Mini Space on Facebook

MINI Space is an urban initiative by MINI. It's about taking part in creative projects, competitions, events and parties - about getting involved in "Creative Use of Space". And simply about meeting other creative people and having a good time. In a nutshell, this community is a hub for connecting creative people, events and projects.

Check out the Mini Space Design Competition HERE, the competition is promoted all over Facebook with banners and a Mini Space group

Trendwatching: Generation G

The February Trendwatching report is now available HERE.

Has there ever been more urgency for corporations to ditch the greed and embrace generosity? It's something that countless individuals have already started doing, of course: giving is the new taking, and sharing is the new giving. And yes, we do realize that this month's Trend Briefing is massive, but in this business climate, can you really afford not to spend some time figuring out how to get a little closer to your customers?

Chrysler: yes we can!

Chrysler Australia hired an imitator of US new president Barak Obama and used the famous "Yes we can" to praise his models hoping to attract the customers to the dealerships. The campaign mix included Print, OOH, TV and Online. Check the micro-site HERE.

Skoda Octavia Remote Control

In the Netherlands, Skoda is running a fun and very interactive campaign to promote their renewed Octavia models. Through a campaign website they made it possible to control a real car. On several locations throughout Holland, the car is parked, and then controlled and viewed by the internet audience. You should definitely give it a try.

Kia Soul goes Electroluminescent

Kia Soul goes Electroluminescent with an awesome execution on Paris Cafés tables that will surely catch the target's attention. Electro-Luminescent technology is one of the latest technology available to OOH and can be executed through bus shelters, shop displays, bars, nightclubs, cafes, restaurants, even baseball hats and sneakers!!

Kia Soul goes Electroluminescent
envoyé par Automotives

Honda Launches Short Film Series, Talks Success Through Failure

Honda is premiering three new short documentaries online as part of their relaunched “Power of Dreams” website. Director Derek Cianfrance filmed unscripted conversations with Honda associates talking about their approach to solving problems and finding solutions. The debut includes three films with more to follow every few months. The series can be viewed at the “Power of Dreams” website or on the company’s YouTube channel.Worth a view is “Failure: The Secret to Success” which depicts Honda’s belief in the importance of never being afraid to try something new. The film feature Honda designers, engineers, and members of the race team talking about failures and risks taken that helped lead to new innovations.

Perth’s Street Art Meets the Car Park

Perth street art production group Ololo approached the construction manager of an inner-city skyscraper when they heard he hated the grey walls of the recently built Condor Tower five-storey car park. The three creative friends – Hurben, Shensing and Griv proposed a far more whimsical and creative solution to the bare walls, by allowing the group and their friends to embellish the interior with street art-inspired murals. Each floor has a theme based on the elemental planes of Earth - Space, Sky, Land, Underwater and Core; with both local and inter-state artists coming together to fill the space with color. Participating street artist ‘Creepy’ hopes the project will encourage similar ventures between urban developers and the creative community within Perth.

I really like these parking initiatives!

Road Safety Initiative "Drunken Beetle Promotion"

In Germany, the Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Housing wants to raise awareness for the dangers of driving under influence. Drivers should be approached as directly as possible but in a rather entertaining than shocking way. The long-term goal is to reduce the number of alchohol provoked accidents in Germany. A fleet of Volkswagen New Beetle is tuned with special car parts to become talk of the town: Wheel caps that looks like eyeballs play with the New Beetle's organic forms and turn it's silhouette into a human's face with drunkenly revolving eyes. The promotional cars were used mainly at public events with a high con-sume of alcoholic drinks. They made people curious for the ministry's information material handed out on these occasions. The promotion caused quite a sensation in the media. The national press reported on the events and even more important on the ministry's information campaign. As a direct result the ministry noticed an increased demand for their information literature about driving safety.

Nissan Cube

Can a cube be streamlined? That's the issue facing Nissan Motor as it prepares to launch its quirky five-door Cube hatchback in U.S. and European markets. The car, which has not been sold outside Japan, is being launched in North America in February. Check out the Canadian microsite HERE.

"We will keep the same DNA in terms of design for the next Cube," said Francois Bancon, the Japanese automaker's head of product planning and development. But the shape of the Cube is like a bus. You need a big engine" to give it the peppy performance demanded by U.S. and European drivers, he said. Nissan will stay with an updated version of the Cube's current 1.5-liter, 88-hp engine, which means that performance gains will have to come from weight reduction and sleeker aerodynamics.

Keeping the Cube's quirky styling is essential, Bancon said. "But we also have to improve the aerodynamics because, today, it is a box," he said. "Cube is a very heavy car, so we are looking at ways to make the next one a lot lighter." The next Cube will share a re-engineered platform with the Nissan Tiida and Micra. Bancon hinted that the Cube will carry a price premium in the U.S. market. "The Cube is kind of a special product," he said. "There is no competition, so we expect people to be less sensitive to price positioning."

The car probably will be positioned between the entry-level Versa and the redesigned compact Sentra in the United States, Bancon said. Both of those models go on sale later this year although pricing has not been announced. The redesigned Sentra will be priced higher than the 2006 model, which starts at $13,805, including destination. Bancon said the Cube will be launched in the United States on a regional basis, possibly targeting the West and East Coasts first. He said global sales expectations by region, which are not yet finalized, will determine whether the Cube will be assembled in Japan, Europe or Mexico.

Toyota overtakes GM as global sales supremo

Auto manufacturer General Motors, one of America's ailing 'Big Three' car makers, has fallen behindToyota in terms of global sales, losing its top ranking after posting a greater decline than its Japanese rival in 2008.

GM reported sales totalling 8.35m vehicles worldwide in 2008, while Toyota, already the biggest auto maker by earnings, shifted 8.97m units globally.

Overall, GM posted an 11% sales decline in 2008, including a slip of 20% in the US and 7% in Europe, offsetting 3% growth from emerging markets in Asia Pacific, Latin America, Africa and the Middle East.

Toyota, by contrast, registered a 4% slip in sales last year, its first year-on-year decline in a decade.

Jonathan Browning, GM's vice president for global sales, says: "The challenges in the global financial markets, including credit tightening, the drop in commodity prices and economic uncertainty continue to negatively impact demand for new vehicles."

Kia is creating a virtual community and allows internet users to express themselves in various artistic fields.

To start off well the year 2009, Kia suggested internet users to subscribe to the “Soul” community. The Kiasoul.fr website invites all those who subscribe online to develop their creativity around 2 key aspects that are linked to the South-Korean Crossover presented at the Mondial de l’Automobile in October 2008: sharing and innovation. It is especially the opportunity for internet users to express themselves through diverse artistic fields, such as gastronomy, photography, urban art or music, with rewards at stake. Indeed, the most talented innovations and projects will be rewarded with cooking lessons, mixing desks… or even a whole shooting day with the photographer David Ledoux.

The purpose is to develop a state of mind and a way of life on the Web, which are peculiar to Kia Soul. This sharing of innovative idea website also offers visitors current “artistic” event information (key exhibitions, festivals, music albums…).

Orange is launching an interactive advertising experiment with Citroën on its channel package: 100,000 household are taking part to it… (France)

The Orange operator recently experienced an interactive advertising campaign on its TV channel through the “Orange Sport Info” IP (TV channel package through the ADSL). Citroën seized the opportunity to promote its C5 model: throughout the advertising spot, a streamer called upon the audience to click on their TV remote to consult an interactive website displaying additional information on the car (pictures, videos on the C5, documentation, car trial enquiries, list of outlets…).
Over 100,000 households subscribed to the Orange TV have experienced this new form of ad. This operation began early November and ended December 14th 2008. This was a test by way of a step, as Orange would like to extend the service to all its Orange TV channels starting from the 1st semester 2009. By accumulating state control, TV channels, Internet website and operator, Orange strengthens each day its ecosystem by avoiding intermediaries to the maximum.

French Carmakers Sell on the Web

While US carmakers are dealing with an abysmal market for auto sales and doing their best to move cars out of retail showrooms, it is interesting to note that a growing number of French Internet users are buying their cars online.

According to a study by Groupe Xerfi, sales of new vehicles on the Internet are booming. In fact, online new-car sales in France grew 25% in 2007 and 31% in 2008. The research company projected only 20% growth in 2009 due to the economic slowdown, before accelerating again with 36% in 2010 and 40% in 2011.

Those huge growth numbers represent change from a small base. Xerfi said Web sales would represent 5% of all car sales in 2011. Even if Detroit followed suit, that’s not enough to move the needle as much as automakers need in 2009.

Still, the prospect of reducing costs through online sales is worth US carmakers’ attention.

While Xerfi said that online car sales in France would reach 5% of the total market in 2011, the automotive goods category as a whole represented 5% of all online spending in the first half of 2008, according to TNS Media Intelligence data cited by LeJournalduNet.

Based on a January 2008 estimate of French business-to-consumer (B2C) e-commerce for 2008 by the Federation des Enterprises de Vente a Distance (FEVAD), that means about $770 million in cars and automotive goods were sold online during the first half of the year.

Virtual test drive for Toyota IQ

Toyota Europe has recently launched a virtual test drive for its IQ model.

The website, created by the flash gurus at North Kingdom and Illianced allows users to drive the car through a futuristic landscape while discovering the main car features. The website is very nicely developed with a clean and simple design however, in my opinion, the experience results a bit too cold and "anesthetized".

Ford KA partnership with the NRJ Music Awards

Ford, the NRJ Music Awards partner since 2006, chose Jenifer as the ambassador of the new Ka at the 10th edition of the event to be held on Saturday January 17 in Cannes. It will be broadcasted live on TF1.

Pub Nrj Jenifer Ford KA
envoyé par mistercroft68

The new car is promoted to a young audience as sexy, trendy, agile, respectful of the environment, state-of-the-art technology. As mentioned in a different post, the singer also lends her image for a contest, called the Kawards. The winner of the KAwards will be announced tonight in a special event in Cannes.
Saturday, before the NRJ Music Awards, at 8:45pm, Ford will air a 75 seconds exclusive spot staring the singer Jennifer.

Passenger Cars: European market posts fifteen-year low in 2008: -7.8%

European* new passenger car registrations fell by 7.8% to 14,712,158 units in 2008, recording the sharpest decline since 1993.

New car demand dropped by 8.4% in Western-Europe, with the downturn most prominent in the last quarter (-19.3% compared to the fourth quarter of 2007). New car registrations in the new EU Member States slipped by 0.7% in 2008, similarly affected by a worsening performance towards the end of the year. In December, European registrations declined by 17.8%, or the second worst performance in 2008 following the 25.8% decrease in November. The December downturn was cushioned somewhat by the on average two more working days across the region**, whereas November had two working days less.

In Western Europe, demand contracted by 8.4% in 2008. Only four countries posted growth: Finland (+11.2%), Portugal (+5.7%), Belgium (+2.1%) and Switzerland (+1.0%). While fiscal measures helped sustain growth in Finland and Portugal, the Belgian and Swiss sales levels seem to have better resisted the financial and economic crises prevailing throughout Europe. Iceland (-43.3%) and Ireland (-18.7%) were among the countries recording the most remarkable downturn last year. Looking at the major markets, Spain recorded in 2008 the steepest fall (-28.1%) in the history of its market. Italy also posted a two-digit decrease (-13.4%), with no month recording a plus. The market in the UK also contracted by more than 10% (-11.3%) while registrations decreased to a lesser extent in Germany (-1.8%) and France (-0.7). The general decline in December contributed markedly to the overall 2008 result. Themarket dropped by 61.9% in Ireland, 49.9% in Spain, 21.2% in the UK, 15.8% in France, 13.3% in Italy and 6.6% in Germany. The overall downturn in Western Europe was 18.5% in December.

In the new EUMember States, 2008 numbers leveled the results of 2007 (-0.7%). In absolute numbers, Poland remained the major market, consolidating its position with a 9.4% increase. The Czech Republic (+8.4%) also recorded a plus, but Romania (-8.7%) and Hungary (-9.2%) contracted. December new registrations in the region mirrored the overall decline in demand following the economic crisis. The 10.7% decrease is the sharpest drop recorded since ACEA started reporting figures for the new EU Member States in 2004.


* EU27 + EFTA, data for Cyprus and Malta unavailable
** One more working day for Italy, the Netherlands and Poland; three more for Finland and Latvia, same number of working days as last year for Portugal.

Technology's next frontier: In-car computing

LAS VEGAS, Nevada (CNN) -- Cell phones and TVs converging with the Internet? That's so 2008. The next big tech trend may be the marriage of computer technology to your car or truck.

This spring, Ford will offer a dashboard computing system on its full-size pickups and E-series vans.
This month, Hyundai is launching a system that warns motorists when they drift out of the lane they're traveling in. Another manufacturer has developed pedestrian-detection software that works with heat-seeking cameras to alert drivers when someone is in their path.
In March, Ford will release a fully functional, dashboard computer -- complete with keyboard -- geared to contractors and other business folks who want to access the Web, review documents and log inventory while on the go. In the spring, AT&T will launch an in-car entertainment service with 22 satellite TV channels.
Industry executives hope the new technological bells and whistles will put some sizzle back into stagnant vehicle sales.
"Consumers want a vehicle that's always on and always connected," said Kieran O'Sullivan, vice president at Continental Automotive Systems, which supplies parts and technology to automakers. In the near future, he said, "consumers and carmakers will be able to customize the [dashboard] instrument panel to their individual tastes the same way that people customize their mobile phones."
O'Sullivan spoke Thursday at a panel discussion at the International Consumer Electronics Show subtitled, "The Automobile's Convergence with Consumer Electronics." Panelists, including executives from Microsoft, Nokia and GM's OnStar service, agreed the industry is just beginning to tap the potential of in-car computing.
"We'll someday use this information technology in ways we can't even predict today," said Tom Phillips, general manager of Microsoft's automotive unit. "To me, we're in the infancy in terms of the amount of evolution that's going to occur."
As consumers are growing accustomed to having mobile Internet through their smart phones, more car buyers are seeking connectivity in their vehicles that will allow them to move seamlessly between their digital lives at work and home, panelists said.
Half of the new vehicles sold in the United States are now compatible with MP3 players and 80 percent can connect with wireless Bluetooth headsets, said automotive technology expert John Waraniak, who served as the panel's moderator.
General Motors' OnStar service, which can remotely unlock car doors, reduce gas flow to a stolen vehicle or dial 911 if a car is involved in a crash, now has almost 6 million subscribers. Toyota said this week it plans to launch a similar driver-assist program on certain models beginning this summer.
Not to be outdone, Ford's similar Sync system, which now comes standard on many vehicles, is adding voice-activated, on-demand traffic, sports and weather reports, plus GPS-assisted navigation. In a keynote speech Thursday at CES, Ford CEO Alan Mulally said the automaker is learning to think more like an electronics company.
Ford will begin installing its Works Solutions package on its full-size pickups and E-series vans this spring. The dashboard computing system costs $1,195 plus a monthly Web access fee, has a 6-inch touch screen and runs on Windows. It will allow electricians and other contractors to create Excel spreadsheets, print invoices and even access other computers.
"Ford is truly making the office mobile," said Ford product development manager Bill Frykman while demonstrating the system Thursday to reporters in an F-150 parked in a large tent outside the Las Vegas Convention Center. "This bridges the gap between the full laptop and a smart phone."
Meanwhile, an entire hall at CES is devoted to the latest in automotive technology, from portable navigation units to rear-mounted cameras which, with the help of a dashboard screen, allow the driver to see what's immediately behind his vehicle while backing up.

Published January 9th 2009

Source: www.cnn.com

(http://edition.cnn.com/2009/TECH/01/09/ces.cars.computers/index.html)

Mitsubishi to supply i Miev EV to Peugeot starting in 2010

As part of its Step Up 2010 plan, Mitsubishi Motors is going to be supplying electric-powered vehicles to the PSA Peugeot Citroen Group from as early as 2010. The cars will be based on Mitsubishi's i MiEV (In-wheel motor Electric Vehicle) passenger car product line. As many as 10,000 units a year could find their way into the PSA lot by 2011.
The i MiEV system is based on the concept of a plug-in electric vehicle that's powered by a rechargeable lithium ion battery. Mitsubishi's own version, said to have a range of about 160km (100 miles) when fully charged, will debut in Japan this summer.
PSA wants to move quickly on the electric vehicle deal since the French government is giving subsidies of up to €5,000 and tax breaks to people who purchase electric cars. The deal would be on an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) basis. Speculated pricing for the i MiEV in Japan is about 2 million Yen (€16,000).
Meanwhile Japanese rival Nissan is busy developing its own electric cars alongside France's second-biggest, the Renault SA Group.

Published January 8th 2009

Source: http://www.worldcarfans.com/9090108.010/mitsubishi-to-supply-i-miev-ev-to-peugeot-starting-in-2010

Ford Notes Nation's "Growing Interest" in Electric Vehicles

Bill Ford introducing Ford’s new models on Sunday. (Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg News)

DETROIT — The bags under Bill Ford’s eyes disappeared during the press scrum after he announced Ford’s plans to build electric and hybrid vehicles.
“It’s incredibly exciting,” said Mr. Ford, the company’s executive chairman, an avowed environmentalist.
When he took the top job a decade ago, Mr. Ford promised fuel economy improvements and other green efforts, but he later had to back away from them. He eventually decided to give up the chief executive job, hiring Alan Mulally to run the company.
But his vision is coming to the market. On Sunday, Mr. Ford announced an “expanded electric-vehicle strategy in line with the nation’s growing interest in them.”
Within the next three years, Ford is planning to release two electric-vehicle projects, along with its next generation of hybrid vehicles (including a plug-in hybrid).

Published January 12th 2009

Source: http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/01/12/ford-notes-nations-growing-interest-in-electric-vehicles/

Mini launched a new Cabriolet with a 3D commercial ... in a magazine !

« L'Augmented Reality », is a technology that gives relief to 2D images. The Mini tested it in Germany for the launch of a new cabriolet. This print campaign ran in 3 specialized automobile magazines back in December 2008.
How it works: printed on the back cover, a page invites the reader to find out “in their hands” what the new Mini Cabrio looked like. To do this, one has to go on the website Mini.de/webcam, place the 2D bar code on the printed advertisement in front of the webcam … and … a 3D Mini appears on the magazine page, in real-time.
Two agencies, Buzzin Monkey and Die Agentour GmbH, have collaborated for this new campaign. The technology is simple: the webcam detects the dots and the website constitutes the picture. The inconvenience of it, is that the use of the ActiveX technology is only available via Internet Explorer (which represents an 80% market share).

European car industry stalls in a fog of uncertainty

The heads of Europe's automotive and car components industry appear more worried than they have ever been. In spite of promises from various governments of support, they all claim to be driving in a fog of uncertainty.
None even dare to give the slightest indication of how the first quarter of this year will shape up. "We have absolutely no visibility," says the chairman of one large manufacturer. The latest car sales statistics from around Europe point to a gloomy picture - even in the case of some markets, such as France, that held up better than expected last year.
All European car and components companies are continuing to tighten the screws by stopping night-working shifts, overtime or by extending temporary factory closures. Investments have been put on hold and all are looking to their governments for help.
Unlike their distressed US competitors, they are not so concerned with getting direct government cash injections. Rather they want governments to intervene quickly with decisive support to stimulate demand for new cars. One way would be to crack down even harder on the banks, which are still seen as reluctant to provide the credit that will encourage consumers to buy new cars; two out of three new cars are bought on credit.
Second, car manufacturers also want governments to give big incentives to potential buyers to scrap their old cars for new, more environmentally friendly ones. France has done this and the move is expected to boost domestic sales over the next few months.
But it will not stop the French market as a whole declining again this year. Nor will it provide a significant lifeline for the two domestic manufacturers - Peugeot-Citroën and Renault - given that the French market accounts for only about a third of their overall sales.
Germany is now also considering such a plan, while Italy and Spain have done practically nothing to help their respective auto markets, which are struggling. Spain, one of Europe's top five car markets, saw its car sales drop last year to their lowest level in a decade.
The Swedish government has reluctantly agreed to provide support to its two car manufacturers but many consider the aid package to be insufficient. Efforts by the US owners of Volvo (Ford) and Saab (General Motors) to sell these businesses have proved fruitless. Daimler is understood to have decided only last week it was not interested in Volvo after much reflection.
European governments are in a bind. Governments do not have a great deal of money to spare after their other stimulus packages. And there is also strong resistance to state intervention willy-nilly for the car sector. But the problem is that the car industry remains too big an employer to ignore. It accounts for about 20 per cent of jobs in Germany and about 10 per cent in France.
The problem is even more acute in the US where the possible demise of Detroit's Big Three manufacturers could lead to as many as 3m job losses. European governments and the Brussels Commission are clearly waiting to see how the new Obama administration deals with the US car crisis. The US president-elect has already indicated his determination not to let the auto industry go to the wall.
But Europe should worry just as much about Detroit's survival as Mr Obama. For if the Big Three go, the repercussions for European car suppliers will be drastic. Equally, if the US does intervene with a massive bailout, Europe can hardly afford not to follow suit. Of course, it would be far better for competition to let the European and indeed the American car market slug it out on their own, but in reality there seems little option - particularly in this period of wider economic crisis.
The choice is between competition and jobs. For governments, keeping people in work must be the lesser of the two evils.
History lessons
Consumers may be holding back on spending, but companies show a remarkable appetite for mergers and acquisitions. At least, this is the conclusion of a recent survey by the Boston Consulting Group and UBS of top managers of 164 listed European companies conducted during one of the bleakest periods in recent financial history.
The study shows that most companies have not changed their M&A plans - and only 15 per cent believe it is too risky to do a deal now. One-third expect to make an acquisition over the next 12 months and more than 20 per cent plan large deals.
Moreover, 43 per cent believe there will be "transformational" deals this year. The report says this would be consistent with previous crises in the 1930s and 1970s when many mergers transformed the fortunes of individual companies - catapulting several into positions of long-term dominance - and altered the direction of entire industries. Will history repeat itself?

UK car registrations fall less than feared

New car registrations fell 21.2 per cent in the UK last month compared with December 2007, but the pace of decline was less than the expected 35 per cent.
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders said the cut in value added tax from 17.5 per cent to 15 per cent on December 1 may have been a contributory factor in the smaller than expected dip in sales.
Until December, the slide in car sales had accelerating, from a fall of 18.6 per cent in August to a 36.8 per cent drop in November.
Last month’s figures brought the total for 2008 to 2,131,795 vehicles, down by 272,212 and the lowest total since 1996.
Paul Everitt, SMMT chief executive, said the UK industry had faced “unprecedented challenges” in 2008 as a result of the credit crunch. He called for increased government intervention to support the banking sector and boost demand.
“Further action to ease access to finance and credit across the economy is essential if long-term damage to valuable industrial capability is to be avoided,” he said.
The SMMT forecast a further decline this year to 1.78m vehicles, which would be the lowest since 1992.
Carmakers have been cutting output as stocks of unsold cars mushroom – cutting staff, reducing shifts, taking extended breaks over the holiday season and announcing prolonged shutdowns in the early months of 2009.
The crisis has spread to component manufacturers and car dealerships, with a series of profits warnings through the final months of 2008.
The motor industry has been urging the government to launch a multi-billion pound support package to ease the financing squeeze and avoid further shut-downs and job cuts.
“2009 will be another difficult year for the UK automotive industry with new vehicle registrations and production significantly reduced,” said Mr Everitt.
“The industry faces these challenges stronger and more resilient than in recent memory. The extraordinary circumstances we currently face mean that government support will be required to take advantage of global economic growth when it returns.”
The better-than-expected UK figures contrasted with much bigger falls elsewhere in the final month of 2008. Earlier this week, all the leading US carmakers reported declines of more than 30 per cent in December, while sales in Japan dropped 22 per cent to the lowest December level on record.
In Europe, registrations fell by almost half in Spain, by 24 per cent in France and 13.2 per cent in Italy.

Peugeot Bipper voted «Van of the year 2009» in Bulgaria

A jury of 33 Bulgarian motoring journalists awarded the 12th 'Van of the Year' prize for the Peugeot Bipper to Stoyan Jelev, Managing Director of Peugeot Bulgaria, on 11 December.
The jury chose the new light commercial vehicle for its compact design, practicality and handling. These were vital qualities in the decision-making process because they respond to the needs of a specific professional customer base. The Bipper also won the award for its original, playful styling, which stands out in the compact van segment. The journalists also appreciated the Peugeot Bipper’s fuel economy, at just 4.5 l/100 km over a combined cycle, and low CO2 emissions of 119 g/km. The Bipper was already awarded the “International Van of the Year 2009” award in 2008 by a jury of journalists from 20 European countries. The Bipper, produced at Bursa in Turkey, was launched in Bulgaria in April 2008 and has already proved highly successful in the professional market. Entirely renewed in less than three years, Peugeot's current range of light commercial vehicles – comprising the Boxer, Expert, New Partner, Partner Origin and Bipper families – is the Marque’s youngest and broadest ever. Bulgaria’s light commercial vehicle market grew 13% in the first 11 months of 2008. Peugeot is ranked second in the segment, with 15.3% market share.

Success for the Ford Fiesta campaign on café terraces with a conversion rate of 33%!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOWP0Q4NLzg

Between October 7th and October 21st, Ford Fiesta took over the Mediatables network to promote the launch of the new Ford Fiesta. The Fiesta ad was placed in 100 Parisian coffee shops and restaurant tables inviting the customers to download the single “I Want You”, the music of the Fiesta ad by DJ Martin Solveig.

During the 14-days campaign that ran through the 2008 Mondial de l’Automobile, 33% of the “urban” mobinautes did download the ringtone for free on their Bluetooth mobile phones. The result of this campaign reveals an increasing interest of mobile phone users for the interactivity and instantaneous information via Bluetooth. These results also allow to analyse the places where downloads were the most importants: the 15th arrondissement of Paris (next to the Parc des Expositions Paris-Porte de Versailles), followed by the 1st and 5th arrondissement.

Ford is promoting urban range by sponsoring the « Star Academy »… and by creating its own in France

Ford supports young musical talents with the launch of a 100% musical event: the “Kaward 2009” (www.KAwards.fr). The manufacturer, which already sponsored “Star Academy” (Music Reality Show) with Fiesta, is now organising for Ford KA the “KAwards”. The competition is supported by Jenifer, the first winner of Star Academy, and consists in 12 selected female singers, all young and pretty, competing in three categories: “So Glam”, “So Trendy” and “So Life”. The audience will choose its favorite performer according to a very precise calendar. One artist has been eliminated every 15 days, the fans have until January 14^th 2009 to submit their votes. On January 16^th, the name of the winner will be revealed. The website allows to discover the “Kawards” through pictures and music, and especially offers the possibility to vote and to participate to the “Kawards” game contest to win a new Ford Ka.

Hertz launches global car sharing business

Launched late last month, Connect by Hertz now offers car sharing in London, Paris and New York City. In New York, for example, members of the service can choose from among three plans, depending on how often they drive. All three give consumers 180 free miles per day and free gas; costs range from USD 50 per year with a rate of USD 10 per hour, to USD 125 per month with an hourly rate of USD 8.50. Insurance, roadside assistance, maintenance and cleaning are all among the benefits included. Similar plans are available in London—priced at GBP 50 per year with hourly rates starting at GBP 3.95, including congestion charges and 30 free miles per day—and Paris, where the annual fee is EUR 120, with hourly rates beginning at EUR 4. Three low-emissions cars featuring iPod connectivity are available in each location—including the Mini Cooper—and are kept in designated parking bays. Members can reserve them by internet or phone, and entry is via a smart chip-enabled Connect Card. More cities will be added to Connect by Hertz in 2009—as well as select university locations, the New Jersey-based company says—and members will benefit from reciprocal membership at any location beginning early next year.
Given that each car-sharing vehicle in New York eliminates up to 14 traditional passenger cars from the road, according to Hertz—with similar statistics in other locations—the environmental benefits of car sharing are clear. Now, with the economy a shambles and the U.S. auto industry in ruins, it's a better bet than ever that more and more consumers will be eager to throw off the shackles of car ownership and become transumers instead. One to emulate in cities around the globe!

Airport offers free electricity for plug-in cars

As if tax breaks, freedom from the pump and an emissions-free conscience weren't enough to make a person want to drive an electric car, the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport is now doing its part to make the road even smoother for the plug-in vehicles by offering free charging in select parking spots in the airport garage.
Through a pilot program launched at the beginning of this month, the Sea-Tac Airport now offers six parking spaces in a prime location of the garage with plug-ins for electric vehicles. The green-striped spots, located on the garage's fifth floor, are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Standard parking rates apply, but the electricity itself is free.
In this age of perks and free love, it really is better to give than to receive—particularly when the green aura of those on the receiving end reflects back onto you.

Daihatsu Cuore "A lot less thirsty"

The Cuore is Daihatsu's most fuel-efficient model. To catch driver's attention and dramatise the cars incomparably low gas consumption, they installed miniature reproductions of fuel pumps at selected petrol stations near Diahatsu dealerships. The attached flyers delivered the message that owners can get by with a much smaller fill-up if they drive the Cuore. And they also directed the drivers to the bearby dealership to take a test drive.

Agency: DraftFCB Zurich, Switzerland.

For Auto Industry, 2009 Holds Even Tighter Ad Budgets

DETROIT (AdAge.com) -- The hangover that walloped the U.S. auto industry in 2008 is still hanging on this New Year, which will be marked by even tighter ad budgets with the biggest expenditures reserved for crucial model launches.

And it's not just General Motors, Chrysler and Ford that will be pinching pennies. "All manufacturers, foreign and domestic, are announcing production cuts and losses and in this kind of environment all the manufacturers are cutting costs," Mark LaNeve, VP-vehicle sales, service and marketing at GM North America, told Advertising Age.

To ride out a year where auto sales are expected to dip below 12 million units in 2009 and normally deep-pocketed dealers are struggling, experts predict that more spending will go toward online marketing that reaches consumers when they are ready to buy and researching their purchase. Fewer automaker dollars are predicted to go to magazines and newspapers, while TV will be used less often and with an eye toward greater targeting.

Promising better return on investment, GM will slash $600 million from U.S. advertising and promotions in the next four years to just $2.6 billion from $3.2 billion in 2008. It has not publicized its plans to accomplish this, though the automaker has cut out a number of high-profile events such as the Super Bowl.

Toyota to make similar moves

A similar approach is expected to be taken by Toyota Motor Sales USA. In recent years it has significantly dialed up the number of consumer events for its Toyota, Scion and Lexus brands, but it is now trying to pull back from a lot of those alliances, especially inside sports arenas, an executive at a competitor said. "You're going to see a lot more of that [cutting back]."

Toyota, whose Japanese parent is poised to post the first global-operating loss in the company's history, did not return calls for comment by press time.

Kia Motors America "is constantly evolving" its ad plans because of the market uncertainty, Michael Sprague, VP-marketing, told Advertising Age. "Everyone is in the same boat," he said. Still, he said Kia expects to spend about the same in 2009 as it did last year because it has several major launches. Independent David and Goliath, Los Angeles, handles the carmaker's account.

Tim Ellis, VP-marketing at Volkswagen of America's VW brand, believes all automakers have done "a very sober analysis about 2009" and have already wrapped up their ad plans. He predicted the car companies will cancel a lot of "conventional auto promotions." Carmakers "are trimming the fat wherever they can while trying to retain core media properties and launch budgets," he said. The VW brand's ad and media plans for the first half are finalized and Mr. Ellis said he doesn't expect any pullbacks.

Back to reality

The industry over-invested in TV last year, especially for seasonal sales events, but the economic turmoil is bringing the industry back to reality with more focus on strategic marketing and media planning to improve targeting, said Mr. Ellis. The VW brand "will use TV more sparingly" in 2009, including for the launch of the Passat CC in mid-January, though he declined to give specifics about the TV cuts.

VW will dramatically beef up online efforts this year with ads, videos and content, as well as efforts on social-networking sites, to reach in-market shoppers and those considering a purchase in the next six to nine months. The marketer plans to do more brand-building online because "that's where all the conversations are," said Mr. Ellis. He said most of VW's competitors also appear to be moving online more to reach in-market shoppers. Crispin, Porter & Bogusky, Miami, is VW brand's agency of record and also handles digital.

GM predicts that in 2009 the auto industry will sell 11.7 million new vehicles in the U.S. Auto information website Edmunds.com projects that the industry will tally some 13.1 million new vehicles in the U.S. for calendar 2008 (compared to almost 16.2 million in '07), and expects unit sales to drop almost 5% in 2009.

Published January 5th,2009
Source: Advertising Age http://adage.com/article?article_id=133520

Car key device blocks cell phone use while driving

A new automobile ignition key can prevent teenagers from talking on cell phones or sending text messages while driving.

The invention, by researchers at the University of Utah, is called Key2SafeDriving and is aimed at cutting down on road deaths. It relies on Bluetooth technology to wirelessly connect keys to phones.
"The key to safe driving is to avoid distraction," says Xuesong Zhou, an assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering who co-invented the system with Wally Curry, a University of Utah graduate now practicing medicine in Hays, Kan. "We want to provide a simple, cost-effective solution to improve driving safety."
Motor vehicle accidents are the fifth leading cause of all deaths in the country. Among teens, however, motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death.
The university has obtained provisional patents and licensed the invention to a private company that hopes to see it on the market within six months at a cost of less than $50 per key plus a yet-undetermined monthly service fee, according to a statement released today.
Zhou says that "at any given time, about 6 percent of travelers on the road are talking on a cell phone while driving. Also at any given time, 10 percent of teenagers who are driving are talking or texting."
The setup could help parents secure lower insurance rates.
"Using our system you can prove that teen drivers are not talking while driving, which can significantly reduce the risk of getting into a car accident," Zhou said.
The system includes a device that encloses a car key — one for each teen driver or family member. The device connects wirelessly with each key user's cell phone via either Bluetooth or RFID (radio-frequency identification) technologies.
To turn on the engine, the driver must either slide the key out or push a button to release it. Then the device sends a signal to the driver's cell phone, placing it in "driving mode" and displaying a "stop" sign on the phone's display screen.
Incoming calls and texts are automatically answered with a message saying, "I am driving now. I will call you later when I arrive at the destination safely."

Published December 15th, 2008

Fox News http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,466584,00.html

The Reva Electric Car Company (RECC) announces lithium-ion electric car for Europe: Reva L-ion

The Reva Electric Car Company (RECC) has announced the launch of the Reva L-ion – a new electric vehicle powered by lithium-ion batteries. Based on the earlier Reva-i platform, the Reva L-ion had been in development for the last two years. The car can travel 120km on one full charge and has a top speed of 80km/h. And the best part is, with RECC’s fast charge station, the Reva L-ion batteries can be 90% charged in just one hour.

‘With the Reva-i and Reva L-ion, we are now able to offer a choice of performance options to suit commuter needs and preferences. The introduction of fast charge stations really opens up the market to reach new customers and increase the availability of EVs. Local authorities and businesses can now create the charging and parking infrastructure necessary to make zero-emission personal transport an everyday reality,’ says Chetan Maini, RECC's deputy chairman and chief technology officer.

Starting in February this year, the Reva L-ion will be available in Norway, UK, France, Cyprus, Greece, Spain, Belgium and Ireland. Customers will have the option of outright purchase or battery leasing, with prices to be announced at the end of this month.

Published January 6th 2009

Source: India Automotive

http://www.indiaautomotive.net/2009/01/reva-l-ion-recc-announces-lithium-ion.html

European Auto Giants To Beef-Up US Efforts

Some of Europe's largest auto manufacturers, including Volkswagenand BMW, are hoping to exploit the vulnerability of the American 'Big Three', Ford, General Motors and Chrysler, by increasing their investment levels and activity in the US in 2009. German giant Volkswagen will launch a range of exclusive models in the country – including a new family sedan – as well as opening a US factory for the first time since 1978.It will spend $1 billion (€731m; £688m) on the new assembly plant, which will be based in Chattanooga, Tennessee and produce around 250,000 vehicles a year by 2012, as it seeks to triple sales in the country to one million by 2018.Audi, a luxury marque owned by VW, is also set to increase its US adspend by 15% on its current $80 million outlay, as well as upgrading dealerships across the country. Fellow German luxury auto maker BMW is aiming to expand its distribution network in America, and will launch a new One Series small car in 2009.The company will also try and boost sales of its Minibrand by increasing the number of dealerships, with target cities said to include Chicago.European auto brands currently enjoy a market share of just 7.2% in the US, compared with 40% for Asian rivals such as Toyota, and over 50% among the domestic "Big Three".

Data sourced from Wall Street Journal Online; additional content by WARC staff, 06 January 2009