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Chrysler Group’s “Imported from Detroit” ad campaign grabbed top honors Wednesday night in New York City, winning the North American Grand Effie Award as the most effective ad in the nation.

“Imported from Detroit was the Grand Effie winner because they sold the product, the category and the city,” said Deborah Sandler, President, Mars Chocolate North American and a Grand Effie jury member, in a news release.

Indeed. The two-minute Super Bowl commercial, titled “Born of Fire”, created a huge buzz for the city and for the Chrysler 200. The agencies Wieden+Kennedy and Universal McCann created it and Chrysler capitalized on it.

“The success of this campaign has contributed significantly to the company’s sales growth over 2010, and as a result of this success, Chrysler has paid off their government bailout six years early,” Chrysler said in its entry.

Other automotive winners at the Effie Awards included Porsche grabbing second place in the automotive category for “How Porsche created new relevance for a revered icon,” and Chevrolet taking third for “Chevy Volt, it’s more than electric.”

Kia also grabbed a third-place honor in the Single Impact Engagement category for its “Not your average slam dunk” commercial.

And for those feeling nostalgic, scroll down and check out the original commercial. It still gives us chills. You can also read more about the Effie Awards in the included press release.

Continue reading “Imported from Detroit” wins Grand Effie award for effective advertising

“Imported from Detroit” wins Grand Effie award for effective advertising

There are two directions automakers can go to produce a vehicle with electric propulsion – be it a hybrid or an outright EV: make it look the same as any other car, or make it stand out. Like Toyota (for example) did with the Prius, Nissan made the Leaf look (for better or worse) unlike a conventional sedan. But while Toyota answered the call for more space with the equally “distinctive” Prius V, Nissan has gone a different route in producing a bigger brother for the Leaf.

That route is called the e-NV200, pictured above in concept form. And while the nose, unique shade of blue and electric powertrain are conceptually borrowed from the Leaf, the rest is nearly identical to the existing NV200 van that is being rolled out in New York as the city’s new taxi of choice.

Nissan has just announced the production of the e-NV200, set to start next year at the same plant in Barcelona, Spain, as the conventionally-powered NV200. As a result, Nissan will hire 700 more workers at the plant and invest some €100 million (U.S. $126 million at today’s exchange rates). Details like projected cost and annual capacity are not to be found in the press release below, but Nissan does say the electric van will be built starting some time in fiscal year 2013, which we take to mean before the end of March 2014.

Continue reading Nissan announces production of funky e-NV200 electric van

Nissan announces production of funky e-NV200 electric van

That’s right a parking spot for $1 million! Well, that’s not quite fair. It’s a one-space, 12×23 foot parking garage with 15-foot ceilings that would allow the space to be “duplexed” to allow storage of two cars. The garage comes with its own deed and the owner will still pay monthly maintenance fees.

But wait, there’s more! While the price tag is a cool million, eligible buyers first must purchase a condo in the building of at least 8,000 sq. feet. The penthouse would qualify with 8,000 square feet of living space and a 3,000-square foot terrace. You’ll need at least $38.8 million for that one. But the water used in its showers will at least be fortified with vitamin C and aloe.

The New York Post calculates that for the same amount of money you’ll pay for just the garage, you could incur a $115 parking ticket every day for almost 24 years.

Single parking spot being offered for $1M in New York City

The 2012 Ford Focus Electric is officially on its way to dealerships. Outlets in California, New Jersey, and New York – 67 in all – are going to be the first to receive the electron-fueled Focus, with about six cars each winding up on lots. To help dealers build more excitement for what’s likely to be a slow-starting sales story, the dealers will hold one of the Focus EVs as a demonstrator.

Even if fewer than 5,000 Focus Electric models find buyers this year, Alan Mulally won’t be disappointed. While Ford ultimately expects electrics and hybrid vehicles to account for up to 25 percent of its sales volume by 2020, the company is moving deliberately. Rather than develop and tool an entirely new platform, Ford’s move to modify the Focus for electric propulsion is said to allow some semblance of a profit margin, but it’s going to take time for consumers to warm to the idea of a $40,000 Focus, even if a third of that price is the battery, and Ford appears to be keeping this in mind.

After the initial 350 or so cars are delivered to the pilot stores, the rest of the Ford dealers across the nation will start getting the Focus EV before spring turns into summer.

First Ford Focus Electric models en route to dealerships

There have been rumors of an Apple iCar for much longer than five years. But it was five years ago that there was enough heat under them for a German newspaper to report that Steve Jobs and Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn had met to discuss the idea. A year later another German outlet printed a photo of a VW concept (pitured) alongside an iPhone, and a columnist in the New York Times kindly asked Steve Jobs to save Detroit.

But did the iCar ever really exist as more than an idea? Mickey Drexler is the CEO of J. Crew and sits on the board of Apple Computer, and at a recent conference in New York he said that Steve Jobs’ “dream before he died was to design an iCar.” Drexler doesn’t say when Jobs had this dream, whether it was just before he died or so long ago that it could substantiate the ancient rumors. No matter, Drexler said “He never did design it.”

The edited video of Drexler’s comments is posted below. And know that this doesn’t mean the rumors, nor the iCar itself, are dead.

Continue reading Apple Board Member: Steve Jobs’ dream was to design iCar [w/video]

Apple Board Member: Steve Jobs’ dream was to design iCar [w/video]

There are driving simulators and there are racing simulators. They tend to cross over, but what divides them are the types of cars and the types of roads used in the game. Drive racing cars on digitally recreated racing circuits and you’re looking at a racing sim. Street cars on public roads (whether simulated or replicated) and you’re playing a driving game. The Forza Motorsport franchise has always been more of a racing simulator than a driving game, but the minority of open roads that have appeared in the four iterations of the series so far are about to jump into their own game altogether with the launch of Forza Horizon.

Having made the initial announced back in March, Microsoft hand Turn 10 Studios have now released the box cover art and a single frame of in-game footage, both depicting the new SRT Viper on the open road. The cover, as you can see, shows a yellow Viper with black stripes speeding out of a mountain town, while the screenshot shows us a metallic Viper – like the one we saw at its unveiling in New York – on a desert highway in what looks like Carburator County from Pixar’s Cars.

About a year and a half (if you can believe it) since the launch of Forza 4, the arrival of Forza Horizon will surely come as welcome and eagerly anticipated by the legions of racing and gaming fans that have enjoyed the various iterations of the franchise until now. All we know about its release is that it’s coming sometime in the fall, but with the E3 gaming convention just a couple of weeks away, we should have more to bring you soon, so watch this space.

Forza Horizon coming this fall with hot Viper action on the open road

On Thursday night’s Autoline After Hours, SRT boss Ralph Gilles sat down with show hosts John McElroy and Peter DeLorenzo, along with Autoblog and AOL Autos staffers to talk all things Viper. Among the interesting tidbits disclosed about the 640-horsepower supercar are plans for a new dealer certification process designed to encourage the sort of purchasing, service and ownership experience that buyers of six-digit cars have come to expect.

According to Gilles:

“It’s going to be a qualified dealer situation… The ones who do the dealer training in terms of the tech. I want a tech. I want a display car. I want all these things. There’s going to be a list. It’s not going to be impossible, it’s just that someone has to put in the extra effort and say ‘I’m an SRT dealer.

Off the air, Gilles told Autoblog that Chrysler officials have already approached a number of dealers with a strong record of Viper and SRT sales to discuss how the certification process will work, gaining valuable feedback in the process. A document outlining the new certification program will go out to Dodge dealers next month.

Chrysler has yet to announce official pricing and the Viper won’t go on sale until sometime in the fourth quarter of the year, but that hasn’t stopped a queue of customer deposits from piling up. According to Gilles, one particularly strong Viper dealer already has around 90 such deposits in-hand. Considering that Viper sales averaged about 1,600 units in past years, that’s a substantial figure.

In other news, Chrysler officials have been making a big point of talking about the 2013 Viper’s newfound refinements, from reduced NVH to nicer interior materials and improved drivability thanks to the institution of technologies like stability control and traction control. Gilles says that great care has been taken to ensure the model’s core personality still shines through, but given that much of the Viper’s mystique is centered on its raw, leg-burning, hairy-knuckled persona, we couldn’t help but wonder aloud if the new model’s refinements have left room for a stripped-out hardcore version for Viper purists and racers. With raised eyebrows, arms gesturing wildly and stifling a smile, Gilles wryly said: “I love how you think. Next subject!”

To watch the Autoline After Hours episode in its entirety, scroll down.

Continue reading 2013 SRT Viper to require dealer certification; hardcore model planned? [w/video]

2013 SRT Viper to require dealer certification; hardcore model planned? [w/video]

The Fisker Atlantic extended-range plug-in vehicle will start production about a year after its previously estimated mid-2013 date, Inside EVs blog reports, citing leaked company documents that were dated “a few weeks ago.”

The Atlantic, formerly known as Project Nina, will compete pricewise against the BMW 3 Series and 5 Series sedans, as well as the Mercedes-Benz C-Class and E-Class, Jaguar XF and Audi A4 and A6. That would put the model in the $50,000 to $60,000 range, according to the publication. The model, which will still be produced at Fisker’s Delaware plant, will have 300 horsepower, a 0-60 time of 6.5 seconds and emissions of 50 grams per kilometer of CO2, Inside EVs reports, citing the documents.

“As these documents are obviously leaked investor documents and highly confidential, I am not prepared to comment any further,” a Fisker representative tells Autoblog sister site, AutoblogGreen.

The status of the Atlantic has been in question since plans for the former General Motors plant in Delaware were put on hold once the U.S. Department of Energy froze most of the $529 million in loans earmarked for the California-based company.

Fisker unveiled the Atlantic at the New York Auto Show last month, saying that the car’s price tag would be “a much lower price point” than Fisker’s Karma sedan.

Leaked Fisker Atlantic documents reveal big production delay, specs

Not long ago, Buick released the behind-the-scenes video of its Enclave commercial with Marisa Miller, and now the supermodel’s 30-second spot has begun airing. Note: This is a spot for the current Enclave, not the refreshed 2013 model the debuted during April’s New York Auto Show.

The Sports Illustrated staple and lingerie model might just be the first person ever to wear a swimsuit in a Buick ad. We could say more about it, but that would delay you from watching Ms. Miller and the Enclave in action. So just scroll down and check out the video, why don’t you.

Continue reading Buick begins airing Marisa Miller Enclave ad

Buick begins airing Marisa Miller Enclave ad

Long before Lamborghini unveiled the Urus concept for its new SUV at the Beijing Motor Show last month, we got two chances to preview the show truck: once at the factory in Italy and once at a private preview in New York. The Italian automaker’s development chief Maurizio Reggiani wasn’t prepared to talk about powertrain options at the time, but in speaking with Automotive News, he’s now given us a hint of what to expect should the Volkswagen Group board give the project the green light.

As expected, the Urus would have to be based on the same platform that is slated to underpin the next Volkswagen Touareg, Audi Q7, Porsche Cayenne and Bentley EXP 9 F (if similarly approved) in order to make good business sense. Unfortunately, that new PL73 architecture is made principally of steel, a material that Lamborghini has been getting away from in favor of new types of carbon fiber construction. In order to keep weight down – Lambo is targeting 4,400 lbs for the Urus, significantly less than its potential competitors – it would need to make other components out of carbon to compensate.

That covers the mass side of the power-to-weight ratio that is integral to any performance vehicle. As for the power, Reggiani says the company has yet to make a final decision. The last time Lamborghini made an SUV – the legendary LM002 “Rambo Lambo” – it was powered by the same high-revving V12 as the Countach, lending to speculation that the Urus could incorporate the new V12 from the Aventador or the V10 from the Gallardo. Reggiani, however, indicates that the new twin-turbo V8 powering the latest Audi RS models and the Bentley Continental is a more likely choice, given that it would help keep weight down and provide more low-end torque than the naturally-aspired 10 or 12-pots the Raging Bull marque currently produces for its sports cars.

Lamborghini eyes low weight, Audi-sourced twin-turbo V8 for production Urus

How much is a Pebble Beach ‘Best in Show’ car worth? We’re about to find out. A 1938 Horch 853A Erdmann & Rossi Sport Cabriolet (that’s quite a mouthful) is looking for a new home and is headed to auction at RM’s Monterey sale in August. The car underwent an extensive restoration in 2001 and debuted at the 2004 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance where it took home first prize. Since then, the Horch has gone on to win many other accolades including the Best in Show at the New York City Concours (2005), the Meadow Brook Concours d’Elegance (2006), the Glenmoor Gathering (2008), and the Ault Park Concours (2009).

So what makes this particular car so special? Horch, one of the original four German automakers of the Auto Union that lives on today as Audi, produced some of the most luxurious vehicles in the early part of the century. The 853A Cabriolet, one of the company’s last efforts, is widely considered one of the most beautiful cars of its era and came with many modern features including vacuum-boosted hydraulic brakes, overdrive in all four gears, and a unique hydraulic jacking system. This particular example features unique coachwork by Erdmann & Rossi and is one of just three known to currently exist.

You can read more about the 1938 Horch 853A Erdmann & Rossi Sport Cabriolet and the auction in RM’s press release after the break, and you can see our photos of the car at the 2004 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in the gallery above.

Continue reading Pebble Beach winner going up for auction in August

Pebble Beach winner going up for auction in August

As expected, the so-called auto bailout of 2009 has become a major talking point in the run-up to the 2012 Presidential Election. Somewhat surprisingly, however, both sides of the aisle are taking credit for the success seen by General Motors and Chrysler since the two automakers were pushed through a structured bankruptcy process.

Presumptive Republican nominee Mitt Romney has said he deserves “a lot of credit” for the resuscitation of the auto industry due to his suggestion of a managed bankruptcy of the two automakers. President Obama, on the other hand, points out that Romney was very vocal in his opposition to the auto bailout, frequently citing the editorial he wrote for the New York Times in 2009 titled “Let Detroit Go Bankrupt,” in which he said the auto industry was “virtually guaranteed” to fail if Obama’s bailout proceeded.

Building on previous advertisements highlighting the auto bailout of 2009, the Obama campaign has released two new videos touting the success of the automakers since the dark days of bankruptcy. Scroll down below to watch the videos for yourself.

Continue reading Obama’s latest campaign ads highlight auto recovery

Obama’s latest campaign ads highlight auto recovery

Host Adam Ferrara has confirmed Top Gear USA will be back for a third season. The comedian-turned television personality broke the news during an event in New York City last night, according to Inside Line. The show is slowly gaining momentum in the U.S., and this season saw its best ratings yet. One episode drew an impressive 2.1 million viewers. Of course, that’s a small figure compared to the legions who tune in or download the original “Top Gear,” but with the U.S. hosts getting more comfortable with each other every episode, we’ll hardly turn down more car-oriented programming.

Then again, Top Gear USA may be your only TG fix over the next few months. Jeremy Clarkson just confirmed the original show won’t be back until 2013. According to Ferrara, production on season three starts this weekend.

Top Gear USA confirmed for third season

The 2013 Dodge Dart’s trajectory towards dealer lots has officially begun. The first Dart rolled of the line at Chrysler’s Belvidere Assembly yesterday, en route to a late June appearance at your local Dodge showroom.

Belvidere’s future was uncertain after the poor reception given its previous product line, the Dodge Caliber and its Jeep platform mates, the Compass and Patriot. The Dart launches with more promise than any product since the original Neon, which began production at the Illinois plant in 1995.

While Belvidere has been open since 1965, it has had a long history of building inexpensive Mopar models since the Dodge Monaco and Plymouth Fury went out of production in the late 1970s. Belvidere built Dodge Omnis and Plymouth Horizons through the 1980s, and the K-car-based Chrysler New Yorker and Dodge Dynasty before retooling for the Neon.

Belvidere was also home to several of Chrysler’s awesome budget performance models, the Shelby GLHS, Neon ACR and Dodge SRT4. Here’s to hoping that it can soon add a hot-rodded Dart to that resume.

Scroll down to see video of the event and read the full press release.

Continue reading 2013 Dodge Dart production kicks off in Belvidere [w/video]

2013 Dodge Dart production kicks off in Belvidere [w/video]

The Detroit News reports presidential hopeful Mitt Romney believes he deserves credit for the auto industry’s recovery, despite the fact that he adamantly opposes the bailout. While speaking with a Cleveland, Ohio television station, Romney said he deserves “a lot of credit” because he supported the idea of managed bankruptcy. But both President George W. Bush and President Barack Obama believed General Motors and Chrysler couldn’t survive the process without backing from the United States Treasury.

Meanwhile, in a 2008 opinion article for The New York Times, Romney warned the bailout would mean the end of the American automotive industry, saying “It won’t go overnight, but its demise will be virtually guaranteed.”

Through the lens of hindsight, we know that statement was a bit exaggerated. Both Chrysler and GM are on the right path, with the companies posting profits in North America. The Detroit News reports the auto bailout is an important topic in two crucial swing states: Ohio and Michigan.

Romney claims credit for auto industry recovery, still opposes bailout

Even though Toyota’s unintended acceleration debacle is as ancient as Jurassic fleas for most of us, the California Distric Court of Judge James Selna is still chainsawing through a massive docket of claims. Judge Selna had been considering whether plaintiffs in California, New York and Florida could sue Toyota for economic loss related to the claims of unintended accleraton – the plaintiffs wanted Toyota to reimburse them for the alleged decline in value of their cars.

According to a report in Bloomberg, Selna issued a final ruling that the New York and Florida plaintiffs can’t sue for economic loss if they didn’t experience unintended acceleration, or if they didn’t experience “a measurable loss” when selling their cars. California plaintiffs, on the other hand, can sue even if there was no unintended acceleration event or perceived depreciation.

The ruling could remove millions of owners from of plaintiffs and make an economic-loss class action lawsuit more difficult, but plaintiffs attorneys have said they’ll try to get the cases tried in New York and Florida courts. However, the ruling doesn’t affect other plaintiffs suing over the same issue in other states. This doesn’t affect the unintended accleration cases, though; three litmus-test trials are scheduled for next year.

Judge dismisses most Toyota economic-loss claims from New York, Florida

John Liu, New York City comptroller, has said he won’t register the contract for a fleet of new Nissan taxis until every last one is made wheelchair accessible. There are currently just 231 cabs with wheelchair ramps in the city, though that number will jump by another 2,000 units next year. Even so, Liu said the current cab system is “separate and unequal.” The city comptroller signs off on every contract the city makes, but Liu doesn’t technically have the authority to block the contract unless there’s evidence of corruption. While speaking at his press conference, Liu admitted as much during questioning from reporters.

According to The New York Post, Liu may be attempting to draw attention away from a federal probe into his campaign finances as he vies to be a mayoral candidate in the next election. While he says he takes the federal investigation seriously, he also plans to continue with the work of his office and his blossoming campaign for mayor.

NYC comptroller threatens Nissan taxi deal over wheelchair accessibility

Yellow cabs are synonymous with New York. It doesn’t matter if it’s an old Ford Crown Victoria, an even older Checker Cab or the new Nissan NV200: paint it that deep yellow and put a dome light on it, and you’re looking at a New York taxicab. But the Big Apple is about to get a new type of taxi, painted a different color altogether.

We’re talking about the new Boro Taxi which the city’s Taxi & Limousine Commission has just launched. Targeted at New York’s outer boroughs – Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Staten Island (as well as Northern Manhattan) – the Boro Taxis can take just about any vehicle you’d expect to see in yellow (including the NV200), painted a bright shade of “apple green” (that looks like matte lime to our eyes) and put them on the streets of the outer boroughs exclusively where it’s notoriously difficult to hail a cab.

The color was apparently chosen to stand out from existing vehicles on New York City roads, including private automobiles (because who would paint their own car that color?), police and emergency vehicles and traditional yellow cabs. The first 6,000 of the 18,000 permits will be issued by the commission starting in June. So the next time you’re looking to hail a ride in New York anywhere but Manhattan, look for this shade of green and raise your hand.

Continue reading New York City rolls out new apple green Boro Taxi fleet

New York City rolls out new apple green Boro Taxi fleet

To some residents of Midtown Manhattan, sex is a problem. Specifically, sex in cars is a problem and they’ve asked the Community Board to ban weekend parking on their streets.

The board granted the request, citing chronic drug use, double parking and rampant sex. Unfortunately, the board has no power to enforce the ban and is awaiting a review by the Department of Transportation. If passed, the NYPD will presumably get involved and start asking frisky fornicators to get a room.

Half the problem could take care of itself soon. Patrons of two nightclubs in the area are being blamed for the illegal displays of public affection, medication and parkification: The Parlour Midtown and Rebel NYC. The Parlour’s liquor license is is under review due to “several violations.”

And, by the way, if you’re wondering how to properly do the backseat mamba, check out Carma Sutra (kinda NSFW) for some helpful tips. Just stay out of Midtown.

New Yorkers want parking ban to curb… sex in cars?

Say what you will, but in this business you’re nobody until you have your own watch line. Ferrari has several, Bentley teams up with Breitling, Aston Martin partners with Jaeger-LeCoultre, Bugatti with Parmigiani Fleurier… the list goes on and on, and now includes one more: Carroll Shelby and David Yurman.

The collaboration was forged over the timepiece you see here, created to accompany the 950-horsepower Shelby 1000 unveiled at the New York Auto Show just last month. The David Yurman Limited Edition Shelby 1000 timepiece features a Swiss-made Valjoux 7753 automatic chronograph in a 43.5mm stainless steel and rubber case with tachymeter bezel and guilloche racing stripes on the galvanized steel dial.

It’s affixed to the wrist by a rubber strap with snakeskin texture, and only 300 examples will be made: 150 in bare stainless steel and 150 with a black PVD coating. It’s the first of many Shelby-branded wristwatches that the David Yurman brand will be making for Shelby, and you can check it out in high-resolution by clicking the image above and scrolling down below for the full press release.

Continue reading Shelby teams up with David Yurman for wristwatch line

Shelby teams up with David Yurman for wristwatch line