Volt gets 5-star safety rating

The Chevrolet Volt electric car has won a five-star safety rating from the U.S. government.

The five-star rating is the top one given by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

General Motors says the Volt was judged under tougher standards for 2011 models that include a simulated 20 m.p.h. side crash into a pole.

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! Follow Phillips Chevrolet on Facebook and Twitter to receive coupons, special offers and prizes!

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Chevy to roll into poll position at Dream Cruise

The Woodward Dream Cruise and Chevrolet today are expected to announce the iconic brand's new role in the day-long event that somehow manages to stretch into more than a week.

Chevrolet, which celebrates its centennial this year, is expected to replace the MotorCity Casino as the top sponsor of the popular Cruise, according to published reports.

Officially, no one involved would say anything Wednesday, but the top sponsorship is open, and Chevrolet marketing chief Rick Scheidt and Dream Cruise President Greg Rassel are hosting an event today at the Renaissance Center in Detroit to talk about the biggest moving car show in the world. The event typically attracts more than 1 million people and 40,000 classic and muscle cars.

"No one is making any comment," said a spokeswoman with Woodward Dream Cruise. "We're declining comment," echoed GM spokesman Tom Wilkinson.

Last year, the Woodward Dream Cruise board hoped to raise $400,000 for the event through sponsorships, fundraisers and merchandise sales but fell short of that goal.

Cities along Woodward, from Ferndale to Pontiac, could use more money. Last year, Royal Oak City Manager Robert Bruner told The News that the city expected to spend about $100,000 on the event. Smaller cities along the route may spend less but have even less money to tap.

Last year, Pleasant Ridge pulled out of supporting the Cruise with police and other city workers because of budget cuts. The city had estimated it would need $25,000 to pay for its role.

In the past, when automakers were flush with cash, signing up sponsors for the Cruise was easy.

But when tough times overtook the auto industry, carmakers and suppliers folded up their tents — and their wallets.

Detroit's Big Three maintained displays in recent years. Last year, Ford Motor Co. set up a big display in Ferndale. Chrysler Group LLC took over the parking lot at 13 Mile, and GM set up at Old Woodward in Birmingham.

Taking the title role as top sponsor for a Cruise that features a slew of GM muscle cars and beautiful Chevy Camaros only makes sense.

GM sales have been rising — demand for Chevrolet models is up 21.6 percent through May — and last year the automaker made $4.7 billion.

And this year marks Chevrolet's 100th birthday. So why not splurge a little? It helps the Cruise, which seems to get bigger every year. It seems like good marketing, and it gives back to Metro Detroit.

"We're doing a lot to celebrate our centennial," GM's Wilkinson said, still declining comment about today's expected announcement. "This press conference is just good news."

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! Follow Phillips Chevrolet on Facebook and Twitter to receive coupons, special offers and prizes!

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GM China Visits Phillips Chevrolet

(Left to Right: Ben Zhang- BOD Member; Jim Nagy- Ally Director of Sales; Mark Smith- Ally Senior Account Executive; Michael Kanarios- VP & CFO Ally International Dealer Finance; Rick Livingood- General Manager-GMAC-SAIC China; Michael Maheras- General Manager-Phillips Chevrolet; Liu Rong- Board Chairman-GMAC-SAIC China; Zhu Xian-BOD Member; Shen Genwei-BOD Member; John Behnfeldt-BOD Member & VP & CFO of Shanghai General Motors; Julia Yue- Board Supervisor)

GM China visited Phillips Chevrolet last Wednesday, May 25, 2011. Michael Maheras, Phillips Chevy's General Manager, gave GM China a sneak peak of Phillips Chevrolet's daily operations, and walked them through the dealership telling of the future expansion.

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! Follow Phillips Chevrolet on Facebook and Twitter to receive coupons, special offers and prizes!

GM to make Chevy Impala at Detroit-Hamtramck, add 2,500 jobs

General Motors said today it will build the next-generation Chevrolet Impala at its Detroit-Hamtramck assembly plant, adding 2,500 jobs.

The current Impala is built at GM's plant in Oshawa, Ontario. The next version is expected to go into production in 2013 or 2014.

GM said it will add two shifts at Detroit-Hamtramck for the Impala and the previously announced plan to build the Chevy Malibu. The tooling and equipment for the Impala will require another $69 million in investments.

In April 2010, GM said it would invest $121 million in the plant to support Malibu production.

The Detroit-Hamtramck factory also makes the Chevrolet Volt. GM said last week that it plans to ramp up Volt production to 60,000 next year, from an earlier plan to produce 45,000.

"We're doing this because we're confident in consumer demand for the great vehicles we're going to be building here," GM North America President Mark Reuss told workers at the plant today.

Today's announcement is part of a GM plan, spelled out two weeks ago, to invest $2 billion in 17 plants in eight states. Among the plants getting additional investment: Bowling Green, Ky., home of the Chevrolet Corvette; and powertrain plants in Toledo, Ohio, as well as Flint and Bay City, Mich. About 4,000 jobs are being created or retained at those plants, GM has said.

"Given the competitive nature of the auto industry in the United States, the bar for success is placed very high," Joe Ashton, UAW vice president of the GM department, said in a statement. "The members of UAW Local 22 soar over the bar every day by demonstrating their flexibility, hard work, and their intense focus on the customer."

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! Follow Phillips Chevrolet on Facebook and Twitter to receive coupons, special offers and prizes!

Demand for fuel efficiency sparks Volt production rise

GM to build 1,000 more than planned in '11, 15,000 extra in '12

General Motors Co. has made it official: It's boosting production of its electric Chevrolet Volt.

The Detroit automaker said Wednesday it will build 1,000 more Volts than planned this year — about 16,000 in total — and increase production to 60,000 cars in 2012, up from the 45,000 previously targeted.

GM officials said they're upping production — long expected — to meet strong demand for the battery-powered car, which comes with a backup gas engine. With gas prices hovering around $4 a gallon, GM and other automakers are eager to capitalize on the car-buying public's new lust for fuel efficiency.

GM will shut down its Detroit-Hamtramck plant, where it makes the Volt and its export version, the Opel Ampera, for four weeks starting in June to retool for added production. The carmaker will also build its next-generation 2013 Chevrolet Malibu at the plant, starting late next year.

The production hiatus will further constrain Volt supplies at dealers heading into the summer months, GM warned, but will better prepare the company for the 2012 Volt's nationwide rollout in the second half of this year, said Cristi Landy, directory of Chevrolet Volt Marketing. GM initially launched the 2011 Volt in a handful of markets, including New York, California and Washington, D.C., in December.

"By taking the time to reconfigure the plant, we will be better able to meet the tremendous consumer demand," Landy said.

GM's CEO Dan Akerson has pressed for more Volts "faster" and set production goals higher with hopes of eventually building more than 100,000 a year. Akerson also has challenged the Volt team to investigate ways to cut $10,000 in costs out of the high-tech vehicle. The car retails for $41,000, minus $7,500 in tax incentives.

Of the 16,000 Volts planned for this year, about 2,500 will go to dealer demonstration fleets, and another 3,500 will be built for export to China, Canada and Europe, GM officials said. The remaining 10,000 Volts will be sold in the United States — that hasn't changed, GM said.

Of the 60,000 Volts GM will build for 2012, about 45,000 will go on sale at U.S. dealers.

So far this year, GM has sold about 1,700 Volts, including 493 last month, according to tracking firm AutoData Corp. But while GM has been ahead — it was the first to bring this hybrid-style plug-in to market.

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! Follow Phillips Chevrolet on Facebook and Twitter to receive coupons, special offers and prizes!

Futbol Mania

Futbol Mania is a national partnership with the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup Soccer Tournament that will include two big games being played on June 12 at Soldier Field in Chicago, IL! Chevrolet will have an on-site display at the June 12 games with an exciting lineup of Chevrolet vehicles.

If you visit Phillips Chevrolet to test drive a vehicle, you will receive a coupon to enter to win tickets to Soldier Field on June 12 to watch the big games*!

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! Follow Phillips Chevrolet on Facebook and Twitter to receive coupons, special offers and prizes!

*While supplies last

Volt Visits Frankfort Car Club and Joliet West High School

Phillips Chevrolet visited Frankfort Car Club's meeting last Wednesday to show off the new 2011 Chevrolet Volt. Many Car Club members test drove the Volt.

Phillips Chevrolet's Sales Consultant, Daniel Bachert, stands beside the 2011 Chevrolet Volt along with a few auto students at Joliet West High School on May 13, 2011. The students and faculty had a chance to learn all about the future car.

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! Follow Phillips Chevrolet on Facebook and Twitter to receive coupons, special offers and prizes!