Is it me, or is the dance he's doing a nod to the Days Go By / Mitusbishi Eclipse video?
http://boss.streamos.com/wmedia/capi001/dirtyvegas/daysgoby/video/daysgoby_100.asx?texttype=plain

...maybe?

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Interesting. From a creative perspective this ad does not do much to sell the car. What does a transformer have to do with a hatchback? not sure... also interesting to see that this ad is filmed in Vancouver. With the French so fiercely protective of their culture why are they going oversees to get their creative ad work done? Same reason Hollywood does..more baguette for your buck.

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I guess the transformer is supposed to underline the "Alive with technology" tag line. I thought it was a good commericial, and while it doesn't say much about the car, it definitely grabs your attention.

Hmm.. Citroens wage their battle to destroy the evil forces of the Renaults?

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couldn't get the ad to load but looks a little too similar to the one thats been on miniusa.com for months that they've been marketing with a book excerpt and some crazy website:
http://www.r50rd.co.uk/research/internal/v2i/engin/
even heard they're making them into toys.

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Aw come on, the RX-8 version of this has not only been out longer, but the RX-8 is a way cooler car. Plus it gets extra credit because the end result more-closely resembles the iconography of our beloved Transformers (though that could be because both share the same national origin):

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(the link didn't carry through in my prev comment: http://www.mazdausa.com/MusaWeb/NA_Autoshow/transform_big.html )

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I want that RX-8 Transformer. Is that actually out as a toy?

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I didn't like the commercial. Not making sence.

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eric,
you do know that mazda animation is because hasbro has made a transformer out of the RX-8, known to us transformers fans as Meister for the Transformers:Alternators/Binaltech (japanese version) line:
http://www.hasbro.com/transformers/energon/pl/PAGE.browse/SUBBRANDID.167/PG.1/dn/default.cfm
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.gsp?product_id=3129557

the red one in particular is a limited edition Japanese Binaltech. the whole point of the Alternators/Binaltech line is to make transformers of actual production vehicles, in 1:24 scale.

David,
yes, you can buy them. :) check the links above. the differences between the american Alternators line and the japanese Binaltech line is that the Binaltechs are die-cast metal, while the Alternators are plastic. Binaltechs are much higher quality, but also cost twice as much.

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oh, and Dave, check out that first link from the Hasbro page, they have an Transformers:Alternator of the new Mustang (Grimlock) that you might also be interested in.;)

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Actually, after a little poking around a bit on Mazda's site, I found this:

http://www.hasbro.com/pl/page.viewproduct/product_id.15026/dn/transformers/energon/default.cfm

There's also a WRX, S2000, new Mustang, Corvette, Viper, and some others.

Wow, looks like I'm going to be out forty bucks next time I drive by a Toys R Us.

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Erik,

yeah, these Transformers rock! Action HQ has a good selection of the Binaltech die-cast versions:
http://www.action-hq.com/cgi-bin/action-hq/scan/fi=products/st=db/tf=category%2Cdescription/co=yes/sf=category/se=Transformers%20Exclusives/va=banner_image=/va=banner_text=.html?id=iVNeQbG4

but yeah, this is a very popular line with collectors and car enthusiasts alike. so far, they have a Mustang, WRX, Corvette, Viper, Viper Coupe, Jeep Wrangler, and coming soon an S2000.

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tr, thanks for pointing me to the die-cast metal models. Especially since the red RX-8 is available in metal. Now I'm going to be out $54 plus s + h.

unrelated side note: I think the last die-cast metal toy I had was a Transformer, a white Porsche 911. "Jazz".

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Erik,
what a coincidence? the RX-8 (Meister) is the real name of the Transformer known as Jazz. the whole story behind the Binaltech line is that some sort of space rust was destroying the transformers, so auto manufacturers started to rebuild them. so Meister is a rebuilt Jazz.:) if you don't believe me, compare Meister's head to Jazz's head. also, reprolabels.com has created a "Meister to Jazz" sticker set, so you can give it the look of the old transformer:
http://www.reprolabels.com/images/alt3_bigger.jpg
personally, i don't like it too much, since Mazda never raced with Martini Racing sponsorship, but whatever.

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