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Chrysler and Hyundai join Pepsi and Coke as top Super Bowl spenders [w/ video]

Super Bowl XLVIII is barely a week away, and some of the early ads are already leaking out. It's timely then that The Street has released rankings of the top five Super Bowl advertisers since 2009, showing Chrysler and Hyundai/Kia taking two of the spots with $131.7 million in cumulative spending.
Since 2010, the cost to air a 30-second Super Bowl ad has risen from $3 million in 2009 to about $4 million in 2014, and about a fifth of advertisers opt for a one-minute ad, which doubles costs. Last year, the ads brought in $292 million, and they have brought in roughly $2 billion since 2010.
Chrysler has spent $64.3 million since 2009 to make it the fourth highest spending company in the last five years. In that time, the company has rebranded itself as it emerged from bankruptcy with the Imported from Detroit ad campaign that premiered in 2011 and last year's God Made a Farmer Ram Trucks ad. Its 2012 Halftime in America sparked national debate about whether it was also a reference to the upcoming presidential election.

Kia goes Rebel with Forte Mud Bogger for SEMA

Kia is planning a raft of six custom creations for the SEMA show this year, each representing a different region of the United States. Just the other day we brought you a teaser showing off the Sorento built for adventure to represent the Pacific region. Now the Korean automaker is giving us a glimpse at the next addition to the lineup. Based on the Forte Koup is this Mud Bogger concept, representin' the Dirty South "and the inexplicable joy of getting dirty on four wheels." It's got a suspension lifted by four inches, 28-inch off-road tires, riveted fender flares, a panoramic vinyl roof panel, and a stripped-down interior. The seats have been replaced by a pair of Sparco racing buckets, the carpet's been removed and replaced with a spray-on bed-liner, and a full roll cage has been fitted and powder-coated to match the white wheels and brush guard. Scope it out in the teaser video, and watch this space for more on the rest of Kia's localized lineup for the Vegas tuner expo. FORTE KOUP MUD BOGGER Kia returns to SEMA this year embracing the spirit of adventure found on the open road with six highly customized, hand-built concepts, each showcasing unique geographic regions found throughout the country. Bringing to life the various car cultures that help define America's love of the automobile, here's a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the Forte Koup Mud Bogger, representing the adventurous American South and the inexplicable joy of getting dirty on four wheels. Giving this one-of-a-kind Koup the clearance to tackle extreme terrain started with a generous four-inch body and suspension lift along with meaty 28-in. off-road tires. To further accommodate the massive wheel and tire combo, the fenders and side skirts were modified and custom riveted fender flares added. A panoramic roof with a vinyl pushback top gives way to the stripped-down interior where the carpet has been removed and the entire floor is lined with Line-X protective coating. The stock seats of the Forte Koup have also been replaced with two Sparco Evo II Red Race Seats and the Forte Koup Mud Bogger incorporates a hand-built roll cage powder coated white to match the wheels. This Kia with a southern flare is purpose-built for off-road fun that takes you down the road less traveled. News Source: Kia Aftermarket SEMA Show Kia Coupe Off-Road Vehicles kia forte SEMA 2015 kia forte koup

Recharge Wrap-up: Kia Soul EV, Renault Zoe range boosts

California has removed its limit on the number of HOV lane access stickers available for plug-in hybrids. While the state removed limits for white stickers for solo drivers of battery electric vehicles to use the carpool lane, the green stickers for PHEVs and range-extended EVs had a limit of 85,000, which was reached months ago. Now, BEVs and PHEVs will each have an unlimited number of access stickers until the program expires on January 1, 2019. Read more at Green Car Reports. Kia could improve the driving range of the Soul EV in order to better compete with newer offerings. While its 93-mile range was competitive with most EVs when it was launched as a 2015 model, the Nissan Leaf and BMW i3 have since surpassed it, and other forthcoming affordable EVs like the Chevy Bolt and Tesla Model 3 will set the bar even higher. As such, Autocar says the Soul EV should get a range boost with a mid-cycle refresh for the 2018 model year. Read more at Autocar, and at Green Car Reports. Renault said to be set to unveil a new Zoe EV with a driving range of over 200 miles. With a debut at the Paris Motor Show in October, the popular European EV hatchback will about double its current range. Using a new battery pack from LG Chem, as well as a smaller, more efficient electric motor, the improved range would help make the Zoe even more popular as people make the switch to electric driving in Europe. Read more from Electrek. Related Gallery 2016 Renault Zoe Z.E.: Geneva 2016 View 16 Photos News Source: Green Car Reports, Green Car Reports, Autocar, ElectrekImage Credit: Kia Government/Legal Green Kia Renault Electric recharge wrapup