It seems like ever since the 2012
Chevrolet Sonic’s performance at this years Super Bowl, people just can’t
get enough. This little car has been doing some pretty big and daring stunts.
The Sonic has been busting out kick-flips, bungee jumping over a kiddy pool,
and even skydiving! There has been a lot of extreme testing that has attributed
this mini-Evil Kenevil mobile. In an article from Chevrolet News
called, “Grueling
Road Stress Fuels Chevy Sonic Success” discusses the testing done to the
2012 Chevy Sonic that has helped shape it into the successful small car it is
today. Take a look:
DETROIT – There are miles and then there are
“Seth miles.” Both measure 5,280 feet, but a “Seth mile” is different. More
extreme. More grueling. More punishing. All that rigor is part of the
durability story of the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic.
“Seth miles” are named for Chevrolet Sonic
Quality Manager Seth Valentine. Each mile Valentine puts on a test vehicle is
called a “Seth mile” by Sonic engineers because of his reputation for extreme
testing on long road trips. Valentine’s duty: Make the Sonic the
most reliable and durable small car in North America.
The efforts are paying off as Sonic more than
doubled the sales of its predecessor, the Aveo, in January. Sonic is the only
subcompact built in the United States.
Over one six-week period, Valentine drove
more than 14,000 miles in the first Sonic to leave the General Motors Orion
(Mich.) Assembly Plant. Valentine drove Sonic Vehicle Identification No. 1 from
north to south and east to west, across subtropical Florida, the arid deserts
of Arizona, the mountains of Colorado, and the South Carolina low country.
In addition to amassing miles with other
Sonic team members, Valentine would play typical consumer and pack the Sonic to
the hilt for a family vacation.
During work trips, Valentine and his
colleagues identified quality issues that needed fixed before Sonics were
shipped to Chevrolet dealers. One lengthy journey from the assembly plant
outside Detroit to Phoenix revealed an intense wind noise while traveling
through a 40 mph crosswind in Texas. The wind noise was not a factor during
testing at the GM Proving Ground in Milford, Mich. Valentine called the
assembly plant from the road and had the problem fixed before VIN No. 2 left
the factory. He took the same approach with other issues found on the road.
“I do test drives because I want to
experience everything a customer could: low altitude, high altitude, high
temperatures and low temperatures,” said Valentine. “In the course of one
week I can go from below sea level at 120 degrees F to below freezing
temperatures at 12,000 feet above sea level. We can experience everything
the customer might experience.”
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| The 2012 Chevrolet Sonic has been tested over and over before hitting the production line |
The Sonic comes with a 100,000-mile
powertrain warranty, 40,000 miles more than most competing small car powertrain
warranties. It is the only small car manufactured in the United States.
If you have any
questions about the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic or would like to test drive one Contact Us and we will gladly
get you behind the wheel or field any questions you have.
Graff Chevrolet is proud to serve the auto dealership needs
of cities such as Bay City, Midland, Saginaw, Mount Pleasant, Essexville,
Pinconning, Coleman, Sanford, Carrollton, Frankenmuth, St. Charles, Birch Run,
and Zilwaukee. We provide exceptional customer service, a warm and friendly
environment, auto financing options to fit your budget, and an inventory of
great new and used cars, trucks, SUV’s, and crossovers. Our ASE certified
technicians at the Graff Chevrolet Service Center service and repair all makes
and models both foreign and domestic. Call us at (989) 684-4411 or
stop in at 3636 Wilder Road, Bay City, MI, 48706 and check out
our great GM inventory selection.
Visit our website at www.graffbaycity.com
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