OnStar in Chevrolet Still Slowing Down Car Thieves

Nearly 250 times in the past five years, a signal to an On-Star equipped stolen vehicle has helped stop a car thief in the act as On-Star gradually and safely slows the vehicle to a stop avoiding a high-speed chase.

On-Star’s Stolen Vehicle Slowdown is one of three Stolen Vehicle Assistance tools OnStar offers subscribers.  A Remote Ignition Block makes it impossible to start a stolen vehicle once the vehicle has been turned off, and a GPS location can be provided to authorities anytime a vehicle is confirmed stolen.

250 cases in the past five years is impressive, but more are expected as public safety officials everywhere become familiar with the services OnStar offers and are available at officer’s disposal.  OnStar even resolved a fictional crime, as it played a big role in the plot of the film, “Horrible Bosses” starring Jason Bateman, Jason Sudeikis, Charlie Day, and Jamie Foxx.

OnStar by GM

Since OnStar began in 1196, more than 59,000 stolen vehicles have been located using OnStar’s Stolen Vehicle Assistance services.  Over the past year, Detroit, Houston, St. Louis, Chicago, and Los Angeles were the top metropolitan areas for Stolen Vehicle Assistance requests.

The Stolen Vehicle Slowdown feature was initiated in 2009.  In its first request a California resident was carjacked at gunpoint.  OnStar was able to safely slow the vehicle and the suspect was apprehended less than 16 minutes after OnStar was contacted, the Tahoe was safely recovered.

Other high profile Stolen Vehicle Slowdown cases include a Chevrolet Impala belonging to a State Senator being stolen from a parking lot.  The Senator contacted OnStar who alerted the county sheriff who used OnStar GPS to find the Impala and once in sight OnStar slowed it down and disabled it so the suspect was able to be taken into custody.

And in Shreveport, Louisiana, the owner of a Chevy Silverado was robbed of his truck and money during a gunpoint home invasion.  OnStar was able to slowdown the Silverado after helping authorities find it and the suspect refused to stop.  However, the suspect then refused to surrender and threatened his own life, prompting officers to call in a negotiating team who used OnStar’s Hands-Free system to talk to the suspect for hours eventually convincing him to surrender before anyone was hurt.

The majority of vehicles at Westside Chevrolet come with OnStar equipped so you can have peace of mind knowing you are covered when the unthinkable happens. Visit us today at 23001 Katy Freeway in Katy, Texas or give us a call at 888-285-7051 today!

The Science Behind the Comfort

The 2014 Chevy Impala has been praised for its smooth and comfortable ride, and seats that welcome the driver in and lets them know they are in for a better driving experience. But what makes these seats so comfortable?

High-tech tools like seat pressure mapping systems and a multi-part mannequin that feeds data into a comfort dimensioning system are helpful, but Chevrolet believes there is no substitute of an element of human fine-tuning, or putting some butts in seats.

General Motors’ engineers who understand biomechanics, psychology, quantitative research and ergonomics applied all of these disciplines to help make the seats comfortable in the 2014 Chevrolet Impala.

Each car segments customers want more or less support and rigidity in their car seats. Cars that are used for commuting have a different “sweet spot” than cars that are used for track racing. And finding that sweet spot doesn’t come easy.

For the new Impala, volunteer seat testers ranging from short and small females to tall and heavy men and everything in between, spent hundreds of hours and logged thousands of miles in prototypes of the redesigned sedan to evaluate seat comfort.

Chevrolet Car Interiors

Seat testers typically rate every aspect of the seat: cushion, backrest, lumbar support, headrest and side bolsters at every 60 minute interval of driving time.

“Developing comfortable seats is both an art and a science,” said Jill Green, GM seat comfort lab manager. “Knowing how to translate a physiological impression into tangible design elements is the art, and knowing how to execute the design is the science.”

Seat tester evaluations alone would have been insufficient to achieve the results the 2014 Impala has. That’s where high tech tools like Oscar, the mannequin-like tool made of steel, plastic and aluminum come in hand.

State-of-the-art digital pressure mapping technology was used to scan the rear-end impressions of people of all shapes and sizes over the seat surface, creating a map with more than 4,600 data points. A laptop used the data to generate graphics illustrating how occupants sit in the seat statically versus when driving.

The result of all of the testing and evaluations was an Impala that has caused car reviewers to notice the attention paid to the comfort of the seats.

“After hours in the driver seat, we found ourselves just as fresh as we were before we set out,” wrote Mark Takahashi, automotive editor, Edmunds.com. “The outboard rear seats have enough head- and legroom for the average adult male to remain comfortable for extended trips as well.”

After reading what went into just the seats of the Impala, we imagine you want to sit in one and see what it’s all about. There’s no better place to do so than at Westside Chevrolet. Visit our showroom and “Grab a seat!” at 23001 Katy Freeway in Katy, Texas or give us a call at 1-888-285-7051 today!

Chevrolet Camaro - top 3 in affordable convertibles and one of the best sports cars

It’s one of the most iconic vehicles in Chevrolet’s All-Star line-up, whenever you take a look at one, you know exactly what it is.  You may haven’t even driven one, but even still, you know you love it.  Once you drive one is when you’ll really get hooked, because the Camaro’s beauty isn’t only skin deep.

Red Chevrolet Camaro

The first thing you should notice about the Chevy Camaro is its accessible price, in addition to the low cost of purchase the 28 miles per gallon it gets on the highway makes your wallet sing songs of joy.  The Camaro is on the top 5 list of affordable Sports Cars and top 3 in affordable convertibles and also has a significantly lower price than the Ford Mustang.

 

The Camaro seats four and is available in coupe and convertible body styles.  A total of seven models are available, ranging from the 1LS to the high-performance ZL1.  A six speed automatic transmission is available across all models.

Red Chevrolet Camaro Interiors

The Camaro’s engines range from a 323-horsepower V6 to a 580-horsepower supercharged V8, which means there’s more than enough power, no matter which model you choose. 

The interior is as fine-tuned as the drive itself.  The Camaro interior is designed to make your rule of the road as comfortable and instinctive as possible.  The seats are deep bolstered and ready for even the longest road trips, the LT, SS, and ZL1 all come with standard six-way power driver and passenger seats.

The steering wheel has been optimized to give you top-level response and control with a luxurious feel.  You can control audio functions with buttons right on the wheel, plus standard Bluetooth wireless technology keeps your phones connected while your eyes are on the road.  The Driver Information Center has been designed to let you monitor your vehicle’s vital stats at a glance so you can keep your eyes where they belong as well.

Standard on the 2LT and 2SS, the Head-Up Display (HUD) is specially designed for high performance driving situations.  The HUD presents performance data without requiring the driver to look away from the windshield.  The HUD displays speed, rpm, and more – even your radio station, right on the windshield.  You can even customize the display height and intensity.

In terms of safety, the Camaro has received the highest possible five-star score in every individual safety rating segment of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s New Car Assessment Program.  Antilock brakes and the StabiliTrak Electronic Stability Control System with Traction Control help you keep control during emergency maneuvers. 

Overall the Camaro is an incredibly practical, safe, and affordable high-performance sports car.  Come drive one today at Westside Chevrolet.  Visit our showroom today at 23001 Katy Freeway in Katy, Texas or give us a call at 1-888-285-7051 today!

The 2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 Smokes The Competition

2014 Chevrolet Camaro z28

Most people do not know what the Nurburgring is.  It is a German race track that most European automakers use as the gold testing for their cars.  Well Chevrolet just announced that the 2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 outpaced the new Porsche 911 Carrera S with a speed of 161 MPH.

2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 Interiors

Did we mention that this was accomplished when the track was wet?  Yes it was actually raining when the test was done.  They actually believe they could have gone faster on a dry track by at least a couple of seconds.  The Camaro generated 1.05 g of cornering force.  This handling is nothing short of jaw dropping.

2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 Interiors

Chevy has definitely moved to the top of the pack with this muscle car.  It is leaving the competitors in the dust.  The engine in this bad boy has 505 horsepower and is 300lbs lighter than the normal Camaro.  No wonder it moves so well.

2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 White

If you are like me, you can’t wait to get behind the wheel.  You may not be able to take it for a spin at the Nurburgring race track, but you will enjoy cruising in it anywhere life takes you.  For more information come by Westside Chevrolet at 23001 Katy Freeway Katy, TX or give us a call at 1-888-285-7051 today!

Chevrolet’s New Bold Colors for Sonic and Spark

Chevrolet understands you want to stand out from the same old crowd when you drive your new car down the highway.  You work hard, and you love your car and it should be just as unique as you are.  Stand out from the white, black, and silver line of cars on the road with the new bright splashes of color now available on the Spark and Sonic models.

Chevrolet Spark White

In an effort to appeal to younger buyers General Motors  is looking to buck the typical automaker tendency toward conservative colors, especially on vehicles such as the Spark and Sonic which appeal more to younger buyers because they may be more daring and more interested in expressing themselves.

This years signature color is Deep Magenta Metallic which is following on the Inferno Orange Sonic and the Techno Pink Spark.  Every driver wants to make their new car their own, and an array of color choices allows you to customize and put that personal touch on your new vehicle.

Chevrolet Spark Jalapeno

 

Make your new car purchase unforgettable, and don’t settle for anything less than a car that stands out just as much as you do.  You can see the selection of bold colors in person by visiting Westside Chevrolet at 23001 Katy Freeway, in Katy, Texas.