French automaker Renault is a major player in the popular compact car segment in Europe, and its main bid for sales supremacy is the Megane lineup. Going up against the likes of the Volkswagen Golf and Ford Focus (Euro-spec, of course) means that the Megane must be offered in a variety of body styles, of which the coupe and the all-important hatchback debuted last Fall at the Paris Motor Show. Up next? A four-door sedan, as seen in these spy shots almost completely covered up in drag. This same platform is also expected to spawn a crossover utility vehicle and a classic wagon. Each of the Megane models will be powered by the buyer’s choice of gasoline engines ranging from 100 to 180 horsepower, or diesels packing between 85 and 150 horsepower. Enthusiasts can also look forward to the impending release of the Megane RS hot hatch, which is slated for the Geneva Motor Show in March.

This Sunday, Hyundai will debut five new 30-second spots before and during the Super Bowl featuring the Genesis Sedan, Genesis Coupe and the sultry sounds of Billy Corgan and Jimmy Chamberlin from Smashing Pumpkins. We’ve already mentioned the Rhys Millen ad dubbed “The Epic Lap,” but the four other spots, have remained a mystery… until now.

Hit the jump to view the Pikes Peak veteran and Formula D champ flogging the Genesis coupe, along with the other four spots, “Angry Bosses,” “Columns,” “Commitment” and “Contract.”

PRESS RELEASES

Hyundai expands advertising on super bowl sunday with “kick-off show” sponsorship

Hyundai Ads Feature “2009 North American Car of the Year” Winner Genesis Sedan, “Hyundai Assurance,” and All-New Genesis Coupe

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., Jan. 27, 2009 – Hyundai Motor America will kick-off Super Bowl advertising with a sponsorship of NBC’s Super Bowl XLIII “Kick-Off Show” airing Sunday, February 1, 2009. The sponsorship package includes naming rights and three 30-second spots preceding the game. Hyundai also has two 30-second spots planned for in-game coverage, bringing Hyundai’s total exposure during the nation’s most-watched sporting event to five 30-second advertising slots.

Hyundai and creative agency Goodby, Silverstein & Partners developed five new ads to fill each Super Bowl Sunday advertising segment. The spots focus on three distinct messages: Hyundai’s next exciting model introduction, the 2010 Genesis Coupe launching this spring; Hyundai’s newest consumer program called “Hyundai Assurance;” and the Genesis sedan’s “2009 North American Car of the Year” honor.

Honoring its all-new flagship sedan, the pre-game show will be named the “Kick-Off Show Presented by the Hyundai Genesis, ‘2009 North American Car of the Year.’” One pre-game spot will pay tribute to the Genesis sedan, while teasing the Genesis Coupe. The Genesis Coupe debut, which features a soundtrack scored and performed by Billy Corgan and Jimmy Chamberlin from rock band Smashing Pumpkins, will set the tone for kick off when it airs just before game time. A new spot featuring “Hyundai Assurance” will round out Hyundai’s pre-game advertising.

Hyundai’s two in-game positions include one second-quarter spot (7Z) and one third-quarter spot (20A). Hyundai has selected another ad featuring the Genesis Sedan’s “2009 North American Car of the Year” win titled “Bosses” for the second quarter slot. The third quarter slot will feature the Assurance Program with a new ad called “Contract.”

“In any given year, I’d be happy to have one of these three stories to include in Super Bowl advertising, so this is like a perfect storm,” said Joel Ewanick, vice president, Marketing, Hyundai Motor America. “We feel that the collection of ads strike the right emotional tones, blending enthusiasm, honesty and a little humor to share the great news about Genesis sedan, debut Genesis Coupe and communicate our most timely value proposition, Hyundai Assurance.”

Hyundai Genesis took top honors in the most exclusive award in the North American auto industry when it was named “2009 North American Car of the Year” on January 11, 2009. A jury of 50 independent automotive journalists evaluated all the new cars introduced last year and chose the 2009 Hyundai Genesis as the best new model.

The Genesis Coupe’s advertising debut sets the perfect tone for kick off featuring a musical performance by Smashing Pumpkins lead singer Billy Corgan and drummer Jimmy Chamberlin. Precision driving is performed by Rhys Millen, a Pike’s Peak world record holder, Formula-D champion and professional driver. Genesis Coupe will be the second-consecutive all-new Hyundai model introduced on Super Bowl Sunday, following the Genesis sedan’s debut last year. The campaign includes an online component at www.EditYourOwn.com which allows visitors to create their own version of a Genesis Coupe ad, to be shared with friends and posted to social networking sites.

Hyundai Assurance offers to repurchase any new Hyundai leased or financed if the owner unexpectedly looses his/her income. Advertising for Hyundai Assurance broke January 3 and 4, 2009 during National Football League playoff games and is showing strong consumer interest in its initial weeks. For full details about Hyundai Assurance, visit: www.HyundaiAssurance.com.


Smashing Pumpkins Scores Soundtrack for New Sport Coupe Introduction

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., Jan. 27, 2009 – Hyundai Motor America enlisted Smashing Pumpkins lead singer Billy Corgan and drummer Jimmy Chamberlin to provide a rock soundtrack befitting the all-new Genesis Coupe in its debut national advertising campaign. The Smashing Pumpkins band members and cellist Yo-Yo Ma will each perform songs to accompany uniquely edited 30-second spots, tailored to their brand of music by editor Hank Corwin. Hyundai selected the Smashing Pumpkins spot to be featured immediately before the kick off of Super Bowl XLIII on Sunday, February 1, 2009. Hyundai has a total of five 30-second spots – three during NBC’s “Kick-Off Show” and two in-game spots during the Super Bowl broadcast. The Yo-Yo Ma version will debut in the coming weeks.

The two spots share the same theme, “The Epic Lap,” but each offers a distinct perspective of Hyundai’s newest offering to highlight both its fluid design and track-worthy performance. Precision driving performed by Rhys Millen, a Pike’s Peak world record holder, Formula-D champion and professional driver, is choreographed to music performed by both artists.

Smashing Pumpkins scored a new track titled “FOL,” to serve as the soundtrack for its version of “The Epic Lap.” Yo-Yo Ma’s version will feature a beautiful solo of “Gigue” from Bach’s Suite No. 3 in C Major.

“The combination of Hyundai’s exciting new Genesis Coupe matched with music performed by Smashing Pumpkins offers the perfect ‘kick-off’ to Super Bowl advertising,” said Joel Ewanick, vice president, Marketing, Hyundai Motor America. “From rock to classical, our Genesis Coupe ads demonstrate the two personalities of the car, which was designed for all types of driving enthusiasts.”

Genesis Coupe follows in the footsteps of the recently named “2009 North American Car of the Year” Genesis sedan, sharing its rear-wheel drive architecture and independent rear suspension sure to appeal to true driving enthusiasts. The Genesis Coupe offers a 30-mpg, 2.0-liter model with a low-pressure intercooled four-cylinder turbocharged engine producing 210 horsepower, and a 3.8-liter V6 Track model with 306 horsepower and massive Brembo brakes.

Hyundai’s Genesis Coupe ads were shot at Road Atlanta in northeast Georgia and feature racecar driver Millen testing the upper limits of the car’s awesome abilities on the 2.54-mile, 12-turn world class road course.

“The Epic Lap” was created by Goodby, Silverstein & Partners. Hyundai will also offer consumers an opportunity to edit their own version of “The Epic Lap” at www.EditYourOwn.com, which can be posted to social networking sites and shared with friends.

HYUNDAI GENESIS COUPE HIGHLIGHTS

Shares rear-wheel-drive architecture with Genesis sedan, the “2009 North American Car of the Year”
Hyundai’s first rear-wheel drive sport coupe
306-horsepower from enhanced 3.8-liter V6
Standard 210-horsepower turbocharged, intercooled inline four cylinder
Genesis Coupe arrives in the spring of 2009 as a 2010 model

MINI’s going to be busy over the next few months, with new product debuts already scheduled for Geneva (the MINI One Clubman) and Frankfurt (MINI Crossover). If the rumors are correct, you can add one more to the mix, as the John Cooper Works edition of the new convertible looks to join its fixed-head stablemate at the Geneva Motor Show in March. As in the JCW hardtop, the ragtop version will be blessed with a more powerful version of the Cooper S model’s turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine, which can send its 211 horsepower and 192 lb-ft of torque to the front wheels through either an automatic or manual shift gearbox, each with six forward ratios. As with the hard-hat JCW, an overboost function allows for a torque peak of 207 lb-ft for a short period of time of quick bursts of acceleration.

Chassis improvements include new 17-inch alloys (with optional 18-inchers), an upgraded brake package and standard sport suspension. Of course, no upgrade package would be complete without a few visual modifications, and the JCW delivers with a revised front fascia, aero kit and plenty of badging inside and out. Want one? Expect to pay at least 30K for the privilege.

Few topics have set the Autoblog commenting system on fire more than the Nissan GT-R. And once stories began to surface about Godzilla’s gearbox grenading when customers invoked the power of launch control, it was like a Hateraid atom bomb had gone off below the fold. Well folks, strap on your riot gear and grab a stick of C4. Nissan’s in the news again, officially addressing the GT-R’s gearbox failure and rolling out a new software program to mitigate the problem.

According to the dealer directive (below) and a subsequent report by InsideLine, Nissan has begun implementing a software change on around 50 GT-Rs awaiting dealer delivery, along with “vigorous encouragement” for current owners to bring their vehicles in for reprogramming. The onboard computer modification will supposedly offer “acceleration similar to that with the current launch control,” but will do so without disabling the Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC). At launch, revs will be reduced from 4,500 rpm to somewhere between 3,000 and 3,500 rpm and the clutch engagement has been reprogrammed to limit driveline stress. And this isn’t just for Stateside GT-Rs. All the vehicles sold from here on out, no matter the country, will use the revised programming.

Nissan North America’s chief of product public relations, Scott Vazin, told IL that the situation, “…has been blown way out of proportion.” And according to Nissan, less than 1% of the vehicles – between 16 and 19 cars out of the 1,750-1,800 GT-Rs delivered to customers in the U.S. – have been affected. Furthermore, Nissan is sticking to its guns about disabling VDC, making it clear that the only time the system should be turned off is when the vehicle is stuck in the mud or snow. To make sure that point is driven home, a revised customer disclosure form will be required for all new GT-R sales from this point forward.

The dealer bulletin is below and… well… you know what to do in the comments.

DEALER DIRECTIVE

Nissan has enhanced the Model Year (MY) 2009 GT-R by incorporating new MY 2010 programming that will optimize clutch engagement control for improved drivability. This upgrade also improves vehicle acceleration with the Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) ON/activated.

Nissan will provide this MY 2010 specification upgrade to MY 2009 GT-R owners at no additional cost. Nissan has already incorporated this programming into the GT-R vehicles in its U.S. inventory and will resume shipping of those vehicles to dealers. We will advise you soon on how to install this new program into all MY 2009 GT-Rs (see below).

The GT-R will continue to offer supercar characteristics of exceptional handling, maneuvering and overall driving experience. This upgrade provides the consumer improved drivability and enhanced acceleration performance with VDC ON (as required by the warranty). Standing acceleration capability with VDC ON (VDC-R mode) will improve compared to the original model year 2009 performance while such acceleration with VDC OFF will be moderated. Customers should be reminded to drive safely and obey all traffic laws. [Please note independent media reports of 0-60 drive times with VDC OFF (or what the media call "Launch Control") on closed courses with professional drivers will likely increase after this change.]

The GT-R Owner’s Manual expressly warns against driving with the VDC OFF (except to free the vehicle when stuck in mud or snow) to avoid damage. Repeated acceleration launches with VDC OFF have resulted in some reported instances of damage to the transaxle. Repairs for damage caused by driving with VDC OFF are expressly excluded under the terms of the Nissan GT-R New Car Limited Warranty. Except when stuck, there is no reason to drive with VDC OFF.

This change was initially implemented with the start of MY 2010 GT-R production and has been completed for all 2009 GT-Rs still in NNA inventory… In a few weeks, you will receive the Technical Service Bulletin explaining how to implement this specification change for all remaining 2009 GT-Rs…

Attached is a REVISED Customer Disclosure Form With Modification Notice, which must be used with all customers who buy or take delivery of a MY 2009 GT-R.

According to BMW, the reception to its MINI Crossover Concept from the Paris Motor Show was so positive that the automaker approved the project for production in 2011 just four weeks after it debuted. The production version of the jacked-up MINI CUV is slated to be unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September, which is right on schedule with earlier projections. Don’t expect to see the concept’s trick rear doors or the side-hinged driver’s side portal on the production model, which will instead rely on four normal front-hinged openings and a standard tailgate. Also on the menu is an optional four-wheel drive system complete with low range when drivers want to tackle the Rubicon, which is, of course, never.

According to sources at MINI, the car will retain the brand’s trademark kart-like handling, in spite of the ample ground clearance and meaty rolling stock that will be required on a vehicle with off-road intensions. In any case, the biggest MINI won’t come cheap. Expect the 2011 MINI Crossover to pick up where the current range lets off, with a base price of around $29K. MINI also promises a full range of available options, so consider that figure nothing more than a vague starting point for the customizers among us.

And so, we arrive at the post-reboot Knight Rider era, also known as garbage time, wherein the leftover players run out the clock to cancellation. Tonight’s episode, written and directed by showrunner Gary Scott Thompson, the architect of this disaster, is called “Exit Light, Enter Knight.” Metallica’s lawyers are on line two, Gary.

The synopsis, via KR Online:

BAIT AND SWITCH–Mike jumps into the thick of a bank heist and tries to stop it, but instead becomes one of the robbers’ hostages. Oddly, the robbers do not seem interested in the bank’s money. Apparently, they have a specific plan that includes the safe deposit boxes and the husband of one of their hostages. Unable to communicate with KITT and his team, Mike tries to enlist the help of the other hostages to stop the robbers from escaping. Unfortunately, one of the so-called hostages is one of the robbers, which makes Mike’s job even more difficult.

Porsche has released photos of the new 2010 911 GT3 ahead of its official debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March and the revised model features a host of upgrades that make it even more potent than its predecessor. The naturally aspirated flat-six has been enlarged to 4.0 3.8 liters, and now produces 435 horsepower good for a 0-100 km/h sprint in 4.1 seconds and a top speed of 193 mph. Handling is improved as well, with a modified stability management system that allows for graduated settings for both stability and traction controls, along with enlarged carbon ceramic brakes that improve stopping distances. On the outside, the GT3 gets several subtle revisions including a redesigned rear spoiler, more angular LED taillights, new bi-xenon headlights, modified air intakes on the front bumper, and a new front spoiler that can be adjusted from the cockpit.

PRESS RELEASE

NEXT GENERATION PORSCHE 911 GT3 TO MAKE WORLD DEBUT IN GENEVA

Improved Aerodynamics, Suspension, Braking Distinguish 2010 GT3 ATLANTA — January 29, 2009 — Porsche will launch the fastest, most powerful 911 GT3 to-date at the Geneva Motor Show on March 3, 2009. The high performance GT3 is the latest in the new generation 911 series and carries over a wide range of expertise learned from motorsports – resulting is superb capabilities both on road and on track.

New Engine
The 2010 Porsche 911 GT3 raises the performance bar thanks to an increase in engine size to 3.8 liters and VarioCam technology now on both the intake and exhaust. The naturally aspirated six-cylinder boxer engine develops 435 bhp, 20 bhp more than its predecessor.

The new, larger engine offers a significant increase in torque at medium engine speeds, which is particularly important for everyday driving. Track performance is also improved; the new GT3 accelerates to 60 mph in 4.0 seconds and reaches a top track speed of 194 mph.

Improved Suspension
Driving dynamics have also been enhanced, and the new GT3 offers even better grip and stability. Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) has enabled Porsche’s engineers to make the springs and anti-roll bars stiffer, thus ensuring even more precise handling in sport mode, while retaining a level of comfort suitable for everyday use in normal mode. For the first time, the 911 GT3 comes standard with Porsche Stability Management (PSM), with suspension mapping mirroring that of the GT2. The driver can disengage both stability control and traction control in separate steps.

Refined Aerodynamics
At high speeds, aerodynamic improvements have increased downforce at both the front and rear, more than doubling the effect of the previous GT3. At the same time, the new aerodynamics package, with larger vents in the front and rear bumpers gives the GT3 a brand-new look, accentuated by standard bi-xenon headlights, LED rear light clusters and modified air intakes and outlets.

Innovative Engine Mounts
The new GT3 will be available with new and highly innovative dynamic engine mounts. Utilizing magnetic fluid, these inventive mounts automatically stiffen to create a more solid coupling between the engine and chassis when the car is driven energetically. This provides a sporting, rigid assembly on fast bends and winding racetracks yet allows for engine isolation and increased comfort while driving in everyday traffic. Traction is also improved when accelerating from a standstill.

Upgraded Brakes
With driving dynamics and performance at an even higher level, the brake system, following a long Porsche tradition, has also been enhanced accordingly. Brake discs are larger and feature an aluminum hub to reduce weight. Increased brake ventilation ensures a high level of brake power over long periods, and the GT3 can also be equipped with PCCB ceramic brakes, developed specifically for this model.

Creative Front End Lift
A new lift system for the front axle is also available. By utilizing an on-board air compressor, the front of the car can be raised for steep driveways or inclines. A the touch of a button raises the front ride height by 30 mm, or 1.18 inches and at speeds up to approximately 30 mph. New, lighter GT3 specific center lock wheels and ultra-high performance tires round out the functional and visual enhancement of the GT3.

The 2010 Porsche 911 GT3 will be available in the fall of 2009, MSRP $112,200 US.

Government assistance for cleaner cars may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but there was a lot of hybrid/plug-in hybrid tax credit news yesterday, from a potential $5,000 incentive in Texas to the $3,400 tax credit now available for the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid. There is also talk about the U.S. Senate doubling the PHEV tax credit to 500,000 units. Sounds good to us.

European car ads are always mentioning how many grams of CO2 a car emits because more than twelve European countries tax drivers based on those emissions. Germany, home to a cadre of automakers for which CO2 parsimony is not a prime consideration, has held out from the carbon dioxide taxation scheme, until now. The leading government coalition has finally agreed on a plan to tax CO2 output.

The only problem is that it doesn’t really change much of the scheme already in place, and it’s hit-and-miss. This, naturally, has Germany’s environmental parties calling foul, yet the nation’s domestic producers like VW, Audi, Porsche, Mercedes, and BMW initially gotten the government to consider lowering the taxes on gas guzzlers. In that light, the new taxation proposal could be seen as a victory, albeit a small one.

As it stands, the yearly tax will be calculated based on engine size and emissions, and smaller-engined, cleaner vehicles will pay less tax. An Opel Agila owner with a 1.2-liter engine and 120 gm/km would save €75, nearly a 40% discount from the current system. The owner of a V12 Audi Q7 wouldn’t pay any more under the new regulations; however, someone buying a Mercedes GLK — with a 3.5-liter V6, the biggest option available — would pay 4.7% more.

The new taxing system will go into effect July 1 of this year. Although it now brings Germany into line with a majority of its European partners, if the greens have anything to say about it the issue is nowhere near being put to rest.

Somebody get the record player out and put on Al Stewart, because this is turning into The Year of the Cat. The English marque just showed off the new XFR and XKR, a slightly modified XFR broke the company’s speed record formerly held by the Jaguar XJ220, and chatter suggests that the automaker is working on a new supercar. On top of all that, the Jaguar XF 2.7 V6 Diesel Luxury has won the What Car? magazine award for Best Executive Sedan for the second year in a row.

The XF didn’t just beat cars from its own class, it beat the best buys among executive sedans in higher and lower price brackets. The other challengers were the best sedan buy under £30,000 (around $42k USD), the BMW 520d SE, and the best buy over £35,000 (around $49k USD), the Mercedes Benz CLS 320 CDI. The Jag walked it for being “beautiful to look at, brilliant to drive, an event to be in, and worth every penny of its running costs.” Which means that if the 2.7-liter could take the award two years in a row, with the new 3.0-liter coming on line this year the XF might be a good bet for the trifecta come 2010.