Chevrolet Helps Get 11,000 Hours Talk Time for Soldiers

Eleven thousand hours of talk time won’t bring far away relatives physically closer, but it can go a long way in curing homesickness for soldiers overseas.

Chevrolet’s efforts in the Cell Phones for Soldiers program so far has helped collect 20,000 cell phones, more than enough to provide 2,200 pre-paid calling cards with 300 minutes each to a group of soldiers in Afghanistan.

“These cards will provide our camp population with six months worth of calls, more than enough to call home for every holiday or family event from Thanksgiving to Mother’s Day,” said Col. Liana L. Bratland, Director of Human Resources/CJ1 for NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan/Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan. “That connection to home is a big morale booster for the troops and their families.” 

As an extension of the GM Military Discount Program, Chevrolet has been supporting Cell Phones for Soldiers since May. To date, Chevrolet has helped collect more phones for the cause at collection boxes in a variety of locations from General Motors headquarters to auto shows around the country.

In the days leading to Thanksgiving, Chevy is partnering with the Livonia Public Schools in suburban Detroit to host a contest among six schools to see which can collect the most used cell phones. Chevy is providing an additional 2, 000 prepaid calling cards and that students can send to troops serving overseas.

“Many of our own students have family members who have served overseas,” said Dr. Randy Liepa, Superintendent of Livonia Public Schools. “We look forward to working with Cell Phones for Soldiers and Chevrolet to support the families who are sacrificing their holidays to serve our country.”

All phones collected for Cell Phones for Soldiers are recycled, and the proceeds are used to purchase prepaid calling cards for members of the U.S. Armed Forces. The registered 501(C)3 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.

For more information, please visit www.gmmilitarydiscount.com.

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Chevrolet Cruze Features Double-Digit Air Bags Count

The 2011 Chevrolet Cruze has a segment-leading 10 air bags to help keep passengers safe in a crash, and an engineering specialist who does his most inventive thinking about vehicle safety in the middle of the night.

Scott Thomas, among the engineers associated with the Cruze’s double-digit air bag count, has some 30 safety patents to his credit – most of which were awarded for new or improved air bags and restraint systems.

The Chevy Cruze features frontal, head curtain side, front and outboard rear seat side-impact and knee air bags.

“My co-workers and I have put a lot of personal effort and thought into Chevrolet products like the Cruze,” says Thomas. “Anyone who buys this car will have peace of mind knowing that they are driving a vehicle with some of the most advanced safety technology in the segment.”

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Unique Air Shutter Helps Morph Chevrolet Cruze into 40 MPG Leader

Squeezing out every last drop of fuel efficiency is one of the key tasks for Greg Fadler, aerodynamics engineering group manager at Chevrolet. Fadler and his team worked on making the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze Eco one of the most fuel-efficient small cars on the market, achieving up to an estimated 40 MPG on the highway – hybrid-like efficiency without the hybrid cost.

Engineers used some of the proven approaches to making the Cruze Eco a gas sipper, trimming its overall weight and lowering the ride height. But the real innovation is behind the front grill where an automatic air shutter system allows the car to change shape and cut through the air more smoothly.

The air shutter system uses sensors to feel and sense wind and temperature conditions. The sensors are married to electric motors that open and close the shutters automatically. With the shutters closed at high speeds, wind drag is reduced. At lower speeds, the shutters open to maximize engine-cooling air flow. The air shutter system contributes nearly half a mile per gallon in combined city and highway driving.

The cooling systems for all GM vehicles are designed for the worst-case scenario, which is pulling a trailer up a grade in Death Valley. The shutter allows them to significantly improve fuel economy, while still providing the cooling needed in that extreme case.

“The real fun of the job is when we discover something new or innovative that allows us to do something better than we or our competition has done before,” Fadler said.

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! Become a fan of Phillips Chevrolet on Facebook or Twitter to receive coupons, special offers, and prizes!