain credits to start applying right now, not after 2016. Thanks to Land Rover’s surging sales Indian automaker Tata posted a profit that beat analyst’s expectations. All that and more, plus a look at how GM engineers made the 2013 Chevy Malibu as quiet as possible.