Puckerbrush Parade in Forest City, Iowa

On Saturday, July 16th, employees, family and friends of Lichtsinn Motors participated in the 2011 Puckerbrush Parade in Forest City, Iowa.

It was very hot but everyone had a great time and we enjoyed seeing familiar local faces as well as many of our friends from Winnebago's Grand National Rally.

Our parade entry featured Chevrolet, Buick and GMC vehicles as well as one of our RV Rentals and a Winnebago motor home.

For more information about Lichtsinn Motors visit: http://www.gmlichtsinn.com/default.aspx

GMC IntelliLink Enhances Terrain’s Connectivity Capability

Small SUV’s voice-controlled interface helps drivers safely use mobile electronics

GMC, the brand known for professional grade capability and engineering excellence, is taking in-vehicle connectivity to the next level on the 2012 Terrain. The small SUV with segment-leading fuel economy will expand its already-extensive list of standard and available features in late 2011 with a simple-to-use, customizable infotainment system and expanded wireless capability.

The 2012 Terrain will be the first vehicle to offer GMC IntelliLink, which uses Bluetooth or USB to connect the driver’s smartphone to Terrain’s new seven-inch, high-resolution, full-color touch screen display radio. IntelliLink expands on the current Terrain’s Bluetooth and USB capabilities to allow smartphone control via voice activation and steering wheel-mounted controls, and streaming stereo audio from the phone through services like PANDORA^® internet radio and Stitcher SmartRadio^®.

Most importantly, IntelliLink enables seamless integration of stowed portable devices with Terrain’s infotainment system, allowing drivers to keep their hands on the wheel and eyes on the road.

“Today’s car buyers don’t want to settle for mass market radio, and they don’t have to,” said John Schwegman, U.S. vice president of GMC Marketing. “They expect to have access to personalized media wherever they are, and the introduction of GMC IntelliLink on Terrain makes media personalization easier than ever.”

Consumer interest in onboard connectivity is rising with smartphone sales. Apple sold 16.2 million iPhonesin the fourth quarter of 2010, and Android sales jumped 886 percent from 2009 to 2010. Two and a half years ago, only one in 10 Americans had a smartphone. By the end of 2013, there will be 1.1 billion smartphones, with annual sales of 300 million units, according to research firm Parks Associates Industries.

“About 70 percent of all new car buyers want some form of connectivity,” said Micky Bly, executive director leading GM’s infotainment engineering efforts, citing GM research. “Whether it’s because they want to listen to their favorite music or hear movie times on the way to the theater, today’s car buyer expects so much more out of their time in a car.”

One doesn’t need a smartphone to benefit from IntelliLink. The system works with a Bluetooth-enabled cell phone, USB flash drive or digital audio player. Even without a mobile device, GMC owners will benefit from IntelliLink’s enhanced voice recognition technology and OnStar’s on-screen turn-by-turn directions.

The new benefits provided by GMC IntelliLink include:

Enhanced hands-free voice control system powered by Nuance^®, which allows simple voice commands to initiate phone calls and select radio stations or media from portable MP3 players and smartphones. A tap of a button on the steering wheel enables intuitive verbal control of many radio features like “play (artist name)” or “call (name of contact)”. When a smart phone is connected you can say “tune (internet radio, station name).”

PANDORA internet radio and Stitcher SmartRadio allow users to create personalized radio stations based on favorite artists or genres and enables access to thousands of audio programming choices allowing customers to build a personalized listening experience. IntelliLink integrates control of both of these apps for a driver-directed listening experience.

Gracenote^® identifies the music collection on the driver’s USB device, MP3 player or smartphone and presents information such as artist name, genres and album cover art on the IntelliLink screen and enables users to select similar music to the tunes they love. Gracenote also improves the accuracy of IntelliLink’s voice activation system by allowing users to access music using artist nicknames, such as “The Boss,” “The Stones,” or “Snoop” using IntelliLink’s voice control interfaces activated through the touch-screen or steering wheel buttons.

Upgraded USB connectivity adds the ability to play music files directly from flash memory devices, and gives the customer the ability to update IntelliLink with future feature enhancements.

GMC IntelliLink retains all the capabilities of today’s entertainment units, and adds to Terrain’s comprehensive list of standard and available features, which includes purposeful technologies such as:

Standard rear-vision camera that provides a view of objects or people directly behind the vehicle

Standard USB audio connectivity and MP3 playback for your portable music player – plug it in and control the features right from the radio or the optional steering wheel controls and USB thumb drives or (say USB enabled storage devices)

Standard XM Satellite Radio, which provides coast-to-coast tunes

Programmable power liftgate that can be set to open to a lower height, clearing garage obstructions or making it easier to reach for those of shorter stature

Remote vehicle start that can be used to automatically heat up a cold Terrain on a January morning, or cool it down on a hot August afternoon.

GMC IntelliLink’s designers drew inspiration from the intuitive, easy-to-use interfaces found on many popular consumer electronics. The influence can be seen on the home page with application icons that animate when activated. The touch screen’s structured, technical graphics and red-and-grey color combination evoke GMC’s “professional grade” personality and Terrain’s bold exterior styling.

The debut of GMC IntelliLink extends the OnStar experience from safety and security to information and entertainment by seamlessly integrating the capability of a smartphone into the vehicle so that hand-held phones may be safely stowed while driving.

When OnStar debuted in 1996, it pioneered in-vehicle connectivity with the auto industry’s first embedded telematics system. It has grown from primarily offering automatic crash notification and security features to include remote vehicle diagnostics, turn-by-turn navigation and the ability to slow down stolen vehicles. In November 2010, OnStar released a smartphone application for all 2011 GMC vehicles that incorporated remote start, lock/unlock, and vehicle status checks.

GMC IntelliLink will be available on Terrain before expanding to other vehicles in the GMC lineup over the next 18 to 24 months.

About GMC

GMC has built trucks since 1902, and is one of the industry's healthiest brands. Today GMC is evolving to offer more fuel-efficient trucks and crossovers, including the Terrain small SUV and Acadia crossover. The new GMC Sierra Heavy Duty pickups are the most capable and powerful trucks in the market. Innovation and engineering excellence are woven into all GMCs, including the Yukon and Yukon XL and full line of Sierra pickups. Today, GMC is the only manufacturer offering three full-size hybrid trucks. Details on all GMC models are available at www.gmc.com, on Twitter at @thisisgmc or at www.facebook.com/gmc.

2011 GMC Acadia near Clear Lake, Iowa

Visit Lichtsinn Motors in Forest City, Iowa, to see the all-new 2011 GMC Acadia and all our other new Chevrolet, GMC, Cadillac and Buick vehicles.

2011 GMC Acadia in North Iowa

For years, building tough trucks for tough work has been the focus of GMC, General Motors' truck division. But even GMC couldn't avoid the onslaught of the crossover SUV revolution. That's where the 2011 GMC Acadia comes in.

The 2011 GMC Acadia is a large crossover SUV. Mechanically, it's very similar to its platform-mates -- the Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse and now-discontinued Saturn Outlook. Thanks to its spacious interior, strong V6 engine and competitive price, the 2011 GMC Acadia is one of the better crossover SUV choices.

The 2011 GMC Acadia is one of the roomiest crossover utility vehicles in its class, with seating for up to eight passengers. The second-row seats are captain's chairs, but a 60/40-split-folding bench is available as an option. The second-row seats also slide 4 inches fore and aft and easily flip up and out of the way for access to the third-row seats. Behind the third row, there is a respectable amount of luggage room.

The 2011 GMC Acadia comes in four trims: SL, SLE, SLT-1 and SLT-2. Each comes with a direct-injected 3.6-liter V6 engine capable of churning out 288 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed automatic transmission is standard.

Standard features include cruise control, full power accessories, front and rear air-conditioning and a full array of airbags. The SLE's additional highlights include a power liftgate, remote ignition, rear parking sensors and a rearview camera. The SLT-1 and SLT-2 trims add features that include leather seating, heated front seats, tri-zone climate control and a 10-speaker Bose audio system with a six-CD in-dash changer and USB audio connection.

Whether you live in Mason City, Clear Lake, Garner, Charles City, Lake Mills, Albert Lea, or any other town in North Iowa or Southern Minnesota, Lichtsinn Motors in Forest City is the place to find your next 2011 GMC Acadia.

Our website has video on every in-stock vehicle...just like the video below:

2011 Buick LaCrosse near Mason City, Iowa

Visit Lichtsinn Motors in Forest City, Iowa, to see the all-new 2011 Buick LaCrosse and all our other new Chevrolet, GMC, Cadillac and Buick vehicles.

2011 Buick LaCrosse

The 2011 Buick LaCrosse will see many of its features carry on unchanged, but will receive one major change: the 3.0-liter V6 engine will be dropped in favor of a 2.4-liter inline four-cylinder engine. The 3.6-liter V6 engine will remain. This vehicle is designed to seat up to five passengers, and will be offered in three trim levels: CX, CXL, and CXS. The CX and CXL models are likely to continue to be offered in front or all-wheel drive, and although many options will remain the same, there may be some small changes to features and trim levels.

The Buick LaCrosse had its exterior redesigned for the 2010 model year, and the 2011 Buick LaCrosse does not have many changes. Its exterior is edgier and sportier than in previous generations. The base model should have basic exterior features like halogen headlights and daytime running lights. Upgraded trims and options are included: heated side mirrors with integrated turn signals, foglamps, rear parking sensors, adaptive xenon headlights, and adjustable shock absorbers.

Whether you live in Mason City, Clear Lake, Garner, Charles City, Lake Mills, Albert Lea, or any other town in North Iowa or Southern Minnesota, Lichtsinn Motors in Forest City is the place to find your next 2011 Buick LaCrosse!

Our website has video on every in-stock vehicle...just like the video below:

GMC Provides Consumer Tips for On Board Pet Safety

Parents and caregivers pay close attention to a child’s safety while traveling in a vehicle. Our pets need the same on board care.

On Friday, at the BarkWorld Expo in Atlanta, GMC partnered with Safe Kids USA, the Atlanta Humane Society and PETCO to provide hands-on pet safety tips and demonstrations on safely securing a pet while traveling along with cautions to avoid leaving a pet unattended in a vehicle.
The GMC Acadia and Terrain are known for their family-friendly safety features that offer customers high-tech tools to help provide a safe and convenient drive for all passengers, including pets. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association nearly half of all pet owners consider their furry friend to be part of their family, which is why GMC pays attention to pets needs when developing user-friendly features.

“We know that nearly 40 percent of utility buyers are using their vehicles to transport their pets on a weekly basis, and we think that the vehicles in the GMC portfolio offer the tools that our customers need to safely travel with their four-legged friends,” said GMC Marketing Manager Hugh Milne.

“For example the GMC Terrain and Acadia are great family and pet-friendly vehicles with safety and technology features including remote power rear lift gate, second row smart slide seating system, bench seats that allow room to secure a crate for your pet and the safety and security of OnStar.”

The Atlanta Humane Society says most pet owners fail to properly secure their pets, and they can become “living projectiles” when drivers stop suddenly. An animal can seriously injure or kill a passenger and be hurt or killed itself – even at low speeds.
“While there is no one foolproof way to secure a pet to completely escape injury, just about any method is preferable to pets being loose,” said Mailey E. McLaughlin, M.Ed., Atlanta Humane Society Behavior and Training Coordinator. “A properly sized crate or kennel secured behind the back seat in an SUV is generally best, followed by a crate secured behind a different seat, or wedged between non-moving features. A secured or unsecured crate in an open area can shatter and send debris (and the pet inside) flying.”

If crating is not feasible, McLaughlin recommends securing a pet with a sturdy safety travel harness with metal buckles (or no buckles) with wide, padded straps that run across the shoulders and chest, not around the neck.

Just as important as proper securing of pets is knowing when they should not be in a vehicle. According to Safe Kids USA, the temperature inside a closed vehicle can become dangerously hot in just minutes – even when temperatures outside are mild. A child or pet’s body temperature can rise three to five times faster than an adults and can result in heatstroke or death. Through mid-August, at least 35 children in the United States had died from hyperthermia in 2010 from being left unattended or playing in a vehicle and being overcome by heat.
“Never leave a child or pet unattended in a vehicle – not even for a minute,” said Wes Bender of Safe Kids USA. “This can result in life-threatening temperatures inside the vehicle, even with the windows slightly open. Temperatures inside a closed vehicle can become dangerously hot in just minutes, even when temperatures outside are mild.”

For pets, Safe Kids recommends taking your pet with you when you exit the car or leave it at home where it will be spared the heat.

Safety travel pet harnesses and crates used during the demonstration were donated by PETCO.
The Terrain offers a best-in-segment EPA-estimated highway fuel economy of 32 miles per gallon, and to meet customer demand production has been increased three times since it went on sale in late 2009.

About GMC
GMC has built trucks since 1902, and is one of the industry's healthiest brands. Today GMC is evolving to offer more fuel-efficient trucks and crossovers, including the Terrain small SUV and Acadia crossover. The new GMC Sierra Heavy Duty pickups are the most capable and powerful trucks in the market. Innovation and engineering excellence are woven into all GMCs, including the Yukon and Yukon XL and full line of Sierra pickups. Today GMC is the only manufacturer offering three full-size hybrid trucks. Details on all GMC models are available at www.gmc.com, on Twitter at @thisisgmc or at facebook.com/gmc.

About Atlanta Humane Society
Founded in 1873, the Atlanta Humane Society and Society For Prevention Of Cruelty To Animals, Inc. is the oldest private non-profit animal welfare organization in Atlanta and one of the oldest humane agencies in America. Services such as Canine Play Yard, spay/neuter, adoptions, a regional food bank program, pet facilitated therapy, animal behavior hot-line and our charitable veterinary clinic are made possible by generous contributions of time and money from the public.

About Safe Kids USA
Safe Kids USA is a member of Safe Kids Worldwide, a global network of organizations with the mission of preventing unintentional childhood injury, the leading cause of death and disability to children ages 1 to 14. More than 600 coalitions in the United States and nineteen member countries worldwide bring together health and safety experts, educators, corporations, foundations, governments and volunteers to educate and protect families.
In partnership with General Motors since 1997, Safe Kids Buckle Up, the child passenger safety program of Safe Kids USA, has inspected 1.25 million car seats; held approximately 64,000 car seat checkup events around the country; donated more than 444,000 car seats to families in need and educated more than 21 million parents and caregivers.

About PETCO
PETCO is a privately held specialty retailer that provides products, services and advice that make it easier for our customers to be great pet parents. We operate more than 1,000 stores in 50 states and the District of Columbia, as well as a leading pet products and information destination at www.petco.com. Our nonprofit organization, The PETCO Foundation, has raised more than $63 million since its inception in 1999 to help promote and improve the welfare of companion animals. In conjunction with the Foundation, we work with and support approximately 6,500 local animal welfare groups across the country to help find homes for more than 200,000 adoptable animals every year.

GM Brands Earn Big Awards from JD Power!

In the 2010 JD Power IQS results there are some significant wins for GM’s brands and manufacturing plants. GM has 10 models ranking in the top three in their segments for quality performance in the first 90 days of ownership.

GM received four awards, double the number in 2009. Chevrolet Tahoe and Avalanche, GMC Sierra 1500 and Cadillac Escalade were segment winners.

GM’s Lansing Grand River Assembly - home of the Cadillac CTS family and STS - was awarded the study’s Bronze Plant Award in the North/South America region, and was the top-ranking plant in the United States.

Vehicle segment wins for the Chevrolet, GMC and Cadillac models support the quality improvement trend seen in internal evaluations, which show that, since 2007, GM has reduced warranty repairs by 45 percent per vehicle in North America.

The Chevrolet and Cadillac brands scored 111 PPH (2 below industry average) while Buick improved slightly to 114 PPH. GMC finished at 126 PPH.

“We have a plan to be segment leaders in every market and segment in which we compete by 2012, and we’re on track to achieve that goal,” said Dan Nicholson, vice president of Global Quality. “While we celebrate these wins, we realize that our overall quality performance is not where it needs to be. We understand what we need to improve, especially with regard to new vehicle launches,” he said.

Nicholson continued: “Delivering top-quality vehicles for our customers is our overriding priority. Our entire team is committed to improving our vehicles, and we never lose sight of the fact that the competition is also moving fast. Congratulations to the GM team on the progress made so far. We all have a role to play in keeping quality as a top priority as we design, build and sell the world’s best vehicles.”

The 2010 IQS is based on responses from more than 82,000 purchasers and lessees of new 2010 model-year vehicles surveyed after 90 days of ownership. The study is based on a 228-question survey designed to provide manufacturers with information to quickly identify design-related problems, defects and malfunctions.