2012 Tesla Model S & Model X Overview

The BRANDInsider crew traveled to Fashion Island in Newport Beach,  California to see the latest model updates from Tesla Motors Inc. Fashion Island is home to Tesla’s OC retail showroom. We had the rare opportunity to interview George Blankenship, VP of Sales and Ownership Experience. George gave BI the inside scoop on a wide variety of topics about their products, the Model S and coming soon to production the exciting new Model X featuring the Falcon Wing door design.

Innovating the Car Buying Experience

Tesla is at the forefront of changing the traditional way customers buy vehicles. According to Blankenship, Tesla’s goal is to not “sell you” a vehicle but to help the customer make the right purchase they want to make. George says that Tesla’s  goal is to create a positive, helpful process that becomes an enjoyable experience like going into an Apple store and buying something you want rather than something that was sold to you. Innovating the buying process is in line with their objectives to innovate the auto industry purchase process that is a hundred years old. Customers should leave happy and feel good every time they have an experience with Tesla, whether it’s the product, the people or the process.

Doing the impossible

When Tesla announced they would build the first electric-powered vehicle that could travel over 200 miles, people said, “its impossible”, and then Tesla did it, according to Blankenship, and we are doing it again with the Model S and Model X. Tesla Motors gained widespread attention by introducing the Tesla Roadster, the first fully electric sports car in 2010. The Roadster, which is currently sold out in North America, was the first to offer a supercar performance without supercar emissions. The zero-emissions Roadster can drive 245 miles per charge. The Roadster’s AC induction motor and single speed gear box create instant torque from 0 rpm. With 300 horsepower the car smoothly accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds.

Model S

Tesla’s newest Model S will be released in June, a month before its scheduled release. At the Tesla event in Newport Beach, they previewed four Model S Betas – One in each Signature color: Signature Red, Pearl White, Silver and Black. During the event guests were able to experience the Model S interior and view a demonstration of the in-dash 17″ touch screen. When equipped with the 85-kWh lithium-ion battery pack, the 2012 Tesla Model S provides “greater than 300 miles per charge using the 2-cycle EPA test procedure guidelines,” according to Tesla chief executive officer Elon Musk.

Recently, Tesla Motors posted data of its independent testing of the Model S. According to Tesla, the 85-kWh version of the Model S is “expected to achieve 250-350 miles of range during constant-speed highway driving at 50-70 mph,” provided that these conditions are met: constant speed, flat ground, no wind, climate control OFF, 300 pounds of vehicle load, windows up, sunroof closed, tires inflated to recommended pressures, battery pack less than one year old.

Model X

The Newport retail store event also featured the Model X which according to Blankenship will run under the same platform as the Model S. The Model X will feature a first of its kind passenger door called Falcon Wings which have hinges on the top and open upward, rather than sliding sideways like the doors of typical minivans. Tesla expects to begin production of Model X in late 2013, and have them ready to be delivered in early 2014.

 

Exceeding Expectations

As Blankenship tells BI, Tesla is all about creating vehicles that people will be excited about. Customers will find Tesla primarily through their website, social media exposure, special events and word of mouth. and become product enthusiasts. Tesla’s marketing approach does not target a specific demographic and believe the vehicles will appeal to buyers for different reasons like design and style, performance, and eco- friendly transportation approach to the planet.

We want to hear from you! What feature about the Model S do you like best? What are your thoughts on the in-dash 17 inch touchscreen? Too big or just right? Share your comments below and don’t forget to share/like/ and subscribe!

Top 5 Branding News of the Week – May 11

Happy Friday BRAND Insiders! Here are the top five branding news of the week! As always share your comments and let us know what would you guys want to see in future episodes

• Nordstrom Is Tops In Luxury Brands – via Marketing Daily

• Who Are the Top Retailers on Social Media? [INFOGRAPHIC] – via Mashable

• It’s Mama Logo Time [Lifetime Channel’s New Logo] – via Brand New

• Bing and Facebook Team Up to Take on Google in Social Search – via Advertising Age

• Quiznos launches new menu and branding – via Nation’s Restaurant News

Ad of the Week:

Jeffrey Hayzlett – Adapt, Change, or Die Part II – V

Jeffrey Hayzlett, former Kodak CMO and bestselling author, joins BRANDInsider to talk about his latest book, Running the Gauntlet. In part II of our series, Hayzlett discusses the importance of driving through fear to make an impact in business and marketing. Leaders should recognize and take calculated risks. In part III he describes how a company is only as strong as its weakest link. This can be a customer, vendor, person or process that needs to be evaluated. Marketing and business leaders can learn about how to manage better and those just starting out can see how to be the strong link that companies want to keep.

Hayzlett emphasizes in part IV the importance of listening in management and leadership. He also shares an example of how it is critical to guide your team towards the place you want to go (and how to keep them from going back to the place you don’t want to go). In our last segment of our series Hayzlett discusses the four E’s:

• Engage,
• Excite
• Educate and
• Evangelize

Also, he touches on how ROI is different in social media. Lastly, he goes over the difficulty of driving change.

We want to hear from you! Share your thoughts and comments!

2013 Mazda CX-5 Spotlight & SKYACTIV Technology

BI spotlights Mazda and their new engine technology that will drive them to the future. John Abel , Marketing Director for Mazda North American Operations shares insight about the new 2013 CX-5 model and the integration of their SKYACTIV® Technology.

2013 Mazda CX-5

The CX-5 is the first to feature the new KODO – Soul of Motion Design that was first shown in the Shinari concept vehicle. The KODO designed is inspired by the stance of a cheetah and the moment before it pounces. The crossover is also the first model to include Mazda’s SKYACTIV® Technology which helps with fuel economy, fuel emissions, and driving performance.

According to the Mazda site, the CX-5 achieves 35 mpg- the best highway mpg of any SUV, including hybrids. Since the vehicle’s release, it has received several awards including being named the 2012 crossover of the year by Autobytel and a 2012 Top Safety Pick by IIHS.

SKYACTIV® Technology

Mazda’s SKYACTIV® technology’s goal is to create a balance with fuel economy and driving experience. According to Abel, SKYACTIV® is rather a philosophy than new technology to help re-imagine the concept of the car. The SKYACTIV®-G 2.0-liter engine produces 10% to 15% more low/mid-range torque, along with 15% lower fuel consumption and emissions than Mazda’s previous 2.0-liter engine. The SKYACTIV®- Drive six-speed automatic transmission helps the vehicle shift smoothly for steady acceleration and quickly for the connected feel of a manual transmission. The power train is protected by the SKYACTIV®- Body and Chassis, which through their engineering and materials, the vehicle is able to improve body rigidity by 30% (for better handling) and shed 220 pounds, all while improving crash safety performance.

Marketing for Mazda

As Abel mentions in our interview, Mazda is looking to targeting young, active, and social buyers. Instead of just targeting demographics, they are utilizing psycho-graphics to determine their marketing strategy.

To promote the CX-5, Mazda teamed up with Universal Pictures for the release of the movie, Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax, and launched a commercial spot promoting the movie and Mazda’s SKYACTIV Technology. The marketing partnership was also used in the National Education Association’s “Read Across America tour.

According to Automotive News, marketing spending for Mazda will increase by 25 percent this year. The CX-5 is being used as a way to retain Mazda3 owners who previously would have left the franchise because the Mazda6 was not a right fit. The spending increase can be attributed to Mazda’s three main region markets, the US, Japan, and Europe, that has a realistic chance of volume growth.

The Mazda CX-5 was released in April.

We want to hear from you! What feature of the CX-5 has impressed you the most? If you own one what do you like from it?