2012 Chevrolet Sonic

Chevrolet’s latest subcompact isn’t subar and Cadillac is preparing the upcoming 2013 ATS. Gas prices are falling and Nissan is taking iAds to a new level while the first 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 sells for $250,000. All this and more in today’s car news, right here on TheCarConnection.

We drive the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic and realize this is one subcompact that isn’t subpar.

Here’s a sneak preview of the new version of TheCarConnection.

The latest spy shots of the 2013 Cadillac ATS reveal a touchscreen that will replace some of the dash controls.

Gas prices are falling as the economy stalls.

Nissan takes the Versa iAd to a whole new level on the iPhone by utilizing the built-in gyroscope.

Senator Charles Schumer says “OnStar is committing the most brazen invasion of privacy in recent memory.“

The first 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 sold for $250,000 at the Barrett-Jackson auctions this past weekend.

Here are five green cars we are still waiting for. Will they ever come?

Saudi women can vote in 2015, but still can’t drive.

We take a look behind the disturbing ad campaign for the 2012 Toyota Prius.

Screencap from Chevrolet's 'Chevy Runs Deep' ad

Enlarge Photo

Over the years, Chevy has had some memorable marketing slogans. “Baseball, hot dogs, apple pie and Chevrolet,” for example, conjured up symbolic images of American life, while “like a rock” spoke to the durability of Chevy’s trucks.

“Chevy runs deep,” its most recent attempt at a marketing slogan, is just confusing. Despite the automaker’s attempts to explain how that signifies the long term relationship between the brand and American culture, most Americans simply don’t understand it.

In fact, since the slogan was introduced last year, it’s done nothing to boost showroom traffic. It’s “maintained the brand,” in advertising-speak, which is another way of saying that it’s kept the public from forgetting that Chevrolet builds automobiles.

If you’re playing along at home, it’s easy to lose track of how many ad agencies Chevy has gone through in recent years. Campbell-Ewald, Chevy’s long term agency of record (and the creator of the two memorable slogans referenced above) was kicked to the curb in early 2010, in favor of Publicis. Publicis created the “excellence for all” slogan, which made sense but was hated by chief marketing officer Joel Ewanick.

Publicis lasted just a few weeks as Chevy’s ad agency, which brings us to the automaker’s current slogan generator, Goodby, Silverstein and Partners. They’re the agency behind “Chevy runs deep,” and now they’ll be tasked with reinvigorating the ad campaign to draw customers back into Chevy dealers.

Chevy’s recent string of ad agencies isn’t its only marketing misstep of late. Last year, Chevy spent about 24 hours trying to convince the public to call it Chevrolet, before relenting and saying that Chevy was OK, too. Just last month, Chevy said it wanted to make the brand more like Apple, despite the fact that Apple is marketing driven, while Chevy is market-driven.

If we could make a suggestion, it would be this: get rid of the “Chevy runs deep” slogan, since no one will ever warm up to it. Go back to the days where slogans made sense, and appealed to the sentiments of the consumer. Above all, remember this: high-quality cars at reasonable prices, not advertising jingles, bring customers into showrooms.

The Detroit News

Screencap from Chevrolet's 'Chevy Runs Deep' ad

Enlarge Photo

Over the years, Chevy has had some memorable marketing slogans. “Baseball, hot dogs, apple pie and Chevrolet,” for example, conjured up symbolic images of American life, while “like a rock” spoke to the durability of Chevy’s trucks.

“Chevy runs deep,” its most recent attempt at a marketing slogan, is just confusing. Despite the automaker’s attempts to explain how that signifies the long term relationship between the brand and American culture, most Americans simply don’t understand it.

In fact, since the slogan was introduced last year, it’s done nothing to boost showroom traffic. It’s “maintained the brand,” in advertising-speak, which is another way of saying that it’s kept the public from forgetting that Chevrolet builds automobiles.

If you’re playing along at home, it’s easy to lose track of how many ad agencies Chevy has gone through in recent years. Campbell-Ewald, Chevy’s long term agency of record (and the creator of the two memorable slogans referenced above) was kicked to the curb in early 2010, in favor of Publicis. Publicis created the “excellence for all” slogan, which made sense but was hated by chief marketing officer Joel Ewanick.

Publicis lasted just a few weeks as Chevy’s ad agency, which brings us to the automaker’s current slogan generator, Goodby, Silverstein and Partners. They’re the agency behind “Chevy runs deep,” and now they’ll be tasked with reinvigorating the ad campaign to draw customers back into Chevy dealers.

Chevy’s recent string of ad agencies isn’t its only marketing misstep of late. Last year, Chevy spent about 24 hours trying to convince the public to call it Chevrolet, before relenting and saying that Chevy was OK, too. Just last month, Chevy said it wanted to make the brand more like Apple, despite the fact that Apple is marketing driven, while Chevy is market-driven.

If we could make a suggestion, it would be this: get rid of the “Chevy runs deep” slogan, since no one will ever warm up to it. Go back to the days where slogans made sense, and appealed to the sentiments of the consumer. Above all, remember this: high-quality cars at reasonable prices, not advertising jingles, bring customers into showrooms.

The Detroit News

Screencap from Chevrolet's 'Chevy Runs Deep' ad

Enlarge Photo

Over the years, Chevy has had some memorable marketing slogans. “Baseball, hot dogs, apple pie and Chevrolet,” for example, conjured up symbolic images of American life, while “like a rock” spoke to the durability of Chevy’s trucks.

“Chevy runs deep,” its most recent attempt at a marketing slogan, is just confusing. Despite the automaker’s attempts to explain how that signifies the long term relationship between the brand and American culture, most Americans simply don’t understand it.

In fact, since the slogan was introduced last year, it’s done nothing to boost showroom traffic. It’s “maintained the brand,” in advertising-speak, which is another way of saying that it’s kept the public from forgetting that Chevrolet builds automobiles.

If you’re playing along at home, it’s easy to lose track of how many ad agencies Chevy has gone through in recent years. Campbell-Ewald, Chevy’s long term agency of record (and the creator of the two memorable slogans referenced above) was kicked to the curb in early 2010, in favor of Publicis. Publicis created the “excellence for all” slogan, which made sense but was hated by chief marketing officer Joel Ewanick.

Publicis lasted just a few weeks as Chevy’s ad agency, which brings us to the automaker’s current slogan generator, Goodby, Silverstein and Partners. They’re the agency behind “Chevy runs deep,” and now they’ll be tasked with reinvigorating the ad campaign to draw customers back into Chevy dealers.

Chevy’s recent string of ad agencies isn’t its only marketing misstep of late. Last year, Chevy spent about 24 hours trying to convince the public to call it Chevrolet, before relenting and saying that Chevy was OK, too. Just last month, Chevy said it wanted to make the brand more like Apple, despite the fact that Apple is marketing driven, while Chevy is market-driven.

If we could make a suggestion, it would be this: get rid of the “Chevy runs deep” slogan, since no one will ever warm up to it. Go back to the days where slogans made sense, and appealed to the sentiments of the consumer. Above all, remember this: high-quality cars at reasonable prices, not advertising jingles, bring customers into showrooms.

The Detroit News

Screencap from Chevrolet's 'Chevy Runs Deep' ad

Enlarge Photo

Over the years, Chevy has had some memorable marketing slogans. “Baseball, hot dogs, apple pie and Chevrolet,” for example, conjured up symbolic images of American life, while “like a rock” spoke to the durability of Chevy’s trucks.

“Chevy runs deep,” its most recent attempt at a marketing slogan, is just confusing. Despite the automaker’s attempts to explain how that signifies the long term relationship between the brand and American culture, most Americans simply don’t understand it.

In fact, since the slogan was introduced last year, it’s done nothing to boost showroom traffic. It’s “maintained the brand,” in advertising-speak, which is another way of saying that it’s kept the public from forgetting that Chevrolet builds automobiles.

If you’re playing along at home, it’s easy to lose track of how many ad agencies Chevy has gone through in recent years. Campbell-Ewald, Chevy’s long term agency of record (and the creator of the two memorable slogans referenced above) was kicked to the curb in early 2010, in favor of Publicis. Publicis created the “excellence for all” slogan, which made sense but was hated by chief marketing officer Joel Ewanick.

Publicis lasted just a few weeks as Chevy’s ad agency, which brings us to the automaker’s current slogan generator, Goodby, Silverstein and Partners. They’re the agency behind “Chevy runs deep,” and now they’ll be tasked with reinvigorating the ad campaign to draw customers back into Chevy dealers.

Chevy’s recent string of ad agencies isn’t its only marketing misstep of late. Last year, Chevy spent about 24 hours trying to convince the public to call it Chevrolet, before relenting and saying that Chevy was OK, too. Just last month, Chevy said it wanted to make the brand more like Apple, despite the fact that Apple is marketing driven, while Chevy is market-driven.

If we could make a suggestion, it would be this: get rid of the “Chevy runs deep” slogan, since no one will ever warm up to it. Go back to the days where slogans made sense, and appealed to the sentiments of the consumer. Above all, remember this: high-quality cars at reasonable prices, not advertising jingles, bring customers into showrooms.

The Detroit News

2007 Saturn Sky Red Line Bob Lutz

Enlarge Photo

General Motors has announced that Bob Lutz, former Vice Chairman, will return to GM as a consultant. Lutz will be available to executives and senior leadership on a part-time basis, effective immediately.

Lutz has a lengthy history in the automotive industry, including time at GM (from 1963 through 1971, and again from 2001 to 2010), BMW, Ford, Chrysler and industry supplier Exide. He’s contributed to the development of the Dodge Viper and Chrysler’s LH series cars, the Ford Explorer and the reborn Pontiac GTO (really a badge-engineered Holden Monaro). Lutz has also been behind the development of more recent efforts, including the Saturn Sky/Pontiac Solstice, the Cadillac CTS, the new Camaro and the restyled 2010 Cadillac SRX.

Though most associated with performance cars, Lutz also backed the development of fuel-efficient cars, including the extended-range EV Chevrolet Volt, telling Newsweek in 2008 that, “the electrification of the automobile is inevitable.”

Although Lutz retired from GM in 2010, he has been providing informal consulting services to the automaker since. GM’s announcement doesn’t change much, but it does establish a more formal relationship between the two parties.

General Motors

 Cadillac released a teaser of the show car on Tuesday, and from it we can see elaborate headlight casings, a prominent grille that follows the brand’s recent design language and impressive wheel arches. The doors and body panels appear chiseled, and the lines flow backward. The concept also will be fitted with imposing wheels.

The 2011 CTS-V coupe, which goes into production next summer, will also be revealed in Detroit, following the debut of the CTS coupe at the Los Angeles auto show.

The Detroit auto show was also the stage for the reveal of the Converj concept in 2009 and the CTS coupe concept in 2008.

Cadillac has enjoyed a product renaissance in recent years with the success of the CTS sedan. It was joined by a wagon sibling this year, as well as the redone SRX crossover.