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Buick prepares Super Bowl ad blitz to introduce Cascada

Super Bowl 50 will kick off on February 7, and Buick will use the big game's massive audience to get the word out about the new Cascada convertible. The the broadcast spot will be paired with a humorous digital campaign to advertise the convertible online. Buick hasn't released the 30-second Super Bowl commercial yet, but a teaser image shows that it stars New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham, Jr. and actress Emily Ratajkowski, known for roles in the films Gone Girl and Entourage. The ad is part of the "Experience the New Buick" campaign, which aims to position the brand to appeal to a younger demographic. The brand also has Ellie Kemper, the star of Netflix's hilarious Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and Erin on The Office, to sell the Cascada, Regal, Encore, and Enclave in a new online campaign. She plays an exaggerated version of herself and flirts with a guy who thinks Kemper owns Buick's new convertible. The spot tries to capitalize on the quirky charm of the actor's Kimmy Schmidt character. Buick will cut the longer clip (below) into vignettes for ads on sites like YouTube. Buick spokesperson Crystal Wilson told Autoblog that viewers' reactions to Kemper's commercial have been "totally positive" so far. First-Ever Buick Super Bowl Ad Features Odell Beckham Jr. and Emily Ratajkowski Latest "Experience the New Buick" ad spotlights new Cascada convertible 2016-01-26 DETROIT – Buick's first-ever Super Bowl ad will bring the brand's award-winning "Experience the New Buick" campaign to the biggest night in TV advertising. The campaign launched in 2014 and challenges consumers' false perceptions of the brand. The 30-second spot, scheduled to air during Super Bowl 50, features Buick's all-new Cascada luxury convertible and stars New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and actress/model Emily Ratajkowski. The spot will be the first new Buick commercial to air in 2016, a year where the brand will launch three new products. The Cascada, Buick's first convertible in 25 years, arrives in dealerships in the coming weeks. It features an athletic and sculptural beauty that delivers a distinctive profile, whether the top is up or down. Along with the perception-shifting Cascada, Buick showrooms will soon feature a redesigned LaCrosse sedan and the new Envision, a compact crossover. Both go on sale this summer.

GM is quietly slashing prices on base models

While General Motors' fourth quarter financial figures haven't yet been released, the automaker seems to be weathering a potentially rocky time well, even beating third-quarter projections last year. To keep the climb going, the company is launching new base trims for several popular models that make them cheaper than ever but with tight dealer margins. The new entry-level trims are the Chevrolet Cruze L, Equinox L, GMC Terrain SL and Buick LaCrosse 1SV. Buyers lose some content by picking them, but the prices are slashed. According to Cars Direct, the biggest savings are on the LaCrosse, where customers pay $31,065, plus $925 destination, $2,570 less than the previous base 1SB trim but must accept things like 17-inch wheels and no cargo net in the back. If you're wondering how Buick can remove only a little equipment but cut the price so much, it's because the company also slashed dealer margins. According to Cars Direct, the difference between the invoice and MSRP for the LaCrosse 1SV is only around $150, compared to around $1,350 before. The disparity is even greater for the Cruze with an $81 difference in the prices, compared to about $600 for the LS version. Showrooms are expected to keep very low stocks of these trims, though. "Dealers use such vehicles to get people in the door, but they do not generally want to do high volumes of these strippers. The margins are next to nothing; they don't make much money off these cars," said Ed Kim, Vice President of Industry Analysis for AutoPacific to Autoblog. Dealers are also expected to advertise that these new base trims undercut major competitors. For example, the Cruze L rings up for about $2,320 less than a Honda Civic LX, according to Cars Direct. One potential drawback for buyers is that these models might not be eligible for incentives. While the attractive prices might get customers into dealers, folks may not actually end up driving home with these entry-level models. Kim indicated base trims also make up a small portion of the sales mix. "Consumers aren't asking for stripped out vehicles, even at the low end of the marketplace," he said. Featured Gallery 2015 Chevrolet Cruze View 9 Photos News Source: Cars DirectImage Credit: Chevrolet Buick Chevrolet GM GMC Car Buying Car Dealers Crossover Sedan gmc terrain cheap cars

Car technology I'm thankful and unthankful for

The past few years have seen a surge of tech features in new vehicles — everything from cloud-based content to semi-autonomous driving. While some of it makes the driving experience better, not all tech is useful or well thought out. Automakers who are adept at drivetrains, ride quality and in-cabin comforts often fail at infotainment interfaces and connectivity. From testing dozens of vehicles each year and in the spirit of gratitude, here are three car tech features I'm thankful — and a trio I could live without. Thanks Connected search: This seems like a no-brainer since everyone already has it on their smartphones, but not all automakers include it in the dashboard and as part of their nav systems. The best ones, such as Toyota Entune, leverage a driver's connected device to search for a range of services and don't charge a subscription or require a separate data plan for the car. I also like how systems like Chrysler Uconnect use Yelp or other apps to find everything from coffee to gas stations and allow searching via voice recognition. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto: It took two of the largest tech companies to get in-dash infotainment right. While they have their disadvantages (you're forced to use Apple Maps with CarPlay, for example), the two smartphone-integration platforms make it easier and safer to use their respective native apps for phoning, messaging, music and more behind the wheel by transferring a familiar UI to the dashboard — with no subscription required. Heated seats and steering wheels: I really appreciate these simple but pleasant features come wintertime. It's easy to get spoiled by bun-warmers on frosty mornings and using a heated steering wheel to warm the cold hands. I recently tested a 2018 Mercedes-Benz E400 Coupe that also had heated armrest that added to a cozy luxury experience. Bonus points for brands like Buick that allow setting seat heaters to turn on when the engine is remotely started. No thanks Automaker infotainment systems: Automakers have probably poured millions into creating their own infotainment systems, with the result largely being frustration on the part of most car owners. And Apple CarPlay and Android Auto coming along to make them obsolete. While some automaker systems, such as Toyota Entune and FCA's Uconnect, are easy and intuitive to use, it seems that high-end systems (I'm looking at you BMW iDrive and Mercedes-Benz COMAND) are the most difficult.