2010 Chevrolet Equinox Earns IIHS Top Safety Pick Award

The 2010 Chevrolet Equinox received the highest possible rollover protection rating of “Good” in the first Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) rollover tests of midsize SUVs and crossovers, one of four tests leading to receiving the Institute’s Top Safety Pick award.

The IIHS’s roof strength test pushes a metal plate against one corner of a roof at a constant speed, before five inches of roof crush is reached. To receive its “Good” rating the subject vehicle must withstand a force equal to four times its weight.

“The Top Safety award recognizes vehicles that are on the top rung for safety,” said IIHS president Adrian Lund. “The Equinox is in an elite group of vehicles that has achieved the highest ratings for front, side, rollover, and rear crash protection, and that has electronic stability control to help drivers avoid serious crashes.”

The 2010 Equinox offers standard four-wheel disc brakes, traction control and StabiliTrak electronic stability control with rollover mitigation. It offers six standard air bags: dual frontal air bags, head curtain side air bags and seat-mounted side air bags.

“Equinox is a great example of a comprehensive safety approach that’s designed to offer peace of mind and keep drivers as safe as possible on the road,” said Jeff Boyer, General Motors executive director of Safety. “This includes technologies to help drivers avoid crashes, features to protect occupants in the event of a crash and systems that get the right kind of help to the scene as quickly as possible.”

The 2010 Equinox also has received the highest possible five-star front- and side-impact rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

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. View our specials!

Bloomington Gold

Phillips Chevrolet is displaying its new & used Chevrolet Corvette inventory at Bloomington's 38^th annual Bloomington Gold Chevrolet Corvette Show at Pheasant Run Resort in St. Charles, IL now through June 27.

Bloomington Gold is the longest running continuous national Corvette show and has set the standards by which other Corvette events are measured.

Thirty-six years after the first gathering of Corvette owners in a dusty fairground field, Bloomington Gold has not lost sight of its heritage of Corvette judging, history, education and family entertainment. It is this unique formula that has made Bloomington Gold “The Grandaddy of Corvette Shows.”

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. View our specials!

Chevrolet Raising $1 Million to Help Troops Call Home

As an extension of the GM Military Discount program, Chevrolet is launching a year-long campaign to raise $1 million to support Cell Phones for Soldiers.

To reach that goal, Chevrolet is calling on GM employees, NASCAR fans, and Chevrolet dealers across the country to donate unwanted, gently used cell phones for recycling. Proceeds will be used to provide pre-paid calling cards to troops serving in the U.S. Armed Forces.

“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. “Personally, with a brother and a nephew in active duty in Iraq, I know how important every call home can be for soldiers overseas, and their families at home.”

Cell Phones for Soldiers was founded in 2004 by brother and sister Robbie and Brittany Bergquist. To date, they have provided more than 60 million minutes of free calling cards through a national network of individual and corporate supporters.

Cell Phones for Soldiers recently announced a new campaign to offer free cell phones to armed forces returning from service in Iraq and Afghanistan. Returning troops can receive a refurbished phone, preloaded with a month’s worth of calling time, to help them restart their lives after active duty.

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 (schedule below). In May, Dale Earnhardt Jr. introduced Cell Phones for Soldiers to NASCAR fans at Richmond International Raceway.

Individuals who would like to support the cause also can download a pre-paid mailing label at www.gmmilitarydiscount.com/phone, to ship donations of one to 100 used cell phones.

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

Cell Phones for Soldiers will be featured at these Chevy Racing Events in 2010:

July 2-3 Daytona
July 23-25 Indianapolis
July 30-August 1 Pocono
August 13-15 Michigan
September 3-5 Atlanta
September 10-11 Richmond
September 24-26 Dover
October 1-3 Kansas
October 8-10 Fontana

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. View our specials!

Bloomington Gold

On June 24-27, Phillips Chevrolet will be displaying its New & Used Corvette inventory as Bloomington hosts its 38th annual Bloomington Gold located at Pheasant Run Resort. Bloomington Gold is the longest running continuous national Corvette show and has set the standards by which other Corvette events are measured.

Thirty-six years after that first gathering of Corvette owners in a dusty fairground field, Bloomington Gold has not lost sight of its heritage of Corvette judging, history, education and family entertainment. It is this unique formula that has made Bloomington Gold “The Grandaddy of Corvette Shows.”

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. View our specials!

Phillips Chevrolet Scores a Run

Phillips Chevrolet is continuing to support Frankfort through a partnership with Frankfort Square Baseball League. Phillips Chevy recently donated $500 to the youth league for equipment purchases. The effort by Phillips Chevrolet is part of the Chevy Youth Baseball initiative sweeping the nation from March through July 2010.

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. View our specials!

Win a new 2010 Equinox or 2010 Malibu Raffle tickets are available to purchase by contacting John Mutter at (815) 514-7980 or Matt Braley at (815) 651-9756.

You Can't Predict a Tornado, but You Can Prepare for It

During a tornado or other natural disaster, count on OnStar Crisis Assist to provide you with a central point of contact, assistance, and information to help you navigate your way out of danger. Simply push your red emergency button, and you'll connect with a live OnStar Advisor—available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Our OnStar Crisis Assist Team can:

-Use GPS technology to direct emergency help to your exact location
-Guide you to local shelters and help you find distribution centers for food, water, and medical supplies

-Connect you with loved ones

In a tornado or other crisis, you'll have access to any and all OnStar services at no extra cost, regardless of your subscription plan. To learn more about OnStar's Crisis Assist service, click here.

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. View or specials!

GM Gives Free Home Charger to First 4,400 Buyers of Chevrolet Volt

The buyers of General Motors Co.'s first 4,400 plug-in electric Chevrolet Volt vehicles are eligible for free home-charging stations. The 240-volt charging stations will be provided by two companies and are part of a federally funded project overseen by the Energy Department.

The stations will allow owners to recharge their vehicles faster. Chargers included in the federal program will be networked, allowing the Energy Department to study electric vehicle charging and usage, and ultimately to understand what is required to bring more electric vehicles to market, GM said.

“Many owners will plug their Volt into a normal 120-volt electrical outlet, charge overnight and drive to work in the morning using only batter power,” said Tony DiSalle, product and marketing director for the Chevrolet Volt. “For Volt owners who want to install a faster 240-volt charge station, we expect the Department of Energy project to save between $1,000 and $2,000.” In total, the government is awarding the federal grants to help install more than 15,000 home and public charging stations. The extended range electric Volt is set to go on sale by November.

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. View or specials!

Corvette Stingray Concept Loses its Top

The crew at Corvette Blogger managed to get their hands on a few shots of what appears to be a speedster version of the ever gorgeous Stingray Concept. The car had starring roles in the Transformers saga and the 2009 Chicago Auto Show.

At that time, the car was hard-top only, but this new version looks mighty fine without a roof as well. Is it for sale or is just another movie prop? Corvette Blogger thinks it may be a little bit of both. This car was spotted in Beverly Hills, so who knows? Either way, we like what we see.

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. View or specials!

GM Prices 2011 Chevrolet Corvette Range

The C6 Chevrolet Corvette has been around since the 2005 model year, but General Motors has made a point to keep its everyman sports coupe fresh with regular updates. For 2011, the big change is an upgraded Z06, with new Z07 and Carbon Fiber packages. One thing that isn't budging much for 2011 is price, as most versions of the Bowtie sports car have reportedly gone up in price but $20 compared to the 2010 model year.

The base Vette starts out at a reasonable $48,950, and if you lose the fixed roof, the price jumps to $53,600. Move up to the Grand Sport and you'll be staring at a $54,790 Monroney, while the GS ragtop is exactly $5,000 more than the base convertible. Move out of the GS and into the Z06 and the price rockets to $74,305. The Carbon Fiber package is $3,995 stand-alone package, while the Z06 Ultimate Performance Package (A.K.A. the Z07 package) is a healthy $9,495. The Corvette Blogger says the limited Carbon edition Z06 should come in at around $95,000.
The ZR1 gets by far the largest price increase of the bunch, as the starting price jumps $2,920 to $109,820. That's a $6,320 price bump from the 2009 model. Add the ZR1 premium equipment group and you're looking at $119,820, which is still a pretty handsome deal for the performance it offers. There are 19 different package options, 38 stand-alone options and nine tire choices.

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. View Our Specials!

Chevy Builds Cruze-engined Super Spark for WTCC Duty

Chevrolet has built a special edition of its new Spark runabout for use as a pace car during World Touring Car Championship races this year. The Spark is powered by the new 1.4-liter turbocharged inline-four that will power the Cruze when it goes on sale in the United States this fall. The turbo-four produces 140 horsepower and 148 pound-feet of torque while standard production Sparks are powered by 1.0 or 1.2-liter engines generating 67 and 80 hp, respectively, so this figures to indeed be a significantly hotter drive. The Spark turbo will make its first WTCC appearance during the event at Zolder, Belgium on June 19-20.

Before it gets down to business, the Spark and a WTCC Cruze will be displayed with the Corvette C6.R at the kickoff of this week's activities for the 24 hours of Le Mans. The GT2 Corvettes ran second and third in the opening qualifying session on Wednesday.

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. View Our Specials!

White Sox pitcher, Jake Peavy, visits Phillips Chevrolet!

On Saturday, June 5, White Sox pitcher Jake Peavy, signed autographs for his fans at Phillips Chevrolet located at 33 W. Lincoln Hwy. (Routes 30 & 45) Frankfort, IL. Prizes were given away, including future game tickets and T-shirts. Throw out the first pitch at the Chicago White Sox game on Friday, July 30th vs the Oakland A's. Register to win at Phillips Chevrolet. Winning name will be drawn on 7/17/10 at Phillips Chevrolet! Winner need not be present. No purchase necessary! Go Sox!

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. View our specials!

Chevrolet Awards Detroit Pitcher New Corvette for Great Performance

Chevrolet awarded Detroit Tigers pitcher Armando Galarraga a 2010 Chevrolet Corvette convertible, recognizing his outstanding performance on and off the field.

Galarraga retired 26 consecutive Cleveland Indians batters on the evening of June 2. The 27th and final batter, Jason Donald, hit a routine ball in the hole between first and second base. Tigers’ first baseman Miguel Cabrera fielded the ball and threw to Galarraga, who stepped on first base, apparently before Donald touched the base and was called safe.

Galarraga kept his cool, returned to the mound and retired the next batter to record a one-hit, 3-0 shutout, throwing just 88 pitches.

GM North American President Mark Reuss, who presented a Chevrolet Corvette to Galarraga at Thursday's game against the Cleveland Indians, said the way the pitcher had handled the incredible events deserved to be recognized regardless of what record books would ultimately show.

Reuss said he had known the Ilitch family, owners of the Detroit Tigers, his whole life and the family has always been a great supporter of General Motors.

"It is only fitting we help give back for all the Ilitches have done for Detroit and to celebrate Armando’s pitching and sportsmanship during one of the most captivating evenings in Tigers history.”

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.

Starting at $16,995, Chevrolet Cruze Offers Midsize-car Presence at Compact-car Price

The all-new 2011 Chevrolet Cruze will begin arriving in U.S. dealerships this September, starting at $16,995, including destination. Priced to compete in the compact-car segment, the Cruze offers more interior room, more miles per gallon in the Eco model, and more standard safety features than any of its competitors.


The 2011 Cruze will be offered for retail sale in four models:

Cruze LS starting at $16,995, including:
-Standard 1.8L Ecotec engine and six-speed manual transmission
-The most standard safety features in the segment, with 10 air bags, StabiliTrak electronic stability control with rollover sensing, traction control, anti-lock brakes, collapsible pedal system, power rear-door child safety locks
-Standard OnStar, with a six-month subscription including Turn-by-Turn navigation
-Standard convenience features including air conditioning, power windows, power door locks with remote keyless entry, driver information center, and XM Radio with three month trial subscription


Cruze LT starting at $18,895, including:
-Standard 1.4L Ecotec turbo and six-speed automatic transmission
-16-inch wheels


Cruze Eco starting at $18,895, including:
-Standard 1.4L Ecotec turbo and six-speed manual transmission
-Segment-leading expected 40 miles per gallon highway
-Standard 17-inch alloy wheels with ultra low-rolling resistance tires, and enhanced aerodynamic performance package


Cruze LTZ starting at $22,695, including:
-Standard 1.4L Ecotec turbo and six-speed automatic transmission
-Standard six-way power driver seat, leather seating surfaces, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob
-Standard cruise control, Bluetooth phone connectivity, USB port with audio interface, steering-wheel mounted audio controls, and remote vehicle start
-Standard automatic climate control, auto-dimming inside rearview mirror, and ultrasonic rear-parking assist
-18-inch alloy wheels


Major available options features on Cruze include:
-In-dash navigation system with 40-gigabyte hard drive, enabling pause-and-play radio, downloading of audio CDs, or transferring MP3 files from a USB memory device
-Pioneer Audio system, with nine speakers and 250-watt amplifier
-Heated leather seats
-Ultrasonic rear park assist
-RS Appearance package, including rocker moldings, unique front and rear fascias, front fog lamps, and rear spoiler


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 Will Give Volt First Responder Training

General Motors Co. and OnStar are tackling a key safety concern ahead of the launch of the Chevrolet Volt extended-range electric car by training paramedics, cops, and firefighters on how to respond to crashes and emergencies involving electric vehicles.

Electric cars, particularly the Volt, will rely on lithium-ion batteries and require different responses in emergencies as the vehicles are forecast to proliferate in coming years.
First-responders will be taught how to shut off electricity to the vehicle in a crash or emergency, how best to cut through high-strength steel used in the Volt and the best way to extract a passenger in the event of a crash.

The training is part of a pre-launch push by GM to prepare the public for the Volt, which hits showrooms late this year. The training will start in August in Chicago and sessions also will be held in the major cities where the Volt will be sold late this year- San Francisco, Los Angeles, Detroit, and Washington D.C. GM plans to produce about 8,000 Volts for the 2011 model year before eventually expanding as many as 60,000.

The engine kicks in after its battery is drained by about 70 percent to sustain the battery's remaining charge to keep the car running for several hundred miles. Chevrolet officials have been collaborating with national safety organizations to develop educational materials that can be shared with firefighters, police officers and dispatchers nationwide. The materials will be available on a private website. There have been concerns among advocates for the blind that electric and hybrid vehicles pose risks to pedestrians and others because the cars are nearly silent in some cases. Automakers and those advocates last month reached an agreement that would require the companies to equip so-called "quiet cars" with chirps or other sounds to alert pedestrians and bikers.

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.

Meet Jake Peavy!

Stop by Phillips Chevrolet located at 33 W Lincoln Hwy in Frankfort, IL on June 5th from 12:00pm-1:15pm and you can meet White Sox pitcher, Jake Peavy! You don't want to miss out! He will be signing autographs!

While you're there, register to win a chance to throw out the first pitch at the Chicago White Sox game on Friday, July 30th vs the Oakland A's. We will draw the winning name on July 17th.

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.