GM Makes the Money. Tesla Steals the Show.
Joe White and Tu Le on Tesla’s spectacle, GM’s profits, and China’s growing foothold in Europe.
GM is generating billions in cash. Tesla just reminded everyone that Elon Musk can still command the world’s attention. And in Paris, Chinese automakers weren’t merely showing off new vehicles—they were showing Europe where they intend to build them.
Three stories. One uncomfortable question:
Are the companies making the most money today necessarily the ones best positioned for tomorrow?
In Episode #29 of At The Wheel, Joe White and Tu Le compare notes on a global automotive industry increasingly divided by geography, technology, and corporate priorities.
Fresh from the Paris Motor Show, Tu describes the growing ambitions of XPeng, Geely, Leapmotor and other Chinese automakers, including their plans to manufacture vehicles inside Europe. Joe draws parallels with the arrival of Japanese and Korean automakers in America—and questions whether Europe’s established brands are helping create their next generation of competitors.
Back in Detroit, GM is delivering substantial profits and rewarding shareholders. But are stock buybacks, North American trucks, and a measured approach to new technologies enough to secure its future?
Then there’s Tesla.
The flying Roadster may never become a meaningful production vehicle, but Elon Musk has once again demonstrated something the rest of the industry struggles to replicate: the ability to make millions of people stop and pay attention.
We debate whether that is showmanship, strategic brilliance, or both—and why it matters in a world increasingly shaped by AI, autonomous driving, and technology platforms.
Watch the episode, challenge our assumptions, and tell us what you think.
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Two perspectives. Plenty of opinions. No corporate talking points.
Tags
Automotive Industry, Tesla, General Motors, Future of Mobility, Automotive Strategy, Autonomous Driving, Chinese Automakers, Automotive Technology
Chapters
00:00 Welcome to At The Wheel #29
01:31 Paris Motor Show: China’s Automotive Takeover
06:00 XPeng, Leapmotor & European Manufacturing
10:12 Can Europe Compete With Chinese Automakers?
14:47 GM Q3 Earnings: Billions in Profits
18:43 GM’s Buybacks vs Investing in the Future
24:49 GM’s Long-Term Strategy & Wall Street Skepticism
28:20 Waymo, Super Cruise & Autonomous Driving
31:05 Robotaxis: Global Competition Heats Up
34:04 Chinese Investment, Jobs & Manufacturing
36:40 Tesla’s Flying Roadster: Genius or Gimmick?
40:05 Tesla, SpaceX & the Merger Question
42:28 Tesla’s Sales Plateau & Future Challenges
43:46 Elon Musk’s Marketing Masterclass
50:59 The Roadster’s Engineering & Inspiration
53:00 Why Porsche, Mercedes & Legacy Auto Can’t Keep Up
