Filed under: Hybrid, Chevrolet, GM, Saturn
Malibu, Vue hybrid Superbowl ads might not air because of low inventory
Super Bowl XLII airs Sunday (Feb. 3) and GM is debating if it should air ads for the Chevrolet Malibu and Saturn Vue hybrids in the iconic event. "The debate we're having is we're not sure we'll have enough inventory [of the new hybrids] on February 3 to warrant running an ad for them during the Super Bowl. ... We don't want to frustrate consumers," GM spokeswoman Ryndee Carney tells InsideLine. Nissan, Audi, Hyundai and Toyota will also air ads this Super Bowl but not for hybrids. Toyota, for example, will air ads for the Sequoia SUV and new Corolla.
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[Source: InsideLine]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
pedmac 10:51AM (1/30/2008)
is the low inventory due to what? not enough batteries being supplied by cobasys .. ? or too many sales ? any explanation for low inventory?
i understand cobasys the hybrid battery supplier for both of these models.. is in arbitration or should i say that energy conversion devices and chevron technologies the parent companies jv is in arbitration..
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Michael 2:16PM (1/30/2008)
I can't imagine there's suddenly going to be a rush on the GM hybrids just because of the Superbowl ad. But then again, since they only sell about 100 a month, the supply is extremely limited.
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Ron Fischer 3:48PM (1/30/2008)
Of course, gasoline prices dropping almost 30 cents a gallon (e.g. in Los Angeles) in the last few weeks could also have something to do with this. In other words, GM says: "There are better uses for our advertising dollars." The winds of change are blowing (recession).
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Rick 6:39PM (1/30/2008)
It's a good call. GM doesn't want 30 million people running out and trying to buy a hybrid because they might have caught a 30 sec ad for a car they didn't care for before the ad aired!
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Lascelles Linton 1:14AM (1/31/2008)
pedmac, I would guess a combination of things. Mild hybrids don't offer much improvement, they don't advertise it, they don't have much demand and they don't make many of them. I did try to contact Carney anyway.
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Owain Ozymandias Buck 8:08AM (1/31/2008)
If the cost of the mild hybrid system is so negligible, why don't they add it to the base Models? That might have been a good marketing tool--they could say "Thanks to hybrid technology, now all of our cars have a little better efficiency." Every four cylinder Malibu should be mild hybrid with no gaudy Look-at-me badging.
Could it be a battery supply issue?
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