Britain's Advertising Standard Authority has called-out a Saab ad for its E85-capable, "BioPower" vehicles. The ad claims "bioethanol consumption does not significantly raise atmospheric levels of CO2." The watchdog agency also received complaints about the ad's claim that E85 reduced C02 emissions by 70 percent over normal gasoline– but dismissed them. Saab was able to prove that the assertion is factually true… if you use Brazilian sugar-ethanol. Still, it seems like Saab ad execs could have done the math and discovered that even with a best-case 70 percent reduction in C02 emissions, 30 percent of a gas-powered Saab's emissions still qualify as a "significant contribution" towards atmospheric carbon. Of course they didn't, which is why the ASA ruled that the ad is "misleading" as readers are "likely to infer that bioethanol did not add a significant amount of CO2 to the atmosphere." What a concept: requiring fairness, math skills and even-handedness of people who are just trying to save the world by selling more cars. Now if only we had a watchdog to similarly debunk the pro-E85 falsehoods spewed by America's business and political leaders. Oh wait… you're reading it. 

C/Net reports that it all starts innocuously enough: upgraded navigation systems with live, local updates. Next, Mircosoft will offer "points of interest" navigation to local businesses and attractions featuring fresh information on products, prices etc. And then… in-car advertising. We're talking pop-up ads on your navigation, free mp3 downloads when you stop at a Starbucks, and anything else Bill Gates' boffins can think of to suck the cash out of your wallet. While web-based ads are unlikely to inspire immediate action (i.e. significant click-through revenue), the head of MS' Automotive Unit says in-car advertising's worth will be "measured in dollars." Martin Thall reckons that's because the driver is out of the house and more likely to follow through on the ad's suggestions. Because after all, you're just driving. You've got plenty of attention to spare. Especially when it means 35 cents off your next Frappuccino.

OK, we're not just looking for the number of questionable E85 propaganda pronouncements in this video report on Autoblog founder Jason Calacanis' Mahalo Daily. We're also interested in the quality of your dissection (i.e. what they didn't say as well as what they did). Bonus points will be awarded for avoiding jargon and (of course) sarcasm. And yes, you can point out fascinating, non-E85-oriented details gleaned from the vid (music, dress, eyebrow work, attempts to avoid staring at certain biological bits, accents, etc.). There is no prize for your punditry per se, but Frank and I will choose the commentator who's the most infotaining and post their name underneath this text, in recognition of your (yes your) service to the cause of common sense environmentalism (the emphasis here on mental). We're talking major props from TTAC's Best and Brightest, as well. Take no prisoners. (As if.)
[Thanks to minion444 for the link]

And the winner for the most infotaining post is...  AKM

The flying car is The Concept That Will Not Die. And here's another version, the Milner AirCar, due to be introduced at the New York Auto Show later this month. There's absolutely no reason why cars can't fly, or why airplanes can't drive down a road. All it takes is wings and a propeller in the first case, and folding or removing those wings plus something to drive the road wheels in the second. Robert Fulton (grandson of the same-named dude who built the first practical steamship) did it quite well in the late 1940s. His cute little Fulton Airphibians flew lots and drove plenty back in those halcyon post-World War II days, when returning vets dreamed of a helicopter in every garage and Cessna was advertising its airplanes as being so simple to fly that you could "drive it up and drive it back down." But the current realities of satisfying both FAA and DOT regulations in the same vehicle on the one hand, and teaching a new generation of driver-pilots to deal with thunderstorms, crosswinds, icing, navigation and instrument flying when they can't even handle a half-inch of snow on a road on the other, give new meaning to the word insane.

The Toronto Star reports that GM Canada is boosting Impala production by some 46 units per day, to about 1100. The General says it made the decision to put the pedal to the medal (i.e. adding overtime shifts) at the award-winning Oshawa plant to meet growing demand for the wrong-wheel-drive beast south of the 49th. Despite the decision to kibosh a rear wheel-drive version of the car, or maybe because of it, the Impala's American sales are up 7.3 percent from last year. Some Chevy dealers report that the "old," bigger Impala is stealing sales from the new, narrower Malibu. Either that or fleet clients have boosted their orders knowing that the Impala is slated for execution. (Automotive News [sub]: "General Motors, Ford Motor Co. and Chrysler LLC accounted for fewer than three out of four new vehicles sold to the U.S. rental industry last year — down from more than four-fifths in 2006.) Or maybe it's got something to do with the possibility of a Canadian Auto Workers strike. Your thoughts?

TTAC reviewer Paul Niedermeyer slated the new, heavier, less fuel efficient, gansta-riffic xB as "a blot on Toyota’s relatively unblemished copybook." The other models aren't setting the world on fire and face new competition, from within and without ToMoCo. No wonder, then, Automotive News [AN, sub] reports that Scion sales have dropped for 16 straight months. "Since August, monthly sales have declined from each previous month, even though dealers have had two redesigned models in their showrooms during that period." Product isn't the only problem. Taking a cue from The Big 2.8, Scion has over-dealered. "Scion had 856 dealers as of Jan 1, 2005. But as sales soared in 2005 and 2006, more dealers piled on, even if they weren't in hip, urban neighborhoods. Currently, 963 of 1,224 Toyota dealers carry the brand." ToMoCo says they mishandled the old to new model changeover. And never mind, anyway. "Sure, we'd like to see more customers," ToMoCo prez Lentz admits. "but we're still seeing the right customers. The tC's average customer is under 25 years old. The overall Scion customer is in his early 30s, and primarily he is new to the brand… As we hit spring, I think we'll see some good sales results." Even at Toyota, hopes springs eternal.

As opposed to… "Inactive Subaltern Status Quo Soldier?" Whatever you call Peter Arnell, Automotive News [AN, sub] reports that Chrysler's "Big Idea" consultant is prowling Auburn Hills, tweaking the American automaker's branding, product planning, customer relations and dealership coordination. (Arnell was the brains behind the hugely expensive Celin Dion – Chrysler Pacifica promotion; regarded as a total flop.) Reading between the lines, AN reckons Arnell may exacerbate Chrysler's long-standing tradition of internecine conflict. "Arnell's consulting services bring him into areas of the company that already have bosses, raising the spectre of possible turf wars and executive conflicts. Among the people and the areas to watch: Trevor Creed is Chrysler's chief designer; Deborah Meyer is chief marketing officer; Frank Klegon heads product development." Arnell– salary unknown– may have the edge on his erstwhile rivals. He worked with CEO Bob Nardelli over at Home Depot, where the dream team unleashed the caps lock ORANGE WORKS in the winter of '06. The range of chi-chi bespoke products (e.g. a martini shaker-shaped fire extinguisher) did nothing much for Home Depot's bottom line.

While GM was wooing the greenies with their big PR event at the Oscars, Audi was busy thumbing their nose at The General. GM trotted out the Yukon Hybrids, Equinox Fuel Cells and "ethanol-compatible GMC Yukons" and put the concept Volt (that looks nothing like the eventual production model) on display to impress the easily-impressed. Audi, on the other hand, "chauffeured [nominees and winners] through the Audi VIP fleet of more than 55 exclusively equipped A8L W12's and Audi Q7's." The press release lists a number of stars who "selected Audi as their preferred mode of transportation for Oscar week." Not surprisingly, Ed Begley Jr. and George Clooney don't appear on that list.

On eBay, the old saw "a fool and his money are soon parted" rings true every day. The latest: Challenger mania. Proving that some people have more money than sense, a Challenger 2008 SRT8 Tribute Ballcap sold for $152.50. A 24" x 36" Challenger poster is going for $70 and the bidding on a brochure is starting at $100. A press kit from the Chicago Auto Show is up to $160. It's the actual cars where things get really freaky. There are several dealers trying to auction them starting in the mid $50k range. The craziest one, though, is the deal that closed out at $228,143.43. What made it so special? It's painted "legendary B5 Blue, honoring racing legend Richard Petty" (who, to the best of my knowledge, never drove a Challenger) and comes with a "custom #43 Richard Petty Designed Decal Package." 

TTAC is proud to bring you another "What the Hell Were They Thinking?™" moment. First, the facts. To launch MINI's new Clubman (an ugly ass vehicle boasting the world's smallest suicide doors), California-based advertising agency Butler, Shine, Stern & Partners have unleashed "ZIG. ZAG. ZUG." As you no doubt already guessed, the slogan is part of a host of so clever they require an entire explanatory paragraph to describe them print and "guerrilla" marketing campaigns (e.g. teaser billboards and "The Book of ZUG"). Now, the kvetch. Why would MINI want to riff on the Cadillac Catera– an "entry level" rebadged version of the Opel Omega MV6 that almost single-handedly destroyed the Cadillac brand? Students of automotive history will recall that the abomination was advertised as "The Cadillac that Zigs." That's like selling a new soup based on a brand known for botulism. Also, ZUG? Zug is a town in Switzerland. And while I'm sure the comedy website zug.com will appreciate the business, why would such an internet-friendly car brand miss that opportunity? If you need an alternative place to file this story, how about "Too clever for their own good." 

[BMW "respectfully declined" our request for an interview on this campaign.] 

GM seems to think their first attempt at countering greenwashing accusations was successful. So now they're readying their Web 1.99 GMNext website for round two. Who's up? Well, you may recall that GM stopped selling everything it owns to buy into an ethanol start-up called Coskata. (Car Czar Bob Lutz:  "They put a bunch of bacteria in there that basically just eat and poop, eat and poop.") Tomorrow at 1pm EST, Coskata's CMO will participate in a GM "green chat." Wes Bolsen is expected to discuss Coskata's subservience to partnership with GM and how their ethanol-pooping bacteria will someday, eventually, turn garbage into an endless supply of low-cost, pollution-free fuel. While we expect Bolsen will be a lot more forthcoming than GM's chief of American sales ops, Brent Dewar, what's the bet a GM minder will be breathing down Bolsen's neck? Anyway, the session is open to the public. We expect loitering members of TTAC's Best and Brightest to test the limits of free speech, and report back on our follow-up post.

Hummer is GM's only coherent brand. They have two models endowed with an instantly recognizable Picasso-friendly (cubist) appearance. Love 'em or hate 'em (and most people are firmly in the latter camp), everyone knows what a Hummer is: an overweight off-roader with a cheap, cramped cabin and/or a pseudo-military middle finger salute to any idea of fuel conservation. For reasons best left to students of the story The Golden Goose, USA Today reports that "General Motors wants people to start thinking about Hummers as big old trucks built to do a job, instead of as gas-guzzling SUVs for the rich." According to J.D. Power, Hummer doesn't deserve that rep. "The name Hummer connotes a much more gas-guzzling vehicle than really is on the road today," Jon Osborn declaims. "Really, it gets about the same or as good gas mileage as several other (SUVs)." Oh, that's alright then. Anyway, the new game plan: sell Hummers as vehicles built to do a job– that just happen to get 14mpg (or less). "Late last year, GM began airing ads that show other 'tools'— firefighters' gear, a flare gun, a climbing rope— and then show a Hummer, which the ad says can scale 60-degree [sic] inclines. In another commercial, newspaper clippings about blizzards and floods dissolve into a Hummer forging through the disasters to help. Both ads end with the tag line: 'Purpose built.'" Hummer owners may be saving the world, but environmentalists aren't buying it (literally). But then, why would they?

Scion sales finished 2007 24.8 percent below 2006. Last month, the once and future Gen Y brand dipped 12.6 percent. According to Brandweek, Toyota's sending three-person teams (including two "muscle men") into "hipster neighborhoods" in ten U.S. cities to promote the Scion xB RS 5.0. As the car only comes in Gold Rush Mica, they'll be making the scene in campaign-branded armored cars, handing out Scion-branded skullcaps in boxes made to look like gold bars, with cards that have the URL for a Scion microsite (and the pass code to access it). Whether this unorthodox approach will improve sales is anyone's guess. Meanwhile, analysts reckon Scion's facing external competition from the Fit and MINI, and internal threat from the Toyota Yaris. Looking a bit closer at Scion's overall sales figures, it seems Scion's promoting the wrong model. Even though the xB's sales were off last year, they appear to be recovering this year with a 17.2 percent jump in January. The tC, however, was down 19.3 percent last year, down a further 33.2 percent below last January's totals. Perhaps Scion should pay some real muscle men to prowl cubicles and offer secretaries shoulder rubs and a link to a tC-intensive webpage. 

"Talking in circles" must be an executive training course at GM. You'll find a perfect example at GMNext, where GM's chief of American sales operations, defends GM against charges of greenwashing. To that end, Brent Dewar held an on-line question and answer session– make that an "evade the question" session– with no less than 50 online journos (TTAC's invitation got lost in the email). Even the condensed version is dizzying. When asked when we'd be seeing E85 available across the country, Dewar launched into a tale of his six year stint in Brazil– without answering the question. One participant asked Dewar point-blank about GM exploiting the E85 loophole in the CAFE standards. His response? "As I just mentioned it is a huge opportunity now. The problem is we are often American centric. This is not a CAFE loophole, but a solution. We did this in Brazil. Cafe in south america means coffee…" The complete transcript is on line, if obsfucation is your cup of cafe tea.

Infiniti is, for all intents and accounting purposes, a U.S. brand. Last year, Nissan's luxury division shifted American customers' expectations– I mean sold brand fans 127,038 new vehicles (93,717 cars and 33,321 SUVs). And now Infiniti's heading across the pond to convince European buyers that, uh, what's their tagline again? It's not on the press release. Or the Euro-press website. Uh-oh. Despite a deeply worrying lack of branding, Infiniti is set to open some 80 stores throughout the Eurozone. The world's snobbiest car market. Where logical competitor Lexus has gained about as much traction as a Prius attempting a hill climb in a blizzard. To gauge Infiniti's chances of carving out a niche in the home of the luxury car, I rang-up Infiniti Euro Comms. Director Wayne "No Comma" Bruce for the inside dope on the dealers and the marque's plans for luxury conquest sales. [Podcast below] Bruce reckons sporty value-priced products, exclusivity and bespoke customer service will carry the day. Yes, well, the longest journey starts with a single FX: the new model's ready for its Geneva debut. It'll be the first new Infiniti revealed outside the U.S. Infiniti's going to need that kind of commitment– and then some– to make this venture work. Meanwhile, the brand is being "nurtured" in the Middle East.