Over the past few years, Volvo has enjoyed much marketing success by promoting its vehicles in The Twilight Saga films, including The Twilight Saga: Eclipse that comes out today and features vampire Edward once again driving his Volvo XC60 crossover.

Now, Volvo appears to be trying to build upon that success by adding a little danger to its other vehicle marketing campaigns, beginning with promoting the all-new 2011 Volvo S60 as “the first Volvo to be called ‘Naughty.’”

Based on features alone, we have to say the new S60 seems a bit more nice than naughty: 

• Driving Dynamics – Choose between a chassis with Advanced Stability Control or a Sport-mode.
• Bold Design – A stylish, sleeker exterior combined with a driver-oriented interior.
• Turbocharged Engine – With the most powerful six-cylinder engine ever offered by Volvo, the S60’s turbocharged T6 engine with AWD offers 300-hp and 325-lb. ft. of torque.
• Sophisticated Handling – Enjoy a smooth ride with a responsive and engaging suspension.
• Innovative Technology – Urban drivers will appreciate the standard City Safety collision avoidance technology, as well as its world-first Pedestrian Detection technology.

In this video from the automaker, it seems many NY Auto Show attendees had similar "nice" reactions about the Volvo S60.

Of course, we’d like you to decide for yourself whether the S60 is truly naughty or nice. One way to do that is to check out the automaker’s “The Naughty Tour,” visiting Volvo dealer showrooms from July 6 to Nov. 11, 2010.

Other Volvo News

You can also try your hand at winning a new Volvo in the Lost in Forks contest. Or, if you’re ready to buy now, shop for a new or used Volvo on our site.

Facebook T-shirt Giveaway

We have a special treat to honor our loyal Facebook fans on Social Media Day (June 30). Watch the CarLocate.com Facebook page for your opportunity to win a CarLocate.com t-shirt. (T-shirt pic and contest rules.)

Facebook password: Socialize

Good luck!

You’re probably very familiar with personalizing things that are important to you - from your cell phone to your Facebook page. Now, Subaru is making it easier for you to personalize one of your favorite possessions – your car. With the Subaru “Badge of Ownership,” you can now personalize your Subaru car, such as the Subaru Legacy or the Subaru Impreza, with icons representing your personal style and interests.

The Badge of Ownership provides two ways for you to express yourself: through lifestyle icons and the number of Subaru cars you have owned. Symbols of outdoor sports, animals, and the environment are some of the lifestyle icons available to display next to a circled number, which denotes the span of your loyalty to Subaru.

Whatever your passion may be, discover all your options at the Subaru Badge of Ownership website.

Don’t own a Subaru yet? Shop for a Subaru | Find a Subaru Dealer

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After experiencing a firestorm of bad publicity earlier this year, Toyota Motor Sales is working hard to try to regain the trust of their customers and remind drivers of their renowned reputation for quality. Toyota recently announced that one of the ways they are putting safety first is their plan to feature the five-feature Star Safety System™ standard in all vehicles produced, from the Yaris to the Sienna to the Highlander. The features include:

• Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) – This feature automatically reduces engine power and applies brake force to the wheels when they lose traction or begin to slip. By sensing the direction of the vehicle and the angle that it is being steered, this feature keeps the vehicle going in the right direction by applying brake force to the appropriate wheels.
• Traction Control (TRAC) – When wheels begin to spin on wet or icy road, this feature applies brake force that helps stop the spinning wheels and then redirects the power to the wheels that still have traction.
• Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) – In emergency-braking situations, this feature helps prevent the wheels from locking up and the car from skidding across the road by “pulsing” brake pressure to each wheel.
• Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD) – As part of the Anti-lock Brake System, this feature helps maintain balance in emergency-braking situations by redistributing the brake force depending on the braking effectiveness of the wheels.
• Brake Assist (BA) – This feature helps prevent a collision by sensing sudden braking, and then applying enough pressure to the brake, even when the driver does not, to keep from hitting an object.

Toyota is the first full-line manufacturer to make all of these features standard on all its vehicles. In addition, the automaker is adding a sixth feature – brake-override technology – that is already standard in a few of its models, as standard on all Toyota, Lexus, and Scion vehicles by the end of the year. This feature reduces engine power when the driver presses down on the accelerator and brake pedal at the same time.

Getting the Word Out

Toyota’s new national advertising campaign showcases their Star Safety System and their continuous commitment to customer satisfaction and well-being. To help convey these messages, Toyota uses their own customers as well as their engineers in their various TV, radio, digital, and print ads. 

Toyota is investing $1 million per hour on new car safety technology.

For more information on the Star Safety System and other safety efforts, visit the Toyota website.

Shop for a New Toyota | Find a Toyota Dealer

Other Toyota News:

• Toyota Discount Programs for New College Graduates
• Toyota Customers Are Here to Stay
• Toyota Motor Sales Receives Four 2010 Vehicle Satisfaction Awards