Mercedes-Benz USA is holding a social media competition, “Take the Wheel,” to promote the new Mercedes CLA for the younger audience. The brand has commissioned five best Instagram photographers for a 5-day drive across the United States behind the CLA’s wheel. The author of the the most «liked» photos will win a 3-year lease on the new Mercedes-Benz car.

To promote the new 2014 Lexus IS sport sedan, the brand is rolling out an interactive microsite “The Amazing Mix” that enables users to play with the content and create short custom videos using a keyboard. Visitors to the site (U.S. 18+ residents) who submit their unique compilations of sound and visual effects, have a chance to win prizes from Lexus.

Unlike many car manufacturers that hope to engage with the multimillion Facebook or Twitter audiences, Honda Australia has chosen a less popular, professional social-media networking site LinkedIn to promote its new Accord. The brand has collaborated with Leo Burnett Melbourne and ZenithOptimedia to launch a promotional website Honda Accord A-Team, where users (residents of Australia) can sign in with their LinkedIn accounts to enter a contest and win business-technology products worth AUD$3,000.

Toyota USA previews a new social shopping app, Toyota Collaborator, that will allow potential buyers of the cars to learn more about the vehicles, customize them without visiting a dealership and even go on a virtual test-drive with friends online. The application, which was developed by Saatchi & Saatchi LA in collaboration with Google and Joystick Interactive, was introduced as a prototype at the Google I/O event.