VW - Your inner fast

[Jand3rson]

Are you completely unaware of the dramatic popularization and increase in street racing following F&F, especially in So-Cal. Sure, there was some already there, but F&F made it mainstream and spread it out to so many more people.

You think it's bad now? Just imagine what it's going to be like after the new one comes out...

[rwh11385]

Josh, yeah, no shit. Be afraid on the streets when everyone else sells their swapped Honda for a SR20 S13 "Drift machine"... it's already started.


Some of the most disheartening shit is working with some younger co-workers, like 16-17 years old and having all them shady as fuck and also lazy as hell. No morals and zero work ethic.

[Jarvis]

Cramer and Heeter are both right. I hate my generation, and even more so the one growing up after mine. Funny how a thread about some stupid VW marketing toy has spawned intelligent debate. The average 16-21 year old's idea of what is "ok" to do on American roads is part of the reason I'm so cynical, despite my age.

Right now, there are bills being considered in the MA state legislature that would make this state one of the most restrictive towards awarding teens driver's licenses. I'm all for it.

[CleanAzzE30z]

I cant wait to see the absolute debauchery and destruction of people learning to "drift Tokyo style" on the streets of L.A. Thats not something you can learn by trial and error on the street. WHatever. Each generation has their idiots. Fuckin survival of the fittest. FUck em. I just hate seeing senseless innocent people get caught up in their absolutely rediculous over-compensating antics.

Mariano

[europeanplates]

This is an interesting thread. Allthough I agree with some of the parental issues and kids today, the commercials and Fast and the Furious movies are a small parts of people doing stupid things in cars.

As posted numerous times street racing has been around for a long time, before television. VW is genius with there marketing.

Here are some things I notice and think of when these threads about street racing get brought up.

VW commercial has nothing to do with street racing!! There are tons of commercials in the past with the same point, our cars are sweet go buy one you will be the man. Vw, bmw, honda, toyota, dodge, jeep. Have all made commercials like this before.

Fast and the Furious Tokyo drift, Shit I just watched Drifting a couple nights ago on speed!

Street racing, ever seen a show called pinks! (controlled enviroment I know)

There are 100's of movies, shows and events that if one is inclined could make them want to go out and drive like hell.

The point I am making it is not just the kids, younger that are out there crashing there cars, killing poeple or themself. BTW the guy who wrecked his Ferarri was street racing was not a kid and had experience with fast cars.

I have street raced sevaral times and done plenty of stupid things. I will tell you I do drive fast but when a old man in a muscle car or a kid in a Honda try to get me to race I just let them go on there way, when I see a lady in the mirror reading a book our putting on her make up I get the hell away.

My long two cents.

Tyler

[permit]

The "Inner Fast" thing VW is doing isn't aimed towards little kids wanting to wreak havoc in the streets, it's aimed at the driving enthusiasts that should buy a VW because it will satisfy their inner desire to enjoy driving.

After talking to my uncle for a while, and debating what I want in a car, I'm getting more and more interested in buying an R32 ($16-20k on ebay). I'm sick of wasting so much money towards a) fixing the e34 b) modding the e30.

The new GTI is also very tempting, but the one thing that turns me away from it is the FWD. Other than that, it looks gorgeous and the specs keep getting better.

[europeanplates]

I as well have been entertaining the R32 purchase.

Tyler

[CleanAzzE30z]

R32...FUCK YEAH!

Mariano

[Matt86es]

BTW, there are rumors of an R32 MkV. It might be a while, or it may never come to pass.

[uofom3]

My fast says that overweight, FWD VW-Pigs suck, and that their fast is a fag.

-Charlie

charlies fast owns all others.

This could be the most coherent discussion on r3v to date.

Cramer/Heeter bring up the interesting points about parenting influence on this situation. It is very real. When I was 16, if my parents knew what I was doing with my car they would have gone ape shit and I certainly would not have had my car anymore. But because I knew this, even if I was doing something stupid I was still cautious to a much greater degree than other people involved just because I knew what the cost would be if I fucked up (this also led me to curbing that behavior).

Parents cannot discipline their children properly in this country, and it starts well before the kids are 16. It starts at a much younger age, and this American attitude to accept problems and brush them under the table have lead to this sub-standard understanding of right and wrong and respect for authority/laws; but this is a different discussion. This lack of discipline can also be tied to drug abuse problems, lack of school attendance, driving, and maybe the lack of the practice of safe sex.

My mom is a head professor at a two year college. Most of the people there have parents who have problems of some sort (drug problems, no education, lack of funding, etc.). The kids have almost all barely graduated high school, realized that they could not get into a 4 year school, and have made the intelligent decision to get some level of education to improve their future.

This ties into this discussion as, in my opinion, you can tie things like obesity, lack of money, lack of education, etc. into the idea of the lack of self control/discipline and motivation. This can be, IMO, directly tied to parenting. These are qualities that almost all of the students exhibit. Not coincidentaly, my mom tells me stories almost every week of how her students loose their license from having too many tickets, or have their cars impounded for various infractions. Also, a lot of these people have relatively fast cars (older American cars generally, but they have big motors and plenty of torque to go fast). In contrast, a lot of my friends at school (4 year D1 university) have relatively shitty cars compared to what they could afford (base honda civics w/o mods, chevy cavaliers, basic jeeps, etc.). These same friends also do not drive like dumbshits, even though bassically any car can be driven beyond the level of the law. They also avoid drinking and driving (something my mom sees people "miss class" for regularly), and the stupid mistakes like not renewing registration or things like that.

Its interesting how the effects of parenting and creating self discipline and a distinction between right and wrong can affect the situation so greatly. Driving is just one aspect, though it is a very clear and easily observable area where this shines through. It would be interesting the correlation between parental education and likelyhood of being involved in accidents/numerous speeding infractions. It would also be interesting to view that same correlation based on family income. I would bet that its a bell curve with the income; at some point the parents are so wealthy the kids just don't care about rules and completely fuck up. On the other end, the kids feel they have nothing to loose and fuck up.

this rant semi wandered OT, but previous commends just got me thinking along these lines...

/rant

[rwh11385]

at some point the parents are so wealthy the kids just don't care about rules and completely fuck up. On the other end, the kids feel they have nothing to loose and fuck up.

yeah, how i feel too. of course, there are some very wealthy and very good parents in the world. just very rare. two good friends of mine are very affluent but are great people and have been raised well, with good work/study ethics and a real future.

unforunately, the majority in that boat seem to be lazy spoiled douchebags and why i fear the country is fucked in 30 years...

[rwh11385]

I think the whole subject has been taken too seriously to be honest. I thought it was a pretty humorous campaign...in the same way Mini's was.

well,

I finally find more opinions similar to mine.

http://www.slate.com/id/2137532/

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5251684

A young man hears a voice in his head, which spurs him to drive recklessly and to mistreat his girlfriend. I have news: That's not his "Fast" he's making friends with. It's his "testosterone."

Let me say upfront that, while as individuals I'm certain they are lovely people, men under the age of 25 comprise my least favorite advertising demographic. Marketing directed at this cohort tends to exhibit: an adversarial stance toward women; a thoughtless disregard for societal harmony; supremely awful taste in food and clothing; and general boneheadedness. Bob Garfield, writing recently in Advertising Age, referred to the "beer-pong demographic."

Now I may be under 25, have my own personal beer pong table, and drive a sport compact car, but I do actually respect woman beyond the surface layer joking or teasing, and keep myself safe on the road.

the Fast telepathically urges people to be dickheads

is that the influence you really want to be giving props to?


The only cool thing was the music/idol which alludes to a Donnie-Darko-esque feel. But as far as a campaign to support punk 20-somethings goal in life to drive fast and dis women, no thanks.

[europeanplates]

Good links, wonder what the Jetta ad will be?

Tyler

[Jand3rson]

Good greif... I just thought the commercials were funny, and the little "fast" rabbit was a cool little thing, something might look cool on top of my computer or something.

[rwh11385]

Good links, wonder what the Jetta ad will be?

Tyler

You mean the ads aimed for the typical woman driver... and now the brand disses on women? It'll be interesting.


I doubt the overall success behind this "segmented" marketing and brand image. The old starry night crusing with friends, that's universal. This is way too focused on just a single demographic, while abrasive to others.