AD #1558 – Lights Creating Brand Identity, Wagons on Comeback? Ferrari Slides from Top Brand
February 17th, 2015 at 11:58am
Runtime: 8:05
- Lights Creating Brand Identity
- Station Wagons Making a Comeback?
- Ferrari’s Brand Image Takes a Hit
- Chevy Charts Camaro Horsepower
- How Nissan Murano Got Its Bold Looks
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On today’s show… Ferrari’s brand image takes it on the chin, automakers are spending a fortune to develop high-tech headlamps, and the big fight that Nissan had internally over the design of the new Murano. All that and more coming right up on Autoline Daily.
This is Autoline Daily for February 17th, 2015.
YOU LIGHT UP MY LIFE
Automakers are pouring a fortune into developing new headlamps. And it’s not just about illuminating the road. Headlamps are now playing a key role in creating the brand identity of a car. Land Rover is adopting LED lamps for the Evoque and wants the outline of the lights to become a signature part of its styling. It will unveil that at the Geneva show next month. And that’s where Lexus will unveil a new concept, the LF-SA. And what do you think it’s highlighting in this teaser shot? Why the headlamps of course. Notice how Lexus is carrying some of the lighting on the lower sides of the front fascia. Up to now Cadillac has been the most aggressive in carrying the lighting down into the front fascia. Looks like others will follow suit. Audi, which has been a pioneer in LED lamps, is taking the next step with laser lamps, which will be an option on the R8. Laser lamps can be made smaller than LEDs, yet put out nearly twice as much light. Audi says you can spot them because they put out a blue light. These high-tech lamps are head-turners. But we shudder to think what they might cost. Remember, last year we reported that the cost to replace those Audi Matrix LED lamps at the dealership are $3,200 apiece.
CIRCLE THE WAGONS
Speaking of design trends, last week Kia revealed a teaser image of a concept it will have in Geneva. But apparently the company couldn’t wait for next month’s show and just released pictures of the new car, called the SPORTSPACE. As you can see it’s a large station wagon. Automakers are experimenting with all kinds of vehicle profiles trying to come up with a new look. So this makes us wonder? Are designers going to start experimenting with station wagon shapes to break out of the clutter?
Still to come… Ferrari’s brand image slides down the rankings, Chevy charts out the history of horsepower on the Camaro, and the wrangling that went on inside Nissan over the design of the new Murano.
SIC TRANSIT GLORIA
Could the firing of longtime Ferrari chief, Luca di Montezemolo and the announcement of the brand going public have a negative effect on Ferrari’s image? Well according to a study by Brand Finance, it sure is. Every year it tests thousands of the world’s top brands to determine which are the most powerful, and the most valuable. For the last several years Ferrari held the title of World’s Most Powerful Brand. But it slipped this year to the #9 spot. The slide could also be due that Ferrari has not won an F1 title in a number of years and struggled to even be competitive last season.
PONY CAR PONIES
It’s pretty amazing to see how much horsepower automakers are stuffing under the hood’s of their cars and Chevy just put out a graph that highlights the massive jump that’s taking place. It created this chart on the history of the Camaro, which has seen its horsepower dip to as low as 88-ponies during the oil embargo of the 70’s to slowly climb to around 320 in the late 90’s and early 2000’s. Then it takes a massive jump around 2010 and keeps on going right up to the 580-horsepower that the Camaro tops out at today. And remember, all this at a time when fuel economy and emission standards only got tougher. So it’s an impressive feat of engineering.
It’s not easy coming out with a new car. Not even for established automakers. It’s rare for chief engineers to stick their neck out and take a big risk. But that’s exactly what Nissan did with the new Murano. And that story is coming up next.
HOW MURANO GOT ITS BOLD LOOKS
On last week’s Autoline After Hours our guest was Chris Reed, the overseas chief engineer of the new Nissan Murano. There was an internal struggle at Nissan to decide which way to go–with a conventional design that was easier to engineer and manufacture, or with a bolder design that looked more like a concept car. In the following clip Chris Reed talks about why he fought for the daring design.
(Clip about Nissan Murano design from Autoline After Hours can only be viewed in the video version of today’s show.)
There’s a lot of great info about the development of the new Murano in that show, so if you haven’t done so, you can watch that entire episode right now on our website or YouTube channel.
And speaking of After Hours, be sure to join us this Thursday night when our guest will be Oliver Schmidt, from Volkswagen. Back by popular demand, Oliver sure knows a lot about powertrains. In fact, he being reassigned back to Germany to head up powertrain development for the VW Group. Join me and Gary Vasilash to get some of the best insights as to what’s happening in the auto industry, right from the people who make it happen.
But that wraps up today’s show, thanks for watching and please join us again tomorrow.
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Comments (31)
February 17th, 2015 at 12:09 pm
When I learned that Ferrari is still promoting and glamorizing cigarettes in Asia their brand took a serious hit for me. I guess Asian lives don’t matter so much. Now the team is being run by the Marlboro man, Arrivabene.
Here’s John Oliver’s piece on Philip Morris’s business practices. Warning, ridicule ahead…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UsHHOCH4q8
February 17th, 2015 at 12:11 pm
Gee, a 5800 hp Camaro; that more ponies than a P-51! Where do I order one?
February 17th, 2015 at 12:15 pm
It was several years ago, but when left the Shanghai airport years ago on my trip to China, the first thing I saw was huge billboards advertising American cigarette brands. It sounds like not much has changed, and Ferrari is in on it.
February 17th, 2015 at 12:22 pm
Regarding LED cost, recall the edmunds.com video saying it cost to replace the new F150 tail light was $800. These lamps are getting crazy expensive to replace.
February 17th, 2015 at 12:24 pm
#2 – Thanks for pointing that out. It’s now fixed. If it wasn’t so cold out I’d say my fingers were swollen.
February 17th, 2015 at 12:25 pm
The Nissan Murano is a beautiful suv , and good job to the creators of this great vehicle! This is the kind of creativity we need to see more of in the car industry! Sometimes it does pay to break the mold! Thanks to Nissan, James
February 17th, 2015 at 12:27 pm
WOW, that Kia is fantastic, bring it on, we need some cool looking wagons instead of all these CR-V types. PS check out the pictures of the Mazda6 wagon available in Japan. cozy
February 17th, 2015 at 12:29 pm
Always liked station wagons. Good for Hyundai.
February 17th, 2015 at 12:59 pm
Now is the time for all good car companies to come to the aid of their MPG.
Cars have more than enough horsepower, focus on giving 250 hp 35mpg instead of trying to get the most power.
February 17th, 2015 at 1:02 pm
I hope Hyundai puts out a wagon, but with the rear roofline so low on the SPORTSPACE it looks more like a hatchback.
Please drop the name SPORTSPACE….
Keep it simple, like Yaris-it’s a car.
February 17th, 2015 at 1:07 pm
Well, actually Kia. And it looks like their stylists had been looking over some brochures of the Dodge Magnum recently. But sometimes what’s old is new again!
February 17th, 2015 at 1:09 pm
Hyuandai and KIA are one in the same car company….
Just like Cadillac and Chevrolet…
February 17th, 2015 at 1:19 pm
Love the wagon!! They seem to sell in some other markets where they are offered, so many manufacturers have them and just are not selling them in the domestic market now…
I really hope that will change since they are very practical and do so many things well, and still drive like the car that they are based on.. Always liked them!!
My only real concerns are that cargo needs to be really well secured in case of an accident, and there is no secure trunk to protect valuables that might also be on “display” for thieves…
February 17th, 2015 at 1:30 pm
With no disrespect to Mr. Schmidt, how about someone from Volkswagen who can explain their miserable marketing strategies in this country?
Also, the failure to bring in the Sirocco? Overall falling sales figures? Failure to have a competitive Sport Ute? Dealers who charge BMW-like labor rates?
Basically, why does VW do so well in the rest of the world and is completely clueless in the U.S?
February 17th, 2015 at 1:59 pm
John,
You were showing the designs of headlamps and the statement automakers want to make with them. My question is the new headlamps are extremely bright and at times are almost dangerous when driving towards them! Are there limits to the brightness of headlamps? Thanks!
February 17th, 2015 at 2:00 pm
7, 9, 12
Car height wagons and hatchbacks sell well everywhere in the world, except the U.S.A. and Canada. It seems that Americans don’t mind the huge hit in highway mpg they get, for the privilege of driving a tall wagon/hatchback, AKA CUV/SUV, rather than a car.
As far as cargo being “on display,” essentially all current wagons and hatches have a cargo cover which hides cargo from view. I immediately removed the covers from my Prius and MINI, but if I were in a more crime infested area, I would leave them, even though loading cargo is more convenient without them.
February 17th, 2015 at 2:20 pm
I recall back in the day, when I used to live in NJ, there was a rash of thieves breaking into hatchbacks which made the cars unpopular and pushing people into buying cars with trunks instead. Apparently this mindset has continued to this day.
February 17th, 2015 at 2:44 pm
#14 – Yes there are limits on brightness. DOT – FMVSS 108 has very stringent requirements based on location as to minimum & maximum light.
February 17th, 2015 at 2:53 pm
@2
Edmunds.com is probably not such a reliable source these days. It seems that they decided to follow the dudes at Top Gear in their comparison methodology (at least TG does it for entertainment purposes).
Re: https://autos.yahoo.com/news/real-cost-repairing-aluminum-bodied-2015-ford-f-200000641.html
IF they were going to a proper comparison, one would think that they would have used a 2014 (steel) model AND a 2015 (alum) model, used the exact same force to damage to both, and then taken both to “certified” repair shops.
It is getting tougher and tougher to obtain good information these days. Even the so-called industry “experts” seem to be taking far too many short-cuts (and in the end, lose their credibility).
I also understand that some insurance companies have stated that there will be very little change in the make and model rate for the all-new 2015 F-150 (it apparently is going to be in line with that of the 2014 F-150). Maybe that is dependent upon utilization of a certified repair facility?
There is no doubt that light assemblies are getting more complex though: higher tech, larger (combined), and more expensive. But $3,200/ea.? Whoa!
February 17th, 2015 at 2:57 pm
The new Murano’s design is so radical it almost looks like a Mazda. Whether it catches the consumer’s interest will tell with time.
Wagons; I like wagons, but time after time, introduction after introduction, (other then the relatively few faithful), they just don’t sell. The CUV’s are not threatened (at least not for the near future) that I can see.
February 17th, 2015 at 3:02 pm
The styling of the rear side window on the Murano is a little odd but then again maybe the fellow who designed it was responsible for the styling of the Juke. He wouldn’t leave the room until it was approved. His first name could have been Carlos.
February 17th, 2015 at 7:13 pm
I like that wagon. I miss my 88 Taurus wagon. I wish Ford would import the Mondeo Estate car from Europe.
February 18th, 2015 at 8:58 am
#22
Agreed about the Mondeo Estate
February 18th, 2015 at 9:06 am
CR has an article this AM about the inherent problems with these new DI motors that every automaker is so happy to sell us these days, long term use leads to carbon deposits which are very expensive to repair, so while you may save a bit on gas, if you like to hold on to your car till it’s at least paid up, you will incur a lot more expenses to repair this problem.
February 18th, 2015 at 10:47 am
22, 23 I like the Mondeo Estate too, but I understand their not selling it in the US. Most Americans like TALL wagons, never mind the fuel efficiency and handling compromises.
February 18th, 2015 at 10:50 am
24 Non-GDI engines are getting increasingly difficult to find. Honda has some very good ones, but you then have that other maintenance issue, timing belts.
February 18th, 2015 at 11:05 am
So Kit, based on those 2 points,I will stick with Toyo motors for the foreseeable future, no GDI and no timing belts. My Corolla chain has never been replaced.
February 18th, 2015 at 11:24 am
You can’t buy a GDI engine in a Mitsubishi here in the USA.
February 18th, 2015 at 11:38 am
So the Mirage is actually a nice car to get!
February 18th, 2015 at 12:04 pm
In my opinion, yes. They’re finally putting the “sport” in the Outlander Sport by offering the 2.4L four-cylinder. That’s a nice SOHC motor. I have it in our 2006 Outlander LS.
If that Kia wagon turned out to be a “home run” for them, I expect Ford could pull the trigger on the Mondeo Estate pretty quickly here in the USA.
February 18th, 2015 at 6:57 pm
Kit , that maybe so ,but there is also a niche to be filled. They already have the car so bringing it over wouldn’t be that costly for the possible return on it. Virtually no direct competition. What other real wagons are there? The Legacy/outback and Volvo come to mind and not much else.