Posted on February 18th, 2012 • by Bill Cawthon
In spite of, or perhaps because of, the highly publicized charges of partisan politics and false accusations of the use of taxpayer money, Chrysler’s “It’s Halftime in America” was the top-ranked automotive commercial in YouTube’s Ad Blitz 2012 contest. For the past five years, the YouTube Ad Blitz has been one of the largest consumer polls of Super Bowl ads.
The Chrysler Group’s “It’s Halftime in America” video came in second place to M&M’s “Just My Shell” spot in the overall results.
“’It’s Halftime in America’ is about a mission, not about a product. It is about the spirit that motivates our embracement of this mission,” said Sergio Marchionne, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Chrysler Group LLC. “The 2-minute video portrayed the essence of Chrysler Group’s commitment and how we are working toward the future. We don’t presume to teach anything or show our way as the right way ahead. Our message to the United States came from people who felt a duty to encourage the country they love. It was simply a way of saying that everyone, in the land of opportunity, has the right to dream and the power to turn that dream into reality.”
With more than 17 million views, web traffic to the Chrysler Group brand sites has dramatically increased since the two-minute ad aired during Super Bowl XLVI.
“We are humbled and honored that the voters named Chrysler Group as the top auto and second-place winner in YouTube’s Ad Blitz 2012 contest,” said Olivier Francois – Chrysler’s Chief Marketing Officer.
Posted on February 16th, 2012 • by Bill Cawthon
Travel + Leisure magazine named the new 2012 Fiat 500 “Best Car” in its eighth annual “Travel + Leisure Design Awards.” The 2012 Travel + Leisure Design Awards recognize new products, designs, buildings and destinations that enhance the travel experience.
“The Design Awards jury applauded the Fiat 500 for its effortless combination of compact practicality with a real sense of style, speed, and fun,” said Luke Barr, News Director of Travel + Leisure.
The Fiat 500 will be featured in the March issue on newsstands Friday, February 17. The article is currently online. In addition, the Fiat 500 will be recognized at the Travel + Leisure Design Awards event on March 7 at Department in Berlin, Germany.
“We are extremely honored to win the ‘Best Car’ Design Award title from Travel + Leisure – as the 2012 Fiat 500 offers a unique combination of Italian design, driving fun and efficiency at an unbeatable value,” said Tim Kuniskis, Head of FIAT Brand North America. “In addition, our open-air Fiat 500 Cabrio, the exclusive 500 and 500c by Gucci models and the high-performance Fiat 500 Abarth provide drivers with the best of Italian style and driving excitement.”
Travel + Leisure is a New York City-based publication that goes out to more than 970,000 people every month. It is published by American Express Publishing Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of American Express Company.
Motoring Television on Canada’ TSN announced their vehicles of the year for 2012. The most awarded SUV ever, the Jeep Grand Cherokee, was named Motoring 2012’s SUV of the Year as it beat out the BMW X3 and the Mercedes-Benz M-Class.
In selecting the Jeep Grand Cherokee the winner, Motoring Television announced, “the latest Grand Cherokee does everything demanded of it with so much more refinement than ever before.”
Posted on February 8th, 2012 • by Bill Cawthon
Today, the editors of MotorWeek presented the “Driver’s Choice, Best Large Utility” for the three-row Dodge Durango SUV (shared with Jeep Grand Cherokee) at the 2012 Chicago Auto Show.
MotorWeek has judged the best new cars and trucks of the year for the past 31 years. Its annual Drivers’ Choice Awards looks at vehicles from a buyer’s point of view, including priorities such as value and reliability, while also taking the latest trends and innovations into consideration. An episode of MotorWeek featuring the Durango and other award winners is scheduled to air Feb. 11 on PBS and on Discovery’s Velocity Network Feb. 21.
“It’s an honor to receive this award from MotorWeek,” said Reid Bigland, President and CEO – Dodge Brand. “Even though it’s still early in 2012, Dodge has already received more than a dozen awards across the line-up, demonstrating the strength of our products.”
Posted on January 19th, 2012 • by Bill Cawthon
Writing in The Age, Tony Davis picks the ten cars most significant in Australian motoring history. Among these is the Valiant Charger, a muscle car built at Chrysler’s Tonsley Park plant from 1971 to 1978. The Charger was very popular and won Wheels magazine’s “Car of the Year” award in 1971. After production ended, a Valiant Charger had a cameo appearance in the 1982 movie “Mad Max 2.”
“Chrysler Australia would have faded years earlier if not for the shot in the arm that the Charger brought,” writes Davis. “Building a radical coupe on a shortened wheelbase was a leap of faith for a company with such a small market share. Yet it worked, soon becoming the best-selling model in the company’s range.”
“A salute to Australia’s 10 most important cars” is accompanied by a poll allowing readers to vote for their favorite (or favourite).
