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The success of branded entertainment
Infiniti and Saab lead by example
There's no doubt the recession has hit world-wide auto sales hard.
With sales not meeting profit expectations, budgets are slashed in an attempt to cut costs. Marketing, of course, takes a hit as well. But sales are slowly returning, with new vehicle sales expected to rise in November from a year earlier.
I like to devote some of my time here on Ridestory talking about branding and how the manufacturers appeal to buyers and enthusiasts. I've always thought clever brand placement did more to appeal to consumers than the barrage of ads on network TV. I think it's safe to say that placing brands in recognized entertainment has probably been one of the few bright spots in automotive marketing.
Saab: Fiona's ride
One example, believe it or not, is General Motors. The auto maker showed some brand smarts when they successfully placed Saab in USA Networks 'Burn Notice'.
Advertising Age has an excellent article (subscription required) explaining Saab's success and how GM received some of it's best brand metrics ever. Brand integration into a popular TV show certainly proved to be a successful strategy.
Saab has a problem looming on the horizon, though. And that's a lack of cars.
As GM's sale of Saab to Koenigsegg continues, vehicle production has slowed due to cost cutting in preparation for the new 9-5.
"We have about 10 Saabs left, and they won’t last long,” said Ivan Goodwin, sales manager at Jim Ellis Saab in Atlanta. “It’s going to be a big problem, but there is nothing we can do about it."
In addition, Saab announced the closure of more than a third of their U.S. dealers. A limited inventory is going to hurt those dealers remaining open.
Infiniti and Elvis Costello's 'Spectacle'
Infiniti is taking advantage of their exposure on the Sundance Channel's 'Spectacle', hosted by Elvis Costello.
The Sundance Channel doesn't accept traditional advertising, so Infiniti's brand gets some more unique exposure through front-of-venue placement and title sponsorship on the show's marquee at the Apollo Theater.
'Spectacle' features Costello interviewing and performing duets with many talented guests. In addition, each show will feature Infiniti-sponsored "Inspiration Sessions," which pairs famous musicians with their producers. The show begins its second season December 9th.
Kathy Roznowski, Infiniti's senior media manager, said 'Spectacle' has become a large part of Infiniti's marketing strategy because the branded-entertainment matches the auto maker's promise of "inspired performance."
"We need to deliver inspiration in everything we do, from the performance of the vehicle to hospitality in consumers feeling they're getting peace of mind or quality," she said. "What these clips will be able to do is inspire fans to take them into the social space, to help us promote these artists pairings by sharing them with their friends."
"We ultimately want people to experience all our vehicles, so we're trying to talk more from the level of the brand itself. It's not about a sales event," Ms. Roznowski said.
I think the success both Saab and Infiniti are experiencing with their branded entertainment will spread to others. I'd much rather see cars used in an entertaining way, such as a series character driving it or as part of a musical diversion. It doesn't smack so much of advertising and can actually help support the content.
The Nissan GT-R
Motor Trend's 2009 Car of the Year
On many levels, this makes sense. The Nissan GT-R outperforms many cars costing tens of thousands more.
Performance squared
It's hand-built V6, pumped to the stratosphere by twin-turbochargers, delivers 480 horsepower. Motor Trend claims their dyno test showed a peak horsepower of 507. Amazing performance from a V6 with the reliability of a daily driver. Many Ferrari's and Lamborghini's, with similar performance numbers, often languish in purpose-built garages, only seeing the light of day on a quiet Sunday morning.
When you compare 0-to-60 runs, quarter-mile times, braking from 60mph, amd lateral acceleration, the GT-R is without a doubt one of the world's most outstanding cars.
For example, it sprints to 60mph in 3.3 seconds, faster than the BMW M6, the Porsche 911 GT2, the Lamborghini Gallardo LP-560, and the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren. It manages to keep up with the Ferrari 599 GTB and the Corvette ZR1.
But not an everyday man's car
But, to the everyday enthusiast, does this make sense? To be more specific, here's a car that many of us just can't afford. The same goes for Porsche's, BMW's M series cars, and the Corvette ZR1. The GT-R may outperform or come close to outperforming these cars but price excludes most of us, just as the GT-R's price does.
Motor Trend is no doubt an enthusiast's magazine. Choosing the GT-R based on "performance-value" is a no-brainer. The advantages of this car increase with the price of its competitors. And because of it's amazing performance, the GT-R's competitors include cars in it's price range and above.
And the rest of us?
What about choosing a Car of the Year the rest of us can afford? Pontiac's G8 GT is a terrific car. The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution MR is a blast to drive, stickers at just under $40,000 and has one of the best twin-clutch transmissions on the road today. I would like to suggest the new Camaro but it, like the new Mustang, won't be available until next year.
What do you think? The GT-R is worthy of the Car of the Year title. But can you think of any other cars that make more sense?
Let me know. I look forward to hearing from you.
2010 Nissan Z: Retro styling or refined evolution?
The new Z: Taking the wraps off
Nissan has released photos of the new Z, set to make it's official public appearance at the LA Auto Show next month.
And coinciding with the release of the pictures, Nissan has launched Follow The Nissan Z. The car, of course, has a tremendous following and Nissan feels it appropriate to reward its fans by sending the car on a tour of the Unites States. Prior to its official launch, the new Z will show up for a series of sneak peak pit stops across the country. The new site shows where the car will be and corresponding dates. You can also sign up for updates via an online form.
Performance speculation
Right now, that's all we have is speculation. Official specifications have yet to be released but my guess is that information will come at its Los Angeles introduction.
But speculation is fun and I don't think you have to move far from Nissan's tree for ideas. Nissan's top-flight brand Infiniti has the Z's brother, the G37 Coupe, which was recently redesigned and got a performance bump along with it. The G37 has a 3.7-liter V6 packing 330 horsepower at 7,000 rpm and 270 lb-ft of torque at 5,200 rpm. In addition the G37 is available with either a 7-speed automatic or a true 6-speed manual. The automatic does have a manual shift mode with rev matching when downshifting.
I think it's safe to assume the new Z will inherit these performance goodies, making for a great rear-wheel drive car for enthusiasts. True blue Z fans should be quite happy.
Has the Z's styling gone retro?
One thing I noticed immediately about the new Z is how it more closely resembles the early Z's. Is it just me or does it make you think of the original 240/260/280Z's? The new car has what appears to be noticeably shorter rear deck, or hatch, in this case. And with that shorter rear overhang, the hood appears longer. Overall, the car looks more compact. In my mind, that's a good thing. The outgoing model appeared visually cluttered to me. The new Z's look is more refined and purposeful, clearly that of a performance car. I see die-hard Z fans taking to this car even more.
Calling all Z owners
If you're a current Z owner, I would love to hear from you. What model and year do you have? What do you think of this new Z? I would be interested in hearing if you agree with me or not about the new car's styling. Do you see my comparison to old school Z's?
Top Gear and the Nissan GT-R
I just had to post this clip from Top Gear where Jeremy road tests the GT-R, including the Stig's turn at the wheel around the Top Gear track.
What an amazing car. But you have to wonder, could Nissan have done a better job at styling this car? It's not pretty. You have a car that exceeds the performance of a Ferrari or Porsche, yet looks like many coupes in our automotive past but beaten with an ugly stick. Just my thoughts. What do you think?
Performance can be efficient
MINI's John Cooper Works edition bolsters our belief in small car fun
Yes, gas is expensive. One result? High-performance cars are picked on, frowned upon as unnecessary and gas-guzzling. But if you can turbo- or supercharge a four-cylinder, tuning it for horsepower and efficiency, what's the harm in that?
Hopefully none. BMW's MINI brand, since its introduction in 2001, has supported our belief that small efficient cars can be fun and fast. The new John Cooper Works version benefits from a larger version turbocharger, developing 211 horsepower and 192 lb-ft of torque from the base 1.6 liter four-cylinder engine. If you employ the cars Overboost system, the available torque jumps to nearly 207 lb-ft.
As passionate drivers, MINI delivers what we need now. A car that is quick and entertaining, putting a huge grin on our faces as we hit our favorite twisty back road. But when you need it to be, the MINI is efficient, sipping gas at a wallet-loving 40mpg.
And the MINI isn't the only model line available that offers performance and efficiency. There are many others, with auto makers producing small cars that are not only miserly but carry a nice punch.
- Here's a quick list of a few more cars that are fun yet easy at the pump.
- Mazda MX-5
MPG: 21 city/28 highway
0-60: 6.5 seconds - Pontiac Solstice GXP
MPG: 19 city/28 highway
0-60: 5.5 seconds - Nissan 350Z
MPG: 18 city/25 highway
0-60: 5.3 seconds - BMW 135i
MPG: 17 city/25 highway
0-60: 4.8 seconds - Lotus Elise
MPG: 20 city/26 highway
0-60: 4.6 seconds - Honda S2000
MPG: 18 city/25 highway
0-60: 5.3 seconds - Chevrolet Cobalt SS
MPG: 22 city/30 highway
0-60: 5.5 seconds
Can you think of any other quick, fun-to-drive small cars that will help you out at the pump when it needs to? Disagree with my list? Let me know. Give me your feedback. I want to hear from you.
The impending release of Nissan's GT-R
Is Nissan's GT-R the most anticipated car this year?
The excitement has certainly reached a crescendo. With rumor and spy shots easily accessible anywhere on the web, we were having a hard time containing ourselves as the Tokyo Motor Show draws closer.
But official photos and specs have now been released, courtesy of Edmunds Inside Line.
Powering Nissan's new supercar is a 3.8-liter twin-turbo V6 with 473 horsepower at 6,400 rpm. Torque will peak at 434 pound-feet, available between 3,200 and 5,200 rpm. Zero to 100 kp/h (or 62 mph) comes in about 3.5 seconds and a quarter mile in 11.7 seconds. Top speed is 193 mph.
As you would expect, each of the GT-R's powerplants will be hand assembled by one of 12 technicians.
One of the GT-R's unique features is the rear-mounted transaxle. But even more unique are the carbon-fiber driveshafts, one from the engine to the dual-clutch six-speed gearbox, another set to the front and right of the primary, running to the front of the car. Yes, the GT-R is all-wheel drive, with a computer controlling the torque split front to rear.
The six-speed transmission is not unlike Audi's DSG, able to operate as an automatic, of course. But paddles behind the steering wheel provide the most fun with F1-like shifting, complete with throttle blip downshifts to match engine speed.
But the best part of all is that this new GT-R will be available here in the States. And with a price expected to be around $80,000, it may prove to the best performance bargain on the road, bar none.
