Luxury car giant enlists Nintendo icon to pitch new compact crossover model
With the highly-anticipated release of Mario Kart 8 for the Wii U imminent, German automaker Mercedes-Benz is cashing in on the Nintendo legend’s enduring fame with a new ad campaign that features the superhero plumber using their new GLA compact crossover to get a leg up on his block-busting and Koopa-stomping.
In the ad, an 8-bit version of the new car is driven by Mario through an abbreviated recreation of the famous Level 1-1 from the original Famicom/NES Super Mario Bros, where it proves well-suited for vanquishing Goombas, vaulting over pipes and handling other hazards that, admittedly, most drivers are unlikely to encounter. In a final demonstration of power, the GLA enables Mario to leap over the flagpole and castle – and then things get a little strange…
The ad is part of a new marketing push for the model, which debuted as a concept car at the 2013 Shangai Auto Show. It is scheduled to be available in the U.S. by 2014 or 2015. In addition, Famitsu reports that a Mercedes-branded kart will be available as free DLC for Mario Kart 8.
Source: Mercedes-Benz of Japan
