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Lexus NX, BMW i3 to get Super Bowl commercials

At this point last year, we'd been getting news on automotive-focused Super Bowl commercials for more than two months. The teasers hadn't come out yet, but manufacturers lined up for the super-expensive spots were making their intentions known. This year? Almost nada, until this week. BMW has said it will air a 60-second spot promoting the i3 during the first quarter of the game, the Munich firm returning to The Big Game after a four-year absence. BMW says, "Big ideas like the BMW i3 take a little getting used to, and the creative idea surrounding our spot will play on this analogy." We say that pitching a tiny range-extended hatchback during the beer-iest American sports orgy of the year should make for some neat commentary afterward. Lexus is putting its new NX crossover in the second Super Bowl commercial it's ever aired, eschewing the glitter of celebrities and glamor for a straight-shooting spot and the tagline, "Be seen, be heard, make some noise." Joining those two are Kia, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan and Toyota. The six confirmed carmakers are down from eleven last year, when car spots made up a quarter of the total ad time. The price to do business for 30 seconds this year: reportedly around $4.5 million, up a stacks from last year's $4 million. You can watch the Lexus commercial in the video above, and beneath that, the BMW press release below has a bit more information on its effort. BMW to Advertise All-Electric BMW i3 during Super Bowl XLIX. The all-electric BMW i3 is featured in a 60-second spot during Super Bowl XLIX on Sunday, February 1, 2015. Woodcliff Lake, NJ – January 15, 2015... Today, BMW announced plans to feature the all-electric BMW i3 in a 60-second spot during Super Bowl XLIX on Sunday, February 1, 2015. After a 4-year hiatus, BMW will be returning to the big game with a commercial during the first quarter. "As one in three Americans will tune in to watch the Super Bowl, we are thrilled to use this platform to educate viewers on the importance of electric mobility," said Trudy Hardy, Vice President of Marketing, BMW of North America. "Big ideas like the BMW i3 take a little getting used to, and the creative idea surrounding our spot will play on this analogy." BMW i is BMW's forward-looking and sustainable brand dedicated to solving many of the mobility challenges faced by the world's most densely populated cities. The BMW i3 is the first of the BMW i vehicles constructed from the ground up primarily of carbon fiber.

Cadillac, Daimler execs take swipes at Tesla

Despite the financial ties between Daimler and Tesla Motors, at least one Mercedes exec thinks the electric automaker doesn't have a bright future. And over at Cadillac, the message is that Tesla doesn't pose a threat but offers the luxury arm of General Motors more of classroom experience. The Mercedes story runs like this. Mercedes-Benz USA president and CEO, Steve Cannon, said at the New York Auto Show last week that Tesla has "no network" and only offers "little shops that don't have service capacity." He also said: "Folks are buying a Tesla now because they're kind of cool, but if you're a Tesla buyer, you have to have multiple cars. With Mercedes, you have a whole network. You've got no worries. ... Tesla is great, but you've got plenty of well-established brands that mean luxury, like Porsche or Mercedes-Benz, and how long do you think we're going to wait and let Tesla be out there alone [selling premium electric cars]?" "Treehuggers do not buy new luxury cars" – Uwe Ellinghaus For Cadillac's global chief marketing officer, Uwe Ellinghaus, Tesla's EV success represents little other than "a great opportunity and a learning exercise for all of us, and will help us traditional manufacturers to think twice about electric mobility." He added that, "I am not afraid of Tesla. ... There is no willingness to really sacrifice on the traditional qualities of a luxury car. These are not cars for treehuggers, as treehuggers do not buy new luxury cars." Ellinghaus made the comments during a panel discussion at the 2014 Automotive Forum. Perhaps the lesson of Tesla's offer of free Supercharging to Model S owners is what led to Cadillac to recently announce a deal with Chargepoint that gives ELR drivers access to that company's 16,500 charging stations. Read more details on that below. Cadillac and ChargePoint Bring EV Customer Luxury Driving Experience World's largest, most open electric vehicle charging network available to ELR drivers 2014-04-16 NEW YORK – Cadillac today announced a partnership with ChargePoint, the largest and most open electric vehicle-charging network in the world. The collaboration brings Cadillac ELR drivers immediate access to more than 16,500 charging locations on the ChargePoint network. The ELR electrified luxury coupe went on sale at the end of 2013. It embodies Cadillac's Art & Science design philosophy, combining provocative design with progressive technology.

2023 Mercedes-Maybach S 680 by Virgil Abloh is maximum fashion with a V12

If the Mercedes-Maybach S 680 wasn’t already exclusive enough for you, listen up. This is the limited-edition Maybach by Virgil Abloh version of the Mercedes-Maybach S 680, and there will only be 150 of them built for the world. The vehicle is the result of a collaboration between Virgil Abloh and Mercedes chief designer Gordon Wagener. Mercedes says the design was finalized prior to AblohÂ’s passing in November 2021. In case youÂ’re unfamiliar with Abloh, know that he was many things throughout his life. HeÂ’s known best for being a fashion designer and entrepreneur, but he was also an artist, philanthropist and architect. As for the car itself, the exterior uses a two-tone paint combo that you might recall from the Project Maybach electric off-road coupe. The bottom half is meant to make you think of sand, while the top half contrasts that in a glossy Obsidian Black finish. The window frames lose their bright look and are painted black to make it as monolithic as possible from the side. Even the forged wheels are painted in the sandy hue. The same theme continues for the interior. ItÂ’s a black and tan two-tone throughout, and MercedesÂ’ Nappa Leather is used to cover surfaces. A unique Mercedes-Maybach and Virgil Abloh logo is inscribed on the center console to denote this carÂ’s special-edition status. YouÂ’ll see the same logo on rear cushions, headrests and door sills. Mercedes even went so far as to modify the infotainment system and its controls for this special edition. The “home” button gets a sandy Abloh theme, and so do the selectable apps on screen. TheyÂ’re decorated with fashion accessories, and theyÂ’re hopefully still as easy to depict and use as MercedesÂ’ standard MBUX icons. As for extras beyond the car itself, every one of these special-edition models comes with a wooden box emblazoned with the Mercedes-Maybach and Virgil Abloh logo. Inside the box, youÂ’ll find a 1:18 replica of the car, a carabiner hook and your two keys. YouÂ’re also going to get a car cover featuring the Virgil Abloh logo with the car, but this one doesnÂ’t fit in the box. If you really want to look the part next to your car, there is a whole line of clothing designed by Virgil Abloh that is launching today, too. It comprises clothing done in shades and hues similar to the car, so you can truly look the part hopping out of your Virgil Abloh Mercedes-Maybach.