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Chevrolet Volt named AUTOMOBILE Magazine 2011 Automobile of the Year

2010-11-16

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DETROIT – The Chevrolet Volt is the AUTOMOBILE Magazine 2011 Automobile of the Year. The award will be presented to Joel Ewanick, GM U.S. Marketing Vice President, on Wednesday at the Los Angeles International Auto Show.

In naming the Volt their Automobile of the Year, AUTOMOBILE Magazine editors wrote:

"This is the most sophisticated, most important vehicle on the road today. It won't just change what we drive, but also how we drive. Owners will plug in at night, heat or cool their cabin before they leave the garage, and adopt new driving styles to maximize their electric range. Then, when the battery is depleted, they'll mindlessly motor on; free of the limitations that accompanies pure electric vehicles."

As the world's first mass-produced electric vehicle with extended range, the Volt has a total driving range of about 560 km. For the first 40 to 80 km, the Volt drives gas- and tailpipe-emissions-free using electricity stored in its 16-kWh lithium-ion battery. When the Volt's battery runs low, a gasoline-powered engine/generator seamlessly operates to extend the driving range more than 500 km on a full tank.

"We are very grateful for this prestigious recognition from AUTOMOBILE Magazine," said Ewanick, who drove a Volt 3,853 km from Detroit to Los Angeles for the show. "Automobile of the Year is a testament to the pioneering technology of the Volt, as well as the talent, intelligence and hard work of everyone at GM who made it a reality."

The Volt was first shown as a concept in January, 2007 at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. In June of that year, GM's Board of Directors approved the start of product development for the Volt and the Voltec electric propulsion system.

In September, 2008, the production version of the Volt debuted during GM's Centennial celebration. This month, retail production of the Chevrolet begins at Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly, with the first retail customer deliveries in December.

The full report from AUTOMOBILE Magazine appears in the January issue of the magazine and online at www.automobilemagazine.com.

Chevrolet last received the AUTOMOBILE Magazine Automobile of the Year in 2001 for the Chevrolet Corvette Z06.

About Chevrolet

Chevrolet is General Motors' largest global brand with annual sales of about 3.5 million vehicles in more than 130 countries. It is the fourth biggest global car brand in terms of sales and also one of the fastest growing brands in the world. Chevrolet Europe delivers attractive, distinctive design, practical, economical cars and outstanding value for money. After re-launching the brand in Europe in 2005, Chevrolet more than doubled its sales to over 500,000 in 2008. In 2009, Chevrolet held its market share in Europe at 2.3 percent, selling 426,000 cars. Chevrolet has a network of 2,900 dealers and service points in Europe. The Chevrolet line-up includes the all-new Spark city car, the small Aveo, compact Cruze sedan, Captiva SUV, mid-size Epica and the legendary Corvette sports car. In 2011, Chevrolet will launch the Orlando, an all-new family van, the Camaro coupe and convertible, the new Aveo and the Cruze hatchback as well as re-launching the Captiva SUV with four new engines. Chevrolet's biggest markets in Europe are Russia, Italy, Germany, France, Spain and the U.K. Established in the U.S. by Swiss émigré Louis Chevrolet in 1911, the brand is preparing to celebrate its centenary with the launch of the ground-breaking Chevrolet Volt extended-range electric vehicle. More information on Chevrolet can be found at http://www.chevroleteurope.com or http://media.chevroleteurope.com.