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Official: Infiniti G37 to live through MY 2015, sell alongside Q50

Filed under: Sedan, Performance, Infiniti, Luxury

2010 Infiniti G37 Sedan - front three-quarter view

Infiniti has officially confirmed news we broke last month about its G37 sedan – that it will live on in showrooms alongside its erstwhile replacement, the 2014 Infiniti Q50, a model that goes on sale this week. And it’s sticking around for quite a while – it will be sold through the 2015 model year.

In order for the G37 and Q50 to not rub shoulders, Infiniti is rolling out an amended G lineup, complete with lowered pricing. The G37 will stick around in Journey and all-wheel drive trims, both powered by the same 3.7-liter VQ-Series V6 engine, and only two option groups will be available, Premium and Navigation. The 2014 G37 Journey will start at $32,550, while the G37 Sedan AWD will run $34,150 (both are subject to a $905 destination fee).

The 2013 G37 had been priced from $38,255 delivered as of earlier this week, so the price drop is significant, likely bringing the base MSRP more in line with where transaction prices had been on the aging model. The new pricing, which takes effect August 6, should also allow the G37 gain consideration amongst shoppers of smaller-engined rivals like the BMW 320i while the Q50 waits on a turbocharged four-cylinder and diesel engine from Daimler. For comparison’s sake, the larger, more tech-rich Q50 will start at $37,605 delivered.

Why leave the G37 hanging around with its successor? According to Ben Poore, Infiniti of America’s vice president:

“The introduction of the Q50 with its distinctive design, engaging performance, world’s first technologies and unmatched levels of connectivity and personalization, enables us to pursue a two-pronged strategy. It creates room to strategically offer the repositioned G37 at the lower end of the near luxury segment in addition to the higher-positioned Q50. The two vehicles aim at different market segments and allow us to serve different customer needs.”

Confusingly, the G37 will apparently keep its nameplate in the face of Infiniti’s new Q-based nomenclature, a system that has already changed the G37 Coupe and Convertible models to the name Q60. For more, check out the official press release by scrolling below.

*Note: 2010 Infiniti G37 Sedan shown

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Infiniti G37 to live through MY 2015, sell alongside Q50 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 05 Aug 2013 17:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Canada getting ready to sell GM stake

Filed under: Government/Legal, GM, Earnings/Financials, Canada

Canada readies to sell stake in GM.

Canada’s federal government and the government of the province of Ontario have started searching for an investment bank to sell the rest of their combined 140 million shares in General Motors, according to an unidentified source, Bloomberg reports. That represents a 10-percent stake up for sale. The news doesn’t come as a surprise because Finance Minister Jim Flaherty said in December that Canada wanted to sell its shares of GM stock, a point that was reiterated yesterday by one of his spokespeople.

Canada invested $9.5 million for 175 million shares of GM’s stock in 2009 as part of the company’s government bailout. The automaker made an Initial Public Offering in November 2010, at which point Canada sold 35 million shares. The country currently is the third-largest GM shareholder, behind the US Treasury and GM-United Automobile Workers Voluntary Employee Beneficiary Association. Two-thirds of Canada’s stake are held by the federal government and one-third by the Ontario government.

In addition to Canada’s move to sell its GM stock, the US Treasury also said in December that it planned to sell all of its stock in the next 15 months, reports Bloomberg. It seems to be a good time to sell, as the stock has gained 11 percent since the IPO and 27 percent so far this year.

Canada getting ready to sell GM stake originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 03 Aug 2013 13:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: BMW, Mini aim to sell million cars off new FWD platform

Filed under: Convertible, Coupe, Sedan, Wagon, Crossover, Hatchback, BMW, Mini, Luxury

Mini sold 301,526 cars in 2012; BMW sold 1.54 million of its own models. According to a piece in Autocar, analysts say the coming UKL1 platform that will form the skeleton of the third-generation Mini Cooper and coming front-wheel drive BMW 1 Series could be responsible for “more than 900,000 cars per year” all by itself.

That sale fire is fueled by the UKL1 wearing up to twenty-three bodies in total between the two brands, 11 for Mini and 12 for BMW, rendering hatchbacks, sedans, coupes, convertibles, wagons, crossovers and people-haulers from about 12.5 feet to 14.5 feet. In April the VP of Mini USA said we might find some current models don’t make it to a next generation, but a graphic accompanying the Autocar story has them all there. If it’s correct, then those 23 models will only base model lines and don’t account for different engines and four-wheel-drive options for each model.

The big changes that would perhaps mean big sales for the Mini line are a five-door hatch with two smaller rear doors for children, the sedan talked about last year for Asian markets and an MPV perhaps wearing the “Traveler” name that could send the Countryman in a more SUV-like direction.

BMW, Mini aim to sell million cars off new FWD platform originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 22 Jul 2013 18:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: 1965 Pontiac GTO does donuts, helps sell boxers [w/bonus boxer puppies]

Filed under: Classics, Coupe, Performance, Marketing/Advertising, Pontiac

1965 Pontiac GTO does donuts

1965 Pontiac GTO does donuts – Click above to watch the video after the break

We love ourselves some vintage muscle cars, and none more so than the one that started it all: the Pontiac GTO. It’s 389-cubic-inch V8 engine burbling underhood, its paper-thin bias-ply tires at all four corners and its complete lack of any kind of safety equipment mean the old Goat is nothing if not a hoon’s dream car.

But what does it have to do with boxers? Beats us. Whether you’re talking about the kind you wear under your jeans (in this case from Camouflage) or the kind that licks you in the face, we’re completely baffled as to why the donut-performing muscle car is being used to advertise boxers.

Oh well. The Pontiac GTO (1965 vintage, in this case) is always welcome on these pages, and boxer puppies are adorable. You’ll find both of them in the video after the break. Enjoy! Thanks for the tip, Diland!

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1965 Pontiac GTO does donuts, helps sell boxers [w/bonus boxer puppies] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 18 May 2011 19:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Computer glitch causes gas station to sell 8,000 gallons at $1.10

When residents of Wilmington – a neighborhood of Los Angeles, California – got word that a local Valero fueling station was selling gas for the bargain price of $1.10 per gallon, almost immediately, vehicles lined up ’round the corner. This wasn’t one of those promo deals on fuel, though. It was a computer glitch that lead to the station dispensing some 8,000 gallons of gas at just $1.10 each.

According to KCAL 9, it took hours for the on-duty gas station attendant to notice the glitch (didn’t the line-up of cars give it away?). In the meantime, police arrived on the scene to direct traffic around the overcrowded station.

When station owner Kenny Nguyen got wind of his unintended act of kindness, he immediately shut down all of the pumps. All told, Nguyen estimates that he lost nearly $21,000 due to the glitch. Ouch.

Computer glitch causes gas station to sell 8,000 gallons at $1.10 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 17 May 2011 13:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Muller says Saab could sell $10,000 Chinese autos in States

Filed under: China, Safety, Saab

spyker ceo victor muller

Saab has been in the news quite a bit lately, and mostly for the wrong reasons. But now that the Swedish automaker appears to have secured loans and buy-in from Hawtai Motors in China, Victor Muller and company are looking to go on the offensive.

Automotive News reports that the Spyker CEO is still talking China, but now he’s entertaining the possibility of partnering with a Chinese company to distribute low-cost autos in the U.S. Muller reportedly says that Saab could utilize its dealer networks in the U.S. and Europe to sell $10,000 Chinese vehicles in two or three years. And just because Saab struck a deal with Hawtai doesn’t mean that the Swedish automaker is restricting its plans to its newest strategic partner. Muller pointed out during an interview in Washington, D.C. that there are 120 companies in China, and that Saab is interested in “the one with a strategy.”

There are many hurdles for Chinese automakers to overcome to finally breach the U.S. market, not the least of which is passing federal safety standards. Muller acknowledges that a five-star-rated Chinese vehicle likely won’t happen any time soon, but he says that made-in-China SUVs can be had with tons of features for about $10,000, adding “Do you really worry about a five-star rating? They Look good.”

Hmmm. We’re guessing there will be plenty of buyers who don’t want to drive a vehicle with compromised safety capabilities, but a low price tag could cure those fears. Of course, we also can’t help but wonder how many luxury car shoppers will want to pay premium prices for Saab automobiles if they share showroom space with discount Chinese offerings – the Swedish automaker’s residual values have been problematic enough as-is.

Muller says Saab could sell $10,000 Chinese autos in States originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 11 May 2011 14:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VW will happily sell you an armored last-gen Jetta… in Mexico

Filed under: Sedan, Safety, Volkswagen, Specialty

Volkswagen Bora Protect

Personal protection is a big deal south of the border, and the people of Mexico reportedly spend upwards of $80 million per year on armored vehicles. When we think of armored cars, we tend to think about Chevy Tahoes and Ford Expeditions, but Volkswagen has for years offered a smaller, slightly more affordable option.

The Bora Protect is little more than a previous-generation Jetta, except it can stop a bullet. The no-doubt heavy little sedan costs about $70,000 in U.S. funds, but if that’s what it takes to stop a high-velocity round from entering the cabin, it’s likely money well spent. And as an added bonus, buyers of the Bora Protect receive the superior interior of the last-generation Jetta, as opposed to the cost-cut cabin of the current model.

And as you might expect, the base 115-horsepower 2.0-liter engine isn’t the mill of choice when you’re hauling several hundreds of pounds worth of Kevlar and other bullet blockers. For 70-large you also get the 200-horsepower, turbocharged 2.0-liter mill mated to a six-speed DSG for (at least close to) proper motivation. Run-flat rubber makes shooting out the tires a less-fruitful endeavor, as well.

Something tells us that the 2.0T isn’t quite as peppy under the hood of the Bora Protect as it is in the GLI, but then again, the Bora Protect is about stopping bullets, not driving like one.

[Source: Volkswagen]

VW will happily sell you an armored last-gen Jetta… in Mexico originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 14 Apr 2011 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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AdSpotting: Buick using March Madness to sell Regal Turbo

Buick Regal CXL Turbo commercial – Click above to watch video

Company: General Motors

Brand: Buick

Medium: TV

Ad Agency: Leo Burnett

Product: Regal Turbo

Campaign: Regal Turbo/NCAA

What We Like: The cinematography of the Regal in this spot makes the car look even better than it does when it sits in your driveway. And if your TV or computer speakers are any good at all, the sound of the engine and the turbo comes through. This is a simple ad, and the simplest messages are generally the most effective. “Turbo. Buick. Turbo. Buick. Get used to the sound.” We like that they are not loading us up with the car’s stats, as well. You can always get that stuff online anyway. The ad pretty effectively says, “This car looks good, sounds good and, dude, has a turbo! Yeah, we know it’s a brand that’s normally associated with Fred Mertz, ‘Mr. C’ from Happy Days or pretty much any Junior High School principal. But, seriously, it’s worth checking out.” We agree.

What We Don’t Like: The driver looks a little too much like Rocco DiSpirito, or a Men’s Health metro-sexual, and that’s just annoying. But we are pretty sure that was what the ad agency was going for. We say we like the ad’s simplicity, but is it too simple? Is this going to keep the average bloke from leaving the couch to refill his beer or nutbowl during a commercial break in March Madness? Maybe there could have been more of a hook in the copy… or a female? Or maybe we are just looking for things to poke at because we have to.

Strategy: Oldsmobile is gone. Pontiac is gone. Saturn is gone. Hummer is gone. Saab is sold. Thank the Chinese for saving Buick. They see Buick as some sort of Cadillac-Mercedes hybrid. Go figure. General Motors sells more of the tri-shield vehicles in the land of the Great Wall than in the land of the Grand Canyon. GM is pitching Buick as “luxury,” and says there is room for both Buick and Cadillac in the company’s luxury play, that they appeal to different luxury buyers. We think Buick appeals to luxury buyers who have lost a lot of money in the market, and had to sell their stuff, including the Mercedes, to keep junior in Country Day School. But there is no denying that the LaCrosse, Regal and Enclave are vehicles we would not be ashamed to drive to the dance, the kid’s soccer game, or poker night. But luxury? Wethinks Buick doth need to find another way to communicate what it stands for. Oh, by the way, thanks for the turbo.

Grade: B

Watch the commercial after the jump and give it your own grade below.

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AdSpotting: Buick using March Madness to sell Regal Turbo originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 23 Mar 2011 15:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Treasury aims to sell GM shares early

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal, GM

According to The Detroit News, the United States Treasury Department is planning on quickly eliminating its shares of General Motors stock rather than trying to maximize the government’s return on its investment. The news comes from Austan Goolsbee, chairman of the Council of Economic Advisors, who said that the government is interested in quickly shedding its 33 percent stake in the automaker due to the fact that it never wanted to be a shareholder in the automaker to begin with. The Detroit News reports that if the Treasury Department decided to sell its stake in GM at its current trading price, the government would lose something on the order of $10 billion.

That’s out of the $49.5 billion bailout that GM received from the government.

GM shares are currently trading at their lowest levels since the company went public, thanks largely to an overall market dip. The drop came even with GM reporting its first profit since 2004.

The Detroit News reports that so far, the federal government has reclaimed $23.1 billion of its investment in GM, and that in order to recuperate the $26.4 billion, GM stock would need to trade at $53 per share. The company is trading at $33.02 at the time of this writing.

[Source: The Detroit News]

Treasury aims to sell GM shares early originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 25 Feb 2011 14:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumormill: Mitsubishi to sell rebadged Infiniti M… new Diamante in the cards?

Filed under: Sedan, Japan, Infiniti, Mitsubishi, Rumormill

2011 Infiniti M37

2011 Infiniti M37 – Click above for high-res image gallery

Mitsubishi is reportedly considering selling a rebadged version of the Infiniti M sedan in order to fill its void of premium offerings in its home market of Japan. However, Automotive News notes that Mitsubishi’s President, Osamu Masuko, has stated that the automaker will not leverage manufacturing deals with other companies in order to expand its lineup here in the United States, so don’t expect to see a Mitsu-branded Infiniti on our shores anytime soon.

Mitsubishi’s last endeavor into the luxury sedan market was with the Diamante – a car that suffered from lackluster sales numbers during its run throughout the 1990s and early 2000s. Due to Mitsubishi’s financial woes during the mid-2000s, luxury car development was put on hold. Now, though, selling a rebadged version of the Infiniti M (or Nissan Fuga, as it’s known in Japan) would insulate Mitsubishi from research and development costs, making it easier for the automaker to launch back into the luxury segment.

Automotive News reports that the Mitsubishi-badged Infiniti could go on sale in Japan as early as this year. Expect the standard gas version to be the first to wear a triple-diamond badge, though Mitsubishi may sell a version of the M Hybrid, as well. Top tip, Randy!

Gallery: 2011 Infiniti M37: Review

[Source: Automotive News – sub. req.]

Rumormill: Mitsubishi to sell rebadged Infiniti M… new Diamante in the cards? originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 04 Feb 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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