Autoline Daily

Runtime 5:03

Analysts are predicting a 40 percent drop in car sales in the U.S. for December. GM negotiates with the UAW this week to try and cut labor costs so that it can win approval for more of its bridge loan. MINI will unveil a convertible this year at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. All that and more, plus John makes his automotive predictions for 2009.

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Runtime 5:55

GM got $4 billion as the first part of its bridge loan, but Chrysler so far has not received any money. NHTSA says automotive recalls are down by 30 percent from last year. Toyota is secretly at work on a solar powered car but no details on when it will be available. All that and more, plus a look at a new system from Ford that lets cars park themselves.

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Runtime 7:16

The Ford Fusion hybrid breaks 41 miles per gallon on the highway, 8 MPGs better than the Toyota Camry hybrid. Toyota’s president may be stepping down and could be replaced with the grandson of the company’s founder. A new kind of oil filter could extend oil changes to 30,000 miles. All that and more, plus a look at the technology in the all-new 2009 BMW 7 Series.

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Runtime 5:46

Toyota expects to lose money for the first time ever due to a large drop in sales and a stronger Yen. The Canadian government will provide another $3.3 Billion to GM and Chrysler. Honda says it will not meet sales targets with the new Insight hybrid due to a lack of demand for hybrids. All that and more, plus a look at the new Ford Fusion hybrid.

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Runtime 5:35

President Bush finally announced a $17.4 billion bridge loan for GM and Chrysler. NHTSA says speeding is not a major cause of traffic fatalities. The European Union says England can still measure distances in miles, instead of switching to kilometers. All that and more, plus a preview of this week’s Autoline.

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Runtime 5:27

GM and Chrysler are talking about merging again in a move to slash costs and eliminate overlap. China wants to hire American engineers and executives to make up for its talent gap. Honda’s going to axe the Acura NSX due to the poor economy. All that and more, plus a look at new active safety features from Nissan.

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Runtime 6:04

The Bush Administration says it hasn’t made up its mind on what to do about financial aid for GM and Chrysler. Two polls show customers are open to buying cars from a bankrupt automaker. Hertz will compete with Zipcar by renting cars out by the hour rather than daily or weekly. All that and more, plus John answers questions about the bailout in the “You Said It!” segment.

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Runtime 6:07

When it comes to the bailout everyone’s still waiting on word from the White House but reports indicate it will happen tomorrow. Volkswagen is cornering the heavy truck market in Europe pushing for an alliance with MAN and Scania. Daimler announces a major lithium-ion battery partnership. All that and more plus, an up-close look at the new 2010 Ford Mustang.

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Runtime 5:20

The White House readies a bridge loan for the Big Three but final details are still being hammered out. The first look at the restyled BMW Z4 that features two inline-six engines. BYD from China beats everyone to the market with a plug-in hybrid that can travel over 60 miles on electric power. All that and more, plus a look at new valve technology from Audi.

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Runtime 5:20

The Senate rejects a bailout bill due to lack of support from Senate Republicans. Chinese automaker SAIC is interested in buying Saturn from GM. Traffic fatalities drop almost 10% so far this year, to their lowest levels in nearly half a century. All that and more, plus a look at vehicle-to-vehicle communications technology from Nissan.

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