Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2008 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/24/autoline-on-autoblog-with-john-mcelroy/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/24/autoline-on-autoblog-with-john-mcelroy/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/24/autoline-on-autoblog-with-john-mcelroy/#commentsFiled under: , ,

THE DOWN SIDE TO LITHIUM BATTERIES

John McElroyUh-oh. In the pell-mell race to develop lithium-ion batteries for plug-ins, EV's and hybrids, has any automaker taken a hard look at where all that lithium is going to come from? Guess what? Not only are global lithium supplies pretty tight, prices are about to skyrocket.

Today, the United States imports almost all of its lithium. We get most of it from Chile, then Argentina, and a little bit from Canada and Zimbabwe. The only producer in America is actually a German company, Metallgesellschaft, which has a mine in Nevada. Yet, even though we import most of our lithium, the United States is the world's largest processor of the material.

John McElroy is host of the TV program "Autoline Detroit". Every week he brings his unique insights as an auto industry insider to Autoblog readers. Follow the jump to continue reading this week's editorial.

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]]>autolineautoline detroitautoline on autoblogautoline-detroitautolinedetroitAutolineOnAutoblogjohn mcelroyjohn mcelroy autoblogJohnMcelroyJohnMcelroyAutoblog2008-08-24T12:31:00+00:00<![CDATA[Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/07/autoline-on-autoblog-with-john-mcelroy/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/07/autoline-on-autoblog-with-john-mcelroy/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/07/autoline-on-autoblog-with-john-mcelroy/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

SIX QUARTERS TO DOOMSDAY

2010 is shaping up to be a pivotal year in the American auto industry. From a product standpoint there will be a lot of interesting hardware in showrooms, including range-extending EVs, plug-in hybrids, clean diesels, pure electrics, and flex-fuel vehicles running on cellulosic ethanol. But it's also shaping up to be the year when the domestic industry will have to deal with its greatest challenge ever.

In short, the "Big Three" are running out of money, and running out fast. At its present spending rate, General Motors will burn through almost all the cash it has in the next 6 quarters. Ford can hold out a little bit longer. And Chrysler? Well, who the hell knows what's going on there?

John McElroy is host of the TV program "Autoline Detroit". Every week he brings his unique insights as an auto industry insider to Autoblog readers. Follow the jump to continue reading this week's editorial.

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]]>autolineautoline detroitautoline on autoblogautoline-detroitautolinedetroitAutolineOnAutoblogfeaturedjohn mcelroyJohnMcelroy2008-08-07T16:28:00+00:00<![CDATA[Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/31/autoline-on-autoblog-with-john-mcelroy/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/31/autoline-on-autoblog-with-john-mcelroy/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/31/autoline-on-autoblog-with-john-mcelroy/#commentsFiled under: ,

TELL THE FEDS TO FREEZE THE REGS!

Every day Chrysler LLC builds Euro-spec versions of the Chrysler 300 at its assembly plant in Canada, bolts a V6 diesel engine into most of them, and ships them off to Europe. That diesel 300 gets better fuel economy, over 30 mpg, than all the other vehicles in Chrysler's U.S. showrooms. But it's against the law for Chrysler to sell that car in America.

Right now Ford and General Motors are trying to figure out how to bring many of their fuel-efficient European models to the U.S. and manufacture them here. They'd love to do it immediately, but it will take them several years to modify, test and validate those designs before they can meet U.S. regulations. Until they do, it's illegal to sell those cars in America.

Anybody else out there agree with me that this is crazy? Let's let automakers bring their fuel efficient European cars over here immediately. As long as a car meets the Euro 5 emission regulations and the latest European NCAP safety standards, we ought to let them build those vehicles in the U.S. with no other modifications.

John McElroy is host of the TV program "Autoline Detroit". Every week he brings his unique insights as an auto industry insider to Autoblog readers. Follow the jump to continue reading this week's editorial.

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THE AMAZING SHRINKING CAR MARKET

As car sales continue to spiral downward, some product planners in the industry are beginning to ask the unthinkable: is the American car market going to shrink permanently?

They are starting to consider the possibility that the days of selling 17 million new vehicles every year are over, and that going forward the American auto market is going to be smaller.

There are a number of reasons why product planners are beginning to contemplate this possibility, but the two biggest causes are the high cost of oil and the skyrocketing costs of regulations. Amazingly, even though raw material costs are soaring at rates never seen in a century, the car companies say that pales in comparison to cost pressures they're grappling with due to CAFE, the California CO2 standard, and upcoming safety standards.

Whatever the cause, if, and I emphasize if, the U.S. car market is indeed going to be smaller in the future, that would have a drastic and painful impact on the manufacturing base in the country.

John McElroy is host of the TV program "Autoline Detroit". Every week he brings his unique insights as an auto industry insider to Autoblog readers. Follow the jump to continue reading this week's editorial.

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My Bone To Pick With T. Boone Pickens

Billionaire oil tycoon T. Boone Pickens rocked the automotive and energy industries this week with a bold plan to drastically reduce America's dependence on imported oil. His plan, in case you missed it, is to build massive wind farms to produce electricity, and to stop making electricity from natural gas. Then he wants to divert that natural gas to be used in cars and trucks.

Doing so, Pickens argues, would allow the U.S. to reduce its use of imported oil by 30 percent. Natural gas proponents point out that it burns far cleaner than gasoline, that we have abundant domestic reserves, and that depending on where you live, it sells at the equivalent of $1.50 for a gallon of gasoline.

Mr. Pickens may know a lot about the oil and gas industry. But getting people to buy cars that can run on natural gas may not be as easy as he thinks.

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]]>2008-07-11T13:02:00+00:00<![CDATA[Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/27/autoline-on-autoblog-with-john-mcelroy/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/27/autoline-on-autoblog-with-john-mcelroy/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/27/autoline-on-autoblog-with-john-mcelroy/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

HEY GM, BRING BACK THE EV1

A decade ago General Motors put one of the coolest cars of all time on the road, the EV1. While there were a number of hard-core EV enthusiasts who became passionately committed to the car, it never caught on with the masses. But that was then and this is now. GM should seriously consider putting the EV1 back into production.

John McElroy is host of the TV program "Autoline Detroit". Every week he brings his unique insights as an auto industry insider to Autoblog readers. Follow the jump to continue reading this week's editorial.

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HOW MANY BRANDS ARE TOO MANY?

With gas prices soaring and SUV sales sinking, General Motors just put its HUMMER brand under "strategic review." That's generally the term used when a company is getting ready to dump a brand. And that begs the question, how many brands does a car company really need?

There are a number of companies that have multiple brands, like GM (Chevrolet, Pontiac, Buick, Cadillac, GMC, Saab, Saturn, Opel, Holden, Vauxhaul), Ford (Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, Volvo), Fiat (Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Lancia, Ferrari, Maserati) and Volkswagen (VW, Audi, Seat, Skoda, Lamborghini, Bentley, Bugatti). Some of these brands are strong and successful. Some are not.

The big, successful automakers these days seem to have only two brands, a mass market brand and a luxury one. That's the model Toyota, Honda, and Nissan are following. And that sure seems to be the business model that will work best for the foreseeable future.

John McElroy is host of the TV program "Autoline Detroit". Every week he brings his unique insights as an auto industry insider to Autoblog readers. Follow the jump to continue reading this week's editorial.

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]]>auto brandsAutoBrandsautolineautoline detroitautoline on autoblogautoline-detroitAutolineDetroitAutolineOnAutoblogbrandsgmHUMMERjohn mcelroyjohn mcelroy autoblogJohnMcelroyJohnMcelroyAutoblog2008-06-19T19:28:00+00:00<![CDATA[Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/12/autoline-on-autoblog-with-john-mcelroy/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/12/autoline-on-autoblog-with-john-mcelroy/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/12/autoline-on-autoblog-with-john-mcelroy/#commentsFiled under: , ,

FORD'S AMBITIOUS MAKE-OVER

It could be the most dramatic retooling effort since the early days of World War II, when Detroit earned its nick name as the Arsenal of Democracy. Word leaked out yesterday that Ford is calling its plant managers and top union leaders to the company's headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan to debrief them on an ambitious plan to revamp its manufacturing plants. Ford wants a crash program to change over many of its truck plants to produce fuel-efficient passenger cars.

The urgency conveyed by this development (the company will not yet officially confirm it) is due to the surge in gasoline and diesel prices that have decimated truck sales. Never has there been seen such a dramatic shift in customer demand in such a short period of time. Last month sales for the Detroit Three absolutely collapsed, and when sales are tallied for this month, the carnage is going to be worse.

Realizing that any delay could permanently cripple the company, Ford's CEO Alan Mullaly decided to embark on a bold effort to achieve a rapid change over. Hence, the unprecedented call to bring all the plant managers and top union reps together for an emergency meeting.

John McElroy is host of the TV program "Autoline Detroit". Every week he brings his unique insights as an auto industry insider to Autoblog readers. Follow the jump to continue reading this week's editorial.

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]]>autolineautoline detroitautoline on autoblogautoline-detroitautolinedetroitAutolineOnAutoblogjohn mcelroyJohnMcelroy2008-06-12T16:29:00+00:00<![CDATA[Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/05/autoline-on-autoblog-with-john-mcelroy/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/05/autoline-on-autoblog-with-john-mcelroy/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/05/autoline-on-autoblog-with-john-mcelroy/#commentsFiled under: ,

THE BIG THREE COLLAPSE

Ooof! May sales were like a punch in the stomach, especially to the Detroit Three. It's been nearly three decades since we've seen their sales collapse so dramatically.

Last month the annualized sales rate of the American market, including all automakers, fell to only 14.2 million units. That means if sales keep on going like they did in May, the industry will only sell 14.2 million units this year. Remember, as recently as 2006 this industry sold over 17 million.

That drop off of nearly 3 million vehicles translates into the equivalent loss of:
12 assembly plants
6 engine plants
6 transmission plants
5 stamping plants
Dozens and dozens of component plants

That also translates into an estimated loss of about 65,000 jobs. In only two years time!

John McElroy is host of the TV program "Autoline Detroit". Every week he brings his unique insights as an auto industry insider to Autoblog readers. Follow the jump to continue reading this week's editorial.

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]]>autoline detroitautoline on autoblogAutolineDetroitAutolineOnAutoblogfeaturedjohn mcelroyjohn mcelroy autoblogJohnMcelroyJohnMcelroyAutoblogmay auto salesmay salesMayAutoSalesMaySales2008-06-05T14:59:00+00:00<![CDATA[Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/29/autoline-on-autoblog-with-john-mcelroy/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/29/autoline-on-autoblog-with-john-mcelroy/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/29/autoline-on-autoblog-with-john-mcelroy/#commentsFiled under: , ,

CAR PRICES ARE SET TO SOAR

Thanks to sky high gasoline prices, most people are reeling from the cost of driving their cars. But that was just the first jolt. Now we're going to see a big jump in the cost of buying cars, both new and used.

Why am I so sure car prices are going up? Easy. All you have to do is look at the cost of the materials needed to make a car.

John McElroy is host of the TV program "Autoline Detroit". Every week he brings his unique insights as an auto industry insider to Autoblog readers. Follow the jump to continue reading this week's editorial.

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]]>autoline detroitautoline on autoblogAutolineDetroitAutolineOnAutoblogjohn mcelroyJohnMcelroy2008-05-29T16:27:00+00:00<![CDATA[Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/15/autoline-on-autoblog-with-john-mcelroy/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/15/autoline-on-autoblog-with-john-mcelroy/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/15/autoline-on-autoblog-with-john-mcelroy/#commentsFiled under: , ,

FIRST-HAND LOOK AT FORD'S ECO-BOOST TECHNOLOGY

I just spent a day at Ford's proving grounds driving a number of vehicles that use Eco-boost technology, which is the centerpiece of the company's strategy to improve fuel economy. I wish I could tell you more about my driving impressions of these Fords, but all that information is embargoed for now. What I can say is that the Eco-boost technology works impressively well.

However, while the technology works well, I wonder how well Ford's strategy will work. That's because this technology does not really improve the fuel economy of an engine. It merely allows the company to use a smaller engine in place a bigger one. And sure enough, across almost the entire rev-range, an Eco-boost engine produces more torque than naturally aspirated engines that are at least one liter larger.

John McElroy is host of the TV program "Autoline Detroit". Every week he brings his unique insights as an auto industry insider to Autoblog readers. Follow the jump to continue reading this week's editorial.

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]]>autolineautoline detroitautoline on autoblogautoline-detroitautolinedetroitAutolineOnAutoblogecoboostfeaturedford ecoboostFordEcoboostjohn mcelroyjohn mcelroy autoblogJohnMcelroyJohnMcelroyAutoblogturbocharge direct injectTurbochargeDirectInject2008-05-15T17:00:00+00:00<![CDATA[Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/08/autoline-on-autoblog-with-john-mcelroy/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/08/autoline-on-autoblog-with-john-mcelroy/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/08/autoline-on-autoblog-with-john-mcelroy/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

WHY USE BATTERIES IF FLYWHEELS WILL DO?

Formula One could be on to something big. Next year all teams will be allowed to capture the energy that their cars produce under braking, and then re-use that energy at opportune moments, like passing on a straight.

It's really a hybrid system, but they don't call it that. They call it a Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS).

The best part of the new regulations is that they do not specify what kind of regenerative energy system the teams have to use. It seems pretty likely that Toyota and Honda will go with a battery-electric hybrid system, since that's the kind of technology they sell in their showrooms. But Formula One is also going to become the testing grounds for a completely different kind of hybrid system that does not use batteries.

John McElroy is host of the TV program "Autoline Detroit". Every week he brings his unique insights as an auto industry insider to Autoblog readers. Follow the jump to continue reading this week's editorial.

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]]>autolineautoline detroitautoline on autoblogautoline-detroitautolinedetroitAutolineOnAutoblogf1 hybridF1Hybridfeaturedflybridjohn mcelroyjohn mcelroy autoblogJohnMcelroyJohnMcelroyAutoblog2008-05-08T15:29:00+00:00<![CDATA[Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy: Driving the Dodge Challenger SRT-8]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/30/autoline-on-autoblog-with-john-mcelroy-driving-the-dodge-challe/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/30/autoline-on-autoblog-with-john-mcelroy-driving-the-dodge-challe/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/30/autoline-on-autoblog-with-john-mcelroy-driving-the-dodge-challe/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Click for more Dodge Challenger SRT-8 pics from John McElroy's drive

A couple of weeks back I wrote a bit about the new Dodge Challenger SRT-8. But to honor the embargo that the Public Relations people put on driving impressions, I had to hold the best stuff until now. And man, was it worth the wait!

Despite a sagging economy, sinking car sales and soaring gas prices, the SRT-8 version of the Challenger is going to do just fine. That, despite the fact it only averages 15 mpg and costs $40,000. No worries, mate, it's the other numbers that are going to sell this car.

Check 'em out:
0-60 mph: 4.9 seconds
&frac14; mile: 13.7 seconds
0-100-0 mph: under 17 seconds
60-0 mph: 110 feet

When it comes to top speed, the SRT people have had the car up to 170 mph, but that was on an oval. Since the Challenger is not speed-limited in any way except for its aerodynamic drag, they believe that out on the Salt Flats it will go even faster.

Click here to continue reading after the jump.

Gallery: 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT-8 - First Drive


John McElroy is host of the TV program "Autoline Detroit". Every week he brings his unique insights as an auto industry insider to Autoblog readers. Follow the jump to continue reading this week's editorial.

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]]>2008 dodge challenger srt-82008DodgeChallengerSrt-8autolineautoline detroitautoline on autoblogautoline-detroitautolinedetroitAutolineOnAutoblogdodgedodge challengerdodge challenger first drivedodge challenger impressionsdodge challenger reviewdodge challenger srt-8dodge challenger srt8DodgeChallengerDodgeChallengerFirstDriveDodgeChallengerImpressionsDodgeChallengerReviewDodgeChallengerSrt-8DodgeChallengerSrt8featuredjohn mcelroyjohn mcelroy autoblogJohnMcelroyJohnMcelroyAutoblog2008-04-30T21:01:00+00:00<![CDATA[Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/17/autoline-on-autoblog-with-john-mcelroy/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/17/autoline-on-autoblog-with-john-mcelroy/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/17/autoline-on-autoblog-with-john-mcelroy/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

SAE WRAP-UP

This is what we call SAE week in Detroit. It's when automotive engineers from all over the world get together here to share their ideas on the burning engineering issues of the day. And there's no question that boosting fuel economy and reducing CO2 topped the agenda.

I can't pretend to say I learned everything being discussed at the Society of Automotive Engineers show. This thing goes on for days, has hundreds of technical presentations, all kinds of company exhibits, and is attended by something like 30,000 engineers from almost every continent. But I did manage to pick up some interesting tidbits.

John McElroy is host of the TV program "Autoline Detroit". Every week he brings his unique insights as an auto industry insider to Autoblog readers. Follow the jump to continue reading this week's editorial.

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]]>autolineautoline on autoblogautoline on detroitAutolineOnAutoblogAutolineOnDetroitjohn mcelroyJohnMcelroysaesociety of automotive engineersSocietyOfAutomotiveEngineers2008-04-17T19:32:00+00:00<![CDATA[Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/11/autoline-on-autoblog-with-john-mcelroy_challenger/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/11/autoline-on-autoblog-with-john-mcelroy_challenger/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/11/autoline-on-autoblog-with-john-mcelroy_challenger/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

IF THEY BUILD THEM WILL YOU BUY THEM?

I just got done driving the new Dodge Challenger SRT8 this week. And I fell in love with it. The styling snaps your eyes right to it, the proportions are gorgeous, and the performance numbers are breathtaking. But it's even more visceral than that.

The exhaust note is incredible. Put the hammer down and you get a timpani of hammers in return. The pistons pound out a symphony of sounds, and it sounds just as good backing out of the gas and it does jumping on it.

Driving this car is like driving a fighter plane. If Ford has the equivalent of the P-51 Mustang, then Dodge just built the equivalent of the P-47 Thunderbolt. It's that kind of brute.

John McElroy is host of the TV program "Autoline Detroit". Every week he brings his unique insights as an auto industry insider to Autoblog readers. Follow the jump to continue reading this week's editorial.

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]]>autoline detroitautoline on autoblogautoline-detroitAutolineDetroitautolineonautoblogchallenger srt8ChallengerSrt8dodge challengerdodge challenger srt8DodgeChallengerDodgeChallengerSrt8john mcelroyJohnMcelroy2008-04-11T17:59:00+00:00<![CDATA[Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/07/autoline-on-autoblog-with-john-mcelroy/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/07/autoline-on-autoblog-with-john-mcelroy/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/07/autoline-on-autoblog-with-john-mcelroy/#commentsFiled under: , ,

THE PLUG-IN RACE IS ABOUT TO HEAT UP

I just shot a show with three leading environmentalists in California, all with the idea of getting into their heads and figuring out where the next round of CO2 regulations is headed. After all, as goes California, so goes the nation-and ultimately the world.

What the California environmental lobby wants are cars that get somewhere between 70 and 100 miles per gallon. Though they're open to all alternatives, they're especially fixated on plug-in hybrids, because they see them as the fastest way to dramatically cut CO2 emissions.

Automakers that think they're going to have a hard enough time meeting the new CAFE law of 35 mpg by 2018 better brace for impact. These environmentalists merely see that as a first step. After that, they plan to push for big cuts in CO2, and they plan to push hard.

John McElroy is host of the TV program "Autoline Detroit". Every week he brings his unique insights as an auto industry insider to Autoblog readers. Follow the jump to continue reading this week's editorial.

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R.I.P. DODGE VIPER

A few blogs back I wrote about how Chrysler is going to combine its three brands and start eliminating overlapping models. The idea is to have Dodge concentrate on trucks and work-utilities, with Chrysler exclusively selling cars, and Jeep offering only SUV-based Jeeps.

It's a bold plan, but a risky one. And while I see the logic in what they're trying to achieve, I don't agree with parts of it. Specifically, I wrote in my blog that no matter what happens, they ought to keep the Dodge Viper. Well, so much for my opinion. The word just leaked out that the Viper is going to get the axe.

John McElroy is host of the TV program "Autoline Detroit". Every week he brings his unique insights as an auto industry insider to Autoblog readers. Follow the jump to finish reading this week's editorial.

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]]>autoline detroitautoline on autoblogautoline-detroitAutolineDetroitautolineonautoblogdodge viperdodge viper cancelleddodge viper srt-10dodge viper srt10DodgeViperDodgeViperCancelledDodgeViperSrt-10DodgeViperSrt10john mcelroyjohn mcelroy autoblogJohnMcelroyJohnMcelroyAutoblogviper2008-03-31T13:26:00+00:00<![CDATA[Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/21/autoline-on-autoblog-with-john-mcelroy/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/21/autoline-on-autoblog-with-john-mcelroy/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/21/autoline-on-autoblog-with-john-mcelroy/#commentsFiled under: , ,

OUR SAFETY REGULATIONS ARE A CHARADE

When I was growing up as a kid, cars didn't have a whiff of safety equipment. No seatbelts. No headrests. No collapsible steering columns. No nothing. On long trips my dad would even let me or one of my brothers lie on the package shelf behind the back seat. And we weren't the only ones. That was a pretty common practice back then.

Even so, up through the 1960s, the United States had the best traffic safety record in the world. But as the population continued to grow and as more cars appeared on the roads, the fatality rate grew with them. And so the government began enacting safety standards.

And boy, did we pile on the regulations. Today, the U.S. has more safety laws and by far the strictest ones of any country. And yet we've dropped to 16th place in the global rankings. What's going on here? How come countries with weaker regulations are getting better results?

John McElroy is host of the TV program "Autoline Detroit". Every week he brings his unique insights as an auto industry insider to Autoblog readers. Follow the jump to finish reading this week's editorial.

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DO YOU CHANGE YOUR OIL TOO OFTEN?

I'll bet most Autoblog readers take pretty good care of their cars. And like me, I'll bet most of you change your oil about every 3,000 miles or so.

But recently I got to wondering whether that's the right thing to do. After all, most automakers recommend far more extended intervals, usually around 7,500 miles. And with oil prices skyrocketing, I thought it might be a good idea to start following the owner's manual. But I wasn't really sure.

After all, over the years I've heard lots of different opinions on how often you should change your oil. Mechanics and oil companies say you should stick to the 3,000 mile interval, while automakers say most people don't need to change it that often. The synthetic oil people say you can even take it to 25,000 miles.

Obviously, they all have their own vested interest. If you're selling oil or oil changes, you want people changing their oil as frequently as possible. If you're selling cars, you'd like to see them wear out so people have to buy new ones. If you're selling synthetics you want to be able to charge a lot. So who should you believe? I decided I needed to hear first-hand from both sides, the auto industry and the oil industry.

John McElroy is host of the TV program "Autoline Detroit". Every week he brings his unique insights as an auto industry insider to Autoblog readers. Follow the jump to finish reading this week's editorial.

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What A Body!

Some years back I got to meet Giorgietto Giugiaro, the ultra-famous Italian car designer. "Gosh," I gushed, "you certainly are a visionary. Twenty years ago you said that the one-box design would become the dominant body style in the future. And you were right."

"No, you're wrong," he corrected me matter of factly, "I said that thirty years ago."

Giugiaro knew that getting the "mostest with the leastest" is the greatest challenge a designer faces. And he knew that a one-box design provides the greatest amount of interior room with the smallest exterior package. So, he openly declared that in the future more and more cars would adopt one-box designs.

A quick tutorial here for the uninitiated in designer lingo. A one-box design is just what it implies, a box on wheels, like a cargo van. A two-box design is like a station wagon, with one box for the passenger compartment and one for the engine compartment. A three-box design is like a traditional sedan with one box for the engine compartment, one for the passenger cabin, and one for the trunk.

For most of automotive history, automakers stuck with the three-box design. Traditionalists to the core, they never ventured too far from what was popular. But while the mass manufacturers stayed with the tried and true, others did dare to experiment.

John McElroy is host of the TV program "Autoline Detroit". Every week he brings his unique insights as an auto industry insider to Autoblog readers. Follow the jump to finish reading this week's editorial.

Gallery: One-box Designs


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]]>autoline detroitautoline on autoblogAutolineDetroitAutolineOnAutobloggiugiaroitaldesign giugiaroItaldesignGiugiarojohn mcelroyJohnMcelroyone-box designOne-boxDesign2008-03-07T14:56:00+00:00