Nissan Tiida ad shows two Ford engineers rapping about how much money they pocket by overcharging for the Focus.
Cliff Allison Fernando Alonso Giovanna Amati George Amick Red Amick Chris Amon
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Nissan sued by Ford in Brazil over sexy TV spot [video]
Nissan Tiida ad shows two Ford engineers rapping about how much money they pocket by overcharging for the Focus. 
BMW shopping for a new ad agency. Oh, Joy!
Filed under: Marketing/Advertising, BMW
BMW of North America is beginning a review for its $150 million U.S. ad account, the company said on Monday. The decision comes after a tumultuous six months for the company, having lost its long-time marketing executive, Jack Pitney,to a tragic accident last October and then parting with its former agency last Fall.
BMW is in the midst of an aggressive product onslaught in the next two years as the Munich-based company is trying to grow its business globally, as well as in the States.
The company had used GSD&M, an Austin, Texas-based ad shop until last November. Since then, it has been getting ad work from Kirshenbaum, Bond Senecal + Partners, NY, which created BMW's Super Bowl ads this year. Kirshenbaum had been the runner-up to GSD&M when BMW last reviewed its ad account in 2005, and had been doing the company's CRM work the last five years as well.
BMW's ad work has been the subject of much chatter and even controversy in the last year or so as the company played down its long-running "Ultimate Driving Machine" positioning in favor of a "Joy of Driving" idea. The "Joy," positioning is closer to the BMW brand strategy around the world, as the idea translates into most languages. "Ultimate Driving Machine" apparently doesn't translate into most languages.
BMW sales are holding up in the recession. The company was the number-two luxe brand in 2010, just ahead of Mercedes-Benz and just behind Lexus. But the company has been spending more on price discounts channeled into lease deals and financing discounts.
There are a number of ad shops likely to get a look: Kirshenbaum, Bond Senecal to retain it; The Martin Agency, Richmond, Va.; BBDO, NY (Creative chief David Lubars was creative director at Fallon Worldwide when that agency had the business and created BMW Films, among other great work for the carmaker); Crispin Porter + Bogusky, Miami; and Publicis, NY.
BMW shopping for a new ad agency. Oh, Joy! originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 29 Mar 2011 16:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsSource: http://www.autoblog.com/2011/03/29/bmw-shopping-for-a-new-ad-agency-oh-joy/
Michele Alboreto Jean Alesi Jaime Alguersuari Philippe Alliot Cliff Allison Fernando Alonso
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Ford details its rigorous pothole testing techniques
Filed under: Budget, Sedan, Europe, Hatchback, Ford
Ford suspension testing - Click above for high-res image gallery
Despite increased government expenditures in England to fix the country's potholes, Ford is eager to prove it still rigorously tests its cars for their ability to withstand big pavement gaps. According to Ford, its cars go through thousands of miles of tests across two proving grounds to make sure they won't sustain damage when presented with uneven surfaces.
The Lommel Proving Ground in Belgium goes as far as to include an inch-by-inch recreation of a notoriously porous English road. More abusive road surfaces are simulated at Ford's Dunton Proving Ground in Essex, England. Ford says that between the two test facilities, it tests every wheel and tire combination sold on its entire European vehicle portfolio.
The budget for this sort of testing is huge, as each test car is strapped with around $2.5 million worth of electronic gadgetry designed to register and record the effect of each pothole strike. Ford uses the data to improve its current suspension systems and design new ones, which will go on to be further refined at Lommel and Dunton.
[Source: Ford]
Continue reading Ford details its rigorous pothole testing techniques
Ford details its rigorous pothole testing techniques originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 29 Mar 2011 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Hermie Sadler III Virginia Commonwealth University Ford Brian Scott BigSpot com Toyota Carl Long Millennium Fuel Energy Drink Chevrolet
Red Bull Teka KTM's AMA Supercross Lites team, Musquin & Roczen
Supercross.com has communicated with KTM regarding their 2011 AMA Supercross East and West Regional Lites Supercross program.
Ken Roczen, who will be racing with the number 194, will contest the West Supercross Series.
World Motocross Champion of MX 2, Marvin Musquin, will not be racing until the first AMA National Motocross in May. Marvin suffered a broken ligament in his knee, requiring major surgery. He is recovering and in therapy now, and although not racing AMA Supercross in 2011, is looking forward to racing the MX Nationals starting in Sacramento in May.
Hideo Kanaya Takazumi Katayama Daijiro Kato Ken Kavanagh John Kocinski Pentti Korhonen
Report: Angry Chinese driver tows Range Rover back to dealer with donkeys
Filed under: SUV, China, Etc., Land Rover, Luxury
A man in Shenyang, China was reportedly so frustrated with his 2010 Land Rover Range Rover breaking down that he towed it back to the dealer and asked for a full refund. To add a little insult to his heady request, the spurned owner towed the stricken SUV with a pair of donkeys.
Apparently the guy paid ¥2 million (about $304,000) for the English SUV in 2010. Since the purchase, the car reportedly broke down six times and eventually needed a new engine. When it died a seventh time, the owner was apparently at wit's end. The stunt managed to hammer the point home in a much less destructive manner than a certain Lamborghini owner recently chose. According to Asian auto news outlet TheTycho, the doubtlessly dumbfounded dealer refused to give the customer a refund.
[Source: TheTycho]
Report: Angry Chinese driver tows Range Rover back to dealer with donkeys originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 29 Mar 2011 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Millennium Fuel Energy Drink Chevrolet Willie Allen Cash America Chevrolet Derrike Cope Charter Communications Dodg Carl Edwards
Video: Camaro ZL1 gets seen, heard by Motor Trend
Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Videos, Chevrolet
2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 - Click above to watch the video (Warning: Auto play)
Chevrolet has called the Ford Mustang franchise's Boss 302 and Shelby GT500 and raised the stakes by one supercharger. The obvious aim of the 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 is to silence all the critics who flame the Camaro for being slower than the 5.0-liter competition from Ford.
To cure their case of horsepower envy, Chevrolet threw a supercharged 6.2-liter LSA making more than 550 horsepower between the Camaro's fenders. That power theoretically puts it atop even the mighty GT500 in a straight line.
To make sure the Camaro could take down the handling-oriented Boss 302 as well, they cribbed the magnetic dampers from the Corvette ZR1 for the ZL1. All that effort should add up to not only the fastest Camaro ever built, but the best-handling, as well. We can't wait to get our mitts on the car, but in the meantime, we'll slake our curiosity by hearing the LSA briefly come to life in the video after the jump (Warning: Auto play).
[Source: Motor Trend]
Continue reading Video: Camaro ZL1 gets seen, heard by Motor Trend
Video: Camaro ZL1 gets seen, heard by Motor Trend originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 29 Mar 2011 13:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Shinichi Itoh Bill Ivy Olivier Jacque Sid Jensen Mika Kallio Hideo Kanaya
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