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Hyundai Suicide ‘Advert’ causes a rumpus

It’s not easy advertising your wares and finding the right balance between mainstream and innovative to capture attention, as Hyundai has found out to their cost with an ‘advert’ for the hydrogen powered ix35 FCEV which, rather distastefully, depicts a man trying to commit suicide by running a hose from the tailpipe to the cabin before realising he can’t achieve his aim as the FCEV’s only emissions are water. It’s a proper cock-up from Hyundai – usually so sure-footed with their PR – but, despite Hyundai US putting the blame at the door of Hyundai UK, there’s more to this suicide ‘advert’ than meets the eye. It seems the suicide video was put together by Innocean – a European Ad Agency owned by Hyundai’s Chairman Chung Mong-koo and his daughter, and responsible for much of Hyundai’s marketing output – and was a clumsy attempt to gauge reaction to the somewhat macabre take on the benefits of an FCEV.

CAR interviews Patrick le Quément on Renault design (2009)

By Richard Yarrow Motor Industry 29 April 2009 16:05 Patrick le Quément, 64, has steered Renault through one of its most interesting – some would say controversial – design phases in its history. Born in Marseilles but educated from the age of 12 in the UK, he speaks almost accentless English and agrees to talk to CAR on the eve of his retirement. Le Quément is one of those designers who’s achieved stellar recognition over the past two decades – matching the reputation of Chris Bangle and J Mays as a member of the design A-list, that exclusive club who’ve helped shape the modern motor car as we know it today.

Dodge Zeo, Ram (2008): first official pictures

By James Foxall First Official Pictures 14 January 2008 19:43 Dodge has got a long way to go if it’s to convince people it’s really concerned about the environment. The car the American firm was really trumpeting at Detroit was a concept muscle car called the Zeo. A lithium ion battery powered lightweight car that will do 0-60mph in 5.7 seconds and has an equivalent power output to 286bhp sounds impressive – until you see it’s only got a range of 250 miles.