Dr. Evil Is More Evil Than Ever In GM's Super Bowl Ad

Manufacturers will try all kinds of gimmicks to sell their brand image and products. Some, like Toyota, often rely on heartfelt stories of perseverance and triumph to pluck at the heartstrings of potential customers. Others do the more honest and respectful thing by simply trying to sell a car on TV. Then there's GM. This year's Super Bowl promises to deliver some of the most meaningful and in-touch advertising we've ever seen (we have no comment on the quality of the football), and General Motors plans to steal the show with its new commercial starring the one and only Dr. Evil, the longtime enemy of Austin Powers. Welcome back to the late 90s, everyone.

GM has released the full-length 90-second commercial featuring Dr. Evil and his inner circle. The gang is all back: Frau, Number 2, Scott Evil, and a new member, Scott's grandson Kyle/Baby Me. Dr. Evil learns he is no longer the Number One threat to the world. Climate change has taken his place. He's now Number Two and that's simply unacceptable. He declares he'll save the world by fighting climate change with help from GM's new EVs and other future Ultium-powered models. Then, he'll take over the world once climate change has been defeated. Dr. Evil is good at being evil.

A second and shorter preview ad starts off with a GM marketing focus group answering questions regarding the company's Ultium EVs. GM has been investing tons of money into its EV program, including a massive push in its national charging network and battery technology. The interviewer asks a group of people how far they think GMs Ultium EVs can go. The first woman guesses 180 miles, while another guesses 300.

Then the tab of acid your cool uncle gave you at Woodstock '99 starts kicking in. Dr. Evil from the hit movie franchise Austin Powers appears left of screen and quips "one million miles?" GM recently released a teaser video featuring Dr. Evil, played by Mike Myers, so if you've seen that, this should come as no surprise.