After three years of being bested by Toyota, General Motors is once again the world’s best selling automaker. General Motors sold 9,025,942 in 2011, a 7.6 percent increase over last year’s figures. General Motors even bested Volkswagen, who have made it a public goal to become the biggest automaker on the block. Toyota trailed both GM and VW though, whose sales dropped 6 percent in 2011.
What elevates a car from a mere appliance is the connection the owner makes with it. A faithful companion, partner in crime, and object of desire, cars become part of the lives we lead, and the stories we leave behind.
Throughout 100 years, there are plenty of stories involving Chevy’s cars and their owners. Chevy’s online video series “Road We’re On” showcases theses personal stories people have had with their cars, both past and present. Often times these experiences not only involve a single person either, but whole communities.
The first of eight episodes is titled “Welcome to Bridgeview. ” This first series focuses on the effect Chevy has in the small town of Bridgeview, Pennsylvania. Bridgeview is a town seemingly ripped out of a Norman Rockwell painting. Everybody knows each other, and their stories often intersect with one another as well. It is this effect of Chevy’s products on both individual people and communities that has woven Chevy into the very fabric of America.
The episodes can be viewed individually on Youtube and on Chevy’s site rodewereon.
Chevy has built some incredible cars over the years and now want you to select your favorite Chevy of all time! With the 100 year Celebration of Chevrolet upon us it’s only natural that there’s plenty of debate over which is the most splendid machinery that rolled off one of their assembly lines. Cast your vote at Chevrolet.com see how your favorite Chevy stacks up!
Through its Diamonds & Dreams program, Chevy is offering Little League field makeovers for your community, a trip for four to the 2011 MLB All-Star Game and a new Chevrolet!
Watch how Diamonds & Dreams has made a difference in communities across the country in 2010. And this year, Chevy is doing even more.
You can make it happen for your community. Chevy is offering 100 different prizes to support youth baseball: 20 field makeovers, 60 equipment packages and 20 baseball clinics. Plus, you can win one of four trips to the 2011 MLB All-Star Game and one entrant will win a new Chevrolet vehicle!
I had to wait a few days before commenting on the so called death of the Chevy name. A memo was leaked from inside GM and it appears the brass in marketing want to move the nickname of Chevy aside and refer to the brand only as Chevrolet. I just said Chevrolet a few times and you know what? It sounds so good that I’m sure GM can add a few thousand bucks to each Chevrolet they produce because it just sounds more expensive. That little Chevrolet Aveo can now easily fetch what a Jaguar would set us back right? Ok let’s get serious here. The nickname Chevy is going nowhere and with the pull back we now are watching from the bigs at Chevrolet they realize it too. Long live the Ford Vs. Chevy wars!!!
From the Detroit News:
GM makes Chevrolets, but people own Chevys.
That’s the message lost in all of the silly name games that hit the fan Thursday.
If you haven’t heard, here’s the short version: GM tried to kill the Chevy name, and the automaker now faces attempted manslaughter charges in the court of public opinion.
The more realistic version is this: A couple of bigwigs — namely Alan Batev, vice president of Chevrolet sales, and Jim Campbell, GM’s vice president of marketing — drafted an internal memo to the marketing team declaring “Chevy” was now a dirty word and to never use it.
This is good news for Chevy buyers out there. It’s great to see Chevy taking on the competition with these options. Don’t stop now – keep it coming!
From LeftLaneNews.com:
Keeping up with the latest in wireless technology, General Motors announced on Monday that seven new Chevy models are now available with Chevrolet Wi-Fi by Autonet Mobile. The dealer-installed Wi-Fi technology is certified to work with new Equinox, Traverse, Silverado, Tahoe, Suburban, Avalanche and Express models.
Connecting to the Web via the 3G network, Chevrolet Wi-Fi creates an in-vehicle internet hotspot that also extends up to a 150 feet radius around the vehicle. The system is capable of handling multiple wireless devices and returns speeds up to 1.5 mbps – allowing for streaming video.
After going back and forth for quite some time GM has decided to add some “Spark” into the U.S car market with an A segment entry. With gas prices being so unpredictable this is a good insurance policy in case prices spike again.
The Chevy Spark will enter the US and fill a role in the Chevy lineup that is not currently filled with any model – the A-segment. Currently, Chevy’s smallest offering is the B-segment Chevy Aveo.
Like most automakers in the US, Chevy’s reason for not offering an A-segment vehicle in the recent past was likely due to the fact that prior to recent market changes, the segment had little appeal to Americans.
Recent market studies by several auto manufacturers however show that Americans are trending towards smaller vehicles – possibly bucking the trend of all Americans thinking “bigger is better” when it comes to purchasing vehicles.
The clock is ticking towards the launch of the Chevy Volt next year. It’s getting down to the nitty gritty my friends, so keep your fingers crossed over at the Ren Cen.
Royal Oak — Even on their days off, the engineers creating the Chevrolet Volt are working.
They’re testing, measuring and evaluating what is arguably the most important vehicle in General Motors Co.’s history. They take their work home with them, literally, commuting in the vehicles, strapping baby seats in the back or picking up groceries.
When the official auto show season kicks off next month in Los Angeles, the Volt will play a starring role. On Monday, at Athens Coney Island, a group of Volt engineers talked about the car and how its development is progressing.
With all the talk about fuel efficient vehicles, it’s nice to see Americans embracing cars that bring back the romantic vision of cars that marked American in the 20th century.
If your mantra is “Too much horsepower is never enough” Hennessey Performance Engineering has answered your call. This is especially true if you are the owner of a 2010 Chevy Corvette ZR1. If you’re thinking — ‘Isn’t the 2010 Corvette ZR1 already the fastest and most powerful production Vette ever with 638 hp and supercar performance?’ — you are correct. But Hennessey believes that everyone should have an opportunity to step their ride up to the next level. Porsche 911 owners can purchase the GT3 RS, Dodge Viper drivers can grab the Viper ACR and now Corvette ZR1 enthusiasts can move up to the Hennessey Z700.
The Hennessey Z700 is dyno tuned to 705 bhp and 717 lb-ft of torque with the help of a new supercharger, upgraded exhaust and reworked air induction systems. The 2010 Corvette ZR1 is then put on a serious diet with the biggest reduction coming via the replacement of stock rims with ultra-lightweight carbon fiber wheels wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport Cup tires (which sheds 60 pounds). A Z-Aero carbon fiber front splitter, canards and rear spoiler add over 300 pounds of downforce. You also get a revised interior that includes carbon fiber seats along with an Alcantara steering wheel and shift knob.
Check it out sub5zero for more photos and information on this monster ride.
