Ford cries foul on Chevy 'apocalypse' ad

@PeterDrives February 6, 2012: 11:24 AM ET
Apocalypse Super Bowl ad causes a tiff between GM and Ford, the two biggest-selling truck makers.

Apocalypse Super Bowl ad causes a tiff between GM and Ford, the two biggest-selling truck makers.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- General Motors ignored a request from Ford Motor Co. and ran a humorous Chevrolet truck ad during the Super Bowl that takes a slap at Ford.

The ad shows a group of men who have survived a world-destroying apocalypse, as supposedly predicted by an ancient Mayan calendar, because they all owned Chevrolet Silverado trucks. One asks about the fate of a friend. (Big Three post big gains)

"Dave didn't drive the longest-lasting, most dependable truck on the road," another man tells him. "Dave drove a Ford."

Ford (F, Fortune 500) objects to the implication that the Chevrolet Silverado is "the longest-lasting, most dependable truck on the road." (Auto stocks soar)

"What's important is that Ford is proud to be the best-selling truck in America for 35 years, the best-selling vehicle for 30 years and the only brand with more trucks on the road with more than 250,000 miles -- demonstrating just how durable our trucks are in the real world," Ford said in a statement.

For its part, GM (GM, Fortune 500), which bases its longevity claim on years in operation, not miles, isn't backing down.

Super ads? You decide

"We stand by our claims in the commercial, that the Silverado is the most dependable, longest-lasting full-size pickup on the road," said Joel Ewanick, GM Global Chief Marketing Officer, in a statement.

"In the meantime, people who are really worried about the Mayan calendar coming true should buy a Silverado right away." Ewanick added.

According to Consumer Reports, the Ford F-150 has average "predicted reliability," while the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 is below average. Those predictions are based on surveys of the magazine's 1.3 million readers.

The Nissan Titan and Toyota Tundra V8 two-wheel-drive pickups are more dependable than either, however, a spokesman for the magazine said.

Consumer Reports makes no specific predictions or recommendations regarding performance in an apocalypse. To top of page

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