Want to see the 2013 Chevy Malibu? Get to Facebook!

Chevy To Reveal Redesigned Malibu Using Social Media

Much in the vain of Ford's Explorer Launch from last year, Chevrolet is using social media to create buzz and spread the word about a new vehicle.  

On April 18th, Chevy will reveal the 2013 Malibu on their Facebook page live from the Shanghai auto show.  

Twitter users can also follow along and ask questions using the hashtag #MalibuReveal. Chevy reps will be monitoring the conversation and responding to questions.  They will also stream the event to iPads and iPhones.  

USA Today is reporting that the car will be displayed in the U.S. at the New York Auto Show a couple of days later.Chevy says the Malibu will be it's first midsize car sold globally. The Opel-derived sedan will be built at multiple plants, including in China and at two U.S. sites

The main difference between this launch and the Ford launch was that Ford completely cut out the auto show element.  GM released a  teaser photo of the tail light (seen above) and a teaser video (seen below).  

Made in America

2012 Chevy Sonic To Be Only Subcompact Built In U.S

Chevy rocked 2011 with the Volt and Silverado being named Car and Truck of the Year, respectively.  2012 is looking up with the introduction of the Sonic, the only subcompact to be built in America.  

"The Sonic represents a new beginning for Chevrolet in the small car segment and so we felt it was time to give it a new name,” Chris Perry, vice president of marketing for Chevrolet in the United States, said in a statement. “The new car is roomy, stylish and fun to drive, and Sonic is a youthful, energetic name that helps convey what this vehicle is about.”

The Sonic hatchback and sedan will come with a 135-horsepower 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine or a torquey optional 1.4-liter turbo.

Those are the same engines Chevy fits in the 500-pound-heavier Cruze compact, so the Sonic should be one quick ride. Five- and six-speed manual transmissions and a six-speed automatic will be available. The New York Times described the Sonic as "aggressive."  

Safety equipment will include 10 air bags, stability control and antilock brakes with emergency assist.Production of the 2012 Sonic will kick off later this year at GM's Orion Assembly Center in Michigan. 

The Future is MyLink

Chevy Launches Competitor To Ford Sync, Toyota Entune 

Ford Sync started a trend with integrating smartphone apps and infotainment into car dashboards.  Then came Toyota Entune.  Now Chevy has entered the market with MyLink.  

The goal with all of these apps is customization, and safety of course.  

"There is a new generation of car buyers who don't want to settle for mass market radio," said Rick Scheidt, vice president of Chevrolet Marketing. "They want to create their own individual stations and have access to them wherever they are.. " 

Among the new benefits provided by MyLink:

• Enhanced hands-free voice control system powered by Nuance®, which allows simple voice commands to initiate phone calls and select radio stations or media from portable MP3 players and smartphones.

A tap of a button on the steering wheel enables intuitive verbal control of smartphone applications like "play (artist name)" or "call (name of contact)" to keep the driver's hands on the wheel and eyes on the road.

• Pandora® internet radio allows users to create personalized radio stations based on favorite artists or genres and Stitcher SmartRadio® enables access to thousands of audio programming choices allowing customers to build a personalized listening experience. MyLink integrates control of both of these apps for a driver directed listening experience.

• Gracenote®: identifies the music collection on the driver's smartphone or MP3 player and presents information such artist name, genres and album cover art on the MyLink screen and enables users to select similar music to the tunes they love.

Gracenote also improves the accuracy of MyLink's voice activation system by allowing users to access music using artist nicknames, such as "The Boss," "G.N.R," or "The Fab Four" simply by using MyLink's touch-screen or steering wheel buttons and voice control interfaces.

• Upgraded USB connectivity: While Chevrolet has offered auxiliary device connectivity since 2006, MyLink adds flash memory capability to its USB device connections. This provides users with the ability to access approved applications that will make their MyLink system even more functional, while assuring that driver's maintain eyes on the road and hands on the wheel.

Chevrolet MyLink will be available beginning with the 2012 Chevrolet Volt and Equinox this fall before expanding to other vehicles in the Chevy lineup over the next 18 months.

Until then, stop by a West Herr Chevy location for more information! 

Re-Birth of the Cool

The Redesigned Chevy Camaro Is Coming To Buffalo 

The Camaro look is a memorable one, but wait until you see the redesigned model.  The 2011 Chevy Camaro is another entry into a fine product line, and so far the critics are buzzing.  

"The Camaro's retro-influenced exterior will seldom fail to turn heads", said Bengt Halvorson of TheCarConnection.com.  

This is the second model year of the redesign and like last year, the design is only part of the appeal. Halvorson credits Chevy for the car's performance.  

"The Camaro offers scorching-hot performance from strong, torquey engines, with commendable steering, handling, and braking to match."  They went on to say the steering is crisp and direct, with a level of communication, and brakes across the line are good for triple-digit speeds.  So clearly Car Connection is into it but they aren't the only ones.

The Washington Post said the Camaro "Invites driving for the sheer joy of driving."  

Chevrolet doesn't lose their focus on safety either.  Crash test ratings are around the top of the segment in just about every category.  Six airbags are standard (four in front with side-curtain airbags that extend to the second row), as are anti-lock brakes, traction control, and dynamic stability control.

West Herr Chevrolet in Orchard Park currently has 2 Convertible allocations from the factory and orders can be placed for Spring arrival.  Be the first in Buffalo to get on the Camaro train!   

The Future Is Now

A Look At 3 Electric Vehicles From West Herr Brands 

It wasn't too long ago that the electric car was just an idea.  Then it became a fringe model, something only a few manufacturers dabbled in.  Now, electric vehicles are bordering on pervasive.  States such as Oregon and Tennessee are installing charging stations to facilitate the inevitable increase in electric vehicles.

With that in mind, we took a look at the electric offerings from 4 West Herr brands, to let you know what you could be driving in 2011.

Nissan Leaf:

We've written extensively about the Nissan Leaf.  It may not be available in Buffalo until the end of 2011, but it will be worth the wait.  Nissan has invested in battery manufacturing plants with the expectation of selling a half-million electric cars a year worldwide.  The electric car is likely here to stay, and the Leaf will play a pivotal role in keeping it that way.  

Chevy Volt: 

This electric car recently took home "Car of the Year" honors from Motortend, with plenty of good reason.  Chris Theodore of Motortrend said:

"This is a fully developed vehicle with seamlessly integrated systems and software, a real car that provides a unique driving experience. And commuters may never need to buy gas."

The Chevy Volt also addresses the fear of running low on battery charge with no power outlet nearby by including a gas-powered generator on board to propel the car to the next charging station.  That should about seal the deal on this fine car.  

Honda Fit EV:  

The Fit won’t reach showrooms until 2012, but like the preceding models it will come from an established carmaker that can provide sales and service from a nearby dealer for most customers. The Fit will have the same 100-mile range as most cars in the battery EV segment, but it offers three driving modes that can improve acceleration or driving range, depending on the program selected. The electric drive motor is derived from the one in Honda’s FCX Clarity fuel-cell car, and the Fit EV can reach a top speed of 90 mph.

These electric vehicles are just a small taste of what the West Herr fleet will offer.  Visit us online today and see what we've got for your driving needs. 

The Chevy Cruze Is Here

Get To Your Buffalo Chevrolet Dealer and Test One Out

A line of Cruze's in the GM plant parking lot. We've been talking about it but its finally here.  The West Herr crew visited the GM plant in Lordstown, OH yesterday and brought back the Chevy Cruze.  Head to our Facebook page to see the pictures. 

As soon as we got the Chevy plant we were greeted by a barrage of Red Cruze cars in the parking lot.  It was quite a sight. Take a look for yourself. 

After checking in we toured the Chevy plant and it was an amazing experience.  Most car drivers never put much thought into how much effort it takes just to get a car on the road.  We saw tons of hard workers who clearly took pride in their product and their work.  The only cars in the parking lot were GM cars, many adorned with Ohio State Buckeye stickers.  Lots of pride in Lordstown, OH.  

Then we watched the Chevy Cruze go up against the competition.  The Chevy people actually had competitors cars on hand to compare to the Cruze.  The Chevy product was the unanimous winner

After that, we finally got to drive it home.  It was a smooth ride to say the least.  It was also a quiet ride.  We heard little to no outside noise on our ride.  Check out our blog post on how Chevy engineers pulled this off. 

Then there's the gas mileage.  We went 186 miles from Lordstown,OH to Orchard Park, NY and didnt even get down to a 1/2 tank.  When we pulled in the meter was barely below a 3/4 of a tank.  36 mpg highway, excellent especially for a non-hybrid.The sleek interior wont disappoint!

In terms of add ons, the navigation system that come standard was puzzling for about a minute, then shockingly easy and convenient.  Plus the standard XM Satellite radio made the drive even better.

So you've heard all about it, so why not stop into West Herr Chevy in Orchard Park or Hamburg and take a test drive? You won't regret it. 

Save Green and Go Green

Chevy Cruze Bringing Fuel Efficiency Without High Costs To Buffalo

The newly designed shuttered fascias on the Chevy Cruze

The Chevy Cruze is here.  Why do you want it?  Well plenty of reasons.  Lets let the reviews speak for theselves:

-"The Cruze will surpass the standard gas, non-hybrid offerings on the market today," said Business Week. 

-"This is where Chevy needs to be," Joe Wiesenfelder of Cars.com.

 -"The Chevy Cruze hits or even exceeds the mark on the all-important interior quality factor, while adding to the package with fuel economy, safety, a great ride and an incredible look"- Autoguide.com

Those reviews are just a handful.  Scour the internet, its tough to find a negative word about the Cruze.  Aside from the design and comfort, the name of the game is fuel economy. 

The Cruze is estimated to get 40 mpg, thanks in part to a very simple redesign. The new car will feature a lowered fascia, or front bumper and grill area, with a shutter look. This marks the first Chevy car with such a feature.

An electric motor is connected to the fascia shutters, which close automatically at 37 mph and reopen at 34 mph. When closed, there is a 0.016 improvement in the coefficient of drag, said Mike Dankowksi, Cruze product manager.  The Cruze is intended to eventually replace the Chevy Cobalt. 

"We looked at every single possibility of squeezing out the last tenth of a mile per gallon," Danowski said. 

In February, Chevrolet announced the addition of a third shift at their Lordstown, OH plant that will add 1,200 workers to support a smooth, fast and flawless ramp-up of Cruze production. More than $350 million has been invested to re-tool the plant and add new, state-of-the-art manufacturing equipment.

“This investment helps secure the best possible manufacturing footprint to react to market demand and deliver vehicles faster to our customers,”said Jim Campbell, U.S. vice president Chevrolet marketing. “We believe Cruze is the right car at the right time for American consumers.”

On Thursday, the West Herr team will be heading to the Chevy Plant in Lordstown.  We'll get a plant tour and the day will end with us driving a Cruze home!  Stay tuned to our blog, our website, our Facebook page and our Twitter page for updates. 

Have an iPhone? Find A Chevy

Chevrolet's "Showroom" App To Display Full Car Line Up

In the smart phone era, ithe way consumers shop is evolving.  Like other auto makers, Chevrolet is reacting accordingly. Now iPhone, iPad and iPod touch users can browse the entire Chevrolet fleet with the new free Showroom app. 

“The Chevrolet Showroom app allows customers to shop nearly anywhere and share their virtual vehicle with their friends,” said Jim Campbell, U.S. vice president, Chevrolet Marketing. “This is a natural addition to the ways people shop online for vehicles today.”

With the Showroom app, users to pick interior and exterior colors and search for a matching vehicle in a nearby dealer’s inventory.

Once a vehicle has been located, users can save it to their device and share it with friends and family via e-mail or Facebook. The click-to-call feature also easily allows customers to call their local Chevrolet dealer for more information. Users also can request a quote from the dealership through the app.

The application also incorporates a dealer locator, current offers and incentives down to the trim level of the chosen vehicle as well as a convenient payment calculator.  Essentially, users can do everything but actually test drive and buy the car with their phones.

The Chevrolet Showroom is now available through the iPhone app store. 

For iPhone users in Buffalo, once you find the Chevrolet you like be sure to visit West Herr Chevrolet in Orchard Park or Hamburg.  We're proud to be your Buffalo Chevrolet dealer. 

Cell Phones For Soldiers

GM Taking Their Military Discount Program To A New Level

For military personnel and families, phone bills should be the least of their concerns.  That's why Chevrolet is teaming up with the Cell Phones for Soldiers not for profit organization to help make communication easier for our troops. 

“If just 2 percent of Americans were to donate their unwanted phones, we could supply every soldier with a free call home – and a small measure of our national gratitude, ”said Robbie Bergquist, co-founder of Cell Phones for Soldiers. 

The Cell Phones for Soldiers program recycles old cell phones and turns the money into prepaid calling cards for soldiers. Since its inception the registered 501c3 non-profit organization has raised almost $2 million in donations and distributed more than 500,000 prepaid calling cards to soldiers serving overseas.

“There are more than 130 million phones retired every year in the United States,” Bergquist said.

To help raise funds for Cell Phones for Soldiers, Chevrolet’s effort will include:

• Encouraging all 77,000 GM employees in the United States to donate their used personal phones to the program.
• Placing collection boxes for used cell phones at Chevrolet dealers nationwide.
• Introducing Cell Phones for Soldiers to millions of race fans at 16 Chevy Racing events throughout the 2010 race season.  In May, Dale Earnhardt Jr. introduced Cell Phones for Soldiers to NASCAR fans at Richmond International Raceway.

“We feel Cell Phones for Soldiers is a worthy cause that fits well with GM’s long-standing commitment to support the men and women serving our country,” said Mark Degnan, GM director of Local Advertising, Marketing and Training.

This move is part of GM"s Military Discount program which offers soldiers and their families reduced prices on GM vehicles.  The specifics of this program can be found here. 

Whether it be a cash donation, phone donation or even setting up a drop point, there's plenty you can do to help.  Visit Cell Phones For Soldiers online today to get started.

Chevy Volt Hits The Road For Launch

Social Media and Customer Engagement Helps Launch New Electric Car

Chevrolet just took their electric vehicle for a spin- across the country.  The Chevrolet Volt celebrates 4th of July

To celebrate Chevrolet adding Texas, New York, New Jersey and Connecticut to the launch markets for the Volt, the electric vehicle traveled 1,776 miles from Austin to New York, while passengers post real-time updates along the way.  The "Freedom Drive" finished on fittingly on July 4th. 

“This drive is a demonstration of the freedom the Volt will provide customers – freedom to drive where you want, when you want,” said Tony DiSalle, director of product marketing for Chevrolet Volt.

The Freedom Drive was fully interactive and featured multiple live daily updates.  Chevrolet opened Facebook and Twitter accounts as well as a blog specifically for the Volt. 

One of the best features of the Volt is the Onstar mobile application which includes location based voice search.  See a full video demonstration of that here:

The “Freedom Drive” was meant to demonstrate the  Volt’s unique capability of driving approximately 40 miles as a pure electric vehicle, with a total driving range of 340 miles, with electricity powering the car at all times and speeds. 

For trips of up to 40 miles, the Volt gets it power solely from electricity stored in its 16-kWh lithium-ion battery.  When the Volt’s battery runs low, a sophisticated engine-generator seamlessly engages to extend the driving range to about 300 miles on a full tank of gas.

Chevrolet is accelerating the national launch of the revolutionary electric vehicle in response to intense interest in the Volt from customers across the country.  The recent announcement brings the initial Volt retail markets to seven, including California, Washington D.C. and Michigan. 

The retail launch in Texas and New York will begin with Austin and New York City in late 2010.  Chevrolet dealers in the balance of Texas and New York, as well as New Jersey and Connecticut, are scheduled to begin receiving Volts in early 2011.West Herr Chevrolet in Orchard Park

We know our Buffalo Chevrolet customers are looking forward to the Volt, so what better spot to go than West Herr, your Buffalo Chevrolet dealer?  West Herr Chevrolet in Orchard Park and Hamburg will have the Volt, so stay tuned to our websites for details, or just stop in!