Throw out the first pitch at the White Sox vs Oakland A's game on Friday, July 30th!

All you have to do is stop by Phillips Chevrolet and fill out an entry form. We will draw the name of the winner on Saturday, July 17, 2010 at Phillips Chevrolet located at 33 West Lincoln Highway Frankfort, IL. Winner need not be present. Good luck to all!


Phillips Chevrolet has Illinois' Largest Chevy Inventory! We have an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau, and are one of the Largest Chevy Dealers in the United States. Visit us at www.PhillipsChevrolet.com.

Happy having fun at Phillips!

If you've been to any parades in the Lincoln-Way area, whether it was Loyalty Day, Fourth of July or Fall Fest, chances are you've seen or heard Happy Bettenhausen.

He figures he's participated in 114 parades. Years ago, he would ride on a float he designed for Phillips Chevrolet and play accordion with his polka band.

Happy Bettenhausen, 85 years old, walks around Phillips Chevorlet in Frankfort playing his accordion. Bettenhausen sold cars when Philips was located at Heritage Hall. -Mary Compton/SouthtownStar

"At 85, I can't do that anymore," Happy says. Now he drives a cool car while toe-tapping music emits from speakers mounted on the roof. No matter. Happy is doing what he loves twofold: playing the accordion and promoting Phillips Chevrolet, both of which he's been doing for decades.

"I'm going to start work tomorrow on a float for the New Lenox Loyalty Day parade (May 2)," he said from his desk at Phillips, where he still comes to work five days a week. He opens the place up, makes the coffee (116 cups a day), writes the weekly newsletter (he's penned 525 to date), tends to the plants and test drives used cars.

"I could quit if I wanted to, but I want to make sure you guys get your Social Security checks," he says with a smile, proudly wearing his Chevy bow tie and cap. "I'm the PR man for Phillips Chevrolet. I still sell a car now and then, but I let the young fellas make a living."

Among the employees, he's the oldest, and among the salesmen, the longest serving with 34 years. Only one other employee - Jim Bell in the service department - has been at Phillips longer by five years.

The aptly named Happy is quick with numbers and with wit. He rattles off dates and numbers like they were written on his palm and trades jokes with a bald colleague about needing a haircut.

Born Norman, but called Happy since he was a year old, he went to school in Frankfort and married his childhood sweetheart, Dorothy, in 1944. He claims he has been in the car business since he was 11, working for $1 a day at his uncle's gas station in New Lenox.

In 1948, he opened Happy's Body Shop in Tinley Park, later merging with Jim Warning's car dealership at the old Heritage Hall in downtown Frankfort in 1963.

"It was a livery stable when I went to school," he says, noting how Frankfort has changed from an agricultural town of 440 people to an urban area.

He turned in his wrenches and became a salesman in 1974, joined Phillips in 1976 and figures he's sold 7,000 cars in his career. For 12 years in a row, (1977 to 1988) he won the salesman of the year award. "No one is going to beat that," Happy says. In his best month, he sold 46 cars, and in the best year, 322. His success was always based on trust.

And when he's not fixing or selling cars, Happy is entertaining folks with his polka band, and the accordion he's been playing since the 1950s. He still keeps one at his desk at Phillips and still enjoys regaling seniors in area nursing homes once or twice a year with the 50 old-time favorites on his playlist (that he plays by ear) such as "Roll Out the Barrel," "Goodnight Irene" and "When Irish Eyes are Smiling."

So, what makes Happy come to work every day, driving from his home in Manteno, where he now lives?

"It's my game. It has been my game all my life," he says. "At 85, I'm still young at heart. It's the respect that keeps me here. I can't explain enough the respect I get from these young people. If I felt I was an old duffer in the way, I would not be here. I really enjoy my position at Phillips."

Phillips Chevrolet has Illinois' Largest Chevy Inventory! We have an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau, and are one of the Largest Chevy Dealers in the United States. Visit us at www.phillipschevrolet.com.

Designed to Protect: Cruze Provides Most Standard Safety Features in Segment

The 2011 Chevrolet Cruze’s class-leading safety features and structural strength were demonstrated on Friday in a blunt manner – engineers crashed it. It was a planned test that highlighted the active and passive safety features, as well as the technology, of Chevrolet’s new, fuel-efficient sedan.

Cruze enters the market in the third quarter of this year with more standard safety features than any vehicle in its class, each contributing to Chevrolet’s goal of protecting passengers before, during and after a crash. Highlights include:

-Ten standard air bags – the most in the segment – including frontal, head curtain side air bags, front and outboard rear-seat side-impact air bags and new knee air bags
-StabiliTrak electronic stability control with rollover sensing, traction control and anti-lock brakes
-Collapsible pedal system, which allows the pedals to detach during a crash to reduce the risk of leg or ankle injuries
-OnStar with Automatic Crash Response.

Phillips Chevrolet has Illinois' Largest Chevy Inventory! We have an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau, and are one of the Largest Chevy Dealers in the United States. Visit us at www.phillipschevrolet.com.

Cruze: Drives Like a Midsize, Saves Gas Like a Compact

The 2011 Chevrolet Cruze will be one of the most fuel-efficient and refined vehicles in its segment. It includes a new family of refined four-cylinder Ecotec engines featuring variable valve timing and the application of numerous acoustic treatments that work harmoniously to give the Cruze the driving experience of a midsize car and the fuel economy of a compact.

Highlights include a new, 1.4L Ecotec turbo engine with variable valve timing helps the high-efficiency Cruze Eco model achieve an estimated – and segment-leading – 40 mpg on the highway.

Phillips Chevrolet has Illinois' Largest Chevy Inventory! We have an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau, and are one of the Largest Chevy Dealers in the United States. Visit us at www.phillipschevy.com.

Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell Passes 1 Million Miles

The Chevrolet Equinox fuel cell electric vehicles today passed 1 million miles of gasoline and tailpipe pollution-free driving by homemakers, accountants, computer game designers and others using the vehicles every day in real-world conditions.

More than 50,000 gallons of gasoline have been saved so far in the fuel cell Equinox, more than 100 of which are part of the largest consumer fuel cell demonstration fleet in the world. The fuel cell electric Equinox runs on electricity created by an on-board fuel cell stack. The only emissions are wisps of water vapor.

About 5,000 people have driven the fuel cell Equinox in short test drives. More than 80,000 people in New York, Washington, D.C., and Greater Los Angeles, volunteered to drive the vehicles as part of Project Driveway, which began in November 2007.

The Fuel Cell Equinox carries about 4.2 kilograms of compressed hydrogen on board, enough for about 168 miles before a five-to-seven minute refill is required. Regenerative braking, which sends energy created in stopping, back to the vehicle battery, extends the driving range. Drivers refill at hydrogen stations in New York, Washington, and Southern California.

In Project Driveway, participants keep the mid-size Equinox crossovers for about two months with free fuel and insurance in exchange for providing regular feedback to engineers. Having people living with the vehicle helps Chevrolet improve the fuel cell experience. The feel of the regenerative brakes was one change that resulted from customer comments.

The Equinox fuel cell is part of Chevrolet's electrification of the automobile which continues next year with commercial production of the Volt extended -ange electric vehicle. Feedback and learning from the Equinox fuel cell is being shared with the Volt development team.

While Project Driveway shows how easily hydrogen-powered vehicles could become normal transportation, the high cost of development and lack of fueling infrastructure have prevented a decision on a mass production fuel cell vehicle.
In addition to individual drivers, Project Driveway vehicles are on loan to celebrities, a range of government and non-government entities, including the U.S. Postal Service which has delivered more than 700,000 pieces of mail in the Equinox. Other vehicles are used by Virgin Atlantic and Disney.

The significance of Project Driveway is especially appreciated in California, where most of the vehicles are in use.

Phillips Chevrolet has Illinois' Largest Chevy Inventory! We have an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau, and are one of the Largest Chevy Dealers in the United States. Visit us at www.PhillipsChevy.com.

GM: Electric Chevrolet Volt Meeting Range Goals

According to General Motors Co. engineers, real-world tests show that General Motors Co.'s rechargeable electric car can travel 40 miles on battery power as promised. Engineers are testing six Chevrolet Volts that recently were made on a Detroit assembly line, driving them at the company's proving ground and on roads around Detroit.

The automaker still has a “few things to tweak” with the car, including computer software and controls, but the Volt is on schedule for full production in November, said Andrew Farah, the car's chief engineer. The Volt, which has a 1.4-liter gas engine that kicks on when the batteries are depleted, is due in showrooms in December.

Farah said he got 41.5 miles and 42.5 miles on his last two electric cycles of the Volt, which he said were under normal driving conditions. “I'm not speeding. I'm not taking it particularly easy either, because I'm driving the way I would normally drive,” he said.

The car will get about 50 miles per gallon when the gas engine turns on to generate electricity to power the electric motor. The range will depend on weather, terrain, and driving habits and can vary 20 percent up and down. The Volt will have a lower range when the batteries have to heat the passenger compartment in colder climate.

Engineers said the gasoline engine will add more than 300 miles to the Volt's range, but they wouldn't say how many gallons the gas tank will hold. Under both full-electric and gasoline engine power, the car will get about 230 miles per gallon under U.S. Government standards, the company says.

Phillips Chevrolet has Illinois' largest Chevy inventory! We have an A+ rating with the Better Business bureau, and are one of the Largest Chevy Dealers in the United States. Visit us at www.phillipschevy.com.

Pricing Announced: 2011 Chevrolet Silverado Heavy Duty

Chevrolet announced pricing for the 2011 Silverado Heavy Duty and the base pricing starts at $27,965, which excludes a $995 destination charge. An upgrade to the proven DuraMax diesel engine and Allison transmission combination runs $8,395 – the same discount as in 2010, offering significant improvements in fuel economy, including a highway cruising range of up to 680 miles; increases in performance; and new B20 biodiesel capability.


Phillips Chevrolet has Illinois' largest Chevy Inventory! We have an A+ rating with the Better Business bureau, and are one of the Largest Chevy Dealers in the United States. Visit us at www.PhillipsChevy.com.

2011 Chevrolet Camaro Introduces Additional Features

The 2010 model year proved to be a very successful and exciting year for the segment-leading Chevrolet Camaro. For the 2011 model year, Chevrolet is looking to expand the car's popularity among consumers with the introduction of additional features that include 312 horsepower for the V6 engine, expanded availability of synergy colors (a Camaro tradition using dramatic colors, such as Hugger Orange, Daytona Yellow, and Rallye Green) and heads-up display.

Jim Campbell, Vice President for Chevrolet Marketing stated, “We are pleased with Camaro's success in the market during its first year of production. The 2010 model year has been a banner year for us, and we plan to build on this momentum.

Phillips Chevrolet has Illinois' largest Chevy Inventory! We have an A+ rating with the Better Business bureau, and are one of the Largest Chevy Dealers in the United States. Visit us at www.phillipschevy.com.

GM Expands Battery Lab Ahead of Volt Launch

General Motors Co. is doubling the size of its battery lab ahead of the debut of the Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid late this year.

In GM's Technical Center in Warren, Michigan, the lab will expand from 30,000 square feet to 63,000. The increase will create more space for developing chargers, building batteries for trials, and running tests.

Construction of the new space starts this month and will end this summer.

The lab opened in January 2009, part of GM's commitment to building batteries for the Volt in a plant south of Detroit. The batteries use lithium ion cells from South Korean supplier LG Chem.

Phillips Chevrolet has Illinois' largest Chevy Inventory! We have an A+ rating with the Better Business bureau, and are one of the Largest Chevy Dealers in the United States. Visit us at www.phillipschevy.com.

Cruze Eco Claims High MPG for Low Price

Chevrolet will pitch its 2011 Cruze Eco variant as a gasoline-powered car that delivers hybrid-like fuel economy without a hybrid's hefty price tag. General Motors Co. estimates the Cruze Eco's highway fuel economy at 40 mpg. EPA ratings for the Eco and the standard Cruze compact are not yet available. The Eco will be more expensive than the base Cruze, but the premium will be nowhere near as high as the cost of hybrid technology.

By contrast, the Ford Fusion Hybrid has a base price of $27,995 including shipping, a bump of $8,000 over the base Fusion. Hybrid models often have more standard equipment than base models. GM put some pricey equipment on the Eco to reduce weight. For instance, the Eco has 17-inch forged aluminum wheels, a feature usually found on sporty models. GM felt strongly that they needed to be on this vehicle, because the forged aluminum wheels save over 10 kilograms.

The version of the Cruze Eco shown at the New York show had a six-speed manual transmission teamed with a 1.4-liter turbocharged engine with variable valve timing. An automatic transmission also will be offered.

The Cruze will go on sale in the third quarter, and the Eco will follow later in the year. The base Cruze will be priced competitively with compact leaders Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic. The 2011 Chevrolet Cruze Eco will go on sale near the end of the year.

Chevrolet to Offer Limited Number of Camaro Indy 500 Pace Car Replicas

Chevrolet will build and sell a replica of a Camaro Indianapolis 500 Pace Car for the first time since 1993. Chevy is setting out to build a collectible vehicle that will appeal to the die-hard Camaro and Indianapolis 500 fan and believes they have done just that with the 2010 Chevy Camaro Indianapolis 500 Pace Car Limited Edition. This will be the second year in a row that 2010 Camaro SS will pace the Indianapolis 500.

The model will be based off of the Camaro 2SS/RS production Model, painted Inferno Orange Metallic exterior and Inferno Orange interior. The vehicle will include: a 6 speed automatic transmission with remote start, 20” polished aluminum wheels, full body white pearl decal rally strips, Inferno Orange Heritage front grille, Inferno Orange V8 engine cover, Premium floor mats, front head rest with Indy 500 logo embroidered, Indy 500 logo on the doors, and Cloisonne on the front fender. The MSRP for this model is $41,950 plus destination, tax, title, license, and dealer fees.

There will only be 250 of these units produced. Fifty of these cars will be used at the track as festival cars by the race officials. They will be disposed of at the end of the race by the usual means previously used to dispose of past festival cars. The remaining 200 models will be new vehicles and allocated to the top Camaro Dealers based on 2009 Camaro Sales. Dealerships slated to receive this unit have already had this limited edition unit ordered. Once released from the Oshawa Plant, it will show in their “In-Transit” or “In-Stock” tabs of order workbench. There will be no free-flow-ordering available on this unit at this time.

Phillips Chevrolet is one of only two dealerships in Illinois that will receive a pace car.

Cruze gets an upgrade for North America

General Motors Co. has changed the North American version of its new global compact car, the Chevrolet Cruze, to reduce noise and improve safety and fuel economy. The Cruze goes on sale here in the third quarter as the successor to the Cobalt. It is bigger than the Cobalt, will be better equipped and will be priced higher. "We have a different set of competitive vehicles here in North America than what exists in Europe," said Chuck Russell, GM's vehicle line director for compact cars in North America. "We needed to make a number of adjustments."

The North American Cruze will reduce noise, an acoustic laminated windshield was substituted, and doors got more insulation. Sealers were added to some of the door headers.

10 airbags will be included in the The North American Cruze with knee airbags and rear seat side airbags, more than any other version of the Cruze.

In place of an independent rear suspension, GM selected a Z-link design. Russell said: "We use it to provide the car with a lot of agility, a lot of directness with respect to the way the vehicle steers and the way the rear end of the car follows the front."

GM said the Cruze Eco model will get 40 mpg on the highway, compared with 29 to 36 mpg highway, depending on the model, for the nonhybrid 2010 Honda Civic. To reach that target, the Cruze Eco has a 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, low-resistance tires and aluminum wheels to cut weight.

Chevy Volt Marketed to High-Tech Futurists with iPad, Other Gadgets

GM was testing Apple's upcoming iPad in its Chevy Volt at South by Southwest Interactive Festival this past week. GM is using networking events like this one for web developers as a test platform for a number of social-media marketing projects. Perhaps most important is the preview of its forthcoming Chevy Volt plug-in electric car. Alternative-Fuel cars typically are marketed to environmentally conscious consumers, hoping to save on high fuel costs. GM believes with the Volt, they can find additional target market in people drawn to edgy technology of the Volt. The Volt's touch-screen console and accompanying mobile application are appealing. And the idea of plugging a car into the same outlets where you can charge your laptop and iPhone is awesome!

Apple has sold 120,000 units of its untested iPad device that consumers have never even seen or touched yet. The Skeleton framework of a Volt was set up by Chevrolet outside Austin Convention Center. Chevrolet sponsored gadget-related charging stations around the venue for attendees to charge phones and laptops. The Automakers' challenge in targeting high-tech futurists is addressing the same crowd that talks about ditching cars.