Planet Jupiter » Car Preview/Review

BE PREPARED…..IT’S COMING VERY SOON……

mbattel — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 23:02:51 +0000

2010 CAMARO ARRIVING APRIL 25th, 2009 to JUPITER CHEVROLET

Chevy Press Release From Detroit

mbattel — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 22:27:00 +0000

DETROIT – An all-new Chevrolet Spark mini-car and Orlando seven-seat compact multipurpose vehicle will come to the United States in 2011. The announcement was made during a General Motors press conference at the North American International Auto Show here today.

“Chevrolet Spark will bring great style, roominess and versatility to the segment of extremely fuel-efficient small cars in the U.S.,” said Troy Clarke, president of GM North America. “The decision to add the Spark to Chevrolet’s portfolio reflects the brand’s commitment to being a fuel efficiency leader in the industry.”

Originally seen as the Chevrolet Beat concept at the 2007 New York Auto Show, the four-door Chevrolet Spark will provide versatility with a fresh, youthful exterior and interior design that is reflected in the selection of materials and colors.

The Spark will make its world debut in full production form at the Geneva Auto Show in March 2009. Sales begin in Europe in the first quarter of 2010, followed by other markets around the globe.

“The Chevrolet Orlando show car, unveiled at the recent Paris Auto Show to positive public reaction, combines the versatility of a sport-utility, a family van and a wagon in a single vehicle,” Clarke said. It has the added benefit of excellent fuel economy, because of its car-based architecture.”

First photos and plans for the Chevrolet Orlando’s global rollout will be released in the coming months. It will be in Chevrolet showrooms in the U.S. in 2011.

“These small vehicles make a big statement,” said Ed Peper, North America vice president, Chevrolet. “With their fresh, clean approach, we believe Spark and Orlando will appeal to a wide range of customers who want excellent fuel efficiency, functionality and style in a small vehicle.”
CHEVROLET CRUZE: ALL-NEW SEDAN DELIVERS GREAT LOOKS AND OUTSTANDING FUEL ECONOMY

DETROIT – The 2011 Chevrolet Cruze makes its North American debut at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The all-new, compact sedan with coupe-like design proportions, midsize-like interior and trunk space, and great fuel efficiency will go on sale in the United States and Canada in the first half of 2010.

In North America, the Cruze will be powered by an optional new, 1.4L Turbo engine that is expected to deliver better fuel economy than the current leader in this segment, the Chevrolet Cobalt XFE that is rated at 37 mpg on the highway.

“Around the world, Chevrolet stands for expressive value and that’s exactly what the Cruze delivers,” said Ed Peper, GM North America vice president, Chevrolet. “The Cruze’s combination of great design, strong performance and outstanding fuel economy makes it a compelling choice.”

Cruze is the result of a development process harnessing GM’s global expertise and is the first of a new family of compact products that will deliver world-class quality. It will be backed by expected highest scores in all major crash safety ratings.

Vehicle highlights include:
· New 1.4L four-cylinder turbo engine with E85 capability
· New 1.8L four-cylinder
· Six-speed automatic and manual transmissions
· Front, side-impact and roof rail head curtain air bags
· OnStar
· Bluetooth and USB connectivity
· Electronic stability control with rollover sensing

The Cruze will be offered in base, LS, LT and LTZ models. Production for North American models will take place at GM’s Lordstown, Ohio assembly plant, while the 1.4L Turbo engine for North America will be manufactured in Flint, Mich.

“The Chevy Cruze built and sold in North America will differ only slightly in markets around the world,” said Peper. “Only market-specific features will distinguish the global models and all will proudly wear the Chevy Bowtie on the grille.”

Arching roofline
The new Chevy Cruze’s design is distinguished with a bold “face” that is becoming the signature look for Chevrolet models around the globe, as well as an arching roofline that gives the car a sporty, coupe-like proportion.

“The Cruze reinterprets the traditional sedan with drama, confidence and a decidedly upscale presence,” said Taewan Kim, chief designer. “It is a refreshing, exciting design that advances Chevrolet’s character around the world.”

Large headlamp housings are incorporated in the front-end design. They wrap around the corners and sweep upward in the fenders and sculpted hood. The headlamps flank a two-tier grille that features the iconic Bowtie logo between the horizontal openings.

An arching roofline extends from the Cruze’s steeply raked windshield to fast-sloping rear pillars, culminating at a short rear deck. It’s a profile typically found on sports coupes and gives the Cruze a decidedly aggressive look that is complemented by a wide, confidant stance.

The Cruze is wider and longer than most of its competitors, with minimal overhangs around the wheels. Taut, tightly drawn bodywork conveys solidity, while restrained use of exterior trim enhances the car’s high-quality feel.

That bold yet purposeful design ethic and attention to detail carries over to the interior, where a Corvette-inspired twin-cockpit motif is matched with high-quality materials and exceptional assembly tolerances. Grained, soft-touch components and low-gloss trim panels exude a quality that is uncommon in the segment, while conveniences such as Bluetooth and USB inputs offer customers the latest connectivity options.

Turbocharged efficiency
Pumped up with its exhaust-driven turbocharger, the Cruze’s 1.4L Turbo performs like a larger engine when needed, but retains the efficiency of a small-displacement four-cylinder in most driving conditions. Its power-boosting advantage comes from forcing more air into the engine than a non-boosted engine would draw normally; power ratings are estimated at 140 horsepower (104 kW) and 148 lb.-ft. of torque (200 Nm).

The 1.4L Turbo is part of GM’s family of global small-displacement engines. They are designed with fuel efficiency in mind, including technology such as full variable valve timing that optimizes performance and fuel economy across the rpm band. Carefully matched transmissions, including a six-speed automatic available on the Cruze, further enhance performance and fuel economy.

In addition to the 1.4L Turbo, the Cruze will also be offered in North America with an efficient 1.8L four-cylinder engine with dual continuously variable camshafts. It is rated at an estimated 138 horsepower (103 kW).

Chevrolet is one of America’s best-known and best-selling automotive brands. With the largest dealer network in the United States, Chevy is the leader in full-size trucks and the leader in sales of vehicles priced $35,000 and above. Chevrolet delivers more-than-expected value in every vehicle category, offering cars and trucks priced from $12,120 to $103,300. Chevy delivers expressive design, spirited performance and great value with standard features usually found only on more expensive vehicles.

Want to know about the 2010 Concept Chevrolet Camaro Black???

mbattel — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 00:35:09 +0000

The Camaro Black is one of the four 2010 Camaro-based concepts that made their way to the Las Vegas convention center for this year’s SEMA show. As its name suggests, this Camaro has been totally “blacked” out – from the black paint and the matte black-finished hood to the 21-inch alloy wheels, the tinted RS tail lamps, the darker grille finish and the color-matched exterior badging. The coupe’s sinister looks are complemented by a ground effects kit that includes a rear diffuser, a SS rear spoiler and red-glowing HID headlamp halo rings.

Chevrolet Camaro Black Concept SEMA 2008Inside, the Camaro Black Concept features a Chevy Accessories‘ premium audio upgrade package along with MTX speakers, red LED instrument lighting and red footwell ambient lighting, black chrome trim accents, dark-finished accents and leather-covered seats with grey accent stitching.

There are no mechanical upgrades as under the hood lurks the Camaro’s standard production 3.6-liter V6 engine producing an output of 300HP.

Jupiter Chevrolet Customer Testimonials

mbattel — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 17:15:24 +0000

Robert Rains writes:

Hi Melissa & Geoff

Just wanted to send you and the rest of the team a
special “THANK YOU !!!” for your help in purchasing the new
2007 Silverado. It was an absolute pleasure doing business
with you all. You actually made it easy and comfortable with
no pressure at all, which is more than I can say for your
neighbor down the street,(M***** Cadillac).

Sincerely,

Robert Rains

James Martin who did not purchase a vehicle writes:

Hello Melissa,

I want to thank you for your time and effort on finding me the truck I needed. As I had stated, I was in desperate need for a truck ASAP. In my desperate search for the 1 ton, single rear whell truck I needed, an option opened up for a available vehicle. In my current situation, I had to chose this oppurtunity, as not having a vehicle was detrimental to my business and I hope you understand and regret not having the chance to do business and meet you. Could you please send me some of your business cards, as I would like to pass along the great effort that you put into trying to locate me the vehicle I needed. Please mail the cards to my address. Your professionalism and customer care that was displayed to me, shows your kindness, support, knowledge of the current market place and dedication to the dealership whom you are employed with….Congratulations.

TRULY SATISFIED CUSTOMER,
James Martin

P.S. Could you please send me a e-mail address of your superior and employer, as I would like to forward this mail to them…again Thank You and Congratulations

Tony Mauldin writes:

Melissa,

Thanks so much for taking time to show us the HHR and all the help you gave. I am so impressed with you as a person and for all your time and help. If we buy a vehicle in Dallas it will be from you. I will also recommend you to anyone of our friends that I have looking for vehicles.

Thanks again you are a special person.

Tony Mauldin

Joann A. Willingham who purchased a 2006 HHR says ” My Sales Consultant (Frank Abdelwahab) was great!

Edward J. Wheelhouse who purchased a 2006 Tahoe says, ” Melissa was the most professional Salesperson I have ever delt with! She exceeded every expectation!

Samantha Nikolopoulos writes:

Milton, I want to thank you for all of your help with me getting my New 2006 Tahoe. You are a truely caring salesman. You went above and beyond to make sure that I got the best deal and service. You were right, it is all about customer satisfaction and as long as you keep that in mind You will continue to be successful!

Thank you again!

Samantha Nikolopoulos

P.S. Also thanks for fixing my Kirby too! Thats what I call Service!

J.B. Wascom writes:

Dear Sir or Madame,I wanted to take a moment to share my heartfelt thanks for the extremely pleasant procedures encountered in purchasing another company work truck this Saturday. In More than forty ears of buying new vehicles, I can truly say that I have never had a more pleasant experience from start to finish. I made a phone call and spoke to one of the Sales Manangers (Ron Ofner) . I told him the pricing I had from another dealership and he indicated that he would match or beat it. I did not think he could do so, but came anyway. I am located only 15 minutes from the dealership and by the time I arrived, he had a salesman (Keith Hill) on the lot finding a comparable truck. Within a few minutes, it was a done deal. I ended up getting a truck with just a bit more equiptment for less than $300.00 above what I was going to pay at a competitor with less equiptment.I do appreciate the promptness, thoroughness and professionalism I experienced from your dealership. You are to be commended for assembling a great team and providing excellent training.I will be returning in the not-so-distant future for my next company vehicle.

Thank You,J.B. Wascom

Donald Colbert who had his vehicle serviced here at Jupiter says ” Service explained everything in great detail… The technician took time to help me understand my truck better.

Thomas Reed who had his vehicle serviced here at Jupiter says ” The Sales staff and Service Department Employees are very Courteous and commited to customer

Satisfaction at evry level! “

William McCoy who bought a 2006 Silverado says ” Completely Satisfied!!

Thank You!!

Alfonso Vasquez who bought a 2006 Equinox says ” Keith Hill is an efficient, professional and caring sales person. He was the reason we bought a Chevrolet.

Eddy A Smith who bought a 2005 Equinox says ” My wife and I were treated like royalty! We will definetly tell others about Jupiter Chevrolet!”

Lou Durham who bought a 2005 Chevrolet Equinox says ” This is the Best Experience buying a vehicle ever! “

Terry Taylor who bought a 2005 Chevrolet Silverado says ” Thank you for our new vehicle and the great service you provided.”

Ruben Olmos who bought a 2005 Chevrolet Malibu says ” I was satisfied with the dealer especially with the Salesperson. They tried many different ways to make things easier for my son who is a first time buyer. Many thanks and God Bless all of you.”

Tom Ragan who bought a 2005 Chevrolet Avalanche says ” Had a Great Buying experience at Jupiter Chevrolet!!! Will Be Back Again!! “

Jeannie Wallace who bought a 2005 Tahoe says ” My daughter is getting ready to buy a new car and we told her to go to Jupiter! “

Casey M. Cox who bought a 2005 Chevrolet Silverado says ” The dealership had the exact vehicle I was looking for and the prchasing process was quick and easy. Great job! The salesman Nathan Arn did a great job and made the whole experience easy! “

Christa Snyder writes:

My salesperson was great. Actually the Whole experience was Fantastic! I will be in on Monday to pick up my Tahoe. YEAH!!!

Ben Thompson Writes:

I wanted to take an opportunity to tell you about my experience at your dealership. I have been in the market for a suburban for some time now and have been in communication via email and phone for the past 6 months with Melissa Ventimiglia. Melissa is just the kind of contact that I needed as an educated, informed consumer. She was personable and seemed to work hard for me in order to make this deal work. She made it very easy for me to make the decision of purchasing from your dealership an 07 LT2 last week for my wife’s Valentines Day present. I can honestly say that the experience was entirely positive, from the minute I talked to her on the phone until the day the deal was done. Thanks to you and Melissa for a job well done.

Opel and GM Develop Vehicles with a Sixth Sense

mbattel — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 00:10:02 +0000

October 22, 2008

In its second international forum, the CAR 2 CAR Communication Consortium (C2C-CC) is demonstrating for the first time worldwide vehicle-to-X communication independent of manufacturer or vehicle-type. Opel is hosting the event at the GM Dudenhofen Test Center in Germany.

Preventing accidents by warning drivers about potential danger from other vehicles was a major goal during the development of the new General Motors/Opel C2C (car-to-car or vehicle-to-vehicle) communication systems. Vehicles equipped with this technology can communicate with each other and exchange information such as location and speed. Drivers can then be warned in advance if another vehicle is stopped in an area that is difficult or impossible to see, or about to enter the same intersection as they are.

“Driving is a very complex task. Knowing where the other guy is and where he’s headed can be as critical as being in control of your own vehicle,” said Hans-Georg Frischkorn, Executive Director, Global Electrical Systems, Controls and Software. “With C2C technology, we intensify the driver’s awareness of his environment to improve road safety, without any distraction to him and certainly without reducing his level of control. This sixth sense lets drivers know what’s going on around them to help avoid accidents and improve traffic flow.”

Today, vehicles can be equipped with multiple safety sensors, including
radar-based sensors connected with speed control devices, lane change assistance systems or sensors to detect objects in a car’s blind spot. GM/Opel can increase the operating range and coverage of individual sensors significantly with its comprehensive technology – a more effective and affordable way to provide extensive observation and assessment of the surrounding traffic conditions.Demonstration with typical driving situationsGM/Opel engineers demonstrate the new technology’s advantages with a range of practical exercises. Several functions help prevent the rear-end collisions that occur on a daily basis due to poor visibility, twisty roads or short lapses in driver concentration. For example, the system warns of a stationary vehicle on the road even before the driver behind can see it, for example around a corner. Depending on the situation, the system transmits these warnings visually, acoustically or through vibrations in the driver’s seat.

Goal: Wide availability for as many vehicles as possible.

GM/Opel has deliberately based this technology on inexpensive, proven components, giving it the potential to become standard equipment in many vehicles. The alternative would be to offer extremely expensive high-tech systems for just a few cars, but as Hans-Georg Frischkorn says: “GM/Opel has always been committed to democratizing innovations. Our C2C systems are affordable and could potentially be used in every vehicle class. That’s especially important because cooperative systems like these become more effective when many vehicles are equipped with them.”

Give this pickup truck the gold

mbattel — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 16:14:41 +0000

Craig Monahan’s Chevy truck is featured in an Olympics ad.

Not many pickup trucks have melted headlights and turn indicators, so I figured it had to be my buddy’s Silverado that appeared in a Chevy commercial during the Olympics coverage.

Sure enough, there was my pal Firefighter Craig Monahan beside the truck he had driven in from Staten Island on 9/11. One of the two off-duty firefighters with him had leaned out the window, imitating a siren.

“He’s doing, ‘Whoo, whoo,’” Monahan recalled.

They parked near the south tower in time to survive the first collapse and then the second. I watched Monahan immediately afterward crawl into the ruins to search for the 11 missing firefighters from his firehouse, Engine 24/Ladder 5.

When he finally returned to his Silverado, Monahan saw that the falling debris of the south tower had stopped inches short of his front bumper. The surrounding vehicles had been gutted by fire and the truck’s front lights had melted into what looked like huge tears.

The steering wheel had also begun to melt and the interior of the cab was singed. Monahan reached in to turn the ignition key and was astonished to hear the engine start right up.

Somebody operating a wrecker helped clear a path for Monahan to pull away. He changed a front tire that had been bubbled by the heat and he headed for the firehouse.

“The first victory of World War III,” Monahan announced.

Somebody salvaged the oversized nameplate from Ladder 5′s destroyed rig and affixed it to the side of the pickup that ferried them to and from The Pit over the days that followed.

The sight of them going by in this burned and battered truck with “Ladder 5″ bolted to the side always drew a rousing response from folks in the street.

“Every time we got in the truck, they were just cheering,” Monahan said. “It was American spirit at its best. … ‘You can’t keep us down!’”

The recovery effort ended and Ladder 5 got a new rig and the firehouse suffered a new tragedy when it lost two members in the Deutsche Bank fire last year.

The Silverado was back in Monahan’s driveway when Chevrolet called to ask about using it in a commercial to be shown during the 2008 Olympics.

Monahan was leery of cashing in on a tragedy, but he figured it could only be a good thing for people to see this pickup-turned-symbol. He gave the check to an FDNY family.

The commercial aired Sunday during women’s gymnastics and Chevrolet proved capable of more restraint and good taste than our politicians have with regard to 9/11.

The most overt reference to the attack was a silent shot of Monahan standing before the Manhattan skyline absent the twin towers. There was a closeup of those truck lights turned to huge tears and a shot of the truck with its “Ladder 5.”

“If that truck could keep going, we could all keep going,” Monahan continued, ad copy converging with truth.

The Olympic coverage continued to men’s swimming and the U.S. team swam the greatest relay race ever. The winners stood with their gold medals as “The Star-Spangled Banner” played and I thought of the survivors of Ladder 5 rolling by in that battered pickup.

“You don’t give up and you keep moving forward,” Monahan said. “It’s a beautiful thing.”

The Silverado is still in his driveway.

General Motors To Build Hybrid GMC And Chevrolet Pickup Trucks This Fall

Csavage — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 14:46:42 +0000

CBC announced that General Motors have made the decision to build hybrid pickup trucks at their Oshawa, Ontario plant this fall but are still on schedule to close the truck plant next year. “After careful consideration, GM has decided to launch the new Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra Hybrid production operations at the Oshawa truck plant” stated GM spokesman Stew Low. Low also added during the conference “this does not impact the decision to cease operations at the plant in 2009 or sooner, depending on market conditions”. The closure of the Ontario plant next year will also eliminate 2,600 jobs. No further details have been released.

Test Drive the Chevy Equinox Fuel Cell SUV

Csavage — Wed, 14 May 2008 16:14:22 +0000

If you happen to live in New York City, Washington, D.C. or Southern California, you just might get a chance to test drive Chevy’s new Equinox Fuel Cell electric SUV…for free.

Powered by General Motors’ fourth-generation fuel cell system, which is its most advanced system to date, over 100 vehicles will be tested by drivers over a three month period to see just how well they will do on the streets.

GM Gets Even Greener

General Motors already has a great line of green vehicles, ranging from the Sierra 2-Mode Hybrid and the Concept Chevy Volt to the Saturn VUE Green Line Hybrid and the Chevy Malibu Hybrid.

But with our country’s increasing reliance on petroleum and the continuous pollution caused by it, GM wanted to create an even more advanced sustainable car.

That’s where “Project Driveway” comes into play. The Equinox Fuel Cell SUV, which runs completely on compressed hydrogen, could be one of the cleanest vehicles on the road.

To see if this is true, Chevrolet is letting everyone from families and celebrities test drive the Equinox for an average span of three months.

Using the information obtained from the people test driving the cars, GM will then try to create other alternative energy vehicles that rely less on oil and more on renewable energy sources.

If you’d like to apply to test drive the Equinox Fuel Cell SUV, you have to be at least 21 years old, a U.S. citizen and have a valid driver’s license. If you meet these requirements, then go here to begin the application process.

You can read more about Chevy’s fuel cell vehicles here.

This is really a great opportunity for eco-minded people to see firsthand just how fuel cell vehicles work.

You’ll not only have fun test driving a new vehicle, but you’ll feel better about yourself knowing that you’re not contributing to greenhouse gas emissions.

Pontiac El Cami-”NO”

Csavage — Mon, 12 May 2008 18:04:58 +0000

From Autoblog:

It comes as little surprise, but Cars.com has all but confirmed that the “El Camino” moniker has been nixed as a potential name of the new G8 Sport Truck. The site reports from a recent media event that a Pontiac spokesperson said that there was internal strife regarding use of the Chevy-associated nameplate on a Pontiac vehicle. Frankly, we agree with this decision. If GM wanted a legit El Camino, it would have simply handed the Ute to the Chevy division. GM has mismanaged its vehicle naming process enough as is — one needn’t look any further than Pontiac, where it’s nuthin’ but a “G” thang, baby… unless you’re talking Vibe or Solstice. Way to be consistent, guys.

Like everyone else, we’re curious to learn what the badge applied to the G8 truck’s tailgate will read, and it sounds like we should hear something fairly soon.

Is the car from ‘Speed Racer’ within reach?

Csavage — Fri, 09 May 2008 15:24:05 +0000

Was Speed Racer ahead of his time? Could a real version of his car be made?

According to a University of Cincinnati’s School of Design professor and her students, yes. Brigid O’Kane’s transportation design students were tasked to design a car based on that from “Speed Racer” and then defend their design for a grade.

Making impossible turns, bad guys in pursuit, with girlfriend Trixie always ready to help with her trusty pink helicopter, Speed Racer and his Mach 5 race-car have entertained several generations of moppets willing to overlook the fact that Speed’s mouth movements failed to sync up with his voice.