If you weren’t aware already, the Woodward Dream Cruise is set to rumble through Detroit this Saturday. Our friends from Autoline have already made their way over to the famed stretch of road, and are bringing their Autoline After Hours show to you live from the street.

John McElroy and Peter De Lorenzo will be there to talk classic iron, and the pair have invited a few guests to join in the enthusiast banter. You can watch it all unfold live after the jump. The start time is scheduled for 7PM EST.

Also, be sure to tune in to our own coverage of the Dream Cruise this Saturday. We’ve got our team assembled, and like years past, we’ll be live streaming the entire cruise live so those not in attendance can see the thousands of cars that will be there. We’ve obsessively covered the Dream Cruise in the past, but this year we are even more obsessed… so stay tuned for a surprise.

Continue reading Autoline After Hours coming to you live from Woodward Ave

Autoline After Hours coming to you live from Woodward Ave originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 18 Aug 2011 18:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The crew from Autoline are broadcasting live from the Detroit Auto Show today and tomorrow. The stream kicks off at noon EST and runs through 2:30 PM each day, with interviews, discussions and impressions from the show floor. Hit the jump for the live stream and keep your eyes peeled for an Autoblog staffer running by in the background.

Continue reading Autoline is live from Detroit

Autoline is live from Detroit originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 10 Jan 2011 11:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fiat Eschews EV’s, Chooses CNG

While every other major automaker in the world is pouring billions of dollars into research for electric vehicles, Fiat doesn’t seem to be all that interested in electric cars. Instead, it’s putting its efforts into producing cars that can run on compressed natural gas. Even more importantly, it’s offering what it calls bi-fuel cars, which can run on both gasoline and CNG.

In fact, the Italian automaker is more bullish on bi-fuel cars than it is on diesels. It prides itself on having the lowest average CO2 emissions of any major automaker in Europe. Low emission ratings are a big deal to European car buyers. And Fiat believes it can continue to maintain its lead with engines that can run on both gasoline and CNG.

Most of Fiat’s sales come from the low-end of the market, tiny A- and B-class cars that don’t cost a lot of money. The people who buy these cars typically can’t even afford to pay the premium to get a diesel engine. And forget about hybrids or electric cars, they’re simply further out of their price range.

Now Fiat thinks it has another idea that could push it far ahead of everyone else when it comes to reducing CO2 emissions. It wants to combine hydrogen gas with compressed natural gas and offer the cleanest burning engines in the industry.

Continue reading Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy

Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 13 Oct 2010 18:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GOVERNMENT WANTS 60-MPG CAFE

Last year, when the federal government set Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards at roughly 35 miles per gallon by 2015, automakers squirmed uncomfortably. Though that should be an achievable target, it won’t be easy. It means Americans will have to buy several million more small cars a year, they’ll have to buy fewer trucks and SUVs, and they’ll have to pay thousands of dollars more for the technology needed to meet those standards.

But now it sure looks like the government is getting ready to set a new fuel economy standard of 60 mpg by 2025. According to Ward’s, both the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) will release the new standard next month. Is it at all realistic to think that we can double the fuel economy standard in a decade?

Remember, that 60 mpg target is a fleet average. That means all of the cars and trucks and SUVs and crossovers and vans that an automaker sells will need their fuel economy to average out at 60 mpg. That’s not going to be easy. It’s not just a matter of building the right kinds of cars, it’s about getting people to buy them.

Continue reading Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy

Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 16 Aug 2010 18:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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But Aston thought the DBS was a sporty car and deserved a manual only. To be fair, it seems like a refreshingly honest reason, and is backed up by more than just marketing hyperbole. The USA, surely the most pro-auto nation, buys most of its Astons as manuals.

But Aston can ignore economics for only so long. The Middle East only wants automatic DBSs, there’s a pretty reasonable amount of money floating around out there, therefore an automatic DBS was essential.

This isn’t an automated manual – it’s a full torque-convertor – and it’s been pinched out of the DB9. But because the DBS is currently the halo Aston and meant to be the most hardcore, it’s not a straight swap. Shift changes are 20 per cent quicker in normal shift mode, 25 per cent in Sport, and the final drive ratio has been altered to give more punch.

The reason Aston has stuck with a torque-convertor is it feels the alternative is too clunky in the automatic mode. But the problem with most torque convertors is that frequently there’s no point in the paddles. They don’t add any enjoyment to the experience of physically driving the car.

Not in the DBS though. The new ‘box is smooth in full auto, even with the Sport mode selected, and crucially it doesn’t hunt for a gear when you come into a roundabout on a trailing throttle.

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