http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/blogs Sun, 06 Dec 2009 08:35:44 -0500 Blogs and News -- Stay in touch with what's happening in the world of cars with TheCarConnection.com's blogs, by editor Marty Padgett. Lifestyle/Fashion http://static.thecarconnection.com/website/tcc-feed.jpg http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/blogs http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1039685_tech-at-work-onstar-saves-senators-daughters-car http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1039685_tech-at-work-onstar-saves-senators-daughters-car Fri, 04 Dec 2009 18:14:00 -0500 Successfully applying technology in a car is harder than it sounds. Just look at the flack BMW has caught for its difficult iDrive system, or the only-recent entry of Lexus into the telematics market. General Motors, as painfully off as it may be at times, has nailed this area with its OnStar system, grabbing another headline today for saving ..]]> http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1039636_video-chrysler-gets-political-in-new-spots-for-300-sedan http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1039636_video-chrysler-gets-political-in-new-spots-for-300-sedan Fri, 04 Dec 2009 11:35:00 -0500 Chrysler has launched a new 30-second ad for its 300 sedan, and we have to say: it's pretty impressive. No, the copy's not the best on record, and the theme comes out of left field, but the clip delivers a strong emotional wallop. And best of all: it says practically nothing about the car itself. See, here's a little secret from the marketing ..]]> http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1039640_green-diesel-lutz-shakeup-and-l-a-wrap-up-today-at-high-gear-media http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1039640_green-diesel-lutz-shakeup-and-l-a-wrap-up-today-at-high-gear-media Fri, 04 Dec 2009 11:00:00 -0500 The 2009 Los Angeles Auto Show's press days are over and all that's new in the world of cars is known, at least for the moment. We have it all in the links below, but there's more than just shiny concepts to talk about. General Motors, for instance, put on a show of its own starting the evening before the L.A. Auto Show with the surprise ..]]> http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1039635_ford-needs-hipsters-for-its-next-fiesta-movement http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1039635_ford-needs-hipsters-for-its-next-fiesta-movement Fri, 04 Dec 2009 10:32:00 -0500 Just yesterday, we gave Ford high marks for its recent marketing efforts -- specifically, the "Fiesta Movement" campaign and subsequent "Retail Movement" initiative, which aims to educate dealers about social media and grassroots marketing in advance of the Fiesta's U.S. launch next summer. Not content to rest on its laurels, Ford is already ..]]> http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1039579_2009-los-angeles-auto-show-best-in-show http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1039579_2009-los-angeles-auto-show-best-in-show Fri, 04 Dec 2009 10:30:00 -0500 The 2009 Los Angeles auto show is over--for the press, at least. In the shadow of continual turmoil at GM, the show fielded a few important new production vehicle introductions, but not a lot more. The lightweight proof? The second press day, where more than half of the gathered journalists had disappeared and jumped early flights home. High ..]]> http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1039634_more-another-day-another-shakeup-at-gm-lutz-reassigned http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1039634_more-another-day-another-shakeup-at-gm-lutz-reassigned Fri, 04 Dec 2009 08:30:00 -0500 UPDATE: Following this morning's 9 am conference call for GM employees, further details have emerged on the latest shakeup at General Motors. "I want to give people responsibility and authority deeper in the organization, and then hold them accountable," said chairman of the board Ed Whitacre. To further that goal, Bob Lutz is to become a ..]]> http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1039632_l-a-auto-show-2010-audi-a3-tdi-earns-green-car-of-the-year http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1039632_l-a-auto-show-2010-audi-a3-tdi-earns-green-car-of-the-year Fri, 04 Dec 2009 08:06:00 -0500 The 2010 Audi A3 TDI has been dubbed Green Car of the Year, making it the second time in a row that a clean diesel vehicle has taken the honor. (Last year's winner? The 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI.) Ron Cogan -- editor of Green Car Journal, which presented the award yesterday at the L.A. Auto Show -- pointed out that although there are a number ..]]> http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1039629_mitsubishi-planning-new-compact-suv-and-minicar-for-u-s http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1039629_mitsubishi-planning-new-compact-suv-and-minicar-for-u-s Fri, 04 Dec 2009 05:59:00 -0500 It's no secret that Mitsubishi's sales performance in the U.S. has been floundering in recent years. Sales, in the first nine months alone, are down 47% for Mitsubishi. While other Japanese automakers like Honda, Toyota and Nissan have experienced increase sales in the past couple of years, Mitsubishi has seen the reverse and was ..]]> http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1039633_general-motors-new-ceo-is-bob-lutz http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1039633_general-motors-new-ceo-is-bob-lutz Thu, 03 Dec 2009 22:21:00 -0500 Bob Lutz is a controversial guy: a slick salesman/cheerleader who can get the public riled up about a new car, but also the kind of hothead who's been known to speak before considering the consequences -- like that time he called global warming "a total crock of" hooey. (We paraphrase.) However, at least one critic thinks Lutz might be an ..]]> http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1039572_cars-trades-new-models-bring-subaru-a-record-year-of-sales http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1039572_cars-trades-new-models-bring-subaru-a-record-year-of-sales Thu, 03 Dec 2009 17:21:00 -0500 As overall auto sales have slumped, Subaru has been one of the few bright spots in the auto industry this year, with many year-over-year sales increases to report; in fact, through November of this calendar year, Subaru has already sold as many vehicles as it did in all of last year. And over the past year, Subaru has gone from the 19th ..]]> http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1039571_focus-on-fours-direct-injection-helps-keep-hyundai-on-a-roll http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1039571_focus-on-fours-direct-injection-helps-keep-hyundai-on-a-roll Thu, 03 Dec 2009 16:37:00 -0500 As shoppers remain worried about the day-to-day economics of driving, Hyundai is looking like one of the best-prepared automakers. The automaker has a new focus, for its new and upcoming products, of keeping weight and engine size down, and it shows both in the new 2010 Tucson introduced at the LA show today and the 2011 Sonata introduced ..]]> http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1039565_marchionne-weighs-the-future-of-chrysler-lancia-alfa-romeo http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1039565_marchionne-weighs-the-future-of-chrysler-lancia-alfa-romeo Thu, 03 Dec 2009 11:59:00 -0500 One month ago, a popular rumor suggested that Jeep would soon be the only Chrysler brand sold overseas. Now, a contradictory bit of gossip says that Chrysler/Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne may ditch the Lancia nameplate and sell those vehicles in Europe as Chryslers. There's also talk of potential integration between Chrysler and the ..]]> http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1039563_today-in-social-media-ford-dealers-the-retail-movement http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1039563_today-in-social-media-ford-dealers-the-retail-movement Thu, 03 Dec 2009 10:58:00 -0500 It's no secret that Ford's "Fiesta Movement" campaign has been a huge success. Though some critics found it slightly cloying and trendy, the program  made great use of web resources like Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter to generate brand awareness. Now the company is asking dealerships to join the "Retail Movement" in advance of the Fiesta's ..]]> http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1039548_better-place-wants-the-danish-to-roll-in-evs http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1039548_better-place-wants-the-danish-to-roll-in-evs Thu, 03 Dec 2009 10:44:00 -0500 We've mentioned Shai Agassi and his game-changing EV startup, Better Place, several times on TCC. Now comes word that he's brokered an intriguing  deal to install charging and battery-changing infrastructure across Denmark, and the Danish government has agreed to nix the 200% new car tax (yes, you read that correctly) for EVs that work on the ..]]> http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1039543_mitsubishi-peugeot-citroen-consider-capital-tie-up http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1039543_mitsubishi-peugeot-citroen-consider-capital-tie-up Thu, 03 Dec 2009 09:51:00 -0500 Strategic partnerships are key elements in most successful business plans, and that goes double during trying economic times like these. We've seen countless alliances in the auto industry in recent years, and the next couple to hook up may be Mitsubishi Motors and PSA Peugeot-Citroen; said a Mitsubishi spokesperson: "We have been talking ..]]>