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Category Archives: marketing
McLaren W1 Supercar Global Reveal This Sunday
McLaren Automotive today said that the next version of its legendary ‘1’ car lineage – a new supercar named W1, will be revealed at 13:00 BST on Sunday 6 October 2024. The McLaren W1 is the successor to the McLaren F1. The W1 name “celebrates McLaren’s World Championship mindset.” The public reveal date marks the 50th anniversary of McLaren winning its first Formula 1 Constructors’ World Championship, and Emerson Fittipaldi winning the 1974 World Drivers’ Championship with McLaren.
“The McLaren W1 is defined by real supercar principles and is the ultimate expression of a McLaren supercar. Born of our rich racing history and World Championship mindset, W1 pushes the boundaries of performance and is worthy of the ‘1’ name. Like its predecessors the F1 and McLaren P1™, W1 defines the rulebook of a real supercar,” Michael Leiters, Chief Executive Officer, McLaren Automotive. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, design and styling, engineering, marketing, milestones, new vehicle, news analysis, performance, racing, shows and events
Tagged 1974 World Drivers’ Championship, auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Emerson Fittipaldi, Ken Zino, McLaren F1, mclaren p1, McLaren W1, Michael Leiters, X @KenAutoinformed
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Prius Prime Changes its Name to Prius Plug-in Hybrid for 2025
Toyota (NYSE:TM) said today that the 2025 model year version of Prius Prime will be rebranded as the Prius Plug-in Hybrid. The change to the Prius Plug-in is intended to help consumers easily identify the powertrain choices among Prius models. The 2025 Prius Plug-in Hybrid will also adopt a “PHEV” badge on the rear, indicating its Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle powertrain. It will be available in three grades: SE, XSE and XSE Premium. Pricing was omitted. Back in 2022 when a new Prius Prime model was introduced, with a manufacturer estimated EV range of up to 44 miles and a 6.6-second 0-60 time, it was a flexible vehicle short and longer trips. The 2025 with a 13.6 kWh lithium-ion battery, the SE grade has a manufacturer-estimated 44-mile all-electric driving range rating. While the XSE and XSE Premium have a manufacturer-estimated 40 mile all-electric driving range rating. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, connected vehicles, electric vehicles, electronics, engineering, environment, global warming, marketing, new vehicle, news analysis, software defined vehicles, software defined vehicles
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Ken Zino, M20A-FXS, prius plug-in hybrid, Toyota Safety Sense, ToyotaCare, X @KenAutoinformed
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Stellantis Holds Media Drive for Chinese Leapmotor EVs
The first European Media Drive is now taking place in Milan for the C10 and T03 models of the Leapmotor brand, a Chinese company in the technology field which has the highest growth in the New Energy Vehicle (NEV) sector.* The event, held in Milan and Lake Maggiore, marks the official debut of Leapmotor International in Europe. In a controversial move in October of 2023 Stellantis took 51% of a joint venture with Leapmotor that gives it exclusive rights to build, export and sell Leapmotor EVs outside China.**
“Stellantis will invest more than €50 billion during the next 10 years in the field of electrification and will do everything it can to reach the targets set out in its Dare Forward 2030 strategic plan, including the achievement of a 100% sales mix of BEV vehicles in Europe by 2030 and 50% of BEV passenger cars and light commercial vehicles in the United States. To reach these sales goals, the company is ensuring around 400 GWh of battery capacity with the support of six battery factories in North America and Europe. Stellantis aims to become a zero carbon-emissions company across all sectors by 2038, with a percentage offsetting for an amount of the remaining emissions,” the company formed by the merger of FCA and PSA said today. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, connected vehicles, economy, electric vehicles, electronics, engineering, environment, fuel economy or emissions, global warming, labor issues, manufacturing, marketing, new vehicle, news analysis, public health, shows and events, software defined vehicles
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Belgium, Chinese Leapmotor EVs, Chinese Trade Wars, Dare Forward 2030, FCA-PSA Merger, france, Germany, Greece, Italy, Ken Zino, Luxemburg, Malta, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Switzerland, The Netherlands, UK, X @KenAutoinformed
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Annals of Marketing – VW Gewürz Ketchup Brand
Volkswagen of America announced today that VW part number 00010 ZDK-259-101, VW Gewürz Ketchup Brand, a condiment used to dress VW currywurst, will be available in the U.S. for a limited time. The public can claim their own bottle, distributed through DriverGear retail operation, starting today at no cost while supplies last.
“This year we’re celebrating more than a big anniversary of selling cars,” said Rachael Zaluzec, Senior Vice President of Customer Experience and Brand Marketing, Volkswagen of America. “We’re celebrating stories, memories, passion, and all the fun, and unexpected things that make Volkswagen the brand we are today —things like our Gewürz Ketchup Brand condiment.” Continue reading
Posted in aftermarket, auto news, marketing, news analysis, shows and events
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, ChainFEST, currywurst sausage, Gewürz Ketchup Brand, Ken Zino, Rachael Zaluzec, volkswagen of america, VW 75th anniversary, X @KenAutoinformed
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August 2024 EU Car Registrations Plummet
During August 2024, new EU car registrations saw a sharp decrease (-18.3%) with negative results across the region’s four major markets: double-digit losses were witnessed in Germany (-27.8% at 197,322), France (-24.3% at 85,977), and Italy (-13.4% at 69,161), with the Spanish market declining by 6.5% at 52,322, the ACEA trade group said today.
With eight months of 2024 elapsed, new car registrations increased by 1.4%, at ~7.2 million units. Spain (+4.5% at 671,551) and Italy (+3.8% at 69,161) showed positive but modest performance. The French and the German markets stagnated (-0.5% at 1,126,900 and -0.3% at 1,907,226 respectively). Continue reading
Posted in auto news, economy, manufacturing, marketing, news analysis, results, sales
Tagged acea, August 2024 EU Car Registrations, auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Death of the diesel, European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association, Ken Zino, X @KenAutoinformed
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Best Selling Car Now at Dealerships – 2025 Honda Accord
The 2025 Honda Accord started arriving at Honda dealerships this week with more standard features, and a new turbocharged SE trim with black exterior accents and other standard high-demand features. The Honda Accord, America’s best-selling car over the last five decades , is available in six trim levels, starting with the turbocharged LX and SE, and topped by the hybrid-electric powered Sport, EX-L, Sport-L and Touring.
“The Honda Accord is a critical driver of brand loyalty and the new Accord SE brings even more expressive styling and value to Accord that already commands more than 25% of all retail sales in segment,” said Jessika Laudermilk, assistant vice president of Honda Auto Sales. “Accord SE is one more reason that Accord will continue to set the standard for midsize cars in exceptional value and a sporty driving experience.” Continue reading
Annals of Marketing – Shohei Ohtani and Taycan Turbo S
In an updated social media twist on what was once known as the rag trade in the New York garment district, Porsche said this morning there was a meeting Shohei Ohtani – the two-way player* – recently in Los Angeles, his adopted home. With all the well-deserved tsunami level of publicity surrounding Ohtani since his arrival in 2018, many were hoping to sign the Japanese-born athlete as the next star player on their team following the announcement of his departure from the Los Angeles Angels in late 2023.
*A two-way player is one who both pitches and hits. Babe Ruth was a hitter and pitcher between 1914 and 1935. When the owner of Red Sox traded him for enough cash to finance a stage show called My Lady Friends, The Curse of the Bambino was born – keeping the Red Sox (dead sox) from winning a World Series for 86 years from 1918 to 2004. Ruth as a ballplayer hit 714 home runs, won seven World Series titles, played on the 1927 Yankees, arguably the greatest team ever, and made the All-Star team twelve times. He was among the initial players to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Full disclosure here as an ex-New Yorker who spent time in Yankee stadium with relatives, and even more time watching and talking baseball, the Dodgers have always been known in my clan since 1957 as that team that used to play in Brooklyn. Continue reading
McLaren P1 $449.99! Some Assembly Required
McLaren F1™ driver, Lando Norris has completed a lap of the British racetrack, Silverstone, in a 1:1 scale LEGO Technic McLaren P1. Norris successfully lasted through the twist and turns of the 5.891km (3.66 miles) track. You can buy the 1:8 scale LEGO Technic McLaren P1 Lego for $449.99 (£389.99, €449.99), but some assembly is required.*
“Having worked on the original P1 program for McLaren, it’s amazing to see so many of the elements from the original McLaren P1™ brought to life so realistically by the LEGO Technic team for the full-scale model. The car was an icon of its time. I hope that through this collaboration with the LEGO Group, we are able to inspire the next generation of designers and engineers to push the boundaries of automotive innovation,” said Ben Gulliver, Test & Development Director, McLaren Automotive. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, marketing, new vehicle, news analysis, performance, shows and events
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Ben Gulliver, Ken Zino, Lando Norris, LEGO group, LEGO® Technic™, Lukáš Horák, McLaren Automotive, mclaren p1, X @KenAutoinformed
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Annals of Marketing – Porsche Turbonite at Fashion Week
“Every designer and graphic artist knows the Pantone color cards. In the same way that the Porsche 911 is the archetype of all sports cars, for more than 60 years the US company’s color standard system has been the reference work for everyone that uses colors in design,” says Michael Mauer, Vice President Style Porsche. “We are proud to be the first outside brand represented in Pantone’s Fashion Color Trend Report. Turbonite is unique. An innovative, timeless, strong, but not loud color that gives our Turbo derivatives an unmistakable, self-assured look. Like all Porsche colors, the newly developed color shade was created over several years in a labor-intensive creative and development process,” Mauer claimed. Continue reading
Posted in design and styling, marketing, news analysis, shows and events
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Ken Zino, Laurie Pressman, Michael Mauer, New York Fashion Week, Paint to Sample, Paint to Sample Plus, Pantone Fashion Color Trend Report, Porsche color program, Turbonite, X @KenAutoinformed
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U.S. Light Vehicle Sales in August 2024 Disappoint
U.S. light vehicle sales totaled 1.42 million in August, the GlobalData* consultancy said today. The annualized selling rate for the month was 15.1 million a year, down from 16.0 million a year in July. The daily selling rate was estimated at 50,600 units per day in August, down from 51,400 in July. Expectations were high coming into the month, given the inclusion of Labor Day in August for the first time since 2019.** Continue reading
August U.S. Auto Sales Highest Year-to-Date
After U.S. Labor Day holiday weekend sales, initial August new-vehicle sales results, as expected, are indicating healthy volume gains, according to Cox Automotive.* Full results will be in by the end of the week, but early reports suggest the extra selling days helped the auto market navigate August with strength, according to Cox Automotive Chief Economist Jonathan Smoke in his latest Auto Market Report released this morning.
“New- and used-vehicle sales volumes are at the highest level for 2024. With growing demand, supply has tightened, and prices are creeping up. For the first time this year, the popular 3-year-old product – a staple of the used-vehicle business our team tracks closely – experienced a price increase in both the wholesale and retail markets,” said Smoke. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, economy, marketing, news analysis, results, sales, shows and events
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Bidenomics, Cox Automotive, Jonathan Smoke, Ken Zino, Personal Consumption Expenditure Index, X @KenAutoinformed
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Digital Reveal – 2025 Nissan Armada Flagship SUV
The all-new 2025 Nissan Armada enhances on-road comfort, claimed greater levels of craftsmanship, the latest technologies and opens new off-road frontiers with the nameplate’s first PRO-4X grade, Nissan said today at the online reveal of its three row SUV. Prices will be announced closer to the on-sale date late this year.
The event used Extreme-sports content creators – mountain biker Cam Zink, free climber Ashima Shiraishi and ultrarunner Matt James – as part of the show. There are five grades – SV, SL, PRO-4X, Platinum and Platinum Reserve. All offer a choice between rear-wheel drive and Intelligent 4WD, except PRO-4X, which has standard 4WD. The PRO-4X grade has all-terrain tires, an increased approach angle, underbody skid plates, an electronic locking differential and Adaptive Electronic Air Suspension, Nissan said.
Continue reading
Chinese Auto Industry Steady in July?
The Chinese automotive industry’s economic operations remained fundamentally stable in July, with just a minor dip in monthly production and sales, according to an analysis of the world’s largest auto market just released by the respected GlobalData* consultancy. Domestic light vehicle (LV) sales, excluding exports, totaled 1.8 million units, reflecting a significant year-on-year (YoY) decrease of 10.4% and a month-on-month (MoM) decline of 12.5%, affected by the high comparative base of the same month last year. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, economy, electric vehicles, environment, manufacturing, marketing, news analysis, results, sales
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, GlobalData, July 2024 Chinese Light Vehicle Sales and Production, Ken Zino, X @KenAutoinformed
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Slight Labor Day Jump Forecast for August US Auto Sales
Absolute new-vehicle sales for August 2024, including retail and non-retail transactions, are set to reach 1,437,954, a 4.2% increase from August 2023 on a selling day adjusted basis, according to a joint forecast from J.D. Power and GlobalData.* August 2024 has 28 selling days, one more than August 2023. Comparing the same sales volume without adjusting for the number of selling days translates to an increase of 8.1% from 2023.
“New-vehicle sales in August are up from a year ago, as expected. A key element of the improvement is that this year, the Labor Day holiday weekend falls within the August** sales reporting period instead of September where it normally falls,” said Thomas King, president of the data and analytics division at J.D. Power. “While the sales results for August will be positive, the seasonally adjusted annualized rate (SAAR), which corrects for Labor Day timing, is relatively modest at just 15.3 million units.” Continue reading

Loyalty Keeps Vehicle Buyers Out of Market Amidst Shortages
Perennial brand loyalty leaders including Toyota, Honda and Lexus have each been able to grow their respective shares of loyal customers amid stagnation experienced by other brands, according to the J.D. Power 2024 U.S. Automotive Brand Loyalty StudySM.
“Amid ongoing inventory shortages, the most loyal customers actually stayed out of the market if they were unable to get their desired vehicle,” said Tyson Jominy, vice president of data & analytics at J.D. Power. “Now that inventory levels are recovering, customers are coming back. In particular, Toyota and Honda are benefiting from increased availability of hybrid vehicles, with Honda owners swapping out their gas-powered vehicles for hybrids at nearly triple the rate of the industry average. Lexus is also benefitting from strengthened residual values, which are helping drive loyalty for the brand despite premium brands as a whole experiencing a plateau this year.” Continue reading →