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Siri’s Eyes Free Integration coming to Chevy Sonic LTZ / RS and Spark

Siri Eye Free GM

GM is the first to announce Siri integration with two new car models: the Chevrolet Spark and the Sonic Drive. The feature was dubbed "Eyes Free" and was announced at Apple's World Wide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June by former iOS chief, Scott Forstall.  Basically, "Eyes Free" will be integrated via the car's Bluetooth functionality and the iPhone itself. The user can then initiate Siri's voice command by tapping a button on the steering wheel, and Siri's responses will be played over the car's audio system. Other car manufacturers such as Chrysler, Honda, Toyota, Jaguar, Audi, Land rover, GM, BMW and Mercedes are slated to incorporate Siri's "Eyes Free" as well.  Check out the full press release after the break.

Click to continue reading Siri’s Eyes Free Integration coming to Chevy Sonic LTZ / RS and Spark

Read More | GM

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Chevy and GM agree to replace our faulty 2012 Volt with new 2013 model!

2013 Chevy Volt black and ceramic

Remember our 2012 Chevy Volt that failed while driving and almost got me in an accident? We updated the story with the details about trying to work with Chevy and GM to get a replacement Volt since we no longer felt safe driving the one we had. After all, it had been in the shop for repairs every two weeks since we had picked it up the first time. Well, we are please to report that Chevrolet and General Motors did right by us, and agreed to replace our 2012 Volt with a newer, similarly-equipped 2013 model. Since this was a lease, it was a bit more complicated than a simple trade. Instead, we did what's called a VIN swap. The result? We keep the same lease terms and paperwork, with the VIN being the only change on the documents. It took a while since the 2013 Chevy Volt wasn't available until very recently, and once it arrived, we needed to wait for all the paperwork to be completed. Still, it was worth the wait. Stay tuned for our 2013 Chevy Volt review.


OnStar, RelayRides partnership allows GM vehicle owners to rent out vehicles to strangers for cash

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Transportation

RelayRides OnStar

We reported on the RelayRides OnStar partnership back at CES, with RelayRides using the OnStar API to broaden its network of available vehicles. RelayRides allows its members to rent cars on a short-term basis directly from the car owners. It's a peer-to-peer car-sharing network. The partnership with OnStar will allow owners of cars equipped with the OnStar service to add their vehicles to RelayRides, giving them the opportunity to rent out their vehicles for cash. Locking, unlocking, and starting the vehicle can all be performed using the RelayRides smartphone app, and OnStar has made it easy for owners to add their vehicles to the service.

It may seem a bit unorthodox to make your personal vehicle available for rental to strangers, but RelayRides does have protections in place as they look to compete with the likes of Zipcar. What do you think? Would you use a service like this?

Read More | GM

Chevy Volt owner has gone 4,000 miles between fill-ups

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Transportation, Videos

Noble Volt owner

See that guy up there? His name is Noble, and the last time he filled up his gas tank was 4,000 miles ago. How can that be? He drives a Chevy Volt, which he calls "the best vehicle he's ever driven." A fully charged Volt can drive for about 35-40 miles before switching over to a gas-powered electric engine (similar to a hybrid vehicle.) So if you rarely (or never) run out of electric power, you'll never touch the gas in the tank. Check out the video below for more from Noble himself.

Click to continue reading Chevy Volt owner has gone 4,000 miles between fill-ups

Read More | Chevrolet Voltage

Top 10 vehicles with highest male ownership percentage

Posted by Andrey Malskiy Categories: Transportation

Ferrari 458

Here’s a look at the top 10 vehicles with a high male ownership. We’re not all too surprised with the list of cars, minus a couple of choices.

The Ferrari 458 Italia finds itself on the top of the list with 95.3% of its owners bring men.

After you’re done thinking about who might own the other 4.7% of the 458, the list continues with the BMW 1 Series M taking second followed by Audi R8, Mercedes SLS AMG, and the Ferrari California. We’re not surprised to see all these high-performance, lead-footed fun cars hitting the list. I know that most these cars are on my list of must drive cars before I die.

Number six goes to the Porsche 911, a classic, if you ask us, followed by the Nissan GT-R with 87.9% male ownership. Number eight is were the list take a turn for the worst, the all-ever, cookie-cutter-remixed-Chevy Silverado, GMC Sierra pickup trucks; following closely behind it the Ford F-Series. Number ten goes to the ever-classic, mid-life crisis Chevy Corvette.

What leaves us bogged are the number eight and nine slots, is there really nothing better out there other than pick-up trucks?

Read More | InsideLine

Chrysler aims to deploy the Dodge Durango as the next SUV Police Cruiser

Dodge Durango PD Cruiser

For years Ford has been the staple of law enforcement, so much so that instinctually my foot would hit the brake every time I saw a Crown Victoria in my rear view. But the Crown Vic is being sent to pasture, as a new era of police cruisers is upon us.

Chrysler has been on and off in producing a wanted cruiser. It's been over 40 years since the last great era of Chrysler vehicles being used regularly for law enforcement. Now Chrysler is back in the game. Departments nationwide have widely adapted the Dodge Charger as one of their own, alongside the Chevy Tahoe for those that need a larger cruiser. It seemed that the Tahoe was set to be the next Crown Vic, at least in the SUV-category of cruiser, but not if Chrysler has a say in it.

Click to continue reading Chrysler aims to deploy the Dodge Durango as the next SUV Police Cruiser

Read More | Autoblog

Happy 60th Birthday, Corvette!

So what's there to do when one turn 60? Well, if you're Chevy, make produce one more model before your next anticipated seventh-generation Corvette and series of YouTube videos to match. Check this one out as the 60th Anniversary Corvette 427 Convertible blows out some candles. Let's hope one of those wishes was for a better interior!


Chevy calls out Ford in Super Bowl ad

Posted by Andrey Malskiy Categories: Transportation, Videos

Last week we showed you a few sneak peaks at Super Bowl ads focused on cars. Now that the Big Game is over, we wanted to hand it to Chevy GM for making a commercial worth viewing.

The spot takes place in a post-apocalyptic world. The Chevy rises from the ashes, unscathed, and drives away. The end of the commercial is what made us laugh. Chevy had the guts to take a blatant stab at Ford. Though that’s a ballsy move on its behalf, I’d suggest they take a closer look at the competition before calling them out. I’d like to draw your attention to the Ford video below. You can watch a Chevy drive away from a CGI apocalyptic hell, or you can watch a Ford drive away after being tossed around in a hurricane. You be the judge.

Click to continue reading Chevy calls out Ford in Super Bowl ad


GM providing loaner vehicles to Chevy Volt owners while fire risk is evaluated

Chevy Volt fires

Executives at General Motors defended the 2012 Chevrolet Volt as safe, even as the National Highway Traffic Safety Association began a formal safety investigation into the vehicle's safety.

As the NHTSA conducts its investigation, Chevrolet will provide any current owner with a loaner vehicle until the agency concludes its investigation, the automaker said. Those who want a loaner can contact their Volt advisor to arrange for a trade-in.

"A vehicle loan program of this nature is well beyond the norm for a preliminary investigation, and it underlines our commitment to the vehicle and its owners," Mark Reuss, president of GM North America, said in a statement. "These steps are the right ones to take regardless of any immediate impact on our operations."

The Chevrolet Volt has been perhaps the most highly publicized effort by an American carmaker to develop a hybrid vehicle. The Volt's appeal, in hands-on tests, is that the car can go a rated 35 miles on electricity alone before shifting to a gas-powered electric generator that can add hundreds of miles to its range. The Volt uses lithium-ion batteries to store a charge. It qualifies as a low-emissions vehicle that will be able to drive in California's HOV lanes, even with just the driver in the car.

Click to continue reading GM providing loaner vehicles to Chevy Volt owners while fire risk is evaluated


AAA unveils America’s first EV mobile charger

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Transportation

AAA Mobile Electric Vehicle Charging

AAA has announced their Mobile Electric Vehicle Charging vehicle, which aims to help you out if you're an owner of something like the Nissan Leaf or Chevy Volt and you run out of power when driving. The mobile EV charger will provide 15 minutes of charge time, which should be enough for 3-15 miles of drive time to allow the user to get to a charging station to fill up, so to speak. They'll be launching these as a pilot trial in six markets, including Portland, Seattle, San Francisco Bay area, Los ANgeles, Tampa Bay, and Knoxville. The rollout will begin in the summer and continue into the fall.

Read More | AAA

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