It's How Fast? The 2011 Callaway Camaro SC572

It's dark. It's mysterious. It's menacing. It looks and feels like midnight, when anything can happen. The 2011 Callaway Camaro SC572 has landed right here at Uftring Chevy Saab's home in Washington, and has it ever made an impact.

2011 Callaway Camaro at Uftring Chevy

If you're looking for fast, you've found it. If you're looking for mean, you've found it. If you're looking for unique, special, something that will draw stares and leave mouths hanging wide open - well, you've found it. The Camaro is great on its own. The Callaway Camaro takes that greatness and then lifts it to an entirely new level. That level is where the supercars lie, and it plays by an entirely different set of rules.

Sits low with a constant snarl on its face

What you're looking at is a 2011 Chevy Camaro 2SS that's been heavily modified by Callaway. In addition to the standard Callaway Camaro SC572 Package (complete with 572 horsepower, a 6 speed manual transmission, Eaton Supercharger, increased flow fuel injectors, liquid to air intercooler, high flow intake system...you get the idea) we custom ordered a number of tasty options on it that will get your car glands salivating. It's been lowered an inch, and in combination with the added Callaway nine spoke wheels this supercar possesses a mean and aggressive profile.

Custom Callaway 9-Spoke Wheels

The ChromeCoat supercharger finish and PowerHood window allow a peek at the inner workings of the engine, and it's a beautiful site. There are Callaway touches all over the car including badging on the interior and exterior as well as embroidered headrests and floormats. This Camaro is so special and so dark, it's the next best thing to the Batmobile.

The guts are as beautiful as the skin

Taking this car out for a spin is unreal. Firing up the engine and hearing it roar to life through those massive exhaust tips is simply stunning. You can tell when it's running in the low gears that it's barely even been woken up. It's yawning, waiting for the real action to begin. You can hear it grumbling, and it sounds spectacular. The Callaway is simply waiting to explode to performance heaven and take you with it.

Optional supercharger with the ChromeCoat Supercharger Finish

 This car hits 0-60 mph in 3.9 seconds and runs the quarter mile in 11.9 seconds. Cruising around town brought plenty of looks end quite a bit of car envy, especially from the other sports and muscle cars we passed on the road.

The Chevy Bow Tie has been replaced with Callaway's font

This Callaway Camaro retains the 3 year/36,000 Mile limited bumper to bumper warranty. Are you a fan of fast? Contact our Callaway Specialist Chris Kamp at 309-444-3151 or email him at chriskamp@uftring.com. He's one of the nicest guys you'll meet and he would love to show you around our performance car offerings, including this dark and mysterious Callaway Camaro. Visit our website to see all of our Camaros and Corvettes complete with pictures and info.

East Peoria Man Wins A Nissan Juke

He just got lucky. But he was smart about it and played his luck in the right way.

The prize (2011 Nissan Juke) lies in wait

Randal was a big winner last Friday. How big of a winner? He won a brand new 2011 Nissan Juke from Uftring Nissan in Peoria. Yeah, big winner of a sexy, sporty, small and agile crossover. His planning and execution played a part in his victory, and good old lady luck took care of the rest.

A striking sports crossover with signature Nissan tail lights

You see, Randal put some thought into his victory. He saved up all of his entries through the month of March and then unleashed them all last Friday. His wasn't the first name drawn. No matter, as that individual wasn't present. Time to draw again. Whose name was called? Yep, it was Randal.

Randal and his wife, proud owners of a 2011 Nissan Juke

"Do you want the car, or the cash?" asked the lady running the drawing. "I want the car," Randal replied. "Are you sure?" she responded. "Yes," he said. Randal had a choice of eight envelopes to pick from. He chose the number 3 envelope. Again he was asked if he wanted the car or cash. There was only one thing on his mind - the Juke. She opened the envelope and asked him one more time: car or cash? Our man Randal is a bastion of consistency. It was the Juke for him, he would not break down and take the cash.

The Juke is fun even when it isn't moving

"What color do you want it in?" she asked. Randal responded that he didn't want to choose until he had won the car. "Well," she said, "you won!" Guess he'd have to choose the color after all. Not a bad start to the weekend.

Lettie Schmitt shows Randal around the Juke

Fast forward to today (Thursday) at Uftring Nissan. After nearly a week of patience, Randal is finally able to pick up his prize. Lettie Shmitt, one of our all star sales consultants, assisted Randal with the finer details of his new Nissan Juke. She helped him through all of the paperwork, then showed him around the exterior and interior of the gorgeous gun metallic gray sport cross he had come to claim.

Lettie explain the features of the Juke

 XM Radio, navigation, sport mode, eco mode, iPod integration, push button start - Lettie moved through all of this and more smoothly and with great attention to detail. Randal was pleased with his prize. His wife and daughter were quite happy as well. The Juke even has harnesses with which to secure child seats - perfect for his grandchildren.

Winning!

We'd like to thank Randal for choosing the new 2011 Nissan Juke instead of a pile of cash! It's much more fun to drive. If you're interested in or looking for a Juke, we'd love to provide one for you. Please view our 2011 Nissan Juke inventory on our website. We have a list of people waiting to get their hands on a Juke, so act swiftly if you'd like to see yourself in this gorgeous sport cross anytime soon!

Jim McComb & Neil Norton No More, Long Live Uftring Weston

On Wednesday, March 23, Uftring Auto Group officially acquired Neil Norton Cadillac. The dealership has been merged with Jim McComb Chevrolet and the two are now known as Uftring Weston Chevrolet Cadillac. We are all very excited about the addition of the Cadillac brand to the Uftring Auto Group lineup and the value it will bring to you, our customer.

Cadillac has some truly amazing and extraordinary cars on its roster that only serve to enhance and flesh out the offerings of the Auto Group as a whole. In addition, it's a great compliment to the Chevrolet brand and you should be served well with the ability to shop the two iconic American brands on one lot. It's our first American luxury brand, joining our import luxury offerings from Jaguar, Land Rover, Range Rover, and Saab.

Our founder and president, Gary Uftring, is proud to offer the Cadillac brand to Uftring customers. This fulfills a personal dream of his to have the ability for Uftring Auto Group customers to purchase a new Cadillac from an Uftring dealership. This is a joint venture between Gary Uftring and the CEO of the Uftring Auto Group, Mark Weston.

2011 Cadillac SRX - best selling luxury crossover

This week through Thursday, March 31st, we're holding a huge sale at the former Neil Norton Cadillac and Jim McComb Chevrolet locations. We have to reduce our inventory in order to fit it all at the former Jim McComb lots. At the close of this week and the beginning of April, all of the Cadillac inventory will be moved to the two former Jim McComb Chevrolet locations at the corner of War Memorial and University in Peoria. You can continue to visit this location for all of your sales, service, parts and body shop needs.

In the meantime, the former Neil Norton location will undergo an extensive renovation to the building and lot. Upon completion this fall, it will be the brand new location of Uftring Weston. Expect an exceptional and beautiful world class facility fit for the 21st century. You can expect the same great service, value, and integrity you've come to expect from Jim McComb, only now with a gorgeous new building that will streamline and enhance your experience.

Look for more news on this blog and our Facebook and Twitter accounts soon!

Electric Cars In Peoria...Wait, That's A Van!

Waiting for an electric car to arrive in Peoria? While the Nissan Leaf and Chevy Volt won't be here for quite some time, there is another answer, especially if you need a vehicle for your business. If you're absolutely craving electricity now, you can satisfy your longing with the Ford Transit Connect Electric van.

The Ford Transit Connect Electric runs on an electric drivetrain

That's right, an electric van has beat the electric cars to the punch in central Illinois. Uftring Auto Group has entered into a partnership with Azure Dynamics to offer the Ford Transit Connect Electric van to customers in the Peoria area. The electric vehicles will be available for sale through the Uftring Automall in East Peoria. We'll be the exclusive dealer of the Ford Transit Connect Electric in downstate Illinois!

The modified Ford Transit Connect Electric runs completely on electricity, eliminating the need for gas. It utilizes Azure Dynamics Force Drive battery electric drivetrain. The high voltage lithium-ion battery can be charged from a 120V or 240V AC input, the same type of outlet that large household appliances such as refrigerators use.

The Ford Transit Connect was the 2010 Truck of the Year

This is the same great van that was awarded the 2010 North American Truck of the Year award, but with a bit more inspiration from Ben Franklin. The Transit Connect has been praised in the media and from automobile enthusiasts for its versatility and huge cargo capacity. It's great for storing and delivering anything from wedding cakes to plumbing materials.

Want to become more eco-friendly with your business? Here's an easy way to do so. If you're interested in acquiring or learning more about a Ford Transit Connect Electric van, please contact Jeff Peters, Fleet and Commercial Sales Manager for the Uftring Auto Group. Call Jeff at the Uftring Automall at 888-526-0326 or email him at jeffpetersATuftringDOTcom.

See the Uftring Auto Group Ford Transit Connect Inventory

Ted Lange: Classic Celebrity of the Week

We know you’ve been waiting for it and it’s finally up! The Uftring Auto Group Classic Celebrity of the Week is the instantly recognizable Ted Lange, better known as Isaac the Bartender on The Love Boat, which ran from 1977 to 1986 on ABC. The Love Boat was set on the Pacific Princess, a cruise ship, where the crew and cast of celebrity guest stars engage in adventures and romance while they visited exotic destinations.  The show became a regular stop for b-list celebrities and the occasional bonafide star.  The Love Boat continues to run in syndication all over the world.

Ted Lange - Isaac the Bartender from The Love Boat

Which brings us back to Ted Lange. Although he will forever be known as Isaac Washington, Lange has compiled a substantial resume’ of acting and directing credits, including extensive work in the theater. His dedication to stagecraft has been recognized with the NAACP’s Renaissance Man Theatre Award, among others.  Three cheers for Ted Lange!