Chevrolet continues to support breast cancer fight

(From WashingtonPost.com)

Chevrolet and General Motors employees, dealers and customers are again uniting against breast cancer, hoping to exceed the nearly $1.1 million raised by the American Cancer Society in 2011 through Chevrolet’s nationwide grassroots support of Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walks and other activities.

This October’s events include employee- and dealership-sponsored fund-raising walks; a Chevrolet Certified Service matching rebate contribution program; appearances by a specially themed pink Camaro SS pace car and USAC National Midget Car; and test-drive contributions at selected Southern Women’s Shows.

The towers of GM’s Renaissance Center world headquarters in Detroit will once again be lit with bands of pink to commemorate Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Even the all-new Chevrolet Spark will join in the fight. A special “Pink Out” Spark is designed to honor breast cancer survivors and supporters. It wears a production Techno Pink exterior finish and is embellished with custom pink elements inside and out. The “Pink Out” Spark will visit selected community walks throughout the month.

Last year with Chevrolet’s support, the American Cancer Society raised $1,079,633 in contributions to Making Strides Against Breast Cancer. The money helps fund research, wellness and breast cancer awareness education, and support for breast cancer patients and their families.

“The generosity of our employees, dealers and customers shows how everyday heroes can unite to make a difference in eradicating a disease impacting 1.5 million people,” said Don Johnson, vice president, Chevrolet Sales and Service.

“For the second year, we are committed to support the American Cancer Society in continuing its fight for more birthdays.”

Johnson will lead Chevrolet’s involvement in Detroit’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk that begins at 9 a.m. Oct. 13 in downtown Detroit.

“The American Cancer Society is thrilled to have the support of Chevrolet and General Motors nationwide to help us lead the fight against breast cancer,” said Jill Elder, vice president, American Cancer Society, Great Lakes Division. “One in every two women newly diagnosed with breast cancer reaches out to the American Cancer Society for support. The contributions of General Motors and Chevrolet help make it possible to do the most for people with breast cancer today and enable us to continue the great work we’re doing to find cures to end the disease tomorrow.”
Here are the Chevrolet-sponsored activities planned in October in support of Making Strides Against Breast Cancer:

• Chevrolet and GM employee walks - All month, General Motors facilities, plants and warehouses across the country will participate in fund-raising walks.

• Chevrolet dealership walks - Hundreds of dealerships have already signed up to sponsor teams in community walks throughout October with more expected to join. These walks alone accounted for more than half of the money raised in 2011 that went to Making Strides Against Breast Cancer. Those interested in participating in a Making Strides for Breast Cancer walk in their community can visit www.makingstrideswalk.org.

• Chevrolet Certified Service - Customers who bring their vehicle to a Chevy dealer for qualifying services in October can contribute part or all of their rebates and Chevrolet will match them, up to a total of $150,000. A $39.95 oil and filter change, tire rotation and 27-multi-point inspection is $29.95 after the $10 mail-in rebate. The $99.95 (per axle) ACDelco Durastop ceramic brake pads service is $74.95 after the $25 mail-in rebate. For more information, visit mycertifiedservicerebates.com.

• Chevrolet Racing - A Making Strides Against Breast Cancer-themed pink Camaro SS pace car will appear at selected Chevrolet dealers and GM events throughout October. Chevrolet and Tony Stewart Racing will display a specially wrapped USAC National Midget Car at races at Eldora Speedway in Ohio (Sept. 21-22); Mechanicsburg, Pa. (Sept. 28-29); and the New York State Fair in Syracuse (Oct. 5-7). At those races, representatives from the American Cancer Society will distribute brochures with information on local walks, the importance of early detection and ways to reduce the risk of breast cancer. In early September, Chevrolet contributed $6,200 to the American Cancer Society - $200 for each of the 31 caution laps during the AdvoCare 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Breast cancer survivors and their families also spent time in the pink Camaro SS pace car with Team Chevy drivers Jamie McMurray and Ron Hornaday, Jr.

• Chevrolet test drives - Chevrolet will contribute $5 to Making Strides Against Breast Cancer for every vehicle test drive at these Southern Women’s Shows: Birmingham, Ala. (Oct. 4-7); Orlando, Fla. (Oct. 11-14); and Jacksonville, Fla. (Oct. 18-21).

Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, doing business in more than 140 countries and selling more than 4 million cars and trucks a year. Chevrolet provides customers with fuel-efficient vehicles that feature spirited performance, expressive design and high quality.

The Chevy Volt Gets More Bells and Whistles

Ever since Chevy shoppers and fans were first teased with the 2012 Chevrolet Volt, they couldn’t wait to get their hands on it. This was going to be Chevrolet’s first electric plug-in hybrid, something that General Motors has never unleashed onto the public before. Now that it’s spent some time on the U.S. market, it’s time to see how the American automaker can further improve the model. 

According to U.S. News, the Chevrolet Volt is expected to receive a few updates for the 2013 model year, including a function that aims to optimize the extended-range electric vehicle for maximum battery efficiency. This function will be titled the “EV Hold Mode,” which will allow Volt drivers to force the car to go into extended range mode – meaning the gas engine is taking over and generating power to the vehicle – to hold the battery pack’s power.

The EV Hold Mode would ideally be used for trips that begin on the highway and eventually switch to city driving. Autoblog states, “switching over to extended-range mode, in which the gas-powered on-board generator is used, would be better in that situation because high speeds drain a plug-in’s battery charge a lot more rapidly than city driving.”

But that’s not all, folks. The 2013 Chevy Volt will get some more updates, including a body-colored roof and liftgate, and a leather and suede insert upholstery option. Additional safety features include lane departure warning and forward collision alert. After hearing about all of these new bells and whistles on the way for the 2013 model year, Herndon Chevy Impala shoppers may want to reconsider their purchase. Whatever the case, our sales team members will be here to offer many noteworthy vehicles in our inventory while we wait anxiously for the new Volt to arrive.

5 Best Car Chases on Film

(From: Classic Film & TV Cafe)

I admit I’ve undertaken an impossible task—trying to sift through dozens of terrific celluloid car chases to come up with the five all-time best. I have no doubt that some readers will take offense that some splendid car chases were omitted. And I know for a fact that my rankings will generate controversy. But differences of opinion are what make movie blog discussions fun…so bring them on! To narrow my scope a little, I’ve included only car chases from action films—no comedies this time out (and I apologize to fans of movies like W. C. Fields’ The Bank Dick and It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World).


#1  The Seven-Ups (1973)

Philip D’Antoni¸ who produced Bullitt (1968) and The French Connection (1971), obviously knew a little something about car chases. The Seven-Ups is the only film he directed and its set piece is a New York City high-speed “duel” between a Pontiac Ventura Sprint coupe (driven by good guy Roy Scheider) and a Pontiac Grand Ville (the bad guys). Like Gene Hackman in The French Connection, Scheider does a great job of acting during the scene, pounding on the dashboard and swearing to himself. It’s a thrilling chase, but what sets it apart is the climax devised by stunt man extraordinaire Bill Hickman. Scheider’s car skids under an 18-wheel truck, peeling off the top of the car…but leaving the driver (who ducks down on cue) unscathed.

#2 Bullitt (1968)

In 9 minutes and 42 seconds, Bullitt redefined the car chase forever. It can certainly stake its claim as the most influential car chase and I suspect it ranks No. 1 on most lists. The San Francisco locale can’t be beat—helping to create iconic shots of the cars flying over the hills and careening around the tight curves. Director Peter Yates heightens the action with point-of-view and overhead shots. My quibbles are minor: (1) Steve McQueen’s famous Mustang and the villains’ Dodge Charger are both dark colors, making it hard to differentiate them from other cars during some of the quick cuts; (2) McQueen is the epitome of cool, so the scene isn’t quite as frantic as the ones in The Seven-Ups and The French Connection.  By the way, Bill Hickman drove the Charger.

#3 The French Connection (1971)

William Friedkin’s Oscar-winning film featured a chase between a Pontiac LeMans commandeered by Gene Hackman’s police detective and an elevated train containing the baddies. Hackman accents the tenseness of the scene perfectly, pounding on the horn and yelling at pedestrians as he speeds through the streets of Brooklyn, often against oncoming traffic. Friedkin makes terrific use of tracking shots, sometimes showing Hackman zooming underneath the elevated train in a single frame. In addition to reuniting producer D’Antoni and stunt driver Hickman from Bullitt, The French Connection co-starred Roy Scheider and Tony Lo Bianco who would later appear in The Seven-Ups.

#4 To Live and Die in L.A. (1985)

Friedkin returned to the car chase with a revved-up sequence in this tale of unethical Treasury agents out to nab big-time counterfeiters at any cost. A young William Petersen played the federal agent who is pursued through Los Angeles. After a gripping chase through parked trucks and tight streets, Petersen finds himself surrounded on all sides but one…which leads down a one-way street.  He shoots down the highway against oncoming traffic, resulting in a harrowing scene that momentarily tops a similar one in The French Connection.

#5 Ronin (1998)

John Frankenheimer (who directed The French Connection II…interesting how all these films connect in different ways) features a couple of car chases in this espionage thriller. The most famous one, though, pits a BMW 5 Series against a Peugeot 306 as they whisk through the narrow streets of Paris. The scene’s highlights are a nail-biting tunnel sequence and another pursuit down a one-way street.Honorable mentions:  The original Gone in 60 Seconds, Goldfinger (for its gadget-laden Aston-Martin), The Road Warrior, The Italian Job (1969), Vanishing Point, the Bourne movies, and Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry.Differing opinions about my rankings and omissions are welcomed!

2013 Chevrolet Malibu 2.5 Hardly Transformative, But More Than Meets The Eye

By Jeff Sabatini, www.autoblog.com

Vital Stats
Engine: 2.5L I4
Power: 197 HP / 191 LB-FT
Transmission: 6-Speed Auto
Drivetrain: Front-Wheel Drive
Curb Weight: 3,547 LBS
Seating: 2+3
Cargo: 16.3 CU-FT
MPG: 22 City / 34 HWY
MSRP: $27,830 as tested

When we last left our hero, Malibu Man was struggling mightily. Beset by meddlesome marketers and ineffective engineers, allies who had inexplicably trapped him in the dull green glow of an Eco ray, Malibu Man was about to face off against new and stronger nemeses than ever before, foes intent on dispatching both our hero and the Middle American Way he represents to car buyers across the globe. Would Malibu Man fight back? Could he stand a chance when Aston Fusion, Camrybot and Dr. Altima came to battle?

Well it's time for the next exciting episode of Malibu Man Against the Midsize Marauders, and – spoiler alert – this one has a happier ending than the last. We finally had the opportunity to drive the mainstream version of the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu equipped with a new 2.5-liter four-cylinder and did, in fact, come away with our expectations firmly met: If you want a Malibu, this is the one to buy.
Make no mistake, an overwhelming majority will be buying this one, which will make up some 75 percent of sales, according to Chevrolet. The Eco model, fitted with GM's underwhelming eAssist mild-hybrid system, is expected to shake out to only 10 percent, a lower number than even the forthcoming top-of-the-line, 259-horsepower turbo model.

The 2.5-liter represents a $1,000-$1,500 savings compared to the Eco model.

What those three-quarters of Malibu buyers will be getting is everything good about the first-model-to-market Eco, but with an extra 3.1 cubic feet of trunk space returned and a starting MSRP that's lower by almost three thousand bucks. While Chevrolet has packaged the equipment on the Eco models differently to make it frustrating for customers to do an apples-to-apples comparison, when similarly equipped the 2.5-liter models represent a $1,000-$1,500 savings.

The base 2.5-liter Malibu is the LS, which lists at $22,390 plus a $760 destination charge. The 1LT trim level adds Bluetooth and the Chevrolet MyLink touchscreen audio system along with some other equipment for $24,005 plus destination. A 2LT runs $25,240, offering 18-inch alloys, automatic dual-zone climate control, power driver's seat and a few other bells and whistles. Then pricing really escalates to $27,830 for the loaded LTZ, which has heated leather seats, LED taillights and chrome accents.

The transmission seems tuned for driveability rather than eking out maximum mileage from every last drop of fuel.

Offered solely with a six-speed automatic, the direct-injected, 2.5-liter four-cylinder has good throttle response and a smooth character that's helped by a transmission that seems tuned for driveability rather than eking out maximum mileage from every last drop of fuel. We only had about 50 miles behind the wheel to tease out some fuel economy numbers for the 2.5-liter Malibu, but we saw an indicated 28 miles per gallon in combined driving.

Our initial impressions would thus point to the Malibu's EPA ratings of 22 mpg city, 34 highway and 26 combined being achievable without taping an egg to the gas pedal. We'll even go so far as to wonder aloud whether GM has understated the fuel economy here, so as to maintain greater distance between the non-Eco model and the supposedly thriftier eAssist-equipped brother, which carries a combined EPA rating of 29 mpg.

The 2.5-liter models weigh in between 3,393 and 3,547 pounds – as much as 200 pounds less than the Eco.

While the new 2.5-liter still has a buzzy drone between 3,000-4,000 rpm like the 2.4-liter four it replaces, its 197 peak horsepower and 191 lb-ft of torque are well-matched to the Malibu's bulk. GM says the 2.5-liter models weigh in between 3,393 and 3,547 pounds, which is as much as 200 pounds less than the Eco. Dynamically, the car is as prone to understeer during hard cornering as any other middle-of-the-road midsizer, but the steering is good, with reasonable levels of feedback and exceptional on-center highway feel. The brakes feel much improved over the Eco model, with a firm, immediate engagement and a linear pedal.

The Malibu is quiet and comfortable, turning just 2,200 rpms at 75 miles per hour, and while the seats aren't as plush as the new Nissan Altima, the Malibu arguably makes a better long-hauler because it feels so much more sedate at speed. The two cars are actually more similar than you might imagine at first glance, with the Altima's evolutionary approach coming from what would be a similar playbook, though perhaps better-executed.

Compared to the Toyota Camry, the Malibu is a more enjoyable place to while away your time in traffic.

Compared to the Toyota Camry, the Malibu is also a more enjoyable place to while away your time in traffic, if only because its interior is more refined. While we still didn't find the new Malibu the equal of the Korean twins from Hyundai and Kia, we can understand why someone might choose one rather than a Sonata or Optima – a rationale extending beyond the obviously jingoistic, but still firmly rooted in appreciating the more conservative design character of the Chevy.

The base 'Bu seems like a solid value for a good car, and even if it's not the automotive equivalent of Superman, it's at least dressed up well enough that most people won't be able to tell the difference.

Check Out This Incredible F1 Simulator!

People have been trying to create the perfect driving simulator for years. Video games do a pretty good job, but in the end you’re still just sitting on your couch holding a controller…even if that controller is shaped like a wheel, it still isn’t close to the real thing. One company has the solution for all you speed junkies though, let us here at Rick Hendrick Chevrolet, show you the latest breakthrough in driving simulation.

The machine was build by a Ferrari engineer and has a hefty price-tag of $90,000. Every detail of your drive is rendered in high-def video split across three screens to fill your vision, and the body of the car pitches and sways realistically through the turns. Is it worth the money? Check out the video below and decide for yourself!

General Motors Leads Industry Evaluation of Rear Impact Crash Dummy (called BioRID)

Tests led by award-winning General Motors safety engineer could help determine future use of BioRID

General Motors, which has a long history of crash test dummy design, is leading research on the potential for global auto industry use of a new dummy that would help automakers and safety experts better understand how crash victims are hurt in rear impacts.

The dummy, called BioRID, was designed by Chalmers University in Gothenburg, Sweden, for seat restraint assessment. It is distinguished by its sophisticated spinal column with 24 vertebra simulators that allow it to sit naturally and demonstrates humanlike neck movement in rear-end collisions

Malibu Moms – 2013 Chevrolet Malibu

Chevrolet Malibu engineers Tracy Mack-Askew, Julie Kleinert, Suzanne Cody and Kara Gordon have helped make the new Chevy Malibu fuel-efficient, safe, and extremely quiet for customers around the world.

Wireless Pedestrian Detection Technology by Developed by GM

General Motors researchers are developing a promising driver assistance feature potentially capable of detecting pedestrians and bicyclists on congested streets or in poor visibility conditions before the driver notices them.

“This new wireless capability could warn drivers about pedestrians who might be stepping into the roadway from behind a parked vehicle, or bicyclists who are riding in the car’s blind spot,” said Nady Boules, GM Global RD director of the Electrical and Control Systems Research Lab. “Wi-Fi Direct has the potential to become an integral part of the comprehensive driver assistance systems we offer on many of our Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick and GMC vehicles.”