2013 Lincoln Mks Premium Dual Sunroof Nav Rear Cam 30k Texas Direct Auto on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Automakers tussle over owners of 'orphan' makes

When General Motors put down several of its brands in recent years, it also let loose thousands of brand-loyal customers who will eventually need another car.
R.L. Polk Associates estimates there are more than 18 million cars from 16 discontinued makes on the road today. Those "orphan owners" have sales-hungry competitors seeing dollar signs. GM is offering Saturn owners $1,000 cash toward a Chevy Cruze, Cadillac CTS or a GMC Acadia. Ford is giving its Mercury lease customers a chance to get out of their contracts with no early-termination penalty and offering to waive six remaining payments if they drive off in a Ford or Lincoln.
Edmunds.com research shows the efforts are paying off somewhat for GM, with 39 percent of Pontiac owners, 37 percent of Hummer owners and 31 percent of Saturn owners taking delivery of another GM-branded vehicle. But that leaves as much as 69 percent of owners going elsewhere. Ford, Honda and Toyota seem to be attracting many former GM owners.

Weekly Recap: Revisting the BBC report that ended Jeremy Clarkson's Top Gear run

Jeremy Clarkson's long run as a Top Gear host has come to an end, and the reason is clear: His physical assault on one of the show's producers crossed a line, and the government-owned BBC couldn't tolerate it. The incident between Clarkson and Top Gear producer Oisin Tymon was initially described as a "fracas," and Clarkson was suspended. But his popularity and widespread support – even British Prime Minister David Cameron weighed in – suggested that the controversial Clarkson might be given yet another chance. The BBC put this to rest Wednesday when it sacked Clarkson and revealed the findings of its investigation. The report spelled out how Clarkson struck Tymon on the patio of a North Yorkshire (UK) hotel, leaving him with a bloodied, swollen lip. It was severe enough that the producer sought medical treatment. During and after the attack, Clarkson shouted expletives at Tymon and threatened to fire him. The noise carried into the hotel's dining room and even to a bedroom. Local police investigated the incident, but Tymon isn't pressing charges. The huge audience numbers, Clarkson's popularity and the high-octane excitement of Top Gear all melted away in the eyes of BBC director-general Tony Hall, who saw an attacker and a victim. "For me a line has been crossed," he said in a statement. "There cannot be one rule for one and one rule for another dictated by either rank, or public relations and commercial considerations." In that moment, Clarkson was the bad guy, though he was actually the one who reported it to the network and made repeated attempts to apologize to Tymon. He's also urged the media to leave the producer alone. Hall voiced regret in the statement that announced Clarkson's contract would not be renewed, but the BBC decided to move on. Rumors are swirling about possible replacements for Clarkson. The network says it wants to continue Top Gear in 2016 and is looking to air the rest of this season's episodes. Despite the controversy, the show has a global audience of 350 million viewers and is one of the BBC's most valuable properties. It's unclear what Clarkson's co-hosts, James May and Richard Hammond, will do, as their contracts were also reportedly up to be renewed. Other News & Notes 2016 Chevrolet Malibu hybrid charges up with Volt technology Chevrolet is taking some of the learnings and technologies from the 2016 Volt and dropping them into the reborn Malibu hybrid.

Matthew McConaughey returns in new Lincoln MKX ads

Matthew McConaughey is getting back behind the wheel of a Lincoln for a set of cool new ads for the MKX. Unlike his oft-parodied spots for the MKC, the latest ones eschew the easy-going actor's semi-philosophical musings in place of some smooth jazz, a mysterious story, and shots of the luxury crossover on the road. Separately, the three commercials are titled Welcome, Arrival, and Winning Hand, and they combine to tell a story of McConaughey getting ready for a game of poker. Of course, the MKX is meant to be the real star, and the spots show off its high-end tech, including a 360-degree camera, Revel Audio system, and hands-free parking. Keep an eye out for a cameo from a classic Lincoln in one of the ads. For really curious viewers, the automaker is also extending the story to its homepage to explain more about the people McConaughey is meeting. In addition to giving McConaughey and the MKX starring roles, there's A-list talent behind the camera too. Replacing Nicolas Winding Refn from the MKC spots for these is Gus Van Sant, best known for directing Good Will Hunting and Milk, plus recent BMW i8 videos. The new ads make their broadcast debut during college football games on Saturday, September 12 on ABC and re-air during NFL games on the 13th on CBS and Fox. However, you can get an early peek by watching the combined short film above. Let us know in Comments how you think they compare to McConaughey's MKC spots. Collaboration Between McConaughey and Lincoln Evolves in Spots for All-New Lincoln MKX Quiet Luxury, an understated yet compelling experience brought to life by the all-new Lincoln MKX, underpins a new series of television advertisements featuring Matthew McConaughey. All-new Lincoln MKX, representing the latest chapter for the brand, featured in new television advertisements with Matthew McConaughey Acclaimed director Gus Van Sant brings distinct cinematic style to these Lincoln MKX ads, which introduce new characters and storylines. The new spots debut during key college football matchups on Saturday, Sept. 12, on ABC. They can be seen again during NFL games on Sunday, Sept. 13, on CBS and FOX. "What appeals to me about this new series of ads is that while the overall Lincoln message remains consistent, the way it is delivered continues to evolve," said Matthew McConaughey.