Kia's first-ever Super Bowl ad titled "Joyride Dream" is scheduled to air during the third quarter on Sunday so let's hope the Saints and Colts keep it close because this is worth watching. The 60-second spot follows a colorful cast of life-size children's characters – including Muno (from YO GABBA GABBA!, the award-winning series and live tour, produced by W!LDBRAIN and The Magic Store), Sock Monkey (Fox River Mills, Inc.), MR. X (BLABLA KIDS collection), Robot and Teddy Bear – who take the all-new 2011 Sorento CUV for a spin through a series of dream-like adventures and encounter exploding bowling pins, jumping jet skis, snow angels and a mechanical bull along the way. The rockin' soundtrack for the characters' epic adventure is "How Do You Like Me Now" by indie rock band The Heavy.
This ad makes me wonder what I've been doing with my life - a lot jammed into a 60 second spot. The tag line on the commercial is: Sorento, A Departure From The Expected. It certainly is!
Green Police is the Audi 60-second spot that will appear in Sunday's Super Bowl broadcast changing Cheap Trick's Dream Police song lyrics to "Green Police" which could relaunch the popularity of that 1979 hit. Though you wouldn't know it from the teasers, Audi says "the main premise of the Green Police commercial is to show how driving an Audi A3 TDI clean diesel car is one of the easiest decisions we can make to help the environment among the dizzying array of green choices facing us each day."
The commercial itself, however, does a great job of delivering a socially responsible message but you have to wait until the 47 second mark to realize who is behind the ad - that's when the Audi A3 wagon hits the screen. The Audi A3 TDI (above) speeds through the Green Police checkpoint because it qualifies as "green". The A3 TDI won the 2010 Green Car of the Year Award presented by the Green Car Journal at December's Los Angeles Auto Show. The A3, Green Car Journal judges concluded, stood out by delivering an EPA-rated 42 mpg in highway driving. The 2009 Green Car of the Year, also went to a diesel, the VW Jetta TDI.
More than half the cars sold in Europe have diesel engines, let's see if this Audi ad can convince the U.S market to go diesel.
Toyota says their dealers nationwide have received the parts, information and training they need to fix accelerator pedals which requires about 30 minutes of work.
Many Toyota dealers will offer extended service hours, and some are planning to stay open 24 hours a day until all customer vehicles have been fixed. Others are adding greeters to their service drives, dedicating body shop capacity to expedite repairs, providing free car washes and oil changes, increasing owner communication and providing complimentary maintenance service, among other customer-focused activities.
To support these efforts, Toyota is sending checks of between $7,500 and $75,000 to its dealers in acknowledgment of the additional costs they are assuming to make it easier for customers to have the necessary repairs done quickly and conveniently.
Separately from the recall for sticking accelerator pedals, Toyota is in the process of recalling vehicles to address rare instances in which floor mats have trapped the accelerator pedal in certain Toyota and Lexus models and is already notifying customers about how it will fix this issue. In the case of vehicles covered by both recalls, it is Toyota’s intention to remedy both at the same time.
Hyundai will be one of the most visible sponsors of Super Bowl XLIV on Sunday, February 7 with a total of eight ads airing throughout the day. 2010 marks Hyundai’s third consecutive year of advertising during the nation’s largest sporting event and second consecutive year sponsoring the Kickoff Show.
Hyundai’s Super Bowl blitz will be highlighted by two in-game ads. The first, titled “Paint,” slotted for the first quarter of the game will feature the all-new 200 horsepower 2011 Sonata sedan which will hit dealerships this month.
The second in-game ad, titled “10 years/Favre,” scheduled for the second quarter, will feature Brett Favre, quarterback of this season’s NFC North champion Minnesota Vikings. Favre, who holds the NFL “iron man” record for most consecutive games started, will be included in a spot featuring Hyundai’s 10-year, 100,000-mile warranty. In the 30-second ad, Favre accepts the Most Valuable Player award after the 2020 football season.
Hyundai, the title sponsor of the “Hyundai Kickoff Show,” which begins at 6:00 p.m. ET, will air three different 30-second ads during the Kickoff Show, including one in the time slot immediately preceding the game. In addition to highlighting the all-new Sonata, pre- and post-game spots will showcase the all-new Tucson and revamped Hyundai Assurance consumer protection program.
The all-new 2011 Infiniti M performance luxury sedan is scheduled for a March 18th launch with the newly designated M37 starting at $46,250 and M56 starting at $57,550 excluding applicable tax, title, license and Destination & Handling fees.
The 330-horsepower 2011 Infiniti M37 rear-wheel drive model with the 3.7 liter V6 engine with VVEL technology has an MSRP of $46,250 and the M37x all-wheel drive starts at $48,400 while the 420-horsepower Infiniti M56 with an all-new 5.6 liter V8 with VVEL and DIG (Direct Injection Gasoline™) technology starts at $57,550 for the rear-wheel drive model and $60,050 for the M56x with Infiniti Intelligent All-Wheel Drive.
Infiniti sales were down in January vs. a year ago so the new M should help sales accelerate.
General Motors reported 146,825 total sales (including all brands), representing a total sales increase of 14 percent from the previous year. The "new GM" brands - Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac – reported retail sales of 102,420, up 3 percent compared to January 2009, and 145,098 total sales, up 30 percent.
Ford Motor Company, including Lincoln, Mercury and Volvo brands, reported January sales of 112,406, up
24.1 percent from January 2009.
Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., reported January sales of 98,796 vehicles, a decrease of 8.7 percent over
last January.
American Honda, including Acura, posted total January vehicle sales of 67,479, an increase of 2.9 percent compared to January 2009.
Nissan North America reported January sales of 62,572, an increase of 16.1 percent, compared with
January 2009.
Chrysler Group reported total U.S. sales for January of 57,143 units, an 8 percent decrease compared
with the same period last year.
Hyundai Motor America had January sales of 30,503 units, up 24 percent versus January 2009.
Kia Motors America January sales of 22,123 units, was 0.1 percent increase over the same period in
2009.
Volkswagen of America reported January 2010 sales of 18,019 total units, representing a 41.4 percent increase over January 2009. Audi, owned by VW,separately reported January U.S. sales of 6,510, a 37.9% overall increase from January 2009.
Daimler reported sales for the Mercedes-Benz Cars division in the U.S. (Mercedes-Benz and smart
combined) of 15,436 units, an increase of 26.4 percent compared to January 2009. smartUSA accounted for 278 vehicles, an 84.3 percent drop from January 2009. Mercedes-Benz USA January sales of 15,158 vehicles was a 45.3 percent improvement over January 2009.
Mazda North American Operations reported January 2010 sales of 15,694, an increase of 1.8 percent versus January of 2009.
Subaru of America, coming off a record-breaking sales year in 2009, announced sales of 15,611, a 28 percent increase over January 2009.
BMW Group in the U.S. (BMW and MINI combined) sold 15,410 vehicles, up 7.7 percent from January last year. Sales of BMW brand vehicles increased 7.6 percent in January for a total of 13,163 while MINI USA reported sales of 2,247, an increase of 7.9 percent compared to last January.
Mitsubishi Motors North America announced January 2010 sales of 4,170.
American Suzuki Motor sold 2,040 vehicles in January, a 44 percent tumble from January last year.
This page will be updated as manufacturers report.
The all-new 2011 Hyundai Sonata, the biggest hit of the Los Angeles Auto Show debuts, will have a starting price of $19,195 for the well-equipped GLS model powered by a 198 horsepower 2.4L GDI four-cylinder engine. The SE model with the 200 horsepower 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine starts at $22,595 and the top-of-the-line Limited model is available for $25,295.
The Sonata GLS manual has overall fuel economy of 24 mpg city/35 mpg highway, with all other Sonata models achieving 22 mpg city/35 mpg highway. The all-new 6th generation Sonata comes standard with XM Satellite® radio, standard Bluetooth® hands-free phone system, front driver and passenger airbags, front seat side impact and curtain airbags, ESC and Traction Control System, Antilock Braking System with Electronic Brake-force Distribution, Tire Pressure Monitoring System. Options include advanced touchscreen navigation, HD Radio Technology™ with multicasting (allowing the broadcast of alternative side-band content on HD stations) and heated front and rear heated seats. All navigation systems also include a 90-day complimentary subscription to real-time XM NavTraffic®, XM NavWeather®, XM Sports Ticker and XM Stock Ticker. The Navigation Package costs $2,100 and comes with rear backup camera and Infinity premium speakers with subwoofer/external amplifier.
Sonata will compete for customers against cars like Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, Ford Fusion, Nissan Altima and Chevrolet Malibu.
Toyota is responding quickly and hopes to maintain customer loyalty with apologies from Toyota Motor Sales President & COO Jim Lentz and swift action to resolve an issue which has apparently caused 19 deaths according to longtime consumer watchdog and former Presidential candidate Ralph Nader who was interviewed on KNX News Radio in Los Angeles today. Nader also said that the under-staffed the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has known about this problem for a some time.
Toyota said today that it will begin fixing accelerator pedals in the recalled Toyota Division vehicles this week after their engineers developed a solution that involves reinforcing the pedal assembly to eliminate the excess friction that has caused the pedals to stick in rare instances.
From the Toyota News Release:
A precision-cut steel reinforcement bar will be installed into the assembly that will reduce the surface tension between the friction shoe and the adjoining surface so excess friction that can cause the pedal to stick is eliminated. Toyota says it has confirmed the effectiveness of the newly reinforced pedals through rigorous testing on pedal assemblies that had previously shown a tendency to stick. In addition, Toyota has developed an effective solution for vehicles in production.
Parts to reinforce the pedals are already being shipped for use by dealers, and dealer training is under way. Many Toyota dealers will work extended hours to complete the recall campaign as quickly and conveniently as possible, some even staying open 24 hours a day. The company has also taken the unprecedented action of stopping production of affected vehicles for the week of February 1.
On January 21, Toyota announced its intention to recall approximately 2.3 million select Toyota Division vehicles equipped with a specific pedal assembly and suspended sales of the eight models involved in the recall on January 26.
Toyota vehicles affected by the recall include: certain 2009-2010 RAV4, certain 2009-2010 Corolla, 2009-2010 Matrix, 2005-2010 Avalon, certain 2007-2010 Camry, certain 2010 Highlander, 2007-2010 Tundra and 2008-2010 Sequoia.
No Lexus Division or Scion vehicles are affected by these actions. Also not affected are Toyota Prius, Tacoma, Sienna, Venza, Solara, Yaris, 4Runner, FJ Cruiser, Land Cruiser, Highlander hybrids and certain Camry models, including Camry hybrids, all of which remain for sale.
Further, Camry, RAV4, Corolla and Highlander vehicles with Vehicle Identification Numbers (VIN) that begin with "J" are not affected by the accelerator pedal recall.
In the event that a driver experiences an accelerator pedal that sticks in a partial open throttle position or returns slowly to idle position, the vehicle can be controlled with firm and steady application of the brakes. The brakes should not be pumped repeatedly because it could deplete vacuum assist, requiring stronger brake pedal pressure. The vehicle should be driven to the nearest safe location, the engine shut off and a Toyota dealer contacted for assistance.
Detailed information and answers to questions about issues related to this recall are available to customers at www.toyota.com/recall and at the Toyota Customer Experience Center at 1-800-331-4331.
The Nissan Leaf battery electric car has been named Green Car Journal's 2010 Green Car Vision Award™ winner at The Washington Auto Show beating out the Coda electric sedan, Ford Focus BEV electric car, Mercedes-Benz F-Cell hydrogen fuel cell vehicle, and Toyota Prius PHV plug-in hybrid.
"Nissan's move to offer a stylish battery electric vehicle as part of its model line is significant," says Ron Cogan, editor and publisher of the Green Car Journal and editor of GreenCar.com. "This coming electric model will provide the features, the styling, and the driving experience that will meet the needs of a sophisticated and demanding market, while producing zero localized emissions and requiring no petroleum fuels."
The vehicle's cost does not exceed that of a comparable internal combustion model and the gas to run it.
"This kind of price parity is crucial to the success of any mass market advanced technology model," Cogan says.
To be considered for the Green Car Vision Award™, vehicles must be in their early stages of commercialization but not yet on sale, in small volume production with more than one functional prototype in existence, or operating as part of a demonstration fleet. A nominee may be an all-new model or an advanced adaptation of an existing model, such as a conversion to another type of power like electric drive.
The Leaf is scheduled to go on sale later this year.
Ford reported a full year 2009 pre-tax operating profit, excluding special items, of $454 million, a $7.3 billion improvement over a year ago. Ford posted full year net income of $2.7 billion, or 86 cents per share, driven in part by favorable net pricing, structural cost reductions, net gains on debt reduction actions and strong Ford Credit results. Ford reported its first full year of positive net income since 2005 and a $17.5 billion improvement over 2008. Revenue for the full year was $118.3 billion, a decline of $19.8 billion versus a year ago.
Ford now expects to be profitable for full year 2010 on a pre-tax basis excluding special items, for North America, total Automotive and total company, with positive Automotive operating-related cash flow.
“While we still face significant business environment challenges ahead, 2009 was a pivotal year for Ford and the strongest proof yet that our One Ford plan is working and that we are forging a path toward profitable
growth by working together as one team, leveraging our global scale,” said Ford President and CEO Alan Mulally (pictured left).
Fourth Quarter
Net income for the fourth quarter was $868 million, or 25 cents per share, a $6.8 billion improvement over a
year ago. Excluding special items, Ford posted pre-tax operating profits totaling $1.8 billion during the fourth
quarter, a $5.5 billion improvement from a year ago. On an after-tax basis, excluding special items, Ford
posted an operating profit of $1.6 billion in the fourth quarter, or 43 cents per share, compared with a loss of
$3.3 billion, or $1.40 per share, a year ago.
Ford North America operations posted a pre-tax operating profit in the fourth quarter, excluding special items, of $707 million, its second straight profitable quarter. Ford South America, Ford Europe and Ford Asia Pacific Africa also posted pre-tax operating profits in the fourth quarter. Ford’s fourth quarter revenue was $35.4 billion, up $6.4 billion from a year ago.
Toyota Motor Sales announced that it is instructing Toyota dealers to temporarily suspend sales of eight models involved in the recall for sticking accelerator pedal, announced on January 21, 2010.
Toyota announced it would recall approximately 2.3 million vehicles to correct sticking accelerator pedals on specific Toyota Division models. Toyota has investigated isolated reports of sticking accelerator pedal mechanisms in certain vehicles without the presence of floor mats. There is a possibility that certain accelerator pedal mechanisms may, in rare instances, mechanically stick in a partially depressed position or return slowly to the idle position.
Toyota's accelerator pedal recall and suspension of sales is confined to the following Toyota Division vehicles: 2009-2010 RAV4, 2009-2010 Corolla, 2009-2010 Matrix, 2005-2010 Avalon, Certain 2007-2010 Camry, 2010 Highlander, 2007-2010 Tundra, 2008-2010 Sequoia.
Edward E. Whitacre, Jr., has agreed to continue as chairman and CEO of General Motors, it was announced today.
Speaking at a press conference at GM’s headquarters, Whitacre also expressed the GM board’s commitment that the company will pay back in full the U.S. Treasury and the Canadian and Ontario government loans by June.
Whitacre’s appointment reflects GM’s progress since the new company was formed last summer. “The board of directors asked if I would be willing to stay on at GM and help continue the company’s road back to success,” Whitacre said. “Having spent the past few months learning the business, meeting with our employees, customers and dealers, and working with the GM leadership team, I was both honored and pleased to accept this role. This is a great company with an even greater future, and I want to be part of it."
“We’ve made significant progress in the past couple of months, so much so that I can confirm with certainty that we will pay back in full the U.S. Treasury and Canadian and Ontario government loans by June,” Whitacre said. “This represents a significant milestone in our journey back to being a profitable and viable company.”
Chevrolet Aveo RS, shown at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit features the same small-displacement 138 horsepower 1.4L Ecotec turbocharged engine that will be available in the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze. In the Aveo RS show car, the 1.4L turbo is mated to a six-speed manual transmission. Chevrolet has previously announced the new Aveo will be built at Orion Assembly in Orion Township, Mich., in 2011, a move that will restore 1,200 jobs to Southeast Michigan. Plant retooling is scheduled to begin later this year.
GM says the Aveo RS features a European-inspired hot hatch look designed to appeal to young enthusiasts, and hints at the next-generation Aveo. This Aveo is longer, wider and more spacious than the current production Aveo and will have the many personalization options potentially available on the next-generation car. The current Aveo is made in Korea.
Greater Washington D.C., California and Michigan will be the initial retail markets where Chevrolet will sell the Volt electric vehicle with extended range to consumers. Chevrolet will deliver more than 100 Volts to several utilities across the U.S. – including Pepco and Dominion, which serve Washington D.C. and its suburbs – as part of an extended demonstration program. The overall program includes 500 charging stations that will be installed for residential, business and public use. They will be used to learn more about the installation process, vehicle charging and to gauge customer feedback.
The Chevrolet Volt is an electric vehicle with extended-range capability designed to drive up to 40 miles on electricity without using gasoline or producing tailpipe emissions. When the Volt's lithium-ion battery is depleted, an engine/generator operates to extend the driving range if there is no access to an electrical outlet to recharge the battery.
The Chevrolet Volt has already logged more than a quarter-million test miles on pre-production vehicles, some of which are in service 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Volt production begins later this year, and pricing has not been announced.
The 2011 Lincoln MKX midsize luxury crossover introduced in Detroit two weeks ago has a new 305 horsepower 3.7-liter Duratec V-6 engine delivering torque up to 280 ft.-lb.and mated to a six-speed SelectShift Automatic™ transmission, and comes equipped with MyLincoln Touch™ driver connect technology. Ford brags that the new MKX will achieve highway fuel economy of 25 mpg on regular fuel.
The MyLincoln Touch experience, powered by Lincoln SYNC®, replaces traditional vehicle buttons, knobs and gauges with clear, crisp LCD screens and five-way buttons like those found on cell phones and MP3 players. The screens can be personalized to display information relevant to each individual driver using a simple button click, voice command or touch screen tap. Also new on the 2011 Lincoln MKX is iTunes® Tagging which is enabled by the available Voice-Activated Navigation System through SYNC, iTunes Tagging providing customers with the ability to “capture” a song they hear on the HD Radio receiver for later purchase from iTunes. With a simple push of a “TAG” button on the radio display, the song information will be stored in the radio’s memory.
The 2011 Lincoln MKX has eight unique features: MyLincoln Touch, Lincoln SYNC, Easy Fuel, SecuriCode™ keyless entry, Blind Spot Mirrors, MyKey, Cross Traffic Alert and AdvanceTrac® with RSC (Roll Stability Control™). The 2010 Lincoln MKX starts at $38,345 so we'll have to wait to see how the 2011 model is priced.
The all-new 2011 Buick Regal, which will be will initially be offered in premium CXL trim only, will start at $26,995 including a $750 destination charge and the Regal’s CXL turbo model will start at $29,495, including a $750 destination charge. Additional trim levels to be offered in the 2012 model year. The Regal CXL includes a standard 182 horsepower 2.4L Ecotec direct injected engine and an optional 220 horsepower 2.0L Ecotec turbocharged and direct injected engine coming late this summer. Both engines have six-speed automatic transmission standard with Driver Shift Control (DSC) and an estimated 30 mpg on the highway for the 2.4L and 29 mpg highway with the 2.0L turbo engine.
Regal production for sale in the U.S. and Canada begins late Q1 2010 in Russelsheim, Germany, with vehicles expected to start arriving at dealerships in Q2 2010. North American production will begin at the Oshawa Car Assembly plant beginning in Q1 2011. So initially you'll be getting a German-made General Motors car from Opel, the European car maker that GM decided to keep and not sell, a decision heavily influenced by the future of Buick models.
