Latest / In Wheel Time Podcast / Resilience and Innovation: Behind the Scenes of the Houston Auto Show with RoShelle Salinas

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Resilience and Innovation: Behind the Scenes of the Houston Auto Show with RoShelle Salinas · In Wheel Time Podcast

• 0:01
  Speaker 1: Welcome to another In Wheel Time podcast, a 30-minute mini version of the In Wheel Time Car Show that airs live every Saturday morning 8 to 11 am Central.
• 0:09
  Speaker 1: It's the In Wheel Time Car Talk Show coming to you today from the Houston Auto Show at NRG Center.
• 0:21
  Speaker 1: They call it the auto-boated show, but you know we got hired by the Houston Auto Show to come here and spread our love right here in front of God and everybody.
• 0:34
  Speaker 1: Oh boy, this is good stuff, isn't it?
• 0:37
  Speaker 1: Oh well, we've seen everybody when I said that Rochelle goes oh no, I'm not sure about that Coming up.
• 0:44
  Speaker 1: We got car people among us.
• 0:46
  Speaker 1: We're talking to them, including the executive vice president of the Houston Automobile Dealers Association.
• 0:52
  Speaker 1: Ladies and gentlemen, on your feet please.
• 0:54
  Speaker 1: The president is here, and yeah.
• 1:00
  Speaker 1: So we got Rochelle Salinas here and we don't need anybody else.
• 1:05
  Speaker 1: We've got her.
• 1:07
  Speaker 3: We had a good lineup this morning, right, yeah?
• 1:09
  Speaker 1: It was excellent, it was absolutely excellent, and I'm impressed with the young.
• 1:13
  Speaker 2: I say young because they are young Everybody's young.
• 1:15
  Speaker 2: The product specialists that know their stuff.
• 1:18
  Speaker 2: Obviously, they're here because of that and they're just immersed in that and that's what they learn.
• 1:24
  Speaker 3: It's fantastic guy from mazda.
• 1:25
  Speaker 2: I mean he, whenever we were joking around yeah, you know everything.
• 1:28
  Speaker 2: There is no, he knew everything.
• 1:30
  Speaker 3: We knew to ask yeah, that's incredible yeah it is nissan microphone up a little bit.
• 1:35
  Speaker 1: Um, you know I I want to say this before we get into the interview with you about the show.
• 1:40
  Speaker 1: You know I was.
• 1:42
  Speaker 1: I was telling leslie about you and I said you know, I met rochelle back when she was working for an advertising agency in town and they had the account place, all the advertising and all that sort of thing and I went over there and begged some tickets or something, I remember what it was.
• 2:02
  Speaker 1: He gave me some free tickets and I go over there, I don't know who she is, I have no clue.
• 2:04
  Speaker 1: I go over there, I don't know who she is, I have no clue.
• 2:06
  Speaker 1: I go over there and show up and she introduces herself, you know, miss PR, and it just worked.
• 2:12
  Speaker 1: And we talked for a little while and kind of hit it off, because I think I was in Channel 2 at the time, wasn't?
• 2:18
  Speaker 2: I?
• 2:18
  Speaker 2: I don't think so.
• 2:19
  Speaker 2: She remembers the first day she saw you.
• 2:21
  Speaker 2: Yeah, and she's still trying to run away.
• 2:24
  Speaker 2: There was no exit.
• 2:31
  Speaker 1: Yeah, and you know you were working for the advertising agency and you got your feet wet doing this stuff over there, yep.
• 2:34
  Speaker 1: And then, I don't know, a few years later you're hired by the Houston Automobile Dealers Association.
• 2:42
  Speaker 1: Right, and now here she is, the executive vice president of the Houston Automobile Dealers Association.
• 2:45
  Speaker 1: Right, and now here she is the Executive Vice President of the Houston Automobile Dealers Association.
• 2:48
  Speaker 3: She owns it.
• 2:48
  Speaker 3: Yeah, that was 14 years ago when I was at that ad agency, so this is my 14th auto show.
• 2:53
  Speaker 1: And you know.
• 2:53
  Speaker 1: I am so proud of you.
• 2:55
  Speaker 1: Thank you, I feel like you know I started with her when she was at the ad agency.
• 3:01
  Speaker 1: And here I am regressing, going from big television here I am, to some lowly little auto show on the Internet, you know.
• 3:11
  Speaker 1: But no, I really am Seriously very proud of you.
• 3:14
  Speaker 1: Thank you, and you do such a great job at this.
• 3:17
  Speaker 3: Thank you very much.
• 3:18
  Speaker 1: This is your niche, baby.
• 3:20
  Speaker 3: It means a lot.
• 3:20
  Speaker 3: I really I was walking around this morning and I just had this smile on my face and I might even get a little emotional because honestly it's.
• 3:32
  Speaker 3: I love my job and I am so proud of this show this year and everything we've created and how we've grown HADA even Like even adding our technician competition and our luncheons for our dealers and our community outreach and then this event as a culmination.
• 3:45
  Speaker 3: I'm just really proud of what we've done.
• 3:47
  Speaker 1: And it's all because of you?
• 3:49
  Speaker 3: Well, no, it is true, I got a good team.
• 3:52
  Speaker 3: I got a good team.
• 3:52
  Speaker 3: I know that there has to be a driving force yes yes.
• 3:56
  Speaker 1: You know your stuff and you know you've done well, let me put it that way, and you've been through some pretty hard times here in the past few years.
• 4:06
  Speaker 1: The COVID thing, and you know manufacturers pulling out at the last minute, that's right but you still managed to pull this thing off.
• 4:15
  Speaker 1: And it's not easy.
• 4:15
  Speaker 1: And it's not easy today, especially because the whole automotive landscape has changed as a matter of fact.
• 4:20
  Speaker 1: I was just reading an article about that has changed as a matter of fact.
• 4:22
  Speaker 1: I was just reading an article about that.
• 4:23
  Speaker 1: And the fact that the COVID thing and the layoffs and pricing inflation, all of these factors in the automotive industry play a part in this show.
• 4:35
  Speaker 1: And you see it here.
• 4:36
  Speaker 1: This is where it all shows.
• 4:38
  Speaker 1: Look at what Detroit has been through.
• 4:41
  Speaker 1: Look at what Chicago it's not just Houston.
• 4:45
  Speaker 2: It's across everything.
• 4:46
  Speaker 1: People still in this city resonate with this show.
• 4:51
  Speaker 1: Look at all the people that are here.
• 4:52
  Speaker 1: Well to that point.
• 4:53
  Speaker 2: There's not just those are American shows you're talking about.
• 4:56
  Speaker 2: There's European car shows too, that don't have the layout or the expanse that this particular show has, or European shows that have closed and not exist anymore.
• 5:03
  Speaker 1: Exactly, and that's just recently, chance that this particular show or on, or european shows that have closed?
• 5:04
  Speaker 3: yeah, I was, about to say where that exists anymore exactly and that's just recently, absolutely so and so that I think that speaks volumes.
• 5:12
  Speaker 1: You know this show is well-rounded people.
• 5:14
  Speaker 1: Look at all the people here at ix exotics.
• 5:16
  Speaker 2: I lost con at four when they walked by.
• 5:18
  Speaker 2: That just places back and I mean the jeep thing.
• 5:24
  Speaker 1: This used to not exist.
• 5:25
  Speaker 1: You came to the car show, as a matter of fact, as Taylor, one of the product specialists, when I came originally a long time ago.
• 5:33
  Speaker 1: The manufacturers, mainly the big three and a few of the foreign ones, mainly Toyota and BMW, I think, were here, not in this facility, but they were the big players and the big three always had concept cars and they used to display the concept cars at least one, if not two, by each manufacturer.
• 5:55
  Speaker 1: They had this big, huge stage and the car up there and the big turntable, and they had this good-looking guy in a suit or girl up there in her suit and all these lines memorized and displaying the car opening the door and tell you about it.
• 6:09
  Speaker 1: And it was a 15-minute show unto itself, right?
• 6:12
  Speaker 1: They don't have that anymore.
• 6:14
  Speaker 3: No, they don't even make concept cars anymore.
• 6:16
  Speaker 3: Correct, very rare are they even making concept cars.
• 6:19
  Speaker 3: I get that comment on social media a lot saying, well, I'm not coming because they don't have concept cars anymore.
• 6:23
  Speaker 3: I I see people comment on social media a lot saying, well, I'm not coming because they don't have concept cars anymore.
• 6:25
  Speaker 3: I was like well, good luck finding one.
• 6:26
  Speaker 3: Yeah, exactly, they're not anywhere.
• 6:27
  Speaker 3: These used to be concepts.
• 6:28
  Speaker 2: These were concepts at one time.
• 6:29
  Speaker 1: They were on a computer.
• 6:31
  Speaker 1: Yeah, exactly Right.
• 6:32
  Speaker 2: Well, you got the yeah, you got the CADs and stuff.
• 6:34
  Speaker 2: That's how they do them now.
• 6:35
  Speaker 2: Well, and like Mazda said, they designed thing, but now they're designed on the computer.
• 6:41
  Speaker 3: So they are there's different things that we do have the prototype of the, of the forerunner from toyota, though, it's a pre-production model yeah yeah, that they designed and you know it's not a concept no per se
• 6:55
  Speaker 4: exactly they're going to make the car right.
• 6:58
  Speaker 3: Here's the pre-production that's the difference, and you know it's.
• 7:00
  Speaker 1: It's funny because, being automotive press, every once in a while we get a pre-production model.
• 7:05
  Speaker 3: Yeah.
• 7:06
  Speaker 1: And those cars go back to wherever they were and they get smashed Right Because they can't guarantee that all the stuff works the way that they want it to do, of course.
• 7:14
  Speaker 2: But they want to get it in the press.
• 7:15
  Speaker 2: Liabilities yeah.
• 7:17
  Speaker 1: And they get it in the press and they get some press on it.
• 7:19
  Speaker 1: It's coming up, you know, at the end of the summer it's coming out.
• 7:22
  Speaker 1: Yeah, that sort of thing.
• 7:23
  Speaker 1: But to be able to navigate all of that, kudos to you, because you know dealing with manufacturers and I know that this is just one little part of what the manufacturers do.
• 7:38
  Speaker 3: Right.
• 7:45
  Speaker 1: And the displays that they send down here.
• 7:46
  Speaker 1: And the other thing, too, that I think is interesting to point out is that the manufacturers don't just do the Houston show.
• 7:50
  Speaker 1: They may have another show going on at the same time somewhere else.
• 7:53
  Speaker 1: Or it's so close to the Houston show that they take the big design to the big spread over to Chicago.
• 8:02
  Speaker 3: Yeah, we've got Washington DC happening right now as well, so Washington and us had to compete for some of those assets from the manufacturers.
• 8:09
  Speaker 3: If they only have one Right, yeah, it definitely happens.
• 8:12
  Speaker 2: Yeah Well, and like the young man from Stellantis over here indicated that he's, for the past month he's been doing shows hopping around the countryside this is the show season.
• 8:21
  Speaker 3: We started kind of with detroit, and then it's us uh, washington, philadelphia was right before us, and then chicago will come up, and then a little little break with some smaller cities and then new york.
• 8:33
  Speaker 1: So it's kind of the circuit of the auto shows and I would imagine that you go to those shows and take a look and see what's going on there uh, chicago has long been my idol and mentor yeah, well, I will tell you, mars, were you there with me when we went on that junket?
• 8:49
  Speaker 1: no, I don't think you were.
• 8:50
  Speaker 1: We went, uh, went to.
• 8:51
  Speaker 1: I went to chicago and and had a little hop skip and a jump over to detroit while I was in chicago.
• 8:59
  Speaker 1: But that that chicago show is very unique because of where it is held, and here's a hall over here.
• 9:08
  Speaker 1: There's a hall over here, then there's another big display downstairs.
• 9:12
  Speaker 1: It's a very unique venue.
• 9:14
  Speaker 1: I've never been to one like it.
• 9:16
  Speaker 1: It's like an excursion.
• 9:17
  Speaker 2: But it works well there and the times that I've been there I really enjoy going around the show itself.
• 9:29
  Speaker 3: And, of course, that's two or three days of snow.
• 9:30
  Speaker 3: That's all I need.
• 9:30
  Speaker 3: That's part of it.
• 9:31
  Speaker 3: It's part of it.
• 9:31
  Speaker 3: Yeah, they, they actually open next week and I debated flying up there on wednesday to go to their show on thursday and I just said, you know, I don't want to be cold again.
• 9:38
  Speaker 2: I got my cold last week yeah.
• 9:43
  Speaker 1: Well, I mean I'll say this Because Ford has a manufacturing facility in Chicago and Ford is right there next to Dearborn that they get the big display.
• 9:58
  Speaker 1: I'll never forget the one that I went to in Chicago.
• 10:01
  Speaker 1: That Ford display was like half this arena.
• 10:04
  Speaker 1: It was huge, massive.
• 10:06
  Speaker 1: They don't do that anymore.
• 10:09
  Speaker 1: Yeah, and all of the manufacturers have pared it down.
• 10:14
  Speaker 3: Yep.
• 10:15
  Speaker 1: And there are some that do it better than others, and you have to deal with that because you set up the floor plan for these people Right, and it's like last saturday, when I came by here after the show there's nothing here.
• 10:31
  Speaker 3: Well, it was not.
• 10:32
  Speaker 2: It was a big empty room but she's got paper and she's got places where these vehicles are going to go there's a little red box.
• 10:38
  Speaker 2: She said this is where y'all are going to go, right there, and it's like there's nothing here to relate it to.
• 10:43
  Speaker 3: But she knew exactly where we were, and you had to talk her into putting us on the inside.
• 10:46
  Speaker 3: Yeah, as opposed to the outside.
• 10:48
  Speaker 2: Better than the outback, yeah.
• 10:52
  Speaker 3: Yeah, there's a lot of detail that goes into planning this event for sure, and I'm really grateful for our relationships with the local dealers and the local dealer groups and dealerships here in Houston, because they they're the ones that really help push the OEMs as well.
• 11:06
  Speaker 3: You know, camp Jeep was on the fence of coming back this year and we were begging them, telling them how important it is, what a great crowd we have, how much attendees love it.
• 11:15
  Speaker 3: And we had one dealer at Healthman Dodge that called, called every day and texted every day to the head of Jeep saying bring, bring this, bring this, bring this to Houston.
• 11:24
  Speaker 3: We'll do anything we can to get it here.
• 11:25
  Speaker 3: So without the support from them we wouldn't have all that we have.
• 11:30
  Speaker 3: And even some of the displays that you see are brought by the dealerships our Cadillac display, our BMW display, the Buick, gmc those are all local dealers that are bringing in their inventory from their showroom, putting it at risk in this event for five days instead of selling it, just so they can show it off and participate here at the auto show and make our event great.
• 11:49
  Speaker 2: Yeah, but I would imagine there's probably a high percentage of, say, if you pick somebody that's looking at a car, they're probably going to go back next week oh, absolutely.
• 11:58
  Speaker 2: And say you know, I talked to so-and-so at the auto show.
• 12:01
  Speaker 2: He said I could get this and set up I want to drive that car and they're going to buy it, so that's the advantage.
• 12:07
  Speaker 1: One of the things that I did want to talk to you about that we I've been waiting for you to talk to about this, and that was the outdoor ride and drive stuff.
• 12:15
  Speaker 1: Yes, and all you got, what you got going on outdoors too.
• 12:17
  Speaker 1: Yes, and it's a beautiful day.
• 12:19
  Speaker 3: It is a great day to go on a test drive, and so we have a little route here within NRG Center and you can go back down Old Spanish Trail and come back in at Fannin.
• 12:27
  Speaker 3: But we've got Subaru, Ford, Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Ram and Chevrolet all out front, as well as Evolve Houston, which is the EV Hummer, the Cadillac IQ, the Mini and a couple Chevys out there for people to test drive, as well as the BMW.
• 12:50
  Speaker 3: So we've got all those test drive opportunities right in front of NRG Center.
• 12:56
  Speaker 3: All you do is sign a waiver, take a breathalyzer, show your valid license and you get to go on a test drive and it's all in the driving.
• 13:01
  Speaker 1: Does one of those make a good for all?
• 13:04
  Speaker 3: of them.
• 13:04
  Speaker 3: No, you've got to sign different.
• 13:05
  Speaker 3: Each manufacturer has different liabilities and risks.
• 13:08
  Speaker 3: So you've got to sign each one, but it's a great way to go test drive with a low-pressure environment.
• 13:13
  Speaker 3: Those product specialists are going with you.
• 13:15
  Speaker 3: They're not trying to sell you a car right then on that test drive.
• 13:17
  Speaker 2: Is Volkswagen here?
• 13:18
  Speaker 2: Volkswagen is here.
• 13:19
  Speaker 2: Yes, If you're looking for the EV, if you want to come and check out the EV, it's not necessarily in the brand space.
• 13:25
  Speaker 3: They have them in the brands as well, so, like Ford, has the Mach-E and the Lightning in their Ford ride and drive and then Evolve has additional brands that might not be out front also.
• 13:36
  Speaker 2: So you look for the Evolve display, not necessarily.
• 13:42
  Speaker 1: Can we go over there and file a complaint about how many charging stations there are in the houston area?
• 13:47
  Speaker 2: go right ahead.
• 13:47
  Speaker 2: How many?
• 13:51
  Speaker 3: there should be an app that tells you which ones are working oh yeah or not?
• 13:55
  Speaker 1: that guess what?
• 13:55
  Speaker 1: That doesn't work either because the app doesn't work yeah well, there's that but uh, yeah, because I wanted to make sure that we that we put that in there.
• 14:03
  Speaker 1: You have food trucks here.
• 14:04
  Speaker 3: We do have some food trucks out front, some other displays too and some boats out front even.
• 14:09
  Speaker 3: I mean we packed this place, I know you did.
• 14:11
  Speaker 3: Inside the building is 700,000 square feet.
• 14:14
  Speaker 3: With the lobby it's a million square feet.
• 14:16
  Speaker 3: I don't know what our square footage is in the parking area and the valet area, but we take up every possible inch that we can in the parking area and the valet area, but we take up every possible inch that we can, and they have really squeezed in more than 400 boats over there.
• 14:28
  Speaker 3: And we've got 300-plus cars over here and all these extra exhibits like NASA, our race track that we have with the remote-control race cars, the Army gaming truck we have so many extra attractions this year that's making things really entertaining.
• 14:43
  Speaker 3: You're going to spend a couple hours here, for sure.
• 14:45
  Speaker 1: Talk about the NASA thing.
• 14:47
  Speaker 3: Yeah, it's really cool.
• 14:49
  Speaker 3: So it's from Space Center, Houston Johnson Space Center.
• 14:54
  Speaker 3: They brought in three lunar rovers that are competing to go to Mars and the Moon and you can check out the three different designs from three different companies.
• 15:04
  Speaker 3: I think NASA's out the three different designs from three different companies.
• 15:06
  Speaker 3: I think NASA's doing the critiquing of that.
• 15:08
  Speaker 3: There's a real spacesuit, a real live spacesuit over there and two simulators.
• 15:14
  Speaker 3: So one of the simulators you get to drive the lunar rover on the moon and the other one you get to dock one of the spaceships.
• 15:22
  Speaker 1: Oh, wow.
• 15:22
  Speaker 3: So it's really cool, really interactive, very educational, and I mean I just love that we have the carriage house golf carts from the 1925 model t version and then we've got the 2025 space rovers you know, right next to each other.
• 15:36
  Speaker 3: It just shows how far we're, how far innovation has come.
• 15:39
  Speaker 3: How did you swing that?
• 15:40
  Speaker 3: I got lucky she's.
• 15:40
  Speaker 3: Is that what it was?
• 15:41
  Speaker 3: Did you call space center houston?
• 15:42
  Speaker 3: They swing that I got lucky.
• 15:43
  Speaker 1: Is that what it was?
• 15:43
  Speaker 1: Did you call Space Center Houston or did they call you no?
• 15:46
  Speaker 3: actually, they called us and they said that they had been working on achieving this plan for the last two years, convincing their teams and figuring out how we could do this.
• 15:55
  Speaker 3: One of their communications directors comes to the auto show every year.
• 15:59
  Speaker 3: He loves it and he was like it would be perfect to have space cars at the auto show.
• 16:03
  Speaker 2: He loves it and he was like it would be perfect to have space cars at the auto show.
• 16:05
  Speaker 2: So they made it happen To the point where you said you got the golf cart.
• 16:07
  Speaker 3: Yeah, that's a Model T.
• 16:09
  Speaker 2: Well, that's sort of like David is being the modern version and you're the Model T, You've got all that expansion in there.
• 16:17
  Speaker 3: I had to go a long ways for that one, Jeff.
• 16:19
  Speaker 3: I know I did Sorry.
• 16:20
  Speaker 2: Let me explain it.
• 16:26
  Speaker 3: Yeah, if you've got to explain it, I was going to ask you, Don, when you came to the auto show, was it still in the arena 43 years ago?
• 16:33
  Speaker 1: It was in Astro Hall.
• 16:35
  Speaker 3: It was in Astro Hall yeah.
• 16:37
  Speaker 1: I think she meant the.
• 16:38
  Speaker 2: Roman arena where the chariots ran.
• 16:40
  Speaker 2: I think, that's what she meant Chariots of fire.
• 16:45
  Speaker 1: Go ahead and bash on Don.
• 16:46
  Speaker 1: It's okay, I can take it Charlton Heston yeah.
• 16:52
  Speaker 1: Chariots, Chariot racing.
• 16:55
  Speaker 1: You know they used to have that in the Astrodome during the rodeo.
• 16:58
  Speaker 4: And if you lost, you're too young to know.
• 17:01
  Speaker 3: But before they did that?
• 17:01
  Speaker 1: remember the wagon races that they got?
• 17:06
  Speaker 3: That was preceded by the chariot races that I think a couple of guys.
• 17:08
  Speaker 1: No, I do remember those, and then they got a little dangerous, yeah well, yeah, they got run over.
• 17:11
  Speaker 3: I do remember those.
• 17:12
  Speaker 3: Yeah, with the guy standing up there in the back doing that number.
• 17:17
  Speaker 2: Yes, yes, yes.
• 17:17
  Speaker 2: And then the thing you fed them to the lions, yeah.
• 17:22
  Speaker 1: Anyway, well, good times, and we thank you for inviting us.
• 17:27
  Speaker 1: We appreciate it.
• 17:28
  Speaker 3: I'm so glad you guys are here.
• 17:29
  Speaker 3: This is fun.
• 17:30
  Speaker 3: It's good exposure for all of us you guys and for us at this show and I'm excited to see this center continue to fill up today.
• 17:37
  Speaker 3: Yeah exactly.
• 17:38
  Speaker 1: We've got a good crowd.
• 17:38
  Speaker 1: So tonight until 8 o'clock.
• 17:40
  Speaker 3: Tonight until 8 o'clock.
• 17:41
  Speaker 3: So tonight until 8 o'clock.
• 17:42
  Speaker 3: Tonight until 8 o'clock.
• 17:43
  Speaker 3: Tomorrow, 10 am to 6 pm.
• 17:43
  Speaker 3: Close at 6.
• 17:44
  Speaker 3: Tickets online $20, or here at the door.
• 17:47
  Speaker 1: Good, very good, perfect.
• 17:48
  Speaker 1: We love you, thank you.
• 17:50
  Speaker 3: Thank you, guys.
• 17:50
  Speaker 2: One last question has the attendance been more than last year, kind of averaged?
• 17:54
  Speaker 3: out.
• 17:54
  Speaker 3: The first two days were average, Yesterday was higher than last year and we're on pace to do really good today.
• 18:05
  Speaker 1: So if you're coming to spend the whole day at.
• 18:05
  Speaker 3: NRG, we've got Monster.
• 18:06
  Speaker 2: Jam in the stadium tonight.
• 18:06
  Speaker 2: We talked about that.
• 18:06
  Speaker 2: Yeah, and so pay your parking one time.
• 18:08
  Speaker 3: Come over here in the afternoon, enjoy this event Spend the day Monster Jam at night.
• 18:13
  Speaker 1: Mars, you could get a three for boat show, car show, monster Jam there you go and food trucks and ride and drives Pl and food trucks and ride and drives.
• 18:21
  Speaker 3: All that, plenty to do, plenty to do.
• 18:23
  Speaker 1: Rochelle, I love you.
• 18:24
  Speaker 3: Thank you, Thank you guys.
• 18:24
  Speaker 1: Thank you very much Thank you, ma'am Rochelle.
• 18:26
  Speaker 1: Salinas, executive Vice President, houston Automobile Dealers Association.
• 18:30
  Speaker 1: Award-winning In Real Time Car Talk show available 24-7 through the Odyssey radio app Just look for In Real Time Car Talk.
• 18:39
  Speaker 1: We also video stream our live weekly show on Facebook, youtube and InRealTimecom and podcasts from your favorite podcast provider.
• 18:46
  Speaker 1: Inrealtime Car Talk Show continues right after this Quick break.
• 18:49
  Speaker 1: The Tex-Mex dining experience is defined by Loopy Tortilla, your destination for Texas' best beef fajitas and frozen margaritas.
• 18:53
  Speaker 1: Since 1983, loopy Tortilla has served authentic and time-tested recipes made with the freshest ingredients.
• 18:57
  Speaker 1: Atmosphere is part of the award-winning experience at.
• 18:59
  Speaker 1: Loopy Tortilla has served authentic and time-tested recipes made with the freshest ingredients.
• 19:04
  Speaker 1: Atmosphere is part of the award-winning experience at Loopy Tortilla, all developed in a little house near Highway 6 and I-10 in West Houston.
• 19:12
  Speaker 1: Visit any of the Loopy Tortillas and you'll see the same attention to detail in each and every location.
• 19:18
  Speaker 1: Start your Loopy experience with queso flammeado and guacamole, along with a classic frozen margarita.
• 19:24
  Speaker 1: Dine on famous loopy beef and chicken fajitas, or pepper shrimp brochette, or a fish or vegetarian entree, and finish with a scrumptious flan for dessert.
• 19:33
  Speaker 1: Find Loopy Tortilla in Houston, college Station, beaumont, austin, san Antonio and Dallas-Fort Worth.
• 19:38
  Speaker 1: There's a Texas location near you.
• 19:40
  Speaker 3: You own a car you love, but why not let Gulf Coast Auto Shield protect you?
• 19:44
  Speaker 3: Estonian John Gray invites you to his state-of-the-art facility to introduce you to his specialist team of auto enthusiasts.
• 19:51
  Speaker 4: Your destination for Texas' best beef fajitas or frozen margaritas.
• 19:56
  Speaker 3: Since 1983, Loopy Tortilla has served authentically.
• 20:01
  Speaker 1: You know, you try to give a man a job and you say press that button when it ends, Does he?
• 20:08
  Speaker 1: Yeah, he presses it while the other one's still going.
• 20:11
  Speaker 1: Who would do something?
• 20:13
  Speaker 1: Like that my mic's not on, so I don't care.
• 20:17
  Speaker 1: Oh my God.
• 20:20
  Speaker 1: Well, it's okay.
• 20:21
  Speaker 2: That way you get them all in real fast yeah.
• 20:23
  Speaker 1: Why don't we play all four of them at the same?
• 20:25
  Speaker 2: time.
• 20:25
  Speaker 2: There you go, let's give it a whirl.
• 20:27
  Speaker 1: Then you try to figure it out?
• 20:28
  Speaker 2: Let's give it a whirl.
• 20:29
  Speaker 2: You want to do it again?
• 20:30
  Speaker 2: Let's try it again.
• 20:32
  Speaker 1: No, let's not, We've already done it.
• 20:34
  Speaker 1: This is all bonus stuff anyway, and I was just Do you want to do that?
• 20:48
  Speaker 1: Sure, Okay, Well, we've got a little bit of time and you can comment.
• 20:51
  Speaker 1: Okay, Automakers responding to mounting concerns about vehicle affordability by producing more lower-end trims, creating value-focused special editions of popular nameplates and, in some cases, resurrecting base models they previously had killed off, resurrecting base models they previously had killed off.
• 21:18
  Speaker 1: Ford, MINI, Mitsubishi and Ram told dealers at the NAD show in New Orleans that they would build more affordable vehicles.
• 21:21
  Speaker 1: Chevy, Chrysler and Volkswagen are among brands that already have moved to offset rising vehicle costs with less expensive products.
• 21:29
  Speaker 1: Ford touted plans to bring back the base Bronco for the 2025 model year.
• 21:35
  Speaker 1: Gm and Volkswagen have already found sales success at the bottom of the price spectrum.
• 21:42
  Speaker 1: Vw, in October, added a value-oriented Wolfsburg edition to the 24 Tiguan compact crossover the brand's top-selling nameplate.
• 21:51
  Speaker 1: To the 24 Tiguan compact crossover the brand's top-selling nameplate.
• 21:52
  Speaker 1: In just three months, the model accounted for 6% of total 2024 Tiguan sales.
• 21:59
  Speaker 1: So obviously cheaper is ringing somebody's bell, because that's what they're buying.
• 22:05
  Speaker 1: Stellantis dealers should get ready for the quote most epic comeback in automotive history.
• 22:11
  Speaker 1: They're working on it In 2025, the company's US sales chief, jeff Comer, said at the NADA show.
• 22:17
  Speaker 1: There was feeling of optimism at the company's January 25th make meeting, comer said as the automaker and its retailers worked to move past a rough 2024 when sales declined 15% across the board.
• 22:32
  Speaker 1: Well, guess what?
• 22:33
  Speaker 1: The CEO moron that got sent up the totem pole.
• 22:39
  Speaker 1: Who is this guy?
• 22:42
  Speaker 1: He ruined a company.
• 22:44
  Speaker 1: Now they're trying to bring it back and I think they're going to.
• 22:47
  Speaker 1: I think they will too.
• 22:49
  Speaker 1: Stellantis North America COO Antonio Filosa moved Comer back to the lead US sales role after CEO Carl Tavares resigned in December.
• 23:01
  Speaker 1: He didn't resign, he got fired.
• 23:03
  Speaker 1: And how many millions of dollars did he get to say bye-bye?
• 23:08
  Speaker 1: A lot, yeah, a lot.
• 23:10
  Speaker 1: Keeping an eye on us all year long.
• 23:12
  Speaker 1: Comer told Automotive News after the meeting you're going to see incremental improvements, you're going to see momentum.
• 23:17
  Speaker 1: You're going to see sales gains.
• 23:18
  Speaker 1: The dealers got our back, we got their back and I feel like we're starting to gain their trust and optimism.
• 23:24
  Speaker 1: Back 24 was just not anywhere that we needed to be.
• 23:28
  Speaker 1: Increasing spending on regional tier two marketing to 2019 levels.
• 23:38
  Speaker 1: Mr Mars, what is?
• 23:38
  Speaker 2: he doing over there?
• 23:39
  Speaker 2: Is he looking at porn?
• 23:39
  Speaker 2: No, he's doing his taxes, taxes, yeah, buddy.
• 23:44
  Speaker 1: New US Transportation Secretary, sean Duffy, signed an order directing US regulators to rescind landmark fuel economy standards issued under President Joe Biden that aim to drastically reduce fuel use for cars and trucks.
• 23:57
  Speaker 1: In a January 28th memo, duffy directed the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to reconsider rules covering the 2022 model year through the 2031 model year for cars and trucks model year through the 2031 model year for cars and trucks.
• 24:16
  Speaker 1: Artificially high fuel economy standards designed to meet non-statutory policy goals, such as those nizza had promulgated in recent years, impose large costs that render many vehicle models unaffordable for the average american family.
• 24:26
  Speaker 1: So is that the cafe standards?
• 24:27
  Speaker 1: Is what you're talking?
• 24:28
  Speaker 2: about Pretty much.
• 24:29
  Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, but it goes a little bit further than that in what he's talking about.
• 24:34
  Speaker 1: Yeah, it's complicated, but, to put it in mild terms, trying to get 50 miles per gallon out of a gasoline engine may be possible, but not by 2035.
• 24:47
  Speaker 1: I just don't see that happening in 10 years Maybe.
• 24:50
  Speaker 2: I'm wrong, not consistently, no.
• 24:52
  Speaker 1: But you know what?
• 24:53
  Speaker 1: How much is that going to cost the car manufacturers and you ultimately, if you decide to try to buy something like that?
• 25:01
  Speaker 1: It's not just the car manufacturer.
• 25:03
  Speaker 2: It's also the manufacturer of the fuel.
• 25:05
  Speaker 2: What kind of fuels are we going to be running?
• 25:07
  Speaker 1: That's a big part of it too Well there are some manufacturers that are now three-fuel electric, hydrogen and gasoline.
• 25:15
  Speaker 2: Gasoline.
• 25:15
  Speaker 2: Yeah, we talked about that.
• 25:17
  Speaker 1: It's kind of like the old VHS versus beta thing.
• 25:21
  Speaker 1: You know which way do you go, because in the beginning, vhs beta, they were battling it out.
• 25:26
  Speaker 1: What did Don Armstrong buy?
• 25:28
  Speaker 2: Beta.
• 25:28
  Speaker 1: Beta.
• 25:29
  Speaker 1: Of course I did On recommendation from somebody who said, oh well, this is better quality, it's going to go beta.
• 25:35
  Speaker 1: Why did you do that, Mike?
• 25:36
  Speaker 2: Everything you hear now is the same thing.
• 25:38
  Speaker 2: It was better quality, but they just didn't market it right or cheap enough or something.
• 25:44
  Speaker 2: Who knows?
• 25:44
  Speaker 2: I don't know.
• 25:45
  Speaker 2: I was too young to be buying that kind of stuff.
• 25:48
  Speaker 1: Yeah, Really, really Okay, all right.
• 25:53
  Speaker 1: Well, we're going to wrap up today's show After a quick break.
• 25:55
  Speaker 1: Stay with us.
• 25:56
  Speaker 1: You're on the In Wheel Time Car Talk Show.
• 25:59
  Speaker 1: Pro-am Auto Accessories has been serving Houston's auto enthusiasts since 1984, providing world-class products for sports cars, european sedans and American muscle.
• 26:08
  Speaker 1: Pro-am is known as the place to go to find exclusive and hard-to-find parts and accessories.
• 26:13
  Speaker 1: Pro-am is one of the very first distributors in the USA for brands such as Recaro, redline, momo Corbo and Simpson.
• 26:19
  Speaker 1: Located in the heart of Houston's premier retail and service corridor, the Galleria area, pro-am's walk-in storefront includes an 8,000-square-foot warehouse, showroom and installation bays.
• 26:32
  Speaker 1: Pro-am not only sells parts and accessories, but also offers installation and service.
• 26:34
  Speaker 1: Pro-am is now reaching a worldwide audience through Pro-Amcom, taking its local reputation to the rest of the world.
• 26:40
  Speaker 1: At Pro-Am Auto, you'll be dealing with a small group of professionals who truly want to help you with your automotive needs.
• 26:46
  Speaker 1: If you don't see what you're looking for on the website, call and Pro-Am will lend you a hand.
• 26:50
  Speaker 1: Pro-am Auto, 6125 Richmond at Greenridge in Houston's Galleria area.
• 26:55
  Speaker 1: Call them at 713-781-7755.
• 27:01
  Speaker 4: From the open roads to the open waters, your adventure starts at the Houston Auto-Botive Show at NRG Center.
• 27:06
  Speaker 4: One ticket, two shows.
• 27:08
  Speaker 4: Check out top cars, trucks, sport boats, fishing boats and more New designs, new technology and everything in between Spectacular experiences, amazing fun.
• 27:18
  Speaker 4: There's something for everyone.
• 27:20
  Speaker 4: Get your friends, get your family and get your tickets now.
• 27:23
  Speaker 4: The Houston Autobotive Show making waves and fueling adventures.
• 27:30
  Speaker 1: Well, that's all for this week's In Wheel Time Car Talk Show.
• 27:32
  Speaker 1: Be sure and check us out online, inwheeltimecom.
• 27:36
  Speaker 1: We like to look just like you do, so send us some car pics of your ride.
• 27:42
  Speaker 1: Please include as many details as you'd like.
• 27:45
  Speaker 1: We'll feature it on a future show.
• 27:46
  Speaker 1: Send it to info at inwheeltimecom.
• 27:49
  Speaker 1: Hey, when you're looking for award-winning car talk, you can find that at the In Wheel Time Car Talk Show 24-7 on the In Wheel Time app On the road.
• 27:59
  Speaker 1: Grab a podcast anytime from your favorite podcast provider, including the new SiriusXM podcast channel, and be sure and catch us on the Odyssey Radio app.
• 28:07
  Speaker 1: We also video stream our show every Saturday on Facebook, youtube and InWheelTimecom.
• 28:12
  Speaker 1: The In Wheel Time video technical director is we Always Need More Jeff Zekin, the booking agent, video editor and people finder, mike Out of this World, mars Chief Engineer, david Ainsley and Don Armstrong.
• 28:26
  Speaker 1: Special thanks to Rochelle Salinas with the Houston Auto Dealers Association and the Houston Auto Show.
• 28:31
  Speaker 1: Also, kimberly Schultz with Stellatus has always supported the In Real Time Show and each one of us.
• 28:36
  Speaker 1: Thank you, kimberly, we love you.
• 28:38
  Speaker 1: And to our fans be safe out there.
• 28:39
  Speaker 1: Enjoy this beautiful weather.
• 28:41
  Speaker 1: Come see the Houston Auto Show.
• 28:42
  Speaker 1: We promise you'll love it.
• 28:43
  Speaker 1: Have a great week.
• 28:44
  Speaker 1: Thanks again for being with us today.
• 28:46
  Speaker 1: That's it for this podcast episode of the In Wheel Time Car Show.
• 29:00
  Speaker 1: I'm Don Armstrong, inviting you to join us for our live show every Saturday morning on Facebook, youtube, twitch and our InWheelTimecom website.
• 29:10
  Speaker 1: Podcasts are available on Apple Podcasts, spotify Stitcher, iheart Podcast Podcast Addict TuneIn, pandora and Amazon Music.
• 29:18
  Speaker 1: Keep listening and we'll see you soon.