Autoline This Week - Video

These days when it comes to automobiles, technology is everywhere. And it doesn’t matter if it’s a 12,000 dollar Nissan Versa or a 190,000 dollar Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG…though auto experts might expect to find a little bit more in the Mercedes. But how does it get there and who decides what car gets what? Those are questions that this week’s Autoline guest deals with on a daily basis. Joining John McElroy for the entire show is Johann Jungwirth, the President and CEO of Mercedes-Benz Research and Development in North America along with our panelists the former head of Car and Driver Csaba Csere and Mike Austin of Popular Mechanics.

Before the big recession, leasing was a hefty 25 to 28 percent of new car sales in the U.S. But then in 2009, like so many other businesses, it took a huge tumble to just single digits. However today – three years later – it’s back up to 24 percent and who knows where the ceiling will stop. On Autoline This Week John McElroy talks to three experts in the leasing community that will answer that question and more. Joining him on his panel are Scot Hall from the website Swapalease.com, Geoff Robinson, the VP of Marketing for Mercedes-Benz Financial Services in the United States along with car dealer Sam Slaughter from Sellers Buick GMC in Farmington Hills, MI.

As smart phones get smarter and more powerful, more and more people are relying on them to get through the day…in much the same way they have relied on the car. But now the trick is to integrate both. On Autoline This Week John McElroy explores what manufacturers are doing with today’s electronics both in and outside their cars and how they are coming together. Joining him on the panel are Danny Shapiro, from west coast-based chipmaker NVIDIA, the head of Chrysler’s Uconnect Systems, Marios Zenios and Thilo Koslowski, an electronics analyst from Gartner Research.

If you’ve ever walked into a retailer like Nordstrom – which is known for its outstanding customer service – and wondered why buying a car couldn’t provide the same type of experience, you’re not alone. In fact, some manufacturers have thought the same thing and are attempting to upgrade the buying experience. On this week’s Autoline, John McElroy is joined by Jeri Ward, Audi’s Director of Customer Experience, Audi dealer Chris Consiglio (of Rochester Hills, MI), along with Customer Service research analyst Megan Burns to discuss how the OEMs and dealers are attempting to upgrade the entire experience of buying a car.

More than ever before, engines across the world are becoming more efficient with better gas mileage while not sacrificing performance…and we’re not just talking about those small 1 or 2-cylinder jobs either. No we mean the 6-cylinders and even the big boy V-8s as well. But what magic are the manufacturers using to achieve such a hefty cocktail of efficiency and power? On today’s Autoline John McElroy is joined by three experts who drive the engine business at the Detroit Three. Jamie Strandring is in Powertrain Integration for Chrysler while Jordan Lee is the Chief Engineer of the Small Block at General Motors and Mazen Hammoud is from Ford’s Powertrain Electrification department.

Today’s hybrid and electric cars are famous for their double digit mpgs. They get those great numbers, in part, by a combination of products under the hood that start in the earth’s crust. That’s where 17 chemical elements in the periodic table are found which go into lasers, rare-earth magnets and batteries that help power our 21st century transportation. Joining John McElroy on our Autoline expert panel is Kevin Moore, a Rare-earth metals consultant, Dr. Edward Becker who was GM’s Rare-earth expert before retiring and Jack Lifton co-founder of the company Technology Metals Research.

Everybody in the auto industry is looking to lose weight these days. With CAFE requirements creeping ever closer, all manufacturers want to improve their miles per gallon average. And the best way to do that is by lightweighting – finding lighter materials that are just as safe to use in production. And since everyone is doing it, John McElroy has put together the perfect panel to touch on the topic. Joining him is Carla Bailo the head of R and D for Nissan Americas, the CEO of CSP Plastics Frank Macher and Rose Ryntz from International Automotive Components.

Though not as big as it once was, General Motors is still a formidable global corporation with offices and factories all over the world and the numbers and financials to match. And the man in charge of making sure all those add up correctly is John McElroy’s special guest on Autoline This Week. Joining GM CFO Dan Ammann is Jeff Bennett from the Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg’s Tim Higgins.

The United Auto Workers is going through an identity crisis. From the bankruptcies to the VEBA to the loss of over a million members, the UAW is plotting its future path. Will it unionize transplant factories in right-to-work states? Maybe expand beyond automotive and bring in other industries or services? The man with the answers – UAW President Bob King -- makes his first official visit to the Autoline set on this week’s show. Joining John McElroy’s panel are Brent Snavely from the Detroit Free Press and The Detroit News’ Bryce Hoffman.

Regular viewers of Autoline know that few topics get host John McElroy’s attention like autonomous cars. He can’t wait for a Star Wars world here on earth. To get the latest lowdown on what’s going on with the self-driving set, John is joined by three special guests on Autoline This Week. Christian Schumacher runs Continental’s Advanced Driver Assistance Systems while Annie Lien - a veteran of the DARPA Challenge - now works for VW’s Electronic Research Lab in California and Gary Silberg from KPMG wrote the definitive white paper on the topic.

2013 has been a pretty good year so far for Chrysler’s Ram brand. It started with its 1500 winning the North American Truck of the Year award before unveiling two new Cargo Vans at the Chicago Auto Show. Fred Diaz picked the right time to be in charge of a brand that’s clearly on the move. Join John McElroy and Ram's Fred Diaz along with panelists Scott Burgess from Motor Trend and Car and Driver’s Tony Swan as they talk trucks on Autoline This Week.

Automakers are still hunting for the 21st Century Holy Grail – better known as the next cheap energy source. With the jury still out on petroleum -- and ethanol, electricity and natural gas all having their issues -- what’s a vehicle manufacturer to do? Well some, like our three guests on Autoline This Week, say check out liquid propane. Join host John McElroy along with Wayne Moore from CleanFUEL USA, Ford’s Rob Stevens and Joe Thompson from ROUSH CleanTech for a look at what may be the next great fuel.

Even the home of the UAW wasn’t safe from Right-to-Work legislation. With Michigan’s law taking effect last month that makes nearly half the country covered by the right-to-work umbrella. Just how it will affect unions and the car companies is still up in the air. Join Autoline’s John McElroy along with his panel Kristin Dziczek from CAR, Robert Chiaravalli of Strategic Human Resources and legal expert Gary Klotz from Butzel-Long as they talk about the auto industry and the impact of right-to-work.

Automakers buy from all sorts of suppliers – from global-sized to small “neighborhood” parts producers. It’s a complicated system, especially for purchasing, which is why many of these companies are turning to the Cloud to improve everything from information flow to payment. Joining John McElroy to discuss the advantages and potential dangers of this 21st Century system is Fred Hensel from the number crunchers at KPMG along with Tim Burke from Plex Online with its ERP or Enterprise Resource Planning software and CBS Detroit Technology Editor Matt Roush.

For more than 100 years, it’s been a man’s world in the auto industry. But if the business leaders from Inforum have anything to say about it, that’s all about to change with programs like “Automotive Next.” On Autoline This Week John McElroy talks to four participants in the program; two professionals – Nancy Gioia from Ford and Maximiliane Straub of Bosch – along with two students – Alicia Luzkow from Michigan State and Laree Gardner from Wayne State, to hear how female executives are helping to mentor young women in the auto industry.

Over the past five years automotive suppliers did whatever they could to save money. Much of that savings came from eliminating their manufacturing capacity. Today with the auto industry once again going great guns Tier Ones are straining to meet demand, however, with the economy still suspect…they are as well. From the floor of the North American International Auto Show join John McElroy along with his guests Neil De Koker of OESA, Bridgestone’s Michael Martini along with Doug Grimm from casting component creator Grede on Autoline This Week.

Cajoled out of retirement by President Obama in 2009 to steer the troubled car maker General Motors, Ed Whitacre became its CEO during the company’s most turbulent times. After a career spent in Telecom, the native Texan looked to resurrect this American institution with the same experience that took him to the top of AT and T. And guess what? It worked! Join John McElroy along with the New York Times’ Bill Vlasic and Joe White from the Wall Street Journal as they talk to Ed Whitacre about his book, “American Turnaround,” this week on Autoline.

We all know that cars and trucks and what's inside them have changed since the '70s, but that's usually as far we go. But what about the personalities that ran those organizations, their policies and automotive journalism itself? To ponder these questions Autoline's host John McElroy takes a different seat on this week's panel as he turns the show over to WWJ62-Detroit host Carol Cain and joins veteran automotive journalists Edward Lapham from Automotive News (40 years in the business) and Tony Swan from Car and Driver/Kelly Blue Book (35 years) to discuss the changes they have seen over their years covering the auto industry.

Remember back in the early '90s when the Detroit Three -- GM, Ford and Chrysler -- were still the Big Three dominating the global auto industry? It was at that time the three companies, with the blessing of the federal government, formed a partnership to help develop technologies to keep the American auto industry vibrant. That organization was and is today USCAR or the United States Council for Automotive Research. Joining John McElroy on Autoline This Week to give us an inside look at this important organization is its Executive Director Steve Zimmer. Drew Winter from WardsAuto.com and Gary Vasilash from Automotive Design and Production round out the panel.

Lincoln has been undergoing a renaissance. Not only our 16th president with an award-winning theatrical film, but also the car brand that was named for him. Over the past decade or so, Ford's Lincoln had lost its way. It fell from a top selling luxury brand to a name that almost faded away replaced by the thriving European luxury lines. But with a new chief designer, some great looking product and an automotive veteran to guide the car company, has Lincoln finally turned the corner? John McElroy hosts Matt VanDyke, Lincoln's new global head of marketing, sales and service to see where he intends to take the company. Joining John on his panel is Keith Naughton from Bloomberg News and William Vlasic of the New York Times.

No one knows engines like the editors from WardsAuto.com. Each year for the past two decades they have put together their winners of the top ten powertrains. The Ward's 10 Best Engines list has become a coveted award in engineering circles and a great research tool for the car buying public. John McElroy welcomes four of the Ward's judging panel -- Drew Winter, Tom Murphy, Christie Schweinsberg and Steve Finlay -- for a look at this year's winners.

It's award time again and it starts with the finalists for the North American Car of the Year. John McElroy is joined by two fellow jurors from the North American Car and Truck of the Year jury to review the top three finalists and make their predictions for this year's winner. John welcomes Mark Phelan from the Detroit Free Press and Karl Brauer of TotalCarScore.com.

It's award time again and it starts with the finalists for the North American Truck of the Year. John McElroy is joined by two fellow jurors from the North American Car and Truck of the Year jury to review the top three finalists and make their predictions for this year's winner. John welcomes Michelle Krebs from Edmunds.com and Tony Swan from Car and Driver and Kelly Blue Book.

The Environmental Protection Agency's calendar keeps turning. Auto manufacturers are on a deadline to raise their total mpgs. Most are pushing their engineers to come up with gas-sipping ICEs as well as alternative powertrains like electrics and hybrids. But in addition, they are also turning to lighter weight materials like carbon fiber. Though still extremely expensive, manufacturers and suppliers alike are looking at ways to make the product cheaper so it can go on vehicles of all prices. On Autoline This Week John McElroy welcomes three people from the carbon fiber world. Florian Schattenmann is the Global R and D Director for supplier Dow Chemical, Graham Henkel is the designer of the new Viper from Chrysler's SRT division while James Staargaard is the president of Plasan Carbon Composites.

Despite being one of the largest and most successful automotive suppliers in the world, most consumers only know the BorgWarner name from its connection to the Indianapolis 500. It has sponsored the winner's trophy since 1935. And despite the products it does produce for racing, namely its turbo systems, this company founded in the 19th century produces high-tech powertrain components along with a variety of other automotive products for cars across the globe. Joining John McElroy on Autoline This Week is James Verrier, the company's current President and Chief Operating Office. Drew Winter from WardsAuto.com and Joe Szczesy of the Oakland Press join in on the discussion.

Many believe the biggest news of 1982 was the Falklands War invasion while in business the DeLorean Motor Car Company hit the brakes for the last time. Meanwhile, the big winner at the movies was the overachieving period film “Chariots of Fire.” Those stories grabbed the headlines but in a rural hamlet near central Ohio, Honda was quietly opening the first Japanese auto factory on U.S. soil. It’s been 30 years since those doors opened and the factory is not only still going strong but continues to grow and expand. This week on Autoline, John McElroy goes on-the-road to Marysville, Ohio to visit this historic plant and see what it has meant to not only Honda for the last 30 years, but the community as well.

Cash for Clunkers may have been great for the manufacturers at the time, but few realized the long term impact it would have on the used car market. Even today – close to four years later – the prices for good used cars are still rocketing skyward. Whether they come from the auto auctions, trade-ins or even Internet sites, thanks to the combination of Clunker destruction and a stagnate economy, the used market continues to be a hot commodity. And John McElroy has the topic covered with his Autoline panel including: Ricky Beggs from the Internet site Black Book, Ron MacEachern, the General Manager from the Detroit area dealership the Suburban Collection and Steve Finlay from WardsAuto.com.

AM Radio was king in the car for nearly 50 years. But since the 70s, its evolution has been fast and furious. First FM was all the rage followed by music on 8 Track and Cassette tapes. It wasn’t long before CDs started flooding the front seat and now, well you know, anything goes. Today’s Multi Media Interface can offer the driver everything from Satellite Radio Services to Navigation to even the Internet without breaking a sweat, but that’s just the tip of the chip. On Autoline This Week, John McElroy talks with three experts in audio electronics to hear first hand about the latest and greatest that they’re offering the consumer. Joining John are Marios Zenios, the head of Chrysler’s Uconnect Systems, Mike Hichme, GM’s Infotainment Design Manager and Allen Kudla from Panasonic Automotive.

You may be buying your car from the biggest auto dealer in the country and not even know it. AutoNation has over 200 dealerships selling cars under 18 different local brands around the USA. From luxury to economy, from Sacramento to Orlando, this 16-year old corporation has the country blanketed with cars so if there’s any one person who has a good sense of where the retail is heading in this industry it’s Mike Jackson. On Autoline This Week the Chairman and CEO of AutoNation joins John McElroy to share his views on the state of the auto industry and where it goes from here.

They arrived with such fanfare a couple years back, that you’d have thought we’d all be driving electrics by now but that’s not the case. In fact, even today some manufacturers are reticent to even offer an electric option. But that hasn’t stopped everyone from the biggest OEMs to the single car startups from designing and building all-electric cars. On Autoline This Week John McElroy and his panel look at the world of electric cars, if there’s a want, a need or a business case to be made for their existence. Joining John in studio is Csaba Csere, the former Editor-in-Chief of Car and Driver magazine and Jim Hall of 2953 Analytics.

Heavy steel, hard plastic and thick rubber used to dominate an automaker’s assembly line. But these days those elements have been replaced by high strength, lighter weight cousins of the earlier versions along with newer materials, like aluminum. On this week’s Autoline, John McElroy introduces you to his panel of materials experts who talk about how their latest products are impacting the auto industry. Joining John on his panel are Rose Ryntz from IAC talking about the new softer, stronger plastics, Blake Zuidema from steel manufacturer ArcelorMittal discussing today’s high strength steel and Ganesh Panneer from Novelis, who provides lightweight aluminum to many auto manufacturers.

Scott Painter is the essence of the 21st century entrepreneur. Having started several dot-coms since his days at Berkley, he turned his sights to the auto industry with TrueCar.com, an attempt to educate the automotive consumer with data and pricing. And that’s where all the trouble began. On Autoline This Week, John McElroy welcomes Scott Painter to the studio to talk about how TrueCar is attempting to change the auto buying customer experience. John’s panel of industry experts includes Steve Finlay from WardsAuto.com and Joe White from the Wall Street Journal.

When GM product guru Bob Lutz retired, many automotive insiders wondered what would happen to the company’s revived product line and, more importantly, who would fill those big shoes. It turns out they didn’t have to look very hard. GM veteran Mary Barra was appointed Senior Vice President of Global Product Development soon after and the stunning products have kept rolling off the line. This week on her first visit to the Autoline studios host John McElroy is joined by panelists Michelle Krebs from Edmunds.com and Jeff Bennett from the Wall Street Journal to talk to Ms. Barra about the company and her vision for future GM products.

You may only know the company as the one that uses hamsters in its ads but with 24 straight months of U.S. sales records as well critically-acclaimed product, it’s not surprising that South Korea’s Kia is the least known success story in the car industry. Well, joining John McElroy on Autoline This Week to correct that are the men who can talk, first hand, about Kia’s slow and steady growth in the American market. Tom Loveless is Kia Motor America’s vice president of sales and Michael Sprague is its executive VP of marketing (aka., the man responsible for green lighting the hamsters). Also joining John is Brent Snavely from the Detroit Free Press.

Cash for Clunkers may have been great for the manufacturers at the time, but few realized the long term impact it would have on the used car market. Even today – close to four years later – the prices for good used cars are still rocketing skyward. Whether they come from the auto auctions, trade-ins or even Internet sites, thanks to the combination of Clunker destruction and a stagnate economy, the used market continues to be a hot commodity. And John McElroy has the topic covered with his Autoline panel including: Ricky Beggs from the Internet site Black Book, Ron MacEachern, the General Manager from the Detroit area dealership the Suburban Collection and Steve Finlay from WardsAuto.com.

AM Radio was king in the car for nearly 50 years. But since the 70s, its evolution has been fast and furious. First FM was all the rage followed by music on 8 Track and Cassette tapes. It wasn’t long before CDs started flooding the front seat and now, well you know, anything goes. Today’s Multi Media Interface can offer the driver everything from Satellite Radio Services to Navigation to even the Internet without breaking a sweat, but that’s just the tip of the chip. On Autoline This Week, John McElroy talks with three experts in audio electronics to hear first hand about the latest and greatest that they’re offering the consumer. Joining John are Marios Zenios, the head of Chrysler’s Uconnect Systems, Mike Hichme, GM’s Infotainment Design Manager and Allen Kudla from Panasonic Automotive.

It used to be a Cadillac world. Recognized as the top luxury car, its name became synonymous with the best of anything. But then came the 1980s with production issues, an aging demographic and worse, competition from around the world. Suddenly, as Eric Burdon and The Animals sang, their best just wasn’t good enough. For 5, 10, 20 years, the brand wavered until the latest models have shown a bit of life. The man in charge of restoring the luxury nameplate to the top is Don Butler, VP of Global Marketing for Cadillac. He is John McElroy’s special guest on Autoline This Week. Joining the panel are Tim Higgins from Bloomberg and Aaron Bragman from IHS Automotive.

A few years ago many believed ethanol was the answer to our fuel questions. There was refining capacity, plenty of corn and OEM commitment with their Flex Fuel option. Fast forward to 2012 and it’s a totally different landscape. There are more and more small cars on the road being powered by 40+mpg engines. But just as important, we’re facing the effects of the worst drought in 50 years. In fact, the USDA says the corn yield may come in at 1995 levels, which is worse than predicted. On Autoline This Week John McElroy talks to an expert panel for an in-depth look at the ethanol issue and see where we go from here. Joining John are Candace Wheeler from General Motors, James Frusti of Chrysler and Professor Bruce Dale from Michigan State University.

Automakers protect their secrets like the U.S. Army guards Fort Knox. And the biggest secrets they have are their future designs. That’s why few people and fewer cameras are granted access to the inner sanctum of automotive design studios. So it is with great pleasure that John McElroy and the Autoline crew take you inside one of the most historic buildings in the auto industry, as well as one of the toughest to gain admittance, General Motors Design. Global Design Chief Ed Welburn talks with John and Peter De Lorenzo of the Autoextremist.com before giving them a behind-the-scenes tour through this top secret facility.

Hidden down a long driveway behind two locked gates and four garage doors is the private car collection of one of the most respected “car guys” in history, Bob Lutz. Rarely do journalists get a glimpse of these cars let alone an exclusive tour as he gave Autoline. So join host John McElroy and Peter De Lorenzo of the Autoextremist.com as “Maximum Bob” gives them a look at some of his prized cars including a 1934 LaSalle, his unique ‘70s Swiss-made Monteverdi and even the 1952 Aston Martin DB2 he found completely by accident a few years ago which originally belonged to his father. Exotic cars, rare motorcycles and even collector bikes all from the garage of Bob Lutz this week on Autoline.

There’s been a product renaissance at Ford the last few years, thanks in large part to Global Product Chief, and 33-year veteran of the company, Derrick Kuzak. But when Kuzak announced he was retiring earlier this year it didn’t take Ford long to find his replacement. Raj Nair started with the company in 1987 and has worked all over the world in various capacities. Now as he takes control of the product wheel for Ford we’ll see if he can keep the momentum going. This week he joins host John McElroy and panelists Tony Swan from Heart Magazines and Mark Phelan of the Detroit Free Press as our guest on Autoline This Week.

It’s tough to get to the top of the auto industry, but it’s especially hard for female executives. That’s why even today the culture continues to be male-dominated. So with more and more women involved in the industry how do the experts see them breaking through the Sunroof Ceiling and eventually running a car company or some of the top suppliers. Joining John McElroy on Autoline This Week to discuss the topic are three executives with personal knowledge of the struggle. Jeneanne Hanley is vice president of Lear Corporation while Colleen Haley is the Executive VP of Yazaki and Terry Barclay is the president and CEO of Inforum, a professional women’s alliance.

We buy brands. Sure, there are those consumers who diligently search out the best product or deal, but for the most part, Americans love their brands. Especially when it comes to cars. But as the competition continues to get tougher, how are car companies caring for those brands? On Autoline This Week John McElroy is joined by a panel of marketing experts who explore the provocative questions: are some automakers deluding their brands by removing the essence that made it special, or are their marketing departments delusional believing everything is just fine and they don’t need any TLC. Joining John with insight on those topics and more are Christie Nordhielm, Marketing Professor from the University of Michigan, Peter De Lorenzo, Editor-in-Chief of Autoextremist.com and Michael Robinet an analyst with IHS Automotive.

Back in 5th grade science class we all learned what happens when a snake molts -- it loses its skin, becoming in-essence an all-new serpent. That’s kind of what’s been going on over at Chrysler the last few years with Viper. Once Dodge’s proud ruler of the performance road -- nearly lost amid the financial turmoil -- has been reborn under the Street and Racing Technology brand, is now ready to take on the competition with the new 2012 model. Our special guest on Autoline This Week to discuss Viper, the SRT brand as well as Dodge Design itself is the man in charge of all three, Ralph Gilles. Joining John McElroy on his panel are Scott Burgess of AOL Autos and Chris Paukert of Autoblog.com.

There are more cars on the road getting 40 miles per gallon than ever before. Partly due to new CAFE standards and driven by the engineers at OEMs and their suppliers, consumers now have a number of gas-saving powertrains to choose from today. Whether it’s the new ICEs, hybrids, electrics or a plug-in version like the Volt, we’ve never had more fuel efficient transportation that didn’t walk on four legs. On Autoline This Week John McElroy talks to a panel of powertrain experts about today’s advancements and what will be driving us in the near future and beyond. Joining John are Christopher Thomas from BorgWarner’s Advanced Engineering Group, Roger Clark from GM’s Energy Center, and Chrysler Powertrain VP Dr. Mircea Gradu.

During any race there’s always that one point where you evaluate where you are in the pack and what it’s going to take to get to the finish line. That’s what John McElroy and his panel do on Autoline this week for the 2013 North American Car and Truck of the Year candidates. Joining him to discuss cars like the Acura ILX, Cadillac’s XTS and the all-new Nissan Altima are fellow NACTOY jurors Mark Phelan of the Detroit Free Press and Paul Eisenstein from The Detroit Bureau.

In 1963 Avis Rent-a-Car came up with iconic “We Try Harder” slogan, which it has carried ever since. But it also seems to be the perfect phrase to describe the current race for the number one selling car in America. After years of playing not just second but third fiddle to the Toyota Camry and the Honda Accord, Nissan has unveiled its striking new Altima and believes this car is prepared to finally challenge that number one slot. That’s why John McElroy and Autoline go on-the-road this week to Nashville, Tennessee to visit the home of Nissan Americas and to talk with the team in charge of taking Altima to number 1.

Pick up any car magazines and you’ll find lists. Lists for best car, lists for worst MPGs, lists for most collectible and so on. But the one list that Pulitzer Prize-winning author Paul Ingrassia could not find is the subject of his new book “Engines of Change.” Mr. Ingrassia looked at our car culture and has come up with a list of vehicles and how they have impacted our entire American society. John McElroy leads a fascinating discussion with Mr. Ingrassia and panelists Todd Lassa from Motor Trend and Drew Winter from WardsAuto.com.

As more and more of those alternatively-powered vehicles hit the streets around America, the potential legal issues grow. We’ve already seen batteries burst into flames so who knows what lies ahead with hybrids, pure electrics, hydrogen or natural gas vehicles? Manufacturers are keeping a close eye on the situation within not only their research and development departments, but legal ones as well. Joining John McElroy to talk about these potentially explosive issues is an expert panel including, Fred Fresard from the suburban Detroit law firm Dykema, automotive consultant Thomas Livernois and Mike Ramsey from the Wall Street Journal.

Running a car company in Europe is decidedly different than in America. Especially if you’re on the Board which makes all the big decisions. Join John McElroy and his guest Dr. Walther Kiep, the longest serving member of Volkswagen’s Supervisory Board, for an inside look at his years helping run this mega-automaker as he promotes his recollections of a life in politics and business in his new book “Bridge Builder.” Joining John on his panel are Christina Rogers of Automotive News and Mike Ramsey from the Wall Street Journal.