GM’s New On*Star Smartphone App
GM has officially announced their future iPhone and Android Smartphone On*Star App and has released a video providing details in to its workings. It seems like a fantastic function that any GM owner will enjoy coupling with their vehicle, as it allows (and is not limited to) such features as remote start, door locks, and vehicle monitoring. The App provides distance beyond what the remote key-fobs give, as it can be utilized anywhere you have phone service. I can see this being incredibly handy when leaving work, a mall, or a sporting event on a hot day as it allows you to start the vehicle (and consequently the A/C) from far enough away for the vehicle to be cool inside by the time you reach it. The monitoring of fuel levels, tire pressure, and other basic vehicle statistics via the phone is also fairly incredible. While it doesn't seem like an absolute necessity, it is a very nice touch. I see no reason why somebody, with the capability to, wouldn't utilize it to some manner. The video below is short but sweet, and provides some solid information and insight in to the phone application's function. It's a smart move by GM in the proper technological step, and I imagine we'll be seeing other, more "luxurious", brands begin implementing similar systems in the near future.
Cool Corvette Commercial and ZR1 Discount
Chevrolet's working on a lot of marketing as of late, and their newest commercial is a great one. Highlighting the fact that NASA no longer has a functioning manned space-craft in their line-up, they play off of that and show that some rockets still exist in the USA. Highlighting the ZR1 is a smart move too, as the Corvette is the definite "halo car" for the Chevrolet line-up. Regardless of its practicality, everybody still dreams about some day owning a Corvette, and it's great to highlight that. The interesting thing about the commercial though is its timing. Chevrolet hasn't advertised the Corvette in a commercial in 5 years time, and with Corvette sales lagging behind averages right now and the C7 model still a few years out, it seems like an odd time, but one can assume that Chevrolet is banking on the undeniable Corvette love factor to take over when viewers are bombarded with the vehicle, and return some respect to Chevrolet as a whole, since all of their vehicles must share, in some manner, genetic material with the Corvette. It seems like a pretty smart move, and it's a great commercial, so I'm all for it.
Beyond that, Chevrolet's also trying to boost Corvette sales by offering discounts on the ZR1 for the first time since it hit markets. As the dealership surplus on the vehicle has risen to almost 500 beautiful works of art sitting without owners, Chevy has decided to offer a rebate on their ultimate performance monster. Hopefully this moves some more ZR1's (and it should, when coupled with the commercial above) and gives Chevy reason to continue making the ZR1 build with the C7 model. All in all, this week has given us a cool commercial, a cool discount, and some hot spy videos/pictures of a cool proto-car for a movie, all by Chevrolet. They're doing something right! Keep it up!
Update: Transformers 3 Corvette
Here's a quick update on my last post, as there's now video of the Stingray Speedster from the Transformers 3 shooting. The vehicle looks pretty great, and draws a fantastic response from the audience located around it (as Corvettes tend to do). A pretty quick, but cool, video.
Corvette Stingray Speedster Spotted on Transformers 3 Set
Always making things bigger, brighter, sexier, and more explosive is what Michael Bay does (or intends to do) best. With Transformers 2, so far as its quality of a film is concerned, this was not necessarily a good thing. What it has offered up to us, the viewing public, though, were the more attractive aspects of Meghan Fox, and gorgeous GM vehicles (specifically Bumblebee the Camaro, and Whatshisname the Corvette Stingray Prototype). Seeing these two cars in action, has been worth the price of admission to the films. It looks like, for Transformers 3, us Corvette lovers are in for another treat. The newest GM vehicle added to the Transformers line-up is an update of an old one, that is to say, we now have the Stingray Speedster! How can you improve a car as fantastic looking as the Stingray? Addition by subtraction, my dear friends! And in this case, that addition came by means of subtracting the roof. This convertible Stingray prototype is fantastic looking, and appears to be a blast to drive. Here's to hoping that the rest of the third Transformers film will be up to par with the vehicles it features!
(Side note: No more Meghan Fox, which is sad, but not ultimately terrible. In her place, we now have the equally beautiful Rosie Huntington-Whiteley in her place)
Pictures of the Corvette (and the new Transformers girl) below. Click the thumbs for full-size images:
