Must be working out well for Hyundai. Then again, I haven't seen the commercials but I've seen several of Pomplamoose's videos now, so it's worked out well for them.
Haven't seen a holiday themed ad in 12 hours. Also haven't watched TV for that long. Hopefully they are over.
I do see Kia is starting to run ads for the new Optima. Worlds better looking than the deformed Sonata, saved for the tacky and cliched fender vents...but one can't expect complete perfection from the sycophantic mainstream car design community.
Lexus ran a number of Christmas commercials last night on Stanford game. As always, they are very classy, touching, as when father took his daughter to find Christmas tree. Then, father and daughter give mother a new red Lexus.
These ads always well produced showing proper homes/houses in background along with suitable size home lot/surroundings.
They did not run, but should update, bring back commercial of young girl getting pony for Christmas in flashback then same girl as woman getting a new Lexus for Christmas today.
I think the houses in the Lexus ads are pretentious...kind of a symptom of the home "trading up" mentality that is linked to a lot of the economic malaise we have today. Other makes don't use the same style, showing actual normal looking middle class housing. But not much is more pretentious than some models of that L....
I liked the one from last season, with the 30-something guy on a big wheel, and then receiving a new ES...makes me laugh just thinking about it. But that wasn't the intention.
It certainly isn't cheap, plus Cadillac never got a Lambda, not sure why.
I guess the old SRX was big enough that it would have overlapped, so Buick got it. The new SRX is smaller but it's too late. GM has 3 current Lambda models and that's not including the discontinued Saturn version.
Exactly, which makes the idea of dangling a $600 gadget in front of a $55K+ car all the more amusing. It'll be very obsolete by the time the note is paid.
I don't know if the truly "rich" will be buying those things...
Seeing as not one of these things has sold yet on this continent (as far as I know), how can the success be judged? I'd hope someone laying out that kind of money on a bland car would be able to have already bought an ipad if they really wanted one.
I'm still smelling Phaeton, but without the pretty interior.
The truly rich won't have anything to do with a Hyundai no matter how plush they make it. This is a car for poseurs and the petty bourgeois who pretend to be wealthy. This is the Equus' perfect customer:
This is a car for poseurs and the petty bourgeois who pretend to be wealthy.
Really? Seriously? You have got to be kidding...
I think you've severely understimated just how far Hyundai has come and the real threat that they pose to the luxury segment. The Equus is a stepping stone that has the potential to shake up the market the same way the LS400 did for Lexus back in 1990.
RWD, big V8 power, luxury touches found in more expensive Benzes, Audi models, even Maybachs, at a fraction of the cost? Features not even offered in any of the above mentioned?
My gosh, even your favorite Cadillac brand doesn't have a flagship that matches it...
A Hyundai anything is a much of a threat to the luxury market as a Toyota LS60, a Smart S600, a Nissan M45, a Honda RL, a Chevrolet CTS-V, a Mini 750il, a Ford MKS, or a Volkswagen A8.
Hyundai was foolish and short-sighted enough to brand it as a Hyundai. Didn't they learn anything from the Phaeton fiasco? I could design and manufacture the most exquisite handbag made of leather and fabrics superior than anything made by Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Coach, Fendi, etc., but what fashionable, wealthy woman of discerning taste is going to want a Lemko bag especially if I was previously known as the manufacturer who provided cheap vinyl purses to stores like Wal~Mart and Target?
I don't buy the "threat" either - from something with no established track record in that part of the market. The Genesis, as nice as it could be, isn't stealing sales from the similarly sized competition. Why would the Equus, a much blander car, do otherwise?
If the car was so solid on merit, would the ipad distraction even be needed?
The Equus with the ipad distraction is like the rich ugly geeky kid with all the social skills of a tapeworm bribing the head cheerleader to go to the prom with him. Good God, you think they'd do something about that front end? That emblem in place of the hokey hood ornament reminds me of when kids in the neighborhood broke the stand-up hood ornaments off of Caddies and Benzes to hang on chains leaving a broken pot-metal stub behind.
I hate to tell you this but there are an aweful lot of "poseurs and the petty bourgeois who pretend to be wealthy" that drive BMW's and MB's. Th richest people I know drive Fords and Chevy's.
I do think that this car will attract some truely rich that want what if offers.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
I don't think it is *that* repulsive, especially now that H wisely de-blinged it to look like less of a Korean mafia staff car, but I just don't see der Zhermans going into a panic. This isn't a reverse-engineered S-class like the LS was, it is just a big comfy bland looking non-handling barge with no prestige.
Hyundai was foolish and short-sighted enough to brand it as a Hyundai. Didn't they learn anything from the Phaeton fiasco?
So do you think that Hyundai should have started a whole new brand name just to market the Equus (Not a fan of the name btw...)? I can see some merit to that idea but with partial ownership of Kia taking up the lower market, the goal of Hyundai seems to be moving upmarket with offerings like the Equus to establish real credibility in the segment just as Lexus did in 1990.
Or... do you discredit this model for the fact that it's not a domestic nameplate...
The thing about the Phaeton that was short-sighted was the fact that VW was pitching a vehicle based on an Audi as an alternative to none other than... the Audi A8. This was due to infighting between the Audi/Porsche/VW management which never seems to be in agreement IMO.
Also, VW went even further trying to differentiate the Phaeton and the Audi with a brand new engine family ("W" series, in the case of the Phaeton a W8) which was really no better than the tried-and-true, time-tested (say that 5 times fast ) 3.0l V6 and excellent 4.2l V8 (Wards best winner) in the Audi. And if I recall correctly, the W8 was terrible gas mileage wise...
I predict the Equus will fair better than the Phaeton. Could be in for a surprise. :shades:
Why didn't they simply follow Lexus' lead? They didn't market their flagship as the Toyota LS400 though the same model was know as a Toyota in the JDM. Heck, Mazda proposed its own luxury brand Amati in the early 1990s. The idea was shelved when the economy soured. One result was the rather attractive 1992 Mazda 929 which was supposed to have been an Amati.
"Equus" alone is a terrible name as it literally means "horse." It also conjures up the bizarre play by that name and the less weird movie starring Richard Burton. Maybe they should've called this car the "Genesis (some alphanumeric)." It would've been a lot better than "Hyundai Equus."
I'm glad the domestics didn't come out with something like this. A bland body with a grotesque front end is something they don't need. If this had been a Caddy, Lincoln, or Chrysler, the critics would've slammed it unmercifully. You, yourself, would've had a field day laughing at the folly of the domestics trying to compete with M-B, BMW, Audi, and Lexus with something as silly as the Equus. If Cadillac wants to pursue a flagship, it should be something like the V-16 concept. If Buick wants to beat the Equus, it can simply build one of its upscale Chinese versions here. I've seen pictures of the Chinese LaCrosse and it's darn nicer looking than the Equus!
The Phaeton is also much prettier than the Equus. It's just sad they called it a VW Phaeton. If you thought the W-8 was complex, the W-12 was fiendishly complex. I pity anybody who bought a Phaeton with either of these engines. They would be repenting their sins if and when something goes awry.
I predict the Equus will fair better than the Phaeton. Could be in for a surprise.
Keep in mind these are very low volume cars, but it already has.
Comparing first months for sale in the USA, Equus did about triple the volume of the Phaeton (and no, that's not saying much).
Equus' first month also beat the Phaeton's 2nd month (after supply had a chance to ramp up) by about 50%.
I see it more as a chauffer-driven limo, though, vs. a large luxury car. The [non-permissible content removed] child of a Mayback and a Lincoln Town Car, perhaps.
So it sounds like the styling is your biggest criticism of the big Hyundai then...
I can understand that but when we look back on the LS400, it had a pretty similar profile as well. No crazy angles, no racy wings or lower cladding, just a classy, purposeful look similar to what Benz had been doing with the E-class up until then.
Your right though, that grill has been met with some serious criticism. either people love it for it's originality or hate it for it's "in-your-face" appearance. I personally like it, it's not a Japanese looking design and I can easily identify it as a Hyundai product.
You are also correct about the complexity of the "W" engines. I think VW has pretty much abandoned the family... I think they turned out to be pretty reliable though, not much in the way of recalls if I remember.
Comments
http://www.autoblog.com/2011/01/01/video-behind-the-scenes-of-hyundais-pomplamoo- se-holiday-commer/
Apparently Hyundai gave them creative freedom. It does match with their usual style.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlhLrzgDlx0
And fintails featured twice, no less.
The American Motors Javelin
This 1969 Javelin ad is also pretty funny.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
I do see Kia is starting to run ads for the new Optima. Worlds better looking than the deformed Sonata, saved for the tacky and cliched fender vents...but one can't expect complete perfection from the sycophantic mainstream car design community.
Those Lexus adds during the Orange Bowl last night got to be a bit obnoxious after a while. :sick:
These ads always well produced showing proper homes/houses in background along with suitable size home lot/surroundings.
They did not run, but should update, bring back commercial of young girl getting pony for Christmas in flashback then same girl as woman getting a new Lexus for Christmas today.
I think the houses in the Lexus ads are pretentious...kind of a symptom of the home "trading up" mentality that is linked to a lot of the economic malaise we have today. Other makes don't use the same style, showing actual normal looking middle class housing. But not much is more pretentious than some models of that L....
I liked the one from last season, with the 30-something guy on a big wheel, and then receiving a new ES...makes me laugh just thinking about it. But that wasn't the intention.
The Enclave is in virtually the same range as an RX, but the holiday ad featured much more average housing. Maybe aspirations vs reality.
A handicap to them everywhere in the world except China, for whatever reason.
I wouldn't call a loaded Enclave "low" in MSRP anyway.
I guess the old SRX was big enough that it would have overlapped, so Buick got it. The new SRX is smaller but it's too late. GM has 3 current Lambda models and that's not including the discontinued Saturn version.
The Kia Soul is winning the toaster battle:
Soul: 67,110 (!)
xB: 20,364
Cube: 20,104
Who believed me?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfJnqbudMzs
I didn't. It's a cool commercial. But appealing to a young hip hop demographic?
Their parents must be co-signing for them.
Closest Hyundai dealer to me had the nerve to put one of their horrible ads on Youtube - this thing make me want to shoot my TV:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JC7lOVw_Fyo
And finally, someone advertising one of these yuppie chariots for what it is...don't tell the driver though, it'd be an ego killer:
:shades:
Check out the fine print - to get that price you have to be active military and a student and pretty much own a unicorn now.
I'm wondering if Hyundai will create some apps for it too. Maybe Happy Rich Birds for the owners laughing all the way to the bank.
I don't know if the truly "rich" will be buying those things...
But putting the manual on the iPad is really a great marketing stroke.
Seeing as not one of these things has sold yet on this continent (as far as I know), how can the success be judged? I'd hope someone laying out that kind of money on a bland car would be able to have already bought an ipad if they really wanted one.
I'm still smelling Phaeton, but without the pretty interior.
Just about everybody I know has more than one cell - shoot, I have two and I just use the pre-paid cells.
Nothing wrong with running commercials for a product that's not on the shelves either, eh?
Building up chatter is a part of any sales strategy.
Keeping up with appearances, as it were.
I wonder if that ipad will have any physical or operating system markings to show where it came from.
Really? Seriously? You have got to be kidding...
I think you've severely understimated just how far Hyundai has come and the real threat that they pose to the luxury segment. The Equus is a stepping stone that has the potential to shake up the market the same way the LS400 did for Lexus back in 1990.
RWD, big V8 power, luxury touches found in more expensive Benzes, Audi models, even Maybachs, at a fraction of the cost? Features not even offered in any of the above mentioned?
My gosh, even your favorite Cadillac brand doesn't have a flagship that matches it...
Hyundai was foolish and short-sighted enough to brand it as a Hyundai. Didn't they learn anything from the Phaeton fiasco? I could design and manufacture the most exquisite handbag made of leather and fabrics superior than anything made by Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Coach, Fendi, etc., but what fashionable, wealthy woman of discerning taste is going to want a Lemko bag especially if I was previously known as the manufacturer who provided cheap vinyl purses to stores like Wal~Mart and Target?
(though, to be fair, the point difference was pretty small, and what did the Lexus in was the high price .. close to $100K, IIRC)
If the car was so solid on merit, would the ipad distraction even be needed?
I do think that this car will attract some truely rich that want what if offers.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
Hyundai had the best bags at the car show today. No decent swag anywhere to stuff in it though.
So do you think that Hyundai should have started a whole new brand name just to market the Equus (Not a fan of the name btw...)? I can see some merit to that idea but with partial ownership of Kia taking up the lower market, the goal of Hyundai seems to be moving upmarket with offerings like the Equus to establish real credibility in the segment just as Lexus did in 1990.
Or... do you discredit this model for the fact that it's not a domestic nameplate...
The thing about the Phaeton that was short-sighted was the fact that VW was pitching a vehicle based on an Audi as an alternative to none other than... the Audi A8. This was due to infighting between the Audi/Porsche/VW management which never seems to be in agreement IMO.
Also, VW went even further trying to differentiate the Phaeton and the Audi with a brand new engine family ("W" series, in the case of the Phaeton a W8) which was really no better than the tried-and-true, time-tested (say that 5 times fast
I predict the Equus will fair better than the Phaeton. Could be in for a surprise. :shades:
"Equus" alone is a terrible name as it literally means "horse." It also conjures up the bizarre play by that name and the less weird movie starring Richard Burton. Maybe they should've called this car the "Genesis (some alphanumeric)." It would've been a lot better than "Hyundai Equus."
I'm glad the domestics didn't come out with something like this. A bland body with a grotesque front end is something they don't need. If this had been a Caddy, Lincoln, or Chrysler, the critics would've slammed it unmercifully. You, yourself, would've had a field day laughing at the folly of the domestics trying to compete with M-B, BMW, Audi, and Lexus with something as silly as the Equus. If Cadillac wants to pursue a flagship, it should be something like the V-16 concept. If Buick wants to beat the Equus, it can simply build one of its upscale Chinese versions here. I've seen pictures of the Chinese LaCrosse and it's darn nicer looking than the Equus!
The Phaeton is also much prettier than the Equus. It's just sad they called it a VW Phaeton. If you thought the W-8 was complex, the W-12 was fiendishly complex. I pity anybody who bought a Phaeton with either of these engines. They would be repenting their sins if and when something goes awry.
Keep in mind these are very low volume cars, but it already has.
Comparing first months for sale in the USA, Equus did about triple the volume of the Phaeton (and no, that's not saying much).
Equus' first month also beat the Phaeton's 2nd month (after supply had a chance to ramp up) by about 50%.
I see it more as a chauffer-driven limo, though, vs. a large luxury car. The [non-permissible content removed] child of a Mayback and a Lincoln Town Car, perhaps.
Hyundai could do volume if they target fleets.
I can understand that but when we look back on the LS400, it had a pretty similar profile as well. No crazy angles, no racy wings or lower cladding, just a classy, purposeful look similar to what Benz had been doing with the E-class up until then.
Your right though, that grill has been met with some serious criticism. either people love it for it's originality or hate it for it's "in-your-face" appearance. I personally like it, it's not a Japanese looking design and I can easily identify it as a Hyundai product.
You are also correct about the complexity of the "W" engines. I think VW has pretty much abandoned the family... I think they turned out to be pretty reliable though, not much in the way of recalls if I remember.