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The AutoGuide News Blog is your source for breaking stories from the auto industry. Delivering news immediately, the AutoGuide Blog is constantly updated with the latest information, photos and video from manufacturers, auto shows, the aftermarket and professional racing.

06/02/2012 | By: Jason Siu

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As if winning Super Bowl XLVI and becoming the MVP of the game wasn’t enough, New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning was also handed the keys to a 2012 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport Convertible Centennial Edition.

The MVP Award winner was chosen through a media panel and fan vote on www.superbowl.com during the game, and those that watched the events unfold during the big game probably knew the younger Manning would be MVP once the game was over and the Giants had won. Now he’ll get to enjoy the 6.2L V8 with 436-hp and 424 lb-ft of torque in a limited, black-on-black Centennial edition model to celebrate 100 years of Chevrolet history.

Those who watched the post-game ceremony probably got a good laugh at how Manning didn’t seem to really acknowledge that he had won a car. In fact, the announcer had to reiterate a couple of times just to get Manning’s attention to hand him over the keys. But we’ll give him the benefit of the doubt; considering he just won his second Super Bowl, proved he was an elite quarterback and, well, probably didn’t care too much about the Corvette.

GALLERY: Eli Manning / Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport Convertible

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06/02/2012 | By: Danny Choy

Despite Ford’s efforts to stop GM, the apocalypse-surviving Chevy Silverado commercial aired last night during the Super Bowl.

According to GM, the advertisement was intended as a “good-humored” spoof on the Mayan calendar predictions. Depicting a band of Silverado owners that are navigating across a “completely over-the-top, outrageous version of the devastation and destruction predicted to occur this year by the Mayan calendar,” the ad also features giant attack robots, meteors, and frogs that are falling from the sky. The punch line is when the gang of Silverado owners realized one of their friends did not survive because they drove a Ford rather than “the longest lasting, most dependable truck on the road.”

Ford took issue with the ad and we now know what the company said in a formal letter sent to GM requesting for the ad to be pulled. Representing lawyer Lynne M. Matuszak wrote, “Ford demands that Chevrolet immediately cease and desist from making any unsubstantiated and disparaging claims regarding Ford’s pickup trucks.” Matuszak’s letter further demanded that GM, “permanently remove the commercial from its website, its YouTube and Facebook pages and any other internet sites.”

Ford’s letter then warned, “If Chevrolet does not comply with the above terms prior to the start of the Super Bowl, then Ford will take all appropriate steps to enforce and protect its reputation.”

Taking it a step further, Ford called out the Silverado’s safety record, noting that the 2012 Ford F-150 earned an IIHS Top Safety pick while the Silverado received less than impressive side impact, rear crash, and rollover results.

GM’s global chief marketing officer Joel Ewanick and GM are committed to broadcasting the ad and sharing it on YouTube. Joel Ewanick said, ”We stand by our claims in the commercial, that the Silverado is the most dependable, longest-lasting full-size pickup on the road. The ad is a fun way of putting this claim in the context of the apocalypse. We can wait until the world ends, and if we need to, we will apologize. In the meantime, people who are really worried about the Mayan calendar coming true should buy a Silverado right away.”

Like Coca Cola versus Pepsi, the clash of Ford vs. GM will last for many years to come. We will be expecting a humorous and entertaining rebuttal ad from Ford soon.

[Source: Detroit News]

Why not watch the ad again below:

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03/02/2012 | By: Amy Tokic

How are you going to survive the end of the world on December 21? According to Chevrolet‘s new Super Bowl ad, the only way to make it is by driving a Chevy Silverado.

The 30-second Super Bowl commercial takes a look into the very near future to give us a glimpse of what’s going to happen once the Mayan apocalypse comes to pass. One lucky survivor emerges from the rubble in his Chevy Silverado to survey the damage (and it looks like we met our end at the hands of aliens and giant robots). He meets with his friends at a specified meeting point… well, except for Dave. He was driving a Ford and didn’t make it.

And it looks like the rumors are true – Twinkies can survive anything, as our fortunate heroes find out. However, it doesn’t look like any women survived the apocalypse. You can discuss amongst yourselves if this is a positive or negative consequence.

It’s a pretty funny ad, so watch it after the jump. Our only critique is that the ad could have used a few zombies to make it even more realistic. Yep, you can never have enough zombies in a car commercial.

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03/02/2012 | By: Stephen Elmer

10. Hyundai Genesis Coupe 'Think Fast'


 


The Super Bowl only comes once and year, and it brings with it a heated advertising race between car companies to try and captivate the huge audience that watches the big game with eye catching commercials. These are AutoGuide’s picks for the 10 best commercials of this year’s Super Bowl in order from worst to best. And lucky you, there are so many this year we actually left the bad ones out.

 

02/02/2012 | By: Jason Siu

You would think with all the damage control Chevrolet has to do after their share of bad press on the Volt that they would be able to come up with a better, more creative ad for this year’s Super Bowl.

Nonetheless, Chevy will be presenting your run-of-the-mill commercial featuring aliens from another planet, or galaxy far, far away that are interested in the technology behind the Chevy Volt. Unfortunately it doesn’t really say too much about what makes the Volt a great, but more importantly safe, vehicle – other than the fact that “it’s electric, and when I need to go farther it runs on gas.”

We have to admit that Chevy is going to have to really step up their game if they hope to change the general public’s perception of their Volt. Aliens just won’t cut it these days.

Check out the odd commercial after the break.

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01/02/2012 | By: Amy Tokic

What’s better than winning a brand-new 2012 Toyota Camry? Winning one for yourself and a friend!

Along with a Super Bowl ad, which will air during half time, Toyota is launching its “pay it forward” contest that is an extension of Toyota’s “Camry Effect” campaign. This social media campaign shared Camry stories and memories from the past 30 years from over two million Camry owners across the U.S.

The Super Bowl ad, called “Connections,” is a tip of the hat to the “Camry Effect” campaign, showcasing a variety of memories that have taken place in a Camry.

To enter the contest, you have to download the Shazam mobile app and then visit Toyota.com/CamryEffect. Once there, just follow the instructions to tag audio while the “Connections” ad is playing during the Super Bowl. If you can’t download the app, you can still enter – just go to the website and follow the on-screen instructions. You can enter the contest a day leading up to the Super Bowl debut of the commercial, as well as entering again by using Shazam or entering online when the spot airs live on Sunday. You’ll be in the running to win a new Camry for yourself and another for your best bud – a prize that’s valued of $53,000.

We’ve got the commercial for you to watch now, right after the jump.

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30/01/2012 | By: Amy Tokic

Last but not least, Hyundai’s fifth and final Super Bowl ad showcases the Genesis sedan.

Titled “Faster Acting,” this 30-second commercial highlights the new 429-horsepower Genesis R-Spec sedan. It helps tie together the theme of performance, so the pre-game spots are bridged with the in-game ads. It’s your run-of-the-mill car ad – no cheetahs or dying bosses to speak of. But if you love watching new cars go really fast, you’ll enjoy this one.

Watch “Faster Acting” after the jump.

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30/01/2012 | By: Colum Wood

As though the reveal of the NSX Concept at the Detroit Auto Show didn’t garner enough buzz, Acura is looking to reach an even wider audience by showcasing the new hybrid sports car during this weekend’s Super Bowl. And to help out they’ve employed the help of two of the word’s best known comedians, both of whom just also happen to be well-known car buffs: Jerry Seinfeld and Jay Leno.

The spot pits the two against each other to be the very first to own the new NSX, which isn’t set to go on sale for another three years.

How does it pan out? Watch the video below and see for yourself:

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30/01/2012 | By: Amy Tokic

The third Hyundai Super Bowl ad features the Genesis Coupe… and if you believe everything you see, it can actually bring someone back to life

“Think Fast,” a 30-second spot that will play in the fourth quarter of the game, features Bob, a recurring character that will star in Hyundai’s social media plans. In the ad, Bob is driving his boss in his Genesis Coupe R-Spec. While in the middle of offering Bob some words of wisdom, the elderly boss falls unconscious. Bob doesn’t lose his head during this medical emergency – instead, he rapidly accelerates and stops his car repeatedly, performing a sort of Genesis CPR. There’s enough force to bring the boss back to life, who starts his speech right where he left off.

If you’re a fan of Bob’s, you can check out more “Bob’s High-Powered Business Tips” by visiting Hyundai’s YouTube Channel.

Check out “Think Fast” after the jump.

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30/01/2012 | By: Jason Siu

Chevrolet has been on a marketing spree with their new compact Sonic, pulling off antics left and right including having Rob Dyrdek kickflip a Sonic and taking one skydiving over the Arizona desert.

For this year’s Super Bowl ad, Chevrolet looks to share all of the Sonic stunts it pulled off the past year which ranges from skydiving to bungee jumping to kick flipping and performing with OK GO in creating a music a video. While clearly these stunts aren’t made to inspire you to do wild and crazy things with your Sonic, it does a great job in generating buzz surrounding the new GM compact as an exciting and exhilarating vehicle to own and drive.

Chevrolet will be one of 11 automakers running ads during the Super Bowl this year and is expected to have a total of seven commercials on Sunday. Three will be during the big game, two before and two after. Watch the ad after the break.

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