Two cities, both alike in industry: Detroit, U.S.A. and Berlin, Germany. In a recent series for WDET, Martina Guzman explored the similarities and differences between the two iconic hubs of industry that came into their own in the 20th century. 

Detroit got a dose of good news, yesterday. For the first time in the 24 year history of the JD Power and Associates Initial Quality Study American car makers beat out imports. Porsche still topped the list, but Ford was in the top five up there, along with luxury brands. That is the only time a mainstream American brand has been in that group. 

Takeaway correspondent Andrea Bernstein is just back from a conference in Washington of 10,000 transportation professionals from across the country. There, she learned how cities around the country are introducing novel ideas for transport, trying to make them mainstream. We hear about "Hot Lanes," "Bike Shares," and whether or not some cities may be looking at letting rich people buy their way out of traffic congestion.

The CEO of Fiat-Chrysler, Sergio Marchionne, is scheduled to make a major announcement today charting his five-year plan for the struggling car maker. Wes Lutz, the owner of a Dodge dealership in Jackson, Mich., knows nothing about what will be in today's announcement. He's not alone in wondering what's coming next: The company is keeping their plans close to their chest. We also talk to Paul Eisenstein, publisher of The Detroit Bureau, an online magazine covering the American auto industry.

U.S. auto sales soared in July. Auto analysts like The Takeaway's guest Tom Libby, a Detroit-based independent auto analyst, say the government’s Cash for Clunkers program is giving a big push to the numbers. The program, which gives people $4,500 to buy a new car when they trade in their rusted hulks, blew through a billion dollars in its first week. Now the Senate is deciding whether to allocate another $2 billion to the program. The House already agreed to the re-up. So what happens to the cars when you trade them in? And are dealers really making a mint? The Takeaway talks to Brian Willian, sales manager for the Albany Honda dealer in Albany, Georgia, and J.C. Cox, owner of an auto salvage business in Moultrie, Georgia, to find out the cradle-to-the-grave of Cash for Clunkers.

Last week we reported on the Obama administration's “cash for clunkers” program—where you can trade in your old beater for a credit on a new, more fuel efficient car. The rewards program was supposed to last well into the Fall, but news late last night says "cash for clunkers" may have already been cashed out. Joining The Takeaway this morning with more is Louise Story, a reporter for The New York Times.

A study says that if you're using your cell phone while driving, you're just as likely to crash as someone who has been drinking. But most states don't ban texting while driving. And no state has banned driving while talking on the phone. The New York Times reports that federal agencies withheld studies showing how dangerous texting while driving actually is. Joining The Takeaway is Adam Bryant, New York Times Deputy Business Editor.

In June, President Obama promised the nation a "New GM" as part of his administration's restructuring of the auto industry in the wake of its financial collapse. Now General Motors is expected to emerge from bankruptcy reorganization as the promised “New GM” —a partially-government-owned entity. The brand will hang on to successful lines like Chevrolet and Cadillac and let go of others. How will this "New GM" fit in with the old Detroit? The Takeaway is taking the pulse of Detroit today. We are joined by Bishop Charles Ellis of the Greater Grace Temple and WDET reporter Noah Ovshinsky.

Have your own story or thoughts on the "New GM"? Let us know!

The news is full of Detroit's woes. Chrysler is drawing up bankruptcy papers, GM is shuttering its plants for nine weeks, and just this morning Ford posted a $1.4 billion first quarter loss. Some critics blame the U.S. auto industry's current problems on the ghosts of cars past. Boring design led to weak car sales that led to the financial crisis. So how should Detroit plan for the future?

This week the arts and culture radio program Studio 360 visits Los Angeles to look at the kind of innovative ideas about car design coming out of that city. Host Kurt Andersen spoke with hot rodders, low riders, and car designers freed from the constrictions of working inside the Detroit system to see where the American car industry could be. He also took a ride in an electric car on three wheels that's straight out of The Jetsons. He joins The Takeaway with an account of what he learned about the future of cars.

The Obama administration unveils its restructuring plan for the troubled auto industry today, and in a surprise move, GM's Chief Executive Rick Wagoner will be stepping down, too. For an analysis, The Takeaway talks with New York Times Senior Business Correspondent Micheline Maynard in Detroit and Sheryl Gay Stolberg who is covering the story from D.C.

For more, read Sheryl Gay Stolberg's article, U.S. Moves to Overhaul Ailing Carmakers and Micheline Maynard's profile of Wagoner, The Steady Optimist Who Oversaw G.M.’s Decline, both in the New York Times.

It's Monday, which means it is time to take a look at the week ahead. For their educated guesses as to what is on the agenda for the week is James Surowiecki, The Balance Sheet writer for The New Yorker, and Marcus Mabry, international business editor for the New York Times.

What's on this week's agenda?

Monday: GM chief expected to step down

• The chairman and chief executive of General Motors Corp. of eight years, Rick Wagoner, is resigning.
• Wagoner's unexpected move is part of an agreement made by GM with the Obama administration.
• We'll learn more about the strings of President Obama's auto bailout plan in a speech by the president Monday morning.
• More: G.M. Chief Is Said to Be Resigning in Deal With U.S. (The New York Times)
• More: GM chairman to leave US car maker (BBC)

Monday: President Obama's auto team is expected to offer aid to GM and Chrysler

• The president's task force on the auto industry is expected to back increasing short-term aid to General Motors and Chrysler in return for concessions that would help the companies survive the economic downturn.
• More: With a Busy Agenda, Obama Turns to Auto Bailout Plan (The New York Times)
• More: Auto Task Force Set to Back More Loans -- With Strings (The Wall Street Journal)

Tuesday: Election Tuesday symbolizes judgment on president

• Tuesday's election for the successor to Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., pits Republican Jim Tedisco against Democrat Scott Murphy who has the backing of President Obama
• Leaders say the selection will be a judgment on the president, stimulus plan and strength of the political parties
• More: NY House race seen as first test of Obama's power (The Associated Press)

Tuesday–Thursday: President Obama and the First Lady begin their first overseas tour

• Mr. Obama will meet with Chinese leader Hu Jintao, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, British Queen Elizabeth II, and heads of state from Saudi Arabia, India and South Korea.
• President Obama will seek support for his new Afghanistan-Pakistan plan from European nations and deal with the issue of Iranian nuclear ambitions. • The president will also seek to maintain Chinese support for purchasing U.S. government debt and ease tensions with Russia over energy and missile defense.
• He will also be seeking help to enlist Iran in the U.S. effort to stabilize Afghanistan and Pakistan.
• President Obama will be attending the G-20 summit, as well as a 60th anniversary summit of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, and a European Union-U.S. summit.
•More: Regulation Goals Replace Stimulus Push (Wall Street Journal)
• More: Barack Obama: 'Every decision we're making counts' (The Telegraph)

The crisis in the auto industry is not just taking it's toll on American brands. While the Saturn and Hummer maybe a thing of the past here, in Europe, Saab is at risk, and in Russia, the famed Lada car company may be at risk of going under entirely. And they haven't been able to pay their hockey team in three months. In fact, there is an entire city that depends on making the car mdash;it's home town of Togliatti in central Russia. For more, The Takeaway is joined by Rupert Wingfield-Hayes in Moscow.

Not familiar with Lada? Maybe this commercial will help bring you up to speed.

General Motors and Chrysler presented their repayment plans to the Treasury Department yesterday. Unfortunately in order for them to make enough money to re pay their loan they are going to have cut 47,000 jobs and close five more plants. And the kicker is that GM needs another $30 billion to survive. President Obama's new auto cabinet (that doesn't really have a ring to it) has a lot of work ahead of them. To walk us through the reconstruction plans is Nick Bunkley, reporter for the New York Times.

For more, read Nick Bunkley's and Bill Vlasic's article, Automakers Seek $14 Billion More in Aid, in today's New York Times.

Continuing his string of reversals of Bush administration policies, President Obama is set to allow California to opt out of federal regulations and set stricter standards to limit greenhouse gas emissions from cars. More than a dozen other states may adopt the same standards. Struggling automakers have said that complying with the new rules will cost billions. New York Times reporter Peter Baker joins The Takeaway to explain the significance of the change in federal policy.

For more, read Peter Baker's article, Obama’s Order Is Likely to Tighten Auto Standards, in today's New York Times.

At this week's Detroit auto show, car companies are rolling out prototypes of their electric vehicles, and the plan is to have them on the road within the next few years. Will that mean an end to the experience of driving as we know it? Dan Neil, Pulitzer Prize-winning automotive critic for the Los Angeles Times, joins John for a discussion of what it actually feels like to drive an electric car.

The new Dodge Circuit is introduced at the Detroit auto show this week.



For less style, but more efficiency, take a gander at Toyota's latest hybrid.

Kokomo is Indiana’s 13th largest city and it came in third on a list of the nation’s fastest dying towns. With 14% of the town’s population relying on Chrysler for their income, how will the town cope with the stalled auto bailout and the city's four manufacturing plants idle? Kokomo Mayor Greg Goodnight joins John and Adaora to talk about the future of his town.

The price of gas is dropping, but statistics show Americans are clocking fewer miles on the road.