Chevrolet Captiva ready to order - UK

The order books have opened -New Chevrolet Captiva from only £16,995 on-the-road

By Nigel Bernhard, TACH UK

(The Autocannel.com)

London January 15, 2007; With an impressive equipment list, stylish good looks, up to seven seats and brilliant all-round flexibility, you could be forgiven for thinking that the Captiva would cost a lot more than it does – yet prices start at just £16,995 on-the-road.

What’s more, even the entry-level model is superbly equipped – the front-wheel drive 2.4-litre LS 5-speed manual comes with air conditioning, a six-speaker radio-CD with MP3 capability and remote controls, electrically-adjustable mirrors, tailgate with separate opening rear window, front, side and roof airbags, 16-inch alloy wheels, five full-size three-point seatbelts, charcoal-coloured roof rails, remote two-stage central locking and a Thatcham-approved security system with deadlocks.

All diesel versions of Captiva are equipped with a sophisticated four-wheel drive system, incorporating Descent Control, 4WD traction control and ESP as standard.

In LT specification, the car can be ordered with a choice of five or seven seats, priced at £19,995 and £21,095 respectively.

As well as the four-wheel drive system, LT trim adds 17-inch alloy wheels, front fog lamps, a leather steering wheel and gearknob, an eight-speaker radio-CD player with MP3 capability, a glovebox cooling system and a passenger side under-seat storage drawer, while seven-seat models also get reverse parking sensors as standard. As well as the standard five-speed manual model, a five-speed automatic version of the seven-seat LT is available, priced at £22,195.

At the top of the range, the LTX model costs £23,695 as a manual, or £24,795 with automatic transmission. Standard equipment above the LT includes full leather trim with heated front seats, 18-inch alloy wheels, automatic lighting control and rain-sensing wipers, cruise control, a multi-function display panel, a radio with six-CD changer and MP3 capability, climate control with air quality system, silver-coloured front and rear skid plates, stainless steel sill plates, power-folding heated door mirrors with integrated turn signals and a visible twin-pipe exhaust system with chrome detailing. All LTX models come with seven seats.

In readiness for its delivery to the first customers in the summer, Captiva is currently touring the UK, visiting Chevrolet retailers across the network with special winter-themed open nights. Invited guests will be able to take refreshments and canapés while being given the chance to preview Captiva close-up, while special winter-themed craft activities will be laid on for the children.

All versions of Captiva are available to order now, with the first cars set to be delivered to customers in June.

London January 15, 2007; The order books have opened for Chevrolet’s most exciting new model yet, and it builds on the brand’s reputation for incredible value for money.

With an impressive equipment list, stylish good looks, up to seven seats and brilliant all-round flexibility, you could be forgiven for thinking that the Captiva would cost a lot more than it does – yet prices start at just £16,995 on-the-road.

What’s more, even the entry-level model is superbly equipped – the front-wheel drive 2.4-litre LS 5-speed manual comes with air conditioning, a six-speaker radio-CD with MP3 capability and remote controls, electrically-adjustable mirrors, tailgate with separate opening rear window, front, side and roof airbags, 16-inch alloy wheels, five full-size three-point seatbelts, charcoal-coloured roof rails, remote two-stage central locking and a Thatcham-approved security system with deadlocks.

All diesel versions of Captiva are equipped with a sophisticated four-wheel drive system, incorporating Descent Control, 4WD traction control and ESP as standard.

In LT specification, the car can be ordered with a choice of five or seven seats, priced at £19,995 and £21,095 respectively.

As well as the four-wheel drive system, LT trim adds 17-inch alloy wheels, front fog lamps, a leather steering wheel and gearknob, an eight-speaker radio-CD player with MP3 capability, a glovebox cooling system and a passenger side under-seat storage drawer, while seven-seat models also get reverse parking sensors as standard. As well as the standard five-speed manual model, a five-speed automatic version of the seven-seat LT is available, priced at £22,195.

At the top of the range, the LTX model costs £23,695 as a manual, or £24,795 with automatic transmission. Standard equipment above the LT includes full leather trim with heated front seats, 18-inch alloy wheels, automatic lighting control and rain-sensing wipers, cruise control, a multi-function display panel, a radio with six-CD changer and MP3 capability, climate control with air quality system, silver-coloured front and rear skid plates, stainless steel sill plates, power-folding heated door mirrors with integrated turn signals and a visible twin-pipe exhaust system with chrome detailing. All LTX models come with seven seats.

In readiness for its delivery to the first customers in the summer, Captiva is currently touring the UK, visiting Chevrolet retailers across the network with special winter-themed open nights. Invited guests will be able to take refreshments and canapés while being given the chance to preview Captiva close-up, while special winter-themed craft activities will be laid on for the children.

All versions of Captiva are available to order now, with the first cars set to be delivered to customers in June.

Most Memorable Ads of 2006

In the world of advertising and marketing, 2006 was all hanging it out there and accepting the consequences, both positive and not

Phew! Communications in 2006 was not a total disaster. Far from it. If I had to sum it all up in one simple statement, I would say this was The Year of at Least Trying.

Trying to get away from the clichés, the dogma, the focus groups, the bad precedents, and the bad addy-ads; of trying to experiment with format, with media, and with brand "elasticity." Finally, there were signs of consumers being credited with intelligence. Of course there were still lots of bad campaigns; misfired attempts to be "viral," or bad ads linked to bad multimedia campaigns (in my opinion, a boring cereal ad that directs me to a equally boring Web site droning on about the joys of recapturing childhood is just double-annoying, but there you go).

We're clearly at an inflection point. I'm not even a traditional ad-guy and I've been asked to write this, so what does that say? We're all firmly in this together—marketers, designers, clients, agencies, researchers, ethnographers, art directors and writers, all being sniped at, out-thought, and remixed by consumers younger than our own kids. Hard as it is to say, in most cases, they're as good, if not better, at this stuff than we are. Now, together, we must figure out where to go from here. But before we get in to a whole spiral of circle drumming, chest-beating and problem-solving, let's take a quick tour of some of the highlights of the last year.

Most Memorable ads of 2006..

Most Memorable ads of 2006 , Part 2..