Archive for the ‘What’s Going On at Performance’ Category

The Performance Toyota dealership in Lincoln, Neb. was bustling today with camera shutter clicks and the murmur of humble “thank yous.”

Three Nebraska-based non-profit organizations – Arbor Day Farms, the Food Bank of Lincoln and Lighthouse – were presented with well-deserved new Toyota vehicles, courtesy of the 100 Cars for Good contest which wrapped up August 17th. The significance of the occasion was made evident with the presence of Toyota Product Communications vice president James Colon, who presented each organization with keys to their new rides.

Colon, who is responsible for creating, gathering and managing information and promotional campaigns for Toyota vehicles, flew in for the ceremony. He was just as surprised as anyone that three of the 100 winners hail from the same Nebraska hub. “Three cars in one area…in such close proximity. That’s amazing!” he said as we small talked about this special event. An all-around amicable and outgoing gentleman, I was curious to see how Colon weighs in on subjects ranging from social media to Husker football.

James Colon (second from left) congratulated each representative alongside Performance Toyota of Lincoln's General Manager Tom Ballard (center).

Since 1957, Toyota has donated over half a billion dollars to non-profits in the U.S. – clearly it’s a brand that focuses on giving back to the community. “We’re a company that sees just beyond selling cars and trucks,” Colon said. The 100 Cars for Good program is one of the larger, more publicly promoted events that was able to get this point across.  Not only does Toyota care for consumers, but also for dealers involved in the process -“The real success of this program is the engagement between our dealer partners and organizations in the communities where they do business,” Colon said.

In terms of engagement, it’s not a new concept for Toyota to use social outlets to promote their products, and Colon understands first hand that social media is where a great deal of business-to-consumer interaction is taking place. Voting for the contest occurred solely online through Facebook, and it looks like there will be similar campaigns in the future. “We’re going to use social media in a variety of ways to interact with our consumers,” Colon said. “It’s really where that activity is going right now.”

Colon went on to talk about how Toyota understands consumers’ increased desire  to stay connected, and expanded on the technology of their debut infotainment system, Entune, in the 2012 Camry. “It has a robust system using voice activation, allowing you to engage safely while in your car.” He’s especially excited about the Pandora Radio access, which streams live with Entune – “I’m a big fan,” he said.

Moving on to the subject of hybrids and the increased production of plug-in electric vehicles, Colon revealed Toyota’s future plans for the beloved Prius hybrid, which has dominated its vehicle segment for the last nine years. With more electric vehicles popping up in the market, tweaks must be made to match the competition: “In the early part of 2012 we will introduce a Prius plug-in, which allows you to operate your vehicle for about a 15 mile range on electric only, and allows you to charge the vehicle with a regular 110-volt outlet in three hours,” Colon said. He also announced Toyota’s plan to add a fully electric vehicle to their green fleet. “We plan to introduce our first hydrogen fuel-cell [pollution-free electricity generation technology] vehicle in the U.S. in 2015,” he stated.

100 Cars for Good 2011 took place for 100 consecutive days beginning May 9 and ending Aug. 17.

He remains optimistic and confident that Toyota will continue to meet the demands of consumers for years to come, even as government standards become stricter. How will Toyota leverage consumers’ spending with more advanced technology that makes is possible to depend less on gas? “At Toyota we think there are going to be a number of solutions to reduce the reliance on foreign oil,” he stated. “For example, efficiency of engines is getting better and hybrid technology is delivering better gas mileage. Our 2012 Camry mid-sized sedan will average over 40 miles to the gallon.” Colon asks consumers to evaluate their automotive spending in light of increasing gas prices. “Do you want to save a little money driving a more fuel-efficient car, or do you want to spend it at the pump?” With a starting MSRP of around $22,000 and up to 51 mpg city, the affordable 2011 Prius Hybrid is a good indication that Toyota knows how to make that choice easy for consumers.

While Toyota’s the No. 1- selling brand in the nation, Colon’s in the land of corn where Husker football reigns supreme. When asked to provide a score prediction for Saturday’s game against the University of Wisconsin, Colon got a little flustered.  Laughing, he replied “I’m not in the prediction business, but I’m in Nebraska today so I say ‘Go Huskers’!”

Looks like both the Toyota brand and Colon like to play it safe with consumers.

On Wednesday, September 28, 2011 three Nebraska-based non-profit organizations were presented with brand new Toyota vehicles after winning the Toyota-sponsored 100 Cars for Good contest: Lighthouse, a community based after-school program for youth in Lincoln, the Food Bank of Lincoln, which provides leadership in community efforts to address hunger in Southeast Nebraska, and Arbor Day Farm, which promotes environmental programs that focus on trees, conservation and environmental stewardship.

Thousands of non-profits from around the nation applied to enter the contest, which makes it extraordinary that Nebraska was home to three of the winners, more than any other state.  Representatives from each organization gathered at the Performance Toyota-Scion dealership in Lincoln Wednesday morning, exchanging handshakes and “congratulations” before being handed giant keys by the vice president of Toyota Product Communications, James Colon. See more about his thoughts on the event in the recap of our exclusive interview.

Pictured from left to right: representatives from the Food Bank of Lincoln, Arbor Day Farm and Lighthouse.

The 100 Cars for Good contest was a program aimed to reward do-gooders from around the nation with new cars for the purpose of furthering and aiding their community efforts, which crossed a broad range of categories. Thousands of entries were reduced to 500 finalists, selected by an independent panel of judges, experts in the fields of philanthropy and corporate social responsibility. These 500 finalists resulted in 100 winners, after one vehicle-recipient was chosen each day for 100 consecutive days beginning May 9th.  All voting took place via Facebook.

Facebook made the perfect platform for this contest, especially for non-profits who seldom have marketing teams to promote themselves and their causes. These organizations are used to relying on word-of-mouth advertising, but with such a grand prize on the line, many of them bumped up their promotional game.  A variety of tactics resulted in these three organizations gaining the votes needed to win.

Lighthouse representatives used their social circles for support, including past fraternity brothers, the adolescents within the program and over 2,200 newsletter recipients. They even convinced board members who were not active members on Facebook to create accounts and spread the word. They will use their new Toyota Highlander hybrid to take kids on outings and field trips with the intent of expanding their ambitions.

The folks at the Food Bank of Lincoln took a team approach, consulting Lighthouse (who had won a couple weeks before) on their strategy, as well as other food banks in the region who also won vehicles. It seems as though like-causes and fellow Lincoln non-profits were willing to lend a hand, and a vote. They will use their new Toyota Sienna to haul loads of Food to and from their headquarters.

Arbor Day Farm, and organization that already receives high praise and recognition from most green initiatives in the region, counted on their established reputation while utilizing employees, guests, family and friends to boost their vote count. Twitter also seems to have served them well. Arbor Day will use their new Toyota Sienna Hybrid, which fits in perfectly with their cause, to take visitors to and from the airport.

Perhaps the high amount of winners in Nebraska speaks to the kind of supportive community we have. This is a great example of how social media can create social good right here in the heartland, where local support and community building are clearly demonstrated.

April 22 will mark the 41st Earth Day – a day designated for recognizing, showing appreciation for and awareness of the Earth and its natural gifts. Nearly 175 countries commemorate this day, and it has even expanded into an entire week-long celebration of “Earth Week” in some communities.

In Omaha, Performance Auto Group will be showing their support for the natural world around us by getting involved in a number of events throughout the week. On Saturday, April 23 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Elmwood Park, Lexus of Omaha will be present, showcasing a variety of hybrid vehicles.  Other activities will include live music, services to recycle electronics, food and drinks and other family activities.

Also, on Wednesday April 20th, from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Physicians Mutual Corp Headquarters (off 26th & Dodge) there will be a large celebration featuring hybrid vehicles from many of our Performance Auto stores, including Baxter Ford, Baxter Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram and Performance Toyota-Scion. Stop by to join in the festivities, and check out our “green” fleet of cars!

HPP will be building the First Serialized Superbird with Performance Auto / Baxter Dodge in Omaha Nebraska! It will be touring a few shows mid summer

Continue reading “Very First Superbird!” »

For every used vehicle at Performance Automotive we promise to provide you with as much confidence in your used vehicle by providing you with:

• A 125-point inspection that will ensure that as much of the car has been looked over as possible by a trained and experienced mechanic.
• Free car fax report which tells you if the vehicle has been in any major accidents, how many owners the vehicle has had, the service record of the vehicle, the last reported odometer, as well as any other recorded information about the vehicle.
• We also promise to guarantee to buy back your used vehicle if you are not satisfied within the first three days.
• Also we provide a 60-day, 3,000 mile warranty that ensures you with a peace of mind when buying a used vehicle.

Just a few of the many reasons to buy a used vehicle from Performance Auto, with 11 convenient locations across, Omaha, Lincoln Nebraska and Kansas City Kansas we are proud to provide you with quality new and used cars.