Chrysler’s tagline is “Imported From Detroit,” but when it came to shooting this year’s Super Bowl commercial, most of the job got exported to other locales. According to The Weekly Standard, much of the footage in the ad, starring and narrated by actor Clint Eastwood, was shot in Los Angeles and New Orleans. The only footage of Detroit used in the wasn’t shot specifically for this year’s ad, according to the report.
While this revelation isn’t out-of-line given the imagery used, which was certainly less focused on Detroit than , the fact that “Halftime in America” was not shot in Michigan is still another bitter pill to swallow for locals. Michigan’s once-burgeoning film industry is reeling from state lawmakers’ decision in October to cut film production incentives.
According to , the film industry was booming in the state before the cuts, leading to both job growth and millions spent by filmmakers on ancillary expenses. But a new state budget caps rebates to film productions at $25 million, nearly $100 million less than the state provided in 2010, according to the report. The decision has led some Hollywood producers to cancel plans to film in Michigan.
There are luxury automakers, there are mainstream automakers, and then there are those in between. , we’d argue, is one of those marques that doesn’t quite compete in the same market as, say, or , but that looks as if it’s about to change.
The Swedish automaker has been toying for years with the idea of building a new flagship to take on the likes of the , , and , but while Volvo has dragged its feet on the prospect in the past, a series of what look like patent renderings that have leaked their way online give us what could prove the strongest indication yet of Volvo’s intent.
For better or worse, the renderings bear the hallmark of recent Volvo designs like the (unveiled in Shanghai last year), the (showcased in Frankfurt) and the upcoming next-generation XC90 – complete with the gaping maw that seems to mock the face we make when we look at these examples of this particular styling direction.
Of course, given the big wheels, showcar grille, delicate mirrors and suicide rear doors (not to mention the overall form), it seems more likely we’re looking at renderings for the Concept Universe rather than a production model in the making, but that just leaves us wondering what the patent filing is for. We’ll just have to wait a while to find out one way or another.
This is awkward. According to The Detroit Free Press, the now famous Made In Detroit apparel may come from as far away as the Dominican Republic. While Bobby Moscow, LLC, the company behind the official Made In Detroit shirts, designs and screen prints the Ts and other garb in Detroit proper, the raw materials are sourced from elsewhere. The company uses between eight and 10 different suppliers, and they may provide shirts from all over the globe. While some of the Ts come from a small company in Ohio, Buddy Moscow says it is currently working to ensure more of its products are made here in the States.
The original Made In Detroit shirts inspired by the 2011 Super Bowl commercial featuring Eminem were, in fact, made right here in the land of the free. Chrysler said the company felt it was important for the products to be made here given the slogan.
Some fans of the Buddy Moscow pieces have noticed the shirts come without any tags at all, leading to questions about whether or not the Ts were actually made in China. As it turns out, the tags were simply removed to facilitate screen printing in-collar labels.
is busily putting the prototype through its paces ahead of the vehicle’s debut later this year and spy photographers spotted the vehicle on public streets wearing a new vinyl wrap designed to obfuscate the model’s lines. Even so, we can clearly see a few more details about the upcoming sedan.
From the looks of things, the vehicle received more than a little inspiration from the Nissan Ellure Concept. With a contoured body line and headlights borrowed from the 370Z, the vehicle looks to have quite a bit more personality than in years past. Additionally, the same boomerang line found in the headlight housings also look to be transposed on to the vehicle’s C pillars and tail lamps, though the look isn’t as exaggerated as we saw on the Ellure.
The photogs also garnered a glimpse into the vehicle’s cabin, giving us the first look at the dash in the 2013 Altima. The sedan will likely come with the same intelligent key system found elsewhere in the Nissan line, and the center stack and steering wheel have seen some love as well. hybrid that makes use of a an electric motor paired with a supercharged four-cylinder engine and a lithium-ion battery pack.
When spending big dollars on a Super Bowl ad buy, companies would do themselves well to remember that the successful spots aren’t just the ones being talked about the next day. The ads that more eyeballs actually saw while watching the game were also worth their weight in focus groups.
For the second year in a row, General Motors is claiming that it aired the most watched ad during the most watched event in U.S. TV history. We are speaking of the 30-second spot entitled “” featuring the that aired during the game’s most tense moments, right after the official two-minute warning was reached. The time was 9:37 PM EST and, according to analysis by Kantar Media, more people were watching NBC’s broadcast at that time than any other.
And since this year’s Super Bowl was again viewed by another record audience – 111.3 million viewers in the U.S., not to mention over a billion worldwide – the ATS ad therefore becomes the most watched advertisement on television in U.S. history.
We said this is the second time that GM has claimed this crown. The first was To see the two most watched spots in U.S. television history back-to-back, just .
News on the next-generation 2015 has been spilling forth for a bit now, but a report in Autocar has begun to put them into a single package. We knew that next R8 wouldn’t offer , only a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, and that the monocoque would be a lighter, . Audi has apparently pegged a target weight of under 1,500 kilograms (3,300 pounds), meaning it will shed more than 135 kg (305 lbs.) versus today’s 4.2-liter V8 manual.
That will make the two engines in the next car – refined versions of the current naturally aspirated V8 and V10 – even more potent. Autocar didn’t mention an increase in displacement, but horsepower bumps were rated at 20 hp for the V8, to 450 hp, and 25 hp for the V10, to 550 hp. The GT will also benefit from 20 additional horses, getting 580 hp. More interestingly, neither mill will benefit from forced induction as Audi wants to maintain “the throttle response, the soaring nature of the delivery and the inherent sound.”
The evolution or disappearance of the sideblades on the “clean-sheet design” also wasn’t broached, but the trademark signifiers don’t appear in Autocar’s rendering. The report states that it will take cues from the R8 e-tron (pictured), but they see intakes at the door shut-line, which feature very MP4-12C-like dual strakes. It’s only a rendering, but if sideblades are what you’re after then the future doesn’t look bright. We’ll see the sibling replacement next year, a year before the R8 is shown in 2014.
January was not a busy month for our long-term 2011Hyundai Equus. It did ferry one of our editors between auto company cocktail hours and dinners during the week of the , but for the latter half of the month it wasn’t driven all that much. But that’s good news, because our spent quite a bit of time at , in Dearborn, Michigan, receiving a .
As we wind down its year in the Autoblog fleet, we also saw fit to address some cosmetic damage to the front fascia and have our 22,500-mile service completed. While the service was free, the “minor” scrape on the lower corner of the bumper skirt set us back some $669.25. Our time with the Equus ends in just a few weeks, which means we’ll only have limited time to enjoy the now-comfortable seat. This has been one of our biggest issues with the car, and to have it finally fixed after all this time is so wonderful that some editors are grumbling that they won’t have the chance to get back in the car again.
We do wish, however, that the seat bottom wasn’t made to look even more worn by the contrast of the brand new seat back. At least we don’t have to look at it while we drive around enjoying the comfort of the now-working back massager.
According to a number of reports, has given up on diesel power for the in the United States. Why would BMW turn its back on the torquey and efficient 335d? The reason is supposedly two-fold. It’s no secret the automaker is bringing an to market in the fall of this year. Given America’s insatiable, if not illogical, thirst for hybrids, reason would have us believe BMW has switched sides in the diesel versus fight. Then there’s the fact that the turbo four-cylinder gasoline engine in F30 328i now in both efficiency and power. Those circumstances seem to be a curtain call for any return of the 335d in America.
When we spoke to BMW about the supposed demise of the 335d, the automaker made it clear the ActiveHybrid 3 Series is in no way meant to replace the diesel. While the automaker doesn’t plan to release a new 335d during 2012, the company is currently evaluating the case for a successor. Odds are, that means finding a way to make the vehicle a worthwhile investment for both consumers and the automaker.
When asked if that meant a turbo 2.0-liter diesel was an option, Tom Plucinsky, BMW product communications manager, said, “The F30 328i has the same EPA rating as the 335d. We need to up our game if we’re going to continue to offer a 3 Series diesel in the U.S. It’s a possibility.”
So, don’t go throwing dirt on the 3 Series diesel’s coffin just yet.
If you were watching the news out of Wörthersee last year, you may recall the pictured above. The show car debuted at the annual fan-fest in Austria, alongside an even hotter and a whole mess of other machinery from the burgeoning German auto empire. But that was the last we heard of it … until now.
Reports coming in from across the pond indicate that Volkswagen is planning to actually build the GTI Cabrio, and that it will unveil the production version at the upcoming next month. Although Volkswagen has offered the GTI’s engine in versions of the and in some markets, this would only be the second time that a full-on GTI convertible will be offered from the factory, complete with the suspension and other bits that go along with it.
Word has it that the GTI Cabrio would be the final swan song for the current sixth-generation Golf before it’s replaced next year. But if that’s not enough, VW is also tipped to be preparing the hotter 268-horsepower, all-wheel-drive Cabrio for production as well. Chances that either of these would be offered on this side of the Atlantic, however, don’t look good.
While we’ve already , there’s no way their on-track training could prepare them for the the 24 Hours of LeMons.
This relatively recent phenomenon of endurance racing with $500 beater cars has grown into a 20-race season for 2012 that, as the , is “Inexplicably Presented by Car and Driver.” It’s legit racing with a laugh track, yet requires the same dedication to win, or even finish, as any real racing endeavor.
Jessi and Patrick caught up with the 24 Hours of LeMons at Buttonwillow Raceway near Los Angeles, California where we got them rides with a team full of masochists who field only tiny British cars. What could possibly go wrong?
to watch them check off “Race in the 24 Hours of LeMons” from The List.
Have an RSS feed? to add The List.
Do you have an idea for The List? to tell us what would be on yours.
You can also to learn more about our hosts, Jessi and Patrick.
This isn’t good. The Associated Press is reporting that has stopped production of the and laid off 26 Delaware employees and 40 contractors in California. The carmaker is reportedly looking to conserve cash while attempting to renegotiate loans granted by the Department of Energy.
Fisker originally signed on for a $529 million loan, of which only $193 million has been received. Fisker reportedly cannot get at the remaining funds, which are earmarked for the delayed , because the automaker failed to meet Karma sales targets that were a condition of the loan. A few days ago, Fisker for the $100,000 Karma to a still very lofty 10,000 units in 2012.
Fisker spokesman Roger Ormisher told the AP that the automaker is hoping for a speedy resolution to its cash crunch. We hope so too, or Fisker could be in a heap of trouble.
The road taken by to the World Rally Championship has been anything but smooth. After contesting a handful of rallies last season, Mini and Prodrive (the outfit running the team on the manufacturer’s behalf) was set to contest the full calendar this year. But then the team , and it had plucked from the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, and things did not look good.
Late last week the talk around the motorsport press was that parent company was preparing to pull the plug on the entire program (much as it had with the Sauber team in F1 a few years ago), but while an announcement has been made, it’s not nearly as drastic as had been expected.
What Mini has done is downgrade its involvement from full-on works effort (that is, a team fully financed by an automaker) to a works-supported private team. So what does that mean exactly? In practical terms, not very much. Prodrive will continue development of the Mini John Cooper Works WRC car for both the official entry and for additional privateer teams running customer cars in the WRC and other series. And Prodrive seems optimistic that the new arrangement will actually enhance the program, not downgrade it.
What is 100% clear is that BMW wasn’t happy with how things were shaping up, so it demanded a change. Just what effect that change will bring, however, seems more confined to the relationship between Mini, Prodrive and the FIA. for the full announcement.
If you’ve been following the story of the soon-to-be-revealed , you’re likely aware that the all-electric crossover is said to be and (at least as an option). Also, if is any indication, it should be pretty svelte.
What you might not know is that the feature likely to garner the most initial attention are its unique doors. Specifically, “falcon” doors. While we suspect front passengers will gain entrance to the vehicle in the traditional way, the rear portals will be decidedly different. CEO Elon Musk intimated as much when , “The most interesting view of the Model X is really with the doors open.”
So, what are falcon doors? Having seen photos of the Model X, Theo O’Neill of Wunderlich Securities explains that they “lift up and fold – like the wing of a bird,” pivoting from the top. Apparently, this will help the Model X achieve its “functionality of a minivan” mandate, allowing easy access to attend to child car seats and such.
Though we can really only begin to decide whether this configuration is a stroke of genius or too clever by half after the official reveal on February 9 at 8:00PM, we suspect some of you might already be forming opinions. Feel free to share with the rest of the class in the comments.
launched its mid-size sedan in late 2010 as a 2011 model, with the Turbo, and eAssist models following suit over the past year. Now, ‘ tri-shield arm has announced a couple of powertrain updates that will go into effect for the 2013 model year, namely the discontinuation of the naturally aspirated 2.4-liter inline-four in the base Regal.
For 2013, the Regal’s standard engine is the 2.4-liter powerplant – a mill that, according to the EPA, is good for up to 36 miles per gallon on the highway. Buick pulled a similar stunt with its larger LaCrosse, killing off the base 2.4 in favor of the eAssist powertrain with a V6 available as a no-cost option. That said, Buick has not announced pricing for the updated 2013 Regal line, but we’ll be interested to see if the 220-horsepower 2.0-liter inline-four of the Regal Turbo will be available at no additional cost.
The 270-hp Regal GS carries over largely unchanged, though as initially promised, a six-speed automatic transmission will now be optional. Buick states that the self-shifting unit will not hinder performance (well, except for that whole shift-on-your-own-terms thing), citing that the automatic-equipped Regal GS will sprint to 60 miles per hour in 6.7 seconds, just like manual-equipped cars.
Buick will release full pricing and availability for the 2013 Regal line later this year. In the meantime, read the full details for yourself in the press release .
We’re almost ready to record Episode #268 of the Autoblog Podcast. Check out the topics below and you can join us live via , as well, and we’ve embedded our UStream player Thanks for listening!
Discussion Topics for Autoblog Podcast Episode #268
On this side of the Atlantic, one division’s new product may not have a significant impact on those of another. That’s because the German auto giant’s brands are kept quite separate in North America. Less so, however, back in Europe, where a new VW is likely to reappear in due time as a Seat or Skoda.
Case in point: the new Up! city car, which is also sold overseas as the and . And, true to form, with the Volkswagen brand having enlarged its city car to a five-door, its Czech cousin has followed suit.
And so, starting in May (after its debut at the ), European buyers will be able to get their hands on a five-door Citigo, offering the same 1.0-liter three-cylinder engine (in either 60- or 75-horsepower guise) as the Up, Mii and three-door Citigo. Details in the press release .
Stellar fuel efficiency is still the name of the game when it comes to our , as it’s averaging well over its EPA-estimated 30 city and 42 highway miles per gallon in our hands. In fact, with a deft throttle foot, it’s not terribly difficult to crest the 50-mpg plateau on long, steady-state trips.
The oil-burning steed recently made the trek from Southern California to the Phoenix, Arizona area so that our resident photographer, Drew Phillips, could make sure we got all the right shots as we lead-footed our way around the Bondurant circuit with the .
Parking the next to the Camaro ZL1 was an interesting exercise – it’s hard to imagine two vehicles more diametrically opposed than these. And, needless to say, moving directly from 580 supercharged horsepower in the ZL1 to just 140 horses in the VW took a bit of right-foot recalibration.
The good news is that, with 236 pound-feet of torque on tap, the Jetta TDI is fun to drive in its own right. Short-shifting the six-speed manual gearbox to keep the diesel mill in its sweet spot produces the most satisfying experience in the Jetta, and it allows you to feel the rush of torque as the turbocharger gets a hold of the spent diesel fumes, pushing your body into the seatback.
The gritty Super Bowl commercial starring Clint Eastwood may not have been as much of a shock – or as universally well-regarded – as , but it’s certainly going to have cube-dwellers trawling YouTube to catch another viewing. Problem is, ran into some problems this morning. Viewers attempting to watch the commercial instead got a message saying “This video is no longer available due to a copyright claim by NFL Properties LLC.”
When we reached Chrysler spokeswoman Diana Gutierrez earlier today, she could only say, “We are investigating right now.”
The video did become available on the Chrsyler YouTube channel by 11:00 AM Eastern time, though we are awaiting some explanation of what happened from Chrysler’s PR team. As a stopgap measure while the Chrysler channel was still down, the ad was posted to another Chrysler YouTube page, PentastarVideo. Still, Chrysler’s problems during a high-traffic part of the day means it must have missed plenty of eyeballs.
Are you a U.S. automaker? Do you want a billion dollars? Have we got a deal for you! Just build 60,000 cars that get 100 miles per gallon and the government will send a truckload of cash to your office doors (or, perhaps, mail a check).
H.R. 3872 – the – was just introduced by Representative (R) of California’s 3rd Congressional District. If passed, the legislation would have the Secretary of Energy “establish a program to award a prize in the amount of $1,000,000,000 to the first automobile manufacturer incorporated in the United States to manufacture and sell in the United States 60,000 mid-sized sedan automobiles which operate on gasoline and can travel 100 miles per gallon.”
That’s right, no cheating with subcompacts toys or fancy all-electrics, it’s for adult-sized gasoline-burners only. It’s unclear whether plug-in hybrids such as the or upcoming might be eligible, but we doubt it since OpenCongress the subtitle is, “To provide a prize to the first manufacturer of highly-efficient mid-sized automobiles powered by gasoline,” and the Volt already .
While established automakers couldn’t be lured in by the measly $1 million offered by the , we’re sure they’d be more than happy to accept a check with the big B on it. The question this proposed law begs, though, is would they make an extra effort to achieve this sort of sky-high efficiency goal under other circumstances?
has announced a of certain 2008-2010 models over faulty tail lamps. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the coupes may have been assembled with a defective rear lamp assembly. The lights could then fail to illuminated, potentially causing an accident. says Maserati will replace the units free of charge once the campaign begins this month. The recall covers 1,768 Granturismo models.
, Maserati recalled 763 and Granturismo models over faulty tie-rod ends, which could have led to a total loss of vehicle control. for the full NHTSA recall report. Owners may contact Maserati or NHTSA for more information.
