... if you still have the post from a few weeks ago in your head, you will remember how excited I was - when BMW invited me to Munich.
There I had the opportunity to acquire a lot - really a lot - of information about the future in the car, about the car and around it. Of course, driving in BMW's AvticeE was a lot of fun.
The video I link now not extra. Youtube hats 🙂
Before - I used to be a fan of Audi, Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz. Ever since I've been writing about cars, I've always been on the lookout for new cars. Collect material for my driving reports. Driving a car, writing about it, taking photos and publishing it on my own - that's something I really enjoy.
In September '11 there were over 125t clicks across all of our own pages - that was pretty good for a beginner like me. I am currently working on a free iPad app that could become a kind of automobile culture magazine.
Today on the plane - more on that in a moment - I had the English “EVO” in my hand and somehow the thought came to me: “Hey, print isn’t really dead yet - not yet.” It just has to be a well-made magazine. Cross-media linked - then a print magazine with great photos and first-class driving reports is still worth the paper it has to be printed on.
But that's not the point at all - it's about the reason for my flight this morning and thus the bridge back to BMW and my problem with the automobile manufacturers.
When BMW invited me, I was very happy.
Now, after I was allowed to drive the Nissan 370Z and the Juke, I probably did not do anything completely wrong in this case, because Nissan invited me to Spain.
The reason may sound banal at first glance and like a “bought” opinion - but on the one hand I met interesting people in the first few hours today and on the other hand I had an incredibly good conversation with a Nissan technician about the Juke - as you remember You can read my criticism about the gadgets and the H4 light - and - yes and - by the way, tested a new diesel engine in the Qhasqai +2.
I am still a fan of German premium vehicles today - but unfortunately they have built a protective wall of the dusty walls around them. Most remarkable exception so far: BMW. And of course Porsche. (Hach, Mr. Bode - I would like to have a coffee with you at the IAA and talk about our dispute!)
Otherwise, only importers from Japan are particularly open-minded. Who would have thought that? I happily drive on the highway to the airport in a HONDA Jazz Hybrid to squeeze into the Lufthansa Eco just so I can drive a Nissan for a few hours. And now comes the point: What I am experiencing here today is not a “brainwash” of the free culture for journalists and media makers – it is a back-breaking job. Sorry. If you don't love your job, you won't do it for long.
Let's do it: Who will spend the 3 hours on the Eco just to sweat through a full program at the destination? No one just for fun.
But - like BMW a few weeks ago, Nissan organized an incredibly perfectly planned program around an impressive location.
Motor journalism is often understood as a “letter of favor as a thank you for food trips” - and yes - I have thought, said and written that myself. And yes, there are probably colleagues who are not wrong about that either.
For me it's a job. I want to drive cars - I want to write about it. No matter where.
Thank you Nissan - thanks for the opportunity, your organization and for taking me and my auto blogging seriously!
.. I'm curious which manufacturer understands next.
// Edit: Nissan made sure last night that the first photos go to the online media. I just found that: http://www.motorauthority.com/news/1067709_2011-nissan-juke-r-concept-revealed