Why Cadillac hasn’t found success yet in World Challenge Series, and why it’s not giving up

Filed under: Motorsports, Cadillac

Cadillac CTS-V SCCA race car

Cadillac CTS-V Coupe SCCA race car takes on all comers – Click above for high-res image gallery

The last time Cadillac lined up for the World Challenge Series from 2004 to 2007, it was competing with the CTS-V sedan. As put by an understated Jim Vurpillat, Cadillac’s global head of marketing, “We’ve been here before and had some success.”

The CTS-V Coupe race cars were plucked from the same line as cars headed to dealerships.

By “some success,” he means that the four-door roared off with the championship in its second and fourth years. The team has a steep road to climb if they’re going to relive that kind of winning percentage with its new CTS-V Coupe, but, having watched the package shred the Long Beach circuit last weekend, there’s no doubt they have a car that will be able to do it… eventually.

With just six months to prepare for the racing season, the two CTS-V Coupes piloted by Johnny O’Connell and Andy Pilgrim were built at the Lansing, Michigan plant, plucked from the same line as cars headed to dealerships. They were then taken to Pratt & Miller, the same firm that prepped the championship-winning CTS-V sedans, to be overhauled.

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Gallery: Cadillac CTS-V Coupe at the Long Beach World Challenge Series race

Continue reading Why Cadillac hasn’t found success yet in World Challenge Series, and why it’s not giving up

Why Cadillac hasn’t found success yet in World Challenge Series, and why it’s not giving up originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 27 Apr 2011 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ford dealer giving lessons on MyFord Touch

Filed under: Car Buying, SUV, Crossover, Ford, Lincoln

MyFord Touch

2011 Ford Edge – Click above for high-res image gallery

Ford dealers are beginning to realize some buyers aren’t comfortable with the virtual switchgear of MyFord Touch, and at least one dealer in Michigan is offering a free tutorial of the touchscreen controls.

Village Ford in Dearborn admits that while some of its younger buyers are more comfortable with the system, “… less tech-savvy customers need to come back in again.” And after Consumer Reports pulled its Recommended rating for the Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX due to ease-of-use issues with MyFord/MyLincoln Touch, there’s little doubt Ford and its dealers want to proactively assuage concerns and get people comfortable with the controls.

However, as Jim Seavitt, the dealership’s owner tells the Detroit Free Press, one issue is the lack of choice. If someone buys a vehicle with SYNC, they can choose not to use it, but if they option up for a higher spec Edge, “they have to use MyFord Touch,” according to Seavitt.

[Source: Detroit Free Press]

Ford dealer giving lessons on MyFord Touch originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 20 Jan 2011 19:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hyundai giving $200 a car to children’s cancer charity this month

Filed under: Etc., Hyundai, Earnings/Financials

With National Childhood Cancer Awareness month underway, Hyundai Motor America has announced plans to donate $100,000 to 68 hospitals and non-profit organizations ($6.8 million total) in the form of “Hope Grants.” The bulk of the money will be raised by Hyundai’s U.S. sales network, now more than 800 dealers strong, who will contribute $200 from the sale of each vehicle in September.

“While we’ve made progress over the last few decades and now have an 85 percent cure rate, cancer still takes more lives than any other childhood disease,” said John Krafcik, President and CEO of Hyundai Motor America. “This September, in support of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, Hyundai will shine a nationwide spotlight on this cause and provide more than $6 million in grants for pediatric cancer research and support programs. We love taking on big challenges at Hyundai, and we can think of no more worthy challenge than finding a cure for all forms of pediatric cancer.”

Hyundai’s Hope on Wheels program has supported the fight against childhood cancer for the past twelve years. By the end of this year, the program will have awarded more than $23 million to hospitals and non-profit organizations across the country. To learn more about the program, or donate directly, visit Hyundai Hope on Wheels.

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Hyundai giving $200 a car to children’s cancer charity this month originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 06 Sep 2010 08:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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