Auto Industry News for February 8 – 14, 2024

This is the automotive news making headlines for February 8th thru 14th, 2024, plus a recap of the car commercials from the big NFL game.

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The 116th Chicago Auto Show opened on February 8th and ran through February 19th. This was the show’s 116th edition. Like many shows before, display areas were found throughout, as well as three indoor test tracks and three outdoor Ride-And-Drive tracks.

Strangely, there were minimal new car announcements or concept car reveals this year. Instead, many refreshed or restyled vehicles were showcased, even though some had been revealed before the show.

The interesting call-outs…

Cadillac – 2025 Escalade IQ EV. Video here.

^{Front 7/8 view of Cadillac ESCALADE IQ Sport in Flare Metallic with shield-shaped grille in view.}

Ford – The revised 2024 Ranger pickup and refreshed 2025 Explorer SUV.

^{Preproduction 2025 Ford Explorer. Available spring 2024.}

Kia – The 2025 Carnival HEV (hybrid) and the redesigned 2025 K5.

Nissan – The Forsgberg upgrade package for the 2024 Frontier pickup line.

Tesla – The refreshed 2024 Model 3

Toyota – The new 2024 Tacoma and Land Cruiser

^{2024 Toyota Land Cruiser}

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On February 13th, the first podcast from This Day in Automotive History, called The Drive History Podcast, was released. Topics include Thunderbirds, Mack trucks, PT Cruisers, the first 4-door BMW, Nissan’s figurehead Yutaka Katayama, and more. You can catch the podcast at this link.

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Chrysler unveils new concept car

On February 13th, Chrysler introduced its all new concept car, the Halycon. Featuring AI integration and extensive technological advancements and comfort features, the vehicle provides insight into the future of Chrysler. Watch the reveal below.

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On February 12th, Aston Martin dropped information on the newest incarnation of the Vantage. Chassis tweaks, softened lines, and improved power are what the car brings to the tarmac beginning during the second quarter of this year.

Performance is rated at 656 horsepower, over 150 more than the outgoing model. Sprints from 0-60 are in the 3-second range. Propulsion comes from an AMG-sourced 4.0-liter V8 running multiple turbos. Weight distribution is 50/50.

No pricing has been released yet.

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Car commercials from the NFL big game

Personal Editorial…

February 11th was the National Football League’s big day. Their annual championship game between the AFC and NFC is broadcast nationally and auto manufacturers typically try to one-up each other with expensive advertising. However, like the Chicago Auto Show this year, many manufacturers have pulled back their appearances and advertising.

I sat down with a notepad and watched every television commercial that was shared during the big game. It’s important to note that I am in the Tampa Bay area, although I didn’t see local commercials break in. So, I’m confident that I didn’t miss anything from the manufacturers in the national broadcast.

Sadly, I only saw four automotive commercials. Yeah, four commercials from the kickoff to the final overtime play! Is that surprising or expected? Let us know your thoughts on our Facebook page.

Best Car Commercials

At the end of the scoreless first quarter of play, the first automotive commercial to appear was from BMW. In the ad, Christopher Walken is going through his day with everybody he runs into trying to imitate his speech pattern. You can find the ad here.

The next automotive commercial was from Toyota. It was centered around grab handles on the 2024 Tacoma. It was a comical take on what people humorously call them. Find that ad here.

In the third quarter of play, there was an ad from Volkswagen that showed up. The progression of the VW from its beginnings to modern day was depicted in a tasteful ad. It can be seen here.

The last quarter of play saw an ad from Kia. It showcased the EV9 model, showing how the EV lit up a heartwarming family moment. You can find the ad here.

Honorable mention goes to Kawasaki. Although they don’t sell automobiles, they had an ad early in the game. In the ad, the manufacturer highlights their Ridge side-x-side model. Was the ad comical or tasteless? You be the judge. See the ad here.

Which big game ad was your favorite? Did I miss any automotive commercials from the game? Let us know on our Facebook page

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The views and opinions expressed by HJ Pizarro are the author’s own and do not reflect the opinions or beliefs of this website and/or its affiliates. Stay tuned for more automotive news.

HJ Pizarro