When the car is the real star?

When the car is the real star?
by DEEPESH RATHORE
A recent press release that landed in my inbox was from Lamborghini about the Gallardo featuring in the Tom Cruise starrer Mission Impossible: 3 quite prominently. Apparently, the movie's cast arrived in ten Gallardo's to the movie's premiere in Rome.
The connection between cars and Hollywood is not a recent one. Cars have been the stars since James Bond was born. The British agent was one of the reasons why Aston Martins are considered iconic. So effective was James' rub on Aston's image that German carmaker BMW decided to hijack Bond from under Aston's nose and manage to get the rub for some of its cars. BMW not only placed Bond's butt in the diminutive Z3 but also the lavish 750iL and the futuristic Z8, not to mention the R1200C cruiser. It was only with die Another Day that James Bond returned with Aston Martin again, perhaps now a healthier Aston Martin under Ford was ready to support the movie. There are others too who have had cars (and bikes) as the stars. Nothing gave a rub to Honda Civics and Mitsubishi Lancer Evos and Eclipses than the two The Fast and the Furious movies. Cruise's earlier MI: 2 made a Triumph Speed Triple look delicious while admit it or not, the Spyker C8 Laviolette in Basic Instinct 2 looks better than the female lead.

So what do companies get out of this infatuation with Hollywood? A positive image in a hot movie is often better than 100s of adverts and many editorial pages. A bad movie does no wonders for anyone. So for instance, a Biker Boys did not give the rub to the Hayabusa or the ZX 12R or the R1 or the Ducati 996S or GSX 750, all featured prominently in the movie. It did not make a star out of it. The cult hit serial from the 80s - Street Hawk - did make the bike a star but then no one Not for a reason did Spyker fend off heavy competition from Mercedes-McLaren SLR to get close to Sharon Stone in BI 2. For a boutique manufacturer like Spyker to be associated with a major Hollywood movie is a major achievement and casts the limelight on the company in one stroke. This will ensure that Spyker's entire production of 80 odd cars every year will stay sold out for a decade.

So important is product placement in movies for international carmakers that some have sections in their marketing departments to work on this aspect uniquely. After all an unflattering use of a product can be really damaging to the product's image. And who else but Tata Motors can vouch for that. While the RGV factory production Road made the Tata 1210 truck a star when it catches up with a Safari, it did nothing great for the Safari's already dodgy image.

In fact, product placement by Indian car manufacturers is often bad, bordering often on slanderous. While Maruti did well to associate the Swift with a blockbuster like Bunti aur Babli, not many will recall seeing the Swift in the movie. In fact the biggest car stars in Indian moviedom have often been the ambitious creations of stylist Dilip Chabbria. No one remembers a movie called Tarzan - The wonder car but everyone does remember the car.

Deepesh Rathore
Research Editor
deepesh.rathore@supplierbusiness.com
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2008 ACU Suzuki GSX-R Trophy

Following their meeting the ACU’s Road Race, Drag and Sprint Committee are pleased to inform you of the PROVISIONAL dates and venues for the 2008 ACU Suzuki GSX-R Trophy.

An initial deposit of £1000 will ensure your place on the grid for the one make series that offers the very best value for money through the season. With a total cost of £12,900 (incl VAT), you will receive a Suzuki GSX-R600 K8, with the option to have it prepared by Crescent Suzuki for an additional £250 plus VAT, a pair of Dunlop tyres and your entry fee paid for each round of the 10 Round championship, race transponder, back protector, gloves, boots and made to measure Dainese Leathers. Entries received from first time road race licence holders will have the £50 compulsory Competitive Training Course and £43 novice licence free of charge. On hand for advice at each Round will be ACU Coaches, in the form of former British Champions and experienced racers Steve Sawford, Matt Llewellyn, Clive Horton, Nigel Bosworth and Shaun Brown.

Rounds will take place on;

4th/5th May Cadwell Park 2 Rounds
5th/6th July New Era 1 Round
26th/27th July Wirral 100 2 Rounds
17th/18th August New Era 1 Round
27th/28th September Bemsee 2 Rounds
18th/19th October New Era 2 Rounds

Whilst the Series was initially set-up to encourage regular Track day enthusiasts to make the step up to Road Race licence holder, the Series offered excellent value for money and tempted many experienced road racers.

The Championship offers competitors a variety of prizes at each Round, extra tyres for the top 3 finishers and a £100 cash Award for ‘Express Insurance Top Gun Award’ for the highest placed novice.

2007 Champion Lee Hodge and Under 25 Champion Jay Dunn will receive their Championship prize, a Stocksport kitted Suzuki GSX-R 1000 at the ACU Awards Presentation in January. As a reward for being Championship leaders mid season, both were given a wild card ride in the GSX-R750 Cup race at Silverstone.

In 2007 Suzuki GB invited members of the motorcycle press to enter various Rounds, for a totally independant view of the Series take a look at Jamie Wilkins’ article in December 07 issue of Fast Bikes magazine.

2008 ACU Suzuki GSX-R Trophy