The Bumblebee is Back!

Bumblebee is Back...While midnight on Wednesday, June 24 marks the official opening of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, the big box office numbers will roll in over the weekend. If presale ticket numbers and media hype are any indication, the second Transformers film could become the highest grossing film of the summer.

Strong ticket sales would be great exposure for General Motors. The company has several of its hottest new designs starring in the film. Director Michael Bay says the cars themselves become like celebrities, something he witnessed while shooting in a remote part of the Middle East. "Bumblebee is one of the most famous cars in the world," the director says. "Literally, we're in this poor little town in Jordan, and all these kids surrounded (the car). They all knew Bumblebee's name."

Last night, a sneak peak screening gave select movie goers at Novi's Emagine theatre the chance to see the film and test drive new Camaros before and after the film. Feedback for both the movie and for the chance GM provided to test drive Camaros was excellent. Lines to experience the car persisted for some time after the movie. Similar grassroots level marketing efforts have taken place at theatre's across the country.

Camaro – Big Debut Not Just on the Silver Screen... The first Transformers movie introduced the world to Bumblebee (as a Camaro) while the car was still in development. This time around, people can leave the theatre and go order one of their own.

A total of about 67 GM vehicle were used in the film. Of those provided by GM, the vast majority were non-salable vehicles - the type used for testing or other activities. According to Adam Denison of Chevrolet Communications, before a single 2010 Chevrolet Camaro had been sold, General Motors had a list of 800,000 “hand-raisers” – people who said they're interested in buying the Camaro. Many of these came with the release of the Transformers DVD. GM today has counted over a million hand raisers expressing interest and has 25,000 sold orders. The company began allowing customers to place real deposits in October and had 14,000 preorders by spring - before a single Camaro had even rolled down the assembly line in Oshawa, Ontario. Most of those new owners are now glad they placed their bet on Chevrolet.

The car is such a hit, Camaros have been hard to find in showrooms initially. But fear not, because the GM plant making them in Oshawa is working overtime to fill demand and shipments are arriving to dealerships each day - some in true celebrity style. Just receiving the deliveries is becoming an exciting event.

GM...The global company that's Proud to be America!

Now Introducing the All New 2010 Chevrolet Equinox!

Chevrolet General Manager Ed Peper officially introduced the all-new 2010 Chevy Equinox as the first product of the "New General Motors"! The Equinox gets all new powertrains, including an available four-cylinder engine for the first time. Both the four and the new 3.0-liter V6 have direct fuel injection and are paired up with six-speed automatic transmissions. In fact, everything about the Equinox is new. Apparently the only major component carried over from the old model is the sunroof module. Everything else has been reworked or replaced.

GM is pricing the new Equinox very aggressively. Most items are now packaged in four trim levels and, including colors, there are now about 1,200 different combinations that the plant can build. The base LS model starts at just $23,185 with the four-cylinder engine and front-wheel drive. That's $1,825 less than a 2009 Equinox LS. A maxed out LTZ with every possible option including the V6, all-wheel drive, sunroof and navigation will only be about $35,000. Both four-cylinder and V6 engines and front- or all-wheel drive can be selected at any trim level.

The All New 2010 Chevy Equinox will arrive at Phillips Chevrolet this week! Email us and we'll let you know when it gets here so you can stop in for a test drive!!

Congratulations Happy and Dorothy!!

Our very own Happy Bettenhausen (salesperson at Phillips Chevrolet for 33 years!) and his wife, Dorothy celebrated their 65th Anniversary! Happy and Dorothy received an award from State Representative, Lisa M. Dungan!!

Love is just a word until someone comes along and gives it meaning.
-- Chuck Palahniuk

Camaro facts...

• The Pontiac Firebird will not be returning. It's all Camaro all the way from now on!
• Coupe: L x W x H = 186.2 x 79.1 x 53.47 (inches)
• Coupe: Wheelbase = 112.47 inches
• It will be available first as a coupe, A convertible version will follow 6-12 months later
• Key Start (no push-button - possibly an option)
• It will be officially a 2010 model, but the Coupe will be available for purchase in 1st quarter '09
• Choice of either a small block V8 or V6 engine
• There will be a choice of 6 speed manual or automatic transmissions
• The engine options will not include LS7 or LS2
• The new Camaro Coupe will have a B-pillar. BUT - it isn't noticeable from the outside
• Rear quarter windows will be stationary (they will not roll down).
• The Camaro will feature Strut-type front suspension with double ball joint lower control arms
• The Camaro will feature a Multi-Link Independent Rear suspension (4 link)
• The Camaro will NOT be offered (standard) with the 21"/22" Wheels seen on the concept
• The side mirrors will be slightly larger than those seen on the concept
• The rear-view mirror will be attached to the windshield, not the roof as seen on the concept
• There will be 4 seats
• The Camaro will be Rear wheel drive
• The door handles will be redesigned to be "more user-friendly"
• The inverted Mohawk as seen on the concept will remain on the roof of the car
• The Camaro will have its gas cap located on the side of the rear quarter panel, on the passenger's side
• The Camaro will feature a 5.1 surround sound system (at least as an option)
• At least one V8 option will feature a 6 liter 400+ HP engine
• At least one V6 option will feature a 3.6 liter 300+ HP engine
• The Camaro will feature Automatic Fuel Management (AFM)
• An SS version of the new Camaro will be offered
• If you don't come test drive the new Camaro, you'll wish you did!!

Mike Maheras...what do you think?

Phillips Chevrolet's General Sales Manager, Mike Maheras had this to say about the Camaro, "The day has finally come, the day we have been waiting for! The arrival of the new 2010 Chevy Camaro...hot off the assembly line! The manual V6 gets 17/29 mpg, automatic gets 18/29 mpg and the manual V8 gets 16/24 mpg, automatic gets 16/25 (city/hwy). Who can refuse?" Motor Trend magazine said it best, "The look is there. The Performance is there. And, oh yes, so it the WOW!"

Stop in and test drive the brand new 2010 Camaro!!! You will not be disappointed!! Phillips Chevrolet has Camaros in stock and inbound! All trim levels, LS, LT, SS, 2SS and various colors!

The day has finally arrived...

Did you know that the very first 2010 Camaro sold in Illinois was purchased by Phillips Chevrolet's customer Bill and Patrice Pagunas? Their children Maria and Angelo came along to take delivery of their new vehicle!!