Chevrolet donated 24 Express Vans to Habitat for Humanity to help rescue victims of the Hurricane Sandy that devastated portions of the Caribbean and the Mid-Atlantic and Northeaster United States during late October last year. 

“Habitat” aims to repair, rebuild and restore communities affected by Hurricane Sandy. Habitat for Humanity, in association with Chevrolet and Bosch, has launched its first-ever fleet of mobile response units to assist victims of Sandy. “The Habitat Mobile Response Units are an exciting new offering from Habitat for Humanity that will assist families who need help with critical home repairs,” said Jonathan Reckford, CEO, Habitat for Humanity International. “With winter upon us and many families in need of support, these response units will facilitate our efforts in communities affected by Hurricane Sandy. We are immensely grateful to all the volunteers who will work alongside these response units this week and in the months ahead, and to Chevrolet, Lowe’s and Bosch for their generous donations.”

Chevy has donated a total of 24 Express vans including 19 C-20 Panel Vans that are specially equipped with tools donated by Bosch, the other partner of Habitat. Additionally, Chevy has also donated five 15-passenger Express vans for this noble cause. The vans are the latest contributions from GM Foundation to Sandy relief efforts that now total more than $2.8 million.

Earlier, Chevy has announced for a donation of five Express passenger vans, 30 Express cargo vans, five Chevy Tahoe Hybrid SUVs and 10 Traverse crossovers to the American Red Cross as its contribution toward the Sandy relief effort.

“As the initial reports of Sandy's devastation recede from the headlines, now the hard work of recovery begins to help affected communities and people get back on their feet,” said GM Chairman and CEO Dan Akerson. “The Chevy Express vans are just the right vehicles to carry the people and tools to get the job done."

Launching another winner is how Chevrolet celebrates 702 victories! Chevrolet has unveiledthekeenly awaited Super Sport (SS).  This car is a rear-wheel drive performance sedan, powered by a small block V-8 engine. This latest entry to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series is set to keep thrills pulsing from 2013Speedweeks in Daytona, Fla. The excitement will be “vroom” from February '13.

Rear-wheel-drive architecture for the new Chevrolet SS is based on the award-winning design that runs the favorite sports cars - Chevrolet Camaro and Holden’s VF Commodore. It is nearly 17 years since Chevrolet has put a rear-wheel-drive into the American market, and the SS is expected to go on sale by late 2013 (it will be labeled as a 2014 model, of course.)

Chevrolet cars have the habit winning NASCAR races with a frequent regularity. Most notable is the imipressive Impala which won 151 times between 1959-64 and 2007-12. No other manufacturer has won the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series as many times as Chevrolet.

As top-seller of performance cars in 2011 – one in three sports cars sold in America was either a Camaro or Corvette – Chevrolet enjoys the pole position in sales in the United States. The new 2013 NASCAR SS race car will be taking this brand even farther ahead.

Now what does all this mean for folks like us who but drive on regular roads? Perhaps as you enjoyed watching Jimmie Johnson, the five-time series champion going past the flag and notching up the 700^th victory for Chevrolet at the November 2012 Texas Motor Speedway, this thought must have struck you. Hey – that car is pretty similar to what I drive. That's perfectly right. Only Stock cars race at NASCAR, the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing. And stock cars are closer to performance cars, which in turn are close cousins of the everyday sports cars.

In simple terms, it all means this. Chevrolet is building and racing cars which will eventually bring up ideas for sturdier designs, robust builds, perfect safety, and so on. For instance, the fifth-generation Camaro that we see on the road regularly carries the SS (super sport designation.)

As the cars stand the rigorous race track test (and win as in the case of Chevrolet,) users like us benefit from improved performance, better handling, shorter braking-distances, anti-skid technology and of course the acceleration and speed. Mark Reuss, GM's North America President summed it up nicely,“The specialized development and testing work done for the race car will certainly benefit the entire Chevrolet product lineup.”

Four million cars and trucks sold every year across 140 countries sport the Chevrolet brand. Fuel-efficiency, performance, design, and durability are the qualities that keep the brand asa world favorite.

Just to recap, Chevrolet range comprises: SUVs: Equinox, Traverse, Tahoe, and Suburban.  CARS: Spark, Sonic,Cruze,Malibu,Impala,Camaro,Corvette, and Volt. TRUCKS & VANS: Colorado,Avalanche,Silveradoand Express.The regular version of the Chevrolet SS will join this distinguished line-up soon.

You can see all these cars and test drive them at: City Chevrolet,the leading automotive dealership located at 5101 E. Independence Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28212. Visit us today to get that special holiday deal or call us at 1-866-409-3466.

If you haven't driven fun that comes in lively Jalapeño, lovely Lemonade, and the chic Denim, try the all new 2013 Chevy Spark, the car that will shortly and surely occupy the 'urban legend' slot. It is a whole package of fun, youthful shades and surprisingly powerful performance.

Chevrolet Spark scores 9.3 over 10 in the Kelly Blue Book's overall ratings for one major reason is it's spacious. True, a few other cars do style themselves as 'compacts' - if you are reminded of the BMW Mini, Mercedes-Benz's Smart or Fiat's 500; put it down to the price tag and not much else. Spark is definitely not cramped like the other micros.The car offers as much as 86.5 cubic feetof passenger room and has intelligently designed seating and door-positioning. The overall effect ensures that people need not get into multi-fold poses while getting in or out.

If some of the small cars have given you a dose of claustrophobia, it's time you tried Spark. You are bound to love the decent amount of headroom for all the four passengers and that even the rear-passengers have ample space for the knees.

Driveit on the highway and get to feel the extra stability, a distinct difference compared to other 'tall' cars, its 15-inch alloy wheels giving better traction and road-grip. The body engineering too seems to work well lending a secure feeling even while driving through fairly heavy rain.

What other features are common between expensive cars and a $12,295 MSRP Spark? 1.2L DOHC 4-cylinder paired to manual transmission (invest another $925, you get automatic.) Then there are the already-mentioned alloy wheels standard, and so is air conditioning.Elegantly finished cloth seats, provide sophisticated interiors with good quality sound system in the form of AM/FM four speaker-stereo. If you desire leather-wrapped steering, roof-rails and fog lights, the 2LT trim provides the answers.

Chevrolet's trademarked StabiliTrakis a novel Electronic Stability Control System working under the Spark. As many as 10 airbags, Hill Start Assist, Brake Assist ensure that Spark is the safest way to drive. When you are challenged by tracks that call themselves roads or while confronted by inclines that are clever enough to test experienced drivers that would be the time you will appreciate these safety features. Now days, some of the urban parking rampsare so steep and twisting that you will thank Spark's Hill Start Assist supposed to be useful only on hilly terrains.

Finally a take on the competition. 2012 Scion IQ costs $15, 265 gives 37 mpg highway and has warrantee only for 5years-60k miles. 2012 Fiat 500 POP is costlier at $15, 500 but is backed by a warrantee of 4/50K! The surprise doesn't end there; the cargo space is a mere 9.5 cu. ft.

Chevy Spark runs 38 miles per gallon on the highway, has 31.2 cu. Ft of cargo space,and supported by a warrantee of 5years/ 100,000 miles. At an affordable price tag, the Spark is your best local shuttle, shopping cart, and even a family car.

Visit Rick Hendrick City Chevrolet, one of the largest Chevrolet dealers in the Carolinas, located at 5101 E. Independence Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28212 to test drive the 2013 Chevrolet Spark. Don’t forget to check the online specials section for existing offers on new and used vehicles.

All Chevy fans, mark your calendar, December 13, 2012 is the day! Chevrolet has announced that itscompletely overhauled 2014 Silverado 1500 will debut this December at a special event in Detroit. The truck’s cousin, GMC Sierra, will also be released at the same time. Though Chevy has not revealed much information, from the sneak peak that we have received so far, it seems that Chevy is going to completely revamp Silverado for 2014. 

Although images for the 2014 Silverado are scarce and we do not know what the new truck will look like, we can bet the new Silverado is going to have a more fuel efficient, possibly turbocharged V-6 engine. It might also be riding on a new chassis with ample aluminum and magnesium bits. With the increasing gas price, Chevy might consider to get a lighter curb weight for the Silverado which will help curb fuel economy. The Silverado might also receive direct injection to boost its fuel economy, plus we expect more than one engine option, along with a Duramax diesel in 2500 and 3500 HD models. 

Some spy shots reveal that the truck will have the same chiseled, nearly flat front end. Prominent changes are expected in more detailed areas including the grille, bumper, and fenders. We are also expecting noticeable changes in the interior. Chevy might also consider including Chevy’s MyLink control system, along with buttons for pickup truck duty. 

We have also heard that Chevy might include a “High Country” luxury trim level for this model, to complete with Ford’s F-150, its immediate class rival. 

Silverado is the best-selling model for Chevy and so lots of hopes and expectations are growing from this redesign. So hold your breath until December 13 for the official public showing of the 2014 Silverado. 

City Chevrolet has the unique privilege of being in business over 75 years and being a state-of-the-art automotive enterprise located at 5101 E. Independence Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28212. Visit us online at www.CityChevrolet.comfor all your automotive needs.

City Chevrolet in Charlotte, NC is excited to announce that all the sponsors of the #5 Chevrolet driven by Kasey Kahne have got together to offer the Farmers Insurance Start Your Engines Sweepstakes. The eight week long sweepstake ending on November 15, is being hosted on the Farmers Racing Facebook Page here - http://www.facebook.com/FarmersRacing

Eligible candidates can log on to the Facebook page, grab a virtual key off the wall and insert it into the ignition. If the key starts the car, you will instantly win gift certificates to NASCAR.com Superstore, and will be entered into the grand prize drawing where you have the chance to win $35,000 towards a Chevrolet of your choice courtesy of HendrickCars.com. If the engine does not start, you will be entered into the grand prize drawing. The more your play(upto one time a day), the more are the chances of you winning.

Every day of the sweepstakes, Farmers Insurance is giving away $25 and $50 gift certificates good toward the purchase of Kasey Kahne merchandise at NASCAR.COM Superstore. They can be used to buy lots of great gear, like hats, T-shirts or even a Kasey Koozie! Even if you don't win a prize, you'll still feel like a winner if you can unlock all of our awesome Kasey Kahne videos. Make sure you keep coming back to the page until you've unlocked all six!

So visit the Farmers Racing Facebook Page and start playing today!

City Chevrolet, in Charlotte, NC is proud to inform that NASCAR great Rick Hendrick is making a $100,000 contribution to the National Corvette Museum (NCM) Motorsports Park through the Hendrick Automotive Group. This is a major boost for the project work. 

Rick Hendrick is the owner of the Hendrick Motorsports and his teams have won 10 Sprint Cup Series Championships and over 200 NASCAR titles. A friend of National Corvette Museum with a real interest in the Motorsports Park as a recreational and educational facility, Mr. Hendrick says, “The National Corvette Museum celebrates an American original and one of the most iconic cars ever made.”

Racing is in the Corvette DNA and the addition of the Motorsports Park is an exciting next step for the NCM facility. The museum is already a very special place for Corvette and racing enthusiasts, and this new project will grow that reputation even further, he feels. 

Wendell Strode, the museum’s Executive Director, is grateful to him for this generous contribution. Meanwhile, veteran track designer Steve Crawford has been selected as the park’s track designer. Steve’s first track was launched 40 years ago, and he has designed the Thunderhill Motorsports Park in Willows, CA and more recently, The Ridge Motorsports Park in Shelton, WA.

The park’s track may be used for a test for all American Le Mans and Grand Am teams thanks to its uniqueness and special. NASCAR teams can also use it for road course practice. The park is closer to hotels, restaurants, shopping malls and appeals to motorsports enthusiasts. 

Steve plans to design the track design by the end of the year and will work with the museum’s local civil engineering firm, DDS Engineering, to prepare bid documents for the track. Bid packages are expected to be ready by the end of the first quarter of 2013.  

For more information on the National Corvette Museum’s Motorsports Park and to see a short video on the plans, visit www.motorsportspark.org.

Located at 5101 E. Independence Blvd Charlotte, NC 28212, City Chevrolet has been serving nearby locations with top notch customer service for over 75 years.  Visit us at www.citychevrolet.com.

Located in the Piedmont region of the state along its southern border, the “Queen City” Charlotte in North Carolina makes a perfect destination for family vacation. Once considered a hornet's nest of rebellion, Charlotte has managed to retain an independent Southern charm of its own. If you seek thrill, Charlotte has that too for you! Here are some of the most popular local attractions for the adrenaline junkies.

Jet Ski at Lake Norman

One of the best ways to experience the beauty of Lake Norman is a ride in a high-performance jet ski. There are many local ski rentals that offer vacationers the best Jet Skiing at an affordable price. Have a fun and thrilling jet skiing experience while in Charlotte.

A day out at Carowinds

If your whole family loves thrill and adventure, plan a visit to Carowinds amusement park where you’ll find roller coasters like the Wind Seeker (a ride that will tear your through the clouds somewhere in the stratosphere), the Carolina Cyclone (a steel coaster that spins guests through four consecutive 360 degree loops and a 450 degree uphill helix), Nighthawk (it is the Carolinas’ only flying coaster that takes you through eight inversions, most while flying facedown, zooming toward the ground and turning skyward just in time for the next inversion), and many more. Carowinds is a 398-acre property, located adjacent to Interstate 77 on the border between North and South Carolina, in Charlotte and Fort Mill, respectively. The park opened on March 31, 1973, at a cost of $70 million

Skydiving

If you have always dreamt of attempting skydiving, North Carolina is the perfect place to take your first plunge. With a variety of landscape and climate, North Carolina offers a fantastic skydiving experience both to expert and newbie skydivers. So what are you waiting for? Just strap in and get ready to take the flight!

Whitewater Rafting

If whitewater rafting is what on your mind, you’ll be delighted to know that The U.S. National Whitewater Center in North Carolina offers rafting adventures on Class II, III and IV whitewater rapids. If you are looking for more thrills, try Rodeo Rafting.

Paintball

Love to play paintball? Charlotte has plenty of paintball parks both for beginners and expert players. Take out friends or family for a fun paintball experience.

Hot Air Balloon Ride

How about witnessing the horizon from a vintage point? A hot air balloon ride is definitely a must do thing in Charlotte if you love fun and adventure. There are several companies that offer affordable, safe and hassle-free hot air balloon rides in the area.

Charlotte Motor Speedway

Wish to spend a day on the track like a NASCAR driver? Take a drive around Charlotte Motor Speedway to get a close-up look of the areas that are off limit on race days.

Canopy Tour

Canopy Tour is a thrilling experience for vacationers of all age group. During the tour you’ll get a chance to travel through the trees, rappel stations, seven ziplines, sky bridges, cargo net climbs, and other aerial elements. Visit U.S. National Whitewater Center for more information.

Rock Climb at Crowders Mountain

If you are an experienced rock climber and if you are in Charlotte, don’t miss the chance to rock climb at Crowders Mountain. The challenges you will face during the climb will definitely give you a pleasurable memory that you will cherish over the years.

Flight Lesson

As a child, did you ever dream of flying an airplane? Now your childhood dream can come true! Take a flight lesson and get an introduction to the basics of aviation with a flight lesson.

CityChevrolet serves all your automotive needs in and around Charlotte, North Carolina. Visit us online to view our massive inventory of new Chevrolets and used cars, trucks & SUVs and to setup a test-drive today!  City Chevrolet 5101 E. Independence Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28212. 1-800-868-2489 or at www.citychevrolet.com.

The new Chevrolet Spark is already popular in other parts of the globe, but Chevy engineers want to ensure that this vehicle is tuned properly to sync in with American conditions before it is launched in the US market. 

Jim Federico, Executive Chief Engineer, Small Cars, mentioned, “North America is a unique and challenging place, because the driving environments vary widely across the continent and customers have very specific expectations on their driving experience – especially when it comes to small cars.” He further commented, “Fortunately, the Spark was already proven in other tough markets and we had a great foundation to build on.”

To better suit the American drivers, Chevy engineers have fine tuned several features of the Spark that include:

Specially designed for North America, the Spark’s four cylinder Ecotec engine offers 1.25L displacement versus the standard 1.20L size. The output rate is 84hp and 83 lb-ft of torque. The Spark offers more mid-range torque and a superior performance. A five-speed manual transmission or an available four-speed automatic transmission is matched with the Ecotec engine. Each has been optimized for America, too, with the gears revised for better efficiency on the highway, while the shifter for the five-speed was enhanced to provide a sportier, more direct feel. The five-speed also features a 3.54:1 first gear ratio, which helps provide livelier launch performance.

Other features incorporated in this version of the Spark include vented front disc brakes with large, 10.1-inch-diameter (256 mm) rotors along with four-channel anti-lock brakes with brake assist. Hill Start Assist is standard and helps prevent drivers from rolling when restarting from a stopped position on a hill. It allows drivers to take their foot off the brake long enough to use the accelerator and move forward.

Spark for North America also comes standard with StabiliTrak electronic stability control. It uses electronic brake and traction control capabilities to provide more precise and controlled anti-lock braking performance, impressive traction and stability.

Visit City Chevrolet, your most trusted Chevrolet dealership in Charlotte, NC to test drive the 2013 Chevrolet Spark today!  Or on the web at www.CityChevrolet.com!  City Chevrolet 5101 E. Independence Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28212   1-866-409-3466.