Coming Fall of 2012. The All-New Garber Chevrolet! We are doubling the size of the Showroom and Customer Lounge to serve you better. Stay tuned for further updates!
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Congratulations to our New Car Sales Manager on his recently leased Chevy Volt! For more information on the latest findings from the Department of Highway Safety see the note below.
A FEW WORDS ABOUT THE VOLT
The news is in.
Last Friday the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) closed their investigation into the Chevrolet Volt without finding a single defect.
After a two month investigation, it was determined that "no discernible defect trend exists" and that GM did not need to take any additional action.
"Based on the available data," the government’s press release said, "NHTSA does not believe that Chevy Volts or other electric vehicles pose a greater risk of fire than gasoline-powered vehicles." (For the full text of the release, go to www.nhtsa.gov.)
Put most simply, the Volt has received a 5-Star Overall Vehicle Occupant Safety score from NHTSA. That’s the highest overall safety rating a car can receive. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) also made it a top safety pick for 2012. And over 25 million miles of testing in the real world has only backed these findings up.
All of which means that the Volt will continue on its pioneering mission as the electric car that has done away with the range anxiety of running out of electrical power, by backing up our electric battery with a gasoline powered generator.
It is the most significant step ever in GM’s history to give customers a choice beyond oil, a technological "moon shot" that will now be exported to China, Germany and dozens of other countries worldwide.
Yes, the world is learning from Detroit again. And we couldn’t be prouder.
So what do our customers think of the Volt? In fact, they rated it #1 in customer satisfaction for all vehicles selling under $60,000. High praise for a company that takes very personally the safety and integrity of each of its creations. This is today’s GM.
For more information about the Volt and the Volt owner movement, please visit us at chevy.com. And of course, visit your nearest Chevrolet dealer and take the future for a drive.
Sincerely,
Dan Akerson
Chairman & Chief Executive Officer
General Motors Company
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Chevy Volt And The Wrong-Headed Right - Forbes ( by Bob Lutz - Former GM Vice Chairman - Product Design)
The recent media coverage of so-called “Chevrolet Volt fires,” especially by the and Fox News, has attracted my attention and ire.
Let’s set out the facts (and feel free to check them yourself):
1) Not one Chevrolet Volt has ever caught fire in normal use or in accidents. Not a single one.
2) The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, even after the highly artificial crash test (placing the car on its back, even though it did not roll over in the test) nevertheless awarded the Volt NHTSA’s highest crash-safety rating: 5 stars. Volt is supremely safe.
3) The crashed Volt, its battery shorted by coolant from the period unjustifiably spent “feet up,” caught fire three weeks after said test. (I submit that this would provide adequate time for surviving passengers to exit the vehicle.)
4) On average, 278,000 cars with gasoline engines caught fire in the U.S. each year between 2003 and 2007, according to the National Fire Protection Association.
5) No factory-produced electric vehicle has ever caught fire, to the best of my knowledge.
6) The Volt, the most technologically advanced car on the planet, was conceived by me and my team well before any federal bailout of GM.
These are the bedrock facts.
Now, how did the U.S. right-wing media choose to report this admittedly headline-tempting news?
A nationally syndicated editorial three-panel cartoon stated (I believe I remember the sequence): “Thomas Edisondiscovered electricity;” then, “Alexander Graham Bell discovered the telephone;” and, in the third panel, “But it took the US Government to discover fire!” (accompanied by a drawing of a burning Chevy Volt).
Meanwhile, my fellow cigar-aficionado and erstwhile friend Rush Limbaugh launched the usual outraged, breathless tirades, denouncing the Volt as a typical failed President Obama initiative, on a par, grosso modo, with the dreaded Obama Care. The screen regularly depicted an exploding Chevrolet Volt.
But the Oscar for totally irresponsible journalism has to go to The O’Reilly Factor on Fox News, with, as its key guest, Lou Dobbs. Amid much jocular yukking, the Volt was depicted as a typical federal failure. In attempting to explain why Chevy has sold fewer than 8,000 Volts, Dobbs states, flatly, “It doesn’t work.” He elaborates, “It doesn’t go fast and go far on electricity. What happens is it catches fire,” adding that Chevy has recalled some 8,000 Volts. Bill O’Reilly, nodding approvingly, helpfully interjects: “So they’ve recalled cars that haven’t been sold.” Boiled down to the subtext, Dobbs’ message was this: “All Volts catch fire, and therefore all Volts have been recalled.” That simply isn’t the case.
Much air time was spent on the $50 billion-plus bailout, which, the audience was left to assume, “funded” the Volt, doubtlessly at the whim of Obama’s known army of evil enviro-Nazis, intent on forcing vehicle electrification on a good-ole’-boy, V8-lovin’ populace.
To top it off, these two media pros lamented the fact that the same government that had forced GM to produce the Volt was now extending $7,500 tax credits towards its purchase, thus squandering even more of “our taxpayer” dollars on this failed Socialist-collectivist flop. Truth? The $7,500 tax credit was enacted under the Bush administration!
But who the hell cares about facts when you’re in O’Reilly’s self-described “No Spin Zone?” (The fine print might as well read, “We said ‘no spin,’ not ‘no deliberate misstatement of facts.’ ”) What on Earth is wrong with the conservative media movement that it feels it’s OK to spread false information, OK to damage the reputation of perhaps the finest piece of mechanical technology our country has produced since the space shuttle, OK to hurt an iconic American company that is roaring back to global pre-eminence, OK to hurt American employment in Hamtramck, Mich., as long as it damages the Obama administration’s reputation?
While as a conservative Republican I may well share the goal, I deplore the means employed to attain it. The conservative cause damages itself, destroys its credibility through the expedient spreading of untruths. The public will figure it out.
The right-wing “talking heads”, O’Reilly and Limbaugh at the forefront, have managed to make me embarrassed to describe myself as a conservative.
Come on, you guys. Shape up! There’s plenty of legitimate fodder out there. Let’s leave the “invention of facts” to the left-wing climate-change alarmists.
Check us out in the News!
TestdriveMDN.com
November 23, 2011
Sierra HD (the sister truck to the Silverado HD) Puts The Hurt On Ram And Ford
by Chevrolet in the News on September 20, 2011
It was an epic showdown between today’s most powerful HD Pickups: A 2,200-mile torture test towing ten-ton trailers that was so tough, the editors at PickupTrucks.com called it the Heavy-Duty Hurt Locker. It involved “driving up two of the nastiest mountain climbs in the U.S. —from hot summer temperatures of more than 100 degrees in the Arizona desert to the oxygen-starved peaks of the Colorado Rockies, 11,000 feet above sea level,” according to the website’s experts, and “Through it all, we measured fuel economy, acceleration, power and braking and evaluated the confidence that each truck gave its driver.”
And the winner of this grueling test of capabilities?
According to PickupTrucks.com Editor Mike Levine, “When we analyzed the data, the GMC Sierra 3500HD simply outperformed the trucks from Ford and Ram.”
Of course, it helps that GMC engineers worked to ensure the truck will soon be providing customers with even more performance. Beginning in the fourth quarter of this year, the Professional Grade 2012 GMC Sierra 3500HD will showcase notable increases in:
- Tow rating—a best-in-class 23,000 lbs.
- Dually payload—a segment-leading 7,215 lbs. (gas model)
- Conventional tow rating—18,000 lbs., representing an increase of 1,000 lbs.
“Customers choose full-size trucks for their capabilities,” said Rick Spina, vehicle line executive for GM’s full-size trucks. “So for 2012, we built on the foundation created in 2011, with engineering changes and additional validation designed to make the most capable heavy-duty pickup even better. Based on PickupTrucks.com’s test results, it looks like we got the job done.”
Chevy Camaro overtakes rival Ford Mustang
12:49 AM, Apr. 18, 2011
Spring has arrived, and so have the pony car wars.
But the big question this year is whether anybody can catch up with the Chevy Camaro.
Last year, Camaro outsold Mustang for the first time since 1985. Through March, Camaro has sold 19,972 cars to Mustang's 15,419. The Dodge Challenger is gaining steam but still a distant third, with 9,742 sales.
"The reason we continue to outsell Mustang is that we are still a very fresh model in the marketplace," said John Fitzpatrick, marketing manager for Chevrolet performance cars. "I think customers are looking at the car and the distinct look that the Camaro has ... as well as the performance, the efficiency and really the value."
General Motors said it is increasing the power of its V6 Camaro by 11 to 323 horsepower by summer.
Ford said the limited production 2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302 -- the first to carry the Boss 302 designation since 1970 -- is on its way to dealers across the nation.
At Royal Oak Ford, inquiries about Boss 302 are already rolling in, said general sales manager Mike McKenzie. "The interest among the enthusiasts is really high," he said.
The Boss might be back, but the Camaro -- which returned in 2009 after a seven-year absence -- is likely to rule 2011. The Mustang hasn't had a total overhaul since 2004.
"Pent up demand is still propelling Camaro sales," said Jesse Toprak, an industry trend analyst with auto pricing site TrueCar.com.
Chevrolet Camaro thunders by Ford Mustang
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| Chevrolet Camaro: The Camaro outsold the Ford Mustang in 2010 for the first time in 25 years and has maintained its lead this year. |
Even though it was reintroduced in 2009, the Chevrolet Camaro is still the new kid on the block, which is helping the iconic pony car edge out the Mustang, its long-standing rival.
The Camaro was launched in 1966 to compete with the Mustang, introduced in 1964. After ending production of the Camaro in 2002, General Motors revived the car in April 2009.
Bill Wertheim, general manager of Paddock Chevrolet in Kenmore, N.Y., said the secret to the Camaro's success is its V6 version.
At about $25,000, the V6 is a relatively low-priced car that gets 28 miles per gallon on the highway.
"That actually makes it an affordable car for most younger buyers," Wertheim said. "And we are happy, because that is a demographic we were concerned about."
At his dealership, Wertheim said he sells about twice as many V6 Camaros as he does V8s.
Like most Chevrolet and Ford dealers, Wertheim closely follows the Camaro-Mustang sales race. But Wertheim said the Camaro owes as much of its success to new buyers who previously considered Hondas or Mitsubishis as it does to traditional Camaro enthusiasts.
"We get almost no consumers that shop Camaro versus Mustang," he said.
Mustang power
Ford also has gone after younger and cost- and fuel-economy-conscious buyers.
While the Mustang's body hasn't had a total overhaul since 2004, Ford introduced all-new powertrains in 2010 that improved the car's fuel efficiency and made its horsepower competitive with the Camaro.
Ford gave the 2011 Mustang new 3.7-liter V6 and 5.0-liter V8 engines that bested Camaro's fuel-economy ratings.
The 2011 model's V6 gets 305 horsepower, 280 pound-feet of torque and 31 m.p.g. on the highway. The V8 has 412 horsepower and 390 pound-feet of torque while getting 26 m.p.g.
According to Ford, 51% of Mustang buyers are picking the V6 over the V8.
But even with those new powertrains, the Mustang was unable to stop the Camaro from pulling ahead in a closely watched sales race last year.
In 2010, the Camaro outsold the Mustang for the first time since 1985. Through March, 19,972 Camaros have sold to 15,419 Mustangs. The Dodge Challenger is gaining steam but still a distant third, with 9,742 sales.
"We continue to grow our car market share," said Ford spokesman Said Deep. "We are not in a sales race."
Mustang outspends
During the first two months of 2011, GM outspent most other automakers in the industry with its incentives.
But according to Edmunds.com , the average incentive on the Camaro fell from $1,016 in January to $410 in March.
The Mustang, meanwhile, was offering an average of $1,662 in January and increased its incentives to $2,081 in March.
Those incentives contributed to a 46.8% sales surge in March to 8,557 Mustangs. Still, the Camaro finished the month ahead after selling 8,964.
"Right now, we have almost nothing -- other than a low APR financing" on the Camaro, said John Fitzpatrick, marketing manager for Chevrolet performance cars.
Model mania
The Mustang retains the appearance of an advantage with the range of its models, however. There are 11 Mustang models, ranging in base prices from $22,145 for the Mustang V6 to $53,645 for the Shelby GT500 convertible, according to its Web site.
But Camaro is working to catch up.
This year, Chevrolet has already added a convertible Camaro and will introduce a top-of-the-line performance model to compete with similar offerings in Mustang's lineup.
The 2012 Camaro ZL1 -- named after the rare 1969 racing edition -- will compete with the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500. The ZL1 will come with a 6.2-liter supercharged V8 engine with an estimated 550 horsepower and 550 pound-feet of torque.
Contact Brent Snavely: 313-222-6512 or bsnavely@freepress.com
Chevrolet Introduces Mi-ray Roadster Concept
by Chevrolet in the News on March 31, 2011
At the 2011 Seoul Motor Show this week, Chevrolet will be showing off a sexy sports car concept called the Mi-ray. GM says the Mi-ray pays homage to the brand’s long history of designing expressive vehicles.
The Mi-ray undoubtedly pays tribute to Chevrolet’s sports car heritage, as its sleek lines are intended to mimic the 1962 Corvair Super Spyder and the 1963 Monza SS. The car is made of carbon fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) and carbon fiber, which makes the Mi-ray ultra lightweight. Its scissor doors also provide dramatic access to the interior.
According to GM Korea President and CEO Mike Arcamone, “‘Mi-ray’ is Korean for ‘future.’ As GM rolls out Chevrolet Across Korea, the Mi-ray concept offers an exploration of future possibilities for the brand. It strengthens the bond between car and driver, creating a fresh look at what sports cars of the future might be.”
Inside, the Mi-ray’s interior design continues to echo Chevrolet’s racing heritage. The cabin is dominated by a center touch screen that flows down to an aluminum support, which evokes a fighter jet’s nose with the landing gear down.
The Mi-ray promises to be as efficient as it is fast. It features a concept “mid-electric” propulsion system, located primarily behind and beneath the driver. It also has two two front-mounted 15-kW electric motors for quick acceleration and zero emissions in urban driving. Its 1.6-kWh lithium-ion battery can be charged through regenerative braking energy.
“The propulsion concept fits perfectly with the rest of the vehicle, delivering big performance in a small footprint, on the road and in the environment,” said Arcamone. “By combining GM propulsion technology and visionary design, the Mi-ray points to the future of Chevrolets around the globe – expressive, youthful and entertaining.”
After Seven Years The Camaro Is Back
Friday, May 15, 2009
For one auto sales consultant who owns three Camaros, selling them again after a production hiatus is a real joy. The Camaro is Matt Kennedy's "favorite model by far." It doesn't matter what year - he loves them all. Now, he's selling the 2010 Camaros at Garber Chevrolet. The car hasn't been made since 2002, and Kennedy and General Manager Kevin Parker agree the new ones are turning heads.
"We wish we had tons of them," Kennedy said. "We don't have one (customers) can sit in and drive."
Garber Chevrolet has received three Camaros; two have been delivered and one's been spoken for.
It's been a long time since General Motors has drummed up this kind of attention with a product, Parker said.
"It's great to see that GM is still building gotta-have products," he said. "If anything's going to pull us through, it's gotta-have products.
"We've probably had 100 people stop by the dealership to take a look."
He said some of the lookers haven't been in a GM dealership for years, maybe never.
"If you're 15 or 75, it's something you want to get close to," he said.
The styling is retro - the long hood, the short trunk lid and sleek coupe design, Kennedy said. "That's the way they were in 1969."
The Camaro went on sale Sept. 29, 1966, for the 1967 model year. In the early years, it was the muscle car that went head to head with the Ford Mustang. In the 1970s, the car "got a little bit more laid back" because of concerns over emissions, Kennedy said. By the 1980s, performance had returned, with the added benefit of better mileage. From the 1990s until 2002, performance improved but sales declined.
Despite the retro look, there's modern technology built in, Parker said. Earlier Camaros were "kind of clumsy," delivering a bumpy ride that wasn't comfortable.
"If you wanted a performance car, you had to sacrifice lots of things, and that's not the case anymore," he said. The V6 puts out more than 300 horsepower while getting nearly 30 miles to the gallon, he said. A few years ago, that would have been impressive in a V8. The current V8 packs about 400 horsepower. The V6 goes from 0 to 60 mph in 4.7 seconds, the V6 in 6.1 seconds. Prices start at $22,900 and top out around $34,000.
Parker is pleased that the Canadian plant where the Camaro is built has capacity for 100,000 vehicles. The plant is known for its quality of work, Kennedy said. GM has presold 14,000 cars, and those vehicles might be available as early as July or as late as October.
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Garber Chevy Adding Hybrid Vehicle Options
Garber Chevrolet of Midland is one of a few dealers within Michigan to carry the new 2008 Tahoe Hybrid
Garber Chevrolet is embracing hybrid vehicles as it brings the next generation of Chevy products to Midland.
The local dealership currently has a Tahoe Hybrid on the lot, and expects to get the Malibu Hybrid and a pickup truck hybrid in the coming months.
The vehicles, which use battery power to ease the load on gas engines, are part of the spectrum that will bring Chevys from gas-friendly to gas-free.
Kevin Parker, managing partner, said people have been showing interest in hybrids. He said the vehicles appeal to people's sense that they can do something to help the environment.
"You want to feel like you're doing your role," he said. " And one person can make a difference."
The gas savings driving a hybrid compared to a traditional Tahoe can be as much as 50 percent. The full-size SUV's two-wheel drive hybrid model gets 21 miles per gallon in the city compared to the traditional model's 14 miles per gallon.
To prepare for an expected rise in demand for the products, Garber's service technicians and sales staff have undergone training that allows the dealership to sell and service the hybrids.
Riding in a Tahoe Hybrid shows the quietness of its two electric motors, then the power of its 6.0-liter V-8 engine. The two-mode hybrid system improves fuel economy by tuning the engine off during while idling, using electric-only propulsion at low speeds, engaging in electric boosting during brisk acceleration, cutting off fuel to the engine during deceleration and more.
Elgie Bright, regional Chevrolet sales manager for GM, said the two-mode hybrid system uses smaller electric motors compared to one-mode systems and can be used with almost any size engine. That makes them a good fit for vehicles such as the Tahoe, which might be used for towing.
"They have the ability to move it across all the lines," he said of GM's two-mode systems, so more models could feature hybrid options in the future.
Chevrolet's Tahoe Hybrid is equipped with a two-mode hybrid propulsion system that combines both battery and gasoline power resulting in 50 percent better fuel economy than the normal Tahoe.
A Tahoe Hybrid costs about $4,000 more than a traditional model. The Malibu is expected to cost less than $2,000 above the tradition model, and qualifies for federal tax credits.
"Those are the first that are slated, and there's more to come," Parker said of models available in hybrid form.
When those are available, Parker expects demand to increase for various models and he hopes the company's suppliers can keep up with demand.
Chevy competitor Ford Motor Co. also features two SUV hybrid models — the Escape and the Mariner.
The new 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid is the first vehicle seen when entering the Garber Chevrolet lot.
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See The USA In Your Chevrolet
A True 'American' Chevy
I COULDN’T EVEN GUESSTIMATE THE AMOUNT OF N HOURS THAT WENT INTO THIS PAINT JOB.
For all of you veterans.
Take a close look at the detail. SCROLL ON DOWN !
*~May God Bless the USA~*
Each And All of Our USA Service Persons
Active Duty, Reserve, or Retired Military Members.
Amen!
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