Autoblog

Video: Geeky Tim Allen as Merkur pitchman

Chris Shunk — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 13:31:00 EST

Filed under: Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Ford, Lincoln

Merkur Scorpio TV spot - Click above to watch the video after the jump

Actor and comedian Tim Allen, the former Home Improvement star and the man behind Toy Story's Buzz Lightyear, has seen steady voiceover work of late as the pitchman for Chevrolet (and Campbell's Soup, and Michigan tourism). Now, all the recent activity has gotten Allen plenty of attention of late, but he's an old hand when it comes to this stuff.

If you turn the clock back to 1988 you can watch Allen, sporting glasses and a rail-thin physique, try to sell us on the Merkur Scorpio (then dubbed Road and Track's best sedan under $27,500). German engineering at your Lincoln/Mercury dealer... what could possibly go wrong? Hit the jump to watch the 60-second spot. Just remember that operators are no longer standing by.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Geeky Tim Allen as Merkur pitchman

Video: Geeky Tim Allen as Merkur pitchman originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 02 Apr 2011 13:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Video: Chevy Volt plays spontaneity card in first commercial

Autoblog Staff — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 10:32:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Marketing/Advertising, Hatchback, Chevrolet, GM

Chevy Volt "Anthem" TV commercial - Click above to watch video after the jump

We've seen all the pieces before - the Chevrolet Volt itself, the Volt's "More Car Than Electric" tagline, the quick edits of a national car commercial - but they've never come together just to sell the American public on General Motor's new halo car. The Volt's first national TV spot, called "Anthem," is heavy on the unbridled driving freedom theme, combining shots of driving past gas stations (Get it? Of course you do) and a Tim Allen voiceover that says:

This isn't a country where plans made at 9 necessarily apply at 5. This is America, man. Home of the highway, last-minute detours and spontaneous acts of freedom. We're wanderers, wayfarers, even nomads. So doesn't it just make sense that we build an electric car that goes far? Really far.

Our take? The spot neatly explains the benefits of the Volt's range-extender technology while taking a subtle dig at pure electric cars like the Nissan Leaf.

The ad (and more in the series) will start airing during Major League Baseball's World Series tonight, but you can check it out right now after the jump.

[Source: General Motors via GM-Volt.com]

Continue reading Video: Chevy Volt plays spontaneity card in first commercial

Video: Chevy Volt plays spontaneity card in first commercial originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 27 Oct 2010 10:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Video: Chevrolet Cruze ads ramp up

Chris Shunk — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 12:31:00 EST

Filed under: Budget, Sedan, Marketing/Advertising, Chevrolet, GM

First Chevrolet Cruze commercials - Click above to watch the videos after the jump

The first production copies of the 2011 Cruze are likely heading to a nearby Chevrolet dealer as you're reading this, and that means that General Motors' advertising blitz can't be far behind. Actually, it starts after the jump. From where we sit, it appears that the Bowtie's new C-segment sedan is ready to do war with the competition, and Chevy clearly has its eyes trained on the segment's sales leader. The first 30-second spot with actor Tim Allen's voiceover is aptly titled "Dear Corolla," and it chides the Toyota mainstay for not offering as standard equipment keyless entry, Bluetooth connectivity and turn-by-turn navigation.

The second spot doesn't aim directly at any one competitor, choosing instead to play off of the Cruze's role as the new kid in the C-sized segment. Chevy's ad gurus chose to pull out a pair of brief quotes made by auto news outlets that liken some of the Cruze's best attributes to that of distinctly pricier competition, and we're betting that at least one of those publications will sound familiar.

Both spots strike us as a bit paint-by-numbers marketing for such an important launch, though it's good to see that GM isn't shrinking away from one of its biggest competitors. Hit the jump to view both videos and judge for yourself. The Corolla commercial comes first, followed by the "New Kid" spot.

[Source: General Motors]

Continue reading Video: Chevrolet Cruze ads ramp up

Video: Chevrolet Cruze ads ramp up originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 08 Sep 2010 12:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Chevrolet signs Tim Allen as brand's new voice

Steven J. Ewing — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 14:29:00 EST

Filed under: Marketing/Advertising, Chevrolet, GM, Celebrities

General Motors has officially announced that television and movie star Tim Allen will be the new "voice of Chevrolet," starting with a series of ads that will begin airing on September 7. These ads will be for the all-new 2011 Chevrolet Cruze, and while Allen is a big-name with a very recognizable voice, GM's vice president of marketing, Joel Ewanick, reminds us that "the car will be the star."

Allen is best known for his starring role on the long-running 1990s sitcom Home Improvement, as well as his roles in The Santa Clause movies and as the voice behind Buzz Lightyear in the Toy Story trilogy. In addition, Allen is also a well-known automobile enthusiast and has an extensive car collection. He is a native of Detroit, Michigan, and has a strong love for classic American muscle cars.

~~Look~~ Listen for Tim Allen in four 30-second GM spots, scheduled to hit your television screen in the coming weeks. GM says that the Cruze's marketing campaign will ramp up as the cars begin to arrive at dealerships in greater volume. For the full details, hit the jump to read GM's press release.

[Source: General Motors | Image: Michael Schwartz/WireImage.com]

Continue reading Chevrolet signs Tim Allen as brand's new voice

Chevrolet signs Tim Allen as brand's new voice originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 14:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

eBay Find of the Day: Tim Allen's gruntworthy "Licorice Streak Special"

Frank Filipponio — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 16:57:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Performance, Auctions, Ford, Celebrities, Specialty

1932 Ford "Licorice Streak Special" Tracknose roadster - Click above for high-res image gallery

When television funnyman Tim Allen rang up Steve Moal and asked for a custom Tracknose roadster, his response was the car you see here. It's known as the "Licorice Streak Special" and it's won numerous awards in the 10 years since the Home Improvement star was handed the keys. The gang at Moal Coachbuilders did their typically wonderful job of turning out an immaculate one-off that captures the attitude of a classic hot rod with modern designer touches that make this car equally at home at a week-night cruise-in or on the Links of Pebble Beach.

It's technically a '32 Ford, but very little of it would have been available to someone wandering into a Ford dealership back in the day. Just check out all of those Art Deco brass bits by "Kaki" Kakizaki. It's got an aluminum body stretched over a custom tube chassis and is powered by a built SVO 351 that definitely delivers "more power" (*Cue appropriate grunting*).

While it would take something on the order of $450,000 - $500,000 to replicate it, the Licorice Streak Special is up for bid for another 8 days or so and is currently still below its reserve at "just" $85,100. Check out the gallery below and the eBay Motors listing for all of the details about the build. Thanks for the tip, Matthew.

Gallery: Tim Allen's 1932 Ford "Licorice Streak Special" Tracknose roadster

[Source: eBay Motors]

eBay Find of the Day: Tim Allen's gruntworthy "Licorice Streak Special" originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 21 Sep 2009 16:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

eBay Find of the Day: Saleen Windstar (Seriously!)

Chris Tutor — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 11:29:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Minivan/Van, Auctions, Ford, Celebrities

Click above for image gallery of the Saleen Ford Windstar

Outrageous minivans are oddities of the train wreck variety. You don't want to, but you just gotta look. And we're suckers for them. Not that long ago we had the ridiculously fast, jet-powered Dodge Caravan, and then there was the show but stock slow Mugen Honda Odyssey.

But what do you think of a Saleen-built Ford Windstar? And, no, it's not a soccer mom special that someone slapped a Saleen windshield header on. This is the real deal. It's got custom-made carbon fiber mirrors, valve covers and steering wheel. The double-nostril hood is custom-made as is the gauge cluster and the fender flares over the Z-rated 18-inch Rikens. Underhood is a Saleen supercharger atop the Ford V6. The eBay auction says more than $100,000 was spent on the monster minivan's production.

So who in their right mind would spend that kind of cash on something originally meant to sit idle in front of daycare facilities? Two words: Tool Time. As in Tim "Tool Time" Allen. Tim teamed up with Steve Saleen several years ago to produce the Saleen Windstar. Just as this prototype was finished, however, Ford redesigned the Windstar and all plans to offer the package for sale were scrapped.

Luckily the van wasn't, and lately has been used as a promotional tool for Port-A-Board, a company that makes collapsible skateboards. It was founded by Brett Gregory, who is a producer of Tim Allen's upcoming movie. And since the Saleen Windstar is still in the family, the winning bidder will get a photo of Tim and the van together ~~can choose to have a photo session with their new vehicle and Tim Allen himself~~. After six bids, the auction is up to $3,650 without hitting the reserve. You've got six days. Thanks for the tip, Joe.

Gallery: eBay find: Tim Allen's Saleen Windstar

[Source: eBay Motors]

eBay Find of the Day: Saleen Windstar (Seriously!) originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 01 Dec 2008 11:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

eBay Find of the Day: Tim Allen's 2006 Corvette Z06

Alex Nunez — Sun, 25 Nov 2007 14:07:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Auctions, Chevrolet, Celebrities

Tim Allen appears to be thinning the herd a little as far as his personal auto fleet's concerned. As a result, you now have the opportunity to own a lightly-used 2006 Corvette Z06 with a legit celebrity connection for what amounts to fair market value. The car's basically stock save for its powder-coated wheels and has a "Buy It Now" option set at $60K. More interesting than the Z06, however, are some of the other cars in Tim's garage, as you can see above. The old Bronco's cool for sure. Ditto the Road Runner and the matte black Nova next to it. In one of the shots, it looks like he's got a GT350H in his stash, along with a couple of Ferraris of diverse vintage, too. But the one that's got us really interested is that white RS200. That'd make in-person pickup of the Vette (or the A8 W12 Tim's also selling) a must if we were the auction winners. Heck, we'd pay a little extra on the Vette just for a ride in the super-rare Ford.

Thanks for the tip, Ryan!

[Source: eBay via Celebrity Cars Blog]

Gallery: Tim Allen's 2006 Corvette Z06

eBay Find of the Day: Tim Allen's 2006 Corvette Z06 originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 25 Nov 2007 14:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments