Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Audi announces <i>Truth in Motion</i> documentary about U.S. ski team [w/VIDEO]]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/23/audi-announces-truth-in-motion-documentary-about-u-s-ski-team/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/23/audi-announces-truth-in-motion-documentary-about-u-s-ski-team/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/23/audi-announces-truth-in-motion-documentary-about-u-s-ski-team/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Truth in Motion announcement trailer -- Click above to watch the video

Following last year's Truth in 24, Audi is turning its keen lenswork to the U.S. Ski Team with a documentary called Truth in Motion: The Road to Vancouver. With multiple subjects this time, and less about domination than revelation, the film will showcase the stories of team athletes as they prepare for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.

It will air for the first time at the end of January, about two weeks before the Olympic cauldron is lit on February 12. You can read all about and check out the trailer after the jump.

[Source: Audi]

Continue reading Audi announces Truth in Motion documentary about U.S. ski team [w/VIDEO]

Audi announces Truth in Motion documentary about U.S. ski team [w/VIDEO] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 07:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2010 winter olympics2010WinterOlympicsaudicanadaolympic skiierolympic skiingolympicsOlympicSkiierOlympicSkiingskiingtruth in 24truth in motionTruthIn24TruthInMotionus ski teamUsSkiTeamvancouverwinter olympicsWinterOlympicsMon, 23 Nov 2009 07:58:00 EST<![CDATA[BMW wants 2018 Winter Olympic in Munich]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/06/19/bmw-wants-2018-winter-olympic-in-munich/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/06/19/bmw-wants-2018-winter-olympic-in-munich/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/06/19/bmw-wants-2018-winter-olympic-in-munich/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Munich, Germany is working hard to attract the 2018 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, and native son BMW has signed up to help. The Munich automaker is providing financial aid and vehicles during the initial phase of the application for the city and bidding partners Garmisch-Partenkirchen and the Berchtesgadener Land region.

It isn't BMW's first dabble in Olympics glory -- the roundel provided an electric BMW 1602 for the marathon and walking events when the summer Olympics visited Munich in 1972. If Munich wins the spot, it will be the first time the same city has hosted both the summer and winter Olympics. The winning city will be announced in 2011. For more on BMW's involvement, you can read the full press release after the jump.

Continue reading BMW wants 2018 Winter Olympic in Munich

BMW wants 2018 Winter Olympic in Munich originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 19 Jun 2009 08:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2018 winter olympics2018WinterOlympicsbmwetceuropegermanymunicholympicswinter olympicsWinterOlympicsFri, 19 Jun 2009 08:32:00 EST<![CDATA[VIDEO: Vintage promo film made for Detroit's 1968 Olympic bid reveals city's precipitous decline ]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/06/15/video-vintage-promo-film-made-for-detroits-1968-olympic-bid-re/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/06/15/video-vintage-promo-film-made-for-detroits-1968-olympic-bid-re/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/06/15/video-vintage-promo-film-made-for-detroits-1968-olympic-bid-re/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Click above to watch the video after the jump

We often think of the 1950's as being the heyday for Detroit's fortunes, but even in the early-to-mid Sixties, it remained something of a modern marvel, thanks largely to its world-leading auto industry. This archival video was apparently commissioned as part of a failed bid for the 1968 Summer Olympics (which went to Mexico City instead). Reportedly filmed in 1965, Detroit - City on the Move shows the area in full bloom - a startling contrast to the shell of an empire that remains just 44 years later.

With the harmonies of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra as a backdrop, Mayor Jerome Cavanagh takes us through footage of downtown streets bustling with some of the city's two million residents, shots of a startlingly clean and new Cobo Hall (including scenes of the Detroit Auto Show itself), the crisp campuses of the (then) Big Three, and of the city's once-mighty cultural draws. It even has footage of the late John F. Kennedy talking up its virtues as part of the Olympic bid.

Interestingly (and perhaps tellingly), this sanitized look at Detroit all but glosses over mounting troubles with blustery talks of 'rebirth,' it utterly omits mention of the hitmakers at Motown Records, and in retrospect, it fails to adequately address growing racial tensions in the city (Detroit's infamous riots would lay siege just two years later in 1967).

Admittedly, such promotional films show a city in its best light by design, but even still, there's no getting around the fact that the World's Automotive Capitol ain't what it used to be. This video, part of the Prelinger Archives, gives us a glimpse into what Detroit used to be, and perhaps more than anything, what it sought to be. It's an amazing yet sobering look into mid-Sixties America, and it's worth a look. Take a trip back in time by clicking on the jump.

[Source: Archive.org]

Continue reading VIDEO: Vintage promo film made for Detroit's 1968 Olympic bid reveals city's precipitous decline

VIDEO: Vintage promo film made for Detroit's 1968 Olympic bid reveals city's precipitous decline originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 15 Jun 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>19651968Big 3Big3CobodetroitDetroit Symphony OrchestraDetroitSymphonyOrchestraDSOJerome CavanaghJeromeCavanaghJFKJohn F. KennedyJohnF.KennedyKennedymotor cityMotorCitymotownNAIASolympic committeeOlympicCommitteeolympicsprelinger archivesPrelingerArchivespromotional filmPromotionalFilmvintage filmvintage videoVintageFilmVintageVideoMon, 15 Jun 2009 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[9/11 Silverado featured in Olympics commercial]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/13/9-11-silverado-featured-in-olympics-commercial/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/13/9-11-silverado-featured-in-olympics-commercial/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/13/9-11-silverado-featured-in-olympics-commercial/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


A tip of the cap is due to GM for the automaker's new Chevy Silverado TV spot, which premiered this Sunday during the Olympics. The spot features brief testimonials from drivers of high-mileage pickups wearing the bowtie badge, but one stands out more than the rest. Twenty seconds in, FDNY Firefighter Craig Monahan's segment opens with a wide shot of him standing in front of the Manhattan skyline. His battered truck has melted lights and a Ladder 5 placard affixed to the bed on the driver's side. In the spot, he recounts how the damaged truck started when he reached into the singed interior and turned the ignition key, saying that it served as an isnpiration, "If that truck could keep going, then we could all keep going."

This all happened on 9/11, a fact left unsaid but tactfully implied in the commercial. Veteran New York Daily News reporter Michael Daly knows Monahan and tells the truck's full story in an excellent piece that ran in Tuesday's Daily News. Frankly, you need to go there and just read the whole thing, because Daly's account is first-rate. Reading it also underscores the level of restraint GM exercised in how it used the truck in the commercial. It's a great TV spot, but the story behind that one particular 14-second segment is more remarkable and inspirational than you'd ever guess. Firefighter Monahan agreed to let his truck be used because he felt it was important for people see it and get a feel for what it represents. Monahan was compensated by GM for his participation, but he donated that money to another FDNY family, showing that even now, that burned and battered Chevy still helps him help others. We salute him, and we hope he keeps that truck forever. Thnks for the tip, Julius!

[Source: New York Daily News]

9/11 Silverado featured in Olympics commercial originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 13 Aug 2008 08:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>911craig monahanCraigMonahanladder 5Ladder5olympicssilveradotv spotTvSpotWed, 13 Aug 2008 08:28:00 EST<![CDATA[Photo of the Day: Chinese anti-terror Segway commandos]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/03/photo-of-the-day-chinese-anti-terror-segway-commandos/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/03/photo-of-the-day-chinese-anti-terror-segway-commandos/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/03/photo-of-the-day-chinese-anti-terror-segway-commandos/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



From Xinhua via our friends at China Car Times comes the above photo, showing Chinese counter-terrorism forces going through drills as they prepare to crush any dissent terror threat that might arise during next month's Olympic Games. The black ninja suits, fritz helmets, body armor, and submachine pistols all fit the profile of a specialized group like this. But... Segways?

UPDATE: Turns out, Engadget is having a caption contest. (Thanks, seoultrain.)

[Source: Xinhua via China Car Times]

Photo of the Day: Chinese anti-terror Segway commandos originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 03 Jul 2008 15:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anti terrorAntiTerrorchinachina policeChinaPolicecommandocounter-terrorolympic-gamesolympicgamesolympicspolicesegwaysegway-securityThu, 03 Jul 2008 15:31:00 EST<![CDATA[No car repairs or painting in Beijing until after Olympics]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/17/no-car-repairs-or-painting-in-beijing-until-after-olympics/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/17/no-car-repairs-or-painting-in-beijing-until-after-olympics/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/17/no-car-repairs-or-painting-in-beijing-until-after-olympics/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

The city of Beijing has drawn widely-publicized controversy due to its poor air-quality leading up to the 2008 Summer Olympic games. In fact, the air pollution is at least two to three times higher than levels deemed safe by the World Health Organization at this very moment. To ease the minds of the competing athletes, the city of Beijing is taking steps to improve the situation and has promised clean air for the games. Officials in Beijing have already cut the number of vehicles driving in the city in half by alternating what vehicles are allowed to drive each day and have asked more people to ride bikes. Now, they've banned car repairs and spray painting until after the games are over. We are all for the athletes rights to breathe clean air, but we also have to wonder about the economic cost associated with cutting out all automotive repairs and painting.

[Source: Motor Authority]

No car repairs or painting in Beijing until after Olympics originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 17 Apr 2008 18:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>beijingbeijing 2008beijing airbeijing olympicsbeijing-2008beijing-airbeijing-olympicsbeijing-pollutionbeijing2008BeijingAirBeijingOlympicsolympicolympic gamesolympic-gamesOlympicGamesolympicspollutionThu, 17 Apr 2008 18:35:00 EST<![CDATA[Ferrari going to Olympics with Italian team]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/27/ferrari-going-to-olympics-with-italian-team/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/27/ferrari-going-to-olympics-with-italian-team/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/27/ferrari-going-to-olympics-with-italian-team/#commentsFiled under: ,

With the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing fast approaching, the Italian Olympic Committee is looking to Ferrari for a little help. The Italian automaker will put its extensive motorsports knowledge to work in athletic equipment like canoes, sailboats and potentially bicycles. Looking forward to the 2010 Winter Olympics, bobsleds, luges, skeleton sleds and Paralympic skiis will get the prancing horse touch, as well. Particular attention will be paid towards aerodynamic improvements as the Italian teams will be granted access to Ferrari's wind tunnel for testing. No word on whether they'll be allowed in the paint shop to spray down the equipment in Ferrari's iconic red color. More extensive use of exotic materials will also be incorporated into the designs, presumably lots and lots of carbon fiber. Ferrari president Luca Cordero di Montezemolo said of the deal, "If there is even one-thousandth of Ferrari in Italian victories, we'll be honored."

[Source: Edmunds.com]

Ferrari going to Olympics with Italian team originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 27 Feb 2008 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Ferrariferrari olympicsFerrariOlympicsItalian Olympic CommitteeItalianOlympicCommitteeOlympicsWed, 27 Feb 2008 14:58:00 EST<![CDATA[GM ends $1 billion Olympic sponsorship]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/08/08/gm-ends-1-billion-olympic-sponsorship/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/08/08/gm-ends-1-billion-olympic-sponsorship/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/08/08/gm-ends-1-billion-olympic-sponsorship/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



GM will be out of the Olympics after Beijing. The General said Monday that it can no longer justify spending $1 billion on its expensive sponsorship of the U.S. Olympic team when there are other options that offer a better return. The global giant is said to be looking into non-traditional advertising outlets in an effort to keep ad dollars spent as efficiently as possible, so they have made the decision to let the Olympic contract lapse when it expires in 2008. They will continue their involvement with the U.S. Snowboarding Team, and GM of Canada is still a big sponsor for the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver, but their overall sponsorship will cease. GM wanted to make it clear that this isn't a sign of financial weakness, so much as a sign that business as usual is no longer going to be blindly accepted. They are getting more efficient in every aspect of business and this is just another example of that. While we applaud that trend, we have to wonder if being the official vehicle of the U.S. Olympic team didn't have a certain cachet that went above and beyond the dollar value, if leveraged correctly.

[Source: MSNBC]

GM ends $1 billion Olympic sponsorship originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 08 Aug 2007 20:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>OlympicsU.S. Olympic teamU.s.OlympicTeamWed, 08 Aug 2007 20:33:00 EST<![CDATA[Audi is the official premium car of the Beijing Olympics]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/04/22/audi-is-the-official-premium-car-of-the-beijing-olympics/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/04/22/audi-is-the-official-premium-car-of-the-beijing-olympics/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/04/22/audi-is-the-official-premium-car-of-the-beijing-olympics/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

At the Shanghai Auto Show, Audi showed off a "Passion for Movement" A8L, part of the "Official Premium Car" fleet for the 2008 summer Olympics in Beijing. As sponsor of both the Olympics and the Paralympics, Audi is providing more than 1,000 chauffeured A6L's, A8L's, and Q7's for competitors, officials, and VIP guests.

The Passion for Movement project will also include concerts and cultural events in advance of the games to promote the Olympics -- and Audi -- around the world. Partnering with Audi are Adidas and Air China. The most intriguing part of the program might be the "Olympic Extended Family," in which Audi dealers in 87 cities will get an "Olympic Corner" for marketing purposes and merchandise sales. The aim of the extended family project is "to extensively motivate dealers and employees and to further intensify their commitment to the Audi brand." Perhaps it is just a coincidence in light of another auto maker's push to rally the troops, but Audi certainly does provide a nice template: good events and good marketing in support of good products.

[Source: Fourtitude]

Audi is the official premium car of the Beijing Olympics originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 22 Apr 2007 11:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>a6la8laudibeijingmovementolympicsparalympicspassionq7Sun, 22 Apr 2007 11:07:00 EST<![CDATA[Could Ford plant closing in Twin Cities strike Olympic gold for Minnesota?]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/05/01/could-ford-plant-closing-in-twin-cities-strike-olympic-gold-for/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/05/01/could-ford-plant-closing-in-twin-cities-strike-olympic-gold-for/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/05/01/could-ford-plant-closing-in-twin-cities-strike-olympic-gold-for/#commentsFiled under: , ,

If Ford decides to broom the company's Highland Park complex in 2008 as rumored, the Twin Cities want to be ready. Instead of Blue Ovals, local officials are thinking Olympic rings.

The truck plant is being floated as being one of the potential locations that might help entice Minnesotans make a bid for the 2016 or 2020 Olympics. The factory was part of a list pitched to city officials at the St. Paul City Hall.

Despite the earlier bid date being about a decade away, the amount of preparation and wooing needed to court the attentions of the International Olympic Committee is substantial, so the much of the groundwork would need to be laid over the next couple of months.

[Source: City Hall Scoop]

Could Ford plant closing in Twin Cities strike Olympic gold for Minnesota? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 01 May 2006 13:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2016 olympics2016Olympics2020 Olympics2020OlympicsHighland ParkHighlandParkInternational Olypic CommitteeInternationalOlypicCommitteeMinneapolisOlympicsSt. PaulSt.PaulTwin CitiesTwinCitiesUSOCMon, 01 May 2006 13:04:00 EST