Autoline Daily - Audio

China has designs on dominating the auto industry as it pushes to merge dozens of car companies. Mercedes previews its electric A-Class prior to Paris. Heavy truck sales continue an upward trend in the U.S. indicating a recovering economy. All that and more, plus John takes what he thought was his last drive in a Viper.

The largest automotive retailer in the U.S. says it's impressed by Chrysler's upcoming offerings. Porsche and Ford both preview some of the vehicles we'll see at the Paris Motor Show. Meanwhile, Ford says it would like to reduce its dealer ranks now that Mercury is winding down. All that and more, plus John responds to your questions and comments in You Said It!

A report says plant waste and municipal waste could provide for a majority of Europe's fuel needs by 2020. Volvo's new Chinese owner Geely intends to double global sales of the brand. Ford assembles a "smell jury" to figure out what odors people like best. All that and more, plus our drive of the new Nissan Juke.

Could Range Rover be spun off as its own high-end brand? VW gets a new head honcho in America. And here's a shocker: a new report says Chinese consumers prefer large vehicles with handsome styling. All that and more, plus our first drive of the Chevy Cruze.

The latest production data shows that automakers in the North American market are expecting sales to slow down. A new forecast predicts sales in China will hit 17 million units this year. Ford canceled plans to move production of its Kuga crossover from Germany to Kentucky due to currency exchanges and labor troubles. All that and more, plus a look at a car we can guarantee you haven’t seen on the road, the McLaren MP4-12C.

The first Chevrolet Cruze rolled off the assembly line at GM's Lordstown, Ohio plant yesterday. Honda completely redesigned the Odyssey and believes it can attract buyers with more dynamic styling. Nissan is double checking the quality of vehicles built in Thailand before they are sold in Japan. All that and more, plus the Autoextremist, Peter De Lorenzo, shares his thoughts on why the Chevy Cruze is the most pivotal mainstream car launch in GM's history.

BMW announced that it’s ending production of both the coupe and convertible versions of the M6. OnStar is getting some additional functionality that will allow you to connect with a Facebook page and convert voice messages to text. To capitalize on the growth in the low-end of the Chinese market, Nissan and its partner Dongfeng plan to introduce a new low-cost brand. All that and more, plus a test drive of the Hyundai Equus with John Krafcik, the CEO of Hyundai Motors America.

A top official in China’s economic planning agency warns that automakers are blindly investing in too much manufacturing capacity. Nissan announced that it plans to build its LEAF EV in China. Ethanol producer Coskata is trying to raise cash to build its own facility to make biofuels. All that and more, plus some of John's thoughts on the Hyundai Equus.

The US government is worried about financial institutions owned by foreign governments buying up big chunks of GM's stock. Dodge reveals new photos of the redesigned Durango. Mazda just unveiled its new design theme, one that it’s calling Kodo, which translates into Soul of Motion. All that and more, plus John answers your questions about the Chevy Volt and Acura in the "You Said It!" segment.

The numbers are in and new-vehicle sales in the U.S. last month aren’t as bad as everyone is reporting. Another distillery in the UK has figured out how to make fuel from potato leftovers. Ferrari is having some "external combustion" problems with its 458 Italia. All that and more, plus a blast from the past with a look at the Chevy Vega.

Hyundai is moving Santa Fe production out of its assembly plant in Alabama and into Kia’s plant in Georgia, in order to build more Sonatas. Its been rumored that Maybach will be discontinued, but a report says the brand will offer five different models. The CNG versions of the Chevy Express and GMC Savana will tack another $16,000 on top of the base price. All that and more, plus a look at Ford's new cop car.

Chrysler reveals more of its plans for Fiat in the U.S., and some important numbers like sales and pricing leak out. Opel is planning to expand globally, entering Australia and South-American markets. The U.S. EPA is aiming to make it easier for consumers to compare fuel-economy ratings between different vehicles by introducing a new-type of window sticker. All that and more, plus we take a look at the recently redesigned Saab 9-5 . . . from a designer’s perspective.

Even though global sales hit just over 43 million units through July compared to 2009, they were down compared to this June and analysts expect sales to continue to slide. We take a look at some vehicles that aren't selling well because of their unusual designs. Citroën released details about its new vehicle, the DS4, ahead of its debut at the Paris Motor Show. All that and more, plus John shares his thoughts on who he thinks would be the perfect person to run GM.

Automakers are trying to stall efforts to allow the ethanol blend rate to rise to 15 percent. Afghan troops find that their biggest enemies are their own driving skills. Chevrolet pulls the covers off the production-version of the Chevy Orlando. All that and more, plus Ford’s Lewis Booth talks about the lessons the company has learned while climbing its way back toward the top.

A study just released by the Centers for Disease Control shows that the annual cost of vehicle crashes in the U.S. at more than $99 billion! The boron steel modern cars are made out of is so strong that the "Jaws of Life" used by most emergency crews cannot cut through it. Ford has an iguana problem at its transmission plant in Sterling Heights, Michigan. All that and more, plus John responds to your questions and comments in the You Said It! segment.