Category: News (Page 20 of 87)

Comedian Bill Hader to star in educational online series

January 6, 2011 /

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Volkswagen of America, Inc. has created a series of humorous and informative webisodes starring Saturday Night Live comedian, Bill Hader. Hader paired with trained Volkswagen product specialist, Danielle Gumro, and SNL writer John Mulaney to create the series. “Inside the VW Academy,” shows the duo weaving together useful and hard-hitting product features in a compelling and entertaining way. The videos will be featured on the official Volkswagen YouTube channel and on its completely redesigned website. The series is made up of eighteen videos in total, the first nine branded entertainment clips debuting January 5th.

“There was a real collaboration between Volkswagen and Bill Hader on the set of ‘Inside the VW Academy’ and the unscripted comedy resulted in a unique and interesting format to engage consumers,” said Tim Ellis, Vice President of Marketing, Volkswagen of America, Inc. “This high quality online entertainment highlights our superior German engineering in a new way and underscores all the value you get when buying a Volkswagen.”

“I was excited to get to work with the elusive Danielle Gumro. But I was bummed I couldn’t keep my wardrobe from the shoot,” added actor Bill Hader.

The first nine videos feature the all-new 2011 Jetta, 2011 Tiguan and the 2011 Touareg. Each model will be featured in three videos that highlight key features, safety, performance and technology, and each video shows a competitive comparison. The content will provide factual details interspersed with humorous dialog and comedic improv. Consumers will also be able to post the videos via YouTube and Facebook. Additional videos will launch in March.

News

December 2010 car sales by the numbers

January 4, 2011 /

December car sales rebounded from 2009 and 2010 turned into a “decent” year for the U.S. auto industry . All signs are 2011 “should” continue to grow back to pre-meltdown levels. Here is a December 2010 breakdown from AutoBlog.com from each brand and there are a few surprises in there.

December sales ended 2010 on a largely positive note for most manufacturers. You’re probably more interested, however, in how these brands and companies performed for the entire year of 2010. Hold on to your Sirius satellite radios, because those numbers are on their way, but first we have to dispense with December.

There’s actually nothing too shocking in the sales numbers for December, as most manufacturers finished strongly, with an increase in sales versus December 2009, and those that were down were either not down by very much (Lexus, Jaguar, Toyota and Dodge) or are the usual suspects (Mercury, Lincoln, Volvo, Chrysler and Smart).

Dodge and Chrysler are looking forward to selling significantly updated hardware in 2011, while Toyota will continue to work its way out of the dog house with those consumers that lost some faith in the Japanese juggernaut during its recall debacle in 2010. With that in mind, we expect even more brands to be bragging about the blockbuster year of sales they just had when the next new year rolls around.

Read the full article.

Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, GM, News

Consumer Reports goes too far?

January 4, 2011 /

Ouch! Ford put together an incredible crossover in the 2011 Ford Edge and it loses the “recommend” tag from Consumer Reports because of some controls on the MyTouch system? That should be a side note to the company to “work on” but to yank a recommend on such a strong product for something like seems over the top! You can in someways compare that to someone not wanting to buy a Consumer Reports Magazine because they didn’t like the ad on the back cover.

From the Detroit News:

Consumer Reports has pulled its much heralded “recommend” tag for the 2011 Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX in its February issue, available on newsstands today.

The influential magazine, in fact, did not recommend any of the six 2011 SUVs tested and featured in the issue. The others are the Chevrolet Tahoe and Jeep Grand Cherokee, as well as the more luxurious Porsche Cayenne and Infiniti QX56.

Pulling its recommendations for the Ford Motor Co. crossovers came down to Ford’s new telematics system, known as MyFord Touch and MyLincoln Touch, said David Champion, senior director of Consumer Reports’ Auto Test Center in East Haddam, Conn. Testers found the system unwieldy, difficult to use and requires drivers to take their eyes off the road, he said.

Read the full article.

Ford, News

Upcoming Debuts at the NAIAS. Note: Stylish looks still move the metal

January 3, 2011 /

Everyone is working feverishly to increase m.p.g. but when it comes down to money time stylish looks still move the metal. Here are some new designs and debuts for this years North American International Auto Show.

Automakers are pouring billions of dollars into fuel-efficient powertrains. But shapely sheet metal still sells cars — which is why fresh design statements will be abundant at the North American International Auto Show next week.

Hyundai and Kia, for example, promise to make a splash with the Hyundai Curb and Kia KV7 crossovers.

Chrysler is trying for a more refined rear-drive sedan with the redesigned 300.

And a Toyota Prius wagon is scheduled to make its debut.

Read the full article.

News

Fiat looks for 51% stake in Chrysler

January 3, 2011 /

I don’t think anyone is too surprised by this development as Marchionne’s Fiat will reap more rewards for the risk the company took back in 2009.

From Auto News.com:

Fiat SpA, the Italian carmaker that owns 20 percent of Chrysler Group LLC, may boost the holding to more than 50 percent before an initial public offering by the U.S. automaker, the companies’ chief executive officer said.

“I think it is possible. I don’t know whether it is likely, but it is possible that we’ll go over the 50 percent mark if Chrysler decides to go to the markets in 2011,” Sergio Marchionne, 58, told reporters at the Milan stock exchange today. “It will be advantageous if that happens.”

Fiat received the stake as part of Chrysler’s 2009 bankruptcy reorganization under government supervision. It expects to receive an additional 15 percent this year when Chrysler makes a small engine in the U.S. and meets sales objectives outside of North America. Fiat has an option to increase the holding to 51 percent, by buying an additional 16 percent, after Chrysler repays U.S. and Canadian government loans.

Read the full article.

Chrysler, News

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