All-New 2016 GMC Sierra Revealed

© General Motors

PEKIN, Mich.– If you’re extremely particular about the type of pickup you drive, the moment you’ve been waiting for has finally arrived now that the all-new 2016 GMC Sierra was revealed.

The Sierra is GMC’s best-selling truck and GMC pulled back the curtain on the 2016 model just as the current model came out of its best June sales since 2006, along with 12 straight months of nonstop sales improvements.

Although the Sierra is a top performer in its segment, the majority of consumers are first drawn to its impressive design. That’s why the all-new GMC Sierra was revealed as having a number of new design elements like:

• “C-shaped” LED signature daytime running lights and LED headlights
• “C-shaped” LED taillights
• New front fascia and grilles for each trim level
• New LED fog lamps
• New bumpers

So far details on the 2016 Sierra are scarce, but GMC will disclose more information between now and when the best-selling pickup will be available near the end of 2015. Looking through some of the photos GMC released, we can at least gather you’ll be able to use Apple CarPlay– Apple’s operating system used to integrate iPhones with vehicles– through the new Sierra’s IntelliLink infotainment system, which is a definite plus.

As somewhat of a little brother to GM’s bigger brands like Chevrolet, it’s not often we hear big news like this from GMC. We can’t wait to add the 2016 GMC Sierra to our inventory of New GMC Trucks at our Bartonville area GMC dealership!

At Velde Automotive Group, we are committed to providing our customers with an unbeatable level of service and a great car buying experience. Feel free to visit either of our dealerships, Velde Ford at 2200 North 8th Street, Pekin, IL 61554 or Velde Cadillac Buick GMC is located at 2220 North 8th Street, Pekin, IL 61554.

Visit our websites: VeldeGM.com and VeldeFordPekin.com

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Ford Makes Carbon Fiber Wheels with Space Shuttle Technology

PEKIN, Illi.– We’ve sent men to the moon, calculated Earth’s orbit, and even taken pictures of Pluto, but who ever thought all of that science could be applied to a car?

Now that Ford makes carbon fiber wheels with Space Shuttle technology for its Shelby® GT350R Mustang, you’ll soon learn how useful this knowledge can be on the road. Many auto parts companies already produce aftermarket carbon fiber wheels, but Ford will be the first automaker to mass-produce a wheel of this caliber.

Ford took special care to design a carbon fiber wheel able to endure harsh elements and even the occasional curb or pothole. The wheel is made a pre-made structure of carbon fiber strands woven together, and after an RFID chip tracked by Ford’s quality assurance system is inserted into the wheel, it’s infused with resin and cured at high heat.

The Space Shuttle technology plays in when Ford coats the wheels with a ceramic plasma arc spray originally intended for the Space Shuttle. The coating gives Ford’s carbon fiber wheels a layer of thermal protection that keeps brake heat from doing any damage.

Ford makes carbon fiber wheels with Space Shuttle technology, but its own development and testing has a large part in the functionality of the wheels. It isn’t news that Ford puts all of its wheels through vigorous tests that cover curb strikes, UV and chemical exposure, and high temperatures, and the GT350R’s carbon fiber wheels get the same brutal treatment before they’re approved.

The difference between Ford’s carbon fiber wheels and typical aluminum wheels is the level of durability and support. Its carbon fiber wheels are stiffer, lighter and more resilient, and give the GT350R better suspension response times, chassis performance, weight reduction and overall handling.

As much as we wish Ford’s carbon fiber wheels could be used on any vehicle, they’re intended for a high-performance track-ready vehicle like the Shelby GT350R Mustang, the most intense pony car manufactured today that is obviously in need of some above-average wheels that can take the heat.

Perhaps one day you’ll see Ford mass-producing carbon fiber wheels with Space Shuttle technology for more typical everyday vehicles, but for now– unless you intend to purchase a Shelby GT350R Mustang– you might have to settle with one of the New Ford Trucks or New Ford Cars for sale at our Ford Dealer serving Washington, IL. And don’t worry, these vehicles might not have the bite that a GT350R has, but they’re definitely just as dependable, even without carbon fiber wheels.

At Velde Automotive Group, we are committed to providing our customers with an unbeatable level of service and a great car buying experience. Feel free to visit either of our dealerships, Velde Ford at 2200 North 8th Street, Pekin, IL 61554 or Velde Cadillac Buick GMC is located at 2220 North 8th Street, Pekin, IL 61554.

Visit our websites: VeldeGM.com and VeldeFordPekin.com

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2015 Ford F-150 and F-Series Super Duty Win AutoPacific Vehicle Satisfaction Awards

PEKIN, Illi.– You may have heard that U.S. military members prefer Ford trucks over any other brand, but they aren’t the only consumers that feel satisfied with Ford’s pickups.

AutoPacific, an automotive research and consulting group, says Ford trucks provide the most contentment to consumers who purchase pickups. That the 2015 Ford F-150 and F-Series Super Duty won AutoPacific Vehicle Satisfaction Awards is evidence of Ford’s popularity among those consumers.

“The Vehicle Satisfaction Awards look at the big picture, including owners’ experiences with overall quality and safety, but it goes deeper than that,” said George Peterson, president of AutoPacific. “We also take into account the heart of the ownership experience to determine those vehicles that are extremely satisfying to their owners.”

To determine the F-150 and F-Series Super Duty as winners, AutoPacific determined pickup-owners’ satisfaction with 50 different vehicle aspects, including fuel economy, performance, interior comfort and styling.

A wide range of vehicle attributes helped the F-150 earn AutoPacific’s Vehicle Satisfaction Award for light-duty pickups, reeling in the second-highest owner score to date as well as the highest truck rating ever. But Ford’s famous pickup also has the backing of recognition for best-in-class towing, payload and EPA-estimated gasoline fuel economy, and the government’s five-star crash test rating for all of its cab options.

The F-Series Super Duty acquired AutoPacific’s Vehicle Satisfaction Award for heavy-duty pickups, but, like the F-150, has its own history of previous accolades. Ford’s best-in-class with diesel horsepower and standard torque heavy-duty pickup also recently won the 2015 Best Retained Value Heavy Duty Truck from Edmunds.com for the F-350.

You don’t necessarily need to see the 2015 Ford F-150 and F-Series Super Duty win AutoPacific Vehicle Satisfaction Awards to believe they’re the best pickups around, but those awards certainly make a statement! We still think you should come test drive one of the New Ford Trucks or New Ford Cars at our Bartonville Area Ford Dealer to get a full understanding of why Ford vehicles earn the awards they do, so come on in!

At Velde Automotive Group, we are committed to providing our customers with an unbeatable level of service and a great car buying experience. Feel free to visit either of our dealerships, Velde Ford at 2200 North 8th Street, Pekin, IL 61554 or Velde Cadillac Buick GMC is located at 2220 North 8th Street, Pekin, IL 61554.

Visit our websites: VeldeGM.com and VeldeFordPekin.com

Follow us on: Velde GM Facebook, Velde Ford Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, Instagram

Ford Makes Teens Safer Drivers with Driving Skills for Life

PEKIN, Illi.– American auto companies produce the majority of the vehicles we drive in the U.S., and, therefore, have an obligation to produce safe vehicles like the 5-Star Safety Rating 2015 Ford Edge.

However, Ford makes teens safer drivers with Driving Skills for Life summer camp not as an obligation, but because they want to see younger drivers avoid accidents, injuries and potential fatality.

Ford’s DSFL summer camp gives teens a deeper education they typically don’t get in your average driver’s education course by showing teens how you can handle your vehicle on slick terrain or how you can avoid a messy accident with an object or animal in the road. Ford also shows teens how hazardous driving under the influence can be by giving them the opportunity experience simulated impairment with goggles and a special suit.

By partnering with the Governors Highway Safety Association, Ford’s DSFL will host 1,500 teens and their parents at the free summer camp, which is touring across six states starting in Fargo, N.D., on July 7, and moving through Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota, Wisconsin and Wyoming into the month of August. Each stop will include four half-day sessions that cover vehicle handling, hazard recognition, speed management and space management.

Considering teen drivers are three times more likely than experienced drivers to be involved in a fatal motor vehicle accident, according to the CDC, Ford makes teens safer drivers with Driving Skills for Life by teaching them safer driving habits. The six states DSFL is touring through are ranked highest for high school teens ages 16 years or older who drink and drive, which places them at higher risk of being lumped into the CDC’s startling statistics on teen driving behavior that leads to death.

This time of the year also happens to be when teen driving accidents peak, so it makes sense why Ford would schedule DSFL to take place over the next month or so. Ford also wants teens’ parents to come out, too, because even experienced drivers need some recapping, and it never hurts to get an objective perspective on how you’re driving.

Although DSFL won’t be coming through our neck of the woods, we’re glad Ford is taking time to teach young drivers how to master the road and be safe. When it comes to safety, we trust Ford vehicles. That’s why we sell New Ford Cars and New Ford Trucks at our Washington, IL, Ford Dealer!

At Velde Automotive Group, we are committed to providing our customers with an unbeatable level of service and a great car buying experience. Feel free to visit either of our dealerships, Velde Ford  at 2200 North 8th Street, Pekin, IL 61554 or Velde Cadillac Buick GMC is located at 2220 North 8th Street, Pekin, IL 61554.

Visit our websites: VeldeGM.com and VeldeFordPekin.com

Follow us on: Velde GM Facebook, Velde Ford Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, Instagram

2015 Mustang Could Become Top-Seller Against Competition

PEKIN, Illi.– It has been six years since the Ford Mustang last surpassed the Chevrolet Camaro in sales, but that could easily change with the 2015 model year.

The 2015 Mustang could become the top-seller against competition like the Camaro and the Dodge Challenger now that Mustang sales are up 55 percent from last year.

To put it into perspective, Ford sold 56,571 Mustangs into May 2015, compared to Camaro sales of 33,938 and Challenger sales of 30,166, according to Autodata Corp. You don’t have to think hard to figure out why the Mustang is outselling its competitors this year considering the 50th-anniversary redesigned pony car comes with a new 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder engine that pumps out 310 horsepower and still gets 32 miles per gallon on the highway.

Style and performance are obvious factors in why the 2015 Mustang could become the top-seller against competition, but who’s buying these muscle cars? Surprisingly, millennials account for 35 percent of Mustang sales now, and many of them hail from Southern California where Mustang sales shot up 117 percent.

Based on the history of Mustang sales this year, Ford believes sales data for June will show another 40 percent increase in sales, placing Ford’s prized vehicle the closest it has been in six years to achieving a best-seller status for its segment.

Some skeptics with a wait-and-see attitude are quick to point out that the 2016 Camaro and its convertible version, due in spring 2016, could pose some difficulties for Mustang sales. But if you ask us, we’re confident that the Mustang will achieve a best-seller status and keep it!

If you see the New Ford Cars and New Ford Trucks at our Bartonville Area Ford Dealership, you’ll understand the quality manufacturing that goes into a Mustang, and that’s what it takes for a performance vehicle to be the best!

At Velde Automotive Group, we are committed to providing our customers with an unbeatable level of service and a great car buying experience. Feel free to visit either of our dealerships, Velde Ford  at 2200 North 8th Street, Pekin, IL 61554 or Velde Cadillac Buick GMC is located at 2220 North 8th Street, Pekin, IL 61554.

Visit our websites: VeldeGM.com and VeldeFordPekin.com

Follow us on: Velde GM Facebook, Velde Ford Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, Instagram

5 Fourth of July Desserts to Make

PEKIN, Illi.– Independence Day– more commonly referred to as the Fourth of July– is just around the bend. Saturday will be a day full of family and friends, grilling, fireworks and, wait something is missing. Oh, that’s right– patriotic desserts! Here are 5 Fourth of July Desserts to make, because you know how important sugar can be when you’re celebrating something like independence!

Burger Cupcakes

Too lazy to grill patties this year? That's no problem–

these burger cupcakes are essentially the same thing.

Patriotic Pretzel Bites

Pretzels, plus frosting, plus M&M's equals: 'MERICA!

No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecake Bites

 The perfect poppable food item! 

Make a bunch of these– they go quick.

Summer Dessert Tacos

 How great is it that you live in a country where

even the fruit is patriotic?

Chocolate Dipped Banana Split

You'll start singing the U.S. National Anthem

when you try one of these. 

This year, make the most of your Independence Day celebration. Try out one or more of these 5 Fourth of July desserts to make and remind your loved ones that they should feel proud to live in a country that makes room for creativity like this. An even better example of that creative freedom is Ford Motor Company, whose New Ford Cars and New Ford Trucks can be found at our Morton Area Ford Dealer! Stop by on your way to get dessert supplies and get an extra dose of American pride when you look at our inventory.

At Velde Automotive Group, we are committed to providing our customers with an unbeatable level of service and a great car buying experience. Feel free to visit either of our dealerships, Velde Ford  at 2200 North 8th Street, Pekin, IL 61554 or Velde Cadillac Buick GMC is located at 2220 North 8th Street, Pekin, IL 61554.

Visit our websites: VeldeGM.com and VeldeFordPekin.com

Follow us on: Velde GM Facebook, Velde Ford Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, Instagram

Ford Split-View Camera Technology Will Make You a Safer Driver

PEKIN, Illi.– We’ve all done it: You pull up to a stop sign, check both ways, but a bush on the corner obstructs your view– you proceed regardless. Thankfully, as you nose out into the intersection, you check again  and realize an oncoming car was this close to smashing into the side of your vehicle.

Anxiety and sighs of relief ensue after frightening incidents like this, along with the question, “Why haven’t any automakers developed solutions for drivers to see around hazardous objects?” At ease: Ford split-view camera technology will make you a safer driver from here on out.

Ford debuted the camera on the 2015 Edge and 2016 Explorer in the U.S. and China because it understands the importance of driver awareness. That’s why Ford wants all of its North American light passenger vehicles to have standard rear-view cameras by 2018, and the majority of its vehicles globally to have front cameras by 2020. 

Ford split-view camera technology will make you a safer driver because it uses real-time video feeds from 1-megapixel wide-angle lens camera located in your vehicle’s grille and tailgate. The cameras feed to a tri-panel display on your vehicle’s 8-inch screen that allows you to see around obstructions blocking your vision on either side or from straight on. Activate split-view, which turns off at 6.2 mph, to get a 180-degree view of the area in front of or behind your vehicle and notice any oncoming traffic or obstacles you would otherwise be unaware of.

Right now the 2016 F-150 has the most cameras– five– of any Ford vehicle, but the next Super Duty will contain the most advanced camera technology yet with seven camera, improving lane-keeping assistance and helping customers see better around their truck and trailer. Ford's camera technology is just one of the reasons we feel comfortable selling New Ford Cars and New Ford Trucks at our Ford Dealership Serving Morton, IL!

At Velde Automotive Group, we are committed to providing our customers with an unbeatable level of service and a great car buying experience. Feel free to visit either of our dealerships, Velde Ford  at 2200 North 8th Street, Pekin, IL 61554 or Velde Cadillac Buick GMC is located at 2220 North 8th Street, Pekin, IL 61554.

Visit our websites: VeldeGM.com and VeldeFordPekin.com

Follow us on: Velde GM Facebook, Velde Ford Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, Instagram