May 16, 2008
Time for an SUV Bailout?
With gas prices hitting an average $3.78 a gallon in the U.S., millions of people who thought it was their god given right to plow down the freeway in vehicles that were more buses than cars are fretting that they can't afford the gas to go and buy something they don't need. You know, in order to do their part for the economy.
So maybe it's time for a bailout for these suckers, who used to love looking down their noses at furry environmentalists driving crap boxes, and who now look forlornly as life passes them by on the way to the mall.
You see, we thought of this because of the current fervor over mortgage bailouts, the theory of which says we can't have people, and the banks that enable them, suffering due to their bad decisions and/or greed and/or fraudulent behavior.
So why don't we give people a free house and buy back their big SUV at the same time, replacing it with an economical car?
The biggest question should be where to attach the bow -- on the car or the house? And hey, if Ty Pennington will show up for the house rechristening, we'll show up for the BRAND NEW CAR! presentation.
Continue reading"Time for an SUV Bailout?"
Posted by Frank at 10:30 AM
| Filed under 5th Wheel
| Auto Marketing
| Auto News
| Environment
| Finance
Volkswagen Urges You to "See Film Differently"
LONDON -- Created by DDB London, Volkswagen's "See Film Differently" campaign, continues the idea of shedding light on cinema classics. The straight-to-camera interviews expound conspiracy theories that expose the apparent hidden meanings in well-known films.
Volkswagen's support of independent cinema has been pushed further this year, with the idents being set, not in a cinema environment as before, but on a film set.
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Posted by Frank at 10:24 AM
| Filed under 5th Wheel
| Auto Marketing
| Auto News
| Video
| Volkswagen
Mercedes-Benz Uses Internet to Launch GLK SUV
Stuttgart – Mercedes-Benz launches an innovative Web Special www.mercedes-glk.com to promote the debut of its new GLK compact SUV.
The special features an interactive music video that users can help to design, as well as a “GLK Backstage” section for discussions with the engineers who created the new model. Just as the GLK is setting new trends in the SUV world, so too will the GLK Web Special open up new possibilities for user interaction in online marketing.
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Posted by Frank at 9:34 AM
| Filed under 2009 Vehicles
| 5th Wheel
| Auto Marketing
| Auto News
| Mercedes-Benz
Return of a legend: VW Scirocco on the Nordschleifee
Wolfsburg -- By participating in the 24-Hour Race at the Nürburgring, Volkswagen tackles one of the major challenges in international motorsport yet again. The endurance run twice around the clock on the legendary Nordschleife is regarded as one of the most demanding races in terms of driving and technology.
This year, the crowd of well over 200,000 enthusiastic fans lining the 25.378-kilometre circuit will witness the meeting of two legends: Volkswagen returns to the Nordschleife with a racing version of the Scirocco.
Continue reading"Return of a legend: VW Scirocco on the Nordschleifee"
Posted by Frank at 9:32 AM
| Filed under 5th Wheel
| Auto Marketing
| Auto News
| Car Tech
| Volkswagen
Volvo P1800 Owners Converge on Sweden
47 Volvo P1800 cars from German and Swiss Volvo Owner clubs visit Sweden and Volvo Car Corporation in connection with the clubs' 30 year anniversary. An impressive sight.
The German Volvo P1800 IG and the Swiss Volvo-Sport Club P1800 are both celebrating their anniversary with a week's visit to Sweden. The group consists of 38 cars from Germany and 9 from Switzerland.
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Posted by Frank at 9:23 AM
| Filed under 5th Wheel
| Auto Marketing
| Auto News
| Vintage
| Volvo
2009 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder Convertible Pricing Announced
Mitsubishi has announced pricing for the 2009 Eclipse Spyder convertible sports car, with four basic trim lines available:
-- Eclipse Spyder GS SOHC: I4 MIVEC (2.4L/5M), $25,799.00, 2-Door Convertible, 5-Speed Manual
-- Eclipse Spyder GS SOHC: I4 MIVEC (2.4L/4S), $26,799.00, 2-Door Convertible, 4-Speed Sportronic
-- Eclipse Spyder GT SOHC: V6 MIVEC (3.8L/6M), $28,299.00, 2-Door Convertible, 6-Speed Manual
-- Eclipse Spyder GT SOHC: V6 MIVEC (3.8L/5S), $29,999.00, 2-Door Convertible, 5-Speed Sportronic
Posted by Frank at 8:47 AM
| Filed under 2009 Vehicles
| Auto Marketing
| Auto News
| Finance
| Mitsubishi
BMW at the 61st Cannes Film Festival
Cannes/Munich -- May 15 marks the start of the 61st International Film Festival in the eternally glamorous town of Cannes on the coast of southern France. The BMW Group is right in the middle of things, a competent partner for the German, European and global film industry.
The Munich-based company has a long tradition of cooperation with the film industry: alongside classic product placements, the BMW Group has also consistently supported the rise of young film talent both in Germany and world wide.
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Posted by Frank at 8:42 AM
| Filed under 5th Wheel
| Auto Marketing
| Auto News
| BMW
| MINI
2009 Mitsubishi Eclipse Pricing Announced
Mitsubishi has announced pricing for the 2009 Eclipse sports car, with four basic trim lines available:
-- Eclipse GS SOHC: I4 MIVEC (2.4L/5M), $20,099.00, 3-Door Coupe, 5-Speed Manual
-- Eclipse GS SOHC:I4 MIVEC (2.4L/4S), $21,099.00, 3-Door Coupe, 4-Speed Sportronic
-- Eclipse GT SOHC: MIVEC (3.8L/6M), $23,999.00, 3-Door Coupe, 6-Speed Manual
-- Eclipse GT SOHC: MIVEC (3.8L/5S), $24,999.00, 3-Door Coupe, 5-Speed Sportronic
Posted by Frank at 8:33 AM
| Filed under 2009 Vehicles
| Auto Marketing
| Auto News
| Finance
| Mitsubishi
General Motors Powertrain Europe opens doors for Tech Show
Turin/Italy -- GM Powertrain Europe’s comprehensive Tech Show provides answers about how cars will be propelled in the future.
As part of the global GM Powertrain organization, GM Powertrain Europe has global responsibility for small diesel engines, diesel control systems, small gasoline engines and manual transmissions. Its footprint encompasses 15 facilities in 7 European countries, employing 9,000 people and producing on average more than 17,000 engines and transmissions per day.
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Posted by Frank at 8:28 AM
| Filed under Alternative Fuels
| Auto Marketing
| Auto News
| Car Tech
| Diesel
| Electric
| Environment
| Ethanol
| GM
| Hybrid
| Hydrogen
Chevy donates horsepower to Wayne County
DETROIT, Mich. – Chevrolet today donated 365 horses to the Restore the Horse Foundation for the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office mounted police unit.
The horses are corralled under the hood of a 2008 Chevrolet Silverado HD 3500 "dually" pickup truck, which along with a horse trailer donated by Restore the Horse, will be used to maintain and enhance the local mounted unit – the last of its kind in the state of Michigan.
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Posted by Frank at 8:16 AM
| Filed under 5th Wheel
| Auto Marketing
| Auto News
| Chevrolet
| GM
GM Announces Two New Fuel Efficient Engines for Europe
Turin/Italy – General Motors Corp. will introduce, starting in 2009, two new engines with significant fuel efficiency gains for vehicles marketed in Europe and other regions.
The 1.4-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine will be used in vehicles worldwide starting in 2010. The 1.6-liter Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) turbocharged 4-cylinder engine will be introduced in the Opel Zafira in 2009.
Continue reading"GM Announces Two New Fuel Efficient Engines for Europe"
Posted by Frank at 8:13 AM
| Filed under Alternative Fuels
| Auto News
| Car Tech
| GM
Ford Europe sales up 6.4% in April
COLOGNE, Germany – Ford of Europe's business momentum continued with another strong sales month in April.
Ford sales in the Euro 19 countries were up by 6.4 percent to 129,500 units, for a market share of 8.1 percent. When sales in Russia, Turkey and the 30 Ford European Direct Markets are added, Ford of Europe's sales for April totaled 161,140 units, an increase of 8 percent over the same month last year.v
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Posted by Frank at 8:10 AM
| Filed under Auto News
| Ford
| Industry Statistics
Daimler Supports Earthquake Victims in China with 500,000 Euro
STUTTGART, Germany -- Daimler AG is supporting the earthquake victims in China together with its local companies Daimler North East Asia (DNEA) and Beijing Benz-DaimlerChrysler Automotive Ltd. (BBDC).
The money is being provided to locally active aid organizations such as China Charity Foundation and the Chinese Red Cross. In addition, DNEA has provided the Chinese authorities with trucks for use in disaster areas.
Continue reading"Daimler Supports Earthquake Victims in China with 500,000 Euro"
Posted by Frank at 7:37 AM
| Filed under Auto Marketing
| Auto News
| Finance
| Mercedes-Benz
Porsche Named Top Luxury Brand for 2008
ATLANTA -- For the fourth year running, America’s most affluent consumers have declared Porsche the most prestigious car available today.
The Luxury Institute’s 2008 independent nationwide survey of luxury auto brands rated Porsche tops against eleven of the world’s most prestigious car brands. Lexus and Mercedes ranked second and third, respectively.
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Posted by Frank at 7:32 AM
| Filed under 2008 Vehicles
| 5th Wheel
| Auto Marketing
| Auto News
| Porsche
Eco-Friendly Toyota Deals Take Leadership Role in Environmental Construction
TORRANCE, Calif. -- Once a symbolic target of environmentalists, auto dealerships are now playing a leading role in the development of buildings and facilities exemplifying leading-edge environmental construction standards.
Toyota of Rockwall (Texas) is the first dealership in the country to receive LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). Rockwall joins Pat Lobb Toyota (McKinney, Texas), which earlier received a Silver certification as the first dealership to be LEED certified. But they won't be the last.
Continue reading"Eco-Friendly Toyota Deals Take Leadership Role in Environmental Construction"
Posted by Frank at 7:32 AM
| Filed under Auto Marketing
| Auto News
| Environment
| Volkswagen
