Autoblog

What's ex-CEO Wendelin Wiedeking doing after Porsche? Pizza

Jonathon Ramsey — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Europe

Three years after an oversize corporate appetite resulted in him departing the CEO's throne at Porsche, Wendelin Wiedeking is back in the hunger business having announced a chain of pizza and pasta restaurants called Vialino. The eatery business isn't new to the former Porsche boss, nor are business interests far from the automotive sector: the former Porsche boss made his first million in real estate before he was 30, owns a restaurant now, and still owns stakes in companies that make shoes among other holdings.

Perhaps more surprisingly, Vialino is controversial before its opened its first outlet. Another Italian chain, Vapiano, is miffed at the similarity between its established name and Wiedeking's brand new one. Wiedeking's response is that his restaurants will have table service, which Vapiano lacks, and that they'll be more rustic in comparison to Vapiano's modern glass frontages. A second Italian chain, L'Osteria, said it opened its books to Wiedeking in 2011 when the exceedingly wealthy entrepreneur was considering buying in, but now that he's gone his own way L'Osteria feels that Wiedeking might just have been sniffing around for some insider context.

With no legal action planned, Vialino remains set to open its first store next month in Ludwigshafen, Germany. After that it plans to expand in Germany, then to Austria and Switzerland.

What's ex-CEO Wendelin Wiedeking doing after Porsche? Pizza originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 28 Nov 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Domino's Pizza Safe Sound scooter is the funniest thing on two wheels

Zach Bowman — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Humor

We've seen plenty of discussion on the merits of pedestrian warning systems for hybrid and all-electric vehicles. From synthesized engine sounds to the noise of George Jetson's flying car, automakers and the aftermarket industry have worked to come up with a way to keep people aware of a vehicle's presence.

Now it looks as if Domino's Pizza is having some fun with a safe sound system for the company's electric delivery scooters in the Netherlands. Using a human voice to replicate the sound of a small-displacement gasoline engine, the scooter is both hilarious and safe.

It also makes for good advertising, though we'd hate to be the guy behind the handlebars after a few hours on the job. Between synthesized revs, the "engine" exclaims "Domino's!" and "Pizza!" in what can only be described as the perfect Netherlands accent. Scroll down for a quick chuckle.

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Domino's Pizza Safe Sound scooter is the funniest thing on two wheels originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 18 Apr 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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How far would you drive for your favorite pizza?

Chris Shunk — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 16:55:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Videos

In southeast Michigan, there is a restaurant called Cloverleaf Pizza. Growing up, I'd ride my bike with a friend to the 'Leaf and split an eight-slice cheese and pepperoni pizza. In fact, I liked the pizza so much that I eventually got a job there as a bus boy - in part because employees got 50 percent off their dinner order. But as much as I love Cloverleaf, the 25 mile trek from my current residence limits me to about three trips a year.

Charles Schuler is apparently a much bigger fan of his favorite pizza, as Good Morning America reports that the Mississippi resident drove 1,400 miles in his Ford Escape to Town Spa Pizza in Stoughton, Massachusetts so he can eat his favorite pie. More precisely, Schuler picked up 150 pies for the not-so-low price of $1,200.

The trick to getting all those pizzas to arrive in Mississippi without being a soggy mess is to vacuum seal them after they are partially cooked. And Schuler didn't have to make any stops for food on the way home either, since he also brought a few fully cooked pies to munch on while on the road. Hit the jump to watch a report from GMA.

Continue reading How far would you drive for your favorite pizza?

How far would you drive for your favorite pizza? originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 19 Aug 2011 16:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Papa John's selling recovered Camaro diecast, free pizza and charity involved

Michael Harley — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 15:58:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Etc., Chevrolet, Toys/Games

We're suckers for a happy ending - especially when it involves cars, kids, and hot pizza. Recall, if you will, this past summer when John Schnatter, founder of Papa John's Pizza, was on a nationwide quest to find his beloved 1971 1/2 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 - a car he sold in the mid-Eighties to fund his first store. John found his car in Kentucky, paid out more than a quarter of a million dollars in finder's fees, and then generously gave free pizzas from its 2,600 nationwide locations to all Camaro owners on August 26th.

Still feeling more than a bit elated with the return of his Z28, and intent on providing hope and inspiration to less fortunate children, Schnatter has now created a nifty little 1:64 scale diecast replica of his car. The metal cars sell for $4.99 apiece and each one comes with a coupon for a free medium cheese pizza ($1 from each car purchased will be donated to the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation). In addition to selling the cars online, Papa John's is donating 5,000 mini Camaros directly to Toys for Tots. All told, Papa John's is contributing more than $155,000 to the Marine program and touching countless lives in the process. Go ahead and order a couple... we did. Full press release after the jump.

[Source: Papa John's]

Continue reading Papa John's selling recovered Camaro diecast, free pizza and charity involved

Papa John's selling recovered Camaro diecast, free pizza and charity involved originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 27 Nov 2009 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Papa John's Camaro reward situation turns salty, ex-owners looking for bigger slice of the pie

Jonathon Ramsey — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 16:30:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal

File this under "No Cool, Wacky Deed Shall Go Unlitigated." John Schnatter, Papa John of Papa John's Pizza, put out a $250,000 A.P.B. to find his long lost 1971 1/2 Camaro Z28. According to the folks at Papa John, the person who won the money was the one whose name was on the title of the car - that is, the owner of the car was paid the dosh for selling the car back to Schnatter. Kentuckian Jeff Robinson came forth with the car and took home the cash.

The Papa John's folks say the rules never said anything about finder's fees. But when the Sloanes of Indiana helped point Schnatter to Robinson, Schnatter offered them $25,000 for the assist. How did the Sloanes know about the car? They had owned it previously and sold it to Robinson.

Now the Sloanes aren't happy about "only" getting $25,000. Billie Sloane wants more of that quarter million, and will sue Papa John if he doesn't pony up the cake. Her evidence is "advertisements and a press release that promised the money to whomever could 'reveal the car's whereabouts.'" Jeff Robinson chimes in, though, and says Sloane came to him and said the original owner would buy the car from him for $125,000, and says that she didn't mention the contest nor the full amount of the reward.

No matter. Now it's between Sloane, Papa, and potentially the courts. If only Papa John had listened to the late M.J. about another famous Billie: "So take my strong advice, just remember to always think twice..." Um, yeah, never saw this one coming. Good luck, Papa John...

[Source: WLKY News]

Papa John's Camaro reward situation turns salty, ex-owners looking for bigger slice of the pie originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 03 Sep 2009 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Happy Papa John to give Camaro owners free pizza after getting his ride back

Jonathon Ramsey — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 13:29:00 EST

Filed under: Etc.

John Schnatter, the Papa in Papa John's Pizza, has been looking for his 1971 1/2 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 for nearly 20 years. He sold it in 1983 for $2,800 and used part of that to rescue his father's business and the rest to begin the pizza chain that has gone global. He has spent more than 100 times that much trying to get it back.

Starting off with a FBI agent, then a web appeal and a $25,000 reward, he got nowhere. The reward swelled to $250,000, and then he got on television and talked about trying to get the car back. Some Indiana readers heard about it, and a web engine search led them to Schnatter's story on Jalopnik. Those readers, the Sloanes, thought they knew the owner of the car in question, because they had owned it and recently sold it.

The new owner -- only the third one, after Schnatter -- was a Kentucky man named Jeff Robinson of Flatwoods, Kentucky. He had transformed the original Z28 into an 825 horsepower dragster doing 9.55 quarter-miles at 141 mph. Still, he was unsurprisingly content to sell his car back to Schnatter for the $250,000 reward. The Sloanes also got $25,000 for the assist.

And now their gain may be your gain - if you're one of the Camaro faithful. Papa John is so happy to have his car back that he's giving away free pizza to all Camaro owners tomorrow, Wednesday, August 26. One pizza per Camaro, one visit per Camaro. Although we suppose if you can get that transforming Bumblebee Camaro suit from the Mexican Chevy dealer, you might earn a couple more pies. Thanks to everyone for the tips!

[Sources: Jalopnik; The Associated Press via Google]

Happy Papa John to give Camaro owners free pizza after getting his ride back originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 25 Aug 2009 13:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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