Tag Archives: FIAT 500

Auto Loan: January Auto Sales Surpass Expectations

We predicted it. With reports of lower interest rates and more flexible loan lengths, we predicted that January would be a good month for the auto industry, even coming off of such a strong year.

As it turned out, January was a great month.

January is done and the numbers are coming in, and U.S. auto sales were up 14 percent. It is much better than analysts were predicting, and these gains weren’t limited to one type or model of vehicle. Large pickups, small cars, and crossovers alike all saw increased sales in January.

Among the individual automakers, Toyota had a 27 percent increase. Ford’s U.S. sales had a 22 percent increase. GM had a 47 percent increase on Cadillac, and sales for their full-sized pickups increased 32 percent. Meanwhile, Chrysler’s car sales went up 50 percent with strong showings by the Dodge Avenger, Dodge Dart, and Fiat 500 line.

Automakers are ready to keep these sales numbers going with promotions and deals changing monthly. Now is a great time to get into a new or used vehicle. If you’re ready to get into that car today, Approved Loan Store is ready to help you. Good credit, bad credit, or no credit, we will work with you to get the car you want at terms you can afford.

Get started today by filling out our secure online auto loan application here, and get more auto news and buying tips by liking Approved Loan Store on Facebook, following Approved Loan Store on Twitter, and subscribing to Approved Loan Store on YouTube!

Image courtesy of renjith krishnan / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Have Celebrity Car Endorsements Gone Too Far? Batman Reviews Hyundai i30

These days, every car manufacturer is looking for a celebrity to promote their latest, hottest models. Justin Bieber has his chrome Fisker Karma, Charlie Sheen drove a FIAT 500 Abarth through his house in FIAT’s “House Arrest” commercial, and Jerry Seinfeld tried to get his hands on an Acura NSX in last year’s Super Bowl commercial. Recombu Cars, a new source for independent car news and reviews, is taking a new route with the celebrity endorsement and soliciting the opinions of fictional characters.

Their first (and hopefully not last) “celebrity” auto critic is none other than Bruce Wayne’s famous alter-ego, Batman. Recombu Cars’ Rory Reid was filming a typical video review of the Hyundai i30 in Central London when his review was hijacked by the caped crusader. To say that Batman was initially underwhelmed by the i30 is an understatement. When Reid praised the i30’s spacious interior with plenty of room for families, Batman growled, “My parents are dead.”

By the end of the review, though, Batman had softened to the i30 and even begrudgingly asked if it came in black. I still doubt that Batman will pick up the i30 considering how much trouble he had with the voice-activated entertainment center. “Play CD…play CD…swear to CD!”

You can watch the full review below:

At Approved Loan Store, we’re not so sure we would take Batman’s advice in picking out a new car, but our special finance representatives are ready and willing to help you, whether you have a year and model in mind or if you are just starting your car search. Fill out our secure online auto loan application here to get started, and keep up with the latest auto news by liking Approved Loan Store on Facebook, following Approved Loan Store on Twitter, and subscribing to Approved Loan Store on YouTube!

FIAT’s New “Immigrants” Ad Gets It Right

In the past few years, FIAT has tried commercials starring model Catrinel Menghia, Jennifer Lopez, Charlie Sheen, and an Italian-speaking baby. Overall, the ads have been hit or miss, and in my opinion, they have sold the commercial’s gimmick better than the car. After seeing FIAT’s new commercial titled “Immigrants,” though, I think they might have finally gotten it right.

The commercial opens in Italy and plays up the heritage with traditional music and images of an Italian wedding and cyclists dressed in red, white, and green. FIAT 500s zoom around through the town and along the oceanfront. Suddenly, one FIAT calmly drives off the edge of a cliff into the ocean, and like lemmings, the rest of the cars follow into the ocean. The traditional Italian music fades out, and then the cars emerge on the other side of the ocean with the Statue of Liberty reflected in the windshield. Music by Pitbull fades in as the “immigrant” cars drive through the streets of New York, and the narrator says, “The next wave of Italians is coming to America, and they’ve come to party.”

You can view the full commercial below.

More than any other ad, “Immigrants” captures what sets FIAT apart from other brands. The ad is quirky, cute, and memorable. It creates a distinct identity for FIAT that will appeal to car shoppers, something that couldn’t be done with random celebrity appearances and talking-baby gimmicks. Hopefully FIAT will continue in this direction with their new ad campaigns and not swayed by a pretty face or a famous name.

What do you think of the ad? Do you like this new ad campaign from FIAT? Leave a comment below and tell us what you think!

Are you looking for a great new or used car? Approved Loan Store can help! Fill out our secure online auto loan application here, and keep up with the latest auto news by liking Approved Loan Store on Facebook, following Approved Loan Store on Twitter, and subscribing to Approved Loan Store on YouTube.