Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Chevrolet Ranks as Top Performance Brand in U.S.
DETROIT – Chevrolet is America’s favorite performance brand, with Camaro and Corvette accounting for one out of every three sports cars sold in the United States in 2011.
Chevrolet accounted for 37 percent of the sports-car segment last year, selling 88,249 Camaros, which surpassed its nearest competitor, the Ford Mustang, by more than 18,000 units. That lead is expected to increase when the new Camaro ZL1 goes on sale this month.
Chevrolet accounted for 28 percent of the luxury-sports-car segment in 2011, selling 13,164 Corvettes. Currently the only domestic car in the segment, Corvette more than doubled the sales of its nearest competitor, the Porsche 911.
| Top 5 Sports Cars by | Top 5 Luxury Sports Cars by | |||||||
| 1. | Chevrolet Camaro | 88,249 | 37% | 1. | Chevrolet Corvette | 13,164 | 28% | |
| 2. | Ford Mustang | 70,438 | 29% | 2. | Porsche 911 | 6,016 | 13% | |
| 3. | Dodge Challenger | 39,534 | 16% | 3. | BMW 6-Series | 3,903 | 8% | |
| 4. | Honda CR-Z | 11,330 | 5% | 4. | BMW Z4 | 3,479 | 7% | |
| 5. | Hyundai Veloster | 9,284 | 4% | 5. | Mercedes SLK | 3,220 | 7% | |
“With the addition of the Camaro ZL1, there are only a handful of brands in the world with two cars that can match the performance, technology, and excitement of Corvette and Camaro,” said General Motors North America President Mark Reuss. “Unlike many competitors’ performance cars, the Corvette ZR1 and Camaro ZL1 are appropriate for both daily drivers and track use from the factory – with standard coolers for brakes and drivetrain.”
“And we challenge any company to bring two cars to compete with the Corvette ZR1 and Camaro ZL1, dollar for dollar,” Reuss said. “They will discover what enthusiasts already know – that Chevrolet Camaro and Corvette are the world’s best performance cars for the money.”
To demonstrate the capabilities of the Corvette and Camaro, Chevrolet recently tested full-production models with no performance modifications on the “Grand Course” at Virginia International Raceway. The Grand Course configuration is a challenge for production cars because it requires prodigious power, precise handling and tenacious grip to record a fast lap.
In a 2012 Corvette ZR1, equipped with new Michelin Pilot Sport Cup tires, Corvette engineer Jim Mero lapped the Grand Course in 2:45.6 – faster than the published lap time for any production car.
In a 2012 Camaro ZL1, Camaro engineer Aaron Link lapped the Grand Course in 2:52.4 – more than six seconds faster than the published lap time of a 2011 Ford Shelby GT500 on the same track.
Car and Driver Magazine, which conducts the annual Lightning Lap shootout at Virginia International Raceway, called the track “the nearest thing to the Nurburgring’s fabled Nordschleife.”
“The Grand Course at VIR is an excellent test of all-around vehicle performance,” said
Reuss. “Like the Nurburgring, a single lap at VIR tests every aspect of a car, including power, brakes, steering, tire grip and chassis balance. To break a three-minute lap on the four-mile Grand Course is an incredible accomplishment for any car.”
The Corvette ZR1 is the most powerful vehicle Chevrolet has ever produced, with a supercharged, 6.2L, LS9 V-8 delivering 638 horsepower and 604 pound-feet of torque. Of all mass-production companies, Chevrolet is the leader in carbon fiber use, with the lightweight material used for structural components on the ZR1 including the front fenders, hood, roof, front splitter, rocker panels and floor pans. With a curb weight of 3,353 pounds, the ZR1 features a power-to-weight ratio of just 5.2 pounds per horsepower. As a result, the ZR1 is also the fastest Chevrolet ever produced, capable of accelerating from 0 to 60 mph in 3.4 seconds, and reaching a top speed of 205 mph. The Corvette ZR1 starts at $112,575, including destination.
The Camaro ZL1 is the most-powerful Camaro ever produced, with a supercharged, 6.2L, LSA V-8 delivering 580-horsepower, and 556 pound-feet of torque. It is also the most-sophisticated Camaro ever, with exclusive performance technologies including Performance Traction Management and Magnetic Ride suspension. Other standard performance features include six-piston Brembo brakes, and coolers for the rear differential, brakes, and transmission. As a result, the ZL1 is also the most-capable Camaro ever, accelerating from 0 to 60 mph in 3.9 seconds, reaching a top speed of 184 mph, and lapping the famed Nurburgring in just 7:41.27. The Camaro ZL1 starts at $54,995, including destination.
Both Corvette and Camaro have also recently been recognized by IntelliChoice as the best overall value in their segments – further evidence that consumers get more performance for their money from Chevrolet.
Courtesy of media.gm.com
Monday, February 27, 2012
Thursday, February 23, 2012
2012 Chevrolet Volt Cleared for California’s Carpool Lanes
DETROIT – A low emission model of the 2012 Chevrolet Volt electric car are on their way to California, where customers will qualify for a $1,500 state rebate and be allowed to drive solo in the state’s carpool lanes.
Volts with the Low Emissions Package, which is standard for California, began shipping from the General Motors Detroit-Hamtramck plant this week and should begin arriving at the more than 140 participating Chevrolet dealerships in California before the end of the month.
"The Volts with the Low Emissions Package are certain to be a strong draw for California commuters looking to travel the state’s notoriously congested freeways in the carpool lane,” said Chris Perry, vice president of Chevrolet Marketing.
Commuters who use carpool lanes in Southern California save an estimated average 36 minutes a day, or about a third of their total driving time.
The California Department of Motor Vehicles is making 40,000 Clean Air Stickers available for registered vehicles that meet the state’s emissions standards. Applications can be downloaded from the DMV’s web site at www.dmv.ca.gov
Additionally, the new Low Emissions Package makes the 2012 Volt eligible for owners and lessees to receive up to $1,500 in state rebates through the Clean Vehicle Rebate Project. This incentive is in addition to a federal tax credit of up to $7,500 Clean vehicle rebate applications can be submitted online at energycenter.org
California has more than 1,400 miles of High Occupancy Vehicle lanes. Originally restricted to vehicles with two or more occupants to help minimize congestion, the lanes are now open to single occupancy use by owners of advanced, low-emission vehicles. Volts registered in Georgia, New York and Florida also are eligible for single occupancy access to carpool lanes.
The Volt has a total driving range of up to 379 miles, based on EPA estimates. For the first 35 miles, the Volt can drive gas-and tailpipe-emissions-free using a full charge of electricity stored in its 16-kWh lithium-ion battery. When the Volt’s battery runs low, a gas powered engine/generator seamlessly operates to extend the driving range another 344 miles on a full tank. Volt owners have travelled more than 10 million miles since the vehicle launched late last year. Roughly two-thirds of those miles were powered by grid electricity.
Courtesy of media.gm.com
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Grueling Road Stress Fuels Chevy Sonic Success
DETROIT – There are miles and then there are “Seth miles.” Both measure 5,280 feet, but a “Seth mile” is different. More extreme. More grueling. More punishing. All that rigor is part of the durability story of the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic.
“Seth miles” are named for Chevrolet Sonic Quality Manager Seth Valentine. Each mile Valentine puts on a test vehicle is called a “Seth mile” by Sonic engineers because of his reputation for extreme testing on long road trips. Valentine’s duty: Make the Sonic the most reliable and durable small car in North America
The efforts are paying off as Sonic more than doubled the sales of its predecessor, the Aveo, in January. Sonic is the only subcompact built in the United States.
Over one six-week period, Valentine drove more than 14,000 miles in the first Sonic to leave the General Motors Orion (Mich.) Assembly Plant. Valentine drove Sonic Vehicle Identification No. 1 from north to south and east to west, across subtropical Florida, the arid deserts of Arizona, the mountains of Colorado, and the South Carolina low country.
In addition to amassing miles with other Sonic team members, Valentine would play typical consumer and pack the Sonic to the hilt for a family vacation.
During work trips, Valentine and his colleagues identified quality issues that needed fixed before Sonics were shipped to Chevrolet dealers. One lengthy journey from the assembly plant outside Detroit to Phoenix revealed an intense wind noise while traveling through a 40 mph crosswind in Texas. The wind noise was not a factor during testing at the GM Proving Ground in Milford, Mich. Valentine called the assembly plant from the road and had the problem fixed before VIN No. 2 left the factory. He took the same approach with other issues found on the road.
“I do test drives because I want to experience everything a customer could: low altitude, high altitude, high temperatures and low temperatures,” said Valentine. “In the course of one week I can go from below sea level at 120 degrees F to below freezing temperatures at 12,000 feet above sea level. We can experience everything the customer might experience.”
The Sonic comes with a 100,000-mile powertrain warranty, 40,000 miles more than most competing small car powertrain warranties. It is the only small car manufactured in the United States.
Courtesy of media.gm.com
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Chevrolet Super Bowl Ads Drive Purchase Consideration
DETROIT – Advertising experts say more people are interested in buying Chevrolet cars and trucks due to clever and targeted advertising and innovative digital campaigns tied to Super Bowl XLVI.
According to the CNBC/Collective Intellect Super Sunday Ad Tracker research conducted before, during and after the game, Chevrolet came in first in purchase language – language that suggests a consumers’ intent to purchase a product based on the advertising. Chevrolet beat out all of the other brands that also advertised during the Super Bowl by a comfortable margin.
“Our strategy was to reach far beyond the in-game spots, and extend the conversation about Chevy cars and trucks through multiple digital efforts before, during and, importantly, after the game,” said General Motors Global Chief Marketing Officer Joel Ewanick. “In the end, brand exposure and purchase consideration is what this is all about, and these results show Chevrolet nailed it.
“We knew if we delivered a focused message about Chevrolet cars and trucks, using strong creative with a sense of humor, we could generate meaningful interest in our products that could translate into future sales,” said Ewanick.
According to Nielsen, Chevrolet ads in total also excelled in breakthrough and memorability, scoring higher than the Automotive Super Bowl average and the Overall Super Bowl average.
In addition to the attention-grabbing ads, Chevrolet’s digital efforts proved successful with more than 700,000 registrations for the Chevy Game Time app, more than 35 million page views, and more than 25 million trivia answers submitted before and during the game. Chevrolet also gained more than 130,000 new fans on Facebook and more than 9,000 new followers on Twitter.
Courtesy of media.gm.com
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Bruce Springsteen's 1960 Chevrolet Corvette Takes Center Stage at New Exhibit
PHILADELPHIA — Bruce Springsteen's 1960 Chevrolet Corvette will be one of the key pieces at a new exhibit celebrating the American songwriter that kicks off on Friday at the National Constitution Center.
Springsteen, the working-class guy from New Jersey who has chronicled the American dream in songs ranging from Born to Run to Promised Land, bought the vintage Corvette in 1975, after the success of Born To Run.
The classic Corvette is one of more than 150 artifacts from the musician's career. Springsteen wrote many of his songs about his experiences in and around his hometown of Freehold, New Jersey. The National Constitution Center, which is devoted to the U.S. Constitution, describes Springsteen as an artist who has "pushed the boundaries of the First Amendment."
"Bruce Springsteen's music is all about achieving the American dream," said David Eisner, the museum's president and CEO in a video on its Web site.
The exhibit, which was created by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, also includes Springsteen's Fender Esquire from the cover of Born to Run, along with family photos and his 1993 Academy Award for Best Original Song for Streets of Philadelphia.
The exhibit runs until September 3.
Courtesy of insideline.com
Monday, February 13, 2012
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Chevrolet Cruze Station Wagon to Debut in Geneva
ZURICH – The Chevrolet Cruze station wagon, the third variant of Chevrolet’s most-popular car, will make its global premiere at the 82nd International Geneva Motor Show early next month.
The station wagon complements the Cruze sedan and hatchback, which together have combined sales of more than 1 million vehicles globally since launch in 2009.
"The Cruze station wagon caters to an important market segment. It ticks all the boxes for European drivers in terms of distinctive design, dynamic driving, space and economy," said Chevrolet Europe President and Managing Director Susan Docherty.
The new station wagon, which is not planned for sale in North America, features generous storage space and a choice of powerful and efficient engines as well as the state-of-the-art Chevrolet MyLink onboard infotainment system.
The new and improved engines will be available on the entire Cruze line-up starting summer 2012. In addition to the current 1.6L and 1.8L gasoline engines, a new 1.4L turbo gasoline, a new 1.7L diesel and an improved 2.0L diesel engine complete the powertrain offer.
The 1.4L gasoline, 1.7L diesel and 2.0L diesel engines come with start-stop technology as standard. All engines are Euro 5-compliant.
The station wagon, at 4,675 mm (184.1 inches), is slightly longer than the hatchback (4,510 mm/ 177.6 inches) and sedan (4,597 mm /181 inches) models. Load space ranges from 500 liters (17.6 cubic feet) up to the window line in the rear to nearly 1,500 liters (52.9 cubic feet) up to the roof top with the rear seats folded down.
Refined design and new technologies
The station wagon is immediately recognizable as a new variant of the best-selling Chevrolet Cruze. The exterior design features a tapering single arch roofline and comes with roof racks as standard, providing convenience while maintaining a poised and sporty look.
A number of exterior and interior styling changes are being introduced in 2012 for all Cruze models. These include a remodeled front fascia, modified head-lamp interiors and fog lamps, and new wheel styles on the exterior and refinements to the center console and a greater choice of seat finishes for the interior.
New Cruzes are equipped with keyless entry, allowing access the vehicle with the key safely tucked away in a bag or pocket. Additionally, the system allows the engine to be turned on or off by pressing a button without the need to insert the key into the ignition.
A brand-new Chevrolet infotainment system, called MyLink, is being introduced in higher trim levels in the Cruze line-up and in the Chevrolet Aveo as of summer 2012. It brings owners' smartphone capabilities into the vehicle.
MyLink aggregates content from the smartphone onto the seven-inch diagonal high-resolution full-color touch-screen display. Once the smartphone is connected, personal playlists, photo galleries, phone books, videos and other stored media and data, such as a special navigation app, can be accessed though the infotainment system touch-screen.
Courtesy of media.gm.com
Thank you for letting us know how we're doing!
We went to Bob Brown Chevrolet looking for a specific car for our daughter. Starting with the phone call to the dealership right on through picking up the car, Bob Brown employees went out of their way to treat us right. There were NO high pressure tactics from salesman Clyde Birks or the sales manager. - jandjmiller
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
2012 Chevy Sonic – 2.9% APR for 60 Months
Monday, February 6, 2012
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Chevrolet to Debut Five Ads on Super Bowl Sunday
DETROIT – Chevrolet is going big on Super Bowl Sunday with five new ads, including a first-of-its-kind music video with the new Sonic subcompact and the band OK Go.
“The Super Bowl is a huge opportunity for Chevrolet to connect with millions of consumers – before, during and after the game – with our ads and digital extensions,” said Joel Ewanick, global chief marketing officer, General Motors. “At the core of our efforts are great Chevrolet cars and trucks.”
“The Sonic and OK Go partnership is the perfect match-up of an innovative small car with a band known for its unique videos and musical interpretations,” said Ewanick. “The Sonic was built to be fun to drive and the ‘Needing/Getting’ music video highlights its agility, power, and spaciousness.”
In the music video, the four members of OK Go are shown in a specially equipped Sonic, driving through a race course lined with musical instruments and other homemade sound-generating objects. The car is used to play the instruments along the route with devices attached to the body panels, as well as to the wheels and tires. The sounds generated along the course make up the music in the song.
“We always strive to find a new path with our music and our videos, so it’s really great to partner with a company like Chevrolet that is willing to push boundaries to connect with their audience, too,” said Damian Kulash, Jr., lead vocalist for OK Go. “They gave us free reign to indulge our deep-seated stunt driving fantasies and we’re thrilled that they liked the results enough to incorporate our video into their Super Bowl plans.”
In addition to the music video, Chevrolet will debut two other ads for the Sonic and one each for the Volt electric vehicle with extended range and Silverado full-size pickup. Also airing during the telecast will be the Chevrolet Route 66 Contest winning ad “Chevy Happy Grad,” created by 26-year old Long Island resident, Zach Borst.
Chevrolet has a strong digital presence during the Super Bowl with a number of initiatives including the first-of-its-kind Chevy Game Time app, which allows viewers of Super Bowl XLVI to play trivia, interact with each other via Twitter, participate in polls and possibly win one of 20 Chevrolets or thousands of other prizes. The app has been downloaded more than 300,000 times since it was made available during the NFL’s NFC Championship game.
Courtesy of media.gm.com
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
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