Car Blog

New 2012 Vehicle Model Plays to Music Lovers with Pandora

Pandora, the leading personalized radio service, announced that its automotive partner Hyundai began to deliver the all-new Pandora-enabled 2012 Veloster to dealers nationwide this month. The Veloster is a new model that is targeted towards drivers who seek to bring the “digital age” to the driving experience.

Pandora is offered as a free, standard feature in every new Veloster. This Hyundai integration with Pandora makes it possible for drivers to enjoy their personalized Pandora stations behind the wheel. At launch, the Veloster is compatible with the iPhone and connects to the dashboard using Bluetooth technology.

Pandora executive vice president of business and corporate development Jessica Steel said, “The car is an extremely popular venue for radio listening and we are thrilled that people can now listen to Pandora personalized radio right in the dash of their new Hyundai Veloster.”

“Veloster is a fun-to-drive, three-door coupe that exemplifies Hyundai’s commitment to offering drivers the latest and greatest in-vehicle connectivity and technology,” said Scott Margason, director Product Planning, Hyundai Motor America.  “Having Pandora internet radio easily accessible in the Veloster enhances the drive experience, allowing Veloster customers to listen to their favorite music everywhere they go.”

Shell understands that as the holiday season quickly approaches, many consumers will start to evaluate their purchases more closely to ensure they’re getting the most for their money.

To make sure consumers know where to turn to help protect their vehicles and their wallets, Shell is hosting surprise “Protect and Save” Gasoline Giveaways in cities coast-to-coast to showcase the benefits of saving on high quality fuel at Shell with loyalty rewards programs with leading grocers.

According to the NPD Group/Motor Fuels Index, which continually tracks consumer motor fuel purchasing behaviors and attitudes, more consumers are looking for ways to save. The NPD Group found consumers are now more likely to purchase fuel that ties into discount, rebate or reward programs to account for greater savings. David Portalatin, motor fuels analyst with The NPD Group, noted those “…who differentiate their offer around a quality fuels message are still relevant, but now loyalty-based rewards are creating an even more competitive environment.”(1)

Since 2009, Shell has been teaming-up with leading grocers around the U.S. through alliances that help motorists protect their wallets with savings at the pump on high quality fuels including Shell Nitrogen Enriched Gasolines and Shell V-Power, the best selling gasoline and premium gasoline brands in the country. And, it is easy to save.

Consumers simply shop at participating grocers in more than 120 markets by using their existing grocer loyalty card on everyday qualifying purchases. They not only can save money on their grocery bill, but also earn rewards that can be redeemed for added savings at participating area Shell stations on high quality Shell Nitrogen Enriched Gasolines and Shell Diesel. Read the rest of this entry »

Many Americans have been devastated by flooding in the past few weeks and months.  In those regions, private vehicle owners, auto dealers and car auction managers face the dilemma of salvaging or restoring flood-damaged vehicles.

AAA warns car buyers that flood-damaged vehicles can be shipped anywhere for resale, and they often continue to appear in the marketplace for up to a year after a major flood. Following Hurricane Katrina in 2005, vehicles that were flood-damaged in the hurricane affected areas were shipped throughout the United States for sale as both new and used cars.

“Depending on the vehicle make, model and age, the cost of a thorough cleaning and drying may exceed the car’s value,” said John Nielsen, director, AAA Auto Repair.  ”In many cases, insurance companies ‘total’ flood-damaged vehicles that are then sold to salvage companies.”

“However, rather than being disassembled for parts, some of these vehicles end up being purchased by individuals who bring varying levels of expertise to the restoration process,” continued Nielsen. Read the rest of this entry »

Nissan Canada made history when it delivered the first all-electric Nissan LEAF to a Canadian consumer at an event in Ottawa. Ricardo Borba, an Ottawa resident and the first person in Canada to place a Nissan LEAF order, received the keys to his black Nissan LEAF SL from Allen Childs, President of Nissan Canada. Hunt Club Nissan in Ottawa hosted the event and is also hosting the Ottawa stop of Nissan’s cross-Canada Drive Electric Tour.

“This is a significant milestone in the movement that brings sustainable mobility within our grasp and at Nissan we’re excited to be leading the way by bringing the world’s first all-electric car to the mass market, which was also recognized as the 2011 World Car of the Year,” said Allen Childs, President of Nissan Canada, Inc. “Today we made history by handing over the keys to Mr. Borba, the first Canadian consumer to purchase a Nissan LEAF. This represents the freedom to choose a car that has no tailpipe, produces no emissions and will never have to visit a gas station.”

Borba, a 44-year old electric engineer and software developer with IBM currently lives in Ottawa, Ontario with his wife and son. His new Nissan LEAF will be the family’s primary car providing ample range for their day-to-day commutes. Read the rest of this entry »

New-vehicle retail sales for September continue to improve, with the selling rate expected to be much stronger than in August, according to J.D. Power and Associates, which gathers real-time transaction data from more than 8,900 retail franchisees throughout the United States.

Retail Light-Vehicle Sales

September new-vehicle retail sales are projected to come in at 842,400 units, which represents a seasonally adjusted annualized rate (SAAR) of 10.3 million units. This marks the first time the retail selling rate would be above 10 million units since the 10.8 million-unit rate in April. Retail transactions are the most accurate measurement of true underlying consumer demand for new vehicles.

“Coming off a solid Labor Day sale, retail sales exhibited unexpected strength in the second week of September, as the recovering inventory levels have helped to bring buyers back into the market,” said Jeff Schuster, executive director of global forecasting at J.D. Power and Associates. “However, incentive levels remain flat compared with August and the economy remains a concern, so the sales pace in the second half of the month is expected to give back some of the gains.”

Total Light-Vehicle Sales

Total light-vehicle sales in September are expected to come in at 1,038,700 units, which is 9 percent higher than in September 2010. Fleet sales are expected to be down 1 percent compared with last September, but will account for 19 percent of total sales. Read the rest of this entry »

Complementing the success of the current “Most _____ per dollar” campaign, Nissan is amplifying marketing support for the all-new 2012 Nissan Versa sedan with an interactive social media promotion.  The Versa Sedan, on sale now at Nissan dealers nationwide, offers the most legroom, headroom, trunk room and technology per dollar than any other car in America, making it a facilitator of great experiences. This three-phased campaign will demonstrate the Versa’s key innovations while engaging social-savvy audiences.

MyVersaRoadTrip.com

Live this week, Nissan launched a Facebook Connect enabled website MyVersaRoadTrip.com, where users create their own trips by selecting routes, picking their soundtrack and inviting three Facebook friends to come along. Entrants then submit their trip, telling Nissan why their online journey should be made into a real one and share it with their social networks, now through October 19, 2011.

“While highly social, target Versa buyers in their mid-to-late twenties often are juggling new time commitments and financial priorities,” said Jon Brancheau, vice president, Marketing, Nissan North America, Inc. “This makes staying connected with friends easier online, so the ‘My Versa Road Trip’ campaign gives them opportunity to engage online for potential chance to reconnect in person offline.”

Six winners will be selected and announced November 14 to receive a 2012 Versa Sedan and take the 4 Day\3 night road trip they submitted with their friends. Along the journey, the winners will submit updates, tweets, images and other content from the road so users can follow their trip online.

For additional content, all Versas will be outfitted with stop-motion cameras inside and out. When the trips conclude, the footage will be used to create mini road-trip movies to be shared in an online film festival in January 2012. The community will judge the films, giving them a chance to win prizes as well.

Adam “Versa” Carolla

Actor, comedian and TV personality Adam Carolla is joining Nissan to promote the vehicle and road trip campaign with the light-hearted, humorous approach he’s known for. Created by Carolla’s ACE Broadcasting company, a series of videos will show why he decides to change his name to ‘Adam Versa’, his own road trip around his hometown of North Hollywood and a “Hypothetical Road Trip Game” with Larry Miller.

In addition, the September 21st episode of his #1 downloaded podcast show, “The Adam Carolla Show”, will be designated “The Adam Versa Show” and his guest will be Erich Marx, Nissan Director of Website and Social Media Marketing. Marx will discuss Nissan’s approach to social media, promote the My Versa Road Trip program, highlight the 2012 Nissan Versa Sedan, and take part in a round of Carolla’s Hypothetical Road Trip game.