This Automotive Podcast Is Very Loyal to The Prevailing Brand

We're talking about brand loyalty this episode:

Ford is pulling in all kinds of new drivers in California, displacing brands like Honda and Toyota, after their decades of dominance.

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Ford is far away from these days.

Also, owners are getting more loyal to auto brands.

Toyota may still be the largest auto maker in the world, but Ford is the best brand in the U.S. -- not just among cars, but among all brands.

Finally, Mini missed with its Clubvan (which we didn't know existed) and it's pulling it from the U.S. market after selling just 50.

An Automotive Podcast Pining for Hatchbacks

Apparently, we can predict the future, and it's looking bright. In this podcast episode we discuss:

The Shanghai Motor show had some radical concepts and interesting new vehicles, most of which will never make it to the U.S. market.

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While David would like a hatchback version of the Dodge Dart (and Chevrolet Cruze) that won't be happening -- at least in the U.S.

Toyota mixes wacky with practical, especially in its concept cars. The Me.We design mixes both, and we like it -- even if it also mixes in some other designs.

Toyota's Me.We concept

Be Perceptive, Catch The Buzz On This Automotive Podcast

The year in car sales started off strong with January auto sales posting strong gains compared with both the year earlier and December. There were few surprises in the numbers and with the brands that did well.

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Toyota retook the global sales crown last year, but Volkswagen is coming up quickly.
In terms of perception, Ford owns that crown as well, but Chrysler and Dodge are coming out of the basement.

There are a bevy of auto commercials in this year's Super Bowl, but VW's ad is causing the most controversy -- even if we don't think it is a big deal.

And other bad habits behind the wheel

A recent study found that the people who use their cellphones while driving probably do a bunch of other dangerous things behind the wheel.

Apple's Siri could help retrain those bad habits, and Honda is planning to use it in some upcoming vehicles.

Finally, smartphones can be great to keep track of your lives, and your car. Here are a bunch of automotive apps that make that really easy.

This Automotive Podcast Goes One Louder -- To 2014

General Motors bought back a sizable chunk of the shares from the U.S. Treasury, continuing its rebound and allowing the auto maker's executives to once again ride on corporate jets.

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Toyota took another step to clear off its unintended acceleration issues by settling a class-action lawsuit for over $1.1 billion. That's pocket change for the Japanese company that is already predicting record sales for 2013. It will be among the many car makers that boost North American production through 2014.

In other auto business news, Suzuki is getting out of the U.S. market with a bang, with sales surging in the final months.

Questionable winter driving advice

Mazda is trying to one-up other brands by tagging its redesigned Mazda6 sedan as a 2014 model, but that is preventing dealers from actually selling the cars before 2013.

Auto-related fatalities rose a bit in 2012, but the numbers aren't really bad.

Men continue to pay more than women for auto insurance, but in Europe its now against the rules to use gender to determine rates.

Finally, here are some of the best new gadgets for cars this year and a prediction that Apple will get into the auto business in 2013.

A Texas-Sized Automotive Podcast That's Going Places

Europe has not always been a kind market for U.S. auto makers, and now Ford and GM are struggling to find the right path forward in that market. Ford just introduced a bunch of new models for the European market, and may soon introduce a new COO -- Mark Fields -- who could eventually take over for Alan Mulally.

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A Texas-sized rest stop (WSJ photo)

Speaking of the future, at TechCrunch Disrupt two auto-related companies -- YourMechanic.com and Lit Motors -- won the startup competition.

Commuters care the most about fuel economy and Total Car Score has a list of the best commuter cars.

Speaking of fuel economy, gas stations in N.J. and Pennsylvania are charging $8 a gallon for gasoline to protest the parent company.

In Texas things are big, even the convenience stores.

Finally Toyota is rolling out a new tagline: "Let's Go Places."

An Automotive Podcast That You Can Share with Friends And Won't Cost A Lot To Repair

Car sales are coming and they are looking good. Forecasts are calling for June to show the highest auto sales in five years. (Sort of)

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Those strong sales could be the result of high-quality vehicles. The latest J.D. Power Initial Quality Study shows that the car industry has reached an all-time high in overall quality with its 2012 model year, improving 5% overall, presenting fewer defects and problems than ever.

Honda and Mercedes-Benz are the two strongest auto brands in America according to its survey of more than 38,000 people.

America will halve its reliance on Middle East oil by the end of this decade and could end it completely by 2035 thanks to declining demand and the rapid growth of new petroleum sources in the Western Hemisphere, energy analysts now anticipate.

A new report ranking average state-by-state repair costs to correct check engine lights, shows that Wyoming leads the nation.

Would you use a social media app and find a stranger to be your personal taxi/limo service.  That's the goal of the new Sidecar App that David will be testing this week.

Car Sales, Car Sales, Car Sales

Since we podcasted last night just before car sales, I wanted to provide a quick update before the next time David and I take to the mic. So sing it now everyone, 'Car Sales, Car Sales, Car Sales.' I know its just not as good.

Anyway, in the midst of some pretty terrible economic news out today, including the employment report and subsequent market drop, the auto industry released some fairly encouraging figures for May.

Auto sales for the month of May rose 26% year over year to 1.3 million cars and trucks and the AP is reporting that this is the best May for auto sales since 2008. The annualized rate dipped a bit to the lowest figure since December coming in at 13.8 million units, but LMC Automotive, according to the AP, still raised its yearly forecast to 14.5 million units, up from 14.3. Not too shabby.

It appears that pent up demand, combined with some newer models, more credit availability and the drop in fuel prices are helping to keep car sales going. Although, I wouldn't be surprised if this months dismal jobs report and drop in the stock market along with fears sorrounding Europe don't limit sales just a bit next month.

Looking at some the specific automakers, Chrysler continues to make up ground gaining 30% over last year, Ford and GM each put up gains of just over 10%.

But leading the gains were Japanese automakers Toyota and Honda, gaining 87% and 48% respectively. As David and I had discussed last month, last May was when supplies of Japanese cars starting to dry up as a result of the Earthquake and subsequent tsunami. Now that they are getting back to full speed it looks like all systems go for them again.

Since I am sitting on a train and dont have full access to the usual reports that we reference I won't get too specific beyond that. David and I will try and do a brief podcast update either over the weekend or early next week with a more in depth look at the auto sales for May. Plus of course, the home made jingle.

Have a good weekend.

Source - AP (http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5goSTfKkWFw3BgMnKuKABpkhh1OJA?docId=531f7d434f3341aa82b326605fce2a8f)

This Podcast Will Poke Your Auto Enthusiasm and Tweet Your Funny Bone But Not Hack Your Intelligence

After saving the U.S. auto industry and hammering out a new CAFE deal, auto czar Rob Bloom is leaving the Obama administration.

That is probably not a terrible thing because confidence in the auto industry is high and most analysts see sales holding steady despite the stock market drops.

GM is benefiting from that positive sentiment, and from it's trip through bankruptcy, and posted great profits last week. That doesn't mean the General isn't working to slim down the number of platforms it uses.

V8 engines are old school.

Engines are also important, as Ford is learning that with its F-150. The new V6 models are outselling V8s for the first time in a long time.

The Nissan GT-R has an awesome V6 engine, and one lucky bidder scored a used one on eBay for a good price. Too good for the dealer which initially decided not to honor the deal. But after being shamed they reversed that position.

Facebook was probably used in that shaming, and now Nissan is looking to the future and replacing its phone operators with Facebook operators. Toyota is trying out Twitter to tease it's new Camry.

Crowdsourcing has great potential, and BMW is leveraging apps and drivers to generate a list of Ultimate Drives.

Smartphones are great for that, and apparently for hacking. Some clever guys figured out how to open and start a Subaru Outback. This is something that the DOT is concerned about, especially as cars start to talk to each other so they are developing standards to prevent hacking.

Many hackers move on to be valued members of society, especially in Silicon Valley, and the current tech bubble has many clever folks looking for luxury cars.

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This Podcast Can't Drive Itself

Toyota has been pounded by bad luck and bad decisions in recent years.
First came a surge by Korean car companies, then a wave a revitalized competition as Ford and GM got back on their feet, followed by a questionable problem with runaway cars, trailed by an increased in the value of the yen, and then a crushing natural disaster. All this showed up in the Japanese car maker's profit report this week, which was down 77% and could be a sign Toyota will lose its crown as the world's largest auto maker.

Even Japanese buyers are turning away from brands, with foreign nameplates showing a sizable jump in recent months, and even one sale of a Pontiac.

In the city of San Francisco, no demand for domestic nameplates has led to the closure of all GM, Ford and Chrysler dealers, but import brand dealers are doing fine.

GM is doing fine elsewhere, and will spend $2 billion upgrading its plants in the coming years to add new capacity and technology.

Porsche is spending money on real estate, but staying in Atlanta.

Kia is on a roll and expects to gain market share across the globe, and a strong showing in a recent Consumer Reports test will probably help its cause with U.S. buyers.

Electric-car range anxiety is something that drivers will have to overcome to foster wider adoption, and now Google is offering an API to help track commuting and offer alternative times and routes. Ford will adopt it.

Finally, Google is also pushing driverless cars, especially in Nevada. We debate the need for cars without drivers and if you have thoughts tweet us at #driverlesscarYayorNay.

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Toyota Is Out of the Dog House, Eminem Is Chrysler's Big Dawg

Toyota was mostly cleared by federal investigators of the issues surrounding the rash of unintended acceleration claims. Now Toyota's reputation is already improving according to new research.

Someone else may also be getting revived. Bob Lutz may get a consulting gig from former employer GM, if it can overcome government objections.

Chrysler T-Shirt

Chrysler won the Super Bowl ad battle with its iconic Eminem ad for the 200, going so far as to come out with t-shirts. But GM got sneaky and grabbed some Web search traffic away from Chrysler. Unsurprisingly, Subaru went alternative and sponsored the Puppy Bowl and asked people to walk their dogs during the big game.

What kind of cars do men want? Pickups and sports cars. But the list of what women want is a bit more eclectic ... and suspicious.

Key fobs are handy, but do they make cars less safe. Probably not, but the NYTimes looks into whether they have the right safety mechanisms to prevent people from leaving them in Drive.

Finally, this podcast is all digital, thank goodness, because the cassette deck is finally dead as an option for new car buyers.

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Safely Podcasting With Fewer Deaths and Recycled Parts

The holidays are upon us and that means people are hitting road. Please stay safe out there, and the IIHS just came out with the list of 66 cars that you will be the safest in. No big surprises except for the fact that only one minivan is on the list.

Driving deaths have decreased in recent years and while safer cars are part of the reason, WSJ's Joe White point out that many factors are behind increased safety numbers.

Fewer people on the road is one of the reasons for fewer deaths, and it is contributing to lower gasoline usage in the U.S. That trend is likely to continue and fossil fuel usage is expected to continue to decline.

GM will make Volt parts out of oil booms

Hybrids and electric cars are fostering that trend, and the Nissan Leaf, an all-electric vehicle, is just reaching the driveways and garages of the first buyers. Fox Business decided to use one of these initial buyers as a tee for a feisty discussion about unions and electric-vehicle incentives. You stay classy Fox.

Speaking of classy, Toyota got hit with yet another set of fines by the government, boosting its overall tab to about $49 million. A record fine for any car maker.

On the other end of the spectrum, Chevrolet is going to make some auto parts out of the oil-soaking booms used to clean up the BP oil spill in the gulf, proving that you can grind up just about anything and recycle it.

Ford is doing a little recycling with the Explorer name, introducing a new design that is more fuel efficient and more refined. But will it be enough to bring back buyers to big SUVs? Probably not.

Finally, Chrysler is refreshing its high-style 300 sedan for the Detroit auto show. Photos were released this week of the new design, which is evolutionary rather than revolutionary. What do you think?

GetThisShowOnTheRoad, December 22, 2010.mp3

Do Toyota's Recent Troubles and Sales Slump Remind You of GM?

While I haven't been blaming Toyota for all of the panic and fear around the faux unintended acceleration claims, this article about the auto maker's recent troubles did remind me of General Motors in the late '90s and then just before the bottom dropped out and it went bankrupt.

Hyundai's new Elantra may eat the Corolla's lunch.

The recent sales slide can surely be attributed to the fact that other than the Prius and some Lexus models, the rest of its lineup is pretty boring. This was equally true of GM a few years back when it let its passenger car lineup go stagnant while it focused on profitable, crude and oversized SUVs. Like a bad gambler, GM kept rolling the dice on SUVs and pickups and then could only watch as the market's tastes shifted back to cars as gas prices rose.

The revamped Hyundai Elantra that got a very good review from Autoblog this week makes the current Toyota Corolla look stodgy and plain. Add to the fact that it will probably be a better value than the Corolla and at this point the Korean brand has a better reliability reputation than Toyota, means things aren't going to improve very soon.

Of course, Toyota is still profitable and has new leadership that appears determined to reverse the current slide. But it takes years to refresh a model lineup and its possible the designs coming from Toyota in the near future may reflect the hubris and lack of inspiration seen recently.

While I think a GM-style debacle is unlikely, it may be a slow slide to a less-significant position in the market for Toyota.

What do you think?

Steal This Podcast! (Auto Sales Thrive, David's New Ride)

The calendar has rolled around to another month so that means car sales are here. Our favorite story line. Last year's numbers were skewed by the hugely successful Cash for Clunkers program. Even so, July auto sales were fairly strong with larger vehicles getting a boost and small car sales slipping compared with last year.

Cadillac sales topped the list in terms of percentage gains but buyers of the giant Escalade beware, the Highway Loss Data Institute says it gets the highest rate of theft claims. But Volvo's S80 doesn't get stolen much, no surprise.

China's 3D Express Coach 

If you are looking for something safe, and probably less desirable for thieves, then check out Consumer Reports' list of ideal vehicles for teens and senior citizen drivers.

We know that teens like the Internet and they may be helping Nissan's Leaf win the search battle over the Chevrolet Volt. The all-electric Leaf is still getting most of the attention from Web searchers.

China is considering a cleverly designed bus that is jacked up to ride over traffic. Smart yes, realistic, probably not.

Finally, David is getting a new set of wheels. Listen in for the details and check back on the blog for photos and reviews.

GetThisShowOnTheRoad August 4, 2010.mp3

Ford's Facebook Launch May Be More Efficient Than Podcasting With a Glass of Water

GM's Chevrolet is all set to let the cat out of the bag with the pricing for the Volt extended-electric vehicle. We'll update the site with the details as soon as possible.

Mike Rowe and Alan Mulally launch the Ford Explorer

But can they trump the big news from Ford, which virtually pulled the wrapper off it's 2011 Explorer via Facebook this week. And garnered some big coverage and big kudos for trying something new. We're still absorbing the news and critiquing the design, but Mathew may put it on his list.

In looking for ways to get people to improve their fuel economy even more, Toyota has launched a site that encourages drivers to hit the streets as if they had a glass of water on their dashboard. Not a real glass of water, but they do have an iPhone app that we will test out.

We are also going to test out the Nation of Go, a new Web community designed to get drivers to share their favorite routes.

GM may have hit a speed bump with its plan to buy a portion of lender AmeriCredit and get back into the auto-lending business. But one senator is wondering whether GM should have paid back the U.S. Treasury first.

Finally, Audi unveiled its A7 Sportback, a gorgrous new design that slot below the big A8 sedan and has the look of some much higher-end sport sedans from Jaguar and Porsche.

GetThisShowOnTheRoad July 28, 2010.mp3

PODCAST: A Stable Discussion of Toyota's Tilting Troubles and More

Lexus GX 460

Toyota was back in the news again this week after Consumer Reports gave its Lexus GX460 a "Do Not Buy" rating after the SUV nearly rolled over in tests. That kicked off another round of bad press and a NHTSA investigation.

Mathew took two test drives last week; piloting a Ford Edge and a GMC Terrain. Which one did he like better?
Audi showed off a new version of its once-gorgeous A8 L uber-sedan and it's not as lovely anymore.
Honda's coming EV-Neo scooter brings an electric vehicle to the mass market, while electric-car makers are looking for more subsidies to build up the infrastructure to support their products.
Finally, Ford is looking for good ideas on its Ford Story site, but are there royalties involved?

GetThisShowOnTheRoad April 16, 2010.mp3

[PODCAST] Toyota Recall Media Hype Exploitation

Matt finds an online mapping tool to help him avoid the snowpacalypse but its too late; Recalling the best Super Bowl ads; David rants about the media hype around the Toyota recall, thus adding to the noise; Fiat discloses plans for new Chrysler models, including the 500 and the sexiest vehicle shown at the Chicago Auto Show was a Honda minivan: Not a good sign for the car industry.

GetThisShowOnTheRoad Feb 12, 2010.mp3

[PODCAST] Matt Is a Brandist

Toyota leaves F1 but gets into the gardening business, vehicle sales go green along with Ford's profitability and GM decides to keep Opel

GetThisShowOnTheRoad Nov 4, 2009.mp3

Here's Chrysler's New Logo which won't sway Mathew's opinion on the company's possible future.