Nissan Australia is fighting a public relations backlash after it was announced that the winner of a Facebook contest it held turned out to be best friends with a staffer managing the site. Far more than just a free t-shirt or a mug, the winner received a shiny new Nissan Micra, and a $1,250 gift card.

Nissan didn’t attempt to hide the identity of the winner either, announcing that Zac Martin of Victoria was the proud new owner of a Micra and commenting, “Congratulations Zac. Hope you enjoy the Micra. However, we say with all honesty and the best of intentions, we wish you hadn’t won!!!”

In the same post on the Nissan Micra Australia Facebook page, it goes on to explain that the page’s manager, Simon Oboler, is friends with Martin. In fact, Oboler described Martin on his personal blog as his “BFF” (best friend forever).

“We know how this sounds!” the post continues. “The reality is that he won fair and square and all is fully above board. The problem is that it will raise doubts in some people’s minds and gossip and conspiracy theories will surface.”

That they most certainly did with commenters on the post saying they’ll never buy a Nissan and demanding that the automaker show proof that the contest wasn’t rigged.

Nissan says it can limit participation by family members and employees, but not friends.

The contest, called Micraspotting, had competitors find hidden pictures of the Micra on Facebook pages belonging to bars, entertainment venues and clothing stores.

Nissan is sticking with its plan to award Martin the Micra despite the backlash and has said based on feedback it is looking at future contests, although with some changes.

The post on the Nissan Micra Australia Faceboook page continues. “Congrats once again Zac. Well done. Please don’t ever enter any of our comps again!”

[Source: Sydney Morning Herald]

Be sure to check out the AutoGuide Facebook page here

Facebook is more than just checking to see what your friends are up to. Automakers, such as Lexus, are using the social media platform to giveaway some pretty cool prizes to fans.

Not too long ago, Lexus held a Facebook contest that gave three lucky fans the chance to win a driving experience in the Lexus LFA supercar at the Silverstone Grand Prix circuit. They got the whole racing experience – they were briefed, taken out with an experienced instructor, got a chance to lap the track on their own and then were taken out for a spin with a professional driver. And they finished off the experience with a spot of tea – not a bad way to spend the day.

The entire event was captured on video, so although we couldn’t be there in person, we can share in the excitement of the day. You can check out the video after the jump. And if you’re on Facebook, don’t forget to like us.

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Luxury sportscar manufacturer Aston Martin is celebrating a milestone as they now have over 1-million fans on the social networking site, Facebook.

In celebration of this milestone, Aston Martin will lets its ‘fans’ design a special one-off vehicle by answering a series of questions. The most popular answer will decide the specification of “The Millionth Fan Car.”

Aston Martin is creating some interior and exterior color schemes specifically for this special edition. As a thank you to all those who participated in this campaign, Aston Martin will send each fan a downloadable certificate of the final design.

The chosen car and design will be built at Aston Martin’s Gaydon facility in March 2012. This car will then be displayed at many public events during the year.

Aston Martin’s popularity has seen a big rise in the last six-months as over 280,000 fans have ‘liked’ their Facebook page. This might be due to their expansion in markets such as India and South America recently.

Also in celebration of this milestone, Aston Martin will reduce the price of their iPhone app from $5.00 to $0.99, but only for a limited time.

There’s nothing like logging into our Facebook page and seeing it littered with Ford Mustang badges. That’s because Ford is turning to its Facebook page and some good ‘ol viral marketing to promote the unveiling of the new 2013 Mustang.

Ford has released four blurry images of the 2013 Mustang on its Facebook page and has promised to un-blur each one for every 5,000 people who “Share” a special Mustang badge.

Obviously it’s been working quite well for Ford, since by the time we caught a glimpse of this they had already unveiled one image with over 5,700. Now it’s our turn to do our part and hopefully you’ll do yours too, so that we can see the 2013 Mustang that much sooner.

It really pays off to be connected into social media. And if you’re connected to Yokohama Tire Corporation, you could win a tablet computer.

During the upcoming Los Angeles Auto Show, the Yokohama Tire Corporation will be hosting a social media and digital express. For this contest, Yokohama will use Facebook and Twitter to give away a variety of prizes over the course of the 12-day show, including a tablet computer every day.

“This year, we really wanted to focus on providing education about tires in an interactive, engaging manner”, said Alan Holtschneider, Yokohama manager, advertising, promotions & events. “Each day, visitors to Yokohama’s exhibit in the West Hall lobby will find a wide array of things to do while getting a chance to win some items such as Yokohama gear and the world’s most popular tablet computer.”

For Yokohama’s Twitpic Contest, a winner will be picked to win a tablet every day of the LA Auto Show (November 16-27). To enter, you need to take a picture anywhere inside the Yokohama LA Auto Show booth and tweet your photo. One lucky winner will be randomly selected at the end of the day.

There are other prizes to be won as well, such as tickets to the show and gift bags. You can follow Yokohama Tire on Twitter and Facebook, and learn more about the contests on the corporate website.

And don’t forget to to follow AutoGuide on Twitter and Facebook as we’ll be actively covering the 2011 LA Auto Show starting November 16th.

Is it time to pick up a new set of tires for your vehicle? Wouldn’t you rather win a set than have to buy four new tires? Here’s your chance – Toyo Tires is giving away a set of tires every week for the next 17 weeks, as well as the grand prize of a Dodge Durango.

Just by entering the contest, you could win a set of Toyo Tires or you could be driving off into the sunset in a brand new, custom 2011 Dodge Durango Heat Edition 4X4 that comes complete with 22” Toyo Proxes STII Tires on 22” Savini Forged SV28C wheels, T-Rex 4-piece flat black mesh grill, Magnaflow exhaust system, upgraded Alpine Audio Entertainment System and black leather interior with blue stitching.

It’s easy to enter – just go to the Toyo Tires Contest Page, fill out the entry form below and hit submit. While you’re there check out the complete line of Toyo Tires, or like them on Facebook to see exclusive photos and video. The contest is going on now so don’t wait too long to enter.

In the world of race seats, perhaps no name is bigger or stronger than Recaro. This German company has been manufacturing seats since 1906 and its products are now sold around the world. It is so popular, that if you come across a race car, chances are its seats are by Recaro.

Not to rest on their success, Recaro is looking to new channels to spread their word on the advantages of their seats. It has now just launched a Facebook page and a YouTube channel to attract more fans to their brand.

On their YouTube channel, they will post videos featuring different athletes who will talk about why they use Recaro seats. The first videos feature Formula Drift Champion Chris Forsberg. In the coming weeks you see videos featuring skateboarder Bucky Lasek and BMX/Rally Cross expert Dave Mirra.

This should go without saying, but if you commit a crime, don’t post anything that links you to that illegal act on your Facebook page. Case in point: the guy who thought it would be a good idea to post a picture to his Facebook that showed him posing with the car he just stole.

Matthew Adam Thompson and his friend Samuel James Clayton Harvey, both of Cary, N.C., stole a Mercedes-Benz vehicle from a car dealership. Apparently proud of his accomplishment, Thompson decided it would be a good idea to post a picture to his Facebook profile that showed him and his partner in crime in the parking lot of his apartment complex posing with their latest acquisition. Someone must have tipped off the cops, and the police busted them on a range of charges, including breaking and entering, second-degree burglary, possession of stolen goods, possession of cocaine and felony conspiracy.

This just goes to show that not everything that happens in your life should be posted on Facebook – just ask this BMW salesman. Some things are best kept to yourself.

[Source: WRAL]

A salesman at a BMW dealership who lost his job due to negative comments took his case to court – and the judge sided with the dealership’s decision.

Social media is proving to be a slippery slope when it comes to balancing free speech and protecting a company’s image. The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has already started going after companies that have fired employees after they posted negative comments, and it took the case of salesman Robert Becker, who decided to take his ex-employer, Karl Knauz BMW, to court.

Becker was fired from his job on June 22, 2010, a week after he posted comments on Facebook about a barbeque the dealership hosted for customers. The luxury car dealership served hot dogs and bottled water – not the fanciest of feasts - and Becker made fun of the fact that cheap food was on the menu: “I was happy to see that Knauz went ‘All Out’ for the most important launch of a new BMW in years,” Becker wrote, according to court papers.

But he didn’t stop there – Becker also posted pictures of an accident that took place at a nearby Land Rover dealership, which also happens to be owned by the Knauz group. The accident occurred when a salesperson let a customer’s 13-year-old son sit in the driver’s seat and the vehicle rolled down an embankment and into a pond. This inspired Becker to write a caption for the photos he posted on his personal Facebook page, saying ”This is your car: This is your car on drugs.”

As you can imagine, Knauz management didn’t find these comments as funny as Becker did, and asked him to delete the posts (there’s no word how they found out about the comments). Becker did so, but he was fired soon after.

The NLRB alleged that Becker’s Facebook posts were protected speech and the dealership could not fire him. The NLRB also said that other employees of the dealership had ”expressed concern” regarding the barbeque event as well. Its argument was that Becker’s online comments were “protected concerted activity.”

Ruling Judge Joel Biblowitz agreed that Becker’s online posts about the sales event were protected by federal law, therefore he could not be fired over them. But when it came to comments and pictures about the Land Rover accident, the judge found that they were “neither protected nor concerted activities” since they had nothing to do with his conditions of employment.

So it all came down to what the dealership fired Becker for and Judge Biblowitz had to determine if the dealership fired him for the sales event post, the accident post or both. He based his decision on the BMW’s general manager testimonial, who had said he found Becker’s barbeque Facebook comments “somewhat comical” but was upset with negative comments about the accident, as well as other evidence the dealership produced. The resulting decision that was handed down by the judge was that Becker was fired because of the Facebook post about the Land Rover accident.

Let this be a lesson to you if you’re looking to vent to the world after a tough day at work. However, if you’re on Facebook, don’t forget to like AutoGuide’s Facebook fan page and feel free to leave on comment on our wall.

[Source: Chicago Tribune]

Facebook is more than just a place where you can find out what your friends are up to – it’s also a great place to get the scoop on the latest auto innovations and news. And if you’re a Ford Focus Facebook fan, you’ll be the first to know about the all-new Ford Focus ST.

Become a fan of Ford on Facebook and you’ll be among the first to see exclusive video, pictures and learn about the Focus ST’s technology, performance and practicality. You’ll be privy to technical highlights and get an inside look at the driving experience you can expect from this sporty model. The Ford Focus fan page already boasts 300,000 fans, and they can access newly generated and previously unseen footage of Focus ST development cars – this includes testing and insights into the car’s features from members of the Global Performance Vehicle team.

Just some of the video clips you can watch showcase the Focus ST’s cool features, including enhanced Torque Vectoring Control, the advanced Electronic Stability Program and innovations applied to the 2.0-liter Ford EcoBoost engine.

“Our Facebook page allows us to reach out to enthusiasts around the world for the first time and share with them the final stages of development of the new Focus ST as it happens,” said Jost Capito, director of Global Performance Vehicles. “This is Ford’s first truly global performance vehicle, and social media gives us a rare opportunity to show enthusiasts how this car is progressing, gives insight into its technologies and builds excitement in this community as we finalize Focus ST’s technical specifications.”

Follow all the latest developments on the Ford Focus Facebook page. And why not “like” AutoGuide.com on Facebook while you’re at it!

GALLERY: Ford Focus ST

While not everyone is a fan of the new Chevrolet Camaro, it appears that it actually has more admirers than one would think.

Not only has it been the best selling sportscar for the last two years, it is now also the most popular car on Facebook. With a fan-base of 1.8-million, the Camaro , it has out numbered any other car on this social media site.

The site also proves that the new Camaro is attracting a younger crowd, as 60% of fans are between the ages of 18 and 34. With fans uploading photo’s of their Camaro’s, its community is getting bigger and stronger with time.

It will certainly get stronger still when later this year, Chevrolet will launch the Transformers Edition Camaro, and the powerhouse Camaro ZL1, which features a supercharged V8 capable of producing well over 550-hp. A muscle car with muscle, we like the sound of that.

[Source: egm CarTech]

To celebrate the 2 millionth MINI to roll off their assembly line, MINI has decided to turn it into a special edition convertible and offer it up as a prize to their fans on Facebook. From now until September 30th, 2011, MINI fans have the opportunity to upload their profile photo to MINI’s 2 Million Faces page in order to automatically be entered into a drawing for the 2 millionth MINI giveaway.

The Mini 2 Million Convertible features a unique White Silver metallic paint job with a blue denim roof and a selection of bespoke interior and exterior options. Special wheels will adorn the outside along with “2 Million MINI” graphics while the inside will be outfitted with a distinctive leather steering wheel and lounge leather upholstery.

[Source: MINI Wall of Fans Facebook]

GALLERY: 2 Millionth MINI

If you loved playing Continental Tire’s ContiTireRace, you’ll want to check out the sequel, ContiTireRace2. Available to play on Facebook or as an app for iPhone and iPad, ContiTireRace2 lets you tear up two new tracks – the Norway and Sunshine State.

The object of the game is to complete the track as quickly as possible, all while collecting “Speed-ups,” a feature that you can collect along the track that will briefly speed up your tires. As you’re racing your ContiSportContact 5 (a high-performance summer tire), you need to complete two laps while avoiding obstacles. To make your way up the leader board, your must take the ideal racing line through the bends wherever you can.

Along with the new game comes a new contest. The ContiTireRace Summer Edition Sweepstakes is on now through September 30, 2011, and two lucky participants will win a set of four brand-new tires from Continental. There’s also a second prize of a 250GB Xbox 360 Kinect Bundle Microsoft Game System. You can register to win by clicking on the “Sweeps” button on the ContiTireRace menu – just enter your first name, last name and email address, and agree to the official rules.

To play the game or enter the contest, visit Continental Tire’s Facebook page or official site, or search for “Continental Tire” in the iTunes App Store.

Given the growth in social networking via Facebook; even automakers are now looking to change the way they provide customer service.

Nissan, which currently boasts more than 279,000 followers on its Facebook page and, according to Erich Marx, the company’s Director of Marketing and Communications, experienced faster growth in social media than any other OE automaker during the first half of 2011, is looking at taking a more pro-active approach in dealing with customer complaints, which might very well mean replacing traditional phone based customer service, with social media.

“There will be a day when people will go to Facebook as a preferred method,” he says. “We are already seeing that number doubling every quarter.”  He also went on to add, that ”based on what I’ve seen in 90 days, I realize that this is something we are going to have to deal with in the future. As opposed to operators or help desks just waiting for a customer to complain, we need to have a Facebook presence to solve issues before they get bigger, and take a more pro-active role in identifying consumer issues or question.”

When the change will happen, remains to be seen, for now Nissan will continue to use operators at 1-800 numbers to deal with customer complaints, though, given the public nature of Facebook and a need to deal with issues as soon as possible, a year or five years from now the scenario could be very different.

[Source: Autotrader]

Ford is taking advantage of their Facebook page by asking their fans which of the four possible warning sounds that will be used in the upcoming Focus electric vehicle is their favorite.

All four sound clips are hosted on YouTube and feedback on their comments page will be used by Ford to help choose a sound. If you want to voice your opinion on what obnoxious sound you’ll be hearing from Ford’s Ford electric vehicle – as mandated by law – head on over to their page and put in your vote.

[Source: Ford Facebook via CNet]

Buick and GMC understand the importance of social networking and have set up online vehicle-shopping experiences that are socially engaging, letting site visitors build, save and share their configured vehicles.

This new type of connectivity enables customers to share with their Facebook friends who can post comments or “like” their customized selections. Both Buick and GMC are among the first automakers to provide customers the opportunity to deepen and personalize the shopping experience.

“We recognize that car buyers are not only looking for product information when shopping for their next car or truck but also use feedback from friends and family to help narrow down their selection,” said John Schwegman, U.S. vice president of GMC Marketing.

A study conducted by Bereford Research that found approximately half of respondents consider information shared on their social networks when making a purchase decision, and that proportion was much higher among users 18-24 with 65 percent doing so. “By offering a connection between our web sites and Facebook, we help our customers get the feedback they want and need to make vehicle purchase decisions,” said Tony DiSalle, U.S. vice president of Buick Marketing.

There are approximately 500 million people of Facebook and BMW has used this to their advantage. Just over 6 million people  ’Like’ the BMW brand, holding first place of the Top 10 most liked automotive companies. This means that over 1 percent of Facebook users enjoy the BMW brand. The next closest rival was Audi which has half of the ‘Likes’ BMW has.

The official BMW Facebook page features fantastic photos, videos, links to national fan pages, and members are also allowed to post as well. As one member put it “if God doesn’t drive a BMW, then why is the sky blue and white?”

The Bavarian automaker currently owns and maintains fifty-four separate Facebook pages associated with its various geographic regions, business segments and products. BMW was also declared the “Most Influential Automaker on Facebook”

Check out the Top 10 most like automotive brands after the jump!

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National Highway Traffic Safety Administration administrator David Strickland explained last week that he will challenge unsafe infotainment technology that is distracting drivers.

“I’m just putting everyone on notice. A car is not a mobile device,” Strickland said. “I’m not in the business of helping people tweet better. I’m not in the business of helping people post on Facebook better.”

Strickland feels that some in-car infotainment is designed to help drivers and automakers diagnose mechanical problems, however he said that there is a major difference between helping drivers and distracting drivers.

“It’s OK not to be connected when you’re operating a car,” Strickland said. “I’m not going to dispute that people want these services. They do.”

Strickland is adamant about cracking down on distracted drivers. He feels that wireless providers and software developers should minimize driver distraction and it should remain a top priority.

[Source: egm Car Tech]

NASCAR is looking to target a younger, hipper crowd—one that’s into this Facebook thing.

And to do so they’re introducing a Facebook game, one that promises to be less annoying than Farmville, hopefully. Piggybacking off the successful Car Town, they’ve launched the slightly more cumbersome-sounding “NASCAR Pro Championship presented by Sprint” that will be featured on a joint partnership with Car Town’s developer, Cie Games.

Two different companies will be promoting the game with all of their marketing might. Turner Sports, which holds the rights to NASCAR.com, will air commercials on Turner Network Television. Sprint will promote it via their digital network and cell phones. Both promotions will coincide with the running of the Sprint Cup until November.

Car Town isn’t actually about racing, not if you can call pressing a few buttons to be a reasonable facsimile. It’s more aimed at completing some challenges, modifying your car, earning and spending points, and most importantly: bombarding your friends endlessly with requests. For that, NASCAR’s Facebook adventure seems like a win-win.

[Source: Scribbal]

Despite recent rumors that Lincoln might be headed for the chopping block, not helped by GM CEO Dan Akerson’s outburst last week, Ford Motor Company has repeatedly said that it’s committed to the Lincoln brand. Not only that, but part of future product portfolios will included a Navigator SUV.

Scott Tobin, director of product development for Lincoln, said during a short video on the company’s Facebook page, that not only will the Navigator stick around long-term, it will likely remain as a large, heavy-duty vehicle designed for hauling and towing, which probably means it will retain body-on-frame construction and possibly larger displacement engines, though in Ford’s corporate-wide push to improve fuel efficiency, at least one EcoBoost engine will probably join the roster. To view Tobin’s comments, click on the link here.

BMW announced today that it has been ranked first overall in the inaugural L2 Prestige 100 Facebook IQ. This new index measures the social media aptitude of Presige 100 brands from auto, beauty, fashion, jewelery and watches as well as spirits and champagnes.

The Bavarian automaker currently owns and maintains fifty-four separate Facebook pages associated with its various geographic regions, business segments and products, each of which were assessed for this study. BMW’s main Facebook page also has the most fans of any automaker, approaching the 6 million mark – roughly double its nearest rival.

Within the evaluation, BMW received 175 points topping Audi with 156, Lexus with 154 and Ferrari with 141.

Hit the jump to see a list of the Top 10 most influential Prestige 100 brands on Facebook:

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Subaru of America has won the top automotive Webby Award and the Gold IAAA Award for their ‘mediocrity’ advertising campaign, which lampooned traditional mid-size sedans. Subaru played off the abudnance of bland sedans in the market place. Subaru’s campaign portrays a dull and unexceptional fictional vehicle: the 2011 Mediocrity, displayed in dull beige. hue . The bland vehicle is then contrasted to the vibrant Subaru Legacy with its 2.5-litre Boxer engine and standard all-wheel drive, which, according to Subaru, is quite the opposite of ‘mediocre’.

The campaign’s digital focus was highlighted by a fully interactive website, as well as a Facebook page, a YouTube channel, a Twitter feed and a Flickr presence. Their win was chosen from almost 10,000 entries from all 50 U.S states and more than 60 countries worldwide. The Mediocrity campaign as well as substantial television advertising has increased Subaru awareness, contributing to record sales for the brand in both 2010 and the first quarter of 2011.

Check out the video after the jump!

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In anticipation of a 2012 Ford Mustang V6 Performance Package, Ford took the world of Facebook in order to find a name for the package. After 1.4 million fans on Facebook chimed in, Ford decided to name their newest performance package Mayhem.

“We saw great enthusiasm from fans, with tons of creative, unique names coming in,” said Brian McClary, Ford social and emerging media specialist. “The contest was twofold – it let us engage with fans by letting them have a say, and it helped build awareness for the package.”

The “You Name It” app had nearly 6,700 user installs and after the dust cleared, there was over 3,000 submissions. The user that came up with the name Mayhem received a three-year lease on a 2012 Mustang equipped with the Mayhem package.

The Mayhem package doesn’t modify the engine in any way. What it does deliver however is heightened performance thanks to a collection of suspension, braking and chassis modifications making it a superb handling machine. The Mustang also gets a slight diet bringing it down to less than 3,500 pounds.

The package includes a 3.31 rear axle ratio (for quicker acceleration), front and rear stabilizer bars from the Mustang GT, front struts and rear shocks/springs from the GT and Shelby GT500 rear lower control arms. 19-inch wheels are tossed on all four corners with Pirelli rubber. Brake upgrades include Mustang GT front and rear calipers equipped with Performance Friction pads. A strut tower brace stiffens the chassis while electronic stability control calibration offers a sport mode for an enhanced driving experience. Last but not least, the Mayhem will feature special badging. No pricing for the package was announced.

Official press release available after the break.

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