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RADIO Car & Driver Radio As Co-Host/Hollywood Correspondent, Josh can be heard weekly on this nationally syndicated live, call-in radio program - every Saturday from 6:00am to 9:00am PST. Each week Josh and Alan talk to listeners, review the latest cars to hit the street, and discuss cars on TV in the movies and the crazy car culture in Hollywood. The show is available online streaming live on americaright.org and is available for podcast at www.caranddriver.com. This show is produced live every week from The Peterson Automotive Museum in Los Angeles California. The museum is open to the public and auto enthusiasts and fans are encouraged to say hello to Josh. The Peterson Auto Museum 6060 Wilshire Blvd.(at Fairfax) Los Angeles, CA 90036 Josh's Contributing Blogs for the L.A. Times GM and the Oscars -- What are you riding in? Grammyvoltlauper Ahh the Oscars- an event renown as the 'apex of art' in film-making. With a reputation for liberal mindedness and the world stage, why not show your "green" when it comes to the car you ride in? General Motors decided to take full advantage of the green scene at this year's 80th Annual Academy Awards. The company will feature 75 "fuel friendly" vehicles in a staging area near the Kodak Theater in Hollywood. Although nothing's yet confirmed, stars such as George Clooney, Cate Blanchett, Johnny Depp, Laura Linney, and Daniel Day-Lewis may end up stepping out of one of these vehicles on their way to the red carpet. This, of course, is only a small piece of a larger vision GM has launched to spread the word about their fleet of environmentally conscious cars, trucks and SUV's in Hollywood. They did the same at the Grammy awards -- see the photo above of Cyndi Lauper on the Chevrolet Volt concept. Chevy also joined Disney with "Chevy Rocks the Future." The program has been using a website and sweepstakes to entertain, engage, and educate the "generation neXt" of students and Hollywood personalities by introducing them to GM's environmental solutions and technologies as well as Chevy's gas-friendly to gas-free vehicles. The highlight of the program was an event on Tuesday, February 19, featuring a live performance by the Jonas Brothers, the teen sensations from the Disney Channel series "Hannah Montana," with fellow Disney star Jordan Pruitt opening the concert. The challenge to GM is to now actually build the "Concept Chevy Volt," their much publicized green vehicle which can be configured to run on electricity, gasoline, E85 or biodiesel. That would putting their money where their marketing mouth is. --Josh Hancock VW Touareg, $40,000; "Bourne" adventure road trip, $2,000 Touareg2 Just in time for the DVD release of "The Bourne Ultimatum," the most recent entry in Matt Damon's wildly popular spy thriller series, comes this chance to drive like the star –- and to be pampered like one as well. In the film, Bourne's signature car chase is in a Volkswagen Touareg -- the agile and tough cousin of the Porsche Cayenne. The DVD has a great "making of" section about the chase and Damon's training that car buffs and movie fans alike will love. Although the chase in the movie was through New York City, Volkswagen is offering a chance to do some Touareg racing and off-roading in style. The program is called TouaregAdventure and, naturally, includes a copy of the DVD. But that's just a teaser for the good stuff that's coming: a three-day adventure in a Touareg 2 in Moab, Utah, led by two off-roading experts, amid some of the country's most beautiful natural terrain. And this is where the star treatment comes in: Camping, it ain't, kids. The package includes "an advance welcome kit," single-occupancy resort lodging and meals at the Sorrel River Ranch Resort and Spa, wine with dinner and drinks from the bar. These are luxury spa accommodations. The packages are available for trips between July and October 2008. The cost is $2,000 per person, not including airfare and transfers, but while you're experiencing life as a movie star, you can just ring up your travel agent. Does anyone still have a travel agent? - Josh Hancock Knight in new armor Knightriderkitt There's a new "Knight Rider" two-hour television movie coming soon to NBC (scheduled for Feb. 17), and it's updated in most every way. David Hasselhoff will make an appearance, but the 1982 Pontiac Firebird that was KITT will be replaced with new blood. This is a new time with new technology, and, of course, General Motors no longer makes the Firebird, much to the chagrin of fans of both the car itself and the car as TV star. For the 21st century, KITT (Knight Industries Three Thousand) has new powers and a new voice and is a different car: a Ford Mustang Shelby GT500KR. It now takes two forms and is capable of shifting shape and color, which requires computer-generated graphics and two distinctly designed cars. That means you go from the first design, a stock GT500KR, and morph to the second, the so-called Attack Car. Because there are no GT500KRs yet, the parts had to be shipped to Galpin Ford and its GAS shop in Van Nuys, the home of "Pimp My Ride," for the KRs to be assembled for filming. Famed movie car designer Harald Belker was called upon to design the Attack Car and the modern interior of all the KITTs. I've known and worked with Harald, and when I spoke with him at the KITT unveiling ceremony at the NBC Burbank Studio, I was surprised to hear that he watched "Knight Rider" while growing up in Germany. Evidently, part of that curious Teutonic fascination with the Hoff. Harald designed the Batmobile for "Batman & Robin," the futuristic car for "Minority Report" and the "Cat in the Hat" car, among others. As a fan of the original "Knight Rider" series, he probably knew that the Attack Mustang had to be a very strong design that would excite viewers old and new. The Attack Car and interiors were built by Ted Moser's Picture Car Warehouse. There's also a remote-controlled KITT that can be operated from one mile away, with doors that open and close remotely, this one adapted by the film's special-effects department. There's also a "process car" with driver controls on the roof, so the shots can be cleaner (without the car being towed by a camera truck). Ford and NBC have put a lot into this movie and into KITT. The buzz on press day was their intent to go to series -- the variable is, of course, whether the audience will accept a new KITT and a new cast. We'll see. -- Josh Hancock Aston Martin DBS wins the part in next Bond 54305astAston Martin has announced that Daniel Craig will drive its new DBS in the next James Bond film, scheduled for release next November (working title: "Bond 22"). The Aston DBS is the car that debuted in "Casino Royale" last year with Craig at the wheel; in one memorable stunt scene, the car rolls seven times, making a Guinness world record. The car companies and the product placement firms that represent them line up every time a Bond film is in play. The franchise is a big fish in the world of product placement. It draws both money and unseen prototypes out of the design studios, cars that otherwise are not on the table for other films, no matter how big. Such is the Bond mystique vis-a-vis cars. James Bond has driven other brands -- even a Toyota, when he was in Japan for "You Only Live Twice" (1967) -- but mostly he has been associated with storied English brands. The most glaring recent exception was when Pierce Brosnan drove a BMW Z3 in "GoldenEye" (1995), providing the franchise the chance to introduce a new Bond with a new car. BMW even produced ads for "Tomorrow Never Dies" (1997) using the film's logo, a first that must have upset even the queen. When Craig became Bond, many speculated that he would be given a new ride, just as Brosnan was, to differentiate him from his predecessors and to add promo money and advertising dollars to the studio's coffers. There were a few deals on the table, but the decision was made to reaffirm the Bond heritage as the producers ushered in the Craig era. One important way to do that was to use a signature weapon as important as 007's Walther PPK: his Aston Martin. Tempting financial offers were spurned in favor of a character-driven decision to enrich the film, to which both Her Royal Highness and I say, "Bravo!" Some cars in the new film will be part of placement deals: Keep watching my blog for that story, which I'm not allowed to speak of yet. (Only the producers, the manufacturer, the queen and I know.) I will tell you, however, that the royal, she is not displeased. -- Josh Hancock Holiday gifts for a Hollywood executive: Part 1 PortabletoiletOK, my buddy Colin has listed the best holiday gifts for gearheads, and it's really a great selection. But what do you get that studio executive, power agent or manager that's not only touching but also gives the recipient a competitive edge in Hollywood? Why not Kaneko Sangyo’s portable toilet for use inside the car? (Really!) I’ll bet Ari Emanuel already has at least one. The man seems to be on top of every major deal in Hollywood, so who knows? Maybe this thing is his secret time saver. Kaneko Sangyo states, “The commode will come in handy during major disasters such as earthquakes, or when you are caught in a traffic jam." Seriously -- and we definitely have both here in Los Angeles, so: Bingo! It’s a cardboard toilet bowl (I am not making this up) with a water-absorbent sheet inside. There's even a privacy curtain (you do the visualization). The company says it’s small enough to fit inside a suitcase and costs the equivalent of about $42. How handy. Why not tote it around in a sharp, stylish Louis Vuitton Pegase 70 bag (only $2,740). By all means, have it messengered right over! Honestly -- though this might be a rather practical idea (the john, not the luggage) in this earthquake-prone, traffic-laden landscape we live in, especially thinking of kids and those not taking their bladder-control meds.... Gotta go, gotta go.... -- Josh Hancock 1968 Product placement in 2008? Bullitt_3 What -- yet another Mustang story? Believe it or not, this one takes its cue from 40 years ago, and the question: Can you really sell a car based on a movie from 1968? Ford Motor Co. thinks so. Of course, Ford’s present Mustang body is a modern take on the iconic ’67–’68 model. People ask me whether the folks in Dearborn, Mich., can keep squeezing blood from a stone, offering still more variants of the Mustang. Well, in this case, I think the answer is yes. Because, unlike almost all of the other versions, this one is about understatement, not overstatement -- that is a whole different buyer. It's image, it's the cool factor, and it's McQueen. This is not an unprecedented marketing trick. When the Alfa Romeo Spider was on about its 20th year, the Italian automaker renamed it "The Graduate" after the classic film in which Dustin Hoffman famously drove one up the California coast. It worked, and Alfa got a few extra years out of it. This isn't the first time Ford pulled this particular rabbit out of its hat either. The company made a 2001 Bullitt Mustang edition, just not as good. This is the 2008 Bullitt edition Mustang. You can buy faster Mustangs. The Bullitt is not about that, though I think the package is very well screwed together with slightly more horsepower and suspension and exhaust tweaks. There's only one badge on the exterior of the car -- nothing on the front of the car, not one Ford emblem, not one running horse. I've got to applaud the designers for this bit of understatement. The interior is equally subtle, with upgraded, bolstered seats and a Shelby steering wheel wearing the Bullitt badge. Again, that's the only emblem inside the car, except for the door sills. But that's not what this car is about. This car is about the fantasy of Steve McQueen as Frank Bullitt, the hard-nosed detective. McQueen was elegantly tough -- a great actor, and a real car guy and racer. Often called "The King of Cool," he personified both the rebel and the movie star. McQueen had a passion for cars and bikes that came through on the screen seemingly effortlessly. This car personifies what I love about movies selling cars. When "Smokey and the Bandit" came out, Firebird sales skyrocketed. People were buying Burt Reynolds' outlaw image, and the car reflected that. That's what they are buying with the Bullitt Mustang. Somehow, Mustang people keep connecting with their past. That said, I am not sure they could handle an electric-blue screaming Mach 1 in large numbers -- that might end the variants. -- Josh Hancock Nissan GT-R: The car as star ParisNever mind the A-list celebs. Lately it seems that the newest velvet-rope crasher isn't even human (of course, at times I wonder about some of the stars too)! No, the hottest guest at flashy Hollywood parties is the Nissan GT-R. Last week it was the video game rollout, and this week outdid even that bash. Here's the setup: I'm on a soundstage on the 20th Century Fox lot. It has been transformed into a nightclub with a concert stage. Drinks flowing with lighted ice cubes, photography from legendary rock 'n' roll photographer Jim Marshall hanging on the walls, and there, along with Paris Hilton, David Spade and the rest of the young Hollywood glitterati, a new GT-R is rotating center stage, while DJ Samantha Ronson is spinning. Then came a live performance onstage by Matchbox Twenty. This is one high-ticket party. Gtrnissaneventcut The GT-R event was part of a series of "Nissan Live Sets" on Yahoo Music, and here's the pitch: Have a live performance on this soundstage, attended by the most sought-after paparazzi prey. Stream it live on Yahoo Music and reach millions of people who love music, groove on spotting all the in-crowd celebrities and thus implant the cool factor of Nissan in their heads (in spite of what may have been implanted elsewhere). That's real branding. This led me to wonder why more manufacturers aren't doing this sort of marketing as effectively. How do you get your company on the A-list? This event was perfectly designed to change the hipster mind-set. You have to spend money to get people to consider your product –- and perhaps that is exactly the question that's being over-committeed (a lot of marketing isn't so obviously efficient). Maybe it's about risk taking. The suits in Detroit are all concerned about the concept of return on investment, or ROI. Problem is, parties like this are very expensive, and ROI is difficult to measure from such an event. I talked to a lot of people at the event. Are they buying a GT-R tomorrow? No, they're not, and in fact, they couldn't get one if they wanted. But is Nissan on their list when they do go shop for a car? You bet it is now! When the words "That car is hot" come from the limited, albeit trademarked, vocabulary of Miss Hilton, watch out. L.A. is the cultural fish bowl for marketing automobiles, and the red carpet photo area at the event had the Nissan and Yahoo logos all over it. All those TV stars in attendance will have a Nissan logo in the back of their latest press photos. It's another little item for which ROI can't be quantified. But, for sure, kids in Nebraska (or Newhall, for that matter) are aspiring just to be in the room with the "hot" people, the "hot" cars and the "hot" band. Nissan has done something smart here, and you can't really measure it the way Detroit's MBAs like to measure things. But in the big picture, it is easy to measure overall sales increases versus losses. -- Josh Hancock Need for speed Xbox Here in Hollywood, big premieres can be pretty exciting and glamorous events. But they can also get pretty routine when you're working the beat. But the Nissan GT-R debut at the L.A. Auto Show was a double premiere, and the red carpet was crawling with an unusual number of young hotties. See, it was Electronic Arts' launch party for "Need for Speed," the next generation of its wildly successful video game that features that beautiful GT-R. The original game grossed about $1.8 billion. There was a display of extremely fast modified cars, and inside, there it was: the new Nissan GT-R.... And guess who got to drive it? Well, on a video screen with two thumbs, that is. The next day, I watched Carlos Ghosn, Nissan's chief executive, pull the wraps off the real GT-R at the auto show's press day. (Second major debut this week for the City of Angels.) The real GT-R is the 10th generation of Nissan's legendary Skyline, which until now had never been sold in the States. Topping out at 190 mph, it's truly a super-car: 480 horsepower, 0 to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds, all-wheel drive and a boatload of technology. It's a dream for less than $70,000, and as sexy as the cuties at the video game premiere. EA's "Need for Speed" isn't too shabby either. With its detail so graphic and realistic, I felt terrible when I snapped off my GT-R's side-view mirror, brushing the guardrail. Well, virtually. It hurts a lot less that way. -- Josh Hancock Smart house -- not a dealership, but a concept Smarthouse13_copy Hollywood used the Smart car for a gag in Steve Martin's "Pink Panther" last year. It has also been seen in myriad other films, including "Legally Blonde 2" and "The Da Vinci Code." But the last laugh may be Smart's: Following the lead of such early adopters as the environmentally conscious George Clooney, about 30,000 serious potential buyers are reportedly in line. This quirky little two-seater may be the future, what with a price starting at less than $12,000, comfort for drivers well over 6 feet and that key intangible: It's a car that's, well, just fun to drive. For those wanting to make a new statement about using less, this is an obvious way to make it. The car's marketers are living up to the name -- witness the Smart House. The Smart House (in the lifestyle legacy of the Esquire House) is aimed at the design-minded, forward-thinking buyer. You may not know it, but you will be wanting a smaller car next time out. With gasoline in L.A. nudging the $4-a-gallon mark, it's pretty much a sure thing. And the oh-so-cutting-edge and eco-friendly Smart House is the first step to convey the message to those savvy hipsters who will set the trend. Are you ready to get Smart? -- Josh Hancock De Dylan De Ville DylanpicCadillac is a storied brand that hasn't used celebrity much to push itself. It hasn't needed to; celebrities just always drove the cars. So what imagery now captures the brand? Is it style-power-prestige or muddy roads? Who would have thought that Cadillac would be building trucks, SUVs and a crossover wagon? It used to be simple, "The American Standard for the World" -- so much so that the phrase is still part of the pop culture vernacular. Cadillac is running an ad with Kate Walsh, star of "Grey's Anatomy" and the new "Private Practice," for the new Cadillac CTS. She says, "When you turn your car on, does it return the favor?" She’s sexy, the car is sexy, and it really makes you want to go get one -- now. By the way, it happens to be a great car, and I applaud Cadillac both on the car and the ad. But then there's a totally different approach the brand is taking: Bob Dylan (!) is the new pitchman for the Cadillac Escalade, in a multimedia cross promotion with XM Satellite Radio that has him starring in a TV ad pushing the vehicle, XM and, ultimately, his show on XM. This hardly conjures up traditional GM celebrity endorsements, like Dinah Shore singing "See the USA in your Chevrolet," but then, life has changed and so has Cadillac. But I have concerns about the Dylan ad. Does it draw the buyer to the vehicle? It certainly draws you to Dylan nostalgia, but that recollection seems to run counter to the idea of him driving this SUV at all. It's not an anti-establishment car. I think if Cadillac would just play the first 60 seconds of the opening of "The Sopranos," with Tony listening to Bob, and be honest about who the company is pitching to, it would sell more Escalades. -- Josh Hancock 'Legend'-ary wheels Will Smith stars in Warner Bros.' December release "I Am Legend." Looks to me like the biggest co-star in this one is the bright red Shelby Mustang GT 500, with its signature white stripes. IlegendpicwbSmith plays the sole survivor of an apocalypse, all alone in New York City. So what to drive? Well, if you have the streets to yourself and all the gas there is, why not go for the guzzle? The shots of the Mustang blasting around totally traffic-free New York will be the envy of every urban driver. I lost myself in that dream just with the sound of that car growling through the city streets, forgetting I'd have to fight off those darn pandemic-surviving bloodthirsty mutants. Wait a minute! Where have I seen this before? Oh, yeah This story has been adapted on film more than once. Charlton Heston went through this in the 1971 adaptation of the Richard Matheson novel "The Omega Man." Incidentally, Heston drove a bright red 1970 Ford LTD convertible in that film. Maybe red Fords will survive the apocalypse! My insider's note: There's more reason to support this car choice, beyond its obvious flash.... My insider's note II: Look out for the stealthy customized Expedition. -- Josh Hancock Hollywood and the aftermarket HollywooddempseyIf there's one thing you see in the movies that you can hope to make a part of your life, it is the uniquely customized car. I was just at the huge annual trade show held in Las Vegas by SEMA, the Specialty Equipment Market Assn. There were thousands of booths of everything you can add to a vehicle once you've purchased it. There were Hollywood tie-ins everywhere, some less transparent than others. There sat Jay Leno's 600-horsepower, E85-capable Corvette in the GM display. "Grey's Anatomy" star Patrick Dempsey's customized '66 Mustang fastback was in the Ford booth. The description card next to the car listed "McDreamy" interior components. Dempsey, a big Mustang fan, races them in his spare time. Hollywood influences the automotive world more then you might realize. One of the wildest things this year was a new body. Not just any body but a remanufactured 1967 Mustang body from Dynacorn International. This means you can make your own car from the ground up, or have one made for you. Why pick the '67-'68 body over the original '64 1/2-'66 body? Well, the second generation has a wider engine bay -- able to accept larger engine choices. But the secret may be the interest generated from the number of people wanting to make their own "Eleanor" Mustangs, the car made popular in the film "Gone in 60 Seconds." This is probably one of the most famous movie cars ever. Movie culture and car culture collide again. -- Josh Hancock Audi R8 -- the iron of choice in Iron Man Movie Blogironman Audi's R8 is the new star on Hollywood's A-list, and car-junkies everywhere will cream when they see it. Dan Neil already (accurately) gushed over the R8 in his review, so, I'm here to tell you that now it's time for this car's movie star turn!. Robert Downey Jr. will star in the Paramount Pictures May 2008 release as Tony Stark, AKA Iron Man. It's a major role for an established star like him, but it's a star-making role for the car! I showed the car to both creative types and business types in Hollywood. The questions from each respective group were predictable. Cimg1127The creative bunch wanted to know why the car has a contrasting "patch" running down each side. Audi calls this the "sideblade." However, some body paint colors make the car seem wholly monochromatic. Regardless, the creatives felt the car was not only sexy to look at, but would definitely attract sexy - albeit shallow - hot dates. The suits were all over the price: I couldn't have made this one up: "Why is the car so cheap?" Really. It only starts at $109,000.00, but look at what you get: a six-speed, 420 horsepower mid-engine 4.2 V-8 that goes 0-60 in 4.4 seconds! And that body! They also say this car will get you laid - Oh, yeah, the business guys get straight to the bottom line! But since they feel it is too cheap, well, I propose, in order to make them feel more - shall we say - flush(?) this vehicle should have a sex tax! Guys would gladly pay a stiff tax for a car that's too sexy. Think of it as an enhancement pill. Not that it's the car's potency that needs this, of course! --Josh Hancock APRIL 7TH Formula DRIFT, Streets of Long Beach. Long Beach, CA. Tel: 310-545-2309. www.formulad.com/ MAY 1st Motor Press Guild Lunch Meeting with Johan de Nysschen Executive Vice President of Audi of America www.audi.com JUN 3rd 24 Hours of Le Mans Test Day www.lemans.org AUG 19th Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance Carmel, CA. http://www.pebblebeachconcours.net/ NOV 6th - 7th Motor Press Guild Member Track Day Willow Springs [MORE SOON] NOV 14th - 15th LA Auto Show Press Days [MORE SOON] |
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