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Followup: GM responds to Nissan Leaf “Gas Powered Everything” ad [w/video]

Nissan’s “Gas Powered Everything” ad – Click above to watch video after the jump

Nissan’s latest Leaf-related ad asks: “What would the world be like if gas powered everything?”

Well, according to the spot, a middle-aged man would wake up for work to the burning whistle of his gas-powered alarm clock, and with a few fierce tugs at his coffee maker’s rip cord, he’d manage to fire up the gas-gulping machine. That same man, while at the office, would walk up to a miniature gas pump to refuel his laptop computer.

Oh, and the owner of a Chevrolet Volt, while standing at the gas pump refueling his plug-in hybrid, would watch in envy as another man across the street unplugs his Nissan Leaf and drives off.

Well, as you may have guessed, some General Motors execs aren’t too thrilled that Nissan has taken a public shot at the Volt. Autoevolution says that in a “rare, but delicious unofficial reply on Twitter,” GM’s Executive Director of Product and Technology Communications, Jason Laird, tweeted:

“A carmaker poking gentle fun at our product ignores tow trucks they need and rental cars they recommend as backup to their product.“

On the other hand, GM spokesman Rob Peterson, called the commercial “cute,” but says that it’s “misleading and damaging to the electric vehicle movement,” according to Autoevolution.

Hit the jump to watch Nissan’s now-controversial “Gas Powered Everything” clip.

Continue reading GM responds to Nissan Leaf “Gas Powered Everything” ad [w/video]

GM responds to Nissan Leaf “Gas Powered Everything” ad [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 31 May 2011 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Followup: Elena Ford pleads guilty to DUI, gets probation

Filed under: Government/Legal, Ford

Bloomberg reports that Ford Global Marketing Director Elena Ford (great-great-granddaughter of Henry Ford) has plead guilty to Driving Under the Influence of alcohol, saying the incident has been a “complete embarrassment” to her family. The Ford family heiress was arrested on April 4 after failing a sobriety test and registering a .14 on a breathalyzer; nearly twice the legal limit of .08 in Michigan. Police pulled Ford over after she reportedly jumped the median in in her 2011 Ford Explorer. The Michigan court sentenced the 44-year-old Ford to two years’ probation, 240 hours of community service and mandatory counseling. Ford was originally also charged with child endangerment since she had her 11-year-old son in the car. [Source: Bloomberg]

Followup: Elena Ford pleads guilty to DUI, gets probation originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 22 Apr 2011 14:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Followup: Ex-Ford engineer sentenced for industrial espionage

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal, Ford

Xiang Dong Yu, the former Ford engineer who was convicted of stealing trade secrets, has officially been sentenced to six years in prison. According to Reuters, the Beijing native was also ordered to pay a fine of $12,500 and will be deported after he serves his prison term. The 49-year-old Yu was arrested in 2009 on charges that he stole documents worth millions of dollars from his former employer during the 10 years that he worked for Ford.

Yu took a job with a U.S.-based company working in China in December of 2006 and copied some 4,000 Ford documents onto a personal hard drive before leaving or notifying the automaker of his new employer. The documents reportedly covered everything from engine and transmission details to electric power supply systems – all bits of information that would be incredibly tasty to China’s growing automotive industry. Yu eventually took a position with Beijing Automotive Corporation.

[Source: Reuters]

Followup: Ex-Ford engineer sentenced for industrial espionage originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 13 Apr 2011 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Followup: Kia design head “caves” to Korean influence with Naimo concept

Filed under: Concept Cars, Kia, Misc. Auto Shows, Electric

naimo concept

Kia Naimo EV concept – Click above for high-res image gallery

The Korean-made cars of the 1990s and early 2000s looked very… Korean. Not exactly a bad thing, mind you, but it’s tough to sell vehicles around the globe that cater to a specific region of the world. That’s likely one of the reasons why Kia hired former Audi designer Peter Schreyer to inject some much needed style into its lineup.

Schreyer tells Automotive News that there is no “Koreaness” about the Kia lineup, adding “to be honest, we don’t want the cars to look Korean.” A quick look at the 2011 Optima and you can see Schreyer is succeeding, but what about the Naimo EV concept? AN tells us that the jade color is reminiscent of Celadon-style pottery. The interior is covered in Korean oak. Schreyer tells AN that, at least in this case, the Korean factor is strong, adding it has design cues inspired by art specific to that country.

While the Naimo concept is a definite change of pace versus the rest of the Kia lineup, we’re thinking the little concept doesn’t mean to reveal a new styling direction. The show car was, after all, designed with the Seoul Motor Show in mind. Besides, there’s nothing wrong with playing to the home crowd.

Gallery: Kia Naimo Concept

Kia Naimo Concept

[Source: Automotive News – sub. req.]

Followup: Kia design head “caves” to Korean influence with Naimo concept originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 01 Apr 2011 13:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Followup: Scott Burgess resumes role as auto critic for The Detroit News

Filed under: Hirings/Firings/Layoffs

Following an official apology by his former and once again present editors, Scott Burgess, auto critic for The Detroit News, has returned to the newspaper. Burgess had resigned after changes were made to a review he had written that criticized the 2011 Chrysler 200 sedan, apparently in response to complaints made by parties that advertised with the paper. Naturally, we wish Burgess the best of luck with his reborn career with The Detroit News. [Source: Jalopnik]

Followup: Scott Burgess resumes role as auto critic for The Detroit News originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 23 Mar 2011 18:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Followup: Ahmadinejad’s Peugeot reportedly sells for $2.5M

Filed under: Classics, Sedan, Auctions, Peugeot, Celebrities, Middle East

Peugeot 504

1977 Peugeot 504 – Click above for high-res image gallery

The auction on Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s 1977 Peugeot 504 officially closed earlier this week with winning bid of $2.5 million. The funds are set to be used to build housing for low-income families. According to MSNBC, Iran’s Wellfare Organization, which organized the auction, hasn’t released the name of the Pug’s new owner, though there is some indication that the vehicle will be displayed in a museum in the near future. Locally, the vehicle would likely carry a price tag of around $2,000 without its unique ownership history. Ahmadinejad was frequently seen using the vehicle while he was Mayor of Tehran, but the Iranian President has favored other transportation since he took office in 2005.

According to MSNBC, Ahmadinejad campaigned on the promise to house every Iranian, and the charity auction is an attempt to make good on that pledge. Interestingly enough, outside of Iran, the most visitors to the auction’s website came from right here in the good ol’ USA.

Gallery: 1968-1983 Peugeot 504

[Source: MSNBC]

Followup: Ahmadinejad’s Peugeot reportedly sells for $2.5M originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 03 Mar 2011 17:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Followup: Kubica recovering as Renault weighs potential replacements

Filed under: Motorsports, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Lotus, Renault

Robert Kubica arrives at Santa Corona hospital in Pietra Ligure, Italy

The Lotus Renault GP team has issued another update on the progress of its star pilot Robert Kubica. The Polish driver, for those who haven’t been following, crashed during the Ronde di Andorra in Italy on Sunday – just weeks before the start of the F1 season – and was airlifted to a local hospital where doctors treated him for multiple fractures and severed tendons in his right limbs.

With the bulk of the procedures now behind him, Kubica is conscious (some reports state that he was revived from a medically-induced coma), and conversing with his doctors as well as visiting relatives and colleagues. Later this week, Kubica will have to undergo additional surgery (for his right shoulder and foot), to be followed by another procedure a few days later. He’s expected to stay at the Santa Corona Hospital where he has been since the crash for another two or three weeks, after which he’ll likely be transfered to another location to rehabilitate, likely for between five months and a full year.

With his recovery underway but a long road ahead, Renault will need to find someone to temporarily take his place for the impending season. Although the team has both Bruno Senna and Romain Grosjean – both recent F1 drivers – on contract, the team is reportedly examining all of its options. Among them are Force India drivers Tonio Liuzzi and Nico Hulkeberg, both of which raced last season and have proven themselves competitive drivers. Liuzzi lost his seat this year at Force India, while Hulkenberg took a test-driver role with the team when he lost his seat at Williams.

[Source: Lotus Renault GP, ESPN | Image: Silvio Fasano/AP]

Continue reading Followup: Kubica recovering as Renault weighs potential replacements

Followup: Kubica recovering as Renault weighs potential replacements originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 08 Feb 2011 17:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Followup: BBC apologizes for Top Gear remarks about Mexicans

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal, Celebrities, MISC

Top Gear presenters

Ugh, fine. We’re sorry. Okay, so that’s not exactly how the BBC responded to Mexico’s Ambassador Eduardo Medina-Mora Icaza, but it certainly didn’t fall all over itself in making a formal apology, either.

In case you need a refresher, Top Gear presenter Richard Hammond quipped on a recent broadcast episode of the hit television series, in reference to the Mexican-built Mastretta MXT sports car, “Mexican cars are just going to be a lazy, feckless, flatulent, oaf with a mustache leaning against a fence asleep looking at a cactus with a blanket with a hole in the middle on as a coat.”

Not surprisingly, a number of the country’s inhabitants were not amused… including the aforementioned Mexican Ambassador, who sent a letter to the BBC as something of a formal complaint. The BBC responded with a letter in return, which included the following statement:

Our own comedians make jokes about the British being terrible cooks and terrible romantics, and we in turn make jokes about the Italians being disorganized and over dramatic; the French being arrogant and the Germans being over organized. We are sorry if we have offended some people, but jokes centered on national stereotyping are a part of ‘Top Gear’s’ humor.

In any case, an apology was demanded and an apology (of sorts) was provided. Now, if you’ll excuse us, we lazy, over-fed and easily amused Americans are moving on. Hat tip to Jesse!

[Source: Associated Press via Google | Image: Gareth Fuller/AP]

Followup: BBC apologizes for Top Gear remarks about Mexicans originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 04 Feb 2011 14:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Followup: As it turns out, Christians also offended by Top Gear holiday special

Filed under: Etc., Celebrities, Humor

Top Gear's Richard Hammond, Jeremy Clarkson, and James May

It seems that Muslims aren’t the only religious group upset about the recent Top Gear holiday special. According to The Digital Journal and iAfrica, Christians have now come out against the show. While Muslims found issue with hosts Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May all donning the traditional headwear of Muslim women, Christians are more riled about the episode’s closing manger scene. After the trio of presenters made their way from Iraq to Bethlehem, they came up on a miniature baby Stig tucked away in a manger. The clip was meant to parody the nativity scene with Clarkson, Hammond and May all portraying the three wise men and Mini-Me Stig filling in for baby Jesus. Apparently, that bit of blasphemy was enough to ruffle a few feathers.

As usual, neither Top Gear nor the BBC have responded to the kerfuffle surrounding the show or its content.

[Sources: The Digital Jounral, iAfrica]

Followup: As it turns out, Christians also offended by Top Gear holiday special originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 31 Dec 2010 15:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Followup: Farnbacher Loles team owner charged with $10M fraud

Filed under: Aftermarket, Motorsports, Government/Legal, Earnings/Financials

Farnbacher-Loles Porsche

One year ago, we reported that Gregory Loles, team principal behind the well-regarded Farnbacher Loles racing outfit and Porsche performance shop, had gotten himself embroiled in an alleged fraud scheme. We hadn’t heard much about the scandal since last December, but now the United States Attorney for Connecticut has announced that a federal grand jury has returned a 32-count indictment against Loles. Among the indictments, Loles is being charged with securities fraud, wire fraud, mail fraud and money laundering – to the tune of over $10 million dollars.

According to the official Department of Justice press release, Loles, 51, also owned an investment adviser and brokerage firm called Apeiron Capital Management, Inc., an operation he ran as an unregistered investment adviser after his SEC listing was canceled in 1998. Loles evidently misrepresented his dealings and used monies from his investors (including a Connecticut church’s endowment and building funds) to pay personal bills and other unrelated expenses. While he was said to be diverting these funds, he provided false financial statements to his clients, and he made periodic payments to some of them using other investors’ money.

The case is being investigated in conjunction with the FBI and SEC, and if convicted, Loles could be going away for a very long time. The mail fraud, wire fraud and four of the money laundering charges alone carry a maximum sentence of 20 years, and other charges carry terms of up to 10 years.

You can read more about the charges leveled against Loles in the official DOJ press release at the link below. Thanks for the tip, Benjamin!

[Sources: New Haven FBI, Newstimes | Image: Image: Chris Graythen/Getty]

Followup: Farnbacher Loles team owner charged with $10M fraud originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 03 Dec 2010 18:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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