• Tips & Tricks

How salesmen trick you with contrast and concession

Having overspent on groceries the last time, this time you make a list – and you intend to stick to it. You walk into supermarket, pull out the grocery list, and pick up the first item on it. When you notice a croissant on sale in aisle 3, you ignore it – you’re more prepared now! At some point you tick most of your items off and decide you’ve done a good job. In fact, you deserve a little reward. A few minutes later, as the cashier punches the total amount on the screen, and WTF! How's it still so high? Hey, at least you did better than the last time… This is called contrast and concession, which Robert Cialdini, best-selling author of the modern classic “Psychology of Influence”, named a weapon of (mass) influence. Don’t worry, I’ll spare you the nitty gritty of the topic and how the principle works, but do yourself a favour and read the book at some point. You won't regret it. What I’ll try to do, instead, is to give you a list of relevant examples from the car industry so you can be armed to the teeth with this bit of street knowledge…

4 years ago
  • News

Can you solve the Rolls-Royce Wraith Kryptos Collection cipher?

Man, what’s with Rolls-Royce these days? They either have way too much time, infinite resources, or both,  because they’re really pulling all the stops in some truly creative onboarding feats. Not so long ago, they came out with the most expensive car toy; a very detailed miniature of the Cullinan, and now they’re taking it one step further by doing a Rolls and Scooby Doo crossover. You read that right. The British luxury car maker just announced a new Wraith model that’s built to test whether or not you have the IQ to own a Rolls in the first place (finally!), dubbed the Wraith Kryptos Collection. Ooooo...cryptic... They’ve taken a leaf out of Dan Brown’s novels, to present “an encrypted cipher that evolves throughout the car for the client’s pleasure and amusement.” So put away the champagne and get your Dan Brown cap on, because the next time you decide to ride in one of these, you’ll have a series of encoded messages that, once solved, will reveal an answer known only to the CEO and the car’s designer… You trying to solve Rolls' cipher Some call this a sublime marketing stunt, I say it’s pure genius and will strongly…

4 years ago
  • One of a Kind

One of a Kind series episode 4: Ferrari 458 MM Speciale

Ah ze special one. No, we’re not talking about Jose Mourinho (if you don’t watch football/soccer, never mind). Today, we draw your attention to the Ferrari 458 MM Speciale, and as its name suggests, it’s rather special. If you’re sat there thinking to yourself, I’d like to have my very own Ferrari, one that nobody else has, you’re in luck. The Ferrari Special Projects team are on hand to make your wildest dreams come true. They’re giving you a blank canvas in exchange for a blank check, and asking you to go nuts, which is exactly what one British car enthusiast did. More than the regular 458 Speciale He could have just gone with a regular 458. Heck, he could have gone with a regular 458 Speciale. I mean, that’s pretty unique in of itself. But noooooo, he decided to splash the cash and ask the Fairy Godmother to turn his sleek pumpkin into a one-of-its-kind beast with more aggressive sporting lines a la 1980 Ferrari GTO and a ‘visor’ effect on the glass. Add to this bigger front and rear bumpers, a new air scoop on the flanks, a low-key spoiler on the decklid and a new set of…

4 years ago
  • News

Walmart’s giving us parking lot drive-ins!

O.M.G. Drive-ins are officially in, baybay! For the benefit of anyone born from the 2000s up, this was where you'd take your dates, sitting back in the comfort of your own car and catching the latest flicks. Of course that’s the PG version. Get in touch for the Unrated. Walmart: adapting to the times So we all know that various industries have had to adapt to deal with COVID-19. From electric scooter sales going through the roof to that flimsy House Party app, everyone’s finding a way to innovate. And Walmart have sure as hell stepped it up. Management were probably sat there thinking: we’ve got all this parking space, people are social distancing, not every town has those football-pitch-sized drive-ins, what to do? And as they asked each of their board members and skipped on the guy who suggested parking lot windies for customers, the idea materialised: parking lot drive-ins. Drive ins: Tailored for social distancing Think about it, it’s the perfect ruse. You know how they say the movie industry is recession proof? Yeah, well COVID’s put that theory to the ultimate test, and companies like Amazon Prime have responded brilliantly, offering customers the chance to purchase ‘home…

4 years ago
  • News

Are you ready for Bronco Nation?!

We're hella excited about Ford's Bronco reveal next week, and they sure as hell know it. They want this to be more than just some suped up SUV. They want this to be a lifestyle. Seriously, the Bronco could be to SUVs what Michael Jordan was to basketball: a symbol that transcends its primary function. So the only question is, are you ready for Bronco Nation?! (this isn’t some sons of anarchy reference, it’s the real deal). On the right path I don’t know about you, but me thinks ze Bronco has a looooong ass way to go before it can reach Wrangler-status. But they are seriously pushing their asses to the limit in their attempt to try and topple the mighty CJ from SUV paradise. Here are a couple of rad new initiatives for you and your brand new Bronco. Off Roadeos It sounds like an awful game of madlibs, but hey ho, that’s one of the perks you can benefit from buying a Bronco. And it doesn’t involve bulls and Matthew McConaughey with a whip. Basically, if you get yourself on the Bronco bandwagon, you’ll earn yourself a day at one of four off-road parks Ford is building…

4 years ago
  • Dummy's Guide
  • Tips & Tricks

Dummy’s Guide Episode 6: What the hell is Plastidip?

You see the kids around the corner open up a whoop-a** can of Plastidip to give their dope (NOT!) wheels a new colour? Is it a brand of spray-paint? Deodorant perhaps? Momma’s liquified turkey dinner? Nah, son.  Plastidip is peelable paint in a can! Yeah baby – P.E.E.L.A.B.L.E. It’s a new alternative to foiling – which we have covered in depth in Episode 4 of this series. Is Plastidip better? Like anything and everything, Plastidip is not without its pros and cons.  But unfortunately, the product has more cons than pros – trust me I know, but more on that later. I’m going to start with the pros of Plastdip aka dip.  Plastidip is super easy to apply, unlike traditional foiling, which requires a heat gun, squigee, knives, scissors, a couple of friends, food and beer. Fonz from Dipyourcar.com dipping a fine Audi wheel All you really need to Plastidip a part (or car) is to clean the surface, open up a can and spray it evenly in a smooth motion. I’ve personally dipped quite a few parts and it can be done in your basement in a couple of minutes. Unlike foiling, you don’t even need to remove parts…

4 years ago
  • News
  • PR

Cadillac CT5: Tech features you need to know about

Are you a tech savvy millennial for whom engaging with state-of-the-art technology is as essential as breathing? Do you feel disappointed by how modern cars, despite their hefty price tag, lag behind smartphones in terms of innovation and integration of modern services? If so, you need to check out the new Cadillac CT5. Here's a snapshot of some dope ass features for on-the-go funktertainment! Smart Navigation Screen Imagine you're speeding down the motorway, and you get an urgent call. You're trying to answer it, but can't take your eyes off the road. How many times have you yelled in frustration after jabbing a touchscreen like Donnie Yen, until it finally goes through and by which point you're in the middle of a cuss-fest so crass, it makes POTUS look like a saint? No more jabbing at the screen to answer calls! The new CT5 feels you. Now, through a 10-inch 1080p high def screen, including a one-touch phone, you can rest assured that you don't need to go on a long-winded tirade with your mother-in-law listening in... Forgot your laptop at home? Cadillac got your back! The user xp system merges entertainment, maps and apps, including Apple CarPlay and Android…

4 years ago
  • News
  • PR

Mercedes and Nvidia team up to bring you some ultra cool tech toys

Are you a car enthusiast AND a gamer? Have you kept up with the 411 on what’s going on in the world of graphic cards, eagerly awaiting how the next generation of GPU will bring video game visuals to the next level? If that describes you, then we’ve got some exciting news. Mercedes-Benz and Nvidia just announced a partnership designed to bring state-of-the-art artificial intelligence and computing technology into their future car line-ups. It's the way of the future! Tell me more... We’re talking about autonomous driving, automatic parking, single-swipe app purchases, free over-the-air updates for all and more. And yes, we know you’re overwhelmed with car tech updates with the Zooxes and the Teslas, but believe me, you don’t want to miss out on this one.  We are, after all, talking about Nvidia, and even your four-year-old nephew knows that their achievements in the area of artificial intelligence are nothing short of breathtaking. Seriously, the video games powered by their technology speak for themselves. Introducing Nvidia Drive For all you tech geeks out there, the new cloud solution that enables those features is called Nvidia Drive. It operates in tandem with a built-in Orin microchip, which utilises Ampere super computing…

4 years ago
  • Fun corner

Subaru and music with Ivie Sanders

Striking a mellow chord on a guitar, Ivie Sanders contemplates her 24 young years on the roller coaster of her sweet tin Utahn life, where lyricism and metal have come together in a unique combination of her two greatest passions: cars and music. Mikaniki accompanied her down memory lane as she took us through her journey to musical freedom. Ladies and gentlemen: the dazzling Ivie Sanders! For the crowds I have been playing music my whole life, it’s my passion. I play gigs and entertain throughout Utah. I don’t just play the guitar. I’m also self-taught on the piano and I sing a wide variety from the all new to the old school; I simply love all music and have loved it for as long as I can remember. I have been through a lot in my 24 years of life and music has always been there for me. It’s my drug, my life. My parents have been a massive influence; they’ve always supported me, watched and helped me grow in the industry. I lost my mom a couple of years ago and that has been a big motivator in my music. When it comes to performing, I LOVE big crowds.…

4 years ago
  • News

Buying a Mercedes during the Pandemic: folly or wise?

With the pandemic squeezing the throats of businesses like a vise, a vaccine still months away, and the next paycheck uncertain, you would have to be brain-dead to even consider buying a car right now. The Voice of reason tells us to take it easy on our wallets and focus on essentials such as food and rent.  But what if we’re missing the bigger picture? Let’s look at how two office supplies companies handled the recession of the 2000s. Staples shut down some underperforming stores and contained its operating costs, but it also hired 10 per cent more workers, using them to roll out some new high-end services. Because everyone needs them office supplies, right? Meanwhile, Staples’ archrival, Office Depot, cut its workforce by 6 per cent in a purely defensive move.  The differences in approach showed up on the bottom line 3 years later: Staples was about 30 per cent more profitable than Office Depot. Combining a defensive and offensive approach proved to be the superior strategy. Merc, Merc, Merc, Merc, Merc So what the heck does stationary have to do with buying a new Mercedes? The answer is nigh’ my friend. With car manufacturers under more pressure to…

4 years ago