Category Archives: Automobiles

Read This: Lack of 35mm film, replacement parts putting hurt on America's drive-ins [w/poll]

By Damon Lowney

Filed under: ,

Drive-in movie theaters turn 80 years old this summer, and, soon, they might die of old age. There are only 360 drive-in theaters left in the US – down from 4,000 at their peak in 1958 – and the 35-millimeter film projectors that they use to screen movies are quickly losing support from studios, which have switched to digital methods of capturing pictures.

Remember the four-foot poles with speakers built in? You’d pull your car up to it, park, and open your windows to listen to the movie. Well, there’s only one company left that makes parts for those speakers, and they don’t support surround sound. And the cost to upgrade the projectors to digital systems is prohibitively expensive. James Kopp, manager at the Family Drive-In Theatre in Stephens City, Virginia, says he was quoted nearly $140,000 to make the switch to digital, The Washington Post reports.

Pennsauken, New Jersey, was the first US city to build a drive-in, yet there are no more of them in the state. As gloomy as it looks, there are drive-ins trying to make the switch to digital projection systems, and there are ones that already have. But as drive-ins fall further from our minds, the question is, do people care?

Read The Washington Post article, and tell us what you think in the poll below.

View Poll

Lack of 35mm film, replacement parts putting hurt on America’s drive-ins [w/poll] originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 30 Jul 2013 14:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

…read more

Source: FULL ARTICLE at Autoblog

2015 Lexus GS F Spy Photos: The GS Gets F’d Up

By Alexander Stoklosa

2015 Lexus GS F (spy photo)

What It Is: A completely undisguised Lexus GS sedan prototype decked out in high-performance, F-style gear. Lexus’s high-performance F sub-brand is similar in concept to BMW’s M or Mercedes-Benz’s AMG, but has thus far only churned out the IS F sedan and the LFA supercar as full-fledged models, as well as a passel of F Sport–branded trim levels for the IS, GS, and LS. Currently, the GS sedan lineup consists on the GS350, GS350 F Sport, and GS450h hybrid. READ MORE ››

…read more

Source: FULL ARTICLE at Car & Driver

Report: Ford blamed in drug mule lawsuit

By Damon Lowney

Filed under:

If a college student is caught smuggling drugs across the border, one might think the kid got what was coming to him. But when a Mexican student at the University of Texas in El Paso was caught by Border Patrol agents with duffel bags filled with marijuana in his trunk, the man used a classic excuse: He claimed they weren’t his.

While a claim like that is almost unbelievable, Ricardo Magallanes, the student, is now suing Ford for handling its vehicles’ key codes negligently enough to allow drug smugglers to break into his Ford Focus and stash the drugs, The Daily Caller reports. The twist here is that four other people who lived in Juarez and worked in El Paso were involved in the same type of scheme – allegedly unwittingly, just like Magallanes – and all the cars were Fords except one model from General Motors. FBI agents also found an employee at a Dallas Ford dealership that had accessed the key codes to all four of the cannabis-stuffed Fords.

While we all may not own Fords, the case still causes us slight paranoia. We’ll definitely be checking our trunks before we cross any more international borders.

Ford blamed in drug mule lawsuit originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 30 Jul 2013 13:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

…read more

Source: FULL ARTICLE at Autoblog

Report: Alfa Romeo Spider said to get modern styling, 168 horsepower

By Jonathon Ramsey

Filed under:

Take a good look at the picture (and the high-res image gallery) of the Alfa Romeo 2uettottanta concept by Pininfarina, because the production Spider that will be a joint development with the coming Mazda MX-5 Miata isn’t expected to look anything like it. According to a report in Autocar, designers at Fiat’s Centro Stile couldn’t figure out how to translate the concept to a production car.

We’re being told that the new Alfa roadster will be styled to match the modernity of the brand’s lineup, accented by “historic design themes,” and that its exterior is near final approval. Apparently, the traditional Alfa grille will be flanked by “lower intake whiskers” and headlights that are nothing like those on the 4C. To be built alongside the Miata in Japan, it will share certain platform hardpoints like the front bulkhead and engine compartment, but won’t have any body panels in common with the Mazda.

Only one engine is expected to be slotted in that bay: the 1.4-liter MultiAir with 168 horsepower. Those ponies will be charged with moving a roadster said to come in at no more than 2,420 pounds, with shifting performed by a six-speed dual-clutch transmission. If that information is correct, that would give it one more horsepower and 20 or more pounds less weight than the current manual-transmission Miata Sport. Comparing like-for-kind-of-like, it would have 10 more hp and be at least 122 pounds lighter than the current automatic-equipped Miata Sport.

Alfa Romeo Spider said to get modern styling, 168 horsepower originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 30 Jul 2013 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

…read more

Source: FULL ARTICLE at Autoblog

VW Launches Its Own Car-Net Mobile App on Certain 2014 Models

By Clifford Atiyeh

2013 Volkswagen Beetle Turbo convertible

Car-Net, VW’s mobile app, will be available on certain 2014 models, including the Beetle.

After a short fling with OnStar that broke up in 2005, Volkswagen buyers have missed the magic satellite’s capability to unlock their cars or dial 911 immediately after a crash. Now that Hyundai offers its own telematics system (known as Blue Link), VW’s eye in the sky is back under a completely new name.

VW Car-Net delivers all the usual features we’ve come to expect from such systems, with several buttons on the overhead console that put you in contact with a call center any hour of the day—whether you’re looking for the closest place to get a cheeseburger or to report an actual emergency. A dedicated web site and iPhone app are also available for other features.

Among the main services:

  • Automatic Crash Notification: When the system detects an accident (airbag deployment or a rollover), a call automatically connects vehicle occupants to a VW Car-Net customer specialist. Information about the vehicle and its location are transmitted to the VW Car-Net Response Center. Appropriate emergency services can then be dispatched to the vehicle’s location.
  • Roadside Assistance: The car’s location and vehicle identification number (VIN) are sent to the call center, either by pressing a button or loading the app (Android phones will be supported later).
  • Agent Destination Assist: General Motors allows owners to download directions from OnStar even on vehicles without a navigation system, but VW requires your vehicle to be equipped with the optional navigation system for this feature to work.
  • Stolen Vehicle Assistance: In the same way that the Mercedes mbrace2 system tracked the Boston Marathon bombers in a stolen Benz, VW’s system will perform the same function when police contact the Car-Net system. However, Car-Net can’t slow the car or disable the engine as with OnStar and Hyundai Blue Link.
  • Last Parked Location: Sometimes parking garages can feel like entrapment; we’d have liked to use this app the last time we parked at Boston’s Logan Airport.
  • Remote Vehicle Status: The odometer, fuel gauge, and estimated range all can be displayed on the app. The app also can tell you if the doors, hood, trunk, sunroof or convertible top are open or closed, though only the doors can be unlocked remotely (and not locked as in other systems). Car-Net also offers text alerts when the car exceeds a preset speed limit or if it travels outside a certain area.

After a six-month free trial, Car-Net costs $17.99 per month or $199 for one year. Two-year ($378) and three-year ($540) contracts save some money in the long run and are competitive with other automakers. Only one subscription bundle is offered.



The service is standard on all 2014 Beetle, Eos, and CC models. On the 2014 Passat, Jetta, and Tiguan, Car-Net comes on every model except the base trims. It’s unavailable …read more

Source: FULL ARTICLE at Car & Driver

Report: Chrysler delays 2014 Jeep Cherokee media launch

By Brandon Turkus

2014 Jeep Cherokee

Filed under:

Chrysler is making the unusual move of delaying the first media drives of the 2014 Jeep Cherokee, which were slated to start next week in Seattle. And while something like this is a rare occurrence, and one that most of the Autoblog staff can’t recall happening this publicly or so close to the event itself, it won’t effect the actual on-sale date of the new Cherokee, which is set to hit showrooms in September.

“Over the last couple of weeks during final quality and durability testing, we have discovered the opportunity to further improve powertrain calibration,” Chrysler told Automotive News. This marks the second notable delay in the Cherokee’s short life, after production was delayed for roughly a month earlier this summer.

Still, we’d rather Chrysler make sure the Cherokee is ready for primetime before flying media in from around the country. It shows a willingness to get things right the first time, rather than offering media drives and then tweaking the car after the fact.

A simple look at the Cherokee’s powertrain is all that’s needed to understand how big of a deal it is. Everything under the oddly styled CUV’s hood is new, from a tweaked 2.4-liter engine to a new 3.2-liter V-6, to the first use of Chrysler Group’s new nine-speed automatic, developed jointly with ZF. The pressure to get this right must be immense. We’ll find out if Chrysler succeeds in September.

Chrysler delays 2014 Jeep Cherokee media launch originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 30 Jul 2013 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

…read more

Source: FULL ARTICLE at Autoblog

2015 Acura NSX Prototype On Track: Video

By Darryl

2015-acura-nsx-prototype

The upcoming 2015 Acura NSX is a long-awaited exotic vehicle that many enthusiasts are curious about in a mystical way. The mystical aspect of the new NSX is its supposed revolutionary drivetrain and something exciting out of Honda/Acura after a long hiatus. Acura has released an extremely short 7-second clip of the new Acura NSX giving us a glimpse of it in action and a couple small sound bites. Of course this video is just leaving us wanting more but we will have to wait… a while.

Also, check out the Acura NSX Prototype in the rain on the track.

If you want to watch something longer than a few seconds, check out our post on a video tribute to the Acura NSX.

…read more

Source: FULL ARTICLE at Automotive Addicts

Video: Acura teases 17 seconds of the NSX on Vine and Instagram

By Jonathon Ramsey

Filed under:

Acura won’t roll out the prototype NSX until August 4 when it shows up at Mid-Ohio Raceway for the Honda 200 IndyCar race, and the genuine production car isn’t scheduled to arrive until 2015. Acura will, though, make the car a Vine and Instagram video star with snippets of the mid-engined roarer lapping the test track in both the dry and the wet.

After unleashing a six-second loop on Twitter’s video service yesterday, it gave fans a bit more by uploading a nine-second clip on Instagram of the coupe throwing up rooster tails and sliding around bends. Best of all is the sound – it’s like no Acura you’ve ever heard outside of a race track. You can check out both videos below.

Continue reading Acura teases 17 seconds of the NSX on Vine and Instagram

Acura teases 17 seconds of the NSX on Vine and Instagram originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 30 Jul 2013 12:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

…read more

Source: FULL ARTICLE at Autoblog

First Drive: 2014 Toyota Tundra

By Michael Harley

2014 Toyota Tundra

Filed under: , ,

Raising A White Flag To The Competition

We all benefit from highly competitive battles. In the automotive sector, few campaigns are so closely fought as the decades-long struggle for supremacy in the fullsize half-ton pickup truck segment. The Ford F-150 has dominated for ages, but Chevrolet, Ram and GMC have been closing the gap with freshly redesigned trucks that are rocking the industry.

Today’s half-ton trucks are better than they’ve ever been, and we have fierce competition to thank for that.

But where does the segment leave a truck from an automaker that has chosen to no longer fight and deliver its best product? What kind of vehicle comes from a company that has relinquished any desire to strive for the top of the class – one who is now content offering nothing more than minor updates and mediocrity in an aim to placate brand loyalists?

Such a calculated underachiever would look a lot like the 2014 Toyota Tundra.

Continue reading 2014 Toyota Tundra

2014 Toyota Tundra originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 30 Jul 2013 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

…read more

Source: FULL ARTICLE at Autoblog

Audi Cutting Distracting Apps from 4G LTE Service, Only Available for 2015 A3

By Clifford Atiyeh

Because Audi drivers are important, they need to access information immediately. As they’re riding your backside in the right lane, they’re checking stocks and grabbing Google searches with their fingers, all thanks to an embedded 3G data modem. Now that Audi is increasing data speeds for its vaunted MMI system by nearly tenfold, we can expect their drivers to exhibit even less patience.

In Europe, Audi has just launched the industry’s first in-car 4G LTE service on the 2014 S3 Sportback. By November, 4G LTE will be introduced across all European A3 models; we won’t see it until the 2015 A3 sedan launches next spring. Just like cell phones, the switch to 4G requires a hardware upgrade, which means it’ll trickle up the Audi lineup when each model receives its scheduled refresh. For the R8 and TT—the only two models on sale without Audi connect internet services—4G won’t roll out until they see a new generation.

The announcement comes months after General Motors said it would install 4G LTE connections in most 2015 models. While Audi expects to be first to market, GM is adding the feature on several models next year, not just one.

With speed comes the ability to multitask, and that means some of Audi’s most noteworthy features—the reading of emails and ability to dictate text messages—won’t be offered in the U.S. because of distraction concerns. Audi said it’s currently talking with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration—our take on NHTSA’s distracted-driving guidelines can be found here—to decide which features it can offer without incurring the wrath of government regulators. That means you’ll have to stop first to read about your buddy’s late-night hookup and your aunt’s expert political opinions.



Currently, Audi offers unlimited 3G service through T-Mobile that’s free for the first six months and then $15 per month thereafter. Audi said it was negotiating among carriers (GM has selected AT&T) and would announce pricing closer to the L.A. auto show in November. We wouldn’t be surprised if the rates doubled to $30 per month, which is what most wireless carriers charge for a single smartphone.

…read more

Source: FULL ARTICLE at Car & Driver

Report: Next Chevy Spark coming in 2015, Sonic delayed

By Jeffrey N. Ross

Filed under:

As the best-selling Chevrolet product in Europe and a surprising new hit here in the US, the Spark is proving to be quite an important global vehicle for General Motors. Even though the Spark just went on sale in the US last year, it has been on sale globally since 2009, and Automotive News Europe is reporting that the next-generation Spark is expected to debut during the first half of 2015. There is no information about the new Spark except for reports that it will continue to be built in South Korea.

This report also says that the redesign of the Sonic/Aveo has been delayed until after 2015. Again, there was no information as to the cause of the delay, but this means the third-gen Sonic and Aveo will likely debut sometime in 2016 – five years after the debut of the current model. This follows the recent report saying that the redesign of the Cruze has been delayed by almost a year, until the end of 2015, due to engineering changes.

Next Chevy Spark coming in 2015, Sonic delayed originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 30 Jul 2013 11:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

…read more

Source: FULL ARTICLE at Autoblog

What Is Sergio Marchionne Saying In His Email To Chrysler Employees?

Earlier today, Chrysler released its second-quarter financial report, showing net revenue of $507 million — a very impressive 16% increase over the second quarter of 2012. Around the same time, Chrysler’s CEO, Sergio Marchionne, sent an email to Chrysler employees. It’s a short letter: half pep rally, half straight talk. At first glance, it… …read more

Source: FULL ARTICLE at The Car Connection

Report: Jaguar F-Type coupe to cost more than convertible?

By Brandon Turkus

Jaguar F-Type Coupe Spied at the Nurburgring

Filed under:

Jaguar may price the much-rumored F-Type Coupe above the F-Type Convertible, if a report from Australia’s Drive is to be believed. What makes Jag think that such a pricing strategy would work? Porsche. Take a look at the German manufacturer’s consumer site, and you’ll notice that the Boxster is less expensive than the Cayman, despite being essentially the same car.

It’s a fair point, and a price premium does a good job of emphasizing the sporting chops of the coupe over the open-air experience that normally entitles convertibles to higher MSRPs. It’s unclear just how closely Jaguar will follow Porsche’s example, though.

Both the Cayman and Cayman S boast an extra ten horsepower over a Boxster or Boxster S, and while this bump in grunt is negligible in every situation but an argument over which is “best,” it isn’t something to be ignored in the F-Type, particularly as cranking more power out of its supercharged engines should be a rather simple matter.

Drive also points out something quite exciting: with an F-Type Coupe on the way, the groundwork has now been laid for a dedicated R and RS model. We can’t wait.

Jaguar F-Type coupe to cost more than convertible? originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 30 Jul 2013 10:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

…read more

Source: FULL ARTICLE at Autoblog

2014 Acura MDX, 2014 Toyota Tundra, 2015 Porsche Macan Turbo: Today's Car News

Today at The Car Connection, we drove the new 2014 Toyota Tundra, and spent some time with the 2014 Acura MDX in our latest video road test. We spied the 2015 Porsche Macan Turbo, and Acura let us hear what the NSX will sound like. All this and more in today’s car news, right here on The Car Connection. Used car prices are finally falling. We took… …read more

Source: FULL ARTICLE at The Car Connection

Official: Ford shows off V8-powered Ranger headed to Dakar Rally

By Jeffrey N. Ross

Filed under:

Avert your eyes now if you’re jealous that the global version of the Ford Ranger is not offered in the US. Ford’s midsize pickup is being tuned up to take on the 2014 Dakar Rally, and the result is a truck that is probably even cooler than any F-150 SVT Raptor we’ve ever seen in the States. Ford is actually building two versions of the truck for Dakar, which will run from January 5 through January 18, covering more than 5,000 miles from Argentina to Chile.

Starting with a fully composite body and a 5.0-liter V8 plucked from a Mustang, nearly every aspect of the trucks have been purpose built to take on the grueling race. This includes things like the six-speed sequential gearbox, liquid-cooled rear brakes and the 132-gallon fuel tank. As proof that Dakar is more about endurance than speed, the engines used in these race trucks will be limited to around 350 horsepower and 413 pound-feet of torque, and will max out at a top speed of just 105 miles per hour. Scroll down for Ford’s official press release offering more information about the trucks and teams being prepped for Dakar.

Continue reading Ford shows off V8-powered Ranger headed to Dakar Rally

Ford shows off V8-powered Ranger headed to Dakar Rally originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 30 Jul 2013 10:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

…read more

Source: FULL ARTICLE at Autoblog

Volkswagen Launches OnStar Competitor, Car-Net

When General Motors debuted OnStar in 1996, some folks weren’t sure what to make of it. Sure, having an assistant on hand in case of an accident sounded like a good idea, but paying a monthly subscription seemed expensive. And what about privacy? How could users be sure they weren’t being watched? Nearly 20 years down the road, OnStar has become a… …read more

Source: FULL ARTICLE at The Car Connection

Lotus is Getting a Lifeline, But New Esprit Is On Ice

By Justin Berkowitz

1977 Lotus Esprit (Euro-spec)

After spending decades trying to do too much with too little, Lotus now is just spending very little. Former CEO Dany Bahar’s plan for a five-to-six-model Lotus range was never completely serious—it was more meant to showcase Lotus’s expertise-for-hire—but development had progressed quite far on a new Esprit. Work on that sports car has, apparently, come to an end.

Speaking recently with a major Malaysian newspaper, an executive at Lotus’s new corporate parent DRB-Hicom said that that plans for future models had been canceled. In the short term, Lotus would be rolling out variants of it existing two-and-a-half-car lineup. What a shot to the gut.

It isn’t that the Evora, Elise, or Exige are boring cars—they’re among the most entertaining on the road, at any price. We’re fine with Lotus cramming supercharged engines into the trio. We’ve even made peace with the confusion inherent in the Exige roadster, since the Exige was supposedly a coupe version of the roadster called the Elise. A Lotus isn’t really supposed to be competitive with a Porsche any more than Savile Row challenges Neiman Marcus, but all three Lotus models are aging rapidly. Two aren’t even available as road cars in the U.S. anymore. Fresh metal is needed to keep the brand name strong and credible here, in what should be Lotus’s largest market after the U.K.

The cuts really shouldn’t be interpreted as penny pinching by DRB-Hicom, which is a large, well-funded corporation that has extensive experience in car manufacturing. DRB has poured more than $100 million into Lotus, in large part to pay down the immense debt racked up during the wide-eyed Bahar era. (Swizz Beatz cameos don’t come cheap, you know.)

So, why the cuts? Tan Sri Mohd Khamil Jamil, the DRB managing director who gave the interview, suggested that Lotus’s financial situation has been “cleaned up” and that the company is finally ready to move forward. In other words, the Lotus balance sheets were covered in red ink—although the engineering division, we’re told, was just about profitable—and that needed sorting before any new product could be considered.

This is sensible business, and of all companies, Lotus needs a big dose of that. But we are—as all gearheads should be—left wondering about the fate of the Esprit. There’s a strong case that a $100,000-plus sports car was the wrong product for Lotus, a brand that will never be able to match the panache and established image offered by Ze Germans. Even still, Lotus was into advanced development and testing on what was supposed to be its range-topping sports car, and shelving it means the investment probably will never be recovered.


Official: Chrysler banks $507 million in Q2, trims 2013 earnings forecast

By Brandon Turkus

Chrysler Technical Center, Auburn Hills, Michigan

Filed under:

Chrysler has some good news and some bad news. First, profits were up 16 percent over the second quarter of 2012, bringing the Auburn Hills, Michigan-based manufacturer $507 million on the back of strong demand for trucks and SUVs (a recurring theme this quarter, particularly in the US). Q2 revenue was up as well, from $16.8 billion in 2012 to $18 billion in 2013. The bad news is that the Pentastar’s overall earnings forecast for net income in 2013 has been trimmed from $2.2 billion to between $1.7 and $2.2 billion, according to Automotive News.

In addition to the adjusted net income forecast, Chrysler tweaked its operating profit from $3.8 billion to between $3.3 and $3.8 billion. This has gone largely unexplained by Chrysler, perhaps hoping the news of a three-percent increase in its transaction prices for Q2 will allow it to sweep this adjustment under the rug.

The star of the show for Chrysler has been its US sales, which saw a 10-percent jump, both bettering the industry average of eight percent and improving over the same stretch of 2012. As with the increase in transaction prices, Chrysler has the new Ram pickup and Jeep Grand Cherokee to thank. Perhaps most worrying from this report, though, is that every brand in the automaker’s stable saw an increase in sales… except for the Chrysler brand itself.

Chrysler’s minor woes aside, the second quarter has largely been a good one for American brands, with Chrysler joining Ford and GM in seeing healthy profits on the backs of strong new product. Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne also released a letter to the company’s employees about all of this, which you can read over at The Detroit News.

Continue reading Chrysler banks $507 million in Q2, trims 2013 earnings forecast

Chrysler banks $507 million in Q2, trims 2013 earnings forecast originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 30 Jul 2013 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

…read more

Source: FULL ARTICLE at Autoblog

Official: Honda thumbs nose at fleet sales, claims it leads in key vehicle segments

By Jeffrey N. Ross

Filed under:

Fleet sales are a way of life in the automotive industry. There are many non-retail customers that need vehicles, but going too far can reduce brand image and vehicle resale value. While some of its competitors have fleet sale that account for up to 20 or 30 of overall sales, Honda is bragging that it has the lowest fleet sales of all mainstream automakers for the first five months of 2013.

After calculating new-car registration data from R.L. Polk, Honda says that just two percent of its sales through went to fleet customers compared to an industry average of 19 percent. Even though this means Honda leaves plenty of sales on the table each month, it also claims to have the highest resale value and lowest cost of ownership among its competitors. In terms of retail sales, Honda says that the Civic, Accord, CR-V and Odyssey all lead their respective segments, and it breaks down/brags about its retail sales success in the press release, which is posted below.

Continue reading Honda thumbs nose at fleet sales, claims it leads in key vehicle segments

Honda thumbs nose at fleet sales, claims it leads in key vehicle segments originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 30 Jul 2013 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

…read more

Source: FULL ARTICLE at Autoblog

Report: Proposed advertising merger will bring competing auto brands under one roof

By Brandon Turkus

Publicis Omnicom merger sign goes up at stock exchange

Filed under:

Publicis Groupe SA and Omnicom Group are a pair of major marketing companies that are on the brink of merging, a move that will form the largest advertising company on the planet. Naturally, this effects the automotive world, as the two companies count a number of ad houses that service the industry under their respective umbrellas, including BBDO Worldwide, Goodby Silverstein and Partners and Saatchi & Saatchi.

According to a report on Automotive News, the pending merger will bring a number of brands’ advertising efforts under one very large roof, and could lead to a shakeup in how auto marketing functions. With Chevrolet, Cadillac, Toyota, Lexus, Nissan and Mercedes-Benz all run by the same group of agencies, the potential for conflicts of interest is obvious.

What this means in the short term isn’t entirely clear. As AN states, one agency managing multiple auto clients isn’t unheard of. It’s merely the scale of the Publicis/Omnicom merger that has people concerned. In the long term, the joining could lead to some realignment, although Ian Beavis, executive vice president of the Nielsen Company’s global automotive group, told AN, “I wouldn’t expect any wholesale changes,” as any movement is, “going to take a while.”

Still, the deal hasn’t received approval from regulators. According to Automotive News, if the deal is given the go-ahead, the agency would have a combined revenue of $22.7 billion in 2012.

Proposed advertising merger will bring competing auto brands under one roof originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 30 Jul 2013 08:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

…read more

Source: FULL ARTICLE at Autoblog