Feb. 20, 2020
Lincoln, McConaughey Back on Top of Most-Seen Auto Ads Chart
According to Wards, the No.1 automotive commercial for the week of Feb. 10, which also claimed the top spot for the week of Jan. 6, shows Oscar-winning actor McConaughey enjoying the quiet solitude of ice fishing from the comfort of his Aviator. Click here to see it. This spot has the best iSpot Attention Index (140) in the ranking, getting 40 percent fewer interruptions than the average auto ad (interruptions include changing the channel, pulling up the guide, fast-forwarding or turning off the TV). Second place goes to Subaru for a commercial that illustrates the fear that parents of teenagers may feel whenever their kid takes the car. But thanks to the DriverFocus feature that alerts drivers when their eyes aren’t on the road, the brand says the model is the safest yet. The No.3 spot from Lexus shows a woman biking up mountains and along coastlines as her partner follows in the Lexus RX. The ad encourages everyone to “stay restless,” and offers a special leasing deal on the ’20 RX 350. For the rest of the most viewed auto TV spots, including Toyota’s Highlander ad, click here.
At 50, AIADA Still True to Free Trade
The new chairman of the American International Automobile Dealers Association, Jason Courter, practically has free trade running through his veins, reports Automotive News. As a third-generation dealer whose family expanded from Buick to Honda in the 1970s, Courter grew up with a belief that the free flow of automobiles into the U.S. market was good not only for the new franchise, but for the nation as a whole. Courter takes over as head of AIADA as it celebrates its 50th anniversary with unwavering dedication to its founding focus: free trade. And there are major issues to follow in the current political environment, including the new United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, the threat of Section 232 tariffs and U.S. trade negotiations across the globe. Courter spoke with Staff Reporter Laurence Iliff about growing up in AIADA, its rich history and its goals going into a presidential election year. Read more here.
10 Vehicles That Are Better Deals To Buy New Instead Of Used
Much has been said about the swelling wave of two- and three-year old off-lease used vehicles returning to dealers’ lots for the benefit of those who are otherwise priced out of the new vehicle market. There’s no denying that, at an average price of around $37,000 being the first owner of a given model can be a pricey proposition. Yet, according to Forbes, there are advantages to choosing a shiny new ride instead of even a recent vintage pre-owned model. That’s according to a study of over six million new and used-car transactions monitored between August 2019 and January 2020 by the automotive data and research company iSeeCars.com. The website identifies 10 vehicles from the 2020 model year that are projected to hold onto their resale values so tenaciously, there’s far less financial advantage to choosing a one-year-old version. While the average car loses around 20 percent of its original value after a year on the road, the top performers in this regard, led by the full-electric Tesla Model 3 sedan, drop far less than half that amount. To see the list of all ten vehicles to buy new, click here.
Japan Sets up Task Force to Deal with Virus Impact on Automakers
Japan’s auto industry and government are setting up a joint council for carmakers and auto parts suppliers as they face disruption due to the coronavirus outbreak. Bloomberg reports that the group will share information and offer any necessary financing and policy support if the situation worsens. The agency is working with the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association and Japan Auto Parts Industries Association. The impact of the outbreak, which shuttered factories in China’s Hubei province and disrupted the supply of everything from transmissions to steering systems, is being seen across the global auto industry. Earlier this month, Hyundai Motor Co. became the first global carmaker to halt production outside China because of component shortages, while Nissan Motor Co. may also face further stoppages if the shutdown continues. For more on the impact on auto production from the coronavirus, click here.
2021 Kia Seltos Brings Telluride Style to Affordable Small SUV
Kia bottles some of the magic from its hit Telluride in a smaller, more affordable package with the 2021 Seltos, a small SUV that delivers plenty of features and value. Prices for the five-passenger Seltos start under $22,000 and top out around $28,000, according to the Detroit Free Press; competitive figures for a good-looking SUV that offers all-wheel drive and safety features. The Seltos competes with subcompact SUVs like the Ford Ecosport, Honda HR-V, Hyundai Kona, Jeep Renegade and the upcoming Chevrolet Trailblazer. Click here to see it. Flush with success from the acclaimed six- or seven-seat Telluride, Kia didn’t even try to give the Seltos the lowest price in its class. The brand emphasized features, offering just a single front-wheel-drive model, and surprisingly not using that inevitably slow-selling configuration to create an advertising-friendly, minimally equipped base model. Kia still expects most Seltos sales to be mid-level AWD models with prices in the $23,000-$26,000 range. For the full review, click here.
Around the Web
Newman Released from Hospital Following Daytona 500 Crash [Reuters]
Here's a Look at the Lucid Air You're Not Supposed to See Yet [Car & Driver]
The Bumps in the Road Leaving the Airport [WSJ]
The Bugatti Sedan Was Axed At The Last Minute For Being Too Ugly [Jalopnik]
