Automotive News - September 8, 2008 - (Page 28) 28 • SEPTEMBER 8, 2008 Automakers use driving schools as marketing tools autonews@crain.com Automakers are sponsoring driving schools and off-road events to market their vehicles by letting consumers experience them firsthand. BMW of North America LLC operates a performance center at its assembly plant in Spartanburg, S.C. The center’s activities include a school that offers courses in teen, advanced and high-performance driving. Last year, about 10,000 people took part in the center’s programs, BMW says. Almost 10 percent of the participants also attended touring events sponsored by BMW. The efforts are paying off. In 2007, Since last year, Mazda has been the sole vehicle sponsor of the Skip Barber Driving and Racing Schools. BMW says, 22 percent of people who had attended a performance center event within the past three years bought a BMW vehicle. The cost of attending the events ranges from $495 to $3,995. “We are looking to sell vehicles,” says David Trimble, sales and events manager of BMW’s driving school. “This provides us a way to market them in a nontraditional format.” Ferrari North America Inc. runs a driving program at the Circuit MontTremblant racetrack in St. Jovite, Quebec. The school is modeled after programs in Europe and is limited to current Ferrari owners. Since the school opened in 2006, it SIDELL TILGHMAN Grant W. Repsher has sold out every session. Each basic instructional program, held seven weekends a year, enrolls as many as 18 participants. The advanced program, held four weekends a year, is limited to 12 participants. Andrew Torres, Ferrari’s project manager for driving programs, calls the school “a marketing platform designed to create and maintain the direct relationship between Ferrari and its customers and teach them how to operate these vehicles more proficiently.” Resort activity Driving programs aren’t limited to racetracks. Land Rover North America IN COMPLEX FINANCING, IN-DEPTH MARKET EXPERTISE WINS HANDS DOWN EVERY TIME. sponsors “driving experience schools” at high-end resorts in North America, such as the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, N.C., and the Quail Lodge in Carmel, Calif. Land Rover says it designs the schools for anyone who drives an SUV. Participants can apply the lessons to everyday conditions, the company says. Last year, the schools attracted roughly 10,000 students. “As the SUV became more popular, we wanted a resource available for our owners to show them what their vehicle was really capable of,” says Greg Nikolas, Land Rover’s lead driving instructor. “While we have a common thread throughout the program, each location is very different and draws a very different clientele.” In addition to soliciting word-ofmouth recommendations, Land Rover promotes the schools with online advertising and a DVD to dealers, updated quarterly. Rather than run its own driving school, Mazda North American Operations works with a pre-eminent name in high-performance driver education. Since last year, Mazda has been sole vehicle sponsor of the Skip Barber Driving and Racing Schools. Mazda supplies the schools’ four primary locations with 68 production cars and 147 race cars. “Mazda is setting out to dominate the amateur-racing marketplace,” says George Ayers, president of the Skip Barber schools. “The brand is consistent with the grass-roots level, which is right where we are.” Drivers become buyers Robert Davis, Mazda’s senior vice president of product development and quality, cites “a high conversion rate” of buyers who have driven the company’s vehicles at the Barber schools. He declined to offer a specific figure. “There’s simply no better way to promote the car,” Davis says. Porsche Cars North America operates a driving school at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Ala. A new Porsche program at the Lodge & Spa at Cordillera, near Vail, Colo., focuses on winter driving dynamics and techniques. The “Camp4 Colorado” course is based on a similar Porsche program in Finland. “Putting someone in the seat of the car is a much more dynamic and effective way to promote it,” says Jeff Purner, operations manager of Porsche Sport Driving School. Adds Purner: “You can’t fully appreciate the car until you have put it on the race course (for) the ultimate and most intense test drive, with no speed limits.” c Back to school These automakers sponsor driving schools and off-road events to market their vehicles. COMPANY PROGRAM COST If your business is mobility or transport, we speak your language. Because we understand your industry so well, we create unique financing solutions that match your business requirements perfectly. Act now by calling us on: +49 69 7431-0 www.kfw-ipex-bank.de Land Rover GM BMW Audi Mazda Porsche Ferrari *Includes lodging Source: Companies $225-$850 $400-$5,925 $495-$3,995 $595-$3,495 $999-$2,999 $1,795-$3,495 $8,900-$11,900 * http://www.kfw-ipex-bank.de http://www.kfw-ipex-bank.de
Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Automotive News - September 8, 2008 Chrysler Financial hikes dealer floorplan fees Back in business? Detroit's best bets for cash: Feds, UAW Document fee suits swamp Missouri dealers Honda's family squabble Used truck prices rebound Ford mulls Lincoln compact Toyota delays RAV4 plan Proposed flex-fuel mandate roils industry Chrysler sues consultant over sourcing Cobalt transaction prices are up $775 since April Nissan looks to Mexico for engineering aid To retain truck buyers, Nissan offers more stuff Press: Chrysler is pushing forward on electric cars Leasing falls to 4-year low GM: Currency shift stalled Astra Dealers say they can sell the Republican ticket Industry loans clash with GOP climate Grand Cherokee will get axles from new plant Makers must resist urge to backslide as gas price dips Times are tough outside the U.S., too Chevrolet does tout its small cars Let natural gas power the fuel cell A crash course in collaboration Dodge wouldn't rush the RamBox Plastics are losing cost advantage Suppliers expect to benefit from tougher CO2 rules 'People just want Ford to go' For now, Honda will skip electric vehicles Toyota, Subaru enter race to market electric vehicles China exports squeezed Study: 15% of wrecked autos got washed titles Mercedes megadealer is bullish on luxury Sheehy: 'We are not in business for nostalgia' Automakers use driving schools as marketing tools Dodge smoothes Ram's rough edges â a little Honda touts leasing while others fall back Alysha Webb Study: Nonprime car loans get longer Dealer CPA group picks leader BMW, Edmunds team up on loan site for consumers Va. Honda dealership loses protest bid Judge throws out deceptive-ads lawsuit against Toyota in Arkansas Mo. dealership's protest gets go-ahead Pa. court throws out suit against Ford, dealership Dealers Ross' interiors company pushes into China, India More than a game Nissan's Tavares: Green conference keynoter Quality group seeks to set consulting standards Personnel Dana to shift HQ by Sept. '09 Tenneco to supply Volvo XC60 BMW gets Siemens conveyors IAC to cut 280 jobs in Sweden Polytec to acquire Peguform Metaldyne to sell Italy operation Federal-Mogul to build India plant Beck, Delphi make pact TRW to supply Chinese sedan Auto profits rise in Russia Black Book expands data Hayes Lemmerz cuts losses Ford: Buyouts are a tough sell GM's party plans include production Volt An ice-cold August for auto sales Big drop in Aug. output Lights, camera . . . Volt? In case the roads get too quiet . . . The Insight rides again Lagonda brand will be back Milwaukee road trip: No old pals, but 1 new lesson Choice of Odell seen as Ford vote of confidence in Volvo Dana sort of wins an award Automotive News - September 8, 2008 Automotive News - September 8, 2008 - (Page Introducti) Automotive News - September 8, 2008 - Detroit's best bets for cash: Feds, UAW (Page 1) Automotive News - September 8, 2008 - Detroit's best bets for cash: Feds, UAW (Page 2) Automotive News - September 8, 2008 - Toyota delays RAV4 plan (Page 3) Automotive News - September 8, 2008 - Cobalt transaction prices are up $775 since April (Page 4) Automotive News - September 8, 2008 - Cobalt transaction prices are up $775 since April (Page 5) Automotive News - September 8, 2008 - GM: Currency shift stalled Astra (Page 6) Automotive News - September 8, 2008 - GM: Currency shift stalled Astra (Page 7) Automotive News - September 8, 2008 - Grand Cherokee will get axles from new plant (Page 8) Automotive News - September 8, 2008 - Grand Cherokee will get axles from new plant (Page 9) Automotive News - September 8, 2008 - Grand Cherokee will get axles from new plant (Page 10) Automotive News - September 8, 2008 - Grand Cherokee will get axles from new plant (Page 11) Automotive News - September 8, 2008 - Let natural gas power the fuel cell (Page 12) Automotive News - September 8, 2008 - Let natural gas power the fuel cell (Page 13) Automotive News - September 8, 2008 - Plastics are losing cost advantage (Page 14) Automotive News - September 8, 2008 - Plastics are losing cost advantage (Page 15) Automotive News - September 8, 2008 - Suppliers expect to benefit from tougher CO2 rules (Page 16) Automotive News - September 8, 2008 - 'People just want Ford to go' (Page 16A) Automotive News - September 8, 2008 - Toyota, Subaru enter race to market electric vehicles (Page 16B) Automotive News - September 8, 2008 - Toyota, Subaru enter race to market electric vehicles (Page 16C) Automotive News - September 8, 2008 - Toyota, Subaru enter race to market electric vehicles (Page 16D) Automotive News - September 8, 2008 - For now, Honda will skip electric vehicles (Page 17) Automotive News - September 8, 2008 - For now, Honda will skip electric vehicles (Page 18) Automotive News - September 8, 2008 - For now, Honda will skip electric vehicles (Page 19) Automotive News - September 8, 2008 - Study: 15% of wrecked autos got washed titles (Page 20) Automotive News - September 8, 2008 - Study: 15% of wrecked autos got washed titles (Page 21) Automotive News - September 8, 2008 - Mercedes megadealer is bullish on luxury (Page 22) Automotive News - September 8, 2008 - Mercedes megadealer is bullish on luxury (Page 23) Automotive News - September 8, 2008 - Sheehy: 'We are not in business for nostalgia' (Page 24) Automotive News - September 8, 2008 - Sheehy: 'We are not in business for nostalgia' (Page 25) Automotive News - September 8, 2008 - Sheehy: 'We are not in business for nostalgia' (Page 26) Automotive News - September 8, 2008 - Sheehy: 'We are not in business for nostalgia' (Page 27) Automotive News - September 8, 2008 - Automakers use driving schools as marketing tools (Page 28) Automotive News - September 8, 2008 - Dodge smoothes Ram's rough edges â a little (Page 29) Automotive News - September 8, 2008 - BMW, Edmunds team up on loan site for consumers (Page 30) Automotive News - September 8, 2008 - BMW, Edmunds team up on loan site for consumers (Page 31) Automotive News - September 8, 2008 - Judge throws out deceptive-ads lawsuit against Toyota in Arkansas (Page 32) Automotive News - September 8, 2008 - Pa. court throws out suit against Ford, dealership (Page 33) Automotive News - September 8, 2008 - Dealers (Page 34) Automotive News - September 8, 2008 - More than a game (Page 35) Automotive News - September 8, 2008 - Personnel (Page 36) Automotive News - September 8, 2008 - TRW to supply Chinese sedan (Page 37) Automotive News - September 8, 2008 - TRW to supply Chinese sedan (Page 38) Automotive News - September 8, 2008 - Auto profits rise in Russia (Page 39) Automotive News - September 8, 2008 - Auto profits rise in Russia (Page 40) Automotive News - September 8, 2008 - Auto profits rise in Russia (Page 41) Automotive News - September 8, 2008 - Auto profits rise in Russia (Page 42) Automotive News - September 8, 2008 - Auto profits rise in Russia (Page 43) Automotive News - September 8, 2008 - Auto profits rise in Russia (Page 44) Automotive News - September 8, 2008 - GM's party plans include production Volt (Page 45) Automotive News - September 8, 2008 - GM's party plans include production Volt (Page 46) Automotive News - September 8, 2008 - An ice-cold August for auto sales (Page 47) Automotive News - September 8, 2008 - An ice-cold August for auto sales (Page 48) Automotive News - September 8, 2008 - Big drop in Aug. output (Page 49) Automotive News - September 8, 2008 - Dana sort of wins an award (Page 50) Automotive News - September 8, 2008 - Dana sort of wins an award (Page 51) Automotive News - September 8, 2008 - Dana sort of wins an award (Page 52)
For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.