Tag: shopping

Official: Renault Twizy Cargo is an EV and shopping cart in one

Filed under: Coupe, Europe, Renault, Design/Style, Electric

​Renault Twizy Cargo EV - bakery service

Renault Twizy Cargo EV - cargo doorWe’ve always maintained a quiet appreciation for Europe’s appreciation for small cargo conversions – panel-back versions of small passenger cars like the Opel Astra, Ford Fiesta and such. They might not be able to hold great volumes, but for light-duty nimble urban schlepping on the cheap, we can see the value. Here in North America, smaller commercial conversions like the Chevrolet HHR Panel and even the larger Ram C/V have gone largely unappreciated, but that’s due to any number of factors – cheaper fuel, more road space, etc.

But even then, it takes some thoughtful head-scratching to appreciate this new Twizy Cargo EV from Renault. No, it’s not the Twizy’s downed helicopter fuselage shape. While it’s a bit zany, we can see why the single-seat electric quadcycle might be desirable in Europe for things like postal service duty and small delivery operations (pizza, anyone?), particularly along narrow cobblestone streets where a larger size can be a major disadvantage. While the standard Twizy features a two-seat tandem arrangement, Twizy Cargo eschews a spot for passengers in favor of a lockable, watertight trunk with 6.3 cubic feet of storage, about a cube larger than the trunk in a 2013 Mazda MX-5 Miata.

The Twizy Cargo EV will be available in two basic formulas, one with a 5-horsepower electric motor, and the other with 17 hp – the former is limited to just 45 kilometers per hour (28 mph) and the latter can zoom up to 80 kph (50 mph). Renault claims “real range” works out to about 50 miles in eco-minded driving and 30 miles or so under “extreme conditions.” That all sounds fair enough for a dedicated urban center vehicle, but the pricing gives us pause: the Twizy Cargo will start at 8,080 euro including taxes (around $10,500 USD), which means this runabout is priced higher than many larger, more traditional vehicles offering similar cargo space along with more seats. Scroll down for the official press release.

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Renault Twizy Cargo is an EV and shopping cart in one originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 26 Jun 2013 16:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BMW shopping for a new ad agency. Oh, Joy!

Filed under: Marketing/Advertising, BMW

BMW Joy is youthful campaign ad

BMW of North America is beginning a review for its $150 million U.S. ad account, the company said on Monday. The decision comes after a tumultuous six months for the company, having lost its long-time marketing executive, Jack Pitney,to a tragic accident last October and then parting with its former agency last Fall.

BMW is in the midst of an aggressive product onslaught in the next two years as the Munich-based company is trying to grow its business globally, as well as in the States.

The company had used GSD&M, an Austin, Texas-based ad shop until last November. Since then, it has been getting ad work from Kirshenbaum, Bond Senecal + Partners, NY, which created BMW’s Super Bowl ads this year. Kirshenbaum had been the runner-up to GSD&M when BMW last reviewed its ad account in 2005, and had been doing the company’s CRM work the last five years as well.

BMW’s ad work has been the subject of much chatter and even controversy in the last year or so as the company played down its long-running “Ultimate Driving Machine” positioning in favor of a “Joy of Driving” idea. The “Joy,” positioning is closer to the BMW brand strategy around the world, as the idea translates into most languages. “Ultimate Driving Machine” apparently doesn’t translate into most languages.

BMW sales are holding up in the recession. The company was the number-two luxe brand in 2010, just ahead of Mercedes-Benz and just behind Lexus. But the company has been spending more on price discounts channeled into lease deals and financing discounts.

There are a number of ad shops likely to get a look: Kirshenbaum, Bond Senecal to retain it; The Martin Agency, Richmond, Va.; BBDO, NY (Creative chief David Lubars was creative director at Fallon Worldwide when that agency had the business and created BMW Films, among other great work for the carmaker); Crispin Porter + Bogusky, Miami; and Publicis, NY.

BMW shopping for a new ad agency. Oh, Joy! originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 29 Mar 2011 16:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Top Gear Poland takes women to mall for night of shopping

Filed under: Etc., Videos

Top Gear Poland

Top Gear Poland – Click above to watch for video after the jump

Of the many criticisms leveled at the U.S. interpretation of Top Gear, perhaps the most stinging is that the show relies on re-baked ideas lifted wholesale from the grand-pappy of all motoring shows, Top Gear UK. That may be true, but it’s also a trick that the producers of the show’s various ethnicities have been employing for years. What’s more, it doesn’t look like it will stop any time soon.

A video of Top Gear Poland‘s latest antics has leaked to the interwebs, and fans of the OG TG will likely recognize the premise.

The show’s presenters have been unleashed on an unsuspecting shopping mall in the middle of the night, and the video shows a Peugeot 107, a Chevrolet Spark, a Smart ForTwo and a Toyota iQ zooming around with a Jaguar XKR. One of these things is most certainly not like the other ones.

We’re not entirely sure what the premise behind the clip is, considering that the video lacks any of the tire-squealing glory of the infamous Chevrolet Corvette vs. Ford Fiesta battle helmed by Jeremy Clarkson. Still, we’ve always wanted to wheel around in the display vehicles in the mall, so the clip at least lets us live out that fantasy. Hit the jump to check it for yourself.

[Source: MotoFilm]

Continue reading Video: Top Gear Poland takes women to mall for night of shopping

Video: Top Gear Poland takes women to mall for night of shopping originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 09 Mar 2011 16:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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