We haven’t been overly enthused by this year’s crop of Super Bowl ads, but then again we’re jaded moto-journalist types. It takes a lot to impress us, and partying vampires, singing dogs and re-hashed movies from the 1980s just won’t do the trick. If only an automaker could come up with something fresh and innovative, maybe we’d actually crack a smile (and admit to it).
Enter two ads that have rocketed to the top of our “must-see” Super Bowl viewing list. The first video, from Toyota, imagines a world where everything is reinvented to perfection, like (Toyota claims, anyway) the new Camry. In fairness, we haven’t driven the new Camry yet, so we can’t say how good it really is (although given the last car’s entertainment value, anything is a step up). If it’s as good as the world envisioned in Toyota’s Super Bowl spot, we’re definitely putting one in the garage. Just as soon as we order a new couch and some fresh curtains.
Acura is hawking a car that doesn’t even exist yet, its new NSX. That’s a good thing for a couple reasons: first, it puts the upcoming NSX on display to the general public, creating interest in both the car and the brand. Next, it reminds us that a successor to the beloved NSX really is on its way, even if it will be saddled with a hybrid drivetrain. We’re not anti-hybrid, mind you, we’re just anti-hybrid sports car.
We promise to keep an open mind until we get a chance to drive the new NSX, but sadly we’re not in a position to actually buy one. Taking delivery of the very first NSX will be quite an honor, and as Acura’s Super Bowl ad points out, there are several car guys vying to park the very first NSX in their own garage. We’d be willing to bet that the ad isn’t far removed from the truth, either.
Kurt Ernst has been passionate about automobiles and driving nearly his entire life. His early years were shaped working in the family service station, though his real passion was auto racing. After graduating from the University of Colorado, Kurt spent a year club racing with the Sports Car Club of America, before focusing on a business career in marketing and project management. Later, his passion for writing and the automotive hobby found him freelancing for a variety of automotive news sites, including Automotive Addicts and Motor Authority, where his work was syndicated and appeared in several national publications. Recognized as an expert in the automotive field, Kurt joined Hemmings Motor News as an Associate Editor in 2013, and in the years since has progressed to Editor, Hemmings Daily; Managing Editor for Hemmings Motor News, Hemmings Classic Car, Hemmings Muscle Machines, and the Hemmings Daily; and now, Managing Editor, Hemmings Auctions. Kurt was instrumental in organizing the Hemmings Motor News Concours d’Elegance from 2013-2019, and has served as a judge at this event and The Vintage Racing Stable Concours d’Elegance. A Skip Barber Racing School graduate and prolific writer, Ernst is also skilled in copyediting, project management, brand development, and public relations.
