ON THE TABLE - MARCH 20, 2013

 Honda. Editor-in-Chief's Note: L.A.-based advertising agency RPA retains the Honda account after a hasty review (it began in December), but loses the Acura business to Boston-based ad agency Mullen. Will this outcome help? The Honda work by RPA has been rejuvenated of late and I expect that to continue. The Acura work of late only reaffirmed the classic ad industry adage that states that "clients get the work they deserve." Since Honda consistently demonstrated that it didn't have a frickin' clue as to what Acura should or could be the creative work was inconsistent and muddled, reflecting Honda's cluelessness. Will all of this be fixed with a finger snap by handing the work to Mullen? Hmm, let's see... Has the client landscape changed all that much? No. Has Honda's product focus on Acura improved considerably? That's highly debatable. Do I expect a sudden transformation of the Acura product and the subsequent advertising that goes with it? It's a giant "we'll see" at best. My advice to Mullen? Be careful what you wish for. - PMD

(GM)
Cadillac is introducing its first Twin-Turbo engine and eight-speed transmission in the all-new 2014 Cadillac CTS midsize luxury sedan slated to debut next week at the New York Auto Show. The Cadillac Twin-Turbo V-6 is the most power-dense six-cylinder engine in the midsize luxury segment according to GM – a 3.6L with 118 horsepower per liter (88 kW/liter). Rated at an SAE-certified 420 horsepower (313 kW) and 430 lb.-ft. of torque (583 Nm), it is the most powerful V-6 ever from General Motors. It also has 15 percent greater power density than the BMW 535i’s turbocharged 3.0L six, which is rated at 300 horsepower (223 kW), for a ratio of 100 horsepower per liter (74 kW/liter) – and even the BMW 550i’s TwinPower 4.4L V-8, rated at 400 horsepower (298 kW), or 91 horsepower per liter (68 kW/liter). Power density is a measure of efficiency for an engine’s size. A pair of smaller turbochargers and an efficient charge air cooler help provide more immediate power delivery. Additionally, approximately 90 percent of the 3.6L Twin-Turbo’s peak torque is available from 2,500 rpm to 5,500 rpm, giving the engine a broad torque curve that customers will feel as strong, willing power in almost all driving conditions, such as accelerating or overtaking traffic on the highway, according to Cadillac. The Cadillac Twin-Turbo will be paired with a high-performance, paddle-shift eight-speed automatic transmission that offers efficiency and performance advantages over a six-speed transmission – including 1.5-percent greater fuel economy. The new CTS sedan is expected to reach 60 mph from a standstill in an estimated 4.6 seconds and achieve an estimated top speed of 170 mph (274 kph). “The new Cadillac Twin-Turbo brings a new dimension of technologically advanced performance to the all-new 2014 Cadillac CTS sedan,” said David Leone, executive chief engineer. “Delivering power and sophistication, it marks another large step forward in the product-driven expansion of Cadillac.”

(Bonhams)
Bonhams will auction this Maserati 300S Sports-Racing Spider, chassis no. 3053, at the 2013 Goodwood Festival of Speed. This Maserati was the third 300S ordered by the great American sportsman, Briggs Swift Cunningham, for his old friend and team driver Bill Spear. Upon delivery ‘3053’ was co-driven by Bill Spear and Sherwood Johnston in the 1955 12-Hours of Sebring race, the American round of the FIA Sports Car World Championship. They finished third, beaten only by a Phil Hill-driven Ferrari and the winning Mike Hawthorn Jaguar D-Type. Sir Stirling Moss has described the 3-litre, 6-cylinder-engined Maserati 300S as having been: “...one of my favorite front-engined sports Maseratis – one of the easiest, nicest, best-balanced sports-racing cars ever made...”.

(Chevrolet)
The redesigned 2014 Camaro SS will debut at the New York International Auto Show on Wednesday, March 27 at 12:45 p.m., EDT. The 2014 model "represents the most significant change for the fifth-generation Camaro, which has been the most popular sports car in America for three consecutive years," according to GM PR operatives.

(Images courtesy of Lyonheart Cars)
Lyonheart Cars Ltd has just announced the prices for its all-aluminium luxury sports cars: the Lyonheart K Coupé and Convertible. Both versions can be ordered immediately and the prices are the following: Lyonheart K Coupé: EUR 360'000 Lyonheart K Convertible: EUR 375'000. VAT and other local taxes are not included. Delivery is included in Europe and Switzerland. For other parts of the world: prices upon request.

The Lyonheart K was presented to the public in February 2012 and immediately achieved worldwide acclaim. Created by Robert Palm, founder of Swiss design firm Classic Factory, the Lyonheart K has been engineered and will be built by the Envisage Group in Coventry, well known for their expertise in building low volume series for renowned car makers.

The Cosworth 5.0 Litre Supercharged V8 delivers 575PS and 700Nm of torque. The state-of- the-art all-aluminium chassis and a finely-tuned multilink chassis offers superb dynamics and agility, according to Lyonheart. The Lyonheart K reaches 100kph in under 4 seconds and tops 300kph (electronically limited).

The planned production of 250 cars, including Coupé and Convertible versions, will be built between December 2013 and the summer of 2015. Due to demand, the delivery time for the Lyonheart K is currently 18 to 24 months, depending on specifications and body type. Fifty percent of Lyonheart production will be sold in Europe, 20 percent in the Middle East and 30 percent in China. The production will be strictly limited to 250 cars, including coupé and convertible.

Editor's Note: Some fun commercial selects courtesy of AdAge from Liquid Plumber, Smartwater, Le Trefle and Old Spice, just because. - WG

Editor-in-Chief's Note: Jerry Seinfeld's "Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee" is a favorite of ours (and hordes of other people as well). Here's one with Alec Baldwin - "Just a Lazy Shiftless Bastard" - and it's well worth your time. - PMD