A very popular auction was just recently held in Las Vegas called the Barrett-Jackson. Before the 2011 Camaro Convertible even hits the showrooms this hot new model was auctioned off for one lucky winner to drive home. GM decided to auction of this beauty with the proceeds going to the YMCA of Southern Nevada. Let’s just say that YMCA is very happy with GM’s decision cause that 2011 Camaro Convertible went for over $200,000.
I know many Camaro enthusiasts that can not wait for the Camaro Convertible to hit the show room of your local Texas Chevy dealer. We’ll keep you posted when the first one rolls in! I think you will be happy to hear that the New 2011 Camaro Convertible will be priced considerably lower than $200,000.
Here at Classic Chevrolet in Grapevine we are very excited to be getting the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze. People have been and are still calling daily just waiting for it to arrive so they can take it for a test drive. Do you know how unique the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze is? Well, just for one it has the most airbags for a small car. It also has a very smooth quiet drive as you witnessed in a previous post of mine. Check out this safety video from Chevrolet on the 2011 Cruze. When you are ready to take this new car for a spin make sure you head on over to your local Grapevine Chevy dealer. The Cruze is waiting for you to drive it!
I have been around the Chevrolet Camaro my whole life and Camaro owners longer than I can remember. I know that owning and driving a Camaro is more than just having a car, it is more like a lifestyle. This video below is about the Camaro disciples and I think you will find it very interesting. Thanks to Motor Authority for sharing this video and their story with it. The Chevrolet Camaro is in high demand and one of the most popular Chevrolets of all time and I am very proud to be a part of its history. I appreciate the fact that Chevrolet is asking the people what they think about the Camaro and getting their opinions on how to improve it. This gives us (the consumer) the opportunity to speak our mind about the car and leave a piece of us with it. Enjoy and let me know what you think about this.
The business of focus grouping in the autoindustry can be a bit of an echo chamber. The group you select shapes the responses you get. Chevrolet is putting this two-edged sword to use with the ongoing development of the Camaro, and in this video, we get a look at the “15 Disciples” group of enthusiasts.
Chevy uses these presumably hand-picked enthusiasts as a sounding board for what’s good, what’s bad, what’s missing, and what to add. But more interesting than Chevy’s use of the group is the group itself.
Looking at the group is perhaps the best insight possible into what Chevy sees as the target market for the Camaro, and it’s not as heavy with gold chains and chin hair as you might expect. In fact, the group spans what appears to be at least two decades in age and has a substantial female contingent.
In other words, Chevy is going after not just hard-core performance enthusiasts or image-obsessed bankers but the whole spectrum of car fanatics. From a volume sales perspective, that’s no doubt the wise approach. However it may serve to explain why, in our drive review of the 2010 Camaro SS, we found the Camaro to be a bit less focused than we’d like, though the six-speed manual and LS3 V-8 combo are always good for some fun. On the other hand, it may be the perfect recipe for a crowd-pleasing muscle car.
Chevrolet has had no shortage of pretty remarkable videos lately. Between the videos for the new Chevy Silverado HD and the Chevrolet Volt we aren’t surprised that they are pumping out more awesome videos for the all-new Chevrolet Cruze. We are patiently waiting it’s arrival. Are you?
Courtesy of GMFastlane check out the new Cruze video:
Our friends at Chevrolet put together another cool video featuring the all-new 2011 Chevy Cruze and its development engineers. Special thanks to Detroit hard rockers, Fifth Way, who joined in to demonstrate the Cruze’s comfortable, quiet ride.
That’s right Chevy has hired a new voice for their commercials and it is none other that the comedian Tim Allen. Home improvement has been one of the funniest shows on the air in years passed and I am quite sure that Tim Allen will do a remarkable job with Chevrolet. My children love “Buzz Lightyear” from Toy Story as well, so I think he’s found a good place with us. Tim will be the voice for the upcoming Chevrolet Cruze commercials and don’t worry we’ll keep you posted when the Chevrolet Cruze hits your local Dallas Chevy dealership. Check out the story from AutoBlog.
General Motors has officially announced that television and movie star Tim Allen will be the new “voice of Chevrolet,” starting with a series of ads that will begin airing on September 7. These ads will be for the all-new 2011 Chevrolet Cruze, and while Allen is a big-name with a very recognizable voice, GM’s vice president of marketing, Joel Ewanick, reminds us that “the car will be the star.”
Allen is best known for his starring role on the long-running 1990s sitcom Home Improvement, as well as his roles in The Santa Clause movies and as the voice behind Buzz Lightyear in the Toy Story trilogy. In addition, Allen is also a well-known automobile enthusiast and has an extensive car collection. He is a native of Detroit, Michigan, and has a strong love for classic American muscle cars.
Listen for Tim Allen in four 30-second GM spots, scheduled to hit your television screen in the coming weeks. GM says that the Cruze’s marketing campaign will ramp up as the cars begin to arrive at dealerships in greater volume. For the full details, hit the jump to read GM’s press release.
I think we all know how much I love Facebook, Twitter and the like. Let’s think about this though… Do I Facebook while driving? No! Well maybe if I am in dead stop traffic not moving. Under normal circumstances I am paying attention to the road. I came across an article today from AutoBlog that was very interesting. GM has decided to combat Ford’s popular Sync System with a system of their own. I never thought about voice texting or updating your Facebook status while driving but this could be very interesting. The question is…. Could it be safe? What are your thoughts on this. Would updating your Facebook “safely” while driving be something that you would like to do?
Here’s the story:
General Motors is ready to bring the fight to Ford’s Sync system with a reworked version of OnStar, but the salient details won’t be revealed for another seven days. However, we’ve gotten word from the General that it’s testing two new features: Audio Facebook updates and voice texting.
On the Facebook front, GM is the experimental phase of integrating OnStar with the 800-pound social media guerilla, allowing users to verbally update their Facebook status via audio recordings, with the possibility of utilizing the OnStar Virtual Advisor feature to read off Facebook status updates and news feeds.
Voice texting works in a similar manner, pairing the driver’s Bluetooth mobile phone to OnStar and allowing the system to read received SMS messages and reply using a voice command to select four pre-set messages. That’s not true voice-to-text functionality, but it’s similar to what’s being offered by other automakers.
Well, what do you think? Something you might like?
I am sure you all know our Camaro guru Mr. Eric Hall (@TheSSEric) right? Well he has asked me to let you guys know about the upcoming Lone Star Camaro Club event set for September 11, 2010. So below is all the information! If you have any questions please let me know! We hope to see you out there!
Saturday, September 11, 2010 You’re the driver when Texas Motor Speedway opens the Speedway to the public for the first time this year. Experience the thrill of driving your car around the 1.5-mile super speedway all to benefit the Texas Chapter of Speedway Children’s Charities.
Polish up your special vehicle and come on out to “The Great American Speedway!®” on Saturday, Sept. 11, 2010 for Laps for Charity II. Take three laps on the 1.5 mile Super Speedway behind a pace vehicle for just a $30 donation and have your picture taken in Victory Lane for an additional $10. Once again our fan favorite VIP Laps Experience will be offered for $250. Laps will be conducted for Car Clubs (by reservation) ours is 5:30, but we need to be there by 4:00pm and for the General Public from 7-10 p.m. No reservation is needed for the General public time. We will be arriving at TMS around 3:30 in order to take a large group photo.
So, I am sure everyone out there understands and knows the significance of our Laps for Charity day. It is indeed on 9/11 and I really felt the need to honor and pay respect to an event that so heavily impacted our country. I know there are a lot of members out there that served or currently do serve in our armed forces or risk their lives daily as a firefighter or a police officer. 9/11 may have been horrific, but the way America handled it is a testament to these peoples’ courage, determination, and unwavering nerve. With that said, LSC had to be involved and as a non-profit organization, had to also give back.
On the recommendation of Eric Hall with Classic Chevrolet (thank you Eric!!), I contacted the 9/11 Flight Crew Memorial Foundation with the intent of organizing a large scale photo-op. Well, after speaking with Dean Thompson (who is the CEO of the organization and the designer and sculptor of the beautiful bronze statue) I was left blown away by his level of commitment to the foundation and his excitement of having 50-80 Camaros arranged in front of his memorial. Therefore, LSC will be making a pit stop on its way to Texas Motor Speedway.
We will also be purchasing an engraved brick and making a donation to this great cause. Dean told me that his foundation is in the process of raising $3500 for lighting retrofits on the memorial and I would love nothing more than to come through for him. I know this is quite a bit of money, but I would love to see all of you step forward and help LSC meet that number. The brick that we are having engraved will be laid on the day we are out there, so it will be quite an awesome event to be a part of. We will have a donation jar at the next few meets and I have asked Dean to come out to our July event to talk about his foundation and the memorial.
For all that attend, you will receive a pin with the memorial logo as rememberace of this special day and you will be a part of a very large club photo. With as many people as we are anticipating making it out, the group picture should be a site to behold. I also want to mention that Dean is getting the Grapevine police and fire department out to the event to escort us over to the track from the site and he is organizing media coverage for us also.
The schedule will be as follows:
12:00-2:00 pm – We will meet at Classic Chevrolet on 9/11 to organize and yes (FREE FOOD)
2:00 pm – Head out to the memorial
2:15 to 3:30 pm – Organize the cars, take group photos, watch our brick get put in the ground, and celebrate the lives of our lost loved ones
3:30 pm – Head out to TMS for our track time at 5:30 pm (FIRST GROUP ON THE TRACK)
All in all, I think this is a very appropriate and much needed stop for our caravan to TMS. The photos will be fantastic and the memorial is a great way to honor this day. I emplore you all (sponsors and members alike) to help LSC meet our lofty donation goals and if you have any questions, feel free to get in touch with me.
I know this is super long, so here are some cliffs:
-Laps for Charity is on 9/11
-LSC would like to pay tribute to this important day
-We will be making a pit stop at the 9/11 Flight Crew Memorial on our way to the track
-LSC will also be making a donation to this foundation, so break open those piggie banks!
Summer and winter holiday’s are the perfect time for families to start traveling. Everyone loves a good road trip right? You also want to be comfortable. Especially if you have children. When my wife, kids and I are going on a road trip we pretty much pack up our entire house. With that said, I was glad that Consumer Reports made the Chevrolet Traverse one of the top 10 vehicles for family travel. Not only did the Traverse score well on the road test from Consumer Reports but it also has good seating and cargo arrangements. It’s more than comfortable to ride in, scored well in all crash tests, and has proven reliable in owner surveys.
Chevrolet Traverse LT ($39,920)
The quiet, steady-riding Traverse handles well and offers plenty of room for people and cargo. Among the larger of the “mid-sized” SUVs, the Traverse has a third-row seat that’s comfortable even for adults. Rear visibility could be better, and fuel economy of 16 mpg is mediocre at best. – Consumer Reports.
Have you made it out and test driven the new Traverse yet? If you’ve got a big family this may just be the car for you. Let your Texas Chevy Dealer take you for a test drive. I don’t think you will be disappointed by any means of the word.
The all new 2011 Chevrolet Cruze is on its way to your local Texas Chevy dealer. I wanted to give you a first look at how it drives, handles and let you know a little bit of what some of the critics are saying. The Chevrolet Cruze is going to be the replacement for the Chevrolet Cobalt and even though it is a smaller car, it has a big bite. Thanks to Consumer Reports for sharing their thoughts with us on the brand new Chevrolet Cruze. I don’t think you will be disappointed by any means of the word. Check out this story, watch the video and then weigh in with your thoughts on the brand new Chevy!
Chevrolet replaces the mediocre Cobalt this September with an all-new sedan, the Cruze. Already on sale in many markets around the globe, the Cruze will give the division a much more competitive small car in the States than in the past. We borrowed one recently to give our auto engineers a chance to preview this significant new model and share their impressions in this First Look video.
The Cruze will be offered with two engines: a base 1.8-liter, four-cylinder and an up-level 1.4-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder that has the potential to optimize performance and fuel economy. Both the automatic and manual transmissions offered are six-speed units. Much of the marketing attention will be on the 1.4-liter turbo, with its promised 40 mpg on the highway.
However, the bigger story is that all Cruzes, regardless of trim level or engine, are a marked improvement over the outgoing rental-ready Cobalt. Most of GM’s recent small cars have been underwhelming, but in our time with the Cruze, we found it to feel substantial and much more refined. We think the car handles well, with responsive steering and a well-controlled ride. Noise levels are relatively low, and the cabin feels roomy for the class. Price concerns aside, the Cruze has much promise, and we are looking forward to purchasing a production example and running it through our exhaustive test regimen when it goes on sale.
Yes, it is true that the Chevrolet Volt is one of the most anticipated cars in years. I for one am very excited about getting them here at Classic Chevrolet. I know many others are as well because our phones do not stop ringing with orders and questions. It’s a very exciting time in the world of GM and Chevrolet. I was doing some light reading this morning and came across a story from USA Today about the women that are behind the Chevrolet Volt and it was inspiring. Every time I read about this car I get more and more excited. It’s the same feeling I got right before the newly designed Camaro was finally available for purchase and we all know how great that car was for Chevrolet and GM. I wanted to share this story with you and get your thoughts on it as well. Are you excited about the Chevrolet Volt? For those of you that are be rest assured that your Texas Chevy dealer will keep you posted on the latest news regarding the Chevrolet Volt and we will let you know when you can come check one out here at our store.
The most eagerly awaited car of the year is the Chevrolet Volt, the first next-generation extended-range electric car to hit the road. General Motors has a lot riding on the car, and it took a lot of workers to make it. Many of them were women in what has been traditionally the boy’s club that was yesterday’s auto industry. GM pulled together some biographies of some of the key women involved in the design of the Volt. Interestingly, each one is a mom. Here is what GM wrote about them:
Design – Nina Tortosa, pictured above, is the lead aerodynamicist on the Volt team. Her team has spent more than 500 hours of time in the wind tunnel with the Volt, often testing and tweaking changes in 1 millimeter increments. While their work is done in small measures, the cumulative impact is significant: Nina estimates that aerodynamic development on the Volt extended the electric-only range by almost seven miles at highway speeds. She has two children, ages four and five. Nina was born in Barcelona, Spain, and graduated from Mounds View High School, just outside Minneapolis.
Infrastructure - Britta Gross is director of Global Energy Systems and Infrastructure Commercialization. She is working to prepare utilities and to get communities across the country “plug-in ready,” not just for Volt but for the wave of electric vehicles predicted to be on the horizon (Global Insight estimates that plug-in electric vehicles and battery-electric vehicles could represent 20 to 60 percent of the market by 2030). This includes working with state and local governments on purchase incentives, with utilities to develop smart-grid and smart-charging technologies, and companies and municipalities to iron out home charging processes and to install charging stations at work places. Britta has two children, age 12 and 17; growing up, she lived in Kansas City, Chicago, and Baton Rouge.
Powertrain - Pamela Fletcher is the chief engineer for Volt and Plug-In Hybrid Propulsion Systems. She is responsible for the integration of the propulsion system components, including the lithium-ion battery pack, electric motors, and onboard engine generator, to ensure the cars meet customer expectations and business requirements. For the Volt this means creating an electric car with extended-range capability. Pamela has three children, ranging from 24 to 27 years of age; she grew up in Sarahsville, Ohio.
Marketing- Cristi Landy is the Volt product marketing manager. Cristi holds a degree in electrical engineering, and was part of the team that developed the Volt Concept in 2006. Currently, she acts as a liaison between Engineering and Marketing. As an example, Cristi helped identify the features and capabilities of the smart-phone application for Volt owners. This feature allows the driver to remotely heat/cool the cabin while the Volt is still plugged into the wall charger. This is much more efficient that using power from the battery for heat or air conditioning, extending the electric-only range of the Volt. Cristi has twin boys, age 10; growing up, she lived in Brookfield, Wis., and Jacksonville, Fla.
Manufacturing – Teri Quigley, pictured below, is the plant manager at Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly. Teri is responsible for preparing the plant and executing the launch of the Chevrolet Volt on the same assembly line as the Cadillac DTS and Buick Lucerne. This includes production changes to accommodate the installation of the Volt’s unique powertrain, including the training and safety protocols to install the Volt’s six-foot long, 400-pound lithium ion battery pack. Teri has four children, ranging in age from 14 to 26, and has two grandchildren; she grew up in Dexter, Mich.
Hi, I'm Hagen Durant, General Manager of Classic Chevrolet in Grapevine, TX - I am a huge car and truck enthusiast and love talking cars. I'm a cyclist, health nut, father, geek, and drummer. I look forward to giving you great information about cars and trucks, driving tips, maintenance and so much more.
If you have any questions or would like to make suggestions feel free to email them to me at hagen@classicchevytexas.com
Top Posts