Episode 153 – GM Needs Opel For Product, Fiat Skips Opel Meeting, Iacocca Loses Company Car

May 29th, 2009 at 12:00pm

Runtime 6:50

General Motors wants whoever takes Opel over to keep it within the company’s product development process. Fiat will not attend talks in Germany today to determine who should get Opel. Lee Iacocca is going to lose a big part of his Chrysler pension and his life-long supply of company cars. All that and more, plus a clip from last nights Autoline After Hours about the mistakes management made at the Detroit Three.

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Episode 152 – Opel Talks Go Sour, Two Suppliers File Chapter 11, EU Warns About Capacity Cuts

May 28th, 2009 at 12:00pm

Runtime 6:47

German negotiators are angry with their American counterparts over Opel talks. Visteon and Metaldyne, two large automotive suppliers, just filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The EU says the car companies have cut out too much capacity. All that and more, plus a preview of this week’s episode of Autoline Detroit with Mark Fields, Ford’s President of the Americas.

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Episode 151 – GM Bondholders Say No, GM Takes Back Delphi Plants, Opel to Get New Owner Today

May 27th, 2009 at 12:00pm

Runtime 6:12

GM was not able to get enough bond holders to agree to swap their bonds for stock. General Motors plans to take back five Delphi plants. The German government will decide today which bidder it prefers Opel to partner with. All that and more, plus John answers viewer questions in the “You Said It!” segment.

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Episode 150 – Chrysler Bankruptcy Hits Snag, CAW Approves Wage Cuts, Toyota Slips in Ranking

May 26th, 2009 at 12:00pm

Runtime 6:12

Chrysler’s bankruptcy hits a potential snag. The Canadian Auto Workers agree to cut wages. Planning Perspectives came out with its annual supplier survey and for the first time since 1990, Toyota is not at the top of the list. All that and more, plus a look at one of the most fun automotive events around.

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Episode 149 – CAFE Costs Could Skyrocket, Chrysler Names New Chairman, BMW’s Doppler Radar

May 21st, 2009 at 12:00pm

Runtime 6:36

Chrysler announced Robert Kidder will take over as chairman once it emerges from bankruptcy. The new U.S. fuel economy regulations could cost you a lot more than claimed by the Obama Administration. BMW puts Doppler radar in your car, so you can see the weather. All that and more, plus a look inside Lincoln’s new three-row crossover, the MKT.

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Episode 148 – GM’s Union Problems, Chrysler Dealers Ready to Fight, Penske Hires LaSorda

May 20th, 2009 at 12:18pm

Runtime 6:01

General Motors is running into problems negotiating new contracts with the UAW and CAW. 300 Chrysler dealers are forming a committee to fight the termination of their franchise agreements. Roger Penske hired former Chrysler president Tom LaSorda as an adviser in his bid to acquire Saturn. All that and more, plus John answers viewer questions in the “You Said It!” segment.

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Episode 147 – New Fuel Economy Rules, Proposal Doubles Retooling Loans, Battery Breakthrough

May 19th, 2009 at 12:00pm

Runtime 6:58

The Obama Administration is increasing national fuel economy standards for vehicles sold in the U.S. market. Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives propose to double the federal loans for automakers to retool plants. A possible battery breakthrough with lead-acid batteries. All that and more, plus we sit down and chat with Ed Peper, General Manager of Chevrolet.

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Episode 146 – Toyota Shake-Up Coming, Luxury Dealers in Trouble, Contracts Switched

May 18th, 2009 at 12:00pm

Runtime 6:27

Toyota will replace 40 percent of its senior managers and half of its board of directors when Akio Toyoda takes the helm of Toyota next month. Import luxury brand retailers could face big problems in the American market. Chrysler tells its suppliers how it plans to switch its contracts to the new company formed when the alliance with Fiat goes through. All that and more, plus an in-depth look at Ford’s new EcoBoost engine.

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Episode 145 – GM Announcing Dealer Cuts, EcoBoost Preview, GM & UAW Near Labor Deal

May 15th, 2009 at 12:19pm

Runtime 7:29

GM is expected to announce that it’s cutting as many as 1,200 dealers today. We get to play with Ford’s new EcoBoost engine. GM and the UAW are near a deal to cut labor costs by more than a billion dollars. All that and more, plus a look at the 2010 Chevy Camaro RS.

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Episode 144 – More GM Bankruptcy Signals, UAW Agrees Not To Strike, Ford Fiesta Out On Tour

May 14th, 2009 at 12:59pm

Runtime 7:18

GM moved up some of its supplier payments that analysts see as a sign the company is heading toward bankruptcy. The UAW has pledged not to strike Chrysler anytime before the fall of 2015. To help promote the launch of the Fiesta, Ford will start showing European spec versions of the car across the United States. All that and more, plus a review of 2010 Ford Mustang convertible.

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