Starting Lines: July 2009
50 Nissan Cubes Awarded
After four months of engaging with Hypercube – Nissan Canada’s unique social media campaign that rewards creativity in Canada – 50 Canadians were awarded an all-new 2009 Nissan cube at events simulcast in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver. Many of the 500 finalists, their friends and other special guests gathered at the three events to see if they were one of the lucky recipients of a cube all their own. The 50 were selected by an independent panel of Hypercube judges comprised of three English-speaking and three French-speaking judges.
“Hypercube is exceptional for Nissan because we are engaging with our consumers in such a relevant, unique and interactive way,” said Jeff Parent, VP of sales and marketing with Nissan Canada, from CiRCA nightclub in Toronto. “The 500 finalists created an extensive online community that interacted with each other, and their local communities, and really spread the word about the Nissan cube. It’s a very exciting evening to now be able to announce the winners.”
The 50 winners were announced at events simulcast in CiRCA in Toronto, Club Soda in Montreal and Gossip Nightclub in Vancouver. Finalists unable to make it to the events watched it all unfold via webcast. As names were announced, the ecstatic winners made their way on stage to celebrate and be recognized for their Hypercube creativity. For those who could not be in attendance, they will pick up their brand new car from local dealerships.
The strong Hypercube community established over the past few months will continue beyond the event as winners blog about their life with cube for the next year. Based on what was seen throughout the audition phase, the 50 winners and their cubes are in for some exciting adventures.
“The creativity of the Hypercube finalists is really astounding and what a unique opportunity to be able to share their talents on stage and in front of the Hypercube community,” said Parent. “It will be exciting to see what the winners get up to with their cubes over the next year.”
Follow along as the Hypercube winners blog about their life with cube at www.hypercube.ca.
Continental Tire Canada Innovative Run-Flat Technology
Continental Tire Canada, Inc. (CTCI) displayed its SSR (Self-Supporting Run-flat) tire at this year’s BMW 3-Series Comparison Drive, held at Downsview Park in Toronto. BMW Canada offers prospects of the BMW 3-Series a unique opportunity to test drive the whole model line-up and compare it to three main competitors on a closed course. Before driving the award-winning 3-Series on the course, the participants are given a presentation on the latest technology including information on run-flat technology. Continental’s SSR tire has reinforced sidewalls that support the weight of the car after a loss of tire pressure. It allows the driver to continue driving for another 80 kilometres at a maximum speed of 80 km/h. SSR tires are available in summer and winter versions.
BMW – to cite one example – offers the Continental SSR as an OE option. To be safe, SSR tires can only be mounted on vehicles with pressure monitoring systems, equipped at the factory for extended-mobility tires. A few of the advantages of run-flat tires are reduced danger and stress in the event of a flat tire, driving safety for up to 80 kilometres at 80 km/h, compatibility with standard wheels, and no need for a spare tire.
Honda Commemorates 50 Years of Innovation in America
It’s hard to believe, but Honda recently celebrated its first 50 years in America, commemorating the establishment of American Honda Motor Co., Inc., in a small Los Angeles storefront on June 11, 1959. Honda associates observed the occasion with a brief ceremony at the company’s Torrance, Calif. headquarters.
“On behalf of the tens of thousands of Honda associates in America, past and present, we offer our deepest thanks to our customers for placing their trust in Honda over the past 50 years,” said American Honda President & CEO Tetsuo Iwamura. “Today, in the face of new challenges, including the preservation of our environment, we renew our commitment to exceed the expectations of our customers and society.”
Starting in 1959, with the fuel-efficient Honda 50 motorcycle, to the newly launched 2010 Honda Insight gas-electric hybrid vehicle, Honda has introduced new technologies and business strategies that have shaped the industry and the growth of Honda, including:
- First automaker to meet U.S. Clean Air Act without a catalytic converter – Civic CVCC (1974)
- First vehicle to top U.S. EPA list of most fuel efficient cars – Civic (1977)
- First Japanese automaker to build motorcycles (1979) and automobiles (1982) in America – Marysville, Ohio
- First Japanese automaker to establish a luxury automobile brand- Acura (1986)
- First mass-produced gas-electric hybrid car introduced in America- Insight (1999)
First government-certified hydrogen fuel cell vehicle – FCX (2002)
Honda has steadily expanded its U.S. presence to encompass a broad range of products and operations. Today, Honda employs more than 27,000 U.S. associates engaged in the design, development, manufacturing, sale and servicing of Honda and Acura products including automobiles, motorcycles, ATVs, personal water craft, power equipment, and an advanced light jet aircraft. Honda Canada was established in 1969 and today employs 5,100 associates. Yearly, they buy two billion dollars of goods from Canadian-based suppliers, and supply products to the U.S., Japan, South America and other parts of the world.
Porsche rejects Volkswagen’s investment bid
Porsche has rejected Volkswagen AG’s bid to take a 49-percent stake in the sports car maker. Porsche Automobil Holding SE spokesman Albrecht Bamler said the offer by VW “is not a viable option.”
Debt-laden Porsche, based in Stuttgart, has been holding talks with a Qatar state investment fund on a possible investment. Porsche confirmed earlier this month that it is in exclusive talks with the Qatar Investment Authority – the primary investment vehicle of the small, energy-rich state.
Bamler said that for VW to take a stake in Porsche, the Wolfsburg-based automaker would have to take out credit worth euro10.75 billion ($15.15 billion).
Porsche holds a roughly 51 percent stake in Volkswagen, but ran up hefty debts in accumulating that holding and is now seeking a merger with the larger company. Exactly how that is to happen remains unclear.
GM Canada Vehicle Sales Continue to Improve
General Motors of Canada continued to improve its sales figures in May as the dealers delivered 31,784 vehicles, which is still down 12.4 per cent over a year ago but were up 6.3 per cent over April sales. GM Canada also continues to maintain its sales leadership position in the calendar year to date.
“As we move forward with the reinvention of GM Canada, customers can confidently continue to purchase and service
their vehicles and take full advantage of GM’s leading warranty coverage,” said Marc Comeau, GM of Canada’s vice-president of sales, service and marketing. “We stand by our commitment to continue to focus on our customers and stand behind our world-class vehicles.”
Comeau added, “It was a strong sales month for our Canadian- built vehicles. The Chevrolet Equinox and Pontiac Torrent built in Ingersoll Ontario recorded their best sales month ever, up 94 per cent. Building on this strong sales momentum, the all new 2010 Equinox arrives at Chevrolet dealers this summer, delivering the best highway fuel consumption of any vehicle in its segment. Comeau continued, “Customer enthusiasm continues for the new 2010 Chevrolet Camaro, as the Oshawa Car Plant has recently added overtime to keep up with consumer demand. As quickly as Camaros are arriving at dealerships, they are being delivered to our customers.”
The new Chevrolet Traverse, GMC Acadia, and Buick Enclave drove a 71.8 per cent sales increase in the mid-size utility segment. The Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups combined for a sales increase of almost 58 per cent over last May.
Chevy Prius?
There are rumours going around that General Motors may get access to Toyota’s proprietary hybrid technology.
Bloomberg cites two unnamed sources in reports that Toyota President Akio Toyoda and GM chief Fritz Henderson will meet this August in Michigan to discuss the possibility of a GM-badged version of the Toyota Prius hybrid hatchback.
Both General Motors and Toyota have on the record repeatedly denied that any such talks have taken place in the past and have said it’s unlikely that they ever will in the future. Many of these rumours indicate that the two automakers are considering building the Prius together at the New United Motor Manufacturing Incorporated (NUMMI) joint venture in California, but GM has today announced that its involvement in NUMMI is over.
It remains a possibility that Toyota will fully take over the reigns at NUMMI to finally build the Prius in America, but even if that’s the case, it’s extremely unlikely that General Motors will have anything to do with the project in light of its own massive undertaking of readying the Chevrolet Volt for the market in 2011.
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