Autoblog

SAE launches new bookstore and e-Books for on-the-go engineers

Jonathon Ramsey — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 08:01:00 EST

Filed under: Etc.

The Society of Automotive Engineers has decided to apply the same forward thinking to its web site it has to its information. Borrowing ideas from the iTunes Store and Amazon, the SAE has revamped its bookstore for easier navigation and added an eBook store for engineers on the go.

Navigation is broken down by subject on the left, and you can scroll through, album style, on the main page. Electronic books are searchable and compatible with PCs, hand-helds, and proprietary readers like the Kindle, Sony Reader, and iPhone. Best of all, SAE archives your eBook library for your own virtual library. That way you can always download Brake Design and Safety, Second Edition when you need to impress the gal in the seat next to you on the subway.

[Source: SAE via The Auto Channel]

SAE launches new bookstore and e-Books for on-the-go engineers originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 01 Sep 2009 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota of Jamaica Camry looks suspiciously like Honda Accord

Jonathon Ramsey — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 15:32:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Etc., Marketing/Advertising, Honda, Toyota

If you visit the Toyota Jamaica website and have a look at the box under Toyota cars, you'll see these models listed: Avensis, Camry, Corolla, Yaris. Look at the pictures next to the cars listed, and you'll see an Avensis, an Accord, a Corolla, and a Yaris. That's right -- there's a Honda Accord thumbnail pictured next to the link for the Toyota Camry. According to tipster Michael, it's been that way for more than a year. We can certainly understand the odd spelling error or even the wrong picture... for a little bit. But substituting your bread-and-butter for your direct competitor's bread-and-butter for more than a year? Well, life is indeed relaxed in Jamaica town. Thanks for the tip, Michael!

[Source: Toyota Jamaica via Wheels Jamaica]

Toyota of Jamaica Camry looks suspiciously like Honda Accord originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 19 Dec 2008 15:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Unofficial Volt Wait List surpasses 30,000 hand raisers

Jonathon Ramsey — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, Etc., Green, Chevrolet, GM, Lifestyle

Shortly after the Volt Concept was shown, a Volt adherent started a website called GM-Volt.com to show General Motors that it was on to something. After the Volt was approved for production, the site added a feature to allow people to "raise their hands" to show interest in the Volt, much like what was done for the smart fortwo before its arrival on our shores.

A little more than a year later, there are almost 34,000 hand raisers in 50 states and 56 countries. While the list is unofficial and doesn't mean that any of these hand raisers are in line ahead of you to purchase a Volt, the site claims that GM is aware of the list and considering making it official in some capacity.

California, no surprise, accounts for the greatest interest in the Volt, but even the folks in the dirty dirty -- that's the South -- have put in a strong showing. Alabama's got 86 Volters on the list, as opposed to Vermont, one of the states suing the EPA over emissions regulations, which has just ten.

As far as countries interested in the Volt, number three on the chart is Turkey (among those who identified their nationalities). Who knew? And tiny Vanuatu has double the number of hand raisers than all of Russia -- two to one. What could be most interesting is the average price people say they are willing to pay for the Volt: $31,298.27. That's about $9,000 short of Lutz's number, but hey, there's still time to negotiate. Thanks for the tip, iOrange!

[Source: GM-Volt]

Unofficial Volt Wait List surpasses 30,000 hand raisers originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 13 Aug 2008 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Honda hypes reliablity with Mile Makers

Merritt Johnson — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 12:59:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Honda

Participation in online communities has exploded into the mainstream. It is a hot trend that large corporations cannot ignore, especially due to the advertising potential contained therein. Rather than just forking over the funds to sponsor enthusiast sites, automakers are also creating communities of their own. Honda is one that hopes to ride the trend wave by offering a place for customers to brag about their Honda's reliability. On the Honda Mile Makers website, visitors can join in by uploading a picture of their vehicle, reporting its mileage and writing a blurb about their experiences. Members are awarded a medal depending on the mileage, anywhere from bronze for 100,000 to diamond for 1,000,000 plus. Currently there are no loggers above gold medal status, though. And as far as we can tell, there's no way to verify an owner's mileage claim, so go for that diamond medal by Googling an old CRX image and bragging about your million-plus miles of fun. Memorabilia such as t-shirts, coffee mugs and computer wallpapers are also offered on the site so you can let everyone know you drive your Honda way too much via kitschy paraphernalia.

[Source: Honda]

Honda hypes reliablity with Mile Makers originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 07 Jan 2008 12:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Online voters name upcoming Alfa hatch "Furiosa"

Noah Joseph — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 07:59:00 EST

Filed under: Europe, Hatchback, Alfa Romeo

Furiosa. That's what the new hatchback from Alfa Romeo will be called, by virtue of an international competition to choose the car's name.

The Italian automaker is getting farther away from the Alfa-numeric (pun intended) nomenclature and giving its models more emotive nameplates instead. The web contest offered online voters a choice of twelve names, and Furiosa got the most votes, beating out Agea, Enos, Everson, Fira, Milo, Mod, Nevo, Solea, Sparvo, Velvetta and Ventura. While some proposals had merit, some of the rejected names were a little cheesy (try to figure out which).

So we can stop calling it the Alfa Junior. The Furiosa is anticipated to make its debut at the Geneva show in March. We're so there.

[Source: Motor Authority]

Online voters name upcoming Alfa hatch "Furiosa" originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 21 Nov 2007 07:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Close the sale online with AutoNation

Dan Roth — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 07:06:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Etc., Lifestyle

Every automaker has its web presence set up where you can sort of shop for a car. It gets a little difficult when you actually go to get a price quote - you'll get directed to a selection of local dealers, some more willing to deal than others - it's enough to make you wish for a "Buy It Now" button. AutoNation's testing pretty much that very idea at an Atlanta location. The experience doesn't differ much from what's already available at automotive sales websites. You can browse inventory, schedule test drives, get price quotes, even apply for credit. Where the AutoNation website differs is that you can actually trade in a vehicle, secure financing, and arrange delivery or pick up of your new car. AutoNation's not sure whether or not they'll roll out the service to their largest-in-the-nation dealer network. In the past, it's not proven to move as much iron as you'd think. There's a lot to consider when buying a car, and it might just be too bewildering for people to feel comfortable with a "purchase car" button to click. Problem credit is another issue that can plug up the works. In the end, while AutoNation may offer complete online sales, it may not find that many takers.

[Source: The Auto Channel, Photo: Carsnaps]

Close the sale online with AutoNation originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 01 Nov 2007 07:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mazda begins selling cars right on website

Chris Shunk — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 17:32:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Gadgets, Mazda

Back in the Jacques Nasser days, Ford Motor Company decided to cut the dealer middleman and sell its own vehicles online. Considering that's Ford's dealer network was probably too big even when SUVs were selling like hotcakes, it's easy to understand why the Blue Oval's dealers would be angry. Almost a decade later, Ford's Mazda arm is getting more involved with the sales process, but instead of stealing bread from its dealer arm like Ford did, the Zoom Zoom folks are simply making the process easier for its customers.

At the click of a mouse on the Mazda website, online car browsers can contact a Mazda employee via web chat, and the Mazda "shopping assistant" will help buyers configure a vehicle, find a dealership, arrange for the dealer and customer to work out pricing, and make sure the final vehicle is sent to the dealership. The anatomy of the OEM sales site has been relatively unchanged for years now, and if Mazda's new idea works well, we think it could help Mazda nab a few more sales on convenience alone. The Mazda sales initiative has just started, but it took almost eight minutes for us to get someone online. We think Mazda will need to quickly work out the kinks and get wait time under a minute or two for this new endeavor to be a success. If you've given the Mazda sales assistant a whirl, let us know in the comments how it turned out.

[Source: Auto News - sub. req'd]

Mazda begins selling cars right on website originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 09 Jul 2007 17:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Guessing Game: AMG website hints at impending new model

Noah Joseph — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 13:56:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Convertible, Sedan, Performance, Mercedes-Benz

Those octane junkies in Affalterbach never seem to tire of developing new, more powerful engines and shoehorning them into everything with four wheels and a three-pointed star. The Mercedes AMG website is featuring a cryptic bit of flash animation that shows the back end of an unknown new product speeding through a haze, accompanied by the caption that reads, "In July... the fog lifts." Hey, wait a minute... July... that's this month!

The indication that Benz' in-house tuning division is preparing, in short order, to release a new model naturally leads to speculation over just what that new model might be. One definite possibility could be the impending AMG version of the newly-released C-Class, on which spy shots and information have been trickling in of late. Aside from a C63 AMG, we can speculate based on AMG's current line-up of fire-snorting models, which places the division's latest 6.3-liter V8 in every Mercedes model except for three: the G-Class SUV, the outgoing C-Class wagon, and the SLK roadster, all of which still use the outgoing 5.5-liter engine.

Thanks for the tip everyone!

[Source: Mercedes AMG via eMercedes-Benz]

Continue reading Guessing Game: AMG website hints at impending new model

Guessing Game: AMG website hints at impending new model originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 02 Jul 2007 13:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Scion's web persona gets a little deviant, and creepy

Dan Roth — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 12:05:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Etc., Marketing/Advertising, Scion

Scion's feeling that it's time for an advertising change, and they're taking the campaign dark. The Toyota offshoot, which is intended to attract young, hip, urbanites with an active lifestyle (whatever the hell that's supposed to mean), is attempting to harden the edge of its image.

We've been peppered from day one with Scion ads targeting fans of electronic music and hip hop, though we're more insulted than enticed by the pandering spreads that assault our irises in every new issue of Remix. Now the scope has widened to include rock and metal tinged customers. Scion's looking to team up with music events, bands, and record labels as a way of promoting its wares, but the real news is Scion's new website.

LittleDeviant.com has you being a "Deviant," with the mission of genocide. The city is filled with "Sheeple," beings that blindly follow (Camry purchasers?). Deviants are seriously bloodthirsty -- you need to complete various tasks such as throwing Sheeple across the city and a sicker version of whack-a-mole in which you juice the Sheeple like oranges. The site is quite well done, but the premise of the game is quite dark. In the end, gameplay is little removed from those flash-based novelties like billiards and golf, but if you're looking to waste some time on the web by bloodletting, Scion's got you covered.

[Source: Brandweek]

Scion's web persona gets a little deviant, and creepy originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 28 Jun 2007 12:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lexus files lawsuit against p0rn site

John Neff — Fri, 01 Jun 2007 14:02:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal, Lexus

The Detroit Free Press is reporting that Lexus has filed a lawsuit against two metro Detroiters who have commandeered the brand's name for their pornographic website and the site's star, Lexus Cash (yes, that's her at right). Lexus is claiming the two, uh, entrepenuers, broke trademark laws by using its brand name in a less than savory manner, which could result in the dilution of its good name. While doing research for this (somebody had to), we came across another pornstar named Lexus Locklear, but so far haven't heard whether or not she's also being sued by the Japanese automaker. Perhaps her brand of entertainment is a little more high-brow than what Lexus Cash offers, we wouldn't know.

Whlie the name "Lexus Cash" is probably a stage name, this got us wondering about other people who are actually named after cars. For instance, we've heard of girls named Porsche (yes, actually spelled that way, not like Portia de Rossi). If one of the Porsches of the world grows up to be a porn star, would Porsche the carmaker have any grounds to sue? We'll consult the AOL lawyers and get back to you on that one, but clearly Lexus thinks it has a case against Lexus Cash and her employers.

[Source: The Detroit Free Press via Jalopnik]

Lexus files lawsuit against p0rn site originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 01 Jun 2007 14:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Maserati GranTurismo claims its spot on the Web

Jonathon Ramsey — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 17:51:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Maserati

The URL says it all: GranTurismo is back. You won't be able to virtually configure and climb all over the car until June (however, you can play around with exterior colors). For now, there is a glut of text, video, galleries, sketches, downloads, podcasts and interviews covering nearly every aspect of Maserati's newest trident-bearing flagship. All but one of the videos are in Italian, so if you close your eyes you can practically imagine yourself in Modena listening to them tell you about your new car. It's certainly enough to keep you busy for a couple of months.

Go to http://www.granturismoisback.com/ to get started. Get yourself in the right frame of mind by starting out with the 8,000 rpm link under the Excitement tab. The one that says "The Sound of the Maserati V8." Oh, and turn your volume up.

Thanks to RocketPunch for the tip!

Maserati GranTurismo claims its spot on the Web originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 17 Apr 2007 17:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mitsubishi stakes new territory in cyberland

Erin Mays — Wed, 27 Sep 2006 15:04:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Marketing/Advertising, Mitsubishi

Mitsubishi announced today that it has a brand-spankin'-new web site that upgrades the consumer experience both on the research and purchase sides. It also bulks up real-time capabilities for dealer leads, hopefully meaning more sales for the underperforming automaker.

The company tapped IBM for its Websphere Application Servers, Microsoft for its SQL Server 2005 database servers and other third-party vendors. Organic, Mitsubishi's digital marketing agency, spent seven months developing the new site, incorporating usability research from J.D. Power's recent Website Evaluation Study.

"Our new web site creates a much more dynamic experience for consumers who are looking to buy their next vehicle from Mitsubishi Motors," said Rich Donnelson, director, Relationship Marketing Mitsubishi Motors North America. "The intuitive, interactive tools on the site will help visitors learn about our products in several ways including matching our product attributes with their primary buying motivations like performance, safety, appearance and comfort. This is all achieved through an engaging and visually appealing platform."

It would appear that this is correct -- the page for the 2007 Mitsubishi Eclipse, for example, boasts the vehicle's big horsepower numbers, stellar stero system and performance tuning. The Endeavor's page focuses on the utility, safety and entertainment features that the likely buyers will want.

We'll see if the site provides the dealer leads Mitsu is looking for, but it's certainly a step in the right direction.

[Source: Mitsubishi]

Mitsubishi stakes new territory in cyberland originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 27 Sep 2006 15:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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