A few months ago, Steve Shannon, vice president of marketing at said the brand would to the game, instead of focusing just on features, and with this peppy quip: “We’re making Super Bowl spots. We need to get that headset on. The bar is high.”
The first three ads are, and in one of them, “All for One,” a designer needs a little extra support getting a job done. He gets it from his coworkers. And plant workers at Hyundai’s Montgomery, Alabama facility. And Rocky. to check that one out along with “Cheetah” (pictured) that features the and “Think Fast,” which introduces the revamped You’ll also find the press release describing Hyundai’s Super Bowl gameplan and find link links to watch the behind-the-scenes videos for each, as well.
Way back at the beginning of Saab’s struggle for life after , exotic car firm Spyker was ($527M U.S.) from the European Investment Bank. The loan was approved after it was guaranteed by Sweden’s Debt Office, and Saab’s recent bankruptcy filing forced the Debt Office to back up the guarantee with a €217-million payment ($286M) to the EIB – the portion of the loan that actually drew upon.
It’s not exactly bad news for the government, since the government’s stake in Saab Automobile Parts and Saab Automobile Tools – used to guarantee its own guarantee of the EIB loan – is understood to be worth more than €217 million.
In the next couple of weeks, bids are expected from both and private equity group for the purchase of Saab in its entirety. No one can predict the outcome, but it this last-ditch situation might have the best chance: the European auto supplier organization CLEPA is assisting Youngman, the numbers being hinted at would indicate sane and motivated buyers, GM’s intellectual property concerns appear to have been addressed, and it’s certain that the sellers would love to see a bit of sun after a long spell of gloom for the hard luck brand.
Heather Peters is in Torrance, California over the lackluster fuel economy she’s gotten out of her Hybrid. It isn’t really a new lawsuit, it’s one that sprung from Peters not signing onto the settlement of an earlier class-action lawsuit brought by one John True, who sued over the same issue. The meat of the claim is that Honda’s window sticker attested to an EPA combined 42 miles per gallon figure, but unhappy drivers are getting closer to 32 mpg.
True’s suit was settled out of court in 2009 and plaintiffs have until February 11, 2012 to partake of redress that the Attorneys General of 26 states declared unfair. Peters didn’t sign on, taking her own case to small-claims court where cases aren’t tried by lawyers. According to Automotive.com, Honda’s point man Neil Schmidt didn’t appear at the previous hearing, but this time he showed up and provided several dossiers to Commissioner Carnahan. Most of the paperwork submitted into evidence was reportedly “testimony from happy Civic Hybrid owners,” which the judge dismissed.
Schmidt first suggested that Peters did not adhere to the right service procedures with her car, then Honda’s EPA certification engineer said that Honda had no option but to follow the EPA’s testing procedures. While that is correct regarding following testing protocol, Peters argued that automakers have the discretion to use lower fuel economy numbers in their advertising and on Monroneys if they see the need. Peters claims Honda didn’t lower the number because it was trying to take advantage of “the green revolution.”
Some observers believe the reduced mileage is an effect of a mandatory software upgrade applied to 2006-2008 Honda Civic Hybrids. The upgrade was meant “not just to prolong the life of the battery, [but] .” While there were complaints about the mileage before (as there are of a great many cars), it was after the upgrade that forums began to light up with tales of poorer mileage. That could have been because , a fix to allegedly offset the battery deteriorating more quickly than Honda anticipated.
Commissioner Carnahan is expected to rule on the case as soon as next week. Peters hopes it’s before the February 11 deadline to participate in True’s lawsuit settlement. At stake is not just the $10,000 Peters is seeking, but a figure potentially in the billions as other unhappy owners could flock to lawyer-free small-claims court to fight their cases. In the event of a loss, Honda is expected to appeal, to which Peters says, “I’m ready!”
It was only a few weeks ago that CEO Dieter Zetsche laid out his global sales vision for the brand, aiming to be the world’s Number One luxury automaker by 2020 with . One component of that plan is building another plant in North America, and a report by the TheDetroitBureau.com indicates that the plant will be built in Aguascalientes, Mexico – right next to a Nissan assembly plant that’s already there.
recently announced of its Aguascalientes facility to produce up to 175,000 units annually. According to the Bureau report, “the sprawling Aguascalientes complex has been laid out with the idea that the German maker will eventually participate.” Daimler hasn’t commented officially, but if it does happen, then that would give Daimler and Renault-Nissan two tie-up locations, the other being in Tennessee where for the Mercedes-Benz A-Class (a prototype for which is shown above).
One of the factors at the heart of the Mexico decision would be Mercedes’ MFA platform, which supports the A- and B-Class vehicles soon headed here: that platform is also expected to underpin the production . And if Renault-Nissan CEO can be believed, then a great deal more sharing between the two firms is an eventuality, and further up the food chain at that. last year, “You’d be very surprised if in five or six years that Mercedes and Renault-Nissan had only cooperated on small cars.”
The 2010 was the first home for Chrysler’s Pentastar V6 engine. As you may recall, the powerplant was codenamed “Phoenix,” and it was charged with in 11 models in the and lineups. Along with it being a well-regarded piece of engineering, its sheer ubiquity goes a long way toward explaining how in just 18 months the Trenton, Michigan plant that produces it has cranked out a million of them.
The 3.6-liter V6 is rated from 283 horsepower up to 305 hp, and can be found under the hood of front-, rear- and four-wheel drive vehicles in varying transmissions. Another signal of how much Chrysler thinks of the Pentastar: after being , rumors last year suggested could go into the .
Follow the jump for Chrysler’s press release on the seven-figure milestone of a lump voted one of Ward’s “10 Best Engines.”
You know those commercials that we never get, the ones aired in distant lands like Australia and Brazil and that are, oh, interesting? We’re finally getting one. Toyota is returning to Super Bowl advertising after a three-year hiatus with a 30-second version of this longer-form 60-second spot for the , and we think it’s amusing enough to be worthy of The Big Game.
This is a continuation of introduced in the first 2012 ad last year, and this commercial adds some comedy, a welcome change from Toyota’s typically sober marketing campaigns. Toyota will also air a second 30-second spot during the NFL’s championship game. Check it out in long form (along with the official press release) .
Business was a-boomin’ in the auto industry last year, and while a number of factors conspired to keep cars moving through dealerships, chief among them was discounts. How do we know that? This infographic contains part of the answer.
Compiled using data from car-shopping website , the infographic tells us which automakers gave the most discounts last year, where they were given, who got them, and more. Which automaker doled out the most discounts? , which CarWoo! says was selling its vehicles at a 17.7-percent discount in 2011. Which automaker also posted the largest percentage gain in sales last year? Jeep, whose sales compared to 2010.
and , which posted the second and third largest percent increases in sales last year, also make CarWoo!’s list by having offered high discounts of 11.7 and 12.1 percent in 2011.
Big savings didn’t always equal big sales, though. , for instance, is on record offering discounts of 12.2 percent in 2011, but still saw its sales fall 4.8 percent.
Check out the rest of what CarWoo!’s infographic has to say about savings .
A howling red prototype of the Aston Martin’s V12 Zagato made the international rounds last year, and now the first production example is headed for a Middle East reveal at the Kuwait Concours d’ Elegance (running February 15-18). Only 150 of the super-exclusive Astons will be made for worldwide consumption.
hasn’t released any new photos so we don’t know how the 510-horsepower, £330,000 (that’s $550,000 U.S., before taxes), aluminum-and-carbon-bodied coupe will differ from its progenitor. If at the 2011 is an indicator, though, the spoiler on the beauty in the above pic has been swapped for a redesigned trunk lid.
We’ll know more in a few weeks, so until then there’s a press release after the jump and a couple of image galleries for you to enjoy.
When you hear the Shelby name, the first person who comes to mind is likely Carroll, father of the Cobra, racing legend, and a man still involved in the development of performance Fords at nearly 90 years of age.
You probably don’t think of Jerod Shelby, even though his company, Shelby SuperCars, has for years been building cars that compete for the title of world’s fastest. His latest creation, the Tuatara, might steal the title back from the , but in the meantime has proven to be .
Problem is, the automotive world isn’t big enough for two companies named after a Shelby, and so it has come to pass that Jerod’s company will change its name from Shelby SuperCars to SSC North America. The switcheroo is reportedly a result of a settlement with Carroll Shelby Licensing and Carroll Shelby International.
With that behind him, hopefully Jerod can get back to the Veyron-beating business. His company has also on the new 36,000-square-foot world headquarters and production facility in West Richland, Washington a few months back.
Reaction vids certainly aren’t in short supply. Whether it’s a , a , or a , these candid-camera-style videos are usually good for a few laughs.
More recently, the meme has been slathered with sex appeal to attract even more eyeballs. There’s , plus who just has pretty girls ride shotgun as he takes them for a ride.
We like it best when the passenger’s reaction is honest and unscripted, though. Like this example, in which a son takes his father for a ride in his pride and joy: a 530-horsepowerToyota MR2. Shot back in 2010, it’s not new, but we’d never seen it before and still get a kick out of the father’s response.
Usually our sister publication is out putting futuristic transportation hardware through the paces or talking to geeks who are trying to reimagine the very infrastructure of our world. But this week, the show has a decidedly more conventional subject: Interviews with Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche and CEO Alan Mulally.
Both of these automotive bigwigs were wandering the halls of the earlier this month (, a job ), which is where Translogic caught up with them for a chat and demonstration of their CES wares. Zetsche showed off a new gesture-based in-car interface, as well as some new active safety technology for . Mulally plugged Ford’s new hybrid and plug-in hybrid , as well as showing off the . Give it a watch .
Do you love to hate speed cameras? We feel your pain. After all, no technology is foolproof, and we prefer our citations to come straight from a fellow human being. But what if the speed camera had a mind of its own? As in, a real brain inside its head?
Not sure where we’re going with this? Allow us to explain. Rémi Gaillard, a French funny man famous for his hilarious YouTube stunts ( ring a bell?), decided to play dress-up a full nine months before Halloween. Flashes fire, antics ensue.
We suggest you stick around to the very end, as the exhibition reaches it final, perhaps inevitable, conclusion. See for yourself in the video .
Less than a year after everyone with any sort of say in the matter seemed to agree that 54.5 miles per gallon by the year 2025 was a , the has decided to change things up a bit.
In addition to requirements of a (using the government’s formula, not what you see on window stickers), at least 15.4 percent of all cars sold by any major automaker doing business in California will have to be either fully electric, a plug-inhybrid or be powered by a hydrogen fuel cell by 2025. There are , which we’ll be investigating further.
According to Mary Nichols, chair of the California Air Resources Board, 15.4 percent is “actually a relatively modest goal, but that’s all that we’re mandating.” Most automakers are on board, says Nichols. “Probably the most heartening aspect of this whole rulemaking was the level of cooperation that we received from the industry… Overall, the degree of support for the package was just extraordinary.”
Even if automakers are on board, though, there’s still a question of who will actually buy the vehicles. While everyone wants better fuel efficiency, not everyone is willing to pay for it, counters the California New Car Dealers Association, estimating that the plan would add about $3,200 to the average price of a new car or truck. Perhaps to help dissuade such fears, Nichols added that “direct incentives to people who buy these cars (like) rebates and credits” are also in the works.
At least 10 more states are likely to follow California’s lead, reports Automotive News. That would put the total number of advanced green vehicles (either with a plug or powered by hydrogen) at around three million total units by 2025, 1.4 million of which would be in California.
The automotive industry tends to work by certain norms and patterns. For example, by the time one model is ready to be phased out, we usually have a pretty good idea of how its replacement is shaping up and when it will appear. But , of course, is no typical automaker.
The House that Ettore Built has, for the past seven years, subsisted on the alone. Don’t get us wrong, it’s one heck of an automobile around which to build a brand, but it won’t be around forever. In fact, Bugatti announced a while ago that Veyron production was running its course and nearing its end. The open topped Grand Sport, as it turns out, was outside that original allotment, but even that is nearing the end of its road.
So you can imagine our surprise when Ricardo, the company that makes the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission for the Veyron, announced today that it had extended its contract with Bugatti for another two years. Which would be straightforward enough if there were cars in which Bugatti would be installing said transmissions, but as we already established, the marque’s sole product is nearing the end of its life-cycle, with no replacement in sight.
So where are these transmissions going? There can only be a few explanations. One is that Bugatti is planning to extend Veyron production with another derivative – likely the that is expected to combine the removable roof panel on the Grand Sport with the more powerful engine and bodywork of the Super Sport. Another is that the Galibier – a four-door super-sedan in the pipeline at Bugatti’s Molsheim, France HQ – is closer than previously expected, but that model is expected to shift to a different type of transmission altogether.
One possibility we can’t quite accept is that Bugatti is stockpiling components as substantial as a gearbox without having a model in which to install them, so watch this space for more news. In the meantime, scope out the press release after the jump to inspect for yourself.
Okay, the new Ecologic environmental labels that will be coming to all new Chevy vehicles – starting with the – is a lot more than just an adhesive piece of paper. Last year, , and GM has realized that many people like more information about the environmental impact of the vehicle they may be buying. GM North America President Mark Reuss said at the show that, “Customers want companies to be honest and transparent about their environmental efforts and sustainability goals, and rightly so.” This is why the information on the labels will be verified by the independent organization . The label campaign will be backed up with that includes “more information on the audit process and environmental features for each vehicle with an Ecologic label.”
What’s on the labels? Information about the car from its time “before,” “on” and “after” the road. This means that environmentally friendly steps that GM uses in the manufacturing process (before), steps taken to improve fuel economy (on) and information on how much of the vehicle can be recycled at the end of its life (after). You can see a detailed example of the Sonic sticker by clicking on the picture above. Since Ecologic is going to be on all Chevy models, we’ll admit we’re interested to see how GM finds the eco side of the ZL1.
introduces new Ecologic window sticker, coming first to Sonic
Most everyone at is grinning from ear-to-ear these days, as the company is enjoying profits as well as a vastly improved product portfolio and public image. , , and market share grew last year. You can almost imagine Ford CEO Alan Mulally saying, “What, me worry?”
But that’s exactly what he should be doing, according to Forbes, which suggests Ford is growing arrogant and its numbers aren’t nearly as solid as they appear. For instance, Forbes says Ford was also right up there with and when it came to recalls last year, far outpacing crosstown rivals General Motors and . Ford recalled some 3.3 million vehicles in 2011, compared to 773,000 for Chrysler and just 500,000 for GM.
But the real shocker is that Forbes says Ford tops all automakers when it comes to fleet sales. Not only are fleet sales usually less profitable, but they also tend to hurt resale values, meaning that selling 32 percent of its vehicles into fleets last year does not bode well for the Blue Oval or the residual values of its owners. According to the report, the model with the most fleet sales was the new-for-2012 . A staggering 45 percent of Focus models sold last year were to fleets, which isn’t good for anyone, save the guy standing in line at the Hertz counter.
As far as the lineup goes, the John Cooper Works models sit at the very top of the performance spectrum. But that’s not enough for Mini’s (relatively) new chief Kay Segler. The German auto exec came to the post from the M division of parent company , and that’s what Segler wants for the Mini brand as well.
So what does a further differentiated JCW line mean for the Mini? That’s hard to say at this point, beyond marketing, but we could be looking at even more powerful versions than the 208-horsepower, 1.6-liter turbo four currently employed. With the arrival of the , Mini will have created Works versions of every bodystyle in its considerable portfolio – and it will have a more powerful 223hp mill on its hands, which could find its way into the as well.
More exciting JCW models aren’t all that Segler has planned for Mini, however. According to Car and Driver, as U.S. demand is growing for for Mini’s diesel-powered models already offered in Europe and other markets. While we wouldn’t expect an oil-burning Mini to find its way across the Atlantic in this generation of models, once the next series comes along in the next couple of years, a diesel-powered Mini could wind up in American showrooms.
Think the “standard” is expensive at $380,000? Try $1.2 million on for size. That’s how much the latest special-edition Phantom was going for, but the astronomic price tag hasn’t prevented the (*ahem*) of automakers from selling every last one.
The model in question is the , which was first released just this past August. It features a range of special touches – from a gold-colored “coach line” (that being a pinstripe down the flank) to dragons inlaid in the wood and embroidered into the leather – all aimed at marking the new year on the Chinese calendar.
Rolls-Royce isn’t saying exactly how many it sold, but apparently the entire allotment was spoken for within two months of the vehicle’s launch. The sales are expected to boost the skyrocketing figures Rolls-Royce posts in China, whose number of millionaires has now risen to third worldwide behind the United States and Japan. As a result, Rolls-Royce reportedly plans to add another ten dealerships to its current network of 14 in China by the end of 2011.
We’ve yet to see exterior shots of the vehicle – limited as we were previously to some close-ups of the unique touches applied to it – but with news that the special edition is completely sold out, we’ve added a few more photos to our high-res image gallery.
Hyundai’s has been on fire, with sales up 41 percent last year. The compact sedan won in January, and the icing on the cake will be a that will soon be landing at dealers. But all is not completely well, according to a report from Bloomberg.
expects Elantra sales to run into a brick wall of limited production capacity, as the company’s Montgomery, Alabama plant is already operating at 110 percent. The plant, which builds the Elantra and its big brother, the midsize , churned out 338,000 units in 2011. Hyundai sold over 186,000 Elantra models in the U.S. last year.
With Hyundai posting 20 percent overall sales growth in the U.S. in 2011, it clearly needs to address its capacity bottleneck. Speculation is building that the company another North American assembly plant.
has announced the company’s single largest profit since 1998, thanks in part to a one-time tax gain. The company drew in a net income of $13.6 billion last quarter and the news marked the automaker’s 11th consecutive profitable quarter. For perspective, Ford made $190 million in 2010. The company’s net income was bolstered by the fact that Ford eliminated a valuation allowance against deferred tax benefits. The company created the valuation allowance in 2006 when it began reporting operating losses. Analysts reportedly see the elimination as a sign that the manufacturer expects to be profitable in coming years.
The company made $8.8 billion in profit in 2011, or $1.51 a share. That’s an increase of $463 million over 2010. Even so, the company’s net income missed analysts’ estimates thanks in part to higher commodity costs, currency fluctuations and flooding in Thailand. The automaker spent $100 million more in commodities like steel than it projected. Those facts, combined with a deteriorating European market, helped Ford miss analyst estimates by 5 cents per share.
