Divas Drive In Heels: Get Electric On The Road With The Chevy Volt!
June 18th, 2012 by ChristenThere’s just something about a sleek driving vehicle that saves you money at the pump that makes it difficult to look at it as just another car. The 2012 Chevy Volt is by far from, just another car. While traveling to Philadelphia, PA for the annual Blogging While Brown conference this month, I was able to get a full Chevy Volt experience from the inside out.
I was parking spot pimpin on the streets of Downtown Philadelphia, PA in search of the perfect Philly Cheesesteak…YUM.
In general, the Volt gives you an everyday car vibe, with perks! As 2011′s North American Car of the year, the Chevy Volt triumphs in the glory of gas-less driving. You can literally plug in the vehicle, charge the battery and commute gas-free for about $1.50 of electricity per day. (That’s less than a Venti White Chocolate Mocha from Starbucks!)
The Volt gives you the power of electricity with the option of gas…(Do not Twitpic & drive. That’s what the passenger is for… 
The driving experience while in electric mode is absolutely unmatched! When I say this vehicle is quiet… you can hear a pin drop louder than you could, starting the engine. The inside of the Chevy Volt has a style of its’ own as well, reminiscent of a sci-fi spaceship scene, the two 7-inch diagonal LCD screens offer as much information via OnStar as is does diagnostic updates for the vehicle. While it’s easy to identify how many miles you have remaining until it’s time to charge the Volt or fill up the gas tank, it wasn’t as easy to operate the button-full entertainment console. With multiple options for navigation, entertainment control and climate control – making any changes while driving was a NO NO. Many of the buttons were too close to each other, making it difficult to determine if I was turning down the air-conditioner or changing the XM station. As long as you make any necessary changes while parked, you’re good to go.
Some of the key standard tech features include:
7″ LCD touch screen and digital reconfigurable
7″ LCD instrument (entertainment) cluster
Remote car starter system
Keyless ignition/ push button start
Bose Energy Efficient sound system with six speakers & a subwoofer
Stereo with timeshift function, USB port and auxiliary input jack
30GB hard disk drive for digital music
XM Radio
OnStar
OnStar knew how to point me in the right direction when it was time to charge up the Chevy Volt!
Driving in the Chevy Volt was smooth sailing on the road. As a leader in the electric and Hybrid arena, Volt stands out among it’s competitors. The Volt unlike other electric vehicles isn’t restricted to and electric motor powered by rechargeable battery packs. Competitors like the Nissan Leaf have limitations when it comes to long range trips. The Volt has a gas-powered, range-extending generator that kicks in once your electricity has tapped out. Giving you peace of mind on the road, just in case you’re not ready to pull over and recharge just yet.
Charge and go with any Charge Point location and the Chevy Volt
For more information on the Chevy Volt visit Chevy.com or call (888) Volt-4-You.
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- Philly Loves The Chevy Volt!
Divas Drive In Heels: 2014 Chevy Impala Invades NYIAS (First Look)
April 4th, 2012 by Tech StaffAt the 2012 New York International Auto Show Chevrolet has unveiled the new 2014 Chevrolet Impala. Far from the Impalas of yesteryear, the 2014 Chevy Impala runs in the lines of luxury sedans unlike any of it’s predecessors before.
In relation to the idea of luxury, the new sedan competes with the likes of the Ford Taurus, Chrysler 300 not BMW 3 series or Mercedes Benz C-class vehicles. However, the suggestive lines and luxe interior definitely relates an upgraded and classier sedan than any of it’s earlier designs. (Don’t expect to see State Troopers or undercover cops in these Impalas either…LOL)
Outside: Much of the Impala’s front fascia has been cribbed from the Camaro — the hood is low and long, the front lights are slim and stylishly svelt.
Interior: The five-seat Impala adopts a version of Chevrolet’s now-familiar dual-cockpit dashboard, which is used in the Malibu and Cruze. The backseat head restraints fold for improved rear visibility, but trunk capacity, while very large at 18.8 cubic feet, falls behind the Taurus’ 20.1-cubic-foot figure.
Engines: 2014 Impala comes with three engine choices, including the carryover 3.6-liter V6 and a 182-horsepower Ecotec 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine with the eAssist hybrid system. According to the automaker, Impalas with eAssist are expected to achieve 35 mpg on the highway. All are paired with six-speed automatic transmissions.
“When I first saw this vehicle in the design studio – probably about 16 months ago – I could not wait for today to come,” said Chris Perry, vice president of global Chevrolet marketing, during a media event last month in Detroit. This new vehicle reestablishes Impala as the flagship passenger car in the Chevrolet lineup.”
Check out the first looks of the new Chevy Impala below…
Divas Drive In Heels: Chevy’s On Point With The Pulse Of First Time Car Buyers
April 4th, 2012 by ChristenChevy is speaking to younger first-car buyers like never before. “Next Gen Customers are not just car owners, they are also tomorrow’s designers, engineers and innovators,” said Mark Reuss, president, General Motors North America. “This generation expects brands to partner with them, and we need to engage with them at every level of our business.”” Unlike other brands, Chevy is specifically about the business of “partnering” with consumers versus “targeting” them.
Several of Chevy’s high impact vehicles popular with younger buyers include the Sonic RS, Spark and the highly popular concept vehicles the Tru 140S and the Code 130R.
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- Chevrolet MyLink for easy in vehicle connectivity with personal playlists, phone books and other media on a 7″ high res touch screen.
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- The 2013 Sonic RS amplifies the vehicle’s youthful style and driving experience with unique exterior and interior features.
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- CODE 130R, one of Chevrolet’s concept vehicles from the 2012 North American International Auto Show
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- Connectivity is a central feature of the Tru 140S concept car, with WiFi and smart-phone integration through Chevrolet’s MyLink and heads up display.
One of the driving forces behind younger consumers is of course “24/7 Connectivity” and Productivity – which is one of the reasons why Chevrolet MyLink was created. MyLink which is featured in the Spark and Sonic, helps them stay connected at a fraction of the price of previous systems.
The Chevrolet Youth Concepts, designed with and for Millennials, serve as an example of how Chevy is engaging the group in the co-creation process. To date, more than 13,000 people have provided feedback on the concepts at global auto shows, through Facebook, and at the annual South by Southwest music, film and interactive conference and festival.
With strong ties to the younger first-time car buyer, Chevy has definitely set themselves apart from their competitors. It’s still a buyers market and consumers are more informed and determined to get what they want. What are you looking for when purchasing a new car? 24/7 Connectivity? Price? Style?
Super Bowl Fun On The Run With Chevy & Verizon Wireless!
February 2nd, 2012 by ChristenAs a transplant New Yorker, I’ve never really been excited about football, let alone the Super Bowl. Honestly, before this year the only thing that interested me about the big game were the well-publicized television commercials. (Hey, I’m a former ADV major in college and was in the industry for years…what did you expect?) Plesantly, this year seems to be a tiny bit different. With the New York Giants facing the New England Patriots, this is sure to be an exciting game on the field and off!
To add to the Super Bowl fun and excitement Chevy announced a first-of-its-kind app which will allow viewers of Super Bowl XLVI to play trivia, interact with each other via Twitter, participate in polls and possibly win one of 20 Chevrolets or thousands of other prizes. The Chevy Game Time app is available now in the Android Market, the App Store and at chevy.com/gametime. Chances to win begin as soon as the player downloads the Chevy Game Time app with instant win opportunities. In addition, players will also receive a unique license plate number. If their plate appears during a Chevrolet advertisement during the game or online, they win a vehicle. While watching the Super Bowl, players can answer trivia questions or polls relating to the football game, teams, commercials and other related events. The cars up for grabs are: A Chevrolet Corvette GS Convertible 4LT, (6) Sonic 2LZs, six Cruze LTZs, (3) Silverado 1500s, aCamaro 2SS, aCamaro 2SS Convertible, and (2) Chevy Volts. Just in case you don’t win one of those vehicles, don’t worry: you can still win one of thousands of prizes from Bridgestone, Motorola, the NFL, Papa John’s, or Sirius XM.
Not at home to watch the big game, don’t worry – Verizon has you covered!
For the first time ever the Super Bowl will be streamed live online and only to smartphones and tablets on the Verizon Wireless network. You no longer have to worry that you’ll miss the New York Giant’s action at Indianapolis’ Lucas Oil Stadium if you’re not near a TV. By downloading the Verizon NFL Mobile app, you will have access to a live stream of the game, the latest news, highlights and stats. The Super Bowl stream will even include replays of the popular ads and include additional camera angles.
It looks like I’m gonna have tons of fun with my smartphone during Super Bowl Sunday – how about you? Do you have the Verizon NFL mobile app or going to download the Chevy GameTime app? Let us know below!
Divas Drive in Heels – First Rides: All New 2012 Chevy Sonic LTZ
December 14th, 2011 by Christen
As a native Detroiter, I know about a few things and one of those things is CARS! This weekend, I had the opportunity to check out the All New 2012 Chevy Sonic LTZ and I must say, I was impressed. This was a week filled with “FIRSTS” for my family, friends and I – luckily the Chevy Sonic was along for the ride & was a great addition along this holiday journey. The Sonic is Chevrolet’s newest subcompact, developed to be fun to drive…and boy was it ever….
First Connect
Once I got over the spicy bright color and 17” wheels of the Sonic, I was ready to get behind the driver’s seat and take it out for a ride. The Sonic LTZ is indeed a small car with big personality. While inside, I immediately checked out the bells and whistles. From the OnStar capabilities, in dash USB connect port, Bluetooth & steering wheel mounted controls. With a bag full of gadgets, for once I didn’t have to rely on my iGo charger to keep my phone and other gadgets charged. All I needed was my USB chord and I was good to go…all day long.
Baby’s First Ride
With a week filled with firsts, we welcomed a new addition to the family – a brand new baby boy! Guess who got to take mommy, daddy and baby home during baby’s first car ride? – ME – The Sonic is a safer small car with class-leading 10 standard air bags (IIHS Top Safety Pick). Every Sonic comes with a healthy complement of safety features that include 10 air bags, stability control, four-wheel anti-lock brakes (disc in the front, drum in the rear) and a tire pressure monitoring system. Which is very important when transporting precious cargo (like my nephew). It’s also a segment leader in interior roominess and versatility. It’s True! The Chevy Sonic may appear small on the outside, but it’s quite roomy inside. Can you believe that it was roomy enough to fit my sister (5’9) her husband (6’10) the baby (1’5) and me (5’10) with ease? It was a great ride from NYC to New Jersey (so much so, the baby stayed asleep the entire ride home.)
First Tri-State Shopping Spree
If you followed my tweets over the weekend, you saw that I snatched up a couple of friends on Saturday and headed over to a few New Jersey malls (Don’t judge me. I grew up going to the mall and I like to relieve those moments from time to time…lol.) I had such a blast weaving in and out of traffic on I-95 on Saturday, that I got up extra early on Sunday for a full NYC driving experience. Starting uptown, I made several stops throughout the city – including Columbus Circle, Fifth Ave and SoHo (I must admit, I’ve never enjoyed parallel parking as much as I have enjoyed parallel parking the svelte Sonic in the most petit of parking spots in NYC.) Somehow, I made my way to New Jersey for some tax-free department store shopping – can you believe I got lost? No worries though, I had OnStar!
With the Sonic’s 29 MPG – I saved a little change on topping off the tank (I still can’t believe that I drove the entire weekend on one tank of gas!) At under $18,000 – the Sonic blends the affordability and practicability of a small car with the athletic and agile performance of the more expensive models. The festive tangerine color definitely stood out in traffic (and the shopping parking lot) – but I think the sleek Sonic in black would be best suited for everyday use (just my opinion.) For more on the Chevy Sonic LTZ check them out online at www.chevrolet.com/sonic
Divas Drive In Heels: Got Klout? It Could Land You A Sweet Ride…
November 10th, 2011 by ChristenAs an avid Klout user (and advocate) you could only imagine my excitement when I recently recieved a Klout Perk for a Windows phone – just for my technology influence online. Yesterday, I tweeted photos and gushed on how happy I was to recieve a new tech toy when I was bumrushed with questions from people that still didn’t know what Klout is (don’t worry – we’ll tackle that issue momentarily.) As I explained, via text messages, twitter responses and facebook chats exactly what Klout entails and how everyone can benefit in their own way via Klout perks – the idea became clear “Everyone needs to sign up for Klout!” It doesn’t matter if you’re influential about food, shopping, technology – whatever – “There’s a perk for that…” (<— this should totally become Klout’s new tagline…)
Case in point, Klout’s newest perk which is brought to you by Chevy. Building on the success of a Klout campaign with the Chevy Volt in Chicago, Chevy is again partnering with Klout, this time to implement the first national automotive Klout Perk to date. The promotion, which begins Nov. 9, enables qualifying Klout users in Chicago, San Francisco, New York, Atlanta and Dallas to sign up via the Klout Perks Program to drive the all-new Sonic. Each Perk is a three-day vehicle loan granted between Nov. 11 and Dec. 14.
“We are aiming the Sonic squarely at consumers who are part of the Millennial generation,” said Carolin Probst-lyer, manager of digital consumer engagement, Chevrolet. “Partnering with Klout allows us to reach this audience, encourage them to get behind the wheel of a Sonic and use social media to share their driving experiences.”
Chevy Sonic:
The all-new 2012 Chevy Sonic was built to be fun to drive, but it is also the first and only car in its class with 10 standard air bags – receiving a 2011 Top Safety Pick designation by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Sonic is designed to command attention with its sleek, aggressive appearance, lots of available options for connectivity and personalization, as well as impressive rear-seat roominess. Built in Michigan, the Chevy Sonic is the only subcompact built in the United States. Check out the Chevy Sonic on Facebook and see if your eliigble for your Chevy Sonic Klout Perk HERE.
What Is Klout:
Klout measures influence online. When you create content or engage, you impact others. Klout analyzes that impact to find your Klout Score, influential topics, and your influencers. Klout is the standard for influence. Top brands such as Disney, Chevrolet and Turner use Klout Perks to reach and engage influencers. Over 3,000 applications and partners use Klout data to display Klout Scores, prioritized based on Score or topics, and segment users. Klout members receive Perks because they are influential and have authority on topics related to the product. For more information, visit http://klout.com/corp/about.
