Mcelroy Videos
newest 100 mcelroy videos / mcelroy widgets / media rss:

Author: autoline Added: Thu, 17 Jul 2008 07:54:44 -0800 Duration: 1282John McElroy is joined by three of these environmental thought leaders as they discuss emissions, cars, MPGs and how California is driving the topic for the rest of the country. Dr. James Lents is the President of the International Sustainable Systems Research Center (ISSRC), and an acknowledged world leader in environmental policy. Roland Hwang is the Vehicles Policy Director for the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), a 40-year old environmental action group with 1.2 million members while Dr. Mark Bernstein is the Managing Director of the USC Energy Institute, a LA-based university think tank devoted to transitioning the globe to a new energy/fuel paradigm. So if you're interested in the future of fossil fuels, alternative energy and where California is setting the emission trend, catch this week's edition of Autoline in LA.

Author: autoline Added: Mon, 14 Jul 2008 18:39:33 -0800 Duration: 593A decade ago GMs electric car, the EV1, was a flop in the marketplace. But with gas over four dollars a gallon it would probably attract a lot more attention today. Back when it was launched, the EV1 was revolutionary. It had a host of innovative features like regenerative braking and light-weight construction. But none of that could stop GM from pulling the plug on the program just a few years ago. Take a look at this GM corporate video from the Autoline archives which highlights many of the EV1s features and shows how relevant the car is today.

Author: autoline Added: Wed, 09 Jul 2008 11:17:25 -0800 Duration: 1277On this week's episode of Autoline in LA, John McElroy talks with two California dealers who sell more cars and trucks than practically any other dealership in the world. Joining John to discuss automotive retailing in Southern California is Tom Rudnai, the president of Longo Toyota the world's largest dealer located just east of Los Angeles, and Beau Boeckmann from Galpin Ford just north of town, the largest Ford dealer in the world. Some of the topics John asks about include: the California consumer, retail success and selling in the crowded SoCal luxury market. In addition, Beau Boeckmann discusses Galpin's longtime commitment to customization and how that led to a stint in television.

Author: autoline Added: Tue, 08 Jul 2008 18:47:30 -0800 Duration: 230It took guts to launch such a radical car back in 1986, but Ford rolled the dice. Luckily their bet paid off and the Taurus became an instant hit. People were drawn to its sleek, aerodynamic shape and it flew off dealer lots. In fact, it didnt look like anything that had ever rolled out of Detroit. But in 2006 Ford would discontinue the Taurus because of falling sales. Through the 90s they hadnt invested enough money in the car and buyers turned away from the once popular sedan. But the nameplate had at least one champion in Dearborn and the car was revived in 2008.

Author: autoline Added: Thu, 03 Jul 2008 02:25:11 -0800 Duration: 60Recently BMW displayed a concept car it calls GINA, short for Geometry and Functions In "N" Adaptions. The company created this low-slung roadster to push the limits of design and explore new ways to use materials. Looking a lot like a Z4, GINA follows BMW's current design language with swooping arcs and varying contours. But that's where the similarities end. The first thing you notice about the car is its matte finish. Amazingly though it has nothing to do with the type of paint used and everything to do with unconventional thinking. The body is covered in Fabric!

Author: autoline Added: Thu, 03 Jul 2008 02:25:11 -0800 Duration: 60Recently BMW displayed a concept car it calls GINA, short for Geometry and Functions In "N" Adaptions. The company created this low-slung roadster to push the limits of design and explore new ways to use materials. Looking a lot like a Z4, GINA follows BMW's current design language with swooping arcs and varying contours. But that's where the similarities end. The first thing you notice about the car is its matte finish. Amazingly though it has nothing to do with the type of paint used and everything to do with unconventional thinking. The body is covered in Fabric!

Author: autoline Added: Wed, 02 Jul 2008 16:24:46 -0800 Duration: 1309John McElroy takes you inside Toyota when he visits the company's Southern California facilities. It starts with a look at its huge campus in Torrance just south of Los Angeles, includes a talk with Toyota sales boss Bob Carter, moves over to a fascinating look at the company's award-winning and environmentally- friendly South Campus Building and then concludes with an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of Toyota's CALTY Design Studio with President Kevin Hunter.

Author: autoline Added: Wed, 02 Jul 2008 16:24:46 -0800 Duration: 1309John McElroy takes you inside Toyota when he visits the company's Southern California facilities. It starts with a look at its huge campus in Torrance just south of Los Angeles, includes a talk with Toyota sales boss Bob Carter, moves over to a fascinating look at the company's award-winning and environmentally- friendly South Campus Building and then concludes with an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of Toyota's CALTY Design Studio with President Kevin Hunter.

Author: autoline Added: Tue, 01 Jul 2008 17:25:07 -0800 Duration: 81Today only about eight percent of the new cars purchased in the U.S. are bought with manual transmissions. Compare that to Europe where around eight out of ten autos sold are stick shifts. The overwhelming preference for automatics in America means that even dedicated sports cars sold here had better offer an automatic. And thats just what Audi did when they launched the R8, their mid-engine supercar. It comes standard with a slick, six-speed manual transmission but they also offer an optional automatic dubbed R tronic. Unfortunately the $9,000 they charge for the R tronic isnt the worst part about it.

Author: autoline Added: Wed, 18 Jun 2008 12:23:59 -0800 Duration: 1305One spot where you can see Mazda's Zoom-Zoom ethos come to life is at their North American Design Studio in Irvine, California, the site of this week's episode of Autoline in LA. That's where John McElroy receives a tour of this secure facility from Franz von Holzhausen, its North American Director of Design. Franz takes John behind-the-scenes of Mazda's secret studio to show him where they design, fabricate and create concept cars like the Furai and future production vehicles as well. In addition to design, we'll also get a taste of Mazda R & D when John talks to its director, Kelvin Hiraishi about how his team works with design to develop Mazda's next generation.

Author: autoline Added: Thu, 12 Jun 2008 00:46:14 -0800 Duration: 268Dodge is plowing headlong into the world of domestic, rear-wheel-drive high performance with its all-new Challenger. Currently the Mustang is the only pony car on the market, but this hot new Dodge looks like itll hammer the Stang on its own turf. The Challenger offers the performance to match its bad-to-the-bone styling, but how does it drive?

Author: autoline Added: Wed, 11 Jun 2008 13:50:06 -0800 Duration: 1277Joining John McElroy on this weeks deep dive into the world of automotive design are four of the top automotive artists located on the west coast. Kevin Hunter is the President of Toyotas Calty Design Research Center located in Newport Beach. Dave Marek is the Chief Designer at Hondas Advanced Design Studio in Pasadena. Franz von Holzhausen is the Director of Design for Mazdas North American Operations and Joel Piaskowski is the Chief Designer at the Hyundai Kia Design and Technical Center both located not too far from each other in Irvine. Together all four will talk in-depth about style, trends, SoCal and how their studios plan and predict for the future.

Author: autoline Added: Mon, 09 Jun 2008 19:34:35 -0800 Duration: 371Stefan Lorentzson is the President of Volvo Group North America, a branch of the Swedish automaker thats involved with heavy industry. They build things that range from semi trucks to aircraft engines to construction equipment. In this interview we talk about where the heavy truck markets going and some exciting new technologies that will make trucks more fuel efficient.

Author: autoline Added: Mon, 09 Jun 2008 19:34:35 -0800 Duration: 371Stefan Lorentzson is the President of Volvo Group North America, a branch of the Swedish automaker thats involved with heavy industry. They build things that range from semi trucks to aircraft engines to construction equipment. In this interview we talk about where the heavy truck markets going and some exciting new technologies that will make trucks more fuel efficient.

Author: autoline Added: Thu, 05 Jun 2008 16:52:34 -0800 Duration: 354Autoline hits the dusty trail, literally, for a tour of Hyundai's desert proving grounds in California City. Here, behind a veil of secrecy, the company puts its products through a litany of tests. Sustained high-speed driving on their 6.4-mile oval track pushes cars to their limits while special solar ovens bake interior trim pieces in the So Cal sun to prove their durability.

Author: autoline Added: Thu, 05 Jun 2008 14:22:36 -0800 Duration: 419Every weekend hundreds of California car lovers pull their prized possessions out of the garage and head to parking lots just off the 405 in Orange County's Irvine and Huntington Beach. There, from 6 to 9 a.m. each Saturday morning, 52-weeks a year, this loose-knit community comes together to celebrate cars. Join John McElroy as he takes you to Donut Derelicts as well as Cars and Coffee to show you the passion and excitement that so many in So Cal have for vintage cars.

Author: autoline Added: Thu, 05 Jun 2008 13:49:34 -0800 Duration: 60The up-coming 2020 corporate average fuel economy standards have the worlds automakers running scared. The new rules require that they meet a fleet-wide average of 35 miles per gallon. Thats for cars AND trucks. To do it Ford is working on an interesting near-term strategy for improving its numbers and increasing performance. Its called EcoBoost. Its an engine setup that uses turbo charging and direct fuel injection for more power and efficiency. Heres a quick look inside this exciting engine setup.

Author: autoline Added: Thu, 05 Jun 2008 09:49:36 -0800 Duration: 119If youre ever in a foreign country that drives on the wrong side of the road, it may look like a piece of cake to jump behind the wheel and go for a spin. In reality though it can be very challenging. Right turns are like left turns, freeway exits are on the left and worst of all the turn signal and wiper stalks are flipped around. If you ever have to drive on the left side of the road here are a few tips that should make you a safer driver.

Author: autoline Added: Wed, 04 Jun 2008 13:22:38 -0800 Duration: 1336John McElroy goes "Inside Hyundai" for an exclusive look at the Korean giant's North American auto operations. He'll sit down with John Krafcik, Hyundai's Vice President of Product Development and Strategic Planning. They'll talk about the engineering and development the company does in North America and how they tune vehicles for this specific market. Later John goes one-on-one with Joel Piaskowski, Hyundai's Chief Designer to discuss the all-new design vocabulary the company's pioneering in its Southern California studios. Rounding out the show, Autoline hits the dusty trail, literally, for a tour of Hyundai's desert proving grounds in California City. Here, behind a veil of secrecy, the company puts its products through a litany of tests. Sustained high-speed driving on their 6.4-mile oval track pushes cars to their limits while special solar ovens bake interior trim pieces in the SoCal sun to prove their durability.

Author: autoline Added: Thu, 29 May 2008 09:52:36 -0800 Duration: 1337In this week's episode of "Autoline in LA," John McElroy explores one of the more unique aspects of Southern California's car culture: collecting. Most don't even lock these vehicles away, they drive them. In fact, every weekend hundreds of those car lovers pull their prized possessions out of the garage and head to parking lots just off the 405 in Orange County's Irvine and Huntington Beach. There, from 6 to 9 a.m. each Saturday morning, 52-weeks a year, this loose-knit community comes together to celebrate cars. Join John as he takes you to Donut Derelicts as well as Cars and Coffee to show you the passion and excitement that so many in SoCal have for vintage cars. And speaking of passion for cars, you'd be hard-pressed to find it any stronger than in our other two guests, Bruce Meyer and Peter Mullin, as they open their private collections for Autoline: one containing mostly hot rods while the other some of the most fabulous Art Deco French cars in existence.

Author: autoline Added: Wed, 28 May 2008 09:52:38 -0800 Duration: 122Every Saturday morning car enthusiasts gather at Mazdas North American headquarters in Irvine California for an event called Cars and Coffee. People come from all around the LA area to show off their rides and check out what other people brought. There are a bunch of different kinds of vehicles on display, from exotics to classics to muscle cars and motorcycles the variety is really surprising.

Author: autoline Added: Wed, 28 May 2008 09:52:38 -0800 Duration: 122Every Saturday morning car enthusiasts gather at Mazdas North American headquarters in Irvine California for an event called Cars and Coffee. People come from all around the LA area to show off their rides and check out what other people brought. There are a bunch of different kinds of vehicles on display, from exotics to classics to muscle cars and motorcycles the variety is really surprising.

Author: autoline Added: Wed, 28 May 2008 09:22:37 -0800 Duration: 223Bruce Meyer and Peter Mullin have two of Californias finest car collections. Meyers is full of Americana ranging from hot rods and motorcycles to buttons, pins and photos. He even has Clark Gables 1957 Mercedes convertible. The Mullin collection on the other hand is chock-full of rare and exquisite French cars. Theyre some of the most beautiful vehicles youll ever set your eyes on.

Author: autoline Added: Wed, 28 May 2008 09:22:37 -0800 Duration: 223Bruce Meyer and Peter Mullin have two of Californias finest car collections. Meyers is full of Americana ranging from hot rods and motorcycles to buttons, pins and photos. He even has Clark Gables 1957 Mercedes convertible. The Mullin collection on the other hand is chock-full of rare and exquisite French cars. Theyre some of the most beautiful vehicles youll ever set your eyes on.

Author: autoline Added: Thu, 22 May 2008 07:28:41 -0800 Duration: 1278Join John McElroy as he takes you "Inside Honda" for a look at the diverse aspects of this fascinating company. We'll tour its unique headquarters building and see the Honda philosophy up close, visit R&D for a behind-the-scenes reveal of the latest fuel cell package the company is developing, and take a peek behind the frenetic garage doors of the Honda Motorcycle Team as they prepare for an upcoming race. In addition, we'll take you to a couple top-secret, off-site facilities where no cameras are allowed...unless you're Autoline. Youll get an inside look at Honda Performance Development in Santa Clarita and Honda Advanced Design in Pasadena.

Author: autoline Added: Wed, 21 May 2008 13:49:34 -0800 Duration: 212Mazda builds some fun-to-drive cars, but they also know a thing or two about style. Autoline was recently invited out to their design studios in Irvine, California to tape a show for our upcoming series, Autoline in LA. This is truly unprecedented because car companies go to great lengths to keep journalists in the dark about their top-secret work. The media are very rarely invited into these studios, and if they are, cameras are forbidden. Autoline got inside for a first-ever glimpse behind the veil of secrecy at Mazda Design.

Author: autoline Added: Wed, 21 May 2008 12:46:19 -0800 Duration: 168Dick Messer is the Executive Director of the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles. He looks after an impressive collection of more than 150 historic cars, trucks and motorcycles. Its a remarkable museum thats known all over the world, but theres more to it than meets the eye because the Petersen has many cars that arent publicly displayed. They hide them away in a place they call The Vault. After taping one of our programs for Autoline in LA in the museum with the PR chiefs from Honda, Hyundai, Mazda and Toyota, Dick was kind enough to give us a tour. Autoline got a behind-the-scenes look at whats locked inside, but we cant show you everything we saw some of it is top secret.

Author: autoline Added: Wed, 21 May 2008 10:49:33 -0800 Duration: 60While we were in California shooting our upcoming series, Autoline in LA, Honda invited us out to their American Headquarters in Torrance for a sneak peek at some of the hydrogen fuel cell technologies theyve been working on. Needless to say, theres some pretty neat stuff coming down the pipeline. Heres a little taste of what youll see when the full show airs later this month.

Author: autoline Added: Wed, 14 May 2008 12:16:21 -0800 Duration: 1284For more than fifteen years Pasadena native Mark Rechtin has been the eyes and ears for Automotive News, fourteen of them as LA Bureau Chief. Meanwhile, AutoWeek's Senior Editor on the West Coast, Mark Vaughn, for nearly two decades has had the job of evaluating everything on wheels from the exotic to the hypnotic to the symphonic. Then rounding out our SoCal trio is the Los Angeles Times' award-winning automotive columnist, Mr. Rumble Seat himself, Dan Neil.

Author: autoline Added: Wed, 07 May 2008 16:46:26 -0800 Duration: 317Torotrak is a UK-based company thats developing a technology called a flywheel hybrid. Instead of using a big, heavy battery to store energy, the Torotrak system uses a spinning flywheel. Its simple and lightweight compared to traditional electric hybrids, and its even going to be used in Formula One race cars. Theres no word yet if any automakers are signing up, but if it starts winning races you can bet theyll be all over it.